Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

World Cup playoffs - Nigeria face Gabon as Cameroon take on DR Congo
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon and DRC vie for World Cup Play-offs final spot

Four teams are competing for a spot in the FIFA World Cup finals, with a total of 15 past appearances. By the end of this week's African Play-Offs, only one will advance.

Cameroon has participated in the World Cup eight times, which is a record for Africa. They last played in Qatar in 2022 and reached the quarter-finals in 1990.

Nigeria has played in six finals, most recently in Russia in 2018. The Democratic Republic of Congo was a finalist in 1974, when it was still called Zaire, while Gabon has never qualified before.

This week, all four teams have a fair chance in a knockout tournament where losing means elimination. Nigeria will face Gabon in Rabat on Thursday, and later that evening, Cameroon will play DR Congo.

The winners of the upcoming matches in Rabat on Sunday will advance to the World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament, where they will compete against seeded teams for two spots in the FIFA World Cup.

The African Play-Off winners will join Bolivia and New Caledonia, along with teams from Asia and Concacaf, in this tournament set for March 23 to 31, 2026.

Nigeria, the highest-ranked team in Morocco, secured their place after a recent 4-0 win against Benin, having struggled earlier in the qualifiers.

Gabon finished their group with 25 points, just behind Côte d’Ivoire, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang key to their attack. DR Congo and Cameroon, who last met in a 1-1 friendly in 2015, are also competing, with DR Congo two points behind Senegal in their group.

Sierra Leone-born Trevoh Chalobah named in England Squad
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone-born Trevoh Chalobah named in England Squad

Sierra Leone-born and Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah has been included in the England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

England is set to face Serbia at Wembley on Thursday before heading to Tirana to play Albania on Sunday. Thomas Tuchel’s team has already secured their spot in the World Cup with an impeccable record.

Chalobah made his debut for England in June, following in the footsteps of his brother Nathaniel, who also graduated from the Chelsea Academy to represent the Three Lions.

The 26-year-old has been a steady presence in England’s youth teams, participating from Under-16s to Under-21s, and he will be looking to increase his tally of one senior cap during this window.

Egypt progress despite defeat to England defeat in U17 World Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Egypt progress despite defeat to England defeat in U17 World Cup

England's U17 squad delivered an impressive performance, defeating Egypt 3-0 on Monday in Doha, securing second place in Group D and advancing to the round of 32 at the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025

Despite the defeat, Egypt also progressed as one of the top eight third-placed teams, finishing the group stage with four points from three matches.

The victory for England was fueled by Manchester City forward Reigan Heskey, who netted two goals and once again showcased why he is considered one of the standout talents in the tournament.

Reigan, the son of former England striker Emile Heskey, opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a powerful right-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area.

He increased the lead early in the second half (54) after breaking free on a counterattack and calmly finishing under Egypt’s goalkeeper Omar Abdelaziz.

However, Abdelaziz shone in the 64th minute by saving Heskey’s penalty, preventing the English player from achieving a hat-trick. Nevertheless, England confirmed their victory in the 89th minute when Harrison Miles struck home the third goal to complete a dominant performance.

2025 FIFA U17 World Cup – African teams that have qualified for the Round of 32

– Zambia 🇿🇲

– Senegal 🇸🇳

– South Africa 🇿🇦

– Morocco 🇲🇦

– Egypt 🇪🇬

– Tunisia 🇹🇳

Eliminated

– Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

CAF AND PUMA unveil AFCON 2025 official Match Ball 'ITRI'
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF and PUMA unveil AFCON 2025 official Match Ball ‘ITRI’

The official ball for the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 showcases traditional Moroccan zellij geometric designs.

The ball’s creation merges age-old artistry with advanced PUMA Orbita 6 technology. It is set to debut at the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025, which begins on December 21, 2025.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF), alongside prominent sports brand PUMA, has introduced the Official Match Ball for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025.

