Category: Football Africa

Ex-Senegal head coach Aliou Cissé set for Libya national coaching job
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ex-Senegal boss Aliou Cissé set for Libya national coaching job

Ex-Senegal head coach Aliou Cissé is set to return to coaching since leaving the Lions of Teranga. He has agreed to take over the Libyan national team, known as the Mediterranean Knights.

A formal declaration is anticipated in the next few days, affirming Cissé’s selection as head coach in readiness for Libya’s efforts in the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Cissé will sign a two-year contract with the Libyan Football Federation, with an option for one more year if the team qualifies for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He is expected to arrive in Libya on March 5 to finalize the agreement.

His main goal will be to help Libya qualify for the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 AFCON. Currently, Libya is in second place in Group D with 7 points, tied with Cape Verde and just one point behind the group leader, Cameroon.

Sierra Leone's Mohamed Kabia set to join Serbian side Borac Čačak
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone’s Mohamed Kabia set to join Serbian side Borac Čačak

Sierra Leone midfielder Mohamed Kabia is set to join FC Borac Čačak in Serbia’s First League for the remainder of the season. The Serbian First League, sponsored by Mozzart Bet, is the second tier of professional football in Serbia.

As excitement builds around his arrival, Borac Čačak is expected to conduct an official unveiling ceremony soon, where they will confirm the specifics of his contract, outline expectations, and discuss his potential role within the squad moving forward.

The 21-year-old player, known for his robust style of play and versatility, is also capable of operating effectively as a centre-back. A close source has disclosed that the midfielder finalized his transfer yesterday, and an official announcement from the club is anticipated shortly, detailing the terms of his contract.

This transfer marks an important milestone in Kabia’s career. He has previously gained recognition for his impressive performances in both domestic leagues and international competitions, showcasing his defensive prowess and ability to adapt to different playing styles.

By joining FC Borac Čačak, Kabia seeks to advance his career in European football. The club, known for its competitiveness in the Serbian first division, will benefit from his physical presence and tactical insight.

Sierra Leone U-17 set for Guinea in Women’s World Cup qualifiers
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone U17 set for Guinea in Women’s World Cup qualifiers

Following their remarkable triumph over the Central African Republic in the first preliminary round, the Sierra Leone Women’s U-17 team is now poised to take on Guinea in the highly anticipated second preliminary round of the U-17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers.

A pivotal encounter looms as these young athletes continue their quest to qualify for the prestigious 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, showcasing their skills on an international stage.

The stakes are raised even further, as the winner of this tightly contested fixture will advance to face the victor of the match between Ivory Coast and Burundi in the third and final round of the qualifiers, making every moment of this series critical in their journey toward World Cup aspirations.

The 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification is the 10th edition of this tournament, open to players born on or after January 1, 2008. The four teams that win in the third round will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

First-Leg: March 8, 2025, at Southern Arena, Bo City, a venue known for its vibrant atmosphere and passionate local supporters.

Second-Leg: March 15, 2025, at Stade Mamadou Konaté, Bamako, Mali, offering a competitive setting for this crucial match-up.  

Women's 2026 Cup of Nations first round qualifiers wrap-up
by Football Sierra Leone

Women’s 2026 Cup of Nations first round qualfiers wrap-up

Equatorial Guinea, former champions, will miss the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) after a surprising loss in the first round of qualifying on Wednesday.

In the second leg of their match against Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea was down 3-1. They could only manage a 1-1 draw at home, despite Tanzania being ranked 63 places lower.

Equatorial Guinea won the tournament in 2008 and 2012 but has not reached a Wafcon since 2018 when they finished last in their group.

In another surprising result, Kenya’s goalkeeper Lilian Awuor saved two penalties, helping her team eliminate Tunisia with a 1-0 win in North Africa. The Harambee Starlets scored early with a goal from Tereza Engesha, despite being ranked 71 places lower than Tunisia.

Botswana has been eliminated from the 2024 tournament without playing. They drew 0-0 away against DR Congo, who will participate in the finals, and ended up losing 2-0 on aggregate.

Togo and Mali were strong winners. Togo defeated Djibouti 10-0 on aggregate, while Mali beat Gabon 10-1 overall.

