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Stellenbosch FC defender Robyn Johannes says they have noted where they went wrong the last time they met Mamelodi Sundowns and will not repeat the same mistakes when they clash against the Brazilians in Wednesday’s Nedbank Cup match.

The two sides collide at Loftus Versfeld in a Last 32 contest as Downs kick off their bid to defend the Nedbank Cup, while Stellies hunt for their first-ever major piece of silverware.

Sundowns convincingly beat Stellenbosch 3-0 in a Premier Soccer League match in November, 2020 and Johannes feels a repeat of that outing will not be witnessed on Wednesday.

“I think the last time we met, we didn’t pitch up for the game. We let ourselves down with our performance,” Johannes told Sowetan Live.

“We’ve had a good look at ourselves and have been working hard to make sure we avoid what happened in our previous meeting. They are a fantastic team. Sundown' attack is filled with intelligent, top-quality players.

“We have to be at our best and defend well as a team, which I believe we will. Sundowns are always a difficult opponent. They are a fantastic team. We are not naive about the challenge that awaits us. But we have to be up for it, be positive and confident in our ability as a team.”

Stellenbosch will be facing a Downs side that is yet to taste defeat in league games this season.

Masandawana’s only defeat this term came in the MTN8 when they were eliminated at the quarter-final stage following the 1-0 loss against Bloemfontein Celtic.

But since then, they have strung a 15-match unbeaten run, which is in contrast to Stellenbosch who have failed to record a victory in their last five PSL games consisting of two defeats and three draws and having conceded seven goals.

“Look, every team goes through a slump. We haven’t tasted victory in a while,” said Johannes.

“But unity, strength and belief in each other will turn things around. We are an amazing club, with a good squad, and we will give our best in every game we play and give this cup our full commitment and put in a performance to be proud of.”

Zambia women's head coach Bruce Mwape says he wants balance in his squad and has explained his reasoning behind his team selection for the upcoming Turkish Women's Cup.

The Copper Queens manager will lead his ladies in Alanya's invitational tournament as they hope to continue their preparation for the Tokyo Olympics women's football event in July.

Following a third-place finish at the 2020 Cosafa Cup in November, the Zambians continued their build-up, with a 2-1 win against Chile and are now back in camp ahead of their outing in Turkey.

While reflecting on his side's impressive 2-1 comeback win in Chile, the tactician said he is pleased with the impressive form and mental focus displayed by his team.

"It is good getting back to camp in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics because the team needs to prepare well for the competition," Mwape told Goal.

"Some of the positives we drew from the team's friendly win against Chile was the tactical discipline of the players and the individual efforts as well as the goalkeeping.

"It is part of our Tokyo Olympic preparations and it will also help the technical bench to assess the new players." 
 
In a 32-player squad, Hazel Nali and Mary Nwakapila, along with Prisca Chilufya, Ireen Lungu, who featured at the last Cosafa Cup were some of the notable faces left out of the selection.

Following the exception of some top players from his pre-tournament list, Mwape said he will keep a close eye on assessing his new players at the 10-day competition in Alanya.

"I feel that this is the right time to look at some of the new players that we feel can add value to the team," he said. 

"So that we can have a pool of players before we select the final team for the Olympics."

Zambia will open their campaign at the Turkish tournament scheduled to run from February 15-24 against Nigeria before taking on Uzbekistan and later Equatorial Guinea.

Joao Felix has tested positive for coronavirus to give Atletico Madrid cause for concern ahead of their Champions League tie with Chelsea later this month.

Felix will spend the next 10 days in self-isolation after contracting Covid-19, with Atletico confirming the news on Wednesday morning.

An official statement on the club's Twitter account reads: "Our player Joao Felix has tested positive for Covid-19.

"He’s isolating at home, in compliance with the health authorities’ guidelines."

The Portugal international seemed to be in good health as he played 60 minutes of Atletico's 4-2 win at Cadiz on Sunday, but he tested positive for coronavirus during the club's latest round of medical checks.

The 21-year-old has posted a positive test just four days after team-mates Yannick Carrasco and Mario Hermoso were confirmed to have Covid-19, leaving Diego Simeone with an unwelcome selection headache.

Atletico will definitely be without Felix for upcoming La Liga fixtures against Celta Vigo and Granada, but he could be out of quarantine by the time they take in a trip Levante on February 16.

