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Aston Villa and their plethora of African players returned to Premier League action with a 0-0 draw against Sheffield United on Wednesday, as Dean Smith opted to start without Tanzania’s Mbwana Samatta.

The point wasn’t a dreadful result for the Villains, who were fortunate not to have fallen behind when Hawk Eye failed to identify a goal despite Oliver Norwood’s free kick being fumbled over the goalline by Orjan Nyland.

That technical error—we can hardly blame the referees—saved Villa from defeat, although the Midlanders had chances to win the game themselves.

Smith made the bold decision to start rookie frontman Keinan Davis instead of Samatta, and the striker was—on occasion—a handful for the Blades defenders.

His physique allows him to battle with opposition centre-backs, and on a few occasions he got the better of his opposite man.

Smith may argue that the youngster deserves to keep his place against Chelsea because his presence gets the better out of those players around him.

While Davis was on the pitch against United, it’s worth noting that Villa enjoyed more shots than their Champions League-chasing opponents, while he also brings other players into play with his link-up play and layoffs.

Villa have got 16 goals from central midfield quartet Jack Grealish, Conor Hourihane, Douglas Luiz and John McGinn so far this season, and this clearly represents their key area of strength.

While Davis helps disrupt defenders without scoring, his presence—so the argument may go—can carve out more opportunities for those players behind him.

However, this simply may not be enough for a Villa side battling relegation—they remain in the dropzone after their opening match back—and after all, despite taking 14 shots against the Blades, they failed to find the net.

Davis, on his first Prem start, hit the target with only two of his five attempts, and was guilty of one notable miss inside ten minutes when he headed over the bar from close range after United failed to clear their lines from a corner.

With chances likely to be at a premium for Villa moving forward—particularly with Chelsea up next—can Smith afford to persist with a striker who has done little to demonstrate he has a sure goalscoring touch?

While Samatta has only scored one in his first four Premier League appearances, it’s still more than Davis has managed in his 200 minutes in the top flight, and the East African also netted in the EFL Cup final defeat by Manchester City.

We’ll never know definitively of course, but many Villa fans will surely be questioning whether Samatta would have put away one or two of the chances that came Davis’ way against Sheffield United.  

Now that Samatta has had several months to settle in England, to adapt to the Premier League, and to find his feet at Villa, Smith must give him the playing time to prove what he can do in the top flight.

The Midlanders have two options.

Either they can opt for Samatta down the middle as a leading man, with Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi in wide areas, or they can opt for a midfield diamond, with Grealish as the No. 10, and pair Davis and the Tanzanian up top together.

Against Chelsea’s defence, Davis could act as the battering ram, with Samatta on hand to execute the coup de gras should chances fall his way.

The presence of attack-minded full-backs in Matt Targett and Ahmed Elmohamady means that a narrow midfield wouldn’t necessarily deny Villa any width, and the aforementioned pair could still get balls in the box to help Davis and Samatta challenge the Blues backline.

Ultimately, Smith may decide that playing two strikers against Chelsea is too risky a strategy, and if so, then it’s Davis who must be sacrificed for Samatta.

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha said he should have scored more goals as he aims to hit double figures before the end of the 2019-20 season.

Ahead of his side’s Premier League fixture against Bournemouth on Saturday, the 27-year-old admitted that he is not having the best of campaigns with just three assists and three goals scored so far in 29 league appearances.

Last season, Zaha hit a personal best of 10 goals in a league campaign, but he believes he can still match the feat with nine matches remaining.

"I don't think I've had the best of seasons personally," Zaha told Premier League Productions.

"I feel like I should have scored more goals but I still feel like I can make that right now. Nine games left, give it a big push really. My own goal was to get double digits this season and I still feel like I can do it if I push myself."

The Premier League resumed without fans in the stadium this week after a three-month hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Zaha disclosed teams will miss the fans’ atmosphere in empty stadiums and players will need to motivate themselves from within to get results.

