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Mohammed Kudus: Ghana attacker conspicuously missing as Ajax face FC Twente

A hard-running and skillful attacker blessed with an eye for goal, the Alexandra-born player always brought his A-game to the Soweto Derby matches
(Originally posted by Austin Ditlhobolo)
  198 Hits

Liverpool working to bring Naby Keita back from Guinea after military coup

The Buccaneers drew 0-0 with the Congo-Brazzaville side in the Caf Confederation Cup clash on Friday. Goal rates the performance of the Bucs players
(Originally posted by Austin Ditlhobolo)
  212 Hits

Golden Boy award: Pedri, Bellingham and Reyna among 20-player shortlist

Four Spanish players and three England stars are among the nominees for the prestigious honor

Pedri, Jude Bellingham and Gio Reyna are among the 20 players to make the shortlist for the Golden Boy award, which is given to the best player under the age of 21 in Europe's top leagues.

Erling Haaland won the award, which is handed out by Tuttosport, last season, while Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe and Matthijs de Ligt are among the award's past winners.

This season's winner will be announced on December 13, with the initial list of 100 players revealed in June now down to the final 20.

Who is on the shortlist?

A total of 20 players from 10 countries make up the final shortlist of players.

Spain stars Pedri, Gavi, Brian Gil and Yeremi Pino give La Roja the most nominees with four, with Germany and England following just behind.

Karim Adeyemi, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz represent Germany on the shortlist with Bellingham, Mason Greenwood and Bukayo Saka among England's representatives.

France stars Eduardo Camavinga and William Saliba have been nominated as have Daniel Maldini and Roberto Piccoli from Italy and Ryan Gravenberch and Jurrien Timber from the Netherlands.

U.S. men's national team star Reyna is one of just two non-Europeans nominated, alongside Brazil and Real Madrid star Rodrygo, while Portugal's Nuno Mendes and Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere round out the shortlist.

Further reading

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Diables Noirs 0-0 Orlando Pirates: Bucs held away in Caf Confederation Cup

The South Africans had to be at their best to deny the hosts to walk away with a clean sheet ahead of the second leg

Orlando Pirates have been held to a goalless draw by Diables Noirs in the first leg of the first round of the Caf Confederation Cup at Alphonse Massamba-Debat Stadium on Friday evening. 

The Soweto heavyweights opted to start a seemingly defensive side, in a bid to ensure they do not concede away to the Congolese outfit.

It was the hosts who started the match on a high, pushing for an opener through the likes of Hardy Binguila and Grace Djimbi who ensured the likes of debutant Kwanda Mngonyama and Sam Bongani stayed alert to stop the attacks.

The former had to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Carl Wunda who had been cleverly played in the danger zone.

The Bucs had a chance of their own after Kabelo Dlamini, who had been played in by Abel Mabaso, was fouled and the referee awarded them a free kick. But the latter failed to make use of the chance and the ball eventually went out for a goal-kick.

As time went by, Pirates settled and would have grabbed a lead late in the first half when Mngonyama found Sam Bongani in the danger zone but the ball was deflected for an unfruitful corner.

The best chance for either side in the first 45 minutes fell to Tshegofatso Mabasa, but despite being one-on-one with Giscard Mavoungou, he could not find the back of the net.

In the second half, the Bucs had a scare when Happy Jele was hit on the head in his bid to clear the ball. But he was cleared to continue much to the relief of the technical bench.

The centre-back had played a vital role in ensuring his team did not concede in the first half and it would have been a major blow to see him leave.

Diable Noirs resorted to physical play and it worked since they managed to pin Pirates in their own half. It forced the Pirates bench to change tactics and Thabang Monare was introduced in place of Kabelo Dlamini.

But moments later, it was Siyabonga Mpontshane who had to be alert to stop Jeremie Mumbere from scoring.

A melee in the Pirates danger zone, with 20 minutes to go, ended with the ball hitting the upright for a goal kick. But despite the many chances created by both teams, neither managed to get the ball in the back of the net.