He will only be cleared to play in that fixture after a passing a negative test, though, and there is also a risk he could suffer lasting effects from coronavirus, which has been proven to zap players' energy for months on end in some cases.

The current Liga leaders are due to play Levante again on February 20, three days before they welcome Chelsea to Wanda Metropolitano for the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 encounter.

Simeone will hope that Felix can return to full fitness before that clash, with Atletico billed as one of the favourites to win the European Cup come May after a strong start to the season on both domestic and continental fronts.

Felix shone in the group stage, scoring three goals in six appearances, including an impressive double in a 3-2 home win against Red Bull Salzburg on matchday two.

Atletico ended up finishing second in Group A behind Bayern Munich, who won the competition last year, and will be expected to get a positive result against Chelsea in Madrid to take to Stamford Bridge for the second leg of their knockout tie on March 17.

Uganda U20 head coach Morley Byekwaso has stressed his strikers will be on top of their game during the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Mauritania in February.

Uganda are in Tanzania for a preparatory mini-tournament and will face the hosts on Wednesday before playing Namibia later on February 6.

“We have worked well on our attacking department,” Byekwaso told Fufa’s website. “We need to practice more on scoring goals as it will help us a lot in the final tournament.

“The game against Tanzania in the mini-tournament will help us find out how much work has been done in attack. There is no win that comes without scoring. 

“My boys are hunters, they are thirsty for goals and will score. Tanzania will be a good test.”

Uganda will leave for North Africa on February 10 before the tournament kicks-off four days later. In group A, they will begin with a match against Mozambique on February 15 before facing Cameroon two days later.

The Cecafa champions will finish the group duties with a match against the hosts on February 20.

When he named his final squad, Byekwaso retained 18 players who were part of the qualifiers in Tanzania. The new players who were named to join the 18 are Derrick Kakooza of Police FC, Davis Sekajja of Bright Stars, KCCA FC’s Andrew Kawooya, goalkeeper Delton Oyo of Busoga United FC, Kibuli SS’s Simon Baligeya and Ivan Eyamu of Mbarara City.

Uganda’s full squad:

Goalkeepers: Komakech Jack (18) (Ascent SA), Oyo Delton (Busoga United FC), Ssenyondwa Denis Kaala (SC Villa).

Defenders: Kizito Mugweri Gavin (SC Villa), Semakula Kenneth (Busoga United FC), Musa Ramathan (KCCA FC) Kafumbe Joseph (KCCA FC), Begisa James Penz (UPDF FC), Baligeya Simon (Kibuli SS), Abdul Azizi Kayondo (Vipers SC)

Midfielders: Mugulusi Isma (Busoga United FC), Yiga Najib (Vipers SC), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Vipers SC) Sserwadda Steven (KCCA FC), Eyamu Ivan (Mbarara City FC), Kawooya Andrew (KCCA FC), Asaba Ivan (Vipers SC), Ssekajja Davis (Bright Stars FC), Wabyoona Faisal (Big Talent SA).

Forwards: Bogere Ivan (Proline FC), Ssenyonjo Samuel (KCCA FC), Kakooza Derrick (Police FC), Basangwa Richard (Vipers SC), Bukenya Joseph Kizza (KCCA FC), Ssali Alpha Thierry (Proline FC).

Posta Rangers coach Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo has denied claims his side is struggling in the FKF Premier League because he took time off to coach Gor Mahia.

The former international was hired by K’Ogalo on a short-term deal to handle the side during the Caf Champions League matches after their coach at that time Roberto Oliviera from Brazil was banned by Caf from sitting on the touchline owing to a lack of qualified papers.

While at Gor Mahia ‘Pamzo’ oversaw four matches, the preliminary round two-legged fixtures against APR of Rwanda where they lost 2-1 away but returned home to win 3-1 and thus advance 4-3 on aggregate and then he was in charge as they lost 8-1 (6-0, 2-1) on aggregate to Algeria’s CR Belouizdad.

His absence has seen Rangers struggle in the league where from 10 matches played they only managed one win, losing two and drawing seven and in their recent fixture, they lost 2-1 to AFC Leopards.

“We are relaxed and focused at Posta Rangers. I had just gone to assist Gor Mahia as per the agreement between the two clubs and now I’m fully back at Posta Rangers where I have a contract,” Omollo said as quoted by Standard Sports.

