Looking for Soccer News?

U.S. women's national team star Tobin Heath scored her first ever Arsenal goal, which was also her first ever Women's Champions League goal, on Thursday in a win over Hoffenheim.

The Gunners lost their first game of the group stages to reigning champions Barcelona last week, humbled by the Catalans in a 4-1 defeat.

However, they were 4-0 victors on home soil against their German opponents, with Heath on the scoresheet for the first time for the club she supports.

A historic night for Heath

The USWNT winger was making just her third start for Arsenal in the game against Hoffenheim and it came almost eight years to the day since she last featured in a starting XI in the UWCL, for Paris Saint-Germain back in 2013.

Against a tricky opponent with plenty of attacking threats, the London side won a penalty midway through the first half as Beth Mead got a toe on the ball just ahead of defender Michaela Specht, which was coolly dispatched by captain Kim Little for her eighth goal of the season.

Arsenal started to grow into the game more from there and some fluid football gave them a two-goal cushion just before the break, as Heath swept home. A terrific cross from left-back Katie McCabe was met perfectly by striker Vivianne Miedema, who headed it right into the path of the Gunners' No.77 to tuck away with her right foot.

It was her first goal for her new club, after she joined last month, and also her first in the European competition, with her playing twice for PSG in the 2013-14 edition of the competition, but not finding the back of the net.

Miedema added a third shortly after half time, pouncing on the rebound of Jordan Nobbs' saved shot, before Leah Williamson headed in a McCabe corner to make it four.

How are Heath and Arsenal doing?

The Gunners have got off to a blistering start to their season, winning all but one of their first 12 games of the season.

They kicked things off with UWCL qualifying, beating Kazakhstan side Okzhetpes and PSV Eindhoven to set up a second round, two-legged tie against Slavia Prague, which they won to reach the group stages.

They're yet to drop a point in the Women's Super League, beating both Chelsea and Manchester City, likely to be their closest rivals for the title. They are in the semi-finals of the Women's FA Cup too, hammering north London rivals Tottenham 5-1 in the competition which has been carried over from last season.

Heath made her debut in the 5-0 battering of Man City and provided an assist in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa earlier this month, teeing up another World Cup winner, Japan international Mana Iwabuchi, to score.

"She's a great player, Tobin," head coach Jonas Eidevall said this week. "I really feel like she's settling in, both in the group and in the way that we want to play."

Further reading

Raheem Sterling has admitted he's "open" to a transfer away from Manchester City while also revealing that he'd "love to play abroad".

Sterling has spent the last six years of his career on City's books, having initially been snapped up from Liverpool for £50 million ($68m) back in the summer of 2015.

The talented winger has helped Pep Guardiola's side win three Premier League titles among a whole host of other domestic trophies, but has gradually fallen down the squad pecking order this year, and is now pondering his future ahead of the January transfer window.

What's been said?

Sterling said during an interview at the Financial Times Business of Sport US summit in New York: "If there was the option to go somewhere else for more game time I would be open to it. As I said football is the most important thing to me. 

"Challenges that I have set myself from a young age and dreams as well. As an English player all I know is the Premier League and I’ve always thought, you know, maybe one day I’d love to play abroad. See how I would come up against that challenge."

Asked how he has dealt with a lack of regular minutes at Etihad Stadium in recent months, the 26-year-old added: "I’m not a person that’s going to complain. I’ve not tried to make it a bigger deal than it actually is. I get on with my work. Do what I need to do. And I’m just raring to go. Playing football matches regularly. Scoring goals regularly. 

"From a young child, football has been the most important thing in my life. When I play football that is where I get my happiness from. And, of course, with family as well but football for me has a special place in my heart.

"With everything that comes with football, money, being able to do nice things … at the end of the day, if football for me is not at a certain standard I’m not really at my happiest. If I want my happiness at a certain level I need to be playing football. I need to be scoring goals and enjoying myself."

Sterling's recent struggles at City

Sterling was once a fixture in Guardiola's starting XI, but has only made his line-up in 16 of City's last 33 matches across all competitions - a sequence that dates back to February.

Indeed, seven of the England international's 10 appearances for the Premier League champions this season have come from the bench, and he has only managed to contribute one goal and one assist.

Who has been linked with Sterling?

