Looking for Soccer News?

Retired Harambee Stars defender James Situma has stated FC Masr's Cliff Nyakeya is going to be an important player in Kenya’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Although Kenya lost momentum after drawing against Comoros in Nairobi and losing in Moroni in November’s double-header, Situma believes the winger will emerge as a vital star not only in the Group G qualifiers but also in the future games, should he remain focused.

“Nyakeya is a player who can do anything any minute in a game. He is technically good, has speed and he is still young,” Situma told Goal.

“He has a long way to go, for now, though because he is young but he will play vital roles in these qualifiers. He just needs to focus more and keep the hard work going.

“Personally, I have played with him at Mathare United and he is a good player who is ready to learn.”

When Kenya drew 1-1 against the group rivals on Thursday, Nyakeya provided the assist for Masoud Juma’s equaliser.

Head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee maintained him in the starting XI and ended up scoring Kenya’s goal when they went down 2-1 on Sunday.

Kenya's chances of making back-to-back Afcon qualification were made more complicated with Egypt’s away win against Togo on Tuesday.

The Pharaohs and Comoros are now holding the two positions that will secure Afcon slots with two matches remaining.

As Harambee Stars chances became slim with the Comoros results, a cautious Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa said they still stand a better chance than they were in 2016 during the 2019 qualifiers at this point.

“The big question is Togo and Egypt, what do we do? Is it a guarantee we win the matches? It is not, we never said it is a done deal, so what do we do?” Mwendwa quipped in an interview with Goal.

“We have to be ready to get something out of the two nations, it is either we win or at worst we get a draw, we must prepare well for the remaining matches and as FKF we are doing everything possible to make this team happy and make sure they give us the good results that we want as a country.”

The qualifiers will commence in March 2021.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has admitted the absence of winger Gerson Fraga has affected his plans for the Caf Champions League match against Plateau United FC.

The two giants were drawn to face each other in the competition with Simba playing away in the first leg on November 27 before the return leg is set for December 4 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

The Belgian tactician has now admitted the absence of the Brazilian player, who is nursing a knee injury sustained during the team’s Mainland Premier League match against Biashara United, has forced him to change his plans for the competition completely and start afresh.

“Fraga was in my plans for the Caf competition but unfortunately he is not recovered yet,” Vandenbroeck is quoted by Sokaletu. “He is among the players I wanted to use in the competition because he has the experience to play in the biggest stage and I want to admit his absence has forced me back to the drawing board.

“We will not have him for the two-legged encounter but we are also looking at the other players we have in the squad to see how they can fit in and fill his void.”

In an earlier interview, Vandenbroeck said he has received video clips of their opponents Plateau United of Nigeria ahead of their first meeting.

“I have secured a number of video clips of our Caf opponents, and most of the matches are from last year and what I can say is they are a very good team,” Vandenbroeck is quoted by Sokaletu.

“We must be very careful against them because they are a very strong side and they like playing passing football, the same way we play, they also have very strong strikers, and also apply speed to kills off teams.

“Also at the back, they have very good players, and my strikers must be very bright to beat them, we must try and work on ways to handle them.

“We need to plan well because this season we want to retain the league and also do well in the competition, we want to make another step in Caf competition and that is why I am already studying my opponents.”

Vandenbroeck added: “For us to eliminate them, we must make sure all our departments are working, from goalkeeping, defence to the strike force, we must also have a strong midfield and we will work on that before the first leg battle.”

Simba qualified for Caf for the third straight campaign after winning the 2019/20 title with seven matches to spare and last season, they were eliminated in the preliminary stage by Mozambican champions UD Songo at their own turf when they went down 1-0 in August 2019.

Kenya international Duncan Otieno has lashed out at AFC Leopards for claiming his transfer to Lusaka Dynamos was unprocedural.

On Tuesday, AFC Leopards threatened to take the Zambian club to Fifa for signing the star who had penned a two-year deal with the Kenyan outfit.

In a post that was deleted a few minutes later, Otieno claimed his new club signed him after buying out his contract from AFC Leopards.

“What are they saying outside there about me? But sometimes people make me happy on talking about issues they little understand. Where did you hear that?” Otieno wrote.

“Let everyone fight their own battles but I wish you all the best in the coming season.

“How comes you have been paid then turnaround to hate me and to smear my reputation? Where do you get that energy? But again, God is the ultimate controller.”

AFC Leopards were categorical that Otieno’s transfer was done behind their back.

“With a view to reinforcing our team; we procedurally contracted Duncan Otieno to once again play for us upon expiry of his contract with Nkana FC of Zambia that ended on 31st October 2020,” Ingwe’s statement said.

“The player was glad to rejoin us and hence signed up to be in the Den for the next two years beginning with the forthcoming 2020-2021 season. Correspondingly, all processes required and documentation was done in the Transfer Matching System (TMS) to firm up this agreement. 

“However, the player was unsettled by the agent who notified him of another offer and opted to pursue it despite having already entered into a contract with the club.

“This step is unprocedural as we have had no contact with the Zambian club concerning their desire to sign the player," Leopards continued.

