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Lucas Ocampos punished Raul Jimenez's early penalty miss with a late winner as Sevilla beat Wolves 1-0 in Wednesday's Europa League quarter-final at the MSV-Arena.

Sevilla have won the competition in its various guises a record five times and will now face Manchester United on Sunday for a place in the final.

It may have been a different story in Duisburg had Jimenez converted from 12 yards but Yassine Bounou made a save and Ocampos glanced in the only goal two minutes from time.

Wolves, whose European adventure started 13 months and 17 games ago, had too little time to respond and Sevilla saw things through to advance to another continental semi-final.

Cameroon international Gabrielle Onguene continued her brilliant form in front of goal in CSKA Moscow’s 2-2 draw with Krasnodar in Tuesday’s Russian Superliga encounter.

Having starred in 3-0 win against Yenisey, where she scored her first brace of the season to follow up on her inspiring opening day effort in a 2-1 comeback for CSKA against Zenit Saint Petersburg.

The 31-year-old forward found the back of the net in the match to take her tally to four goals in the current campaign after being handed her third start in a row this season.

Inspired by her Goal of the Week prize off opener against Yenisey, the Cameroonian opened the scoring for the hosts after being assisted by Julia Pleshkova in the 16th minute of the encounter.

However, the visitors fought back and won a penalty, leaving Polina Organova to convert from the spot for the leveler in the 34th minute.

Seven minutes after the hour mark, Elena Kostarev handed Kransdor the lead but Nadezhda Smirnova did not allow the celebration to last as she equalised two minutes later to force a stalemate.

Onguene featured for the duration of the match against Kransdor but her fourth goal of the season in three outings could not help CSKA preserve their 100 percent winning start to the campaign.

With her latest goal, the 2019 Africa Women's Player of the Year nominee has now matched her goalscoring feat in 16 outings last season, with just three matches this term.

The result saw CSKA drop to the second position on the log with seven points from three matches, while Krasnodar moved up to fourth with three points from the same number of games.

Onguene and Zinovyev's team will hope to return to winning ways when they travel to face Chertanovo on Saturday, while Krasnodar welcomes seventh-placed Zvezda Perm on the same day.

The Nigeria Football Federation announced the distribution breakdown of five hundred thousand dollars received from Fifa for women's football.

Following consultations with the Sports Ministry, the Nigerian football body released the breakdown of beneficiaries of Fifa funds allocated for women's football after Monday's executive meeting.

In the distribution breakdown released on Tuesday, the Super Falcons will get $100,000 (N38,600,000) while the U17 and U20 women’s team will receive $70,000.00 (N27,020,000).

All sixteen Nigeria Women's Football League [NWFL] Premiership Clubs will get $10,000 (N3,860,000) each totalling $160,000 (N61,760,000) and the fourteen NWFL Championship Clubs will get $4,000 each (N1,544,000) totalling $56,000.00 (N21,616,000).

Other beneficiaries include the NWFL for administration and operations $30,000 (N11,580,000) and support to 12 NWFL Amateur Clubs at $1,500 each (N579,000), amounting to $18,000 (N6,948,000); women’s coaching $10,000 (N3,386,000); women’s refereeing $10,000 (N3,386,000).

For other women's football-related decisions, the NFF mandated its Technical and Development Committee to, in the next one week, provide to the Board a shortlist of candidates for the positions of head coaches of the U20 and U17 women's teams, working with its integrity unit.

It also approved that its consulting firm should, as soon as possible, submit a shortlist of candidates for the positions of head coach of the Super Falcons, NFF Head of Women's Football.

They also mandated its Youth Football Committee to conclude the modalities for the staging of the first-ever U15 Future Super Falcons’ Tournament as part of its efforts to discover talents.

On U17 and U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers preparation, the NFF said it is waiting for presidential approval for the teams to resume camp after writing the government through the Sports Ministry.

With these developments, the women's football will enjoy a huge leap in the country, especially the clubs following the distribution of Fifa Covid-19 relief funds for the women's game.

Winning the Champions League trophy the biggest honour in European club football.

Earning the coveted title of continental European champion is one thing, but managing to score the most goals in a single Champions League season is a feat on its own.

So which player has scored the most Champions League goals? Goal takes a look.

Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds the record for scoring the most Champions League goals in a single campaign, netting 17 times playing for Real Madrid during the 2013-14 season.

Real Madrid were eventually crowned champions that campaign, beating local rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1 in the final in Lisbon with the Portugal star converting a penalty deep into extra-time.

