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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will not figure in Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Manchester United, but Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey are available.

The Gunners host the Red Devils at Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening, and Aubameyang emerged as a doubt after withdrawing from league and cup meetings with Southampton due to a personal issue.

Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was unsure whether Aubameyang would be included - and the club have confirmed their captain will miss out.

Issuing a brief statement on their official website, Arsenal said: “Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be unavailable for Saturday’s match due to personal family reasons.”

After missing back-to-back games against Southampton - a 1-0 loss in the FA Cup and 3-1 win in the Premier League - Aubameyang confirmed his mother was in ill health.

He said on Wednesday that he would return home that evening, but doubts emerged about his availability after he left the Arsenal bubble.

It was not clear whether he had left the country, which would have required a period of quarantine due to coronavirus restrictions, and he would also need to produce a negative Covid-19 test.

The Gabon forward’s situation is still not clear, but he will not face United.

Partey has boosted the Gunners by being passed fit, after limping off injured in the win over Southampton on Tuesday.

Goal revealed that the midfielder was winning his fitness battle, and Arsenal have confirmed as such.

“Thomas has been in full training since Tuesday’s match at Southampton and is available for selection,” the Gunners said.

It is a similar story for Smith Rowe who also picked up a knock against Saints that forced him off after 72 minutes, but is available to face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils.

Kieran Tierney is a doubt and will be given as long as possible to prove his fitness.

“Kieran is continuing to be assessed for discomfort in the right lower leg,” the club said. “A late decision will be made regarding Kieran’s availability for Saturday’s match.”

Arsenal began the weekend round of Premier League fixtures in ninth in the table, 10 points behind the Red Devils and 11 adrift of leaders Manchester City.

Chapecoense's fightback against adversity continued on Saturday when they clinched the Brazilian Serie B title - which was sealed with a Panenka penalty.

The club have a huge amount of goodwill around the world after the plane crash that took the lives of 19 players in 2016 - with only six of the 77 onboard the flight surviving.

The team fought on and finished a brilliant eighth in the top-flight table in 2017, but the magnitude of the crash took a toll and they slipped to 14th in 2018 and suffered relegation in 2019. 

But they have bounced back and will be in the Brazilian top flight again next season. Promotion had already been secured ahead of the final game of the season against Confianca, but the prospect of silverware was standing before them.

They took an early lead through Anselmo Ramon, but were pegged back when Isnairo Reis Silva Morais netted on 55 minutes for Confianca.

Pedro Henrique Perotti fired Chapecoense back in front on 79 minutes and they were holding on for the win when they were awarded a penalty deep into injury-time.

It was a soft spot-kick, but it handed Chapecoense the chance to seal the win and the title. The goal was needed as they trailed America Mineiro on goal difference.

Ramon was charged with the task of converting, and he did not let his team-mates down. Whether planned or a spur-of-the-moment decision, Ramon stepped up and dinked the coolest of Panenka penalties to secure the title.

The game ended on a sour note as Denner Fernando Melz of Chapecoense and Confianca’s goalscorer Morais were shown red cards shortly before the final whistle, but that did not detract from the win.

Upon the final whistle, the club wrote on Twitter: "By merit, by right, with a lot of fight, Chapecoense is champion of Brazil’s Serie B.

“Our strength comes from the top.”

There were wild celebrations upon the presentation of the trophy and despite coronavirus, the players took to an open-top bus for a ride through the city.

Chapecoense topped the standings with 73 points, the same as America Mineiro, but they had a superior goal difference of one thanks to Ramon’s Panenka.

Zambia have confirmed midfielder Bruce Musakanya will not be available to face Morocco in their quarter-final clash of the African Nations Championship on Sunday.

According to Chipolopolo doctor George Phiri, the Zesco United player strained his muscle during the 0-0 draw against Namibia and will be out for the next three days.

“Musakanya picked a muscle strain during the match against Namibia and after monitoring his progress, he will be out for the next three days and that means he won’t be ready to play against Morocco,” Phiri told Zambia online.

Phiri has also revealed that Zachariah Chilongoshi who sustained a knock in Wednesday's game will be available for selection ahead of Sunday’s crucial encounter.

“We have also tested our players for Covid-19 and are waiting for the results but so far everything is looking good in camp and we are ready to face Morocco.”

Meanwhile, Chipolopolo captain Adrian Chama believes they will face a bigger challenge against the North African side in the last eight of the competition.

“Morocco will be a bigger challenge, but one which we are ready for. Coming into this tournament we had set our targets as a team, the first one was to go past the group stage, today we reached that target, we will prepare adequately for Sunday’s game against Morocco,” Chama told Zambia online after their game against Namibia.

On his part, coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic admitted it will not be an easy game against Morocco.

