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The mayor of Mohamed Salah’s hometown has denied the Liverpool striker broke coronavirus social distancing guidelines while celebrating his brother’s wedding, despite video evidence to the contrary.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced on Friday that the Reds star had tested positive for Covid-19, despite initial confusion over his test result.

Their initial statement was deleted, though a further statement on Friday evening confirmed that a second swab from Salah had also come back positive.

The EFA say the 28-year-old is well and not showing any symptoms but must now enter a period of self-isolation, ruling him out of their their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations double header against Togo.

It also puts his availability for Liverpool’s first match after the international break against Leicester on November 22 in doubt, adding to the Reds' mounting list of absentees.

Footage has emerged showing Salah celebrating at his brother’s wedding in Cairo earlier this week, with no social distancing or protection such as face masks in place.

Like most of the world, Egypt has imposed restrictions to try and limit the spread of Covid-19, including social distancing guidelines and the mandatory wearing of masks in enclosed public spaces.

Salah’s hometown of Nagrig is around 131 kilometres from where the wedding took place in Cairo, but that has not stopped its mayor, Maher Shtayyeh, from defending his city's favourite son, particularly over allegations he was hugging fellow guests without wearing a mask.

Shtayyeh revealed Aston Villa midfielder Trezeguet was the only other Egypt player also present at the wedding, though insisted he also took the same precautions.

"All what has been said is false, it does not make sense to hug someone five times in the same wedding,” Shtayyeh told Goal.

“Also Salah was extremely cautious during the one-hour wedding, he never took his mask off except for taking photographs.

“Salah is fine now, he does not show any symptoms, I talked to his father and uncle.

“Trezeguet was the only [other Egypt] player who came to the wedding with Salah, he was also extremely cautious”.

Footage has emerged on social media of Sierra Leone celebrating joyously in the away dressing room at Nigeria’s Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium after stunning the Super Eagles on Friday.

Despite being 4-0 down after 29 minutes, the visiting Leone Stars secured an unlikely point after coming back to draw 4-4 with a stunning second-half comeback.

While much of the post-match reaction has focused on Nigeria’s remarkable capitulation, against a side ranked 120th in the world, the Sierra Leone’s own comeback deserves acknowledgement following a gutsy and courageous display.

As this video demonstrates, the Leone Stars demonstrated wholeheartedly in their away dressing room after the match, with every member of the squad appearing to take part in raucous celebrations in the aftermath of the contest.

The celebratory video filmed by the Sierra Leone team is perhaps a consequence, not just for the draw, but also for the way in which they responded to a perceived sense of injustice perpetuated by their hosts.

As well as the Sierra Leone flag being hoisted on its side during the match, there were complaints about the hotel the Leone Stars found themselves booked into ahead of the fixture, with some in the visiting camp suggesting that they were deliberately the victims of a campaign by their hosts.

Alex Iwobi’s double and strikes from Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze inside the first half hour handed the Super Eagles an impressive first-half lead, and the West African giants appeared to be romping to a comfortable triumph.

However, the tide turned as the West African heavyweights appeared to take their foot off the gas.

A brace from Al-Hadji Kamara and efforts from Kwame Quee and Mustapha Bundu ensured the game ended in a draw, as Nigeria completely capitulated.

An apparent shoulder injury to Victor Osimhen, who appears set to be doubtful for the upcoming fixture between the pair—in gameweek four of the qualifying campaign—underlined a bad day at the office for the Super Eagles.

Despite dropping two points, Nigeria remain atop Group L on seven points, although they could be caught by Benin—currently on four points—if they defeat Lesotho (one point) on Saturday.

Sierra Leone, now on two points, are in third place, but could boost their hopes of reaching Cameroon with a victory over Nigeria in the return match between the pair in Freetown.

New Arsenal acquisition Thomas Partey has set his sights on replicating the success in England of compatriot and former Chelsea star Michael Essien.

Partey joined the Gunners in a sensational Transfer Deadline Day deal in September, signing from Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid.

Essien played for Chelsea between 2005 and 2014, winning eight major titles, including the Champions League.

"He [Essien] a fantastic midfielder. He fights for every ball, he's a great legend. For me, he's one of the best midfielders that we've ever had in Africa," Partey said, as reported by his new club's  official website.

"I think we've all seen what he has done at Chelsea, what he has done for the Black Stars and for me, he's my idol.

