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Lukas Podolski has slammed how the VAR system is handled in Turkish football, describing it as a "comedy show" that lends an "atmosphere of chaos" to the discourse around the game.

The World Cup winner and former Germany international moved back to Europe from J1 League side Vissel Kobe last year, penning a one-and-a-half year deal at Antalyaspor in January 2020.

But the veteran striker has been left unimpressed with how the relationship between players, managers and fans with referees has been distorted by the introduction of the video referal system.

What has Podolski said?

Speaking in the wake of his side holding Fenerbahce to a 1-1 draw in the Super Lig, the 35-year-old blasted post-match coverage of games, indicating that VAR has incited refereeing as a focal flashpoint for discussion rather than overall performance.

"The performance of the players or the teams is not taken into consideration," Podolski told FANATIK . "After the Fenerbahce match, I saw very few comments on Antalya's good game.

"[It's referees and decisions on the agenda every week. This is not beneficial for Turkish football. Referees can mistakes. We can mistakes.

"The behavior of people to each other, the statements of the managers, there is always an atmosphere of chaos. This is not good.

"We play football for an average of 60 minutes on the field, the game stops too much. What one person calls penalty, the other does not say penalty.

"VAR has been introduced to make decisions faster. But after VAR, the referees discuss more. Everyone is shouting at each other. It's like a comedy show. "

How has VAR fared?

The video assistant referee system first caught widespread public attention after it was used in the World Cup at Russia 2018, and is now utilised by a majority of top-flight leagues around the world.

But its implementation has remained controversial, with criticism typically aimed at the inconsistent distribution of decisions between matches.

The handball and offside rules have in particular proven bones of contention with managers, players and fans since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

Further reading

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has lamented his side’s offensive impotence following their 1-0 loss to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

The defeat, which leaves their hopes of finishing in the top four hanging in the balance, was their sixth in succession at home in the Premier League. Never before their present run had they lost more than four-consecutive top-flight games.

Klopp, whose defence has been decimated by injury this season, seems to have point the finger at his forward line.

What was said?

“There were moments we could have had more of an impact on the game. Conceding that goal before half-time was a massive blow. We tried to react and the boys showed that. In the end we don’t score goals and that’s a big problem,” Klopp told Sky Sports .

“Fulham will cause us problems – it’s clear. They’re in a good moment, they’re a good team. We all agree a team like this should stay in the Premier League.

“[On suggestions Fulham players wanted it more] The winner is always right. My boys wanted it. It’s easy to judge they have won it so wanted it more. I don’t think that’s the problem.

“I don’t have to stand here and say we’re fighting for this or that.”

Liverpool’s goal drought

Liverpool are in the midst of a poor run in front of goal. They have failed to score in three of their last four Premier League matches, while they have been shut out eight times in their 14 league matches since beating Crystal Palace 7-0 in December.

The bigger picture

Defeat leaves Liverpool four points off the top four, though they have played one more game than Chelsea, who are fourth, and two more than both Everton and West Ham, who are ahead of them in the league.

Their prospects of finishing in the Champions League spots are, therefore, hanging in the balance.

“We never had momentum in the season. You can see it’s still in the boys. They still have it all but at the moment can’t show it. It would be a masterpiece to find out how we change that overnight,” Klopp said.

On Wednesday, they host RB Leipzig in the last 16 of the Champions League holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.

Further reading

After showing plenty of promise as a youngster, Patrick Bamford has finally matured into one of the best strikers in England under the eagle-eyed supervision of legendary coach Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United.

Having hit 16 goals in the Championship last season, the forward has broken double figures in the Premier League and has contributed his fair share of assists over the course of the campaign.

His form in recent seasons has led to calls for Gareth Southgate to cap him for England in order to tie down a talent who may also be eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland.

Goal examines Bamford's international eligibility and whether he will ultimately play for the Three Lions or decide to throw his lot in with the Boys in Green.

Will Patrick Bamford play for England or Ireland?

The clear preference at international level for Patrick Bamford is to play for England and the striker has rebuffed attentions from Ireland on a number of occasions.

Indeed, while Bamford played for Ireland at Under-18 level, he has only ever been involved with the England set-up from 2010, playing for their U18, U19 and U21 teams.

An international career with the Three Lions at senior level has eluded him though and, as he faces into his 28th birthday, it is fair to say that time is running out for him to carve out a place in Southgate's team.

There have been some suggestions that Bamford could earn a place in England's Euro 2020 squad, but if he is to catapult himself into the reckoning, he must leapfrog a number of players.

He is currently behind the likes of Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tammy Abraham, Callum Wilson and Danny Ings, so will need to impress consistently in order to supplant any of them.

