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Shkodran Mustafi's future is undecided, according to the Arsenal defender's father, who says nothing is ruled out with regards to any potential move away from the club.

Mustafi has spent the last four years of his career at Emirates Stadium, having joined the Gunners from Valencia for £36 million ($48m) in 2016.

The 28-year-old has made146 appearances for the north Londoners since then, scoring nine goals, while getting his hands on two FA Cups.

He has, however, fallen out of favour under Mikel Arteta at the start of the 2020-21 season, and was left on the bench during a 3-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Mustafi's current contract is due to expire next summer, and he has previously confirmed that the club have not yet offered him the chance to extend his stay.

"When I made a decision to sign for Arsenal it is because I respect this club," he said. "It is a huge club, that’s why for me if I could stay at Arsenal, of course, it would mean a lot to me.

"When you hopefully get a few games, you can maybe look at the future but at the moment it has been difficult because in the last months, I haven’t really been thinking about the end of my contract or what’s going on with the future because all I wanted was to be back as quick as possible.

"We haven’t been talking about anything so there isn’t anything I can tell you guys. Now it is important for me to just get a few games and get into the match rhythm and then see how it goes."

Mustafi's father and agent has now admitted that his son will be open to any opportunities in the new year, with the centre-back free to negotiate with any suitors from January 1.

"Nothing is wrong, we can imagine everything because Shkodran is [available on a] free transfer in the summer," Kujtim Mustafi told Sport 1.

Arsenal will resume their latest Premier League campaign after the international break, with a trip to Leeds United on the cards on November 22.

Mustafi has been playing second fiddle to Rob Holding and Gabriel in recent weeks, and also faces competition from David Luiz for a regular spot in Arteta's starting XI.

England have cultivated a number of rivalries on the football pitch over the years and one of their fiercest is against the Republic of Ireland.

Matches between the near neighbours have been closely contested, with many of the players being familiar with each other from plying their trades in the same leagues.

But just when did the Three Lions last triumph over the Boys in Green and what is their record like?

When was the last time England beat the Republic of Ireland?

England last defeated Ireland on March 26, 1985 when the sides met in a friendly match at Wembley. The Three Lions won the game 2-1.

Trevor Steven put England ahead just before half-time with his first goal for his country as he capitalised from a Mark Hateley flick-on to beat Ireland goalkeeper Packie Bonner.

England's second came through Gary Lineker - scoring the first of his 48 international goals - when he narrowly beat Bonner with a chipped shot in the 75th minute.

Ireland pulled back a consolation goal through Liam Brady as he combined with Frank Stapleton to carve open the Three Lions defence, though his strike needed some fortune to beat England keeper Gary Bailey.

Bobby Robson was manager of England at the time and he was preparing his side for the 1986 World Cup.

Ireland were managed by Eoin Hand and, though they boasted players like Stapleton, Brady and Paul McGrath, the Boys in Green had yet to taste qualification for a major tournament.

"I've watched the goal a few times - it was a pivotal, seminal moment of my career," Lineker later said of his goal against Ireland that day.

"It was a great pass from Peter Davenport, perfectly weighted. It was quite a good finish, one that I liked quite a lot.

"It was an amazing feeling to not only score for England, but your first goal for England - and at Wembley - was something I'll never forget." 

What is England's record vs Republic of Ireland?

Overall: Played: 16 | Wins: 5 | Draws: 9 | Losses: 2
Competitive: Played: 8 | Wins: 2 | Draws: 5 | Losses: 1

England's overall record against the Republic of Ireland (as separate from the old 'Ireland' team) is favourable, with five wins, nine draws and just two losses.

In competitive games only, England's record against Ireland is: Two wins, one loss and five draws in eight meetings.

While England hold the historical advantage over their near neighbours, as noted, they have not beaten the Boys in Green since 1985, going seven matches without a win.

That streak - seven games without winning - is England's joint-worst winless run against an opponent (Romania joint with Ireland). 

The Three Lions notably lost 1-0 to Ireland at Euro '88 in Stuttgart and the teams played out a 1-1 draw two years later at the World Cup in 1990.

They were then drawn together in the qualification stage of Euro '92, but could not be separated, with 1-1 draws occurring in London and Dublin, with England topping the group ahead of Ireland by a point.

*Match abandoned after 27 minutes. Ireland were 1-0 up in the game, but for record purposes the game is deemed a 0-0 draw.