The victory was the year of La Decima for the Spanish giants, winning a record 10th European cup trophy.

In fact, the now-Juventus striker currently occupies the top three spots of the Champions League season scoring charts. He netted 16 times in the 2015-16 campaign, and 15 in 2017-18 - both for Real.

His former rival at Barcelona, Lionel Messi, occupies the fourth spot with 14 goals, before sharing a tally of 12 strikes with Ronaldo once again as well as Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robert Lewandowski.

The Bayern striker currently leads the 2019-20 Champions League season with 12 goals to his name.

*Current season

**Last updated August 2020

While Ronaldo holds the record for most goals scored in the European top-flight, Radamel Falcao set the record for most Europa League goals netted in a single campaign (18) for Porto in the 2010-11 season.

Orlando Pirates have announced the suspension of strikers Justin Shonga and Thembinkosi Lorch and that coach Josef Zinnbauer will be without the two attackers against Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday night.

The Buccaneers released a statement just before the eagerly anticipated Premier Soccer League (PSL) encounter at Dobsonville Stadium.

In a statement, Pirates explained the duo has been excluded from the squad that will finish the current season in a Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng because of following a breach of the team's protocols.

"Thembinkosi Lorch and Justin Shonga have been excluded from the squad that reported for the BSE bubble on Sunday following a breach of the team's protocols,” read a statement for Pirates.

"All players have been educated and are constantly reminded, or their responsibilities as public servants and role models.

"It is our role and duty to ensure that all members of this organization are fully compliant and aware of the measures that are in place.

"Both players will be afforded the opportunity to return to play once the disciplinary processes have been finalized.

"Mr Lorch and Mr Shonga will also be required to undergo two Covid-19 tests, which both must be negative, as per the BSE protocols, before they resume any club activities."

Meanwhile, Pirates are also set to be without defender Bongani Sam for the clash as the former Bloemfontein Celtic defender has sustained a hamstring injury.

The Soweto giants are away from home visiting the Brazilians as they look to register two wins in the current season but Zinnbauer will miss the influential duo.

Pirates currently sit third with SuperSport United on the log table with 40 points from 24 matches so far and a win will take them closer to rivals Kaizer Chiefs who lead the table with 48 points.

In their next fixture, the former African champions will welcome Bidvest Wits at Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday, August 15 at 18:00.

Erling Haaland emerged as a teenage sensation, but has warned the Bundesliga there is an even more prodigious young talent ready to break through at Borussia Dortmund.

Norwegian striker Haaland turned 20 in July and has already established himself among the top marksmen in German football.

His 13 goals in 15 Bundesliga games since arriving in mid-season from Red Bull Salzburg came amid a overall tally of 44 goals in 40 appearances, split between the two clubs.

Haaland will be Dortmund's chief goal threat in the new campaign, but youngster Youssoufa Moukoko could also have a part to play.

Moukoko is 15 and has been a revelation at youth level, while also training with the Dortmund first team in the recently completed 2019-20 campaign.

He is with the Dortmund squad this week at their training camp in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, and will be eligible to play senior football when he turns 16 on November 20.

Haaland said: "He's a lot better than I was when I was 15. He trains at Borussia Dortmund and keeps up. I was in my home club, Bryne FK, when I was 15. You can't compare that."

Cameroon-born striker Moukoko has played for Germany at under-16 level and has also appeared for Dortmund in the Under-19 Bundesliga and the UEFA Youth League.

Haaland, quoted in the Westfalische Rundschau newspaper, suggested he would rather keep pressure off the prodigy.

"But it's hard when he's that good," Haaland said. "I don't think I've ever seen a 15-year-old that good."

Dortmund have stated their expectation that Jadon Sancho will stay at the club next season, amid strong interest from Manchester United.

They are looking to build a side to challenge Bayern Munich and the emergence of Moukoko in the coming seasons could be important, but it is likely to be Haaland and Sancho who hold the key to the team's success next term, should both remain with Dortmund.

Haaland added: "As a player, I want to win things, of course. If we improve compared to last year, we also have a great chance of holding something in our hands in the end."

Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka is looking forward to the challenge of taking on Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi after going up against Cristiano Ronaldo.

When he was at Schalke, Goretzka twice faced Ronaldo's Real Madrid, losing 6-1 in February 2014 and winning 4-3 at Santiago Bernabeu a year later, with both matches part of Champions League last-16 exits for the Bundesliga side.

The midfielder will get his first chance to take on Messi in a professional match when Bayern play Barca in the Champions League quarter-finals in Lisbon on Friday.

