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Jurgen Klopp says Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are unlikely to feature in Friday's preseason friendly against Mainz as the Liverpool boss singled out Harvey Elliott, Ibrahima Konate and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for their performances on Tuesday

Liverpool played two separate 30-minute friendlies against Wacker Innsbruck and Stuttgart, with the Reds settling for 1-1 draws in each of the two matches.

Klopp got a look at Oxlade-Chamberlain in a false nine role while starting Elliott in a more central midfield role, and the German manager said he saw positive signs from both performances.

What did Klopp say?

"I don’t think Harvey had ever played that position for us, but looked good," Klopp told  LFC TV after the game. "Ox you could see in the first few minutes immediately that it is an option, definitely. We will see how that goes on.

"Ibou [Konate] did really well and that’s what we expected, he looks really good in training.

"First game with all the young boys, they have really showed up in training but it is different than when you play a first-team with all the kids together in the team. It is tough, but no problem – life is tough and we have to give them the opportunity to get tested in these kinds of games. We do that and now we carry on."

Update on centre-backs

While Joel Matip made his return from injury for Liverpool, Klopp says its unlikely he'll see two of his other key defenders make their returns this week.

Liverpool are set to face Mainz on Friday in their next preseason friendly and Klopp says that its unlikely Van Dijk and Gomez will play, even if they are very close to ready.

"It would be a surprise, to me as well," Klopp said. "They have looked really good in training and yesterday was the first day where they did very complex things, usually it is either offensive or defensive and stuff like this.

"We have to get there, step by step, but I don’t expect them for Friday."

Further reading

Happy Mashiane's red card seems the obvious incident to point out in the aftermath of Al Ahly’s 3-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday’s Caf Champions League final, owing to how the rest of the game panned out.

The midfielder saw red on the stroke of half-time and Pitso Mosimane’s team ran riot in the second 45 minutes. It had stayed goalless up until the 23-year-old’s dismissal and, in that context, observers with allegiance to the Amakhosi feel it changed the course of the game.

“We couldn’t follow the plan that we’ve had. The red card turned out to be the killer; I had to change the game,” Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter remarked post-match. “In the second half, they put the gas to the floor, the same time we had the handbrake on.

"It was a good performance by Al Ahly, but shame for us we had to deal with a red card.”

Dylan Kerr, manager of South African club Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, hinted that the forward’s sending off gave the continental giants the advantage.

“Sending off did not help for Kaizer [Chiefs], it was the turning point, it killed the fighting spirit by Chiefs and Al Ahly took advantage,” the Maltese-born coach told Goal. “It would have been a better game in the second period, but then Mashiane was sent off.”

In fairness, it feels overly simplistic to attribute Ahly’s win to the red card, owing to how dominant Mosimane’s team were in the opening 45.

Of course, the dismissal opened up the game after half-time, but Chiefs had been disappointing throughout their first Champions League final.

They ceded territory to the Red Devils, allowed the favourites to fashion out promising situations from wide positions and offered very little when they had the ball. Perhaps, the latter should exacerbate Baxter’s disappointment.

The South African side struggled to string passes together when they won possession and their counter-attacks lacked any sort of plan or purpose.

Chiefs could muster only one attempt in the first half to the Egyptian outfit’s six, thus demonstrating Ahly’s dominance and the debutants expertise or low-quality showing in possession.

Amakhosi owed the goalless half to the 10-time Champions’ disappointing play when they worked the ball into promising situations, particularly out wide.

Taking advantage of the SA outfit’s narrow defensive shape, Pitso’s troops isolated their man in wide positions on several occasions but struggled to pick out the right pass, cut-back or cross.

On other occasions, Daniel Akpeyi smothered balls sent into his zone.

While having the extra man made Baxter’s men easier to play through, Ahly’s superiority beforehand makes it rather simplistic to put the result down to Mashiane’s poor challenge. Nobody can say for sure that Chiefs would have improved after half-time; that assumption is rather thin.

Egypt great Ahmed Hassan’s blunt assessment of the South African side was perhaps condescending, but the logic of his appraisal was sound.

“Al Ahly win came after a lot of hard work, the final was easy, but the journey to the final was very difficult,” Hassan told ONTime Sports TV per Kingfut. “Al Ahly respect all the teams they play against, but I don’t know how Kaizer Chiefs could reach the final, they have very limited resources.

“With Al Ahly possessing the ball, we did not doubt that they will score eventually.”

For Mosimane, the South African boss deserves acclaim for masterminding yet another continental triumph. Even though he has endured by a section of the club’s fans, successive Caf CL titles is an impressive feat.

Africa’s biggest club have secured the honour 10 times, five more than Zamalek and TP Mazembe, and will back themselves to win an 11th next year. It was Pitso who ended the club’s seven-year drought on the continent in 2020, their longest wait without the title since their 14-year famine between 1987 and 2001.

After two final losses in 2017 and 2018, the brilliant manager has now succeeded in taking the giants to the continental game's pinnacle. Not once, but twice.

“We feel good. We made a promise to win the tenth cup and we have delivered the tenth cup. I must say congratulations to the boys, who have done very well," a pleased Mosimane stated after the resounding win. "We have not arrived where I want the team to come to.

