African teams ramp up World Cup preparations with international friendlies
By Chris Umosen
With the FIFA World Cup only two months away, several African nations took to the pitch last weekend for a series of friendly matches. These fixtures served as a crucial opportunity for coaches to fine-tune their squads ahead of the global showpiece.
The results across the continent were a mixed bag, featuring dominant victories, hard-fought draws, and a few wake-up calls.
North African success
The North African giants enjoyed a productive weekend:
Algeria: Delivered the most dominant performance of the round, hammering Guatemala 7–0 in Genoa, Italy.
Egypt: The “Land of the Pharaohs” showed clinical form, thrashing Saudi Arabia 4–0.
Morocco: Now under the guidance of new coach Mohamed Ouahbi, the Atlas Lions salvaged a late draw against Ecuador. Neil El Aynaoui found the net in the 88th minute to ensure the match ended in a stalemate.
Mixed results across the continent.
While some celebrated, others faced tough lessons on the road:
Nigeria: Secured a morale-boosting 2–1 victory over Iran during their four-nation invitational tournament.
South Africa: Managed a 1–1 draw with Panama. Despite the split points, tactician Hugo Broos praised his team’s effort and discipline.
Cameroon: Fell narrowly to Australia, losing 0–1.
Cape Verde: Suffered a disappointing 2–4 defeat to Chile in New Zealand. The Blue Sharks led 2–1 at halftime but were unable to withstand a second-half surge.
A tough one for the Black Stars
The most surprising result of the weekend came from Ghana. The Black Stars suffered a heavy 1–5 defeat at the hands of Austria, highlighting defensive areas that will likely need urgent attention before the tournament begins
