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Glan Martins made his Indian national team debut against Asian champions Qatar in the June 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup joint qualification games.

It was not long before that the Goan made his first appearance in the AFC Champions League (ACL) with FC Goa, with whom he recently extended his stay for another three years until 2024.

In fact, Glan has gone from plying his trade in the Goa Pro League with Sporting Clube de Goa until 2019 to representing Churchill Brothers in the I-League in the same year, to making his ISL debut with ATK Mohun Bagan in 2020, to becoming a regular starter at FC Goa since joining the Goan side in the January transfer window of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season.

What did Glan Martins say about his debut?

The Sesa Football Academy product admitted that he was elated after discovering that India coach Igor Stimac named him in the starting line-up against Qatar. But he also knew what to expect and was not nervous. 

"I was very happy when I came to know that I will start against Qatar. At the same time, I was not nervous as I have already played in the ACL. It's difficult, the pace of the game is very fast, you don't get much time on the ball. You have to be quick. So playing in the ACL gave me the confidence to do well with the national team. The coach's belief in me also helped me a lot," he mentioned.

Giving his view on the new 3+1 foreigner rule in the ISL, Martins stated, "We (FC Goa) have already played with that rule in the ACL and we have already done a very good job. So I don't think it will affect the gameplay or anything like that."

What does Glan Martins bring to FC Goa?

"Since I moved to FC Goa in the second half of the season, everything changed for me. Right from my lifestyle to learning so much more. Secondly, I got to play a lot of games. I started almost all games with FC Goa and I want to continue working hard to find my place in the 11 and be available to the coach whenever he needs me," he said.

Glan boasts of a passing accuracy of 76.44% with an average of 30 passes in the ISL, having recorded nearly 600 passes in 15 appearances to make the midfield tick for Goa, while putting in 66 tackles, 16 interceptions and 21 clearances.

Was this a one-off season for Glan Martins?

Having made the steep rise in a short span of time, living up to the expectations of his performances of last season is not something that worries Glan. He is up for the challenge, having worked with experienced players.

"I never like to take pressure. I just work hard in training and implement the same during the game. That's what makes it easier for me. Playing in the I-League, ISL, ACL and national team, I got to learn a lot things from a lot of players. At the national team, from guys like Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh (Jhingan), Rowllin (Borges), at FC Goa there were Edu (Bedia) and Alberto (Noguera) who supported me a lot and always helped me on the things I needed to work on," said Martins.

Manchester United are the most successful club in England with 66 trophies in their cabinet. The 143-year-old club has won every single title including the Premier League for a record 20 times.

Legendary players like Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and David Beckham have donned the Red jersey over the years and have brought laurels to the club. 

But among all the greats who have played for the Red Devils, the legendary Ryan Giggs has played the most number of matches for the club. 

After graduating from Manchester United's youth system, Giggs made his senior professional debut in 1990 and represented the English giants throughout his career until his retirement in 2014.

He went on to play for 24 years and appeared in 963 matches for the club. At Old Trafford, the Welsh winger won every major trophy including the Premier League a record 13 times and the Champions League twice.

Another club and English football legend Sir Bobby Charlton is the second most-capped Manchester United player of all time. 

Like Giggs, Charlton was also a United youth product who made his senior professional debut in 1956 and went on to play until 1973. In those 17 years, the World Cup-winning English international appeared in 758 matches wearing the red shirt.

United's all time topscorer Wayne Rooney also features in this list, at the sixth position with 559 caps.

Rooney, a modern-day club legend, moved to Manchester United from Everton in 2004 and played at the club until 2017. He is the club's all-time highest goalscorer with 263 goals to his name.

Here, we take a look at the top 10 players who have made the most appearances for the club.

The last two decades in football has been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi but if one footballer has come close to challenge the might of the two legends of the game is Brazilian star Neymar.

A product of Santos' youth system, Neymar graduated and made his senior professional debut for the Brazilian club in 2009. In four seasons, the young sensation back then won five titles with Santos. In 177 appearances for the club, Neymar scored 107 goals making him one of the brightest prospects in Brazil at that time.

His breakthrough year for the Brazil national team came in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup where his exceptional performance helped the Selecao win the title beating reigning world champions Spain 3-0 in the final. Neymar had received the Golden Ball Award in that competition.

After winning the Confederations Cup, his first and only international trophy till date, Neymar moved to Spanish giants FC Barcelona for a club record transfer fee at that time. At the Spanish club, Neymar won eight trophies in four seasons which include two La Liga titles and a Champions League title. 