Since then, there have been no competitive meetings between the teams, but there was nothing friendly about their 1995 international at Lansdowne Road, which was abandoned after 27 minutes.

Ireland had been leading the match thanks to a David Kelly goal, but disturbances among England supporters descended into a running riot, with projectiles being thrown, and the game was called off.

At the time, Jack Charlton, who was coming to the end of his tenure as Ireland boss said: "I have seen a lot in football but nothing like this."

However, friendly matches between the sides, such as those played in 2013 and 2015 have passed off without incident - some might say both on and off the pitch!

Ireland, interestingly, have never beaten England at Wembley - failing on six attempts (three wins, three draws) - with their only away win on English soil coming at Goodison Park in 1949.

Finnish club FC Honka have announced the signing of South African striker Darren Smith.

The 24-year-old marksman has been snapped up by Honka following a successful 2020 season with Ekenas IF.

Smith scooped the Golden Boot award after scoring the most goals (18) in the Finnish second-tier, Ykkonen.

His exploits in the Ykkonen have now earned Smith a move to Honka, who are campaigning in the Finnish top-flight league, Veikkausliiga.

Smith, who played for both AmaZulu FC and SuperSport United in the PSL, explained why he joined Honka.

"When I came to Finland, my goal was to play in the Veikkausliiga," Smith told the club's official website after being unveiled on Wednesday.

"However, I knew I had to go step by step. I had options for this season, but the decision to come to Honka was very easy in the end. I think Honka’s style of play fits my strengths very well."

Honka qualified for next season's Uefa Europa Conference League after finishing fourth in the Veikkausliiga during the 2020 campaign. 

Smith is looking forward to playing in the Conference League which is the third tier of European club football, after the Champions League and the Europa League.

"In addition, of course, the place in the [Uefa European Conference League] for next season was a big factor," he added. 

"Honka clearly showed that they are interested in me and I immediately felt welcome in this company."

Smith spent one season with Ekenas having joined the club as a free agent in January 2020 along with his compatriot Ayabulela Konqobe. 

The gifted player also hit the back of the net three times in five Finnish (Suomen) Cup matches and he has since left Konqobe at Ekenas and found a new home elsewhere.

Prior to joining, Ekenas, Smith was a free agent having been released by Ubuntu Cape Town after the club was relegated from the National First Divison (NFD) in May 2019.

He also turned out for Stellenbosch FC and Santos FC in the NFD after starting his professional career at AmaZulu in 2014.

Toni Kroos has accused FIFA and UEFA of treating footballers like "puppets" by creating new tournaments at club and international level.

Kroos will this week represent Germany in the UEFA Nations League, a competition formed two years ago with the aim of replacing friendly matches.

The FIFA Club World Cup has also recently been expanded and there is talk of a new European Super League being formed in the coming years.

However, Real Madrid midfielder Kroos is completely against the idea of cramming more fixtures into an already packed schedule.

"With the invention of all these new things we seem to be just the puppets of FIFA and UEFA," he said. "These competitions are created to suck everything out of every single player physically and to suck out as much money as possible.

"When certain things work well it is a good idea to leave them that way."

Speaking on his Einfach mal Luppen podcast, which he hosts together with brother Felix, Kroos also took aim at fellow professionals who choreograph their goal celebrations.

Referencing celebrations by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has previously sported a Spiderman mask, and Antoine Griezmann, who simulates dance moves from video game Fortnite, Kroos said: "I find it very silly. Even worse is if there are any objects hidden in their socks. Aubameyang once celebrated and took out a mask. That's where it ends with me.

"I don't think that's a good role model, either. What nonsense."

Kroos has enjoyed immense success at Real Madrid, and recently said he intends to retire at Santiago Bernabeu despite regular transfer links with clubs like Manchester United.

He said: "I always like to go back to Germany because it is my country and it is my language, but I really enjoy life in Madrid and playing for Real Madrid.

"I have had offers, but I never spoke with other clubs because my idea is to finish my career at Real Madrid ".

Kroos is currently with the Germany squad for a trio of international fixtures this week. They host Czech Republic in a friendly before a Nations League double header, at home to Ukraine then away against Spain.

The Confederation of African Football has made notable changes to the game in the post-Covid-19 landscape, including the obvious fact that there will be no supporters at match venues for November’s qualifiers in the interest of public health.

