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Thomas Muller has called into question Bayern Munich's attack as he set out to explain why the squad fell 3-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

The renowned playmaker said that while PSG's front line was essentially unstoppable, he expected the Bavarians to do better in a back-and-forth affair and show clinical finishing, despite the absences of Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry.

Hansi Flick's side fell behind 2-0 before Muller and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting equalised. Kylian Mbappe's 68th-minute strike broke the deadlock, however, and gave PSG the advantage heading into the second leg.

What has Muller said?

"We need to score significantly more goals," Muller told Sky Sports. "Of course, you can always discuss conceding goals, but I think if it ends 6-3 for us, then nobody can complain.

"That's the way it is now, we've laid the egg in our own nest. And now we have to chase the deficit, that's for sure."

Muller went on to emphasise that defensive mistakes were not the biggest problem for Bayern.

"We didn't really allow that much," he said. "If we showed the killer instinct that often distinguishes us, we would have seen a completely different game.

"It's also clear that you can never completely shut down Paris' offensive. ... We have an attacking approach, that's why we score a lot of goals, that's why we win a lot of games and today we missed a lot of big chances."

Flick takes positives from defeat

"With the scoring chances we had, it could have been a different result," Flick said to Sky. "But we are satisfied with the way we played. The way we played football was top. This team never gives up. My compliments.

"We will try everything to get to the semi-finals."

Further reading

Thomas Tuchel says he knew his Chelsea team would react after their embarrassing setback against West Brom, following their Champions League win over Porto.

Chelsea were humbled in a 5-2 loss to the Premier League relegation strugglers, who thrashed the 10-man Blues after they were left shorthanded by a Thiago Silva red card.

However, Chelsea bounced back with a 2-0 win over Porto on Wednesday, taking a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals.

What did Tuchel have to say?

"It was a tough match against a strong Porto side," he told BT Sport. "There were many moments where we suffered. We accepted it. The circumstances are a bit different in a quarter-final. The spirit was good and it was an excellent result.

"I was pretty sure about that [they'd react well after the WBA defeat]. I saw a response immediately in the dressing room and the next day. That wasn't a big concern. We were ready to respond. There will always be setbacks in sports. The biggest challenge is to bounce back.

"We had a lot of excellent results together, then we had a loss together and then a reaction after a loss together. That brings us closer together and increases the trust."

Mount 'took responsibility'

Mason Mount scored the first of Chelsea's two goals, giving the Blues a lead in the first half, while Ben Chilwell added the Blues' second before the final whistle.

With their goals, Mount and Chilwell were able to match Chelsea legends Frank Lampard and John Terry and, after the match, Tuchel was full of praise for his two scorers.

"I'm very happy that he [Mount] scores," Tuchel said. "A very important goal that opened up the game. It calmed the nerves. Not an easy shot but very precise. Very happy for Mason. He took responsbility.

"[Chilwell's goal was] excellent. He kept composure and went round the keeper. It was super important to get the second away goal. Chilly forced the mistake and kept his cool in the box. We're very happy to go away with this result but it's only half-time."

Further reading

Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell have matched Frank Lampard and John Terry in one aspect, after the Chelsea duo fired the Blues one step closer to the Champions League semi-finals.

Chelsea took down Porto 2-0 in Seville on Wednesday, with both strikes counting as away goals despite the tie being played at a neutral site.

Chelsea are just one game away from a Champions League semi-final, with the pair of England stars leading the way in Wednesday's triumph.

Matching Lampard and Terry

Mount's goal came in the 32nd minute, giving Chelsea the lead and a vital away goal in the first half while making the midfielder the club's youngest ever goalscorer in a UEFA Champions League knockout match at 22 years and 87 days.

With the goal, Mount has scored more goals in all competitions for Thomas Tuchel than any other Chelsea player, with five.

Chilwell's goal came in the second half, ensuring that Chelsea won consecutive away knockout games in the Champions League for the first time since April 2004, under Claudio Ranieri

With the goals, the duo became the first pair of English players to score for Chelsea in a Champions League game since the aforementioned Lampard and Terry did so against Napoli in March 2012

Chelsea, of course, went on to win the Champions League final that season, defeating Bayern Munich in the final.

