The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Guinean officials for the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup between Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso and Rivers United of Nigeria.
The apex football body in Africa appointed Naby Laye Toure as the Center Referee and will be assisted by Mama Tere, who will serve as Assistant Referee 1 while Mousa Toure will work as Assistant Referee 2.
Abdoulaye Ganet will serve as the 4th official, and Mamby Diaby will be the Match Commissioner for the game.
The game is slated to take place (today) Sunday in Yammossoukro in Abidjan after the national stadium in Ouagadougou failed to get approval from the football body, and the Match will kick off at 20:00
The hope of Nigeria’s 2023 Federation Cup champions Bendel Insurance reaching the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup hangs in balance after playing out a 2-2 draw against RS Berkane at home.
The Benin Arsenal reached the second round after they got the better of ASO Chlef of Algeria in the first preliminary round.
Playing in front of their fans at Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Bendel Insurance took the game to the Moroccan and they got the opening goal in the 28th minute when Imade Osarenkhoe slotted home after RS Berkane’s goalkeeper spilled Benjamin Tanimu’s shot.
Unfortunately, the Moroccan side found their way back before the end of the first half to go into the break with a 1-1 draw which was no good news for the Nigerian team.
In the second half, Bendel Insurance continued to show a lot of promise, especially in attack, and got their reward through substitute Augustus Vincent who put the host ahead again in the 60th minute but their joy was short-lived with Mohamed El Morabit finishing a brilliant counter-attacking move.
This means that Bendel Insurance are condemned to win the second leg at the Berkane Municipal Stadium in Morocco in a fortnight, to stand a chance of qualifying for the next round. They can also scale through if they can grab a 3-3 draw.
As for Berkane, the Moroccan side needs just a 0-0 draw to scale through to the next round, thanks to away goal rules.
A first-half penalty from captain Zinedine Belaid was enough to earn Algerian side USM Alger a shock 1-0 victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the CAF Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia on Friday night.
The historic win seals a maiden Super Cup title for the Algerian club who were superb defensively to cling on to their slender lead amid intense pressure.
The Algerian side qualified to play in the Super Cup after they defeated Yanga SC of Tanzania in the final of the Confederation Cup while Ahly beat Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.
Playing at the King Fahd International Stadium, the game was keenly contested, but Zinedine Belaid’s penalty in the 43rd minute decided the game after the referee consulted VAR and awarded a penalty for handball.
Al Ahly, who were chasing a record-extending ninth Super Cup crown, enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and chances but could not find a way past an inspired goalkeeper Alexis Nabout.
Al Ahly dominated the second half in an attempt to pull level, but the Algerians clung on heroically for a famous victory to spark wild celebrations.
The win avenges their defeat by Al Ahly in the same final two years ago and underlines the progress made under coach Abdelhak Benchikha.
Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis has completed a season-long loan move from Premier League Nottingham Forest to Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
Dennis, 25, arrived from Watford last summer and scored twice in 25 appearances for Steve Cooper’s side.
The Nigerian traveled to Turkey Friday to complete his loan move, as the Turkish Super Lig transfer window closed on Friday, 15th of September 2023.
He later passed a medical in Istanbul and put pen to paper. Meanwhile Nottingham Forest approved the loan deal with salary covered but no buy option as the only clause in the deal.
Bonaventure was reported to have interest from both Russia and Saudi Arabia but has chosen Istanbul as his destination for the 2023-24 season.
The former Watford forward who was given jersey 99 expressed his delight after completing the move.
“My first encounter with Başakşehir was when Club Brugge played against them in qualification for the Champions League,” Dennis told the club’s official website.
“My big brother, Emmanuel Adebayor, played the game as well, so we had a conversation after the game and he invited me later to Istanbul.
“I met him here, we relaxed, went to his house together, spent the whole day together. He told me a few things about the club.
“It was just in my head and then recently I received a message from my agent that the club were interested in me.
“I said it’s a nice place, I’m familiar with them because I’ve been to the stadium, I have played against them, I’ve had few friends who played here, they always tell me good stories about the people, the club, so I decided to come here.”
Basaksehir finished fifth in the Super Lig last season, but they have lost their opening three games of the new season without scoring a goal and sacked manager Emre Belozoglu.
Basaksehir is a major club in Turkey and has won the Super Lig title four times.
Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis has completed a season-long loan move from Premier League Nottingham Forest to Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
Dennis, 25, arrived from Watford last summer and scored twice in 25 appearances for Steve Cooper’s side.
