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Martin Odegaard expressed his delight after opening his goalscoring account for Arsenal on Thursday, insisting he has "felt at home since the first day" of his loan spell at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners ran out 3-1 winners against Olympiacos in the first leg of their round of 16 Europa League tie, with Odegaard, Gabriel and Mohamed Elneny grabbing the goals for Mikel Arteta's side.

Odegaard's stunning first-half strike capped an impressive all-round display from the Real Madrid loanee, who says he has settled into life at Emirates Stadium perfectly due to the healthy team spirit in the dressing room.

What's been said?

"It is a big win for us, a great result with three goals away from home and win in this competition is always good," Odegaard told BT Sport.

"The mentality in this team is great. Very pleased with everything. We showed the spirit in the team and the way we back each other. If one player makes a mistake then we react. That is what it is about, being a team. When one player makes a mistake you have to strike back as a team.

"I wanted to get a shot on goal, luckily I had a good hit and it went in. I have felt at home since the first day, I am happy to be here and feel great.

"It is just half time. We have to keep going. We have a big game on Saturday and then have to be ready for next Thursday.

"It is very important, we are not where we want to be in the league so this is very important for us and a chance to get Champions League football next year."

How did Arsenal beat Olympiacos?

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League by Olympiacos last season, but produced a much-imporved team performance against the Greek side at the Karaiskaki Stadium this time around.

Odegaard gave the visitors the lead their pressure deserved in the 34th minute of the contest, firing home a fearsome effort from 25 yards out which beat Jose Sa all ends up in the Olympiacos net.

Unfortunately, the Gunners gifted the hosts a way back into the game just before the hour mark, with Youssef El-Arabi beating Bernd Leno from long range after pouncing on the German goalkeeper's poor pass out from the back.

Arteta's men were not to be denied though, as Gabriel restored their advantage in the 79th minute after rising majestically in the box to nod home a teasing Willian cross.

Elneny rounded off the scoring with a fearsome shot five minutes from time, and Arsenal will now have a healthy aggregate advantage to defend when Olympiacos arrive at the Emirates next week.

What's next?

Before preparations for the second leg can begin, the Gunners will first have to turn their attention to a huge north London derby clash against Tottenham on Sunday.

Spurs are seventh in the Premier League standings at the moment, three positions above Arsenal, but Arteta's men can move to within four points of their rivals with a victory at the Emirates.

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 Deportivo Cali vs America

Deportivo Cali go into Thursday's Clasico Vallecaucano looking to extend their lead at the top of the Apertura table.

After 11 games the hosts sit one point ahead of Santa Fe, who have a bye-week and will not have the chance to make up the distance until they meet Envigado on March 20. 

Cali, however, have struggled as of late, drawing their last four games after starting the season in blistering fashion with six wins and a tie.

America, meanwhile, lie a lowly 10th, albeit with a game in hand over most of the sides above them in the standings. 

A win over their arch-rivals would see the Diablos Rojos break into the top eight and stay in play-off contention.

Deportivo Cali vs America 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 Serie A season live on  Fanatiz .

Live Stream: Fanatiz English ( stream now )

What other Serie A matches are available on Fanatiz?

Watch Serie A live on Fanatiz.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer addressed a mounting injury crisis among his forwards after Manchester United's draw with Milan, which saw Anthony Martial join the club's list of crocked stars.

Martial picked up a knock that forced him to come off early in the second half of Thursday's Europa League encounter, with teenage winger Amad Diallo coming on in his stead to score United's only goal of the game.

Marcus Rashford was forced to miss the 1-1 draw with an ankle issue along with Edinson Cavani, who has sat out United's last two outings due to a muscle injury. If Martial's problem turns out to be serious, Solskjaer will have a major selection dilemma on his hands for a meeting with West Ham on Sunday.

What's been said?

"Anthony, he got a whack on his hip so that’s another forward that we need to scan and have to look at," the Red Devils boss told a post-match press conference.

"Definitely hope Marcus is back for next Thursday in Milan, I’m not sure if he’ll make Sunday, but fingers crossed because we will need him.

"Edinson I don’t think will be ready for Sunday no."

What other games could Martial miss?

