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Harambee Starlets midfielder Corazone Aquino has revealed her worst game for the national team was the defeat to Zambia in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games qualifiers.

The East Africa nation had eliminated West Africa giants Ghana in the previous round and looked odds on to get past Shepolopolo in the next round. However, they managed a 2-2 draw at home before falling by a solitary goal away in Lusaka to lose out on a place in the global showpiece.

"It remains to be my worst game," Aquino, who plays for Portuguese top tier side Atletico Ouriense, told Goal.

"Zambia were not so tough as compared to Ghana, but we lost due to poor preparations. We were in camp for just a week and did not do most of the things as compared to the initial round.

"Taking the defeat was tough because we lost the opportunity of making it to the Olympics; it remains my worst."

The 21-year-old has revealed her best moment was when Kenya eliminated Algeria to qualify for the 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) in Cameroon.

"Algeria were good, they played the better football but we were prepared to play them," Aquino recalls.

"When we qualified for Awcon, it was like a dream come true for us, and to me it was even sweeter because I was making my first appearance in the national team.

"In Cameroon, things didn't go as planned; we were to win against Mali because they were the weakest team in the group, however, we underrated them and after scoring first, we became overconfident and ended up losing [3-1].

"Nigeria were way above us in terms of quality, physique, everything in general. We could not match them in any aspect. Actually, we were scared of big names and it is how we lost the game.

"But we have learned and I hope we will have a chance of playing against them again."

The Gor Mahia FC fan also had a piece of advice to upcoming female footballers in Kenya.

"First of all you must stay focused especially on what you want. Go for it regardless of the obstacles faced but again, ensure you are disciplined because, without it, you might end up stumbling on the way," she concluded.

The South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) will seek legal advice on the impact the new partnership between the PSL and DStv will have on the station's mandate. 

DStv took over from Absa as the league's premier sponsor and the details of the deal are expected to be unpacked in Wednesday's press conference. 

The deal struck by the PSL and DStv has had fans asking whether or not local football would still be available on the free-to-air station as well.

As things stand, SuperSport International, another company owned by MultiChoice Group, holds the broadcasting rights and this has often left the SABC with no choice but to pick up less fancied matches, especially on weekends. 

Since the SABC lost the rights to broadcast local matches to SuperSport, football fans who rely on free-to-air channels have not been able to watch midweek games regularly from the comfort of their own homes.  

Furthermore, the national broadcaster hasn't been able to secure matches for high-profile teams such as Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs, even on weekends due to their well-documented financial woes.   

PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza assured the nation in his press conference earlier this week that the agreement signed between the league, SABC and SuperSport will remain unchanged. 

This, according to Khoza's statement, means SABC will continue to broadcast local matches for next season. 

However, SABC appears to be panicking and they will go ahead and consult their lawyers in order to make sure that those who rely on free-to-air channels to watch football are still be able to do so, even with DStv on board as the league's main sponsor. 

"The SABC will see legal advice on how this partnership will negatively affect its constitutional mandate to deliver sports of national interest to the public, especially the millions of South Africans who solely depend on the SABC's free-to-air channels for education, information and entertainment," SABC acting spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo told City Press.

According to media reports, the SABC is currently paying R280 million a year for 144 official matches. 

This package includes selected Cup and league matches as well as the Soweto Derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.   

Gor Mahia striker Tito Okello has revealed South Sudan believed in him, compared to Uganda, and it is the reason why he opted to play for them in international assignments.

The Bright Stars have been restructuring for the international assignments and they see the forward as one who can also help them achieve their objective of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Gor Mahia forward has since expressed his joy at being selected for the national team.

"South Sudan believes in me, that’s why they made that official move to invite me to play for them," Okello told the Gor Mahia website.

"The call-up means a lot to me because playing for a national team is not something small and to be precise, it’s a dream of every player."

After accepting the call-up, Okello will first engage in an international friendly match against Cameroon in preparation for the upcoming Afcon qualifiers.

"To switch and play for South Sudan was not an overnight decision. It took me three years to think about it, consult before coming up with the final decision," Okello told Kawowo Sports. 

The former BUL FC, African Lyon, Benfica De Macau, KCCA FC, and Vipers SC striker will be tasked to help South Sudan earn their first points in a qualifying group that has Uganda, Malawi, and Burkina Faso.