The likes of Kane, Rashford and Calvert-Lewin are probably nailed-on inclusions based on their form and reputation, so Bamford will probably be looking for the shirt of Ings, Abraham or Wilson.

What has Patrick Bamford said?

Bamford has been quizzed about his international ambitions on a number of occasions during his career and he has been fairly unequivocal about where his loyalties lie.

In February 2021, he told the Mail on Sunday: "The idea of being selected for England is a dream.

"I thought about it before the last squad was announced and I didn’t sleep properly the night before because I was wondering whether it was going to happen or not.

"I’m probably a bit down the pecking order but I just have to keep doing my thing. If I got one England cap in the whole of my career, I’d be over the moon."

Just before that, Bamford accepted that a number of players were probably ahead of him in Southgate's thinking.

“There are four or five strikers who haven’t been involved with England before a lot of times who are doing really well," he said.

"It’s going to be interesting to see who gets called up.  If I do or I don’t, I know I’ve done my best. Whoever does get called up fully deserves it, whether it’s me or any of the others.”

In early 2019, former Ireland manager Mick McCarthy explained that he had spoken to Bamford about potentially playing for the Boys in Green, but Bamford told him he wanted to focus on club football.

Interestingly, too, McCarthy revealed that the striker did not then have the necessary documentation ready anyway - perhaps a suggestion that the idea of playing for Ireland was far from Bamford's thoughts.

Bamford subsequently addressed the conversation with McCarthy during a Q&A with the Yorkshire Evening Post later that year.

“Some of the stuff that gets written in the press is a load of rubbish," said the Leeds attacker. "I said to Mick ‘look I had a bad injury last year and I want to concentrate on the season with Leeds’

"I’m not saying no, I’m just concentrating on Leeds. I haven’t closed any doors, I’ve not said yes, I’ve not said no."

What have others said?

In winter 2020, The Times reported that England boss Gareth Southgate was "considering" calling Bamford up for November international games against Ireland, Belgium and Iceland.

However, the striker was not called up, with Kane, Abraham and Calvert-Lewin deemed sufficient options in the forward line. Nevertheless, Southgate did acknowledge that Bamford was on his radar, noting that the Leeds forward had "done very well" for the newly promoted side.

Southgate has already worked with Bamford with England, having capped the striker during his time as Under-21 boss, so he the pair are already familiar with each other.

In September 2020, newly instated Ireland boss Stephen Kenny explained that he hadn't spoken to Bamford, but indicated that he was open to the player declaring for the Boys in Green.

"It wouldn’t be fair to be speaking about an individual and what I’d expect of them when I’ve never spoken to them," Kenny said at the time.

"I wouldn’t entirely know how they feel about their national identity, so I don’t think it’s realistic for me to have an open discussion about a person like that."

The Ireland boss has said that, while he is "not in the business of persuading players to be Irish", he remains entirely open to any eligible player declaring for the country.

Former Ireland international Kevin Kilbane who, like Bamford, was born in England, has been less open to the prospect, citing his distaste for players who are equivocal about their allegiance.

"I've heard the 'They buy into us' rubbish, but the reality is they never saw themselves in a green shirt and we're the second option," Kilbane said on Twitter.

"I honestly wouldn't want them, Bamford included."

Patrick Bamford's international eligibility explained

Patrick Bamford is eligible to play for England under FIFA's eligibility rules because he is a British citizen who was born in England.

If he wishes to represent Ireland, he will have to satisfy FIFA's rules on switching national team.

Bamford represented Ireland at U18 level when he played for Sean McCaffrey's team in 2010 - interestingly, featuring in an XI that also included current England international Michael Keane.

However, U18 games are not considered 'official' by FIFA and thus his 'first' association is England, having played for the young Three Lions in official UEFA competition.

In order to switch to Ireland, he will have to formally write to FIFA requesting a change, demonstrating to the FIFA Players Status Committee that he qualifies.

In Bamford's case, he will have to show that he is an Irish citizen by producing a passport and clarify that held the nationality prior to playing for England at youth level.

His connection to Ireland stems from his mother's side of the family, through his grandparents.

Liverpool set a new unwanted record and extended another one on Sunday as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Fulham in the Premier League.

Mario Lemina's strike just before half-time at Anfield saw the Reds slip to another loss in a dismal stretch of form, handing the relegation-embattled Cottagers the prize scalp of the champions.

Jurgen Klopp's team have been in free-fall since the start of the new year, with just three league wins in 12 games, leaving them comfortably adrift of the top four as the season approaches the home stretch.

What record have Liverpool set?

For the first time in their history, the Merseyside club conceded the opening goal of a game six times in a row at home.

The Reds had lost to Burnley, Brighton, Manchester City, Everton and Chelsea on home soil heading into Sunday's clash, drawing blanks on all but one of those occasions.

