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Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘phenomenal, extraordinary and inspiring’ according to African football great Sunday Oliseh.

The Portugal international marked his Red Devils return with a double as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men breezed past Newcastle United 4-1 on Saturday evening.

Ronaldo, 36, put the Manchester-based outfit ahead in the closing stages of the first half before completing his brace two minutes after the hour mark having been sent racing through on goal by Luke Shaw.

Marveled by the former Real Madrid and Juventus star’s performance, the former Super Eagles captain and handler was effusive in his praise for the Portugal international on social media after his first start for the club.

“Unbelievable Comeback! World-class 36 years and seven months old, never been done! Phenomenal, extraordinary, inspiring… I joined the world to watch Cristiano Ronaldo, “Wow” us all with two record-setting goals. Bravo CR7,” Oliseh wrote on Twitter.

Following his dream start against Steve Bruce’s Magpies, Ronaldo took to social media to revel in his impressive performance.

"My return to Old Trafford was just a brief reminder of why this stadium is known as the Theatre of Dreams," he wrote on Instagram.

"For me, it has always been a magical place where you can achieve everything you set your mind to.

"Along with all my teammates and with the amazing support that we always get from the stands, we face the road ahead with confidence and optimism that we’ll all be celebrating together in the end.

"Proud to be back at Manchester United and playing in the Premier League once again, but above all, happy to help the team! Let’s go, Devils!"

He added to BBC Sport: “It is unbelievable. When I started the game I was so nervous, I swear. It is normally because I did not expect that they would sing my name all game. I was very nervous but maybe I didn’t show but I was. The reception is incredible but I am here to win games and help the team.

“It was an unbelievable moment. I was super nervous and was thinking last night that I wanted to play good and show I was still capable of helping the team. This club is unbelievable and I am so proud. I am going to give everything to make them proud of me.

“Everyone knows the football in England is different than in any part of the world and to be honest it is the most special one. I arrived here at 18 and they treated me unbelievable and that is why I am back."

Ronaldo would be hoping to continue his fine form for Solskjaer’s side when they tackle West Ham United in their next fixture on September 19. Before then, they take on Young Boys in the Champions League.

Arsenal fans were excited as they welcomed Thomas Partey back for their 1-0 home win over Norwich City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Out of the side owing to injury picked during pre-season, the Ghanaian marked his return with a second half appearance in the matchday four fixture at Emirates Stadium.

He did not take long to announce his presence as he was in the thick of affairs in the lead-up to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s solitary goal four minutes after his introduction into the game.

It was a narrow but big win for The Gunners considering they had failed to secure a victory in the Premier League this season until Saturday.

Thousands of Arsenal fans have taken to social media to revel about the Ghanaian’s return and what it possibly means for their league campaign.

Below are some of the best reactions:

Maritzburg United ended their winless run by picking up their first set of three points in the Premier Soccer League this season following a 1-0 victory against Baroka FC away at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

After registering defeats in their first two games of the term, the Team of Choice rose and dusted themselves to edge the home side via Richard Zumah’s early strike. 

It was a dramatic encounter that saw both sides ending the match with 10 men each following red cards to Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Baroka attacker Thamsanqa Masiya who had come on as a second half substitute in the last 21 minutes.

While Maritzburg were celebrating ending a difficult run of form, the hosts were enduring a second straight defeat as they were also edged 2-1 by Kaizer Chiefs in their previous match. 

They are now keen to recover from the setback when they host Sekhukhune United next Saturday as Maritzburg will be having a free weekend before hosting Marumo Gallants on September 22. 

Elsewhere at Emirates Airline Park, Sekhukhune United and Stellenbosch canceled each other 1-1.

Argentine attacker Junior Mendieta opened the scoreline eight minutes into the match for Stellenbosch, before Chibuike Ohizu struck back for the hosts on 69 minutes.

Stellenbosch will return to Eastern Cape satisfied with the result as they remain unbeaten in this campaign with a win and two draws, both from their visits to Gauteng.

It was another unbeaten match for Sekhukhune who went into this game inspired from beating Maritzburg United 2-0 in their last match after having lost 1-0 to Chippa United in their season opener.

Sekhukhune will visit Baroka next weekend while Stellenbosch will be at home against Cape Town City in an Eastern Cape derby next Saturday.

Earlier on in the day, TS Galaxy came from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw against Golden Arrows at Mbombela Stadium.

Sinethemba Mngomezulu struck late to level up for Galaxy after Michael Gumede and Velemseni Ndwandwe were on target for Arrows, while Mxolisi Macuphu grabbed the hosts’ other goal.

