Looking for Soccer News?

Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu reveals the English weather has not helped his course to settle in early following his move from Spanish side Real Valladolid.

The young Ghanaian is struggling to find his feet with The Saints, a situation partly due to fitness concerns, as he chases his first appearance for the club.

He joined the Premier League outfit in a four-year deal from the La Liga club last August, snubbing an offer from French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais.

"Yeah, I am getting used to it [life with Southampton]," Salisu told Utilia Football.

"It is such different weather to where I played before. It is a little bit difficult but I am getting used to it.

"It is crazy, you know? It is very difficult here. Where I played in Spain, it is not like this. I find it difficult but I hope I will get used to it soon."

Salisu's start to life with the Saints has been heavily weighed down by fitness issues.

After signing for the club in August, he was only able to join the side's pre-season training a month later in the week of the start of the Premier League.

Three months later, he made the Saints' matchday squad for the first time as they face Brighton & Hove Albion on December 7.

He since went on to make the bench on five more occasions. In the New Year, however, has been missing entirely from the matchday squad due to an injury setback.

“Obviously I’ve seen a lot more of him than the fans have," Southampton centre-back Jannik Vestergaard said about his new teammate.

“He has had issues but he looks comfortable on the ball, has an amazing physique and is just generally a nice guy.

“He's quiet for now, but it’s always difficult coming as a new player, so maybe he’s just saving up his words for later!

“But I think he’s a big talent and he has a lot of years ahead of him.

“His English is better than I expected and he both understands everything and speaks fairly well.”

Before joining Southampton, Salisu was also linked to Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United.

Trabzonspor continued with their unbeaten away run in Turkey’s Super Lig as Benik Afobe helped them secure a 1-1 draw against Antalyaspor on Saturday evening.

The Black Sea Storm who have won their last two games came to the Antalya Arena with the ambition of continuing their winning streak which would brighten their title ambitions.

Nevertheless, they were only able to pick up a point against Ersun Yanal’s men who were reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Ersan Adem Gulum.

In a cagey first-half, the visitors were presented with the opportunity of taking the lead after they were gifted a penalty following a foul by Gulum in the goal area. Caleb Ekuban took the ensuing kick, nevertheless, he failed to beat goalkeeper Ruud Boffin.

Antalyaspor took the lead in the 25th minutes as Brazil's Amilton profited from a cross from Angolan midfielder Fredy to head past goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.

Eight minutes after their lead, they suffered a minor setback as Gulum was given his marching orders by referee Erkan Ozdamar following a second caution. Even at that, they held their nerves to go into the half-time break with a slim one goal advantage.

The second-half produced a lot of spark as Trabzonspor stepped up their game in search of an equaliser, but their attempts met strong resistance from the hosts’ backline.

Manager Abdullah Avci brought in Afobe for Lewis Baker with 20 minutes left to play. In the fifth minute of extra time, the on loan Stoke City star levelled matters after heading home a cross from Nigeria international Anthony Nwakaeme.

Thanks to that strike, the 27-year-old now boasts four goals in the ongoing 2020-21 campaign.

While Nwakaeme and Ekuban were in action from start to finish alongside Cape Verde international Djaniny, Mali international Fousseni Diabate was an unused substitute.

For the hosts, Angola’s Fredy was replaced for Adis Jahovic in the 83rd minute, whereas Cote d’Ivoire forward Jean-Armel Drole was not listed for the encounter.

Thanks to the result, Trabzonspor maintained their eighth position in the Super Lig log having accrued 27 points from 18 games, while the Scorpions are ninth after garnering 25 points with one game more.

Semi Ajayi is hoping to continue his scoring form for West Bromwich Albion after delivering another spectacular performance in front of goal, this time against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 27-year-old was handed his 17th appearance of the season at Molineux Stadium and helped his side secure a 3-2 victory over the Wolves in Saturday’s Premier League game.

West Brom started the game impressively after Matheus Pereira opened the scoring for the Baggies from the penalty spot.

