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Emuidzhi Oghiabekhva hit her second competitive treble for Minsk this season as they claimed a 5-0 triumph over Gift Otuwe's Neman in a Belarusian Women's Premier League fixture on Sunday.

The Nigerian striker had scored her first hat-trick in a 10-0 win over Dnepr Mogilev in May and went on to repeat the feat against Neman.

Having returned from a two-week break, the reigning champions were desperate to avoid a slip-up against their second-placed visitors after their earlier home defeat to leaders Dinamo-BSUPC.

Ogbiabekhva finished off a fine pass from Yuliya Duben to put the hosts in front in the 11th minute before Cote d'Ivoire star Nagede Cisse set up the Nigerian to bag her brace in the 29th minute.

The 30-year-old struck from the front of the box to hit her treble of the match, increasing the tally to 3-0 three minutes from the half-time break.

The hosts picked up from where they left off in the first half as Tamila Khimich netted a fourth of the match from an assist from Ogbiabekhva, six minutes after the restart at Minsk Stadium.

Duben fired home a fifth with a bullet long-range effort in the 56th minute to complete the rout for the holders.

With her latest hat-trick, Ogbiabekhva, who played for 59 minutes of the tie, has now scored nine goals in six games this term for Minsk.

Cameroon's Alvina Niyolle lasted the duration while Cisse replaced Nigeria's Chioma Wogu, who only played for 23 minutes before she was taken off due to an injury after a clash with Otuwe.

On the other hand, Otuwe and Cote d'Ivoire's Nina Kpaho featured for the duration while compatriot Aminata Haidara and Cameroon's Moussa Xouwairatou lasted for 62 minutes each.

The triumph takes holders Minsk above Neman to the second position on goal difference, with the teams tied on 15 points after six matches but they are three points behind leaders Dinamo.

Minsk will visit ABFF U19 in their next league outing on June 19, while Neman are hosts to leaders Dinamo on the same day.

Zinedine Zidane wrote yet another page in the Real Madrid history books on Sunday when he became just the third Los Blancos manager to take charge of 200 or more matches in all competitions.

The Frenchman reached the milestone as Real played their first La Liga match back after the coronavirus shutdown against Eibar on Sunday evening, with the match taking place behind closed doors at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, located at Madrid's Valdebebas training base.

In doing so he joined an exclusive club, with only the legendary Miguel Munoz and Vicente del Bosque reaching a double century of matches in charge of the Spanish giants.

Former Spain boss Del Bosque is second on Real’s all-time list, taking charge of 246 matches over three spells between March 1994 and June 2003.

But while Zidane may have hopes of overhauling Del Bosque in the rankings, he has some way to go to match the achievements of Munoz, who managed 605 Real matches between 1959 and 1974, helping the club win nine La Liga titles and two European Cups.

Zidane’s time as Real boss is, of course, split over two spells, with Sunday’s clash his 51st match in charge since dramatically returning to the club in March 2019.

His previous tenure was a glittering era for the club even by their already illustrious standards. Zidane led them to an unprecedented three successive Champions League titles, a pair of Super Cup and Club World Cup titles, a Spanish Super Cup and La Liga title in just two-and-a-half years in charge.

He has just a sole Spanish Super Cup to his name since his return to the Real Madrid bench, but retains hope of overhauling rivals Barcelona and claiming the 2019-20 La Liga title.

Barca opened up a four-point lead at the top of the table with a thumping 4-0 win at Real Mallorca on their return to action on Saturday night, though second-placed Real can narrow that gap back to just a point with victory over Eibar.

Both sides will then have 10 fixtures remaining, as La Liga officials hope to complete the 11 remaining matchdays in a little over five weeks.

Azam FC maintained their slim hopes of winning the 2019/20 Tanzania Mainland League title after defeating Mbao FC 2-0 on Sunday at Azam Complex, Chamazi, Dar es Salaam.

After a goalless first half, strikes from Richard Djodi and Shaaban Idd sealed the win for the defending FA Cup champions.

Third-placed Yanga SC had defeated Mwadui by a solitary goal on Saturday, piling pressure on Azam in the process.

The hosts were hungry for maximum points and it took the visitors just 19 minutes to realize so.

Iddi Selemani managed to pick out the unmarked Idd Nado outside the 18-yard area, and the attacker unleashed a good shot which hit the crossbar, with the goalkeeper well-beaten.

