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The honourable Union Minister of Sporting and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju interacted with the members of the India U17 Women’s World Cup squad in a virtual session organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). AIFF president Praful Patel too was present at the meeting

The Union Minister interacted with several players from the squad and mentioned that he was looking forward to gathering feedback from the players which will help the central government to further contribute to the sport.

“I want to thank the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for organising this virtual meeting with all the players. I want to meet all the girls of the U17 team personally and listen to them as it is very important for the players to speak which will help me and the government of India to gather information on what can we do more for the development of the sport.”

The U17 World Cup was supposed to be held in November 2020 initially, only for the pandemic to force a change in schedule. FIFA then revised the schedule and the tournament was to be held in February and March in 2021

After discussion with several stakeholders, FIFA decided to take a 'health and safety first' approach and cancel the tournament. India was then selected as the host nation for the 2022 edition.

Rijiju advised the players to remain motivated despite the cancellation of the competition and also congratulated Praful Patel and the Indian FA for successfully getting the hosting rights of the World Cup once again from FIFA.

“Our U17 team which is together at this time, I am sure they will be disappointed that the World Cup got postponed but I hope they don’t get demotivated and their spirit does not go down. They are just under 17 and their career has just begun.

“The World Cup which got cancelled is not because of anyone’s fault, it is because of the global pandemic. But the tournament will be held in 2022 and once again India has been chosen as the host. So I want to congratulate Praful Patel and the entire team who managed to convince FIFA to get the hosting rights again.

“I assure you that there will be full support be it financially, manpower or anything that is required. The only thing I am sad about is that some of the girls from the current U17 squad will not be able to play in 2022 due to age bar. But I must say that the girls should not lose heart because after this there is the U20 level and then senior team. They are the future. I assure full support from the government,” said the sports minister.

Rijiju also said that he hopes the women’s national team plays the World Cup very soon as they are ranked much higher than the men’s team in the FIFA rankings and also added that it is very important for the country to become a footballing nation.

“I know that the Indian women’s team is higher ranked than the men’s team and this proves that we can qualify for World Cup even if we are not the hosts and I believe that in near future we will make it to the Women’s World Cup.

“Football is the biggest sport in the world and we cannot afford to be left behind. If India wants to be a sporting powerhouse we have to grow in football. We have to promote football.”

Dean Henderson has been warned that he faces a “nightmare scenario” at Manchester United, with Roy Keane seeing the exits at Old Trafford being blocked off for a goalkeeper who needs games.

The highly-rated 23-year-old did get an opportunity to impress in the Red Devils’ last outing as David de Gea picked up an injury.

United’s established number one suffered a knee problem at Southampton, allowing Henderson to step in between the sticks.

De Gea crashed into the frame of his goal as he tried in vain to keep out a free kick from Saints star James Ward-Prowse.

Henderson was summoned off the bench and kept the hosts out for the remainder of a thrilling contest that saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side hit back from two goals down to win 3-2.

United are hoping that De Gea will be in contention to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, but no risks will be taken with his fitness.

That may allow Henderson to provide cover once again, but the England hopeful is very much a back-up option for Solskjaer this season.

Red Devils legend Keane believes a man who has previously starred across two loan spells at Sheffield United deserves better than a bit-part role in Manchester.

He cannot see another move being sanctioned, though, meaning that a promising shot-stopper who signed a new contract over the summer will be left stuck in De Gea’s shadow.

Keane told Sky Sports: “It’s a nightmare scenario for him. He wants to play for Man United, of course he does.

“Being in goal for Sheffield United and Man United every week is completely different, but he had to go back. Ole wanted to see him and work with him closely.

“You want to get better by playing the games, you can do all the training sessions you want, but if you’re not playing every week, the kid’s going to go backwards - and that’s going to cost him, ultimately.

“For example, if [Jordan] Pickford has a difficult spell - which he always seems to be, in my eyes - then it’s probably difficult for Gareth [Southgate] to go and pick a goalkeeper who’s not playing regularly.

“It’s a difficult situation for Henderson. Come January, do United really want to let him go out on loan?

“I don’t think so, because then they need cover for De Gea in case something happens to him.”

Henderson has remained part of England manager Southgate’s thoughts across recent squads, with a senior bow made against the Republic of Ireland, but more minutes are required at club level in order to compete with Everton shot-stopper Pickford for the number one job.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed both Edinson Cavani and the Football Association as the governing body looks into the 'Gracias n******' Instagram post that was sent from the striker's account.

Cavani apologised for any offence caused after he replied to a friend’s congratulatory message on his Instagram story, with him later deleting the post after he was made aware of how the wording could be interpreted in the UK.

The FA has asked the Uruguayan for his observations and Solskjaer has backed both the governing body and his player over the incident.

The Norwegian told reporters: "We’ve communicated with Edinson and he’s deeply sorry for the mistake he made. There was no malicious intent at all, it was just an affectionate greeting to a friend of his.

