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Mohamed Salah joined a trio of Liverpool legends in a prestigious club as he played a starring role in a 3-1 win over Brighton.

The Egypt international scored twice as the Premier League champions recorded their first away triumph since February 15, moving on to 92 points with four games remaining.

Salah steered the visitors in front in the sixth minute and then assisted Jordan Henderson's goal that arrived just 127 seconds later, laying the ball off for the Liverpool captain to curl a shot beyond Mat Ryan.

Leandro Trossard halved the deficit before the break, but Salah made sure of victory when he headed in Andy Robertson's corner, taking his tally in the league this season to 19 goals.

He has also now reached 100 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League, tallying 73 goals and 27 assists to achieve the feat in only 104 appearances.

In 2019-20 alone Salah has recorded nine assists in the top flight alongside his goals, behind only Trent Alexander-Arnold and Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne in the overall standings. 

"I don't know why but I think I have a good [assists] number since I came here," Salah told Sky Sports  after the final whistle on Wednesday. "In my position, I think I'm doing well."

Only three players have reached the milestone previously for the Reds. Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler achieved the century in 148 and 158 games respectively, while Steven Gerrard's landmark came up in his 212th outing.

Jurgen Klopp's side also created history at Brighton by winning for the 30th time in their 34th Premier League fixture this season. No other side has reached that tally as quickly in the history of the English Football League.

Next in the Reds' sights will be two records currently held by Pep Guardiola's City, and both set during their imperious 2017-18 campaign. 

While with 75 goals scored Liverpool are unlikely to challenge City's best-ever mark of 106 that same season, a strong end to the term could see them become the Premier League's best-ever in terms of points and wins. 

Three wins out from their last four outings would see Liverpool rise to 101 points and 33 wins for the season, beating their rivals' 100 and 32 achieved two years ago.

Burnley are the champions' next opponents, visiting Anfield on Saturday.

Manchester City put their defeat to Southampton behind them with a comprehensive 5-0 home victory over Newcastle United on Wednesday.

The 1-0 loss at St Mary's Stadium was City's ninth of the Premier League season and left them a demoralising 23 points behind new champions Liverpool at the top.

That gap was closed back to 20 - while the distance to Chelsea in third was stretched to nine - as Pep Guardiola's side brushed aside Newcastle through goals from Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, David Silva, Raheem Sterling and a Federico Fernandez own goal.

Newcastle were happy to cede possession and keep their defensive block in place, but the game plan was undone just 10 minutes in when Jesus finished from Silva's cut-back after some slack marking.

The visitors were unable to cope with City's high press and, when they lost the ball again 35 yards out, De Bruyne ran onto Phil Foden's simple pass and squared for Mahrez to side-foot home.

That goal meant City became the first team to have five players hit 10 goals in a single Premier League season and there should have been another when Jonjo Shelvey gave up possession but Foden shot wide.

Foden somehow prodded wide with the goal gaping soon after the restart, but City had only to wait until the 58th minute for their third goal, Matt Ritchie kicking the ball in off Fernandez while trying to stop Jesus.

Silva made it 4-0 with a precise free-kick from 25 yards out, the disjointed Newcastle wall summing up the Magpies' scant overall resistance, and the Spaniard set up substitute Sterling for a simple fifth after intercepting a pass.

What does it mean? City consolidate second... and wonder why

City's latest goalscoring record took them to 86 in the league this season, 14 more than leaders Liverpool, but did little more than make finishing second almost certain.

The kind of attacking interplay and unshakeable dominance of the game against Newcastle only adds to the bemusement as to how they have lost nine times and let Jurgen Klopp's side have such a simple time of things in the title race.

It was a first league loss for Steve Bruce's side since February 22, keeping them six points outside of the top eight but comfortably 16 clear of the drop zone.

Silva still shining as City clock winds down

Silva reached 10 assists in all competitions and scored a sublime goal to cap a typically creative, stylish performance. Surprisingly, it was the first time he had scored and set up a goal in a league match since January 2016.

He has just two more home league games to come as a City player. It is a shame they will be held without the crowd ovation he deserves.

Krafth work strikes a sour note

Newcastle's 4-5-1 shape was never likely to work if the players were so quick to lose focus. The first-half goals both came from the position Emil Krafth should have been occupying, although he was given next to no protection out wide by DeAndre Yedlin and Valentino Lazaro.

What's next?

City head to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, the same day Newcastle face a Watford side still fighting for Premier League survival.

Ghana Football Association (GFA) has rescheduled its Executive Council meeting originally slated for Thursday for discussing issues surrounding the cancelled domestic season and modalities towards the commencement of a new term.

Last month, football's governing body permanently terminated the 2019-20 campaign after three months of a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The outfit had hoped to promptly convene on Thursday to decide the way forward, particularly for the Ghana Premier League (GPL).

