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‘Jota has been even better than Liverpool thought’ – Wijnaldum impressed by in-form forward

The Reds midfielder always knew that the Portuguese was talented, but he has been blown away by a player readying himself for a Wolves reunion

In-form Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has been “even better than we thought”, admits Georginio Wijnaldum, with the Portugal international making an immediate impact at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp knew that he was getting another hard-working frontman when putting a £45 million ($60m) deal in place with Wolves.

The reigning Premier League champions had also seen Jota display a keen eye for goal during his time at Molineux, with life in England posing few problems to an ambitious performer.

Liverpool had been mulling over a deal for some time before finally making their move, with their show of faith now being rewarded with nine goals through 14 appearances.

Jota will be looking to add to that tally when taking in a reunion with Wolves on Sunday, and Wijnaldum believes the talented 23-year-old can hit even greater heights after proving his worth.

“I think he will be really happy to play against his old team,” Liverpool’s Dutch midfielder told the club’s official website.

“I'm always happy when I play against Newcastle because that's my only other team [in the Premier League].

“For him I think it's different because he played more seasons for Wolves than I played for Newcastle. For him I think it's much bigger than what I have with Newcastle. It's going to be a really, really big game for him and also a game he can enjoy.

“I'm really impressed because I already knew how good he was, but now I can see that he's even better than what we thought of him.

“Now we train with him, we play games with him, so we can really see what kind of player he is, what kind of quality player he is. I think he's showed it with the start he's had at the club.”

While Wijnaldum is enjoying working alongside Jota, he is hoping to see a fellow countryman rejoin the Liverpool fold before too long.

Virgil van Dijk is in the process of working his way back from knee ligament surgery, with a long road to recovery stretching out in front of him after suffering an unfortunate injury in a Merseyside derby date with Everton.

“In the beginning it was quite difficult because you don't know if you can call or it's better to leave him alone,” Wijnaldum said of his Netherlands international team-mate.

“I have to say that he makes it easier for me to call him because he was calling me most of the time and he was texting me most of the time. Normally what I did in the beginning was just a quick text message on WhatsApp that I was thinking of him and I prayed for him and those kind of things.

“It was also because I didn't know how he was feeling and everything, but now I see that he's quite good. He deals good with the situation, he's positive about the situation and everything.

“We call quite often now because I know that I can. But in the beginning for me it was a bit like, 'Can I call him or not?' because I can understand that in a situation he was in you also want a little bit of rest and moment for yourself.

“In the beginning it was a little bit searching for the right way to approach him. But now it goes really well.”

Original author: Chris Burton
  200 Hits

ISL 2020-21 LIVE: NorthEast United vs East Bengal

81' Suhair wins the ball in the middle and makes a solo run but his final delivery hits a defender and goes out for a corner.

80' Lyngdoh keeps a low cross from the left flank for Rafique but Gurmeet collects the ball.

78' VP Suhair makes his ISL debut as he replaces Idrissa Sylla.

75' Water break. 15 minutes of regulation time left. Can East Bengal pull one back at least?

75' Pilkington unleashes a pile driver from distance but it sails over the crossbar.

74' Eugeneson Lyngdoh comes in place of Mohammed Irshad.

72' Ninthoi makes a brilliant run as he cuts in from the right flank beating Irshad in sheer pace and then goes down inside the box after a charge from Sehnaj,

71' Surchandra makes a terrible mistake as he gives away possession to NorthEast in the midfield. Sylla picks up a through ball and runs down the middle before taking a half-hearted shot which goes wide.

68' Ambekar whips in a cross inside the box but Lambot heads the ball away. Rafique attempts a long range shot but it is way off target.

66' With Dylan Fox's arrival it seems Gerard Nus is focusing on consolidating the bakcline.

64' Fowler brings in Mohammed Rafique replacing Angousana. Nus makes double change as Mashoor Shereef and Luis Machado makes way for Dylan Fox and Rochcharzela.

62' Maghoma sends a curling ball from the corner and Pilkington takes a shot which gets blocked.

61' Pilkington pulls the trigger from the edge of the box and the ball comes off Gurmeet. A defender clears the ball for a corner.

59' Surchandra sends a curling cross inside the box but Vineeth fails to connect his head to the ball.

57' Ninthoi finds Appiah with a cross who goes for the goal from distance but the ball goes straight to Debjit.

56' Lakra sends a long ball from the right flank for Sylla but Debjit collects the ball comfortably.

53' Maghoma receives a pass from Steinmann and finds Surchandra with pass on the right flank who tries to beat Lambot but fails.

51' Steinmann finds Surchandra on the right flank who sends a low cross inside the box but Lambot clears the danger.

48' Brilliant effort from Machado who cuts in from the left, exchanges a one-two with Lalengmawia and unleashes a shot but unfortunately it hits Idrissa Sylla inside the box.

46' One change in each team in the second half. While Fowler brings in Vineeth replacing Bawlant, Nus replaces Ashutosh Mehta with Provat Lakra.

46' Second half underway!

Half time: The Highlanders lead courtesy an own goal. Stay tuned for more action in the second half.

45' + 3' Another corner in from Narayan but it is cleared comfortably.

45' + 2' Maghoma sends a curling corner but East Bengal players fails to meet it as Gurmeet parries the ball away. 

45' Added time: 2 minutes.

42' Irshad makes a brilliant run down the middle and squares the ball for Pilkington but a NorthEast defender intercepts.

40' East Bengal looking desperate for an equaliser. Can they find one before the break?

38' Sehnaj sends a long ball for Narayan on the left who does well to beat Ninthoi and whips in a cross but Lambot clears the ball.

36' Chance for East Bengal as Maghoma whips in a curling cross but Balwant fails to touch in the air as the ball goes out of play. The forward was very close to the ball and had an empty net in front of him.

35' An own goal has been given as the ball came off Srchandra's knees.

33' East Bengal concedes an unusual goal. Idrissa flicks the ball towards Appiah on the right side with his head who beats Irshad and sends a cross which ricochets off Sylla and goes in.

33' GOALLL!!! NorthEast United take the lead as Idrissa Sylla scores.

32' Game resumes after the water break.

30' A short drinks beark. East Bengal commanding proceedings so far.

29' Pilkington sends a long cross from the right fank which Narayan receives and sends another cross but Lambot this time clears the ball.

28' Sehnaj takes the free-kick but it is cleared by the northEast defenders.

27' Steinmann earns a free-kick after Mashoor Shereef tackles in a poor manner near the centre circle.

24' Ninthoi runs down the right flank, beats Narayan and sends a low ball which Machado connects but the ball goes to Debjit.

21' From replay, it seems it was a genuine penalty as Mehta clearly nudged Maghoma on his knees as he went down.

20' A big shout from East Bengal camp for a penalty as Maghoma goes down on the ground inside the box after a clash with Ashutosh. Referee, though, is not interested.

17' The Red and Golds are creating the chances and have more possession of the ball but are not able to make any impact in the attacking third.

15' Balwant takes a touch near the box, turns and attempts a shot at goal but it hits a NorthEast defender. Pilkington tries to head the rebound ball in but it goes wide.

13' Pilkington exchanges a short corner with Narayan and finds Maghoma in the centre but NorthEast's pressing does not allow them to send the ball inside the box. Corner wasted for East Bengal.

