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AFC Leopards legend Charles Okwemba has urged all football-loving fans in Kenya to rally behind Gor Mahia as they take on APR of Rwanda in the second leg of the first preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.

K'Ogalo will be hosting the Rwandan champions at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday from 4 pm (EAT) hoping to overturn a 2-1 loss suffered in the first leg. Niyonzima Seif and an own goal by Andrew Juma gave the hosts victory while the only goal for the Green Army was scored by Kenneth Muguna.

The former Ingwe midfielder believes rivalries should be put aside since it is not only Gor Mahia who will benefit.

"This is a big match not only for Gor Mahia but in Kenya as a whole," Okwemba told Goal on Saturday.

"We might not be in the stadium cheering them but we should send positive messages to motivate the players. Remember, they are going to represent the country and if they advance and do well in the competition, Kenya will benefit.

"Let us put our rivalry apart and support Gor Mahia in this competition."

The 41-year-old is optimistic K'Ogalo can get the needed result to advance to the next round of the annual competition.

"An early goal will be key for the team, it will give them motivation and put the visitors under pressure," Okwemba continued.

"The goal they scored in the 2-1 loss is vital because it gives the team an advantage. A 1-0 win will work; it does not mean they should score and defend, but they can push and get more.

"Gor Mahia have players who can help the team get a win to make it to the next stage."

Meanwhile, stand-in coach Sammy Omollo could not hide his excitement after Benson Omalla joined the team after serving the Kenya U20 team in the recently concluded Cecafa U20 championship.

"I think Benson [Omalla] coming in will give us a lot of options especially in the attacking area because he is a very good player, a very good finisher and that is one player we missed when we played in Rwanda," Omollo told reporters at Nyayo Stadium.

"So I have a strong belief that the chances that will come tomorrow [Saturday], the boy [Omalla] is going to use them, so we are really relying on him for the goals and I know he will deliver. He will give us what we missed in Kigali."

Barcelona interim president Carles Tusquets has attempted to clear up comments regarding the future of Lionel Messi, stating that the Argentine's popularity alone pays his hefty salary, yet also doubling down on his assertion that the club would be more financially stable without him.

Tusquets made headlines earlier this week when he stated that he would have sold the Blaugrana captain during the off-season, had he been in charge at the time.

Messi attempted to force a move away from Camp Nou following a barren season for the club, having become disillusioned with its direction under then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The 33-year-old was unable to secure his release however, with Barca indicating that a clause in his contract allowing him to seek pastures new was no longer valid.

Even with Bartomeu now deposed at the top of the hierarchy at the Catalan outfit, Messi's future is still the topic of much debate, with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City viewed as likely destinations should he leave the club.

Barca boss Ronald Koeman was less than impressed with Tusquets' comments when asked about them on Friday, with the Dutchman attempting to draw a line under the debate ahead of a crunch game with Cadiz, as the Blaugrana look to reverse ailing fortunes in La Liga.

But Tusquets has endeavoured to tone down the severity of his original comments, stressing that his discussion about the striker's position was merely on the measure of economic impact.

"I didn't say that I would've sold Messi; I said that, financially, him leaving would have been good for the club," the 69-year-old told Catalunya Radio.

"We'd be better off because we said that his salary is the highest in the world. Nothing could be truer. But I'm nobody, the decision is his and the managing board cannot take these decisions.

"If it's necessary, I'll tell Koeman that he has misunderstood what I said. I was just doing the maths.

"What Messi generates for the club makes up for the cost [of his contract], but Barcelona aren't dependant on just one person."

Barca, who have two games in hand over league leaders Real Sociedad, are currently 10 points adrift of the summit and face an uphill battle to wrestle back their domestic crown this season.

It has been than a year since Malaysia had played an international match but when Tan Cheng Hoe's side return to action in March in the World Cup qualifier, they will be playing in a brand new attire.

On Friday, Nike unveiled the brand new kits to be used by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for the national team and it is a combination of two major colours in black and yellow.

In designing the new kits, Nike looked to celebrate the heritage and evolution of the Malaysia national team by staying true to the colours while bringing in a modern design.

The home kit is a return to the iconic yellow with black sleeves and featuring a collar design that was last seen in the 2014 version, albeit in the blue away kit at that time.

Adding the collar to the home kit brings about a certain class of yesteryears with the yellow base colour offering a minimalistic look and feel to the jersey.

Well worth noting that the last time that Malaysia had a collar on the kit, they reached the final of the 2014 AFF Championship and perhaps that could be a good omen for the forthcoming edition in 2021.

Meanwhile the away kit will be the reverse version of the home kit with a stripe design of black and yellow that takes inspiration from the stripes from the Malaysia flag.

Previous iterations of the stripes designs have all been a vertical one, this marking the first time that an angled stripes design has been used in the national team kit.

The new Malaysia national team kits are available on Nike.com and selected retailers from Dec 4 onwards.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Cedric Kaze has admitted the giants will need to be more patient to land the Mainland Premier League title.

