Looking for Soccer News?

Nigeria take on Lesotho in their final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Lagos on Tuesday, as the Super Eagles look to end their campaign in style.

Thanks to the Nigeria Football Federation, you can catch the Nigeria vs Lesotho live stream here on Goal.

Nigeria vs Lesotho live is sure to be a thrilling watch, as the West African giants still have to win over some of their doubters following an unconvincing qualifying campaign to date.

Their first game against tiny Lesotho ended in a 4-2 victory away as, even though Nigeria looked superb going forward, they were undone twice at the back against the minnows.

Defensive failings again haunted them against Sierra Leone at home last year, as they took a 4-0 lead, only to fall to a 4-4 draw after a remarkable comeback by the Leone Stars and a shocking collapse by the hosts.

Away in Sierra Leone, they lacked attacking impetus and were held 0-0, although qualification was already wrapped up before the weekend’s trip to Benin.

In this clash, they won 1-0 thanks to Paul Onuachu’s 93rd-minute winner, although even that goal—and ending Benin’s eight-year undefeated streak at home—wasn’t enough to overcome the failings of Gernot Rohr’s attacking unit.

On the day, the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen lacked cohesion, although one reason may have been the absence of creator-in-chief Alex Iwobi.

When the Nigeria vs Lesotho lineup was announced on Tuesday, however, Iwobi was included, and fans will hope he has a big impact in the fixture at Lagos.

"Which tv channel is showing Nigeria match today?" and "Which channel showing Nigeria match today?" were two of the big questions in the country through Tuesday as fans clamoured to see the Eagles in action.

Some sought out the contest on Africa Independent Television, and turned to AIT live for the broadcast. However, if you were one of the people who asked these questions, then you no longer have any need to fret...now, you can catch all of the action and every kick here on Goal!

Chelsea loanee Abdul Baba Rahman says Percy Tau was too mobile when Bafana Bafana hosted Ghana in last Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier Group C match and the signs were already there that South Africa would struggle in Sudan.

Bafana were held 1-1 by Ghana in their penultimate qualifying game at FNB Stadium, before losing 2-0 away in Sudan on Sunday.

That saw Molefi Ntseki and his men missing out on a ticket for the Afcon finals to be staged in Cameroon in January 2022.

While acknowledging Tau as a good player, Baba Rahman says he managed to contain the Brighton and Hove Albion player well.

“I think looking at him [Tau] he is a very good player and very quick. But in the game he was kind of just moving around where we were. He was not stuck on one position,” Baba Rahman told FootballMadeInGhana .

“I won some duels against him. But overall, he is a good player and it was a good test for me to play against him.”

Baba Rahman suggested that Bafana Bafana lacked experience in Omdurman as they conceded two first-half goals.

Ghana also fell in Sudan last November as Al Hilal striker Mohamed Abdelrahman’s stoppage-time strike sank the Black Stars.

Abdelrahman was back again to haunt South Africa on Sunday, grabbing Sudan’s second goal and Baba Rahman says he was not surprised by the result.

“After we drew against South Africa in Johannesburg, I had it in mind that it would be difficult for them to win in Sudan,” the Chelsea loanee continued.

“I have been there and I saw how they played. If you go to Sudan or when we went there, their football was not attractive.

"They just want to win the Sudanese so if you are not tough with a bit of experience then you will get beaten easily. I knew it would be tough for South Africa to get a draw over there.”

After the Afcon agony, South Africa will now look to pick themselves up in the upcoming 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers where they will meet Ghana again as well as Zimbabwe and Ethiopia.

Harambee Stars coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee is impressed with the way the players responded on the pitch against Togo even after realizing some key players had been controversially omitted owing to reports they were Covid-19 positive.

Michael Olunga, Joash Onyango, Ian Otieno, and Lawrence Juma missed the game but the East Africans went on to win 2-1. Abdallah Hassan opened the scoring for the Harambee Stars before Masoud Juma doubled the advantage. The Sparrowhawks got their goal courtesy of Henri Eninful.

"I thank the players because even after some of them were denied the opportunity to play, the remaining ones did not panic," Mulee told Goal on Tuesday.

