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Kelechi Iheanacho is hoping to play in the Champions League with Leicester City, having experienced the competition during his time with Manchester City.

The King Power Stadium outfit was third in the Premier League before the outbreak of the coronavirus which forced football activities into a hiatus.

The Foxes have, however, not been at their best since the restart of the English top-flight, winning only one of their last five games, owing to the injury problems suffered by some of their key players like James Maddison, Ben Chilwell and Ricardo.

Leicester are now currently fourth on the league table, one point above fifth-placed Manchester United, who have been in top form lately.

The 23-year-old Nigeria international has praised the Red Devils squad but insisted his side will be focused on their target.

"Bruno [Fernandes] is a top player. They've got Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba back in the team now. They're flying. But that's not what we need to worry about. We just need to focus on our games," Iheanacho told Sky Sports.

"Madders [Maddison], Chilly [Chilwell] and Ricardo are fantastic players. They have a big impact on the team. I love playing with them.

"But everyone can fill the gaps as well. Everyone knows what to do when you're taking someone's place."

"We've worked really hard to get to this stage, so it would really be a dream [to qualify for the Champions League].”

Iheanacho has been in fine form since the restart of the league, scoring two goals in his last three games and explained how he stayed fit during the coronavirus break.  

"We've been training at home and the coaches have been giving us work to do. It's gone well. I was just keeping fit and training every day," he continued.

Iheanacho was deployed on the right of the front three in a 3-4-3 formation in the Foxes’ draw against Arsenal on Tuesday and explained the position is familiar to him.

He also praised Leicester’s first-choice striker Jamie Vardy and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah for their brilliant finishes, which he hopes to emulate.

"It's not the first time I've started there. It's not really right-wing. It's two strikers and one behind me and Jamie [Vardy]. Sometimes I drift off to the right, so I'm more inside,” he added.

"Playing with Jamie is an honour. He's a top finisher, so whenever he plays and scores he inspires me because I want to repeat that.

"Mo Salah is Mo Salah! If I find myself in that position, I'll just crack on. We just need to play according to the plans."

Iheanacho teamed up with Manchester City on the back of his eye-catching performances at the 2013 U17 World Cup, where he scooped the Golden Ball award as he helped Nigeria clinch the title.

The forward made his debut in the Premier League against Watford in August 2015 after replacing Raheem Sterling and went on to make 46 league appearances, scoring 12 goals for the Citizens before joining Leicester in the summer of 2017 for a fee of £25 million.

"My Premier League debut was against Watford in 2015. I got a few minutes or so. It was truly heart-warming. So nice, being young and then scoring goals,” he added

"There are young players doing well now and I'm happy for them, like Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood. You never know how it really feels until you start getting older and understand more."

Iheanacho has bagged 10 goals and provided four assists for the King Power Stadium outfit across all competitions this season.

The forward will hope to continue his fine showings when Leicester take on Bournemouth in their next Premier League game on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted Manchester United’s planning for next season is "up in the air" with the club still fighting for Champions League qualification. 

The United boss said he is planning for a number of different scenarios ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, which is scheduled to start in September, as the Red Devils don’t yet know if they will be competing in the Champions League.

United have four league games left, including a final-day clash against Leicester City, and should they win all their remaining fixtures they will finish in a lucrative top-four spot.

Finishing fifth may also be enough to secure a Champions League position, with the outcome of Manchester City’s appeal against their ban to be given on Monday.

There is also the option of securing a place in the competition by winning the Europa League but the final in Germany will not be played until August 21, giving United very little time to finalise plans ahead of the next season.

Solskjaer explained ahead of United’s clash against Southampton: "There is quite a lot of planning going on. When do we start the league? That is obviously determined by how far we go in Europe, you can't really decide on the training programme.

"There are so many small decisions, transfers are out of our hands as well.

"If the team is going well, what do we need? What don't we need? That's the way we're working and you've got to plan for different scenarios. Uncertainty of dates, how much holiday, what will next season look like? It's a little bit up in the air."

Solskjaer was adamant that the club would not panic buy should United fail to qualify for the Champions League for second season in a row.

"I don't think the club would panic or go crazy with plans that we've already talked about for years to come," he said. "You do have to have a long-term plan but short-term some decisions will be easier to make if you get the Champions League."

United’s next game in their battle to finish in the top four is at Old Trafford on Monday night as they host Southampton and Solskjaer is considering naming an unchanged side for the fifth consecutive league game.

"There are so many things you have to consider when you manage a team and there's a squad of players champing at the bit to play and players in rhythm keep playing well which means less work on the training ground," Solskjaer explained.

"There are loads of decisions to be made but they make it easier by playing and performing well and looking after themselves. We don't get too many injuries, so there's no reason to change too much when you're doing well."

For the second season running Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) are in the premier club competition under the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) banner after their first group stage appearance in the 2019 tournament last year. The 6-time Malaysia Super League champions are grouped together with Guangzhou Evergrande, Vissel Kobe and Suwon Bluewings this season.