"It is going to be weird because they make such a difference for us," he continued.

"I feel like we're just going to dig in deep and do what we have to do for each other. We won't have the fans but we are going to have to work our way through it.

"I feel like we should have pressure on ourselves to perform. It may be more difficult for people to find the reason to perform, the motivation from within because you've got no crowd on your back - [normally] if you mess up a pass you may here a boo.

"I feel like we need to find that motivation ourselves and do it ourselves.

"I've never done it [played behind closed doors] before, you have to just stay focused, blank out the fact that you're not playing in front of anyone. Push yourself."

Crystal Palace are placed 11th on the league table with 39 points after 29 games.

A group of black players in MLS have united to form the Black Players Coalition of MLS, the newly-founded organization announced on Friday.

The organization's announcement coincides with Juneteenth, which commemorates the day on which Union forces in Texas delivered the news of the Emancipation Proclamation to the region, freeing the last group of slaves in the United States.

It also comes amid ongoing protests and unrest across the world, with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparking wider discussions about the issues of race and police brutality in society.

With the formation of the organization, the Black Players Coalition will look to "address the racial inequalities in our league, stand with all those fighting racism in the world of soccer, and positively impact black communities across the United States and Canada."

Toronto FC's Justin Morrow has been named the organization's executive director, with Philadelphia Union defender Ray Gaddis, Chicago Fire forward C.J. Sapong, former D.C. United forward Quincy Amarikwa, FC Cincinnati defender Kendall Waston, Portland Timbers forward Jeremy Ebobisse, New York City FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson,, Nashville SC defender Jalil Anibaba, Colorado Rapids forward Kei Kamara, Minnesota United defender Ike Opara and D.C. United goalkeepers Bill Hamid and Earl Edwards Jr serving as board members.

The group has secured $75,000 (£60,000) in charitable contributions by the MLS Players Association, with the non-profit organization aiming to lobby for bias training, community initiatives, cultural education courses and a more prominent role in league leadership.

"As we celebrate Juneteenth and the coming together of our coalition, we must remind ourselves that such progressivism was once met with vehement backlash," a portion of the coalition's statement read. "May this reminder serve as a warning to us all that confronting systemic racism head-on will never be a smooth, constantly upward trending path, but rather a timeless battle that will force us to reinvent the very essence of our institutions.

"We hope our organization can be an extension of our ancestors’ sacrifice for the next generation to live in a more equitable society as we seek to forge our own path forward under one united voice.

"Lastly, we’d like to acknowledge all the other professional athletes standing up against racism. We see you and you empower us. Whether you happen to be singing this tune alone, or supported by a group, we want you to know that we are with you. We are here to fight this battle together. We will be heard."

Friday's announcement, which saw many of those involved tweet "There will be change" alongside the hashtag "#MLSIsBlack, also saw the organization recognized by the league, as MLS pledged to support the coalition's efforts.

"MLS proudly recognizes and supports the Black Players Coalition of MLS -- a group of players who today, on Juneteenth, have established themselves as influential change leaders," the league said in a statement.

"The League looks forward to continued and longstanding collaborations with the Black Players Coalition of MLS through efforts aimed at developing the game in Black communities, prioritizing diversity, and addressing implicit bias through league-wide cultural and educational initiatives."

MLS is set to return to play on July 8 with the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando. 

Emuidzhi Oghiabekhva netted four goals for Minsk in a 6-1 victory over ABFF WU19 in a Belarusian Women's League fixture on Friday.

Oghiabekhva continued from where she left off last week after she bagged her second competitive treble this season in her side's 5-0 triumph over Neman since returning after a two-week break.

The 30-year-old ignited the surge of goals with her 15th-minute header off Yuliya Duben's corner after she missed giving the visitors the lead five minutes earlier, whe her effort going wide.

On the half-hour mark, Oghiabekhva was set up inside the penalty area and almost fired in the second goal of the match from a goalmouth scramble but her strike was blocked by the hosts' defence.

