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Leicester City Women's defender Ashleigh Plumptre has expressed her desire to meet with Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, who play for the men’s team while also revealing her interest to play for Nigeria.

The 23-year-old is currently having her second spell with the Foxes and in the 2020-21 season, she helped the club to win the FA Women's Championship title, earning a two-year contract for her fine showings in the campaign.

Since her return to the Foxes in 2019, she has been unable to link up with Super Eagles stars Iheanacho and Ndidi whom she described as her role models.  

"With Leicester Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Ihenacho have been a good roles model for me,” Plumptre told BBC.  

“It’s funny we haven't met but that's all because of Covid but at some point hopefully we'll be able to meet each other,"

Plumptre has featured for various England youth teams but he is still eligible to represent Nigeria through her father and hops to get a chance to play for the Super Falcons in the future.

"The idea of me being able to play for Nigeria, with that being an option, I would happily grab that with both hands," she continued.

"What representing something that really means to somebody is very important. Obviously, there's a lot of things I can openly say that I don't know about Nigerian culture but I want to learn because I know that it's in me, and it's in my sister and in my dad.

"We can only get it from my granddad, he's the only thing that we know in terms of Nigeria. I've obviously visited Nigerian relatives in America and in England.

"Seeing this little journey my sister and I have been on, and the understanding of our family heritage, not just that but watching Nigerian documentaries and learning about the past is incredible."

Plumptre also hailed the quality in the Super Falcons squad and praised Asisat Oshoala for her exploits abroad.

"When you look around there are several Nigerian players playing at the top level of the women's game," she pointed out.

"With the Super Falcons I have been following them and the continued progress the team is making. But one player that I remember is Asisat Oshoala.

"She was at Liverpool when I played for Notts County, then I was about 16 and the big thing was having Oshoala over at Liverpool.

"That was the big name and then she obviously went to Arsenal. And everybody knew of her and how talented she was. For me an English person, she was Nigerian football to me."

Sunil Chhetri scored a brace against Bangladesh on June 7 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha to ensure a 2-0 win for India in a 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifiers.

This was India's maiden win in the ongoing 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifiers.

The talismanic Indian striker scored his 73rd and 74th international goals in the second half of the game and in the process went past UAE’s Ali Mabkhout who has 73 goals and Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi who has 72 goals to their names.

The only player who has scored more international goals than Chhetri is Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo (103) among active players.

As the 36-year-old Indian star scripted yet another record in his illustrious and long international career, we scrutinise Chhetri's 74 international goals.

The most number of goals, the forward has scored against are Chinese Taipei and Maldives (six goals each). His best conversion rate is against Vietnam as he scored a hat-trick in the only game he played against them. 

The toughest opponent the Indian striker has scored a goal against is Asian giants South Korea against whom he had scored in the Asian Cup 2011 in Doha. Chhetri's goal had put the Blue Tigers in front but South Korea eventually won 4-1.

Distribution of Sunil Chhetri's 74 international goals 

How are India doing 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. How are India doing in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers?

They resumed their campaign losing 0-1 Qatar on June 3 and have now beaten Bangladesh 2-0 in their seventh match of the group stage. In their final match, the Blue Tigers take on Afghanistan on June 15. All the matches of India's group are hosted by Qatar.

India take on Afghanistan in their final Group E clash in the second round 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday.

In June qualification, India resumed their campaign with a 1-0 loss against Qatar before bouncing back with a 2-0 win over Bangladesh courtesy of a brace by skipper Sunil Chhetri.

How to watch India vs Afghanistan

Team profile

Afghanistan started playing full-fledged international football only from 2002. Before that, they had merely participated in the 1948 Olympics and played a 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualifying game which they lost to Jordan.

There was an 18 years gap after which football returned to a war-torn Afghanistan. Their first major competition since returning to the mainstream was in the 2003 SAFF Gold Cup where they lost all three group stage matches to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Their first major win came against Kyrgyzstan during the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualifying round. Unfortunately, they lost to Nepal in the next round. Afghanistan’s next adventure was against Turkmenistan in the first round of the 2006 World Cup qualification. The Afghans suffered a humiliating 13-0 defeat in the two legs and crashed out of the competition.

