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Virgil van Dijk is “the full package” when it comes to modern-day centre-halves, says Danny Murphy, with the Liverpool defender considered to be a better all-round performer than Rio Ferdinand and John Terry.

That is some billing for the Netherlands international, but his consistency over recent years has placed him into a notable talent bracket.

For many, a man taken to Liverpool for £75 million ($97m) in the winter window of 2018 has already secured a place among the Premier League’s all-time greats.

Murphy is among those to hold said opinion, with the former Liverpool midfielder claiming that a commanding 29-year-old merely needs more silverware in order to cement a standing above iconic figures from Manchester United and Chelsea’s past.

“I was very fortunate to play with Rio Ferdinand in his pomp with England,” Murphy told talkSPORT.

“He was one of the very best centre-halves I’ve ever seen as well.

“But Van Dijk for me is the full package. There are no weaknesses in his game.

“I think his long-range passing was better than Rio’s but we are splitting hairs.

“The only thing that Van Dijk doesn’t have is longevity because Rio and Terry played over a decade and won trophies in that time. That’s what Van Dijk has got to do.”

Liverpool are going to have to try and chase down more major honours this season without Van Dijk at their disposal.

He is facing up to a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering knee ligament damage in a dramatic derby date with Merseyside rivals Everton.

A reckless challenge from Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has left Van Dijk requiring surgery, with Murphy admitting that the Dutchman is going to be a big miss.

He has told BBC Sport: “They are going to be worse off without him. They are going to be more vulnerable defensively without Van Dijk because he’s the best in the world – he’s the best centre-half I’ve ever seen, he’s that good.

“You are going to be more vulnerable. Fabinho could drop in there if [Joe] Gomez or [Joel] Matip are struggling, but after that, there isn’t that much cover.

“They have got to get through to January really, because it probably looks as though he is going to be out for the rest of the season.

“The circumstances surrounding it aren’t good. He must be devastated watching that back because it could easily have been avoided. I’d be angry.”

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa has maintained his ultimate goal is to see Kenya play in the World Cup in the next four years.

The 41-year-old IT guru was handed another four-year term to run football in the country on Saturday after he humiliated his opponents in a national election where he secured 77 votes with his closest challenger only managing 5.

Former Gor Mahia CEO Omondi Aduda with his running mate Athanas Obango came second with just five votes. Herbert Mwachiro, who once served as the FKF deputy CEO alongside Harold Ndege, who is a former Kenya international, walked home with three votes.

Journalist Boniface Osano and his running mate had nothing to smile about since they walked home empty-handed, the same as Dan Mule, who had presented Peter Lichungu as his running mate.

Mwendwa has now told Goal, his main target in the next four years is to make sure Kenya takes part in the World Cup.

“I don’t know how we will achieve it, but I am sure we will make it, in the next four years, I want to see Kenya in the World Cup,” Mwendwa told Goal. “I don’t know if it will be the men’s team or the women’s team but I want to see Kenya represented at the world stage.

“This will happen soon, I want to put more emphasis on national teams and I know with proper planning, everything we want will be achieved.”

Apart from taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations for men and the Africa Women Cup of Nations, Kenya is yet to participate in the world stage.

On being re-elected, Mwendwa called on all his rivals to join him in making Kenyan football better.

“I also want to ask those who were competing against me, and even those who lost in various positions here today [Saturday] I am welcoming them to my side, let them come, we work together, let us put our heads together to improve our football,” Mwendwa told Goal.

"I cannot do this on my own [achieving set targets] or with the team, you have given me, I need everyone on board so we can achieve our set targets.

“We have several targets we must achieve in the next four years, I want to see Kenya in the World Cup, for both men and women national teams, I know it might sound like a dream or even a joke, but we can make it, we need proper planning and that is why I want everyone on board.”

Mwendwa’s first major assignment will be the Africa Cup of Nations double-header against Comoros in November.

Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Timo Werner is at his best when he's played in a central striker role but doesn't feel his goals will be enough to lead a defensively-suspect Blues to the title.

Werner completed a £47.5 million ($62m) move to Chelsea from RB Leipzig in June after another outstanding individual season in the Bundesliga.

The Germany international scored 95 goals in 159 outings for Julian Nagelsmann's side in total, earning attention from a number of top clubs in the process, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United.

