SPORT - The African Mirror

Oct

03

2025

African Giants Roar Back: South Africa and Nigeria keep World Cup dreams alive with stunning victories

FOOTBALL

AFRICA'S youth football powerhouses delivered a resounding statement on Thursday night as both South Africa and Nigeria clawed their way back into FIFA U-20 World Cup contention with emphatic victories that showcased the continent's growing strength on the global stage. In Rancagua, reigning Africa U-20 champions South Africa produced a masterclass of attacking football, dismantling New Caledonia 5-0 to breathe new life into their campaign after a disappointing opening defeat to France. Meanwhile, in Talca, Nigeria's Flying Eagles displayed remarkable resilience and nerve to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory over Saudi Arabia with a stoppage-time penalty. Amajita's Five-Star Performance South…

Oct

03

2025

By The African Mirror

ATLAS CUBS ROAR: Morocco stun Brazil in Santiago earthquake

FOOTBALL

IN a night that will echo through African football history, Morocco's fearless young lions tore up the script at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, dismantling five-time champions Brazil 2-1 in a performance that sent shockwaves rippling through world football. This wasn't just a victory. This was a statement painted in bold strokes of North African brilliance under the Santiago night sky – a seismic upset that left the yellow and green giants reeling and an entire continent roaring with pride. The Estadio Nacional erupted on the hour mark when Othmane Maamma produced a moment of pure artistry that will live…

Oct

01

2025

By The African Mirror

Exclusive: CSA defends delayed WTC Mace tour amid criticism of low fan turnout

SPORT

THREE months after winning the ICC World Test Championship, CSA brought the trophy home on a Mace Trophy Tour, met with low fan turnout and criticism for the timing of the tour. Despite cancelled stops and underwhelming crowds, CSA highlights smaller, personal fan engagements as successful. Three months after the Proteas lifted the coveted ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Mace, Cricket South Africa (CSA) finally brought the trophy home to the fans, or at least, tried to. What was intended to be a national celebration of South Africa’s historic triumph turned into a subdued affair, with noticeably low fan turnout…

Sep

30

2025

By SPORTS REPORTER

South Africa’s World Cup dream hangs by a thread after FIFA sanction

FOOTBALL

SOUTH Africa's quest to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been thrown into chaos after FIFA's Disciplinary Committee ruled that the team must forfeit their match against Lesotho, handing the three points to their opponents and potentially ending Bafana Bafana's qualification hopes. The ruling, announced by FIFA on Monday, centres on midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who was deemed ineligible to play in the March 21, 2025, qualifier. The South African Football Association (SAFA) has been found guilty of breaching Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations by fielding…

Sep

22

2025

By The African Mirror

African Thunder: Dominant performances light up Tokyo

ATHLETICS

THE floodlights of Tokyo's Japan National Stadium cast an ethereal glow through the rain-soaked evening air, but nothing could dim the blazing brilliance of Africa's athletic royalty as they rewrote the script of global athletics in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. Kenya's Golden Sweep: The Queens of Distance Reign Supreme In the most audacious display of middle and long-distance dominance ever witnessed at a World Championships, Kenya's women didn't just win medals – they conquered an entire spectrum of races with the ruthless efficiency of an unstoppable force of nature. The crescendo came when 26-year-old Lilian Odira, a mother of…

Sep

19

2025

By The African Mirror

Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi blazes to 400m world title in stunning 43.53, secures Africa’s sprinting glory with double podium triumph

ATHLETICS

BOTSWANA’S Busang Collen Kebinatshipi has announced himself as Africa’s brightest new sprint star with a breathtaking gold-medal performance in the men's 400m at the World Championships. Kebinatshipi clocked a scintillating 43.53 seconds - the fastest time in the event this year - to claim the world title, stunning the crowd and outpacing a fierce challenge from Trinidad & Tobago’s Jereem Richards, who finished second in 43.72. In a thrilling display of Botswana’s growing sprinting power, Bayapo Ndori added a second medal to the country’s haul by surging through the pack to take bronze with a strong 44.20 finish. Jamaican’ Rusheen…

Sep

18

2025

By SPORTS REPORTER

AFRICAN THUNDER ROCKS TOKYO: Continental stars claim championship glory

ATHLETICS

THE Land of the Rising Sun witnessed an African lightning strike on Wednesday as the continent's finest athletes lit up the Tokyo Olympic Stadium with a breathtaking display of speed, power and pure determination that left 68,000 spectators roaring in appreciation. Kenya's Faith Cherotich delivered the performance of her young life, obliterating the championship record to claim steeplechase gold in a time that will echo through athletics history. The 21-year-old warrior from the Rift Valley transformed years of heartbreak into pure golden magic, scorching through the final 600 metres like a woman possessed. "I knew this was my time," declared…

Sep

17

2025

By The African Mirror

Queen Kipyegon makes history as Africa shines in Tokyo

ATHLETICS

IN a performance that will be etched in athletics folklore, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon delivered a masterclass of middle-distance running to claim her historic fourth world championship title in the women's 1500 meters at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, cementing her status as the greatest ever in the discipline. The 31-year-old queen of middle distance left no doubt about her supremacy, scorching to victory in a commanding 3:52.15 - nearly three seconds clear of compatriot Dorcus Ewoi in what was both a statement of dominance and a coronation of greatness. With this golden triumph, Kipyegon has achieved what no woman…

Sep

16

2025

By SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith: Africa’s eternal sprint queen

ATHLETICS

IN the bustling streets of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, a football-loving girl would one day transform into Africa's most celebrated sprinter. Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith's journey from the dusty pitches where she first showed her speed to the gleaming tracks of world championships reads like sporting folklore. Born on November 18, 1988, her transition from football boots to sprint spikes in 2008 marked the beginning of a revolution in African athletics - one that would see her outrun seasoned athletes even while barefoot during her initial trials. What makes Ta Lou-Smith's story so captivating isn't just her raw speed, but the audacious…

Sep

16

2025

By The African Mirror

Morocco launches 100-day countdown to Africa Cup of Nations as ticket sales begin

FOOTBALL

RABAT, Morocco - The countdown to Africa's most prestigious football competition has officially begun, with organisers of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 unveiling giant countdown clocks across all six host cities to mark exactly 100 days until kick-off. The striking timepieces, installed in Rabat, Casablanca, Fès, Tangier, Marrakech and Agadir, serve as daily reminders that the continent's premier football festival is rapidly approaching. Each clock is ticking down to the highly anticipated opening match on 21 December at 20:00 local time, when hosts Morocco will face Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The…