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There have been 10 different winners of the European Championship since its inception in 1960, and the roll of honour features familiar heavyweights like Germany, Spain, France and Italy.

Denmark are also there among the list of champions, though the Scandinavian country is not necessarily what one might consider a regular contender on the world stage.

The Danes have the same number of titles as Italy and Portugal, managing in 1992 to do what England and Belgium have not.

Goal takes a look at that achievement, how they qualified, their squad and the teams they beat on the way to victory.

How did Denmark qualify for Euro 92?

Denmark's qualification for Euro 92 is what makes the subsequent triumph in the competition such a peculiarity, since they did not earn their place at the tournament in the traditional manner.

They had finished second in their qualification group behind Yugoslavia, after winning six games, drawing one and losing one.

Yugoslavia were due to compete at the final stage of the European Championship, but the country was suspended from competitive football by FIFA and UEFA following the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars.

As such, Denmark, as the next-best qualifier from the group, took their place at the tournament.

"There are a lot of stories about us being on the beach," Peter Schmeichel told Sky Sports, reflecting on the shock qualification. "We were still match fit, but completely switched off from football. We had to regain that desire to play and win football games. We didn't have much time, but for those Euros it worked."

Who was in the Denmark Euro 92 squad?

The majority of Denmark's Euro 92-winning squad was based in Denmark at the time, with four players plying their trade in Germany, one playing in England, one in France and one in Turkey.

Peter Schmeichel was the star goalkeeper and playing for Manchester United, with Brian Laudrup, then with Bayern Munich, John Jensen and team captain Lars Olsen providing the outfield inspiration.

The squad had an average age of 26.9, with 31-year-olds Olsen and Kim Christofte being the eldest.

What was Denmark's route to the Euro 92 final?

Denmark were drawn in Group 1 at the final stage of the Euro 92 tournament along with England, France and hosts Sweden.

They drew 0-0 in their opening game against an England team that featured stars such as Gary Lineker, Paul Merson and David Platt. Their chances of progressing from the group took a blow when they lost 1-0 to rivals Sweden in Solna.

England had drawn their second group game against France and were well placed to advance with a favourable result against Sweden, provided Denmark lost or drew against France.

However, Denmark pulled off an upset against France, winning 2-1, and England suffered a 2-1 defeat against Sweden, with Tomas Brolin breaking English hearts. 

Henrik Larsen and Lars Elstrup scored the crucial goals against Les Bleus and they qualified as Group 1 runners-up for the semi-final against Group 2 winners the Netherlands, who were reigning champions.

Despite going into the game against the Dutch as overwhelming underdogs, Denmark took the lead after five minutes with a Larsen header, but the defending champions responded through Dennis Bergkamp.

However, the Danes went ahead once more just before half-time, with Larsen scoring his third goal of the tournament from the edge of the box.

The Dutch looked to be heading out of the competition until Frank Rijkaard scored a scrappy goal in the 86th minute, forcing the game into extra time. 

No goals were forthcoming in the additional time, meaning penalties were required to decide which team would advance to the final.

Schmeichel saved the second Dutch penalty, which was hit by Marco van Basten, and the Danes made no mistake in any of their efforts, with Kim Christofte beating Hans van Breukelen with the decisive spot-kick.

Denmark won 5-4 on penalties to continue their journey and progress to the Euro 92 final.

Watch Netherlands vs Denmark Euro 92 semi-final highlights

Who did Denmark beat in the Euro 92 final?

Denmark defeated Germany 2-0 in the Euro 92 final to win their first ever European title.

The Germans came into Euro 92 having already won the tournament on two occasions and, with players such as Jurgen Klinsmann, Stefan Effenberg and Matthias Sammer in their ranks, were considered heavy favourites.

Managed by Berti Vogts (who would go on to lead them to Euro 96 glory), Germany had drawn with CIS (Soviet Union) before beating Scotland, but they closed the group stage with a heavy defeat to Netherlands. Nevertheless, they booked their place in the final with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Sweden.

Despite the fact that Germany were expected to win, Denmark did not read the script and, perhaps buoyed by their semi-final victory, took the lead on the 18th minute when John Jensen smashed a long-range shot past Bodo Illgner.

Schmeichel was called into action on a number of occasions, notably denying a powerful Klinsmann header and coming out on top in a one-on-one with Stefan Reuter.

The efforts of the Manchester United shotstopper to keep Germany at bay were rewarded when Kim Vilfort added a second for Denmark with just over 10 minutes to play, sealing victory and stunning the continent.

Years later, Schmeichel suggested that Denmark's unlikely victory at the tournament stemmed from a sense of self-belief that they could compete with the best players in the world.