The biggest moment in Afghanistan came in 2013 where they won their first ever international trophy at the SAFF Championship held in Nepal. It is also their only international trophy till date. The Afghans won the competition unbeaten, defeating India 1-0 in the final.

The very same year, Afghanistan saw a massive rise in the FIFA rankings. They rose 46 places from 186 in 2012 to 140 in 2013, their highest ever FIFA rank.

Recent performances

Afghanistan enjoyed good form in 2017. They had two friendly matches against heavyweight nations like Jordan and Vietnam and managed to draw both. While they played out an exciting 3-3 draw against Jordan, they had held Vietnam to a goalless draw.

Their good form continued in 2018 as well as they defeated Cambodia 2-1 and had drawn against Palestine.

2019 was not the best of years for Afghan football. They started the year by taking part in the Airmarine Cup hosted by Malaysia. They lost the semifinal tie 5-0 to Oman and then lost to hosts Malaysia in the third-place play-offs.

In the World Cup qualifiers, they started their campaign with a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Qatar in Doha but they came back strong by registering slender 1-0 win over Bangladesh. They lost 3-0 to Oman in their third match. Then they drew 1-1 with India before losing 1-0 to Qatar.

Afghanistan prepared for the June qualifiers witha short camp in UAE where they played against Indonesia (3-2 win) and Singapore (1-1 draw). 

After the qualifiers resumed in June 2021, they were held to a 1-1 draw by Bangladesh.

It has been difficult for Afghanistan both on and off the field as the team has been forced to relocate to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, owing to security concerns in their own country.

Lessons from the past

India enjoy a healthy track record against Afghanistan. The two teams have faced each other eight times out of which India have emerged victorious on six occasions. They have drawn once and lost on one occasion.

In the 2011 SAFF Championship, India and Afghanistan had played a 1-1 draw in the group stages and in 2013 SAFF final, the Afghans had outplayed the Indians to pick up a memorable 2-0 win in Kathmandu.

Afghanistan squad 

Ovays Azizi, Faizal Hamidi, Hamidullah Wakili, Milad Intezar, David Najem, Zohib Islam Amiri, Abdul Najim Haidary, Hassan Amin, Zelfagar Nazary, Hussain Alizada, Sharif Mukhammad, Abassin Alikhil, Omid Popalzay, Mohammad Naeem Rahimi, Samir Samandari, Farshid Haydari, Amiruddin Sharifi, Mustafa Zazai, Fardin Hakimi, Fareed Sadat Ahmad Oman Haydary, Noor Husin, Maziyar Kouhyar, Farshad Noor, Fayzal Shayesteh, Adam Najem, Noraollah Amiri, Hossein Zamani, Zubayr Amiri, Jabar Sharza.

Afghanistan team news

Afghanistan come into the tie on the back of a heartbreaking 1-1 draw against Bangladesh where they lost their 48th minute lead courtesy of Amruddin Mohammed Anwar Sharifi's (48'), as Topu Barman (84') equalised for the Bangla Tigers at the death. Anoush Dastgir's side then conceded the third spot in the group to India as the latter defeated Bangladesh on June 7.

In the last meeting against India as well, The Lions of Khorasan had suffered a late setback in their home tie after Zelfy Nazary scored at the stroke of half-time (45+1') but for Seiminlen Doungel equalise at the death (90+3') for the Blue Tigers.

Sunil Chhetri played a key role in India's win over against Bangladesh on Monday to help the Blue Tigers secure their maiden victory in the ongoing 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifiers in Doha, Qatar.

The Indian skipper scored a brace to surpass Lionel Messi and UAE star Ali Mabkhout to reclaim his second place in the list of highest international goalscorers among active players.

It wasn't the best of performance for the Indian star who had missed two sitters early in the match. But he made amends by scoring two quality goals to seal crucial three points for the Blue Tigers.

Chhetri was seen celebrating with the Indian coach Igor Stimac after his opening and the player revealed what he told his coach at that time.

What did  Chhetri tell Stimac after scoring the opening goal against Bangladesh?

"I was just telling him, delete what I did from Brandon's (Fernandes) cross. I knew how disappointed I was, how easy a chance it was and the minimum it required was hitting the target. That was a very easy chance and at a time when the team needed that goal and I shouldn't have missed it. I just apologised for the first miss," informed Chhetri.

