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Mohamed Elneny has confirmed his readiness to pen a new Arsenal contract with his current deal expected to run out in June 2022.

Elneny has been with the Gunners since January 2016 when he completed a permanent switch from Basel, and he was later handed an extension in 2018 after his fine performances under Arsene Wenger.

The 28-year-old has been impressive for Mikel Arteta's side this season and he was recently applauded for getting the reward for his hard work after a stunning goal against Olympiacos in their 3-1 win last Thursday.

With 30 appearances under his belt across all competitions so far, Elneny is enjoying his time in North London even as he continues to fight for a regular starting spot.

“Of course for me I always love Arsenal. If Arsenal said to me sign a new contract of course I will be happy to do this,” Elneny was quoted by Football London.

“Of course I want to always be in the first XI, I will be available to play all the time. I do everything I have to be in the starting eleven. If Mikel decides for me to be in the pitch, I do everything in training and build myself to be available.

“If he thinks I can start I will start, if he thinks I can be on the bench when I come in I'll do my best to hold my position. I need to always be available to help my team-mates.”

Elneny’s strike against Olympiacos in the Europa League Round of 16 was his second goal of the season, however, he revealed the daily work he is doing behind the scenes with one of the coaching staff, Steve Round.

He added: “Every day after training with Steve [Round], after training is finished he takes me for shooting training. I need to work on this because when I score goals everything becomes good for me.

“It's a nice feeling for me to help my team win the games and improve myself. This is something really nice and I need to keep working all the time.”

All four of Elneny’s goals for the Gunners have come in European competitions and he picked his maiden goal in a Uefa Champions League clash on March 16, 2016, as his all-time best.

“Always the favourite for me is the one against Barcelona. It was my first goal for Arsenal and it was the first game for me in the Champions League. It was nice to score and seeing the goal after I felt amazing,” he concluded.

Derby County centre-back Teden Mengi has signed a new long-term contract with parent club Manchester United.

The 18-year-old extended his contract which will keep him at the club until June 2024, with the option to extend for a further year.

Mengi, who is of Angolan background, shot into the limelight last term, having featured for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men in their 2-1 Europa League win over LASK at Old Trafford.

“Manchester United is delighted to announce that Teden Mengi has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until June 2024, with the option to extend for a further year,” a statement from the club read.

“Mengi is a product of the club’s famed Academy and has been at United since the age of seven.

“The 18-year-old, who made his debut in last season’s Europa League tie against LASK at Old Trafford, was promoted to the senior squad at the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

“During the first half of the season, Mengi trained with the first-team squad whilst featuring 10 times for Neil Wood’s Under-23s side.

“The England Under-19 international has captained United throughout the age groups and has been regularly praised for his mentality.

"The Academy graduate is the third United player to sign a long-term contract this week following on from Hannibal and Anthony Elanga.

“Mengi will be looking to hone his talents and maintain his development at the club over the coming years.”

In a bid to get regular first-team action, he was transferred to Pride Park Stadium, where he will continue his development under United's all-time leading goalscorer, Wayne Rooney.

He has already made six appearances for the Rams, relishing the opportunity to work under the English football icon.

Mengi was not the only player who has headed out of Old Trafford in January 2021. Facundo Pellistri, Ethan Laird, Jesse Lingard, Tahith Chong and James Garner have left the club on loan, while Timothy Fosu-Mensah joined Bayer Leverkusen on a permanent basis.

Despite featuring for England at U15, U16, U17 and U18 level, he is eligible to represent Angola at senior level.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said he is looking forward to welcoming Diogo Dalot back after his season-long loan at AC Milan. 

The full-back joined the Red Devils from Porto in 2018 in a deal worth £19 million ($24m) but failed to break through at Old Trafford, with injuries partly to blame. 

Dalot has enjoyed more regular playing time with Milan, leading to speculation the Rossoneri could look to purchase him at season's end.

What was said?

"The plan was always for Diogo this season, or the main thing for Diogo, was to be fit," Solskjaer said at a press conference ahead of his side's Europa League tie against AC Milan on Thursday. 