"I grew up watching Michael Essien, [Sulley] Muntari, the Ayew brothers - they are the people I look up to and they made a lot of impact on Ghanaians. I think this is my moment and I have to make sure I take it.''

Winning the 2012 Champions League undoubtedly sits at the top of Essien's achievements with Chelsea. In addition, he clinched two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup and one Community Shield with the Blues.

''Now most of the young guys are looking up to me and I think I have to do my best to make sure I get them to support this great family [at Arsenal]," Partey added.

"When they support me, they're going to feel good when they see us play."

Partey, who won the Europa League in 2018 and Uefa Super Cup in 2019 - both with Atletico Madrid - has made a combined five appearances in all competitions for Arsenal so far.

The 27-year-old currently faces a spell on the sidelines after picking up a thigh injury while in Premier League action for the Gunners on Sunday, leading to his substitution at half-time.

His fitness setback has forced him out of Ghana's double-header against Sudan in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

It is currently unclear if he will be fit in time for Arsenal's trip to Leeds United on November 22 after the ongoing international break. 

Ndubuisi Egbo has revealed he has no regrets despite his sacking as manager of Albanian side KF Tirana.

The former Nigeria international was relieved from his duties after a string of poor performances from his side, where they managed three wins in their last 11 games across all competitions.

The 47-year-old guided the side to win their first league title in a decade, to become the first African coach to achieve the feat.

Egbo also managed the Selman Stermasi Stadium outfit in the Champions League and has been thanked by the club for his efforts during his time.  

The Nigerian tactician also appreciated the club for the opportunity afforded him to manage the side, as well as the players and fans.

"I would like to thank the club for the opportunity to serve, which helped me become the first African to win a European title and end up managing in the Uefa Champions League and the Europa League," Egbo told BBC Africa Sport.

"I don't have any regrets or disappointment because I gave the maximum and the team did likewise, so I remain grateful to God for what we achieved and accomplished together.

"To the fans for their incredible and overwhelming support towards me and the team, I am grateful.

"The players for their wonderful and positive spirit all through our campaign last season, I say kudos to them all.

"Both those who made a big impact and those with little impact, all of them as a team made it to happen with faith in God almighty. For now, there are no regrets but grateful to all."

Egbo enjoyed success as a player with Tirana during his stay between 2001 and 2004, winning the Albanian Cup, Super Cup and Superliga before returning to the club as coach in 2014.

The former Super Eagles goalkeeper is delighted with the achievement he recorded as manager during his time with the Tirona.

"It doesn't happen by mistake that we pulled together and surprised the journalists who had written the team off," he continued.

"I know it's impossible to erase the history we created. For me as the first Nigerian, African to win a title in Europe. Creating more history by taking my team to Europe's top two continental competitions cannot be erased.

"I know there are great days ahead in life. Better is not good enough, I believe the best is yet to come."

Egbo had 12 caps for Nigeria and was part of the West African side that went to the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002.

Nigerian football great Mutiu Adepoju has called on supporters to maintain faith in the Super Eagles despite their appalling performance against Sierra Leone.

Inspired by a brace from Alex Iwobi and goals from Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze, Gernot Rohr’s men took a four-goal lead against the Leone Stars after 29 minutes.

After that, they put up to a lethargic display which ensured John Keister’s men left the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium with a point after clawing back to end the game 4-4 with substitute Al-Hadji Kamara beating goalkeeper Maduka Okoye twice.

The game ended on a sour note for the 2013 African champions as top striker Victor Osimhen was stretchered off after suffering a wrist injury – and as a result, he remains a major doubt for the reverse fixture.

Having in mind that Nigerians are furious with Rohr’s Eagles following their wretched outing against the struggling West African team, the former Real Madrid and Racing Santander star posted on social media to calm their nerves.

“Every game comes with its lessons and this game against Sierra Leone is one of them,” Adepoju tweeted.

“A match is not won until the final whistle is blown. Fellow Nigerians, I appeal to you that we keep supporting our dear Super Eagles and I strongly believe they will bounce back in the return leg.”

Even at this result, the three-time African champions still lead Group L having accrued seven points from three games. Victory at the Freetown Stadium on Tuesday will see them through to the biennial African football showpiece billed for Cameroon with two games to spare.

Nigeria has appeared at the finals 18 times, winning it thrice – with their most recent triumph at the 2013 edition hosted by South Africa. There, they defeated Paul Put’s Burkina Faso 1-0 at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg.

