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Mauricio Pochettino has seemingly opened the door to potentially coaching Barcelona after expressing regret for showing them "disrespect" with comments he made in 2018.

Pochettino's managerial career is most synonymous with Tottenham, where he spent five years until 2019, but Espanyol is where he first made his name and spent most of his playing days.

Across two spells as a player, Pochettino represented Espanyol for just shy of 10 years and then became the club's head coach in 2009, three years after retiring with Los Periquitos.

It was this association that was often referenced by Spanish football commentators and columnists when suggesting Pochettino would not coach Espanyol's local rivals Barcelona.

Pochettino also expressed reticence to such an idea on several occasions, most recently in 2018 when he claimed he would never coach Barca, Arsenal or Rosario Central due to his close ties to Espanyol, Spurs and Newell's Old Boys.

"I would prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than go to work in certain places," he said - but he has now backtracked on that statement.

"I have to explain it well," he told El Pais. "I was in Barcelona that year and I met [Barca president Josep Maria] Bartomeu in a bar.

"We greeted each other because we were taking the children to the same school and we were talking for five minutes. That generated a rumour that set off alarms because there were more teams that wanted us.

"When reporters asked me, I wanted to settle it drastically. I didn't want to disrespect Barcelona. You can say things differently. Espanyol has made a name for me, but I'm not arrogant and I didn't like making a statement like that.

"Maybe now I wouldn't because in life you never know what will happen."

Pochettino has been out of a job since November last year when he was sacked by Spurs, just a few months after leading the club to the Champions League final.

Barca are currently coached by Quique Setien, but following his failure to retain the Liga title after replacing Ernesto Valverde earlier this year, it looks as if he must win the Champions League just to keep his job.

Kieran Tierney has paid tribute to Arsenal physio Chris Morgan after winning the FA Cup, thanking him for his help in getting through an injury nightmare earlier in the season.

Tierney completed a £25 million ($33m) move to Arsenal from Celtic back in August and made his debut in the Europa League the following month after making a full recovery from hernia surgery.

The Scotland international found himself on the fringes of the action up until the Christmas period, before being dealt another injury blow during the win over West Ham on December 12.

Tierney was forced off with a dislocated shoulder 30 minutes into the 3-1 victory at the London Stadium, and did not appear in an Arsenal shirt again for over six months.

The 23-year-old's return was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, which called a temporary halt to all major leagues across Europe in March.

However, Tierney was able to use the extra recovery time to get himself back into peak physical condition, and he was included in Mikel Arteta's starting XI for the club's first game back against Manchester City on June 17.

The former Celtic star played the full 90 minutes of the 3-0 defeat at Etihad Stadium, before establishing himself as one of the first names on Arteta's team-sheet.

Tierney's performances helped Arsenal reach Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley, where they managed to beat Chelsea 2-1 to lift the trophy for a record-extending 14th time.

After the match, the Scottish full-back took to social media to express his gratitude towards Morgan, who will be moving to Liverpool next season.

"This man helped me from the first minute I walked in the door! Cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. A special man. Grateful for everything," Tierney wrote on Twitter. "So sad to see you go gonna miss you so much legend. Thank you. Couldn’t have done this without you. Love @ChrisMorgan10 hero."

Arsenal will return to Wembley on August 29 to face off against newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield final as a reward for their FA Cup exploits.

The showpiece event has been pushed back two weeks later than usual due to the scheduling issues caused by the Covid-19 crisis, with the new top-flight season set to begin on September 12.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa is confident Michael Olunga can power the Harambee Stars to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Olunga has been in sensational form for Kashiwa Reysol and the latest outing against Nagoya Grampus on August 1 saw him score his ninth goal of the season.

The former Thika United, Tusker and Gor Mahia striker has scored in each of the last four games and is atop the J1 League scorers’ chart with nine goals after eight games.

“The Gods of goals stay with you Michael [Olunga], Qatar is a possibility,” Mwendwa tweeted after the Harambee Star scored on Saturday.

Olunga, who has forged a close relationship with Kashiwa Reysol fans, dedicated the win to his teammates as they bagged a fourth victory in five matches.

“At the end of the day when I score it is teamwork,” Olunga said after his strike helped the 2019 J2 League champions beat Nagoya Grampus.