“If indeed this is the case, then Lusaka Dynamos and the player are in breach of Fifa transfer rules and hence should be ready for the consequences.  

“Accordingly, the National Executive Committee has deliberated to have appropriate lawful action initiated to settle this situation by moving to report the matter to Fifa for player tapping and double signing.”

Otieno had signed the new deal as he returned to the den after leaving in 2018. But his return to Zambia to join former Nkana teammate Musa Mohamed at Lusaka Dynamos has now generated new friction between him, AFC Leopards and possibly the Zambian club who are yet to respond to Ingwe’s threats.

Arsenal "need characters" like Jerome Boateng, according to Kevin Campbell, who says the Bayern Munich star could help Gabriel and William Saliba fulfil their potential.

Boateng has enjoyed a stellar career spanning 14 years, with spells taken in at Hertha, Hamburg and Manchester City before his €14 million (£13m/$17m) move to Allianz Arena in 2011.

The ex-Germany international has nailed down a reputation as one of the top defenders in Europe since joining Bayern, winning eight Bundesliga titles and two Champions League crowns.

He also became a World Cup winner in 2014, and despite being exiled from international football by Die Mannschaft boss Joachim Low last year, he remains a regular in Hansi Flick's set-up at club level.

However, speculation over Boateng's future has been rife in recent months, with his current deal at Bayern set to expire at the end of the season.

It has been reported that Arsenal were among a host of clubs to consider a move for the centre-back in the summer transfer window, but Gabriel and Saliba ended up being the only two new defensive additions at the Emirates.

Campbell hopes his old club will reignite their interest in Boateng next year, with it his belief that the German would bring much-needed experience to the Gunners' back-line.

“You can never have enough quality and you can never have enough players who have done it at the top level,” the former Arsenal striker told Football Insider.

“Looking to maybe recruit someone like Jerome Boateng shows where the club is at.

“Gabriel and Saliba would benefit from having somebody like Boateng at the club. I am not sure how long David Luiz will be at the club so Jerome Boateng could be that experienced player who helps others fulfil their potential.

“Arsenal need characters. They need strong characters who have been there and done it at the top level. Jerome Boateng is certainly one.

“If you put it out to the Arsenal fan base they will say, ‘Oh he is too old.’ But beggars cannot be choosers and we need experience. He is a serial winner.”

Orlando Pirates forward Terrence Dzvukamanja has set his sights on scoring goals and winning trophies with the Soweto giants.

The Zimbabwe international has had a promising start to his Bucs career having played an integral role in helping the team reach the 2020 MTN8 final where they will face Bloemfontein Celtic on December 12.

Dzvukamanja's solitary goal inspired Pirates to a 1-0 win over Cape Town City in the quarter-final clash, before registering an assist in the 3-0 win against Kaizer Chiefs in the semi-final first-leg match.

The left-footed player, who joined the Buccaneers from the now-defunct Bidvest Wits last month, has revealed his ambitions. 

“It’s all about trophies, that’s the main thing I came for," Dzvukamanja told Pirates TV. 

"So, for me personally I have to score more goals to help the team to achieve those trophies and to help my teammates in everything we do.

"So, for me, in short, I’m here for trophies."

Dzvukamanja played an instrumental role in helping Wits reach last season's Nedbank Cup semi-finals scoring four times in the competition and his exploits caught the eye of the Buccaneers.

The former Ngezi Platinum player explained that his transition from Wits to the Soweto giants has not been easy.

“It’s difficult because at Wits it was different from Pirates. So, for now, I’m trying to work hard so that I can get used to the type of play they have here," he added. 

"Here they can pass and they can move. At Wits, we were using counters (counter-attack) for playing and winning the games."

Dzvukamanja spent two seasons with the Clever Boys after joining the club from Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League (ZPSL) side Ngezi Platinum in July 2018.

The hard-working player, who can also operate as an attacking midfielder and winger, made 52 appearances for Wits across all domestic competitions and he netted 13 goals in the process.

Dzvukamanja was an unused substitute during Pirates' last match which was the 2-0 win over Chiefs in the semi-final second-leg match almost two weeks ago.

He will be hoping to return to the starting line-up when the Buccaneers take on SuperSport United in a PSL match on Saturday.

Premier Soccer League (PSL) outfit Black Leopards have welcomed back Lehlogonolo Masalesa and Rodney Ramagalela.

Masalesa and Ramagalela have been free-agents after leaving Chippa United and TS Galaxy respectively at the end of the 2019/20 season.

Lidoda Duvha are also looking to complete the signing of former Maritzburg United marksman Mohammed Anas. 

This has been confirmed by Leopards' chief executive officer Moudy Mudzielwana when speaking to the Sowetan.

“We have signed Ramagalela. Masalesa has signed also. We are finalising a deal for Mohammed Anas from Polokwane City,” Mudzielwana said.

“The previous coach [Patrick Aussems] did ask for players and we did give him but we thought he would take time to adjust. We had a strategic plan[ning session] last week where I presented the vision of the club and I could see he was not buying into it.”

