FOOTBALL - The African Mirror

Feb

03

2024

Villa’s Traore joins Villarreal on free transfer

FOOTBALL

WINGER Bertrand Traore has joined Spanish side Villarreal on a free transfer for the rest of the season after leaving Aston Villa, both clubs said. Villa confirmed that Traore had agreed a mutual termination of his contract. The 28-year-old Burkina Faso international has struggled with playing time this season, only spending nine minutes on the field in the Premier League spread over two matches. He will join struggling Villarreal, who are 14th in the LaLiga table with 23 points, seven clear of the relegation zone.

Feb

03

2024

By MARK GLEESON

DR Congo book Cup of Nations semi-final berth with 3-1 win over Guinea

AFCON 2023

THE Democratic Republic of Congo came from a goal behind to beat Guinea 3-1 in their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium and join Nigeria in the last four. Chancel Mbemba, Yoane Wissa and Arthur Masuaku scored the goals as the Congolese recovered from conceding an early penalty to secure victory and a semi-final berth for the first time since 2015. Mbemba had given away a penalty when he shoved Mohamed Bayo in the box to allow the Guinea striker to score after 20 minutes but the Congolese captain made up for his error seven…

Feb

03

2024

By The African Mirror

Nigeria beat Angola to advance to Cup of Nations semi-final

AFCON 2023

NIGERIA were the first side to book a semi-final berth at the Africa Cup of Nations after Ademola Lookman's first-half goal ensured a 1-0 win over Angola in the last eight on Friday. Lookman finished off a flying run down the left by winger Moses Simon, who skipped the challenge of defender Kialonda Gaspar to break free and then teed up his team mate for his third goal of the tournament. The 26-year-old's 41st-minute strike at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium was enough to set up a semi-final meeting on Wednesday against either the Cape Verde Islands or South Africa, who…

Feb

02

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

International clubs look to Africa for female football talent

FOOTBALL

AFRICA is growing into a critical supplier of professional female football talent to international clubs outside the continent, according to a new FIFA report. The ‘Global Transfer Report 2023’ released on January 30 by the international football governing body, FIFA, shows that Nigeria and Ghana produced among the highest number (in the top ten globally) of women players in the international transfer market last year. The FIFA report assesses and aggregates the market dynamics of professional and amateur footballers globally. “An all-time record of 74,836 cross-border transfers were made in 2023. Some 23,689 (31.7%) of these moves involved professionals (men…

Feb

01

2024

By SIMON CHADWICK and PAUL WIDDOP

Afcon 2023: Africa’s diaspora footballers are boosting the continent’s game – but they are also creating challenges

AFCON 2023

THE Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is approaching its conclusion in Ivory Coast and speculation is rife about which team will be the ultimate winner. It cannot be one of the continent’s footballing heavyweights such as Morocco or Senegal. They were knocked out. Alternatively, a relative minnow like Angola or Cape Verde may emerge as the unexpected victor. Last time out, at the 2021 edition in Algeria, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly lifted the trophy. Before that, Algeria’s 2019 triumph in Egypt saw Riyad Mahrez become the victorious captain. Significantly, neither player was born in Africa and there is a distinct…

Feb

01

2024

By MARK GLEESON

Morocco’s Cup of Nations calamity contrasts with World Cup heroics

FOOTBALL

ANOTHER African Cup of Nations calamity for Morocco keeps up a consistent sequence of failures in the tournament that contrasts starkly with their performance at the last World Cup. Morocco became the first African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals some 14 months ago and went into the Cup of Nations finals as favourites. Before the tournament, they had one loss in 12 games and invested heavily in their preparations, including arriving a week before kick-off in the Ivory Coast to adjust to the severe heat and suffocating humidity. But their hopes ended on Tuesday with elimination in the…

Jan

31

2024

By The African Mirror

South Africa stun fancied Morocco to book quarter-final place

AFCON 2023

EVIDENCE Makgopa and Teboho Mokoena scored second-half goals as South Africa shocked Morocco with a 2-0 victory to dump the World Cup semi-finalists out of the Africa Cup of Nations at the last-16 stage in San Pedro. Morocco, who had Sofyan Amrabat sent off late on, were among the favourites at the tournament in the Ivory Coast, but their continental curse continues and they remain without a Cup of Nations title since 1976, this time undone in the muggy heat of the Laurent Pokou Stadium. South Africa led in the 57th minute when midfielder Themba Zwane, so often the creative…

Jan

30

2024

By JOEL OMOTTO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Tiny but mighty: How the minnows have outshone Africa’s football giants at AFCON 2023

AFCON 2023

THE story of Africa's smaller teams felling the continent's football giants continues, turning the event in Ivory Coast into one of the most exciting for fans, ever. Before the start of the competition, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana were among those tipped to win it but at the halfway point of knockout matches, only three "powerhouses", remain. Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana did not even make it past the group stage, while Cameroon and Egypt, who sneaked into the knockout round, were eventually found out and sent packing. Equatorial Guinea, a nation of just 1.7 million people,…

Jan

31

2024

By The African Mirror

Mali seal quarter-final place with 2-1 win over Burkina Faso

AFCON 2023

MALI profited from quick starts to each half as an own goal from Edmond Tapsoba and a strike by Lassine Sinayoko secured a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in an Africa Cup of Nations last-16 clash at the Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo on Tuesday. Mali scored within three minutes at the start of the match as the unfortunate Tapsoba turned the ball into his own net, and caught the Burkinabe cold again when they added a second two minutes after the break as Sinayoko netted his third goal of the tournament. Burkina Faso pulled a goal back when…

Jan

30

2024

By The African Mirror

Ivory Coast send defending champions Senegal out of Cup of Nations

AFCON 2023

MOUSSA Niakhate missed his penalty in the shoot-out as holders Senegal tumbled out of the Africa Cup of Nations after a drama-filled 5-4 loss to hosts Ivory Coast following a 1-1 draw at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in their last-16 clash. Senegal was quick out of the blocks and took the lead inside four minutes as Sadio Mane's cross from the left was chested down by Habib Diallo, whose thunderous shot from 10 yards settled in the top corner of the net. Mane was fortunate not to get a red card shortly after that following a poor challenge, but…