He continued, "We trained for this for the whole week. We knew this is what Brandon can do and we just need to hit the target. Manvir (Singh) didn't do it in the first half and I missed a couple of chances. Thankfully we still got the two goals later."

'Stimac encourages us to keep possession of the ball'

Chhetri opined that the Blue Tigers need to be braver and keep more possession of the ball in order to improve further.

"We have to be a little bit brave with the ball. I think we understand defending, we understand our diets and how to take care of ourselves. Everyone saw how well we defended but we have to be a little bit braver. We have to keep the ball and stitch more passes. It will come with some more matches. We have a very young side and it will happen.

"The onus is on the player. The coaching staff has done a brilliant job. Our head coach encourages us to keep the ball. Our immediate step should to be a little bit braver and keep the ball," said the Indian skipper.

Chhetri picks Bhutia and Jeje

The veteran Indian striker chose Bhaichung Bhutia and Jeje Lalpekhlua as the best strike partners he has ever played with.

"I will be biased towards two players, Bhaichung Bhutia and Jeje Lalpekhlua because I have spent the most time with them and they have been brilliant. And out of those two, I'll choose Bhaichung because he was that good and he helped me a lot. Playing with them made life simpler for me," stated the Indian star.

'If somebody is good, Stimac will give him a chance'

The Indian skipper spoke about the challenges the team faced during the Igor Stimac era but he also praised the Croatian coach's courage in giving opportunities to several new Indian players. 

"It is difficult when want to play in a certain way and you also have to play against higher-ranked teams and simultaneously get results. It is a difficult balance to maintain. But inside the camp, we only try to remain in sync with the coach. You cannot guarantee results but if we are in sync with what the coach wants then we are good to go.

"As far as result are concerned it has not gone well, but look at the silver lining. Here we have a coach who is not worried about giving chances to players. Previously there used to be criticisms that players are not given chance but now if you do well in the I-League or the ISL, you will be given a chance. Sometimes I feel, he doesn't even care. If he feels somebody is good he will always give the boy a chance. His idea is to get the top 14 players and then make changes here and there. When it clicks, he will get the first 14 and it will be more stable," opined Chhetri

In the October 2020 friendly between Nigeria and Tunisia, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr trialled an interesting, bold new structure.

It seemed to go under the radar for most observers, and it is not difficult to see why.

For one thing, it was not very memorable, especially after a first-half that saw both teams find the back of the net and Kelechi Iheanacho miss a penalty.

It was, by virtue of the venue, ambience and camera angle, a taxing match to follow. There was also the fact that it followed a disappointing friendly a few days prior, which finished in a limp 1-0 defeat at the hands of Algeria.

If this all sounds eerily familiar, it is because a lot of the same themes were repeated on Tuesday when the Super Eagles ran it back against Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions at the Wiener Neustadt Stadium.

Following a lone-goal defeat in the first meeting five days prior, few were in the mood to tune in for a re-tread, and even fewer expected a leggy side to suddenly burst into life the second time around.

However, Rohr introduced some intrigue into the proceedings by rolling out the same structure from that Tunisia draw. The result – a very bold 4-3-3 with Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho in midfield – evoked Manchester City’s 'free eight' concept in Pep Guardiola’s first title-winning season in English football.

At the base, Wilfred Ndidi provided an approximation of peak Fernandinho, completing a central triangle with vertices shifting in reference to the position of the ball.

The idea seemed to be a possession-based game, geared toward patiently working the ball through Cameroon pressure and into the final third; out of possession, the team pushed right onto their opponents, seeking to deny space and harry long balls down the field, which would then (in theory) be recycled to begin another possession phase.

The results were decidedly mixed.

There were pockets of success, especially in the second half when, after initial uncertainty, Nigeria’s build-up seemed a little more fluid. In the first half, the most interesting rotations were to be seen on the left: instead of the left-back inverting, Alex Iwobi would occasionally drop deeper, allowing Jamilu Collins to overlap and Moses Simon to pinch in-field.

On the right, Ahmed Musa held the width while Abdullahi Shehu sat deeper and slightly narrower and Iheanacho was oriented higher and played closer to Paul Onuachu.

Where it fell down, really, was on personnel.

