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Super-sub Adeyemi grabs assist as FC Salzburg secure victory over LASK

The Anglo-Nigerian made a key contribution to help Jesse Marsch’s men extend their impressive run of form at Red Bull Arena

Karim Adeyemi provided an assist as FC Salzburg secured a 2-0 victory over LASK in Sunday’s Austrian Bundesliga championship play-off Group A match.

The 19-year-old forward has earned rave reviews with his impressive performances for Jesse Marsch’s men this season.

The attacker was afforded his 21st league appearance in the current campaign as a second-half substitute and again shone.

The game started with both sides aiming to outwit each other but struggled to find the back of the net with their solid defensive displays.

In an effort to turn around their fortune, manager Jesse Marsch made a few substitutions introducing Adeyemi for Brenden Aaronson in the 74th minute.

Zambia international Patson Daka, who has been in terrific form for the Red Bulls this season, having bagged 23 league goals in only 21 appearances, was replaced by Noah Okafor.

FC Salzburg continued to push for the opening goal and it came in the 87th minute when Mergim Berisha eventually broke the deadlock with a fine strike.

Adeyemi then helped the Red Bull Arena team seal the victory moments before the end of the game when he set up Okafor with a fine pass, to fire into the back of the net.

The victory ensured Salzburg extended their winning run to nine games across all competitions and boost their chances of clinching the league title.

Adeyemi has now found the back of the net six times and provided six assists in 30 appearances across all competitions.

With Daka primed to make a move to a top European club soon, the Anglo-Nigerian is believed to be a suitable replacement for the Zambia forward.

Adeyemi has been with the Red Bull Arena team since 2018, having also featured for the Bayern Munich youth setup and has continued to develop at the Austrian side.

The forward has represented Germany at U16 and U17 levels but he is still eligible to switch his allegiance to the Nigeria national team if he wished.

He will hope to continue his eye-catching performances when FC Salzburg take on Swarovski Tirol in their next league outing on April 21.

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

KCCA FC 1-0 SC Villa: Kasasiro Boys avenge first round loss

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) FC have defeated SC Villa by a solitary goal in the Ugandan Premier League at the Omondi Stadium in Lugogo on Sunday.

Substitute Charles Lwanga scored the lone goal to ensure the former champions got maximum points.

The Garbage Collectors lost the initial round 2-1 and they were aiming at avenging the defeat. They also lost their last outing to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) FC 2-0 and were desperate for maximum points at home.

On the other hand, the Jogoo came into the match as favourites after winning three of their last four matches, drawing the remaining one which happened to be last weekend's goalless draw against Express FC.

In the 23rd minute, the hosts had a good chance to score when Jurua Hassan picked Samuel Ssenyonjo in the danger zone. But the latter failed to capitalize on the chance. 

There were a couple of half-chances by either side but until the end of the first half, neither had managed to put the ball in the back of the net.

The Kasasiro Boys had another chance of putting the ball in the back of the net in the 60th minute. They won a corner that was played in by Bright Anukani. 

Despite being in a good position, Filbert Obenchan headed over the bar with the goalkeeper beaten.

Coach Morley Byekwaso introduced Charles Lwanga in the 62nd minute in place of Ssenyonjo. The forward repaid his coach's faith by scoring the winner in the 74th minute.

The substitute was allowed space in a good area and he capitalised on it by unleashing a good shot that the goalkeeper couldn't keep off the target.

It set up a tense finale, but the 13-time champions held on to bag maximum points and avenge the loss suffered in the initial meeting.

After the win, the Garbage Collectors moved into fourth position on the table with 33 points from 18 matches. They have won 10, drawn three and lost five games.

The Jogoo are sixth with four points less from the same number of games. They have managed eight wins, five draws and as many losses.

Original author: Seth Willis

Revealed: Orlando Pirates XI against Maritzburg United - Sesane starts, Jele missing

Bucs' starting starting line-up has been announced ahead of their clash with the Team of Choice in a PSL match at Orlando Stadium on Sunday
Original author: Austin Ditlhobolo

UEFA and Premier League hit out at European Super League plans amid reports clubs set to announce breakaway

The governing body has thanked French and German clubs for refusing to sign up to a scheme driven by the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A

The Premier League has hit out at plans to create a European Super League, branding them anti-competitive and suggesting they undermine the integrity of the sport.

It has been joined by UEFA in slamming the proposal, which they say threatens the very structure of the game.

Previously, UEFA's Swiss model for the Champions League had been expected to be ratified at a meeting on Monday, before reports of a rival competition emerged on Sunday.

What has been said?

In a statement, the English top-flight said: "The Premier League condemns any proposal that attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the domestic and European football pyramid.

"Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best. We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.

"The Premier League is proud to run a competitive and compelling football competition that has made it the most widely watched league in the world. Our success has enabled us to make an unrivalled financial contribution to the domestic football pyramid.

"A European Super League will undermine the appeal of the whole game, and have a deeply damaging impact on the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs, and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.   

"We will work with fans, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA, as well as other stakeholders, at home and abroad, to defend the integrity and future prospects of English football in the best interests of the game."

What has UEFA's response been?

UEFA has also condemned the plans.

In a statement, it said: "UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.
 
"If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations - will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.
 
"We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.
 
"As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams. 
 
"We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough."

What have been the other responses?

The FA have also released a statement condeming the plans.

