Looking for Soccer News?

Former Asante Kotoko forward Sadick Adams is the latest to bemoan a long wait for financial compensation following the team's fatal road accident in 2017.

On their way back to their Kumasi-base from Accra after a Ghana Premier League (GPL) fixture against Inter Allies, the Porcupine Warriors were met by misfortune as they suffered a vehicular crash at Nkawkaw.

Sunday marks exactly three years since the incident which claimed the life of deputy equipment officer Thomas Obeng Asare and left several others injured.

“Exactly three years today, we were involved in such a tragedy that claimed the life of our brother Mr Asare. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” Adams wrote on Facebook.

“That saw many of our colleagues going through some hardships. All we can say now is Alhamdullilah! We survived and [are] still alive but what happened and still is happening is in the hands of the Almighty Allah and he knows best and he will surely see us through.

“I remember going through pain, seeing some of my colleagues shouting and crying, Michael Akuffo nearly ran into the bush out of shock.

“My boy Baba Mahama was bleeding so badly with a nose cut. Through my pain, I had to use my towel to stop his nose bleeding.

“Akuffo’s shin was horribly damaged that we couldn’t even watch. Isaac Amoako and Owusu Sefa had cuts on their foreheads, you can’t just watch.

“Nana Berchie, Godwin Ablordey and [coach] Stephen Polack had serious damages to their legs. But we say Alhamdullilah.

“Imagine going through all these pains for years, following the right legal [channel] to demand what is due you and nothing comes over three years now. Insurance packages, donations from [corporate] bodies, etc, have all not been given. Hmmm least said. Still watching."

The fateful match ended in a 1-0 loss to Allies at Accra's El-Wak Sports Stadium.

Kotoko's bus, which crashed into a stationary truck, was carrying a contingent of 15 players, seven technical officials and two journalists.

Adams' complaints follow an earlier lamentation by former goalkeeper Isaac Amoako, a member of the Porcupine Warriors' travelling party.

The striker, a former Atletico Madrid youth team player, is currently in search of a new club. 

Raul Jimenez took a step closer to a Premier League record currently held by former Manchester City star Yaya Toure on Sunday.

The Mexican converted from the penalty spot as Wolverhampton Wanderers subdued Everton 3-0 at Molineux during a commanding display.

In the closing stages of the first-half, Daniel Podence was tackled by Lucas Digne, prompting referee Anthony Taylor to point to the penalty spot.

Jimenez converted the resulting kick that left goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with no chance before Leander Dendoncker and Diogo Jota rounded off the win in the second half.

With this, the 28-year-old has scored with all six of the penalties he has taken in the English elite division since his move from Benfica.

Nevertheless, it is Manchester City’s Toure who holds the record for the most consistent penalty success rate in the division, having scored all 11 of his spot kicks during his spell at the Etihad Stadium.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is second on the list with nine, while former Denmark and Liverpool star Jan Molby is third having achieved his own perfect conversion rate with seven strikes - an honour he shares with former Southampton star Rickie Lambert.

Also, that takes Jimenez’s goal tally this season to 16 from 35 league outings. After a fine shift against Carlo Ancelotti’s men, he was substituted in the 78th minute for Portugal’s Joao Moutinho.

"You are in pain [after a defeat] but you stand up the next morning and you have to go again. That is the game,” Nuno Espirito Santo said after the game.

“We had a lot of action today and didn't concede too many chances, it's always about trying to upgrade and raise the standards.

“It was not our main objective [keeping in touch with the top four], there were things we should improve. It's not about that, it's about trying to create and raise standards so we become a better team. 

“Our finishes were not so good, look at the chances we had. Adama is not going to have an easier one."

Thanks to this result, Wolves remain in contention for a place in next season's Champions League after moving up to sixth, three points behind Manchester United - who play Southampton on Monday night - while Everton stay 11th.

Toby Alderweireld scored a late headed winner to secure Tottenham a 2-1 north London derby victory over Arsenal, boosting Spurs' European hopes at the expense of their visitors. 

Spurs were second best for much of the encounter and conceded first, but after equalising and then holding firm against a dominant Arsenal, Alderweireld glanced home late on to move Jose Mourinho's men above the Gunners in the table. 

While the game perhaps lacked some of the derby's usual ferocity, the first half certainly provided thrills and spills, with Alexandre Lacazette's spectacular opener and Son Heung-min's well-taken leveller both consequences of defensive mishaps. 

The contest was considerably different after the break, however, as Spurs sat back and appeared to invite pressure on. After seeing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the crossbar, the hosts clinched victory nine minutes from time, keeping them in the hunt for a European spot. 

The match burst into life with Lacazette's goal – the Frenchman blasting into the top-left corner after Granit Xhaka had won possession back from Serge Aurier.