However, Goretzka knows it will take a team effort to contain Messi, who was pivotal in getting Barca past Napoli in the last-16 second leg last week.

"After having played Cristiano Ronaldo several times, it's nice to be able to play against another leading footballer of our decade," said Goretzka.

"The only way it works [stopping Messi] is collectively. Everyone knows just how gifted he is, he is capable of finding many solutions also in tight situations. We will have to fight back as a team. If one player can actually take away his fun in the game, I don't know. We just have to fight back as a team and try to play our game."

Goretzka left Schalke for Bayern on a free transfer in 2018 despite interest from Barcelona, and he feels resisting the lure of Camp Nou was the correct decision.

"Back then I deliberately took a long time. I had a few options to stay with Schalke. I listened to everything and made a conscious decision in favour of Bayern. I have never regretted making this decision," he said.

The suspension of major football during the coronavirus pandemic means the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Champions League will be played as single games rather than over two legs, with UEFA squeezing in the closing stages of the tournament ahead of the start of the 2020-21 season.

Goretzka believes Bayer Leverkusen's Europa League exit at the hands of Inter on Monday was a reminder of how that change has altered the dynamics of European competition.

"This is a knockout game. The right mental mix is always required. Yesterday the Leverkusen game annoyed me because they actually played a good game but were eliminated because of 20 minutes. I had the feeling that they would have progressed over two legs," he said.

"I think we can beat any opponent. Nevertheless, we know that a very good team is waiting for us with world-class players. We will play with our chests puffed out, like we have over the past nine months. We are already in a positive mood."

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lebogang Manyama has promised “a hell of a game” when they meet Bidvest Wits in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) game at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday, but has also admitted their opponents have become a more difficult side.

Under threat are Chiefs’ league title ambitions as they resume the campaign seeking to maintain their grip at the top of the standings in their remaining eight matches.

On the other hand, Wits are set to exit the PSL after selling their top-flight league status to Limpopo-based GladAfrica Championship side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila and Manyama appears concerned the Students keenness to bow out on a high could present a difficult evening for Chiefs on Wednesday.

“I think now they are even more difficult to play against and I think they are still motivated to play for the club. There is history to make for them,” said Manyama as per Sowetan Live.

“Unfortunately, they couldn't make it in the Nedbank Cup. But Wits will always be Wits, very tough team to play against... it's going to be a tough game but we are looking forward to it. We have our own plans and we will try to capitalise on their weaknesses but it is going to be a hell of a game that I can promise you.”

Wednesday’s encounter would be Chiefs’ first match since the restart of football in South Africa last weekend.

They come up against a Wits side already been involved in competitive action when they were eliminated from the Nedbank Cup by Mamelodi Sundowns last Saturday.

While Wits have already gained some game time, Chiefs could be counting on their players who were in-form before the season was suspended in March.

Manyama has been one of the standout Chiefs players so far this season, scoring six goals in 21 league games and managing eight assists.

Also instrumental in Chiefs’ title challenge has been their top goalscorer Samir Nurkovic who has 11 league goals to his name, as well as Leonardo Castro who has contributed seven goals.

Defensive midfielder Willard Katsande and centre-back Eric Mathoho have also been outstanding for Amakhosi.

Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Rudolph Seale believes the Soweto giants will have an advantage heading to the clash against Bidvest Wits because of their hunger to lift the Premier Soccer League (PSL) trophy.

Amakhosi are scheduled to face the Students at FNB Stadium but they will be the visiting side as the iconic venue has been allocated to Wits for the remainder of the current campaign.

Moreover, Seale couldn't say if the Clever Boys are at an advantage after facing Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend in their first match since March but urges the Soweto giants to remain hungry for league glory.

“You know what, it’s an advantage [playing the second match] to Wits but that can also be said about Chiefs because they have studied Wits on the game against [Mamelodi] Sundowns. That [playing the first match] can also be a disadvantage to Chiefs because they have not played and Wits might have an upper hand,” Seale told Goal.

“The advantage or the main point for Chiefs is that they are hungry and I’m sure they have been reminded of the mission, to win the remaining games and complete the job. They haven’t played in months but the hunger should drive them on Wednesday.

“Wits have played last weekend and they will want to continue because they are not starting afresh.”

The retired defender also looks at the fact the Glamour Boys faithful will not be on the stands to cheer coach Ernst Middendorp’s troops, saying the game will demand psychological awareness.

“Honestly, they must forget about thinking they are at home at FNB even though it’s been allocated to Wits now under these circumstances,” he added.

