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Asante Kotoko goalkeeper coach Sampson Appiah believes club captain Felix Annan has his job cut out in his effort to reclaim the No.1 spot.

First-choice at the start of the recently-ended season, Annan lost his starting spot for good to Ghana U23 goalkeeper Kwame Baah after taking time off to tie the knot with his girlfriend.

The situation led to speculation about bad blood between the two goalkeepers while other reports say Annan is considering a move away in his search for regular action.

"Felix used to be our first-choice goalie before his wedding ceremony but Kwame Baah grabbed the opportunity and did very well without conceding in most matches so how can you drop him?" Appiah said on Kweku Osei TV.

"The supporters would kill us if Annan underperforms if given the nod. There's no personal hatred for him but [we are just] following the rules of the game.

"Hard work will be the secret of him regaining his position devoid of any envies."

Annan’s recent peripheral role at club level has seen him lose his place in Ghana’s national team squad.

He was appointed Kotoko captain in August last year following the departure of defender Amos Frimpong.

At the time, current Ghana coach CK Akonnor was leading the Porcupine Warriors.

“All my years at Kotoko and my playing career, I have been fighting for positions,” Annan told Kotoko Express App on the situation in April.

So far as I'm in the club, I'm going to fight and give my best every minute I step onto that field.

“For me, [being out of favour] is not a problem at all.

"It's all about keeping on with my training and I will keep on fighting until I am no more in the club.”

Annan joined Kotoko from Feyenoord Academy in 2014.

"It is technical decision-taking from all the coaches in the team a night before a game,” Kotoko coach Konadu explained to Kotoko Express App.

“We gave Kwame Baah a chance after Felix Annan had excused himself for his wedding and he didn’t disgrace himself and it was okay with us.”

Enter the South African Freestyle Championship 2020 by posting your 40-60 second freestyle videos to your own Facebook or Instagram account using the hashtags:  #ZAFreestyle #hitecsa #GoalZA. 

The entry period starts on the 20th July and ends at 23:59 on 24th July 2020. 

The tournament is open to South African citizens only, irrespective of age or gender. 

Entrants will be judged on the following criteria:

Difficulty - Technical difficulty of the tricks and combinations,
All-round performance - General ability to perform all parts of sport the best way possible,
Originality - Performing with individual style, creativity and variety,
Flow - Ability to move the ball around the body without hesitation,
Style - How good looking the tricks are being performed,
Dynamics - Strength and speed of movements,
Control - The way the whole performance with the ball is controlled, and
Mistakes - Dropping the ball or creating a mistake.

Winners stand to win: 

1st place (R2 500 Hitec Voucher + R2 500 cash)
2nd place (R1 500 Hitec Voucher + R1 500 cash)
3rd Place (R1 000 Hitec Voucher + R1 000 cash)
4th Place (R1 000 Cash)

Terms and Conditions Apply. 

Simba SC defender Shomari Kapombe's season is as good as over after confirmation he will be out for a month owing to an injury.

The defender was injured in the FA Cup quarter-final 2-0 win against holders Azam FC. He was stretchered off after a reckless tackle by Frank Domayo and the incident should now put him out until the 2020/21 season.

The 28-year-old injured his knee in the process and will take some time before he is involved for Wekundu wa Msimbazi.

"You all know we have Kapombe as the only injured player in the team," Simba head coach Sven Vandenbroeck said as quoted by Mwanaspoti.

"He will be out for four weeks meaning he might not have a chance to play again this season."

Kapombe's absence is an opportunity for either Erasto Nyoni or Haruna Shamte to step up and stake a claim in the team.

The 21-time champions will be playing Namungo FC on Tuesday in the Tanzania Mainland League match and camp in Mtwara in preparations for their Kariakoo Derby on Sunday against their sworn rivals Yanga SC.

The two teams will meet in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

"We are preparing for two important matches and we have to be on our best shape," Vandenbroeck added.

"What we are doing now is not purely on the match [against Namungo] but preparations for Sunday's game. We will use Tuesday's game to get our tactics right for our Cup game.

"We will camp in Mtwara and continue preparing; we will leave on matchday for Lindi to play Namungo and return to continue with our preparations for the semi-final game."

