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Hearts of Oak boss Edward Nii Odoom believes his team were let down by poor finishing in their Ghana Premier League (GPL) encounter with Ashanti Gold on Tuesday.

In their first taste of action since the commencement of the league earlier this month, the Phobians gave away a lead on two occasions as they were held to a 2-2 draw by visiting Ashanti Gold in a match week two clash at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Kojo Obeng Junior (Hearts) and Hans Kwofie scored twice each to cancel out each other.

"I'm very disappointed with our performance in the first half," Odoom said in a post-match press conference.

"We created lots of glorious opportunities in both first and second half but failed to utilise then.

"My midfielders went off in the first half but I saw some positive in the due to how they connected in the second half.

"I will have to work on them and the finishing and my attackers going forward."

Obeng Junior broke the deadlock for Hearts in the 33rd minute from close range before Kwofie hit back for Ashanti Gold it the 57th minute.

Ten minutes to full-time, Patrick Razak outwitted his marker on the far side with a beautiful piece of skill before sending in a delightful cross which was timeline met in the air by Obeng Junior for Hearts' second goal of the day.

Ashanti Gold, however, did not give up as they fought back to snatch another equaliser two minutes to full-time, courtesy of Kwofie.

“It's the team first before the individual, so with my colleagues, I think we are going to gather ourselves and put up a good performance this season for Accra Hearts of Oak,” Razak, who was adjudged Man of the Match, said in a post-match interview.

“I will say I’m impressed because our ambition is for the team to win. And I think everybody has given his best, but so far as we did not get a win, we’ll say our performance was not encouraging.

"So we will try and work on our performance and our team shaping and I think we will come back strongly."

Hearts have had to wait until matchday two to get a first taste of 2020-21 GPL action due to tge postponement of their opening day fixture against Aduana Stars due to coronavirus safety concerns. 

Tyquan Terrell discloses that watching the video clips of "favourite Africa Player" Sadio Mane has made him a better player.

The 22-year-old attacking sensation has risen through the ranks for Saint Kitts and Nevis, representing the Caribbean country at U20 and U23 level before making his senior international debut against Grenada in the Concacaf Nations League.

In a chat with Goal, the talented player, who has been scouted by several Major League Soccer outfits like Los Angeles FC, Minnesota FC United and FC Dallas, revealed he looks up to the Liverpool star due to the example he continues to set on and off the pitch – explaining how watching his video clips helps him improve his game.

“I’ll say my favourite African footballer is Sadio Mane of Liverpool and Senegal. I like the way he plays, his speed, dribbling ability and his knack for scoring great goals,” Terrell told Goal.

“Off the pitch, one thing that stands him out is his humility and how he gives back to his people. He is keen on ensuring that his people are well looked after and never worries about fancy things of life.

“More often, I go on YouTube to watch some of Mane’s video clips and try as much as possible to recreate his moves during games. Watching him has also helped me become hungry for goals.

“Another player that catches my fancy and we have the same playing pattern is Peter Odemwingie. He is sleek and blessed with tactical abilities.

“During his active days as a footballer, he caused a lot of troubles for defenders and his ability to use both legs made him a delight to watch.”

Being an ardent follower of African football, Terrell is not ruling out the possibility of representing an African club in future.

“The South African and Egyptian leagues are so strong that they have produced great talents over the years, but who knows what the future holds?” he continued.

“Well, I'm sure it will be a good experience and good opportunity to learn about African culture. But for now, I’m currently focusing on my club football and international career with Saint Kitts and Nevis."

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has warned his players to be very cautious when they take on Plateau United FC in their preliminary round first leg match on Sunday.

The Belgian tactician has admitted despite the team signing off for their first meeting with the Nigerian outfit with a huge 7-0 win against Coastal Union in the Mainland Premier League, his players should not be carried away by the result and must remain focused to tackle “a difficult opponent.”

Simba were on the rampage at Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha on Saturday as they tore Coastal Union to shreds with a hat-trick from captain John Bocco, a double from Clatous Chama, and goals from Hassan Dilunga and Bernard Morrison handing the champions victory.

“There is a risk after winning 7-0 because people become too confident but we do not need to be like that because we will face a strong opponent,” Vandenbroeck told Daily News.

“It was a good preparation, good image but we still need to be aware of the danger that awaits us in Nigeria,” added the Belgian tactician whose team has now managed to score a total of 29 goals, more than any other on the table.

On winning the league tie 7-0, Vandenbroeck explained: “Generally, I cannot say much because the 7-0 win shows that we were very dominant of the whole game but in the second half, our tempo slowed because we were already 5-0 up and in the mind of players, they knew that they were traveling...that was logic.”

Vandenbroeck has also received a huge boost with two key players – striker Meddie Kagere and winger Luis Miquissone – making the 24-man squad to Nigeria for the clash that will be played in Abuja.