They finished third in the 2019 edition staged in Egypt after defeating Tunisia 1-0 in the third-place play-off in Cairo.

For Sierra Leone, they are hoping to make their third appearance in the competition. Their last outing was at the 1996 edition staged in South Africa and they crashed out of the group stage after losing twice and winning one game.

The Premier League has scrapped its controversial pay-per-view model for broadcasting matches in the UK, with all games to be shown live until the end of the Christmas and New Year period.

A £14.95 charge was introduced at the start of last month for matches outside the standard Sky Sports and BT Sport subscription following a vote by Premier League clubs.

It was deemed as an “interim solution” to ease the financial burden on clubs, with supporters still unable to attend matches because of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the UK.

However, the scheme was met by fierce backlash from supporters, who resented having to pay even more money on top of their usual subscriptions.

More than £300,000 was raised for charity as part of a protest by fans, who chose to donate £14.95 to good causes rather than pay for a pay-per-view game.

The plan was also criticised by pundits such as former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, who described the decision to charge extra for matches “a really bad move”. 

The Premier League has responded by reverting to the model that was used during the Premier League restart over the summer and the first month of the delayed 2020-21 campaign, with all matches shown live between its UK broadcast partners Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon Prime Video and the BBC.

The broadcast selections for the rest of this month have been announced with scheduling for December and January to follow, with a review to take place in the new year.

“There is a full schedule of Premier League matches over the festive period and clubs are committed to an accessible solution for fans,” read a Premier League statement.

“These plans have been made with the cooperation of our broadcast partners, working with us to deliver these additional matches while stadiums are missing the supporters who are such an integral part of the game.

“The agreement will be reviewed in the new year following consultation with clubs, broadcast partners and in line with any decisions made by Government regarding the return of spectators to stadiums.

“The Premier League and our clubs remain committed to the safe return of fans as soon as possible.”

Orlando Pirates striker Lepasa says he was pleased to see the 2020 Olympic Games postponed to next year.

The global tournament was scheduled to be staged in Tokyo, Japan from 24 July to 9 August 2020, but it was postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Lepasa is part of the South Africa under-23 team which is set to face their Saudi Arabian counterparts as part of the team's preparations for the Olympic Games.  

“One can also say that he is also truly grateful of the fact that the Olympics Games were postponed for next year,” Lepasa said on the South African Football Association (Safa)'s official website

“This has granted players such as myself with the opportunity to raise their hands and say that they want to be part of the final Olympic squad that is to represent South Africa in this major world sporting event. 

“For me, it is not about just going to the Olympics for the sake of just being there. It is about performing and giving your best for your country at all times. 

"And that’s because, when you do that, against the best of the best in the world, the world notices you. The right people take full notice of you, too. That is how you open bigger doors for yourself.”

Lepasa was not part of the South Africa side which finished third at the 2019 Caf Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt and qualified for the Olympic Games. 

The 23-year-old marksman believes that the country has the right amount of talent to do well at the Olympic Games which is scheduled to take place from 23 July to 8 August, 2021 in Tokyo.

“This is not for the first time that a South African football national team will be competing in the Olympic Games,” he added. 

“Some people in the county might have forgotten the names of the precious players that have been to the Olympics. This generation of players wants to be remembered for our participation there. 

"And the only way we can achieve that is to support coach David Notoane’s vision of going there to compete for a medal. Doing that, I believe, will motivate the next generation to shine and try to do better than we did. We want to be remembered.”

Coach David Notoane's side will face Saudi Arabia at King Abdulaziz Sport City Stadium in Jeddah on Friday. 

The two teams will then clash again at the very same venue on November 17.

Nigerians have taken to social media to express their frustration after the Super Eagles threw away a four-goal advantage as Sierra Leone secured a 4-4 draw in Friday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Goals from Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen gave Gernot Rohr's side a 4-0 lead at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, but they surrendered the lead in the second half.

Kwame Quee inspired Sierra Leone's fight-back just before the break as Al-Hadji Kamara's double and a goal from Mustapha Bundu completed the comeback for John Keister's side in the second 45 minutes.

The result left fans disappointed and they have questioned the performance of the the three-time African champions.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is being hurt psychologically by his situation at the club, according to France national team boss Didier Deschamps.

Formerly the world’s most expensive player, Pogba has struggled to hold down a regular spot at Old Trafford over the course of the last 18 months, having been hampered by injury, illness and a loss of form.