The Nigerian traveled to Turkey Friday to complete his loan move, as the Turkish Super Lig transfer window closed on Friday, 15th of September 2023.
He later passed a medical in Istanbul and put pen to paper. Meanwhile Nottingham Forest approved the loan deal with salary covered but no buy option as the only clause in the deal.
Bonaventure was reported to have interest from both Russia and Saudi Arabia but has chosen Istanbul as his destination for the 2023-24 season.
The former Watford forward who was given jersey 99 expressed his delight after completing the move.
“My first encounter with Başakşehir was when Club Brugge played against them in qualification for the Champions League,” Dennis told the club’s official website.
“My big brother, Emmanuel Adebayor, played the game as well, so we had a conversation after the game and he invited me later to Istanbul.
“I met him here, we relaxed, went to his house together, spent the whole day together. He told me a few things about the club.
“It was just in my head and then recently I received a message from my agent that the club were interested in me.
“I said it’s a nice place, I’m familiar with them because I’ve been to the stadium, I have played against them, I’ve had few friends who played here, they always tell me good stories about the people, the club, so I decided to come here.”
Basaksehir finished fifth in the Super Lig last season, but they have lost their opening three games of the new season without scoring a goal and sacked manager Emre Belozoglu.
Basaksehir is a major club in Turkey and has won the Super Lig title four times.
Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis has completed a season-long loan move from Premier League Nottingham Forest to Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
Dennis, 25, arrived from Watford last summer and scored twice in 25 appearances for Steve Cooper’s side.
The Nigerian traveled to Turkey Friday to complete his loan move, as the Turkish Super Lig transfer window closed on Friday, 15th of September 2023.
He later passed a medical in Istanbul and put pen to paper. Meanwhile Nottingham Forest approved the loan deal with salary covered but no buy option as the only clause in the deal.
Bonaventure was reported to have interest from both Russia and Saudi Arabia but has chosen Istanbul as his destination for the 2023-24 season.
The former Watford forward who was given jersey 99 expressed his delight after completing the move.
“My first encounter with Başakşehir was when Club Brugge played against them in qualification for the Champions League,” Dennis told the club’s official website.
“My big brother, Emmanuel Adebayor, played the game as well, so we had a conversation after the game and he invited me later to Istanbul.
“I met him here, we relaxed, went to his house together, spent the whole day together. He told me a few things about the club.
“It was just in my head and then recently I received a message from my agent that the club were interested in me.
“I said it’s a nice place, I’m familiar with them because I’ve been to the stadium, I have played against them, I’ve had few friends who played here, they always tell me good stories about the people, the club, so I decided to come here.”
Basaksehir finished fifth in the Super Lig last season, but they have lost their opening three games of the new season without scoring a goal and sacked manager Emre Belozoglu.
Basaksehir is a major club in Turkey and has won the Super Lig title four times.
legendary Nigeria footballers Mikel Obi and Mercy Akide have been listed in the panel of experts for the 2023 FIFA Best Football Awards.
Mikel a former Super Eagles captain had a remarkable footballing career, making 91 appearances for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, while Akide left indelible footprints in football following her performances for the Super Falcons, winning 3 wafcon titles.
Mikel who spend 11 years in Chelsea is among the 11 that shortlisted the nominees for the men’s category.
While his compatriot Mercy Akide, who is one of Nigeria’s greatest female footballers of all time, is among the 11 members in the women’s category, according to FIFA.
Petr Cech (Czech), Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire), Brett Emerton (Australia), Rio Ferdinand (England), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Kaka (Brazil), Mario Kempes (Argentina), Alexi Lalas (USA), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), Park Ji-Sung (Korea Republic), Ivan Vicelich (New Zealand).
Paris fc Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade, Barcelona forward Asisat Oshoala are among 24 players invited to the Super Falcons’ camp for next week’s 2024 Women Africa Cup of Nations first round, 1st leg qualifying match against Sao Tome and Principe
Also on the list of players invited by NFF are captain Onome Ebi, defenders Oluwatosin Demehin, Michelle Alozie and Rofiat Imuran, midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne, and forwards Ifeoma Onumonu, Vivian Ikechukwu and Gift Monday.
The Super falcons of Nigeria will host the Sao Tome and Principe girls at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Friday, 22nd September, with the return leg scheduled for Tuesday, 26th September.
The winner of this fixture will be eligible to confront the winner of another first round fixture between Cape Verde and Liberia, at the second-round stage slated for the period 27th November – 5th December.
