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Manchester City defeated 2-0 on Saturday to give Michael Carrick the dream start in his interim role as manager, a blow to their local rivals’ hopes of winning the Premier League title.

The inspired Gianluigi Donnarumma and their three offside goals kept Old Trafford’s dominance until the final 25 minutes to seal the victory.

Bryan Mbeumo scored the winning goal in the opening game of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), and Patrick Dorgu, United’s only other win in eight games, sealed his comeback.

Victory places Carrick’s side in the top four, but North London will be as proud of their success as Arsenal, who just won their first league title in 22 years.

When they travel to Nottingham Forest later on Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s men can take a nine-point lead at the top.

The return of Mbeumo and Amad Diallo from their international duties at AFCON was a result of Carrick’s brave team choice.

Harry Maguire should have scored within the first two minutes of his first start in two months.

The centre-back climbed to meet Bruno Fernandes’ corner, but he slammed his header off the crossbar from close range.

READ ALSO: Senegal’s AFCON Final: Security, Ticketing, and Other Issues

Although Pep Guardiola named an inexperienced duo of Max Alleyne and Abdukodir Khusanov at center-back after being injured in his defense, City are expected to close the deal with Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.

Without Donnarumma’s incredible goalkeeping prowess, City’s makeshift back line struggled to keep United at bay all afternoon and would have been embarrassed.

Midway through the opening period, the Italian made its first significant contribution to parry Dorgu’s effort.

Before the break, Donnarumma had already been defeated twice, but Diallo and Fernandes both scuffled offside before rounding the goalkeeper.

At half-time, Guardiola made a double substitution for Nico O’Riley and Raya Cherki to arouse their interest.

City’s title challenge has quickly faded as a result of their four-game winless run in the Premier League since the start of the year.

Donnarumma’s stunning double save from Casemiro’s follow-up effort and Diallo’s powerful strike kept Donnarumma out of the home side until the hour was up.

When City’s opening goal came in 25 minutes, a significant part in their own demise.

United jumped ahead in numbers thanks to Cherki’s subdued free kick, and Mbeumo fired low and hard beyond Donnarumma’s long levers.

As Rico Lewis was sleeping to steal the ball away at the back post, Cunha made the second play.

Guardiola substituted Erling Haaland 10 minutes into the game’s 10 minutes before the Norwegians could still compete in four different competitions and made an appearance to waive the white flag.

Diallo’s 90th minute header almost sealed a stunning individual display.

Mason Mount then rolled in Cunha’s cross with his first touch after replacing Fernandes, only for VAR to rescue them for offside once more.

City’s title aspirations had already been damaged, making Carrick’s victory in the Theatre of Dreams even more special.

On Saturday, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw stated that Sadio Mane’s last game at the Africa Cup of Nations would not be his last appearance there, saying the former Liverpool player would not want to leave.

“His decision is no longer his responsibility. On the eve of the final game against the host nation, Thiaw told reporters in Rabat that there is a whole community behind him and that they would like for him to continue.

Mane, 33, declared he would not participate in another Cup of Nations after the semi-final defeat to Egypt on Wednesday, which was the winner.

His comments suggested that he might end his international career entirely after the World Cup in June and July, when he will turn 34.

Read more about Senegal’s AFCON Final: Security, Ticketing, and Other Concerns.

In 2027, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are scheduled to host the next Cup of Nations.

“I believe he made his decision in the midst of the monment, and the country does not agree with me, and I do not at all agree with that,” said Thiaw, the national team’s coach.

“We want to keep him as long as possible,” he said.

Senegal won the Cup of Nations in 2022 for the first time in their history when the former Liverpool star scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out against Egypt.

The two-time African player of the year winner also participated in the team that lost to Algeria in the 2019 final; this will be Senegal’s third AFCON final after the previous three years.

Sadio is a remarkable player who “would have deserved to win a Ballon d’Or.” He is simply amazing, according to defensive player Moussa Niakhate.

He lacks a large ego, he claims. He simply works hard and cares about his country; this is his sixth AFCON, demonstrating his perseverance and longevity.

security concerns

The coach of Senegal expressed anger over the welcome his team received on Friday when they arrived in the Moroccan capital.

Since Tangiers, the port city in which The Lions of Teranga have been based since the start of the competition, made a trip to Rabat.

Late on Friday, the Senegalese Football Federation made a statement expressing “serious concerns,” including a “lack of adequate security” for the team’s arrival, which “put the players and staff in danger.”

Additionally, it expressed concern about the hotel the delegation received and the number of tickets given to their supporters for the final, and that they were unsatisfied that the Moroccan team had offered them a training pitch.

Thiaw resisted saying, “What happened yesterday was not normal.”

Anything could have happened, given the number there, they said. My players were in danger, I imagine.

That kind of interaction shouldn’t take place between two neighboring nations.

Morocco aims to capitalize on its home advantage to win the AFCON title for the first time in 50 years as the top two teams in Africa are paired up for the final, which is held in front of the top two teams in the FIFA rankings.