Simba won the initial meeting 3-2 and the hosts will be aiming at avenging the loss.

It will be the third time the two teams are meeting in all competitions this season. The first one ended in a 2-2 draw before a Bernard Morrison strike handed the Jangwani based side a 1-0 win over the league champions.

Simba will represent the country in the Caf Champions League next season and Yanga are desperate to win the FA Cup to earn the right to play in the Caf Confederation Cup.

Crested Cranes striker Juliet Nalukenge believes Uganda have what it takes to qualify for the U17 World Cup in India.

The global junior tournament has been scheduled for 17 February - 7 March 2021 and Uganda, after thrashing Ethiopia 5-1 and Tanzania 6-2, are on course fighting for a maiden appearance.

They will have to beat Cameroon's Les Lioness if they are to book a ticket.

“It would mean a lot for us if we managed to earn a qualification,” Nalukenge told 

The Premier League has confirmed there were zero positive coronavirus cases in its latest round of testing.

A total of 1,973 players and club staff were tested between June 29 and July 5, the league announced on Monday.

In the previous round of testing, there had only been one positive result.

It means there have been 19 positive results from the 16,280 tests carried out since May 17.

England's top-flight returned from a three-month suspension amid the pandemic on June 17.

The Premier League season will finish on July 26, with the FA Cup final scheduled to take place on August 1.

August will then see a revamped Champions League knockout stage, with the tournament halfway through the last 16 when the football season stopped.

The top-flight table has already seen some significant changes since the season resumed.

Liverpool have been confirmed as champions and been beaten 4-0 in the space of a week, while the fight for European places is looking tighter by the week.

Leicester have struggled for form since their return and find their previously safe-looking third-place finish increasingly in danger.

The Foxes are just a point ahead of Chelsea in fourth, with Manchester United two points further back and Wolves another three, following their lifeless defeat at home to Arsenal on Saturday.

Clubs are still waiting to find out whether fourth place or fifth will be enough for Champions League qualification, with Manchester City's appeal against their European ban from UEFA still yet to yield a result.

Things are just as tight at the bottom of the table, with at least five clubs still in serious danger of the drop.

Brighton have moved nine points clear of the bottom three but West Ham are only four points clear and Watford just one above the drop zone.

Aston Villa and Bournemouth are level on points, while Norwich look certain to go down bar an end-of-season miracle from Daniel Farke's side.

Coronavirus testing is carried out on players and club staff throughout the week, with aggregated results released each Monday.

Anybody who returns a positive test goes immediately into self-isolation.

Gonzalo Higuain “needs pampering one day and beating against a wall the next,” according to Juventus head coach Maurizio Sarri.

Sarri has managed the Argentina forward at three different clubs, having previously had him at both Chelsea and Napoli.

While his goalscoring numbers have dropped in recent seasons, Higuain has played some of his best football under Sarri, scoring 36 goals in 35 Serie A games in 2015-16, his final season at Napoli.

From Sarri’s description, it seems as though the pair enjoy a unique working relationship.

“I always read that I fight with everyone, when actually the only person I fight with is Higuain,” Sarri told a press conference.

“I don’t know why that is, but it’s always been the case. Maybe it’s because he needs a rather aggressive counterpoint to bring out the best in him.

“Mentally he’s fine but physically I don’t know how much he can take because he’s been on and off lately.

“He needs pampering one day and beating against a wall the next! When he’s feeling down, he needs caring for.

“When he’s on a high, he must be brought down a peg because he can get too carried away.”

Juventus are closing in on yet another Italian title, seven points clear at the top of Serie A with eight games to play.

Their next fixture sees them take on an AC Milan side on a high following their 3-0 away win against second-placed Lazio at the weekend.

“Tomorrow’s a difficult game for us,” Sarri said.

“Milan, who have already created problems for us this season, are in great physical and mental condition and are playing at high levels.

“At a time like this, the mental aspect is very delicate and mistakes are only around the corner. The lads know it’s going to be a tough month, so they can’t lose focus.

“Our lead at the top shouldn’t make us relax. We’re at a time when games are all difficult and messing one up is extremely easy.

