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Karl Toko  Ekambi and Tino Kadewere scored a goal each as Lyon stretched their unbeaten run in the French Ligue 1 to 11 games after Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Moses Simon’s Nantes.

The African stars continued from where they stopped in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Nice and got the hosts off to a flying start at the Groupama Stadium with all three goals coming in the first 45 minutes.

Toko Ekambi opened the scoring for Lyon in the fourth minute while Kadewere doubled the lead in the 37th minute, and he also laid the assist for Lucas Paqueta to make it 3-0 just before the interval.

The Zimbabwe forward is enjoying a fine debut campaign in the French top-flight with a tally of seven goals and three assists in 16 league games following his move from Le Havre in the summer.

Toko Ekambi, meanwhile, remains the leading goalscorer in Rudi Garcia’s team with a contribution of nine goals so far this season and he is the second-highest African top scorer in the Ligue 1 after Reims' Senegalese forward Boulaye Dia. The Cameroon striker was in action for 71 minutes while Kadewere was replaced in the 89th minute.

Ivory Coast's Maxwel Cornet was another African star who started for the Kids but he was substituted for Mattia De Sciglio in the 70th minute while his compatriot Sinaly Diomande came on in the closing stages of the encounter.

Nigeria winger Moses Simon started from the bench for Nantes and he was introduced in the 59th minute for Kader Bamba while Cameroon's Jean-Charles Castelleto and Algeria's Mehdi Abeid started for the visitors.

Wednesday's defeat stretched the Canaries' winless streak to eight Ligue 1 games with their last victory dating back to November 8 when they beat Lorient 2-0.

Lyon, on the other hand, are level on 36 points with league leaders after 17 matches. They will be aiming to continue their impressive run of results when they host Lens for their fixture after the winter break on January 6.

Syahrian Abimanyu who is also affectionately known as Abi, has officially signed with Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) where he is the first Indonesian player that the Southern Tigers has took on since their rebranding exercise back in 2013.

Prior to this, JDT has shown to have a preference towards players from Singapore to fill the ASEAN slot in their team with four Singaporeans signing for the club since 2013 in Hariss Harun, Shahril Ishak, Baihakki Khaizan and Hafiz Sujad.

So this latest development brings about a change of tact for the 7-time Malaysia Super League champion with Abi's father, Rasiman revealing in an exclusive interview with Goal  that JDT has been tracking his son for a long time but the move was delayed because of Abi's injuries.

"This is the outcome of a long process that started in 2018 when Abi was with the Indonesia U-19 national team where JDT scouts had pinpointed him as a potential tatent. They have been keeping tabs on him for years but because of injuries, the transfer move kept getting delayed year on year," said Rasiman, who is also the assistant coach at Madura United.
 

Rasiman sees the long-standing admiration for Abi as a positive sign that JDT views his son as a real prospect for the long-term. He also went on to suggest that it could be possible that Abi could one day become the successor to Hariss and that JDT is the right place for a young player to develop. 

"It is definitely a long time for JDT to be watching Abi. With the ASEAN slot, perhaps JDT is already looking for the next ASEAN player who could take over from Hariss in the future, so maybe that will come in good time. My only hope for Abi is that he has to take advantage of this great opportunity.

"JDT is no stranger to being a club that wants their player to grow and be better. Take for example Safawi (Rasid) who earned a chance to go to the Portuguese league. It is my hope that the same can happen for Abi because JDT looks to me like a club who wants the best for their players, even if that means the player not being at the club."

As to where Abi will play with JDT, whether that is with the Super League side or elsewhere, Rasiman was unable to give a definite answer on that yet. He trust that JDT will have the right plans and structure to ensure that Abi stays on the right track.

"That is up to the team, for sure JDT knows what is best for Abi because they also want to see and reap the development. Be that at JDTII or elsewhere, I trust them to make the right decisions. We also know that Hariss could miss some games in the coming season and maybe Abi can step in there, or even be loaned to another Super League side.

"JDT are experienced enough to know what to do to develop players. I'm sure they have calculated everything in the best interest of the players and the club."

2020 was supposed to be a massive year for women's football in India. 

This year was when the global event of FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup was scheduled to take place in India but the Coronavirus pandemic forced the football body to alter their plans. The World Cup was initially postponed to early 2021 but later cancelled due to the practical difficulty of pulling off such a big event amidst the pandemic. 

As the hosts of the U-17 World Cup, India had begun their preparations under head coach Thomas Dennerby. He has called up his squad for training camps and everything seemed to be falling place for the young girls before the Government was forced to lock the country down. 

The nationwide lockdown also meant that all plans for the age-category leagues and women's football leagues at the state level had to be dropped. Everybody had to sit at home and train. 

But when football had to be stopped on the field, there were a few important decisions taken off it that will benefit women's football and its progress in India. 