The centre-back pairing of Chidozie Awaziem and Valentine Ozornwafor ultimately kept the door shut, but were unable to fulfil the demands of the tactical idea both in possession (both) and out of possession (the latter).

Their inability to play through the gaps as they appeared made the team’s build-up even slower than it needed to be, and too often resulted in players receiving the ball with their backs to goal and under pressure, instead of facing forward or on the half-turn.

Similarly, the rusty Ozornwafor (seemingly prized solely for being left-footed) was slow to push up and shut down opponents when Cameroon tried to go over the high press, allowing his direct opponent to receive the ball in space between the lines and either play a wall pass or turn.

This allowed the Indomitable Lions to break on an exposed defence, and underlined the inherent risk with the structure as a whole: without all units backing up the press and keeping compact in all phases, it can be quite easy to play through.

It also did not help that the team was without so many attacking regulars.

Upfront, Onuachu did little to upset the idea he plays worse as a starter, offering little by way of link-up play when he came deep and scant movement when he stayed high.

Width was all Musa held, being utterly peripheral and shorn of the one asset that has built him an international career: dynamism.

Iheanacho looked short on intensity, unsurprising both considering the club season is over and when you understand his personality is unlikely to meld well with professional rigour at all times.

As if to make the point, the team looked that little bit sharper after the break as, first, Onuachu was taken off for Terem Moffi, and then Marcus Abraham came on to play on the right.

Ball retention in the final third instantly improved, and the Super Eagles slowly seized control, enjoying something of a flurry late on to almost steal the game.

On the whole, even without a goal to liven the occasion, this offered a lot more interest for Nigeria from a tactical perspective.

It was Rohr doing something he has often been accused of not doing: trying new things.

What is more difficult to understand is whether this is an idea that was foisted on him by circumstance (remember that, for that Tunisia game, he was similarly handicapped in terms of selection options), or if it is a template he intends to build on in the medium term.

Declan Rice has promised to drink his first-ever beer if England win Euro 2020.

The West Ham star admitted he wasn't a fan of the beverage but would make an exception were the Three Lions to bring home the trophy. 

Rice, 22, is likely to play a key role in England's Euros campaign, which kicks off on Sunday against Croatia.

What was said?

“Do you know what, until this day I have never had a beer and I am 22! That is the truth,” Rice said. “Never had a pint. Don’t drink it.

“Not really [a drinker]. But a pint? No. I know it is off topic but I have never had a beer. People get surprised. I just don’t like the smell of it so I have never gone near it.”

Asked if he will have a beer if England win the Euros, Rice said: “Yes. I will give it a try - but I will probably spit it out!"

Rice also expressed his hope that Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be able to lift remaining lockdown restrictions so England fans could fully experience the tournament.

“If Boris lifts the lockdown and the games are in full flow on the 21 st, the nation will be buzzing, all the songs will be flying at the pubs and obviously we’ll be playing.

“We’ll all definitely feel the positive effects on the nation.”

What's next for England?

England will face Croatia in their Euros opener on Sunday before finishing out group play with matches against Scotland and the Czech Republic.

Gareth Southgate's side will have the benefit of home-field advantage, with all three matches set to take place at Wembley Stadium.

Further reading

Olivier Giroud has complained of a lack of service from his team-mates despite scoring two goals in France's 3-0 win over Bulgaria on Wednesday evening.

With Karim Benzema having been forced off late in the first period due to taking a knock in the thigh, fellow striker Giroud found the net twice in the second half to seal victory in their final friendly before the Euros.

Still, Giroud feels that he could have had more than just a double on the night had his compatriots made better, more efficient decisions in attacking phases.

What was said?

“I was a little quiet because sometimes I make runs and the through-balls aren't forthcoming,” Giroud told l'Equipe after the match.

“I'm not saying that I always make the best runs, but I always look to offer solutions in the box.

“With two good balls supplied from Ben [Pavard] and Wissam [Ben Yedder] I finished well, but we could have scored more goals if we had been more efficient.”

Didier attempts to defuse

Many sought to question whether Giroud was calling out Kylian Mbappe for being too individualistic on the ball rather than playing for the team, but coach Didier Deschamps moved quickly to defuse the situation.

“It's always the same,” the France boss told a press conference. “The attacker will say: 'I'm making runs, but it's on the midfield to supply me'. Then the midfielders will say that it is the attackers' fault.

