Looking for Soccer News?

Orlando Pirates co-interim coach Fadlu Davids has revealed their plans for prolific striker Tshegofatso Mabasa.

The 24-year-old hitman came off the bench to score a late winning goal for the Buccaneers as they claimed a 1-0 win over their Soweto rivals, Swallows FC in a PSL encounter on Saturday.

It was Mabasa's second appearance of the current season for the left-footed marksman, who has proved to be injury-prone since he joined the Soweto giants from Bloemfontein Celtic in July 2019.

Davids, who is a retired striker, explained that they are building Mabasa up around his individual periodisation plan having missed pre-season due to injury.

"He was cleared at the time of our first match against Swallows [in the MTN8 quarter-final match on August 14]," Davids told the media.

"So he is still going through the process of his own pre-season, so to say. We're building him up around his individual periodisation plan, but so far he's doing well."

Mabasa struggled with injuries last season and he was mainly used as a substitute - scoring five times from two starts in the league for the Houghton-based side.

Davids pointed out that the Botshabelo-born frontman is different from other forwards in Pirates' striking department with the player having netted 13 goals from 10 starts in the league since joining Bucs

"We know he can't yet complete a full 90 minutes in terms of the intensity that we want. But it's a step-by-step process for him," he continued. 

"Yes, he always has a goal in him and he's a different type of striker from what we have. He's also always in the right place at the right time."

Mabasa's last start for the Buccaneers in a league game was against Black Leopards in May this year and he grabbed a brace as Bucs claimed a 3-0 win at Orlando Stadium.

Pirates will be hoping that Mabasa finds the back of the net again when they take on a wounded Chippa United side at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

The Chilli Boys succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to a struggling Royal AM side in a PSL match over the weekend and they will be desperate to secure their first win over Pirates since 2016.

PSG, with Lionel Messi and Neymar back at their disposal, are set to open their Champions League group stage campaign for 2021-22 on Wednesday away at Club Brugge, with French superstar Kylian Mbappe already breaking the net in the absence of the South American duo.

It will without doubt be an uphill task for the Belgian side against the French giants, though they enter the tie on the back of a 3-0 win over Oostende in the Belgian Pro League.

Here's how to watch Club Brugge vs Paris Saint-Germain in the 2021-22 Champions League from India.

Contents

What time does Club Brugge vs Paris Saint-Germain start?

Return to top

How to watch Club Brugge vs PSG on TV & live stream in India

The Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) has the rights to show UEFA Champions League matches in India.

Matches will also be available to stream via SonyLIV app and website, besides JioTV mobile app, allowing supporters to watch multiple games simultaneously and catch the replay of matches.

Return to top

Club Brugge vs Paris Saint-Germain: Team news & key stats

Philippe Clement will hope to field his strongest XI but may have to do without the injured Colombian winger Jose Izquierdo.

Most notably, both Messi and Neymar are fit and available for PSG and it could be the first time for MNM in action.

Key Stats:

Return to top

Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy is the second goalkeeper to earn 10 Uefa Champions League clean sheet in fewer appearances.

The Senegal international put up an incredible performance on Tuesday night as the Blues recorded a 1-0 win over FC Zenit Saint Petersburg at Stamford Bridge.

With the game looking destined for a goalless draw, Belgium international Romelu Lukaku scored the decisive goal in the 69th minute thanks to an assist from Cesar Azpilicueta.

Mendy - ably protected by Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Ruediger - rose to the handful of testing opportunities created by the Blue-White-Sky Blues.

Having prevented the Russian Premier League side from finding the net in England, the African star earned his 10th shutout in his 13th appearance.

Only Costa Rica international Keylor Navas has attained that mark in fewer games (11) during his spell at Spanish elite division side Real Madrid.

The 29-year-old custodian was lured from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in a £22m ($31m) deal as the six-time English top-flight kings sought to find stability between the sticks as costly blunders had crept into Kepa Arrizabalaga’s game.

Appreciatively, he has since proven to be one of their bargain signings, helping the Londoners win the Champions League and the Uefa Super Cup.