"The Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council has moved its upcoming meeting to Tuesday, July 14, 2020," the GFA announced on its official website on Wednesday

"The meeting will be done through video conferencing.

"The body was supposed to meet on Thursday, July 9, 2020, to take decisions on Congress and plans for a new season.

"Matters to be discussed include the date and agenda for Congress, the date for player registration and modalities leading to the start of the 2020-21 season.

"Last week, the Council took a decision to cancel the 2019-20 football season due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

The Premier League was at the matchweek 15 stage when it was halted by the coronavirus disease.

Ghana's ban on all contact sports, including football, remains in effect until at least July 31.

Following the recent return of some national leagues in England, Spain, Germany and Italy, there had been calls for Ghana to follow suit. 

Before terminating the campaign, the GFA revealed it was engaging the Government of Ghana over the possible resumption of football under strictly safe protocols such as playing matches behind closed doors, having had a first request rejected.

The rising number of infection cases in the west African country, however, left concerns about the quest for football resumption.

At the time of temporary suspension, a total of six cases had been recorded.

As at June 30 when the season was permanently cancelled, the west African nation had registered 17,1741 cases involving 113 deaths, 13,268 recoveries and 4,361 active cases.

Top executives from Premier League clubs Berekum Chelsea, Eleven Wonders and King Faisal advocated for the total cancellation of the 2019-20 season over safety concerns amid resuming football under the coronavirus conditions.

Manchester United do not need to sign Jadon Sancho because they have Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, says Dimitar Berbatov.

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a summer move for the Borussia Dortmund and England star.

But 18-year-old attacker Greenwood has been in fine form for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team this term, scoring eight times in 26 Premier League appearances.

Rashford and Martial, meanwhile, are the team’s top scorers this season having netted 15 goals each in the English top-flight.

Former United striker Berbatov believes the arrival of Sancho could hinder Greenwood’s progress and feels they have enough strength in attack already.

"Looking at how the squad are doing at the moment I don't think signing Sancho is necessary,” Berbatov told The Mirror.

"Look at the front three from the other night, the speed of Martial, Rashford and Greenwood was great to watch, their link up play was fantastic.

"Football is a funny thing, you have a great young player in Sancho, but at the same time you have a great young player in Greenwood.

"United have to question if they are ready to sacrifice and halt the development of Greenwood, one of their own, to bring Sancho in.

"They could have both and rotate not only them two, but Martial and Rashford.

"You have to ask the manager and the player, if someone is signing for United they will be expecting to play every game, otherwise why are you going there to sit on the bench?

"In Sancho's case, he's one of the biggest young talents at the moment and everybody wants to see him in their team, he needs to be really calculated about what he wants.

"I'll be happy to see him at United because he will bring even more power to the team, and they would have four great attackers upfront with speed, which would be frightening to watch.

"If they find a solution and the price for Sancho is good, go for it because when you have all these great players in your team, you only have good problems on your hands."

Slovenian striker Matej Poplatnik has left Indian Super League (ISL) club Kerala Blasters to join Scottish top division club Livingston FC. 

Poplatnik, who had a year left on his contract with Blasters, spent the last season on loan at Hungarian club Kaposvari Rakoczi. He managed just one start in a total of six appearances during his loan spell. Although he initially looked set to return to the club, Poplatnik has chosen to move on, with Blasters deciding that they want to head in a different direction under newly-appointed head coach Kibu Vicuna. 

Livingston finished fifth in the Scottish Premiership last season, a spot below the European slots and 41 points behind champions Celtic. Poplatnik will be hoping to fuel their push to climb up the table next season. The Slovenian striker scored four goals in his 16 appearances in the ISL with Blasters. 

The Indian Super League (ISL) club, as reported earlier, are undergoing a structural revamp. With the appointment of sporting director, Lithuanian Karolis Skinkys, there has been an increased focus on signing young talents and retaining existing players based on their financial capability. They recently wrapped up the signing of youngster Givson Singh from Indian Arrows. 

Blasters have failed to get past the league stage in the last three seasons and will be looking to get back on track once the 2020-21 season starts rolling.

They finished seventh in the league last season with 19 points from 18 matches. Nishu Kumar, Givson Singh and Albino Gomes etc are a few of the club's recent signings and the supporters will be expecting the management to further strengthen the squad in the coming weeks. 

Whyvonne Isuza has explained how the coronavirus affected his move from AFC Leopards to Wazito FC.

Isuza was among the players that left Leopards for greener pastures at Wazito in January and says the outbreak of the coronavirus did not allow him to settle quickly at his new club.

“The season was cut short when I had just made a move from AFC Leopards. That is the moment I was trying to gel with the team and I was trying as much as possible to understand my teammates,” Isuza told Wazito’s Online TV.

“There was a little disruption but since we are going to start anew as a team I feel it is going to be good for me.