"He never managed to be fit for a long spell when he was here and was unfortunate with injuries.

"Now he's kept fit all season; he's been available for them. He's playing at a big club, big expectations and a great history, so it's been a good year for him.

"So, of course, I've been very pleased with his development this season. He's our player and we're looking forward to having him back."

How has Dalot fared in Milan?

After making 35 appearances over two seasons with United, Dalot has made 23 appearances for Milan so far this term, scoring two goals.

The 21-year-old has started 17 of those 23 games, proving an important figure as Milan have mounted challenges for the Serie A title as well as the Europa League.

Solskjaer plays down Van de Beek speculation

Much like Dalot did, recent signing Donny van de Beek has struggled to find regular minutes at Old Trafford this season. 

The Dutch midfielder has started just two Premier League games since joining from Ajax last summer, leading to speculation he could seek a quick exit.

Solskjaer, though, didn't address those rumours, saying: "There is always speculation here. Donny has been focusing really hard and working really hard to get back available for the latter stages of the season, so that's our focus."

What's next?

Manchester United and AC Milan will face off on Thursday at San Siro in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie. 

Milan have a slight advantage after the first leg, which ended in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. 

Further reading

Nigeria's Christy Ucheibe and Cape Verde's Jolina Amani starred as SL Benfica retained the Portuguese Women's League Cup, following a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Sporting CP on Wednesday night.

A 3-0 victory over Sporting Braga in January saw SL Benfica claim their inaugural Portuguese Women's League Cup, launched in 2019.

To achieve reach back-to-back finals, Benfica pipped Famalicao to earn a 3-0 semi-final win, while Sporting edged past last season's finalist Sporting Braga, with a 2-1 semi-final victory.

On Wednesday, coach Filipa Patao handed former Nigeria youth international Ucheibe a starting role for Braga, while Netherlands-born Cape Verdean Amani came off the bench for the Lisbon side.

Since February's final defeat to Sporting Braga, Benfica were eager to avoid back-to-back losses and Cloe Lassara got the Eagles an early lead after just four minutes at Estadio Municipal de Leiria.

After profiting from Sporting's defensive blunder, the holders maintained their high-flying start and soon found another breakthrough when Nycole doubled the lead in the 12 minutes.

Benfica suffered a major setback in the encounter when they were reduced to 10 players following the sending off of Beatriz Cameirao in the 34th minute but they held on to a 2-0 first-half lead.

After the restart, Sporting resumed the contest on a high, leveraging their numerical advantage as Bruna Costa rose high to head in a cross from the left win to pull one back in the 53rd minute.

Despite conceding one, the holders held their nerve, rebuffing attempts from Sporting for the rest of the match to retain the title.

Besides retaining the coveted crown, the Portuguese champions ended their four-match winless run against Sporting since 2019.

Ucheibe featured from the start to finish, while Amani was brought on in the 77th minute, to play their parts in Benfica's triumph.

After the Lisbon team's triumph, Benfica will continue their 2020/21 Portuguese Liga BPI title defence against Torreense on March 21.

Youssef El-Arabi hopes to recreate his "unforgettable" heroics when Olympiacos battle Arsenal for a place in the Uefa Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.

Pedro Martins' men face an uphill task at the Emirates Stadium after they suffered a 3-1 loss in the first leg of their Round of 16 encounter a week ago.

El-Arabi, who is Olympiacos' leading scorer with 22 goals so far this campaign, believes they can repeat last year's memorable feat against Mikel Arteta's side.

Back in February 2020, the Moroccan striker scored a late goal in extra-time which gave the Greek outfit a 2-1 victory at Arsenal and they progressed into the next round on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate score.

The 34-year-old scored Olympiacos' only goal last Thursday, and he thinks an early goal before half-time could boost their chances of securing a comeback win.

"We have to believe in ourselves and, I reckon, we have to fight till the end," El Arabi was quoted by the club website.

"We have to score a goal before the break and aim for our target in all 90 minutes, or even in overtime. Last year, we were lucky and celebrated in the end, I wish this happens this year as well."