Named ITRI, the ball is inspired by Morocco’s long-standing zellij art form, famous for its detailed geometric mosaics, while representing the unity and enthusiasm of African football throughout the continent.

The name also honours the star present on the Moroccan flag and corresponds to the star patterns that hold importance in traditional zellij art.

PUMA commemorated the official launch by unveiling a video featuring the ITRI ball, marking a significant moment ahead of the tournament.

The ITRI ball will be featured in the opening match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.

Sierra Leone's Daniel Kanu nets as Walsall win at Newport
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone’s Daniel Kanu nets as Walsall win at Newport

Sierra Leone International Daniel Kanu was on target as League Two leaders Walsall had to persevere to overcome bottom-placed Newport County in south Wales after recovering from an early setback.

The home team took the lead in the 16th minute with a goal from Kai Whitmore, but just a minute later, Daniel Kanu equalized his first of the season and Ryan Finnigan then put the visitors in front.

Finnigan scored again to give Walsall a stronger grip on the match before Gerard Garner found the net from close range, narrowing the gap for the hosts just before half-time.

Nonetheless, Rico Browne scored seven minutes into the second half to restore Walsall’s two-goal lead, and they managed to secure a 4-2 victory.

Burkina Faso's U17 coach Oscar Barro praised his team's "brave" performance
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Burkina Faso’s U17 coach Oscar Barro praised his team’s “brave” performance

Burkina Faso's U-17 football team won their first match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 by beating Czechia 2-1 on Saturday, November 8, at Aspire Zone, Doha. Coach Oscar Barro praised his team's "brave" performance.

After losing their first match to the USA, Burkina Faso bounced back with this victory. In their previous game, they had played well for 78 minutes but lost due to a late goal by Cavan Sullivan.

Barro expressed his frustration after that game, but focused on correcting mistakes for the match against Czechia. “We dropped off defensively in the last 20 minutes and paid the price,” he explained. “Today, we held out for 94 minutes. We have to congratulate the lads. They were very brave.”

The defense required a strong team effort. Fadil Barro had a solid game against the USA, but Issouf Dabo shone against Czechia. The 16-year-old defender read the game well and excelled in the air, while Mikael Coulibaly supported him effectively by stopping dangerous plays down the right wing.

Czechia had just scored six goals against Tajikistan in their previous match, with Vit Skrkon scoring a quick hat-trick. He was the only player to score against Burkina Faso in this game, earning praise from Barro. “We played against a good Czech side who possess the ball well, are aggressive, and have a very dangerous center forward,” Barro said of Skrkon, who has four goals in the tournament so far.

Burkina Faso’s goalkeeper, Rahim Ouattara, played a crucial role with several important saves. He denied Skrkon in the 16th minute and made four key stops during the match. He was aided by the crossbar once when Filip Hruska’s powerful shot hit the woodwork.

Burkina Faso will face Tajikistan in their final group match next Tuesday. “We’re united and we’re going to try to perform better in the next match,” said Mohamed Zongo. “We have to treat the next game like a final — with focus and composure,” Barro concluded.

History: Zambia reach 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup knockout stage
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

History: Zambia reach 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup knockout stage

Zambia advanced to the knockout stage of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup after defeating Honduras 5-2 on Friday night.

Makinka’s boys achieved two wins in a row in their first FIFA U-17 World Cup. This sets up an important match against Brazil in Group H.

Coach Dennis Makinka and captain Jonathan Kalimina discussed their historic achievement after securing a spot in the knockout stage of the U-17 World Cup with a decisive 5-2 victory.  This marks the first time this African nation has reached the finals at this level.

Makinka expressed how significant this milestone is for the country, stating, “It’s a great feeling. We plan to push even harder to bring joy to our people back home.”

Kalimina, recognised as Player of the Match, has showcased his skill as a versatile player, contributing three assists. He remains ambitious, stating that facing Brazil in their final group match will not intimidate them. “Our goal is to finish at the top of the group… We want to make a statement,” he said.