"That comes from, not defiance, but not accepting that we are a small country," the iconic goalkeeper told UEFA in 2015. "We [thought], 'we have exactly the same opportunity to go and better ourselves and be the best professionals, and if we get the right circumstances we can go and do whatever job we want to do.'

"So it's more a mentality, I think. I think that, more than anything, was why we won the European Championship."

Watch Denmark vs Germany Euro 92 final highlights

Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann has called the CEO of club sponsor Rakuten to offer his apologies after videos of him mocking Asian people surfaced online.

The France international was recorded laughing as team-mate Ousmane Dembele insulted staff who were there to fix the television in their hotel room, and in another video Griezmann is heard saying: "Ching chong". The videos are from Barcelona's pre-season tour of Japan in 2019.

Griezmann and Dembele responded to accusations of racism after the videos were shared across social media in recent days, with the former saying: "I firmly refute the accusations made against me and I am sorry if I offended my Japanese friends."

What has happened?

Goal  understands Griezmann has tried to calm tensions between Barcelona and Japanese company Rakuten by speaking to founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani.

The 30-year-old has apologised to Mikitani for his conduct despite maintaining that he has been harshly criticised.

Barcelona have discussed the issue with Griezmann and Dembele, and the club considers their actions unacceptable.

What did Mikitani say?

Griezmann's call to Mikitani came after the Rakuten chief expressed his outrage on Twitter.

"As a club sponsor and tour organiser, I am very sorry that the FCB players made discriminatory remarks," he posted. "Since Rakuten has endorsed Barca's philosophy and sponsored the club, such statements are unacceptable under any circumstances and we will formally protest the club and seek their views."

Rakuten will contribute €30 million (£26m/$35m) to the club this season as the club's shirt sponsors after renewing their contract this summer.

Konami drop Griezmann

Meanwhile, video game company Konami have terminated Griezmann's contract as brand ambassador.

The former Atletico Madrid star was to promote Konami's upcoming Pro Evolution Soccer game as well as the upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! series.

"Konami Digital Entertainment believes, as is the philosophy of sports, that discrimination of any kind is unacceptable," a statement from the company said. "Previously we had announced Antoine Griezmann as our Yu-Gi-Oh! contents ambassador, however in light of recent events we have decided to cancel the contract."

Further reading

Former Orlando Pirates coach Augusto Palacios believes forward Lyle Foster has not realised his full potential in Europe because he has not been afforded a “fair chance” to play.

After showing so much promise at Orlando Pirates, Forster joined Ligue 1 club Monaco in January 2019 but was immediately sent to their reserve side. 

After a bright start the following season and making two appearances at the start of the Ligue 1 campaign, Foster was then loaned out to Belgian second division side Cercle Brugge where he enjoyed some game time by playing 18 league games. 

Monaco could not take him back at the end of his loan spell but sold him to Primeira Liga side Vitoria Guimaraes. 

After again struggling for regular football in Portugal where he made just five appearances for Vitoria Guimaraes, Palacios is not yet ruling out the attacker who is currently with the South Africa Under-23 squad for the Tokyo Olympics. 

“I coached this boy for 12 years… I know his potential. When you’re not playing regularly you’re bound to struggle like this. My point is that teams overseas haven’t been giving him a fair chance,’’ Palacios told Sowetan Live. 

“Come the Olympics the boy will silence his critics. He knows this is the big stage where he must redeem himself. The only time he plays regularly is when he’s back with the junior national team and I am sure again he’ll excel.” 

Another former coach of Foster at Pirates' youth ranks Mandla Qhogi does not understand why the 20-year-old has struggled to make a name for himself in Europe. 

This is after the player made his Premier Soccer League debut for Pirates at 17 and went on to prominently feature in South Africa’s junior national teams and even broke into the Bafana Bafana fold.

“I am not sure why he’s struggling this much in Europe because when he was with us, even with the first team, he showed a lot of potential and you could see that he has got that element of going places,’’ said Qhogi.  

“It might be an issue of adaptation but again you can’t be still trying to adapt after two years… he should have been adapted a long time ago. Nevertheless, I still believe he’ll reach his full potential because he’s still young.’’

New Chippa United coach Gavin Hunt has welcomed the 'massive challenge' at the club.

The former Kaizer Chiefs tactician was appointed to guide the Chilli Boys next season in the PSL. The 56-year-old has taken over from Lehlohonolo Seema who left the team for Golden Arrows, taking over from Mandla Ncikazi.

The experienced coach is further impressed with the facilities at his proposal ahead of the new assignment.

"I see this as a massive challenge, and one that really excites me," Hunt said in a statement to the media.

