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The 2019-20 PSL season could be scrapped if the league's executive committee members have their way, reports City Press. 

On Tuesday, the PSL held an urgent board of governors meeting following a statement from the South African Football Association (Safa) that competitive football can return in the first week of August.

The league in their statement on Wednesday said it will engage all stakeholders on the way forward as it was clear from Safa's statement the season would not be completed before August 31. 

Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza said in his press conference on Monday they will need at least six weeks for the season to conclude - hence they proposed July 18 as the return date.   

PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala said nothing has changed from the statement released by the league on Wednesday. 

"As we said in our press release, the chairman is currently engaging all the stakeholders on the way forward," Madlala told City Press. 

Furthermore, City Press reports Madlala said another board of governors meeting would be held once Khoza has concluded his discussions with the relevant stakeholders.  

An official who spoke to the publication on condition of anonymity said the season is as good as over, adding that what's left is for representatives from the 32 clubs to deal with the issue of championship and relegation.  

"Consider the season over. What's left is for us to outline the way forward regarding the championship and relegation," said the official. 

An unnamed club boss who also spoke to City Press expects talks between Khoza and sponsors to take longer and indicated that the majority of club bosses have called for the season to be declared null and void. 

"The information we got is that the board of governors [meeting] will possibly take place late next week because it sounds like discussions with the sponsors are not easy and will be prolonged," said the club boss. 

"Most club bosses are of the view that we should call the season null and void without declaring any winners or losers. The issue now is to deal with any legal issues which might arise."

Another unnamed club owner admitted the situation is complicated because if Kaizer Chiefs are crowned PSL champions then the same should apply for Ajax Cape Town who lead the NFD standings, and further added that an 18-team PSL league isn't an option as it would create more problems. 

"I think if we agree that Kaizer Chiefs can't be declared champions, then we can do the same with Ajax. But we will go through the nitty-gritty at our next meeting," the said club owner revealed. 

"For teams to agree to this would mean cutting their monthly grants and I don't see that happening. It would mean clubs get less [money] than what they have been getting to fund the other two teams. 

"This would mean the first division (NFD) would be two teams short as there won't be clubs promoted from the ABC Motsepe League. This would create an unnecessary imbalance in the leagues," concluded the unnamed club owner.    

Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer has rated Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Wigan Athletic as “the best game... by a country mile” Zimbabwe striker Macauley Bonne has ever played for the club.

Bonne struck two minutes into stoppage time to help Charlton earn a point at home and avoid dropping into the relegation zone.

The south-east Londoners are now just a rung above the relegation zone ahead of their final game of the season, a must-win visit to champions Leeds United on Wednesday.

Before Bonne secured a point for his side to record his 11th Championship goal of the season and his third in the last four matches, Bowyer says he first “had a go” at the Zimbabwe international who joined Charlton at the beginning of this season.

“That was the best game that he’s played for the club by a country mile and it’s not just because he got his goal. Physically he was putting his challenges in and putting his body on the line and that’s part of the game as well,” Bowyer told the Charlton Athletic website.

“I had a go at him maybe a week ago and people may have thought that I was being a bit harsh on him there but that’s my job. To push people.

“And to bring the best out of them and today I said to Macca ‘well done, you were outstanding’ and he could have easily gone the other way about me having a go at him but he didn’t, he stood up like a man and he improved.

“That’s perfect for me. I’m really pleased for him and he deserves all the praise he’ll get after this game.”

Bowyer feels that Bonne’s effectiveness upfront could have earned The Addicks a penalty kick from one of the fouls on the player.

“If you think of the penalties that have been given against us as of late… are you telling me that we shouldn’t have had one,” Bowyer said.

“I’ve looked at them both, both challenges on Macauley Bonne. The first one’s a penalty and the second one isn’t, but again a big decision has gone against us.”

Wednesday's trip to Leeds United will see Bowyer facing his former club who have already secured a Premier League ticket.

Meddie Kagere is almost assured of defending the Tanzania Mainland Premier League Golden Boot after stretching the lead on the top scorers' chart with a brace against Alliance FC.

Kagere, who now has 22 goals in the ongoing season, netted the first goal in Simba’s 5-1 win against Alliance in the 24th minute from the penalty spot.

The Rwandan international added the second one in the 44th minute to give the league champions a slim lead into the half-time break.

Kagere now needs just one goal to hit the record of 23 goals that he scored last season and won the Golden Boot.

Simba, who were defeated in their previous match against Mbao FC, stretched their lead further in the 64th minute when Luis Miquissone struck.

Deo Kanda added the fourth in 76th minute at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam before Said Ndemla, whose contract was extended recently, added the fifth in the 87th minute.