“Of course, I scored the winning goal but it was teamwork and especially we have to give credit to our defence, they were really solid at the back, they absorbed pressure from the first minute and wish to thank all the players for sacrificing and making us win four matches in a row.”

The Harambee Stars are in Group E of the World Cup qualifiers alongside neighbours Uganda, Rwanda as well as Mali. The winner of the group is guaranteed a place in the final phase of qualifiers.

The second round of the World Cup qualifiers will see the top 26 ranked Caf teams joined by the 14 winners from the first round. The teams have been drawn into 10 groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches, with the winners of each group qualifying.

All the four teams in Group E are fighting for a first-ever slot at the World Cup. Kenya will be seeking a slot in the global competition after their previous 13 attempts failed.

The Harambee Stars reached the second round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers but were defeated by Cape Verde with a 2-1 aggregate.

Olunga, then playing for Gor Mahia, scored the only goal for the Harambee Stars at Nyayo Stadium before they stumbled away in Praia.

Kenya’s chances of participating in the qualifiers, though, remain unresolved due to the Adel Amrouche case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Fifa demanded that the FKF pays the coach over KSh109 million shillings for wrongful dismissal if Kenya are to take part in the qualifiers.

Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta has responded to Antonio Conte's outburst over a lack of support from the board at San Siro, insisting the Italian manager's "work has made itself felt".

Conte's side managed to keep pace with Juventus at the top of the Serie A standings in the first half of the season, but a poor run of form in the new year saw their title hopes fade.

The 51-year-old and several of his players came in for intense criticism when Lazio and Atalanta overtook Inter following the resumption of Italian football in June, before a return to form was enjoyed in the final weeks of the campaign.

The Nerazzurri picked up maximum points from their last three games to earn a second-place finish, their latest victory coming away at Atalanta on Saturday.

Conte vented his frustration towards the club for failing to protect him or the squad during a turbulent period after the 2-0 win, telling Sky Sports: "Neither my work nor the players' work was acknowledged, I found little protection from the club when making comparisons.

"If you want to reduce the gap with Juventus you have to be strong on the pitch but above all off it."

When asked to address Conte's comments, Marotta praised the head coach for making significant changes at San Siro in his first 12 months at the helm, while insisting the team is now on the right path towards future success.

The Inter chief told the club's official website: "It is not easy to analyse objectively. Obviously we have dropped points, but we have learned from these situations too. We have seen an improving team.

"Negative experiences will become great qualities in the future. We must continue on this path, to raise the bar more and more and give satisfaction to the fans. We have a squad that has shown a lot and is up to par. Conte's work has made itself felt."

Marotta went on to express his "pride" after seeing Inter close the gap to perennial champions Juventus in the final Serie A standings to just a single point, adding: "We have created a model that is giving a lot of satisfaction. 

"If we look at the statistics, we have finished Serie A in second place, with the best defence, with the greatest number of away victories.

"It means we have done a good job and credit must be given to everyone, to Conte and all of them [the coaching staff].

"With the great support of the whole team, we finished with the same points as the year of the treble [2009-10], which is obviously a source of great pride."

Ugandan Premier League (UPL) side BUL FC have completed the signing of Ibrahim Mugulusi and Ibrahim Madoi.

Mugulusi has been signed from Busoga United while Madoi has been acquired from Wakiso Giants and both have signed two-year deals.

“We are glad and happy to unveil to you our new players. Welcome [Aggrey] Madoi and [Ibrahim] Mugulusi to BUL FC family,” the club announced.

Coach Arthur Kyesimira has now moved with speed to bolster BUL, who struggled last season.

Kyesimira replaced Peter Onen as the coach midway through the season and managed to win two of the six matches he was in charge.

Mugulusi is hopeful the Jinja-based side can enjoy good results, more than the previous seasons, if they work together.

“I want to first thank the coach for the opportunity and the faith he has put in me, I promise not to disappoint him,” Mugulusi is quoted as saying by Football256 after agreeing to ditch BUL’s crosstown rivals Busoga United.

“And I believe that when we work together as a team, we shall have a better season than the one the club had the previous season.”

