Sports

Manchester United Appoints New Manager Until 2027

Published

10 months ago

November 1, 2024

Ruben Amorim was Friday named as the new manager of Manchester United, replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag.

The 39-year-old Portuguese coach, who won two Primeira Liga titles with Sporting Lisbon, has signed a deal until 2027 and will join the club on November 11.

“Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach of the men’s first team, subject to work visa requirements,” the club said on its website.

“He will join until June 2027 with a club option of an additional year, once he has fulfilled his obligations to his current club.”

United described Amorim as “one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football”.

“Highly decorated as both a player and coach, his titles include winning the Primeira Liga twice in Portugal with Sporting CP — the first of which was the club’s first title in 19 years,” the club statement said.

Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue to take charge of the team until Amorim arrives at Old Trafford during the November international break.

His first game in charge will be away at struggling Ipswich on November 24.

United sacked Ten Hag on Monday after a 2-1 defeat by West Ham left them languishing 14th in the Premier League, with just three wins from nine matches.

Amorim quickly emerged as the club’s top target and Sporting issued a statement to the Lisbon stock exchange earlier this week confirming United were willing to meet his release clause of 10 million euros ($11 million).

Amorim was peppered with questions about his prospective switch at his press conference ahead of Sporting’s home league game against Estrela on Friday but he remained tight-lipped.

“It is a negotiation between two clubs,” he said on Thursday.

“It’s never easy. Even with the clauses it’s never easy, they have to talk.”

Prior to Wednesday’s 5-2 win against Leicester in the fourth round of the League Cup, United had won just one of their past eight games in all competitions.

Ten Hag won the League Cup and FA Cup during his spell at Old Trafford but the club have not won the Premier League since 2013, in Alex Ferguson’s last season in charge.

Ferguson won the Premier League title 13 times but since his departure five permanent managers have come and gone without adding to the club’s 20 top-flight titles.

Van Nistelrooy said Thursday he was “motivated” to help turn United’s season around and wants to stay at the club as he prepares the players for a high-profile match against Chelsea on Sunday.

Asked if it is his expectation that he will remain as an assistant under the new United boss Van Nistelrooy, a former PSV Eindhoven manager, said: “We will see but it’s a contract situation that I’m in, and my desire to help the club go forward.

“So I can speak to you about my side of this story, and after that, when the new situation is occurring, when the new manager is signing and conversations take place, we have to see how things develop.”

Sports

[FULL LIST] 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Egypt, Ivory Coast, Tunisia Lead Groups

Published

1 hour ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

African 2026 World Cup qualifying tables after matches on Friday (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Group A

Egypt 7 6 1 0 16 2 19

Burkina Faso 7 4 2 1 19 7 14

Sierra Leone 7 2 3 2 8 8 9

Guinea-Bissau 7 1 4 2 6 8 7

Ethiopia 7 1 3 3 7 9 6

Djibouti 7 0 1 6 4 26 1

Group B

DR Congo 7 5 1 1 11 3 16

Senegal 7 4 3 0 10 1 15

Sudan 7 3 3 1 8 4 12

Mauritania 7 1 2 4 4 9 5

Togo 7 0 4 3 4 9 4

South Sudan 7 0 3 4 3 14 3

Group C

South Africa 7 5 1 1 13 5 16

Benin 7 3 2 2 7 7 11

Rwanda 6 2 2 2 4 4 8

Nigeria 6 1 4 1 7 6 7

Lesotho 7 1 3 3 4 8 6

Zimbabwe 7 0 4 3 5 10 4

Group E

Morocco 6 6 0 0 19 2 18 – qualified

Tanzania 6 3 1 2 6 5 10

Zambia 5 2 0 3 9 7 6

Niger 5 2 0 3 6 9 6

Congo 6 0 1 5 3 20 1

— Eritrea withdrew before matchday 1

Group F

Ivory Coast 7 6 1 0 15 0 19

Gabon 7 6 0 1 16 6 18

Burundi 7 3 1 3 13 8 10

Gambia 7 2 1 4 15 14 7

Kenya 7 1 3 3 12 11 6

Seychelles 7 0 0 7 2 34 0

Group G

Algeria 7 6 0 1 19 7 18

Uganda 7 4 0 3 10 7 12

Mozambique 7 4 0 3 10 15 12

Guinea 7 3 1 3 7 5 10

Botswana 7 3 0 4 10 11 9

Somalia 7 0 1 6 3 14 1

Group H

Tunisia 7 6 1 0 12 0 19

Namibia 7 3 3 1 9 4 12

Liberia 7 3 1 3 7 7 10

Eq. Guinea 7 3 1 3 7 10 10

Malawi 7 3 0 4 6 7 9

Sao Tome 7 0 0 7 4 17 0

Note: Group winners qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The four best-ranked runners-up enter a mini tournament and the winners qualify for the six-nation inter-continental play-offs with two finals places up for grabs

AFP

Sports

[FULL LIST] World Cup: Nigeria, Others Face Elimination

Published

2 days ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

As African qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup heats up, Egypt and Morocco are edging closer to sealing their tickets to the global showpiece in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, while Nigeria’s hopes hang by a thread.

