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The entirety of the footballing world was sent into shock late night on Wednesday when news broke of Diego Maradona's untimely death. 

Fans of the beautiful game in India were also similarly affected, with tributes pouring in from across the spectrum, including high-profile personalities like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricketing icons Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and more. 

The South-Western state of Kerala, known as one of the footballing hotbeds in the country, have officially announced a two-day mourning period to respect the legendary Argentine. 

State Sports Minister EP Jayarajan made the announcement, stating that November 26 and 27 will be the days of mourning. “In Kerala also, lakhs of fans could not believe his departure,” he said.

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also put out a message on social media, remembering Maradona's visit to Kerala in 2012. 

"The people of Kerala also mourn the death of the iconic football player Maradona, along with the football fans of the world,” Pinarayi Vijayan wrote.

"This magical player has a big place in the heart of football lovers of Kerala ever since the 1986 world cup was raised by Argentina. When (football) world cup is held in any corner of the world, it will be in this small Kerala, his (Maradona’s) pictures will be raised the most."

The 1986 World Cup hero, considered the greatest footballer ever arguably, breathed his last at his home in Buenos Aires after suffering a heart attack at the age of 60. The Gimnasia coach had been hospitalised at the start of November, days after celebrating the landmark birthday, after complaining of low spirits and fatigue. 

Tests at the La Plata clinic revealed a blood clot on the brain, which doctors later revealed was operated on successfully. 

Maradona was subsequently released from hospital as an outpatient to continue his convalescence, which he carried out in his dwelling in a private neighbourhood near Tigre, northern Buenos Aires. 

But on Wednesday morning he suffered cardiac arrest, and paramedics at the scene failed to revive him. 

When the news of Diego Maradona's sad demise broke in India around 10 PM IST most people in Kolkata were indoors with the onset of winter in the City of Joy. The tea stalls were on the verge of shutting down for the day as customers had already thinned. 

For a Bengali, a session of adda (informal chat sessions) is incomplete without a cup of tea and this terrible news was serious business that needed to be chatted upon without delay. 

"I was about to have dinner when the news poured in. I felt so upset that I started calling my friends and asked them to come out and assemble at the local te shop to share the grief. The loss feels so personal. Just could not sleep well the entire night," said Subhankar Roy, an ardent Argentina fan who feels that there should be no debate regarding Maradona being the greatest of all time. 

The passion for football in the city is well documented. Apart from Kolkata Derby, the city also gets divided into two halves once in every four years, i.e. during the football World Cup. Streets get drenched either in Albiceleste (white and sky-blue) or Verde-Amarela (Green and yellow). Lifesize cutouts of Maradona and Pele continue to adorn the lanes and by-lanes apart from the contemporary heroes like Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and Cristiano Ronaldo. 

The 60-year-old was a blue-eyed-boy of the city. Therefore, it was no surprise that in 2008 when Maradona came to India for the first time, he set foot in Kolkata. Braving the December chill, thousands of fans thronged to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport to greet their idol. The world witnessed how a city more than thousand miles away from Buenos Aires welcomed Maradona as if in 1986, he was wearing a different shade of blue while lifting the World Cup. 

It is no secret that Maradona was left-leaning and shared a special bond with Fidel Castro. After Castro died, he even said," I will go to Cuba to say goodbye to my friend. He opened the doors to Cuba to me when Argentina was closing them on me." 

Naturally, the ruling left government kept no stone unturned to make their comrade's event a success. Two helicopters were arranged for his trip as he was supposed to launch a football academy in Mahestala and then head towards the Salt Lake Stadium where a friendly match was to be played between the Chief Minister’s XI and the Foreign Minister’s XI in his august presence. 

The two sides were captained by Bhaichung Bhutia and Dulal Biswas. Bhaichung’s side were coached by Mohun Bagan’s Karim Bencherifa and East Bengal’s Stanley Rosario while Dulal’s team were guided by Mohammedan Sporting’s Shabbir Ali and Chirag United’s Subrata Bhattacharya.

Maradona did not take part in the friendly, yet the stadium was chalk-a-block. The crowd gushed with excitement as he dashed onto the pitch before the match and started juggling with the ball. Even the coaches and the players were jostling to get the glimpse of a lifetime. 

He also visited the Mohun Bagan ground where he hosted a clinic for U-12 boys and the Mariners turned out in numbers to get a glimpse of their demigod.

Young men from Argentina fan clubs crisscrossed the roads with flags and jerseys. It seemed that the city had travelled back in time to 1986 when it had ornamented itself with sky-blue colours to celebrate Argentina's World Cup win. 

In 2017, he once again returned to the city and this time to take on the former India cricket skipper Sourav Ganguly in a friendly match at the Barasat Stadium. This time, it was a bulkier version of him that took the field but nothing mattered to his millions of admirers in the city. 

