Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kallum Cesay's Salford to face Leyton Orient in FA Cup second round
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kallum Cesay’s Salford to face Leyton Orient in FA Cup second round

Salford City is set to host Leyton Orient at the Peninsula Stadium for the second round of the Emirates FA Cup 2025-26.

Sierra Leone International Kallum Cesay played the 44th minute of their first round tie in their success against Lincoln City via penalties.

They’ll face another challenge against a League One team, as Orient secured a 1-0 victory away at Tamworth in the first round.

Their previous encounter with the Os took place late in the 2022-23 season, where Richie Wellens’ squad defeated us 2-0 at the Peninsula Stadium on their journey to winning the League Two title.

The second round matches are expected to occur during the weekend of Saturday, December 6th.

The draw

  • 1 Slough Town v Macclesfield 
    2 Grimsby Town v Wealdstone
    3 Sutton United v Shrewsbury Town
    4 Swindon Town v Bolton Wanderers
    5 Chelmsford City v Weston Super Mare
    6 Peterborough United v Barnsley
    7 Boreham Wood v Newport County 
    8 MK Dons v Oldham Athletic
    9 Wigan Athletic v Barrow
    10 Fleetwood Town v Luton Town
    11 Salford City v Leyton Orient
    12 Accrington Stanley v Mansfield Town
    13 Stockport County v Cambridge United
    14 Brackley Town v Burton Albion
    15 Blackpool v Carlisle United
    16 Gateshead v Walsall
    17 Exeter City v Wycombe Wanderers
    18 Cheltenham Town v Buxton
    19 Chesterfield v Doncaster Rovers
    20 Port Vale v Bristol Rovers
Egypt and Zambia register wins as Cote d’Ivoire suffer defeat in U17 Opener
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Egypt and Zambia register wins as Cote d’Ivoire suffer defeat in U17 WC Opener

Egypt and Zambia secured impressive victories at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar on Tuesday, while Cote d’Ivoire must work hard to improve their chances of reaching the knockout rounds.

Egypt comfortably defeated Haiti 4-1 in Group E, placing them at the top of the standings ahead of Venezuela, which convincingly overcame England 3-0 in the other match of the group.

The Egyptians had four different players score, as Belal Attia, Abdelaziz El Zoghby, Hamza Abdelkarim, and Omar Kamal all contributed to a strong performance for the North African team.

Egypt’s next match is against Venezuela on Friday, which could be crucial for both teams in the group. In Group H, Zambia emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over Indonesia after coming back from a deficit to secure the three points.

They struck three goals within a span of six minutes in the first half, with tall forward Abel Nyirongo scoring twice and Lukonde Mwale adding another.

Zambia will play again on Friday against Honduras, who suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat at the hands of Brazil in their first game. Côtee d’Ivoire faced difficulties against a solid Swiss team, which won 4-1 in Group F. The Ivorians found themselves trailing 4-0 before Hubert Yao managed to score a late consolation.

Their next match is against Mexico on Friday, who also lost their opening game 2-1 to South Korea.

The top two teams from each group will automatically progress to the Round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams, providing ample opportunities for teams to advance.

Cameroon, Egypt, Mali and the Ivory Coast join Women’s AFCON participants
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cameroon, Egypt, Mali and Ivory Coast join 2026 Women’s AFCON participants

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the final four teams that will make the 16 teams in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Egypt secured their spots based on their FIFA rankings. This announcement came after a CAF statement on 3 November 2025, following the completion of the qualifiers held under the previous 12-team format. Since the competition will expand to 16 teams starting in 2026, CAF decided to bring back the highest-ranked teams that were eliminated in the final qualifying round to ensure fairness.

All four teams return to the tournament after close losses in the qualifying matches. Cameroon lost to Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire was beaten by Burkina Faso, Mali lost to Equatorial Guinea, and Egypt fell to Senegal, but their FIFA rankings now allow them to compete in the finals.

The 2026 tournament will take place in Morocco from 17 March to 3 April. It will also serve as Africa’s qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with the top four teams earning a place in Brazil.

