Category World News

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw says he hoped the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco would not be Sadio Mane’s last game at the tournament, insisting the former Liverpool forward could reconsider walking away from the team.

“His decision is no longer up to him. There is a whole people behind him, too, and they would like to see him continue,” Thiaw told reporters in Rabat on the eve of the final against the host nation.

Mane, 33, said after Wednesday’s semifinal against Egypt, in which he scored the winner, that he would not play at another AFCON.

His comments indicated that he may retire from international football altogether following the World Cup in North America in June and July, by which time he will be 34.

The next Cup of Nations is due to take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, while the 2029 edition is being brought forward to 2028.

“I think he made his decision in the heat of the moment and the country does not agree, and I, as coach of the national team, do not agree at all,” said Thiaw.

“We would like to keep him for as long as possible.”

Mane helped Senegal win the Cup of Nations for the first time in their history in 2022, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout in the final against Egypt.

The two-time winner of the African player of the year prize also played in the side that lost the 2019 final to Algeria – Sunday’s match will be Senegal’s third final in four editions of AFCON.

“Sadio is an exceptional player who would have deserved to win a Ballon d’Or. Above all, he is just an incredible man,” said defender Moussa Niakhate.

“He doesn’t have a big ego. He just works hard and loves his country – the fact this is his sixth AFCON shows his longevity and consistency.”

Thiaw reiterates Senegal’s AFCON complaint against Morocco

Meanwhile, the Senegal coach expressed anger at the welcome his team received on arriving in the Moroccan capital on Friday.

The Lions of Teranga travelled to Rabat, having been based in the northern port city of Tangiers since the start of the competition.

The Senegalese Football Federation released a statement early on Saturday complaining about “serious concerns” including a “lack of adequate security” for the team’s arrival “which put the players and staff at risk”.

It also complained about the hotel offered to the delegation, about the number of tickets given to their supporters for the final, and said they were not happy at being offered a training pitch at the Moroccan team’s base.

“What happened yesterday was not normal,” insisted Thiaw.

“Given the number there, anything could have happened. My players could have been in danger.

“That type of thing should not happen between two brother countries.”

Morocco ready for ‘hardest’ step against Senegal

The final brings together the top two teams in Africa according to the FIFA rankings, with Morocco hoping to make the most of home advantage to take the AFCON title for the first time in 50 years.

There is, however, enormous pressure on the 2022 World Cup semifinalists to take the trophy.

“We dreamt of being here and now we are, but the last step will be the hardest one,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui.

“Senegal are a great side and this is their third final out of four, but it is great for African football to have a final between the two best teams.”

He added: “How we handle the emotion of the occasion will be important. We can’t put too much pressure on ourselves.

US President Donald Trump has invited the leaders of Egypt and Turkiye to join his “Board of Peace” to oversee the post-war transition in Gaza, according to authorities in Ankara and Cairo.

The so-called Board of Peace revealed by the White House on Friday will oversee the temporary governance of Gaza under the US president’s plan to end Israel’s genocical war against Palestinians in the besieged territory.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the proposal in a letter sent Friday by Trump inviting him to “become a founding member” of the board, Turkish presidential communications director Burhanettin Duran posted on social media on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, said at a news conference on Saturday that the country was reviewing a separate invitation from Trump to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to join the board.

The White House announced on Friday several members of the board, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Trump is to chair the board.

The establishment of the board was part of Trump’s plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza that was unveiled in October. The plan says a Palestinian technocratic body will be overseen by the international board, which will supervise Gaza’s governance for a transitional period.

Many rights experts and advocates have said that Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance resembled a colonial structure, while the prospect of Blair’s involvement was criticised last year due to his role in the Iraq war and the history of British imperialism in the Middle East.

The White House did not detail the responsibilities of each member of the “founding Executive board.”

The names do not include any Palestinians. The White House said more members will be announced over the coming weeks.

The board will also include private equity executive and billionaire Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Robert Gabriel, a Trump adviser, the White House said, adding that Nickolay Mladenov, a former UN Middle East envoy, will be the high representative for Gaza.

Army Major General Jasper Jeffers, a US special operations commander, was appointed commander of the International Stabilisation Force, the White House said.

Gaza force authorised

A UN Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November, authorised the board and countries working with it to establish that force in Gaza.

The White House also named an 11-member “Gaza Executive Board” that will include Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Sigrid Kaag, the United Arab Emirates minister for international cooperation, Reem al-Hashimy, and Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay, along with some members of the executive board.

This additional board will support Mladenov’s office and the Palestinian technocratic body, whose details were announced this week, the White House said.

A tenuous ceasefire has been in effect in Gaza since October, but Israel has repeatedly breached the truce, killing more than 450 Palestinians, including more than 100 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in attacks by Palestinian armed groups.

At least 71,548 people have been killed and 171,353 wounded by Israeli forces across Gaza since October 2023.

A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks, and about 200 were taken captive.

Michael Carrick got off to a flying start as Manchester United’s interim manager with a dominant 2-0 derby win over Manchester City in the Premier League.

Taking charge of his first game since his appointment this week, Carrick immediately lifted the gloom over Old Trafford with a victory on Saturday that will likely live long in the memory of United fans.

