IN AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
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Africa Cup of Nations holders Ivory Coast has mounted a late comeback to beat Gabon three-two and top Group F on goals scored ahead of Cameroon.
Evann Guessand, Jean-Philippe Krasso and Bazoumana Toure scored a goal each for Ivory Coast, while Gabon’s two goals were scored by Denis Bouanga and Guélor Kanga.
With the Elephants drawing until late on, Cameroon had been set to top the group by two points courtesy of their two-one win over Mozambique.
Ivory Coast will now face Burkina Faso in the last sixteen in Marrakesh on Tuesday, with the victory sparing them a more challenging route to the final.
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Algeria has rested captain Riyad Mahrez but still put on a dominant display to beat Equatorial Guinea three-one in Rabat, becoming the second team after Nigeria to win all three group games at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Zineddine Belaid, Fares Chaibi and Ibrahim Maza scored a goal each for Algeria, while Equatorial Guinea’s only goal was scored by Emilio Nsue.
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Burkina Faso has secured second place in Group E at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a two-nil win over Sudan, who advance to the last sixteen as one of four best-ranked third-placed teams.
Both sides were assured of progress behind table-topping Algeria before kick-off in Casablanca and the respective coaches rotated their sides ahead of the knockout stage.
Burkina Faso’s two goals were scored by Lassina Traore and Arsene Kouassi.
Sudan will travel north to Tangier to take on 2021 winners Senegal on Saturday.
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Nigeria will take on Mozambique in the round of 16 at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON following the conclusion of Group F’s matches.
Mozambique secured third place in the group after Cameroon narrowly edged them 2-1, while Ivory Coast topped the group after a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Gabon, confirming Nigeria’s opponent for the knockout stage.
The Super Eagles booked their place in the last 16 by finishing top of Group C with six points from three matches, thanks to victories over Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda.
Nigeria will now face Mozambique on Monday night, 5th January, at Fez Stadium the same venue used throughout the group stage. Time for the match is set for 8pm Nigeria time.
On the other hand, the Indomitable Lions will now face South Africa in the Round of sixteen on Sunday in Rabat.
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Super Eagles star, Victor Osimhen has expressed his excitement after captaining the team in the three-one victory over the Cranes of Uganda.
It was the first time the Galatasaray striker would be leading the Super Eagles following his recent appointment as the team’s vice-captain.
Osimhen said it was a dream come true for him to lead the three-time African champions for the first time.
He also shared his thoughts on the outcome of the game against Uganda.
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Former Nigerian international, Emmanuel Okoduwa has disclosed that Super Eagles defender Ryan Alebiosu caught his attention in Nigeria’s three-one win over Uganda in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Blackburn Rovers star, who was making his debut for the senior national team in the group-stage encounter, suffered a deep cut to his right leg, leaving his AFCON availability uncertain.
Okoduwa, who was unhappy with the goal the Super Eagles conceded, stated that he was impressed with Alebiosu’s display against Uganda.
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Former Nigerian international, Henry Makinwa believes the Super Eagles are playing cohesively and have a distinct identity under head coach Eric Chelle at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Makinwa made this known on the backdrop of Nigeria’s three-one win over Uganda in the final group C game.
Makinwa stated that he was impressed with the transition of football from defence to attack.
He also advises the technical crew to adopt a man-marking approach, most especially during set pieces.
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Former Ghana head coach, Claude Le Roy has kicked against the decision of the Confederation of African Football to change the football calendar of the Africa Cup of Nations from two years to four years.
Le Roy, stated that it was very wrong to change the AFCON from a two- to a four-year event.
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Former Super Eagles defenders Azubuike Egwuekwe and Abiodun Obafemi have expressed concerns over Nigeria’s defensive frailties at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, despite the team’s impressive attacking form.
Nigeria have scored eight goals in their three group matches, their most prolific first-round AFCON campaign in recent times, with five different players finding the net.
However, the Super Eagles have conceded four goals and failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their Group C fixtures.
Egwuekwe, a member of Nigeria’s 2013 AFCON-winning squad, believes the defenders are not working hard enough and need to improve their concentration levels.
Obafemi, a member of Nigeria’s gold medal-winning team at the 1996 Olympics, also believes the current generation of defenders lack the natural instinct and game awareness that characterised his era.
IN ENGLAND
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Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has questioned whether the Premier League title race this season is a two-horse race between his side and leaders Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s men went five points clear of City on Tuesday following an impressive four-one hammering of contenders Aston Villa.
Defeat meant Unai Emery’s third-placed side dropped six points off the pace, but City can close the gap to two again with victory at Sunderland on Thursday.
Liverpool sit fourth in the table and have an almighty task in an attempt to defend their crown, thirteen points adrift of the Gunners.
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The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel says Everton should have been awarded a penalty in their one-nil defeat by Arsenal on 20th December.
The Gunners were leading one-nil in the 57th minute at the Hill Dickinson Stadium when William Saliba and Everton striker Thierno Barry clashed inside the area.
The panel voted three-two that the on-field decision by referee Sam Barrott to not award a penalty was incorrect.
Three panel members noted Saliba carelessly kicks Barry with no contact on the ball and they felt it was a clear and obvious error.
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West Ham’s interest in Norway forward Jorgen Strand Larsen has cooled after discovering Wolves want forty million pounds for the 25-year-old.
The Hammers are committed to bolstering Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad with striking reinforcements.
Larsen was at the top of their list of potential signings and Wolves boss Rob Edwards did not close the door on the Norway forward leaving Molineux next month following the one-all draw at Manchester United.
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OTHER LEAGUE
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Napoli sporting director, Giovanni Manna says striker Rasmus Hojlund completing his permanent transfer from Manchester United to Napoli is a formality
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The 22-year-old, who joined Manchester in a seventy-two million pounds deal from Atalanta in 2023, has scored nine goals since his season-long loan move to the Serie A champions.
An obligation to buy clause was included in the deal for Hojlund, but the agreed thirty-eight million pounds transfer fee has a condition that means the Italian giants must qualify for the Champions League.
Antonio Conte’s side sit third in Serie A and would currently qualify.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Cricket, Former Australia batter Damien Martyn has been placed into an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis.
The 54-year-old, who played 67 Test matches between 1992 and 2006, reportedly fell ill on 26th December and is in a hospital in Queensland.
Martyn played in four Ashes series – retiring with immediate effect before the third Test of the 2006-07 series – and won two World Cups with Australia.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg wished Martyn a quick recovery, saying he was saddened to hear of Damien’s illness.
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In Rugby, Leicester Tigers stalwart Dan Cole will leave the club after eighteen years due to personal reasons.
Cole played for the Tigers between 2007 and 2025 before taking up the role of recruitment and retention manager after hanging up his boots.
The former prop turned out over 340 times for the club – breaking the record of league appearances for Leicester in 2023-24.
Leicester-born Cole won four Premiership titles during his time at Welford Road.
He also represented England on 118 occasions and helped them win three Six Nations championships.
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In Golf, Questions are being asked about why the King’s New Year Honours list did not recognise the achievements of Northern Ireland golfer Rory McIlroy.
The 36-year-old completed a career Grand Slam in the sport by winning the Masters in April and led Team Europe to a memorable Ryder Cup success against their American hosts in September.
When McIlroy won a dramatic play-off to add the Masters to his Open, US Open, and US PGA Championship triumphs, there were calls for him to be knighted.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
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IN CAF AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
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IN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Crystal Palace vs Fulham
Liverpool vs Leeds United
Brentford vs Tottenham
Sunderland vs Manchester City
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams….words from Eleanor Roosevelt.
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