Anna Sas' cross fell perfectly in the path of Oghiabekhva who made no mistake to head home in the 39th minute before Nadege Cisse was denied by the goalkeeper on the brink of half-time.

After the restart, Nigerian netted her treble of the match after slotting in Anastasiya Kharlanova's freekick to increase Minsk tally on the hour mark before Sas netted the fourth eight minutes later.

However, Natalya Asmykovich pulled one back for the hosts, in what proved to be nothing more than a consolation, in the 81st minute but Viktoriya Tikhon recovered the four-goal lead three minutes later.

Oghiabekhva finished off Kharlanova's brilliant pass to complete her quadruple three minutes from full-time to seal the rout for Minsk.

Oghiabekhva, who now has 13 goals in seven outings, was in action for the duration of the game, along with Ivorian Cisse and Cameroon's Alvina Niyolle, while Nigeria's Chioma Wogu was an unused substitute.

The victory was the sixth for Volodymyr Reva's team from seven matches this season but they will remain second tied on 18 points behind leaders Dinamo and are separated on goal difference.

Reva's ladies will look to maintain their quest to close in on table-toppers Dinamo when they visit seventh-placed Dnepr Mogilev on June 28.

Former Celta defender Fernando Caceres has revealed that he was once offered 500,000 pesetas to take Barcelona star Ronaldinho out of a game.

Caceres featured for the likes of River Plate, Boca Juniors and Valencia during a storied career that saw him feature 24 times for Argentina, scoring one goal.

He has recounted one of the more memorable matches of his career, when he crossed paths with Barcelona ace Ronaldinho.

“We were playing Celta vs Barcelona in Vigo and on the first touch Ronaldinho tried to make, I hit him from behind,” Caceres explained in an interview with the ‘Idolos’ YouTube channel.

“I helped him up and told him I'd been offered 500,000 pesetas (£2,700/$3,400) to take him out. He just looked at me and said: ‘If you can catch me.’

“I didn't go to mark him anymore. I was scared, he was angry and when he got like that, he was very good; a strong and impressive player.”

He retired before he had the chance to face another Barca great in the form of Lionel Messi – but he has explained that facing his compatriot would have been a formidable challenge.

“Luckily, I never faced Messi, but I would have found it challenging to deal with the things he can do with the ball,” he said.

“You see them and you can't believe it. When Leo runs at you, what do you do? You don't know, so you have to just kick him - it's the only solution you have.”

Caceres, however, was a team-mate of Diego Maradona during the 1994 World Cup – a tournament in which the attacker made the headlines as he tested positive for a banned substance.

The former centre-back refused to pick who was greater between Messi and Maradona, while he revealed what the latter said to the squad after his failed drugs test.

“It's very difficult to choose between one of the other, the times are different and the football is too,” he said of comparisons between the players before recounting his memory of Maradona at the U.S. tournament, where the Argentines crashed out in the last 16. 

“Diego spoke to all of us and told us that he hadn't done the things they said, then in the press they only spoke of Diego's positive doping test. That caused us a major distraction.

“We then had to play Romania whilst distracted and it took us out of the World Cup.”

Midfielder Khalid Aucho has revealed he would not mind playing for Gor Mahia if another chance comes his way.

Aucho signed for Gor Mahia in 2014 from Tusker and remained at the club until 2016, when he signed for Baroka FC of South Africa.

The midfielder was part of the Frank Nuttall-led K'Ogalo team that went on to win the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title unbeaten in 2015.

“Gor Mahia remain my club and will always be my club,” Aucho told Gor Mahia's website.

“If another chance came my way, why not? I wouldn’t mind playing for the club again. I loved the club. The only club l played with passion and the only club l ever enjoyed my football.”

The 27-year-old also spoke about the toughest opponents in the KPL, his time in South Africa and other countries where football has taken him to.

