Looking for Soccer News?

Mumbai City beat FC Goa 2-2 (6-5 after penalty shootout) in the semi-final to book their berth in the final of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2020-21 season.

The game remained goalless at the normal time and an added extra time before a penalty shoot-out settled the winner. Rowllin Borges scored the spot-kick that sent the Islanders into the final. The first leg encounter had ended in a 2-2 draw.

This is the first time in their history that the Islanders have made it to the final of the competition.

Mumbai City, under the leadership of Sergio Lobera, had undergone a major revamp this season. They assembled a very strong squad and that paid off as they topped the charts at the end of the league stage and bagged the ISL League Winners Shield. They also sealed an AFC Champions League (ACL) group stage slot, thereby becoming only the second Indian club to do so after FC goa.

The Goan outfit, led by Juan Ferrando this season, too had undergone a revamp and only had a few familiar faces from last season. They finished the season fourth on the table with 31 points from their 20 games.

Mumbai City will now wait for the conclusion of the second semi-final between NorthEast United and ATK Mohun Bagan on Tuesday to find out who they will play against in the final. 

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is back in contention for Sevilla's crucial Champions League encounter against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

The Spanish outfit is currently trailing 3-2 and will need to win in order to boost their chances of qualifying for the quarter-final stage.

Bounou suffered a hand injury during his team's 2-0 loss to Barcelona in a La Liga encounter on February 27.

In his absence, Sevilla were knocked out of the Copa del Rey after a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Barca and they also suffered a 2-1 La Liga loss at Elche on Saturday.

Bounou has been a key fixture in Julen Lopetegui’s side this season and his return in goal is expected to boost their ambitions of advancing in the Champions League.

The 29-year-old was close to setting a club record after playing seven matches without conceding a goal across all competitions earlier this year until Dortmund edged Sevilla 3-2 in the first leg of their round of 16 fixture a fortnight ago.

Bounou, alongside Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak, are the goalkeepers to have conceded the fewest goals in La Liga this season (13), with the Moroccan having played 19 games - three fewer than his Slovenian counterpart.

Also included in Sevilla’s 24-man travelling squad is his compatriot Youssef En-Nesyri who has scored 17 goals in all competitions so far in this campaign – including four goals in the Champions League.

The Moroccan duo will be focused on helping Los Nervionenses turn around their first leg setback at Signal Iduna Park and advance to the next stage.

Simba SC have petitioned Confederation African Football to punish Al Merrikh after they allegedly fielded two suspended players during their Champions League fixture on Saturday.

The Msimbazi giants secured a 0-0 draw against the Sudanese outfit in their Group A match at Al-Hilal Stadium in Khartoum.

However, it has now emerged Al Merrikh allegedly fielded two players - Ramadan Agab and Mohamed Bakhit Mahmoud Mohamed – who were not supposed to feature in the game as they are serving a six-month suspension imposed on them by the Sudan Football Association.

The two players were banned by the federation for six months for signing contracts with two different teams (Al Merrikh and Al Hilal], a penalty that is scheduled to expire in mid-April.

Simba CEO Barbara Gonzalez has confirmed receipt of the documents showing the two players are indeed serving a ban and they now want Caf to take action.

“This is a copy of the decision, basically the two players signed two separate contracts with Al Merrikh and Al Hilal and have been banned from playing for six months,” Gonzalez said as quoted by Sokalabongo.

“This letter belongs to the General Secretary of Al Merrikh which they gave to the coach that he cannot use the two suspended players. The players have not played any Al Merrikh matches so far.

“They have been banned from playing until mid-April, they have made their own decision.”

Should Caf find Al Merrikh guilty, then they will be eliminated from the competition and will also be deemed to have lost the game in question.

Simba are currently leading the group on seven points having won their first two 1-0, against AS Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Al Ahly of Egypt - and managing a 0-0 draw against Al Merrikh of Sudan.

Despite topping the group, Gonzalez confirmed in a previous interview that they will only be comfortable with their pursuit to reach the quarter-finals of the competition when they get another win.

“We are ready to reach the quarter-finals and if we end up topping the group or coming second, we don’t know but our main target is to reach the quarters,” Gonzalez explained.

“In terms of what position we finish in the group, we leave that one to God, but for now we are topping the group, with a clean sheet and seven points, and we are expecting when Al Merrikh come for the fourth match, we get three points so we can sit comfortably at the top of the group with 10 points.

