soccer - The African Mirror

Jul

21

2022

Morocco vs South Africa as women’s football enters a new era

SPORT

THIS weekend’s Women’s African Football Championship (Wafcon) final between Morocco and South Africa in Morocco marks a new era. With it, women’s football in Africa has reached a second phase of its development. If the first phase was about the rise of a few superpowers, led by Nigeria, then the new phase is about a spread of teams rising to the top as development of the game takes hold on the continent. Author CHUKA ONWUMECHILI, Professor of Communications, Howard University Wafcon is the women’s Afcon, the biggest national tournament on the continent, held every two years. The championship final is…

Jul

21

2022

By The African Mirror

Superstars Sadio Mané and Mo Salah eclipse African football at home

SPORT

SENEGAL’S Sadio Mané and Egypt’s Mo Salah are among 10 players nominated for the African Footballer of the Year prize at this year’s Caf Awards held by the Confederation of African Football in Rabat, Morocco. Both players rose to global prominence playing for Liverpool in the English Premier League, propelling the club to three champions league finals and winning a title. Both have won Caf player of the year before, Salah twice in 2017 and 2018, and Mané once in 2019. Now Mané is poised to even the score at 2-2. Star forwards, their pursuits on the field are the…

Jul

21

2020

By The African Mirror

Banyana Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana moves to Spain

SPORT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH African star forward Thembi Kgatlana has joined Spanish La Liga Iberdrola team SD Eibar from Portuguese outfit SL Benfica. Kgatlana, the Banyana Banyana striker, joins Iberdrola for the duration of the 2020-2021 season. The 24-year-old established herself after scoring South Africa’s first Women’s World Cup goal in France in 2019. She joins Eibar on a free transfer after a short spell in Portugal. Following her debut for Benfica on 1 February 2020, she made three appearances and scored three goals. The 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations top scorer and player of the tournament is coming…

Jul

19

2020

By The African Mirror

South Africa soccer legend celebrates Leeds United’s promotion

SPORT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH African football legend Lucas Radebe has celebrated the return of Leeds United to the English Premier League after 16 years Radebe, who played Leeds for 11 years - 1994 and 2005 - ended as captain. Years after retirement, he remains hugely popular in the English town. Known as “The Chief”, he has a beer, a bar and bus named after him. There are also many youngsters in Leeds who were named after the Leeds legend. Reacting to Leeds promotion, Radebe wrote on Twitter: “After 16 years, finally the wait is over. Our dreams have come true.…

Jul

17

2020

By The African Mirror

Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam sign Ghanian prodigy

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO DUTCH club Ajax Amsterdam have confirmed the signing of 19-year old sensation Mohammed Kudus. Kudus was previously at FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark where he found the net 11 times after starting 22 games. He joined the Danish club from feeder Ghanian club Right to Dream Academy in 2018. The attacking-midfielder joins the Dutch titans on a five-year deal reportedly worth nine million euros and has been given the number 20 jersey. "It has been a long journey for me with both tailwinds and bumps on the road. I am grateful for it because it has brought me development,…

Mar

15

2021

By The African Mirror

South African makes debut for Leicester City

SPORT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER THERE were Nigerian and South African touches in British Premier League’s Leicester City’s 5-0 mauling of Sheffield United. Nigerian star forward Kelechi Iheanacho scored a stunning hat trick in the game and South African midfielder Khanya Leshabela made his debut for Leicester and made his first touch in one of the best football leagues in the world. The win saw Leicester move second in the British Premier League table. SA soccer fans took to the social media networks to mark Leshabela’s historic moment and to heap praise on his manager Brandon Rogers. Leicester marked Leshabela’s debut by…

Mar

08

2021

By The African Mirror

Ghana end 12-year long drought

SPORT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER GHANA'S Black Satellites, the junior team to the senior Black Stars, sealed their fourth Under-20 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title defeating tournament debutants Uganda 2-0. The west African giants clashed against their east African counterparts in the Mauritanian capital and had their captain Daniel Barneih, who was named man of the match after scoring two goals in the matchup, to thank after a hard fought affair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHH_cGpEAy0 https://twitter.com/CAF_Online/status/1368335586617090049 Ghana were made to wait 12 years to become four-time AFCON U20 champions, claiming the honour in 1993, 1999, 2009, and recently in 2021. Rising to the throne…

Aug

06

2020

By The African Mirror

SA striker unveiled at top Belgian club

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO TOP South African striker Percy Tau has received a warm welcome to his new club Anderlecht. Club coach Vincent Kompany, the ex-Manchester City captain who won successive English Premier League (EPL) titles, gave Tau a personal welcome and declared that he would push the strike to be the best player he can be. Kompany, who retired last year, returned to his country, Belgium and joined the Anderlecht as player-manager. He told Tau. “ "You said you've come here for the next step so we are going to push you to become the best player you can be. I…

Aug

03

2020

By The African Mirror

Italian club Napoli sign Nigerian star

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO ITALIAN giants Napoli have confirmed the signing of Nigerian international Victor Osimhen from French club Lille. The 21-year old striker had been linked with several top European clubs after netting 18 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions for Lille, securing him a permanent transfer to Naples. The deal, worth €80m including add-ons and bonuses to Lille, makes Osimhen Napoli’s record club signing and Africa’s joint most expensive signing. Said Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis: "Napoli are the right club for him to achieve important results, and Osimhen will always give his best. I’ll say it now: Victor…

Aug

18

2020

By The African Mirror

Dream debut for top striker

SPORT

SOUTH AFRICAN top striker Percy Tau has had a dream kick-off of his stint at top Belgian side Anderlecht, contributing a goal in his side’s 3-1 victory over St Truiden. Tau, the Bafana Bafana and ex Mamelodi Sundowns striker joined Anderlecht on loan from a similar stint with rivals Club Brugge. He is on loan from English club Brighton and Hove. He came on in the 64th minute and half an hour later, in stoppage time, received a sublime pass, trapped it magnificently and lobbed the ball past an advancing St Truiden keeper. His goal added to those from his…