“My toughest opponent was [Erick] Apul of Ulinzi Stars. A game against Ulinzi was always tough and he remains to be the toughest opponent l ever faced because of the way he played,” revealed the Ugandan.

“My stay in South Africa and Asia were all good l can’t complain but truth is, my football life at Gor Mahia was the best. Gor Mahia fans are some of the best fans.

“They loved me and l truly appreciate the love l got while at the club. I love K’Ogalo fans.”

Aucho, who has played for another 10 clubs, revealed what must be done to make KPL rank higher and comparable to some of the other leagues he has played in.

“Kenyan league is not bad what is needed is just some good organization. Leagues in Asia and Europe where l have been to before are so organized. KPL just need to be organized right from the management to the clubs,” stated the Ugandan.

Aucho credits Gor Mahia for his career growth and has asked the current players to remain focused despite a myriad of challenges.

“Yes, Gor Mahia gave me everything l must admit. The club gave me what l have now. The exposure, a platform to be seen and just everything l needed to be where l am at the moment,” concluded the defensive midfielder.

“Players must remain focused, the focus is the thing if they want to do well in all competitions. There could be financial issues in the club but they should know what they want to achieve.

“At times you can play without pay but maybe someone is watching you, and you never know where that can land you. Let them focus and play with all their heart and remember, to always play for the badge.”

Aucho is currently turning out for El Makkasa of Egypt.

Kamohelo Mokotjo has signed a short-term extension at Brentford that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2019-20 Championship season.

The South Africa international's three-year contract at Griffin Park was expected to end on June 30, however, the Bees were able to get him an extended deal with the English second division set to restart on Saturday after a three-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Brentford are strong contenders for the play-offs and they sit fourth in the Championship table with 60 points after 37 games.

Before the hiatus in March, the 29-year-old, who recently returned from injury, played 23 league games for the Bees and he has a goal to his name.

In his reaction to the new deal, manager Thomas Frank described Mokotjo as a "reliable" figure in his team and he is hoping he can play a part when they visit Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

“We are very pleased to extend Kamohelo’s contract. He has worked very hard to come back from his injury and will be ready and fit for selection against Fulham,” Frank told the club website.

“We need The General’s experience, coolness and passing ability as we head into the last part of the season. He is so reliable and adds so much to the group, both in training and matches.

“You can see when he steps onto the pitch how it raises the levels of those around him.”

The former Feyenoord and SuperSport United star joined the Bees from Dutch outfit FC Twente in July 2017, and he has scored six goals in 100 competitive games in England.

Aside from Mokotjo, Brentord also handed a short-term deal to Greek striker Nikos Karelis, who has made just four appearances in all competitions this season.

“It is also very good to extend Nikos’ contract,” he added.

“Nikos is working very hard to come back from his injury. He is in a good place and, while he might not be ready for the season restart next week, we will be able to use his qualities and experience during the final weeks of the season.”

Ian Wright has revealed that he has been subject to “terrifying” and “daily” abuse on his social media channels.

Only Thierry Henry has scored more goals for Arsenal than Wright, who turned out for the Gunners between 1991 and 1998 and netted 185 times for the club in 228 appearances, but the ex-striker is now known as a respected pundit.

Still in the public eye, Wright has found himself a target for online trolls in the wake of his tweeting support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which aims to promote equality.

He took to Twitter on Friday with a variety of screenshots laced with profanity and racists taunts, highlighting the abuse he has received.

“These aren't isolated incidents!!! It's daily!! This is what I received for posting and talking about #BlackLivesMatter yesterday. The abuse started a week earlier, the taunting is terrifying. Coming back and back again,” he said.

“Let's show these social media companies how bad this has got, it's ridiculous!!! So easy for them!! If you or a black friend has had online racist abuse then please post a tweet with the hashtags #NoConsequences and #BlackLivesMatter.”

The Black Lives Matter movement has gained strength since protests took place in the U.S. following the death of George Floyd in police custody on May 25, with the Premier League confirming that players’ shirts will sport the movement’s title in place of surnames over the course of the weekend, while they will also carry the ‘BLM’ logo until the end of the season.

