Looking for Soccer News?

Thomas Tuchel insists he isn't worrying about his future despite nine-man PSG crashing to a 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.

Questions have been asked about the German coach's job security since the Parisians were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United at the Parc des Princes last month.

The pressure is continuing to rise against Tuchel as PSG gave up a 1-0 lead, missed a penalty and saw both Idrissa Gueye and Presnel Kimpembe shown second yellow cards in the second half on Wednesday.

Tuchel said that scrutiny about his job is normal and he is just focusing on his work to improve the team's performance.

"The press in France always asks the question, says that I am in danger," Tuchel said to reporters post-match. "It's been like that since my arrival, I don't know why. It's the impression that the press and the environment are very, very critical, that's how it is.

"We can accept that it does not change my work with the team and the staff. It's the life of a coach in Paris, it's never enough. No problem for me. There are difficult phases in sport.

"Our expectation is not to win each game, we also know what state we are in each game. Today, it was possible to win, it was possible to draw in the same match.

"If we win [on November 24 against Leipzig] at the Parc [des Princes], the situation is totally the opposite."

Despite the absence of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi, PSG opened the scoring after five minutes when Dayot Upamecano's back pass was intercepted by Moise Kean, who deftly played in Di Maria to break the deadlock.

Only 10 minutes later, Di Maria earned a penalty when Upamecano handled Kean's shot - but the Argentine's spot-kick was saved by Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.

Former PSG midfielder Christopher Nkunku levelled the game for Leipzig with a low shot from outside the area just before half-time, and Emil Forsberg's penalty put the Germans in front shortly after the break.

The Ligue 1 champions' job became more difficult when Gueye was given a second yellow for a 50-50 challenge on Amadou Haidara with 20 minutes to play and they couldn't force an equaliser before Kimpembe was also sent off in stoppage time.

PSG are now third in Champions League Group H, three points behind leaders Manchester United and Leipzig, but they do have a two-plus goal difference advantage over the Germans, who they play in the next matchday in Paris.

Youssef En-Nesyri scored twice as Sevilla secured a comeback 3-2 victory over Krasnodar in Wednesday’s Champions League game.

The 23-year-old forward boosted his side’s chances of advancing into the knock-out stages of the European competition with his eye-catching displays at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

The Morocco international was afforded his second appearance for the Palanganas in the Champions League this season and scored two quick-fire goals.

Sevilla started the game on the backfoot allowing the Russian club to dominate proceedings in the opening 30 minutes and paid for it when Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov opened the scoring in the 17th minute.

Four minutes later, Marcus Berg doubel the lead with a well-taken strike from the penalty spot which seemed to awake Sevilla .

The Palanganas then pressed for a goal before the half-time break and were rewarded for their efforts when Ivan Rakitic fired his strike into the back of the net in the 42nd minute.

Moments before the break, Sevilla suffered a blow when they were reduced to 10 men after Jesus Navas received a straight red card for tripping Kristoffer Olsson, who was racing towards goal.

Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui made some tactical changes after the restart, introducing En-Nesyri for Joan Jordan at the hour mark.

Nine minutes after his introduction, the Morocco international announced himself in the encounter with a goal to level matter.

The forward pounced on a loose ball after a defensive flop from Brazilian Kaio and put his effort beyond the reach of goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.

En-Nesyri then completed his brace in the 72nd minute after receiving a fine pass from Rakitic which was enough to ensure his side secures all three points at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

The victory propelled the Palanganas to the second on Group E table after gathering seven points from three games.

En-Nesyri has now scored four goals in 10 games across all competitions in the current campaign and will hope to add to the tally when Sevilla take on Osasuna in their next outing.

Rennes head coach Julian Stephan has expressed his bewilderment over a controversial handball decision against his side in Wednesday's defeat at Chelsea.

The Blues were already ahead 1-0 in their Champions League Group E match after Timo Werner had converted from the spot. Chelsea's first penalty was clear-cut but their second, awarded four minutes before half-time, was far more controversial. 

Tammy Abraham’s shot deflected off Dalbert's arm, with the Rennes defender appearing to know little about it. After not giving the penalty initially, referee Felix Zwayer awarded the spot-kick following a VAR check.

Dalbert was also sent off for a second yellow card and after Werner converted a second penalty, Chelsea were on their way to an easy 3-0 win.

Speaking after the match, Stephan said that according to his understanding of the rules, the second penalty should not have been awarded.

"Unless the rule has changed and we weren't aware I don't know why he decided to give handball for this,” Stephan said. “When you give a second yellow for this kind of thing it kills the game. So there's misunderstanding in actual fact.

“Why do we check that and not the handball from [Kurt] Zouma? There's some misunderstanding but I don't want to go into conspiracy-theory thinking.