They have now extended their own worst-ever run of home results in the league, with those aforementioned defeats contributing to a horror-show statistic for Klopp and his men.

The full scope of Liverpool's home form

Those results have also ensured that the Reds have become the first reigning Premier League title holders to lose six home games on the trot too.

Indeed, their only point to show at Anfield since the start of January comes from their drab goalless draw with Manchester United two-and-a-half weeks into the year.

Given such dismal form - only West Brom, Newcastle and Southampton have posted worse records across the top-flight in 2021 - supporters could be forgiven for being relieved that their home Champions League tie against RB Leipzig this week will be played in neutral Budapest instead.

What next for Liverpool?

The Reds' immediate concerns will be ensuring their European progression at the very least, with the Champions League fast becoming their only route back to the competition itself next year - or indeed, continental football at all.

They hold a 2-0 lead from the first leg thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, but will have to be on their guard against the Bundesliga outfit.

Five days later they will face Wolves at Molineux Stadium before an away game against Arsenal on April 3 over the Easter weekend.

Further reading

Yanga SC conceded in stoppage time to settle for a 1-1 draw with Polisi Tanzania in a Tanzania Mainland League assignment at Ushirika Stadium in Moshi on Sunday.

Fiston Abdul Razak thought he had sealed maximum points for the 27-time champions but Pius Biswita struck in the stoppages for the 10-man hosts to ensure the spoils were shared. 

Timu ya Wananchi came into the match aiming at bouncing back from their 2-1 loss to Coastal Union in the previous assignment.

For the hosts, it was an opportunity to get their second win in a row after their 1-0 win against Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) FC. 

Having lost the first round by a solitary goal, the administrative charges were hoping for a better result this time around.

However, it was former Sofapaka striker Razak who drew first blood after 41 minutes to ensure his team went into the break with a 1-0 lead.

Polisi gave the best after the break, limiting the opponents from getting sight of their goal.

It seemed the visitors had won it when the Moshi-based side were reduced to 10 men with two minutes to go, when former Yanga defender Kelvin Yondani was sent for an early shower.

But it was Polisi who ended on a high as Biswita struck in the 90th minute to ensure the spoils were shared. It is a blow for the Cedric Kaze-led team who have now dropped five points in two games.

In another top-tier match, Gwambina defeated their hosts Mtibwa Sugar 2-0 to move to the 12th position.

Paul Nonga opened the scoring in favour of the debutants after just 24 minutes, before Hamad Nassor sealed the win with 20 minutes to go.

Coastal Union and KMC played to a goalless draw.

Polisi Tanzania XI: Mohamed Yusuf, Datius Peter, Juma Ramadhan, Iddy Mobby, Kelvin Yondani, Pato Ngonyani, Saliboko Darueshi, Maulid Nassor, Tariq Seif, Kassim Shaban, Marcel Kaheza.

Subs: Msafiri Mkumbo, Shaban Stambuli, Yahaya Mbegu, Deusdedity Cosmas, Mohamed Kassim, Pius Buswita, Gerald Mathias

Yanga SC: Metacha Mnata, Kibwana Shomari, Yassin Mustapha, Said Juma, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Mukoko Tonombe, Tuisila Kisinda, Feisal Salum, Fiston Abdoul, Haruna Niyonzima, Ditram Nchimbi

Subs: Faruk Shikhalo, Paulo Godfrey, Abdullah Haji, Zawadi Mauya, Deus Kaseke, Waziri Junior, Yacouba Songne

Lamontville Golden Arrows came back to secure a 3-1 victory over Black Leopards in a league encounter at Thohoyandou Stadium in Limpopo.

It was Leopards who broke the deadlock as early as the fourth minute when Lefa Hlongwane scored from Tumelo Khutlang's cross to make it 1-0 to the hosts.

Abafana Bes'thende then pushed for the equalizing goal and they got it just after the half-hour mark through Knox Mutizwa.

Velemseni Ndwandwe played a through-pass to Mutizwa and the Zimbabwe international made no mistake as he beat Leopards goalkeeper King Ndlovu to make it 1-1.

The score was 1-1 at the interval and a second-half which was dominated by Arrows followed.

The visitors took a 2-1 lead when Siboniso Conco set-up Seth Parusnath, who fired past Ndlovu in the 78th minute, as the attacking midfielder opened his scoring account for the season.

Lidoda Duvha then launched attacks as they looked to grab a late equalizing goal, but they were left exposed at the back and Ndwandwe punished the hosts in stoppage time. 

Siphamandla Sabelo's defence-splitting pass sent Ndwandwe through on goal and he found the back of the net with a low shot to seal Arrows' 3-1 victory on the day. 