Following the cancellation of the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) successfully managed to convince the body to award them the hosting right for the 2022 edition of the World Cup, which is a fantastic achievement as the chance was deemed to be nearly lost for a bit. 

2020 was also the year when the AFC announced that India has won the hosting rights for the 2022 Women's Asian Cup, back in June. To have two big events lined up is a massive boost for women's football in the country and it could be a turning point for the industry and an encouragement for several new entities to build their own women's team and leagues explore such avenues. 

Going from tournaments to leagues, the AIFF President Praful Patel also announced that the Indian FA's Arrows project will now also include a women's Indian Arrows team. 

Since the 2020 edition of the World Cup had to be cancelled and India are instead hosting the next edition, only some of the girls from the current Under-17 World Cup batch would still be eligible. Others will continue to develop their skills under the Arrows project.

“The All India Football Federation had formed a developmental side Indian Arrows for the boys which take part in the I-League. So for the current set of girls who were a part of the U17 World Cup squad, we will form a women’s team of the Indian Arrows who will participate in the Indian Women’s League (IWL). This will help in the progress of the girls’ careers,” the AIFF president had stated earlier this month. 

As the year comes to a close, even without much of women's football on the field, except for the IWL that took place in the first two months of the calendar year, some of these important decisions could pay way for a new wave for women's football in the country. Enough words, it's time for action in 2021.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised Edinson Cavani's "big impact" at Manchester United after reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Cavani drilled in a brilliant 88th-minute goal before Anthony Martial sealed United's 2-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

The Uruguay international's goal came from his fourth shot on target in the match, which was one more than Everton managed as a team.

Cavani has scored four goals in 12 games for United this season and Solskjaer praised the striker while dismissing any suggestions the 33-year-old had made a slow start at the club.

"I think you're wrong, I don't think he has had a slow start. I think he has done really well, he's been excellent," the United manager told a news conference.

"He's obviously been injured, anyone can be injured. He came late [in the transfer window] so I'm really pleased with his influence. In the dressing room, his habits that he brings to training, his attitude to the game. You can see how well he looks after himself.

"He's scored some very important goals for us and it gives us experience, he gives a lot. He's just going to be here, better and better of course because he was out for seven months. We've been patient with him and I think he's made a big impact."

As Cavani and Martial fired United into a semi-final against Manchester City, Paul Pogba also produced a fine performance from the middle of the park.

No player on the pitch had more key passes (three) or gained possession more often (eight) than the France midfielder.

"Paul is getting fitter and fitter and that's the biggest thing with Paul because his last year and a half have been marred with injuries, and Covid, another injury in the international break," Solskjaer said.

"I'm very pleased with his performance, very pleased with his contribution to the team. He's playing better and better and probably will just improve and improve."

Currently sitting third in the Premier League table, United make the trip to Leicester City on Saturday with the Foxes one point clear of the Red Devils in second.

Thomas Tuchel enjoys the challenge of managing Paris Saint-Germain and insists he was mistranslated when suggesting the job is more about politics than coaching.

PSG rounded off 2020 with a routine 4-0 win over Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Wednesday through goals from Timothee Pembele, Kylian Mbappe, Idrissa Gueye and Moise Kean.

A few hours ahead of the match, an interview with Tuchel was published by SPORT1 in which the German opened up on the demands of managing such a big club.

The 47-year-old said it can be difficult keeping players such as Neymar and Mbappe happy, while also admitting he is "sad" his achievements are often played down.

Tuchel was also quoted as saying he felt more like "a sports politician or sports minister than a coach" during his first season in the French capital.

However, Tuchel attempted to clarify the comments when questioned in the aftermath of his side's win against Strasbourg.

"I didn't say it's more about politics than sport, nor that I lost the fun of training. This is not true," he told Canal+. "It is possible they translated incorrectly.

"Watch the video interview. I just said that PSG are unique and that it's a big challenge for me. It's always been like that. I like this challenge and nothing has changed."

Asked again about the interview at his post-match news conference, Tuchel added: "I gave a video interview to a journalist who told me to do a story about German coaches.

"It is not an interview for him. It is not allowed. I was making a joke in German. The translation is not correct. We cannot translate word for word. It was a joke while we were talking and it is not allowed."

PSG enter the mid-season break sitting third in Ligue 1, one point behind Lyon and Lille following their victories over Nantes and Montpellier respectively.

The reigning champions took the lead inside 18 minutes through Pembele but had to wait until 11 minutes from time for Mbappe to add a second from close range.

Two more goals from substitutes Gueye and Kean followed late on in a game the home side bossed, seeing 69 per cent of the ball and managing eight shots on target to their opponents' two.

"It was a strong performance from us," Tuchel said. "And this after a very demanding first half to the season. I'm very happy today because it was a win we deserved.

"We were again missing a lot of players due to injury but were serious and disciplined with our play. That is a big compliment to the team.

"Our ranking in the table is what it is, but we know why we're here. It would have been more difficult to take if we didn't know the reasons.

