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Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed the biggest regret of his 26-year reign at Manchester United.

Ferguson transformed United from top-flight also-rans into the most successful club in English football history between 1986 and 2013.

The Scot experienced plenty of lows in addition to the highs, though, and has now admitted that he still feels guilty over dis-assembling one of his best squads at the beginning of the Premier League era.

What's been said?

"In terms of the regrets, the 1994 team I had, the back four all seemed to grow old together, and that’s a terrible thing to happen to the manager because these guys were fantastic for me," Ferguson said during in a Q&A session while promoting his upcoming documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In.

"Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin: Fantastic players. They gave me nine or 10 years and the evidence is always on the football field. They don’t see it. I see it.

"The problem for me is ‘what do I do about it?’. I managed to organise a move for them, and they did well out of it, but telling them is very, very difficult."

The ex-United boss added: "The same when having to let young players go. The process was the youth coach and the welfare chap would come in with the player you’re going to let go.

"Maybe he’s only 17, 18 years of age. The way we’d explain it is we’d try and get him a team. We’d try and get him a club and ‘we’re sorry we’re having to do this’. That’s terrible.

"That is the worst thing, having to let a young player go. All his ambitions and hopes and desires are about playing for Manchester United in front of 75,000 people and going to Wembley in a final.

"That’s the ambition of every young kid that comes to Manchester United, and when you take that away from him, it’s a sore, sore thing. So I hated that. I hated that.”

What did Ferguson achieve at Man Utd?

Ferguson managed a grand total of 1,500 games across all competitions during his time with the Red Devils, boasting a win rate of 60 per cent. The 79-year-old delivered 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League crowns and five FA Cups.

Sir Alex's favourite memory

Ferguson also picked out his most cherished memory at Old Trafford, ranking the Red Devils' first Premier League triumph above the rest of the impressive achievements he was able to share with supporters.

He added on bringing the club's 26-year-wait for domestic success to an end in 1992-1993: “Oh, the day we won the league for the first time. God almighty! I couldn’t get out the car park!

"There were thousands of them. I went there in the afternoon because they wanted a photograph taken with the trophy and I went there at about three o’clock. There were thousands there and I couldn’t get out of my car, they were engulfing me. It was unbelievable.

"So what you were doing that day was satisfying the anxiety and relief of 26 years. That’s what I was doing that day. These supporters had been suffering for 26 years and finally that day they showed their love for me. They could have made me President for that day!”

Further reading

Nwankwo Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha have commended the Super Eagles’ performance following their 1-0 victory over Benin in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Nigeria waited until the 93rd minute to grab maximum points at the Stade Charles de Gaulle, thanks to Paul Onuachu’s header.

The victory stretched Nigeria’s tally in Group L to 11 points as they remain unbeaten after five matches, which leaves Benin and Sierra Leone to battle for the last qualifying ticket in the group in Tuesday’s crunch match in Freetown.

Immediately after the historic win in Porto-Novo, which ended Benin's unbeaten home record since 2013 and secured Nigeria's qualification, Okocha took to social media to thumbs up Gernot Rohr's men.

Kanu, on his part, hailed the Super Eagles for the result which he described as a "massive win".

The duo are considered icons of Nigerian football because they left their mark on the national team during their playing days.

Okocha made his Super Eagles debut in 1993 during a World Cup qualifying match against Ivory Coast while Kanu recorded his maiden appearance for Nigeria in a friendly outing against Sweden in 1994.

Okocha played a key role in helping the Super Eagles qualify for their first World Cup in 1994 and he also helped the country win their second Africa Cup of Nations title that same year in Tunisia.

The 44-year-old, who was the former Chairman of the Delta State Football Association, played 73 games for the Super Eagles with 14 goals to his name.

Renowned for his heroics at the 1996 Olympics, Kanu ended his international career after Nigeria's group-stage exit from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but he scored a total of 13 goals in 87 matches.

The former Arsenal and Ajax star also scooped the African Footballer of the Year award twice, in 1996 and 1999.

Germany No 1 Manuel Neuer can stay at the top level "for a few more years", according to Joachim Low.

Neuer, 35, has enjoyed an illustrious career at the very highest level of the game spanning 17 years, winning numerous major trophies at club level with Bayern Munich and the World Cup with his country.