Fabio Silva levelled proceedings for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men and Willy Boly handed Wolves the lead for the first time in the encounter before the half-time break.

Ajayi then brought West Brom back into the game when he equalized with a fantastic header after he was set up by Kyle Bartley before Pereira sealed the victory with his second goal in the game.

The Super Eagles defender has applauded the performances of his side in the encounter and hopes to continue his fine goalscoring displays for West Brom.

“Yes hopeful it continues for a couple of more games,” Ajayi told Sky Sports after the game.

“It’s a massive three points for West Bromwich Albion and we can kick-start our season from here.

“I believe we’ve got the will power to overcome the deficit so we were able to do that today and it’s something we can take into the future.

“It’s a really good win but there are a lot of games you have to play and so it is safe to take that fighting desire to the rest of the season.”

Ajayi has now scored nine goals in the Premier League, becoming one of the defenders with the most headed league goals in the division since the 2018-19 season.

The centre-back has made 18 appearances across all competitions for West Bromwich Albion this season, scoring three goals.

The Nigeria international will hope to continue his impressive performances when the Baggies take on West Ham United in their next league game on January 19.

West Brom remain in the bottom three on the Premier League table after gathering 11 points in 18 games.

Frank Lampard says Chelsea deserved their victory against Fulham on Saturday.

The Blues sealed a 1-0 victory through Mason Mount's strike in the second half, after their opponents saw Antonee Robinson sent off just before half-time.

The visitors had not won in their previous three Premier League matches but moved up to seventh in the table with the weekend triumph.

"Of course it feels good to get a win, it has not been easy with the league form recently and you have to break the duck," Lampard told Sky Sports after the match.

"Fulham made it difficult. We started the game well, controlled a lot of the ball, it is not easy against 10 men. We kept going and we got what we deserved tonight.

"It is a pressure to move the ball [against 10 men], hit the sides, open it up, make them run and create chances. We were doing that. Just because of the current form it is a bit harder, the confidence is not quite there. But we found it so I'm really pleased.

"I trust the quality of the players. There was a feeling we would get a goal, because the pressure was constant. It was about staying patient with our passing and I think we did."

Mount's goal is his second in the league this season and Lampard hopes to see him improve on that record, though he is happy with the England international's form.

"Mason was in a deeper role but can still arrive," he added. "He needs to score more goals, he knows that, but his quality and attitude is brilliant."

Mount admitted that he has been trying to find the net more regularly and feels he could have added another at Craven Cottage.

"It was a massive game for us, we know the run recently has been tough, we had to look at ourselves," he said.

"I found myself in the box which recently I haven't been doing. It is something I looked at and I managed to do that today. It fell to me and I probably should have had two."

Portuguese Liga BPI side Ouriense have secured the services of Cameroon international Farida Machia from Awa Ladies.

Upon her return to Portugal, where she previously spent two years with Sporting Braga, Machia had a successful medical examination and put pen to paper to wrap up her transfer.

The 29-year-old agreed to a short-term deal with the Ourem based outfit, which will keep her at the Campo da Caridade for the rest of the 2020-21 season, with an optional 12-month extension.

During her two-year stint with Braga, she scored nine times and contributed assists as they celebrated a domestic double in 2019.

Following her contract expiration, the forward returned to Cameroon, where she featured for Awa Ladies, scoring five goals in five games in the 2021 Cameroon women's top-flight season.

Before her trip to Portugal, her exploits at Awa earned her a recall to the Indomitable Lionesses' fold in December when the country began their preparation in Yaounde for the Olympic playoffs with Chile.
 
The signing of Machia will boost the ranks of Ouriense as they seek to retain their top-flight status in the relegation playoffs after an eighth-place first round finish, with eight points from nine games.

With her arrival, she will fill the void left by Kenya star Vivian Corazone Aquino and also team up with Mozambique striker Lucia Jose.
 
Machia will hope to hit the ground running on her debut for Ouriense in their relegation play-off opener against Damaiense on Sunday.