"There is a lot of improvement that needs to be done. We have to strengthen the team to make it stronger, especially because we want to do well in the Fifa Club World Cup."

Of course, one has to wonder what happens next for the former Mamelodi Sundowns manager. He has seemingly reached the apex of the African game and there’s, by and large, no greater challenge than managing Al Ahly.

For now, though, Jingles can bask in the glory of leading the Red Devils to a 10th Champions League success.

Mashiane’s dismissal weakened Chiefs in Saturday’s final, but it was hard to see any other winner owing to Ahly’s superiority beforehand. The Amakhosi must learn how to handle the big occasions much, much better than they did at the weekend.

Marcus Rashford took to social media to hit back at criticism regarding his personal endorsements, asking why people search for an ulterior motive when it comes to charity work.

Rashford has earned an MBE for his charitable efforts helping feed children in need throughout the last year-and-a-half. Because of that and his career with Manchester United and the national team, Rashford is one of the most recognisable athletes in England, and he says he shouldn't be criticised for using that recognition in ways that help himself and his community.

His comments came in anticipation of a feature story about him from The Spectator.

What did Rashford say?

"Just heard @spectator are planning to run a story on me tomorrow about how I have benefitted commercially in the last 18 months," Rashford tweeted. "To clarify, I don’t need to partner with brands. I partner because I want to progress the work I do off the pitch and most of any fee I would receive contributes to that.

"Last summer, 1.3M children had access to food support, through my relationship with Burberry children have a safe place to be after school where they will be fed, following the November investment vulnerable children have safe places to go this summer holiday, and due to my relationship with Macmillan 80,000 children now have a book to call their own.

"Do I have a larger commercial appeal following the u-turns? I’m sure. But I’m also a Manchester United and England international footballer. Why has there always got to be a motive? Why can’t we just do the right thing?"

Rashford's current situation

The Manchester United star is currently dealing with a shoulder injury, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saying it is still unclear if Rashford must undergo an operation this summer .

Rashford only recently finished his Euro 2020 campaign with England, where he was one of three Three Lions players to miss a penalty in the decisive shootout loss to Italy.

In the hours after, Rashford was subjected to racist abuse, including the defacing of a mural created to honour his work in the community.

But Rashford expressed his gratitude to the fans that traveled to his mural in order to leave messages of support and encouragement in the aftermath, saying he was "overwhelmed" by their backing.

Further reading

Arsenal have cancelled their pre-season trip to he U.S. after a few members of their travelling party tested positive for Covid-19, Goal understands.

The Gunners were set to participate in the Florida Cup starting on July 25 against Inter but will now remain in London. They had also planned to face Everton and Millonarios.

Their Premier League campaign begins on Aug 13 against Brentford.

Who else is in the Florida Cup?

Inter, Everton and Millonarios are the three other teams in the tournament, which features a semi-final, final and third-place match.

None of the other three sides have withdrawn as of Tuesday night.

Further reading

Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro was on target as Lazio whitewashed Fiori Barp Mas 11-0 in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday.

In the goal-laden affair, the Cote d’Ivoire international got the ninth goal for his team as Maurizio Sarri’s men stepped up their preparations for the 2021-22 campaign.

Just seven minutes into the game, Felipe Anderson put the Serie A giants ahead with a close-range shot that left the goalkeeper with no chance to make a save.

Spanish midfielder Luis Alberto doubled his side’s advantage in the 18th minute before Ecuador star Felipe Caicedo made it three in the 34th minute.

In the goal-laden first-half, former Napoli star Elseid Hysaj found the net two minutes later before Alberto completed his brace in the 37th minute.

As if that was not enough, Caicedo and hat-trick hero Alberto were on target again as Lazio opened a seven-goal advantage into the half-time break.

Seeing his team lead by a comprehensive margin, manager Sarri made a couple of changes before the commencement of the second 45 minutes with Akpa-Akpro and Netherlands youth international of Nigerian descent Bobby Adekanye making the cut.

The Stadio Olimpico giants’ dominance continued with defender Adam Marusic extending the advantage in the 65th minute.

Seven minutes later, the Ivorian star registered his name among the goal scorers with a cool finish, while Vedat Muriqi’s brace in the closing stages of the game completed the decimation.

The goal was Akpa-Apor’s first goal for the Italians. In the 2020-21 campaign, he featured in 32 league games with no goal to his credit.

“We have fun, we are still not fresh, but we already have a good mentality,” Patric told the club website.

“We must continue to have fun and follow the coach. As a central defender, I feel good. I can play anywhere.

“Sarri's biggest weapon is the intensity and desire to play. I think for the players we have if we understand what the coach wants, we can have a lot of fun.

“We have players who love to have the ball like Felipe Anderson, Luis Alberto and Milinkovic, if we can have intensity, recover the ball when we lose it, move the ball fast and dominate the game we can have fun. I'm glad that there are other Spaniards in the team, I'm happy for that.”

The U.S. women's national team begins its Olympic journey on Wednesday with a Group G match against Sweden, the team that ended their hopes of a medal in 2016.