As time elapsed, the pressure on the second-placed team was building.

Four minutes after the restart, the ambience in the stadium changed. Richard Djodi managed to get past his markers before finding the back of the net and gave his side a deserved lead.

It seemed the match would end with only one goal scored, but a few seconds prior to the final whistle, Mbao switched off and Idd punished them with the second for goal Azam.

In the previous meeting, the Chamazi-based side claimed a 1-0 win.

The result reduced the gap between them and leaders Wekundu wa Msimbazi to 15 points with nine rounds remaining. 

The 20-time league champions were held to a 1-1 draw at home by visiting Ruvu Shooting.

With 12 minutes on the clock, Rwandan attacker Meddie Kagere was released on the right and crossed the ball into the danger zone.

Taifa Stars striker John Raphael Bocco could not connect with it but the ball, fortunately, fell into the onrushing Kichuya's path. His thunderous strike was saved by Mohamed Makaka in the Ruvu goal, but the rebound was neatly converted by the attacker. 

Goalkeeper Aishi Manula made a gross mistake to hand the visitors an equalizer after defender Erasto Nyoni conceded a corner in the 37th minute.

Abdallahman Musa took it well, the custodian got out of position but missed the ball and Maganga rose highest to score his eighth goal this season.

Former Ghana and Birmingham City goalkeeper Richard 'Olele' Kingson believes the time is right for Atletico Madrid ace Thomas Partey to play in the English Premier League.

The midfielder, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Saturday, has been linked to a host of top European clubs owing to his good showing for Los Rojiblancos in recent times.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been speculated to be chasing the signature of the Ghana international.

“Of course [Partey can go to England]. In football, it is a season," Olele told Joy FM.

"He has already made his name there [in Spain].

"He needs also to go to the toughest league to play. Partey is young.

"Partey is now coming up so I think going to England is a plus. He has to go."

Olele also shared his thoughts on the situation of out-of-favour Leicester City defender Daniel Amartey, who has not made any appearances for the Foxes for almost two years.

The 25-year-old suffered a terrible ankle injury which kept him out of action for months, and has struggled to convince club manager Brendan Rodgers for first-team opportunities since making a return from the treatment room.

"It is a good time [for Amartey] to move. He has to get playing time and brand his career again," the ex-Galatasaray shot-stopper said.

"If there is a chance for him to play there, he can stay but in this situation, he has to move.

"If it is not in England or anywhere in Europe, he can go to a good team and play there for one year or two years."

Amartey made nine league appearances for Leicester in the 2018-19 season before being forced to the treatment room.

The Accra-born player joined the Foxes from Danish outfit FC Copenhagen in January 2016, contributing to the latter's sensational league title triumph that season.

In January, he was linked to clubs including Fulham, Sheffield United and Newcastle United in search of regular playing time but no deal materialised.

Amartey's Ghanaian representative Yussif Alhassan Chibsah has said the utility player will likely be on his way out of King Power Stadium in the summer. 

Marcelo became the latest footballer to 'take a knee' in solidarity with Black Lives Matter following his goal in Real Madrid's clash against Eibar on Sunday. 

Protests began in the United States and have spread across the world following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, with police officer Derek Chauvin having since been charged with murder.

Several players have also moved to show their support, with Weston McKennie, Jadon Sancho and Marcos Thuram sending Black Lives Matters messages in Bundesliga games and the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also transmitting anti-racist messages prior to games. 

Marcelo found the net 37 minutes into Madrid's first game back in La Liga following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and opted to mark his strike by kneeling with one fist raised in tribute to the movement. 

The left-back had previously joined FIFA's Stop Racism, Violence and Discrimination campaign, posing in a black shirt alongside Gianluigi Buffon, Rio Ferdinand, Gerard Pique and a total of 40 football stars past and present in a plea to put an end to such episodes. 

“It’s reassuring to see that every day a growing number of FIFA Legends and current professional players from different genders, racial and religious backgrounds are using their platforms to echo FIFA’s messages to their fans around the globe,” said FIFA Secretary-General Fatma Samoura.

“It’s time that an overdue spotlight is shone on the treatment of black people and the racism and violence many encounter in their daily lives.

"To all these footballers, I am proud of your commitment to fighting for what is right and I encourage others to add their voices to this important message in the coming days.”