Cameroon may have to face a reality check after the clear flouting of coronavirus guidelines during the African Nations Championship opener between the Indomitable Lions and Zimbabwe on Saturday.

Hosts Cameroon won the encounter 1-0 thanks to Salomon Banga’s late overhead winner, but images taken during the contest and the live broadcast of the vent showed extensive flouting of Covid-19 guidelines during the fixture.

In one image, fans—few of whom are wearing masks appropriately—are shown congregating on a balcony to celebrate with goalscorer Banga, with the supporters in question clearly failing to observe social-distancing guidelines.

Similarly, in another shot from the fixture, three Cameroon fans—adorned in paint and carrying flags—have replaced their masks to pose for a photograph.

Despite the ongoing global pandemic, Chan has gone ahead in Cameroon, but only on the condition that various safety and health criteria are met.

The tournament was originally due to take place in April 2020, but it was pushed back to this year in light of the global health pandemic afflicting the world.

For Africa’s first major footballing event taking place since the start of the pandemic to go ahead, Cameroon took various steps to ensure the safety of fans in the stadium.

Earlier this week, the Central African country outlined—specifically—the rules that must be followed within stadiums.

“In a bid to respect the Covid-19 protocol established by Caf and Fifa, Caf and Cameroon have agreed on the rate of occupation of stadiums during the competition as follows: 25 percent for all group matches including the opening match and 50 percent for all semi-finals and finals,” read a statement signed by Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi as seen by Goal.

“The wearing of face masks will be mandatory in stadiums and social distancing will be strictly applied,” the statement continued. “The non-respect of the measures shall expose defaulters to the risk of expulsion from the stadium.”

Goal has approached the Confederation of African Football about the consequence of such clear flouting of Covid-19 guidelines during the opening fixture at the biennial tournament for home-based players.

According to the World Health Organisation, there have been 27,336 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 451 deaths in Cameroon since January 3.

Ahead of the match, Zimbabwe coach Zdravko Logarusic accused the hosts of witchcraft after the carcass of a bat was found on the pitch, although it remains to be seen whether Caf will take action.

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt highlighted the hectic schedule his team is enduring following their win over Cape Town City on Saturday evening.

Amakhosi recorded their second successive win in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) when they edged out the Citizens 2-1 at Cape Town Stadium.

It was Chiefs' fourth competitive match in 16 days with the Soweto giants in a juggling act with Caf Champions League and PSL commitments.

Hunt feels that no other team has had a schedule like theirs with his side set to face Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in a league game on Tuesday.

"No one has a programme like us, we went to Cameroon, came back we had a game in two days' time, you could see they never played on Wednesday," Hunt told SuperSport TV.

"They had more energy. We played Wednesday, back up and down and it takes a toll on a small squad like us.

"What we going to do is try to get through the period and try to do better, they are a good football side, they play, we had to dig in and that's all we can do."

Chiefs grabbed two first-half goals through Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Happy Mashiane to take a 2-0 lead, but they took their feet off the pedal which allowed City to dominate the match.

Hunt revealed that he told his charges to sit back and allow the Citizens to dominate possession which saw the home side score through Fagrie Lakay.

"Yeah, they are a home side, they going to come on, they are 2-0 down, as I said I don't think they could have scored, they played in front of us the whole day," he said.

"I said at half-time, 'Let them have the ball, let's not go out there, let's let them have the ball' but we didn't do it, then you have the last five minutes frantic, you know.

"If we just keep our shape, the balance and that's what we have to learn, better not only at Chiefs," the four-time PSL title-winning coach added.

"But in football, learn to play without the ball, in our situation we have to learn these type of things. That's what I try to do at the football club and we have to learn this before we go the other way."

Chiefs will next host Tshakhuma at the iconic, FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

Manchester United midfielder Fred admits he “suffered” in his first season at Old Trafford, but hopes to have silenced those who were quick to brand him a £52.5 million ($70m) flop.

The Red Devils invested heavily in the Brazil international when luring him away from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018, with rival interest from neighbours Manchester City fended off to get a deal done.