However, Arsenal's lead lasted just 137 seconds, defensive concentration proving their Achilles heel yet again as Sead Kolasinac's mishit pass to David Luiz released Son, who provided a clever finish over the approaching Emiliano Martinez.

Arsenal's goalkeeper did make a decisive intervention just past the half-hour mark, though, tipping Ben Davies' piledriver onto the bar, before an Aubameyang free-kick went agonisingly wide at the other end.

Although the excitement initially dried up after half-time, a dominant Arsenal did go close to retaking the lead in the 59th minute, Aubameyang's fierce left-footed strike crashing off the bar.

Following the reprieve, Spurs appeared emboldened towards the end. Martinez was forced to pounce at the feet of Son after good work from Harry Kane but was helpless to prevent Alderweireld clinching a potentially vital victory for Spurs, the Belgian meeting Son's corner with a well-placed header.

What does it mean? Old habits die hard for Gunners 

Just when you think Arsenal might be sorting themselves out, the same old issues come to light.

For the majority of proceedings, they were the better team. However, Son's goal came about through a defensive error, while poor marking contributed to Spurs' winner too.

Son makes the difference 

While he may not have produced a scintillating individual display, Son was decisive with the first goal and then set up the second, while he also worked hard on the left flank with his tracking back – that will surely leave Hugo Lloris content. 

Kolasinac culpable 

Playing on the left of Arsenal's three-man defensive line, Kolasinac endured a difficult outing. His poor pass set up Son for the equaliser, while on several occasions he was slow to move out from the back, costing the Gunners the chance to counter. 

Key Opta facts

- Tottenham (W4 D2) have gone unbeaten in six consecutive home league games against Arsenal for the first time since January 1968 (nine games). 
- Mikel Arteta is the first Arsenal boss to lose his opening north London derby in charge in the Premier League since Bruce Rioch in November 1995.
- Jose Mourinho has never lost a home game against Arsenal, winning six and drawing four of his 10 matches – against no side has he faced more often at home without losing (level with Everton and Manchester United). 
- Only West Ham (24) have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League this season than Arsenal (21). 
- Alexandre Lacazette became the first Arsenal player to score home and away against Spurs in a single Premier League season since Per Mertesacker in 2012-13. 
- Son Heung-min has scored 13 goals in all competitions at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, more than any other player (Harry Kane, 12). 

What's next? 

Tottenham go to Newcastle United on Wednesday, while Arsenal host champions Liverpool the same day, as they prepare for their FA Cup semi-final clash with Manchester City three days later. 

Alice Ogebe opened her goal account with a brace as Sportis KKP Bydgoszcz thrashed IKKP Inowrocław 9-0 in Sunday's friendly.

The Nigeria international joined the Polish team from Spanish outfit Real Betis and enjoyed an impactful start after giving two assists in Sportis' 3-2 win over Medyk Konin on Wednesday.

Ogebe made her second appearance as a substitute against the Polish third division winners, having played the duration on her debut against the Polish runners-up in mid-week.

The Polish Ekstraliga side struggled to impose themselves against the solid visitors until Dariusz Gugała found the back of the net to hand the hosts the lead just before the end of the first half. 

After the restart, Pioyt Mazurkiewicz made wholesale changes to his team, bringing on nine players, including, Ogebe, in the second half.

The Nigerian netted twice, Beata Stępień hit a treble, while Patrycja Gietkowska, Martha Andrzejewska and Karolina Majda contributed a goal each to help Sportis wrap up another win.

Ogebe, who was in action for the second 45 minutes, has now provided two goals and two assists in two matches for Sports.

The victory will raise the confidence of Mazurkiewicz's side as they gear up for their season opener at Akademia Piłkarska on August 7.

Having opened her goal account, Ogebe will aim to maintain her fine form when they visit Olympia Szczecin in Kalisz Pomorski on July 19.

Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan scored his first brace in English football as Aston Villa handed a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in Sunday’s Premier League game.

The 25-year-old scored in both halves as the Claret and Blue ended their 10-match winless streak against Roy Hodgson’s men. It was also their first victory in the English top-flight since January 21's triumph over Watford.

After Jack Grealish was fouled around 30 yards from Palace’s goal, Conor Hourihane whipped his free-kick into the penalty area which Trezeguet drilled past Vicente Guaita after the visitors failed to tidy their backline.

That was Trezeguet’s first goal in 2020 after a seven-month wait. The last time he scored was on December 4 when Smith’s side crumbled 2-1 to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

His second, which guaranteed maximum points for his team, came in the 59th minute courtesy of Conor Hourihane’s assist.

Christian Benteke’s dismissal after the final whistle added more woes to Crystal Palace’s defeat. The Belgian was shown a red card by referee Martin Atkinson for an off-the-ball incident with Ezri Konsa.

This was the first time Aston Villa avoided defeat in a league game in which the former Kasimpasa man had scored.

