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Hertha Berlin sporting director Arne Friedrich says Matteo Guendouzi a "great player" and says his recent improvement shows clubs benefit from taking the time to help players.

Guendouzi joined the Bundesliga side on loan in October after he fell out of favour at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta and questions were raised about his attitude.

The 21-year-old has become a key player for the German side, having made 21 appearances and scored two goals, and Friedrich says Hertha have had no complaints about the Frenchman's behaviour or impact.

What has been said?

"When you talk about Guendouzi and see his skills, you realise that he is a great player," he told The Guardian.

"I’ve also read that he had problems at Arsenal but here he behaves very well. He puts all of himself on the field. He is a great professional.

"Guendouzi’s situation confirms that we must always understand how to help the players, with a talent like him it is worth it."

Guendouzi's future at Arsenal

The France Under 21 international joined Arsenal from Lorient in 2018 and made 82 first-team appearances before being loaned out last year.

He had been a regular in the team until December 2019 and then found playing time hard to come by due to fitness problems and issues with Arteta.

Guendouzi is contracted to the north London side until 2022, however, and said last month that he is still committed to the club.

"From the moment that I am playing for Arsenal, I will give everything for this club, for the fans, for the team, for the staff. I will work hard for the shirt as I have always done," he said.

What next for Hertha Berlin?

Hertha are lingering above the relegation playoff places in the Bundesliga.

After Sunday's clash at Union Berlin, they will take on Borussia Monchengladbach on April 10 before paying a visit to Mainz the following week.

Further reading

Harambee Stars prospect Tyler Onyango will have to undergo surgery after sustaining an ankle fracture and ligament injury while playing for Everton on Saturday.

The youngster was stretchered off during his side’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup after a challenge from Alex Robinson midway through the second half of the clash at the City Academy Stadium.

Everton have confirmed on their official website the 18-year-old will now undergo a procedure in London in the coming days to repair the ligament damage before beginning the rehabilitation process.

“Tyler [Onyango] will have surgery next week after sustaining a significant ankle fracture and ligament injury in Everton U18s’ 1-0 FA Youth Cup victory over Manchester City on Saturday,” read part of the statement from Everton.

“The 18-year-old midfielder will undergo a procedure in London in the coming days to repair the ligament damage before beginning the rehabilitation process.

“Onyango, who captained Everton in the Youth Cup win, suffered the injury 17 minutes from time at the City Academy Stadium. Onyango made his Everton first-team debut in January’s 3-0 FA Cup win against Sheffield Wednesday at Goodison Park.”

Onyango has been training with the senior side for some time, but will now spend an extended period on the sidelines recovering from this injury setback.

During his debut for the Toffees against Wednesday, Onyango replaced Andre Gomes in the 85th minute as he enjoyed his debut for the senior side as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Yerry Mina scored the three goals for his team to progress at the expense of the struggling Championship side.

After the game, Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti was impressed with the display of Onyango and told the club's official website: “Tyler [Onyango] is another good boy, with strength and ability.

“They have both done really well training with us, showing top attitudes and the desire to listen and learn. The other players respect what Thierry and Tyler are doing and were really excited to share this moment with them at the weekend.”

The starlet signed a three-year professional contract in July when he joined the U23 side at the club.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt says that former Bafana Bafana number one Itumeleng Khune has been struggling with the mental side of his game.

Khune has battled for form throughout the current campaign and has made a number of high profile blunders, especially in the opening few months of the season, which saw him lose his place in the team to Nigeria international Daniel Akpeyi.

He's also been down the Bafana Bafana pecking order for some time now. Last month, Khune also suffered a devastating personal tragedy when his younger sister died in a fire.

Hunt concedes it's been a tough time for Khune, although the coach does see some light at the end of the tunnel for Chiefs' longest-serving player.

“He’s had a hell of time in his life, you know with what’s happened," Hunt said after Amakhosi's 1-0 Caf Champions League Group C win over Wydad Casablanca on Saturday.

