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.

Nigeria's Chidera Ejuke happy to join Spanish side Sevilla
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigeria’s Chidera Ejuke happy to join Spanish side Sevilla

Chidera Ejuke, the 26-year-old Nigerian winger, has joined Spanish side Sevilla on a free transfer from CSKA Moscow after a loan spell at Royal Antwerp.

Ejuke, a right-footed player, has primarily played as a left-winger and also has experience in all attacking positions in Europe.

The Nigeria winger said, “It’s all been very quick. I’m happy and very excited to be part of this family and I’m looking forward to achieving great things here. For a club like this to be interested in me is huge.

Communication has been easy, and I’m happy that everything has gone the way it has.”

Ejuke added, “It’s special to be the first Nigerian here. I feel good being part of this team. I’m looking forward to seeing what I can bring. I hope I can come back with Nigeria because it’s always nice to represent your country.”!

Chidera Ejuke started his European career with Valerenga in Norway, making 59 appearances, scoring 15 goals, and providing six assists across two seasons.

After playing for Heerenveen in the Netherlands, Ejuke joined CSKA Moscow, scoring 10 goals and providing 8 assists. He also had loan spells at Hertha Berlin and Royal Antwerp.

Ejuke made his debut for the Nigerian national team in 2020 and has earned eight caps during qualifying campaigns for the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.

Kenya’s Junior Starlets set for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup debut
by FSL News

Kenya’s Starlets set for FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup debut

Kenya’s Junior Starlets will camp in Spain for three weeks before heading to the Dominican Republic for the Women’s U17 World Cup in October and November.

On Sunday, they made history by becoming the first Kenyan side to qualify for a World Cup after a 5-0 aggregate win against Burundiat Ulinzi Complex, Nairobi.

The team will have a three-week camp in Marbella, Spain in September to prepare for the global tournament taking place between October 16 and November 3.

The draw for the tournament is scheduled for this month and Kenya will face strong teams from Asia, such as Japan and Korea.

Recap

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ will occur in the Dominican Republic from October 16 to November 3, 2024.

This will be the first time the Dominican Republic has hosted a FIFA tournament.

Spain won the tournament in 2022 and achieved the remarkable feat of holding the U-17, U20, and senior women’s titles simultaneously, becoming the first nation to do so.

Sixteen teams will compete to win the trophy and join the ranks of former champions DPR Korea, Korea Republic, France, Japan, and Spain.

Nigeria & Zambia secure tickets to FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
by FSL News

Nigeria & Zambia secure tickets to FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

Nigeria and Zambia have officially secured their spots in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will occur in the Dominican Republic from October 16 to November 3, 2024.

 

Nigeria became the first African team to qualify for the women’s youth competition after defeating Liberia 6-1 on aggregate. They won 4-1 in the away match and then secured a 2-0 victory in the home leg in Abuja.

 

Zambia returned to the tournament after a 10-year absence by securing their spot on June 15. They won 3-1 in their first match in Ndola and then played to a goalless draw in the return leg in Morocco, which was enough to secure their place in the finals.

The third and final African spot in the tournament will be determined in the match between Kenya and Burundi on June 16. Kenya holds the advantage after winning the first leg 3-0 at home.

Ex-Nigerian International Finidi quits Super Eagles job
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ex-Nigerian International Finidi quits Super Eagles job

Finidi George has resigned as coach of the Super Eagles, stating, “I won’t work under another coach in the Super Eagles.”

This decision followed the NFF’s option to appoint a foreign coach after the team failed to win the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin.

During Finidi’s tenure, the Super Eagles suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat to the Benin Republic in Abidjan after a 1-1 draw against South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

These results leave the Super Eagles winless after four matches, putting them in fifth place in Group C with just three points and jeopardizing Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Finidi, appointed as the substantive coach in April after serving as an assistant to Jose Peseiro, had his position reconsidered by the NFF due to the recent poor results.

