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Arsenal 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.

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 north London.

Mikel Arteta's side were forced to do it the hard way, with Takumi Minamino's first Liverpool goal having cancelled out Pierre-Emerick 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.

Virgil van Dijk – sporting a cut to his forehead sustained in the pre-season clash with Salzburg last time out – had the ball in the net after seven minutes, but the flag was up for offside.

James Milner should have done better with a close-range header soon after, and Liverpool were quickly made to pay.

Having beaten Liverpool's press, Arsenal progressed down the right before Bukayo Saka picked out Aubameyang with a superb crossfield pass.

It left Neco Williams isolated up against Aubameyang, who stepped inside and curled a sublime 20-yard finish beyond Alisson.

Roberto Firmino sent a wicked strike just wide following the restart, with Emiliano Martinez then rushing off his line to deny Sadio Mane.

Naby Keita and Minamino were introduced as Liverpool looked to take the initiative, and the changes soon paid off.

After attempting to play a tight one-two with Mohamed Salah, Minamino was on hand to slot in after the rebound fell his way – VAR allowing the goal to stand after a check for handball.

Martinez made another superb stop from Mane moments later, while Joe Willock went close with a header at the other end as penalties were required.

Yet it was Arsenal who triumphed – Brewster, brought on to take a spot-kick, hitting the crossbar with his effort, with Aubameyang coolly sending Alisson the wrong way to condemn Liverpool to defeat.

What does it mean? Arsenal pick up where they left off as Liverpool look to sharpen up

Arteta now has two trophies under his belt as a coach, and Arsenal appear to be going from strength to strength under his leadership.

Jurgen Klopp's side were far from at their fluent best, but the Liverpool manager will be sure to have his team fully up and running by the time the Premier League season rolls around.

Wembley wonderland for Aubameyang

With his excellent opener, Aubameyang – who is yet to sign a new contract with the Gunners – took his tally of goals at the national stadium to five, making him Arsenal's joint-top scorer – along with Alexis Sanchez – at Wembley. All of these goals have come in the space of 42 days. To cap off another brilliant afternoon, the striker kept his composure to slot in the winning penalty.

Tough cameo for Brewster

Liverpool's young striker has been in fine form in pre-season after an excellent second half of 2019-20 with Swansea City, but Brewster's decision to go for power and height with his penalty ultimately cost the Reds at Wembley.

What's next?

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.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains non-committal on a contract extension at Arsenal, with the Gabonese striker once again seeking to avoid questions on his future after netting a match-winning penalty in the Community Shield.

He told BT Sport when informed that all of the club’s supporters are waiting on an update: “Yeah I know. We're going to see in these [coming] days. Today we take the trophy.”

Aubameyang further underlined his value to the Gunners cause at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

He has been enjoying a purple patch at the home of English football, and saw that run continue in a meeting with Premier League champions Liverpool.

Having inspired Arsenal to FA Cup glory in 2019-20 with braces in the semi-finals and final of that competition, the 31-year-old hit the back of the net once again versus the Reds.

His stunning first-half strike broke the deadlock in what is the traditional curtain-raiser to a new season.

Takumi Minamino stepped off the bench to restore parity for Liverpool, sending the game to spot kicks.

Rhian Brewster blazed over the top for Jurgen Klopp’s side, presenting Aubameyang with a chance to secure another piece of silverware.

He lifted the Community Shield as Arsenal captain, but uncertainty continues to reign when it comes to his future.

He is yet to extend his terms in north London beyond the summer of 2021, despite regular claims from those at Emirates Stadium that an agreement is close.

For now, Aubameyang is enjoying the renaissance being enjoyed by the Gunners under Mikel Arteta.

He added: “We are improving and there's still work to do but it's a really happy and exciting time to be an Arsenal player.”

Aubameyang has seen a move mooted as he mulls over his options, with his stunning strike rate making him of obvious appeal to leading sides around the world.

It is not the only one to have sparked transfer talk, though, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles another seeing his Arsenal future called into question.

He has been linked with the likes of Wolves and Newcastle, but the versatile 23-year-old is another playing his cards close to his chest.

The Gunners academy graduate said when quizzed on his plans: “I'm an Arsenal player until I'm told otherwise. My heart's in the club and whilst I'm here I'm going to give 100 per cent all of the time.”