After the first leg at New Jos Stadium, Plateau United will travel to Dar es Salaam for the return leg which will be staged at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on the weekend of December 4. 

Simba’s fans will be keen to see some improvement, following last year’s unimpressive display after they were knocked out in the preliminary round by UD Songo from Mozambique.

Whereas in the 2018/19 season they managed to reach the quarter-finals, it was in 1974 when Simba managed to get into the semi-finals but were knocked out by Egyptian side Ghazl El Mahalla.

Goalkeepers: Aishi Manula, Ally Salim, and Beno Kakolanya.

Defenders: Shomari Kapombe, Gadiel Michael, Mohamed Hussein, Erasto Nyoni, Ibrahim Ame, Joash Onyango, Pascal Wawa, Kennedy Juma.

Midfielders: Jonas Mkude, Mzamiru Yassin, Said Ndemla, Rally Bwalya, Hassan Dilunga, Francis Kahata, and Clatous Chama.

Strikers: John Bocco, Meddie Kagere, Miraji Athumani, Bernard Morrison, Luis Miquissone and Ibrahim Ajibu.

Mamelodi Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana is back again contesting for the 2020 Fifa Puskas Award.

The long-range shot in Sundowns’ 1-1 draw against Cape Town City will see Kekana contesting against the likes of Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez and Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, who are also part of 11 players nominated for this gong.

It is not the first time for Kekana to be listed for this award after his Bafana Bafana goal against Cameroon in March 2016 was also considered for that year’s honours.

He, however, did not make it into the three finalists from a preliminary selection that included Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and Neymar who also could not progress further.

This time around, Kekana would be hoping to go a step further by being considered for the final three.

“The winner of the FIFA Puskas Award will be selected by an international jury comprising a panel of Fifa legends and by the fans from all over the world registered on www.fifa.com. Each of the two groups of voters within the jury has the same electoral weight,” said Fifa in a statement.

Voting is already open and will close on December 9 before three finalists are announced two days later.

The winner will be crowned at The Best Fifa Football Awards on December 17 and the 2020 winner will replace Hungarian Daniel Zsori, who won it last year.

Kekana’s goal against Cape Town City was also voted as the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League Goal of the Season.

Mason Greenwood is "going to be a beast", according to Rio Ferdinand, who says the Manchester United teenager has Ruud van Nistelrooy's "precision" in front of goal.

Greenwood has been a revelation for United since bursting onto the senior stage in 2019-20.

The 19-year-old scored 17 goals to help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side earn a third-place Premier League finish and make it through to three semi-finals, forming one-third of a fearsome attacking triumvirate alongside Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.

Fitness issues have hampered the England international in the early stages of the new season, but he returned to the Red Devils' squad for a Champions League clash with Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday after recovering from a bout of illness.

Greenwood impressed after coming on as a second-half substitute at Old Trafford, providing the assist for Daniel James to round off a comfortable 4-1 victory, and he will be in contention for his fourth Premier League start of the season when United take in a trip to Southampton on Sunday.

Ferdinand sees similarities between the young forward and Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 goals in 219 games for the Red Devils between 2001 and 2006, and thinks he is destined for stardom because of his natural instincts in the final third.

The United legend told BT Sport of Greenwood's potential after his latest European display: “He looked very sharp. The passing forward in the No.10 spot, Van de Beek coming in there, and it just again showed his difference. Daniel James looked impressive when he came on too.

“He’s going to be a beast to go with the technique he’s got, the understanding, his spatial awareness, he plays off both feet.

“I want to go and watch training. That’s what he gets out of me. I want to go and watch his technique, him lashing balls into the back of the net.

"We talk about Ruud van Nistelrooy, it excites you when you see finishers that finish aggressively, but with precision. He has that in abundance.”

Ferdinand's former United team-mate Paul Scholes, meanwhile, believes Greenwood is already the most deadly player in the box on United's books.

“He physically looks stronger now than the last time we saw him. He’s a big, strong and powerful lad, and he’s only going to get stronger as well," said the Old Trafford great.

"I think out of the three or four forwards they have, he’ll be the best finisher as well."

Uganda international Luwagga Kizito earned a brace in Hapoel Kfar Saba's 3-2 win against Maccabi Haifa in an Israeli Premier League encounter on Tuesday.

Kizito scored the first goal for Hapoel Kfar Saba in the 48th minute after Ofri Arad had opened the scoring for Maccabi Haifa in the 22nd minute.

An own goal by Arad in the 53rd minute saw Hapoel Kfar Saba take the lead before the Uganda forward added his second in the 70th minute with a penalty kick.

Australian international Nikita Rukavytsya scored the second for Maccabi Haifa in the ninth minute of added time but the late goal was not enough to hand the visitors a point.

Hapoel Kfar Saba are sixth with 10 points from seven and will next be up against Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 29.