"But I can see he is coming back, mentally. I always felt that his problem – I spoke to him about this, I don’t want to hide it – is that he fell out of love with the game. You’ve got to love the game.

"But it happens in a football career sometimes (that a player loses his passion for the game)," Hunt continued.

“What happened to him off the field was tragic, but sometimes in football, you need something to jolt you. He’s coming back. You’ve got to want to go to training every day and love it, if you don’t it’s a problem. I’ve spoken to him about it."

Khune came off the bench against Wydad after Akpeyi’s 40th minute sending off for a handball outside his box.

The Ventersdorp-born keeper had a solid match, making a couple of brave saves as the Moroccans piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser.

Khune has played 321 games for Chiefs and has conceded 244 goals during that time.

Valencia walked off the pitch on Sunday during their Liga clash with Cadiz after defender Mouctar Diakhaby claimed he was racially abused by an opponent, Juan Cala.

Diakhaby was visibly upset after an altercation with Cala, with the game halting in the 30th minute as the two argued on the field.

Valencia proceeded to walk off the pitch in the wake of the incident, with Diakhaby then reportedly urging his team-mates to return to the pitch.

What happened?

The incident began with the score at 1-1 in the 29th minute, with centre-back Diakhaby moving into the midfield to confront Cala.

As play continued around them, the two were seen in a heated exchange before the referee moved to break up the pair.

Diakhaby was seen to be visibly upset as team-mates looked to break up the altercation before several moved to confront Cala themselves. Valencia then opted to walk off the pitch in support of Diakhaby.

After about 15 minutes, Valencia returned to the field, with the club saying they did so due to Diakhaby's insistence that the game should continue.

Diakhaby, though, did not return and was replaced by Hugo Guillamon while Cala stayed on the field for Cadiz.

Further reading

Gor Mahia midfielder John Ochieng is hoping the Football Kenya Federation Premier League will resume soon so they can work on helping the club get back on top.

The reigning champions have struggled for consistency in the ongoing campaign and out of the 14 league games, K'Ogalo have managed to get seven wins, a draw, and six losses and have also scored 23 goals and conceded 17.

As a result, they are placed seventh on the table with 22 points, 14 fewer than leaders Tusker FC. It is a situation that has not gone down well with the club's supporters.

The former Chemelil Sugar player concedes a slow start to the season led to the inconsistencies but the campaign can still be salvaged once the Kenya Government gives the green light.

"Once you are a green army, your thinking is all about winning," Ochieng said on Sunday.

"Unfortunately we started on a low which is not our anthem. But we pray for the resumption of [the league] to make sure we bring back the team where it belongs on standings."

Ochieng arrived at the Nairobi-based club from the Sugar Millers, who were relegated at the end of last season when FKF moved to end the top-flight owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, club captain Harun Shakava has encouraged his teammates to find a regime that will keep them fit as the FKF Premier League remains suspended.

Shakava and his fellow FKF Premier League players will remain out of action for the foreseeable future after President Uhuru Kenyatta suspended sports indefinitely to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is tough. Being together in training is better but now we have to deal with the situation due to Covid-19 containment measures," the skipper told the same portal.

"As players, we just have to try a bit that we can and do individual workouts to keep us fit as we wait for the green light to resume full training."  

The FKF are in constant communication with the Ministry of Sports to get permission to continue with the league as coaches aim at keeping players fit ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. 

Juventus will recall Weston McKennie, Paulo Dybala and Arthur for Thursday's Serie A clash with Napoli following their exclusion after they attended an illegal party.

The trio were suspended from the Bianconeri's matchday squad for Saturday's 2-2 draw with Torino after the USMNT international hosted a gathering that was closed down by police for breaking Covid-19 regulations last week.

Both Dybala and Arthur were in attendance at the event and the three were sidelined by coach Andrea Pirlo ahead of the weekend, but they will now be in line for a return this week as Juve aim to bolster their flagging title hopes

Why were the trio suspended?