The 53-year-old coach succeeded the Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro, who left his post after his contract ended in February and had previously worked as Peseiro’s assistant for 20 months.

Crystal Palace have made their first summer signing with the arrival of Morocco centre-back Chadi Riad, in a deal worth £12m plus £2m in add-ons.
by FSL News

Morocco’s Chadi Riad joins Premiership side Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have made their first summer signing with the arrival of Morocco centre-back Chadi Riad.

The 20-year-old, who moved to Real Betis on loan from Barcelona last summer before making the move permanent, has joined the Eagles, external on a contract until June 2029.

Riad made 30 appearances for Betis in all competitions during the past campaign and helped them finish seventh in La Liga.

“As a full international at just 20 years old, Chadi is an exciting young player who we are delighted to be able to welcome to the club,” said Palace chairman Steve Parish.

Riad added: “I was interested in coming here because of the history of the club, and the league in which it plays.

“The club has high-level players who are young and I have come here to follow their same trajectory, to grow as they have grown.”

Riad was selected for the senior Morocco national team at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. He made his debut in a 3–1 pre-tournament friendly win over Sierra Leone on 11 January 2024.

The Fédération Malienne de Football (FEMAFOOT) has immediately terminated senior national team coach Eric Sékou Chelle's contract.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mali Fédération part ways with coach Eric Sékou Chelle

The Fédération Malienne de Football (FEMAFOOT) has immediately terminated senior national team coach Eric Sékou Chelle’s contract.

In a statement reported on national television, no reason was given for the decision. The sacking occurred days after Mali were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Madagascar in a Group I World Cup qualifier in Johannesburg.

The decision was unanimously made by the Executive Committee in an extraordinary session, with the approval of the relevant authorities on Thursday.

Mali suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Ghana at the Stade du Mars in Bamako last week before drawing with a ten-man Madagascar on Tuesday in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Malian Eagles face a tough challenge in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, as they currently have just five points after four matches.

FEMAFOOT has expressed its gratitude to Sekou Chelle for his leadership of the national team and has also thanked the Department of Sports for their ongoing support.

Malian football is entering a new chapter as the federation seeks a new coach. Mali is among several African nations making changes to their coaching staff ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 qualifiers.

Gabon come from behind to defeat the Gambia in five-goal thriller
by FSL News

Gabon come from behind to defeat Gambia in five-goal thriller

Gabon completed an impressive comeback, defeating Gambia 3-2 in their World Cup qualifying fixture at Stade de Franceville.

The victory propelled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s team to second place in Group F, just one point behind leaders Ivory Coast.

Despite falling behind in the first half, Gabon rallied in the second half with goals from Jim Allevinah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Denis Bouanga.

The Gambia fought back with a goal from Ebou Adams, but Gabon held on for the win.

The result puts Gabon in a strong position in the group, while Gambia sits in fourth place.

Meanwhile, Burundi are two points further back after their 3-1 win away against Seychelles in neutral Morocco.

Tuesday’s African World Cup qualifying results

  • South Sudan 0-3 Sudan (Group B)

  • Lesotho 0-1 Rwanda (Group C)

  • South Africa 3-1 Zimbabwe (Group C)

  • Angola 1-1 Cameroon (Group D)

  • Cape Verde 1-0 Libya (Group D)

  • Congo 0-6 Morocco (Group E)

  • Zambia 0-1 Tanzania (Group E)

  • Gabon 3-2 The Gambia (Group F)

  • Kenya 0-0 Ivory Coast (Group F)

  • Seychelles 1-3 Burundi (Group F)

  • Mauritius 2-1 Eswatini (Group G)

  • Chad 0-2 Comoros (Group I)

  • Madagascar 0-0 Mali (Group I)

Six-goal Morocco ease past Congo to maintain Group E lead
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Six-goal Morocco ease past Congo to maintain Group E lead

Morocco secured a resounding 6-0 victory over Congo at Stade Adrar during their third match of the CAF 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday evening.