What did Mount say?

"We knew it would be a tough game. We kept going, we got the goal in the first half and the second secured a good win," he told BT Sport . "It's only half the tie, there's a second leg to go.

"It's about time [my first Champions League goal] came. I've been waiting patiently. It was a good time for it to come. A good pass by Jorginho, I had space and I hit it.

"I'm always working on it. I don't think you can work on it enough. I think I can improve on it and score more goals.

"He [Ben Chilwell] showed great composure. I thought he'd shoot in front of goal but he took it past the keeper. He'll be buzzing with that.

"After the West Brom game, we put it behind us. We looked briefly at it the next day and moved on. We came into this game with full focus, 100% commitment that we'd win.

"The job's not done. They'll fight for the next leg and we'll have to give it our all. We'll be ready."

Further reading

Robert Lewandowski has confirmed he will miss the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain next week as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

The Bayern Munich striker sustained the blow during the international break with Poland, and he will not be returning to the pitch until he feels "really good and safe".

Lewandowski's absence creates a massive challenge for the Bavarians' attack as they try to fight back from a 3-2 deficit without his prolific goalscoring abilities.

What has been said?

"No, [next week] is still too early," Lewandowski told Sky Sports. "I'll do everything I can to get back on the pitch, but only when I feel really good and safe. It's not a good feeling to sit at home."

What happened in the first leg?

PSG took advantage of a Bayern defence that has been creaky all season, as Kylian Mbappe netted twice and Marquinhos added another.

The Parisians now take three away goals into next Tuesday's clash.

Who will start in place of Lewandowski?

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting got the nod in the first leg, scoring once with his head and hitting the woodwork on another occasion.

Serge Gnabry's absence has further depleted Bayern's attack, making Choupo-Moting likely to retain his place in the line-up next week alongside Thomas Muller, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane.

Further reading

Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara has given new perspective on his Europa League confrontation with Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela last month, when he said Kudela called him a "f*cking monkey".

Manager Steven Gerrard supported his player immediately after the March 18 knockout match, while the club filed a complaint to UEFA that remains under review. However, Kamara hadn't discussed the moment until his sit-down with ITV on Wednesday. Kudela, meanwhile, has denied using racist language.

If he could go back, Kamara said, would have walked off the pitch. As it stands, he wants to help ensure football builds systems to prevent discrimination in the future.

What has Kamara said?

“[Kudela] came over and said ‘you’re a monkey, you’re a f*cking monkey and you know you are,’" Kamara told ITV. “From there I reacted and said he’s racist, he’s racist.

“From there I had a lot of emotions going through my mind; angry, upset, I felt humiliated. All my family, friends, fans, whoever is watching, I felt like a little boy.

“I didn’t know how to feel to be honest, I was at a point where I was so angry I had tears in my eyes. I haven’t felt like that in God knows how long. It was a really weird feeling.

“For that to happen, from a so-called fellow professional, it’s crazy. It’s something you don’t expect in the game.

“Words can’t explain how I felt. Hopefully, I never have to feel that again. It was crazy really.”

Kamara said he appreciated Gerrard and the rest of the club backing him. His team-mates came to his support on the pitch in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

But the midfielder wishes he had walked off when the alleged racism occured.

“If I could go back to the game to the time of the game, I would have walked off the pitch, 100 per cent," Kamara said. "The manager was trying to get me off the pitch but it was like I was on my own and I couldn’t hear anybody.

"I was just going through different emotions and I wasn’t listening.

“This type of thing shouldn’t be in the game. I don’t know if in our lifetime we’ll see it change. If I can make a change in some way, I’ll do it.”

What did Gerrard say after the match?

Gerrard brought up the moment in his post-match press conference, expressing disgust at what he believed had happened.

"I feel angry," Gerrard told reporters. "It’s difficult to describe how I feel now because I know Glen and I trust him 100 per cent. It’s extremely disappointing.