Roy was there to witness a historic moment, the Prince of Football greeting pleasantries with the Prince of Kolkata. "It was surreal. Two legends of different sports in front of my eyes. A tale that I would narrate a million times to my grandchildren," stated the Maradona worshipper. 

Although he did not last many minutes on the pitch, the crowd had enjoyed every penny they spent. Later, he shot footballs into the gallery with his magical left foot and the spectators once again went into a frenzy. 

On Wednesday night, the tea stalls made some more profits. The fans shed a few more tears. Some even went hungry to bed. The City of Joy is in mourning!

Peter Shilton was "saddened" to learn of the death of Diego Maradona but remains vexed by the Argentina legend’s 'Hand of God' goal against England at the 1986 World Cup.

At the age of 60, Maradona died on Wednesday , leaving Argentina and the football world in shock.

Ill health and drug addiction had plagued the former Barcelona, Boca Juniors and Napoli star following his playing days, and he recently underwent surgery for a blood clot on his brain .

Tributes have been paid by the likes of Pele, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Shilton has more reason than most to feel a sense of antipathy towards Maradona, who punched the ball past him for Argentina's first goal in their 2-1 quarter-final win against England 34 years ago .

Shilton told the Daily Mail : "It has bothered me over the years. I won't lie about that now. People say I should have cleared the ball anyway and that I let a smaller man outjump me. That's rubbish. He had the run on me but that can happen.

"He wouldn't have punched it if he knew he could head it, would he? Of course not. So I am OK with all that.

"No, what I don't like is that he never apologised. Never at any stage did he say he had cheated and that he would like to say sorry. Instead, he used his 'Hand of God' line. That wasn't right.

"It seems he had greatness in him but sadly no sportsmanship."

Shilton tweeted on Thursday to describe Maradona as "the greatest footballer I ever played against without question", but he told the Daily Mail that attempts to unite him with Maradona over the years had come to nothing, having been given no assurances the little maestro intended to apologise.

And although England's goalscorer in that 1986 match, Gary Lineker, has spoken fondly of Maradona, Shilton suspects many in the team that lost out that day at the Estadio Azteca share his grievances.

He added: “Most of the England team who played in Mexico feel the way I do to this day.

“It wasn't just me who was cheated, it was the whole team. We had a chance of reaching the last four and maybe the final of the World Cup. How often does that happen?

“I was lucky. My chance came again four years later but others weren't that fortunate.”

Bruno Fernandes is perfect for Manchester United because he “doesn’t care about mistakes” and is only concerned with “success”, says former Red Devils winger Nani.

The classy Portuguese playmaker was snapped up by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer early in 2020. Having spent several months mulling over a move for Fernandes, United finally agreed to part with €55 million (£47m/$60m) during the January transfer window.

Few predicted that the new arrival would make such an impression at Old Trafford, but Nani claims to have never been in any doubt his fellow countryman would send fans “crazy”.

Fernandes has delivered 21 goals and 13 assists in 35 appearances, with no player in English football able to better that return over that period.

Nani is delighted for Fernandes and believes Solskjaer’s side can enjoy tangible success in 2020-21 with such a talismanic figure calling the shots in midfield, with the Orlando City star telling United Review: “I still watch almost all of United’s games.

“I watch when it is possible because of my schedule here in Orlando. I always support United and I have to say they have been fun to watch. I really like the way this United team plays.

“Obviously one or two results at the beginning of the season weren’t what we wanted, but I’m confident this team will keep getting better and better. I think we can have a special season.

“A big part of this team is Bruno Fernandes, who I used to play with at Sporting. Bruno now is a much better player than when we were playing together. He was doing great in Portugal but the Portuguese league is not the same as the Premier League – in everything there is more quality and intensity.

“I saw so much potential in Bruno and I told him to go to England if he decided to move to another league. I said to him, ‘Your game will fit there and the fans will go crazy for you!’

“The style of his football is something fans appreciate. He is a player who likes to take risks in the game, who wants to take the responsibility of the game on his back and make difficult passes, dribbles and shots.

“He doesn’t care about mistakes; he only thinks about success and making the team have success. He knows what that takes. That’s Man United, isn’t it?

“All the years of success at the club were achieved with that approach. Every player in the team, from goalkeeper to striker, took risks. We all knew the timing, when we should be calm, but all our games had passion, quality and the freedom to take risks if the result wasn’t coming.

“Bruno has done so well until now, scoring goals and setting up a lot of goals, but I think he will keep improving and making the team even better.”

United, who saw off Istanbul Basaksehir in their latest Champions League outing, will be back in Premier League action on Sunday when they play host to Southampton.

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has spoken glowingly of Diego Maradona as he recalled his memories of the Argentine legend following his death on Wednesday.