12' Pilkington takes the free-kick but it gets deflected off the NorthEast wall and goes out of play for a corner.

11' Another free-kick to East Bengal as Lalengmawia brings down Jacques Maghoma, this time closer to the box.

10' East Bengal showing intent to pick up an early goal as they look energetic on the pitch and are commanding proceedings.

9' Ninthoi sends a long cross from the right flank and Idrissa manages to get his head to the ball but it goes out of play.

7' Maghoma intercepts on the left flank and tries to move ahead but Ninthoi does well to track back and snatch the ball away from him.

5' Pilkington sends a long, curling free-kick inside the box to which Balwant tries to score but misses. Narayan sends another cross but the ball goes out of play.

5' Another free-kick to East Bengal, this time on the right flank as Gurjinder commits a foul on Anthony Pilkington.

4' Maghoma whips in a curling free-kick inside the box and Neville attempts a header but he fails to flick the ball into the net as Gurmeet collects the ball comfortably.

2' Ashutosh Mehta brings down Jacques Maghoma who tries to outpace the right-back. Free-kick to East Bengal as Mehta picks up a booking.

1' Ninthoi runs down the right flank, twists and turns around Narayan and sends a cross inside the box but the ball goes straight to Debjit.

1' Kick-off! We are underway!

The Highlanders are unbeaten in this season so far with two draws and a win, the Red and Golds, on the other hand, have lost their first two matches. The Kolkata side will be hoping to bag their first-ever ISL win and move up from the rock bottom position on the league table.

Robbie Fowler makes just once change in East Bengal lineup as Sehnaj Singh replaces injured Danny Fox.

Gerard Nus has made five changes in the NorthEast United lineup. Gurmeet Singh, Ashutosh Mehta, Mashoor Shereef, Kwesi Appiah and Ninthoingamba Meetei replace Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, Provat Lakra, Dylan Fox, Fanai Larempuia and Britto PM.

EB subs: Sankar Roy, Abhishek Ambekar, Rohen Singh, Samad Ali Mallick, Tomba Singh, Mohammed Rafique, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, CK Vineeth, Jeje Lalpekhlua.

NEUFC subs: Sanjiban Ghosh, Nim Dorjee Tamang, Provat Lakra, Imran Khan, Rochharzela, Britto PM, Lalrempuia Fanai, Dylan Fox, Suhair VP.

EB XI: Debjit Majumder; Surchandra Singh, Scott Neville, Mohammed Irshad, Narayan Das; Sehnaj Singh, Wahengbam Angousana, Matti Steinmann; Jacques Maghoma, Balwant Singh, Anthony Pilkington (C).

NEUFC XI: Gurmeet Singh; Ashutosh Mehta, Benjamin Lambot (C), Gurjinder Kumar, Mashoor Shereef; Khassa Camara, Lalengmawia; Ninthoinganba Meetei, Idrissa Sylla, Luis Machado; Kwesi Appiah.

Lineups are in.

Welcome to the Live match centre of today's Indian Super League clash between NorthEast United and East Bengal at the Tilak Maidan, Goa.

Original author: Goal
  201 Hits

Odisha FC vs East Bengal LIVE: Follow ISL clash in real time

The South African forward continued her superb form but her efforts could not save her side from a home defeat to the visitors

Thembi Kgatlana provided a brace of assists for Eibar but they bowed to a 4-2 defeat against Deportivo La Coruna in Saturday's Spanish Primera Iberdrola contest.

The South Africa striker had only started twice this season for the Gunsmiths since arriving from Portuguese side SL Benfica in July, with the last coming in the recent 2-2 draw at Sporting Huelva.

In a search for first win in four matches, manager Iker Dorronsoro handed the Banyana star her third start of the season and she stood out despite her side's defeat.

The hosts made a false start to the encounter at Unbe Sports Complex as Athenea del Castillo set up to Peke Barea to hand the visitors an early lead after just one minute of action.

Nine minutes later, Kgatlana inspired her side's fightback when she provided an assist for Sara Navarro to level matters for Eibar.

In the 20th minute, the 24-year-old continued to cause the visitors' defence problems and this time, she teed up Arola Aparicio to give the hosts the lead for the first time.

In the second half, Deportivo stunned the hosts as Gabriella Garcia found a breakthrough to equalise 10 minutes after the break.

In the 62nd minute, Castillo and Barea combined superbly once again to give the visitors the lead before Alba Merino netted from the spot 10 minutes later to condemn the hosts a defeat.

The South African, who has three goals to her name and provided four assists in eight matches so far for Eibar, was in action for the duration of the match for the second consecutive game.

Besides Kgatlana, Nigeria striker Charity Adule was also in action for the second 45 minutes after replacing Navarro, while Spanish-born Equatorial Guinea's Ruth Alvarez played the last 15 minutes.

The defeat sees Eibar drop to 13th after eight games and they will aim to end a four-match winless streak against Sevilla next Saturday.

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu
  60 Hits

The Chelsea lineup that should start against Manchester United

The Portugal international has become a talismanic presence at Old Trafford, but he believes there is even more he can offer to the collective cause

Bruno Fernandes sees himself being a “natural” leader at Manchester United, with the Portuguese embracing his standing as a talismanic presence for the Red Devils.

It was the 26-year-old’s creative qualities that first brought him onto the recruitment radar at Old Trafford.

He has, however, always been an ambitious performer who is determined to bring the best out of himself and those around him.

United have embraced those qualities through a productive 12 months in England, with Fernandes providing considerable value on the back of a €55 million (£47m/$60m) deal.

He has taken the captain’s armband at times, but is eager to point out that he is someone who prefers to lead by example – rather than taking on the role of skipper.

Fernandes told United’s official website of his ability to inspire for the Red Devils: “I think it’s something natural in me.

“I don’t do anything like saying ‘I want to be a leader or I want to do things in a different way to someone’, it’s the natural way I have. It’s something that’s in my game.

“Sometimes you have to improve also on this because you need leadership from different players in different modes.

“For me the point is helping everyone with my voice when I can and also with my energy and everything I do in the game to help the team.

“The most important thing for me is helping my team-mates in any way I can, if it’s with my voice then it’s with my voice, if it’s with my energy then it’s with my energy.”

Fernandes has contributed a further 10 goals and five assists to the United cause this season, with those efforts helping to keep Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side competitive across multiple fronts.

The Red Devils have been particularly strong away from home, with their key playmaker taking considerable heart from a run of four successive Premier League wins on the road that have required a fightback to be staged on each occasion.

He added ahead of a trip to West Ham on Saturday: “The spirit is good of course but for me most of the time when we have come back in the games it’s because we believe. We believe and we trust ourselves and I think this is the most important thing.

“When you concede a goal normally everything is bad but the belief and the trust we have in each other is the most important thing.

“I think everyone knows Christmas time is one of the most important times in the league because we know what we have to do.

“We have a lot of games now and if we do well we can be where we want to be. So we have to win our games, focus on what we have to do and the most important thing now is to focus on West Ham and bringing three points home.”

