Category sport-news

Côte d’Ivoire, who defeated Gabon 3-2 on Wednesday in Marrakech to finish top Group F at the Africa Cup of Nations, came from two goals down to defeat Gabon in stoppage time.

In Agadir, Cameroon also lost to Mozambique, but Christian Kofane’s thunderbolt earned a 2-1 victory.

Côte d’Ivoire, the reigning champion, and Cameroon finished with the same total of seven points and had a plus two goals difference. The Ivorians won the matchup with Cameroon and the Ivorians, who scored five goals.

The last 16 line-up was completed by the results. Burkinabe will face Burkinabe, Cameroon will face South Africa, and Mozambique will face Nigeria.

Côte d’Ivoire took the lead in Marrakech’s capital with a two-goal lead midway through the first half before the title-holders cut the deficit just before the break to lead 2-1 at half-time.

The Gabonese Panthers, whose best-known player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had returned to France after being injured in his thigh, scored a penalty after 11 minutes.

Three days prior, Gabon was cut out of the race to qualify for the knockout stage with a score of 3-2 against Mozambique.

Côte d’Ivoire added 21 minutes into the game’s 21st minute lead when Los Angeles native Denis Bouanga added his first goal of the tournament.

Wilfried Zaha, a former Crystal Palace winger who was called up for the AFCON after missing the storied 2024 campaign, set up Jean-Philippe Krasso for the opening goal on 44 minutes.

Tightrope 

Midway through the second half, the defending champions defeated Franck Kessie and Zaha, but Amad Diallo, who had scored in the previous two group games, remained on the bench.

Oumar Diakiate was walking a strict line when he was yellow-carded, so winger Diallo was finally called upon on 76 minutes to replace him.

With six minutes of regular time remaining, Evann Guessand added another substitute. When Sebastien Haller, who was injured, withdrew from the squad, he was a late addition.

The three-time champions then struck again to claim a dramatic victory. They hope to become the first country to successfully defend the title since Egypt in 2010.

Roger Milla and Samuel Eto’o, two legendary Camerooners, were present in Agadir’s southern coastal city to witness Mozambique take a 23-minute surprise lead.

A low shot from Sporting, a leader in Portugal, was unleashed by Geny Catamo in front of goalkeeper Devis Epassy and soared just inside the left post.

Five minutes into the final five minutes, Feliciano “Nene” Jone conceded an own goal to set up Cameroon’s equalizing goal.

Goalkeeper Ivane Urrubal blocked the ball, which fumbled to Frank Magri as he battled two unmarked Cameroonian attackers.

Magri hit the post, but Nene was the only one to squander the ball into the Mozambican net as he attempted to clear it.

Ten minutes later, Cameroon scored again, but Kofane, a 19-year-old from Germany, was declared offside.

The teen’s fierce shot, which flew into the net off the underside of the crossbar, made up for his disappointment by leading the Indomitable Lions on 55 minutes.

In a bid to win a fourth continental title, the Super Eagles will face Mozambique in the last 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

After defeating Tanzania and Tunisia earlier in the tournament, Nigeria now have a perfect record in the continental showpiece.

Although Coach Eric Chelle’s team scored nine points, Group F’s opponent finished third, making them one of the best losers.

In their final game on Wednesday, the Southern Africans lost to Cameroon 1-2. They finished with three points, the same as Indomitable Lions, and the same as Côte d’Ivoire seven. Bonnet was pointless.

READ MORE: Côte d’Ivoire Faces Gabon To Secure Top Spot In Group

The Mambas of Mozambique will now travel to Fez, Nigeria, to compete in the 2025 AFCON quarter-finals.

One of the feisty encounters planned for this stage of the competition is when Cameroon square off against South Africa in one of the other last 16 games.

Senegal will face Sudan while hosts Morocco host Tanzania while the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia and the Eagles of Mali square off against Morocco.

Egypt must defeat Benin Republic to advance to the AFCON’s next round, and Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo must square off. Côte d’Ivoire and Burkinabe will play in a West African derby. The Elephants hope to retain the title of AFCON after Egypt did so in 2010 with the help of Egypt.

Before Saturday’s start of the knockout phase, the Cup of Nations in Morocco will have rest days on Thursday and Friday.