"The Eastern Cape as a region is where so many fantastic South African sportsmen and women hail from and this area certainly deserves a successful football club that the locals can be proud of.

"The facilities here are outstanding and the passion of the people, both in the province and at the club is amazing. I can’t wait to start working again."

The 56-year old was fired by Kaizer Chiefs on May 28 after the Glamour Boys succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to a struggling Black Leopards side in a PSL encounter.

The accomplished tactician had joined Chiefs before the start of the 2020/21 campaign as Ernst Middendorp's replacement. 

Hunt inherited a Chiefs team that had finished second in the league in the 2019/20 season under Middendorp and he was expected to take the team one step further in future. 

The Soweto giants struggled under Hunt's guidance in domestic competitions with the club unable to sign new players due to the Fifa transfer ban. 

However, Chiefs have performed well in the Caf Champions League with Hunt having created history by leading the Soweto giants to the semi-finals for the first time in the club's history, and they have since made it to the final.

On their part, the Chilli Boys have been restructuring for the new campaign hoping to perform better than the concluded season where they laboured to a 15th place finish. It is for this reason they have opted to bring on board an experienced coach to help them perform better.

The Chilli Boys are expected to be awarded two walkover wins over Royal AM, who failed to honour their playoff fixtures due to their ongoing court battle with the PSL in which they aim to be reinstated to the top of the 2020/21 NFD standings.

Gareth Southgate will bring Bukayo Saka back into his starting line-up in place of Jadon Sancho for the Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark, after he sat out England's 4-0 win over Ukraine with a slight knock.

The £73 million ($101m) Manchester United signing from Borussia Dortmund impressed in the quarter-final, but the Arsenal star will return having also excelled in the Three Lions shirt.

Denmark are tactically flexible under Kasper Hjulmand, but will likely operate in a 3-4-3 formation in the upcoming match at Wembley.

Who else will play?

The rest of the England line-up is expected to remain the same, with Harry Kane continuing to lead the line after scoring three goals in the last two games, having not netted in the group stage.

Raheem Sterling will play alongside him, with Mason Mount linking midfield and attack, leaving both Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips in their holding midfield roles.

The back five will remain the same with Jordan Pickford in goal with Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, John Stones and Kyle Walker expected to be in front of him.

Of course, this is barring any late changes due to injury in the warm-up - or a sudden change of plan by Gareth Southgate and his coaching staff.

What has been said ahead of kick-off?

England have yet to reach a European Championship final in their history and last reached an international final at the 1966 World Cup.

With his opposite number Hjulmand saying the pressure is on England to succeed on Wednesday night, Southgate dismissed the claim and praised his group for breaking down barriers.

"We don’t have as good of a football history as we like to believe sometimes," he said ahead of kick-off. "These players are breaking barriers, we have never been to a Euros final, we respect the Danes that have won it and I watched that tournament.

"How could we have confidence in Russia when we weren’t regularly beating top teams. We lost to France just before and Germany in a friendly. You can’t have genuine confidence but just hope.

"We have since had a win over here Germany and with Belgium and Spain in the UEFA Nations League. There’s genuine belief. There’s another step to consistently go on that kind of run.

"Denmark have only lost to Belgium, while Italy and Spain are on tremendous runs. To win these games consistently has to be our aim."

Further reading

Achraf Hakimi has described himself as a defender ‘with the soul of a striker’ and has promised to help Paris Saint-Germain with his qualities.

Following his impressive performance in his maiden season at Inter Milan – which propelled Antonio Conte’s team to win the Serie A diadem for the first time since the 2009–10 campaign, he was snapped up by the Ligue 1 giants.

Although he has four years left at Giuseppe Meazza, the Morocco international teamed up with the Parc des Princes giants in the region of €60 million (£52m/$71m), plus €10m (£9m$12m) in add-ons.

In his first interview with PSG media, the 22-year-old talked about his qualities and how he hopes to be of immense value to Mauricio Pochettino’s men.

“I am a defender, with the soul of a striker! I like to make my contribution to the offensive edifice, to be in the attack, and I think that here there are great players who can help me on this aspect,” Hakimi told the club website.

“And of course, I too can help the team achieve its goals. I have to help the team with my qualities and make them available to the team.

“The goal is to achieve together all the objectives of the club. Defensively, I can play at 3, 5, 4, 2. Everything the coach needs! I am at his disposal and that of the team.”

The African star is also enthusiastic about starting a new chapter in his career with the Paris-based outfit which he had played against during his time at Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

“I'm happy to be here, I'm looking forward to taking a new step, starting the job and meeting my teammates. I want to do great things here,” he continued.

“First of all, I have a good image of France. PSG, then, is a great club that has shown it in recent years, with constant progression.

