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Simba SC and Azam FC have settled for a 2-2 draw in a Tanzania Mainland League match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi scored their goals through Meddie Kagere and Luis Miquissone while the 2014 champions replied through Iddi Selemani and Ayub Lyanga.

The reigning champions started the match on a high and made their intentions clear with several initial attacks. 

However, they had to wait until the 27th minute when Rwandan Kagere opened the scoring after a good move which left the opponents out of position.

The reigning champions would have doubled the advantage in the 38th minute when they won a penalty. Last season's Most Valuable Player Clatous Chama stepped up but Ugandan Mathias Kigonya saved it.

It happened to be the only goal in the first half despite the chances created by both teams.

The Ice-cream Makers managed to equalize in the 67th minute after increasing their tempo and playing with purpose.

The visitors led for the first time in the 76th minute when Lyanga found the back of the net. It was a reward for their zeal after Wekundu wa Msimbazi lost their shape.

Lyanga's strike was a wake-up call for the hosts and two minutes later, they equalized courtesy of Mozambican international Miquissone.

In another top-tier game played on Sunday, Namungo FC bounced back from their 3-0 loss to KMC to defeat Ruvu Shooting 2-1.

The first half ended goalless as the teams struggled to get the ball in the back of the net.

Namungo broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute when Mohamed Jafari capitalised on poor defending. It was a goal that reduced the pressure on the home team.

Veteran defender John Nyoso capitalised in the 89th minute after converting a set-piece.

But in the stoppages, the 2019/20 FA Cup finalists managed to get their winner courtesy of Reliants Lusajo.

After their Sunday win, Simba are on 39 points, five less than leaders Yanga SC who are on 44 points. Azam are third with 33 points.

Namungo have ascended to 12th position with 21 points while Ruvu Shooting remain in fifth position with 28 points.

Semi Ajayi was in action for West Bromwich Albion in their 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday’s Premier League game.

The 27-year-old was handed his 22nd league start this season and emerged as one of the standout performers for his side.

The Nigeria international formed a four-man defence along with Conor Townsend, Kyle Bartley and Lee Peltier and gave a good account of himself.

Senegal international Mbaye Diagne also made his second Premier League appearances for the Baggies in the encounter after joining the side on loan from Galatasaray in January.

The game started with both sides aiming to outwit each other and Tottenham came close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute when Harry Kane sent up Heung-Min Son with a through pass but the 28-year-old’s long-range effort was saved by goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

West Brom’s best chance in the first half fell to Diagne in the 45th minute when he directed his header at goal but his effort was saved by Hugo Lloris.

After the restart, Kane broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, firing home his effort, after receiving a through ball from Pierre-Emile Hoejbjerg.

Four minutes later, Son doubled Tottenham’s lead after he was set up by Lucas Moura and his effort was enough to seal his side’s victory despite spirited late attempts for West Brom to try and avoid defeat.

Ajayi featured for the duration of the game, made two tackles, nine clearances, won four aerial contests and had a 67 percent successful pass rate in the game.

His teammate and Senegal international Diagne was also on parade for the entirety of the game, struck two shots and had 30 touches on the ball.

With the defeat, the Hawthorns outfit remains in the relegation zone after gathering only 12 points from 23 games.

Ajayi will hope to help Sam Allardyce’s men end their five-game winless run when they take on Manchester United in their next league game on February 14.

The 27-year-old has been a consistent performer for West Brom this season, featuring in 22 games across all competitions and scoring three goals.

Bongani Zungu made his first Premiership start on Sunday as Hamilton Academical held Rangers to a 1-1 draw.

The 28-year-old, who is on loan from Amiens, came off the bench as a substitute in his last 11 outings in the Scottish top-flight before Steven Gerrard handed him a rare spot at the Fountain of Youth Stadium on Sunday.

Rangers were on the verge of securing all three points at Hamilton after Brian Easton scored an own goal in the 80th minute but Ross Callachan denied them victory with his late equaliser in stoppage-time.

Zungu joined Super Eagles star Joe Aribo and Glen Kamara in the middle of the park, and he was in action for 60 minutes before he was replaced by Ryan Jack.

During the encounter, the Bafana Bafana midfielder made two key passes and managed just a clearance but he neither registered a shot nor completed a tackle.

Aribo, however, played the entire duration while his compatriot Leon Balogun watched on as an unused substitute for the fourth straight game.