Therefore, Arrows climbed up to fourth place on the league standings - three points behind second-placed Orlando Pirates, while Leopards remained 12th on the log. 

Meanwhile, Swallows FC let their lead slip against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila as the two teams played out a 1-1 draw at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

The Beautiful Birds controlled the match from the first whistle, but the opening goal only came a minute after the half-hour mark. 

Zaphaniah Mbokoma scored from the rebound to make it 1-0 to Swallows after Kamohelo Mahlatsi's shot was parried away by TTM goalkeeper Washington Arubi.

The hosts were able to contain Tshakhuma and the score was 1-0 to Swallows at the interval.

Tshakhuma coach Dylan Kerr introduced former Pirates attackers Joseph Malongoane, Tokelo Rantie and Thabo Rakhale in the second-half as the visitors looked to level matters.

Vhadau Vha Damani pilled pressure on the Beautiful Birds and the visitors were awarded a penalty after Alfred Ndengane was fouled in the box by Phetso Maphanga.

Ndengane dusted himself down and converted the spot-kick himself in stoppage time to ensure that the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

The draw saw Swallows slip down to fifth place on the league standings, while TTM remained 14th on the table. 

Ghana captain Andre Ayew reveals he is good to rise to the occasion for Swansea City when needed after scoring a last-gasp penalty to ensure a 2-1 win over Swansea City in the Championship on Saturday.

With things looking headed for a home draw at Liberty Stadium, the 31-year-old stepped up to convert a penalty in the seventh minute of injury time to dramatically snatch three points for the Jack Army.

It was his second straight game of scoring an injury-time penalty to win a game for his side.

"I’m happy to take the responsibility on my shoulders. I will never shy away from fronting up and facing the pressure situations, so it’s my duty to take penalties at difficult moments,” Ayew has said, as reported by his club's official website.

“Being the penalty taker is not always rosy, but it’s something I must do for the team.

“I’m not going to give away any secrets on my penalties, but all I want to see is the ball hit the net.

“It was such a late moment in the game, and it was a great relief to see the ball go in.”

Three days earlier on Wednesday, Ayew was similarly called into late penalty duty against Stoke City as he planted a 96th-minute effort at the back of the net to ensure a 2-1 win away.

“The wins this week – it’s all for the fans. We know they are watching from home and can’t be at the stadium, but we know they are smiling after these games,” said Ayew.

“I’m sure they’ve enjoyed this week – sorry we’ve left it late with the winning goals! I’m sure they celebrated even louder at the final whistle because of the lateness of the goals.

“But we want them to know that we are always giving our all for our club. I’m sure they see that in our performances.”

Saturday's penalty was not Ayew's only major contribution to the game as he scored in the 40th minute to give Swansea the lead.

The attacker has now registered 13 goals to his name so far this season, having featured in 32 matches involving 31 starts. 

Cote d'Ivoire striker Sebastien Haller scored to help Mohammed Kudus and Ajax to a 3-1 win over Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday.

The former West Ham forward's second-half effort helped to secure full points for The Lancers in the matchday 24 fixture at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam.

Ajax have consolidated their position at the top of the league table, leaving Groningen 18 points below.

Sunday's strike was Haller's sixth goal in 10 league appearances since leaving West Ham for Ajax in a club-record transfer deal in January.

After Dusan Tadic set up Ryan Gravenberch for The Lancers' opening goal in just the fifth minute, Haller, who also has five league assists to his name so far, finished off a 54th-minute effort to make it 2-0 after being set up by David Neres.

Tadic then registered a goal of his own and his club's third goal in the 77th minute before Ahmed El Messaoudi pulled a goal back for Groningen six minutes to full-time.

While Haller lasted for the entire duration of the games, Ghana sensation Kudus, who picked up a 48th-minute yellow card, was substituted by Jurgen Ekkelenkamp in the 63rd minute.

It was Kudus' eighth appearance in the Eredivisie this season and his second start since returning from a recent injury spell.

The Morocco duo of Oussama Idrissi and Zakaria Labyad were introduced into the game by Ajax in the 78th and 88th minutes respectively but compatriot Noussair Mazraoui was not in the matchday squad.

Burkina Faso striker Lassina Traore was an unused substitute by the home side who also had Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana and Dutch-born forward of Ghanaian descent Brian Brobbey completely out of their matchday squad.

Haller's fine form for Ajax will undoubtedly be good news for Cote d'Ivoire who are set to take on Niger and Ethiopia in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches on March 26 and 30 respectively.

Likewise, Ghana will be excited to have Kudus back for the Black Stars after an absence lasting for over a year as they play South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe on March 25 and 28 respectively.