The former United midfielder has only signed a deal until the end of the season and has 17 games to convince the club’s hierarchy to give him the job on a permanent basis after Ruben Amorim was sacked last week.

And Carrick could not have made a better first impression with a superb performance against City manager Pep Guardiola in the 198th Manchester derby.

Second half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealed the win that had United fans singing in full voice and drowning out their fierce cross-city rivals.

And the victory could have been even more emphatic, with United twice hitting the woodwork, forcing a string of saves from City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, and having three goals ruled out for offside.

Not only did the win give United local bragging rights and boost the team’s chances of Champions League qualification, but it also delivered another blow to City’s title challenge.

United dominated the chances before and after half-time.

Harry Maguire headed against the bar inside three minutes and United saw two goals chalked off by VAR for offside before the break.

In the second half Donnarumma denied Amad Diallo, Casemiro and Mbeumo before the deadlock was finally broken in the 65th minute.

It came from another swift United attack with Bruno Fernandes leading the breakaway after a City free kick came to nothing.

Racing into the City half Fernandes slipped a pass into the run of Mbeumo and the Cameroon forward unleashed a first-time left footed shot low into the far corner, sending the home fans into raptures.

It was the least Carrick’s team deserved after a performance full of attacking intent.

Dorgu doubled the lead in the 76th, converting from close range after beating Rico Lewis to substitute Matheus Cunha’s cross.

Diallo then hit the post as United looked to press the advantage and there was still time for another substitute, Mason Mount, to find the back of the net with his first touch in the 89th, only for it to be deemed offside.

By that point, it mattered little. The day belonged to United and Carrick, who had a beaming smile on his face as he congratulated his players after the final whistle.

Up in the stands, watching on was managerial great Alex Ferguson, whose smile was as broad as anyone’s inside Old Trafford.

United defender Lisandro Martinez told Sky Sports that his side had heeded Carrick’s call to use the energy of the fans.

“We showed who we are. Today was the best moment to do it. The team, bench and staff – everyone was together,” he said.

“One important thing that Michael Carrick said is to use the energy of the [fans], and today we did it.”

Carrick praised his players and said that it was a “special” day, but added that he was not getting carried away after one game.

“I couldn’t ask for any more. The boys took everything on tactically and dealt with it emotionally,” he said. “I said yesterday it was a magic place and it certainly was today.”

City’s captain Bernardo Silva lamented his side’s “bad performance” and said that it would be hard to catch Arsenal at the top of the table.

“They deserved to win today. They had more energy and intention. It always felt like they were close to score and we were never there,” he told Sky Sports.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has been re-elected to a seventh term, the country’s electoral commission has announced.

Museveni, 81, won with 71.65 percent of the vote, the commission said on Saturday.

He defeated his main challenger, 43-year-old Bobi Wine, who received 24.72 percent of the vote, according to the official results.

Museveni’s widely expected victory comes after an election campaign that the United Nations said was marred by “widespread repression and intimidation”, including a crackdown on opposition rallies.

Thursday’s election also unfolded amid a nationwide internet blackout that drew widespread criticism.

Bobi Wine, a singer-turned-politician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, had claimed on social media on Election Day that “massive ballot stuffing” was also taking place.

Bobi Wine said earlier on Saturday that he had escaped a police and army raid on his house.

“Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest. I know that these criminals are looking for me everywhere, and I am trying my best to keep safe,” he said.

Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, has been accused of overseeing a years-long crackdown on his political opponents.

He said in the run-up to this week’s vote that he expected to easily win re-election with about 80 percent support.

‘Intimidation, arrests, abductions’

Election observers said on Saturday they saw no evidence of ballot stuffing but denounced “reports of intimidation, arrest and abductions” targeting the opposition and civil society.

That “instilled fear and eroded public trust in the electoral process”, said former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who was representing election observers from the African Union and other regional bodies.

Jonathan told reporters that the internet shutdown “disrupted effective observation” of this week’s vote and “increased suspicion” but that the overall conduct of the polls on Election Day was “peaceful”.

The AFP news agency reported a heavy police presence around the capital, Kampala, on Saturday, as the authorities have sought to prevent any possible protests.

The Ugandan opposition said at least 10 people were killed by police in an attack on a local opposition lawmaker’s home in the town of Butambala, about 55km (35 miles) southwest of Kampala.

Local authorities put the death toll at seven, with police alleging that machete-wielding opposition “goons” attacked a police station and vote-tallying centre.

During this campaign, Wine’s rallies were repeatedly interrupted by security forces firing tear gas and bullets. At least one person was killed in the violence and hundreds of opposition supporters were arrested.

Museveni’s victory was long viewed as a formality, as the former rebel fighter has total control over the state and security apparatus.

Since taking office four decades ago, he has changed the constitution twice to remove age and term limits.

This past week, Iranian protesters were labelled “terrorists” and “saboteurs” by the state. That rhetoric was accompanied by an internet blackout and a surge in violence, with the death toll still unclear. Simultaneously, tensions between the United States and Iran escalated, raising the stakes in what has become one of the most serious political upheavals in the country in years.

Contributors:
Tohid Asadi – Correspondent, Al Jazeera English
Narges Bajoghli – Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Roxane Farmanfarmaian – Lecturer, University Of Cambridge
Farzan Sabet – Managing Researcher, Global Governance Centre

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