TS Galaxy remain winless, having so far recorded two draws and a defeat in three league games.

Next up for the Mpumalanga side is a trip to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns in what could prove to be a tricky fixture for them given their difficult start to the season. 

For Arrows, it was a second match running without winning, after they won their league opener against Maritzburg United.  

They are now hoping to pick themselves up when they host AmaZulu on September 22.

Thomas Tuchel said Saul Niguez made "big mistakes" in his Chelsea debut on Saturday against Aston Villa, but the manager took responsibility for the circumstances.

He picked his line-up thinking the midfielder would be able to adapt right away to the pace of play before replacing the Spain international at half-time of a 3-0 win.

Saul, on loan from Atletico Madrid, did not train in pre-season with the Blues as he arrived just before the transfer deadline.

What has been said?

"I had the feeling that he struggled," Tuchel told Sky Sports. "There were some big mistakes, passing mistakes, and he struggled with the intensity. You could see he isn’t fully adapted.

"It's completely my responsibility. I had the feeling he could jump in for us and play at that level. I [then] thought it was maybe better to change him, but it doesn’t change anything [about how I see him]."

The head coach later added: "It's very hard. You can either do it or not do it. I told him before it was my responsibility if it does not work out for the matter of your life. He struggled a bit, created some half-chances for Aston Villa."

Saul's promise to Chelsea

After joining Chelsea two weeks ago, Saul vowed to improve upon his play in La Liga, where his form had dropped in recent seasons.

"I want to go back to being the Saul that I want to see," he told Ibai Llanos on the streaming platform Twitch. "I don't want to see the Saul that you've seen these last two years. I was very frustrated not being able to show people what I am capable of."

Bigger picture

Saul has come to Stamford Bridge as a star with big-game experience who nonetheless faces questions about his ability to return to highest levels.

The 26-year-old was dispossessed three times in just 45 minutes as he struggled on the ball as a central midfielder. He was determined to play for Chelsea in part because of the chance to play that position rather than out wide, but his introduction was difficult.

Still, Saul will likely continue to get ample opportunities to prove himself in the middle of the park as Tuchel looks to rotate his squad through a congested schedule.

Further reading

David Okereke opened his Serie A account in Venezia’s 2-1 away victory over Empoli on Saturday evening.

The former Nigeria U23 star – who joined the Winged Lions on loan from Club Brugge – made his bow in the 3-0 loss to Udinese.

Against Gli Azzurri inside Stadio Carlo Castellani, Okereke found the sumptuous moment to inspire the newly-promoted side to their first win of the 2021-22 campaign.

Lifted by their shock 1-0 triumph over Juventus last time out, Empoli welcomed Paolo Zanetti’s side to Tuscany. However, their wastefulness cost them maximum points before their home fans.

Thirteen minutes into the game, the visitors took the lead as Thomas Henry latched onto an inch-perfect cross from Mattia Aramu to slot past goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

They could have doubled their advantage before the halftime break, but Dennis Johnsen failed to find the net despite coming one on one with Vicario.  

Empoli commenced the second half like a house on fire, yet their profligacy denied them from restoring parity.

In a bid to get more goals, manager Zanetti threw Okereke into the fray for Antonio Junior Vacca in the 67th minute. A minute later, he justified his inclusion by tucking the ball into the bottom corner after finding his way inside the hosts’ backline.

Not willing to go down without a fight, the Blues pulled a goal back in the 89th minute courtesy of Nedim Bajrami from the penalty mark.

Elsewhere, Cameroon international Andre-Frank Anguissa marked his Napoli debut with a 2-1 comeback victory over Juventus.

In the keenly contested encounter, visiting Old Lady took the lead through Alvaro Morata in the tenth minute after profiting from a slip from Kostas Manolas.

Despite an improved performance, the Parthenopeans were unable to equalise as their attacking forays were met by a strong Juventus backline.

Seventeen minutes into the second half, Napoli leveled matters through Matteo Politano who poked home a rebound from goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny’s save off Lorenzo Insigne’s brilliant curling effort.

With five minutes left on the clock, Kalidou Koulibaly had the final say with the winner.

While Anguissa was in action from start to finish, Nigeria international Victor Osimhen was subbed off for Andrea Petagna in the 90th minute.

Jesse Lingard has urged every aspiring footballer to "dream big" when sharing a then and now image of him with Manchester United hero Cristiano Ronaldo.