World Cup winner Maradona – arguably football's greatest ever player – died at the age of 60 after a suspected heart attack.

Former France international Zidane – also a World Cup winner – said following Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League victory: "It's an enormous loss for the world of football. I have him engrained in my head because of what he did at the 1986 World Cup. I was 14 years old.

"In the end, at least I was lucky enough to have the chance to tell him in person about that 1986 World Cup because every kid always wants to say what they think, and I had the chance to tell him that he was a hell of a player.

"So that's my best memory. This is sad news, we send our best wishes to his family. Rest in peace."

Inter head coach Antonio Conte, meanwhile, described Maradona as "the poetry of football".

Conte came up against Maradona during his time with boyhood club Lecce in Serie A, and he lauded the former Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata head coach 

"We are all shedding tears for the loss of a man who wrote football history and will always be an indelible figure in this sport," Conte told Sky Sport Italia.

"He was the poetry of football. I had the pleasure of playing against him, of marking him, and it still doesn't seem real that he's gone, especially as he was still young. It's very sad."

Maradona, the captain and inspiration behind Argentina's World Cup success in 1986 before going on to coach his country at the 2010 showpiece, had been hospitalised just days after turning 60.

He appeared in a fragile state when he briefly made an appearance as his Gimnasia side played a match on the evening of his birthday last month. 

He was discharged from hospital a fortnight ago following brain surgery, having undergone a routine operation for a subdural haematoma after being admitted to hospital due to concerns over anaemia and dehydration.

Maradona won 91 caps for Argentina between 1977 and 1994, scoring 34 goals at international level.

He started his career with Argentinos Juniors before joining Boca Juniors and went on to play for Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys before returning to Boca in 1995.

Maradona had the best years of his club career in Italy, playing a massive part in Napoli winning the Serie A title in the 1986-87 and 1989-90 seasons.

Playmaker Maradona also lifted the UEFA Cup with Napoli in 1989 and he won three trophies during his time at Barca – including the Copa del Rey in 1983.

Maradona also had stints in charge of Textil Mandiyu, Racing Club, Al-Wasl, Fujairah and Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico before being appointed by Gimnasia last year.

Thiago Alcantara is capable of replicating the success he enjoyed at Bayern Munich with Liverpool says Xabi Alonso, with the 29-year-old considered to be “one of the best midfielders” on the planet.

Thiago was lured to Anfield from the Allianz Arena on the back of a treble-winning exploits in 2019-20 that were rounded off by a Champions League triumph.

Liverpool’s capture of the talented Spain international was considered to be quite a coup. Thiago has, however, endured a frustrating start to his time in England.

After offering glimpses of what he is capable of in early appearances, a bout of Covid-19 and an unfortunate injury picked up in the Merseyside derby with Everton have kept the experienced star stuck on the sidelines.

Klopp is hoping to welcome Thiago back into his plans at some stage in the near future, with Liverpool managing their way through an injury crisis that has depleted their squad in almost every area.

Alonso is among those looking forward to seeing another ball-playing option come back into contention for the Premier League champions, with the former Reds and Bayern midfielder a big admirer of a “fabulous” player following in his footsteps for club and country.

“I have loved watching Thiago Alcantara, the way he has been able to connect with the attacking players, helping to defend with his special qualities,” Alonso, who tasted Champions League glory with Liverpool in 2005, told UEFA’s official website.

“He’s a great friend, but above that, he’s become one of the best midfielders, and he’s a fabulous, intelligent, interesting, fun guy to be around in a training session and a dressing room.

“He loves football; he shows that with his personality and with the way he plays. He’s able to connect with his team-mates very easily. He’s done it fantastically at Bayern, and I feel that he’s going to do it in the same way at Liverpool, and I love it.”

Liverpool, who suffered a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atalanta on Wednesday, will be back in domestic action on Saturday when they take a trip to Brighton.

Intense speculation regarding a big-money move to Manchester United will have unsettled Jadon Sancho, admits Paul Lambert, but the Borussia Dortmund winger has been told that he is already at a “special club”.

A highly-rated England international spent much of the summer being linked with a return to his homeland.

United, who made the 20-year-old a top target, wasted considerable time and energy pursuing a deal that never looked like being put in place.

Sancho suffered a dip in form after seeing his head turned, but has offered indications over recent weeks – for club and country – that he is ready to rediscover his spark.

Having found the target for England in a UEFA Nations League clash with Iceland, a third goal of the season for Dortmund was recorded on Tuesday in a Champions League win over Club Brugge.

Lambert believes Sancho is capable of putting the transfer talk he has been generating behind him, with there no need for the former Manchester City academy graduate to be considering a retracing of his steps.

The former Dortmund midfielder, who tasted European glory during his time in Germany, told the Daily Star: “I understand people saying that he’s a young kid and that he isn’t performing as well as he has been but now he is starting to really play.

