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Harambee Stars coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee is confident Kenya will make it to the 2022 World Cup finals to be staged in Qatar.

The 53-year-old tactician will be in charge of the Kenyan side when they start their campaign in the qualifiers against Mali, Rwanda, and Uganda in September.

Mulee has stated he believes the support they are getting from the current Football Kenya Federation office will drive them to reach their first-ever World Cup.

“If I didn’t have hope [that Kenya will reach World Cup finals in Qatar], then I couldn’t have taken this job, always when I wake up every morning I have the hashtag #WC2022 as a reminder and I know God willing we will be there,” Mulee told Arocho Live on Wednesday.

“I have checked our opponents and with the plans, I have already put in place, and with the support of the federation, I know we can make it and we will qualify.

“I have worked under five Presidents in the federation, I have worked under Maina [Kariuki] and it is when we qualified for Africa Cup of Nations finals in Tunis, I have worked under Alfred Sambu, under Mohamed Hatimy, under Sam Nyamweya, and currently I am working under Nick [Mwendwa],

“I have worked under different leadership but for now, I can tell you since I returned to handle the national team, my work has really reduced, and it is now I can say I am the coach because my focus is to look at the team’s result, to concentrate with the team.”

Asked to explain what he meant he was working now better than the previous regimes, Mulee said: “I have encountered countless problems, I have suffered with Harambee Stars, there is a time we got stuck in South Africa while heading to play against Swaziland.

“We landed in South Africa and took a bus to South Africa and on our way, the players started complaining they were hungry but we did not have anything for them to eat, and there was no official from the federation, I was the only one, so I was forced to use my own money to buy them food.

“Even my assistant coach then Zedekiah Otieno was shocked seeing me using my own money but I told him, that is the situation, if you are the coach, then you must have your own money for an emergency.

“But now, I have come to a federation who have planned themselves well, the office under [Mwendwa] are doing a good job, I am now tasked to do my technical job, and even players and everyone involved wants to go to camp, when we name the squad.

“Even the kitting of the team has improved and not like before when we could use one jersey for the entire year, the problems I encountered before, and when I look now, things have really changed for the better, sometimes I even wonder if I am in Europe.

“Recently going to Togo, we used a chartered flight, and that shows you the effort the federation is making, and it is the reason I am very confident with such support, we will make it to Qatar in 2022.”

On Kenya being drawn against Rwanda, Mali, and Uganda in the qualifiers, Mulee said: “We respect all the teams, we know Uganda have been beating us anytime they want but we will have to change this trend, Rwanda we lead them head to head and we can perform well with good plans.”

Arsenal have agreed a deal with Benfica for Nuno Tavares, with the left-back set to undergo a medical with the Gunners ahead of a £7 million ($9.7m) transfer.

The two clubs have been locked in talks over Tavares for the past few days, with the Gunners keen to bring him in as cover for Kieran Tierney.

After a slight hitch in negotiations on Tuesday, a deal for the 21-year-old has now been reached.

How much will Arsenal pay?

Arsenal have agreed to pay an initial fee of around £7m for the young defender. That fee could rise, however, by a further £1.5m ($2.1m) should certain clauses be met during Tavares’ stay in north London.

The Benfica youngster will now undergo a medical before finalising his switch to Emirates Stadium.

Why have Arsenal signed Tavares?

One of Arsenal’s priorities going into the summer transfer window was to bring in natural cover for Tierney on the left side of defence.

With Sead Kolasinac expected to leave before the end of the window, Mikel Arteta did want to find himself in a similar situation to the end of last season when he was forced to play Granit Xhaka at left-back when Tierney was injured.

Players like Ryan Bertrand and Patrick van Aanholt were considered, but Arsenal decided that bringing in a younger player was the better option.

What sort of left-back is Tavares?

Tavares is viewed as a strong attacking left-back, who has excellent pace and athletic qualities. He is prone to the occasional error defensively, however, so that would be an area Arsenal would look to develop once he completes his move to north London.

With Tierney the undisputed first choice at left-back, whoever is brought in this summer has to accept that their game time will be limited, especially with Arsenal having failed to secure European football for the coming season.

Tavares has scored once and contributed four assists in 30 appearances for Benfica since making his debut in August 2019.

Further reading

Real Madrid and Barcelona will face off in El Clasico on October 24 and March 20 next season, as La Liga revealed their 2021-22 fixtures on Wednesday. 

The two rivals finished behind champions Atletico Madrid last term and will look to overtake Diego Simeone's men in the upcoming season.

Espanyol, Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, will all join La Liga in 2021-22 as newly promoted sides.

When does La Liga start?

The first weekend of La Liga fixtures will be played starting on August 15 and will end on May 22, 2022 after 38 rounds of matches.