However, the semi-finalists for the 2022 World Cup are under enormous pressure to win.

The final step will be the most challenging, Morocco coach Walid Regragui said, “We dreamed of being here, and we are now,” Regragui said.

Senegal are a great team, and this is their third of four finals, but a final between the top two teams is fantastic for African football.

He continued, “It will be crucial how we handle the emotion of the occasion.” We can’t put too much pressure on ourselves.

Nigeria will be aiming to bow out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on a high when they take on Egypt in a third-place play-off on Saturday. 

The Super Eagles are fresh off a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to hosts Morocco, but are expected to bounce back against the Pharaohs of Egypt with a podium finish at the 2025 AFCON. 

Egypt, on the other hand, lost out to Senegal in the semi-final of the continental showpiece, failing to extend their record seven titles at the AFCON. 

Nigeria have the highest number of bronze medals at the AFCON, winning it eight times. The last time they achieved that feat was coincidentally in Egypt 2019 when the West African defeated Tunisia courtesy of an Odion Ighalo lone strike. 

The Super Eagles’ third-place finishes in 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, and 2019 underline their dominance in African football. 

Egypt vs Nigeria: Team News Ahead of Bronze Battle

Going into Saturday’s match, the Super Eagles will be without defence strongman, Calvin Bassey. The Fulham man was suspended after getting a yellow card in the loss to Morocco. But captain Wilfred Ndidi, who missed that game due to a similar issue, is back in contention.

Coach Eric Chelle will most likely feature a familiar lineup as the Nigerians seek to finish the AFCON in good standing. 

Egypt vs Nigeria: Head-to-Head Record

Both teams are not new to themselves at the AFCON. At the 2021 edition, Kelechi Iheanacho scored the lone goal to give Nigeria all three points in Cameroon. That was in a group stage match.  

While they have met 25 times, Saturday’s game will be their 10th tie at the AFCON. The Super Eagles, fortunately, have the upper hand, winning five of the matches and drawing two. 

Egypt vs Nigeria: Match Details for Third-Place AFCON Game

Competition: 2025 AFCON

Venue: Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca

Kick-Off time: 5: 00 pm (WAT)

Date: 17 January, 2026

READ ALSO: AFCON Final: Senegal Raise Concerns Over Security, Ticketing, Others

Egypt vs Nigeria: Who Will Pick the Bronze Medal? 

Morocco and Senegal square off in a heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations final showdown on Sunday, with the host nation hoping a divided public will inspire them to win their first continental title in a generation.

Morocco, the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, and Walid Regragui’s team, were the favorites to win the competition.

Since leaving the last AFCON in Ivory Coast in the last 16 to South Africa, they haven’t lost in two years, and Achraf Hakimi, the current African footballer of the year, is their captain.

All of that implies that Morocco has been under enormous pressure to deliver since the start of this tournament, which has been the first held in Morocco since 1988 and the first AFCON to begin and end in one year.

Morocco have won over their demanding fans as the tournament has progressed, winning all of their matches at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where they were booed by their own supporters during the group stage.

Nearly 70 000 Moroccan fans will throng the stadium in anticipation of their team winning the trophy following their dominating victory over Cameroon in the quarter-finals and nerve-wracking victories over Nigeria in the semi-final on Wednesday.

We “mean” it deserves to compete in the final. Regragui, who has received frequent criticism from the expectant public, said, “We have played top teams like Mali, Cameroon, and Nigeria, and now we will be facing one of the best teams.”

“Eventually, people will come to terms with Morocco’s significant football country.” However, we must win titles in order to advance to the next step, so Sunday’s game is crucial in our history.

Regragui is mindful of the nation’s lackluster performance in the tournament, where they only won once in 1976 in Ethiopia.

The Moroccan team reached the final after losing to Tunisia in 2004 as the country’s top team. He wants to improve this time.

By the time the World Cup begins in June, he is likely to be in charge if he doesn’t.

Regragui remarked, “Even if we had been knocked out in the first round, that would not have prevented me from believing in myself and declaring that I am a good coach.”

“It is impossible for me to forget what I did in the past.” I’m not expecting anything from anyone. I don’t make up my mind that I am the best. Morocco’s participation in the final is what is most crucial.

READ MORE: The Senegalese Hope Morocco Final Will Not Be Mane’s AFCON Goodbye.

Farewell to Mane from AFCON

Senegal, who are Africa’s second-best team in the rankings and have reached the third final in four AFCON games, could not have asked for a tougher opponent than the hosts.

The Lions of Teranga won the title for the first time in Yaounde in 2022 when they defeated Egypt on penalties in Cairo in Cairo in 2019.

After being defeated by Ivory Coast in the final 16 of 2024, they regained their complacency and won the tournament’s final with a Sadio Mane strike that beat Egypt in the final four.

Mane, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, skipper Kalidou Koulibaly, and midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye are all between the ages of 33 and 36, making it an ageing and vastly experienced Senegalese side.

Mane, a former Liverpool player, declared that this would be his final Cup of Nations game following the Egypt game.

