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France centre-back Raphael Varane has been ruled out for "weeks" after he was forced off the pitch in the Nations League final against Spain on Sunday due to injury.

He left in the 43rd minute after appearing to hurt himself attempting a clearance.

In addition to being a mainstay in France's line-up, Varane is a key piece of Manchester United's defence at club level.

What happened?

Varane walked off under his own power after sitting on the field in pain for a time and was flanked by medical staff.

He was replaced by Dayot Upamecano.

United confirmed on Tuesday that the defender will not be available for some time.

An update from the club read: "Raphael Varane sustained a groin muscle injury in the UEFA Nations League final and has commenced rehabilitation at the club.

“He will be out for a few weeks."

Double fears for United

Varane's injury comes with fellow starting defender Harry Maguire already out with a calf problem.

Victor Lindelof has seen more playing time with Maguire out, and Eric Bailly could be pushed into the line-up if Varane misses any time.

United face Leicester City on Saturday before a Champions League clash with Atalanta next week.

Further reading

Manchester United are well known for playing in red and black or white, and their colours are associated with their illustrious history as one of the biggest clubs in world football.

However, many supporters can now be seen attending games sporting yellow and green neckwear, following a trend that has been popular since 2010.

What is the meaning behind the non-traditional attire? Goal is here to provide you with everything you need to know.

Why do Manchester United fans wear yellow and green scarves?

The United faithful began donning yellow and green scarves to protest against the Glazer family ownership.

The Americans acquired a majority stake back in 2005 through the Red Football Ltd investment company, and five years later they had reportedly saddled the club with debts exceeding £700 million ($953m).

Red Devils supporters let their feelings be known by swapping in their red scarves for yellow and green, harking back to the days when they were known as Newton Heath.

How do the colours relate to Newton Heath?

The club was originally founded under the name Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Football Club in 1878, and eventually changed to Manchester United in 1902 before moving to Old Trafford eight years later.

Newton Heath played in a bold yellow and green strip throughout their 24-year existence, with the squad populated by railway workers full of passion for the game, building a strong foundation for the core values that are upheld by the club to this day.

United's current fanbase now wear yellow and green scarves as a reminder to the powers that be of those values, and opposition to the Glazers has been as strong as ever at the start of the 2021-22 campaign.

Why are fans protesting against the Glazer family?

The yellow and green scarves were out in force towards the end of last season in response to the Glazers' involvement in the controversial Super League plans.

United were named as one of the original 12 founding members alongside fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal in April, but the proposed overhaul of the European game was quickly quashed after a fierce public backlash.

The Glazers issued a public apology after the Super League was disbanded, but Red Devils supporters called for them to leave the club in a mass protest outside Old Trafford before a Premier League clash with Liverpool at the start of May, which had to be postponed.

Fans across the country were permitted to re-enter stadiums a short while later following the relaxing of coronavirus restrictions, and United followers continued to protest against their owners by holding up green and yellow 'Glazers out' placards and wearing the Newton Heath inspired scarves once again during a meeting with Fulham on May 18.

Barcelona remain confident that Ansu Fati and Pedri can be tied to new contracts at Camp Nou, but the Liga giants cannot afford to put lucrative offers to two hot prospects as they continue to work through financial difficulties.

Money troubles in Catalunya have become common knowledge, with the mismanagement of previous presidential regimes making life difficult for Joan Laporta and Co in the present.

One of the biggest issues that the Blaugrana face concerns efforts to get prized assets committed to fresh terms, with it imperative that highly-rated young stars are retained if future success is to be enjoyed.

Will Fati and Pedri sign new contracts?

Thrashing out extensions with teenage talents Fati and Pedri is considered to be a top priority for those in the Barcelona boardroom.

Updates on said discussions are expected prior to the club’s Members’ Assembly on October 17, although Goal has learned that neither is as close to signing as noises coming out of Camp Nou suggest.

There have been regular statements of intent from prominent figures at Barca over recent weeks, with contract talks said to be “on the right track” and “very advanced”.