In the same vein, the double was his first brace in the English elite division since joining from the Turkish Super Lig on July 24, 2019, for a fee of £8.75 million.

Also, he is the second Villan to net a double in this season’s competition since Wesley Moraes against Norwich City in October.

In addition, only Grealish has scored more than him in this season’s English top-flight.

After an impressive display, he was replaced by Anwar El-Ghazi with two minutes left to play.

This win will serve as a boost for Aston Villa's survival chances and close the gap on their rivals above them. They are now four points behind Watford and West Ham, moving them up to 18th, and they face Everton next time out.

Elsewhere, Palace remain 14th and winless in their last five games, and they will return to Selhurst Park to face Manchester United on Thursday.

Dodoma Jiji have been promoted to the Tanzania Mainland League and will now be part of 16 teams in the 2020/21 campaign.

 The Dodoma-based side won promotion to the top tier after a 2-0 win over Iringa United FC. 

In the match played at Jamhuri Stadium, the hosts opened the scoring after just five minutes when Jabir Anuary managed to find the back of the net. It was a goal which gave the home fans a reason to cheer their players.

The visitors did their best to get the equalizer but good defending from the hosts prevented them from getting it.

In the 32nd minute, Mcha Khamis doubled the advantage to break the hearts of the few travelling fans.

The result ensured Dodoma finished top of Zone A with 51 points, sealing automatic promotion to the top tier. They managed to win 16 matches out of the 22 played, drawing three and losing three.

Second-placed Ihefu also finished with the same number of points after defeating Cosmopolitan 3-0 in another second-tier game played at Highlands Estate Grounds in Mbarali but had an inferior goal difference.

While Dodoma had a goal difference of 26, Ihefu had 22 and now they will have to try and work harder next season for promotion.

Dodoma Jiji now joins Gwambina FC who had qualified earlier. The Mwanza-based side were promoted on June 27 after their hard-fought 1-0 win against Pamba.

The club was only founded one year ago, and earned promotion with two matches to spare when they managed to get 44 points from 20 matches. The second-placed Geita Gold had 10 points fewer than the FDL Group B champions.  

The 2020/21 Tanzania top tier will have 16 teams as opposed to the current 20.

Singida United have been relegated already. They have collected just 15 points from the 34 matches and have managed to win just three matches, with six draws and 25 losses.

Others who are in the red zone as well are Mtibwa Sugar, Ndanda FC, Lipuli FC and Mbao. Six teams will be relegated this season, with two joining the top-tier.
 

Simba SC progressed to the FA Cup finals after beating arch-rivals Yanga SC 4-1 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Goals from Gerson Fraga, Clatous Chama, Luis Miquissone and Muzamiru Yassin were enough to make Simba fans smile wide at a half-packed stadium.

Simba grabbed the opener in the 21st minute from a strike by their Brazilian midfielder Fraga following an attack that was spearheaded by John Bocco, which ended up undoing Yanga’s defence.

Bocco tricked two of Yanga defenders and crossed the ball to Chama, the Zambian cut inside and found Fraga, who fired home with a low drive.

Fraga was among the players who earned a starting position as Sven Vandenbroeck tweaked his team. The Belgian coach reinstated most of his first-team members who sat out their previous league match against Namungo FC.

Only Meddie Kagere and Hassan Dilunga were the regular starters who were benched while Jonas Mkude returned and started after an injury he suffered in June before the league resumed.

On the other hand, Yanga coach Luc Eymael did not tinker a lot with his usual starting line-up.

With a 57% ball possession in the first half, Simba looked dominant as they also recorded two shots on target while Yanga registered none.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi also had a higher number of shots off target standing at four while Yanga had zero.

Yanga players were caught on an offside position twice and had two of their stars shown yellow cards while their opponents were neither caught offside or yellow carded in the first half.

Simba stretched the lead in the 50th minute when Chama, after assisting in the making of the first goal, beat Metacha in Yanga’s goal.

As Yanga were still in shock due to Chama’s goal, Miquissone added the third for Simba two minutes after the second goal.

The goal is the first for the Mozambican against Yanga since joining in January from UD Songo.

Yanga fought and earned a 70th-minute goal from Fei Toto’s strike. Yassin, a second-half entrant, ensured Simba claimed a huge win as he scored the fourth goal in the 88th minute.

Before the match, Simba’s spokesperson Haji Manara had promised his Yanga counterparts huge amount of money should Wekundu wa Msimbazi win. It is now a matter of waiting and seeing if Manara will honour the pledge.

"If we lose against Yanga, I will give [their officials Antonio Nugaz and Hassan Bumbuli] TSh1 million each," he said.

"I understand they defeated us in our last meeting in the league, but as I have been saying, a fluke does not happen twice.”

