Goals from Romain Saiss, Azz-Eddine Ounahi and Youssef En Nesyri fired Morocco to a 3-0 win over Tanzania in a one-sided Africa Cup of Nations opener.

Former Wolves defender Saiss struck in the first half but, despite their total dominance, Morocco had to wait until the unfancied Tanzanians were reduced to 10 men late in the second half before finishing them off.

While Morocco could boast the likes of Paris St Germain defender Achraf Hakimi and Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, Tanzania started with Tarryn Allarakhia of Wealdstone in attack.

Thus, the gulf in class between the World Cup semi-finalists and the minnows who have never won a match at the AFCON was clear, but Morocco could not find a way through until the 30th minute.

Ibrahim Hamad’s foul on Hakim Ziyech gave the Chelsea winger, on loan at Galatasaray, the chance to get the first shot on target of the match.

Ziyech’s fierce free-kick was beaten out by Tanzania goalkeeper Aishi Manula but Saiss was following up and buried the rebound.

Ziyech, becoming increasingly influential down the right, then swung in a cross which En Nesyri headed over before forcing a decent near-post save from Manula.

As half-time approached, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli blazed over from a tight angle as Tanzania somehow made it to the break only trailing by one.

Tanzania were pushing their luck with some physical challenges and a predictable second yellow card ended Novatus Miroshi’s involvement 20 minutes from time.

Morocco then doubled their lead when Ounahi played a slick one-two with substitute Amine Adli before slotting past Manula.

Moments later Ounahi crossed for Sevilla striker En Nesyri to tuck in the third and ensure the Atlas Lions got off to a winning start.

Napoli have signed Ivory Coast midfielder Hamed Traore on loan for the rest of the season.

Traore, 23, links up with the Italian champions having made 13 appearances for Bournemouth since arriving from Sassuolo last January.

“From Ivory Coast to Napoli. Welcome Hamed!,” Napoli posted on social media, announcing Traore’s arrival.

Traore began his career at Empoli and initially joined Bournemouth on loan.

The move was made permanent in May 2022 for a reported £20million fee.

A Cherries statement read: “Everyone connected with AFC Bournemouth wishes Hamed well for the remainder of the season.”

Anton Corneal, Technical director of Trinidad and Tobago Football Association believes the country’s governing football body will have to do some restructuring to meet the demands of the calendar, particularly from a youth perspective, as FIFA recently announced that as of 2025, youth tournaments will take place every year, instead of biennially.

“Now we've got to redesign what we are doing when it comes to a high-performance programme. Instead of catering for players every two years, now we will be catering for players every year,” Corneal said in a recent interview with TTFA media.

On that note, Corneal pointed to the need for more human and financial resources to achieve their objectives and, by extension, endure Trinidad and Tobago is consistently represented at tournaments.

"It is going to be difficult to manage because you are asking for a second staff to be hired. If it does not come with additional funding then it is going to become difficult and we will have to make sure we prioritise in a way that it is beneficial to all,” he reasoned.

Interestingly, Trinidad and Tobago’s first football assignment for the year will be the Caribbean leg of the Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championships next month.

The twin island republic will host Group D of the qualifiers, with Canada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica standing in their way, as only the group winner will advance to the next round to join the top teams –United States, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic –ranked in that order.

"We've got a few things (this year). First, we have youth tournaments. The Under-20 boys will be the immediate youth tournament where the preliminary group will be played in T&T in February. We have been in training (locally) for the last two and a half months. I have to say it is a real competitive group of players. They would merge with players out of the US and a few out of the UK,” Corneal shared.

“It is not going to be a given (the challenge to top the group), but we have had relatively decent results against Canada over the last ten years where it has fluctuated. They have won some and we have won some,” he ended.

Celtic new boy Nicolas Kuhn believes Parkhead is the perfect place to achieve his ambitions at club and country level.