“I feel I am in good fitness and I am in proper shape too.”

The attacking midfielder also asked the fans to keep supporting the team even when there is no action.

“Let the fans continue supporting the team even on social media. Let them keep following the team as we hope soon we will get back to play,” he added.

As he trains a lot given the active ban on social gatherings, Isuza explained how his typical week looks like.

“I have a special routine which on Monday means I go for a longer run that will take me 40 minutes or one hour,” he continued.

“On Tuesday and Wednesday, I do gym then take a rest on Thursday and work again on Friday, Saturday.

“Visiting the gym is very important because it helps maintain body mass.”

The Harambee Star also revealed the difference between individual and joint training.

“It is tough training alone because there is no motivation as is the case when we train together. When training alone, there is no one who supervises you and it means one has to push himself harder,” he concluded.

“One needs a lot of discipline and self-motivation when working alone. It is tough but you can have fun while working on the weakest parts of your game.

“There are those days when you feel a little bit lazy and getting out of bed is a challenge. There is always that whisper which tells you ‘there are no consequences if you fail to exercise’ but for me, such days matter a lot and I believe they can make a lot of difference.

“Training a lot requires more discipline than motivation.

“Working alone is a good thing because as a person you get to understand your body better and this is something I have learned this time around.”

Apart from training, Isuza has got other hobbies he attends to when free.

“During my free time, I do watch movies and series and also I get time to read. I have books that I ensure I read. If I am not reading or watching movies, I do spend time with my family,” he concluded.

The South African Football Association (Safa) has confirmed it will oversee all procedures relating to 'return-to-play' protocols as requested by Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa. 

Earlier this week, Mthethwa penned a letter to Safa instructing the body to ensure the PSL and its 32-member clubs comply with stringent protocols as gazetted by the government.  

There were concerns other PSL teams were not complying and that it could be risky to allow football to return when the number of confirmed positive cases in different clubs isn't made public. 

As things stand, only a handful of clubs, including Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic, Orlando Pirates, Cape Town City, Stellenbosch FC, Swallows FC and TS Galaxy, went public about confirmed positive cases within their camps - and this was reportedly Safa's biggest concern. 

In the letter communicated directly to Safa, Mthethwa made it clear the country's FA and its members, in this regard the PSL, will be 'responsible for any claim for damages or negligence arising as a result of failure to take reasonable measures in curbing the spread of Covid-19'. 

A number of clubs have complied with the rules and have appointed compliance officers to ensure the safety of the players and officials. 

It is for this reason, Safa has appointed Dr Thulani Ngwenya and Mlungisi Ncame as their two compliance officers. 

The pair will work closely with all the compliance officers from the 32 clubs. 

In fact, clubs will be expected to report directly to both Ngwenya and Ncame without undermining the powers of the PSL. 

According to the association, the PSL will have a meeting on Thursday (July 9) where their 'special members' will be expected to have their input before Safa can take full control of the process.

Safa released the following statement on their official website:  

The South African Football Association (Safa) has started to put all the processes into motion following the letter from the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Mr Nathi Mthethwa explaining all procedures on the return to football and play.

The Association has thereby appointed Dr Thulani Ngwenya and Mr Mlungisi Ncame as Compliance Officers to oversee the entire process as prescribed by the correspondence from the Minister, who requested that Safa oversees the whole process on return to training and play.

Part of the letter from the Ministry reads:

1. The sport body (Safa) must assume full responsibility for the safety and security of its members, staff and athletes in curbing the spread of COVID-19; and
2. Ensure that all its members comply with the provisions of these Directions, Regulations and any other applicable legislation;
3. A sport body (Safa) and its affiliate members are jointly and severally responsible for any claim for damages or negligence arising as a result of failure to take reasonable measures in curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Dr Ngwenya and Mr Ncame as well as Safa CEO Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe, will be meeting with the National Soccer League (NSL) to discuss the logistics and implementation of the compliance requirements as set out in the compliance protocol put together by the Joint Liaison Committee (JLC) and approved by the government.

It is this document that will guide the return to training and play processes.

SAFA has already forwarded the response and directive from the Minister and subsequent SAFA’s approval response to FIFA as required by football practices.

Meanwhile, Safa will await the PSL meeting scheduled for Thursday, and for the Special Member’s input before rolling out the entire process.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has lauded custodian Farouk Shikalo for a solid display that helped his side beat Kagera Sugar 1-0 in a Mainland Premier League match played on Wednesday.

The former Bandari goalkeeper came into the match replacing Metacha Mnata and was the key player for the Jangwani Street-based giants as Ghanaian forward Bernard Morrison scored the all-important goal in the 79th minute to earn them maximum points.

The Belgian coach has now told Goal the Kenyan keeper was the best player for Yanga in the match as he made two vital point-blank saves to deny Kagera and keep his side in the game.