When asked further about his late winner in North London last year, the Morrocan said: "Neither will I ever forget it. Why not do it again? We have to try till the end so we exit the pitch with a big smile on our face like last year."

El-Arabi will be expected to lead Olympiacos' frontline in the absence of Egyptian striker Ahmed Kouka, who suffered an injury during Sunday's Greek Super League outing.

Kouka scored the opening goal in their 3-1 victory over AE Larissa before he was replaced in the 37th minute.

Rangers centre-back Leon Balogun has revealed his side were over the moon after ending Celtic’s Scottish Premiership title dominance.

The Nigeria international teamed up with the Ibrox Stadium outfit last summer as a free agent after leaving Wigan Athletic.

The defender has been a consistent performer for the Gers since his arrival at the club and recently helped Steven Gerrard’s side clinch the Scottish Premiership title after a 10-year wait.

The trophy is the first for the Super Eagles defender in his career and he revealed he dreamt of achieving the feat with the Gers, and was particularly delighted his side ended the winning streak of their arch-rivals, Celtic.

"The cool thing about this is that I'm part of a team that has tried in the past few years to stop the other side of town and polish up the Rangers logo,” Balogun told Sport 1.

"It never happened and this season the big topic was to stop their '10 In A Row' which neither team has yet succeeded in doing.

"That's what makes the story so much bigger, especially in view of the recent past. Sure, for me it's the first league title in my career. But I have to let that sink in first.

"For the last six months of my contract with Brighton & Hove Albion, I played at Wigan Athletic. When my boys there heard that I was going to join Rangers, they all said to me 'unbelievable, that's awesome, you'll love that'.

"And I said to Chey Dunkley 'just watch, I'll be holding that trophy at the end of the season'. The easiest thing was to dream about it. Putting it into practice was a different matter.

"There are other guys in my team who have seen so much and had to put up with so much from the other side of town. Hence the title has a much greater meaning for them. But it was a successful first year for me."

The rivalry between Rangers and Celtic is so fierce that none of the Gers stars speaks the name of their rivals and Balogun quickly adapted to it on his arrival.

"I got used to that right away. I don't say the name of this other team, I always say, 'the ones from the other side of town'," he continued. 

"The rivalry between us and the club on the other side of town is incredible. The tenth title that club was aiming for was the big theme this season.

"Honestly I still have no real idea of this rivalry because no fans are allowed to be there yet.

"I get an insight through social media, or the last time before the game when we arrived at the stadium and the streets were full of fans and the police had to guide us through.

"But even then my teammates said to me 'Leon, you haven't seen anything yet'. I still have no idea how crazy our fans are, what it feels like to play in front of them."

Balogun has made 27 appearances for Rangers this season across all competitions and will be expected to feature when the Gers take on Slavia Praha in a Europa League game on Thursday.

Asamoah Gyan was on target for Legon Cities but his goal turned out to be only a consolation as his club succumbed to a 3-1 defeat to Ghana’s national team in a friendly fixture in Accra on Wednesday.

The former Sunderland and Udinese forward, who was making a return from injury since December, scored late in the second half but earlier goals by Mubarak Wakaso, Kwame Opoku and Imoro Salifu sealed a win for the Black Stars at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The match was a test fixture for Ghana as preparations continue for their upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against South Africa and Sao Tome later this month.

For Legon, on the other hand, the game was part of preparations for the resumption of the Ghana Premier League early next month as they currently sit only one place and two points above the relegation zone.

Opoku, on his way to Algerian side USM Alger, opened the scoring for the Black Stars. The striker then set up China-based midfielder Mubarak Wakaso, one of two foreign-based players in the team, to make it 2-0.

The former Deportivo Alaves man also then turned provider, assisting Salifu for the third goal.

Substitute Gyan, who last played for Ghana at the 2019 Afcon tournament, pulled a goal back for Legon in the 80th minute, slotting home a penalty.

The 35-year-old is back in the Ghana domestic league after agreeing on a short-term deal with the Royals in October last year.

