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Uganda Cranes coach Johnathan McKinstry has warned they are ready for a tough battle against South Sudan in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Cranes will take on their opponents at St Mary Kitende in Kampala on Thursday with the return set for Kenya at Nyayo Stadium on November 17.

The Northern Irish tactician has now admitted their opponents will not be a walk in the park and that he expects them to give them a run for their money.

“We are in good condition, the players are in good spirit and we know we must put up a good performance to get the result,” McKinstry is quoted by Kawowo Sports.

“We expect a stubborn opponent and if you look at their previous nine games, all of them have not had goals of more than a one-goal margin so they have won by a single goal, drawn or lost by a single goal.

“The days of South Sudan conceding 3-4 goals are gone now. The current South Sudan team is well organised, well-coached and we need to make sure that we can break that resilience of theirs. We don’t expect an easy afternoon.”

McKinstry continued: “Football is no longer about the history and you can look all over the world where perceived small teams get results against perceived bigger opponents.”

His sentiments have been echoed by team captain and goalkeeper Denis Onyango who warned his teammates not to underrate South Sudan.

“It’s never a walkover in football, the fact that they made it to the group stages shows they have the quality to play at any stage,” stated Onyango.

“For us, it’s all about winning and staying focused because we can never underestimate any team because if you look back at the results that have been coming through against Malawi and Burkina Faso shows that South Sudan are a very resilient team, they fight until the end, so we just have to take our chances.

“They are our neighbours and that makes it more difficult for us but all we need is a win. We need to go hard on them and get maximum points.”

On Wednesday, Uganda suffered a blow after striker Alexis Bbakka pulled out of the squad owing to injury.

The Umea FC forward was among 20 foreign-based players summoned by McKinstry but he will now miss the double-header alongside Alex Kakuba and Uche Ikpeazu.

Wycombe Wanderers’ Ikpeazu was set to make his Uganda debut but an injury suffered while turning out for the club has denied him the chance.

Harambee Stars came from behind to record a 1-1 draw against Comoros in an Africa Cup Nations qualifier against Comoros at the Moi International Sports Complex on Wednesday.

After M'changama Youssouf had put Comoros ahead, Masoud Juma equalised for Harambee Stars in the second half after going down to the visitors who had to play with 10 men for the better part of the game.

Kenya looked the stronger side in the opening minutes and were unlucky not to take a lead in the second minute when Ayub Timbe floated the ball from the left-wing but Brian Mandela headed wide.

Comoros won a free-kick two minutes after Mandela had failed to open the score but the free-kick was delivered straight into Arnold Origi’s waiting hands who was starting for Kenya upon his return. Origi last played for Harambee Stars in 2016 and his inclusion in the starting team saw Ian Otieno, who himself had been preferred to Patrick Matasi, relegated to the bench.

Comoros threatened again in the fifth minute but Mandela’s clearance resulted in a corner which was thereafter stopped by a rising Origi.

A tackle on Timbe saw Youssouf receive a first yellow card as he attempted to stop the former Reading star from launching an attack from the left-wing.

Kenya caught Comoros off guard in the 11th minute when Cliff Nyakeya ran fast on the right-wing before passing the ball to Timbe on the left but the winger was brought down and the subsequent calls for a penalty were dismissed by referee Mutaz Ibrahim.

Comoros, who became a dominant side after the 15th minute almost grabbed an opener in the 18th minute but Joseph Okumu brought down Bakari Said - who was surging fast towards the goal area - near the penalty area. The Kenya centre-back was lucky not to commit a foul or receive a booking for the referee waved play on despite the heavy challenge on Said.

M’madi Ali failed to break the deadlock in the 21st minute when he found himself through on goal after a good build-up from midfield. Harambee Stars must thank the former HIFK Fotboll goalkeeper Origi for his brave act to close in on the Comorian and thwarted the danger.

Wanyama was dispossessed in midfield in the 27th minute but his rough reaction resulted in a free-kick that changed the scoreline. Mchangama took the free-kick which evaded Kenya’s static wall and found its way into the net.

Origi comically jumped on to his left side as the ball went past the goal line from the other side as Kenya conceded a third goal in the qualifiers.

The goalscorer was red-carded in the 41st minute after he committed a second bookable offence at the time his teammates looked a superior side.

After keeping the Kenyan strikers at bay with a number of key saves, Ahamada Ali finally conceded in the 65th minute when Juma’s half-volley found the top corner. Eric Johanna must take the credit for his move into the box, delivered the cross that Nyakeya flicked high enough for Juma to meet and struck the opener.

Ali, who looked tired in the last 20 minutes, committed a big mistake in the 80th minute when he spilt the ball to John Makwatta. David Owino had delivered the ball from the right-wing and Ali found it hard to clutch onto it but Makwatta, on his part, was not quick enough to slot home.

As Comoros would thank Ali for keeping them in the game, Kenya on the other side got stabilised at the back after the introduction of David Owino.

The two countries will clash again on November 15 in Moroni.

Kenya Starting XI: Arnold Origi, Samuel Olwande, Brian Mandela, Joseph Okumu, Eric Ouma, Victor Wanyama, Johanna Omolo, Eric Johanna, Ayub Timbe, Cliff Nyakeya, Masud Juma.