Meanwhile, in the English Championship, Uganda striker Uche Ikpeazu was not involved again as Wycombe Wanderers recorded a 0-0 draw against Huddersfield on Tuesday.

The draw meant Ikpeazu’s side failed to move up away from the relegation zone.

Wycombe Wanderers’ manager Gareth Ainsworth said the team is now looking a stronger side than before despite failing to win at home.

“The players are learning as they go, which is a great sign, and I think there are certain teams who have started well who are having a wobble now,” Ainsworth told BBC Sports.

“We're definitely not wobbling now. We started with a wobble but we're definitely learning and we're building.

“If we're keeping clean sheets every week then, by far, we'll be in the Championship [next season], so it's something to be proud of.”

On his part, Huddersfield boss Carlos Corberan said the draw came at a good time after they had been frustrated by Stoke City.

“It was a very tough game and one with a lot of interruptions,” Ainsworth said.

“It was a game that was full of free-kicks but for us, it was important after our defeat [at Stoke] to keep a clean sheet.

“We created one clear chance, in the second half we didn't create many chances and that was because we were very focused on Wycombe's game.

“They had a lot of set-pieces and it's very difficult to play against but we continued to defend through it and it was very important for the team to get a point from this game.”

Ikpeazu missed Uganda’s November African Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Sudan due to an injury.

Nothing is ever as it seems for the campaign, as Raven Software brings a gripping single-player Campaign where players will come face-to-face with historical figures and hard truths, as they battle around the globe through iconic locales like East Berlin, Vietnam, Turkey, Soviet KGB headquarters, and more.

The single player campaign:

The single player campaign is set in the cold war era of Ronald Reagan, where the Democratic West is in conflict with the Communist Soviet bloc. Tensions are high as the 2 superpowers clash for resources and influence in regional battles like Vietnam & East Berlin.

A cunning and effective Russian mole agent code named Perseus, which some regard as myth, is the primary target of the elite black ops team. This powerful figure is rumored to be able to change the balance of the Cold War, so an elite group of operators are sent with the consent of the US President to go after them.

Purchase Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold campaign here

In the hunt to take down Perseus, you will be battling in conflict zones across the globe. Places includes Vietnam, East Berlin and other western cities with Perseus appearance.

Missions within the Campaign include a variety of differing playstyles, such as close quarter, stealth, all-out warfare, and long-range combat scenarios. There are also multiple difficulty options, which fit a wide scope of players from those new to the franchise (Recruit) to seasoned experts (Veteran) and hardcore players (Realism).

With nine core missions followed by two alternate endings, here is a full list of the Black Ops Cold War campaign missions:

COLD WAR MISSIONS 1 - NOWHERE LEFT TO RUN

President Ronald Reagan has authorised hits on two Iranian targets. After acquiring intel that they are residing in the Netherlands, Bell, Woods, Mason and co. are sent to the streets of Amsterdam where they intend to sweep their safe house and put a stop to their threatening behaviour. This mission does leave nowhere to run, but that doesn't mean that you can't drive...

COLD WAR MISSIONS 2 - FRACTURE JAW

Fracture Jaw gives us our first taste of the Viet Cong guerrilla warfare that was pivotal in the Cold War. In 1968, the CIA Orders Russell Adlers' SOG team to secure a valuable asset hidden in a Da Nang firebase, the former capital of the country. Plunging the team into the depths of Vietnam, you'll also get an overhead shot of the beautiful capital, albeit you'll be reigning fire on it from a chopper gunner.

COLD WAR MISSIONS 3 - BRICK IN THE WALL

The first stealth mission is introduced in Brick in the Wall. With a new stealth system implemented in the Black Ops Cold War campaign missions, Bell will be instructed to take down a Berlin-based Russian mobster by the name of Anton Volkov, who has heavy ties to Perseus. Make sure you're not seen as it’s kill or capture in Brick in the Wall.

MISSION 4 - RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT

The fourth mission sends the squad to a fourth country. This time, Woods and Bell infiltrate a secret facility in the Soviet Republic of Ukraine in search of intelligence about Perseus’ plans and whereabouts.

COLD WAR MISSIONS 5 - Echoes of the Cold War

From the gathered intel, Perseus has been found to be plundering an abandoned Yamantau base in search of information. With the squad heading to the mountains of Bashkortostan, Russia, soviet Major General Nikita Dragovich is left behind. Combining stealth with explosives, the only way out is by praying to the heavens.

COLD WAR MISSIONS - End of the Line

Perseus has taken one step forward in the nuclear warfare race and is threatening Europe. With the Soviet Union striking fear into Europe, the team heads to Cuba in order to commandeer the stolen Green Light nuke from Perseus. 

COLD WAR MISSIONS 8 - Break On Through

In need of more information, OP 40 deploys Bell to search a mysterious bunker deep in the jungles of Vietnam. Bell will have learnt from the best when it comes to searching her own mind, with the numbers expert Mason by her side. The bunker reveals more than just its components. Upon the search, you might want to keep an ear out for the undead... 

