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Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk blamed his side's Community Shield penalty shootout defeat to Arsenal on their profligate finishing.

The Gunners won 5-4 on spot-kicks at Wembley on Saturday after a 1-1 draw with the Premier League champions.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's fine effort put Arsenal ahead but Takumi Minamino equalised in the second half with his first goal for the Reds.

Liverpool created the better openings, with Van Dijk seeing a goal disallowed for offside and James Milner spurning a good chance, but it was Rhian Brewster's penalty miss that ultimately handed Arsenal the trophy.

"I think their main chance was the goal. It was a good finish but we should have done better there and shouldn't have let him come onto his right foot, but obviously he finished it off," Van Dijk told Liverpool's website.

"During the whole game, we played well, dominated, pressed them well, and created many chances. Obviously in the end penalties is just a lottery and anything can happen.

"We are disappointed but we have to move on. Last year we lost on penalties as well and we won the league so we shouldn't panic, but obviously we wanted to win.

"We had a massive chance with Millie [Milner], obviously my disallowed goal and a couple of dangerous moments, but if you look at the game as a whole I think we created many chances that we should have done better maybe."

Van Dijk expects to see Minamino hit the ground running in 2020-21, the Japan international having taken some time to adjust to life in England since his move from Salzburg in January.

"I think Taki has been very good," the centre-back said. "After lockdown, he has been the Taki that we all saw when we played against him at Salzburg. He is very, very energetic and he is a fantastic player. It's good for him that he's coming out of his shell and for us as well."

Van Dijk’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, also praised Minamino, who became the first ever Liverpool player to score their maiden goal for the club at Wembley.

Klopp said: “I am very pleased for him; it was very important for us to stay in the game and for him, just to make this first important step."

Harambee Stars and Simba SC defender Joash Onyango has revealed what he is going to do to silence those who have doubted his age based on his looks.

The former Western Stima centre-back has had to deal with claims that he is older than the actual age of 27 years, but he is ready to offer good performance on the pitch in order to answer the doubters.

“I have heard different people claiming that I am way older than 27, based on my looks. Such remarks do not bother me,” Onyango said as was quoted by K24 TV.

“It is normal for people to speculate and speak about everything and anything.

“What I know, is that their comments never change who I am. I think those mocking me saw how I played against Vital’ O six days ago, a match in which Simba, which I play for, won six goals to nil.

“I will continue to work hard and play at the highest level. By doing so, I would be in a position to non-verbally shut those who claim I am too old for the Tanzanian football league.”

Since appearing for Kenya in the African Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt last year, ‘Berlin Wall’ as he is fondly known, has seen people question his real age, but he produced regular good performances, especially for Gor Mahia in the Kenyan Premier League.

As he made his debut in the friendly tie against the Burundian side Vital’ O during the Simba Day celebrations, Onyango was paired at the back with Ibrahim Ame, who was signed from Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC).

Meanwhile, Wekundu wa Msimbazi are expected to miss a number of first-team members during the Community Shield meeting against Namungo FC on Sunday.

Ivorian defender Pascal Wawa, Mozambican winger Luis Miquissone, Brazilian midfielder Gerson Fraga and Chris Mugalu are expected to miss the tie for various reasons.

The league’s curtain-raiser will be hosted at Amri Sheikh Abeid Stadium om Sunday at 15:00.

Kenya midfielder Francis Kahata has stated it will be business as usual when they take on Namungo FC on Sunday in the Community Shield.

The two teams will meet in the curtain-raiser of the 2020/21 Tanzanian domestic season. Wekundu wa Msimbazi won the league and the FA Cup while their opponents were losing finalists in the latter.

"We just want to go back to our winning ways and it will have to start with us winning on Sunday," Kahata told Goal.

"It is business as usual for us but it does not mean that we are underrating our opponents. They are in the game owing to their merit and it means they have to be taken seriously.

"However, we have prepared well and we will prove that on the pitch, in front of the fans and everyone else."

In the FA Cup final, John Bocco and Clatous Chama were on target for the 21-time league champions while Charles Manyama scored a consolation for his team.

This will be the fourth time the two teams will be meeting in all competitions. The Msimbazi based-side have won twice while the other game ended in a goalless draw.

"We cannot dwell on the past results, this is football and things change so fast, today you are winning and tomorrow you are not," Kahata continued.

"Last season, we started the season by winning the Community Shield, we went on to win the FA Cup and the league and I believe if we give our best against Namungo and win it again, it will give us the momentum for the upcoming season."

In his pre-match interview, coach Sven Vandenbroeck had explained why winning the game on Sunday is important.  

"Of course we all know if you win you get a trophy, it is okay with that but my main focus is we must win to make sure it sets our road to a good campaign this season," the Belgian told reporters in Arusha ahead of the match.  

"We won the league and the domestic cup last season and every team will be fighting to beat us [this season], so a win will give us the boost that we need to start the new campaign well, I have told my players why the win is important and we must do everything to achieve the target, win the match."  

Premier League side Onduparaka FC have completed the signing of free agent Augustine Opoka.

Opoka, formerly turning out for Busoga United, has signed a two-year deal with the Caterpillars and becomes the 10th new player to arrive.

