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Senegal left it late to defeat Congo 3-1 in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier at the Alphonse Massamba Debat Stadium.

After defeating Togo 2-0 in their first match of the qualification series, the Lions of Teranga travelled to Brazzaville full of positivity.

For the hosts – who settled for a 1-1 draw against Namibia their last time out – they needed to escape defeat to remain in contention for a World Cup ticket.

The Red Devils had the first chance to score, albeit, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was well-positioned to save Dylan Saint-Louis’s eight-minute effort.

Despite Congo’s attacking forays, it was the Senegalese who found the net first courtesy of Boulaye Dia after he was teed up by Kalidou Koulibaly.

A minute before the half time break, Paul Put’s side restored parity after Sylvere Ganvoula beat Mendy from the penalty mark following a foul on Prestige Mboungou inside the area.

With the game looking destined for a draw, Ismaila Sarr put Senegal ahead in the 83rd minute before Mane guaranteed the win four minutes later from the penalty after he was fouled in the box.

Thanks to this result, the West Africans lead Group H with six points from two matches.

At Stade de Marrakech, Algeria was held to a 1-1 draw by the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up, Burkina Faso.

Buoyed by their 8-0 obliteration of Djibouti, the reigning African kings travelled to in Marrakesh full of hopes.

Unsurprisingly, they went a goal up in the 17th minute thanks to Soufiane Feghouli. Profitting from a Youce Belaili pass, Islam Slimani teed up Galatasaray winger Slimani who tapped into an empty net.

They almost doubled their advantage seven minutes later but Riyad Mahrez’s freekick was saved by goalkeeper Herve Koffi.

In the second half, Burkina Faso put up an improved performance which saw them level matters through Abdoul Tapsoba.

Even at the result, Djamel Belmadi’s lead Group A with four points, while Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and Djibouti follow that sequence.

Elsewhere, Guinea Bissau travelled to Omdurman, saw and hammered hosts Sudan 4-2.

Piqueti got a first-half double while Frederic Mendy and Mama Balde were among the goal scorers in the six-goal thriller.

The Falcons of Jediane got their goals through Mohamed Abdel Rahman, but that could not stop them from crumbling at home.

TUESDAY’S RESULTS

Cape Verde 1-2 Nigeria
Ethiopia 1-0 Zimbabwe
Malawi 1-0 Mozambique
Tanzania 3-2 Madagascar
Zambia 0-2 Tunisia
Congo 1-3 Senegal
Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Mauritania
Angola 0-1 Libya
Burkina Faso 1-1 Algeria
Sudan 2-4 Guinea Bissau

Antoine Griezmann became France's joint-third top scorer of all time on Tuesday when he struck twice in the World Cup qualifying match against Finland.

Griezmann made the difference for Les Bleus as they secured a 2-0 win to extend their lead at the top of Group D.

The 30-year-old now has 41 goals to his name for France, putting him level with football legend Michel Platini. 

What has been said?

Griezmann needed 98 caps to match the tally of the 1984 European Championship winner, while he is now 10 behind all-time leading scorer Thierry Henry.

"It's a great source of pride," he told TF1 of matching Platini's record for the national team.

"Since I've been here, since 2014, I always try to bring the best, whether it's goals, with my defensive or offensive work."

Asked if Tuesday's match was his finest performance for Les Bleus, the striker said: "There have been others. But I am very happy with my performance and that of the team."

France end winless run

Tuesday's win put an end to a disappointing run for France.

Didier Deschamps' team disappointed at Euro 2020, drawing with Portugal and Hungary before they were eliminated by Switzerland in a penalty shootout at the last-16 stage.

They were then held to 1-1 draws by Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine in the World Cup qualifying matches last week.

Griezmann was happy with their response against Finland, however, and feels they approached the game with the right mentality. 

"We wanted this victory, to show that we were solid and that we didn't lose everything," he said. 

"There was a good state of mind. We gave everything we had on the field and we tried to hurt them up front.

"What changed? Maybe we found a system that suits us better. We'll see, the coach will decide. But this time we were strong. We had drawn five times, and it was starting to take a long time. Here, we won in style."