Coach Kyesimira and Mugulusi worked together before at Edgars Youth Academy. The player has also played for Kampala University and former Premier League champions SC Villa.

Madoi has set his target of helping BUL win a title in his maiden season with the club.

 “I am happy to have joined BUL. I promise the fans that I will help the team perform well and at least win a title this season,” Madoi said.

“I also want to thank the coach [Arthur Kyesimira] for believing in me and I won’t let him down.”

The left-back has previously played for Vipers SC, Police FC and lately Wakiso Giants.

Kyesimira has revealed he has complete faith in the two players who have been signed.

“Of course, I am thrilled with the new players coming on board and I feel they will beef up the team to compete favourably and realise our goals for the coming season,” he said.

“I thank the management for the effort put in for this to happen.”

Premier League clubs are in races to strengthen their squads ahead of the 2020/21 season that is expected to start on October 17.

Express FC striker Eric Kambale believes he has a lot to work on to convince the technical bench he has what it takes to lead the team in the attacking department.

The Wankulukuku-based side struggled in the abandoned 2019/20 Ugandan Premier League season and they are aiming at making amends in the coming one.

The 20-year-old, in particular, was not so much involved in the first half of the campaign but now he feels ready for the new season.

"It has been a start-stop for me," Kambale said as quoted by the Red Eagles official website.

"I missed the first round of last season because of personal reasons and that set me back a bit, but I know I have to work hard to earn coach [Wasswa] Bossa’s trust ahead of next season."

However, it will not be a walk in the park for the youngster, who scored just one goal last season which came in the Uganda Cup game against Maroons where the Kampala side won 3-2.

Kambele is aiming at dislodging Frank Kalanda, who was the team's lead scorer with 11 goals. 

The youngster broke into the limelight in December 2018, when he managed to get his name onto the score sheet in the 3-2 victory over then-unbeaten KCCA FC. Since then, he has been inconsistent for the six-time league champions.

Recently, goalkeeper Mathia Muwanga also revealed his intention to work harder and become Express' first-choice stopper.

The custodian was not involved in the first round of the abandoned 2019/20 Ugandan Premier League season owing to a back injury but made several appearances in the second leg. The custodian feels he is ready to oust his colleagues from the post.

"It has been tough on all the players but toughest for me, because I was nursing my back injury," Muwanga also told the club's official portal.

"But now I am ready and I can't wait for the season to start."

In the 2015/16 season, the 22-year-old impressed while with Sadolin Paints and went on to keep 16 clean sheets in the 25 matches played.

It was during the same season he was named the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) goalkeeper of the season.

The custodian revealed what helped him reach that level.

"For me, it is all about hard work and I guarantee you, I am well prepared and I will reclaim the number one jersey," the youngster concluded.  

The former URA shot-stopper managed to keep three clean sheets for Express in a handful of matches he played.

The Wankulukuku-based side finished in the ninth position having managed to collect 31 points in the 25 matches played.

The Red Eagles managed to collect nine wins, four draws and 12 losses in the process. 

Supporters are speculating that the Ghana national team could be aiming to persuade Eddie Nketiah to switch international allegiances after the African nation's football association sent him a congratulatory message after Arsenal's FA Cup final victory.

England under-21s striker Nketiah, who is of Ghanaian descent, won his second major title in two months as the Gunners beat Chelsea 2-1 to at Wembley on Saturday.

The 21-year-old saw eight minutes of action as a late substitute, after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's double ensured a comeback victory, Christian Pulisic having given the Blues an early lead.

The title, which secured Arsenal a place in the 2020-21 Europa League, was Nketiah's second of the 2019-20 season as he spent the first part of the campaign with Leeds United, who ultimately won the English Championship to seal a comeback to the Premier League.

Born to Ghanaian parents in London, the forward looks to be on the radar of the African nation who could be hoping to convince him to play for Ghana at senior level after coming through the various youth sides of England, from U18s up to the U21s.

On Saturday night, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) appeared to indicate their interest in the player with a congratulatory social media message on his latest feat.

The tweet has generated a lot of reactions, with many Ghanaian football fans excited about a hot Premier League talent being added to their ranks, although others suggested Nketiah would be better swerving the Black Stars and sticking with the Three Lions.

