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.

Marseille confirm Ivorian-born Ismaël Koné's arrival to Ligue 1
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Marseille unveil Ivorian-born Ismaël Koné

Canadian international Ismael Kone, who was born in Ivory Coast, has been unveiled by Marseille. His arrival was announced by the French Ligue 1 side on Tuesday.

The midfielder, who has earned 22 caps for his country, transferred to Watford from CF Montreal halfway through the 2022/23 season. During his time with the Hornets, the 22-year-old made 63 appearances in all competitions and scored four goals.

On 28th June 2024, Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille announced the permanent signing of Koné for a reported transfer fee of £15m, including add-ons.

In June 2023, Kone was called up to the Canadian national team for the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals. He scored a goal in the second leg of the quarterfinals against Jamaica.

Additionally, in June 2024, Kone was named to Canada’s squad for the 2024 Copa América. He scored an impressive overhead kick to level the score in the third-place match against Uruguay, 22 minutes into the game.

First win for Egypt as Guinea & Mali suffer defeats at the Olympics
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

First win for Egypt as Guinea & Mali suffer defeats at the Olympics

A hard-fought 1-0 victory for Egypt against Uzbekistan. Egypt aims to advance to the Men’s Olympic football quarter-finals if they can avoid defeat against Group C leaders Spain in their upcoming match on Tuesday.

Uzbekistan 0-1 Egypt – Egypt scorer: Koka (11)

Uzbekistan was the first country to be eliminated from the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament after a narrow defeat against Egypt. Egypt scored the only goal of the game in lucky circumstances when the ball deflected off Ahmed Koka and into the net. Egypt now only needs one point against Spain to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

Guinea lost 1-0 to France in Paris 2024 their second defeat in opening two matches. Kiliann Sildillia’s second-half header secured the win for the host team. Despite the win, France must wait for confirmation as one of the quarter-final qualifiers, as their six-point haul can still be matched by Group A rivals, the USA and New Zealand.

In Group A – France 1-0 Guinea – France scorer: Sildillia (75)

In Group B, Morocco, after their thrilling win over Argentina, lost 2-1 to a ten-man Ukraine team. Ukraine grabbed a late victory over Morocco when substitute Ihor Krasnopir scored in the eighth minute of added time.

Ruslan Rotan’s team took the lead when Maksym Braharu played a low ball that Dmytro Kryskiv converted from close range. Morocco equalized after the break when Volodymyr Saliuk fouled Soufiane Rahimi, resulting in a penalty that the No. 9 converted and Saliuk receiving a red card after a VAR check.

The game seemed headed for a draw before Oleh Fedor’s pass allowed Krasnopir to secure an unlikely victory for Ukraine.

Ukraine 2-1 Morocco Ukraine scorers: Kryskiv (22), Krasnopir (90+8) Morocco scorer: Rahimi Pen (64)

Japan’s team secured a spot in the quarter-finals at Paris 2024 with a narrow win over Mali at Stade de Bordeaux. They scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute, and Mali missed a penalty in added time.

Group D Japan 1-0 Mali Japan scorer: Yamamoto (82)

Guinea and Egypt have important Olympic football matches
by FSL News

Guinea and Egypt face important Olympic football matches

Guinea lost 2-1 to New Zealand in their first match. Now they will play against France in the Men’s Olympic football tournament on Saturday.

If Guinea avoids losing or winning their first match of the competition, they improve their chance to move on to the next stage.

On the other hand, France wants to win their second match and make a good start to the Games. The last time they did that was in Montreal in 1976 when they beat Mexico and Guatemala 4-0.

Guinea has only played one European team at the Olympics which was France. France won 3-1 in Mexico City in 1968.

“The game against New Zealand, which we lost 2-1, is now in the past. We need to be good in all areas of the game, and this will be tough against France. We have to be realistic, defend well, work together, and take our chances when they come. Each of us needs to do better than before and give more.” – Algassime Bah, Guinea forward.

Group A France v Guinea Stade de Nice Kick-off: 21:00

In Group C, Uzbekistan is aiming to secure their first win at the Games as they make their debut in the tournament. Egypt, following their goalless draw against the Dominican Republic, a win will strengthen their chances of advancing to the knockout stage with a win against Uzbekistan. The Pharaohs have lost just one of their last six group-stage matches.