In a recent chat with Goal, former Nigeria international Dele Olorundare claimed that Chelsea’s Premier League title ambitions rest largely on the shoulders of Mendy and not Romelu Lukaku.

“Even when Chelsea’s backline looks shaky, Mendy showed class to put the chestnut out of the fire. He was the reason Arsenal did not get a goal despite numerous attempts,” said Olorundare.

“Personally, I think he is the key man to their ambition of emerging as Premier League and not Lukaku like many are already saying.

“Without the Belgian, I still believe the Blues have a way of getting the goals, but in the goalkeeping area. Even Kepa [Arrizabalaga] cannot do the brilliant job Mendy is doing at the moment.

“Also, I feel that he [Mendy] is not getting the accolades he deserves. He is pure class and Chelsea are very lucky to have him in their squad.”

Mendy is expected to be in goal when Thomas Tuchel’s men face Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday’s Premier League outing.

Paulo Dybala revealed that he is expecting to resume negotiations with Juventus over a new contract after leading the Italian giants to a comfortable Champions League win on Tuesday. 

The Argentine netted from the penalty spot during a 3-0 victory over Malmo, with Alex Sandro and Alvaro Morata joining him on the score-sheet. 

It was a welcome return to form the Juve, who have struggled to impress so far in Serie A following the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo. 

What was said? 

“I think there will be a new meeting this week. The directors have changed, so we’ve started from the beginning,” Dybala explained to Sky Sports after the final whistle. 

“We hope to reach a happy conclusion, I hope there will be good news soon.”

The forward added to Sport Mediaset: “I always try to give my all. The parties are talking, we are all on the same page and hope to reach a happy conclusion." 

The bigger picture 

Dybala's current deal expires at the end of the current term, and reports in Italy suggest that he is aiming for a significant wage rise in order to sign an extension after more than six years in Turin. 

Also speaking after the game, club director Pavel Nedved insisted that the Argentine was crucial to Juve's plans. 

“We have put Dybala at the centre of our project," he said. "We are counting on the player and will try to get the contract signed as soon as possible." 

Tuesday's win, meanwhile, came as welcome relief to the Old Lady after a tough start to the 2021-22 season. 

The club sits in the relegation zone in Serie A after three games, having picked up a solitary point so far. 

Further reading 

Gerard Pique said he was "hurt" to hear the jeers directed at Barcelona team-mate Sergi Roberto on Tuesday in a 3-0 Champions League group stage defeat to Bayern Munich.

Fans at Camp Nou grew impatient with Sergi Roberto as he struggled in his wing-back role and whistled at him when he was substituted off in the 59th minute.

In his defence of his compatriot, Pique noted that the Spaniard was playing outside of his more natural role as a midfielder.

What has been said?

"It hurts me a lot personally because I know this person, he’s a spectacular human being and he loves this club more than anybody," Pique told Movistar. 

"I’d like to remind people also that he’s not a full-back… he’s a central player, a midfielder. He’s made a sacrifice to play this position and he’s done it phenomenally many times.

"It hurts a lot but the people are free to voice their opinions but if you ask me personally, it hurts a lot."

Dreadful stats from Barca

The loss meant Barcelona have fallen in three straight home games in Europe for the first time in their history. They've been out-scored 10-1 in those matches.

Additionally, the team failed to put a shot on target for the first time in a Champions League affair since at least 2003-04.

The bigger picture

Even at home, a lopsided defeat was not entirely unexpected considering the exodus of key players over the summer amid financial crisis. Still, the first Champions League match of the post-Lionel Messi era offered a stark look at how much the typically dominant club has crumbled.

The Blaugrana will need to refocus quickly in order to avoid a group-stage exit, with fellow Group E participants Benfica and Dynamo Kiev no strangers to this competition.

Further reading

Thomas Tuchel was full of praise for summer signing Romelu Lukaku after the Chelsea forward scored the only goal in the Blues' 1-0 win over Zenit on Tuesday.

Lukaku sealed all three points at Stamford Bridge with a 69th-minute goal, helping last season's Champions League winners start their new campaign with a victory.