The 20-year-old last featured for CK Akonnor's side in 2019 and has since been forced to stay out of the team due to injury.

Over the last few weeks, Orlando Pirates have emerged as serious contenders for the PSL title. 

The Buccaneers moved into second place on the league standings after securing a convincing victory over an in-form Chippa United on Saturday evening.

Three goals from Deon Hotto, Ben Motshwari and Riaan Hanamub (own-goal) inspired the Buccaneers to a 3-0 victory over the Chilli Boys in Port Elizabeth. 

The Soweto giants are now breathing down the necks of Sundowns in the race for the championship as they are a point behind leaders, Masandawana on the standings. 

Bucs' current form has seen them leapfrog stuttering teams such as Swallows FC and SuperSport United on the table and they have now set their sights on catching Sundowns. 

Pirates have been showing title credentials lately by winning their matches consistently which has seen them reach the Caf Confederation Cup group stage and Nedbank Cup quarter-finals.

The reigning MTN8 champions have been excellent during their current eight-match unbeaten run under their German coach, Josef Zinnbauer. 

The only way the Buccaneers can catch and move above a formidable Sundowns side is if they can continue winning their matches consistently. 

Masandawana remain the only unbeaten team in the league and their consistency has been key to them sustaining their lead at the top of the table thus far this season.

Unlike Swallows and SuperSport, the current Pirates team is full of players, who know what it takes to maintain a title charge. 

The Soweto giants finished second behind Sundowns in back to back seasons (2017/18 and 2018/19) and the club has retained some of the key players from those two campaigns. 

Thembinkosi Lorch, Wayne Sandilands, Innocent Maela, Ntsikelelo Nyauza, Linda Mntambo, Happy Jele, Ben Motshwari and Vincent Pule remain part of the Bucs squad.

The arrival of 2016/17 PSL title-winning players, Thabang Monare and Thulani Hlatshwayo from the now-defunct Bidvest Wits has also boosted Pirates' title ambitions.

Monare and Hlatshwayo have quickly become regulars and it has been good for Bucs to see such players with championship-winning experience step up for the team since the turn of the year. 

While quality goalkeeper Richard Ofori and highly-rated winger Deon Hotto have also hit the ground running at the Buccaneers, they have become key players for Zinnbauer. 

Pirates just need to maintain their current unbeaten run and they could soon leapfrog Sundowns and take control of the race for the championship. 

Rangers have been crowned Premiership champions after Celtic's 0-0 draw with Dundee United on Sunday.

The Ibrox side have put an end to a 10-year wait to lift the Scottish top-flight title.

How did Rangers win the league?

The result at Tannadice leaves Rangers 20 points clear at the top of the table after 32 matches, giving them an insurmountable lead over their local rivals.

Steven Gerrard's side beat St Mirren 3-0 on Saturday to extend their current winning streak to six games in all competitions and put them within a point of lifting the title.

But the Glasgow side have now claimed the 55th Scottish crown in their history after Celtic failed to win.

The Gers remain unbeaten in the Premiership this season and their next domestic match is away to Celtic on March 21.

What did Steven Gerrard say?

"This club has been to hell and back over the past 10 years. I've only been part of it for three, but I can certainly relate and I've got that feeling and that affection with the fans and I know what they have been through," manager Gerrard said after his side's win against St Mirren.

"I can totally understand the scenes. But I think it's important they stay safe as well and we all try and be humble and focus on what is left, because there are a lot of big games left and we want more.

"I always said the first one would be the hardest and we're obviously millimetres away from achieving that. But I don't know, I got a feeling upstairs today I want more, I'm hungry for more and I hope my players share that. If they do it's exciting times to be a Rangers fan.

"For me, the priority is to really let this sink in, get it officially done and realise the monumental achievement that it is. But that's got to make you hungry for more.

"For me, I'm already thinking about what's next and I want more. That's my drive every single day when I come to work. Since I was a young lad I just want success and I want to win, I want to win football matches and I want to have moments like that in the dressing room. That's what it is all about."

What next for Rangers?

Rangers are through to the last-16 of the Europa League and will visit Slavia Prague to contest the first leg of the tie on Thursday before hosting them for the return fixture on March 18.

After their subsequent Premiership clash with Celtic, Rangers will host League One side Cove Rangers in the third round of the Scottish Cup at the start of April.

Further reading

KCB earned vital Football Kenya Federation Premier League points after picking a 2-0 win over Gor Mahia at Moi International Sports Complex on Sunday.

David Simiyu and Victor Omondi scored the two goals that condemned the Green Army to yet another league loss, complicating their title defence chances.