“We don’t know what will happen with our two remaining matches after we play Al Merrikh against AS Vita and Al Ahly.

“Our target still remains, to reach the quarter-finals and we are now targeting a minimum of 10 points to achieve our goal.”

Simba will next face Al Merrikh in their fourth match on March 16, and on the same day Al Ahly will play away against AS Vita in Kinshasa.

The 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup is set to kick off on April 9 with a rematch of last season's tournament finale.

Kickstarting the tournament will be a clash between the Houston Dash and the Chicago Red Stars, who met in last season's final with the former emerging victorious in a 2-0 win.

The Challenge Cup will feature a total of 21 games including a group stage and a finale.

What is the NWSL Challenge Cup?

The first Challenge Cup was held from June 27-July 26, 2020 as the NWSL became the first American professional sports league to make its return from the coronavirus pandemic.

Last season's tournament featured eight teams, with the Orlando Pride forced to pull out of the competition due to coronavirus concerns.

This time around, the league will be counting on all 10 of its teams, including Orlando and expansion club Racing Louisville in their inaugural season.

Teams will be divided into groups by division, with Racing Louisville, North Carolina Courage, Orlando Pride, Sky Blue FC and the Washington Spirit in the East group and the Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Kansas City, OL Reign and Portland Thorns FC making up the West.

Each team will play four matches in home markets, with the top team in each group set to face off on May 8 at a location to be determined in the tournament final.

“We’re ready to build on our success of the last year and I couldn’t be more excited to open the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup presented by Secret the same way we left off in the summer of 2020, watching Houston and Chicago showcase the very best in women’s professional soccer,” said NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird.

What happens after the Challenge Cup?

Following the conclusion of the tournament, the NWSL will begin a 24-game regular season starting on May 15.

The league will play on through the Olympic period, having opted not to have a break during this summer's tournament, with the regular season finishing on October 30.

After that, six of the league's 10 teams will qualify for the playoffs, which begin on November 6 and conclude on November 20.

Further reading

Harambee Starlets striker Jentrix Shikangwa has revealed her desire to play for an English team once she turns into a professional footballer.

Shikangwa raised her profile in 2019 when she helped Harambee Starlets bag the Cecafa Women Challenge Cup in Tanzania against the hosts. She emerged as the tournament's top scorer with 10 goals two of which were scored in the final game.

Kenya sailed through to the final with an unbeaten record and avenged a loss that Harambee Starlets had suffered against the Cecafa rivals in 2018 at the ultimate stage of the competition then.

“My dream is to play in England," the 19-year-old starlet told The Standard Sports. "I love the country and from stories I have heard, it looks like a beautiful place and country to play football. However, a chance to play in any of the European countries will be gladly accepted."

Being a student at Wiyeta Secondary School, Shikangwa explained how she manages to combine sports and her education.

“I wake up every day at 5:00 am to train for 30 minutes then go to class," she explained. "Maintaining physical and mental fitness is very important for me, just as is education. My goal is to pass my exams then plan from there on the next step."

She comes from a family that has brought up footballers including former Harambee Starlets defender Jackeline Ashitsa and current Zoo FC star Derrick Anami. She narrated how she started playing football in 2014 while she was at her junior educational level.

"Every time my sister would go for her training sessions, I would follow her," she said. "I loved watching her play and when she made it to the national team, I wanted to be like her."

Shikangwa was part of the team that represented her institution in the Kenya Primary School games almost seven years ago at regional level. Since then, she has seen her star shine even brighter as she was called up for national duty in 2018 and managed to score her debut goal against Ethiopia while she was aged 16.

The teenager was also part of the Harambee Starlets side that took part in the Turkish Women's Cup scheduled in March 2020.

Football Kenya Federation Premier League reigning champions Gor Mahia are set to pocket in excess of Ksh 6 million for reaching the second round of the Caf Champions League.

In a letter from Caf signed by acting General Secretary Abdelmounaim, teams that also played in the final preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup will get a bonus. 

"In the spirit of reducing the financial burden of the participating clubs in Caf inter-club competitions that are not entitled to receiving any prize money, we have the pleasure to inform you that Caf Executive Committee - during its last meeting held on December 10, 2020, in Egypt decided to allocate a financial prize to assist the teams through the Covid-19 pandemic," read a statement obtained by Goal.