The Burundian tactician who was appointed to handle the Jangwani giants on October 14, 2020, following the exit of Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, has revealed the Tanzanian league is very competitive, as every team is fighting to achieve the same goal, hence it is not easy to win the league.

“I know the happiness of every fan and our bosses is to see that we win the league but we still have a lot of work to do, and also the competition is very stiff,” Kaze, who is still unbeaten since joining Yanga, told Sokalabongo.

“Every team that we play against is fighting very hard to beat us, they want to get a good result against Yanga, I know we are still leading the tale but we are not there yet, we need to keep fighting and make sure we win our matches.

“I also urge the fans not to have pressure, I know everything is possible but their work is to come in large numbers and support us in every match we play, they should always come to rally behind us, we need them as they are pushing us to do well.”

Yanga are currently topping the 18-team table on 31 points from 13 matches and are the only unbeaten side in the top-flight.

They have managed to score 15 goals and are yet to win the league title for the last three goals, with their rivals Simba taking it consecutively.

Azam, who started the season on a high by winning seven straight matches, are second on the table with 26 points from 13 matches while Simba are third on 23 points from 11 matches.

Yanga are currently preparing to face Ruvu Shooting, who are placed fourth on the table, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

In their last match, Yanga beat JKT Tanzania 1-0 with Deus Kaseke. Yanga’s rivals Simba have already lost two matches against Tanzania Prisons and Ruvu Shooting, and it gives them an advantage in the title race.

Klopp, who has been fierce in his criticism of Brexit over the past few years, has blasted the decision to leave the EU again, and indicated that only negotiation from key figures at the top of the game managed to curb additional restrictions from the Home Office.

“[Liverpool sporting director] Michael Edwards was involved in a lot of these discussions and the clubs fought pretty hard for a solution – kind of a good solution or as good as possible,” the German was quoted in the Guardian.

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Jurgen Klopp has spoken out against Brexit once more in the wake of the Football Association's announcement of transfer ramifications in English football, indicating that the British government would have delivered heavier restrictions were it not for fierce resistance from clubs.

The sport’s governing body, alongside the Premier League and EFL, confirmed a raft of constraints for teams ahead of the January transfer window, the first to take place following the conclusion of the United Kingdom’s transition window to withdraw from the European Union on December 31.

As a result, English clubs will be unable to sign foreign players until they are 18, or more than three overseas players under the age of 21 in a single transfer window. Further rules include work permits for all transfers from EU nations, to be allocated on a points-based system.

Klopp, who has been fierce in his criticism of Brexit over the past few years, has blasted the decision to leave the EU again, and indicated that only negotiation from key figures at the top of the game managed to curb additional restrictions from the Home Office.

“[Liverpool sporting director] Michael Edwards was involved in a lot of these discussions and the clubs fought pretty hard for a solution – kind of a good solution or as good as possible,” the Guardian quotes the German as saying.

“Without the discussions it would have been worse. I am still waiting for the first advantage of Brexit that someone can tell me. What really improves after Brexit?

“It’s obviously not my thing to judge, but as an interested person I just wait until the first really positive impact of Brexit. Maybe I didn’t read it because I’m too much in football, but I don’t remember a lot, to be honest.”

Though the plan to restrict the arrival of young foreign players is designed to help bolster homegrown youth, Klopp further feels that English academy products are thriving because of partnerships with talents from across the EU, decrying the decision as a lost opportunity.

“People – the FA or whoever – want to make sure that the clubs don’t sign too many players from other countries because they are afraid that not enough English talents will make their way,” he added.

“But if you look at the English youth national teams at the moment they are in the top two or three – if not the top – in nearly all age groups; talent-wise they are 100%, and that is with the way we did it before.

“So let’s think about why that happened. They had a lot of players around them that played good football as well. It’s helpful. We cannot just create more talents because we deny other talents.

“But, as I say, it’s not my thing to judge. It’s just one of the smaller problems which we will all be aware of when Brexit is finally there.”

Simba SC defender Joash Onyango is fit to play Plateau United in the second leg of the first preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.

The two teams will meet on Saturday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium with the Tanzanian outfit having a first-leg advantage. A Clatous Chama strike was all the Wekundu wa Msimbazi needed in West Africa to get a vital win.

The Tanzania Mainland League champions were sweating over the fitness of the 27-year-old who had an ankle injury.

"Onyango is in good condition and has been training with the team from Arusha and now Dar es Salaam," Simba SC team doctor Yassin Gembe updated.

"It is the same case with [Chris] Mugalu; he has been in a good condition for the team and was training well in Arusha. About him not being used in the first leg, only the coach can answer that since he is the one responsible for who to field."

Meanwhile, Simba SC have confirmed unspecified disciplinary action has been taken against their spokesperson Haji Manara over his statement that rival fans would not be allowed to attend the Caf Champions League tie against Plateau United.