In the summer of 2017, the Brazilian moved to Ligue 1 giants PSG from Barcelona for a world record transfer fee of €222 million. In the four seasons, he has played in the French capital so far, Neymar has won nine titles but unfortunately, a second Champions League title continues to elude him.

Here, we take a look at all the trophies in club and international football that Neymar has won in his career so far.

How many trophies has Neymar won at Santos?

How many trophies has Neymar won at Barcelona?

How many trophies has Neymar won at PSG?

How many trophies has Neymar won with Brazil?

NOTE: Neymar has won an Olympic gold with Brazil, but it is not considered as a senior international trophy.

Rennes have won the race to sign highly-regarded Ghanian midfielder Kamaldeen Sulemana, who had previously been linked to Manchester United and Ajax.

The French side will pay a reported €15m (£13m/$18m) fee plus add ons to  FC Nordsaelland to sign Sulemana, who has drawn comparisons with Neymar despite being only 19.

Sulemana has signed a five-year deal, becoming the fourth player from Ghana to represent Rennes as he follows the likes of John Mensah, Asamoah Gyan and John Boye.

What was said?

“I am very happy to join Stade Rennais FC, a very good French club," Sulemana said. "The project meets my expectations. The Ligue 1 Uber Eats is one of the best leagues in Europe. 

"There is a very good team in Rennes, a lot of talent. I know the club is famous for its training. For a young player like me, it is the best choice to progress. 

"I have come to help the team achieve their goals. It is a great challenge to take up."

Rennes technical director Florian Maurice, meanwhile, was quick to heap praise on the 19-year-old winger while confirming competition from Ajax and Premier League clubs.

“We wanted to strengthen our attack. He is a player capable of evolving both on the sides but also in the axis. He scores goals and knows how to make the last pass," Maurice said. "He has enormous qualities, he has speed and percussion. He can make differences. 

"It was important for us to bring an additional offensive weapon to the team. This is good news for the club. He is a great recruit because he is a player who was in demand. We managed to do what was necessary to attract him to Rennes, which at the beginning was not necessarily something obvious. 

"We were in competition with clubs like Ajax and others in the Premier League. We show that we are able to attract players of this standing. It is a satisfaction for the whole club."

Sulemana's career so far

After originally emerging from the Right to Dream academy in Ghana, Sulemana joined Nordsaelland in January 2020.

He made his debut a few weeks later, scoring four goals in 13 appearances to mark his first half-season in Denmark.

Handed the No. 10 shirt ahead of the 2020-21 season, Sulemana scored 10 goals in 27 games last season, including a run that included five in five.

He was rewarded with his first Ghana call-up last September and has earned two caps for the Black Stars.

Further reading

Finidi George believes a potential African Super League will help the development of football in Africa.

This idea for a closed shop of 20-24 elite clubs was first recommended in 2020 by Fifa boss Gianni Infantino, with the drive to generate close to $3bn in revenue.

For the Uefa Champions League and Africa Cup of Nations winner, the plan looks like a great one as that would see the best teams on the continent compete against each other regularly.

Even at this, he challenges the continent's football ruling body to take the initiative so that other continents would follow instead of the other way around.

"I think that would help the development of football in Africa," George told Goal.

"That being said, I think the African Super League is a good thing as we will have the best teams compete amongst themselves.

"There is nothing wrong about that. However, we don’t have to always copy what the Europeans are doing.

"Why must we always wait for someone elsewhere to start an initiative first before we start thinking?

"We should always be the first to initiate something that others would want to emulate." 

While talk of a potential Super League continues to spawn contrasting opinions, Caf president Patrice Motsepe claimed the idea was in discussion, stating that his organisation planned to learn from Uefa on how to execute it.

"We are assessing and in preliminary discussions to start an inclusive and broadly supported and beneficial Caf African Super League," the South African told media.

"We have been following the attempts by some top European clubs to form a Euro Super League and will learn from their experience and pitfalls."

Unlike the European Super League which never became a reality, seasoned football administrator Adam Mouktar Mohammed expressed his desire to see this plan come to fruition because of the advantages it would bring.

“That of the Europeans was not a bad idea either but I think the circumstances were quite different," the FCT boss told Goal.

“Uefa was already a power bloc and it would destabilise maybe their marketing, commercial rights and structure of the Champions League. That led to its rejection at that point.