McKennie hosted a party on Wednesday evening with around 20 guests at his villa, a social gathering that ran against regional guidelines for the pandemic in local Turin.

Both Dybala and Arthur attended, with all three taking advantage of a clear schedule during the March international break.

After police broke the event up, the three were handed fines by local authorities, before they faced further action from the Bianconeri.

Juve's European predicament

With a crunch clash against Napoli - rearranged once more to this month - lingering in the near-future, Juve have brought the trio back into contention as they aim to avoid missing out on the Champions League for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

The Bianconeri have been a regular fixture in Europe's top knockout competition, but now run the serious risk of finishing outside the top four this season.

They currently lie in fourth, level on points with Napoli - and defeat to Gennaro Gattuso's side would see them slipping down into the Europa League qualification spots instead.

Further reading

Joe Willock admitted his Arsenal roots made Sunday's goal against Tottenham significantly sweeter.

The on-loan midfielder scored a late goal for Newcastle on Sunday, finding the back of the net in the 85th minute to seal a 2-2 draw with Spurs.

Willock says scoring against his parent club's fierce rivals made Sunday's finish even better.

What did Willock say?

"The boys did really well," he told Sky Sports. "I'm an Arsenal player so [scoring against Spurs] does make it a bit sweeter but I'm just happy to come here, do my job and make an impact like the manager told me to do.

"[Steve Bruce] told me to come on, run around and get in the box to try and score goals. I'm happy I was able to do that. As a group of players, we're all willing to fight for each other. If we continue to play how we did today we will have no problems staying in this league."

Willock at Newcastle

Willock, who originally joined Arsenal at the age of four, joined Newcastle on loan in February after making 17 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners during the first half of the season.

The 21-year-old midfielder scored on his debut as Newcastle lost to Southampton, with Sunday's goal being his second in a Magpies shirt.

Willock has made eight appearances for the club since the start of his loan, and he admitted in February that he is not thinking about his future or a potential move away from Emirates Stadium. 

Further reading

Harry Kane has written himself into the Premier League record books once again after snagging a quickfire first-half brace for Tottenham against Newcastle at St James' Park on Sunday.

The England captain, fresh from international duty with the Three Lions, netted twice inside four minutes to haul Spurs back from Joelinton's opener on Tyneside.

In doing so, the striker set both a new top-flight record in the modern era and matched another one, to further enshrine his burgeoning legacy as one of the British game's modern greats.

What has Kane achieved?

Having seen his side go down thanks to a low Magpies strike, the forward seized momentum back inside two minutes with a close-range finish.

Four minutes later, he doubled his tally for the day after linking up with Tanguy Ndombele on the right flank, stroking a powerful effort in at the far post beyond Martin Dubravka.

In doing so, Kane took his total of away goals in the Premier League to 84 - more than any other player has achieved for a single club in the competition.

Not only that, but the 27-year-old's efforts also meant that he has joined a select group of England legends, becoming just the fourth man in the modern era to score five goals each at five different away venues in the Premier League.

Only Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen had previously achieved the feat, but now with his success at St James' Park - to go alongside similar triumphs at the King Power Stadium, Selhurst Park, Goodison Park and St Mary's - Kane has joined rareified company.

The bigger picture

Kane's brace could prove to be absolutely crucial in the trajectory of Tottenham's season, as Jose Mourinho's side bid to avoid successive campaigns in the Europa League.

Having become a Champions League mainstay under Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs found themselves in the second tier of European club football this season, and looked among the favourites to lift the trophy before a shock last-16 exit to Dinamo Zagreb last month.

Further reading

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has suggested Donny van de Beek might be in line for more minutes over the rest of the season, saying the March international break did the Dutchman "the world of good".

The midfielder has frequently found himself on the outside looking in since his arrival at Old Trafford last year, with the former Ajax man struggling to break through into the Norwegian's starting XI.