"It was a challenge but the boys lived up to it. It was not an easy game but the players gave their best shot. What impressed me most was the fact that players who had not played in the qualifiers before stepped up and played like another normal game."

Kenya ended their unsuccessful campaign to Cameroon in third position in their group with seven points that came from four draws, a win, and a loss. They managed to score seven goals and conceded as many.

Togo had to be content with a place at the bottom of the table with just two points that came from draws against Harambee Stars and Comoros respectively.

They scored three goals in the process and conceded eight to end the campaign with a goal difference of negative five.

Seven-time Afcon champions Egypt hammered Comoros 4-0 to top the group with 12 points while the latter came in second with three points less. As a result, they will be part of the teams to take part in the biennial competition.

"I am disappointed that Harambee Stars have not qualified for Afcon but I do not regret it because we have learned a lot," Mulee continued. 

"We did not collect a win at home, because to qualify for Afcon it is necessary to win home games and maybe one on the road. It will be better next time.

"When you look at the Togo and Egypt games it gives you hope that all is not lost for not qualifying for Afcon and there are brighter days coming."  

Alex Iwobi has revealed his readiness for Nigeria’s 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

The Everton star was recently cleared for the encounter by the Confederation of African Football after testing negative for the coronavirus.

The midfielder did not feature in Nigeria’s 1-0 victory over the Republic of Benin in Friday’s Afcon qualifying game after testing positive for Covid-19.

Iwobi has appreciated the support he has received so far from the president of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, his teammates, coach and other crew members of the Super Eagles.

“I want to say thank you to everyone showing me love and support during this difficult time,” Iwobi told the NFF media channel.

“Your love has been quite overwhelming and I really appreciate it. I have to respect the Fifa and Caf protocols by isolating in my room.

“I mean it wasn’t easy especially knowing when you have no symptoms and you are okay but the main thing is that I am healthy and ready to go for the last game.

“I will like to say a big thank you to the NFF president [Pinnick], he took me like a son, made sure I was able to isolate comfortably.

“Also a thank you to my teammates, to the staff, the coach, they are always checking up on me and made sure I was okay. I am ready to go for the last game let’s see if we can stay unbeaten. Up Super Eagles!"

Iwobi has been a key member of the Super Eagles since making his debut for the side in 2015 after switching his allegiance from England.

The midfielder has made 44 appearances for the West African country, scoring nine goals, amid other dazzling performances.

Iwobi will be expected to help the Super Eagles extend their lead at the top of the Group L table.

The versatile midfielder has three goals in the qualifiers and now has a chance to increase his tally against the Crocodiles.

The Super Eagles have already sealed their place in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for Cameroon.

They finished third at the last edition of the continental tournament in Egypt, behind winners Algeria and runners up Senegal.

Nigeria assistant coach Joseph Yobo disagrees with claims the Super Eagles were relaxed during Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Benin Republic.

The three-time African kings sailed to Porto-Novo with the ambition of earning a win or a draw to qualify for the biennial football showpiece. Nevertheless, Lesotho’s 0-0 draw with Sierra Leone earned Gernot Rohr’s men an early ticket.

As expected, that changed the complexion of the game at the Stade Charles de Gaulle against Michel Dussuyer’s men.

Even with Nigeria’s 1-0 win thanks to Paul Onuachu’s last-gasp header, fans voiced their displeasure with the showing of Rohr’s team, but the legendary defender feels the result is all that matters.

“Football is not easy. They [Benin] haven’t lost at their home ground since 2013 and that says it all. During my era, and that before me, it has never been easy going away from home,” Yobo told Goal.

“That being said, we won 1-0 and the players fought hard for it. The goal came in the last minute but most importantly, we did not also concede. So, these are things to take into consideration.

“I will not follow the fans. They are always demanding and wanting us to score more but we had a good game management plan and that worked in our favour. So, I’m happy we got all three points.”

When asked if the fringe Super Eagles would be given the chance to prove their worth against the Southern African team, the former Olympic Marseille and Everton tactfully navigates the question.

“You never know what is going to happen. I think the head coach and his coaching staff will have to sit and talk about what is going to happen,” he continued.

