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Category: Soccer

Morocco 2025: Chelle Picks Nwabali, Osimhen, Ndidi, 25 Others for 35th AFCON

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Head Coach Eric Sékou Chelle has opted for goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi and Zaidu Sanusi, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka, and forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, and 20 other players to make up Nigeria’s 28-man roster for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations starting in Morocco in 10 days’ time. The Franco-Malian also picked defenders Chidozie Awaziem and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze and Simon Moses, among others. There is a return for Cyprus-based goaltender Francis Uzoho, defender Igoh Ogbu and forward Paul Onuachu, while England-based defender Ryan Alebiosu, midfielders Usman Muhammed (Israel), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Italy) and Tochukwu Nnadi (Belgium), and Croatia-based forward Salim Fago Lawal will be joining up with the group for the first time. The Super Eagles will clash with the Pharaohs of Egypt in a friendly encounter at the Cairo Stadium on Tuesday, 16th December, before flying aboard a chartered flight from Cairo to Fès (their battlefield in Group C) two days later. The three-time champions take on the Taifa Stars of Tanzania on 23rd December, before further group phase encounters against Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles (27th December) and Uganda’s Cranes (30th December). 28 SUPER EAGLES FOR 35TH AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS MOROCCO 2025 Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus) Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England) Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel) Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961 (Croatia)

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Real Madrid Fall 2–1 To Man City As Pressure Mounts On Xabi Alonso

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Real Madrid’s night at the Bernabéu ended in frustration as Manchester City edged out a 2–1 win, a result that immediately placed renewed scrutiny on Xabi Alonso’s position. The encounter had been framed as a decisive moment for the coach, and the loss now leaves his future in the hands of Florentino Pérez. Madrid actually started with purpose, imposing themselves in the early stages and creating enough danger to go ahead more than once. Their breakthrough finally arrived in the 28th minute when Rodrygo—ending a long goal drought—finished confidently and briefly lifted the mood inside the stadium. That momentum evaporated quickly. City responded through Nico O’Reilly, who levelled soon after, and the turnaround was complete before the interval when Erling Haaland converted a penalty in the 43rd minute to make it 2–1. The performance was uneven—far from Madrid’s poorest but never fully convincing. With Kylian Mbappé unavailable, the team lacked sharpness in key moments, and the crowd made its displeasure clear through whistles and flashes of anger as the match slipped away.

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Arsenal Seal Strong 3–0 Win With Madueke Brace And Martinelli Screamer

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Arsenal’s 3–0 victory began to take shape early on, with the home side showing clear intent from the opening whistle. Their first real warning came in the 22nd minute when Piero Hincapié unleashed a powerful effort that clipped the right post, a moment that hinted at the pressure to come. The breakthrough followed shortly after. In the 25th minute, Noni Madueke produced a brilliant long-range strike that crashed off the same post before sliding into the net, giving Arsenal a deserved 1–0 advantage and settling the rhythm of the contest. After going into the break with that slim lead, Arsenal exploded out of the dressing room. Barely two minutes into the second half, Madueke struck again—this time rising to nod home from close range after a well-placed delivery from Martin Zubimendi, doubling the score at 2–0 as the opposing goalkeeper failed to react decisively. By the 56th minute, the result was beyond doubt. Gabriel Martinelli capped the performance with a sensational finish into the top-right corner, leaving Dani van den Heuvel helpless and sealing Arsenal’s commanding 3–0 win.

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Cote d’Ivoire Names 26-man Squad For AFCON 2025

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Cote d’Ivoire coach Emerse Faé has named his 26-man squad for the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, with Wilfried Zaha making a surprise return and Simon Adingra missing out of the squad. The announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon as the defending champions confirmed the squad they will take to Morocco. The returning Zaha, now 33, is included for the first time in nearly two years after impressing with Charlotte FC in MLS, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists this season. His recall comes as Faé looks to balance experience with emerging talent in a squad tasked with defending the title they won on home soil in 2024. Faé said discussions with Zaha had been ongoing “for several months” and that the forward’s recent club form and profile fit what the Elephants needed in attack. Jean-Michaël Seri, also recalled, returns after a long injury lay-off. Several younger players have also been retained, including Yan Diomandé, Amad Diallo and Bazoumana Touré, reflecting Faé’s intention to refresh the squad while keeping its competitive core intact. However, the absence of Brighton winger Simon Adingra is one of the headline omissions. Adingra, who was a breakout figure at the 2023 AFCON, has struggled for playing time at Sunderland this season, featuring only nine times. Faé said competition for his position was “very strong” and that he had to prioritise players with greater continuity in club football. Nicolas Pépé, another high-profile absentee, also misses out despite regular appearances for Villarreal. His omission continues a trend from recent international windows in which the winger has been overlooked. Jérémie Boga and Clément Akpa are also excluded, while Torino defender Wilfried Singo misses the tournament through injury. The 26-man squad will be supported by two reserves, Parfait Guiagon and Evann Guessand, who will be on standby in case of pre-tournament withdrawals. Côte d’Ivoire enter the tournament in Group F alongside Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique. After their dramatic title win in 2024, Faé hopes the blend of youth and senior players will allow the Elephants to compete strongly again in Morocco. SQUAD GOALKEEPERS: Yahia Fofana (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey), Mohamed Koné (Charleroi SC, Belgium), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos, Greece) DEFENDERS: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Boly Willy (Nottingham Forest, England), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP, Portugal) Guela Doué (RC Strasbourg, France), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente, Portugal), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta BC, Italy), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma, Italy), Christopher Operi (Istanbul Başakşehir, Turkey), Armel Zohouri (FC Iberia 1999, Georgia) MIDFIELDERS: Seko Fofana (Stade Rennais, France), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (FC Metz, France), Christ Inao Oulaï (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest, England), Jean-Michael Seri (NK Maribor FC, Slovenia) FORWARDS: Vakoun Bayo (Udinese Calcio, Italy), Oumar Diakité (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Amad Diallo (Manchester United, England), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig, Germany), Sébastien Haller (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Jean-Philippe Krasso (Paris FC, France), Bazoumana Touré (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Germany), Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte FC, United States) STANDBY: Guessand Evann (Aston Villa, England), Guiagon Parfait (Royal Charleroi SC, Belgium)