“To me, it’s a home ground on paper but they are both on a neutral venue. The change rooms, the pitch is not familiar to Wits and the fans are not there for Chiefs. So, it’s a new ball game altogether.

“The mission for Chiefs is to focus on getting the points and not relax and bank on the fact that they have always done well at FNB Stadium. There will be no fans and how do you relax and say I’m at home? I think this goes to the old saying that football is the same whether there are fans or not.

“They have trained for many years with no fans and I’m sure playing 11 versus 11 has somewhat adjusted their minds to the new norm of playing behind closed doors.

“Yes, Chiefs have always been driven by the fans and it’s definitely going to have an impact there’s no doubt about that.

“However, the players should be professional enough and focus on the job at hand. Mental strength will be key for them here. I think the absence of fans could be an advantage for Wits but I don’t think Chiefs will be badly affected when talking about empty stands.”

Meanwhile, coach Gavin Hunt’s side will go out to avoid their second loss in all competitions whilst the Soweto giants target maximum points to stretch their lead at the summit.

Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has set the date for the Ordinary General Assembly Annual General Meeting (AGM).

With the 2020/21 season set to start in October, some vital issues have to be addressed and it is the reason why Fufa has scheduled for the meeting. 

"Notice is hereby given to all Fufa members, delegates and stakeholders that the 96th Fufa Ordinary General Assembly shall be held on Saturday, October 17 at Silver Springs Hotel," Federation's Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson Suubi said as quoted by the Fufa Website.

Kampala region will be hosting this year's edition but it is not clear whether it will be done virtually or physically.

The Ordinary Fufa General Assembly comprises of 34 member associations in Uganda and it is the supreme and legislative body of football in the country. It is made up of 88 delegates.

Some of the issues to be discussed include financial statements, budgets, activity reports, dismissing of members, the permission of entrants among others.

All member associations will now be required to convene independent Annual General Meeting prior to the main one, in order to solve their internal issues and ensure their agenda is well represented. This is in accordance with the Fufa statutes.

Women's football is also set to be discussed owing to the recent growth witnessed in the East Africa nation.

"As Fufa, we have always thought that such engagements help us to understand our successes and challenges better," Fufa president Moses Magogo said in an earlier interview.

"We can agree to disagree here but even when Fufa or clubs have different opinions about an issue, when we meet, a solution is always found. 

"We are proud of the journey moved so far since the start of regular club football for women's football in 2015. I can say we have registered a number of successful stories ranging from an increase in the number of girls taking part, the quality of football displayed to our national teams. 

"But at the moment we are saying can we engage another gear?"

Uganda made some structural changes in women's football to help the country grow and for ladies to get more involved in the game.  

There is a clear sense this summer that Italian side Napoli are pursuing a rebuild of the squad.

There are two factors dictating this, ostensibly.

First was the player mutiny back in December, when members of the team rebelled against the request of the club’s management to go into ritiro – the somewhat anachronistic sequestering away of a group of players in order to build focus and course-correct in the wake of a poor run of form.

That episode saw the club resolve to move on some of the more influential players in the dressing room.

This fed into the second factor: there was a sense that the squad had been together too long and had grown stale and/or old. A refreshing was needed.

The job Gennaro Gattuso has done smoothing things over since his appointment has gone some way toward redressing that ill-feeling, but the signings of Eljif Elmas and Victor Osimhen highlight a deliberate move to bring down the average age of the squad anyway.

This brings the conversation around neatly to Kalidou Koulibaly, and what is a peculiar case.

The Senegal international has, for the past couple of years, been acknowledged as one of the best defenders in Europe, and has seemed a no-brainer pick-up for one of the top sides in one of the other major leagues. Despite all of that, he has remained in the south of Italy. Yet this summer, following possibly his weakest season performance-wise, is the likeliest a move away has been for the 29-year-old.

What gives?

Recent reports suggest Napoli would be willing to let him leave, as they seek to stay in the black after breaking their club transfer record. There is no shortage of interest: the two Manchester clubs, as a matter of necessity, are in need of reinforcement at the back – City more than United, granted; as are Chelsea and even Arsenal, skint as they are just now.

That’s four of the big six in the Premier League that could do with a player of his quality. However, if they had been paying attention on Saturday night, they would probably have had cause to pause and re-evaluate.

A trip to the (empty) Camp Nou and the prospect of facing Lionel Messi would be daunting for any defender in world football. There is no shame in coming out second-best to perhaps the best player to ever play the game. However, the manner of Koulibaly’s performance in Catalonia was particularly troubling.