The Belgian forward joined Chelsea this summer from Inter, and, after leading the Blues with yet another goal, Lukaku was praised by Tuchel for doing exactly what he was brought to London to do.

What was said?

"It was an excellent header [from Lukaku for the goal], a well-timed cross by [Cesar] Azpilicueta, Tuchel told BBC Sport. "He was brave enough to step up and we had bodies in the box.

"That's why he [Lukaku] is here. He likes to score and he's decisive for us."

Added Lukaku on his goal in an interview with BT Sport: "Me and Cesar agree on certain types of movements on the pitch. I had to get my timing right but it was a beautiful ball by him.

"We knew it would be a tough game but we controlled it really well."

'One game at a time'

Lukaku is already off to a strong start to his second stint at Chelsea, having scored four goals in as many games since making the switch from Inter.

The addition of Lukaku has only made Chelsea more dangerous after the Blues won the Champions League last season.

And, when asked about his part in helping Chelsea to a potential repeat, Lukaku said he isn't looking that far ahead.

"I'm really happy with the win," he added. "Today was a better performance than the weekend [a 3-0 win over Aston Villa]. We have to keep growing."

He continued: "One game at a time. Today is the first game [in the Champions League]. Now we have a difficult game at the weekend against Tottenham."

Further reading

Arnaut Danjuma scored his first Champions League goal for Villarreal in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Atalanta at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

With scores tied 1-1 versus the Italian topflight outfit, the Nigeria prospect who joined the Yellow Submarine from English Championship side Bournemouth was introduced for Senegal international Boulaye Dia in the 61st minute.

Twelve minutes later, he justified his inclusion by putting Unai Emery’s men ahead after pouncing upon Gerard Moreno’s through ball to fire past goalkeeper Juan Musso in an emphatic fashion.

That wouldn’t be enough for the hosts to secure victory, though, as Atalanta were eventually pegged back on a goal from Robin Gosens in the 83rd minute that ensured the fixtured ended on a no winner, no vanquished note.

The goal is Danjuma’s second in the tournament after scoring for Club Brugge in a 3-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid in October 2018.

More to follow...

Youssef En-Nesyri became the sixth Moroccan to be sent off in a Champions League encounter following his dismissal in Sevilla’s 1-1 draw with RB Salzburg on Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old was sent off for a second caution by referee Aleksei Kulbakov in the 50th minute of the keenly contested encounter in Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

En-Nesyri was first booked in the 26th minute, however, he was shown the way out with the scores tied at 1-1.

Medhi Benatia was the last player from the North African country to be red-carded during his spell at Bayern Munich against Manchester City in November 2014.

Salzburg got the first chance to take the lead in the 13th minute after Germany international of Nigerian origin Karim Adeyemi was fouled by Diego Carlos in the box.

The youngster dusted himself off to take the ensuing kick, but fired his kick wide of the target.

Eight minutes later, the visitors were awarded another kick from the penalty spot after Jesus Navas pushed Adeyemi in the box. This time, Luka Sucic made no mistake as he smashed the ball past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

In the 37th minute, Kulbakov awarded Salzburg another penalty. Sucic stepped up to take it, but his effort came crashing back of the goal post.

Three minutes prior to the end of the first half, Sevilla had their own penalty shout with Ivan Rakitic steeping up to convert for the hosts.

In the second half, Julen Lopetegui’s men stepped up their game and dominated ball possession. However, their ambition to secure a comeback win suffered a massive blow following the dismissal of the Moroccan import who was punished in a desperate attempt to win the fifth penalty of the day.

With no goals scored in the remaining minutes left, both teams pick up a point each.

Sevilla travel to the Volkswagen Arena for their next Champions League outing against Wolfsburg on September 29.

On the same day, Austrian Bundesliga kings Salzburg welcome reigning Ligue 1 kings Lille to the Stadion Wals-Siezenheim.

Before then, they will square up against Rapid Vienna and Wolfsberger AC in league fixtures.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explained his decision to take Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo out of Tuesday's game with Young Boys after Manchester United fell to a shocking 2-1 defeat.