Martin Kigi scored the only goal for the visitors in the 39th minute.

The win ensured Simba earned their 84th point while the loss has complicated Alliance’s bid to get out of the relegation zone.

They are now with 41 points as they stand on 14th spot.

The 5-1 result was celebrated by the outspoken Simba Spokesperson Haji Manara who called for a similar performance in their remaining matches.

“Thanks to all Simba fans from Dar es Salaam, let us now plan to meet on Simba Day, God willing before we finish season duties in Tanga and Kilimanjaro,” Manara posted on Facebook.

The Alliance encounter is Simba’s last home match as they now plan to face Coastal Union on July 23.

Meanwhile, Azam FC squandered the chance to overtake Yanga SC and go second after a 1-1 draw against Lipuli FC.

Azam failed to protect their 1-0 lead which they earned from Abdallah Heri’s 44th-minute strike.

The home side fought and ensured the points were shared equally with an 80th-minute goal from Paul Materazzi.

Finally, Mbao and JKT Tanzania drew 1-1 in the third match of the day.

Frank Nchimbi had given JKT Tanzania the lead in the second minute of added time in the first half but Mbao struck to equalise in the 57th minute from Abdulkarim Segeja.

Former Chelsea sporting director Michael Emenalo says “the narrative has to change” if black coaches are to be given the same opportunities as their white counterparts.

The issue of racism in society has been given greater prominence in recent months following the killing of American George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis in May, which sparked Black Lives Matter protests across the globe.

Premier League players and staff have shown their solidarity against racism by taking a knee before kick-off at every game, while the players also have 'Black Lives Matter' printed on their shirt sleeves.

Emenalo, though, believes there needs to be a more fundamental shift in how black players and managers are perceived if there is to be true equality in football.

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo is currently the only manager from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background in the Premier League. Emenalo meanwhile is one of only two BAME technical directors in Premier League history along with Les Ferdinand, whose QPR side were relegated three months after his appointment as director of football in February 2015.

“The narrative has to change. The narrative right now is always that white is good,” he told the Guardian.

“So it doesn’t matter what Chris Hughton produces as a manager. There’s always someone saying a white guy can do it better. People need to do the right thing. Like Martin Luther King said: ‘Judge me by my competence – not my skin colour.'

“When I sit behind the bench at a game, I want to be close to my work. But it’s also so that people of my colour could say: ‘I can do that.’ People in the parking lot would say: ‘Oh my God, you don’t know what you mean to us.’ Then I feel even worse because I want to say more.”

Emenalo joined Chelsea as chief scout in 2007 following a playing career that saw him play in five countries and feature for Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup. The 54-year-old was briefly promoted to assistant coach in 2010 before becoming technical director the following year.

He would go on to spend a decade at Stamford Bridge, overseeing a complete overhaul of the club’s academy structure and being credited with the scouting and signing of players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard.

Despite those achievements, Emenalo felt he constantly had to prove himself to the 10 permanent or caretaker managers Chelsea went through in that time.

“Everybody has a misconception of my knowledge, insight and experience. I did it 10 times with 10 managers,” he added.

“Each time I climbed the hill and convinced them of my worth. I have a university degree in international relations and diplomacy. I know how to deal with people and with situations. I had World Cup experience and been part of this industry on five continents.

"I said: ‘I’ll give them an opportunity to understand me.’ They all did but it’s not easy starting from ground zero every time.”

Monaco have sacked head coach Robert Moreno after just seven months in charge of the Ligue 1 club.

The 42-year-old was appointed by the principality side last December and led them to a ninth-place finish in the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season, which was ended early due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He was only in charge for 13 matches in all competitions, winning five, drawing three and losing four.

Former Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac had already been heavily linked to the Monaco job before Robert's departure was confirmed. Kovac has been out of work since he was sacked by the Bundesliga giants in November.

A club statement read: "AS Monaco announce that the club has launched a procedure leading to the departure of Robert Moreno. The Spanish coach was informed of this in a preliminary meeting on Saturday."

Monaco vice-president Oleg Petrov said: "Our paths parted sooner than expected but I would like to thank Robert Moreno for accepting the challenge.

"Together with his staff, Robert has done his utmost to improve the team, with enthusiasm and dedication of his time. I wish him all the best for the future."

Robert's previous post came when he took charge of Spain's national team, initially on an interim basis before signing a contract until the end of Euro 2020.

However, Luis Enrique returned to the role after previously stepping down as his daughter battled cancer before passing away last August, and Moreno was not placed back on his coaching staff, with the ex-Barcelona boss branding his former colleague "disloyal" for asking to lead Spain at the European Championship.