However, Frank Lampard managed to convince Werner that Stamford Bridge was the best place for him to continue his development, and he subsequently committed to the Blues through to 2025.

The 24-year-old has started slowly in the Premier League, drawing blanks in his first four outings, but he finally managed to get off the mark during a 3-3 draw with Southampton on Saturday.

Werner scored a superb individual goal to open the scoring before doubling his account with a well-taken finish just before the hour mark and will be expected to continue delivering the goods in the final third as the season progresses.

Hasselbaink has been impressed with what he's seen from the ex-Leipzig star so far, but would like to see Lampard deploy him in a central role all the time, rather than wide on the left.

"Yes, he is very sharp," the former Chelsea forward told Sky Sports:  "He just turns the defender so easy and there is only one thing on his mind and that’s to get the shot off.

"He is not somebody who likes to play with his back to goal. He likes to see the goal and make his run always on the shoulder of the centre-halves.

"He just knows where the back of the net is. I like him when he plays through the middle but not when he plays on the left.

"He does drift and then come back but yeah, a top striker. His runs are limited because he can only come from the left and cut back into the right-sided centre-half, he is more restricted and he likes to be free.

"He likes to take his time and get the ball down. He is never with his back to goal. I didn’t like to do it, I wasn’t good enough like a (Johan) Cruyff or (Marco) van Basten or whatever.

"He is, in a way, the same. He knows his strength and he wants to make runs at the centre-half.

"For me, what I have seen of him, also in Germany, he is the real deal and he doesn’t care how they go in, he just wants goals."

The Dutchman does not, however, think Werner can fire Chelsea to Premier League glory in 2020-21, with it his belief that his old club are far too vulnerable at the back to sustain a title challenge.

"No, Chelsea are not contenders [for the title]," said Hasselbaink. "They are leaking too many goals. It is a breath of fresh air to see them going forward with the likes of Mason Mount and Werner.

"But the defence is a worry, if they cannot improve the centre-backs and goalkeeper it is a concern.

"Alisson wins Liverpool points, but that doesn't happen with Kepa. Chelsea need to improve in that area."

Gor Mahia forward Nicholas Kipkirui has welcomed the new arrivals at the club stating they will just make the team better.

In the attacking department, K'Ogalo have recruited Malawi teenager Andrew Malisero, Tito Okello from Vipers SC, and Burundian Jules Ulimwengu who was playing for Rayon Sports. These players are direct competition to the former Zoo FC hitman but it does not worry him much.

"The more players we have in one department the better for the team," Kipkirui told Goal.

"The new attackers will make the team better and I welcome them in the team. When we have competition, it pushes everyone to give his best and it makes one better. 

"So, I am not worried about their arrivals; it is a challenge for me to give my best and be considered in the first team."

K'Ogalo will start the 2020/21 campaign against Tusker FC, a team they defeated 5-2 in the reverse fixture during the abandoned 2019/20 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season. 

The 11-time champions have not been as active as Gor Mahia in the league and many believe they will fall in their opening game. But Kipkirui thinks otherwise.

"Every game is tough regardless of the opponent you are playing against," Kipkirui added.

"There is no easy team in the league and we are not going to underrate [Tusker] when we play them. As usual, every match is important to us and we will be aiming at collecting maximum points on the pitch. We usually prepare ourselves well before playing any game.

"Injuries have been a problem at times, but it is my hope that things will be different this time around. I pray that we will not have any, or maybe if they happen, then very minimal."

So what should Gor Mahia fans expect?

"We promise to make them happy in every match we play; we just want to win," Kipkurui stated.

"As usual, we urge the fans to turn up in large numbers and give us the support we need, and we will surely not disappoint."

Gor Mahia will also represent Kenya in the Caf Champions League after they were crowned by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in the abandoned season.

Edinson Cavani “still hasn’t ticked all the boxes” at Manchester United, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the experienced striker unable to “live on memory” when it comes to making a Red Devils debut.

The Uruguayan frontman was taken to Old Trafford on deadline day of the summer transfer window.

He had been sat in the free agent pool for a few months by the time that deal was done, with United exploring other options before turning to the proven 33-year-old.

Questions have been asked of whether Cavani can deliver the goods in English football, but plenty are tipping him to make a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-style impact for United.

Solskjaer believes the former Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain star will prove to be a shrewd addition in time, but admits he cannot be thrown in at the deep end before working on his match sharpness.