“It is not easy to play against a team that has no pressure but has the intention to be party spoilers in a way. They have proudly played for their country and I give them credit to the coach and his team,” Sredojevic was quoted as saying.

“We need to critically look at ourselves why from 20 attempts, not even one could finish where it is supposed to finish. This is now something that we need to look at critically and we need to correct all this before playing a quarter-final match.”

“With all due respect to Morocco, they are a top team, they are favourites, they are defending champions and whatsoever. Let them take the role of the favourites, we are who we are, we shall come with the same approach, giving our best,” he said.

He added: “Everyone has a right to count us off but we ourselves we believe that we have what it takes to progress from the quarter-finals.”

Zambia qualified to the quarter-finals after beating Tanzania 2-0 before drawing 1-1 with Guinea. In the final game, Zambia drew 0-0 with Namibia.

The Tanzania Premier League Board has released fixtures of four out of six games that were not played in the first round of the Tanzania Mainland League.

The fixtures involve reigning champions Simba SC whose matches were postponed owing to their participation in the Caf Champions League as well as Namungo who are representing the country in the Caf Confederation Cup.

On February 4, Dodoma Jiji FC will be hosting Wekundu wa Msimbazi at Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma. On the same day, KMC FC will host Namungo at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

The 2019/20 FA Cup finalists will then host Ruvu Shooting FC at the Majaliwa Stadium in Lindi on February 7, the same day the league champions will be playing Azam FC at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar. 

"The remaining matches involving Namungo at home against Gwambina and that of Simba away to Namungo will be scheduled later dates," TPLB said in a statement obtained by Goal.

On January 21, the Board set February 13 as the resumption date of top-flight football.

The Tanzanian top-tier was suspended earlier in the year, but the league managers have now come up with new dates for it to continue. 

"TPLB has informed all teams taking part in the 2020/21 Tanzania Mainland League that the top-tier will resume on February 13," read the initial statement by the league managers.

"The league was suspended to allow teams to take part in the Mapinduzi Cup that took place in Zanzibar as well as Chan that is going on in Cameroon."

"However, teams having matches in hand will be involved as soon as February 4, before matchday 19 kicks-off. The fixtures will be released soon," TPLB had further clarified. 

"We wish all the teams the best preparations and all the best in the remaining league matches."  

Yanga SC top the standings with 44 points after playing 18 games. The 27-time champions have managed to win 13 games and drawn five and are currently the only unbeaten side this season.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi are in second position on the table with nine points less. They have managed to collect 35 points from the 15 games they have played. The defending champions have won 11 games, drawn two and lost as many.

2014 champions Azam are third with 32 points from the 17 games they have played. The Ice-cream Makers have won nine games, received five draws and three losses.

Hyderabad are currently fourth on the table with 19 points from 14 games ahead of their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) tie against Chennaiyin on Sunday.

Should NorthEast United (18 points from 13 games) pick a win over Mumbai City on Saturday, the Highlanders will go fourth which will see Hyderabad FC move out of the top four. But Hyderbad FC coach Manuel Marquez is only concerned with his side's results and isn't fretting too much on their position on the table.

"You know how football is. In the first leg, after five games we were unbeaten, all people were saying 'Hyderabad, Hyderabad'. Then we had three consecutive defeats and the team was middle of the table but after two consecutive wins against Chennaiyin (4-1) and NorthEast (4-2), we got third.

"Now when you are the fourth team on the table, you are the reference for the other teams. Sometimes you can go fifth and sometimes you can go third. I think all teams depend on their own performance. If we get good results, we don't have to be worried about anything (other teams)," he said.

Hyderabad have had four draws on the trot, two of them goalless affairs and the last being a 2-2 result against Bengaluru FC on Thursday.

"The team needs to score (from) the chances but the most important thing is to have these clear chances. I think that it's true that the team plays attractive football but the most important thing is the final score. People may say that the draw is nothing but now we have four points more than four games ago. Now against Chennaiyin, it's a perfect opportunity for them to have the same points as our team and for our team to put distance between both teams," said Marquez.

Hyderabad will play their third game in eight days and the Spaniard hinted that a few of his players who have played fewer minutes this season could get a look in. He also expects Chennaiyin FC to come hard at them in reply to the 4-1 humiliation inflicted on them by Hyderabad.

"We are confident [of making the play-offs] because it's impossible to ask for more from the (Hyderabad) players. They train like animals. Yesterday was a session for those playing less minutes and they trained incredibly. 

"We were closer to winning the last four games. It would have been easier (to win) if we scored from our chances. For example, against Chennaiyin in the first leg, in the first half it was 0-0 but we had very clear chances. In the second half, we scored from a rebound. So you never know what can happen in a game. 