With Man Utd up a goal and down a man, Solskjaer took off two Portuguese stars in the 72nd minute, replacing them with Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard.

Lingard then accidentally teed up Jordan Pefok for the winner in the game's final moments, prompting Solskjaer to explain the decision to take off the two stars.

What did Solskjaer say?

"The game had gone 70-odd minutes," Solskjaer said. "They've both been running a lot Saturday and today.

"The astroturf takes its toll. We wanted Nemanja's experience and Jesse's legs."

Maguire backs Lingard

Lingard's misplaced back-pass in the 95th minute ultimately led to Man Utd's demise, with Pefok pouncing to seal a massive home victory for the Swiss side.

Having already been reduced to 10 men due to Aaron Wan-Bissaka's dismissal, Man Utd were unable to see out the game due to Lingard's mishap.

But Maguire says no one is blaming Lingard as he called on Man Utd to be more disciplined in the five remaining group-stage games.

"Of course, discipline is a huge part of tournament football," he said. "If this was a knockout game and we go out of the competition because we go down to 10 men, everyone would be kicking ourselves.

"We're fortunate it is the first game of the group and have loads of time to bounce back from it. Discipline is a huge part of football.

"With Jesse, no footballer likes making mistakes but it's obviously part and parcel of the game. We're humans, every footballer makes mistakes, we'll learn from it, he'll learn from it.

"He'll pick himself up and be ready to go on Sunday, that's part and parcel of football. But of course, discipline is a big part."

Further reading

Even with Cristiano Ronaldo in fine form, Manchester United's lack of firepower was badly exposed on Tuesday as they went down to a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Young Boys. 

It looked set to be a fine Champions League afternoon for the Red Devils when their new signing pushed them ahead after just 13 minutes. 

But their Swiss hosts were barely troubled after that rocky start and recovered to record a memorable win in the group stage opener.

Far from goal

Young Boys goalkeeper David von Ballmoos must have feared the worst after Ronaldo's early strike, marking his return to Champions League action with United in style after more than 12 years. 

But the shot-stopper instead enjoyed a relatively peaceful afternoon as United were frustrated in Bern. 

That Ronaldo goal and a second effort on target 10 minutes later were the only shots of any type that the visitors mustered in the entire game.

The Reds were forced to regroup following Aaron Wan-Bissaka's red card while still in the first half, eventually pulling off Jadon Sancho, Ronaldo, Donny van de Beek and Bruno Fernandes in their attempt to sacrifice strike-power for stability at the back, and they paid dearly as Nicolas Ngamaleu and Jordan Siebatcheu netted to turn the game on its head.

Never before in the Champions League had United managed so few shots in a match, and it contributed to another forgettable match for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

More European struggles

Solskjaer helped United to second last season in the Premier League behind Manchester City, but he has often found continental competition a more difficult prospect. 

Tuesday's defeat to Young Boys was his seventh in 11 Champions League matches at the United helm, having lost three of their group stage matches last time round to finish third and settle for a place in the Europa League knock-out phase. 

The manager and the Reds will hope for better fortunes in their next outing in the competition on September 29, when they welcome Villarreal - who downed Solskjaer's charges in the Europa League final last term - to Old Trafford. 

Further reading 

The Champions League has returned for the 2021-22 edition, and Europe's elite will battle it out to be crowned continental champions.

From the likes of Paris Saint-Germain to Barcelona and Real Madrid, Goal has everything you need to know about this year's favourites, underdogs and outsiders to win the competition.

Who are the favourites to win the Champions League?

Paris Saint-Germain are 10/3 via bet365 to lift their first ever Champions League title this year. The continental European trophy has been a coveted honour for the Ligue 1 giants for quite some time now, appearing in the 2019-20 final but ultimately losing to Bayern. Blockbuster summer signing Lionel Messi certainly has experience winning the Champions League, and a sensational strikeforce of himself, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe will be one that is sure to be reckoned with.

Manchester City's odds to win the Champions League are at 7/2 following their first-ever appearance in the final under Pep Guardiola last season. The Citizens will be ready and raring to go following their final loss to Premier League rivals Chelsea, while also contending with their defense of the Premier League title. Man City now have the added striking prowess of Jack Grealish at their disposal, and their quest to finally clinch a Champions League title could be in sight.

