Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

South Africa v Egypt go head to head in heavyweights Cup of Nations tie
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

South Africa and Egypt go head-to-head in heavyweight Cup of Nations tie

South Africa and Egypt will compete in a significant match for the top position in Group B after both teams secured wins in their opening contests.


In their previous encounter at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), South Africa achieved a notable upset against Egypt.

At the Cairo International Stadium in 2019, Thembinkosi Lorch’s crucial goal shocked the home crowd of over 60,000, as Bafana Bafana eliminated Egypt in the Round of 16.

In a highly anticipated AFCON matchup, Egypt and South Africa are set to renew their rivalry after a six-year hiatus. Both teams head into this clash with momentum, having won their opening matches in Group B. South Africa arrives from Marrakech, while Egypt enjoys the advantage of playing at a familiar venue.

The Pharaohs began their campaign with a gritty 2-1 comeback against Zimbabwe, thanks to a last-minute goal from Mohamed Salah. Coach Hossam Hassan recognises the challenge posed by South Africa, having previously faced them in a victorious 1998 AFCON final.

South Africa’s coach, Hugo Broos, is confident after leading his team to a strong AFCON start with a 2-1 win against Angola. Key player Lyle Foster’s performance will be critical for the Bafana Bafana.

As both teams seek victory for advancement in the tournament, the match promises to add another exciting chapter to their enduring rivalry.

Coach Hossam Hassan emphasised South Africa’s strength, while Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet expressed the importance of the match for their group standing.

Broos acknowledged Egypt’s history and talent but emphasised his team’s confidence. Lyle Foster highlighted the team’s high morale and focus after their recent victory.

Historically, South Africa has had the upper hand in recent matchups, remaining undefeated against Egypt in their last six encounters since 2006.

The Group B standings after opening matches
The Group B standings after opening matches
Cameroon and Ivory Coast record opening AFCON wins
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cameroon and Ivory Coast record opening AFCON wins

Defending champions Côte d'Ivoire launched their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations title defense with a solid 1-0 victory over Mozambique at Marrakech Stadium.

Meanwhile, Cameroon made history with a groundbreaking 1-0 win against Gabon in Agadir, marking their first-ever AFCON victory over their rivals.

The Indomitable Lions struck early, just six minutes in, when Bryan Mbeumo seized on a shaky Gabonese defence and set up Karl Etta Eyong, who finished low through goalkeeper Marius Mbamba’s legs.

Cameroon looked sharper initially, while Gabon struggled to gain momentum. Denis Bouanga came close, but a last-minute tackle prevented Darlin Yongwa from extending Cameroon’s lead.

As the match progressed, Cameroon adapted their defence smartly, keeping Gabon at bay even as it pressed late for an equaliser.

This disciplined victory puts Cameroon alongside Côte d’Ivoire at the top of Group F.

Bryan Mbeumo, Man of the Match: “I’m thrilled. We knew Gabon would be tough, but we need to be ready for Côte d’Ivoire next. We stayed focused, defended well, and earned this result.”

Cédric Moubamba, Gabon assistant coach: “Our slow start made the match challenging. Cameroon played well and defended their lead effectively. We’ll regroup and improve for the next game.”

David Pagou, Cameroon coach: “It was hard work. We secured the three points and showed flexibility in our play. There’s room for improvement, but we’ll continue to grow.”

Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Mozambique:

Côte d’Ivoire began their title defence with a 1-0 win over Mozambique, relying on patience rather than flair. After a tense first half, Amad Diallo scored the decisive goal just after the interval, finishing a setup from Kessié.

The Ivorians dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances against a well-organised Mozambique side, who found it tough to test goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

The narrow win positions Côte d’Ivoire atop Group F, while Mozambique leaves encouraged but still searching for their first-ever victory at the finals.

Scorer Amad Diallo, Côte d’Ivoire: “I’m proud to wear my country’s jersey; it’s a dream come true. While we won 1-0, I felt we could have scored more. We’ll focus on our next tough match.”

Chiquinho Conde, Mozambique: “We expected challenges against Côte d’Ivoire’s quality but managed to hold our ground. We’ll learn from this experience.”

Tunisia ease past Uganda to stay ahead of Nigeria in Group C
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia ease past Uganda to stay ahead of Nigeria in Group C

Tunisia kicked off their CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over Uganda at the Annex Olympic Stadium.

This win places them at the top of Group C, ahead of Nigeria, who secured a 2-1 win against Tanzania earlier on Tuesday.

Elyes Skhiri opened the scoring in the 10th minute, followed by Elias Achouri, who scored twice, including a goal just before halftime and his second in the 64th minute. Uganda managed a late goal from Denis Omedi, but it did not affect the outcome.

In post-match comments, Uganda’s coach, Paul Put, expressed disappointment at the team’s lack of aggression and respect shown to Tunisia, emphasising the need to improve in their next match.

Tunisia’s coach, Sami Trabelsi, praised his team’s performance and the support from Moroccan fans. Player Mohamed Elyes Achouri thanked his teammates and supporters for their efforts in challenging weather conditions.

