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Veteran striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has returned to Schalke for a second spell to help the club in their fight against relegation from the Bundesliga.

The 37-year-old, who scored 126 goals in 240 games in seven seasons at Schalke from 2010 to 2017, joins from Ajax on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Schalke are rock bottom of the Bundesliga with just seven points from 16 games. Koln are five points ahead in the relegation play-off spot, while Arminia Bielefeld sit a further two points up in safety.

“We need to win games and score goals to climb up the table,” Huntelaar told the club’s official website. “I want to play my part in the club staying up. Schalke belongs in the Bundesliga and it’s our responsibility to make sure that we stay here.”

The former Netherlands international will link up with former team-mate Sead Kolasinac, who returned to the club on loan from Arsenal earlier in the January transfer window.

Huntelaar had seven goals in 11 Eredivisie games to his name for Ajax this season, but dropped down the pecking order following the signing of Sebastien Haller from West Ham.

Schalke fans will no doubt be hoping ‘The Hunter’ can give his side a boost and make an instant impact back in the Bundesliga. In 2011-12, he was top scorer in the division with 29 goals in 32 games, hitting 48 in 48 in all competitions as Schalke won the DFB-Pokal and finished third in the table.

He is the club’s second-highest goalscorer ever, and holds the title of Schalke’s top scorer in UEFA competitions with 31.

Those recent glory days now seem a long way away for those at the club, with Schalke in serious danger of being relegated to the 2. Bundesliga for the first time since 1988.

An unexpected 4-0 thrashing of Hoffenheim recently brought their historic 30-game winless streak to an end, 359 days after their previous victory in the Bundesliga.

Former manager Manuel Baum was dismissed in September after just 11 games in charge, with the experienced Christian Gross stepping in during the Christmas period.

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt lauded Anthony Akumu as Amakhosi's best player following their clash with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila on Tuesday evening. 

Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Lebogang Manyama and Happy Mashiane all scored for Amakhosi as they thrashed Vhadau Vha Damani 3-0 in a PSL match at FNB Stadium. 

Samir Nurkovic, who grabbed an assist when he set-up Ngcobo, was named Man of the Match, but Hunt believes makeshift defender Anthony Akumu, the Kenyan international, was their top performer. 

"I've also got to adapt to them. But we've got a good bunch. The mentality is getting better. The mentality was fantastic last year and we need to try and get that back," Hunt told SuperSport TV.

"I think collectively defensively we weren't as good as we could have been. I thought Akumu again was fantastic. Certainly, for me, he was our best player today. 

"I don't want to play Daniel [Cardoso] in that position [centre-back], I don't want to play him there. I think he's better suited to playing a little bit higher up the pitch."

The veteran tactician felt that the Glamour Boys' performance was a bit lethargic at times despite his side having dominated the match from start to finish. 

"Bit of a leggy performance. A little bit lethargic at times. It's understandable for the programme that we've had. So yeah, the most important thing is trying to get three points," he continued. 

"Trying to get ourselves up the league. But certainly a real slackness sometimes. That's something I need to work on. All in all, we're happy with the week that we've had.

"We've been forced to make changes with [Dumisani] Zuma. There's too much of giving up. We need to change the mentality. It's going to take time but we need to change the mentality."

Hunt was impressed with Mashiane's impact as the 23-year-old winger grabbed a goal and assist after coming on as a substitute. 

"The players are too easy sometimes. But I knew we needed to play with more width. And once I brought Happy in, he would give us a nice width. He's got huge ability and a good future ahead of him," he added. 

"Sometimes we're trying to score with every pass. We're trying to go forward at every moment. We need to get a little bit of balance first. But those things take time. It doesn't happen overnight."

Chiefs will be hoping to maintain their current form when they take on Stellenbosch FC at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday. 

Zambia have started their Chan campaign on a high after claiming a 2-0 win over Tanzania at Stade Omnisport de Limbe on Tuesday night.

Second-half goals from Collins Sikombe and Emmanuel Chabula ensured Chipolopolo became the first team to score more than one goal in Cameroon.

Both teams were nervous in the early exchanges and looked unsettled with no specific game plan.

The Taifa Stars were the first ones to test the goalkeeper in the third minute courtesy of Baraka Majogoro, but Allan Chibwe did well to stop him.

Yusuf Mhilu and Ayub Lyanga had half-chances to create something meaningful for their team but made poor decisions when it mattered most.

In the 30th minute, the Chipolopolo had a great opportunity to open the scoring. Golden Mafwenta beat the offside trap, and with the goalkeeper to beat, he opted to square the ball in search of a teammate, and the danger was eventually cleared.

A minute later, Stars defenders slept on the job, allowing Chabula to get a chance of shooting. The forward unleashed a fierce strike which Aishi Manula managed to get out for an unfruitful corner.

The last meaningful attempt of the first half was in the 36th minute. Lyanga managed to manoeuvre through the defenders, but with the goal in front of him, he blasted his effort wide.