Monaco appointed former Southampton and Tottenham head of recruitment Paul Mitchell as sporting director last month, with his arrival sparking a review of the club's management structure.

If Kovac does take charge he will become Monaco's fourth head coach in under two years. Leonardo Jardim was sacked in October 2018 and replaced by Thierry Henry, before returning to the club just three months later. Jardim was then sacked again for a second time in December, with Moreno taking charge.

The FA Cup semi-finals are a "one-off" that give Manchester United the chance to forget about the race for a top-four Premier League finish, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United have been in scintillating form since returning to action in June following the coronavirus-enforced break in the season.

Solskjaer's men have won six of their last eight fixtures, extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 19 in the process, with a huge showdown against Chelsea up next on Sunday.

A 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Thursday saw the Red Devils remain on course for Champions League qualification, which served as the perfect warm-up for their last-four FA Cup clash at Wembley.

Solskjaer wants his players to go out and enjoy themselves after their recent exploits in the Premier League, with a first trophy since 2017 now well within United's sights.

The Norwegian head coach told the club's official website: “I think a semi-final is a one-off. We’ve just got to find the right temperament going into the game because it’s an occasion to enjoy and it’s a chance to go to a final.

"We’ve done well to get this far and we’ve got nothing to lose really. I just want them to go out there and enjoy the game. Of course, it’s going to be a tight game, we know all about Chelsea.

"We’ve played them so many times this season and they’re a good team, but we’re so close now to the final and I know that the boys are looking forward to it.”

Asked if his mentality is to look at all of United's remaining fixtures as cup finals, Solskjaer responded: “Yeah, it is. You can’t focus on the one after, this is the one.

"You can’t think I’ll save something in the tank for Wednesday because suddenly that momentum you have might swing against us.

"Of course, we felt disappointed after the Southampton equaliser in the 96th minute, but they reacted well and got back on their feet and got a great result against Crystal Palace. This is one to take your mind off the league and just go and enjoy it.”

The United boss also delivered an update on the fitness of defensive duo Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams, revealing that the former will not be ready in time for the meeting with Chelsea.

“Luke will be out, I can't see him recovering," Solskjaer added. "Brandon will hopefully be okay, he'll try to join in training today, [despite] his eye.

"We'll see if he can see the ball when he comes in! He should be fine.”

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) giants Gor Mahia are set to sign experienced goalkeeper Levis Opiyo and full-back Kevin Okumu ahead of the 2020/21 season, Goal understands.

Opiyo and right-back Okumu are currently in the books of the newly-promoted side Nairobi City Stars.

The two were key as the Nairobi club conquered the National Super League (NSL) and were declared champions when the season was cancelled by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Opiyo’s arrival would probably fill the space of Robert Mapigano, whose future at Gor Mahia remains largely unknown given the financial turmoil the club underwent in the 2019/20 season.

The Tanzanian, in an earlier interview, stated he would only return to the KPL champions if the money the club owes him is paid in full. Mapigano was among the foreign players who arrived at Gor Mahia before the previous season began.

Should the experienced Opiyo sign for K’Ogalo, he would fight for starting places with veteran Boniface Oluoch.

Opiyo has played for one foreign club in his career, lower league German side Fortuna Babelsberg. He has played for many local clubs including Posta Rangers, Thika United, Sofapaka, Mathare United, Mahakama FC, Western Stima, and Vihiga United.

Opiyo made his name at Thika United where he worked with goalkeepers Lukas Indeche, Zamu Adisa and Joel Bataro when the Thika-based club was still in the KPL.

Okumu’s arrival would mean more competition in the full-back department that was greatly affected by injuries over the last 12 month.

Wellington Ochieng, Shafiq Batambuze and Philemon Otieno were out for the better part of the 2019/20 season due to injuries. In their absence, coach Steven Polack depended on Michael Apudo and Geoffrey Ochieng.

Apudo was signed from Posta Rangers in January and went on to claim the left-back position thereafter as Ochieng manned the opposite side.

Gor Mahia have always signed experienced full-backs who went on to make their names in those positions.

Ugandan Geoffrey Walusimbi became a regular figure at left-back while Karim Nizigiyiman of Burundi dominated the right-back position before both left.

Gor Mahia have not been linked with many players so far even though some of their key stars have indicated they might leave before the next season begins.

Defenders Charles Momanyi and Joash Onyango may not be part of the Green Army in future given their contracts are expected to end soon and Goal sources suggested the club has not initiated renewal talks.

Captain Kenneth Muguna has also indicated the desire to leave.

Ilkay Gundogan has admitted that Arsenal wanted to reach the FA Cup final more than Manchester City.