“It was a turning point in the game, it makes it difficult against a team like Chelsea who have good players in every position, with the numerical disadvantage.

“My players were remarkable in the last 20 minutes to put pressure and try to score a goal. I'm disappointed for them that it went the way it did.”

Speaking on BT Sport, former Premier League referee Peter Walton said that though he felt the call was harsh, he believed that Zwayer made the right decision based on the rules in European competition.

“First of all, the penalty does seem harsh, but the interpretation of the UEFA rule - like we’ve seen in previous matches - if it strikes the arm, it’s going to be given as a penalty kick," Walton said.

"Personally, I don’t think it was, however, that’s interpretation. As regards to a second yellow card, because he’s deemed to be stopping a promising attack in terms of the handball offence, because he deemed it to be an offence, then it’s a yellow card.

"He’s gone off, and he can count himself unlucky, but that’s the law.”

PSG midfielder Marquinhos has offered his backing of under-pressure manager Thomas Tuchel after their side fell 2-1 to RB Leipzig in the Champions League. 

The Ligue 1 champions took an early lead at Red Bull Arena through Angel Di Maria, but the Argentine would later miss a chance to add a second from the penalty spot.

That miss would prove costly as goals from Christopher Nkunku and Emil Forsberg clinched Wednesday's match for Leipzig.

The defeat leaves PSG with just three points from their first three Group H matches, with Tuchel's side in danger of failing to qualify from a group that also includes Manchester United and Istanbul Basaksehir.

PSG also lost their first two Ligue 1 matches this term, though they have now rebounded with seven straight wins to move into first place. 

Still, all is not well with PSG one season after they won a domestic treble and reached the Champions League final, where they fell 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

Tuchel has been under pressure and a contentious relationship with sporting director Leonardo has not helped his standing at the club. 

But Marquinhos has urged observers not to forget Tuchel's heroics from last season.

"Of course [we support him]," the Brazilian said. "We know how football is. It is the coach who has had the best season in club history. Football has no patience.

"We need to focus on the real things. Today he is our coach at PSG, we have confidence in him. If things aren't going well it's not just the coach's fault, the players can do things better too.

"When you're on the pitch you have to fight to win, no matter how you play, good or bad."

Marquinhos stressed that his side will need to take a positive outlook into their remaining three group-stage matches as they look to qualify out of a tricky group.

"We have three more games, we have to stay positive," Marquinhos said. "In the locker room, we have to continue to improve. This competition is very difficult, we have to increase our level of play if we want to go far.

"It is between us that we will work for the next three games."

Idrissa Gueye was given marching orders for the first time in a Uefa Champions League game as Paris Saint Germain suffered a 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig.

Gueye first received a yellow card in the 37th minute and he was later sent off for a second bookable offence nine minutes after the hour-mark.

In the sixth minute, Angel Di Maria opened the scoring at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday night but the Argentine forward missed the chance to double the visitors' lead from the penalty spot 10 minutes later.

Towards the end of the first 45 minutes, Christopher Nkunku inspired RB Leipzig to turn the game around with his equaliser and Emil Forsberg grabbed the match-winning goal for the Bundesliga outfit in the 57th minute.

It was a difficult night for PSG in Leipzig as they ended the match with nine players after centre-back Presnel Kimpembe was sent off for a second yellow card in the stoppage time.

Gueye's expulsion was his first red card in any competition since he was dismissed for receiving two yellow cards in a Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal in October 2017.

The 31-year-old is also the first PSG player to receive a red card in the Champions League since Marco Verratti was given marching orders against Real Madrid in March 2018.

Gueye and Kimpembe got themselves on the other side of PSG's history books as the first time the Ligue 1 giants had two players sent off in a Uefa Champions League game.

The Senegal international will be suspended for the reverse fixture when PSG host RB Leipzig at Parc des Princes on November 24.

However, the combative midfielder could make his eighth appearance in the Ligue 1 on Saturday when Thomas Tuchel’s side host Rennes.

Wednesday's defeat moved PSG down to third in Group H, level on six points with second-placed RB Leipzig after three matches.

Chelsea's defensive bounce back continued on Wednesday as the Blues kept yet another clean sheet in their Champions League victory over Rennes.

The Blues cruised to a 3-0 win over the Ligue 1 side, taking them top of the group with seven points from their first three group stage matches.

Once again, Chelsea's backline held firm with the Blues have bouncing back from early-season criticisms of the team's defensive shape.

The Blues conceded 11 goals from their first five Premier League matches, with Frank Lampard's side being questioned for their lapses in defence, but with Wednesday's win Chelsea have now kept five consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, erasing virtually all of those defensive doubts.