"Glen Kamara to me is one of my own. I 100 per cent believe what he is saying in terms of the accusation.

"Other players around him heard it so I will stand toe to toe with Glen Kamara and I’ll deal with this however Glen wants to deal with it. I am proud of all my players showing solidarity and from the top of this club to the bottom we stand with the players."

How did Slavia Prague respond?

The Czech club have denied the accusations of racism and said Kamara assaulted Kudela following the match, an allegation local police are currently investigating.

How did UEFA respond?

In a statement, UEFA wrote: "The CEDB [ethics and disciplinary body] today decided to provisionally suspend Mr Ondrej Kudela for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible.

"Further information about this case will be made available once the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has taken a decision in due course."

Further reading

The Spanish Federation of Football (RFEF) has announced that it will be "impossible" to comply with the protocols put in place that would allow fans to be in stadiums in Bilbao for the Euros this summer.

Bilbao's San Mames is one of 12 stadiums set to host matches this summer when the Euros kick-off after being rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The RFEF stated on Wednesday that they believe they will be unable to host fans despite UEFA's requirement that supporters must be allowed in all host stadiums.

What was said?

"It is false that the RFEF has agreed with the Basque government on these sanitary conditions, which are impossible to comply with," the statement said.

"Yesterday the set of requirements that the Basque government imposed for the presence of the public in the Euros was received and, from the first moment, they were made to see the impossibility of acceptance by the RFEF.
 
"The requirement to have 60 per cent of the population vaccinated in the Basque Country and the rest of Spain before June 14 is impossible to fulfill and will end, therefore, in the absence of the public.
 
"Therefore, the decision that UEFA takes once this document has been analysed will not be the responsibility of the RFEF, since we have given notice of it and we have stated this.
 
"The RFEF, based on the principle of equality and in defence of the Bilbao venue, will support this initiative of the Basque government, if these same conditions are also accepted in any of the other cities hosting the Euros, a matter that today we see as unlikely."

Which other cities are hosting Euro 2020?

Bilbao was selected to serve as Spain's host city, and there are 11 other countries set to hold matches this summer.

England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Russia, Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Ireland and Denmark will also host games with each country holding three group stage matches and at least one match in the round of 16 or quarter-finals.

Quarter-finals will be held in Munich, Baku, Saint Petersburg and Rome, while London's Wembley Stadium will play host to the semi-finals and finals.

As things stand, Bilbao are currently set to host Group E, featuring Spain, Sweden, Poland and Slovakia, alongside Dublin, while also serving as a host for a round of 16 match.

Further reading

Zenatha Coleman scored twice for Namibia as they defeated Angola 4-0 in an international friendly at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Wednesday.

The Brave Gladiators were regrouping for the first time since the Caf Olympic qualifiers elimination by Botswana in April 2019. They failed to appear at the 2020 Cosafa Women's Cup.

In a buildup to the 2022 Africa Women's Cup of Nations qualifier, the Namibia Football Association started preparations, arranging this month's double-header friendly against Angola in Windhoek.

Thomalina Adams converted from the spot in the 11th minute to get the hosts off to a flying start against the Central Africans.

The visitors held on to their nerves until the Sevilla striker found a breakthrough on a one-on-one to double the Gladiators' lead eight minutes from the half-time break.

After the restart, the captain continued where she left off as she grabbed her brace and the hosts third off a cross from the right, into the area seven minutes into the second half.  

Eight minutes later, Millicent Hikuam netted a fourth of the encounter to wrap up the massive win for the hosts over the visitors.

Following her contributions, Coleman was named the Women's Player of the Match, having netted in either half of the match.

Meanwhile, both teams are expected to face off again in the second leg on Saturday, April 10 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.

And the Sevilla star will be eager to add to her goal tally as Robert Nauseb's side eyes a double over their Angolan counterparts. 

PSG forward Neymar has been handed a two-match ban for his red card and subsequent altercation with Lille's Tiago Djalo on Saturday.

The Brazilian was shown a second yellow for shoving Djalo near the end of the match, before the duo had to be seperated in the tunnel at the Parc des Princes following Lille's 1-0 win.