“For my part, I want to continue to build great things to reach the highest level. Here it is possible."

Hakimi has been handed jersey no. 2 and he could make his bow when PSG square up against Cristiano Gomes' Le Mans on July 14.

Denmark legend Peter Schmeichel is confident his country can beat England in their Euro 2020 semi-final on Wednesday.

The two sides meet at Wembley to compete for a place in the tournament decider against Italy.

The Three Lions are the bookmakers' favourites to win the clash against Kasper Hjulmand's team, but ex-Denmark and Manchester United goalkeeper Schmeichel feels the Scandinavian nation are in great shape.

What has been said?

"If I'm honest, I think Denmark are favourites," he told Manchester United's website .

"I think it's going to be tight. There are great similarities between the managers. [They are] very similar in their approach, man management, how they want to play the game, [they're] very flexible, they keep very solid at the back and in midfield and then they have creativity in the wider areas and people who are getting on the end of chances up front.

"I really do believe this is very evenly balanced, in spite of what people may read in England. It's very much about what happens on the day."

How did Denmark reach the semi-finals?

Denmark have had an arduous journey to the last four of the competition. After Christian Eriksen's collapse because of a cardiac arrest during the first half of their first game, Hjulmand's team lost to Finland and Belgium.

They recovered with a 4-1 win against Russia to go on to the knockout rounds and beat Wales 4-0 in the round of 16. The Danes then beat Czech Republic in the quarter-finals to set up the clash with Gareth Southgate's team.

England's journey to the last four

England have had a smoother run at Euro 2020. They finished the group stage with seven points after beating Croatia and Czech Republic and drawing 0-0 with Scotland.

Wins against Germany and Ukraine in the knockout stages then carried them to the final four, and they are yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi feels by reaching the Caf Champions League final the Soweto giants testified that the Premier Soccer League is a strong competition.

Chiefs are in the Champions League final for the first time ever in their history and they will face Al Ahly at Casablanca’s Stade Mohamed V on July 17.

After Orlando Pirates won the 1995 edition of Africa's elite club competition, which was before Mamelodi Sundowns clinched it in 2016, Chiefs would be out to emulate their Gauteng rivals. 

“This is actually massive progress for the South African league. Sundowns raised the bar by winning the Champions League and now it is Kaizer Chiefs in the final,” Akpeyi told Chiefs media. 

“This says a lot about how much progress the league has been able to make for some time now. And to the South African people, I’m sure everyone is excited because Kaizer Chiefs is one of the much-loved teams in South Africa. 

“So this is actually more like a happy moment for every South African citizen to see the team get to this stage and winning the trophy. I am so sure that everyone is waiting right now in South Africa for July 17 and also waiting to see Kaizer Chiefs come back with the trophy.” 

Interestingly, Chiefs face Al Ahly who beat Sundowns in the 2001 final of the Champions League, before the Cairo giants won against Orlando Pirates in the 2013 final.  

Akpeyi is aware of the task they have at hand on July 17 and says that requires them to bring their “A game.” 

“I am sure everyone knows Al Ahly to be a tough side, they are a solid team and they are a team you need to be focused on 120 percent,” said Akpeyi. 

“It is not going to be an easy day but I’m sure that is the reason why we are preparing early, in camp at the moment working out strategies and plans on how to actually face this huge game. I’m sure they [Al Ahly] are also expecting a lot from us. 

“So it's just a game of being focused and each team taking their opportunities once they come. So we are preparing for the big game, for the big team and looking at the history of the team again, you realise they have won a lot, including the Champions League, so I’m sure they have that experience with them.  

“We are coming as underdogs and we respect them but at the same time we will be coming with our A game.”

In the Chiefs squad, there are only attacking midfielder Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro who have won the Champions League before, when they were with Sundowns. 

Nigeria Professional Football League players are not good enough to represent the Super Eagles, according to the majority of Goal readers.

The country’s 4-0 defeat at the hands of Mexico in an international friendly staged in the United States of America has been the major talking point recently.

Gernot Rohr’s team – made up of mostly players in the Nigerian elite division – were brushed aside by El Tri at the Los Angeles Coliseum, with Atletico Madrid star Hector Herrera bagging a brace.

Aside from the defeat, the performance of the West Africans was far from impressive, with opinions divided on whether NPFL players should ever be called up for international engagements again.

We asked our readers about their stance on this argument. In a poll conducted on the Goal Africa Twitter handle, 72.1 percent are of the opinion that local-based professionals are not worthy of representing the three-time African champions.

27.9 percent feels the country is blessed with stars in the NPFL who are solid enough to put on the green and white jersey. Well, they may not be completely out of place having in mind the role Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers) and Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars) played in the country’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph at South Africa 2013.