Ajax are bracing themselves for the sale of Donny van de Beek, with Erik ten Hag admitting there have been “some developments” around a midfielder who has been linked with Manchester United and Barcelona.

The Dutch giants are aware that they will always find it difficult to retain the services of top talent.

Leading sides across Europe often look to Amsterdam in their efforts to cherry pick the best options on the market.

Recent windows have seen the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong leave Ajax, while Hakim Ziyech agreed a switch to Chelsea at the start of the summer.

Van de Beek was always expected to be next to make his way towards the exits, with his star having been on the rise for some time.

Old Trafford and Camp Nou have been mooted as potential landing spots for the 23-year-old.

Ajax are ready to bow to pressure when it comes to parting with another prized asset, but they will not be sanctioning any sales on the cheap.

It has been suggested that the Eredivisie outfit will demand around €55 million (£49m/$65m) from any deal involving Van de Beek.

Ten Hag has given nothing away when it comes to possible price tags for the Netherlands international, but has conceded that a move towards the exits is being made.

The Ajax boss told Ziggo Sport when asked for a transfer update ahead of a friendly date with Eintracht Frankfurt: “There have been some developments that made us decide us to keep him out of today's squad.

“We will see what happens. We'll make an announcement as soon as there's some clarity.”

Van de Beek is a product of Ajax’s famed academy system.

He has been part of their first-team set-up since the 2015-16 campaign and taken in 175 appearances across all competitions.

The highly-rated playmaker has registered 41 goals through those outings, with double figures reached in terms of that end product in each of the last three seasons.

He could now form part of a rebuild at Barcelona under fellow countryman Ronald Koeman or join the ranks at United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seeks to bring added creativity into Manchester United’s squad.

Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Watford’s Ismaila Sarr and Inter Milan’s Achraf Hakimi are among a number of African players who paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman after his death.

Boseman who died at the age of 43, played a starring role in the blockbuster movie, Black Panther where he was famous for his 'Wakanda Forever' sign.

He lost his fight against cancer on Friday after a four-year battle with the disease in his colon.

Following the announcement of his demise, African stars took to social media to mourn the movie icon with Gabon captain Aubameyang doing the ‘Wakanda Forever’ sign after scoring against Liverpool in the FA Community Shield on Saturday.

Fans in England have returned to the stands for the first time since March, as 2,500 supporters were allowed at the Amex Stadium on Saturday for Brighton's friendly against Chelsea.

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the pre-season encounter, as Timo Werner opened his account for the Blues before Pascal Gross equalised with a late penalty.

Fans at the Amex were seated in a manner that respected social distancing protocol and were required to wear masks at all times except when they were at their seat.

It was a small step toward normalcy after football around the globe was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Premier League, along with several other leagues in Europe, returned to the pitch in June but played all matches behind closed doors. 

Saturday's match at the Amex was part of a government trial as the UK explores a gradual reintroduction of fans ahead of the 2020-21 season, which kicks off next month. 

Brighton head coach Graham Potter was boosted by the return of his club's supporters, even in a limited capacity.

“I thought it was a fantastic day – a small step to getting back to normal as soon as we can safely do so,” Potter said in quotes published on Brighton's official website.

“It was so nice to see fans here because as we know it brings a completely different dynamic to the stadium and I thought they made a lot of noise and really got involved in the game. Hopefully they enjoyed the performance as well.

“I think people at the club deserve a lot of credit for the work that has gone in and hopefully it was the first successful step to a return to normal at some stage in the future.”

Saturday's Community Shield between Arsenal and Liverpool was played behind closed doors at Wembley, but the Gunners are exploring a plan to allow fans back at the Emirates Stadium in October.

In an email sent to supporters, Arsenal said: “We are continuing to work hard with the Premier League and UK Government on plans to bring fans back to stadiums, initially with reduced capacities.

“We are disappointed that our home fixture against West Ham United on Saturday 19 September will be played behind closed doors, but based on current Government guidelines, we hope to be able to welcome supporters back to Emirates Stadium for the Sheffield United game scheduled for Saturday 3 October."

Selangor and Petaling Jaya City played out a drab scoreless draw in round five of the Malaysia Super League on Saturday.

SELANGOR

Khairul Azhan Khalid - 6/10

The goalkeeper was rarely tested and kept a clean sheet, although that may be scant consolation for the underwhelming result.