"I am happy because the team has shown in the last two games we can play well."

Brighton manager Graham Potter has dismissed reports suggesting the club have been approached by the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid for Yves Bissouma.

The Mali international has proved to be an excellent signing for Brighton, who secured his services from Lille in 2018, and reports have claimed United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Real Madrid are interested in the 24-year-old midfielder.

Potter is aware of the rumours, but says reports of any approaches are wide of the mark and should be treated with caution.

"There have been no approaches. As I've said before, just because it's in the newspaper, doesn't necessarily mean it's true," said Potter.

Potter believes Bissouma has the ability to take his game to new heights, and wants to help the midfielder realise his potential.

"My focus on Yves is how I can help him improve and I think he's still got some improvement to do,” Potter said. "That's my focus with him, to try and help him reach his full potential. 

“He's got some work to do yet, so that's what we are focusing on."

When reported interest from Real Madrid emerged, Potter said he was not fazed by the prospect of losing any player.

“I have never been a coach that worries about losing a player,” he said. “If you worry about losing players to teams higher up the hierarchy - because that’s ultimately what it is - and the club think selling the player is the right thing to do, then it’s a result of doing something well.”

Bissouma put his name to a five-year deal when he joined Brighton in 2018, so the club are under no pressure to cash in on the player.

The concern for Potter is Brighton’s precarious position in the Premier League table.

After 14 games, the Seagulls sit in 17th place in the table - two points clear of the relegation places.

Burnley have hauled themselves out of the bottom three on the back of a four-game unbeaten run, while Fulham have picked up points following a poor start.

If Potter is to ensure the club keep hold of talents such as Bissouma, they need to climb away from danger and preserve their Premier League status.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt there was never a danger of Edinson Cavani being sent off for a clash with Yerry Mina during Manchester United’s 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Everton.

Cavani set United on their way to the semi-finals with an excellent late finish, but he could arguably have already been in the dressing room after a coming-together with Mina.

Uruguayan forward Cavani appeared to grab Mina by the throat before the Colombian defender tumbled to the floor.

There was no VAR available on the evening, and it was not immediately clear whether referee Andy Madley had seen the incident.

He spoke to both players but did not mete out any punishment; Solskjaer felt the official made the right decision in not producing a card.

"Nothing in it, two South Americans that have had a few battles before, they met in Copa America qualifiers so no, this was a proper game of football with fans, tackles, yellow cards and chances at both ends. I enjoyed it," Solskjaer told Sky Sports.  

Solskjaer also enjoyed Cavani’s excellent finish on 88 minutes, although he felt the forward should have been on the scoresheet earlier.

“Not bad,” Solskjaer said of the goal. “But maybe the three he should have scored in the first half. 

"He’s a top striker, the movement, the quality and the left-foot strike was excellent.”

Solskjaer felt United did not get their reward for a bright start, but was happy with how his side performed.

“It was a good start,” he said. “The first 20-25 minutes we were excellent. We should have been maybe one, two or three up but Robin Olsen made some good saves and kept them in the game.

"Second half we dominated.

"It went there and back, attacking and defending, but you are always confident if the game opens up with the pace we put on. 

“We know that when we defend well we have players to win games. The spirit in the camp is good; winning gives you energy.”

United will face Manchester City in the semi-finals, and Solskjaer is keen for his side to avenge the defeat to the same opposition at the identical stage of the competition last term.

"We are in the semis and one step away from the final,” he said. “It is the worst game to lose, a semi-final. If you get to the final you get that feeling in the build-up. 

“We are going to try to get to the semi-finals in a good state, but there are many league games before then.”

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has admitted he didn't want to risk Eden Hazard in Wednesday's victory against Granada because it was a "difficult match."

Los Blancos won their sixth consecutive match with a 2-0 La Liga win over Granada at the Bernabeu to go level on points with league leaders Atletico, who have two games in hand.

Hazard was an unused substitute as Madrid continued their positive momentum on Wednesday courtesy of goals from Casemiro and Karim Benzema.

That is despite Rodrygo Goes suffering a first-half injury, with Zidane choosing to send on Marco Asensio rather than the Belgium international.

Hazard - who joined the capital club from Chelsea ahead of the 2019-20 season - has already missed 46 games through a variety of injuries, including a broken foot, coronavirus and several leg muscle issues.

A thigh injury sustained in November sidelined Hazard for three weeks before he returned to Zidane's squad to face Granada, but the Blancos boss said afterwards that the 29-year-old's return would be staggered.

"I didn’t think it was right [to bring on Hazard] because it was a difficult match," Zidane said in his post-match press conference.

"We need to do such things at the right time. I didn’t want to risk him again. Now, we rest and little by little he’ll return to the team."

With Hazard working his way back to fitness, Zidane was delighted by the performance from the rest of the team with Granada posing a significant threat on the break, despite the home side dominating most of the possession.

