Category: Football Africa

Morocco set for Group C top-spot showdown
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Morocco set for Group C top-spot showdown

Morocco will be aiming for first place in Group C when they face Haiti for the first time at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday morning.

Though they lag the five-time world champions on goal differential in second place, the Atlas Lions are tied with Brazil on four points heading into the last round of group games.

Before recording their first group victory with a 1-0 victory over Scotland six days later, Mohamed Ouahbi’s team drew a disappointing Canarinho 1-1 in their 2026 World Cup opener on June 14.

Since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the North Africans have drawn with Ecuador (1-1) and Norway (1-1), defeated Paraguay (2-1), Burundi (5-0) and Madagascar (4-0) to maintain their perfect record over their previous seven games.

Still, knowing full well that the Grenadiers will be driven to get their first-ever points at the international event, Ouahbi is not going to underestimate them. In his pre-match news conference, he added, “My preference is to beat Haiti and finish ahead of Brazil in the group.”

“Though it might also be Japan, but even then, France or Argentina, there is talk we might play next against the Netherlands, but it is not anything we are thinking about.

Though we probably already possess the necessary skills, we still want to defeat Haiti and so mean to field our greatest team in the game. Though there are still certain considerations before we decide, we could start with the same starting line-up.

“Haiti will be entirely driven since it is a World Cup match, and they will be aiming to get the first points of the competition. We will need to be careful of this. Long before the World Cup, we have been studying them; they are an excellent team; thus, we must be patient.”

With their only other appearance dating all the way back to 1974, the Caribbean team have waited a long time to play on the biggest stage again.

In their first match, Sebastien Migne’s team fought Scotland hard, but ultimately lost 1-0 on account of John McGinn’s 28th-minute goal.

Haiti’s elimination was confirmed on June 20 following a 3-0 reverse to the Brazilians, leaving them without any goals at the spectacle in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Ivory Coast eye win over Curacao in Group E final match
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ivory Coast eye win over Curacao in Group E final match

Ivory Coast and Curacao set for an intriguing contest as they wrap up Group E at the Philadelphia Stadium on Thursday night.

The Ivorians, without a doubt,t will be looking to book their ticket into the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kick-off is nine o’clock at night, BST.

Ivory Coast are currently second with three points, three points behind leaders Germany, who have already secured their place in the knockout rounds.

The Elephants started their season with a 1-0 victory over Ecuador on 15 June as Amad Diallo scored a 90th-minute winner at the Philadelphia Stadium. However, their run was halted with a 2-1 loss against Germany on matchday two when Deniz Undav scored in the 94th minute to deny them a crucial point at the Toronto Stadium.

By contrast, Curacao lost badly 7-1 to Germany at the Houston Stadium in their first match, then drew goalless against Ecuador in their next game to claim their first-ever World Cup finals point.

The Blue Wave, as they are lovingly called, want to be the lowest-ranked country in history (81st) to make it to the knockout rounds. Curacao will have to get top marks against the Ivory Coast and a Germany victory over Ecuador at the New York New Jersey Stadium tonight in order to advance.

Following the Ivory Coast’s loss to Germany, coach Emerse Fae stated that his team aims to change their strategy going into the match against Curacao.

Fae continued, “A difference in experience meant in the opportunities we did have at the end of the game, when we needed to locate the back of the net, we were uncertain.”

“This game will serve as a lesson for us to work on the errors, our flaws we still have, which will help us go as far as we can.”

The first conference between the two countries will be held.

Hearts of Oak's keeper Benjamin Asare shines as Ghana hold England
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Hearts of Oak’s keeper Benjamin Asare shines as Ghana hold England

Five important stops from Benjamin Asare helped Ghana tie England 0-0 in their Group L game on Tuesday in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo Credit GFA)

At the 86th minute, when Nico O’Reilly headed the crossbar, England had the best chance to score against Ghana. Harry Kane then missed a follow-up shot from close range that soared over the goal.

Though they had five shots on target, the Three Lions outshot the Black Stars 19-2 overall but could not win and finish a perfect World Cup group stage for the first time since 1982.

With the same points and sitting atop Group L, both teams are in excellent shape to advance to the following round. In yet another group match, Croatia defeated Panama to set a difficult contest against Ghana in their final group tie.

Ghana seeks to advance past the group stage for the first time since 2010, when they lost to Uruguay in a penalty shootout following Luis Suarez’s handball, which denied a winning goal.

England held far more possession—almost four times more than Ghana—and prevented Ghana from shooting any shots before halftime. Still, England only made six shots, none of which hit their mark.

At last, in the 57th minute, the Three Lions had a shot on goal when Anthony Gordon’s deflected attempt forced Asare to make a save after a promising shot from Noni Madueke was cleared.

A foul call against Prince Adu after a collision with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford while chasing a loose ball may have benefited England. Though Pickford’s repeated revelations revealed he might have been responsible, the game was not significant enough for a red card or a penalty, so it was not examined.

At the 79th minute, while Ezri Konsa challenged Adu as he was rushing down the field, referee Said Martinez did not call a foul.

Most of the heat then fell on Ghana. Marc Guehi’s header was cleared off the line following O’Reilly’s and Kane’s missed opportunities, albeit it might have been going wide.

Senegal's World Cup hopes hanging by a thread
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Senegal’s World Cup hopes hanging by a thread

A brace from Erling Haaland secured Norway a spot in the knockout stage, as Senegal suffered a second defeat in Group I at the New Jersey MetLife Stadium.

After losing to Norway 3-2 in Group I, Senegal’s hopes of making the World Cup knockout rounds are hanging by a thread. As the Scandinavian team guaranteed qualification for the last 32 with a second straight victory, an Erling Haaland brace proved critical.

Though they showed grit and fought back twice, Senegal couldn’t limit Norway’s offensive threat. Haaland’s clinical finishing penalised defensive mistakes and finally helped his team win all three points.

The loss leaves Senegal without a point from their first two games and fighting to keep in contention. To maintain their World Cup dream alive, they must now beat Iraq in their last group game and hope other results run their way.

France has already qualified and is topping the table with six points, boasting a superior goal difference over Norway in this group.

Cape Verde coach: “We want the world to know who we are"
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cape Verde coach: “We want the world to know who we are”

Pedro Leitão Brito,  Cape Verde’s head coach, complimented his team’s excellent 2026 FIFA World Cup opening two matches display, playing daringly against elite football teams, which helped them to wow many.

Cape Verde has made a big impression in their debut World Cup by drawing both Spain and Uruguay in their first two games, therefore shocking many before the games started. They are now close to qualifying for the knockout stage as they are near reaching the round of 32, and a win against Saudi Arabia in their final group game will guarantee this.

Brito talked about what motivates the Blue Sharks of Africa’s acts. Once you’re on the field, everything seems equal, he said. No matter how strong the foe, many teams start to be the same. He stressed that their objective is to inspire other people. As long as you have a dream and follow it, financial or other difficulties will not stop you from reaching great heights.

With qualification close by, Brito thinks their objectives are reasonable and justified,d given their performance. “Given our record versus these tough teams, we should focus on qualifying,” he remarked.

Brito also stressed that Cape Verde’s involvement is about more than simply football; it’s about showcasing their culture on the international scene. Here we hope to show the earth our country. It’s our way of life, music, history, and support—not only football. Everyone should know Cape Verde for who we are.

Saturday the 27th at Houston Stadium, Cape Verde will meet Saudi Arabia at 02:00 starting time.