Prior to the match, the Brazilian's team-mate Toni Kroos - who got Madrid off the mark on Sunday after just four minutes - anticipated that the protests would and should spill over into La Liga. 

“I imagine that players in Spain will want to show solidarity with it,” he told DAZN and Goal of the BLM movement. “It cannot be ruled out and certainly not condemned.

"It’s incredible that such acts are still happening. But it’s good that a rethink is taking place now. I hope that we can help those affected by it to some extent.”

Real Madrid made a winning return to LaLiga action as they beat Eibar 3-1 in the Spanish capital on Sunday.

Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo eased Madrid into a comfortable half-time lead, with the visitors' second-half improvement yielding nothing but a Pedro Bigas consolation.

With Barcelona having won 4-0 at Real Mallorca a day earlier, the pressure was on Los Blancos to follow suit and close the gap at the top of the table back to two points.

Madrid's home games are being held at the Castilla's Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium while the Santiago Bernabeu undergoes renovation work, but the change in venue made little difference as the home side marked Zinedine Zidane's 200th game in charge in winning fashion.

Kroos broke the deadlock in the fourth minute with a sublime first-time strike from just inside the box that looped beyond goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.

Eibar responded well but were 2-0 down after half an hour. Ramos stepped out to intercept a pass and spark a swift counter-attacking move that ended with the Madrid captain tapping in an unselfish square ball from the impressive Eden Hazard, who was back in the line-up for the first time since February after recovering from an ankle fracture.

A crisp strike from Marcelo into the bottom-right corner after more good interplay between Hazard and Karim Benzema made it 3-0 before the break, the Brazil left-back taking a knee after drilling home his first league goal of the season.

Thibaut Courtois saved superbly from Edu Exposito and Sergi Enrich hit the bar with a header, before Pablo De Blasis' shot deflected off Bigas and bobbled beyond Courtois to give Eibar a lifeline.

It was a largely pedestrian second half from Madrid, with Hazard and Ramos taken off and Marcelo struggling with a knock, but Eibar could not mount a comeback.

What does it mean? Title race shows few signs of fizzling out

Resounding wins apiece for Barca and Madrid mean the gap at the top is only two points with 10 games to go and neither side is looking especially rusty after the long break.

This was certainly a display to show Zidane's men will not give up the chase without a fight and will also serve as a useful reminder to Manchester City before the Champions League last-16 returns.

Eibar are just two points above the bottom three, having won just once in eight league matches.

Hazard and Benzema in harmony

Injury has ruined much of Hazard's first season in LaLiga, but this display was a sign that he plans to make the most of the coming few weeks.

His link play with Benzema was excellent, particularly in the first half, and should have given Zidane plenty of encouragement.

Who is left for the right?

Rodrygo started the match, Gareth Bale and Vinicius Junior came on, Isco, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio stayed on the bench, and we are still unclear who is Madrid's best option on the right wing.

That kind of depth will prove useful in the hectic schedule to come but settling on a first-choice front three would help bring balance to a Madrid attack that has often struggled this season.

What's next?

Madrid host Valencia on Thursday before heading to Real Sociedad three days later. For Eibar, a home match against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday awaits.

Kenya international Joseph Okumu featured for the entire 90 minutes as IF Elfsborg started their league campaign in the Swedish top-tier on a winning note on Sunday.

The Sweden top-flight finally returned on Sunday after it was halted owing to the coronavirus pandemic and Okumu was handed the starting role as his side beat IFK Gothenburg 1-0 in the away match played at Gamla Ullevi.

Per Frick was the hero for Elfsborg after he finished off a cross from the right-wing to score the all-important goal which handed them a winning start to the season.

Elfsborg fired in a couple of corners inside the box, as the towering Okumu worked hard and was snuffed out the danger time after time.

Elfsborg, however, suffered a huge blow in the opening minutes of the match when striker Jesper Karlsson had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury.

The goal would instead, arrive seven minutes later. 

After some quick interchanges outside the penalty area, Jesper Karlsson found Frick, who in turn passed to Rasmus Alm, who looked to be shooting, but instead, he sent the ball back to Frick who in front of the open goal thundered it into the net.

Elfsborg headed into the half-time break leading 1-0 and after the resumption, they still kept pressing the home side and Okumu once watched helplessly as a flying header kissed over the bar.