United supporters will hope that Martial is given the all-clear after a scan ahead of a tough run of fixtures for Solskjaer's side. 

After the Premier League clash against West Ham, the Red Devils will turn their attention to the second leg of their round of 16 Europa League tie with Milan at San Siro on March 18.

United are scheduled to face Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals three days later, with the international break set to come into effect thereafter.

What else did Solskjaer say?

Solskjaer lamented his team's laborious build-up play against Milan, who were good value for the draw in the end and now have an away goal to take back to the Italian capital.

However, the Norwegian is confident that United will produce an improved performance away from home, especially if he can welcome a few key players back into the fold.

"We were too slow in possession and even though we had the same amount as them we never used the ball well enough, we never played it well enough or quick enough," said Solskjaer.

"We started really slow and I’m disappointed in that but hopefully, we can have one or two players back for next week so maybe it will be a better game.

"[The away goal] makes it harder but it makes us have to go down there and score goals and win the game that might suit, it probably will suit us."

Further reading

Peter Olayinka provided an assist while Joe Aribo and Bongani Zungu featured as Rangers played out a 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague in the first leg round of 16 of the Europa League game on Thursday night.

Aribo and Zungu recently helped the Gers secured their 55th Scottish Premiership title last weekend after Celtic’s draw against Dundee United.

Nigeria international, Aribo, was handed his fifth start in the European competition and gave a good account of himself in the encounter.

His compatriot Leon Balogun was not listed for the outing while Zungu made a cameo appearance as a second-half substitute.

Slavia Prague hit the ground running in the encounter as Nigeria’s Olayinka set up Nicolae Stanciu to open the scoring with a fine strike from outside the box.

Rangers then levelled proceedings in the 36th minute when Filip Helander found the back of the net after benefitting from Ianis Hagi’s assist.

Seven minutes before the half-time break, Olayinka tried to set up a teammate with a fine header but his pass was intercepted.

After the restart, Rangers pushed for a winning goal and manager Steven Gerrard made a few changes in an effort to secure three points at Sinobo Stadium.

The English tactician replaced Aribo with Kemar Roofe while South Africa international Zungu was brought on for Glen Kamara in the 88th minute.

Slavia Prague, however, frustrated the Gers efforts to ensure the scoreline was kept at 1-1 at the end of the encounter.

Olayinka featured for 46 minutes in his 30th appearance for the Red and Whites across all competitions this season before making way for Lukas Masopust.

Aribo has played 33 games for Rangers in the current campaign, scoring seven goals and providing four assists while Zungu has made 19 appearances.

Aribo, Zungu and Olayinka will hope to make key contributions for their respective clubs in the second leg of the Europa game on March 18.

Before the European match, Slavia Prague will take on Mlada Boleslav in a Czech First League game on March 14.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expressed his disappointment over Manchester United's failure to prevent Milan's last gasp equaliser in the Europa League, admitting he has seen Dean Henderson keep out similar efforts in the past.

United were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie at Old Trafford on Thursday night, with a late header from Simon Kjaer cancelling out Amad Diallo's opener.

Solskjaer was frustrated to see his team lose their advantage in the dying moments of the game, and felt that his goalkeeper and defenders should have done more to keep the Serie A giants at bay.

What's been said?

The Norwegian head coach told  BT Sport post-match: "Very disappointed to conceded with one of the last kicks of the ball, or head.

"That makes it harder of course, but it was always going to be going down to the second game there, anyway.

"I've seen him [Henderson] save them, but it's the structure that we lose. We dropped too deep and we get blocked off and they get the header on.

"We should have attacked the ball with the men we had there.

"We were a bit too slow with the possession. That's the learning we have to get into ourselves, we have to perform every single week.

"We're playing against good teams. Probably a draw is a fair result."

Advantage Milan

Milan will now head back to San Siro for the return leg knowing that a 0-0 draw will be enough to send them through to the Europa League quarter-finals, having scored an all-important away goal in Manchester.

The Rossoneri looked bright right from the off, and thought they'd taken the lead when Franck Kessie fired an unstoppable volley past Henderson early in the first half, only for VAR to rule the goal out for handball.