Subs: Ian Otieno, Brian Bwire, David Odhiambo, David Owino, John Avire, John Makwatta, Ismael Gonzalez, Anthony Akumu, Bonface Muchiri, Kenneth Muguna, Hassan Abdallah.

Comoros Starting XI: Ahamada Ali, Abdou Najim, M'changama Youssouf, Mdahoma Kassim, Abdullah Raffidine, M’madi Ali, Youssouf Bendjaloud, Youssouf Mohammed, Mogni Ahmed, Mohhamed Ben El-Fardou, Bakari Said.

Subs: Boina Ben (GK), Abdallah Kassim, Zakary Younn, Soilihi Ahmed, Zakouani Hosseine, Ibrahim Youssouf, Aboubakari Nakibou, Madi Ibrahim, Bourhane Yacine, Mattoir Faiz.

For all that there are numerous polarizing points in the Nigerian polity at the moment, the verdict on October’s pair of international friendlies was quite unanimous; for all intents and purposes, they provided no further insight on the state of the senior men’s national team.

If anything, the reviews veered toward the negative. While they were not competitive internationals, and the Super Eagles were forced to do without Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Victor Osimhen, the supine, diffident performances against Algeria and Tunisia fell well below expectation.

One of the few crumbs of comfort came in the form of goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who tripled his total number of international caps with assured showings in both matches. He even found occasion, in the midst of largely forgettable fare, to make some impressive saves to boot, and cannot be faulted for either of the two goals conceded.

It was a mighty source of relief, particularly considering the absences of Francis Uzoho and Daniel Akpeyi. The uncertainty between the sticks for the Super Eagles down the years has been copiously documented, but suddenly it appears there is relative bounty.

Of course, with a multiplicity of options comes an uncertainty of a different kind altogether. With Akpeyi returning for the qualifiers against Sierra Leone, Gernot Rohr suddenly has a new question to answer, one not centred on picking the least worst option.

So, should Okoye keep his spot as Nigeria’s No.1?

There are two prisms through which to appraise the worth of a goalkeeper’s case: his own performance, and those of his competitors. Okoye has incumbency, of course, but he has to contend with challenges from previous first-choices Akpeyi and Ikechukwu Ezenwa, as well as a left-field contention from newbie Sebastian Osigwe.

On his own merits, the Sparta Rotterdam shot-stopper has been pretty impeccable in green and white. Since taking the field in the second-half of the 2019 friendly against Brazil, Okoye has set about quieting the misgivings of Nigeria, who considered his invitation from the German fourth-tier.

He has since moved to the Eredivisie, and has enjoyed a run of games as a starter for his struggling Dutch club side. More pertinently, however, he has appeared unfazed by the challenge of international football, unflappable under pressure and assured in his mien.

There is still a case against him, however. And it is that, for all that he has impressed, Sierra Leone – if he were selected – would mark his competitive debut, his three previous outings having come in friendlies. There is still something to be said for greater stakes and the effect they can have on the nerves; with something on the line, does Rohr really want to take the plunge with next to nothing by way of sample size?

By contrast, Akpeyi and Ezenwa have been tested in the fires of competitive international football, and were part of the squad to last year’s Africa Cup of Nations. However, both come with caveats that are impossible to ignore.

Akpeyi has not kept a clean sheet for Nigeria in five games, and is coming off a bit of an injury lay-off.

While he has never overwhelmingly convinced, his form with Kaizer Chiefs, where he displaced club icon and long-time South Africa No.1 Itumeleng Khune, has meant he deservedly held the post following the unfortunate ACL injury suffered by Francis Uzoho in October 2019.

Ezenwa has also not convinced, despite being handed some daunting assignments, especially during the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. More pertinently however, he has not played football in any capacity since March, and as such it would be a major surprise were he to upturn the established order.

Osigwe is a curveball, having no experience whatsoever and playing out of the lowly Swiss top-flight. His invitation is almost certainly a sort of on-site assessment exercise.

With all the cards on the table, and knowing Rohr’s preference toward loyalty, there is a likelihood that he reinstalls Akpeyi. In truth, that would not be a travesty by any stretch. However, he copped a significant amount of flak for plucking Okoye out of relative obscurity in the first place, and will no doubt relish the chance to finally justify his leap of faith.

Egoism aside, the serenity that Okoye transmits, as well as a burgeoning relationship with the rest of the back four, suggests the German-born goalkeeper is both the likely and the ideal selection come this weekend.

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has stated his team’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers are must-win games, to shift attention to World Cup qualifiers.

The Super Eagles currently lead Group L with six points, having defeated Benin Republic and Lesotho in their opening two games.

Victory for the three-time African kings in Benin City and a draw in the return leg at least will send them through to the biennial football showpiece billed for Cameroon.

As his team continues to intensify preparations for the game against John Keister’s side, the German tactician also disclosed that his team would not underestimate the visitors at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

“We do not in any way underrate the Sierra Leoneans that we play over two legs within these four days, but we have our focus and objective for the matches,” Rohr was quoted in a statement made available by the NFF.

“We want to win both games so we can have the ticket and be able to be little more relaxed for the final games.