Another Ugandan-born star who was called up by South Sudan is Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) goalkeeper Nafian Legason Alionzi, who is yet to completely decide on the matter.

"It is a big honour to be thought of for any national team duty. Personally, I am honoured," Alionzi told Kawowo Sports.

"But, I am yet to decide whether to change citizenship. I have to first sit down and recollect myself. I am to involve all the people around me, including my close family members.

"I will need time to come up with a good decision because it is a complex one. However, in the coming weeks, I will come up with the decision."

Busoga United midfielder Ivan Wani and Mbarara City’s striker Makuweth Wol are also part of the provisional squad announced.

In Group B, both Uganda and Burkina Faso have four points but the former are on top courtesy of a better goal difference. The Flames of Malawi have three points ahead of matchday three actions while South Sudan have zero.

Rising Brighton and Hove Albion star Tariq Lamptey has stated that he is undecided on where his international future lies.

The marauding right-back has been making headlines since he moved to the Amex Stadium from Chelsea in January.

His fast rise to fame has brought up talks of where he will pledge his international allegiance having been born and raised in London to Ghanaian parents.

He has already played for England at various youth levels, but the Ghana FA has an interest in luring him to represent the West Africans alongside Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah.  

“At the moment I’m just focused on Brighton and playing as many games as possible, keep training as hard as possible, keep playing well and keep a consistent level,” he told The Telegraph.

"What happens in the future on the international side, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Attracting players of Ghanaian descent has been a struggle for the GFA down the years and ex-Black Star Abukari Damba, in an exclusive with Goal, said the country’s governing body must give more incentives that will make playing for the four-time African champions the better choice.

“We need to be able to give the players the kind of protection that they need,” he said.

“We need to remember players will always need insurances and assurances that in a situation where the unthinkable happens – injuries can come about in the game – we will be by their side and take them through treatment and pay for it.

“The players out there know what the other countries do for them. They are guaranteed all these things when they play abroad. These are the challenges we must address to attract these boys to come and play for Ghana.”

Lamptey starred once again for the Seagulls as they narrowly lost 3-2 to Manchester United, when a late Bruno Fernandes penalty was given after a VAR intervention after referee Chris Kavanagh had blown the full-time whistle.

Lamptey’s fast rise to fame has raised questions in some quarters about why Chelsea had to let him go for a meagre sum of £3 million. Lamptey asserts it was the right time to leave Stamford Bridge as he needed to be a place where he could develop further.

"I had been there from a really young age so it was not an easy decision to make but you get to a point where you look at what the best thing is for your career and you speak to your family members and the people around you who help you and how you can take your game to the next level and how you can improve," Lamptey said.

"As I person I am a really ambitious boy. I am not one to sit back and rest on my laurels.

"I want to keep going and keep driving forward so I felt it was the right time for me to make the move and come to a club like Brighton which hopefully can give me the opportunity to develop into the player I know I can be."

Alisson has lifted the lid on the techniques he uses to control the Liverpool defence.

The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the game, having risen to prominence since signing from Roma in 2018.

He played a key role as the Reds won their maiden title of the Premier League era last season, conceding only 23 times overall and keeping 15 clean sheets from 29 outings for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

He retains the faith of the manager this term, but does not have a traditional manner when it comes to communicating with his defence, as he showed as the Anfield club conceded three times in a 4-3 victory over Leeds on the opening day of the season.

“I don't like to shout at anybody and I don't like it that anybody should shout at me,” he told the Daily Mail. “When you make a mistake, you know that you make a mistake. We are professionals and we work every day on that. I have made many mistakes already in my life. Sometimes they led to a goal, sometimes they didn't.

'I know what I need to improve and what I need to do differently. So I don't need to tell Virgil van Dijk or Joe Gomez or Andy Robertson what they need to do differently.

"We speak to each other about what makes us all more comfortable with our movements but I don't believe that when you concede or make a mistake that you should be pointing the finger at someone. I believe in a different way. You speak in a better way and find a solution.”

He said that the shaky start was not alarming but instead simply cause for reflection.

“We don't need to say that that game against Leeds was a wake-up call,” he added. “On match day, if things don't happen how we want them to happen, we have to analyse that.