They said: "It is clear that this would be damaging to English and European football at all levels and will attack the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are fundamental to competitive sport.

"For new competitions to be formed involving clubs from different assocations, approval would be required. We would not provide permission to any competition that would be damaging to English football, and will take any legal and/or regulatory action necessary."

What's happening?

According to a report from the Sunday Times, a breakaway group of clubs wish to create a standalone European Super League that would act in competition to the Champions League.

Reports from France added that these clubs came from England, Italy and Spain, with French and German outfits refusing to agree to the deal. These appear to have been verified by UEFA's statement.

Nevertheless, UEFA plans to put forward its proposal for a 'Swiss Model' Champions League to the ECA (European Club Association) on Monday, at which point the face of European football could be forever altered if not approved.

Further Reading

'No discussions and no offer' - Nagelsmann denies reports of Bayern Munich manager talks

The RB Leipzig coach insists he has not spoken with the German champions despite speculation linking him with the head coach role

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has reiterated he has not held any talks with Bayern Munich about replacing Hansi Flick at Allianz Arena.

Flick announced on Saturday that he intends to leave Bayern at the end of the season, with the 56-year-old heavily tipped to succeed Joachim Low as Germany boss after this summer’s European Championships.

That reignited rumours Nagelsmann is already being lined up to replace him at the Bundesliga champions – something the 33-year-old has been swift to dismiss for a second time.

What did Nagelsmann say?

When asked about the rumoured talks with Bayern, Nagelsmann said: "There are and were no discussions and no offer. That's why I don't know what Bayern's wish is. I have said I don’t want to start a war with my employers - that's still the case."

The bigger picture

Bayern expressed their disappointment in Flick’s decision to publicly announce his decision to step down in a statement on Sunday, although the club did confirm he had informed them of his desire to leave earlier this week.

With his exit now confirmed attention will inevitably turn to his potential successor, with most of the speculation surrounding Nagelsmann.

The former Hoffenheim boss has already denied holding talks with Bayern once this week before reiterating his stance on Sunday.

With RB Leipzig currently second in Bundesliga and pushing leaders Bayern for the title, it is understandable that Nagelsmann does not want any distractions, although the situation may develop at the end of the campaign.

Reports in Italy have also claimed Massimiliano Allegri is on Bayern’s list of potential managerial targets. Allegri has been out of work since leaving Juventus in 2019 but is believed to be keen on returning to management this summer.

Further reading

England's win over USWNT a barometer for World Cup hopes

The Pincha's renovated Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi plays host to its first derby for more than a decade on Sunday

Argentine football begins its program for 2021 with the playing of the Copa Liga Profesional.

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

Boca was crowned 2019-20 league champions in March after coming out on top during the 23-game season, and also triumphed in the following Copa Diego Armando Maradona, which ended in January. 

In lieu of beginning a new league season, the Argentine footballing authorities have instead sanctioned another cup competition, which will run from February to May.

The 26 Primera Division clubs have been split into two groups, with each side playing each other once. 

In addition there will be one inter-zonal game every week, where Boca and River, Racing Club and Independiente and the rest of Argentina's Clasico rivals will face off in a series of clashes. 

The top four teams from each group then advance to a play-off stage, which will take place in a straight knock-out format in order to yield a single winner.

Fanatiz has the rights to the Copa de la Liga Profesional worldwide, excluding Argentina, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Israel, Russia, Sweden and the Balkans.

How to watch Estudiantes

After suffering a disastrous 2020, Estudiantes have improved under the stewardship of ex-Atletico Tucuman coach Ricardo Zielinski. 

The Pincha began the weekend inside the Group 1 play-off positions after nine rounds of the Copa Liga Profesional, winning four of their matches and losing just twice to date. 

Sunday's match will have special significance, being the first La Plata derby played at the Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi since the ground was closed for renovations more than 15 years ago.

Gimnasia's 2020 campaign was overshadowed by the death of coach Diego Maradona, which provoked worldwide mourning for the Argentina legend. 

But the Lobo nevertheless fought through to the latter stages of the Copa Maradona, finishing third in their final group to narrowly miss out on a place in the decider.

The current Copa has proved a tougher prospect, with Gimnasia sitting 10th in Group 2 with just two victories to date.

Live Stream: Fanatiz English ( stream now )

Date Time (US PT / ET) Match Channel
April 18 11:45pm/2:45pm Estudiantes vs Gimnasia Fanatiz

Estudiantes vs Gimnasia team news

Estudiantes will be without Covid-positive Mauro Diaz, while Lucas Rodriguez, Fernando Tobio and David Ayala through injury.

Gimnasia are on the mend after a crippling coronavirus outbreak that grounded 17 first-teamers, and should be close to full strength to take on their La Plata rivals.

Watch all this weekend's Copa Liga Profesional matches on Fanatiz  with a 7-day free trial.

What other Copa Liga Profesional matches are available on Fanatiz?

Date Time (US PT / ET) Match Channel
April 18 5pm/8pm Colon vs Godoy Cruz Fanatiz
April 18 9:30am/12:30pm Arsenal vs Racing Club Fanatiz
April 18 2pm/5pm Independiente vs Aldosivi Fanatiz
April 19 2pm/5pm Banfield vs Platense Fanatiz

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

Original author: Goal

Defeat at Villarreal comes at the wrong time for a tired Real Madrid side

The veteran forward showed no sign of slowing down as he found the net thrice in a Japanese league encounter

Peter Utaka found the net on three occasions as Kyoto Sanga demolished Giravanz Kitakyushu in a J2 League encounter played on Saturday.

