Looking for Soccer News?

Tim Sherwood says Jack Grealish is the closest player to the abilties of Paul Gascoigne that he has seen and the Aston Villa captain should not be compared to recent England call-up Kalvin Phillips.

Grealish, who is yet to make his international debut, was again overlooked for Gareth Southgate's latest Three Lions squad with Leeds midfielder Phillips being selected despite never having played a minute in the Premier League.

While Sherwood believes Phillips will become a star for the national team, he feels that comparisions with Grealish are unfair, with the 24-year-old - who he handed a debut while coaching at Villa - competing for a different position in the squad.

"Jack is a different player to Phillips," Sherwood told the Daily Star. "He's exceptional and he's vying to be the best number six in that squad, sitting in and around the back four.

"I guess you'd have to give Jordan Henderson the nod just above him because of what he's done with Liverpool but after him, Phillips is better than the rest.

"He really is a player and he's got everything. Phillips is the full package. I know he hasn't had Premier League experience but when you get in among better players at international level, you shine and he could be wearing the England shirt for a long time to come.

"I'm gutted for Jack but he shouldn't be being compared with Phillips.

"Jack's been unfortunate because Gareth can't pick everyone. He says Jack's unfortunate because of the likes of Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling.

"But he's more in the bracket of Phil Foden and Mason Mount. They're the two he should be being compared with.

"Jack just needs to stick with it. He is the nearest thing to Gazza I've seen. Gazza is the most difficult opponent I ever played against. Jack has that same outstanding ability and audacity with the ball."

There is talk Grealish may consider a switch back to the Republic of Ireland if he keeps on getting snubbed for England selection.

However, Sherwood feels the playmaker should stick it out and that he will eventually become a Three Lions regular - much like he was forced to himself during his playing career.

"If I was Jack I wouldn't be thinking of switching back to Ireland. He's made his mind up and he just has to be patient. I know how hard that can be," Sherwood said.

"I won the title with Blackburn. I was in incredible form and thought I was one of the best players around. Yet I must have been called up 28 times and never got picked until I moved to Tottenham.

"It's not ideal but all Jack can do is get on with it and not sulk and I don't think he'll do that. His chance will come.

"It might come through an injury crisis or whatever but once Gareth sees how good he is, how he dribbles and draws players with his pace, he'll be up and running.

"When international teams sit back you need players who have that guile and that key to the door.

"Jack has to just get his nut down and get all this not being picked stuff out of his head. He's not in the squad because he's not good enough. Anyone who thinks that is talking nonsense."

Ramon Calderon expects Barcelona to agree a reduced fee for the transfer of "priceless" captain Lionel Messi.

Messi has asked to leave Barca - his only senior club - after a difficult season at Camp Nou in which they failed to win a trophy amid tension between the board and the talismanic forward.

The 33-year-old has a clause in his contract that allows him to terminate his deal and leave the club for free at the end of each season.

It is claimed Messi intends to activate this clause, yet Barca reportedly believe the option has already expired for this year, despite the 2019-20 season having been prolonged by the coronavirus pandemic.

Rival clubs would otherwise have to pay €700 million (£627m/$828m) to release Messi from his contract, a fee that would appear beyond any suitor between the demands of Financial Fair Play and the impact of the global crisis.

But Calderon, the former Real Madrid president, is confident Josep Maria Bartomeu will accept a compromise.

"I am pretty sure they will reach a friendly agreement," Calderon told Stats Perform News . "They have had 20 years together.

"Messi has given his best for Barcelona, and Barcelona have given their all to Messi. They have won many titles together. He has won six Ballons d'Or.

"I am convinced they will not go for a legal fight and they will solve it in a friendly way. It would be what I would try, and I am sure Bartomeu [as Barcelona president] will do the same.

"I know him. He is a calm man, and he will look for the best solution for both. There is no need to go for any legal fight or any controversy."

Messi's significant wage packet represents another stumbling block, but Calderon believes the forward offers value for money – even if a cut-price deal with Barca might be required.

Juventus paid just €100m (£90m/$117m) to Madrid for Messi's great rival Cristiano Ronaldo two years ago, a fee Calderon considers a relative bargain.