“I don’t think that movement affected our performances in any way because we had been doing well until we lost to AFC Leopards.”

“We will continue from where we left against AFC Leopards in the second half which we really played well as opposed to the first half.

“We had a chance of either winning or getting a draw in our last match, but that didn’t work out. We need to be more clinical in front of goal and defend well in our upcoming matches including the Bidco fixture.”

The Mailmen will host the promoted side on Wednesday seeking to get their third win of the campaign.

In another match set for the same day, Mathare United will seek to recover from their 1-0 defeat to league leaders Tusker when they host Western Stima in a relegation battle at Kasarani.

NorthEast United find themselves occupying the fifth spot and are level on points with FC Goa (21) in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) standings table ahead of their tie against the Gaurs on Thursday.

The Highlanders ended their seven-match unbeaten run and have won their last three matches since interim coach Khalid Jamil took over from Gerard Nus.

"First of all, I would like to give credit to coach Khalid, the technical director (Ohad Efrat), all the coaching staff and the players. We haven't changed anything (since Nus' exit). We have only focused on strengthening our attacking and defending principles in order to play better football. We have seen the effort of the players and hopefully they will continue till the end of the season," said assistant coach Alison.

The 33-year-old has called for the best from NorthEast United against the Goan outfit who earlier in the season held them to a 1-1 draw.

"They (Goa) are a good team with good players and a good coach (Juan Ferrando). We have analysed them. We have to approach the game well and give our best."

Although Goa will be missing the services of Edu Bedia, the only player who has recorded over a thousand passes (1,046) in the league so far, he added, "They still have good players in their squad. So we have to be prepared and ready for them tomorrow."

A win on Thursday will propel the Highlanders to the third spot on the table as they attempt to make the playoffs for the second time in the club's history.

"We plan to go game by game. We have to be consistent. That's the most important thing. We have to give our best in training. The coaching staff have to encourage and motivate the players," Alison signed off. 

The coach has also confirmed that Dylan Fox resumed training with the team but a call on his availability will be taken before the game.

Ozan Kabak has opened up on his "dream" move to Liverpool while expressing his admiration towards Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk.

Kabak joined the Reds on loan on the final day of the winter transfer window, with an £18 million ($25m) purchase option included the in the final agreement with Schalke.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed a rapid ascent to stardom at Vetlins-Arena, and will now be expected to help Liverpool fight for silverware on both domestic and European fronts.

Klopp sought to add the Turkey international to his ranks amid a defensive injury crisis which has decimated his squad, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all unavailable for selection.

Ben Davies has also been snapped up from Preston on a permanent transfer, but Kabak is likely to the one who will slot straight into Liverpool's starting XI at centre-back heading into the business end of the season.

The Schalke loanee is itching to get his first taste of football at Anfield, and told the club's official website: "Liverpool was my childhood team. So I always wanted to come to this club, to play at this amazing stadium, in front of these amazing fans.

"It's a dream for me. Now the dream comes true."

Asked if he is relishing the prospect of working under Klopp, Kabak responded: "I'm looking forward to working with him. He's one of the best coaches in the world. I have heard a lot of things about him from my ex-coach David Wagner – he told me a lot of things about him.

"Like I said, I'm looking forward to working with him, to take some things from him."

The young defender is also looking forward to working with and learning from Van Dijk, with it his belief that the Netherlands international has no equal in his position.

"Virgil van Dijk is, I think, the best centre-back in the world at the moment. The last three or four years he was always on his best performance," he said. "He's strong, he's good, he's so fast, he's clever. So that's why I see him as an idol. I want to meet with him as soon as possible, to be honest."

Kabak added on his personal goals with the Reds: "My target is to be a top player. I need to improve a lot. I have talent but I need to improve myself and to get some minutes, to make some games here. Then I want to be a top player, like the others.

"I think this team has a lot of top players, top talents, so I want to improve every training [session], every game and to be strong to help the team."

Paul Pogba's brother has warned Manchester United that they need to look at selling him now if they want to earn a transfer fee, claiming that he will be willing to leave on a free transfer.

The Frenchman has constantly been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, having been outspoken about his ambitions to take in a new challenge abroad at some point.