The first postponement came before the start of the first match with matches involving Guangzhou being the first to be postponed and initially scheduled for May but after only three matches played thus far in the group, the entire schedule has been disrupted by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

With things improving in the continent, AFC has worked out a revised schedule that would see the matches resuming in October where all matches within the group will be played a centralised venue.

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Only three matches have been played in the group with JDT, Vissel and Suwon being the teams who have completed two matches each whilezGuangzhou have yet to take to the field. JDT had a horrible start to their 2020 ACL campaign when they were completely beaten by a Andres Iniesta inspired Vissel, who went on to also beat Suwon in the next match.

JDT however roared back into contention after a goal each from Gonzalo Cabrera and Mauricio earned them a massive 2-1 win over the Korean side at the new Sultan Ibrahim Stadium back in March.

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For the resumption of the competition that will be played out across 16 days will see JDT face off against Guangzhou on Nov 17 first before rematch against Suwon (Nov 23) and Vissel (Nov 29) to follow. Their group stage schedule will be completed with an encounter against Guangzhou on Nov 1.

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AFC Champions League 2020 Group G table

In their inaugural ACL outing, Vissel are sitting pretty at the top of the standings with maximum points after two matches played while JDT have put themselves in the running for a place in the next stage with that win over Suwon. However a clearer picture of the standings can only be seen after Guangzhou have completed their first two matches.

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Who could JDT meet in the Round of 16?

The draw dictates that the top two teams from Group G and Group H will crossover and meet each other in the first knockout stage. Currently in Group H, Yokohama F Marinos are the leaders and as it stands, it would see JDT taking on the Japanese champions who has a familiar face in Theerathon Bunmathan in their side.

But like a similar situation with Group G, the Chinese side in Group H which is Shanghai SIPG has yet to play a match and lots may still change when the matches return. While two-time champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors also cannot be discounted from the being one of the qualified teams. 

Juventus must be "patient" with Adrien Rabiot, according to Laurent Blanc, who has described the midfielder as a "great talent".

Rabiot completed a free transfer to Juve last summer after an acrimonious departure from Paris Saint-Germain.

The 25-year-old was ostracised at Parc des Princes after refusing to sign a new deal, and ultimately decided to continue his development in Italy after months of speculation over his future.

The France international committed to a four-year contract with Juve, but failed to hit the ground running in his new surroundings at the start of the 2019-20 campaign.

Rabiot was restricted to a backup role in Maurizio Sarri's squad at first, amid strong competition for places in the middle of the park alongside the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Aaron Ramsey and Rodrigo Bentancur.

However, the former PSG star has been a fixture in the Bianconeri's starting XI since the resumption of the season last month, and he grabbed his first goal for the club in some style during a clash with Milan on Tuesday.

Rabiot ran the length of the pitch before firing an unstoppable shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Rossoneri net to give Juve the lead at San Siro, before the home side mounted a stirring fightback to win the match 4-2.

Blanc, who gave the playmaker his first taste of senior football while he was in charge at PSG, thinks a fellow Frenchman can reach the very top of the game as he grows in confidence with each passing year.

The former PSG boss told Tuttosport: “Rabiot is my pupil, Adrien is no longer a boy, but he is still a class of ’95. Aside from his brief experience at Manchester City at the age of 14, for him this is the first real adult adventure away from home, away from France.

“A time of adaptation to Italian football and to a great club like Juventus had to be taken into account. How to get the best from him? We must make him feel confident... I also had problems with him at the beginning in Paris.

“In post-lockdown games I saw an Adrien very similar to the one I trained at PSG. More enterprising, skilled in transitions and powerful. But Rabiot can do even more because he has all the qualities to become a top player. He probably hasn’t figured out how strong he is yet.

“If the Bianconeri bet on him a year ago they must be patient because they have a great talent on their hands. Trust me, there are few players like him and it won’t take long to reach the top.”

The Uganda women's national team head a coach Ayub Khalifa believes the new dates for the African U17 Women's World Cup qualifiers will be a motivation for them.

After postponing the matches that were set for March due to the coronavirus issue, Caf has provided new dates for the qualifiers. The first leg will be played from October 30 to November 1 and the second leg ties will be hosted three weeks later.

“The new Caf dates are going to make the girls more focused and fully motivated,” Khalifa told Football256.

Khalifa is confident the junior Crested Cranes have been working hard at home to keep themselves fit but feels joint training sessions are far better.

“They love and respect national colours. Despite the lack of clinical supervision, as committed athletes, they are going to double their personal training as they wait to be summoned,” he added.

“And October is almost four months away, therefore, there will be ample time for the players to gain fitness.

“Personal training is so vital but collective training is key in building team chemistry and how they play. We have to find a means of training together in an attempt to make detailed and effective preparations.

“But since everything revolves around Covid-19, we will have to wait for what the Ministry of Health says. If there will be guidelines enabling us to train together, then that would be a real blessing,”

Uganda reached this stage of qualifiers after beating Ethiopia and Tanzania in the first and the second rounds respectively.

They have to overcome Cameroon to qualify for the global tournament set to be held in India next year, something that striker Juliet Nalukenge is looking forward to.