"We explained to him and he’s been asked by the FA to explain so of course he will cooperate with them and we will support him. It’s one of those unfortunate situations. He's just come into the country, in Uruguay it’s used in a different way than what we have here.

"We will support him but we support the FA too. It’s important that the FA has asked him to explain and it’s out there for everyone to see because we want to be in the fight against discrimination with everyone.

"I saw Gary (Neville) said something about all players coming from different cultures should be educated and I’m sure Edinson has learnt the hard way."

The 33-year-old is in contention to face his former side Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night as they visit Old Trafford for the penultimate Champions League Group H fixture.

Solskjaer, who has an almost fully-fit squad to select from, says he has no concerns over Cavani’s mindset despite what has happened off the pitch over the last couple of days.

"Edinson is ready to play. Of course, it’s special for him to play against PSG, his old club where he is the top scorer, so that will affect him mentally.

"From knowing him I think that will give him energy and he will be ready. He is so professional, experienced and he will work on his mindset today and tomorrow to be ready for the game.

"The same goes for the FA… he’s learnt a lesson. It might affect him but he’ll have to put it to one side when the game’s on and the best players can put problems, or other thoughts, away for a while and perform when he has to."

Solskjaer’s side need just a point to qualify for the last 16 while a win would see them top the group with a game to spare.

With so many fixtures coming up domestically in December, the Norwegian is hoping his team can get the job done at Old Trafford and offer him the chance to rest players in the final group game against RB Leipzig.

"The quicker you can qualify the better, with a win we win the group, that’s our intent," Solskjaer said. "We want to go out there in our style, attacking intent, defending well against a top team with some top individual players. Our mindset is win this game and we’ve won the group."

If Arsenal are making Thomas Partey a key part of their plans then Mesut Ozil should be brought back in from the cold, says Paul Merson.

The Gunners have bolstered their options in the middle of the park by snapping up Ghana international Partey from Atletico Madrid.

Partey is considered to be cut from the same cloth as Gunners greats Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva, with much-needed physical presence added to the Emirates Stadium engine room.

Mikel Arteta has, however, seen his side struggle for creativity and goal threat this season, with Arsenal unable to bring all of the pieces together that will deliver much sought-after consistency.

Merson believes the answer to that problem remains on the club’s books, with Ozil having been omitted from Europa League and Premier League squads.

A World Cup winner heading towards free agency is playing no part for the Gunners in 2020-21 due to some bold selection calls, with his days in north London seemingly numbered.

Merson remains bemused as to how the talented 32-year-old has found himself in this position, with Arteta’s side crying out for his playmaking qualities.

The former Gunners star told Sky Sports: “For me, Mesut Ozil comes back in the team if Thomas Partey is fit. Partey gets around the pitch, dominates the midfield and dictates the game. Him playing opens up a chance for Ozil.

“At the moment, Arsenal have nobody in there to provide the forwards. You can make runs all day long, but if you're a centre-forward, your runs are only as good as the players playing behind you.

“When these Arsenal players are getting the ball in midfield, with time, is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang making the run? Is he confident they are going to see his run and are capable of getting that ball through the eye of a needle? I'd say no, so they need creativity. Fernando Torres made runs when Steven Gerrard got the ball. They didn't even have to look.

“Teams are sitting back against Arsenal, and they don't have the creativity in midfield to break them down.

“If Partey doesn't play, Ozil can't play. Without Partey, Arsenal are not going to dictate the midfield, and then can't afford to play with 10 men. But if Arsenal have the midfield, and Ozil is playing behind Aubameyang, with two flying wingers. You ask the back four to stay still, including the full-backs.

“You'd play Granit Xhaka next to Partey, then Ozil in front, then have Aubameyang central, Bukayo Saka on the left, and try and get a tune out of Nicolas Pepe. Get the ball to Ozil, and before you know it, if you make runs, he'll find you.”

Merson added: “Is Arteta to blame for Ozil's exclusion? I don't know if it's Arteta or the club. I'm not sure. Arteta has been in the game long enough to know when a player is or isn't a good player.

“You never, ever know when you're going to need a player. The name of the game for so many top managers is to keep the players who aren't in the team happy. Because they know, one day, they might need that player.

“If you treat them badly, and all of a sudden you have a few injuries and you need them to play, it's bad news. If you treat them well, they'll run through a brick wall for you. You will need them.”

Ozil has not figured for Arsenal since March 7, prior to football shutting down amid the coronavirus pandemic, and is now running down a lucrative contract with no role to play at the Emirates.

Frank Lampard has offered an explanation for the "tough" decision he took to leave Callum Hudson-Odoi out of Chelsea's draw with Tottenham.

Hudson-Odoi scored his third goal of the season for Chelsea against Rennes after being handed a rare start in the Champions League last week.

The 20-year-old's cool finish set the Blues on their way to a 2-1 victory which saw them qualify for the round of 16, but he was subsequently dropped for a heavyweight Premier League clash against Spurs on Sunday.