It is understood that all parties are happy with how things are progressing, but there is no escaping the fact that two of the most sought-after youngsters in Europe are yet to put pen to paper.

Should Barcelona be concerned?

Both Pedri and Fati have been attracting admiring glances from afar, with Bayern Munich said to be keen in the former while the latter has been the subject of interest from Premier League heavyweights.

Barca know they cannot afford to waste any time in negotiations and are pushing to get agreements over the line.

They are confident that both men can be retained, with compromises close as minor details regarding contract lengths and bonus clauses are ironed out.

Fati and Pedri will see their current terms improved, as their current standings in the senior squad are recognised, but the biggest stumbling block for Barca remains an inability to offer high salaries to those most deserving of them.

Who is next in line for a contract?

Once Barcelona have Fati and Pedri committed to several more years at Camp Nou, attention can then turn to opening talks with others.

Ronald Araujo and Gavi are next in line for upgrades as they are also considered to be integral components in long-term planning.

Uruguayan defender Araujo already has a €200 million (£170m/$231m) release clause in a contract that is due to run until 2023, but 17-year-old midfielder Gavi – who has become the youngest senior debutant for the Spanish national team - could be prised away for just €50m (£42m/$58m) as things stand.

Laporta is eager to see both sign new deals, with Barca hoping that the problems which led to the likes of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann leaving over the summer will not come back to haunt them.

Further reading

Nick Mwendwa says Football Kenya Federation went for Engin Firat because he is a coach who was ready to help Harambee Stars after the local coaches failed to deliver.

The Turkish tactician was appointed to coach Kenya and help them qualify for the 2022 World Cup. However, under his guidance, the East Africans were hammered 5-0 away to Mali before falling by a solitary goal against the same opponent, to be eliminated from the race to Qatar.

He was handed a two-month contract, meaning he will be at the helm to oversee Kenya play their remaining Group E matches against Uganda and Rwanda respectively.

'Moldova don't have talent as Kenya'

"A permanent coach would have cost us a lot of money. So we found a top coach from Europe who agreed to take us through four games," Mwendwa told NTV.

"Moldova don't have half the talent we have... we can debate on Firat whether he was a top or not."

The administrator further explained why a local coach was not considered. We felt we should not give a local coach a chance because we had given a chance to three but it was not satisfying. 

"We did not want to repeat the same mistakes... we have been giving coaches chances believing we will go forward in vain."

'Kenya have no quality'

The vocal administrator said in an initial interview that Harambee Stars lack quality and even AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho or Arsenal tactician Mikel Arteta would struggle with this team.  

"Even if you bring Mourinho, even if you bring Arteta [they will struggle with Harambee Stars]," Mwendwa said.  

"The work that needs to be done is that we need to bring the talent to the table. For you to win, you need quality players. You guys know Moussa Djenepo, do we have a player like him? 

"We have to build him and that is the reason we are training coaches to go to the grassroots and find our Moussa Djenepo, they can find a [Yves] Bissouma to compete with the likes of Mali."

In Group E, Mali are on 10 points while Uganda are on eight, Kenya have two points and Rwanda one.

Ghana defender Jonathan Mensah has stated the Black Stars are fully aware of the prize to win when they take on Zimbabwe in their 2022 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

On the search for a fourth appearance at the global showpiece, the Black Stars are set to take on The Warriors on matchday four of the group stage qualifiers.

The two teams met on Saturday in a matchday three tie when Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey and Andre Ayew netted to ensure a 3-1 home win in Cape Coast.

“We are mature enough to know what it means to pick the three points here,” Mensah said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the Harare showdown.

“The Warriors have many good players in their set up, they played well in Cape Coast and caused a few problems but we also have the quality to shock them here in Harare.

“The game will be tough but winnable.”

Expected to start on Tuesday, Mensah is one of the most experienced players in the Ghana side as new coach Milovan Rajevac plays his second game.

The centre-back made his senior debut in 2009, going on to represent the national team at the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.

After featuring at the last Afcon tournament in Egypt in 2019, he was overlooked for national call-ups until last month when he returned for the Ethiopia and South Africa games.