The second leg will be played on October 24 at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.

A good counter-attack ended with Pirates getting a free-kick after the hour-mark. Monare managed to find Mabasa whose header narrowly missed the target.

Diables Noirs XI: Giscard Mavoungou, Francis Nzaba, Carof Bakoua, Chikito Kwenge, Hernest Malonga, Tejio Lutonadio, Jeremie Mumbere, Hardy Binguila, Lorrys Nkolo, Grace Djimbi, Carl Wunda

Orlando Pirates XI: Siyabonga Mpontshane, Kwanda Mngonyama, Paseka Mako, Happy Jele, Sam Bongani, Abel Mabaso, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Fortune Makaringe, Kabelo Dlamini, Bandile Shandu, Tshegofatso Mabasa

(Originally posted by Seth Willis)
  321 Hits

Transfer news and rumours LIVE: Thiago agrees to Liverpool move

The Black Stars have been urged to prepare to the utmost of their ability ahead of the big showdown with Bafana next month
(Originally posted by Prince Narkortu Teye)
  190 Hits

Neto delighted to see 'quality' Coutinho back at Barca & confident Griezmann will silence doubters

Mauricio Pochettino's side will look to maintain their gap over their rivals at the top of the table - but they must do so without several key players

Paris Saint-Germain will herald the return of Ligue 1 domestic action as they look to bolster their place atop the summit against Angers at Parc des Princes.

Watch PSG v Angers on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

Mauricio Pochettino's side will look to maintain their gap over their rivals at the top of the table - but they must do so without a fleet of key players, including Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), Ligue 1 can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Team news & rosters

Position PSG roster
Goalkeepers Rico, Donnarumma, Letellier
Defenders Hakimi, Kimpembe, Bernat, Dagba, Kurzawa, Diallo, Kehrer, Mendes, Bitshiabu, Alloh
Midfielders Verratti, Rafinha, Pereira, Wijnaldum, Herrera, Draxler, Gueye, Simon, Gharbi, Ebimbe, Michut, Bitumazala
Forwards Mbappe, Icardi, Yansane

Mauricio Pochettino's side are blessed with such riches that arguably a second-string side like the one they will field this weekend is still stuffed to the gills with talent.

But Sergio Ramos will still have to wait for a debut due to injury, while Lionel Messi, Neymar, Marquinhos and Keylor Navas are among the internationals for whom this game comes too early to feature.

Predicted PSG starting XI:  Donnarumma; Hakimi, Kehrer, Kimpembe, Mendes; Gueye, Verratti, Wijnaldum; Mbappe, Icardi, Rafinha.

Position Angers roster
Goalkeepers Bernardoni, Mandrea, Petkovic
Defenders Doumbia, Ebosse, Traore, Boma, Thomas, Bamba, Manceau
Midfielders Mendy, Mangani, Fulgini, Cabot, Boufal, Capelle, Fatar, Ounahi, Ali-Cho, Bobichon, Taibi, Lage, El Mellali
Forwards Ninga, Bahoken, Thioub, Brahimi

It has been a barnstorming start to the campaign at Stade Raymond Kopa, with Angers firmly in the thick of a shock European race, lying fourth as they return from the international break.

Gerald Baticle does not have too many doubts for this crucial clash either, with Zinedine Ould Khaled the biggest concern for their trip to the capital.

Predicted Angers starting XI: Bernardoni; Manceau, Traore, Thomas; Cabot, Mendy, Mangani, Ebosse; Boufal, Bahoken, Ali-Cho.