The 24-year-old attacker, who signed a five-and-a-half-year deal from Rapid Vienna on Tuesday, played at youth level for Germany up until under-20s and was in the academy teams of RB Leipzig and Ajax before joining Bayern Munich in 2020 following an initial loan move.

Kuhn did not quite make the breakthrough at those European giants before moving to Austria in 2022 but is now looking to kick on, with Champions League football and a senior call-up for Germany in his sights.

Speaking at Celtic Park, he said: “Of course they (Ajax and Bayern) were big clubs. I learned a lot, it was a good school.

“There were a lot of players who had a good career and who made big steps to big clubs so I learned a lot and now I want to show what I can do here.

“At Ajax I played with the whole squad that got to the semi-finals of the Champions League (2019), I trained the whole year with the first team.

“At Bayern I played with players like (Robert) Lewandowski and (Joshua) Kimmich and all the guys you know.

“I think at Ajax I did really good in the youths. When I first arrived, we won the second league with the second team. I trained the whole time with the first team. In the youth league, I was the top scorer and I deserved a chance.

“But then I made the move to Bayern. After the first season, we were also champions with the second team in the third league in Germany.

“Then there were some private problems so I made a step back.

“People were looking at where I was playing but for me it was a good step. So I can take two steps forward now.

“I’ve improved a lot, I think. I’ve now played regularly and I’ve stayed fit. That’s the most important thing. Now I can show what I’m able to do.

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“When I was at Erzgebirge Aue for one year on loan, I said I wanted to play in the Champions League and for the national team.

“Now I’ve made a big step to a big club. So, of course, in the future, I want to play for the national team as well.”

Kuhn had interest from other clubs but insists the call from Celtic and a chat with boss Brendan Rodgers made up his mind to make the move to Glasgow.

He said: “We had some really good meetings, we talked a lot and he told me what a great and big club this is although I knew about Celtic before and I also saw some games.

“He convinced me to come here and everything he told me was really nice and I had the first training session today.

“It was clear at the moment Celtic called and showed interest that I wanted to come here.

“There was some interest from other clubs but the moment I received the message I didn’t think about going somewhere else.”

The Premier League risks losing the trust of fans over its handling of financial cases, an Everton supporters’ representative has said.

Everton face the threat of a further points deduction after being referred to an independent commission for the second time within 12 months this week for a breach of the league’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

A PSR complaint against Nottingham Forest was also referred on Monday.

Everton were docked 10 points last November for the first PSR breach, and expect to learn the outcome of their appeal against that sanction by the end of February.

Julie Clarke, the secretary of the Everton fan advisory board, sat behind Premier League chief executive Richard Masters as he gave evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Tuesday.

Everton and Forest could both be sanctioned before a hearing considering more than 100 charges against Manchester City has even taken place, and Clarke says she spoke to Masters after the hearing and took him to task over what she saw as the league’s lack of transparency over PSR matters.

“If he wants to say (other cases are) taking longer because there are different considerations, you have to tell people what those considerations are. Football fans are intelligent and articulate. They’re not fools. Only a fool would think that,” Clarke told the PA news agency.

“They need to be clear about what’s holding up the other clubs while they can investigate and sanction us, and then announce they’re holding another investigation with us and Nottingham Forest without announcing why other clubs that they’re investigating still haven’t had a hearing.

“I’ve never believed a club is too big to be relegated – if you play badly you should be relegated.

“But when there are intervening bodies coming in to expedite that process which are not transparent and seem unfair and disproportionate, then that’s where the Premier League starts to lose the trust of fans.”

Masters told MPs the “volume and character” of the more than 100 charges laid against Manchester City meant that case was being heard “in a completely different environment”.

Clarke felt the committee should have pressed Masters to reveal the date for City’s independent commission hearing, after he confirmed one had been set.

“I wouldn’t have accepted that and I was furious actually that nobody came back and challenged him on that,” she said.

“If he knows, and he’s sitting there in front of a select committee, I think it was within their gift to say ‘I’m sorry, we don’t accept that you won’t tell us’.”