The former Nigeria international had scored the only goal in his side’s 1-0 defeat of Machida Zelvia the last time out.

Against the Giravanz, he got a treble as Cho Kwi-jae’s men ran riot at the Sanga Stadium by Kyocera in the seven-goal thriller.

17 minutes into the encounter, Utaka got his first of the day. Left unmarked inside the visitors’ box, the Nigerian rifled a Shohei Takeda assist past goalkeeper Ko Shimura.

Six minutes later, he doubled his team’s advantage guiding a cross from Kosuke Taketomi past a stranded Muramatsu with his left foot.

In the goal-laden first-half, Takahiro Iida made it three goals for Sanga in the 26th minute having been teed up by Takumi Miyayoshi.

Knowing they were in for a torrid night, Kitakyushu stepped up their game and deservedly reduced the deficit through Takamitsu Tomiyama two minutes before the half-time break.

On-loan from Omiya Ardija, he profited from a pass from Yasufumi Nishimura to slot past goalkeeper Keisuke Shimizu.

In the second half, the home team continued from where they left things, to extend their lead in the 52nd minute with the 37-year-old Nigerian completing his treble.

Receiving the ball from Shimpei Fukuoka, Utaka sandwiched the ball past Kazuya Okamura and captain Kota Muramatsu – which sailed past Shimura.

Goals from Jordy Buijs in the 72nd and 75th minutes respectively, completed the whitewash of the team tutored by Shinji Kobayashi.

After an impressive shift, the former Westerlo and Royal Antwerp star was substituted in the 77th minute for Tadanari Lee to rapturous applause from the few fans in the Stadium.

Thanks to this result, Kyoto Sanga FC climbed to third in the Japanese second-tier log having amassed 16 points from eight outings in the ongoing season. Defeat for Giravanz Kitakyushu keep them in the relegation waters with just seven points.

Utaka, who leads the goalscorer’s chart with seven goals would be hoping to increase his tally when his team visits Tokyo Verdy on April 21.

Original author: Shina Oludare

Rangers want to keep Balogun beyond 2020-21 season – Gerrard

It’s a case of attack against defence today, as Gasperini’s Atalanta have scored more times than anyone else in Italy (71 in 30 games), while Juventus have the joint-best defence with table-toppers Inter, conceding just 27 in 30. Even their recent form has nothing to separate the two sides, with each side claiming victory once in their last five matches - the other three ending in draws.

Fourth place Atalanta welcome Juventus, who currently sit third - to the Gewiss Stadium ahead of an extremely important match at the top-end of the Serie A table. With Napoli just three points back of the Bianconeri and two behind the hosts, it’s certainly possible that a loss today could leave either Andrea Pirlo or Gian Piero Gasperini’s club on the outside of Champions League qualification looking in with seven games remaining.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the Serie A fixture between Atalanta and Juventus!

Sebati and Madiba make Turkish Kadinlar Ligi scoring debuts for Fatih Vatanspor

The South African duo came from the bench to ensure a huge win for their side against Amed, with their maiden goals
Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

Conte: I wanted ‘one of the best defenders in the world’ Koulibaly at Chelsea

The Italian tactician has explained he made efforts to try and bring the Senegal international to Stamford Bridge but was not successful

Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte has showered encomium on Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, describing him as one of the best defenders in the world and revealed how he made an attempt to try and recruit him during his time at Chelsea.

The Italian tactician spent two years with the Blues and won the Premier League and FA Cup titles before leaving the side.

In an effort to possibly achieve more success with the Stamford Bridge outfit, Conte revealed he made an effort to sign the Senegal international but with no success.

The 51-year-old explained the centre-back has developed into a better player since then and looks forward to seeing him when his side takes on Napoli in a Serie A game on Sunday night.

"For me, Koulibaly is among the two strongest defenders in the world. He is really very, very strong,” Conte said.

“I wanted to take him at Chelsea. And he has grown even more. There is no need to introduce Koulibaly to Romelu [Lukaku]. He knows him but Romelu has also grown a lot."

Inter Milan are close to clinching their first league title since 2010 under the guidance of the Italian tactician.

The San Siro outfit are 10 points clear on the Serie A table and will hope to put another three points in their kitty when they take on Napoli, which will be expected to feature Koulibaly.

The Senegal centre-back has been with the Parthenopeans since the summer of 2014 and despite being linked to a number of European clubs recently, the Stadio San Paolo outfit has managed to hold on to their star man.

Koulibaly remains one of the most consistent performers for Napoli, having made more than 215 appearances across all competitions for the club.

In the current campaign, the defender has played 33 games for the Stadio San Paolo outfit to help the side to their current fifth spot on the league table.

Napoli returned to winning ways against Sampdoria last time out after losing against Juventus and Koulibaly will be expected to help his side to continue their fine performances.

The centre-back is also a key member of the Senegal national team and recently helped the West African country qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for Cameroon.

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

LIVE: Arsenal vs Fulham

9' Smith Rowe has been very lively for Arsenal so far, constantly trying to get on the ball and link up play to the attackers. He was a surprise inclusion today, after a good performance in midweek following his return from injury.