The England international lined up alongside a five-time Ballon d'Or winner in a Premier League meeting with Newcastle as a Portuguese superstar made his return to Old Trafford.

That outing came 12 years after Ronaldo's last for United and some 18 after his path first crossed with a starry-eyed youngster in the Red Devils' academy system.

What has Lingard said?

The 28-year-old, who joined United's youth ranks at the age of seven, has posted an inspirational message on social media after turning out in the same senior side as Ronaldo.

"Dream big kids," he beamed on Twitter, having contributed United's fourth goal in a comfortable 4-1 victory.

How long has Lingard been at Man Utd?

A promising youngster linked up with the Red Devils in 2000, with Ronaldo moving to Manchester as a talented teenager three years later.

It was during that initial stint with the Red Devils that the Portuguese first met Lingard.

It would be 2014 before a promising playmaker made his senior bow for United, with Ronaldo having moved on to Real Madrid by then.

Lingard took in a number of loan spells before making a breakthrough at his parent club, with another taken in last season at West Ham.

He has been absorbed back into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's plans in 2021-22, allowing him to turn out alongside Ronaldo.

What happened against Newcastle?

Lingard stepped off the bench in a meeting with the Magpies and saw 24 minutes of game time.

That was enough for him to get his name on the scoresheet, with a well-taken finish in stoppage-time putting the finishing touches to a 4-1 win.

Ronaldo had already netted twice by then, with the 36-year-old enjoying a dream second debut for United.

His presence is expected to carry United close to major honours this season, with Lingard and Co providing the depth in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad that the Red Devils are going to need in order to compete on multiple fronts.

Further reading

Orlando Pirates interim co-coach Fadlu Davids says they are still “in the process of trying to fix the team” and is refusing to get overexcited after Saturday’s 2-1 Premier Soccer League win over Swallows FC.

Striker Tshegofatso Mabasa rose from the bench to beat Swallows with a powerful header to hand Pirates their first win of the season. 

The result was a hit back at Swallows who eliminated them from the MTN8 and also came on the backdrop of two league draws.

“I have said it before, we are in the process of trying to fix the team. Most important is the performance,” Davids told the media.

“If we can continue to perform this way, with more fluidity in our attack and more shots at goal, with more dominance in terms of from start to finish, if we are able to do that over a certain period of time, that’s the type of football and dominance we want to have. 

“That is what we are zooming on and looking at the bigger picture of where we want to go. Of course, the result gives you that extra boost and that momentum going into the next game. So we are taking it but not getting too carried away by the win.

“We didn’t get too upset or too concerned that we didn’t win the first two games, knowing that we are looking at the bigger picture. Knowing that we are looking at the process. So we have to keep our feet on the ground and still look and see where we can improve in the next games.”

In analysing how they won, Davids saluted Pirates players for executing their game plan. 

The Soweto giants were heavily criticised in their last three games across all competitions for their lacklustre performance but they appeared a changed side on Saturday. 

“I’m really pleased about the match as a whole, we executed our game plan well,” said Davids.

“We knew Swallows are really well structured in terms of how they attack and defend. But credit to our players to be able to execute what we wanted in defence, high pressing and in attack as well, finding the spaces. Unfortunately, we didn’t get more goals but overall I’m really pleased.”

Pirates will now prepare for their visit to Chippa United next weekend as they seek to make it two wins in a row.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he would only have taken Cristiano Ronaldo off on his second debut for Manchester United if the Portuguese superstar had asked to be withdrawn.

There was little chance of that happening as the five-time Ballon d'Or enjoyed an emotional return to Old Trafford against Newcastle.

Despite now being 36 years of age, it was like he had never been away in familiar surroundings, with a two-goal showing seeing him lauded as a hero before, during and after.

What has been said?

United did make changes in the second-half against Newcastle, but Ronaldo saw out the 90 minutes and Solskjaer told reporters afterwards of his decision to leave a star striker on: "He said his name is Cristiano, that's as much as I can say. 

"I didn't want to take him off unless he wanted to. He needs mins, he's lost a few games for Juventus and Portugal, he needed to get 90 minutes into him."

How has Ronaldo settled?

A confident character is fully aware of the expectation that exists at Old Trafford having previously enjoyed Premier League and Champions League triumphs with United.

He is determined to pick up where he left off, with his mere presence helping to lift the mood of those in the stands and around him in an ambitious dressing room.

Asked if Ronaldo has made a speech to his team-mates following his arrival, Solskjaer said: "Of course, everyone when they come into the team they have to introduce themselves, maybe not everyone knows his name. They do now. 