Balogun is yet to play for the Gers since their 1-1 draw against Motherwell on January 17.

Despite his recent inactivity, Gerrard reiterated his faith in the Nigeria defender with the club waiting to trigger the extension clause in his contract.

“We have six centre backs at the moment but that won't be the case in the summer,” he said.

“Leon has something in his contract that might trigger on its own in the coming weeks.

“But we don’t have to wait for that because we are really happy with the player and I want him around for next season anyway.”

Rangers still remain at the top of the Premiership table despite the single point they picked up at the Fountain of Youth Stadium.

With 76 points after 28 matches, they hold a 21-point lead above second-place Celtic while Hamilton Academical remain rooted at the bottom with 20 points from 26 matches.

Gerrard's men will be looking to extend their unbeaten league run to 29 matches when they host Kilmarnock at Ibrox Stadium on February 13.

Harry Kane "will beat every possible record" in Tottenham's history in terms of goals, according to Jose Mourinho, who has heaped praise upon the "special" Tottenham striker.

Kane had been sidelined for two matches after damaging his ankles in a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on January 28, but returned to action ahead of schedule for a home fixture against West Brom on Sunday.

The England international looked a bit rusty in the first half as he squandered two gilt-edge chances on his left foot, but made no mistake with his right early in the second period.

Kane latched onto a neat Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg pass before dispatching calmly past Sam Johnstone in the Baggies' net, and Son Heung-min doubled Spurs' advantage moments later to seal a 2-0 victory for the hosts.

What was said?

Mourinho hailed his star frontman in his post-match interview, telling BT Sport: "I loved the compromise of the players, the effort, the determination, the clear wish to show everyone how together they are and how much they were suffering with the bad results and how much they wanted the victory.

"That was the fundamental thing. In the first half we were dominant and could have killed the game.

"At half-time we had confidence, we were positive, I only spoke to them for one minute. We were going in the right direction.

"Harry Kane is a special player in the history of the club. He will beat every possible record. We had very good individual performances today.

"At the end of the season you have the truth, we will be where we belong, where we deserve to be."

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce, meanwhile, expressed his frustration over his side's defending for Kane's opener, having initially been pleased with their work in the first 45 minutes.

"The downside is letting the goals in we let in after containing them in the first half," he told BBC Sport. "Seeing Harry Kane in our box unmarked. That lapse at this level just can't happen. We should be stopping that at the source."

Kane's road to greatness 

Kane's latest effort saw him draw level with Bobby Smith in second place in Tottenham's all-time scorers list, and he will now have his sights set on Jimmy Greaves' record mark of 266 goals.

Greaves reached that number after 379 games in a Spurs shirt, while Kane has played 318 games for the club to date, and is still in his prime at the age of just 27.

The club captain is also in the hunt for his third Premier League golden boot with 13 to his name through 20 outings this season. Only top-flight legends Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer have previously won the award three or more times.

What's next?

Kane will be back in action with Tottenham when they take on Everton in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday, before Mourinho starts preparing his side for a crucial Premier League clash against Manchester City three days later.

Further reading

Mourinho maintains dominant record over Allardyce as Tottenham make light work of West Brom

Ronaldo, Messi and Kane's NFL prospects assessed by Hall of Fame kicker Andersen ahead of Super Bowl LV

Premier League top scorers 2020-21: Salah, Fernandes & Kane lead

Harry Kane has moved up to second in Tottenham’s all-time goalscoring charts after the England striker made a surprise early return from injury in Sunday’s 2-0 win against West Brom.

After a frustrating first half, Kane was back doing what he does best just nine minutes into the second period, cooly converting Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s pass to put Spurs ahead.

Son Heung-Min doubled Tottenham’s advantage four minutes later, with the three points enough to lift the north London club up to seventh in the Premier League.

Why was Kane playing such a surprise?

Kane has missed Tottenham’s last two matches because of an ankle problem and was expected to be absent for the clash with the Baggies at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, the 27-year-old was deemed fit enough to start the game as Jose Mourinho’s side looked to end a run of three successive defeats.

Kane’s opener means he has now scored 208 goals in 317 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham, making him the joint-second highest scorer in the club’s history alongside Bobby Smith, who had exactly the same record.

It means the England captain is now 58 strikes short of Tottenham’s all-time record scorer Jimmy Greaves, who hit 266 goals in 379 appearances between 1961 and 1970.