Zambia has scored eight goals in their first two matches, but Coach Makinka noted the need to tighten their defence. “We have to do more, especially with a tough opponent coming up. It’s going to be a challenging match against Brazil, but to be the best, you have to compete against the best.”

Juma Bah's Nice suffer another Europa League defeat
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Juma Bah’s Nice suffer another Europa League defeat

Sierra Leone defender Juma Bah and his French side faced yet another defeat in the Europa League, losing to German club Freiburg at the Grand Stade de Nice on Thursday.

In the 25th minute, the home team took the lead thanks to a brilliant play by Sofiane Diop, followed by a well-placed pass from Charles Vanhoutte, who has consistently found himself in dangerous positions. Kevin Carlos scored his second goal in four Europa League matches.

Just three minutes later, the visitors equalised when Yuito Suzuko won the ball in the Freiburg penalty area and squared it to Johan Manzambi, who fired it into the top corner from close range.

Freiburg added two more goals, starting with Vincenzo Grifo converting a penalty before doubling their advantage with a slick attack inside the Nice penalty box. Matthias Ginter received a neat pass and set up Derry Scherhant perfectly, allowing him to stroke the ball home effortlessly.

This marks the fourth consecutive defeat for the French side, leaving them languishing in second-to-last place on the competition table.

Ghana's Baba Rahman nets first Europa League goal in PAOK’s heavy win
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ghana’s Baba Rahman nets first Europa League goal in PAOK’s heavy win

The Ghanaian defender Baba Rahman continues to make a strong case for selection by the senior men’s national team coach, Otto Addo, with his outstanding performances for PAOK FC in both domestic and European matches.

The tall former Chelsea left-back was in fine form, scoring his inaugural Europa League goal for the Greek club during their 4-0 thrashing of the ten-man Young Boys at home on Thursday.  

Young Boys faced a major setback early in the match when Armin Gigovic received a straight red card just five minutes in, providing PAOK with a crucial advantage.  

Rahman, aged 31, assisted Alessandro Bianco for PAOK’s first goal in the 54th minute after a scoreless first half at Toumba Stadium.  

Greek forward Giorgos Giakoumakis netted his second Europa League goal, doubling PAOK’s lead eight minutes later, while compatriot Giannis Konstantelias further increased the advantage to 3-0 in the 72nd minute.

This win elevates the Greek team to 10th place in the UEFA Europa League table, with 7 points after 4 matches this season.  

Rahman, who has previously played for Schalke and Reims, has scored once in four appearances in the UEFA Europa League.  

Following a remarkable run this season, Baba Rahman could potentially return to the senior national team in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Victor Osimhen became the first Galatasaray player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League since Burak Yilmaz in 2012.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Victor Osimhen becomes first Galatassay player to hit Champions League hat-trick since 2012

Victor Osimhen became the first Galatasaray player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League since Burak Yilmaz in 2012.

Also, Victor Osimhen made history on Wednesday evening by becoming the second Nigerian to net a hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League.

His three goals propelled Galatasaray to a convincing 3–0 victory over Ajax at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, as reported by PUNCH Online.

The Super Eagles forward demonstrated his abilities as a striker by scoring two penalties and one goal from open play, helping the Turkish champions maintain their impressive form in Europe.

After a goalless first half, he opened the scoring in the 59th minute with a header. He then converted a penalty in the 66th minute following a VAR-reviewed handball, and completed his hat-trick with another penalty in the 78th minute after another handball.

With this achievement, Osimhen joins Yakubu Ayegbeni as the only Nigerian to score a Champions League hat-trick. His remarkable performance continues a stellar run, bringing his total to 12 goals in his last eight matches for Galatasaray.

This includes braces against Tottenham and Bodø/Glimt, as well as goals against AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kyiv, and Liverpool. Osimhen also extended his record as the highest-scoring Nigerian in Champions League history, with 15 goals, surpassing Obafemi Martins’ 10.