“You know that next year, we also have the World Cup qualifiers to focus on. It is better to get the Africa Cup of Nations job behind us now.

“I am excited by the spirit of the players and their sense of dedication and commitment. We have not played a competitive match in a year, but they look very ready and good to go. Our mission is six points in these two matches.”

After a sluggish start to the qualifying series which saw them draw Lesotho and lose to Benin Republic, the West Africans sit at the base of the group. And to stand a chance of making their third appearance in the finals, they must shock the Super Eagles in both fixtures.

Meanwhile, Kenyan referee Peter Kamaku will be in charge of the encounter. His compatriots Gilbert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Tony Mudanyi Kidiya and Anthony Juma Ogwayo are assistant one, assistant two and fourth official respectively.

Solomon Gebreselassie Abebe from Ethiopia will be the match commissioner while Attama Ibrahim Boureima from Niger Republic will be the referee's assessor.

Jurgen Klopp says he looks "like a complete idiot" because of his conduct on the sidelines during Liverpool matches.

The German coach is famous for his energetic and emotional reactions to events on the field, which have landed him in trouble with officials throughout his career.

But Klopp admits he cannot control himself, as he said in the new film The End Of The Storm:  

“The most obvious thing is people see me very animated constantly, grinding my teeth and pointing. 

"I cannot look overnight like The Thinker, standing out there like this [adopts Rodin pose] and everybody thinks obviously something must be going on in his mind. At specific moments I still look like a complete idiot on the sidelines, I know that.

“I still have the most red cards, or certainly the most fines, as a manager in the history of the Bundesliga. Irony doesn’t help. Referees cannot really deal with that. I think it was my first red card as a manager, I went to the assistant referee and I said: ‘How many wrong decisions are allowed? Because if it’s 15 we have one left.’ He raised his flag, and whoosh, I was already on my way to the stands. But I can’t sit down.”

The 53-year-old says he is proud of the diversity in his side and described how the team accommodates Muslim players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

“I love that we have so such ‘Multi-Culti’. I would say [having] the best ambassadors for being a Muslim in the team is really great." he said.

"Muslims wash their body very often in specific situations. Before warming up, after warming up, it takes time. So we decided to do things differently.

“We only had an hour when we arrive in the stadium and when we go back in the dressing room after warming up to do these rituals. It costs us exactly two minutes to do these rituals. It’s easy to give these two minutes away that they can do in this moment what is to them absolutely important.”

The former Borussia Dortmund boss has instilled an intense playing style at Anfield, but he says their high pressing helps players conserve energy.

“You don’t have to be fitter to play for Liverpool. You just have to be fit and to fit our plan," he added.

"Our game is not actually as intense as it looks. We do the things we do to save energy. Winning the ball back immediately is a two or three-yard sprint. If you don’t win the ball there, 10 players have to run 50 or 60 yards to win the ball, it’s much more exhausting.

“Even when we are attacking we need to have players who are ready to defend. Because the only time in life when you can feel free is when you have protection.”

Acting Wales manager Rob Page has promised to take good care of Gareth Bale and the rest of the squad after Jose Mourinho expressed his concerns over the Tottenham star's condition. 

Bale has been eased back into first-team action since rejoining Spurs from Real Madrid over the summer. 

And Mourinho is worried that consecutive international games could undo the club's work in helping the winger regain his fitness, having only recently returned to the starting XI. 

"He's a player that's had enough problems in the past. He's working so much and we all are working so much and so carefully with him that we don't want to destroy the work that everybody has been doing for the past couple of months," the Spurs boss signalled to reporters ahead of the international break.

"Wales have two matches in the Nations League and I expect him to play but if they care as much about him as we do they have to manage the recovering periods."

Page, who is managing Wales on an interim basis while Ryan Giggs answers alleged assault charges, gave a diplomatic response as he sought to put the Special One's mind at ease. 

"I can empathise with what Jose is saying because I have been a club manager myself," Page explained in a press conference held via Zoom on Wednesday.

"We are borrowing his players so they can play for Wales, so we are absolutely going to look after them.

"We are not going to undo any work that has been done at club level, irrespective of whether that is Gareth Bale or whoever. We trust that what we deliver is elite sports preparation for the games.

"I haven't spoken to him [Mourinho], but there is a plan that we have for Gareth and that is no different to any other player.

"If they come in having played on a Saturday, they will have a second-day recovery on a Monday. If they play on Sunday, they will be off the grass on Monday, with second-day recovery on Tuesday.

"We have a medical team that is second to none and they have a template in place for every player coming into the squad.

"If they have individual plans for themselves, we will, of course, adhere to that as well.

"From our point of view, there has been no communication [with Spurs], but we have a plan to get the players fit and ready for the games in a sensible manner. It has been no different over the years and we will continue to do that."

Page nevertheless admitted that he was delighted to have Wales' star player back in peak condition, and backed him to make a big impact in the upcoming matches.

"We now have a fully fit Gareth Bale," Page added. "I've had a conversation with him and he is raring to go. He is fighting fit.

"Since I've been involved with Wales over the past year, this is probably the first time he has been enjoying his football and his training. He looks fit and he feels fit.

