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• Tanzania coach Gamondi: Beating Nigeria like winning AFCON

  Tanzania coach Miguel Gamondi believes defeating Nigeria in their AFCON opener would be as significant as winning the entire tournament for the winless Taifa Stars. Tanzania head coach Miguel Gamondi believes his side can end their long wait for a maiden Africa Cup of Nations victory when they face Nigeria on Tuesday. The Taifa Stars have played nine matches across three previous tournament appearances without recording a single win. As they prepare for their tenth AFCON game at the Complexe Sportif de Fès, the Argentine tactician remains optimistic about breaking the historic winless streak against the continental giants. The coach acknowledged Nigeria’s superior pedigree but emphasized that his team is motivated by the prospect of an upset. “It’s our dream, and nobody can stop us from believing and dreaming,” Gamondi stated during a pre-match press conference. He admitted that while the Super Eagles are heavy favorites on paper, the unpredictable nature of football gives his side a fighting chance to make a significant impact in their opening Group C encounter. Gamondi highlighted that a victory over the three-time champions would be a monumental achievement for Tanzanian football. “I am confident we can do something. If we do what we need to do and are able to win, beating Nigeria would feel like winning the AFCON for us, especially at the start of the tournament,” he said. Following this clash, Tanzania is scheduled to face regional rivals Uganda and North African powerhouses Tunisia.

• Fabregas slams Senegal Coach over Assane Diao’s injury

  Cesc Fabregas criticized Senegal’s coach Pape Thiaw after forward Assane Diao picked up a flexor injury just before the AFCON, revealing an “unpleasant conversation” where he was told Diao would miss the World Cup if he declined the tournament call-up.

  Como forward Assane Diao sustained a flexor injury in the 35th minute of their 1-0 defeat to Roma, leaving the pitch in tears and later using crutches.

  The 20-year-old’s participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations for Senegal is now uncertain, pending a full assessment. Diao was scheduled to join the national team just days before Senegal’s opening match on December 23rd.

  Como manager Cesc Fabregas, a target for Barcelona, expressed frustration after the match and revealed a “frosty chat” with Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw.

  Fabregas had requested Thiaw not to call up Diao, citing the player’s long-term metatarsal and recent hamstring issues.

  Fabregas was “sorry for the boy” as he was playing with “the fear of a player who is 20 years old with a career ahead of him.”

  Fabregas recounted that the Senegal coach justified the call-up by warning Diao would miss the World Cup if he skipped the AFCON.

  Fabregas stated: “The Senegal coach told me that if Diao hadn’t gone to the Africa Cup of Nations, he definitely wouldn’t have gone to the World Cup. I didn’t like that, and that’s why it was an unpleasant conversation.”

• World Cup 2026: The giants and minnows in each group

  The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw established 12 groups for the record 48-team tournament hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, highlighting debuts for minnows like Curaçao and confirming defending champions Argentina’s path in Group J.

  The groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been finalized following the draw ceremony held at the Kennedy Centre in Washington on Friday, according to a report from Malta Today.

  The expanded tournament will feature a record 48 teams competing in 104 games across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, beginning in Mexico City on June 11 and concluding with the final in New York, New Jersey on July 19.

  The draw placed 42 already-qualified teams into 12 groups, reserving slots for the six remaining teams to be decided in the March play-offs.

  The field will include several World Cup debutants, most notably Cape Verde, Jordan, Uzbekistan, and Curaçao, with the Caribbean island nation of Curaçao becoming the smallest country by population size to ever qualify.

  All 11 of the world’s top-ranked teams have secured their places, but major footballing nation Italy is among the 22 countries left to compete in the play-offs for the final six berths, including four from the UEFA play-offs.

  The groups pit giants against minnows in several intriguing matchups. Group C features Brazil alongside Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti, while Group E sees Germany matched with Ivory Coast, Ecuador, and Curaçao. Group H includes Spain, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, and Cape Verde.

  Defending champions Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, were drawn into Group J alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

  Messi is seeking to guide his nation to become the first team to win consecutive tournaments since Brazil did so in 1958 and 1962.

  Messi, who already holds the record for 26 World Cup games played, is also just three goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s career World Cup goals record.

  Host nation USA is set to compete in Group D against Paraguay and Australia.

  Attendance across the 16 venues is projected to exceed the record 3.59 million set when the US last hosted the tournament in 1994.

• Spain and France handed tough World Cup draws

  The 2026 World Cup draw has produced challenging groups, with Spain facing Uruguay and France set to play Norway and Senegal. Co-hosts Mexico will kick off the tournament against South Africa, while the United States and Canada also learned their group stage opponents.

  Reigning champions Argentina begin their title defence against Algeria. Elsewhere, England will have a chance for revenge against Croatia in a repeat of their 2018 semi-final clash. The Three Lions are also grouped with Ghana and Panama in Group L.

• England and Scotland’s World Cup journeys mapped out

  England and Scotland’s paths through the World Cup have been laid out following the draw. England faces Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in the group stage, aiming to build momentum. Scotland’s group includes Brazil and Morocco, with a crucial early match against Haiti determining their knockout stage hopes.

  Both teams have generally favorable schedules, avoiding late-night kick-offs for UK viewers. Potential knockout-stage opponents for England include teams from Groups E, H, I, J, or K. Scotland could face the Netherlands, Mexico, Germany, or France in later rounds, depending on group stage results.

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