Real Madrid will travel to Alaves onm August 15 to kick off the season, while Barcelona will host Real Sociedad on the same day.

Atletico, meanwhile, will begin their titlle defence with an away fixture at Celta Vigo.

When are El Clasicos?

Barcelona will host the first Clasico of the season on October 24, as Real Madrid visit Camp Nou.

The return fixture will be held on March 20 as Carlo Ancelotti's side welcome Ronald Koeman's men to the Spanish capital.

What happened in 2020-21?

Atletico Madrid won their first La Liga crown since 2014 last term, holding off Barcelona and Real Madrid to claim the title. 

On the final day of the season, Atletico won 2-1 at Real Valladolid to clinch the title, finishing two points ahead of second-place Real and seven points ahead of Barcelona in third.

Further reading

Former Ghana defender John Paintsil is backing the Black Stars to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar next year.

The West Africans have set their sights on securing a place at the global gathering, having missed out on the 2018 edition in Russia.

Ghana will battle it out with South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe in the second round of the qualifiers for a ticket to the third and final phase of the series.

"For me, we have good players and a higher chance of qualifying for the World Cup if we do well," former Fulham and West Ham United right-back Paintsil, who played a key role as Ghana qualified for their first World Cup tournament in 2006, told Citi TV. He also featured at the final tournament.

“We have good players and I think we are going to have a good tournament.

“It all depends on the players and the management, we need to come together and work as a team and go out there to deliver."

Ghana, who are also targeting the Africa Cup of Nations title in Cameroon next year, will commence the qualification series with a home clash with Ethiopia in September, few days before travelling away to face South Africa.

For their last match of the first round, the Black Stars will host Zimbabwe. 

“The target is to bring the cup home by winning the Afcon 2022. We must go a step further than our second-placed finishes in 1992, 2010 and 2015 and end the 40-year drought for a title,” Ghana president Akufo-Addo said in April.

"We must also reach at least the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. Our exploits in 2010, where we reached the quarter-finals in South Africa, tell us that once prepared, we have the quality and the talent to match any of the best teams in the world.

“The task might seem daunting, but it is exactly not insurmountable."

At Brazil 2014, the Black Stars made their last appearance at the World Cup.

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba took to social media to welcome Patson Daka to the Premier League after the striker’s move to Leicester City became official.

The Zambia international joined the English elite division side from Red Bull Salzburg on a five-year deal on Wednesday for a fee of £23 million ($32m).

It put to end months of speculation surrounding Daka, who had announced his departure from the Austrian Bundesliga champions.

Drogba enjoyed a trophy-laden career at Chelsea during his eight years at Stamford Bridge. There, he won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups and three League Cups.

Also, he won the Premier League Golden Boot twice and set numerous club scoring records, including the most by a non-Englishman (164), the most in the Champions League (36) and the most in cup finals (nine).

And now that the African star has officially teamed up with Brendan Rodgers’ men, the former Cote d’Ivoire international welcomed him to the King Power Stadium via social media.

“Congrats to Patson Daka for your Leicester City move. Welcome to the Premier League,” Drogba tweeted.

After loan spells at Power Dynamos and Liefering, the 22-year-old penned a five-year contract with the Austrian giants.

There, he won four Austrian Bundesliga titles, and three Austrian Cups with the Red Bulls.

The Zambian who finished as the division's top scorer last term, arrives to bolster the Foxes’ attacking options - that parades Jamie Vardy and Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho as they hope for an impressive 2021-22 campaign.

"I’m so, so excited to join this great, historic club," he told LCFC TV.

"It has been my dream and I’m so happy and looking forward to what’s coming next. 

"I have followed Leicester from the time they won the league. I feel it is the perfect place for me because it’s a team that fights for titles. I know it’s not going to be easy, but I feel ready to face this new challenge.

“I will give my best for the club each and every day, and I look forward to seeing the Leicester City fans inside the stadium soon.”

Daka could make his debut when the Leicestershire-based outfit faces Burton Albion in a pre-season friendly on July 24.

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga has claimed his value dropped while he was playing for Girona in the Spanish top-flight, La Liga.

The Al-Duhail SC striker joined Girona in 2017 on loan from Chinese Guizhou Zhicheng and has explained how a lack of regular minutes on the pitch saw his market value and demand decline.

"My value dropped in La Liga because I was not playing. Remember, I left China because I wasn't playing, and in La Liga, I only played 14 games - three of which I started - out of a possible 38. When one is not playing, his value goes down because no one will scout you," Olunga told Jalang'o TV.

"Remember when I left China, I was signed for 1.5 million Euros, which means the value dropped from 400 million Swedish Krona - sign-on fee in the Djurgardens IF move to Guizhou Zhicheng - because of a lack of playtime. When I left Kashiwa Reysol, I was sold for six million Euros, up from 1.5 million Euros, due to the impact of playing more minutes, which increased the value automatically."