Original author: Chris Burton
  73 Hits

Onduparaka FC 1-3 Vipers SC: Venoms break Arua jinx, reclaim top spot

Video: Injuries will hit every club in 'massively intense' season - Klopp | Goal.com

Premier League

14:21 GMT 05/12/2020

Virgil van Dijk Liverpool 2020-21

The Liverpool boss continued his push for five subs, saying all clubs would feel the brunt of injuries.

Original author: Goal
  67 Hits

'There's more to football than the Premier League' - Chelsea loanee Tomori glad to escape 'comfort zone' after joining Milan

Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Until next time, goodbye.

Burnley are next in Premier League action against Arsenal on the road next Sunday, while Everton host Chelsea next Saturday.

Burnley and Everton play out a 1-1 draw in their Premier League clash at Turf Moor. Robbie Brady put the home side ahead with a fine strike from the edge of the box before Dominic Calvert-Lewin levelled from close range just before the break. Both teams had opportunities in the second half, but England keepers Nick Pope and Jordan Pickford were on form to earn their respective sides a share of the spoils.

90' + 4' FULL-TIME: BURNLEY 1-1 EVERTON

90' + 4' Iwobi drives down the right and finds a yard of space to lift a cross into the box. However, it travels harmlessly behind for a goal-kick.

90' + 2' CHANCE! McNeil has a huge opportunity as the ball breaks directly into his path as Keane slices his clearance. However, the winger drags his strike wide of the right post. That was not even close, a massive chance missed by the home side.

90' + 1' SAVE! Pope denies Sigurdsson with his boot. Rodriguez threads the needle to release Sigurdsson in the box. He opens up his feet quickly and places a strike towards goal. However, it's not far enough away from Pope, who sticks out a leg to deny the midfielder.

90' There will be four minutes of added time.

90' Keane wins an important header under his own bar to clear a dangerous corner from McNeil away from Tarkowski.

88' Both sides have had brief opportunities in the second half. It may take something special for one to earn the three points here.

85' Burnley have had plenty of injury concerns this term. Brady has just come back from a problem and is down once again for the home side.

83' CHANCE! Burnley win a corner down the right flank and McNeil whips the ball into the box. Wood rises highest in the area to flick his effort towards goal, but Pickford gets across to turn it away from goal.

81' SAVE! Richarlison threads the ball through to Calvert-Lewin in the left-inside channel and he tries to flick an effort past the onrushing Pope. However, the keeper stands firm to block the strike with his feet.

80' OVER! Everton break on the counter down after Westwood's corner is cleared. Iwobi sees his strike blocked before Gomes takes possession. He lines up an effort on his left foot, only to blast his attempt over the bar.

79' CHALLENGE! Mina has to act at the near post to direct Barnes' cross from away from Wood in the box. It would have been a tap-in for the Burnley forward.

78' WIDE! Westwood whips the ball into the box and Godfrey clears as far as Brownhill. He take a good first touch before seeing his right-footed strike deflected wide of the left post.

77' Doucoure brings down Taylor on the charge and hands a free-kick to Burnley in a useful position on the left flank.

74' Burnley are inviting crosses into the box from the right flank. Doucoure is the latest player to try to pick out Calvert-Lewin, but he overhits his delivery.

72' Lowton tries to angle a low cross towards the run of Jay Rodriguez, but Keane does enough to distract the forward and force him to send his effort comfortably wide of the target.

71' Wood is back on his feet and can return to the action for the home side.

70' A concern for Burnley as Wood is down on the deck after a challenge with Gomes. He requires treatment before the game can resume.

69' Iwobi is played into space down the right flank once again. He fires a low ball towards James Rodriguez, but Brownhill makes a vital interception to stop his strike.

69' Mee makes an important intervention at the back to head Iwobi's dangerous cross away from Calvert-Lewin in the box. Everton are starting to ask questions of the Burnley defence.

67' BLOCK! The corner from Westwood is cleared as far as Brady on the edge of the box. The winger lines up a first-time strike on the volley, but the visitors flood men to the ball to make the block.

66' McNeil turns Allan inside and out down the left flank. Mina has to get across to divert his cross behind for a corner.

64' Rodriguez plays Iwobi into acres of space on the right flank. The Nigerian sends a fine low cross into the box, but no Everton player can latch on to the delivery.

63' Lowton tries to get behind Godfrey down the right flank, but the Everton defender gets ahead of the Burnley man and wins a free-kick.

61' Calvert-Lewin has scored more league goals from inside the box (11) than any other player in Europe's top five leagues this season.

60' Brownhill gets back to cover a low cross from Richarlison, but sends the ball narrowly over his own bar. A close call for the home side.

58' Neither side has been able to find a rhythm in the second half. A defensive error could decide this one rather than superior attacking play.

56' Pickford is put under pressure from a corner from Brady on the right flank. A nudge from Tarkowski allows the visitors to earn a free-kick and clear their lines.

53' Richarlison has space on the break and has support on the edge of the box. However, he launches a cross towards the back post, but Calvert-Lewin is not on the same page and it travels behind for a goal-kick.

51' SAVE! Pope has to dive to his right to touch James Rodriguez's curling strike away from goal. The Colombian is teed up by Doucoure and launches a curling effort towards the net. It appears destined for the back of the net before the Burnley keeper acts.

49' It has been a scrappy start to the second half as both teams have committed fouls in the middle of the park. 

46' BLOCK! A cross from Calvert-Lewin causes havoc in the Burnley box. Richarlison scuffs his attempt before Gomes sees his effort blocked by Lowton on the floor. 

46' We're back underway at Turf Moor.

Burnley will feel aggrieved to be level at the break. Chris Wood had a great opportunity to double their advantage, but he saw his effort saved. The Clarets paid the price and now need to notch a second goal to get the victory that would lift them out of the bottom three.

It's all square at the break between Burnley and Everton at Turf Moor in their Premier League clash. Robbie Brady put the home side ahead with a fine strike from distance on his right foot. However, the Toffees levelled just before the interval courtesy of a close-range finish from Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The game is in the balance after an even first half between the two sides.

45' + 4' HALF-TIME: BURNLEY 1-1 EVERTON

45' + 4' BLOCK! Gomes finds Calvert-Lewin in the final third and he cuts inside to shoot on his left foot, only to see his effort blocked by Mee.

45' There will be three minutes of added time.

45' Brownhill is back on his feet, which is a boost for the home side.

45' VAR! VAR confirms that there was no foul play from Gomes. It was just an unfortunate collision.

44' Brownhill and Gomes collide in the middle of the park, which results in the Burnley midfielder hitting the deck. Gomes does catch him with a stray arm, but there does not seem to be intent there.

41' SAVE! Pickford makes a crucial save to deny Wood. Pope sends a long ball forward from the back that the forward knocks down to McNeil. Wood charges behind the Everton backline to collect a sublime offload from the winger. He shoots first time at goal, but Pickford is out like a rocket to block the strike with his boot.

40' Richarlison probes down the left flank before curling a dangerous cross into the box on his right foot. Tarkowski clears behind with an important header amid the lurking presence of Calvert-Lewin.

39' Brady swings the resulting corner into the box. Pickford makes an early decision and is on hand to punch it clear of danger.

38' Taylor angles a threatening cross into the box from the left flank. Tarkowski is up to attack the delivery, but Keane is on hand to glance it behind for a corner ahead of the Burnley man.

