Africa

Interview: Sierra Leone Coach Hoping AFCON Participation Starts New Era For Team

Sierra Leone are hoping to prove competitive and lay the foundation for future qualification as they compete at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time in a quarter century, coach John Keister said.

Having last qualified for the 1996 edition in South Africa in only their second appearance at the finals, the west African country returns hoping to become a more regular participant, according to their Manchester-born coach.

Horrific Defending Followed By Spectacular Bicycle Kick Creates The Wildest Final Minutes Of A Game

Cataclysmic defending sharply followed by a brilliant bicycle kick is how a wild game ended in Morocco’s top flight on Tuesday. This Montassir Lahtimi bicycle kick in the 93rd minute handed Wydad AC, the league leader, only its second loss of the season.

Lahtimi Bicycle Kick

Chelsea Star Hakim Ziyech Won’t Attend AFCON After Being Banished From Morocco National Team

RABAT — Hakim Ziyech was the notable absentee as Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic on Thursday named his squad for next month's Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.

The Chelsea winger had a fallout with the coach earlier this year and was overlooked for the six World Cup qualifiers played between September and November, making his omission no shock although the Dutch-born Ziyech is seen as Morocco's key player.

Cameroon’s Jerseys Never Disappoint — Just Look At The Latest

There's a giant question mark looming over the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place between Jan. 9 and Feb. 6, with CAF president Patrice Motsepe arriving in the host nation of Cameroon on Monday for critical talks with the government to assess its readiness to host the tournament. 

South Africa Claims It Was ‘Robbed’ By Penalty Call, Wants Replay Against Ghana

CAPE TOWN — South Africa will make a formal complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and global soccer governing body FIFA over the officiating in its 1-0 away defeat by Ghana in the African World Cup qualifiers on Sunday.

The result meant Ghana leapfrogged their opponents to take top spot in Group G and advance to the final qualifying stage in March, where they will hope to be one of five teams from the continent to book their place at Qatar 2022.

Mohamed Salah Will Now Be Taught In Egyptian Textbooks

Mohamed Salah, the greatest African goal scorer in the history of the Premier League, is now a part of the curriculum for primary and secondary school children in Egypt. 

USMNT’s 2009 Confederations Cup Team Was One Of A Kind — So Where Are They Now?

The 2009 Confederations Cup was simultaneously the closest the USMNT has come to a major international trophy and a near abject failure. Bob Bradley’s Americans were extremely lucky to escape the group stage but then came within a Lucio header of global glory. A dozen years later, where are those USMNT players? Many of them remain fixtures on our TVs — not all as players, but as pundits. Others now fill the ranks of coaching and technical staffs at clubs around the world.

Didier Drogba, 43, Stars In Charity Match Alongside Samir Nasri, 34

If he were American, Didier Drogba would probably still be the starting striker for the USMNT. Instead, the 43-year-old former Chelsea star is spending this international break holding a charity match with his former club, Marseille. Even three years after he retired as a member of Phoenix Rising in the USL Championship, the Ivory Coast international’s still got it.

Samir Nasri, on the other hand, has been enjoying his retirement quite a bit, the 34-year-old having only announced he’s leaving the game a few weeks ago.

Is It Time To Crown Mohamed Salah As The World’s Best Footballer?

Liverpool and Manchester City stood toe-to-toe at Anfield on Sunday afternoon, exchanging haymakers and glorious bits of skill in an end-to-end classic that ended 2-2 after an exchange of four second-half goals. 

City carved the best opportunities of the first half with Phil Foden tormenting stand-in right back James Milner and Bernardo Silva at his freakish best. This dribble from Silva in the 20th minute deserved a finish from Foden. 

15-Year-Old Goes Global After Producing Unreal Solo Goal In Ghanaian Playoff Final

We have a Puskás Award contender from Ghana after Mizak Asante, age 15, split three defenders, left another on his backside, dribbled past the keeper in the tightest of spaces and roofed a finish over two defenders on the goal-line.

It's a slow burn that gets better and better as it goes.

Every great solo goal needs its Jérôme Boateng.

Mizak Asante

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