RIYAD MAHREZ INSPIRES DOMINANT ALGERIA WIN AS GROUP E AFCON CAMPAIGN BEGINS TODAY
Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Algeria thrashed 10-man Sudan 3-0 to secure their first AFCON win since 2019 today.
Riyad Mahrez was on fire, scoring in both halves as Algeria, the 2019 champs, cruised to a 3-0 victory against Sudan, who were down to 10 men. That's how they kicked off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign.
Just a minute into the game, Mahrez got things going, sending the Algerian fans (who pretty much filled the 16,115-seat stadium in Rabat) into a frenzy.
Mahrez, who used to play for Manchester City and now plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, scored again just after the hour mark. Then, Ibrahim Maza sealed the deal late in the game, giving Algeria a dream start in Group E.
Even Zinedine Zidane, the French legend whose parents are Algerian, was in the stands watching his son Luca play goalie for Algeria. When they showed him on the big screen, the Algerian fans went wild, stoked to see their team playing so well.
It's been a rough couple of AFCONs for Algeria—they got knocked out in the first round both times without winning a single game. But they wasted no time in this match.
Barely a minute had passed when Mohamed Amoura passed the ball across the box. Hicham Boudaoui back-heeled it to Mahrez, who nailed it in.
Zidane made a good save against Sudan's Yaser Awad Boshara, but Algeria was in control the whole time.
Sudan's chances took a hit when Salaheldin Adil got a red card for a second booking. He chopped down Rayan Ait-Nouri just before halftime.
Ramy Bensebaini had a goal called back for offside, but Mahrez made it 2-0 in the 61st minute, thanks to a killer assist from Amoura.
Mahrez, who's playing in his sixth AFCON, now has eight goals in the tournament. The Algerian fans gave him a standing ovation when he was subbed out late in the game.
Maza, who came off the bench from Bayer Leverkusen, scored Algeria's 100th AFCON goal with five minutes left, making it 3-0 after a header from Baghdad Bounedjah.
Sudan hasn't had much luck in the Cup of Nations since they won it in 1970—just one win in their last 17 matches.
Burkina Faso's AFCON Comeback Against Equatorial Guinea
In the earlier Group E game, Burkina Faso pulled off a late 2-1 win against Equatorial Guinea, who were playing with 10 men.
Equatorial Guinea took a surprise lead in the 85th minute.
But Burkina Faso came back strong. Georgi Minoungou scored in stoppage time to tie the game, and then Edmond Tapsoba scored the winner right at the end.
Burkina Faso was the stronger team, but their Premier League attackers. Equatorial Guinea went down to 10 men when Basilio Ndiong got a red card for a bad tackle on Traore.
Burkina Faso had plenty of chances. Lassina Traore, who was back, scored. It got disallowed for offside.
Equatorial Guinea threatened another upset when Anieboh scored.
Equatorial Guinea made a name for themselves at the last AFCON, upsetting the hosts and topping their group.
They slowed down the game, but with eight minutes of added time, Burkina Faso still had a shot. Bayer Leverkusen's Tapsoba was key in turning things around. After Burkina Faso was fouled, the ball went to Minoungou, who scored.
Then, Cyriaque Irie crossed the ball. It bounced off the goalie and onto Tapsoba's head, who scored the winning goal.
shot.
WHY DID CRISTIANO RONALDO CRY? LUKA MODRIC EXPOSES JOSE MOURINHO’S HARSHEST LECTURE
Luka Modric reveals Jose Mourinho once reduced Cristiano Ronaldo to tears at Real Madrid for failing to track back defensively.
Luka Modric says that Jose Mourinho once gave Cristiano Ronaldo such a harsh lecture that the guy was in tears.
Ronaldo, who's 40 now, played really well under Mourinho, who's 62. They were together at Real Madrid for three seasons, but apparently, they didn't always get along off the field.
Even though things got off to a slow start, the Portuguese superstar still managed to score 168 goals in 164 games while playing for Mourinho. He also helped Mourinho win three trophies in his first two seasons.
But get this: even with superstars like Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria on his team, Mourinho was still super critical of Ronaldo's effort on defense.
Modric, who Mourinho signed from Tottenham back in 2013, told a story about one argument that made Ronaldo cry. Apparently, it was because he didn't chase after his assigned player.
"I saw him make Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the locker room," Modric told Corriere della Sera, an Italian news outlet. Can you believe it? A guy who always gives it his all on the field, and he's getting yelled at because he didn't chase some defender.
Modric moved to Real Madrid in 2013 and only played under Mourinho for a year.
Modric, who played alongside Kaka and Mesut Ozil in the midfield after arriving for a big £33 million, didn't say which game the argument happened in.
Guillem Balague, a Spanish soccer journalist, wrote in Ronaldo's biography that Ronaldo and Mourinho almost fought after Mourinho yelled at him in the locker room following a 2-0 win against Valencia in January 2013.