"This was a very good test for us. We have a lot of positives to take from the game. We will continue to work and be ready for the start of the second round. Asamoah Gyan showed his class as usual,” Legon Cities coach Bashir Hayford said after the game, Footballghana reports.

After call-ups for U20 Afcon trio Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Dreams right-back Philemon Baffour and Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim on Tuesday, Ghana's camp squad number now stands at 27.

Dalian Professional striker Emmanuel Boateng, who famously scored a hat-trick against Barcelona during his time in La Liga with Levante, is the only other foreign-based player in the team.

The Black Stars are set to face South Africa away on March 25 before hosting Sao Tome in the last game of the qualifying series three days later.

Heading into the home stretch, Ghana sit top of the table in Group C ahead of South Africa, Sudan and Sao Tome. 

South Africa coach Desiree Ellis has revealed that she aims to get a balance between the foreign and local players, following the opening of a five-day camp in Johannesburg this week.

Banyana Banyana were yet to regroup since winning the 2020 Cosafa Women's Cup in November, with the squad comprising of only players who ply their trade at home.

To end their five months of inactivity, Ellis assembled 18 local players in a quest to commence preparations for the upcoming 2022 African Women's Cup of Nations qualifiers and Cosafa Women's Cup.

According to Safa's statement, the camp takes place from March 15 -19 2021 at the Safa National Technical Centre and the manager has stressed its benefits after a few months of hiatus.

“We just wanted to have an idea of where the players are at in terms of fitness," Ellis told Safa.net.

"This is a big year for us after losing a year of football due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

“The aim is to make sure that at the end of this year we are at a level where we were before the Fifa Women's World Cup and during the World Cup tournament.

“We wanted to make sure local players get to a certain level so that when the two get together, there isn’t a huge gap in terms of conditioning. 

"We also hope to assess new players in the squad but the main purpose is to get a balance when the time for selection comes."

Having failed to profit from February's Fifa international window, Ellis is hoping to get Banyana Banyana in shape ahead of the friendlies and invitationals in the April and June international windows.

SOUTH AFRICA SQUAD

Goalkeepers:  Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Kaylin Swart (JVW FC Johannesburg), Mapaseka Mpuru (University of Pretoria Pretoria)

Defenders: Bongeka Gamede (University of Western Cape), Karabo Makhurubetshi (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Tiisetso Makhubela (Tshwane University of Technology), Xiluva Tshabalala (Ma-Indies Polokwane), Ongeziwe Ndlangisa (Sunflower FC)

Midfielders: Mamello Makhabane (JVW FC), Nomvula Kgoale (Tshwane University of Technology), Nonhlanhla Mthandi (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Ntombifikile Ndlovu(Sunflower FC), Noxolo Cesane (University of Western Cape), Robyn Moodaly (JVW FC Johannesburg)

Forwards: Sibulele Holweni (University of Western Cape), Gabriela Salgado (JVW FC Johannesburg), Lonathemba Mhlongo (Durban Ladies FC), Kgaelebane Mohlakoana (Bloemfontein Celtic FC)

The upshot of Galatasaray’s two-game winless Super Lig run meant Fatih Terim rang the changes for the weekend’s trip to a Kayserispor side that had won two games on the trot.

One of the casualties of the 67-year-old manager’s tactical and personnel tweak was Henry Onyekuru, who’d gone off the boil after a really bright start on yet another return to Istanbul.

The wideman netted three times in his first two starts on his third loan spell at the side to banish memories of last year’s loan deal where he could only score one and register a solitary assist in eight starts (10 appearances in total). However, he’d gone over a month with little end product in the final third, which culminated in games against Ankaragucu and Sivasspor, encounters that ended in a 2-1 defeat and 2-2 draw respectively.

In the former, the Monaco loanee couldn’t mark a decent all-round showing with a goal and was instead guilty of missing a couple of presentable chances in Ankara as 10-man Gala lost their sixth league game of the season.

The following round of games brought about a stalemate on home turf, and Onyekuru was yet again culpable at the Turk Telekom Stadium, missing some really good chances before his 79th-minute substitution.