Elfsborg continued with their runs, and in particular Johan Larsson from his right-back position, but they could not make the moves count with a goal.

Elfsborg manager Jimmy Thelin decided to make some changes with just over a quarter of an hour left to play. 

First, goal scorer Frick along with Rasmus Alm were benched for Morocco's Ndione and Jacob Ondrejka and shortly after, Samuel Holmen replaced Robert Gojani.

Despite the changes, the scoreline did not change as Elfsborg bagged the crucial points and their first win against Gothenburg since 2003.

Elfsborg Starting lineup (4-5-1):  Tim Rönning – Johan Larsson, Joseph Okumu, Leo Väisänen, Simon Strand – Rasmus Alm (77), Simon Olsson (95), Frederik Holst, Robert Gojani (80), Jesper Karlsson – Per Frick (76).

Substitutes: Mathias Dyngeland, Gustav Henriksson, Christopher McVey, Samuel Holmén (80), Deniz Hümmet (95), Jacob Ondrejka (77), Marochy Ndione (76).

Warnings, IFE:  Per Frick (69).

Orlando Pirates forward Frank 'Gabadinho' Mhango has been urged to leave the Soweto giants.

The Malawi international has been one of the most outstanding players in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) this season.

Mhango is sitting at the top of the league's goalscoring charts having netted 14 goals before the current campaign was suspended indefinitely in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His compatriot, Patrick Mabedi, who spent eight years with Pirates' arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs, is hoping that Mhango secures a move to a European club soon.

“I am proud of Mhango. He is making our country proud as well,” said Mabedi on Daily Sun.

“I am not surprised by his form this season as I know what he is capable of doing. He is on top of his game and he is enjoying his football career.

"I wish he can get an offer from Europe. I am praying that this pandemic break won’t affect his sharpness.”

Mhango has been playing in South Africa since 2013 and has also turned out for Bloemfontein Celtic, Lamontville Golden Arrows and Bidvest Wits in the PSL.

The 27-year-old player won the PSL title and Telkom Knockout Cup with Wits before securing a big move to Pirates prior to the start of the current campaign.

His close friend and Malawi teammate Gerald Phiri Junior of Baroka FC shares the same sentiment.

“The sky is definitely the limit for Mhango,” said Phiri Jnr on the same publication.

“I wish a European move can come calling for him at the end of the season. It’s everyone’s dream to play in Europe and he should grab that chance if it comes and I am positive it will.”

The talented attacker also impressed at international level in 2019 as he scored four goals in nine games for Malawi's Flames.

Mhango's agent Mike Makaab of Prosport International recently confirmed that the speedy player has attracted interest from overseas clubs.

However, Makaab did not reveal the names of the clubs which are interested in Mhango's services.

The Chiweta-born player signed a three-deal with Pirates when he joined the Soweto giants last July.

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has stressed that Timo Werner’s purported transfer to Chelsea is not done yet, but he is wary that his side are set to lose “highly talented” players this season.

The East German outfit overcame Hoffenheim 2-0 on Saturday to strengthen their position in third in the Bundesliga and go a long way to seal a place in next season’s Champions League. 

The 24-year-old forward has been one of the chief architects of this success, having scored 25 times and set up eight more in 31 Bundesliga outings this season, but he is expected to complete a transfer to Chelsea this summer, with the Stamford Bridge side having agreed to match his €60 million (£53m/$69m) release fee.

Although nothing has been officially completed, Nagelsmann has dropped a hint that he is already considering options to replace the Germany international star.

“The transfer is not fixed you, you have to emphasise that,” Nagelsman told Sport1. “I’m a coach with a realistic view and dreams. I’m aware that one or another highly talented player will leave us. It’s up to us, then, to find new players who can follow in such big footsteps.”

Although Leipzig continue to pursure a policty that sees them sign young players, develop them and sell them on for a greater fee, their coach says that their ambitions remain high and says the team is moving in the correct direction.

“I’m satisfied with our performance, our aim was to reach the Champions League,” he said.

“It’s normal that we’d want to be champions sometimes. Every team in the Bundesliga should have this desire. But if we reach the Champions League, I’d be satisfied with this season in transition.

“We constantly score a lot of goals and have had the most stable defence for a long time. We’ve been moving in this direction for years.