“We’re just focusing on tomorrow’s game. We’re not even looking at who we’re facing next.

“I haven’t made any [personnel] decisions yet. We’ll see what happens, but the obvious solutions seem to be Rugani and Higuain.

“Everyone’s been talking about how big our squad is, but right now we don’t have that many options to choose from.

“Chiellini and Alex Sandro had their first proper training sessions yesterday. Higuain’s getting better. He’s training non-stop now and mentally he’s ready.”

When Trabzonspor's team news for their visit to last year’s champions Galatasaray was revealed, the inclusion of injury returnee Anthony Nwakaeme stood out. The upshot of the forward’s two-game layoff, absent against Alanyaspor and Ankaragucu, was four points dropped for Huseyin Cimsir’s side.

As a result, the Super Lig title-chasers were usurped at the top of the table by Istanbul Basaksehir, whose 2-0 win over Antalyaspor on Saturday took them five points clear at the top. Trabzonspor had to get the better of Fatih Terim’s side a day later if they wanted to keep pace with the leaders who threatened to run away with the title in the final weeks.

They claimed a 3-1 win over the Yellow-Reds, with Nwakaeme only featuring briefly after entering the contest with four minutes of normal time to play.

While the fact they picked up their first win in three over the outgoing champions with little involvement from their Nigerian forward may invalidate his importance to the side, there’s some context: Galatasaray were dominant at the Turk Telekom Stadium until Sofiane Feghouli received his marching orders in the 32nd-minute.

The Algerian’s sending off left his team in the lurch for the rest of the game, and it told as the game wore on. Nine minutes after the wide midfielder’s dismissal, the away side opened the scoring and took the game by the scruff of the neck after edging ahead.

Their dominance didn’t bear more fruit until Filip Novak doubled the visitors’ advantage with 20 minutes to play, and even though Jean-Michael Seri halved the deficit three minutes into stoppage time, the Black Sea Storm made sure of the points when top scorer Alexander Sorloth made it 3-1 two minutes later.

Just how the game would have panned out had Feghouli stayed on remains to be seen, but being able to call upon Nwakaeme’s contribution in the final third going forward will please Trabzonspor boss Cimsir.

In his absence, they played out to draws against out-off-form Alanyaspor and cellar-dwelling Ankaragucu, sides they were expected to beat. Cimsir played Ghanaian Caleb Ekuban (twice) and Brazilian Guilherme in those games the 31-year-old inside-forward couldn’t feature, to little success.

Ekuban, typically a right winger (or second striker) struggled on the opposite flank, while the South American plays at his best in attacking midfield or on the right. The Trabzon-based club not only missed their second-highest scorer’s goals but his ball-carrying skill to drive past opponents and the ability to fashion out chances for teammates.

He’s behind Sorloth for goals (21 to 11) as well as total goal contributions (29 to 17), still, he leads the way as the team’s top dribbler and comes in at second behind Jose Sosa as Trabzonspor’s top creator (2.7 to 1.7 key passes per game).

Nwakaeme’s six assists put him behind only the experienced Argentine playmaker and prolific Dane, who have set up eight apiece this term, while the underrated knack for scoring low-percentage efforts has been useful for the title hopefuls this season.

Interestingly, per FBref, the Trabzonspor attacker sits sixth for goals and assists per 90 with 0.73. When penalties are excluded, he rises two places to fourth in the entire division, truly emphasising his usefulness to the team. Only Sorloth, who tops both, posts a better average for the title challengers indicating that both are essential to Trabzonspor's attacking influence in the final third.

Not having your team’s second-best forward and statistically, the fourth-best in the entire division will affect any side, a realisation that dawned on Cimsir in successive gameweeks.

Another statistic that sheds more light on how much Trabzonspor lean on the Nigerian attacker is revealed in their failure to pick up three points in recent games before the lockdown where he neither scored nor assisted.

Case in point was against Gaziantep and title challengers Basaksehir in March, where both games ended 1-1 and in recent games he missed through injury. In the former, Nwakaeme missed a gilt-edged scoring opportunity while teammates didn’t make the most of the five chances he fashioned out vs the current league leaders.