Last five results

PSG results Angers results
Rennes 2-0 PSG (Oct 3) Angers 3-2 Metz (Oct 3)
PSG 2-0 Manchester City (Sep 28) Troyes 1-1 Angers (Sep 26)
PSG 2-0 Montpellier (Sep 25) Angers 0-0 Marseille (Sep 22)
Metz 1-2 PSG (Sep 22) Angers 1-4 Nantes (Sep 19)
PSG 2-1 Lyon (Sep 19) Brest 1-1 Angers (Sep 12)

Head-to-head

Date Result
4/21/2021 PSG 5-0 Angers
1/16/2021 Angers 0-1 PSG
10/2/2020 PSG 6-1 Angers
10/5/2019 PSG 4-0 Angers
5/11/2019 Angers 1-2 PSG
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The motivation behind Gabriel Jesus' Arsenal move

The Blue Tigers have won the SAFF Championship a record seven times...
(Originally posted by Ritabrata Banerjee)
  240 Hits

'Arteta is making really unusual decisions' - Arsenal boss cannot afford any more mistakes, says Keown

The Citizens boss was shocked to learn the England international could push for a move, while the Spanish star is now stuck on the side-lines
(Originally posted by Chris Burton)
  195 Hits

Manchester United open talks to buy & relocate Australian side Central Coast Mariners

The veteran defender, who won football’s biggest prize with Spain in 2010, has continued to expand his business empire
(Originally posted by Chris Burton)
  159 Hits

Caf Champions League: Predicting the Tusker XI to take on Zamalek

The Brewers will parade a strong squad as they battle the North African giants in the first round round fixture at Nyayo Stadium
(Originally posted by Dennis Mabuka)
  234 Hits

Alisson and Fabinho to miss Liverpool game at Watford and travel straight to Madrid for Champions League tie vs Atletico

The Brazilian duo will not feature in the Premier League game this weekend, and instead head to Spain after international duty with Brazil

Brazilian duo Alisson and Fabinho will both miss Liverpool's Premier League game at Watford this weekend due to complications around coronavirus restrictions, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.

The pair have been in action for their country in South America over the last two weeks for World Cup qualifying, and instead of returning to England they will head straight to Spain, where Liverpool will be playing a Champions League group stage game against Atletico Madrid next week.

Fabinho had hinted that Liverpool may send him and Alisson straight to Madrid instead of making them fly into the UK, and this was confirmed by Klopp at his press conference on Friday.

What has been said?

Asked if the players would travel straight to Madrid, Klopp said: "They have to. Because the last game they played in a red-list country was Colombia. Next Thursday at midnight it's 10 days. These are the rules. They could have flown into England, but that would have meant they would have to isolate from their families. Ali has three kids."

Why is this happening?

Alisson and Fabinho were part of the Brazil team who played a 2022 World Cup qualifier away to Colombia during the international break, which is on the United Kingdom's red list for coronavirus travel restrictions. This means anyone who has been to these nations has to self-isolate for 10 days on coming back to Britain.

By travelling to Spain, which is not on the red list, Alisson and Fabinho are able to circumvent these restrictions due to the amount of time that will have passed since they were in Colombia - however this comes at the expense of being available to face Watford.

There is also the issue of fitness - Brazil's most recent qualifier, a 4-1 win over Uruguay, kicked off at 1.30am Friday UK time - less than 36 hours before Liverpool's game against Watford begins on Saturday lunchtime.

When will they return?

Losing two key players for a Premier League fixture is a big blow for Klopp, however he should have both men available for the clash with Atletico, plus the derby match against rivals Manchester United next weekend.

Adrian may deputise for Alisson in goal, as he did at the start of 2020/21 when the Reds No 1 was one of several players sidelined due to injury, or Klopp may select young Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher who has impressed in cup matches.

Fabinho meanwhile, who has started five of Liverpool's seven Premier League games this season, could be replaced by James Milner or Naby Keita.

Further Reading

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Letting Messi leave Barcelona was a mistake, says Bartomeu, as Argentine 'should only have gone to MLS or Asia'

The former Blaugrana president prevented the Argentine icon from leaving Camp Nou in 2020, but he left for PSG as a free agent the following summer
(Originally posted by Chris Burton)
  343 Hits

Minamino leaves Liverpool for loan move to Southampton

The PSG superstar is not a fan of Brazilian match official Wilton Sampaio, but he is happy to have three more points on the road to Qatar 2022

Lionel Messi took aim at the weather and referee Wilton Sampaio after Argentina’s narrow 1-0 win over Peru in World Cup qualifying, with the Paris Saint-Germain superstar claiming that the Brazilian match official makes contentious decisions “on purpose”.