The 23-year-old has spent much of 2021 sidelined with a muscle problem, but impressed in a late cameo for his nation during last month's Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar with a goal, which his manager believes has reignited his drive ahead of the final stretch of the 2020-21 season.

What has Solskjaer said?

“Sometimes, it’s natural that if you don’t play, you have injuries, you lose a bit of confidence, that spark," the Red Devils boss said in his pre-match press conference ahead of his side's return to Premier League action against Brighton.

"I can talk from my own experience. Sometimes I went away to play with Norway and came back, just to get the feel about yourself back and feel better. He’s come back and, in training this morning, he scored some absolute top, top goals that I’d be really proud of myself. It’s done him the world of good going away, scoring a goal for Holland.

“We hope we can see a lot of that for the next seven or eight weeks of the season and then to kick on again.”

The bigger picture

United will look to consolidate second place in the Premier League on Sunday when they host Brighton at Old Trafford.

They sit a point ahead of Leicester City heading into the tie, with the Foxes downed by leaders Manchester City earlier this weekend.

After that, Solskjaer turns his attention to the only trophy left for his side to compete for in midweek, when they are in Europa League action with a potential banana-skin in the shape of Granada, who have enjoyed a sensational run from the second qualifying round through to the quarter-finals in their first continental campaign.

Further reading

David Moyes says that West Ham have not received any major offers for either Declan Rice or Tomas Soucek, but has admitted that the club will be forced to consider them if they do come.

However, the Scotsman believes that it would take a significantly cash-heavy approach for the Hammers to part company with either player as they continue to find the form of their career.

England international Rice and Czech stalwart Soucek have emerged as the beating heart of the east London outfit's unlikely challenge for Europe and their manager hopes that both will remain on the books even if the club's ultimate charge falters short of their goal.

What has Moyes said?

Speaking ahead of his side's return to Premier League action against Wolves on Monday, the 57-year-old acknowledged that should a potential big-money move loom for either Rice or Soucek, the club would think it over, but reaffirmed his belief that it would take a major fiscal contribution

"Yes, any club can make offers for players but we've not had any big offers," he stated. "I hope we don't get any but if we do, like any other club, we would consider them.

"I don't know where the Bank of England is for Tomas Soucek but I've said with Declan, it would take the Bank of England and the Royal Bank of Scotland to get him. It will have to be the Bank of Czech as well for Tomas!"

Moyes on European prospects

The former Everton and Manchester United boss was on bullish form when addressing concerns of several big-name exits should their fairytale bid for the Champions League come up empty, stating that he does not believe the Hammers must secure continental football to prevent an exodus of talent.

"When we signed Tomas Soucek, we brought him in to help us avoid relegation," he added. "Declan Rice was playing in that relegation team and Jesse has come to help us to get some games.

"To turn around and say we would need to be in the Champions League to keep them, I think all those players would be saying a massive thank you to West Ham for helping them get their careers back on track and for putting them in the right direction.

"I hope we can make the Champions League but if we don't, I don't see that has to be the reason that we can keep them. The biggest thing any footballer wants to see is the club makes progress and individually they are making progress."

The bigger picture

In a season that has seen Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham all occupy top spot before falling away to varying degrees, the Hammers' initial under-the-radar charge for a first crack in Europe for five years has been one of the stories of the season.

Chelsea's slip-up against West Brom this weekend has left the door wide open for Moyes - in his second spell in charge at London Stadium, having returned in December 2019 to help stave off relegation - and his side to further their top four claims.

Victory over Wolves on Monday would leapfrog them into fourth, over the Blues - though defeat could prove to be a potentially fatal blow in a highly congested race that also includes Jurgen Klopp's Reds and Jose Mourinho's Spurs too.

Rice, meanwhile, is likely to only see his stock rise further in the coming months after effectively playing himself into first-choice XI contention for England during the March international break, with Gareth Southgate left impressed by his performances, alongside Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips, in midfield.