“That being said, we will take things as they come, monitor the players and we will see what happens before making a decision.”

The 40-year-old is also buzzing over the prospect of seeing the country’s senior national team return to Lagos – which he tags as the ‘hub of Nigerian football’.

“It is good to be back home. Lagos for me is the hub of Nigerian football. I know what it feels like [playing in Lagos],” he added.

“The fans are always demanding – wanting us to do well. So, it’s great excitement for the players.

“I’m happy that after 20 years, competitive football is back to Lagos and I must thank the governor of Lagos for making that possible. I am looking forward to the game.”

UEFA has confirmed that both legs of Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final tie with Porto will be played in Seville.

Chelsea were due to travel to Estadio Do Dragao for the first leg of the last-eight clash on April 7, before welcoming the Portuguese club to Stamford Bridge six days later.

However, European football's main governing body has now revealed that both fixtures will take place at Sevilla's Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in Spain as a precautionary step amid the continued threat of coronavirus.

What's been said?

UEFA has released a statement confirming the change of venue, which reads: "UEFA is able to officially confirm that the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first and second leg matches involving FC Porto and Chelsea FC, will now both be played at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in Seville. 

"The dates of the matches (7 April and 13 April 2021) and the kick-off times (21:00CET) will remain the same.

"UEFA would like to thank FC Porto and Chelsea FC for their support and close cooperation, as well as the Portuguese Football Federation, The Football Association, the Royal Spanish Football Federation and Sevilla FC for their assistance and agreeing to stage the matches."

What other Champions League matches have been moved this season?

Chelsea were among a whole host of clubs affected by the scheduling changes for Champions League games at the last-16 stage, with the first leg of their clash against Atletico Madrid staged in Bucharest, Romania instead of the Spanish capital.

Meanwhile, both legs of Liverpool's encounter with RB Leipzig and Manchester City's meeting with Borussia Monchengladbach were played at the Puskas Stadium in Budapest, Hungary.

Will Chelsea start as favourites against Porto?

Chelsea impressed in the first knockout stage against Atletico, winning 3-0 on aggregate thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud, Hakim Ziyech and Emerson Palmieri.

They will be expected to book a semi-final date against either Liverpool or Real Madrid by beating Porto, but cannot afford to take anything for granted against the side that claimed the scalp of Italian giants Juventus to reach the final eight.

Further reading

Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa has confirmed the government has promised to make sure FKF Premier League action returns soon.

The Kenyan top-flight was affected three days ago after President Uhuru Kenyatta suspended all sporting activities in the country indefinitely due to rising positive tests as a result of the coronavirus third wave.

It was the second time sporting activities were being halted after a similar order was issued in March 2020, when the first cases of the pandemic were recorded in Kenya.

The decision to suspend sports, came as a shock to many as it stopped the continuation of the top-tier which had already seen 16 matches played, with Tusker topping the 18-team table with 36 points.

Mwendwa has told Goal the government has opened to consult with them in the best way they can have the league resumed, and further said they will write to them their proposals on what they intend to do to adhere to the Covid-19 rules and regulations put in place by the Ministry of Health.

“We have already talked to the Sports Ministry, and they are keen to implement a few things, they have asked us to write to them on what we intend to do to make sure Covid-19 does not spread and we will respond to them by the latest on Wednesday,” Mwendwa told Goal on Tuesday.

“We have also explained to the Cabinet Secretary of Sports the effects that will come with the league not being played especially when it comes to the national team since we have the World Cup qualifying matches starting in June and we want the team to be ready.

“What I can say, CS Amina [Mohamed] is very willing to allow us to resume the league if we follow the laid down Covid-19 regulations, and in my opinion, we must have our league going at the shortest time possible, we will write to her, and we hope she will give us a positive response.

“I am sure it will not take time, the league will return soon, all they want us to do is what we have been doing before, we are ready to improve where we failed and our intentions are to have action back.”

Mwendwa has further confirmed all players in the Premier League will be vaccinated before the league resumes.

“The Sports Ministry is also keen to have all the players and officials vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine, and after we finish the exercise, then the league will resume with all the laid down procedures.”