Arsenal booked their piece in the showpiece event by beating City 2-0 in the last-four clash at Wembley on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta's side took the lead with just 19 minutes on the clock when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang steered a Nicolas Pepe cross into the net following an 18-pass move which began in Emiliano Martinez's penalty area.

The Gunners had chances to double their lead before the interval, but City were able to regroup at half-time before going all out for an equaliser in the second period.

However, as Pep Guardiola's men pressed forward, Arsenal defended resolutely while waiting for a chance on the break, which came when Pepe picked the ball up near the halfway line in the 70th minute.

The Ivorian held it up brilliantly before passing back to Kieran Tierney, who picked out Aubameyang as he raced in behind the City defence.

The 31-year-old kept his composure to slot the ball through Ederson's legs for his and Arsenal's second of the match, and they held on for a famous victory to set up a meeting with either Manchester United or Chelsea on August 1.

Gundogan has conceded that City fell short of their usual high standards in the first 45, as he told the club's official website: “I think the energy we had starting the second half was exactly what we needed at the beginning of the game.

“Sometimes one very bad half is enough to lose the game and it looked like Arsenal wanted it more to go to the final today which was the most frustrating part.

“We had two kind of good chances in the beginning when we won the ball in front of the Arsenal goal but after that our game was sloppy and slow and there was a lack of energy.”

City now only have the Champions League left to play for after failing to defend their FA Cup crown, and Gundogan insists they will have to "improve quite quickly" in order to reach the next stage of the competition.

Guardiola saw his side beat Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 tie back in February, but Gundogan says they cannot afford to take rest on their laurels in the return, which will be held in Lisbon next month.

“We have two more league games to play and then we have a big game against Madrid," he said.

"We should definitely improve because the way we played today won’t be enough to go into the next round of the Champions League.

“We have to improve quite quickly because we don’t have much time… We need to try to do our best."

Latif Blessing scored an own goal as Los Angeles FC saw off their city rivals Los Angeles Galaxy 6-2 in Group F of the MLS is Back tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida on Saturday.

Bob Bradley’s men started off the competition on a sour note after losing 2-1 to Portland Timbers, who saw off Houston Dynamo by the same scoreline in Saturday’s other group fixture to make it into the Round of 16.

Their campaign suffered another blow when the ball deflected off Blessing on its way in only the fifth minute of the match.

Joy for the Galaxy was, however, short-lived as LA FC equalised eight minutes later via Diego Rossi. Christian Pavon made it 2-1 for Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s side in the 31st minute before Rossi equalised again on the stroke of half-time.

It was all black and gold in the second half with Rossi adding two more goals, with Mohammed El-Monir and former Manchester City player Bradley Wright-Phillips completing the rout.

Blessing played the entire game, produced 58 touches, 25 accurate passes at 80%, two successful dribbles from four attempts, won nine of 14 total duels and also made two tackles, three clearances and five interceptions.

LA FC lifted the 2019 Supporters Shield after they finished top of the Western Conference with a league-record 72 points, having won 21 games out of 34, scored 85 goals, the most of any team during the regular season, and conceded 37 goals, also the least of any side.

Blessing played every game in the regular season, clocking a total of 3,093 minutes on the pitch, and scored five goals and provided five assists.

The Ghanaian has been with the California outfit since their maiden season as an expansion team in 2018, and played 80 times in all competitions, scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists.

LA FC started well in the 2019 Western Conference play-offs after seeing off Minnesota United and Galaxy, but lost 3-1 to eventual MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders in the conference finals at the Banc of California Stadium.

LA FC are second in Group F and will make it to the Round of 16 if they get the better of the already-qualified Timbers on Wednesday.

Kaizer Chiefs defender Philani Zulu’s agent Saheed Adebayo says his client will work harder than before to repay the faith shown in him by the Naturena giants.

The former Maritzburg United left-back recently extended his stay with Amakhosi with a further year and Adebayo says there will be an improvement in the 27-year-old’s contribution.

Although Zulu has struggled for regular game time under coach Ernst Middendorp, the contract extension is a sign that he is still in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) table-toppers’ plans.

“He [Zulu] said he’ll work hard to repay the club’s faith shown to him,” said Adebayo as quoted by DailySun.

“This [contract renewal] is good for him because he didn’t play too much last and this season. I know him as a hard-working boy and that’s why Chiefs considered and renewed his contract.

“I feel there’ll be more improvement than in the past seasons.”

The versatile player that can also play as winger joined the Soweto giants in July 2017 when they were led by former manager Giovanni Solinas, but has struggled to cement his place in the team.

When Chiefs signed him, they were looking for the long term successor for veteran defender Tsepo Masilela who was released in 2018 and is now playing for AmaZulu.