"The support would be drawn from Caf's Fifa Forward Funds for clubs that were eliminated from the additional second preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup for the 2020/21 season."

The body went on to confirm the amount that should be expected by the teams fitting the aforementioned bracket. 

"Champions League; since the clubs eliminated from the second preliminary round of the Champions League qualification to the additional second preliminary round of the Confederation Cup, only the clubs eliminated from this round will benefit from the $62,500 prize money.

"Confederation Cup; the clubs that were initially engaged in the Caf Confederation Cup will also receive the $62,500 prize money."

The Kenyan champions qualified for the second round of the Champions League after they managed to secure a 4-3 aggregate win against APR of Rwanda in a two-legged affair.

They were paired with CR Belouizdad of Algeria who reached the next round after a 4-0 aggregate win against Al Nasr of Libya. The Algerian champions won the first leg away in Tripoli 2-0 and returned home to complete the job with another 2-0 win.

After losing 8-1 on aggregate, Gor Mahia dropped to the second-tier competition where they were paired with Zambia's National Pension Scheme Authority (Napsa) Stars. The latter won 3-2 on aggregate to qualify for the group stage of the annual competition.

Real Madrid have been urged to retain the services of Sergio Ramos, with Fernando Hierro calling for “the best centre-back in the club’s history” to be handed a new contract.

As things stand, a long-serving figure at Santiago Bernabeu is due to hit free agency when his current deal expires in the summer.

Failure to thrash out fresh terms has come as a surprise to many, with a number of clubs now sniffing around Ramos, and Hierro hopes a compromise can be reached that suits all parties.

What has been said?

The Blancos legend, who was once a commanding defender himself, told El Confidencial of a World Cup winner: “I think we are very similar, by character, by way of being. We also have a very good relationship. 

“Sergio is a legend of Real Madrid and hopefully he will finish his sporting career at this club. I believe that players like him should finish in a great club. 

“In the sporting aspect, he has conditions that I did not have and for me he is the best centre-back in the club's history. 

“That is clear to me because of everything he has represented and I am happy for him, without a doubt.”

Who has been linked with Ramos?

Few sides in Europe can match Ramos’ sporting and financial ambition, even with the Spain international now being 34 years of age.

Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are among those that could do a deal if an opportunity presented itself, with Ligue 1 and Premier League heavyweights said to be keeping a close eye on events in Madrid.

Would major silverware convince Ramos to stay?

A man who has been at the Bernabeu since 2005 has taken in 668 appearances for Real, many of them as captain, and registered an impressive haul of 100 goals.

He has helped the Blancos to five La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns, while also savouring World Cup and European Championship success across 178 outings for Spain.

In the present, Ramos is currently nursing a knee injury that has required surgery, but he will be back to aid bids for domestic and continental honours in 2020-21.

Zinedine Zidane will be delighted to have a talismanic figure at his disposal, with Hierro adamant that the Frenchman remains the right man for the most demanding of roles despite questions being asked of him at times this season.

The former Spain international added: “Apart from the admiration and personal affection that I have for him, I think he is someone who identifies with what Real Madrid are all about very well with his manner, his understanding of the club, of managing a dressing room and for his way of making statements to the press before and after each game. 

“If I'm not mistaken, he is second on the list of Madrid coaches with the number of titles won.”

Further reading

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile has been named the January/February Premier Soccer League Player of the Month.

The Namibian succeeds Swallows FC’s Ruzaigh Gamildien who grabbed the award in the previous month.

Between January 13 and February 24, the considered period for this gong, Shalulile managed three league goals as well as two assists.

So far this season, he has scored seven PSL goals from 15 matches and made four assists.

“I give credit to my teammates and the technical team. I am just happy as it is my first time winning the award. This award means I must work harder and I want to thank everyone that voted for me,” Shalulile told the Sundowns website.

“To the supporters, it is unfortunate that they can’t join us at the stadium but I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for always being there for us. We will keep on making them proud and we will try our level best to make sure that we win every game for them.”

Shalulile becomes the second Sundowns player to claim this award this season after Themba Zwane was also recognised for the October/November gong.

Meanwhile, AmaZulu coach McCarthy was named January/February Coach of the Month.

Since taking over at Usuthu in December 2020, McCarthy has led his team to fifth spot on the table from being mentioned as relegation candidates.

During the January/February considered timeframe, McCarthy guided AmaZulu in collecting 15 points out of a possible 24.