Big things were expected of Fred in England, but he found an adjustment period tough and slipped down the pecking order while taking in just 25 appearances during his debut campaign.

Positive progress has been made from that point, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handing the 27-year-old a prominent role in the present, with the South American relieved to be over his struggles.

He told Globo Esporte of his early experiences at United: “The first season was very difficult, I think many players suffer from it.

“I suffered a lot with my first season, even for the amount they paid. You come with a high expectation, it turns out that if you don't play all the games well, you will be criticised.

“I suffered a lot of criticism from the press and the fans, but I always kept motivating myself, working. I never dropped the shuttlecock.

“I was even treated as a ‘flop’, a contract that doesn't pay. But I kept working my best.

“In the second season I started without playing, I stayed a few games away and then I managed to get the starting place.

“And then I came in a good sequence, I managed to win over the fans, the coach, the press, who speaks well. It is the result of hard work, it is not overnight.

“If people criticise, you have to keep working. Sometimes it is good to hear criticism because you are more attentive.

“I heard some people on my side saying that I have to improve. Today I came back, I'm very happy and I want to stay for many years.”

On where he has improved across two-and-a-half years, Fred added: “I think particularly what I improved was defensively.

“I didn't score so well. I played for the biggest team in Ukraine, and there is a game where we used to keep the ball a lot, and it turns out that it didn’t require a lot of marking.

“Arriving here in the Premier League is different, you have to have a better fight, be faster with the ball.

“This I improved a lot, think faster. There are some things that I couldn't do better in the first season, but I've been improving.

“And today I'm getting along with it. I think the main thing was the defensive part. In the offensive part, I improved the pass a lot, getting the ball faster in the congested medium, positioning. This improves with each workout and the trend is only to grow.”

Fred’s efforts in 2020-21 have helped United to the top of the Premier League table, with a rejuvenated outfit daring to dream of title glory as they prepare for a crunch clash with defending champions Liverpool on Sunday.

Rio Ferdinand, not Cristiano Ronaldo, represents the best transfer business carried out by Manchester United in recent times, claims John O’Shea.

Plenty of names could be added to the pot when it comes to superstar additions at Old Trafford.

Since the Premier League started, the likes of Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel and Roy Keane have provided remarkable value for money.

Wayne Rooney, as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, can also join that list, along with Andy Cole and current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – who cost just £1.5 million in 1996.

Portuguese superstar Ronaldo would be expected to come into the mix for many, given that he won the first of his five Ballons d’Or while in Manchester, but O’Shea feels that a £30 million ($41m) centre-half snapped up from Leeds in 2002 proved to be the shrewdest addition.

The former United defender, who enjoyed five title triumphs during his time with the Red Devils, told Stadium Astro: “I’d have to edge it to Rio.

“In my time, in terms of how consistent he performed. He provided such a solid foundation for the team. He was a great lad as well.

“When he joined he really settled in well, he knew a lot of the players from England. He fitted in well at the time and proved to be a very good signing. People mentioned the price tag a lot but he provided very good value.”

Pressed on ranking Ferdinand above Ronaldo, O’Shea added: “Yeah, it’s close.

“You are talking about two amazing players but just at the time, what was needed and the impact he made overall at the club, for me Rio just edges it.”

United have continued to invest shrewdly in recent windows, bringing in the likes of Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Edinson Cavani.

Bruno Fernandes has also been added to the ranks, with the Portugal international playmaker thriving across 12 months in English football.

Red Devils legend Paul Scholes has claimed that a talismanic presence in 2021 is better than he ever was, but O’Shea believes a key man for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still has some way to go before he stands alongside the greats.

The Irishman added: “For me he still has a long way to go to be better than Paul. To be mentioned in that level already goes to show the impact that Bruno Fernandes has had. He’s been incredible.”

United will be looking to Fernandes for inspiration once again when they return to Premier League action on Sunday, with the table-topping Red Devils preparing for a crunch clash with Liverpool.