The former Tusker striker, however, revealed how he appreciated playing in the Spanish top-flight, especially his encounters with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

"My first game was against Sevilla and I played only 10 minutes and the next game we played against Barcelona. It was a whole new life experience; on the pitch, I was standing with Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez. I felt honoured to share the same pitch with those players. We were outplayed, the Barcelona touches were amazing and we lost the game, but I felt honoured nonetheless. It was a lifetime experience.  

"We also played against Real Madrid and we defeated them 2-1 at our home and they were very angry because they lost to a team that had just been promoted. Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the second round and I can say I joined in the celebration of his goals deep inside me. We lost 6-3 to them, but it was a game that had an impact on me."

The former Thika United star also reminisced about his hat-trick for Girona against Las Palmas - the club's first-ever hat-trick in La Liga: "I was not in the starting line-up, but deep down, I was ready and I felt it was my moment to grab the opportunity. When my colleague was injured in the first half, I was thrown into action and eventually grabbed a hat-trick and two assists.

"I was surprised not only by the number of goals but by how easy it was to score them."

Despite claiming to have struggled in La Liga, Olunga stated that if an opportunity to play in the league presented itself, he would take it.

"When I was in Spain, I saw football from a different perspective. As long as one plays, one should not stop dreaming. One's destiny can be delayed but it cannot be denied."

After making his name in Japan in 2020, Olunga was signed by Qatar's Al-Duhail.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Manuel Neuer have all been trolled online by Hungary boss Marco Rossi following their respective Euro 2020 exits.

France, Germany and Portugal were all knocked out of the tournament at the last-16 stage this week, with Switzerland, England and Belgium advancing to the quarter-finals at their expense.

Hungary gave a good account of themselves against the three heavyweight nations in Group F, but were ultimately eliminated, and Rossi has seen the funny side after seeing them all fail at the next hurdle.

What's been said?

The Italian has posted a photoshopped image on Instagram of Portugal captain Ronaldo, France talisman Mbappe and Germany goalkeeper Neuer standing with luggage bags on a beach while he watches on from the seafront.

The Hungary boss rubbed further salt in their wounds with the caption: "See you on the beach!"

The fall of Portugal, France & Germany

2016 champions Portugal were first to be dumped out of the competition, with Belgium securing a 1-0 victory over Fernando Santos' side courtesy of a fierce strike from Thorgan Hazard.

France, who lost to Portugal in the final of the last Euros before winning the World Cup in Russia two years later, were next to fall as they blew a 3-1 lead against Switzerland in the last 10 minutes of the game.

Les Bleus eventually lost the tie via a penalty shootout, with Mbappe missing their decisive fifth spot-kick to compound a miserable tournament for the Paris Saint-Germain superstar.

Germany also suffered a painful defeat, with England running out 2-0 winners against their arch-rivals at Wembley thanks to second-half efforts from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane.

Hungary's Euro 2020 journey 

Hungary were expected to be the whipping boys of Group F, but they showed their mettle by holding Portugal to a 0-0 scoreline until the final 10 minutes in their opening game, before eventually losing 3-0.

Rossi's side built on that platform by earning an impressive 1-1 draw with France on matchday two, and were seven minutes away from qualifying for the knockout stages after establishing a 2-1 lead in their last outing against Germany, only for Leon Goretzka to fire home a late equaliser.

Further reading

Gor Mahia’s poor run of results stretched to two matches after they settled to a 0-0 draw against Bandari in an FKF Premier League match on Wednesday.

K’Ogalo went into the match after losing 2-1 against Western Stima but they never looked like a side keen to return to winning ways as they gave away the ball easily on two occasions in the opening minutes.

The visiting side almost took the lead in the 8th minute when Darius Msagha combined well with Benjamin Mosha, and after the latter managed to evade the K’Ogalo defence, he opted to shot from a distance but keeper Gad Mathew was alert to save the situation.

Gor then created a chance of their own in the 23rd minute, midfielder Kenneth Muguna weaving past the Dockers’ rearguard before setting up Karim Nikiema, but his right-footed effort went inches with goalkeeper Justin Ndikumana out of his line.

In the 32nd minute, defender Geoffrey Ochieng delivered a cross from the left-wing and a header from Miheso hit the woodwork and from the rebound, Nikiema shot wide, instead of placing it to the back of the net.

After resumption, Gor continued to raid Bandari but keeper Ndikumana was alert to deny Nikiema on two occasions and also punch to a fruitless corner a left-footed effort from Ochieng, who had overlapped from the wing.