Mourinho was mad because Ronaldo didn't seem willing to help out on defense during the game. And Ronaldo supposedly replied, After everything I've done for you, this is how you treat me? How dare you say that to me!
Later that season, which turned out to be Mourinho's last with the team, Ronaldo was constantly asked about Mourinho's future. "I don't care," he said once. What I care about is my own future and the club.
This was a big change from earlier that year, when Mourinho said before the 2012 Ballon d'Or race, If Messi is the best on the planet, Ronaldo is the best in the universe!
After Mourinho left Real Madrid, he went on Spanish TV to talk about what caused the problems between him and Ronaldo.
"I only had one problem with him," he said. It was simple. When a coach gives a player feedback on tactics, they are trying to help them get better, in my opinion. He didn't take it well because he probably thinks he knows everything, and the coach can't help him.
Mourinho also said that they didn't really have a relationship. But time seemed to fix things, as he later said that coaching Ronaldo was the best thing that ever happened in his career.
Ronaldo also seemed to warm up to Mourinho later on, even saying that he was the best coach he ever had, even better than Sir Alex Ferguson. "I'd put him at the top; I always say that," Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo scored 168 goals in 164 games while playing for Mourinho during their three years together.
Even though Modric didn't win any trophies in his first season at Madrid, he was so impressed by Mourinho that he repeated something Mourinho famously said about himself.
He's special, as a coach and as a person, Modric said. He was the one who wanted me at Real Madrid. I wouldn't have come without him. I'm sad I only had him for one season.
Modric spent 13 years at Real Madrid, mostly managed by Carlo Ancelotti. Now he's at AC Milan and managed by Massimiliano Allegri. But he says Mourinho is the toughest of the three.
He added, "Mourinho is really direct with the players, but he's honest." He treated Sergio Ramos and new players the same way. If he had something to say, he'd say it. Max is the same way. He tells you what's right and wrong to your face. Honesty is key.
Modric also shared his opinion on the never-ending debate of who's better, Lionel Messi or Ronaldo, but said he doesn't really like talking about it.
"I don't like that question," he said. They both defined an era. I'm closer to Cristiano because I played with him; he was my teammate at Madrid, and I can tell you he's not just a great player, he's an amazing person. People don't know it, but he has a big heart and is always ready to help others. He's just a simple, normal guy.
He added, "I don't know Messi personally, but I'm sure he's great too." As a player, he's incredible.
CELTIC FANS DEMAND BOARD SACK WILFRIED NANCY AFTER SHOCK MOTHERWELL DEFEAT TONIGHT
Wilfried Nancy dismisses sack talk after Celtic's 2-0 loss at Motherwell. With Rangers closing in, the Old Firm looms large.
After Celtic's fifth loss in seven games under his leadership, Wilfried Nancy brushed off ideas that Saturday's Old Firm game would decide his future.
Tuesday's match at Fir Park, called 'El Passico' due to both teams' open play styles, saw Motherwell outperform the Frenchman's team. Ibrahim Said and Elliot Watt scored on either side of halftime.
The 2-0 defeat, Celtic's 17th this year, meant Hearts stayed three points ahead in the league, while Rangers closed in, now just three points behind Nancy's squad after a 2-1 victory over St Mirren.
At the end of the game, visiting fans chanted for the board to be sacked, and some even demanded the manager's immediate dismissal. When asked if his first derby was a make-or-break moment, Nancy responded, No, not really. Every game matters to me and the team.
I'm not focused on my future. I'm focusing on what I'm doing now, what I need to do to help the team get better, and what we need to do as a team to improve. That's how I see it.
When asked if he understood the fans' deep worry about the lack of progress during his time, Nancy was indignant.
Progress? "There is progress," he insisted. But tonight, the situation and the opponent were tough.
This is a fact. Now, we need to figure out how to get better, and that's what we've been working on from the start. Tonight was rough. That's the truth.
When questioned about feeling the pressure after such a bad start as the champion's manager, Nancy added, As a manager, I don't want this, obviously.
Pressure doesn't change how I think. We know we have to perform well.
But right now, this is how it is. I knew it could be like this. We've had good games at times. Tonight was a hard one.
Regarding whether he was sure he could turn things around, Nancy said, Yes, I'm sure. I had to make some choices about the team tonight. I believe in what we're trying to do and where we're going. This was a hard game, difficult for us, but I think we'll improve.
Motherwell's manager, Jens Berthel Askou, praised his team, saying it was probably their best game of the season.
"We knew we'd probably need our best, most solid, and most complete performance, both with and without the ball, to win," he said.
We've had really big and good performances, but they haven't led to wins against Rangers or Celtic. So, that's what we got, and that's what we needed. It was amazing to see.