The 16 teams for the 2026 WAFCON include Morocco (the host), Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria (the defending champions), Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia, along with Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Egypt. With the teams confirmed, everyone is now looking forward to a historic 16-team WAFCON in Morocco.

Tunisia thrash Fiji as Senegal held to a barren draw against Croatia
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia thrash Fiji as Senegal were held to a barren draw against Croatia

In Group D, Tunisia kicked off their U17 World Cup campaign with an impressive victory, smashing tournament debutant Fiji 6-0 in their opening match at Pitch 9 in the Doha Aspire Zone.

The North African side found their rhythm around the half-hour mark when Wassim Slama cleverly beat the goalkeeper at the near post. Shortly after, Fedi Tayechi added to the tally with a stunning strike.

Slama then doubled his contribution, capitalising on a rebound, followed by a powerful right-foot finish from Anisse Saidi.

Saifedin Haj Abdallah further extended their lead with a composed curler from inside the box, and Tayechi rounded off the scoring with a strike in the dying minutes.

Tunisia goals: Slama (30, 53), Tayechi (36, 86), Saidi (74), Haj Abdallah (80). Player of the Match: Fedi Tayechi (Tunisia). Tunisia showcased a dominant performance, cruising past Fiji.

In Group C, the match between Senegal and Croatia ended in a stalemate, with both defences proving impenetrable. The Europeans controlled the first half and had a golden opportunity to score when Patrik Horvat’s shot from the edge of the area was parried by Vincent Gomis, only for Jona Benkotic to blaze the follow-up over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Both teams pressed hard in the second half, but neither could manage to find the breakthrough.

Player of the Match: Vincent Gomis (Senegal).

South Africa Stun Bolivia as Japan defeat Morocco in U17 World Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

South Africa Stun Bolivia as Japan defeat Morocco in U17 World Cup

In Group A, South Africa delivered a remarkable performance against Bolivia, winning 3-1 despite being down to ten men in their opening match of the FIFA U17 World Cup at the Aspire Zone Complex in Doha, Qatar, on Monday.

Coach Vela Khumalo’s team made history by becoming the first South African national team to win their opening match in a FIFA World Cup  This was also the U17S’s first victory in their second World Cup appearance, following a winless debut in 2015.

The team’s momentum took a hit when Sive Pama was shown a red card midway through the first half. However, Emile Witbooi quickly put them ahead, followed by a close-range goal from Neo Bohloko.

Bolivia fought back with a Panenka-style penalty converted by Jesus Maraude, but Shaun Els sealed the victory for South Africa with a breakaway goal in the final moments.

Final Score: South Africa 3-1 Bolivia  

South Africa Goals: Witbooi (38), Bohloko (50), Els (90+5)  

Bolivia Goal: Maraude (penalty, 72)  

Player of the Match: Kamohelo Mareletse (South Africa)

In Group B, Japan continued their impressive streak at the U-17 World Cup with a solid 2-0 victory over Morocco. The AFC giants nearly opened the scoring in the first half when Anthony Motosuna’s header was disallowed due to a foul on goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch.

Undeterred, Japan eventually broke the deadlock as Hiroto Asada sliced through the Moroccan defence and set up Taiga Seguchi, who finished with a stunning first-time strike into the corner of the net.

Minato Yoshida thought he had added a second shortly after, but his effort was ruled out for handball. Japan finally secured the win in stoppage time, with Daigo Hirashima striking a powerful shot from just inside the box.

Final Score: Japan 2-0 Morocco  

Japan Goals: Seguchi (57), Hirashima (90+8)  

Player of the Match: Daigo Hirashima

CAF Confederation Cup - All you need to know after group stage draw
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF Confederation Cup – All you need to know after group stage draw

Zamalek and Al Masry will face each other in the Group Stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2025/26. This exciting matchup, known as the Egyptian Derby, was decided during the draw held at the SuperSport studios in Johannesburg on Monday.

Zamalek, the champion of the 2023/24 season, will compete in Group D alongside the South African team Kaizer Chiefs and the Zambian squad ZESCO United, making it a challenging group.

In Group A, USM Alger from Algeria is the top seed and will play against Djoliba AC de Bamako from Mali, Olympique Club de Safi from Morocco, and FC San Pedro from Cote d’Ivoire.

Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, a three-time TotalEnergies CAF Champions League winner, leads Group B and will take on AS Maniema from DR Congo, Azam FC from Tanzania, and debutants Nairobi United from Kenya.

CR Belouizdad from Algeria will face last year’s semi-finalists, Stellenbosch FC from South Africa, AS Otoho from Congo, and Singida Black Stars from Tanzania in Group C.

The Group Stages will begin on the weekend of November 21-23, with two rounds scheduled before the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in 2025. The stages will continue on the weekend of January 23-25.

RS Berkane from Morocco is the current champion of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, having won their third title by defeating Simba SC from Tanzania in last year’s final. This victory puts them level with CS Sfaxien from Tunisia for the most titles in history.

Zamalek has won two titles, and USM Alger has one title from the 2022/23 season, making them the only former champions in this year’s competition.

The champions of this season will receive USD 2 million in prize money, while the runners-up will get USD 1 million. Teams that advance from the group stage are guaranteed at least USD 550,000, while teams finishing third and fourth will receive USD 400,000.

TOTALENERGIES CAF CONFEDERATION CUP GROUPS

GROUP A: USM Alger (Algeria), Djoliba AC de Bamako (Mali), Olympique Club de Safi (Morocco), FC San Pedro (Cote d’Ivoire)

GROUP B: Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), AS Maniema (DR Congo), Azam FC (Tanzania), Nairobi United (Kenya)

GROUP C: CR Belouizdad (Algeria), Stellenbosch FC (South Africa), AS Otoho (Congo), Singida Black Stars (Tanzania)

GROUP D: Zamalek (Egypt), Al Masry (Egypt), Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa), ZESCO United (Zambia)

CAF INTERCLUB GROUP STAGE MATCH DAYS

MD1: 21-23 November

MD2: 28-30 November

MD3: 23-25 January

MD4: 30 Janunary-01 February

MD5: 06-08 February

MD6: 13-15 February

CAF Champions League Group Stage Draw confirmed
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF Champions League Group Stage Draw confirmed

Reigning champions Pyramids FC of Egypt will take on Moroccan giants RS Berkane in a thrilling rematch, following the draw for the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage on Monday at SuperSport’s studios in Johannesburg.

Lupopo advanced by defeating Orlando Pirates in a penalty shootout, marking their first group stage appearance. Al Hilal has relocated to Rwanda for their matches due to the Sudan conflict and will compete alongside Sundowns for the fourth time in six tournaments.

Defending champions Pyramids are in Group A with Renaissance Berkane, while record winners Al Ahly will face JS Kabylie, Royal Armed Forces, and Young Africans in their group. Simba, which includes former Sundowns players, is in Group D with Esperance.

The top two teams from each group will move on to the quarterfinals in March, with the group stage starting on November 21-22 and running until mid-February.

The draw:

Group A: Power Dynamos (Zambia), Pyramids (Egypt), Renaissance Berkane (Morocco), Rivers United (Nigeria)

Group B: Al Ahly (Egypt), JS Kabylie (Algeria), Royal Armed Forces (Morocco), Young Africans (Tanzania)

Group C: Al Hilal (Sudan), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Mouloudia Alger (Algeria), St Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo)

Group D: Esperance (Tunisia), Petro Atletico (Angola), Simba (Tanzania), Stade Malien (Mali)

Striker Daniel Kanu nets in Walsall win over Eastleigh
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Striker Daniel Kanu nets in Walsall’s win over Eastleigh

Walsall, the leaders of League Two, beat Eastleigh 3-0 in the First Round of the FA Cup, earning a spot in the second round.

Walsall secured a victory at Silverlake Stadium with a 3-0 win. Evan Weir opened the scoring in the sixth minute, followed by Daniel Kanu after halftime. Jamille Matt added a third goal late in the match.

Walsall will be ball number 40 in the FA Cup draw on Monday at 18:45 on TNT Sports. Head Coach Mat Sadler made three changes from the last league match, with Jid Okeke and Jamie Jellis on the bench and Lewis Warrington sidelined due to injury.

