International Football Thread

[ghazi52]

Second string Egypt finish group unbeaten​

REUTERS

They draw with Angola in their last group game

​

South Africa beat Zimbabwe to book last-16 berth​

AFP

Oswin Appollis converted a late penalty to give them 3-2 victory

​

Morocco reach AFCON last 16​

AFP

Ayoub El Kaabi scored brace in 3-0 victory over Zambia

​

 

[ghazi52]

What to look out for in the Premier League transfer window​

Salah's future remains uncertain following his public outburst at being dropped by Slot

AFP
January 02, 2026

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in action during training. Photo: REUTERS

MANCHESTER: The transfer window for Premier League clubs is open with sides ready to splash out to win the title, secure a place in next season's Champions League or just survive in the lucrative English top flight.

AFP Sport looks at five of the clubs likely to be busiest before the window closes on February 2:

Liverpool to splash out again

The Reds spent more than any Premier League side ever has in one window just a few months ago, splurging nearly £450 million ($606 million) on six new additions.

However, there has been little return on that investment and injuries look set to force the English champions back into the market.

Alexander Isak's British record £125 million move from Newcastle headlined Liverpool's summer spending spree, but the Swede is set for at least two months on the sidelines with a broken leg.

Despite splashing out around £300 million on forwards in the summer window, Arne Slot's attacking options are currently threadbare with Mohamed Salah also absent at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah's future remains uncertain following his public outburst at being dropped by Slot and should the Egyptian depart, Liverpool will be in the market for a replacement.

 

[ghazi52]

El Kaabi becomes AFCON hero​

His overhead kicks secure Morocco’s place at the top of Group A
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
AFP
January 02, 2026

Ayoub El Kaabi has emerged as the hero of the tournament so far for the host country. Photo: AFP

RABAT: With captain Achraf Hakimi hardly featuring during the Africa Cup of Nations group stage as he recovers from injury, Ayoub El Kaabi has emerged as the hero of the tournament so far for the host country.

While Hakimi, the African footballer of the year, has made just one substitute appearance up to now, El Kaabi came off the bench to seal Morocco's 2-0 win over Comoros in the opening game with a stunning overhead kick.

That moment of magic earned the 32-year-old a place in the starting line-up for the next match, a 1-1 draw with Mali.

 

[ghazi52]

Toothless Liverpool held by Leeds​

AFP/REUTERS

Both sides settled with a 0-0 draw at Anfield

​

Manchester City's title bid dented​

AFP

Sunderland stalemate left the Guardiola’s side four points behind leaders Arsenal

 

[ghazi52]

Olmo, Lewandowski grab Barca late victory​

AFP
Joan Garcia produced two vital first-half saves against former club Espanyol

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,​

Arsenal extend lead at top of Premier League​

AFP
Rice sent the Gunners six points clear of second-placed Villa

​

 

[ghazi52]

Manchester United sack manager Ruben Amorim​

Reuters
January 5, 2026



Manchester United have sacked head coach Ruben Amorim, the Premier League club said on Monday, a day after they were held to a draw by relegation-threatened Leeds United. — Reuters/File

Manchester United have sacked head coach Ruben Amorim, the Premier League club said on Monday, a day after they were held to a draw by relegation-threatened Leeds United.

“With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change.

“This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish,” the club said in a statement.

Manchester United are 17 points behind leaders Arsenal, and have won only one of their last five matches.

 

[ghazi52]

Three talking points from the Premier League weekend​

Declan Rice struck twice in the Gunners 3-2 win at Bournemouth

AFP
January 05, 2026

Photo: AFP

MANCHESTER: Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League title race as Manchester City fluffed their lines to draw 1-1 with managerless Chelsea.

Declan Rice struck twice in the Gunners 3-2 win at Bournemouth to open up a six-point lead at the top of the table.

At the other end of the table West Ham's chance of survival suffered a body blow in a 3-0 defeat to a Wolves side that had not won in their opening 19 games of the season.

AFP Sports looks at three talking points from the weekend action:

World class Rice moves Arsenal closer

Rice had been a major injury doubt for Saturday's trip to England's south coast after missing Arsenal's midweek demolition of Aston Villa with knee swelling.

The England international recovered just in time to take his place in the starting line-up and made his mark by scoring twice in a Premier League game for the first time.

Mikel Arteta hailed the 26-year-old as one of the world's best midfielders for his array of attributes.

"He's constantly adding things to his role in the team," said the Spaniard.

"I don't see where he can stop because he can still improve in a lot of areas and he wants to improve. He's such a pivotal player for us."

After finishing second for the last three seasons, Arteta's men are closing in on finally ending a 22-year wait to win the title.

 

[ghazi52]

City charge runs out of gas

City had won eight games in a row prior to drawing a blank in a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on January 1.


But their hunt of Arsenal has come off the rails in four damaging days for Pep Guardiola's men in more ways than one.

On top of four dropped points, centre-backs Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias limped off in the second half against Chelsea to leave Guardiola with threadbare options at the back.

"Of course I have concerns. Have you seen the bench today? It's three players for the academy and now we will have more," said Guardiola.

"We don't have players. That is the truth."

During his trophy-littered decade in charge, Guardiola has made a habit of constantly rotating his City sides to keep his players as fresh as possible.

That has changed this season. His consistency of selection helped bring City back into title contention after losing two of their first three games of the campaign.

But they appear to be running out of gas in the midst of English football's gruelling winter schedule.