It has been suggested that his time as Germany's first-choice goalkeeper is now drawing to a close, but Low still thinks he has plenty to offer because he remains fully focused on winning the most important titles in the game.

What's been said?

Speaking ahead of Germany's World Cup qualifying clash with Romania on Sunday, Low told reporters of Neuer's durability: "At the moment he makes a completely well-trained impression. 

"He's turned 35, he's had an incredible career so far. He is highly motivated, still has big goals, is hungry for titles, so I think he can play at this level for a few more years."

Who is pushing for Neuer's spot in the Germany team?

There are currently three goalkeepers aiming to displace Neuer in Low's set-up with a view to this summer's European Championships.

Barcelona star Marc-Andre ter Stegen has served as Neuer's No 2 for years, and continues to push hard for the main role between the sticks after another superb season at Camp Nou.

Bernd Leno is also in the frame, but an erratic 2020-21 campaign at Arsenal has done little to boost his chances of featuring at the Euros, while Eintracht Frankfurt's Kevin Trapp also made Low's shortlist for the latest international break.

Neuer's record for Germany

Neuer has appeared in a total of 97 games for Germany since making his debut in 2009, including Thursday's 3-0 win against Iceland.

The Bayern keeper won the Golden Glove after Die Mannschaft's run to World Cup glory in Brazil in 2014, and also has a Confederation Cup winners' medal to his name.

Further reading

Arsenal are keeping tabs on Nabil Fekir as a possible alternative to Martin Odegaard this summer.

The Gunners have been long-term admirers of the France international, and were interested in him before he moved from Lyon to Real Betis in 2019.

Fekir has spent the past two years in Spain and remains on the radar of Arsenal, who will be looking to bring in another attacking midfielder in the summer.

What’s the situation?

Arsenal’s primary focus at the end of the season will be to try and find a way of keeping Odegaard, who is due to go back to Real Madrid once his loan deal expires.

The north London club do not have a clause in the deal which would allow them to make the Norway international’s move but permanent, but have agreed with Madrid to discuss the situation in the summer.

Ideally, Arsenal would like to sign the 23-year-old on a permanent basis, but it is currently unclear whether Madrid would be open to that or whether Arsenal would even have the funds to do a deal.

Another season-long loan could be an option, but Goal can confirm that Arsenal are looking at Fekir as an alternative and have been keeping close tabs on him during his time with Betis in Spain.

How much would Fekir cost?

The 27-year-old has two years remaining on his contract at Betis and has a £77 million ($106m/€90m) release clause.

That is not a figure Arsenal would go anywhere near, however, nor is it what the Spanish club would demand.

Betis have to sell some players this summer due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic and Goal has learnt they would be looking for around £26m ($36m/€30m) to part with Fekir, who has recently switched agents ahead of a potential move this summer.

How has Fekir performed in Spain?

After failing to land his move to Liverpool in 2018, Fekir eventually left Lyon to join Betis the following summer.

He ended his first season in Spain with seven goals and four assists from 31 appearances and has netted three times so far this season in all competitions, adding a further five assists for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Further Reading

Bert van Mawijk is content with the progress that his troops have made since he took charge. This is his third national training camp and the Dutch manager wants to spend more time on the training field to implement a new system rather than play competitive games. 

UAE are in a spot of bother as far as their standing in the World Cup Qualification table is concerned as they sit fourth with just six points from four games. They will look to make amends when they get back to their campaign against Malaysia on June 3, following which they take on Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam in the space of 12 days. However, the UAE have four matches in hand while their opponents have one less. 

Up against India next

But before that Marwijk's men will go up against India in a friendly on Monday evening and he is happy with the preparations. 

"I think they (UAE) have improved. Because we worked with a lot of young players and I saw that they were physically stronger and they have gotten better. It’s given me a good feeling," stated the manager to The National.

UAE was supposed to play Malaysia and Indonesia this weekend, but due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic AFC (Asian Football Confederation) was forced to postpone the fixtures to June. But the Whites will have an advantage as they are going to host the remaining fixtures and hence will play the four matches in their own backyard. 

Marwijk thinks that they are going to fare better in the upcoming qualifiers as they have played against the opponents. 

"We know our opponents because we played them one time already. Originally we were to have three games at home, now we have four. So I think we have a good chance because we know the opponents, we know how to play against them. And, if everybody stays fit … I cannot guarantee anything, but I think we have a good chance to qualify for the next round."