Kane’s strike also continued his fine record against newly-promoted sides. The 27-year-old has now scored in 13 of his last 15 Premier League appearances against such  opposition, including each of the last six.

He is the first player to manage that feat since Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah between January and December 2018.

Son and Kane reunited

It is not just Kane who is enjoying a fine goalscoring season for Tottenham.

Son Heung-Min’s decisive second goal took him level with the England striker on 13 Premier League goals. Only in 2016-17 has the South Korean scored more goals in a single campaign, when he scored 14.

Between them, Kane and Son have scored 36 per cent of Tottenham’s Premier League goals this season. Only Newcastle’s Callum Wilson (40%) and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin (38%) have scored a higher portion of their team’s Premier League goals during the campaign.

Scarlett breaks Tottenham record

Teenager Dane Scarlett wrote his name in the history books when he came on as a late substitute.

The forward replaced Son in stoppage-time and in doing so became the youngest player to make an appearance for Tottenham in the Premier League at the age of 16 years and 230 days, eclipsing the record set by Stephen Carr back in 1993.

Further reading

Mourinho maintains dominant record over Allardyce

What is the meaning behind Son Heung-min camera celebration?

'Tottenham have no personality without Kane' - Ferdinand

Nnamdi Ofoborh is aiming to play in the Champions League with Rangers after signing a pre-contract with the Premiership giants last Monday.

The former Nigeria U20 midfielder will start a new adventure in Scotland in the summer after agreeing to a four-year deal with the Gers before the close of the January transfer window.

He also sealed a loan move to Wycombe Wanderers on deadline day after struggling for playing time at Bournemouth, making no appearance in the Championship.

Ofoborh raved about the prospect of playing with the Premiership leaders and also fulfil his boyhood ambition of playing in the top European competition if the Gers win the league this season.

“It has always been a dream for me to play in the Champions League,” Ofoborh told Sunday Mail via Daily Record.

“I’m a person who is confident in my ability and I’ve been through a lot already in my career.

“But I always told my friends that one day I’ll play in that tournament. If I get that chance at Rangers, I’ll have done it way earlier than I expected.

“It would be a massive achievement for me. I’m buzzing about the move. It’s still a bit surreal to me that I’m actually joining a club like Rangers. I just can’t wait to get up there, get started and do what I need to do.”

Having played in just the League One and Championship so far in his career, the 21-year-old revealed his reaction when he heard about Rangers’ interest in him and how he could not get it out of his mind.

He continued: “My agent spoke to me a while back and said he’d been talking to a few different clubs.

“I was expecting a few English Championship clubs to show an interest or League One sides. I wasn’t expecting too much because I haven’t played a lot for Bournemouth this season.

“So he mentioned a few names, some of them abroad. But when he said Rangers, I just smiled at him.

“I thought: ‘That can’t be serious, not Rangers.’

“Even then I thought there can be a lot of talk in football without anything actually happening. But the thought of moving to Rangers was going through my mind every day at training.”

Bayern Munich coach Hans Flick has described Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane as “really impressive” as the European champions switch to “intense preparations” for their Fifa Club World Cup campaign opener against the Cairo giants on Monday.

Bayern begin the tournament at the semi-final stage and are in Qatar as they seek a second Club World Cup title, while Al Ahly are bidding for their first-ever title.

With Mosimane having carved himself a reputation as one of the best coaches in Africa, Flick has taken note of the ex-Mamelodi Sundowns tactician as he unpacks Al Ahly's strengths.

“They are a team that looks to play good football, they are really flexible in attack. Their full-backs get forward a lot as well. I have gotten to know their head coach recently and he is really impressive,” Flick told the media.

“Our aim is to win this competition. We know that it's considered as something of a burden but we are motivated and we want to cap off an outstanding year with a sixth title.

“We had to win the Uefa Champions League to get here. We have a match every three days so we’re just taking it one step at a time in training. From today we will be working on intense preparations for the game against Al Ahly.”

Al Ahly’s quest to be crowned world champions began on Thursday when they edged Qatari champions Al Duhail 1-0 to reach the semi-finals.

They are seeking to make history by first surpassing their best outing at the tournament which was a bronze medal at the 2006 edition in Japan.

But Mosimane knows that Bayern are a huge hurdle to pass through although he believes that it can be done by his “good team.”