Although fans have praised Rohr’s men for putting up a daring fight against Gerardo Martino’s men, respected Nigerian football administrator Samuel Olatunji-Okuku stated that the outcome has further exposed the deteriorating state of the country’s league.

He went further by stating that the German tactician was not out of place by relying on foreign-based professionals for their international engagements.

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting anything better than this from these guys judging by the standard of our league in recent years and even our performance in Caf tournaments,” he told Goal.

“It’s vindication for Rohr, who has always said the standard of the players in the Nigerian league isn’t good for the Super Eagles. This is what has been exposed against the Mexicans.

“As a club owner, I can categorically state that Nigeria’s problem isn’t about a lack of talent but the way we develop these talents.

“Our boys were exposed in that game. They don’t know when they should apply a zonal marking or man-to-man marking especially in the box. This is due to lack of quality training at that level.”

Former AFC Leopards and Western Stima forward Ezekiel Otuoma will now seek Motor Neurone Disease treatment after online betting firm Odibet moved to offer payment of his medical bills.

Otuoma has been visiting local hospitals for treatment and his family had asked the members of the public to help them raise enough money to enable the footballer to seek urgent intervention.

Odibets, through their Odimtaani initiative, will provide air tickets worth Ksh300,000 as well as medical bills that are expected to cost around Ksh1.5 million in Germany.

Since Otuoma was diagnosed with MND disease in 2020, his career stalled, but he now has every reason to celebrate the intervention made by the gaming firm. Otuoma's wife will also be given Ksh200,000 to boost her business as she takes care of the family.

"We have visited Ezekiel [Otuoma] to bring a message of hope to him and support him by paying his medical bill," Aggrey Sayi, Odibets country marketing manager, told journalists when they visited Otuoma to offer financial help.

"This is something we didn’t see coming, we have been praying and asking God to come through for us, I can’t say much but I thank Odibets for all they have done for us," said Otuoma’s wife Rachael.

Recently, former Sofapaka striker Ronald Okoth made a call for Kenyan footballers to stick together and always help each other in situations like Otuoma's. 

"One of our own, Otuoma, is in desperate need of our assistance; I can't even imagine what he is going through; the least we can do as current and former players is to offer him our financial, physical, and spiritual support," Okoth pleaded then.

This is the second time Odibets is coming on board to help a Kenyan footballer after Harambee Stars goalkeeper Patrick Matasi.

Matasi had been involved in an accident with his family as he was rushing to Nairobi from his rural Kakamega home in order to catch a flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he was to link up with Saint George SC teammates.

Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure has taken to his social media account to laud Italy coach Roberto Mancini for helping the team past Spain and into the Euro 2020 final.

Juventus forward Federico Chiesa's goal in the 60th minute gave the Azzurri a lead but with 10 minutes to go, substitute Alvaro Morata leveled matters to ensure the game ended 1-1 in regulation time. The 2006 World Cup champions went on to win the shootout 4-2.

Italy's unbeaten run is now at 33 matches in all competitions after knocking out Spain and they will take on either Denmark or England in the final on Sunday at Wembley.

The former Manchester City midfielder did not hesitate to congratulate his ex-manager for his latest achievement.

"Ooooooh Mancini! Oooooh, Mancini! 33 games unbeaten, incredible, just incredible! I love you my coach Roberto Mancini," Toure tweeted.

On Friday night, the Azzurri advanced to the last four with an excellent 2-1 victory over Belgium, in a game full of opportunities. 

Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne got on the scoresheet for Italy, both producing superb finishes to fire their team into a 2-0 ahead, but Romelu Lukaku pulled one back just before the break from the penalty spot.

The Red Devils then pushed forward in search of an equaliser in the second period, with Lukaku going the closest, but his effort was brilliantly blocked on the line by Leonardo Spinazzola. The Italian defence then used all of their experience to stand firm and hold on for the win.

"Have you all enjoyed the game? Well, I have very much!" Toure, who played for the tactician at the Citizens, posted on social media.

"Congrats Roberto Mancini on reaching the semi-finals with five straight wins! What an incredible manager, leading Italy to be one of the winning contenders of Euro 2020! Mancini, what a man, what a coach!" 

Julian Nagelsmann wants Leon Goretzka to stay at Bayern Munich for years to come amid reports linking him to Manchester United.

The 26-year-old joined from Schalke in 2018 and has played a key role for the Bavarian giants, though his last two seasons were interrupted by injury problems.

The midfielder has entered the final year of his contract with the Bundesliga champions and United are reported to be eager to bring him to the Premier League. 

What has been said?

CEO Oliver Kahn says talks over an extension are going well, however, and new Bayern boss Nagelsmann hopes he can count on him for next season and beyond. 