Clarke revealed she had spoken to committee member Rupa Huq over her fears regarding Everton’s future as a community asset should further sanctions be applied.

“I explained to her the risk that they were putting Everton Football Club in, and all of the work that they do in the community, the mental health and wellness hub, the new stadium and what it’s bringing to that part of the city that’s been massively underprivileged for years and years,” Clarke said.

“What the new stadium is going to bring to the city can’t be measured at the moment. It was very important that those people on that committee knew how important Everton is in its community, not just as a football club.”

Clubs opted not to adopt a sanctioning framework for PSR when the issue was raised at a Premier League meeting in 2020. The expedited PSR process under which Everton and Forest have been referred was agreed by clubs at last summer’s league annual general meeting.

The Premier League has been contacted for comment.

The independent commission which heard the first PSR complaint against Everton last year found the club’s desire to improve their on-pitch performance had resulted in them acting “irresponsibly” and exceeding permitted losses under PSR by £19.5million.

Qatar became the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the Asian Cup after a 1-0 win against Tajikistan on Wednesday.

Akram Afif scored his third goal of the tournament to secure victory for the host nation and defending champions at Al Bayt Stadium.

As hosts of the World Cup in 2022, Qatar exited the competition at the group stage after three straight losses, but now maximum points from their opening two games in the Asian Cup have ensured they advance as group winners.

Afif lifted a shot over Tajikstan goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov in the 17th minute and Tajikistan finished the game with 10 men after Amadoni Kamolov was sent off in the 81st.

The other Group A contest between China and Lebanon finished 0-0.

After back-to-back draws, China likely need at least a point against Qatar in their last game to have a chance of advancing.

Both China and Lebanon's hopes of reaching the round of 16 are in the balance. While China are second in Group A on two points, they have the daunting task of facing Qatar in their final game, knowing a loss could see them overtaken by Lebanon or Tajikistan.

"We know that we depend on ourselves and that is something that every team would like to be in that position before the last game," China coach Aleksandar Jankovic said. 

"No matter if we play against a host country, Qatar, with their World Cup experience, we still depend on ourselves and I always like to be in this kind of situation."

Hassan Maatouk and Hasan Srour hit the bar for Lebanon either side of half-time, while Wu Lei thought he had broken the deadlock for China in the 65th minute, only for his close-range shot to be hooked off the line at Al Thumama Stadium.

China were quarter-finalists in each of the last two Asian Cups.

Lebanon lost 3-0 to Qatar in their opening game and sit bottom of the group with one point, but could still advance.

"It is a very important point for us, especially after a tough defeat against Qatar," coach Miodrag Radulovic said.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe warned Manchester United he was prepared to withdraw his offer to become minority owner if it was not given the green light before Christmas, it has been revealed.

It was announced on December 24 that the Ineos chairman had agreed to buy a 25 per cent stake in the Premier League club in a deal that included investing 300million US dollars (£236.7million) into their infrastructure.

But US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings released on Wednesday have revealed Ratcliffe’s patience had begun to wear thin shortly before an agreement was struck.

In the week before Christmas, Ratcliffe’s company Trawlers Limited “gave Manchester United a deadline of December 25, 2023 to accept its best and final proposal”.

Widespread discussions had been held between February’s initial offer for a controlling stake and the ultimate outcome.

There was pushback from non-affiliated directors to what is known in the filings as the ‘October Proposal’ of 33 US dollars for 25 per cent of Class A and B shares plus 300m US dollars capital.

Ratcliffe agreed to slight concessions after conversations between December 18 and 22 but “was not prepared to accept any of other changes proposed by the non-affiliated directors”.

It led to an informal meeting of the board of directors on December 22 and a “robust discussion regarding the feedback from the offeror”.

The board representatives noted Ratcliffe “could decide to withdraw (the) proposal if the board of directors was not prepared to move forward by December 25, 2023”.

