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Knowledge Musona and Edo Kayembe provided assists as Eupen secured a 3-1 victory over Sporting Charleroi in Friday’s Belgian First Division A game. 

Musona was afforded his 13th league appearance in the encounter and made the most of the opportunity, helping his side end their three-game winless run.

Musona starred in a five-man midfield for the Pandas along with Adriano, Kayembe, Stef Peeters and Nils Schouterden.

The Zimbabwe international inspired Benat San Jose’s men to victory when he set up Smail Prevljak for the opening goal of the encounter in the 18th minute.

Nicolas Penneteau turned the ball into his own net in the 48th minute to help the Pandas double their lead.

With 15 minutes left to play, the Democratic Republic of the Congo international Kayembe set up Julien Ngoy with a fine pass and the Belgian forward wasted no time to fire home his effort.

Joris Kayembe then scored a late strike which was not enough to help Charleroi avoid defeat in the encounter.

Musona featured for the duration of the game along with Kayembe as Eupen clinched their third win of the season.

The victory ensured the Pandas moved to the 13th spot on the league table after gathering 16 points from 13 games.

Musona has scored two goals and provided two assists in 13 league matches this season while Kayembe has featured seven times for the club.

The Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo internationals will be expected to continue their impressive contributions in Eupen’s next league game.

The Pandas will square off against Mechelen on December 3 and will hope to secure their second consecutive win in the match.

Marseille boss Andre-Villas Boas has taken a swipe at Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa’s nomination for The Best FIFA Coach Award.

The Argentine has joined a five-match shortlist that also includes Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Sevilla’s Julen Lopetegui and Bayern Munich’s Champions League-winning coach Hansi Flick.

Bielsa was at the helm as Leeds returned to the top flight of the English game for the first time in 2004, but Villas-Boas has suggested that these achievements pale into comparison with other coaches who have been overlooked.

“Bielsa? Bielsa has to win a prestigious trophy,” he told the media on Friday. “But he’s not among the best five coaches in the world in 2020. It’s a scandal. He won the Championship!”

Villas-Boas, who risks provoking the Marseille fans, where Bielsa is a cult hero, after a one-season stint at the club in 2014-15 will further frustrate the OM support by suggesting that Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel would have been a worthier nominee.

The club's have had a fiery relationship for decades and when they met earlier this season there were five red cards.

“That Tuchel’s not in the top five coach is a scandal,” he said. “FIFA are sleeping… Tuchel won four trophies and then got to the final of the Champions League.”

Villas-Boas is having a rough ride at Stade Velodrome this season due to poor European performances from Marseille.

In four Champions League matches, they have failed to pick up a single point and have not even scored a goal yet. Wednesday’s pitiful 2-0 home loss against Porto consigned them to a 13th-straight defeat in the competition, which is a new record.

Bielsa, meanwhile, has won praise for the solid start that Leeds have made in the Premier League and has won a hoard of new fans for his idiosyncratic brand of expansive football.

The Elland Road side were 14th in the standings before the weekend’s matches kicked off, having won three of their nine fixtures. With 14 goals scored, meanwhile, they have netted more frequently than any other team in the bottom half of the standings, including Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City.

His side travel to face Everton on Saturday.

Rose Lavelle is ready to show what she can do at Manchester City after her stunner against the Netherlands on Friday, according to U.S. national team coach Vlatko Andonovski. 

Lavelle has seen her City career get off to a stuttering start since her summer move, with the 25-year-old starting just one league game in the 2020-21 season thus far. 

The attacking midfielder was hampered by an ankle injury to delay her City debut by a few weeks, and head coach Gareth Taylor has rotated her through a number of attacking roles outside of her preferred spot as a No.10.

Lavelle has netted twice in cup action for City and that scoring prowess was demonstrated again for the USWNT against the Dutch, as she curled in a left-footed beauty from the top of the box just before halftime. 

Kristie Mewis would go on to score in the second half as the USWNT won 2-0 in their first match since March. 

