Where the 2024 Wafcon saw few upsets, this tournament provided greater competitiveness and several shock results.

Tanzania bridged a gap of 65 places in the world rankings to upset South Africa in the group stage and the 2022 champions then needed a 99th-minute equaliser to salvage a point against Ivory Coast.

Debutants Malawi were the fairy tale story, upsetting 10-time champions Nigeria with a 3-2 win in their opener before seeing off Ghana and Algeria to reach the final.

Their success was built on the attacking prowess of the Chawinga sisters, but the Scorchers will certainly climb from 153rd in the world – and 32nd in Africa – when Fifa updates its rankings.

Zambia were unfortunate not to reach the knockout stage despite amassing six points in Group C, while Mali were eliminated on goal difference after finishing level with Ghana on four points in Group D.

Cape Verde, Egypt and Kenya were the only sides not to win a game, with the North Africans conceding 15 goals and the Harambee Starlets failing to find the back of the net.

There were 90 goals scored in 32 games (excluding the two Women’s World Cup play-offs) with the average of 2.81 goals per game an increase on the average of 2.54 from the 2024 edition.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons are three weeks into training camp and about to head to Indianapolis for two joint practices against the Colts. And it doesn’t sound like they are any closer to naming a starting quarterback than they were when training camp began in July.

“I am very comfortable with where we are right now, and that’s kind of where I will leave it,” coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. “We are continuing on our process, keeping the main thing the main thing, which is the practices this week.”

Tua Tagovailoa started Friday’s preseason opener and had a chance to build a lead over Michael Penix Jr. in the competition, but Tagovailoa finished 3-for-5 for 22 yards and led the offense to just one first down in two series.

“Obviously we evaluate everything that our players do, on the field, in the meeting room,” Stefanski said. “He wants to be better. Our offense wants to be better. Our coaches want to be better, but our focus will be on continuing to get ready for this season and not getting too far ahead of ourselves. We want to be where our feet are.”

Tagovailoa described himself as “frustrated and disappointed” with his performance.

“You have to make use of every opportunity you have, and that’s not what we did,” he said. “Definitely not up to standard. I have to be better for our guys.”

Tagovailoa would like to play in Saturday’s second preseason game against the Colts, but the starters won’t play because they’ll be getting so much work during the joint practices, Stefanski said.

Penix is still being held out of 11-on-11 practice work and games while he rehabs the torn ACL he suffered in Week 11 last year. He will continue with his current practice regimen — working in individual drills and seven-on-seven work — and Stefanski and Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen have built in time during each of the two practices to make sure Penix can participate.

There is no timetable for naming a starter, Stefanski said Monday, and that’s not the only decision the Falcons have to make at the position. With veteran Cooper Rush and undrafted free agent Jack Strand also in camp, Atlanta will have to decide by Aug. 30 whether it wants to keep two or three quarterbacks on its opening 53-man roster.

“I have been a part of doing it both ways, but I think you have to take everything into account. Can you afford the luxury of keeping those guys? Sometimes you can. Sometimes you can’t,” Stefanski said.

The Falcons haven’t decided if Rush or Strand will start Saturday’s game in Indianapolis. Either player could be put on the practice squad if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster, but other teams could claim them.

Strand was 6-of-12 for 50 yards and had one rushing touchdown in his NFL debut on Friday.

“Always room for improvement, but proud of him for his first time out there,” Stefanski said. “It’s a testament to him and what he was able to do early in camp when he was the one guy standing there. Like any rookie, (there’s) so much to work on. And that’s the fun part of working with our rookies. Jack’s got a great attitude. Love how he is in the meeting rooms, love how he is on the grass.”

“It was pretty cool,” Strand said. “It was a little different from playing in a Division II stadium (he played in college at Minnesota State Moorhead), but it’s the same game I’ve been playing since I was 6 years old.”

Connor Zilisch is headed to Hendrick Motorsports, as the powerhouse NASCAR team announced Monday it has signed the 20-year-old driver to a multi-year deal that begins with the 2028 season.

Zilisch, considered one of the sport’s most talented prospects, will drive the team’s No. 48 Ally-sponsored Chevrolet in NASCAR’s premier Cup Series, replacing Alex Bowman, who has already announced that the 2027 season will be his last as a full-time competitor.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, only that Zilisch and Hendrick had reached a “multi-year agreement” to join the Rick Hendrick-owned organization that has won more championships than any other.

“This is one of those moments you dream about as a kid,” Zilisch said in a statement. “Hendrick Motorsports has always represented the standard in our sport and being entrusted to help continue that legacy means everything to me.”

Zilisch began racing at 5, and it wasn’t long before he established himself as an emerging young talent. He moved from North Carolina at 11 to race go-karts in Europe, and his success there — winning a major race in Italy against a field that included current Formula One championship points leader Kimi Antonelli and winning the FIA Karting Academy Trophy in 2020 — seemingly put Zilisch on a path to F1.

But a lack of funding meant Zilisch had to pursue racing in a less expensive form of motorsport, so he turned his attention to NASCAR, and before long his ability caught the attention of numerous team owners. His stock only continued to climb in 2024 when he earned class victories in the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring sports car races, then later that year won his debut race in NASCAR’s second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Last year, Zilisch won 10 O’Reilly races and the regular-season points championship.

Zilisch advanced to Cup full-time this season, driving for Trackhouse Racing. He has one top-10 finish in 24 starts and currently ranks 34th in points. He will continue to drive for Trackhouse through the 2027 season before moving to Hendrick.

Zilisch and Hendrick’s link has been anticipated for some time, the only question being when. But the answer to this question came into focus this spring as Bowman weighed his future. Hendrick identified Zilisch as a leading candidate to succeed Bowman should they need to fill his spot on its four-driver roster. When Bowman announced last month that he would return to Hendrick for one final season, it increased the likelihood that Hendrick would move to have Zilisch take his place.

“Connor is a truly gifted young racer,” Rick Hendrick said in a statement. “His talent behind the wheel is exceptional, but I’m even more impressed by the person he is. When someone with that kind of ability and character becomes available, you do everything you can to bring them into your organization. We have tremendous confidence in Connor, and we believe he’s the right driver to build on the legacy of the No. 48 Ally team for many years to come.”