Real Madrid’s attempt to woo Liga leaders Barcelona was hampered by the news that Kylian Mbappe had a knee sprain on Wednesday.

“Our player Kylian Mbappe was diagnosed with a sprain in his left knee following the medical tests conducted today by Real Madrid’s medical services.” The club issued a statement, “waiting evolution.”

Real Madrid did not specify how long the 27-year-old striker would be out, but a source close to the French superstar told AFP that he would be out for at least three weeks.

Mbappe, Los Merengues’ top scorer this season, is therefore a major doubt for Sunday’s league game at home to Real Betis, Los Merengues’ first since the winter break, where they lead Barcelona by four points.

On January 8, he could miss both the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against arch-rivals Atletico Madrid, a league game against Levante, and a Champions League game against former club Monaco.

Real did not disclose the time or location of Mbappe’s injury, but he had a Tuesday training session with the team.

Read more about Appollis’ Penalty that sends South Africa past Zimbabwe in the final 16 of the AFCON.

On Wednesday, he had an MRI scan.

Mbappe has scored 59 goals for Real Madrid in the entire calendar year, which is an improvement over Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-setting 2025 season. He has also occasionally led Real Madrid, easing some of the pressure on Xabi Alonso, who is currently under fire.

Since joining Real after Paris Saint-Germain in a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain 18 months ago, he has scored 73 goals in 83 games.

He finished third in La Liga last season with 31 goals, four more than Robert Lewandowski’s four, and is now seven goals clear of Barca’s Ferran Torres, who finished second this year.

His absence is matched only by Real’s forward Brahim Diaz, Moroccan international Daniel Carvajal, Eder Militao, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and midfielder Federico Valverde.

As the Gunners approach the end of the Premier League in 2026, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his side are beginning to realize the benefits of their hard work.

Arsenal are five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who are away at Sunderland on January 1st, thanks to Tuesday’s emphatic 4-1 victory over title rivals Aston Villa.

When Arsenal asked if this might be the year they finally won the Premier League after a decade-long struggle, Arteta praised his team’s “belief and energy.”

The schedule is very, very demanding, the players have some very difficult matches and injuries, but the players are still winning, he said, so winning helps all of that.

We are so satisfied because of all the sacrifices and commitment you put in, but we also know there is still so much to be grateful for.

READ ALSO:   Arsenal Boss Arteta Will & #8216; Actively Look & #8217; At January Signings Amid Injury Crisis;

It’s a fantastic way to end the year, the Spaniard said, “It’s for sure a great way.” On New Year’s Eve, we’ll have a good time with our families, but we’ll be there the next day because we have to travel to Bournemouth on Saturday.

Arsenal scored four goals in a game for the first time since a thumping north London derby victory over Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on November 23 after a narrow one-goal lead against Wolverhampton, Everton, and Brighton in their three previous league games.

For an Arsenal side that had dominated the second half, “we needed this game,” said Martin Zubimendi, who scored against Villa alongside Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus.

We were playing at home, and we wanted to finish the year at the top of the table when we faced Aston Villa, a great team that was almost perfect tactically. We are very pleased with the result.

We struggled a little bit with the counterattacks in the first half. We made some adjustments at half-time, and when we scored the first and second, the second half ended up being so competitive that we managed to score four.

“We observed the crowd’s willingness to push and demand more,” the statement read.

With a 3-1 victory over Uganda in Group C tie, the Super Eagles reaffirmed their position as a potential 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions, keeping their perfect record in the competition. &nbsp,

Eric Chelle restrained some players because Nigeria was already guaranteed a spot in the Round of 16 of the competition. The starting lineup for Saturday’s match against Tunisia was made eight changes by the Franco-Malian.

Raphael Onyedika and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru took the place of Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, while Paul Onuachu and Victor Osimhen were chosen as his attacking partners. Francis Uzoho, who replaced Stanley Nwabali, was unavoidably called into the starting lineup.

The team provided all three points to Nigeria insufficiently. The Super Eagles have completed a flawless group-stage run at AFCON for the fourth time, joining them in 1992, 2006, and the 2021 editions.

What Can You Learn from the Uganda vs. Nigeria Game?