That transaction was subsequently agreed on December 24, bringing an end to a process that started in early June 2022.

United met representatives of investment bank Raine “on several occasions to discuss potential strategic opportunities to enhance shareholder value and serve the best interests of the football club’s fans”.

That led to the eventual November 22, 2022 announcement of a ‘Strategic Alternatives Review Process’, leading to appointed financial adviser Raine speaking to over 170 interested parties.

SEC filings revealed Raine is to be paid an estimated 31.5m US dollars (£24.9m) for their services.

United entered into 26 nondisclosure agreements and 19 were invited to the first round of bidding, including Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim.

The Qatari was considered the biggest competition to buy the club and formally withdrew from the process on October 15, 2023.

Known as ‘Bidder A’ in the filings, it was noted on a number of occasions that they “did not provide customary financing commitment letters”.

Raine informed Sheikh Jassim’s bid on May 22 that a proposal to acquire all ordinary shares would only be considered if a price of 35.25 US dollars (£27.83) was met.

In the end, Ratcliffe struck a deal to buy 25 per cent of Class B shares held by the Glazer family and up to 25 per cent of all Class A shares at a price of 33 US dollars (£26).

 That offer for up to 13,237,834 Class A ordinary shares was confirmed on Wednesday.

United’s Class A share price was 19.84 US dollars (£15.64) on December 22 – the last full day before the public announcement of Ratcliffe’s offer.

On the last full trading day before the commencement of the offer the price was 21.20 US dollars (£16.71) per share.

The SEC document read: “The offer and withdrawal rights will expire at one minute after 11.59pm eastern time on February 13, 2024, unless the offer is extended or earlier terminated.”

The filing also said upon the consummation of the offer Ratcliffe’s shares would collectively “represent a 27.69 per cent ownership interest and 28.71 per cent voting interest”.

As part of the tender process, United also wrote to shareholders inviting them to attend an extraordinary general meeting in Rochester, New York on February 5.

That letter is signed by Patrick Stewart, United’s interim chief executive officer and general counsel, and Cliff Baty, the club’s chief financial officer.

The SEC filings revealed that the pair are in line for a bonus “equal to two times the annual salary of such executive officer as of the date of the closing”.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has warned his side face a tougher test on Thursday when they play arch-rivals Atletico for the second time in eight days.

The two Spanish giants go head-to-head in the Copa del Rey’s last 16 at the Metropolitano Stadium with Atleti seeking revenge after last week’s thrilling Spanish Super Cup semi-final defeat to Real in Saudi Arabia.

Ancelotti’s side scored twice in extra time in Riyadh to edge it 5-3 – they beat Barcelona 4-1 in Sunday’s final – but the Italian expects Diego Simeone’s Atleti to thrive in front of their own fans.

“The (Atleti) team is good,” Ancelotti told a press conference. “We’ve got another very difficult game.

“Atletico are a top opponent and they showed that in the Super Cup; the match was very even.

“We’re expecting it to be even more difficult (on Thursday) because they’re at home and they’re doing very well there.”

Atleti have won nine and drawn one of their 10 home games in LaLiga this season and are unbeaten at the Metropolitano Stadium since a 1-0 league defeat to Barcelona in January 2023.

Real’s last visit there ended in a 3-1 LaLiga defeat in September, while Atleti refused to give their city rivals a traditional guard of honour after Los Blancos had sealed the league title with four games remaining in 2022.

Whether Simeone’s side afford Real the honour after their Spanish Super Cup success remains to be seen and Ancelotti commented: “I respect the decisions of every club.

“I think it’s perfectly fine whether they do it or not. I don’t attach much importance to this.”

Ancelotti has no new injury worries, but is still without Lucas Vazquez (thigh), while Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Eder Militao are working their way back from serious knee injuries.