The Etienne Ndayiragije-led team started the second half stronger, attacking with every chance they got, but they did not break the Chipolopolo defence.

In the 62nd minute, Zambia had the best chance when defender Shomari Kapombe handled the ball in the danger zone and the referee awarded them a penalty.

Sikombe stepped up and managed to find the back of the net with the help of the woodwork.

In the 75th minute, Sikombe was slipped in and had Manula to beat, however, the custodian pulled a fantastic save to deny him.

The rebound fell to Chabula, but he somehow missed putting the ball in an empty net.

Chipolopolo, eventually doubled the advantage in the 82nd minute when Sikombe made up for his miss by setting up Chabula, whose first-time effort caught the Simba SC custodian off guard. 

Zambia are now on three points and take on Guinea next, while the Stars will have a date with Namibia.

Zambia XI: Allan Chibwe, Luka Banda, Zachariah Chilongoshi, Clement Mulashi, Benedict Chepeshi, Golden Mafwenta, Paul Katema, Kelvin Kapumbu, Collins Sikombe, Kelvin Kampamba, Emmanuel Chabula

Subs: Lameck Siame, Kondwani Chiboni, Spencer Sautu. Leonard Mulenga, Amity Shamende, Friday Samu, Jackson Chirwa, Dominic Chanda, Patrick Chooma, Pride Mwansa, Harrison Chisala

Tanzania XI: Aishi Manula, Shomari Kapombe, Edward Charles, Kalos Protus, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Baraka Majogoro, Yusuph Mhilu, Feisal Salum, Ditram Nchimbi, Lucas Kikoti, Ayub Lyanga

Subs: Juma Kaseja, Daniel Mgore, Israel Mwenda, Yassin Mustapha, Deus Kaseke, Aburazak Hamza, Samwel Onditi, Said Hamisi, Adam Adam, Zuberi Dabi, Farid Mussa, Rajabu Othman
 

Fortnite creator Epic Games has revealed a new major tie-in with the world of football for the battle royale game's players.

Its latest update features skins from the likes of Manchester City, Inter and Juventus, as well as several honours to Brazil hero Pele. 

With new wearable club shirts, the introduction of the Pele Cup and a new Pele celebration for gamers, Goal has what you need to know about the new Fortnite update.

Which football club outfits are in Fortnite?

Epic Games announced a partnership with a slew of some of the biggest clubs in world football for its latest version of Fortnite skins.

The latest "kickoff set" involves 23 different club kits that players will be allowed to choose from and wear in the game, featuring teams from Europe, the United States, Brazil and more.

The full list of 23 clubs involved is:

- AC Milan
- Atlanta United
- Bahia
- Borussia Monchengladbach
- Celtic
- Cerezo Osaka
- Inter
- Juventus
- LAFC
- Manchester City
- Melbourne City
- Rangers
- Roma
- Santos
- Schalke
- Seattle Sounders
- Sevilla
- Sporting CP
- Sydney FC
- West Ham
- Western Sydney Wanderers
- Wolfsburg
- Wolves

What is the Pele Cup in Fortnite?

Epic has paid tribute to legendary Brazil icon Pele for a new player-themed emote and tournament.

The Pele Cup is a Fortnite Limited Time Mode (LTM) taking place on January 20.

"Who better to kick off a global football program than one of the greatest players to ever live?" said Nate Nanzer, head of global partnerships at Epic Games.

"We're super excited to be able to bring Pele's famous air punch celebration into the game.

"We also have a really exciting tournament that we're going to be running where any Fortnite player will be able to sign up and compete to try to win both outfits and the Pele emote early, prior to launch, for free."

How do you get Pele's Air Punch Emote in Fortnite?

In addition to the Pele Cup, Fortnite players will be able to emulate the legend's iconic World Cup celebration - the Air Punch - with their victories in-game.

The Pele Air Punch Emote is available to purchase in the Fortnite item shop beginning January 23.

Players will also be able to win the Air Punch Emote for free before Saturday by placing in the Pele Cup tournament on January 20.

“Introducing Pele to millions of young gamers on their terms provides an entirely new platform to grow his legacy,” says Craig Howe, CEO of Rebel Ventures. 

“We’re excited to see Pele seamlessly integrated into the Fortnite universe, and continue to build on his incredible life and football journey.”

Football is coming to Fortnite with a new update from Epic Games including the Pele Cup and collaborations with some of the world’s biggest clubs.

The ‘Kickoff Set’, launching January 23, will include 23 club kits as playable skins, a new tournament with real and in-game prizes, and the chance to ‘emote’ like Brazil icon Pele.

Twenty-three clubs from around the world including Manchester City, Juventus, Inter, AC Milan, Santos, Los Angeles FC, Melbourne City, Celtic and Rangers (full list below) will have specially designed male and female outfits in-game.

Players can win the new kits in the Pele Cup on January 20, featuring a limited-time football game mode, and play with Creative Mode's new Football Island.