Harry Maguire squandered United's best chance in the opening 45 minutes when he somehow failed to find the net from half a yard out, but the hosts were able to get themselves in front early in the second period.

January signing Diallo came off the bench for the injured Anthony Martial to net his first goal for the club, producing an outstanding improvised header after being played in by Bruno Fernandes.

Milan had the final say on proceedings, with Kjaer getting free of Nemanja Matic to nod home from a corner and spark wild scenes of celebration in the visiting dugout.

When will the second leg be played?

United will head to the Italian capital for the reverse fixture of the tie on March 18, with the contest set to be played behind closed doors at San Siro.

Solskjaer's side can reach the last eight if they win by any scoreline in Milan, but another 1-1 draw would see the tie stretch into extra-time and a possible penalty shoot-out.

Further reading

Ajara Nchout has let out her heartfelt disappointment following Atletico Madrid's Wednesday elimination from the Uefa Women's Champions League at the expense of Chelsea.

On Wednesday, the Spanish giants crashed out of the European competition in Monsa, following a 3-1 aggregate loss to the English champions despite a 1-1 draw at U-Power Stadium.

Without the services of Nchout, Jose Luis Sanchez's ladies had lost 2-0 to Chelsea in the first leg, but the Cameroon striker, on her maiden outing could not help her side win.

Following their elimination, the 28-year-old forward has refused to be downcast by the situation as she is already looking ahead to their next fixture with city rivals Real Madrid on March 14.
 
"Unfortunately, the adventure ends here in UWCL, the 1-1 score needed more," she wrote on her official Instagram page.

"Eyes already turned on the next challenge, Sunday in the league against Real Madrid. We will come back even stronger."

The former Valerenga star has scored four goals in nine appearances in all competitions, including winning the 2021 Spanish Supercopa since she joined from the Norwegian outfit in January.

Atletico Madrid are fourth on the log with 41 points from 21 matches and she will now hope to add to her goal tally when her side face Real Madrid in a bid for a Champions League spot. 

Swansea City manager Steve Cooper is backing in-form attacker Andre Ayew to continue his scoring form as a Championship clash with Luton Town nears.

The Jack Army's top scorer, the Ghana skipper has racked up 14 league goals so far, only two strikes adrift of last season's haul.

In his last four matches, he has scored five times.

"Andre’s always been an important player for us," Cooper said ahead of his side's trip to Luton Town on Saturday, Walesonline reports.

"The type of player who he is and the difference he can make in games is and has been important to us. He’s only focused on keeping it going.

"He's getting a few goals from penalties but he’s got to be there to score them and he’s a player for big moments. Hopefully, we can create a few more big moments for him and he's there to make the most of them, whether that's creating or scoring goals, because that's what he does among some other things.

"So Andre’s a big player but it's important we stay focused on the job in hand. Focus on the next game and treat it as the most important thing."

Swansea are in the chase for promotion to the Premier League as they currently sit third on the Championship standings, tied on points with second-placed Watford.

"He [Andre] also has experience. He’s 31 now and played at big stages in all of his career. International football as well," Cooper continued.

"Andre’s the sort of guy who likes to give back, he’s forever sharing his thoughts on stuff and intentions.

"But behind the scenes, Andre is a real team player. He's a really big part of the culture. He's always looking after the younger players and trying to guide them along the way, and he's a real positive influence around the place.

"I've said it numerous times that we're lucky that the experienced players in the squad over the last couple of seasons have been really, really good people.

"Ryan Bennett has added to that, Korey Smith has added to that.

"Andre is very much one of them."

With a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe on the horizon, Ghana will be delighted by the form of their captain who scored four times in his last two national team appearances. 

Amad Diallo became the youngest non-British player to ever score in major European competition for Manchester United.

Four minutes after replacing injured Anthony Martial in Thursday’s Europa League game against AC Milan, the 18-year-old handed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men the lead against the Italians thanks to an assist from Bruno Fernandes.

The Portuguese midfielder floated a perfect ball over the top and the teenager produced a precise header over Antonio Donnarumma – his first goal for the former European kings.

With that effort, the Ivorian wonderkid becomes the youngest player of a non-English background to find the net for the English team in a European championship at the age of 18 years and 243 days.