“It would mean a lot for us if we managed to earn qualification,” Nalukenge told CafOnline in a recent interview.

“I think we have done well in the qualifiers and I believe we have what it takes to make history for Uganda. The fact that no other previous team has achieved this is motivation enough for us.

“If we manage to qualify to the Fifa U17 Women's World Cup, it would open so many doors for us and that is why we are working so hard to achieve that.

The final fixtures, apart from the Cameroon-Uganda one, will see South Africa face-off with Morocco while Nigeria will be up against neighbours Ghana.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential aspirant Herbert Mwachiro believes it is high time Kenya finds a way back onto the pitch.

Football was suspended on March 16 owing to Covid-19, and four months down the line there is no clear way forward. A couple of days ago, the government, through the Ministry of Sports Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohammed, formed a committee to strategize the resumption of games in the country.

"Looking at the way things are unfolding in the world, I believe we also have to find a way of getting on the pitch to play football," Mwachiro told Goal on Saturday.

"Some countries have put strict measures which are closely monitored and followed. We are seeing football being played, and I believe Kenya can also borrow a leaf on the same.

"I take nothing away from the fact that Covid-19 is there; we also have to understand the health of a footballer is very important."

The former FKF deputy CEO has also pointed out that clubs should also employ a medical practitioner who is well versed with the coronavirus to help teams handle the situation better.

"We have to understand a bigger percentage of our players are young and should be offered an opportunity to train and play regularly," Mwachiro added.

"To facilitate this, once the way forward is clear to everyone, every top-tier side should consider having a medical practitioner to help them handle the Covid-19 situation.

"While we want to enjoy the beautiful game, we must also prioritize the health of our players. They should be regularly tested and the best thing is to guide them on how to conduct themselves amidst the pandemic both on and off the pitch."

Mwachiro, who has been involved in sporting activities in Kenya for over 30 years, is currently chairman of the NOCK Sports and Environment Commission and Kepsa Sports, President of the Environment Institute of Kenya and heads the Culture and Arts Board.

In July 2018, the administrator quit the Federation, after just seven months, for what he termed as 'differences in opinion' with the then CEO Robert Muthomi.

However, Barry Otieno, who was serving as the Head of Communications stated the contract had expired and it was not renewed.

Apart from incumbent Nick Mwendwa, his predecessor Sam Nyamweya has confirmed he is in the race for the FKF seat. The Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Secretary General Nicholas Musonye is also in the race.

The others who have shown interest in the presidential seat are former Vihiga County's Moses Akaranga and Gor Mahia's CEO Omondi Aduda. 

Mwinyi Zahera has tipped Young Africans (Yanga SC) to eliminate Simba SC from the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Sunday.

The two giants will clash at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam with Simba eyeing the trophy to complete the double while Yanga are keen to win the trophy and snatch a ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup.

It will be the third meeting between the two giants this season with the first round fixture ending 2-2 while Yanga turned on the screw in the second-round contest to win 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Bernard Morrison.

Zahera, who handled Yanga before he left for Luc Eymael to take charge, has now revealed his former team has the best chance to win the derby.

“Yanga have the biggest chance to beat Simba because they are doing better technically than their opponents and especially they are always better when playing against them [Simba],” Mwinyi is quoted by Sokaletu.

“All Yanga need to do is to continue with where they left, they played very well in the last league match and won 1-0 and they can still win the domestic Cup contest, they stand a good chance.

“Also I know the team is now being handled well by sponsors GSM, they know how to treat the players and with such motivation, they cannot lose in the derby.

“Furthermore, Yanga know very well that if they win the trophy they have a straight ticket to continental football next season, and that is why they will strive even harder to perform, I give them my support and I know they will make it to the final.”

Meanwhile, Simba SC Information Officer Haji Manara says the pressure is with Yanga since if they lose, they will not play in the Confederation Cup next season.

“They will play to win the match and we will play to revenge for the loss we have suffered from them this season and here is where the toughness of the game is,” Manara told reporters.

He added they have already talked with their players to fight hard for the victory insisting that real celebrations come when a team triumphs in derby games.

The winners of the match will qualify for the final to play either Namungo FC or Sahare All Stars who play today in another last-four clash at Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.

Bruno Fernandes has revealed his wild hotel celebrations after Portugal's Euro 2016 triumph, which he watched alone in his room while away with Udinese for a training camp.

Fernandes has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence over the last couple of years.

His outstanding performances at Sporting CP attracted attention from a number of the world's top clubs, and after one of the longest transfer sagas of the last decade, Manchester United won the race for his signature in January.

The Red Devils forked out €55 million ($49m/£62m) to bring the 25-year-old to Old Trafford, and tied him down to a five-year contract.

Fernandes had previous experience in a major European league from his time at Udinese in Serie A between 2013 and 2016, but few could have predicted how quickly he would adapt to the demands of English football.

The Portuguese midfielder has scored eight goals and laid on seven assists in his first 15 appearances for United, establishing himself as a firm fan favourite and the new creative hub in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad.

