FOOTBALL - The African Mirror

Jan

02

2024

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,"…

Dec

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Tunisia’s Man Utd midfielder Mejbri opts not to play at AFCON

AFCON 2023

TUNISIA will be without Manchester United's Hannibal Mejbri at the African Cup of Nations as the midfielder decided he was not ready to be in the squad, manager Jalel Kadri said. The 20-year-old Mejbri decided to skip next month's tournament amid media speculation that he is close to securing a loan move away from Old Trafford. "Hannibal told me that he did not feel ready for the African Cup of Nations because he is going through an important situation at his club," Kadri told a press conference. Experienced midfielder Ferjani Sassi has been excluded from the final 27-man squad along…

Dec

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Hosts Ivory Coast leave Zaha out of African Cup of Nations squad

AFCON 2023

IVORY Coast's Galatasaray winger Wilfried Zaha has not been called up by coach Jean-Louis Gasset in the country's 27-man African Cup of Nations squad which was named on Thursday. The 31-year-old, who moved to Turkey from Crystal Palace in the close season, has only played in two friendlies for Ivory Coast this year, missing their Cup of Nations qualifiers and last month's first round of World Cup qualifying. Gasset has included Nottingham Forest's Serge Aurier, Ibrahim Sangare and Willy Boly plus Al-Ahli midfielder Franck Kessie and Trapzonspor winger Nicolas Pepe, who returns after a year's absence. Hajduk Split's Chester Diallo…

Dec

27

2023

By The African Mirror

Mauritania recall Ba for African Cup of Nations

AFCON 2023

MAURITANIA recalled former Ligue 1 midfielder El-Hadji Ba. It handed a first call-up to teenager Oumar Ngom as coach Amir Abdou unveiled his 27-man squad for next month’s African Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast. The 30-year-old Ba, formerly with Racing Lens and Sunderland, last played for the country 18 months ago but his recent signing for Mauritanian champions FC Nouadhibou earned him an international recall. Ngom, 19, has played in two French second-division games for Pau this season. Mauritania begins their Nations Cup campaign against Burkina Faso in Bouake on January 16. They also take on Algeria…