"It's good to have a fully-fit Gareth Bale involved in the squad."

Wales meet United States in a friendly on Thursday before back-to-back Nations League meetings with Republic of Ireland and Finland on November 15 and 18 respectively.

Salinas' Ghanaian defender Nartey Polo believes his club are in a better position to pick up a Caf Confederation Cup first round ticket over Ghana Premier League (GPL) outfit Ashanti Gold.

The two sides are set for a showdown int the preliminary round of the continental championship, having been pitched against each other in Monday's draw.

The Burkinabe club will travel to Ghana for the first leg fixture on November 27-29 and host the reverse fixture one week later. 

"I was very happy when I heard the news that we are going to play against Ashanti Gold in the Confederation Cup," Polo told Ashh FM.

"I know Ghanaians to be the best when it comes to football and we also play good football so it will be very exciting and interesting playing against Ashanti Gold.

"I have known Ashanti Gold to be one of the best teams years ago but for now I don't know their players and the team.

"We [Salitas] are good at all aspects of systems used in football. Salitas is very sound when it comes to finances so surely qualify ahead of Ashanti Gold."

The aggregate winners of the AshGold-Salitas tie will face either El Amal of Sudan or KVZ FC of Zanzibar in the next round of the competition.

Salitas are the runners-up of the 2018-19 Burkinabe Premier League. 

“I think the club can make a case in Africa with better preparations," Elmina Sharks coach Yaw Acheampong said on AshGold's Africa campaign in June, as reported by Footballghana.

"Now the players are embarking on individual training due to the Covid-19 and that is not enough for them.

“I will entreat them to prepare well. They have some talented players like Amos Addae and other good players who have tested Africa.

"So if management is able to beef up the squad, they can do well having had experience in the ongoing season."

Last season, AshGold similarly played in the Caf Confederation Cup, and their campaign ended in the first round by Moroccan sides RS Berkane.

The qualifying stages of Euro 2020 (or Euro 2021) are approaching an end, but we still won't know the full roster of participating teams until November 2020.

Twenty teams automatically advanced to the finals through the qualifying stages, which leaves four additional teams fighting for a spot through the play-offs.

Things, of course, were complicated by the global crisis of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, but Goal has everything you need to know.

Contents

What are the Euro 2020 play-offs?

The top two in each of the 10 Euro 2020 qualifying groups automatically advanced to the tournament, making for 20 participants.

The four remaining places, then, are determined through the play-offs.

Whereas in previous editions of the Euros where play-off participants were determined by their performances in the qualifiers, for 2021 they were decided based on their standings in the UEFA Nations League.

The play-offs take place in November 2020.

What is the UEFA Nations League? Finals, fixtures, results & how it works

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How do the Euro 2020 play-offs work?

In addition to the 20 teams who qualify for the competition by finishing in the top two of the 10 groups, four teams will qualify via the play-offs.

A total of 16 teams participate in the play-offs based on their Nations League group finishes and performances.

Four play-off routes are involved, with four teams allocated to each route.

There are two semi-finals and one final per route, and each match will be single-leg matches – there will be no two-legged matches unlike in previous years.

During the semi-final stage, the best-ranked Nations League team is at home against the fourth-placed side, and the second-ranked team will welcome the third-best team.

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Which teams qualified for the Euro 2020 play-offs?

Here's where it all seems to get a bit complicated. The winners of the 16 Nations League groups (Groups A, B, C and D) progressed to the play-offs.

But the way the structure of the play-offs is set, roughly half of the Nations League group winners qualified for the Euro finals directly. Since they don't need to qualify from the play-offs, their place will be allocated to the next best-ranked team from that League.

Here are the teams in the play-offs.

Path A:  Iceland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary
Path B:  Bosnia and Herzegovina , Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland
Path C:  Scotland, Norway, Serbia, Israel
Path D:  Georgia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Belarus

A draw took place on November 22 to confirm the play-off matches and the outcome can be seen below.

Play-off path A

Iceland defeated Romania in semi-final one of Path A, while Hungary beat Bulgaria in the other semi-final.

Hungary will have home advantage in the final.

Play-off path B

Semi-final one saw Northern Ireland beat Bosnia & Herzegovina, while Slovakia defeated the Republic of Ireland in the other semi-final.

Northern Ireland will be the hosts for the final.

Play-off path C

Scotland overcame Israel on penalties in one of the semi-finals, while Serbia beat Norway in extra time in the other.

The winner of Norway vs Serbia will be at home for the final.

Play-off path D

Georgia narrowly defeated Belarus, while North Macedonia saw off the challenge of Kosovo in the other semi-final in path D.

The final will be hosted by Georgia.

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Which teams have qualified for Euro 2020?

A total of 20 countries - Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales - have already secured their places automatically and will not need to participate in the play-offs.

Euro 2020: Which countries have qualified for the 24-team finals?

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When are the play-offs?

The play-offs will take place on November 12, 2020.

They had originally been scheduled for March 2020, then June, but were pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Champions League group stage has been drawn and the 32 teams know who their first six games of the tournament will be against.

Bayern Munich won the competition last season after beating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the final in Lisbon, and Goal looks at who the favourites are to be victorious this time around.