The North Africans dominated Congo in their third World Cup qualifier, winning 6-0. Azzedine Ounahi and Chadi Riad scored early goals, while Ayoub El Kaabi completed a hat trick. This victory keeps Morocco at the top of Group E standings with nine points, while Tanzania is in second place with six points.

In Tuesday’s early Kickoff, there were several noteworthy events unfolding – Sudan secured a top position in Group B with a resounding 3-0 victory over South Sudan, with ten points from four games, overtaking Senegal. Meanwhile, South Sudan remains firmly at the bottom with just two points.

In Group F, Kenya and African champions Cote d’Ivoire played to a goalless draw. Cote d’Ivoire maintains their lead with ten points. Kenya moved up to third place with five points.

In the Group G encounter, Mauritius secured a 2-1 victory over Eswatini. This win places Mauritius in fifth place in the group with four points, while Eswatini remains at the bottom, still in search of their first point in the campaign.

The competition for the World Cup berths is intensifying as hopes of historic qualification are ignited among several team.

In Group I, Madagascar and Mali drew 0-0. Madagascar’s Louis Démoléon received a red card early on, leaving his team with ten men for over 70 minutes. Madagascar earned a valuable point, moving them to second place with seven points, while Mali is in fourth place with five points.

Nigeria stumbles to Benin Republic in Group C qualifier
by FSL News

Nigeria stumbles to Benin Republic in Group C qualifier

The Benin Republic made history on Monday by defeating the Super Eagles for the first time with a 2-1 win.

As a result, The Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification is now in jeopardy. With only three points from four World Cup qualification matches, Nigeria risks missing out on the next football tournament.

The Super Eagles were aiming for a victory after drawing with South Africa a few days earlier, and although the game started well for the Nigerians, they had to wait 25 minutes to take the lead.

Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge gave the Super Eagles the advantage by calmly slotting the ball home inside the box.

The Cheetahs of Benin, led by former Nigerian manager Gernot Rohr, scored to tie the game in the 37th minute through Jodei Dossou after a defensive mistake from the Super Eagles. They then extended Nigeria’s troubles with a goal from Steve Mounie just before halftime.

In the second half, Nigeria made some changes to try to find an equalizer, but the Cheetahs defended well to secure one of the biggest wins in football. After Monday’s result, Nigeria is currently in 5th place in the Group C qualification standings for the 2026 World Cup.

Recap: Ghana Survive CAR Scare as Mozambique Defeat Guinea
by FSL News

Recap: Ghana Survive CAR Scare as Mozambique Defeat Guinea

The Black Stars have been performing well in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They had a thrilling comeback win against Mali in Bamako, followed by a 4-3 victory against the Central African Republic in Kumasi on Monday, 10 June.

Jordan Ayew and Louis Mafouta both scored hat-tricks as Ghana secured the win. This victory came after their previous 2-1 triumph over Mali in Bamako.

Meanwhile, the Stallions of Burkina Faso were disappointed to drop points in a 2-2 draw against Sierra Leone in Bamako, Mali.

In Group G, Mozambique surprised Guinea with a 1-0 win, earning maximum points on the road.

Ghana 4 – 3 Central African Republic

In a dramatic match, Ghana emerged victorious with a 4-3 win in Kumasi.

Burkina Faso 2 – 2 Sierra Leone

Burkina Faso missed an opportunity to close the gap with a 2-2 draw against Sierra Leone in Bamako.

Guinea 0 – 1 Mozambique

Mozambique secured a 1-0 win over Guinea with a late goal by Geny Catamo.

10 June

Burkina Faso 2-2 Sierra Leone (Group A)

Guinea Bissau 1-1 Egypt (Group A)

Benin 2-1 Nigeria (Group C)

Guinea 0-1 Mozambique (Group G)

Uganda 1-2 Algeria (Group G)

Somalia 1-3 Botswana (Group G)

Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Malawi (Group H)

Ghana 4-3 Central African Republic (Group I)