Watch Sweden vs USWNT on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

This could be the last dance for several USWNT stars, so the stakes couldn't be higher as they try to complete their international careers by securing their nation's fifth gold medal.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), this year's Olympics soccer games can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Team news & rosters

The health of defensive midfielder Julie Ertz, considered a game-time decision, will have a major effect on the lineup plans of head coach Vlatko Andonovski.

If Ertz does return from injury, it would enable Lindsey Horan to move forward into her more natural box-to-box role. Otherwise, Horan would maintain the number six duties she has carried of late in Ertz's absence.

Predicted USWNT starting XI: Naeher, Dunn, Sauerbrunn, Dahlkemper, O'Hara, Horan, Sam Mewis, Lavelle, Rapinoe, Press, Morgan

Sweden are medal hopefuls having gone unbeaten in eight straight matches and fighting to a draw against the Americans earlier this year.

They are ranked No 5 in the world right now and finished third in the last World Cup.

Predicted starting XI: Falk, Eriksson, Bjorn, Illestedt, Bennison, Seger, Angeldal, Asllani, Janogy, Jakobsson, Blackstenius

Recent results & head-to-head

Last five results

Head-to-head

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer will be hoping that this time around he builds a formidable side to successfully challenge for the Premier Soccer League title and Caf Confederation Cup.

In the upcoming season, the Soweto giants will again be bidding for a first league title since 2012.

They also return to the Confederation Cup where their quality was brutally exposed in a 4-0 quarter-final, second leg, defeat by eventual champions Raja Casablanca.

It is now yet to be seen if the squad Zinnbauer is busy building will be strong enough to be more competitive in both domestic competitions and in Africa.

The German has so far signed centre-back Kwanda Mngonyama and midfielder Bandile Shandu, both from Maritzburg United.

Attacking midfielder Goodman Mosele was also signed from Baroka FC while winger Monnapule Saleng arrived from Free State Stars.

Not another miss by Zinnbauer

After Thulani Hlatshwayo was signed by Pirates before the start of last season, there were so many expectations about the defender.

He arrived at Pirates with a glowing profile headlined by being Bafana Bafana captain, but he went on to disappoint in his debut season with the Buccaneers. 

Zinnbauer would be hoping for Mngonyama to quickly settle and live up to the expectations of a defender playing for a traditional giant.

Mngonyama signed a two-year-deal and finds Hlatshwayo, captain Happy Jele and Ntsikelelo Nyauza as centre-backs already at Pirates.

There will be scrutiny on whether Zinnbauer this time around made the right decision in beefing up the central defence with a player who immediately makes an impact.

For a player boasting the experience of eight Premier Soccer League seasons shared between Bidvest Wits, two stints at Maritzburg United and Cape Town City, hopes are that the 27-year-old is a hit and not a miss.

Free agents, good business 

Last season, Zinnbauer signed Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Thabang Monare and Terrence Dzvukamanja on free transfers from Bidvest Wits.

Now he has Shandu and Mngonyama as free agents after their Maritzburg United contracts expired at the end of June. 

While no transfer fee has been paid for established PSL players, that could be regarded as good business.

But much focus is on seeing if they will flourish at Pirates.

For Shandu, it is the first time in his professional career to move from Maritzburg where he spent the last nine seasons after graduating into the first team as an 18-year-old.

The 26-year-old signed a three-year deal.

Mosele out to banish reputation of Baroka to Pirates flops

Players who move from Baroka FC to Pirates have a history of failing to do well at the Soweto giants.

The latest is Collins Makgaka who managed to make just seven appearances in all competitions last season which was his maiden campaign at Pirates.

Makgaka was preceded by the likes of Gift Motupa and Thabiso Kutumela, who completed transfers from Baroka to Pirates only to flop.

But interestingly, Motupa and Kutumela managed to re-establish themselves and are now at Mamelodi Sundowns.

Now, Goodman Mosele has signed for Pirates from Baroka and there is interest in watching if he will banish the grim reputation carved by former Bakgaka players.

After being handed a four-year deal, it was a show of faith in his capabilities and he now has to repay Zinnbauer for that trust.

It will be the first time for him to play for any other club than Baroka and the 21-year-old is currently with the South Africa Under-23 side at the Olympic Games in Japan.

Will Saleng introduce himself to SA football at Pirates?

Saleng might have consistently featured for Bafana Bafana at the just-ended Cosafa Cup tournament and helped them to gold.

But his name is yet to be known in South African football and has a lot to do to prove himself.

There are still questions about a 23-year-old midfielder with no PSL experience Zinnbauer signed from National First Division side Free State Stars.

An attacking midfielder, he will be fighting for recognition in a set-up which already has the likes of Hotto, Monare, Dzvukamanja, Fortune Makaringe, Vincent Pule, Thembinkosi Lorch, Linda Mntambo and Nkanyiso Zungu.

He is at Pirates on a three-year deal.

Players Zinnbauer might look to add

There have been reports suggesting that Evidence Makgopa is following his former Baroka teammate Mosele to Pirates.

Giving credence to those rumours is that Zinnbauer is yet to sign a new striker for next season.