Sunday's match was the third time the two Kariakoo rivals clashed in the year and while the first tie, on January 4 ended in a 2-2 draw after a Yanga comeback, Simba lost the March 8 meeting by a 1-0 margin.

Simba will now face Namungo - who defeated Sahare All-Stars in the first semi-final - in the ultimate match as their dream of a season double remains alive.

Yanga SC XI: Metacha Mnata, Juma Abdul, Lamine Moro, Said Makapu, Papy Tshishimbi, Fei Toto, Haruna Niyonzima, Deus Kasekem David Molinga, Bernard Morrison.

Subs: Farouk Shikalo, Kelvin Yondan, Adeyum Saleh, Patrick Sibomana, Mrisho Ngasa, Ditram Nchimbi.

Simba SC XI: Aishi Manula, Mohammed Hussien, Kennedy Juma, Pascal Wawa, Jonas Mkude, Luis Miquissone, Gerson Fraga, John Bocco, Clatous Chama, Francis Kahata.

Subs: Beno Kakolanya, Gadiel Michael, Erasto Nyoni, Mzamiru Yassin, Hassan Dilunga, Meddie Kagere, Miraji Athuman.

Nemanja Matic says that he believes Manchester United's young stars have matured over the past few years but that he believes more improvement must be made if the club is to challenge for Premier League glory once again.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are unbeaten across all competitions since late January, fired in no small part by the performances of their youthful talents, including academy breakout Mason Greenwood and former Sporting starlet Bruno Fernandes.

United have not won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson's final season at the helm in 2013 but whispers have started to grow that the Red Devils may be finally poised to return to their former glories.

Former Chelsea man Matic believes that his side's exciting attack is on its way to realising its potential too and feels that they will only continue to climb over the coming years.

"I have to be honest: it was not always easy to be in our team because we had a lot of young players, with no experience of playing at the highest level," he told Stats Perform News .

"But that was a period of transition of our team and I think in the last few years many players matured a lot.

"I have to mention [Marcus] Rashford, [Anthony] Martial, Greenwood, so many players matured a lot. They know they have a lot of responsibility; they play every game.

"I am happy to see them improving, taking responsibility and I am sure this team can only improve.

"It was difficult for us in the past because we were inconsistent, but I think the team is ready, more experienced. If we can improve 10 or 20 per cent more then we can challenge for the title next season."

United can still secure a return to the Champions League this term uner Solskjaer, with a top-four finish in their sights after Chelsea slumped to defeat against Sheffield United on Saturday.

"We are fighting, we are playing, we want to finish in the top four. There are only four games left but we are there," Matic added.

"We are fighting with Chelsea and Leicester [City] for that position. We know it's going to be hard, but we will try and win every game until the end. We want to win the Europa League and the FA Cup."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been impressed by the fearlessness Mason Greenwood has shown in attack for Manchester United this season.

The 18-year-old has scored 16 goals for the Red Devils in all competitions and has been in particularly good form in the last two weeks, netting four times in three games to help Solskjaer's men stretch their unbeaten run to 10 matches.

The campaign is growing more intense for United as they continue to fight for a place in next season's Champions League and remain in contention for the FA Cup - facing Chelsea in the semi-finals next Sunday - as well as the Europa League.

And Solskjaer is delighted to see the gutsy teenager thriving alongside fellow attackers Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.

"I think when you are that age you have no fear whatsoever. Mason goes out there, enjoys playing and does what he does," he told Sky Sports. 

"He's done that since he was a kid. He's been in this club his whole footballing life, and he has been taught and coached, but also has taught himself good habits about receiving the ball on the half-turn, if you want to turn a defender inside or outside.

"It's the same with Anthony and Marcus, they all have that type of positive demeanour and mindset. To me, that's football.

"I think the front three did a lot of good work in the lockdown to be physically ready. They are known as technical players, skilful players, but the first thing we always ask for is that mentality and humility to work hard.

"That comes first, and then all their skills and qualities in front of goal come. They create chances for themselves with their pressing and movement, it's not just their skills."

The Norwegian coach also had special praise for United's joint top scorers Martial and Rashford, who have scored 15 goals each in the English top-flight this term.

"I've been very pleased with Anthony. You can see his work rate, his foundation," he added.

"There were some stats last season on our strikers, and he's really taken up the challenge and answered the questions I asked of work rate. We have to start from the front with our pressing, and he's really taken that on board.

"Marcus is still a young boy developing, too. All three of them can see a pass, can play a pass, they can score, they are physical, they can make runs and create chances for others. We are trying to develop them all of the time; this isn't a one-day thing, or a 'sometimes' thing, this is about creating good habits."

Solskjaer is happy with the way his side have been playing since the Premier League's return from its three-month hiatus due to the coronavirus, as they have scored an impressive 14 goals in their last four games. 