Nevertheless, this isn’t to suggest Trabzonspor are a one-man team. Cimsir’s troops have no less than four players who have carried the can this term: Sorloth, Nwakaeme, Sosa – arguably the division’s best player – and Guilherme, while the supporting cast led by Ekuban and the released Daniel Sturridge have played a part in this season’s title charge.

However, the brief loss of what the Nigerian brings to the side’s play, not limited to just goals and assists, was sorely missed in the games preceding Sunday’s 3-1 defeat of Galatasaray.

With Nwakaeme back healthy, Cimsir will look to the Nigerian and his teammates as Trabzonspor strive to supplant Basaksehir with four games left and bring home the club’s first Super Lig trophy in 36 years.

Jose Mourinho knows ‘how to light the fire’ inside his players, according to Tottenham’s Eric Dier.

Spurs returned from the coronavirus break with a draw and a win, but their 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United last week left questions about their tactics and application.

Mourinho said his side’s apparent lack of desire was “something that destroys me a little bit on the inside” – a clear challenge to his players to give more in their upcoming games.

“For me, personally, he knows how to light the fire inside you,” Dier said of Mourinho to BeIN Sports.

“I want to win for him, I want to do everything to succeed, to try and win for him. He builds that within you.

“He’s extremely motivated and extremely passionate about the game, about winning.

“His energy is very high every day on the training ground, on the training pitch. He’s always pushing. I’m really enjoying working under him.

“The way he speaks to you, the way he speaks to the team before games and during games, he knows how to get a reaction out of different people in different ways.

“I think he’s very strong in that sense and he knows how to touch each person in the right way to get the best out of them.”

While they were well beaten at Bramall Lane, Spurs also considered themselves unlucky to walk away with nothing as Harry Kane put the ball in the net four times – only to see three disallowed.

Mourinho made his feelings about VAR quite clear after the game, but Dier says he and his team-mates accept they weren’t good enough.

“I think as players we have to be able to look at ourselves and be self-critical and accept when a manager with the trophies and the games and the wins behind him that he has… when he talks, we need to listen,” Dier said.

“When he criticises us, we need to accept it and try to improve. For me, that’s what we have to do.

“We have to be humble and accept that we weren’t good enough. It’s very frustrating because I believe that we have a lot of quality.

“In the Sheffield United game, we didn’t show enough in other areas for our quality to then be the difference and that’s very disappointing.”

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane says he cannot predict the current Premier Soccer League (PSL) race as he would sometimes do in past seasons.

Second-placed Mosimane’s Downs are four points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs, having played a game less than Amakhosi with nine matches remaining.

While Sundowns appear to be in a good position to claim a third straight league title, Mosimane has however refused to point at his side as clear favourites to be crowned champions.

“You see‚ when it is a normal environment‚ I always say we [Sundowns] can make it [win the league]. Even when we were 11 points behind Kaizer Chiefs in the first year we won the league‚ I still said we would make it and this was based on normal circumstances‚” said Mosimane as per Sowetan Live.

“Even when we did not win the league‚ I said we would go and get it back [in the following season] and this was based on normal circumstances. But this time is the only time I can’t tell you [what is going to happen]‚ I must tell you the honest truth.”

The Downs coach has likened their league title confrontation against Chiefs to the current La Liga race pitting Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Barca led the La Liga race by two points before football was suspended in Spain, but when play resumed, they are now four points behind Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid after drawing three of their last five matches.

With Chiefs, at one point this season, being 13 points clear at the top of the standings, they now just have a four-point lead and while using the La Liga example, Mosimane appears to be insinuating that Sundowns could turn the table around.

“I don’t know how we will be when we come back because I am looking at Barcelona‚ for an example‚ and before Covid-19 they were top of the log in Spain and doing very well‚” Mosimane said.

“And after [resuming play in Spain]‚ look at them [Barcelona]. It has boiled down to the substitutions‚ the changing of the team‚ putting these players in‚ players are not ready‚ injuries‚ the inability to play the same players for successive games‚ five subs…

“So this one [PSL race] is a difficult one‚ it is not a normal one. The normal one I know what’s going to happen‚ but this one‚ I really can’t tell you how it’s going to pan out.”