Further reading

Eagle-eyed football fans might have noticed a certain club's scarf in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the latest installment in the blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The film, which has an all-star cast of Tony Leung, Simu Liu and Awkafina, also references a very subtle Premier League club courtesy of Sir Ben Kingsley's character – and Goal has what you need to know about it.

Spoilers ahead for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings!

Why is Ben Kingsley in Shang-Chi?

Kingsley reprises his role as Trevor Slattery in the latest MCU blockbuster.

Slattery is a Liverpool-born actor who first made an appearance in Iron Man 3, a character hired to pose as the film's primary villain, the Mandarin. The puppet of think tank Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM), the Mandarin was used in propaganda videos as a means to hide AIM's more violent and illegal Extremis experiments.

Slattery is unaware of his role that contributed to the geo-political conflicts caused by AIM, merely doing his job as a hired actor. He is arrested by Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, after the true villain Killian is captured, before being kidnapped by the Ten Rings and used as court jester for leader Xu Wenwu.

Shang-Chi crosses paths with Slattery after he is imprisoned by his father, running into the actor in their jail chamber. Shang busts Slattery out and takes him on their journey to the mystical dimension Ta Lo.

What team does Ben Kingsley support & what is the Liverpool reference in Shang-Chi?

It is during the journey to Ta Lo that Kingsley's character Slattery pulls out a Liverpool scarf to hold on to for dear life. The passage to the Ta Lo proves dangerous, with the car the characters journey in nearly getting "eaten" by the forest that contains the route to the realm. And so, in a state of panic, Slattery clutches his Liverpool scarf - the team's red colours clearly visible - perhaps as a source of comfort.

Though Kingsley himself is not from Liverpool, having grown up in Yorkshire, Slattery's character was specifically written as a Liverpudlian. Kingsley has a slight Scouse accent in his portrayal of Slattery, and mentions growing up in Liverpool – hence the affiliation with the Merseyside club.

It could be thought that Kingsley's own football allegiances inspired that of Slattery's, but not much is known about the actor's choice in football teams. He did, however, serve as the narrator for Amazon Prime's documentary All or Nothing: Manchester City – which could mean that he has some interest in the sport.

Later in the film, after successfully reaching Ta Lo, Slattery can be seen teaching the village's children football and is heard teaching them the offside rule, all the while proudly wearing his Liverpool scarf across his shoulders.

Other Liverpool references in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

With the Marvel franchise being an American entity, there haven't been too many allusions to the beautiful game, but there have still been some.

Kingsley's support of Liverpool in Shang-Chi isn't the first time it was mentioned in the MCU.

When confronting Slattery in Iron Man 3, the character is seen animatedly watching a Liverpool game on television – Liverpool vs Chelsea, to be precise, and celebrating a goal.

Memphis Depay equalled Johan Cruyff's goal record for Netherlands as the star attacker scored his first hat-trick for his country on Tuesday.

Depay struck three times and set up another in the Oranje's 6-1 home win against Turkey.

The Barcelona player now has 33 goals to his name for his country from 71 appearances.

Where is Depay in the goal charts?

Depay's impressive display in the World Cup qualifying match saw him break into the top 10 in his country's list of all-time top scorers.

He pulled level with Wesley Sneijder with his first goal before surpassing the former captain with his second in the first half.

Depay then knocked the ball over the line in the second period to move him up to joint-eighth in the list.

He is now level with football icon Cruyff and Abe Lenstra, who represented the Netherlands in the 1940s and 1950s.

But while Depay has 71 caps to his name, Cruyff managed to net 33 goals for the Oranje in just 47 matches, helping them reach the 1974 World Cup final along the way. 

Lenstra, meanwhile, retired in 1959 with 48 caps to his name.

What did Depay say?

Depay said after the game that he hopes to climb even further up the national team's goal chart, while he admitted that he could have performed even better against Turkey. 

"I'm happy, but I expect more from myself. People think that I'm always floating and that everything is going well," he said to NOS. 

"I'm important and threatening, I always will be, whatever happens. I thought it was a great evening with a great atmosphere, I hope everyone enjoyed it.

"[Cruyff and Lenstra] are two legends, you can't compare them to anyone. They have done so many defining things and put Netherlands on the map.