Syahmi Safari - 5/10

Selangor boss B. Satiananthan uncharacteristically changed his team to a 5-3-3 formation, and Syahmi was played as a right wing back. But he seemed to be lacking match sharpness and rarely threatened the PJ City defence.

Ashmawi Yakin - 5/10

Handed a rare start, the right central defender was nervy the few times PJ pushed up, and even managed to pick up an early booking when his team was in control of the game.

Taylor Regan - 6/10

Led his defence well on a night they looked shakier than they should have.

Safuwan Baharudin - 6/10

The left central defender put in a decent performance against a defensive opponent.

K. Prabakaran - 5/10

Playing as a left wing back, Prabakaran did not have to defend much against a defensive team, but his contribution to the attack was minimal.

Halim Saari - 6/10

The midfielder helped his team control the middle of the park.

Brendan Gan - 6/10

Helped the hosts control the midfield, but he was not as dangerous as he could have been.

Sandro da Silva - 7/10

The playmaker of Selangor's attacks and perhaps the most dangerous player in the match, but could not combine well with the other attackers.

Syazwan Zainon - 5/10

The winger could not help his team offer a bigger threat to the visitors down the flanks.

Rufino Segovia - 5/10

The striker lacked sharpness in front of the goal and was taken off halfway through the second half.

Substitutions:

Ifedayo Olusegun, K. Sarkunan, Wan Zack, Anwar Ibrahim, Azrin Afiq - NA

Second half changes who could do little to help the Red Giants break the deadlock.

PETALING JAYA CITY

Kalamullah Alhafiz - 6/10

Returning to the starting eleven, the custodian turned in a decent performance to keep a clean sheet on a night their opponents did almost all of the attacking.

D. Kugan - 6/10

The right wing back again could not help his team in attack on a night they were mostly defensive, but did enough to help keep a clean sheet when he was on the pitch, before he was taken off it.

Aaron Kumar - 6/10

The right back performed adequately to help his team pick up one precious point.

Kim Bong Jin - 6/10

The central defender combined well with the other defenders to make things harder for the ineffective home team attackers.

Elizeu - 6/10

Led the defence well to reduce Selangor attackers to creating half chances.

Filemon Anyie - 6/10 

An improved performance by the left wing back, who could only defend when his team could not offer much in attack.

K. Gurusamy - 5/10

Was mostly overwhelmed by the hosts in the midfield area.

R. Barathkumar - 5/10

The midfielder could only help his team defend, in a match they were on the backfoot for much of it.

Mahalli Jasuli - 5/10

The winger showed improvement, and as a result his team was able to threaten their opponent somewhat, towards the end of the match.

Anawin Jujeen - 5/10

Playing as an attacker in the evening, the Thai forward struggled to combine with striker Washington Brandao.

Washington Brandao - 6/10

The striker was dangerous enough the rare times his team ventured forward, but he ultimately lacked support from his teammates to end the night with a goal

Substitutions:

P. Rajes, K. Thivandaran, P. Gunalan, Safee Sali -

Second half substitutions who did enough to help the Phoenix bag a precious point on the road against the favourites.

Barbra Banda netted the winner for Shanghai Shengli as they beat Guangdong Meizhou 1-0 in a Chinese Women's Super League encounter on Saturday.

The Zambia international is settling in well in China, having scored three goals and provided two assists in two appearances on her debut season since joining from Spanish side Logrono in January. 

The 20-year-old opened her 2020 Chinese account with a goal two assists in her side's 5-1 triumph over Zhejiang Hangzhou before bagging a double in a 4-1 win over Changchun Dazhong Zhuoyue.

Following back-to-back opening wins, Shanghai aimed to maintain the impressive winning run as Banda eyed finding the net for the third match in a row and her effort was a huge bargain in the win.

The former Logrono striker struck the winner for Shanghai, having pounced on the rebound after Zhang Xin's initial effort was denied by the crossbar in the 31st minute of the encounter.

The first half lone strike from the Zambian was all they needed to condemn their opponents to their second defeat of the season. 

Banda, who was in action from the start to finish of the game for Shanghai, has now scored four goals in three matches for Shanghai.

With her four goals, Shanghai's Banda is now joint-top scorer with Beijing Phoenix's Ma Xiaoxu and Wuhan's Wang Shanshan.

