Category: African News

Our African football page passionately on all continental topics of all National and International football news, Identifying football heroes on our continent.

Abdourahman Okieh picks 23-man squad for Sierra Leone and Ethiopia
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Abdourahman Okieh picks 23-man squad for Sierra Leone and Ethiopia 

Abdourahman Okieh has selected a 23-man squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Ethiopia. 

The Djibouti men’s senior national team will play against Sierra Leone on June 5th at Stade El Abdi in El Jadida, Morocco, and will face Ethiopia on June 9th for matchday four.

After losing their opening two Group A matches, Djibouti is currently at the bottom of the standings. They suffered a 6-1 defeat to Egypt and a 1-0 home loss to Guinea-Bissau in November 2023.

In the current standings, Egypt leads Group A with six points, followed by Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau with four points each. Sierra Leone and Ethiopia are tied on one point each, while Djibouti has no points after losing their first two games.

In their preliminary AFCON qualifier against Liberia in March, Lone Star captain Murphy Dorley scored one of two first-half goals as the Lone Stars defeated hosts Djibouti 2-0 in the opening leg in Marrakech. 

Mohammed Sangare opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute, followed by Dorley calmly converting Sebastian Teclar’s cross 12 minutes later. The match ended in a goalless draw in Liberia, leading to their elimination.

Abdourahman Okieh has selected a 23-man squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Ethiopia.
Abdourahman Okieh has selected a 23-man squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Ethiopia.
Lookman hattrick hero in Europa final to end Leverkusen’s unbeaten run
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Lookman shines in Europa final to end Leverkusen’s unbeaten run

Ademola Lookman made history with a hat trick in the Europa League final for Atalanta as they dismantled Bayern Leverkusen 3-0 on Wednesday, surprising even his coach, Gian Piero Gasperini. 

The Nigerian international became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final. He had never scored double figures in a season for any of his previous clubs. However, his performance significantly improved after moving to Atalanta, where he scored 15 goals in each of his two seasons with the club.

Gasperini credited a senior manager at Atalanta for spotting Lookman’s potential and bringing him to the club. Following the match, Lookman expressed his confidence in his abilities and his gratitude for the support he received from Atalanta and his coach. 

Additionally, his mentor and former youth coach spoke highly of him, emphasizing Lookman’s hard work and determination to succeed.

He also mentioned that his time in Bergamo had been instrumental in his development as a player. 

The recent final might be remembered as the Lookman final, but Atalanta’s success is equally remarkable. This is only their second trophy in their 116-year history, the first being the 1963 Coppa Italia. 

Last week, they lost the Coppa Italia final to Juventus, so this victory is an impressive comeback. Gasperini’s team made history by becoming the first Italian team to win this tournament since 1999.

“I am hugely proud for all of Italy because it was a cursed trophy,” said the 66-year-old, who took charge of the club in 2016. “Having won it with Atalanta is perhaps one of those footballing fairytales that rarely crop up.”

The Nigerian international became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final.
The Nigerian international became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final.
Gasperini's team also made history by becoming the first Italian team to win this tournament since 1999.
Gasperini's team also made history by becoming the first Italian team to win this tournament since 1999.
Ex-Sierra Leone coach Jonathan McKinstry appointed as new Gambia boss
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Coach Jonathan McKinstry appointed as new Gambia boss

The Gambia Football Federation has confirmed the appointment of Jonathan McKinstry as their new head coach of the national team. 

The UEFA PRO License holder, who has previously led Gor Mahia to clinch the Kenyan Premier League title, is set to take over from Tom Saintfiet after Gambia’s exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. 

Jonathan, aged 38, has previously coached Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Rwanda. He is currently the manager of Gor Mahia FC in Kenya and will assume the role with the Scorpions from June 1, 2024.

In the August 2014 FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, the Leone Stars ranked 50th in the world and also broken into the top 10 teams on the continent. They were in seventh place under the management of the Irish coach.

The Northern Irish coach has signed a two-year contract and has been tasked with qualifying The Gambia for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Jonathan previously coached the Uganda national team, Saif SC in Bangladesh, and the Lithuanian club Kauno Zalgiris, with early career roles in youth development at Newcastle United, New York Red Bulls, the Right to Dream Academy, and the Craig Bellamy Foundation.

Zamalek upset Berkane to capture the CAF Confederation Cup crown
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Zamalek upset Berkane to capture the CAF Confederation Cup

Zamalek clinched the African club football’s secondary competition with a thrilling 1-0 victory over RS Berkane in the second leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup final, securing the trophy on aggregate on Sunday.

The Egyptian giants entered the second leg at the Cairo International Stadium behind 2-1 from the first leg in Morocco a week ago.

The Zamalek team, backed by their passionate home crowd, made a remarkable comeback to win the continent’s title for the second time. Striker Ahmed Hamdi scored the winning goal in the 23rd minute, levelling the aggregate score. 

However, Hamdi had to leave the game due to an injury just before halftime. The second half saw Zamalek defending fiercely against Berkane’s attacks. 

Senegalese midfielder Ibrahima Ndiaye played a crucial role in Zamalek’s strong defence. Berkane’s frustration resulted in a red card for one of their players, leaving them with 10 men. Despite the pressure, Zamalek’s defence remained solid, securing a 2-1 aggregate victory.

This win represents a remarkable comeback for the Cairo-based club, which previously claimed the title in the 2018/19 season. On the other hand, Berkane came very close to winning the CAF Confederation Cup for the third time in four years but fell short in the end.

https://twitter.com/bittar32/status/1792484721861005680

Al Ahly, Espérance set for an intriguing second-leg
by FSL News

Al Ahly, Espérance set for an intriguing second-leg

Both prominent North African clubs are eager for a victory as they face off in the thrilling second leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final in Cairo on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Following a goalless first leg, an intense match is anticipated as Al Ahly, the host, seeks to maintain their dominance in continental football.

The first leg took place in Rades, with Espérance aiming to secure an advantage before the challenging return leg in Cairo the following Saturday.

Despite having more possession, the hosts struggled to create clear chances against the resilient defence of the reigning champions. Rodrigues Silver nearly scored early on, with a header that narrowly missed the target.

Al Shahat also came close to scoring for Al Ahly with a long-range shot just before halftime. However, the first half ended with few chances for both teams.

In the second half, Espérance continued to press for a goal. Al Ahly’s Afsha injected energy into the attack. Emam Abdelghany almost caught the goalkeeper off guard with a long-range strike.  As the match concluded, Al Ahly maintained possession to secure the draw. 

TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Final

Saturday, 18 May 2024 | Tunis 

Espérance Sportive de Tunis 0-0 Al Ahly SC

Saturday, 25 May 2024 | Cairo 

17h00 GMT | Al Ahly SC vs Espérance Sportive de Tunis