“It will be a hard game but we are capable of progressing,” said Mosimane.

“We have won three titles and now we're in another semi-final. We are a good team and we are now where every African side dreams of being.”

It is Mosimane’s second appearance at the Fifa Club World Cup after guiding Mamelodi Sundowns to the 2016 edition in Japan where they lost their two matches.

But he is now at the helm of nine-time African champions Al Ahly who are not newcomers at this tournament.

Bayern utility player Joshua Kimmich has, however, described his team as “clear favourites” against Al Ahly “the Bayern Munich of Egypt.”

“We are really happy to have the opportunity to take part in and win this tournament. First we have to play our semi-final, a match in which we are the clear favourites,” said Kimmich.

“We know that they are a strong team. They are the Bayern Munich of Egypt and they have played a lot of games without losing. The Champions League winners always enter this competition as the favourites. We want to justify that tag.

“This is a chance to write history. We are really motivated for our semi-final and then we will see what comes next.”

Kylian Mbappe can turn Liverpool into "the best team in the world" according to Djibril Cisse, who thinks the Paris Saint-Germain star could easily end up joining the Reds.

Mbappe has enjoyed an incredible rise to stardom since graduating to the senior squad at Monaco back in 2015.

The forward played a key role in the French outfit's run to Ligue 1 glory in 2016-17 before being snapped up by PSG, where he has since added three more domestic crowns to his collection.

He also became a World Cup winner in 2018, scoring in France's 4-2 final victory over Croatia in Russia, and currently looks like the most likely man to replace Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the game when they finally hang up their boots.

Mbappe's impressive form at PSG has seen him linked with a number of other top clubs across Europe including Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Klopp has insisted that the Reds cannot afford the 22-year-old in the past, but Cisse thinks his compatriot would be well worth the sizeable investment for his old club given the fact he could complete their forward line.

"To be honest I spoke to a few journalists, we were talking about Kylian Mbappe, because he's the best in the world at the moment," the former Liverpool striker told The Daily Mail. "I see him in Liverpool, big time. It's a lot of money. A big, massive investment but I think that the boy is worth it and I see him there.

Asked if Mbappe would slot into Klopp's starting line up seamlessly, Cisse responded: "Yeah, he would. First of all he's clever, he's a team player so he can play in different positions and he will match with Salah and Sadio [Mane]. If Firmino stays, you know, it will be a crazy team. For me, that would be the best team in the world.

"He would be the one. I don't know what Liverpool can do in terms of investment but it would be a big move for a key player. I want to dream, and I want to see him there."

The ex-France international went on to weigh in on Liverpool's struggles for form in 2020-21, insisting a mounting injury crisis is no excuse for a collective drop in standards.

"They missed a few players but it's not an excuse. If you want to be champions you have to win games, especially at home," said Cisse. "It's a difficult situation, no crowd and no atmosphere to boost you on when you need. Still, you can't lose points at home.

"Last season they were really destroying every team. Even top teams at the same level as them. I don't know if it's also the accumulation of games, the players are tired, [Virgil] Van Dijk is injured and they now have a lot of injured players.

"For sure, it's not the same Liverpool we're used to seeing from last season. At the moment they're giving the other teams the opportunity to catch up and it's not good."

Xherdan Shaqiri has insisted Liverpool's recent slump is "normal" and that the players "are not robots who can always be on 200 per cent".

Liverpool have slipped seven points behind Manchester City after their first 22 fixtures of the 2020-21 campaign, having already dropped nine more points than they did in the whole of their title-winning season.

Jurgen Klopp's side were the model of consistency as they stormed to Premier League glory last term, but a combination of injuries and a failure to adapt to the congested fixture schedule caused by the coronavirus crisis have led to a significant drop in standards.

The Reds' hopes of retaining the trophy will all but evaporate if they fail to beat City at Anfield on Sunday, with a 1-0 loss to Brighton at the same venue last time out marking their latest setback.

Shaqiri is not ready to give up on the title just yet though, and has defended Liverpool's erratic form as they continue to fight for top spot in "the best league in the world".

"We are like normal people who have ups and downs. That's normal. We are not robots who can always be on 200 per cent," the Liverpool winger told the Daily Mail. "The teams in the Premier League are good, even the small teams are difficult to play. The top teams are not always good. It's not just us.