The win means Shanghai are sitting at the top of the log with nine points from three matches and they will face Henan Jianye in their next Chinese league match on Wednesday.

Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona is “the best thing that could happen to Ronald Koeman”, says Mido, with the new coach at Camp Nou considered to need big characters to depart in order to build his “empire”.

The new man in charge of the Liga giants has been talking up his desire to see a talismanic presence remain in Catalunya.

Messi has, however, informed Barca of his desire to move on, with the Argentine seeking a new challenge after becoming disillusioned with life on and off the field at the Liga giants.

No move has been sanctioned as yet, amid links to the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, with further talks due to be held between disgruntled player and under-fire board.

Mido believes Koeman will be open to the idea of a six-time Ballon d’Or winner leaving his ranks, as the absence of Messi and his considerable influence will allow Barca’s current coaching regime to stamp their authority on an out-of-sorts squad.

The former Egypt international, who played under Koeman during his time at Ajax, told Elwatan Sport: “Koeman is one of the best coaches I have trained with and he has a very strong character, but he is going to face many difficulties if Messi stays.

“The best thing that could happen to Koeman is the potential departure of Messi. Koeman won't be able to build his empire with Messi existing in the dressing room.

“Koeman was my coach for two-and-a-half years and no matter how much time goes by, he is still unable to handle players with strong characters and he doesn't want a player who has an opinion.”

While questioning Koeman’s methods when it comes to handling big-name players, Mido does concede that the Dutchman boasts Barcelona “DNA” and could prove to be a shrewd appointment.

Barca do, however, have a number of issues to address.

Messi is pushing for the exits after seeing the Blaugrana surrender the Liga crown to arch-rivals Real Madrid in 2019-20, before then crashing out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage after suffering a humbling 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich.

Chelsea’s signing of Thiago Silva involved “no inherent risk”, says Craig Burley, with the Blues having landed a much-needed defensive leader with little financial outlay required.

An experienced Brazilian centre-half has joined the Blues on a one-year deal with the option of extending that deal by one further season.

Silva became available after reaching the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, with the 35-year-old taken to Stamford Bridge as a free agent.

He showed during PSG’s run to the 2020 Champions League final that he still has plenty left in the tank and could prove to be a shrewd addition for Frank Lampard.

Burley believes that will prove to be the case, with Chelsea crying out for someone to provide an assured presence at the heart of their back four.

The former Blues midfielder told ESPN FC of the Silva deal: “Although it’s not ideal signing a player who is going to be 36 very soon, he is a player who has just played in the Champions League final and is a player who is hugely experienced, is still fit and sharp enough and can organise and lead that back line – a back line that really struggled for most of the season.

“There is no inherent risk here, apart from it might not work! There is no financial outlay apart from salary so I think it’s an excellent signing short-term when you consider the dearth of real quality centre-halves out there.

“It makes absolute sense and Frank Lampard will be hoping that he can bring the organisational qualities that he has done for club and country over the last decade.”

While Burley believes that Silva will be a useful asset for Chelsea, Frank Leboeuf recently questioned whether the South American boasts the “character” to shine in the Premier League.

The ex-Blues centre-half said: “He’s definitely a fantastic player.

“We have been talking about character – he’s been questioned a lot at Paris Saint-Germain and also after the 2014 World Cup about non-character, that the guy is crying very easily and is maybe why PSG didn’t win the Champions League.

“He has been criticised a lot and I’ve never been very nice to him. For example, Marquinhos is stronger mentally than him, but he is definitely a fantastic player.

“He is not done yet, he is still in good shape and he will fit into the Premier League for sure.”

Xabi Alonso has said that he understands why Lionel Messi wants to depart Barcelona.

The former Spain international midfielder, who started his career with Real Sociedad before excelling at Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, believes that the Argentine needs to move on to rekindle his love for the sport.

Messi stunned the world game earlier this week when news broke that he wants to leave Barcelona after a disappointing season that saw them lose La Liga to Real Madrid and crash out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.

Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Manchester United and Inter have all been linked with a move for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner, who to this point has spent his entire senior career with the Camp Nou outfit.

Alonso, though, believes his desire to move on is understandable, with Goal having reporting that Messi now plans to hold talks with Barca's board over an amicable exit.

“I have the impression that Messi is following a feeling,” he told Suddeutsche Zeitung. “He’s come to the conclusion that at the moment he needs something different, something new to get back to feeling the pure pleasure of football.”