Simba will host Plateau United on December 5 for the return leg of the preliminary round of the continental encounter, enjoying a 1-0 advantage. Manara had stated rival fans, especially Yanga SC supporters, would not be allowed at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. 

"Simba would like to confirm that the statement issued that intimated some fans would not be allowed into the stadium to watch the game against Plateau United were made without the direct approval of the club," a statement obtained by Goal read.

"The statement did not reflect the culture and the traditional values of the club that abhors discrimination of rival fans and barring them from attending our matches.

"The club has taken an internal disciplinary move in order to make sure that such a thing does not happen again."

According to Simba, even those who are going to come and support Plateau United are welcome but stated their main aim is to beat the Nigerian side and shame Tanzanian supporters.

"We would also like to state if there is any Tanzanian who would like to come and see Simba fail to progress by supporting the rival team, Simba would not bar anyone from attending and in that process, no one will be victimised by our own fans," the statement concluded.

It’s been a bruising week for Real Madrid, as a testing season has taken another turn for the worst.

Last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat against Deportivo Alaves came on the back of recent losses against Cadiz, Valencia and Shakhtar Donetsk, but it represented a new nadir for Zinedine Zidane’s troops.

Real were outthought, outmuscled and outplayed, and even Casemiro’s late consolation goal proved too little too late, as the minnows stunned the reigning Spanish champions.

Los Merengues needed to bounce back against Shakhtar in the Champions League in midweek, but they ultimately proved unable to learn their lessons from the Alaves debacle and fell to a 2-0 defeat in Ukraine.

Real have now won just one of their last five matches, losing four in the process, and the impressive 2-0 victory away at Internazionale has been the only positive of a testing month in which they’ve also lost Eden Hazard to a thigh injury for much of the rest of 2020.

The game against Sevilla now takes on titanic proportions for Real, who simply cannot afford to let this crisis continue when they return to domestic action…particularly with tough games against Borussia Monchengladbach, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao on the horizon.

Sevilla may have been humbled 4-0 by Olivier Giroud-inspired Chelsea in the UCL in midweek, but domestically, they’re in fine fettle, having won their last three games on the bounce.

However, while they were impressive going forward against Osasuna—who were defeated 4-2—they toiled against Huesca last weekend, requiring a late winner from Youssef En-Nesyri to seal all three points and move up to fifth place on 16 points.

They head into this match against Real only one point behind the champions, having played a game fewer, and would leapfrop Zidane’s side with victory at home on Saturday.

Sevilla will be without Sergio Escudero, while goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is still recovering from coronavirus and the likes of Tomas Vaclik, Marcos Acuna and Suso are all doubtful.

Real, however, have problems of their own…beyond Hazard’s latest setback.

Dani Carvajal is injured again, meaning Zidane could turn to either Nacho or Lucas Vazquez to fill in at right-back.

Federico Valverde will also miss out, while Luka Jovic and Alvaro Odriozola are also doubts. There are also question marks against Sergio Ramos—who faces an anxious wait to see if he can turn out against his former club—and Zidane may need to partner Eder Militao with Raphael Varane in the heart of the backline.

With Hazard absent, Martin Odegaard could be in line to support the influential Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio, while youngsters Rodrygo, Mariano and Vinicius Junior may also have a big role to play as Real look to get back on track.

Real won on their last visit to Sevilla—a 1-0 triumph in September 2019—and have a strong recent record away in Andalusia, having won four of their last five games in the region.

Sevilla’s recent home record, however, is strong, having lost just one of their last 15 matches—against Eibar in October—although Zidane knows how to get the better of them, having won seven games in all competitions (out of 10) against Los Nervionenses .

Real have never failed to win in four consecutive La Liga matches during Zidane’s tenure, and that’s the ominous landmark they will be desperate to avoid against Sevilla this weekend, having lost two and drawn one of their last three matches.

It’s been a bruising week for Real Madrid, as a testing season has taken another turn for the worst.

Last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat against Deportivo Alaves came on the back of recent losses against Cadiz, Valencia and Shakhtar Donetsk, but it represented a new nadir for Zinedine Zidane’s troops.

Real were outthought, outmuscled and outplayed, and even Casemiro’s late consolation goal proved too little too late, as the minnows stunned the reigning Spanish champions.

Los Merengues needed to bounce back against Shakhtar in the Champions League in midweek, but they ultimately proved unable to learn their lessons from the Alaves debacle and fell to a 2-0 defeat in Ukraine.

Real have now won just one of their last five matches, losing four in the process, and the impressive 2-0 victory away at Internazionale has been the only positive of a testing month in which they’ve also lost Eden Hazard to a thigh injury for much of the rest of 2020.

The game against Sevilla now takes on titanic proportions for Real, who simply cannot afford to let this crisis continue when they return to domestic action…particularly with tough games against Borussia Monchengladbach, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao on the horizon.

Sevilla may have been humbled 4-0 by Olivier Giroud-inspired Chelsea in the UCL in midweek, but domestically, they’re in fine fettle, having won their last three games on the bounce.