"Obviously, I would be enthusiastic if I was the president of any club who can sign [Messi]," Calderon said. "It is true he is 33, but I am sure he has still three or four years at his best level ahead of him.

"Having said that, how can you pay for him? Real Madrid gave a gift selling Cristiano Ronaldo for €100m because he is showing he is still really valuable and will be for another couple of years.

"I don't know – [the fee] is something that has to be fixed. I am sure nobody will pay €700m, but that will not be the point.

"I am also sure Messi will try to get any fee for Barcelona. How many million? I honestly don't know.

"The club who sign him will be lucky but also will have a huge salary to be paid. He really deserves it, though. The value he adds to a team is priceless."

AC Milan sporting director Fredric Massara has stated that the Rossoneri are not prioritising Serge Aurier at the moment but are focused on other targets.

The Italian giants have popped up as a destination for the Ivorian right-back who has been with Spurs since 2017, making 83 competitive appearances, scoring six goals and providing 14 assists.

There was an earlier indication of Milan’s interest in Aurier when club legend Paolo Maldini admitted the Rossoneri had been in contact with his agent last year.

“We had talked to [Aurier's] agent last year, there was a chance,” Maldini previously told Sky Sports Italia.

However, that stance seems to have now changed with Massara’s admission.

"There are many names associated with Milan, some realistic and others not,” he said in a press conference that kicked off Milan’s pre-season. “He [Aurier] is an excellent player but there are no conditions to think about him, he cannot be a priority for now."

Massara went to state that Milan have intentions of bolstering their midfield despite the solid combination of Ivory Coast and Algeria internationals Franck Kessie and Ismael Bennacer.

Both Africans played a key part in ensuring the Rossoneri made it into the European qualification places and went unbeaten after the restart of league fixtures and Massara says reinforcements will be needed in that area as the season will be tightened due to the 2020-21 season starting a month past the usual August slot.

"Kessie and Bennacer did excellent things not only after the lockdown, but also before. They have grown exponentially, not only individually but also as a couple,” Massara continued.

“[Stefano] Pioli's intuition of the double midfielder has made them to be great, but surely in midfield we will have to intervene to help the team in their commitments, given that the one we have ahead of us is a very long but compressed season. We are already evaluating our options.”

The new Serie A season is set to commence on September 19, however no fixture schedules have been released yet. Juventus are the reigning champions having won the title for the eighth consecutive season which is a record.

Thiago Silva took to social media on Wednesday to bid farewell to the Paris Saint-Germain faithful ahead of his anticipated move to Chelsea. 

Silva joined PSG in 2012 from AC Milan and went on to lead the French side to seven Ligue 1 titles in eight seasons, part of a total haul of 23 trophies during his time at Parc des Princes. 

But the Brazil defender was not offered a fresh contract at the end of his current deal, instead signing a temporary extension which came to an end with PSG's defeat to Bayern Munich in Sunday's Champions League final, the first in the club's history. 

Chelsea have since emerged as the front-runners to sign Silva, with reports that he will soon sign a two-year deal to join the west London club circulating. 

Silva took the opportunity to pay tribute to his former supporters, quoting renowned Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa in a heart-felt message shared on Instagram.

"The value of things is not in the time that they last, but in the intensity with which they occur. That is why there are unforgettable moments, inexplicable things and incomparable people," wrote the centre-back, using Pessoa's famous phrase. 

"Today a cycle is ended, after eight years at PSG, I would like to thank my team-mates, the entire coaching staff and board, the fans, my family, God and my friends, for all of the happy years we have spent in the City of Light. 

"Here, together with my wife, we have enjoyed unforgettable moments, our children grew up, we became French citizens, and we will carry forever in our hearts these years lived in France. Thank you so much."

Andrea Stramaccioni has revealed he pressured Bruno Fernandes to get married when the pair worked together at Udinese.

The midfielder spent three years at the Serie A side and crossed paths with the Italian coach, who took charge in 2014 for one season.