COLD WAR MISSIONS 9 - Identity Crisis

Mission 9 is the tipping point of all of the Black Ops Cold War campaign missions. After subjecting Bell to a dangerous interrogation, Russel Adler reveals the truth about Bell's past. Here you will have to trust your instincts and choose the fate of the world.

With this, the Black Ops Cold War campaign concludes, leaving scope to continue the storyline in either DLCs or when Treyarch takes the reigns again in two years time. 

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has pretty much been left without a choice in its decision to approach the Supreme Court (SC) of India to seek an extension of term for the current Executive Committee. 

The committee’s term is set to end on 21st December 2020 but the lack of a Constitution that purportedly does not conform to the National Sports Code has meant that the Indian FA are unable to hold elections to form the next Executive Committee. 

The issue kicked off in October 2017 when the Delhi High Court (HC) annulled the last AIFF elections which were held in December 2016 when Praful Patel was elected as the President. The Delhi HC stated that the elections were held without following the then newly-implemented National Sports Code and appointed former Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi as an independent administrator to look after the AIFF’s affairs until fresh elections were held. 

The AIFF went on to approach the Supreme Court against the decision, arguing that India was in danger of being de-recognised by FIFA which only allows an elected body to run an affiliated FA. 

“The High Court had set aside the election of the AIFF committee. We are seeking a stay on it (high court’s order). Under the FIFA Rules, a country is recognised only if there is an elected body and if there is no elected body, a country is de-recognised by the FIFA,” the AIFF counsel told the bench back then. 

The Supreme Court duly stayed the High Court’s ruling in November 2017 but appointed two ombudsmen (Qureshi and former India goalkeeper Bhaskar Ganguly) to formulate a new AIFF constitution within eight weeks and then conduct elections. The court allowed the current Executive Committee members to discharge their duties till then. 

However, the ombudsmen haven’t finalised a constitution even after three years and have asked the court for an extension of the deadline multiple times, most recently in February 2020. 

With the term of the Praful Patel-led Executive Committee set to wind down, the Indian FA are in a tight bind. They are unable to conduct fresh elections due to the lack of a constitution (still not finalised by the court-appointed committee). The last elections were contested because the legality of the existing constitution was challenged. 

As far as Indian football is concerned, the next few years are very important. India is set to host the 2022 U17 Women’s World Cup (after the 2020 event was cancelled) and the 2022 AFC Women’s Asia Cup. India has also bid for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup hosting rights. 

If the term of the current committee expires and the court appoints an ad-hoc administrator to take charge of Indian FA, there is a high chance of FIFA banning India - a development that poses significant risks to the marquee events mentioned above. The damage could also extend further. 

In such a scenario, the AIFF has been left with no other option but to seek an extension to the term of the current office-bearers until the new Constitution is ready for which they have sought the direction of the Supreme Court

Donny van de Beek can bring the best out of Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United as he knows exactly what the Portuguese playmaker wants to do on the ball, according to Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes.

Van de Beek has endured a slow start to life at Old Trafford since moving from Ajax in the summer for £40 million ($55m), however, he impressed when he played the full 90 minutes of the 4-1 Champions League win over Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday night.

The Dutch midfielder dictated play as Fernandes impressed going forwards, scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes to set United on their way before a Marcus Rashford penalty and a late Daniel James strike completed a very satisfactory victory for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men.

Former United defender Ferdinand said Van de Beek had shown why Solskjaer kept patience with him despite the pressure to deliver results, and that his selfless style of play could prove crucial in bringing out the best in those around him, especially Fernandes.

Speaking on BT Sport, Ferdinand said: “We’ve all been waiting to see Van de Beek play, they spent £40m on him, you want to see more than cameos from him here and there. We’ve been impatient, but today he has justified why he has been brought to the club and why he is thought so highly of in European football.

"He is the one player in the squad who is happy playing one-touch, two-touch, keeping it simple. He sacrifices parts of his game for other people to flourish, and in any great team you need players like that, who make other players tick. Bruno benefited today from having him in the team.”

Fellow ex-United player Scholes agreed, saying Van de Beek had demonstrated an awareness of what Fernandes intends to do that could make him a key cog in the starting XI in the future.

Scholes said: “The first 15 minutes were excellent, Van de Beek was instrumental in that with his link-up play with Fernandes. He is very aware of what Fernandes wants to do with the ball. They looked dangerous, they kept creating chances, they looked like they were going to score goals.”

United's win on Tuesday leaves them with nine points from four games in Champions League Group H, needing just one more from their remaining two fixtures to qualify for the last 16.

They host Paris Saint-Germain next week, before travelling to RB Leipzig for their final group-stage game.

The final shortlist for the 2020 FIFA The Best award has been revealed, with Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah all nominated for the prize.