"For me it's great that I keep scoring goals and that we win. I strive for more. I want to be in the top three of the top scorers list."

Depay in great form for Oranje

The 27-year-old has been in spectacular form for Netherlands over the last year, smashing in 14 goals in his last 14 appearances. 

He is off to a good start at new club Barcelona, too. Depay has scored two and assisted one as the Camp Nou side have taken seven points from their first three matches in La Liga.

Further reading

Ronald Koeman says he hopes to stay on as Barcelona coach for many years to come.

The Dutch coach's current deal at Camp Nou expires next summer, but Goal reported last week that the club will offer him an extension if the team meet their targets for the season. 

What has been said?

Koeman confirmed he would be happy to sign a new contract and is optimistic about the team's future with the likes of Pedri and Ansu Fati impressing.

"Yes, of course, I am open to renewal. I am very excited to continue as Barca coach for many years, despite the difficult moments at the club today," he told Sport.

"But I think that thanks to our decisions, coach and technical staff, Barca has young players with a huge immediate future and hopefully within three, four or five years I can continue to be their coach."

Koeman hopes to guide Barca through difficult time

The Catalan club have come through a difficult summer due to financial constraints.

They were forced to bid farewell to icon Lionel Messi last month because they could not afford to pay his wages and relied on Gerard PIque accepting a pay cut before they could register new signings Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia.

Antoine Griezmann was also sent to Atletico Madrid on loan, the club he left to join Barca in 2019.

With the club still trying to cut expenses, the dark days may not be over just yet, but Koeman feels he has a responsibility to stay. 

"I have always believed that I have a duty to help the club where I am, looking for ways to improve the team without compromising the good of the organisation," he said.

"Of course, what is happening at Barca in recent times is something very special. Everything has happened to me!"

Further reading

Gareth Southgate has warned his England squad not to fall into the trap of thinking they are better than they are.

The Three Lions have a perfect record in World Cup qualifying after five matches, having beaten both Hungary and Andorra 4-0 in the past week.

Southgate's team are looking to extend their lead at the top of Group I when they visit Poland on Wednesday, but Southgate says they must not get complacent.

What has been said?

"We are in a good moment and the team is playing well," the manager said at a press conference.

"We have a squad of players, any of whom are more than comfortable to play and are playing well.

"But also those moments are dangerous because, if we get any sense of complacency, we are going into a game that will be a challenge.

"It is a high level of motivation but also guarding against a feeling we are better than we are. We are getting a good set of results because we are working hard for each other."

The 51-year-old has stressed his side will face a more difficult test in Warsaw than they did against Hungary and Andorra. 

"We are playing against a level of opposition who I think are in a better moment," he said.

"They have won their last two games and they have some good footballers in their team who will keep the ball better than Hungary were able to on the night against us.

"So the detail of how we press and how we defend will have to be spot on."

Southgate happy with competition in squad

England dominated in their last two matches despite Southgate naming a completely different starting XI for each occasion.

He believes it is a good indication of the strength of his team, adding: "You could argue over what is our strongest team but the team that played in Hungary, we were obviously able to rest those guys after the game.

"There is still huge competition for places in this group and it is not so straightforward to say we won that game and this team will go again and give the same level of performance."

Further reading

FKF Premier League champions Tusker have raided Kakamega Homeboyz for the services of attacking midfielder Shami Kibwana ahead of the new season.

The Brewers have unveiled the 28-year-old by stating: “Tusker would like to confirm the signing of attacking midfielder Shami Kibwana, who joins the Brewers from Kakamega Homeboyz."

What did Tusker's statement say?

“Kibwana joined the rest of the team in their final training session before they travel to Djibouti, for the Caf Champions League preliminary round match against Arta Solar 7.”

On his part, Tusker CEO Charles Obiny said; “Mwinyi was one of the best performing midfielders in the just-concluded season and he comes in with a lot of attacking impetus. He will add a lot of creativity and punch in our forward line and we are glad to have him on board.”

Speaking after making the move to the Ruaraka-based club, Kibwana said:  “I am happy to join this great team where I hope to take another step in my career. This is a big club with big expectations and definitely, as a player, I have to step up and do better.”

