Zinedine Zidane appointed head coach of the French national team for four years

The head coach of the Banyana Banyana team, Disari Ellis, expresses confidence that her national team is capable of recovering and qualifying for the FIFA Women's World Cup, despite an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in the first match of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) group stage.

First Match and Current Situation

On Monday in Casablanca, Tanzania secured its first victory at WAFCON, leaving Banyana with no room for error ahead of Friday's match against Côte d'Ivoire. During the game in Casablanca, South Africa held second place for a long time.

The loss means that Ellis's team has to catch up with the group leaders, as only the top four teams in the tournament guarantee themselves a spot in next year's FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Despite the disappointment with the result and the performance, Ellis emphasized that attention has already shifted to the next meeting.

Strategy and Challenges

Ellis stated: 'I think everyone is disappointed with the result and the game, but we must look forward because we are still in the game.' She added that the team is still aiming for the World Cup and believes the next match is a must-win. South Africa will face Côte d'Ivoire, which is showing high confidence after a convincing 4-1 victory over Burkina Faso, rising to first place in Group B.

The coach expects a serious test from one of West Africa's traditional heavyweights. Ellis noted: 'Obviously, we talked about how important this match [against Tanzania] was. Now we are chasing in the group, so it is up to us to raise our standards and show who we really are.' She also warned about the difficulty of the opponent: 'Côte d'Ivoire will be another big challenge... another physical West African team.'

Positive Aspects and Mistakes

Despite the unsuccessful performance against Tanzania, Ellis sees encouraging signs that can be utilized before the decisive match on Friday. Banyana improved their play after the break and created enough chances, indicating their ability to change the course of the campaign.

'The positive aspects we can take from the game against Tanzania are that we created chances,' she said. She also suggested: 'I thought we played better with the ball in the second half, but we know how well we can play with the ball.'

The experienced coach admitted that defensive shortcomings ultimately proved critical, as Tanzania capitalized on South Africa's uncharacteristic errors. 'There are some weak points in defense that we can still tighten up, because we could have played better on both goals conceded.'

Team Goals for the Future

Now Ellis hopes that her experienced squad will respond to this setback as was characteristic of most of her coaching tenure. A victory over Côte d'Ivoire will not only revive Banyana's hopes of reaching the playoffs but also put the team back on track to achieve its main goal—qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. However, any other outcome will jeopardize South Africa's campaign before the final match of Group B.

Ryan Fox was met with great enthusiasm in Auckland on Tuesday when thousands of people gathered to see the new champion of the British Open and the famous Claret Jug.

Triumph at the British Open

The New Zealander secured his first major victory at the 154th Open Championship, held at Royal Birkdale in England, just over a week ago. He managed to remain calm while executing a difficult 12-foot putt on the final green, finishing the round two under par and winning the tournament by one stroke.

A History of Success in Golf

Ryan Fox is only the second New Zealander to win the Claret Jug; the previous winner was Bob Charles in 1963 at Lytham and St Annes, located near Birkdale in northwest England. Only two other New Zealanders have ever won major golf tournaments: Michael Campbell won the US Open in 2005 at Pinehurst, and Lydia Ko won three women's majors, including the 2024 Women's British Open at St Andrews.

Champion's Comments

Fox shared with the crowd gathered to see the trophy, dating back to 1872, that for him it was a 'whirlwind of several days' following the victory. He noted that he is still trying to process his achievements and future plans. One of his first wishes was to return home to share this special moment with family, friends, and all the New Zealanders who supported his career.

Career and the Future of the Sport

The 39-year-old athlete, known for his fast play, received another ovation when speaking about becoming 'a face of the movement for pace of play' in golf. His professional career began on courses such as Royal Auckland, and he subsequently played in Australia, Europe, and on the PGA Tour in the United States.

Discussion on the Fifth Major

Reporters asked Fox about the possibility of turning the Australian Open into a fifth major tournament, to be held at renowned courses like Sandbelt in Melbourne. Fox stated that it is 'difficult to break tradition,' but added that it could align with the women's tournament, where five majors are already held. He emphasized that international golf is vast, and Australian golf is also very significant, citing last year's incredible Australian Open at Royal Melbourne and noting the presence of quality courses there.

Conversation with Lydia Ko

After his victory, Fox received a call from New Zealander Lydia Ko, who was crying while watching the final holes. Ko won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics but stated her intention to retire from the sport and not participate in the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Nevertheless, Fox, focusing on the new mixed tournament at the 2028 Games, mentioned that he might have a brief conversation with Ko about reconsidering her decision. He noted that he is impressed by her achievements and acknowledged that she has the right to make her choice, given that she was a public figure since age 15, and that motherhood is a priority for her. However, he added that it would be personally very pleasant for him to compete with her in 2028, but he respects her decision if she retires from the sport.

The chess match for the world championship title between Uzbek grandmaster Javhohir Sindarov and the reigning Indian world champion Dommaraju Gukesh will take place in Geneva. This was reported by the press service of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Match and Participant Details

The match is scheduled from November 25 to December 15. Notably, both chess players will begin the competition at the age of 20, making this championship one of the youngest in the history of the world chess tournament.

Decision on Venue

According to Vishwanathan Anand, acting president of FIDE, India, the USA, and Cyprus expressed interest in participating in the competition. Consequently, the Federation decided to hold the match in a neutral location—Geneva.

Format and History

The World Championship will consist of 14 classical games. Victory will go to the player who first accumulates 7.5 points. If the score is tied after 14 games, the winner will be determined in a tie-break. Gukesh previously became the youngest world champion in history by defeating Chinese Ding Liren in the 14th game in Singapore in December 2024, and he will now defend his title in Geneva.

Sindarov's Achievements

As for Sindarov, he earned the right to compete against the world champion by winning the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus in 2026. Furthermore, the Uzbek chess player is the winner of the FIDE World Cup in 2025.