The Eagles of Carthage of Tunisia take on the Super Eagles of Nigeria on December 27th in their second Group match, and it is expected to be a top-of-the-table cracker at the Stade Foot Fès.

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Alie Bittar

@bittar32 On X

24/12/2025
Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi happy with Super Eagles AFCON start
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi is happy with the Super Eagles’ AFCON start

Hull City defender Semi Ajayi scored for Nigeria in their opening match against Tanzania, helping the Super Eagles secure a 2–1 victory in their Group C game of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025.

Nigeria began their tournament in Morocco on Tuesday evening with a hard-fought win. Ademola Lookman scored the winning goal just after Tanzania had equalised.

The Super Eagles controlled much of the first half. They took the lead nine minutes before halftime when Semi Ajayi scored with a header from an Alex Iwobi corner. This corner was earned after Tanzanian defender Bakari Mwamnyeto cleared a close-range shot from Victor Osimhen off the line.

Semi Ajayi, named Man of the Match, said, “It’s an amazing feeling to score for your country. This win gives us a good start. We had a great tournament in Côte d’Ivoire, and we want to use that as a standard. Our team contributes to scoring, not just the attackers. There are positives to take from this game, but we need to fix some things to finish games better.”

Nigeria’s coach, Eric Chelle, added, “We are happy with the three points. That’s what matters most. For now, I want to focus on the positives. The second half showed that we still need to improve, especially in closing out games. We know this and will work on it.”

Tanzania’s coach, Miguel Ángel Gamondi, said, “I think Tanzania played better than expected. Nigeria had most of the ball, but we did well to stop them with our tactics. They created chances, but many came from individual skill, which wasn’t surprising. Overall, I believe we surprised many people with our performance against Nigeria.”

The Super Eagles to face Tunisia in the second group game on Saturday, 27 December (KO: 8 pm), and  Nigeria will finish their group fixtures on Tuesday, 30 December against Uganda in a 4 pm kick-off.

Mali's coach Tom Saintfiet disappointed with Zambia draw
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mali’s coach Tom Saintfiet is disappointed with the Zambia draw

Tom Saintfiet, the coach of Mali, shared his disappointment after Patson Daka from Zambia scored a late equalizer. This goal stopped Mali from winning the match.

Patson Daka’s injury-time header secured a dramatic 1-1 draw against Mali at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Casablanca at the Stade Mohammed V after Lassine Sinayoko had put Mali ahead just after the hour mark in the Group A encounter.

Tom Saintfiet – Mali coach: “The equaliser was very painful. We wanted to score three goals in this match. Our problems started after we missed a penalty. We need to keep our emotions in check.

I would have preferred to take all three points against Zambia, especially after controlling the game for 90 minutes. This equaliser felt like a win for Zambia and a loss for us.

Now we must prepare well for the next matches. Zambia has strong midfield players who stopped us from achieving our goals. We need at least one point against Morocco in our next match.

We want to finish second in the group. Our goal is to reach the final, and that is still possible.”

In contrast, Zambia’s head coach was pleased with his team’s fighting spirit.

Moses Sichone: “My players performed well against Mali in a tough opening match. We conceded a goal at a critical moment, which we need to address. A match lasts 90 minutes, and it’s important to keep pushing until the end.

Congratulations to Morocco on their win against Comoros. Our next match is against Comoros, who played strongly. We’ll prepare and continue to work on our strengths.”

Mohamed Salah wins it for Egypt in added time
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mohamed Salah grabs an added-time winner for Egypt

Mohamed Salah scored in the dying moments of stoppage time as Egypt began their Africa Cup of Nations journey with a slender 2-1 win over Zimbabwe in their group match on Monday.

The Liverpool forward had minimal impact for much of the game but became crucial at the end, converting from close range to secure a hard-earned three points for the Pharaohs.

Egypt started the match strongly but missed several clear chances created by Trezeguet, Salah, and Emam Ashour. Zimbabwe capitalised on this, with Prince Dube scoring in the 20th minute from an unmarked position.

Despite close calls for a second goal, Egypt’s defence held firm. Coach Hossam Hassan made a tactical change in the 33rd minute, bringing on Mostafa Mohamed, shifting Omar Marmoush to an attacking midfield role. Marmoush had two attempts before halftime but couldn’t score.

After the break, Egypt intensified their efforts, with Marmoush and Mohamed both being denied opportunities until Mohamed equalised in the 64th minute with a close-range shot.

Hassan introduced further offensive players, creating urgency for Egypt. Just as the match appeared headed for a draw, Salah scored in stoppage time from a rebound, securing a 2-1 victory for Egypt.

This win placed Egypt at the top of their group with three points, tied with South Africa, which had also defeated Angola. Egypt’s next match is against South Africa, while Zimbabwe faces Angola.