Interestingly, his maiden effort came with a first ever shot for the team in just his third appearance for the Old Trafford giants.

Another record that tumbled for Diallo saw him become the first player from Cote d’Ivoire to find the net for the Old Trafford giants in the Champions League and Europa League combined.

While it looked like the goal would prove as the difference between Solskjaer’s team and Stefano Pioli’s men who had Franck Kessie’s first-half effort cancelled by referee Slavko Vincic following VAR’s intervention, AC Milan equalised at the death from Simon Kjaer.

Manchester United's fee for Diallo could rise to £37 million ($50m) with add-ons, back in October on the final day of the summer transfer window, but the deal remained subject to securing a work permit and personal terms.

United obtained Diallo’s Governing Body Exemption this week having applied for it on January 1 and he becomes the first player to be signed and registered under the new FA rules which have been implemented post-Brexit.

Following this result, the Premier League must defeat the Italians in the return leg of the Round of 16 encounter billed for March 18. Before then, the team who are unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions hosts David Moyes’ West Ham United in Sunday’s English elite division outing.

With 54 points from 28 outings, they are second in the log - 14 points behind leaders Manchester City.

Erling Haaland is "easier" for Real Madrid to sign than Kylian Mbappe, according to Sergio Ramos, who has picked out the Borussia Dortmund star as the ideal summer target for the Blancos.

Haaland and Mbappe have both been heavily linked with moves to Santiago Bernabeu in recent months, with Zinedine Zidane reportedly eager to bring in a long-term successor for Karim Benzema, who turned 33 in December.

Ramos is a keen admirer of the prolific duo, and would love to see Madrid secure their respective signatures, but feels Haaland is a more realistic option amid the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

What's been said?

The Blancos captain said during an interview on Ibai Llanos' Twitch channel: "Haaland or Mbappe if I were a coach? I would like to have both of them, but a coach does not sign.

"Perhaps, due to the circumstances and the current situation, today I think it would be a little easier to sign Haaland.

"Mbappe is talked about as the Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi replacement, and the circumstances are more complicated.

"It would never be bad to reinforce Madrid with a 9 like Haaland, who has something that we do not have: speed, hunger, height ... Mbappé has it too, of course, but it would be much easier today to come to terms with Haaland."

What is Haaland & Mbappe's current market value?

Haaland completed a €20 million (£17m/$24m) switch to Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020, with reports that a release clause of €75m (£64m/$90m) was included in the final agreement.

That clause is not said to come into effect until 2022, but it has been suggested that BVB may be willing to listen to offers in excess of €80m (£69m/$96m) for the frontman when the market reopens later this year.

Mbappe, meanwhile, is currently worth a substantially larger amount, having made his €180m (£154m/$216m) transfer to PSG in 2018.

The World Cup winner's value has only increased since then, and PSG are currently in the process of trying to tie him down to a bumper new contract extension.

How have the pair performed this season?

Haaland has spearheaded Dortmund's latest pursuit of trophies on domestic and European fronts in impressive fashion, scoring 31 goals in 29 appearances - including two in a Champions League round of clash with Sevilla on Tuesday.

Mbappe is also leading his club's charge for major silverware, with the Frenchman currently boasting 26 goals to his name through 33 outings across all competitions.

Further reading

Former Liverpool forward El Hadji Diouf has revealed Senegal need to believe in their own ability in order to win the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Teranga Lions came close to winning the tournament twice in 2002 and 2019, losing to Cameroon and Algeria respectively.

Senegal boast top stars in Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, Crystal Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate and Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.

The Teranga Lions have secured their place at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon despite still having two games left to play in the qualifiers.

Diouf has encouraged the current Senegal stars to work hard, have self-belief and strive to clinch the coveted trophy in the next edition of the tournament. 

"To be champions, it is about organisation, hard work and belief," Diouf told BBC Sport Africa.

"I think what the Senegalese team needs today to be the champions of Africa is to believe. You can have all the talent you want around the world but if you don't believe in yourself, if you don't say 'I'm coming to win this Afcon in Cameroon', you are never going to do it.

"You have to believe in yourself, work hard and in players like Sadio Mane, we have the key to success.