"Maybe they will try to take revenge. We remember the first game but it's not the same. All the games are very different. The only thing is they had six days to rest and we had less than three but this is the schedule and we have to play. It won't be an excuse if we lose this game," pointed Marquez.

Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs resume their traditional rivalry at Orlando Stadium on Saturday seeking to settle old derby scores as well as pile pressure on Premier Soccer League log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

It is a Soweto derby confrontation with a lot at stake as the hosts and fifth-placed Pirates bid for a first PSL title since 2012.

Improved Chiefs who are eighth on the log standings would be keen to build-up on their unbeaten five straight league games following a difficult start to the season.

Amakhosi's resurgence is what makes Saturday's encounter a potential stormy one in this contest to restore derby pride after they heavily lost to the Buccaneers in the MTN8 semi-finals earlier this season.

Four points separate the Soweto giants and a Chiefs win will see them come just a point behind their old foes and move nine points closer to the Brazilians who host Chippa United the following day.

Victory for Pirates will help them go seven points ahead of their Soweto rivals and five closer to Downs.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

The Buccaneers will go into Saturday's showdown depleted due to injuries and suspension. 

Earlier this week, Pirates announced that attacking midfielder Terrence Dzvukamanja will have to pass a late fitness test ahead of the battle.

The Zimbabwean has not played in their two last games with pain on his neck.

Innocent Maela who has largely been playing as a centre-back than his usual left-back role is also out suspended after accumulating four yellow cards.

Josef Zinnabauer's Bucs also face an a crisis upfront where key forwards Frank Mhango, Zakhele Lepasa and Tshegofatso Mabasa are all injured.

Defenders Paseka Mako and Abel Mabaso will also not feature due to injuries.

Chiefs welcome back midfielder Bernard Parker who was absent in their last two games whole serving suspension for a red card he was shown against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

It is not yet clear if defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele will be available after missing the last two games with an injury.

Also the comeback of captain and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune as well as midfielder Willard Katsande is not known.

Match Preview

Saturday's match will be Zinnbauer's fourth Soweto derby and Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt's third.

The German has lost one and won two of the clashes against Amakhosi while Hunt has been at the losing end of the two Soweto derby showdowns he has been involved in.

The two sides last met in November when Pirates beat Chiefs 2-0 at FNB Stadium in the second leg of the MTN8 semi-finals after Bucs had also emerged triumphant 3-0 in the home leg the previous month to seal an impressive 5-0 aggregate victory.

But Looking at the two sides' recent form, Chiefs are the better side, having won three matches and drawn two in their last five games.

The Buccaneers on the other hand host their traditional rivals boasting a record of two victories, as many draws and a defeat.

Both giants posted draws during midweek as Amakhosi were held 1-1 at home by Baroka, while Pirates were restricted 1-1 by struggling TS Galaxy at Orlando Stadium.

Last season, Chiefs completed a league double over Pirates but the latter club won the bragging rights in the MTN8 this term.

Saturday’s collision is the 172nd edition of the Soweto derby across all competitions since the first time they met in 1970.

But on the league front, they will be facing each other for the 99th time with Chiefs winning on 40 occasions, better than Pirates’ 22 victories.

Thirty-six matches have ended in a share of the spoils.

During the PSL era, the Soweto giants have confronted each other 48 times in the league and Amakhosi still boast a better record, winning 13 matches while Pirates have claimed victory on 11 occasions, while 24 matches have ended in draws.

Jose Mourinho has said the time has come for Gareth Bale to step up and show he is worthy of his place in the Tottenham side.

Spurs’ misery on account of their defeat to Liverpool on Thursday was compounded by the news that star striker Harry Kane is facing weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

Mourinho’s side lacked any attacking spark with Kane not involved in the second half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and their title hopes may fade in his absence.

The coach needs his remaining big names to make their presences felt. Son Heung-min has delivered consistent quality and is likely to continue in the same vein, but question marks persist over Bale following his loan move from Real Madrid last summer.

He arrived to much fanfare, but his second spell at the club is yet to get off the ground. Kane’s absence offers up an attacking spot in the side, and Mourinho has urged the Wales captain to take it.

“It is a crucial moment for him [Gareth Bale], he feels better and better,” Mourinho said.

“When you lose a player of Harry's quality, other players have to step up and hopefully Bale can help us.”

Bale has four goals to his name in his second spell at Tottenham, but only one has come in the Premier League - a competition he has seen little action in.

Mourinho claims Bale has had chances, and in his preferred position.

“The position that [Bale] likes to play is the position we put him in every minute we give him, which is the correct side of the attack,” Mourinho said.

Bale’s one Premier League goal came against Brighton in November, and he could get the chance of a repeat when Spurs take on the Seagulls on the South Coast on Sunday.