“[Shikalo] today [Wednesday] has been very good, very decisive, he had a brilliant save in the first half, another brilliant save in the second half, he had to make two vital saves which kept us in the game, he had a very good game today and kudos to him,” Eymael told Goal after the match.

On goal-scorer Morrison, who was returning to the team after missing a couple of matches owing to transfer rumours linking him to Simba SC, Eymael said: “It was good to win, it was sweet revenge, Morrison was not fit enough and his match fitness was not good, we saw he was not fit enough but one chance for him is always a goal and that is why I decided to play him.

“He really helped us, if you have [Morrison] in your team, then you are good to go, he is always an added value to your team, he adds good value to your team and one chance for him is always a goal and I am happy he scored today.”

“Also our defence today was very consistent and yes David [Molinga] was not bad, Gnamien Yikpe did good in the game, and also the other substitutions for the day including Patrick [Sibomana] did well, so I think all the players who came in did very well.

“And for the rest of the squad, we showed unity, fighting determination and the winning spirit to see off Kagera, it was not an easy game but we kept pressing them until we scored the goal which turned out to be the winner.”

Yanga will now turn their focus to the FA Cup where they are set to take on rivals Simba SC in the semi-finals at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has admitted that Arkadiusz Milik is nearing the exit at San Paolo, with the Serie A club doubtful they can retain the striker's services. 

Milik, 26, joined Napoli from Ajax in 2016 after an impressive spell in the Dutch top flight. 

Injury, however, ruined what was a promising start to life at his new club, with Milik suffering two cruciate ligament tears in the space of less than 12 months following his arrival in Italy. 

The Poland international was finally able to complete a full season in the Napoli first XI in 2018-19, scoring 20 goals in all competitions; and in 2019-20 he is the side's top scorer in Serie A with 10 strikes. 

That return to form has not gone unnoticed, with Juventus and Tottenham among the sides linked with Milik's services once the current term comes to an end. 

Speaking shortly before Wednesday's clash with Bologna, Giuntoli recognised that the striker, whose current deal expires next June, is likely to move on in the coming weeks.

"Right now it's looking more likely he will be sold than will agree to a new contract," the director signalled to Sky Sport. 

"Milik is a very good player, he has not yet signed an extension with us and so he is appealing to many clubs. It can't be a surprise that there are teams interested."

Maurizio Sarri's Scudetto hopefuls are reportedly leading the way in the chase for Milik, and Giuntoli would not be surprised to see him follow the path of Gonzalo Higuain in leaving Napoli for their rivals to the north.

"It's not confirmed, but it wouldn't be shocking," he said of the Old Lady's supposed interest. 

Napoli also appear keen not to waste any time on tracking down a replacement up front, with Lille and Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen a top candidate for a summer arrival. 

“Osimhen is a very interesting lad. We do not have any agreements with him or Lille," he added.

"He came to visit the city and see if he likes it, we’re interested in him along with many other clubs."

Mamelodi Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana has admitted it is never “as easy as it sounds” whenever they win trophies but insists they need to pick some silverware every season.

This season, the Brazilians have already won the Telkom Knockout and could finish the term with a treble if they win the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title and the Nedbank Cup, provided that football is restarted in South Africa.

On the league front, Pitso Mosimane’s men are second on the standings with four points behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

What brightens their chances of a third straight league title is that they have played a game less than Chiefs whom they will also have to play in their remaining nine PSL games.

In the Nedbank Cup, Downs are in the semi-finals and will have to pass through Bidvest Wits to get into the final.

“The aim for us as a club is to make sure that we win our matches and trophies every season," Kekana told SuperSport.

“It doesn't matter which trophy we get to win. We will try to win every trophy which comes our way. But the reality is it's not as easy as it sounds. We need to produce some good performances. Sometimes you need a little bit of luck. So, we will do our best as we always do [when the season resumes].”

The Brazilians have set a training camp in Rustenburg preparing for the resumption of the season.

If they win the 2019/20 league title, it would be Kekana’s seventh PSL crown of his career and a Nedbank Cup triumph would be his second.

Since breaking into the Black Leopards squad in 2004, the 35-year-old midfielder has not looked back in a career that has also seen him turn out for SuperSport United and Bloemfontein Celtic.

It is a glittering career that has seen Kekana also helping Downs claim the Caf Champions League trophy and the Caf Super Cup.

After signing a four-year contract extension with Mamelodi Sundowns earlier this year, Kekana would be 39 when his current deal expires.

Azam FC reclaimed second spot in the Mainland Premier League table after they secured a 1-0 win against Mwadui FC in a match played at Azam Complex in Chamazi on Wednesday.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) had temporarily moved second after beating Kagera Sugar 1-0 but the ‘Ice-Cream Makers’ made sure they will keep the spot for another week after they also won at home.