“I think the talk of Manchester United would unsettle him being a British guy, but he has got a special club in Borussia Dortmund.

“Once the fans come back, as he knows himself, there is no better place to play football because the atmosphere is incredible.

“Hopefully he helps the team to success.”

Lambert, who captured a Champions League crown with BVB in 1997, believes Lucien Favre’s class of 2020-21 are capable of ending Bayern Munich’s dominance of the Bundesliga this season and claiming a first title triumph in nine years.

The Scot added: “I think this could be the year. With all the young guys like [Erling] Haaland, Sancho, Giovanni Reyna and Jude Bellingham, alongside Marcos Reus, Mats Hummels, Thomas Meunier and Axel Witsel - they have top players.

“Hopefully this is the moment where they can overcome Bayern Munich, I think the club need a title whether it’s the Bundesliga or the Champions League or the DFB Cup.

“They have been so close in the last few years and hopefully, from an ex-Dortmund player, this is when they can get it. They’re going to have to overcome a really strong Bayern team.

“Everyone knows that they are really, really strong, but hopefully this season is the year that they can get it.”

Uganda U20 head coach Morley Byekwaso has lauded the players for a good show that saw them pick a 6-1 win over Burundi in a Cecafa Championship tie on Wednesday.

The championship also acts as the U20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for the Cecafa region and after they were frustrated by South Sudan in the opener with a 0-0 draw, the Hippos responded by dispatching Burundi in the second engagement.

The victory saw Uganda earn four points and go top of their group as Burundi are scheduled to face South Sudan on Friday in Group B’s last match.

Ivan Bogere, after earning his first start in the tournament, scored the opener for Uganda in the 42nd minute before a penalty was successfully converted by Najib Iga two minutes after the opener had been registered.

Bogere scored his second in the 52nd minute to make it 3-0 for Uganda as Isma Mugulusi got two goals and Joseph Kizza got one to hand the Hippos a huge win.

Alfred Nkurunziza scored the only goal for Burundi in two minutes of added time that was awarded by Somalian referee Ahmed Hassan Hussein.

“I am glad my players responded well and scored many goals,” Byekwaso said in his post-match interview as per Cecafaonline.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia bounced back from their opening loss to Kenya and mounted a comeback to stun Sudan 3-2 in a Group C match.

It was Sudan’s first match and they started on a high with two goals from Abdelkarim Yousif in the first half.

Ethiopia responded in the second half and restored parity from two goals scored by Beyene Bayse as Biruk Balcha scored the winning goal at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha.

“I am happy that I scored two goals to help my team win the match,” said Bayse after the game.

The 3-2 win did not guarantee Ethiopia a straight semi-final qualification since they still have to wait and see what happens in the other group games.

The top teams in each group will qualify for the semis while the second-placed team is expected to take the fourth available slot.

Talk of Jack Grealish emerging as a transfer target for Manchester City has no substance to it, claims Gabriel Agbonlahor, with Blues boss Pep Guardiola yet to discuss the Aston Villa playmaker.

A talented 25-year-old midfielder was heavily linked with a move away from his West Midlands roots over the summer.

Manchester United appeared to be leading the chase for his services at one stage, while north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal have also been credited with interest.

The North West is now said to be back on Grealish’s radar, with City mulling over their options heading towards another recruitment window in January.

It has been suggested that those at the Etihad Stadium are prepared to spend big on a proven Premier League performer, with reports of a £100 million ($134m) asking price doing the rounds.

Agbonlahor, though, says the speculation should be taken with a pinch of salt as none of those at the centre of the rumours have offered any indication that a big-money switch could be on the cards.

The former Villa forward told Football Insider of a deal that he believes makes little sense to all concerned: “You hear about all these comments but Pep Guardiola has not come out and said it to anyone, you’ve not heard Kevin De Bruyne say anything.

“For me, people make rumours out of nothing. For all we know, it’s just someone making up a rumour so I wouldn’t get too dragged into that.

“Jack Grealish got into the England squad by playing regularly in his favoured position for Aston Villa. When you go to Man City you’re not guaranteed to play in your best position.

“Man City have got Raheem Sterling, Ferran Torres, Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva. They’ve got so many players that I’m not sure Jack would be playing every week.

“I’m sure Jack will be looking to do his best for Aston Villa and that’s given him the chance to play for England.”

Grealish is generating exit talk again at Villa after starring for club and country in 2020-21, with five goals and six assists recorded domestically while comparisons to the legendary Paul Gascoigne have been drawn across four outings for the Three Lions.

Football fans all over the world are mourning the passing of one of its greatest talents; Argentinian World Cup winner Diego Maradona on 25 November 2020.