Andonovski was impressed with Lavelle’s goal not just for its inch-perfect accuracy, but also because it came directly from the training ground.

“Our assistant coach Milan Ivanovic spent a lot of time with her in individual sessions working on that exact move and exact shot in that same exact spot,” Andonovski told reporters after the game. 

“The fact that she was able to soak up the information and implement it in a game and against an opponent like the Netherlands just makes me happy because it tells us how coachable she is and as good as she is.”

Andonovski insisted that he wasn’t necessarily surprised Lavelle hasn’t gotten fully up to speed with City yet, but backed her to use her goal on Friday as a jumping-off point to further establish herself in the Women’s Super League. 

“I don't know if I expected any more or less with her playing time,” the coach said. “She needed a little bit of time to adjust one thing and then she had a small injury going into [her debut] so that’s why I don't know if I had any different expectations. 

“But she’s finally healthy, she’s playing well, she’s mentally in a good stage and the fact that she scored a goal like this proves that she’s ready and she’s a very good player.”

USWNT defender Crystal Dunn wasn’t surprised to see Lavelle net a stunning goal, saying the attacker does the same thing on a daily basis in training. 

“Rose is an incredible player,” Dunn said. “She’s a young player but she plays so much beyond her years. She’s proven time and time again that she is skilled and an elite player at this level. 

“That goal she scored, she can do that day in and day out. She’s an incredible addition to our team ... and she has so much more she can give this team, so it’s very fun having her, playing alongside her and just watching her grow.”

Pitso Mosimane's Al Ahly were crowned 2019/20 Caf Champions League winners after securing a 2-1 win over Zamalek in the final at Cairo International Stadium on Friday night.

The Red Devils' two goals were scored by Amr El Sulaya and Mohamed 'Afsha' Magdi, while Mahmoud Shikabala netted the White Knights' first-half equalising goal.

Mosimane was hoping to become the eighth coach to win more than one Caf Champions League title having clinched his maiden trophy during his time with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016.

The South African tactician recalled Amr El Sulaya to the starting line-up after the influential midfielder was rested as the Red Devils defeated Abu Qair Semad 2-1 in the Egyptian Cup match last weekend.

Mahmoud Abdelrazek Hassan Fadlala, who was part of the last Zamalek team to win the Champions League title in 2002, started for the White Knights.

Better known as Shikabala, Fadlala was also a key member of the White Knights side which was defeated by Mosimane's Sundowns in the 2016 final. 

The Red Devils got off to a dream start as they grabbed an early goal through El Sulaya after the White Knights' defence caught ball watching. 

Ali Maaloul, who was also recalled to the starting line-up by Mosimane, delivered a well-taken corner-kick which was headed home by El Sulaya to make it 1-0 to Al Ahly in the fifth minute.

Zamalek looked to Shikabala for some inspiration and the veteran winger forced Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy into comfortable save as the White Knights looked to level matters.

Parity was restored in the 31st minute when Shikabala beat two defenders, before unleashing a powerful effort which beat El Shenawy to make it 1-1.

Both teams then launched attacks in search of more goals, but they could not find the back of the net and the score was 1-1 during the half-time break.

Zamalek continued to press Al Ahly after the restart with Ahmed Sayed Zizo hitting the woodwork and Mosimane decided to make a change in the 67th minute.

Geraldo, who is a winger by trade, replaced Nigeria international Junior Ajayi as the Red Devils looked to take control of the match and restore their lead.

The Red Devils then upped the tempo and they snatched a late winning goal when Magdi scored with a volley in the 86th minute to seal a 2-1 win over Zamalek on the night.

As a result, Al Ahly clinched a record-extending ninth Champions League title and their first since 2013, while Zamalek lost their second final since 2016.

Mosimane has joined Stefan Zwytoko, Boubacar Fofana, Mahmoud El-Gohary, Oscar Fullone, Céleste Tambwe Late, Mouine Chabaane and Manuel Jose as the only coaches who have won more than one Caf Champions League title since the inception of the competition in 1964.

He is also only the third coach to have won it with two different teams.