Kenneth Muguna's header in the 12th minute almost gave Gor Mahia the lead. The skipper connected to a cross from Samuel Onyango and headed towards goal but the ball landed at the top of the net with Gabriel Andika beaten in the process in KCB's goal.

Wilson Silva, whose debut goal handed Gor Mahia a win over Kakamega Homeboyz in the last game, would have scored his second Premier League goal had he connected with a cross that was delivered into the box by John Macharia. Silva's effort to receive the aerial ball was unsuccessful and gave a chance for KCB's Andika to take the ball thus ending an ambitious run by the home side.

Boniface Oluoch saved the moment for Gor Mahia when he stopped a close-range shot by Derrick Otanga. K'Ogalo's backline lapsed in concentration in the 42nd minute and allowed Simon Munala to manoeuvre along the right-wing to cut-in for Otanga whose low drive was superbly dealt with by Oluoch.

Clifton Miheso's pinpoint strike in the 50th minute was punched back into play by a largely isolated Andika. KCB also saw their first second-half chance fail to produce a goal after Brian Ndenga delivered a good cross that Otanga could not capitalise on while in the penalty area on the hour mark.

Tito Okello, who replaced Silva in the 69th minute, saw his header flew inches above the crossbar as Gor Mahia looked hungrier than before. However, Simiyu gave KCB the opener in the 75th minute when he managed to beat Harun Shakava and slotted home past Oluoch.

Matters were complicated for Gor Mahia when Oluoch fouled Victor Omondi resulting in a penalty for the Bankers in the 85th minute. Omondi took the penalty and sent the K'Ogalo goalkeeper the wrong way to extend their lead at Kasarani.
 
Gor Mahia XI: Boniface Oluoch, Kelvin Wesonga, Geoffrey Ochieng, Harun Shakava, Charles Momanyi, Ernest Wendo, Samuel Onyango, Alpha Onyango, Wilson Silva, Kenneth Muguna, John Macharia.

Subs: Gad Mathews, John Njau, Philemon Otieno, Andrew Juma, Joachim Ochieng, Fred Nkata, Sydney Ochieng, Karim Abdoul, Clifton Miheso, Jules Ulimwengu, Tito Okello.

KCB XI: Gabriel Andika, Baraka Badi, Dennis Odhiambo, Rama Mwemdwa, Nahashon Nanyendo, Michael Mutinda, Simon Munala, Brian Ndenga, Derrick Otanga, Henry Onyango, David Ambulu.

Subs: Joseph Okoth, David Simiyu, Michael Oduor, Samuel Mwangi, Reagan Otieno, Bethuel Achola, Victor Ochami, Victor Omondi.

England kick off their qualification campaign for World Cup 2022 in March 2021 and Gareth Southgate's Three Lions will no doubt be aiming to top their group.

Having steered the team to a fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Southgate and his charges know that they have what it takes to challenge, but they'll have to qualify first.

Here, Goal has everything you need to know about England's World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign, including group standings, fixtures, results and more.

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England World Cup 2022 qualifying group

England have been drawn in Group I of UEFA's FIFA World Cup qualification cycle. The draw was held in December 2020.

The Three Lions come up against Robert Lewandowski's Poland, along with Hungary, Albania, Andorra and San Marino.

Group winners will qualify automatically for the World Cup and the team which finishes second will have to navigate through the play-offs.

Each team in the group plays the other five teams twice - home and away - meaning England must fulfil a total of 10 fixtures.

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England World Cup 2022 qualifying fixtures & results

England begin their World Cup 2022 qualification campaign with a home game against San Marino on March 25. That game is the beginning of a three-game cycle in March, which also sees the Three Lions play Albania away (March 28) then host Poland at Wembley (March 31).

Three more qualifiers are scheduled for September, with Hungary (September 2), Andorra (September 5) and Poland (September 8) providing the opposition.

England will play two World Cup qualification matches in October - against Andorra away on October 9 and Hungary at home on October 12 - before concluding the campaign in November with games against Albania (November 12) and San Marino (November 15).

You can see all of England's World Cup qualifying matches from Group I below.

Of course, England's World Cup qualification campaign will be interrupted by games at Euro 2020 in the summer and a number of friendly matches too.

Ahead of Euro 2020, the Three Lions will play Austria in a friendly on June 2 before taking on Romania on June 7. Euro 2020 kicks off for England on June 13 against Croatia, with games against Scotland and Czech Republic following on June 18 and 22 respectively. The tournament itself will conclude on July 11.

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How can I watch England's World Cup 2022 qualifying on TV?

ITV has the broadcasting rights to show England's World Cup qualifiers on TV in the United Kingdom (UK).

The ITV Hub is the network's online streaming service and it can be accessed via web browsers or through the ITV app. However, it should be noted that some ITV programming may not be available online.