If Bale is to stand any chance of securing a permanent move from Real Madrid to Tottenham, he needs to find his old spark.

At 31 years of age, his best days could be behind him - but Mourinho will hope the forward can find some form in order to keep the north Londoners in the title hunt.

Spurs are sixth in the Premier League table, eight points behind leaders Manchester City, but they do have a game in hand.

21-year old UiTM FC attacker Dirga Surdi is an anomaly in the Malaysian league. Unlike most professional players in the league, the Sabah-born player did not go through the conventional sports school and youth academy route taken by many current Malaysian pros.

For reasons he can't quite explain, Dirga said that he never enrolled at a sports school, preferring to attend a regular secondary school in his family's city of residence Subang Jaya, Selangor instead, while playing amateur and semi-pro football in the state's many amateur leagues.

"It's hard for me to say why, but I never even applied to attend a sports school. Not that I didn't want to, but it never occurred to me to study there. At first I only played for my secondary school, before joining FA Selangor League's Teleflow FC when I was 15. At the same time I also played for SA United and Subang United in the amateur and social leagues. 

"I never attended open trials for pro clubs' President's Cup (U-21) teams either, just for the simple reason that it is almost impossible to be noticed there. There'd be hundreds and thousands of kids there all with the same idea! My coach at Teleflow; Badrul Hisyam (coincidentally JDT player Azrif Nasrulhaq's father) always told me to be patient. You can still go far even without joining a pro club's youth team.

"I am where I am today thanks to these clubs and coaches; Coach Zainul who was there for me since I was only a boy, Coach Nazri, Coach Bad, and the then-Fuerza head coach Nazrulerwan Makmor," explained Dirga in a telephone call with Goal. 

His patience and hardwork was repaid when his career trajectory took a meteoric rise in 2019.

"After the end of the 2019 FA Selangor League season, I briefly joined third-tier side Puchong Fuerza (now Manjung City) after passing the trials. It was with them when I played in a friendly against PDRM, and I guess they saw something in me.

"I received a telephone call after Fuerza's last game of the season, a Selangor Champions League match" he related. "The caller said 'Is this Dirga? I'm a coach at PDRM, would you like to play in the Malaysia Super League with us?' 

"I immediately hung up! I thought it was my mates trying to get one on me with a mean prank, because Fuerza had just been knocked out of the quarter-finals. Thankfully he reached out to me again, this time through Whatsapp, and I realised from the profile photo that it wasn't a bad joke and called him back to respond to his offer."

According to Dirga, even other offers and issues surrounding the Cops at the time could not change his mind.

"Around the time, I also started receiving offers from President's Cup teams (U-21 teams of Malaysian league clubs). Of course I went with the Cops because playing in the top tier among the 12 best clubs in the country is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for lower league footballers like me.

"Even their wage payment problem from the previous year, which the management themselves reminded me of, could not deter me from joining. I wasn't going to let the chance of playing in the top tier slip from my hands," he told Goal.

The jump to professional football also necessitated some getting used to on Dirga's part, as someone who came through the lower league ranks.

"It was quite a jump for me because in the lower leagues, you'd train maybe once or three times a week. It's understandably hard for the players to train together regularly because they each have a regular job. But at PDRM I trained twice a day because it's a professional team, and the training is a lot more high-intensity. I also had to catch up on the tactical side of the game, such as where to dribble and where to release the ball early. It's not an aspect that is emphasised on in the lower leagues.

"I was listed on the matchday squad against Sabah, and at first I thought I was going to just start from the bench. Instead I was chosen to start in what was our first match of the season! I was nervous, but everyone helped me kept my cool and we came away with a 0-0 draw." 

Dirga Surdi (holding the pennant) just before PDRM v Sabah on 1 March 2020. Photo by Sports Regime

While the Cops would end the 2020 season in relegation, the attacker who managed nine league appearances out of 11 matches in the truncated season would go on to prove that he is not just someone who got lucky to be signed by the worst team in the Super League.

For the 2021 season, Dirga has signed with UiTM, the 2020 Super League surprise package under former Malaysia U-23 head coach Frank Bernhardt.

"While I was waiting for a contract extension offer from PDRM, UiTM offered me a three-day trial spot." he explained. "I attended it and they did end up offering me a contract, which I accepted because of their facilities and just how well they are run.

"For now, my objective is simple; I just want to make the first eleven regularly first. My immediate concern is to find my footing at UiTM."

Playing for better teams in the future is of course his dream, but he also harbours the desire to play for one particular Malaysian team.

"Everyone wants to play for their home state team, and for me it's Sabah FC. It's my dream. If I get an offer from them, I'll go."