The star who was famous for his goal-scoring exploits for his country as well as for Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli reportedly died at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Tigre, Buenos Aires.

Many in the footballing world remember him fondly for his prowess as well as for his antics, and Malaysia too has witnessed his magic, when he was a budding star at Argentinian champions Boca Juniors, all the way back in 1982.

As a part of their anniversary celebration, then Malaysian giants Selangor arranged a number of friendly matches against international clubs such as Switzerland's Young Boys and Grasshoppers FC, Japan's Matsushita FC, and Boca Juniors.

The Argentinian side were at the time travelling abroad for their own series of friendly matches, having recently won their 20th Metropolitano Argentine Primera División title. Maradona meanwhile was only a rising star who had just joined them the year before, although he had made his national team debut back in 1977. Also in tow was the likes of Uruguay international Ariel Krasouski and Argentina defender Oscar Ruggeri.

The encounter between the Selangor Invitation side and Boca Juniors was played at the Merdeka Stadium on 12 February 1982.

The Red Giants meanwhile featured their own stars R. Arumugam, Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh, as well as invitational players such as Malaysia legend Soh Chin Ann, Thai star Piyapong Pue-on Singapore and future Singapore legend Fandi Ahmad, who received a temporary leave from his country's National Service to play in the friendly.

The inclusion of Fandi proved to be astute, when he opened the scoring in the match just three minutes in. He connected with Jamaluddin Norbit's corner kick using his head to score past goalkeeper Carlos Alberto Rodriguez, sending the 25,000 home crowd into elation.

The fans present could have been forgiven for thinking that the home team may just come away with a surprise win, judging from Selangor's dominance in the first 15 minutes. According to a report, Selangor were reportedly promised a return fixture in Argentina if they managed to produce a win against the favourites.

But then the Golden Kid turned his magic on.

In the 18th minute, he sent Carlos Cordoba through with a pass which the defender finished with an accurate drive, for the equaliser.

Just before the hour mark, Maradona took a more direct involvement to score the winner, beating Arumugam in a one-on-one situation.

Footage of the goal can be seen here:

The match ended in a 2-1 win to the visitors, and Maradona and co. soon flew off to Japan for their next friendlies.

It was perhaps just another friendly encounter for the Argentines, but Malaysian fans remember that match fondly for the fact that it featured not only the future star and World Cup winner, but also Malaysia's own goal-scoring legend and one of the best Asian strikers at the time, Mokhtar Dahari. Their photo together, taken during the pre-kickoff pennants exchange, is still famous to this day, and even more so today after news of Maradona's passing broke.

Just months after the encounter, the future legend would secure a move to Europe, signing for Spanish giants Barcelona, en route to attaining his 1986 World Cup title, more accolades and his legendary status.

His passing will be mourned by football fans all over the world, young and old, even those in Malaysia.

Other sources:

- Boca Juniors eye Fandi

- Boca Juniors lawan Jemputan Selangor XI (Januari 1982)

Besieged Gor Mahia Secretary-General Sam Ochola has issued a 48-hour ultimatum on chairman Ambrose Rachier to refund the club money allegedly withdrawn without consent.

Ochola, who was suspended by Rachier on Tuesday over signing the StarTimes Premier League sponsorship deal, has now claimed the chairman is at fiscal fault over recent transactions.

“As the Secretary and on half of the K’Ogalo fraternity, we demand the following from the chairman with immediate effect,” a statement by Ochola in possession of Goal, read.

“That he should learn and tolerate to work with other people who hold divergent and progressive views that help the club to develop.

“He should explain how the four different bank accounts of the club are still being run by a former official whose mandate expired upon our election.

“Making unexplained withdrawals yet the playing unit are complaining about lack of salaries, bonuses and operations grinding to a halt.

“That between September 1 and 4, cash withdrawals of up to KSh20 million were made from two Gor Mahia accounts yet as members of the Executive Committee and the Secretariat, we were not a party to.”

Ochola, who was elected in August, has further claimed Ronald Ngala is being used by Rachier in the transactions business illegally since he ceased being a Gor Mahia official.

“It is clear that the former Deputy Secretary-General [Ronald] Ngala was involved in all these transactions,” he added.

“I want to give notice to the chairman that he and Mr Ngala have 48 hours to refund Gor Mahia the full amount or be ready to face court action without reference to them.

“That the chairman withdraws his personal title deeds and house deeds attached in one of the accounts where he obtained millions of shillings for personal use in the name of Gor Mahia last year.

“That Mr Ngala, will not be co-opted as the member to the Executive Committee because of his actions to deprive the club financial progress. He is used by the chairman to operate and run the club accounts illegally.

“According to the latest audited reports, the club is in debt of over KSh120 million and this money never reached the club for any purpose. What did the chairman do with the money for the club?”