"They are the best - they have to know they are the best and they have to believe they are the best," added the two-time African Footballer of the Year.

"The only thing I have to say to them is to think about just one thing: the thing that I missed out on in my career - to be the first Senegal team to win Afcon."

Senegal will take on the Democratic Republic of Congo and Eswatini in their last Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.

The Teranga Lions will be making their 16th appearance at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations since their debut in 1965.

African champions Algeria, Tunisia and Mali have joined host country Cameroon to book their place at the continental showpiece.

Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer has indicated they are targeting six points from their matches against Enyimba FC and Al Ahli Benghazi after drawing with ES Setif.

The Buccaneers started their Caf Confederation Cup Group A campaign with a 0-0 draw against Algerian giants Setif in Ghana's capital city, Accra on Wednesday night. 

Zinnbauer's side will now take on current Nigerian champions Enyimba at home and Libyan side Al Ahli away on March 17 and April 2 respectively in Group A matches. 

The German tactician lauded Setif as a team that is good with or without the ball and he explained that they will analyse their performance against the two Caf Champions League winners. 

“It was important we start well," Zinnbauer told the club's social media platforms on Thursday. 

"We took one point then we will have to see what happened during the game if it was possible for the three points then we have to see what happens in our next home and away games, that’s six points."  

“But first we have to think of this game. It wasn’t an easy game. ES Setif is a big club also. They have good quality in their team," he continued.

“They are very good with and without the ball. So, it was a very tough game for us." 

The former FC St Gallen manager stated that they were playing under very difficult conditions at Accra Sports Stadium which was formerly named the Ohene Djan Stadium.

“It was a different environment. An environment that is hot, very hot. The grass is very long but it’s not bad. The field, the stadium… you could see it’s a big stadium,” he added. 

“And we have to accept this and we had to play. It’s important because the opponent also experienced the same situation. We had to adapt to this and go forward." 

Pirates will take on their archrivals Kaizer Chiefs in a PSL match at FNB Stadium on March 21 which is four days after they host Enyimba at Orlando Stadium.

Amad Diallo made a stunning impression off the bench for Manchester United against AC Milan on Thursday, becoming the club’s youngest-ever non-British goalscorer in Europe.

Brought on for Anthony Martial at half-time, the £37 million ($50m) signing timed his run perfectly before flicking a backwards header over the goalkeeper from Bruno Fernandes’ ball forward.

At 18 years and 243 days old, Diallo set a new United record for overseas imports, with only three players having achieved his feat at a younger age.

Diallo joins Man Utd elite

Diallo’s goal came in his third appearance for United, after making his debut in the 4-0 thrashing of Real Sociedad in the Europa League last month. It was also his very first shot for the club, though it didn't prove the winner as Simon Kjaer headed in a late equaliser - and an away goal - from a stoppage-time corner.

United have made a habit of blooding their young forwards in the Europa League in recent seasons, with two of their own youth products ahead of Diallo on the youngest scorers’ table.

Mason Greenwood is the youngest player to have scored for United in major European competition, after finding the net on debut against Astana at the age of 17 years and 353 days.

Marcus Rashford had held the record since making his debut three and a half years earlier, scoring a brace on his debut against Anderlecht aged 18 years and 177 days.

The record has now been broken three times in five years but prior to that, it had remained since the 1960s, when the great George Best scored his first European goal at the age of 18 years and 158 days.

Further reading

Steve Bruce has blamed Covid-19 for Newcastle's Premier League slide, insisting they "were doing very nicely" before the pandemic struck down a number of his players.

Newcastle were pushing for a top-half finish before an outbreak of coronavirus within the first-team squad in December, and have since been dragged into a tense relegation battle alongside the likes of Fulham, Brighton and Burnley.

Bruce says his team have yet to fully recover from that setback, with fresh injuries to key trio Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron adding to his selection issues ahead of a meeting with Aston Villa on Friday.

What's been said?

Bruce told a pre-match press conference of Newcastle's poor form in 2021: “We were doing very, very nicely until Covid.

“But it became a real big problem and now we are without three big players who we’ve spent a lot of money on.”

How many Newcastle players have been laid low with Covid-19?