"Leon is an important player for us. I would be happy to work with him for many years," he told reporters at his first press conference in charge of the German giants.

"I think very highly of him. He is one of the most dangerous midfielders in the world. Everyone likes to have him in their team."

Nagelsmann has high hopes for Sane

Leroy Sane has come under pressure after a disappointing first season at Bayern.

Sane, 25, started 18 of his 32 appearances in the Bundesliga in 2020-21 and managed six goals, leading to strong criticism in Germany.

But Nagelsmann has faith in the winger's talent and insists he can get more out of him.

"It would be good for him if we left him alone in the media. He has outstanding qualities, incredible speed and is one of the best in one-on-one situations. He has a good finish and is also strong in link-up play," he said. 

"It's about bringing his quality on the pitch and increasing his output. That is important, especially against opponents who are in a deep position. I'm not a wizard either, but I want to show him in training which spaces he has to stand in. We have already had contact. 

"I'm sure we'll see a stronger Leroy Sane, who will have a big impact on success at Bayern."

Further reading

Since the midway point of the 2020-21 season—if not before—Patson Daka had appeared primed to be one of the major African transfer talking points of the offseason.

It’s proved to be true, as while the likes of Achraf Hakimi has made a move, and while Andre Onana, Serge Aurier and Hakim Ziyech continue to be linked with transfers, Daka has been one of the most noteworthy movers of the window.

The striker signed for Leicester City last week, agreeing a five-year deal with the Foxes, who parted with a reported £22 million to sign him.

Daka’s arrival at the King Power Stadium was one of the big talking points on this week’s episode of the African Football HQ podcast, as the boys discuss his arrival in the Premier League.

One element of the discussion focused on the future of Nigeria striker Kelechi Iheanacho, so potent during the second half of the season, while the team also questioned why none of the Prem’s traditional heavyweights had moved for the striker.

There are currently question marks about almost all of the central striking options at the ‘big six’, and Daka’s 27 goals in 28 league outings last term—as Red Bull Salzburg won their fourth successive Austrian title—appeared set to pique the interest of the big boys.

Manchester City allowed Sergio Aguero to depart last season and are yet to replace him, while Liverpool surely need a succession plan for Roberto Firmino, who will turn 30 later this year and netted just nine goals last season.

What of Chelsea, where Timo Werner hardly set the world alight last season, or Arsenal, where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang—also the wrong side of 30—has much to prove after a disappointing season.

Manchester United have extended the deal of Edinson Cavani, but is he really a long-term solution for the Red Devils?

Then there’s Tottenham Hotspur, and while they are currently sitting pretty with Harry Kane, it remains to be seen how long he will be with the North London heavyweights.

If he does depart—and no offer has been accepted at the time of writing—then surely the Lilywhites will need to identify and recruit a worthy successor to the England skipper.

Could in-form Daka not have been that player?

Leicester ought to be celebrated, once again, for snaring one of the brightest talents in the European game, but questions may well be asked of their rivals for not signing Daka for what may prove to be a bargain fee.

Will it be England or Denmark who advance to reach the Euro 2020 final when they collide in Wednesday’s second semi-final?

Both are fascinating stories during a memorable tournament, with the Three Lions growing from strength to strength and finally gaining some self-belief after dispatching old nemeses Germany at Wembley.

Denmark have been even more remarkable, having experienced the shattering collapse of Christian Eriksen in their opener—a 1-0 home defeat by Finland.

Despite losing their opening two matches, Denmark proved they are made of stern stuff, and became the first team in Euros history to take zero points from their first pair of fixtures but still advance to the knockouts.

Further triumphs have followed, but can they pull off a major upset at Wembley?

England vs Denmark: Team news

Gareth Southgate’s squad are without injuries, leaving the coach with some big decisions to make.

Bukayo Saka is fit again, but has he done enough to justify a starting spot ahead of the likes of Mason Mount, Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish or Phil Foden?

For Denmark, Eriksen is obviously absent, and it remains to be seen whether Yussuf Poulsen is fit enough to start as he recovers from a knock.

Unfortunately for the hosts, captain Simon Kjaer has bounced back from his injury problems and will take his place in the heart of the defence.

Live stream world-class sport with Showmax Pro, including every spectacular tackle and save of the Euro 2020 games. Sign up at  showmax.com .

England vs Denmark: Key facts & stats

England are chasing history, having only once previously reached the final of a major tournament—in the World Cup in 1966 on home soil.

They have an underwhelming record against the Danes, having failed to win five of their previous six meetings between the sides.

However, England have avoided defeat in the two meetings between the sides at major tournaments—a 0-0 draw in 1992 and a 3-0 victory at the World Cup 10 years later.

