Africa

Guinea-Bissau player is living example of the clearance button being jammed in FIFA

The Africa Cup of Nations never fails to provide exhilarating and peculiar moments. A Jefferson Encada clearance in the opening game between hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau has already provided fans with a hilarious highlight.

Encada, who plays at right back for Guinea-Bissau, appeared to have a simple game plan. That plan was the ball was not allowed in his penalty area.

In the first half he intercepted a pass inside the box and had several different options. He could pass back to his goalkeeper or to a fellow defender.

Gambia national team’s flight to AFCON makes emergency landing after plane loses oxygen

ABIDJAN — Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet said he and his players feared for their lives after the plane taking them to the Africa Cup of Nations finals made an emergency landing, delaying their arrival at the tournament in the Ivory Coast.

Gambia’s squad set off from Banjul on Wednesday on a short trip to Yamoussoukro, where they will play their opening two group games, but minutes after take-off they turned around because of a lack of oxygen inside the plane, he said.

31-year-old Sadio Mané marries ‘long-term girlfriend’ who is 18 years old

Al Nassr and Senegal star Sadio Mané, 31, married his long-term girlfriend Aisha Tamba, 18, during a private wedding ceremony in Dakar, Senegal.

The wedding reportedly took place on Sunday.

Morocco women’s team hire disgraced ex-Spain head coach Jorge Vilda

Women's World Cup winner and former Spain coach Jorge Vilda was appointed as the new manager of the Morocco women's team on Thursday, succeeding Frenchman Reynald Pedros.

Vilda, who won the Women's World Cup with Spain in August, was sacked 10 days after FIFA suspended former Spanish FA (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales for giving a non-consensual kiss to striker Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony in Sydney.

Watch the moment Morocco’s players learn they’re advancing after Germany tied 1-1

PERTH — Debutants Morocco stunned Colombia 1-0 in their final group match in Perth on Thursday to reach the last 16 of the Women's World Cup at the first attempt along with their opponents.

The 72nd ranked Moroccans scored through Anissa Lahmari's toe-poke after a saved penalty at the end of the first half but their passage was only secured after South Korea held twice champions Germany to a 1-1 draw in the other Group H match.

South Africa reaches last 16 of World Cup with players who work 9-5, train 7-9

The greatest story at the 2023 Women's World Cup belongs to South Africa after Banyana Banyana (The Girls), ranked 54th in the world, shocked 16th-ranked Italy, quarterfinalists back in 2019, to reach the Round of 16 for the first time ever.

South Africa entered the match having only just earned their first-ever World Cup point in a 2-2 draw with Argentina, but anything less than a victory over Italy would've condemned Banyana Banyana to group stage elimination.

Nigeria through to World Cup last 16 after stalemate with Ireland

BRISBANE - Nigeria advanced to the Women's World Cup knockout stages for the third time in their history after a 0-0 draw with Ireland in their final Group B match on Monday, with the African side finishing second in the group behind hosts Australia.

Australia's World Cup on the brink after shock 3-2 defeat to Nigeria

BRISBANE - Nigeria produced the first major shock of the Women's World Cup as they stunned Australia 3-2 on Thursday to leave the co-hosts' tournament hopes on thin ice and home fans reeling.

Asisat Oshoala volleyed into an open goal in the 72nd minute to seal a deserved win for the Africans after Uchenna Kanu cancelled out Emily van Egmond's opener on the cusp of halftime and Osinachi Ohale nudged Nigeria ahead after the break.

Amanda Ilestedt goes from villain to hero in Sweden's last-gap win over South Africa

A last-gasp goal by Amanda Ilestedt allowed Sweden to defeat South Africa 2-1 in their opening match at the 2023 World Cup.

Despite the win, the fans and the press were far from satisfied with the team's performance, deeming it "a disaster." Many believed that Sweden, ranked third in the FIFA rankings, should have demonstrated their superiority more emphatically against South Africa, a team positioned only 54th in the world.

Nigeria's Nnadozie provides clutch penalty save vs. Sinclair to earn massive draw

MELBOURNE — Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saved a penalty to help Nigeria secure a valuable 0-0 draw against Olympic champions Canada in their Women's World Cup opener on Friday in a result that threw the group wide open.

Nnadozie denied Christine Sinclair from the spot in the 50th minute with a low dive to her left as the Canada skipper missed out on becoming the first player to score in six World Cups in front of 21,000 fans at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

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