But UAE will be playing close matches in June which will not allow them enough time to recover, which is a cause of concern for Marwijk. 

Fitness concerns

“It’s very difficult, but I cannot change it. I have to deal with it,” Van Marwijk said. “We have already spoken about it with the whole staff and we will do everything as professional as possible. We will also invite a few people I know who are specialists in these things.

“Because our opponents play three matches at the same time, so it’s playing and recovering, playing and recovering. And then the climate. So we have to think very professionally and we will do that," he stated. 

The former Netherlands manager has dropped Ismail Matar from the squad and he chose not to explain his decision. 

"I will not answer questions regarding why I nominate a player, yes or no. I’m building a new team and in the new team are a lot of young players. I’m satisfied with the players I have now and I will work together with them hopefully for a long time," he concluded. 

South Africa star Percy Tau says they are not new to the nervy situation they are facing against Sudan in Sunday’s final Group C Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Omdurman.

A draw against Sudan, who are a point behind them, will be enough to secure participation at the Afcon finals to be staged in Cameroon in January 2022.

In the qualifiers for the last Afcon edition, Bafana Bafana had to wait until the final match to confirm a ticket for Egypt 2019.

They went into the last game needing to avoid defeat against Libya in neutral Tunisia, but they won 2-1 with Tau grabbing a brace.

Molefi Ntseki's side now face a similar situation against Sudan as they need to just avoid losing.

“It happened before‚ and we would love it to happen again. There’s still another match for us,” said Tau as per Sowetan Live.

“Look I think we are in a difficult group. And other teams are also finding it difficult. When Sudan win and they have nine points it’s different to how it was when they had six points. But then‚ we’re looking forward to the next game.

“If it means we have to win away we’ll still celebrate the same way we would have loved to celebrate [against Ghana]. And it will never change.”

A defeat in Sudan would spell doom for Bafana and end their hopes of going to Cameroon next year.

Tau is one of the outstanding players for South Africa in this campaign with four goals to his name in five matches.

Meanwhile, Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo underlined the importance of Sunday’s fixture, saying they can feel the weight of expectations on them.

“We as players are the ones who are going to be doing the job on the field and we know how important it is,” Hlatshwayo told the media on Saturday.

“We know this is a decider, the last match of the group. The winner qualifies for Afcon in Cameroon.

"As a team, we have a mandate internally and that is to make sure we qualify for Afcon.

"Obviously as a country, as a team and everyone in South Africa supporting us is expecting us to win against Sudan.”

Dayot Upamecano "cannot be a leader" according to Holger Badstuber, who says the young defender will need support at Bayern Munich.

Upamecano will bring his impressive four-year spell at RB Leipzig to an end when he moves to Allianz Arena this summer.

Bayern saw off competition from a host of top European clubs to broker a €42.5 million (£36m/$50m) deal for the Frenchman, but Badstuber has moved to temper expectations surrounding the centre-back.

What's been said?

"Such a young player does not come to Bayern and is the leader. I do not hear him. You cannot be a leader if you are so calm," the former Bayern star, who currently plies his trade at Stuttgart, told BILD. "You have to direct, give instructions. I see Lucas Hernandez there!"

Why did Bayern target Upamecano?

Upamecano has proved himself as one of the most talented young defenders in the game during his time at Leipzig, helping the club emerge as a major force in both the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Bayern were among those to take notice of his stellar performances, and they stole a march on their rivals by landing his signature outside the transfer window.

Upamecano will reinforce the treble winners' back-line as they prepare for the departure of David Alaba, who has announced his intention to leave the club at the end of the season.

Bayern will hope Upamecano can fill the boots of the Austrian as they bid to continue their dominance on domestic and European fronts.

Upamecano's record at Leipzig

Upamecano has racked up 145 appearances across all competitions for Leipzig since making his debut for the Saxony-based outfit in 2017. 32 of those outings have come in the 2020-21 campaign.

What's next?

Upamecano will come up against his employers-to-be when Leipzig welcome Bayern to Red Bull Arena after the international break. Julian Nagelsmann's side can move to within a point of the Bundesliga leaders if they pick up a home win, with seven games to play afterwards.

Further reading

Nairobi City Stars forward Nicholas Kipkirui has come out to blame the unending financial problems at former FKF Premier League club Gor Mahia for slowing down his professional journey and life.