The French tactician singled out Casemiro for his contribution in both attack and defence.

"The team worked really hard tonight, the game was very complicated," Zidane said.

"Granada pressed us well and made things difficult. In the second half we improved. I'm happy for the players and their sixth win in a row, it's not easy."

"We know that Casemiro can attack the box and defensively we already know his presence. The goal was beautiful, it comes from the second line. I'm happy for him and for the team."

Real Madrid's next match comes in La Liga on the road against Elche on December 30.

Harry Maguire has called on Manchester United to start winning trophies again after they beat Everton 2-0 in their Carabao Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side secured their place in the semi-final thanks to late strikes from Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial, with Manchester City now awaiting them in the final four. 

The Red Devils, who have now won three straight games in all competitions, last won a piece of silverware in 2017 when Jose Mourinho guided them to the Europa League title. Since then, Man Utd have made just one final with Solskjaer seeing his side lose three semi-finals last season. 

Maguire, whose sole piece of silverware to date came via a Championship play-off win with Hull City in 2016, is desperate to see his side step up and end their trophy drought this season. 

"It was an excellent performance and we should have been out of sight, we had three or four great chances. We need to be more clinical," Maguire told Sky Sports post-match. 

"Edinson Cavani's finish was excellent on his weak foot too. He's had an injury but it's good to have him back, he's been a top striker throughout his career.

"We are expected to win trophies. It's important to reach these big games but we have to start winning them and lift some trophies for this club.

"We controlled the game and fully deserved the win."

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti felt his side were competitive and could easily have walked away as victors had things gone their way. 

"We did enough to win - good performance we needed to defend which we did well but more in the second half. We had a difficult start but after 20 minutes the game was under control - we didn't play enough attacking football but we had to defend and until the last 20 minutes we did that well," Ancelotti told Sky Sports. 

"They had more control, better quality so the game was to defend well which we did. We had some opportunities on the counterattack but that was the game that we planned.

"We left the position in midfield open too much and after that Cavani's quality showed and scored a fantastic goal."

There will be a Manchester derby in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after Manchester United were drawn to face Manchester City.

The second semi-final will be a London derby, as Tottenham will face Championship outfit Brentford.

United will play host to City by virtue of being drawn first, as will Tottenham in their clash with Brentford.

The semi-finals of the competition take place on the week of January 4, with the final set for April 25.

The Wembley final had originally been scheduled for February 28, but the EFL made the decision to rearrange the date in order to increase the possibilities of supporters being able to attend on account of the current coronavirus restrictions.

Brentford are the only side outside of the Premier League remaining in the competition.

Thomas Frank’s Bees advanced to the last four on the back of a 1-0 victory over Newcastle, a win that was secured by a goal from Joshua Dasilva.

Manchester City are looking to defend the title they won last season, and they were hugely impressive 4-1 winners over an admittedly disappointing Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte were on target for Pep Guardiola’s City against the Gunners.

Following the win over Arsenal, Guardiola said his side’s aim is to reach the Carabao Cup final for a fourth year in a row.

“One step at a time, please,” he told the club’s official website. “I don’t know where we will be in April.

“Now it is Newcastle and then Everton - just two days difference 

“We have to see the draw. We are going to play to reach the final four years in a row.”

Tottenham booked their ticket into the semi-finals with a battling 3-1 win at Stoke on Wednesday.

Gareth Bale’s deft header gave Jose Mourinho’s side the lead, but they needed goals from Ben Davies and Harry Kane after Jordan Thompson had drawn Stoke level.

Harry Winks was Spurs’ man of the match and he’s looking to go all the way.

“It is such a difficult competition,” Winks said. “We are doing well, it’s another positive performance, and hopefully we can continue this run.”

Manchester United required late goals from Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial to see off Everton 2-0 on Wednesday and set up a meeting with City.

Kylian Mbappe was among the scorers as Paris Saint-Germain brushed aside Strasbourg 4-0 in their final Ligue 1 outing of 2020.

The reigning champions were held to a goalless draw by Lille last time out and struggled to find their stride again in Wednesday's clash at the Parc des Princes prior to a late flurry of goals.

Timothee Pembele's first strike for the club in his fifth appearance got PSG off the mark after 18 minutes, but it took until 11 minutes from time for Mbappe to add a second from a few yards out.

Substitutes Idrissa Gueye and Moise Kean then joined the scoring as Thomas Tuchel's men picked up a third league win in seven outings, although they end the year in third place a point behind Lyon and Lille, who both won elsewhere.

Strasbourg had won their previous two away games without conceding and would have taken the lead again if not for Keylor Navas' near-post save to deny Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

But it was PSG who edged in front seven minutes later through Pembele's close-range finish after Eiji Kawashima parried Angel Di Maria's shot into the teenage defender's path.

