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Tag: AFCON

Egypt Defeats Nigeria 2–1 In Pre-AFCON Friendly

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Egypt edged Nigeria 2–1 in a pre-Africa Cup of Nations friendly in Cairo on Tuesday, thanks to a second-half strike from Mostafa Mohamed. The hosts opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark when Mahmoud Saber tapped in at the back post following a precise delivery from Zizo, who repeatedly caused problems for the Super Eagles down the right wing. Nigeria struggled to maintain attacking momentum but came close to an equaliser when Paul Onuachu’s long ball almost resulted in an own goal by Yasser Ibrahim, forcing a sharp save from Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy. The Super Eagles eventually drew level shortly afterward. Zaidu Sanusi’s free kick from the left was mishandled by El Shenawy at his near post, allowing defender Chidozie Awaziem to head the ball in from close range. Egypt regained the lead in the second half as Mostafa Mohamed finished clinically inside the box after another incisive move orchestrated by Zizo. Despite Nigeria’s continued efforts, they could not find a response, and Egypt held on to secure the victory, boosting morale ahead of the tournament. Egypt will begin their AFCON campaign against Zimbabwe on Monday, December 22, while Nigeria face Tanzania the following day.

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Eto’o and Marc Brys Clash as Cameroon Names Two AFCON Squads

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Cameroon plunged into chaos just days before the Africa Cup of Nations as tensions erupted between national team manager Marc Brys and Cameroonian Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o. Eto’o, who recently celebrated his fourth year as president of the federation, is reportedly in a bitter feud with Brys, who has refused to step down. Despite Eto’o declaring that Brys’s tenure is over, the Belgian coach remains under contract with the Ministry of Sport until September 2026 and has yet to be officially dismissed. The dispute has thrown the national team into confusion, with two separate AFCON squads now named. On December 1, the Cameroonian FA, under Eto’o’s leadership, announced a 28-man squad with David Pagou — not Brys — as head coach. Pagou, officially listed on FIFA’s website, held a press conference to present the squad and outline Cameroon’s ambitions for the tournament, alongside a newly appointed coaching staff. The squad also featured several high-profile omissions, including former Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana, ex-Bayern Munich forward Eric Choupo-Moting, and veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar. Sources claim Eto’o may have pushed for Aboubakar’s exclusion to prevent him from breaking Eto’o’s all-time goal-scoring record. Aboubakar, 33, is currently 12 goals shy of surpassing Eto’o and could feasibly break the record during AFCON. The saga took another twist on Wednesday when Brys, rejecting his dismissal, announced a second Cameroon squad that reinstated the previously omitted players, further fueling the ongoing controversy. The drama has cast a shadow over Cameroon’s AFCON preparations, leaving fans and players uncertain just as the tournament is set to begin.

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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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Wilfred Ndidi Named Super Eagles Captain for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

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Wilfred Ndidi will captain the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following the retirement of William Troost-Ekong. Troost-Ekong announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, leaving the leadership role in the team open. Ndidi, who led the Super Eagles during last month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs in Morocco, is set to officially assume the captaincy at AFCON. Winger Moses Simon, one of the team’s most experienced players alongside Ndidi, is expected to be named vice-captain. The midfielder made his Super Eagles debut in August 2015 and has since earned 71 caps. He was sidelined for the delayed 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire due to injury.

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Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle Unveils Provisional Squad For 2025 AFCON

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Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has unveiled his provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), sharing the list via the team’s official X account on Tuesday. The attacking lineup is set to feature stars like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Tolu Arokodare, while goalkeeping duties will be handled by Maduka Okoye and Stanley Nwabali. The midfield boasts experienced players including Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, and Frank Onyeka. The 2025 AFCON is scheduled to kick off later this month and will run until January 2026. Provisional Super Eagles Squad: Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United), Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars), Maduka Okoye (Udinese), Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC), Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC), Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood), Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest), Calvin Bassey (Fulham), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague), Felix Agu (Werder Bremen), Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers), Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors) Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Frank Onyeka (Brentford), Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge), Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace), Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC), Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias), Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa), Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirligi SK) Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Simon Moses (Paris FC), Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla), Tolu Arokodare (Wolves), Akor Adams (Sevilla), Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod), Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad), Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic Glasgow), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest), Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor), Terem Moffi (Nice), Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen), Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos), Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes), Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen), Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United), Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves), Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven), Philip Otele (FC Basel), Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961), Emmanuel Michael (Linzer Athletik SK) Chelle’s squad is now set for further preparations ahead of the tournament as Nigeria looks to make a strong showing at AFCON 2025.

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AFCON 2025: Onana Left Out As Cameroon Shockingly Omits Vincent Aboubakar From Squad

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Cameroon has made a major surprise in its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, leaving out goalkeeper André Onana and veteran captain Vincent Aboubakar. Onana, the Trabzonspor shot-stopper who has been a regular presence for the Indomitable Lions, was not included by newly appointed head coach David Pagou. Aboubakar, a long-serving leader of the team, was also omitted from the traveling squad to Morocco. Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo has been named in the squad, strengthening Cameroon’s attacking options as the team gears up for the tournament starting December 21. The changes follow the sacking of coach Marc Brys and the hiring of Pagou, a seasoned Cameroonian coach and physical-education teacher. His selections have already sparked debate among fans and analysts, with many seeing the moves as part of a plan to refresh the squad and inject new energy. Cameroon, five-time AFCON champions, aim to bounce back on the continental stage after recent setbacks, including failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under Brys.

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CAF Announces Free Electronic Visas For AFCON Morocco 2025 Supporters

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 Local Organising Committee have announced that fans attending the tournament will be eligible for free electronic visas. In a statement released on Friday, CAF confirmed that citizens of countries that normally require a visa to enter Morocco will benefit from the initiative. Electronic visas for supporters attending the tournament, scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, can now be obtained free of charge through the YALLA app. The announcement comes as global interest in Africa’s biggest football event continues to grow, with more fans booking tickets through CAF’s official ticketing platform. CAF emphasized that a Fan ID is mandatory for entry into all stadiums and official fan zones. “CAF supporters can apply for both the Fan ID and e-visa in one place inside the YALLA app, streamlining travel and stadium access. The Fan ID application and e-visa request are completed seamlessly within the app, ensuring a faster, easier, and secure experience for international and local fans alike,” the statement added. To apply, fans are required to download the YALLA app via Google Play or the App Store, or visit the YALLA website, complete the Fan ID form, and submit the e-visa request if applicable. Once approved, supporters can purchase match tickets on the CAF ticketing platform. CAF explained that the new measures are aimed at providing a smooth and secure experience for fans across nine stadiums in six host cities. “CAF, with support from the LOC, reaffirms its commitment to delivering a world-class spectator experience throughout Africa’s greatest football celebration,” the statement read. So far, 298,000 tickets have been sold in the first two phases of sales, with buyers from 33 African countries and 106 nations worldwide.

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