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Pitso Mosimane guided Al Ahly to the final of the 2020-21 Caf Champions League after defeating Esperance 3-0 on Saturday evening in the second leg of their semi-final tie. 

Goals from Ali Maaloul, Mohamed Sherif, and Hussein El Shahat were enough for the Egyptian Premier League side to see off the Tunisian giants.

Mohamed Sherif’s 67th-minute strike had handed the Red Devils a 1-0 first-leg advantage at Stade Olympique de Rades.

As a result, the Egyptian heavyweights will be meeting their counterparts Kaizer Chiefs from South Africa, who eliminated Wydad Casablanca to make it to their first-ever final after a 1-0 aggregate win.

Football fans and supporters of Al Ahly have now taken to their social media accounts to react differently after the defending champions made it to the final once again.

Kasper Hjulmand expressed his gratitude towards Denmark supporters after their round of 16 triumph over Wales, saying their love for Christian Eriksen has "given us wings".

Denmark progressed to the European Championship quarter-finals by thrashing Wales 4-0 in Amsterdam on Saturday afternoon.

Hjulmand's side have coped admirably with the loss of Eriksen, who was hospitalised after collapsing in their opening group stage fixture against Finland, with the head coach left overwhelmed by the public's response to the incident.

What's been said?

“When Christian collapsed, everything changed for me. It was suddenly a totally different situation," Hjulmand said after the game. "We needed the love and the support and that gave us wings.

“It’s hard to believe that this is reality. I am really grateful for all the Danes who came here. It’s crazy. I am very, very grateful.

"I admire the boys. Everything wasn’t perfect during the game, but we improved. The guys are true warriors.”

How is Eriksen now?

Eriksen was rescutitated on the pitch before being taken to hospital, where he remained under observation for six days after being declared in a stable physical condition. 

After it was confirmed that the Inter playmaker had suffered cardiac arrest on the pitch, he was fitted with an ICD heart-starting device, and is now continuing his recovery at home with his family.

Denmark overpower Wales

Wales started the brighter of the two sides at Johan Cruyff Arena, but Denmark soon began to exert full control over proceedings while being roared on by a fervent crowd made up mostly by fans from their country.

Kasper Dolberg eventually put the Danes 1-0 up with a stunning curling effort in the 27th minute, and scored again just after the interval following a mix-up in the Welsh defence.

Joakim Maehle added a third for Denmark before Martin Braithwaite rounded off the scoring in stoppage time, with Wales finishing the game with 10 men after Harry Wilson was shown a straight red card.

Hjulmand singled out two-goal hero Dolberg for praise after the final whistle, having seen the 23-year-old overcome a string of fitness issues to make a decisive impact on the biggest stage.

“We have a star striker in Kasper. I already watched him when he was a kid," he said. "He had some problematic phases with injuries and coronavirus, but he bounced back. He didn’t play a lot in the beginning. I saw during the training sessions that he is fit. I think it was meant to be to have this huge climax here.”

Asked if Denmark could now go all the way in the competition ahead of a quarter-final date with the Netherlands or the Czech Republic, Hjulmand responded: “There is no need to think so far away, but I can promise to fight.”

Further reading

The Football Kenya Federation has maintained they will pick Kenya’s flagbearers for the Caf Champions League at the end of June 30.

Despite Caf extending the deadline of registration of players and clubs to take part in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup, FKF boss Nick Mwendwa has told Goal nothing will change and that the team at the top of the table by June 30 will earn the ticket to represent the country.

What has been said?

“Nothing will change, the date still remains June 30 and whoever will be at the top by then, will automatically get the ticket to the Champions League for next season,” Mwendwa told Goal.

Five days ago, the African body, who had initially requested all federations on the continent to submit teams that would represent the country in the Champions League by June 30, confirmed they had extended the deadline to August 15.

In a statement issued on June 22, the African governing body also announced the interclub season kick-off, including the information relating to the list of countries that will be allowed to enter two clubs in both Caf competitions.

“The 2021/22 season will kick off on September 10, 2021, with the first round of the preliminaries,” read part of the Caf statement.

“The registration of players on the Caf CMS has been extended to August 15, 2021.”

According to Caf, the 12 highest-ranked national associations according to their rankings will be allowed to enter two clubs in the Champions League and the Confederation Cup in 2021-22.