“I am a soldier of the nation, and I give it my all,” Mane said.

“But for me, that’s not the most crucial thing. Bringing this cup to Dakar is crucial, right?

Senegal will lose to Senegal in the final between two outstanding defenses because of Koulibaly’s suspension. At the tournament, they have each allowed three goals.

The Senegalese national team have raised concerns over security arrangements, ticketing, accommodation, and training facilities ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.

The country’s team will take to the pitch in the AFCON 2025 final following a victory recorded against Egypt in the semi-final on Wednesday.

A statement released on Saturday by the Secretariat of the Teranga Lions of Senegal to the Confederation of African Football and the public, noted that it was compelled to speak out “for the sake of transparency and defence of the interests of the Senegal national team,” following what it described as several malfunctions observed during preparations for the final.

It drew attention to lapses in security during the team’s arrival in Morocco.

“The FSF deplores the clear absence of adequate safety device when the Senegalese delegation arrived at the Rabat railway station,” the communiqué read, warning that the situation exposed players and officials “to a promiscuity and risks incompatible with the standards of a competition of this magnitude and the standing of a continental final.”

Another major source of frustration, according to the federation, is ticketing issues.

“The official endowment is only two VVIP tickets,” the FSF said, lamenting the lack of access to VIP and VVIP tickets for the final, unlike the semi-finals.

While the federation confirmed it had purchased the maximum number of tickets authorised by CAF — 300 Category 1, 850 Category 2, and 1,700 Category 3 — it stressed that “these quantities, although fully acquired, remain insufficient in relation to demand.”

On preparations on the pitch, Senegal rejected the proposed training venue, citing concerns over fairness.

“The FSF has officially notified the Confederation of African Football (CAF) of its categorical refusal to hold its training sessions at the Mohammed VI Complex,” the communiqué stated, explaining that the facility serves as “the base camp of the opposing team, which raises a problem of sporting fairness.”

It further noted that, as of the time of the statement, Senegal had “not yet received notification from the training site of the Senegal national team.”

READ ALSO: ACF Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso Dies At 76

The federation also disclosed challenges surrounding the team’s accommodation, revealing that formal action was required before acceptable arrangements were made.

“Regarding hotel logistics, the FSF informs that an official protest by mail was necessary to win the case,” the statement said, adding that “a 5-star hotel was finally awarded to the Lions, thus guaranteeing the required recovery conditions.”

ACF Fiorentina President, Rocco Commisso, has died at the age of 76.

The Italian club announced in the early hours of Saturday, saying he died after a prolonged period of medical treatment.

Fiorentina confirmed Commisso’s passing in a statement published on its website, describing it as a painful loss for his family, the club, and the wider football community.

The statement read, “After a prolonged period of medical treatment, our beloved President has left us, and today we all mourn his passing.

“For his family, he was an example and a guiding light, a loyal and faithful man who, alongside his wife Catherine, reached the milestone of 50 years of marriage, and who was a strict yet loving father to his children, just as his character was: gentle and determined.”

The club noted that he and his wife had been married for 50 years, describing him as a devoted family man and a guiding figure to those around him.

According to the statement, the American-Italian businessman took over Fiorentina seven years ago, during which time he became closely identified with the club, its supporters, and the city of Florence.

It said under his leadership, Fiorentina reached two UEFA Conference League finals and one Coppa Italia final.

Football, the club said, was one of Commisso’s greatest passions, and Fiorentina became central to his life following his takeover of the Viola.

He was known for his close relationship with supporters and his personal approach, often insisting on being called simply “Rocco.”

“His love for Fiorentina was the greatest gift he gave himself, spending unforgettable days with the boys and girls of the youth teams, always offering a caring gesture and a smile to everyone. Tireless, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to his companies, Mediacom and Fiorentina, and to their future. Football was his passion, and Fiorentina became so seven years ago, when Rocco took charge of the Viola club and began to love its supporters, its colours, and the city of Florence. ‘Call me Rocco,’ he had simply said to everyone, with his extraordinary empathy.

“He was always close to Florence and the Florentines, in everyday life and also during the most difficult period of the Covid emergency, when the ‘Forza e Cuore’ campaign provided substantial donations to the city’s hospitals,” the statement said.

“The Rocco B. Commisso Viola Park, the home of Fiorentina, will live forever bearing his name—an indelible symbol of his affection and his desire to look toward the future of young people. The boys and girls who grew up under his guidance in the youth academy, have won trophies and continue their journey with Fiorentina’s men’s and women’s first teams,” the statement added.

READ ALSO: AFCON: CAF Names Moroccan Referee For Egypt Vs Nigeria Third-Place Match

The club said the Commisso family expressed gratitude to those who supported him during his final days and said his memory would remain alive in the hearts of all who knew and worked with him.

“A heartfelt thought in this moment of great sadness goes to everyone at Fiorentina—staff, players, and employees—to the entire Viola community, and especially to the boys and girls who will continue to carry the Viola colours and the memory of our Rocco throughout Italy and the world,” the statement added.