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Diego Maradona's off-field antics don't matter in terms of his lasting legacy as a footballer and a human being, according to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Maradona died at the age of 60 his home in Buenos Aires on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack, having undergone brain surgery on a blood clot at the start of the month.

The Argentina great, who led his country to glory at the World Cup finals in 1986, was also being treated for alcohol dependency, and his struggles with drug abuse both during and after his playing career had been well documented.

However, the former Napoli and Barcelona midfielder is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, with the likes of Pele, Gary Lineker, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp among those to have offered heartfelt tributes following his passing.

Ibrahimovic gave his own testimonial on Maradona during an interview with Sky Sports, during which he insisted the personal demons he struggled with away from football should not detract from the impact he had on the game.

“I'm so sorry, because for me Maradona is more than football. It has become a religion for many and I was lucky enough to know him and talk to him," said the Milan striker.

“He is a symbol of what he has done on the pitch. I always judge him for what he did on the pitch, what he did outside, in my opinion, is his problem and not ours. 

"We must remember him for what he did as a footballer and in my opinion, he will be remembered forever. When you see number 10 who do you think about? Maradona. 

"It is a symbol, even today there are those who choose that number for him."

Ibrahimovic added on Maradona being a flawed genius whose passion set him apart from his peers at the very highest level: “As a person, he did everything with his heart, there were no other motives or thoughts. 

"I don't know if that's the right thing, but that's why the whole world loved him. 

"He was always himself. In today's football, everyone tries to be perfect, but to grow and learn you have to make mistakes. 

"Maradona always did everything with his heart and will always remain number one."

AFC Leopards goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan has revealed areas they must work on for a better season in the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

The Ugandan stated their general performance last season saw them have a stable season where he also emerged as the best goalkeeper with 15 clean sheets.

“We thank God the long wait is over and the pre-season has been good for us and I believe we are going to have a good season this year,” Ochan told the club’s Online TV.

“One of our strong points last season was working as a unit; we defended together, and attacked together. It was not about an individual as the general performance was a collective thing.

“We must work on those points and improve for a better campaign.

“We believe we are going to build on that and pray we can have more clean sheets this season and remain very solid all through.”

According to the former St George SC goalkeeper the fact that Tusker are under veteran Robert Matano they must be given more respect.

“We respect Tusker and the senior coach they have as they are always very tactical in their approach,” Ochan added. “But we are also prepared as we have a plan which we have worked on all week which we hope to implement during the game.

“We hope for the best and we hope our best is good enough to give us the results we want.”

On his part, new signing Fabrice Mugheni revealed how life has been at the club and how the coach would play a key role in his effort to achieve the set targets.

“Life at AFC Leopards is good and I am fighting to gel together with the rest,” Mugheni said.

“Signing for AFC gave me an opportunity to come to Kenya for the first time and I am working hard to impress especially that I have seen how good the team is.

“Personally, my target will come out clear given how the coach would want me to play. If he would want me to be a box-to-box player fine and if he would want me to drop or help in attack on some occasions, well that is also good.

“It is not all about me it is the coach that plans for the team. We are very ready for the season and I hope the season will be better.”

FKF Premier League is set to kick-off in November after it was initially postponed when the government failed to give the green light for the return of soccer in October.

Chennaiyin FC started their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign under new coach Csaba Laszlo on a winning note as they defeated Jamshedpur FC 2-1 in their opener. The mood in the Chennaiyin FC camp is upbeat ahead of facing Kerala Blasters at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Goa, in the second of Sunday's double header that has Jamshedpur take on Odisha first.

"We know our opponent (Kerala Blasters) very well. The coach (Kibu Vicuna) spends his second year in India and knows Indian football very well but generally he's new in the team. I am also new but the most important thing is the reaction from the team," Laszlo stated.

"We have to control the game and sometimes, we have to also control ourselves. I think we will continue what we began with. We have our style and we will try to work on our style. Hopefully, we can collect three points which is the most important (thing)."

Blasters will play their third game of the season and are yet to register full points after suffering a defeat on the opening day followed by a draw. The Chennaiyin gaffer was asked whether Kerala, having played a game more, would help them get their team cohesion better.

"All teams played just two or three games in the pre-season, maybe four. We (Chennaiyin coaching staff) also came very late and I didn't have much time with the team for this reason. Sometimes I wished to have more (pre-season friendly) games but to tell you whether this is a fortune or not I can tell you after the game," answered the former Dundee United coach.

"Sometimes the best training sessions are games and this could be an advantage for Kerala, but if you look at the recovery time, we had a little bit more but we will also face less time for recovery in the next games," he was quick to add.

Laszlo used all of his seven foreigners during the course of the last game but maintained the importance of having quality Indian players in the squad. He reiterated the importance of developing the Indian contingent which in turn, would help the Indian national team and the ISL as well in the long run.

"It's true that when you have good Indian players, you can decide a game. It's a sort of an advantage as everybody keeps talking about the foreigners and what qualities they have but as I told before, I have an eye on the Indian talent because they are the future. If you want to have a good league and a good national team, you need to develop this Indian talent. 

"In the last game I used all seven foreigners but on the other side, you have to see that German (Germanpreet Singh), (Rahim) Ali also came in the game. (Lallianzuala) Chhangte, (Anirudh) Thapa, Reagan (Reagan) all had a very good (outing). I think these (Indian) players can decide a game and it's also important who comes off the bench. For example, when we took Deepak (Tangri) and Rafael (Crivellaro) out, we had the option of bringing other quality players like German and Thapa took over the role from Rafael really well," he explained.

Could youngsters like Aman Chetri and Abhijit Sarkar also see game time in the near future?

"It depends. Normally you don't change the winning team, but in the upcoming games everybody will definitely get a chance."

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Alex Iwobi needs more confidence to play in the wingback position for Everton.

The 24-year-old delivered an impressive performance for the Toffees in the right-back position against Fulham last weekend.

Ancelotti has praised the impact of the Nigeria international in the encounter and believes he can be an option for injured Lucas Digne when they take on Leeds United on Saturday evening.

“I was happy about his performance [against Fulham]. He did well. He can cover that position as a full-back,” Ancelotti told the club website.

“Iwobi is a good player but he needs to feel that confidence, as does everyone! For Alex, it’s important to feel there are people that have confidence in him.

“During a season, it can happen that you lose some important players and we have to manage this situation.

“I think we will be able to adapt to the loss of Lucas Digne. We have a good squad, good substitutes in that position [full-back].

“Nkounkou doesn’t have experience in the Premier League but showed good quality in the game he played. He is young but has a lot of quality

“We have Jonjoe Kenny on the right, we have the possibility to substitute and we will try. Three centre-backs can be an option. Alex Iwobi can play on the left as a wing-back without a problem.”

Iwobi has also previously stated he is disposed to playing in any position for the Goodison Park outfit but admitted he still needs a lot to learn to play in the wing-back role.  

“I played right wing-back a couple of times with Arsenal, they wanted me to bomb on and, like I was doing in the first half at Fulham, get crosses in and run down the line with the ball,” Iwobi said.

“It is not something I have done a lot of but anywhere I am told to play, I try to do my best. Ben [Godfrey] and James [Rodriguez] and Doucs [Doucoure] were talking to me and made it more comfortable.

“Sometimes, with my defensive position, I wouldn’t know where to be but with them helping and talking it was a lot easier.

“I will take the positives but there are still things I have to learn if I am going to play in this position, especially defensively.

“At least, for me, playing right wing-back, the manager has in his mind, I can play anywhere on the left and right and in the middle.

“Anywhere he wants me to play, I will be able to do that job. And wherever I am playing I will give 100 per cent for the club.”

Iwobi has made 10 appearances for Everton this season across all competitions and will hope to help them secure their second consecutive victory against Leeds United.

AFC Leopards captain Robinson Kamura has warned his teammates not to be over-confident ahead of their opening Football Kenya Federation Premier League tie against Tusker.

They clashed in a friendly match on November 13 where the former emerged 2-0 winners.

“We are confident but not over-confident as we do not look at the friendly match. That was just a test match during the pre-season,” the centre-back told the club’s Online TV.

“Tusker were doing and testing something and we were testing our tactics but it was good we won in order to build our confidence.”

The skipper also spoke about their preparations for 2020/21 which will see footballers take to the pitch yet again after the suspension that lasted over eight months due to the coronavirus.

“I would not talk about our opponent for Saturday but I would talk about how we have prepared. It has been over two months preparing for the league and finally, the time has now come,” he added.

“The morale is high and the team spirit is at the best level as one can see from the training. We have been training well and are really looking forward to working hard for the three points.

“The points will be key for us as we have to start the league well. Last season, we did a good job due to everyone’s individual push and effort.

“This is another game that has not been played but we know Tusker very well. We will do our part and work hard to get the three points because that is the most important thing in a game.”

The Ingwe supporters, just like the other club’s fans, will not be able to watch the game but Kamura has promised them good results while they are away.

“We will miss our fans but the most important thing is to give them a good performance,” the former Mathare United defender concluded.

“We are going to play like they are there. Pushing ourselves for a win is the only way to make them happy until they will be allowed to come back.”

The AFC Leopards home match against Tusker will be broadcast by new league partner, StarTimes.

Arsenal "were almost dead" before Mikel Arteta's arrival, according to Dani Ceballos, who has praised the Gunners boss for bringing about "radical change" at Emirates Stadium.

Unai Emery was sacked after 18 months in charge at Arsenal following a seven-match winless run in November 2019.

Interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg was unable to steady to the ship, and by the time Arteta was appointed five days out from Christmas day, the Gunners' 2019-20 campaign was in tatters.

However, Arteta immediately set about stamping his own mark on a squad struggling for confidence, implementing the same style of football which had garnered so much success for Manchester City during his three-year stint as Pep Guardiola's assistant.

Arsenal salvaged an eighth-place Premier League finish in the end, and also got their hands on the FA Cup after a thrilling run which included impressive wins over Leicester, City and Chelsea.

The Gunners haven't kicked on as supporters might have hoped in the early stages of the new season, but Ceballos has no doubt that Arteta is the right man to take the club forward after seeing the impact he has had in north London over the past 11 months.

“The team was almost dead - but after Arteta’s arrival we won the FA Cup and the Community Shield," the 24-year-old told The Sun.

“It’s not even a year since he arrived and he has given a radical change to the club.

“He’s the soul of the club and he’s lucky that the players trust him 100 per cent.

“Arsenal need him, in part because he takes the initiative most of the time.”

Ceballos, who is currently on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid, went onto insist that Champions League qualification is still a realistic goal for the team ahead of a crucial meeting with Wolves at the Emirates on Sunday.

“Arsenal have to fight to be in the top four," he added.

“But before there were five teams fighting to get into the Champions League, now there are six or seven.

“You just have to look at Manchester City, one of the best teams in England, or Manchester United. They are not up at the top of the table.

“Southampton and Aston Villa, who last year struggled not to be relegated, have surprised everyone.

“It is a tremendously competitive league, anyone can beat anyone. But our moment will come.”

Mamelodi Sundowns would be keen to reclaim the Premier Soccer League (PSL) top spot when they welcome Stellenbosch at Loftus Versfeld.

A win for Downs will see them back at the top of the standings where they were dislodged by Swallows FC who edged Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 on Tuesday.

Sundowns would be two points clear at the summit if they overpower their Eastern Cape visitors.

Ninth-placed Stellenbosch on the other hand would be out to build on last weekend’s 2-0 win over Chippa United which was their first win of the season.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV and SABC. 

Squads & Team News

The Sundowns camp in the build-up to this match has been shaken by the death of their player Anele Ngcongca who was set to join AmaZulu on loan.

The Brazilians could also feel disturbed by the transfer request handed in by Uruguayan attacker Gaston Sirino who is keen to reunite with Pitso Mosimane at African champions Al Ahly.

Sirino is yet to play a single match this season and his return from injury was expected to add more attacking flavour to the red-hot partnership of Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus.

But Sirino’s possible exit could hurt the coaches’ plans around him.

Another piece of unpleasant news at Chloorkop ahead of the Stellenbosch assignment is that Sirino’s compatriot Mauricio Affonso aggravated his injury just as he was said to be nearing recovery.

Affonso has been a long time absentee from the team. Goalkeeper Denis Onyango is expected to be back in goal for Downs after missing last weekend’s 4-3 win over AmaZulu.

There are no major injury worries in the Stellenbosch camp.

But coach Steve Barker would be hoping that Zambian midfielder Nathan Sinkala continues with his good form that has seen him score two goals in four league games.

Argentine midfielder Junior Mendieta has also enjoyed a bright start to PSL life with a goal in two appearances.

Nigerian striker Stanley Dimgba could make his debut for the Stellies.

Match Preview

Judging on their form, Mamelodi Sundowns appear on paper favourites to win this match after recording three league wins and a draw so far this season.

They have also scored the highest number of goals in four games in this campaign but their attackers face what appears to be a strong Stellenbosch defence that has shipped in just three goals in four games.

The experience of veteran centre-backs defenders Robyn Johannes and Marc van Heerden seem to be working for Stellies.

The central defenders now face Sundowns midfielder Zwane who goes into this match on a high after grabbing a hat-trick in their last match against AmaZulu.

Shalulile and Erasmus also pose a serious threat to Stellenbosch who have been struggling for consistency after recording a win, a defeat and two draws which has left them in ninth position.

Previous encounters between the two sides have seen Sundowns emerging victorious in the two matches they played last season when Stellenbosch were making their PSL debut campaign.

Namungo FC coach Hemed Morocco has boldly stated his charges will not fail Tanzanians in their Caf Confederation Cup game at home against Al-Rabita SC.

The Tanzanian outfit will be making their debut in the continent and are aiming at starting the game in the best way possible. The tactician took over from Hitimana Thierry who was fired over their poor performances.

"The preparations for the game have been good and we are determined to get positive results in our debut game," Morocco said ahead of the game.

"We understand that we are playing at home, meaning we have to fight to get good results. All the players know what we want and Tanzania, at large, are hoping for nothing less than a win.

"We will not fail Tanzanians; we need a win, there are no two ways about it. If we get a win at home, it will be easier for us away."

The game will be played at Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam from 7 pm EAT.

Hitimana was fired on November 18 after a run of poor results in the ongoing campaign. By the time, he had helped the team register four wins, as many losses, and two draws.

He left the team in 14th position and it was an unwelcome struggle considering the team was preparing to play the Sudanese outfit Al-Rabita in the first preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup.

Hitimana led the club to a top-five finish last season and went all the way to the final stage of the Azam Shield Cup tournament which is commonly referred to as the FA Cup.

They were defeated in the final by Simba SC and earned the Confederation Cup slot by virtue of being the domestic competition finalist as Simba SC lifted the trophy as well as the league title.

League champions Wekundu wa Msimbazi are away in Nigeria where they will be playing Plateau United FC in the first preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.

Dani Ceballos has insisted that his fight with David Luiz shows that Arsenal are "alive", while admitting he clashed with his team-mate because of the "very similar leadership qualities" they share.

The Athletic revealed that Ceballos and Luiz were involved in a training ground bust-up last week, which left the former with a visible scratch on his nose.

It was reported that Luiz reacted angrily to a late tackle from the midfielder during a practice game, leading to a physical confrontation that had to be broken up by players and staff.

Arteta played down the significance of the incident before Arsenal's 0-0 draw at Leeds United last Sunday, as he told reporters: "I have got a really bad vision from far. That is why we train behind closed doors.

“Training is very competitive and issues happen a lot of times. Those things get resolved immediately within the team and there is not much to say.”

Luiz and Ceballos played together for the first time since their altercation in a Europa League clash against Molde on Thursday, and there appeared to be no lasting signs of ill-feeling between the pair during the Gunners' 3-0 victory.

Both men are in line to feature again as Arsenal prepare to welcome Wolves to the Emirates Stadium for a must-win Premier League clash this weekend, and Ceballos has admitted that his conduct fell short of the required standard ahead of that match.

“I’m not going to say that there wasn’t a clash or a scuffle,” the Real Madrid loanee told The Sun when quizzed on his confrontation with Luiz.

“It was not an exemplary behaviour but it is good to see Arsenal is alive - that the team has character.

“We are two footballers with very similar leadership qualities and these things can happen.”

Ceballos added on how quickly he resolved his differences with the Brazilian: “We didn’t let a single day go by. We spoke that same afternoon after training.

“Now we have to learn so it does not happen again.”

Arteta's men will turn their attention back to the Europa League after their clash with Wolves, with Rapid Vienna scheduled to arrive at the Emirates on December 3.

Arsenal will then look ahead to a huge north London derby clash against Tottenham three days later as the fixture list begins to pile up over the Christmas period.

Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan is delighted by his debut for local side Legon Cities in the Premier League (GPL) on Friday.

For the first time since leaving Liberty Professionals for Italian Serie A club Udinese in 2003, the veteran striker took to the pitch for GPL action as The Royals and Medeama played out a 0-0 draw in a matchweek three fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

He came on in the 70th minute, taking the place of Raphael Ocloo.

“I am very much excited to be back home. This is where the name, Asamoah Gyan started and it feels great to play in the league again after 17-years, ” Gyan said after the game.

“I am very much satisfied with the game tonight. It’s a positive one. We need to approach the next game with this same mentality and I believe soon the wins will come.”

Gyan joined Legon in October on a short-term deal, having been inactive since leaving Indian Super League outfit NorthEast United in January.

He has had to wait until matchday three to make his debut for his new club due to a lack of match fitness.

Without their marquee signing, The Royals drew 1-1 with Berekum Chelsea on matchday one before succumbing to a 3-0 loss to Great Olympics, leading to the sacking of coach Goran Barjaktarevic.

“He [Gyan] was super," interim Legon Cities boss Wahid Mohammed said after Friday's fixture.

"You could see that all the touches he had were fantastic. He had a positive game but we should expect more from him. He will lose some few pounds.”

“He is only 30 per cent fit that’s why he started from the bench. When we get him even 50% we will win the league, trust me.”

Gyan could make his first start for Legon in their matchweek four trip to Dawu-based Dreams FC.

"Saying you can challenge for the league is very easy," Gyan said earlier this month, as reported by Footballghana.

"You can purchase all the best players in the world but without knowing what you like, we cannot be successful.

“We have to play some matches before we will know whether we can win the league or not.

"The most important thing is that management are doing their best because they’ve signed players they think can help the progress of the team."

Gyan's career has taken him to multiple Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and three World Cup tournaments with Ghana. He has also featured for the likes of Sunderland and Stade Rennais.

Nicolas Pepe "will come good" at Arsenal, according to Freddie Ljungberg, who says the club's record signing just needs more time to adapt.

Pepe became the most expensive signing in Arsenal's history when he completed a £72 million ($96m) switch from Lille in August 2019.

The Ivory Coast international has since struggled to justify that hefty price tag, showing only glimpses of the mercurial talents that saw him emerge as one of the most exciting players in Ligue 1.

Pepe finished the 2019-20 campaign with only eight goals to his name from 42 appearances in all competitions, and his output has not improved at the start of the new season.

A return of one goal in eight Premier League outings has done little to appease supporters demanding more cutting edge from the 25-year-old, whose stock plummeted to new lows after he was sent off for headbutting Ezgjan Alioski in a 0-0 draw at Leeds United last weekend.

The former Lille star did, however, respond to that setback by producing a superb display against Molde in the Europa League on Thursday, with his 50th-minute strike setting Arsenal on their way to a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Ljungberg, who served as both the Gunners' interim manager and assistant coach last season, is confident that Pepe will live up to his potential eventually, and doesn't believe he deserves the amount of negative attention he's had during the first year of his career at Emirates Stadium.

“I think Nico will come good,” The Arsenal legend told The Athletic. “Nico wants to work. Every player makes mistakes. I got sent off at Spurs!

“Don’t slaughter them too much because it happens to all of us.

“The important thing is how they react afterwards and if he knuckles down, works even harder and still tries to prove himself. He’s not had the easiest time, there’s a lot of focus on him.

“I could say easy things like, ‘Yeah, he needs game time’. OK, but you have a lot of other players as well who need game time. That’s what is difficult.

“When you come from the French league to the Premier League, you need a bit of adaptation.

“It’s totally different football and everything around football. So you need game time but you need results at the same time. It’s not an easy balance.”

Orlando Pirates’ unbeaten run this season faces a stern test when they host Baroka FC in a Premier Soccer League match at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

A win by a wider margin for fourth-placed Pirates could see them topple log leaders Swallows FC and enter into the new week on top of the standings but that is largely dependent on how Mamelodi Sundowns play against Stellenbosch later in the evening.

But Baroka who are fifth on the log would be keen to avoid dropping points after they lost their first match of the season last weekend when they fell away at Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

The encounter promises to be a tough one for Pirates, given how their opponents started the season before they lost to Tshakhuma.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV and SABC. 

Squads & Team News

Pirates have a major boost going into Saturday’s match following the return of chief striker Frank Mhango from injury.

The Malawian was Pirates’ top-scorer last season with 16 PSL goals but missed their last two league matches and as many Cup games due to injury.

He has one goal to his name in the two league matches he has played this term, a converted penalty in the opening match against AmaZulu.

The Buccaneers coach Josef Zinnbauer’s attacking options have been broadened following the recovery of Mhango who could partner either Zakhele Lepasa or Tshegofatso Mabasa upfront.

It is not yet clear if Pirates’ new signing from DR Congo Jean-Marc Makusu has managed to obtain his work permit after arriving at the club earlier this month on a season-long loan from AS Vita.

Attacker Thembinkosi Lorch continues to recover after recently undergoing surgery.

Baroka FC coach Thoka Matsimela has hinted at starting forward Richard Mbulu on Saturday.

The Malawian is Bakgaka’s top-scorer this season with three goals in four league games and has become their chief marksman in a massive improvement from last season where he finished the league campaign without even a single goal in 26 league appearances.

Mbulu came on as a second-half substitute in the defeat by Tshakhuma and Matsimela which justified benching him due to fatigue since the player was coming from international duty against Burkina Faso.

Zimbabwean goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze also expected to start after fully recovering from an injury sustained during international duty which saw him sitting on the bench last weekend.

The Baroka coach will also be banking on Evidence Makgopa who has two goals in four league games.

Match Preview

Pirates host Baroka fresh from a come-from-behind 2-1 win over SuperSport United in their last match.

It was a show of character that underlines the Soweto giants as serious contenders for the league title.

Also being unbeaten in the PSL this season spurs Pirates who have managed two draws and as many wins, while they are also yet to taste defeat in three MTN8 matches.

That means they have stretched their unbeaten run to 10 games in all competitions, having last recorded a defeat in August during the PSL bio-bubble.

But they now face a potential upset from Baroka who have managed two victories, a draw and a defeat so far this season.

Baroka would also be inspired by the fact that they came back from two goals down to force a 2-2 league draw against Pirates last season, before restricting Bucs to a 1-1 draw in the return leg in August.

Bakgaga have a history of frustrating Pirates since their first league meeting in 2006 as their encounters have yielded six draws, while Pirates have emerged victorious twice.

Kerala Blasters have had a disappointing start to their Indian Super League (ISL) campaign as they have accumulated just a point from two matches. On Sunday when they will face Chennaiyin FC, Kibu Vicuna is focussed to earn his team's first full points of the season. But the coach is well aware that going up against a well-drilled side like Chennaiyin FC will not be easy. 

"Chennaiyin played very well against Jamshedpur FC. They have one of the best offensive midfielders in the league in (Rafael) Crivellaro. They have some of the best who were very important last season. They got a very successful second place, they have a very good team," assessed Vicuna ahead of the clash. 

His men gave away a 2-0 lead against NorthEast United and looked out of ideas in the attacking third. But Vicuna feels that the problem lies in finishing and not in creating chances. 

"We saw two different halves in the last game. We controlled the game in the first half. We have to improve in every aspect of the game. It is true that we did not create too many chances but we had more control than the opponent, we didn't score (from) our chances. We played good football in the first (half) but lost control in the second half," said the tactician. 

He informed that both Sahal Samad and Rahul KP are training with the team but a final call on whether they will be in the matchday squad will be taken later in the day.

Vicuna rued a short pre-season due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the busy schedule which has forced Kerala to play three times in nine days. 

"Normally you train more, play more friendlies and have more time to know the team. All the teams have the same problem. We are ready to play friendlies and ready to play more friendlies during the season. We have a lot of players and it is important that all the players get minutes. It is difficult. Some of the players, they are not ready because they started training late. We are going to play our third game tomorrow and some teams have only played one game. In December, we play four games. But we cannot find excuses. This is how the league has scheduled," expressed the I-League winning coach. 

Midfielder Rohit Kumar has joined Blasters this season and has earned Vicuna's trust to start in games in the absence of Samad. There is a lot of competition in midfield but the former FC Pune City medio says he is enjoying himself. 

"I wanted to play for Kerala Blasters, to take up a new chance and new challenge. Competition in midfield is good. There is improvement where there is competition. It is a healthy competition. We keep pushing each other. I'm trying to improve as a player and as a team. It is just two games. We are disappointed with the last game, we learn from it. The mood is good. We will try to keep our top form throughout 90 minutes," stated the former Hyderabad FC player. 

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has addressed links with the Manchester United hot seat ahead of a Premier League clash against the Red Devils this weekend.

Hasenhuttl has established himself as one of the best coaches in the top flight since succeeding Mark Hughes at Southampton in December 2018.

The Saints were in real danger of being relegated to the Championship when he took over, but the Austrian head coach has successfully steered them towards the top half of the table on a relatively modest transfer budget.

Hasenhuttl guided Southampton to a respectable 11th place finish last season, with only seven points separating them and the final Europa League place, and has built on that platform in impressive fashion at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

He managed to take the club to the top of the Premier League for the first time in their history following a 2-0 win against Southampton on November 6, albeit briefly, and the Saints will be protecting a seven-match unbeaten record when they play host to Manchester United on Sunday.

In stark contrast, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's current position at Old Trafford is far from secure, with the Red Devils once again struggling for consistency despite boasting a whole host of top-class players.

The likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri have been touted as potential replacements for the Norwegian, while Hasenhuttl has been mooted as an alternative option after his outstanding work on the South Coast.

However, the 53-year-old manager played down any suggestion of being in line for the top job in Manchester during his pre-match conference, while pointing out he is currently tied to Southampton through to 2024.

"It is not really something I listen to," said Hasenhuttl when quizzed on speculation over his future. "I find myself listening to the radio when they talk about football, it is interesting to hear.

"My only interest is what happens at this club. I signed a long-term contract, the way we are improving this club gives me so much joy. I think there is something special growing here."

Solskjaer expressed his admiration towards the Southampton head coach ahead of his side's trip to St Mary's, telling reporters: "It is similar to when Jurgen came to Liverpool. He likes pressing, front foot, aggressive.

"They are difficult to play against if you dwell on the ball. Very interesting to watch their progress under Ralph.

"I am a big admirer of the physical attributes they have in their team."

Gor Mahia have received their coronavirus tests ahead of the Caf Champions League preliminary round clash against APR of Rwanda on Saturday.

All the staff and players present in Kigali have been given a clean bill of health by the host government and that is a selection boost for stand-in coach Sammy Omollo.

“Good news!” Gor Mahia announced on the social media pages. “The Covid-19 results are out. All players or to be precise, the entire contingent [players and staff] that travelled to Rwanda have all tested Covid-19 negative and they have been cleared by Rwanda's Health Ministry.”

Omollo praised the enthusiasm of his players before meeting the Rwandan champions in the afternoon.

“I have never seen a team that is high in spirit like this Gor Mahia team despite the challenges,” he stated. “l am looking forward to a solid performance and good results today against APR.”

Philemon Otieno, who is set for a return since suffering a long-term injury in August 2019, hoped for a better result.

“l thank God we reached here well,” the Harambee Star said.

“It's evident the mood in the camp is really good - nothing to trouble our minds. We will use our experience in Caf matches to get positive results and then finish the job back at home next week.

“We will work hard as it should be.”

Former Chief Executive Officer Lordvick Aduda, who visited the players at their camp revealed pre-match meeting plans.

“I have visited the team, gone to Ferwafa, all is well and the pre-match meeting was pushed to 9:00 am on Saturday from 6:00 pm Friday,” the former official was quoted by the club as saying.

On his part, team manager Jolawi Obondo lauded those who helped the club to successfully travel for the tie.

“All players and staff who are here in Rwanda are in good shape and are upbeat,” Obondo said.

“We sincerely thank our club patron Raila Odinga, deputy patron Governor Cyprian Awiti, Governor Rasanga Amoth, chairman Ambrose Rachier and the Ministry of Sports for their big support all through.”

The match will kick-off at 16:00 EAT.

Kyetume FC president Ruben Kimera is confident the team can now offer stiff competition in the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) after securing a sponsorship deal with betting firm Melbet.

The Mukono-based charges were promoted in the 2018/19 season and made their debut in the abandoned 2019/20 season. According to the official, the coming of the new sponsor will make them even better in the forthcoming 2020/21 season.

"We are privileged to be working together with such an ambitious company, Melbet," Kimera told reporters during the unveiling.

"We have been discussing a lot with them in the past and I am glad that it has eventually come to fruition.

"This club started way back in 1970, I watched, supported and also played for it at some stage. When we were promoted into the league last season, our target was to stay and we managed to achieve it, now, we want to compete. 

"We have been cooking a lot in the background and in silence and the time is now. We assure Melbet that they will get the mileage they deserve."

The betting firm explained they came on board after they were impressed with the team in their debut season and wanted to be part of it.

"I was impressed with the way [Kyetume] played," Melbet Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yasin Asiimwe stated. 

"I know that some of the clubs that finished above Kyetume did so because of their big financial muscles, so we have come on board to improve them to another level.  

"This is going to be a long deal, it is multimillion and will include revenue share that will help them in their operations. We are providing them with much more than sponsorship." 

Kyetume finished the abandoned 2019/20 season in 11th position with 30 points. They will be starting their campaign on December 9 with an away game to Wakiso Giants.

Meanwhile, Busoga United and Kitara FC have been cleared by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) to play in the UPL. 
 

AFC Leopards head coach Tomas Trucha has addressed the club’s fans and players ahead of their Football Kenya Federation Premier League opener against Tusker on Saturday.

Trucha will be taking charge of AFC Leopards’ first match and has called on the forwards, as well as other players, to ensure the club gets enough goals.

“When the strikers are scoring it is good for me and the team. It will also be very good for the supporters and we are preparing a team that is not dependent on one player alone,” the former Orapa United coach told the club’s Online TV.

“We need more players to score and I am engaging even the defensive players to play their part of attacking as everybody can be a goal scorer.

“We have the strikers and we will look upon them to score the goals for us and this is what we always do on the training ground.

“They now understand what the coach wants and that is to score goals.”

To the fans, Trucha has promised them that he will work hard and ensure the club wins as many games as possible just to appreciate the support for Ingwe.

“AFC Leopards are a big team and have a huge number of supporters. As the coach, I will do everything to bring more fans on board,” he added.

“When they will finally come to the stadiums they will come and enjoy watching the team as I enjoy seeing them training.

“In a game, you can win, draw or lose but I will do everything to win. I believe there are a lot of things to improve on the team and the supporters are very important.

“I have been speaking with the supporters asking them to be very patient, they will see that we are doing our best, and the guys, so please support us.”

AFC Leopards will host the Brewers at Nyayo Stadium in what will be the biggest tie as football returns after eight months of suspension.

Tusker, the 11-time Premier League winners, will offer Trucha the first tough test after taking over.

Jamshedpur FC did not only lose three points against Chennaiyin FC but also suffered heavily on the injury front as both central defenders in Peter Hatley and Narender Gahlot had to be replaced. Hence before facing Odisha FC on Sunday evening, Owen Coyle has much to ponder upon when selecting his best XI.

"David Grande was not available and wouldn’t be for this game. Hopefully, he will be back sooner rather than later. Joyner (Lourenco), we still expect to be absent as he has not been able to get back to training fully. Amarjit (Singh) might have the possibility of being in the squad however, the percentage is lower. We will assess how he does in training and take a final decision prior to the game. Peter Hartley’s availability will also be a very late decision. He has not trained after the match, but he has a big heart to play. Some of these players really want to play, but we have to be careful to not make any injury worse.

"Once again, we will be without a few players but that’s the nature of how it is this season due to a shortened pre-season. So, we have to make sure that the players available are ready to give their best for the upcoming match. At their best, the players know they can cause problems to any teams in the ISL and the players will play with the objective of gaining those three points," stated the coach. 

It must be noted that both teams had started their campaign with a defeat which should make their resolve to win their first three points even stronger. Coyle also knows the importance of this fixture and is ready to rally his team even with depleted resources. 

"Both, Stuart Baxter and I, know that every match is important. The first and second game are as important as the final games of the season. Each result makes a difference in the long run. And considering both teams have started on a losing note, the players from both teams will be hungry to prove themselves and get a win. Also, as I said earlier, one win can take you a few places up and compared to the previous season, this season will be a more evenly matched contest between all the teams. Everyone is capable of beating each other. Wish the fans were able to see it, but they can’t unfortunately."

The former Chennaiyin coach feels that the penalty awarded against his side in the previous match was harsh and did not mince his words. He mentioned that key decisions such as awarding a penalty can change the course of a tie.

"It’s a difficult job to do (on refreeing). And I understand the pressure on the referees with 22 players and two benches shouting at them continuously. But as I always said, it’s the big decisions that change matches. The small fouls in the center of the pitch, throw-ins, etc. can be more easily accepted by the coaches but when it comes to giving penalties, the offside calls, these need to be given right and have the least margin of error as these cost goals. The penalty given against us in the previous game was never a penalty.  But again, it was the first game and we all have teething problems and hopefully, these will iron out as the season progresses," opined Coyle. 

It was evident from their last outing against Chennaiyin FC that Jamshedpur FC are yet to get in the groove and the manager has asked for more time. 

"The simple challenge is that it is a new team effectively. There have been wholesome changes compared to last season. But the more we work together, the more we will improve. We are really looking forward to it. The idea was to build something considering the club has never made the play-offs. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as waving a magic wand to make things happen. This requires hard work to make fall things into place. Chennaiyin started with four points in four games and still made it to the final. So, it’s all about continuing hard work on the training pitch and with Jamshedpur, we can do the same. As I have mentioned earlier, it’s important to put the building blocks and infrastructure in place to ensure the club gets results.

"Very simply, we had a slow start and were punished for the first mistake of the game with a wonderful finish from Anirudh Thapa. We could have equalised straight away with the skipper (Hartley) having a great chance which was just centimetres wide. And then we found ourselves 2-0 down for a penalty which should not have been awarded, a very soft penalty given by the referee. We picked ourselves up from there despite the scoreline and started passing with more precision and scored a wonderful goal, built up well as (Nerijus) Valskis found the net. And as the game progressed, we had some more good chances falling our way and so did Chennaiyin.

"I was happy with the camaraderie and cohesion in the team, especially after being 2-0 down so early. But we did feel the disappointment of not coming out of the match with any points on the night. We had some wonderful chances to equalise, we kept the ball better and passed around more than our opponent. We also had some injuries prior to the game and added two more during the game – both center backs (Narender and Hartley) – leaving us with only one center-back available (Stephen Eze). But there were many positives and the team showed togetherness that will stand out and help us in the rest of the season," explained the 54-year-old manager. 

His opposite number Stuart Baxter has won a lot of laurels in South Africa and Coyle heaped praise on the British manager, hailing him as one of the 'great additions' to the ISL. 

"I think Stuart Baxter has a great standing in the game of football. He is someone I know well and he is a great addition in the ISL. Odisha are going to be difficult opponents. They have a nice blend of youth and experience along with some good foreign players. So, we have to make sure we are ready for the challenge at hand. We will, of course, look to start the game better, try and win the game to get those valuable three points. Early on in the season, just one win can take you four or five places up in the league and serve as a good morale booster. So, we can’t wait for the game to come about," signed off the former Bolton Wanderers manager.