Lampard did not include the England international in his final 18-man squad for the London derby as he restored Hakim Ziyech to his starting line-up to play alongside Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham in a front three.

Chelsea ultimately missed the chance to move top of the table after being held to a 0-0 draw by Tottenham, who are ahead of reigning champions Liverpool on goal difference.

Lampard insists Hudson-Odoi's omission was nothing to do with his recent performance levels, and has urged him to keep his head up and continue working hard behind the scenes in order to fulfil his potential, with his next chance to shine likely to come in a midweek trip to Sevilla.

"It was difficult. I have been pleased about his training recently. His attitude in training at the minute is bang on," Lampard told a press conference of the winger's current standing in the squad.

"That work ethic in training is effective in him scoring against Rennes and playing well, coming on against Newcastle and he was bright after going away with the Under-21s and doing well.

"It was tough. I have tough decisions when I have a fully-fit squad, as we pretty much do now, to leave out players that work hard through the week and are desperate to play for the club.

"I did speak to him personally. I want him to understand where he is at the minute, which is in a progression that's getting better. There will be times where others players have to sit out and that's a conversation we have to have with other players.

"He is in contention for tomorrow and I want to see more of the same and keep that progression going. Like I say, if there are times where he is out of the squad, I want him to stay positive. That's part of my job as well to have that communication level."

Lampard added: "For all these players you are talking about, in my squad, I have to leave out four or five players per game. If I speak about all the permutations of all of them and considered the risk of it then I wouldn't be able to make a decision or do the job.

"I am aware of Callum and where he is at. He took it very well and it is not an easy conversation to have because all players want to play, I expect that. He will get his opportunities.

"He will get minutes tomorrow. It is up to him then to show when he plays that he deserves to start because there is competition in that area. That's the reality of playing for Chelsea.

"At the same time, if I feel like I am taking someone out of the squad when they deserve to be in it, I have to be straight and honest with them to try and keep them positive and working in the right direction.

"Hopefully with Callum, I have got that. His reaction was great and since the game, and in training today, he has been great and it will show when he plays."

Asked if he endured the same struggles as Hudson-Odoi at the start of his own playing career, Lampard responded: "Yes, I can relate to that as we all have steps on the ladder. I think Callum's early career, he got into the team with a lot of talk around him in the year before I came.

"Then he got a really bad injury and a big part of last season, even this season, he was feeling the injury a little bit. I think now time and work is showing he's back with his recent form to where we want him to be.

"At the same time, he is still a developing player because when there's a lot of talk about a player then you think they have been around longer than they have. He is still a young man so unfortunately for him, I have to see the bigger picture.

"It is unfortunate he is not part of the squad but there's hundreds of games ahead of him and progressions to make. He will have a big impact with his talent, as long as he has that hard work, which he is showing at the minute."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s “desire to win” has rubbed off on those around him at AC Milan to the point that Stefano Pioli’s side are now favourites to land the Serie A title, claims Fabio Capello.

Nine years have passed since the Rossoneri last got their hands on the Italian top-flight crown.

Massimiliano Allegri was their manager back then, with a highly-rated coach proving that he could deliver the grandest of prizes.

Ibrahimovic was another familiar face, with the enigmatic Swede finishing as Milan’s top scorer a year before he headed to Paris Saint-Germain.

Following further stints at Manchester United and the LA Galaxy, San Siro has welcomed a proven performer back with open arms.

Ibrahimovic returned to Milan in January and immediately set about spreading his own unique brand of inspiration throughout the club.

Team-mates that had been struggling prior to his arrival have been reborn, with a talismanic presence dragging everyone along with him.

Milan have even shown over recent weeks that they can cope without Ibrahimovic, as the 39-year-old takes in a spell on the sidelines, and Capello considers them to be the side to beat this season.

A man who delivered four domestic titles and a Champions League triumph during his first spell as Rossoneri boss told Corriere della Sera of goings-on in the present: “AC Milan will win the Scudetto, there's no doubt about it because they are the best team in Italy.

“What really impressed me about them was how well they adapted to playing without Ibrahimovic.

“What's happened is that even without him, they have taken on his winning mentality.

“The team understands his great desire to win. A year ago, the same players showed fear, uncertainty and shyness. Now they show courage and determination. With or without Ibrahimovic on the pitch, they know what to do and they do it.

“I think the lack of fans has helped them. In the San Siro you could hear the mumbles and groans from the supporters. Now they are expressing themselves without fear and anxiety.

“They also have a great manager in Stefano Pioli. He's shown at Lazio and Fiorentina he is a coach with great ideas, but he needed time and trust and Milan have given him that.

“They are a great team and I don't think their run will end soon.”

Milan, who are unbeaten in Serie A through nine games, have suffered just one defeat so far this season – against Lille in the Europa League – and will be back in continental action on Thursday when they take in a home date with Celtic.

AFC Leopards head coach Tomas Trucha has threatened to quit alleging some officials are interfering with his work.