The push and pull at Gor Mahia was occasioned by the rift between the chair and the secretary over the Football Kenya Federation deal with StarTimes which the club has to ratify but has not done so yet.

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has praised up-and-coming striker Zakhele Lepasa while also conceding he's not the finished product yet.

The 23-year-old has made the most of the opportunities that have come his way due to the injury absences of Gabadinho Mhango and Tshegofatso Mabasa.

Lepasa scored in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-final win over Kaizer Chiefs and also converted a pressure penalty last weekend in Bucs' 2-1 league win over SuperSport United.

He's generally led the line well and has shown good pace, movement and has played with a fair amount of authority and confidence for a player without much top-flight experience, at one of South Africa's biggest clubs.

Lepasa, who scored the winning goal for TS Galaxy in the 2019 Nedbank Cup final against Kaizer Chiefs, was also recently involved for the South African U23 side and scored against Saudi Arabia.

According to Zinnbauer, it has been a case of getting the player focused and in the right frame of mind.

“I had to wake him up, he was not always ready for what we want," the German was quoted as saying by the Citizen.

"But we know his quality, he works very well with the ball and without the ball. Even the penalty situation, he is the one who was fouled. It was a good combination with Nkanyiso Zungu.

“He is hot, he wants always to score and he is a player who always wants to win games. He does all of that and we are happy about this (his performance)," Zinnbauer continued. "But we need a little time for improvement from what we want in the game, but at the moment we are happy about this.”

Despite Lepasa’s good form, he now faces a big battle to keep his place in the team.

This is because Mabasa has recovered from injury and also scored against SuperSport United, an 87th-minute winner, while Mhango is also expected back very soon.

In addition, the Buccaneers have signed DR Congo striker Jean-Marc Makusu. Pirates are next in action against Baroka FC in a league encounter at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Serge Aurier believes it is too early for Premier League title discussions but added Tottenham Hotspur deserve to be at the top of the table.

The Ivorian defender produced a solid performance on Saturday as Spurs overtook Leicester City at the summit of the league with a 2-0 win over Manchester City.

The victory brought them level on 20 points with reigning champions Liverpool but they have a superior goal difference.

While they aim for their first league success since 1961, Aurier has warned his teammates not to get carried away by their impressive eight-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.

"The objective is to try to stay there for as long as possible. We are very happy about what is going on and our position because we deserve to be top of the table," Aurier said, as per ESPN.

"And I can't forget that we dropped some points stupidly at home against West Ham or Newcastle.

"However, I think it is too early to think about the title. We can't rush anything. A couple of weeks ago, Southampton were top of the table and then it was Leicester. Now it is us.

"We are trying to do better than last season. We didn't start well in the last campaign. It is much better already this season.

"We just want to be in the conversation and we are. We have big games coming up and we want more results like against Manchester City and we will continue to fight for the challenges to come."

Tottenham are one of the highest-scoring clubs in the Premier League this season with Harry Kane having a tally of seven goals and nine assists while Heung-Min Son has scored nine goals with two assists in nine games.

Aurier is full of praise for the quality in Spurs' attack and he stated all the departments are working as a team.

"Offensively, we have players in great form who are working hard, are making the efforts defensively for the team as well," he added.

"For now, we are together, we work together, we win together and one day we will lose together but we will have to stay united.

"Like I said, I am not a dreamer but I would like to dream that at the end of the season we will be happy and be rewarded at last."

After Thursday's Uefa Europa League outing against Ludogorets, Tottenham Hotspur visit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for their next Premier League fixture on Sunday.

Zaidu Sanusi opened the scoring for Porto with his first Champions League goal in their 2-0 victory over Marseille on Wednesday.

The Nigeria left-back broke the deadlock in the 39th minute after pouncing on a rebound which came from a corner-kick.

Sanusi was in action for 90 minutes and he produced a man-of-the-match display as Porto sent Marseille packing from the Champions League.

The 23-year-old's strike at the Orange Velodrome was his first goal for the Dragons since he completed a permanent switch from league rivals Santa Clara in the summer.

“We got three important points and congratulations to the whole team. It is a very important goal in my career, my first in the Champions League,” Sanusi said at the end of the game.

Later in the second half, both teams were reduced to 10 men and Sergio Oliveira doubled the visitors' lead from the penalty spot.

Mali striker Moussa Marega saw 79 minutes of action for Porto while Senegal's Mamadou Loum was introduced for Oliveira on the stroke of full-time.

The Portuguese giants are second in Group C with nine points after four games, behind leaders Manchester City while Marseille languish at the bottom of the table with no point.

Next up for Porto in the Champions League is a home game against Manchester City on December 1, but they visit Sanusi's former club Santa Clara for their Primeira Liga fixture on Saturday.

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, mourned the death of legendary footballer Diego Maradona, taking to social media to express his grief on Thursday morning. 