Timur Kapadze, the coach of Uzbekistan, stated, “Our focus has already turned to the next match, and we will analyze how we can improve. Hopefully, we can build on the positive things we did against Spain. We fight with our hands, but we will prepare as well as we can.”

Uzbekistan v Egypt – Stade de la Beaujoire Kick-off: 17:00
Morocco and Mali eye Olympic football tournament knockout phase
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Morocco and Mali eye Olympic football knockout phase

A victory for Morocco and Mali would place them in a favourable position in the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament at Paris 2024 on Saturday.

Group B – Morocco could advance to the knockout stages by defeating Ukraine on Saturday at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, following their dramatic victory over Argentina. Kick-off at 17:00. – Ukraine v Morocco.

Valentyn Rubchynskyi scored Ukraine’s first-ever goal in the last tournament, in their 2-1 loss to Iraq. Morocco has never defeated a European team in 11 previous attempts at the Games.

“I watched highlights of the Argentina vs. Morocco game, and both teams are outstanding and very dangerous. We will try to analyze the mistakes they made in the previous game and use that knowledge to our advantage on the pitch.” – Maksym Talovierov, Ukraine defender.

Group D – West African team Mali could put themselves in a strong position with a win over Japan at the Stade de following their 1-1 draw with Israel.

Japan’s 5-0 victory over Paraguay last time out was their biggest win at the Olympics. Mali are undefeated in normal time at the Games. Their only defeat to date came in extra time against Italy in the quarter-finals of Athens 2004.

“We did well to win our first match but that counts for nothing if we lose the next one. We’re preparing now as well as we can for this next match (against Mail),” Shota Fujio, Japan forward.

Japan v Mali – Stade de Bordeaux Kick-off: 21:00
Africa's representatives have crucial encounters today in Paris for Match Day Two of the football tournament.
Africa's representatives have crucial encounters today in Paris for Match Day Two of the football tournament.
Opening defeat for Nigeria and Zambia at the Olympics
by FSL News

Opening defeat for Nigeria and Zambia at the Olympics

USA 3-0 Zambia – Goals: Rodman (17), Swanson (24, 25)

In the women’s football event at the Paris Olympics, the teams representing Africa, namely Nigeria and Zambia, both experienced defeat in their respective opening matches on Thursday.

Emma Hayes’ USA team in Paris showed they are determined to win a fifth gold medal. They played exceptionally well against Zambia winning 3-0.

Trinity Rodman scored their first goal after 17 minutes. Mallory Swanson then scored two goals quickly.

Zambia’s chances were further diminished when Pauline Zulu was sent off for a foul just before half-time. This allowed the USA to win comfortably.

What they said…

“Players have been in major tournaments before and we know that confidence is key. So to start like this propels us on to the next game.”Lindsay Horan, USA captain

Nigeria 0-1 Brazil – Goals: Nunes (37)

In the Paris 2024 competition, Brazil commenced their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Nigeria. The South American team gained an advantage when Marta, shortly after having a goal disallowed due to offside, executed an exquisite reverse pass to Gabi Nunes who, with two touches, spectacularly propelled the ball into the net. Despite an attempt by Marta to hit the post in the latter half, Brazil adeptly maintained their position to clinch a victory, securing all three points.

What they said…

“I’m really happy with this game. It was tough, but our team is amazing. We worked hard to play well, and I’m pleased to have scored and helped the team. Now, it’s time to rest and enjoy this moment.” – Gabi Nunes, Brazil’s goal scorer.

“Brazil is well-prepared. Arthur is doing an excellent job, and we saw today how strong our group is. Nigeria is a tough team, but we deserved to win. Our team is united and always ready to compete for the first place.” – Lorena, Brazil’s goalkeeper.