“Looking at this from a football perspective, I think it would be a new rejigged approach to the Caf Champions League that exists.

“It would give it some life, probably there would be more money involved while marketing and sponsorship would be better.”

The 2021-22 Premier League season will begin on Saturday, August 14 after a summer filled with international football action, with attention now turned to who will be named English champions.

Manchester City will be looking to reclaim their title, though the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United also pose as threats to their corwn.

Goal has what you need to know about the favourites, underdogs and outsiders to win the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Who are the favourites to win the Premier League?

Manchester City are 4/6 (1.66) to successfully defend their title and be crowned Premier League champions for an eighth time.

Pep Guardiola's side finished 12 points ahead of crosstown rivals Manchester United after a topsy-turvy start to the season severely impacted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

But the Citizens managed to cement their status as clear-cut frontrunners towards the back-end of the campaign, and they will no doubt be raring to reclaim the crown. Guardiola and co narrowly missed out on clinching the coveted domestic quadruple – winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup – ultimately falling short of Champions League triumph, losing to Chelsea in the final. They could, however, go all-out again this year.

Who are the underdogs to win the Premier League?

Liverpool are 5/1 (6.0) win just their second-ever Premier League title after the successes of their 2019 triumph. 

Their attempt at a title defense ultimately ended up being a disappointing one, as the Reds had an inconsistent and, at times, awry 2020-21 campaign despite starting it off strongly; their capabilities of even finishing in the top four a doubt after a dramatic dip in form were caused partly by the absence of defensive mainstay Virgil van Dijk. They, however, managed to claim a third-placed finish in the final day of the season after a last-gasp push – and Klopp's side could very well keep up the momentum this year.

Chelsea are 5/1 (6.0) as well to be crowned Premier League winners following Thomas Tuchel's tremendous success with the London club, the German successfully winning the Champions League in his debut season.

The Blues are expected to challenge for more titles with an impressive roster of young forward talent, and if Tuchel's side already got the better of Guardiola's Manchester City in the Champions League final, they could very well dethrone in the Premier League as well.

Man Utd are 8/1 (9.0) to lift their first Premier League trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge of the club. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has had his fair share of critics, and the Europa League 2021 final loss will mean even more pressure mounting on him to deliver silverware. The Red Devils did finish second in the Premier League, however, and should they make some high-profile signings in the summer as they are expected to, they could very well be title challengers.

Who are the outsiders to win the Premier League?

Tottenham are 40/1 (41.0) to be Premier League champions for the first ever time, following Jose Mourinho's unceremonious dismissal from the club in 2021 with former Wolves coach Nuno Espirito Santo now taking on the reins. Santo impressed with former club Wolves, but whether or not he will be able to replicate the success with a heavyweight side club like Tottenham, who finished in disappointing seventh place, is another question. He will be facing problems if Harry Kane does indeed decide to leave Tottenham for another club this summer – but perhaps an armour change is just what Spurs need.

Arsenal and Leicester are both 50/1 (51.0) to win the Premier League, with Arsenal's miserable 8th-placed finish was compounded by a lack of qualification for European competition. Mikel Arteta will be expected to at least inspire the Gunners into making a push for a top-four spot, so winning the Premier League outright this coming season might be too big of an ask.

Brendan Rodgers' Leicester were surprise contenders to keep the pressure up on Manchester City at the top of the table last season, and were early favourites to secure a top-four spot at the expense of Chelsea or Liverpool. But the Foxes' magnificent Premier League run - and Champions League hopes - all came undone towards the end of the campaign, when they failed to win their remaining games in hand to finish in the top four. Rodgers' side could very well make another push for top four again this season, but if a fourth-placed finish is unfeasible, so is winning the league.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

Sassuolo have rejected Juventus' €30m (£26m/$35m) bid for Manuel Locatelli with talks remaining ongoing between the two sides.

Juventus' proposal was a two-year loan with an obligation to buy, but Sassuolo have refused the initial offer, Goal can confirm.

The club is looking for a permanent sale and a price closer to €40m (£34m/$47m) for Locatelli, who wants to be playing Champions League football next season.

A developing saga?

Juve aren't the only club in the mix for Locatelli, who has also been heavily linked to Arsenal in recent weeks.

Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali admitted last week that the club has been in negotiations with both Juve and an overseas suitor in recent weeks.

Carnevali also said that Locatelli's future would be decided after the Euros, with Italy triumphing over England to win this summer's tournament on Sunday.