For the better part of last season, Pirates were hit by a centre-forward crisis following a spate of injuries to Zakhele Lepasa, Tshegofatso Mabasa, Frank Mhango and Jean-Marc Makusu.

This saw Zinnbauer at times fielding Dzvukamanja, Mntambo and Hotto as number nines.

The signing of Makgopa might be ideal for Pirates after the player enjoyed a decent season with Baroka last season and scored seven league goals. 

The 21-year-old also broke into the Bafana squad and scored a brace on his debut against Uganda in June.

He is currently with the Under-23 side at the Olympic Games in Japan.

SuperSport United Bradley Grobler was also being linked with Pirates as has been the case in recent past seasons.

But the chances of him joining the Buccaneers appear very faint after he recently signed a new Matsatsantsa deal. 

Ibrahima Konate has promised better days ahead after his "unforgettable" Liverpool debut was partially spoiled by a draw in a friendly with Stuttgart on Tuesday.

The centre-back, signed from RB Leipzig for £36 million ($51m), said "step by step we will be better" as he gets to build experience alongside new team-mates such as Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold once they return to full health.

Liverpool were decimated by injuries at the back last year, but the addition of Konate may help prevent another crisis in 2021-22.

What has been said?

"Step by step we will be better, this is our first game in pre-season and we are ready for the next game," Konate told LFCTV.

"[The next game is] good news for everybody, for me.

"I was very happy with this team on the pitch and [had] good communication with everybody. ... It's an unforgettable moment for me."

Konate also voiced his excitement at the eventual return of fans. Spectators were not allowed to watch Tuesday's action.

"Yes, [it was] without our fans but I am very, very happy, just a little bit sad - very sad - because we didn't win!

"I think it will be a new level with the fans because I think they will be excited to be with us.

"This will be very, very important for us."

Liverpool injury updates

Gomez (knee) and Van Dijk (knee) sustained season-ending injuries last campaign but are back in training. They may be ready by the start of the upcoming season, though Klopp has said he will be careful not to rush them back.

Alexander-Arnold (thigh), meanwhile, has said he is now "fully pain-free" and could feature in pre-season action soon.

Centre-back Joel Matip made his injury return on Tuesday.

Further reading

Taiwo Awoniyi claimed his quest to "have a home" influenced his decision to leave Premier League giants Liverpool for Bundesliga side Union Berlin.

The striker was on loan at the Iron Ones last term, however, he joined the German elite division side on a permanent basis after Union beat challengers Mainz 05 to his signature.

Having put pen to paper on a five-year contract worth £6.5million (€7.5m/$9m), Awoniyi will stay at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei until 2026.

In his first interview at his new club, the 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup winner explained what inspired his move to Urs Fischer’s squad.

“After lots of loan moves in previous years, I want to finally come and have a home,” the former Nigeria youth international told Union Berlin website.

“I owe so much to Union, so it makes me happy and proud to be back here. It’s fantastic to continue on the great path with the club.

“I will give everything to quickly pick up where I was before my injury.”

Spotted during the 2015 U20 Fifa World Cup in New Zealand, Awoniyi was signed by Liverpool the same year – paying Imperial Soccer Academy the sum of £400,000 ($550,000).

Due to his inability to secure a United Kingdom work permit, he spent the next six seasons out on a series of loans.

He represented FSV Frankfurt in the German second division, Mainz, Eredivisie outfit NEC Nijmegen and Belgium elite division sides Mouscron and Gent.

Union Berlin’s managing director of professional football Oliver Ruhnert stated why his team was interested in the African star.

“We got to know Taiwo last season and we became sure of his qualities. His robustness, his dedication and his unconditional willingness to learn and develop were the deciding factors for us to give everything to make this transfer happen,” he said.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of everyone involved to find a suitable solution.”

In the 2020-21 season, Awoniyi scored five goals in 21 league games as Fischer’s men finished seventh on the log after accruing 50 points from 34 games.

That position earned them Europa Conference League play-off round qualification.

Honduras can top Gold Cup Group D with a win or draw against Qatar in their final game before the knockouts, with the runners-up set to face Mexico in the quarter-finals.

Watch Gold Cup on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

The group winners will play El Salvador, but whichever team finishes second has a tougher path to navigate. 

Panama plays already-eliminated Grenada in the final group game, with qualification as runners-up a possibility for Los Canaleros with a win, so long as Qatar is beaten - though a major goal difference swing is needed.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), the games can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Honduras vs Qatar team news

Honduras is without the services of wing-forward Alberth Elis, who suffered a tournament-ending injury against Panama last time out.

Nevertheless, Romell Quioto remains available and he will be eager to add to his tally of three goals. Maynor Figueroa and Felix Crisanto are carrying yellow cards into the game.

Predicted Honduras starting XI: L. Lopez, Rodriguez, Figueroa, Alvarez, Crisanto, Acosta, Garcia, Flores, A. Lopez, Quioto, Benavidez.

Boualem Khoukhi was withdraw early in the last game against Grenada due to injury, with Bassam Hisham, who stepped in, set to continue.

Qatar has scored seven goals across two games so far, with Akram Afif and Almoez Ali accounting for four of those with two strikes each. 