"In the first two or three moments after you win the ball, can you go forward? Can you go straight at them? If you lose the ball, don't worry about it! You are so close to them, you can win it back," he added.

"It has been so great to see the attitude of: 'OK, I will try, and if I don't succeed I will just go and win the ball back!'

"It's fantastic for me to see them express themselves, because that's a Manchester United team. We need to take chances, take risks, be brave, and most of the time you will reap the rewards if you are brave. We need to keep that mentality and bravery going forward."

He continued: "We went through some difficult spells, especially around that time in October, and the club have been very good with us, they've kept in touch with us and have seen and known what we're doing, and they've believed in what we're doing.

"We were allowed to keep making the decisions without thinking about what could have been. They knew our ambition, what we want here, the environment we want here, which will then be the foundation for moving up the table."

Zinedine Zidane is on the cusp of leading Real Madrid to a 34th La Liga title, but the head coach continues to be plagued by the question of whether his team are anything special.

Two wins from their remaining three games over the coming week would be enough to clinch another Spanish league success, with Granada first up on Monday evening.

Madrid have been ruthless since the resumption, winning all eight games and conceding just two goals over that stretch.

It has meant previous leaders Barcelona, themselves also unbeaten over the past month, have seen a two-point advantage slip away due to three draws in their nine games.

But debate rages over the merits of this Madrid team, who arguably lack the panache of previous Los Blancos sides but have shown themselves to be a winning machine, unlike some of their more celebrated forebears.

"It doesn't bother me or surprise me, it's always the same debate," Zidane told a news conference on Sunday.

"We prove in every game and every training session that we are good. We have to show it. Everyone will give their opinion on what they think of Real Madrid because it is the most important club in history and this will never change."

Zidane, once the unpredictable flair player in Madrid's midfield, has become the straight man of the media room, a serious figure and a coach who has brought the best out of many of his players.

Rather than consider the prospect of another championship, with Villarreal on Thursday and Leganes on Sunday the other remaining games for Madrid, Zidane's focus does not deviate from the immediate task at hand.

"La Liga and the Champions League are the goal and what we fight for, but it is useless if we look beyond tomorrow's game," he said.

"This is the last week and there are three games. It is the most difficult, but the most important. All the teams have things to play for and we want to put all our energy into tomorrow's game."

Zidane clearly finds the suggestion his team have had the better of VAR decisions over recent weeks to be thoroughly tedious, amid claims Barcelona have had a relatively raw deal.

"Everyone can give their opinion, I don't mess with the opinions of others," he said, when asked about the VAR talk.

"What we are doing is giving everything on the pitch and putting in a great effort every day. That is what I'm interested in."

PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza is expected to hold a press conference on Monday afternoon on the resumption of the 2019-20 season. 

Football in the country has been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic and there have been meetings between the PSL and the South African Football Association (Safa) on what to do next. 

The PSL deliberated in their board of governors meeting last week where their resolutions were communicated to Safa. 

But what exactly is Khoza expected to tell the football fraternity? 

Resumption date

The league has always maintained its intentions to complete the season no matter the circumstances.   

And that appears to be edging closer to reality after Thursday's board of governors meeting which included all the 32 teams under the PSL umbrella. 

Khoza is expected to tell the country of the league's decision and reasons behind suggesting July 18 as the restart date for the suspended campaign.

The league intends to complete the season by August 31 - and there are 54 matches still to play for teams in the elite league, 44 for NFD clubs as well as three Nedbank Cup matches. 

The majority of teams have already returned to training to prepare for the return of competitive football - but there are concerns that some teams may find the July 18 date too close as they only started training as a group last week. 

As things stand, the league's biggest concern is to finish the season and focus on next season - more so because Absa is pulling out its sponsorship to the league at the end of it all. 

Furthermore, June 30 was the final day that saw teams receive their monthly grants, meaning should the league not resume as suggested by the league then more teams will suffer financially.   

Bio-bubble province to stage games

According to the communication sent to Safa by the PSL, Gauteng has been identified as the biologically safe province and has been put forward to stage the remaining matches of the season. 

Khoza has the responsibility to take football fans and clubs to his confidence as to why they opted for the Gauteng province. 

This question will be asked because the province is the new epicentre for the coronavirus having recorded more confirmed positive cases in recent weeks. 

In last month's Joint Liaison Committee meeting, the task team elected by both members of Safa and the PSL set out conditions for the restart of the season, and one of them was that the season cannot be concluded in a province deemed the epicentre. 

In this case, Gauteng has been chosen ahead of both KwaZulu-Natal and North West who have recorded far lesser positive cases and have facilities to accommodate all 32 teams. 

Stand-off between PSL and Safa 

The latest developments suggest Safa isn't too pleased with the manner in which the PSL is handling this whole 'return-to-play' situation. 

