Latest news with #MCAlger
CAF
10-05-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Boulbina brace seals Algeria's TotalEnergies CHAN qualification
Published: Saturday, 10 May 2025 Algeria booked their place at the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) in style with a commanding 3-0 win over Gambia in Annaba on Friday. The result secured a 3-0 aggregate victory for the North Africans, who had held the Scorpions to a goalless draw in Bakau in the first leg of the playoff last week. After a cautious and goalless first half at the Stade du 19 Mai 1956, Algeria came alive in the second period with an explosive attacking display, led by Adil Boulbina and Bouras Akram. The breakthrough came just 40 seconds after the restart when Abderrahmane Meziane struck a low shot across the goalkeeper to open the scoring. But it was the introduction of Adil Boulbina, the leading scorer in the Algerian domestic league, that proved decisive. The 22-year-old forward, who plies his trade with Paradou AC, struck twice in the final 15 minutes, both goals assisted by the excellent Bouras Akram of MC Alger. Boulbina's first came in the 76th minute with a clever lob over the onrushing Gambian keeper after timing his run perfectly down the left. He added his second in stoppage time, finishing coolly from a tight angle to complete the rout and send Algeria into the group stage of the CHAN finals. Coach Madjid Bougherra's side were made to work hard in the first leg but were clinical at home, taking full advantage of a vastly improved playing surface compared to the one they faced in Bakau. With this victory, Algeria joins Uganda, Guinea, and Niger in Group C of the CHAN 2025 finals, to be played in August. They will be joined by either South Africa or Malawi, who face off in the final remaining play-off fixture. The performance will boost Algeria's hopes of improving on their runner-up finish at the last CHAN edition, especially with Boulbina and Akram developing into a deadly attacking duo.
The South African
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Riveiro: The next Pirates coach will be the right man for the job
Orlando Pirates were held to a draw at home by MC Alger on Wednesday, but still advanced to the CAF Champions League semi-finals. Image: Orlando Pirates website Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has assured the club fans that his successor will be the right man for the job. Riveiro will leave Pirates at the end of the current season after deciding against renewing his contract beyond June. Now, all eyes are on the Pirates boss Dr Irvin Khoza to see who he will appoint to fill the big shoes that will be left by Riveiro. The Spaniard will go down as one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Sea Robbers. He has won five major trophies for Pirates in his three-year stint, and it could be six before he departs the club. And that's if Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday's Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Now, speaking to the media on Tuesday, Riveiro said it is not because of his project that Pirates have done well but that of the club. He believes the blueprint is there, and that whoever comes in to take over will have it easy to continue where he left off. Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro trains his team at the Rand Stadium. Image: @orlandopiratesfc/X ORLANDO PIRATES FANS SHOULDN'T BE CONCERNED – RIVEIRO 'This is a club project, not a Riveiro project, I've answered this question many, many times,' said Riveiro as per FARPost. 'The club knows what they are doing. Whoever is coming is going to be the right person and will have the support and will find himself in a good platform to continue where we're going to stop at the end of the season. 'Football is a cycle, and Orlando Pirates is a huge institution; nothing is going to change because Riveiro is in or out. 'The Buccaneers don't need to be concerned about that because the future is brilliant for the club, and it's going to be alright.' DOES HE KNOW THE NEXT BUCS COACH ALREADY? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Ugly scenes at Orlando Stadium unacceptable, says Pirates coach Jose Riveiro
Deon Hotto Orlando Pirates player Deon Hotto (bottom centre) escapes a clash with an MC Alger staff at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night. Photo: ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Media The Algerians did not take their elimination in Soweto kindly, so much so that they started a physical altercation with their hosts after the match. Pirates won the tie and progressed to the semi-final for the first time since 2013, after Mohau Nkota had scored the lone goal in the reverse leg away in Algeria. Orlando Pirates drew 0-0 with MC Alger in the CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg, resulting in winning the tie 1-0 on aggregate. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) must take actions against the unsavoury scenes that unfolded at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Wednesday night. Those nasty scenes happened for back-to-back Champions League quarter-final games in SA as the Mamelodi Sundowns' game against Esperance experienced them as well. But unlike in Orlando, where the two teams were involved in a physical altercation, the ugly scenes in Pretoria were between the fans of the two teams. CAF safety and security division held a meeting earlier this week to deliberate on the matter as it brought the governing body into disrepute. As such, Dr Christian Emeruwa, the CAF safety and security head, opened up on what the hosting clubs are expected to do to ensure everything runs smoothly. Emeruwa said: 'For CAF interclub football to live up to the expected standards, each club must work hard to create an environment whereby supporters feel safe at the stadium. 'All club managers and security stakeholders are expected to work alongside CAF security and their respective national security officers to ensure the stadium is safe and welcoming.' Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA), the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Pirates did their part to ensure that all safety protocols were in place. But MC Alger's officials did their best to contravene all those regulations as they also fought with the security staff, including the SAPS, that were put in place. The North Africans' fight at Orlando did not only end on the pitch, some of their officials took it down the tunnel with the media personnel. The barbaric behaviour shocked everyone, especially given the fact that Alger were on foreign territory, and were expected to act as distinguished guests. Pirates' coach Jose Riveiro refused to put his head on the block and point fingers. Instead, he said such behaviour doesn't have a place in football. 'I don't really know what happened,' Riveiro said. 'We'll suddenly now have to go into a space to know who started the fight. I think it doesn't matter. 'I think for me, us, and my group, football is something that cannot get dirty with these types of behaviours. It's something that's unacceptable. 'Probably, someone was making mistakes from outside, but those behaviours must be far from sport because we don't really need it. 'We have to learn how to win and lose, and accept whatever result that's coming. Again, I don't really know. I was still sitting on the bench when that happened. 'I was trying to understand the dimension of what we achieved, and a second later, everything was a mess in front of me.'
The South African
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Orlando Pirates agree two-year contract extension with key operator
Orlando Pirates have agreed in principle to extend central defender Tapelo Xoki's contract for another two years. 27-year-old Tapeolo Xoki has been an important member of the Pirates defensive unit this season. Although not always first choice, his experience as a backup option has been invaluable, especially in the Caf Champions League quarter-finals against MC Alger when Jose Riveiro fielded a back three and he started both of those clashes. Xoki operated alongside the usual first-choice central defensive pairing of Nkosinathi Sibisi and Mbekezeli Mbokazi in those outings. 'For Xoki, the new two-year deal is as good as done. Yes, talks have been going on for some time now, but apparently it's all over now as the concerned parties are believed to have agreed to that new deal which will run until June 2027 as things stand at the moment,' an insider told Soccer Laduma. 'Defence is Orlando Pirates' strongest department if you look at it. And the club is making sure that they keep all of them even for next season, and that's one of the reasons why they have apparently agreed to a new contract with Xoki.' Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
CAF
09-04-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Pirates conclude TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-final line-up
Orlando Pirates have completed the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-final line-up after holding MC Alger to a goalless draw on Wednesday evening in Soweto to advance 1-0 on aggregate, following their victory in Algiers last week. A packed and highly vocal Orlando Stadium was witness to a hard-fought battle between the two sides who matched each other in all departments throughout highly tactical encounter. Despite playing at home, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro opted for a more cautious approach to the tie with the aim of protecting his slender lead thanks to Mohau Nkota's away goal in Algiers. As expected, the visitors pressed the former champions into their own half from the opening whistle, but with a strong line off defense marshalled by captain, Tapelo Xoki the buccaneers did well to keep their opponents at bay. Pirates took on a more offensive approach after the break, with the introduction of fresh legs that injected much needed fire power up front. Substitute, Patrick Maswanganyi was unlucky not to see his shot beat the keeper after doing well to cut inside and unleash a powerful effort that was well saved by Abdelatif Ramdan. Another substitute, Tshegofatso Mabasa almost put matters beyond reach in the 90th minute after pouncing on a loose ball to send a strike that came off the frame of the goal to his disappointment. The visitors continued to probe but lacked the final touch that could break the Pirates defense. The result sees the 1995 champions complete the semi-finals line up and set up a clash with Egyptian side, Pyramids FC.
