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Marcus Rashford has advised Mason Greenwood to ignore outside influences and keep focusing on his football.

The teenager became the youngest Manchester United player to reach 15 goals in a season since Wayne Rooney after he scored a brace against Bournemouth in United’s 5-2 win at Old Trafford on Saturday.

His impressive finishing has already led to comparisons being drawn between the 18-year-old and Robin van Persie, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer refused to compare the forward with the likes of Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo after the game.

Rashford has told his teammate to ignore praise and negativity and carry on focusing on his football.

“He's a fantastic player. I've watched him before he got to the first-team. It was never a matter of if was going to play with us, it was just when. When can we get him involved? Ole has done a terrific job with him,” Rashford said.

"First of all, he put him in the squad and brought him on against PSG and that for a player, as a first step, it's huge and it shows that the manager had confidence in him. You've got no reason not to have confidence in a player like Mason.

"But, for me, I just tell him to keep doing what he's doing because what he does is score goals, so he doesn’t need to do anything else. You know, forget everything whatever people are doing outside, whether it's praise or negativity.

“I just think there's a massive flood of positivity right now and momentum. For us, we want to keep that going. All three of us scored. Mason scored two. That's the type of momentum we want to keep going. That's it, really.

"He's done very well for the whole season. It's not just these bits he's been scoring goals. He's been working hard for the team and doing the dirty work, you know the unseen work. He does it so he deserves all the credit that he gets."

While Greenwood has received plenty of praise in the past few weeks, Rashford is also having a successful campaign. His penalty on Saturday took him to 20 goals for the season in all competitions.

“It's definitely a nice feeling to back scoring goals, but you know for forwards you just take it one game at a time,” Rashford explained. "Whether you score or you don't score, the next game is always about scoring.

"That's what I'll continue to do, like I've done for the whole season, really, so game-by-game we want to win games and just keep competing for the trophies we're still in."

The win saw United keep pressure on Chelsea and Leicester in the top four and extend their current unbeaten run to 16 in all competitions and Rashford gave credit to Solskjaer for improving the team.

"The manager has helped us a lot. He's stuck with us in difficult times and we've listened and tried to take on board what he's saying and what he wants us to deliver on the pitch,” Rashford said. "Where we are now, it's getting closer to what we picture but there's still a lot more work to do to be back challenging for the Premier League."

Xavi's long-awaited return to Barcelona has been put on hold after his decision to sign a one-year contract extension with Al-Sadd.

Barcelona said goodbye to a club legend when Xavi called time on a hugely successful spell at Camp Nou spanning 17 years in 2015.

The Spaniard spent the next four seasons playing in the Qatar Stars League for Al-Sadd, before hanging up his boots in May of last year.

Xavi was subsequently appointed Al Sadd's new permanent head coach, and has since guided the club to two trophies.

The 40-year-old has been heavily linked with the top job at Barca since moving into management, as the Spanish champions continue to try and rediscover the spark of previous eras under former players Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

Quique Setien is the latest man attempting to bring back the glory days at Camp Nou, but he is already being tipped to leave the club after just six months in charge.

Xavi, who recently admitted that he harbours ambitions to coach Barca in the future, has been touted to replace Setien if he fails to deliver success in either La Liga or the Champions League come the end of the season.

However, the former Blaugrana captain has now committed his immediate future to Al-Sadd, with an official announcement posted on the club's Twitter account on Sunday.

Xavi has delivered a message to supporters after agreeing to fresh terms, which reads: “Happy to renew my contract with Al Sadd, I’m working with the club’s management during the current period on a number of issues, including the renewal of Akram Afif’s contract, and signing foreign players to replace Gabi and Marco Fabian."

Despite the World Cup winner's decision to remain in Qatar, Barca could still end up bringing back an influential figure after the club's next presidential elections in the summer of 2021.

Xavi's old team-mate Juan Antonio Pizzi, who played for the Blaugrana between 1996 and 1998, is certain that the ex-midfielder will end up in the Camp Nou dugout eventually.

“I am absolutely convinced that the future of Xavi and the future of Barcelona will come together at one point, I don’t know if in two years or five years or eight years but Xavi is going to be Barcelona coach, there is no doubt about that," Pizzi told the Daily Mail in March.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela says George Maluleka’s switch to the Brazilians is not about challenging Andile Jali and Hlompho Kekana, but all about strengthening the squad.

The retired Kaizer Chiefs hitman explores why some of the players from Naturena tend to struggle at Chloorkop, as he looks to George Lebese’s time under coach Pitso Mosimane, saying ‘Mido’ is like Portugal’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.

On the other hand, ‘Killer’ is confident the Tembisa-born midfielder made the decision to join the reigning Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions to secure his future whilst looking at new challenges and ambitions.

“For me, I’ve been in this situation before and I think he has thought about his family and his security. I think he made up his mind based on a number of things and as a professional player, he managed to decide and join Sundowns,” Mphela told Goal.