Back in October 2020, the 27-year-old revealed that playing for Real Madrid has been a long-held "dream" for him, and United's decision to trigger the one-year extension option in his contract did little to curtail speculation over his future.

Mino Raiola, who serves as the World Cup winner's agent, then dropped a huge bombshell before the Red Devils Champions League group stage decider against RB Leipzig in December, claiming his client's career in Manchester was "over".

However, Pogba has knuckled down behind the scenes to rediscover his best form since then, helping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side emerge as genuine Premier League title contenders.

During a recent interview with BT Sport, Pogba said of his current situation at the Theatre of Dreams: "I am on contract, I am here, I am enjoying myself.

"Everybody knows that I have one year left, I'm going to speak with the club and see what's going on.

"For now, my objective, my goal is to win something. That's all I'm thinking about is to win."

Mathias Pogba, who plays for Racing Murcia in Spain, has confirmed that his brother is content in his current surroundings, but also claims he has not seen any hints that he will commit to the club beyond the expiration of his current deal in 2022.

"He is happy. He is improving his game," The United star's brother told El Chiringuito.

"He has a year left on his contract. I don't know [if he will stay until then]. I can't help you right now.

"The only thing I can say is if United want money, they have to sell him now. That's the only thing I can say. If not, he'll go for free.

"I haven't heard anything about him renewing his contract."

Pogba was left on the bench as the Red Devils thrashed Southampton 9-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, but could return to Solskjaer's line up when they face Everton at the same venue this weekend.

Roma new boy Bryan Reynolds has compared himself to Serie A stars Achraf Hakimi and Juan Cuadrado in his first press conference with the Italian side.

United States full back Reynolds has moved to Rome from FC Dallas following a protracted transfer saga which at one stage had him on the verge of joining Juventus.

Reynolds is not low on confidence, however, telling reporters: "Attacking is one of my strengths. I am a fast and strong player and I cross well. I see myself in Hakimi and Cuadrado."

He was introduced as a Roma player earlier this week when it was also revealed he will wear the No.19 shirt for the Giallorossi.

Reynolds is the second American player in Serie A following Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, and the defender paid tribute to his compatriot.

He said: "McKennie is one of the best midfielders around, proving that the American system is working well. More and more American footballers are playing in Europe, children are starting to have role models to follow and look to them for inspiration."

Reynolds revealed he chose to join Roma in order to have a greater chance of first-team football and to improve as a player, which he would have been less likely to find with Serie A champions Juventus.

He said: "[Roma head coach Paulo] Fonseca reiterated that this would be the best choice for my growth. I am very happy and I am sure I have made the best choice. Rome is the right place to grow.

"The basis of my choice is the technical project. the possibility of being integrated immediately with the first team, of being close to great players and speeding up the acclimatising process as much as possible. My hope is to be able to play a few games between now and the end of the season."

The 19-year-old has joined the Giallorossi on an initial loan deal after passing a medical at Stadio Olimpico on Monday. Goal reported earlier this month that Roma became frontrunners in the race to sign Reynolds after offering him a contract worth €800,000 (£700,000/$1m) per year.

Reynolds will complete a permanent transfer to Roma in the summer, with FC Dallas confirming a franchise-record fee has been received.

Mamelodi Sundowns begin their Nedbank Cup defence when they host Stellenbosch FC at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in a Round of 32 clash at on Wednesday.

The Brazilians are the holders of South Africa’s premier knockout competition which they have won five times and are keen to retain.

With Downs also fighting to claim a third successive league title, the Nedbank Cup provides a chance to end the season with a double.

This is after they missed out on this season’s MTN8 trophy which presented them a chance for a second successive treble.

They come up against a Stellenbosch side that is yet to win any piece of silverware since their maiden top-flight football campaign last term.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

Mamelodi Sundowns fans will have to wait a bit longer before watching new signing Rushine De Reuck in action for their team after he was announced as a Downs player last Saturday.

De Reuck is yet to start training with the rest of the Sundowns squad due to outstanding paperwork and medical examinations.

Masandawana will also again be without midfielder-cum-defender Mothobi Mvala who missed their last game against Chippa United due to suspension.

Mvala received a red card in the 2-1 league win away at Black Leopards and misses two games.

No update has been issued by Stellenbosch regarding players who will miss Wednesday’s match.