Anas, who hails from Ghana, will join the Lidoda Duvha on a free transfer after parting ways with Leopards' Limpopo rivals Polokwane City at the end of last season.

Masalesa was on the books of Leopards during the 2018/19 season and the former Orlando Pirates midfielder made 16 appearances across all competitions for the 2011 Nedbank Cup runners-up.

While Ramagalela started his professional career at Leopards in 2011 and he established himself as one of the top strikers in the country during his time with the club.

The 2017/18 PSL Golden Boot award winner spent two full PSL seasons with Lidoda Duvha, before being snapped up by Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of the 2013/14 season.

Meanwhile, Leopards have also confirmed the reappointment of Dylan Kerr as the head coach at the club.

This comes after Lidoda Duvha parted ways with Belgian coach Aussems, who had been appointed prior to the start of the current campaign. 

“We thought let’s take someone who understands the club, and now we have someone who knows the club well,” Mudzielwana told the same publication.

“You were there when we launched the season in Johannesburg when we said we want the top eight, and the coach [Aussems] said something different. He was not prepared to push that hard and we said let’s get someone now.

“It is not like we were fighting with him but his mind was just not here. Kerr was there earlier [at training] and the attitude; you could see that he wants to achieve something with the club.”

Kerr served as Leopards coach between December 2018 and June 2019 and then he moved to their Limpopo rivals Baroka FC.

The English tactician was recently dismissed by Baroka after being placed under suspension by the club for alleged insubordination last month. 

He is expected to be in charge of Leopards when they take on Maritzburg United on Saturday with Lidoda Duvha looking to secure their maiden league win of the season.

Of all the possible outcomes following the eight-goal extravaganza between the two sides last Friday, a goalless draw in the return leg in Freetown was perhaps the least expected.

Really though, it should not have come as a surprise.

After all, the Leone Stars have built up an impressive record of defiance on their own patch—even accounting for the fact one might, mischievously, choose to interpret the term literally. For their part, the Super Eagles had suffered a grievous blow to the ego, and were without talismanic striker Victor Osimhen for the trip. With that in mind, it was never likely to be another free-for-all.

Gernot Rohr’s approach to the return was to change as little as possible.

In came Kelechi Iheanacho to lead the line, as well as Ola Aina at left-back in place of Zaidu Sanusi, whose dereliction for two of Sierra Leone’s four goals in Benin City was met with the ultimate punishment. That seemed to suggest that, in his mind at least, his team’s second-half collapse was entirely mental, and that the set-up had been working perfectly otherwise. An optimistic read, to say the least.

Sierra Leone coach John Keister, however, was brave. He unfurled a different plan, beefing up midfield at the expense of a centre-back in order to better blanket the spaces Alex Iwobi revelled in the previous game.

Fortune favours the brave, as they say, and so even though Iheanacho blazed a presentable chance over the bar and had the ball in the back of the net in the second half (only to see his effort chalked off for offside), the hosts were eminently comfortable for the most part.

They might have even nicked it at the death, and it is a testament to their discipline and application that if they had, it would not have been a travesty.

Indeed, by the end, Rohr appeared to be calling a ceasefire. Gone was his first-choice midfield of Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo, with Shehu Abdullahi and Semi Ajayi on in their stead, and when he elected to discontinue the Kevin Akpoguma experiment at right-back, it was Chidozie Awaziem, rather than Sanusi or Ebuehi, who entered the fray.

It is impossible to shake the feeling this was a tacit acknowledgment, on the part of the German, of his own shortcoming. Over the course of the two legs, it is Keister who has emerged into the light with his reputation burnished.

So what does it all mean for Nigeria and Rohr?

Well, in basic terms, the result kept them top of the Group L table, a point better off than neighbours Benin, who could only draw on the road against Lesotho.

Strip away the acrid taste of disappointment and things remain very much in hand. The Super Eagles are now one win away from a place at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, and will back themselves to get it over the line.

However, a trip to Cotonou in March is a tricky proposition: fail to win that, and suddenly Nigeria could be in a three-way fight going into the final match of qualifying against Lesotho at home.

That, gloomy as it may read, is the ‘silver lining’ spin on this final set of internationals for 2020.

Rohr’s stock is now the lowest it has been since he came into the job in 2016.

All of the reservations about him – his inherent conservatism, his inability to interpret and influence the flow of matches, his logic-defying propensity for chimera-like mishmashes when it comes to selections – just seemed to crystallize in this window, over the course of two very different but similarly depressing outcomes.

The capitulation in Benin saw his competence questioned, not only by the bigwigs at the Nigeria Football Federation, but by an aide to the Sports minister. This meek, sloppy nothing of a response will have done him no favours as far as making amends goes.

It does feel now like this marriage – lately strained and only renewed earlier in the year as a matter of convenience – may well be on its last legs. If Rohr has anything going for him, it is that the sheer weight of the match schedule running up to the 2022 World Cup is much too brutal for the sort of upheaval sacking him would generate.

Also, in these Covid times, is a contract termination really the best use of stretched resources?