Further reading

Mamelodi Sundowns' strength and conditioning coach Riedoh Berdien's remarkable list of achievements has grown longer after he recently helped Gambia reach the Afcon finals for the first time.

His latest achievement was made all the more rewarding by Gambia's status as footballing minnows in Africa and the fact that they were in a tough qualifying group which also included the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Gabon.

In the end it was Gambia who finished top of the group, with Gabon qualifying for the Afcon in Cameroon next year as well by finishing second.

"This qualification with Gambia is extremely special because no one gave us a chance during the qualifiers," Berdien told the City Press, as quoted on the News24 website.

"We were in a tough group with Angola, Gabon and the DRC, and to come out as group winners is truly amazing," the Cape Town-born fitness coach continued.

"I feel really excited, but more for the people of Gambia. If you had been in Banjul [the capital of Gambia] at the Independent Stadium, you'd certainly get what I'm talking about. Just to bring joy to other people actually gives you more joy as an individual."

Berdien has been employed as a consultant by the Gambian FA for the past two years, having initially juggled his duties with working for Tanzanian club Young Africans, and later Sundowns, whom he joined in November last year - replacing the outgoing Kabelo Rangoaga, who went with Pitso Mosimane at Al Ahly.

Berdien has been assisting Gambian head coach Tom Saintfiet, the pair having first worked together at Free State Stars.

"He's an African football coach who understands the culture and the continent well," Berdien commented. "I understand his methodology. Also, he has the ability to bring the best out of players, especially out of smaller teams."

Berdien has also been employed by Chippa United, Cape Town All Stars and Bloemfontein Celtic. Internationally, as well as Botswana, Togo and Gambia, the 38-year-old has had stints with Banyana Banyana, Bangladesh, Trinidad & Tobago.

The Capetonian says he's enjoying working at Sundowns and feels the club has been a good fit for him.

"Obviously, when a club like Sundowns approaches you to work for them, there is a lot of pressure, but good pressure. It's a chance for one to be successful both on the domestic and international fronts.
 
"Getting the call-up to Sundowns was obviously something massive for me. Sundowns is a big club. They understand football periodisation [systematic planning of training] and methodology very well," Berdien concluded.

Mauricio Pochettino has admitted Paris Saint-Germain face an uphill struggle to retain their Ligue 1 title this season after they slipped to a bad-tempered defeat against main rivals Lille.

The Parisians were sunk by Jonathan David's first-half finish in a tussle between the top two at Parc des Princes, with the hosts' difficult Easter weekend compounded by Neymar's dismissal for a second yellow card following a fracas with Tiago Djalo late on.

With just seven matchdays to go, the result has left PSG three points adrift of their rivals at the summit and only one ahead of third-place Monaco, leaving their manager to acknowledge that the odds are stacked against them for a fourth successive title.

What did Pochettino say?

"It's going to be difficult," the Argentine said in his post-match comments. "We knew very well that it was going to be tough until the end and of course we need to keep going and think of all competitions.

"They created fewer chances than us but they were more clinical in front of goal. I think we deserved more at least a point or even three. In the end we lost and of course we're very disappointed with the result.

"We didn't create enough. We created more than them but not enough and maybe we showed a lack of aggression in the final third. We were thinking that with the dominance we would score but in the end the time ran out we didn't score and we lost the game."

Mixed start for Pochettino

When he arrived as Thomas Tuchel's successor in early January, former Tottenham boss Pochettino could not have asked for a better start to life in the French capital.

Within two weeks of taking the job he had finally broken his barren silverware streak as a manager, claiming the first prize of his coaching career in the shape of the 2020 Trophee des Champions.

Yet despite having won 14 of his 20 games at the helm so far, three consecutive home defeats in the top flight - against Monaco, Nantes and now Lille - have left his side trailing in the quest for another domestic crown.