More than a dozen first-team players tested positive for coronavirus over the festive period as the Magpies embarked on a miserable 11-match winless streak.

Jamal Lewis and Federico Fernandez were among those forced to quarantine for 10 days, while Saint-Maximin and Jamaal Lascelles were ruled out for extended periods after suffering longer-term effects from the virus.

Can the Magpies beat the drop?

Despite the fact that Newcastle have only won two of their last 18 games across all competitions, they still have their own destiny in their hands with 11 fixtures of the 2020-21 top-flight campaign remaining.

Bruce's side are one point clear of 18th-placed Fulham having played a game less, with West Brom and Sheffield United eight and 12 points from safety respectively.

Fulham are being tipped to haul themselves out of trouble after an impressive recent run, but Bruce has promised to do everything in his power to steer the Magpies to safety.

“There’s no doubt that Fulham have had a wonderful couple of weeks,” said Bruce. “But there are 11 games left, there’s a lot to play for and all the bottom six or seven teams are looking over their shoulders.

"There’s a long way to go but as I’ve said many, many, times, the buck stops with me. I will try everything I possibly can, with all the experience I’ve got, to make sure we stay here [in the Premier League].”

Further reading

Pitso Mosimane has made history and already enjoyed success since joining Egyptian giants Al-Ahly last season.

The head coach enjoyed great success in South Africa, but how much did those previous achievements matter to fans of his new club?

This was the hot topic on the agenda in the African Football HQ podcast this week, as Malek Shafei gave Ed Dove some insight on the Egyptian point of view on Mosimane’s historic appointment.

The 56-year-old has achieved legendary status in South Africa due to his achievements, accolades and accomplishments.

Following a modest playing career, Mosimane went on to achieve immense success as a manager, first with SuperSport United and subsequently with Sundowns.

With the Brazilians, Mosimane clinched five domestic titles between 2014 and 2020, establishing Sundowns as South Africa’s dominant club, and also won both the Nedbank Cup and the Telkom Knockout.

Critically, he also guided Sundowns to the Caf Champions League title—only the second South African side to win Africa’s top prize—as they conquered the continent in 2016.

That was followed up by the Caf Super Cup in 2017, while Mosimane’s time at Sundowns resulted in five PSL Coach of the Season awards.

According to Shafei, however, this all mattered little to Ahly fans. Instead, it was Sundowns’ 5-1 victory over the Red Devils in the 2018-19 Champions League which ensured he received a warm welcome when he became the Egyptians’ first black sub-Saharan African head coach in their 113-year history.

Since arriving in Cairo, Mosimane has maintained Ahly’s success, overseeing an extensive undefeated run at the club before they were eventually beaten by Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup.

He clinched the Egyptian Premier League, the Egyptian Cup and the Caf Champions League—with Ahly defeating eternal rivals SC Zamalek in the final—last term, and also finished third in the CWC.

While Ahly recently suffered a shock defeat by Tanzania’s Simba in the Caf CL last month, Mosimane had accrued sufficient credit with the club’s fans to fend off any backlash.

Ahly fans are certainly enamoured by their new head coach, even if his achievements in the PSL have little bearing on their admiration.

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has predicted the dawn of a new era at Caf when Patrice Motsepe takes over as president of the organisation.

After entering into a pact with his rival candidates, Motsepe is expected to be announced as the new Caf boss on Friday by vote of acclamation in Rabat, Morocco.

He replaces Ahmad Ahmad whose reign was blighted by allegations of maladministration including the Madagascan being banned by Fifa.

Mngqithi has for many years worked under Motsepe who is the owner of Sundowns and feels that Caf will now have quality leadership under the mining magnate.

“I think everybody will attest to the influence he’s had in the Premier Soccer League with Sundowns where he put a vision and ensured that it was achieved‚” said Mngqithi as per Sowetan Live.

“He’s always wanted to dominate the African football space and we are trying our level best to be a team that is always among the top four on the continent.

“We are working very hard every day to try and achieve those targets. He wants to get into office at Caf and one thing for sure is that he will tremendously improve corporate governance and bring his business acumen into that space.”

The Brazilians tactician says the football governing body will attract more sponsors and experience improved corporate governance.