The young striker joined K’Ogalo from Zoo FC and went ahead to help them to clinch the league title in the 2019-20 season under coach Steven Polack, when the campaign was prematurely ended owing to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in the country.

And despite starting the 2020-21 season at Gor Mahia, Kipkirui opted to stay away from attending training and playing in subsequent matches, demanding his accrued salary arrears to be paid, a decision which saw him also miss the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup campaigns.

Kipkirui has said he was stressed playing for the Kenyan champions because he could not get money to pay his house rent, and this meant he was not able to concentrate 100 percent on the pitch.

“When you leave the house stressed up, there is no way you will concentrate and deliver 100 percent on the pitch,” Kipkirui said as quoted by Standard Sports.

“As a professional footballer, you must be stable, in the right frame of mind, and in good health for you to perform consistently at this level. The off the pitch issues will definitely affect your performance and that’s exactly the situation I have found myself in lately.

“I understand the money the sponsor was giving the club was not good enough to cater for all our needs but it is obvious once there is less sponsorship, the club will struggle.

“And for one to make such a decision of leaving a team of Gor Mahia calibre, you must have consulted widely.”

Kipkirui continued: “I think this was the right time for me to leave, but those financial challenges played a big role in my decision making. You can only achieve your targets when you are stable. I left the club in good faith after discussing and agreeing with the officials.”

Kipkirui, who joined the list of players to have quit K’Ogalo over the same problem, further stated: “Everything happens for a reason and situation. I can’t blame anyone for my move from Gor Mahia but the club’s current situation forced me to leave.”

Last season, defender Joash Onyango was among the first players to ditch K’Ogalo as he signed for Simba SC of Tanzania while keeper Fredrick Odhiambo left to sign for Wazito FC.

Other players who followed the exit door include Boniface Omondi to Wazito, Lawrence Juma to Sofapaka, keeper David Mapigano to Azam FC of Tanzania, striker Juma Balinya who moved to Uganda’s KCCA FC, and defender Dickson Ambundo to promoted side Dodoma Jiji in Tanzania.

UAE Arabian Gulf League outfit Bani Yas are eager to sign Argentine Nicolas Jimenez on a permanent deal from his parent club Talleres, following his impressive displays in the league. 

Several reports have emerged stating that the club management has held several rounds of talks with Talires regarding the same. Salih Ismaili, a member of the club's board of directors, confirmed these reports, indicating that they are proceeding with the move.

He told the Emirati newspaper Al-Ittihad, "Bani Yas is keen to preserve the strength of the team by renewing player contracts, and the beginning was with Khaled Al-Attas and Gaston Suarez. Matters regarding the purchase of Jimenez's contract are going in the right way. We will soon reach an agreement that will please the player and the club."

He has been a revelation in the league this season and has garnered a lot of attention with his goal contributions. In 20 matches, he has scored and assisted seven times each. 

It is noteworthy that Bani Yas recently announced the renewal of midfielder Gaston Suarez's contract until 2022, with a clause allowing the renewal of an additional season.

Bani Yas is locked in steep competition with Al Jazira at the top of the table for the league title and Jimenez has been instrumental behind their upsurge. They are currently at the first position with 48 points from 22 matches, one point ahead of Ali Mabkhout and co. 

With just four matches to go, they have their fortunes firmly in their hands. If they do not drop points then in May, they will surely be crowned champions for the third time. In their next match, they will lock horns against third-placed Sharjah. 

South Africa face what is an hour of reckoning when they come up against Sudan in the final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Al Hilal Stadium on Sunday.

Needing at least a point to qualify, Bafana Bafana are currently second in Group C with 10 points while Sudan are just below in third spot with nine points.

Hosts Sudan go into this match knowing that nothing else but victory is what they need to qualify for the Afcon finals for the first time since 2012.

That makes Sunday’s clash a potentially stormy one especially so since Sudan beat group leaders Ghana 1-0 the last time they played at home last November.

That could also be a worry for Bafana Bafana who have a slight advantage but need to avoid defeat at all costs.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

South Africa would be on the watch for Al Hilal striker Mohamed Abdelrahman, who has scored in Sudan’s last two matches, including his winner against Ghana.

Abdelrahman was also on target in the 2-0 win away in Sao Tome e Principe on Wednesday.