“I am just grateful for the opportunity again to be back with the team and it means a lot to me,” said the 31-year-old.

“I am always here to do my best for the team so whenever I am called upon to start the game; I am always going to do my best to help the team win.

“We have another game tomorrow and I just need to go out there and if I am playing I will do my best for the team.”

Ghana currently sit second in the group, one point behind leaders South Africa.

The Black Stars opened their qualifying campaign with a 1-0 home win over Ethiopia before falling 1-0 away to South Africa on matchday two.

Former Kaizer Chiefs player Patrick Mayo has hit out at Kaizer Chiefs players accusing them of playing for money and not the badge.

Amakhosi have had a rather poor start to the 2021-22 campaign as they are lying 12th on the 16-team table with six points from six matches. They have managed a single win and lost four matches in the process.

According to Mayo, who starred for the Glamour Boys in a decorated spell at Naturena from 2003-2007, the team’s poor start can be attributed to the current group of players' drive, the recruitment policy, and the constant underperformance of experienced players.

'They don't have heart'

“They don't have heart," Mayo told Kickoff.com when asked for his thoughts on the current Chiefs squad.

“Our generation used to love the badge and we used to fight for the badge. But when it comes to them they don't have that heart. They are just playing for money. But during our time we were not earning much so we used to love the badge.

“If you are a football player you always play under pressure. You will have to learn to play under those circumstances.

“Whether you are in public walking in a mall, pressure is always there. So I can say the Chiefs jersey is too heavy for them.

'With us, we used to take the pressure'

“With us, we used to take the pressure because you lose two, three games at Chiefs, don't think you would be able to go to the mall. Otherwise, you'd get all sorts of insults from the supporters, and rightfully so because they are paying their monies to enter the stadium.”

Mayo has further revealed how winning bonuses used to motivate them by explaining: “We knew reaching every semi-final meant money for us. There's only one hurdle that we need to overcome, to win the semi-final and get to the final.

“We knew losing the final meant we would receive nothing from the club. If we win we get bonuses. These days if they lose, win or draw it's all the same to them because they will still receive the same salary.

“At Chiefs, we used to work for our winning bonus more than we did for our salary because we were earning very little.”

'I am not happy about recruitment process'

On the recruitment over the last five years, Mayo said: “I’m not happy about that. They must not assume I'm saying this because I'm bitter, I'm not bitter I'm just telling the honest truth.

“If you look carefully the last time Chiefs signed a [top] player was during our time. But since we left I'm not happy with their signings.

“Some are doing okay, like Phathutshedzo Nange for me, has been the best signing for Chiefs. He is doing exactly what we are looking for at Chiefs. Cole Alexander also is doing more than fine to me.

“But we need to sign quality centre-backs at Chiefs. You don't need to be in the rebuilding process at Chiefs, that club is a brand. You need to sign quality players in that department. I doubt if there will be any accolades if the likes of Cardoso is still there.”

Mayo continued: “The likes of Cardoso continue to make schoolboy errors but are experienced players. Even in the goalkeeping department, if it was up to me I would always go for Bvuma instead of Khune and Akpeyi.

Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac is unable to guarantee misfiring striker Jordan Ayew a starting spot ahead of their 2022 World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

The Black Stars are set to take on The Warriors in a Group G matchday four fixture in Harare, three days after registering a 3-1 home win in the reverse fixture.

Ayew has come under criticism for his shyness in front of goal in recent times, but he did ensure an assist in the first game against the same side on Saturday.  

“I never reveal the starting line up the day before the match because this is not the way I do my work but the goalscorers and attackers often come to a crisis and in these circumstances, they are trying to overcome the problem and start scoring to make their performance better. We are here and we talk to him,” Rajevac said at the pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s clash.

“He feels the support he gets from everybody. Whether he starts or comes as a substitute later in the game, we count on all of our players. As I always say, it is important to start the match in an appropriate way and to finish it in the right way.”

Currently, one point adrift of group leaders South Africa, Ghana are under pressure to secure full points in Tuesday’s tie.

Anything but a win on the part of the Black Stars could play into the hands of Bafana who are tipped to beat Ethiopia at home in the other group game of the day.