Kawashima was almost at fault for another goal shortly before half-time, the visiting goalkeeper pushing Rafinha's long-range attempt into the air before recovering to scoop it off the line.

The lively Rafinha flashed a deflected shot just wide in a second half that PSG controlled without truly shaking off their opponents until Mbappe converted Di Maria's squared pass in the 79th minute.

Strasbourg heads dropped at that point and Gueye added a third with a fine swerving effort from outside the box, before fellow substitute Kean - on the field for just seven minutes - fired in after Marco Verratti was thwarted by Kawashima.
 

What does it mean? PSG end the year in third

Heading into this final game of 2020, PSG were 11th in the form table for the six Ligue 1 matches since the November international break.

But Tuchel's men were deserved winners against lowly Strasbourg, seeing 69 per cent of the ball and scoring from half of their eight shots on target.

However, with Lyon easing to a 3-0 win over Nantes and Lille grinding out a late 3-2 victory at Montpellier, PSG end 2020 a point behind the top two.

Pembele settling in

Pembele has profited from a number of injury issues at the back for PSG in recent weeks and this was another solid display from the youngster.

The right-sided wing-back did not get forward all that often, attempting the fewest passes into the opposition half of any PSG outfield starter (16), but he was in the right place to convert the opening goal.

Persistence pays for Mbappe

Mbappe was deemed fit enough to start the game after recovering from an adductor injury that kept him on the bench until late on against Lille last weekend.

It was a frustrating game for the France international as he lost possession 14 times, trailing only Rafinha and Di Maria (both 15) in the home ranks in that regard, but he did manage to score through one of only two attempts.

What's next?

PSG's first game back after the two-week mid-season break is a trip to Saint-Etienne on January 6, the same day that Strasbourg host Nimes.

Edinson Cavani fired Manchester United into the semi-finals of the EFL Cup as his superb late goal inspired a 2-0 win over Everton

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have been imperious on the road this season and headed to Goodison Park having won all eight of their domestic away games by scoring at least three times on each occasion.

They peppered the Everton goal during the first half but had nothing to show for their efforts before the game became a more physical and fractious affair after the interval.

One such occasion saw Cavani grab at Yerry Mina's throat but the former Paris Saint-Germain star remained on the field to arrow a wonderful left-footed strike into the bottom left corner from 25 yards, with Anthony Martial making sure as Everton left themselves exposed chasing an equaliser.

United had their hosts boxed in during the opening exchanges and only a desperate sliding block from Seamus Coleman denied Donny van de Beek after Paul Pogba's seventh-minute backheel.

An under-siege Robin Olsen made a double save to thwart Cavani from a narrow angle, although the Sweden international was rooted to the spot when Mason Greenwood glanced agonisingly wide from Alex Telles' delicious left-wing cross.

Pogba nodded into Olsen's hands after Mina turned another dangerous delivery by Bruno Fernandes behind.

Everton belatedly found some poise and Dean Henderson was at full stretch to keep out a trademark Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick eight minutes before half-time.

Cavani thrashed into the side-netting amid suspicions of handball early the second period, before the veteran Uruguay striker tangled with Mina and a nasty collision with Fernandes and Eric Bailly forced a groggy Richarlison out of the contest.

A poor touch from Martial let an opportunity slip by and suggested extra-time beckoned before Cavani sensationally had other ideas.

Everton streamed forward but, after Olsen denied Marcus Rashford, Martial had time and space to seal the deal.

What does it mean? Fourth-time lucky for Solskjaer in semis?

Solskjaer's United reign continues to attract mixed reviews, thanks in no small part to the semi-final heartache they suffered last season. Manchester City, Chelsea and Sevilla all progressed to finals at their expense in the EFL Cup, FA Cup and Europa League in 2019-20. The Norwegian must now be confident he has the attacking firepower to take the next step.

Cavani class shines through

A combination of poor transfer planning and desperation might have brought Cavani to Old Trafford before the deadline but the 33-year-old has wasted no time in showing why he has been one of the premier forwards in European football for the past decade.

He fired six shots, with four on target and one blocked over the course of the 90 minutes, always looking the most likely United man to find the breakthrough. As Mina can vouch for, Cavani's combative side was also on display and his 10 duels contested was only matched by Nemanja Matic in the visitors' line-up.

Everton leave Calvert-Lewin feeding off scraps

For all United's prowess in front of goal on the road this season, they have frequently shown themselves to be defensively vulnerable. It will therefore have frustrated Carlo Ancelotti to see Calvert-Lewin only manage 12 touches during the first half - fewer than any other outfield player. By full-time he had 30 touches set against 16 duels contested - very much summing up the terms on which Everton's star striker was forced to approach this match.

England international Calvert-Lewin was on the periphery for long stages and four matches without a goal is his longest dry spell of a campaign where he has 16 for club and country.