'Pele's Air Punch', a new emote based on the Brazil legend's goal celebration, will be available to purchase from the store or as a prize in the Pele Cup.

Regional winners of the tournament will receive a signed Santos shirt, while the top 3,500 players in each region will win the Pele's Air Punch emote and a selection of character outfits.

Nate Nanzer, global head of partnerships at Epic Games, explained the collaboration to ESPN: "We think about the evolution of Fortnite, and all of the different IP integrations that we've done and bringing all these different worlds into the game, I think we've done a pretty amazing job across movies and comics.

“Batman plays with Deadpool and Wolverine and Iron Man. We brought all these amazing worlds together.

"But in sports, we've had an amazing partnership with the NFL, but we haven't really done much beyond our NFL partnership. Over the last year, we've really been focused on how we can grow our footprint more in sports.

"There could definitely be things that we do with modern footballers going forward in the future, and I think given that so many of them are huge Fortnite fans, there could be some fun things that we do in the future."

Manchester City

Juventus

AC Milan

Inter Milan

AS Roma

Seattle Sounders

Atlanta United

Los Angeles FC

Santos

Wolves

West Ham United 

Sevilla

Sporting CP

Borussia Monchengladbach

Schalke

Wolfsburg

Rangers 

Celtic 

Cerezo Osaka

Melbourne City

Sydney FC

Western Sydney Wanderers

EC Bahia

Dele Alli is hoping to complete a move to Paris Saint-Germain to reunite with former manager Mauricio Pochettino, but Tottenham's demands could rule out any potential transfer.

Alli has been cast aside by Jose Mourinho at Tottenham this season, playing a total of just 74 minutes in the Premier League. 

Mourinho recently hinted that the 24-year-old is unhappy in north London, but refused to say if he'd sanction a move away.

“The question is if I let Dele go without getting a player in exchange and I’m not going to answer that," Mourinho said. 

“It’s not a question that I am comfortable to answer. Of course, I would know how to answer. But I am not ready to answer. I am not ready to make public my vision of the situation.”

Sources have confirmed to Goal that PSG are interested in ending Alli's nightmare under Mourinho. The Ligue 1 side's new boss Pochettino developed a strong working relationship with Alli during his time in charge of Spurs, with the England international a vital part of the team that reached the 2019 Champions League final. 

Alli is also keen on a move to the French capital, but any potential switch is complicated by uncompromising Spurs chairman Daniel Levy. 

Levy is known as a tough negotiator and though he has not given PSG an exact amount they'd need to pay for Alli, he has sent them a clear message that he will offer no discount despite the player's lack of minutes under Mourinho. 

The French club are also not interested in a loan without an option to buy, which could make any move for Alli difficult amid Financial Fair Play concerns. 

Alli has a contract with Spurs through 2024.

Though Alli may not be moving to Paris the Ligue 1 champions could soon see an attacker leave the club, with Julian Draxler potentially set for an exit this month. 

The 27-year-old has made just 11 total appearances for PSG this season and with his contract set to expire in June, this month will be the last chance for PSG to earn any money for the Germany international. 

Draxler, though, is not in a rush to leave the club and could stick around through the end of the 2020-21 campaign. 

Mamelodi Sundowns risk losing the top spot to their closest rivals Swallows FC following Tuesday’s 0-0 Premier Soccer League draw against Bloemfontein Celtic at Lucas Moripe Stadium.

Dropping four points in two consecutive games after another goalless draw against SuperSport United last Saturday, Downs could find themselves second on the standings if Swallows win over Chippa United on Wednesday.

If SuperSport United beat AmaZulu by a huge margin, Sundowns could drop to the third spot despite extending their unbeaten league run to 14 matches on Tuesday.

They were facing a team which eliminated them from the MTN8 three months ago though struggling in the PSL, but the Brazilians were frustrated by Celtic’s spirited defending.

Sundowns welcomed back the attacking trio of Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus, who last started together in the 1-1 draw against Maritzburg United on December 5, before going for five league matches without being in the same starting XI.

But the trio struggled to click the way they shook PSL defences in the first few games of the season.

Few chances characterised the opening stages of the contest but Tebogo Langerman’s goal-bound delivery from the left side was tipped wide by Celtic goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane eight minutes into the match.

Lesotho forward Sera Motebang kept Downs defenders up on their feet but it was Lantshene Phalane who had their first real chance at goal when his freekick from just outside the box curled just wide of the top corner in the 16th minute.

Sensing the possibility of the visitors taking the lead, Downs started attacking more with Mothobi Mvala breaking loose but headed Zwane’s cross from the right just wide.

Zwane then side-netted in the 29th minute following some nice exchanges with Shalulile.

Five minutes later, Zwane eliminated two markers but an alert Mabokgwane came off his goal to thwart danger and seconds later the Celtic goalie was back to deny Erasmus in a one-on-one situation after Lebohang Maboe had released the forward.

The resultant goal-kick from Mabokgwane swung the action to the other end and Siphelele Luthuli rounded Sundowns goalie Denis Onyango to face an empty but his shot was weak and allowed Langerman to clear danger the 10 minutes before the half-time break.