"The atmosphere around the club has been electric, the supporters have enjoyed the last 10 days, loads of expectations on the team today and he's delivered."

Who is helping Ronaldo out?

As good as he is, Ronaldo is not going to be able to turn United into title challengers again by himself.

He does have a star-studded supporting cast around him, with Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard also finding the target in a 4-1 win over Newcastle.

Portugal international Fernandes knows all about what Ronaldo can bring to any given fold, having turned out alongside an all-time great in the colours of his country, and a talsimanic presence for the Red Devils is delighted to have another on board.

He told Sky Sports: "Everyone knows what Cristiano Ronaldo brought for the club and we are really happy to have him. 

"The most important thing, as he will say, is the result for the team. Good players can always play well together.

"We arrived at the end (of last season) with some mistakes but did really well. There has been an improvement in the club and now it is time to take the next step."

Further reading

Union Berlin talisman Taiwo Awoniyi could not extend his Bundesliga goalscoring run after their goalless draw against Augsburg on Saturday.

The former Liverpool forward has made a great return to the German top-flight after his permanent move from Anfield, by scoring three goals in his last three league appearances before Saturday's match.

Awoniyi played for 86 minutes but the three shots he attempted could not find the back of the net for the hosts at the Stadion Ander Alten Forsterei.

He was later replaced by Sheraldo Becker as both teams shared the spoils.

Union Berlin remain eighth on the Bundesliga table after the draw with six points after four games while Augsburg have two points after the same number of matches.

Awoniyi will shift his attention to Thursday's Uefa Europa Conference League outing with the ambition of returning to the scoresheet when Union Berlin battle Ubong Ekpai and Peter Olayinka's Slavia Prague.

Elsewhere in Hoffenheim, Nigeria's Kevin Akpoguma was not available as he continues his recovery from the coronavirus while Mali's Diadie Samassekou was an unused substitute for the hosts in their 2-0 defeat to Mainz.

Meanwhile, at the Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer, Nigerian descent Lukas Nmecha scored the opening goal as Wolfsburg grabbed a 2-0 away win over Greuther Furth.

Nmecha, born to a Nigerian father and German mother, has now scored two goals in three Bundesliga appearances in this campaign.

Wolfsburg are currently at the top of the Bundesliga summit following their winning start to the 2021-22 season, with 12 points after four matches. 

Borussia Dortmund trail in second spot with nine points, after Erling Haaland's brace secured maximum points for them in a seven-goal thriller (4-3) against Bayer Leverkusen.

Cristiano Ronaldo admits it felt "magical" to be back at Manchester United's "Theatre of Dreams", with the Portuguse enjoying a two-goal second debut for the Red Devils against Newcastle.

The Portuguese was back in United's famous No.7 jersey at Old Trafford on Saturday for the first time in 12 years.

He marked the occasion in style, with efforts either side of half-time helping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to a comfortable 4-1 win.

Ronaldo's dream return

What has been said?

Ronaldo has said on social media: "My return to Old Trafford was just a brief reminder of why this stadium is known as the Theatre of Dreams. 

"For me, it has always been a magical place where you can achieve everything you set your mind into.

"Along with all my team-mates and with the amazing support that we always get from the stands, we face the road ahead with confidence and optimism that we’ll all be celebrating together in the end.

"Proud to be back at Man. United and playing in the Premier League once again, but above all, happy to help the team!

"Let’s go, Devils!"

What did Solskjaer make of Ronaldo?

The United boss pulled off a stunning coup at the end of the summer transfer window when a five-time Ballon d'Or was lured away from Juventus and kept out of the clutches of arch-rivals Manchester City.

He trusted the 36-year-old frontman to impress from the start against Newcastle and saw that faith rewarded with quick reactions for Ronaldo's first goal and a driving run and finish for his second.

Solskjaer told Sky Sports afterwards of his superstar striker: "Cristiano Ronaldo has developed into a fantastic goalscorer. 

"He played a very good game, He dropped in, linked play well."

Asked if leaving Ronaldo out of his starting XI was ever an option, the Norwegian said: "No. Of course not. This is what Cristiano is about. This was a day for everyone to enjoy."

Is there more to come?

United's victory took them to the top of the Premier League table, with Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard getting in on the goal act alongside Ronaldo.

Two Portuguese stars illuminated Old Trafford and offered renewed hope to those in attendance that a five-year wait for major silverware could come to a close in 2022.

Solskjaer is not getting carried away just yet, but he is delighted to see the mood lifted in Manchester.