Who are the favourites to win the Champions League?

Bayern Munich are 11/4 (3.75) to win the Champions League again following their triumph at Estadio da Luz in August 2020.

Kingsley Coman scored the winning goal to round off an incredible campaign by the Bundesliga champions, with Hansi Flick’s men winning every single game and netting 43 times in the process.

The title holders will be confident of reaching the knockout stages again, having taken nine points after beating each of Atletico Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow in their opening three Group A games.

Manchester City are 9/2 (5.50) to break their duck and win the Champions League for the first time.

Pep Guardiola has previously won the tournament with Barcelona, but has yet to progress past the quarter-finals during his four seasons with City.

Liverpool won the Champions League in 2018-19 and are 6/1 (7.0) to lift the trophy for the seventh time in their history.

Drawn into Group D, the Reds will be backing themselves to progress and have started impressively with wins over Ajax, Atalanta and Midtjylland, earning nine points from a possible nine so far.

Who are the underdogs to win the Champions League?

PSG reached the Champions League final for the first time last season and are 14/1 (15.0) to go one step further this time.

Boasting one of the most fearsome attacks in world football, the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe will need to be at their best to overcome a poor start in a tough group featuring Manchester United and RB Leipzig.

Barcelona are also 14/1 (15.0) after a turbulent summer saw them almost sell Lionel Messi.

Most neutrals will certainly be glad that Messi remained at the club as Barca are in Group G alongside Juventus, meaning the Argentine will clash with Cristiano Ronaldo once again.

Juventus are priced at 14/1 (15.0) to win the Champions League for the first time in 25 years.

The Serie A champions have lost in the final five times since last winning it in 1996, and although they should progress from Group G, whether that is in first or second will likely rest on the form of Ronaldo.

Real Madrid are 16/1 (17.0) to win the Champions League for the fifth time in eight seasons.

Zinedine Zidane’s side won it an extraordinary four times between 2014 and 2018 and, as the most successful side in the competition’s history, will be out to lift the trophy for the 14th time in their history.

Who are the outsiders to win the Champions League?

Chelsea are 20/1 (21.0) to win the Champions League and may prove a popular bet after being handed a relatively straightforward group.

Frank Lampard’s side have taken seven points after one game against each of Sevilla, Krasnodar and Rennes, as the former Blues midfielder searches for European glory and his first trophy as manager.

Atletico Madrid have proven themselves to be an incredibly tough side to break down in the last decade and are 25/1 (21.0) to finally win the Champions League.

The staunch defence of Diego Simeone’s men makes them a side that nobody wants to face, but the Spanish club are yet to lift this trophy after losing the final in 2014 and 2016 to Real Madrid.

Sevilla are 25/1 (26.0) to follow up last season's Europa League final win over Inter by lifting the Champions League title, and are in a good position to reach the knockout stages after picking up seven points from nine.

Manchester United are available at 28/1 (26.0) after sneaking into the Champions League on the final day of last season, and have recorded stunning wins over PSG and RB Leipzig but lost at Istanbul Basaksehir to keep the group in the balance.

Also 28/1 (26.0) are Borussia Dortmund, who are one of the most exciting young sides in the competition but it remains to be seen if that translates into European glory.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

Ghana have dropped any hope of having the services of Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey for an upcoming 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying double-header against Sudan.

The 27-year-old suffered a thigh injury in The Gunners’ 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, leading to his substitution at half-time.

On Monday, Goal exclusively reported the Odumase-Krobo-born player will be unable to join up with his national squad for the upcoming internationals. The Ghana Football Association (GFA), meanwhile, failed to close the door on the possibility of having their man, stating on Tuesday they were waiting for official communication from Arsenal to decide the fate of the former Atletico Madrid man.

“Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has been ruled out of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sudan,” the GFA announced on their official website on Wednesday.

“The Arsenal stalwart was on Sunday, replaced at half time by Daniel Ceballos during their Premier League game against Aston Villa at the Emirates.

“Arsenal have confirmed that the player picked up a minor sprain in his ankle and would require treatment in London. As a result, Partey, will not travel to Accra for the double-header against Sudan as he continues his treatment in North London.

“Partey was included in coach CK Akonnor’s 23-man squad to face Sudan in the 2021 Afcon qualifiers, but the injury has ruled him out of the two games.

“The game is scheduled for the Cape Coast stadium on Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 16: 00 GMT.

“We wish Thomas a speedy recovery.”

Partey’s confirmed absence is the latest setback for Ghana who have been rocked by some other withdrawals from coach CK Akonnor’s original 23-man squad summoned.

USA-based right-back Harrison Afful has reportedly pulled out of the double-header on the request of club side Columbus Crew, while China-based Mubarak Wakaso is also said to have withdrawn from Akonnor’s squad due to club commitments.

Germany U21 winger Jamie Leweling has rejected a call-up to the Black Stars, having been invited for the first time, while Real Mallorca midfielder Iddrisu Baba Mohammed has been sidelined by injury.

Ghana host Sudan on Thursday and travel for the reverse fixture five days later.

Uganda Cranes custodian Denis Onyango has cautioned his teammates not to underrate South Sudan when the two sides clash in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The two nations will face off in the first of their two meetings set for November in Kampala on Thursday before the return leg is set for Kenya on November 17.