Chelsea have now kept five successive clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since 2010. That run, from September to October, came under Carlo Ancelotti in a season that saw the club finish second in the Premier League.

Having also not allowed a goal in consecutive Champions League matches, the Blues have now kept three straight clean sheets in the continental competition for the first time since 2009-10.

Chelsea's defensive improvements coincide with the arrival of Edouard Mendy, who has allowed just one goal in seven games since joining the club from Rennes.

While Chelsea's backline has shone, the attack has remained every bit as potent.

After seeing Timo Werner fire a pair of finishes from the penalty spot in the first half, Tammy Abraham added Chelsea's third with a goal in the 50th minute. With his goal, Abraham became the first player to score in three consecutive Champions League starts for Chelsea since Willian in 2015.

In addition, he also became the first Englishman to do so since Lampard in 2008.

It's not the only way he Abraham matched Lampard on Wednesday, as Reece James' assist on the forward's goal made that occasion the first time two Englishmen have combined for a Champions League goals for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge since March 2012.

That combination included Lampard, who provided an assist to John Terry in a clash with Napoli.

Next up for Chelsea is a match against Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge this weekend before players depart for the international break.

Mikel Arteta insists he has never felt disrespected by his players referring to him by his first name.

The Arsenal boss was responding to comments made by former Manchester United captain Roy Keane following Sunday’s 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.

Keane was covering the game as a pundit for Sky Sports and was clearly irked by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang referring to Arteta as ‘Mikel’ during a post-match interview.

“They didn’t show him respect when they called him by his name, Mikel,” Keane said. “He’s the manager, the boss, the gaffer. That’s respect. “Not Mikel, he’s not his mate.”

However Arteta is adamant Aubameyang and his team-mates are free to call him what they want and says his captain was not showing him any kind of disrespect.

“I was told that Roy mentioned that,” said the Arsenal boss ahead of his side’s Europa League meeting with Molde on Thursday night. “I think it is something very in particular.

“I give them the choice to call me whatever they feel comfortable with. With some of them obviously I shared a dressing room. There are people at the training ground who call me boss or coach. The French guys call me coach. It depends. It’s not an issue for me.

“I don’t feel disrespected. I understand why he is saying that as a player, but the way I feel with them - and I feel so close with them, with some of them I played with - so for me it is not an issue and it is not the way I would feel respected or disrespected.”

Arteta admits he was worried about how easy it was going to be to distance himself from his players following his return to Arsenal last year.

The likes of Mesut Ozil, Mohamed Elneny, Hector Bellerin and Emi Martinez had all been former team-mates of his during his time as a player in north London, but he says ultimately it was not a tough situation to manage.

“It has not been something difficult,” he said. “It is something that before I joined I was a bit concerned with, and at the moment I am not. Because I think it is not just something that has to come from me.

“It is something that both parties have to understand, respect and go about the relationship in the same way. To be fair they made it really, really easy for me in that sense. Obviously the feelings I have for them won’t change whether I am on one side or the other, because at the end we are part of the same thing.”

John Obi Mikel was in action while Ismaila Sarr scored the match-winner as Watford secured a 3-2 comeback victory over Stoke City in Wednesday’s Championship game.

Mikel was handed his 10th league start since teaming up with the Potters in the summer and was afforded the opportunity to captain the side.

The 33-year-old formed a four-man midfield along with Jordan Thompson, James McClean and Tyrese Campbell.

Mikel played his part for Michael O'Neill’s men in the match but his effort was not enough to help them to avoid defeat as Senegal international Sarr emerged as the hero of the match.

Sarr, who was handed his seventh appearance for Watford, scored the goal that made the difference in the encounter.

Stoke started the game on an impressive note, opening the scoring as early as the second minute through Steven Fletcher.

Tom Cleverley levelled proceedings for the Hornets moments before the half-hour mark with a fine finish.

Watford continued to push for a home victory and were rewarded for their efforts when Joao Pedro converted from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.

Mikel was cautioned in the 79th minute after a late challenge and two minutes later, Nick Powell level matter for Watford.

Sarr then scored the all-important goal that handed Watford victory in additional time when he fired his effort into the bottom corner after receiving a sumptuous assist from Ken Sema.

The strike is the winger’s second in the current campaign after opening his season account against Wycombe Wanderers in October.

Sarr featured for the duration of the game while his teammate and Nigeria international William Troost-Ekong was an unused substitute.

Mikel was on parade for the entirety of the game and had 41 touches on the ball while also making two tackles.

The former Super Eagles captain has now featured 11 times for Stoke in the 2020-21 season and will hope to lead his side return to winning ways when they square off against Reading.

Sarr, meanwhile, will look to add to his tally when Watford take on Coventry City on Saturday.