However, while they were impressive going forward against Osasuna—who were defeated 4-2—they toiled against Huesca last weekend, requiring a late winner from Youssef En-Nesyri to seal all three points and move up to fifth place on 16 points.

They head into this match against Real only one point behind the champions, having played a game fewer, and would leapfrop Zidane’s side with victory at home on Saturday.

Sevilla will be without Sergio Escudero, while goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is still recovering from coronavirus and the likes of Tomas Vaclik, Marcos Acuna and Suso are all doubtful.

Real, however, have problems of their own…beyond Hazard’s latest setback.

Dani Carvajal is injured again, meaning Zidane could turn to either Nacho or Lucas Vazquez to fill in at right-back.

Federico Valverde will also miss out, while Luka Jovic and Alvaro Odriozola are also doubts. There are also question marks against Sergio Ramos—who faces an anxious wait to see if he can turn out against his former club—and Zidane may need to partner Eder Militao with Raphael Varane in the heart of the backline.

With Hazard absent, Martin Odegaard could be in line to support the influential Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio, while youngsters Rodrygo, Mariano and Vinicius Junior may also have a big role to play as Real look to get back on track.

Real won on their last visit to Sevilla—a 1-0 triumph in September 2019—and have a strong recent record away in Andalusia, having won four of their last five games in the region.

Sevilla’s recent home record, however, is strong, having lost just one of their last 15 matches—against Eibar in October—although Zidane knows how to get the better of them, having won seven games in all competitions (out of 10) against Los Nervionenses .

Real have never failed to win in four consecutive La Liga matches during Zidane’s tenure, and that’s the ominous landmark they will be desperate to avoid against Sevilla this weekend, having lost two and drawn one of their last three matches.

It’s been a bruising week for Real Madrid, as a testing season has taken another turn for the worst.

Last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat against Deportivo Alaves came on the back of recent losses against Cadiz, Valencia and Shakhtar Donetsk, but it represented a new nadir for Zinedine Zidane’s troops.

Real were outthought, outmuscled and outplayed, and even Casemiro’s late consolation goal proved too little too late, as the minnows stunned the reigning Spanish champions.

Los Merengues needed to bounce back against Shakhtar in the Champions League in midweek, but they ultimately proved unable to learn their lessons from the Alaves debacle and fell to a 2-0 defeat in Ukraine.

Real have now won just one of their last five matches, losing four in the process, and the impressive 2-0 victory away at Internazionale has been the only positive of a testing month in which they’ve also lost Eden Hazard to a thigh injury for much of the rest of 2020.

The game against Sevilla now takes on titanic proportions for Real, who simply cannot afford to let this crisis continue when they return to domestic action…particularly with tough games against Borussia Monchengladbach, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao on the horizon.

Sevilla may have been humbled 4-0 by Olivier Giroud-inspired Chelsea in the UCL in midweek, but domestically, they’re in fine fettle, having won their last three games on the bounce.

However, while they were impressive going forward against Osasuna—who were defeated 4-2—they toiled against Huesca last weekend, requiring a late winner from Youssef En-Nesyri to seal all three points and move up to fifth place on 16 points.

They head into this match against Real only one point behind the champions, having played a game fewer, and would leapfrop Zidane’s side with victory at home on Saturday.

Sevilla will be without Sergio Escudero, while goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is still recovering from coronavirus and the likes of Tomas Vaclik, Marcos Acuna and Suso are all doubtful.

Real, however, have problems of their own…beyond Hazard’s latest setback.

Dani Carvajal is injured again, meaning Zidane could turn to either Nacho or Lucas Vazquez to fill in at right-back.

Federico Valverde will also miss out, while Luka Jovic and Alvaro Odriozola are also doubts. There are also question marks against Sergio Ramos—who faces an anxious wait to see if he can turn out against his former club—and Zidane may need to partner Eder Militao with Raphael Varane in the heart of the backline.

With Hazard absent, Martin Odegaard could be in line to support the influential Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio, while youngsters Rodrygo, Mariano and Vinicius Junior may also have a big role to play as Real look to get back on track.

Real won on their last visit to Sevilla—a 1-0 triumph in September 2019—and have a strong recent record away in Andalusia, having won four of their last five games in the region.

Sevilla’s recent home record, however, is strong, having lost just one of their last 15 matches—against Eibar in October—although Zidane knows how to get the better of them, having won seven games in all competitions (out of 10) against Los Nervionenses .

Real have never failed to win in four consecutive La Liga matches during Zidane’s tenure, and that’s the ominous landmark they will be desperate to avoid against Sevilla this weekend, having lost two and drawn one of their last three matches.

Needing a new head coach due to former head coach Manzoor Azwira's lack of an AFC pro coaching licence, newly-promoted Malaysia Super League side Penang FC recently landed on Czech head coach Tomas Trucha.

While he has been garnering attention from Malaysian fans mainly due to the similarities in his appearance to one German manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, the story that took place just prior to his arrival in Malaysia also warrants attention.