"We are always looking for what we can improve and that game brought us a lot of those things and we brought that to the next game against Chelsea and we were successful and we kept a clean sheet.”

Klopp’s men have made a perfect start to their title defence, taking six points from six, while their next test comes against Arsenal at Anfield on Monday.

The Ugandan Premier League (UPL) has established a Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Sacco) in a bid to support players against future financial problems.

The formation of the Sacco was confirmed during the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) and the Super League Limited Annual General Meeting that was convened on Saturday in Mukono.

“It was a good turn up, many club chairpersons attended and those who failed, sent their respective representatives,” UPL chairman Arinaitwe Rugyendo said as quoted by Sports Nation.

“We exchanged good ideas and a lot has been suggested. We have formed a new Sacco, and I encourage players to come and join. We feel it is very important especially for the active players.

“They can borrow money and go start businesses. Many players always end up poor after misusing the money they receive from clubs.

“With this Sacco, they [players] can use the money later on in the long run and can start other businesses thereafter.”

Fufa third vice president Nakiwala Kiyingi – who represents clubs on the UPL Board – welcomed the idea which he feels will go a long way in empowering everyone, especially the current active players.

“As we talk today, financing is becoming key in football management. Presently, it is not easy to access any easier money without interests and security,” Kiyingi said.

Kiyingi, who has served as Express FC chairperson and Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, stated he would subscribe as one of the members of the initiative.

The initiative comes after many reports of former Uganda internationals struggling financially deep into their retirements after serving the nation and various clubs emerged.

Some players in the top-tier clubs have also faced delayed or none payments as teams have struggled to meet their financial obligations.

Recently, Fufa Disputes Resolution Chamber ordered Sports Club Villa to pay Emmanuel Kalyowa USh11.7 million.

The fines the club were ordered to settle accrued from the 10 months Kalyowa went without the monthly payment at the local giants in the absconded 2019/20 season.

When the league was cancelled, some clubs had to make calls to Fufa seeking financial help to deal with the adverse financial effects as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The UPL board is expected to come up with a clear roadmap in the next few months of how the Sacco will work.

Yetunde Aluko bagged her first brace of the season for Voshod as they came back from a goal down to defeat Karpaty 5-1 in a Ukrainian Vyshcha Liha encounter on Saturday.

The Sunrise went into the international break on a low following a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of leaders Zhytlobud-1, but were determined to bounce back from the disappointing first defeat this term.

Former Sunshine Queens striker Aluko had opened her season goal account in a 2-0 win over Mariupolchanka and was eager to lead her side back to winning ways against Karpaty this week.

Pungin Victor Alexandrovich's side made a false start as Korniichuk Victoria fired the hosts ahead from a tight angle after outrunning her marker from the left in the 34th minute. 

However, Aluko inspired the comeback as she intercepted the ball inside the hosts' area and scored a minute later for Voshod before Nebnubka Tetrha gave them the lead on the brink of half-time.

After the break, Alexandrovich's team continued from where they left off as Nesina Maria blasted home a third from a free-kick in the 66th minute.

Eleven minutes later, Aluko bagged her brace of the match with a brilliant header before Mosquito Roxolana struck on the brink of full-time to wrap up the victory for Voshod.

Aluko, who lasted the duration, along with Cameroon's Ngandi Josephine, has now scored three goals in three matches for Alexandrovich's side. Cote d'Ivoire's Gogogui Ines was absent.

The win takes Voshod to third on the Ukrainian log with six points from three matches and they will, in their next outing, confront leaders Zhytlobud-2 in a Women's Cup showdown on Tuesday.
 

Liverpool legend and former England international Robbie Fowler is all set to join East Bengal as their head coach for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season, Goal can confirm. The discussions between the two parties began close to three weeks back. 

Fowler, who had last managed A-League side Brisbane Roar FC had a successful season in Australia. Under the Brit’s tutelage, the club had finished fourth in the league stage with 40 points from 26 matches and had made it to the Finals Series of the competition.

Unfortunately in the Elimination finals, Brisbane Roar went down 0-1 against Western United FC and were knocked out.

Fowler’s managerial career began during the 2011-12 season with Thailand’s top division side Muangthong United where he was still playing. Fowler was appointed as the club’s player-manager in the middle of the season and he had guided the team to a third-placed finish at the end of the season.