7' SAVE! Lovely move down the right wing, after a couple of quick passes by Saka and Smith Rowe, the ball breaks fortunately for the latter, who races into the box and then pulls it back from the byline for a team-mate to meet. Martinelli manages to fire an effort towards goal, but Areola makes a brilliant save, pushing it out wide.

5' Fulham have hardly touched the ball in the opening five minutes of the game, they are penned inside their own half. However, they will be happy for the scoreline to remain goalless as long as possible.

3' It is all Arsenal at the moment, they are keeping the ball well, with Fulham sitting deep and soaking up the early pressure.

1' CLOSE!  Bright start here by Arsenal and they almost take the lead within the first minute! Lacazette chips the ball over the top of the Fulham defence for Martinelli to chase and he just gets to it ahead of Areola and flicks it towards the far corner of the net. However, it flies just inches wide of the post.

1' We're under way!

The teams are out on the pitch and kick-off is just a few minutes away, stay tuned for all the match action!

Scott Parker has also made five changes to their starting XI, with Kongolo, Tete, Reed, Loftus-Cheek and Mitrovic all missing out and they have been replaced by Adarabioyo, Cavaleiro, Anguissa, Lookman and Maja.

Mikel Arteta has made five changes to team that beat Sparta Prague in midweek, with Ryan, Bellerin, Gabriel, Elneny and Martinelli all coming into the side and they have been replaced by Leno, Chambers, Mari, Partey and Pepe.

FULHAM SUBS: Fabri, Michael Hector, Tim Ream, Denis Odoi, Joe Bryan, Harrison Reed, Josh Onomah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Aleksandar Mitrovic.

FULHAM (4-4-2): Alphonse Areola; Ola Aina, Joachim Andersen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Antonee Robinson; Ivan Cavaleiro, Andre-Frank Anguissa, Mario Lemina, Ademola Lookman; Bobby De Decordova-Reid, Josh Maja.

ARSENAL SUBS: Bernd Leno, Cedric Soares, Calum Chambers, Pablo Mari, Thomas Partey, Willian, Nicolas Pepe, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Mat Ryan; Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Gabriel, Granit Xhaka; Mohamed Elneny, Dani Ceballos; Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli; Alexandre Lacazette

Meanwhile Fulham are in the midst of a relegation battle and games are starting to run out for them. They are currently 18th after four consecutive defeats, which leaves them seven points behind Burnley in 17th and Brighton in 16th. However, both those teams have a game in hand. 

It has been an excellent week for Arsenal, after a 3-0 victory over Sheffield United last Sunday to move up to ninth in the Premier League, was followed up with a 4-0 win against Sparta Prague, to book their place in the Europa League semi-finals.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE match commentary of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Fulham at the Emirates.

Real Madrid midfielder Valverde in self-isolation after close contact with Covid-19 sufferer

Los Blancos have been handed a further headache with the news that the Uruguay international must be sidelined for part of their run-in

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde is in self-isolation following a contact with an individual positive for Covid-19, the club has confirmed.

The Uruguay international, who only returned from a hamstring problem earlier this month, has posted a negative test himself but is still required to isolate as a precautionary measure, ruling him out of Sunday's clash wtih Getafe in La Liga.

It hands Zinedine Zidane a further headache as he looks to mount a defence of Los Blancos' crown in La Liga, with eight games left to play.

What has been said?

"Our player Fede Valverde has been in isolation since yesterday, Saturday 17 April, after being in direct contact with a person who has tested positive for Covid-19, although the player has tested negative in all the tests that he has undergone," the club announced in a statement. "Fede Valverde will not be available for the match against Getafe today."

Which matches could Valverde miss?

With players who post a positive test facing a self-isolation period of 10 days, any such result would rule Valverde out of potentially three further clashes, including Madrid's Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea on April 27.

However, if he returns a negative result once again, the 22-year-old may be able to immediately rejoin the playing squad ahead of upcoming  clashes with Cadiz and Real Betis in La Liga.

The bigger picture

Valverde's absence is another problem for Zidane to contend with as his side continue to chase what once felt like an unlikely league crown.

They trail leaders and cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid by a point heading into their game with Getafe, having closed the gap during the second half of the season.

If Atletico fail to beat Eibar, then Real could leapfrog them into first by the end of the day.

Further reading

'World-class' Greenwood can go to the highest level, says Man Utd team-mate Pogba

The England international has hit a rich vein of form for the Red Devils, raising suggestions of a potential recall ahead of Euro 2020

Mason Greenwood can "go to the highest level" of football, says Paul Pogba, though the Manchester United man warned that the teenager must put in the hard graft to match his talents.

Following a tough start to the 2020-21 campaign, the Red Devils forward has discovered a timely return to form as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side continue to push for European glory and a second-place Premier League finish, with three goals and an assist in his last five games.

Pogba, who reached the sport's summit as a member of France's World Cup-winning side at Russia 2018, feels that the 19-year-old has skill to spare, but added that it is important for his development to not necessarily buy into his own hype.

What has Pogba said?

"Mason is a big-talented player that we had from our academy," the midfielder told Sky Sports . "He can go to the highest level, world class, it just depends on him.

"He has to work hard, harder than everyone, believe in himself and want it. When you're talented like this, you already have talent, now it's only the work you put in to make you become the world-class player you have to become with this talent.

"It depends on him. I will always be the guy to push him, not praise him too much, but push him to get to the level he should arrive at.