Key Opta Facts

- United have reached the EFL Cup semi-finals for the 16th time, second only to Liverpool (17) in the competition's history.
- Everton failed to register a single shot on target in the second half, with Sigurdsson having 57 per cent of their total attempts (four of seven).
- United are the first team to win away at Everton twice in the same season since Chelsea in the 2007-08 campaign.
- This was United's 14th consecutive away win in domestic competition, with the Red Devils last failing to win on the road in non-European competition against Tottenham back in June (1-1).

What's next?

Third plays second in the Premier League when United travel to Leicester City on Boxing Day, with bottom club Sheffield United entertaining Everton on the festive fixture list.

Milan ensured they will end 2020 atop Serie A as Theo Hernandez's stoppage-time goal secured a 3-2 win over Lazio at San Siro on Wednesday.

Stefano Pioli's side wasted little time stamping their authority on the game, racing into a two-goal lead inside 17 minutes courtesy of Ante Rebic's header and Hakan Calhanoglu's penalty.

Luis Alberto and Ciro Immobile – who had a spot-kick saved prior to the Spaniard's goal – restored parity by finding the net either side of the interval, but Hernandez powered home from a corner in the 92nd minute to dramatically seal the three points for the Rossoneri.

The result restored Milan's one-point lead at the Serie A summit after neighbours Inter had temporarily leapfrogged them following a 2-1 win over Hellas Verona earlier in the day.

Milan were rewarded for their bright start after 10 minutes when Rebic lost his marker from Calhanoglu's corner and headed home his first goal of the season from six yards.

Calhanoglu added a second seven minutes later, the Turkey international slotting into Pepe Reina's bottom-left corner from 12 yards after Rebic had been fouled in the area by Patric.

Lazio reduced the deficit in the 27th minute when Luis Alberto headed in after Immobile's penalty had been pushed onto the post by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the spot-kick given for a foul by Pierre Kalulu on Joaquin Correa.

Milan's lead was then wiped out in the 59th minute when Immobile's volley from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's lofted ball into the area squirmed past Donnarumma.

Rebic missed two glorious opportunities in the final five minutes, but it mattered little in the end as Hernandez rose highest to head home Calhanoglu's corner and spark delirium on the Milan bench.  
 

What does it mean? Relentless Milan march on

They were pushed all the way by a tough Lazio outfit, but Milan prevailed to register a 10th win in 14 Serie A games this season and reclaim their place at the summit from Inter.

Another two-goal haul, meanwhile, made them only the second team in the history of the top five European leagues to score more than once in 16 consecutive games in a single calendar year, with Barcelona managing 18 in 1948.

Calhanoglu sparkles for hosts

Calhanoglu was at the heart of everything positive for Milan. The 26-year-old scored his first league goal of the season from the spot and assisted the Rossoneri's other two. In total he created four chances for team-mates and completed the most passes of any home player (45).

Calabria endures a game to forget

Davide Calabria struggled for the hosts, losing possession a game-high 20 times and completing just 63.9 per cent of his passes – the second fewest of any Milan player.

What's next?

Both sides return to action following the mid-season break on January 3, with Milan travelling to Benevento and Lazio visiting Genoa.

Bayelsa Queens coach Moses Aduku says he is targeting the Caf Women's Champions League and winning the Nigeria Women's Premier League this season.

The Restoration ladies clinched a fourth Nigerian crown in 2018 with a 2-0 win over 2017 winners Nasarawa Amazons but could not defend the title, settling for the third-place trophy in 2019.

Before the campaign started, the ex-Nigeria junior international guided Bayelsa to Flying Officer's Cup success in Abuja, where they defeated Nasarawa Amazons 1-0 in the final in November.

Since then, they are yet to look back, securing a 2-1 win at home over Sunshine Queens before a 2-1 victory over Nasarawa Amazons in Lafia to ensure a fine start to the season.

The manager admits he is happy with the recent run of form but added that his side must remain humble when attempting to match the consistency of their rivals.

"Honestly, we made the mistakes of getting distracted last season after winning the Charity Cup," Aduku told Goal.

"This time, we've learned from it and do not want a repeat of such a situation. I've told my players to forget the celebration of victories against Sunshine Queens and Nasarawa Amazons and focus on the task ahead. 

"There is no time for parties until after the final game of the season. Finishing second is not an option for us this season. 

"Everything is prepared but I've told my girls that every game must be approached like a Cup final." 

Despite their back-to-back victories, the Nigeria U20 women's team assistant coach insists his side is still far from their best.

"It was narrow wins in our two matches but we've never really got it right," he enthused.

"I know it's a marathon and an open league and I believe before the middle of the season my team should be in better shape. Nobody expected Robo will pick a win in Lafia or Osun to beat Ibom in Uyo. 

"I want to believe other teams are also prepared and every team can win the league title. Despite getting six points so far, we are going to keep working hard. There are grey areas we need to work on and hope to have a perfect team before the mid-season."