36' WIDE! Richarlison runs at the Burnley backline and goes for a strike on his left foot, but he skews his attempt wide of the left post.

34' Mee loses possession at the back, but Richarlison moves a fraction too early as he tries to latch on to Calvert-Lewin's flick and is caught offside.

33' James Rodriguez catches Brownhill with an outstretched boot and gives away a free-kick. The Colombian has not been able to get involved in the contest in the first half.

31' Doucoure charges through the middle of the park and slides a pass towards Calvert-Lewin. The forward tries to force a strike at goal, but Tarkowski tracks back well to divert it out for a corner.

27' Delph will not be able to continue and Ancelotti will have to consider his options on the bench.

26' Delphi charges down the left past Brady and then clutches the back of his leg in pain. It appears to be a hamstring injury for the midfielder.

24' Brownhill brings down Iwobi on the charge, but the Toffees are unable to threaten from the resulting free-kick. Mina tries to connect with a header in the left-inside channel, but Mee is on hand to clear the danger.

22' WIDE! Brownhill latches on to a pass from Lowton before cutting inside past the challenge of Doucore. He lines up a powerful drive from the edge of the box that flies past the left post. 

21' Delph pulls back Jay Rodriguez in the midfield and gives away a free-kick. The midfielder may need time to find his feet in the role vacated by the injured Lucas Digne.

20' Everton are trying to get their foot on the ball to take control of proceedings. They need to bring James Rodriguez into the game.

18' SAVE! Lowton fails to cut out a deep pass from Allan to Richarlison. The Brazilian charges into the left inside channel before cutting back to shoot on his right foot, but he sends his strike straight at Pope.

16' It has been an open game in the early stages. Both teams have had opportunities, but Burnley have been the clinical side thus far.

14' CHANCE! Iwobi has another surge down the right flank and he goes for goal from a tight angle. He hits his effort with power, but Pope gets behind the ball to make the save.

13' SAVE! Everton break on the counter through Iwobi down the right flank. He fires a low ball towards the near post where Calvert-Lewin sticks out a boot to connect. However, Pope is in the right place to make a block with his legs.

12' CHALLENGE! Godfrey saves a certain goal for the visitors. Pickford sees his pass out from the back intercepted by Lowton. He sends a dangerous low ball across the face of goal. Wood tries to get his boot on the ball, but Godfrey reacts in front of the forward to divert it away from the net.

12' Burnley are putting the pressure on the visitors in possession. It has been a lively start from the home side.

10' Lowton swings a cross towards the left inside channel where Wood collects. He takes a step inside to shoot at goal, but there are enough defenders around for the visitors to block his strike.

9' Pickford has conceded the most goals from outside box in the PL this season among goalkeepers (5).

7' James Rodriguez has space on the edge of the box and lines up a drive at goal. It deflects into the air and Pope has to come off his line to punch clear ahead of Richarlison.

6' Brady has scored his first Premier League goal in over a year, last netting versus Man City on December 3rd 2019.

5' Delph makes progress down the left flank and tries to supply Calvert-Lewin. Mee battles the forward in the air and heads clear for the home side.

1' We're underway at Turf Moor.

Burnley have won four of their six Premier League home games against Everton (L2), winning this exact fixture 1-0 last season.

Ancelotti has made two changes to his team from their loss at the hands of Leeds last week. Mina is recalled in the defence to replace Holgate, starting alongside Godfrey and Keane. Delph gets the nod to start at left wing-back in place of Davies. 

Burnley have made three changes to their side from their defeat against Manchester City. Pope has recovered from a concussion and starts between the sticks in place of Peacock-Farrell. Brady and Brownhill also return to the fold in place of Barnes and Benson in the middle of the park.

EVERTON SUBS: Mason Holgate, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Cenk Tosun, Bernard, Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Jonas Lossl.

EVERTON (3-4-3): Jordan Pickford; Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina, Michael Keane; Alex Iwobi, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan, Fabian Delph; James Rodriguez, Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

BURNLEY SUBS: Ashley Barnes, Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Erik Pieters, Matej Vydra, Kevin Long, Jimmy Dunne, Josh Benson.

BURNLEY (4-4-2): Nick Pope; Matt Lowton, James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, Charlie Taylor; Robbie Brady, Ashley Westwood, Josh Brownhill, Dwight McNeil; Jay Rodriguez, Chris Wood.

After their hot start to the campaign, Everton have gone off the boil, winning only one out of their last six games. They suffered a humbling 1-0 defeat to Leeds last time out as Raphina scored the only goal of the game. Carlo Ancelotti needs to get his team firing once more to prove that they are not pretenders and can propel themselves back into Champions League contention.

Burnley need a response this afternoon after being hammered by Manchester City last week. The Clarets have endured a poor start to the campaign, taking only five points from their opening 10 matches. Sean Dyche and his team cannot afford further slip ups and allow the gap to widen at the bottom of the table. A victory would lift them out of the bottom three for the first time of the season.

Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Burnley and Everton at Turf Moor.

Original author: Goal
  87 Hits

‘Aubameyang has been atrocious, he brings nothing’ – Arsenal being let down by ‘big players’, says Merson

The former Gunners star has been disappointed with Mikel Arteta’s side this season, with the decision to snub Mesut Ozil said to have “backfired”

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been “atrocious” for Arsenal this season, says Paul Merson, with the Gabonese striker accused of offering “absolutely nothing” to the out-of-sorts Gunners.

On the back of signing a lucrative new contract, the club captain at Emirates Stadium was expected to spearhead quests for more major silverware in 2020-21.

He has, however, delivered just four goals across all competitions, with only two of those efforts coming in an inconsistent Premier League campaign that has Arsenal sat in the bottom half of the table.

Questions have been asked of Aubameyang’s mindset on the back of penning fresh terms, while it has also been suggested that he needs to be brought in off the wing in order to rediscover his prolific touch.

Merson admits that something has to change in north London, with too many so-called stars underperforming for a Gunners side that have been making some surprising selection calls.

"Arteta is struggling because his go-to players haven’t turned up this season and that is a big, big problem,"  former Arsenal star Merson told the Daily Star.

“Willian has not got going at all, and is having a real nightmare. And Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been atrocious.

“What does he bring to the party? Absolutely nothing at the moment. You need big performances from your big players when things aren’t going well. Arsenal aren’t getting that. That’s a dangerous thing.

“Has Aubameyang relaxed too much after signing his contract? Only he can answer that. But he’s not earning his money.”

Merson added, with a World Cup-winning playmaker currently frozen out under Arteta: “Mesut Ozil would make a difference in this team. Who else have they got who can pick a pass or thread the ball through the eye of a needle? I really worry for Arsenal at the moment.

“Don’t get me wrong. Arteta is safe. They won’t make a change, so I don’t think he’s under that much pressure. He’s there for the long haul.

“But at the start of the season everyone was saying: ‘Oh it’s strong management leaving Ozil out’. I think it’s come back to haunt them now. They have no guile.

“I don’t even think they have a plan to get players like Aubameyang and Willian on the ball. They hardly touch it in some games. If you touch the ball 80 times in a game, you are going to do at least 10 good things.

“But I watch him in the Premier League and at the moment, Aubameyang is doing absolutely nothing at all.