Both Bayern and Chelsea, champions of the last two competitions, have odds of 7/1 to be crowned UCL winners once more. Chelsea will be keen to defend their Champions League title and win a third trophy, while Bayern will want to add to their trophy cabinet. Chelsea have been strengthened with the summer signing of Romelu Lukaku from Inter, while Robert Lewandowski is always a goal-scoring menace on the Champions League stage.

Who else is in the running to win the Champions League?

Six-time Champions League winners Liverpool are 9/1 to lift the trophy this year, after they were knocked out of the competition last season at the hands of Real Madrid. The Reds were crowned 2019 winners of the tournament but their subsequent Champions League outings have been somewhat disappointing, though perhaps this year will be different.

Man Utd also have odds of 9/1, following the starring acquisitions of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho over the summer. Ronaldo will be eager to lift the Champions League again, last doing so while playing for Real Madrid, unable to guide former team Juventus to European glory. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are a dangerous threat this season, both domestically and in Europe.

Real Madrid's odds of winning the Champions League under manager Carlo Ancelotti are at 14/1, and they will be tasked with navigating the European tournament without the leadership of longtime former captain Sergio Ramos, who transferred to PSG. Los Blancos are record-holders as the team that has won the Champions League the most times, but haven't won the competition since 2018.

Who are the outsiders to win the Champions League?

Liga champions Atletico Madrid have odds of 20/1 following Antoine Griezmann's surprise return to his former club in the Spanish capital. He and Luis Suarez could form a lethal team as the Liga team try to go for the top European prize.

Barcelona are slated at odds of 20/1 as well, and they will be appearing in the Champions League without the presence of beloved former star Messi. The Catalan side have Memphis Depay to call on now, but it's hard to think of the Blaugrana as the European powerhouse they once were without the starpower of Messi.

Juventus have odds of 28/1, and they are in a similar situation as Barcelona with a Ronaldo-shaped hole in their attack. The Italian side had signed the Portugal captain in 2018 with a view for him to guide them to the Champions League trophy, but ultimately failed to do so.

Borussia Dortmund are also outsiders to clinch the Champions League title with odds of 33/1, having finished in the group stage last season. The Bundesliga side haven't posed a serious threat as competition contenders since their appearance in the final in 2012 that they lost to Bayern, but perhaps Erling Haaland can inspire some confidence.

Boulaye Dia has been handed his Champions League debut as Villarreal face Atalanta on Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old joined the Estadio de la Ceramica giants from Reims on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee after passing his medical test under the supervision of Asisa, which will keep him at the Spanish elite division side until 2026.

In a 4-3-3 formation, Dia will lead the Yellow Submarine attack alongside Yeremi Pino and Gerard Moreno, while counting on support from midfielders Etienne Capoue, Dani Parejo and Manu Trigueros

He is yet to get a goal for the La Liga side since joining from Stade Auguste-Delaune, nonetheless, manager Unai Emery will be banking on him to get the job done against the Serie A giants.

Elsewhere, Algeria international Aissa Mandi and former Netherlands international of Nigerian descent Arnaut Danjuma would hope to have a feel of action as substitutes.

Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze is still out due to injury and as expected, he was not named in the squad to try Atalanta for size.

He has been out of action since picking up an injury during Villarreal’s Europa League semi-final clash against Arsenal, which ended 0-0 at the Emirates Stadium on May 6.

The Super Eagle underwent successful surgery on May 31 at Hospital Quironsalud in Barcelona, nonetheless, he is far from returning to action despite resuming training with the club.

“He's going a little bit slower than we wanted to and we still want to go cautiously with him,” the former Arsenal boss told the club website.

Emery also revealed his club’s ambition when they take on the Gewiss Stadium giants.

“It’s the first time that we are going to face Atalanta,” he continued.

“They’re a team like Villarreal, with a recent history in the Champions League and growth since Gasperini arrived, he has taken them to the top four in Italy and got them into the Champions League.