“When you have someone of that profile at Caf‚ I don’t think it will be that difficult to get some top sponsors that can raise the profile of our continental competitions,” Mngqithi said.

“He will always do his best to make sure that we garner top sponsorships and make administration more clinical and more accountable.

“I am more than confident that the impact he is going to have on the African space as Caf president will take the development of football into another space. Maybe we will be able to compete with the Europeans‚ the Asians and other continents.

“But I am more than optimistic that if he can get into that office he will add a lot of value‚ and [that is] not to say Caf at the moment is corrupt. But I think when he is there he will make sure that everything runs accordingly. I am looking forward to that and I think it will be one of the best things to happen.”

Sergio Ramos says he can play at the highest level for five more years – but admits his contract situation at Real Madrid is no closer to being solved.

The Madrid captain’s contract is set to expire this summer and several of Europe’s top clubs have been linked with signing him on a free transfer.

Goal has learned Zinedine Zidane’s side are monitoring Villarreal defender Pau Torres as speculation continues to surround Ramos, but the 34-year-old says he is only focusing on the season at hand.

What has Ramos said?

"I wish I could say something, but everything remains the same," Ramos told reporters.

"All I'm thinking about is coming back and finishing the season in the best possible way. There's no news of my renewal, I wish I could [say something].

"I'm calm and I'm only thinking about playing again and winning a trophy."

‘I gave my soul for the Madrid badge’

Ramos hasn’t played since Madrid were beaten 2-1 by Athletic Club in the Supercopa de Espana on January 14, having undergone surgery on a knee injury.

Despite that setback, he believes he still has plenty of time left in his career – as long as the injuries don’t pile up.

"You can't please everyone, but there's one thing you can't erase: everything you've won," he said.

"The only thing that worries me is that they know that I'm a real guy, that I gave my soul for the Madrid badge.

"I've always stood up for myself and I've always told the truth. I'm honest, humble and hard working. It is on the basis of performance that the player should be judged.

"I can play five more years at the highest level. If injuries are not too bad, my mentality will help me."

Further reading

Mathare United recorded the ninth Football Kenya Federation Premier League loss after going down 2-1 to Kariobangi Sharks on Thursday at Kasarani.

A double from Peter Lwasa was enough to hand the visitors the victory as Khalid Juma, who came in the second half, struck to deny them a clean sheet.

Kariobangi Sharks took the lead in the 10th minute when a shot by Lwasa deflected off an opponent and found its way into the net. The Slum Boys almost equalised in the 13th minute when Danson Kago, after collecting Norman Ogolla's cross, forced goalkeeper Brian Obiero into a fine save.

Obiero, who is continuing to have good times since making the Kariobangi Sharks debut, made two quick saves in the 19th minute to deny Mathare's Lennox Ogutu and David Ochieng.

Kariobangi Sharks almost doubled the lead in the 25th minute when top scorer Erick Kapaito collected a poor clearance by the Mathare's backline but his effort was stopped by the woodwork.
Lwasa, however, added the second goal for the visitors a minute past the half-hour mark with a low drive to punish a rather disjointed Slum Boys.

In the 52nd minute, Ochieng's free-kick flew just above the crossbar as Mathare United made the first attacks of the second half.

William Muluya made a change in the 54th minute as he introduced Shaphan Oyugi for Lwasa. On his part, Mathare's Salim Ali brought on Daniel Otieno and Boniface Akenga for John Mwangi and Tyson Otieno in the 58th minute.

Four minutes past the hour mark, Ogutu nearly gave Mathare United a goal but he was denied by the crossbar. They were also unfortunate to see Dani Lual's strike hit the woodwork in the 70th minute as they surged forward looking for goals. Ali handed Anthony Otieno his debut in the 71st minute when he replaced Martin Ongori.

Akenga was withdrawn in the 80th minute for Khalid Juma who pulled one for the home five minutes later. The additional minutes were not enough to see the 2008 league winners grab another goal to draw their Eastlands rivals though.

The next two games for Ali's side will be against Posta Rangers and KCB while Kariobangi Sharks will be up against Ulinzi Stars and Nairobi City Stars.

