Author: Ibrahim Babangida
Bibiani Gold Stars and Asante Kotoko played out a 0-0 draw in the Ghana Premier League, a result that keeps both teams in the title hunt but now reliant on Nations FC to slip up. Despite a intense match with both teams creating chances, neither side could find the breakthrough. Bibiani Gold Stars are three points behind, next facing Berekum Chelsea and Accra Lions. Asante Kotoko are also five points behind, next facing and Vision FC The draw was a setback for both teams, who were aiming to overtake Nations FC in the title race.
Hearts of Oak secured a win against Accra Lions in their Ghana Premier League matchday 32 encounter at the Accra Sports Stadium. Hearts of Oak took an early lead with Enoch Asubonteng’s strike in the 11th minute. Accra Lions equalized with Lawrence Setordjie’s spectacular long-range drive, but he left the pitch a minute later due to injury. Hearts of Oak sealed the win with late goals from Kofi Asmah and Hamza Issah. Hearts of Oak won 3-1 against Accra Lions, securing back-to-back wins.
Nations FC has reclaimed the top spot in the Ghana Premier League after a 4-1 victory over Legon Cities at the University of Ghana Stadium. Kelvin Ampoful scored twice, while Emmanuel Annor and Sadiq Alhassan added to the scoreline. This win puts Nations FC at 57 points with three matches left, keeping their title charge strong. The match saw Legon Cities initially trailing after Kelvin Ampoful’s goal in the 28th minute, but they equalized just before halftime due to Rabin Ousmane Sanon’s own goal However, Nations FC regained the lead and dominated the rest of the match. The Kumasi based…
Sebastien Haller scored a dramatic late winner as hosts Ivory Coast fought back to beat Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria 2-1 in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final and complete the most remarkable of major tournament turnarounds by claiming their third continental title. Ivory Coast’s forward Sebastien Haller looks at the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after Ivory Coast won the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 final football match, February 11, 2024. Nigeria looked set to repeat their 1-0 victory over the Ivorians here at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium during the group stage when captain William Troost-Ekong — who had netted…
The three-time champions will face hosts Ivory Coast, who dominated the Democratic Republic of Congo but had to settle for a 1-0 win in Abidjan, in the final on Sunday. Nigeria triumphed after a 1-1 draw following extra time in Bouake in the latest of many dramatic matches at this biennial African football showpiece. South Africa coach Hugo Broos said: “Football can be cruel. You play a bad match against Cape Verde, you win on penalties. You play a very good match against Nigeria and lose on penalties.” Iheanacho from English second-tier club Leicester City had been an unused substitute…
A brilliant back-heel by the substitute in added time at the end of extra time in Bouake gave the Elephants a 2-1 victory over Mali, who dominated much of the quarter-final and scored first. Ivory Coast-born Nene Dorgeles put Mali ahead on 71 minutes against the host nation, who were reduced to 10 men just before half-time when Odilon Kossounou was sent off. But another Ivorian substitute, Simon Adingra, levelled in the 90th minute to take the pulsating west African showdown into extra time. Then, with the quarter-final seemingly set to be decided by a penalty shootout, Diakite back-heeled a…
Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, the former England Under-21 international, had scored both goals in Nigeria’s defeat of Cameroon in the last 16 and he made it three in two games as the Super Eagles claimed their third 1-0 victory of the tournament. The goal came four minutes before half-time at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, with Moses Simon collecting a pass on the left, accelerating away from Kialonda Gaspar and driving into the area before cutting the ball back for Lookman to finish. That was enough for Nigeria to win through to their 15th Cup of Nations semi-final, which is…
Evidence Makgopa gave South Africa the lead just before the hour mark in the Ivorian coastal city of San-Pedro, but Morocco had the chance to draw level five minutes from time from the penalty spot. Paris Saint-Germain star Hakimi squandered the opportunity, sending his kick off the top of the bar and over, before Morocco’s misery was compounded as Sofyan Amrabat was sent off in stoppage time and Teboho Mokoena scored South Africa’s second from the resulting free-kick. Bafana Bafana go through to a quarter-final on Saturday in Yamoussokro against tiny Cape Verde, who have been one of the surprise…
A last-16 thriller ended 1-1 after extra time with Habib Diallo scoring after four minutes for Senegal and Franck Kessie equalising off a penalty four minutes from the end of regular time in Yamoussoukro. Kessie was the shootout hero, converting the decisive kick after Moussa Niakhate had struck the post with the third Senegalese penalty. Senegal became the seventh consecutive holders to fall victim to a Cup of Nations curse — no team since Egypt in 2008 have been able to take a title defence beyond the round of 16. Senegal comfortably beat the Gambia, Cameroon and Guinea to top…
A tense last-16 clash finished 1-1 after extra time with Meschack Elia scoring on 37 minutes for DR Congo and Mostafa Mohamed equalising in first-half added time from a penalty. Liverpool star Salah was injured in a group match against Ghana and returned to his club, who said he would probably only be able to return to the tournament if Egypt reached the final. DR Congo will face Guinea, last-gasp 1-0 winners over Equatorial Guinea earlier on Sunday, next Friday in Abidjan for a place in the semi-finals. Egypt and DR Congo may between them have won nine of…