Didier Deschamps says he will never forget Karim Benzema’s suggestion that the coach surrendered to pressure from racists by omitting him from the France squad.

The striker, who has 27 goals in 81 appearances for France to his name, has not featured for the national team since October 2015.

The following month, he was arrested by French police following an investigation into an attempt to blackmail international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape. It was confirmed this month that the 33-year-old will stand trial on charges related to the plot, though he denies any wrongdoing.

Benzema was heavily criticised after the story emerged, with then-Prime Minister Manuel Valls saying he should not be given a place in the team, while former President Francois Hollande wrote in his book that the player was  "morally, not an example".

Then, after it was confirmed he would not be part of the squad for Euro 2016, Benzema said that Deschamps had “bowed to the pressure of a racist part of France”. Days later, the coach’s home was vandalised with graffiti labelling him a racist.

In November 2019, Noel le Graet, the president of the French Football Federation, dismissed suggestions that the former Lyon star could return to the team, declaring his international career “over”.

Deschamps, meanwhile, is still bitter about Benzema’s accusation and admits he will never forget what he said.

"It's a stain," he said in an interview with RTL.

"Even if with time it calms down a bit, I can't forget. It's not just about Karim Benzema. There are statements by other people too that have led to this violent act, which affects my family.

"When it concerns me, on my choices as coach, the tactics, the technical aspect, it has to be accepted and it does not matter.

“There, it crosses the white line. It touches my name, my family. For me, this is unacceptable.

“Saying certain things necessarily leads to verbal or physical aggression. I suffer the consequences. We cannot forget. I cannot forget. I will never forget."

While Benzema has been cast aside by France, he remains a key figure at Real Madrid. The attacker has scored 13 goals in 22 appearances in all competitions this season for the club he joined almost 12 years ago.

Mason Mount scored a late winner as Chelsea scraped to an unimpressive 1-0 win at a struggling Fulham side that played half the match a man light. 

Frank Lampard's side went into the match without a win in any of their three previous Premier League games, a run that had seen their coach come under increased pressure. Although they were able to end that streak, the performance was by no means vintage. 

Chelsea had the better of the first half but did not begin to exert genuine control until after Antonee Robinson's dismissal in the 44th minute left the Blues with a numerical advantage. 

They had great difficulty making the most of that sending off, but eventually Mount struck 12 minutes from time to move Chelsea back up to seventh in the table. 

Chelsea briefly appeared to find their groove when they created a flurry of chances in quick succession before the half-hour mark of the contest. 

Alphonse Areola had to be alert twice, saving from Olivier Giroud and Antonio Rudiger either side of Mount striking the crossbar during what was a promising three-minute spell from the visitors. 

While that was not the start of a prolonged onslaught, Chelsea's chances were helped just before half-time when Robinson was shown a straight red for a wild tackle on Cesar Azpilicueta that completely missed the ball and sent the Spaniard flying. 

Despite having an extra man, Chelsea's chance creation frequency did not appear to increase, two of their better opportunities ultimately resulting in offside calls. 

A defensive calamity just past the hour then almost saw Chelsea fall behind, as Azpilicueta's poor pass forced Edouard Mendy to stretch and nudge the ball to Ivan Cavaleiro, but luckily Thiago Silva was in attendance to block his shot in front of an empty goal. 

Chelsea finally found a way through in the latter stages, Mount drilling a volley low past Areola after the Frenchman had diverted a left-wing cross right to him.

Mason Mount scored a late winner as Chelsea scraped to an unimpressive 1-0 win at a struggling Fulham side that played half the match a man light. 

Frank Lampard's side went into the match without a win in any of their three previous Premier League games, a run that had seen their coach come under increased pressure. Although they were able to end that streak, the performance was by no means vintage. 

Chelsea had the better of the first half but did not begin to exert genuine control until after Antonee Robinson's dismissal in the 44th minute left the Blues with a numerical advantage. 

They had great difficulty making the most of that sending off, but eventually Mount struck 12 minutes from time to move Chelsea back up to seventh in the table. 