For all three goals on the night, he carried some degree of culpability. The third – his concession of a penalty – can be considered somewhat unfortunate, seeing as it was Messi who essentially interrupted his kicking motion.

Still, only the melting of the polar ice caps could possibly outstrip the sheer amount of time he took to wind up the clearance.

For the first, he was much too easily bowled over by the slight figure of Diego Demme, all 5ft 7in and 60-something odd kilograms of German midfielder. For the second, for all that Messi was at his bewitching best, the situation could have been contained if Koulibaly had displayed even a modicum of assertiveness during the move.

It was not simply the goals either.

An errant, ill-advised and unnecessary cross-field pass to no one put the ball out of play for a Barcelona corner early doors.

In another move, he intercepted a pass and then proceeded to storm up the field into an attacking position, only to then have to race back after a turnover had left his side exposed. Then, in the second half, his passing seemed to completely come a-cropper.

It seemed a slow, painful devolution born, not of physical limitations, but of getting caught up in the emotional weight of the occasion. For some reason, it appeared he was keener to impress than usual, and so executed with a far greater degree of risk than was usual or warranted.

That sense of distraction has been a theme for Koulibaly all season. A late return following the disappointment of defeat at the Africa Cup of Nations final last summer saw him struggle noticeably in the first two matches of the season against Fiorentina and Juventus. Right away, he looked so much less than the impassable Titan he had been previously, but while that could be chalked up to fatigue, to what can his more recent lapses be attributed?

Everyone knows the ability Koulibaly has on his day. His technical quality under pressure, allied to his physical presence and a tenacity that has seen him accrue a highlight reel of goal-line clearances speak eloquently. However, all of that means nothing if, as was evident at the weekend, he plays the occasion rather than the opponent.

To unravel in such a dramatic fashion on the big stage immediately calls into question his big-game temperament. It might not only explain why there has been some reticence in the past, but also why, even now, his continued stay in Italy remains a distinct possibility still.

Kylian Mbappe was set to miss out for PSG against Atalanta in the Champions League quarter-final after picking up an ankle injury in the Coupe de France final on July 24.

The forward limped off the pitch after being on the receiving end of a heavy tackle, only joining in on his side's trophy celebrations on crutches.

The France star was set to miss up to three weeks of action – but the Ligue 1 champions were handed a massive boost as the forward was named in their Champions League squad on Saturday.

He was also spotted training with the side in the lead-up to the clash, heavily implying that he will be part of the action on Wednesday.

PSG boss Thomas Tuchel was originally not optimistic about his star recovering in time for the quarter-final clash, but Mbappe might be defying expectations and he could be set to feature much sooner than expected.

"The deadline is short, super short," Tuchel had told reporters. "We spoke with the doctor today and we decided to meet again on Saturday to see what phase he is in and if it is possible that he is on the bench against Atalanta. 

"But I do not expect too much."

After the Coupe de France final, the club issued a statement saying that Mbappe would be forced to remain on the sidelines for three weeks - which initially ruled him out of the European knockout clash against the Serie A side.

PSG stated on their website: "As announced after the final of the Coupe de France against Saint-Etienne, Mbappe was examined on Monday in order to know the severity of his right ankle injury. 

"The examination performed today confirms a sprained ankle with external ligament injury. Following this, the recovery time is estimated at around three weeks."

Mbappe's potential absence for the quarter-final would be a huge blow for the Ligue 1 champions, with the French international netting 30 goals and registering 18 assists in 34 appearances for PSG this season – including five goals and five assists in the Champions League.

The French giants are heavy favourites heading into the tie against Atalanta, but the Italian side have proved to be a plucky team.

PSG are targeting a Champions League semi-finals berth for the first time since 1994-95.

The likes of Neymar, Marquinhos, Angel Di Maria, Thiago Silva, Mauro Icardi, Thilo Kehrer and Presnel Kimpembe have all returned to the squad after being rested for the midweek friendly against Sochaux.

Tuchel, however, stated that Marco Verratti is set to miss out after nursing a calf injury picked up in training. 

Layvin Kurzawa will be forced to sit on the sidelines with a thigh issue.

Mamelodi Sundowns were frustrated by a resilient Orlando Pirates side in a PSL match which ended in a 0-0 draw on Tuesday evening.

Coach Pitso Mosimane made several changes to the team which faced and defeated Bidvest Wits in the Nedbank Cup semi-final match on Saturday.

Despite his poor performance against Wits, Motjeka Madisha kept his place in the starting line-up, while Lyle Lakay and Keletso Makgalwa both started as a reward for scoring over the weekend.