Egypt's Omar Marmoush receives the TotalEnergies Man of the Match accolade for his impressive goal and performance.
Egypt's Omar Marmoush receives the TotalEnergies Man of the Match accolade for his impressive goal and performance.
South Africa beat Angola in AFCON Group B opener
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

A winning start for South Africa over Angola in AFCON Group B opener

South Africa started their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2-1 victory over Angola in the opening match of Group B in Marrakech, Morocco. Burnley striker Lyle Foster scored the winning goal 11 minutes before the end of the game.

Hugo Broos’ side began the match strongly and took the lead when Oswin Appollis scored with a low shot into the bottom-left corner. Angola responded about 15 minutes later when Show turned in a cross from Fredy to level the match at halftime.

In the second half, South Africa thought they had scored again when Tshepang Moremi hit a powerful shot into the bottom corner. However, VAR disallowed the goal because he was offside.

As South Africa pressed for the winner, Mbekizile Mbokazi came close with a long-range shot that hit the crossbar.

Minutes later, Moremi set up Lyle Foster, whose powerful shot into the top corner secured the win for South Africa, putting them temporarily at the top of the group, ahead of Egypt’s match against Zimbabwe.

Man of the match: Lyle Foster (South Africa)

Patson Daka's late heeder salvage a point for Zambia against Mali
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Patson Daka’s late header salvages a point for Zambia against Mali

Zambia kicked off their Group A campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Mali in their Africa Cup of Nations match on Monday.

Lassine Sinayoko gave Mali the lead early on, but Zambia’s Chipolopolo struck back with a last-gasp goal to level the score.

Both teams entered the match knowing how crucial a win would be, but it was the West African side that managed to take the first initiative at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.

However, Zambia’s Patson Daka’s header was enough to secure a point for Zambia, leaving Morocco at the top of the group.

This encounter marked the first time the two sides faced each other since 2022, when El Bilal Toure scored the only goal to give Mali a 1-0 victory.

Zambia last lifted the trophy in 2012 after defeating the Ivory Coast on penalties, but they struggled in the last edition in 2023, failing to secure a single win.

They’ll need to build on this tie when they face Comoros on Boxing Day, whilst 1972 runners-up Mali battle it out with host Morocco later that evening.

Morocco open Cup of Nations 2025 with win over Comoros
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Morocco open Cup of Nations 2025 with a win over Comoros

On Sunday, Morocco commenced their campaign in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 victory over Comoros, with goals scored by Brahim Díaz and Ayoub El Kaabi at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Morocco employed a 4-3-3 formation, although manager Walid Regragui made the surprising decision to exclude several prominent players from the starting lineup.

In contrast, Comoros coach Stefano Cusin opted for a more traditional approach, retaining veteran leadership led by captain Youssouf M’Changama.

From the outset, Morocco dominated possession, while Comoros remained steadfast in their defensive strategy. The game nearly saw an early breakthrough in the 9th minute when Morocco was awarded a penalty after Imsane M’Madi fouled Brahim Díaz, who had cleverly drawn contact in the penalty area.

However, Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor made a remarkable save, diving correctly to prevent Soufiane Rahimi from converting the opportunity.

Morocco faced an early challenge in the 18th minute when captain Romain Saïss suffered a muscle injury and was replaced by Jawad El Yamiq. The first yellow card was issued in the 36th minute to Yannick Kari for a tackle on Azzedine Ounahi.

Tensions rose before halftime due to a VAR review in the 44th minute, resulting in no penalty after Díaz was ruled to have handled the ball.

In the second half, Díaz received a yellow card in the 48th minute for a late challenge, but he scored in the 55th minute, converting a low cross from Noussair Mazraoui for the opening goal.

Four minutes later, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a vital save from a shot by Said Bakari. In the 65th minute, Morocco made key substitutions, with Ayoub El Kaabi being introduced for Soufiane Rahimi. El Kaabi then scored a spectacular overhead kick in the 74th minute from a cross by Salah-Eddine Mraouni, furthering Morocco’s lead.

Morocco managed the final minutes effectively, making additional substitutions. They look to maintain this momentum into their next match against Mali on December 26th, while Comoros prepares for a critical game against Zambia.

Monday, December 22nd Fixtures:

  • Mali vs. Zambia
  • South Africa vs. Angola
  • Egypt vs. Zimbabwe
Ayoub El Kaabi classic overkicked at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat
Ayoub El Kaabi's classic overhead goal at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat
African Cup of Nations may be rescheduled to December 2025
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

The Africa Cup of Nations will occur every four years after 2028 tournament

The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, announced a significant restructuring of the continent's international football scene on Saturday, January 20.


As part of this overhaul, he announced that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will now be held every four years, with the first edition scheduled for 2028. This marks a major shift from the previous biennial format.

Motsepe announced at a press conference in Rabat, Morocco, that the AFCON is being adapted to better align with the global football calendar. The introduction of an annual African Nations League will help bridge financial gaps for national associations.

“Our main priority is this AFCON,” he stated, mentioning future tournaments in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda for 2027 and 2028. The first African Nations League will launch after the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, offering more prize money and competition.

Historically held every two years since 1957, the AFCON has struggled to secure its place in the global schedule. This year’s tournament in Morocco is the eighth edition since its return in 2012.