“You requested for a UPL material, we heard you and now we give you a UPL material,” the club announced. “Welcome goalkeeper [Augustine] Opoka from Busoga United who has joined us on a two-year deal”

At Busoga United, Opoka did not manage to command a place in the starting line up regularly with stiff competition coming from Rodgers Omedwa and Ali Kimera.

At his new home, he will have to square it out with Yussuf Wasswa, who was largely trusted last season. Opoka had featured for Spartans FC, Kamwoka and Kampala University FC.

Coach Vialli Bainomugisha will work with the new players including Gabriel Matata, Augustine Akoch, Nelson Opiyo, Emmanuel Odur, Emmanuel Okech, Bony Musema, Jerry Jakisa, Kennedy Atibuni, and Jasper Okello.

Meanwhile, the Caterpillars have announced Dan Obote as their chief scout.

The club has maintained that their strategy of spreading to other parts of the country will be achieved if they tap talents far away from the West Nile region.

“As Onduparaka Football Club aim to extend its love beyond West Nile to other regions of the country and abroad, we are delighted to welcome and announce  [Dan Obote] as the club’s chief scout for Lango and North Eastern region,” the club announced.

“Obote who holds coaching qualifications in Fufa beginners Level D and Caf C Coaching license is a retired professional Uganda Cranes international who also featured for the U20 [Hippos] and U23 [Kobs].”

During his heydays, Obote had an active career that saw him feature not only for Ugandan clubs but also for regional outfits.

Obote played for Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC), SC Villa, and Boroboro FC in Uganda. The scout played for Rayon Sports of Rwanda as well as a number of South African clubs that include Vasco Da Gama, FC Cape Town and Ikapa Sporting.

“As bote continues to scout more grass-root talent for the Caterpillars in the Northern and Eastern regions, he has been instrumental in the acquisition of five new signings which include, Akoch, Opiyo, Odur, Okech, and Okello,” the statement concluded.

Jose Mourinho says the Tottenham documentary being released on Monday will show he's not a "crazy guy" and that people will see the "real" side of him.

Mourinho undertook his third head coaching role in England back in November, replacing Mauricio Pochettino at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium after an 11-month break from management.

The Portuguese won three Premier League titles during two separate spells at Chelsea, and also delivered three trophies at Manchester United between 2016 and 2018.

However, the acrimonious nature of his Old Trafford exit led to question marks over his ability to compete at the highest level in the modern era, and he has had to gradually try and rebuild his reputation in north London.

Mourinho ultimately managed to guide Spurs to a sixth-place finish in the second half of the season, with the team's form post-lockdown bettered by only Manchester City and United.

Tottenham qualified for the Europa League as a result, a feat made all the more impressive due to the fact the squad was decimated by injuries between January and March.

Amazon Prime Video’s 'All or Nothing' documentary on the club will allow viewers a sneak peek into the first nine months of Mourinho's tenure, and he is hopeful that the show will help to change the public's perception of him.

In the build-up to the show's release, several clips have been released to raise anticipation levels, with the former Chelsea boss seen accusing his players of being too nice while using profane language in one of the teasers.

“If people only watch the video that was leaked, people will think that I am a crazy guy,” Mourinho told PA. “I don’t know, but they will see the real Jose. As I was saying before, nothing is fake. Lots of people will have a perception about me and now they can confirm if the perception is correct.

“If they misjudge me and they analyse me in a different perspective, I really don’t know. The only thing that I know is that I am that and what they watch is what I am as a football coach in my football, day by day.”

Asked how the process of filming affected his day-to-day duties at Tottenham, Mourinho responded: “Sometimes I felt it was quite weird after.

"Sometimes, after a certain meeting, reaction, words or approach then you feel yourself feeling like, ‘This is part of my intimacy. This is something that I don’t want people to understand. I don’t want people to know so much inside the intimacy of my work’, but in the end, we learned how to live with it and it was fine.

"The dressing room is like a temple. We used to say what happens inside stays inside. So to imagine that people would be able to watch a half-time team talk, along with all of the good, bad and crazy moments, is great.

“We are giving people access to all of the things that you normally aren’t able to show. I can promise because I know that everything was real in this case. Nothing was prepared. Everything was just us.”

Mourinho added on how he stays motivated after almost two decades of success at some of the world's biggest clubs: “First of all, because I’m very young.

"People think I’m very old because I have been at this level since 2002. I’m not very old. I’m very young for a football manager. It’s the kind of job where you become better with experience and not worse.

“I am not impulsive any more. I am more in control of my emotions. I think better, decide better. I think a coach, the older you get, there’s an accumulation of experience.

“You are not a player. You don’t need your body to work in the same way. You need your brain to be better. I don’t need to sprint. I don’t need to jump. I don’t need to run for 90 minutes. I need to think. So a coach gets better and better until the motivation is gone.”

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has celebrated Arsenal’s latest achievement to win another trophy in England.

The Gunners won their second trophy in August as the FA Cup winners beat Premier League champions Liverpool 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield on Saturday.

Just 28 days after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice to sink Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley, the Gunners triumphed in the new season's curtain-raiser in London.

Mikel Arteta's side were forced to do it the hard way, with Takumi Minamino's first Liverpool goal having cancelled out Aubameyang's 12th-minute opener.

However, Rhian Brewster – who has enjoyed a fine pre-season for Liverpool – missed his spot-kick, setting the stage for Aubameyang to wrap up another Wembley triumph for the Gunners.

