Category: Football Africa

Mamelodi Sundowns suffer opening defeat to Egyptian newcomers FC Masar
by Football Sierra Leone

Mamelodi Sundowns suffer opening defeat to Egyptian newcomers FC Masar

Egyptian newcomers FC Masar achieved a remarkable upset in their CAF Women’s Champions League debut, defeating reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in a thrilling Group B match held in Casablanca on Sunday.

The winning goal came from a penalty taken by Sandrine Niyonkuru just before halftime. This unexpected victory shocked everyone in the tournament.

Masar, part of the Right to Dream Academy community, entered the game as the underdogs against the experienced Sundowns. However, their young team, an average age of only 20.6, stood strong and played with good strategy.

FC Masar, a new Egyptian team, surprised everyone by defeating reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in their first CAF Women’s Champions League match in Casablanca on Sunday.

Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Sundowns couldn’t break through Masar’s strong defence. Goalkeeper Maya Abouelwafa and defenders Aisha Nantongo and Hasnath Ubamba made key saves and blocks.

Just before halftime, Sundowns were penalized for a handball, allowing Niyonkuru to score and give Masar a surprising lead. Sundowns pushed for an equalizer but faced tough resistance, including a late missed opportunity by Tiisetso Makhubela.

 

This win is a significant step for FC Masar in Egyptian women’s football, following their first domestic title last season. They are now optimistic about upcoming matches against Nigeria’s Edo Queens and Ethiopia’s Commercial Bank.

El Madani shines as AS FAR thrash Aigles De La Médina
by FSL News

El Madani shines as AS FAR thrash Aigles De La Médina

Doha El Madani was the star of the show as she helped AS FAR win 3-0 against Aigles De La Médina in the CAF Women’s Champions League in El Jadida on Saturday.

The 19-year-old scored two goals, and veteran captain Aziz Rabbah added a penalty goal. This win is important for the Moroccan team, which wants to reclaim the title. AS FAR took control right from the beginning. Coach Mohamed Amine Alioua went with an attacking formation.

It didn’t take long for AS FAR to score. Doha El Madani found herself in the right spot to finish off a rebound and open the scoring. Feeling confident, El Madani scored her second goal in the 29th minute with a great pass from Sanaa Mssoudy.

Despite being ahead by two goals, AS FAR kept pressing forward. They caused Aigles De La Médina to commit a foul in the box, leading to a penalty. Aziz Rabbah converted it easily.

In the second half, Aigles played more organized and made fewer mistakes but struggled to get their offence going. Hajar Said almost scored a fourth goal for AS FAR after a defensive scramble, but her shot hit the post.

With the win secure, AS FAR maintained possession of the ball. Aigles faced more trouble when Adama Sane received a red card for a foul on Mssoudy in the box, but Rabbah’s penalty kick was saved by the goalie.

The match ended with AS FAR taking all three points and moving to the top of Group A ahead of TP Mazembe. Earlier, TP Mazembe won against the University of the Western Cape in the first match, making way for the hosts and newcomers to take the spotlight in the second match of Group A.

Sundowns start title defence, while CBE and Edo Queens are set to make their debut
by Football Sierra Leone

Sundowns start title defence, while CBE and Edo Queens are set to make their debut

The Women’s Champions League continues on Sunday in Casablanca, Morocco. The defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, will play against the newcomers, FC Masar.

Day 02 of the CAF Women’s Champions League Morocco 2024 starts on Sunday, November 10, with Group B matches led by Mamelodi Sundowns, CAF reports. 

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies vs. FC Masar

In Photo, FC Masar from Egypt will make their debut in the CAF Women’s Champions League. They face the reigning champions, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, in a key match.

Despite the challenges, FC Masar’s coach, Ahmed Ramadhan, is confident. He said, “We want to show our potential. Playing against Mamelodi Sundowns is a great chance for us to test ourselves against the best.”

Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach, Jerry Tshabalala, reminded his team to focus on the present. He said, “We have a title to defend, but we must not compare ourselves to the past. We have learned from previous experiences and have prepared well.”