Lyon coach Rudi Garcia says that the decision to punish Houssem Aouar for his recent behaviour was “logical”.

Aouar will not be picked for OL’s Sunday clash with Reims after he refused to warm down with the substitutes last weekend in Angers after he had not taken any part in the match.

Reports in France suggest Lyon elected not to give him game time because they were fearful about him injuring himself on a poor pitch. The player is alleged to have used the same excuse when he snubbed the coach’s request to cool down after the match.

“I’m only going to say this once. It was logical to give him a sanction,” Garcia said during a Friday press conference.

“I suggested some myself. The club decided to remove Houssem from the squad for Sunday’s match. So we’ll play it with the squad at my disposal and of course I respect the decision of the club. My opinion is that this kind of case should be resolved internally.”

Club-mate Karl Toko-Ekambi would not condemn his club-mate too severely.

“Quite simply, he made a small mistake,” the forward said.

“The club has made a decision, which we must respect. It’s not for us to comment on that. Houssem took it well. He trains well and that’s the main thing.”

Aouar has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal for many months, while Manchester City were also considered to be admirers. Indeed, it was expected that a deal would be done in the summer, though the Gunners ultimately failed to match OL’s asking price. Juventus have since been associated with the 22-year-old.

The once-capped France international has endured a testing season since then, having had several small physical complaints, including a Covid-19 infection and an adductor injury.

He has played seven times in the league for the Rhone side and has scored a couple goals plus bagged a further assist

Aouar was in eye-catching for in the Champions League over the summer months as OL made an unexpected trip to the semi-finals, having dispatched Man City in the last 16 of the competition.

Bruno Fernandes has a similar presence to Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as the midfielder continues to set high standards at Old Trafford.

The playmaker has been a revelation since arriving at the Theatre of Dreams from Sporting CP in January, with 21 goals and 13 assists in 35 appearances.

The 26-year-old has missed just the two matches during his time with the Red Devils, with United averaging 2.2 goals per game whenever he has featured.

Fernandes was in fine form once again during the club's Champions League exploits in midweek, where he bagged a first-half brace against Istanbul Basaksehir, to make it three games with a goal to his name on the bounce following efforts against Everton and West Brom.

Such performances have drawn comparisons already with Portugal teammate Ronaldo, who was worshipped by United fans during his time at the club, having scored 118 times in 292 games and developing from a raw prospect to a world-class talent before moving on to Real Madrid.

Solskjaer was a team-mate of the legendary Juventus forward at United and believes Fernandes can make the same sort of impact as his fellow countryman.

"He does definitely have that presence and an influence and impact on his team-mates, you can just look at results we've had since he came in," the United boss said in a press conference ahead of Sunday's Premier League trip to Southampton.

"He's got loads of energy, leadership, he's a team player which is the key here now for us going forward.

"Some players will have to sit games out and rest. I wasn't looking forward to telling Bruno when he was rested against Leipzig but he was absolutely no problem, the same as Marcus [Rashford].

"They know this season is challenging and that's how we build this team, the culture of the team - it's about the team, not individuals and Bruno has proved that over and over, that's it's the team before 'I'."

United will look to make it three Premier League wins on the trot for the first time this season when they face Saints this weekend, as they attempt to reignite their push for the top four following mixed fortunes across the first month of the season.

Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan completed his return to domestic football for the first time in 17 years with a second half appearance as his Legon Cities side settled for a 0-0 draw with Medeama in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) on Friday.

Signed in October, the veteran striker made his much-awaited debut as a 70th minute substitute in the matchday three fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

It was his first time taking to the pitch in the domestic championship since leaving Liberty Professionals for Italian side Udinese in 2003.

In the end Legon and Medeama shared the spoils, leaving them 13th and 12th on the league table, respectively.

Without a club since leaving Indian Super League side NorthEast United in January, Gyan joined Legon as a free agent on a one-year deal.

He had to bide his time to make his first appearance for the Royals owing to a lack of match fitness.