The countries are Algeria, Angola, DR Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Zambia.

Caf also extended the five substitutions per rule for the 2021/22 interclubs season. Accordingly, each club will be allowed to register 40 players instead of the regulatory 30. Nine substitutes will be allowed on the bench instead of the regular seven.

Tusker leading the 18-team table

With the FKF's stance, it means Kenyans will know their representative to the lucrative competition at the end of June 30.

So far, Tusker are leading the 18-team table with 44 points from 21 matches, while KCB are second on 43 points from 21 matches, AFC Leopards third on 40 points while reigning champions Gor Mahia are fourth on 38 points from 21 matches.

With Tusker travelling to face Ulinzi Stars in Nakuru on Wednesday, a win for the Brewers will surely cement their place at the summit and a return to continental football.

Before we get started, this is by and large a fantasy piece to lighten the mood, so it’s best to not take it too seriously!

In light of Senegal's inclusion as guests in the upcoming Cosafa Cup, and with teams such as Japan, Qatar and Panama having all competed in the Copa America, Goal are asking the question: How would Africa's top sides fare as guests in the European Championships?

The European Championship was expanded to 24 teams going into the 2016 competition and the changed format was retained for Euro 2020. The argument against the revamped set-up was the presence of sides believed to be of inferior quality to the so-called top and average teams.

There’s a sense that the countries that progressed to the last 16 — perhaps except for Robert Lewandowski’s Poland — are roughly the 16 nations that were likely to make a 16-nation tourney if the old format wasn’t eschewed.

The upshot of the alteration saw North Macedonia and Finland debut at the Euros, Scotland were featuring at the quadrennial showpiece after a 25-year wait, while Wales and Slovakia were making consecutive appearances having made their debuts at the 2016 finals.

Only Wales progressed from the group stage of the aforementioned teams having defeated a below-par Turkey side before drawing against Switzerland and narrowly losing to Italy, and were comfortably dispatched by Denmark in a one-sided meeting on Saturday.

Despite Scotland generally impressing, the absence of match-winners resulted in an early exit from Group D where they faced off with rivals England, Croatia and The Czech Republic.

Finland picked up a huge victory in their maiden fixture against a shattered Denmark side but failed to hit the back of the net in fixtures against an average Russia and one of the pre-tournament favourites Belgium.

North Macedonia and Slovakia scored more than one goal, but suffered defeats in encounters vs The Netherlands, Ukraine and Austria, while the Slovaks suffered losses at the hands of Sweden (1-0) and Spain (5-0) after beating 10-man Poland 2-1.

Would any of Africa’s top nations have fared any better than these aforementioned sides that exited early?

In truth, the countries that immediately stick out are African champions Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco. Interestingly, all feature in the top 50 of the Fifa world ranking and Tunisia (26th in the world) and Ghana (49th) shouldn’t be left out either.

The sport’s governing body often receive criticism for its flawed assessment, and it may surprise many that only Finland (54) and North Macedonia (62) are outside the top 50 of the ranking. Poland, who lost all their games in the ongoing Euros, are 21st in the world…fascinatingly higher than every nation from Africa.

Indeed, European nations account for the highest percentage of sides in the top 50 and how the top-ranked countries from the second-largest continent would fare against them remains to be seen.

Will Algeria have made it out of Group B at Belgium and Denmark’s expense?

Will a Teranga Lions side led by Sadio Mane have thrived in a relatively weak Group C or will the Super Eagles have secured a win over one of England, Croatia or Czech?

In isolation, perhaps none of these teams will have finished in the top two but they probably would have backed themselves to end as one of the top-ranked third-placed sides. Despite ending on three points each, both Finland and Slovakia missed out on a last 16 place to Ukraine due to their inferior goal difference.

Having said that, a combined African XI definitely thrives at the Euros…on paper, at least.

With a line-up probably seeing Edouard Mendy between the sticks, Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana and Edmond Tapsoba at centre-back, with Achraf Hakimi and Reinildo Mandava featuring at wing-back, the continent ought to have enough balance in defence while carrying a threat on the flanks.  

A midfield pairing will be tricky due to the plethora of available quality options: Wilfred Ndidi, Thomas Partey, Ismael Bennacer, Franck Kessie, Yves Bissouma and Boubakary Soumare, to name a few.