The United boss told the club’s official website after taking the decision to leave Cavani out of a Champions League opener that would have seen him reunited with PSG: “He’s naturally fit. He is fit enough but he needs to play football with the rest of the players and be in those kinds of situations.

“Of course, you can’t live on memory, really, because it’s been a while.

“He’s very thorough, professional and he knows what he needs and what he wants. He still hasn’t ticked all the boxes before he’s available to play.”

While Cavani will play no part on Tuesday in the familiar surrounds of Parc des Princes, the likes of Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial are heading back home.

Solskjaer believes his France internationals will be determined to put on a show, saying: “I think it will inspire everyone.

“Paul and Anthony being back home, it adds a little bit of spice. French players want to do well in this fantastic stadium. Everyone’s ready.” 

A positive start to their continental campaign in the so-called ‘Group of Death’ is imperative for United, with Solskjaer conceding that 10 points may not be enough to guarantee progress as the Red Devils prepare to lock horns with PSG, RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir.

He added: “It should be enough, then again it’s a difficult group.

“I remember in ’99, we all had two wins and four draws. It was decided on goals scored. Of course, you can’t get 10 points [against PSG], but it’s a good chance to get off to a good start.” 

Two Young Africans (Yanga SC) players are set to miss Mainland Premier League action when the Jangwani outfit hosts Polisi Tanzania on Thursday.

Ahead of Cedric Kaze’s first game in charge as Yanga coach, the two - Mapinduzi Balama and Ally Makame - will miss the game at Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium due to injury and malaria respectively.

According to Yanga team manager Hafidhi Saleh, both players were in line to play a role in the fixture but have now been ruled out.

“[Balama] is working his way back to full fitness and has started light exercise to make him fit, however, the medical team is yet to confirm his fitness if he can join the first team training,” Saleh told Goal.

“On the other hand, Makame is suffering from a bout of malaria and he has been excused from the squad, we will check him out if he will be available for the next match.”

Balama has become a regular in Yanga’s team where he scored three goals last season, including the game against rivals Simba SC which gave him a chance to be nominated for the goal of the season.

Despite the absence of the two players, Yanga fans should be happy since coach Kaze has promised to revive the careers of strikers Michael Sarpong and Yacouba Songne at the club.

The two players were among the new arrivals at the club in the past transfer window, but they struggled to score goals under Serbian coach Zlatko Krmpotic, who was later fired by the club after only 37 days in charge.

However, Kaze, who joined Yanga to replace Krmpotic last Friday after penning a two-year deal, has revealed fans should expect to see the true colours of the two players, who he also claimed he had asked the club to sign.

Sarpong and Yaouba are new players in the squad and they are the key players in the striking area and I am happy each of them has managed to score a goal apiece so far in the league,” Kaze was quoted by Sokaletu.

“I want to be honest here, Sarpong and Yacouba are all good players, I know them very well and know the main reason they are struggling is because they are lacking someone to give them passes so that they can score goals.

“I can promise you that now that I have taken charge of the team, you will see a very big difference, you will see why I asked the club to sign them even on my behalf, very soon you will see their importance for the club.”

Yanga are currently lying third on the league table behind Azam FC and Simba with their last league match being a 3-0 win against Coastal Union at Mkapa Stadium.

Azam FC assistant coach Vivier Bahati has revealed they are not interested in how many goals they will score against Ihefu FC but are only keen to secure maximum points on Tuesday.

The ‘Ice-cream Makers’, who are topping the Mainland Premier League table with a 100 percent record, having won all their six matches played so far this season, will take on the promoted side at Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya.

Bahati has now explained they are not concerned with how many goals they will score to achieve the win but all they want is to win their seventh straight match in the league and add three points to their tally.

“We arrived safely in Mbeya and I can say the squad is 100 percent ready for the battle,” Bahati told reporters after the team trained at Sokoine Stadium ahead of the match.

“We are ready to search for three more points that will keep us at the top of the table and our problem is not a slim win or how we do it, our main problem is three points and that is what we are going for, we don’t care how we do it, our problem is at the end of the match we want three points.

“Even if we win 1-0, we will thank God, all we need this season is to win our matches and get maximum points, but if we get more than one goal and win the match that will also be good, but for now we need any win and three points and we will be okay.”

Bahati’s sentiments were echoed by the team captain Agrey Morris who said all they need is a win to keep staying perched at the top of the table.