If Barcelona fans cannot believe the speed at which the story has developed, Alonso believes they could be in for a rude awakening come the start of the new season.

“The moment Messi puts on another shirt, it will end,” he said. “The unimaginable ceases to be unimaginable.”

Meanwhile, the former deep-lying playmaker said he was astounded by just how easily Barca were brushed aside by his former club in the last eight of the Champions League, with Bayern thumping Barca 8-2.

“It belongs to a category of things that we can’t understand,” he explained. “And I’m not only referring to the difference between the teams on the scoreboard – it was the superiority shown by Bayern overall.”

In the aftermath of that fixture, Barca boss Quique Setien, who had only been in the post since the start of the year, was sacked.

Bayern, meanwhile, went on to claim the European title, first defeating Lyon 3-0 in a semi-final before then edging PSG 1-0 thanks to a Kingsley Coman header in the final.

Anthony Martial would be a more deserving winner of Manchester United’s Player of the Year award for 2019-20 than Bruno Fernandes, says Wes Brown.

The Red Devils found considerable value in a deal done during the January transfer window.

Fernandes hit the ground running in English football on the back of his move from Sporting CP and quickly became a talismanic presence for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

His efforts earned plenty of plaudits, with four Player of the Month awards landed at Old Trafford along the way.

The Portuguese was the undoubted star for United over the second half of the season, but plenty of offers impressed over the course of the entire campaign.

Martial fits into that category, with the France international posting a personal-best goal return of 23 through 48 appearances in all competitions.

Questions continue to be asked of whether he is a long-term option to fill a central striking berth for the Red Devils.

He has, however, justified the faith shown in him when given the No.9 shirt and Brown believes the 24-year-old would be a worthy winner of the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award.

The former United defender told MUTV: “It’s going to be tough but I’m probably just going to go Anthony Martial.

“I thought he stepped up this season and I love it when he smiles because that means he’s scoring! We need to see more of that.

“If Bruno had maybe got here a little bit earlier, it would 100 per cent have been him. I’ll stick with my guns and say Anthony Martial.”

Martial did not win a monthly gong for United throughout the elongated 2019-20 campaign.

Fernandes took four of the last five prizes for the Red Devils, with Mason Greenwood the only man to snap his sequence.

Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay took the award on two occasions apiece, with Fred and Daniel James the others to get in on the act.

United have opened the voting for their Player of the Year, with Luke Shaw the current holder of that title.

David de Gea is the most decorated winner of the award, having taken it on four occasions during his time in Manchester, while Cristiano Ronaldo took top spot three times during his memorable spell at Old Trafford.

Six new faces have been included in the provisional Uganda U17 women's team squad for preparations for the Fifa World Cup qualifier scheduled for October 31 and November 2 against Cameroon.

Among the players summoned are Gift Nasasira of She Maroons, St Noa duo  Winnie Kwatira and Aucho Kagongo, Kanyita Naigaga of Taggy High School, Ritah Mushimire of Kawempe Muslims and Devine Mirembe of Gafford ladies.

As a result, 35 players in total are in camp to prepare to play against the West African nation.

Uganda eased past Tanzania in the initial round before setting a date with Cameroon. The aggregate winner will play in the World Cup set for early 2021 in Mumbai, India.

The team received a major financial boost as they prepare for the showdown.

According to Fufa communications director Ahmed Hussein, a total of 35 players will each receive USD100 as financial support from the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) ahead of the crunch two-legged fixture.

"Fufa will release funds to 35 players in the U17 Girls’ national team and each player will receive $100 to aid them in personal training as they prepare for the final stage of the Fifa U17 World cup qualifiers with Cameroon," Hussein told the Fufa official website.

"The coaches have been in constant engagement with the players, sharing training manuals as we wait for the Government to lift the lockdown on sports activities.

"We believe this financial facilitation will help the players to continue with personal training as we work around plans to get the team to camp in preparation for the matches against Cameroon."

The statement continued: “Fufa is ready to support the team so that we realise our target of qualifying for the 2021 Fifa U17 Women’s World Cup in India."

The Full Squad

Goalkeepers: Daphine Nyayenga- Uganda Martyrs High School Joan Namusisi – Isra Soccer Academy, Zulaika Ngamita – Asubo Gafford Ladies and Gift Nasasira – Maroons WFC.