“We want to take the club to the next level and achieve our goals. If we win enough titles, that’s up to me, the club and the team.”

Leipzig will face Dusseldorf in their next fixture on Wednesday and a victory would all but seal their place in the Champions League next term.

Toby Alderweireld admits he was “honoured” after residents of his home town of Ekeren began a petition to erect a statue of the Tottenham defender to replace that former king of Belgium Leopold II, though he has played down suggestions the idea could become a reality.

Likenesses of Leopold II, who oversaw atrocities in the Congo from 1885 to 1908, have been graffitied or removed following anti-racism protests across Belgium, which were sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the United States last month.

One such statue was removed from the centre of Ekeren, a northern district of the municipality of Antwerp, as protestors call for the country to confront its colonial past.

Some locals quickly decided on who they wanted as a replacement, with more than 900 people signing a petition calling for a statue of Alderweireld. The 31-year-old, though, isn’t taking the calls for him to be immortalised in bronze seriously.

“I was laughing.I thought it was some kind of joke, that people are actually signing the petition,” he told the Guardian .

“I have to say I’m a little bit honoured as well. It’s a small town in Belgium and until I was 15 I spent my youth there. I went to school there and I still go back. If they really wanted to I would never say no because I would be honoured, but I will not sign my own petition. Of all the people who have, I think about 80 per cent are my friends.

“I would never say: ‘This is a good time to put up a statue of me,’ because I don’t think I will ever deserve a statue."

Alderweireld would not be drawn on the removal of the King Leopold II statue, though he does agree that lessons can be learned from the actions of previous generations.

“I don’t know if it’s good to take down the statue and I’m not going to get involved in that, but I do think it’s good to look back at the history and learn from it,” he added.

“It’s the same with the history from the world wars. Of course I’m disgusted about all the things that have involved racism and I will never understand it, but taking a statue down? All I will say is that we have to look to that period and look at what went wrong so we never get in that situation again.”

Alderweireld and his Tottenham team-mates have been gearing up for the return of the Premier League, with their first match since the coronavirus shutdown against Manchester United on Friday.

The unscheduled break has worked in Tottenham’s favour, as it gave forwards Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min extra time to recover from injuries that were originally expected to rule them out fo the rest of the campaign.

“In training he looks fully fit, top fit, so we’re going to see the old Kane again,” Alderweireld said. “He has been out for a longer period so his desire to show everyone is unbelievable, so you’re going to see a very good Kane.”

Alderweireld also insists that the rest of the squad kept themselves fit during the three-month break, meaning they will be fully prepared when they face the Red Devils on Friday.

“Everyone went into ‘beast mode’ – training, training,” he said. “We didn’t know when we were going back. Maybe the week after, two weeks after. So people think we were on holiday but we sure weren’t.

“When we were back training we felt like: ‘I’m ready,’ not like in pre-season when it’s: ‘Oh, I have to start all over again, I feel muscle pain.”

Kevin-Prince Boateng has taken to social media to clarify his reason for allegedly throwing his shirt in Besiktas' 2-1 defeat at home to Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday evening.

The Black Eagles were in action for the first time since mid-March when the league was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was clearly a bitter return with Antalyaspor taking a 2-0 first-half lead courtesy of Sinan Gumus and Amilton Silva. 

Second-half substitute Adem Ljajic then pulled one back for Besiktas in the 68th minute.

Boateng was taken off three minutes prior to the consolation goal, with Umut Nayir taking his place.

The 33-year old Ghana international was reported to throw his jersey on the ground which was not well received by some sections of the club.

Boateng has however cleared the air that he would never disrespect Besiktas.

"I would never disrespect to throw the Besiktas shirt on the ground," Boateng said in a post on Twitter.

"After leaving the game, I tried to take off my jersey and threw it towards our shopkeeper.

"I don't even have a disrespectful attitude towards this club and jersey. But I'm sorry if it was understood from the outside."

Boateng has been at Vodafone Park since January when he joined on loan from Serie A club Fiorentina.

He has made seven appearances in the Super Lig, scoring two goals.

In the 65 minutes he played against Antalyaspor, the former AC Milan forward made 45 touches and 30 accurate passes at an impressive 93%.

He also made one key pass, played two successful long balls and won six of 10 total duels. He was also fouled by the opposition three times.

