Category: Football Africa

Debut goal for attacker Malick Yalcouye as Ivory Coast beat Ghana
by FSL News

Debut goal for attacker Malick Yalcouye as Ivory Coast beat Ghana

Brighton striker Malick Yalcouye had a fantastic debut for Ivory Coast, scoring in a 2-0 win against Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Bouake on Thursday.

The 20-year-old scored with a shot from just outside the box in the 44th minute, beating goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi at his near post. Captain Franck Kessie set up the first goal and then scored himself with a penalty in the 58th minute.

Ghana, already missing midfielder Mohammed Kudus, faced more problems with the late injuries of strikers Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo.

This match featured two high-profile coaches, Herve Renard and Carlos Queiroz. Renard returned to coach Ivory Coast after Emerse Fae’s contract was not renewed following a disappointing World Cup exit. Renard led Ivory Coast to their second AFCON title in 2015.

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Heartbreak for Sierra Leone as Zimbabwe Snatch Victory

The Zimbabwe Warriors staged an impressive comeback, overcoming a two-goal deficit to secure a 3-2 victory against Sierra Leone at El Jadida Stadium in Morocco.

Sierra Leone had an early lead in their Group E Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday, with Alie Conteh and Sallieu Tarawallie finding the net.

Conteh opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match, heading the ball into the bottom left corner after receiving a well-placed cross from Tarawallie.

Not long after, Tarawallie himself added to the tally with a precise left-footed shot from close range after expertly controlling the ball, following a corner kick.

Just before the hour mark, Azeem Abdulai made his international debut for Sierra Leone, replacing Saidu Fofanah in midfield. MJ Kamson-Kamara, a defender from Kilmarnock in Scotland, also stepped onto the pitch for his debut, coming on for Juma Bah in defense during the second half.

The Turning Point

Just when it seemed that Sierra Leone was comfortably in control, Zimbabwe struck back. Wolves attacker Marshall Munetsi headed the ball into the bottom right corner in the 72nd minute, pulling one back for Zimbabwe with an assist from Tawanda Chirewa, who delivered a cross following a corner.

Buoyed by this goal, Zimbabwe continued their charge and equalised the match at 2-2. Chirewa found the net again, scoring with a stunning left-footed shot from outside the box into the top left corner, assisted by Marvellous Nakamba.

The Warriors completed their remarkable comeback in the 88th minute, with Munetsi netting his second goal of the match. Sierra Leone seemed to have lost focus after leading 2-0 until the 70th minute.

In another match within Group E, DR Congo triumphed over Equatorial Guinea with a 2-0 victory at Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte on Thursday. With this win, DR Congo temporarily sits atop the Group E standings after Match Day One.

Thursday, 24 September 2026 – Results

  • Group G: Namibia 1-0 Congo 
  • Group E: DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea
  • Group F: Mauritania 3-1 Central African Republic 
  • Group H: Libya 2-2  Botswana 
  • Group C: Côte d’Ivoire 2-0 Ghana
  • Group E: Sierra Leone 2-3 Zimbabwe
  • Group G: Cameroon 3-1 Comoros
  • Group H: Tunisia 1-1 Uganda
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

DR Congo Triumph Over Equatorial Guinea at Stade des Martyrs

The Democratic Republic of Congo triumphed over Equatorial Guinea 2-0 in their opening match of Group E in the AFCON 2027 qualifying tournament, held at the vibrant Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte on Thursday.

The first goal came from Chancel Mbemba, who skillfully directed a powerful header from the center of the box into the bottom left corner of the net. This impressive play was set up by Nathanaël Mbuku, who delivered a precise cross following a well-executed set piece.

Dominating the match, the hosts displayed a combination of determination and skill, although they missed several opportunities to score in the opening twenty minutes.

They eventually extended their lead to 2-0 when Yoane Wissa found the net with a stunning left-footed shot from the center of the box, placing the ball neatly into the bottom right corner.

This victory not only showcased Congo DR’s prowess but also positioned them at the top of Group E, as they prepare to watch Sierra Leone face off against Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the El Jadida stadium in Morocco.

Thursday, 24 September 2026 – Results and Fixtures

  • Group G: Namibia 1-0 Congo 
  • Group E: DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea
  • Group F: Mauritania 3-1 Central African Republic 
  • Group H: Libya 2-2  Botswana 
  • Group C: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana – 19h00
  • Group E: Sierra Leone vs Zimbabwe – 19h00
  • Group G: Cameroon vs Comoros – 19h00
  • Group H: Tunisia vs Uganda – 19h00

Friday, 25 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group L: Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau – 13h00
  • Group A: Niger vs Lesotho – 15h00
  • Group B: Malawi vs South Sudan – 16h00
  • Group C: The Gambia vs Somalia – 16h00
  • Group I: Togo vs Burundi – 16h00
  • Group J: Sudan vs Ethiopia – 16h00
  • Group K: Rwanda vs Liberia – 16h00
  • Group L: Nigeria vs Madagascar – 16h00
  • Group A: Morocco vs Gabon – 19h00
  • Group B: Egypt vs Angola – 19h00
  • Group F: Burkina Faso vs Benin – 19h00
  • Group I: Algeria vs Zambia – 19h00
  • Group J: Senegal vs Mozambique – 19h00
  • Group K: Mali vs Cape Verde – 19h00

Saturday, 26 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group D: Kenya vs Eritrea – 13h00
  • Group D: South Africa vs Guinea – 16h00
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Namibia Defeat Congo to Make Winning Start to AFCON Campaign

The Brave Warriors of Namibia started their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Congo in Gaborone on Thursday.