Defenders: Grace Aluka – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Samalie Nakacwa – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Sumaya Komuntale – Tooro Queens, Bira Naddunga – Olila High School, Gillian Akadinda – Olila High School, Gloria Namugerwa – Uganda Martyrs High School, Stella Musubuka – Kawemoe Muslim Ladies, Patricia Akiror – Ajax Queens FC, Winnie Kwatira – Jinja United FC, Devine Mirembe – Asubo Gafford Ladies FC, Shamira Nalugya – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Shakira Nyinagahirwa – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Kevin Nakacwa – Uganda Martyrs High School, Moreen Nangonzi – Ajax Queens FC, Aucho Kagongo – St. Noa, Ruth Nyakato – Tooro Queens FC, Phiona Matama- Watoto Girls, Sumaya Kyomuhendo – Isra Soccer Academy and Sumaya Tibazalika – Sumaya (Wakiso).

Forwards: Juliet Nalukenge – KawemPE Muslim Ladies, Zaina Nandede – She Kataka FC, Fauzia Najjemba – Kampala Queens, Hadijjah Nandago – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Margaret Kunihira – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Catherine Nagadya – Uganda Martyrs High School, Zaitun Namaganda – Taggy High School, Eva Nagayi – Rines WFC, Ritah Mushimire – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Kamuyati Naigaga – Taggy High School, Esther Adokole – She Kataka FC and Brenda Munyana – Uganda Martyrs High School.  

In a new set of guidelines, detailing the fourth phase of unlocking following the Coronavirus pandemic, the Government of India has lifted restrictions it had imposed on the resumption of sporting activities, including football.

More importantly, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) circular also specifies that spectators will be allowed to attend sporting activities, albeit with restrictions.

The guidelines state that a maximum of 100 spectators will be allowed to attend sporting activities with effect from 21st September 2020. However, social distancing measures will be mandatory including wearing of face masks, physical distancing and provisions for thermal scanning and hand sanitising.

Necessary 'Standard Operating Procedures' (SOP) is expected to be issued for the same by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Earlier, after several months of lockdown due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the government had allowed stadiums to be opened for training without the involvement of spectators.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had acted on the instructions of the government to pause all football activities in March earlier this year as the country entered into a lockdown.

The Indian Super League (ISL) was wrapped up before the lockdown began but the I-League had to be halted with four rounds left to play. The remaining rounds were later cancelled and Mohun Bagan, who had an unassailable lead, were declared as the champions. 

However, the I-League second division and various AIFF youth leagues were paused.

The upcoming season is expected to begin in November 2020 with the ISL and I-League set to be held in centralised venues (Goa and West Bengal respectively). The paused I-League second division is expected to be held before those tournaments in Kolkata.

It must be noted that several major leagues around the world have resumed without the involvement of spectators.

Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhadila (TTM) owner Masala Mulaudzi may have some explaining to do before the PSL executive committee after declaring himself as the one who bought the status of Bidvest Wits in the media. 

Addressing the media on Friday, PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza confirmed, without disclosing the names of the club and owner, that a top-flight status was bought by a trust and not an individual. 

And his comments have cast doubt in the deal involving Mulaudzi and the Students as questions have now arisen as to whether or not he's the sole owner of Wits. 

"On Tshakhuma, what I know is that there is a trust that bought a club which was brought to us for consideration," Khoza told the media.

"So, that trust was the one that made an application for the acquisition of a new status in the Premier Division."

Khoza made it clear that, according to the rules, Mulaudzi would be prohibited from acquiring interests of another club for at least 12 months as he was already involved in professional football with TTM before reiterating that Wits were bought by a trust. 

"Let me explain this, in terms of the rules for the PSL, no member of a club in the present season can acquire interests directly or indirectly of another club within a period of 12 months," added Khoza. 

"That's why I'm saying that I want it to be technical but be honest on what is represented before us as an executive committee."

"This one, we are making it clear that it was a trust that came and made an application to us."

Khoza warned that Mulaudzi must explain himself and confirm or not if he's the brain behind the purchasing of the Students. 

"If it's Mr Mulaudzi, he must explain himself because I cannot vouch for that one," Khoza concluded.

The TTM-Wits sale was provisionally approved by the PSL executive committee and it remains to be seen whether or not the league will reverse its decision upon the completion of the season.  