A highly disciplined team under Felix Sanchez, only one player carries a yellow card into the match - Afif.

Predicted Qatar starting XI: Barsham, Hisham, Salman, Hassan, Ro-Ro, Hatem, Boudiaf, Afif, Ali, Muntari, Al-Heidos.

Panama vs Grenada team news

Harold Cummings was withdrawn before half-time in the defeat to Honduras last time out, meaning one Roderick Miller, Adolfo Machado or Richard Peralta is likely to come in.

Rolando Blackburn and Eric Davis have two goals each and, with Panama needing a big goal difference swing, they will be desperate to add to their totals.

Predicted Panama starting XI: Meija, Davis, Peralta, Miller, Palacios, Cooper, Carrasquilla, Barcenas, Yanis, Quintero, Blackburn.

Granada has shipped eight goals in two games and this game is something of a free hit with their elimination confirmed. However, coach Michael Findlay will be keen to bow out with some pride.

Predicted Grenada starting XI: Belfon, Sterling, Pierre, Beckles, Etienne, Paterson, Norburn, Charles-Cook, Berkeley-Agyepong, John-Brown, Charles.

Recent results

Costa Rica and Jamaica collide in the final game of Gold Cup Group C in Orlando, with the pair already assured of their place in the knockout round.

Watch Gold Cup on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

While qualification is not at stake, the outcome will decide which team faces the USMNT and which faces Canada in the quarter-finals.

Suriname and Guadeloupe lock horns in the group's other game, with the already-eliminated pair playing for pride in Houston.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), the games can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Costa Rica vs Jamaica team news

Francisco Calvo was sent off in the victory over Suriname so will serve a suspension in this game, as will Kendall Waston, who picked up two yellow cards in the opening two games.

Esteban Alvarado, David Guzman, Ronald Matarrita, Ariel Lassiter and Johan Venegas are all carrying yellow cards so will have to be careful.

Predicted Costa Rica starting XI: Moreira, Gonzalez, Matarrita, Duarte, Fuller, Borges, Guzman, Lassiter, Ruiz, Campbell, Ortiz.

Jamaica have no suspensions to worry about, but four players are on yellow cards. Leon Bailey is among that number, along with Liam Moore, Alvas Powell and Amari'i Bell.

Coach Theodore Whitmore has deployed an attacking 4-4-2 in the opening games and is expected to continue in the last group encounter.

Predicted Jamaica starting XI: Blake, Bell, Moore, Lowe, Powell, Turgott, Johnson, Hector, Bailey, Nicholson, Burke.

Suriname vs Guadeloupe team news

Suriname will be without captain Ryan Donk, who collected two yellow cards and will serve a suspension in the final group game. That means coach Dean Gorre will have to reshuffle his defence.

With qualification out of reach, it is possible that there will be wholesale rotation, but Gleofilo Vijter will be confident of starting.

Predicted Suriname starting XI: Hahn, Malone, Klaiber, Haps, Koolwijk, Leerdam, Dankerlui, Biseswar, Josefzoon, Becker, Vijter.

Steve Solvet is available again having sat out the defeat to Jamaica last time out due to suspension, which could see Suriname revert to a back three.

Predicted Guadeloupe starting XI: Thuram-Ulien, Solvet, Baron, Casimir, Alphonse, Irep, Saint-Maximin, Malpon, Annerose, Phaeton, Mirval.

Recent results

The 25th edition of the MLS All-Star Game is set to kick-off in August after being rescheduled from July 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and this time, the MLS All-Stars will face off against rival league Liga MX for the first time in history.

The MLS vs Liga MX All-Star final is set to be a mouthwatering encounter, with the star players from each league drafted in to make for a scintillating battle.

Goal brings you all the details about the final, including how to watch on TV.

On this page

When is the MLS vs Liga MX All-Star final?

The MLS vs Liga MX final will be played on Wednesday, August 25. Kick-off time has been set at 9:30pm ET / 6:30pm PT.

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How to watch MLS vs Liga MX All-Star final on TV & stream live online

The game will be broadcast live in the United States (U.S.) on Fox Sports 1 with Foxsports.com and FOX Sports App streaming.

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MLS All-Star vs Liga MX All-Star final squad list

MLS All-Star squad

The MLS All-Star squad has not yet been announced yet, as Major League Soccer has allowed fans to pick their own XI for players in seven positions.

Voting began July 14 and ends on July 21 on the MLS website. Fan favorite Carlos Vela is expected to lead the votes.

The final roster of MLS All-Star players will consist of 26 players. Twelve players will be determined by a vote from a combination of MLS players, fans and media personalities, with each division representing a third of the vote. The next 12 players will be selected by MLS All-Star and LAFC coach Bob Bradley, with the final two players picked by MLS commissioner Don Garber.

Fans will be able to choose players based on seven positions: goalkeeper, right back, center back, left back, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder and forward-winger. The player who receives the most votes in each position will then be named an All-Star.

Bradley will coach the MLS All-Stars.

“This will be a special night of football in Los Angeles,” said Bradley. “It is always an honor to represent our city and our league on the international stage, and we look forward to competing against the LIGA MX All-Stars.”