Sterling is unlikely to be short on options if he does decide to move on when the transfer window reopens, with the former Liverpool starlet already a proven player on the elite stage at both club and international level.

Spanish giants Barcelona have been credited with an interest in Sterling recently, but will reportedly only be able to afford a loan deal due to their current financial problems, and Real Madrid has also been touted as a possible next destination for the City attacker.

Sterling could also be given another opportunity in the Premier League amid links with Arsenal and Newcastle - the latter of whom have just been given a major cash injection following a £300m ($410m) Saudi-backed takeover.

Further reading

Leicester City midfielder Boubakary Soumare is looking forward to a difficult game against Manchester United in Saturday’s Premier League outing.

Brendan Rodgers’ men welcome the Red Devils to King Power Stadium as they hope to end their three-game winless run in all competitions in the 2021-22 campaign.

Expected to play a role against the reigning English kings, the former France youth international of Senegalese background also discussed that the prospect of taking on the Old Trafford giants excites him.

"I think it will be a tough encounter, but a big game where two big teams in the Premier League go head to head," Soumare told the club website.

 "We need to keep our focus and give our all, as results haven’t gone our way recently, so we will give everything we have to make our club and fans happy and proud.

"Whether it’s playing against the bigger teams or those lower down in the league, every game is tough. The Premier League is the biggest league in the world and each match is a challenge, which is what appealed to me."

"It’s true that it’s a good opportunity to get back on track after some disappointing results recently, but we don’t want it to become an obsession," he continued.

"We don’t want to be thinking that ‘we need to do whatever it takes to win’ during the game.

"We need to keep our heads, respect the advice of the manager and tacticians, and stick to our game plan. If we do that, we should get a result."

After helping Lille win the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title, Soumare moved to the King Power Stadium giants in July 2021 for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract.

He made his bow for the club as a substitute as Rodgers’ team secured a 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield on 7 August 2021.

As things stand, Leicester occupy 13th spot on the log having accrued eight points from seven matches.

For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team, they sit in fourth position thanks to 14 points garnered from the same number of outings.

John Shaibu claims Bayelsa United can defeat CS Sfaxien to boost their chances of qualifying for the play-off round of the Caf Confederation Cup.

The Nigeria National League side secured a 4-2 win over Guinea’s AS Ashanti Golden Boys in the first round to set up a date with the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 giants.

Depreye Tebowe’s men host the first leg at the Yenagoa Township Stadium before heading to the Stade Taieb Mhiri Sfax for the reverse fixture.

Notwithstanding the Juventus of the Arabs’ intimidating achievements in Africa – that saw them lift the Confederation Cup on three occasions – the former Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors goalkeeper is bullish about his team’s chances.

“We are in the right frame of mind going into Sunday’s game against CS Sfaxien and with God on our side, we will get the job done,” Shaibu told Goal.

“At this stage, we are not bothered by whoever we face because our confidence level increased massively after we scaled Ashanti Golden Boys’ hurdles.

“We know the quality in the Tunisians squad, but we are unmoved. It’s a game of eleven players against eleven and trust me, we will play as if our lives depend on it towards making the second leg a mere formality.

“It is okay for us to be called underdogs but I hope you recall that Sheriff stunned Real Madrid in the Uefa Champions League. We are drawing inspiration from that and we hope to send them home empty-handed.

“They don’t know us but we know them so well, so the pressure is on them and that is a very big advantage for us.

“Nigerians should keep supporting us and never stop praying for us as we want to make everyone proud.”

Bayelsa United won the 2021 Aiteo Cup after defeating NPFL side Nasarawa United via a penalty shoot-out following a 2-2 draw after extra-time.

Aside from becoming the first team from Nigeria’s second division to lift the prestigious cup since Dolphins FC's feat 20 years ago, the Yenagoa-based outfit picked a ticket to represent the West African nation alongside two-time African kings Enyimba.

Inter Miami boss Phil Neville has admitted he was wrong to accuse MLS referees of cheating and promised that his outburst "was a one-off".

Neville watched his side slip to a fifth successive loss away to the New York Red Bulls last weekend, with a Patryk Klimala effort proving to be the difference between the two sides.

Inter Miami also saw a Gonzalo Higuain chalked off after a VAR review, and their head coach launched an angry rant against the match officials after the game, which earned him a fine from MLS and drew criticism from the Professional Soccer Referees Association.

What did Neville say?