When the 2019-20 season was suspended, Gor Mahia were declared champions by virtue of topping the table at that point in time.

Fran Kirby and Millie Bright are all back in the England squad ahead of April's friendlies against France and Canada, but they will be without captain Steph Houghton due to injury.

The defender is suffering from an Achilles problem that ruled her out of the first leg of Manchester City's Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona last week, with head coach Gareth Taylor admitting it's difficult to know when she will be back.

Kirby and Bright missed February's game with Northern Ireland due to injuries of their own, with the pair returning on this occasion alongside fellow Chelsea team-mates Niamh Charles and Carly Telford, who are both recalled. Karen Bardsley is also back as one of four goalkeepers in the 24-player squad.

Sandy MacIver, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Ella Toone are included again after making their senior international debuts last month in what was Hege Riise's first game in charge after being appointed interim head coach. 

Who is in and who is out?

Ebony Salmon and Hannah Hampton were both called up in February but are both absent from this squad. Hampton was recently cut from contention for this summer's Team GB squad in a high-profile incident that saw the Football Association apologise. The young goalkeeper received the news less than two hours before playing a Women's Super League game for Birmingham.

Salmon was a late replacement for Nikita Parris, who misses out again this month. The Lyon striker wasn't released by her club last time, and this time her omission is because of a Covid-19 outbreak among the French champions.

Demi Stokes returns despite picking up an injury at the weekend in Man City's win over Reading, while Beth England, who has missed Chelsea's last four games through concussion, is also included.

It will be the first game England have played without Houghton, their injured captain, since November 2019.

What fixtures do England have?

England will face France on April 9 at the Stade Michel d’Ornano in Caen. It will be their first trip to France since the 2019 Women's World Cup, in which they reached the semi-finals.

Four days later, the Lionesses will take on Canada, who are led by a familiar face in Bev Priestman. The 34-year-old was part of the England set-up for two years under Phil Neville's tenure, coaching the Under-17s and also serving as Neville's assistant.

She had spent five years with Canada Soccer prior to that and was appointed as the new head coach of Canada's senior team back in October of last year.

What is the squad in full?

Goalkeepers: Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City), Sandy MacIver (Everton), Carly Telford (Chelsea), Karen Bardsley (OL Reign, on loan from Manchester City).

Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Millie Turner (Manchester United), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Demi Stokes (Manchester City), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Jill Scott (Everton, on loan from Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Keira Walsh (Manchester City).

Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth England (Chelsea), Ellen White (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal).

Further reading

Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has criticised Cristiano Ronaldo for throwing his captain's armband to the ground and walking off the field during Portugal's 2-2 draw with Serbia.

The 36-year-old appeared to have scored a late winner for his side in the World Cup qualifying clash when his effort appeared to cross the line before Stefan Mitrovic cleared it away.

But the officials did not award the goal and the Juventus star reacted angrily, eventually walking down the tunnel before the final whistle.

What has been said?

Del Piero understands why Ronaldo was angry about the decision, but says he was wrong to have such an extreme reaction.

"This is an overreaction, He shouldn't act like this, in that way," the former Italy star said on ESPN. 

"It's okay to be angry, it's okay to discuss it with the referee, but to throw the armband and keep going like this is too much for someone who is the team captain and represents an iconic figure like him. 

"But I also understand the moment, the importance of the match and also the personal ambition that he puts into everything he does."

What was the reaction to Ronaldo's behaviour?

Ronaldo justified his anger by claiming that the "entire nation" of Portugal was "harmed" by the decision not to award a goal, while referee Danny Makkelie apologised to the team for the mistake. 

Former Portugal defender Fernando Meira criticised Ronaldo for his conduct, saying it was "unacceptable" for a captain.

But coach Fernando Santos has denied suggestions the attacker could be stripped of the captaincy, telling reporters that the armband is his "forever".

Further reading

The Confederation of African Football has cleared Alex Iwobi to feature for Nigeria in their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho.

The Super Eagles will take on the Crocodiles in their final Afcon qualifying game at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Tuesday evening.

Iwobi was not involved when Gernot Rohr’s men secured a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Benin on Friday after testing positive to Covid-19 on his arrival in Porto Novo.