He said of the potential in a Fernandes and Ronaldo partnership: "Good players can always play together. They have a mutual respect and play for Portugal together.

"It’s too early for me to predict where we’ll end up. We have to be consistent and let’s see where we are.

"It’s changed [the atmosphere]. A few months back you think how it was here. This is what Man Utd supporters should feel like."

Further reading

Nigeria trio William Troost-Ekong, Oghenekaro Etebo, Emmanuel Dennis and Senegal's Ismaila Sarr were on parade for Watford in their 2-0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Saturday's Premier League match.

It was Watford’s second consecutive loss in the English top-flight after they suffered a 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur just before the international break.

Following a cagey first-half at Vicarage Road, Francisco Sierralta's own goal opened the scoring for Wolves in the 74th minute before substitute Hwang Hee-Chan sealed maximum points for the visitors, with seven minutes from time.

Troost-Ekong's defensive contributions were not enough and Dennis could not add to his tally of a goal and an assist after four league appearances.

The Nigeria duo and Sarr played the entire duration while Etebo was replaced by Ken Sema in the 73rd minute after he received a yellow card in the 13th minute.

Morocco stars Adam Masina and Imran Louza were unused substitutes in the encounter but Wolves had their compatriot Romain Saiss in action from start to finish and Ivory Coast's Willy Boly was on the bench.

Recall that Troost-Ekong and Etebo made an early return to England during the international break after playing a part in Nigeria's 2-0 win over Liberia in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

The duo could not make the trip to Cape Verde for the Super Eagles' second Group C match because of coronavirus travel restrictions in the UK.

The result saw Watford drop to 13th in the Premier League table with three points after four games.

After Saturday's disappointing loss, Xisco Munoz's side will hope to bounce back to winning ways when they travel to Norwich City for their next Premier League match on September 18.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, on the other hand, host Brentford for their next league game on that same day.

Cristiano Ronaldo's second debut for Manchester United in the Premier League against Newcastle United on Saturday at Old Trafford has generated excitement from his fans and of rival teams alike.

Ronaldo has scored 48 hat-tricks in all competitions in his club career and the first of these came against Newcastle United, in a Premier League match in January 2008.

His second debut has set a new record for the longest gap between appearances in the competition’s history - 12 years and 118 days - as his last Premier League appearance was in May 2009 against Arsenal.

Some fans feel he is a "glorified scorer" whose pace has slowed and can hardly dribble past an opponent, while others hailed the return of the "king" of English football.

Here is how Twiter reacted to Ronaldo's second debut for Manchester United:

Asisat Oshoala scored a brace as Barcelona Femeni thrashed Real Betis 5-0 in a Primera Division Femenina encounter on Saturday.

The Nigeria star found the back of the net twice in the second-half after the Blaugranes grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first 45 minutes.

Oshoala opened her goal account for the 2021-22 season in the 48th minute and she later wrapped up their victory with another effort, five minutes after the hour-mark.

Goals from Alexia Putellas, Mariona Caldentey and Fridolina Rolfo sealed Barcelona's second league win of the season season.

Jonatan Giraldez's women have now scored a total of 10 goals in two matches in the Spanish top-flight this campaign which put them at the top of the table.

Oshoala played from start to finish while Equatorial Guinea defender Dorine Chuigoue was also in action for Real Betis who are winless after two outings.

The former Liverpool and Arsenal striker is among the 23 players invited by Nigeria for the six-nation Aisha Buhari Cup that will start from September 15 to September 21 in Lagos.

The Super Falcons are in Group A alongside Morocco and Mali.

The tournament is expected to get Randy Waldrum's ladies ready for their 2022 Africa Women's Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ghana in October.

Fifa, meanwhile, have endorsed the tournament in honour of the First Lady of Nigeria.

“In accordance with the article 7 of the regulations, FIFA is happy to provide official authorization for this women’s tier 1 tournament…we hereby remind the participating teams that the Laws of the Game must strictly be applied to these tier-1 matches," read a letter from Fifa to NFF.

“Finally, we would also like to draw your attention to the contents of FIFA’s circular no.1735 of 1st October 2020. The strict application of the FIFA’s Return to Football – International Match Protocol (IMP), or an equivalent protocol of your confederation compliant with the said Protocol, is required.”

Cristiano Ronaldo needed just one half of football to get back among the goals for Manchester United, with the Portuguese superstar netting on his second debut for the club.

It looked like being a frustrating opening 45 minutes for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner against Newcastle, but Old Trafford erupted in stoppage-time when the deadlock was finally broken.

More to follow...