Eastleigh had several chances to equalise. Aden Flint’s clearance allowed Harvey Saunders to take a shot, which Myles Roberts saved. The following corner had another shot that hit the crossbar.

In the 20th minute, Saunders missed a chance to score by shooting wide. The Saddlers stayed strong, but Kieron Evans also failed to convert a curling shot.

After the 30-minute mark, Walsall gained control. Kanu shot wide after stealing the ball, and in the 38th minute, Eastleigh’s goalkeeper dropped a free kick from Weir, but no one reacted in time.

Just before halftime, Weir’s free kick from 25 yards went past the post.

Walsall scored in the 50th minute when Weir passed to Kanu, who finished with a powerful shot. Kanu almost scored again soon after with another shot that missed the post.

With 20 minutes left, Sadler made a double substitution, bringing on Jellis for Clarke and Matt for Aaron Pressley. Matt scored his first goal in over seven months, securing Walsall’s win.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka named in DRC squad for World Cup 2026 playoffs
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Aaron Wan-Bissaka named in DRC squad for World Cup 2026 playoffs

West Ham United's defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been included in the Democratic Republic of Congo's squad for their FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off in Morocco this month, as coach Sébastien Desabre aims to explore a broader range of talent.

The squad consists of 25 players, including three Belgian under-21 internationals, as they prepare to face Cameroon on November 13 at the El Barid Stadium in Rabat during the semi-finals of the four-team playoff, with the victor set to play either Gabon or Nigeria in the final in the Moroccan capital four days later.

The Belgian contingent features attacking midfielder Mario Stroeykens, who, at 21, has already taken on the captaincy of Brussels giants Anderlecht; winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who plays for Celtic in Scotland; and goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo from Standard Liège, who just last month was on the bench for Belgium’s under-21 squad.

Brian Cipenga from the Spanish club Castellón retains his position after being called up to the Leopards squad last month as a late replacement due to an injury. He earned his first cap as a substitute during the 1-0 victory over Sudan in Kinshasa on October 14.

All players who participated in the victories over Togo (1-0 away on October 10) and Sudan are back for the playoffs, but the Congolese squad is still missing Yoane Wissa, who sustained a Posterior Cruciate Ligament injury during their significant match against Senegal in September.

Dropping from the squad selected for the last two Group B encounters in October are goalkeeper Dimitri Bertaud, defender Dylan Batubinsika, midfielder Grady Diangana, and strikers Jackson Muleka and Afimico Pululu.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liege, Belgium), Timothy Fayulu (Noah, Armenia), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre, France)

Defenders: Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian, Scotland), Gédéon Kalulu (Aris Limassol, Cyprus), Steve Kapuadi (Legia Warsaw, Poland), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk, Belgium), Arthur Masuaku (Sunderland, England), Chancel Mbemba (Olympique de Marseille, France), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley, England), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United, England)

 

Midfielders: Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow, Russia), Michel-Ange Balikwisha (Glasgow Celtic, Scotland), Edo Kayembe (Watford, England), Nathanaël Mbuku (Montpellier, France), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos, Greece), Ngal’ayel Mukau (Lille, France), Charles Pickel (Espanyol, Spain), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland, England), Mario Stroeykens (Anderlecht, Belgium)

Forwards: Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis, Spain), Samuel Essende (Augsburg, Germany), Brian Cipenga (Castellón, Spain), Meshack Elia (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids, Egypt).

Kallum Cesay start for Salford against Lincoln City in Emirates Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kallum Cesay starts for Salford against Lincoln City in Emirates Cup

Sierra Leonean international Kallum Cesay start for Salford City in the Emirates FA Cup first round, where they will face Lincoln City at the Peninsula Stadium this Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 3 PM GMT.

Salford City, enjoying a strong performance in Sky Bet League Two, currently holds third place in the league standings after securing back-to-back victories that have boosted their momentum.

Meanwhile, Lincoln City, competing in League One, is also enjoying a solid run of form and arrives at this pivotal match positioned among the top six teams in their league.

This encounter marks the first competitive meeting between Salford City and Lincoln City, heightening the anticipation for fans and players alike as both teams aim to advance in the prestigious cup tournament.