These considerations, however, might not be enough to save his neck ultimately. It may very well be that, by the time the Super Eagles convene again, it will be under new management. That, really, would be the most extreme of responses, but Rohr has shown beyond any meaningful doubt that he cannot be anything other than what he is; if the NFF evince a similar inflexibility in defenestrating him, it would be difficult to argue it is without cause.

Harambee Stars coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee has revealed the reason he pulled out Lawrence Juma during the team’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Comoros in Moroni.

The 52-year-old tactician recalled Juma for the reverse fixture after he missed out on the first leg that ended 1-1 in Nairobi and gave him a start in the match Kenya lost 2-1.

Juma, who left Gor Mahia for Sofapaka, was later substituted early in the second half for Kenneth Muguna and Mulee has now explained what forced him to pull out the midfielder.

“We did not substitute him [Juma] because he was playing badly…no, we removed him because he was tired, very tired in the early stages into the game and these things do happen,” Mulee told Goal.

“If you look out also the heat was very strong in Comoros and that is why you saw we used all the five substitutions we were given by Caf.

“The heat took a toll on many players [including Juma], even Ayub [Timbe] was tired and we had to pull him out, but one thing I want people to understand is that most players who are in Kenya have not been active especially the attacking area if you look at Timbe he played for 45 minutes.

Mulee continued: "Other players affected during the match include Benson Muchiri, there is no league in Kenya, and if you check on Masoud Juma, they have not played, even Muguna.

“All the players are lacking match fitness, nine months without action, it leaves the coaches with a lot of work to do to come up with a good squad.”

Mulee has further defended his move to start Juma by stating: “I don’t have any fears to start Juma, only the fans are saying he should not have started but I started Juma because he has always been playing in the qualifiers we have played so far and was putting up a good show.

“It was the reason I gave him a starting role and even the squad was not changed much because I tried to maintain the squad which has been playing before and I think they did very well.”

After the loss, Kenya are now on three points after four Group G games, five points behind the islanders, and will host the Pharaohs on March 22 before wrapping up their campaign with a trip to Lome against Togo on March 30.

Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has confirmed the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has ordered the Cecafa U20 tournament to be played behind closed doors.

The regional competition which will bring together nine nations is set to kick-off on November 20 and will run until December 2 in Arusha, Tanzania.

But despite Tanzania having their Mainland Premier League attended by fans and even their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tunisia including spectators, the African body has maintained the tournament will be played without fans because of Covid-19.

According to TFF secretary general Wilfred Kidao, their efforts to convince Caf to have fans during the competition, have hit a snag since the African body feels it is a tournament for junior players and that Covid-19 protocols must be adhered to.

“Caf are the main sponsors of the tournament because it will produce two teams that will qualify for the 2021 U20 tournament in Mauritania, and for that, they have asked us to follow the protocol," Kidao told reporters in Dar es Salaam.

“Most tournaments under Fifa and Caf are adhering to Covid-19 protocols and saw all the matches have their own rules, so they have asked us as the host to follow the rules to the letter, we have tried to tell them we don’t have Covid-19 in Tanzania, but they have refused.

“We have told them our country has moved on and everything is back to normal but they have refused, we have also sent them a video of fans attending the derby between Yanga SC and Simba SC but they have also refused to accept our request.”

Kidao continued: “So it now means the U20 matches in Karatwa and Arusha will be played without fans, Caf has said the tournament involves juniors and they have a huge risk of contracting the Covid-19 and so they don’t want fans in attendance.

“We will follow Caf rules, we will adhere to the protocols as laid down and we will do everything to make sure the rules are followed and it is the same thing they did in the Cosafa tournament in South Africa, there were on fans, we really wanted to have fans to support our Tanzania team but the rules have now changed and we don’t have anything we can do.”

The Kenya U20 national team, the Rising Stars, started residential training for the tournament on Tuesday at the Kenya School of Government with both the team and the members of their technical bench undergoing the mandatory Covid-19 tests ahead of the regional junior tournament.

Kenya has been pooled in Group C of the tournament that will run from Sunday, November 22, to Wednesday, December 2, 2020, in Arusha.

Apart from Rwanda and Eritrea who will not take part, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti, Somalia, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda, will participate in the competition.

Odisha FC’s Shubham Sarangi was one of the young Indian players who stood out in the Indian Super League (ISL) last season. The youngster, who had joined Delhi Dynamos in 2017-18, was deployed as a right full-back by former coach Josep Gombau and the player impressed immediately. 

The versatile footballer, after joining in 2017-18, was immediately sent to Qatar’s famous Aspire Academy for a four-month-long training stint.

Earlier that season, Dynamos had signed a strategic partnership with the Aspire Academy and as a result, Sarangi was sent for training at the academy’s state-of-the-art facilities.The short training stint has been beneficial for Sarangi who believes he came back as a much better player.

Sarangi was left in awe of the Aspire Academy’s infrastructure and coaching modules as he spoke about his brief stint there.  “Aspire Academy is one of the best in the world. The facilities and the infrastructure is really good and world-class,” Sarangi told Goal.

“When I was training there, the sessions were really helpful and we used to understand the game much better. We used to have technical sessions and they used to make us understand the basics of football to improve our game.