The Yenagoa based outfit will welcome giant-killers FC Robo in a top of the table clash at Samson Siasia Stadium on Thursday morning.

And the gaffer is confident his side can continue the rich vein of winning form against Emmanuel Osahon's team in Yenagoa.

"We've gone past two matches and the next is against Robo," he continued. 

"They are also a very good side and have won their opening two matches. We are not underrating any team. They should expect a quality game in Yenegoa."

The CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores  has reached its quarter-final stage, as the delayed 2020 competition nears its end.

And Wednesday sees the final last-eight clash conclude at La Bombonera with Boca Juniors' clash against Racing Club

Boca start 1-0 down in the second leg and have to win in order to stand a chance of progressing to the last four.

Either the Xeneize or Racing will become the last side to book their place in the round, with Brazilian duo Palmeiras and Santos and Boca's Superclasico rivals River Plate already safely through.

The CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores quarter finals can be watched through Fanatiz  with a 7-day free trial . 

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How to watch Boca vs Racing on US TV

What has happened to Racing and Boca so far in the 2020 Copa Libertadores?

Racing impressed throughout the group stage and were unlucky to only take second place in a pool that also included Uruguay's Nacional, Alianza Lima of Peru and Venezuelans Estudiantes Merida. 

The side coached by Sebastian Beccacece won all but one of their Group F games but were pushed out of top place by virtue of having an inferior goal difference to Nacional, which set up a daunting last-16 match with holders Flamengo. 

But after two 1-1 draws in Avellaneda and Rio de Janeiro La Academia finally prevailed on penalties, causing a major upset against one of the Copa favourites. 

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Boca have made steady if unspectacular progress through the Libertadores, buoyed by five goals from Argentina striker Eduardo Salvio and the ever-inspirational presence of Carlos Tevez.

The Xeneize came out top in Group H without losing a single game and conceding just one goal, and they looked set to continue in the same vein when Tevez's strike gave them a 1-0 victory away to Internacional in the last 16 first leg. 

Inter, however, struck back with their own win in the return, and the game was forced into a tense penalty shoot-out which was eventually won 5-4 by the relieved Argentines.

Then, in December 16's first leg, a tense clash at El Cilindro went in La Academia's favour thanks to Paraguay international Lorenzo Melgarejo, who headed past Esteban Andrada to gives the hosts a 1-0 victory which could prove crucial.

Boca and Racing team news and preview

With the recovery of forward Ramon Abila and a clean bill of health from pre-match Covid testing, Boca have a full squad from which to choose for Wednesday's must-win match.

Franco Soldano marked Sunday's Copa Maradona clash against Independiente with a goal and could be in line to start, possibly replacing Edwin Cardona up front after the Colombian failed to impress in the first leg. Diego Gonzalez and Julio Buffarini are also being considered for the first XI in midfield and defence respectively. 

Racing are likely to repeat the same XI which took down Boca in the first leg, having rested the entire team at the weekend during their 1-1 draw away to Estudiantes. 

Defender Alexis Soto was the only member of the Libertadores starting line-up to gain minutes on Sunday, although Augusto Solari, who came off the bench in the first leg, will be pushing for inclusion after scoring his side's only goal against the La Plata side.

Probable Boca XI:   Andrada; Jara, Izquierdoz, Lisandro Lopez, Fabra; Salvio, Campuzano, Capaldo, Villa; Cardona/Zarate, Tevez.

Probable Racing XI: Arias; Fabricio Domínguez, Sigali, Nery Domínguez, Soto, Mena; Melgarejo, Leonel Miranda, Rojas, Fertoli; Lopez.

When does the 2020 Copa Libertadores finish?

The 2020 Copa Libertadores was originally scheduled to conclude with a single final in a neutral ground, the system which replaced the old format of home and away legs last year, at the end of November. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, the tournament suffered almost six months of interruption, meaning that the final phases had to be pushed back into the South American summer months of late December and January. 

Boca Juniors and Racing Club additionally suffered a further week's delay when the former's last-16 first leg match against Internacional was suspended due to the death of Diego Maradona. 

Last Tuesday Palmeiras became the first side to book their place in the semis, dispatching Libertad 3-0 in Sao Paulo to advance 4-1 on aggregate.

The rest of the quarter-final ties finished in similarly conclusive fashion: Santos inflicted a 4-1 thrashing on Gremio in the last-eight's all-Brazilian clash, before River destroyed Nacional 6-2 away from home to finish 8-2 aggregate winners.

The last four takes place between January 5 and 13 following a short break for the festive period. 

The final proper is scheduled to be held at Rio de Janeiro's landmark Maracana Stadium on January 30.  

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Wilfred Ndidi and Asisat Oshoala were among the winners at the seventh edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards held in Lagos on Tuesday.