According to the football ruling body, Afcon 2022 qualification games, Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup will have number of players increased by 10 players as that will allow participating teams to replace any player who contracts the virus.

“For the competitions where the regulations imposes a list with a limited number of players (Example : Interclubs, Competitions with final tournament system…) : increase the number of players with 10 players; (if for example the regulations imposes a list of 30 players, the number will be increased to 40),” a statement from Caf read.

In addition, November’s qualifiers will witness a temporary change to the maximum number of substitutes a team is permitted to make during a game, increasing the number from three to five.

The implication of this is that the maximum number of substitutes permitted to sit on the bench will swell from seven to nine.

“The number of substitutes allowed on the start list remains unchanged in conformity with each competition’s regulations. Five substitutions will be allowed for matchday 3 and 4 of the Afcon 2021 qualifiers,” it continued.

The five-substitute rule has initially been introduced by the Federation of International Football Association (Fifa) and International Football Association Board (Ifab) as a temporary measure and is ostensibly in place until the end of 2020.

Both bodies will revisit the rule change at a later stage in order to assess whether its application needs to be extended into 2021.

Although Caf had ruled that no fans will be allowed into stadia for November games, nevertheless, there is a tweak should any host association’s government insists on having fans around.

“All the matches must be played without spectators, however, should a host association’s government approve that matches can be played with spectators, the host federation must obtain prior approval from Caf,” it added.

“The number of spectators shall not exceed 50% of the stadium capacity. These measures are effective and are valid only during the current context of global health crisis due to the Covid-19.”

Ian Wright has explained the main reason behind Alexandre Lacazette's loss of form, insisting the Arsenal striker is "thinking about the consequences of missing" instead of playing on instinct.

Lacazette has scored 51 goals in 135 appearances for Arsenal since moving to Emirates Stadium from Lyon for £47 million ($62m) in the summer of 2017.

Three of those goals came in the Gunners' first three Premier League fixtures of the new campaign, but he has not found the net since a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on September 28.

The 29-year-old has been guilty of wasteful finishing as Mikel Arteta's men have struggled to add a clinical edge to their game, with his latest miss proving costly during a clash with Aston Villa on Sunday .

Lacazette headed a Kieran Tierney cross over the bar from point-blank range when Arsenal were trailing by a goal in the first half at the Emirates.

The hosts went on to lose the match 3-0, slipping to 11th in the Premier League standings in the process, and Wright believes the French striker is stuck in a rut which can only be fixed if he stops worrying about making mistakes.

"I was talking about Mikel and how offensive he wants to be, and it’s literally impossible in this team," the Gunners legend said on the  Wrighty's House podcast.

"I saw some stats about Lacazette’s average position. For a focal point, he’s not near it.

"With the chance he had, for me, even with no one in the ground, you could see he’s going through that spell as a forward where he’s thinking about his next chance.

"He’s actually thinking about it. I’ve seen him do a couple of headers now where you can tell he’s thinking about it. He’s thinking about it.

"Where that ball came in, you don’t need to think about it, you just need to get it on target. Just control it.

"I believe that even with no fans in there, he’s thinking about his next chance.

"He’s thinking about the consequences of missing. He’s thinking about the fact Arteta is saying: 'We’re not taking our chances'.

"You need to get into the positions where you will score goals and then do what you’ve done for years."

It has been almost a year since the last time the Indian national football team played an international match, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic which brought the game to a standstill across the world in 2020. 

The international window had to be postponed multiple times in 2020, so much so that the entire calendar year is set to pass without international action in Asia.

However, there is good news in the offing after the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Competitions Committee approved new dates for the joint qualifiers of 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup 2023 on Wednesday. 

When will India play next?

The committee decided to conduct the seventh and eighth matchdays of the qualifiers in March 2021. The ninth and tenth matchdays will be held in June 2021. It was agreed that all the second round Asian Qualifiers should be completed by June 15, 2021.

It means India is expected to play next in March 2021. 

Who will India play next?

India's next opponents will be Asian champions Qatar whom they will host on matchday seven. 

India will then play Bangladesh away on matchday nine and then host Afghanistan on matchday ten, both the games set to be held in June 2021. 

When did India last play a match?

India's last international game was on 19th November 2019 where they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Oman away from home. 

Can India still qualify for the 2022 World Cup?