“Sometimes, yes, the pass isn't forthcoming, but sometimes it's down to individual movement. But this is not a criticism of Kylian or whoever.

“I spoke to Kylian at half-time too,” Deschamps added. “Olivier doesn't have the same profile as Karim, he's more of a target man, a pivot. In the first half, the three (Benzema, Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann) could interchange and end up in any zone.

“After that, if they choose to do an individual action when they could have made a pass, it's the game that forces them to do so. It's up to them to choose.”

The Goal view

David Hernandez of Goal France says: “Mbappe was forced to move a little more to the left after Benzema's exit and can, as he sometimes does at PSG, cause irritation by performing certain actions from wide that are too individual.

“We knew that with the offensive potential present in this group, there would inevitably be disappointments. We just didn't think that egos might be affected so quickly when the Euros haven't even started yet...”

Further reading

Former Aston Villa defender Ahmed Elmohamady has disclosed his intention to continue his career in the Premier League despite reports linking him with a move to Al Ahly.

The 33-year-old is currently a free agent after Dean Smith’s side failed to hand him a new deal at the expiry of his four-year contract.

Elmohamady has been playing in England since 2010 after he initially departed Egyptian club ENPPI on a season-long loan to Sunderland before it was made permanent in June 2011.

The Egypt international was part of the Aston Villa squad that earned promotion back to the Premier League in 2019 and he expressed satisfaction with his time at Villa Park even though he was restricted to 14 Premier League matches in the 2020-21 season.

“My contract with Aston Villa ended. I played four successful seasons with the team and I am completely satisfied with the period I spent with them,” Elmohamady said per King Fut.

“In my beginnings, I spoke and revealed that I support Al Ahly, so when some news appears indicating my return to Egypt, my name was linked with Al Ahly again.

“Al Ahly is a big club with great fans, and their name is well known in the world of football.

“My ambition is to retire in England and I will take my time to think about the future after the end of my career with Aston Villa to choose the best for me and my family.

“I have several offers and will continue my career in the Premier League.

“Aston Villa also spoke to me to be part of the coaching and technical staff after my retirement from football.”

Although he is yet to win any silverware in England, Elmohamady was part of the Hull City team that lost 4-3 to Arsenal in the 2013-14 FA Cup final and he also played in the 2019-20 League Cup final as Aston Villa suffered a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City.

He won two Africa Cup of Nations titles with Egypt (2008, 2010) and he was recently succeeded by Liveprool’s Mohamed Salah as Egyptian national team captain.

Antoine Griezmann has insisted his relationship with Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi is strong, saying the Argentine is so easy to play with it's as if he can turn a "melon" into "caviar."

There has been speculation over the state of the pair's relationship since Griezmann joined Barca from Atletico Madrid in 2019.

The France star's uncle hit out at Messi last year, while his former advisor also said Messi's attitude toward Griezmann was "deplorable."

What was said?

Speaking to L'Equipe, Griezmann said of Messi: "[Our relationship is] good. We get along well. We sometimes write messages to each other, we communicate a lot in training.

"On the pitch, he's obviously a super easy player to play with. You send him a melon, he turns it into caviar! We don't have that pressure to miss a pass with him.

"In the game, things get better and better. This year, it was a bit complicated because we had a lot of injuries and we played in a system where everyone was not necessarily in their best position. But we are going to start a new season with new recruits, it will go better."

Griezmann admits he hasn't always been happy at Camp Nou

Griezmann also spoke out about his two years at Barcelona, admitting that he was upset during times he wasn't seen as a first-choice player.

Asked if he'd ever been unhappy at Camp Nou, the 30-year-old said: "Yes. When you lose the league, for example, it makes me sad.

"At the start of the season too, because I wasn't playing, I didn't feel important. I am used to playing every game, the big matches.

"I found myself on the bench against Real Madrid (a 3-1 loss in October 2020). It made me mad to see my team-mates warming up on the pitch while you're next to it.

"But these are the coach's choices and you have to accept them and do everything possible to change his mind."

Further reading

U.S. women's national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski is expecting key duo Julie Ertz and Tobin Heath to be fit in time for the Olympics.