“We respect Ihefu, we have a lot of respect for them, we know they lost their last league encounter and they will come looking to bounce to winning ways but we are also hungry for points and a win.

“We will fight to win the match and we don’t care how we achieve it; we are ready to return home with three points.”

The Chamazi-based Azam won their last match 3-0 against Mwadui FC at Chamazi complex with a brace from Obrey Chirwa and one goal from Prince Dube.

Zambian international Augustine Mulenga has revealed the reason for his departure from Orlando Pirates and subsequent signing for AmaZulu.

The Chipolopolo attacking midfielder was unveiled by Usuthu on Monday, alongside a host of other players including former Kaizer Chiefs star Siphiwe Tshabalala, as well as Siphelele Mthembu, Luvuyo Memela, Sicelo Mkhize, Siphelele Nene, Makhehleni Makhaula, Limbikani Mzava and Samnkelo Gwazela.

The South African soccer fraternity had previously been led to believe Mulenga had joined new Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, together with another Zambian international and ex-Orlando Pirates forward, Justin Shonga.

That proved however not to be the case as Shonga debuted during TTM's MTN8 defeat to SuperSport United last weekend before Mulenga popped up at Usuthu a couple of days later.

He did reveal that there had been contact from the Limpopo club but is preferring to focus on his new job with Durban-based AmaZulu.

“Yes, they (TTM) did want me but at that time I told them that I still needed time to think about it apart from that, there was nothing else said," he said.

“I was also surprised to hear them mention my name at the time they announced their new signings, but for me, I am here and I am so happy to join AmaZulu and I thank my family for helping me make this decision," Mulenga said at the media unveiling on Monday.

"It was not an easy decision because there were a lot of teams that wanted me,” he added.

The 30-year-old could turn out to be an astute signing by Usuthu. During his time with Pirates he showed some flashes of real class and scored a few excellent goals.

But he never really got going in the last two-and-a-half seasons with Bucs, his case probably not helped by a regular change of technical staff at the Soweto side as well as a high turnover of players.

Ultimately, he didn't play as much as he would have liked to and never really built up any momentum with the Sea Robbers.

“The reason I left Orlando Pirates is because last season, I didn’t have enough game time, and they signed new players this season but it wasn’t like I didn’t want to compete against these new signees, no,” Mulenga said.

“The thing is that I just didn’t want to go through what I went through last season no wonder I asked them that I wanted to leave.

“I am happy to be here and looking forward to meeting the other guys so that we can continue making the supporters happy and achieve the goals we are going to set for this season.”

As fate has it, the Zambian will be meeting up with some of his former Pirates colleagues in just a few days time as AmaZulu host the Buccaneers in their opening league fixture of the new campaign, at Jonsson Kings Park Stadium on Saturday evening.

“I can’t say that I am going to prove a point," he commented. "The thing is that everyone knows I am a good player and I can deliver at any time so I’ll just go out there to enjoy because football is part of me."

Watford boss Vladimir Ivic is hopeful star defender William Troost-Ekong could be passed fit to play against Blackburn Rovers in Wednesday’s Championship showdown.

The Nigeria international made his Hornets debut in Friday’s 1-0 away win over Derby County at the Pride Park Stadium, although, he was replaced by Craig Cathcart in the 71st minute when he appeared to have suffered a knock.

Nevertheless, Ivic is expecting him to be in action against Tony Mowbray’s Rovers having trained with the rest of the on Monday morning and looked to have dusted off the problem in his left hamstring.

He went further pleading with fans to be patient with the former Gent, Dordrecht and Haugesund man claiming it will take time before he adjusts with the team’s style of play following his move from Italian Serie A outfit Udinese.

“I expect he'll be available for this game and to give us his best,” Ivic told club website.

“He has quality and will help us for sure. We must be patient with him as he needs to adjust with new players.

“He needs to have information about the players and the players need to have information about him and his qualities. He is experienced and he'll adjust fast.”

After two seasons in Italy where he played in 66 Italian elite division encounters having previously moved from Turkish Super Lig giants Bursaspor, Troost-Ekong penned a five-year deal with the Hornets for an undisclosed amount.

Should Watford subdue the Rovers on Wednesday, it will help their bid to return to the English elite division.

As it stands, Watford are fifth in the log having accrued 10 points from five matches.

Sergio Lobera is undoubtedly one of the most successful managers in the Indian Super League (ISL) history. 