"That's the way I am, I don't like being praised too much because you can get too comfortable and you think you are there when you are not.

"World-class players like Lionel Messi and Ronaldo have been top for years and years. Achieving that for one year is not enough, you want to be world-class for your whole career."

Greenwood in resurgent form

The last few weeks have marked an uptick for the teenager who started the season with a disgraced exit from Gareth Southgate's England squad after making his debut against Iceland, thanks to a breach of Covid-19 protocols.

Though fellow offender Phil Foden has since been reintegrated into the Three Lions fold as a key contender for Euro 2020, Greenwood looked to have burned his shot at making the squad for this summer's postponed tournament.

While he is still likely an outside bet, his return to form will have done no harm to his case, with goals against Leicester, Brighton and Tottenham helping to underline just what a talent he is.

The bigger picture

United face Burnley on Sunday in the Premier League as they look to stay in top form ahead of a Europa League semi-final clash with Roma.

Solskjaer remains in the hunt for his first piece of silverware as Red Devils manager, and following frustrating exits in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup this season, will hope to finish on a continental high note.

In addition, United will look to secure a second-place finish - the best of the Norwegian's tenure - in order to claim an immediate return to Champions League football next term.

Further reading 

Fufa confirms payments to Uganda internationals

The pressure has been building for the federation to pay the players after performing their duties

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has confirmed payments to the players who did duty for the Cranes for a period of 33 months, from July 2018 to March 2021.

Players payments have been a source of conflict between the federation and Uganda internationals, but now it has been sorted.

In a document seen by Goal, the highest-paid player was former Cranes skipper and Mamelodi Sundowns custodian Denis Onyango, who received Ush.320,617,500 while Mike Mutyaba pocketed the lowest amount, Ush.12,950,000.

"Payments made to national senior team players," Fufa communicated through their social media platforms

"These payments are direct income by players and do not include any other expenses incurred on the team over the period. Please note that more players are paid by Fufa than listed here, these same players have earned from other Fufa sources but this is from the Government."

Recently, Hassan Wasswa, Onyango, and Micheal Azira announced their retirement from the national team and many attributed their decision to hang up their boots to Fufa president Moses Magogo, who had initially stated players who played in African Nations Championship (Chan) did not deserve their payment.

However, the administrator denied it, stating the players had intentions of retiring.

"You can choose what to say, but the fact is I have enjoyed a different but personal relationship with Wasswa (33), Onyango (35), and Azira (33) beyond football," Magogo said.

"Whereas it is the norm for players to retire from the national team at this age and have a few more years for club football, it does not take away the emotions of retirement. As a serious administration, we indeed saw this reality coming and planned for it.

"As anyone who has played football, that moment comes when only you feel how you feel. When the body and the mind get a conversation, then the inevitable difficult decision comes. If you refuse to take a hard decision, the decision takes itself."

The East African heavyweights are now focusing on the 2022 World Cup whereby they are pooled with rivals Kenya, Mali, and Rwanda in qualifying.

The first game will be against the Harambee Stars on June 5 or 6.

Original author: Seth Willis

No contact between Tottenham and Juventus goalkeeper Szczesny

The 31-year-old remains an important player for Andrea Pirlo's side and has over three seasons left on his contract in Italy

Wojciech Szczesny will not be leaving Juventus to join Tottenham this summer.

The goalkeeper has been linked with a move in the next transfer window and the Premier League side are rumoured to be eager to sign him.

But Goal understands there is no credibility to claims a return to north London is in store for the former Arsenal star.

Why Szczesny will not join Spurs

There has been no contact between Spurs and the 31-year-old, who is contracted to Juve until 2024.

Szczesny's past with Tottenham's local rivals Arsenal also puts a dampener on any hope of him joining Jose Mourinho's team.

The Poland international spent 11 years with the Gunners and made over 180 appearances, winning the FA Cup twice along the way.

Why is Szczesny rumoured to be leaving Juve?

It has been claimed in Italian media that Juventus want to offload Szczesny this summer to finance a move for AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The 22-year-old is available for free when his contract expires at the end of the season, though the Rossoneri hope to convince him to sign a new deal before then.

Juve were said to be ready to swoop in for him, but would have to make space in the squad and raise funds to match his wage demands by sacrificing Szczesny.

Szczesny still key at Juve

Szczesny joined Juventus from Arsenal in 2017 and has been increasingly important to the Bianconeri.

He has made 32 appearances in all competitions this season and will line up in goal for Andrea Pirlo's side on Sunday when they face Atalanta.

Juve are currently third in Serie A - a point behind Milan and 12 behind leaders Inter.

Further reading

Original author: Romeo Agresti

LIVE: PSG vs Saint-Etienne

76' The game is starting to open up for both sides in the final third. PSG have been thwarted thus far this afternoon, but remain dangerous in the attacking third.

75' SAVE! Verratti sends a precise offload into the path of Florenzi to strike in the right-inside channel, but his effort is repelled by the fists of Green, diverting the ball behind for a corner.

73' OVER! Di Maria drops his shoulder on the right flank and cuts inside to shoot on his left foot, but he blazes his effort well over the bar.

71' Bouanga has Aouchiche in space in the final third and releases the forward. However, he is not strong enough to fend off Kehrer and spurns a decent opening for the visitors.

70' Bouanga has a surge at Kehrer in the left inside channel and he almost finds space to pull the trigger. He opts for a drag-back and loses posssession to Florenzi.