Heath has not seen the field since January due to an ankle injury followed by a knee problem, while Ertz suffered a right knee MCL sprain last month in NWSL play with the Chicago Red Stars. 

Though Andonovski is optimistic about the pair's progress, he did caution that Heath – who is in camp with the USWNT ahead of their three upcoming friendlies – is farther along than Ertz.

What was said?

"We're excited where she's at right now, but we're going to have to be very careful with our approach and make sure that she's fully recovered before she plays a game," Andonovski said of Ertz on a conference call. 

"Both of them are on schedule to play by the Olympics," the coach added of the pair. 

"I would say Tobin is a little bit ahead of Julie in her progression. She's in camp here and training every day, and she's medically pretty much ready.

"The only thing now for Tobin is physically we’ve got to prepare her and build her stamina."

Heath's long layoff 'makes us think' 

Unlike Ertz, Heath is in camp with the USWNT as they prepare for games against Portugal, Jamaica and Nigeria. 

However, Heath will not play in any of the three matches, after which Andonovski will name his 18-player Olympic squad.

The coach admitted that having to make a decision on Heath before seeing her in a live game "makes us think" but was still confident she'd go to Tokyo if healthy.

"The last time we were able to see Tobin, Tobin was probably the best player on the field," Andonovski said. "That was the November camp in Holland. 

"From all the analysis that we did on both sides of the ball, I think that she was the highest ranked on the field so that plays in her favor very much. 

"And there are so many other things that play in her favor. The fact that we're not able to see [her play], it's not a problem or an issue for us but it makes us think a little bit.

"But if she’s 100 percent or we know she’s going to be close to 100% by the Olympics, her chances to make the team are pretty good."

What's next for the USWNT?

The U.S. will face Portugal on Thursday before they take on Jamaica on Sunday and Nigeria next Wednesday.

Following the Olympic roster reveal, the USWNT will face Mexico twice in send-off matches on July 1 and 5.

Andonovski's side will kick off their Olympic campaign on July 21 with a match against Sweden.

Further reading

Boavista forward Yusupha Njie is looking forward to challenging Hellas Verona's Ebrima Colley and Bologna's Musa Barrow for a place in the Gambia squad.

The 27-year-old was recalled to the Scorpions squad for June’s international friendlies after missing the team’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.

Njie’s last appearance for the West Africans came in September 2019 as the Gambia bowed 2-1 to Angola in the second leg of their 2022 World Cup qualification preliminary round clash.

Knowing that he would have to fight for a starter’s place in Tom Saintfiet’s team alongside the Italy-based duo and Bubacarr Trawally, he is unfazed by the challenge and welcomes such competition.

"For me, I think that's the best right now - like the saying 'the best is yet to come' - and that means we are a threat," he told BBC Sport Africa.

"So, for me I like it that way so that everybody can fight to play for the national team it doesn't have to be easy.

"It is good for me Musa Barrow or any player that's playing right now. I'm sure they're happy for this and they like it so that we can push the flag of the country higher and every player will fight for the nation and the right to play.

"We have to thank god that he has made it possible that we're having so many young players in Europe playing in the top leagues which is good for the country, we can compete."

He also expressed his pride in seeing his country qualify for their maiden Africa Cup of Nations finals after qualifying from Group D, which parades Gabon, DR Congo and Angola.

"Since childhood, we all dreamed about qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations and we managed to make it happen," he continued.

"I'm for the team and all Gambians, let's just keep fighting and see what the Africa Cup of Nations will bring.

"It's always a blessing to see the flag raised high no matter if am there or not, as far as I am Gambian and it's my friends that are doing this it's like being there doing it at the same time. When they did it, I was happy just like them."

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Junior Khanye is unimpressed by the reappointment of Stuart Baxter as the club's head coach. 

The English tactician agreed to a two-year contract plus a two-year option as the coach of Amakhosi’s first team on Wednesday.

Baxter is back at the Naturena-based giants having coached the team between 2012 and 2015.

Khanye questioned Baxter's coaching abilities and stated that the 67-year-old tactician relied on experienced players to win matches for him. 

"Yes, I have seen the news. I am not excited. Yes, Baxter won two PSL titles [with Chiefs], but I am not impressed," Khanye told iDiski TV.

"Which players were there? there was Siphiwe Tshabalala, the guy who scored the opening goal of the Fifa 2010 World Cup. 