"Maybe we have had a few games where we were not so good. There have been a lot of top teams this season who have not been on top form but we are still there and in the top three or four so we cannot complain it's so bad. I see it differently to people from outside.

"We are one of the best teams in the Premier League and the world. We are normal people and not robots, so we have weak moments sometimes when we are not so good and other teams are getting better all the time and that's also a normal thing in life.

"We are in the best league in the world and this season you can see that everybody can beat everybody. It's going to be an interesting season. The league title is still open. It's going to be special in this way."

Shaqiri has struggled for regular playing time since moving to Anfield from Stoke City in 2018, but he claims to be content with his current role as a squad player.

"If someone is injured or out and you get the chance to make the difference," he said. "I know what I can do and what I can bring to the team. The team knows my qualities. It is also important to me that we are good together in the dressing room and we are a good team. 

"I am not a bad guy and I'm a team player and I like to do everything for this team and I have a lot of experience now and I'm happy to help other players."

The Switzerland international added: "I could not be more proud of what I have achieved until now. I never thought in my life I was going to play for the kind of clubs I have played for. I can say I fulfilled my dreams 200 per cent.

"I will not say I fulfilled my potential but I have showed many times what kind of potential I have. I am still 29. I can still improve myself. I can say I fulfilled my dreams 100 per cent and I gave 100 per cent always and what I achieved until now is unbelievable."

Steven Gerrard is keen on keeping Leon Balogun at Rangers for next season after confirming that the Nigeria international is close to triggering an extension in his contract.

Balogun has established himself in the Gers’ defensive set-up since he moved to Glasgow on a short-term deal from Wigan Athletic in July.

His defensive contributions have helped Rangers remain unbeaten in the Premiership this campaign with a 20-point lead at the top of the table.

Gerrard has quite a number of defensive options at his disposal with six centre-backs in his team but with some expected to leave Ibrox Stadium in the summer, the Liverpool legend disclosed Balogun is a player he fancies and wants to keep.

With 21 appearances across all competitions this campaign, the former Brighton & Hove Albion defender has a clause to extend his stay at Ibrox that could be triggered in the coming weeks.

“We have six centre backs at the moment but that won't be the case in the summer,” Gerrard was quoted as saying by the National.

“Leon has something in his contract that might trigger on its own in the coming weeks.

“But we don’t have to wait for that because we are really happy with the player and I want him around for next season anyway.”

Balogun has played 15 league matches this campaign but he has been rested in Rangers' last three matches.

The 32-year-old will be expected to return to the Gers' starting XI when they visit Hamilton Academical for Sunday's Premiership outing.

He is close to ending his wait for a silverware in his professional career that has spanned over 13 years as Rangers aim for their first Scottish top-flight crown since 2011.

Jurgen Klopp might be tempted by a move to Bayern Munich after growing frustrated with Liverpool's transfer policy, according to Jamie Redknapp.

Liverpool have been plagued by injuries in 2020-21, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all sidelined with long-term knocks.

Klopp's squad has been stretched to the limit as a result, and the Reds have struggled to produce the same levels of consistency which saw them crowned Premier League champions for the first time last season.

The Reds were able to bring in Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak from Preston and Schalke respectively on deadline day, but it has been suggested that they waited far too long before addressing a lack of defensive options.

Klopp admitted he was powerless to correct the situation himself after watching his team lose to Burnley on January 21, as he told reporters post-match: “Of course somebody else is making the decisions. It was always like this. If people are surprised by that now, I can’t help them.

“We think about ‘could we improve something or not?’ and I make recommendations, stuff like this.

“But I cannot spend the money. That’s not how it is. I don’t make these decisions, and I never did.”

Redknapp admits that the Liverpool manager's comments came as a surprise to him, and has suggested that he may seek to return to his homeland in the near future after an energy-zapping saga.

“I thought Jurgen’s words were really interesting," the former Reds midfielder told Sky Sports. “I sensed frustration with him because he wanted a new player. The problem was who could Liverpool buy to replace Virgil Van Dijk?

“You can’t spend £50-60 million on a player knowing that in April your best player is coming back from injury. It could cause more problems than it’s worth.

“I was surprised to hear what Jurgen said – and maybe in a couple of years he might want to leave to manage someone like Bayern Munich.

“That always seems to be the calling for a lot of German players and managers.

“I think there was a sense of frustration with him, but once Liverpool get their best players back at the end of the season I am sure he will be fine.”