The typical punishment for two yellow cards in the same game is a one-match suspension, but Ligue 1 decided Neymar's antics warranted a further game being tacked on.

What was said?

"Meeting on April 7, 2021, the Disciplinary Commission of the LFP took the following decisions: three suspension matches including a suspended match for Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain)," a statement read.

Djalo was also hit with a one-match ban.

What happened in the altercation?

With PSG trailing heading into the final couple of minutes, Neymar and Djalo tussled for the ball near the touchline before the latter was bundled over.

In his haste to get the ball, Neymar shoved Djalo to the floor and was shown a second yellow card by referee Benoit Bastien while the Lille man was also dismissed for a foul-mouthed rant.

The pair's altercation continued after the final whistle, as they had to be seperated in the tunnel.

Lille's 1-0 win was a huge statement in the title race, as they moved three points clear at the Ligue 1 table ahead of PSG, with Monaco and Lyon still in the hunt at four and five points back, respectively.

Which games will Neymar miss?

The Brazil star will miss PSG's trip to Strasbourg on Saturday, as well as the home match against Saint-Etienne on April 18. PSG will have just five Ligue 1 matches remaining when Neymar is able to return in an April 24 match against Metz.

Further reading

Besiktas secured a 3-0 victory over Alanyaspor in Wednesday’s Super Lig encounter with Rachid Ghezzal and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou registering their names on the scorers’ list.

Following Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Kasimpasa which halted their nine-game unbeaten run, the bruised Black Eagles came into the game with the ambition of returning to winning ways.

For the visitors, they travelled to Istanbul’s Vodafone Park hoping to end their three-game losing streak. Sadly, they were unable to match Sergen Yalcin’s team in the keenly contested affair.

It took Besiktas just 11 minutes to take the lead courtesy of Everton loanee Cenk Tosun with Atiba Hutchinson providing the assist. Hutchinson’s header off Oguzhan Ozyakup’s corner kick slipped towards the Turkish star who simply steered home from close range.

Alanyaspor tried all their best to fight back but they were unable to get past goalkeeper Ersin Destanoglu. Subsequently, they went into the half-time break with a goal deficit.

Nothing changed in the second half as the hosts firmly dominated ball possession. Their dominance turned in another goal in the 58th minute through Algerian star Ghezzal. Profiting from a pass outside the box from captain Hutchinson, the Leicester City loanee curled in a beauty past Portuguese goalkeeper Marafone.

That was the 28-year-old’s second league goal for the Istanbul based outfit having moved from the King Power Stadium.

Five minutes to full time, substitute Georges-Kevin Nkoudou sealed the triumph. The 26-year-old Frenchman of Cameroonian background slotted past the opposing goalkeeper after collecting a pass from Hutchison – who completed a hat-trick of assists.

Looking dead and buried, yet, Alanyaspor were not willing to go down without a fight. They pulled one back courtesy of Efkan Bekiroglu. Unfortunately, that effort was cancelled as VAR adjudged the foul to have been committed before the goal was scored.

After an impressive shift, Ghezzal was substituted for Gokhan Tore in the 86th minute while Congo’s Fabrice N’Sakala played from start to finish. For Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar, he was not listed for the encounter.

Thanks to this result, Besiktas remain at the summit of the Super Lig log after amassing 67 points from 31 outings in the 2020-21 campaign.

Cameroon striker Henriette Akaba is not lowering her target of competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games despite falling to Zambia in the final round of the Caf qualifying series in March 2020.

The Indomitable Lionesses are currently in Antalya, Turkey where they are aiming to seal a quest to return to the Olympics in Tokyo for the first time since London 2012, having missed Rio 2016.

To reach this stage, they brushed aside Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cote d’Ivoire before losing to Zambia but must overcome Chile in a two-legged play-off encounter this month.

After losing to the Copper Queens last year, the Soyaux striker, who made the 25-player squad to Turkey, believes they can see off the 2018 Copa America runners up to qualify. 