As well as speaking out on the issues surrounding race, Wright had previously defended the Premier League’s right not to rush back after the coronavirus pandemic.

“Football is the punching bag,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“When you hear people having a go at football because the Premier League are having meetings ... they have to have meetings because at some stage things have to start again.

“Just because football is a game ... it's still a business, just like other businesses are making plans to try and get themselves going again.”

Harambee Stars and Zesco United goalkeeper Ian Otieno has stated he grew into a better player while at AFC Leopards.

Otieno, who joined Zesco United in the last transfer window, detailed how his career started at amateur teams and how he ended up at two Kenyan Premier League (KPL) sides - Posta Rangers and AFC Leopards.

“My love for football came at a very young age,” said the Kenyan keeper.

“The day I started kicking whatever I could kick when growing up in Ruiru Nairobi and football was all I loved.

“I started off as a number seven. Then one day we were playing in Ruiru when our goalkeeper conceded a nutmeg in response he gave up and left the field, I gave it a try and actually never looked back.

“At the age of 12, I joined Ujuzi Soka Academy, from Ujuzi I went to school where I perfected the art of goalkeeping, played school football for four years and then I joined Strathmore University FC.

“Then Amiral FC signed me in Coastal Kenya, played there for two years and joined Posta Rangers because they offered me a job. From there AFC Leopards came calling and I could not resist.

“I became a better player at AFC Leopards, mentally and emotionally.”

Otieno left for Zambia after two seasons with AFC Leopards, landed at Red Arrows and showed good performances which prompted Zesco United to pursue his services.

“I then got an opportunity to come and try it in Zambia at Red Arrows, where I spent two fantastic years and moved on to Zesco United where I am now,” added the goalkeeper.

“My time in Zambia has been wonderful, at first it was not easy coming to a different country, the language, the culture and the food all new to me.”

Once the Faz Super League resumes, Otieno hopes to help Team Ya Ziko defend the title and crown it with victory in the domestic tournament.

“I can’t understate the eagerness to get back to action, and help Zesco United win the double; the league and the Absa Cup,” he concluded.

Otieno joined the Ndola side to replace experienced Jacob Banda, and has featured in seven games, managed to keep two clean sheets and has conceded just six goals so far.

Odion Ighalo is among the nine substitutes Manchester United have selected for their Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur.

The 31-year-old is yet to start a Premier League match for the Red Devils since his January signing from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua with four substitute appearances in the English top-flight.

With Ighalo on the bench, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial lead Manchester United's attack as they aim for their 13th league win of the season.

During the suspension of football in England, the former Super Eagles striker signed an extended temporary deal that will keep him at Old Trafford until January 2021.

The former Watford striker has managed an impressive goalscoring return in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team with a tally of four goals after eight matches across all competitions.

Ivory Coast’s Eric Bailly is another African star on United’s bench and he will be aiming to make his third Premier League appearance of the season on Friday.

His compatriot Serge Aurier earned his spot in Tottenham Hotspur’s starting XI – his 25th appearance in the English top-flight this term.

Jose Mourinho's side are eighth on the league table 41 points after 29 matches, four points behind fifth-placed Manchester United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reiterated his belief that Paul Pogba is one of the best players in the world and insists he will get his chance back in the Manchester United side in the coming weeks.

Pogba was only named among the substitutes in United’s first match back after the coronavirus shutdown against Tottenham on Friday.

The France international has not featured for the Red Devils since Boxing Day because of persistent foot and ankle injuries that have restricted him to just eight appearances all season. But the unexpected break because of the coronavirus pandemic has given the midfielder extra time to full recover, and he is now ready to play a full part in the remaining weeks of the season.

When he has made it on the pitch the 27-year-old has struggled for consistency in a red shirt, with speculation over a potential transfer never far away.