Barcelona superstar Messi, who won the accolade last year, leads the 11-man list of players up for the individual gong, which will be presented at The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony on December 17.

Bayern striker Lewandowski is the man best placed to dethrone the Argentine, having already won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award for firing the German outfit to Champions League glory in 2019-20.

The Polish striker is joined on the list of nominees by ex-team-mate Thiago Alcantara, who left Allianz Arena to join Liverpool in September, while Reds duo Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk have also made the final cut alongside Salah.

Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne completes the roll of Premier League stars competing for the award, while Real Madrid have bagged just the one nomination, with club captain Sergio Ramos acknowledged for leading the Blancos to their 34th La Liga title last season.

Former Santiago Bernabeu favourite Ronaldo will be aiming to win the FIFA honour for the third time after another fine individual campaign at Juventus, and PSG duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have also been included after playing starring roles in the French outfit's run to the European Cup final.

Samuel Chukwueze may have helped Villarreal hold Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw in Saturday’s La Liga encounter but Mutiu Adepoju feels the youngster must improve in front of goal.

Without inspirational captain Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema due to injury, Los Blancos took the lead after just 107 second through Mariano Diaz.

Nevertheless, the Yellow Submarine levelled matters from the penalty spot through Gerard Moreno after Thibaut Courtois had fouled the Nigerian in the box.

Chukwueze was a constant threat to Zinedine Zidane’s side's defenders, albeit, he fluffed several scoring opportunities that could have handed the hosts all three points at stake.

Giving an assessment of his performance, the former Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Racing Santander midfielder rated the youngster highly, however, insisted he has a lot of work to do in terms of scoring.

“When he was brought on in the second half, he really caused havoc against Real Madrid,” LaLiga ambassador Adepoju told Goal.

“He was the brain behind the goal Villarreal scored and overall, he had a very great game.

“However, when he gets near the goal, he rushes and fires off target because he is not calming down.

“Probably, he needs to work on his finishing skills during training because I feel with his dribbling abilities, he should be scoring more goals.

“He has made an impact in the few games he has played [this season] and I still believe he is still in the right direction.”

Thanks to his impressive outing when he helped Nigeria win the 2017 Fifa U17 World Cup in Chile, the speedy winger was signed by the Spanish elite division side from Diamond Football Academy.

Having impressed for Villarreal’s reserves in the third tier, he was promoted to the senior team – making his debut in a Europa League game against Rangers – as manager Javi Calleja brought him on as a 79th-minute replacement for Nicola Sansone.

The 21-year-old made his league debut on November 5, 2018, playing every minute in a 1-1 draw against Levante.

Since then, he has been a regular in the Yellow Submarine setup - while accentuating his importance to the team with eye-catching performances which got him among 2019’s Golden Boy 40-man shortlist and also earned him a call-up to Nigeria’s senior national team.

Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer has refused to get carried away with talk of challenging for the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title.

The Buccaneers have had a promising start to the current 2020/21 season as they are undefeated having recorded two wins and two draws in the league.

They have also reached their maiden major cup final since 2018 after embarrassing their arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 semi-finals.

Even though Zinnbauer admitted his side is on the right track, the German tactician indicated that it is too early to talk about competing for the league title, having masterminded a 2-1 win over SuperSport United on Saturday.

“Yes, we are on the right track. Last season nobody had belief in us, and we came back to finish third,” Zinnbauer told the media. 

“Now four games in a row, yes I’m happy about it, but we have a lot of matches ahead.

"We are now preparing for our next game, and we have Baroka FC, who are doing well, and it is always difficult to play against them."

Pirates, who are currently placed third on the league standings, will host Baroka at Orlando Stadium on Saturday as they look to climb to the top of the log.

The 50-year-old tactician stressed the importance of guarding against complacency with 26 league matches left in the current campaign.

“It’s a long season for us, and we don’t speak about places. It is too early to speak about positions,” he said. 

“What is important for me is we have our next game against Baroka and the focus shifts to that match."

Zinnbauer understands that Pirates' club management and fans are desperate to win some silverware with the team currently enduring a six-year trophy drought. 

“We know everyone associated with the club is hungry for titles, but we are not the only one. This is the fight from other clubs in the league, and we have to improve the squad for the future," he added.

“We will fight for the titles, but it is not easy. We will do our best to make sure we win the titles.”

Pirates are set to take on Bloemfontein Celtic in the 2020 MTN8 final on December 12. 

NorthEast United manager Gerard Nus believes that it's important to have good training pitches first before anyoone can expect a team to play a beautiful brand of attacking football. Ahead of their Indian Super League (ISL) clash against Kerala Blasters on Thursday, the manager mentioned that the teams, who can manage to get results despite rotating their squad due to the congested schedule will do well.

It must be noted that the ISL is being conducted in Goa with every team being part of a bio-secure bubble.