If the season resumes, Chiefs will host Sundowns in what could be a potentially stormy affair and decider.

Mbeya City have boosted their survival chances in the Tanzania Mainland League after a 3-1 win over Coastal Union on Monday evening.

Absalom Chidiebele, Rehani Kibingu and Peter Mapunda scored for the home team with Ibrahim Ame getting a consolation for the visitors.

The match was scheduled for Sunday July 5 at the same venue but challenges on the road led to the postponement as the team reached late and players were not in the right shape to play.

The Green City Boys started the match on a high and they were rewarded after four minutes when Absalom Chidiebele managed to beat the defenders before coolly slotting the ball past the custodian.

Rehani Kibingu doubled the advantage in the 33rd minute to send the visitors into a panic mode.

However, they recollected themselves and ensured they do not concede another goal in the remaining minutes of the first half.

After the break, it took the Tanga based side 25 minutes to pull a goal back courtesy of Ibrahim Ame strike. It is a goal which gave Coastal Union hopes of making a comeback.

However, it was not going to be the case as Peter Mapunda finished a good move in the 87th minute to restore a two-goal advantage and help his team get maximum points.

The result is also sweet revenge for the hosts who lost the first round in Tanga 2-0.

Despite the win, Mbeya are still locked in the relegation zone. They are in 18th position with 36 points, two below safety after nine wins, as many draws and 15 losses in the 33 games played.

Coastal Union are fifth on the log with 48 points after winning 13 matches, drawing nine and losing 11. 

In other league matches played last weekend, Azam FC were the biggest winners as they defeated relegated Singida United 7-0.

Zimbabwean Obrey Chirwa scored four goals, Selemani Nado hit a brace while David Natley scored an own goal to complete the route. The Chamazi-based side is now second on the log with 62 points, 18 less than champions Simba SC who were held to a 0-0 draw by Ndanda FC.

27-time league champions Yanga SC were also held to a goalless draw by Biashara Mara United.

Reading winger Yakou Meite and Brentford’s forward Said Benrahma have been nominated for Championship Team of the Week.

Ivory Coast international Meite scored four goals, the first in his career, to help Mark Bowen’s men bounce back to winning ways in style with a 5-0 triumph over Luton Town on Saturday. 

The forward swiftly completed his hat-trick moments before the half-time break before his 62nd-minute effort sealed the victory.

The Paris Saint-Germain graduate has now bagged 16 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions for the Royals in this campaign.

Benrahma, meanwhile, scored a hat-trick to help Brentford secure an effortless victory against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.  

The Algeria international’s effort inspired the Griffin Park outfit to the third spot on the Championship table, behind leaders Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion.

His impressive showing in the encounter has earned him a place among the best performing players in the week under review along with the Ivory Coast winger.

Benrahma has now scored 14 goals and provided nine assists in this campaign amid other dazzling displays.

The forward joined the Griffin Park outfit in the summer of 2018 from French club Nice and has continued to turn heads with his performances.

The former Angers player is currently on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, who are looking to strengthen their attack.

Benrahma will hope to help Thomas Frank’s men extend their winning run to seven games when they take on Charlton Athletic on Tuesday.

Meite, meanwhile, will look to add to his 12 Championship goal when Reading trade tackles with Huddersfield Town.

Former Orlando Pirates winger Tlou Segolela has pleaded for midfielder Joseph Malongoane to be given an opportunity to “showcase what he can do” after recently parting ways with Kaizer Chiefs.

Malongoane left Chiefs last week together with fellow midfielders George Maluleka and Kabelo Mahlasela and is now club-hunting.

The past two seasons have seen Malongoane being injury-blighted which deprived him of some game time before he was released by Chiefs following the expiry of his contract.

Last season he made just two appearances in all competitions, before failing to play a single match this term, prompting Chiefs not to give him a new deal.

But Segolela who hails from Moletjie, Limpopo, the same area where Malongoane was born has advised the midfielder he played with at Orlando Pirates during the 2013/14 season that leaving Chiefs is not the end of his football career.

“Football, as they say, does not have a formula, it’s full of surprises but it was really sad for him just from being injured to be released like that,” Segolela told Far Post.