Fernandes married his high school sweetheart, Ana Pinho, in December 2015, after Stramaccioni's departure, but the 44-year-old feels he played a role in persuading the Manchester United star to pop the question.

"I was pushing him a lot to get married," he said to Sky Sports.

"'You love this girl, you need to marry her' and when he did marry her he called me to say: 'Coach I did it.' It was funny, it was a way to joke with him."

Stramaccioni says he was impressed by the Portugal star's attitude and work rate, but admits he was surprised to see him become an immediate fans' favourite at Old Trafford following his January signing from Sporting.

"Bruno was one of the talented young players of Udinese. He was playing but not established. He was learning a lot and growing up and was very shy," he said.

"He's a good person and a hard worker. His approach was always positive, even in a bad situation. He never came with the nose up and his team-mates appreciated that."

He continued: "I didn't expect such a quick impact at Manchester United, but they are different from the past. There are many young players and he was clever and earned his leadership.

"He was such a hard worker. Every training I said you have to come back this afternoon and do extra and he always did.

"He did two or three extra training sessions per week and worked hard on his technical side, and his strength in the gym. He is so strong mentality. He never said: 'No, why do I have to come back'.

"Look at videos of him six years ago and look at him now. It's all from his work and his mentality. I am very happy for him."

Stramaccioni is also familiar with Fernandes' unorthodox penalty-taking style, which has proved effective since he joined the Old Trafford side.

"He's very cold. He has a killer instinct. I don't know if he did it in Portugal, but in Udinese he did it. He wasn't our penalty taker but he did it in training."

Stramaccioni's senior coaching career began in 2012 when he replaced Claudio Ranieri at Inter at the age of 36.

He has since had spells in charge of Udinese, Panathinaikos, Sparta Prague and Iranian side Esteghlal, but has never lasted longer than a year in any of his jobs.

The former defender left the Tehran club in January and is ready to get back in the game.

"Italy is my priority in Serie A. For me I will wait for the right situation," he said.

"I learned in my 12 years that it's better to wait for the right situation and the right plan. Maybe it will be in the UK.

"I was close to Sheffield Wednesday four or five years ago. I was in touch with Aston Villa two years ago and I was very close to Watford because you know it's the same owner as Udinese.

"With respect to the other leagues I think Premier League and Championship are the best in the world. For me the Championship is not a second division, it's a different first division! I really appreciate English football."

The agent of Luis Suarez believes that both the Uruguay striker and Lionel Messi will take each other's opinions into account when deciding life after Barcelona. 

Messi and Suarez have struck up a strong friendship since the latter's arrival at Camp Nou in 2014, initially forming two-thirds of the club's famed MSN attacking line-up with Neymar prior to the Brazilian's departure to Paris Saint-Germain.

As well as enjoying huge success on the pitch the pair and their families often holiday together, while new Barca coach Ronald Koeman's decision to cut the Uruguayan from his plans allegedly weighed in Messi's subsequent request to leave the Catalan club after 20 years. 

Both stars could now leave this summer, and according to Suarez's representative Alejandro Balbi the pair will be in close contact throughout any transfer process. 

"Messi's future will have an influence on Suarez's because they are best friends, they get along on and off the pitch," the agent explained to TyC Sports on Wednesday.

"There is a lot of brotherly love between Messi and Suarez, they are inseparable, always together."

Suarez hit 198 goals in all competitions during his six seasons at Barcelona, helping the Catalans to a treble in his debut campaign and three further Liga triumphs. 

PSG are among the clubs to have already been linked with a possible move for the Uruguayan, while former club Ajax admitted contact with Suarez, although the Dutch side admitted the chances of bringing him back to the Eredivisie were slim.

And while at 33 the striker may be approaching the twilight of his career, Balbi assures that he has attracted no little interest from potential suitors - while suggesting that his Barca exit is not solely down to footballing matters. 

"The offers are raining down from all sides because he is a great goal-scorer in world football," he added. 

"There is a backdrop [to Barca's decision] which is not wholly about sport. His family lives in Barcelona and this is not the typical case of most players who can up and leave. He will have to work it out with the family."

Former Ghana deputy minister for sports Joseph Yamin has expressed his displeasure at the national government's lingering ban on football due to the coronavirus pandemic.