The slim win courtesy of Andrew Simchimba’s goal in the 74th minute enabled Azam to move to 65 points, one more than Yanga, who remain on 64 with four matches remaining to the end of the season.

However, Azam were not clinical as they were in their last league outing when they hammered Singida United 7-0, missing a host of chances in the opening stages of the match.

Zimbabwean striker Obrey Chirwa, who notched four goals against Singida, was the main culprit missing a host of changes as Mwadui held on for a 0-0 result at the half-time break.

In the second half, Azam lost Joseph Mahundi to a nasty injury and immediately they got the winning goal when Simchimba powered home from close range to give them the vital win and points.

Earlier in the day, Simba SC were officially handed the trophy for winning a third straight title after their 0-0 draw against Namungo FC at Majaliwa Stadium.

Simba had already been crowned a week ago and the draw saw them reach 81 points.

Elsewhere, Singida United’s struggle continued after succumbing to a 2-0 loss away to Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC).

Charles Inafya scored KMC’s opener in the 39th minute before Mohammed Samatta added the second five minutes to the final whistle.

The win enables KMC to move from 13th position to 11th with 43 points. KMC have managed to move away from the relegation zone since the dismissal of coach Jackson Mayanja earlier in the year.

Singida will remain perched at the bottom of the 20-team table with 15 points from 34 matches. At Karume Stadium in Musoma, Biashara United and Ruvu Shooting produced a goalless draw.

Waziri Junior ensured Mbao FC picked a slim win at home against Mtibwa Sugar. Junior’s goal came in the 64th minute.

The win might end up proving vital for Mbao who are fighting tooth and nail to remain in the top-flight. They are 19th with 35 points just a point below Mbeya City who have played one fewer game.

At Nangwanda Sijaona Stadium in Mtwara, Mtibwa Sugar secured a point away from home against Ndanda SC.

Manchester City put their defeat to Southampton behind them with a comprehensive 5-0 home victory over Newcastle United on Wednesday.

The 1-0 loss at St Mary's Stadium was City's ninth of the Premier League season and left them a demoralising 23 points behind new champions Liverpool at the top.

That gap was closed back to 20 - while the distance to Chelsea in third was stretched to nine - as Pep Guardiola's side brushed aside Newcastle through goals from Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, David Silva, Raheem Sterling and a Federico Fernandez own goal.

Newcastle were happy to cede possession and keep their defensive block in place, but the game plan was undone just 10 minutes in when Jesus finished from Silva's cut-back after some slack marking.

The visitors were unable to cope with City's high press and, when they lost the ball again 35 yards out, De Bruyne ran onto Phil Foden's simple pass and squared for Mahrez to side-foot home.

That goal meant City became the first team to have five players hit 10 goals in a single Premier League season and there should have been another when Jonjo Shelvey gave up possession but Foden shot wide.

Foden somehow prodded wide with the goal gaping soon after the restart, but City had only to wait until the 58th minute for their third goal, Matt Ritchie kicking the ball in off Fernandez while trying to stop Jesus.

Silva made it 4-0 with a precise free-kick from 25 yards out, the disjointed Newcastle wall summing up the Magpies' scant overall resistance, and the Spaniard set up substitute Sterling for a simple fifth after intercepting a pass.

What does it mean? City consolidate second... and wonder why

City's latest goalscoring record took them to 86 in the league this season, 14 more than leaders Liverpool, but did little more than make finishing second almost certain.

The kind of attacking interplay and unshakeable dominance of the game against Newcastle only adds to the bemusement as to how they have lost nine times and let Jurgen Klopp's side have such a simple time of things in the title race.

It was a first league loss for Steve Bruce's side since February 22, keeping them six points outside of the top eight but comfortably 16 clear of the drop zone.

Silva still shining as City clock winds down

Silva reached 10 assists in all competitions and scored a sublime goal to cap a typically creative, stylish performance. Surprisingly, it was the first time he had scored and set up a goal in a league match since January 2016.

He has just two more home league games to come as a City player. It is a shame they will be held without the crowd ovation he deserves.

Krafth work strikes a sour note

Newcastle's 4-5-1 shape was never likely to work if the players were so quick to lose focus. The first-half goals both came from the position Emil Krafth should have been occupying, although he was given next to no protection out wide by DeAndre Yedlin and Valentino Lazaro.

What's next?

City head to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, the same day Newcastle face a Watford side still fighting for Premier League survival.

Antonio Conte called on his Inter players to channel their "bitterness and disappointment" in a positive way when they face Hellas Verona on Thursday.

The Nerazzurri suffered their first Serie A loss since the resumption of the season on Sunday when they conceded two late goals to be defeated 2-1 by Bologna.