Orlando Pirates assistant coach Fadlu Davids says Thembinkosi Lorch's injury does not look good ahead of Sunday's Soweto Derby clash against Kaizer Chiefs.

The Bafana Bafana international picked up an injury in the first-half against Bloemfontein Celtic in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match on Wednesday night.

Lorch has now joined Frank Mhango, Tshegofatsho Mabasa and Thulani Hlatshwayo on the injury list at the Houghton-based giants.

Davids, who was in charge of the team in the absence of head coach Josef Zinnbauer, provided an update on Lorch.

“That’s it, we have to second guess now a decision to stick with a similar team knowing that it was an intensive game against Kaizer Chiefs," Davids told SuperSport TV. 

“Now with injuries, Lorch it doesn’t look good but we’ll get the information from the doctors after the game."

Terrence Dzvukamanja was also substituted after picking up an injury in the second-half, but Pirates were able to secure a 1-0 win over Celtic.

Davids was happy to see Bucs secure a win despite his players struggling with fatigue following the team's 3-0 win over Chiefs in the MTN8 semi-final first-leg match on Saturday.

“You could see they were much fresher, much sharper to the ball. Our fatigue really, with the intensive match against Kaizer Chiefs," he said. 

“You could see in the first half going into the second half we were too slow, we were too slow to the ball. Too slow with our passing and it was not really as it should be."

Pirates broke the deadlock when Paseka Mako set-up fellow second-half substitute Siphesihle Ndlovu, who hit the back of the net with a well-taken shot from outside the box in the 78th minute.

“Definitely the substitutes came in and made a difference, a bit more aggressive in midfield, a bit more direct in attack. It was not about pretty football tonight," he added.

“It was about the points and I think that’s what the boys did in the second half especially. Once we made the changes, we took control of the game and yes, we deservedly win."

It was Pirates' first win of the season in the league having recorded draws against AmaZulu FC and Stellenbosch FC before facing Celtic.

The Buccaneers will take a 3-0 aggregate lead into their second-leg clash against Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo became just the second player to feature in 18 consecutive Champions League campaigns and Alvaro Morata scored twice as Juventus claimed a 4-1 win over Ferencvaros.

Having missed Juve's opening two Group G games – a win over Dynamo Kiev and a defeat to Barcelona – due to testing positive for coronavirus, Ronaldo, who scored twice on his return to Serie A action against Spezia, closed in on Iker Casillas' record of appearing in 20 successive Champions League seasons when he started in Budapest.

Miha Blazic's outstanding tackle prevented Ronaldo marking the occasion with a goal on Wednesday, though Juve had already taken the lead through Alvaro Morata's early effort.

Ronaldo did record an assist, however, setting up Morata to curl in a superb second before Paulo Dybala pounced on a goalkeeping error.

Lasha Dvali's own goal completed the rout, with Franck Boli snatching a late consolation at the other end in the closing stages.

Juve failed to register a shot on target in their defeat to Barca last week, yet Ronaldo had already tested Ferencvaros goalkeeper Denes Dibusz inside four minutes.

Andrea Pirlo's side had their opener three minutes later – Juan Cuadrado teeing up Morata to tap in.

Ronaldo looked set to make it 2-0 prior to the break, but Blazic made a wonderful challenge to prevent a certain goal, with Juve's number seven then forcing Dibusz into action after the restart.

After ignoring Morata for a chance he blazed wide, Ronaldo made no mistake three minutes later, supplying a neat pass into the Spaniard, who sent a fantastic finish into the top-right corner.

Morata made way shortly after and his replacement Dybala made a swift impact, tucking into an empty net after Dibusz failed to control a backpass. 

Another Dibusz calamity gifted Juve a fourth – Dvali only able to turn Dybala's strike in off the bar – though Boli did at least get Ferencvaros on the scoresheet when he finished on the rebound.

What does it mean? Ronaldo gets Juve back to winning ways

Juve managed to win just one of their four matches in all competitions during Ronaldo's absence, but have won both of the games since his return.

The Bianconeri sit second in Group G, three points behind Barca, who saw off Dynamo at Camp Nou.

Morata hitting the mark

Spain international Morata thrived in his first stint at Juve and has enjoyed a good start to his second spell with the Italian champions. He has now scored six goals in total, all of them coming away from home, and the 28-year-old seems right at home after largely indifferent spells at Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.

Dybala profits from dismal Dibusz

Juve had the points secured at 2-0, but substitute Dybala was gift-wrapped a goal when Dibusz – who made five saves in total – knocked a pass into his path.

The goalkeeper made a second howler in the 82nd minute, hitting an attempted pass straight to Dybala, whose shot was helped in by Dvali.

What's next?

Lazio host Juve on Sunday in Serie A, while Ferencvaros are their next Champions League opponents on November 24.