"It was unfortunate that we lost to Zambia, but we still have two matches to play against Chile," Akaba told CAFOnline.com.

"I believe we still have a good chance if everyone gives their best in those two games in Turkey. I think what matters now is for us to go all out to play and win to make it to the Olympics.

"The Olympic Games women’s football tournament is the second biggest competition in the world, and I will be happy to help my country qualify again for the event."

After the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted a home-and-away playoff schedule, the Lionesses will battle Chile in Antalya, with the first leg showdown on April 10, and the second three days later.

Cameroon squad in Turkey 

Goalkeepers: Ongmaham Marthe (AWA FF), Bawou Ange (Louves Minproff), Biyina Michaelly (Eclair Filles De Sa’a), Ayangma Pauline (FC Ebolowa)

Defenders: Kouesse Magoumkoua (AWA FF), Edjangue Siliki (Ebolowa FC), Ndzana Collette (Eclair Filles De Sa’a), Mercy Ngah (Vision Sports FC Bamenda), Njolle Alvine (FC Minsk), Estelle Johnson (Sky Blue USA), Mambo Lame (GD Juan Grande – Spain) Awona Marie (Reims – France), Mayi Kit Esther (Reims – France)

Midfielders: Omboudou Brigitte (Amazone FAP), Endalle Emilienne (Caiman Filles De Douala), Adama Raissa (Louves Minproff), Meyong Menene (Louves Minproff), Feudjio Raissa (Granadilla Tenerife) Ngock Yango (Guingamp – France)

Forwards: Lamine Mana (Amazone FAP), Ngo Mback Batoum (Louves Minproff), Bengono Catherine (Amazone FAP), Djuka Chanelle (Tokyo University), Akaba Michelle (Sochaux – France), Ajara Nchout (Atletico Madrid – Spain), Aboudi Onguene (CSKA Moscow – Russia)

Olanrewaju Kayode and Max-Alain Gradel provided assists while Mustapha Yatabare found the back of the net as Sivasspor secured a 4-2 win over Antalyaspor in Wednesday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

The Braves last tasted defeat in a Cup tie in February against Ersun Yanal’s men and have now extended their unbeaten run to eight games at Antalya Stadyumu.

The African stars played key roles in ensuring the impressive run of form with Nigeria international Kayode, Ivory Coast winger Gradel and Mali forward Yatabare delivering fine performances in front of goal.

Sivasspor hit the ground running from the blast of the whistle when Gradel set up Tyler Boyd to open the scoring with only one minute into the encounter before Fredy levelled proceedings from the penalty spot.

Boyd handed his side the lead in the 36thh minute after benefitting from Ahmet Oguz’s assist to ensure the Braves headed into the half-time break in front.

After the restart, Rıza Calımbay’s men continued from where they stopped when Yatabare put the ball into the net after a fine combination play with Faycal Fajr.

Fredy then further reduced the deficit for Antalyaspor in the 67th minute, completing his brace with an individual effort.

Moments before the end of the game, Kayode, who replaced Yatabare in the 80thh minute then found Erdogan Yesilyurt with a fine pass and the 27-year-old wasted no time to seal the victory for the Braves.

Gradel was on parade for 90 minutes in the encounter before he made way for Ivory Coast international Arouna Kone.

The victory ensured Sivasspor moved to ninth spot on the Turkish Super Lig table after gathering 44 points from 31 games.

While Yatabare has now bagged 11 goals in 34 appearances this season, Kayode has six strikes and two assists while Gradel has 10 goals and provided 11 assists across all competitions.

The African stars will hope to continue their impressive performances when Sivasspor slug it out against Konyaspor in their next league outing on April 11.

Djurgardens have announced the signing of Ghana international Elizabeth Addo, on a six-month deal, with an option of a one-year extension.

The 27-year-old had joined North Carolina Courage on a one-year deal in January, after parting ways with Apollon Limassol but the American outfit has now confirmed the exit of the Black Queens star.

"Elizabeth Addo was granted her request to mutually terminate her contract so she could pursue an overseas opportunity," NC Courage announced on their club website.