The Czech Republic citizen was appointed Ingwe coach in early November to help the team challenge for the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League title. 

"[Trucha] is not happy with some officials who are pushing some players to be involved in games," a source close to the club told Goal on Tuesday.

"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."

When reached for comment, AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda stated he is currently not aware of the issue.

"To be honest, I have not heard anything from the coach or the technical bench," Shikanda told Goal.

"However, we have a meeting later in the day [Tuesday] and from there I will know. There are some issues from Saturday which we also need to address. Until then, I cannot comment on the issue."

Trucha was in charge last weekend against Tusker FC, when Ingwe came from a goal down to win 2-1.

It was Ingwe who started the match well, attacking with every opportunity they got. Elvis Rupia had an effort punched out for what turned out to be a fruitless corner while Nabwire's effort was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.

However, a blunder in the midfield after 22 minutes allowed the Ruaraka-based side to steal the ball and David Majak kept his cool to score his first goal of the season.

The goal did little to dent the host's ambition of getting a positive result from the game. In the 26th minute, they were back on level terms courtesy of defender Robinson Kamura.

The 11-time champions looked unsettled and struggled at times to get the better of Ingwe. 

It was no surprise when they conceded a penalty in the 34th minute and Rupia capitalized on it to give his team a lead for the first time. 

Ingwe deservedly headed to the break with a lead as their opponents got a chance to re-organize themselves to put a better performance in the second half.

Neither of the two teams could get a goal in the second half despite numerous changes, especially in the attacking department.

Mamelodi Sundowns say they are abandoning talks with Al Ahly over the transfer of midfielder Gaston Sirino and will only listen to the Cairo giants if they table a “better offer.”

The reigning African champions are pressing to sign the 29-year-old, who is also said to be keen to reunite with his former Downs coach Pitso Mosimane.

Sirino has already made a transfer request through the media, prompting the Brazilians to threaten disciplinary action against him for allegedly bringing the club’s name into disrepute.

While it is not clear how much Al Ahly have tabled, Sundowns general manager Yogesh Singh said they will only reopen discussions if the Egyptians make an offer “that shows respect.”

“They made an offer which we rejected‚” Singh told Times Live.

“For us the negotiations are closed and Sirino remains our player. Unless they come back to the table with a better and fairer offer that shows respect for Sundowns‚ nothing is going to happen.

“For us‚ this matter is closed and he remains our player until they come back to us with a better offer.”

With the Brazilians having played five Premier Soccer League matches so far this season, Sirino is yet to make a single league appearance after getting injured in their 1-0 MTN8 quarter-final defeat by Bloemfontein Celtic some six weeks ago.

The Uruguayan was then said to be nearing full fitness a few weeks ago but his continued stay on the sidelines, as well as his public desire to leave the Brazilians, has fuelled speculation that he could be refusing to play in protest of Downs’ unwillingness to let him go.

Sirino arrived at Chloorkop in January 2018 from Bolivian side Bolivar and he has already completed two full seasons in the PSL.

In June 2020, he extended his Sundowns contract by a further five years amid already reported interest from Al Ahly, which is said to have now been spurred by Mosimane's arrival in Cairo.

Since his arrival, the Uruguayan has featured in 100 Sundowns matches across all competitions, scoring 24 goals and providing 29 assists.

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has announced that the 2020 MTN8 final will take place at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

The final will be contested by Bloemfontein Celtic and Orlando Pirates on December 12 and the two teams will battle it out for the coveted trophy and the whopping R8 million in prize money.

The league released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

"The PSL together with MTN are pleased to announce the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium as the venue to host the 2020/21 MTN8 Final," a statement read.

The last time Moses Mabhida Stadium staged the MTN8 final was in 2018 with Cape Town City stunning SuperSport United 4-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

However, SuperSport won the competition last year after defeating Highlands Park 1-0 in the final at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg.

The final will return to the KwaZulu-Natal Province with Pirates looking to end their six-year trophy drought, while the last time Celtic won a major title was in 2012 which was the Telkom Knockout.

In their road to this year's MTN8 final, Pirates defeated Cape Town City 1-0 in a quarter-final encounter at the Mecca of South African football, Orlando Stadium.

The Buccaneers then thumped their arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 5-0 on aggregate in a one-sided semi-final tie and they are hoping to clinch their 10th Top 8 title this year.

They will face a Celtic side which stunned Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in a quarter-final match as they avenged their 1-0 defeat to Masandawana in the 2020 Nedbank Cup final.

Phunya Sele Sele then secured a 2-1 win over the defending champions SuperSport on aggregate in the semi-finals and they reached the Top 8 final for the second time in the club's history.

Celtic defeated SuperSport 1-0 in the 2005 final which took place at Olen Park in Potchefstroom. It remains Siwelele's first and only Top 8 trophy and the tournament was still known as the SAA Supa 8. 

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he's "proud" to see Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland closing in on his Champions League record.