“Maybe there are things that happened in between and its only George who knows. I’ve played for Sundowns and it’s a good environment for a player like George. Even at Chiefs, it was a good place for him.

"But we need to also look at big players such as Ronaldo, he left Real Madrid and went to Juventus and I think George is in that space where he wanted to set new ambitions in terms of winning trophies with Sundowns and also play in Africa.

“We just have to wait and see what will happen at Sundowns. I’ve played with both George Lebese and Maluleka, they are talented players.

“I think Maluleka was convinced by the coaches at Sundowns and he saw the bigger picture that he can fit and do well there. He’s a hard worker, competitive, and talented.

“For me, I think he will be able to fit in and do well there.”

On whether the former SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town anchorman can be able to challenge the likes of Jali and skipper Kekana, the 35-year-old shares his thoughts.

“I don’t think it’s about fighting the likes of Jali, Hlompho, and so on. But it’s about strengthening the team because we all know Sundowns competes on so many fronts,” he added.

“We all know George brings a different quality into the team. Hlompho is not getting younger.

“So, I think all the players at Sundowns cannot be available for all the games and George will definitely come in to boost their depth.

“He will have to compete against Andile and all the other guys but not to force some of the players out of the team. He will bring good competition and I really can’t say, he will focus on taking places for certain players.”

Andre Ayew scored his 14th goal in the Championship this season to seal Swansea City's 2-1 victory against Sheffield Wednesday.

The 30-year-old stepped forward to double the hosts lead at the Liberty Stadium with his 66th-minute strike from the penalty spot, 10 minutes after Rhian Brewster opened the scoring.

Ayew who has played 39 Championship games for the Swans in this campaign, was on parade from start to finish, to help them return to winning ways after settling for a 1-1 draw against Millwall on Wednesday and conceding a 1-0 loss against bottom-placed Luton Town last Saturday.

In the encounter, the Ghana international registered the most shots on target (3) and he also completed the most dribbles (3) as Swansea City secured their 15th league win of the season.

The victory shot Steve Cooper's men to eighth in the Championship table with 60 points from 40 games, to boost their chances of sealing a play-off spot as they are four points behind sixth-placed Cardiff City.

Ayew is currently enjoying his best scoring form in a league season in his career with a contribution of 14 goals and six assists in the English second division so far.

He joined Swansea City from West Ham United in 2018 and his three-year contract at the Liberty Stadium is expected to expire in June 2021.

Following the Swans' relegation from the Premier League in 2017-18, Ayew moved to the Turkish Super Lig to join Fenerbahce on a season-long loan for top-flight football.

During his stay in Turkey, the Black Stars captain scored five goals in 38 games for the Yellow-Navy Blues.

Ayew will be aiming to boost Swansea City's push for the play-off when they visit Birmingham City for their next Championship fixture on Wednesday before hosting league leaders Leeds United on July 12.

Christian Kouame will finally have the chance to make his Fiorentina debut after he was named in the matchday squad that travels to the Stadio Ennio Tardini to tackle Parma in the Serie A on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Ivory Coast international has been out of action since November 2019 because of an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury while he was with Genoa.

Despite failing to recover, he joined Fiorentina on loan in January but still failed to make an appearance.

Had the Serie A season ended in May, Kouame might not have been able to play for the Viola. However, lockdown measures that suspended football activities because of the coronavirus gave him more time to work on his fitness and his improvements convinced his loan deal to be extended until the end of the season.

“It’s been 235 days, almost eight months, have passed since that November 12 injury, the pain, the operation and the long rehabilitation,” Kouame wrote in an Instagram post.

“In January I transferred to Fiorentina and I’m finally able to be on the field again to play ball after the enormous joy of reading my name on the squad list today.

“235 days, almost 8 months, in which I grew up as a man. But now I can only think about putting my soccer shoes back on and go back to playing.”

Getting to feature for Fiorentina has been something desperately on Kouame’s mind, previously describing whenever he gets to wear the purple shirt as both emotional and at the same time fantastic.

"I certainly really want to go back to playing, but everything must be done without haste,” the former Citadella player told TuttoMercato.

“I am constantly followed by medical and technical staff and only when it is all right and the doctor will give his ok then I will return to full capacity with the group, with which, however, I am already doing various parts of training and preparation.

"I am sure it will be an extraordinary emotion [making Fiorentina debut]. When the time comes, it will be fantastic to be able to wear this shirt. Since my arrival I have received so much affection from clubs and fans, I hope to be able to return as soon as possible."

Kouame’s return could be a boost for Fiorentina who have been winless in their three league games since the restart, drawing one and losing two, including a 3-1 home defeat to Sassuolo last time out.

They sit in 13th place, five points clear of the relegation zone.

Sergio Ramos was Real Madrid's penalty hero for the second time in four days as a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao sent the LaLiga leaders seven points clear.