Bandari also never gave up and were looking to avenge the first round 3-1 defeat against the reigning champions, and Msagha should blame himself for another missed chance, failing to beat keeper Mathews in a one-on-one situation in the 57th minute.

The draw now means Gor will not be able to be at the top of the table by the end of June 30 and thus will not represent the country in the Caf Champions League for next season.

K'Ogalo have represented the country in the Champions League for the last three seasons but they still have a chance to earn a ticket to continental football as they are in the final of the FKF Shield Cup and will face rivals AFC Leopards at the same venue on Sunday.

Apart from the winner of the domestic cup earning the ticket to the Confederation Cup, the team will also carry home a cool Ksh2million from the title sponsors.

Gor Mahia: Gad Mathews, Philemon Otieno, Frank Odhiambo, Harun Shakava, Charles Saramu, Geoffrey Ochieng, Ernest Wendo, John Macharia, Kennedy Muguna, Karim Nikiema, Clifton Miheso.

Subs: Caleb Otieno, Fred Nkata, John Ochieng, Victor Ochieng, Joachim Ochieng, Sydney Wahongo, Nicholas Omondi, and Samuel Onyango.

Bandari: Justin Ndikumana, Atariza Meja, Benard Odhiambo, Felly Mulumba, Siraj Siraji, William Wadri, Dennis Magige, Keegan Zakayo, Benjamin Mosha, Darius Msagha, and Umaru Kasumba.

Subs: Wanyika, Chacha, Brian, Guya, Namasaka, Agade, Lugogo, and Mwita.

Former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has been appointed as Everton's new permanent manager on a three-year contract.

Goal reported earlier this month that Benitez had held positive talks with the Toffees, who identified the Spaniard as their top target after cooling their interest in former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Toffees have now officially unveiled Benitez at Goodison Park ahead of their latest pre-season campaign, with the 61-year-old returning to the Premier League for the first time since leaving Newcastle in 2019.

What's been said?

Speaking to the Everton's official website, Benitez said: “I am delighted to be joining Everton.

“Throughout this process I have been greatly impressed by the ambition shown by the senior representatives at the Club and their desire to bring success to this historic Club.

“I believe this is a Club that is going places. I’m determined to play a big part in helping this great Club achieve its ambitions.”

Opposition from Everton supporters

A select group of Everton fans attempted to warn off Benitez from the job by hanging up a threatening banner near his home on the Wirral earlier this week.

The message on the banner read 'We Know Where You Live. Don’t Sign', but was widely condemned by Toffees supporters once it started doing the rounds on social media.

Banners had also been hung outside the club stadium with messages including 'Benitez not welcome' due to the fact he made his name in English football by serving as Liverpool's head coach between 2004 and 2010.

Benitez's history with Liverpool

Benitez guided Liverpool to four trophies during his time at Anfield, having initially been snapped up from Valencia, including a stunning Champions League triumph in 2005 and the FA Cup one year later.

He stirred up some controversy by referring to Everton as a "small club" after a Merseyside derby clash in 2007, but attempted to clarify his comments in an interview four years later, stating: "I didn't want to be disrespectful to the club. I was talking about the way they were playing, not the club.”

The bigger picture

Benitez is now the first manager in history to take charge of both Liverpool and Everton, having been drafted in to replace Carlo Ancelotti following his return to Real Madrid last month.

Having managed Inter, Chelsea, Napoli and Real after leaving Anfield, Benitez had been out of work since departing Chinese outfit Dalian Professional in January.

He will now be tasked with helping Everton push for European qualification after their disappointing 10th-place finish in the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Further reading

South Africa under-23 head coach David Notoane has revealed that Kaizer Chiefs duo of Reeve Frosler and Nkosingiphile 'Mshini' Ngcobo will miss the 2020 Olympic Games. 

The Glamour Boys are set to face Egyptian giants Al Ahly in their first-ever Caf Champions League final which is scheduled to be played at Stade Mohamed V in Morocco on July 17. 

This will be five days before South Africa takes on hosts Japan in their opening Olympic Games football tournament Group A game on July 22. 

“It’s a historic moment for Chiefs‚ and it was a possible historic opportunity for the players in terms of the Olympics‚” Notoane said on Sowetan. 

“I feel really sad‚ especially for Ngcobo‚ who in 2017 was really on top of his game and got injured before going to the [U-20] World Cup.

“It’s also sad for us. In terms of the quality of the fullback‚ with Reeve now not available. Outside of him then you have to go for the experience because of the young group he’s probably your best player available there for this magnitude of a tournament. It’s a big blow for us," he continued.

“And for Ngcobo you’re going to miss the brains‚ the creativity‚ the balance of the left-footed midfielder because there are not many on the country at his age. We tried to explore possibilities of them joining later.