Despite dominating both games, Terim’s side somehow picked up a sole point from a possible six which saw them replaced by Besiktas at the top of the table. Thus, the five changes made and switch to a two-man frontline against Kayserispor was necessary given the circumstances.

Be that as it may, the game was in the balance until Onyekuru entered the fray to score an eight-minute brace to allay fears of a third successive game without maximum points for the title contenders.

While the first was a simple tap-in after Radamel Falcao’s thunderous strike struck the post, the sight of the Nigeria international running through on goal to score his second was a welcome sight after previous slip-ups.

Five goals in six starts is an impressive return after his torrid year in last year’s loan and at the start of the campaign in Ligue 1, and Terim will hope his favoured forward maintains his consistency in surroundings he’s truly comfortable in to banish the recent dry spell.

“When [Onyekuru] couldn't score or assist in six Super League games, pressure on him increased in media,” reports Goal Turkey’s Idil Erin. “According to some reports, Galatasaray were going to part ways with him if his performances didn’t improve, but after all this, Onyekuru has played against Kayserispor and he scored twice in 23 minutes. This could mean he’s reborn.”

Despite the rumours, there were doubts about the validity of the claims owing to the strong relationship between player and coach over the years, which has led to some dubbing the forward ‘the son of Fatih Terim’.

Still, the consistency needs to be found if he’s to make a lasting impact on his return to Monaco and truly push for a Nigeria place.

It was telling that the ex-Everton man only made Gernot Rohr’s standby list for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers vs Benin and Lesotho and, while Samuel Kalu’s thigh injury has led to strong reports the on-loan Gala forward will be brought in as the Bordeaux winger’s replacement, a player of Onyekuru’s talent shouldn’t be on the fringes for both club and country.

It certainly wasn’t what observers imagined when the springy attacker had that amazing breakout season for Eupen circa five years ago in which he scored a staggering 22 league goals in 2016/17.

This eventually led to a move to one of Europe’s top five leagues, with Everton gambling on the then-20-year-old attacker.

Work permit issues meant he never played a Premier League game for the Toffees and an extended period on the sidelines at Anderlecht didn’t help his cause under Gernot Rohr. He’s fallen below Kalu and Samuel Chukwueze when he seemed primed to be one of the frontrunners to assume more responsibility from the now-retired Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa.

Struggling to break into Nico Kovac’s Monaco side prompted another temporary move to Turkey, a transfer many reckon is one too many for the forward who turns 24 in June and is now in danger of not fulfilling the potential from his teenage years.

Onyekuru was happy with his contribution in Galatasaray’s win over Kayserispor, but there’s a sense the forward will love nothing more than to put down roots at his parent club and also for the Super Eagles especially if he still has ambitions to reach his ceiling.

New Barcelona president Joan Laporta made a direct plea to Lionel Messi to stay at Camp Nou as he celebrated his inauguration at the Blaugrana helm. 

Laporta was sworn into office on Wednesday after winning club elections in a landslide, 11 years after leaving the post for the first time in 2010. 

And predictably, the Argentine figured prominently in his opening speech to members at a time where his future at Barcelona is less than clear. 

What was said? 

Laporta and Messi, who were both part of Barca's golden age in the first decade of the 21st century, were pictured embracing prior to the new president's speech. 

And a significant part of the address was aimed directly at the six-time Ballon d'Or winner, who last summer demanded predecessor Josep Bartomeu let him leave. 

"In our first spell we had the best players in Barca history, but if we were successful it was because we had stability," Laporta explained. 

"It is Barcelona's unity which gives you stability and I invite everyone at Barcelona to think about what they can do for Barca. 

"I am here to make decisions, like convincing Leo to carry on, taking advantage of the fact that he is here. He knows that. 

"You know the affection I hold for you and we will do whatever it takes to keep you here. You know you cannot leave, Leo. 

"We will not be able to do it alone. As our anthem says, we are strong all together. More so in these most difficult times. We know how to do it. 