Neville told reporters after the 1-0 loss to New York: "We got cheated in Portland and we’ve been cheated again.

"I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but something is fundamentally wrong with the way referees treat Inter Miami.

"We’re playing in one of the best leagues in the world, and I’m having a great experience, but I’ve got a dressing room that’s asking real, real questions about the integrity of this league in terms of the decisions we keep getting."

Neville takes back his comments

The English manager, who played for Manchester United, Everton and England over the course of his playing career, has now expressed regret over his comments while revealing constructive discussions with the relevant governing bodies in the American game over how best to move forward.

“After the game I said the things that I said in the emotions of losing a really important game and in terms of feelings of the last two or three games, feeling a bit hard done by a couple of decisions that didn’t go our way,” Neville said at a press conference.

“I used the wrong terminology to describe how I felt. I used the wrong word — cheat — which should never be used towards officials or in games of football.

"I had really good dialogue with both MLS and the PRO referees [organization] in terms of the decisions, my behaviour, the word used, and the respect that is needed from both sides, and obviously my assurance that this was just a one-off.”

What's next?

Neville was speaking ahead of Inter Miami's next MLS Eastern Conference outing against the Colombus Crew on Saturday.

The David Beckham-owned franchise must win to keep their faint hopes of securing a playoff spot alive, with eight points currently separating them and seventh-placed Montreal Impact.

Further reading

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta disclosed that the club will find the ‘right replacements’ for the players who will not be available because of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. 

Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ghana’s Thomas Partey, Egypt’s Mohamed Elneny and Ivory Coast’s Nicolas Pepe are the players the Gunners might release for the continental showpiece that will be held between January and February 2022. 

Gabon and Ghana are pitched in Group C with Morocco and Comoros while Egypt have Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau to battle in Group D.

Ivory Coast are in Group E with Algeria, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea.

When asked about the potential absences of the players during a press conference on Thursday, Arteta said: “Let’s see where we are at that point, which players we have available and which players definitely have to be there and for how long, because there are some question marks there as well. 

"We will find a solution. If they have to leave, they have to leave. We’ll have to find the right replacements for them."

Arsenal will resume Premier League action on Monday with a fixture against Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace but Arteta is unsure of Partey’s chances of featuring in the match. 

The 28-year-old scored a goal in each of Ghana’s last two outings against Zimbabwe in their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers. 

“Well, let's see,” Arteta replied when quizzed about Partey’s availability for the game. “We haven't had the players here yet. Some of them because they're still travelling and they've not been assessed by the medical staff, but hopefully. 

“He finished both games really well. He played well and scored a couple of goals like many other players did in this international break, and hopefully, everybody is in the right condition on Monday to help us win the game.” 

Paul Scholes has insisted that Manchester United should stick with under-fire boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer until at least the end of the season.

Solskjaer has just begun his third full season in the Old Trafford hot-seat, having initially been drafted in to replace Jose Mourinho back in December 2018.

The Norwegian has not yet delivered any major silverware, and questions are being asked over his tactical approach after United's mediocre start to the 2021-22 campaign, but Scholes thinks he deserves more time after assembling an exciting squad.

What's been said?

The likes of Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Edinson Cavani, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho have all been brought in during Solskjaer's reign, and he was even able to arrange the return of Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus on deadline day in September.

Scholes, who won 11 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues at United between 1993 and 2003, feels his ex-team-mate has earned the right to try and gel those star names together, as he told Sky Sports' live fan debate The Overlap: "I think he deserves a chance.

"If you think about the last three or four years about where United had been, it has been shocking, hasn't it? It had not been great to watch before he came.

"It has took him two or three years to build a squad where we think the pieces are there to the puzzle, it's just getting them in that right organisation.

"There was a lot of excitement at the start of the season after four or five games; they beat Newcastle (4-1) and beat Leeds (5-1) and the last two games [Villa and Everton] have been disappointing.

"But I think he deserves a chance. He has built a squad where he should be given a year, at least this season, to show that he can manage that and win trophies."

Scholes on Ronaldo being benched

Scholes also addressed Solskjaer's decision to bench Ronaldo for the Red Devils' home fixture against Everton just before the international break, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Portuguese superstar had scored five goals in his first five games after re-signing with the Manchester outfit, and another club legend feels Solskjaer should always start with his strongest starting XI going forward.