How about we go with Ndidi and Bennacer?

In attack, a front three of Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will trouble any defence and having Mohamed Salah replace Mahrez when the opponents' defence is tiring will strike fear into any opposition.

Many will even have the Egypt superstar in their preferred XIs.

Enough with the fantasy, though, as neither scenario will ever be a reality.

Still, the prospect of Africa’s finest going toe-to-toe with some of Europe’s teams may excite some observers, and it's tantalising to imagine how the continent's top sides would fare as guests in the European Championships.

Ben White has admitted that the rumours linking him with a switch to Arsenal are "nice", but the Brighton defender also claims that he doesn't talk to his team-mates about his future.

White has emerged as a primary target for Arsenal on the back of a sterling 2020-21 campaign at Brighton which saw him establish himself as one of the most important members of Graham Potter's squad.

Goal has reported that the two clubs are now close to agreeing a £50 million ($69m) deal, with the Gunners' first offer of £40m ($56m) for White having been rejected, and the 23-year-old has conceded that he is flattered by their interest.

What's been said?

“It’s nice, it’s happened quite a lot over the last two years, there’s been a lot of noise," The Brighton star told talkSPORT.

However, when asked if he talks to his colleagues in the Brighton squad or England camp about the potential Arsenal transfer, White responded: “Not really.

“You don’t know what’s true and what’s not. So there’s no real point talking about it.”

White's rapid rise 

White signed a new four-year deal with Brighton after returning from a loan spell at Leeds United last summer, having initially broken into the first team at Amex Stadium back in 2016.

The centre-back, who has also been loaned to Newport County and Peterborough, went on to feature in 36 of the Seagulls' 38 Premier League games in 2020-21, helping them comfortably avoid relegation.

White's performances earned him a call up to Gareth Southgate's England squad, and he made the final cut for the European Championships after Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold was sidelined through injury, but is still looking for his first minutes of the tournament ahead of a round of 16 clash against Germany.

White's early career doubts

White began his ascent towards the professional game at Southampton, but was released from their academy ranks at the age of 16 before being picked up by Brighton.

The England international says he had to be mentally strong to overcome that rejection and prove himself at the Amex, where he instantly felt that his talents were appreciated.

“When I was at Southampton I didn’t have any confidence,” he admitted. "The way I play now is with a lot of confidence. It’s the complete opposite of what I used to be.

“I think coming through Brighton, the coaches and the people really believed in me. I think you get that with playing and at Southampton I was on the sidelines a lot. But I went to Brighton and went straight into the team and played.

“It’s tough when you get released and you’re not wanted. Especially when you’re young, it’s hard to deal with. You either sink or swim, but for me I obviously wanted it a lot and it was the only thing I wanted at the time so I went for it.”

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs made history by reaching the Caf Champions League final for the first time ever following a 1-0 aggregate victory over Wydad Casablanca in the semi-finals.

After beating Wydad 1-0 away in Morocco in the first leg of the semi-finals, a 0-0 draw in the second leg in Johannesburg on Saturday saw Chiefs sealing a place in the final, where they will clash against reigning African champions Al Ahly.

By booking a spot in the final for the first time in their history, the Soweto giants sparked some reaction on Twitter.

Some other fans compared Amakhosi to some of the best teams in the world after their heroics of the last two weeks.

India ended their 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifying campaign ended with a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan on June 15.

They finished third in Group E with seven points from eight matches. While Igor Stimac's side did not make it to the next round of the World Cup qualifiers, they directly progressed to the 2023 Asian Cup qualifying third round.

During the campaign, Stimac's men had three different goalscorers. Sunil Chhetri netted three goals while Adil Khan and Seiminlen Doungel scored a goal each.

Chhetri scored a goal against Oman in their very first match of the group stage and then scored a brace in India's only win of the competition against Bangladesh in the second phase. Adil Khan had scored the equalising goal against Bangladesh in Kolkata in the first leg tie and Doungel scored against Afghanistan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Only Sri Lanka, Nepal, Guam and Cambodia had fewer goalscorers (2) than the Blue Tigers. Iran had the most number of goalscorers (18).

It has to be noted that DPR Korea withdrew from the qualifiers midway into the campaign.