His situation was complicated still further because of the increasingly fractious relationship between the club’s hierarchy and his agent Mino Raiola, who publicly criticised Solskjaer earlier this season.

Real Madrid and former club Juventus have been regularly linked with a move for the midfielder and his exclusion on Friday did little to quell those who feel Pogba’s future lays away from Old Trafford.

Solskjaer, though, was keen to play down such assertions and insists Pogba will soon get his chance.

“Paul Pogba is one of the best players in the world and he has been training hard, training well but I need to make sure I look after everyone,” the Norwegian told Sky Sports. “We have the Europa League, FA Cup and Paul will gradually play more and a vital part."

Solskjaer also praised striker Marcus Rashford, who made news away from football this week after his lobbying of the United Kingdom government led to a U-turn as a food voucher scheme for vulnerable school children was extended beyond term time.

"When you are happy outside football, you will be happy on the pitch,” added Solskjaer.

"Marcus Rashford is a fine human being, a fine young man and he has been looking good in training. We will see the best from him.”

Former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has found a new job in the Indian Super League (ISL). 

Baxter signed a two-year deal with Odisha FC ahead of the seventh edition of the ISL. 

Odisha took to their social media platforms to announce the deal after weeks of being linked with the veteran manager. 

Baxter had been without a job for almost a year after resigning as head coach of South Africa in 2019. 

His agent, Steve Kapeluschnick, hinted his client would like to return to the PSL but it looks like it will take some time before he could come back. 

He was previously linked with a possible return to Chiefs but he confirmed being approached just once by the Soweto giants - and that was in 2018 when the club was in search of Steve Komphela's replacement. 

On joining the club, the experienced coach told the Indian media: "I'm pleased to say that Odisha FC and I have reached an agreement for the upcoming ISL season. The vision of the Sharma family for the club representing the sporting state of Odisha is an exciting one with development, teamwork and cooperation with our stakeholders serving as cornerstones for the task ahead.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of Indian football and the opportunity to develop players and coaches in India. I'd like to wish all the supporters, players and staff good health during these testing times. Together we will bring joy and success to the region."

Baxter enjoyed huge success with both Chiefs and SuperSport United before accepting the offer to coach Bafana Bafana. 

At Amakhosi, Baxter won four major trophies, including two league titles in 2013 and 2015. 

He won back-to-back Nedbank Cup trophies with Matsatsantsa in 2016 and 2017. 

Baxter's second stint with Bafana was met with criticism but he did fairly well during his two-year stint. 

His biggest challenge was helping South Africa qualify for the 2018 Fifa World Cup - something that Bafana Bafana failed to do under Baxter's stewardship. 

Baxter would redeem himself by qualifying for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals where the 1996 champions exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage.

However, a section of football fans in the country wasn't impressed at all with Baxter's tactics and team selection - and called for his sacking.  

The South African Football Association (Safa) did not heed to calls for Baxter's head and actually wanted the coach to continue until after the 2022 Fifa World Cup finals. 

But the coach felt the pressure was too much and he therefore resigned and went back to Sweden.   

The Tshwane giants have decided against extending the 27-year-old's contract which will expire at the end of this month.

Tembo indicated Mnyamane was not part of his plans anymore and that it was best for him to move to a club where he will get some game time.

“We need to start thinking forward and see where we want to go because those are top players," Tembo told The Citizen.

"You would rather have them playing rather than have them sitting on the bench. It gets frustrating because they want to be on the pitch and they are getting older.

"The only way we can try and give them that opportunity is to maybe allow them to go somewhere and play.”

Mnyamane played just three PSL matches and hit the back of the net once for SuperSport this season, which has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic since March.

The former University of Pretoria marksman has struggled with injuries in recent seasons and he ended up falling out of favour under Tembo.

However, Tembo still has all the confidence in Mnyamane, who helped Matsatsantsa clinch three major trophies, two MTN8 trophies and one Nedbank Cup.