Without the former Sunderland and Rennes striker, Legon failed to score from open play in their first two games, culminating in disappointing results - 1-1 home draw with Berekum Chelsea and 3-0 away loss to Great Olympics - in their opening two games.

The poor results led to the dismissal of Bosnian-German coach Goran Barjaktarevic earlier this week, his place taken by former Asante Kotoko and Nigeria coach Bashir Hayford.

"Sometimes people forget that the Ghanaian league is also a professional league," Gyan told the BBC about his move back home earlier this month.

"I got the offer [from Legon] and everything was right - as a professional you have to evaluate everything. I am very proud to be in the Ghanaian league.

"The most important thing is that they were serious about the contract. I am a very serious guy, despite people seeing me as a funny guy as well, but when it comes to work, it is work. Everything is about seriousness.

"I am in Ghana and I am home. I signed for this club because they have a huge project - they want to change Ghana football. I came here for a reason so while I am enjoying football, we are also doing things behind the scenes to benefit Ghana football."

Gyan is Ghana's all-time top scorer and most capped player with 51 goals in 109 internationals.

He will be hoping to make his first start for Legon when they play away to Dreams FC in their next game.

SuperSport United secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Maritzburg United in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match which was played at Harry Gwala Stadium on Friday night.

The hosts took the lead when Ronwen Williams scored an own following a defensive mix-up in the box, but two goals from Bradley Grobler inspired Matsatsantsa to a victory. 

The Team of Choice were desperate to snap their six-match losing run in the league after succumbing to a 1-0 defeat to Black Leopards in their last match last weekend.

Assistant coach Delron Buckley, who was in charge of the team in the absence of Ernst Middendorp, recalled Thabiso Kutumela to the starting line-up after the striker was benched against Leopards.

Meanwhile, Matsatsantsa were hoping to avoid their third successive defeat after suffering a 2-1 loss to Orlando Pirates in their previous match last weekend.

Coach Kaitano Tembo made three changes to the team which faced Pirates with Ghampani Lungu, Kudakwashe Mahachi and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe making their return to starting line-up.

Maritzburg got off to a bright start with Kutumela causing havoc for the SuperSport defence with his clever movement in the visitors' half.

The deadlock was broken just eight minutes into the match after Kutumela's low shot was brilliantly saved by SuperSport goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

However, Onismor Bhasera's attempted clearance hit Williams and the ball went into the back of the net to make it 1-0 to Maritzburg.

Matsatsantsa then took control of the match and they managed to restore parity after some good work by Evans Rusike down the right-hand side beating two defenders.

The Zimbabwe international then set-up Bradley Grobler, who made no mistake as he beat Maritzburg keeper Sebastian Mwange to make it 1-1 in the 14th minute. 

The visitors came very close to making it 2-1 when Lungu was sent through on goal and he rounded Mwange, but his effort was brilliantly cleared off the goal-line by Daniel Morgan.

Mahachi had a chance to hand Matsatsantsa the lead just before half-time, but he was denied by Mwange, who ensured that the first-half ended with the two teams locked at 1-1.

Maritzburg dominated possession after the restart, but they were struggling to create goalscoring opportunities with the SuperSport defence looking impenetrable.

The visitors took the lead for the first time on the night against the run of play when Mahachi combined with Grobler, who fired past Mwange to make it 2-1 to SuperSport in the 64th minute.

The momentum was with the Team of Choice in the closing stages of the match with Williams producing a magnificent finger-tipping save to deny Judas Moseamedi.

Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Fares Hachi were both introduced by Buckley as the home side looked to snatch a late equalizing goal. 

However, SuperSport stood firm at the back in the dying minutes of the match and ultimately, they secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Maritzburg.

The victory took Matsatsantsa to the third spot on the league standings, while the Team of Choice remain 16th on the table.

SuperSport will now take on Kaizer Chiefs in their next league match on December 15, while Maritzburg will face Mamelodi Sundowns on December 5.