“If you look at [Mamelodi] Sundowns, they gave Thapelo Morena a contract who had a similar injury and was given five years. But that one differs with teams you know but for him life is like that, he just has to be strong, man up, no one will do it for him – you have to do it for yourself so those are my words [of advice] I can tell him.”

Segolela who has been clubless himself since 2017 when he left Polokwane City believes that Malongoane just needs a chance to prove his worth.

“He has proven that he is a great player if he gets an opportunity. The only problem that he is facing at the moment is the opportunity so what you can ask is for other teams to give him a chance to showcase what he can do,” said Segolela.

No club has been strongly linked with Malongoane so far.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has hinted he will travel to his native country at the start of August after the resumption of international flights.

Kenya moved to ban local and international flights in mid-March after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic but on Monday during his address to the nation, President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed local flights will resume on July 15 while international flights will start in August.

However, the ban on sporting activities and social gatherings was extended for the next 30 days and thus jeopardising the resumption of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and it could also affect the kick-off date for the new season which was pencilled for late August.

Polack has, however, said he will board the first flight to Finland to see his family if and when the resumption of international flights take effect.

“I understand that Kenyans have been in Nairobi and Mombasa and the other counties but they could not go home because of the lockdown to see their families, but remember our families are thousands and thousands of kilometres away,” Polack told Goal on Monday.

“Basically after August 7, the government says okay, we can now be starting playing football again meaning the KPL season could start by the end of September, so when do we go home to see our family?

“I want to be quite frank, I really want to go home, I really want to go and see my family, I miss my children, my children every time I call them they keep asking me when are you coming, when are you coming, every month, every month and they ask me the same question, and I would really want to go and spend some quality time with them.

“I need to spend time with them, father and daughter and father and son quality time, be next to them and that is something I have been looking forward to and now that the President says international flights will open in August, I am ready to head home and be with my family.

“If they resume in August I will go home for even seven days and come back home, I also need to find out when I go home, will I be in isolation in my country for 14 days? And when I come back another 14 days in isolation in Kenya? I need to know this before I travel.”

Polack joined Gor Mahia at the start of the season replacing Dylan Kerr, and managed to win the curtain-raiser – KPL Cup – and the league title, after FKF moved to end the 2019-20 season owing to the effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and declare K’Ogalo the champions.

Simba SC midfielder Sharaf Shaiboub has five matches to prove he deserves another contract at the club.

The player has recently rejoined Wekundu wa Msimbazi from Sudan after almost four months out. The 26-year-old creative midfielder signed a one-year deal with the newly crowned Tanzania Mainland League which was set to expire after the completion of the current campaign.

"Shiboub's contract with the club has already expired and what is keeping him at the team is the guideline by Confederation of African Football (Caf) to extend the term of free agents by a month or so," a source close to the club told Mwanaspoti.

"All we want is to have a look at the player and see his impact in the remaining matches. If he proves his worth, then we can extend his contract by another year."

The former El Hilal player has also revealed his target after rejoining the 21-time league champions.

"Currently, all I am doing is working hard to get my fitness back," Shaiboub revealed.

"I am training harder with my colleagues because I am hungry for my return. All I am yearning for is a chance in the remaining matches to show my potential and ability.

"I have always given my best for the team until Covid-19 happened and stopped everything, but I am working hard for my return."

In an earlier interview, Francis Kahata insisted the Msimbazi based side will fight to win a double this season.

"Simba had better preparations and took their opponents with the seriousness they deserve. There was no complacency and we are happy to have made it to the last four and keeping the double-dream alive," the 29-year-old told Goal.

"Now we are focusing on our semi-final game [against Yanga SC] hoping to get a positive outcome."

It will be the third time Yanga and Simba will be meeting in the Kariakoo Derby. In the last two, there has been a draw and a win, in favour of Yanga.

The Harambee Stars midfielder played a vital part as Simba bagged their third consecutive league title this season and their 21st in general. However, the winger insists they are still keen on bagging maximum points in the remaining matches.

"I take the opportunity to thank the fans, management and the technical bench for playing a huge role in helping us successfully defend the title," the Kenyan added.

"We are remaining with six league matches, and we are going all the way to ensure we win. No complacency, we have to take all matches with the seriousness they deserve.