Solskjaer is currently the highest-scoring Norwegian player in the history of Europe's elite competition, having scored 20 goals during his illustrious playing career at Old Trafford between 1996 and 2007.

Former Aston Villa and Valencia striker John Carew is next on the list with 18 to his name, while Haaland is just two goals further back after netting a combined total of 16 in the Champions League across his spells at Red Bull Salzburg and Dortmund.

The talented young frontman is almost certain to beat Solskjaer's mark given he only recently turned 20 years of age, and he may even reach the milestone this season, having already scored six in four group-stage appearances.

Haaland scored a brace in Dortmund's 3-0 home win over Club Brugge on matchday four, and will likely feature in Lucien Favre's starting XI when Lazio arrive at Westfalenstadion on Wednesday.

Solskjaer saw the ex-Salzburg star's abilities up close while he was in charge at Molde, and feels partly responsible for turning him into the prolific frontman that he is today.

Asked if Haaland will go onto break his European record, the United head coach told a press conference ahead of his team's clash with Paris Saint-Germain in midweek: "He’ll beat it and very quickly, that’s for sure.

"The boy has had a great start to his career.

"It was really good to work with him, to see the potential in him, and some part of me feels proud of having a little bit of an input in such a rise.

"I’m sure Erling will score loads in the Champions League."

Solskjaer reportedly tried to lure Haaland to Old Trafford before his €20 million (£18/$24m) switch to Dortmund in January, and United continue to be credited with an interest in his services along with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Speculation surrounding the Red Devils' possible moves in the market will only increase heading into the winter window, but the man currently occupying the dugout insists he is not yet thinking about any possible changes to his squad.

Quizzed on the possibility of any incomings in the new year, Solskjaer told reporters: "Here we go... on the eve of an important game against PSG and we’re talking transfers.

“With our additions in the summer and last time in January, I don’t think it’s right for me to start commenting on the transfer window already.

“Let’s see where we are in January. I’ve got selection issues already!”

Mumbai City outclassed East Bengal in their third match of the Indian Super League (ISL) season on Tuesday at the GMS Stadium, Bambolim.

Adam Le Fondre scored a brace (20', 48) and Hernan Santana (58') was on target as the Islanders cruised past the Kolkata giants.

Sergio Lobera made four changes in the Mumbai lineup which defeated FC Goa 1-0 in their last match. Mohammed Rakip, Bipin Singh, Ahmed Jahouh and Vignesh D, replaced Amay Ranawade, Sarthak Golui, CY Goddard and Farukh Choudhary.

Robbie Fowler, on the other hand, replaced two players from the East Bengal lineup from the Kolkata derby as Loken Meitei and Rana Gharami made way for Mohammad Irshad and Wahengbang Angousana.

The Red and Golds received an early blow when skipper and central defender Danny Fox had to leave the pitch after a clash with Adam Le Fondre in the air. Fowler brought in central midfielder Mohammed Rafique and tweaked the formation from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3.

Mumbai were in control of the game right from the off and commanded proceedings. They got their first chance to score in the ninth minute when Mandar Rao Dessai took advantage of Surchandra's mistake on the right side of the box and found Le Fondre who set it up for Hugo Boumous to fire but thanks to a quality save from Debjit Majumder Boumous failed to break the deadlock.

The Islanders finally scored the opening goal in the 20th minute from an excellent counter-attack. Rowllin Borges sent a long ball for Boumous and who first beat Surchandra in pace and then went past Irshad inside the box before squaring the ball for Le Fondre who converted a routine tap-in.

The Red and Golds never looked comfortable with the ball throughout the first half and their backline was extremely shaky which allowed Mumbai to constantly pose threat on them.

Mumbai picked up things from where they had left in the first half and continued with their dominance. They scored the second goal in the 48th minute of the match from a penalty.

Boumous followed through ball down the middle from Jahouh and entered the box but before he could pull the trigger, Majumder came out of his line and committed a foul resulting in the penalty. Adam Le Fondre converted his brace from the spot-kick.

The Islanders piled on more misery on the Red and Golds as they scored the third goal in the 58th minute. Ahmed Jahouh's out-swinging free-kick was kept in play by Boumous and Hernan Santana sent the ball in with a quality volley.

Mumbai climbed to the top of the league table with six points from three games while East Bengal languished at the rock bottom position without registering a point.

Andrea Pirlo is not worried by Juventus' inconsistent form that has so far defined his first season as coach.

The Juve and Italy legend saw his side held to a 1-1 draw by Benevento on Saturday, leaving the defending Serie A champions six points behind leaders Milan.

That gap would be just two points if not for the four Juve have dropped from winning positions in the 2020-21 campaign, Benevento coming from behind to force them to settle for their fifth draw from nine league games.

It is a much better picture in the Champions League for Juve, with the Bianconeri already sure of their qualification for the last 16 ahead of Wednesday's clash with Dynamo Kiev.