All contact sports have been on suspension since Ghana recorded its first cases of the disease in March, a situation that resulted in the cancellation of the 2019-20 domestic football season, including the Premier League (GPL).

While the government has been gradually lifting various Covid-19-induced restrictions, for example the suspension of religious activities and conferencing, football is yet to get an exemption. That said, some national football teams have received special permission to restart training ahead of upcoming international assignments.

“I do not know the patience the government is asking from football people in easing the restrictions on football and contact sports," Yamin said, as reported by FootballGhana.

"The clubs are struggling due to Covid-19 and the government has not provided any stimulus package for them.

“The government has to invest in football upon its resumption [after this] decision to still put football on hold. The government must be truthful to football people, it [the government] is not ready to invest in football.

“It doesn’t make sense to allow an unlimited number of people for gatherings and church services and still suspend football.

"The [incumbent] NPP [New Patriotic Party] government is just being wicked in the suspension of football. The government is broke and will be exposed upon the resumption of football."

The domestic football season was initially just temporarily suspended after Ghana recorded its first case of the coronavirus disease in March.

In June, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council permanently cancelled the season after failing to convince the national government for a possible return of football under tight safety protocols such as the playing of matches behind closed doors.

The Premier League was at its matchweek 15 stage when it was forced to take a break. At the time of its permanent cancellation, Aduana Stars sat top of the league table, two points above Berekum Chelsea.

Football's governing body has set a tentative date of October for the return of football, subject to the national government's approval. 

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Ligue 1 side Bordeaux have celebrated with Samuel Kalu on his 23rd birthday.

The winger was born in Aba, the South-Eastern part of Nigeria in 1997 and started his professional career in Jos with GBS Academy.  

The forward has been flourishing at club level for the Super Eagles since his debut for the West Africans in 2018.

The Nigeria football governing body and the Girondins have sent the winger birthday messages as he reaches a new age.

Kalu began his senior career with Slovak side AS Trencin, a partner of GBS Academy, in December 2015 and featured in 34 league games for the club, scoring four goals.

His impressive performances earned him a move to Belgian First Division A side Gent in January 2017, where he spent two years.

The forward scored 10 league goals in 48 appearances during his time at Ghelamco Arena amid other dazzling displays.

Kalu then joined Bordeaux in the summer of 2018 on a five-year deal and has been delivering eye-catching performances for the club.

The winger has so far made 35 Ligue 1 appearances for the Matmut Atlantique outfit and scored four goals.

On the international scene, Kalu has featured 13 times for the Nigeria national team and bagged two goals since he made his bow for the West Africans.

The winger was part of Gernot Rohr’s side that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, behind Senegal and champions, Algeria.

Kalu will hope to continue his development with Nigeria and Bordeaux in the 2020-21 campaign.

Barbra Banda continued her fine start as she bagged a brace in Shanghai Shengli's 4-1 victory over Changchun Dazhong Zhouyue in a Chinese Women's Super League contest on Wednesday.

The Zambia international hit the ground running on her first appearance as she scored one and assisted twice in Shanghai's 5-0 thrashing of Zhejiang Hangzhou in their opening match last Sunday.

The 20-year-old striker made the team following her fine display against Zhejiang and she made the most of her presence on the pitch for her side as they maintained their winning run.

Shanghai were seeking to build on their opening big win and they found an early breakthrough through Banda after she cleverly stole the ball from a Changchun defender to score in the fifth minute.

The last-season runners-up pushed further for more goals and were gifted the second of the match after Lei Jiahui turned in a cross from Zhang Xin into her own net before the half time break. 

After the break, Changchun finally broke the defensive resolve of Shanghai when captain Rafaelle beat goalkeeper Ding Xuan to score from a free-kick and reduce the deficit to one.

However, Shanghai recovered their two-goal lead when Shen Mengyu's cross was brilliantly lashed in by Tang Jiali before Banda outran Huang Wang to complete the hiding in the 78th minute.

After two games, Zambia star Banda, who was in action from the start to the finish against Changchun, has now scored three goals and contributed two assists for Shanghai this season.