Ending the interview, Dirga expressed his gratitude towards grassroots football in Selangor which allows talents like him to be honed outside of the professional league set-up, and suggested that more players try their luck playing in amateur leagues held in the state.

"Amateur players need to look after their attitude; things like punctuality, hot-headedness. Sometimes these lower leagues develop a bad reputation of having players who get into a fight after only being lightly touch, you know? They need to be professional even before playing professionally because they are being observed, even if they don't know it.

"If they have a chance to play in the Selangor Champions League, they need to do so. Teams taking part in it are made to field at least two U-21 players, and I know that pro clubs do scout there. That's why I think very highly of the competition and that Selangor is a prestigious state for grassroots football."

Posta Rangers head coach Sammy Omollo is hopeful his team will collect their second FKF Premier League win against AFC Leopards on Saturday.

While Ingwe have collected five wins and two losses from the seven games they have played, the Mailmen have managed to get seven wins from nine league games. They have drawn once and lost once as well.

"I am hopeful we have what it takes to get our second league win when we play Leopards," Omolo told Goal on Saturday.

"We have studied them, I was on the pitch when they played and won against Kariobangi Sharks last weekend. I am aware of their strong points; they are good in attack and have scored in all but one game, so we have to know how to stop them.

"But the most important thing is that I know where their weak points are, and we will try to exploit them. I believe we are getting our second win on Saturday."

The tactician has also lauded his defence for their good work despite being under pressure at times.

"When we do not get goals, usually the defenders feel the pressure because the opponents push to score," Omollo continued.

"However, they have played well; we have kept three clean sheets so far, and after the 3-0 loss we suffered in our opening game of the season against KCB, we have not conceded more than one goal."

In an initial interview, the former defender says his charges are playing well but the problem is with the attacking department.

"I will be trying to sharpen my attacking department in the mini-transfer window," Omollo revealed.

"We are playing well as a team, and our defence is solid. Chances are there but we are struggling to get the ball in the back of the net. So we have to find a solution because I believe if we would have taken a fraction of the chances created, the team would have been in the top five.

"We have to do something in the attacking department."

Manuel Lanzarote could be part of the matchday squad against Hyderabad FC but will not make it into the first 11 and coach Csaba László shared his reasons for the same.

The Spaniard has joined the south Indian club in the January transfer window after Rafael Crivellaro picked up an injury following a tackle by Pronay Halder on December 29th, 2020.

“He’s out of quarantine but we have to see. It's not easy for someone who hasn't trained for 14 days. I will talk to him and decide whether he will be part of the squad or not but definitely not part of the first 11,” said the former Lithuania national coach, who also mentioned that midfielder Anirudh Thapa is still recovering from an injury.

Chennaiyin FC trail Hyderabad by three points on the Indian Super League (ISL) standings and suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Nizams. László wants his team to show heart and be competitive on the field which would certainly go a long way in helping them get positive results.

“It's a game in which we are three points behind. We played really bad football against Hyderabad the last time and we know that we have to change this. The result is very important. Professional football is always about results, but I don't want to see that we lose without heart, will and spirit because you can't win every game.

“I think every single game in the ISL has been competitive. Every single team has a chance to be in the top four and everybody feels the pressure. For us against Hyderabad, it won't be a simple game. We have to do a lot for this. At the end of the day, the players who are on the pitch have to show desire. If you see the target, you have to go for it,” remarked László.

He once again mentioned that a couple of positive results will hand his team the momentum going into the business end of the season. Although they were disappointed with the injury time winner by David Williams against ATK Mohun Bagan, his side put in a strong shift against league leaders Mumbai City FC to pick an important point.

“We have to win two or three games in a row to put ourselves in a position on the table. This is our target and the target of other teams also. You know Hyderabad is a team that has beaten us very badly (4-1). It was very painful, not just because we lost but because we conceded four goals. We had bad moments in the game which is not usual for my team. I always tell my team 'sometimes you get a game where nothing works as it should be'. We have to show that this was really a bad day for us and we can do better.

“A win will stabilise our team because we had a very painful defeat (1-0 loss) against ATK [Mohun Bagan where the winner was scored] in extra time. We conceded a very easy goal. After that, I am proud about the players because against Mumbai City (1-1 draw), we showed that the team has spirit and this is the kind of spirit I want to see in tomorrow's game,” said László.

Jurgen Klopp has suggested Liverpool’s pursuit of a new central defender is being hampered by the prospect of having to pay “crazy money”.

With Liverpool struggling to plug holes left by long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, Klopp admitted earlier this week that he will look to recruit in January.

"I don't know, but we will try," he said. "We always try. It would be funny if you thought Liverpool were fine with the situation, that we don't care or don't try.

"We try, but as you know, there's nothing to say until something happens. We will see.