Mosimane's counterpart Josef Zinnbauer had to do without attackers Thembinkosi Lorch and Justin Shonga, who are both facing disciplinary action after they were found to have breached the team's protocols.

Frank Mhango and Augustine Mulenga led Bucs' attack, while Ben Motshwari started after recovering from the coronavirus with the Buccaneers looking to resume their campaign with a victory.

Sundowns got off to a lively start as they pressed Pirates in order to grab an early goal which would have unsettled the away side's leaky defence. 

However, the Buccaneers were compact at the back with Happy Jele marshaling the defence which came into the game having conceded 26 goals from 23 league matches.

Masandawana upped the tempo towards the half-hour mark with Sphelele Mkhulise and Makgalwa looking to use their speed to unlock the Bucs' defence.

The duo combined well before Mkhulise set-up Themba Zwane, who forced Pirates' experienced goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands into a smart diving save at the near-post.

Pirates took control of the match towards the end of the first half, but they could not seriously test Denis Onyango in the Sundowns goal-posts and the score was 0-0 at the interval.  

The Buccaneers were the better side after the restart with Zinnbauer having introduced Luvuyo Memela with the attacker bringing some creativity in the away's side midfield.

Memela set-up Fortune Makaringe, who burst into the box from midfield and unleashed a low shot which was finger-tipped onto the upright by Onyango and Madisha cleared the ball away from danger.

Uganda captain Onyango was the busier of the two keepers as he produced a fine low save to deny Memela, before finger-tipping Vincent Pule's long-range shot over the crossbar as Pirates pushed for the opening goal.

Madisha, who was having a great match at the heart of the Sundowns, produced a crucial tackle to stop Paseka Mako from pulling the trigger inside the box in the closing stages of the match.

Former South Africa under-20 captain Madisha then sustained a head injury and he was replaced by Wayne Arendse, but Sundowns were able to contain Pirates and ultimately, the match ended in a 0-0 draw.

The result saw Sundowns fail to close the gap on league log leaders Kaizer Chiefs, who are now three points above Mosimane's side.

While Pirates moved up to the third spot - four points behind second-placed Sundowns with the latter having two games in hand.

Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC) have confirmed their seventh signing in this transfer window after unveiling Samson Kigozi.

The 22-year-old winger has landed from Uganda Premier League (UPL) rivals Police FC ahead of the new season set to kick-off on October 17.

“Samson Kigozi has penned a three-year contract that will run from August 2020 until August 2023,” the former UPL champions confirmed on their official website.

Kigozi, who scored a total of five goals in all competitions for the Law Enforcers, has welcomed his move to the Lugogo-based giants by stating: “I feel so happy to join KCCA. It is a dream come true. This is a team of trophies with great players and coaches and with great history and success.

“I want to play at the highest level, I want to compete with the best on the continent and at KCCA I have a chance to play in Caf competitions.

“This will give me more exposure as a player. The fans should expect a hardworking man and one who is ready to help the team achieve its goals.”

On signing the player, KCCA coach Mike Mutebi said: “I have really followed [Samson] for a very long time and I know he is one kind of a player, who can help us achieve our targets for the new season.

“I know we will be competing in several competitions and it is good to have such players, he can score goals and he proved that with Police last season and can also set up the goals, so he is a good addition to my squad.”

He was part of the Uganda Cranes squad preparing for the 2020 African Nations Championships (Chan) finals that was scheduled to be held in Cameroon before the competition was postponed owing to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kigozi has now become the seventh signing for the Mike Mutebi led side, after Lwanga Charles, Mugume Ashraf, Mazengo Stefano, Iguma Denis, Bright Anukani and Brian Aheebwa.

KCCA are keen to beef up their squad after losing the league title to Vipers SC when the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) moved to end the top-flight prematurely owing to Covid-19.

Vipers, who were by then topping the table, were declared champions and will represent the country in the Caf Champions League while KCCA, who were sitting second, will now go for the Confederation Cup.

Manchester City’s new signing Ferran Torres has hailed David Silva as an “inspiration” after making the same move from Valencia to the Premier League.

The 20-year-old winger has arrived in the North West with big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of Silva and replacing the departed Leroy Sane out wide.

Torres joined Valencia’s youth setup as a child in 2006, the same year Silva’s performances for Valencia earned him his first senior international cap for Spain.

“When I started at Valencia, he was enjoying his best time at the club,” Torres told Man City’s official website.