Downs continued attacking but the Celtic defence was solid and did not make it easy for them as the two sides went for the breather at 0-0.

An injury to Mabokgwane was the first major highlight of the second half and the former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was eventually substituted for Sipho Chaine seven minutes into the second stanza.

Chaine was immediately tested with Shalulile’s goal being ruled offside, before Erasmus beat the goalkeeper who had to thank the woodwork for denying Sundowns the opener.

In a controversial moment of the game, Celtic were denied what looked like a clear goal on the hour mark when Motebang slid in a low cross from the right but was adjudged to be offside.

Motebang continued to trouble the Downs defence and this time forced Onyango to desperate tip over the bar the Lesotho international’s bicycle kick after he had taken advantage of Brian Mandela’s failure to clear the danger.

The introduction of Gaston Sirino for Mvala was expected to fire up Downs but they continued to be frustrated by Celtic who had Chaine denying Erasmus 17 minutes from time.

Two tame efforts by Lesedi Kapinga, who had replaced Zwane, brought more frustration for Sundowns whose desperate attacking invited the best out of the Celtic defence.

Shalulile failure to connect from close range two minutes before full-time was a last kick of a dying horse as Downs could not even take advantage of seven minutes of added time.

Son Heung-min has emerged as one of the Premier League's most prolific forwards over the past few years, playing a pivotal role in the Tottenham team.

With South Korean citizens required to undergo military service during their twenties, will Son have to leave Spurs at some point to carry out his mandatory service? Goal takes a look.

No. Son longer has to carry out military service.

In South Korea, able-bodied men must complete mandatory military service for 21 months by the time they turn 28.

Son, who turned 28 in July 2020, was granted an exemption to his service by helping South Korea win gold at the 2018 Asian Games - which meant that he was only required to complete basic training over a shorter period of time.

The forward completed his basic three-week training in Jeju during the first month of the Covid-19 pandemic in April 2020, meaning that he was able to avoid missing any playing time for Tottenham due to the football season being suspended for three months.

Son finished his training in May 2020 in time for the resumption of the 2019-20 Premier League season a month later, telling the Spurs official website of the 'tough' conditions: “It’s been a very busy three months.

“It was a good experience.

"I couldn’t say everything that I’ve done but I really enjoyed it. Those guys were nice. The three weeks were tough but I tried to enjoy it. I don’t know how the people felt, but for me the three weeks have been long but it was a good experience, I enjoyed it.

“The first day when we don’t know each other was a bit weird but soon we got to know each other. We spent every day together in one room, 10 people very close, working together, we helped each other so the time was fantastic.

“Those guys, the first day and second day they couldn’t even speak to me but by the end they were joking with me and we were enjoying everyone together.”

Over the course of his 21-day training, Son participated in refining his fighting skills and medical training - as well as chemical, biological and radiological training.

Son is also understood to have earned top marks in the regime, earning a 10 out of 10 score in shooting.

"He received the 'Pilsung' prize which is one of five types of awards for best performers," a Marine Corps officer said via the Korea Herald. "'Pilsung', which translates as 'certain victory', is the battle cry of the South Korean Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force."

He added: "All the courses were judged in a fair and strict manner, and his military training officers have said he went through the training faithfully."

After trailing by a goal in the first half, Odisha came back strongly in the second to snatch a point away from Hyderabad in an Indian Super League (ISL) tie on Tuesday.

Head coach Stuart Baxter was impressed with how his players reacted strongly in the second half. He applauded them for sticking to the game plan.

"I thought we started the game very well. We set out to press high and we surprised them (Hyderabad)," said Baxter after the match. "So we got a little bit of joy from that. Then they started to get out of that pressure and they played the ball in wide areas and then we struggled with that down the flanks. We struggled to get support out of our wide players.

"Second half we changed the way we pressed upfront and as soon as we lost the ball we did better. They didn't have the joy that they had in the first half and our attacking play was good. I am impressed by the way the younger lads played. They knew the pressure, they got a game plan and stuck to it. We never were the team who can be put away easily."

He suggested that with the performance his team gave in the second half of the match, they could have very well sealed three points against a strong team like Hyderabad.

"We could have easily won the game. If you get away with difficult periods that we had in the first half, it was a new back four, Steven Taylor had to pull out, Sajid played his first game, Jacob Tratt back as a centre back. It was a big ask against what I consider is one of the best teams in the league. So we got through that period and I asked the players to give 10 per cent more than what they were playing and they gave it. We should have won the game."

Baxter also mentioned that they are in no position at present to think about the playoffs and are rather planning to focus on one match at a time.

"If we start thinking about the play-offs someone will take me to the lunatic asylum because we have such a long way to go. That would be wrong, if I start to think about the playoffs based on where we are right now then I will be doing the players a total disservice. We need to look at our next game, need to do better than what we did tonight, win a couple of games and then later in the season if we are anywhere close to the play-offs spot then we can make a strike for it."