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Groups E

Group F

Group G

Group H

How many teams are over India in terms of the number of goal getters?

In terms of number of different goalscorers, India have had as much as Bangladesh and Mongolia.

How did India do in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers?

India started their World Cup qualification run with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Oman at home, followed by a historic goalless draw against Asian champions Qatar in Doha. In their third and fourth matches, the Blue Tigers managed 1-1 draws against both Bangladesh and Afghanistan and then they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Oman away from home.

They resumed their campaign against Qatar on June 3 and lost 1-0 but followed it up with a 2-0 win over Bangladesh. In their final match, they managed a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan.

Brazil face Ecuador in their final Group B game in the Copa America 2021 at the Estadio Olimpico Pedro Luvedico on Sunday.

The Selecao have already confirmed the top spot in their group with three wins from three games, having conceded just once as they defeated Colombia 2-1 in their last outing.

With Venezuela and Peru vying for a spot in the last eight in the other simultaneous fixture in the group, Ecuador at best need a win to secure their progression into the next round. 

Here's how to watch Brazil vs Ecuador in India.

Contents

What time does Brazil vs Ecuador start?

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How to watch Brazil vs Ecuador on TV & live stream in India

In India, the Copa America 2021 will be broadcast live on the Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). It will be livestreamed on the SonyLIV app.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

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Brazil vs Ecuador: Team news & key stats

Manager Tite is expected to rest a few key players having secured their place in the quarterfinals, although Neymar will most likely continue to lead the attack with two goals and two assists to his name.

Ecuador have no reported injuries and may be forced to go in for a five-man backline to deal with the opponent's potent strike force.

Key Stats:

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Further reading: 

Netherlands face Czech Republic at the Puskas Arena on Sunday in the last-16 of Euro 2020.

Frank De Boer's men have scored at least twice in each of their last 10 matches in all competitions and their eight goals at Euro 2020 have come from four different players, with Gini Wijnaldum responsible for three strikes.

Jaroslav Silhavy's side, meanwhile, made it through to the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed nations thanks to a win over a Scotland and a draw against Croatia.

The Netherlands should be be confident of continuing their strong scoring form this weekend considering Czech Republic have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight matches.

Here's how to watch Netherlands vs Czech Republic in India.

Contents

What time does Netherlands vs Czech Republic start?

Return to top

How to watch Netherlands vs Czech Republic on TV & live stream in India

In India, the Euros will be broadcast live on the Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). It will be livestreamed on the SonyLIV app.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

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Where will Netherlands vs Czech Republic take place?

Puskas Arena | Budapest | Hungary

Capacity: 67,889 | 100% capacity
Games: Group stage & last 16 (four games)
Year built: 2019

The Puskas Arena in Budapest is the newest stadium at Euro 2020 with construction concluding in 2019. It was host to three games in Group F besides the current Round of 16 encounters.

Named after Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskas, it is situated on the site of the former Ferenc Puskas Stadium, which was demolished in 2016.

It will be home to the Hungary national team and hosted a number of games for UEFA - including Champions League games - when public health restrictions saw parts of Europe locked down.

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Netherlands vs Czech Republic: Team news & key stats

Striker Luuk de Jong has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a knee injury, although the Sevilla forward had only featured for 10 minutes in the competition for the Netherlands.

The Czechs have no major injury concerns heading into the game.

Key stats:

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Further reading: 

Hussein El Shahat is eager to win the Caf Champions League with Al Ahly, as well as focus on upcoming league fixtures.

El Shahat dazzled against Esperance on Saturday, coming off the bench to complete the Red Devils’ 3-0 win on Saturday evening.

The 29-year-old replaced Taher Mohamed in the 46th minute, before finding the net on the hour mark thanks to an assist from Mohamed Magdy.

Pitso Mosimane’s side are now on course to lift the diadem for the second consecutive time after last year’s success and the winger – who formed a solid partnership with Mohamed Kafsha - is assured his team can ‘achieve’ that when they square up against Kaizer Chiefs.

"Thank God we were able to win. I would like to congratulate everyone who is associated with the club. Our target is to win the title,” El Shahat told Al Ahly website.

"We were able to win both legs of the semi-finals. Hopefully, we will be able to win the final and achieve the title.