"Players who could change the game in your favour. There was [Reneilwe] Letsholonyane, [Erick] Mathoho still had energy. Tefu Mashamaite was their top scorer. [Bernard] Parker was at his best."

Chiefs were described as a long-ball team under Baxter with Mathoho and Mashamaite being a threat offensively from set-pieces. 

"So, there were players who could make things happen. His philosophy was not good. They were playing at the same speed [all the time]. Playing diagonal balls and he is the one who hurt Chiefs," Khanye continued. 

"When Baxter took over [at Chiefs] he went for the old players - the most experienced players. They won by themselves.

"Typically English coaching philosophy, [the team] played with crosses, balls in the air, same speed and no game management."

Letsholonyane, Parker and Tshabalala were key ball-playing players in Baxter's side which won four major trophies including two PSL titles.

"You can check players like Yeye [Letsholonyane] and Parker, who moved the ball around. Siphiwe and Parker took the game into their own hands. They made things easy for him," Khanye added. 

"If you looked at the Chiefs' starting 11 players, eight or nine of them were in the Bafana Bafana starting line-up. They took full responsibility [on the pitch]. So, Baxter is not the solution for Chiefs."

Baxter remains the last coach to win a major trophy with Chiefs when he guided the Soweto giants to the PSL title in the 2014/15 season.

Crystal Palace head of sports science Scott Guyett has revealed Wilfried Zaha’s ability to recover quickly from injuries and pain.  

The Ivory Coast international’s style of play, dribbling to open up defences, have made him prone to injuries and has suffered different problems in the past including shoulder, hamstring and most recently a groin injury, but has managed to get over them, returning to action before the expected time.

He was the second-most fouled player in the Premier League in the 2020-21 season and ended the campaign with 11 goals and two assists in 30 league games.

Guyett has been working with Zaha for some years and has revealed several abilities that distinguishes him from others.

"He probably does, Wilf. I mean I've known Wilf for a long time now. Probably the best athlete I think I've ever worked with,” Guyett told Football London.

"I don't know what it is but he's just, he's got this ability to just keep going and keep going. He has an incredible aerobic capacity so he can run.

"I think he could be a sprinter or a long-distance runner. You know a lot of players have one or the other, they're a sprinter or they're a long-distance runner whereas Wilfried can actually do both very very well.

"And the thing with Wilf is he just loves playing football, so when you're going into that rehab process, Wilfried very often doesn't really want to do it. He just wants to be out there playing five sides with the boys.

"So Wilf is one of those that - [an injury that] would take sometimes a player three to four weeks to get back - Wilf would get back in two weeks, two and a half weeks.

"I think it's an incredible ability and sometimes I just think Wilf has a very, very high pain threshold."

Zaha has been influential for Palace for the past few years, helping them to avoid relegation a number of times.

The forward has been linked away from Selhurst Park and recently revealed his desire to leave the club before pre-season.

Last summer he also made several attempts to leave Palace in his quest to join a top European club but a deal failed to materialize.

Erling Haaland and Achraf Hakimi would fit in well at Chelsea should they join the Premier League outfit from Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan, respectively, according to Henry Abiodun.

Although 20-year-old Haaland is tied to a contract through to 2024 at the Westfalenstadion, the Blues are casting admiring glances in the Norway international’s direction alongside Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Stamford Bridge giants have reportedly made contact with the Bundesliga outfit and any deal for the 20-year-old would break the English team’s record transfer fee and wage structure.

Owing to his goalscoring exploits for club and country, the Football Coaches Association of Africa Nations’ director of coaching education is convinced that Haaland would be a valuable addition to Thomas Tuchel’s ranks.

“Right now, you cannot deny the young guy anything. Two seasons ago, we thought it was a joke at the U20 World Cup where he scored nine goals,” Abiodun told Goal.

“With his exploits in Germany, I don’t think he can do any wrong right now. The momentum is on his side.

“Going to Germany, nobody gave him a chance. He is a young kid who has a very bright future ahead of him. So, I think he will fit in perfectly at Chelsea.”

Morocco international and Inter Milan full-back Achraf Hakimi could also be on his way to the London club and coach Abiodun also talked up his chances of excelling there.