Locatelli has since spoken out himself, saying interest from Juventus "is pleasing".

He went on to say that he has yet to decide what his next move may be.

Locatelli's career so far

Locatelli has been with Sassuolo since originally joining on loan from Milan in 2018 with the move being made permanent one year later.

He's made 99 total appearances, scoring seven goals while establishing himself with Italy's national team.

The 23-year-old midfielder made his Italy debut in 2019 before earning a place in this summer's squad at the Euros, where he scored twice in a win over Switzerland.

He started two of Italy's group stage games before coming off the bench three times in the knockout rounds, including in the final against England.

Further reading

Former Bafana Bafana international John Tlale says a win for Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday's Caf Champions League final would eclipse Orlando Pirates' 1995 continental triumph. 

Chiefs will carry the hopes of South Africa when they lock horns with defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt in a highly anticipated final at Stade Mohammed V in Morocco. 

Pirates became the first South African club to win the Champions League title 26 years ago and they were honoured by the first State President of the new democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

Since then, Mamelodi Sundowns have joined Pirates as the only Southern Hemisphere clubs to have won the prestigious title when Masandawana lifted it in 2016 under the guidance of current Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane.

Tlale would rank a Chiefs continental triumph higher than Pirates' win because of the quality of their opposition in the final, after the retired goalkeeper was part of the Sundowns team which lost to Al Ahly in the 2001 final.

"Yes, I think so, because Al Ahly have dominated African football for many years. They have won many Caf Champions League titles over the years," Tlale told Goal. 

"So, it would be a bigger achievement by Chiefs. For Sundowns, we were unfortunate against Al Ahly, but at least the club managed to win it after defeating Al Ahly's close rivals Zamalek in their next final." 

Pirates clinched the Champions League trophy after they defeated Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas 3-2 on aggregate in a two-legged final, with Jerry Sikhosana's goal in the second-leg clash proving decisive. 

The Buccaneers then reached the final for the second time in 2013 and they were thrashed 3-1 by an Al Ahly side which was inspired by Egyptian legend Mohamed Aboutrika. 

Chiefs will return to action for the first time since June 26 when they drew 0-0 with Morocco's Wydad Casablanca in the semi-final second-leg match, while Al Ahly have played four Egyptian Premier League matches within that time period.

"Yeah, they [Chiefs] will be rusty because of lack of matches during the break that they had," Tlale, who was on the books of Pirates between 2002 and 2004, said.

"However, if you look at it from a different perspective, they can take advantage of the fact that Al Ahly have played a lot of games.

"Al Ahly players might go into the final feeling exhausted due to the matches they have been playing and Chiefs can take advantage of that." 
 

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

While Kaizer Chiefs are firm outsiders to win their first Caf Champions League title on Saturday, when they face Al-Ahly in Casablanca, it’s simply remarkable that they’ve even made the final at all.

Amakhosi have reached the showpiece on the back of a miserable campaign—domestically at least—in which they have struggled to dispatch some of the PSL’s lowlier sides, been humbled in some big games, and never even threatened a title challenge.

Admittedly, the club were labouring under a considerable disadvantage—the ban on registering new players—which allowed a tired squad to stagnate even further.

However, Gavin Hunt’s failure to adapt to the testing conditions, and his inability to bring his considerable nous to beat to get the best out of an experienced squad ultimately led to him losing his job.

Stuart Baxter has arrived to take the helm, although even with his considerable pedigree, he will be aware that Ahly are the strong favourites to ensure that Chiefs’ wait for silverware continues.

The Glamour Boys only have to look at the example of Chelsea, however, to see how the most glorious success can be born from the most miserable disasters.

Both of the Blues’ grandest successes—the Champions League victories of 2012 and 2021—came against the backdrop of terrible domestic seasons.

In the first instance, Andre Villas-Boas was sacked only nine months into the job, following a run of three wins in his previous 12 games.

His replacement—Roberto Di Matteo—was able, however, to galvanise the squad and guide a chiselled Pensioners side to UCL glory as they dispatched Bayern Munich on penalties in the final, becoming London’s first European Cup winners in the process.

Chelsea actually ended the 2011-12 Prem season down in sixth—a whopping 25 points off eventual winners Manchester City—but all that mattered was that they had got their hands on the biggest prize in the European game.

It’s been a similar story for the West Londoners in recent years; an inexperienced coach took the helm, had to contend with a transfer ban, sought to introduce a modified playing style, clashed with senior players, and ultimately lost his job.