Conversely, he has delivered emphatic results in knockout competition, steering PSG through the first three rounds of the Coupe de France without trouble - including a 3-0 drubbing of Lille in the third round - and demolishing Barcelona in the Champions League with a 5-2 aggregate victory.

The bigger picture

Pochettino and his team still remain in contention in Ligue 1 and will be determined to ensure that they make up for their defeat when they face Strasbourg next weekend.

Before then , PSG have a Champions League final rematch to attend to, as they face Bayern Munich - who bested them in last season's showpiece - in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

The Argentine will also be left to sweat on any potential disciplinary action against Neymar, following his indiscretions at the close of Saturday's defeat.

Further reading

Experienced Ugandan coach Mike Mutebi believes the national team should consider hiring local coaches as opposed to foreign counterparts.

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has been overlooking local tacticians in the past decade or so, always preferring foreigners. However, the former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) FC coach believes a change should be considered by the federation.

"It is high time they gave [local-based tacticians] a chance. We are not different from them, we can do the international basic practices," Mutebi told KFM Sports.

"Sam Ssimbwa, Jackson Mayanja, Moses Basena, all these experienced coaches can do the job if given the chance."

The veteran coach also hinted he might be interested in taking over the national team only if it was available.

"There is no vacancy [at Cranes], there is still coach Johnathan McKinstry and Abdallah Mubiru. Let us wait and see."

What about coaching Vipers SC?

"Vipers have a coach in [Fred] Kajoba and I have not been approached. Let us wait and see."   

After his exit from the Kasasiro Boys, the 51-year-old insisted there is a lack of professionalism in the country.

"I do not have a player that I have handled or treated unjustly," Mutebi stated.

"The challenge is that in Uganda we abuse every aspect of what constitutes professionalism.

"If a player has been brought in to do a job, they must perform but if they fail to do what they are supposed to do, they must get a kick in the backside to wake them up."  

The former defender went on to insist he has helped hardworking players shape their careers and never lost the dressing room because of underperformers.

"With me, there is no hiding place for poor performers. All the young players who I have helped shape their careers and those who I have worked with know they must give their all for the team and there must be development," Mutebi added.

"I do not entertain underperformers and there is no way I can lose the dressing room over that. It is the role of the coach to set standards in the dressing room.

"Everyone must be aware of what they are supposed to do, what their role is and if you fail to reach our set standards, you must feel the pressure."

Neymar is like Ronaldinho, in that he has an extraordinary level of talent but is not reaching his full potential because of his attitude, claims Ludovic Giuly.

The pair of Brazilian forwards both starred for Barca and Paris, with Ronaldinho moving from France to Spain during his stellar career, while Neymar is currently leading the line for PSG having moved there in a world record transfer in 2017.

While Neymar has helped PSG establish almost total domestic dominance and reach the Champions League final last season, Giuly still feels he has not scaled the heights his abilities could really let him reach.

What did Giuly say?

Speaking to Telefoot, Giuly said: "I'm going to compare Ronaldinho and Neymar on a career level. They have everything, but they don't give everything to be even higher."

The former PSG and Barcelona winger, however, is hopeful that Neymar will agree to extend his contract with the Ligue 1 champions, with his current deal set to expire in summer 2022.

Giuly said: "Of course that is an important message for us, for his team-mates and for the supporters. He shows his love and commitment to the club, it is something very important."

What is Neymar's record at PSG?

Neymar has scored 83 goals in 105 appearances in all competitions for PSG, winning three Ligue 1 titles, two Coupes de France and two Coupes de la Ligue.

However, the 29-year-old has not yet helped PSG achieve the continental title they crave. The closest he has come was last season, when PSG were beaten 1-0 in the Champions League final by Bayern Munich.

PSG risk losing their grip on the league title this season too, after falling to a 1-0 defeat against Lille in a top of the table clash on Saturday, with Neymar being sent off late on.

Further Reading

Harambee Stars forward Abdallah Hassan has revealed he did not see the goal against Egypt in his Africa Cup of Nations qualifier coming.