The win keeps Shanghai at the top of the Chinese log with six points from two matches, holding a two-goal advantage over second-placed Jiangsu Suning despite being tied on points.

Leaders Shanghai will aim to maintain their lead at the top when they battle Guangdong Meizhou Huijun in their next Chinese top-flight fixture on August 29.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp says he will deploy his best available men, from limited selection options to tackle their fierce Premier Soccer League (PSL) title challengers Mamelodi Sundowns in Thursday’s decisive tie at Orlando Stadium.

Log leaders Chiefs go into the match without suspended striker Samir Nurkovic who has struck 13 league goals and contributed five assists so far this season.

With Amakhosi facing the possibility of getting into battle without key attackers Leonardo Castro and Lebogang Manyama who have been fitness concerns, Middendorp could be having a headache in coming up with the best team to take on the defending league champions.

Also, fitness issues emanating from crammed fixtures might have left Middendorp a worried man although he has lauded his charges for “an incredible” job in clinging onto the top of the standings for the better part of the season.

“Mainly we are focused on our team - I think that's understandable‚” Middendorp said in his pre-match online press conference as per Times Live.

“And I should mention that the players have done an incredible job‚ considering the team is nearly the same starting XI that finished last season‚ being top of the PSL for nearly the entire season - 22 or 23 match days.

“... It's my job at the moment to really go deeper into this squad we have available. To check out the selection of the starting XI who are available considering the injury status and fitness level.

“Considering what we have seen in this bubble‚ which is that there is quite a diversity in fitness levels between players for some reason. And of course, we have to find the players who are capable of handling such an emotional event this Thursday.

“We have to be focused. We have to show the competitive attitude‚ in particular knowing what is at stake. But finally, to sum up, we are excited. We are looking forward to having this game on Thursday and we cannot wait.”

Chiefs go into this match on the backdrop of dropping two crucial points in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch, a result which allowed Sundowns to close in on them to a three-point gap.

West Ham United and Franco-Ivorian striker Sebastien Haller has stated how impressed he is with Grady Diangana who put in some fine displays as the Hammers kicked off pre-season.

They first took on Ipswich Town winning 4-1 before they saw off Adebayo Akinfenwa’s Wycombe Wanderers 5-1.

The 21-year-old Anglo-Congolese was involved in the first game and provided two assists from Haller who bagged a hat-trick.

This thrilled Haller who is hoping Diangana can supply him for more goals moving forward.

“It’s nice for us to have a kind of player like Grady. Everyone knows the quality he has and then he went on loan to West Brom and everyone knows he performed pretty well,” Haller said on the club website.

“We are all happy to have him here and we are going to try to use his quality and strength, me most of all. Hopefully, he will be giving me even more assists in the future!”

Hammers boss David Moyes was equally pleased with Diangana’s performances and wants to see his players in better shape as they prepare for the 2020-21 Premier League season starting with a home tie against Newcastle United on September 13.

“There was some very good performances. Seb got three and he probably could have got five or six. Grady had some good moments. We’re pleased and, overall, it was good,” Moyes said.

“Several young players also got opportunities to play as well, and we had to play one or two out of position because of one or two injuries. From that point of view, they all got some minutes.

“We play Brentford on Saturday in another friendly and that takes it up another level. We’re trying to get better and make sure we’re going to play well and score goals and do a lot of right things.

“There were a few things we didn’t do well today as well, so we’re not getting carried away with ourselves, but that’s the first game for the players.”

Diangana has been with West Ham since 2010 as a youth player and finally made his senior bow on September 2018. He has had limited opportunities with the first team and was loaned out to last season’s Championship runners-up, West Bromwich Albion, making 30 appearances, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists.

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick expects the club to lose several players in the wake of ther Champions League success.

The German giants beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the final in Lisbon to secure the European crown for the sixth time in their history and complete the domestic and continental treble.

Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara is expected to leave this summer after CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed he will not sign a contract extension, with his current deal set to expire next year.

Meanwhile, Ivan Perisic is heading back to Inter and Philippe Coutinho is returning to Barcelona after the end of their loan spells in Bavaria.