Beteul Muzeu scored the only goal for Namibia in the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifier against Congo at the Independence Stadium in Botswana.

Muzeu found the net just minutes into the second half to put the Brave Warriors ahead. As a result, Namibia topped Group G before Camerron host Camoros later in the evening at the Stade Omnisports Roumdé Adjia.

Thursday, 24 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group G: Namibia 1-0 vs Congo 
  • Group E: DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea – 16h00
  • Group F: Mauritania vs Central African Republic – 16h00
  • Group H: Libya vs Botswana – 16h00
  • Group C: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana – 19h00
  • Group E: Sierra Leone vs Zimbabwe – 19h00
  • Group G: Cameroon vs Comoros – 19h00
  • Group H: Tunisia vs Uganda – 19h00

Friday, 25 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group L: Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau – 13h00
  • Group A: Niger vs Lesotho – 15h00
  • Group B: Malawi vs South Sudan – 16h00
  • Group C: The Gambia vs Somalia – 16h00
  • Group I: Togo vs Burundi – 16h00
  • Group J: Sudan vs Ethiopia – 16h00
  • Group K: Rwanda vs Liberia – 16h00
  • Group L: Nigeria vs Madagascar – 16h00
  • Group A: Morocco vs Gabon – 19h00
  • Group B: Egypt vs Angola – 19h00
  • Group F: Burkina Faso vs Benin – 19h00
  • Group I: Algeria vs Zambia – 19h00
  • Group J: Senegal vs Mozambique – 19h00
  • Group K: Mali vs Cape Verde – 19h00

Saturday, 26 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group D: Kenya vs Eritrea – 13h00
  • Group D: South Africa vs Guinea – 16h00
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone Set to Begin AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Alongside 47 Other Nations

Sierra Leone and forty-seven other African nations are competing for a spot in the finals of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in 2027.

The Group Stages of the Qualifiers begin on Thursday, September 24, and will run until Tuesday, October 6. During this time, 24 matches will be played across 12 groups.

Match Day 1 features key matches, including Côte d’Ivoire versus Ghana in Bouaké and Morocco against Gabon in Rabat. Sierra Leone hosts Zimbabwe’s Warriors in El Jadida, Morocco, at 19:00 GMT tonight for a place in the tournament from June 19 to July 17, 2027, and will return to East Africa for the first time since 1976.

Sierra Leone, dominated by foreign-based players, will provide a tough test for their visitors, making concentration and discipline crucial throughout the game.

African giant clash: Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana face off at 19:00 GMT. This match marks a new chapter for Côte d’Ivoire under coach Hervé Renard, who has included several new players. Other matches include DR Congo versus Equatorial Guinea and Uganda taking on Tunisia.

On Friday, September 25, 14 matches are scheduled. Morocco will play Gabon, and Egypt will host Angola. Nigeria begins their campaign against Madagascar without star striker Victor Osimhen, who is injured.

On Saturday, September 26, South Africa will host Guinea, and co-host Kenya will face Eritrea. Kenya is already qualified as a co-host, and only the highest-ranked team outside of the host nations will advance.

The 48 teams were divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the finals, except in Groups D, H, and L, where co-hosts automatically qualify. The campaign continues with matches in November and March 2027.

PAMOJA, meaning “Together” in Swahili, reflects CAF’s vision of unity and collaboration as Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda prepare to co-host AFCON.

TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 Qualifiers – Matchday 1 Fixtures

Thursday, 24 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group G: Namibia vs Congo – 13h00
  • Group E: DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea – 16h00
  • Group F: Mauritania vs Central African Republic – 16h00
  • Group H: Libya vs Botswana – 16h00
  • Group C: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana – 19h00
  • Group E: Sierra Leone vs Zimbabwe – 19h00
  • Group G: Cameroon vs Comoros – 19h00
  • Group H: Tunisia vs Uganda – 19h00

Friday, 25 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group L: Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau – 13h00
  • Group A: Niger vs Lesotho – 15h00
  • Group B: Malawi vs South Sudan – 16h00
  • Group C: The Gambia vs Somalia – 16h00
  • Group I: Togo vs Burundi – 16h00
  • Group J: Sudan vs Ethiopia – 16h00
  • Group K: Rwanda vs Liberia – 16h00
  • Group L: Nigeria vs Madagascar – 16h00
  • Group A: Morocco vs Gabon – 19h00
  • Group B: Egypt vs Angola – 19h00
  • Group F: Burkina Faso vs Benin – 19h00
  • Group I: Algeria vs Zambia – 19h00
  • Group J: Senegal vs Mozambique – 19h00
  • Group K: Mali vs Cape Verde – 19h00

Saturday, 26 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group D: Kenya vs Eritrea – 13h00
  • Group D: South Africa vs Guinea – 16h00