The country's FA has sent their response to PSL's suggested return date of July 18 and has slammed the league for undermining Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa's directive that Safa, as the mother body, should play an overarching role until the end of the season.

Khoza will be expected to give clarity as to why the PSL has overlooked Mthethwa's directive and opted to do things their way without Safa's involvement.

Safa said in their response, no football should be played at least until after August 1 - this has been their stance since the lockdown started in South Africa. 

South Africa is still under lockdown Level 3 and Safa feels this is not the right time to play football because players and officials will be exposed to the coronavirus. 

As things stand, the country is recording over 10 000 new cases almost every day, and that alone is a concern to Safa.  

And Khoza is expected to address this stand-off between PSL and Safa without, of course, undermining their administration. 

Number of positive cases in the PSL 

Lastly, the PSL boss will be expected to confirm the number of positive cases across all 32 teams. 

The clubs have conducted a second round of testing but none of them has made their results public - and this is a growing concern because even Safa reportedly doesn't know.

A few weeks ago, only a few clubs made their results public, including Orlando Pirates, Cape Town City, Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic, Stellenbosch FC, Swallows FC and TS Galaxy. 

At the time, there were only 13 confirmed cases; the number the majority of team doctors expected to have risen by now - but everyone has gone silent, including the league itself.    

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has led the condemnation of racist abuse aimed at Wilfried Zaha, praising the player for going public with the attack.

Ivory Coast international Zaha took to social media before Palace's Premier League encounter with Aston Villa to detail a number of messages sent to him by an individual over the platform Instagram, including numerous racial slurs and threats.

Both Palace and Villa issued statements on Twitter shortly afterwards, with the clubs pledging solidarity with the player and the latter promising to identify the nameless supporter and issue a lifetime ban.

Speaking ahead of the match, Eagles boss Hodgson offered his support to Zaha too, with the 72-year-old adding that he did not feel the subject was something that should be kept under wraps.

"I think it's important," the former England boss told Sky Sports when asked on presenting a unified front to raise awareness and combat racism.

"I think it is being highlighted very much at the moment anyway with the Black Lives Matter movement.

"Everyone seems to be making such an effort to eradicate this type of behaviour and it is very saddening that, on the day of a game, a player wakes up to this cowardly and despicable abuse.

"I think it is right that Wilfried made people aware of it, I don't think this is something you should keep quiet about.

"I think it is very good that our club and Aston Villa and the Premier League are doing everything they can to find out who this despicable individual is, and one can only hope that he will get identified and he will get called to account and that he will pay for these actions, because there is literally no excuse. There is no excuse at all.

"Obviously the reason is he wants to put off one of our best players playing well today but to do it in the way that he has chosen to do it, I think it is totally inexcusable."

In a statement posted on Twitter, Palace stated: "This is an absolute disgrace and should not be happening. We stand with you, Wilf, and anyone else who has to suffer such horrific abuse."

Villa followed up with a show of solidarity, tweeting: "We deplore the disgusting racist messages sent to [Wilfried Zaha].

"We condemn all forms of racial discrimination and stand with [Crystal Palace].

"We are working with the police in investigating this extremely serious matter and when the culprit is identified, AVFC will issue a lifetime ban."

Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung says if the year 2020 was meant for them, nothing will stop them from lifting the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) title.

The Amakhosi boss was speaking after celebrating his 50th birthday a few days ago, he says their 50th anniversary is a milestone and that they have had their ups and downs as a club.

Motaung also added that life is a journey packed with challenges, suggesting that it’s the survival of the fittest in football.

“It’s in God’s hands and if it’s destined to be, it would be and if it’s not, football is about winning and losing. It’s a game,” Motaung told FARPost.

“But you fight for success. Life is the same – you fight for survival…It’s a milestone for Chiefs to reach 50 years and we’ve had our ups and downs.

“If it’s to be this year, it’s going to be.”

As things stand, coach Ernst Middendorp’s troops remain at the summit of the PSL log table with 48 points from 22 matches as the season remains halted because of the coronavirus pandemic since March.

Although they battle it out against reigning PSL champions, Mamelodi Sundowns for the league honours, Motaung’s sentiments suggest they can still lift the coveted trophy.

Meanwhile, coach Pitso Mosimane’s men sit second with 44 points but they have played 21 games and the two PSL giants are yet to meet in the second round of the campaign.

Just after parting ways with midfielder George Maluleka who recently joined the Brazilians, a number of legends believe the 31-year-old's absence could derail Chiefs' PSL title ambitions.

Sunday's MLS match between D.C. United and Toronto FC has been postponed after a player tested positive for coronavirus.

The announcement was made just minutes before it was scheduled to kick off and the league is yet to announce a new date or time for the match.

The match was called off after one D.C. United player tested positive for Covid-19, while a Toronto player's test came back inconclusive.