Next at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024
Sunday, 28 July

17:00 | New Zealand v Colombia

17:00 | Brazil v Japan

19:00 | Australia v Zambia

19:00 | Spain v Nigeria

21:00 | France v Canada

21:00 | USA v Germany

In a thrilling match held in Nice, New Zealand overcame a valiant challenge from Guinea to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory, while the Pharaohs of Egypt were held to a goalless draw.
by FSL News

Opening Olympics Defeat for Guinea as Egypt share spoils

Group A Guinea 1-2 New Zealand – Scorers: Garbett (25), Diawara (72), Waine (76)

In a thrilling match held in Nice, New Zealand overcame a valiant challenge from Guinea to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory, while the Pharaohs of Egypt were held to a goalless draw.

Guinea’s match saw a dramatic turn of events as Matthew Garbett, who missed a penalty in the 24th minute, quickly redeemed himself by finding the back of the net just a minute later, giving New Zealand the lead.

Guinea showed their determination and persistence and managed to equalize in the 72nd minute through a spectacular long-range strike from Amadou Diawara, with the ball weaving through a crowded penalty area to make it 1-1.

However, New Zealand refused to be denied and staged a spirited comeback, culminating in a 76th-minute goal from Ben Waine, whose decisive strike ultimately secured the victory for the New Zealand team.

Group C Egypt 0-0 Dominican Republic

The match between Egypt and the Dominican Republic ended in a 0-0 draw in Nantes. Both teams had opportunities to score, but the goalkeepers, Xavier Valdez for the Dominican Republic and Hamza Alaa for Egypt were exceptional and kept a clean sheet.

Alaa made a noteworthy save by tipping away a free-kick from Peter Gonzalez in the 70th minute.

Despite Egypt’s efforts to secure a late win, the Dominican Republic’s defence held firm, resulting in a shared point for both teams.

Up next

Saturday 27 July

15:00: Dominican Republic v Spain

15:00: Argentina v Iraq

17:00: Uzbekistan v Egypt

17:00: Ukraine v Morocco

19:00: New Zealand v USA

19:00: Israel v Paraguay

21:00: France v Guinea

21:00: Japan v Mali

Cheikna Doumbia nets as Relentless Mali salvage a point
by FSL News

Cheikna Doumbia nets as Relentless Mali salvage a point

Despite trailing, Mali’s unwavering determination and grit enabled them to clinch a 1-1 draw in their opening match of the Paris 2024 Men’s Football Competition against Israel.

Despite dominating possession, Mali struggled to capitalize and had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris.

Mali, making their second appearance in the Olympics, showed great determination, coming from behind to secure a point.

Cheikna Doumbia was a constant threat for Mali and scored the equalizer after an own goal from Diallo Hamidou had given Israel the lead.

Despite the setback, Mali kept pushing forward and eventually found the equalizer through Doumbia’s header.

This result puts Mali in third place in the group, with upcoming matches against group leaders Japan and Paraguay, who lost 5-0 to Japan in their earlier fixture.

Opening draw for Morocco against Argentine in Paris Olympics
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Opening win for Morocco over Argentina in Men’s Olympic

In the Group B Olympics match held at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint Etienne, Rahimi Soufiane scored two goals as Morocco defeated Argentina 2-1 on Wednesday.

The Argentina squad, which included players such as Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, scored late to make it 2-2. However, a late VAR intervention ruled the goal offside on the first day of football action at the Paris Olympics.

Soufiane Rahimi scored both goals for Morocco, first in the 45+2nd minute and then again from the penalty spot to double his side’s lead.

In the Argentina vs. Morocco football game at Paris 2024, Giovanni Simeone scored a goal for Argentina, but they couldn’t find another goal until the 16th minute of added time when Cristian Medina equalized for the 2008 Olympics gold medal winners.

Due to on-field chaos, the match was suspended for over an hour. Play eventually resumed behind closed doors, with the African side winning 2-1 after an equalizer by their opponents had been ruled out by VAR.

Argentina’s players were booed by the crowd after a video showed them chanting a song labelled as “racist and discriminatory” by the French Football Federation after winning the Copa America.

The organizers issued a statement confirming that the football match between Argentina and Morocco at the Saint-Etienne Stadium had to be suspended. This was a result of a pitch invasion by a small number of spectators.

In another match, Spain defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 at the Parc des Princes in western Paris, with Marc Pubill and Sergio Gómez scoring for the Euro 2024 winners, while Eldor Shomurodov pulled one back for the Uzbeks.

