FOOTBALL - The African Mirror

Jan

04

2024

Ndidi out of Nigeria side for Cup of Nations

AFCON 2023

MIDFIELDER Wilfred Ndidi has withdrawn from Nigeria’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations through injury and has been replaced by Belgian-based Alhassan Yusuf, the country's football federation said. Ndidi, 27, was injured during his club Leicester City’s 2-0 win at Cardiff City on December 29, although details of the injury were not made clear by either his club or Nigeria. Leicester teammate Kelechi Iheanacho is also struggling with injury but was still being assessed at Nigeria’s training camp in Abu Dhabi, the federation added in a statement. Iheanacho, also 27, had missed the last two matches for his club,…

Jan

03

2024

By The African Mirror

Algeria’s injured Gouiri out of African Cup of Nations

AFCON 2023

ALGERIA have confirmed the withdrawal of striker Amine Gouiri from their squad for the African Cup of Nations but have yet to decide on a potential replacement. Coach Djamel Belmadi had named the Stade Rennais striker in his original 26-man selection for the tournament in the Ivory Coast, which kicks off next week, but a knee injury has ended any chance of participation. Belmadi said he was unaware of Gouiri’s injury when he selected him last Friday and said his French club had been slow in sharing information on his medical condition. Gouiri played in Rennes' last Ligue 1 game…

Jan

02

2024

By The African Mirror

Ghana’s Partey and Lamptey miss out on Cup of Nations finals

AFCON 2023

GHANA left out injured Premier League players Thomas Partey and Tariq Lamptey from their 27-man squad named for the African Cup of Nations finals in neighbouring Ivory Coast, which kicks off later this month. Partey’s omission comes as Ghana coach Chris Hughton said he had been given more time to recover from a hamstring injury. “Withstanding his injury, he certainly would be in the squad. We know the quality of the player that he is. This is a player that has a substantial injury,” Hughton told a press conference on Monday. “I’ve spent a lot over this period of time…

Jan

02

2024

By The African Mirror

Nsue to captain Equatorial Guinea at Cup of Nations finals

AFCON 2023

VETERAN striker Emilio Nsue will captain an Equatorial Guinea squad with a strong Spanish flavour at the African Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast this month after being named part of the 27-man squad for the tournament. The 34-year-old Nsue, formerly with Birmingham City and Middlesbrough, is one of 12 players based at Spanish clubs named in the squad selected by coach Juan Micha and released on Monday. It features the bulk of the team that upset holders Algeria at the last finals and went onto a surprise quarter-final appearance at a tournament in Cameroon, but also includes…

Jan

01

2024

By The African Mirror

Salah leads Egypt at African Cup of Nations

AFCON 2023

MOHAMED Salah will lead Egypt at the African Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, skippering a 27-man squad named by coach Rui Vitoria. The group includes all but two of the starting line-up for the last Cup of Nations final two years ago when Egypt lost on penalties to Senegal in Yaounde. But there is a first call-up for 22-year-old Ahmed Nabil Kouka, who in June helped Egypt’s under-23 side qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and also played for Cairo giants Al Ahly at this month’s Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia. Egypt competes in Group B at…

Jan

01

2024

By The African Mirror

Villarreal re-sign former Man Utd defender Bailly on free transfer

FOOTBALL

IVORIAN defender Eric Bailly has returned to Villarreal on a free transfer until June 2025, the LaLiga club said late on Saturday. The 29-year-old Ivory Coast international, who started his career at Espanyol, played for Villarreal between 2015-2016 before moving to Manchester United in June 2016. The centre-back joined Turkish side Besiktas on a permanent transfer in September, having spent the last season on loan at Ligue 1's Olympique de Marseille after struggling for playing time in recent seasons at Old Trafford due to injuries. Besiktas announced the termination of Bailly's contract by mutual agreement just three months after he…

Dec

31

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria recall skipper Musa for African Cup of Nations finals

AFCON 2023

NIGERIA have recalled captain Ahmed Musa to their 25-man squad for the African Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast, one of two players from the team that won the tournament a decade ago. Musa earned the last of his 108 caps in June but was included by coach Jose Peserio when he named a 25-man selection on Friday for the tournament starting next month. Also picked is defender Kenneth Omeruo, who played when Nigeria last won the continental title in Johannesburg in 2013. Peserio named eight players from English clubs but left out Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi,…

Dec

31

2023

By The African Mirror

Zambia’s 2012 hero Sunzu back for Cup of Nations finals

AFCON 2023

DEFENDER Stoppila Sunzu, who netted the decisive penalty when Zambia won the African Cup of Nations in 2012, returns for the next edition of the tournament after being named as one of the 27 players in his country’s squad for next month’s tournament in the Ivory Coast. Sunzu’s kick handed Zambia an 8-7 win on spot kicks over the heavily fancied Ivory Coast in the 2012 final in Libreville. He is one of only two players named on Saturday by coach Avram Grant who has previous finals experience. Iraq-based Roderick Kabwe was also in the squad on their last appearance…

Dec

31

2023

By The African Mirror

Milan’s Bennacer back in Algeria squad for Africa Cup of Nations

AFCON 2023

AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer is back in the Algeria squad for next month's African Nations Cup finals for the first time after undergoing knee surgery in May. Bennacer returned to league action with Milan earlier this month after nearly seven months recovering from surgery on a cartilage injury to his right knee sustained during last season's Champions League semi-finals. The 26-year-old last played for Algeria in the Nations Cup qualifiers in March. Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi also picked Al-Ahli forward Riyad Mahrez, Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait Nouri and AS Roma midfielder Houssem Aouar, who has been sidelined due…

Dec

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Morocco select blend of youth and experience in African Nations Cup squad

AFCON 2023

MOROCCO coach Walid Regragui has opted for a mixture of youth and experience in his 27-man squad for the African Cup of Nations finals which start next month in the Ivory Coast. Fourteen of the players on the list were at the 2022 Qatar World Cup where Morocco finished fourth. Burnley winger Anass Zaroury was left out but other young talents, including PSV Eindhoven's Ismael Saibari, 22, and Real Betis defender Chadi Riad, 20, were included. "We have a well-balanced group made up of experienced players and talented youth whom we are preparing for the future of the national team,"…