Nketiah has impressed at youth level with England, scoring eight goals in as many appearances for the U21 international side.

At club level he has broken into the first team picture this season with Arsenal since manager Mikel Arteta took over at the end of 2019 and decided to recall the forward from his loan at Elland Road.

Nketiah made 16 appearances for Arsenal in the second half of 2019-20, scoring four goals. 

He has already turned down one approach from Ghana to be called up to their senior international side, pledging his allegiance to England in January 2019 when asked by former national team manager James Kwesi Appiah.

Cesar Azpilicueta has reflected on Chelsea's 'painful' FA Cup final defeat, insisting they can have no excuses despite "a lot of 50/50s" going in Arsenal's favour.

Arsenal picked up the domestic cup for a record-extending 14th time on Saturday after securing a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Wembley.

Christian Pulisic opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, producing an assured finish after latching onto a clever Olivier Giroud flick.

The Blues continued to dominate proceedings until Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's clever run just before the half-hour mark saw him sneak in behind Azpilicueta, who clumsily brought down the Gunners forward in the box while trying to track back.

Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the penalty spot and Aubameyang stepped up to convert expertly from 12 yards, which saw the momentum of the match swing in Arsenal's favour.

Mikel Arteta's men pushed hardest for the winner, and were rewarded for their efforts when Aubameyang notched his second of the game in the 67th minute.

The Gabon international left Kurt Zouma with a delightful body swerve before dinking the ball over Willy Cabellero in the Chelsea net, sparking wild scenes of celebration in the Arsenal dugout.

Frank Lampard saw his side reduced to ten men when Mateo Kovacic was sent off for a second bookable offence moments later, and the Blues were ultimately unable to find an equaliser.

Azpilicueta questioned Taylor's decision-making post-match, but also admitted that Chelsea failed to maintain their usual high level throughout the entire 90 minutes.

"A lot of times there were 50/50s [that went in Arsenal’s favour] and we had the same in 2017 [when Taylor also refereed a Chelsea-Arsenal final and gave Victor Moses a red card] but we have to look further than this," the Blues captain told the club website.

"We have to look at ourselves. We know two weeks ago when we played against Manchester United, we really controlled it. We played our game, we were on top of them against a very good side but today we couldn’t do it for 90 minutes and, in the end, that makes the difference."

Azpilicueta had to be withdrawn ten minutes before the interval after tearing his hamstring, but he is already motivated to come back stronger and "learn" from the loss at Wembley.

"It’s my first time that it’s happened and it hurts a lot when that happens in a final like today," said the Spanish defender. "Sometimes it’s football and it’s life but it’s hard to take.

"Now we have to learn from the game, even if you always want to learn when you win and when you lift trophies rather than by losing these kinds of games. It’s tough but we have the next challenges that we have to be ready for."

Azpilicueta added on where it went wrong for Chelsea against Arsenal: "It’s painful and a tough one to take. Obviously when you lose a final, it’s always painful.

"We started the game well and scored an early goal which normally gives the confidence to build on but we didn’t capitalise on it. We dropped our level a little bit and we were punished. When you score an early goal, you have control of the game. We had a couple of chances after that to make it 2-0.

"It’s a final and we knew that we were playing against a side that has good attacking players and they can be dangerous. After this, we couldn’t get into our game as we wished."

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates midfielder Stanton Fredericks has revealed why he kept coming back to the PSL from Europe during his playing days. 

The now 42-year-old had three stints in Europe, with his first big break coming in 2000 when he joined Grasshopper Club Zurich in Switzerland. 

Fredericks said while playing for Grasshopper was a great opportunity for him, he had to return home after failing to agree to new financial terms with the club, and when he joined Amakhosi in 2001 he was recharging his batteries.        

"My first stint in Europe was a big learning curve," Fredericks told Goal.

"I went to Grasshopper Zurich which was a big club in Switzerland - a great opportunity for me but I think financially, it just didn't work out with the negotiations with my team.

"Now that taste of playing in Europe in a big team... coming back to Kaizer Chiefs, I always knew that's where I wanted to be. So, I had to come back to South Africa and work hard, and this when I managed to get into the national team and I was able to go back to Europe."

Fredericks would spend three seasons with the Glamour Boys before jetting off to Russia to sign for FC Moscow. 