"When the pandemic is over our revenue will return. That will be fixed. There will be strong leadership, because I am well-accompanied. We will make decisions. To defend the club you have to live and breathe it and we do that as much as possible."

Will he stay or will he go? 

Ensuring Messi's continuity figured highly in the campaign promises of almost all of the major candidates to succeed Bartomeu, who stepped down at the end of 2020 amid fierce criticism of his administration, not least over his handling of Messi. 

Laporta, though, due to his prior link with the Argentine, placed special emphasis on keeping him amid reports he could leave the club which has been his home since he was 13. 

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are considered the front-runners for Messi's signature, numbering as they do among the few sides who could match his astronomical wages. 

But recent speculation suggests that there is still a chance he could stay put, with the prospect of City star and Messi's close friend Sergio Aguero thought by some, including ex-Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta, to be key in his final decision.

Further reading 

U.S. men's national team head coach Gregg Berhalter admitted that he encouraged Efrain Alvarez to join up with Mexico's senior team for upcoming friendlies.

Alvarez, who has represented Mexico at the youth level, was called into the U.S. senior team last fall, but would be unable to play for the USMNT without filing a one-time switch.

He can, however, play for Mexico, who called him in for friendlies against Wales and Costa Rica, with Berhalter advising the 18-year-old to join up with El Tri and form his own opinion of their national team setup.

What did Berhalter say?

"I have spoken to him about it and advocated for him to go with the Mexican team," Berhalter told reporters on Wednesday, "and the reason being is that he's been in our environment. I think the only way for him to make an informed decision was to go into their environment.

"We've always said that all we want to do is put the players in a position to make the best possible decision they can make and some players are going to choose for us and some players aren't going to choose us.

"But when you talk about the emotion of the decision, we want to take some of that emotion out of it by letting him have objective data of what the environments are like and get to compare them.

"We wish him all the best in this camp and you know I'm sure I'll follow up with him after the camp and now we're focused on our team for this trip."

What is Alvarez's international situation?

The LA Galaxy starlet may be with Mexico currently, but his international future remains up in the air.

Until he plays for Mexico in an official competition, Alvarez will be eligible to file a one-time switch to join up with the USMNT should he so desire.

His decision to join up with El Tri for this set of friendlies keeps that option open while offering him a chance to work with Mexico head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino for the first time.

Alvarez was previously named to both the U.S. and Mexico preliminary squads ahead of Olympic qualifying, as the duel to bring Alvarez into the fold has started to heat up.

On the U.S. side, both Berhalter and U-23 head coach Jason Kreis have said that they plan on being patient with Alvarez and will not pressure him into making a hasty decision.

And, while Alvarez's future remains uncertain, the U.S. will be riding high from the commitment of Yunus Musah, who recently turned down overtures from England to pledge his international future to the U.S. program.

Further reading

Vipers SC scored in the first half to beat rivals Kampala City Council Authority 1-0 in a Ugandan Premier League match on Wednesday.

The defending champions used home advantage at St Mary’s Stadium-Kitende to the maximum as Peter Magambo scored in the 39th minute to sink the Kasasiro Boys with the only goal of the day.

Both teams have been the front runners in Uganda’s top-flight division having shared the previous seven league titles amongst themselves, with three for Vipers and four for KCCA hence the weight the fixture carried.

It was the Venoms who started the match on a high note as Disan Galiwango delivered a good ball from a free-kick in the seventh minute but it was punched out for a fruitless corner by KCCA goalkeeper Charles Lukwago.

The Venoms, led by coach Fred Kajoba, continued to threaten their visitors and in the 20th minute Galiwango crossed the ball into the box, and Cesar Manzoki rose the highest but directed his header wide.

Sensing danger, KCCA started to threaten, looking to break the deadlock and Andrew Kigozi who had a good chance in the 29th minute to put them ahead but despite a good delivery from Ashraf Mugume, his final decision inside the box was poor as his weak effort went wide.

Few minutes after the miss KCCA were punished when Magambo drilled home the only goal for the Venoms after creating space inside the box, rounding two defenders, before beating keeper Lukwago with a low shot..