With the derby with Torino on the horizon after their European commitments, Pirlo is under no illusion as to what Juve need in order to gain ground on Milan.

"After Benevento, I said that we need more concentration and desire to bring home the points, even when we are ahead in the games," he told a press conference. "We've spoken about it and we are all aware of it.

"I'm absolutely not worried. In Benevento it was our game to win but we weren't good at closing it out and then they managed to do that well, this can happen. We've analysed the match and we will try to improve.

"We must face all the matches in the same way, both in Europe and in Italy. I would have preferred a little more consistency, but it's normal that it takes a little more time to achieve it. The players know what they must and want to do.

"When you win, everything is fine; when you don't, problems arise that may not even exist. We are working well to improve."

Paulo Dybala, who is yet to score in the league this season and has been the subject of continued criticism, is not expected to feature against Dynamo.

"I don't think we'll see a trident attack tomorrow, Morata will probably play, whilst Dybala will prepare for the derby on Saturday," added Pirlo.

One player who has impressed this season is Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

Ramsey endured a difficult first season with Juve after joining from Arsenal in 2019. He scored three goals in Serie A, provided one assist and created 20 chances.

He has yet to find the net in the league this term but already has an assist to his name and has created 10 chances. His per-90 minutes average for chances created of 2.67 is second only to Dejan Kulusevski (2.89).

Pirlo said: "I have to say that Ramsey was a great find for me and he can still improve. For me and for the team he is very important."

Kariobangi Sharks head coach William Muluya is delighted with the way his charges played in their 4-0 win against Wazito FC in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.

In the Sunday game, Daniel Sakari, Erick Kapaito, and Julius Masaba scored the goals that took Kariobangi Sharks to the top of the table. The youthful tactician admits it happened because everyone played his part effectively.

"It was a collective responsibility from the players to the technical bench but I am delighted with the way the fans gave their best to get a positive result," Muluya told Goal.

"We want to play good football this season and push for a win in every game we play."

Erick Kapaito was the man of the match as he created and scored a brace. He was outstanding throughout the game and on another day, he could have easily scored a hat-trick.

"This is the season Kapaito has started with no injuries," Muluya said regarding his forward.

"As a captain, he also played well and led by example. It is all a coach needs from his captain; he played like a leader. The team needs him.

"He created an assist and scored a brace which is really good for the team and the start of the season."

In some stages of the game, the Slum Boys looked lost tactically owing to the excitement of getting a healthy lead, and Muluya pointed out how he addressed the issue.

"At some point, the players forgot about tactical discipline because they were leading, and as a coach, I had to remind them what they should do."  

Sakari gave Kariobangi Sharks the lead in the 34th minute with the hosts looking a more comfortable side in how they dealt with their opponents.

Francis Kimanzi made a first-half change in the 41st minute when he withdrew former Kakamega Homeboyz defender Ronald Omino for winger Kelvin Kimani. The tactical change did not bring a much-needed edge at the front as Wazito went into the break trailing by a 1-0 margin.

In the 54th minute, Amos Asembeka and Whyvone Isuza were substituted and their places were taken by Ali Hassan and Kennedy Owino.

Kapaito, the newly-named Kariobangi Sharks captain, scored the second three minutes after the hour mark. The concession of the second goal pushed Kimanzi to make another two changes; Musa Masika and Clinton Okoth replaced Kevin Okumu and Boniface Omondi.

The changes did not stabilise Wazito as Kapaito grabbed his second in the 78th minute to give Kariobangi Sharks a healthy cushion going into the last 10 minutes.

Masaba scored in the 89th minute to ensure Kariobangi Sharks downed their Nairobi opponents by a 4-0 margin.

Scott McTominay admits he “wouldn’t have been a footballer” had he been at any other club than Manchester United.

The 23-year-old midfielder is now an established part of the fold at Old Trafford.

A big break arrived for him in the spring of 2017, with Jose Mourinho offering a promising academy graduate the opportunity to see first-team minutes.

McTominay impressed his Portuguese coach and went on to become a regular before another change in the dugout was made.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has continued to keep faith with the Scotland international and he is now just five appearances short of reaching a century for United.

That is some achievement for man who concedes that he almost did not make it, with injury struggles as a youngster requiring the Red Devils to show considerable faith and patience in him.

Discussing his career path with Pro Direct Soccer, McTominay said: “I genuinely don’t think it’s sunk in.

“I think it’s something that I will look back on at the end of my career.

“It’ll sink in as a special time in my life and sometimes you need to reset and think about it. My family are very humble, they won’t let you get ahead of yourself. They are always pushing me behind the scenes.

“When I was 16, I was really small. I couldn’t get near the team and I was injured for two years in the youth team.

“When I look back on it, if I knew in my mind how difficult it is to get to here, I would have written myself off.

“If I was at any other football club, I wouldn’t have been a footballer.”

Injury struggles have remained an issue for McTominay at times since his step up into the senior ranks.