Four years ago, he was still awaiting his first cap at international level, and wasn't even considered for a place in Fernando Santos' squad for the European Championship in France.

However, Fernandes still tuned in to see Portugal win the tournament by beating the host nation in the final, while taunting two Udinese team-mates with allegiances to Les Bleus.

The former Sporting star has explained how he couldn't contain his joy after the final whistle, telling the Portuguese football federation: "I was in a hotel during a training camp with Udinese at that point and I had two guys – two French players – with us: Thomas Heurtaux and Cyril Théréau.

"I bet with Heurtaux that whoever lost would take a picture with the other and post it on social media. Even today my photo is still there on my social networks – and on his social networks too, I believe.

"I remember watching the game alone in my room. Everyone else was watching it on a giant screen. I said no, I'll watch it alone in the room because they'll bring bad luck, so let me stay here.

"I stayed in my room alone. The moment we scored the goal I ran across the hotel! I ran to where they were all watching, screaming all the way from my room to where they were! Screaming!

"I got there and they were obviously devastated, the two French guys, and I was really ecstatic. I think that as a Portuguese, regardless of whether you're actually involved in Portugal's successes or not, you have to feel proud."

England 1966 World Cup winner and Leeds United legend Jack Charlton has passed away at the age of 85.

Charlton's family have released a statement confirming the news on Saturday morning, which reads: "Jack died peacefully on Friday, July 10 at the age of 85.

"He was at home in Northumberland, with his family by his side.

"As well as a friend to many, he was a much-adored husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

"We cannot express how proud we are of the extraordinary life he led and the pleasure he brought to so many people in different countries and from all walks of life.

"He was a thoroughly honest, kind, funny and genuine man who always had time for people.

"His loss will leave a huge hole in all our lives but we are thankful for a lifetime of happy memories."

Charlton was part of the Three Lions squad that lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy after a famous 4-2 final victory over West Germany at Wembley in 1966.

The former centre-back played in every match during England's run to glory, and amassed a total of 35 caps for his country before hanging up his boots.

At club level, Charlton made a record 773 appearances for Leeds over the course of a 23-year career, establishing himself as one of the greatest central defenders in the history of English football.

He also enjoyed considerable success in management, overseeing two World Cup campaigns with the Republic of Ireland between 1986 and 1996, while also enjoying stints at Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle. 

Leeds have released a tribute video in honour of Charlton's life on their social media channels, with the caption: "Rest in peace Jack".

England's official Twitter account posted the following message: "We are devastated by the news that Jack Charlton, a member of our World Cup-winning team of 1966, has passed away.

"Our deepest sympathies are with Jack’s family, friends and former clubs."

The Tanzanian government has confirmed only 30,000 tickets will be available for the derby pitting Young Africans (Yanga SC) against Simba SC at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

The giants will be seeking to earn a passage to the semis of the domestic competition with Simba eyeing the trophy to complete the double while Yanga are keen to win the trophy and snatch a ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup.

It will be the third meeting between the two giants this season with the first round fixture ending 2-2 while Yanga turned on the screw in the second-round contest to win 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Bernard Morrison.

The government through the Director of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports Yusuph Singo have now revealed only 30,000 fans will be allowed to attend the match as one of the precautionary measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Covid-19 is not completely eradicated in the country that is why we still need to take precautions hence 30,000 is a good number during this period,” Singo is quoted by Daily News.

“Those who will not have tickets should just remain at their homes and watch the game via television since we will not allow people to congregate outside the venue and we will have enough security personnel to facilitate that.”

The government has also increased ticket prices for the fans keen to watch the derby with VIP A, B, and C tickets going for 30,000/-, 25,000/- and 20,000/- respectively while those who will occupy ordinary seats will pay 10,000/-.

“We hope the Covid-19 pandemic will end soon and after that then normal attendance will be allowed,” Singo continued.

Meanwhile, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has revealed the officials who will be in charge of the third derby of the season.

The match commissioner will be Ally Katolila from Dar es Salaam, as well as Nadeem Aloyce, Ramadhan Kayoko, Frank Komba and Kassim Mpanga.

The other two officials are Abubakar Mturo and Abdallah Mwinyimkuu, who are from Mtwara and Singida, respectively. The Tanzania Mainland League champions eliminated holders Azam FC after claiming a 2-0 win in the quarter-final clash while Yanga beat Kagera Sugar 2-1.

Tusker FC have joined the race to sign free agent Kevin Omondi to strengthen the goalkeeping department.

Omondi was among the players who were released by Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Wazito FC alongside his compatriot Steve Njunge. The Brewers are keen on bringing an experienced shot-stopper to offer competition to Robert Mboya who was the Ruaraka-based side's first choice in the abandoned season.

"Omondi is a good goalkeeper and we were shocked to realise he has been released by Wazito," a member of the Tusker technical bench told Goal.

"Head coach [Robert Matano] is considering bringing him on board for next season. He sees him as a player who can increase stiff competition in the goalkeeping department and help the team win the 2020/21 KPL title.

"I cannot tell whether contact has been made or not, but what I know is that [Omondi] is in Tusker FC's radar."