“All these things really helped me as a player. My former teammates from Aspire are all playing the AFC Champions League and for the Qatar national team. I am still in touch with them. I am also looking forward to playing against them. Aspire gave me a platform and it was a very good learning experience.”

The Odisha-based footballer was among the probables for the Indian team for the U-17 World Cup in 2017 but had failed to make the cut in Luis Norton De Matos’ final squad.

The 20-year-old further spoke about the amazing experience he had in Qatar and credited Aspire for their top-notch infrastructure which is one of the reasons behind Qatar's improvement in stature as an Asian giant. It must be noted that Qatar won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. 

“I would like to start with the Aspire academy. They have eight football grounds, one indoor pitch and that is what a budding footballer requires. The pitches are great. They pay attention to every small detail in order to improve the standard of the footballers.

Perhaps it was destined that Tiri would be returning to Kolkata, the city where he won his first ISL (Indian Super League) title in 2016. Unless providence had played its part, the defender would have been playing in yellow in the upcoming ISL season as he had signed a three-year deal with Kerala Blasters.

But things started to fall apart when the Blasters' management asked him to take a wage cut. In the end, no consensus could be reached and both parties mutually terminated the contract. 

The ATK Mohun Bagan officials were keeping a close tab on the developments in Kochi and as soon as the deal fell through, they knocked on Tiri's doors. They were in the hunt for a left-footed centre back who could replace Augustin Garcia who retired after last season. And the Spaniard fitted their bill. Soon enough, an agreement was reached and his next home changed from Kochi to Kolkata. 

Not many doubt his abilities on the pitch and his addition to the Bagan roster makes the team boast of arguably having the best backline in ISL, at least on paper. With Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan and Sumit Rathi the other centre-backs available for Antonio Habas, we can safely assume that Bagan's defence will be a tough nut to crack. 

However, Tiri needs to make a few adjustments as he would have to slot into a three-man backline, rather than in a usual back four. But the 28-year-old is confident that he can deliver the goods. 

"We are working hard and little-by-little I am adapting to my colleagues and to what the mister (coach) wants from me," stated the former Jamshedpur FC player to Goal. 

In the previous season, ATK had the second-best defensive record and that too by playing without Garcia for a large chunk of the season. With the arrival of an experienced campaigner like Tiri, Habas would definitely like to better his numbers from last year. 

Moreover, he is one of the few players who has clocked at least 1000 minutes in every season he has participated. This shows that he remains available in all weathers and can be counted upon in the decisive moments of the season. 

He is a leader and was one of the vital cogs in Jamshedpur's rearguard for the last three years. He not only had to marshal the defence but also had to guide the youngsters in Narender Gahlot, Jitendra Singh and a makeshift centre-back in Memo Moura. But at Bagan, he will be playing alongside quality defenders like Jhingan, Kotal and Subhasish Bose, who have proven their mettle consistently on the highest stage. This should further help him put his best foot forward as he would be able to focus more on bettering his own game. 

No ISL team has successfully defended the title since its inception and Tiri believes that this year too, the race will be wide open. 

"I think that each year the teams are reinforced better.  And this year will be special, not being able to play in our stadiums and without our fans ... so I think any team has options (chances) this season! We will do our best in each game," expressed the former Atletico Madrid Reserve player. 

 Given the firepower in the green and maroon armoury, it will not be surprising if a new record is set at the end of the campaign. 

Lionel Messi praised Argentina's performance against Peru and believes they are only getting stronger.

Nicolas Gonzalez and Lautaro Martinez scored first-half goals in Lima on Tuesday, lifting Lionel Scaloni's men to a third win in four World Cup 2022 qualifiers.

Argentina extended their unbeaten run to 11 games, while they have won their past three away qualifiers – something they had not achieved since 2000.

Messi was pleased with Argentina's display, which came five days after their draw at home to Paraguay.

"Happy with the victory, we needed it after the game we played the other day," the star said, via Argentina's Twitter account.

"From the beginning we had a great match, the goals came and we created many, many chances."

Messi added: "The second half the other day was already very good and I think we continued on the same line, even raising the level a bit.

"I think this is the way we have to follow. Little by little we are becoming stronger as a group."

Messi made his 142nd Argentina appearance against Peru, joining Brazil great Cafu for the equal fifth most by a South American man.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner wants to continue contributing for Argentina, who won in Peru for the first time since 2004.

"Whenever I come here I try to do my best and I feel qualified to fight for this shirt," Messi said. "I feel good to continue working and adding games."

The 2020 edition of the Club World Cup will be held in Qatar from 1-11 February 2021. The 2022 World Cup hosts will host the continental club championship for the second consecutive season after hosting the 2019 edition.

Hassan Al Thawadi, the Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, has assured that the upcoming Club World Cup will be an ‘exceptional experience’ for fans, players and officials'.

 “Hosting the FIFA Club World Cup for a second time represents another vital learning opportunity for our country as we edge ever nearer to hosting the FIFA World Cup. We will be working closely with our stakeholders to provide an exceptional experience for fans, players and officials, while fine-tuning our plans for 2022.”