Conte's side cannot afford many such slip-ups given leaders Juventus have an 11-point advantage over third-placed Inter, though AC Milan's win over the reigning champions on Monday has given the chasing pack hope.

Inter can cut that gap to eight points with seven to play and Conte wants to see a response.

"We're putting the game against Bologna behind us and preparing for the game against Verona," he told Inter TV.

"In times like these, the fact that our next game is so soon is actually a positive, because we'll certainly still be feeling a bit of bitterness and disappointment, but at the same time you have to focus on your next match, which in this case is a big fixture against a very strong side in Hellas Verona."

Despite the result against Bologna - in which both sides had men sent off in the second half - Conte has been encouraged by the statistics from his team's past five league games.

Since the Serie A campaign restarted in June following the coronavirus-enforced break, Inter have scored the joint-most goals in the league with 14, and have the highest ball-possession figures with 61.8 percent.

"These figures are certainly promising, and they're testament to the fact that every time we step out onto the pitch, we look to set the tempo and dominate the game," Conte added.

"What's more, the fact that Inter are one of the top sides in the league when it comes to creating chances in the opposition area shows that we've put in some excellent performances.

"But, at the end of the day, we've got to make sure that these performances are translated into good results."

Inter will welcome Milan Skriniar back from a ban on Thursday but Danilo D'Ambrosio and Alessandro Bastoni will miss out through suspension.

Former Nigeria coach Adegboye Onigbinde said being the first indigenous coach to lead Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations back in 1984 in Ivory Coast was a personal achievement for him.

Onigbinde succeeded Brazil’s Otto Gloria at the helm of the Super Eagles after the latter failed to defend the country’s maiden Afcon title in 1982 and also did not qualify them for the 1982 Fifa World Cup.

Two years later, the former Shooting Stars tactician became the first-ever home-based coach to lead the West Africans to an Afcon tournament where they finished as runners-up.

Muda Lawal’s early goal was not enough to inspire Nigeria to victory as they bowed to a 3-1 loss against Cameroon in the final match in Abidjan.

Despite the result, the 82-year-old disclosed the tournament was one of his successes as Super Eagles coach because he did not ‘disgrace’ the country.

“I would have loved to come back from Cote d’Ivoire with the gold medal, but there was so much that happened behind the scenes right away from Nigeria. Despite that, it was a memorable occasion for me,” Onigbinde told the Caf website.

“Being the first Nigerian to lead the national team to the Afcon and coming second on the continent at the first attempt was a personal achievement. I did not disgrace Nigeria and that was then, our best effort at the Afcon outside Nigeria. As such, I see myself as an achiever.”

Onigbinde also highlighted the discovery of former internationals including Ademola Adesina and Rashidi Yekini – the first Nigerian to win the African Footballer of the Year award and the country’s leading top scorer with 37 goals after 58 games – as an achievement.

“In October 1983, Nigeria beat Ghana in Accra and that was the first time a Nigerian team defeated Ghana away from home,” he added.

“But what was impressive about my team was the fact that some of the players came from nowhere when I discovered them and gave them national team debuts.

“Some of these players include the late African Player of the Year Rashidi Yekini, Chibuzor Ehilegu, Tarila Okorowanta and Ademola Adesina, among others.”

The former Caf and Fifa technical instructor returned to the Super Eagles for his second stint in 2002, to lead them to the Fifa World Cup tournament in South Korea-Japan.

His return was woeful as the Onigbinde-led team failed to win any game at the World Cup, and they bowed out at the group stage after losing to Argentina and Sweden, and then picked up a point against England. 

'Little Ronaldo' Peter Olawale’s potential move to German Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund failed to materialise as the teenager was not assured of regular playing time at the Westfalenstadion.

The 17-year-old had a decent outing at the 2019 U17 Fifa World Cup where he got a goal in the Golden Eaglets’ 2-1 loss to Australia.

His performance in Brazil did not go unnoticed as the Tripple 44 Academy product attracted interest from a host of European outfits, with Dortmund among the early contenders to win the race for his signature.

But that move did not come through and his mentor Olatunji Samuel Okuku explains what happened behind the scenes.

“The issue here was that Borussia Dortmund wanted him but could not guarantee him regular playing time, and we don’t want a situation where the boy would head for a club where he won’t be given a chance,” Okuku told Goal.

“Without doubt, Dortmund are a very solid team and they have a good project for young boys, nevertheless, if you look at how the team is set up in the last couple of years, you will discover that most of their superstars have first made a name for themselves elsewhere.

“So for Olawale who is still a boy, we feel it is better for him to go somewhere and develop himself. And if Dortmund comes later in his career, that, of course, will be a very good move.”

Before the coronavirus pandemic placed football into hiatus, Galatasaray offered around €500,000 for the striker's services, while Sevilla’s bid came in significantly lower, even after that, Tripple 44 Academy rejected those offers.