"But the problem is we only have 18 players. So if you reserve spots for two guys who are still come in and acclimatize for six days‚ then you are playing the first match with 14 outfield players. And they have also not prepared with you at all."

The Olympic Games fall outside the Fifa calendar and clubs will therefore be allowed to withhold their players from representing at the global tournament.

Ngcobo and Frosler are regulars in the Chiefs starting line-up having both made 10 appearances in this season's Champions League.

“I must also say that before anyone thinks Chiefs are at all unpatriotic‚ the communication has been very honest and professional and understanding between the two entities," Notoane explained 

“Them saying they were not releasing the players was not subbing Safa – it was the conclusion of the negotiations we had‚ with coach Arthur Zwane here and their head of technical Molefi Ntseki.

“And of course we are happy they are in the final‚ and we hope that they can bring it home for South Africa.”

Notoane disclosed that he is likely to replace the Amakhosi duo with overage players with three players over 23 are allowed in the Olympic squad.

Cape Town City utility player Abbubaker Mobara, 27‚ who contained Paris Saint Germain superstar Neymar as South Africa drew against South American giants Brazil at the 2016 Olympic Games‚ could replace Frosler.

“You look everywhere to replace a player of the quality of Frosler‚ at the National First Division‚ where with respect the players are behind with exposure to this kind of level. Then we looked at the Thapelo Morenas‚ Siyabonga Dube at Arrows," Notoane added.

“And with Dube and Morena not available … then maybe Mobara comes in. He’s with us in camp‚ we have considered him‚ and we will make that call because when the squad is announced tomorrow. We’re seeing how he fits in‚ and he also gives us options because he’s very versatile.”

Chelsea have made a final offer for Lauren James after growing frustrated in the talks to sign the Manchester United forward.

The Blues have targeted reuniting Reece James with his sister at their women's outfit, which won all three domestic trophies but lost in the Champions League final to Barcelona.

The 19-year-old has been in talks with the west Londoners for almost two months but negotiations between the clubs have hit a stumbling block in recent weeks.

Is the James move about just marketing?

No, she's regarded as one of the top English talents, having received her first international call-up in November.

At the end of the 2019-20 season, she finished as the top scorer for United and was named the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year.

James also made Goal's NxGn list in 2020, ranking fourth and placing her among the top 10 young talents in the women's game.

She's currently working with personal trainer Tom Joyce to keep fit ahead of the new season, despite being away on holiday.

Why would Man Utd let her go to a rival?

Under the leadership of the highly-respected manager Casey Stoney, United narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification by one point in their first season in the Women's Super League 

However, Stoney has since resigned as manager after reportedly growing frustrated with the lack of investment in the infrastructure behind the scenes.

"It has been an honour to lead the women's team at this great club and this has been an incredibly tough decision," Stoney said upon resigning.

Meanwhile, American duo Tobin Heath and Christen Press have left to return to the United States. Fellow forward Jess Sigsworth has also left the club and is likely to join newly-promoted Leicester City.

James could also leave, of course, with Chelsea and Manchester City's budgets in the women's game continuing to dwarf all English clubs - including that of United

Further reading

Andriy Shevchenko has told his Ukraine players that they shouldn't be scared of England, while insisting that "anything is possible" in the Euro 2020 quarter-final clash.

Ukraine booked their place in the last eight of the European Championships for the first time in their history by beating Sweden 2-1 after extra time in the Round of 16.

Shevchenko's side will now start preparing for a meeting with England, who recorded a 2-0 victory over Germany in the first knockout stage, with the 44-year-old well aware of the threat the Three Lions will pose in Rome on Saturday night.

What's been said?

“England are a great team, they have a deep bench, an outstanding coaching staff and we are fully aware how tough this game is going to be," the Ukraine boss told reporters after the Sweden win.

"I saw all their three group matches, not today's win over Germany because we had to prepare for our own game with Sweden.

"They are incredibly difficult to score against but their strength shouldn't scare us.

"It should motivate us because everything is possible in football as in life and we will play our hearts out to give our fans even more to cheer about."

Ukraine's route to the last eight

Ukraine opened their Euros campaign with a 3-2 defeat to the Netherlands, but impressed after initially battling back from two goals down before conceding a late winner.

They followed up that encouraging display with a 2-1 victory over North Macedonia, and despite losing their final Pool C fixture 1-0 against Austria, advanced to the last 16 as one of the four best third-placed nations.

Ukraine then produced their best performance yet against Sweden, with Manchester City star Zinchenko opening the scoring with a powerful strike just before the hour mark.

Emil Forsberg scored an equaliser to force extra time, but the Swedes were left with a mountain to climb after seeing Marcus Danielson sent off in the 99th minute, with Dovbyk eventually heading home the winner to send Shevchenko and his staff into raptures on the touchline.