The Bandari forward scored to ensure Egypt did not pick a win against Harambee Stars in Nairobi in March and the scorer has now revealed his feeling before the goal.

The forward has been a regular player for the national team especially since Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee took charge.

"Although I didn't see it coming, I'd taken to the pitch in the belief I had the potential to put my name on the score sheet. Coach Mulee made me believe it was possible before the match," Hassan told The Star.

"I'm forever grateful to God for affording me the opportunity to feature for the national team and more so getting a rare chance in life to score against a big team like Egypt.

"I was overwhelmed with joy after scoring that goal. It was my first goal in such a high-profile match."

Hassan, who has seen rumours around his future swirl, detailed how his career started to the point he became a Kenyan Premier League player.

"My journey began in Mombasa although I had previously lived in Nairobi's Ziwani area for a while. I took a deep interest in football while attending Tononoka Secondary School in Mombasa," he explained.

"After completing high school education, I decided to travel to Nairobi to look for employment."

"I settled in the sprawling Kibera slums. At Kibera, I joined Uweza Academy and after approximately three years linked up with Posta Rangers' U20 side where I was appointed captain."

Bandari, who spotted him over four seasons ago, have been Abdallah's home club since then. He has been linked with Gor Mahia and Yanga SC since he shone for the national side.

"In January 2016, Bandari scouts spotted me and invited me over for trials. I was handed an opportunity during a friendly match in Kisumu and that's where they got impressed with my potential and signed me up," he concluded.

"It's been a long and tedious struggle especially in Kibera where I encountered a lot of challenges. I thank God I finally made it and got a chance to play for Bandari."

Recently, Mulee advised the forward to remain focused despite his recent stardom.

"Abdallah is not scared of anyone, he is confident in what he does and it is the reason why he has scored three goals in as many matches," Mulee told Goal in an earlier interview.

"He is a young player but very mature when it comes to football. He has given us a solution in the right-wing and we hope he will work harder to maintain his position.  

"Abdallah will surely go far, but he has to stay focused. He should not let all the praise he is receiving right now get into his head. That is the only way for him to continue climbing the ladder."

Hassan was given his debut by Sebastien Migne during an African Nations Championship encounter against Tanzania in 2019.

Simba SC have praised their players for earning revenge against AS Vita Club in their Caf Champions League fixture on Saturday.

The Msimbazi giants continued with their fine run in Group A of the competition after they hammered the Black Dolphins from the Democratic Republic of the Congo 4-1 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, to maintain their unbeaten run and also reach the quarter-finals with a game to spare.

Mozambican winger Luis Miquissone, midfielder Clatous Chama (two goals), and forward Larry Bwalya scored for Wekundu wa Msimbazi as AS Vita found the back of the net via Zemanga Soze’s effort, and though it was the first goal they had conceded, Simba retained their top spot ahead of Al Ahly of Egypt.

Despite the huge win, something else caught the eye of Simba chairman Mohamed Dewji who celebrated victory against the same team that hammered Simba 5-0 in their first round of the same competition in 2019.

Simba suffered the huge defeat away in Kinshasa but returned home to win the second round tie 2-1. The two teams were paired together once again in the current campaign with Simba winning the first round match 1-0 away and then returned home to win 4-1 on Saturday.

Dewji has now said they have erased the embarrassing 5-0 defeat they suffered in 2019 by winning 1-0 away and 4-1 at home, meaning they had managed a 5-1 aggregate scoreline against the Black Dolphins.

“God is indeed great,” Dewji wrote on his social media page. “The 5-0 defeat we suffered in Kinshasa has now been avenged because we trusted in God. Simba win 2-1 at home, 1-0 away, and today [Saturday] we won 4-1, please let us count the goals together.”

In another post, Dewji took his time to praise Simba players for reaching the quarter-finals of the competition by stating: “Good job to all the players, they have done something special for this great team, thank you very much.”

In the group’s other game, defending champions Al Ahly came from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw away to Al-Merreikh also on Saturday.