According to reports by the Kenyan and African press as well as the Kenyan edition of Goal, just before he joined the Panthers, the 49-year old trainer had bizarrely left Kenyan Premier League side AFC Leopards only one month after he was appointed.

Trucha was appointed to the head coach post in early November ahead of the 2020-2021 season of the league, and despite having received a two-year deal, reportedly later left the side after only one match; a 2-1 season opener win at home against Tusker on November 28.

According to news reports, Trucha and his representative Prince Channis have received physical threats from those purporting to be members of the club.

“It is unfortunate that some people who call themselves our members are trying to destabilise our team. They have seen us doing well and they are surely not happy.

“We have beaten Tusker in the first match and there are no comments on our social media pages had we lost that match, you could have seen a lot of negative comments. But we know we have people who masquerade as AFC Leopards members and fans but in the real sense, they are not,” explained Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda as quoted by the Kenyan edition of Goal on December 2.

Dan Shikanda and Tomas Trucha. Photo from AFC Leopards

Just one day earlier, a source said that there were parties attempting to interfere with Trucha's work at the club.

"[Trucha] is not happy with some officials who are pushing some players to be involved in games.

"He has made his stance known to those who want to have a hand in squad selection and he will communicate the same to the chairman at Tuesday evening's meeting," a source close to the club told the Kenyan edition of Goal.

It did not take long for the Czech trainer to make up his mind. On December 4, the club announced that they have accepted his resignation.

“Today, we accepted Tomas Trucha’s resignation as head coach, effective immediately. This has been occasioned by the coach feeling that his safety is not guaranteed since his manager, Mr Prince Channis, has been threatened by people purporting to be Ingwe supporters. This is disturbing and unacceptable for anyone who claims to be a supporter of this esteemed club.

“True, AFC Leopards’ supporters hold themselves to the highest standard and put the club’s and public before all else. At this time, the remaining technical bench shall take charge as we consider a replacement.

“On behalf of the management, we thank Trucha for his contributions to the club and wish him well in his future endeavours.”

While the real reason behind his hasty departure has not been conclusively revealed by the local media, Leopards have reportedly been a club in turmoil for some time. Their previous permanent boss Casa Mbungo had left in 2019 due to financial issues surfacing at the club, while the fallout of Trucha's departure has resulted in an exchange of accusations between the club board and a former player.

Just one day after his resignation, Tuchel was announced as the Panthers, new head coach. Surely he will be hoping for a more calm working environment at the northern peninsular Malaysia side.

Orlando Pirates’ Premier Soccer League (PSL) unbeaten run comes under scrutiny when they meet Cape Town City at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday.

Going into this match four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns who play later in the evening, Pirates would be keen not to lose track of the Brazilians.

Third-placed Pirates are yet to lose a match this season in all competitions but now come up against an unpredictable Cape Town City side that is sixth on the table, having tasted league defeat just once.

A potential upset is real for Josef Zinnbauer’s Pirates, but victory in the Eastern Cape would help them settle on second spot if Swallows FC lose to away at Golden Arrows on the same afternoon.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV and SABC. 

Squads & Team News

Left-back Innocent Maela is expected to return to the starting line-up after being rested in the 1-1 draw against Baroka FC last weekend.

Paseka Mako played in Bafana Bafana defender Maela’s place and did not disappoint much.

Also expected to be back in the starting XI is Ben Motshwari who missed the Baroka match as Zinnbauer would be keen to return to his full strength team after dropping points in their last match.

After coming on as a substitute during that match, striker Frank Mhango could also start at Danie Craven as the Malawian has now fully recovered from injury.

It is not yet clear if DR Congo forward Jean-Marc Makusu has obtained his work permit which has delayed his debut for the Buccaneers.

Cape Town City defender Taariq Fielies and midfielder Thabo Nodada each made their 100th appearances in the Citizens colours against AmaZulu last weekend.

They have both featured in every minute of City’s games this season, with Nodada contributing two league goals.

Being some of the experienced players at Cape Town City, they could play an instrumental role in denying Pirates maximum points on the road.

Captain Thamsanqa Mkhize was taken out towards the end of the AmaZulu match as he appeared to be limping but is expected to start against Pirates after participating in full training this week.

Match Preview

Both sides go into Saturday’s match on the backdrop of dropping points in their last matches.

They registered identical 1-1 draws in their respective games as Pirates came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Baroka FC, while City also clawed back for a 1-1 draw away at AmaZulu.

But it is Pirates who appear the better side this season, having not tasted defeat in their league campaign with two wins and three draws.

Only a point separate the two teams as City are on eight points after two victories, with as many draws and a defeat but they might need to improve on their defence which has conceded six goals in five games.

The last time the two sides met was in October when Pirates eliminated City from the MTN8 following a 1-0 quarter-final win at Orlando Stadium.

But historically, City have a better PSL record over Pirates, having won twice in their eight league meetings.

