Patrice Motsepe, the head of African football’s governing body, expressed strong certainty on Monday that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will occur as scheduled in Morocco, despite ongoing widespread demonstrations against the government lasting over a week.

On Sunday, young demonstrators in Morocco rallied for the ninth consecutive evening, demanding an end to graft and a new administration.

The activists are pushing for improvements in public services like healthcare and schooling, while expressing frustration over economic disparities.

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Morocco plans to host the tournament from December 21 to January 18 across nine locations, featuring 24 teams in Africa’s top football event.

Prominent athletes, including Mohamed Salah of Egypt and Liverpool, and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain, are expected to feature.

At a yearly assembly of African football leaders in Kinshasa, Motsepe, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, declared: “We (CAF) are absolutely confident the AFCON will go ahead as planned.

“Morocco is plan A, Morocco is plan B and Morocco is plan C,” he told his audience, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

“CAF will co-operate and work with the government and all the citizens of Morocco to host the most successful AFCON in history,” said Motsepe, a South African billionaire businessman.

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Morocco previously organized the 1988 AFCON, a smaller eight-team event, but pulled out of hosting the 2015 edition due to concerns over the Ebola outbreak.

Motsepe indicated that CAF intends to relaunch the African Football League, which debuted with great fanfare but was halted in 2023 following a single modified version.

Rather than the original 24-team format with at least 14 games per side and substantial prizes for African clubs, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns claimed a simplified eight-team competition.

“There are ongoing discussions. We are very happy about the progress made. The African Football League is very important and it will continue,” said Motsepe, without giving details.

Motsepe took over CAF in 2021 from Ahmed Ahmed, who faced a FIFA ban for violations involving disloyalty, misuse of authority, and fund diversion, inheriting a financially strained organization.

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Under his leadership, finances have stabilized, with a $9.48 million net gain reported for the 2023-24 period in Kinshasa, and projections of $28.45 million surplus for the coming year.

“We have been enormously successful in the last five years. Revenues have quadrupled. Zero tolerance of bribery and corruption is important. All the money goes into football development,” said the president.

“What member associations get has doubled. We want to pay players more and help our national teams. Football must develop and grow in Africa.

“We give $100,000 to each club that does not qualify for the group stage of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. It is not enough, but helps with transport and other things.”

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In a thrilling Premier League encounter that had everything from stunning strikes to heart-stopping near-misses, Chelsea pulled off a remarkable 2-1 victory over reigning champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The Blues, battling through a slew of injuries, extended Liverpool’s miserable run to three straight defeats with a stoppage-time winner from teenage sensation Estevao, sending the home crowd into ecstasy and piling more pressure on Reds boss Arne Slot.

The match started cautiously, with Chelsea edging a tight first half thanks to a moment of brilliance from midfielder Moises Caicedo.

READ ALSO: Chelsea’s Maresca laments defensive errors after Brighton defeat 

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In the 32nd minute, the Ecuadorian unleashed an unstoppable rocket from fully 25 yards out, leaving Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson rooted to the spot as the ball screamed into the top corner. It was a goal that silenced the traveling Kop faithful and gave the injury-hit hosts a slender 1-0 lead at the break.

But the second half exploded into life, transforming into a chaotic, end-to-end spectacle as both sides traded blows.

Liverpool, desperate to halt their slide after back-to-back losses that had already dethroned them from the top of the table, leveled the scores in the 68th minute through Cody Gakpo.

The Dutch forward pounced on a loose ball in the box following a scramble, rifling home from close range to ignite hopes of a comeback.

What followed was a frenzy of chances that could have swung the game either way. Liverpool’s Alejandro Garnacho rattled the post with a curling effort from the edge of the area, while Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez saw his vicious free-kick clip the woodwork in the dying embers.

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The Reds even had the ball in the net through Alexander Isak’s close-range header, only for it to be ruled out for offside in a decision that sparked furious protests from the away bench.

Despite dominating the expected goals (xG) with 1.93 to Chelsea’s 0.88 – a statistic that underscored their profligacy – Liverpool couldn’t find a winner. Instead, it was Chelsea’s young substitute Estevao who stole the show.

The 17-year-old Brazilian, already tipped as a future global superstar after his summer move from Palmeiras, marked his English top-flight debut with a sliding finish in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Latching onto a pinpoint cross from the right, Estevao coolly slotted past Alisson to seal all three points and announce his arrival on the big stage.

The result leaves Liverpool in turmoil, with Slot’s side now winless in three and heading into the international break on a sour note.

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Two of those defeats have cost them their perch at the summit, and their next assignment – a blockbuster clash with Manchester United in two weeks – looms large as they seek to regroup.

For Chelsea, managed by Enzo Maresca, it’s a vital boost amid their injury woes. The win catapults them up the table, and they’ll look to build momentum when they travel to Nottingham Forest a fortnight from now.

As the dust settles on another Stamford Bridge classic, one thing is clear: the Premier League’s title race is far from over, and young talents like Estevao could well define it.

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Manchester United marked manager Ruben Amorim’s half-century in charge with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Sunderland at Old Trafford, securing the club’s first clean sheet of the season and providing a much-needed boost on a drizzly afternoon.

The Red Devils struck early to set the tone, with Mason Mount opening the scoring in the eighth minute.

Latching onto a precise cross from Bryan Mbeumo on the right flank, Mount controlled the ball effortlessly in the penalty area before unleashing a composed side-footed finish into the bottom-right corner, leaving Sunderland goalkeeper Roefs with no chance.

READ ALSO: City dent United 3-0 in Sunday’s Manchester derby 

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Sunderland refused to crumble, however, and their Dutch shot-stopper Roefs emerged as the visitors’ standout performer in the first half.

He produced three crucial saves to keep his side in contention, none more spectacular than his 25th-minute denial of Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder’s curling effort appeared destined for the top-right corner, but Roefs leaped acrobatically to tip it onto the post, earning applause from the traveling fans.

United’s pressure eventually told just past the half-hour mark. Diogo Dalot launched a long throw-in from the right, which Matthijs de Ligt cleverly flicked on toward goal. Benjamin Sesko was on hand to tap home the loose ball from close range, doubling the hosts’ advantage and sending the home crowd into raptures.

The second half offered fewer thrills, with United’s new signing Dennis Lammens enjoying a largely uneventful debut between the posts.

The Belgian keeper made a couple of routine stops but had a nervy moment just before the hour mark, clumsily colliding with Fernandes and Sunderland’s Adama Traore in a tangle of limbs. Referee Michael Oliver waved away penalty appeals, much to the relief of the United bench.

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Despite the scoreline, the match wasn’t a procession for Amorim’s side. United overperformed their expected goals (xG) tally of 1.88, converting their chances efficiently on a pitch slicked by persistent rain. Sunderland, meanwhile, will rue their inability to capitalize on opportunities, finishing the game below their modest 0.71 xG and highlighting areas for improvement in the final third.

This result lifts Manchester United to within touching distance of the top four, easing some early-season pressure on Amorim.

For Sunderland, the defeat underscores the challenges of their promotion push, though Roefs’ heroics offer a silver lining as they look to regroup ahead of a packed festive schedule.

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