The Argentine football legend passed away at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack. The World Cup winner had been hospitalised at the start of November, days after celebrating the landmark birthday, after complaining of low spirits and fatigue but was subsequently released after successful surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. 

Modi, called Maradona, a maestro of football and grieved his 'untimely demise'. 

He continued his recovery as an outpatient from his dwelling in a private neighbourhood near Tigre, northern Buenos Aires. But on Wednesday morning he suffered cardiac arrest, and paramedics at the scene failed to revive him. 

Maradona began his professional career with Argentinos Juniors at the age of 16 and went on to be considered one of the greatest players ever to step onto a football field. 

The diminutive left-footed forward went on to represent Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys as a player, and the likes of Racing Club, Dorados, Gimnasia and the Argentina national team later as a coach. 

It was with the Albiceleste, though, that his name was immortalised. 

Maradona was instrumental in taking Argentina to their second World Cup triumph in 1986, captaining the team that prevailed over West Germany in the final under the stewardship of Carlos Bilardo. 

Maradona had enormous following in India as well. He visited the country on multiple occasions and each time received a rousing welcome from the fans. He came to Kolkata in 2008 and returned to the City of Joy once again in 2017. Meanwhile, in 2012 he visited Kerala's Kannur to honour the invitation of his friend Boby Chemmannur, a businessman. 

Pritam Kotal is one of the most experienced Kolkata Derby campaigners in the current ATK Mohun Bagan squad. He hails from Kolkata and from his childhood he has grown up witnessing the razzmatazz that involves the boro match (big match) of Kolkata Maidan. 

As a kid, his father Shiburam Kotal used to take him to the Salt Lake Stadium to watch this classic rivalry. And whenever a certain Jose Ramirez Barreto would run towards the corner flag in a Lionel Messi-esque celebration with the arms pointing towards the heavens after scoring against the Red and Golds, his joy would know no bounds. 

Like every aspiring Bengali footballer, he had a dream; it was to don the Green and Maroon jersey and participate in a derby. Now as one of the five captains of Bagan, there is a possibility that he might lead his team on the pitch on Friday evening, a feat he is yet to achieve in spite of playing five seasons at Mohun Bagan. 

"I am pretty excited to come back. Previously I had played for both ATK and Mohun Bagan (simultaneously) when the I-League and ISL (Indian Super League) were held one after the other. Bagan fans love me a lot. I have a different sentiment and emotion towards the maroon and green jersey. I have won the I-League and Federation Cup wearing that jersey. I'm really happy to wear the same colours once again," expressed the India international in a chat with Goal. 

Growing up in Uttarpara, a Mohun Bagan bastion, he understands the passion and emotions of the supporters better than most of his teammates. The fans are one of the most important elements of this fixture and although the match will be played in an empty stadium due to the ongoing pandemic, he knows that back in Kolkata the excitement levels will go through the roof. 

"The fans are extra motivation. Mohun Bagan fans are spread across the world. When we used to play in Bengaluru, there were so many supporters we could not understand whose home match it was. We wish to take the club to a different level and be successful on the continental stage." 

Kotal is brimming with confidence after winning the opener against Kerala Blasters. He had a decent outing and hardly put a step wrong in the match. He feels that getting off to a winning start has helped them gain more confidence and now wants to make the most of the momentum going into the all-important fixture. 

"We will definitely be a bit ahead mentally in Friday's derby after winning the Kerala match. We were the champions last year. So we have to play like champions, that's what I am telling everyone."

The 27-year old has participated in many such encounters and his most memorable clash remains the one where the Mariners won 2-1 in Siliguri, a hotspot for East Bengal fans. It was in this match that Sony Norde scored a stunning free-kick and did the 'sten gun' celebration which is a rage amongst fans even today. 

"The derby win in Siliguri will always be special. The East Bengal fans were in overwhelming numbers that day. Yet we won the match convincingly. We silenced them and it was altogether a different kind of feeling. 

"(But) I will never forget the experience of playing my first derby. The roar of the fans while getting out of the tunnel at the Salt Lake stadium is surreal. Always wanted to play in a derby since childhood. A dream got fulfilled that day."

Kotal is confident that they have it in them to beat Robbie Fowler's men in this season's first derby. Also, there's little doubt that Antonio Habas' men are on a high after getting the better of Blasters. They look favourites on paper. But history has shown us on many occasions that the underdogs have gone on to bag the bragging rights, with the favourites biting the dust. 

East Bengal’s most successful coach of the last decade, Trevor James Morgan is no stranger to a Kolkata derby as he had led the Red and Golds to several memorable derby triumphs in the past.

Morgan won nine trophies with the Kolkata giants in four seasons and is still a favourite among a vast section of East Bengal fans.