Coach Steve Baxter would need regulars like Alan Robertson, Phathutshedzo Nange, Stanley Dimgba and Leletu Skelem to be available for such a big match against Downs.

Match Preview

This is one of the four pairings of Premier Soccer League teams in the Last 32 of the Nedbank Cup.

While Downs will be bidding to defend the Nedbank Cup, Stellenbosch are keen to improve themselves after bowing out at this Round of 32 stage last season.

The Western Cape side have not been good performers in Cup games since their Premier Soccer League promotion after also being eliminated from last season’s Telkom Knockout at the first round.

They now push for a better outing in the Nedbank Cup but face a huge challenge against a Downs side experienced in knockout competitions.

Stellenbosch arrive at Loftus Versfeld carrying a grim record of five straight league matches without winning.

Their form is in contrast to Downs, who are yet to lose a match this season. That includes Masandawana beating Stellies 3-0 in the two sides’ league match last November at Loftus Versfeld.

World governing football body Fifa has banned Yanga SC from signing players for the next three seasons after they failed to pay their former player Amisi Tambwe.

The Burundian striker sued Yanga after they failed to pay him Tsh43.5m accrued from sign-on fees and salaries after his unceremonious exit from the Jangwani giants at the end of the 2018-19 season.

However, despite Fifa ruling Yanga must pay the player, the club lodged a complaint with the Court of Arbitration of Sports in Zurich, who also supported Tambwe by insisting the player must be paid his dues.

Tambwe then returned to Fifa seeking help and according to his lawyer Felix Majani, they have now been banned from signing players for the next three seasons until they pay him, failure to do so will mean they will be deducted points from the Mainland Premier League and also handed a fine.

“I am Felix Majani the lawyer of Amisi Tambwe, a former player for Yanga and it is very clear in the public domain that Yanga have not paid him his money, since he left the club in 2019, so we lodged a case with Fifa which Tambwe won,” Majani told Kitenge TV on Wednesday.

“However, Yanga moved to the Court of Arbitration for Sports to protest Fifa's decision and they lost again but we moved back to Fifa, and they have now ruled since Yanga have failed to pay the player, they will remain banned from doing transfer activities for the next three years starting from June 2021 until they pay Tambwe.

“If they don’t pay him then they will be deducted points from the league and will be fined heavily and that is the message Fifa has just communicated to us and we are waiting to see whether Yanga are ready to pay Tambwe or they will sacrifice and go without signing players.”

Yanga Media Officer Antonio Nugaz has confirmed receipt of the letter from Fifa and urged club fans to stay calm as they handle the issue.

“First I want to remove fear from Yanga people about Amiss Tambwe’s issue, the issue has been received by the club’s Secretary-General, Hajji Mfikirwa and he will work for it,” Nugaz said as quoted by Viwanjani Leo.

“If the player is supposed to be paid then he will be paid without any worries under the sponsorship of Sportpesa and Brand GSM.”

The striker left Yanga in the 2018-19 season when coach Mwinyi Zahera dropped him for the season 2019-20, however, he left behind a debt of Tsh43.5 million, a decision which Cas ordered the club to pay within 45 days from December 1, 2020.

The latest development will affect Yanga’s targets for this season as they had already set their sights on winning the league title and also the domestic Cup.

Yanga are currently topping the 18-team league table with 44 points from 18 matches.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Teko Modise believes that a penalty miss and a three-man defence cost the Soweto giants against Lamontville Golden Arrows on Tuesday.

The Buccaneers succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to Abafana Bes'thende in a PSL match which took place at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium with Pule Mmodi grabbing a brace for the home side.

Arrows' speedy attackers were able to expose Pirates' defence with coach Josef Zinnbauer having opted for a 3-4-3 formation. 

"Arrows had a strategy that they tried to apply," Modise told SuperSport TV.

"They knew that Pirates were defending with three at the back and there is always some space and gaps that they [Arrows] needed to utilise with speed as well.

"[In] second-half, yes, Pirates came back with some good intensity, but they attacked in numbers and you could see Arrows were getting the chances [at the other end] with Pirates looking to get that equaliser."

The Buccaneers began the second-half brightly and they were awarded a penalty after Thabani Zuke was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.

It was a chance for the visitors to make it 1-1 from the spot-kick, but Thembinkosi Lorch ballooned his effort over the crossbar and Modise feels that the penalty miss dented Pirates players' confidence. 