His struggles continued in the international arena in midweek as he was a member of the France squad that surprisingly lost 2-0 at home against Finland.

“He’s not in his best form, of course. I knew that before the game,” Deschamps told the media on Friday. “This match was meant to give him some rhythm. He knew that he would only play for an hour.

“It’s hard to remember to be positive. Obviously, he’s not in one of his better periods.

“Like all players who have a club situation that is not positive, they are also impacted mentally. I know him well enough and it can happen at some points.”

While the World Cup-winning coach backed the player to recover from his current issues, he admitted that Pogba cannot be considered an automatic starter for Saturday’s Nations League fixture against Portugal.

“Periods like this can happen,” he said. “He has the knowledge of the highest level, the pride and the spirit to be able to answer his critics.

“After that, I have decisions to make on all the elements compared to the other players.”

Another high-profile member of the France squad struggling for fitness is Kylian Mbappe, with the PSG star still a doubt to line up against a Portugal squad containing his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He’ll do the first part of training individually,” Deschamps said of the PSG forward. “We’ll see later. I’ll wait for what happens at training.

“We’ll do a check tomorrow morning to see how he is before making a decision for the match.”

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has been tipped to join PSG from Juventus, a move Deschamps was unsure could be completed.

"Anything is possible in football, but I think he's already at a big club," Deschamps said. "Juventus are very happy to have him, like the other clubs where he has played.

"I'm not going to anticipate what he might or might not do. But he has been one of the best in the world for many years. Of course, we know the player he is, what he is capable of and what he represents.

"Obviously, it attracts attention. But if he's likely to come to Paris, I don't know."

Victor Osimhen had to be stretched off in considerable pain as he suffered an injury to his wrist in Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone.

The Napoli forward, who scored Nigeria’s second goal in the eight-goal thriller at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, was replaced by Paul Onuachu in the 78th minute of the game.

Osimhen was challenging one of the Leone Stars defenders when he tangled and fell awkwardly on his wrist.

The former Lille and Wolfsburg forward was quickly surrounded by his teammates, before being carried from the pitch by a motorised stretcher.

Coach Gernot Rohr will be hoping that the injury to his form player - who has contributed four goals in his last four games - is not too serious ahead of the return leg billed for Freetown in four days' time.

Despite racing to a 4-0 lead within 29 minutes, the three-time African champions collapsed in the second half and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye leaked four goals with Al-Hadji Kamara getting a brace, while the duo of captain Mustapha Bundu and Kwame Quee found the net as well.

Given the obvious severity of the injury, former Real Madrid midfielder and La Liga ambassador Mutiu Adepoju immediately tweeted a message of support for the 21-year-old.

“Get well soon Victor Osimhen and I hope the injury won't keep you out for long,” Adepoju tweeted.

Despite the draw in Benin City, Rohr’s men lead Group L with seven points from three games.

Borussia Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl has played down the prospect of Florian Neuhaus leaving the club to join Bayern Munich.

Many of the Bundesliga’s top players find their way to the Allianz Arena, with Robert Lewandowski, Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka just three of the names the German champions have plucked from rivals in recent years.

Eberl reacted angrily to the proposition that Neuhaus could do the same, with the 23-year-old having impressed in Germany’s international friendly victory over the Czech Republic in midweek.

“I've been doing this for 12 years now and we’ve always had our players link with other clubs - just like our coach, incidentally,” he grumbled to Sport1. “That is sometimes difficult.

“I sometimes ask myself: ‘What do we want?’ On one hand, we want to have a competition in which clubs other than Bayern can become champions. But on the other hand, these players are all being linked with this club in the media again. Why not just say: 'Hey, cool! Something is developing in Gladbach.’

“Why shouldn't Florian Neuhaus stay with us?! Meanwhile, the reflex reaction is always: ‘Good game, good development, but where is he going?’

“It always happens too quickly for me.”

Meanwhile, Eberl does not foresee the player departing in the near future.

“Flo knows what he's got with us,” he said. “He plays with Gladbach at the highest level, in the Champions League.

“Of course, I also know that our players have the potential to go to the biggest clubs at some point. It was no different with Roman Neustadter, Granit Xhaka or Mahmoud Dahoud, for example. But we managed these and other departures well previously.”

The 23-year-old Neuhaus, meanwhile, who has played in seven Bundesliga matches for Gladbach this season, was not nearly so definite when quizzed on the prospect of moving to Bayern.