“No one can doubt Mnyamane’s quality. He is an intelligent player who has got goals in him," he said.

"I think for the past three seasons he has not played much because of injuries and sometimes in football it might be because of the environment.

"But we also tried to get him to full fitness but he has been very unlucky with the injuries and I think he is one player who has got age on his side.

"If he can grow past injuries, I think he can still play."

Mnyamane, who scored on his Bafana Bafana debut against Eswatini in a friendly match in 2015, has been linked with a move to Stellenbosch FC in recent weeks.

The left-footer played his best football under current Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker, who mentored him at the University of Pretoria between 2013 and 2015.

Former Hearts of Oak attacker Kofi Abanga wants the club and arch-rivals Asante Kotoko to stop priding themselves in past glories.

The two sides are the biggest clubs in Ghana, sharing a combined 42 Premier League titles between them.

Hearts last lifted the trophy in 2009 while Kotoko's last success came in 2014.

“Football has changed. There’s been a lot of additions, so it's about time these two clubs put behind things like 'we’ve won a cup 11 years or 10 years ago,” Abanga told Ghanasportspage.

“We have to assume we’ve not won any cup. If we continue to pride ourselves in those assertions that we’ve won the cup 11 or 10 years ago, I think it will go against the clubs.

“It’s time the two teams sit and reflect on how they can move forward to win new trophies and stop those archaic things. We have to put those things behind and focus on how the team can win a cup, that’s the most important thing.

“If you look at a player like Samuel Affum, he was promoted from Hearts of Oak’s youth team to the senior team and he was super.

“It’s about time the two clubs paid attention to their youth sides and also hire some of their old players who have knowledge in the game to help with scouting and to occupy some coaching positions.

"This can help them build a winsome side and to maintain the clubs' identity."

Hearts have won the Premier League on 19 occasions, four titles fewer than rivals Kotoko.

The Phobians have also won the FA Cup 10 times, the last success coming as far back as 2000.

Kotoko, meanwhile, have lifted the cup nine times, the last in 2017.

The Phobians won the last of their two Ghana Super Cup titles in 1998 while Kotoko clinched their last of three golds in 2014.

At continental level, Hearts conquered Africa as they grabbed the Caf Champions League in 2000, a year before winning the Super Cup. In 2004, the Accra-based side won the Caf Confederation Cup. 

Kotoko were African champions in 1970 and 1983.

Samuel Chukwueze helped Villarreal chinch a 1-0 victory against Ramon Azeez’s Granada in Friday’s La Liga game at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

The Yellow Submarine have won all their games since the Spanish top-flight resumed after its suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak in Spain and across the world.

Villarreal started with a 1-0 win against Celta Vigo at Abanca-Balaidos before recording the same scoreline against Mallorca on Tuesday, with Chukwueze playing a key role in the outings.

Against Granada, the Nigeria international started from the bench along with his compatriot Azeez, who plies his trade for the Nazaries.

The Yellow Submarine hit the ground running with Gerard Moreno opening the scoring as early as the 11th-minute after he was set up by Ruben Pena, which proved to be the decisive goal in the encounter.

In an effort to ensure his side secures a comfortable lead, manager Javier Calleja brought on Chukwueze for Javier Ontiveros in the 65th minute.

The Super Eagles winger had a 67% successful pass rate, won one aerial contest in the encounter and made one tackle in an effort to help his side maintain their lead.

He was, however, shown a yellow card after he tackled his compatriot Azeez, who was introduced in the 61st-minute, from behind.

Azeez, on the other hand, had a 77% successful pass rate in the game and had two shots, with one hitting the target, but his effort was not enough to help his side avoid defeat at home.

With the result, Villarreal are seventh on the league table with 47 points from 30 games while Granada are ninth with 42 points from the same number of matches.

While Chukwueze will hope to help his side continue their winning form when they face Sevilla, Azeez will look forward to playing a key role as Granada aim to bounce back against Leganes, who will be expected to parade two Super Eagles stars in Kenneth Omeruo and Awaziem Chidozie on June 22.