Zinedine Zidane's men have been flawless since the season's restart to claim control of the title rice, but they were given a stern test by Getafe on Thursday and again had their work cut out for a time on Sunday.

Yet as against Getafe, Ramos stepped up to net a second-half penalty and secure all three points in Bilbao, with his latest decisive goal coming after Dani Garcia tripped Marcelo in the area to prompt a VAR review.

A seventh straight victory ensured Madrid made the most of playing before rivals Barcelona, who will kick-off at Villarreal later in the day knowing they have an even more significant gap to make up.

Madrid recalled Marco Asensio for his first start of the season in a move which almost brought immediate reward.

The fit-again forward drew a low save from a fourth-minute free-kick, with Karim Benzema then unable to direct his header goalwards when Dani Carvajal squared the rebound.

That was about the extent of Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon's involvement before half-time, while Thibaut Courtois repelled Raul Garcia's powerful header at the other end.

Simon might have had a far greater role to play, though, as both Rodrygo and Benzema squandered huge headed opportunities from searching Asensio centres, each missing the target completely.

The second period appeared set to play out in similarly frustrating fashion for Madrid until Marcelo went down in the area and a penalty was eventually awarded, with Ramos coolly tucking his finish inside the left-hand post in the 73rd minute.

Simon saved smartly with his legs from Benzema in the closing stages, but the one Ramos goal proved enough for Madrid again.

What does it mean? Madrid unscathed after testing week

Madrid have not been quite as stylish in their past two matches as in earlier performances, but Getafe and Athletic provided potentially tricky opponents.

In both games, Los Blancos had to rely on late penalties. But given the relatively kind fixtures to come, it was crucial Zidane's side simply collected the points in any way possible. They are well on course for the title now.

Asensio deserves assist

This has been a difficult season for Asensio due to injury, but he might yet have a key role to play in the run-in.

The Spain international was involved from the outset at San Mames and twice was let down by team-mates following fine crosses. His deliveries for Rodrygo and Benzema were begging to be nodded in.

Ramos rash at the back

Ramos has now scored five massive goals in the past month, but his work at the other end of the pitch was of slight concern in Sunday's first half.

The centre-back was grateful to an offside flag following an awful early slip that let in Inaki Williams, who soon profited from some more hopeless defending on halfway. Eder Militao stepped in superbly on that occasion and often battled Williams alone.

What's next?

After a couple of tough tests in quick succession, Madrid will welcome the opportunity to rest until Friday when they host out-of-form Deportivo Alaves. Bilbao's next encounter is a home clash with Sevilla on Thursday.

Achraf Hakimi left Real Madrid to sign for Inter because of head coach Zinedine Zidane, the player’s agent has claimed.

The Morocco international had spent two campaigns on loan at Borussia Dortmund, but after they failed to match the Italian side’s financial package, he ultimately moved to the Serie A side for €40 million (£36m/$45m).

Martin Camano, the player’s agent, has explained why the right-back was on the move, hinting that three-time Champions League-winning boss Zidane was the catalyst.

Speaking to Al Mountakhab, he said: “Zidane is the reason for Hakimi’s transfer to Inter Milan. He must explain why Hakimi moved.”

But while the Frenchman was a driving force out of Madrid, counterpart Antonio Conte, who has enjoyed success with Juventus and Chelsea, is one of the attractive factors in Inter’s favour.

“He was always in contact with Hakimi,” the representative said. “He talked to him about the club’s future project, so we decided to move to Inter.

“I believe that when a high-value coach like Conte calls you and strongly insists on contacting you, this is evidence that he wants you to become an important piece in his project. His team represents him.”

The presence of Spain international Dani Carvajal holding down a coveted position at Santiago Bernabeu is one of the reasons that a deal was made.

“I think that Hakimi’s return at the current time is not appropriate given the presence of a distinguished player like Carvajal and I’m sure that Hakimi’s future will be bright after taking this step forward,” Camano continued.

The 21-year-old has spent the last year distinguishing himself with Borussia Dortmund, with whom he featured on 33 occasions as they finished second in the Bundesliga. Featuring primarily on the right of midfield, he scored five goals and laid on another 10.

Hakimi had been on the books of Madrid since 2006 and signed professional terms in 2016, debuting for the first team a year later and featuring on 17 occasions for Zidane’s side in all competitions, scoring a couple of goals in the process.

He will have to wait until the beginning of the 2020-21 season before making his debut for Inter.

SuperSport United have announced their return to training ahead of the 2019/20 season resumption.

The campaign has been suspended since mid-March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the government has given the PSL the go-ahead to complete the suspended season.

Matsatsantsa released the following statement on Sunday afternoon:

"WE'RE BACK. A safe and secure first training session for Matsatsantsa as we returned to Megawatt Park," a club statement read.

This comes after Cape Town City became the first PSL team to resume training on Thursday after complying with safety protocols to ensure a safe return to the first phase of training.