65' Pochettino has seen enough from some of his players this afternoon. He is readying several changes on the sideline.

63' Kean almost finds a way through the Saint-Etienne defence, but Cisse comes in with a strong challenge to knock the ball away from the forward.

61' Nordin has space and time, but few options around him. He goes for goal, only to saw his right-footed strike saved by Rico.

58' WIDE! Mbappe lines up a strike from a free-kick following Neyou's foul, but his effort travels just wide of the left post. It was always curling away from Green, but it could not find the target.

57' Sarabia is caught late by Moukoudi on the edge of the Saint-Etienne box. The referee awards a free-kick to the home side.

55' Kean latches on to an offload from Florenzi and he rifles a shot at goal, but Moukoudi is well placed to block his effort.

54' Mbappe tries to square up Cisse on the edge of the box, but the defender does well to fend off the forward, which allows Green to race off his line and smother the ball.

53' Kean turns in space 25 yards from goal and lines up a drive. Moukoudi comes out of the line to block his strike wide of the right post.

52' Nordin makes a great burst down the right flank and he sends a dangerous low cross into the middle that Kehrer has to clear, although there was no green shirt in the six-yard area.

51' Debuchy is back on the field for the visitors at right-back. Puel would not want to lose his skipper.

49' Debuchy competes with Kean a loose ball down the right flank, but loses out to the forward. He does not get a free-kick, but remains down after the fact in the need of treatment.

47' Nordin makes an impact off the bench by fouling Herrera. It allows Sarabia to float a cross into the box that the visitors clear trough Moukoudi.

46' We're back under way at the Parc des Princes.

Kylian Mbappe has endured a tough afternoon so far. The forward has taken a few knocks and has failed to capitalise on two half-chances, although he perhaps should have hit the target with his last effort before the interval. In games of his nature, PSG need their main man to come to the fore.

It's goalless at the break between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes. The home side have come close to taking the lead as Pablo Sarabia saw his free-kick strike the post, while Rafinha was denied by a solid stop from Etienne Green. Claude Puel's are proving to be a stubborn unit to break down this afternoon.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: PSG 0-0 SAINT-ETIENNE

45' + 1' Saint_Etienne win a free-kick as Monnet-Paquet is fouled by Herrera. However, the resulting cross from Yousouf is cleared away by Kimpembe ahead of Cisse.

45' There will be one minute of added time.

43' Mbappe stays on the ground after the challenge and requires treatment, but he soon gets to his feet to resume the game.

42' CHANCE! Mbappe intercepts a loose pass from Trauco and leaves Moukoudi in his wake. He runs into a shooting position, but smashes his right-footed strike over the bar. Moukoudi catches him after the fact and PSG appeal for a penalty, but the referee only points for a goal-kick.

41' Bakker takes a neat touch inside and feeds Rafinha, who in turn releases the run of Sarabia. He clips a cross to the back post, but it's easy for Green to claim.

38' Khazri goes down under pressure from Florenzi, but does not get the free-kick. The Tunisia international then brings down Florenzi with a late challenge. The Saint-Etienne forward avoids a booking.

37' The visitors are proving to be a stubborn opponent for PSG to break down this afternoon. Puel will be thrilled with their performance thus far.

35' SAVE! Rafinha surges through the middle of the Saint-Etienne midfield and lines up a powerful strike on his left foot. Green is alert and makes a fine reaction stop before Trauco sweeps the rebound behind for a corner.

34' Mbappe tries to create space down the left flank, but his attempted cross into the box is diverted behind by Moukoudi.

33' DISALLOWED GOAL! Khazri finishes with a sublime half-volley into the bottom-left corner after latching on to a quick free-kick from Trauco. However, the flag goes up late for offside against the Saint-Etienne forward.

31' Saint-Etienne pressure the home side down the right flank and win a corner. Youssouf whips a cross into the middle that Cisse attacks, but he sends his glancing header wide of the right post.

29' OFF THE POST AND OVER!! Sarabia comes within inches of breaking the deadlock. He curls a sublime effort over the wall and towards the bottom-right corner, but his attempt clatters off the post. Danilo pounces on the rebound, only to blast his strike over.

27' Camara catches Rafinha with a stray boot and gives away a free-kick in a dangerous position 25 yards from goal.

25' Mbappe draws a crowd on the edge of the Saint-Etienne box before feeding Florenzi down the right flank. He sends a dangerous cross to the back post, but Debuchy tucks in to clear with a solid header.

24' OFFSIDE! Hamouma breaks behind the PSG defence to latch on to a sublime offload from Youssouf with the outside of his left boot, but he sends his right-footed strike narrowly over the bar. It would not have mattered anyway as the forward was just offside.

23' Danilo meets a corner from the right flank from Sarabia, but the ball loops harmlessly into the hands of Green.

22' Mbappe stretches to take a precise ball from Herrera down in the box, but Cisse reacts to boot a clearance over his own bar to prevent the forward firing at goal.

19' OVER! Mbappe moves freely to latch on to a incisive pass from Herrera into the left-inside channel. He goes for a blast from a tight angle that travels over the bar. However, Pochettino will be relieved to see his star man moving without impairment.

18' SAVE! Khazri releases Hamouma with a cross-field pass on the counter. The forward has space and time, but he drills a tame effort from 20 yards straight at Rico.