"The situation yesterday didn't make it easier but still we are trying to do the right things. If it's possible then we will do it. If not, then not."

The German saw Joel Matip go down with injury in the 3-1 win at Tottenham, a game Fabinho missed on account of a problem he picked up earlier in the week, meaning he is reliant on Jordan Henderson filling in alongside the relatively untested Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams.

Klopp reportedly has targets in mind - RB Leipzig duo Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate being just two - but he is aware that securing a top-class option is a tough task, especially in the January transfer window.

“You know the situation with centre-halves out there," Klopp is quoted as saying in the Mirror. "You know the clubs where the centre-halves are playing, because everyone is talking about them. Tell me if one of these clubs needs the money and needs to sell a player?

“And if they need money then they want crazy money. I am not sure there is an £80 million centre-back available at the moment and a club thinks 'We can get £80m for him so we will sell him'.

"The teams would not sell this calibre of player now.”

While Klopp has an eye on solving his defensive issues ahead of the closure of the transfer window on Monday, focus must be on reviving their title challenge and the Reds face a second consecutive trip to London when they face David Moyes’ improving West Ham on Sunday.

Kerala Blasters started their Indian Super League (ISL) campaign this season against ATK Mohun Bagan back in November 2020 and suffered a 1-0 defeat with Roy Krishna being on the score-sheet.

Coach Kibu Vicuna acknowledged that while his team saw more of the ball, they couldn’t create any decent openings and ATK Mohun Bagan took advantage of one mistake and punished them.

“In that game, we had more of the ball, we had more possession and we even controlled the match. But one accidental mistake between Sergio Cidoncha and Vicente (Gomez) and the ball went to Krishna and he scored because he is a very good striker. It is not a question of they were better than us. It is true that we didn't create too many chances, but I think we played a good match.

“Now the circumstances are different. ATK Mohun Bagan are in the second position, they have fantastic players and a good coach (Antonio Habas) and it is going to be a very hard challenge for us,” said Vicuna.

Influential midfielder Facundo Pereyra is still recovering from an injury and missed their last game against Jamshedpur FC. The Argentinean will need at least two weeks or so to recover however, Vicuna refused to share the precise date on when the player is expected back in action.

“I cannot tell when he will return because, with injuries, you have to go step-by-step. He needs to have a two-week recovery and then we will see. We want him to be ready as soon as possible. We must look into the fracture and then decide. We don't know, we have to see,” said the former Mohun Bagan coach.

On Sunday, Kerala Blasters would play their eighth game in a month and Vicuna mentioned that his players do not have enough time to recover in between the frentic schedule. They next play ATK Mohun Bagan followed by Mumbai City FC; two clubs who occupy the top two position on the standings.

“It was very hard because tomorrow we are going to play our eighth game in 30 days and it was difficult. Sometimes we did not have enough time to recover. It is difficult to prepare for matches because we didn't have enough time. But again, every team had a similar schedule.

“For us, we played only four games in December and we are playing eight in January. But I think the team is improving and we have more confidence. We are competing very well against every team and now we have very tough two games against the two best teams in the competition. We must give our best if we want to succeed in these two matches,” observed Vicuna.

In their last match against Jamshedpur FC, Kerala Blasters had the better chances but failed to convert and could only pick a point instead. Gary Hooper’s strike went over the line however, the goal wasn’t awarded as the same wasn’t substantiated in real-time by match officials.

“After 25 minutes, we were the better team. We created enough chances to win the match. We had scored but they didn't give us the goal. We have this feeling that we lost two points because we were better and even in the second half, we created chances, we had the ball and controlled the game but unfortunately, we couldn't score the goals to get the three points.

“But we have more positives than negatives. We deserved to win more than Jamshedpur but again this is football. The good thing is that we are in a good mood,” said Vicuna as he chose to look at the positives.

Ulsan Hyundai FC and Al Ahly SC, the club champions of Asia and Africa respectively, have set foot in Qatar on Friday to take part in the 17th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. 

It was in Qatar that Ulsan Hyundai won the AFC Champions League title in December 2020 and after just over a month, they are back in Doha. They will enter the tournament in the second round and take on CONCACAF Champions League winners Tigres UANL from Mexico at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. 

On Ulsan's return to Qatar, head coach Hong Myung-bo said, “The players are pleased to be back in Qatar for the FIFA Club World Cup and are looking forward to training ahead of our match against Tigres. We are excited to take part in this global event and test ourselves against some of the best sides in the world. This is also a golden opportunity for the team to prepare for the K League season, which will kick off soon.”

Whereas, Egyptian giants Al Ahly, won the CAF Champions League after beating Zamalek SC in the final. They will take on Qatari champions Al Duhail on February 4 at the Education City Stadium. 