Morocco, which hosted last year’s edition of the continental showpiece, won by South Africa will again host next year’s spectacle.
The not-too-impressive performance of Nigeria’s D’Tigers seems to have hunted the team as they dropped drastically in the latest FIBA Rankings
Alan Major’s side a few weeks ago crashed out of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers, which was held in Lagos.
The latest rankings was released by FIBA, and Nigeria’s D’Tigers dropped 18 spots to be placed 37th in the world.
According to FIBA, D’Tiger ranked up 334.9 points to stay 37th in the world and 5 in Africa.
South Sudan, which has just qualified for the Olympic Games to be hosted in Paris, France was ranked number one in Africa and 31st in the World, Cote d’Ivoire ranked second with 369.9 and 33 in world.
Angola, Tunisia occupied third and fourth positions in Africa, ranking with 364.6, 356.4 point respectively, and 34 and 36 position in world ranking.
However, The USA reclaims pole position with 786.6 points after benefiting from their consistency at major tournaments over the last three summers.
Finishing in fourth place at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, where they outperformed former number one nation Spain, their run to the semifinals came off the back of winning an Olympic title at Tokyo in 2021 and also taking bronze at the FIBA AmeriCup 2022.
Recently crowned FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 champions, Germany, have another slice of history to enjoy as they step into the top three of the rankings for the very first time after moving up a massive eight places and onto 759.7 points.
Jordi Fernández’s Canada also has another reason to celebrate too, with their maiden FIBA Basketball World Cup medal fueling an even bigger rise of nine spots. They now occupy sixth position with 745.5 points.
Super Eagles red-hot striker Victor Osimhen continues to make giant strides, as been listed among the world football A list stars for the 2023 FIFA The Best Men’s Player Award.
Osimhen who claimed the Paolo Rossi award for finishing top scorer in Serie A last season with 26 goals, became the first African player to win the award in Serie A’s 125-year history.
His stellar performance also saw his club, Napoli claim their first Italian title – the Scudetto after 33 years.
The Super Eagles goal machine will hope to make the final cut, as current holder, Lionel Messi of Inter Miami leads the 11-man list of nominees.
Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri and Bernardo Silva, who helped Manchester City win the Treble in 2022-23 are among the nominees.
Former West Ham captain now Arsenal engine room Declan Rice is also up for the prestigious award, and will be looking to become the first English player to win the prize.
The highest goal scorer in Men’s history Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the first two editions of the award, is not nominated after joining Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr last December.
Bayer Leverkusen and Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface has won the Bundesliga Player of the Month award for August.
Organiser of the German topflight, Bundesliga, made the announcement on their X handle (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
Boniface edges Bayern Munich’s new signing Harry Kane, RB Leipzig Benjamin Hendricks, Jonas Wind of VfL Wolfsburg, Canadian international Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich, and Kevin Behren of Union Berlin to the award.
Meanwhile, it is Boniface’s second individual award since joining Leverkusen as he was named Rookie of the Month for August, beating Xavi Simons of RB Leipzig and German-born Nigerian goalkeeper Noah Atubolu of Freiburg to the accolade and becoming the second player ever after Erling Haaland to win both Bundesliga Rookie and Player of the month in the same month, with Haaland making history in January 202.
Boniface joined Die Werkself from Belgian Pro League club Union St Gilloise this summer, scoring three goals in two league outings for Bayer Leverkusen in the month under review.
The Nigeria international who made his debut during Super Eagles six nil thrashing of Sao Tome in Uyo is expected to be in action when Xabi Alonso’s side takes on defending champions Bayer Leverkusen this weekend.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on Saudi Arabia in an international friendly in Portimao, Portugal, on Friday, October 13.
The Estadio Municipal de Portimão, in the Algarve, is the home ground of Portimonense S.C. and can seat close to 10,000 spectators.
The clash comes barely a month before the three-time African champions, who annihilated Tome and Principe 6-0 in their 2023 AFCON final-day qualification game in Uyo on Sunday, set out on the race for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals with a home game against the Crocodiles of Lesotho.
Within the same FIFA window in November, Jose peseiro’s team will play their second match of the qualification series, away to the Warriors of Zimbabwe.
Saudi Arabia’s Green Falcons, who play Mali’s Eagles at the same venue four days later, have never played Nigeria at senior level.