"So those who think we will get our feet off the peddle after winning the title are wrong."

The FA Cup semi-final is scheduled for July 11-12 with the overall winner playing in the Caf Confederation Cup.

In another semi-final match, Sahare All-Stars will play Namungo. Yanga had qualified on Tuesday after seeing off Kagera Sugar 2-1 while Namungo FC eliminated Alliance FC 2-0. 

Namungo’s opponents Sahare All-Stars defeated Premier League outfit Ndanda FC to book their slot in the final four. 

Manchester United legend Andy Cole says Mason Greenwood has a “freakish” amount of goalscoring ability.

Already enjoying a breakthrough year before the season was suspended, the 18-year-old Greenwood has been one of the stars of the restart with two goals and two assists in his last two games.

With Paul Pogba returning from injury to play alongside Bruno Fernandes, and Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial combining well with Greenwood, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have lifted themselves to within two points of the top four.

“The break’s done us really well,” Cole told MUTV. “I think it’s galvanised everyone.

“No doubt Ole’s had a chance to speak with everyone about getting more goals, and getting more ugly goals as well.”

As the third-highest goalscorer in Premier League history, Cole can speak with some authority on the subject of finding the net – and he is very excited about Greenwood.

“It’s good to see Mason doing so well,” he said. “It’s freakish, he can go either side and you know he’s going to produce that kind of quality.

“The two goals he got [against Bournemouth] were very, very special goals and long may it continue with the boy. He’s still learning his trade, but, every time he gets the opportunity, he shows just how good a player he is.

“He looks very level-headed as well, which is a big thing, and he’ll be a Manchester United player for many, many years to come.”

Greenwood’s double in the 5-2 win over Bournemouth at the weekend took him to 17 goals in all competitions this season.

Though he has played more games, that is the same tally reached by Wayne Rooney in his first season at Old Trafford, and Cole has been hugely impressed with his debut campaign.

“I think of all the plaudits that have been sent his way,” he added.

“I’m listening to Ole saying he’s the best finisher in the club, and, at 18 years of age, if a manager is giving you those kind of plaudits, those kind of things can weigh really heavily.

“But he’s taken everything in his stride, he’s gone out there and never let anyone down. Now the goals seem to be flying in for him, left or right foot.”

Former SuperSport United midfielder Dean Furman looks back at his stay in South Africa with the reigning MTN8 champions, saying it was a wonderful experience for him and his family.

The 32-year-old also explains why he could not play for Chelsea’s senior team whilst adding that it’s not by fluke to see his former manager and now Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers being successful.

Furman also says the coronavirus pandemic has hurt his plans as he looks to secure a new move.

“I had to uproot myself and my wife, who’s from Manchester. It was daunting for her but she had a fantastic experience. I was lucky enough to lift four trophies and be in six domestic cup finals and the equivalent of the Europa League final,” Furman told TheGuardian.

“You’re stopped for selfies everywhere you go.  The people are so friendly. I played for the national team and came in the unknown because I was playing at Oldham [Athletic].

“I’d seen other players who’d gone down a similar path struggle to be accepted. But for some reason, the fans took to me.

“My first call-up was away to Brazil – the start of an incredible journey. You go to some incredible places. I’ve probably ticked off half of Africa. I’ve been to three Africa Cup of Nations. The last one was knocking out Egypt in Cairo.

“We had decided that we weren’t going to sign another contract in South Africa. But once we went to lockdown, it was strict.”

After joining the Blues as a nine-year-old, Furman says he was hoping to become a superstar in the English Premier League (EPL).

“I was hoping I’d be the next superstar. But we were signing players for millions at 16. The competition in the reserves was up,” he added.

“We signed players like Scott Sinclair and Ryan Bertrand. At 18 Chelsea decided not to keep me on.

 “It was an incredible time. Brendan Rodgers took over as our manager in the youth team. It’s no surprise to see how successful he has been in Scotland and with Leicester. On the pitch, everything had a structure.

“I remember the first day he came in and told us that while he was the youth team manager at Reading the reserve players wanted to train with him and so did the first team.