"I think after the penalty miss, Pirates became totally different and they started being exposed at the back," the retired attacking midfielder continued. 

"It was not a good penalty from Thembinkosi Lorch. After the penalty, you could see the mood and body language of the players were affected."

Zinnbauer introduced Ben Motshwari and Frank Mhango prior to the start of the second half and the Buccaneers began creating goalscoring opportunities 

"Look the difference is that Pirates became quicker and they started avoiding being compact in the midfield and they started going wide with Mhango giving them that outlet as well," Modise added. 

"The problem is that the players will always resort back to going inside the midfield that is why their [Pirates] balls were intercepted even though they looked dangerous on transition. 

"So, if they [Arrows] made better decisions regarding those chances they could have punished Pirates more by scoring more goals." 

Pirates will be in action on Saturday as they host National First Division (NFD) side Uthongathi FC in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 game at Orlando Stadium. 
 

The 2021 Selangor FC home kit, the first 2021 Malaysian league jersey to be launched this season has reportedly sold well, despite its launch being undertaken online only, unlike the previous seasons.

When Goal visited the club's online store on Wednesday morning, the strip that was inspired by their 1986 Malaysia Cup-winning kit was already sold out less than 48 hours after it was launched, with resellers reportedly claiming that their stock is almost running out as well.

The good news for fans; 1,500 more copies of the shirt will be made available through the club website on Thursday.

The bad? After the current batch runs out, fans will have to wait all the way until May to buy it.

"We have around 1,600 more pieces coming in on Thursday or Friday, and that's all we have for now. The club have sold 2,500 so far, and when these are finished, we will have sold a total of 4,200 of the kits. Combined with those sold by Joma (the manufacturer) and resellers, there's about 6,000 of them being sold for now. 

"We didn't order too many because we were cautious about the interest during the pandemic. If we do a new reorder, the shirts will only arrive sometime in early May because they are made in China and the coming Chinese New Year.

"Fans have a last chance to get a copy tomorrow (Thursday) when we restock our online store, if not they will have to wait until May!" explained club CEO Johan Kamal Hamidon to Goal over the telephone.

Altogether, he is impressed by the sales figure generated after just over one day, considering the pandemic restrictions in place currently in the country.

When asked whether he is concerned that the long wait for the production of the next batch of the home strip, as well as the fact that the cheaper fan edition of the shirt will only be made available at a later date, will lead to it being counterfeited, Johan expresses his belief that the Red Giants fans will do the right thing and avoid purchasing bootlegged merchandise.

"That sort of thing can't be stopped," he admitted. "Although the lockdown may have helped curb the physical sale of counterfeit goods somewhat. It will happen and can't be avoided unfortunately.

"I believe our fans are well aware and supportive enough to get our original merchandise from authorised dealers. They have a strong sentiment to support the club." 

Johan Kamal. Photo by Zulhilmi Zainal

He also revealed to Goal Selangor's plan to sell a fourth kit this season. When asked whether it will be viewed as a cynical cash grab, Johan countered that it is what the club's own supporters want.

"It's a special edition kit commemorating our 85th anniversary this year.

"It's what the fans want, they want something that is limited. This particular kit will only be produced in a limited number, and will come with a certificate and an identification number. It's a collectible item," stated Johan.

However, the release dates for their second, third and fourth kit are yet to be determined according to Johan, due to the pandemic restrictions. For example, Johan had first told Goal that the home kit will be launched in early January.

"I can't reveal the colour of the away strip, but it's different as compared to the home and the third kits.

"It has not been designed to celebrate anything from the past however, this one's for the future; something more youthful and energetic," he added.

Sofapaka have moved to acquire the services of Kenya international Timothy Otieno on a two-year contract.

The former Tusker player was a free agent after being released by Zambian Super League side Napsa Stars a week ago.

Batoto ba Mungu have confirmed the arrival of the player on their official website by stating: “KPL 2019-20 top scorer Timothy Otieno has joined Sofapaka from Zambian side Napsa Stars and he will be unveiled in the course of this week.”

On signing the player, Sofapaka coach Ken Odhiambo said: “Timothy [Otieno] is a very good striker, we are delighted to have him with us.

"He comes on board with a lot of experience having turned out for Harambee Stars and a stint with Napsa Stars in the Zambia top-flight league. I believe he will bolster our attacking options up front.”