AmaZulu lost once in eight league matches during that period.

“Benni has built a solid, hard-working AmaZulu FC side that is fearless against any opposition in the league,” said the PSL in a statement.

“Since his arrival, he has created a good and harmonious spirit in his team and has motivated some of the players that were discarded by their previous clubs, to prove a point on the pitch. Having gone unbeaten in seven straight games is an impressive return for AmaZulu FC.”

The former Bafana Bafana star succeeded Swallows’ Brandon Truter who won the first two coaching awards of the season.

Yanga SC have approached FKF Premier League side AFC Leopards seeking the services of their head coach Patrick Aussems.

Goal can exclusively reveal the Jangwani-based giants, who fired the entire technical bench led by Cedric Kaze on Sunday, have already contacted Ingwe for the services of the former Simba SC coach but the response was not positive.

A source privy to the development has confirmed to Goal indeed, Yanga are ready to buy out the six-month contract of the Belgian tactician, but AFC Leopards are not ready to take the offer on the table.

“Yanga reached out to AFC Leopards on Monday and they want to hire Patrick [Aussems] to take over the mantle at the club,” the source, who did not want to be named, told Goal.

“The club came with an offer of buying out his contract which he signed a few months ago and they are ready to give AFC Leopards everything contained in the deal before they take the coach.

“AFC Leopards have refused to listen to Yanga, they have told them they are not ready to let go of their coach, but Yanga have gone back and promised to return again, maybe with an improved offer for both sides.”

A top AFC Leopards official, who did not want to be named, has told Goal the Tanzanian giants had already approached them to sign Aussems.

“It is true Yanga have called us asking for the services of Aussems, but we have told them we don’t want to negotiate anything, the coach belongs to us, he has a six-month contract with us and must see it out.”

Yanga fired Burundian coach Kaze after the team battled to a 1-1 draw against Polisi Tanzania on Sunday, and the result came just three days after they had suffered their first defeat of the season to Coastal Union 2-1.

Goal understands, Yanga have already settled for former Kagera Sugar coach Mecky Maxime to work as the deputy of Aussems, should AFC Leopards agree to release the coach.

Aussems has enjoyed a good run of results since he joined the Den, and after losing his first game in charge against Bandari 2-1, the Belgian has gone ahead to win three consecutive matches – 1-0 against Ulinzi Stars, 2-1 against Kakamega Homeboyz and 1-0 against Nairobi City Stars.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is adamant that Manchester City will not let derby defeat to arch-rivals United derail their quadruple bid, saying their aim remains to “win everything” this season.

Another history-making campaign could be in the offing for the Citizens, as they remain in the hunt for four pieces of silverware.

A rare setback, after a run of 21 straight victories, was suffered against the Red Devils last time out, but Zinchenko claims any frustration caused by that setback is already being shrugged off.

What has been said?

The Ukrainian full-back told reporters of City’s ambition on the back of a 2-0 loss to United: “We have to win the next game, we have to be more focused. We are not allowed to go back. We have to go forwards.

“We are still playing in all competitions. We want to win everything this season and I hope we can do this. We are still alive and we can (afford) mistakes but we are going to come back stronger, I am pretty sure of that.”

Which trophies can City claim this season?

Despite coming unstuck against United, City remain 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

They are also through to a fourth consecutive Carabao Cup final, where they will face Tottenham, and have a meeting with Everton to look forward to in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Alongside their domestic efforts, they are seeking to bring a long wait for continental glory to a close. A commanding 2-0 lead has been established in their Champions League last-16 showdown with Borussia Monchengladbach.

The bigger picture

City will be aiming to bounce back from their derby defeat when they host Southampton on Wednesday, with Zinchenko admitting that there are important lessons which can be learned after Pep Guardiola’s side got off to the worst possible start in that contest.

He added: “It is all about how we started the game. To concede in the first minute is not easy to come back from. Afterwards we played much better than the opponent. We controlled the game, we created enough chances but we didn't score.

“United are also one of the best teams in the world, they have unbelievable players and they organise well defensively.

“It is not easy but still we have to learn a bit more how to come back in the game after these kind of situations.”

Further reading

Calum Chambers brought a 14-month absence from Premier League action to a close during Arsenal’s trip to Burnley, but the occasion was left feeling “bittersweet” for the injury-ravaged defender as the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw.