The bigger picture 

The latest European Championships have thrown up more than a few surprises with France, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands already out, and Ukraine will fancy their chances of claiming another major scalp at the weekend.

However, England will be heavy favourites to reach the quarter-finals after recording four consecutive clean sheets, with the winner set to be rewarded with a last-four tie against either Czech Republic or Denmark.

Further reading 

Premier League clubs are busier than most during the transfer-driven offseason, and there’s a predictable focus on their business in the media and among supporters.

While the top teams attract the most attention, a certain focus is placed on the newly promoted sides, with pundits usually extremely observant of the ins and outs to assess their squads on paper.

Watford’s move for the divisive Emmanuel Dennis has already raised eyebrows because of the forward’s problematic attitude and underwhelming return in front of goal and Brentford’s latest transfer has interested Bees supporters and some observers.

This has nothing to do with Frank Onyeka’s behaviour, but the young player’s unfamiliarity. Not everyone has access to the Danish Superliga, a competition the midfielder played in for four years before moving to the Jutland outfit’s sister club in the Premier League.

While Nigerians may have seen him represent the Super Eagles for 45 minutes vs Algeria in October last year, reaching conclusions off that debut appearance will be rash.

Onyeka did feature in Midtjylland’s Champions League campaign last season where they faced off with Liverpool, Atalanta and Ajax in Group D. Even though his side couldn’t muster a victory in their debut CL campaign, the encounters against the aforementioned teams offered a glimpse into the midfielder’s profile.

The 23-year-old’s ball-winning and reading of the game were evident and it’s no surprise it reflects in the stats, which show he attempted a higher volume of tackles (23) in those six games. 4.11 tackles per 90 and 2.68 tackles won per 90 ranked higher than every player on the Danish side.

Unsurprisingly, Onyeka averaged more interceptions than any Midtjylland player. The fact he falls slightly to fourth for blocks per 90 further points to a proactive inclination to regain possession rather than reactive.

His predisposition to seek and destroy meant he attempted 124 pressures in six appearances, fascinatingly 54 higher than second-placed Sory Kaba who harried the man in possession 70 times. The Nigerian’s average equally places him top for pressures per 90, and a closer look reveals he outdid every teammate in the defensive and midfield third but falls to fourth in the attacking third.

Onyeka’s pressing was particularly crucial to a team that averaged only 42 percent possession, placing them in the bottom five of the 32 that began the competition last year.

While Brian Priske’s team predominantly utilised a 4-2-3-1 in the group stage — they used a 3-4-3 in the 1-1 draw vs Atalanta on the penultimate matchday — they were flexible in the Superliga.

Their West African pressing machine may have been deployed in a midfield pairing in those Champions League games, but he also functioned as a lone defensive midfielder and free-8 in a 4-3-3.

Perhaps, his intelligence in interpreting three midfield roles rather effectively shouldn’t surprise observers given his conversion in the last two years. Onyeka played further forward early doors in the first team and was, in fact, still played as an attacker until Priske succeeded Kenneth Andersen in August 2019.

The Nigeria international’s conversion is particularly interesting because Jess Thorup, his first manager at the Danish side, saw him as an attacking weapon rather than a midfield destroyer or even defender.

“Frank has done really well in the first-team. He has tried to play centre-back, right-back and central midfield, but he is actually a bit more of a hanging striker,” Thorup asserted after the-then 20-year-old scored on his full debut in a 3-1 win over Copenhagen in February 2018.

It remains to be seen where Thomas Frank utilises Onyeka in the Premier League, but there’s an expectation that the 23-year-old man, whose move to the Bees is subject to a work permit, will continue in defensive or central midfield where he’s created a niche for himself in the last two years.

Indeed, his proficiency at regaining possession could be crucial in a team that may struggle to match their usual possession numbers in the big time.

Only four teams averaged higher possession stats than Brentford’s 55.6 percent last season and only two outdid them the year before, so a player of Onyeka’s profile may be beneficial in that regard.

Frank’s preference for a 4-3-3 suggests the Nigerian may be deployed at the base of the midfield. Mathias Jensen and Joshua Da Silva — a playmaker and creative dribbler respectively — were the Brentford coach’s preferred picks either side of Vitaly Janelt or Christian Norgaard, who share Onyeka’s characteristics without the ball.

Doubts remain over the Nigerian’s progressive play, but his tenacity out of possession and understanding and interpretation of midfield roles will be assets to Frank. Regardless of his fondness for a 4-3-3, the Brentford boss made use of a back three at times during their promotion campaign and notably switched to a 3-5-2 in the run-in and Championship Playoffs.