RB Leipzig gained a measure of revenge for their 2019-20 Champions League semi-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain, coming from behind to claim a potentially crucial 2-1 win in Group H.

PSG, despite being without both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar through injury, started brightly at Red Bull Arena and took an early lead through Angel Di Maria.

However, the game turned on a tale of two penalties, with Di Maria failing to make it 2-0 from 12 yards before former PSG midfielder Christopher Nkunku levelled in the 41st minute.

Leipzig were then given a chance to complete the turnaround from the penalty spot and it was one Emil Forsberg did not waste, sealing a victory that moves them level on points with group leaders Manchester United and three points clear of PSG, who finished the game with nine men after Idrissa Gueye and Presnel Kimpembe were sent off.

Careless defending from Dayot Upamecano gifted PSG the opener after five minutes, Moise Kean intercepting his attempted backpass and deftly playing in Di Maria to break the deadlock.

Only a tremendous double save from Keylor Navas prevented Leipzig from levelling almost immediately as Amadou Haidara and Angelino were denied from close range in quick succession.

Yet Leipzig continued to look extremely vulnerable at the back and were thankful to Peter Gulacsi for preserving a one-goal deficit as he got down low to keep out Di Maria's spot-kick after Upamecano handled Kean's shot in the area.

Di Maria and Kean each had the ball in the net but saw goals ruled out for offside and PSG's inability to punish Leipzig's poor play at the back proved costly when Nkunku rifled into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the area.

A great run down the left from Forsberg ended with him blazing over the bar but he did have the decisive say in the 57th minute, sneaking his penalty into the bottom-left corner after Kimpembe handled a ball into the PSG box.

Gueye received a second yellow for fouling Haidara in a battle for a 50-50 ball and PSG's frustrations were heightened late in stoppage time when a cynical foul saw Kimpembe given his marching orders for his second bookable offence.

What does it mean? Leipzig gain advantage in wide-open group

Manchester United's surprise defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir left this group very much up for grabs and Leipzig will feel much better about their hopes of progressing after this comeback.

Having lost 3-0 in the semi-finals last season, it looked like this game would end in similar fashion as PSG dominated in the first half. However, Leipzig grew into the game after Di Maria failed with his penalty and were good value for the three points. With two defeats from three games, last season's finalists are facing a significant challenge to reach the last 16.

Forsberg a force

Forsberg was instrumental in Leizpig's turnaround. In addition to scoring the decisive penalty, he also played two key passes and had an impressive passing accuracy of 92.9 per cent in the PSG half.

Gueye and Kimpembe see red

Gueye became the first PSG player since Marco Verratti in March 2018 against Real Madrid to receive a red card in the Champions League. Kimpembe followed him in injury time, capping a miserable night that also saw him concede the crucial penalty.

What's next?

Leipzig, two points behind Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, host Freiburg on Saturday, when PSG welcome Rennes to the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1.

Football Manager, the popular football management simulation, has introduced FMFC, its newest feature that will allow fans to get closer to the game. 

FMFC will give fans access to exclusive content, gameplay insights and feature drops as the highly anticipated release of FM21 nears. 

“The Football Manager community is heavily engaged with us and extremely passionate about the game so we wanted to create a place where we can bring the community closer to our work and reward them for their support which has been even more appreciated this year," Sports Interactive’s studio director Miles Jacobson said.

"We can’t wait to see FMFC grow over the months and years to come.”

Sports Interactive is the developer of Football Manager, the world’s leading football management simulation title.

Fans can sign up for FMFC on Football Manager's website, and all fans who sign up before November 9 will be automatically in the draw for a chance to win a top-spec gaming laptop and one of 100 copies of FM21 for PC/Mac.

FMFC will deliver exclusive content to fans that aims to be relevant to their needs, such as insider tips and guides suitable to the games they play. They will also receive contract bonuses in the form of member-only incentives and competitions.

FM21 is set to be released on November 24 after some uncertainty over whether the pandemic would delay the game this year. 

Though it was slightly delayed, Jacobson is satisfied that the game will deliver a unique and better experience than ever before.

“Football Manager 2021 is a historic release for us as a studio," Jacobson said.

"We’re bringing FM to more platforms than ever before and giving more people the chance to manage their favourite club – whether that’s on their PC, from the comfort of their sofa or on their phone or tablet.”

Furthermore, users will be granted Early Access to Football Manager 2021 two weeks before the launch date after pre-purchasing the game from a SEGA approved retailer before November 24.

There will be a pre-purchase discount of 10 per cent available to users to buy the game early.

Football Manager 2021 Touch will be available in December for Nintendo Switch, while the Xbox release date is not yet known.

