FOOTBALL - The African Mirror

Dec

28

2025

AFCON 2025: Saturday’s Spectacular dramas, near-disasters, and historic Triumphs

FOOTBALL

PICTURE this: You're up 3-0 with fifteen minutes to go. You're practically booking your hotel for the Round of 16. The champagne is on ice. And then Tunisia - bless their relentless hearts - decide they didn't get the memo about lying down gracefully. Nigeria's Super Eagles spent Saturday night in Fez proving that no lead is truly safe when you're determined to give your fans premature grey hair. After Ademola Lookman orchestrated a footballing symphony that had Tunisia spinning like a Moroccan pottery wheel, Eric Chelle's men appeared destined for a comfortable cruise to the knockout stages. Lookman, the…

Dec

27

2025

By The African Mirror

AFCON 2025: Drama, penalties, and Pharaohs rising

FOOTBALL

THE TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 delivered another electrifying round of fixtures on Friday, December 26th, serving up a feast of drama that had everything: controversial penalties, VAR interventions, heroic defending, and one team booking their ticket to the knockout stages in spectacular fashion. Morocco 1-1 Mali: Atlas Lions Held at Home In what should have been a coronation in Rabat, Morocco found themselves clawing for points against a resilient Malian side that refused to be intimidated by the raucous home crowd. The match was a tactical chess match that exploded into life through two moments of…

Dec

25

2025

By The African Mirror

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS: Drama, delight as defending champions launch title defence

FOOTBALL

DAY Four of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 burst into life on Wednesday with a thrilling quartet of matches that served up everything from last-gasp heroics to clinical efficiency, as defending champions Côte d'Ivoire joined Cameroon atop their group with hard-fought victories. CAMEROON SILENCE CRITICS WITH VITAL WIN Cameroon put aside weeks of turmoil to open their campaign with a 1-0 victory over neighbours Gabon in Agadir, offering a welcome respite for the five-time champions who have endured a torrid period leading into the tournament. Karl Etta Eyong's early strike — squeezed under goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba in…

Dec

24

2025

By The African Mirror

AFCON 2025 Matchday 3: Drama, dominance as favourites flex their muscles

FOOTBALL

THE TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 roared into life on Tuesday evening with a captivating slate of matches that delivered everything from commanding performances to heart-stopping drama, as four nations stamped their authority on the opening round of group stage fixtures. Tunisia announce their arrival with commanding victory Tunisia's Carthage Eagles soared at the Annex Olympic Stadium of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, dismantling Uganda 3-1 in a performance that announced their title credentials to the continent. The North African side seized control from the opening whistle, with Elyes Skhiri breaking the deadlock after…

Dec

22

2025

By The African Mirror

AFCON 2025: Opening round delivers drama, heroics and heartbreak

FOOTBALL

THE Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations exploded into life with a thrilling opening round that showcased breathtaking goals, dramatic late twists, and performances that defied expectations across Morocco's gleaming stadiums. Bafana Bafana Break Two-Decade Drought In the sun-drenched cauldron of Marrakech, Lyle Foster etched his name into South African football folklore with a moment of pure artistry that ended a 21-year wait. The Burnley striker, South Africa's lone warrior in the Premier League trenches, collected the ball 20 metres from goal in the 79th minute and unleashed a curling thunderbolt into the top corner that left Angola's goalkeeper grasping…

Dec

22

2025

By The African Mirror

Díaz, El Kaabi strike as Morocco grind past stubborn Comoros

FOOTBALL

MOROCCO launched their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations title challenge with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Comoros on Sunday night, but the tournament favorites were made to work far harder than expected against opponents who defended with discipline and threatened on the counter. Second-half goals from Brahim Díaz and Ayoub El Kaabi ultimately settled a contest that exposed both Morocco's overwhelming territorial dominance and their occasional vulnerability to well-organized opposition. While the result delivers three crucial points and top spot in Group A, the performance raised questions about cutting edge and composure that Walid Regragui will need to address…

Dec

19

2025

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

The AFCON Hall of Fame: where legends are made and records go to die

FOOTBALL

LISTEN, we need to talk about the weight of history. Not the boring kind they teach in school, but the kind that sits on your chest at 2-0 down in a quarterfinal, when 40,000 people are screaming, and you remember that Samuel Eto'o once did this eight times across a decade and still came out smiling. The Africa Cup of Nations doesn't just crown champions. It creates mythology. And in three days, when Morocco and Comoros walk onto that Rabat pitch, 24 nations will begin their pilgrimage toward football immortality - or at least a decent run before going viral…

Dec

18

2025

By The African Mirror

TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in numbers

FOOTBALL

Ahead of the draw for the 35th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 that will be staged in Rabat on January 27, Cafonline.com has rounded up the numbers on the continent’s greatest footballing show. 0 – There will be no debut nation at these finals in Morocco. All 24 teams have competed at least once before in the continental showpiece, though Botswana and Comoros will be making a second appearance. 1 – Former Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene is the only gloveman to score at the AFCON when he netted a penalty in a 1-1…

Dec

16

2025

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

The Eagles have landed: Africa’s finest prepare for continental glory

FOOTBALL

FOUR days. That's all that stands between the football-mad continent and its most beloved sporting obsession. The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations - AFCON, to its friends, the tournament that makes grown men weep and entire nations grind to a halt - is about to kick off in Morocco. And if recent squad announcements are anything to go by, we're in for another rollercoaster of drama, redemption, and the kind of chaos only African football can conjure. From Cairo to Cape Town, Dakar to Dar es Salaam, the conversation is singular: who will add their name to a roll…

Dec

09

2025

By The African Mirror

The Pharaoh’s fury: Has Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool love story turned to ashes?

FOOTBALL

WELL, well, well. If this isn't the most spectacular falling-out since your favourite soap opera's Christmas special, then call me a Spurs supporter and be done with it. Mohamed Salah - the man who's scored more goals for Liverpool than most of us have had hot dinners, the Egyptian King who turned Anfield into his personal palace, the forward who made defending against Liverpool about as enjoyable as a root canal - is now warming the bench like it's a five-star Egyptian resort in Sharm el-Sheikh. Except there's no sun, no sea, and absolutely no smiles. The Fall from Grace…