“I don’t want to commit myself,” he said after the midweek matches. “Bayern’s a big club. I’ve got to know a couple of guys from there in the national team and they only speak positively about the club.”

Having made his second international appearance, he will hope to make his competitive bow in fixtures against Ukraine and Spain in the Nations League this week.

Nigeria surrendered a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 against Sierra Leone in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game on Friday evening.

Alex Iwobi’s double and strikes from Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze handed the Super Eagles an impressive first-half lead before a brace from Al-Hadji Kamara and efforts from Kwame Quee and Mustapha Bundu ensured the game ended in a draw.

As a result, Nigeria remain on top of the Group L standings with seven points from three games, ahead of second-placed Benin (four), who host Lesotho (one) on Saturday, while Sierra Leone are in third with two points.

The Super Eagles got their qualifying campaign off to a flying start after securing victories over the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in November 2019 before the outbreak of Covid-19.  

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr preferred Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Maduka Okoye in goal, after delivering fine performances in last month’s friendlies against Algeria and Tunisia.

Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Kevin Akpoguma and Zaidu Sanusi formed a four-man defence while Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo, who missed the Super Eagles friendlies in October due to injury problems, were handed starting roles, combining with Iwobi in the midfield.

Napoli attacker Osimhen spearheaded the attack while captain Ahmed Musa and Chukwueze were preferred on the flanks.  

For Sierra Leone, Mohamed Kamara, Umar Bangura and Quee were included in the starting line-up as coach John Keister aimed to get their qualifying campaign back on track.

The game started on a bright note with both sides charging for goals but Nigeria was the better side in the opening 30 minutes.

The Super Eagles hit the ground running in the encounter when Everton star Iwobi opened the scoring, firing home a fine strike from the edge of the box.

Sierra Leone came close to levelling proceedings in the 20th minute but missed the glorious opportunity and seemed to pay for the missed chance when Nigeria doubled their lead two minutes later.

Osimhen connected with a fine cross from Sanusi and hit his effort into the back of the net beyond the reach of the Leone Stars goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

The Super Eagles continued to dominate proceedings and Iwobi got his second in the encounter when he lofted his effort past Kamara in the 27th minute.

Chukwueze made it 4-0 for the three-time African champions in the 29th minute with an individual effort, firing a superb strike into the top corner before Quee pulled one back for Sierra Leone moments before the half-time break.

The second-half continued in a similar fashion as the Super Eagles continued their domination and Chukwueze came close to scoring his second but it was ruled offside.

Nigeria coach Rohr introduced red-hot Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho for Musa while West Bromwich Albion centre-back Semi Ajayi was brought on for Balogun in the 65th minute.

Sierra Leone, however, pushed for a comeback with Kamara reducing the deficit in the 72nd minute before Bundu scored the third for the Leone Stars eight minutes later.

Kamara then notched the all-important equalising goal with four minutes left to full-time to ensure his side shared the points with the Super Eagles at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
 

Young Africans (Yanga SC) boss Cedric Kaze has scooped the award as the best manager for the month of October in the Mainland Premier League.

The Burundian tactician, who joined the Jangwani giants after the exit of Zlatko Krmpotic, won three straight matches, against Polisi Tanzania, KMC and Biashara United which moved them from third position to second.

Kaze won the award ahead of Aristica Cioaba of Azam FC and Francis Baraza of Biashara United.

Meanwhile, Simba midfielder Clatous Chama has explained why he decided against joining rivals Yanga.

Yanga are understood to have listed the Zambian as their primary transfer target but Chama said the demands made by one official from the club pushed him away from listening to the offer.

“My agent video called one of Yanga bosses and told him that we were together and were discussing the possibility of joining the club when my current contract ends,” Chama told Mwanaspoti.

“During the talk, the official revealed to me what offer Yanga were putting on the table. But the trick lied in the demands he made as he wanted to pocket a certain amount of money should I sign for Yanga.

“Without dwelling much on that talk, I cut the story short and told my agent that I still have an active Simba contract and so, there was no way I was going to sign another contract with another club.

 “The Yanga boss even wanted to travel to Zambia for more talks but I told my agent I would not meet with him at all.”

The Zambian further stated his chances of remaining with Wekundu wa Msimbazi are high even though contract extension talks are yet to be finalised.

“Negotiations between me and Simba are taking a good direction and there are a few demands I have made before I can extend the contract with the club,” the former Lusaka Dynamos star revealed. “But I can confirm the talks are going on well.