Chelsea briefly appeared to find their groove when they created a flurry of chances in quick succession before the half-hour mark of the contest. 

Alphonse Areola had to be alert twice, saving from Olivier Giroud and Antonio Rudiger either side of Mount striking the crossbar during what was a promising three-minute spell from the visitors. 

While that was not the start of a prolonged onslaught, Chelsea's chances were helped just before half-time when Robinson was shown a straight red for a wild tackle on Cesar Azpilicueta that completely missed the ball and sent the Spaniard flying. 

Despite having an extra man, Chelsea's chance creation frequency did not appear to increase, two of their better opportunities ultimately resulting in offside calls. 

A defensive calamity just past the hour then almost saw Chelsea fall behind, as Azpilicueta's poor pass forced Edouard Mendy to stretch and nudge the ball to Ivan Cavaleiro, but luckily Thiago Silva was in attendance to block his shot in front of an empty goal. 

Chelsea finally found a way through in the latter stages, Mount drilling a volley low past Areola after the Frenchman had diverted a left-wing cross right to him.

Theo Walcott has admitted to questioning his decision to take Thierry Henry’s No.14 at Arsenal, accused the Gunners of being “too nice” during his time at Emirates Stadium and reflected on being asked by Barcelona icon Lionel Messi to swap shirts in the Champions League.

The England international forward moved to north London in 2006 and would go on to spend 12 years with a Premier League heavyweight.

He was a starry-eyed youngster when joining Arsenal and progressed quickly to the point that he felt ready to step into the shoes of a legend when Henry left for Barcelona.

“I originally wanted number 8 but it was the season they signed Samir Nasri, so they told me I couldn’t have it,” Walcott told talkSPORT.

“So I just said I’ll take number 14. I’m not superstitious and I didn’t really think of the relevance. Then suddenly I thought, ‘Sh*t, I’ve taken Thierry’s number’.

“I got a shirt signed from Henry and it said, ‘Do number 14, from number 14’. He signed it off, and if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me.”

Walcott did do Henry’s jersey justice, taking in 397 appearances for Arsenal and scoring 108 goals.

He figured in two FA Cups triumphs and was a regular on a Champions League stage, with European outings allowing him to rub shoulders with the very best in the business – including a certain Argentine who made a surprising request after a quarter-final clash in 2010.

Walcott said of mingling with Messi: “When he had the ball and he wanted to face up with me, he would turn and go the other way. I thought, ‘OK, Messi doesn’t want to try and run past me, that’s a good sign’.

“We played Barcelona quite a lot and Messi asked for my shirt. I thought, ‘Wow, the greatest player in the world is asking for my shirt!’ I’ve got no words for that.”

Walcott was never able to taste continental glory while with the Gunners and eventually saw an ambitious outfit slip out of the Premier League’s top four.

It is proving to be a long way back for Arsenal, with a former favourite saying of his experiences: “We were too nice. Then we won a few FA Cups and got in the Champions League a lot.

“At times, that felt like it was good enough for Arsenal. It felt like a bit of a medal. As players, we wanted to win things, but the club were happy to finish fourth.

“When Leicester won the league and we were the only team to beat them twice, that was the year we should’ve done something. That was the year Arsenal should’ve won it.”

The draw means Sundowns are level on 25 points at the top of the table with Swallows, following the Birds’ 1-0 win against Baroka FC later on Saturday.

SuperSport meanwhile are in third spot, with 23 points. All three teams have played 11 matches.

Speaking after the match to SuperSport TV, Mngqithi bemoaned the fact that his side “were not incisive enough to try to get in behind [the opposition] defence.”

He also spoke about SuperSport getting six players back as a defensive wall across the middle of the park. And while he was pleased that his players managed to adapt, Mngqithi again pointed to a lack of cutting edge, which was the case as his side failed to find the final ball on several key occasions.

“We wanted to create a lot of number 10’s in front of their defence, which I believe Mshishi (Themba Zwane) tried, Gaston [Sirino] tried, [Lesedi] Kapinga also came in handy, but we were always short of numbers,” the Masandawana coach explained.

“We wanted to have the pockets in front of their defence, which I think we did very well. But I don’t think we capitalised on openings which we got from those combination plays. At times we made it easier for [SuperSport] to shift from side to side, [rather] than forcing runs behind the defence.

“I think we could have done better, but its still work in progress,” the former Golden Arrows head coach continued.

“No one must put an excuse here, we were playing against a very good team, we gave a good account of ourselves - but at times we are very greedy, we want to win every match.”

Next up for Sundowns is a home clash with Bloemfontein Celtic on Tuesday evening.

Swallows FC secured a 1-0 victory over Baroka FC at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

The only goal of the match came in the second-half and it was the Beautiful Birds' in-form striker Ruzaigh Gamildien, who scored.

The goal came after the visitors were awarded a penalty with Fawaaz Basadien having been fouled in the 56th minute.

Gamildien then stepped up and scored from the spot-kick and it was his sixth goal in the last six league matches.

The victory saw Swallows go level on points with PSL log leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns, who were held to a 0-0 draw by SuperSpprt United on Saturday afternoon.

The defeat saw Baroka slip down to the ninth spot on the league standings and they are now winless in five matches.

Meanwhile, Dan Malesela's Chippa United claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

Frederic Nsabiyumva was the hero for the Chilli Boys as his first-half goal was enough to hand the visitors the victory on the day. 

The towering central defender headed the ball past Galaxy goalkeeper Wensten van der Linde to make it 1-0 just four minutes into the game.

Ultimately, Malesela was able to mastermind a victory over his former side, Galaxy and the victory took Chippa to 12th place on the log.

While Galaxy's woes continued as they remained 15th on the standings having lost five of their last six matches.

At Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban, Lamontville Golden Arrows maintained their unbeaten start to the current season by securing a 2-1 win over Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

Velemseni Ndwandwe's first-half goal inspired Abafana Bes'thende to a victory after some good work by Divine Lunga.

Zimbabwe international Lunga Lungu picked out Ndwandwe, who scored with a decent finish in the 19th minute and the win saw Arrows leapfrog Orlando Pirates into fourth spot on the log.

The defeat extended Tshakhuma's winless run to seven matches and pressure is mounting on coach Joel Masutha.

Lastly, Bloemfontein Celtic fought back to hold Stellenbosch FC to a 1-1 draw at Dr Molemela Stadium in the City of Roses.

Lelethu Skelem opened the scoring with a great finish in the 44th minute, but his goal was cancelled out by Menzi Masuku's strike two minutes before the hour-mark.

The draw left Celtic and Stellenbosch placed seventh and 11th on the standings respectively.

Mesut Ozil being ushered out of the back door at Arsenal is “sad”, says Martin Keown, with questions asked of why a player that once reached the very top of the game has fallen so far.

After seven-and-a-half years at Emirates Stadium, a World Cup winner is heading for the exits.

A move to Fenerbahce appears to be on the cards for a boyhood fan of the Turkish outfit, with that deal set to be pushed through with a player heading towards free agency in the summer.

Ozil will leave north London with his potential unfilled, despite taking in 254 appearances for Arsenal and claiming three FA Cup winners’ medals.

He has been viewed as a key man at times, with Arsene Wenger tying him to lucrative contracts, but a classy operator has often struggled to deliver on expectation.

Keown has been a critic throughout Ozil’s stint in England, with more demanded of a player that remains a match-winner on his day.

The former Gunners defender is disappointed to see a deal that offered so much promise fizzling out, with a Premier League heavyweight preparing to move on from a midfielder that Mikel Arteta has frozen out of his plans in 2020-21.

Keown told BBC Sport: “I find it really sad that a player of that ability has not been able to finish his career in the right way at Arsenal.

“You cannot drop when you have got that technical ability and the vision he has as a player. What’s happening that you drop so much?

“It has to be about the way you are applying yourself. And if he wasn’t doing that properly on the training ground, the manager has to make a change.

“The football club now needs to look to the future and these youngsters bring so much promise.

“So we can afford to let the Ozils go if they are not going to really give it everything for the football club.”

Ozil’s last appearance for Arsenal came prior to a coronavirus-enforced lockdown in March 2020, with it being made clear to him this season that did not figure in Arteta’s long-term thinking.

Ex-Hearts of Oak star Bernard Don Bortey believes the club's re-appointment of former coach Kosta Papic is a step in the right direction.

The Phobians have struggled to lift a major trophy since last winning the Premier League in 2009.

Interestingly, the last triumph coincides with the Serbian's last stint at the helm of affairs. Between his first stint and his recent comeback in December 2020, he coached Young Africans of Tanzania, South African clubs Black Leopard, Chippa United, Polokwane City and Royal Eagles and the eSwatini national team.

Earlier, he coached Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Maritzburg United in South Africa, as well as Enyimba and Enugu Rangers in Nigeria.

"This is not his first time. He [Papic] won the league with us. He is what Hearts of Oak need now," Bortey, who was on the books of Hearts during the 2009 GPL triumph, told Silver FM.

“He’s impressed me so far with his performance with the team. Let’s pray for him so that whatever he wants to do with the team comes to fruition."

This season, Hearts have set their sights on winning their 20th league title to close up the gap on archrivals Asante Kotoko who have 23 trophies to their name.

“I follow the league and most especially Hearts of Oak and Kotoko. They are the big guns who make the Ghana league exciting,” Bortey added.

“Both teams were struggling when the league started, but it seems they’ve picked up now. And that has injected some excitement into the league.

"One of Hearts or Kotoko is going to win the league. Anything can happen, but if you observe the current form of both Hearts and Kotoko, it shows clearly that they are on course.

“Even the current table-toppers know that when these giants are in top form then they are a serious threat to them. So I am predicting that one of these two teams will win the league."

Hearts are sixth on the league table after eight rounds of matches this season, tied on points with Kotoko.

Papic's side is set to take on Eleven Wonders in their next game on Sunday. 

Takumi Minamino admits to feeling undeserving of the Premier League winners’ medal he claimed with Liverpool in 2019-20, with the Japan international still looking to prove his worth.

A £7.25 million ($10m) transfer took the versatile 26-year-old to Anfield during the January window of 2020.

He took in 10 appearances from that point, with a title party staged on Merseyside for the first time in 30 years.

Minamino did play some part in that success, but admits to feeling uneasy at picking up a prize that others contributed significantly more to.

He told Liverpool’s official matchday programme: “It isn't very easy to describe my feelings.

“Of course I was happy but at the same time I only played for the team for half the season and I was quite doubtful I had contributed to the team 100 per cent.

“When I lifted the trophy I was feeling proud but at the same time I thought that I needed to play well throughout a whole season and my aim is to hopefully do that and help the team to lift the trophy again this season.”

Minamino has been eased into English football by Jurgen Klopp, with Liverpool boasting enough strength in depth that new recruits do not need to be thrown in at the deep end.

Having been with the Reds for 12 months now, the hard-working forward believes he is ready to show his true colours.

Minamino, with 16 appearances and four goals to his name this season, added: “I am used to living in the UK now and I have been studying the language as well, although it has been a bit difficult because of the Covid situation.

“I have made very good friends with all the players in the team but I often speak with the players who speak German such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane and Joel Matip - I have a lot of communication with them.”

Liverpool are confident that value will be found in a cut-price deal done with Red Bull Salzburg, with Minamino looking to emulate and better the efforts of fellow countrymen in the Premier League.

He said: “I was inspired by Shinji Kagawa, who played at Manchester United. The reason for that is that I used to play for a team in Japan that Kagawa used to play for, Cerezo Osaka.

“So we were at the same club and while I was in Japan I watched him playing for United and I also imagined myself playing in the Premier League as well.”

Minamino will be hoping his next outing comes against the Red Devils, with the defending Premier League champions preparing to play host to arch-rivals on Sunday.