16' Mbappe is moving gingerly around the field after the challenge from Neyou. It might be one that he can run off. Pochettino will be concerned though.

15' Mbappe tries to bustle his way through the Saint-Etienne defence, but loses out to Neyou on the edge of the box. He comes up with a limp after his run is halted.

13' Florenzi skips past Trauco with ease in the right-inside channel and he fires a low cross to the near post. It almost falls for Sarabia, but Green is alert to smother the ball.

12' Trauco takes a touch down the left flank to ease past Florenzi, but he cannot sustain his surge, losing out to Sarabia tracking back.

10' Saint-Etienne have not been able to get the foot on the ball at all in the early stages of the contest. Puel's men are sitting in their shape and are allowing PSG to have posssession.

8' PSG build down the right once more, but Moukoudi rises to clear Florenzi's cross. The home side win the loose ball before Rafinha lines up an ambitious drive from 25 yards that travels wide of the target.

6' Florenzi is played down the right-inside channel by Danilo, but he overhits his delivery into the middle that travels out for a throw-in.

4' PSG keep on the early pressure by winning a second corner in succession, but the visitors are able to clear the danger.

3' Mbappe tries to break behind the Saint-Etienne defence down the left flank, but Moukoudi tracks his run and knocks the ball behind for a corner.

1' We're under way at the Parc des Princes.

PSG have not lost any of their last 15 Ligue 1 games against St Etienne (W10 D5), only against Angers (21) and Brest (18) are they on a longer unbeaten run against current French top-flight sides.

Saint-Etienne have made three changes to their side that beat Bordeaux 4-1 last time out. Trauco gets the start at left-back ahead of Silva, who drops to the bench. Monnet-Paquet and Youssouf come into the middle of the park in place of Aouchiche and Bouanga, who also take their place on the sidelines. 

PSG have made eight changes to the side that was beaten 1-0 by Bayern during the week. Only Mbappe, Kimpembe and Danilo retain their places in the side. Rico ousts Keylor Navas from between the sticks. Florenzi returns at right-back for Pochettino's men, while Kehrer and Bakker also slot into the back four. Herrera partners Danilo in the middle of the park. Sarabia, Rafinha and Kean join Mbappe in the final third. Neymar, Leandro Paredes and Idrissa Gueye are all suspended, while Marquinhos remains sidelined.

SAINT-ETIENNE SUBS: Charles Abi, Gabriel Silva, Adil Aouchiche, Arnaud Nordin, Denis Bouanga, Amien Moueffek, Lucas Gourna Douath, Saidou Sow, Boubacar Fall.

SAINT-ETIENNE (4-1-4-1) Etienne Green; Mathieu Debuchy, Pape Cisse, Harold Moukoudi, Miguel Trauco; Yvan Neyou; Romain Hamouma, Mahdi Camara, Zaydou Youssouf, Kevin Monnet-Paquet; Wahbi Khazri.

PSG SUBS: Marco Verratti, Mauro Icardi, Angel di Maria, Layvin Kurzawa, Julian Draxler, Colin Dagba, Timothee Pembele, Xavi Simons, Denis Franchi.

PSG (4-2-3-1): Sergio Rico; Alessandro Florenzi, Thilo Kehrer, Presnel Kimpembe, Mitchel Bakker, Danilo Pereira, Ander Herrera; Pablo Sarabia, Rafinha, Kylian Mbappe; Moise Kean.

Saint-Etienne recorded back-to-back wins to ease ther relegation worries at the foot of the table. After a 4-0 defeat to Monaco the pressure was on Claude Puel and his team, but they have responded to the threat by beating Nimes and Bordeaux. The club are now nine points clear of the drop zone and can continue a push towards the middle of the table to end the campaign with momentum.

PSG secured their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League during the week despite their 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. Mauricio Pochettino's men advanced on away goals to keep their European dream alive. However, the club must now turn their attention back to Ligue 1 where their form has been patchy of late. They trail Lille by four points at the top of the table, but can close the gap with a victory this afternoon.

Hello and welcome to the live commentary of the Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes.

'We will all sit down and think' - Liverpool-linked Kamara to consider Marseille future in the summer

The concept, arriving a year after it was originally intended to, will be the highest honour that can be bestowed upon stalwarts of the English game

The Premier League Hall of Fame will officially launch on April 19, the competition has confirmed, with two players set to be honoured as inaugural inductees and a further six to be included by fan vote.

The concept was originally set to launch last year but was pushed back owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, and will instead now debut this week with an initial raft of names.

It will be launched with a special television programme featuring the pair of individuals set to be honoured as part of the initial class of 2021.

What is the Premier League Hall of Fame?

The Hall of Fame will be the highest individual honour a player can be awarded for their service during their career in the English top flight.

Like other similar sporting institutions, it will be intended to highlight those who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport on British soil.

Inductees will be awarded a personalised medallion, engraved with the year that they were added to the Hall of Fame, as a token of their inclusion.

Who will be eligible for the Hall of Fame?

To be eligible this year, the Hall of Fame has deemed that any player must have been retired as of August 1, 2020, before the start of the current campaign.

In addition, only a player’s Premier League career is to be considered in their candidacy, meaning that successes further afield or on the international stage will not be included when selecting those who will be honoured.

Who is likely to be in the Hall of Fame?

With two players set to be included automatically as inaugural inductees, speculation is rife over just who they may be.