SuperSport made the announcement on their official Twitter account with photos of the players working with the club's head coach Kaitano Tembo at Megawatt Park in Sunninghill, Gauteng.

PSL players and officials have already undergone the first round of tests and clubs are also expected to fumigate their training facilities.

There have been 13 confirmed positive cases that have been reported across both the PSL and National First Division (NFD) thus far. 

Prior to SuperSport's return to training, Megawatt Park was fumigated as confirmed by the club's Twitter page on Saturday.

SuperSport will be looking to continue moving up on the PSL standings when the season resumes soon.

The Tshwane giants recorded two successive wins over Highlands Park and Bidvest Wits which took the team to the third spot on the league log just before the season was suspended.

Matsatsantsa are four points behind second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, who have three games in hand.

Tembo's side will be without the experienced trio of Dean Furman, Thabo Mnyamane, and Thabo Qalinge after they were released by the club during the break enforced for the coronavirus pandemic.

Furman decided against renewing his contract which expired on Tuesday, June 30 and the central midfielder returned to the United Kingdom (UK) where he started his football career.

While the attack-minded duo of Mnyamane and Qalinge left the three-time PSL champions after their expiring contracts were not extended by the club earlier this week.

Promising goalkeepers Thakasani Mbanjwa and Thato Lesoma have also been released by Matsatsantsa.

The team has a new captain in long-serving goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who was appointed following Furman's departure.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has described their Mainland Premier League match against Biashara United on Sunday as “difficult”.

The Jangwani Street-based giants are in Mwanza for two important league matches which will decide whether they will be in a position to finish second on the 20-team league table after sworn rivals Simba SC were crowned champions last Sunday.

Yanga will be overtaken should they falter and third-placed Azam win their match against Singida United at Azam Complex, also on Sunday.

The Belgian coach has now told Goal because of the condition of the pitch which he described as “difficult”, they will not play a game but a fight to make sure they come out with maximum points.

“We have prepared well as we can, we have trained today on the pitch we will play tomorrow, it will be a very difficult pitch, we must be at our best because they are a very good side when playing at home,” Eymael told Goal on Saturday.

“Bernard [Morrison] like I said he is not with us, we have to do without him, it not easy but I am sure the boys will deliver, but tomorrow [Sunday] it will be a fight not a game and we have to deliver against a side that is good when playing at home, I think they drew against Azam.

“It is a team which is used to play in this kind of a pitch so it will not be easy for my boys, who are used to play in a well-kept pitch, a pitch where we can pass the ball well, it will not be the case but we are ready.”

Eymael added: “Our intentions are very clear, we want to finish second behind Simba and we are looking at taking home six points from Mwanza.

“The problem now we are going to play in a very bad pitch, I don’t like the pitch, and I know my players will struggle to pass the ball, but let us wait and see, because we must fight for the points.”

Yanga are second on 60 points, while Simba are top on 79 points and Azam FC are third with 59 points.

Kelechi Iheanacho has taken to social media to congratulate Jamie Vardy after he netted his 100th and 101st Premier League goals in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Vardy has been phenomenal for the Foxes since they made it to the top-flight in 2014-15, with his 24 goals landing the East Midlands club a shock league title the season after, when they finished 10 points clear of Arsenal.

He has reached the 20-goal mark on two occasions including the current campaign, in which his 21 goals have him on top of the goalscorers charts, two ahead of Arsenal and Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

“Back to winning ways. Congrats to @vardy7 on reaching the 100 club," Iheanacho posted on Twitter.

Vardy became the first Leicester player to score a century of goals in the Premier League era and the fourth in the club’s history after Arthur Chandler (204), Ernie Hine (149) and Arthur Lochhead (105).

The 33-year-old has now scored 128 goals for Leicester since joining from Fleetwood Town in 2011, and a total of 190 career club goals in 388 outings.

Iheanacho was the other goalscorer on Saturday afternoon in what was his ninth league start and 16th appearance, getting the opener four minutes after the break following a dull first-half.

It was the Nigerian international’s fifth league goal of the season and 10th overall.

It is also the first time he scored in back-to-back league games this term having scored in last Wednesday's 2-1 defeat at Everton, and the second overall after doing so in the two-legged EFL Cup semi-final defeat to Aston Villa.

It marks Leicester’s first win since the resumption of the Premier League after drawing with Watford, Brighton and Hove Albion before losing to Everton.

The Foxes remain in third place as a result of the victory, but will need to be watchful of Chelsea and Manchester United who are just one and three points behind, respectively, on the table, which is making for an intense race to finish in the lucrative Champions League places.

They travel to the British capital on Tuesday to confront Arsenal – who saw off Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 on Saturday with Super Eagles hopeful Bukayo Saka scoring his first-ever Premier League goal.

It was announced on Friday, July 3 that Selangor will allow Malaysian youth star Luqman Hakim Shamsudin to join Belgian top tier side KV Kortrijk.