“We are excited to be facing them and to start our Champions League campaign at the Estadio de la Ceramica. We want to take on the challenge of facing a great Atalanta side and show what we’re capable of doing.”

For Gian Piero Gasperini’s Black and Blues, they suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Fiorentina on Saturday.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Luis Miquissone was given a special kind of guard of honour before he trained with Al Ahly for the first time on Monday.

During the last transfer window, there were reports that Kaizer Chiefs were keen to sign the 26-year-old from Simba SC.

But Miquissone opted to join Al Ahly where he was lured by Pitso Mosimane who had previously signed him at Sundowns in January 2018.

Now in Cairo, the Mozambique international was welcomed by his new teammates.

“Luis Miquissone, our new Mozambican winger, participated for the first time in the team’s full training session on Monday at El Tetsh Stadium,” said Al Ahly on their website.

“Our players were keen to offer a special reception to the Mozambican international before the start of the session.”

But with the player training with Al Ahly for the first time ever, he was not part of the squad which played a friendly match against Petrojet on Monday evening.

Earlier this month, Miquissone confirmed he “received a lot of offers” and explained what drew him to Cairo amid interest from Chiefs. 

“I received a lot of offers during the previous period. I spoke with my agent and we decided to come to Al Ahly,” Miquissone told the Al Ahly website.

“The club is so big and their ambitions have no limits. I want to help the team win trophies. As a player, I also need to be part of this and to get my chance to help the team. I need to grow up and to face big challenges, so that is why I chose Al Ahly.   

“They need to win everything and I need to be part of this. Any player dreams of playing in the Fifa Club World Cup. It will be a great experience for me.”

He also pointed to the Mosimane factor as having attracted him to join the Cairo giants.

“The relationship between me and coach Pitso is so good. When I was a player in Simba, I faced Al Ahly and it was great to see him,” added Miquissone. 

“I spoke about him in a previous interview and I said that he was the coach who helped me reach my peak and grow up as a footballer. My experience with him at Mamelodi Sundowns was so good; he made me a good player and to be better.

"He made me know more about football, as football is not just to get good things, but you also need to learn about bad things.”

At Al Ahly, Miquissone will play in the same attack as Bafana Bafana vice-captain Percy Tau. 

Fit-again Innocent Bonke has been named in Malmoe FF’s starting XI for Tuesday’s Uefa Champions League encounter against Juventus.

The Nigerian midfielder was a huge doubt for the match against the Serie A outfit following a knock against Cape Verde in last week’s 2020 Fifa World Cup qualifier in Mindelo.

Nevertheless, he has shaken off the knock to make Jon Dahl Tomasson’s line-up against the Italian elite division side.

Bonke will be hoping to boss the midfield alongside Erdal Rakip and captain Anders Christiansen. Also, they would be aiming to supply Antonio Colak and Veljko Birmancevic with the much-needed passes upfront.

Swedish goalkeeper of Malian origin Ismael Diawara will man the goalpost – where he would be aiming to deny Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata. 

Whereas Ghanaian forward Malik Abubakari has been named among the 11 substitutes hoping to play against Massimiliano Allegri’s squad.

The Allsvenskan side has won each of their four home matches in European competition this season and they would be hoping to make their stomping ground a fortress again although they are without the services of Niklas Moisander and Oscar Lewicki owing to contrasting degrees of injuries.

Their last win in the competition came at home against Shakhtar on October 21, 2015, with former Sweden forward Markus Rosenberg, who started and ended his career at the club across nine years and two spells, scoring the only goal.

Despite taking the lead against Victor Osimhen’s Napoli over the weekend, Allegri’s team stuttered to a 2-1 defeat in Naples.

They would be target victory at the Eleda Stadion as they aspire to rule Europe for the third time in their history.

"It is exciting to be back in the Uefa Champions League,” Allegri told the media.

“We know it will be a difficult match because they are a physical team. Then we will think about improving in the league, it will take some time, but we will do it.

“We did well in some moments, but paid for some individual mistakes, it happens."