“If we continue with the talks as we have done and because I believe Simba officials are going to agree with me, then I am going to sign a new contract in the next few days.”

 Simba signed Chama in 2018 on a one-year deal which was later extended by two years. The contract is expected to expire at the end of the season.

RB Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell has not ruled out the possibility of an Indian footballer getting a chance to play for the Bundesliga team as part of their three-year strategic partnership with Indian Super League (ISL) outfit FC Goa.

"Basically, I would never exclude anything. The cooperation starts step by step. It starts by helping each other. We at Leipzig can also learn something - the different mentality and different mindsets - and India is a huge country with many inhabitants. If we manage to educate and train well to get very good players, I will not deny if that talent has enough potential to play at Leipzig," he said.

However, Vivell added, "But that is not the main focus here. What we want to do is that we want to get to know this very exciting club, FC Goa, and what the result will be remains to be seen."

He added, "Basically, what the player wants to have is always the first step. So in this cooperation, the first thing is to help FC Goa in not making mistakes that we have made. I think this experience can help them (FC Goa) train and educate young Indian talent into their full potential with good scouting because scouting a player at an early stage and leading him through the academy to bring him to the senior team is actually what the first aim of a club should be."

The official was asked whether the Bundesliga club will visit India with their first team. Vivell replied, "We hope that this will be the case next summer but it will depend on the development of the pandemic."

With the soccer camps set to start by January 2021 (the registrations have already begun), FC Goa's director of football Puskur plans to steadily extract the benefits of the tie-up with Leipzig.

"Right now we are focusing only on youth development, and RB Leipzig can add a lot of value. Post that, we will steadily move to the next phase where we feel that we have a solid understanding to develop a technical partnership," he continued.

"The second step when crossing countries is permissible (due to the Coronavirus pandemic) we will have some exchange of knowledge where coaches and players from Leipzig can come to India to exchange knowledge that will hopefully help us for the future."

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos is confident that his side will hit their best form in the coming weeks.

Los Blancos sit fourth in La Liga, having lost two of their nine fixtures to date, while they have also been in patchy form in the Champions League. Madrid were flirting with elimination after only taking a single point from their first two games, but victory over Inter has gone some way to remedy that situation.

Nevertheless, more is expected of the Bernabeu side, but Kroos is backing them to deliver in the weeks ahead.

“We do lack something. That's not a secret. Everyone can see it,” he admitted to Marca. “We're not missing a lot ... we need to be consistent. If you look at the results, they go two good, one bad, two good, one bad. We have to do better.

“You watch some games and you realise that you can do much better - against Barcelona, the first half against Inter and another one. We can, of course, improve, but we lack consistency.

“If we did well against Barcelona, we also have to against Cadiz or Shakhtar Donetsk at home. There's a big difference. Sometimes it's very good and others it's very bad. We have to improve if we want to win something.

“We're going through a very strange situation for everyone. We're playing every three days, we had little time off, we ended last season very late, we couldn't sign players in the summer ... Now there are injuries, some have to stop because of Covid, but I don't like finding excuses.

“We put out a starting line-up that can beat the opponent in every game.”

Kroos backed his manager Zinedine Zidane amid growing anxiety that he might not be able to salvage the situation.

“Everyone knows that, if you don't get results and you don't meet expectations at Real Madrid, there are questions. That's why we're at this club. It's normal.

“With Zidane, we've already had times like this and we normally come out of bad runs.

“A few weeks ago, after losing against Cadiz and Shakhtar, we went to Barcelona and had an amazing game. We got through that and the boss is the first person to know what happens at this club if you don't get results.

“In the end, what we have to do is improve and try to win games. The boss will find the solution.”

Madrid will face second-placed Villarreal when they return from the international break.

CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying returns this week as the 10 South American nations compete for a place at World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

And the pick of the round arrives on Friday as Colombia host Uruguay in Barranquilla.

CONMEBOL qualifiers can be watched through Fanatiz. The streaming platform offers the option to watch each game in the US..

How to watch Colombia vs Uruguay on US TV

What has happened to Colombia & Uruguay so far in CONMEBOL's World Cup 2022 qualification?

Colombia kicked off their campaign in style last month with a 3-0 victory Venezuela, as two goals from Luis Muriel inspired them to a winning start.