“You have got to get them into the game. Get them more involved somehow. Arsenal are a bit too predictable. But they wouldn’t be so predictable with Ozil in the team.”

Things are not about to get any easier for Arsenal, as they prepare for a meeting with table-topping rivals Tottenham on Sunday, but a north London derby date could provide the springboard the Gunners need to get their domestic campaign back on track.

Original author: Chris Burton
  236 Hits

LIVE: Manchester City vs Fulham

39' Andersen is alert at the back for the visitors to get across and intercept Jesus' pass to Mahrez in the box.

37' Sterling tries to release Jesus in the final third with a clip around the corner, but the ball speeds off the surface and out for a goal-kick.

34' City look dangerous every time they push forward in the final third. Fulham will hope to reach the interval only two goals down.

32' SAVE! Mahrez and Sterling combine in the final third, but the latter sees his strike saved by Areola. Mahrez clips the ball over the top for the forward to strike on the volley, only to see his effort turned over the bar by the Fulham keeper.

31' Anguissa heads over the bar from Reed's corner, allowing City to clear their lines and Stones to breathe again following his mistake.

30' CLOSE! Stones almost scores an own goal with a loose backpass. He does not look as he offloads the ball towards his own net. Ederson is off his line and has to scamper back. Fortunately for the home side, it travels wide of the post. 

28' De Bruyne has scored four of his six penalties in the Premier League, including two of three this season.

25' PENALTY TO MANCHESTER CITY! Andersen brings down Sterling as the forward checks back to shoot in the box. The referee does not hesitate in pointing to the spot.

24' Rodri intercepts the ball in the Fulham half and launches an ambitious right-footed strike towards the target. However, his effort travels well over the bar.

23' City win a free-kick down the left flank and De Bruyne sends Mendy into space. He fires his delivery into the box, but Anguissa is well placed at the near post to clear the danger.

21' Mahrez has a surge down the left flank, but Adarabioyo gets across to divert the ball behind for a corner.

19' Cancelo collects on the right flank once more and directs a cross towards the back post. Areola commits himself and tips it away from Sterling lurking in the left-inside channel.

17' City are in their element here. They're knocking the ball around with ease and are encamped in the Fulham half.

16' OVER! Cancelo is played into space on the right flank by De Bruyne. He cuts the ball back for Gundogan to fire at goal, but the German lifts his effort over the bar.

13' SAVE! Mahrez sends a pass inside for De Bruyne to shoot at goal. The Belgian's effort is deflected by Reed, forcing Areola to change direction, and the keeper does enough to turn it past the right post.

12' Andersen has to be alert at the near post to deflect Cancelo's cross behind for a corner after another defence-splitting pass from De Bruyne.

11' OVER! Cancelo raids forward down the right flank and cuts back to shoot on his left foot. The Portuguese sends his effort comfortably over Areola's bar.

10' Sterling has scored in six of his last nine PL games at the Etihad Stadium (six goals).

8' WIDE! Adarabioyo connects with the resulting corner from Reed, but he can only direct his effort wide of the right post.

7' BLOCK! Anguissa threads a pass through to Lookman in the right-inside channel. He goes for a strike at goal, but Dias holds firm to divert the ball over the bar for a Fulham corner.

3' SAVE! Mahrez threads the ball through to Sterling, who goes for goal with the outside of his right boot in the left inside channel. Areola spreads himself and produces a fine save to deny the forward.

2' Cavaleiro has a dart down the left flank, but he carries the ball out under pressure from Stones.

1' We're underway at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City have won each of their last nine meetings with Fulham in all competitions, netting 27 goals while conceding just three in this run.

Fulham are unchanged from their side that beat Leicester last time out. Parker retains Cavaleiro in the final third, with Loftus-Cheek, De Cordova-Reid and Lookman in support. Adarabioyo starts in the heart of the Cottagers' defence against his former club.

Guardiola has made six changes to his side that drew during the week against Porto. Stones and Mendy get the nod to start in the back four, replacing Garcia and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Fernandinho drops to the bench as Gundogan partners Rodri in front of the backline. Mahrez, Jesus and  De Bruyne return to the starting line-up in the final third. 

FULHAM SUBS: Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tom Cairney, Marek Rodak, Tim Ream, Mario Lemina, Joe Bryan, Aboubakar Kamara.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Alphonse Areola; Ola Aina, Joachim Andersen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Antonee Robinson; Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Harrison Reed; Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Ruben Lofus-Cheek, Ademola Lookman; Ivan Cavaleiro.

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Zack Steffen, Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Ferran Torres, Fernandinho, Phil Foden, Eric Garcia.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Benjamin Mendy; Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan; Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling; Gabriel Jesus.

Fulham produced the display of the week last time out in the Premier League, stunning Leicester City 2-1 on the road. Ademola Lookman and Ivan Cavaleiro found the net on the road to hand Scott Parker's men the three points to lift them out of the relegation zone. The Cottagers are starting to play decent football, but only a flawless performance will be enough to halt the power of City today.

Manchester City have been hit and miss in the Premier League this season. In their last league outing, Pep Guardiola's men were outstanding, putting Burnley to the sword with a five-goal performance. However, they were off the boil during the week in the Champions League being held to a goalless draw by Porto. City are yet to find their stride, but have an excellent opportunity to close ground on their title rivals this afternoon.

Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Fulham at the Etihad Stadium.

  353 Hits

Oshoala on target for Barcelona in 9-0 Santa Teresa demolition in Spanish Iberdrola

The Nigerian forward added to her season tally for the Catalans as she continued their incredible start to the season on Saturday
Original author: Samuel Ahmadu
  334 Hits

The Manchester City team that should start against Manchester United

21' GOOD CHANCE! Kroos finds himself in a pocket of space just outside the box and he tries to curl a shot towards the top-right corner. Bounou is beaten, but his effort is just wide of the target.

19' Sevilla are still seeing a lot of the ball in midfield, but aren't causing Madrid's defence any problems. It's patient play from the home side, but they can't find a way in behind Madrid yet.

17' Sevilla have only lost one of their last 15 home LaLiga games (W9 D5), 0-1 v Eibar in October. They've kept a clean sheet in seven of their last 10 at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in the competition.

15' Mendy makes a driving run down the left, but it's cut out by Ocampos. Kroos swings a free-kick into the far post and Benzema tries to square it back into the middle of the box, but it's straight to Fernando.

13' It's another quick break from Madrid down the right and nobody closes down Rodrygo. He whips a cross into the near post, but none of his team-mates have made the run so Bounou comes off his line to collect it.

11' Sevilla are keeping Madrid penned in their own half at the moment, but they're struggling to get in behind the home side. Ocampos tries to float a cross into El Haddadi, but it's intercepted by Nacho.

9' Madrid break quickly on the counter after Rodyrgo wins the ball back on the halfway line and he tries to slip in Benzema. He overhits the throughball though and Vidal gets across to clear the danger.

7' Ocampos makes a brilliant run down the right and weaves away from three Madrid players to get to the edge of the box. He touches it onto De Jong and is asking for the rebound, but Sevilla lose the ball.

5' Bounou is closed down by Vinicius close to his own goal and his deflection sends the ball looping up towards the far post. Benzema's chasing it down but Carlos is in the right place to head it off the line. Sevilla get away with one there!