Paul Ince considers Edinson Cavani to have been a “revelation” at Manchester United, but the former Red Devils midfielder admits he can see the Uruguayan striker leaving this summer amid talk of a move to Boca Juniors being made.

A prolific frontman was added to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s ranks at Old Trafford in 2020, with a proven performer plucked out of the free agent pool after bringing a record-setting spell at Paris Saint-Germain to a close.

Cavani has impressed in England, registering seven goals, but was stung with a ban earlier this season following a racially insensitive social media post and is yet to see a 12-month extension option in his contract taken up.

What has been said?

Ex-United star Ince has told talkSPORT: “Cavani has come in and he’s been a revelation.

“I know we talk about Fernandes coming in and being very, very good, but Cavani, he’s a natural goalscorer.

“As well as [Anthony] Martial and [Marcus] Rashford can do up front, when you talk about natural goalscorers, Cavani has showed that when he plays, the runs he makes, he knows where the space is and knows how to score.

“Whether he decides to stay or not I don’t know. When you look at the team against Manchester City and how they played he might be thinking ‘well, is this the way they’re going to go next year, am I going to get as many games? I’m not getting any younger’. 

“I can see him going.

“All this social media stuff has not gone down well, it’s a little bit pathetic to be fair, and I can see why Cavani is a little upset about it.

“All the angles look like he will go, but hopefully he’ll leave with a few more goals in the back of the net for United.”

Who has been linked with Cavani?

A return to South America has been mooted for a 34-year-old frontman who left his homeland to take on a European adventure at Palermo back in 2007.

Various landing spots have been mooted for him if another move is made, with Cavani’s father revealing that Argentina could be his next stop.

Luis Cavani has told TyC Sports: “My son is not happy in England and wants to return nearer his family. He wants to play in South America.

“I want Edinson to play for a team which fights for important trophies. He has had many conversations with [Boca vice-president Juan Roman] Riquelme and would like to play for Boca.

“At the halfway point of the year, he’d like to return to South America. My son’s idea is not to continue there [in Manchester]. He wants to return.

"I think he's going to come back in June this year. He has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave in June.

"There are things which sometimes annoy us as humans, as people, the whole 'n*grito' ban issue annoyed him. That has been playing on him, sometimes players can't find form either, these things can weigh heavy on you. Sometimes mentally you can get dragged down."

The bigger picture

Cavani was only tied to a one-year contract when snapped up by United and he has not been a guaranteed starter throughout an eventful spell in Manchester, despite his vast experience and record in the final third.

The Red Devils are already being linked with a number of alternative striking options, with the general consensus being that a more long-term solution is required at Old Trafford to fill a No.9 role that France international Martial has not always convinced in.

Further reading

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has described Andile Jali as “a very important player in the team” while giving assurances that the midfielder’s future is secure at the club.

The midfielder went for four straight games without making the starting line-up until Wednesday’s 4-0 Nedbank Cup Last-16 win over Polokwane City in which he scored.

Although his Sundowns contract expires in June 2023, he appeared to have grown frustrated at the limited game time, while speculation about his future surfaced.

But Mngqithi has assured that the player is in their plans.

“He is a very important player in the team, it would be sad to lose him because we know what he is capable of and he adds a lot of value to the team…. we would not want to lose him,” Mngqithi was quoted as saying by Phakaaathi.

“He has the right level of arrogance that you need in a player and he dominates the midfield and bosses, everybody, around in that space. That is one of his major attributes, he is not scared of anybody and he is always ready for a fight.

“He has been unlucky because at Sundowns if you have played well but unfortunately, you are then out for medical reasons or injury, you always find yourself out for longer because Lebogang Maboe has been doing well, Sphelele Mkhulise has been doing well but we gave Andile and opportunity this time around and we knew what we can get and he has a lot to give.”

It is yet to be seen if the former Orlando Pirates star will manage to start again in Saturday’s Premier Soccer League clash away at Stellenbosch.

He has managed 12 PSL games this season, starting nine of them but has not featured in any league match since the hosting of Chippa United on January 31.

In recent Caf Champions League matches, he has been making some cameo appearances.

The Sundowns coaches have been handing the 30-year-old full game time Nedbank Cup matches where they rest some key players.