The players were tested the previous day but had to be checked again on Sunday morning and in the interests of health and safety the league has decided to reschedule the match.

A statement read: "Major League Soccer announced that today’s D.C. United vs. Toronto FC match has been postponed and will be rescheduled. MLS will announce details later today for the rescheduled match.

"Under the league’s health and safety protocols, clubs are tested the day before each match. The results of yesterday’s tests for D.C. United and Toronto FC produced an initial unconfirmed positive Covid-19 case for one player and an inconclusive test for another player.

"Because of the arrival time of the clubs in Orlando, the league’s protocol called for retesting both teams this morning and to await the results of those tests prior to playing the match.

"Major League Soccer will continue to prioritize the health and safety of all participants of the MLS is Back Tournament in making these decisions."

Mark Abbott, the league's deputy commissioner, explained further: ”Each team was tested the game before and two results we are re-evaluating.

"One for D.C. is a positive test, but not a final positive. With Toronto we had one that is an inconclusive test and we are re-evaluating that."

He added: "Once we receive the results of the two tests we will be in a position to know when to re-schedule the game."

The MLS is Back tournament being held in Florida has been hit hard by the ongoing pandemic since before it began on July 8.

The competition's schedule had to be changed just a day before the opening game because FC Dallas and Nashville SC were forced to withdraw after several players tested positive for Covid-19.

Borussia Dortmund have refused to comment on a viral video that purports to show Erling Haaland getting kicked out of a nightclub in Norway, although his father has since hinted it is real with a joke at his son's expense.

A video was shared on social media in the early hours of Sunday morning appearing to show the 19-year-old striker being escorted out to mild protestations.

The person believed to be Haaland seemed to eventually be led away after failing to convince nightclub security to let him back in, having reportedly set off a party popper in the venue.

There was initially some doubt in Germany over if the video was from this weekend. Haaland posted a picture on his social media on Saturday of him with a chainsaw and his father, former Leeds United player Alfie-Inge Haaland, in a rural Norway setting.

Fellow Dortmund attacking star Jadon Sancho liked and commented on the image, which said “winter is coming… let’s chop some wood”.

But Haaland’s father poked fun at his son with a tweet on Sunday afternoon, saying: “Come on Erling, back to work. Big city nightlife is not for you.”

The tweet was accompanied was Haaland Sr holding an axe and chopping wood.

Haaland scored 44 goals across all competitions in 2019-20, with the season having wrapped up for Dortmund following the conclusion of the Bundesliga season, where they finished second behind Bayern Munich.

Lucien Favre's side were knocked out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage by Paris Saint-Germain, and are next expected to feature in competitive action in September when German football returns.

However, it’s uncertain whether Haaland will still be a BVB player given his phenomenal form in the past 18 months.

He only joined Dortmund in January for €20 million (£17m/$22m) from Red Bull Salzburg, but already he has been linked with Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Any fee for the forward, whose agent is Mino Raiola, could be record-breaking given his talent and length of contract at Signal Iduna Park, which expires in 2024.

Haaland has consistently played down transfer talk in public, recently insisting: “Dortmund are one of the best teams in the world, I have signed a long contract and I have practically just arrived.

“So now I don't think about leaving at all.”

Mamelodi Sundowns utility player Thapelo Morena says Zoom sessions with the club’s physiotherapists were critical for his quick recovery.

Two days after damaging ligaments in his right ankle during a Nedbank Cup Round of 32 1-0 win over SuperSport United on February 8, Morena underwent surgery.

Sundowns’ training base at Chloorkop was then closed due to the coronavirus outbreak and most of Morena’s recovery period was spent at home, doing virtual physiotherapy sessions.

But he is now back on the football pitch although doing light training in Rustenburg where Sundowns are currently camped.

“Ja, my journey to recovery has been hectic a bit because I didn’t have the full attention of the team but I had support from the physio staff, and the team as well via Zoom,” said Morena as per Times Live.

“The doctors said to me I must just take it easy and do my level best to see when I can come back.

“Currently I’m not training full with the team. There are some activities that I do with the team and I complete everything on the side alone with the physio. But I think everything is going well and it’s been the way we’ve planned it.

“The most important thing is when your mindset is right and you are doing the right things. Mostly, I was at home with my wife and my daughter. Some of my cousins also used to come and visit. It was a bit difficult but we managed the whole situation very well.”

His worth to the club was shown when Sundowns were recently rewarded with a new five-year contract while he was busy working on his fitness.

“You know it’s very difficult for a big team, especially when a player gets injured and they have to give him a certain contract. I was very happy and very humbled with that,” Morena said.

While he was ruled out for the rest of the season, he could participate in the campaign’s remaining games if Premier Soccer League (PSL) action resumes as he hopes to be better soon.

“You know, the first day was a bit difficult, a bit tiring and demanded more from the players but I think soon everybody will be feeling much better,” he said.

Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew have been named in Crystal Palace’s starting line-up against Mbwana Samatta’s Aston Villa in Sunday’s Premier League outing.

The Eagles come into this clash following Tuesday’s disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea at Selhurst Park Stadium.

Against already-relegated Claret and Blue, they would be targeting their sixth away win this season. To achieve that, Roy Hodgson will be relying on the African duo.

Since scoring against Bournemouth – which saw him eclipse Tony Yeboah’s record as the highest-scoring Ghanaian in Premier League history, the 28-year-old has gone on a run of four games without a goal as he aims to reach double-figures for the first time in England.

Also in the Eagles’ line-up is Senegal’s Cheikhou Kouyate, while Ghana’s Jeffrey Schlupp remains frozen out of the team.

For Aston Villa, Samatta is expected to lead the line for Dean Smith’s team as well as Egypt’s Mahmoud Hassan ‘Trezeguet’.

Trezeguet’s compatriot Ahmed Elmohamady and Zimbabwe international Marvelous Nakamba will start the game from the bench.

Leroy Sane will prove a superb addition to Bayern Munich's side, according to the club's former striker Lukas Podolski, but the ex-Germany international believes that the winger has more yet to give.

Sane's move to the Bundesliga champions was confirmed at the start of this month, following well over a year of speculation that he would swap Manchester City for Bavaria, with the attacking midfielder penning a long-term deal to seal a return to his home country.

The arrival of the 24-year-old will boost an already fearsome Bayern side that sealed an eighth consecutive domestic crown earlier this year following the resumption of sport after a coronavirus-enforced lay-off and remain in contention for European glory in this season's Champions League.

Speaking ahead of the club's return to continental football next month against Chelsea - in which Sane will be unable to play any part - forward Podolski, who now plays his trade wth Antalyaspor, has backed the ex-Schalke man to impress under Hansi Flick at his new home.

However, the former Germany international - who is the nation's third-most capped player and a World Cup winner in 2014 - also added that he believes Sane still needs to earn greater success than a clutch of English domestic honours before he reaches his full potential.

"They get the best players [at Bayern] and Sane is a great player," Podolski told Sky Germany. [But] of course he still has further potential.

"He has not yet reached the top level. He still needs a bit more experience, a few more seasons. He needs to play regularly with the national team and win a European championship or a World Cup,"

Podolski further praised Flick, who guided Bayern to silverware after he arrived as a mid-season replacement for Niko Kovac, adding: "You can see how they perform under him. Hansi Flick has done a great job."

Bayern will be in Champions League action on August 8 when they host Chelsea, leading 3-0 from the first leg in February, with victory setting up a tie against either Barcelona or Napoli in the quarter-finals in Lisbon.

Former Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye has maintained his position that Kenyans do not love football.

Over the last few years, Musonye stated Kenyans only love alcohol and betting over their own football. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential aspirant said if locals have a love for their teams then AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia should not be struggling financially.

“Let me ask, do Kenyans love their football? I have no regret of saying Kenyans do not love football but love drinking alcohol and gossip more. I have no apology to make,” Musonye told Radio Jambo.

“If Harambee Stars are playing at Nyayo Stadium and only 15,000 people turn up what is that? Football is people.

“Look at our AFC Leopards vs Gor Mahia match where it has failed to attract people. Our people have immersed themselves in betting and European football.

“I said so because I want them to come back and support teams on the pitch. The best sponsor for any team is always its supporters.

“For example, if 50,000 of Gor Mahia fans turn up for a single game, that is enough and it means they would not even need another sponsor.

“If Leopards fans come and watch their matches while paying just paying 100 shillings is more than enough for the club.

“But in a Leopards match against Sofapaka, you can only be assured of 300 supporters attending. Others are hiding somewhere, drinking alcohol, betting and gossiping.”

Musonye went on to give an example of how a previous Yanga SC vs Gor Mahia match helped Cecafa pay debts from just the gate collections.

“I can remember a match pitting Yanga and Gor Mahia in the Cecafa tournament in Tanzania in the past where we ended up getting KSh30 million, you can imagine,” added the veteran administrator.

“The money helped Cecafa pay all the debts it had but were it in Kenya it would have been a different story.”

The former sports journalist went on to explain how important it is for Kenyans to regain the love for their football and that his opinion on them is not abuse but a reminder.

“I will continue fighting and telling Kenyans it is time to get back to the pitch because they are the best sponsors,” he explained.

“Without people at the stadium, our football is not going to grow at all. Sponsors will also pull out if there are no people attending matches.

“I will continue abusing Kenyans, not in a bad way, so as to convince them to get out of the bars and attend matches.

“After the match, they then can go to the bars and drink.”

Musonye states he has a strategy to bring fans back to the pitch should he be elected as FKF president.