Nasser Al Khater, who serves as the CEO of the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 Local Organizing Committee, hopes to deliver the continental club championship with as many fans as possible at the stadiums.

“It is our goal to host matches during the FIFA Club World Cup with as many fans as possible and build on the success of 2019 to deliver an even better experience for everyone involved. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and ensure our preparations prioritise the health and safety of everyone involved in the tournament.”

Meanwhile, H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al Thani, who is the President, Qatar Football Association (QFA) believes that hosting the Club World Cup for the second time running would confirm their readiness for the 2022 World Cup.

“It was a pleasure to welcome thousands of fans from across the world in 2019. Hosting the event for a second time will undoubtedly confirm our readiness for the FIFA World Cup.

“I wish all the participating teams the best of luck and look forward to witnessing top-level football during the tournament.”

“The tournament presents an exciting opportunity for Al Duhail, who will have the chance to take on some of the best club sides in the world. We also look forward to again hosting Bayern Munich, one of the most prestigious clubs in world football.”

The AIFF (All India Football Federation) President Praful Patel took to social media to assure fans that the federation remains committed to promote women's football in the country in the aftermath of FIFA's announcement that the 2021 U-17 Women's World Cup, which was scheduled to be held in India, has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

India was appointed as the host by the FIFA Council meeting at Miami on 15 March 2019. But after taking stock of the pandemic situation, the governing body for the sport decided to scrap the event in its entirety. The 2020 U20 Women's World Cup has also been cancelled along with the U17 edition. 

It must be noted that India will also host the Women's Asian Cup in 2022 as well.

"In light of not being able to host the tournament next year, FIFA U17WWC taking place in India in 2022 comes as a delightful silver lining. We now have a unique opportunity to start afresh and still have a considerable headstart from the work that has been already put in.

"Following discussions with FIFA, we agreed that hosting the tournament without proper qualifications & without spectators led to more uncertainty and it would have taken away from our objective of developing & promoting women’s football by hosting the U17WWC in such circumstances.

"We thank FIFA for its support and now eagerly look forward to 2022. The journey we have made so far has given our women footballers confidence to compete at the highest level and we are committed to steering women’s football in the right direction to ensure it achieves greater heights," stated the Member of Rajya Sabha.

FIFA asserted that the decision to cancel the event was taken after the various stakeholders decided to take a 'health and safety first' approach. 

"Since the previous decision earlier this year to reschedule both tournaments to early 2021, FIFA has been consulting with all stakeholders. As a result and after careful consideration of the feedback received by the stakeholders combined with the inability to further postpone these tournaments, the FIFA-Confederations COVID-19 Working Group subsequently recommended that the 2020 editions of the two women’s youth tournaments be cancelled and that the hosting rights for the 2022 editions be offered to the countries that were due to host the 2020 editions," FIFA stated in their release.

It must be noted that the CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North and Central America) and CONMEBOL (South America) qualifiers had not been conducted while UEFA (Europe) cancelled their qualifiers outright earlier this year, nominating Spain, England and Germany (as the highest-ranked teams) for the World Cup.

India will now host the 2022 U17 Women's World Cup while Costa Rica will get the chance to host the 2022 U19 Women's World Cup. 

Perth Glory will return to Asian Champions League action nearly nine months after their campaign was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The A-League side will take on Chinese giants Shanghai Shenhua in Qatar on Wednesday evening (AEDT) - where a hub has been organised by the AFC for the competition to be completed over the next month.

Glory will be hoping for a better result than in their debut match in the tournament, where they were beaten 1-0 by FC Tokyo back in February shortly before the competition was stopped because of coronavirus.

When the Australian first division returned in July, a Glory side - minus superstar Diego Castro - performed inconsistently but still managed to qualify for the finals and won their elimination match 1-0 against Wellington Phoenix.

Tony Popovic's Glory were unfortunately bundled out 2-0 by eventual champions Sydney FC at the semi-final stage, with their Australian coach deciding to leave the club in the aftermath to join Greek side Xanthi.

Now with former Socceroo Richard Garcia in charge, Glory - armed with Castro back in the team - are ready to make an impression on the continental stage.

"It’s good to have Diego back, to be honest it’s good to have all the players back,” Garcia told FTBL.

"The experienced guys as well like Neil Kilkenny, Liam Reddy and also great to have Bruno back on board and the addition of Andy Keogh as well.

"We’ve got a good bunch of experienced guys who are there to be able to help facilitate the younger guys ad help them evolve.

"It’s important that we treat every situation on its merits. Look, I think Diego has come back into the club and been very positive, been a great leader amongst the group, especially amongst the young guys.

"His attitude and application have been top class."

Perth's opponents Shanghai Shenhua finished seventh in the Chinese Super League and feature the likes of Stephen El Shaarawy and Giovanni Moreno in their squad.

When Gary Hooper put pen to paper on a deal to sign for Kerala Blasters in the summer of 2020, all he wanted was to get back on the pitch and continue scoring goals. 

Nothing fancy. Just be the fox in the box and convert chances and help the team win games. That's what Hooper wanted to do and with the seventh season of ISL set to begin on Friday, the English striker is raring to go. 