However, Zulu has not yet managed to assume that role as the German mentor prefers the likes of Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya and Yagan Sasman.

In the current campaign, Zulu has only featured in three PSL matches for the club and will need to fight harder to convince the technical team he deserves to start ahead of Ntiya-Ntiya and the former Ajax Cape Town defender.

Meanwhile, Chiefs decided to release midfielders Kabelo Mahlasela and Joseph Molangoane whilst opting to retain Zulu, goalkeeper Brylon Petersen as well as out of favour playmaker Siphelele Ntshangase.

On the other hand, the Glamour Boys have released midfielder George Maluleka who has since joined reigning league champions Mamelodi Sundowns on a three-year deal.

Former Kenya SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri has cast aspersions on the recently revealed sponsorship deal between the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and BetKing.

The FKF announced the new deal for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) is set to run for five years but Karauri feels the federation could have approached local companies for the same purpose.

Karauri signed a sponsorship deal with the KPL before SportPesa exited the country due to a battle on taxation with the government.

“FKF, even if it’s looking for votes, shouldn’t you have considered Betika or Odibet or any of the other 100 per cent licensed Kenyan companies?” Karauri tweeted.

In a response, Mwendwa dismissed Karauri’s claims and said SportPesa also sponsored foreign clubs with bigger deals.

“Not a fair comment Captain! Coming from you and knowing that football supported you even when you went outside and sponsored others for more than Kenya,” the FKF president responded.

In a Saturday interview with Radio Jambo, Mwendwa explained why BetKing should not be regarded as a fully foreign company.

“There is a small company called Safaribet here in Kenya but were clever in that they looked for a partner outside the country. The partner they found is BetKing,” Mwendwa revealed.

“If you visit the Registrar of Companies you will find the company is registered there even with a Betting and License Control Board registration number.

“So, the original company is a Kenyan that just entered into a business partnership with BetKing. I want to be clear and I think I have been clear.

“If you ask who are this company, it is not a Nigerian company but they have a huge presence in that country and are investing in other countries at great speed. Of course, the original owner was a Nigerian.”

Since he made the FKF-BetKing deal public, Mwendwa has defended it and attempted to answer questions arising from curious public members who have questioned the authenticity of the five-year KSh1.2 billion deal.

Kakamega Homeboyz’s Cleophas Shimanyula was the first KPL chairman to cast doubt over the history-breaking sponsorship deal.

“I am supporting the new deal but not 100% per cent support because the deal was hurriedly signed, FKF did not involve clubs not even stakeholders, I don’t think the deal is legit, maybe until I see my club account with money from FKF,” Shimanyula told Goal on Friday.

“We have seen such deals signed before and they don’t last, they don’t even go far, I am wondering why FKF moved to make the announcement whereas there was no representative from BetKing.”

According to Mwendwa, the official launch of the deal will take place by September 1.

Chelsea will have an advantage in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich, according to Leon Goretzka.

Bayern hold a commanding 3-0 lead following an impressive victory at Stamford Bridge in February, but they will not have played a competitive game in over a month when they take on the Blues at the Allianz Arena on August 8.

Chelsea, meanwhile, will conclude their Premier League campaign on July 26 and contest the FA Cup final on August 1 if they defeat Manchester United in their semi-final at Wembley on Sunday.

Goretzka thinks that gives Frank Lampard's side an edge, though the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal champions will do their utmost to ensure Chelsea do not repeat their 2012 Champions League final success over Bayern in Munich.

"We've already had a great season, winning the championship and the cup," Goretzka told Bild am Sonntag . "It is clear to every one of us that the competition and our path to the final is extremely challenging."

Whoever progresses from the tie between Chelsea and Bayern will take on either Napoli or Barcelona in the quarter finals in Lisbon, with one of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Lyon and Juventus waiting in the final four.

Goretzka continued: "All our focus in on the game against Chelsea. The good thing about such top opponents is that they have as much respect for us as we do for them.

"Chelsea has the advantage that they are travelling to Munich just after the season, while we want to keep up our rhythm.

"We will do everything to make sure Chelsea will not be successful again in Munich."

The Bundesliga was the first of Europe's top five leagues to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the campaign wrapped up on June 27. Goretzka impressed in the heart of Bayern's midfield following the resumption in May and put it down to increasing his muscle mass during the hiatus.

"For me, lockdown was both a crisis and an opportunity," said Goretzka. "A crisis because you miss football and daily training with the team, but also a chance to gain muscle mass in co-ordination with the physiotherapist.

"In crucial games and moments, it is important to be physically and mentally fit. The weight helps me in tackles, makes me a bit more agile and robust. Not only on the ground in a one-on-one, but also in the air."