Following the conclusion of the three-time African champions’ group stage preparations, here are the lessons to be learned from the Nigeria vs. Uganda game:

Nigeria: A Potent Attacking Force

The 4-4-2 formation Chelle chose gave the Nigerian side more dynamism as it had more overall control of the game. Dele-Bashiru, who the Malian had warned was in need of a starting position, proved his coach wrong by never walking away from mistakes. Tormenting the Ugandan defense, he and Onuachu worked well together and set the scene for the opening goal.

Battle of Ikpeazu and Badgey

The big men, Calvin Bassey and Uchechukwu Ikpeazu from Uganda, squared off in the game. Both players put their physical abilities to the test, and neither player was ever willing to give a damn about the turf.

Onyedika defeats Uganda 3-1 to put an end to Group Phase Perfect. [2025 AFCON]

Uzoho appears in movies

Francis Uzoho, Omonia Nicosia’s goalkeeper, made what will be a very special appearance after about two years of being replaced by Stanley Nwabali. He made the most of the unforeseen opportunity, appearing comfortable in both his distribution and the goal. However, he had no luck being defeated by a delicate Crane chip.

Onyedika Shines

Raphael Onyedika had only scored one goal for Nigeria before today’s game. Even though Uganda had a man sent off, he tripled that total by adding two more times in a single game. He also had adroit passing and was wise with his positioning.

What will Nigeria do next? &nbsp,

After completing the task, Nigeria will face the third-placed team from Group B or F on January 5th.

Any of the nations in those groups, which include Mozambique, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast, is currently a possible candidate.

Tanzania reached the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, 45 years after their maiden appearance, by coming from behind to draw 1-1 with fellow qualifiers Tunisia in Rabat.

Ismael Gharbi converted a penalty just before half-time for Tunisia, and Feisal Salum levelled early in the second half in the Moroccan capital.

Tanzania have been trying since 1980 to advance beyond the group stage, and have still to win a match in four appearances. They squeezed into the round of 16 after two draws and one loss.

Tunisia finished second in Group C with four points, five less than table-toppers Nigeria. Tanzania pipped Angola on goals scored for one of four places reserved for third-placed teams.

Raphael Onyedika scored twice as already qualified Nigeria overcame 10-man Uganda 3-1 in the other Group C match to maintain a 100 percent record after the group stage.

Only Tunisia know their next opponents. They will face Mali in Rabat on Saturday in the round of 16. Who Nigeria and Tanzania meet has yet to be decided.

Argentina-born Tanzania coach Miguel Gamondi gave an AFCON debut to 33-year-old goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga, one of three changes to the team that drew with Uganda in their previous match.

Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi dropped another 33-year-old, captain Ferjani Sassi, to the bench, but the midfielder came on early in the second half to win his 100th cap.

READ ALSO: &nbsp,]2025 AFCON] Lookman Soaring And Five Takeaways From Nigeria Vs Tunisia Match

Audacious goal attempt&nbsp,

Ismael Gharbi struck the post for Tunisia early on. He then saw an audacious long-range effort land on the roof of the netting to the relief of poorly positioned Masaranga.

After reviewing a goalmouth incident on the pitchside VAR monitor, the Congolese referee gave Tunisia a slight advantage in the lead and went ahead on 43 minutes.

Ibrahim Hamad was accused of fouling Hazem Mastouri in big-screen replays. Gharbi converted the spot kick.

Feisal Salum levelled two minutes into the second half to give the game a one-minute lead. The ball slipped past Aymen Dahmen into the corner after he fired a goalward from beyond the D.

In Fes, Nigeria advanced on 28 minutes thanks to a clever move that made use of the defense’s available space.

Despite being surrounded by three opponents, Onuachu struck the net with a deft pass from Bruno Onyemaechi.

Salim Magoola, Uganda’s goalkeeper, was sent off for handling outside the area on 56 minutes. Denis Onyango, a 40-year-old captain, was replaced for the second half by Magoola.

With the game less than an hour away, Legason Alionz, the third goalkeeper used by Uganda, came on. As Nigeria jumped out to a three-goal lead in eight minutes, Raphael Onyedika beat him twice in eight minutes.

Shots were fired by Onyedika twice to find the bottom right corner. On both occasions, Samuel Chukwueze, a loanee from AC Milan, scored the midfielder.