"All the teams will struggle with injuries. Some teams are struggling for good training pitches. Many coaches are complaining. These things don't help. When you are weaker (physically) you get more injuries. The scheduling does not allow you to rest. You have to rotate and can not stick to a XI. Every team will face these (issues). And the teams who will manage this well will do better. 

"I have heard that some clubs are sharing the (training) pitch with local side. When you have only one grass pitch, it is not enough. When you are training every day the quality will deteriorate. Moreover, the weather is so hot. If you want to have quality football you must have good quality training pitches. We want to play good football and good training pitches is a necessity," stated the tactician. 

Nus is wary of the threat that Kerala Blasters possess and even went on to term them as 'favourites' for the tie. He believes that the Men in Yellow can finish in the top three at the end of the season. 

"Kerala Blasters have one of the best squads in ISL. They are a tough team to play against. They are good in the build-up, organisation and set-pieces. They can create chances in so many ways. It is going to be a hard match. They are the favourites as they are a very strong side. Kerala know they played good football (against ATK Mohun Bagan). They did not deserve to lose. They are going to play good football again.

"In some moments we did not have much control against Mumbai City. I don't think many teams will have control against Mumbai. They are a top team not only in India, but in Asia. Kerala tried so many things. They can change strategies. But the most important thing for us is to to have the same mentality and be positive. To get even a point we need to do everything better than them. They are one of the three sides to finish on the ladder at the end of the season. Blasters have good players coming from some top clubs in Europe and they also have players from the Indian team. We cannot take them lightly," commented the youngest manager in ISL. 

The 35-year-old praised his team's performance against Mumbai City, a tie which they won 1-0. But he still believes that they have some aspects to improve upon. 

"It is just not the defenders that played well. Everyone did a fantastic job against Mumbai. We have to get better will ball possession. We have to rest more with the ball., We have to make better judgements - when to make a risky pass or when not to make. We are working on those. We are not on holidays in Goa. I have come here to do a job. We are sacrificing a lot. We just want to improve with each passing game. 

"It gives confidence to any team to start on a winning note. We managed the game well and got a positive result. But at the same time, there were other things which could have stolen those three points. But we must learn from them and improve," signed off the former assistant Ghana coach.

Kenya international Clarke Oduor was introduced in the second half as Barnsley suffered their first home loss under coach Valerien Ismael, against Brentford on Tuesday.

The 1-0 defeat at home came as Ivan Toney scored his 11th goal of the season that gave Brentford the slim win away. Toney collected a Mathias Jensen’s corner and fired into the right-hand corner for the only goal of the encounter in the 66th minute.

Jack Walton saved Oduor’s side from conceding another goal after saving a late effort from Marcus Forss. The victory was the first for Brentford in four matches as Barnsley lost the first match after five games under Ismael.

Oduor was brought on in the 72nd for Alex Mowatt as Ismael made three changes after they had gone behind, but the substitutions failed to have much impact on the game. 

Referee Darren Bond dismissed Barnsley’s calls for a penalty after Victor Adeboyejo's cross hit Vitaly Janelt in the last moments of the tie.

Brentford are now unbeaten in the last six games and the clean sheet against the Tykes was their third in a row. Ismael explained how his charges should now tackle the next opponent after surrendering three points to Brentford.

“We expected the best opponent in possession with a lot of quality. It is not easy to press an opponent like that because they are very calm and try to lure you,” Ismael told BBC Sport.

“We need another approach to be more patient, and aggressive in some others.

“Out of possession we were really good but in possession, we were not clinical enough in some situations. We have to work on this. It is a bit frustrating, but it was another level for us. It was like chess.”

On his part, Brentford head coach Thomas Frank lauded his charges for picking up the victory.

“It was a very good win and I was very pleased with the performance. Ivan is doing a good job for us,” Frank said. “I think we looked very solid, structured and mature in more or less everything we did.

“I loved the patience in the first half because Barnsley are a very good side and I'm very impressed with them. They have made it unbelievably difficult for a lot of teams and they press with extreme intensity.”

Barnsley, now 14th on the log, will face Blackburn Rovers on December 1.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has said that he found Lionel Messi to be so good during his stint at Barcelona, that he thought about hanging up his boots entirely.

Boateng joined the Catalan outfit in a surprise loan move from Sassuolo in January 2019, and managed to win a La Liga title in his six-month stint despite earning little playing time.

The 33-year-old would subsequently move on to Fiorentina and then Besiktas before joining Serie B outfit Monza ahead of the current season.

Recalling his time at Camp Nou in the 2018-19 season, Boateng admits that he could scarcely believe he was wanted by a club like Barca when he got word of their interest.

"The six months at Barcelona were incredible," Boateng told DAZN .  "At first, I didn't believe it. I thought it was Espanyol who wanted me, not the real Barcelona!