Stefano Pioli said he needed to manage Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the AC Milan star looked angry at being substituted against Bologna.

Ibrahimovic provided an assist before being taken off just after the hour-mark of the Rossoneri's 5-1 Serie A victory at San Siro on Saturday.

However, the 38-year-old appeared annoyed at being substituted, with a minor altercation ensuing at the touchline as he left the pitch. 

Coach Pioli dismissed the idea of a falling out and said he was simply managing Ibrahimovic in order to ensure the veteran striker maintains an acceptable level of fitness.

"He said something, but honestly I didn't understand. It's also normal," the Milan boss told DAZN of the Swede's apparent irritation.

"I have to manage him, playing so much I need everyone to be well."

While he did provide an assist in the victory, Ibrahimovic failed to find the net, meaning he was unable to add to his tally of five goals in 14 Serie A appearances this season.

Alexis Saelemaekers, Hakan Calhanoglu, Ismael Bennacer, Ante Rebic and Davide Calabria were on the scoresheet for Milan though.

Sitting sixth in Serie A, Milan are now unbeaten in nine games since returning from the coronavirus-enforced break and Pioli is delighted with his side's form.

"The team is having fun and this is positive. We played a high-level game, we were good," said the former Inter and Fiorentina boss.

"It means that we are well and we have gained confidence."

Pioli was particularly impressed by the contributions of midfielder Franck Kessie in the victory, hailing the Ivory Coast international as "a real leader".

“Franck is a modern and complete midfielder who does well both attacking and defending," he noted. 

"He’s at peak fitness now and has such presence, he’s always ready and generous to motivate his teammates, so has become a real leader in the squad.”

Milan are in action again on Tuesday when they take on Sassuolo and they will be keen to keep the pressure on Roma as they seek to clinch fifth place.

Eden Hazard has admitted to having mixed emotions after Real Madrid's La Liga triumph, insisting the 2019-20 campaign has been "the worst season" of his career to date.

Much was expected of Hazard when he completed a €100 million (£91m/$114m) move to Santiago Bernabeu from Chelsea last summer.

The Belgium international was initially seen as the natural successor to Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in 2018, but he hasn't quite been able to live up to that billing during his debut season in La Liga.

A string of niggling injuries have hampered the 29-year-old's progress in Madrid, and he has been restricted to just 21 appearances in all competitions for Zinedine Zidane's side over the past year.

Hazard has only scored once during that period, with his former Chelsea team-mate Cesc Fabregas of the opinion that the winger has been a "little self-conscious" since his arrival at the Bernabeu.

The Belgian winger became a Liga champion last week, as Madrid secured a 2-1 home win over Villarreal to wrestle the top-flight crown away from arch-rivals Barcelona.

However, Hazard is not completely satisfied with his contribution, and has therefore been unable to fully revel in the club's domestic success.

He told France Info: "This year, we collectively won this league title, but I have surely had the worst season of my career individually."

Asked to discuss Zidane's role in Madrid's run to a 34th top-flight crown, Hazard responded: "We all know Zidane as a player, he was the best. As a coach, we don't even need to describe him anymore. He has shown, in just a few years, that he is already one of the best coaches.

"As a coach, he is like when he was a player. He is a simple person who knows how to say things at the right time. He trusts his players and his players trust him, that's why it works."

The former Chelsea star went on to praise the four Madrid stars that he believes have had the biggest impact on the team this term.

“Karim Benzema is very nice on a daily basis, very simple. He is there to win games, to score goals. I think this year has shown again that it is simply the best," said Hazard.

"There is also [Raphael] Varane. In my career, I have met great defenders, such as John Terry or Vincent Kompany. I think Varane, while still young, is already one of the best central defenders in the world. 

"The partnership he forms with Sergio Ramos is great. As for [Ferland] Mendy, he has shown that he is not there just to look pretty. If the club has signed him, it means that he has qualities. 

"It is never easy to get to a club, when you are young, and in a club like that. He has shown that he represents the future."

Hazard and Madrid will conclude their domestic schedule with a clash against Leganes on Sunday, before turning their attention to a Champions League round of 16 second leg showdown against Manchester City next month.

The mercurial attacker added on the Blancos' chances of winning a unique league and cup double: “It was a somewhat strange season, with everything that happened. The season is already very good, but I think it can be even better if we qualify in our second leg of the Champions League round of 16. 

"When you play for Real Madrid, you want to win all the titles. The next one has to be the Champions League, although it will be difficult because we have to play in Manchester City and they have a very good team."

The Football Federation of Zambia (FAZ) has confirmed two Zesco United players have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Zesco United are expected to face Kansanshi Dynamos in one of Sunday’s matches that will be staged at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

According to FAZ, the results, which also confirmed two players from Power Dynamos tested positive, the scheduled matches will go on as planned. 