The versatile midfielder, has, however, been subjected to another test in Lagos and the result came out negative.

With the result, Caf has now confirmed the former Arsenal star will be available for selection when the three-time African champions slug it out against the Crocodiles.

“Caf has cleared Alex Iwobi to play today's game against Lesotho,” read a statement from the NFF media channel.

“The Super Eagles player had earlier tested positive following the Covid-19 tests conducted on the Super Eagles squad on arrival in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.

“However, Iwobi's further Covid-19 tests have returned negative. Clina Lancet Laboratories in Victoria Island, Lagos conducted the PCR tests. With this, Alex Iwobi is up for selection today.”

Iwobi will hope to help the Super Eagles end the qualifiers on a winning note against Lesotho on their home soil.

Already, Nigeria coach Rohr has revealed his desire to see his side finish the qualifying campaign on a high.

“We hope to finish these qualifiers well, which we began since June 2017, we did not lose a qualifier and so we want to finish with a good victory,” Rohr told the media.

“We won’t underrate Lesotho because they have a good defence, they made some draws in this competition and they don’t have anything to lose.”

Nigeria have now qualified for the last two Africa Cup of Nations with games to spare under Rohr, after failing to feature in the 2017 edition.

The Super Eagles finished third at the last edition of the continental tournament in Egypt, behind winners Algeria and runners up Senegal.

Their best performances at the biennial competition were in 1980, 1994 and 2013, where they won the highly coveted trophy and will hope to clinch their fourth title at the 2022 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa has sensationally claimed the Togo federation was incorrect that four Harambee Stars players had tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on Monday.

The Harambee Stars were forced to play their last group fixture in Lome minus four key players – striker Michael Olunga, defender Joash Onyango, midfielder Lawrence Juma, and goalkeeper Ian Otieno – after the Togo federation claimed they had tested positive for Covid-19 a few hours to kick-off.

Mwendwa, who accompanied Harambee Stars to Togo for the dead-rubber, has told Goal all the players claimed to have tested positive are all fine and they did not test positive as claimed.

“It is a tricky issue, and I will handle it in the best way possible, we tested players in camp before we left for Togo, it is a requirement, and they were all negative but when we landed in Togo and we already had the Comoros issues fresh in our hands, remember in Comoros we had same problems [six players testing positive before the game],” Mwendwa told Goal on Tuesday.

“When we reached Togo, and on matchday, they came to us saying we are not okay, but it was shocking, to say the least because if you take for example Olunga, he had been tested severally from Qatar before coming to Kenya and we had also tested him twice and he turned negative.

“So we are wondering how did Olunga turn positive after arriving in Togo? Remember the team used a private jet and the players were very well, isolated and to add to that we were booked in a very isolated hotel. It is unfortunate Togo insisted our four players had tested positive which was a lie.”

Mwendwa continued: “In my view, they [Togo] picked the core of the team, we don’t have Joash [Onyango], we don’t have Olunga, we don’t have Juma, in Comoros we really caused problems, but this time in Togo, we did not want to cause problems, we picked a team from the remaining squad and they players played, I can tell you all the four players are negative.

“I don’t want to blame Togo for the decision they took [to lie our players are positive], maybe it was also a blessing in disguise for us as FKF because it gave us the chance to use new players in the squad and they proved them wrong.”

Mwendwa has further called on the Confederation of African Football to consider having neutral doctors travel to handle the issues of Covid-19 tests saying it will be the only way to end the suffering the away teams are going through.

“In Africa, we have to reconsider this because for the Uganda versus Malawi game they also said one of their players [Taddeo Lwanga] was positive but later turned out to be negative, how do players get positive in hours? it is a question Caf must answer, I suggest we get neutral doctors, to do the tests,” Mwendwa continued.

“Caf should get neutral doctors every time a team is playing an away game to do the tests for players and the officials, it is a proposal I want to take to Caf, it will be easier to get the player, if indeed we have positive cases.”

Despite missing out on the four players, Kenya went on to beat Togo 2-1 and end their campaign on a high with Egypt and Comoros qualifying from the group for the Afcon finals to be held in Cameroon next year.