Onyeka’s age and profile fit the Bees’ smart recruitment, and it’ll make for fascinating viewing to see whether it translates into success on the pitch in the West London club’s Premier League debut season.

Cape Town City defender Taariq Fielies has declared his readiness for a move to Gauteng amid reports of Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns being interested in his signature.

The centre-back says he is yet to receive offers from any club but the three traditional giants in Gauteng have long been said to be in a race to sign him.

He admits he is aware of the “possibility to move” but says nothing concrete has been tabled before him. 

“From my side, I don’t know what’s happening, I am still on holiday. Perhaps the club [City] know something about the interest from other clubs,” Fielies told Sowetan Live. 

“To be honest, I have heard that there could be a possibility to move but I will just have to wait and see. The time now allows me to probably go to a team in Gauteng.

"I feel like I am really ready for the next challenge in my career. I haven’t spoken to City yet, but I can’t hide that I am ready for the next challenge, that’s it.’’ 

If he goes to Pirates, Fielies will contend for playing minutes with Thulani Hlatshwayo and Happy Jele, who struggled last season, as well as Ntsikelelo Nyauza and Innocent Maela. 

At Chiefs, he will have to fight to be selected ahead of Daniel Cardoso, Erick Mathoho and sometimes Siyabonga Ngezana, who is switched between centre-back and right-back. 

At Sundowns appear the most difficult to claim a starting place in place of Ricardo Nascimento, Rushine De Reuck and Mosa Lebusa. 

There is also Brian Onyango, Bangaly Soumahoro and Rivaldo Coetzee who can play as central defenders. 

Fielies has established himself as one of the most respected defenders in the PSL for the past four seasons in which he has been a rock at City’s defence. 

In the 2020/21 season, he made 27 Premier Soccer League appearances, played two Nedbank Cup games and one in the MTN8. 

“Personally, I think I did okay… I can’t say I did well because I know there were games where I could have done better and there were moments where I could've applied myself better than I did. As a team, we also didn’t perform to our full potential,’’ concluded Fielies.

England supporters caught an eyeful of an unusual sight around their Euro 2020 victory over Germany when Jurgen Klopp was spotted on the shoulders of fans celebrating and drinking beer.

But what at first looked to be a genuinely baffling anomaly has revealed itself as something altogether just as strange; an imposter and lookalike who happens to be the spitting image of the Liverpool boss.

Having gone viral on social media for a video clip in which he was captured swigging a can of beer and bellowing Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds' terrace anthem Three Lions, Goal takes a look as to just who the mystery man could be.

Who is the Jurgen Klopp lookalike at Euro 2020?

Not Jurgen Klopp, that's for sure. The identity of the doppelganger remains up in the air the morning after the Three Lions' triumph, with several still adamant that it is the Reds boss himself.

Given the presence of full club regalia and his activities with England supporters, it is unlikely that the German, if in attendance, would have come dressed in such a fashion.

However, as to who was behind the iconic baseball cap and beard, the matter remains shrouded in mystery - though speculation points to a man who claims to be the world's best lookalike of the manager.

Was anyone fooled by the Jurgen Klopp lookalike?

Save those on Wembley Way, swathes of the internet look to have been taken in by the presence of faux-Klopp too, including daytime British television.

The ITV breakfast programme Lorraine featured a segment with journalist Jonathan Swain reporting on the presence of the doppelganger, only to suggest that the man in question was the real deal.

As to whether this was an elaborate joke or a genuine misunderstanding, it is hard to decipher - but if so, they are far from the only ones to be taken in by the imposter's presence.

What's being said?

Further reading

Orlando Pirates say a gruelling season balancing responsibilities between the domestic front and on the continent “loaded our players much” and as such, the Soweto club will not be releasing them for Cosafa Cup duty with Bafana Bafana, fearing they “remain at high risk” of injuries.

Attackers Vincent Pule and Tshegofatso Mabasa as well as left-back Bongani Sam were the Pirates players selected for the South African national team for the tournament which runs from July 6 and 18 in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“We take note that the dates of the call-up do not fall in any of the dates applicable to Caf-member federations in the Fifa international calendar,” Pirates wrote to Safa as per Sowetan Live. 

“Our club participated in both the Caf Confederation Cup and a highly compacted PSL fixture list over the past eight months, mostly playing two to three fixtures every week,’’ said Pirates letter.  

“This loaded our players much more than the recommended levels for professional footballers. In particular, the players that have been called up suffered a number of injuries during this period and remain at high risk.’’ 

Pirates’ stance also effectively rules Frank Mhango out of the Malawi squad as the striker struggled with injuries for the better part of the past season, while Deon Hotto will not be available for the Namibia squad. 

Attacking midfielder Terrence Dzvukamanja is also out of the Zimbabwe team. 

Safa says they respect Pirates’ decision. 