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Super Eagles Foes, Tanzania Unveils AFCON 2025 Squad

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Taifa Stars of Tanzania Head coach, Miguel Gamondi has named his squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Gamondi picked a invite a mix of players from the Tanzanian domestic league and a few overseas-based stars, as the team aims for a good performance in Morocco. The Taifa Stars are already in Egypt for a series of friendly matches, where they will fine-tune their squad before heading to Morocco for the tournament. At this year’s tournament, they’ve been placed in Group C, alongside Nigeria, Uganda, and Tunisia. Tanzania’s first match will be against Nigeria on January 23rd. Super Eagles are unbeaten in all past encounters against Tanzania winning five wins and three draws. Tanzania’s second match is against regional rivals Uganda on January 27th, followed by their final group match against Tunisia on January 30th. All matches will be played in Fez, Morocco. For the Taifa Stars, this tournament represents a chance to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in their AFCON history. In their three previous appearances (1980, 2019, and 2023), Tanzania was eliminated at the group stage. The team is hopeful that this will be the year they break that barrier and make a deep run in the competition.

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Atalanta Rally To Beat Chelsea 2–1 After Second-Half Fightback

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Atalanta came from behind to defeat Chelsea 2–1, overturning a first-half deficit in a match played at a high tempo and backed by a vibrant home atmosphere. The hosts started strongly, driven by constant noise from the stands, and nearly scored within the opening minutes as Ademola Looman caused early problems. Chelsea absorbed that pressure — helped by key defensive work from Acheampong — and soon settled into the game. Their first meaningful attack produced the opener midway through the half. Reece James, kept onside by a tight call, found João Pedro in the box, and the forward finished with a low toepoke between the goalkeeper’s legs. Chelsea grew more comfortable as the half progressed, and Neto almost added another before the interval, but the visitors held their 1–0 lead at the break. Both teams exchanged chances early in the second half. James missed from a promising position, while Lookman had an effort correctly ruled out for offside. Atalanta equalised moments later when Scamacca, left unmarked, headed in from close range. The hosts pushed for a second and eventually found it in the 83rd minute. De Ketelaere advanced into the area and struck a shot that took a deflection, leaving Sánchez unable to react. Chelsea’s late response lacked urgency. João Pedro had a final opportunity deep into stoppage time, but his shot from close range went straight at the goalkeeper, confirming Atalanta’s win.

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Carragher Calls Salah’s Blast At Liverpool Boss A Disgrace, Future At Club Uncertain

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher on Monday slammed Mohamed Salah after the Egypt forward publicly criticized Reds manager Arne Slot following Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds. Salah claimed he had been “thrown under a bus” and described his relationship with Slot as nonexistent after being left on the bench for the third consecutive game amid a dip in form this season. Liverpool responded by dropping the 33-year-old from the squad for their UEFA Champions League clash against Inter. On Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher, a 2005 Champions League winner with Liverpool, said: “I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game. Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst. I don’t think it was. I think whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he has done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed with his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.” “He’s chosen this weekend to do this now, and he’s waited, I think, for a bad result… Everyone involved with the club [feeling] like they’re in the gutter, and he’s chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe try to get him sacked,” Carragher added. Salah, a two-time Premier League champion and Champions League winner, signed a new contract in April, but hinted he could have played his last game for Liverpool as he prepares to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday’s clash with Brighton & Hove Albion. Linked with a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League, Salah’s future at Anfield remains uncertain. Carragher said: “What he’s done off the pitch, I think the club have made the right decision in terms of him not going abroad. Whether he will play for Liverpool again, I don’t know. I hope he does, because he’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever had, but if you continue like that, and statements like that, if he doesn’t play, who knows.”

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Pre-AFCON Friendly: FIFA Regulation Pushes Nigeria, Egypt Game to Tuesday, 16 December

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The decision by world football-governing body, FIFA that Clubs can hold on to their players until Monday, 15 December 2025 before they are released for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco has necessitated the postponement of the pre-AFCON friendly between Nigeria and Egypt. Seven-time winners Egypt and three-time winners Nigeria were scheduled to clash in a tune-up game in Cairo on Sunday, 14 December, in line with an earlier regulation that ruled that players be released earlier. The game has now been moved to Tuesday, 16 December as a result of the regulation. Aside from the postponement, the game will now be a practice match in order to allow the two teams to make use of more than five substitutes in the encounter, which will kick off at 8pm Egypt time (7pm Nigeria time) at the Cairo Stadium. The Super Eagles are in Group C of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals alongside 2004 champions Tunisia, 1978 runners-up Uganda, and Tanzania. Nigeria’s first match is on Tuesday, 23 December against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars at the Complexe Sportif de Fes, where they will also tackle Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles (Saturday, 27 December) and the Cranes of Uganda (Tuesday, 30 December). The Pharaohs, who hosted the finals in 2019, are in Group B alongside 1996 hosts and winners South Africa, 2010 hosts Angola, and Zimbabwe. Their matches will be at the Stade d’Agadir.

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