Otieno, who has also featured for champions Gor Mahia, managed to score 14 goals for the Brewers in the 2019-20 season but the league was prematurely ended owing to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was after his stellar display with Tusker that Napsa came calling for his services, and he signed for them on September 8, 2020, a move that saw him link up with other Kenyan players in the Zambian league.

On Tuesday, Sofapaka also confirmed they had parted ways with captain Ellie Asieche on mutual consent.

“Yes, we have parted ways with Asieche, it is official,” Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa told Goal on Tuesday. “His contract with us expired and he requested to leave, so we granted him his wish. We thank him for the time he has served us and we want nothing but the best for him.”

Apart from Asieche, Sofapaka had also released eight players when the mid-transfer window opened including Nigerian striker Promise Chinoso, former KCB defender Jacobs Faina, defender Bryson Juma, who was signed in November from second-tier side Soy United.

Others are midfielders David Simiyu and Collins Wakhungu, goalkeeper Isaiah Wakasala, Ghanaian striker Jedinak Nana and another Nigerian striker Michael Karamor.

Sofapaka have not started the season as anticipated as they have struggled to win matches and are currently in eighth position on the 18-team league table with 10 points from eight matches.

Bengaluru FC finally got their much-awaited three points as they tactically outsmarted an out-of-sorts East Bengal side in an Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Tuesday.

The Red and Golds had more possession of the ball and played more than double the number of passes Bengaluru completed but in the end, Naushad Moosa's side had the last laugh as they walked out of the game with three points and two goals.

After the first 10 minutes of the game, East Bengal suddenly switched off and never really could get a foothold in the game. The Blues scored the opening goal against the run of play in the 12th minute of the match and then saw their lead get doubled by a stroke of luck when the ball entered the goal after ricocheting off Debjit Majumder's feet.

Given the current run of form they were in, Bengaluru were cagey in their approach right from the off but to be fair they never really had to shift gears to get the job done against the Red and Golds.

Coach Naushad Moosa, after the match, revealed that the team's plan was to remain sturdy all through. "The plan was to stay compact and counter in the first half and utilize the chances that we get. We are lucky we got two goals. It was not that we had to sit back in the second, we wanted to play football. It was okay for me to play the long ball behind the defence."

It is true that Bengaluru were lucky to get the second goal but they deserved every bit of the win for sticking to their plan and remain a solid unit for the entirety of the match.

Both Rahul Bheke and Udanta Singh were assigned the duty of nullifying East Bengal's most potent weapon, Bright Enobakhare. The Nigerian was zonally marked in double covering and remained silent for the majority of the game. Without Jacques Maghoma in the starting lineup and with Enobakhare kept in strict vigilance, the Red and Golds failed to produce any substantial impact in their attacking third in the first half.

The Blues backline was heavily weakened in the absence of Juanan Gonzalez and Erik Paartalu and yet Robbie Fowler's side failed to capitalise on that. The British coach's decision to field Aaron-Amadi Holloway as a number 9 made things easy for the Blues' defence as the Welsh forward hardly posed any threat inside the 18-yard box.

East Bengal were trying to fashion chances, trying to pick the Bengaluru defence open but the Blues, reeling from their late heartbreak against Hyderabad FC, were quick to regroup and defend whenever they lost the ball. One could often see 10 men behind the ball and it was a tactic that they executed perfectly on the night.

Robbie Fowler, after the match, suggested that it was East Bengal's worst performance this season but the British coach has to take a bit of the blame for not fielding the strongest team and exploit Bengaluru's vulnerability.

Khalid Jamil seems to be a man on a mission since taking charge of NorthEast United as their interim head coach in January replacing Spanish manager Gerard Nus. 

The Highlanders, who had a slump in form midway into the season under Nus, look a rejuvenated and a completely different side since Jamil took charge. The club has won their last three matches against teams like Jamshedpur FC, ATK Mohun Bagan and the mighty Mumbai City FC, scoring two goals in each match. 

The Indian head coach has managed to rekindle the belief among the NorthEast players and motivated them in a very short span to churn out positive results. Known to be players’ manager through and through, the former I-League winning coach brought out the best out of this set of players, most of whom were handpicked by Jamil himself. 