No updates on injury and suspensions from this Sudan squad predominantly made by Al Hilal and Al Merreikh SC players are available, a situation that has made them not endure the stress of players not being released by their clubs for national duty.

Prior to these final qualifying matches, the Bafana camp was been hit by injuries and Covid-19 restrictions and now the latest is the withdrawal of Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Andile Jali and Bongani Zungu.

Jali sustained a groin injury against Ghana last Thursday and lasted just 24 minutes in that match.

Orlando Pirates’ Ben Motshwari is expected to step in for Jali.

South Africa will also do duty without Zungu, who pulled out of the trip to Sudan at the last minute.

After missing the Ghana match, the Rangers midfielder was expected to link up with the team for the Sudan fixture.

But his club did not permit him to travel through what Scotland identify as coronavirus red zones.

Star attacker Percy Tau, who has scored four goals in this qualifying campaign, is fit for Sunday’s match following fitness concerns after he twice limped against Ghana.

Match Preview

The last time South Africa visited Sudan saw them convincingly winning 3-0 courtesy of a brace by substitute Sibusiso Vilakazi and a Bongani Ndulula strike in September 2014.

Captain Thulani Hlatshwayo is the only player from the current squad who made that trip to Omdurman while Jali, Dean Furman and Keagan Dolly, who failed to make the trip to Sudan, were also present back then.

The following fixture came two months later with Bafana posting a 2-1 home win to complete a double in the 2015 Afcon qualifiers.

Bafana have enjoyed a 100 percent record against Sudan, whom they have beaten in all three meetings between the sides, the latest being a 1-0 home victory in these qualifiers in November 2019 when Lebogang Phiri’s strike decided the contest.

Sunday’s match will be South Africa’s first away assignment since they were upstaged 2-0 by Ghana in the opening match of the current Afcon qualifiers in November 2019.

In their last five games, Molefi Ntseki’s Bafana have two victories, as many draws and a defeat by Zambia in an international friendly.

As for Sudan, they have managed two wins, a draw and two defeats in their last five games and the wins were against Ghana and Sao Tome.

Tottenham star Harry Kane admits that he does not currently know whether he has a future with the Premier League side amid reports he could leave in the summer. 

Kane, 27, has become a firm favourite at Spurs thanks to his goalscoring exploits. 

That ability in front of the net has also caught the attention of Europe's biggest clubs, though, leading to constant transfer speculation over the England striker. 

What was said? 

 “I think that’s a hard question to answer right now," Kane told reporters when asked if he had to leave Tottenham in order to win trophies. 

“It’s important that all my focus is on the two England games coming up now and the rest of the season with Spurs and then the Euros.

“To be thinking about speculation or rumours would be damaging in terms of my own performance.

“I always like to be focused on one goal and one job and that’s to finish strong with Spurs, win these qualifiers with England and hopefully go on and have a great Euros.

“Look, I try to stay out of that speculation as much as possible. I’m fully focused on doing the job on the pitch from now until the end of the summer and then we’ll see where we go from there.”

The bigger picture

Kane joined Spurs as an 11-year-old and has spent his entire professional career with the club, save a handful of loan spells when he was starting out at senior level. 

To date he has scored 215 goals in 327 appearances in all competitions, making him Spurs' second highest scorer of all time behind Jimmy Greaves. 

There is one glaring omission on the striker's CV, however: he is yet to win a single major trophy with his boyhood club. 

EFL Cup and Champions League runners-up medals are as close as Kane has come to silverware, although he will receive another chance to break that duck in April when Tottenham take on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final. 

Further reading 

Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted he wears the Portugal captain’s armband with pride, and that he threw it to the ground in anger because “an entire nation is being harmed.”

Portugal’s World Cup qualifier with Serbia on Saturday ended in controversy, as Ronaldo appeared to have a legitimate goal not given in injury time.

He reacted furiously at the final whistle, and stormed down the tunnel after tossing the armband away following a 2-2 draw.

The incident

Portugal had let a two-goal lead slip, but launched a late attack and Ronaldo thought he had scored a dramatic winner when stabbing a shot beyond Serbia goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic. 

He set off in celebration, at the moment the ball was hooked clear by Serbia defender Stefan Mitrovic. 