Three play-offs, one final and one Indian Super League (ISL) shield (well almost!), FC Goa flourished under the manager. With Lobera at the helm, one can be at assured of an attacking brand of football that promises goals. 

In his first season, he was criticized for the defensive lapses but in the subsequent campaigns, Goa did comparatively better at the back which made the Gaurs more formidable. 

The 43-year-old will be in the Mumbai City FC dugout in the upcoming season and which adds more significance to the rivalry between Mumbai and Goa. Moreover, players like Hugo Boumous, Mandar Rao Dessai, Ahmed Jahouh and Mourtada Fall have all followed Lobera from Goa to Mumbai. 

Let us look at the stats of Lobera during his managerial spell in India. 

The 2020-21 season of the UEFA Champions League is back. 

Europe's finest are all set to battle it out amongst each other to win the continent's most-coveted crown, with the matchday 1 set for kick-off. Defending champions Bayern Munich will be looking to continue their recent dominance. The Bavarians are up against Atletico Madrid on opening day. 

However, that is not the only tasty match-up awaiting us. Manchester United, making a comeback into the competition after a year, face a daunting journey to Paris to take on Thomas Tuchel's PSG. With memories from the dramatic Round of 16 second leg in Paris where United knocked out PSG still fresh, expect an intense battle. 

Meanwhile, Juventus are up against Dynamo Kyiv while Barcelona take on Ferencvaros. Chelsea have a tough matchday one task against Europa League champions Sevilla while Real Madrid are at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. 

Contents

Where to watch or stream the Champions League

The Sony Pictures Network (Sony and TEN channels) has the rights to show Champions League matches in India.

Matches will also be available to stream via SonyLIV app and website , allowing supporters to watch multiple games simultaneously and catch the replay of matches.
 

Champions League fixtures

Matchday 1

*UEFA Champions League matches may be streamed online on SonyLIV.

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Thomas Tuchel labelled Paul Pogba one of the best midfielders in the world ahead of Paris Saint-Germain's clash against Manchester United.

PSG host United in Paris on Tuesday to begin their Champions League campaign in Group H.

Ahead of the clash, Tuchel lauded Pogba, who has been linked with a move to the Ligue 1 champions previously.

"He is one of the best midfielders of the world. That's the key to stopping him," the PSG coach told a news conference.

"Bruno Fernandes who makes a lot of deep passes. One of the best teams in Europe in offensive transition. It's necessary to stop counter-attacks.

"We want to have the ball, we want to play with a lot of possession, we want to impose our style. We have to play with a good structure to play good pressing."

Pogba's former United team-mate, Ander Herrera, also praised the France international.

Herrera, who left the Premier League club for PSG last year, believes Pogba will be a Ballon d'Or contender if United start winning multiple trophies.

"I think he has it all. I've already said that there is no midfielder like him. He can do everything, one-on-one, box-to-box, he can do everything. He has all the qualities," he said.

"He now plays a little deeper than when I was there because Fernandes plays like a number 10. I think he has all the qualities to become one of the best players in the world.

"It's true that when you see the list of players who are candidates for the Ballon d'Or, you have to play in the team that wins everything. I think that if Man United wins titles, he will be in the list for the Ballon d'Or and the end-of-season trophies.

"But, I am a PSG player now, I wish the best for Paul and Man United because they are in my heart but [on Tuesday] I will fight in a different team, we will fight for our team, our place."

After losing their first two Ligue 1 matches 1-0 to Lens and Marseille, PSG has bounced back with five consecutive wins to sit second on the standings - two points behind leaders Lille.

Jesse Marsch says that he had a discussion with Frank Lampard last season that left him with the impression that the Chelsea boss didn't rate Christian Pulisic because he was American.

Pulisic signed for Chelsea in January 2019, just a few months before Lampard was named as the club's replacement for manager Maurizio Sarri.

The winger got off to a slow start at Stamford Bridge but, by the end of the season, he was a vital piece of Lampard's attacking unit.

Pulisic was arguably Chelsea's biggest contributor after the restart before suffering an injury in the Blues' FA Cup final loss to Arsenal.

Marsch says that Lampard told him last season that he wasn't sure if Pulisic was tactically ready for the Premier League, with the RB Salzburg boss then pointing to Pulisic's development with Borussia Dortmund in response.