"I have great chemistry with Afsha and we read each other’s minds and thank God I was able to score.

"We are focused on the upcoming league games and then we will concentrate on the Caf Champions League final."

Meanwhile, Akram Tawfik - who replaced injured Mohamed Hany as a right-back, shared his thoughts after the keenly contested affair

“I play wherever the coaching staff wants me to play and I try to implement their instructions as much as I can,” he said.

“Thank God, I am currently on a good form. I hope to continue performing on the same level in the upcoming period.

“Finally, I do my best to please Al Ahly fans and I like to thank them for their constant support.”

Unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, Al Ahly host Pyramids in a league game on July 1.

Next, they square up against Smouha, Al Mokawloon, Misr Lel Makasa before locking horns with Amakhosi on July 17 at the Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca.

In the Egyptian Premier League, Mosimane’s men occupy the third spot after garnering 41 points from 19 outings so far.

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The most eye-catching fixture in the last-16 of Euro 2020 takes place at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville as the number one ranked team in the world Belgium face the reigning European champions Portugal.

Portugal's have scored seven goals in three games, while conceding six, and there is little doubt that their clashes against both France and Germany have been the most entertaining games of the competition.

Belgium have also been in extremely impressive scoring form, having scored in each of their last 33 games and at least twice in nine of their most recent 12 matches.

Here's how to watch Belgium vs Portugal in India.

Contents

What time does Belgium vs Portugal start?

Return to top

How to watch Belgium vs Portugal on TV & live stream in India?

In India, the Euros will be broadcast live on the Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). It will be livestreamed on the SonyLIV app.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

Return to top

Where will Belgium vs Portugal take place?

La Cartuja | Seville | Spain

Capacity: 60,000 | reduced to 30% capacity
Games: Group stage & last 16 (four games)
Year built: 1999

Seville's Estadio de La Cartuja was chosen as a replacement host city in April 2021 when it was decided that Bilbao would not be hosting any games at the tournament.

Situated in southern Spain, it is occasionally home to the Spain national team and has hosted three games in Group E and will conclude its Euro 2020 duty with this last 16 match.

A UEFA category 4 stadium, the venue was built for the 1999 World Championships in Athletics and has since hosted a number of high profile games, including the 2003 UEFA Cup final between Celtic and Porto.

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Belgium vs Portugal: Team news & key stats

Belgium began the tournament with fitness doubts over Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard but both key players started the final group game against Finland and should be available this weekend.

Nelson Semedo limped off in Portugal's 2-2 draw against France on Wednesday evening and the Wolves full-back faces a race against time to be fit for Sunday, while Nuno Mendes also remains an injury doubt.

Key stats:

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Further reading: 

Ilyes Chetti’s dismissal helped Al Ahly in Saturday’s Caf Champions League encounter versus Esperance, according to coach Pitso Mosimane.

The Algeria international was given the marching orders in the 36th minute after tripping Taher Mohamed in the penalty area.

Referee Sidi Alioum had waived off penalty appeals from Al Ahly players, but VAR replays adjudged that Chetti had fouled the forward in the danger area.

Consequently, the left-back was sent off by the Cameroonian arbiter. That decision proved costly for the Tunisians who went ahead to lose 3-0 as their dreams to qualify for the final got flattened.

In his post-match reaction, the South African tactician stated that the red card helped his team while lauding his men for putting up an eye-catching display.

“We didn't start the game very well. We were a little bit nervous and anxious. However, football is not about how you start, but it is about how to finish,” Mosimane told Al Ahly website.

“We have to be honest, the red card helped us. It happened early, and it was well deserved.

“I told the players and told you on Friday that it will be an open game. However, we managed to have the upper hand in both games.

“Esperance is a big team and we respect them a lot, but after conceding the first goal, the game was further complicated on them.
 
“Al Ahly put on a strong performance tonight and we managed to reach the CAF Champions League final. Also, I am so glad that reached the final with Al Ahly for the second consecutive year.”

“We feel good because we are in the final, but we have to be honest, we expected to be in the final,” he continued.

“Not only because we are a big team, but because we played to reach the final. We scored three goals against Mamelodi Sundowns, four against Esperance, and five goals against Wydad last year. We are a big team.”

The Red Devils will now square up against Kaizer Chiefs in the final as they hope to win their 10th Caf Champions League diadem.