Ronaldo was convinced the ball had crossed the line, and TV replays appeared to back up that assessment, but the referee’s assistant did not give the goal.

After continuing his protests, Ronaldo was cautioned by referee Danny Makkelie, and shortly afterwards he stormed off the pitch - leaving his armband behind.

What was said?

The legendary forward’s reaction raised eyebrows, especially the jettisoning of his armband, and he took to Instagram to explain his actions.

“Being captain of the Portugal team is one of the greatest privileges of my life and fills me with pride,” Ronaldo said. “I always give and will give everything for my country, that will never change. 

“But there are difficult times to deal with, especially when we feel that an entire nation is being harmed.”

Portugal face Luxembourg on Tuesday and Ronaldo issued a rallying call.

“Lift your head and face the next challenge now,” he said. “Come on, Portugal.” 

No criticism from the boss

Portugal coach Fernando Santos was equally unhappy with the controversial incident, demanding technology be introduced, and said Ronaldo’s reaction was down to frustration and disappointment.

“I’ve been told he did not react well,” Santos said. “It is the normal frustration of those who score Portugal's winning goal that did not count.”

Further reading

Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman said his side's shock 1-0 home loss to Luxembourg on Saturday was "embarrassing".

Gerson Rodrigues scored an 85th-minute winner for Luxembourg in Dublin, consigning the home side to one of the darkest days in their footballing history.

Luxembourg's win in was only their fourth away victory in Euro and World Cup qualifiers in 125 tries since 2008, and it dropped Ireland to back-to-back losses to begin a World Cup qualifying campaign for the first time since 1970.

What has been said?

“Listen, there’s anger and embarrassment, a bit of everything. It’s not good enough," Coleman said to RTE.

“There are no words that I can say to you, or to people at home, to make it better, or anything like that.

“As players, we need to have a good hard look at ourselves. You need people demanding the ball out there. I don’t think we've done that enough. Maybe if we’re building up one side, you need people to want it out the other side and I don’t think we heard enough voices.

"I got to come out here and do an interview, but there are no words for that there. That’s embarrassing. On behalf of everyone at home watching … As players, we take that on the chin, but it’s nowhere near what we wanted.

“As senior players, you take it on the chin, take the deserved criticism and keep going forward. It’s a tough start for the World Cup campaign, but you’ve got to show some pride in the shirt, and I didn’t think we did that tonight."

Ireland's sinking World Cup hopes

Having previously lost to Serbia, Ireland sit bottom of Group A through two games without playing favourites Portugal yet.

Most indicators point to continued struggles for the squad as it tries to turn things around and make the 2022 World Cup. Ireland remain winless in seven matches in Euro and World Cup qualifiers since beating Gibraltar in June 2019, and they're also winless under current manager Stephen Kenny.

Further reading

Portugal coach Fernando Santos has called for the introduction of goal-line technology in international football following the controversial end to his side’s 2-2 draw with Serbia.

With the World Cup qualifier tied in added time, Cristiano Ronaldo latched onto a lofted cross into the box and poked the ball beyond Serbia goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic and towards goal.

Ronaldo watched intently and then wheeled away in celebration as the ball appeared to cross the line before being hooked clear - only for the officials to wave play on.

The aftermath

Ronaldo continued to celebrate in front of the referee’s assistant who did not give the goal, and then pleaded for the effort to be awarded. 

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s protests continued and to rub salt into his wounds, he was given a yellow card by referee Danny Makkelie.

Once the final whistle was blown, Ronaldo stormed towards the tunnel and tossed away his captain’s armband, gesticulating wildly as he left the pitch.

What was said?

Santos would not be drawn to comment on Ronaldo’s furious reaction, but had plenty to say on the subject of technology and VAR.

“The referee apologised and I have great respect for him, but it is not permissible that, in a competition like this, there is no VAR or goal-line technology,” Santos is quoted as saying by A Bola. “The ball was half a metre inside the goal, there was no obstacle between the goalkeeper and the goal line. It was very clear. 

“He (Makkelie) apologised to me but this is not going to solve the problem.

“The referees make mistakes, they are human, but this is what VAR exists for.”

Technology issues

Santos’ frustrations are understandable, given it appeared his side were denied a goal that would have been awarded in any of the top European leagues.

But the European World Cup qualifiers are being played without VAR, which is to level the playing field as not all grounds will have the technology available. As a result, the governing bodies took the decision to not use it in any of the games.