Pirates have beaten City just once, while the other five games have ended in draws

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has admitted they are facing a dangerous return leg clash against Plateau United in the Caf Champions League on Saturday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will host the Nigerian outfit at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam seeking to defend the 1-0 advantage picked up in the first leg when they scored through Clatous Chama to carry the day in Abuja.

And despite carrying the 1-0 advantage, the Belgian tactician has still insisted they are not comfortable yet and they must use all the energy they have to make sure they qualify to the next round of the competition.

“I think Saturday's game is still a dangerous one, it is only one goal difference so we have to concentrate, be alert and I hope the fans will come in a big number to the stadium to support us,” Vandenbroeck told reporters on Friday.

“I am saying all this because the Nigerian team [we faced in the first leg] was a very good team and so we still need all the energy we have and all the support from outside so we can qualify to the next round.”

On his style of play, Vandenbroeck insisted they will not open up the game saying it will be the only way to deny Plateau United a chance to hit them on counter-attacks.

“We have the advantage that we scored in ‘Nigeria, so we don’t have to open the game, it will not be that defensive but still with some thoughts we are leading by 1-0 and it is enough to qualify,” Vandenbroeck continued.

With the away goal, Simba will also have another added advantage as the Confederation of African Football (Caf) allowed their fans to attend the match after Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) requested for the same.

Last season, Simba failed to make it past the preliminary stage after losing on the away goals rule to UD Songo of Mozambique. The two sides had battled to a 0-0 draw in Mozambique and in the return leg played in Dar es Salaam, it ended 1-1, meaning Songo advanced on the away goals rule.

Whereas in the 2018/19 season they managed to reach the quarter-finals, and it was in 1974 when Simba managed to get into the semi-finals but were knocked out by Egyptian side Ghazl El Mahalla.

High-flying Mamelodi Sundowns face a potential upset from bleeding Maritzburg United when the two sides collide in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) game at Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday.

Log leaders Sundowns enjoy a two-point lead at the top, but could go into this match pressed to reclaim their lead if second-placed Swallows FC beat Golden Arrows earlier in the day.

It is however not all doom and gloom for Maritzburg who could find themselves a rung up from the bottom if they beat Downs as they would also pray that Kaizer Chiefs beat 15th-placed Black Leopards on Wednesday.

That Maritzburg have lost five successive league games and are desperate for redemption makes them potentially dangerous to Downs.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV and SABC. 

Squads & Team News

The match marks the start of Ernst Middendorp’s third stint as Maritzburg United coach.

Expectations are high for the German to turnaround the fortunes of the KwaZulu-Natal side who are yet to win a single match this season.

Taking over the reins at a team that has suffered five straight league defeats is a mammoth task for Middendorp who arrives with a grim record of a sensational collapse in last season’s league title race while in charge of Kaizer Chiefs.

It appears difficult to explain how his predecessor Eric Tinkler struggled with players like Judas Moseamedi, Rushine De Reuck, Thabiso Kutumela, Daylon Claasen and veteran defender Nazeer Allie at his disposal.

Middendorp arrived at Maritzburg and immediately made his first signing by bringing in midfielder Travis Graham from Cape United.

Sundowns go into this match on the backdrop of an eventful week at Chloorkop.

The Gaston Sirino transfer issue dominated headlines all week as the Uruguayan is pushing for a move to Al Ahly who appear not prepared to part ways with the R90 million demanded by Sundowns.

The Downs camp also saw the loaning of Phakamani Mahlambi out to AmaZulu being talked about, as well as Nyiko Mobbie and Luvuyo Phewa being sent to Chippa United on loan.

Veteran defender Wayne Arendse and Liberian forward Antony Laffor were released by the club.

But crucially ahead of this match, the attacking trio of Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus were also a major talking point during the week.

The three are expected to continue with their fiery form that has shot Downs to the top of the standings.

Match Preview

On paper, Sundowns appear poised to walk past Maritzburg after recording four league wins and a draw so far this season.

They face a limping Team of Choice side that has lost all their five PSL matches during this campaign but could prove dangerous as they are desparate to rejuvinate themselves.

Maritzburg’s woes date to the PSL bio-bubble and they have gone for 11 straight league games without tasting victory, plus an MTN8 quarter-final defeat to Kaizer Chiefs.

Now they come up against Downs who last lost a league match in August when they were stunned 1-0 by Baroka.

It would be a tough battle for an already porous Maritzburg United defence to contain the marauding Downs trio of Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus.

The three attackers have combined to score 10 of Downs' 12 league goals this term and will be seeking to tear apart a Maritzburg defence that has shipped in nine goals in five matches.

Gor Mahia fans have requested the Kenyan government to allow them to attend their club's game against APR Rwanda in the Caf Champions League first preliminary round in exchange for 60,000 for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) process.

The two teams are set to meet on Saturday at Nyayo Stadium in the second leg of the competition. The Army have an advantage having won the first leg in Kigali 2-1. The fans believe their team needs support and that they are the only ones to provide it to help the team make it to the next round of the competition.