If Omondi joins the 11-time league champions, he will replace Rwandan Emery Mvuyekure whose contract with the team reportedly expired in June.

Others who were released by the 2018/19 national Super League champions are Pistone Mutamba, Derrick Otanga, Teddy Osok and Victor Ndinya among others.

The club owner went on to brand players as 'f*cking hyenas' who only ate his money without doing their jobs at the club.

"Badoer went overboard with his remarks, it was totally uncalled for," Matano said in an earlier interview with Goal.

"Has he forgotten he won promotion back to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) with the so-called hyenas? So, what about those he has left, are they not hyenas as well?

"It is a lack of respect to players and Kenyans in general to use such abusive remarks and I condemn it.

"These are the same players who have been performing well prior to joining his team. It is right to release players when they do not meet your expectations, but not in abusive remarks."  

The KPL winning coach went on to say it takes time before building a formidable side capable of challenging for top honours.

"It does not mean because you have invested, results will come instantly. It takes time to build a team, you cannot wake up and demand a league title just because you have assembled good players. Patience is needed."  

Former Gor Mahia striker Paul Kiongera has revealed why he left Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Wazito FC.

Goal exclusively reported on Friday Wazito had parted ways with two more players – experienced midfielder Lloyd Wahome and Kiongera – just three days after they had fired 11.

A source, who did not want to be named confirmed the exit of the former K’Ogalo player by stating: “Wahome and Kiongera have left the club.

“Wahome is set to join a local club after his departure. For now, I have no information concerning the club Kiongera is planning to join.”

Kiongera has now come out to explain why he left the club he joined only last season and managed to score four goals before the season was halted in mid-March owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I take this opportunity to thank the management and teammates for the great time and the success we achieved together at Wazito,” Kiongera wrote on his social media pages.

“However, due to differences in opinion as regards my terms of engagement I'm to take a new challenge elsewhere.”

Wahome left Tusker after five seasons in March 2019 to join Wazito while Kiongera arrived in January and signed a short-term deal.

On Tuesday, Wazito released 11 players among them, long-serving custodian Steven Njunge, midfielder Teddy Osok, forwards Victor Ndinya, Pistone Mutamba, Derrick Otanga, and goalkeeper Kevin Omondi.

While the foreign quartet of Paul Acquah from Ghana, DR Congo's Piscas Kirenge, Augustine Otu of Liberia, and Togolese Issifou Bourahana were not spared either.

After the sackings, Wazito boss Ricardo Badoer labelled the players as "f*cking hyenas”, who only played for the team to “eat my money.”

The rant has already been criticised by several football stakeholders in the country with Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula calling for the deportation of Badoer.

“Where is he from in the first place?” Shimanyula asked in an interview with Goal on Wednesday. “He should desist from belittling the Kenyan players. He should be deported as soon as possible.

“These are the kind of people who hate a country they are residing in and end up abusing Kenyans.

“How can he openly hate Kenya and the players? Even if he has got money that is his own money. Men have got money but they never brag about the same and abuse Kenyans.

“Let him be deported quickly. Let him take his money, the little money he brags of with, to his home country. He has done a grave mistake of calling Kenyans hyenas.”

The ongoing clean up at Wazito has also seen coach Stewart Hall part ways with the club.

Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) president Isha Johansen has revealed that 'all options were explored' by Caf before the decision to cancel the 2020 Africa Women's Cup of Nations.

After three months of football suspension owing to Covid-19, the African football governing body announced the scrapping of the 2020 Awcon following its Executive Committee meeting on June 30.

This means the women's showpiece held every two-years since 1998 will not take place for the first time, having staged the last edition in Ghana in 2018 which came as a rude shock to fans.

Following the outrage and continental-wide condemnation, the 55-year-old, who doubles as the chairperson of the Caf Organizing Committee for Women’s Football has offered an explanation.

"Women's football means a lot to Caf and we take pride, not only in the fact that we have women's football on our calendar but also the fact that we are actually facing these challenges head-on," Johansen said in an interview with Caf made available to Goal.

"We are making great strives to change these narratives. For the 2020 Africa Women's Cup of Nations, there were circumstances beyond our control which made it difficult for Caf to organize it and all options were explored but to no avail."

In July 2019, Congo pulled out of hosting the 2020 Awcon, leaving the event without a host before the coronavirus lockdown in March 2020 despite interests from Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria.

A week later, Caf announced the expansion of the tournament from eight to 12 teams after 11 editions, starting from 2020 before a record total of 36 entries for the qualification series in December.

With the qualifiers earlier slated for April 2020, the global health crisis forced an indefinite postponement and subsequent cancellation, which the administrator has now offered reasons for.

"For the three main reasons, we did not have an option than to cancel it. Firstly, the withdrawal of Congo meant that we look for a new host," she continued.

"The bid was reopened and we received bids from Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. However, both bids lacked the most important support documents which were the letter of support from their respective governments.

"If you cannot get a letter of support from your government to host countries, it becomes quite complex and problematic in the long run because we cannot organise the competition without the support or guarantee from the host country coming from the government.