India are currently placed fourth in Group E with three points from five matches. Qatar top the table with 13 points while Oman are hot on their heels with 12. 

Eight group winners and four best runners-up will progress to the continent's 12-team final qualifying stage for the 2022 World Cup. 

India are virtually out of contention for the top two spots but a third-place finish is well within the reach of the Blue Tigers. A third-placed finish will get them a direct berth in the third round for the 2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers. 

Forty-seven games. Fifty-five goals. Ten assists. Three trophies.

And now for Robert Lewandowski, one Goal 50 award after what can only be described as a perfect season by the Bayern Munich forward.

Regarded as the world's most complete number nine, Lewandowski left all other players trailing in his wake last term, with the Poland international having been at times unstoppable for defences both in Germany and around Europe.

Despite all that, the 32-year-old feels he can improve on perfection.

"My greatest dream has come true," Lewandowski tells Goal in an exclusive interview after being voted the best men's player of the 2019-20 campaign by journalists and editors from around the world.

"The feeling at that moment is incredible, I've never felt anything like it before. You realise that the hard work you've put in over 20 years is rewarded.

"I feel very good, such awards mean a lot to me. Of course, football is a team sport, but such individual titles show that the work you put in personally every day pays off.

"For me it is important how many titles we win. That's what I'm looking for, because without a title, all these goals aren't worth much.

"If my goals help us win titles, then the ideal has happened. In this regard, however, I must also say that not only the goals play a major role, but also the assists. That promotes team spirit."

"There is always room for improvement," he adds. "As long as you play football, you have to stay hungry. Getting to the top is difficult. But staying at the top is even harder.

"At the end of your career is when you can look back and enjoy the titles you have won."

When Lewandowski does indeed look back on his career, he will do so knowing he took an unconventional route to the top

A skinny teenager, he loved playing football more than anything else, even trying to convince his parents to let him focus solely on it as they encouraged him to follow other pursuits.

"My first training ground had only the remotest connection to the football pitches we know today," he recalls. "The pitch was dark, only a little grass grew in some places. It was enough for us if we had a ball at our feet.

"When it rained, we actually had the most fun. We didn't care that we didn't have a perfect lawn and that we had to drive home with our wet clothes on for two hours.

"After that, I usually played two more hours in the garden in wind and weather when it was already dark.

"I just wanted to be outside and do what fulfils me. It just came from the heart. Football has always been my greatest passion, and that passion has driven me."

Lewandowski's parents were both athletes, with his father Krzysztof not only playing second-division football, but also becoming Polish judo champion. His mother, Iwona, was a volleyball player for one of the country's best teams, AZS Warszawa.

"I tried many other sports besides football, in which I was also quite talented," Lewandowski says of his upbringing. "But I didn't develop the same feeling for them as I had for football.

"In contrast to football, I was sometimes stressed and nervous and it was clear to me that I would never reach the top level in those sports. I then asked my father why I couldn't just play football.

"He explained to me that I still couldn't understand why other sports are helpful. He said to me: 'One day you will understand that it is only for your good.' He was right.

"I used to do a lot of gymnastics to work on my flexibility. That benefits me nowadays. That's why I am infinitely grateful to my father for showing me this."

Despite his desire to follow his dreams, even just earning a professional contract proved difficult for Lewandowski.

At 15 he was rejected by a national team coach for being too thin before Legia Warsaw decided to release him before he turned 18.

"That hurt a lot. I was only 17 years old, shortly before that I had lost my father," he recalls. "I can still remember getting injured and waiting for a decision on what to do with me in the coming season.

"Suddenly, a week or two before my contract expired, I received the information from Legia's secretary that the club did not want to renew my contract in the summer.

"I really wanted to make it and show everyone what I can do. It doesn't matter what other people say if you have a strong will. So I looked ahead and continued to work on myself.

"When I was 18, I started working more in the gym and building up my muscles. That helped a lot."

Being let go by Legia affected Lewandowski greatly, and he decided to do things his own way thereafter.

He decided to drop down to the third tier of Polish football to prove himself, signing for Znicz Pruszkow before helping them win promotion in his first season and then finishing as top scorer the following year.

Lewandowski's goals did not go unnoticed, and Lech Poznan brought him back to the top flight and gave him a taste of playing in Europe in the UEFA Cup. 

In Poznan, he finished as the Ekstraklasa top scorer in 2009-10 with 18 goals, with many European clubs, including Blackburn Rovers and Borussia Dortmund, beginning to take notice of his talents.