“I had a good period with Homeboyz last season where I scored goals despite battling injuries all season. I hope to do even better especially if I can avoid injuries. I want to keep scoring goals for Tusker.”

Mwinyi has joined the Brewers under Robert Matano just a few hours after the club confirmed the acquisition of two more players - Brian Bwire and defender Dan Sakari.

The duo was in the Kenya national team, the Harambee Stars squad that took part in the World Cup qualifying matches against Uganda and Rwanda where the country managed 0-0 and 1-1 draws respectively.

“Tusker would like to confirm the signing of goalkeeper Brian Bwire and defender Daniel Sakari both from Kariobangi Sharks,” read part of the statement, “The two joined the team on Tuesday morning after returning from international duty with Harambee Stars.”

On signing the two, Tusker chairman Daniel Aduda said; “We really feel delighted to be bringing on board national team players who have gathered immense experience. Their presence especially as we head to play continental football will be a huge asset to the coaching department.”

The other new signings for Tusker include Teddy Osok, goalkeeper Patrick Matasi, who was a free agent after leaving St George of Ethiopia, former Gor Mahia defender Charles Momanyi, Kalos Kirenge, and Joshua Ibrahim.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

Victor Osimhen's strike and Kenny Rocha Santos' own goal helped Nigeria come from behind to beat Cape Verde 2-1 in their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying game.

Two defensive blunders from the hosts secured maximum points for the Super Eagles as they clinched back-to-back wins in the Group C.

It was a memorable outing for Ahmed Musa who made his 100th appearance for the Super Eagles while Malmo's Innocent Bonke and Bolgona's Kingsley Michael were handed starting debuts, in the absence of Wilfred Ndidi and Joe Aribo.

The Blue Sharks drew the first blood in the 19th minute after Dylan Dos Santos beat an offside trap to fire his left-footed shot past goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.

Five minutes later, Ryan Mendes tried to test the Super Eagles shot-stopper with another shot but it went off target.

Osimhen and Ejuke linked up a few minutes later as Nigeria kept pushing for an equaliser and the CSKA Moscow winger forced Cape Verde's Vozinha to parry his long-range shot for a corner-kick.

Their push finally paid off as Osimhen capitalised on a defensive error to draw both teams levelled in the 29th minute.

Ejuke proved to be a threat to the Blue Sharks' defence with his long-range efforts, he again forced Vozinha to make a fine save off his curling right shot from the edge of the box.

Nigeria started the second-half with a much higher tempo with Nantes winger Moses Simon winning a number of fouls for the visitors.

Just before the hour-mark, Cape Verde coach Bubista opted to introduce Garry Rodrigues for Vagner while Rohr made his tactical changes in the 70th minute as Henry Onyekuru and Terem Moffi replaced Simon and Musa respectively.

Onyekuru made an instant impact but his effort lacked power to beat Vozinha, however, they finally turned the game around after another defensive error again. Kenny Rocha Santos played the ball into his team's net after the goalkeeper had left his position.

With three minutes left on the clock, Vagner Dias nearly cancelled the Super Eagles' second goal but his header was slighly off target.

The victory stretched Nigeria's lead in Group C to six points after two games while Cape Verde have just gathered just a point and they are behind second-placed Liberia.

On Tuesday, Kpah Sherman helped Liberia beat Central African Republic 1-0 with his 86th-minute effort in Douala.

Nigeria will shift their attention to next month's double-header clash against CAR with the aim of extending their dominance in the group while Cape Verde have a date with Liberia in October.

Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker feels Kaizer Chiefs made a key signing with Phathutshedzo Nange and has backed the midfielder to ‘flourish’ at Amakhosi.

The former Black Leopards star joined Chiefs from Stellenbosch in July and he has immediately made himself a regular after starting in all their competitive games so far this season. 

It is Nange’s fourth season playing Premier Soccer League football and Barker feels the player will fit in at Amakhosi better than he did in the Western Cape last season.

“I think Nange will have a great season at Chiefs. I think Chiefs are more suited for the way that he plays. I think he will flourish. The type of team that they have will suit him very well,” said Barker as per Far Post.

“For us, it wasn’t always easy for him to fit in. But having said that, he did score five goals in all competitions for us which was the highest in his career, so he hasn’t been easy to replace. 