"Secondly, the outbreak of Covid-19 which we all know led to the suspension of all football activities around the continent and indeed the rest of the world. Due to that fact, the qualifiers initially scheduled for April 2020 had to be postponed indefinitely.

"With the women's Afcon being a senior women's national team competition, we could only schedule the matches based on the Fifa calendar dates which were also affected by Covid-19. Again, due to Covid-19, the calendar was revised and left us with two window opportunities being in September and October for qualifiers.

"We had the closure of borders across the continent and so, it was very unlikely we will be able to honour these matches within these window opportunity dates taking into consideration the travel restrictions and we also have the U17 and U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers which have to be completed this year."

No gainsaying the cancellation, the news was greeted with dismay by numerous fans, as well as top African stars, including Ajara Nchout and Asisat Oshoala, who took to social media to question the move.

And Johansen also shared in their disappointment with the truncation of the 2020 event while offering strong assurance of better days ahead for women's football on their continent.

"As you can see, it's not the case of not being able to meet all the expectations of people or that we just decided to take an easy way out to cancel the women's Afcon 2020 just because it's women's football but because of some very obvious reasons totally beyond our control," she enthused.

"As I've listed, there were options that we went over and over again to see how best we could accommodate but we just couldn't. For the shock news to fans, I understand how disappointing this could be, again, everyone needs to understand that it is based on the current global situation.

"It's got nothing to do with another agenda other than the fact that we simply cannot hold the competition during abnormal times that we have now. Caf, as you know and may not, has even allocated some substantial amount to support to the host country to stage the final tournament but no country is being forthcoming yet because of the Covid-19 which has disrupted every single economy in the world.

"You cannot go and impose a competition on a country to host if they are not ready. It has to be a collective decision and it also has to be organised under conducive circumstances and no country is operating under normal circumstances. These are abnormal times.

"When we do host these competitions, you want your current competition to outdo the last one and get one better than the other. Ghana was a hugely successful competition and, so why host something that is going to be probably limited or second-best or really not good at all only to be criticized as to why did we go ahead with knowing full well there were challenges.

"I think that it is best that we leave it as it is. We still monitor and plan for better days ahead. We are planning and at the same time, we have been looking for the host of the 2022 Awcon which will also serve as the qualifier for the 2023 Women's World Cup. Even though the decision is not good news, of course, it gives us time to reflect and plan.

"The good news is that women's football is going to bounce back in style and get better. We've got Covid-19 but it does not mean we will become a defunct or abnormal feature if we like our sport.

"Certain challenges in life are there to strengthen you and to make you get better, especially when you're able to rise above these situations and that's what is happening with women's football during this Covid-19."

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City's main domestic target is to finish second in the league, which he sees as more important than winning the FA Cup or Carabao Cup.

City have emerged as English football's dominant force since Guardiola's arrival at the Etihad Stadium in 2016.

The Blues have won eight trophies in total under the Spanish tactician, including two Premier League titles, while setting new standards in terms of consistency and performances levels.

Liverpool also managed to take their game up a notch in 2019-20 after narrowly missing out on last season's title winning all but three of their first 31 fixtures.

Jurgen Klopp's men were named champions following City's 2-1 loss at Chelsea on June 25, and they are now on course to break the record for the number of points gained in a single campaign.

However, City have already bagged a third successive League Cup, and they still have the semi-finals of the FA Cup and a Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid to look forward to.

Despite the possibility of a second successive treble, Guardiola insists a runners-up spot in the Premier League holds more value than another piece of domestic silverware.

The City manager told a press conference on Friday: "This organisation wants to win titles, so of course this is not the perfect satisfaction but it's recognition that our opposition was incredible in this competition and we were not on that level.

"We cannot deny that the second [place] target is better than the FA Cup winner, the Carabao Cup winners, or the others and qualification for the Champions League, which all the other clubs are fighting for.

"We were not the best, another team was, but we were better than the other 18 teams.

"This is the target to finish this season."

Ahead of a meeting with Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, Guardiola spoke out in favour of making the new rules regarding extra substitutions permanent to help reduce the risk of injuries and fatigue.

"It has helped all the teams because all the clubs have had a lack of preparation, just two or three weeks, which is not much to play every two or three days," he said.

"In the last 20, 30 minutes [of matches], when you have a lack of preparation, you suffer and that (extra subs) helps to maintain players' fitness.

"Maybe for next year if it happens, it will be good. You can travel with not just 18 players [including] on the bench, but 20, as happened this season.

"It would be good for the health and mood of the team. Everybody feels involved and part of the team, and you can make more rotations, so it will be good."

Guardiola added on his future in Manchester: "I like to be here. I enjoy every single day, even in this season where we had to struggle hard to get results in the Premier League.

"I feel as though the players want to fight and still have the desire to win in this last part of the season and we will see for next season."

Young African (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has promised to play a good brand of football when they take on Simba SC in the semi-finals of the FA Cup at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

The giants will be seeking to earn passage to the semis of the domestic competition with Simba eyeing the trophy to complete a double while Yanga are keen to win the trophy and snatch the ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup.