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia vs. Edo Queen

The other Group B match will see two first-time teams, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and Nigeria’s Edo Queens, compete in their openers.

Edo Queens’ coach, Moses Aduku, emphasized the team’s focus. He said, “This is a great chance for us to measure ourselves against top teams. We’ve played well in qualifiers, and we are ready to give our best.”

CBE coach, Heye Gizaw Birhanu, expressed pride in qualifying after three attempts but stressed the need to keep working hard. He said, “Qualifying is good, but we must not take it for granted. Now that we are here, we must keep competing and improving.”

Alassana Jatta named in Gambia squad for crucial AFCON qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alassana Jatta named in Gambia squad for crucial AFCON qualifiers

Alassana Jatta’s strong performances for Notts County have earned him a call-up to the Gambia’s national team under Northern Irish boss Johnathan McKinstry. (Notts County Photo) 

He will join the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Comoros on November 15 and Tunisia on November 18, which means he will miss the league match against Crewe Alexandra.

Jatta could make his Gambia debut against Comoros in front of the fans at the Gambia Independence Stadium after the GFA received approval from the Confédération African Football (CAF).

The last home match was on March 25, 2021, when Gambia won 1-0 against Angola. Following that game, CAF banned the stadium and 22 others in Africa from hosting international matches in February 2022.

The return of international games is a significant milestone for Gambia’s football fans. The Scorpions, Gambia’s national football team, are currently in 3rd place in Group A, with 5 points from four games.

Victor Osimhen scores brace to help Galatasaray defeat Tottenham
by Football Sierra Leone

Victor Osimhen scores brace to help Galatasaray defeat Tottenham

Nigerian international Victor Osimhen scored two goals, leading Galatasaray to a 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, marking Tottenham’s first loss in the Europa League this season.

The match took place in Istanbul on Thursday evening in the UEFA Europa League. Teenage striker Will Lankshear netted his first goal for Tottenham, equalizing the score after Yunus Akgun’s impressive opening goal. Unfortunately for Tottenham, Lankshear received two yellow cards in the second half and was sent off.

Akgun scored the first goal in the sixth minute, and Osimhen added two more goals within eight minutes, giving Galatasaray a solid lead by halftime.

Tottenham struggled against the Turkish champions, who created numerous scoring opportunities but were unable to score again due to outstanding saves from Fraser Forster and some missed chances.

After Lankshear’s dismissal, Tottenham rallied, and Dominic Solanke came off the bench to score, narrowing the deficit. Ultimately, Galatasaray appeared more relieved when the final whistle blew.

Young prospect Mohamed Kader Meïté pens first pro contract
by Football Sierra Leone

Young prospect Mohamed Kader Meïté pens first pro contract

Seventeen-year-old Mohamed Kader Meïté has signed his first professional contract with Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais, marking an important step in his career.

Meïté, who also plays for France’s U17 team, will stay with the club until 2028. This move reflects the club’s belief in his talent and commitment to developing young players.

After signing, Meïté expressed his happiness, saying, “I feel a lot of joy; it’s a childhood dream come true. I will work hard to repay the trust placed in me. My goals are to improve and score goals.”

Meïté has impressed the youth teams with his skills and ambition. Stade Rennais is excited to see how he performs in professional football.

The club is exploring changes to its coaching staff and may consider Senegalese manager Habib Beye, who recently led Red Star FC to promotion.

With his contract secure, Meïté aims to contribute to the club’s success, working hard to help Rennes achieve its goals. Supporters and club officials will watch his progress closely, hoping he follows in the footsteps of successful players.

Malawi sacked head coach Patrick Mabedi after a poor run
by FSL News

Malawi sacked head coach Patrick Mabedi after poor qualifying results

Patrick Mabedi has been removed from his position as coach of the Malawi national team. This decision was reached after failing to win any of his last four Afcon qualifying matches.

The final straw was a recent 0-1 loss at home to Senegal, which ended the Flames’ chances of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) announced Mabedi’s departure following five straight losses in all competitions. They made this decision based on recommendations from the Technical Committee due to the poor performance of the Flames team and their failure to qualify for the Afcon 2025.