After that season, the former English star had moved away from coaching and did not manage any club until last season.

Fowler, a youth product of Liverpool had made his senior debut for the Reds in 1993 and went to play until 2001. In 2001, he had moved to Liverpool’s arch-rivals Leeds United where he had spent two seasons before joining Manchester City.

He had once again returned to his childhood club in 2006 and had spent two more seasons at the club. Fowler is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 183 goals. He is also Premier League’s all-time seventh highest goal scorer with 163 to his name.

It will be interesting to see how a high profile name like Robbie Fowler can lead East Bengal as they make the step up to the ISL.

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has revealed how he would like to see the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) handle the 2020/21 season.

The FKF is expected to run the top-tier after the contract of the KPL ended and whereas Shikanda acknowledged difficulties under the previous management, he feels most of the problems could have been solved had the stakeholders been more proactive.

“We have been having KPL for some time and, unfortunately, there were problems,” Shikanda told Bonga Futaa Online TV.

“Remember when Sony Sugar were relegated after the walkovers of which the first one was to AFC Leopards, I raised the issue with key KPL people and told them there is somewhere we are not going right.

“Since I was elected AFC Leopards chair, I attended only one KPL meeting and I thought deep inside me that maybe we were not planning enough. We should have met more often, discuss our problems and see how we could solve them.

“For example, when the sponsor pulled out, we had to pay the referees but everyone was reluctant in finding a sponsor. Things were not happening and it was a difficult year. 

“To host one match in Machakos, a club like AFC Leopards will need a bare minimum of KSh150,000 and that does not include training camp costs and at the end as the host team, the club gets nothing. 

“What the transition needs to do is make sure structures are in place to ensure that there is continuity especially in sponsorship.”

The former Ingwe player also restated his earlier opinion that Gor Mahia and Bandari should represent Kenya in the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup tournaments, respectively, as they did in the previous season.

“I think the season ended and it was unfortunate how it ended abruptly," he added.

“Somehow somebody had foreseen this when he was doing the rules handbook between the federation and the clubs.

“Unfortunately, we were not enlightened enough and all of us tried to interpret the rules differently after the season ended abruptly. What I am saying as Shikanda and of course as AFC Leopards, let the season be null and void and let Gor Mahia and Bandari represent us as they did in the last season.

“The two should have automatic slots should the season be considered null and void. From where I sit, annulling the season is the most logical thing to do but people have their own takes on it as well.”

The FKF presented Gor Mahia’s name to Caf as Kenya’s representatives in the premier continental competition.

The agent of Meddie Kagere, Patrick Gakumba, has reiterated the striker will continue to hurt teams in the Mainland Premier League if he gets playing time with Simba SC.

The Rwandan striker, who joined the Wekundu wa Msimbazi from Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia in 2018, has already won two Golden Boot awards with Simba, including last season when he scored 22 goals.

However, coach Sven Vandenbroeck has not been starting the player in the new season, preferring captain John Bocco, but in the last two matches, Kagere started and scored the third goal against Biashara United in a 4-0 win and was on target again as Simba beat promoted Gwambina FC 3-0 on Saturday.

It is the reason Gakumba has urged the Belgian coach to give the player playing time, as he will not regret the decision since Kagere is still the best striker in the Tanzanian league and can hurt many teams.

“I have a 100 percent believe in Kagere, and I am sure if he continues to start for Simba, he will still bag the Golden Boot yet again,” Gakumba is quoted saying by Sokaletu.

“I want to thank Simba management and the coach for once again starting to give Kagere the chance to show what he can do, he is always followed back here in Rwanda and his fans are very happy because they can now see him in action again.

“It is the reason why teams like APR came for his signature when there were issues with his playing time at Simba but that is now gone.

"Kagere is a complete striker, he knows what to do with the ball, he doesn’t waste chances and I am happy to see him back in action again, he is still the same player, aggressive and ready to score goals, but I am sure when Simba start playing international matches, they will see his true colours.”

Against Gwambina, Kagere was preferred to start in the absence of Bocco and proved his doubters wrong after glancing home the opening goal in the 40th minute.

Ivorian defender Pascal Wawa then fired home the second from a free-kick before Chris Mugalu completed an excellent night with a third goal in stoppage-time to ensure his team moved into the second position.