3' Sevilla are seeing a lot of the ball at the moment, but they're struggling to get in behind Madrid. Carlos plays a long ball over the top towards De Jong, but he's beaten to it by Varane.

1' CLOSE! Madrid have made a quick start to the game with Vazquez making a good run down the right. He picks out Vinicius at the near post but his shot across goal is just wide of the target from a tight angle.

1' De Jong gets the game underway for Sevilla!

The teams are coming out onto the pitch now, with kick-off just moments away.

Madrid are winless in their last three league games (D1 L2) - they've never failed to win four consecutive matches in LaLiga under Zidane.

Zidane makes just two changes to his team after their loss to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday. Casemiro and Vinicius are brought in, while Asensio and Odegaard start on the bench.

Lopetegui makes three changes to the side that beat Huesca last weekend. Bounou is named in goal, with Vidal and Rakitic also coming in. Rekik and Torres drop to the bench.

REAL MADRID SUBS: Marcelo, Andriy Lunin, Alvaro Odriozola, Sergio Arribas, Marco Asensio, Isco, Eder Militao, Martin Odegaard, Diego Altube.

REAL MADRID STARTING XI (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Raphael Varane, Nacho, Ferland Mendy; Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos; Rodrygo, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior.

SEVILLA SUBS: Oussama Idrissi, Oscar Rodriguez, Karim Rekik, Javi Diaz, Sergi Gomez, Oliver Torres, Franco Vazquez, Suso, Nemanja Gudelj, Alfonso Pastor, Carlos Fernandez, Youssef En-Nesyri.

SEVILLA STARTING XI (4-3-3): Yassine Bounou; Jesus Navas, Jules Kounde, Diego Carlos, Aleix Vidal; Joan Jordan, Fernando, Ivan Rakitic; Munir El Haddadi, Luuk de Jong, Lucas Ocampos.

Madrid have struggled for results recently and questions are starting to be asked of Zinedine Zidane as his side are without a win in the league since the end of October. They've won just one of their previous five outings in all competitions (D1 L3), losing the last two. They face their former manager, Julen Lopetegui, whose side have lost just one of their last six (W5), though that loss was in their most recent match against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the LaLiga meeting between Sevilla and Real Madrid at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium!

  114 Hits

Man City 1-0 Newcastle: Player ratings as Alvarez stunner earns win for Cityzens

The former Gers chairman expects a new challenge to be sought at some stage, with him strongly linked with eventually taking over from Jurgen Klopp

Steven Gerrard leaving Rangers is “inevitable”, claims former club chairman Dave King, but the Liverpool legend is expected to bide his time before seeking out a new challenge.

The Reds icon is expected to return to his roots at Anfield at some stage in the future.

It has been suggested by many that a path back to Merseyside is already being cleared for the 40-year-old ex-England captain, with his terms at Ibrox mirroring those of Jurgen Klopp.

Both men are tied to contracts through to the summer of 2024, with a man calling the shots with the reigning Premier League champions revealing that he will walk away at the end of that deal.

A door would then be opened for Gerrard, who has been impressing in Scotland with Premiership title hopefuls Rangers.

King accepts that a highly-rated manager will depart Glasgow as his stock continues to rise, but he hopes another stepping stone to Liverpool is not taken any time soon.

“I think it’s (Gerrard’s leaving) inevitable,” King said in a Q&A session with STV.

“I guess that there will be suitors but I certainly get no sense from Steven that he has any intention of leaving Rangers anytime soon.

“I think he’s probably ahead of where we thought he’d be. He’s not the type of person – as I understand it – that is going to be flattered by money. I think Steven is trying to do the right thing for himself, for his career.

“I don’t think Steven, he’ll speak for himself, but in my experience of him, I don’t think he’d think the job would be done even winning one title this year.

“I think he’d want to cement that with one or two years more and maybe have a go at the Champions League.”

King added on Gerrard staying put before weighing up any offers put to him: “In my view, Steven sees himself as being at Rangers for the next couple of years and I don’t see him being tempted away, barring one club, and I don’t think that opportunity is available shortly.

“We extended his contract so my understanding is after this year he has another three years to go.

“I think if we were to win the league this year, or even if we didn’t, I still think another three years is a nice time frame for Steven to establish himself, to win titles, defend titles, and play Champions League.

“I think that’s important for him in the development of his career, plus I think he’s really loving being at Rangers.

“He’s loving the opportunity, he’s enjoying being in Scotland and the challenges he’s got. I really don’t see his attention being diverted at this point in time and I really think he’ll see the position at Rangers out.”

Original author: Chris Burton
  195 Hits

The Antoine Griezmann Experiment Has Failed - But Barcelona Are to Blame for Another Transfer Disasterclass

The Brazil youth international has swapped La Liga for the Bundesliga, but has made just three appearances so far this season in the top flight

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has played down reports in Spain that the club are considering curtailing Real Madrid loanee Reinier's scheduled two-year stay at the club.

The Brazil youth international swapped La Liga for the Bundesliga - at least until June 2022 - in a deal earlier this season, arriving at Signal Iduna Park from Madrid.

However, he has struggled for game time after an initial clutch of games off the bench, notching just 38 top-flight minutes to date this term.

Reinier is currently sidelined after contracting coronavirus last month, and has not played for the club since the Champions League win over Club Brugge on November 4.

Reports have emerged that Dortmund are considering whether to draw the 18-year-old's stay to an early close, but Zorc has now poured cold water on the notion.

"Basically, we don't have that idea," Zorc told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. "We have patience with him. I hope he has it too.

"In such cases we make it a two-year loan. A one-year loan would be borderline."

Zorc expressed understanding for Reinier's struggle to adapt to life in Germany after a protracted spell without minutes on the pitch, adding: "He did not have an easy start with us.

"[He] came to us after a period of several months in which he did not play. And now the infection has set him back again."

Reinier was one of three major signings made ahead of the 2020-21 campaign by Zorc, but has so far failed to match the minutes amassed by fellow new recruits Thomas Meunier and Jude Bellingham across all competitions.

The teenager, who began his career with Flamengo, originally made the move to Europe in January this year after Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A and Copa Libertadores triumphs in his home country.

Dortmund have enjoyed something of a muted start to the new campaign, as they attempt to dethrone Bayern Munich once more atop the Bundesliga standings.

They have, however, secured passage to the knockout stages of the Champions League with a game to spare following their 1-1 draw with Lazio in midweek.

  171 Hits

Liverpool grab three points, chase top four finish after surviving epic comeback by Tottenham

The Nigeria international delivered an impressive performance to help the Toffees avoid defeat at Turf Moor

Alex Iwobi shone as Everton played out a 1-1 draw against Burnley in Saturday’s Premier League game.

The 24-year-old was handed his fourth league start and delivered an eye-catching performance in the encounter.

The versatile forward starred in a wing-back role, pairing Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina in defence.

The Nigeria international hit the ground running in the encounter and came close to helping the Toffees open the scoring as early as the second minute.

Iwobi attempted to send in a dangerous cross but was blocked before Burnley capitalized on a defensive blunder from Allan to score the first goal of the game.

Robert Brady beat goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after receiving a sumptuous assist from Ashley Westwood to put his side in front in the third minute of the game.