He missed 12 games with a knee problem last season, with an enforced spell on the sidelines allowing others to impress in his absence.

Solskjaer does now have fierce competition for places in his engine room, with there a wealth of midfield options at his disposal.

McTominay has taken in 11 outings this season, while helping Scotland to qualify for next summer’s European Championship, but is having to battle with the likes of Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Fred, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata for recognition.

Rarely have Real Madrid been more in need of the strong character and determination that has underpinned some of their greatest successes when they travel to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday evening.

Los Blancos were on the receiving end of one of the worst results in their recent history on Saturday when they were defeated at home by minnows Deportivo Alaves.

The reigning Spanish champions have been exposed in recent fixtures as they were defeated emphatically by Valencia in early November, before being held 1-1 by Villarreal in La Liga action a week ago.

However, neither of those performances were as troubling as the 2-1 home defeat by Alaves, as Lucas Perez and Joselu scored in each half before Casemiro pulled one back late on for Madrid.

They lacked confidence and control at the back, while Zinedine Zidane will have been left frustrated by the struggles of his attackers, who failed to find the cohesion and intensity required to break down the resilient Alaves backline.

Madrid have now been defeated in three of their last five home matches—as many as in their previous 31 games—and as if things couldn’t get any worse, they were struck a blow when Eden Hazard was replaced with a thigh injury in the first half.

While it isn’t yet clear how long the Belgium superstar will be sidelined for, and he did work indoors on Sunday, Zidane acknowledged after the match that he was at a loss to explain Los Merengues ’ struggles against Alaves.

“I don't have an explanation,” Real told journalists after the match. “Tonight we alternated good moments with bad moments.

“When they scored a goal after three minutes, things get very complicated for us,” he added. “The other day in Milan we played a good game and today...It is reality, our reality today.

“What we have to do is keep working, recover players and change the dynamics,” Zidane concluded. “We don't have consistency.”

Zidane may well need more from young stars such as Rodrygo—who came off the bench to replace Hazard against Alaves—Vinicius Junior, and Marco Asensio.

Rodrygo impressed against Inter in the UCL—netting twice—and could be a key figure as Real look to improve their fortunes.

The World Cup winner will be desperate to ensure Los Blancos start strongly away at Shakhtar, having been undone early on against Alaves before struggling to find top gear.

“It's the worst start of the season,” Zidane acknowledged. “We couldn't change the dynamics of the game and that bothers and worries me.

“I have to find the solution with the players. I am not going to say it here,” he concluded. “We must not only think about the negative. We also have to see what we did well and try to be more consistent.”

Even though Real won their only previous match away against Shakhtar—a 4-3 triumph under Rafael Benitez in November 2015—they were defeated 3-2 at home against the same opponent in the first match of their group-stage campaign.

Encouragingly, however, Real have a strong record away in Ukraine, having lost only one of their previous seven games away in the Eastern European country—not losing since 1999.

They’ll also be confident of maintaining the strong form they demonstrated in their recent victory over Internazionale against a Shakhtar side who are without a win in their three previous UCL matches, having taken just one point since they defeated Real.

Three points for Real would be enough to reach the UCL knockouts for a record 24th consecutive season, and they’ll be encouraged by the limitations of a Shakhtar defence that has conceded four goals or more in their last two UCL games.

Even without Hazard, Real should have enough going forward to dispatch the Moles and progress to the Round of 16.

Ex-Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has urged his former club to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe in the summer of 2021.

Mbappe will enter the final year of his contract at the end of the current campaign and could be available at a relatively affordable price should PSG be willing to sell and a new deal not be agreed.

The 21-year-old has been on Madrid's radar since his breakthrough at Monaco aged 16 and he continues to be linked with them as they aim to fill the hole left by Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus in 2018.

Calderon says Mbappe would have a similar impact to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in the Spanish capital should he be bought in the coming months.

"Without a doubt, Mbappe is the player most desired by all and it would be great news for our team," Calderon told Goal.

"He is a player who, being very young, has already managed to attract the attention of all the fans and presumably his best moment is yet to come.

"What the big clubs always need is to have the best players in their primes, regardless of their age."

While Madrid held off the challenge of Barcelona to grind out a Spanish title win last season, they have not been the same team since Ronaldo departed for Serie A.

Galactico signing Eden Hazard has not managed to recapture his Chelsea form while Zinedine Zidane's side have been unable to make up for the loss of Ronaldo's goals in the two years since his sale. 

"That attitude and his natural conditions make him unbeatable," Calderon said of Ronaldo. "Without a doubt, he is an example for young people who aspire to succeed in the sport.

"The player understood that it [joining Real Madrid] was a great opportunity to advance his career and obtain titles and earn personal recognition.

"He was not wrong, he achieved four Ballons d'Or and four Champions League titles, and set records in terms of goals scored in several seasons. Something within reach of very few people.

"It was a big mistake by the current president [Florentino Perez] to sell him for €110m ($133m/£99m) after nine years in the team. It is a pity because he is showing in Italy that he is still one of the best in the world."