Ahead of the East Bengal’s debut in the Indian Super League (ISL) on November 27 against arch-rivals ATK Mohun Bagan, Morgan sounded cautious when asked about the opening fixture of his former club.

“Yes it will be difficult,” the British coach told Goal. “Mohun Bagan have a settled squad and have been together for a while. They know each other's game and will be difficult opposition for East Bengal.”

Quite a few players from the current East Bengal lot have played under Trevor Morgan and the coach believes that the players need to watchful of their opponents as ISL is a different ball game compared to the I-League

“I know some of the players from the East Bengal squad but this is not the I League and the East Bengal players may not be too familiar with many of the ISL foreigners and will have to learn quickly how to nullify the opposition strengths and get their own game in order,” said the former Kerala Blasters assistant coach.

The British coach believes that while his compatriot Robbie Fowler is a player of great repute, coaching a club is a completely different challenge. But he also suggested that if the Liverpool great manages to convey his messages to his players properly, the Kolkata club will be the team to beat in the ISL this season.

“Playing and then coaching are two different things completely. Robbie (Fowler) has had an outstanding career as a player and enjoyed a good spell here in Australia with Brisbane (Roar) and I'm sure if he can get his points across to the players and they understand their roles within the team, East Bengal will be very difficult to play against.”

Morgan, who is currently in charge of the Filipino club United City, reminisced his fondest memories from the famous derby and also revealed the match he holds close to his heart.

“Obviously winning the Federation Cup in my first season and beating Mohun Bagan in the final was a great start for me in India. Running that very close was an absolutely outstanding performance by us to win the Calcutta Football League (CFL) by beating Mohun Bagan 3-2. We were great that day and although the score was close, we were superior all over the pitch on the night.”

Finally, he wished the millions of East Bengal fans the very best ahead of the club’s new journey in the ISL, “I wish every East Bengal fan good luck and hope the future is full of success for them and the team,” said the former Hull City youth coach.

After three halves of football without a shot on target, Mumbai City finally managed to test the opposition goalkeeper in the second half of their second match of the season and registered their first win in Goa on Wednesday. 

Sergio Lobera's team took on the manager's former club FC Goa with the hopes of showcasing what they have learnt from the Spanish coach in the short pre-season sessions that they have had. Lobera's teams require time to settle in and it was evident once again at the Fatorda Stadium. 

In terms of lineups, there were talking points in both camps - Lobera's experiment of fielding Adam Le Fondre on the right flank and Bartholomew Ogbeche through the centre hadn't worked against NorthEast United so he dropped the former Kerala Blasters striker to the bench.

Le Fondre was on his own upfront but his impact wasn't felt until the end of the second half as FC Goa did a commendable job of restricting the Islanders to passing sideways and forced them to huff and puff out of frustration. 

There was also the absence of Ahmed Jahouh that Mumbai had to deal with - how did they deal with that? Well, they didn't. Jahouh's importance to Lobera's setup was once again stressed by the lack of connection between the defence and attack throughout the game.

Without the Moroccan midfielder turning up in space to receive the ball and ping it forward, the team struggled to threaten despite having a numerical advantage on the field. It also didn't help that the man tasked with creating chances in the final third - Hugo Boumous - looked completely out of form and rhythm. 

Goa were the better team in the first half but they have themselves to blame for the loss. A terrible high-footed challenge by Redeem Tlang on Hernan Santana five minutes before the break was an invitation letter to Le Fondre and co. into their goal. Juan Ferrando mocked the quality of refereeing in Indian football after the game - in reality, Tlang will be lucky to escape a multi-game suspension due to the nature of the challenge. 

Mumbai City's performance in the second half was also not convincing as they struggled to make use of the advantage. In their own half, Mourtada Fall was struggling and looked out of touch on his debut (he has only recently joined the training sessions) and goalkeeper Amrinder Singh tremendous saves to deny Edu Bedia twice in the second-half kept Mumbai City in with a chance. 

As the game neared the full-time whistle, Adam Le Fondre's quality came to the fore. His drilled low cross into the box only needed a tap-in from close-range but Mandar Rao Dessai kneed the ball into the stands. The former Reading striker caused a lot of problems for a tired Goa defence and in added time, a Lenny Rodrigues handball allowed the English striker to efficiently dispatch the penalty and secure three points. Much of the credit for that should go for Cy Goddard who had an impressive game down the right wing. It was his cross that Bipin Singh headed on to Lenny's hand. 

The result could and should have been attained more easily but knowing the pre-season struggled and how other teams have also taken time to settle in, Lobera will be glad to get a win on the table. 

Ferrando, on the other hand, will be hoping to see Brandon Fernandes fully fit and ready to start games. Even without their star midfielder and with 10 men, the Gaurs were able to create chances and that is a positive sign.