Crystal Palace’ Eberechi Eze, Jordan Ayew, Cheikhou Kouyate and Jeffrey Schlupp have been handed starting roles against Newcastle United in Friday’s Premier League game.

Roy Hodgson’s men are 11th on the league table after gathering 13 points from nine games following four wins, one draw and four losses.

Eze teamed up with the Eagles in the summer after his impressive performances for Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

The midfielder has adapted well to the Premier League and will be making his ninth appearance for Palace against Newcastle.

Ghana international Ayew will be making his seventh league start in the encounter and has been in fine form for the side in the current campaign.

His compatriot Schlupp will also be making his eighth Premier League appearance for the Selhurst Park outfit this season.

Senegal international Kouyate, who has featured in a number of roles for Palace this season, will hope to produce another solid defensive display at Selhurst Park.

Ivory Coast international Wilfred Zaha has been left out of the clash as he is still in isolation after testing positive for coronavirus.

The forward has been an influential figure for the Eagles, helping them to keep their Premier League status.

Palace lost their last Premier League game against Burnley without Zaha and will hope the African stars on parade will help them bouce back from the defeat.

Nantes manager Christian Gourcuff has revealed Moses Simon has returned from a thigh muscle strain ahead of their Ligue 1 game against Marseille on Saturday.

The Nigeria international suffered the injury problem in their defeat to French champions Paris Saint-Germain in October.

The winger has subsequently missed Nantes’ last three games, including their draw against Lens last time out at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

The 25-year-old was also not available for the Super Eagles’ 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sierra Leone.

Ahead of their clash against Andre Villas-Boas’ men, Gourcuff has confirmed Simon will be available for selection for the encounter and also provided an update on Mali international Charles Traore.

"The good news, which was expected, is the return of Moses Simon who will travel to Marseille,” Gourcuff said in a pre-match press conference.

“No additional problems to report. Charles [Traore] is still unavailable. We will have to see his physical condition in a few days.

“Regarding Anthony [Limbombe] and Roli [Pereira de Sa], we should not plan before the end of the year."

Simon has been a key member of the Canaries since teaming up with the French club in 2019, initially on loan before the deal was made permanent.

The forward has featured in more than 32 appearances for the club across all competitions and in the current campaign has made eight appearances, scoring one goal and providing one assist.

Nantes are 14th on the Ligue 1 table after gathering 13 points from 11 games and Simon will hope to help the Canaries return to winning ways against Marseille after their back-to-back draws against Metz and Lens.

Former Arsenal star Freddie Ljungberg believes that Mesut Ozil should still have a role to play at the Emirates Stadium.

Ex-Germany international Ozil finds himself on the periphery with the Gunners, having fallen out of favour with manager Mikel Arteta.

The playmaker has not been included in either the Premier League or Europa League squads this season, despite being the club's highest earner.

Ljungberg, who had a brief spell as Gunners interim boss before Arteta was appointed in December 2019, feels that a compromise needs to be reached.

“Mesut is a great football player, we know that,” Ljungberg told The Athletic . “We all have different opinions and everybody needs to accept that people have different opinions.

“For me, maybe the way football has gone now sometimes he’s not as athletic defensively. Let’s say when you play Man City you don’t have the ball and need to just run after them, maybe you need more athletic players.

“What I tried to do, what I believed in, was that when you play teams who, on paper, you’re a bigger club than or you think they’ll have a low block and you need someone to unlock it, Mesut has the total quality to do that. I think there is a space for a player like that in those kind of games.

“But then as well you need to have a communication with the player — not just Mesut, every player. There are different games that suit certain players and other games suit others. The days of playing every single minute of every game maybe are just not happening that often anymore.

“When I left in the summer he was in the squads and now he’s not. What’s happened there, I can’t answer. I don’t know if something else has happened, I have no clue. But if you look at pure football qualities, I think my answer is quite obvious.

"When I was interim coach, I would play him in the games when I thought he could unlock defences, even if I knew his defensive job was not as good as some other players. So that’s my opinion; there should be a space in certain games.”