The club's acquisition of the striker who made Goal's NxGn 2020 list had been officially announced in September 2019, only nine months later that the transfer is seemingly going to proceed as planned.

NxGn 2020: The 50 best wonderkids in football

Goal looks back at how the transfer developed, starting from the September official announcement, to the statement by Selangor last Friday.

20 September 2019 - In a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Kortrijk's Malaysian owner Tan Sri Dato' Seri Vincent Tan announced that the club will sign the youngster on a five-year deal when he turns 18 in March the following year. The initial plan announced for Luqman at the time was for him to train with another of Vincent's club, English Championship side Cardiff City until he turns 18 and is legally allowed to sign a professional contract.

10 October 2019 - Just over a week later, British newspaper The Guardian named Luqman on their Next Generation 2019 list, as one of 60 of the best young talents in world football of the year. It would be the first time that the Kelantan-bred striker was recognised internationally. In March the following year, he would make Goal's own 50 best youth footballers list NxGn 2020, coming in at number 49.

READ: Luqman Hakim not giving up on European dream, but ready for Malaysia Super League challenge

November 2019 - The Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD) graduate scored a total of five goals in Group G of the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers, helping Malaysia U-19 qualify for the finals as group winners.

December 2019 - He was called up for Malaysia U-23's centralised camp ahead of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, and made the final roster. Unfortunately, the Young Tigers had an underwhelming campaign and crashed out at the group stage, while Luqman failed to shine.

January 2020 - The start of a new year came, but Luqman was no closer to Europe. Instead he was seen training with the the newly-established Selangor reserve team, along with his Malaysia U-19 teammates and fellow AMD graduates, sparking rumours that his Belgium move has fallen through.

March 2020 - The Red Giants finally came clean and told the media that they were registering the youngster on their Premier League squad, ostensibly because the suspension of international travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic has halted  his departure. But fans' hope of seeing him turn up in league matches were soon dashed, as the Malaysian league would soon be halted as well due to the coronavirus.

Not only that no matches could be held, team training too was suspended due to the enforcement of the movement restriction order by the Malaysian government. During the lockdown, Luqman was reported to turn to delivering meals on his motorcycle to pass the time. 

10 June 2020 - Early this month, he revealed to Berita Harian that Kortrijk have summoned him to Belgium, sparking questions regarding Selangor's willingness to let him leave. Sources had told Goal that the AMD graduates signed by the club at the start of the season have a clause in their contract which allows them to leave for an overseas offer for free within the first year of their contract with Selangor. Association deputy president Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar was later quoted as saying that Kortrijk would be allowed to have the striker for free.

13 June 2020 - Luqman signed with El-Ef Sport, a representative agency with a London address. One week later, rumours surfaced that he has attracted the interest of English club Newcastle United as well as Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

24 June 2020 - Questions were raised about Luqman's availability for the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship finals in October should he join Kortrijk, as clubs are not required by FIFA to release players for junior international matches. But Vincent later guaranteed that his club would allow the teenager to take part in the tournament.

3 July 2020 - On this Friday evening, Luqman appeared on a live chat video that was aired by the club on their Facebook page, fielding innocuous questions from the fans. Not an hour after the video was over, Selangor announced on their social media accounts that he will be allowed to leave for Belgium, with news reports later adding that the move was a free transfer. 

While the announcement by Selangor should have ended all speculations, this is Malaysian football where stranger things have happened. Until he is seen landing in Belgium, it is hard to consider his move as a done deal. The youngster will certainly remain in the fans and media attention for a little longer!

ALSO READ: Why Luqman Hakim Shamsudin is better off at KV Kortrijk, than at Newcastle United

Former Uganda midfielder Willy Kyambadde has appealed for financial help to seek kidney and liver treatment.

Kyambadde made his name at Express FC when he joined in 1995 and was part of the team that defeated Angola 2-0 at Nakivubo Stadium in 1996.

Residing at his Kawempe Jinja Kalooli home, the retired midfielder has called on well-wishers to come to his rescue as life has been a challenge since his retirement.

“Life has been challenging ever since I retired from the game,” Kyambadde told New Vision in an interview.

“In fact, even getting what to eat is a problem yet I also have to look for medical assistance to treat myself since I have a kidney and liver problem.

“When I went to Mulago Hospital for a checkup, the doctors told me I have a problem with my kidney and liver but in infant stages which can be treated.”

The former midfielder, who made his name due to his dribbling ability and speed, revealed that he cannot walk now and that has made his retirement life even more difficult.

“I find it hard to walk since I feel a lot of pain. I can't even do anything as I used to. I have so many obligations but I cannot carry on because of the problem I have,” added the former Cranes midfielder.

Ibrahim Sekaggya, Abubakar Tabula, and Wilber Musika were Kyambadde's long-time teammates.

