Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Burkina Faso beat Guinea-Bissau to close gap on Egypt in World Cup qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Burkina Faso beat Guinea-Bissau to close gap on Egypt in World Cup qualifiers

Lassina Traoré scored a brace that helped the Stallions of Burkina Faso secure back-to-back World Cup qualifying victories, defeating Guinea-Bissau 2-1 at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro on Monday.

Burkina Faso was determined to overcome their opponents after their previous matchday five victory, which saw them thrash Djibouti 4-1. They knew that a win would help them close the gap on leaders Egypt in Group A.

An early goal from Lassina Traoré in the 6th minute was equalized by a long-range shot from Zidane Banjaqui in the 36th minute, bringing the score to 1-1 at halftime.

In the second half, after absorbing pressure from the hosts, Burkina Faso capitalized on a defensive mistake, and Traoré restored their lead in the 73rd minute, completing his brace.

The visitors held on to win for the second consecutive time, narrowing the gap two points behind Egypt, who will face Sierra Leone in Cairo on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Namibia and Equatorial Guinea played to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg on Matchday 6 of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Namibia, coming off a narrow win over Malawi, aimed to keep pace with Group H leaders Tunisia. Equatorial Guinea, fresh from a 2-0 victory against São Tomé and Príncipe, struggled to find quality finishing in the first half, which ended goalless.

In the second half, Namibia took the lead in the 51st minute with a goal from Peter Shalulile, assisted by Deon Hotto’s free kick. Equatorial Guinea equalized just three minutes later with Saúl Coco’s goal from Esteban Orozco’s pass.

Both teams pushed for a winner, but the match ended in a draw. Namibia is second in Group H with 12 points, behind Tunisia, while Equatorial Guinea is fourth with seven points, needing to win their remaining matches to stay in contention.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nets brace as Gabon go top of Group F
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nets brace as Gabon go top of Group F

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice, helping Gabon win 2-1 against Kenya and reach the top of Group F. In another World Cup 2026 qualifying match, Eswatini and Mauritius ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw on Sunday.

Aubameyang gave Gabon an early lead in Nairobi. He scored a second goal from a penalty in the second half.

Kenya answered with a goal from Michael Olunga around the 60-minute mark, but Gabon held on to win and earn three important points.

This victory puts Gabon at the top of Group F with 15 points, ahead of Côte d’Ivoire, increasing their chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time.

Kenya now faces a tough road ahead, as this loss sets them back in the qualifying campaign.

In Group B, Eswatini and Mauritius played an exciting match with six goals. Thabo Mkhonto scored twice for Eswatini in the first 16 minutes.

Mauritius came back in the second half, with goals from Linsley Rose and Yven Aristide leveling the score just three minutes apart.

Eswatini seemed to secure the win when Mabuza scored in the 75th minute. However, Jean scored in stoppage time for Mauritius, earning them a draw.

Both Eswatini and Mauritius now sit near the bottom of Group B, with their chances of qualifying looking slim as the final rounds approach.

Morocco beat Sierra Leone in U20 friendly at the Mohammed VI Complex
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Morocco beat Sierra Leone in U20 friendly at the Mohammed VI Complex

The Moroccan U20 national team won a friendly match against Sierra Leone 2-0 at the Mohammed VI Complex on Saturday night, with goals scored by Ismail Al-Aoud and Adnan Kharoubi.

Both nations used this match as part of their preparation for the upcoming African Cup Of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Sierra Leone has made significant changes by bringing in several foreign-based players to identify those who can make the final list for the upcoming tournament in Ivory Coast next month.

Notable players starting for Sierra Leone in a friendly match against Morocco include Samal Bangura from Tottenham Hotspur, Cayden Cole from Hull City, David Kalokoh from AFC Ajax, Kelvin Kargbo from AFC Wimbledon, and Hindolo Mustapha from Crystal Palace Football Club.

Sierra Leone’s next match is against Ghana on Saturday, March 25, where they aim to build on their performance before the continental tournament.

The stakes are high, as the four teams reaching the semi-finals of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will earn spots in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will take place in Chile. Senegal’s Junior Teranga Lions enter the competition as the defending champions.

In a previous match, Morocco defeated Ghana 1-0 at the Mohammed VI Complex. This victory was particularly noteworthy because Morocco played with one less player for over 70 minutes after Faisal El Meziani was sent off in the first half.

Ilias Boumassaoudi, a winger from FC Den Bosch in the Dutch first division, scored the only goal of the match after excellent teamwork set him up.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, coach Mohamed Ouahbi’s team demonstrated strong teamwork and discipline, successfully defending their lead against a Ghanaian team that was unable to score.

Even with one player down, the Moroccan team showed positive signs as they prepared for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which is set to take place in Ivory Coast from April 26 to May 18, 2025.

Mohamed Salah shines as Egypt ease past Ethiopia in World Cup Qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mohamed Salah scores as Egypt ease past Ethiopia in World Cup Qualifiers

Egypt secured another significant victory, solidifying its position at the top of Group A in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers. The Pharaohs continued their perfect run in Group A with a comfortable 2-0 win over Ethiopia in El Jadida, Morocco.

Egypt took control early in the match, with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scoring the first goal in the 31st minute after a well-executed move involving Hamdy Fathi. Nine minutes later, Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” doubled the lead, taking advantage of a defensive error from Ethiopia.

Although Ethiopia showed some resistance after halftime, Hossam Hassan’s team was never seriously threatened, and the score remained unchanged throughout the match.

Egypt now has 13 points from five matches, leading second-placed Burkina Faso by five points, and they are nearing qualification for the 2026 finals in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

It was another disappointing result for Ethiopia, leaving them with just three points from five games and vastly diminishing their hopes of qualification.

Eric Chelle praises Nigeria's performance after defeating Rwanda
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Eric Chelle praises Nigeria’s performance after defeating Rwanda

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle praised his players after their 2-0 win against the Amavubi of Rwanda.

Nigeria matchday five tie took place at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday night and marked the Super Eagles’ first victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series. With this win, the team moved up to fourth place in Group C.

In his post-match remarks, Chelle said, “It was a tough game; Rwanda has a strong team. I am proud of my players. We worked hard in the few days leading up to this match, although we only had two full training sessions. However, we controlled the ball well in the second half. It was a solid performance from my players.”

Chelle also mentioned his team’s strategy and the need for improvement. He stated, “I enjoy setting up the game plan. We tried two different tactics. This is just the first game, and we need to improve as we prepare for the next one.”

He emphasized that teamwork is essential. “Every player can contribute, and we need to work together to reach our goal of qualifying for the World Cup. We have talented players, and today the team performed well. My job is to make decisions about the game plan and which players to use.”

Rwanda’s head coach, Adel Amrouche, expressed disappointment after the Amavubi’s loss to the Super Eagles.

“We need to correct some things in the team. Unfortunately, we lost, but we will regroup for the next game,” he said. “I am ashamed of today’s performance, especially in front of our fans and the president.”