Should the league give the sale the green light then Wits will relocate to Limpopo and be renamed TTM ahead of the 2020-21 season. 

Jadon Sancho “ticks all the boxes” for Manchester United and would be a natural fit for what has been a problematic position for the Red Devils at times, says Darren Fletcher.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is back in the market for another wideman during the current transfer window.

He acquired Daniel James from Swansea 12 months ago and saw Mason Greenwood thrive at just 18 years of age when given his chance to shine on the right of United’s attacking unit in 2019-20.

James, though, is yet to fully convince at Old Trafford and Greenwood is expected to become a central frontman at some stage.

With that in mind, Sancho could be the perfect choice to slot into an exciting side and offer a long-term solution to a potential selection headache.

Fletcher believes that would be the case, with Solskjaer urged to retain his interest in the Borussia Dortmund winger.

The former United midfielder concedes that landing the England international will not be easy, with some big numbers being thrown around, but the Scot feels value would be found.

Fletcher said in Metro of Sancho: “At his young age, to be doing what he’s doing at that level of football is fantastic and there’s no doubt that he has got a bright future in the game.

“It’s clearly a position that Manchester United, I feel, have needed for a number of years now, somebody who naturally wants to play off that right-hand side.

“So, I think that it ticks all the boxes in that respect but – at the same time – these transfers are very, very difficult.

“Large sums of money in these times, there’s a lot of circumstances involved in it.

“It’s not just Jadon Sancho and his representatives, it’s Borussia Dortmund, it’s Manchester United and I’m sure there will be other clubs interested in him as well.

“He’d be a fantastic acquisition for anyone who gets him.”

Fletcher helped United to five Premier League titles during his time with the club, including their last under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

Football fans have taken to social media urging Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to pull on the mask worn by Chadwick Boseman in the hit Hollywood film Black Panther, should he score in Saturday’s Community Shield against Liverpool.

Boseman lost his life on Friday after battling with colon cancer since 2016. Within this period the American starred in various blockbusters which included Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

However, his lead role in Black Panther, the first-ever Black superhero movie with a majorly black cast and the highest-grossing film of 2018 (US$1.3 billion), shot him to fame.

Aubameyang has been known to wear superhero masks during goal celebrations, wearing Batman and Spiderman masks during his time at Borussia Dortmund.

He wore the Black Panther mask after scoring a brace in Arsenal's 3-0 second leg Europa League Round of 16 tie against French club Rennes on March 14, 2019. The Gunners had lost the first leg 3-1 at Roazhon Park.

After the game, Aubameyang stated that the mask represents his personality and the Gabon national team who are called the Panthers.

“I needed a mask which represents me and that’s the Black Panther. In Gabon, we call the national team the Panthers,” he said at the time.

Following the announcement of Boseman’s demise, Aubameyang took to Twitter posting an image of the Hollywood actor with the eyes of a Panther in the background and a caption reading “Wakanda forever”, a popular term used by Boseman in the movie to promote the fictional African city.

Some fans have tweeted that the result of the Community Shield does not matter and all they want to see is Aubameyang scoring and pulling on the mask, even if it means Liverpool deliberately allowing him to find the back of the net.

Kenneth Omeruo was on the scoresheet as Leganes secured a 3-1 victory over Eibar in Saturday’s friendly at Estadio Municipal de Butarque.

The Cucumber Growers continued their build-up to the 2020-21 Segunda Division campaign with a win at Estadio Municipal de Butarque following their relegation from La Liga last season.

The Super Eagles centre-back impressed in the encounter, finding the back of the net to inspire Jose Luis Martito’s team to victory.  

Omeruo opened the scoring as early as the third minute, firing home his effort from close-range after connecting with a corner-kick.

Roberto Rosales doubled the lead in the 12th minute before Jose Arnaiz sealed the win despite a late strike from Quique.

Omeruo joined the Cucumber Growers on loan in the summer of 2018 from Premier League club Chelsea.

The Nigeria international delivered solid defensive performances during his temporary stay to earn a permanent deal with the side.

The defender, thus, ended his five-year stay with the Stamford Bridge outfit, having also featured for ADO Den Haag, Middlesbrough, Kasımpasa and Alanyaspor on loan.