In the 40th minute, Vipers player Aziz Kayondo was yellow-carded for a foul on Brian Ahebwa and three minutes later Yunus Sentamu was also booked by the match referee for another foul.

The two teams then went into the break with the Venoms enjoying a 1-0 lead and after the resumption, they continued to press for a second but it was Karim Watambala who went into the referee’s book for a foul on KCCA player Steven Sserwadda.

KCCA coach Mike Mutebi then made a double substitution, bringing on Keziron Kizito for Kigozi while Gift Ali was rested for David Musana, and in the 65th minute Sadat Anaku attempted a bicycle kick for KCCA but his effort whistled off the upright.

Meanwhile, URA FC continued with their fine start to the season as they beat Onduparaka FC 3-0 with Stephen Mukwala putting them ahead in the 22nd minute after rounding the keeper to score.

Mukwala then made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute after scoring with a beautiful header before the Taxmen’s dangerman Cromwel Rwothomio made it 3-0 in the 77th minute, taking advantage of a rebound ball from Brian Nkuubi, who had hit the woodwork, to place the ball to an empty net.

Elsewhere, SC Villa came from a goal down to beat Bright Stars 2-1.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has singled out his former Borussia Dortmund charge Robert Lewandowski as the finest talent he has taken under his wing as a coach. 

Klopp has built memorable teams at both Liverpool and BVB, winning the Premier League and Champions League with the former,, and having taken the Germans to back-to-back Bundesliga success in 2010-11 and 2011-12 - the last time a team other than Bayern Munich finished top of the pile. 

Over that time he has taken charge of countless world-class players, but one in particular stands out for the 53-year-old. 

What was said? 

When asked during an interview with Bild who was the best player he had worked with as a manager, Klopp did not hesitate in his answer. 

"Robert Lewandowski. It actually won't be fair to say that about any other player except Lewy," he explained. 

"What he has made out of his potential, how he pushed himself to become the player he is today, that's extraordinary."

According to the coach, it is not just the Poland international's innate ability in front of goal that makes him such a fine player, but also his work ethic and determination. 

"Lewy took every step he needed to take to be that goal machine. Every one," he added.

"He has immersed himself in the game, he just knows in every situation what he has to do, where he has to go. Lewy is an absolute machine."

The bigger picture

Lewandowski and Klopp first linked up in 2010, when the Dortmund coach swooped to sign Lech Poznan's promising striker, who was just 21 at the time. 

The pair spent four seasons together at Signal Iduna Park, during which time BVB lifted their two aforementioned Bundesliga crowns and the 2011-12 DFB Pokal to complete a domestic double that term, also reaching the Champions League final the following year where they lost out to Bayern. 

Lewandowski scored 103 goals in 178 appearances for the Rhinelanders before he left for their Klassiker rivals in 2014 on a free transfer. 

Klopp was on the move the very next summer, resigning after a disappointing season where Dortmund finished seventh in the Bundesliga standings.

Further reading 

Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez has said his club could collect up to €23 million (£20m/$27m) from Barcelona for Pedri's transfer if he fulfils all of the clauses and bonus conditions included in the deal. 

Pedri was signed by Barca prior to last season, with the midfielder sent back on loan to Las Palmas for the 2019-20 campaign.

This season, the 18-year-old has become a key figure at Camp Nou in his first campaign with Barcelona, positioning himself as a fixture for years to come. 

What was said?

“From the day we’ve made the sale of Pedri until today, we’ve collected about €11m (£9m/$13m)," Ramirez told Cadena SER. "Once all the clauses are met, it could reach up to €22m-€23m. We also get 15 per cent of a future sale.

“Barca is the club that counted on Pedri the most. There was another club from Spain that had offered more money, but we kept our word.

"He has gone to the perfect club and is now playing with the best player in the world.”

The bigger picture

Barcelona's investment in Pedri is looking extremely wise at this point, as €23m could be a steal for a player who has already become a vital member of the squad as a teenager.

In his first season with the club, Pedri has made 41 total appearances already, scoring three goals and adding six assists. 