Everton, however, levelled proceedings shortly before the half-time break through Dominic Calvert-Lewin after he was set up by Richarlison.

Several attempts from both sides to score the decisive goal proved futile as they settled for a share of the points in the encounter.

Iwobi was one of the stand-out performers in the match with his contribution for the Goodison Park outfit.

The Super Eagles forward had 86 touches on the ball, made 57 passes and completed two key passes in the games during his 90 minutes of action.

The 24-year-old also completed one dribble and made seven crosses to ensure the Toffees avoided their second consecutive defeat.

Iwobi has now made 11 appearances across all competition for Everton this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists.

The draw was enough to help Everton move up one place on the Premier League table after gathering 17 points from 11 games.

Iwobi will be expected to feature when the Toffees take on Chelsea in their next league game on December 5.

 

 

 

 

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye
  132 Hits

Football transfer rumours: Mbappe's PSG exit request; Man Utd handed De Jong boost

Pule grabbed a brace as the Buccaneers fought back to hold the Citizens, who were looking to avenge the MTN8 defeat to the Soweto giants

Orlando Pirates showed character as they came back to hold Cape Town City to a 2-2 draw in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) match at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Mduduzi Mdantsane and Abbubaker Mobara handed the Citizens lead, but Vincent Pule scored twice to ensure that the Buccaneers collected a point in Western Cape. 

The Citizens were looking to return to winning ways after being held to a 1-1 draw by 10-men AmaZulu FC away in their previous match.

Coach Jan Olde Riekerink made one change to the starting line-up which took on AmaZulu as Craig Martin replaced Fagrie Lakay, who picked up an injury in the clash against Usuthu.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers were eager to maintain their unbeaten record for this season having drawn 1-1 with Baroka FC at home in their last game.

Riekerink's counterpart, Josef Zinnbauer made five changes to the team which faced Baroka with Vincent Pule and Ben Motshwari among the players, who were returning to the starting line-up.

Pirates should have grabbed an early when Deon Hotto was sent through on goal, but the speedy winger fired wide of the target with his weaker right-foot and City survived a scare. 

City then responded with a goal at the other end when Mduduzi Mdantsane was afforded space and time in the box with Thulani Hlatshwayo back-tracking. 

This allowed diminutive playmaker bent the ball into the top corner beating goalkeeper Richard Ofori hands down to make it 1-0 to City seven minutes into the match.

Bucs then pressed the hosts and they did level matters after Hotto's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh and Pule scored from the rebound to make it 1-1 in the 18th minute.

Leeuwenburgh became a very busy man as he produced two great saves to deny Zakhele Lepasa, but he was beaten by Motshwari's low effort which was cleared off the goal-line by Thamsanqa Mkhize. 

The Citizens managed to weather the storm and they restored their lead when Abbubaker Mobara found some space outside the box and he beat Ofori with a powerful low effort to make it 2-1 to City in the 32nd minute.

The score was 1-1 at the interval following an entertaining first-half which saw Pirates dominate, but they could only score once.

Zinnbauer introduced Terrence Dzvukamanja prior to the start of the second-half with the left-footed attacker having scored the only goal of the match as Pirate defeated City in the MTN8 match two months ago.

The Zimbabwe international was unlucky as his well-taken shot beat Leeuwenburgh, but the crossbar came to the Citizens' rescue as the Buccaneers pushed for the equalizing goal.

Pirates did restore parity for the second time on the day after a quick move with Hotto setting up Pule, who scored with a low effort to make it 1-1 in the 66th minute with the attacker grabbing a brace. 

The Buccaneers continued to attack after levelling matters and the ball fell kindly for Tshegofatso Mabasa in the box, but the bulky forward's effort hit the outside of the upright.

Leeuwenburg, who had a good match, pulled to magnificent saves to deny Hatshwayo and Mabasa in the closing stages of the game and ultimately, the encounter ended in a 2-2 draw.

The draw saw Pirates remain third on the league standings three points behind leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns, while City climbed up to fourth place on the table.

City's next match will be against Stellenbosch FC in the Cape Derby clash on December 15, while Pirates are set to take on Bloemfontein Celtic in the 2020 MTN8 final on December 12.

Original author: Austin Ditlhobolo
  68 Hits

Alex Morgan: 'Bizarre' for Saudi to sponsor WWC

Gor Mahia 3-1 APR: Kenyan champions advance in Caf Champions League after late show

K'Ogalo turned on the heat in the dying minutes of the second-half with two quickly taken goals to eliminate the army side

Gor Mahia have qualified to the next round of the Caf Champions League after a 3-1 win over APR Rwanda at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday, winning 4-3 on aggregate.

Samuel Onyango scored for the home team in the first-half before substitute Keddy Nsanzimfura equalized for the visitors in the 81st minute. It seemed APR were cruising to the next stage but Sydney Ochieng' and Nicholas Kipkirui struck late to win the tie for the Kenyan champions.

The Kenyan outfit had lost 2-1 in the first leg, and Saturday's result meant the Sammy Omollo-led charges advance to the next round.

Both teams started the game on a high, and within the first five minutes, the hosts created a goal-scoring opportunity. Benson Omalla, who was making his debut for K'Ogalo, managed to latch onto a long ball and set Tito Okello free, but he miskicked the ball from just outside the 18-yard area.

On the other end, Rague Byiringiro managed to beat his marker but Andrew Juma was there to ensure the ball did not reach the dangerous Jacques Tuyisenge.

The Army side won a penalty in the ninth minute after Andrew Juma fouled Oliver Niyonzima in the danger zone. Tuyisenge stepped up but Gad Mathews in the Gor Mahia goal managed to stop him from scoring.

K'Ogalo upped their tempo after APR had missed their chance. In the 17th minute, captain Kenneth Muguna was fouled in a promising position, but the defenders headed the ball only as far as Onyango, who tapped the ball into the net.

Gor Mahia could have doubled their advantage in the 25th minute when Onyango managed to beat his marker before picking out Bernard Ondiek, but the latter wasted the chance.

Fitina Omborenga was caught napping by Okello in the 30th minute. He lost the ball and the South Sudanese unleashed a fierce strike but straight to goalkeeper Umar Ndayisenga, who parried the ball for an unfruitful corner. 

A defensive lapse by the home team then allowed Omborenga to bring in a cross from the right. However, Mathews managed to have a slight touch on the ball to deny the waiting Tuysenge a chance to score late in the first stanza.  

The visitors started the second half on a high, however, they had to wait until the 56th minute to test the goalkeeper courtesy of Tuyisenge's long-range effort. 

In the 70th minute, Omalla was let loose in the danger zone and he unleashed a fierce strike which the goalkeeper did well to keep out for a corner. 

Substitute Keddy Nsanzimfura then seemingly killed Gor Mahia's hopes of making it to the next round with a screamer from outside the 18-yard area which Mathews failed to stop.

However, Gor Mahia were not done yet as Ochieng scored for K'Ogalo in stoppage time before Kipkirui headed in the third just before the final whistle.

Gor Mahia XI: Gad Mathews, Charles Momanyi, Philemon Otieno, Michael Apudo, Andrew Juma, Ernest Wendo, Kenneth Muguna, Bernard Ondiek, Tito Okello, Benson Omalla, Samuel Onyango.