Mali will play their first match against Israel in the Paris 2024 Olympics on Wednesday, July 24th - kick off at 6:00 PM CAT.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mali ready for Israel in Olympics football showdown

Mali will play their first match against Israel in the Paris 2024 Olympics on Wednesday, July 24th – kick off at 6:00 PM CAT.

The match will be at Parc des Princes in Paris, France. Mali had a 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan in a friendly match on June 10th. They haven’t lost in their last four matches, winning three and drawing one.

“As coach, my objective is to do better than our quarter-final finish at Athens 2004,” Badra Diallo told FIFA. The well-travelled Malian is sure to have lofty ambitions for his troops when the action gets underway in France, not least because the Olympic movement holds a special place in his heart.

Keep an eye on midfielder Boubacar Traoré, who plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League.

Israel lost 2-0 to Germany in the 2025 UEFA Under 21 Euro qualifiers in March 2024 and hasn’t played since. They have lost their last six matches. Oscar Gloukh, an attacking midfielder for RB Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga, is a key player for Israel.

This will be the first time Mali and Israel meet at the under-23 level. The match will be officiated by referee Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh from New Zealand.

Olympics history – Previous participations: 1 (Athens 2004) – Best result: Quarter-finals (Athens 2004)

Mali headed to Athens in 2004, eager to emulate the exploits of African heavyweights Nigeria and Cameroon, who had reigned supreme in the previous two editions of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.

Les Aigles Espoirs got their campaign up and running with a scoreless stalemate against Mexico before making their mark against the hosts with a 2-0 win. Well placed to advance to the next round, the tournament first-timers shared the spoils with the Korea Republic in a thrilling tussle that ended 3-3, a result that was enough to see them progress as group winners.

The West Africans then took Italy to extra time in the quarter-finals following a goalless draw after normal time, only for Cesare Bovo’s 116th-minute header to crush Malian dreams of an Olympic medal.

Mali’s Group D fixtures – All kick-off times are local

Wednesday, 24 July – Mali v Israel | 21:00 | Parc des Princes, Paris

Saturday, 27 July- Japan v Mali | 21:00 | Stade de Bordeaux

Tuesday, 30 July – Paraguay v Mali | 21:00 | Parc des Princes, Paris

Women's Olympic - Nigeria to open against Brazil as Zambia meet USA
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Women’s Olympic: Nigeria face Brazil as Zambia meet USA

Africa’s representatives, Nigeria and Zambia, will kick off their campaigns on the opening day of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024 on Thursday, alongside ten other teams.

Nigeria vs. Brazil Venue: Stade de Bordeaux, Kick-off: 19:00

Nigeria will participate in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time since 2008.

Nigeria is the most experienced African nation at the Games, having competed three times in the past. Brazil has won both previous meetings against Nigeria.

They won 4-3 after extra time in the 1999 Women’s World Cup quarter-final and 3-1 in the group stage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

USA vs. Zambia Venue: Stade de Nice, Kick-off: 21:00

The U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team starts their 2024 Summer Olympics journey on July 25 against Zambia at Stade de Nice in Nice, France. The game will be at 9 p.m. local time / 3 p.m. ET.

The USA’s only previous Olympic match against an African team was a 3-1 victory against Nigeria at Sydney 2000.

During Tokyo 2020, Zambia’s captain Barbra Banda made history by becoming the first player to score hat-tricks in back-to-back Olympic matches.

She scored three goals in each of the group-stage matches against the Netherlands and China PR.

Zambia secured its place in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris by defeating Morocco 3-2 on aggregate in the 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Meanwhile, host nation France will play against Colombia, while World champions Spain will face Japan in a rematch of their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 group-stage meeting, which Japan won 4-0.

Germany will compete against Australia from Group B as Canada takes on New Zealand.

See the link for full Women’s Olympic matches.

Nigeria will participate in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time since 2008.
Nigeria will participate in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time since 2008.
Zambia secured its place in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris by defeating Morocco 3-2 on aggregate in the 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Zambia secured its place in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris by defeating Morocco 3-2 on aggregate in the 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.