"I knew that the next step would have to be abroad. I also definitely wanted to move to a club that had at least Europa League ambitions," the striker continues.

"Borussia Dortmund had already made me an offer a year earlier, but at that time a move would have come too early for me. After two years I felt ready.

"Dortmund had a compelling coach in Jurgen Klopp, a young team and played a system that suited me."

A goal in the Revierderby against rivals Schalke helped him quickly earn the affection of the Dortmund fans, but Lewandowski was not happy with his first few performances in Germany.

"The first three months at Dortmund were difficult. But I still know exactly when the situation got better," he admits.

"We lost an away game in the Champions League in Marseille. At the time, I didn't really know what my position was with the coach.

"After the game I talked to Jurgen Klopp and asked him openly what he expected from me. We spoke for almost two hours. I told him what was on my mind, and he explained to me what he expected from me.

"After this conversation everything worked better. We won the next game 4-0 against Augsburg, I scored a hat-trick and got an assist."

Lewandowski went from strength to strength after that, scoring 20 or more goals in each of the following three Bundesliga seasons, winning two Bundesliga titles and the domestic double in 2011-12.

Dortmund reached the Champions League final in 2013, but an all-German affair saw Bayern lift the trophy ahead of their rivals.

And, after achieving all he could at the Westfalenstadion, the Pole swapped Dortmund for Bayern in 2014.

He has won the Bundesliga every year since, adding four more German top-scorer trophies to the one he had earned in his final campaign at Dortmund.

After routinely falling short in the Champions League, it looked like Lewandowski and Bayern would not return to the promised land of a European final, especially in 2019-20 when the team stuttered under Niko Kovac.

A 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt saw Bayern's bosses pull the plug on Kovac and replace him with Hansi Flick.

The rest, as they say, is history.

"We noticed that it wasn't working. That was particularly evident in this [Frankfurt] game," he reveals.

"Obviously we needed a little time to collect ourselves. After two or three weeks [under Flick] it went really well. The players knew what the coach was expecting, and confidence returned.

"We have grown together as a team and have developed positively, especially in terms of the way we play. We can now respond better to problems."

An 8-2 win over Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League proved Bayern's class to Europe, but also to themselves after Flick instilled a ruthlessness in the team which led to them ultimately claiming the treble.

"The first half played a very special role. We scored a lot of goals and pressed perfectly," he says of that already legendary victory in Lisbon. "We quickly had the feeling that we were marching to victory and that there was no way we would lose the game.

"Hansi said that we should keep up the pace. That worked well against Barcelona. We always want more, we always want to play forward.

"We played a great first half, but we wanted to top it. This is our DNA. You notice that in every training session."

As Germany's most successful club, winning is Bayern Munich's DNA, and now after securing the Champions League and the Goal 50 award, it has become part of Lewandowski's DNA too.

But he's not resting there. The perfect striker wants more, even after the perfect season.

The 2020-21 FA Cup is underway with Arsenal looking to defend the trophy they won at Wembley by beating Chelsea 2-1.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s double marked their fourth FA Cup in the last seven years and Goal looks at the favourites to lift the trophy in 2021.

Who are the favourites to win the 2020-21 FA Cup?

Manchester City are 10/3 (4.33) favourites to win the FA Cup with bet365 and continue to assert their recent dominance of English silverware.

Pep Guardiola’s side won the tournament in 2018 as part of a domestic treble, and have also won the Carabao Cup four times in the last five seasons alongside three Premier League crowns in six years.

Premier League champions Liverpool are 6/1 (7.0) to win the FA Cup for the first time in 14 years.

Jurgen Klopp has yet to win the competition, with the seven-time winners having only got past the fourth round once during his five-year reign.

Manchester United can be backed at 6/1 (7.0) to lift the FA Cup and give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the first trophy of his tenure at the club.

Although the Red Devils are the second most successful side in the history of the competition with 12 titles, only two of those have come since their famous treble in 1999.

Chelsea are 8/1 (9.0) to go one step further than last year and win the FA Cup for the ninth time in their history.

The Blues have been in three of the last four finals but have only been victorious in one of those, and a first piece of silverware would certainly be welcomed by Frank Lampard.

Who are the underdogs to win the 2020-21 FA Cup?