The American manager says that Lampard's initial perception is just another example of managers underrating American players' tactical ability, with most U.S. men's national team players being described as more hard-working than tactically,smart.

"The perception in Europe, mostly, is that the American player is willing to run, willing to fight, has good mentality, but technically they're not very gifted and tactically they're not very aware and their experiences aren't very big," Marsch told Extratime Radio. "But we're seeing that change. We're seeing more and more of these players develop themselves.

"Even Frank Lampard, when I spoke to him in preseason a year ago now, I was talking to him about having Christian Pulisic and he was kind of like, 'Yeah, he's got a lot to learn so we'll see how he does'. I said to him, 'Listen, he was at Dortmund, and they had a high level of tactical thinking, of playing, and he was very successful'.

"He was considered one of the best young players in Germany and that's in a group of players with Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Joshua Kimmich, these kinds of players. He was in a group with those players, and it's not just because he was talented but it was because he understood the tactics and understood how to fit in the game and he was developing a real astute way of how to play.

"I could see right away that Frank Lampard's idea of Christian Pulisic was shaped a lot by the fact that he was American and not that his football education came a lot from what has happened in Germany. Since then, I think Lampard has learned that Pulisic is a lot better than he gave him credit for.

"Christian had to fight for that, which is the American quality, but he's a damn good player. Same with Gio Reyna, same with Tyler Adams, same with Weston McKennie.

"All of these players are now starting to show, born and raised in America, that they're not only big talents, but they're also more refined players that many think. Brenden Aaronson will show that when he's here and I think more examples will change the perception of what the American player is."

Marsch's RB Salzburg are set to kickstart their Champions League campaign on Wednesday as they take on Lokomotiv Moscow.

Pulisic, Lampard and Chelsea, meanwhile, are set to host Sevilla on Tuesday with the USMNT star serving as one of several Americans on display as the Champions League kicks off. 

Mohammed Aziz was the hero as RS Berkane defeated Hassania Agadir 2-1 to book their place in the Caf Confederation Cup final.

Having silenced Egyptian Premier League side Al Masry in the quarter-final, the Orange Boys defeated their cross-city rivals to stand a chance of competing for the title.

35-year-old defender Aziz, was influential, scoring a penalty in each half which rendered Imad Kimaoui’s first-half effort to a mere consolation.

Going into the clash staged at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, on-form Hassania had only lost once in 12 games played in this term’s Confederation Cup, however, they were unable to navigate their way past Tarik Sektioui’s men.

20 minutes into the keenly contested clash, Berkane were awarded a penalty after Iajour Mouhssine was brought down in the goal area by Soufiane Bouftini. Initially, referee Jean-Jacques Ngambo had waved off an appeal, but VAR replays reversed the Congolese arbiter’s decision as Bouftini was cautioned for his reckless challenge.

Captain Aziz stepped forward to slot the subsequent kick past goalkeeper Abderrahman El Houasli whose hand touched the ball.

Ghazelle de Sousse levelled matters nine minutes later through Kimaoui who fired into the net after Issoufou Dayo’s failed clearance from a freekick fell to his path.

In the 39th minute, Mouhssine headed the ball into an empty net, albeit, the goal was chalked off after a prolonged VAR review. Burkina Faso’s Dayo was adjudged to have been in an offside position when his initial header off Omar Namsaoui’s freekick was saved by El Houasli.

A minute after the hour mark, Sektioui’s team got the desired victory after Aziz completed his double from the penalty mark after Amine Sadiki was punished for handling the ball while trying to cut out a cross from the right.

HUSA tried to launch a comeback, nevertheless, they were very poor in the final third with their opponents putting up a solid defensive showing.

With this result, RS Berkane will square up against Pyramids or Guinea’s Horoya in the final billed for Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on October 25. The Moroccans lost to Zamalek on penalties in 2019 final.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had a greater impact on Italian football than Cristiano Ronaldo, according to former AC Milan and Juventus head coach Alberto Zaccheroni. 

The 39-year-old has made a considerable impact since rejoining Milan in January, scoring 11 goals in 20 appearances in the second half of the 2019-20 campaign.

He has been in equally impressive form this season despite missing almost a month after contracting Covid-19, taking his tally to four goals in just two games with a double against Inter at the weekend. 

One of the best strikers of his generation, Ibrahimovic spent two years with Milan earlier in his distinguished career, a stint that included securing the Serie A title in 2011. 