Carlos Queiroz’ side followed that up with a valuable point in Chile thanks to a stoppage-time equaliser from Radamel Falcao.

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Uruguay, meanwhile, have made a less impressive start, following up victory over Chile in Montevideo with a 4-2 humbling at the hands of Ecuador.

With reigning continental champions Brazil coming to town on Tuesday in round four, La Celeste face a tricky week in their quest to put some points on the board before the long wait for the return of qualifiers in March next year.

Colombia and Uruguay team news and preview

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez as no further injury concerns going into the clash after goalkeeper Yonathan Irrazabal, defender Alexis Rolin and midfielder Gabriel Neves replaced Martin Silva, Sebastian Coates and Fede Valverde.

Colombia will be without Radamel Falco this month after he picked up a hamstring injury on club duty and defender Santiago Arias is also missing following his terrible ankle injury suffered last month.

Tottenham's Davinson Sanchez is a doubt after joining his team-mates late this week for personal reasons, but goalkeeper David Ospina appears to have overcome a minor knock and is back in contention.

Probable Colombia XI: Ospina; Orejuela, Mina, Murillo, Mojica; Barrios, Uribe, Cuadrado; James; Muriel, Zapata.

Probable Uruguay XI: Martin Campana; Caceres, Gimenez, Godin, Vina; Nandez, Torreira, Bentancur, Rodriguez; Suarez, Cavani/Nunez.

CONMEBOL's World Cup 2022 qualification table ahead of Matchday 3

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Joe Gomez’s injury has put an “enormous amount of stress” on the Liverpool squad and Jurgen Klopp should consider signing a new defender in January, says Jamie Redknapp.

The Premier League champions were dealt a huge blow earlier this week when Gomez was forced to withdraw from the England squad after suffering a knee injury during training.

The 23-year-old has since undergone surgery on the injury, but now looks set to sit out a large portion of the 2020-21 campaign as he begins his recovery.

His absence means Liverpool’s defensive resources are now perilously thin, with fellow centre-back Virgil van Dijk also sidelined for much of the campaign with a knee injury of his own, leaving only Joel Matip and Nathaniel Phillips available as natural centre-back options for manager Jurgen Klopp.

Midfielder Fabinho, who has regularly filled in as a central defender, is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered against FC Midtjylland in the Champions League last month, while full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to be out until December with a calf problem sustained in last weekend’s draw at Manchester City.

Redknapp, who made 308 appearances for Liverpool between 1991 and 2002, believes the Merseysiders would have been able to cope with the loss of just Van Dijk, but this latest injury blow means Klopp may be forced into the transfer market.

"From an England point of view, it's a disappointment for Gareth Southgate, but for Jurgen Klopp, if this is a long-term one and you've got no Virgil, no Joe Gomez, that puts an enormous amount of stress on this squad from a team that were red-hot favourites at the start of the year," he told Sky Sports.

"It's certainly going to change things and for everybody else involved, that back two have been so impressive at times. It's not been easy with no Virgil at the moment, but no Virgil and no Gomez is going to make it even more difficult.

"You don't want to bring in someone for the sake of it for £40 million or £50m because you know you've got someone coming back really quickly. But if you've lost Gomez as well, you're certainly looking to get into the market and try and bring in someone in January or as quickly as you can, be it a loan, be it a signing - but it's not going to be easy to get players in.

"Your hands are tied to a certain extent because straight away, everyone knows you're desperate so the prices are going to get inflated. Liverpool have worked the market so well, they've not always bought the big stars, they've made them stars. Virgil may be the opposite, they paid £75m for him but what his fee now would be, maybe three times as much as that because he's such an incredible player.

"Defenders are at a premium because there's not many good ones around that can play like Virgil, that can defend like Joe Gomez, who is still a young man.”

Redknapp also expressed his disappointment for Gomez on a personal level, with the 23-year-old set to play a key role for club and country prior to his injury.

"I'm choked for Joe Gomez if it is a bad injury,” he added. “He's a young man who has already had knee injuries and come back brilliantly. I'm a big fan of his, he seems like a really good, down-to-earth player.

"I remember seeing him many years ago playing for Charlton in the FA Youth Cup and thinking, 'This is a star of the future' and he's certainly proved that at Liverpool. I just hope it's not going to be anything too serious.

"I suffered with injuries playing for England and it's really hard to deal with because you're so proud that you're there, but you also know it's costing you an enormous amount of time in your career.