Kyambadde joined KCCA FC in 2000 but returned to the Red Eagles after two seasons. Many thought Kyambadde would be Jackson Mayanja's successor but he did not live up to the expectations of the fans.

After returning to Express in 2002, Kyambadde went on to win the Kakungulu Cup, now Stanbic Uganda Cup, in 2003.

Meanwhile, Uganda and Hapoel Kfar Saba FC winger Luwagga Kizito has revealed what has inspired his recent form.

Kizito has scored in two matches and the recent goal came against Maccabi Netanya on July 2.

“Honestly, I am so happy about my form now, a lot has happened behind the scenes though. First fitting in the style of play, having the right attitude and also understanding each other as a team,” the former Vipers SC star told Football256.

Kizito has made 10 appearances for the Israeli side.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has described Bukayo Saka as a “joy to watch” after he scored his first Premier League goal in Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Though Nuno Espirito Santo’s men were seen as tough opponents with top-four ambitions, the Gunners were in a confident mood having recorded three wins on the bounce in all competitions.

Saka ensured the streak continued with his beautiful volley from a Kieran Tierney pass two minutes prior to the half-time break.

Alexandre Lacazette then sealed the win his strike off the bench in the 86th minute to keep Arsenal’s slim top-four hopes alive.

It caps off an exciting week for Saka who signed a contract extension at the Emirates Stadium until 2024.

"To a certain extent today wasn't what we usually associate with Arsenal, they were dogged, really good defensively and they've got that little bit of quality as well when Lacazette comes on,” Redknapp said on Sky Sports as per the Express.

"I'm so pleased for that young man, Saka. He's a joy to watch. He's loving the Premier League. New contract. As he said, what a week for him. It's a really good finish.

"Aubameyang is heavily involved, he knows exactly where he is on the pitch, plays it out wide and you just see again at the back post, Saka drops his shoulder [to get into space].

"He has a swing at it, it's not necessarily conventionally the best volley you'll ever see but it's a really good one, and it works for him.

"He guides it away from the keeper, it's a nice strike. It's just one of those but it's good technique."

Former Arsenal defender Ashley Cole, also speaking on Sky Sports, said Saka feels very much at home now that he’s tied to the club for the foreseeable future.

"Watching the interview, you know he [Saka] feels that Arsenal is his home,” Cole stated.

“He's a young kid. The group they've got around him, with extra young players, is making him feel very welcome and at home.

"I think Arsenal fans are buzzing that he's signed and he definitely looks one for the future, for sure."

Saka, who was clearly thrilled by the goal, asserted on the need to be humble as he keeps learning. The 18-year-old now has four goals and 10 assists in 35 competitive outings.

"It has been such a great week, signing my contract and then getting my first Premier League goal. And it wasn't a bad goal either so I'm very happy,” he told the BBC.

"I have to stay humble and keep my feet on the ground to keep learning. It's important for us to have experience and world-class players around to advise us. It was tough for us today but we gave our all and that is what got us over the line."

Saka will be hoping to impress again when Arsenal host Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

Bruno Fernandes has helped to free Paul Pogba from the "burden of expectations" at Manchester United, according to Rio Ferdinand, who says the midfielder is finally starting to justify his £89 million ($111m) price tag.

Before the coronavirus outbreak brought the 2019-20 campaign screeching to a halt in March, Pogba's future at Old Trafford was the subject of intense speculation.

The 27-year-old has only shown flashes of his superb technical ability and outstanding vision since rejoining United from Juventus in 2016, with his commitment and fitness levels often called into question by supporters and experts.

The World Cup winner underwent surgery on a niggling ankle injury in January after missing almost the entire first half of the season, and was being tipped to leave the club this summer amid reported interest from Real Madrid.

However, Pogba returned to action with a renewed sense of purpose after the Premier League was cleared to resume on June 17, with his recent performances helping United embark on a four-match winning run.

The France international has been asked to operate in a slightly deeper role to accommodate January signing Bruno Fernandes, who has proven to be an instant hit in Manchester.

The former Sporting star has scored seven goals and laid on six assists in his first 14 appearances for United, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men have yet to suffer a loss with the 25-year-old pulling the strings in the middle of the park.

Pogba is still looking for his first goal since the restart, but has recorded two assists, while striking up a strong understanding with Fernandes which has helped the Red Devils improve significantly in the final third.

Ferdinand says the presence of the Portuguese playmaker has allowed the Frenchman to raise his game and play without any pressure for the first time in his United career.

The ex-Red Devils defender told BT Sport : "Pogba has been a totally different player since the restart. The energy levels in his game, it's the Pogba United paid £89m for four years ago.

"A big factor is undoubtedly the man he is playing with in the centre of midfield - Bruno Fernandes.

"Pogba will not want to be shown up out there and that's perhaps the motivation he needed. Solskjaer will be absolutely loving what's he seeing from those two.