Which channel number is ITV?

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When does World Cup 2022 take place?

The 2022 World Cup is the first such tournament to be held in winter, with games scheduled to kick off on November 21, 2022 and the final will take place on December 18, 2022.

That means the tournament will begin roughly a year after the qualification group stage concludes and about eight months after the play-off stage, which will occur in March 2022.

World Cup 2022 will be hosted by Qatar and it will be the first time FIFA's flagship football competition has been held in the Middle East, having already taken place in Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia.

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Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota will start together in attack for Liverpool in Saturday’s Premier League encounter against Fulham, whereas Sadio Mane must be content with a place on the bench.

The Senegal international has failed to find the net in the last three games as manager Jurgen Klopp is hoping to help the Reds bounce back from their defeat against the visiting Cottagers.

In a 4-3-1-2 formation, the German tactician handed Naby Keita a place in his starting XI. The Guinean will hold sway in the midfield alongside Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner. Xherdan Shaqiri is expected to play further forward.

For Scott Parker’s team whose five-game unbeaten league run ended against Jose Mourinho’s Spurs, Nigerian quartet Josh Maja, Tosin Adarabioyo, Ademola Lookman and Ola Aina would be relied upon against the reigning English champions.

Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina completes a quintet of Africans in the starting line up for the Cottagers, while Cameroon international Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa starts as a substitute. English midfielder of Nigerian descent Josh Onomah did not make the matchday cut – which means he would not be playing his sixth league game of the 2020-21 campaign.

Nigeria prospect Adarabioyo is optimistic that his side can get a result at Anfield.

“Liverpool are still the Premier League champions, so you’ve got to respect that. We’ve got to go out there and put on a show and try to get a performance,” he told Sky Sports.

“I feel like we can take a lot of confidence from that game [the reverse fixture in December]. We went out there and played our game, we had a lot of opportunities and the game could have gone either way really.

“We were winning 1-0 for quite a while in the game before the end so that can give us a lot of confidence to go to Anfield and try and get a good result.

“We know how offensive Liverpool are and what a great attack they have so it’s just trying our best to nullify them.”

Simba SC coach Didier Gomez Da Rosa has come out to clarify he does not have any personal issues with midfielder Bernard Morrison.

The relationship between the coach and the Ghanaian star has been in the spotlight since the Frenchman took charge of the team, with Morrison missing out on very important fixtures.

The climax came last Tuesday when the fit-again player was excluded from the travelling squad to face Al Merrikh of Sudan in their third match of Group A in the Caf Champions League.

The decision left many Simba fans asking what could be the problem with social media suggesting the two are not on talking terms and that the Ghanaian star, who signed for the Msimbazi giants from rivals Yanga SC at the beginning of the season, could leave the team in the next transfer window.

Gomez has explained his position on the matter insisting he does not have any problem with the player and stated he is part of his plans to help the team achieve their targets for the season.

“There is no conflict between me and Morrison, believe me, I am frank, he is very frank. I can say even we have a good relationship and we talk together, and I explained to him my decision but it is a family you know,” Gomez told Kitenge TV when Simba arrived in Dar es Salaam from Sudan.

“A squad is a family and we need to keep some things confidential because we need to respect our team is very important.

“So like I said before, I don’t have any conflict with him [Morrison] and it is the same for him so everything is good and I am very sure he will help us to achieve our targets.”

Asked to explain why he dropped the midfielder from the squad that travelled for the match against Al Merrikh in Khartoum, Gomez explained: “It is because of family matters, I don’t want to talk about it, but everything is good and please don’t worry about it, all is well.”

Simba secured a 0-0 draw against Al Merrikh at Al-Hilal Stadium in Khartoum to increase their points to seven, while African champions Al Ahly managed a 2-2 draw against AS Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Cairo.

Simba will now face Al Merrikh in their fourth group match on March 16 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, the same day AS Vita will host Al Ahly in Kinshasa.

Kagera Sugar have fired coach Mecky Maxime following the team's poor run of results in the Mainland Premier League.

The Sugar Millers have had a frustrating campaign in the 2020-21 campaign losing their last three matches in the league.

After a 3-3 draw against table-toppers Yanga SC, Kagera have lost three matches on the run – 3-0 against KMC FC, 2-1 against Azam FC, and 1-0 against Namungo FC – forcing management to sack Maxime.

He has confirmed his departure from the team, explaining he met the club’s bosses on Friday where they agreed to part ways on mutual consent.

“It’s true as you have heard, since last Friday, I spoke to the officials and today [Saturday] we have parted ways, it is mainly because of the results which were not pleasing to the eyes of the bosses,” Maxime told Mwanaspoti as quoted by Sokalabongo.