"Training with Messi left me speechless. I had always said that Cristiano Ronaldo was the best in the world, but Messi is something else. He's not normal.

"While training with him, I felt inadequate for the first time in my career. He was doing incredible things. I felt like saying, 'I'm done, I'm going to quit playing!'"

Boateng has become something of a journeyman in his career, playing for teams in England, Germany, Italy and Spain. Though his career has included stops at major clubs such as Tottenham, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, Boateng admitted that he could have potentially accomplished more. 

During his stint at Spurs between 2007 and 2009 in particular, Boateng said he looked to off-field extravagances to cover up for his on-field issues.

"When I was young, at Tottenham, it's true: I bought three luxury cars in one day, but there was so much pain inside me," he said. "I was trying to buy happiness. I wasn't happy. I wasn't playing. I wasn't well and so I was looking for something else. Sure, I would change that part of my past.

"Often, I trusted only my talent and, with the talent I have, without being arrogant, I could have done a lot more. Although, I have had a beautiful career anyway."

In the latter part of his career, Boateng has also focused on off-field activism, speaking out frequently against racism. Despite a host of ugly incidents across Europe recently, Boateng said that he has yet to see nearly enough change.

"In football, nothing has changed since 2013," Boateng said. "Maybe a few more fines, but nothing has changed. It's sad. It still happens. And it happens too much.

"Change comes from FIFA and UEFA. Us footballers, we're important, we try to speak, we use social media, we use interviews, but if it doesn't start from above, it's difficult for us.

"In 2013, I was saying, I hope that the kids in a few years don't know what racism is, and instead they're now hearing us talk more about it today than yesterday."

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not want to "risk" Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof after substituting both players with minor injuries during their Champions League win over Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday night.

United easily defeated the Turkish side 4-1, Bruno Fernandes scoring twice inside the first 20 minutes before a Marcus Rashford penalty put the Premier League team in complete control before half-time.

Basaksehir pulled a goal back through Deniz Turuc's free kick and hit the bar as they improved in the second half, however Daniel James scored a late fourth for United after a counterattack to put deserved gloss on the scoreline for the Red Devils.

However, the win was tainted somewhat by minor injuries picked up by Lindelof and Wan-Bissaka, with Solskjaer revealing the Swedish central defender had a problem with his back, while the England right-back took a knock to the ankle.

Solskjaer though doesn't believe they are anything serious, and both men should be fit for the Premier League game against Southampton this Sunday.

"Hopefully they'll be ready for the weekend," Solskjaer told BT Sport. "It's ankle for Aaron and back for Victor. There was no point taking any more risks."

While Lindelof and Wan-Bissaka were unable to play the full 90 minutes on Tuesday, Donny van de Beek and Edinson Cavani were involved throughout and Solskjaer picked the two summer signings out for individual praise.

"The two are getting used to how we want them to play - Donny can play in different positions and Edinson is a good old-fashioned number nine and we haven't had that for a while and I was happy with how Anthony [Martial] played off the left," Solskjaer said. 

The win on Tuesday night was key for United as they aim to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, and next week they face a crunch tie at home to Paris Saint-Germain before facing RB Leipzig away in the last game of Group H.

United need only one point from those final two matches to qualify for the knockout stage, having beaten both PSG and Leipzig before suffering a shock loss to Basaksehir in Istanbul, but will be aiming to top the group to give themselves a better chance of a favourable draw in the round of 16.

The transfer window officially opened on Nov 21 and will end on Feb 12, a full two weeks before the Super League curtain raiser between Johor Darul Ta'zim and Kedah.

Teams are actively looking to improve their respective teams and Goal brings to you all the movers and shakers ahead of a brand new season.

Johor Darul Ta'zim 

The seven-time MSL champions had already bid goodbye to star striker Diogo Luis Santo who arrived in the 2018 season and has contributed to the Southern Tigers' continued stranglehold on the league title. Brazilian Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo is the replacement and JDT had also confirmed the signing of talented midfielder Danial Amier from Felda United on a free.

Kedah

The 2019 FA Cup champions will compete in the AFC Cup in the coming season and plans are already in place to ensure that they get a prolonged run in the competition but only the outgoings have been announced thus far. Long-serving centre back Khairul Helmi and Singaporean Shakir Hamzah has been let go with rumours indicating a departure for forward Zaquan Adha as well.

Aidil Sharin is reportedly keen to add UiTM FC star Rabih Ataya to the fold that could give Kedah a far bigger threat from the wings.

Another team who will participate in the AFC Cup by virtue of finishing third in the MSL last season after the cancellation of the Malaysia Cup. It looks to be a big overhaul at the club with Lee Tuck, Sanjar Shaakhmedov, Dominique da Sylva, Faris Ramli and Darren Lok all exiting the club.