Prior to Saturday's game, Boateng trended on social media after scoring a sensational goal in training in which he controlled the ball nicely before firing a volley that curved its way into the post.

He will be hoping to get another goal on the pitch when Besiktas travel to the Denizli Ataturk Stadium to tackle Denizlispor on June 20.

Coastal Union defender Bakar Mwamnyeto has heaped praise on Simba SC striker John Bocco saying his style of play can help him perform well in Europe.

Mwamnyeto has described the Taifa Stars forward as a complete player, who knows how to hold onto the ball when in possession, position himself to score and deliver a pass quickly when he sees an opposing defender.

Mwamyeto further confessed he has never come up against a striker of Bocco’s calibre insisting he is the only player to have troubled him since he made his debut in the top-flight.

“Without malice or favouring anyone, [Bocco] is the best striker in the Tanzanian league currently, he has the physique you need in a striker and I am sure many upcoming players are working hard to be like him,” Mwamnyeto is quoted by MwanaSpoti.

“He also has the advantage of being tall and can easily score goals either by using the head or leg and because of his experience, most defenders have always struggled to play against him, you don’t know what he will do when with the ball."

Mwamnyeto, who has been linked with a transfer move to both Simba and Young Africans (Yanga SC), also revealed the Tanzania national team should be proud to have the striker.

“He is the kind of striker Tanzania needs, a good striker who doesn’t waste chances and always troubling defenders,” Mwamnyeto continued.

“It is difficult coming face to face against him, you must be prepared to come up against him, he is not easy to handle and I would want to play alongside him to avoid his troubles.”

Bocco is among the strikers who have helped Simba as they chase a third straight Mainland Premier League title in this campaign.

Bocco’s partnership with Rwandan striker Meddie Kagere has helped the latter to lead the goalscoring charts with 19 goals.

Simba are currently leading the table on 71 points and will take on Ruvu Shooting on Sunday, with a win set to push their fight to retain the title.

The Tanzanian top-flight resumed on Saturday with Yanga managing a 1-0 win against Mwadui while Namungo FC settled for a 2-2 draw against Coastal Union.

Former Bidvest Wits midfielder Josta Dladla calls the sale of the club’s purchase as an injustice to South African football, saying the move to relocate to Limpopo is not just a loss to Gauteng but to South African football.

Dladla is one of the players that broke into the professional ranks under the club with the likes of Jethro Mohlala, Bradley Carnell as well as Stanton Fredericks, and the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs playmaker is now calling the sale a sad day for the game.

The Braamfontein-based club is set to move to Thohoyandou next season following the confirmation of the purchase by the National First Division (NFD) outfit’s owner Masala Mulaudzi and the 40-year-old reacts to the deal.

“It’s a big club and one of the oldest clubs in South African football. It has a rich history and I mean this thing is deeper than we can think,” Dladla told Goal .

“I think from the development of the club as a whole, you mention big names in the game such as Junaid Hartley, Stanton Fredericks, Lovers Mohlala, Kaizer Junior and the list goes on, and what I know of Wits University is that the club has been part of South African history.

“The team has produced good players. Whoever was not in the club can also attest that the club has done tremendously well for the country in terms of football development.

“So, I think there is a lot of quality players that were produced by the club and so for me, it’s very sad. This is the club that gave me the lifeline and we all know Josta now because of Wits. Every player like Mohlala, [Ashley] Makhanya, Hartley, Carnell because of Wits.

“All of that history is just going to disappear and go like that, I don’t know what were the negotiations, we were not part of it but I don’t know what, whoever is taking over will have to think about the staff. That is one of the oldest clubs [formed in 1921] when we also count Orlando Pirates [1937] and AmaZulu [1932].

“When you look at it, there was apartheid, this is one of the clubs that gave players [a chance]. So, it’s got so much history. What can I say? I’m just a player. There are so many players even in the apartheid era [Mike Mangena and Absalom Thindwa], they made their careers at this club."

As one of the oldest clubs in South Africa, the 2017 Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions were rapidly growing their numbers on the stands and the Soweto-born legend says he feels for the players that are set to be without jobs.

“As it is, you can see the club management was starting to bring in good people in terms of marketing the club. The support base was growing," he added.

“I still remember during our days, we could hear the supporters, I mean people from the kitchen laughing at the stands and the likes of Fredericks can tell you.