It will be the third meeting between the two giants this season with the first round fixture ending 2-2 while Yanga turned on the screw in the second-round contest to win 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Bernard Morrison.

The Belgian coach has now told Goal they are ready to give their best against the best team in Tanzanian league and told fans set to attend the match that they will not be disappointed by the end of the final whistle.

“It is a derby, a derby is always special, for me, it is the five biggest derbies in Africa now after the Soweto derby, then we have other derbies but I know it is the biggest derby and with fans coming, we don’t want to disappoint them, they must come knowing they are in for a good match,” Eymael told Goal.

“Simba is a very good team to face, we have to do our best to go to the semis and we have to do our best to go to the semis and I hope my players will show the commitment and the technical approach when we beat them 1-0 in the league.

“We know Simba are the best team in Tanzania but we are also the best in our own ways, we don’t want the fans to go home without having smiled, they must be entertained, the two sides play very good football and I know they will not disappoint.”

Eymael also confirmed Ghanaian forward Morrison, who has been in and out of the team but was the tormentor when Yanga beat Simba 1-0 in the last league meeting, is now fit and focused to do a great job on Sunday.

“[Morrison] is fit and ready to down Simba again, he really wants to play against them, he is psyched up and I am also ready to unleash him,” Eymael told Goal.

“It is true [Morrison] has missed a couple of matches since the league resumed on June 13 but for the last week, he has shown real commitment and determination to help the team, he scored for us against Kagera Sugar and he now wants to score against Simba again.”

On whether injured captain Papy Tshishimbi and midfielder Haruna Niyonzima will face Simba, Eymael said: “The boys did well in training today [Friday], Harun [Niyonzima] is 70% ready and we will make the last assessment on [Saturday] because he only trained alone, partly alone and we don’t want to take a risk with him because he fractured a fibula.

“On [Tshishimbi] we will also make an assessment after training tomorrow, he really wants to play but like I have said before, it is not good to risk a player coming back from injury with a big match like a derby, we will look at him again and decide whether to start him or not.”

The match will kick off at 15:00 local time.

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has been urged to accommodate former players within its ranks as employees.

Fufa held a consultative meeting with former international players at Ivy’s Hotel Wakaliga on Friday where key issues were raised

While appreciating the meeting, former Cranes and Express FC's captain George Ssemwogerere was the first one to ask Fufa to offer jobs to the players who represented the country before.

“This is my family and we all belong to football. I’m happy we are here to discuss football and our matters," Ssemwogerere said as was quoted by Fufa website.

“The federation should create opportunities for the ex-internationals. There are many job opportunities within the federation that can be shared among the ex-internationals. 

“Let’s believe there are always disagreements in a family but we need to minimise them and work together for the good of football.”

Paul Ssali, who represented Uganda in the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) called for an end to the wrangles that have defined the relationship of the former players.

“Many Fufa presidents have tried bringing us together but disunity is our main weakness as ex-internationals,” said Ssali.

“The only way we can prosper is by respecting one another and always fronting football issues.

“We should be organised and whenever I have any concerns, I go direct to the federation but not to the media. We should also be transparent and avoid being greedy.

“Football is wide if we don’t embrace the courses available for coaching, administration, intermediary and others we can’t change our lives.

“Football is now professional and we can only earn from it when we have expertise in some areas.

Dan Ntale, on his part, stressed the sentiments that were shared by Ssemwogerere on job opportunities.

“I would prefer we start having regular meetings for sharing ideas, playing football and starting projects that build us and the game,” explained Ntale.

“We have come here as individuals but not as an organised association. We would need the federation to lobby for us to have an improved life.

“We shall be grateful if the federation connects us to different football partners like State House maybe most of our concerns can be worked upon because we were football soldiers who represented the country internationally.”

Fufa president Moses Magogo told the former Cranes to desist from regular attacks against the federation if they have to enjoy job opportunities.

“The federation is always open to receive concerns from all football stakeholders. We have tried the best to cater for ex-internationals and we can solve issues without fighting,” Magogo said.

“Fufa welcomes all stakeholders who are organised and with strategy, whatever you are planning must have a strategy.

“Life outside football is far different from football life. People can easily forget all about you when you retire and most of you don’t believe in yourself.

“You should use the opportunity available. Deciding to attack the federation instead, you won’t be closer to the opportunities available. The relationship with the federation must be strong.”

Ngozi Okobi and Halimatu Ayinde were pivotal in Eskilstuna United's 2-1 stunning away victory over Anam Imo's Rosengard.

Ahead of this week's clash, the reigning champions had been boosted by back-to-back 1-0 victories over Vittsjo and Kristianstads.

For visitors, they had failed to get a win from two matches, having come from behind to claim a 3-3 draw at Orebro before forcing a late 1-1 draw at home against Goteborg.

Friday’s game at Malmo IP will see Eskilstuna battle for their first win of the season, while the holders sought to make it three wins in a row.

The hosts started brightly but the visitors drew first blood when Loreta Kullashi broke the deadlock in the 25th minute before Ayinde's effort went wide two minutes from half time.