“In this kind of job and especially in this kind of situation you have to learn how to manage the pressure,” Rajevac remarked.

“For us, it is a must-win match and every match is the most important and hardest match so let’s take one step at a time.

“We have confidence and so we will learn how to handle the pressure because if you cannot handle pressure, you can’t succeed in this game.

“It is something that we have to cope with and I think we will do that successfully.”

Only the group winners after matchday six will secure qualification for the third and final round of qualification.

England are on a 12-match winning streak in World Cup qualification when they welcome Hungary to Wembley on Tuesday.

Gareth Southgate’s men are four points clear at the top of Group I, having won six and drawn one of their seven matches so far, including a 5-0 thrashing of Andorra last weekend.

The Magyars’ chances of reaching the play-offs were dealt a major blow by their 1-0 home defeat against Albania on Saturday.

Here's how to watch England vs Hungary in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers from India.

Contents

What time does England vs Hungary start?

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How to watch England vs Hungary on TV & live stream in India

The Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) has the rights to show 2022 FIFA World Cup European Qualification matches in India.

Matches will also be available to stream via SonyLIV app and website, besides JioTV mobile app, allowing supporters to watch multiple games simultaneously and catch the replay of matches.

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England vs Hungary: Team news

Kept on the bench during the 5-0 win in Andorra by England manager Southgate, Harry Kane is a favourite to start in attack with Raheem Sterling also available for the encounter, as is Jack Grealish likely to start alongside. Luke Shaw is a doubt and Ben Chilwell is an option at left back. Harry Maguire and Kalvin Philiips are ruled out injured and it will be interesting to see if Phil Foden keeps his place in the XI.

Hungary's Endre Botka is suspended for the tie, and Attila Fiola has had to withdraw due to injury. Names such as Szabolcs Schon and Laszlo Kleinheisler could feature in Wembley, but with forward Adam Szalai out injured.

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India and Maldives will be fighting for one of the two spots in the SAFF Championship 2021 final when they meet at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Wednesday.

Both sides kept their chances of progression alive by winning their previous fixture as India picked their first win of the campaign - a 1-0 win over Nepal - and Maldives defeated Sri Lanka 1-0. However, a draw on Wednesday will not be enough for the Blue Tigers. 

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

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

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

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

India vs Maldives: Team news

It is not surprising to see Maldives' Ali Ashfaq and India's Sunil Chhetri as top scorers with two goals each, ahead of the final matchday in the group stage. But those are the only two goals that Igor Stimac's men have scored in this edition of the SAFF Cup. India have struggled to find the back of the net in their draws against Bangladesh (1-1) and Sri Lanka (0-0) in the first two games.

It was once again Chhetri who came to his side's rescue with a solitary goal against Nepal on Sunday, which is quite a concern for the Blue Tigers considering the captain also took more than a couple of chances to find the mark while the rest of the team is yet to contribute in front of goal. Whereas, the defence has also looked nervous at times.

One of Ashfaq's goals was a penalty - in the 2-0 win over Bangladesh, with Hamza Mohamed scoring the other - and the other an early lead that was defended till the final whistle in their last match against Sri Lanka. Maldives had opened their campaign with a shock defeat to Nepal (1-0).

India registered their first win at the ongoing SAFF Championship 2021 against Nepal on Sunday, thanks to a solitary strike from skipper Sunil Chhetri.

After two disappointing draws in the first two matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the Blue Tigers had to pick up three points and Chhetri's 77th international goal helped his team to remain in the hunt for a SAFF final spot.

Igor Stimac's men have managed to score only two goals in their first three matches of the competition which is their second-worst goalscoring performance in an international tournament in the last 11 years. Since 2011, India took part in 12 multi-nation international tournaments where their worst performance was at the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup where they were ousted from the group stage after losing all three matches without scoring a single goal.

The ongoing SAFF Championship's goalscoring record of India is just behind the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup performance as the Blue Tigers currently have 0.67 goals per game ratio.