City have played just two of their nine games in January with trips to Tottenham and Liverpool to follow in early February.

 

[ghazi52]

West Ham in crisis

Nuno Espirito Santo is already in danger of becoming the latest West Ham manager to be sacked after a miserable collapse against his former club.

The Hammers' relegation fears deepened as first-half goals from Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan and Mateus Mane doubled Wolves' points tally for the season.

Nuno described the result, which left West Ham four points adrift of safety in 18th place in the Premier League, as the worst of his career.

"I apologise to the fans. It was embarrassing," said Nuno, who has already been sacked by Nottingham Forest this season.

"I don't recall one day that I felt so bad in a football pitch."

Appointed in September after the departure of his short-lived predecessor Graham Potter, Nuno knows speculation is mounting that he will not avoid the axe.

"It's not about my future, it's about how can we get out of this situation, how can we improve and get the results that make us climb the table," he added.

 

[ghazi52]

McFarlane proud of team's resilience​

Chelsea secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester City

AFP
January 05, 2026

Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane after the match. Photo: REUTERS

LONDON: Chelsea's interim manager Calum McFarlane was bursting with pride after his team snatched a dramatic 1-1 Premier League draw at Manchester City on Sunday, capping a whirlwind week that saw the club part ways with Enzo Maresca three days earlier.

Chelsea's under-21s head coach was thrown into the deep end after Maresca suddenly left amid a poor run of form on New Year's Day, with a daunting debut awaiting McFarlane against City.

"There's a lot of change that's gone on," McFarlane said. "Enzo was incredibly successful with this group. Some of (the players) were shocked by the decision.

"So the character they've shown in the last two days, the character they've shown today ... everyone thought we were coming here to lose. No one thought we stood a chance, but we knew the character and the talent in this group."

McFarlane, who relished his role as head coach on Sunday calling it the "stuff you dream about", is not sure what the immediate future holds in terms of a new manager.

"We're training tomorrow. So unless I'm told otherwise this evening, I'll be taking that session," he said. "My sole focus has obviously been on this game. Until I'm told otherwise, I'll lead the team."

McFarlane was initially told he would take charge for the City clash, with a new manager possibly arriving on Monday.

 

[ghazi52]

Osimhen leads Nigeria into AFCON quarters​

AFP
They registered a commanding 4-0 victory over Mozambique

​

.........................​

Egypt survive Benin scare​

REUTERS

They earned a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time victory

​

 

[ghazi52]

Algeria through to AFCON quarter-finals​

Boulbina scored an extra-time stunner in 1-0 victory

AFP
January 07, 2026

Algeria's forward #27 Adil Boulbina (C) celebrates scoring his team's first goal. Photo: AFP

RABAT: A thunderous strike by substitute Adil Boulbina deep in extra time settled a tense encounter as Algeria beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 tie on Tuesday.

The game at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat was edging towards a penalty shoot-out when Boulbina, a forward who plays club football in Qatar, was released on the left in the 119th minute and advanced into the area before unleashing a vicious strike into the net.

The moment of magic sparked wild celebrations within the ground, with the majority of the 18,837 fans in attendance backing Algeria.

The 2019 champions, who won all their group games, are looking like serious contenders to claim a third continental title but now face a fascinating quarter-final showdown with Victor Osimhen's Nigeria in Marrakesh on Saturday.

Boulbina was an unlikely hero, making just his second cameo appearance off the bench at the tournament having been included in the squad after featuring for the Algerian team at the recent Arab Cup in Qatar.

 

[ghazi52]

Semenyo signs off in style for Bournemouth​

REUTERS
The Ghana forward scored the winning goal against Spurs

​

...................................​

Sesko double but Man United held to 2-2 draw​

AFP
Burnley are 19th, eight points adrift of safety

.......................................​

Inter extend Serie A lead at Parma​

AFP
Napoli slipped after a 2-2 home draw with Verona

 

[ghazi52]

Madrid not 'kamikaze' with Mbappe health​

AFP
The striker is recovering from a knee sprain

​

Rosenior makes flying start as Chelsea rout Charlton in FA Cup​

AFP
New manager’s debut sees the Blues storm to 5-1 win at The Valley

​

......................................​

Villarreal sink Alaves to stay in La Liga hunt​

AFP

Moleiro, Moreno and Mikautadze struck in the second half to cut Barcelona's lead to eight points

.....................................​

Palace suffer biggest ever FA Cup shock​

AFP

Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts inspire Macclesfield to 2-1 victory over Premier League holders

​

..........................​

Salah closer to AFCON glory​

AFP
Omar Marmoush and Ramy Rabia also score as Egypt dump 3-2 Ivory Coast

 

[ghazi52]

Morocco beat Nigeria on penalties to set up AFCON final against Senegal​

Reuters
January 15, 2026



Nigeria’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in action with Morocco’s Eliesse Ben Seghir and Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui during the AFCON semifinal, Nigeria v Morocco, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on January 14, 2026

Yassine Bounou saved two penalties and Youssef En-Nesyri netted the decisive spot kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shootout victory over Nigeria following their 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat on Wednesday.

Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, will face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff a day before.

The 120 minutes before the shootout had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created the greater opportunities, though they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Nigeria had the best scoring record in the competition coming into the semi-final, but offered very little going forward in a limp display.

And when Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi saw their tame penalties saved in the shootout, they were left to reflect on a performance that showed little ambition.