Obvious candidates include Alan Shearer, the Premier League's all-time goalscorer, and Ryan Giggs, who has appeared in more top-flight seasons than any other player in the modern era.

The competition's all-time record appearance holder, Gareth Barry, could be a dark horse, while David Beckham is also likely to be a favourite with the public.

Other players including Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and John Terry would all be eligible - though Wayne Rooney would not be, as the Derby County manager was still playing for the Rams earlier this season.

Whoever misses the cut is still likely to be in with a shout however, as the Premier League will unveil a shortlist of additional nominees this week for fans to vote on, with a further six names then set to be inducted at an unspecified date.

Further reading

Juventus 3-0 Crotone: Player ratings as Cristiano Ronaldo heads Juve to comfortable win

Video: Tuchel hails Ziyech performance to send Chelsea to FA Cup final | Goal.com

FA Cup

09:29 BST 18/04/2021

Hakim Ziyech Chelsea Manchester City FA Cup 2020-21

Thomas Tuchel praised Hakim Ziyech for scoring the only goal to send Chelsea to the FA Cup final.

Original author: Goal

What is the point of the Conti Cup?

The veteran coach is now focusing on the next game against Gwambina, hoping to get another win

Yanga SC interim coach Juma Mwambusi was delighted with his charges for rectifying some of their earlier mistakes and defeating Biashara United 1-0 in a Tanzania Mainland League match at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.

After a goalless first half, Burkinabe Yacouba Songne headed the ball into the back of the net eight minutes after the pause to hand his team a vital win and end a three-match winless run in the process.

"The league had taken a break and it was like another transition period for us at the club," Mwambusi told Goal afterward.

"It is what many did not understand and they complained after we drew [against KMC] which was not our expectation.

"Dropping points was a wake-up call for us, we had to go and rectify [against Biashara] by playing as a team and displaying beautiful football for our fans. 

"As promised, from the first whistle, we pushed for goals, we were just attacking and it helped us create many scoring opportunities. Many chances came our way but we capitalised on one and I am grateful for that."

Dickson Job made his first appearance for Wananchi and was impressive, but the veteran tactician has insisted everyone in the team will have an opportunity to show their potential, although they have to show they deserve a place in the team by impressing during training.

"I promised to give every player a chance because I have faith in all of them," Mwambusi continued.

"So if one impresses in training, he is sure to play. Job was making his debut and he impressed. He followed the instructions given and I also challenged him to go and prove why he deserves to be at the club."

Mwambusi has also commented on their next game, against Gwambina FC, which they will be hosting as well.

"The game [against Biashara] was like preparations for our next game against Gwambina FC," he added.

"It will be a very tough game for us. They have quality players who can cause problems and they have proved that by winning several games.

"We are, however, welcoming them at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. We will give our best and create many scoring chances which I believe will give us an upper hand in the game."

Original author: Seth Willis

Igor Stimac: India's head coach wants his side to be hungry & motivated in Asian Cup qualifying opener

The Ghanaian, as well as the South Africa and the Cameroon internationals were among the top African performers in their American top-flight matches

Kwadwo Opoku provided an assist as Los Angeles FC secured a 2-0 victory over Austin FC on matchday one of the 2021 Major League Soccer season.

Ghanaian forward Opoku came off the bench to make a meaningful contribution for the Black and Gold while his compatriot and teammate Latif Blessing started the encounter.

The first half started with both sides aiming to outwit each other but missed a number of scoring chances and it ended without goals.

Corey Baird then opened the scoring in the 61st minute for Los Angeles FC with a fine strike after he was set up by Danny Musovsk.

Moments before the end of the game, Opoku then set up Jose Cifuentes to seal the victory for Bob Bradley’s men at Banc of California Stadium and ensured they started the MLS season on a winning note.

Meanwhile, South Africa international Kamohelo Mokotjo featured prominently as FC Cincinnati played out a 2-2 draw with Nashville SC.

Mokotjo started the encounter and made a key contribution for the Orange and Blue to ensure they avoided defeat at Nissan Stadium.

Luciano Acosta put Jaap Stam’s men in front in the eighth minute before Brenner da Silva doubled their lead four minutes later from the penalty spot.

Jhonder Cadiz reduced the deficit for Nashville SC in the 20th minute before Randall Leal scored a 64th-minute equalizer.

Mokotjo featured for 90 minutes, had 48 touches on the ball, and made six clearances before he was replaced by Haris Medunjanin.

Elsewhere, Nigeria’s Nnamdi Offor and Cameroon’s Wilfrid Kaptoum were also in action in Chicago Fire’s 2-2 draw with New England Revolution.

Offor started the encounter for Raphael Wicky’s men while Kaptoum made a second-half appearance for the Revs at SeatGeek Stadium.

Chicago Fire hit the ground running and got two goals in the opening 11 minutes through Robert Beric and Luka Stojanovic.

They, however, took their foot off the pedal, allowing New England Revolution to launch a comeback in the encounter.

Adam Buksa reduced the deficit in the 12th minute for the Revs before Gustavo Bou levelled proceedings after receiving an assist from Tajon Buchanan.

With no further goals, the game ended with a share of points.

Offor played for 75 minutes before making way for Miguel Navarro, while Kaptoum was on parade for seven minutes after replacing Thomas McNamara.

The African stars will be expected to make a more impactful contribution for their respective clubs in their next MLS games.

 

 

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

FutPost.com