"We urge (FKF) to talk to the government because this is a game we have to win and our players need our support," a fan by the name of Emmanuel Ochieng' requested. 

"Let them do what Comoros did by allowing fans on the pitch during the Harambee Stars game. We have to show APR that Gor Mahia has a massive following in Kenya."

Tanzania Mainland League giants Simba SC will be playing against Plateau with the fans cheering them at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. It is for this reason another fan by the name of Joseph Otieno feels K'Ogalo should also be supported by their fans.

"Simba will be playing with fans yet here Gor Mahia [play] in an empty stadium. We are ready to meet 60,000 signatures if we are allowed in the stadium," Otieno said. 

"We are begging the government to allow fans only in this match to then revert back to the current situation of playing in an empty stadium. Our players need us in this important match," Trevor Owino added.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has no problem allowing fans to support their teams at home as long as the federation writes to them to ask for permission.

The government should also give a green light for the same.

Gor Mahia need to win the game by a solitary goal to advance to the next round of the competition while the visitors need a draw of any kind to move forward.

Promising forward Benson Omalla has rejoined the team and is expected to be involved.

Neither of the two teams has ever made it to the group stages of the Champions League. 

J1 League outfit Vissel Kobe are currently in the middle of a fruitful campaign in the AFC Champions League East Zone tournament being held in Qatar. They have already qualified for the Round of 16 and leading the charge for them are two former Barcelona players. 

Legendary midfielder Andres Iniesta and former Arsenal and Barcelona defender Thomas Vermaelen are two of the overseas stars in the Vissel Kobe ranks. It must be noted that another former Blaugrana in Sergi Samper is not part of the tournament squad because of overseas player restrictions. 

Vermaelen, who joined the Japanese club in July 2019 from Barcelona, is enjoying life with the Japanese club. 

Vissel Kobe are currently playing their first-ever campaign in the continent's premier club competition and have already made an impact. Vermaelen feels the challenge has not been easy for them. Now that they have achieved qualification to the knockout stages, it was time to focus on tackling stronger obstacles that are expected to pop up. 

"It's not easy. The first time you compete in this competition, there is no experience. It is very important now (after qualification) to start again and put massive results. It's not going to be easy but we have to perform better," he told Goal.

He felt that teams from China and South Korea pose difficult challenges for Vissel Kobe who prefer to play a more European-style football. 

"It is difficult for me to know how good the teams are but in general, the teams are very competitive. They are not afraid to put challenges and they play very physically and make it hard for us. We are a team who wants to play football like teams in Europe, you want to have the ball, playing out from the back. 

"But the teams in China and South Korea - they are physically prepared and put up a fight and that is quite challenging for us."

The 35-year-old has given a good account of himself in the J1 League and the Emperor's Cup. While Vissel Kobe finished eighth in an ultra-competitive league, Vermaelen played a key role as the side won the 2019 Emperor's Cup. 

The Belgian started in defence as Vissel Kobe beat Kashima Antlers in the final, which also helped the club qualify for the AFC Champions League for the very first time. 

Vermaelen is full of glowing praises for the standard of football in Japan, asserting that his stint in the East Asian country has been anything but 'easy'. 

"The thing which a lot of people don’t know and I have told this to others is that for me, personally I still get tested on a daily basis in training and during the games," he told Goal. "It is not like I am sitting on the sofa and taking it easy. I think I still have to work and make sure that  we win games."

He revealed that he had spoken to former Arsenal teammate Lukas Podolski before coming to Japan. Podolski was at Vissel Kobe when Vermaelen joined the club. "I have got some advice from some of the players who have played here...Podolski and all."

Vermaelen, who won four La Liga titles and a Champions League title with Barcelona, feels that the players in J1 League are extremely fast and agile and possess good technique. 

"There are quite a few good players in Japan - very fast, very quick. Technically good as well. If I have to think, I remember one game this year against Yokohama F. Marinos. It was a very tough game away from home. There were some players who gave us a very tough time. I haven't got like one name but they were quite impressive."

However, one area he felt the J1 League can improve is on the tactical side.

"Of course there are things to improve. Compared to Europe, they need more experience, also the tactical side can be improved but in general, it is a good league." 

Interestingly, Vermaelen has continued to feature for Belgium even after moving to the J1 League. He says that the national team coaches have been keeping an eye on the J1 League. 

"When I was in Japan, I was still playing for the national team. Unfortunately, I could not play in the last couple of months due to COVID. I am not sure how other coaches of other national teams think about the Asian leagues.

"I am at a certain age now and I am experienced. I am not sure when a talented 21-year-old player goes, it is a different case. For me personally, I am still in touch with the national coach (Roberto Martinez). They are still following the games. I can only speak for my case."

Gor Mahia midfielder Kenneth Muguna is confident they have what it takes to challenge APR and qualify for the next round of the Caf Champions League.

The Kenyan champions will host the Rwandese side at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday seeking to overturn the 2-1 defeat suffered in the first leg played at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali a week ago.