Simba lead the group on 13 points from five matches, while Al Ahly are second on eight, AS Vita are third on four while Merrikh are last on two points.

Simba will wind up their matches with a trip to Cairo to face Al Ahly on April 9, the same day AS Vita welcome Merrikh in Kinshasa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said there is no chance of Manchester United signing Sergio Aguero this summer.

Aguero, a club legend at Etihad Stadium and the top scorer in Man City history, is ending his decade-long association with the Citizens at the end of this season, and has been linked with leading clubs around Europe - including other Premier League sides.

If he moved across Manchester, he would be the first City player for 25 years to move straight to United. According to Solskjaer, however, this will not happen.

What did Solskjaer say?

The United manager, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Premier League fixture against Brighton on Sunday, said: “When I played for Man Utd, if a rival club tried to sign me, and I had gone, well where’s the loyalty?

“Loyalty is one of the values I really, really put highly. I wouldn’t expect any player who has played for a club for 10 years to want to go to their local rivals.

“It’s not for me. I know we’re professionals, but when you play for Man Utd you don’t go to Man City. We’ve had examples of that and I didn’t really agree with it. 

“I won’t name names but you all know who I mean. Enough said.”

Who has crossed the Manchester divide?

Few players have crossed from one Manchester club to the other in the Premier League era - although when they have it has often been controversial.

One example is Carlos Tevez, who joined Man City in 2010 after his two-year spell at Man Utd ended. Peter Schmeichel and Owen Hargreaves have also played in both red and blue in Manchester.

Tony Coton, who is now a scout for Man Utd, was the last player to move from Man City to Old Trafford, following a £500,000 deal in January 1996.

Where could Aguero go next?

While Old Trafford may be off limits, there are plenty of clubs who will be desperate to sign the 32-year-old striker. Despite his recent injury issues, he remains a top-class forward who will be available for no transfer fee.

Barcelona have been touted as a destination, where he could link with Argentina international team-mate Lionel Messi, should he sign a new contract at Camp Nou.

Among the Premier League clubs linked are Arsenal, although manager Mikel Arteta appeared to laugh off the rumours in his press conference this week.

Further Reading

Yanga SC midfielder Mukoko Tonombe has explained why they can't afford to be sluggish once the Mainland Premier League resumes.

The competition took a 14-day break to honour former President Pombe Magufuli, who died on March 17. Before then, Yanga had seen their performances deteriorate as they picked up four draws, a win and a loss in six previous games.

The loss to Coastal Union - the only one in the season for Timu ya Wananchi - saw head coach Cedric Kaze fired and some reshuffling was done across the technical bench.

"We will not be sluggish anymore. We know where we have come from and what the targets are," explained Tonombe in an interview with Mwanaspoti.

"The aim still remains to win the league but I understand there is no match that is going to be very easy and I also believe we are not going to be defeated easily should every player perform at the level he is required to.

"There is no one who does not love wins but it happens that sometimes one gets what he did not expect to. In the league, every team prepares for the season well, others will fight for the trophy while others will fight to ensure they are not relegated in the end.

"What is important for us is to see every playing improving and performing at the highest level of their strength."

The former AS Vita striker joined his club teammates after he had left for the Democratic Republic of Congo Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Although they defeated the Gambia 1-0 in a Group D qualifier, the win was not enough for them to book a slot in the Afcon finals in Cameroon.

Tonombe believes regular playing time and improved individual performances will help him earn more national team call-ups.

"I am happy that Yanga gave me a stage to showcase my talent and I am now back hoping to do the job even better. If I do just that, it means I will get another national call up," he concluded.

"My target is to be a better player than I have been since I came to Tanzania."

Yanga are expected to appoint Kaze's successor soon, with former Harambee Stars coach Sebastien Migne heavily linked with the top job.

Yanga are at the top with 50 points although they have played three more games than arch-rivals Simba SC who have 46 points.