FAM had hired Mabedi as the Flames coach last October on a two-year contract. He had performed well in a caretaker role, with three wins, two draws, and two losses after taking over from Mario Marinica, whose contract was not renewed in April 2023.

Under Mabedi’s leadership, the team struggled, recording two wins, one draw, and eight losses in 11 matches.

He lost support after dropping experienced players and left the Flames at the bottom of Group L in the AFCON qualifiers, having earned no points in four matches. Senegal has already secured a spot in the upcoming AFCON finals after defeating the Flames.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has appointed Kalisto Pasuwa as the Malawi national football team’s interim head coach with immediate effect.

Guinea's Syli National ready for DRC and Tanzania deciders
by Football Sierra Leone

Guinea’s Syli National ready for DRC and Tanzania deciders

Guinea’s national football team, known as Syli National, is currently in second place in Group H after four qualifying matches.

After defeating Ethiopia 4-1 and Guinea 3-0 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, the Syli National team looks set to qualify for Morocco 2025.

Coach Michel Dussuyer has called up 23 players for the upcoming matches on the 5th and 6th days of the TotalEnergies Maroc 2025 qualifiers.

The team will host the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on November 16, 2024, at the Stade Alhassane Ouattara Ebimpe for the fifth qualifying match.

Then, they will travel to Dar es Salaam to face Tanzania on November 19, 2024, for the sixth and final match of this qualifying campaign.

In Group H, Guinea sits in second place with six points, while Tanzania is in third place with four points. Ethiopia is at the bottom of the table with just one point, and the DRC is leading with twelve points.

CHAN: South Sudan, Sudan, Togo and Eswatini secure progress
by Football Sierra Leone

CHAN: South Sudan, Sudan, Togo and Eswatini secure progress

The first round of the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers concluded this weekend, with several teams progressing to the next stage, according to CAF.

South Sudan v Kenya – South Sudan qualified after a 1-1 draw with Kenya, finishing the tie with an aggregate score of 3-1 following a 2-0 victory in the first leg. They will face Rwanda in December.

Sudan v Tanzania – Sudan progressed after a tense penalty shootout against Tanzania. They won the first leg 1-0 but conceded in the second leg, levelling the aggregate score. Sudan won the shootout 6-5 to advance.

Eswatini Dominates Zimbabwe

Eswatini eliminated Zimbabwe with a 4-0 aggregate score. After a 3-0 win in the first leg, they secured a 1-0 victory in the return leg.

Togo Survives Against Benin  

Togo advanced after a 1-1 draw with Benin, finishing with a 3-1 aggregate following a 2-0 first-leg victory.

Namibia vs. Lesotho

In a tied aggregate of 1-1, Namibia was eliminated by Lesotho after a 4-3 penalty shootout loss.

Second Round Qualifying Dates

The second qualifying round is scheduled for December 20-22 and December 27-29, with the tournament hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from February 1-28, 2025.

Cape Town to host South Africa AFCON qualifier against South Sudan
by Football Sierra Leone

Cape Town to host South Africa AFCON qualifier against South Sudan

Bafana Bafana will return to Cape Town for the first time in nine years, as South Africa’s final qualifier for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals is set to take place there.

The crucial match will take place on Tuesday, November 19, at Cape Town Stadium, coinciding with the final day of qualifiers for the 2025 finals.

South Africa has not yet qualified for the finals in Morocco but is in a good position with two matches left in Group K. A win against Uganda on Friday, November 15, in Kampala would secure their spot. If they lose, they can still qualify by facing South Sudan in Cape Town.

This match will mark South Africa’s twelfth international game in Cape Town and only the third qualifying match. They previously won a World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic in 2013 but lost 3-1 to Zambia in a Cup of Nations qualifier in 2007.

Countries that cannot host matches will use South African stadiums for qualifiers. Namibia and Zimbabwe will play at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, and Lesotho has moved its match against the Central African Republic to Bloemfontein.

Madagascar will host Tunisia at Johannesburg Stadium, while Eswatini will face Guinea-Bissau at Mbombela Stadium on November 15.