“I think they were doing much better in rebranding the club and taking it to the masses. So, it’s a great loss for Joburg [Johannesburg] as a whole, not just for the students and the [Wits] University.

“But for the players that were coming to study there and also get a chance to further their careers in the field of play. There are lots of players that broke into professional football whilst studying. So much talent is going to be lost. I don’t know if they will be joining the new team but it’s a sad day for South African football.

“The guys that are taking over will have to decide on the players, I don’t think they can have some of these players. It’s really sad because the players are now frustrated, anxiety is creeping in on concerns about their careers.

“I feel for them and I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes. I feel for everybody that has been part of the club. But I doubt they will absorb everybody.”

There’s been much excitement in the Nigerian media and among Super Eagles fans over the last 10 days at the prospect of Odion Ighalo returning to the national team.

The striker returned from international duty after winning the Golden Boot at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and was able to ride away from a somewhat underwhelming Nigeria career on a high note.

Since then, however, his stock has climbed, with the attacker signing for Manchester United on loan in January, and then renewing his loan deal with the Red Devils to stay at the club until early 2021.

However, earlier this month, rumours of a return to the Super Eagles fold were fuelled when Ighalo told Brila FM that he was considering a comeback.

“I am still in contact with Gernot Rohr and Amaju Pinnick, and they congratulated me on my loan deal,” the former Watford man told the local station.

“I am still thinking about returning to the national team, but right now I want to concentrate on my club career.

“I left the national team because of the distance between Nigeria and China, but now that I am in Manchester and just like life and in my career, you never can tell."

It’s easy to see why Ighalo’s potential return gets people excited, even though there are concerns about how his return may affect the squad’s young strikers.

Should Ighalo return, it would take gametime away from the likes of Victor Osimhen, Joseph Maja, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Kalu, Cyriel Dessers, Emmanuel Dennis and David Okereke, and that may be to the detriment of their establishment as potential leading men for the West Africans.

However, while the excitement around Ighalo’s new contract at Old Trafford appears to overlook the fact that he hasn’t actually netted in four Premier League outings yet for the Red Devils, the thrill around his potential international return has taken attention away from the claims of another potential Nigeria frontman.

While Gernot Rohr has done much right in terms of his personnel decisions with the national side, the continuous overlooking of Anthony Nwakaeme remains questionable.

Certainly, the German coach has favoured youth over experience—apart from a few exempt names—and his lowering of the squad’s average age is something that is to his credit.

However, this policy has also led to the neglecting of some worthy names, of whom Nwakaeme is arguably the most notable.

He scored the first Super Lig goal since the resumption of competition following the coronavirus pandemic on Friday with a header as Trabzonspor defeated Goztepe 3-1.

It was his 11th goal of the campaign, putting him second highest African scorer in the Turkish top tier, and the joint fifth overall.

He’s also contributed sixth assists, and only two players in the division—Alexander Sorloth and Vedat Muiriqi—have had a direct hand in more goals than the Nigerian.

Considering the Turkish top flight is one of the world’s strongest outside Europe’s big five, his goal haul is an excellent return, particularly considering the fact that the vast majority of his goals have come from the left flank.

This versatility is another attribute that Rohr could—and should—be employing to Nigeria’s advantage.

It’s not like Rohr has never looked at him, and indeed, it was the veteran coach who handed the forward his international debut in 2017, during the controversial 1-1 draw with Algeria.

Despite scoring 20 over the subsequent two seasons—both in Israel and Turkey—Nwakaeme hasn’t been given any more playing time, but it would be an error for Rohr to completely write him off.

Nwakaeme’s experience—albeit not in the international arena—could also prove the squad with some balance in this department.

The squad have lost Victor Moses, John Obi Mikel and Ighalo in recent times, while Ogenyi Onazi, another experienced head, has also been culled by Rohr.

This leaves Ahmed Musa and Leon Balogun as the only two outfield regulars who are over 26, and this is an area that Nwakaeme’s calm head could also be valuable.

Finally, Rohr has constantly sought to identify an striking ‘Plan B’ for the Eagles, the kind of player who could be introduced late in games and give opposition defences something to think about.

He briefly considered the towering Simy Nwankwo for this role, but six footer Nwakaeme could also be an ideal option for the Eagles.

His work rate and desire to constantly chase lost causes would represent a nightmare for opposition defences, while he’s also capable of carrying the ball effectively, and of getting the best out of those players around him.