The latest win has left the President of the East African nation celebrating yet another success for his beloved club.

“Very Happy for Arsenal,” Kagame wrote on his Twitter handle. “Building slowly but steadily back to greatness! Congratulations.”

When Arsenal won the FA Cup, Kagame challenged the team to aim for “bigger things.”

"Bravo, congrats Arsenal for a well-deserved and needed FA Cup win,” Kagame tweeted then. “We, fans, and supporters kept faith in you...going forward let's aim at much bigger things and yes we can.”

Both sides will lose players for the upcoming international break, before they kick off their respective Premier League campaigns on September 12. Arsenal will face Fulham, while Liverpool host Leeds United.

Rwanda and Arsenal have a good relationship since the country moved to sponsor the Premier League giants, whose players display a ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo on their sleeves.

The three-year deal which became Arsenal’s first-ever sleeve sponsorship was signed on May 23, 2018, with the Rwanda Development Board, through their subsidiary, the Rwandan Convention Bureau, aiming for the country to become a leading global tourist destination.

The ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo features on the left sleeve for all first team, U-23, and women’s matches.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have come out to explain why they settled for Serbian coach Zlatko Krmpotic to handle the side for the next two seasons.

The Jangwani giants had hired Burundian Cedric Kaze, who later turned down the offer to attend to family matters back home, and they immediately turned their focus to the Serbian, who signed a two-year contract.

GSM director Hersi Said has since revealed why they picked the much-travelled Serbian despite having a list of many coaches who had offered themselves to replace Luc Eymael, who was fired at the end of last season.

“The experience [Zlatko] has of handling teams in Africa gave him the job,” Said is quoted by Sokaletu. “We gave him the job because he has worked in Africa before, he has coached Zesco United in Zambia and even Polokwane City in South Africa.”

Said further explained they have now given the new coach a chance to bring in two more foreign signings before the transfer window closes down on August 31.

“We have asked him to sign two more players of his choice, if he wants players from outside he feels he can work with, we don’t have a problem, we are ready to hire the players for him,” Said continued.

Yanga have already signed Michael Sarpong, Yacouba Sogne, Carlos Stenio Fernandes Guimaraes do Carmo ‘Carlinhos’ and Waziri Junior and the team is likely to unveil Rwandan striker Jacques Tuyisenge on Sunday.

The Serbian coach arrived in Dar es Salaam on Saturday ready for the task ahead, and promised fans he will do his best to help the team win silverware in the coming campaign.

“I have just arrived and will have to meet the team and see what kind of players we have in the squad but I can promise a good campaign in the coming season,” the coach told reporters after arriving on Saturday.

The 62-year-old has vast experience in coaching in Africa, having handled APR of Rwanda, Zesco United (Zambia), Tout Puissant Mazembe (the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Polokwane City in South Africa.

Timu Ya Wananchi have been without a coach since July 27 when they sacked Eymael for derogatory comments towards the club, the fans, and the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF).

The Belgian coach was appointed earlier in the year and took the reins of the team from Boniface Mkwasa, who was acting as an interim coach.

Eymael’s comments saw him sacked even after leading Yanga to second spot, a position they fought to the end with Azam FC to attain.

His first match in charge will be against Tanzania Prisons on September 6.

Kevin De Bruyne is the "best midfielder in the world", according to Xavi, who says the Manchester City star is "on another level" to his peers.

De Bruyne has established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the Premier league since completing a £55 million ($73m) move to City from Wolfsburg in 2015.

The 29-year-old has hit 57 goals in 222 appearances for the Blues, while also providing a staggering 89 assists, 20 of which were recorded in the top-flight last season.

The Belgium international was rewarded for his outstanding contribution with the Premier League Player of the Year award, and also managed to pick up the eighth major trophy of his career at Etihad Stadium in the form of the Carabao Cup.

Xavi, a man who was widely regarded as the standout midfielder of his generation at Barcelona, thinks De Bruyne should now be held up in a similar light due to his decision-making and ruthlessness in the final third of the pitch.

The Blaugrana legend and current Al Sadd head coach told Qatar Airways : "Kevin de Bruyne, from Manchester City, seems to me of another level, brutal, he is able to make a difference. He is the best midfielder in the world and relatively young."

Xavi went on to express his belief that Pep Guardiola remains the best head coach in the business, highlighting the way he has revolutionised the way football is played.

The Spain international, who played under a fellow countryman at Barca between 2008 and 2012, added: "Pep is the best manager in the world. He has given a twist to our sport. He is very good for what he transmits and his leadership ability. In addition, the way he convinced us, he is very good."

Xavi went on to select Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk when asked to name the leading defender in European football. The ex-Barca talisman said of the Dutch centre-back: "I would choose Van Dijk due to his leadership, physical strength and good technical ability."

Xavi has won two trophies as a manager since taking charge of Al Sadd, and has already been linked with the top job at Camp Nou. He is quite content in his current surroundings for the time being though, having seen his family settle into a new way of life in Qatar.

"Arriving in this country has been one of the best decisions of my life," said Xavi. "I would highlight security, there is no crime, with strong laws, and for family life it is extraordinary. The people are very respectful. The quality of life is extraordinary.  My wife is happy, my children they were born here, my staff is fine too. I'm delighted."