"If you go back to the Europa League final against Villarreal, he could not make a sub," said Scholes. "He couldn't make a sub because his bench and his squad just wasn't good enough," Scholes continued. "Now he could probably make four or five changes.

"The one thing I would say about the last two games, especially the Everton one, I don't think Man United are in a position to rest players. They are nowhere near good enough to rest players. They have to play their best team right from the off."

United are due back in Premier League action against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Further reading

Liverpool expressed an interest in signing Raphinha during the summer transfer window, the Leeds United winger's agent Deco has confirmed.

Raphinha completed a £17 million ($23m) move to Leeds from Rennes in October 2020, and quickly proved to be a bargain buy as he nailed down a regular spot in Marcelo Bielsa's starting XI.

The Brazilian's stellar performances helped the Whites secure a ninth-place Premier League finish in their first season back in the top-flight, with the winger attracting attention from a number of top clubs in the process.

What's been said?

Raphinha is represented by former Barcelona and Chelsea star Deco, who has now revealed that Liverpool were among those to make an approach for the Leeds talisman in the summer.

"Raphinha has become an important player in the Premier League, the club knows he has grown and things will happen naturally," Deco has told Globo Esporte.

"He's young, he has many challenges ahead, there are certainly several clubs that like him, and Liverpool do like him, there were approaches, but nothing official. 

"Leeds wanted to keep him for another season."

Could Raphinha leave Leeds in 2022?

Raphinha is contracted to remain at Elland Road until 2024, but it has been suggested that he could move on to pastures new next year if he continues on his current trajectory.

Deco admits that the Brazil international is on course to outgrow Leeds, and says that they will be open to selling a prized asset if they receive a lucrative offer at some point in the near future.

"Raphinha is happy at Leeds and for sure the time will come to take the biggest leap in her career, to take a step forward," Raphinha's agent added. "He has three more years of contract, but it is not the contract that defines the length of stay or prevents transfer. 

"Leeds is aware, they will want to make an important sale, and Raphinha will end up growing in his career."

How has Raphinha performed so far this season?

Raphinha has appeared in all seven of Leeds' Premier League games at the start of the 2021-22 campaign, scoring three goals.

He has also earned a place in Brazil's national team set-up, and recorded two assists during their 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Venezuela last week.

Further reading

Argentina hosts Peru on Thursday as World Cup qualifying continues in CONMEBOL.

Watch Argentina vs Peru on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

Peru has not beaten Argentina since 1997 so it would be a massive shock if it could take all three points in Buenos Aires, especially as Argentina has not lost a game so far in qualifying.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), this year's CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying soccer games can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Team news and rosters

Lionel Messi became the first South American player to score 80 international goals this week and will be looking to add to his tally against Peru.

Lautaro Martinez is likely to partner him in attack, but Marcos Acuna and Joaquin Correa are likely to miss out for Argentina due to injury.

Predicted Argentina starting XI: E Martinez; Montiel, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Di Maria, Paredes, De Paul, Gonzalez; Messi, Lautaro.

Peru suffered a disappointing defeat to Bolivia in its last game, losing pace on the teams in qualifying contention.

It now sits five points behind an automatic spot in Qatar and four points behind the inter-confederation play-offs.

Miguel Trauco is back in contention after serving his suspension, while Jefferson Farfan is set to win his 100th international cap.

Predicted Peru starting XI: Gallese; Advincula, Abram, Callens, Lopez; Yotun, Aquino, Gonzales; Farfan, Lapadula, Cueva.

Recent results and head-to-head

Last five results

Head-to-head

Standing out matters in football and first impressions count. It is hardly surprising then that some footballers have a keen awareness of their image.

Jack Grealish is a player who stands out, not only because of his considerable ability, but also how he looks when he graces the pitch.

With socks hung impossibly low around his calf muscles and a trademark hairstyle, the England star cuts an unmistakeable figure. Goal takes a look at Grealish's hair cut, what you should ask for and how to style it.

What is the Jack Grealish hair cut?

The hair cut Grealish has sported for much of his career is known as an undercut. 

In an undercut, the back and sides are shaved very short, with the hair at the top left considerably longer. At the back, the hair is blended in to the top, with the top then slicked back to complete the look.

If the top hair is not slicked back, it can also hang around the face and sides to form curtains, which was a popular style sported by David Beckham during the 1990s.

