Category: Sports

Cameroon saw off South Africa to set date with Morocco in quarter-finals
by Football Sierra Leone

Cameroon saw off South Africa to set date with Morocco in quarter-finals

Cameroon faced South Africa in a tense match but managed to secure a 2–1 victory in Rabat. This win means Cameroon moves on to the quarter-finals of the tournament to face host Morocco on Friday.

For the first 30 minutes, South Africa was the stronger team. They pressed hard, created chances, and forced Cameroon’s goalkeeper, Epassy, to make important saves. However, Cameroon stayed composed. In the 33rd minute, Tchamadeu scored the first goal, changing the game.

Feeling energised, Cameroon took charge of the match. Just after halftime, Kofane scored again in the 47th minute with a diving header. This put Cameroon up 2–0, a tough blow for South Africa.

Despite the score, South Africa kept pushing. Makgopa scored in the 87th minute, bringing hope to his team. The crowd in Rabat held their breath as Epassy faced more shots, but he held firm, and Cameroon clung to their lead until the final whistle.

With this win, Cameroon goes on to play Morocco in the quarter-finals on Friday at the Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.

Carlos Baleba – Man of the Match, “We are set to face Morocco, a strong team. We’ve been performing well, and we need to stay calm and keep this up. Our positive mindset is key to our strength.”

Hugo Broos – South Africa Head Coach, “Our team didn’t deserve to lose. This isn’t the result we wanted, but we have to accept it and focus on our future goals, especially the World Cup.”

David Pagou – Cameroon Coach, “We are excited about the win. We’ve faced a tough schedule, but we’ve succeeded. We’re committed to improving and working together, which is essential for our team’s progress.”

Bradford City eye a loan move for Crystal Palace attacker Hindolo Mustapha
by FSL News

Bradford City eye a loan move for Crystal Palace attacker Hindolo Mustapha

Bradford City, currently in pursuit of promotion from League One, is one of several clubs vying for the services of the 19-year-old player following the recent termination of his loan at FC Nürnberg at the start of December.

The player received multiple offers for his first senior loan but chose to join German side FC Nürnberg in the 2. Bundesliga, seeking higher competition. However, after not meeting the expectations of manager Miroslav Klose, he made only two appearances for their reserve team.

Crystal Palace is open to loaning him again for more senior experience, preferably within England, for his development. Walsall in League Two has expressed ongoing interest, and Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has scouted him during several matches.

The player is contracted with Crystal Palace until 2028, having made 29 appearances for the Under-21 team last season, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists.

The youngster is a versatile forward and was named Palace’s Under-21 Player of the Season, nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award.

Internationally, he has represented Sierra Leone three times and trained with Crystal Palace’s first team during their mid-season camp in Marbella last year.

Cameroon and Ivory Coast record opening AFCON wins
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cameroon and Ivory Coast record opening AFCON wins

Defending champions Côte d'Ivoire launched their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations title defense with a solid 1-0 victory over Mozambique at Marrakech Stadium.

Meanwhile, Cameroon made history with a groundbreaking 1-0 win against Gabon in Agadir, marking their first-ever AFCON victory over their rivals.

The Indomitable Lions struck early, just six minutes in, when Bryan Mbeumo seized on a shaky Gabonese defence and set up Karl Etta Eyong, who finished low through goalkeeper Marius Mbamba’s legs.

Cameroon looked sharper initially, while Gabon struggled to gain momentum. Denis Bouanga came close, but a last-minute tackle prevented Darlin Yongwa from extending Cameroon’s lead.

As the match progressed, Cameroon adapted their defence smartly, keeping Gabon at bay even as it pressed late for an equaliser.

This disciplined victory puts Cameroon alongside Côte d’Ivoire at the top of Group F.

Bryan Mbeumo, Man of the Match: “I’m thrilled. We knew Gabon would be tough, but we need to be ready for Côte d’Ivoire next. We stayed focused, defended well, and earned this result.”

Cédric Moubamba, Gabon assistant coach: “Our slow start made the match challenging. Cameroon played well and defended their lead effectively. We’ll regroup and improve for the next game.”

David Pagou, Cameroon coach: “It was hard work. We secured the three points and showed flexibility in our play. There’s room for improvement, but we’ll continue to grow.”

Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Mozambique:

Côte d’Ivoire began their title defence with a 1-0 win over Mozambique, relying on patience rather than flair. After a tense first half, Amad Diallo scored the decisive goal just after the interval, finishing a setup from Kessié.

The Ivorians dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances against a well-organised Mozambique side, who found it tough to test goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

The narrow win positions Côte d’Ivoire atop Group F, while Mozambique leaves encouraged but still searching for their first-ever victory at the finals.

Scorer Amad Diallo, Côte d’Ivoire: “I’m proud to wear my country’s jersey; it’s a dream come true. While we won 1-0, I felt we could have scored more. We’ll focus on our next tough match.”

Chiquinho Conde, Mozambique: “We expected challenges against Côte d’Ivoire’s quality but managed to hold our ground. We’ll learn from this experience.”

Riyad Mahrez scores twice as Algeria thrash Sudan
by Football Sierra Leone

Riyad Mahrez scores twice as Algeria thrash Sudan

Algeria kicked off their TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 campaign with a confident 3–0 win over 10-man Sudan on Wednesday evening at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, marking an impressive start to their Group E fixtures.

The Fennecs, who were champions in 2019, celebrated their first AFCON finals victory since then, thanks to a brace from captain Riyad Mahrez and a late goal from Ibrahim Maza.

They dominated Sudan, taking the lead just two minutes in with Mahrez’s goal from a Hicham Boudaoui assist. Sudan’s Salah El-Din Adel was sent off in the 39th minute, allowing Algeria to maintain control.

In the second half, Mahrez scored again in the 61st minute, assisted by Mohamed Amine Amoura, followed by Maza’s goal in the 85th minute from Baghdad Bounedjah’s setup, securing a 3–0 win for Algeria. Algeria sits atop Group E with three points.

In another match, Burkina Faso staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Equatorial Guinea 2–1, scoring twice in stoppage time. After a balanced first half, Equatorial Guinea went down to ten men with a red card to Basilo Ndung.

Despite conceding in the 85th minute to Marvin Aniebo, Burkina Faso equalised in the fifth minute of added time through György Menongo and won it with Edmond Tapsoba’s goal shortly after, also finishing with three points atop the group.

Tunisia ease past Uganda to stay ahead of Nigeria in Group C
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia ease past Uganda to stay ahead of Nigeria in Group C

Tunisia kicked off their CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over Uganda at the Annex Olympic Stadium.

This win places them at the top of Group C, ahead of Nigeria, who secured a 2-1 win against Tanzania earlier on Tuesday.

Elyes Skhiri opened the scoring in the 10th minute, followed by Elias Achouri, who scored twice, including a goal just before halftime and his second in the 64th minute. Uganda managed a late goal from Denis Omedi, but it did not affect the outcome.

In post-match comments, Uganda’s coach, Paul Put, expressed disappointment at the team’s lack of aggression and respect shown to Tunisia, emphasising the need to improve in their next match.

Tunisia’s coach, Sami Trabelsi, praised his team’s performance and the support from Moroccan fans. Player Mohamed Elyes Achouri thanked his teammates and supporters for their efforts in challenging weather conditions.

The Eagles of Carthage of Tunisia take on the Super Eagles of Nigeria on December 27th in their second Group match, and it is expected to be a top-of-the-table cracker at the Stade Foot Fès.

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Alie Bittar

@bittar32 On X

24/12/2025