Onyango, who turns out for South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns says by reaching the group stages of the competition, their opponents have proved they are no pushovers and should be handled with care.

“It is never a walk-over in football,” Onyango said as quoted by Kawowo Sports. “The fact they made it to the group stages shows they have the quality to play at any stage.

“To us, it is all about winning and remaining focused. They are a very resilient team as they fight up to the last end. We need to take our chances created in the game. Our dear fans, we shall miss them but should support us from home.

“They are our neighbours and that makes it more difficult for us but all we need is a win. We need to go hard on them and get maximum points.”

On Wednesday, Uganda suffered a huge blow after striker Alexis Bbakka pulled out of the squad owing to injury. The Umea FC forward was among 20 foreign-based players summoned by coach Johnathan McKinstry for the double-header against South Sudan.

The striker was part of the team that faced Burkina Faso last year in a game that ended in a 0-0 draw in Ouagadougou. Alex Kakuba and Uche Ikpeazu are the others who have withdrawn from the squad preparing to face the Bright Stars on Thursday.

Wycombe Wanderers’ Ikpeazu was set to make his Uganda debut but an injury suffered while turning out for the club has denied him the chance.

Edirisa Lubega, Kizito Luwagga, Ronald Mukiibi, and Joseph Ochaya are the foreign-based players who have already linked up with seven local players that were picked from an initial list of 20.

Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Jamal Salim (Al-Hilal, Sudan), Charles Lukwago (KCCA).

Defenders: Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam, Tanzania), Timothy Denis Awany (Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Elvis Bwomono (Southend, England), Dissan Galiwango (Vipers), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Patrick Mbowa (URA), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers), Ronald Mukiibi (Ostersunds FK, Sweden).

Midfielders: Michael Azira (Chicago Fire, USA), Khalid Aucho (Misr Lel Makasa, Egypt), Allan Kyambadde (El Gouna, Egypt), Allan Okello (Paradou, Algeria), Karim Watambala (Vipers), Shafic Kagimu (URA).

Forwards: Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha, Egypt), William Luwagga Kizito (Hapoel, Israel), Edirisa Lubega (Paide Linnameeskond, Estonia), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Ittihad Alexandria, Egypt), Fahad Bayo (Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Farouk Miya (Konyaspor, Turkey), Brian Aheebwa (KCCA FC).

Irvin Khoza has been re-elected National Soccer League chairman for another four-year term.

The 72-year-old was elected unopposed during Wednesday’s quadrennial general meeting held in Johannesburg.

Khoza will be heading the league’s executive committee which has seven other members who were elected by 32 clubs from the Premier Soccer League and the GaldAfrica Championship.

The seven members are Kaizer Motaung Snr (Kaizer Chiefs), Mato Madlala (Golden Arrows), John Comitis (Cape Town City), Stan Matthews (SuperSport United), David Thidiela (Black Leopards), Dr Rejoice Simelane (Mamelodi Sundowns) and Robert Benadie (Stellenbosch FC).

Banadie is a new member on the executive committee, replacing former Bidvest Wits chief executive officer Jose Ferreira in the league’s highest decision-making body.

Having previously served in the committee during his days at Ajax Cape Town, Cape Town City chairman Comitis returns to replace Bloemfontein Celtic’s Khumbulani Konco.

Falling by the wayside after being initially nominated for the vote were Chippa United owner Siviwe Mpengesi, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila president Lawrence Mulaudzi, Konco, University of Pretoria’s Dr Rendani Mulaudzi and Free State Stars’ Rantsi Mokoena.

The majority of PSL clubs suggested Madlala continues in her role as the league’s acting chief executive officer, a position he has held since 2015, although the proposal is yet to be confirmed by Khoza.

Khoza together with his executive committee will have their term run until 2024 and the Pirates chairman hailed the league as a " reliable partner" especially after staging a smooth bio-bubble last season.

“As a business that organizes the largest and most gatherings in South Africa, the PSL value chain is vulnerable to the new normal where the movement and gathering of people can, as we have experienced with Covid-19, carry a deadly virus not detectable by any of the human’s five sense," said Khoza as per the PSL website.

“The NSL operates a business whose critical asset is its fixture. It is from the fixture that every activity is energized. It is the fixture that creates conversations which are a major business all in themselves.

“Traditionally, our value proposition is funded out of a part of our sponsors’ businesses that is most vulnerable to budget cuts – marketing. Marketing budgets are the first to be cut in recessions. We have experienced this through the difficulty we experience in sponsorship renewals and our broadcast partners experience in broadcast sponsorship and advertising sales.

“It has become urgent for the PSL to consolidate and let the market receive tangible and ready to use formats, intelligence about the NSL audience.

“The manner in which we created the bio-bubble, albeit very expensive, proved that we are reliable partners prepared to go to the end of the world to protect our partners and their value proposition.”

The PSL has a new title sponsor DSTV which took over from Absa.

Mamelodi Sundowns defender Motjeka Madisha has dismissed talk of a chaotic dressing room led by three mentors, saying players “understand what the coaches want from us.”

Downs have co-coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena, while Steve Komphela comes in as a senior coach.