Before initially heading to the United States in 2018, the midfielder enjoyed a spell at Swedish outfit Kvarnsvedens, where she starred by scoring seven goals in 29 appearances.

In a deadline transfer signing, Djurgardens sports director Jean Balawo explained the motive behind the acquisition of the Ghanaian star before the season's opener against Orebro on April 7.

"This will be the last piece of the puzzle for us. We knew quite early on that we would need an extra option in midfield," Balawo told the club website. 

"Now we supplement with Elizabeth Addo who will contribute with much leadership, ball skills and drive. 

"A player who is good both backwards and forwards, in some clubs she has been used as a forward but in Djurgarden she will mainly be used in all three central positions in midfield, ie. as a 6, 8 or 10.

"Last time she was in Sweden, she was one of the players who produced the most assists and I hope she can continue with that in Djurgarden as well."

Having completed her signing, the Ghanaian admits she is looking forward to uniting with her new teammates on her return to Sweden for the first time since 2017 after the Kvarnsveden spell.

"It feels very good to be able to come to Djurgarden," she stated. "This is not the first time I come to Sweden because I have played for Kvarnsveden before and it is fun to come back. 

"Sweden is a nice country with nice people so I am happy to come here again and play for Djurgarden. I am ready to work hard and help us reach as high as possible on the table.

"I know that Djurgarden is a good team and when I played in Kvarnsveden, we met and then it was tough resistance.

"Otherwise, I have not had time to read much about the association yet, but I usually learn quickly."

Ahead of teaming up with compatriot Portia Boakye at Djurgardens, she is excited about the prospect and also her potential contributions to the success of her new team.

"Portia is my teammate in the Ghanaian national team and it will be fun to play with her," she continued.

"We have played many international matches together and know each other very well. I can handle many different positions and play where the coach thinks I should be. 

"It can be as a creative force in the offensive, central or on the edge as an outsider, or I drop down on the defensive midfield and help there. Whether it's in a role like 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 does not matter so much, I thrive everywhere on the pitch."

On how soon she will join Pierre Fondin's side, she is hopeful of moving to Sweden from her current base in the USA.

"Considering the covid situation, there may be delays before I can be in place," she ethused. 

"But of course I hope it goes as fast as possible and we aim for me to land next week. I'm really looking forward to getting started, Elizabeth concludes."

Her arrival swells the number of Africans on the books of the Swedish club to three, after compatriot Boakye and South Africa's Linda Molthalo. 

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has explained the recent impressive performances of his teammate Kelechi Iheanacho is not a fluke.

The 24-year-old attacker has been delivering outstanding displays for the King Power Stadium outfit in the current campaign after struggling to make much of an impact for the side in the past which saw him come under severe criticism from fans and denied him a chance to feature at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The forward is arguably enjoying his best season with the Foxes, having scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 29 appearances across all competitions. 

His fine form recently earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award and Ndidi, who played along with the forward at U17 level, is not surprised by his fine showings.  

"Kelechi's talent was never in doubt, but as it is in life people love to criticise others when they are down," Ndidi told BBC Sport Africa.

"He was unfairly criticised and judged by different people. This is someone I have known from our youth days at the under-17s and I know his quality, so it's not a fluke that he is producing his best football again.

"I am very happy for him because he's doing wonderfully well now and everyone can see.

“It's just sad that when he needed encouragement in the past few years many were quick to write him off, but thankfully some of these people have now turned around to praise him. That's life."

Ndidi hopes Iheanacho’s recent form will give him the confidence to continue his impressive performances for both club and country.

“He's a happy guy and Kelechi is only now enjoying a deserving reward for his tireless hard work. When you get a rhythm of games and the support of your coach, teammates and fans, it can only get better," he added. 

"This latest chapter is going to give him the belief and confidence that he is a really important player for his club and country.

"I know and hope that he will continue to deliver for us. I never doubted him and I know he will bring more goals and performances that will continue to elevate him."

Ndidi and Iheanacho will be expected to feature when Leicester City take on West Ham United in their next Premier League game on April 11.