The former Western Stima player, who scored Gor Mahia’s vital away goal, has now said the players are psyched up and ready to get a result that will see them reach the next round of the competition.

“I think the players are psyched up and ready for the match and our motivation comes from the weight of the tournament we are going to play and the weight of the opponent, so everybody is ready,” Muguna told reporters at Nyayo Stadium.

“We know what it takes and we know how we are supposed to play because we are playing at home and remember we played the first leg and we were away, and the result was not that bad but maybe come tomorrow [Saturday] we can turn the tables.”

On what style they will apply against the army side, Muguna explained: “I think we have to play as a team because you know this is a big competition and you cannot do it alone, no matter how good you are, you must work as a team, defend as a team, attack as a team and that is what we will have to do.”

On the return of striker Benson Omalla, who missed the first leg as he was with the Kenya U20 team in the Cecafa tournament, Muguna said: “It is a big boost for us as a team, he will help us a lot, if you look at our previous game in Rwanda, we scored one goal and to get a striker like him coming in the second leg is a massive boost for us.

“To the fans, they should just support us, we will miss them [now that they cannot attend matches owing to Covid-19 restrictions] but we are sure we will represent them well and also do the country proud by eliminating APR.”

APR will come into the match knowing that a draw of any kind will see them through to the next stage.

Kerala Blasters are winless in three matches this season in the Indian Super League (ISL) and they would hope that this run comes to an end this Sunday.

They will be up against an FC Goa side, who like Kerala Blasters, are in search for their first three points of the new campaign.

Coach Kibu Vicuna promised a good game of football for neutrals as he believes that the two teams prefer to take the game to the opponent, as opposed to sitting back and rely on counterattack.

“There are more similarities with Goa than with other teams because of the style of play. They are going to play their cards, we are going to play ours. 

“They have very good players, they have a fantastic coach (Juan Ferrando). Last year they were winners of the league. In football, you decide after the season, not after three matches. I am sure our team is going to improve. We need to train well. 

“We have our own style. We will try to play the ball. In the beginning, both teams are going to go for the points. Both teams want possession and want to create chances. I hope we can watch a good game,” said the Spanish boss.

Arjun Jayaraj, a central midfielder, was in the news earlier this week as he mutually terminated his contract with the Blasters and opted to join I-League outfit Gokulam Kerala FC.

“There is no place for everyone, everyone has to fight to take his place. Sometimes we have a lot of players in this position, he decided to terminate the contract. We wish him the best,” said Vicuna.

The bad news for Blasters is that Sergio Cidoncha picked up an injury in the last game against Chennaiyin FC and could be sidelined for a long period.

“We have to be with Sergio because it is an important period for him, he is the captain of the team. We have to take care of him. Then we will try to improve the team,” Vicuna answered when asked about whether the club would sign a replacement for Cidoncha.

The Spanish coach believes that the club has enough options in midfield to fill in for Cidoncha.

“We have different possibilities. We have Vicente Gomez, Jeakson (Singh), Rohit (Kumar), Givson Singh, Sahal (Samad), Facundo (Pereryra). We are trying to have the best combination possible,” he mentioned.

Interestingly, Blasters have kept Bilal Khan and Abdul Hakku out of the matchday squad in their last three matches.

“Only 20 players can come for the game. If they (Bilal and Abdul) are coming, another two players will go out. It is a matter of numbers."

Having officially concluded the first phase of their privatisation/separation exercise earlier this week, Selangor FC will get down to next season's announcements beginning next week.

In a telephone call with Goal, newly-appointed club CEO Johan Kamal Hamidon (formerly the FA Selangor secretary-general) revealed that the Red Giants will start officially announcing their new signings gradually beginning early next week.

Johan Kamal. Photo by Zulhilmi Zainal

Their new signings are rumoured to include Perak and Malaysia forward Shahrel Fikri, as well as Pahang's 2020 breakout star Nik Sharif Haseefy.

"We'll start announcing the signings starting next week, early in the week. But we will do the announcements bit by bit, not in one go."

The club are also expecting their 2021 kits to arrive soon, although plans for the official launching depend on the gravity of the situation concerning the Covid-19 pandemic in the coming month.

Their annual pre-season jersey launch and meet and greet event has been a staple of their activities calendar in the past two years, and has been well-received by the supporters.

"We've done our work regarding the jerseys, but the actual launching event is the biggest challenge. We haven't decided on the mechanism because of the restrictions (pandemic). Planning has been very difficult and to be honest we haven't done any planning yet, because we refuse to commit resources when there are so many uncertainties regarding Covid-19. We can only assess the current situation for now. The worst case scenario is it (the launching) will all be done digitally, unfortunately.

"The 2021 jerseys have already been finalised. They are already on their way here as we speak now, and will arrive by the end of December. Hopefully, the home kit will be released by early January, early February for the away kit, and then the alternate kit will be launched during our first home match.

"Next year is the final year of our current contract with Joma, but we have already begun discussions on an extension," explained the club official on Saturday.