Defensively, Chelsea were dismal at times under Frank Lampard, and while things weren’t perfect under Thomas Tuchel—remember that defeat by West Bromwich Albion?—they nonetheless rallied to reach the Champions League final.

Earlier in the campaign, few would have given the Londoners too much chance of defeating Manchester City in the UCL showpiece, but galvanised by Tuchel’s arrival, they did just that.

Could Chiefs take inspiration and write their own final chapter to a taxing campaign against Ahly on Saturday?

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

Asante Kotoko chief executive officer Nana Yaw Amponsah believes they could have won the Ghana Premier League had they not had to play their home matches on neutral ground.

Owing to ongoing renovation works at their famous Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, the Porcupine Warriors began the season playing their home matches at the Accra Sports Stadium before later switching to the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi.

Ahead of the final round of matches, Kotoko hold the second position on the league table, with arch-rivals Hearts of Oak already confirmed as champions.

“If we had played at the Baba Yara Stadium, we would’ve won this league with a 10-points gap because at some point, we were leading Hearts of Oak with four points," Amponsah told Happy Sports.

"But we thank God we didn’t disgrace ourselves, considering all the disadvantages.

“Some of the refereeing decisions that went against Kotoko this season, I believe if it was at the Baba Yara Stadium, the fear of God will be in some people.

“We all know that home advantage plays a key role in our football."

Amponsah also shed light on their unsuccessful attempt to sign Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan, who returned to the domestic league ahead of the start of the season after 17 years abroad.

The veteran striker was widely linked to the Kumasi-based side but sensationally joined Legon Cities on transfer deadline day, much to the disappointment of the Porcupine fraternity.

In the forward's stead, Kotoko secured the services of Brazilian attacker Fabio Gama.

"At some point, we wanted Asamoah Gyan. We pushed but it didn’t happen then we opted for Fabio Gama,” the CEO said.

He also called for calm among the supporters following the turn of events this term.

“I will plead with our supporters to exercise patience because we will never have a perfect team but then we have a formidable team. If I signed five players and three or more are performing, is that a failure?" he asked in conclusion.

Amponsah was appointed as Looking CEO in August last year.

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Stuart Baxter is optimistic his charges have one more surprise up their sleeves in the Caf Champions League final against Al Ahly in Casablanca, Morocco, on Saturday.

The experienced tactician will be in the technical area in the competition, for the first time, after getting his work permit. Having trained the team since his return to Amakhosi, the Brit is optimistic the Soweto heavyweights can go all the way to winning their maiden title.

How does Baxter feel after being allowed on the bench?

"This is the first game on the bench, but I have been with the club for a few months, working with the players [and being on the bench] in this game is special," the 67-year-old told the media on Friday.

"The players have worked really hard in the preparations. Yes, there have been many challenges but the players have managed and have surprised everybody [by making it to the final]. 

"Do we have one more surprise left in us? We will see on the night."

What is Baxter's take on Pitso Mosimane?

The former Bafana coach also said Red Devils tactician Pitso Mosimane deserves respect but went on to explain how Amakhosi have prepared to stand a chance of denying the Egyptian heavyweights their tenth title.

"I have great respect for Pitso [Mosimane] as a coach and we have had very many interesting battles and I have to say that on the night, I do not think the experience amassed in the past will affect the game," Baxter continued.

"Every game has more than one scenario... My knowledge in football is that things do not turn out the way you think. We have a good plan to help us win the game. 

"Great respect for Pitso [Mosimane] and Al Ahly but for the evening we have more than one solution on the way to ensure the game resolves itself. We obviously believe we can get a positive result."

The last and the only time the two teams met was in 2002 in the Caf Super Cup, when Al Ahly won 4-1.

The defending champions defeated Esperance de Tunis 4-0 on aggregate to make it to the final, while Chiefs defeated Wydad Casablanca 1-0 on aggregate to advance.

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

The AFC Champions League (ACL) group stage concluded with K League teams Ulsan Hyundai, Pohang Steelers, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, and Daegu FC making it to the the Round of 16.

For the first time in six years since 2015, all four K League teams managed to advance from the ACL group stage. On top of that, out of Eastern Asia, only K League has managed all four clubs to reach the round of 16. It may said that K League’s competitiveness has been proven in Asia.

From this season, the number of participating clubs in the competition has increased to 40. From the East Zone, each group’s runner-up had to compare their points. Due to this new system, somehow a strange cooperative relationship was formed among the four K League clubs.