As well as Grealish, fans of the television shows Peaky Blinders or Boardwalk Empire may associate the look with the characters Arthur Shelby or Jimmy Darmody.

How to ask your barber for a Jack Grealish hair cut

Ask your barber to give you an undercut using a grade one clipper length, leaving approximately five to six inches on top.

If you are keen to avoid confusion, it is also advisable to bring a photo of the type of hair cut you want so the barber knows exactly what to do.

You will, of course, need to have some length on your hair in order to get a hair cut that truly resembles Grealish. If your hair is short, you will have to let it grow out a little first.

After you have had your undercut in the style of Grealish, it is generally a good idea to get your hair cut every two to three weeks in order to maintain the look.

How does Jack Grealish style his hair?

After you have had your hair cut like Grealish, you will have to style it accordingly too. You'll need a few accessories, including a hairdryer and a hairbrush, as well as some products.

Grealish himself explained what he does with his hair during a 2021 interview with 'The Lions' Den'.

"A little bit of shampoo and conditioner, have it in for a couple of minutes - get the shower gel on and at the end wash it out," said the England international. "When I get out of the shower I dry it, then I put Moroccan oil in it, whack the hairdryer out, get the hairbrush and in front of the mirror, do my trim.

"When my hair is dry I put hair bond in it, like a wax, to style it, then a bit of hairspray at the end to hold it. So three things: I use Moroccan oil, hair bond wax and the hairspray."

@joshdenzel

Have you ever wondered how @jackgrealish gets his hair perfect for every game … ##jackgrealish ##football ##england ##euro2020 ##foryou ##foryoupage

If you don't have time to style the hair to perfection, another option is to wear a headband or an 'Alice band' in order to keep it in place.

Grealish regularly dons the 'Alice band' while playing as it helps to keep his hair out of his face and it is something that Beckham also did during his playing days.

Alternatively, if your hair is a bit too unruly, you could slip on a hat! 

More football lifestyle news

Former Manchester City star Dietmar Hamann says Pep Guardiola has to shoulder a large portion of blame for the club’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.

Man City, who have invested heavily in pursuit of an elusive European crown, came within touching distance in 2020-21 only to suffer a 1-0 defeat to domestic rivals in Porto.

Kai Havertz got the only goal of the game, but Hamann says it was “madness” for City to line up without a specialist player in the holding midfield role.

What has been said?

Hamann told Goal and SPOX: "In the final, Thomas Tuchel benefited from the madness that Pep Guardiola produced without playing a defensive midfielder, but in the league they were 25 points behind City last season and they recently gave them a lesson."

Who lined up for Man City?

Guardiola has at least two defensive midfielders on his books at Etihad Stadium, but Fernandinho and Rodri were both named on the bench against Chelsea.

Ilkay Gundogan was charged with controlling proceedings in the middle of the park, with Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva alongside him.

That tactical approach did not pay off, but Guardiola has not made too many mistakes over the course of his coaching career.

He gained some revenge during the trip to Stamford Bridge on September 25, with a Gabriel Jesus effort enough to land City three Premier League points in west London.

Can Man City defend their Premier League title?

While Guardiola’s men missed out on Champions League glory last season, they did recapture the Premier League title. They are among the favourites to defend that crown in 2021-22, but Liverpool appear to be back in the mix after an injury-ravaged campaign last time out.

City and the Reds played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield prior to the international break, and Hamann expects one of his former clubs to emerge victorious come May.

The ex-Germany international said: “You saw at 2-2 in the last match that Liverpool and Man City are the best teams in England. So I would be surprised if one of the two teams doesn't become champions. My heart beats for Liverpool, because that's where I've spent the longest and most successful time in England.”

Further reading

Manchester City forward Ferran Torres is facing up to six weeks out with a fractured foot, sources close to the player have told Goal.

The Spain international is understood to have picked up the injury in the UEFA Nations League semi-final victory over Italy, although he went on to play in the final against France.

Torres could be ruled out of the crucial Champions League matches home and away to Club Brugge as well as the Manchester derby at Old Trafford against United.

Striker shortage

With City failing to sign a striker in the summer following the departure of Sergio Aguero, Torres has been playing as a centre forward under Pep Guardiola.

Signed as a winger from Valencia in 2020, the 21-year-old has scored three times in his seven appearances for the club this season after 13 goals in his debut campaign.