“Yes, Pirates wrote a letter to the league to say they won’t be releasing players for the Cosafa Cup and we’ve accepted that,” Safa chief executive officer Tebogo Motlanthe told the same publication. 

“With Cosafa, we’ve always given younger players a chance… normally it’s played by the Under-23s, so there’s nothing untoward about Pirates’ decision. 

“The thing is that our U-23 team is busy preparing for the Olympics, so we couldn’t take them to Cosafa. Coach Mkhalele agreed with Pirates’ decision and the reasons they’ve given, so the players are withdrawn.’’ 

Helman Mkhalele, who will be the stand-in Bafana coach, will now hope that factors like positive Covid-19 tests will not hit his team like what happened ahead of June’s international friendly match against Uganda.

Already, Bafana are depleted and will do duty without three Kaizer Chiefs who had been selected by Mkhalele. 

Goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma, Siyabonga Ngezana and Happy Mashiane will be preparing for the’ Caf Champions League final as Chiefs take on Al Ahly on July 17, the day before the Cosafa Cup ends.

Simba SC official Haji Manara has bragged that they will beat their rivals Yanga SC by more than three goals when they face off in the Mainland Premier League derby on Saturday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will host their Jangwani rivals in a top-of-the-table clash that will likely decide the destiny of the league title at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Simba have already taken control of the 18-team league table as they are six points ahead of their rivals, and a win against the Jangwani giants will put them on the verge of a fourth straight title in the Tanzanian top-flight.

“If the referees do their job well on Saturday, Simba will beat Yanga by more than three goals, that is a fact,” Manara told Goal.

“Forget about those saying derbies can go either way, those things have been overtaken by events, do you expect Simba with their current form to lose against Yanga? Just forget about that and wake up, Simba will never lose to Yanga.

“If the referees follow the 17 rules of officiating, Yanga will ship in more than three goals, and nothing will change, we are the best team in East Africa and people should stop judging things by fluke, those things have been overtaken by events.

“We have Luis [Miquissone], we have Clatous [Chama], we have Bernard [Morrison], we have John [Bocco], we have Larry [Bwalya], Joash [Onyango], Pascal [Wawa] and Shomari [Kapombe], and you want to compare those experienced players with those of Yanga, people who were picked from the streets to come and play?

“Guys, wake up, stop lying to people that derbies always can go either way, wake up, I want to repeat again…if the referees do their work well, and with the match at Mkapa Stadium, just have mercy for Yanga, I know Simba will come right, they [Yanga] will get nothing from the game.”

The two giants were supposed to play this fixture on May 18 but it was postponed after Yanga walked away at the eleventh hour when Tanzania Football Federation moved the kick-off time from 16:00 to 19:00.

During the first meeting, Simba needed an 86th-minute goal from Kenya defender Joash Onyango to snatch a late draw after Yanga had taken the lead through a 25th-minute penalty converted by striker Michael Sarpong.

Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Themba Zwane has welcomed the underdog tag going into the July 17 Caf Champions League final against Al Ahly at Stade Mohamed V Stadium.

It will be a battle between nine-time African champions as well as current title holders Al Ahly, and Chiefs, who this season participated in the Champions League group stage for the first-ever time before surprisingly reaching the final. 

But Zwane does not mind being regarded as rank outsiders, saying they have always been viewed that way in this competition. 

“It is going to be a David and Goliath affair where we will go there as underdogs as has been happening,” said Zwane on SAFM. 

“But we have no fear, we have come this far because we simply have been putting in some effort. We deserve to be in the final.

"People might beg to differ but we are in the final because we had to dig deeper. It was not pleasing in the eye for us not to play how people wanted to see. 

“But the fact was when you get the opportunity to grind a result, just do so. We are happy we will be playing against coach Pitso because he is one of the best on the continent.” 

Since eliminating Wydad Casablanca in the semi-finals last Saturday, Chiefs will have to wait for exactly 21 days to be involved in competitive action before they meet Al Ahly. 

Meanwhile, the Cairo giants will play four Egyptian Premier League games between now and the Chiefs match. 

“It is difficult for us to play a friendly match right now because there is no one available except for maybe teams that have been playing in the playoffs,” continued Zwane. 

“So it is difficult for us to get anyone available. Teams are starting pre-season, some will start training around Monday and there is no way they can be ready to play games. Unfortunately on that one, there is no one available to play practice matches against us. 

“Some teams are unavailable because of the challenges we find ourselves in as a country. But we will find a way, we have been in the game for many years. So we will try and push our boys though we know playing games and training are totally different. 

“But we will find a way because this opportunity only comes once and it is an opportunity we would want to grab with both hands. We don’t have a choice so we have to find a way to make sure that our boys are ready for the final.”