However, Mosimane disclosed that the Glamour Boys will be approached with respect on July 17 in Casablanca.

“Kaizer Chiefs is one of the biggest teams in South Africa in terms of popularity and the club is bigger than Sundowns. They have a bigger support base than Sundowns,” he added.

“They are a good team, and you just have to respect them. They scored four goals against Simba but conceded three goals. It is not easy to describe them.”

Queens Park Rangers forward Albert Adomah said he did not believe in social media at first until he was convinced to join.

The 33-year-old opened his Twitter and Instagram accounts in May 2020, and he has been using the platforms to promote his football skills in his room regularly.

The former Black Stars winger who scored two goals in 34 Championship games last season, disclosed that his social media activity started during the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic when football activities were suspended.

“I always said I’d never go on social media," Adomah told Express and Star. "After matches we’d be sat in the dressing room, team-mates would go straight on social media and I would think: ‘Don’t they have lives?’

“Somehow I got talked into it. That is where it started with the skills challenges during the first lockdown.

“People are stuck at home and can’t really have fun. I thought, why not do some skills and show what I can do not just on the pitch but off the pitch too?"

The regular online activity has inspired Adomah to start a football tournament and he is ready to reward and encourage the young participants.

The five-a-side competition has been planned to have two age categories, one for players aged between 11 and 14 and the other for those aged 15 to 22.

“This tournament is about trying to get that social media audience involved in a physical way," he continued.

“If someone comes along and gets scouted, that is something I would be very proud of. But just taking part, that is the most important thing.”

The London-born winger has spent his entire playing career in England with stints at Harrow Borough, Barnet, Bristol City, Middlesbrough Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City.

Although he later played for Ghana on the international scene with two goals in 19 games, Adomah recalled how he developed his skills before he became a professional.

“Parks football, cage football, amateur, Sunday football – you name it, I played it,” the ex-Aston Villa star added.

“I really just wanted to do something to get youngsters involved, just give them an opportunity really. I’ve invited my agent and a few others and who knows, they might spot someone?

“Players do get missed. QPR were my team growing up and I used to play on the cage pitches right next to Loftus Road.”

Daniel Akpeyi has lavished praise on Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung, calling the South African administrator a “reflection of hard work”.

Despite playing a 0-0 draw with Wydad Casablanca at the Report FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on Saturday, Amakhosi qualified for the Caf Champions League final on a 1-0 aggregated win.

Samir Nurkovic’s effort propelled the South Africans to a 1-0 win over the Moroccan side in the first leg.

Akpeyi - who was recalled to the starting line-up by interim coach Arthur Zwane - put up an impressive display to prevent Faouzi Benzarti’s men from wreaking havoc.

In a post on social media, the Nigeria international was full of praise for the 76-year-old, claiming his patience has been rewarded.

“You deserve the smile Mr Chairman, you’ve been patient through the years, you are a true reflection of hard work with faith and patience do pay off,” the 34-year-old wrote on Instagram.

Before the encounter, coach Zwane revealed that his men were squaring up against one of the biggest teams in Africa, albeit, stated that everyone is focused.

“We are playing against one of the strongest teams on the continent, we’ve learnt quite a few things from them,” he told Kaizer Chiefs website.

“At the same time, we also surprised them and showed them a thing or two and showed that we are good enough to compete at this level.

“Getting a goal away was very important for us. Coming to South Africa they will be a different team in terms of approach because they will be chasing the game.

“But our players have been awesome this week, very committed and focused, and also showing lots of discipline.

“What is key is ensuring everyone is focused on the tactics and on the planning going forward.

“It’s been so far so good in terms of the response of the players. Everyone is 110% focused and looking forward to the second leg,” says Zwane.”

Kaizer Chiefs will now face reigning African champions Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League final billed for July 17 at Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca.

To reach this stage, the Egyptian Premier League side overpowered Tunisia’s Esperance 4-0 on aggregate.

Roberto Mancini feels Italy’s victory over Austria in the last 16 of Euro 2020 will prove to have been a "tougher" test than the quarter-final that now awaits the Azzurri.

Extra-time goals from substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina ensured Italy set a new national team record of 31 matches unbeaten following their 2-1 success at Wembley.

