FOOTBALL - The African Mirror

Jul

18

2024

From African roots to European glory: Nico Williams’ inspirational journey

FOOTBALL

IN a testament to perseverance and the power of dreams, Nico Williams, the son of Ghanaian immigrants, has become a European champion with the Spanish national football team. This remarkable achievement highlights the continuing impact of African-born players in European football. Approximately 30 years ago, Maria Arthur, pregnant with her first child, embarked on a perilous journey from Ghana to Europe. Traversing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Algeria, she braved the scorching Sahara Desert on foot. Her determination led her to scale the fences of the Melilla border between Morocco and Spain, eventually crossing the Iberian Peninsula to reach Bilbao. Today,…

Jul

13

2024

By Mpho Rantao

Stellenbosch United to play in English Next Gen Cup

FOOTBALL

STELLENBOSCH Football Club, based in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, have a golden ticket to participate in England’s Next Generation Cup, alongside seven invited clubs from England and India. This will be the second time the South African club has participated in the tournament; they lost 5-4 in penalties to England’s Wolverhampton Wolves in the 2023 final of the cup when it was hosted in India. Stellenbosch United’s side will represent as the 2023/24 DStv Diski Challenge Champions, which is a youth reserve team league for the top South African football teams in the Premier Soccer League, in the fifth…

Jul

06

2024

By The African Mirror

Spanish delight, German heartbreak in Stuttgart!

FOOTBALL

IN a night of high drama that will be etched in European football history, Spain delivered a knockout blow to Germany's Euro 2024 hopes, sending shockwaves through the Stuttgart Arena and beyond. The pulsating quarter-final clash, which seemed destined for penalties, was dramatically decided in the dying embers of extra time, leaving the host nation in unprecedented despair. As the clock ticked past the 119th minute, substitute Mikel Merino rose like a phoenix from the ashes of a gruelling battle, meeting Dani Olmo's pinpoint cross with a thunderous header that silenced the partisan crowd. The late Spanish surge not only…

Jul

04

2024

By Mpho Rantao

Thembi Kgatlana’s Side Tigres UANL named Super cup Champions

FOOTBALL

Thembi Kgatlana scored a crucial goal that helped her team, Tigres UANL Femenil, defeat Rayadas de Monterrey to win Liga MX's esteemed Super Cup. Mexican side U Tigres UANL Femenil, the 2023 Apertura champions, faced off against the 2023/24 Clausura champions, Rayadas de Monterrey. The women's Liga MX follows a similar schedule to the men's league, with two tournaments each season: the Apertura from July to December and the Clausura from January to May. The champions of each tournament compete in the Super Cup match. This match was the second leg of the Super Cup finals, which in the first…

Jun

23

2024

By The African Mirror

Next Cup of Nations finals to start in December 2025

FOOTBALL

THE next Africa Cup of Nations finals have been put back six months and will now be played from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, the Confederation of African (CAF) football announced. The 2025 tournament in Morocco was supposed to take place in mid-year but has been shifted because of FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup with 32 teams in the United States next June and July. CAF has also postponed the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations by 12 months to July 5-26 next year. That is also being hosted in Morocco. Dates for the two tournaments have been…

Jun

23

2024

By PHILIP O'CONNOR

Rejuvenated Germany can win Euros, says World Cup winner Thon

FOOTBALL

GERMAN fans welcomed the start of Euro 2024 on home soil more in hope than expectation, but their performances have surprised many and they are now serious contenders to win the title, German World Cup winner Olaf Thon told Reuters. The 58-year-old, who scored a memorable goal against Denmark in his home town of Gelsenkirchen in the 1988 European Championship, has remained in the game through his punditry work for Sport1, where he provides expert analysis on the Bundesliga and the German national team. "Last year, I would have predicted that Germany would not make it very far, but based…

Jun

22

2024

By The African Mirror

Togo coach Paulo Duarte resigns

FOOTBALL

PAULO Duarte has ended his three-year reign as coach of Togo having submitted his resignation with the team struggling in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, officials confirmed. "The Executive Committee regrets this decision but takes note of it and wishes to express its gratitude to him for his work, commitment and professionalism during the years of collaboration," the Togolese Football Federation said in a statement. No specific reason has been given for the Portuguese’s decision, but he failed to qualify the side for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and they are languishing in fourth in their World Cup qualification…

Jun

22

2024

By MITCH PHILLIPS

Painful deja vu as Slovakia punished by Ukraine

FOOTBALL

SLOVAKIA coach Francesco Calzona said there had been no celebrating after his side’s shock opening win over Belgium as "nothing has been achieved" and he was proved prescient as his team were brought down to earth with a 2-1 defeat to Ukraine. It was all going so well for Slovakia on Friday as Ivan Schranz's goal after 17 minutes gave them a lead that, if held, would have sent them through to the Round of 16 with a game to spare. They were the better team until the goal but then handed over the initiative to a Ukraine side showing…

Jun

22

2024

By TOBY DAVIS

Trains, Petri dishes and a struggling sea lion join football’s dubious oracles

FOOTBALL

SPARE a thought for Hilla the 'oracle' sea lion from Leipzig Zoo, whose reputation for football prophesy is hanging by a thread after she predicted Scotland would hold Germany to an unlikely draw at Euro 2024. Had she not watched the two sides? Did she know nothing of football history and Scotland's repeated failures at major tournaments? Seemingly not and the 5-1 thrashing dealt out to Steve Clarke's side by the hosts has called Hilla's soothsaying credentials into question. No major football tournament would be complete without a host of fortune-telling animals but surprisingly, or perhaps not, not all of these 'oracles'…

Jun

21

2024

By The African Mirror

Reaction to Denmark’s 1-1 draw with England

FOOTBALL

FOLLOWING is the reaction after Denmark's 1-1 draw with England in their Euro 2024 Group C match, with goals from Harry Kane (England) and Morten Hjulmand (Denmark). England defender Kyle Walker: "Sometimes you have to take your hat off to great goals. But we're top of the group, so let's take the positives. "Let's take it as a well-deserved point and we move on to the next game. We know we can do better. We've got another gear. "I cannot stand here saying it was a fantastic performance. "Collectively, we need to know when to go or when not to…