FA Cup holders Arsenal are 10/1 (11.0) to lift the trophy for the 15th time in history and win it in consecutive years

The Gunners have done that twice previously, in 2003 and 2015, but Mikel Arteta’s side may opt for a greater focus on the Premier League after a disappointing eighth-place finish last season.

Tottenham are 10/1 (11.0) to end a barren run by winning their first piece of silverware since 2008 when they lifted the Carabao Cup.

Spurs are actually the third most successful team in FA Cup history with eight final wins, but the most recent of those came back in 1991 and they are yet to get past the semi-finals since then.

Leicester are 16/1 (17.0) to win the FA Cup for the first time in their long history, having previously lost in the final on four occasions.

The Foxes have reached the quarter-finals in two of the last three seasons, losing to Chelsea both times, and may target another deep run to complement a strong league campaign.

Wolves are 16/1 (17.0) in the FA Cup outright market despite a poor recent record in the competition.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side lost in the semi-finals two seasons ago but that was their first trip there since 1998 and they have been knocked out in the third round in four of the last six years.

Everton have made a strong start to the Premier League and are 16/1 (17.0) to lift the FA Cup at Wembley.

The Toffees have won it five times in their history but their recent record does not make for such attractive reading, having won just one of their last five games in the competition.

Who are the outsiders to win the 2020-21 FA Cup?

Southampton are available at 33/1 (34.0) to lift the FA Cup for the second time, with major strides having been taken under Ralph Hasenhuttl as the club look to end what will be a 45-year wait for a major trophy.

Leeds United last won the FA Cup back in 1972 and are 33/1 (34.0) to make more history by lifting it this year – a result that would write Marcelo Bielsa’s name further into the record books of the West Yorkshire side.

It has been an impressive Premier League return by Aston Villa so far and they are 33/1 (34.0) to win the FA Cup, which would make them the joint third-most successful side in the history of the competition.

West Ham are three-time victors of the tournament and are available at 40/1 (41.0) to make that four, which would mark a first major trophy since 1980.

A host of Premier League teams are 50/1 (51.0), including Newcastle, Sheffield United, Burnley and Crystal Palace, whilst Brighton and Fulham are 66/1 (67.0).

West Brom, Watford, Bournemouth, Norwich and Brentford are all 100/1 (101.0), with the bookmakers expecting yet more FA Cup domination from the top Premier League sides.

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

Uganda head coach Johnathan McKinstry has been dealt another blow following Alexis Bbakka’s withdrawal from his squad.

The Umea FC striker, according to Sports Nation, has withdrawn late after suffering an injury. The forward is among 20 foreign-based players McKinstry had summoned for the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Sudan.

The striker was part of the team that faced Burkina Faso last year in a game which 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.

As the three have been ruled out, FC Ashdod striker Fahad Bayo is confident they are going to make the fans happy with a good result.

“Fans should expect the best, we want to win because we need these points badly. We are ready and we want it more,” the former Vipers SC striker said before the match.

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.

Coach McKinstry is expected to conduct the last training session on Wednesday before the showdown at the St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende.

South Sudan will host the Cranes on Monday at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium on November 17. Uganda boast of four points going into the game while South Sudan are without points as they strive to qualify for Afcon for the first time.

McKinstry’s squad for South Sudan visit:

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)

Tanzania will face Zambia in the final of this year's Cosafa U17 Women's Cup on Saturday after both garnered nine points.

The Copper Princesses advanced to the final following a 3-0 success over Comoros, while the young Twiga Stars whitewashed  Zimbabwe 10-1 in their matches on Tuesday.

Kaluba Kangwa's team started on a high as Comfort Selemani's header gave them the lead before Tisilile Lungu consolidated their lead from the penalty spot before the half-time break.

After the break, Bupe Banda struck moments after the hour-mark, with a brilliant shot from the edge of the box to the top corner to guarantee the third win of the tournament for the Zambians.

On their part, Tanzania cruised past Zimbabwe in style as they continued their high goalscoring form to the competition.

Protasia Mbunda opened the scoring for the Twiga Stars thanks to a goalkeeping error inside the first minute before Aisha Masaka assisted Koku Kipanga to double the lead.

Irene Kisisa, Shehat Mohamedi and Ester Gindulya scored to ensure the Tanzanians hit five past the Zimbabweans before the break.