Manchester City’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Borussia Dortmund is set to be played at the Etihad Stadium, UEFA has confirmed to Goal .

Pep Guardiola's side were forced to play both legs of the round-of-16 tie with Borussia Monchengladbach at the Puskas Arena in Budapest because of coronavirus regulations.

However, the home leg of their quarter-final tie due to be played on April 6 will go ahead in Manchester as planned, with the second leg set to be staged at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park eight days later.

Why have matches been moved?

City were set to play the first leg of the previous round in Germany but were denied entry into the country amid concerns over a new strain of Covid-19 which was prevalent in the UK.

The second leg was set to be played in Manchester but was switched at short notice because the German government informed the Bundesliga club that they would have to quarantine upon their return.

There is still a possibility that the games between City and Dortmund could be moved if there is a change in policy from either the UK or German governments.

What has been said?

“It’s a privilege to be in the last-eight teams," Guardiola said. "I didn't see much [of Dortmund] but in this international break we will have a chance. They are a really good team.

“They were able to go through against Sevilla - who in knockout competitions are one of the strongest teams. They were able to beat them. Dortmund is tough but so would all of them be.

“We try to play a good first game and then good in the second one. If we do good games, we will go through, if they do good games, they will. There are no secrets other than that.”

How does it affect City?

With Guardiola's side competing for trophies on four fronts, the opportunity to stay in England will be welcomed.

City face third-placed Leicester away in the Premier League on Saturday and will be able to train at the Etihad Campus rather than flying to Hungary on Monday and staying in a hotel ahead of kick-off.

They then face Leeds at home before the second leg against Dortmund, which is followed by an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley.

Further reading

Mino Raiola has taken a swipe at Sir Alex Ferguson while claiming he doesn't "give a f*ck" whether he does business with Manchester United again.

Raiola has stirred up plenty of controversy at Old Trafford over the years, most notably when it comes to the future of talismanic midfielder Paul Pogba.

The Frenchman rejoined the Red Devils from Juventus for a club-record fee in 2016, having left Manchester in acrimonious fashion four years earlier, with Raiola now claiming that Ferguson was the one to blame for his initial departure.

What's been said?

Ferguson, who won 38 trophies during his illustrious 26-year-reign at Old Trafford, has publicly stated that Raiola manipulated Pogba into leaving the club, but the super agent insists he tried his best to keep the midfielder at United.

“When Ferguson criticised me, that was my biggest compliment anybody could give me," Raiola told The Athletic. "Ferguson is used to people coming in and [saying]: ‘Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir’.

“All I have to say that when Ferguson left Manchester United the club’s owner [the Glazers], by buying back Paul Pogba, told me that I was right. Because I didn’t want to take Paul Pogba away. [Ferguson] didn’t believe in Paul Pogba.

“So when Ferguson says: ‘I don’t like him’, it’s the biggest compliment that I could have. It’s like saying Sepp Blatter says: ‘I don’t like him’. Fantastic. I don’t care what Ferguson says."

Pressed on how his handling of Pogba has affected his relationship with United, Raiola responded: "I don’t give a f*ck if I never do another player with Manchester United. I’m not in their hands.

"I’m independent. We have only one party that we take care of: our players. And as long as our players like us, you do what you have to do.”

What has Raiola said about Pogba this season?

Raiola has fueled transfer rumours throughout Pogba's second spell with the Red Devils, who saw their preparations for a crucial Champions League clash with RB Leipzig disrupted by his comment's on the World Cup winner's future in December.

He told Tuttosport in the days before the game: "I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United. 

"Paul is unhappy with Man United as he is no longer able to express himself in the way that he would like and as he is expected to. Paul needs a new team, a change of air."

Raiola was subsequently criticised by current United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and supporters and pundits across the country, and gave a far more sarcastic response when quizzed on Pogba's situation again in the new year.

"Pogba must also be left alone. When I speak people get nervous, he doesn't sleep at night, so I don't speak anymore," he said. "I will do what I have to do not in front of you, but in the shadows, as I always have."

Will Pogba still be a United player in 2021-22?

United triggered their one-year extension option on Pogba back in October, which ties him to the club until June 30, 2022.