The versatile 26-year-old was included in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI at Turf Moor, presenting him with an opportunity to take in a first English top-flight outing since facing Chelsea on December 29, 2019.

A serious knee problem has kept Chambers out of contention for long periods, but his big return was ruined as Arsenal shot themselves in the foot and had to settle for a point.

What has been said?

Chambers told Arsenal’s official website: “It’s a bittersweet moment to be honest.

“It was great to be back out there with the boys, it’s been a long time for me in the Premier League. 

“So personally it’s good to be back out there, but unfortunately it’s not the result that I wanted to get.

“I think we deserved more out of the game, we were pushing well towards the end and, on another day, one of those chances drops in for us. So we’re all very disappointed.”

Why were Arsenal frustrated at Burnley?

The Gunners had enough opportunities to take all three points against the Clarets, but ended up fluffing their lines.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired them into an early lead, but a moment of madness from Granit Xhaka saw parity restored before the interval as his pass through a crowded penalty area cannoned off Chris Wood and into the back of Bernd Leno’s net.

The Gunners felt they should have had a penalty in the second half, only for VAR to deny them, and progress in a top-six bid has been stunted once more.

The bigger picture

Arsenal remain 10th in the Premier League table for now, with a seven-point gap separating them from the European qualification spots.

“It’s going to be about how we react and move onto the next game,” Chambers added on the challenges Arteta’s men face from here.

“We played the way we wanted to play for a large majority of the game. When you come to a place like this, you don’t want to get sucked into the way they play, because they’re very good at it. 

“So it’s important that you stamp your authority on the game and that we play our style. I think we did that for large chunks of the game but unfortunately we didn’t get the result.”

The Gunners will be back in action on Thursday when they take in the first leg of a Europa League last-16 encounter with Olympiacos, before returning to domestic duty on Sunday with a derby date against north London neighbours Tottenham.

Further reading

Kampala Capital City Authority head coach Mike Mutebi has stated he will not make changes to his team that has been winning Ugandan Premier League games with huge margins.

The Kasasiro Boys have been ruthless in the last five games where they have scored 20 goals and Mutebi said he is not going to make radical changes to the starting line-ups in the immediate future.

"We shall continue playing the way we have been doing and scoring goals. The lads are now more confident and as I have always said, we are not going to worry about our opponents," Mutebi told the club's website.

"We only have to take good care of ourselves and have a good run like we are having it now. We still think the good run will continue.

"I am contented and the ones vying for the striking positions are scoring goals.  We have been doing well and so, why change the winning team?"

The Kampala club has also been boosted by the return of Gift Ali and Ashraf Mugume who were not available when the team struggled.    

"Ali's position makes the team very organised and very coherent," the coach said.

"He is a midfielder that I use as a schemer in the team and he has really organised that part of the midfield and when you see we are attacking we do so systematically. So his return has been good."

The Ugandan tactician also praised Kyetume FC, a side that will host them on Tuesday for the Premier League matchday 13 action.

"Mugume has been in the team and I have to push him a little bit upfront but he is doing well and scoring goals. I have no reason not to play him at all," he explained. 

"It is a club that has always challenged the status quo, the big names but in the field of play, it is very different," he concluded. "So, we are going to face another challenge given the fact they are a good side. 

"They might have a little bit of mismanagement but on the field of play, they have the right players to compete with any other club. So, it is going to be hard for us."

Kyetume are without a win in the last five games and are 13th with 11 points.

China duo Mubarak Wakaso and Emmanuel Boateng have been retained as Ghana coach CK Akonnor pruned down his camping squad as preparations continue for their upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe.

The only foreign-based players participating in the exercise, the two men, who are currently on holiday in Ghana owing to a recess of the Chinese Super League, joined up with 24 home-based players for the second phase of training last week.

An all-home-based contingent of 32 players was called up for the first phase last month.

The third phase of camp commences on Monday with 24 players, the Ghana FA has announced on their official website.

Currently top the table in Group C, Ghana are set to take on South Africa away on March 25 and Sao Tome and Principe at home three days later to wrap up their qualifying series.

The West African, whose main Black Stars team is virtually made of foreign-based players, are undertaking the camping programme as a proactive measure, amid concerns about the release of their foreign legion for the upcoming games.

Owing to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, foreign clubs have safety and health concerns in relation to the international travel of players.