Further reading

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo tore off his armband in anger and went straight to the dressing room after seeing his last-minute winner against Serbia ignored in Saturday's World Cup qualifier. 

The Juventus ace thought that he had salvaged victory for the visitors after they had squandered a two-goal lead. 

But his strike was wrongly deemed to have not crossed the line, leaving a relieved Serbia to celebrate a 2-2 draw while Portugal raged at the match officials.

What happened? 

Having opened their qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Azerbaijan, the reigning European champions were hoping to make it six points out of six on Saturday. 

Diogo Jota proved key, scoring both goals to put the Selecao comfortably ahead before half-time. 

Serbia did not give up, though, netting through Aleksandar Mitrovic and Filip Kostic after the break to level the game. 

All those efforts, though, looked set to end in vain when Ronaldo squeezed the ball over the line in the dying seconds, despite Mitrovic's desperate efforts to clear. 

But while television replays showed that the ball had clearly crossed, no goal was forthcoming; and Ronaldo, who had already wheeled away in celebration, began remonstrating with the linesman while play continued around him. 

The forward earned a yellow card for his troubles and stormed off the pitch even before the final whistle sounded, tossing his captain's armband onto the floor for good measure. 

Where is the technology?

Such incidents have been largely consigned to the past in elite football due to the advent of goal-line technology. 

The system, which helps officials determine whether the ball has fully crossed the line, first appeared at the World Cup in 2014 and even earlier in certain national leagues, although UEFA were slower to adopt it, finally using the technology for Euro 2016 and the following Champions League campaign. 

Neither goal-line technology nor VAR are in place in the qualifiers, however, meaning Ronaldo continues to seek his first goal of the campaign after also drawing a blank against Azerbaijan.

Further reading

Aleksandar Mitrovic created a piece of history for himself by becoming Serbia’s all-time leading scorer.

The Fulham man is only 26 years old, but he overhauled Stjepan Bobek with his goal against Portugal in World Cup qualifying on Saturday.

Mitrovic is struggling for regular playing time at Fulham, but he is a key figure for his country and he inspired the side to come from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Portugal.

Mitrovic’s record

The forward, who arrived in England to play for Newcastle before departing for Fulham in 2018, is a key player for his country and his effort against Portugal took him to 39 goals in 64 appearances.

The goal took him past Bobek, whose 38 goals came in 63 appearances between 1946 and 1956 for the then Yugoslavia.

Confidence key for Mitro

It’s fair to say the forward arrived at the game with Portugal with a spring in his step, after scoring twice in the win over Republic of Ireland earlier in the week.

The first goal was an audacious chip over Mark Travers from a full 30 yards after spotting the Ireland goalkeeper slightly off his line.

Mitrovic and his Serbia team-mates will now limber up for a clash with Azerbaijan on Tuesday knowing a win would cement their position at the head of Group A.

The forward is a bit-part player for Fulham, but his efforts on international duty may have given manager Scott Parker a timely reminder of his abilities and he could be of value as the Cottagers attempt to fight their way out of relegation trouble in the final weeks of the season.

Further reading

The Liga Betplay is the top level of football in Colombia, with 19 teams from across the country fighting it out in the 2021 edition which started in January. 

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

The campaign is divided into two stages, with a winner crowned at the end of each phase following a play-off competition involving the best eight teams from the regular season.

Both the Apertura and Finalizacion are counted as league victories in their own right, marking a return to the previous format following alterations to the system during the Covid-affected 2020 season.

How to watch Independiente Medellin vs Atletico Nacional

In-form Medellin sit comfortably inside the top eight which will advance to the play-offs, having won their last clash against America de Cali. 

That marked their fifth consecutive unbeaten game, of which they have emerged victorious on four occasions.

Their city rivals went into the weekend in first place, after extending their fine run of form midweek.

Wednesday's win over Jaguares was also their fourth in the last five games, and only two teams have got the better of the Verdolagas this season.

Independiente Medellin vs Atletico Nacional is available to stream worldwide on Fanatiz, where you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.

You can watch all of the 2021 Liga BetPlay season live on  Fanatiz .

Live Stream: Fanatiz English ( stream now )

What other Serie A matches are available on Fanatiz?

Watch the Liga BetPlay live on Fanatiz.