However, the France international has admitted that he dreams of playing for Real Madrid one day, and Zinedine Zidane is reportedly keen on linking up with his compatriot at Santiago Bernabeu.

Pogba has also been linked with a return to Juventus, with it suggested that the Red Devils will seek to cash in on a prized asset before he becomes a free agent.

Further reading

At least three Uganda Premier League teams will be eliminated from the Uganda Cup in the Round of 32 after the draw was made on Tuesday.

Reigning league champions Viper SC who won the competition way back in 2016 will be battling for a slot in the next round against Busoga United. The recent meeting was in December 2020 in a league assignment where the Venoms claimed a 5-3 win despite being away.

Kyetume have been paired against 10-time champions Express FC. The Red Eagles aim at making a return to the continental assignment and this will be the shortest route possible.

In another all-UPL clash, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) FC will play Mbarara City FC.

Onduparaka will play Luwero FC while Wakiso Giants will battle to advance against minnows Water FC. Another UPL side BUL FC will play Blacks Power as KCCA FC tackle Nyamityobora. 

Malaba Youth Development Association (Myda) FC play Proline FC as Police FC make a trip to Calvary FC.

The competition will be played on a home and away basis with the games set to be played between April 5-11. In this edition, only teams playing in the UPL and the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) Big League will be considered.

The overall winner will take part in the Caf Confederation Cup next season. Last season, KCCA FC had the opportunity to represent Uganda in the competition. The annual tournament was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic and Fufa opted to give Kasasiro Boys an opportunity to play in the continental competition.

However, they were eliminated by AS Kigali of Rwanda.

Full fixture:
Terrazo & Tiles FC vs Maroons FC
Onduparaka FC vs Luwero Utd FC
Vipers SC vs Busoga Utd FC
Water FC vs Wakiso Giants FC
Kitara FC vs Kigezi HomeBoyz FC
Blacks Power FC vs BUL FC
KCCA FC vs Nyamityobora FC
Gadafi FC vs Mbale Heroes FC
Proline FC vs MYDA FC
Kyetume FC vs Express FC
Kataka FC vs Tooro Utd FC
Paidha Black Angels vs Soltilo Bright Stars FC
Police FC vs Calvary FC
URA FC vs Mbarara City FC
Arua Hill FC vs UPDF FC
SC Villa vs Ndejje University FC

Simba SC coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has promised to use the remaining time to study videos of AS Vita Club ahead of their Caf Champions League fixture on Saturday.

The Msimbazi giants will host the Democratic Republic of the Congo outfit at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday seeking a draw to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in the club’s history.

However, with three days remaining before the team’s face-off, coach Da Rosa has bemoaned missing some of his key players who travelled to various countries to represent their national teams in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.

It is the reason the French tactician has said with limited time on his side, that he will have to opt to classes with his squad when they return, so they can study their rivals ahead of the vital clash on Saturday.

“Given the limited time we have to be with my full squad I have decided to organise a class with all my players and my assistants,” Da Rosa is quoted saying by Sokalabongo.

“In that class, we will be looking at various videos of matches that AS Vita have played in the group stage including ours so we can remind ourselves where we are and what we need to do.

“Personally I have done that and there are things I have discovered but now I want to show my players so they understand what to do in the 90 minutes of the game against AS Vita.

“After watching the videos on April 2 [Good Friday], we will practice lightly on the field with the same actions we saw through the video from AS Vita on how to stop and attack them.

“From the training program I have set one thing I know we will have to devise other ways of stopping them and we will not approach them as we did in the first meeting when we beat them away, my plan is to attack them from the first whistle and we must create chances to score, so we can finish them earlier enough.”

Gomes further admitted they will face a trough AS Vita who are also looking to win the game to revive their chances and will also not like to lose twice to the same team.

“If we had enough time it would mean we could put our many plans together but it doesn't matter how the situation is we will prepare the team to go and reap three points in the match,” Gomes continued and urged fans not to worry even if they do not enter the field.

Caf has already communicated to Simba that fans will not be allowed to attend the match owing to Covid-19 restrictions and it will be the second time in the competition that Simba will play minus their fans at Mkapa.