Former Ghana Africa Cup of Nations- winning attacker Mohammed Polo believes the west Africans are unlikely to end their long wait for a trophy at the next continental gathering.

Four-time champions Ghana have endured a series of misses and disappointments since last time ruling the continent in Libya in 1982.

New Black Stars coach CK Akonnor, whose first game at the helm of affairs ended in a 3-0 loss to Mali in a friendly fixture last month, has been tasked to lead the team to success at the next tournament in Cameroon two years from now.

"To be frank, Ghana is not respected anymore on the continent. Mali scoring us 3-0 justifies what I am saying," Polo who helped Ghana win the Afcon title in 1978, told Bryt FM.

"Some years back, other countries had great respect for our game but as we speak it is no more because they are able to score us with ease.

“During our time, countries on the continent, especially the North Africans, had to cheat before they can score you. It is about time we started organising ourselves well.

"I can emphasise North Africans countries are currently ruling the game on the continent.

“I think we are sleeping, a country that has been likened to Brazil. We had players that were compared to world-class players like [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Lionel] Messi and others.

"We need to start organising ourselves if we want to win a trophy but for now I don’t think we can end the trophy drought anytime soon."

After the disappointing loss to Mali though, Akonnor and his payers bounced back with a 5-1 thrashing of Asian champions and 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar in a second friendly tie.

The Black Stars return to action next week with a double-header header of games against Sudan in the 2022 Afcon qualifiers.

Their last appearance at the continental showpiece ended in heavy disappointment as a Round of 16 loss to Tunisia ensured Ghana failed to reach the quarter-final of the tournament for the first time since 2006.

In 2017, they reached the last four.

Timo Werner scored two first-half penalties as Chelsea maintained their unbeaten start in Champions League Group E with a 3-0 win over Rennes on Wednesday.

Frank Lampard's side drew 0-0 with Valencia in their opening game before crushing Krasnodar 4-0 last week and got off to a fine start against their Ligue 1 opponents, with Werner slotting home from the spot in the 10th minute after he had been fouled by Dalbert. 

The Brazilian was then dismissed after receiving a second yellow card for handball in the area four minutes before the interval, Werner stepping up to slam home his seventh goal of the season in all competitions. 

Tammy Abraham added a third five minutes into the second half as Chelsea moved onto seven points at the summit of Group E, level with Sevilla. 

Chelsea were given the opportunity to take an early lead when Dalbert tripped Werner in the penalty area, the German following up his penalty against Krasnodar last week with another successful spot-kick that proved too powerful for Alfred Gomis. 

Dalbert's dismal first half went from bad to worse shortly before the interval when he received a second booking for handling Abraham's shot inside the penalty area, referee Felix Zwayer reaching the decision after consulting the pitchside monitor. 

Werner stepped up again and lashed into the roof of Gomis' net to double Chelsea's advantage.

Hakim Ziyech blazed a half-volley over from eight yards shortly after the restart before Abraham turned home Reece James' cross inside the six-yard area to put the Blues 3-0 up.

Gomis denied substitute Olivier Giroud late on as Chelsea ultimately failed to add further gloss to what was the most comfortable of victories.

What does it mean? Blues barely break into a sweat

Champions League games are not meant to be this easy. Rennes might well point to the dismissal of Dalbert as the turning point, but Lampard's men were already cruising at that stage. They restricted Julien Stephan's side to just two shots on target and enjoyed 57 per cent possession in a dominant display. 

The result means Chelsea have now suffered just one defeat in their last 16 Champions League group games at home. 

James on relentless form

James was superb at right-back for Chelsea, his wonderful cross for Abraham's goal one of six he delivered during an all-action display. He also gained possession a team-high eight times and completed 92.3 per cent of his passes. 

Dalbert's torrid 40 minutes

The on-loan Inter defender endured a tumultuous first half, giving away two penalties and receiving a red card. The fact he completed 100 per cent of his 17 passes will be of no comfort at all. 

What's next?

Chelsea host struggling Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday before the international break, while Rennes face a daunting trip to Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain on the same day.

New Legon Cities acquisition Asamoah Gyan believes the club does not automatically become title contenders by their strong presence in the transfer market.

The Royals have been hailed for what has been tagged arguably the biggest transfer deal in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) by their signing of their former Sunderland and Udinese forward.

Legon went through a struggle in the league last season, their misery ended by the premature termination of the football season due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

"Saying you can challenge for the league is very easy," Gyan said, as reported by Footballghana.

"You can purchase all the best players in the world but without knowing what you like, we cannot be successful.

“We have to play some matches before we will know whether we can win the league or not.

"The most important thing is that management are doing their best because they’ve signed players they think can help the progress of the team."

Gyan's first and only previous stint in the GPL was with Liberty Professionals whom he left for Udinese in 2003.