The Calderon era lasted for three years, between 2006-09, and ended just before Ronaldo's transfer from Manchester United was confirmed. But the acquisition that offered the most value for money in the eyes of the 69-year-old came in the shape of another ex-Manchester United forward.

Ruud van Nistelrooy netted 64 goals in 96 games for Los Blancos during his four years at Madrid, and Calderon remains proud of the deal that was done to bring him from Old Trafford to Santiago Bernabeu.

"It is never easy to hire a major player, but it was surprisingly easy and very cheap to sign Ruud van Nistelrooy from Manchester United," he says. "We only paid €12m ($14m/£11m) for him and, without a doubt, he was one of the best performers for the team.

"He is a great person, good team-mate, a leader of the dressing room and an extraordinary player. He helped us a lot to win two consecutive leagues and a Super Cup, having not won a single title in three years."

Saturday's home defeat at the hands of Alaves was Madrid's third loss of the current league campaign. Having not spent a penny on signings over the summer, Zidane's side sit fourth in La Liga, seven points adrift of surprise leaders Real Sociedad.

Their lack of business in the off-season has been blamed for their disappointing form, but Calderon believes that the redevelopment of the Bernabeu means that the club needed to save funds this year but he is nonetheless still backing them to finish the campaign with silverware.

"The remodelling project of our stadium, with an investment that may cost close to one billion euros, is conditioning the playing staff," he concludes.

"In any case, we already have very good players and I do not doubt that we will be in the fight to get all the titles in which we participate."

Selangor's appointment of its technical director Michael Feichtenbeiner as caretaker head coach towards the end of the 2020 Malaysia Super League competition not only helped them rebound from a series of underwhelming results, it also allowed several of their younger players to make their first team debuts under the German's guidance.

One such player was 20-year old midfielder Aliff Haiqal Lokman Hakim Lau, whose competitive Selangor first team debut came in their September 20 league match against UiTM FC, when he replaced K. Sarkunan at the start of the second half. He then went on to make two more league appearances and a Malaysia Cup outing, all as a second half replacement.

It has been a good year for him, especially considering that he had not even started 2020 as their reserve team member, in the Premier League. In fact, before the Covid-19 lockdown and competitions suspension, he had only been on their President Cup (U-21) team.

"I am thankful that I managed to play at a higher level this year. At first I was only an U-21 team member, but I was promoted to Selangor 2 after the lockdown was lifted. Soon enough, my Premier League appearances turned into first team appearances.

"So it was a little frustrating when the Malaysia Cup was cancelled [after only one round was played out]. The team was peaking at the time while our chemistry was just developing, but there's nothing we could do in the end. For now we'll focus on preparing for the next season, and I believe we can go for at least one silverware," said the attacking midfielder in a video interview with Goal.

According to Haiqal, his footballing journey began when his former Selangor state player father Lao Kok Kit (Lokman Hakim Lau after converting to Islam) started training him at age three. He then trained at renowned youth club CIMB-YFA as well as his primary school Jalan Empat National School in Bandar Baru Bangi, before joining the Bandar Penawar Malaysian Sports School, Johor (now Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School) in 2012.

A stint on the third season of the football reality show 'Mencari Ramli' in 2013 ended with him as one of the winners, earning him a learning trip to Manchester United's home ground Old Trafford, as well as early recognition from Malaysian football fans and observers.

This recognition then earned him call-ups to the junior national team, which in turn helped him to get a spot at his first professional club, PKNS FC.

While this year has been a breakout season for Haiqal, it must be noted that it was at PKNS that the youngster made his first ever Super League appearance last season, under then head coach Datuk Rajagobal Krishnasamy.

When PKNS' professional outfit was taken over by Selangor at the end of 2019 with their Malaysian league slot handed to the Red Giants' reserve team, Haiqal, who was still under contract then, was absorbed into their junior team.

"I had joined them after finishing secondary school in 2017. A mate told me about a training spot at PKNS which I joined, and one day one of the coaches there told me to keep training with them. That then ended in me being offered to sign with them, which I did. 

"I am grateful to Datuk Rajagobal for handing me my Super League last year and believing in what I could do. It was our match against Melaka United (July 16, 1-1), and my second league appearance would be against Selangor just days later (July 20, 3-1 defeat). It's so good to hear just a day ago that he has been appointed as the Brunei head coach," expressed the former junior Malaysia international.

But what he has achieved in the past two years is only the beginning, and the future is all that the number eight is has eyes on.

"Playing professionally has always been my dream, since my father began training me when I was three.  And now I've made it on to the first team, I have to keep working hard. Of course I want to win a trophy in 2021, but more importantly I want to take the opportunity to learn from the senior players. 

"Within the next five years, I want to be one of the best players in the country, to represent Malaysia at the senior level and to also play abroad. Getting to play in the Japanese J-League would mean a lot to me, as it's one of the best Asian leagues at the moment," explained the youngster.