However, he came back to the PSL again to sign for the Sea Robbers in 2006, and this time, he had different reasons, saying he desperately wanted to be part of the Bafana Bafana squad to represent South Africa at the Fifa World Cup finals in Germany.

Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the global showpiece, however.

Fredericks' final stint in Europe saw him move to Greece to sign for Pierikos, and this was after he was loaned out to SuperSport United by the Buccaneers.   

"Going back there, it's not like I wanted to come back [to the PSL] but there's one thing that made me come back just before the 2006 World Cup in Germany. I wanted to represent my country at the World Cup," he revealed. 

"So, being overseas in Russia, playing for FC Moscow, I wasn't selected for the national team and I really wanted to play at the highest level possible. So, that decision to come back, to have the coach look at you and again see your abilities and hopefully get back into the national team, was the reason for me coming back. 

"So, that was always the reason to try and knock on the door."

He stayed in Greece for three years before returning to South Africa a third time, this time to join Bidvest Wits, where he spent a further three years before finally hanging up his boots in 2013.

Without criticising the South African league, Fredericks concluded by saying he would choose Europe any day if he had an opportunity to turn back the hands of time. 

"If I had a choice to ride again, Europe is where you want to be and I am not slamming South Africa - the level is really getting better in terms of coaching and players - but Europe is where you've got to be," added Fredericks.    

Niko Kovac has outlined his blueprint for success at Monaco, insisting "defences win titles".

Kovac replaced Robert Moreno in the Stade Louis II hot seat on July 19, committing to a three-year deal with the Ligue 1 outfit.

The 48-year-old had been out of work since being sacked by Bayern Munich in November 2019 following a poor start to the season. Kovac's reign at Allianz Arena only lasted 16 months, despite the fact he led the club to a domestic treble during his first full campaign at the helm.

Questions were asked over his predictable tactical setup and selection policy at Bayern, but he has been given the chance to rebuild his reputation at Monaco.

The French outfit finished ninth in Ligue 1 after the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak in April. Monaco have fallen way off the pace in the top-flight since winning the title in 2016-17, and Kovac has identified a number of changes that will be necessary for a turnaround in fortunes.

"I believe in a rule: the scorers win the matches, the defences win the titles", the former Bayern boss told L'Equipe. "I saw that Monaco conceded 44 goals last season, not in 38 matches but in 28 matches. Reims [who finished sixth] allowed only 21. This is a key point that depends on all the players.

"We also want to play offensively, with aggression and speed."

Kovac added on his managerial approach on and off the pitch: "I am not a coach who stays off the field and observes, always looking upset.

"The game is my passion, and without passion, we do not achieve anything. I try to be close, I don't want the players to be afraid of me. We're not friends but we have to have a good relationship."

The Croatian admitted that it will take time for him to implement his philosophy at Monaco, but he is confident that the board have brought into his long-term vision.

"I signed a contract for three years, Paul Mitchell [the sporting director] for four, it shows that a process is taking place," said Kovac.

"You can't do everything overnight. I know that in football, you have no time, but in our case, we have it and we will show that it was the right way to do it."

With the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) taking a recess of more than three months, South African Football Association (Safa) chief medical doctor Thulani Ngwenya says he will breathe a sigh of relief once the first match gets underway next weekend.

The current campaign was forcefully halted because of the coronavirus pandemic in March but the games are finally set to resume next weekend with the Nedbank Cup, while the league will get underway a few days later.

Ngwenya also credited officials from the National Soccer League (NSL), such as Michael Murphy and Lee Pillay, describing the process to resume the games as strenuous.

“I will breathe a huge sigh of relief when the first match kicks off. It will not just be any sigh, but a sigh of great relief,” Ngwenya told NewFrame. 

“The whole process has been strenuous. It has been a roller-coaster ride of emotions and this process took a toll on my family and colleagues.”

Ngwenya recently revealed that he received messages threatening his life, where many believed he was the stumbling block regarding the resumption of the season.

“There has been a lot of misrepresentation, with people looking at me like I was the stumbling block. But everything we did, we did to ensure the safety of the players and everyone involved,” he added.

“It also must be understood that we were venturing into the unknown because this hasn’t happened before, there was not much to reference it with.