"ISL is an upcoming league. When the manager (Kibu Vicuna) and the club got in touch with me, it was an interesting phone call, and the goals for this season made me want to come," Hooper, who is currently training with the team in Goa, told Goal .

"Over here (in Indian football), there are a lot of chances in the game, it is an open game. My playing style is (about) scoring inside the box. (I don't score) many goals from outside the box, my goals are (from) inside the box."

Hooper had a difficult start to his professional career and has had to work hard to play to top-level football. He spent his youth career at Tottenham Hotspur but couldn't get a ticket to the senior team. After several unsuccessful trials and a few short stints in non-league football, he got his big break. 

"My journey was interesting, I have played and scored in every league now. I was at Spurs for seven-eight years and then went non-league. I think the turning point was going on loan to Southend, scoring goals and then to Scunthorpe. Then going to Celtic was the biggest one for me."

Hooper took the Scottish league by storm - scoring 82 goals in three seasons and winning back-to-back league titles. His displays got him an offer from the Premier League which he couldn't turn down. 

"Celtic (stint) is the best three years in my career so far. We won the title twice, played in the Champions League and the Europa League, played with some good players. After the third year, the Premier League came calling and I could not turn it down, it is the best league in the world," Hooper recollected.

The 32-year-old couldn't replicate his success in England but still made a name for himself in the final third at Norwich City. Last season, he replaced ATK's Roy Krishna at Wellington Phoenix and this year, he has followed the Fijian to India. 

Hooper's first days are unfortunately and understandably in a biosecure bubble in Goa due to the Coronavirus pandemic. He will need time to settle in but he is already enjoying the practice under Kibu Vicuna. 

"I am still getting used to the hotel restrictions, the bubble and the humidity. I was used to the quarantine when I went to Australia. The restrictions in the hotel are different for me, coming from England. Going to training and then coming back to the hotel straight is a bit weird for me but I am getting used to it. 

"The lads are friendly, they came up to me and spoke to me, which helps because I didn't know anyone. In training, there is a lot of (focus on playing) football so I like it. I enjoy the training, hopefully, we can take it to the pitch. My first few sessions were getting used to the style and how everyone plays."

Hooper has set his eyes on scoring plenty of goals this season. After the departure of the club's all-time topscorer Bartholomew Ogbehce, fans will be hoping Hooper can hit the ground running. 

"For me, it is about winning games and getting into top four for the playoffs. If we get to playoffs, we take it game by game. So the main thing is getting top four, winning games and keeping everyone fit. For me, it is about scoring a lot of goals."
 

Sergio Lobera has revealed that he has always been an admirer of Mumbai City FC before joining the Islanders following his exit from FC Goa towards the end of last season.

Having joined the City Football Group (CFG) side, he said, "I think it's the best place to work now because it's a bigger step in my career. The support and advice I can receive from the City Football Group are very helpful for me and Mumbai City always was a club I admired. I think they have very good players and it's the best place to try and implement my ideas.

During his time in India, Lobera led FC Goa to the play-offs in each of the three seasons including a final appearance, won the club its first major piece of silverware in the form of the 2019 Super Cup before parting ways with the Goan outfit when they were atop the standings in the 2019-20 Indian Super League (ISL) with only three matches to go in the league stage. 

While at Mumbai City, over the past couple of seasons, Jorge Costa managed to build a formidable side with a strong defensive organisation and a counter-attack philosophy - something that is expected to change under Lobera who professes a free-flowing, attacking brand of football. 

"I respect all coaches and it's important to respect the different styles of play, but after working for eight years at FC Barcelona my belief is in (attacking) football. Thankfully, until now I could decide where I can work and I always try to go to a club where it is possible to implement my philosophy. 

"I think Costa did a very good job at Mumbai and now is a new era. I will try to help the club in my position as much as possible," the new Mumbai City coach insisted.

At FC Goa, Lobera boasts of an enviable record of winning 29 of his 56 games in charge of the Gaurs (a win ratio of 52 per cent) - the best numbers in his managerial career so far.

"[To do] better [than what I did at FC Goa] is difficult. Now I only need to think about how to win the ISL," he quipped. "It is very difficult but I accept the challenge. If I am here, it's because I believe it is possible (to win the ISL with Mumbai City).

"I don't like to compare with another club because when you compare with another club, you try to explain how the other clubs are working and I am not at these (other) clubs. I don't try to compare but I know how the situation is inside Mumbai City and City Football Group and I think it is the best," he stated.

Players like Ahmed Jahouh, Hugo Boumous, Mandar Rao Dessai and Mourtada Fall have all followed Lobera from Goa to Mumbai and Lobera feels players who are familiar with his style will help him implement his philosophy. 

"I think if you have players who have played under you before, you can implement the style of play easier and I am very happy that they decided to come on board with us for sporting reasons. When I read some news about the money (fees), only the club can answer if they had the best offers. 

"If they decided to come and play with us, it is because they want to play in our style of play and be part of the Mumbai City family and the City Football Group. I am very happy and proud about that," the 43-year-old esteemed.