Simba now have 10 points, two fewer than Azam FC who beat Tanzania Prisons 1-0 to keep their perfect start to the season intact.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard believes that it is too soon to start talking about winger Ryan Kent as a potential England player – and it is not something the player currently needs.

The former Liverpool man was an impressive presence as the Gers thumped Eredivisie outfit Willem II 4-0 away from home on Thursday to book their place in the Europa League play-off round.

Now, though, rather than thinking of the Three Lions, Gerrard wants to see his charge focus on Sunday’s forthcoming Premiership match with Motherwell.

“I think Ryan should just continue to do what he's doing, which is playing well and trying to find that consistency,” he told Sky Sports. “Keep trying to keep the numbers in his games in terms of assists and goals. Everything else will take care of itself.

“I don't think Ryan Kent needs any England headlines right now. I'm sure Gareth is looking at all the talent up and down the country and around Europe, but Ryan Kent just needs to focus on Rangers and keep doing well.

“As a player in my younger days, that's what I tried to do for Liverpool and then international recognition comes naturally if you're performing well for your club.”

The performances of the 23-year-old have attracted a good deal of interest, with Leeds having an offer knocked back by the Ibrox side, who have reiterated that one of their star performers is simply not for sale.

“When you get these exciting players in this form it's only natural that people are watching them from afar, but from our point of view he's not for sale. We don't want him to go and we want him to keep evolving here with us,” Gerrard said.

“He's certainly improving and he's evolving. He's adding different dimensions to his game. He's happy, he's fit and he's looking really sharp. We're really enjoying Ryan's form at the moment. He's bringing some real highs into the team. He was fantastic again [against Willem]. He changed the game for us from an attacking point of view.”

Gerrard’s men can put pressure on Celtic with a win over Motherwell, with the Hoops tackling in-form Hibernian later in the day.

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) outfit Sofapaka have continued with their transfer activities by raiding Soy United for the services of goalkeeper trainer John Waw.

Waw, who turned out for Chemelil Sugar in the top-tier before hanging up his gloves, has signed a one-year deal with Batoto ba Mungu from Division One side Soy United.

“I have officially moved from Soy United to Sofapaka on a one-year contract,” Waw told Goal on Sunday.

“It is a good move for me considering Sofapaka are playing in the top-flight while Soy United were in the lower league.

“I know the task which comes when you sign for a top-flight team and my target is to help Sofapaka achieve their goals for the season, I am ready to work with the technical bench led by coach John Baraza, to make sure that the team achieves their targets for the new campaign.”

The 2009 league champions have been busy in the transfer market as they rebuild for the new season, and have already signed a number of players, among them Michael Bodo from Kariobangi Sharks, Roy Okal from Mathare United, goalkeeper Kevin Omondi and striker Paul Kiongera from Wazito FC.

Other new signings include Nigeria striker Michael Tuborlayefa Karamor from Lagos Athletico and defender Isaac Mitima from Rwanda giants APR.

In a recent interview with Goal, Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa once again reiterated his desire to see the team win the KPL title for the first time since 2009.

“We want to have a competitive squad made of quality players for the new season," Kalekwa told Goal. “The league title is top of our priority and it is the reason why we are going for players who can help us achieve that.”

Kalekwa also revealed Lawrence Juma’s move from KPL champions Gor Mahia to Sofapaka is almost done.

“Everything is looking up regarding the player and I believe we will have him sooner or later,” Kalekwa told Goal.

“The deal is 90% done and in a couple of days, it will be finalized, it is as good as done.

“Juma is an exceptional player and his potential was at display in the abandoned 2019/20 season for Gor Mahia.”

Last season, Batoto ba Mungu pushed for a 10th place finish after managing to collect 31 points from the 23 matches played.

The Baraza-led charges managed to win eight matches, drawing seven and losing eight.

If Crotone were under any illusions as to the sort of waters they would be swimming in following their promotion from Serie B, they were swiftly dispelled last Sunday.

Against Genoa, who last season finished just a place above the relegation zone, the Serie A returnees were hammered 4-1 in what was the rudest welcome since Little Red Riding Hood found a ravenous wolf lurking where her grandmother should have been.