“The whole team is available apart from Lucas Vazquez and the three with cruciate injuries. I’m going to put the best possible team out. If the team recovers well, everyone is available,” Ancelotti added.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries and we’ve stuck it out because the squad is very strong. There is a great deal of competition in training sessions and they’re very intense. This allows us to be in good physical condition.”

Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri hopes his side can keep building their confidence in Thursday’s SuperCoppa semi-final.

His side go up against Fiorentina in Saudi Arabia, where the winner will face either Inter Milan or Lazio on Monday.

Napoli have endured a mixed run of form recently and had lost four of their previous six matches before beating struggling Salernitana in Serie A on Saturday, lifting them to eighth in the league.

Amir Rrahmani struck in stoppage time to snatch a win that Mazzarri hopes has given his side positivity going forward.

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“Our sole focus is the Super Cup right now. The message I’m looking to give to the team is to give their all in our upcoming game,” he told a pre-match press conference.

“I’m happy with Saturday’s win because it’s given the lads confidence and peace of mind. We need to keep this up in order to fully recover the belief that we’d lost in recent times.”

Mazzarri will make a late call on Jens Cajuste and Piotr Zielinski for the semi-final, while Diego Demme is unlikely to feature due to a strain.

In October, Napoli were beaten 3-1 by Fiorentina in the league under former manager Rudi Garcia and striker Giovanni Simeone knows what challenges the team can present.

He said: “We’re really motivated for this game. We’re Serie A title holders and we’re keen to give our all.

“We’re not the favourites – the tie is very much open. However, we’ll go out there with a lot of positive energy.

“Fiorentina play good football and have often caused us issues. We’ll need to try to deny them of possession. We’ll need to put in a top performance, showing mental fortitude, belief and focus.”

Fiorentina have had a great season so far, sitting fourth in Serie A and having reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia with a penalty shoot-out win against Bologna earlier this month.

They were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw against Udinese on Sunday in the league, but manager Vincenzo Italiano is hopeful his side can give Napoli a “tough time”.

“We all have one aim: win the semi-final and reach the final to fight for the trophy,” he said.

“Napoli are a strong side, they are Italian champions and have quality players. I’m hoping to have prepared the game in the best possible way to give them a tough time.”

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has not ruled out a big-money move to a leading club this month after completing his eight-month football ban.

Toney’s suspension for breaching Football Association gambling rules ended on Wednesday and he could return to action on Saturday in the Bees’ home Premier League game against Nottingham Forest.

The 27-year-old, who scored 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances last season before being suspended in May, has been linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea.

He celebrated the end of his ban from football with a social media post declaring he was “free”.

When asked if this month was not the right time to leave Brentford, Toney told Sky Sports: “Well I don’t know, you can never predict when is the right time to move elsewhere.

“It’s obvious I’d like to play for a top club, everybody wants to play for the top clubs, fighting for titles and these kinds of things.

“So whether it’s this January for a club to come in and pay the right money, who knows?

“But my main focus is doing what I do on the pitch and let the background work take care of itself.”

Toney made his England debut during a European Championship qualifying win against Ukraine last March and reiterated his desire to become his country’s leading striker.

“To be the best you have to play with the best and competing against the best,” he said.

“Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the world and he’s been doing it for some years now, so if I want to be England’s number one I’ve got to compete against him.

“He’s not a bad striker to be taking tips off. I’ve just got to keep scoring goals and keep playing well and who knows what can happen?”

Toney has been diagnosed as a gambling addict, but is confident he has beaten the habit.

“Sometimes you just don’t realise what you’re doing in the moment,” he added. “It’s sorted out now.

“I’ve spoken to people about it and it’s all sorted now, so I’ll focus on doing the right thing. I’ll do none of that rubbish now, it’s all good.”

Frank said before his side’s FA Cup replay defeat at Wolves on Tuesday night that Toney “will be absolutely on it and ready for Saturday” and was hopeful of keeping hold of the striker at least until the end of the season.