Flick fears his side are in danger of losing some crucial players but is confident the Bundesliga winners can recover ahead of the next campaign.

"[We will] lose some players who have tremendous quality, we have to deal with that," he told Die Zeit.

"If I could continue to work with this squad, that would be nice, but that is not the case."

Despite leading Bayern to glory this term, Flick is aware his side will be under pressure to maintain their high standards in 2020-21, but says he is hungry for more titles.

"We have achieved something special, something that maybe not all of us thought we could do, but I also know that it will all be over the moment the new season starts," he added.

“There is a nice phrase: 'Success is not owned. It is only rented.' And the rent is due every day. Of course I could say: ‘I've achieved a lot now. Now I'll lean back’. But that doesn't meet the demands I have on my life.

The 55-year-old, who replaced Niko Kovac at the helm last November, has been impressed by the team and was delighted to see them revel in their Champions League triumph.

“I notice how happy I am about the Champions League title for the players," he said. "For Robert Lewandowski, for example, he played so well for the team and also integrated himself into the network on the defensive side.

"When I then see the players, how happy they are, and finally let their emotions out, it’s nice. It's also important for the German national team."

Chippa United have explained why they are planning on moving to East London from Port Elizabeth. 

The Chilli Boys have been based in PE for the past six years while using the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium as their home venue. 

There have been reports indicating Chippa are looking to terminate their agreement with Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which began in 2014.

Certain Chilli Boys matches were expected to be played at the city's Wolfson Stadium and Gelvandale Stadium, but the relationship between the two parties has broken down over the years.

The club released the following statement explaining how they could not use the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium which has been used as a quarantine site as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic.

"Chippa United would like to clarify reports pertaining to the team relocating to East London [Buffalo City Metro]."

"It's common knowledge that the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium has been a quarantine site since May 2020. In which the club was never consulted on the issue."

"It made our preparation for Bio-Bubble very difficult due to the lack of training facilities, which could be seen in our first encounter against Cape Town City FC."

"Also putting the club in a very peculiar position in terms of meeting and complying with the League's deadlines."

"So, the club had to submit Absa Stadium in East London as their main home venue and Sisa Dukashe Stadium as an alternative venue for the start of the 2020/21."

"The club is also currently engaging with all relevant stakeholders to make the move permanent," a club statement read. 

The Absa Stadium is better known as Buffalo City Stadium and it holds 16,000 people and the Chilli Boys have used the venue to host PSL matches over the years.

Chippa boosted their hopes of retaining their status in the elite league by securing a 1-0 win over Baroka FC at Bidvest Stadium last weekend.

The Eastern Province side is placed 12th on the league standings - five points above the relegation zone with three matches left.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have confirmed Burundian coach Cedric Kaze will not be appointed as Luc Eymael's successor.

The former Mukura Victory FC head coach had agreed to take charge of Yanga’s first team ahead of the 2020/21 season but has now confirmed he would not be readily available to undertake the duties.

Kaze, according to Yanga, requested for a three-week period to attend to private matters and the move jolted the team’s leadership into quick action in looking for another available coach.

Yanga have already started pre-season training ahead of the next campaign that is expected to start on September 6.

“Yanga would like to inform the public that coach Cedric Kaze who was set to join the historic Tanzanian league champions has notified the club of his intention not to do so citing family issues,” a document released by the club’s media department and obtained by Goal read.

“Coach Kaze has requested for three weeks to deal with some family issues and in that regard, the management of the team has decided to take further steps and look for another coach.

“Yanga are going to pick another coach from the list of those who had applied for the job immediately.

“Due to the issue, Yanga top officials convened an urgent meeting to deliberate on the matter at hand and will soon make an announcement concerning the new coach.”

Kaze was expected to join Yanga in the near future and prepare for the upcoming season as player transfer business is understood to have been concluded.

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 early 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.

Mkwasa - who has left to join Ruvu Shooting - had been appointed to guide the team after Mwinyi Zahera had been sacked for poor results. The Tanzanian coach acted as Eymael’s assistant until when his contract ended in August and was not renewed.