On return from recess, the Twiga Stars continued from where they left off as Zawadi Athuman added the sixth before Mohamedi bagged her second of the match moments after the restart.

Neema Shibara grabbed a brace and top scorer Aisha Masaka bagged her ninth goal of the tournament to wrap up the big win.

The latest wins were the third in four for Tanzania, and in three for Zambia as both emerged runaway joint-leaders at the top of the log.

The development means hosts South Africa and Comoros will face off in their final matches of the competition on Thursday, while Zambia will face Zimbabwe in a dead rubber tie on the same day.

Borussia Monchengladbach star Florian Neuhaus has addressed rumours of a potential switch to Bayern Munich.

Neuhaus began his professional career at 1860 Munich, where he spent one year in the senior squad before being snapped up by Monchengladbach in 2017.

The midfielder was immediately sent out on loan to Fortuna Dusseldorf, and played a key role in their successful promotion bid before returning to Borussia-Park with a view to forcing his way into the starting XI.

The 23-year-old has since racked up 82 appearances in all competitions for Monchengladbach, scoring 10 goals and laying on 14 assists, and was rewarded for his performances with a new long-term contract in November 2019.

Neuhaus is now one of the first names on Marco Rose's team-sheet, and has impressed in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League at the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign.

The Germany international's form has seen him linked with a move to Bayern, but he remained coy on speculation over his future when quizzed on the reported interest from officials at Allianz Arena.

"I don't want to commit myself to that. FC Bayern is a big club. I have also got to know a couple of guys from Bayern in the national team who only speak positively about the club," Neuhaus told Goal and SPOX .

"My dad is also a huge Bayern fan. But I'm a Borussia Monchengladbach player and I don't concentrate on anything else."

The German playmaker added on his career trajectory since leaving 1860 Munich: "The move to Monchengladbach was spot on. 

"At first, it wasn't easy to be so far away from home, but it actually went well right from the start. 

"The loan to Fortuna Dusseldorf also helped me because I played in a lot of matches. Now I'm happy to have such a big part to play at Borussia."

Neuhaus also opened up on his first taste of Champions League football, with Monchengladbach currently exceeding expectations by leading Group B ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk, Real Madrid and Inter after three fixtures. 

"You become a footballer for games like this. Just the feeling of competing against the best teams in Europe is special," he said.

"And when you realise that you can keep up with such teams and even win or almost win, that feels even better."

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt says he is facing a predicament during the current international break. 

Amakhosi bowed out of the 2020 MTN8 over the weekend after losing 2-0 to their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in the semi-final second-leg match at FNB Stadium. 

The veteran tactician explained that Amakhosi will be active during the break as they are set to play a friendly match, even though, they will be without several payers, who are on national duty.

“It’s exactly what happened to be in the first international break – people said we had three and a half weeks to work, but really I had one and a half. There were so many away,” Hunt told the media.

“We are going to have, and I stand to be correct, eight away. What really can you do in terms of team organisation? For me, it’s all about team shape and organisation, so there’s not much you can do the next two weeks.”

“You are going to get the players back three or four days before the next game.

"So, it’s a difficult situation. We’ve got a friendly organised and things like that, but that is mainly for guys who need game-time. You can’t do much in terms of working on team dynamics with eight players away."

Reeve Frosler, Itumeleng Khune and Lebogang Manyama were included in the Bafana Bafana squad ahead of the team's two back-to-back 2020 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe 

Zimbabwean forward Khama Billiat, Kenyan midfielder Anthony Akumu and Nigerian goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi have been called up their respective national teams.

While Njabulo Blom, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Siyabonga Ngezana are all part of the South Africa under-23 national team which will face their Saudi Arabian counterparts in two international friendly matches.

However, Frosler has recently been withdrawn from the Bafana squad after picking up an ankle injury in the Soweto Derby clash against Pirates on Sunday and he has ruled him out of action for eight weeks.

This has reduced the number of Chiefs players on national duty to eight with Amakhosi set to take on Lamontville Golden Arrows in a PSL match on November 21. 

Marc-Andre ter Stegen is desperate for more trophies after committing his future to Barcelona by signing a new contract.

The Catalans announced last month that Ter Stegen, Gerard Pique, Frenkie de Jong and Clement Lenglet had all agreed to extensions.

The Germany goalkeeper's new deal runs until 2025 and contains a release clause of €500 million (£444m/$590m).