Al Ahly manager Pisto Mosimane hopes to beat the local side and lock horns against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. 

“We are delighted to be in Qatar for this exciting tournament. There are many Al Ahly fans in Doha – and we are looking forward to having their support in our match against Al Duhail. This will be a great test for us as we aim to qualify for the semi-finals and a match against Bayern Munich.” 

The final will take place on February 11 at the Education City Stadium.  

Sajad Hussain Parray hails from Gund Hassi Bhat, a hamlet on the outskirts of Srinagar. Although Kashmir has produced quite a few footballers and coaches over the decades, this has remained one of the football blindspots of the state.

Hence, when Sajad appeared for the trials of Sports Council Football Academy in Srinagar, Sajid Dar was pleasantly surprised.

"That place has not produced any footballer till now. Actually, there has been no real football culture in that area,"  stated Dar, the honorary technical director of the Sports Council academy to Goal. 

It was on the streets of Gund Hassi Bhat that Sajad had his first tryst with football along with his two brothers Ajaz and Adil Hussain. When the Sports Council started holding trials under 'Mission 22', Sajad wanted to try his luck. 

"When he got selected in the trials we asked him about his favourite position. He promptly replied left-back. It is not common for a kid to be so sure about his exact position, but he was. And you do not get left-backs that often. So he excited us," revealed Dar. 

He started as a U15 cadet but soon started to outshine his peers. Mehrajuddin Wadoo, the academy in-charge, decided to promote him to U18. But apart from his qualities with the ball, what impressed Wadoo was the kid's determination and sincerity. 

"Since he lives far away from Srinagar, almost 10-12 km, he has to travel a lot. But I never remember that he was late for a session. Neither did he miss one. He is so punctual," said the former India international heaping praise on the youngster. 

Whereas Dar went a step ahead and said, "After Mehraj, he is the most dedicated boy I have seen. He wasn't that good technically when he joined the academy. But with hard work, he has covered a lot of ground."

Sajad is a natural left-footer and to push his limits, Wadoo, who was himself a defender, deployed him as left centre-back as well. 

"Since he knew what he wanted to do, we played him as a defender throughout. But sometimes he would play as a centre back as well. He is a very good game reader.  He doesn't go in for unnecessary tackles and remains firmly footed during one-on-one situations." 

When AIFF (All India Football Federation) held trials in Srinagar, Sajad was selected for the India U-15 junior national team in 2018, and then he went to Bhubaneswar to join the Arrows set up. 

In the ongoing I-League, he has started four out of the five matches Arrows ave played and has made the left-back position his own. In fact, it was through his header in injury time against Aizawl that Shanmugam Venkatesh's boys earned their first point of the campaign. 

"Yeh kuch karega agey jaake (He will do something ahead in life). He has that hunger in him," feels Wadoo. 

Sajad has played in U15 SAFF Championship in Nepal and has also travelled to UAE, South Africa as part of the exposure trips arranged by AIFF. He idolises Roberto Carlos and wants to emulate the Brazilian legend. He has chosen the ideal footprints to follow and has even started off his professional career on a bright note.

But there are a million miles between the cup and the lip, and it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his perseverance to shine at bigger stages. 

It is not easy to put up a dominant show against teams like Mumbai City FC and FC Goa who love to keep possession of the ball and attack. But East Bengal successfully managed to outplay Mumbai City in one half in their last game and then controlled proceedings for the majority of the match against the Gaurs on Friday.

For a team who had the worst possible start to their maiden campaign in the Indian Super League (ISL), losing four out of their first five matches, East Bengal have shown increased confidence in the past one month.

The Red and Golds are a much confident side and look fearless in their approach. They love to control a match at their will and look fluent while building the play from the back. With Bright Enobakhare in their ranks now, the club seems to carry a greater attacking threat.

Yet win seems to elude East Bengal as they are not able to convert the chances they are creating. A major reason for their profligacy up front has been a lack of a proper number nine in their squad. 

On Friday, Fowler fielded his team in a 3-4-1-2 formation where he deployed Anthony Pilkington and Jeje Lalpekhlua as the strikers and Enobakhare operating in the hole. With all due to respect to Pilkington, who has been one of East Bengal's best foreign recruits this season, the Irish international is not centre forward by trade.

All his life Pilkington has operated on the flanks and that shows in his game. The attacker looks much comfortable when he falls back in the midfield to win balls and create chances but when it comes to conversion in front of the goal, Pilkington has struggled.

The former Norwich City man has managed to score just one goal in 12 matches this season. The Red and Golds had a golden opportunity to take an early lead and put Goa under pressure when Narayan Das went down inside the box after a challenge from Mohammed Ali but Pilkington's spot-kick went wide.