With four rounds of matches left, the race across the nine African groups is intensifying, leaving several giants at risk of missing out.

Below is the state of play across all groups:

Group A – Egypt in Command

Standings: Egypt lead Burkina Faso by five points.

Key Matches: Egypt vs Ethiopia; Burkina Faso vs Djibouti.

Outlook: Two wins could seal Egypt’s qualification.

Group B – Three-Way Battle

Standings: DR Congo, Senegal, and Sudan are split by one point.

Key Matches: Senegal host Sudan and face DR Congo; Sudan visit Togo.

Outlook: Sudan chase a maiden World Cup amid conflict at home.

Group C – Nigeria in Trouble

Standings: South Africa top with 13 points; Nigeria sit fourth with seven.

Key Matches: Nigeria host Rwanda, then face South Africa away.

Outlook: Nigeria must win both to stay alive. A ruling on South Africa’s alleged ineligible player could impact standings.

Group D – Cape Verde vs Cameroon

Standings: Cape Verde lead Cameroon by one point.

Key Matches: Cape Verde host Cameroon, then travel to Mauritius; Cameroon face Eswatini.

Outlook: Cape Verde eye historic qualification; Libya and Angola still lurking.

Group E – Morocco Poised for History

Standings: Morocco boast a perfect record (5 wins in 5).

Key Matches: Morocco play Niger and Zambia; Tanzania face Congo-Brazzaville.

Outlook: Atlas Lions could become Africa’s first confirmed qualifiers.

Group F – Ivory Coast vs Gabon

Standings: Ivory Coast one point ahead of Gabon.

Key Matches: Gabon host Ivory Coast; Ivory Coast face Burundi and Seychelles.

Outlook: A tight race between two resurgent sides.

Group G – Algeria Closing In

Standings: Algeria three points clear of Mozambique.

Key Matches: Algeria host Botswana, travel to Guinea; Mozambique meet Uganda and Botswana.

Outlook: Algeria well-placed but can’t slip up.

Group H – Tunisia in Control

Standings: Tunisia four points ahead of Namibia.

Key Matches: Tunisia vs Liberia; Tunisia vs Equatorial Guinea; Namibia face Malawi and Sao Tome.

Outlook: Tunisia could qualify early, but an Equatorial Guinea appeal looms.

Group I – Ghana Push for Redemption

Standings: Ghana lead by three points over Comoros; Mali trailing.

Key Matches: Ghana face Chad and Comoros; Comoros travel to Mali.

Outlook: Ghana could book qualification at home, making up for their AFCON 2025 failure.

Sports

13 Super Eagles Players Arrive Camp For World Cup Qualifiers

Published

3 days ago

September 2, 2025

Editor

The number of players in the Super Eagles’ camp has increased to 13, as Nigeria intensifies preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.

This follows the arrival of nine more players at the team’s camp in Ikot Ikpene on Tuesday, according to Promise Efoghe, the team’s media officer.

The new arrivals include Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Ola Aina, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Moses Simon, Chidozie Awaziem, Adebayo Adeleye, and Benjamin Fredericks.

They joined the quartet of William Troost-Ekong, Amas Obasogie, Felix Agu, and Raphael Onyedika, who checked into camp on Monday.

Efoghe confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria that out of the 23 players who were invited for the double-header fixtures, only 13 had arrived, with 10 more players still being expected.

“A total of 13 players are currently in camp, and we are expecting the rest of the squad to arrive later today and early tomorrow,” Efoghe said.

He also shared details of the team’s upcoming media engagements.

“There will be a press conference with the coaching staff and selected players on Wednesday at the training pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium,” Efoghe stated.

“For Friday, the pre-match press conference will holbe held the same venue, and the first 15 minutes of the team’s training session will be open to media coverage.”

Players still beiexpected to be included arealkeeper Stanley Nwabali; defender Bruno Onyemaechi; midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka; and forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Cyriel Dessers, Christantus Uche, and Tolu Arokodare.

Nigeria will host Rwanda on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, in a Matchday 7 fixture. They will then travel to Bloemfontein to face South Africa on Monday, in a Matchday 8 encounter.

The Super Eagles currently sit third in Group C of the African qualifiers with two points from two matches, behind leaders South Africa (four points) and Rwanda (also four points but with an inferior goal difference).

Only the top team in the group will qualify automatically for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Full 23-Man Squad:

Goalkeepers:

Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa);

Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars, Tanzania);

Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece).

Defenders:

William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia);

Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England);

Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, England);

Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England);

Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece);