Algeria : The Algerian Football Federation team was crowned the African Football Confederation Cup (Confederation Cup), despite losing 1-0 to its guest, Young Africans of Tanzania, in the second leg of the final of the competition.
Ittihad Algeria had won the first leg at Young Africans Stadium 2/1, to achieve the title, taking advantage of the rule for calculating the away goal with two goals, which is invoked in the event that the two teams are equal in the number of goals back and forth.
And the Algerian Federation became the first team in the history of Algerian football to crown the championship with its new name, which launched its first edition in 2004.
Djuma Chaabani scored the only goal of the match for Young Africans from a penalty kick in the seventh minute.
The match started with great public enthusiasm on the part of the supporters and fans of the Algerian federation, but the Tanzanian team was not affected by that, and attacked its host from the first minute.
In the seventh minute, Young Africans got a penalty, which Djuma Shaabani successfully scored in the net, scoring the first goal.
After the goal, the Algerian team rushed to try to score an equalizer, but Young Africans took advantage of the progress of the host team, to launch many dangerous attacks on Osama Bin Bout's goal.
In the last minute of the first half, the Union of the Capital almost scored the equalizing goal, when Islam Merili played a ground ball from the right, to be hit by Khaled Bosilo powerfully, but Jiji Diarra, the Young Africans goalkeeper, caught the ball brilliantly, which was the opportunity after which the first half ended, with the team advancing. Tanzanian 1/0.
With the start of the second half, Young Africans tried again to score the Algerian team, whose goalkeeper shone in blocking many opportunities for the Tanzanian team.
The Algerian federation missed the opportunity to end things early through a penalty kick, which Zinedine Belaid missed in the 59th minute, as the Tanzanian goalkeeper saved it.
Despite the clear possession of the Tanzanian team throughout the remaining periods, this was not translated into real opportunities or goals against the Algerian team, which performed a distinguished defensive performance.
For his part, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune congratulated the Algerian club Ittihad after winning the African Confederation Cup title.
Tebboune wrote a tweet on his Twitter account, saying: “Congratulations for the victory of the Algerian Federation.. Congratulations to the people of Soustara and to all Algerian women and men. Thank you, heroes of Africa.
Zinedine Belaid, the leader of the Algerian Federation, lifted the trophy after receiving it from the hands of Patrice Motsepe, President of CAF, the Algerian Minister of Youth and Sports, Abd al-Rahman Hammad, and the President of the Algerian Football Federation, Jahid Zviziv.
Thousands of Al-Ittihad fans took to the streets of the capital, Algiers, to celebrate the first continental coronation in the club's history.
Argentine Legend Lionel Messi is very close to moving to the Saudi Hilal
RIYADH : Press reports said today, Sunday, that Argentine legend Lionel Messi, who won the Qatar 2022 World Cup with his country, is about to sign his transfer contracts for the Saudi Hilal within a few hours while he is in the French capital, Paris.
A Saudi delegation is currently in Paris and is scheduled to return to Riyadh soon, accompanied by the legendary star of Barcelona, Spain, whose contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the French champions, has just expired.
According to the Saudi newspaper “Okaz” today, Sunday, Messi is expected to arrive in Riyadh within 48 hours before the official announcement of his joining Al Hilal, but the newspaper did not address the financial value of the deal or the player’s expected salary.
And the “Okaz” newspaper was alone, in its issue of March 14, 2023, by publishing the news of the arrival of Jorge Horatio Messi, Messi’s father and business agent, to Riyadh, after his son entered the six-month period in which he is entitled to sign with any club, after talks about the matter stopped. Renewing his contract with Saint-Germain.
“Okaz” indicated that the best player in the world will complete his sports career in Saudi Arabia, following in the footsteps of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined the victory during the last winter transfers, especially after Messi’s father showed him the residence in Riyadh in preparation for his son’s residence in the Saudi capital.
Last month, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib received Messi, the Saudi tourism ambassador, with his family and friends, on his second visit to Saudi Arabia to enjoy the most beautiful Saudi tourist destinations.
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