“I and my brother Lee Pillay from the NSL [National Soccer League] worked closely on this. It wasn’t just me working on this – it’s just that I might have been the ‘face’ of it.

“There were other people, including Lee Pillay and Michael Murphy.” 

Meanwhile, Bloemfontein Celtic is set to face Baroka in the first semi-final of the Nedbank Cup followed by Mamelodi Sundowns against Bidvest Wits, and the clashes will be staged at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Masandawana will, therefore, resume their league campaign against Orlando Pirates on August 11 while Kaizer Chiefs face off against the Clever Boys a day later.

Namungo FC coach Thierry Hitimana has revealed they will not fear Simba SC when they come face-to-face in the final of the FA Cup on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will be keen to seal a treble this season, having won the Mainland Premier League title and the Charity Shield Cup - as they come up against a Namungo side who finished fourth on the league table, at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Sumbawanga, Rukwa.

Hitimana now says as much as they have respect for Simba, they will not fear them and will deploy the same tactics he used last season when they beat the giants 1-0 in a league match played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

“We have beaten Simba before and so there is nothing to fear about,” Hitimana told reporters ahead of the clash.

“We respect Simba, they are a big club but that does not make us change our usual format of play and we will use the same approach used in the league last season.

“What I want is to keep everyone in the squad fit because we will play in a final match and who knows, maybe the game will go all the way into the extra time.

“In games like this, it becomes difficult to stimulate players since they know themselves what to do especially considering the fact that most of my players are facing their debut match in the finals.”

His sentiments come just a day after Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck admitted it will not be easy against Namungo, and he will select his best team for the match.

“It will be our final match of the season and we will, therefore, field our best squad to finish the job,” Vandenbroeck told Goal on Saturday.

“I will not underrate [Namungo], they are not a team to look down upon and therefore, I have told my players what to do and what to expect in such a final, it will be difficult because they can also spring a surprise, so we must be ready to deal with them.

“I am happy we have been training for the last few days since we ended the league and all the players are fit to play, I will go for my best squad, to finish the job and give us another trophy.”

Simba defeated Yanga SC 4-1 in the semi-final to advance to the final, while Namungo narrowly defeated minnows Sahare All-Stars by a solitary goal.

Mbao FC have been relegated from the Tanzania Mainland League despite their 4-2 win over Ihefu FC in the promotion/relegation play-offs, losing the two-legged tie on away goals.

In the first leg, Ihefu managed to claim a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Steven Mwaijala, who scored from the penalty spot after just four minutes, and Mridi Tangai, who struck with six minutes to go.

On Saturday, the Mwanza based side needed a convincing win to turn the tables and stay in the top tier.

Striker Waziri Junior, who finished as the league's second-best goal scorer with 13 goals, opened the scoring in the eighth minute after heading in a Paul Peter cross to give his team hopes of getting a needed scoreline to play in top-flight football beyond this season.

However, in the 40th minute, Mbao conceded a free-kick which was taken by Sudi Mlindwa, Joseph Kinyozi managed to flick it past the defenders and into the back of the net to level the scores and break the hearts of home team supporters.

With seconds to the break, Babilas Chitembe managed to head the ball on the path of the dangerous Waziri, and the forward unleashed a one-time rocket to ensure Mbao went to the break with a slim advantage.

Two minutes after the break, Mbao gave their fans something to smile about when Michael Masinda turned the ball into his net under pressure from Waziri to make it 3-1.

Ihefu were not going to let this chance of dining with the big boys pass them and they continued pushing for another goal.

Their efforts paid dividends in the 88th minute. Willy Mgaya was fed the ball in a promising position, and he unleashed a fierce strike past the goalkeeper to make it 3-2 on the day.

An Ihefu player handled the ball in the 18-yard area leaving the referee with no option but give the Mwanza side a penalty. Datius Peter converted to make it 4-2 in injury time.

It was too little too late as Ihefu held on to get promoted to Tanzania's top-flight football.

In another play-offs match, Mbeya City guaranteed their stay in the top tier with a narrow 1-0 win against Geita Gold.

The two teams had played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg. The hosts needed an 11th minute Geoffrey Manyasi's own goal to down the second-tier side. 

