Category: African News

Our African football page passionately on all continental topics of all National and International football news, Identifying football heroes on our continent.

Jonathan Bamba contributes to Chicago's dominant victory over DC United
by FSL News

Jonathan Bamba contributes to Chicago’s dominant victory over DC United

Ivorian Jonathan Bamba and Osman Bukari played key roles in helping the Chicago Fire and Austin FC secure victories in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

At Audi Field, Chicago quickly took the lead against DC United, scoring twice in the first 24 minutes, including a goal from Ivorian winger Bamba. Bamba also assisted on Tom Barlow’s second goal, contributing to a surprising 7-1 victory.

Despite leaving the game due to injury, he has been a standout player for Chicago, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in 16 league matches for the ninth-place team in the Eastern Conference.

In the second match of the day, Austin FC also won, thanks to Bukari, who provided an assist in their 2-0 victory over Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Ghanaian winger crossed the ball to Mikkel Desler, who scored the opening goal in the 6th minute.

With this win, Austin ended a six-match winless streak. Bukari now has one goal and three assists in eighteen MLS games this season, including three assists in his last five matches.

League action concludes on Sunday with three matches, including Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga facing Sporting Kansas City. During the international window, MLS saw limited activity, with only two games on Saturday.

At Audi Field, the Chicago Fire took an early lead against DC United, with Jonathan Bamba scoring the second goal in the 24th minute, leading to a dominant 7-1 win. Bamba also assisted Tom Barlow and has recorded three goals and seven assists this season, helping Chicago to ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, Austin FC defeated Colorado Rapids 2-0, thanks in part to Osman Bukari, who assisted Mikkel Desler’s opening goal in the sixth minute.

This victory allowed Austin FC to break a six-match winless streak. Bukari’s contributions this season now include one goal and three assists in eighteen MLS games, with three assists in his last five matches.

As the weekend concludes, league action will continue on Sunday with three games, including Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga facing Sporting Kansas City.

Nigeria's Super Eagles come from behind to draw with Russia
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigeria’s Super Eagles come from behind to draw with Russia

The Super Eagles arrived in Moscow feeling confident after winning the Unity Cup in west London last week. They were able to secure a 1-1 result even without several key players, such as Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, and Ola Aina.

These absences gave chances to players like Victor Boniface and Christantus Uche, but Tolu Arokodare stood out the most. He has now shown that he deserves to start in the important World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa later this year.

The hosts took the lead just before the half-hour mark through an unfortunate own goal by Semi Ajayi, who redirected Danil Krugovoy’s cross into his own net.

In the 71st minute, Nigeria’s Arokodare seized a moment of carelessness from Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, collecting a poor pass and scoring with a low shot.

Despite facing more Russian attacks, Nigeria held on for a draw, but their overall performance was disappointing.

International friendlies: Morocco, Cameroon and the Gambia all register wins
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

International friendlies: Morocco, Cameroon and the Gambia register wins

On Friday, African national teams were busy testing their prowess during the June FIFA window. While some top teams played in Europe, several matches between African teams took place in Morocco.

In Morocco, Cameroon, Niger, Burundi, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic all won their matches. In Marrakech, Cameroon beat Uganda 3-0.

Cameroon scored through set pieces. Flavien Boyomo and Jean Batoum scored their first goals for the team with headers from corner kicks. Patrick Soko also scored his first goal for the national team, assisted by captain Vincent Aboubakar.

Earlier, Gambia beat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in Marrakech, with both goals from Adama Sidibeh. Gambia will face Uganda next, while Equatorial Guinea will play Cameroon on Monday in Morocco.

In Casablanca, Niger faced Gabon in an exciting match that ended 4-3 in favor of Niger. Youssouf Oumarou and Oumar Sako each scored, and Daniel Sosah added two goals. Jim Allevinah, Andre Biyogho Poko, and Guelor Kanga scored for Gabon.