Klopp will be back on the Anfield touchline when Liverpool play host to Premier League leader Manchester City on Sunday evening.

As Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards get ready to clash in what will be the 89th Mashemeji derby at Kasarani on February 7, Goal looks at the top scorers of Kenya’s mostly-followed club encounter.

AFC Leopards, formed in 1964, and Gor Mahia who were formed four years later, first met in 1968 and the first scorers in the maiden Mashemeji derby were Henry Motego and Noah Wanyama – Victor Wanyama and McDonald Mariga’s father - for AFC Leopards.

For Gor Mahia, William Chege – with two goals since – and Chris Obure were the scorers in the first two league meetings of the season when K’Ogalo met with a club that since then has been their greatest rival.

However, just two of the first-ever scorers in the derby are among the top scorers of the encounter that has pitted AFC Leopards against Gor Mahia for decades. Two players have scored six goals, one has scored four, four have scored three while 13 have each scored two goals.

Sammy ‘Jogoo’ Onyango and Dan Sserunkuma are the leading scorers as each scored six goals during their time at Gor Mahia.

At four goals is former AFC Leopards’ Wilberforce Mulumba while Laban Otieno, Maurice Ojwang, Peter Dawo, Dan Ogada and Meddie Kagere of Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards’ Abdul Baraza, Dan Odie, Mike Baraza, and David Asibwa scored three goals each.

Dennis Olando, Francis Mudanyi, Abass Magongo, Hezron Osuka, David Odhiambo, Deomande Selenga, Paul Oyienga, William Chege, Gnamien Yikpe, Jacques Tuyisenge, Nicholas Kipkirui for Gor Mahia each scored two goals. Selenga is the only star in the group to have played for both Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards and scored twice for each side.

On the AFC Leopards side, Aggrey Lukoye, John Joseph Masiga, Francis Kadenge, Dan Musuku, John Lukoye, Kitali Ngiara, Phillip Ouma, Fred Ambani, Francis Xavier, Jacob Keli – who also played for K’Ogalo – Wafula, and Charles Okwemba are the stars who scored two goals for Ingwe against their greatest rivals.

Among the prolific goal scorers, Gor Mahia’s Kipkirui is the only player still serving his current club.

From the 88 games that have been played before, Gor Mahia have won 30 Mashemeji derbies while AFC Leopards have won in 27 encounters. 31 draws have been recorded between the most successful clubs in the country as Ingwe have scored 76 goals 10 fewer than the Green Army’s tally.

The 89th encounter provides AFC Leopards with an opportunity to halt Gor Mahia dominance that has stretched from 2016. The last time Ingwe won against K’Ogalo was when Lamine Diallo scored to hand them a 1-0 victory over four years ago.

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa said Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is a player they must stop in Monday’s Premier League fixture, but there is "no formula" for them to neutralise him.

Eze was a thorn in the flesh for the Whites when the teams battled at Selhurst Park back in November as he opened his Premier League goal account and provided an assist in their emphatic 4-1 win.

The 22-year-old's stunning free-kick won Crystal Palace's Goal of the Month for November but narrowly missed out on the Premier League award to Super Eagles defender Ola Aina.

Aside from the Nigerian playmaker, Bielsa is also wary of Wilfried Zaha’s threat, though the Ivorian forward won’t be available for the game due to a hamstring injury.

"I’m trying to find an answer that would be worth it," Bielsa was quoted by Yorkshire Evening Post, when asked if he has learnt from their last meeting.

"If you saw the number 11 [Zaha] and number 25 play [Eze], they are very good, which is the most significant thing I can add or the left full-back [Patrick van Aanholt] is very good at attacking.

"Or that they have two players for every position in attack.

"They’re all things that are not going to be newsworthy for you or for the public. When you analyse an opponent, these are all the things you take into account."

Eze has contributed three goals and three assists in 20 Premier League matches this season.

He has been involved in two of Crystal Palace's last three goals in the English top-flight, however, Bielsa highlighted some defensive options he might consider to stopping him as there is no formula.

"To recover the ball you always need the same resources,” he continued. "It’s not about the resources, but the ability of the opponent, to be superior to them.

"It’s not there’s a formula which we have to neutralise the number 25.

"He moves in certain spaces and determines certain spaces on the pitch normally.