Defending ACL champions Ulsan Hyundai (Ulsan) won all the six matches in the group stage and joined the Round of 16 as the leader of Group F. On top of that, Ulsan has extended the record for most consecutive wins at ACL - 15 games.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Jeonbuk) also finished top of Group H after 5 wins and a draw. Moreover, Jeonbuk showed their prowess in attack by scoring 22 goals in total in the group stage.

Before the final match in the group stage, Jeonbuk already sealed the top spot of the group. They concluded their group games by defeating the runner-up of their group, Gamba Osaka, 2-1. "Pohang fans' support also helped our victory. I am happy what we were able to secure the pride of K League," Jeonbuk’s head coach Sang Sik Kim mentioned after the match.

Pohang Steelers (Pohang) finished Second of Group G with 3 wins, 2 draws and a loss.

Daegu FC (Daegu) finished second from Group I, with 4 wins and 2 losses, but advanced to the knockout stage as one among the three best-placed runners-up. This is a meaningful result for Daegu, as they have secured their very first Round of 16 appearance in the ACL ever since the club was formed.

The match schedule for the East Zone in the Round of 16 is already known and three out of four K League clubs will meet J League clubs. Ulsan are set to lock horns against Kawasaki Frontale, who finished ahead of Daegu in Group I. Daegu will face Nagoya Grampus and Pohang will be against Cerezo Osaka. Only Jeonbuk will face Thailand's BG Pathum United.

The single leg Round of 16 ties are expected to be slated on September 14 or 15 with the venues yet to be announced.

Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane has advised Kaizer Chiefs to stick to their style of play that has ensured they qualify for the Caf Champions League.
 
Al Ahly and Kaizer Chiefs will face off in Casablanca on Saturday, with the former looking to win their 10th title while the latter will be attempting to win their first-ever continental title.

Mosimane, who is featuring in his second consecutive final, praised Amakhosi's playing style, stating that something that has assured one advance is not supposed to be changed.

"So, how do you get to the final if your way of playing is not effective? We know they are very strong at counter-attacks, set pieces, corners and free-kicks," Mosimane told reporters in his pre-match presser.

"Any system that makes one win is a good system, and if one says his system is better than the opponent's, then why is he not in the final?

"Whatever happened to the Chiefs to be in the final, in my opinion, they must stick to what they are doing because it has made them be where they are now.
 
"When you change, you can surprise the opponent and you might look smart, but if you do change and do not win, then people will ask why did you change. Whichever way comes, it will be okay for us and we will not change the system that made us come to the final." 

The tactician also pointed out players from the Glamour Boys' side who are likely to cause problems to his team, pointing out striker Samir Nurkovic among those to watch, after the Serbian scored the only goal of Amakhosi's semi-final win over Wydad Casablanca.
 
"They are strong on crosses and they also have intelligent players in terms of [Samir] Nurkovic, who likes to take his position on diagonal balls. The same is true for [Khama] Billiat and [Leonardo] Castro, who have got good midfielders as well as goalkeepers," he continued.
 
"They are a good team, a big one, and if you have to win, you have to respect the opponents.

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

Striker Dapo Mebude has revealed Odion Ighalo influenced his decision to sign for Watford, after the youngster left Rangers for the Hornets earlier this week.

In an interview with the club, the teenager referred to the 32-year-old as one of the players who attracted him to the club.

Ighalo played for Watford from 2014-2017, making 82 appearances, scoring 33 goals in the process, and latterly featured back in the Premier League for Manchester United.

On July 10, the 19-year-old Mebude, who is of a Nigerian descent, joined the Hornets, from Rangers, on a two-year contract, with a further two-year option. He is still eligible to play for the West African nation, despite featuring for Scotland at youth level.

"[Watford are] a massive club, I have watched them in the Premier League for a few years," Mebude told the club's official portal. "I have been a fan of the Premier League and watched players like Troy Deeney, and Odion Ighalo who is a countryman of mine, so there are a lot of things that attracted me.

"I like to take bits from different players’ games. Obviously, I want to be myself but I take parts from Raheem Sterling, Ronaldo [the original]... but I want to be myself and hopefully one day, people can look up to me and say they want to be like me."

Born in London, Mebude and his family moved to Scotland when he was a youngster, and his exit from Rangers ended his decade-long association with the club.  

