Nigeria set for Tunisia U-20 Cup of Nations cracker
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigeria set for Tunisia U-20 Cup of Nations cracker

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are preparing to extend their dominance at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, which started on Sunday in Egypt. Led by coach Aliyu Zubairu, the Flying Eagles are the tournament’s most successful team, having won seven titles.

They are aiming for an unprecedented eighth crown as they open their Group B campaign against Tunisia on  Thursday at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo.

In addition to Tunisia, the Flying Eagles will face Morocco and Kenya in what promises to be a fiercely contested group.

To prepare for the U-20 AFCON, Nigeria played three international friendly matches, including two against Cote d’Ivoire. The Flying Eagles won two of these matches, defeating both the Ivorians and Egypt.

Hosts Egypt made a winning start in the competition, achieving a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Africa at Cairo International Stadium.

Mohamed Abdallah scored the decisive goal in the second half. Despite suffering three first-half injuries that forced early substitutions, the Young Pharaohs maintained their composure and rightfully claimed maximum points.

Ndidi set to leave Leicester City due to a relegation release clause
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Wilfred Ndidi set to leave Leicester due to relegation release clause

Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi can leave the club for £9 million because of a release clause. This clause became active when Leicester lost 1-0 to Liverpool last weekend, which sent them down to the Championship with five games left in the season.

Since then, Leicester has also lost 3-0 to Wolves, and Ndidi is one of several players thinking about his future. The club believes it can rebuild its squad, as release clauses are rare at Leicester, and only three players’ contracts end this summer: goalkeepers Daniel Iversen and Danny Ward, and legendary striker Jamie Vardy, who is leaving after 13 years at the club.

Ndidi attracted interest from clubs like Marseille and Everton when he was a free agent last summer. However, he signed a new three-year deal with Leicester then.

He joined the club in 2017 for £17 million from Genk, and the interest from other teams likely led to his new contract including a release clause. Ndidi has won an FA Cup and the Championship while at Leicester and has played 27 times in all competitions this season.

Simba FC through to CAF Confed final after goalless draw
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Simba through to CAF Confed final after goalless draw

Simba secured a place in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup after battling to a goalless draw against Stellenbosch FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday.

The Tanzanian giants advanced 1-0 on aggregate due to their first-leg victory in Zanzibar, and their disciplined defensive display was enough to keep the South Africans at bay in Durban.

Needing a win to overturn the deficit, Stellenbosch pushed forward aggressively but were unable to penetrate an inspired Simba defense and goalkeeper Moussa Camara, who stood tall throughout the tense encounter.

Stellenbosch came closest to scoring in the closing stages, with Fawaaz Basadien and Ismaël Touré both missing crucial opportunities late in the game. Devin Titus and Sanele Barns also saw their efforts narrowly miss the target as the hosts searched desperately for a breakthrough.

Simba continues to pursue their dream of winning a continental title for the first time since 1993 by reaching the final, where they will face the winner of CS Constantine and RS Berkane.

For Stellenbosch, this marks the end of their historic Confederation Cup campaign, achieving the last four in their first continental venture. Simba will rely on their strong defense as they prepare for the final, aiming to secure the trophy.

Simba’s victory keeps alive their dream of winning a continental title for the first time since 1993, when they were runners-up in the old CAF Cup. They will now face the winner of CS Constantine and RS Berkane in the final.

For Stellenbosch, their historic Confederation Cup campaign ends in the semi-finals, exceeding expectations in their first venture into continental football. Simba will build on their solid defense as they prepare for the final, aiming to complete their journey with a trophy.

Opposition Watch - Egypt shift to Ismailia ahead of Sierra Leone tie
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Opposition Watch – Egypt shift to Ismailia ahead of Sierra Leone tie

Egypt, the host country, has shifted their attention to the next game against Sierra Leone on matchday two of the U20 Cup of Nations following their close 1-0 win over South Africa. The team from Cairo safely reached Ismailia.

A representative from the Egyptian delegation confirmed that they will be staying at the Mercure Ismailia Forsan Island Hotel, the same accommodation chosen by Sierra Leone, ahead of their games against the Shooting Stars and Zambia.

Sierra Leone will face off against the North African team, Egypt, on Wednesday, April 30th, before the young Pharaohs host Zambia on May 3rd. Both matches are scheduled to take place at the Suez Canal Stadium.

Egypt won their opening match and leads Group A. They will play Sierra Leone on Wednesday, while South Africa takes on Tanzania.

The Pharaohs aim for their fifth U-20 continental title, having won in 1981, 1991, 2003, and 2013.

The top four teams will qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year. A strong start is key, and Egypt impressed their home fans with a promising beginning.

Shooting Stars keeper Mamadou Jalloh lauds teamwork in goalless with Zambia
by Football Sierra Leone

Shooting Stars’ Mamadou Jalloh lauds teamwork in goalless with Zambia

Sierra Leone debutant and IF Bromby goalkeeper Mamadou Walle Jalloh noted his joy after Sierra Leone and Zambia played to a scoreless draw at the Suez Canal Stadium on Sunday.

Keeper Jalloh stressed in international competitions the need for teamwork after both sides played to a draw in their first game of Group A in the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

“𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞.” Jalloh said in the post-game interview, “𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦, 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩. “𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞.”

When asked about his composure during several moments when Zambia was on the break, he replied, “𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬.”

Sierra Leone’s next match is against the host nation Egypt, who defeated South Africa at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, topping the table.

𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