Kenya international Michael Olunga has described their 3-2 defeat to Kashiwa Antlers on Saturday as a "difficult game".

It was a day of mixed fortunes for Olunga as he ran clear in the J1 League Golden Boot race but on a day Reysol lost a vital league match at home.

The former Gor Mahia striker struck the first goal of the encounter at Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium in the 57th minute with an assist from Masatoshi Mihara.

Kento Misao equalised for the visitors in the 72nd minute before Olunga’s second effort allowed Kashiwa Reysol to regain the lead in the 84th minute.

Kashima Antlers punished Olunga and his teammates in the last two minutes when they managed to score two goals that tilted the scale of the match in their favour.

Shoma Doi scored in the 89th minute with an assist from Katsuya Nagato. Doi earned his brace in the first minute of added time as Kashiwa Reysol failed to deal with constant attacks from their opponents in the last moments of the tie.

“We fought till the end with 10 men but it was frustrating not to get something from the match,” Olunga wrote on his social media pages.

“We must pick positives and get going again next week. Thank you for the support and I thank God for the two more goals today [Saturday].

“We can pick some positives from the game and shift our focus to the next match.”

The 0-0 draw against Oita Trinita last weekend saw Olunga miss out on breaking a league record set by Julio Salinas of scoring in eight consecutive matches. The Spaniard - who was turning out for Yokohama Marinos - had set the record in the 1997/1998 season.

The Kenyan star now has 14 goals and is the run-away leader in the Golden Boot race at the moment as his closest challenger is Leonardo Nascimento of Urawa Reds, who has eight goals.

Coincidentally, Olunga and Leonardo were the closest rivals for the J2 League Golden Boot in 2019 but the Brazilian went on to win the award in a tight contest.

Leonardo, then playing for Albirex Niigita, scored 28 goals and Olunga ended the season with one strike fewer.

Olunga scored a hat-trick – his first in the J1 League – on July 26 against Vegalta Sendai when Kashiwa Reysol emerged 5-1 victors as he raced clear of his 2020 rivals.

After 12 matches, Kashiwa Reysol are now seventh with 20 points whereas the win helped Kashima Antlers pick up their 18th point from their 13th matches. They are ninth on the log.

Kashiwa Reysol will next face Cerezo Osaka in the quarter-finals of the J League Cup on Wednesday before taking on Shimizu S-Pulse in a league match on Saturday.

During the Malaysian competitions suspension, Selangor boss B. Satiananthan had been quoted as saying that his side would be gunning for a top-two finish in the Malaysia Super League when competitions resume.

Team captain Taylor Regan then wrote on his social media that they aim to collect the maximum 21 points from the remaining seven league matches.

In the run up to the league resumption, the Red Giants then won all four of the friendly matches they took part in.

But when the crunch time came, they faltered. In their round five match at newly-adopted home ground UiTM Stadium against Petaling Jaya City (PJ City) on Saturday, a lacklustre Selangor could only muster a goalless draw against the visitors.

Despite dominating the match throughout with superior possession against an opposition that offered little threat, Satiananthan's attackers failed to create many meaningful chances to break the deadlock. They are now in eighth place on six points, four points adrift of second-placed Terengganu FC, with six league rounds remaining. Furthermore, they have not won their last four matches.

However, the experienced coach is adamant that his charges are still on track to bag an Asian competition slot through a top-two league finish, as he said to the press after the encounter.

"I'm satisfied with today, apart from the failure to net three points. My team could not capitalise on their chances despite having a bigger share of the possession. When you fail to put away your chances, you're going to end up desperate [late in the match]. We were up against a team that lost their earlier match (2-0 to Terengganu) and they predictably responded by parking the bus against us.

"They had tried to play against Terengganu only to lose, so they came out today with the aim of avoiding another defeat. I expect the same from Sabah who will face next week. They lost today against Terengganu, so next week they will play defensively too. My job as the head coach is to come up with a different tactic to counter this gameplay. Maybe I'm just an old coach with outdated tactics, unlike those brilliant Caucasian coaches!

"But nothing has changed; we still want to finish the league campaign in the top two. Sure, we're far behind where that is now, but all we need is to win one or two matches. Take Perak who had been in second place before this weekend. They lost (1-0 to Melaka United) instead and now they've dropped down. What's important is that my players have tried their best. We will be criticised for the draw but that's something I have to accept," explained the former Malaysia national team head coach.

The Malaysian coaches association chief also took the time to question a particular decision by the match referee; Fairuzi Mat Desa, who according to Satiananthan failed to delay the final whistle accordingly for an injury time stoppage given for an apparent cramp picked up by PJ City goalkeeper Kalamullah Alhafiz, who needed treatment.

Selangor vs PJ City. Photo by Sports Regime

"Four minutes were given for stoppage time, yet players kept dropping, and only 4 minutes 20 seconds were played. I don't understand it. I think in the next generation (life) I'd like to be a referee just to learn how they calculate [the time]. PJ City made two simultaneous substitutions, there was a slight issue, and then their goalkeeper dropped down six, seven times. I know it should have been four minutes plus.