In Mohammedia, Burkina Faso bounced back from a recent loss to defeat Zimbabwe 2-0. New signing Stephane Aziz Ki scored first in the 22nd minute, followed by Cyriaque Irie, who scored just before halftime.

Burundi achieved a 1-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in Casablanca, with Bienvenue Kanakimana scoring the only goal from a cross.

In another match, the Central African Republic came from behind to defeat Mauritania. Hemeya Tanjy scored a penalty for Mauritania, but Gabriel Oualengbe equalized, and Paul Guinari scored the winner in stoppage time.

https://twitter.com/bittar32/status/1931246271198548171

Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu pens new Espérance deal
by Football Sierra Leone

Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu pens new Espérance deal

Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis has extended Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu’s contract.

The 22-year-old’s old contract was set to end in 2026, but now he will stay with the club until June 2028. This extension shows the club’s strong belief in him as a promising young player for the upcoming season.

Ogbelu is a key player in Espérance’s midfield. Since joining from Nigeria’s Fosla Academy in September 2023, he has made 53 appearances. He has also helped the team win two Tunisian Ligue 1 titles, one Tunisian Cup, and one Tunisian Super Cup.

His most memorable moment came when he scored the winning goal with a powerful shot from outside the box in the Tunisian Cup final against Club Sportif de la Médina de Tunis. This performance established him as a big-game player.

Espérance acted quickly to secure his future due to growing interest from other clubs in Africa and Europe.

Gambia at work for Equatorial Guinea and Uganda friendlies
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Gambia at work for Equatorial Guinea and Uganda friendlies

Ex-Sierra Leone coach, Johnathan McKinstry‘s Gambia completed their first session ahead of two highly anticipated international friendly matches this month that aim to sharpen his team.

Both matches are set to unfold in the vibrant city of Marrakesh, Morocco, known for its rich culture and warm hospitality.

The Gambia team, known as The Scorpions, will start their test match on June 6, 2025, against Equatorial Guinea, following a challenging match with Uganda on May 9, 2025.

These friendly games are important for the Scorpions. They are preparing for their World Cup qualifier match against Seychelles in September 2025.

The coaching staff aims to improve the team’s fitness, tactics, and teamwork during these matches.

Currently, The Gambia is struggling in the World Cup qualifiers. They are second from the bottom in Group F, with only 5 points from six matches.

The upcoming friendlies will help the team regain confidence and improve their chances in the qualifiers.

Tunisia overcomes Burkina Faso in friendly test
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia overcomes Burkina Faso in friendly test

Tunisia defeated Burkina Faso 2-0 in an international friendly match on Monday at Hammadi Agrebi Olympic Stadium, scoring both goals in the final moments.

Edmond Tapsoba’s own goal and Hazem Mastouri’s (Tunisia) right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal were enough for the Eagles of Carthage of Tunisia.

Tapsoba’s own goal came in the 60th minute and Mastouri scored the second in the 91st minute as Tunisia emerged victorious.

This friendly match is the first of three practice games for Tunisia in eight days, with upcoming matches against Morocco and Zambia. These games will help the team prepare for key qualifying matches.

In September, the Carthage Eagles will play Liberia again and then face Equatorial Guinea. In October, they will compete against Sao Tome and Principe and have a final match against Namibia.

Tunisia’s recent wins have helped them move up three spots in the FIFA rankings, now sitting at 49th place. These friendly matches will be important in shaping their ranking for the next update in July.

Pyramids beat Sundowns to win maiden CAF Champions League title
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Pyramids beat Sundowns to win maiden CAF Champions League title

On Sunday, Pyramids FC won their first TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title with a 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.

After the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw in Pretoria, Pyramids secured a 3-2 win on aggregate. They became the fourth Egyptian club to win Africa’s top club competition, joining Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily.

Pyramids started strong in front of their enthusiastic home fans. In the 23rd minute, striker Fiston Mayele scored the first goal with a low shot into the corner, marking his ninth goal in the tournament.