No less than four penalties were given in the first half of Red Bull Salzburg's Champions League group-stage draw against Sevilla on Tuesday, setting a curious new first for the clubs - as well as for Salzburg wonderkid Karim Adeyemi. 

The two sides went into the break tied at 1-1, as Ivan Rakitic's spot-kick dragged Sevilla back into the game following Luka Sucic's own penalty effort. 

But there were plenty of other chances to get on the scoresheet in the first 45 minutes, with Salzburg in particular rueing their erratic shooting from 12 yards out. The Austrian side will feel they could've done better than an eventual 1-1 draw.

A new record 

It took just 12 minutes for referee Aleksey Kulbakov, who was kept busy all afternoon in Andalucia, to mark the first penalty of the game. 

Adeyemi was brought down in the box by Diego Carlos, who earned a yellow card for his troubles. 

It proved a sign of things to come in more ways than one, as the 19-year-old took the kick himself and dragged it wide of Bono's right-hand post. 

Just a handful of minutes later Salzburg were handed another chance when Adeyemi was barged over again, this time by Jesus Navas, and Sucic was able to convert past the Sevilla goalkeeper. 

But when Bono fouled the youngster to earn him and his side their third penalty in the space of less than half-hour, the Croatian hit the post - and Rakitic punished them by burying his subsequent kick and bringing a relieved Sevilla level. 

Not since at least 2003-04 had four penalties occurred in the first half of a single Champions League match, while Adeyemi also set the record for penalties earned by a single player after being fouled for all three of his side's efforts. 

He is now only one short of Arjen Robben's all-time season record for penalty wins, with the Dutchman having earned four for Bayern Munich during the 2013-14 campaign. 

Further reading 

AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy has taken aim at referee Thando Ndzandzeka for some officiating he says “causes your team not to even have a fighting chance” during Tuesday’s 0-0 Premier Soccer League draw against SuperSport United.

The Bafana Bafana legend feels the match official was against them all evening, including showing defender Tercious Malepe a straight red card with 16 minutes to go.

But SuperSport also ended the match a man short following the sending off of Luke Fleurs towards the end of the match.

For the larger part of the match, a frustrated McCarthy was captured live on television remonstrating with the referee or sometimes ranting at the Matsatsantsa bench.

“I have to see the brighter side of it. I think it is a game which we could have easily lost,” McCarthy told SuperSport TV.

“We got a point out of it and I have to commend the players for not losing their minds. You win the ball and the opposition gets a free-kick. It looked like it was a one-sided affair with one team. 

“I don’t want to be controversial and our league is precious. We demand teams to step up their game and make this league what it is. 

“When I come here, everyone is going to say I should win games. But how can you accept criticism when you have worked during the week and then the officiating causes your team not to even have a fighting chance. 

“There was nothing there [for us]. The referee, with all the experience he has in this league, the performance he gave was shameful. But, nevertheless, that was two teams who wanted to win the game, they both went for it. 

“I think in terms of clear-cut chances, I don’t see them [SuperSport] where they could have said we should have put that away to win the game easily besides the header from Grobler where Mothwa had to make the save.”

It was Usuthu’s third straight league game without a win after being edged 1-0 by Mamelodi Sundowns in their campaign opener, before being held 0-0 by Swallows at home.

In total, they have gone for five games without tasting victory in all competitions after being knocked out of the MTN8 by Cape Town City, before last Friday’s 1-0 home loss to Nyasa Big Bullets in a Caf Champions League preliminary round, first-leg clash. 

Despite the poor run, McCarthy is trying to draw positives from their latest encounter although he has admitted things are not working for them.

“Other than that, it was an even affair so with one point, both teams cannot be too sad about it,” added McCarthy.

“For us it’s another game, no goal. We work on these things everyday but it’s not working, it’s not falling for us.

“We have not lost the game, we had 10 men for the larger part of the game, thanks to the referee. The quality is there, we just need to believe a bit more in ourselves when we go forward just to be able to be more clinical and aggressive.”

Usuthu now prepare to visit Big Bullets for the second leg as they face the possibility of elimination from the Champions League.