Hyderabad squandered a first-half lead to drop crucial points against Odisha in an Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Tuesday at the Tilak Maidan.

The Nizams were the better side in the first half and had taken the lead through Halicharan Narzary's 13th-minute strike but Cole Alexander's 51st-minute equaliser brought Odisha back into the game.

Coach Manuel Marquez Roca felt that while his team should have finished the game in the first half itself, Odisha had better chances to win the tie in the second half.

"It was one point deserved in the second half and two points deserved in the first half. At half time, we could have gone up 3-0 and finish the game but in the second half, they had very clear chances to win the game," said the Hyderabad manager.

The Spanish rued the missed chances in the first half but also suggested that the injury to goalscorer Halicharan Narzary and the overall fatigue of the squad affected the team's performance in the second half.

"In the first half, we scored the goal and Arshdeep saved two chances. We didn't have problems in defence. We spoke about these things at the break. If we could score a second goal we would have practically finished the game. But I think not only the equaliser but also the injury of Halicharan also affected the team.

"We let Odisha come back into the game of course because we did not score the goals in the first half. The problem in the second half was that we were very tired. All the teams are very tired because it is very difficult to play every three or four days. It is not an excuse, it is a reality. We played against a strong team like Mumbai just 72 hours ago."

Halicharan Narzary is the joint Indian top goalscorer with four goals already this season. When asked about the secret behind Narzary's resurgence this season, the Hyderabad coach said, "Sometimes you score a lot of goals in one season and fail in another season. But for me, it is not just the four goals he (Halicharan Narzary) scored, he could have scored more goals even today. I am very happy with the entire team. Halicharan has these chances because of his teammates who pass the ball to him."

Pep Guardiola has challenged Aymeric Laporte to rediscover his best form and force his way back into Manchester City’s team.

A guaranteed starter for most of his time at the club, Laporte has made only four Premier League appearances so far this season.

Summer signing Ruben Dias has emerged as the new leader of City’s watertight back four alongside a revitalised John Stones. Guardiola’s side have the best defensive record in the league with just 13 goals conceded in 17 games, while Laporte has struggled for form and fitness.

“It depends on him, the quality is there,” Guardiola said on his potential return to the first XI.

“[He has to] be in top form and have his mind open. He’s the best left-sided defender [we have], he has special quality with the ball.

“He has to be focused to come back in the best condition possible and he will get his minutes. After, it depends on his performance like it depends on the form of everyone.”

City are hoping to go to the top of the table with a win at home to Aston Villa on Wednesday, a fixture Laporte is set to miss with a hamstring issue.

However, he could return for Saturday’s trip to League Two side Cheltenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

“It would be good news – we need him, [like] we need [Nathan] Ake, Eric [Garcia],” Guardiola said.

“We have been really good [in defence] except in the game against Leicester [a 5-2 loss] at the start of the season.

“Many things help [you] to be champions but if one or two of these drop a little bit then it’s difficult to do it. You need to be good in set pieces, up front, defensively, in the transitions: many aspects are needed, private life of the players, the physical form, being in a good mood.

“The only concern is Villa. We don’t know which players will be available tomorrow. We’ll see in the line-up. But the quality they’ve shown this season compared to last season is incredible.

“More than the good results is the performances. It’s only a concern but if you are able to win five in a row, then you can lose three in a row. The next one is the most important and that is Aston Villa.”

Azam FC striker Prince Dube has vowed to continue from where he left off in the Mainland Premier League after recovering from an injury.

The Zimbabwean star injured his ulnar of the left hand during their league defeat to Yanga SC after just a quarter of an hour of the derby played at Chamazi Stadium in late November, and the club organised for him to undergo further treatment in South Africa.

After undergoing successful surgery in Cape Town, the club then ruled him out of action for six weeks and his injury affected the team’s performances, especially in the league, where they posted a run of six straight matches without a win and dropped from the top of the 18-team table.

However, the striker has now recovered fully and resumed training with the rest of the squad members on January 15, and has even managed to play in a friendly against Mlandege FC in Zanzibar which they won 2-0.

Dube has now confirmed he has returned to full fitness and will continue from where he left off when he picked up the injury.

“First of all I would like to thank God for helping me to return to the field after being out of action for so long due to a broken arm injury that I sustained in November last year,” Dube said as quoted by Sokalabongo.

“But I also want to thank all those who were part of my treatment and made it possible for me to get back on the field.

“I promised I would return to the field feeling better and I am happy to see that I have already managed to be involved in the two goals we scored against Mlandege [in the friendly] despite the fact that we lost the next game against KMKM.

“I believe I will get back to my scoring pace as it was at the beginning of this season, so as I promised I will be back on the field better I will do it and make sure I help my team to do well by scoring as many goals as possible.”

Dube had made a bright start to his career at Azam with six goals and four assists in the league, and was also voted the Tanzania Mainland Premier League Player of the Month for September.