"The ref did not help. It kills the game. For me, if they continue like this, I'll just tell my goalkeeper to keep going down in injury time in order to gain advantage. If the referee is strict, no one would dare do something like this. I know it's up to their discretion, but referees should have the guts to time the match properly. The fans are going to say that I'm giving an excuse for the draw, but I'm giving an advice to the referees for the sake of improving football, because I live and breathe it," he pointed out.

He also addressed recent rumours that the club is looking to replace him with a German coach when his contract ends after the season ends. The rumoured candidate is reportedly a 1990 World Cup winner, as a player.

"I don't care about my future and the club can decide on what they want. I'm a professional who will still do his job and there's more than one team in Malaysia. The players have given their 100 per cent and I haven't seen any of them trying to undermine me. I don't care, they can bring in anybody [as new head coach]." 

Sudeva FC announced that they will make their maiden appearance in the 2020-21 I-League with an adventurous decision to field an all-Indian squad.

The Delhi-based outfit were handed a spot in the I-League by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) recently.

"I have a strong conviction that we will be able to perform much better than people expect from a side without foreign players. It could also be an eye opener for me but anyhow," co-owner of the club, Anuj Gupta told Goal while explaining of the club's decision. The coronavirus pandemic also being another factor why the club chose the policy of playing with only Indian players.

Goal hereby lists out instances how teams have fared when they have fielded all-Indian squads in the I-League.

AIFF XI/Pailan Arrows (2010-2013)

The first team to sport an all-Indian squad in the I-League dates back to the 2010-11 season. A pilot project of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) comprising of India U-19 and U-23 was formed in 2010 and was called AIFF XI. They were initially supposed to be play in the 2010-11 I-League second division. But with Mahindra United disbanding their side, the Indian FA pitted the young Indian team among the big boys in the I-League in what proved to be quite a fruitful season for the AIFF XI. 

Under Scottish coach Desmond Bulpin, the squad comprised the likes of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Pritam Kotal, Prabir Das, Lalrindika Ralte and Jeje Lalpekhlua and earned a respectable ninth place finish in the 14-team league with 29 points from 26 games. The AIFF XI recorded seven wins with Jeje scoring four times each in the victories over Air India (5-2) and Mohun Bagan (5-4) to amass 13 goals in the season.

The team played as Pailan Arrows for the next couple of seasons due to sponsor commitments. Sukhwinder Singh was in charge in 2011-12 season and they finished 13th among 14 teams, avoiding relegation thanks to their immunity. It must be noted that the Arrows lost the likes of Jeje, Lalrindika and Gurpreet before that season. CS Sabeeth finished as the joint-top Indian scorer with nine goals that included a hat-trick against Chirag United Kerala.

Arthur Papas-led Arrows mustered a slightly better performance in the 2012-13 I-League with wherein they avoided relegation by merit on account of finishing eighth with 23 points from 26 outings. Halicharan Narzary and Milan Singh were the topscorers for the side that season.

The club was disbanded in 2013.

Indian Arrows (2017- )

After India successfully hosted the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, the AIFF brought the project back. The idea was to give the players who participated in the World Cup apart from a few promising youngsters competitive football and instated the team in 2017-18 I-League as the Indian Arrows.

Though the Arrows were praised for their competitive showings in 2017-18 I-League season, Luis Norton de Matos' boys finished bottom of the pile with 15 points from 18 games. Most of the players from that squad have by now earned themselves first team contracts with Indian Super League (ISL) outfits while the likes of Amarjit Singh Kiyam and Narender Gahlot have even broken into the Indian national team under Igor Stimac.

In the 2018-19 I-League, under Floyd Pinto, the Arrows finished eighth among 11 teams. Players like Prabhsukhan Gill, Boris Singh, Jitendra Singh, Ashish Rai, Amarjit and Rahul Praveen shined as they won six matches and drew three. The Indian Colts even qualified for the 2019 Super Cup by defeating Kerala Blasters 2-0 before being ousted 3-0 by eventual champions FC Goa.

The Indian Arrows were placed at the bottom in the 2019-20 season when the season was cancelled after 16 matches due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This time, a new brand of Indian youngsters flourished under the guidance of Shanmugam Venkatesh. Players like Lalbiaklua Jongte, Ashish Mishra, Hormipam Ruivah, Givson Singh, Ricky Shabong, Ayush Adhikari and Vikram Singh Pratap all caught the eye.

It must be noted that the Arrows squad kept changing significantly every season.

Shillong Lajong (2018-2019)

Shillong Lajong fielded an all Indian squad in the I-League this season after the management of the Meghalayan outfit decided not to sign any overseas player.

However, the bold move to field a squad comprising mostly of academy talents didn't pan out well for them as they got relegated that season. Lajong lost 11 of their 12 matches in a winless streak of matches. They finished the season with a mere 11 points from 20 matches with a win-draw-loss record of 3-2-15 amid a number of lopsided results and a goal difference reading a negative 33.

All eyes will now be on Sudeva FC's aspirations of doing well with an all-Indian line-up and their dream of nurturing youngsters to provide for a supply line for the Indian national team.

Sukhwinder Singh has had several memorable moments with the Blue Tigers.

The veteran coach took charge of the national team for the first time in 1998 and had won the SAFF Championship the following year. But the most memorable period of the coach’s career with the national team came during the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup when India managed to beat continental giants UAE.

Ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in 2000, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) had organised an exposure trip to England as preparation for the qualifiers. India were supposed to play two friendly games against English clubs Fulham FC and West Bromwich Albion.