The federation made the announcement following a consultative meeting among stakeholders that was chaired by Minister of Youth Sport and Child Development, Emmanuel Mulenga.

FAZ president Andrew Kamanga, National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) acting General-Secretary Raphael Mulenga and Director of Sports John Zulu also attended the meeting that gave the matches the greenlight to proceed.

Mulenga said all players, except for Kansanshi Dynamos, were tested and results have already been availed.

“The results announced have revealed that all Buildcon players have tested negative while Power Dynamos and Zesco United have had two players testing positive each,” the FAZ statement read.

“FAZ also wishes to advise that there has been a fixture switch with the Buildcon versus Power Dynamos fixture brought forward to 14:00 hours as Kansanshi Dynamos results are still being awaited.

“The second match involving Zesco United and Kansanshi Dynamos will be staged at 16:00 hours subject to Kansanshi Dynamos being handed a clean bill of health.

“All the players that have tested positive will be isolated as per the guidance from the Ministry of Health.

“FAZ also wishes to remind members of the public that the matches are being played behind closed doors.”

Zesco United have four Kenyan players in their ranks; goalkeeper Ian Otieno, defender David ‘Calabar’ Owino, strikers John Makwatta and Jesse Were.

The news comes just a day after 28 members of Forest Rangers squad tested positive and their match against Zanaco FC was not played on July 18.

The Zambian FA had warned teams that flout Covid-19 regulations that they will risk a point deduction.

“We are greatly concerned that some clubs have relaxed their adherence to the Covid-19 guidelines. We should never forget that the league resumption can always be halted if clubs do not adhere to the set guidelines,” FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala noted.

“The Ministry of Health has been keeping an eye on the preparations and have raised the whistle on us in the manner some clubs are neglecting to observe the set guidelines.

“Clubs will face stiff penalties for breaching Covid-19 guidelines that could even extend to losing points or matches being cancelled.”

The Zambian league is the third in Africa to resume since suspension due to the coronavirus after Burundi and Tanzania.

Leon Balogun says Wigan Athletic’s 2-2 draw with Charlton Athletic is a “tough one to take” as one more Championship round is left to play.

The Lactics have gone into administration after facing financial difficulties and as per governing rules will face a 12-point deduction which could see them relegated to League Two if enough points are not accrued.

They have lost only one of their league games since resumption in June and fired eight goals without reply past Hull City in their last outing.

It started well for Paul Cook’s men at the Valley with Jamal Lowe giving them the lead in the ninth minute. Alfie Doughty replied instantly for Charlton, but Kieran Dowell gave Wigan the lead five minutes to the break.

It looked like the 2013 FA Cup champions were going to walk home with a valuable three away points in south-east London. However, Macauley Bonne equalised in injury time to break Wigan hearts, the assist coming from Anglo-Nigerian and Arsenal academy graduate Chuks Aneke.

“Tough one to take. Might not have been the best performance, but I felt like we gave it our all. Just gotta admit that today’s ‘all’ wasn’t enough to get the result everybody wanted,” Balogun posted on Twitter.

“We’ll shake it off and make sure we’re ready to go hard again on Wednesday at the DW.”

Balogun – who joined Wigan initially on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion in January before making the deal permanent last month, played the entire match, making eight clearances, two tackles and blocking three shots. The Nigeria international also won seven of 13 total duels, five of them in the air.

Wigan boss Cook did not hide what he called a huge disappointment and acknowledges it will be a tough task for the Greater Manchester side ahead of their final game with Fulham.

"We are disappointed to not see the game out. We have been in those kind of situations before,” Cook told Latics TV.

“We’ve got three centre-halves on the pitch and they have two strikers. One striker is in 10 yards of space, that can’t happen.

"There is no criticism from me, it’s a huge disappointment as you can imagine in the dressing room.

"We have one more big challenge ahead, a really tough game Wednesday, Fulham are an excellent team with excellent players and unless results go favourable for us today with Luton drawing with Hull, the reality is we might have to go into that game with it out of our hands.

"Without a shadow of a doubt we have the fight.

"Our supporters know exactly what we think of them, our town knows what we think of them, we are hurting this afternoon because a win would have been huge, it’s what we needed and wanted. Unfortunately, we haven’t got that.”

Wigan are currently in 13th place with 58 points, 10 clear of the relegation zone. This puts them in a tricky situation as they will need to beat promotion play-off bound Fulham while hoping those in the relegation zone in Luton Town, Hull and Barnsley all lose points.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has reminded former Arsenal and Manchester United defenders Martin Keown and Rio Ferdinand of Thierry Henry after his brace in the 2-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday.