Malaysia Under-23 international Azri Ghani is said to be courted by the Bos Gaurus to give Hafizul Hakim much needed competition between the sticks. It would seem that 2020 top scorer Shahrel Fikri is in Selangor's radar and there's a good chance that Perak could lose his service.

Selangor FC

The club has made several announcement with Nor Hakim Hassan, Safuwan Baharudin, Rodney Celvin Akwensivie, Ashmawi Yakin, Wan Zack Haikal, Tauffiq Ar Rasyid, Halim Saari, Mukhairi Ajmal, Khairulazhan Khalid, Ifedayo Olusegun, A. Namathevan, Sean Eugene Selvaraj, Syahmi Safari and has brought in a new head coach in Karsten Neitzel.

On the other side, Taylor Regan will not be part of the 2021 team. Midfielder S. Sarkunan is staying but apparently eyeing a loan move to get more game time. 

The east coast side is rumoured to buy eyeing a move for Lee Tuck and Sergio Aguero after having said their farewells to the likes of Dickson Nwakaeme, Adam Reed and Ivan Carlos. However the biggest losses appears to be two talented youngsters in Faisal Halim and Nik Sharif Haseefy who are both confirmed to be leaving.

The newly promoted side who finished second in the Premier League last season to gain the move up, will have a new head coach in Chilean Simon Elissetche despite Nidzam Adzha leading the team last season. This is because Nidzam does not possess the AFC Pro A License required to be a Super League coach.

Thiago Silva "sets the standards" at Chelsea, according to Joe Cole, who has lauded the Blues defender for his "unbelievable" contribution this season.

Silva has quickly established himself as a mainstay in Frank Lampard's starting XI since joining Chelsea on a free transfer in August.

The 36-year-old, who was released by Paris Saint-Germain following their Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich last season, was initially seen as a risky signing for the Blues due to his age.

However, the Brazilian has proven he can still deliver the goods at the very highest level, and has played a key role in transforming Chelsea into a rock-solid defensive outfit after slotting in at centre-back alongside Kurt Zouma.

Silva's latest outing came during a 2-1 win away at Rennes in a Champions League group stage clash on Tuesday night, which saw Lampard's side book their place in the last 16 with two games to spare.

Speaking ahead of that clash, Cole praised the impact the former PSG star's had at Stamford Bridge, while insisting he is already arguably the best central defender in the Premier League.

Asked to assess Silva's first few months in west London, the former Blues winger told BT Sport : "Unbelievable. Out of all the signings, when he came in, I knew he’s been one of the great defenders of our generation, but at 36 - you worry.

"Traditionally, players of that age coming into the Premier League, it’s very difficult. The Premier League is a different beast now.

"I don’t think they make centre-halves like him now, apart from Van Dijk, he’s the best in the league, maybe there’s an argument for it.

"For [Antonio] Rudiger, [Kurt] Zouma, or [Andreas] Christensen next to him, he sets the standard.

"That’s the level you want to get at if you want to class yourself as a world-class centre-half."

Silva will be back in contention for a place in Lampard's line-up when Chelsea play host to Tottenham in a hotly-anticipated top-of-the-table clash on Sunday.

The Blues are due back in Champions League action three days later, with a trip to Spain to face 2019-20 Europa League winners Sevilla on the cards.

Former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Ernst Middendorp has left Ethiopian giants Saint George SC just one month after joining the club.

The German tactician moved to St George after parting ways with Chiefs at the end of the 2019/20 season having failed to guide Amakhosi to the PSL title. 

However, Middendorp has resigned as the head coach at the Ethiopian Premier League giants amidst reports linking him with his former club, Maritzburg United.

The Horsemen released the following statement regarding the 62-year-old's surprise departure from Ethiopia's most decorated football club. 

"Coach Ernst Middendorp has left St George," a club statement read. 

"The German coach was contracted to train St George for three years."

"Maahier Davids, who was training the club for a while, has been working as a temporary coach."

Davids, who is a South African tactician, served as an academy coach at Orlando Pirates and also took charge of Cape Umoya United in the National First Division (NFD). 

Maritzburg's coaching job became vacant on Monday after the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) side dismissed Eric Tinkler due to a run of poor results. 

The Team of Choice have lost their first five matches in the 2020/21 season including the MTN8 defeat to Chiefs last month.

Bafana Bafana legend Delron Buckley has been appointed caretaker coach by the Pietermaritzburg-based side.

Buckley played under Middendorp at Maritzburg during the 2012/13 season as the Team of Choice finished 11th in the PSL. 

Middendorp has already had two spells with the Team of Choice as the head coach, having taken charge of the team between 2009 and 2011 before moving to their KZN rivals Lamontville Golden Arrows.

The nomadic tactician returned to Maritzburg in 2012, but he left the club after one season and he joined Bloemfontein Celtic for the 2013/14 campaign. 

He had a spell with Chippa United in the 2015/16 season, before rejoining Chiefs for his second stint with the Soweto giants in 2018.