After nine games, Arsenal are 12th in the Premier League standings. They play Wolves at home on Sunday in their next outing.

Antonio Habas, the most successful coach in the history of the Indian Super League, was satisfied with his team ATK Mohun Bagan's win over East Bengal at the Tilak Maidan on Friday. ATK Mohun Bagan lived dangerously in the first-half but they came back strongly in the second half to bag all three points from the Kolkata derby.   

ATK Mohun Bagan struck twice after the half-time through Roy Krishna (49th minute) and substitute Manvir (85th minute) to blank East Bengal in the marquee clash. Habas was satisfied with his team's overall effort in the game.

"I'm satisfied because the team, the players put out a fantastic performance and big effort. I am very happy," Habas said in the post-match interview. 

ATK Mohun Bagan played defensively in the first half as East Bengal combined well with their passes and created ample opportunities. The home side, however, failed to convert their chances into goals. 

Habas, however, said that the scoreline depicted the story of the match and claimed that his side was superior that East Bengal. The Spaniard also mentioned that he doesn't believe in a one-way mentality to attack or defend and stated that football is a game of transition. 

"I think we decide the game with the score. We were superior to our opponent," the Spanish coach said. 

"This is football. it is a transition between attack and defence (and vice versa). I don't understand football which is only attacking or only defence," he added. 

By the virtue of the victory in the derby, ATK Mohun Bagan have made a perfect start to their season and are top of the table after two matches. 

Former Uganda Premier League champions Sports Club Villa and Ecopharm have signed a five-year USh2.4 billion partnership deal.

The deal will see Ecopharm Medical Centre or Aspire Centre provide medical assistance to SC Villa’s players and all staffs. The club will get up to USh484 million each season as the junior team, as well as their next of kin and the club’s staff, will also earn medical cover.

“This is a great day for SC Villa, as the club, we are looking at strategic development and partnerships,” SC Villa CEO Shawn Mubiru as was quoted by Football256.

“This partnership with our new partners Ecopharm grows our eco-system which will not only help the team but also the club and its members.

“Every strategic partnership that we bring on board will not only benefit the club but the community because SC Villa is a community-based club.”

Mubiru is confident the Ecopharm deal will convince other corporates to invest in football as there are potentially good returns.

“We have done a lot of negotiations with our partners and we are glad that we have brought out the best deal for the club,” the top official added.

“I hope that this sends a signal to the business community that football is a strategic field where they can invest and get value.

“I am delighted to announce to you that we have a partner that will not only have the welfare of the players but also interested in seeing a healthy community.”

There is also a discount for the club’s members who will visit Aspire Medical Centre courtesy of the deal.

“This deal will give our members a significant discount on all Ecopharm centres,” Mubiru concluded.

“Why Ecopharm? medicine is paramount to a player and we are proud to have them on board because this partnership brings significant importance to the club.”

The firm deals in medicine, cosmetics, baby care products, first aid kits, vitamins and herbal supplements and the new deal is expected to offer more stability to a club that has struggled off and on the pitch in the recent seasons.

The record Premier League winners finished third in the 2019/20 season.

New Gor Mahia signing Jules Ulimwengu was not part of the team that travelled to Rwanda for the first leg match in the preliminary round of the Caf Champions League against APR.

The 21-year-old Burundi international was signed from Rayon Sports to bolster the attacking department. However, he will not be involved on Saturday away to the Rwandan champions.

"There were some issues with Rwanda's immigration department regarding the player, and as a result, he was not cleared to travel," a source close to the player told Goal.

"It was also a blessing in disguise for him since he is not fully fit as well, it means he has time to continue training."

Ulimwengu is not the only player who will miss the game as there are two others who have been confirmed unavailable owing to different reasons. 

"Midfielder John Ochieng' misses the Rwanda trip following an injury he picked last weekend during a friendly match against [Nairobi] City Stars," the club confirmed via their official social media outlet.

"Striker Benson Omalla will not be available for the Caf match against APR in Rwanda; the lad is with Kenya U20 team in Cecafa Championship in Tanzania."