Sukhwinder Singh fondly remembered the memories from the England tour and how they had prepared before travelling to England.

“In 2000, we went to England for preparation. Before the trip, then central sports minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi had called me to his office and told me that it was a good trip and a good exposure tour and wished us the best,” Singh told Goal.

“P.K ‘da’ (Banerjee) was our Technical Director at that time. During our training sessions, we used to work on the English style of football and how they can trouble us. We focused on our endurance, fitness and opposition crosses which is the typical English way of football. I remember P.K Banerjee appreciating our training methodology and also praising me personally.”

The former India coach vividly remembered the experience in England and suggested how the Indian team came very close to beating West Bromwich Albion.

“In England, the first match we played was against Fulham. We defended well against a very strong Fulham side, they had five World Cup playing players in their squad. We defended well throughout the game, but in the latter stages of the match they got one free-kick and scored and after that, they scored again and we lost 2-0.

“After that match, I told my boys that our defensive organisation was good but we were losing ball very easily. In the second match against West Brom, we held them to a 0-0 draw. I remember Bhaichung (Bhutia) could have scored from (I.M) Vijayan’s pass and we could have won that game. Bhaichung would have finished that eight out of 10 times but at that moment, he couldn’t. After the game, the West Brom manager (Gary Megson) congratulated me personally in our dressing room.”

The 2002 World Cup qualifiers had turned out to be a disappointment for the Indians as they had crashed out of the qualifiers from the very first round after finishing third in the Group stages behind UAE and Yemen.

But one of the most memorable wins of the Indian team in the last two decades also came in that campaign. In their very first match of the qualifiers, India had stunned eventual group toppers UAE as they had won the clash 1-0 in Bengaluru, courtesy Jules Alberto’s solitary strike.

Singh reminisced the fond memories of beating UAE in Bengaluru and said, “In the World Cup qualifiers, the most memorable match has to be against UAE which we won 1-0 in Bengaluru. It was a splendid performance by the boys.”

The legendary coach was all praises for Igor Stimac’s current national team and also praised how the team played against Asian champions Qatar and had managed to hold them to a goalless draw in Doha last year.

“The current Indian team is doing very well. They might have struggled in some matches in the World Cup qualifiers but their best performance came against Qatar which they drew 0-0. They played really well,” said the former JCT coach.

England manager Gareth Southgate has backed Dean Henderson to remain at Manchester United and challenge David de Gea for the number one goalkeeping role.

Henderson has returned to Old Trafford after impressing on loan at Sheffield United last season, his exploits earning a new five-year contract in Manchester.

The 23-year-old, who has been included in Southgate's squad for England's Nations League fixtures against Iceland and Denmark, is in line to compete with United star De Gea for starting honours.

Southgate feels the time is right for Henderson to challenge himself at the Theatre of Dreams following two successful seasons with Sheffield United.

"I think it's an opportunity for him really, " Southgate said. "Of course, he could take another season out and gain another year of Premier League experience but at his age as a goalkeeper you can't just think about the international situation. 

"You are building a career and here's an opportunity to challenge for the shirt at Manchester United if they are asking him to stay in the building.

"If I was him and I had the chance to push to be the Manchester United number one, then I'd make the same decision he has. He's got the chance to train every day in front of the manager, to influence him and put David de Gea under pressure for his place.

"I think for his career it's a logical decision given the number of matches United will have next season."

Southgate's England will face Iceland on September 5 before clashing with Denmark three days later in a Group A2 doubleheader in the 2020-21 Nations League. England have not played since their 4-0 rout of Kosovo in November due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After signing his new deal with the Red Devils, Henderson was quick to thank Sheffield and declare his ambition to play regularly for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side moving forward. 

"The pathway that I have been on for the past five years has been fantastic for my development and the invaluable loan period at Sheffield United has been part of that," he said

"The goalkeeping department at United is excellent; there are three top-level goalkeepers who have achieved so much in the game and I look forward to working with the group.  The faith that the manager and the club have shown in me with this contract means a lot to me and will continue my progression as a goalkeeper.

"I’ll be giving everything to improve every day so that I can play as many games as possible for this great club. Now I am looking forward to joining up with the England squad and then preparing for the season ahead."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted Takumi Minamino can have a big impact after scoring his first goal for the Premier League champions in the Community Shield.

FA Cup holders Arsenal upstaged Liverpool 5-4 on penalties following Saturday's 1-1 draw in the new season's curtain-raiser at Wembley.

Minamino's first Liverpool goal cancelled out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 12th-minute opener in London, where a shoot-out was needed behind closed doors.

Japanese attacker Minamino joined Liverpool from Salzburg in January, however, he found opportunities limited as the Reds secured their first league crown in 30 years.

But after Minamino opened his account for Liverpool, Klopp told reporters: "It was big for him and big for us because it was the only thing he lacked since he is with us.

"He didn't score a goal [before], but had situations and was close in plenty of moments. That helped of course. The shape he is in is obviously good, I think everybody could see when he came on.

"Then, the goal is more or less the logical step after performing on the level he performs now, especially in the pre-season. I am very pleased for him; it was very important for us to stay in the game and for him, just to make this first important step."