Chukwueze has been a key member of the Nigeria national team since making his debut for the West Africans in 2019.

The forward, who has 13 caps for the Super Eagles, was part of Gernot Rohr’s team that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Azeez, meanwhile, only recently returned to the national team after a five-year absence and has six caps for the side.

The duo will hope to keep on with their consistent performances in the Spanish top-flight in order to continue playing key roles for the Super Eagles.

Roy Keane has launched an extraordinary attack on David De Gea, saying he wanted to punch the Manchester United goalkeeper for his first-half performance against Tottenham on Friday.

Keane did not hold back when assessing United’s performance in the opening 45 minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with De Gea bearing the brunt of his ire.

The former United skipper felt De Gea should have done much better for Steven Bergwijn’s opener, with defenders Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw also coming in for stinging criticism for their failure to stop the Netherlands forward’s darting run into the penalty area.

“I’m shocked at that goal,” he told Sky Sports. “I’ve watched a lot of football over the years, but to give away that goal, I’m fuming here watching this game of football.

“I am sick to death of this goalkeeper. I would be fighting him at half time. There’s no getting away from it, I would be swinging punches. It's a standard save for an established international goalkeeper. I am flabbergasted.

“I can’t believe Shaw is heading the ball up in the air and running forward. I’m staggered at Maguire, that an international player, you can’t get done like this.

"If I were Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer, I would] make some stages, get some lads off the pitch. Players are going through the motions a little bit. Not that United have been bad, but you’ve got to flex your muscles and impose your personality on the game.

"Spurs have done OK, they have been compact, but United?

“Maguire and De Gea, I wouldn’t even let them on the bus after the match. Let them get a taxi back up to Manchester.

“These are international players, we can analyse the game until to the cows come home. You do your job, we’re trying to get onto the top four, God forbid about winning trophies.

“I’m disgusted. Maguire, De Dea, hang your heads in shame. You're playing for Manchester United and you're letting players run past you? Get close to people, move your feet. 

"De Gea. The most over-rated goalkeeper I’ve seen in a long, long time.”

The goalkeeper has played 32 matches for Manchester United, including 29 in the Premier League.

Maritzburg United chairman Farouk Kadodia has confirmed the departure of Jeremy Brockie.

Brockie was on loan at the Team of Choice from Mamelodi Sundowns until the end of the season. 

However, with the suspended season set to be extended due to the coronavirus outbreak, Maritzburg United felt Brockie wasn't going to add value to the team and decided to part ways with him. 

According to Kadodia, Brockie wasn't guaranteed game time in the remaining five league games. 

"We've got only five games left, we are not going to assure him game time. That's the reason why (we let him go early) because he is a loan player. We had to make a decision if we were going to give him game time," Kadodia told IOL. 

Brockie will become a free agent at the end of June after his parent club, Sundowns, indicated that they won't exercise the option they have on his current contract. 

Kadodia said Brockie stayed in Pietermaritzburg for the past three months of the coronavirus lockdown and confirmed the marksman will join his family abroad now that he's left the club. 

"He stayed here the whole lockdown. He stayed here without his family who had already gone. He is looking forward to meeting his family," he said. 

"He has already left. I'm not too sure where he has gone to. Whether he is got a flight or not [I'm not too sure].

"No, he won't be [part of the team that will finish the season]."

The 32-year-old marksman had a difficult season with Maritzburg United - scoring just once and contributed a single assist in 15 appearances across all competitions. 

His struggle for form started when he left SuperSport United for Sundowns in 2018. 

Brockie scored just two goals in 32 matches for Sundowns before falling down the pecking order under the stewardship of Pitso Mosimane.  

Reports suggest that SuperSport United will re-sign Brockie ahead of next season as the lanky striker looks to revive his career. 

This is because Matsatsantsa could lose a few of their key players, including Bradley Grobler, who is wanted by both Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.