"I’m a professional football player; Legon Cities is also a professional football team," the striker explained.

"They made an offer; I felt their offer will help me and the league as well. Now I’m home and will get the opportunity to see my family.

“They have a project for Ghana football and it is not going to benefit those playing in the country alone, it will benefit a lot of people.

"I’m proud to be part of Legon Cities, so as a professional footballer I’m doing my job.

"We always want to achieve something as footballers. A lot of players look up to me, seeing me on the field is a massive booster. I would try as much as possible to deliver my message and experience [to the rest of the team] so we can work together and have a good season."

In the last 17 years, the 34-year-old also featured for French outfit Stade Rennais, Sunderland in the English Premier League, Al Ain and Al Ahli Dubai in the UAE, Shanghai SIPG in China, Turkish side Kayserispor and most recently NorthEast United in India.

He is presently Ghana's most-capped and all-time top scorer, having made 109 international outings and found the back of the net on 51 occasions.

Legon are set to kick off the upcoming GPL season with a clash with Berekum, a match which could mark Gyan's return. 

Lionel Messi marked his 150th European appearance for Barcelona with a goal as Ronald Koeman's side saw off stubborn opponents Dynamo Kiev 2-1 in Wednesday's entertaining Champions League clash.

The superstar forward scored from the penalty spot for the third Group G game running and Gerard Pique added a second, but only after Barca had been given a number of scares.

Returning goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen produced a handful of top-class saves, the best of the lot to keep out Vitaliy Buyalskiy's free header in the first half, while Tomasz Kedziora had a goal ruled out.

Dynamo named a depleted squad due to a coronavirus outbreak in the camp and pushed their opponents all the way thanks to Viktor Tsygankov's strike 15 minutes from time, though Barca held on to make it nine points from nine.

Denys Popov tripped Messi in the box early on and the Argentina international tucked the spot-kick away from Ruslan Neshcheret into the bottom-right corner.

Pedri hit the underside of the crossbar after being picked out by Sergino Dest and Antoine Griezmann fired wide from six yards as Barca looked for a quickfire second.

Neshcheret was making only his second senior appearance and kept out a couple of efforts from Messi before half-time, either side of Ter Stegen's reaction stop to deny Buyalskiy.

Barcelona were given a couple of warnings early in the second period as Ter Stegen was equal to Tsygankov from a one-on-one and Kedziora's headed goal was chalked off as a corner had curled out of play.

Vladyslav Supriaha was the next to be thwarted by Ter Stegen, shortly before Neshcheret tipped over Messi's free-kick from the best of his saves in what was turning out to be a battle of the keepers.

Pique thought he had finally killed off Dynamo when guiding Ansu Fati's cross into the back of the net, only for Tsygankov to tap in at the other end after Benjamin Verbic's saved shot rolled into his path.

The visitors could not find a late leveller, though, with the Catalan giants managing the remainder of the game well to all but book a place in the last 16 of the competition.

What does it mean? Barcelona on brink of knockouts

This is a game that will very much be remembered for the performances of both keepers - Ter Stegen making six saves to Neshcheret's 11.

Indebted to Ter Stegen, Barca retain a three-point lead over Juventus - 4-1 winners over Ferencvaros in Budapest on Wednesday - while Dynamo are eight points worse off in third at the midway point.

Koeman's men may have made their joint-worst start to a LaLiga season since the competition shifted to three points for a win, but they have a perfect record in Europe and must now transfer that form into their flagging domestic campaign.

Ter Stegen's return

Barca have been shaky in Ter Stegen's absence this term, with stand-in Neto simply not having the same calming presence at the back, as highlighted by his error in the 1-1 draw with Alaves last time out.

This display shows just why many rate the German as the best number one on the planet, and yet he was arguably not even the best goalkeeper on the pitch today - Neshcheret, aged just 18, claiming that honour on a day to remember.

Griezmann's sitter

Barcelona were given a real scare by Dynamo but it surely would have been an entirely different game had Griezmann converted his easy chance from six yards shortly after Messi's opener.

Despite being fielded through the middle, the France international struggled to get involved in the game, managing just 22 touches of the ball before being withdrawn after an hour - the fewest of any outfield player up to that point.

What's next?

Barcelona host Real Betis on Saturday in their final LaLiga outing before the international break, while Dynamo take on Shakhtar Donetsk in a top-of-the-table clash in the Ukrainian Premier League the following day.

Mamelodi Sundowns Manqoba Mngqithi was not fully satisfied with his team’s performance in their 2-0 victory in the DStv Premiership against Cape Town City in the Mother City on Wednesday evening.

It was a first league win for Sundowns in four matches against City, the three points secured by a Lyle Lakay goal in the ninth minute and a goal by Keletso Makgalwa in the 83rd minute.