India's best-ever goalscoring record was at the 2011 SAFF Championship, under Savio Medeira, where they won the title scoring 16 goals in five matches with goals per game ratio of 3.2. They conceded only two goals in the entire tournament.

Let us find out India's goalscoring record at international tournaments in the last 11 years.

 The Indian football team has scored just two goals in more than 270 minutes of football in the ongoing SAFF Championship 2021. India are ranked 107th in the world and they have played against Bangladesh (189), Sri Lanka (205), and Nepal (167) so far in the competition; all of them well beyond the 150-mark. And yet, they have found it difficult to score. 

Moreover, both the goals have been scored by Sunil Chhetri who is 37 years old. What is more concerning is that the Blue Tigers have been toothless in the attacking third and have looked clueless against teams that prefer to sit back and absorb pressure. There was an evident lack of creativity in the first two matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which improved marginally against Nepal. 

However, when they started carving out chances the finishing went down the drain. Chhetri had a bad day at the office against Nepal as he missed two golden opportunities but he made amends by scoring the winner.

Manvir Singh struggled to get into the match throughout the 90 minutes as Rohit Chand hardly allowed him to maneuver. In fact, he was taken off when India were looking for a goal and Udanta Singh was introduced. A look at the stat shows that he has scored only three times in 24 appearances and has a goal ratio of 0.12. 

Another attacking contender in Farukh Choudhary, who assisted Chhetri against Nepal, has even a poorer goal ratio of 0.07. He has scored only once and that too in a friendly against the Gorkhalis. Hence, it is no surprise that India are struggling to find the net. The forwards have been a big let down and if Chhetri leaves his scoring boots in the hotel against Maldives, India might have a hard time finding the net.

Was it a bit better during the second coming of Stephen Constantine? Let us find out. 

The British tactician led India in 43 matches and during that period India had scored 77 goals which translate into 1.79 goals per game. That looks brilliant compared, but one must note that back then, India enjoyed the services of a certain Jeje Lalpekhlua who scored the bulk of his 24 goals under the reign of Constantine. Once he got injured, India has struggled to replace his goals and the result is that the Blue Tigers are labouring to find the net.

A deeper dive will help us find that apart from Chhetri and Lalpekhlua, no current Indian striker has crossed the threshold of five international goals. The table below shows the data after the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and highlights the plight of Indian attackers. Interestingly, Sumit Passi has a better games-to-goal ratio than most of the other strikers.

It must also be noted that not many of these players play as a number nine consistently for their club, not even Chhetri.

Coach Raoul Savoy has blamed Central African Republic’s defeat to Nigeria in Sunday’s 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier on poor officiating.

Having shocked the Super Eagles 1-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, the Wild Beasts were hoping to complete a double over the West Africans.

However, that did not materialise as they suffered a 2-0 defeat inside Douala’s Japoma Stadium, with Leon Balogun and Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen getting the goals.

Although the Central Africans rarely threatened Gernot Rohr’s side's backline, the former Ethiopia and Gambia handler claimed the three-time African champions earned their result because they were helped by Rwandan referee Louis Hakizimana.

“My players did well and I’m very proud of their performance,” Savoy told the media.

“Nigeria played with 12 men because the referee helped them to win.

“The first goal was from an offside position and my goalkeeper was fouled for the second goal.

“We did not concede against Nigeria over the two legs, they scored with the help of the referee.”

Prior to the game, the Spanish-Swiss tactician claimed that things would have been more difficult for Nigeria if the match was staged in Bangui.

“The Super Eagles are lucky that this match will be played in Cameroon and not Bangui. It would have been tough for them,” he told Goal.

“Nobody comes there to defeat us. The likes of Morocco, Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire have played in Bangui [and they failed to win].

“We are playing in Douala that has a very good pitch, so it will be easier for Nigeria to play us than in Bangui.

“For us, the change of venue will not be a problem for us because long before the stadium issue, we are used to playing away from home.

“Also, we have many of our citizens living in Cameroon, hopefully, if the stadium is open, we will have the support from fans.”

After Sunday's loss, Central African Republic occupy the third position with four points from four outings.   