“We feel we are covered with the players we have but it’s never easy replacing five goals in a season from midfield. It will be a tough one.”

Initially, Nange was a transfer target of former Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt but Stuart Baxter came in and completed the deal of bringing the Limpopo-born player to Naturena.

The midfielder had played under Hunt at Bidvest Wits but could not join Amakhosi last season due to a Fifa transfer ban.

“The only reason we decided to use him somewhat sparingly, was because it was common knowledge that he would be joining Chiefs,” Barker said.

“It’s never easy when a player joins in that situation. It was common knowledge that he was only there for the season and would be moving on to Chiefs. 

“And sometimes in our situation when you’re fighting for your life, you need a different type of player than a team that has more control of possession would need.”

AmaZulu midfielder Hendrick Ekstein says Benni McCarthy’s influence swayed him to sign for the KwaZulu-Natal outfit.

The speedy linkman joined Usuthu in August following a two-season stint in Azerbaijan where he turned out for Sabah FK and FK Sabail.

During his early days in Europe, Ekstein said he would be interested to rejoin Kaizer Chiefs but he ended up in Durban. 

The player explains what attracted him to sign for AmaZulu.

“I have come back [from FK Sabail in Azerbaijan] because I’ve been speaking to coach Benni and we started talking in 2019 since I left SA,” Ekstein was quoted as saying by Sowetan Live.

“He was the person I spoke to and for me to come to AmaZulu was easy because I had already spoken to the coach. The way other players welcomed me also made me feel at home. 

“The way the team is being run is similar to the team I played for overseas. For me to gel with the team is easy because of the way they welcomed me.

“For me, what I’ve seen in the AmaZulu team, whether you’re young or old, when we’re at training it’s all about the quality that you can produce. We don't have youngsters or senior players because everyone learns from senior players and youngsters. 

“The quality that is in the team is strong and looking at the way the team played last season shows that we’re bonding. We’re hoping that this season we’re going to play the same way and maybe win one or two trophies with the quality we have.”

Ekstein made his AmaZulu debut in their last Premier Soccer League match against Swallows in which he came on as a substitute and participated in the final 10 minutes of the game.

“For me, it was good to play [against Swallows] even though I played a few minutes, but it shows that if I can work harder I will get the time to play because coach Benni wants players to work hard,” said Ekstein.

“For a player to play at AmaZulu you must work hard and it’s not about whether you’re coming from overseas or your name. It’s all about working hard at training so that you can play. I’m happy that I’ve had time to play and I’m hoping to play more and deliver for the team.”

The midfielder now hopes to use his experience to help Usuthu in their Caf Champions League campaign which they begin in the preliminary round against Malawian champions Nyasa Big Bullets in a home leg on Friday. 

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach has explained the circumstances which led to his short spell as Orlando Pirates caretaker coach.

After working as an assistant coach to Milutin Sredojevic, Mokwena was left at the helm of the Buccaneers ship in August 2019 following the Serb’s departure but his stint was short-lived. 

He only lasted 14 games in his role as interim coach before Josef Zinnbauer was hired on a substantive basis.

While his tenure in caretaker capacity was a difficult one, Mokwena still feels Pirates did not afford him enough time to prove himself.

“Unfortunately we live in a society where we want instant gratification, but we as tacticians have got to stay true to the process and try to make sure that we try to build something that is sustainable,” said Mokwena as per Phakaaathi.

“We even saw in my previous club where we worked in a certain way and people were not very happy with the results but we pleaded for time and patience because we knew what we were trying to build.

“We knew the tree we wanted to plant to enjoy the shade but people became impatient and a couple of months later when things plummeted, everyone was saying ‘hmm, maybe with a bit more patience things could have been different’ … but that is the reality of sport.”

The arrival of Zinnbauer saw Mokwena joining Chippa United where he oversaw just one game, a draw against Bidvest Wits, before retracing his roots to Sundowns.  

Back at Masandawana, more responsibilities landed on his shoulders after Pitso Mosimane left for Al Ahly.

Mokwena became co-coach with Manqoba Mngqithi while Steve Komphela was appointed senior coach. 