The Foxes are third on the league table with 56 points from 30 games behind leaders Manchester City and Manchester United.

Ghana B coach Ibrahim Tanko has urged A team boss CK Akonnor to give new kid on the block Abdul Fatawu Issahaku more opportunities to show his worth at the highest level.

Shortly after winning the Best Player award at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations tournament in Tanzania last month where the Black Satellites won the cup, the 17-year-old was quickly handed a maiden senior Ghana call-up ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against South Africa and Sao Tome.

The attacker, however, failed to make Akonnor's final squad for the back-to-back games, instead being dropped to Tanko's B team for a friendly fixture away at Uzbekistan where he scored Ghana's only goal in the match.

“Fatawu has the quality and he has to join the Black Stars," Tanko, whose side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Uzbekistan in last month's friendly, told Happy FM.

“We have to nurture him because the talent is huge. I have known him since his days at Shooting Stars before I came to meet him again at the national U17 team and U23 team.

“They played a game at McDan Park [in Accra] and I was discussing with the technical director how well they can play him, and [Ghana U20] coach Karim Zito went to play him very wisely at the tournament.

“All I pray for him is to stay fit because to be great you have to be fit and if he is fit, he will go very far.”

Currently playing club football for second-tier side Steadfast FC in his country, Issahaku's prominence began when he captained Ghana's U17 side to the Wafu Zone B Cup of Nations in Togo.

Back from the tournament, he was promptly promoted to the U20 side for the U20 Afcon in March, where he scored twice to help Ghana win the tournament.

His recent rise has seen him linked to Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, Swiss fold FC Basel, Danish side Nordsjaelland and Italian outfit Udinese.

He could be handed a second senior Ghana call-up for the 2022 World Cup qualifying double-header against Ethiopia and South Africa in June.

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas has said that God guided him towards an exit from Real Madrid in 2019. 

The Costa Rican joined Madrid from Levante in 2014 and had a huge amount of success in the Spanish capital, winning La Liga once and three consecutive Champions Leagues between 2016 and 2018. 

But Navas left Madrid in 2019, moving to Paris one year after the Blancos signed Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea.

What was said?

In an interview with France Football, Navas described the end of his time at Madrid as “a complicated period."

"There are times when you have to make decisions," he said. "I have great appreciation for Real Madrid and all the team-mates who have treated me well. And of course [head coach Zinedine] Zidane, with whom we have won everything.

"We have a common history that will not leave our memory. But there are things that we do not control.

"I trusted in God, who guided me towards an exit from Real Madrid."

How has Navas fared with PSG?

The 34-year-old helped PSG to a Ligue 1 title last year in his first season at the club and also led them to the Champions League final, where they fell to Bayern Munich.

PSG are currently in a tight race for the Ligue 1 title and are gearing up for a Champions League rematch against Bayern – this time in the quarter-finals. 

Navas, who has a contract with PSG through 2023, is hoping to stay at the club for many years.

"It's clear I'm very happy here and I'll stay as long as the club wants," he said. "Of course, if they don't want me any more, I'll have to leave [laughs].

"But I'm very happy here, flourishing and I'm enjoying 100 per cent being in Paris. I want to play for a long time more at PSG, because I feel good physically and mentally."

Further reading

Ghana have moved back into the top 50 football nations in the world, taking up the 49th position, according to the latest edition of the Fifa World Rankings announced on Wednesday.

Occupying the 52nd spot on the last release in February, April’s table sees the Black Stars jump up by three places, taking spots between Northern Ireland (48) and Costa Rica (50). A small rise in total accumulated points was recorded, having moved from 1424 to 1425.

Despite the improvement, the West Africans’ current position is three less than they held in April last year.

On the continental level, Ghana have moved one place up to seventh on the log, ahead of Cameroon (55), Mali (57) and Cote d’Ivoire (59).

Senegal (22) who have dropped down by two places on the world table, still hold the first position in Africa, ahead of Tunisia (26), Nigeria (32), Algeria (33), Morocco (34) and Egypt (36).

Among all the nations in the word, Guinea Bissau are the biggest movers on the table, having jumped up by 11 places to the 108th position. Conversely, Mozambique, another African side, dropped by the most places on the ranking, falling by 11 spots to the 117th position.

Ghana’s upward movement on the ranking is largely down to a 1-1 away draw with South Africa in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and a 3-1 home victory over Sao Tome and Principe in the series three days later.

The results adequately secured the Black Stars a place in the next Afcon tournament to be hosted by Cameroon in January next year, their 23rd qualification for the continental showpiece.

Back on the word table, there was no change among the top six as Belgium, France, Brazil, England, Portugal and Spain keep their positions from February. Italy have moved up to take over the seventh position, sitting just ahead of Argentina, Uruguay and Denmark in that order.

Ghana next return to action in June when they take on Ethiopia and South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

The next edition of the rankings will be announced on 27th May.

Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles are now rated as the 32nd best football playing nation in the world.

The 2013 African champions climbed four places in April’s rankings released by the Federation of International Football Association on Thursday.

In the month under review, Nigeria garnered 1487 points to become the third-best team on the continent after overtaking Algeria and Morocco.

This leap is not far fetched from the country’s impressive results during last month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Lesotho.

Paul Onuachu’s last-gasp header helped Rohr’s team silence the Squirrels at the Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto-Novo. Three days later, they defeated Thabo Senong’s Crocodiles at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Despite dropping two places, Senegal are ranked first in Africa and 22nd in the world with 1542 points, while Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles – who are unmoved - remained 26th globally and second in Africa after accruing 1512 points.

Guinea Bissau are the biggest mover in April – moving a massive eleven places to the 108th position in the world, while Nambia are ranked 111th with a 10-place move.

For Africa Cup of Nations debutants Comoros, losing 4-0 to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt on the last day of their Afcon qualification drop a place in the ratings – to be ranked no. 36 in Africa and 131st worldwide.

The order of the top six has not changed, with Belgium leading the pack while France, Brazil, England, Portugal and Spain follow in that order.

European side Armenia (90, +9) are the most improved side in terms of points thanks to a gain of 40.28 points, while African side Malawi (115, +8), Cape Verde (73, +7), and Ethiopia (140, +6), also made significant progress.

The next Fifa/Coca-Cola world ranking will be published on 27 May 2021.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt has demanded forwards Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro to be fully geared up for Saturday's decisive Caf Champions League Group C match against Horoya AC in Conakry.

It is a must-win encounter for Amakhosi who are third in their group with eight points, the same as second-placed Horoya.

Now with Billiat and Castro returning from injury spells and being unused substitutes during the 1-0 win over Wydad Casablanca last weekend, they came on in the second half against Stellenbosch on Tuesday and Hunt wants them fully prepared for Saturday's battle.

“It is good to have Castro and Billiat back. We played last week and then the derby [against Orlando Pirates] where we couldn’t make any changes," said Hunt as per Sowetan Live.

"But now we have something and at least we can make changes in that position. They [Billiat and Castro] had 20 odd minutes on the field [against Stellenbosch]‚ so they have to be ready for Saturday.”

Before Tuesday's 24 minute-run, Billiat had last played on January 9 before he broke his leg and Hunt would be hoping the Zimbabwean will not show signs of rustiness in the crucial match against Horoya.

Castro on the other hand had missed Chiefs' five games before tasting some action against Stellenbosch, a match he returned to make an immediate impact as he grabbed Amakhosi's first goal in the 2-2 draw.

“The character was good and we tried to take it to three goals‚ but we should be better. I don’t think there was any danger until they [Stellenbosch] scored‚" Hunt said.

"I thought we had two great penalty shouts which we didn’t get. In the first half it was Lebogang Manyama and in the second half it was Willard Katsande‚ and then they scored from two bad errors. It is one of those things.

“They are very different with their structure and there is no team in the league that plays with that structure. They play to the strengths of what they have‚ what they have signed and they want an open game. They want the game to be open‚ which I knew was always going to be a problem with their pace and how they play.”