The Gunners came into the clash on the back of a 2-1 Premier League win over Liverpool which ensured the newly-crowned champions would not be able to beat the record points haul of 100 set by City in 2017-18.

Aubameyang gave Arsenal the lead in the 19th minute after getting assisted by Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe. Revived Scottish full-back Kieran Tierney then found Auba for the second with 19 minutes left on the clock.

Mikel Arteta’s men will face either Manchester United or Chelsea in the final for a chance to lift a record-extending 14th FA Cup crown, last lifting it in 2017 after seeing off the Blues 2-1.

Aubameyang has now scored 66 goals in 106 appearances for Arsenal since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, 25 of them recorded this season.

Henry is the club’s all-time top scorer with 228 goals in 377 appearances and is presently the manager of Major League Soccer outfit Montreal Impact.

“This really reminds me of Thierry Henry when he’s running through there in full flow, he opens his body out,” Keown said on BT Sport.

“I wonder if Arteta was saying in that last drinks break that team talk we might need to score again and we need to do better from our breaks.

“They couldn’t have done any better than that fantastic break and a great goal on the counter-attack.”

Ferdinand echoed Keown’s thoughts about Aubameyang’s goal which was reminiscent of the types of goals Henry scored while in north London.

“It’s a great goal, the composure was fantastic - played on by Mendy. The young centre-half, Garcia, has got to see that - you’ve got to know who you’re playing against,” he told BT Sport.

“When there are players who are willing to run in behind you, you’ve got to try to cover that area, but once he’s in there, he reminds you a bit of Thierry [Henry] when he’s bearing down on goal like that.

“He just opens himself up and places it through the keeper’s legs, fantastic finish.”

Another former Gunner in Robin van Persie, equally speaking on BT Sport, waxed lyrical about Aubameyang especially the technique involved in his second goal.

"To hit this with the outside of his foot is really special because most players here go with their left," the Dutchman said.

"It shows you how great he is to go for the most difficult solution.

"To go there with a bounce, with the outside of his foot, the chances of this ball going in are really slim. So it just tells you how great a player he is.

“It was a great pass from Tierney. Aubameyang sees where the danger is and then he has the pace, as well as the control. He takes the extra touch just to find the space through the legs.

“What I really like as well is that just before he takes his shot, he takes a quick look. Nine out of ten strikers don’t do that.

“Even when he’s under pressure and the defender is coming in, he still has that look to see if someone else is more open to score the goal.

“He’s looking to see if Lacazette is free - if he’s open to pass the ball to - and then in the split second he decides to take the shot because he’s in a better position.

“Most strikers don’t really find the time to have that look.”

Arsenal will next do battle against relegation strugglers Aston Villa and Watford in the Premier League with the hope of sealing a Europa League spot next season.

Shamim Meraj, oen of the founders of Real Kashmir FC, severed all ties with the I-League outfit almost two months ago,  Goal  has reliably learnt. 

Sources close to Meraj have confirmed to Goal  that the former co-owner had growing differences with the team management over multiple issues. While he wanted to adopt a more entertaining style of football, other members of the team management wanted to stick to the approach adopted by coach David Robertson which involved the typical English brand of football, utilising the physical attributes of the players at his disposal.

"It was very frustrating for him to see Kashmir play that kind of football. He felt that football should always entertain people but that was not happening at Real Kashmir. There was too much workload on one player and he was not being able to give his best. The other key players did not suit the methods of the coach. He wanted to change things at the club. The third-place finish in the debut season fuelled further ambition and that might have become a bane for the club," said a source close to Meraj in the condition of anonymity.

Meraj is also the editor of his family-owned local newspaper  Kashmir Monitor . In March 2016, he formed Real Kashmir alongside Sandeep Chattoo to engage local youth with the sport. 

“I was out with my friends in the city for a stroll. We decided to do something that could engage them. I requested a couple of my friends to send footballs for them. That's when the idea of forming a small club struck me,” Meraj told in an interview a few years back.

In 2017-18 the  Snow Leopards  became champions of the Second Division I-League and booked a berth in the I-League. In their first season in top tier football, they made a name for themselves in the footballing landscape of India as they finished third in the table. 

In 2019-20 they reached the semi-final of Durand Cup where they were beaten by Mohun Bagan. In I-League, they were in the fourth position with 22 points from 15 matches before the competition was suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Ever since their entry into the I-League, Real Kashmir has caught the attention of the country, thanks to their spirited performances despite challenges. Every home match normally sees a full house which is a rarity in I-League.

With Meraj no longer connected to the club, co-owner Sandeep Chattoo has taken complete charge of the club. When  Goal  reached out to Meraj, he declined to comment.