Klopp added: "He can have an impact, that's why we signed him. That's easily said. I don't want to put, after one or two really good performances in the pre-season, massive pressure on his shoulders that there's absolutely no need for.

"We have a good football team and it's difficult to come into the team anyway. But he is a player who is really useful for us, let me say it like this. It was not only the goal today. He is in between, he is really good in small spaces, his first touch is exceptional, then his decision-making between the lines is really quick. That helps as well.

"So, yes, he can be a real player for us – that was always clear. He came in in the most difficult period of all our lives, I would say, and had to adapt to different things, being alone in England in the lockdown and all that stuff. That's all not something that’s nice.

"But he dealt really well with it because he's a super professional. So I'm really pleased for him that he could score the goal today and that's another big step for him."

Meanwhile, Klopp said he is in favour of the continuation of the five substitutions rule to help with the wellbeing of footballers.

Five substitutions were introduced after the 2019-20 season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic before resuming in June, and there are talks for the two additional changes per match to remain in 2020-21.

"I know the discussion will then go again of whether it is an advantage for the bigger clubs. Look, I don't discuss it from that point of view, I don't want to have an advantage in the competition or whatever," said Klopp, whose Liverpool open their title defence against Leeds United on September 12.

"We have 38 Premier League games in a four-week-shorter season, that says it all. All the other competitions will be pretty much the same as far as I know, so that means that these things will help. But I can imagine other teams see it differently.

"It is never about having an advantage; I saw it last season as well when we played in the last nine games of the season, I thought, 'Oh, good, [Manchester] City bring on five players...not bad!' But it is all about how we can get through this season and not who gets a little advantage here and there. It is really, how can we get through the season.

"I think for getting in a good way through the season, for the sake of the football players and the performance levels, I think it would make sense. But I don't make the decision."

Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney said the club deserve to be in the Premier League's top four and Champions League following their Community Shield victory over Liverpool.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winning penalty as FA Cup holders Arsenal edged Premier League champions Liverpool 5-4 in a shoot-out to claim the Community Shield at Wembley on Saturday.

Takumi Minamino's first Liverpool goal cancelled out Aubameyang's 12th-minute opener in London, where Arsenal's transformation continued under head coach Mikel Arteta in the new season's curtain-raiser.

Arsenal only managed to finish eighth last season, consigned to Europa League football for a fourth consecutive campaign but Tierney insisted confidence is on the rise at Emirates Stadium.

"The spirit is one of the main things in the changing room, belief and spirit and we've got that, we're building on it," he said. "We're just looking to continue and keep building this way.

"Think that comes from the manager and the staff. It's continued from what we've done last season and building on it. When we came back in last week we've just continued. We've never had too long off so last season doesn't feel too long ago.

"Coming into games like this we're starting to believe more and more and I think that's what it's all about, belief and spirit. Mikel's drilled that into us since day one, defensive organisation and the transition. That's what we do every day in training, we watch videos on it. It's not by luck and it's not by chance. It's by hard work.

"The fans and the club deserve to be in the Champions League. They deserve to be top four and we want to do as well as we can, as best as we can and put up a fight in every single came we come up against this year."

Arsenal are set to open their 2020-21 Premier League season at newly promoted Fulham on September 11 with star striker Aubameyang nearing a new deal at the Emirates. 

"We are close," Arteta told BT Sport about negotiations with Aubameyang after their Community Shield triumph. 

"Big games, big moments, big players. He has responded really well to that kind of pressure. He was magnificent in the FA Cup final and the same today."

Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has warned there will be "no excuse" for failure as he called on his side to battle for the Premier League title in 2020-21. 

The Red Devils have not won the top-flight crown since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho coming and going on the bench in the intervening years. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer became the club's fourth manager in just five years when he replaced Mourinho in December 2018, and he helped restore the club's Champions League place last season by finishing third behind runaway champions Liverpool and Manchester City. 

Matic, however, has set his sights higher for the coming campaign and believes there is no reason to think United cannot topple their rivals on Merseyside and reclaim the title. 

“From the next season there is no excuse. We have to go with everything," the midfielder explained on the UTD Podcast.

"We have to fight for the title because I felt that this year we dropped some points too easy. 

“We allowed Liverpool to win [the title], I don’t know, 10 games before the season finished. They won the league, so we cannot allow that. We need to fight to the end. We have to play with more confidence, with more responsibility. 

“My personal target is to win the league with United and I am sure that everyone wants to do the same. We have to promise our supporters that we will do our best - exactly what we have done after [the coronavirus lockdown] when we started to play again. That’s Manchester United. 

“We have to win five, six consecutive games then you can drop some points, then again you have to do that run. Like that we can win the league. In the beginning of the season we were not stable, we won one or two games then we lost and we drew. Proper United is exactly what we did after [lockdown] and I hope we can continue like that next season.”

At 32 the Serbian is one of the elder statesmen in the Reds squad, as Solskjaer has attempted to rebuild his side around youth, in particular the potent attacking trio of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood. 

But he continues to play a key role at Old Trafford and, fresh from signing a new three-year extension, Matic signalled that he was delighted to continue with the club he joined from Chelsea in 2017. 

“I signed a new contract and I’m very happy that the club believes in my work,” he added.

“I have to say when your club offer you a new contract it means something. That means you are doing a good job and I was very, very proud when we started to talk about a new contract. 