A solitary strike from Inter forward Lautaro Martinez was enough to earn the Albiceleste three more points on the road to Qatar 2022.

Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi endured an off night as he struggled to make an impact, with the 34-year-old suggesting afterwards that testing conditions and those calling the shots conspired against him.

What has been said?

Messi posted on Instagram: "Difficult match, difficult to play. A lot of wind, they were playing deep, leaving little space for us.

"The referee always does this when he referees us, as if he does it on purpose. But well, three important points and we're close to our objective."

Why was Messi frustrated?

Argentina toiled for long periods against Peru and were fortunate to leave with maximum points after seeing the hosts awarded a second-half penalty.

That may have been the decision that incurred Messi’s wrath, but he and his international team-mates were let off the hook when Yoshimar Yotun cannoned his spot-kick off the crossbar.

Has Sampaio refereed Argentina before?

Argentina’s meeting with Peru represented the fifth time in which they have been officiated by Sampaio.

Messi clearly is not a fan, but the Albiceleste are unbeaten when the Brazilian is the man in the middle.

Their first outing under Sampaio also came against Peru in a World Cup qualifier back in October 2017, with that game ending 0-0.

A group-stage meeting with Paraguay at the 2019 Copa America finished 1-1, before Argentina got into the winning habit.

A further Copa America contest against Uruguay saw Guido Rodriguez net a decisive goal, while Ecuador were seen off 3-0 in the same competition.

Reasons to be cheerful

Messi would appear to have little to complain about, especially as Argentina have extended an impressive unbeaten record to 25 games.

Lionel Scaloni is just the second Albiceleste coach to oversee such a run, after Alfio Basile, and he believes there is still more to come from the 2021 Copa America winners.

He told reporters after edging out Peru: "Today we felt a bit tired. Playing three games in South America is wearisome.

"We took it forward and got the three points, which is what we wanted.

"It was a very important game and there was tension for that. I do not think that Argentina was satisfied with the result. Peru played well, they are a very difficult opponent. Apart from the penalty incident, I think we controlled the game."

Further reading

(Originally posted by Chris Burton)
  195 Hits

Transfer Talk: Ekitike key to PSG's move for Kolo Muani

The Buccaneers are back in action after the Fifa international break as they bid for a first continental piece of silverware since 1996

Orlando Pirates begin their 2021/22 Caf Confederation Cup campaign with a trip to Brazzaville to face Congolese side Diables Noirs in a first-round, first leg match at Alphonse Massamba-Debat Stadium.

After reaching the quarter-finals of this competition last season, the Buccaneers would be keen to progress further this term.

Having won the 1995 Caf Champions League and the Caf Super Cup the following year, Pirates are yet to lay their hands on the Confederation Cup.

The closest they have come to win this tournament was reaching the final in 2015.

Now, Diables Noirs provide the first hurdle they have to pass through to reach the group stage. 

Game Diables Noirs vs Orlando Pirates
Date Friday, October 15
Time 16:30 SA Time

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

In South Africa, the match is not being shown live.

TV Channel Time
None None

Squads & Team News

No Diables Noirs player has been confirmed as suspended for Friday’s match.

Coach Danh Nsonde will be banking on midfielder Hardy Binguila who boasts the experience of previously playing for AJ Auxerre in Ligue 2 as well as in Albania.

He returns to club football without injury after being an unused substitute for Congo in back-to-back 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Togo.

The Congolese side’s forward Lorry Nkolo, who has previously had a stint in Algeria, is another player Pirates should be wary of.

Pirates have confirmed they will be without Vincent Pule, who was injured during international duty with Bafana Bafana last Saturday.