Mngqithi has the final say in the event of a decision-making impasse in a set-up prompted by the departure of former head coach Pitso Mosimane who is now at Al Ahly.

Taking instructions from three coaches, Madisha insists that the players understand what is expected from them by the technical team.

“It is not confusing, we understand what they want from us, and we’ve been working well with them,” said Madisha as per Sowetan Live.

“Steve Komphela is one of the great coaches. We are happy that he is part of the Mamelodi Sundowns family. He is more open to anything.

“Whenever you have a problem, you can go to him and whenever you need to improve on certain things you can go to him. He can add value to your football career. He does that, so I will say three coaches are more like what coach Pitso was to us.”

Madisha has featured in every minute of all Downs' matches this season after making 28 Premier Soccer League appearances last season under Mosimane.

“Pitso helped me to be a better player today. When I started, he would call me and tell me where I need to improve,” Madisha said.

“So just because he is not here, it doesn’t mean we don’t communicate. He still helps me even now while he is away. It was a bit emotional when he left. I didn’t believe it, but as a coach, he needs to take his career to the next level, and I’m happy for him that he went to Egypt to do what he has been doing with us.”

Madisha is currently with the Bafana Bafana squad preparing for back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sao Tome e Principe.

Due to the defender’s consistency at club level, South Africa coach Molefi Ntseki has expressed faith in Madisha who could stay in the tactician’s plans throughout the qualifying campaign if he does not drop in form.

Manchester United risk "embarrassment" this season if they fail to rediscover their consistency, according to Dimitar Berbatov, who says the Red Devils cannot blame their struggles on fixture congestion.

United sit 14th in the Premier League table after their first seven fixtures of the 2020-21 campaign, with only three wins recorded alongside three defeats and a draw.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have yet to win at Old Trafford, and will be aiming to buck that trend when West Brom arrive in Manchester on November 21.

A 3-1 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday served as a timely reminder of what the Red Devils are capable of when firing on all cylinders, but Solskjaer hit out at schedulers post-match for failing to grant his team adequate recovery time after their Champions League defeat against Istanbul Basaksehir.

“The authorities set us up to fail, who is responsible? We've had enough of that," he said. “Players this season, in these times, a pandemic, mentally and physically, it's draining.

"Let us play on a Sunday, there's an international break after this, it's a joke.”

Berbatov doesn't think that United can use such an excuse for any negative results, though, and has warned that his old club are in danger of plunging to new depths unless they can start delivering the goods week in, week out.

"This season is different, there are a lot of games in a short space of time. Matches in the Premier League, in Europe and then all of a sudden international breaks, but this cannot be used as an excuse," the ex-Red Devils striker told Betfair.

"United have faced fixture congestion for many years, during my time and even before my time. United are used to playing in the Premier League, Europe and in the cups - we used to win them all as well.

"There can be no excuses, the situation is the same for everyone else, the performances are just not consistent enough. They need to improve sooner rather than later because other teams will get ahead of them and they could become a real embarrassment.

"It's like United need to be under pressure to produce a winning performance. But there's only so long you can operate like that - they won't produce the win every time the pressure is piled on.

"In the end, it isn't going to finish well if they continue being so inconsistent. The team needs to find consistency and produce good football game after game."

Berbatov still believes Solskjaer is the right man to lead United despite their recent troubles, but he has urged the 47-year-old to address a lack of urgency when possession is turned over in order to avoid any further dips in form.

He added: "I still think the players believe in Solskjaer and they like him. I think he has their trust and they have his. There's something that just isn't working right in games when they are losing.

"The problem for me is, sometimes when they don't have the ball they have a lack of mobility to chase and get the ball back.

"Overall, though, I believe they're still playing for the manager and they all like each other. But sometimes that's not enough and to be 14th in the table isn't good for United.

"I hope in their next game - against West Brom in the Premier League - we won't see another dip in form. If that happens then we'll be talking about the same thing again."

Liverpool’s defensive crisis has deepened after Joe Gomez suffered an injury on international duty with England.

The centre-back went down during a training session at St George’s Park on Wednesday, with fears the 23-year-old could now face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

England boss Gareth Southgate is set to update on the severity of the problem later on Wednesday, but there are concerns that the issue is a serious one which will keep Gomez out beyond his country’s upcoming fixtures.

That will come as a body blow to Jurgen Klopp, whose options in defence are already severely limited at this early stage of the campaign.

Klopp lost Virgil van Dijk, his number one centre-back, to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament last month. Fabinho, asked to fill in for the Dutchman, then suffered a hamstring issue a week later and is yet to return to full training.

Trent Alexander-Arnold added to the problems on Sunday, limping out of the Reds’ 1-1 draw at Manchester City with a calf pull. The 21-year-old is likely to be missing for up to four weeks. 

Gomez’s injury leaves Joel Matip as Liverpool’s only fit and available senior centre-back, and the Cameroon international only recently returned himself after suffering a muscle problem against Everton. He has only completed 90 minutes on two occasions in the last 13 months.

Klopp has been encouraged by the performances of both Rhys Williams, 19, and 23-year-old Nat Phillips as emergency centre-back options, and has hinted that he would consider using captain Jordan Henderson at the back in an emergency. 