His absence was the main reason why coach George Lwandamina claimed he will have to sign a few players in the mini-transfer window if the team is to remain among the title contenders.

Azam are currently placed third on the table after managing 32 points from 17 matches, 12 fewer than table-toppers Yanga, who have accumulated 44 from 18 matches, while Simba are third on 35 points from 15 outings.

Kaizer Chiefs made it three wins in a row in the PSL when they thrashed a hapless Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila 3-0 at FNB Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Goals from Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Lebogang Manyama and Happy Mashiane inspired the Soweto giants to a well-deserved victory in the City of Gold. 

Amakhosi were looking to continue their resurgence in the league having recorded their second successive win when they defeated Cape Town City 2-1 away over the weekend.

Happy Mashiane was surprisingly dropped to the bench despite having netted against City as coach Gavin Hunt made two changes to the team which faced the Citizens.

On the other hand, Vhadau Vha Damani were desperate to snap their seven-match winless run in the league having suffered a 1-0 defeat to Lamontville Golden Arrows away over the weekend.

Hunt's counterpart, Joel Masutha made five changes to the team which took on Arrows with Meshack Maphangule and Lerato Lamola amongst the players, who were returning to the starting line-up.

Chiefs were forced to make a change just 15 minutes into the match after stand-in captain Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who has been in top form lately, picked up an injury and he was replaced by Njabulo Blom.

However, this did not deter Amakhosi as they broke the deadlock four minutes later and it was a moment of brilliance by Nkosingiphile Ngcobo.

The 21-year-old starlet flipped the ball over Nicholus Lukhubeni, before volleying the ball past goalkeeper Washington Arubi to make it 1-0 to Chiefs - it was his scoring goal in as many league games.

Vhadau Vha Damani were nearly gifted a goal by Darrel Matsheke, who played a poor back pass to Daniel Akpeyi in the Amakhosi goal-posts. 

However, Akpeyi was alert as the Nigeria international reacted quickly and gathered the ball before Thabo Rakhale could pounce and hit the back of the net.

The introduction of Blom had crowded Chiefs' midfield as he played alongside Matsheke, Ngcobo and Daniel Cardoso, who operated as a defensive midfielder. 

Therefore, Tshakhuma were outnumbered in the middle of the pack which saw the visitors struggle to create chances and the score was 0-0 at the interval.

Amakhosi continued to dominate after the restart and Samir Nurkovic came close to scoring his first goal of the season when his headed effort went inches wide of the target.

With the Tshakhuma defence looking compact and impenetrable, Hunt introduced an attack-minded duo of Lebogang Lesako and Mashiane. 

However, Lesako picked up an injury just after the hour-mark and the 21-year-old attacker was replaced by the experienced Lebogang Manyama.

Manyama made an immediate impact as he scored with his first touch from Mashiane's cross to make it 2-0 to Chiefs six minutes after hour-mark.

Tshakhuma were then reduced to 10 players after Alfred Ndengane was sent off after receiving his second yellow card the match in the closing stages of the game.

Chiefs took advantage of their numerical advantage over Tshakhuma as Manyama played a through pass for Mashiane, who beat Arubi to make it 3-0 to the hosts in the last minute.

Hunt's side also finished the game with 10 players as Benard Parker was shown a straight red card in stoppage time after making reckless challenge.

The win saw Chiefs climb up to seventh place - a point behind their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates and Amakhosi will be in action on Saturday as they take on Stellenbosch FC.

While Tshakhuma remained 16th on the log and the struggling Limpopo-based side is set to take on SuperSport United on Sunday.

Bayern Munich and Jamal Musiala remain deadlocked over talks to renew the youngster's contract after breaking a host of records at the club in 2020.

Still just 17 years old, Musiala wants a bumper new £100,000-per-week deal, with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Man City monitoring the situation.

Musiala is currently still on a youth contract, which has just 18 months left to run, at the Allianz Arena and a further impasse in talks could lead to a transfer in the summer.

The wonderkid's demands are high, but with Premier League interest and a host of records broken, his camp feels that he has already proven his worth.

The England Under-21 star is the youngest player to both score and play in the Bundesliga for Bayern and he has made 18 appearances for Hansi Flick's side this season.

Losing Musiala would be a blow for Bayern, but they had poached him for almost nothing from Chelsea's academy, with the Blues unhappy to lose such an exciting talent.

Indeed, Chelsea had offered him one of the biggest scholar deals they had ever offered, only to see it turned down in favour to a move to Bayern, who put an impressive development plan to the youngster.

Musiala's fast-tracked pathway to the first team has vindicated the move to the Bundesliga but there's a feeling that he needs to be backed to get to the next level.

The ultimate contract decision could have wider implications for his international future, with both England and Germany fighting to secure his services.

Born in Stuttgart to a German mother and British-Nigerian father, Musiala began his footballing education at TSV Lehnerz in his hometown of Fulda before moving to England as an eight-year-old.

Currently, England Under-21 boss Aidy Boothroyd has earmarked him to be part of the European Under-21 Championship that begins in the March international break.