They are guests of Cape Verde in their next qualification outing slated between November 11-13 at the Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena in Mindelo.

The road to World Cup 2022 is well and truly under way, with the qualification stages hotting up ahead of the tournament proper which takes place in December of next year.

And as the map to the finals continues, the identities of the teams participating in the tournament is steadily getting clearer.

Goal has what you need to know about which teams have qualified for World Cup 2022 so far, and this page will continue to be updated as the qualification stages take place.

What teams have qualified for the World Cup 2022?

Qatar became the first nation to qualify for the 2022 World Cup automatically as hosts when they won the bid to host the tournament. It is their first appearance in the competition, never having qualified for the finals in the history of the World Cup.

Germany were the second team to qualify for the tournament after defeating North Macedonia in October 2021 and topping Group J.

How many teams from each association can qualify for World Cup 2022?

AFC (Asia) have an allocation of four of five teams* competing in the World Cup finals.

CAF (Africa) are allocated five teams, with CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean) having three or four.

CONEMBOL (South America) have four or five teams competing.

UEFA (Europe) have the most teams able to qualify, with 13 spots.

OFC (Oceania) have zero or one spot.

*Inter-confederation play-offs are contested at the end of the qualification phase to determine how many teams from each confederation will end up competing in the 2022 finals.

A total of 32 teams will be participating in the tournament.

World Cup 2022 qualification schedule

What dates are World Cup 2022?

World Cup 2022 is set to take place in Qatar from November 21, 2022–December 18, 2022.

Egypt put up an impressive display to defeat Libya 3-0 in Monday’s 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier.

Goals from Mostafa Mohamed, Ahmed Fetouh and substitute Ramadan Sobhi helped the seven-time Africa Cup of Nations champions stroll past their hosts at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Benghazi.

Heading into the crunch encounter, Carlos Queiroz’s men had secured a slim 1-0 triumph over the Mediterranean Knights in Alexandria – with Omar Marmoush’s second-half effort settling the tough tie.

Still hurt by their loss at the Borg El Arab Stadium, Javier Clemente’s men were hoping to avenge their downfall, however, Egypt had other ideas.

The Pharaohs had the first chance in the 20th minute but Marmoush’s shot off Fetouh’s long pass went wide while trying to beat goalkeeper Muhammad Nashnoush from a tight angle.

Five minutes later, they suffered a massive blow as goalkeeper Mohamed Elshenawy was forced off injured. He was subsequently replaced by Mohamed Abou Gabal.

In the 41st minute, Queiroz’s team took the lead thanks to Fetouh who drilled an unstoppable shot past Nashnoush.

A minute later, the hosts tried to restore parity but Mouayad Ellafi’s fierce strike from Hamdou El Houny’s cross sailed over the crossbar. 

Before the half time whistle was sounded, Galatasaray star Mohamed doubled Egypt’s advantage as he headed home a cross from Marmoush.

Libya came out stronger in the last 45 minutes but could not get the much-needed goals.

Pyramids star Sobhi, who came in for Marmoush four minutes after the hour mark, added the third goal in the 72nd minute by making use of Mohamed Salah through pass inside the area.

He could have completed a double in the 86th minute but his shot was stopped at the goal line by Nashnoush.

At the end of 90 minutes, it was the Pharaohs who reigned supreme to cement their place at the summit of Group F with 10 points from four matches, while Libya are second with six points.

Liverpool star Salah was in action from start to finish alongside Arsenal star Mohamed Elneny and Al-Ittihad defender Ahmed Hegazi.

Egypt are guests of Angola in November while Libya travel to Stade de Franceville for a date with Gabon.

Gareth Southgate believes that the concept of hosting the World Cup every two years "doesn't seem to make sense" amid continuing speculation over the future of the tournament's staging.

Plans are currently under exploration by FIFA over shifting the showpiece competition from its current quadrennial cycle into a biennial format, a move championed by Arsene Wenger among others.

England boss Southgate previously admitted that he was open to the concept - but now has gone cold over the idea, citing congestion and the ever-shifting slew of proposals as issues he has.

What has been said?