“I didn’t think a lot, I said to my agent, ‘Of course I want to sign’. My family is happy. My son almost started to cry because he can stay in the same school. From September he is under 10 he is also playing at United so for my family it is also great.”

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Senegal youth international Moussa Ndiaye from Aspire Academy on a three-year deal with the option of a two-year extension.

The Spanish giants announced that the 18-year-old left-back has a release clause of €100 million after the total cost of his transfer was around €500,000.

Ndiaye has proven to be a versatile player and can play in both the centre of defence and the flanks. He helped Senegal to a second-place finish at the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Niger and he was named the Player of the Tournament.

He also played a starring role at the 2019 Wafu Cup of Nations and was named the Man of the Match in the final game as Senegal defeated Ghana on penalties to win the regional title in Thies last October.

Ndiaye joins compatriot Moussa Wague at Camp Nou, but he will team up with Barcelona B – the club's reserve team – for the 2020-21 season.

Thanks to his outstanding performances on the international scene, Ndiaye was nominated for the 2019 Caf Youth Player of the Year award but he lost to Inter Milan new signing Achraf Hakimi earlier this year.

In his reaction to the transfer, the 18-year-old described the switch from Aspire Academy in Senegal to Camp Nou as an honour and pride for him.

“An honour and great pride to join a club as prestigious as Barcelona, work continues,” Ndiaye wrote on his Instagram page.

Asante Kotoko captain Felix Annan reveals he has not received an explanation from coach Maxwell Konadu regarding his demotion to the bench.

The Ghana international has been vocal about losing his starting spot to Kwame Baah last season, calling out the club over their lack of support after he took time off to tie the knot with his girlfriend. 

He lost his spot after Matchweek Four of the Ghana Premier League last season and has since failed to reclaim his position. 

"I don’t have any problem with him [Konadu], no issue at all, he has also not told me he has a problem with me," Annan told Tropical Radio

"I will be happy if he tells me in the face that he has a problem with me, but he hasn’t done that as we speak. So whatever it is [for which he keeps overlooking me], he will be the best person to give answers to.

"People who do their analysis of the situation do it as they see it so he will be the best person to give that explanation.

"He is the coach so anything he should be bold enough to give explanations when he is asked.

"I kept asking myself that why is it that after each game, there is a conversation about me, why is it so?

”That means there is a problem. If there is no problem, there won’t be a conversation. But I, Felix Annan, until the world is over, am not giving up.” 

In March, Annan's lack of game time at club level cost him a place in Ghana's squad for an anticipated 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying double-header against Sudan. 

"Felix used to be our first-choice goalie before his wedding ceremony but Kwame Baah grabbed the opportunity and did very well without conceding in most matches so how can you drop him?" Kotoko goalkeeper coach Sampson Appiah said on Kweku Osei TV.

"The supporters would kill us if Annan underperforms if given the nod. There's no personal hatred for him but [we are just] following the rules of the game.

"Hard work will be the secret of him regaining his position devoid of any envies."

Annan was named Asante Kotoko captain last year following the departure of Amos Frimpong.

"Last week [Keylon] Navas in their [Uefa] Champions League game against Atalanta in the quarter-finals got injured but reclaimed his place after he was fit and played in the finals even though [Sergio] Rico had kept a clean sheet for a win against Leipzig in the semi-final,” Annan said. 

”If it was in our country, they will come and tell you the keeper had a clean sheet so he should continue. Some of these things I hear and I smile about it."

The shot-stopper, who was a member of Ghana's squad at the 2019 Afcon, joined Kotoko in 2015.

Nigeria Football Federation has named Faith Ben-Anuge the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Nigeria Women's Football League [NWFL].

The development means Ben-Anuge becomes the first woman to handle the post since the establishment of the NWFL body in 2017.

She has since replaced Ayo Abdulrahman, who has been in charge since 2017 before his redeployment to the Federation Cup division.

Before the appointment, she had served as the head of NFF women's football between 2006-2008 before being named in the Nigeria U20 women's team as an administrator from 2008 to 2014.

Under her watch, the Falconets reached the final of the U20 Women's World Cup twice, in Germany 2010 and Canada 2014. 

Her last major engagement was as the team administrator of the senior women's national side in 2016, leading the Super Falcons to the 2016 Africa Women's Cup of Nations triumph in Cameroon.

Commenting on her new role, the excited administrator is thankful for the opportunity and eager to deliver on her duties for the growth of the women's game.

"I feel very honoured and privileged to have been appointed as the first woman since 2017," Ben-Anuge told Goal.

"Though I have served in the same capacity in previous years 2006-2008 under Ibrahim Galadinma spanning over to Lulu's regime."

When asked about her vision and mission statements for the women's league board, she said: "They should expect some level of expertise in the administration of our women's football which of course should be in sync with global practices.

"We will try our best to improve on the image of our women league in the global scene because the world is a global village and football works better with technology as rebranding our league will be the major focus.

"I am ready to serve and would be relying on the cooperation of the clubs and the NWFL board in achieving set goals and objectives. 

"I will do my best as the COO to give attention to the welfare of the players liaison with the clubs to ensure that this is done both medically and legally when it comes to transfers, registrations and payments." 

She has since resumed her duties with the Aisha Falode led Nigeria Women's Football League board in preparation for the 2021 season.