The most remarkable clash between both countries remains the opening match of FIFA U20 World Cup (then known as FIFA World Youth Championship) in 1989, in which second half goals Christopher Ohenhen and Mutiu Adepoju steered Nigeria to a comeback 2-1 victory over the host nation in Riyadh.
The Ghanaian Football Association (GFA)has released the schedule for the Black Stars’ 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Ghana has been drawn in Group I alongside Mali, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, and Chad.
The journey to the North American countries begins with a home game against Madagascar and then a game on the road against Comoros in the week of 13th to 21st November 2023.
The tournament will be the first to include 48 teams, expanded from 32, and will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America, with Argentina the defending champions.
The four-time African champions will then face group favourites Mali, and the Central African Republic in the week of June 3rd to 11, 2024, as reported by ghanafa.org.
Chris Hughton’s team will complete the first round of games in the group with a clash against Chad on March 17, 2025.
Meanwhile, Ghana will begin the second round in the same week with a trip to Madagascar before facing Chad and Mali in the week of 1st to 9th September 2025.
The Black Stars are chasing a fifth appearance at the global showpiece after getting eliminated from the group stage at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ghana will then complete their qualifiers with games against the Central African Republic and the Comoros Islands in the week of 6th to 14th October.
The highly-anticipated duel between Al Ahly SC and USM Alger in the TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup this Friday, 15th of September, 2023.
The two North African sides take each other at the iconic King Fahd Stadium located in the city of Taif, Saudi Arabia for the ultimate showdown that will crown the kings of African club football for the 2022/23 season.
The CAF Super Cup (also known as African Super Cup or for sponsorship reasons TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup) is an annual African association football competition contested between the winners of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.
The competition was first held in 1993 and was organized by the CAF.
Egyptian clubs have the highest number of victories (12 titles), followed by Morocco with 5. Meanwhile, Morocco has the largest number of winning teams, with four clubs from each having won the title. The competition has been won by 16 clubs, 6 of which have won it more than once.
Al Ahly is the most successful club in the competition’s history, having won the tournament a record 8 times. RS Berkane are the current defending champions, having beaten Wydad AC by 2_0 in the 2022 CAF Super Cup.
However, Ahly goes into Friday’s clash carrying the favorites tag, with this being their eleventh appearance – having won an impressive eight and losing two to make them the most successful club in this competition. The Egyptian giant defeated the Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the final of the Champions League while USM Algiers beat Yanga Sports of Tanzania in the final of the Confederation Cup.
USM Algiers are seeking their first-ever Super Cup title in their debut and aiming to become the second Algerian team, after ES Setif, to clinch the title. Setif won the crown after beating Ahly on penalties, following a 1-1 draw in regulation time in the 2015 season.
The match promises to be epic as both teams battle to crown kings of African club football for the 2022/23 season.
Kick Off at the King Fahd Stadium is at (19h00 GMT)
The African Soccer governing body CAF has officially released the fixtures of the maiden edition of the African Football League.
African Football League (AFL) which is designed to showcase the best of African club football and provide football fans in Africa and around the world, the opportunity to see and enjoy the very best of the beautiful game on the African Continent.
The AFL is a partnership between CAF and FIFA. The Inaugural edition of the AFL will feature 8 of Africa’s most famous and successful teams from the 3 African Regional Blocks which are: the North Region, the Central-West Region and the South-East Region.
Egyptian giants Al Ahly Football Club, Tunisia’s Espérance Sportive de Tunis and Wydad Athletic Club from Morocco are the football clubs from the North Region.
The clubs from the Central-West Region are: Nigeria’s Enyimba Football Club and the DRC’s Tout Puissant Mazembe.
Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club from South Africa, Angola’s Atlético Petróleos de Luanda and Tanzania’s Simba Sports Club are the football clubs from the South-East Region.
The competition starts with knock-out quarter finals and will be followed by the semi-finals and the final; all of which are played over two legs.
The first game of the day for the first leg will be Simba SC of Tanzania against Al Ahly of Egypt by 3p.m local time
TP Mazembe ( DR Congo) will welcome Esperance of Tunisia by 1 p.m. local time.
Two-time African champions Enyimba International will play the last game of the day when they host Wydad Casablanca of Morocco by 6 pm local time, after Angola’s Atlético Petróleos de Luanda engage Mamelodi Sundowns in a fierce affairs 3:30pm local time.
The fixtures of the second leg were also released with matches starting on the 24th of September with powerhouse Al Ahly welcoming Simba SC 2:00pm local time
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