Belgium or Portugal will be Italy’s opponents in the last eight, and Mancini was satisfied to see his team come through a stern examination after Austria had set up a tense finale when Sasa Kalajdzic pulled a goal back late on.

What has Mancini said?

“We brought it home because we deserved it, even though we conceded on a corner and had to let one in sooner or later,” Mancini told RAI Sport.

“We frankly should’ve scored the two goals a lot earlier and not gone to extra time, and we got tired as it wore on, but we won deservedly.

“The players who came off the bench had the right mentality and stepped straight into the match to change the game. Those who came on were extraordinary after those who came off had already given everything they had.

“I knew this was going to be tough, probably tougher than the quarter-final. Games can take the wrong bent, but we played well and deserved it.

“This test can do us good, we had to show a strong mentality.”

When asked whether he would prefer to face Belgium or Portugal in the quarter-final in Munich next Friday, Mancini replied: “They are two extraordinary teams, so it’s difficult to choose.”

What is the Austria reaction?

Marko Arnautovic saw a goal ruled out for offside in the second half of normal time and the Austria forward was frustrated not to come away with a win.

"It's hard for me to find the words,” Arnautovic told ORF. “If luck goes our way, we win the game in 90 minutes.

“We played really well and created chances, but we could have finished them off better at times. Compliments to the team and everyone involved."

Austria captain David Alaba added: "It's not easy to put that into words. We can be proud of ourselves, Austria can be proud of us.

"We gave everything, but in the end we weren't rewarded for our performance. That's really tough to take."

The bigger picture

Italy may not have been as impressive against Austria as they had been in winning all three of their group games, but Mancini was able to demonstrate the depth in his squad as two substitutes scored the goals.

Having players who can come off the bench and change a game is likely to be crucial as the tournament wears on, given the increased demands on players' fitness, and so Mancini will be delighted with the options at his disposal.

Further reading

Italy set a new national record after extending their unbeaten run to 31 games with a 2-1 extra-time win against Austria in the last 16 of Euro 2020.

Roberto Mancini's side equalled the record that has stood since 1939 with a 1-0 win over Wales in their final group game last weekend, but surpassed it with a hard-earned victory at Wembley on Saturday.

The game finished goalless after 90 minutes, but strikes from Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina were enough to send the Azzurri through to the last eight, despite Sasa Kalajdzic's header ending a run of 1,168 minutes without conceding a goal.

82-year-old record broken

Mancini's side have broken a record that has stood for 82 years.

Vittorio Pozzo was the coach as Italy went four years without defeat between October 1935 and July 1939.

In that time they won their second consecutive World Cup and won the gold medal in the Olympics in 1936.

Italy have lost just two matches since Mancini took charge in May 2018, and the last team to get the better of them was Portugal in a Nations League match in September of that year.

Winning run continues - but clean sheet run ends

The Azzurri's record-breaking run includes 12 successive victories stretching back to a Nations League draw with the Netherlands in October 2020.

The previous 11 games all included clean sheets and it looked like a 12th was on the way at Wembley, but Kalajdzic's stooping header in the second half of extra-time finally breached the Italian backline after 1,168 minutes.

Azzurri finally overcome dogged Austria

Italy were overwhelming favourites going into the tie but were made to work hard by a determined Austria side.

They looked set for a shock exit when Marko Arnautovic seemingly headed Austria in front - but the goal was chalked for offside following a lengthy VAR check.

A tight and tense game went to extra time, and Italy finally broke the deadlock thanks to a fine volley by Chiesa from a tight angle.

Pessina doubled their lead shortly before half-time in extra time, though Kalajdzic's header after the break made for a nervy finish.

Italy held on though to set up a quarter-final against Portugal or Belgium in Munich on Friday.

Further reading

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Roger Feutmba has said it will be a big boost for the profile of South African soccer to have Kaizer Chiefs play against Pitso Mosimane's Al Ahly side in the 2021 Caf Champions League final.

Speaking before the two semi-finals on Saturday, former Cameroon international and Masandawana legend Feteumba had wished for Chiefs to play Ahly in the final.

And that's what transpired as Amakhosi played out to a tense 0-0 draw with Wydad Casablanca in Johannesburg to earn a 1-0 aggregate win, while in the other semi-final, Al Ahly beat ES Tunis 3-0 in Cairo after a 1-0 victory in Tunisia in the first leg.