Vipers SC captain Halid Lwaliwa has stated they are ready to take whatever challenge their opponents Al-Hilal will pose during their Caf Champions League match on Saturday.

The Venoms will be making a return to continental football after winning the Uganda Premier League (UPL) last season and have been drawn to confront the Sudanese in the preliminary stage of the competition.

Vipers will host the Sudanese champions at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende for the first leg on Saturday then play the return encounter in Omdurman. The second leg, set for December 4-6, will be Vipers’ first visit to Sudan since 2018 when they knocked out Hilal’s rivals El-Merriekh.

Lwaliwa has told the club’s social media they are ready to battle for a win by stating: "We are quite ready for whatever challenge comes our way. The morale in camp is high.

“We have prepared very well with the coaches and everyone is ready and confident for the game.”

In a previous interview, Vipers SC head coach Fred Kajoba revealed he will bank on experience in his squad to eliminate Al-Hilal.

“It’s another great opportunity to revive our fortunes in this competition,” Kajoba told the  club’s official website . “We have what it takes to get past our opponents because the team has been at this level before and we have been preparing for this for many months.

“We have a good team and we believe that with determination and character, we shall get where want to be.”

The club's assistant captain Geoffrey Wasswa also opined on what the UPL champions need to do to stand a chance of advancing.

“We have been there before and believe it will be a good experience facing our opponents in a familiar place. The teamwork, commitment, and determination are all we need to progress," he said.

Venoms custodian Bashir Sekagya stated the game against the Sudanese champions will be a challenge considering the UPL has not yet started, but exuded confidence his team will perform well.

“We have been preparing ourselves for this moment despite the fact that the Uganda Premier League has not started yet. It is a real test but we are set and even motivated by the return of our teammates who have been sidelined with injuries," he opined.

The winner between Vipers and Al-Hilal will face the winner between Asante Kotoko of Ghana or Mauritanian champions Noudhibou FC in the qualifying stage.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa has thanked the Kenyan government for lifting the ban on contact sports and further said they are ready to kick-off the Premier League season on Saturday.

Kenyan football was banned by the government in mid-March following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a move which forced FKF to end the 2019-20 season prematurely and declare Gor Mahia the champions.

Since then, there has been no league action, with only the national team Harambee Stars managing to play a friendly match against Zambia, but behind closed doors, and also tackle Comoros in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.

While FKF had shown their willingness to start the season, the government through the Ministry of Sports also announced on Friday they have allowed the league to start.

A letter from the Ministry of Sports signed by CS Amina Mohamed and obtained by Goal confirmed the resumption of contact sports by stating: “The Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Heritage in consultation with the Ministry of Health has revised the resumption of sports guidelines as follows.

“All contact sports [low-risk] may resume their Premier [tier] and team Kenya activities. All other activities related to lower-level leagues remain suspended.”

Mwendwa has now thanked the government for their quick gesture saying they are ready to organize the best league ever and also will adhere to the Covid-19 protocols set up by the Ministry of Health.

“The long wait is now over and for me, this is the biggest day in Kenyan football,” Mwendwa told Goal on Saturday. “We had really waited for the day local football will return and I want to thank CS Amina [Mohamed] for having faith in us and her gesture to allow football to resume.

“We will make sure all protocols as outlined by the Ministry of Health [in regards to Covid-19] are followed all the time when we have matches, be it in Nairobi or outside the City, we will follow them and clubs have been told what to do.”

Mwendwa has further reiterated no fans will be allowed to watch the matches as per the government guidelines and warned that match referees have been instructed not to start any match if fans are in the stadium.

“I want to be very clear, no fans will be allowed into the stadium be it in Nairobi or matches being played outside the City,” Mwendwa continued. “We don’t want fans crowding the stadium, trying to come to watch matches, they will not be allowed in.

“We are under clear instructions to play football without fans and that is what we will do, and to be clear, should fans of any team try to come to the stadium to watch any match, then the referee of the day is under instructions not to kick-off the match, the match will not start.

“We don’t know how long the league will be played without fans but that is the situation, for now, clubs must inform fans of the development, we don’t want to have problems, only players, a few club officials and journalists covering matches will be allowed into the match venues.

“My humble appeal to the fans is to urge them to grab their StarTimes decoder and watch matches live from their homes, the matches will be live on both packages, aerial and satellite, and will also apply if you have a StarTimes App, so get ready so as you don’t miss the action.”

Three matches will open the season on Saturday with AFC Leopards versus Tusker being broadcast live by StarTimes, with the two other matches pitting promoted Vihiga United against Kakamega Homeboyz at Mumias Compex and Bandari against Sofapaka at Mbaraki Stadium.

On Sunday, four matches will be played - Nairobi City Stars taking on Nzoia Sugar at Nyayo Stadium, Kariobangi Sharks against Wazito FC at Kasarani Stadium, Posta Rangers vs KCB at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, and Western Stima against Bidco United at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

Gor Mahia, who will be taking part in Caf Champions League assignment against APR of Rwanda, will open the season with a home game against Zoo FC at Nyayo Stadium on December 2.