Academy striker Liam Delap will also be unavailable for Saturday’s clash with Burnley as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury.

What options does Guardiola have?

Brazilian international Gabriel Jesus has become more effective as a winger, although Guardiola has said he remains an option as a striker.

However, he is a doubt for the Burnley match which kicks off less than 36 hours after Brazil play Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier in Manaus.

Raheem Sterling is an option to play through the middle, while Phil Foden and Jack Grealish played as false nines in recent games against title rivals Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.

When will Torres be back?

Torres is back in Manchester and a scan has revealed a small fracture in his right foot. He is not expected to return until mid-November at the earliest and is also likely to miss Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Sweden.

Further reading

Andre-Frank Anguissa will be a "strong point" in the Napoli squad if he continues with his fine start in Italy, according to former Torino and Inter Milan striker Franco Selvaggi.

After extending his contract with Fulham until 2024, the Cameroon international midfielder was shipped to the Serie A outfit on loan for the 2021-22 campaign.

So far this season, he has played in seven games in all competitions for Luciano Spalletti’s men.

Ahead of Sunday’s Italian elite division showdown with the Maroons, the former Italy international waxed lyrical about the 25-year-old’s qualities, while stating what the future holds for him in Naples.

“He is a player who has proven to be up to the task and combines very well with Fabian Ruiz,” Selvaggi said on Kiss Kiss Napoli as reported by Tuttonapoli.net.

“He is physically strong and also pairs this with good technical skills. If it continues like this it will be a strong point of Napoli."

Selvaggi also talked about Victor Osimhen who is expected to trouble Torino’s backline, his impressive season after a shaky 2020-21 campaign and how he can combine well with Dries Mertens.

“I believe that Torino will not distort its tactical set-up [because of Osimhen]. [Ivan] Juric doesn't press high throughout the game, but he certainly won't be a submissive Taurus like last year. Juric makes a participatory game without doing many tactics,” he continued.

“Last year with all the physical problems he had he didn't make a great championship, this year I saw another player with infinite potential.

“It is up to him to keep the expectations, now comes the difficulty, but for the technical and physical qualities, he can do very well.

“With Osimhen, I think [Mertens] has to play in a position further back. It is one thing to play centre-forward and another is to play from half-back or on the outside.

“Surely it will be used, but I believe that Napoli at this time is not being retouched. However, he will also be very useful this year.”

Napoli lead the Italian elite division log having accrued 21 points from seven matches played so far.

Former Kenya international Simon Mulama has stated the fans are right to demand better Harambee Stars performances as settling for mediocrity is not an option.

After draws against Uganda and Rwanda and two losses against Mali, Kenya were unable to progress with the journey of looking for a 2022 World Cup ticket and Mulama feels the resultant pressure on Harambee Stars from fans is necessary.

"We are not going to settle for mediocrity that when we fail, we just console ourselves that 'in fact, we always do not win and we will not qualify'. That should not be the case," Mulama told Madgoat TV.

"I do not think the fans are demanding too much of Harambee Stars. The nature of football, and sports generally is that it is the pressure that makes you perform well, and so the fans are very right.

"In the past, we were not winning because we did not have professional footballers, but now we have them and we have been bringing in good coaches.

"In the past, we had men like [James] Siang'a, Twahir [Muhiddin], and [Jacob] 'Ghost' Mulee as coaches, but now we have pro-licensed coaches from the Uefa regions who have managed in big leagues which means they are better coaches. 

"The pitches are good, the structures are good and so we will demand better results. In the past, we could have said we were asking too much of Harambee Stars, and so, I feel the fans are right to demand the players to give way better results than they are giving.

"It is not all about running on the pitch alone. The fans are enlightened now and will know if you are giving good and right passes. 

"They must continue to demand better so that the performance becomes better and this is all about the pride of the country. If we do not demand from our players, when are we going to play in the World Cup? 

"Tanzania and Uganda have shown they are ready to fight and qualify. Remember, Uganda played with 10 men against Mali [during a Group E matchday two action] and they tied, so that means everyone is going to overtake us soon, despite the fact that we were better before.

"We will not accept it."

The double loss against Mali has continued to generate heat, especially after the Football Kenya Federation president, Nick Mwendwa, claimed the country needs talent and quality players to compete at the top level.