Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Morocco's Atlas Lions thrash Central African Republic
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Morocco’s Atlas Lions thrash Central African Republic

Morocco continued to show its strength in Group B of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 Qualifiers on Saturday, October 12th, by defeating the Central African Republic.

The host of the 2025 AFCON has won three consecutive games as they prepare for the continental showpiece. They are leading with five points, ahead of Gabon, who had a goalless draw with Lesotho on Friday.

The Atlas Lions won 5-0 and are building momentum as they get ready to host next year’s Cup of Nations.  Assedine Ounahi scored two goals in the first half, and Adbe Essalzouli, Achraf Hakimi, and Soufiane Rahimi also scored.

The competition in Group B remains exciting as Gabon will play Lesotho again on Tuesday, and the Central African Republic will have another chance to play Morocco on the same evening.

Striker Serhou Guirassy nets hat-trick as Guinea thrash Ethiopia
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Striker Serhou Guirassy nets hat-trick as Guinea thrash Ethiopia

Striker Serhou Guirassy scored an impressive hat trick in the first half, leading Guinea to a resounding 4-1 victory over Ethiopia in their 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The match, held at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, showcased Syli National’s dominance from the outset. Guinea secured their lead in the 18th minute when Guirassy successfully converted a penalty after Birhanu Bekele’s foul inside the box.

The Germany-based attacker extended his lead in the 37th minute, finishing from close range after a well-timed pass from Seydouba Cissé. Just before half-time, Guirassy completed his hat-trick by slotting home in stoppage time from a François Kamano assist, securing a 3-0 lead at the break.

Guinea continued their dominance in the second half, with Seydouba Cissé adding a fourth goal in the 48th minute, finishing a through ball from Mady Camara.

After Matchday Three, DR Congo leads Group H with nine points, followed by Tanzania with four points and Guinea with three points. Ethiopia remains at the bottom with just one point.

Ethiopia scored a goal in the 53rd minute through Kenean Markneh, but Guinea’s victory renewed their prospects for qualification, while Ethiopia faces a challenging path to keep their hopes alive.

Steven Caulker - "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail"
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Steven Caulker on defeat to Ivory Coast – “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail”

Sierra Leone team captain Steven Caulker has admitted that team spirit alone is not enough to win top football matches as they lack organisation.

The West Africa side still searching for a win in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers and they’re currently at the bottom of the group after suffering a 4-1 defeat to the African Champions on Friday at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro.

“Team spirit alone will not win matches. The team put up a good fight but fell short in the crucial moments. We need to do better if we’re going to get a result on Tuesday. As players, we take ultimate responsibility for the performance and the result,” Steven Caulker explained.

On Players Responsibilities

It’s important to note that we are not receiving the support we need. The decisions made by those in power are ultimately impacting us on the field.

On Organisation and Planning

Right now, we lack organization. If we fail to prepare, we prepare to fail. However, we still have a chance to qualify, and we will give our all in the next three games to make it happen.

On the Critics – Caulker pointed out…

As for those who are criticizing us, the only one who has performed well in the game is Kallon. The rest should refrain from making comments, as I don’t recall them making significant contributions on or off the pitch for the Leone Stars.

If we are to progress as a top footballing nation in Africa, we need to reset everything after this campaign and start anew. We have the talent, and the government has provided financial support. There is no excuse for us not to succeed.

Coach Amidu Karim’s team must avoid another defeat when they welcome Ivory Coast for the second leg of the doubleheader on October 15 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, Liberia.

Cameroon's Lions and the Pharaoh of Egypt continue dominance
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cameroon’s Lions and Egypt continue dominance in qualifiers

The Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions won 4-1 against Kenya and took the top spot in Group J. They are now two points ahead of Zimbabwe, who beat Namibia on Thursday.

Veteran goal scorer Vincent Aboubakar opened the scoring with a penalty in the 8th minute. Martin Hongla, Byan Mbeumo, and Christian Bassogog also scored.

In Group C – In Cairo, the Pharaohs continued to lead Group C with a 2-0 win over Mauritania, with goals from Trézéguet and Mohamed Salah.

In Uyo, the Super Eagles won late against Libya, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru scoring the winning goal. As a result, Nigeria went top of Group D, one point ahead of Benin, who won 3-0 against Rwanda.

Group K -The Ugandan Cranes won 1-0 against South Sudan, putting them in a good position to battle for the top spot with South Africa, who played against Congo.

In Group A – The Gambia secured a crucial away point with a 1-1 draw against Madagascar, keeping them close to Group A leaders Tunisia, who have four points ahead of their match against Comoros.

Ivory Coast cruise past Sierra Leone in Group qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ivory Coast cruise past Sierra Leone in Group G qualifier

Sierra Leone started poorly in Friday’s Group G qualifier against the African Champions, Ivory Coast, suffering a 4-1 defeat that further dented their qualification chances.

Nicolas Pepe scored for the home side in the 3rd minute at the Laurent Pokou Stadium. The Ivorians had a chance to double their lead when the South African referee awarded them a penalty, but the skipper Franck Kessié missed the spot-kick, hitting the crossbar in the 37th minute.

Sierra Leone found a way to get back into the game after head coach Amidu Karim made two changes, bringing on Hindolo Mustapha and Mustapha Bundu.

Against the run of play, Hindolo Mustapha set up Alhassan Koroma in the 43rd minute to draw parity for the visitors, and the first half ended 1-1.

In the second half, the home side intensified the pressure, and the skipper scored with a clever header from Kessie in the 51st minute  

After a challenging moment in the game, Sierra Leone’s goalkeeper, Mohamed Kamara, rushed out, missed a loose ball, and fouled the player with a harsh tackle, resulting in another penalty for the Ivorian attacker in the match. Franck Kessié scored a well-taken penalty, marking his second goal of the evening and bringing the score to 3-1.

The Ivorians further extended their lead when Oumar Diakite scored from the spot in the 87th minute. This marked the third penalty of the evening, as Sierra Leone made another defensive mistake. The Ivorians maintained their composure and held on to their lead.

As a result, they maintain their 100 per cent record with three wins out of three, standing on nine points in the group.

Coach Amidu Karim’s team must avoid another defeat when they welcome Ivory Coast for the second leg of the doubleheader on October 15 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, Liberia.