The team arrived in Kigali on Friday and underwent the Covid-19 test later in the day.

"We had a safe flight from Nairobi to Kigali, we are in a hotel and already done our second Covid-19 test as required, we had the first in Nairobi yesterday," club's team manager Jolawi Abondo confirmed.

"The authorities have promised to deliver our results very early in the morning. All players and staff who are here in Rwanda are in good shape and upbeat." 

The game will be played on Saturday from 16:00.

Travelling Players: Boniface Oluoch, Gad Mathews, Geoffrey Ochieng, Michael Apudo, Philemon Otieno, Kelvin Wesonga, Charles Momanyi, Joachim Oluoch, Andrew Juma, Ernest Wendo, Bertrand Konfor, Kenneth Muguna, Bernard Ondiek, Cliffton Miheso, John Macharia, Samuel Onyango, Nicholas Kipkirui, Tito Okello.

Technical Bench: Roberto Oliveira – Coach, Samuel Omollo – Coach, Patrick Odhiambo – Assistant Coach, Jolawi Obondo – Team Manager, Willis Ochieng’- Goalkeeper’s coach, Fredrick Otieno – Team Doctor, Victor Otieno – Logistics.

Official: Dolfina Odhiambo.

Xavi Vilajoana would stand by Ronald Koeman as Barcelona coach if he is elected president of the club, hailing the Dutchman as a "brave and clear-headed" option in an interview with Goal.

The long-term board member, youth director of football under previous supremo Josep Maria Bartomeu's reign, is one of several candidates waging an election campaign to take the reins in January following the latter's resignation.

With the decision set to be made just over three weeks into the new year, whoever takes charge at Camp Nou will inherit a club fractured by on and off-field turmoil after a barren 2019-20 campaign brought the curtain down on a decade of near-unrivalled success.

Lionel Messi could depart the club next summer, while questions remain over the suitability of former Netherlands boss Koeman for the top job, despite the 57-year-old's long association with the Catalan outfit.

But Vilajoana has stressed the ex-Southampton and Everton boss would have his backing if he was to take overall charge, hailing his character as crucial to helping Barca weather a likely transition period over the next few seasons.

"Koeman, as Barcelona boss, is a brave and clear-headed coach," the prospective candidate said. "He is leading a team through a process of transformation and that takes time.

"Anyone who has played football will know that everything requires time. [If I take charge], Koeman would still be the coach."

Vilajoana's stance is in contrast to fellow presidential candidate Victor Font, who has made no secret of his desire to bring Xavi back to the club as head coach. 

Vilajoana further opened up on the intentions behind his decision to run as a replacement for Bartomeu, noting that he sees himself as a man enshrined within the club's dynamics and values that he finds absent in other prospective runners.

"I present myself as a natural evolution, because the moment right now makes me think that the club needs people with knowledge," he added.  "[It needs people] with a love for the institution above all else and who can make decisions for the benefit of it.

"I have been at the club for 20 years. I know what joys and disappointments mean and I believe that any future projects have to be based on the knowledge, experience and esteem of the club, with involvement and generosity. I don't see these values ​​in any other candidate."

Elsewhere, Vilajoana ruled out any attempt to lure Neymar back to Camp Nou following the Brazil international's acrimonious exit to Paris Saint-Germain, while further outlining his plans to address Messi's future at the club if elected.

The first-ever Kolkata derby in the Indian Super League ended in favour of ATK Mohun Bagan as they defeated East Bengal 2-0 at the Tilak Maidan on Friday.

The first-half remained goalless but East Bengal looked the better team. Antonio Habas' team then struck twice through Roy Krishna (49th minute) and substitute Manvir (85th minute) in the second-half to bag all three points from the marquee clash. 

East Bengal head coach Robbie Fowler was not satisfied with the result but mentioned that they matched traditional rivals with their performance. Fowler, who has the experience of managing Brisbane Roar and Muangthong United prior to his stint at East Bengal, also believes that his side can grow better as the season progresses. 