There were some aspects of play which pleased Mngqithi, including the clean sheet his side kept.

And he also spoke of his satisfaction at the way his players were able to nullify the Cape Town City threats such as Fagrie Lakay, Craig Martin, Bradley Ralani and Thabo Nodada.

“We dealt with the situation very well in terms of managing the transitions, and breaking the press a little bit,” he told SuperSport TV after the match.

Mngqithi’s issues were that his side were not more clinical, that they didn’t kill off the match earlier, and that they were not always purposeful enough in their own transitions.

“I’m very unhappy - the game was a little bit scrappy,” he said. “We allowed them moments when they could easily have come back, when we could have really buried the game earlier on.

“We are still not taking care of the ball as much as we should. Losing possession too cheaply at times, we get excited after good pressing moments but when we regain possession we are not playing forward with intent to cause harm to the opponents,” he later added.

The coach accepts, though, that it’s still early in the season and did find some other positives from Wednesday’s match.

“Its work in progress, Once again one must commend the work that is done by the coaches we work with [Rhulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela]," Mngqithi enthused.

“The set-piece we scored with Lakay they worked on and it really encouraging to see that things we working on in training are coming off.

“And to work with people with so much experience and knowledge and detail. And also the medical team to get players back on time.”

It was yet another frustrating evening for Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt as his side were held to a 0-0 league draw by Premier Soccer League (PSL) newcomers TS Galaxy at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.

It was the Glamour Boys' third league match of the season and also the third time they've failed to hit the net. This followed a 3-0 defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns and a 1-0 win over Chippa United which came courtesy of an own goal by Gregory Damons.

Against Galaxy, Chiefs had their chances but lacked cool and composed heads in the opposition box as the likes of Lebogang Manyama, Khama Billiat, Bernard Parker and Leonardo Castro continue to fire blanks.

The one man who could potentially be putting away those chances, based on the 13 he scored in the league last season, is the injured Serbian marksman Samir Nurkovic.

"Last year they [Chiefs] scored 48 goals, 23 from set-pieces," Hunt told SuperSport TV after the match when asked about his side's failure to capitalise on a series of free-kicks they earned against Galaxy.

"You can see why - the top goal scorer [Nurkovic] is obviously not playing. I think he scored half of them [the set-piece goals]. So there's your problem. Unbelievable chances, you've got to be taking them.

"He's the guy who scored most of them last season, not playing, so that's a problem and he won't be ready for two or three months.

The Chiefs coach did at least feel that his team finished the game on the front foot, which may be a good thing with Sunday's second leg of the MTN8 semi-finals against Orlando Pirates looming large. Chiefs have a three-goal disadvantage to overturn.

"The longer the game went I thought we got stronger," Hunt said. "But certainly overall, what we got out of the group. that's all we can do, get maximum out of the group on every game. That's all I can do.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United's last two losses have been like "a punch in our stomach" as pressure continues to rise on the manager.

Manchester United were stunned by Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday, with the Turkish side sealing a 2-1 win over Solskjaer's side.

A pair of mistakes from the Red Devils paved the way for both goals, with the failure to get back on a set piece dooming the Red Devils on Demba Ba's opener.

Edin Visca then added a second following a giveaway, making Anthony Martial's goal just before halftime nothing more than a consolation.

United then struggled to create in the second half as they slumped to their second loss in a row following a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League last weekend.

Solskjaer's side have collected six points from their first two Champions League matches, wins over Paris Saint-German and RB Leipzig, but the group remains open thanks to Wednesday's defeat.

And, in the Premier League, the club currently sits 15th, having won just two of their first six matches while collecting seven total points.

With his team struggling, Solskjaer admitted that the club is hurting, adding that there must be a response this weekend against Everton.

"Disappointed with the result," Solskjaer said. "We picked a team to win the game and hoped we had enough to create chances and we didn’t. Emotion doesn’t matter emotions after you lose. That’s not something we go out to do."

"The last two results have been a punch in our stomach and the only way I know of, and I hope the players as well, the only way to respond is to get your act together for Everton," he added. 

"That’s going to be tough and difficult, I’m glad we’ve got a game on Saturday."

Solskajer made several changes to his starting XI, as he benched Paul Pogba and started Dean Henderson for Wednesday's match.

He turned to Donny van de Beek and Nemanja Matic in the midfield, with Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial in the attack, while Axel Tuenzebe stepped into the defence.

And Solskjaer says that he doesn't believe that the changes contributed to the club's downfall.

"Look at the number of changes, we trained and prepared well," he said. "We had a game on Sunday, then tonight and very early kickoff on Saturday so we decided to make a few changes.

"Nothing different to what we’ve normally done. Tactically, we just didn’t perform."