"He has definitely increased game time," Boothroyd said in November. "We don’t know, but he might have a growth spurt and he hasn’t even finished growing yet. I saw him against Atletico Madrid the other day and he didn’t look out of place against that massive array of talent for Bayern Munich.

"We are really pleased for him, he did well for us, scored and personally I think it might be too early for him to make the seniors in March just yet. But, in two or three months with more experience, you just never know.

"Being out in Germany, training with that calibre of players and coaches every day is really going to help his development for us."

Still, it is understood that the DFB (German Football Association) remains positive about its efforts to turn him before he plays a competitive match in Gareth Southgate's squad, which would permanently tie him to England.

Goalkeeper Shaaban Odhoji has warned Napsa Stars not to rely on Gor Mahia's struggles if they are to eliminate them from the Caf Confederation Cup.

The Pensioners' custodian will be leading his charges against Kenyan champions in the final preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup, hoping to eliminate them to make it to the group stage of the competition.

The 32-year-old believes his team can still advance at the expense of his former side.

"Gor Mahia have been struggling in their last few games, but we should not rely on that when playing against them," Odhoji told Napsa online TV .

"For my teammates, we have to fight as we have been doing in past Caf competitions. Napsa is a strong team, and I am optimistic of getting a positive outcome away.

"Yes, we are confident of getting a good result away but it doesn't mean we are underrating them." 

The experienced custodian conceded K'Ogalo are experienced in Caf competitions, but that is not a guarantee that they cannot be eliminated.

"Gor Mahia have been regulars in Caf and they have that experience," Odhoji continued.

"But in modern football, there is nothing like a powerhouse or big team. As Napsa, I think with adequate preparations we will do something and advance to the group stage.  

"The more we play stronger teams, we become strong as well; actually we are a very strong team."

Odhoji has further explained the feeling of playing in familiar territory. 

"It is a pleasure going and playing back at home in the environment and climate I was used to... what I can say is that it is a challenge because you feel you are under pressure because of the expectations placed on you," he continued.

"You have to give your best and hope you will have a good day in office."

While the Zambian outfit qualified for the final round, the Kenyan representatives were eliminated from the Caf Champions League by CR Belouizdad.

It will be the first time the goalkeeper will be playing against his former side at the continental stage.

The first leg will be played in Kenya on February 14 with the second leg set for Zambia a week later.

The aggregate winner will qualify for the group stage of the competition.  

Mohammed Irshad, Samad Ali Mallick and Abhishek Ambekar have permanently parted ways with East Bengal, Goal can confirm.

While Mallick and Irshad will join I-League side Punjab FC, Abhishek Ambekar is on his way to join I-League new entrants Sudeva FC.

It has been learnt that the mid-season release of players in December, East Bengal had contacted several I-League and Indian Super League (ISL) clubs over the transfer of the players so that they get game time.

While Punjab FC showed interest in signing Mallick and Irshad, Sudeva were keen to rope in Abhishek Ambekar. But both the I-League clubs wanted to sign the players on a permanent transfer. Hence, in the interest of the players' betterment, the club agreed to terminate the contracts of the three players on mutual agreement. East Bengal's head of operations, Pratham Basu, closely monitored all the developments.

Mohammed Irshad had joined the Red and Golds at the beginning of the season and had appeared in four Indian Super League (ISL) matches donning the Red and Golds shirt. He had earned the man of the match award against Jamshedpur FC where a 10-man East Bengal had managed to earn a goalless draw.

Samad Ali Mallick has been a part of the Kolkata club since the 2015-16 season and has appeared in 36 I-League matches in last four seasons. Mallick was initially included in the East Bengal squad at the beginning of the season and had travelled to Goa with the team but he did not appear in a single ISL match and was released from the squad back in December.

Abhishek Ambekar, who joined, the Red and Golds in 2019, played four matches in the ISL this season. In all the four games, he had come on as a substitute.

The club has already announced the departure of goalkeeper Rafique Ali Sardar and defender Gurtej Singh who have joined I-League club Mohammedan Sporting on loan.

After a shaky start to their maiden ISL campaign, the Red and Golds have slowly improved as the season has progressed. After collecting just one point from their first five matches, the Kolkata club is now unbeaten in their last seven games. They are currently in the ninth position on the league table with 12 points from as many matches. They next face league leaders

Punjab FC did not have the best of starts in the ongoing I-League season as they have lost two out of their first three matches. They have managed two collect just three points in as many games and currently stand in the eighth position on the league table.

Ghana target Tariq Lamptey wants to remain grounded amid increasing popularity in the Premier League.

The 20-year-old has emerged among the most exciting young star this season owing to a string of fine performances at Falmer Stadium. 

His exploits have reportedly attracted the interest of Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid at club level and the Ghana national senior team on the international stage.

“There's been a lot of attention around me and it's a really nice feeling to see all of the comments. Some fantastic former players have spoken about me and I'm very grateful," Lamptey told his club's official website.