The attacker injured himself during warm-up away in Ethiopia and his name had to be struck off the starting line-up.

He then did not feature in the home fixture against Walia ibex on Tuesday and did not even make the bench.

Four other Pirates players - Terrence Dzvukamanja, Tshegifatso Mabasa, Deon Hotto and Frank Mhango - are returning from international duty with their respective countries and have travelled with the team to Brazzaville as confirmed by the club.

Doubtful for Pirates are Innocent Maela and goalkeeper Richard Ofori who, have been recovering from injuries while Thembinkosi Lorch and Zakhele Lepasa are still far from regaining their fitness.  

Match Preview

This is the first-ever meeting between Pirates and Diables Noirs.

But Pirates’ last trip to Congo Brazzaville was not a successful one which saw them lose 1-0 to AC Leopards in a Caf Champions League match in 2013.

The two teams had drawn 0-0 in the reverse fixture in Johannesburg, meaning Pirates are yet to beat a team from Congo in Caf inter-club competitions. 

They now arrive in Brazzaville in what is their first continental match this season and that comes on the backdrop of having failed to win their last two Premier Soccer League games.

Their opponents Diables Noirs are on a run of 12 unbeaten games in all competitions including eliminating Burundian side Bumamuru in the preliminary round of the Confederation Cup.

Diables Noirs won 1-0 on aggregate after a 0-0 away draw and a victory at home courtesy of Nkolo’s solitary strike.

Pirates’ last match in this competition was a 5-1 aggregate loss to Raja Casablanca in the quarter-finals of last season’s competition.

(Originally posted by Michael Madyira)
  220 Hits

Midtjylland vs Liverpool Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

Also representing the PSL in Africa are AmaZulu and Marumo Gallants, who qualified for continental competition after winning the Nedbank Cup
  245 Hits

Barcelona to keep using Ousmane Dembele for the rest of season

The South African side will host the DR Congo giants in Durban as they chase a ticket to the competition's group stage
(Originally posted by Kiplagat Sang)
  129 Hits

Mikel Arteta insists his Arsenal project is 'going to go bang'

Nepal are in the final of the tournament for the first time while India hunt for their eighth SAFF Cup title...

India and Nepal are set to meet in the final of the SAFF Championship 2021 at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Saturday evening.

The Blue Tigers eventually emerged table toppers in the round-robin group stage with their 3-1 win over Maldives while a 1-1 draw against Bangladesh was enough for for the Gorkhalis to confirm their spot in the final.

Here's how to watch India vs Nepal from India. 

What time does the SAFF Championship 2021 game between India and Nepal start?

Game India vs Nepal
Date Saturday, October 16
Time 9:30 pm IST

How to watch India vs Sri Lanka on TV & live stream in India?

The match will be broadcasted on Eurosport and may be streamed online via  discovery+ or JioTV app. 

TV channels Online streaming
Eurosport SD & HD discovery+, JioTV

India vs Nepal: Team news

Igor Stimac's men took time to settle into the 13th edition of the SAFF Cup but gradually showed improved performances. Although the defence needs to be more consistent, attack seems to have found some rhythm, especially against Maldives where India scored three goals. Sunil Chhetri is the tournament's top scorer with four goals in four games and it was a relief for the skipper to be joined by Manvir Singh on the scoreboard against Maldives.

The team showed their support to Farukh Choudhary who was injured after the 1-0 win over Nepal in the group stage by posing with the Jamshedpur FC player's jersey as they celebrated their 3-1 win over Maldives. Besides that, India will be without the services of defender Subhasish Bose who was sent off in the previous fixture. Coach Stimac will also not be on the touchline after getting sent off against Maldives.

The last time Nepal defeated India was in the 2013 SAFF Championship. Their best finish was a third-place finish in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1993.

