Category: Football Africa

The search for Moroccan footballers lost at sea is ongoing
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

The search for Moroccan footballers lost at sea is ongoing

The search continues for two Moroccan footballers who went missing off the country’s northern Mediterranean coast on Saturday.

Ittihad Tanger, a Moroccan club, informed the BBC that five staff members, including senior players Abdellatif Akhrif, 24, and Salman El-Harrak, 18, were on a yacht excursion near the city of Tetouan.

Emergency services rescued three individuals, including club employee Oussama Aflah, young players Soumaimane Dahdouh and Abdelhamid Maali, after they had been adrift at sea for several hours.

Ittihad Tanger president Mohamed Cherkaoui confirmed that the search for the missing players is ongoing and urged caution regarding information shared about the pair on social media.

After being rescued, Aflah spoke to a local media outlet, Tanjaoui, and recounted the events of Saturday afternoon. He mentioned that everything was normal until heavy winds suddenly took them away from the boat while they were swimming within sight of the shore.

Deputy president Anass Mrabet mentioned to Reuters that the men were not wearing life jackets when they went swimming. Ittihad Tanger has been competing in Morocco’s top flight since 2015 and secured their sole league title in the 2017-18 season.

Augustus Kargbo's Cesena announce 2024/25 pre-season schedules
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Augustus Kargbo’s Cesena announce 2024/25 pre-season schedule

Sierra Leone International Augustus Kargbo’s Italian side Cesena has announced their schedule for the pre-season ahead of the new Serie B campaign for the 2024/25 season.

Kargbo was pivotal as Cesena secured promotion to Serie B after winning the Serie C championship against Pescara F.C. by 1-0, thanks to Edoardo Pierozzi In August.

The team’s first training session, under the guidance of the new coach Mignani, is set to start tomorrow. Thirty players have been called up for the first seasonal meeting, including six from the Primavera team.

The schedule for this week includes daily double training sessions at 9 am and 5:30 pm until Friday at the Villa Silvia sports centre. Additionally, all training sessions this week will be open to the public.

On Saturday, July 13, the team will leave for Acquapartita for a two-week retreat. The first two friendlies of the season have been scheduled. The team will play against the local Representative of Alto Savio on Sunday, July 14 and against Sampierana on Thursday, July 18.

New Bournemouth deal for Ghana's Antoine Semenyo
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New Bournemouth deal for Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo

Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo has signed a new five-year contract with AFC Bournemouth until summer 2029. The 24-year-old defender had an excellent season at the Vitality Stadium.

Semenyo joined Cherries from Bristol City for around £ 9 million in January 2023. CEO Neill Blake said, “It’s clear to see Antoine’s growth since joining 18 months ago.

He’s made great progress and had a fantastic first full season with us. Signing a long-term contract was important for us to recognize his role on our team, and we look forward to more success in the years to come.”

Semenyo had a terrific season, helping the club achieve their record-breaking Premier League points total of 48.

He played 33 matches last season, scoring eight goals and providing two assists. His standout performance led to AFC Bournemouth winning the Premier League’s Most Improbable Comeback award for 2023/24.

He also earned the club’s Player of the Month award for November. Since joining in January 2023, he has played 47 times for the Cherries in all competitions.

He made his International debut for the Ghana national team during a 3-0 victory in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Madagascar on June 1, 2022. On November 14, 2022, Semenyo was selected for Ghana’s 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

 Togolese descent Lilian Brassier joins Marseille
by FSL News

 Togolese descent Lilian Brassier joins Marseille

Togolese descent Lilian Brassier has joined Olympique de Marseille on loan from Stade Brestois. The 24-year-old defender has signed with an option to buy after passing a medical examination.

 The centre-back began his professional career at Stade Rennais and made his debut in Ligue 2 in the 2019-2020 season. He was then loaned to Valenciennes FC, where he played 27 matches.

He was spotted by Stade Brestois 29 and joined them in the following season in Finistère. His skills in duels and heading were noticeable from the start in Ligue 1.

Lilian Brassier is a versatile and adaptable defender known for his quality recovery with his left foot. He played 30 matches, scored 3 goals, and helped Stade Brestois 29 finish on the podium and secure a place in the Champions League during the 2023-24 season.

With over 100 matches and 5 goals in Ligue 1, he has become a reliable central defender at the age of 24.

Ivory Coast's head coach, Emerse Fae, is confident that his team will qualify for the 2025 tournament in Morocco from Group G.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Coach Emerse fae confident of reaching Morocco from Group G

Ivory Coast’s head coach, Emerse Fae, is confident that his team will qualify for the 2025 tournament in Morocco from Group G.

Fae became the manager of the Ivory Coast U23 and assistant coach of the Ivory Coast senior team in May 2022. Later, in January 2024, he was appointed as caretaker of Ivory Coast for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, following the dismissal of Gasset.

Under his leadership, Ivory Coast clinched the 2023 AFCON title, and Fae was awarded the Best Coach of the tournament.
The Ivory Coast has been assigned to a challenging group for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where they will compete against Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad in Group G.

Fae mentioned his familiarity with the Zambian team, which Ivory Coast previously played against in the last Afcon qualifying.

“We played against Zambia for the last Afcon qualifying so we know this team very well,” Fae said.

“No easy games in African football but we are defending champions and must be ready to defend our crown by reaching Morocco 2025,” Fae was quoted as saying.

“The team appreciates the proximity of the upcoming games, as they prefer not to have long trips.”

The qualifiers will occur across six match days in September, October, and November of this year. Fae expressed his preference for playing all the games quickly, as it helps the team to stay focused and allows them time to prepare if they qualify for the competition.

The 2025 Afcon finals are scheduled to begin on 21st December next year, with the final on 18th January 2026.

The Ivory Coast has been assigned to a challenging group for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where they will compete against Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad in Group G.
The Ivory Coast has been assigned to a challenging group for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where they will compete against Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad in Group G.