“It’s a team he’s really enjoying being part of, with some good mates, enjoying their football together, enjoying playing for Brentford and for the fans,” Frank said.

“We’ve done everything we can to help him through this. We’d like to keep him, but we know how football is.”

Toney was also fined £50,000 and warned about his future conduct for 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.

Barcelona manager Xavi maintains his side are “closer to success than defeat” as they look to avoid an upset in their Copa del Rey last-16 tie at third-tier Unionistas.

A 4-1 defeat by rivals Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday further increased the pressure on Xavi and his squad.

Bara president Joan Laporta and other members of the board visited the training ground on Wednesday in an attempt to lift spirits in the camp.

Unionistas, the only non-professional team left in the tournament, secured a place in the last 16 with a penalty shootout win over Villarreal, the initial tie having been suspended following a floodlight failure and finished the following day.

The trip to Salamanca is set to further test Barca’s ambitions, but Xavi insists there is plenty left for the team to play for this season, both domestically and in Europe.

“I am here because I have achieved certain targets. When I joined they told me the goal was to finish fourth and we finished second,” Xavi said at a press conference.

“Last season the goal was to win the league – and we did that and also won the Super Cup, surpassing expectations.

“The goal this year was to win trophies and we are halfway through the season and the three most important ones are all still to play for. We are closer to success than defeat.”

Barcelona will be without defender Ronald Araujo following his dismissal against Real, while teenage forward Lamine Yamal is suspended following a red card in the Youth Copa del Rey last year against Malaga.

After seeing his side taken apart at the back by Real, with Vinicius Junior scoring a first-half hat-trick, Xavi knows his side have to tighten up.

“We have to improve in defence. We can’t let in so many goals or make things easy for the opposition,” he said.

Xavi is expecting a hot reception at the Estadio Municipal Reina Sofia as they look to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

“They are good in the air, play direct football and have very clear ideas,” he said. “It won’t be an easy place to go – for them it is the biggest game of their lives.”

Unionistas play in the Primera Federacion alongside Barcelona’s reserve team, running out 2-0 winners against Rafael Marquez’s side at the Estadi Johan Cruyff earlier in January.

Manager Dani Ponz knows his men will be underdogs on Thursday night but is relishing the contest against one of Spain’s giants.

“We cannot be intimidated. It is impossible to stop a team like Barcelona, but we cannot fall into disbelief,” Ponz said at a press conference.

“We are going to continue playing the same way – always looking forward.”

Curtis Main is relishing his return to Scottish football after joining Dundee on an 18-month contract.

The former Motherwell, Aberdeen and St Mirren forward spent the first half of the season with Indian club Bengaluru after leaving the Paisley side under freedom of contract last summer.

Main, who has also played for Darlington, Middlesbrough, Shrewsbury, Doncaster, Oldham and Portsmouth, is delighted to be reunited with Dundee boss Tony Docherty, who was assistant manager to Derek McInnes during the striker’s two and a half years with Aberdeen.

“It is a great feeling to be back in Scottish football and I am really looking forward to getting started with Dundee,” he told the Dark Blues’ official website after signing with the Tayside club until the summer of 2025.

“The manager was a big influence in my decision, I’ve worked with him in the past and he knows what he is going to get from me, and I know what I am going to get from him.

“For me, that was a big appeal to get the opportunity to work with him again. I can’t wait to get back out on the pitch in Scotland and to play in front of the Dundee supporters.”

Main scored nine goals for St Mirren in his last season in Scotland and Docherty was keen to secure his signature from the moment he took the reins at Dens Park last summer.

“I am absolutely delighted to bring Curtis to the club,” said the manager. “I’ve got a good relationship with Curtis from my time as assistant manager at Aberdeen and I built up a strong bond with him.

“He has done fantastic work in the Scottish Premiership, he knows the league really well and he brings real quality in the type of striker that I feel the whole team will benefit from.

“Curtis is also a fantastic professional, I know what he will bring to the club and to the changing room, he has a really strong attitude along with a winning mentality.