“He was always an inspiration and then, when he moved to City where he’s been playing his best football, I’ve always admired him. Above all, [what impressed him was] his ability to hold the ball, his capacity to make the final pass and his quality.”

Torres was also asked why he chose Man City as his next step, and what sort of player fans can expect to see.

“Being part of the project the club set out to me,” he said. “My aim is to grow as a player. I have a lot of room for improvement and the fact of having Pep Guardiola as a manager was a big factor too.

“It was crucial because he’s one of the best, or I’d say the best manager in the world and at the point I am at now in my career, he can get the best out of me.

“I’m always trying to improve. I always like to ask the reason why we do things and I think this is fundamental for improving and also because I think I’m young and I still have lots of things to improve.”

Torres is also confident he can bridge the gap from La Liga to the Premier League, noting he might not be exactly the sort of old-school winger fans might expect.

He said: “The truth is that English football is more physical than it is in Spain but I really feel I’m ready and I’m looking forward to getting going as soon as possible. I’d say that I have more strength than speed. I also make good crosses, but above all I’d highlight my power and strength.”

Robert Lewandowski is now the "best player in the world" ahead of Lionel Messi, according to Lothar Matthaus, who has described the Bayern Munich striker as the Barcelona superstar's "successor".

Lewandowski took his tally for the season to 53 in 44 games after netting a double in Bayern's 4-1 win over Chelsea in the Champions League on Saturday.

The final result at Allianz Arena saw Hansi Flick's side progress to the quarter-finals of the competition 7-1 on aggregate, with a heavyweight encounter against Barcelona up next.

The Blaugrana beat Napoli 3-1 to book their place in the last eight, with Messi grabbing the headlines for a stunning solo goal which saw him take on five defenders and pick himself up from the ground before curling the ball into the far corner of the net.

The diminutive Argentine is widely considered to be the greatest footballer in history, and he picked up a record-breaking sixth Ballon d'Or award in 2019 after another stellar year.

Messi has carried a disjointed Barca side once again over the course of the current campaign, but Matthaus believes Lewandowski has now overtaken the 33-year-old as the best in the business.

Ahead of Bayern's clash with the Spanish outfit in Lisbon on Friday, the club legend told Bild: "Messi faces his successor as the best player in the world: Robert Lewandowski. He is the best player, not just the best forward.

"The Barca of today is no longer the same as before. They have Messi, of course. A player like him is always capable of genius.

"But he alone will not be enough against this Bayern. Barcelona does not scare me."

Matthaus is confident that his old club will reach the Champions League semi-finals at Barca's expense, as he told Sky Germany: "Naturally Barcelona have enough quality to produce the best of themselves in one game, but I think Bayern will have to make many mistakes and do many things wrong to lose against this Barcelona."

Bayern striker Thomas Muller was asked to weigh in on the Lewandowski-Messi debate after their victory against Chelsea, and urged his team-mate to prove that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the Barca talisman.

"We'll see that on Friday. Lewy will have to answer this question," said the Germany international.

"Messi also played very well [against Napoli]. But it's up to Lewy and us to answer this question in Lewy's favour on Friday."

Yanga SC have continued bolstering their squad for next season with the signing of Burkinabe forward Songne Yacouba.

The 27-time league champions confirmed the arrival of the former Asante Kotoko SC striker via their official social media. 

"New signing; Yacouba Songne will land in Jangwani," Timu ya Wananchi said in a short post on their Facebook page. 

The West African forward becomes the first foreign player to land in the Tanzania Mainland League giants' side.

The 28-year-old Songne has also played for Etoile Filante de Ouagadougou before his exploits took him to the Ghanaian side in 2018.

In May 2018, his rich form in the pitch saw him win the Player of the Month Award. 

The new striker is set to take the position of Democratic Republic of Congo citizen David Molinga, who was let go by the team despite scoring 11 goals in the concluded season.

Yanga, who are currently without a coach after the exit of Luc Eymael, have reportedly listed former Simba SC coach Patrick Aussems among those who can replace the Belgian.

The Jangwani Street-based giants are currently in the market to hire a coach after they fired the Belgian on the final day of the 2019-20 Mainland Premier League season.

Goal understands Yanga are looking at several options including former coach Hans van der Pluijm but the name of Aussems, who guided Simba to the league title in the 2018-19 campaign before he was shown the exit door after a poor show in the Caf Champions League, has also emerged.

"It is true [Aussems] is also being considered for the job since the club is looking for a coach who has been in the country before, and one who will have no difficulties to settle in when he takes up the role," a source from Yanga, who did not want to be named, told Goal.