The team doubled their lead shortly after halftime. In the 56th minute, defender Ahmed Samy scored with a header from a cross by Mohamed Chibi. This goal sent the Cairo crowd into a frenzy.

In the 75th minute, Iqraam Rayners scored for Sundowns, making the score 2-1 and setting up a tense finish. Sundowns pressed for another goal, with key shots from Peter Shalulile and Lebo Mothiba blocked during 10 minutes of added time.

Pyramids defended well, thanks to goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy’s key saves, securing their first continental title 10 years after the club’s founding. Egypt continues to dominate African football, winning the title for three consecutive years after Al Ahly’s successes in 2023 and 2024.

Sundowns aimed for their second CAF title but instead lost their second Champions League final, 24 years after their defeat to Al Ahly in 2001.

Sierra Leone placed in Group C for WAFU U20 Boys tournament in Ghana
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone in Group C for WAFU U20 Boys tournament in Ghana

Sierra Leone’s U20 national football team, the Shooting Stars, has been placed in Group C for the 2025 WAFU A&B U20 Boys Sub-Confederation Tournament. Their group includes Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Benin.

The draw, which took place this morning in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, marks a historic milestone as all thirteen member associations of WAFU A and B will compete together for the first time.

Ghana will host the tournament, scheduled from June 15 to June 30. This competition serves as a qualifier for the next TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations U20.

The Shooting Stars last participated in the WAFU A qualifiers in Monrovia, Liberia, where they achieved their first-ever qualification for the AFCON U20. Now, the Shooting Stars aim to replicate their success on this larger stage.

Challenging assignment for Africa's four representatives in the U20 Chile World Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Challenging assignment for Africa’s representatives in U20 Chile World Cup

After the draw in Santiago, Africa’s four teams for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile 2025 have learned their group matches. The tournament will take place in 2025 and will be the 24th FIFA U-20 World Cup.

From September 27 until October 19, 2025, the contest will take place in Chile. To take place in four cities: Valparaiso, Talca, Rancagua, and Santiago. The knockout stage will begin with the top two teams from every group and the four best third-placed sides.

Having just won the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa has tough competition. The Amajita will face France, the United States, and New Caledonia in Group E.

With 14 outings, Nigeria—the most experienced team in this tournament—is in Group F. They will be rivals with Colombia, Norway, and Saudi Arabia. Hoping to go far in the competition, the Flying Eagles would want to regain their past splendour.

This competition also sees Africa represented by Egypt and Morocco. In Group A, Egypt joins Chile, Japan, and New Zealand as hosts. The Pharaohs hope to leave a lasting mark against the Chilean side, which has home support.

In Group C, Morocco will play Brazil, Mexico, and Spain. This will be a difficult group for Morocco, which will depend on its strong defence and offensive approach that carried them to the U-20 AFCON final.

Africa’s young stars, who are trying to shine on the global platform, will have all eyes on them as the teams get ready.

Sierra Queens one step closer to Women's Cup Mauritania title
by FSL News

Sierra Queens one step closer to Women’s Cup Mauritania title

The Sierra Leone Women’s National Team, fondly known as the Sierra Queens, is poised to win the Women’s Cup title after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mali in the semi-final held at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium on Thursday.

They will face the winner of the match between Senegal and Liberia. The second semi-final will take place later in the evening at the same venue, featuring Liberia against Senegal.

The match saw Salamatu Kamara net the decisive goal in the 85th minute of the second half, showcasing her impressive skills and determination on the field.

For the third consecutive match, Sierra Leone’s goalkeeper, Hannah Juana, was named Woman of the Match. Her exceptional performance, marked by crucial saves and a commanding presence in the box, played a pivotal role in ensuring her team’s progression to the final.

With her help, the Sierra Queens continue to inspire their fans and carry the hopes of a nation as they strive for championship glory.