"Fernandes is just doing what comes naturally to him and it's been a huge boost to Pogba's form - it's freed him up to play as well.

"There's probably less pressure on him now because he knows that some of the burden of expectation is being shouldered by Fernandes."

Virgil van Dijk has revealed the Jurgen Klopp factor as the reason he joined Liverpool instead of Manchester City or Chelsea.

The centre-back left Southampton for Anfield in January 2018 for a reported fee of £75 million ($95m), which represented a record transfer for a defender.

There were other interested parties in Van Dijk's services, notably City and Chelsea, but the Netherlands international only had eyes for the Reds due to manager Klopp, who led Liverpool to their first Premier League title this season.

"I had the chance to go to Chelsea and Man City," Van Dijk said in quotes published in several national newspapers.

"When you compare the clubs, you look at the history, the town, the current squad, their plans for the near future, but the most important thing you look at is the manager - and Jurgen Klopp is an important reason why I chose Liverpool.

"Klopp has something special. Is it his energy? Is it his overall image? I sometimes sit and think about what he does and what he has more than others.

"I think it is his man-management. These days that is more important than anything in football.

"Klopp gives you this great feeling. He is genuinely happy when you walk into the club in the morning. It may sound daft, but that really inspires you as a player."

Van Dijk, 28, has already lifted the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup as a Liverpool player.

In the coming weeks he will get his hands on the Premier League trophy too, with Liverpool's status as champions confirmed last month with seven games still to play.

"I have always said that lifting the Premier League ­trophy would be a dream. That dream has become reality now," he added.

Already a popular figure on Merseyside, Klopp has attained legendary status after guiding his Liverpool side to a first English league title in 30 years, following their Champions League triumph last season.

Having built a phenomenal squad, featuring stars such as Van Dijk, the German boss admits he is not looking too far to the future just yet.

He told the Mirror: "I was seven and a half years at Mainz, seven at Dortmund and in 2024, when my  current contract at Liverpool ends it will be 23 and half. I have no plans beyond that."

Western Stima chairman Laban Jobita has revealed he will not stop wantaway players from leaving the team in search of greener pastures.

The Kisumu-based side is currently without a sponsor following the exit of Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), who have been helping the team financially.

Reports have it some key players are keen on leaving the team but that does not worry the experienced administrator.

"I am sorry this might sound rude, but to be honest, I will not cling onto a player who wants to leave," Jobita told Goal on Sunday.

"If players find a team they feel will provide them with what they need, we will give them a release letter. But the due process has to be followed before getting released from the club.

"If we release a player, we will go out there and find a replacement, there are players out there who can play for Western Stima and ensure the team performs well consistently."

Jobita has also revealed his immediate plans for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side.

"I have already sent several proposals to some corporates to come on board and sponsor us," he added.

"We are open to anyone who wants to support the club for the long or short term. Our main objective is to ensure we compete effectively in the top tier without financial struggles.

"Even if a sponsor comes from Kisii, Nakuru or Kakamega, the team will be there."

Jobita also shed some light on the possibility of the team changing its name after KPLC's exit.

"It depends, but if it is the only way of getting a sponsor, why not?" Jobita revealed.

"We are still hopeful KPLC will change their mind and continue sponsoring us. I have not received an official letter from the company notifying us of their exit, so I am still waiting.

"In the past, we have been under the same, but after negotiations, the sponsorship is extended. So I believe we will be able to convince KPLC to stay," he concluded.

In the abandoned 2019/20 season, the team finished in the seventh position with 36 points.

Under coach Salim Babu, they had managed to get nine wins, drawn as many and lost five matches in the 23 games played.

Former Morocco midfielder Houssine Kharja believes new Inter Milan recruit Achraf Hakimi can win the Serie A title next season.

The 21-year-old joined the Nerazzurri from Real Madrid in a €40 million five-year deal earlier this week.

Hakimi had spent the last two seasons on loan at Borussia Dortmund, racking up 73 appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing 17 assists.

BVB finished second in the Bundesliga to Bayern Munich in both his seasons at Signal Iduna Park, but he was able to play a part in seeing the Bavarians off in the 2019 German Super Cup which Dortmund won 2-0.

Hakimi could not establish himself in the Spanish capital with Dani Carvajal and Marcelo still key men in the full-back positions for Zinedine Zidane.

The versatile Madrid-born player will now look to start a fresh chapter in his career with the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup and Spanish Super Cup, all in his cabinet in his short time with Los Blancos.

Hakimi’s strong performances on the pitch have seen him compared to Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Kharja thinks his countryman has been a revelation.

“Hakimi was the revelation player this year,” the 37-year-old told TuttoMercato.

“Inter have beaten competition from great teams and perhaps he would have been useful also for Real Madrid

“For [Antonio] Conte, Hakimi is fantastic because he has impressive athletic skills, can make an incredible run and other features that make the difference.

“Conte has the ability to win the Scudetto, with Hakimi next year, he can win the championship.