Leicester City’s Ndidi, who played a key role in helping his English team securing a place in the Europa League as well as finished as second-best tackler in the 2019-20 English topflight campaign, was named King of the Pitch, while Oshoala – has been impressive for Barcelona Femeni – was named Queen of the Pitch.

In his address, Shina Philips, president of the awards, expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Football Federation and all stakeholders in the country’s football for their backing in giving Nigerians a transparent and credible award. 

In the Defender of the Year category, Watford’s William Troost-Ekong dusted off competition from Leganes’ Kenneth Omeruo and Boavista’s Chidozie Awaziem, while Kaizer Chiefs’ Daniel claimed the Goalkeeper of the Year prize ahead of Paris FC’s Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Rangers’ Joe Aribo and Galatasaray’s Peter Etebo could not stop Ndidi from picking the Midfielder of the Year diadem as Napoli’s Victor Osimhen reigned supreme over Manchester United’s Odion Ighalo and Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze.

Nigeria Football Federation’s first vice president Seyi Akinwunmi won the Sam Okwaraji Award for his commitment to Nigeria Football, and Aiteo Group retained the Corporate Sponsor of Football award. Super Eagles’ head coach Gernot Rohr dusted off challenge from former Super Falcons’ handler Thomas Dennerby and Wikki Tourists boss Usman Abdallah.

Caf Champions League campaigner Enyimba was Team of the Year ahead of Lobi Stars and Nigeria’s senior national team.

In the media category, Goal Nigeria’s Samuel Ahmadu emerged the maiden winner of the Football Journalist of the Year (Online) for the second time in a row. Other winners were Johnny Edwards (Football Journalist of the Year (Print), Austin Okon-Akpan (Football Journalist of the Year TV) and Olawale Adigun (Football Journalist of the Year Radio).
 

WINNERS IN FULL

Goalkeeper of the Year: Daniel Akpeyi 

Defender of the Year: William Troost Ekong

Midfielder of the Year: Wilfred Ndidi 

Striker of the Year: Victor Osimhen

Queen of the Pitch: Asisat Oshoala 

King of the Pitch: Wilfred Ndidi

Team of the Year: Enyimba

Coach of the Year: Gernot Rohr 

Sam Okwaraji Award: Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi

State with best grassroots football development: Lagos

Football Friendly Governor: Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa 

Corporate Sponsor of Football Award: Aiteo Group

Vihiga United Technical Director Nick Yakhama insists his players are not 'insane' to accuse Nairobi City Stars coach Sanjin Alagic of calling them by a racially offensive word.

United coach Sammy Okoth told Goal his Bosnian adversary used the racial slur towards his players after the hosts fell behind in the 1-1 draw, and the visitors duly had to be talked out of boycotting the match after being alerted to Alagic's alleged comments.

The Nairobi-based side defended the accusations, asking for a thorough investigation on the matter.

Now, United have responded with their view on the incident.

"When the ball went out and my players went for it, that is when [Sanjin] called them 'you black monkeys,'" Yakhama told Goal on Wednesday.

"My players cannot be crazy and start accusing you of what you have not done. My players became furious saying 'this guy has just called us black monkeys,' and we had to calm them down.

"Maybe it was just a slip of tongue, but he cannot say he did not abuse my players."

After the game, Nairobi City Stars CEO Patrick Korir allegedly met with Yakhama to discuss the situation.

"I told [Korir] my players are not mad to accuse the coach of something he did not do.

"Even Sanjin himself came and tried to apologise after the game but we told him off. He agreed he used vulgar language but once again denied calling my players black monkeys."

The Western-based side is planning to report the same to the Federation.

On the other hand, Nairobi City Stars want to see the evidence after the racial allegations were made against Alagic.

"The allegations are grave, to say the least, and as a club, we have launched immediate investigations on the same," the club communicated via their official portal.

"The entire top brass of the club – chair Jonathan Jackson, CEO Patrick Korir and team coordinator Samson Otieno watched the game at very close range and we are aware of the coach's lamentation at refereeing decisions which led him to confront the fourth official time and again.

"In fact, they were at all times close enough to see and hear the engagement of the coach. At one point the chair Jonathan walked up to him asking him to lessen his complaints to the referee which he did for the entirety of the second half.

"We also took note of the exchange of words between some of our players and those from Vihiga United at that very moment."

The 2019/20 National Super League champions have now promised to investigate the matter, vowing to take action if the tactician is found guilty.

"To get us to the bottom of the matter, we have asked for the footage of the recorded game and would urge anyone who was close by to share any videos and audios that can provide evidence on the same," the statement continued.

"Should there be any evidence we will take immediate action as our club policy does not condone any form or kind of racism as we believe in respect and dignity to all.

"By the same token, should no clear evidence be provided, as we expect, we will request a formal retraction and strong apology from those that have made these allegations and will pursue all means necessary to ensure that the names and reputations of all involved are not tarnished by the frivolity of a few.

"The matter is serious and we will treat it with the seriousness that it deserves."