The Three Lions have a poor record in semi-finals of the European Championships, having lost in their two previous appearances.

Catch every second, every tackle, and every defining save of the Euro 2020 games. Stream live on Showmax Pro. Sign up for showmax.com today.

England vs Denmark: Predictions

While the Danes are riding an emotional wave after overcoming the odds in remarkable style to reach the semis, England are surely the favourites for this one.

They have quality in abundance, have home advantage, and have considerable momentum of their own after back-to-back triumphs over Germany and Ukraine.

Prediction: England 2-0 Denmark

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Dylan Kerr believes coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno made the right decision to leave FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia and take charge at KCB.

The former international was handed the mantle to coach the Bankers on June 10, 2019, replacing Frank Ouna, who was fired following a series of poor results.

Otieno’s appointment came a few days after he had tendered in his resignation letter to leave Gor Mahia, a side he had helped to win another league title, and despite Caf Champions League football beckoning for the new season, he opted against staying.

Kerr, who coached Gor Mahia while assisted by Otieno in 2018, has now said the former defender’s decision to quit K’Ogalo was a good move because he has proven what he can do when given the top job with KCB.

The British tactician, who currently handles Marumo Gallants FC in South Africa’s PSL, has further said Otieno deserves to be crowned the best coach of the 2020-21 season because of what he has managed to achieve with the Bankers in his first season.

What has been said?

“Yes he did…he made the right choice to leave Gor Mahia for KCB and for me, he deserves to be the coach of the year,” Kerr told Goal on Wednesday.

“He has done well this year, I told him how proud he should be and how proud I am because of what he has done at KCB, I speak to him every day because I am happy with what he is building at KCB and to be honest, if they pick on merit, then he deserves to win the award for the year.”

Asked to explain his working relationship with Otieno while at K’Ogalo, Kerr said: “He was an assistant, who worked for me not against me and then chose to leave his beloved club, to try elsewhere, it is not easy to leave a club you love but he dared to make the move.

“But now the move is paying dividends for him, it is building him as a coach, and you never know, he will one day return to Gor Mahia as head coach and not assistant coach, so I respect his decision and I feel he has done enough this season.”

In his first season at KCB, Otieno has managed to challenge for the title as they are currently lying second on the 18-team table with 46 points from 22 matches, one fewer than leaders Tusker, who have 47.

Despite Tusker earning the Caf Champions League slot, the Bankers still have a chance to win the title by the time the season concludes on August 22.

Jurgen Klinsmann is not surprised that England have reached the semi-finals of Euro 2020, saying they were always the tournament favourites from the very start - and their win over his native Germany came as no shock as a result.

England have never won the Euros and have not lifted a major tournament trophy since winning the 1966 World Cup on home soil, however they did reach the semi-finals of Russia 2018 and the inaugural UEFA Nations League a year later.

Gareth Southgate's side have an abundance of attacking talent, with Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish among the weapons in their abundant arsenal - and Klinsmann says their return to the final four of major competition was to be expected.

What has been said?

Speaking to Goal and Spox, Klinsmann said: "For me, England were favourites for the title right from the start. They have a very good defense and the mix is right, and up front they have that scoring power and greed to score goals.”

As well as their attacking talents, England are yet to concede in any of their matches so far, with Jordan Pickford keeping five clean sheets in the tournament.

What about Germany?

The landmark win for England so far at Euro 2020 was beating Germany at a major tournament for the first time since the 1966 final, winning 2-0 at Wembley in the round of 16 thanks to Sterling and Kane goals.

It was another disappointing tournament for Germany, after they went out in the 2018 World Cup group stage - however Klinsmann says they cannot be too surpised, as they faced opposition which is currently much stronger.

He said: “You have to look at all the games separately. France was 50-50, decided by an unfortunate own goal, the game against Portugal was tough, against Hungary we were under enormous stress to equalise.

"The game against England could have gone our way with the chances of Timo Werner and Thomas Muller, but of course the overall balance is negative because we were eliminated far too early in the round of 16 and never developed a high level of consistency in the tournament.”

This brought to an end the 15-year reign of 2014 World Cup winning manager Joachim Low, and Klinsmann - for who Low was his assistant when he coached Germany at the 2006 tournament - thinks his old No. 2 will be remembered fondly once the dust settles, despite more recent disappointments.

He said: “Of course, the messed-up World Cup 2018, the last place in the Nations League and this botched Euro 2020 detracts from the assessment, but the World Cup title in 2014 will forever be associated with the national team coach Joachim Low.”

Further Reading

PSL side Chippa United have confirmed the appointment of Gavin Hunt as their new coach ahead of the new season.