“His training was second to none. We were young men and he helped us grow up off the pitch.”

Speaking about Jewish players in the game, ‘Mlungu’ says he would like to see more players but they must be prepared to sacrifice.

“We’re few and far between. I would love to see more Jewish players. To become a pro, sacrifice is key,” he continued.

“If there was a bar mitzvah party on a Saturday night, I’d leave at 10. It was a sacrifice for my parents. My dad would come home from work at 5.30, take me from north London to Harlington for training and then bring me home.”

Chidozie Awaziem is confident Leganes can avoid relegation from La Liga at the end of the season, following their 1-0 win over Espanyol on Sunday.

The Cucumber Growers have played six games without a victory before securing a hard-fourth win at RCDE Stadium, the run of poor form ensured they remain in the drop zone.

Awaziem made a cameo appearance in the encounter after replacing Aitor Ruibal while his compatriot Kenneth Omeruo was not listed as Jonathan Cristian Silva scored the only goal of the game.

The victory against Francisco Rufete’s men has boosted the confidence of the 23-year-old Nigeria international that his side can maintain their Spanish top-flight status at the end of the campaign.

“I believe in the team 100%. The spirit the guys are putting in the team is massive and I believe we are going to achieve our aim and beat the drop,” Awaziem told AOI.

“We are trying our best game by game and we showed huge character today so hopefully we can maintain this and turn it around in our remaining games.”

With their win against Espanyol, the Cucumber Growers moved off the bottom of the league table to 19th spot after gathering 28 points from 34 games.

Awaziem, who has partnered his compatriot Omeruo in most part of the campaign, will hope to make a return to the starting lineup when they take on Eibar on Thursday.

The centre-back joined the Estadio Municipal de Butarque outfit on a season-long loan move from Portuguese club Porto.

The defender has been with the Blue and White since 2014 but has only played 10 league games for the senior side, having spent most of his time on loan.

Awaziem spent the 2017-18 season on loan with French side Nantes and then featured for Turkish Super Lig side Caykur Rizespor in the first half of the 2018-19 campaign.

The centre-back joined Leganes last summer and has made 27 appearances across all competitions for the Cucumber Growers.

Mikel Arteta has been "outstanding" in coping with the pressure at Arsenal and shown "courage" in his initial months at the helm, says Brendan Rodgers.

Leicester City are scheduled to take in a trip to north London to face Arteta's Arsenal in the Premier League on Tuesday.

They won November's reverse fixture 2-0 as Unai Emery's tenure with the Gunners was drawing to a close, with Arteta taking charge the following month.

Arsenal have won four straight games in all competitions ahead of the Leicester clash at Emirates Stadium, and Foxes boss Rodgers has been impressed with the impact a former club captain has had in such a short period of time.

"I think Mikel has done very, very well since he's gone in," said the 47-year-old, whose team are currently sitting third in the table.

"He's gone into a club with huge expectations, which he knows from being a player there. He's gone in on his first job, into a huge task, and I think how he's dealt with it so far has been outstanding.

"From a tactical perspective, he's made it very clear how they want to play. The style, you can see.

"That is not an easy style to put in place and implement, especially at a club that wants to be challenging straight away as well.

"His courage since he's gone in, to want to develop that. They've played with a couple of different systems but the style has always remained the same. 

"That is something that bodes well for the future and for him."

Leicester have said James Maddison and Ben Chilwell are major injury doubts for the game, with Chelsea and Manchester United breathing down their necks in the race for a top-four finish.

Saturday's 3-0 home win over Crystal Palace ended a four-match winless run since the Premier League's resumption and Rodgers has confidence ahead of the last five games of the campaign.

Asked if his side were capable of finishing the job to secure Champions League football, Rodgers said: "There is absolutely no doubt.

"We've shown over 33 games our talent. Okay, we are maybe missing some players that have helped us along that way but as a squad, we're very focused on achieving it.

"We will fight to the very, very last whistle to finish as high as we possibly can."

Chelsea are one point adrift of Leicester at the moment, with a resurgent Manchester United three behind.

Seventh-placed Arsenal have moved to within six points of United and are still hoping to challenge for a European place, having beaten Wolves 2-0 at Molineux last time out.