"Well of course I'm not satisfied with the result. I think performance-wise we were okay. For a team who have been together two and a half weeks, I think we have put together a good performance. We are talking about a team who were champions last time and we matched them, more than matched them. The result is disappointing, the performance is okay, there are glimpses of what we can become," Robbie Fowler said in the post-match interview. 

The Englishman was of the opinion that ATK Mohun Bagan players were fitter and sharper than his players. He further lamented that East Bengal did not undergo the ideal preparation in the pre-season but there were a lot of positives to take from the match.

"Fitness-wise they were bit sharper than us, maybe towards the end." the former Liverpool player said.  

We haven't had the most ideal preparation but we accepted it. We have spent two and a half weeks on the training pitch. We have not trained together. I think we'll get better and better," he added. 

East Bengal will next face Mumbai City in an away fixture on Tuesday. 

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has revealed Joe Aribo is not suffering from coronavirus and should be available for selection when they take on Falkirk in Sunday’s Scottish League Cup tie.

The Nigeria international was not involved as the Gers played out a 2-2 draw against Benfica at Ibrox Stadium in the Europa League on Thursday night. 

Gerrard explained the midfielder’s unavailability for the encounter was not due to Covid-19 but to illness.

The Super Eagles star is expected to join the rest of his teammates in training on Saturday and could play a part against the Bairns. 

"He was unwell. He had a stomach complaint last night. The plan was for Joe to be involved, he's had a stomach complaint so he'll be getting some checks and assessing him, hopefully, he will be available for the weekend," Gerrard told the media.

“It’s important to say it is not Covid-related. He was negative on his test before people start putting two and two together".

“Joe Aribo is better today and hopeful he arrives back into training tomorrow.”

Aribo has only featured in 11 games, scoring four goals for Rangers across all competitions this season due to injury problems.

The Nigerian midfielder has been turning heads since teaming up with the Ibrox Stadium outfit in the summer of 2019.

Aribo was named Rangers’ Young Player of the 2019-20 season following his eye-catching displays where he helped the club finish as runner-up in the Scottish Premiership.

The midfielder will be expected to continue his impressive performances in the current campaign and help Rangers win titles after narrowly missing the league trophy last term.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Cedric Kaze has explained his happiness at seeing the team gain confidence in every game they play in the Mainland Premier League, saying it will go a long way to help them achieve their set targets.

The Jangwani giants maintained their unbeaten start to the 2020-21 season after seeing off title rivals Azam FC by a solitary in a match played at Chamazi Complex on Wednesday.

The win saw Yanga take a commanding lead at the top of the 18-team league table with 28 points, and also saw coach Kaze remain unbeaten since taking over the reins at the club from fired Serbian coach Zlatko Krmpotic.

After a 0-0 result in the first half, Yanga turned on the screw in the second period to grab the vital goal courtesy of Deus Kaseke, who after a well-laid cross from Yacouba Songne.

Kaze has now revealed his happiness upon seeing that confidence among his charges is improving game after game, saying that is the most important thing to be encouraged in a team.

“I can say the attitude of players has positively changed to the extent that they can now play as a team by attacking and defending together,” Kaze is quoted by Daily News.

"We are now gaining confidence to the extent that even if the ball is in danger zone, we try to build up, change the side of play which is very important in a game of football.

Kaze also hailed his players for their response after three consecutive draws by saying: “They knew that even if they were posting draws, there was still a room for them to improve in the upcoming games. What I hope for is for us to use well the scoring chances we make and also to play simple football.

“We were good defensively and I do not think that Azam created best chances to score other than simple balls which went straight to the goalkeeper. We also had opportunities to net more than one goal.”

Meanwhile, Azam media officer Thabit Zakaria said his side will now turn their focus on their match in the league.

“We had the mentality to win the game and grab all three points but, that was not achieved instead, we have lost the match. We now focus on our next match so and our mission to clinch the league title remains unchanged," he said.

Azam have already fired their coach Aristica Cioaba following the defeat.