Lille-bound Olawale clocks 18 on July 26 and Okuku has given a hint on the talented footballer’s likely destination.

“As it stands, we have like three or four options of possible destinations where Olawale would like to go and play professional football,” he continued.

“However, the pandemic has slowed a lot of things down but we are hoping that the Nigerian government lifts the ban on air travel which I feel will fast-track everything.

“If he doesn’t join Lille as planned, his destination would likely be Portugal or Belgium.”

In normal circumstances, every manager will be delighted with seven goals in two games, with two conceded and maximum points on board. When those results come against Lazio and Juventus, the division’s leading sides, there’s bound to be unbridled joy and optimism.

That’s the story for AC Milan boss, Stefano Pioli, whose team has picked up hugely impressive 3-0 and 4-2 victories over Simeone Inzaghi’s troops and the Old Lady respectively in their last two Serie A matches.

What was particularly pleasing about the performances against the title-chasing sides was the nature of both victories: they weren’t the typical smash-and-grab wins usually associated with unexpected triumphs, neither were they backs-to-the-wall successes. The Rossoneri absolutely deserved both wins on the balance of play.

According to Understat, Milan edged the Expected Goals in both matches: 2.33-0.29 against the side from Rome, while it was 2.22-1.41 in Tuesday night’s incredible turnaround vs the Bianconeri.

Both results, came on the backdrop of a disappointing 2-2 draw with SPAL, a game Pioli’s troops fought back from two down to play out a stalemate. In fairness, while they weren’t meant to be chasing a result against the basement side in the championship there’s a feeling all is forgiven after their latest wins.

The upshot of both wins means the ex-Juventus player has masterminded four wins and a draw in five games since the Italian top flight’s return. Tuesday’s win takes them to fifth on 49 points, ahead of Roma and Napoli, and they lead both by a point having played a game more.

Their current position was inconceivable when Pioli took charge in October. Admittedly, there was still a considerable time left in the season, yet, the strife in the boardroom was already threatening to boil over.

While performances and results have improved as the season’s progressed, the discord among the club’s directors peaked in early March when Chief Football Officer Zvonimir Boban was sacked following a falling-out between the Croatian and CEO Ivan Gazidis.

At the time, Paolo Maldini’s future was up in the air as well, and a 2-1 defeat by Genoa before the lockdown, threatened to undo the progress made months after an underwhelming start to life at San Siro for the new coach (Pioli won just one in five after replacing Marco Giampaolo).

Indeed, their improvement has been a collective effort but the influence of Ismael Bennacer and Franck Kessie, who made it 2-2 on Tuesday, in how they play has been marked.

Neither may score or assist bucket-loads of goals – the Algerian has neither this term, while the West African has scored twice and set up one – but they have an impact on the team’s play in and out of possession.

Per FBref, Bennacer and Kessie rank top and third respectively for highest passes into the final third, while the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winner is second behind Theo Hernandez for progressive passes in the side. The Ghanaian plays the eighth-highest volume of forward passes in the side.

The pair rank fourth and sixth respectively for passes into the penalty area, which corroborate their forward-thinking nature in possession.

Given the Rossoneri are fourth in the division for progressive passes, behind Napoli, Atalanta and Inter Milan, the impact of their African midfield pivot in getting the ball into the opposition half is commendable. The fact they’re outperforming Juventus, Lazio and Roma is a compliment to Pioli’s approach.

Interestingly, Bennacer’s influence is not limited to the fancy stuff in possession alone but he thrives without the ball as well. He leads the way for ball recoveries in the side, ahead of Alessio Romagnoli and the pair of Kessie and Hernandez are joint-fourth.

The Algerian has also made the most tackles in the side and is second to Romagnoli for interceptions made this season. In both metrics, Kessie ranks fifth and fourth respectively, showing that while he may not be as influential as the North African, he is no bystander in Milan’s midfield.

With the Champions League spots certainly out of reach, the Rossoneri are in a battle with Napoli and Roma to end in the two Europa League positions. The former, like Milan, are bang in form and seem to be rising in the table while the Giallorossi have lost three games on the trot.

Pioli’s troops don’t have an easy run-in, though, with games against Gennaro Gattuso’s side, ninth-placed Bologna, mid-table Sassuolo and the unrelenting, effervescent Atalanta. However, the side from Naples don’t have an easy last few weeks either: they end the campaign with games vs Sassuolo, Inter and Lazio, while there’s an encounter with Bologna, who recently stunned Antonio Conte’s men 2-1 and won the reverse fixture at Estadio San Paolo in December.

Paulo Fonseca’s out-of-form troops have the easiest run of fixtures in the closing weeks, with games against Inter and Juventus, on the final day, the toughest matches on paper.

Indeed, while the title race in Italy is nearly done and top four positions are all but decided, the joust for the Europa League spots offer some interest in the final weeks of the campaign.