The 26-year-old featured prominently for the Cucumber Growers last season, playing 23 league games, but his efforts were not enough to help the club maintain their La Liga status.

Omeruo has featured for the Nigeria U17 and U20 teams before he made his Super Eagles debut against Cape Verde in 2013 in a friendly.

The defender has since become a key component of the national team and featured prominently as the West Africans clinched the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title in South Africa.

Omeruo now has 52 caps for the three-time African champions and was part of Gernot Rohr’s side that finished third at 2019 Afcon in Egypt.

The centre-back will hope to replicate his impressive pre-season performances when the 2020-21 campaign gets underway.

Uganda head coach Johnathan McKinstry has reaffirmed Fahad Bayo's importance to his squad, saying the striker will be missed when the East African nation takes part in the African Nations Championship next year.

The 22-year-old recently joined Israeli outfit F.C Ironi Ashdod, meaning he will not be eligible to play in the competition which is meant for players plying their trade in their respective domestic leagues.

The Cranes tactician has now explained the impact the striker's absence will have on the team.

"We have a big pool of players that can play when given the opportunity," McKinstry told Urban TV.

"Whereas we shall miss Fahad Bayo, but players like Steven Mukwala now have the chance to blossom."

Bayo was one of the players who shone for Ugandan Premier League champions Vipers SC in the abandoned 2019/20 season, scoring 12 goals in the 23 matches played.

He started his career at Proline FC whom he joined in 2014 at the tender age of just 16, and went on to score 30 goals for them in the 68 matches played.

Zambian outfit Buildcon FC was his next stop in 2018-2019. He played 39 matches and managed to score six goals before returning home to join the Venoms.

The Cranes were set to bank on his experience in the competition to be held in Cameroon, but his departure to Europe means the technical bench has to look elsewhere for his replacement.

Uganda qualified for the biennial competition after eliminating Somalia and Burundi. The Cranes claimed an aggregate 7-1 win against the former before defeating the latter 6-1 on aggregate to advance.

In the competition to be held in Cameroon in January 2021, the East African nation has been put in Group C alongside defending champions Morocco, neighbours Rwanda and Togo.

This is the fifth time the team is playing in Africa's second-tier competition.

Group A has hosts Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Zimbabwe, while Group B comprises Libya, DR Congo, Congo, and Niger. Group D has Zambia, Guinea, Namibia, and Tanzania.

The team is aiming at going past the group stage and into the latter stages of the competition. Players will be summoned to camp in December in preparation for the tournament. 
 

Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Pereira has joined Championship side Huddersfield on a season-long loan deal.

The 24-year-old would struggle for game time at Old Trafford as he is behind David de Gea, Sergio Romero and Lee Grant in the pecking order. Dean Henderson’s return from his loan spell at Sheffield United also meant the goalkeeper would struggle for any kind of first-team involvement this term.

Pereira, who has made three competitive appearances for the first team, has had various loan spells over the past two seasons with Vitoria Setubal, Belgian side Kortrijk and Scottish Premier League side Hearts.

He becomes the fourth player to go out on loan ahead of the new campaign, with Tahith Chong joining Werder Bremen, Aliou Traore moving to Caen for the season and fellow goalkeeper Matej Kovar joining Swindon Town for the 2020-21 campaign.

The club had hoped to have announced the deal on Friday night so Pereira could play in the friendly against United’s Under-23s on Saturday afternoon but it is understood that the paperwork was not completed on time and Ben Hamer started in net for the Terriers.

Huddersfield Town head coach Carlos Corberan told their club website: “Joel Pereira is a player that covers all the demands we have from our goalkeepers. In terms of his reflexes, domination of the box, covering spaces and distribution of the play – all of these abilities are something that aren’t easy to find in a ‘keeper.

“For me it’s a very positive reaction from the Club, in terms of getting a replacement from Ryan Schofield’s injury.

“We are looking forward to working with players with potential that allow us to grow as a club.”

It is understood the club are still working on loan moves for James Garner and Dylan Levitt as they look for more regular playing time.

U23s coach Neil Wood spoke to Goal about loan moves ahead of the new season: “I think if they’re not going to be around the first team and involved in that then the natural next step is to go out on loan and go and show how good they are,” Wood said.

“It wouldn’t be right to keep them in the 23s for another season just to bolster the squad or because we’ve gone up a league and we’ll be playing tougher opposition.”