Ihefu joins Gwambina and Dodoma Jiji in the Tanzania Mainland League while Mbao FC have been relegated alongside Alliance FC, Lipuli FC, Ndanda FC and Singida United. 

New Chippa United head coach Lehlohonolo Seema has expressed pleasure at the commitment of the players as they look to avoid relegation from the PSL.

The Lesotho-born tactician surprisingly joined the Chilli Boys last month after dumping PSL top eight hopefuls Bloemfontein Celtic.

Seema had also guided Phunya Sele Sele to this season's Nedbank Cup semi-finals where they will face Baroka FC on August 8.

The 40-year-old has now been tasked with ensuring that Chippa retain their status in the elite league and he explained that he is happy with a change of scenery at the Port Elizabeth-based side.

“It’s a group [team] that is willing to work and that is the first positive thing. We need to work hard as a group,” Seema said on Daily Sun.

“We don’t have anyone that thinks he stands out more than other players. So, it’s a good group of players and we can work hard and ensure we do well for the club.”

Seema is the Chilli Boys' fourth head coach this season after the club fired Clinton Larsen and Norman Mapeza, before parting ways with Rhulani Mokwena at the end of June 2020.

Chippa are placed 12th on the league standings - three points above the relegation zone and Seema is hopeful that his side will get positive results when their league campaign resumes later this month.

“The guys are willing to learn what we are implementing, The confidence is there," Seema, who is a retired central defender, continued. 

"As it is said, when a new coach is appointed, every player breaths some fresh air and wants to show the coach what they are capable of. They are responding very well. Hopefully, we will get the results that we want.”

Seema revealed that he is enjoying working with his assistant Mbuyiselo Sambu, who has served as the club's caretaker coach in the past.  

“I have been welcomed with open arms. Sambu and I are working well," the former Orlando Pirates captain added. 

"I know him well as we did some courses together and we played at the same time. It’s easy for us to work together." 

The Chilli Boys are set to take on Cape Town City in a league clash at Orlando Stadium on August 14 and they could be without experienced winger William Twala, who is currently nursing an injury.

“Other than that, it’s a clean bill of health,” Seema concluded.

Twala was one of Chippa's top performers before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

The former Kaizer Chiefs player has netted four goals in 21 appearances in the league this term. 

Wayne Rooney has compared Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne with Man United and Liverpool legends Steven Gerrard and Ryan Giggs.

De Bruyne returned to the Premier League in 2015 after an ill-fated spell with Chelsea earlier in his career with a point to prove.

City paid £55 million (€60m/$72m) to bring him to Etihad Stadium from Wolfsburg, and he has since proved to be worth every penny, scoring 56 goals and laying on 89 assists in 220 appearances.

The Belgian has been the driving force behind the club's latest bid for silverware across multiple fronts, with many now calling for him to pick up the PFA Player of the Year award for 2019-20.

Pep Guardiola's men have already won a third successive Carabao Cup with De Bruyne orchestrating proceedings from the middle of the park , and an elusive Champions League crown could also be secured when the competition resumes later this month.

United's all-time record goalscorer Rooney has recalled being at the mercy of the 29-year-old's technical ability while playing for Everton, and drew similarities between the playmaker's game and ex-Liverpool captain Gerrard.

"There’s no doubt Man City’s biggest weapon is De Bruyne, arguably one of the top three players in the world right now," the Derby midfielder wrote in his latest column for The Times .

"Playing against him was never, ever, easy and I’ll always remember Everton using me and Morgan Schneiderlin, in a 4-4-2, against a City midfield of De Bruyne, David Silva and Fernandinho, with Sterling dropping in.

"They absolutely outnumbered us. Me and Schneiderlin were in the middle of the pitch saying, 'What’s going on here?!' We were 3-0 down after 37 minutes and had 18 per cent possession in the game.

"De Bruyne reminds me a bit of Steven Gerrard. He drifts out to that right-hand side and plays some brilliant balls whipped in, like Stevie used to. What I like most is he takes chances, he takes risks, he doesn’t go for the easy ball - he plays the hard pass."

The former United striker added: "You watch, when he’s in possession in space other players start running and that’s the biggest compliment you can pay a midfielder.