The reigning European champions are willing to match Paris Saint-Germain's £56.1 million ($79m) reported approach. Though, the 22-year-old is valued by the Black and Blues at £68.8m (€80m/$96m).

“Just like Haaland, Hakimi will also do well at Chelsea,” he added

“The club’s recent Champions League triumph is a big plus to land them. So, their coming to the Blues is going to be a big plus.

“When you look at the way Tuchel’s men play, most of their goals have been scored from the rear, so having a real no 9. [Haaland] is going to be a big addition.

“Right now, the manager is inspired. He never thought he would have achieved what he has done at Chelsea in his first season.

“All he has to do now is strengthen the team ahead of next season which he is trying to do.”

Tottenham have turned their focus towards former Roma boss Paulo Fonseca, who is now in pole position to be named the club's new manager, Goal can confirm.

Fabio Paratici, who is set to become Tottenham's sporting director, has already held talks with Fonseca this week over a potential three-year contract with Spurs.

The club had previously been linked with Antonio Conte, only for those talks to fall apart last week.

Who is Fonseca?

Fonseca originally rose through management in Portuguese football, having spent the entirety of his playing career in his home country.

After managing the likes of Aves and Pacos Ferreira, he took charge of Porto from 2013-14 but lasted just 37 games as rivals Benfica seized control of the league.

After a return to Pacos Ferreira and a stint with Braga, he took charge at Ukranian powerhouses Shakhtar, winning the league three times with the club.

In 2019, he earned a step up to Roma, who hired him in June of that year.

He earned a fifth-place finish and spot in the Europa League semi-finals in his first season, but left the club last month after two seasons in charge.

Coincidentally, he was replaced by Jose Mourinho shortly after, and Fonseca is now the favourite to replace the Special One as manager of his compatriot's former club Spurs.

Both Spurs and Roma are set to play in the Conference League next season.

Further reading

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has admitted that he has always liked Maritzburg United captain Thabiso Kutumela.

The 27-year-old player was one of the most outstanding players in the PSL during the 2020/21 season which saw him being nominated for the Footballer of the Year and Player's Player of the Season accolades.

Kutumela, who was on the books of Orlando Pirates between 2016 and 2019, has been strongly linked with Sundowns and AmaZulu FC ahead of the July-August transfer window. 

Although Mngqithi revealed his admiration for Kutumela, the 50-year-old tactician refused to confirm whenever they are looking to sign the diminutive striker.

“I like him, I am not sure if he is coming to the club or not, but I like him,” Mngqithi said on The Citizen.

“He is a good football player, I have always liked him…. you can ask him. From when he was still at Baroka, I liked him and I still like him today,” he added.

Kutumela, who scored 14 goals in 31 competitive matches for Maritzburg in the 2020/21 season, is part of the Bafana Bafana squad which will face Uganda in an international friendly match on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, Mngqithi is set to sit down with his co-head coach Rulani Mokwena and senior coach Steve Komphela and plan for next season.

“We are still going to sit in that space and look. But it will not be improving," the former Lamontville Golden Arrows head coach continued. 

"it will be to enhance what we have because the boys are looking good and some of the boys who never got to play enough might add value next season."

Sundowns signed former Pirates strikers Kermit Erasmus and Gift Motupa from Cape Town City and Bidvest Wits, respectively, prior to the 2020/21 campaign. 

However, the duo struggled with injuries and they will be given a chance to prove themselves at the reigning PSL champions next season

“Gift Motupa just came in now, Kermit Erasmus was injured most of the time. There are many players who don’t get much game time, who in the next season might find themselves getting game time," Mngqithi concluded. 

It wasn't all excitement as the Ghana ministry of sport announced a joint meeting with the Ghana Football Association and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The West Africans are giving everything within their power to woo the 20-year-old Champions League winner, who has returned to Ghana for a holiday, to switch international allegiance from England to the country of his parents.

Born to Ghanaian parents in the United Kingdom, the attacker has made three appearances for England at senior international level but remains eligible to change to the Black Stars.

On Monday, he paid a courtesy call to Ghana president Nana Akufo-Addo, who expressed his desire for a nationality switch

The attacker had another round of meetings on Tuesday, this time around, convening with Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku and Minister for Sport Mustapha Ussif.

The best reactions to the announcement of his latest meeting are curated below: