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It has been a mixed bag of results for UAE clubs on the inaugural day of the AFC Champions League (ACL) as Sharjah FC won 1-0 over Iraq's Al Quwa Al Jawiya, but Al Wahda went down by a similar scoreline to Iran's Persepolis on Wednesday evening. 

Sharjah earn hard-fought win at home

Sharjah made the most of their home conditions as they narrowly beat Iraq's Air Force club, courtesy of a second-half goal from Khalid Bawazir at the Sharjah Stadium. 

The hosts were dominating possession from the first whistle but the first significant opportunity fell for Al Quwa as Ibrahim Bayesh's effort from long range was on target. Defender Abdullah Ghanim showed alacrity to put his body on the line and the deflected shot was collected by Adel Al Hosani. 

Both teams were having a go at each other's defence and Sharjah winger Caio was almost through on goal after the half-hour mark but was denied by custodian Fahad Taleb. 

Minutes later, the visitors were denied by the crossbar when Ali Khadim's header from a corner struck the frame. 

The Air Force outfit started strongly and looked more likely to score as they were creating goal-scoring opportunities in plenty. Humam Tareq's header missed the target by a whisker whereas, Luan Pereira's effort struck the wrong side of the woodwork. 

Almost against the run of play, Sharjah broke the deadlock with a quick counter attack through Caio, who delivered a perfect cross for Bawazir to blast home from close range. 

Coach Ayoub Odisho’s men started their pursuit for an equaliser with renewed efforts but were unable to get past a sturdy Sharjah defence. A red card to Tareq further complicated matters for Al-Quwa who had to leave the field empty-handed and with 10-men after 90 minutes. 

Seyed Jalal Hosseini's goal sinks Al Wahda

Meanwhile in India, Al Wahda went down fighting to Persepolis at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Five minutes before the break, defender Seyed Jalal Hosseini scored the only goal of the match. 

Al Wahda was playing second fiddle for much of the first half and it was a matter of when and not if that they would concede. Persepolis struck the woodwork in the eighth minute through Shahriyar Moghanloo and the Iranian outfit kept churning out opportunities at regular intervals. 

Their goal was a result of quick exchanges between Mehdi Torabi and Ehsan Pahlavan before the skipper was set up, who made no mistake to convert from the edge of the box. 

Persepolis could have added more to the tally if Torabi hadn't squandered his chance in the 65th minute. 

Al Wahda will return to action on Saturday to take on home side FC Goa, whereas Sharjah will host Tractor FC later on the same day. 

Laurent Blanc's Al-Rayyan SC were off to a disappointing start in the AFC Champions League 2021 as they were held to a goalless draw by Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa in their opening match of Group E on Wednesday evening. 

The former Qatar Stars League (QSL) runners-up side were clear favourites heading into the clash against the AFC Champions League debutants. But the Indian club fought valiantly to hold the giants.

Former France football team captain and PSG coach Laurent Blanc, who is in charge of the Al-Rayyan side, was impressed with FC Goa's defensive resilience and suggested that the humid weather in Goa affected his team. 

What did Laurent Blanc say?

"The weather and humidity had the biggest impact on Al Rayyan's level of performance during the Goa match. We did not take advantage of the opportunities we got and failing to register a goal at the beginning of the match made the team’s task further difficult and gave confidence to the Goa team, who played in a tight defensive manner."

He added, "Goa played a big match, and I think both coaches saw the other team before this match, and we controlled about 70 per cent of the match."

'We lost two points"

The former Manchester United defender stated that he was disappointed to drop two crucial points against the Gaurs and is now eyeing full three points in their next game against Iranian champions Persepolis FC.

"We could have achieved victory, but there was no exploitation of the opportunities we missed. We lost two points today, and we have to win against Persepolis of Iran in the next round."

Seiminlen Doungel is all set to join Jamshedpur FC on a permanent deal, Goal  can confirm. 

At the beginning of the 2020-21 season of the Indian Super League (ISL), Doungel was part of the FC Goa squad. He had made only seven appearances for the Gaurs out of which he had started in only three matches and had only 229 minutes under his belt. 

During the January transfer window, in pursuit of more game time, Doungel jumped ship to join Jamshedpur FC on loan. At Jamshedpur, under the tutelage of Owen Coyle, the Indian winger became a regular starter and played eight matches for the club.

Doungel also scored one goal in a Jamshedpur shirt in the club's final match of the season against Bengaluru FC which the Men of Steel had won 3-2.

It is understood now that the Manipuri footballer is all set to convert his loan move to permanent deal with Jamshedpur FC. With Coyle preferring fast, pacy wingers, Doungel fit the bill. 

The 27-year-old winger has played a total of 79 matches in six seasons of the ISL while playing for NorthEast United, Delhi Dynamos, Kerala Blasters, FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC where he has scored nine goals and provided six assists so far.

Other than Doungel, Jamshedpur FC are also close to sign Komal Thatal from ATK Mohun Bagan and Anas Edathodika as confirmed by Goal earlier. They have also parted ways with Ankiet Jadhav who will join Hyderabad FC.

Ahmed Musa has revealed he returned to the Nigeria Professional Football League in order to help improve the image of the country’s football globally.

The 28-year-old teamed up with his former club Kano Pillars on Tuesday after reaching an agreement with the side, which includes a clause that allows him to leave when he finds a club in Europe.

The Super Eagles captain has been without a club since leaving Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr in October and in January he was close to joining Premier League club West Bromwich Albion but a deal failed to materialize.

The forward then made a surprise return to the NPFL side, where he had starred between 2009 and 2012, before leaving for Europe and has revealed his reason for the move.

"Anything that improves the image of Nigerian football is something that I strive to embark on and Kano Pillars holds a special place in my heart," Musa told BBC Sport Africa.

"It's the team that helped me become the professional footballer I am today, so this is more than just football but a very strong bond."

After leaving Nigeria in 2012, Musa teamed up with Russian side CSKA Moscow and went on to play for Leicester City.

Former Nigerian lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has praised the decision of the fleet-footed forward and believes it would help improve the domestic league.

“Ahmed Musa’s return to Kano Pillars is one of the best strategies to improve and attract interest in our local football teams and National league,” Sani tweeted.

“After global come local. It’s better than hanging and idling in Europe. There will always be a place for you at home.”

During his time away from Nigeria, Musa won three Russian Premier League titles, Russian Cup and Russian Super Cup.

The winger also clinched the Saudi Professional League trophy and Saudi Super Cup diadem among other individual accolades.

The attacker recently helped the Super Eagles qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for Cameroon.

Musa is Nigeria’s third most capped player with 96 appearances for the West African side, behind Vincent Enyeama [101] and Joseph Yobo [100].

Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba has taken a giant step to pay school fees for 1,000 pupils in selected schools across Zimbabwe.

The charitable gesture was carried out by the Marvelous Nakamba Foundation under its Education Assistance Plan.

Having started with 1,000 pupils, the goal is to reach 100,000 pupils in Zimbabwe by December 2021 and they have their sights set on 1 million pupils in four years time.

“We hope this gesture will go a long way in helping not only the students that benefited but also comes as relief to parents or guardians who have been struggling to raise school fees. This sits well with us, as the saying goes, ‘It takes a nation to raise a child’,” Nakamba noted.

“On this same breath, we are glad that a majority of the student beneficiaries forthe 2020 school fees did extremely well and we hope that the 2021 First term students will excel in their Studies.

“For now, we have gone to as far as 1000 students but we desire to go for more when funds permit.”

The foundation founded in 2019, is aimed at supporting underprivileged children and youth in Zimbabwe with Nakamba's wish to see no child go through the hardships he faced while growing up in Africa.

The 27-year-old played for Zimbabwean clubs Highlanders and Bantu Rovers before his eventual move to France to join Nancy in 2012.

He spent two years in Nancy and he played two matches in the French Ligue 2 before he switched to the Netherlands to team up with Vitesse.

Nakamba won the Dutch Cup during his three-year stay with Vitas, and he moved on to join Belgian First Division A giants Club Brugge in 2017.

The Zimbabwe star made an instant impact during his debut campaign in Belgium as he clinched the top-flight title for 2017-18. In August 2019, Aston Villa completed a five-year deal for his services and he has played in 39 Premier League matches for Dean Smith’s side so far.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Emre Can was furious at being penalised for handball in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final defeat to Manchester City, claiming that the penalty decision changed the course of the tie. 

Dortmund went ahead early in the second leg through Jude Bellingham's fantastic 15th-minute strike and enjoyed a slim advantage over their Premier League foe due to the away goals rule. 

But Riyad Mahrez restored City's lead on aggregate from the spot after the break after Can was judged to have handled in the area, and Phil Foden later struck to put the tie beyond doubt at 4-2 on aggregate. 

What was said? 

“All in all, that was okay. In the end, that doesn't really help us either. The game clearly changed after the 1-1 draw," the ex-Liverpool and Juventus player said to Sky Germany.

"I touched the ball first with my head and then it somehow hit my hand. The rules say it's not a handball.

"To have received a penalty against us because of that and maybe because of that, to have lost the game leaves a bitter taste. A goal was stolen from us in the first leg. It hurts."

Can's Dortmund team-mate Marco Reus was also unsure about referee Carlos del Cerro Grande's decision. 

“From my point of view, it was a handball. But I was also just told that the ball bounced off Emre's head to his hand. According to FIFA rules, it is then not a penalty," he said.

"If it had happened like that on the other side, we would have protested loudly too, you have to be honest. You have to honestly admit that City were better and smarter today.

"You have to acknowledge that without envy. Still, if we didn't concede the goal, maybe we could have kept it open. Then we might get better counter situations, unfortunately we didn't manage that. "

What do the rules say? 

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) moved in March to clarify the current handball law due to concerns over inconsistent or incorrect applications of the rules. 

"The members confirmed that not every touch of a player’s hand/arm with the ball is an offence," the IFAB explained in a statement.

"In terms of the criterion of the hand/arm making a player’s body 'unnaturally bigger', it was confirmed that referees should continue to use their judgment in determining the validity of the hand/arm’s position in relation to the player’s movement in that specific situation."

Law 12 of the IFAB's Laws of the Game deems that a ball that touches a player's hand or arm directly from the player’s own head or body, including the foot, should not be penalised, unless the contact is deliberate, the hand/arm has made their body unnaturally bigger or the hand/arm is above/beyond their shoulder level. 

Further reading 

PSG star Neymar has expressed his desire to become a professional poker player when he retires from football.

The 29-year-old started playing poker during the 2014 World Cup and has developed a passion for the game since then. 

Neymar said he played with Gerard Pique during his time at Barcelona and now counts Keylor Navas and Leandro Paredes among his poker rivals at PSG.

What was said?

When asked by CNEWS if his goal was to be a professional poker player when he retires from football, Neymar said: "It's true, it's true. It's one of the things I love to do the most. 

"I feel very comfortable and I think that after playing football I will be able to do tournaments, travel to play tournaments that I have always wanted to participate in and could not do because of my agenda and my career. 

"So when I finish my football career, that's one of the things I'm going to do, travel to play this type of tournament.

"Among the similarities between poker and football, I think focus is one of them. The way you read your opponent and the game is also very important. 

"I think one of the most important things in football, and what I do on the pitch, is to read the game, read your opponent, and see where you can attack, where you can move to create a chance for your team. 

"And in poker it's the same, you have to read the game, read your opponents and know the right time to attack your opponent."

What's next for Neymar?

The Brazilian still has plenty to accomplish on the pitch before his playing days are over, starting with his quest for a treble with PSG this season.

Neymar helped PSG past Bayern Munich in the Champions League this week, setting up a semi-final clash with Manchester City.

PSG are also three points back of first-place Lille in Ligue 1, while they have a French Cup quarter-final date with Angers later this month.

Further reading

Fulham winger Mario Lemina has revealed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s love for fancy items is part of the Arsenal captain’s personality.

The duo are friends, and they are key players in Patrice Neveu's team that helped Gabon qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations last month.

Aubameyang who does not hesitate to show off his sophisticated properties and Lemina will be reunited on Sunday when Arsenal host Fulham at Emirates Stadium for a Premier League fixture, but the former Juventus and Marseille midfielder is delighted by how the 31-year-old Arsenal forward has worked his way to the top.

"He [Aubameyang] likes fancy things. You can see the cars, he likes manga cartoons, comic-book superheroes, he's still a kid. That's his personality. He is a really happy guy, he deserves where he is right now," Lemina told Sky Sports.

"As a player I really respect him, I know his background. He wasn't the best player at the beginning and he has worked so hard to get where he is right now, that's why I respect him a lot.

"We are good friends, we don't talk every day. He doesn't want to bother me, he would rather be with his family but he is a really good guy. He's an amazing person."

Fulham are stuck in the relegation zone after four consecutive defeats in the English top-flight which leaves them 18th in the table with six points adrift of safety.

Lemina, who is on a season-long loan from Southampton, said he is hurt by how the Cottagers drop points despite their hard work.

"I've been thinking about what we have been doing for the last few months and weeks, the hard work we have been putting in. We gave everything on the pitch, I can't blame any players or the manager,” he added.

"When you get to this point at the end of the season, and you concede goals coming from nowhere, it hurts. Everything we did in the game, all the work is for nothing, we don't deserve this."

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola joined old sparring partner Jose Mourinho as the coach with most appearances in the Champions League semi-finals after his side squeaked past Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. 

City were made to work hard for their 4-2 aggregate victory and actually trailed on away goals for much of the second leg after Jude Bellingham netted for the hosts. 

But goals from Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden finally ended Dortmund's hopes of advancing, bringing City's manager level with the Special One in the process. 

Two Champions League maestros

Guardiola made the Champions League last four for the eighth time in his career on Wednesday. 

Only Mourinho, who protagonised a series of heated encounters with Pep while the pair were at the helm of Real Madrid and Barcelona, has managed as many appearances in the competition's penultimate stage. 

The Portuguese has reached the stage with four different clubs - Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Madrid - while winning the trophy at the helm of Porto and Inter. 

Guardiola, meanwhile, has steered all of his three employers, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, to the last four, but last lifted the title in the 2010-11 season while still with the Catalans. 

The bigger picture

City now gear up for a blockbuster clash in the semis against Paris Saint-Germain, who gained revenge on Bayern Munich for last year's final defeat by eliminating the reigning champions over two thrilling legs. 

The other last-four tie sees two of Mourinho's former clubs lock horns as Chelsea take on Madrid.

For now Guardiola's attentions turn back to domestic competition, where City are still in the hunt for three trophies. 

On Saturday they travel down to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, while the following week Pep's men return to the London stadium to take on Tottenham in the Carabao Cup. 

They also enjoy an 11-point lead at the Premier League summit, keeping alive hopes of an unprecedented quadruple in 2020-21. 

Further reading 

Pep Guardiola reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time as the Manchester City manager but he took time out to heap praise on Borussia Dortmund's young star Jude Bellingham.

City were heading out of Europe on away goals after the 17-year-old scored in the 15th minute, before strikes from Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden saw the Premier League leaders win 2-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate.

But the former Birmingham City midfielder's goal saw him become the youngest English player to score in the Champions League and second youngest player ever to score in the quarter-finals behind former Barcelona star Bojan Krkic.

What's been said

"I cannot believe it, maybe he's a liar!" Guardiola said when asked about Bellingham's performances over the two legs. "He's so good for 17-years-old, he's a fantastic player.

"There was one moment when he didn't get the ball from central defenders, how he shouts and demands that ball to him at 17 means a lot.

"I spoke with his manager, Edin [Terzic], and he told me what you see in these two games is like every training session."

The bigger picture

England manager Gareth Southgate might even be an even happier coach than Guardiola after the second leg in Germany.

Bellingham's international team-mate Foden was again outstanding and rounded off an impressive performance by smashing in the winner from the edge of the box.

The 20-year-old headed straight to Guardiola after his strike and the pair were surrounded by the first team after a goal that would see the City boss reach the last-four for the first time with the club.

"You have the feeling that he is a guy who never hides, he always creates something," Guardiola added.

"He scored two important goals, the second goal in the Etihad and today helped us to be in the semi-final.

"He grew up. In the quarter-final of the Champions League, he was the important player to go through to play against Paris St-Germain."

More reading:

Foden fireworks bring an end to Man City's quarter-final curse

Bellingham makes CL history with sublime opener against Man City

Fabulous Foden deserving of superstar status

Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic hit out at a crucial penalty call that went against his side on Wednesday in their Champions League elimination against Manchester City.

With Dortmund leading 1-0 on the night and poised to advance to the semi-finals on away goals, Emre Can was whistled for a handball in the box 10 minutes into the second half. 

Can headed the ball off his outstretched arm, which Terzic insisted meant the spot kick should not have been awarded. Riyad Mahrez would convert the ensuing penalty to send City on their way to the last four.

What was said?

"To be fair, you have to congratulate Man City," Terzic told Sky Germany. "They played brilliantly and deservedly go one round further.

"After three of four halves, however, we were through – then it's annoying that we end up conceding two goals like this. At the referee training it is clearly stated that heading into one's arm is not punishable.

"Let me put it this way: We weren't very lucky with decisions in the two games. We had a big dream, it is now unfortunately over."

What other decisions went against Dortmund?

Jude Bellingham had what appeared to be a valid goal taken away in the first leg after he stole the ball from Ederson and rolled it into an empty net.

The referee ruled the teenager had fouled Ederson and blew his whistle before Bellingham put the ball into an empty net, meaning the play could not be reviewed by VAR. 

Replays showed that Bellingham had robbed the ball in mid-air from Ederson while hardly making contact with the goalkeeper.

What happened after Mahrez's goal?

The Algerian drew City level on the night after Bellingham's opener for Dortmund, and his spot kick put City ahead 3-2 on aggregate. 

City would then go on to control possession as they looked to take away the Germans' chances of equalising.

With 15 minutes to play, Phil Foden then grabbed another goal to put the tie out of reach for Dortmund as City advanced with a 4-2 aggregate win.

What's next for both teams?

Dortmund will face Werder Bremen on Sunday as they continue their pursuit of a top-four spot in the Bundesliga, currently sitting in fifth place. 

City take on Chelsea in a FA Cup semi-final on Saturday before they face PSG in the Champions League semi-finals later in April.

Further reading

Former Ghana international Hamza Mohammed has rued his ill luck in missing out on the Black Stars' squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

A regular team member during the qualifiers, the midfielder, who played for Ghana at senior, U23, U20 and U17 level, was among the major casualties when then Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic unveiled his roster for the global showpiece.

The tournament was the Black Stars' first appearance at the World Cup.

“I played in all the national teams from the U17 to the senior national team, until we qualified to the World Cup," Hamza told TV3.

“It is only one match that I missed against South Africa in Kumasi, aside from that [game], I featured in all the qualifying matches.

“During those qualifiers, we had so many opportunities [to join clubs abroad] but the aim was that when we get to the World Cup, we will get a better offer. But unfortunately, some of us could not make it to the World Cup for reasons best known to the authorities.

“I believe if I took that opportunity that came our way [to become] foreign-based player, I would have made it to the World Cup. That is my only regret, but life always moves on.”

Grouped against eventual champions Italy, the Czech Republic and the United States of America for the World Cup, Ghana performed beyond expectations as they finished second behind Italy to make a historic qualification of the Round of 16.

The Black Stars opened the tournament with a 2-0 defeat to Italy but bounced back with a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic, courtesy of goals from Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari, before beating the US 2-1 in the last group game to seal their qualification.

The journey, however, came to an end in the next round as they came up against defending champions Brazil, who comfortably walked away with a 3-0 victory.

Hamza featured for the Black Stars at the 2000 and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

The 40-year-old is also remembered for his days in the Ghana Premier League with Asante Kotoko, Hearts of Oak, King Faisal Babes and Real Tamale United. 

Slavia Prague manager Jindrich Trpisovsky has confirmed Peter Olayinka and Abdallah Sima will be assessed ahead of their Europa League second leg quarter-final against Arsenal on Thursday night.

The African stars missed the Red and Whites’ game against Sparta Praha last weekend due to injury, where they returned to winning ways after two consecutive draws.

Olayinka and Sima featured in the first leg against Mikel Arteta’s men where they played out a 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium.

The Super Eagles forward has featured 10 times in the European competition this season, scoring three goals and providing two assists, while Sima has found the back of the net four times in 11 games in the tournament.

Trpisovsky hopes to have the Nigeria and the Senegal internationals back against the Gunners at Sinobo Stadium.

"Sima and Olayinka both joined the training. We suppose one of them will be available for the starting line-up and one for about twenty minutes. We will decide tomorrow morning after warming up,” Trpisovsky said in a pre-match press conference.

Trpisovsky also revealed the Red and Whites are well motivated for their encounter against Arsenal and hopes the winner will not be decided by penalties.

“History certainly motivates us. Our dream is to make it to the finals. We still have a lot of matches ahead of us and we want to reach the top in all competitions,” he continued.

"I hope there are no penalties. I don't know if I would have the stamina to watch it. I would probably go to the office and tell myself how it turned out. When penalties decide something, it's unfair, but it's part of football.

"It's a big match to advance to the semifinals at home with Arsenal. We are looking forward to it a lot. We have to be careful and give maximum performance.

"Arsenal shows that it preferred the European League. They know that this may be the only trip to Europe for next season. The semifinals of the European League are at stake and no one will underestimate anything.”

Olayinka has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 34 appearances across all competitions this season while Sima has bagged 19 goals and set up six others in 35 games.

Borussia Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham wrote his name into the Champions League history books on Wednesday with a brilliantly taken goal for his side against Manchester City. 

The 17-year-old levelled the aggregate score at 2-2 in the quarter-final tie when he curved a sublime shot past Ederson 15 minutes into the second leg. 

He is the latest prodigy to come to the fore for the Bundesliga side, rewriting several long-standing records in the process. 

Dortmund's Wunderkind

Bellingham made his 10th appearance in the competition on Wednesday, in itself a feat that had previously only occurred once for a player of his age. 

At 17 years and 289 days the former Birmingham City player joined Youri Tielemans as the two footballers to have reached double figures in the competition prior to their 18th birthday. 

Even better was to come for the new England international, though, as he broke his scoring duck in the Champions League in stunning fashion. 

Only Bojan Krkic, who scored for Barcelona aged 17 years and 217 days against Schalke in 2008, has scored in a Champions League knock-out game at a younger age. 

Bellingham also became the youngest English player ever to score in the tournament, displacing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; while he is additionally the youngest footballer to net for a German club in the competition. 

The bigger picture 

The teenager moved to Dortmund from Birmingham last summer in an undisclosed deal that was reportedly worth an initial £25 million, making him the most expensive 17-year-old in football history. 

And despite his age, he has wasted no time in showing the Bundesliga giants he was worth that hefty investment. 

Bellingham has made just shy of 40 appearances for BVB in all competitions during his debut season, scoring three goals including Wednesday's effort while playing primarily in the centre of midfield. 

His performances have also caught the eye of England, for whom he made his senior debut during the November international window against the Republic of Ireland.

Further reading 

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena has claimed that Orlando Pirates will be fresher than his side when the two Gauteng giants collide on Thursday. 

Masandawana will play host to the Buccaneers in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final match at Loftus Versfeld Stadium and the winner will face Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) in the semi-finals on Sunday.

Mokwena was responding to Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer, who recently stated that Sundowns were the favourites heading into the eagerly anticipated match. 

“If you look at these two teams‚ it is clear which one goes into Thursday’s match fresher than the other‚” Mokwena said on Sowetan.

“They have played five games in 30 days and we have played five games in 20 days‚ that already alludes to what we have.

"If you look at just over a week or so‚ Pirates will be playing their second match and we will be playing our third match.

The Buccaneers have played against Algerian side ES Setif‚ Nigerian giants Enyimba‚ Kaizer Chiefs and Libyan club Ahli Benghazi (twice) since March 10.

On the other hand, Masandawana have played eight matches in the same period, against Polokwane City‚ Stellenbosch‚ DR Congolese giants Tout Puissant Mazembe‚ Black Leopards‚ Sudanese side Al-Hilal Omdurman‚ TTM‚ Algerian outfit CR Belouizdad and Chippa United.

“If there is any form of advantage‚ I would think Pirates have a huge advantage even in relation to the previous fixture they played on Sunday," Mokwena continued. 

"On Monday they had what we call an invisible training session‚ which is about regeneration‚ massages and all those things to freshen up the squad up."

Pirates' most recent game was against Al Ahli at their home ground, Orlando Stadium on Sunday, while Sundowns faced Chippa United in Gqeberha on Monday. 

“When they were recovering‚ we were playing against Chippa United and 48 hours after they recovered we were travelling from Gqeberha to Johannesburg," he added.

"If you go into this fixture on Thursday with the advantage‚ it is very difficult to be the underdog. It could be physical‚ tactical or technical perspective‚ but it is what it is and it will have a huge influence on the performance of both teams.”

Both Sundowns and Pirates are currently juggling their Caf club commitments with local football as Masandawana are participating in the Champions League, while Bucs are competing in the Confederation Cup.

However, Mokwena, who was part of the Pirates technical team between 2017 and 2019, insisted that they are not complaining about their hectic fixture list. 

“We are not complaining and we understand that pressure is a privilege. We understand that we are here at Mamelodi Sundowns and here we don’t just compete but we have to dominate," he said.

"When the players were offered contracts by the club‚ they knew the responsibilities‚ the schedule and that it is not always easy.

“You can see how difficult it is to players like Rushine [De Reuck] who was used to playing maybe one match a week but now has to transition and be consistent every two days to help the team.

“It goes to Peter Shalulile‚ but we give time to these players to transform and to settle a little bit and the best way to settle is by performances.

"We are called and yet we are chosen and the chosen ones have to carry the pressure of being chosen. Being at Mamelodi Sundowns comes with pressure and heavy is the head that carries the crown.”

Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang Badu believes new-kid-on-the-block Mohammed Kudus could write his name in the nation's history books as being among the greatest players of all time.

Ajax midfielder Kudus has enjoyed a fine start to his international career, having so far netted twice and registered two assists in four games for the Black Stars.

In Ghana's matches in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers last month, he scored in a 1-1 away draw with South Africa and set up two goals in a 3-1 home triumph over Sao Tome and Principe.

“I will pick Kudus [among the most promising talent] because he is a very wonderful chap," former Udinese man Badu, who represented Ghana at the 2014 World Cup, told Citi TV.

“I have watched his games at Ajax and he is a very intelligent player and he is very confident on the ball.

“Unfortunately injuries are threatening to slow him down.

“Kudus can be one of the greatest players from Ghana, like Abedi Pele if he can stay free of injuries."

Kudus made his Ghana debut against South Africa in 2019, scoring to help the Black Stars to a 2-0 home win in the Afcon qualifiers, only a few minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Days later, he made another substitute appearance as Ghana handed Sao Tome a 1-0 home defeat.

This it was little surprise that he joined Ajax from Danish side Nordsjaelland last year.

"Kudus Mohammed has fully developed well and I believe that Ajax is the gateway," Nordsjaelland youth coach Mas-Ud Didi Draman said last year.

"He chose the right option to join Ajax despite the several offers from top European clubs. Ajax will refine him and that they will also prepare him for the top European football.

"Ajax is one of the best clubs in Europe that play good football and also develop young players.

“He will turn up to be a world-class player because of the transition we have given him here at Nordsjaelland."

The 20-year-old is expected to return to international action in June when Ghana take on Ethiopia and South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Abedi, who won the Uefa Champions League in 1993, is regarded as arguably Ghana's all-time best player, having also helped the Black Stars claim the Africa Cup of Nations title and personally won the African Footballer of the Year Award on three occasions.