Liga MX All-Star squad

The Liga MX All-Star team currently consists of 25 players, with the final roster to have 26 players.

The final player will be decided by Liga MX president Mikel Arriola.

The first 14 players were the nominees and winners of the Balon de Oro awards, chosen from the following categories: best goalkeeper, full back, defender, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, rookie and forward.

Juan Reynoso, head coach of Cruz Azul, who was chosen as Liga MX head coach of the season, selected 11 players for the squad.

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Where is the MLS vs Liga MX All-Star final being played?

The MLS vs Liga MX final will be played at at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

The ground is home to MLS side LAFC, and will soon also be the home of future NSWL side Angel City FC. It holds a capacity of 2,000.

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How many fans can attend the MLS vs Liga MX All-Star final?

Full details on how many fans will be in attendance for the MLS vs Liga MX have not been confirmed, but interested supporters who wish to buy tickets can sign up for pre-sale information by subscribing on the official MLS website.

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Frank Onyeka became the latest Nigerian to move to the Premier League on Tuesday when his move to Brentford was confirmed by the top flight new boys.

The Bees reached the promised land for the first time via the playoffs—and a 2-0 victory over Swansea City—and may have snared a valuable asset as they look to avoid relegation back to the Championship.

Onyeka arrives in London following three years of professional football in Denmark with heavyweights FC Midtjylland, having previously come through the ranks of the domestic giants.

He originally moved to Europe in January 2016, via a partnership between Midtjylland and Nigerian side FC Ebedei, and has enjoyed success in the Superliga.

At the time of his departure, he had won two Danish top flight titles during his time at the club, with Midtjylland sandwiching a Danish Cup triumph in 2019 between their league successes in 2018 and 2020.

Onyeka has, however, been made to wait for his formal unveiling at Brentford, with the club only this week getting his work permit issued in order for him to be registered.

A five-year deal represents a real show of commitment by Brentford, as they aim to pin the 23-year-old down for some of the best years of his career.

He’s also a full Nigeria international, having made his debut late last year, and Onyeka’s promotion to one of the world’s biggest leagues should well help his standing with the Super Eagles.

Seye Omidiora has gone in-depth on the midfielder’s arrival in a recent episode of The Hot Seat, where he describes some of the attributes—and mainly defensive qualities—that Onyeka will bring to the Bees.

Certainly, he’ll have his work cut out as Brentford prepare for what may well be a relegation-threatened campaign, although Onyeka’s experience in the Champions League should stand him in good stead.

According to Opta, only one other player in the UCL last season averaged more combined tackles and interceptions than Onyeka, who registered—on average—six in each game he played in Europe’s premier club competition.

Expect him to be doing a lot of tackling and getting firmly stuck in when the Bees pit themselves against the Prem’s big boys next term.

“I am looking forward to getting Frank in the building. We think he is a strong addition to the squad, and we are looking forward to working with him. He is a very dynamic player,” Brentford coach Thomas Frank told the club’s official website.

“Frank plays as an eight in our system, he is very good at getting from box to box and will be valuable to us when we don’t have the ball,” he added. “He has come from the Danish league and was one of the best midfield players in that league; we think he has the potential to develop further.

“All the coaches here are looking forward to working with Frank and pushing him to a higher level.”

Everton have revealed the signing of Andros Townsend on a two-year deal, with the winger reuniting with manager Rafa Benitez after playing under the Spaniard at Newcastle.

He joins from Crystal Palace, who released him after last season, and has credited the presence of Benitez as a primary reason for his arrival.

Townsend has 31 goals and 35 assists to his name in the Premier League, and he carries a reputation for being an active defensive participant with his side out of possession.

What has been said?

“Everton is a massive football club and very ambitious,” Townsend told evertontv. “They would admit I’m coming here to be a squad player.

“My job now is to prove I’m good enough to be an important part of this football club."

Townsend also discussed his maturation as a player, praising the lessons Benitez taught him.

“When you’re young and a winger, you focus solely on when you have the ball at your feet,” said Townsend. “What can you do when you have the ball?

“Rafa tried to get me to work off the ball [at Newcastle], run in behind, come into the pockets, work back defensively.

“Rafa is very experienced, he does a lot of work on the tactical side on the training pitch and leaves no stone unturned.

“More importantly, he’s a great man, a great man-manager, and he’s always talking to you."

Bigger picture

Everton have been linked with many wingers as Benitez shapes his squad, and Bayer Leverkusen forward Demarai Gray is also reportedly expected to join imminently.

For a time last year, they held a European place, but they slumped to 10th by the end of the campaign and are eager to make another run at a spot in a continental competition.

Further reading

Veteran Ghanaian coach Joseph Emmanuel Sarpong is backing new Rennes acquisition Kamaldeen Sulemana to follow in the footsteps of Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan and reach stardom.

The 19-year-old is the latest Ghanaian to join the French outfit after sealing a five-year deal from Danish outfit Nordsjaelland on Friday.

Gyan, Ghana’s all-time top scorer and most capped player, featured for Rennes between 2008 and 2010, as did John Boye and John Mensah.

“Asamoah Gyan and other Ghanaian players started from there and I believe he is following their footsteps,” Sarpong told Bryt FM.