However, if you're wondering how long until Mumbai City can absorb Lobera's attacking style of football, his response was - "It's not easy. We have a short time, we have new players and a fresh squad. We are talking about Mandar, Boumous, Jahouh, Fall, but I have 28 players. You know that, at FC Goa, the first season was not the same as the second and the second was not the same as the third. I try to improve every day but I need to be competitive from the first day."

Under Lobera, FC Goa has always dominated Mumbai City. With the clubs to cross paths in an exciting encounter on November 25, will that change?

"I don't know. This is the past and I have not predicted the future, but hopefully, we can play very well against all teams and against Goa," Lobera signed off.

Nicolas Gonzalez continued his rapid rise and Lautaro Martinez was on target as Argentina maintained their unbeaten start to CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying with a 2-0 win over Peru.

Argentina's perfect record was ended in a draw against Paraguay last time out, however the Albiceleste stayed undefeated on the road to Qatar 2022 thanks to Gonzalez and Martinez in Lima on Tuesday.

Gonzalez, who scored in the Paraguay stalemate, opened the scoring with his second international goal in five appearances in the 17th minute before Martinez doubled Argentina's lead 11 minutes later.

With the result, Argentina remain second and two points behind CONMEBOL leaders Brazil through four matchdays.

Peru started on the front foot at the Estadio Nacional, where Christian Cueva appealed for a penalty inside the ninth minute but it was waived away by the referee, despite a pitch-side review – Argentina goalkeeper Franco Armani was adjudged not to have made contact.

Pedro Gallese did not have much to do, but he was forced to collect the ball from his net after Gonzalez capped a fine team goal – Giovani Lo Celso creating space in a sublime movement before laying off a pass with the outside of his boot as the former finished powerfully across the Peru goalkeeper.

Lionel Messi almost helped double Argentina's lead when he played a throughball for Nicolas Tagliafico, who was denied by a last-ditch block in the 24th minute.

Argentina, though, did get their second goal four minutes later after Martinez broke the offside trap, running onto Leandro Paredes' pass down the middle and rounding Gallese in a swift attacking move.

While Peru ended the half strongly, they had nothing to show for it, though they continued to build some momentum in the second half.

Lucas Ocampos almost scored a goal with his first touch, but Gallese made a fine save approaching the hour-mark, after Messi's exquisite pass almost released Martinez.

Messi tried desperately to get on the scoresheet, but he had his penalty appeals waived away and his goal-bound effort was deflected for a corner, while substitute Angel Di Maria was thwarted by Gallese.

What does it mean? Argentina roll on

Argentina are yet to taste defeat in four World Cup 2022 qualifiers. Not since last year's Copa America in July have Lionel Scaloni's side lost – a run of 11 international fixtures. It was also Argentina's first victory away to Peru since September 2004, having drawn three times previously.

Lo Celso shines in Lima

After impressing off the bench against Paraguay, Lo Celso was at it again from the outset on Tuesday. He helped set the tone with a wonderful assist – his quick feet, vision, composure and passing on display.

Subdued Messi wasteful

Messi was far from his best against Peru, but it did not matter as the likes of Lo Celso and Paredes stepped up. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner was not without his chances, though Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer uncharacteristically saw two golden opportunities go begging in the second half. Messi has now gone three international matches without scoring.

What's next?

Argentina will be back in action in March next year, the South American powerhouse facing rivals Uruguay and Brazil, while Peru will take on Bolivia and Venezuela.

Luis Enrique said his Spain team delivered a perfect display as they thrashed Germany 6-0 to secure their Nations League progression, while also revealing that Sergio Ramos' injury appears to be minor. 

Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick while Alvaro Morata, Rodri and Mikel Oyarzabal also grabbed goals in a remarkable match on Tuesday, meaning Spain top Group A4 ahead of their opponents. 

It was Spain's first win in four matches, Luis Enrique's side having drawn successive matches against Switzerland and the Netherlands on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Ukraine. 

However, victory in Seville was never in doubt as they dominated from start to finish, amassing 23 attempts to Germany's two and controlling 69.7 per cent of the possession. 

Neither of Germany's efforts were on target, with Spain the first side since France in November 2015 to prevent Joachim Low's side from hitting the target at all in a match. 

"Well, the game went perfectly. Everyone plugged in and hit the mark," former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique told reporters. 

"Germany has brought out its best team and I think that from the beginning we have played very well, and it is one of the best and most complete matches of the national team. 

"In the previous matches we were superior, but we had no prize. It will be nice to play in the final four.

"These players can represent Spain well. We have a group of 30 players who perform very well. Our forwards have a lot of quality, and I wish we had a player who scored a lot of goals, but today we have seen several players score." 

The only disappointment for Spain was first-half injuries sustained by Sergio Canales and Ramos, both suffering hamstring problems. 

Though unable to confirm a definite timeframe on Ramos' return, Luis Enrique offered hope that the Real Madrid defender will not be out for too long. 

"The injuries are minor and I hope they are out for a short time," he added. "It is what I feel the most, because I have been a club coach and I put myself in their place."