The Chilli Boys have been restructuring for the new campaign hoping to perform better than the concluded season where they laboured to a 15th place finish. It is for this reason they have opted to bring on board an experienced coach to help them perform better.

The Chilli Boys are expected to be awarded two walkover wins over Royal AM, who failed to honour their playoff fixtures due to their ongoing court battle with the PSL in which they aim to be reinstated to the top of the 2020/21 NFD standings.

"Chippa United Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Gavin Hunt as the club’s new head coach," the club announced on Wednesday.

"Welcome to Eastern Cape, the home of the Chilli Boys."

The 56-year old was fired by Kaizer Chiefs on May 28 after the Glamour Boys succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to a struggling Black Leopards side in a PSL encounter.

The accomplished tactician had joined Chiefs before the start of the 2020/21 campaign as Ernst Middendorp's replacement. 

Hunt inherited a Chiefs team that had finished second in the league in the 2019/20 season under Middendorp and he was expected to take the team one step further in future. 

The Soweto giants struggled under Hunt's guidance in domestic competitions with the club unable to sign new players due to the Fifa transfer ban. 

However, Chiefs have performed well in the Caf Champions League with Hunt having created history by leading the Soweto giants to the semi-finals for the first time in the club's history, and they have since made it to the final.

Former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Giovanni Solinas has hailed Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane, stating he is a cunning wolf.

The South African will be leading the Red Devils against Amakhosi in the Caf Champions League final on July 17. The Egyptians had advanced after eliminating Esperance de Tunis in the semis while their opponents defied the odds to defeat Wydad Casablanca.

The Italian has further stated the defending champions are lucky to have their tactician.

"Mosimane is a cunning wolf. He studies every single detail about his opponents," Solinas told Al Ahly TV.

"Al Ahly are lucky to have him, and he is lucky to lead such a great team. Al Ahly have higher chances in winning the title, but Kaizer Chiefs knocked out Wydad Casablanca. They are not to be underestimated."

Despite stating the Red Devils come into the match as favourites, the 53-year-old concedes it will not be an easy game. He has further pointed out Amakhosi's strengths which Al Ahly should be wary of.

"The game won’t be a walk in the park for Al Ahly," Solinas, who was Chiefs coach in 2018, continued.

"Kaizer Chiefs depend on their strong defence, it’s their strongest point. They will surely try to rely on counter-attacks which will be a problem for Al Ahly."

Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande says they are not in the final just to make up the numbers.

The match scheduled for neutral Stade Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca is in itself history for Chiefs, who have never participated at this stage of the competition.

But Katsande is looking to make history against record nine-time African champions Al Ahly, who are also the titleholders.

"The Caf Champions League final is huge; [it is] the biggest stage in African club football and you don’t know if you will make it again in your lifetime," Katsande told The Sunday Mail.

"The club hasn't been there; it’s the first time and I am part and parcel of the group. I am blessed. It’s not all players who play African football who end up playing in a Champions League final.  

"We are enjoying the moment and we are going there [to the final] not to make up numbers but to make history. We just want to make it a reality that will be stuck in Chiefs’ history for the rest of our lives.

"We want to do this for the chairman, especially after a bad season [domestically]."

Zimbabwe coach Zdravko Logarusic has been granted a visa to travel to South Africa for the 2021 Cosafa Cup tournament.

The Warriors suffered a blow on Monday after their coach was denied entry at OR Tambo Airport for lacking a visa ahead of the tournament which kicked off at Nelson Mandela Bay on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe Football Federation has confirmed the Croat has been cleared and will travel back to South Africa in readiness for the team’s opening match against Mozambique on Wednesday.

“Warriors coach Zdravko [Logarusic] was granted a visa on Tuesday to travel to South Africa for the Cosaga Cup,” read part of the statement from the FA.

“The coach flew out on Tuesday evening and he is expected to arrive on time for the Warriors' midday opener against Mozambique.”

In the absence of Logarusic, Zimbabwe had tasked assistant coach Tonderai Ndiraya to prepare the team since another senior coach Lloyd Chitembwe, did not travel down south as a result of his non-authorisation to travel to the country.

Zimbabwe, who have won the trophy six times, have been drawn in Group B alongside Mozambique, Senegal, and Namibia. Following the withdrawal of Madagascar, there are now two groups only, and the top two teams from each group will proceed to the semi-finals.

The tournament kicked off on Tuesday with both Eswatini and hosts South Africa winning their respective opening matches.

Eswatini defeated Lesotho 3-1 while substitute Kagiso Malinga grabbed a goal as South Africa defeated Botswana.

After Zimbabwe take on Mozambique, the second game of the day will see guest team Senegal take on Namibia.