"I think it is important I bring what I can do to the table first and foremost, and then every single day I am going to be learning and taking as much as I can from the likes of Troy Deeney, [Ismaïla] Sarr, Andre Gray. [This is] because they are top players and I want to get to that level," he continued. "I do not want to change what I was brought in for but I’m going to learn every single day and take as much as possible and add it to my game as well."

The forward went on to reveal his versatility and explained his strengths which the fans will see.

"I like to get in behind, I like to score goals, create chances, and beat my man [one-on-one]. I play to excite the fans," Mebude continued.

"I am comfortable at left-wing or striker. Anywhere across the front line, I like to express myself and I’ll work for the team. I am not too fussed about where I am going to play across the front but I am just excited to get going, playing and seeing what I can do."

Mebude has signed a two-year contract with Watford, with an option for a further two years.

New Rangers signing Fashion Sakala has named Ibrox Stadium as the only place he wanted to be after he left Belgian club KV Oostende at the end of his contract.

The Zambia striker signed a four-year deal with Steven Gerrard’s side in May and he was finally unveiled as a new player on Thursday.

He cited his vacation and the compulsory quarantine procedure in Scotland as reasons for his delayed presentation by the Gers.

Rangers won the Scottish top-flight crown last season and the Chipolopolo star, who scored 16 league goals for KV Oostende last term, is expected to play a part in their quest to qualify for the Champions League group stage.

"I’m very happy and excited. I was looking forward to start this beautiful journey when I signed. The only thing I wanted was to be here,” Sakala told Rangers TV.

"I’m very happy and excited, I’m looking forward to continuing a beautiful and exciting journey.

"I can’t wait to start tomorrow. I’ve been on vacation for some days and then I came here and I was in quarantine for 10 days so it was quite difficult but I was positive about it.

"I’m still looking to get back to full fitness and I believe that I’ve started a lot because I was doing individual training. I’m looking forward to starting with the group and I believe something good will come out of it."

Rangers will continue their preparations for the new Premiership campaign with a friendly fixture against Arsenal on Saturday.

It is unsure if the 24-year-old will feature in the encounter.

However, Sakala is eager to play in front of the club faithful when the new season commences.

"I feel like it’s time to start playing football now. I’m very happy to make this step to be here and play every week in such a beautiful stadium with a great history,” he continued.

"It’s always nice to have fans in the stadium. Football is for the fans.

It’s always nice to play with fans and I’ve watched a couple of games before Covid and there was a great atmosphere here with the fans.

"It’s amazing. This club is loved and it’s a club for the people so I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans and the atmosphere."

Tanzania have named their U23 squad that is set to take part in the upcoming Cecafa Cup that will take place in Bahir Dar in Ethiopia from July 18 to 31.
 
Yanga SC's Metacha Mnata - who has recently lost his position in the club's first team - is among the senior players who have been selected for the regional tournament.

Lucas Kikoti and Reliants Lusajo of Namungo FC are the other experienced players that are set to represent the East African nation in the junior tournament.
 
Tanzania are in Group A with Uganda and DR Congo. Hosts Ethiopia, Burundi and Eritrea are in Group B while Djibouti, South Sudan and Kenya are in Group C.
 
On matchday one, Uganda will face DR Congo on July 18 before Ethiopia and their northern neighbours Eritrea clash in the second match on the same day.

On July 19, only one game will be played with Kenya facing Djibouti as July 20 has been set aside as the rest day.

Burundi and Eritrea will play each other on July 21 before two matches are hosted on July 22 when Kenya will face off with South Sudan and Tanzania face DR Congo.

On July 24, Ethiopia will host Eritrea before Djibouti and South Sudan face off on July 25. Uganda and Tanzania will play in the second game on that day.

The top teams in each pool will book the semi-final slots while the best runner-up from the three groups will get a place in the knockout phase too.

While the team that is classified in the ninth position after the group stage will not play more games, the other teams classified fifth to eighth will play in a mini-contest to determine the rankings.

Tanzania Squad

Metacha Mnata (Yanga SC), Daniel Mgore (Biashara United), Wilbol Maseke (Azam FC),  Israel Mwendwa (KMC FC), Lusajo Mwaikenda (KMC FC), Sospeter Israel (Azam FC), Oscar Masai (Ihefu FC), Lucas Kikoti (Namungo FC), Joseph Mkele (Mtibwa Sugar), Rajab Athuman (Gwambina FC).