“Ghanaian players normally play for Rennes because they embrace Ghanaian talent, so I think it is good on the part of the player not to secure a move to a bigger team.

“I believe Rennes will help him [Kamaldeen] a lot and he will be able to learn a lot there going forward. I think it is a good choice for him and the club can help him develop into a world star.

“Kamaldeen is very young, so joining Rennes will help him develop well. If he had joined a club like Liverpool, he could have struggled and will be farmed out on loan just like that.”

Kamaldeen’s move to Rennes is reportedly worth €20 million. He was linked to Dutch giants Ajax, Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen before ultimately settling for the Ligue 1 fold.  

“I’m very excited to be in this amazing club. The project here caught my heart and I just want to be here to help the team and help myself grow as a player, so I’m very happy and looking forward to the challenge here," the teenager told his new club's media on the switch.

“I’m very direct, I’m fast, I’m skilful and I can score a lot of goals so fans looking at me, be expecting goals.

“I had not heard much about them [Rennes] until they played in the Champions League with the young talent. They caught my eye. They showed interest in me, the project the coach told me about, and I just felt this was the right place for me, so I chose here.”

Last season, Kamaldeen netted 10 times and provided four assists for Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga.

With the 2021/22 Premier Soccer League season looming, we are currently in a transfer window rollercoaster.

Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have already begun reinforcing their squads as they look to end Mamelodi Sundowns' dominance of South African football.

While Sundowns are not resting on their laurels having also brought in new players who can help the Tshwane giants clinch their fifth successive PSL title in the upcoming campaign.

On the other hand, some clubs are busy beefing up their squads in order to either challenge for a top-eight finish or avoid relegation from the top flight.

Goal provides you with all the information you need to know about the current South African winter transfer window.

When does the PSL transfer window open?

The local transfer window officially opened on July 1 and clubs are currently registering new players for the upcoming season.

However, the PSL is yet to indicate when the current transfer window will close, but it usually closes on August 31.

When contacted by Goal for a comment regarding the closure of the window, PSL's media officer Fhatuwani Mpfuni, said: "Not sure at this moment. I will let you know as soon as it is confirmed."

Which players could be on the move?

The 2021/22 season is expected to start next month and most clubs would prefer to conclude their transfer business as early as possible in order to give coaches enough time to integrate new players.

Goal takes a look at some of the players who could be on the move before the transfer window closes:

Nkosinathi Sibisi | Lamontville Golden Arrows 

Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have both been credited with an interest in the Arrows captain, who enjoyed his breakout season in the PSL during the 2020/21 campaign.

Recent reports have indicated that Pirates are leading the race for the new Bafana Bafana central defender as the Buccaneers look to beef up their defence.

Arrows and Pirates have a good working relationship which has seen Gladwin Shitolo three seasons out on loan at Abafana Bes'thende.

However, Sundowns recently snapped up Zimbabwe international Divine Lunga from Arrows and the Tshwane giants cannot be ruled out in the race for Sibisi's signature. 

George Lebese | Free agent

Lebese is currently a free agent having begun training with Swallows FC earlier this month as he looks to impress the club's technical team.

The former Kaizer Chiefs left-winger is hoping to find a new club having parted ways with USA-based outfit Colorado Springs Switchback in March this year. 

Swallows are known to be searching for a replacement Kgaogelo Sekgota with the young left-winger having recently left Swallows for Chiefs on a free transfer.

The Beautiful Birds could bring in Lebese as a replacement for Sekgota.

Sipho Mbule | SuperSport United 

The Bafana Bafana international is known to be keen to leave SuperSport in the current transfer window having been repeatedly being linked with Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns.

SuperSport head coach Kaitano Tembo could not rule out the possibility of losing the attacking midfielder, who was one of Matsatsantsa's best players during the recent season.

Mbule’s agent, Mike Makaab, has already confirmed that Chiefs are interested in his client with Amakhosi free to sign new players after their Fifa transfer ban ended on July 1.

The former South Africa under-20 international's current contract with Matsatsantsa is set to expire at the end of June 2022.

Bongokuhle Hlongwane | Maritzburg United 

The 21-year-old striker is one of the most exciting youngsters in the PSL and his exploits for Maritzburg in the recent term reportedly caught the attention of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

Hlongwane was tipped to join Sundowns along with his former strike partner at Maritzburg, Thabiso Kutumela, after the duo played a vital role in helping the Team of Choice avoid relegation from the PSL.

Kutumela completed his transfer to Sundowns last week and Masandawana are said to be still keen to add Hlongwane to their squad according to the latest reports.

It remains to be seen whether the duo will be reunited at Sundowns before the transfer window closes. 

Evidence Makgopa | Baroka FC 

The new Bafana Bafana international is one of the hottest properties in the PSL having enjoyed a successful campaign at Baroka FC which saw him scoop the PSL Young Player of the Season.

Makgopa has been linked with the PSL Big Three clubs, Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, and he has been tipped to leave Baroka after the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The lanky marksman is part of the South Africa under-23 squad in Tokyo and it is believed that he might follow in the footsteps of his former Baroka teammate Goodman Mosele.