Sure, Rolando Maran’s side have made some astute additions in the transfer window, with the likes of Milan Badelj, Davide Zappacosta and Mattia Destro (among others) arriving at the Luigi Ferraris. Still though, the gulf in quality Crotone found on the opening day was, in itself, a primer for a long, and possibly dreary, season ahead.

On the visitors’ part, Giovanni Stroppa’s options have not undergone a significant overhaul.

Ultimately, it appears the plan coming into this season was to lean on their strengths in Serie B, specifically an attack that got them 63 goals, a tally only bettered by titlists Benevento.

Central to that idea is Simy Nwankwo, who accounted for 24 of those directly – 20 goals and 4 assists – and whose 29 percent conversion rate (of goals to shots) marked him out as one of the finest marksmen in Europe; for context, European Golden Boot winner Ciro Immobile’s conversion rate of 30 percent was significantly boosted by 14 penalties, whereas Simy scored all but four of his total from open play.

That plan may, however, prove inadequate, especially in light of events against Genoa.

While debuting striker Emmanuel Riviere pulled one back to lend a semblance of competitiveness to the encounter before the hosts ran away with it in the second half, Simy endured a frustrating time back in the top-flight.

After meeting a teasing cross with a weak poke to fritter away a gilt-edged opportunity at 2-0, he planted a header against the upright from a free-kick before fading from view for the rest of the game; the second may be ascribed to bad fortune, but the former seemed to conjure up old questions surrounding his aptitude for the highest level.

With Crotone in 2017/18, the giant centre-forward also had to grapple with those very concerns. Although he finished the season with seven goals and an assist, six of those came in a purple patch at the tail end of the season. That streak that was enough to earn him a place with the Nigeria squad at that summer’s World Cup, although he has not been involved in the national team selection since.

On the whole, he only started 11 games as the Pythagoreans missed out on safety by three points.

That neatly summarizes the concerns around Simy: for all that he has proven quite prolific over the last two seasons, he is a streakier scorer than he is a consistent one; and even that volume seems to not translate very well at a level higher than Serie B.

In lower divisions, his 6ft 6in frame makes him an awkward customer to get to grips with, but as the quality and experience is raised – as at the World Cup and during his last stint in Serie A – the novelty factor wears off a little and his flaws become more apparent.

Of course, there is no law against exploiting every possible advantage (including lolloping awkwardness), and for all his foibles he is still coming off a 20-goal season. He remains a handful in the air, whence he headed home six of his goals last term, and he does possess the ability to bring his team mates into play with his back to goal. However, it is worth noting that last season he attempted fewer than two shots a game and missed 14 big chances in Serie B, hardly the sort of tallies to inspire great optimism or suggest repeatability at a more onerous level.

If a markdown is to be expected based on the transition to a tougher division, then a higher volume in terms of shots would be a handy predictor of better things.

At 28, Simy clearly has a lot still to prove. With the hopes of a modest clubside resting on his ability to rise to the occasion, it is even more imperative that Simy proves himself capable of carrying that expectation; only then will that lingering seed of doubt be extinguished.

Swansea City boss Steve Cooper was full of praise for Ghana star Andre Ayew and his team-mates on the back of the side’s 2-0 away victory over Wycombe Wanderers in the Championship on Saturday.

The 30-year-old attacker was undoubtedly the star of the party as he stabbed the ball into the net from close range to put the Jack Army 1-0 up in the 13th minute, before setting up Jamal Lowe to make it 2-0 10 minutes later.

Swansea are yet to concede a goal in three league games played so far this season.

“I have said before that to keep a clean sheet in the Championship is no mean feat, so to be able to keep three in a row is excellent,” Cooper said after the game, as reported by his club’s official website.

“The challenge now is to try and keep that going in the next game. I knew the stat about three in a row as Joe Rodon had mentioned it to me, and it’s good to have done that. But we don’t want to look back, we have to look forward.

“But we are defending well as a team, and don’t underestimate how important the work and running Jamal, Andre [Ayew] and Morgan [Gibbs-White] do up the top of the pitch, putting pressure on defenders and forcing them to go long.

“It helps out the backline, the midfield are competing well and the boys at the back are defending for their lives. We played well on and off the ball today.”

Currently second on the league table, Swansea have set their sights on finishing the season with a Premier League promotion ticket after narrowly missing out last term.  

“First and foremost it’s a good result, any win away from home in the Championship is and that is reflected in the mood in the dressing room,” said Cooper.