Subs: Levis Opiyo, Geoffrey Ochieng', Joachim Oluoch, Bertrand Konfor, Sydney Ochieng', Clifton Miheso, Nicholas Kipkirui.

APR XI: Umar Ndayisenga, Claude Niyomugabo, Thierry Manzi, Ange Mutsinzi, Jacques Tuyisenge, Djabel Manishimwe, Rague Byiringiro, Olivier Niyonzima, Emmanuel Imanishimwe, Fitina Omborenga, Jean-Bosco Ruboneka.

Original author: Seth Willis
  75 Hits

'Valdes thinks he's playing FIFA' - former player launches scathing attack on ex-Barcelona keeper's coaching credentials

The former shot-stopper is in charge of fourth-tier side Horta, but his approach to coaching has earned a furious rebuttal from a former player

Horta coach Victor Valdes possesses a "lack of humility" and thinks that he is "playing FIFA" when it comes to his managerial style, claims former player Sergi Moreno.

The former Barcelona goalkeeper took charge of the Tercera Division outfit ahead of the 2020-21 campaign and has overseen a mixed start to the new season, taking just two wins from his first seven games in charge.

That form led to the club, under Valdes' direction, to unexpectedly fire three players this week, including Moreno, who only arrived from Sant Andreu ahead of the current term, with five games under his belt before his exit.

Now, speaking to local station BTV, the 28-year-old has blasted the ex-national team shot-stopper, stating that Valdes treats his squad as if they were cards in a game.

"We were in the gym and, at the end of the session, Victor came in and told us that we weren't in his plans anymore, that we weren't what he was looking for footballing-wise," Moreno said.

"[He told us] to pick up our things and leave, that we weren't to train because he wanted to sign other players. Clubs should at least warn you and give you time to react.

"[Valdes has a] lack of humility and [he's] egocentric. He thinks he's playing FIFA, as if we, the players, were playing cards."

Moreno further rallied over the abrupt exit from a game where he has made his career, stressing the manager's arrogance, adding: "We're people before anything else and, with Victor Valdes, I felt treated like a piece of sh*t.

"I make a living off of this and now how am I going to pay everything I have to pay?"

Valdes - who enjoyed a prolific decade-plus career with the Blaugrana before concluding his playing days in English football - returned to Camp Nou as a youth coach last year.

He only lasted three months before he was let go and subsequently returned to management in the Tercera Division this year.

During his playing days at Barca, he was a six-time domestic champion in La Liga and was also a member of Spain's 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012-winning squads.

  477 Hits

Eze thanks fans after winning Crystal Palace Player of the Month award

The Anglo-Nigerian was adjudged the best-performing player of the Eagles in the month under review and has been rewarded for his fine displays
Original author: Gbenga Adewoye
  492 Hits

ISL 2020-21: FC Goa's Juan Ferrando - Need to take control of the game against Blasters

The coach feels that Goa have solved the teething problems and are ready for a strong show...

FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando is focussed on preparing well for the clash against Kerala Blasters at the Fatorda stadium on Sunday evening as his team is yet to register a win. In fact, both Goa and Kerala have not picked up a win yet in the current edition of the Indian Super League (ISL).

The Gaurs have just two points from three games and Ferrando is not willing to settle with anything less than a victory in their next game. 

"I have pressure every day. I know that we have only two points but we have a plan. For me, the important thing is to improve the team day by day because you may have six points (now) but after three-to-four games you have a problem. So for me, it's important that all the problems are solved now and we are very strong for the future.

"I'm thinking all the time about the last part of the pitch. Sometimes we are good at building (moves) and with positional play but it is most important to find the space and convert our chances," he stated. 

Given that Kerala Blasters, like Goa, like to keep possession of the ball, the Spaniard feels that it will be important to take charge of the proceedings from the onset.

"I think it's very important to control [the game against Kerala]. When you watch Kerala, they have quality players and are totally different (game plan) from NorthEast [United]."

FC Goa forward Igor Angulo, who has looked good in the opening matches, is eager to come on top in the game against the Blasters, showing little concern about the handful of offside decisions going against him.

"We have been dominating all the games and we had control of the games but we couldn't win. For me, it was a good start to the season because I scored three goals in the last three games. But the most important (thing) is to win. So I think it's going to be a key match for winning and raising our confidence. 

"Kerala has a style more or less like us. They want to keep the ball and the way they attack but I think tomorrow is going to be different and let's see who can overcome the situation. 

"My style of play is to be behind the line of the stoppers all the time, confusing them. Of course, I may get more offsides than other strikers but sometimes I may score more goals because of this. In the end, my way of helping the team is by scoring goals. The statistics of offsides is not as important as scoring goals and taking the points," said the prolific striker. 

 

Original author: Anselm Noronha
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Why coach Bainomugisha wants to implement Mbarara City project at Onduparaka FC

At his previous club, the tactician handled players like Ibrahim Orit who is at Vipers now and Brian Aheebwa who signed for KCCA recently

Vialli Bainomugisha has pegged his hopes on a project he had at Mbarara City to help turn Onduparaka FC into a great force in the Ugandan Premier League.

The new coach at Arua stated he is happy the players he handled at Mbarara City have enjoyed a steady career growth and hopes the same can be achieved at Onduparaka.

“This is the same project I had at Mbarara City FC in 2017, now see how Brian Aheebwa and Ibrahim Orit have progressed,” Bainomugisha told Sports Nation.

“It has been a short time I have been with these players but I am doing my best, it is challenging.”

The first test for Bainomugisha will be an opening tie against Express FC and he has explained how their preparations for the game have been.

“I have already prepared my players mentally, psychologically and physically for the game against Express,” he said. “They know the importance of the match, and we want to promise our fans that we will represent them well.

“Right now, I have to wait for the Covid-19 results because we had our tests yesterday [on Friday], and also the CEO to avail me with the licenses. Anything that comes out, we will have to plan again accordingly.”

Moses Okot, Noel Nasasira and Ronald Odokonyero, Emmanuel Oketch, Gabriel Matata, Jerry Jakisa, Bony Musema, Augustine Opoka, Shaban Wasswa and Oscar are the new Caterpillars and Bainomugisha is confident they are ready to learn and be better.

“These are young and talented boys who are willing to learn. They have responded well at least from the recent friendlies. My target is to get a good place at the end of the season,” he concluded.

In an earlier interview ahead of the Onduparaka clash, Express head coach Wasswa Bbosa stated his core target in the 2020-21 season.

“It still remains my target, and for the next season, winning the league is a priority but a top-three finish is my target,” Bbosa said.

“Honestly, all our departments are strong because we planned our recruitment although every team has to be solid at the back and that I am sure of. 

"The forward line is good too. In Frank Kalanda, new signing George Ssenkaaba, Eric Kambale, and Mustafa Kiragga we’re sure about [getting] goals."

Onduparaka emerged winners in the opening game of last season while the second tie went to Express.

Original author: Kiplagat Sang
  438 Hits

Carles Cuadrat: Ashique Kuruniyan can be a very good left-back

K'Ogalo welcome the Rwandan champions on Saturday at Nyayo, aiming at overturning the 2-1 loss in the first leg
Original author: Seth Willis
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