Jeje Lalpekhlua, on the other hand, is far from his best right now and except for a couple of quality passes, did not do much inside the opposition's box. Fowler tried to field youngster Harmanpreet Singh in the second half and the 19-year-old showed a lot of exuberance but could not do the needful.

It must also be noted that East Bengal were playing their seventh match of a tough run of eight matches in 29 days and that fatigue was bound to show. However, they have lost just once during this run, which is a positive.

FC Goa were without their two foreign central defenders (Ivan Gonzalez and James Donachie) due to injury and suspension. Thus, with an all-Indian defence, the Gaurs did not want to take too many risks and leave their backline exposed. As a result, they happily stood back and only tried to raid the East Bengal box on counters.

The Gaurs had taken the lead against the run of play in the first half and held on to it until the 65th minute when their captain Edu Bedia got sent off. The Spaniard unnecessarily committed a foul on Pilkington which invited a second booking of the night.

Bedia is a vital cog in Goa's midfield and missing him against an in-form team NorthEast United is a major loss for the Gaurs. The Spaniard, being a senior player and the captain of the side, should have more cautious as the team is already missing the services of many important players like Brandon Fernandes and James Donachie.

Win wasn't an absolute necessity for the Gaurs who are happily sitting in the top half of the league table and were thus content with a point. East Bengal, on the other hand, need as many wins as possible to close in on a play-offs berth.

Samuel Kalu and Karl Toko Ekambi scored as Lyon secured a 2-1 victory over Bordeaux in Friday’s Ligue 1 game.

Kalu recently returned from a thigh muscle strain and was handed his eighth league start of the season at Groupama Stadium.

The forward made the most of the opportunity to score his second goal of the season for Jean-Louis Gasset’s men.

Cameroon international Toko Ekambi also started the game for the Kids and made a key contribution to help his side secure all three points in the encounter.

Toko Ekambi opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, pouncing on a poorly cleared ball before firing into the back of the net.

Kalu then levelled proceedings for the Girondins in the 55th minute with a spectacular goal after he was set up by Remi Oudin.

The Nigeria international fired a fine volley past goalkeeper Anthony Lopes before Leo Dubois scored the match-winning goal at the death after receiving a timely assist from Maxwel Cornet.

Kalu featured for 76 minutes in his 11th league appearance for the Girondins before he was replaced by Nicolas de Preville.

Toko Ekambi, meanwhile, was on parade for 63 minutes before making ways for Ivory Coast international Cornet.

The forward has been with the Matmut Atlantique outfit since the summer of 2018 when he teamed up with the club from Gent.

Kalu will hope to continue his impressive performance in front of goal when Bordeaux take on Lille in their next league game on February 3.

Toko Ekambi on his part has made 18 appearances for the Groupama Stadium outfit, scoring nine goals and providing five assists.

The Cameroon forward will hope to continue his fine performances when Lyon square off against Dijon in their next league game.

Henry Onyekuru scored twice to inspire Galatasaray to a 2-1 victory over Gaziantep in Friday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

The 23-year-old teamed up with the Yellow and Reds for his third spell on loan from French side Monaco and immediately hit the ground running.

The Nigeria international joined the Turk Telekom Stadium outfit for the first time in the summer of 2018 on a season-long loan from Everton.

The forward helped the Yellow and Reds win the Super Lig title in his debut season, scoring 14 goals in 31 league appearances.

The winger then returned to the club in January 2019 on a six-month loan from Monaco and after struggling for game time at Stade Louis II, he again signed for Galatasaray on Monday.

The forward was afforded his first appearance for Galatasaray and delivered fine performances in the encounter to help them extend their winning run to three games.

The game started with both sides aiming to open the scoring but missed a number of opportunities which saw the first half ended 0-0.

After the restart, manager Fatih Terim brought on his new arrival Onyekuru in the 46th minute, replacing Morocco international Younes Belhanda.

Five minutes after his introduction, the Super Eagles forward broke the deadlock with a well-taken effort after he was set up Ryan Babel.

Onyekuru completed his brace in the 79th minute, firing his strike beyond the reach of goalkeeper Gunay Guvenc.

Alexandru Maxim reduced the deficit for Gaziantep moments before the end of the game, converting his effort from the penalty spot.

The victory ensured Galatasaray climbed to the second spot on the Super Lig table after gathering 42 points from 21 games.

Onyekuru’s compatriot and on-loan Stoke City midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo featured for 16 minutes in the encounter after replacing Emre Kılınc.

The winger will hope to continue his blistering performances when Galatasaray take on Istanbul Basaksehir in their next league game on February 2.

Onyekuru has 12 caps for the Nigeria national team and will hope to get a call-up for their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.