Maxime helped Kagera Sugar to finish fifth in the last campaign and reports emerged he was a target for Yanga before the club tied him down with an extension of two years.

In a previous interview, Maxime confirmed how Yanga had approached him for his services but could not reveal the reason he did not sign the deal.

“It’s true Yanga offered me a contract and I still have the document because there are some clauses in it that need to be agreed by both of us. If things go well, I am a football coach ready to work anywhere,” explained Maxime.

“I am still in the learning process as a football coach because my age requires me to do so.

“Coaching Kagera does not mean I have reached the peak of my career. If you get a chance to be either at Simba SC or Yanga, you grasp many things because these teams regularly play in international competitions as such. You add value to your coaching career.

“In that case, forget about being head coach or assistant coach but rather how you will be able to move on.”

Goal can also reveal former Taifa Stars coach Ettiene Ndayiragije is most likely to replace Maxime on a two-year contract.

However, the poor run of results have seen him leave Kagera in position 13 of the 18-team league table with 24 points from 23 matches.

Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane says it is difficult for him to “fully understand” how they were held 2-2 by visiting AS Vita in Saturday’s Caf Champions League Group A showdown in Cairo.

After succumbing 1-0 to leaders Simba SC away in Tanzania in their group opener, Al Ahly again failed to win on Saturday to find themselves third on the standings, three points behind the side at the summit.

A "frustrated" Mosimane concedes they have placed themselves in a "difficult position.".

“I have never seen a match like this in my life. It is difficult for me to fully understand the result. It is frustrating,” said Mosimane as per Kingfut.

“How many chances we need to win a match? I do not know. It is sad, but what happened is reality. We have no choice but to beat Vita Club in DR Congo. We put ourselves in this difficult position. I believe in my team, and it does not matter how we started, the important thing is how to finish the group.”

Questions were raised after Mosimane substituted Walter Bwalya 11 minutes into the second half.

The Ahly coach is aware of potential “problems” that could ensue after he was asked about his decision to take off the striker who spearheaded their attack.

“Are you really asking me why did you sub off Bwalya today? Are you asking this question to create problems? Bwalya wasted opportunities and that is why he was brought off and [Mohamed] Sherif entered and scored. You are unfair in your question,” Mosimane said.

“The performance was good, but I am concerned about the problem of wasting chances. We have three matches left. I don’t play Walter Bwalya all the time. In the last game, Sherif played and didn’t score as well. It’s easy to talk about Bwalya today because he missed many easy opportunities.”

The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach is not keen to touch on some officiating decisions that went against their way on Saturday.

“I refuse to talk about the referee,” said Mosimane.

“Everyone saw what happened, and I am not the coach who talks about the referees. We did not draw because of the penalty, we drew because of the opportunities we wasted.

“I will not lose hope in my players, who won the Caf Champions League. We have to go to Vita Club and win.”

Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that he feared he wouldn't speak again after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Ferguson underwent emergency surgery after being rushed into Salford Royal Hospital with bleeding on the brain in May 2018.

The 79-year-old, who is widely revered as one of the greatest football managers in history, has now revealed that the prospect of potentially losing his voice and memory permanently was a "terrifying" source of distress for him throughout his recovery.

What's been said?

He said during a Q&A session at the premiere of the "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In'“ documentary on his life: "I lost my voice, just could not get a word out, and that was terrifying – absolutely terrifying.

“And everything was going through my mind: is my memory going to come back?  Am I ever going to speak again?

"There were five brain haemorrhages that day. Three died. Two survived. You know you are lucky.

"It was a beautiful day, I remember that. I wondered how many sunny days I would ever see again. I found that difficult."

Fergie's recovery

Ferguson spent several days in hospital after his successful operation and worked with a leading professional speech therapist to help him find his voice again.

The treatment lasted 10 days in total, and he was relieved that his memory also returned after he rediscovered his ability to speak properly.

"I would have hated to lose my memory. It would have been a terrible burden on my family, if I was sitting in the house not knowing who I am," said Ferguson.

"The speech therapist came and told me to write down all the members of my family, of my football team ... She asked me questions about animals, fish, birds. Eventually, after 10 days my voice came back.

"I realised, having gone through all that, my memory was fine."

Ferguson's legacy at Man Utd

The most successful period in United's history came on Ferguson's watch between 1986 and 2013 as he transformed the team from also-rans into the most feared and respected outfit in English football.

The Scot picked up 38 trophies in total during his time at Old Trafford, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League crowns and five FA Cups.

Asked which achievement stands out most over the course of his career, Ferguson named the Red Devils' first top-flight triumph in 1992-93, before adding: "God almighty – I couldn’t get out of the car park.

"There were thousands of them … they could have made me president that day.”

Further reading