"I broke my ankle twice playing for England, tore my hamstring playing for England, it cost me an enormous amount of time. Of course you wouldn't swap it for the world, but there is something so frustrating because it should be the highlight to play for your country but when you come back injured, it's frustrating for everybody.

"Right now, Liverpool need Joe. I thought he was unlucky with the penalty decision [against Man City] but his form has been really good and he's looked like a real leader.

"When you've got someone like Van Dijk who is so instrumental and he leads from the front, sometimes you can afford to hide behind someone like that who is so great but without Virgil, everyone else has to step up and become a leader.

"I'm sure we were going to see Joe impress even more than before because of the pressure that was perhaps on him and you become even more serious about your business because you can't rely on the colossus of Van Dijk."

Kenya Deputy President William Ruto has challenged the Harambee Stars to defeat Comoros at Moroni and come home with maximum points.

The two teams settled for a 1-1 at Kasarani on Wednesday in Group G of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

M'changama Youssouf put Comoros ahead from a free-kick but Masoud Juma equalised for the  Harambee Stars in the second half after the visitors had been reduced to 10 men.  

"We understand it was a tough game for you but you have given the best despite the challenges involved," Ruto told the players ahead of their Saturday departure to the Southeastern coast of Africa.

"As Kenya, we are confident you will go to Comoros and beat them. I am confident, from what I have seen here, there is a high chance of coming back home with a win."

The 53-year-old went on to give the national team Ksh 1 million to motivate them, promising more if the team performs well in the campaign.

"This [money] is meant for your dinner, but we will further appreciate you if you give us a positive outcome on Sunday," Ruto continued.

"The Covid-19 situation has not made it easy for most of you since you have not trained for some time, but the spirit is there and with better preparations, I am sure you will perform even better."

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa confirmed they will charter a flight for the Harambee Stars as they travel to face Comoros on Sunday.

"It will be a chartered flight for the boys, we want them to feel good," Mwendwa told Goal on Friday.

"Now that we have motivation partners, we have this kind of thing, we are flying by private jet to go for matches starting with Comoros and that is what we need to give, that is what we can do.

"We will hire a chartered flight to take the team to Comoros, it will be hired like a person hires a bus, it will wait for us at the airport, take us to Comoros, wait for us again in Comoros, and bring us back to Kenya."

On the incentives they have lined up for the team, Mwendwa told Goal: “Allowances were being paid by Ministry of Sports but the policy of the government was Sh1,000 at home…you see, so for football players, it is really paltry so what counts for this boys is when they win what do they get?

"And it is the reason our partners Odibet gave out Sh2.5million [against Comoros had they won] and the money had already been given to the team captain, he had it in his pocket, now we are debating, away it will be Sh5million if they win.

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has backed former Old Trafford team-mate Angel Gomes to enjoy a glittering career.

Gomes departed the Red Devils at the end of his contract in the summer and took up a challenge in France by signing for Lille. However, he was immediately loaned out to Boavista in Portugal – his father’s homeland.

In a side fighting against relegation, the 20-year-old has excelled for the club in the early weeks of the campaign, chalking up three goals and four assists in only five outings.

“It is a pleasure to talk about him, I feel that he is doing very well in Boavista,” Rashford told A Bola. “We speak regularly on the phone and I have congratulated him several times. It's a good sign.”

The Manchester United forward picked out Gomes’ strike from virtually the halfway line against Moreirense as being typical of what he can produce.

“He scored that incredible midfield goal that went viral. A great goal really! But with his talent, nothing surprises me,” he said.

“He has incredible skill. Whoever plays alongside him realises that he is an exciting talent.

“Having trained with him since I was very young, it is easy to see his success and to predict that he will have a bright future.

“Having him train with us at that time was a great experience and opportunity. I remember that during training he faced us all without fear, and always wanted to have the ball.

“We have had similar experiences growing up. We lived in the same houses at the club and were on the same development program, aimed at selected players.

“We always got along very well. We lived together for about three years. I was able to provide guidance on my first experiences with the first team.

“He has everything to reach the top. He plays as an attacking midfielder but personally I see him as someone who thrives on the pitch with the ball, so he can play in other positions with equal success.

“It is easy to play with him. It was something very natural, because he is always looking for a quick pass, which surprises defenders and creates opportunities to score.

“I can thank him for a lot of goals. He's a great team player and one of the things I most hope will happen is to play with him again. It is a wish that I trust will come true!”