With the influence of Bennacer and Kessie with and without the ball, Pioli’s Milan have the required mixture of brute and panache in midfield to take on the rest of their challenges this term.

Orthodox wingers play along the touchline, dribble past defenders and bring in quality crosses for strikers score. And while the team is busy tending to the opponent’s attack, they drop back to save the day as well.

Modern wingers, on the other hand, make a team. They are creative, silky, explosive and clinical. They entertain and excite whilst simultaneously being an important cog in the football wheel.

Another definition for such a player is Daine Klate.

The recently retired Premier Soccer League legend is one of the most naturally gifted players to come from South Africa. However, his lack of impact at Bafana Bafana level is a disappointment.

It's staggering that Klate is only capped 15 times for Bafana, despite a flourishing career with an abundance of club titles.

Was he underrated and unappreciated, or was he outshone by Siphiwe Tshabalala who perhaps caught the eye a little easier?

In comparison to Tshabalala, one of Klate's direct competitors for the national team spot, Transfermarkt shows that in his career - across all competitions - Klate totalled 347 appearances, scored 58 and assisted 57, while Shabba sits on 361 appearances, with 51 goals and 77 assists.

Shabba may have played 14 more matches than Klate, and has notched 10 more assists also, but Klate scored three more goals than the former Kaizer Chiefs star despite playing fewer matches. In minutes-per-goal ratio, Klate is on 441 while 'Shabba' takes slightly longer with 511 minutes between his goals.

The point of the above comparison is not to argue who is better, but thus to prove that if it was just about efficiency, Klate would be joint top of the class in the school of the country's finest left-footed midfielders alongside Shabba - who wracked 90 Bafana caps.

"I don't think there was anything I could do to change my Bafana fortunes," Klate told Goal.

"Like I've said before, you know, if you're the best player in the league and still not able to get to crack into the Bafana team, you know, then obviously nothing else is going to matter.

"I mean if being the player of the season in 2010 couldn't merit the position in Bafana then obviously you know nothing else will.

"It was just about preference, whoever the coach was and whatever philosophies they wanted to use. They felt I wasn't suitable for that and I beg to differ because I came from the School of Excellence and I can play any type of football.

"At the School of Excellence, we used to play a brand of football that is possession-based you know.

"Similar to Barcelona, we were not allowed to give the ball away. And when I moved to the PSL I had to work with different coaches and adapt and we were taught to adapt to any situation and again no one cared to explain to me why I was omitted from Bafana.

"But it is now water under the bridge for me."

By winning the 2010 Absa Premiership Player of the Season award, Klate thought there would be an open the door for him ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The first on the continent.

"The World Cup snub was one of those things," Klate adds.

"Obviously, at the time, it was extremely disappointing. I didn't have any regrets because I think I was the Player of the Season leading up to the World Cup.

"So, you know, I did everything I could control to be in that team. I worked extremely hard performed, controlled everything that I could control to be part of the team, but unfortunately, you know, I probably wasn't in the plans of the coach at the time and I just had to accept it and move on and you know, obviously go join Pirates after the World Cup and winning two more league titles, the double treble and the Nedbank Cup and moving on to Wits.

"So, it never really put me back. It was disappointing at the time.

"But as I said, you know, it's something that was beyond my control, it wasn't because of my performance or anything like that, I was just not preferred."

Instead of focusing on his missed opportunities with the national side, the Port Elizabeth born winger used his snub as motivation and went on to dominate the local scene with aplomb. It seemed he went and won a trophy for every time he was omitted. Amassing the Premier Soccer League's record of 15 titles won over a thrilling 16-year career that began at SuperSport United in 2004 and ended at Chippa United in 2019.

Klate's 15 titles are made up of a record of six PSL titles, three MTN8's, two Telkom Knockout's and three Nedbank Cup titles. He also won the 2004 SAA Supa 8 (now MTN8) triumph with Matsatsantsa prior to his PSL debut later that year.

"The more I was snubbed by Bafana the more I just added on to my collection of winning medals in the PSL."

"And yeah, that's all I could do. It was to do the best I can and enjoy my career and again, I've got no regrets.

"I think if it was meant for me obviously things that are meant for you, will be there for you, you know.

"Certain doors if they are open for you, then no one can close them. So, it's just about believing in that and believing that whatever's meant to be, will be."

"But yeah, that [being overlooked] drove me and I'm glad I went on and it didn't set me back in my career, locally, it obviously spurred me on and I kept going, you know I was resilient and not bothered too much with Bafana."

Klate, 35, also holds the record of being the first player to win five back-to-back league titles.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for one of the best players of his generation. The fundamental element of being classified as an underrated footballer is not receiving enough credit. And as with most elite players who wrote their way into history after facing near-impossible odds, 'Matatazela' is also a typical testimony.