Ronaldo, meanwhile, has been just as prolific since he joined Juve from Real Madrid in 2018, scoring 68 goals in 91 appearances across all competitions. 

Zaccheroni, though, is in no doubt which player has had more influence on Serie A. 

"I have coached great champions in my career, from [Oliver] Bierhoff to [George] Weah up to Adriano, but the only regret I have is that I never trained Ibrahimovic," he told Il Giornale.

"He is eternal and I still don't understand why he never won the Ballon d'Or.

"In Italy, he has shifted the balance more than Ronaldo. It is no coincidence that many young players have grown exponentially since his arrival.

"He doesn't just score. He transmits confidence to all his team-mates, carrying the team on his shoulders in difficult moments."

Ibrahimovic himself feels that his current form is unstoppable for opposition defenders and that his all-round game is being perfected with age.

"I feel more complete, I have more experience. When you are young you are still growing,” the veteran forward told Sky Italia after sinking Inter with a brace.

“You spend a moment where you are learning things, playing games, you have moments and situations that repeat themselves. 

“Now I feel complete. If I had the condition of 20-30 years, nobody would stop me. But anyway, they don't stop me even now.”

Milan currently sit on top of Serie A with a 100 per cent record though their first four games - two points ahead of surprise package Sassuolo.

Samuel Eto'o has hit out at France Football after the publication named him as a right-winger in its Ballon d'Or Dream Team.

Eto'o carved out a legendary career for the likes of Inter, Barcelona, Chelsea and Mallorca while also establishing himself as Cameroon's all-time leading scorer and third-most capped player with 56 goals in 118 caps.

He won three La Liga and two Champions League titles while with Barcelona before then adding a Serie A winner's medal and yet another Champions League crown after joining Inter.

In total, Eto'o scored 371 goals across 764 career club appearances, being named to the UEFA Team of the Year in 2005 and 2006.

However, most of Eto'o's career achievements came while playing as a number nine, with the Cameroon star establishing himself as one of the best strikers in the sport's history

As a result, the 39-year-old former striker says that he felt disrespected by France Football's decision to classify him as a right-winger as part of its Ballon d'Or Dream team countdown.

"Thank you, but I played 1-2 seasons on the right (yet I have 25 years of career as a center forward)," Eto'o tweeted in response.

"The lack of respect. @francefootball WHATEVER!"

Eto'o was recognised among some of the best wingers of all time, with Lionel Messi the only current player named to the list.

Arjen Robben, Luis Figo and David Beckham are among the more modern names on the list, with icons like George Best, Kevin Keegan, Stanley Matthews, Jairzinho and Garrincha also included.

Eto'o announced his retirement in September 2019, having most recently played for Qatar SC.

Since leaving Everton in 2015, Eto'o went on to play for Sampdoria, Antalyaspor, Konyaspor and, ultimately, Qatar SC, scoring 10 goals in 23 appearances in his lone season in the Qatar Stars League.

Internationally, Eto'o won two African Cup of Nations crowns while also leading Cameroon to the Olympic Gold Medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Liverpool should act on their interest in RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano in January to cover for Virgil van Dijk while he is out injured, Jamie Carragher says.

The Reds' centre-back will be out of action for months after he suffered serious knee ligament damage when he was tackled by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford just 11 minutes into the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Ex-Liverpool star Carragher believes the Premier League champions need to dip into the transfer market to compensate for the Netherlands captain's absence and feels Upamecano, who has also been linked to Manchester United, would be a smart January signing. 

"Liverpool's next big signing had to be a centre-back anyway and I am talking next summer," the former England defender said on Sky Sports.

"Dejan Lovren went and they didn't replace him so they only have three centre-backs and one of those, Joel Matip, is always injured. There are question marks now about Joe Gomez.

"So there is no doubt that Liverpool had to go big in the transfer market next summer. That was the next one. That has now got to be brought forward to January 1st, whoever the target was in the summer. Not the end of January. Not [wasting time that month] negotiating with a club."

He added: "There is a young man everyone was talking about at Leipzig, Dayot Upamecano, there is talk of him. Whether he has the profile of Van Dijk, I think he is only 6'1" or 6'2", so he is maybe not that aerial, but if he is the one they wanted then bring it forward.

"Pay extra money and do it on January 1st. That means getting through 11 league games without Virgil van Dijk.