(Originally posted by Anselm Noronha)
  370 Hits

Transfer news and rumours LIVE: Everton mull Benitez appointment

This week our tipsters preview Leicester City vs Manchester United, Watford vs Liverpool, Brentford vs Chelsea and Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
  143 Hits

Nottingham Forest 4-1 Leicester: Player ratings as FA Cup holders humbled by local rivals

The English head coach has promised that his conduct will improve after an angry rant against officials following a loss to the New York Red Bulls.

Inter Miami boss Phil Neville has admitted he was wrong to accuse MLS referees of cheating and promised that his outburst "was a one-off".

Neville watched his side slip to a fifth successive loss away to the New York Red Bulls last weekend, with a Patryk Klimala effort proving to be the difference between the two sides.

Inter Miami also saw a Gonzalo Higuain chalked off after a VAR review, and their head coach launched an angry rant against the match officials after the game, which earned him a fine from MLS and drew criticism from the Professional Soccer Referees Association.

What did Neville say?

Neville told reporters after the 1-0 loss to New York: "We got cheated in Portland and we’ve been cheated again.

"I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but something is fundamentally wrong with the way referees treat Inter Miami.

"We’re playing in one of the best leagues in the world, and I’m having a great experience, but I’ve got a dressing room that’s asking real, real questions about the integrity of this league in terms of the decisions we keep getting."

Neville takes back his comments

The English manager, who played for Manchester United, Everton and England over the course of his playing career, has now expressed regret over his comments while revealing constructive discussions with the relevant governing bodies in the American game over how best to move forward.

“After the game I said the things that I said in the emotions of losing a really important game and in terms of feelings of the last two or three games, feeling a bit hard done by a couple of decisions that didn’t go our way,” Neville said at a press conference.

“I used the wrong terminology to describe how I felt. I used the wrong word — cheat — which should never be used towards officials or in games of football.

"I had really good dialogue with both MLS and the PRO referees [organization] in terms of the decisions, my behaviour, the word used, and the respect that is needed from both sides, and obviously my assurance that this was just a one-off.”

What's next?

Neville was speaking ahead of Inter Miami's next MLS Eastern Conference outing against the Colombus Crew on Saturday.

The David Beckham-owned franchise must win to keep their faint hopes of securing a playoff spot alive, with eight points currently separating them and seventh-placed Montreal Impact.

Further reading

  127 Hits

Kwadwo Asamoah: Former Juventus and Inter Milan ace responds to Ghana Premier League return calls 

The 22-year-old stated that the Foxes must key their focus if they hope to get past the Red Devils on Saturday

Leicester City midfielder Boubakary Soumare is looking forward to a difficult game against Manchester United in Saturday’s Premier League outing.

Brendan Rodgers’ men welcome the Red Devils to King Power Stadium as they hope to end their three-game winless run in all competitions in the 2021-22 campaign.

Expected to play a role against the reigning English kings, the former France youth international of Senegalese background also discussed that the prospect of taking on the Old Trafford giants excites him.

"I think it will be a tough encounter, but a big game where two big teams in the Premier League go head to head," Soumare told the club website.

 "We need to keep our focus and give our all, as results haven’t gone our way recently, so we will give everything we have to make our club and fans happy and proud.

"Whether it’s playing against the bigger teams or those lower down in the league, every game is tough. The Premier League is the biggest league in the world and each match is a challenge, which is what appealed to me."

"It’s true that it’s a good opportunity to get back on track after some disappointing results recently, but we don’t want it to become an obsession," he continued.

"We don’t want to be thinking that ‘we need to do whatever it takes to win’ during the game.

"We need to keep our heads, respect the advice of the manager and tacticians, and stick to our game plan. If we do that, we should get a result."

After helping Lille win the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title, Soumare moved to the King Power Stadium giants in July 2021 for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract.

He made his bow for the club as a substitute as Rodgers’ team secured a 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield on 7 August 2021.

As things stand, Leicester occupy 13th spot on the log having accrued eight points from seven matches.

For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team, they sit in fourth position thanks to 14 points garnered from the same number of outings.

(Originally posted by Shina Oludare)
  162 Hits

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