Mosimane will now be targeting his third Champions League crown as coach, having won it with Sundowns in 2016 and with Ahly last year, just a few months after joining the Egyptian club.

The South African slant to the final, which takes place in Casablanca on July 17, can only be a positive for the country's footballing profile, as Feutmba has underlined:

"I think whatever happens in that final, if Chiefs face Al Ahly it will be another win for [South Africa],” he told Soccer Laduma. “It depends how you look at it, but remember Mosimane is a South African and his success put the country on another level.

"Kaizer Chiefs needs support from all South African supporters, if they win it will be about the country because people will see the growth of the whole league, not Chiefs."

Having struggled domestically this season, and having never before advanced beyond the first group stage of the Champions League, Amakhosi will most certainly be the underdogs for the final.

However, the fact that the final is a one-off game, rather than a home and away affair, may give the PSL club a better chance of pulling off an upset.

With three weeks to prepare, Chiefs will also be hopping to get some additional players back from injury and illness, including Lebogang Manyama, Dumisani Zuma, Leonardo Castro, Bruce Bvuma and Khama Billiat.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has given his “100 per cent” backing to England captain Harry Kane, but insists he is ready to start against Germany on Tuesday if called upon.

Kane is usually seen as one of the first names on the England team sheet, but has seen his position come under scrutiny after failing to score or even make a significant impact in any of England’s three group games at Euro 2020.

Calvert-Lewin is one of a number of alternative attacking options available to Gareth Southgate if he decides to make a change – and the Everton striker is keeping himself in peak condition in case he does.

What did Calvert-Lewin say?

When asked about Southgate’s potential starting XI for the Germany game, Calvert-Lewin said: "I'm not going to talk about who is and isn't going to play, for me it's about being ready when I'm needed and staying sharp in training if I'm called upon.

"Harry is the captain, at the moment he is the man that is leading the line and I'll support him 100 per cent and make sure I'm ready when needed.

"I think coming into the tournament I was aware of the role that I was going to play and I prepared myself for that and all I can do is to play that role to the best of my ability.

"I'm a player like anyone else who wants to play and get minutes and affect games and sometimes when you can't do that it does get frustrating, but I think that's only human."

Calvert-Lewin "not concerned" by previous Germany defeats

Calvert-Lewin also played down the significance of previous games against Germany, most notably the famous penalty shootout defeats at Italia 90 and Euro 96, pointing out a lot of the squad were not even born when those games took place.

The 24-year-old was a schoolboy when England were thrashed 4-1 by Germany at the 2010 World Cup, but he insists that too will have no bearing on Tuesday’s last-16 tie.

"I suppose there's big history with England and Germany playing against each other so maybe it's that which people think [about], but we're not too concerned about that, it's another game of football which we are going to try and win," he added.

"That [the 2010 World Cup defeat] is more in my memory, but for me it's perhaps not as personal.

"For me I'm just looking forward to the test and we can try and make history."

Further reading

Al Ahly have qualified for the final of the 2020-21 Caf Champions League defeating Esperance 3-0 on Saturday evening.

Goals from Ali Maaloul, Mohamed Sherif and Hussein El Shahat were all the Egyptian Premier League side needed to see off the Tunisian giants.

Mohamed Sherif’s 67th minute strike had handed the Red Devils a 1-0  first leg advantage at the Stade Olympique de Rades.

Nonetheless, the Tunisians travelled to Cairo’s Al Salam Stadium hoping to overturn their deficit against Pitso Mosimane’s men.

In the opening minutes of the game, Moine Chaabani showed a lot of promises, nonetheless, they were unlucky in front of goal thanks to excellent goalkeeper from Egypt international Mohamed El Shenawy.

However, the hosts were handed a big chance to take the lead after Taher Mohamed was tripped in the penalty area by Algerian defender Ilyes Chetti.

Although Sidi Alioum referee Sidi Alioum had waved off penalty appeals from Al Ahly players. Nonetheless, VAR replays adjudged that the forward was fouled in the danger area.

After Chetti was given the marching orders from denying an obvious goalscoring chance, the Cameroonian arbiter pointed to the penalty spot – a decision that Esperance players protested.

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