"We position players in that sector to prevent him from evolving or producing his best. When an opponent beats one of our players there’s an elective response we have allocated.

"To attribute a formula to neutralise one player is unreal.”

Juan Ferrando has termed Monday's 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) fixture between Mumbai City and FC Goa in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) as a 'normal game'.

The fellow Spaniard who took over the mantle at the Goan outfit from Mumbai City boss Sergio Lobera, said, "For me, it's a normal game. Of course, we want to get three points. We want to prepare our plan and execute it on the pitch.

"Our target is to be in the play-offs but we have to improve game by game. But this game is not special, because it's not a final or a semi-final. It's just one game more and we want to get the three points."

FC Goa have drawn their last four games but the coach believes that they were not inferior to their opponents in each of those contests.

"In the end, it's the conclusion. If we drew, it's not because our plan was not good. I think against Kerala (Blasters) and East Bengal (both 1-1) it was very difficult with only 10 (Goa) players on the pitch. Against NorthEast [United] (2-2), it was disappointing because we conceded two penalties when we were in good positional attack. But not because the other team was better than us. We need to put the focus on the 90 minutes," he said.

Since the 1-1 draw against ATK Mohun Bagan, Goa has had to do without Brandon Fernandes who sustained an injury. 

"When one player is out because of injury, I miss everybody. If Brandon is not in the squad, it's difficult for everybody but I have 26 players in my squad and I believe in all the players," Ferrando stated. "When one player is is not in the squad, the team is not working at the same level. In the last games, players like Brandon can help with the last pass or create space for the attackers.

"It was necessary to change some points with Devendra (Murgaonkar), I'm happy. He has a different style [as compared] to Brandon but he brings different details to help the team when we are in attack."

Lobera had said that Goa will play under pressure to make it to the playoffs. Ferrando responded, "I don't know the exact words of Sergio but maybe he (Lobera) has more pressure because, with that budget, the team (Mumbai City) wants to win the championship. But for me the most important thing is to prepare well and get three points," the Goa coach asserted.

"We have pressure in every game and every training session but not because we are playing against Mumbai. We have pressure to get three more points and improve some details"

Meanwhile, despite playing just once last season, goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh has immediately been brought into the starting XI since signing for the Gaurs in the January transfer window.

"Honestly, it's not an easy task when you don't play for a long time but as professional players, we have to train every day and when you get a chance, you have to perform," the former ATK and Kerala Blasters keeper said. 

Mumbai City coach Sergio Lobera claims that he is not worried about maintaining a distance from the rest of the teams at the top of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) points table.

ATK Mohun Bagan registered a 4-1 win over Odisha on Saturday to move within three points of the Islanders (33 points) who take on FC Goa on Monday.

"Obviously, we are competing against other good teams like ATK [Mohun Bagan]," Lobera reasoned. "It's a normal situation. There's nothing wrong [in it]. I am very happy with my team. It's not possible to win every game and other teams are also doing well. It's amazing to have a possibility to be able to compete with a team like ATK Mohun Bagan. We have three points more than them and I'm very happy with this situation."

Facing Goa for the second time since he joined Mumbai City, he said that the fixture is special only because they are his former employers.

"Our focus is on ourselves, to try to win every game. It's always special when you are playing against your former team but in terms of the points table and results, it's different. We want to win the game and we're working to get three points," he said and opined that the Gaurs will be under pressure.

"Tomorrow we know that we are playing against a very good team. They are playing under pressure because they need to reach the playoffs and now more teams are competing for those places. We need to try to improve some things and I am very confident and positive about getting the three points tomorrow."

Mumbai City have scored six times in their last six games, having scored 16 in the previous nine but remain the team who have conceded the least (8) number of goals.

"I feel the most important thing is balance. You know that I like to play attacking football and score goals. I will be upset if we don't have chances to score goals. For example, in the last game, we had more clear chances to score goals. But the balance is very good for us and the goal difference is good as you can see on the table, and I'm very happy," Lobera responded.

Ahmed Jahouh returns from suspension as Lobera will have a full squad at his disposal. "It's always important to have a full squad to have more options. I think it's going to be a tough game. There are no easy games in this competition. There are no favourites because every game is a tough game and tomorrow is no different," the Mumbai City tactician mentioned.

Rowllin Borges feels that the attacking aspect of his game has improved under the Spanish coach and has confessed to living a dream as he is set to play alongside Ahmed Jahouh.