Ter Stegen, who returned to action this month after a knee injury, has been one of Barca's few major transfer success stories in recent seasons.

The 28-year-old, who signed from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014, has won 12 trophies with Barca including four La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey four times and the 2014-15 Champions League.

Ter Stegen has felt at home in the city since his arrival and is now keen for more silverware – and to celebrate in front of fans again.

"Barcelona has become a home for my family and I," he said in a video published by the club.  "Both on and off the pitch, we are very happy.

"So, it was clear, the direction to take. The ambition from both myself and Barca has always been to reach a renewal agreement, to continue our story, which we started together in 2014.

"It's not just about playing for the biggest club in the world; it's more than that. The city and the fans have treated me like one of their own since the beginning, and this is important to me. A feeling I will never forget.

"I want to be a player at Camp Nou for many more years and keep winning trophies. There is no greater motivation. Hopefully, in the near future, with our fans once again."

Since his La Liga debut, Ter Stegen has kept 64 clean sheets in 152 games, a tally bettered only by Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak, who has 110 clean sheets in 198 games.

He has maintained a save percentage of 74.4 per cent, which is the fourth-best in Spain's top flight among keepers to make at least 100 saves, and a passing accuracy of 83% – the highest in the division for his position.

Nigeria senior national team players will be tested for Covid-19 before taking on Sierra Leone in Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The three-time African champions face the Leone Stars, who are in dire need of a win in order to revive their Cameroon 2022 ambitions.

Before locking horns with the West Africans, however, players and coaches of the Super Eagles will be subjected to the assessment on Wednesday afternoon.

Few hours after that, Gernot Rohr’s side will have their second training session by 17:00 (West African Time) at newly renovated Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

Having faced reigning African champions Algeria and Tunisia in friendly games, Rohr’s men are in good shape to face the Leone Stars.

Their last appearance at Afcon was in Egypt 2019 where they finished third having recorded a 1-0 win over the Carthage Eagles in the bronze medal match.

John Keister’s men sit at the base of Group L with one point following a stuttering start to the qualifying campaign, having recorded a draw against Lesotho and defeat to Benin Republic.

Sierra Leone are hoping to make their third appearance in the biennial African football showpiece. They last featured at the 1996 edition staged in South Africa. There, they crashed out of the group stage after one win and two defeats.

The reverse fixture takes place at the National Stadium Freetown on Tuesday, November 17 with victory for Nigeria guaranteeing them a place in the 2022 Afcon.

The 33rd edition of the biennial tournament was due to begin in Cameroon on January 9, 2021, but has now been pushed to January 2022 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic across the continent.

Dani Carvajal has backed Zinedine Zidane amid talk of a "crisis" at Real Madrid, insisting the squad are with the current Blancos boss to the "death".

Madrid have endured a slow start to the 2020-21 campaign which has led to questions over Zidane's position in the Santiago Bernabeu hot seat.

The Frenchman has watched his side slip to fourth in La Liga after eight fixtures , and has only seen them pick up four points from a possible nine in their Champions League group.

The Blancos suffered their second domestic defeat of the season at the hands of Valencia on Sunday, with several players guilty of allowing their standards to drop during the 4-1 thrashing at Mestalla.

Zidane has taken the brunt of the criticism for the result, though, and it has been suggested that he is now on borrowed time in the dugout, with another club legend Raul and ex-Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino reportedly being lined up as potential replacements.

However, Carvajal says the dressing room remains 100 per cent behind the 48-year-old head coach, who has delivered two La Liga titles and three Champions League crowns during two separate spells in charge.

"We are with the coach to the death, with the club, with the team-mates that we have next to us, and the philosophy of the coach, is that we are all together, that we all go in the same direction and that's what he has done during all the years that he has been here," the Madrid defender told Marca .

Carvajal went on to highlight the fact that any negative performances or results are magnified at the Bernabeu, with expectations always sky high for the most successful club in European football.

"Whoever has been here for a few years gets used to it, in the end, you can beat Inter in a highly contested match and lose to Valencia, against a good rival, away from home," he said.

"We didn't have our day, but sometimes you can't win every game and it seems like we're in crisis. In the end, you have to get a little used to these ups and downs, these ups and downs of feelings, criticism and flattery."

The Spanish full-back added: "We are Real Madrid, we have a very good squad and do not doubt us because we will fight for everything and in the month of March you will be happy because we will be alive in all competitions."