Gini Wijnaldum is another potential option, although Liverpool’s midfield options would naturally suffer as a result. The same goes with Andy Robertson, who has played at centre-half for Scotland in the past. 

Klopp, like a number of his fellow Premier League managers, has been outspoken in his belief that the authorities must do more to protect players during this most unique and demanding of seasons.

On Sunday, he joined Pep Guardiola in criticising the league’s decision not to allow five substitutes per team this season, a move which all of Europe’s other top leagues opted for.

"It's a lack of leadership," Klopp told his post-match press conference at the Etihad on Sunday. "[Premier League chief executive] Richard Masters sold it completely wrong. It's not an advantage [to be able to use five substitutes], it's a necessity. It happens in other countries, it was sold completely wrong and now you have this situation.”

Presciently, Klopp then added: "Trent will be out for England, [and] he will not be the last or only one Gareth [Southgate] will have to deal with either."

Liverpool are next in action a week on Saturday when they face league leaders Leicester at Anfield. 

Klopp will hope to have Fabinho back available for that game, though the Brazilian would need to prove his fitness at the new AXA Training Centre before being considered, as would midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who has so far been limited to just two appearances since joining from Bayern Munich. 

Thiago suffered a knee injury in the draw against Everton, and is yet to resume full training.

Villarreal star Samuel Chukwueze and CSKA Moscow’s Chidera Ejuke are the new arrivals for Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game against Sierra Leone.

The Super Eagles square off against the Leone Stars in a double-header with the first outing scheduled to take place on Friday at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.

Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr has invited 24 players for the encounter and on Tuesday more than 14 players have arrived camp with the captain of the side Ahmed Musa being one of the early arrivals.

The Super Eagles had their first training on Tuesday evening under the floodlight at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

On Wednesday, Chukwueze and Ejuke arrived at the Super Eagles hotel to increase the number of players in camp to 19.

Victor Osimhen, Daniel Akpeyi, Semi Ajayi, Shehu Abdullahi and Jamilu Collins are still being expected for the encounter.

The match will be played without spectators in adherence to the guidelines from the Confederation of African Football (Caf), which has not gone down well with many fans in Benin City.

Nigeria are leading Group L with six points from two games after victories over the Republic of Benin and Lesotho.

The return fixture will be played in Freetown on November 17 and victories in the games for the Super Eagles could see them secure a place in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Nigeria finished third at the last edition of the continental tournament in Egypt, with Algeria and Senegal beating them to the gold and silver medals.

Former Air India and Mumbai Tigers coach Bimal Ghosh is all set to launch Wings Mumbai Heroes Football Academy in Bandra (West), Mumbai.

The new academy will be a multi-sports wings sports centre and will provide coaching to both boys and girls starting from age five. The renowned coach will train the budding footballers five days a week.

While the plan has already been put to execution, the launch date of the academy is yet to be finalised as Ghosh is waiting for the Maharashtra state government's directives to start football activities amidst the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking on the launch of his new academy, the Nagpur FC coach said, "I cannot confirm the exact date for the launch of the academy. But from our side, everything, including all the planning, scheduling and training programmes are finalised. We are only waiting for clearance from the state government."

Ghosh had previously managed National Football League (NFL)/I-League club Air India for more than a decade and also was in charge of Mumbai-based club Mumbai Tigers from 2012-2014. He had also managed Calcutta Football League (CFL) side Tollygunge Agragami for a brief period in 2018. He is currently in charge of Nagpur FC.

Several top Indian footballers and former India international footballers like Khalid Jamil, Naushad Moosa, Subhash Singh, Sanju Pradhan and Nirmal Chhetri have played and shaped their career under Ghosh. 

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is aiming to emulate Michael Essien’s impressive career during his time in England.

After five seasons at Atletico Madrid, the 27-year-old moved to London after the Gunners were able to complete a £45 million (€50m/$58m), four-year deal with the option of an additional season.

And having been handed a spot in Arsenal’s starting XI for their Europa League opener against Rapid Vienna, he became the first Ghanaian player to start a competitive match for Emirates Stadium giants since Emmanuel Frimpong in October 2012.

Partey is enjoying a bright start to life in Mikel Arteta’s squad, featuring in seven games across all competitions. Nevertheless, he is aspiring to follow in the footstep of Ghanaian football icon Essien who dazzled during his time in England for Chelsea.

“He's a fantastic midfielder,” the midfielder told Arsenal.com.

“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.

“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.”

After starring for Bastia and Olympique Lyon in the French league, Essien joined the Blues in 2005 for a fee worth £24.4 million, making him Chelsea’s most expensive signing at that time.

He spent nine years at Stamford Bridge, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and a Uefa Champions League trophy during his spell in the European country, before moving to AC Milan after completing a loan move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Before Partey’s recent interview with club website, he had expressed his wish to excel in both attack and defence like Essien and former Manchester City star Yaya Toure.

"I like to be both defensive and offensive. I know whenever I am in the opposite area, I have chances for a goal and I think defensively, I want to be stronger,” he told Sky Sports.

"I want to attack like Yaya Toure and defend like Michael Essien so to have both qualities is good.”