"We all know what Aussems did at Simba, he is a good coach, who can bond well with the squad we are building around, and I can confirm his name emerged recently during a meeting discussing the issue of the coach but we have not made contact, maybe we will if they zero in on him."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta can use the club's FA Cup triumph as a springboard to compete for Premier League titles, according to Martin Keown.

The Gunners slumped to their worst top-flight finish in 25 years in 2019-20, after failing to recover from a disastrous start to the campaign under Unai Emery.

Their fortunes began to change when Arteta was drafted in to replace Emery in the Emirates Stadium hot seat, but they still ended up falling short of the European places.

Arsenal finished a whopping 40 points behind eventual champions Liverpool, and 10 adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, who ultimately secured the final Champions League spot.

Fortunately, Arteta's men were able to qualify for the Europa League via another route, as they overcame Chelsea at Wembley to win the FA Cup on August 1.

The Gunners saw off Manchester City in the last four before beating the Blues 2-1 in the showpiece, thanks to a double from star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Keown believes Arteta is capable of closing the gap on Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool after delivering his first piece of silverware at the Emirates.

The ex-Arsenal defender says his old club have the same core values in place which have served the Reds so well in recent times, as he told Football London: "We’ve heard Jurgen Klopp say about the history of that club, when they walk into that club and they see the trophies they’ve won and the players they’ve had.

“Arsenal is no different. With the FA Cup, we’ve almost moved competitions. Consistency wins you Premier League trophies, that’s the difference.

“You’ve only got to win six matches to win an FA Cup but nonetheless you’ve still got to beat the best teams. The last five winners have all done that.

"There has always been a big history and a big expectation at Arsenal. The minute I walked through the front door the photographs said it all. You’re here to win trophies.

"It was a bit of a barren spell in terms of championships but the club was emerging again, through the FA Cup.

“Maybe now he will use it again to win Premier Leagues."

Keown added: "By winning trophies you demonstrate that when things go well it clicks. You’re good enough to beat the teams that win the leagues.

"What you want to do is win the Premier League, get into that top four. Arteta will be ambitious to do that. It’s a great start and great for his confidence by the way, he’s a rookie manager but not anymore after winning a trophy.

"It keeps everybody on board. People listen more when you win things. You can roll out all the best ideas but you have to be able to execute the plan. They did that brilliantly since lockdown.

"I think it’s about the group realising that they’re good enough to win things. Then the name of the cup just changes. To win a Premier League you have to be far more consistent than we’re currently being.

"That’s the next step for Arteta but it’s good for the players to see that they’re capable of winning things, beating a very good Chelsea team in the process, but it’s still a rebuilding project for Arteta and Arsenal Football Club."

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Stanton Fredericks feels that the Soweto giants are firmly in control of their Premier Soccer League (PSL) title chances despite a serious challenge from closest competitors Mamelodi Sundowns.

Chiefs play their first match after the season restart on Wednesday when they host Bidvest Wits at Orlando Stadium.

After enjoying a 13-point gap at the top earlier in the campaign, before having that lead cut to four points by second-placed Sundowns, Chiefs’ title challenged appeared to be in trouble, but Frederick described his former team as “very resilient” and believes that all is not yet lost for the Soweto giants.

“Chiefs have their destiny in their hands to tilt the scale to their advantage. The first two games of the league’s restart will be crucial. If they win those, they will be in a good position,” Fredericks told the Kaizer Chiefs official website.

After the Wits match, Chiefs face relegation-threatened Polokwane City three days later.

But the Wits match comes on the backdrop of an uninspiring spell just before the season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Before the break, Chiefs had won two matches, lost as many and drew one in their last five games and it was a run in which they dropped eight points and allowed Sundowns to close the gap.

It also compromised their chances of a first league title since 2015 but Fredericks feels going on a league title drought is nothing unusual.

“It happens... all great teams go through hardships at times,” said Fredericks who named the players he thinks could carry Chiefs to glory in their last eight games.

“This side, however, has some real quality players, like Samir Nurkovic, Lebogang Manyama, Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro,” Fredericks said.

“If you look at Samir, it’s amazing how quickly he adapted to South African football, being from a different country and culture. It’s not easy to settle immediately in another country, but he managed to do just that. That’s class.

“The spark to the team’s success is Willard Katsande. He’s a real leader on the field, which he shows in his actions by chasing every ball. That motivates the other players to emulate him. Look at Nurkovic, he is always putting the opponent’s defence under pressure.”

Resuming action against a Wits side that has already endured a strong challenge from Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals could prove difficult for Chiefs.