"I have no doubts Hakimi will be successful in the Nerazzurri and will become an Inter star. From coach Conte, he will receive great support. I am happy with the choice to play in Italy.”

Kharja played for Inter in the second half of the 2010-2011 season, on loan from Genoa, making a total of 19 appearances and scoring once. He also played for the likes of Roma, Fiorentina and Sochaux. He was capped 78 times for the Morocco national team between 2003 and 2015, scoring 13 goals.

Hakimi certainly looks likely to play a key role at right wing-back for Conte with present options Victor Moses (on loan from Chelsea), Ashley Young and Antonio Candreva all approaching the twilight of their careers.

Inter started the current season strong and looked like they were going to end Juventus’ eight-year grip on the Serie A title. The men in black and blue stirpes have, however, fizzled out and are now 11 points behind the Bianconeri with a game in hand.

Everton midfielder Bernard has opened up on seeing a psychologist after a debilitating panic attack, insisting he has "become a better person" since seeking help.

Bernard signed a four-year contract with Everton in August 2018 after leaving Shakhtar Donetsk as a free agent. The 27-year-old has since racked up 61 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees, scoring five goals while also laying on six assists.

The Brazil international has enjoyed a prominent role in the first team in 2019-20, but off the pitch he has been dealing with mental health issues.

Bernard has revealed that he has been undertaking therapy to tackle his anxiety, which he believes has helped him to strengthen his character in "all areas".

“I've been having therapy for the past year, I see a psychologist,” the Everton winger told the club's official website.

“It's not something I previously stigmatised, but I never thought I would require this type of treatment. Now I see how much I've evolved as a person, as a human being, how much this has helped me in my work.

“I've never publicly spoken to anyone about this. I think it would be good for this to be seen as a way of helping people to go to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

“I had an anxiety attack a year ago, the psychologist really helped with this, the other professionals involved helped me a lot as well.

“I sought help as I genuinely needed it, but if I'd have only known how much this professional was going to help me, not just in relation to anxiety, with the attack that I had, but in all areas of my life [I would have asked for help sooner].

“I’m stronger in all areas and have become a better person, more positive and more confident. “

Bernard went on to admit that he was guilty of bottling his emotions up in the past, while detailing how his psychologist has helped him to "rebuild" internally over the past 12 months.

“We're all vulnerable to any type of situation, as we're human like everyone else,” he added. “In a lot of cases, I see that people are resistant and don't seek help, they don't take medication that could help with the process.

“I was taken by surprise but I've always been a person who bottled everything up and kept everything that happens in my life to myself.

“The person I've opened up to about everything has been my psychologist and, a lot of the time, I feel embarrassed to talk about certain things.

“I heard a good description from the psychologist once, he takes the boxes and puts them in the right place, and his assistance to put the boxes in the right place helps us to rebuild who we really are.”

Somalia national team coach Said Abdi Haibeh has revealed his elation after the completion of the Mogadishu Stadium.

The completion of Somalia's biggest stadium means the Ocean Stars will now host their international matches at the facility. Somalia have been hosting matches in Djibouti for the last 16 years due to security issues in their country.

“The players and I are all looking forward to enjoying at home and play in front of tens of thousands of home-based Somali fans,” Haibeh told the Somali Football Federation (SFF) website.

“It was a great honour for me to select and act as the manager of the history-making Somali national football team last year. The players are well-prepared and ready for the national duties including international friendlies.

“However, I believe that the home atmosphere is going to be electric. This is the long-standing dream of Somali Football Federation authorities and it will soon be true if Allah allows.” 

Haibeh further lauded fans who have been supporting the team even when they were playing in foreign lands.

“During the 2019 edition of the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala, the Somali football supporters in Uganda organised by the Somali Sports Association headed by Omar Ali came to support us during every game and outnumbered the fans of our opponents,” added the coach.

“Even when we played against the home team [the Cranes of Uganda] it was like we played in Mogadishu.

“I can’t forget to thank Somalis in South Africa who travelled all the way to Harare, Zimbabwe to cheer the team when we had the second leg of Fifa World Cup qualifier clash in Zimbabwe.

“I am also sending a big thank you to the Somali community in Zimbabwe for their good organization to support the team.” 

Ocean Stars captain Ahmed Said Ahmed did not hide his happiness that their home stadium is now complete.

“I will be honoured to lead the team out for their first home game at Mogadishu Stadium after decades,” Ahmed told the SFF's website as well.

During the opening ceremony, the SFF president Abdiqani Said Arab said they will build their offices next to the new stadium.

“Mogadishu Stadium is now ready and Somali Football Federation is pleased to announce that Ocean Stars will be able to play their home games in the country," Arab said on July 1 when he commissioned the use of the stadium.

“We will also use the facility to host other football activities.”

Premier League sides Mogadishu City Club and Horseed Sports Club featured in the opening match of the stadium.