"One thing to say about Virgil van Dijk is that in the last 23 games they have only kept five clean sheets, and Van Dijk played all of them, so it is not like everything was perfect. We saw the seven against Aston Villa and we saw the Leeds game.

"But I think they have to go big with a signing."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer surprised Bruno Fernandes at a joint media conference by announcing he would captain Manchester United against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday after hailing the Portuguese's recent impact.

Fernandes has been a revelation since his arrival from Sporting in the January transfer window, scoring 12 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions during the second half of the 2020-21 season.

He also ended the campaign as the club's joint highest goal creator in the Premier League, sitting alongside Marcus Rashford with seven assists.

The 26-year-old has picked up where he left off this term, with his fine goal in United's 4-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United on Saturday taking his tally to three goals in five appearances. 

With Harry Maguire absent for United's Champions League clash in Paris, Solskjaer had no hesitation in giving the captain's armband to Fernandes after his impressive start to life as a United player.

"Bruno has come in and had great impact with all the stats showing that," he rold reporters ahead of the clash in Paris.

"His performances have been receiving real great praise as well. He has not changed the team, but he has sparked the team."

A visibly surprised Fernandes admitted he had no prior knowledge of Solskjaer's decision, describing it is a major milestone in his career. 

"I was not expecting this, I have found out the same time as you," Fernandes said. "For me it's an honour. I will be captain for my team-mates and to be captain of Manchester United is an important achievement for me.

"But I think everyone is the captain. Everyone needs to help and be a leader in their own way; leadership is different in every player. Tomorrow will not be about me but the team.

"Leading is every day in the training ground, every game and everyone is doing their job to lead the team in the way they think is best."

Tuesday's game will be the first time the sides have met since United's stunning last-16 win over the French giants in March 2019, when Rashford's stoppage-time penalty sealed a 3-1 win in Paris after a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford in the first leg.

Solskjaer remembers the game fondly but insists it will have no bearing on how the match pans out against Thomas Tuchel's men this time around. 

"Of course, that's history for us," Solskjaer said. "It's in the past. Great history, great game, but it has no impact whatsoever on this game.

"We're a different team, they're a different team. It's a different stage of the competition.

"Of course, also without fans it's going to be a different game. Because in the last game, when we got the first goal early on that impacted the ground, it's a completely new situation."

Radhi Jaidi has posted a farewell message to USL Championship side Hartford after leaving the club after a season.

The ex-Southampton U23 manager joined the American second tier outfit on a 12-month secondment after the Dillion Stadium giants parted ways with Danish-American tactician Jimmy Nielsen.

During his spell, Jaidi led Hartford to the playoff, albeit, they bowed out in the quarter-final after losing 1-0 to St. Louis after added time.

Even at that, hus contract was not renewed by the USL Championship club who are already planning for life after the former Bolton Wanderers’ defence stalwart.

Saying his goodbye through social media on Monday, the 45-year-old thanks the club management, players and fans while revealing he would spend time with his family in English before staging a comeback.

“As you may know, my journey with Hartford Athletic had met its end last week after a brilliant season that saw the club reach the playoffs for the first time in its young but promising history,” he wrote on Twitter.

“I couldn’t turn the page without bidding you farewell and especially, thanking you. In a year that was unusual to say the least, we all struggled through some hard times. I hope that our season was able to bring some much-needed joy to your hearts and your lives.

“When I arrived in Connecticut, I had one clear objective – put the club on everyone’s radar and start positioning it as a powerhouse in the USL Championship. This could only become a reality if we reach the playoffs, and we did it in style being first of our group.

“None of these would be possible if it wasn’t for the support of #FortressHartford at the Dillon Stadium and beyond. Our fans have given us the strength and courage to keep fighting even when times seemed their hardest.”

“I also want to thank the owners for their confidence and the trust they gave me the help to help the team thrive,” he continued.

“Last but not least, I would like to immensely thank the players. Together, we worked tirelessly through a challenging season. I’m sending you all my warmest regards. You have demonstrated inspiring resilience and amazing mental fortitude.

“Our preparation was focused on that aspect of the game and that was ultimately crucial to achieve these great results. Although we were under lockdown, you remained committed and that led Hartford to rank first in its group.

“I’m now back to England with my family and I’m going to take some time to reflect. This was an enriching experience on a personal and professional level. I’m sure I will bring many key learnings with me to wherever I end up next.”