“You look at Barcelona, they offer a specific product to their supporters,” Mokwena said.

“We try to work this way [at Sundowns] consistently because at big clubs, that is the right way of doing things, not fast track processes – a certain way of playing that will give you success and results. 

“Not only that, but results and success that you know you can sustain in the future. A team can stay as a big team and have the profile of a big team, not in regards to success, but because of their style of play.”

Sarina Wiegman has named her first England women's team ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches this month.

The Lionesses will begin their campaign to qualify for the 2023 tournament with a home match against North Macedonia on September 17 before an away game in Luxembourg four days later.

But England will have to make do without Manchester City stars Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh and Ellie Roebuck, who are unavailable due to injury. 

Who has been included in the team?

Included in the list of 25 players are 16 members of the Team GB squad that reached the quarter-final stage of the Olympics in Tokyo this year.

Meanwhile, Manchester City’s Esme Morgan and Manchester United’s Katie Zelem could make their senior debuts for England after being called up again. 

Chelsea duo Jessica Carter and Niamh Charles, City's Lauren Hemp, Everton goalkeeper Sandy McIver, Ebony Salmon of Racing Louisville, United midfielder Ella Toone, and Arsenal defender Lotte Wuben-Moy can all earn further caps after the youngsters all secured a place in the team.

Experienced players Mary Earps and Lucy Staniforth are also back on the list after they missed out on recent international camps.

What has been said? 

Wiegman, who took over as England coach this month after a successful spell in charge of Netherlands, has said she is excited to begin her spell in charge of the Lionesses.

“I’m extremely excited to get started. After leading Netherlands in the Olympic Games it has been a quick turnaround to get ready for this important camp with England and the start of our 2023 World Cup qualifying campaign," she said.

"Whilst we have a few injuries to key players to contend with, we have such a strong squad and I’m excited by the young talent we have called up for this camp.

"Of course, we have two challenging matches this month as we start our qualification for the World Cup in 2023, but we also have a strong focus on next summer’s home UEFA Women’s EURO. I can’t wait to see what we can all do together to bring success to England."

The full squad

Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Sandy MacIver (Everton), Carly Telford (Chelsea).

Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Jessica Carter (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Steph Houghton (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Demi Stokes (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Jill Scott (Manchester City), Lucy Staniforth (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Katie Zelem (Manchester United).

Forwards: Bethany England (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Nikita Parris (Arsenal), Ebony Salmon (Racing Louisville), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Ellen White (Manchester City).

Further reading

Tusker have continued with their transfer activities in this window after unveiling goalkeeper Brian Bwire and defender Dan Sakari ahead of the new season.

The two players were in the Kenya national team, the Harambee Stars squad that took part in the World Cup qualifying matches against Uganda and Rwanda where the country managed 0-0 and 1-1 draws respectively.

The Brewers, who are strengthening their squad ahead of the new season where they will take part in Caf Champions League having won the 2020-21 Kenyan league title, have confirmed the arrival of the two players on their official page.

What did Tusker's statement say?

“Tusker would like to confirm the signing of goalkeeper Brian Bwire and defender Daniel Sakari both from Kariobangi Sharks,” read part of the statement, “The two joined the team on Tuesday morning after returning from international duty with Harambee Stars.”

Speaking after the signing of the players, Tusker chairman Daniel Aduda said; “We really feel delighted to be bringing on board national team players who have gathered immense experience. Their presence especially as we head to play continental football will be a huge asset to the coaching department.”

Sakari who joined Sharks from Kakamega Homeboyz was excited to be linking up with the new champions.

“It is a really great honour for me to be coming to the club. I am coming to a club that is the reigning champion and I already feel like a champion. I have my work cut out because there is a lot of competition in the team, but that is what makes a player better.”

Meanwhile, Bwire, an academy product from Sharks said; “I feel delighted to be making another step in my career. Tusker is a big team and they will be playing continental football this season and that is a challenge that I am really looking forward to.”

“I joined the team in training for the first time today and I really felt welcomed and I didn’t feel like a visitor at all. Now it is about getting down to work and putting in the effort,” added the goalkeeper.