The first time was against Al Merrikh of Sudan whom they ended up beating 3-0.

Erling Haaland always had the "personality" to reach the top, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has described the Manchester United-linked striker as a born winner.

Haaland is attracting attention from elite clubs across Europe heading into the summer transfer window, having established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in the Bundesliga and Champions League over the course of the 2020-21 campaign.

Solskjaer has not been surprised by the 20-year-old's rapid rise to prominence after working with the forward in the early stages of his career at Molde, claiming that his potential was clear to see as a teenager.

What has been said?

Asked if he knew Haaland would go onto become the player he is today, the United boss told Sky Sports: "Yeah. You can see the personality.

"He came as a 16-year-old, of course you never know with injuries, he struggled really badly with bad knees when he came. But I could see someone with a personality.

"I remember him brushing off and putting our centre-back and centre midfielders, two big, massive lads, he put them on the floor and asked them to get up. He’s a winner.

"He’s got a great personality, of course. He’s proving to everyone how good a player he is.

"We played against Zenit in the Europa League play-off and the referee came to me after and said, 'he’ll play in the Champions League soon'. We did know.

"He’s a top personality. I played with Alf [Haaland’s father], he’s a bit old school in that respect. He’s a winner."

Solskjaer on Haaland to United rumours 

The Red Devils were among a number of clubs credited with an interest in Haaland when he burst onto the continental stage at Red Bull Salzburg in the first half of the 2019-20 season.

Dortmund ended up winning the race for the Norwegian's signature in January last year, but United have been tipped to re-ignite their pursuit when the transfer window reopens.

Solskjaer admitted that he has been keeping a close eye on Haaland's progress in early February, but ultimately stopped short of confirming that he would like to bring him to Old Trafford.

"Erling will have a fantastic career. I’m following Erling. I've always said that. He is doing incredibly well for Dortmund, so we'll see where he ends up," he said.

"We will do what we can to become a better team, then he will do what he can to become a better player."

Haaland's explosive start at Dortmund

Haaland immediately hit the ground running following his move to Westfalenstadion from Salzburg, scoring 13 goals in his opening 15 Bundesliga outings for BVB.

He has reached even greater heights in his first full season on Dortmund's books, finding the net 33 times in 31 appearances across all competitions.

Haaland has scored 10 goals in the Champions League, with the forward currently leading the race to be the competition's top goalscorer ahead of a quarter-final showdown with Manchester City - who are also reportedly in the running to sign him this summer.

Further reading

Togo legend Emmanuel Adebayor has challenged Harambee Stars players to chase their dreams despite the hurdles that may come their way.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City star was at Kegue Stadium in Lome on Monday evening to witness how the Sparrowhawks fell 2-1 to the East Africans in the Africa Cup of Nations Group G qualifiers. Abdallah Hassan opened the scoring for the visitors before Masoud Juma doubled the advantage. The hosts got their goal courtesy of Henri Eninful.

With star striker Michael Olunga, goalkeeper Ian Otieno, defender Joash Onyango and midfielder Juma Lawrence reportedly testing positive for Covid-19 ahead of the dead rubber game, coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee had to hand debuts to the likes of James Saruni and Clyde Senaji who were part of the other four locally-based players who started the game against the West Africans.

One of the players in the room has now revealed to Goal what the 37-year-old told them.

"We started from somewhere and found our way; it was not easy but we made it," Adebayor said.

"So I just want to tell you guys to believe in your dreams, no matter what, give it your 100% nobody knows what tomorrow is made of. You can become a hero or become a villain. Put all your chances on your side to become a hero."

After Monday's results, Kenya ended their unsuccessful campaign to Cameroon in third position in their group with seven points that came from four draws, a win and a loss. They managed to score seven goals and conceded as many.

Togo had to be content with a place at the bottom of the table with just two points that came from draws against Harambee Stars and Comoros respectively.

They scored three goals in the process and conceded eight to end the campaign with a goal difference of negative five.

Seven-time Afcon champions Egypt hammered Comoros 4-0 to top the group with 12 points while the latter came in second with three points less. As a result, they will be part of the teams to take part in the biennial competition.

It is the first time the Islanders will be taking part in the competition.