Temwa Chawinga opened her goal account in the debut Chinese Women's Super League season with a brace to help Wuhan secure a 5-0 victory over Hebei China Fortune on Wednesday.

The Malawi international made her debut as a second-half substitute in Wuhan's 2-1 win over Henan Jianye last Sunday following her signing from Swedish side Kvarnsvedens in January.

This time, the 21-year-old striker was handed a starting role following her impactful display against Henan when she earned a penalty to ensure her side secure a winning start to the season.

Wang Shanshan opened the scoring for Wuhan to continue from where she left off in the opener after just nine minutes against Henan, who were smarting from a 3-2 defeat to Jiangsu Suning.

Moments later, Wang Shuang brilliantly raced into the area before sending in a fine pass to Chawinga for the Malawian to lash in her first goal of the season and double the lead for Wuhan.

Rampant Wuhan did not take their feet off the pedal as Shuang again teed up Chawinga who eventually bagged her second goal of the match and the fourth for the visitors. 

Having already bagged two assists in the game, Shuang once again continued her assist role as she provided her third assist of the match for Xiao Yuy to wrap up the victory for the visitors.

Chawinga, who was in action for the duration for Wuhan, has now scored two goals from her two games in 2020.

The result saw Wuhan retain third spot on the log with six points from two games and they will hope to maintain the run against Tabitha's Jiangsu Suning in their next fixture on Saturday.

Tabitha Chawinga continued her impressive start to the season in Jiangsu Suning's 5-0 triumph over Henan Jianye in a Chinese Women's Super League encounter in Kunming on Wednesday.

Jiangsu went into the contest on the back of a narrow 3-2 win over Hebei China Fortune on Sunday, while Henan bowed narrowly 2-1 to Wuhan Jiangda in the opening match of the day.

In the last meeting in September, they played out a 1-1 draw after Tang Jiali cancelled Onome Ebi's opener in the final league match.

With the absence of Nigeria duo Ebi and Chiwendu Ihezuo, the champions made a bright start to the contest when Chawinga assisted Wu Chengshu to open the scoring after just nine minutes.

With the slim lead, Jiangsu could not find a breakthrough past Henan until the pacy Malawi international raced off from the passing area to double the lead in the 78th minute. 

Chengshu bagged her second of the match moments later before she hit her treble from the spot in the 88th minute and Gong Li struck seconds from time to wrap up the victory.

Chawinga, who played for the duration, has now scored two goals in two matches this season for Jiangsu in her third season in China.

The absence of Ebi and Ihezuo due to travel restrictions are proving costly for Henan as the latest defeat places them in 10th with no point, no goal from two matches, conceding nine in the process.

The win means Jiangsu moved to second on the log with six points from two games and the next league fixture will pitch Tabitha against her sister Tenwa for the first time on August 29. 

Express FC's sixth signing Godfrey Lwesibawa has called for consistency when the 2020/21 Ugandan Premier League (UPL) starts.

Lwesibawa re-joined the Red Eagles from Tooro United, a club he made his debut for in 2013 and helped them finish third three years later.

Since then, Express have failed to finish in any subsequent seasons as among the best three teams but Lwesibawa is hopeful they can challenge for a trophy once again.

“All our [players] objectives can’t be any different, we all want to win silverware this season but our biggest motivation will be consistency, we have to score goals but also defend well so as to achieve the main target,” Lwesibawa told the club’s website.

“We have to be one, the senior players have to guide the younger players and also guide them when the pressure mounts but also the fans have to be with us, in good and bad times.”

Meanwhile, Mustafa Kiragga revealed why he had to choose Express while he had other numerous offers.

“Express FC are a big brand and not forgetting the amazing supporters,” Kiragga told Sports Nation.

“I had more than two offers here and another one outside but won’t mention them because I’m happily a Red Eagle now.

“I’m looking forward to achieving first-team football then plenty of goals and assists to help the team claim more trophies.”

The striker, the first to be signed by the Red Eagles, also discussed his time at Alexandria FC of South Africa.