How much would Nigeria’s young strikers benefit from having a link-man like Nwakaeme—with six Turkish top flight assists under his belt—alongside them to help create the chances they will need to take to settle at this level?

Now 31, time is, unfortunately, not on Nwakaeme’s side.

However, with Nigeria potentially set to play in two major tournaments over the coming two and a half years, Rohr may begin assessing which potential difference-makers, in form and playing at a high level, could step into the group and make an impact.

Nwakaeme’s strike against Gotzepe on Friday demonstrates that he ought to still be in the conversation.

Former South Africa defender Mark Fish feels that ex-national team coach Clive Barker was let down by his country after he was denied the opportunity to lead the team at the 1998 Fifa World Cup finals.

A year after guiding Bafana Bafana to claim the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title, their only continental crown, Barker ensured qualification for the World Cup in France.

But his time with Bafana Bafana ended in December 1997 following a poor outing at the Fifa Confederations Cup.

Phillipe Troussier ended up presiding over an uninspiring World Cup campaign which saw South Africa drawing 2-2 against Saudi Arabia, 1-1 against Denmark and losing 3-0 to the hosts in Group C, amid reports the Frenchman was unpopular with players.

Fish who was a regular under Barker and also helped South Africa being crowned African champions feels all the legacy built by the coach was disregarded when he was fired.

“We failed Clive Barker’s legacy but we also failed South African football’s legacy in general,” Fish told Far Post.

“In the sense that, if we go back to 1992 when we got re-admitted into international football, in the space of four years we won the biggest cup in the continent when we came from nowhere. Instead of backing the coach, let him carry on and go to the World Cup and he [Barker] should have been given that opportunity."

Since then, various coaches have taken charge of Bafana including Carlos Queiroz, Stuart Baxter, Joel Santana, Ted Dumitru, Gordon Igesund and incumbent Molefi Ntseki.

The likes of Jomo Sono, Trott Moloto, Ephraim Mashaba, Stuart Baxter and Carlos Alberto Parreira have each had more than single stints at the helm of South Africa.

"Unfortunately when we talk about the national team coaches now since 1992 we have had close to what? 22 coaches? I even lost count of the different coaches coming in and out,” said Fish.

After Barker, the only other coach to help South Africa qualify for the World Cup was Carlos Queiroz but he too faced the same fate of failing to complete his Bafana World Cup journey as he did not make it to Korea/Japan 2002.

Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva is excited to see the progress of striker Gabriel Martinelli at the club.

The 18-year-old is already into double figures of goals for the season and has proven something of a surprise package since arriving from Ituano last summer.

Gilberto is pleased to see his fellow Brazilian thrive at the Gunners, the club at which he won the 2003-04 Premier League title as one of The Invincibles.

“I'm pleased that Arsenal have Brazilian players. I think it's fantastic after some of the Brazilian players that followed us not quite hitting the heights but now Martinelli and David [Luiz] are at the club,” he told the club's official website in a chat with technical director Edu.

“David made the transition from a rival [Chelsea] and joined Arsenal, a club that needs no introduction. 

“Then you have Martinelli, a promising youngster not just for Arsenal, but he's being talked about in Brazilian football and he made a very good start. He's doing well and shown his bravery.

“He wore the Arsenal shirt as if he were still playing with his friends at his previous club. I'm pleased that Arsenal managed to get the deal done and he's in a good position to follow in the footsteps of all the Brazilian players that Arsenal have had.”

Edu, meanwhile, also had special praise for the youngster.

“He’s got a great future ahead of him,” he said. “He’s a Brazilian with very interesting prospects because it’s not easy to start the way he did. We know that don’t we Gigi?

“The way he started to make himself stand out isn’t easy is it?”

And Edu hinted that David Luiz’s future seems set to be in London, despite previous indication that he might return to Benfica.

“He’s a guy who can really help in the day-to-day on and off the pitch, as he’s been doing,” he added.

“I already knew him well because I got to be with him at the national team when I was a coordinator and it went very well.

“We help each other. You know it’s important to feel that support and to be happy in the day-to-day at the club. It’s an incredible club with fantastic principles. They also have to be proud to be where they are; that helps as well.”

Arsenal recommence their Premier League campaign on Wednesday at home against Manchester City.