Meshack Abraham (Gwambina FC), Reliants Lusajo (Namungo FC), Erick Mwijage (Kagera Sugar), Andrew Simchimba (Ihefu FC), Abdul Suleiman (Coastal Union), Pascal Msindo (Azam FC), Abdulrazak Hamza (Mbeya City), Abdulmajid Mangalo (Biashara United), Yusuf Mhilu (Kagera Sugar).

Group C continues in the Gold Cup on Friday, with Guadeloupe playing Jamaica while Suriname takes on Costa Rica in Orlando.

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

Costa Rica currently sits top of Group C after a 3-1 win over Guadeloupe in its opening game, while Jamaica also picked up maximum points as it defeated Suriname 2-0.

Wins for both Costa Rica and Jamaica can see both sides secure progress with one game remaining.

Ahead of the games, 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.

Guadeloupe vs Jamaica team news

Guadeloupe's big absentee from its second Group C game will be defender Steve Solvet.

The center-back was awarded two yellow cards against Costa Rica, meaning his side finished the game with 10 players and he now must sit out this fixture.

Thomas Pineau could start in his place, with coach Jocelyn Angloma likely to make few other changes to the team.

Predicted Guadeloupe starting XI: Thuram; Irep, Pineau, Baron, Casimir, Alphonse; Annette, Saint-Maximin, Tille; Romagen, Mirval.

Jamaica has no big injury worry and no suspensions to worry about for its second group game.

Corey Burke featured from the bench against Suriname and may be hoping to get the nod to start up front on Friday in place of Shamar Nicholson.

Andre Gray did not play in the first fixture, with the English-born forward having made his Jamaica debut in March this year. He will also be pushing for a place in the starting XI.

Predicted Jamaica starting XI: Blake; Powell, Lowe, Moore, Lawrence; Fisher, Turgott, Williams; Nicholson, Decordova-Reid, Burke.

Suriname vs Costa Rica team news

Ajax defender Sean Klaiber made his Suriname debut against Jamaica, but was not at his best in the opening fixture and will be looking to show his worth against Costa Rica.

Suriname has never beaten Costa Rica in its history so will need to cause a massive upset to produce a result. Defeat on Friday could see Suriname eliminated even before it plays its last game.

Predicted Suriname starting XI: Hahn; Haps, Donk, Malone, Klaiber; Leerdam, Becker, Eduard; Jozefzoon, Vlijter, Comvalius.

A first international goal from forward Ariel Lassiter should help the Houston Dynamo player keep his place in the starting XI, but coach Luis Fernando Suarez has plenty of firepower to choose from.

Costa Rica scored three times in its opening game and will look to add more goals against a favorable opponent and secure its place in the knockout stage with a game remaining.

Predicted Costa Rica starting XI: Moreira; Fuller, Gonzalez, Calvo, Matarrita; Borges, Guzman; Ruiz, Cruz; Lassiter, Campbell. 

Recent results

Zambia coach Milutin Sredojevic has stated he is proud of what he has achieved since taking charge of the national team despite their early exit from the 2021 Cosafa Cup.

Chipolopolo failed to make it to the knockout stage of the competition being held in South Africa after losing two of their Group A matches – 2-1 against Lesotho and 1-0 against Eswatini.

After winning 2-1 against Botswana, Zambia then managed a 0-0 draw against South Africa and it was not enough to guarantee them passage to the knockout stage, meaning it will be the first time in in the history of the tournament that they failed to advance.

What has been said?

“I am very proud of each moment I have spent as Zambia coach. I am present, whether I will be a coach it will be purely on the people that are in charge,” Sredojevic said as quoted by Lusaka Times.

“Supporters very often look at the game in a very emotional way. However, administrators are the ones to decide whether it is enough or it is not enough.

“I am pushing myself to the limits and telling myself that my conscience is clean. I have given my best.”

On losing their opening match against Lesotho, the former Orlando Pirates coach blamed his side for not being clinical enough with the chances created.

"Without wishing to be an excuse maker or blame shifter, we have felt the bitter side of football," Sredojevic said.

"We gave respect to the opponent but not over-respect, we have self-respected ourselves, we imposed ourselves very well, opened the game very well in the first half, it was supposed to be more than one goal.

"We created clear-cut chances that we did not convert, there were crucial moments in the game, instead of putting the game beyond the opponents’ reach, we conceded that goal."

"In moments of domination, in moments when we have been totally in control of the game and against the run of play, we conceded that goal that put us in a position that we needed to go back to the drawing board and analyse the second half and prepare very well for the game against Eswatini that is supposed to help us to bounce back."