The second round of qualifiers will take place in October and will decide which 11 teams will join Morocco, the host, at the 2026 tournament. The reigning champions South Africa, along with Zambia and Nigeria, received a bye to the second round because of their high rankings.

The Confederation of African Football has not yet announced the dates for the 2026 Wafcon finals.

In other first-round matches, Ethiopia came back from a 2-0 deficit against Uganda, winning 2-0 on Wednesday and then 5-4 on penalties. Namibia also moved on after defeating Eswatini 1-0 for a 4-0 aggregate victory.

Burkina Faso will play Togo after winning against Burundi 5-1. DR Congo will face Wafcon holders South Africa after beating Botswana.

Kenya’s win over Tunisia means they will play The Gambia, who is ranked 23 places higher and won 4-1 on aggregate against Niger.

Mali will face Cape Verde, who won convincingly against Guinea with a 4-1 score, ttotalling6-3 on aggregate.

Benin will compete against 11-time champions Nigeria after beating Sierra Leone 5-2.

Egypt, trying to qualify for the finals for the first time since 2016, progressed after drawing 2-2 with Rwanda and winning 3-2 overall. They will play Ghana next.

Algeria will face Cameroon after defeating South Sudan 8-0 on aggregate.

Malawi received a bye since Congo-Brazzaville was suspended from international football. Senegal also moved on after Chad withdrew from qualifying.

In the second round, Senegal will play Ivory Coast, and Malawi will face Angola, who advanced by beating Zimbabwe 5-4 on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate tie.

Wafcon 2026 qualifying first-round results

  • Zimbabwe 2-1 Angola (3-3 agg) – Angola win 5-4 on penalties
  • Congo-Brazzaville P-P Malawi – Malawi progress via walkover
  • DR Congo 0-0 Botswana (2-0 agg)
  • Equatorial Guinea 1-1 Tanzania (2-4 agg)
  • Ethiopia 2-0 Uganda (2-2 agg) – Ethiopia win 5-4 on penalties
  • Namibia 1-0 Eswatini (4-0 agg)
  • Burkina Faso 4-1 Burundi (5-1 agg)
  • Togo 5-0 Djibouti (10-0 agg)
  • Algeria 3-0 South Sudan (8-0 agg)
  • Egypt 2-2 Rwanda (3-2 agg)
  • Kenya 1-0 Tunisia (1-0 agg)
  • The Gambia 2-1 Niger (4-1 agg)
  • Sierra Leone 1-3 Benin (2-5 agg)
  • Cape Verde 4-1 Guinea (6-3 agg)
  • Mali 4-1 Gabon (10-1 agg)
  • Senegal P-P Chad – Senegal progress after Chad withdrew
DRC International Yoane Wissa nets in Brentford draw with Everton
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

DRC International Yoane Wissa nets in Brentford draw with Everton

DRC international Yoane Wissa was on target as Everton managed to come back to secure a 1-1 draw against Brentford, stretching their unbeaten streak in the Premier League to seven games.

Yoane Wissa scored his 13th goal of the season, giving the home team the lead just before halftime, but David Moyes’ squad equalized with a header from Jake O’Brien in West London.

The Toffees gradually found their footing after Brentford’s quick start, although they squandered two prime scoring opportunities in the first half, with Beto being particularly unproductive on both chances.

The in-form striker could not get past Mark Flekken when he had a one-on-one opportunity in the 39th minute, and shortly after, Flekken came off his line to thwart him again.

Those missed chances cost Everton dearly as Brentford took the lead deep into stoppage time, where Kevin Schade’s long throw was headed onto the crossbar by Bryan Mbeumo before Wissa tapped in the rebound from close range.

Flekken did well to deny Jack Harrison’s corner, which nearly snuck in at his near post soon after the second half began, and Carlos Alcaraz later shot just wide from the edge of the box.

Wissa had another goal disallowed for offside before the visitors eventually broke through the Bees’ defence, with O’Brien heading Vitalii Mykolenko’s cross low past Flekken with 13 minutes left.

Following this match, Brentford stayed in 11th place in the Premier League rankings. Brentford has not secured a victory in a home game for six matches, despite starting the season unbeaten in eight games at home.