The other new signings for Tusker include Teddy Osok, goalkeeper Patrick Matasi, who was a free agent after leaving St George of Ethiopia, former Gor Mahia defender Charles Momanyi, Kalos Kirenge, and Joshua Ibrahim.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

Renowned Ghanaian coach JE Sarpong believes the Black Stars’ poor performance under coach CK Akonnor is partly a result of interference in his player selections.

The Black Stars have struggled to shine under the former Wolfsburg captain, having won 1, drawn one and lost two of their last four matches.

A 1-0 defeat to South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on Monday, where the Stars failed to get a single shot on target, has heightened calls for his dismissal.

“It is very sad to see CK Akonnor in this difficult situation because we were all expecting him to excel but that is not what we are seeing,” Sarpong said on Asempa FM.

“I feel he is being manipulated by some people because I feel some players don’t deserve to play for the national team but they find themselves in there and that is a problem.”

Monday’s defeat has seen Ghana lose their leading position to South Africa, with the Black Stars now sitting second on the table in Group G.

The match followed a laborious 1-0 win over Ethiopia on the opening day of the World Cup qualifiers on Friday.

Akonnor came under high criticism after the first match despite his team claiming victory, and it is no surprise that the loss to South Africa has intensified calls for his sacking.

“Ghanaians should support CK Akonnor because it’s never too late. The current players in the Black Stars are the best he has now,” former Ghana attacker Mohammed Polo, a member of the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations winning squad, told Otec FM.

“Let's support him and see the way forward. Let’s support our own because the foreign coaches only come and spend our money.”

Akonnor was named Ghana coach in January last year, taking over the position following the exit of James Kwasi Appiah.

After 10 games at the helm of affairs, the Black Stars have won only four of those matches, scoring just one goal in their last four games.

The team returns to action in October with back-to-back clashes with Zimbabwe in their next two World Cup qualifying matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo made a sensational switch to Manchester United this summer, returning to the club that elevated his status to superstar level.

The Portugal captain left Juventus during the summer transfer window for a £20 million ($28m) fee, and has been reunited with his signature No.7 jersey after former occupant Edinson Cavani vacated it for the No.21.

So when will the striker make his second debut with the Red Devils, and how can it be watched? Goal takes a look.

When will Cristiano Ronaldo make his second Manchester United debut?

Ronaldo is expected to make his second bow for the Red Devils on Saturday September 11, in a Premier League fixture against Newcastle at Old Trafford.

The match kicks off at 3pm UK time.

There have been reports that Ronaldo could instead be making his full debut on Tuesday September 14 in the Champions League against Young Boys, due to the striker having to isolate in accordance with Covid-19 rules following international duty with Portugal.

It was suggested that due to the limited time that Ronaldo would be able to train with his new team-mates ahead of Saturday's game, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could delay his full debut until the Champions League fixture.

But Manchester United have excited supporters with an update of Ronaldo having joined training on September 7, hinting that the forward could very well still be set to make an appearance this weekend.

While they did not confirm that Ronaldo will certainly make his debut against the Magpies, they strongly clued in as such. 

"With challenges to come at home and abroad in the near future, including Saturday's Premier League match against Newcastle and next Tuesday's start of the Champions League at Young Boys, it is hoped the striker will be ready to assist the side and begin to have an immediate impact in his second spell at the club," a statement from the Man Utd official website read.

"With the rest of our international contingent due to return to Carrington in the coming days, the countdown is beginning in earnest to Saturday's 15:00 BST kick-off with the Magpies."

Will Cristiano Ronaldo's Man Utd debut be shown on TV?

Ronaldo's second Man Utd debut will not be shown on television, due to the game being played at 3pm on Saturday.

English football rules state that matches played at 3pm on Saturdays are forbidden to be broadcasted, as per the 3pm blackout guidelines.

How can I watch Cristiano Ronaldo's Man Utd debut?

While the 3pm football blackout might come to the frustration of many, Old Trafford match-goers on Saturday will be afforded the privilege of being the only people able to witness Ronaldo's second debut with the club live.

In the UK, there is no option to watch Ronaldo's second debut unless you have a ticket to the game at the Theatre of Dreams.

Highlights will be available to watch once the game ends on the Manchester United official website for interested fans, as well as on BBC's Match of the Day in the regular roundup.