“It’s been having ups and downs but it’s all part of the journey. Living in a foreign land is a milestone and a huddle that one has to overcome by all means,” he added.

“It takes only the brave-hearted ones to stay focused amidst many challenges but I managed to play in different competitions, got accolades for top scoring.

“I didn’t find my way into the top-tier due to some uncertainties but people always complimented on how good my craft is which fuelled and kept me going and now I’m here to make things happen Insha-Allah.”

Kiragga has previously played for Lweza, SC Victoria University and KB Lions and left Uganda two years ago.

New Southampton recruit Mohammed Salisu will wear the number 22 jersey for the 2020-21 season after the squad numbers were released by the club.

The 21-year-old joined the Saints having completed a £10.9million move from Real Valladolid. A fee which matched his release clause.

Salisu had been linked with a host of European giants that included Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus.

At some stage it looked like Ligue 1 club Rennes - who were keen to bolster their backline ahead of their Champions League debut, would append his signature. However, Southampton won the intense race for a fee considered a huge bargain in today’s hyper-inflated transfer market.

Upon his arrival, Salisu stated he was ready to adapt to the Premier League which he called a very tough league.

“For me, it has been a dream since I was a child to play in the Premier League and I am very, very happy to be here,” Salisu said on the club website.

“We all know it is a very tough league, but I am ready for everything to put all I can into helping the team.

“It is a very good feeling to be a Southampton player. I am very happy to be part of the club and I am looking forward to starting here.

“It’s a very good club for me to develop my skills and to learn a lot as a young player and I’m very happy to join. Southampton have a fantastic history in developing young players and I hope I do my best to add to that group.”

The Ghanaian comes with a good reputation from La Liga where he averaged 5.0 clearances per game, 1.3 tackles and 1.1 interceptions, all last season in what was a breakthrough senior debut with the Blanquivioletas having been a youth player since 2017.

The number 22 Southampton jersey was previously worn by Nathan Redmond, but the English forward will now take the vacant number 11 shirt.

The other Africans in the Saints squad in Malian Moussa Djenepo and Moroccan Sofiane Boufal retained their number 12 and 19 shirts respectively.

Southampton finished in 11th place last season, 18 points clear of the relegation zone and seven points short of European qualification.

Salisu will be looking to make his Premier League debut when the Saints travel to Jordan Ayew’s Crystal Palace on September 12.

Napoli new boy Victor Osimhen has lauded the roles played by manager Gennaro Gattuso and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis in convincing him to move to Italy.

The Nigeria striker was reportedly linked to a number of clubs in Europe after his outstanding debut campaign in the Ligue 1 with Lille where he notched 13 goals in 27 games.

However, before he penned a five-year deal with Napoli earlier this month, Osimhen noted the ‘father figure’ roles by Gattuso and De Laurentiis as the persuading factors for him.

“Playing for Napoli is a dream come true and [Aurelio] De Laurentiis and [Gennaro] Gattuso have welcomed me like a son,” he said during his media presentation.

“The president and the coach really wanted to sign me and spoke to me a lot before I joined. Both were like father figures because they gave me lots of advice. I decided to accept the challenge with Napoli after speaking to them. It’s not often you’re shown so much love. For a young player like myself, that’s vital.”

The 21-year-old joined his new teammates for training this week at their pre-season camp in Castel di Sangro.

He disclosed how he can fit into Gennaro Gattuso’s squad.

“I like to get involved with the play. My team-mates are vital to me. My motto is never say never. Everything is possible in football,” Osimhen continued. “This is a squad of great players and it’s a big step up for me to be here.

“I’m focusing on doing everything I can for the team and helping my teammates.”

Osimhen admitted his initial worry about racism in the Italian city but the reception he got from fans has changed his perspective.

“I was a bit sceptical because it’s something that affects the whole world,” he said.

“But I’ve visited the city of Naples, I’ve seen things with my own eyes and I know that I’ve come to a marvellous city. Racism is a problem that exists everywhere, but I’m sure that I’ve made the right choice because the love the Napoli fans show me will make me feel right at home.

“I’ve always been convinced that Napoli was the right choice for me right now and in the future. From both a personal and a playing perspective.”