Underdog stories go hand in hand with this Mumbai-based coach who was an integral part of arguably Indian club football’s greatest fairytale, Aizawl FC’s I-League triumph in the 2016-17 season. 

Khalid Jamil’s playing career was short-lived due to multiple injuries and in 2008, at the age of 32, he took up his first coaching assignment when he joined erstwhile I-League club Mumbai FC as the U18 coach.

Jamil, in an interview with Goal, had revealed that he learned the value of discipline from the then Mumbai City head coach David Booth, something which is a very important part of Jamil’s own coaching manual. Players who have played under Jamil have attested that he is always the first person to arrive on the training pitch and is the last to leave which throws light on the coach’s dedication to the task at hand.

After Booth left Mumbai FC, Jamil replaced his idol at the helm and thus began his journey as a professional coach. He procured his AFC Pro License in 2014 under former India national team coach Wim Koevermans. The Dutch coach, according to Jamil, had an influence on how he worked with players.  

His Mumbai FC sojourn ended in 2016 after which the brightest chapter in his coaching career began. Just a month before the 2016-17 season of the I-League, Aizawl FC approached him with a coach’s job and he happily accepted. It was a gutsy move on Jamil’s part to take up the coaching role at a club that got relegated just a season back. But he accepted the challenge and built a team which scripted history in the end. 

Khalid Jamil has been criticized often for being a pragmatic manager but in reality, he makes the best use of the squad he has at his disposal. He was stigmatized with the ‘defensive coach’ tag during his Mumbai FC days but considering the squad he had at his disposal, he did the best he could. 

Except for Mumbai, no team of Khalid Jamil have ever played defensive football, be it Aizawl or East Bengal. In their title-winning campaign, Aizawl had scored 24 goals in 18 matches and had won eight of their nine home games. 

A year later, East Bengal under Khalid Jamil, had scored 32 goals in 18 matches which was the highest among all the teams in the league that season. They had scored eight more goals than champions Minerva Punjab and 12 more than second-placed NEROCA FC. 

The Kuwait-born coach is known to have a rapport with players he works with. He creates personal bonds with his players and is always approachable. He is committed to his pupils and tries to give attention to every single player individually irrespective of their pecking order in the team. 

Syrian midfielder Mahmoud Al Amna, who has worked with Jamil at Aizawl and East Bengal, had told Goal in an exclusive interview, “He is a gentleman. He is open to everything. He is a good tactician. He respects the players and brings unity in the dressing room. It was a very good experience working with him. I have worked with several coaches in my career. I also worked with big coaches but Khalid Jamil is my favourite coach.” 

Amna’s words clearly point out why Khalid Jamil has been a successful coach and his recent success with NorthEast United is just a testimony to his zeal and hard work over the years. 

Juventus head coach Andrea Pirlo has defended his decision to sub Cristiano Ronaldo out of Tuesday's win over Inter, despite the Portugal star being unhappy about being taken off the pitch. 

Ronaldo scored twice in the first half of the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg, striking back after Lautaro Martinez had opened the scoring for Inter in the ninth minute. 

Juve would go on to win the match 2-1 at San Siro, taking a vital advantage into next week's second leg in Turin.

After the game Pirlo was questioned about his decision to take Ronaldo off in the 77th minute and said that he felt the need to rest his team's star, who turns 36 on Friday.

“It’s normal that when you go out in a match like this you want to play to help the team," Pirlo told Rai Sport.

“There is no contract clause that says he can't be subbed off. He knows he is a fundamental player for us but to get his breath back, he must always be at the top.

“He proved it with his performances after some criticism. He couldn’t have done better than that.

"I said [to him] that he had to rest, we have an important match on Saturday. He has played many consecutive games, every now and then a little rest is good for him.”

After Inter beat Juve 2-0 in Serie A play just two weeks ago, Pirlo was happy to see his side bounce back against a tough opponent. 

“We weren’t ourselves against Inter in the league, that was a slip-up, but it was also a valuable lesson and we worked on the mistakes that were made in that game,” Pirlo added.

“This is just the first round, we haven’t achieved anything yet. What this does prove is that if we are fully concentrated, it becomes difficult for anyone against us. We know our strength.

“It’s not easy to maintain this intensity when playing practically every day. I saw a great reaction after going behind."

Before Juventus take on Inter in the second leg, they will face Roma in Serie A play on Saturday.