"I think under him (Lobera) I have improved my technical game a lot, especially passing. I hope I keep improving and learn a lot from him as the season progresses. I can improve more each day under him. I think the attacking part of my game has improved a lot because I have more freedom to move in the attack. Not that every time I have to go in the attack. If the game needs me to, I find the right time for the same. 

"I was and still am a big fan of Jahouh. Playing and learning from him is a dream. Seeing the way he plays is enjoyable and I want to learn and improve playing alongside him," said the Goan midfielder.

Azam FC assistant coach Vivier Bahati believes his charges will capitalise on Simba SC's weaknesses to stand a chance of getting maximum points.

The two teams will meet on Sunday in the Tanzania Mainland League game to be played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

The Burundian insists Wekundu wa Msimbazi are in good shape but it does not mean his charges cannot get something from the match.

"We have prepared well for the game, the team is in great shape and we are ready for the [Sunday] game against Simba SC," Bahati said ahead of the game.

"I am confident the players will give their best and get a positive result for the team.  

"Simba are a good team and they have prepared well by playing some good and high profile build-up games. But they also have their weaknesses, we have analysed them well and we are aware of where to hit them."

The tactician has further stated every player is fit and ready for the game, hinting at the tactics the 2014 champions will be employing to ensure the team gets a positive outcome.

"Possession comes later; first we have to give our best by attacking and take our chances and when we lose the ball, we have to defend as a team," Bahati added.

"That is what modern football demands. We also have to ensure we try and contain them in their half.  

"Nobody is missing, all the players are available for us and are fit and ready for the game. Everyone wants to fight on the pitch to ensure the team gets maximum points."

Meanwhile, the Ice-cream Makers captain Bruce Kangwe believes his team will have an improved result against the reigning champions after losing both league fixtures last season.

"It is not going to be an easy game, it will be tough but we are ready to give our best and get a positive outcome," he told the same publication.

Simba have had a good recent record against us and on Sunday, it will be another opportunity for us to give our best and get a win.  

"Even the matches we have lost against Simba, not that we have played badly, just that luck was not on our side."    

Simba SC have confirmed the absence of four key players when they take on Azam FC in a Mainland Premier League match on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will host the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium seeking to build on their 2-1 win against Dodoma Jiji three days ago.

However, the club will have to navigate the tough fixture without four of their players led by captain John Bocco, who is still struggling with an injury.

Others set to miss out are veteran defender Erasto Nyoni and Ibrahim Ame, and midfielder Jonas Mkude.

Simba media officer Haji Manara is, however, confident the team will get a positive result despite missing the four players.

“We will miss the services of Bocco, Nyoni, Ame, and Mkude but that will not stop us from beating Azam,” Manara told Goal on Sunday.

“The team has prepared well, we know what we want from Azam, we need the three points and that is what we are going for, we are sure the game will end in our favour.”

Meanwhile, Azam will miss the services of three players among them defender Yakub Mohamed who will be suspended for the tie having accumulated three yellow cards.

Others are midfielder Frank Domayo, who is suffering from a knee injury, and defender Abdul Omary Hamahama.

However, Azam will be boosted with the return of striker Prince Dube, who missed at least six matches from the first round after he picked up an injury that needed an operation in South Africa.

The Zimbabwean striker has already returned and featured in a couple of friendly matches to gauge his fitness.

In a previous interview, Azam CEO Abdulkarim Amin explained how prepared they are to face the reigning champions.

“It’s true, we are going to play a big match against Simba but we have had good preparations to make sure we get something tangible from the game,” Amin said as quoted by Daily News.

“We have played several friendly matches and lately, we had a good international friendly encounter versus TP Mazembe [1-1] which gave the coach a good test of his current squad prior to facing Simba.

“I have not said that we will win the match but rather we are going to compete and the good judge will be the normal 90 minutes of play. What is remaining now is the work rate of players and the technical bench.

“The management of the club has finished its work. The coach [George Lwandamina] requested the team to remain in Zanzibar for an extra 10 days after the Mapinduzi Cup to play friendly encounters, we conceded that.”

In last season's meetings between the two sides, Simba managed a double, winning the first round tie 1-0 win before winning the second meeting 3-2.

In short, Azam are yet to beat Simba in their last four meetings, with the last time they won being the 2018 season when they emerged 2-1 winners.