After the restart, Magnus Karlsson brought on Okobi for Julia Tunturi immediately and she almost doubled the lead for Eskilstuna but her attempt was saved in the 52nd minute.

A minute later, Vaila Barsley slotted in the second and that turned out to be the winner of the match for the visitors as the introduction of Imo nine minutes from time could not rescue the champions.

Ayinde lasted the duration and Okobi was in action for 44 minutes for Eskilstuna, but Imo played for only nine minutes for Rosengard.

The victory, which was their first this term takes Eskilstuna to fifth position with five points after three games and they will welcome Kristianstad at Tunavallen on Wednesday.

For Imo's Rosengard, it's their first loss this season and they will aim to bounce back in their next league tie against Vaxjo on Tuesday.

With the uncertainty over the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, The All India Football Federation (AIFF) are likely to conduct the entire I-League 2020-21 season at one particular venue, Goal can confirm.

Considering the rapid spread of the virus in India, it should not come as a surprise that the AIFF and the league organisers of the I-League and Indian Super League (ISL) have adopted a similar strategy for the 2020-21 season which could begin in November tentatively.

The ISL are looking to conduct the competition at a centralised venue, with Goa the most likely hosts and Kerala the back-up option.

Indian Football Association (IFA), the governing body of football in West Bengal, though, are keen to host the matches in Kolkata. The IFA secretary Joydeep Mukherjee told Goal that they are ready to host I-League matches.

The IFA secretary also mentioned that there are five to six venues in West Bengal which are ready to host the matches namely, the Kalyani Stadium, Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Barasat and many more. The Kishore Bharati Stadium in Jadavpur, Kolkata is also getting refurbished and could be ready when the new season commences.

The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake) might not be used as a venue for the I-League because it is one of the venues for the 2020 U17 Women's World Cup which starts in February 2021.

An increased travelling for matches and diversity in the number of stadiums used for the tournament makes it difficult to contain the spread of the virus.

UEFA had confirmed that Estadio da Luz and Estadio Jose Alvalade, home to Benfica and Sporting respectively will play host to the single-legged games in the subsequent rounds. There will be no changes in venues for the remaining games from the Round-of-16.

Even the Qatar Stars League (QSL) has adopted this format to finish their league off. The rest of the rounds in QSL will be played in three stadiums. Numerous other leagues, including the Chinese Super League (CSL) and Australia's A-League are mulling over a short tournament at neutral venues.

More importantly, any tournament or camp in the coming months will need to follow a standard operating procedure (SOP), much like what leagues in Europe are currently doing in order to ensure the virus doesn't spread. A compact tournament at a reduced number of venues will help the organisers implement the SOPs required to maintain safety and health of players.

According to the SOPs, sanitising the venues and training area is paramount and so is testing the players for Covid-19 every week. It is a costly undertaking but something that cannot be avoided.

The 2016-17 I-League had turned out to be a dream season for Goan goalkeeper Albino Gomes as he won the I-League with minnows Aizawl FC and then got a call into the Indian national team.

Gomes was at the top of his game and had even won the best goalkeeper award in India’s then top tier league. His performance for Aizawl FC prompted Delhi Dynamos to buy him in the 2017 Indian Super League (ISL) Players Draft.

Unfortunately, since 2017 it has been a downward spiral for the custodian. He went into a hiatus for almost three seasons due to back-to-back injuries.

But now the 26-year-old goalkeeper has finally recovered and has joined Kerala Blasters in the summer. During a live Instagram chat with the club, the Goan spoke about how excited he is to take the field for the Southern club in the upcoming season.

“It feels amazing. I always wanted to come to Kerala Blasters. The fan base here is extremely good. I wanted to join the club because of the fans, their passion for football. It is a good place to play football.

“Now I have to play a lot of games for Kerala Blasters and have to impress the national team coach (Igor Stimac) to get back into the national team. Everyone wants to play for the country. That is my aim right now.”

Gomes suggested that his only aim is to win the ISL title this year which will be the club’s first ever trophy.

“I want to win the ISL trophy for Kerala Blasters. It will be historic and I want to be a part of that history. Personally I want to keep as many clean sheets as possible. I believe that I can do it.”

The former I-League winning goalkeeper suggested that he is looking forward to work with Kibu Vicuna and suggested that he feels comfortable playing in the Spanish philosophy.

“Our coach is a really sorted person. He knows his plan and knows how to put it in action. All Spanish coaches like to keep the ball on the ground and I like that as well. It will be much easier for me to understand his plans. His strategies are also very good and if we can implement those strategies then I think we will surely win the league,” said Albino Gomes.

The young goalkeeper also revealed that he seeks inspiration from his former teammate at Mumbai City FC and veteran Indian custodian Subrata Paul.

“Subrata Paul is a great inspiration for me. I was with him at Mumbai City FC for two years and also at Salgaocar. I saw him every day how he worked also saw him in the dressing room. He was always very focused and very professional. For the national team also, he has done so much. I see him as a role model,” concluded the Goan footballer