Some clubs, particularly in England, are also worried about having to do without players even on their return from international duty because of mandatory quarantine protocols.  

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, Crystal Palace duo Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew, Swansea City attacker Andre Ayew, Leicester City defender Daniel Amartey, Southampton centre-back Mohammed Salisu and Reading full-back Andy Yiadom will have to undertake mandatory quarantine should they travel to South Africa.

Full Squad:   

Goalkeepers: Joseph Addo (Aduana FC), Razak Abalorah (Asante Kotoko), Eric Ofori Antwi (Medeama SC)

Defenders: Ganiyu Ismail (Asante Kotoko), Yusif Mubarik (Asante Kotoko), Konadu Yiadom (WAFA), Ibrahim Moro (Asante Kotoko), Haruna Jamal Deen (Great Olympics), Christopher Nettey (Asante Kotoko) Joseph Agyei (Legon Cities), Dennis Korsah (Ebusua Dwarfs)

Midfielders: Gladson Awako (Great Olympics), Justice Blay (Medeama SC), Michel Otou (Great Olympics), Yaw Annor (Ashanti Gold SC), Rashid Nortey (Medeama SC), Maxwell Abbey (Great Olympics), Salifu Moro (Bechem United), Mubarak Wakaso (Jiangsu Suning), Joseph Esso (Dreams SC)

Forwards: Emmanuel Boateng (Dalian Pro), Kwame Peprah (King Faisal), Kwame Opoku (Asante Kotoko), Diawusie Taylor (Karela United)

Mathare United coach Salim Ali has blamed the team’s recent poor run of results in the FKF Premier League on fatigue.

The Slum Boys slumped to their seventh defeat of the season after going down 2-1 to visiting Kakamega Homeboyz at Kasarani Annex on Sunday.

Homeboyz striker Chris Masinza scored from the penalty spot in the sixth minute and centre-back Silvester Owino added the second in the 22nd minute to ensure the visitors returned to winning ways and silenced the Slum Boys, who scored their lone goal through Tyson Otieno in the 43rd minute.

The latest defeat has left Mathare languishing in the lower reaches of the 18-team table and if they don’t turn around their results for the better then they will face relegation at the end of the season.

But despite the situation at the club, coach Ali has insisted fatigue has played a key factor towards the team’s poor run of form, adding mentally his charges are also drained with the conceding of early goals an indicator.

“It’s all down to a lack of concentration which stems from the players being mentally and physically drained,” Salim said as quoted by the club’s social media pages.

“We have been playing on the back foot since the season started trying to catch up with the other teams who have played more matches than us. This has seen us get less time in between games to rest and prepare and it has hampered us.

“You can see it with the goals we concede. If you fall behind early in matches you use more energy trying to come back and the effects of that are visible.”

Ali has, however, praised his charges for their fighting spirit and ability to score goals as it shows if they can get it right on one end, they can do the same on the other.

Mathare are now lying second from the bottom with nine points from 12 matches with Zoo FC the bottom-placed side with six points from 12 outings.

The Slum Boys will hope to recover and win their next match when they take on Kariobangi Sharks in the 'slums derby' at Kasarani Stadium on Thursday.

Paris Saint-Germain have been handed an injury boost as Neymar trained ahead of their clash with Barcelona.

Neymar has been out of action since picking up an adductor injury during a 1-0 victory against Caen in the French Cup on February 10.

The Brazilian sat out the first leg of PSG's last-16 Champions League tie against Barca as a result, but could now be in line to return against his former club in midweek.

Neymar's recovery

Neymar participated in first-team training with the rest of Mauricio Pochettino's squad on Sunday morning - less than 24 hours after seeing his team-mates beat Brest 3-0 in the French Cup.

Prior to that contest, Pochettino delivered a positive update on the 29-year-old's condition while leaving the door open for him to feature against Barca

"We are very happy with his development and we will see in the days to come if he can be part of the squad against Barcelona," said the PSG boss.

How has Neymar performed for PSG this term?

Neymar, who joined PSG from Barca for a world-record €222 million (£191m/$264m) fee in 2017, has played a key role in the French club's latest bid for silverware across multiple fronts despite his continued struggles with niggling injuries.

Maintaining full fitness has proved a difficult task for the Brazil international throughout his time at Parc des Princes, but he's still managed to contribute 13 goals and 16 assists to their cause through 18 appearances in all competitions this season.