“Curtis is a player that I have wanted to bring in right from when I got the job here. I believe Curtis will fit in extremely well with the way we play and I think he is a player that the fans will love.”

Dundee, who are seventh in the cinch Premiership, visit Kilmarnock in the fourth round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup this Saturday.

Egypt coach Rui Vitoria has warned his team that Ghana will punish any mistakes ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash on Thursday.

Egypt were held to a 2-2 draw by Mozambique in their opening game of the tournament on Sunday.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah’s penalty claimed a point for his country and Portuguese manager Vitoria has told his side they will need to be on top of their game against Ghana.

He said: “It’s going to be a different story. We will have to reduce the spaces and be more concentrated because against an experienced team like Ghana, the slightest mistake is paid dearly.”

Ghana lost their first game 2-1 to Cape Verde courtesy of Garry Rodrigues’ stoppage-time winner.

Vitoria also highlighted the tactical problems his side encountered during their draw to Mozambique.

He added: “Mozambique has a solid team, I said it before meeting them and that’s what happened.

“They gave us a lot of tactical problems with this low block. This team has excellent elements in midfield. They found gaps in us and they took advantage of it.”

Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi admits beating the Ivory Coast on Thursday night is the only way his Nigeria side will quieten the critics after a lacklustre Africa Cup of Nations opener.

The Super Eagles could only manage a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea, a side 46 places below them in FIFA’s global rankings, and next face a tough test in Group A challengers and AFCON hosts Ivory Coast.

Sunday’s stalemate left some speculating whether or not Nigeria, among the tournament favourites, have what it takes to advance in the tournament, with fears they could face an early exit without swift improvement.

Iwobi told Nigerian media: “We’re excited. We thought we should have won. We know it’s not going to be easy but we’ll analyse the team and see what we can do.

“The only way to correct that impression is if we win. As long as you win, all of a sudden you’re giving your best. That’s the only way to keep the critics quiet.

“I always enjoy playing for the national team. To win (AFCON) would be my biggest dream, so hopefully that is something I can achieve.”

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen shone brightest for Nigeria in their opener, closely followed by Alhassan Yusuf, who was forced off in the second half.

Super Eagles boss Jose Peserio told Nigerian media the midfielder would miss the Ivory Coast encounter, but could still return to face Guinea-Bissau for their final group stage encounter.

Ivory Coast enter the contest bolstered by a 2-0 triumph against Guinea-Bissau, and head coach Jean-Louis Gasset is preparing for CAF African footballer of the year Osimhen to cause problems once again.

He told a press conference: “We know the strengths of Nigeria, they have an impressive offensive armada.

“They have the best African player in their squad, but against them, we will have to raise our game, and I know my players will do it because I know you have to win that first game to be released.”

NB: You can catch action from the Africa Cup of Nations on Sportsmax.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has celebrated the end of his eight-month ban from football with a social media post declaring he is “free”.

Toney’s suspension for breaching Football Association gambling rules ends on Wednesday and he could return to action on Saturday in Brentford’s home Premier League game against Nottingham Forest.

Bees head coach Thomas Frank said before his side’s FA Cup replay defeat at Wolves on Tuesday night that Toney “will be absolutely on it and ready for Saturday”.

Toney has been linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea during the transfer window, but Frank is hoping to keep hold of the 27-year-old at least until the end of the season.

“It’s a team he’s really enjoying being part of, with some good mates, enjoying their football together, enjoying playing for Brentford and for the fans,” Frank added.

“We’ve done everything we can to help him through this. We’d like to keep him, but we know how football is.”

Toney’s last competitive match was in Brentford’s 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on May 6, but he has been allowed to train with his team-mates since September.

He made his England debut during a European Championship qualifying win against Ukraine last March and has scored 32 goals in 64 Premier League appearances for Brentford.

Toney was also fined £50,000 and warned about his future conduct for 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.