Earlier this week, Pedri was given his first senior call-up for Spain ahead of La Roja's World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Kosovo. 

The 18-year-old will have the chance to earn his first senior cap after representing Spain at various youth levels. 

Further reading

Genk forward Paul Onuachu has been handed a Nigeria call-up for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Republic of Benin and Lesotho.

The three-time African champions will take on the Squirrels at Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto Novo on March 27 before facing the Crocodiles three days later at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Onuachu was surprisingly left out of Nigeria’s 24-man squad released earlier this month, with the player only making the standby list despite his spectacular performances for Genk this season.

The lanky centre-forward has bagged 27 goals across all competitions for the Blue and White, including his strike against Anderlecht in Sunday’s Belgian Cup tie.

Fans took to social media to blast Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr for putting the forward on standby. 

Onuachu has now been extended an invitation for the encounters with Moses Simon and other Nigeria stars in France set to miss the encounter due to the country’s Covid-19 protocols.

“Following the uncertainty regarding the availability of players based in France [due to COVID 19 laws guiding the country], Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has extended an invitation to KRC Genk striker Paul Onuachu. Henry Onyekuru was earlier called up to replace injured Samuel Kalu,” read a statement from the NFF media channel.

Nantes have already confirmed the club will not be releasing any of their players for international games outside the European territory.

“Like several clubs in France, FC Nantes will not release its selected international players for matches outside the European area during the next international break scheduled for the end of March,” read a statement from the club website.

“In the absence of health guarantees in accordance with the requirements of the French government in force to date, FC Nantes will not be able to release its internationals outside the limits of the European space.

“This decision, based on FIFA circular 1749 of February 5, is justified by the return protocol imposed on travellers who have travelled outside the European Union, who must in particular respect a seven-day isolation.

“The players concerned would also be unable to take part in the match of the 31st day of Ligue 1 Uber Eats, scheduled for Sunday, April 4, between FC Nantes and OGC Nice [3 p.m.].”

Nigeria lead Group L of the Afcon qualifiers with eight points and victory over Benin or Lesotho will seal their place at the biennial tournament, scheduled for Cameroon in 2022.

The Football Kenya Federation has confirmed a last-minute change of the venue as host of the second friendly between Kenya and Tanzania.

The friendly was planned for Kasarani Stadium but according to a statement obtained by Goal signed by  FKF media officer Ken Okaka, the match has now been shifted to Nyayo Stadium, which was the venue for the first build-up between the two East African rivals two days ago.

“This advisory serves to inform you as follows; the Kenya national team, Harambee Stars, is scheduled to play its third friendly of the year against Tanzania on Thursday, March 18, 2021, at the Nyayo Stadium starting at 3 pm,” read part of the statement.

“The change of venue has been necessitated by the unavailability of Kasarani Stadium which is currently undergoing refurbishment ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt.

“Harambee Stars will hold their final session ahead of the match on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at 2 pm. Tanzania, meanwhile, will have a feel of the field of play on Wednesday, at 3 pm.”

Apart from Tanzania, Kenya under coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee also played another friendly at the venue, beating South Sudan 1-0 courtesy of a goal scored by AFC Leopards striker Elvis Rupia.

The second friendly saw Kenya beat their neighbours 2-1, with the goals coming from Rupia and Abdallah Hassan.

The FKF has also confirmed that the game will be broadcast live on StarTimes, who are the federation’s official broadcast partners, and further clarified that only 50 accredited journalists will be allowed to cover the game owing to Covid-19 restrictions.

“The match will be live on StarTimes BTV Channel and only 50 accredited journalists shall be allowed to cover the match,” the statement continued.

“Only five photographers will be allowed pitchside, and will be required to adhere to the laid down Covid-19 protocols, at all times while journalists will also be required to don media reflector jackets at all times.”

The Harambee Stars are scheduled to take on Egypt on March 25, before they travel to Lome to face Togo a week later and Kenya’s chances of reaching a second consecutive Afcon finals will depend on the match against the Pharaohs as a win will revive their slim hopes of making it.