Mosele joined Pirates earlier this month with Baroka chairman Khurishi Mphahlele, having indicated that they are willing to sell their star players in the current transfer window. 

Teboho Mokoena | SuperSport United  

The highly-rated midfield maestro has been constantly linked with Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns since the January transfer window.

Mokoena's agent Glyn Binkin has confirmed “a lot of interest” in the player, but he made it known that his “primary ambition” is going overseas amid interest from the two giants of South African football.

SuperSport have made millions of rands from selling their key players, including Jeremy Brockie and Aubrey Modiba to Sundowns, in recent years and they could tempt Mokoena into moving to the Chloorkop-based side.

While Chiefs' newly appointed coach Stuart Baxter could push for the signing of the South Africa under-23 international having handed Mokoena his PSL debut at Matsatsantsa in October 2016.

Ghana goalkeeper Fatau Dauda believes Legon Cities' narrow escape from relegation from the Ghana Premier League saved his and Asamoah Gyan's blushes.

The two veterans featured for the Royals in the just-ended season, having earlier had stints abroad.

Cities, who went into Sunday's final matchday clash with Eleven Wonders requiring a win to beat the drop, registered a 3-2 victory to ultimately keep their place in the elite division.

"I’m supposed to be the happiest person, myself and Asamoah [Gyan] because of our pedigree taking Legon Cities to relegation, we [would have been] dead but God did it for us by [helping us] escape relegation narrowly,” Dauda said, as reported by Footballghana.

“We are happy because it was a difficult season for us, along the line when we went to play Dwarfs, the game did not end because the referee was attacked and was unable to continue. I was happy then because it was God’s intervention [for the game to end prematurely because of the home fans and for us to be awarded three points.

“We were able to go to my former club Ashanti Gold to beat them and I was like 'no, God wants to do something for us'. Against Bechem we know we were supposed to beat them but they came and scored first before we equalised.

“So for our game against Eleven Wonders, we knew it was going to be difficult because they were not under pressure but I am happy we were able to win the game to survive."

Dauda joined Legon ahead of last season on his return from Nigerians Professional Football League side Enyimba.

He previously played for Orlando Pirates and Chippa United in South Africa.

At international level, the 36-year-old represented Ghana at the 2014 World Cup, together with Gyan, who also signed for Legon ahead of the start of last season.

The latter, 35, is Ghana's current all-time top scorer and most-capped player, with 51 goals in 109 international appearances for the Black Stars.

Legon finished two points above the relegation zone. 

Tusker FC have been held to a goalless draw by relegation-threatened Mathare United in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League match played at Ruaraka Grounds on Tuesday.

Having lost the last meeting against Bidco United by a solitary goal, the Slum Boys came into the match aiming at avenging the defeat as well as getting maximum points to get out of the last position.

The league leaders started the game on a high but had to wait for 10 minutes before posing a serious threat. Brian Marita crossed the ball in a good area, and it fell kindly to Faraj Odeny, but David Okello saved the day for the hosts.

In the 17th minute, the Frank Ouna-led charges had the woodwork to thank, when George Ogutu spotted the goalkeeper out of position, and he unleashed a good shot but it came off the upright.

Ten minutes later, the Brewers were denied by the upright once again, this time around from Christopher Ochieng who was keen to finish Hashim Sempala's precise pass. 

James Kinyanjui had a decent chance for Mathare in the 38th minute. He managed to get past his marker but skied his shot from inside the 18-yard area.

After the half-time, the Slum Boys maintained their defensive discipline which was tough for the Brewers to break down.

With 20 minutes to go, the Slum Boys defenders were caught napping and a cross was floated in, and Ochieng headed a shot goalward but the custodian pushed it out for a fruitless corner.

In the 75th minute, Mathare conceded a free-kick in a dangerous area. Meja stepped up but Okello parried the ball, the rebound fell to Humphrey Mieno, who tried to play the ball across the goal, but the danger was again cleared.

After the draw, the Slum Boys are last on the table with 15 points from the 25 matches they have played while the Brewers have made a step towards their 12th league title, since they are on 55 points from 26 matches.

Second-placed KCB, with two matches in hand, trail the leaders by seven points.

Mathare United XI: David Okello, Kennedy Ochieng, David Ochieng' Martin Ongeri, Norman Ogolla, Alphonce Ndonye, Khalid Jumaan, Chrispin Oduor, James Kinyanjui, Danson Kago, John Mwangi. 

Subs: Job Ochieng, Anthony Oginga, Lennox Ogutu, Dennis Ochieng, Tyson Otieno, Clifford Alwanga, Musa Saidi, Eugene Wethuli, Cersidy Okeyo 

Tusker XI: Emery Mvuyekure, Eric Ambunya, Sammy Meja, Rogers Aloro, Eugene Asike, Hashim Sempala, George Ogutu, Faraj Odenyi, Christopher Ochieng, Chrispinus Onyango, Brian Marita 

Subs: Robert Mboya, Hillary Wandera, Jimmy Mbugua, Otieno Apollo, Humphrey Mieno, Jackson Macharia, Eric Zakayo, Michael Madoya, Luke Namanda