“I just try not to read too much into it though. I know I need to stay focused because I am still young and have a lot to learn. I don't like looking too far into the future.

“I want to just keep playing my game and working hard. I have fantastic people around me who will help keep me grounded.”

Lamptey joined Brighton in January last year after struggling for first-team opportunities at Chelsea where he developed through the youth ranks.

He penned a three-and-half-year deal but growing interest around the right-back has prompted the Seagulls to act swiftly to tie down the defender to a long-term contract.

On Sunday, he penned a news five-and-a-half-year contract, pledging his long-term future to the club.

“It's nice to get it all sorted, it means a lot to me and I'm really thankful to everyone at the club and the fans for the support they've given me," said the full-back.

“Since I've come here everyone's been so welcoming and that's allowed me to express myself as a player.

“I wanted to come to play as many games as possible and develop, and Brighton have helped me to do that.

“I came into this season after a successful few months and I just wanted to keep on doing what I was doing.”

Ghana have made an official approach for Lamptey, who is eligible to play senior international football for the Africans due to his Ghanaian parentage.

Born in Hillingdon in the UK, the 20-year-old currently features for England at U20 level. 

Ghana Premier League side Asante Kotoko have secured a partnership deal English top-flight outfit Southampton.

The union will see the two clubs collaborate in areas namely the development of the Ghanaian club's youth system, improved supporter management and mobilisation, commercial development and syndication and administrative and operational structuring and organisation.

It is the Porcupine Warriors' second partnership with a Premier League side following a 2011 deal with then elite division fold Sunderland.

"Asante Kotoko is elated to announce a partnership with Southampton FC as part of ongoing restructuring and development of the Asante Kotoko SC brand into a viable model," Kotoko announced on Tuesday.

"This groundbreaking partnership seeks to plug Kotoko into Southampton and ensure a sustainable development where Kotoko functions like Southampton.

"Key to development of this partnership are: (1) Development of the Kotoko youth set-up as Southampton have about the best youth development project in the world developing the likes of Alan Shearer, Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Adam Lallana, James Ward-Prowse, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Luke Shaw and many greats. (2) Improved supporters management and mobilisation through effective joint and exchange programmes. (3) Commercial development and syndication through join-efforts. (4) Administrative and operational structuring and organisation.

"We believe we can tap into the expertise and resources available at Southampton to develop our set-up to the professional level like The Saints."

Kotoko are arguably Ghana's biggest club on and off the pitch.

In the Premier League, the Kumasi-based outfit are the most successful outfit in the history of the competition, having won the championship on 23 occasions, four more than arch-rivals Hearts of Oak.

On continental level, the Warriors are two-time African champions, ruling the continent in 1970 and 1983.

Off the pitch, Kotoko have the biggest fan base among all clubs in Ghana, according to the latest edition of the 2020 Ghana Premier League report released by the African Sports Centre for Data, Research and Technology (ASC) in December.

According to the survey report, Kotoko have 38 per cent of the support base in Ghana.

Southampton, who have Ghanaian centre-back Mohammed Salisu on their books, currently sit eighth on the Premier League table after 18 rounds of matches. 

Chelsea star Christian Pulisic claims he's "grown" as a player without fans in stadiums, while admitting that he "doesn't really like attention".

Pulisic has established himself as an important member of Chelsea's squad since completing his £54 million ($74m) move to Stamford Bridge from Borussia Dortmund in June 2019.

Injuries have prevented the United States international from reaching his full potential in west London, but he has still managed to contribute 13 goals and 10 assists through 49 appearances across all competitions.

The 22-year-old's latest outing came in a 1-0 victory over Fulham at the weekend, and he will be in line for a place in Frank Lampard's starting XI once again when the Blues take in a trip to Leicester City on Tuesday night.

Pulisic only has one goal to his name so far this term, nine fewer than he managed by the end of the 2019-20 campaign, but he insists that he has been able to take his game to a new level in the absence of supporters.

The general public have been unable to attend matches for much of the season due to the coronavirus crisis, while all clubs across the country have had to adapt to new rules regarding testing and social distancing.

Pulisic says the main plus side of the pandemic has been that he has been taken out of the spotlight, as he told GQ Magazine: "It’s obviously changed a lot of things.

"It’s not as enjoyable to play with no fans. But in a way, I like it, because I don’t really like attention and all that stuff.

"And that’s also when I probably have grown the most as a player.”

Chelsea were attracted to Pulisic's talents after seeing him shine at Dortmund, where he became the youngest American player to ever score in the Bundesliga.

The mercurial winger has also made his mark on the international stage, earning 34 caps for the U.S. national team, and he is now seen as the poster boy for the country's next generation of footballing stars.

Pulisic is embracing the pressure that comes with that reputation instead of shying away from it, as he added: “Going into a national-team game, I never thought that I need to perform because everyone is expecting me to be the best player.

“I would put pressure on myself because I wanted to do well. I wanted to be that player that everyone wanted me to be.”