"When I played with Ryan Giggs and Giggsy got the ball, I made runs because I knew he’d try and find me, and if it came off he’d get me through on goal. De Bruyne is like that. Teams think they can force him to play it to the side but he can squeeze those passes through the smallest gaps."

Onduparaka FC chairman Benjamin Nyakuni has explained why the club has seen key players leave en masse previously.

The Ugandan Premier League side lost Gaddafi Wahab, Vitalis Tabu, Geriga Atendele, Ramathan Dudu, Faizul Anini and Abdul Lukwata in the middle of last season as well as coach Livingstone Mbabazi.

In the ongoing transfer window, Hassan Muhamood has already joined Police FC and Ezra Bida is reportedly on his way Kyetume FC.

Shaban Mohammad, Rashid Toha and Gaddafi Gadinho are also key players who left the club previously after being part of the starting team on a regular basis.

“We had played well in the first round of last season but the exodus happened during the half-season,” Nyakuni said as was quoted by Sports Nation.

“These players also have their own ambitions, and when you don’t give them want they want, they have to go, they have families and at times they want to experience other environments elsewhere.

“But the main challenge has been finances mostly.”

The chair also linked their struggle that almost saw them engaged in the relegation fight to the exodus that happened mid-season.

“Players and coach [Livingston] Mbabazi leaving at half-season demoralised us so much,” he added.

“It became so hard to assemble a strong side at that moment. It was very tough. Our target was at least to come second but the good thing is that we managed to remain in the league.”

Nyakuni further admitted they are still far from competing with the league bigwigs and their weakness is also contributed by their comparatively younger age.

“Our hands are also tied, we can’t go where we can’t reach. We are competing with the big guns but we can’t afford some things they have done,” he continued.

“This has been a learning process, we are also learning, people are judging us like a club that has been here for 30 years.

“We are our own source of learning. We never had any team in our region to learn from during the time we came into existence, but we have plans and we will get there sometime.”

Onduparaka, just like Busoga United and SC Villa, suffered financial constraints and attempted to pressure the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) to allocate them part of the relief money they received from Fifa.

“Our agenda was that Covid-19 affected each and every team. We felt that if Fufa is supported by Caf and Fifa, we also needed to be supported," he revealed.

“We may not have achieved from that campaign as per now but maybe Fufa is thinking for some solutions.”

Nyakuni also feels their location has drained them financially, unlike other teams in the league.

“We travel most and it’s a disadvantage, the cost of running an upcountry club is higher than in central region,” he concluded.

“Football is very expensive and so clubs have to revise ways of doing things. You cannot promise the players that you will not deliver, it's affecting each and every club.

“But as clubs, it is time we swallow what we can chew. We have to understand our finances.”

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has challenged Arsenal to aim for “bigger things” after beating Chelsea 2-1 to lift the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Arsenal's talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the star as he worked his Wembley magic once again to produce the two goals and earn the Gunners the trophy for a record 14th time.

Chelsea had taken the lead inside five minutes through Christian Pulisic's smart finish but then fell victim to the brilliance of Aubameyang, who was also Arsenal's hero when he scored twice in the semi-final win over Manchester City.

The Gabon forward drew Arsenal level from the penalty spot before the break after he was fouled by Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta, then produced a moment of world-class finishing midway through the second half to make the defining contribution to the first behind-closed-doors FA Cup final.

Chelsea were hampered by a first-half injury to Azpilicueta and were struggling even further when they lost the outstanding Pulisic to a hamstring problem after the break. To make matters worse, Mateo Kovacic was sent off for a second bookable offence shortly after Auba's second goal.

Kagame, who is an ardent Arsenal fan, has congratulated the team for the latest achievement but was quick to point out the club should now focus on winning “bigger things” in the future.

"Bravo, congrats Arsenal for a well-deserved and needed FA Cup win,” the President of the East African nation wrote on his Twitter handle. “We, fans, and supporters kept faith in you...going forward let's aim at much bigger things and yes we can.”

Malawi's new President, Lazarus Chakwera, also took to his Twitter handle to send a message to his beloved Arsenal after winning the trophy.

“It feels great to see the Arsenal winning, a sweet victory snatched from the jaws of defeat, my favourite kind,” Chakwera wrote.

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.