Will PSG be favourites to progress against Barca?

It would be seen as nothing short of a disaster if PSG fail to make the Champions League quarter-finals after their scintillating 4-1 triumph at Camp Nou last month.

The Ligue 1 champions managed to blow a 4-0 aggregate lead against Barca at the same stage in 2016-17, but the experience of reaching last year's final will hold them in good stead to avoid a repeat of that stunning collapse.

More PSG team news

Roma loanee Alessandro Florenzi returned to training alongside Neymar after recovering from a similar issue to his colleague, and could also be available for selection at Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

However, PSG will have to make do without Juan Bernat and Moise Kean as the former continues his rehabilitation programme after knee surgery and the latter remains in quarantine following a positive Covid-19 test.

Further reading

Antoine Griezmann’s struggles at Barcelona will not impact his role within the France squad, says Didier Deschamps, with the forward seeing his situation likened to that of Paul Pogba at Manchester United.

Two World Cup winners have found the going tough at times in 2020-21, leading to inevitable questions being asked of their future and value with club and country.

Griezmann is under that spotlight at present, having scored just six times in La Liga this season, but Deschamps retains full faith in a proven performer and is not about to snub him any time soon – having previously taken a similar approach with enigmatic midfielder Pogba.

What has been said?

Deschamps told beIN Sports of Griezmann’s situation: “He may not be playing at his best, but that is not to question his quality. It would be indecent to question his presence in the national team.

“In November, Paul was going through an even more difficult period with Manchester United. Being with us gave him a boost and he had a great game against Portugal. Antoine's case is the same, it's a matter of trust.

“They know that in the France team they are in a different environment. All the players can go through a bad period at their club, but I maintain the confidence I have in them.

“The players must bear in mind that there is competition. If at some point I think that a young man has less experience but can bring something more to the team, I will not hesitate to count on him.”

How many caps does Griezmann have for France?

The Blaugrana striker has represented his country on 86 occasions.

Through those outings, the target has been found 33 times, with a World Cup crown captured along the way.

The bigger picture

While Deschamps has no concerns about Griezmann, he will be hoping to see a key part of his plans rediscover a spark over the coming weeks.

Barca remain in the hunt for La Liga and Copa del Rey crowns this season, so should offer a big-money asset ample opportunity in which to prove his worth.

Any form found late on in a domestic season could end up working in France’s favour, as they count down the days to this summer’s European Championship and another quest for major silverware.

Further reading

Swansea City goalkeeper Freddie Woodman reveals Ghana star Andre Ayew contributes more to the club than just stepping up in big moments on the pitch in their quest for Premier League promotion.

The 31-year-old attacker has registered four goals in his last three appearances for the Jack Army, his strikes including two crucial last-gasp match-winning penalties.

On Saturday he scored twice to complete a comeback 2-1 triumph over Middlesbrough in the Championship.

“It’s not just about the penalties. The fans will see the goals that he scores, but he's a leader behind the scenes and fantastic to have around the place,” Woodman said, as reported by his club's official website.

“I feel like I've learned so much off him; even just having a chat with him about different things. He gives great advice out and he gives you this confidence and belief when you do speak to him.

“The fans see the goals, but everyone at the club realise that he's even better at getting the best out of the players around him - even the younger lads."

On Wednesday, Ayew converted a penalty in the sixth minute of injury time to seal a 2-1 away victory over Stoke City.

The story was not any different three days later on Saturday as he netted a 97th-minute penalty, having earlier scored in the 40th minute to give Swansea the lead, to make it 2-1 for his side and dramatically win all three points.

“Andre's got ice in his veins, that's the joke going around in the dressing room,” Woodman added.

“We actually spoke about penalties; I'm always intrigued by what the players do and I study penalties quite heavily, but he's changing all the time and doing something different.

“On Saturday, he decided to go down the middle, which is the worst for a goalkeeper.

“Ben Hamer faced one of his penalties earlier this season and said that it's impossible; you can't get a push-off because he's still stuttering and waiting for the goalkeeper to move.

“It's very difficult to read and make a proper dive, so credit to him. He's the guy that we're relying on at the minute.”

In all, Ayew has registered 13 goals for Swansea so far this season, having featured in 32 games including 31 starts.

With 11 games still to go, Ayew is just three goals away from matching his goal haul of last season.

Swansea are currently third in the league and well on course to at the least snatch a promotion play-off ticket.