 “We are really pleased with the result and performance. We would have liked to have carried the way we played on into the second half, and that was certainly the intention at half-time.”

Saturday’s goal was Ayew’s first strike of the league season, having netted 16 times in the last campaign.

He has been called up for Ghana's friendly fixture against Mali in October.

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has revealed a “slight strain” kept Ghana international Jeffrey Schlupp out of Saturday’s Premier League defeat to Everton.

A starter in the Eagles’ opening two games, the midfielder was a conspicuous absentee from the matchday three 2-1 home loss at Selhurst Park.

The fixture was Palace’s first reversal of the new term following back-to-back wins over Manchester United and Southampton.

"Unfortunately, he picked up a slight strain. We were hoping he’d recover in time but we will have to do without him today,” Hodgson explained after Saturday’s tie, as reported by his club’s official website.

Saturday’s revelation about Schlupp’s fitness comes just a day after he was named in a 23-man Ghana squad for an international friendly against Mali in October, his call-up marking an end to an 18-month absence from national duty.

In his absence for the Premier League tie, summer signing Eberechi Eze took the 27-year-old’s place in Palace’s line-up.

"He [Eze] has done well since he has come into the club. His training has been impressive," Hodgson said, “but of course Jeffrey Schlupp has had that position [left-midfield] nailed down basically through the good work he did in pre-season."

Dominic Calvert-Lewin opened the scoring for visiting Everton in the 10th minute before Cheikhou Kouyate found the back of the net to level things at Selhurst Park.

Five minutes prior to full-time, Brazil attacker Richarlison converted a penalty for the away side to seal a 2-1 triumph on the road.

"I thought we started slowly and got ourselves back into the game well. And going towards half-time we were establishing some sort of control of the game,” added Hodgson.

"In particular, the second half, I thought the way the players got over the disappointment of finding themselves two goals to one down, in a way they felt was very harsh, and the way they approached the second-half was very positive.

"There were lots of very good individual performances and I would count Eberechi’s as one of those.”

Fifth on the league standings, Palace will hope to bounce back when they face Chelsea in their next game on Saturday.

Ibrahima Niane continued with his impressive goalscoring form after he found the net as Metz played out a 1-1 draw at Olympique Marseille.

Coming into the clash at Stade Velodrome, the Senegal youth international’s brace inspired the Maroons to a 2-1 win over Metz.

Against Andre Villas-Boas’ team, he was on song again although the hosts secured a point thanks to a late effort from Morgan Sanson.

Before kick-off, Valere Germain was presented with a framed “100” jersey having reached a century of appearances for the Phocaeans.

From the blast of the referee’s whistle, Marseille took the game to the visitors, dominating ball possession as well as creating scoring opportunities.

Their first attempt at goal saw Florian Thauvin play a free-kick that was saved by Algeria international Alexandre Oukidja.

Another chance beckoned in the 15th minute but Dimitri Payet failed to convert Dario Benedetto's well-orchestrated pass.

On the stroke of half-time, Thauvin sent in a cross to Benedetto – with the Argentine responding with a scissor-kick that sailed wide.

Villas-Boas’ team looked more dangerous at the beginning of the second half, but it was Metz who took the initiative with 20 minutes left to play as Niane headed a cross from Matthieu Udol past Steve Mandanda.

That strike prompted the Olympians’ manager to make five changes – bringing on board Germain, Kevin Strootman, Tunisia's Saif-Eddine Khaoui, Pape Gueye and Nemanja Radonjic.

Even at that, they were unable to get the equaliser as Vincent Hognon’s men put up a strong defensive display.

Nevertheless, the earned a crucial point in the closing stages of the encounter as Sanson fired past Oukidja after he was set up by Serbia’s Radonjic.

Thanks to his latest goal, Niane now boasts of three Ligue 1 goals in the 2020-21 season.

He was replaced in the 76th minute by compatriot Habibou Diallo, while Ghana’s John Boye, Mali’s Mamadou Fofana and Cote d’Ivoire’s Habib Maiga saw every minute of action.

Opa Nguette came off for countryman Pape Yade with four minutes left to play.

Thanks to this result, they sit in the 16th position with four points from five games. They welcome Lorient to the Stade Saint-Symphorien on October 4.