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Enyimba beat Rahimo 1-0 in the first leg of their Caf Champions League preliminary round match at Stade du 4 Aout on Sunday.

A solitary strike from Victor Mbaoma in the second half was all Fatai Osho's men required to gain a massive first-leg advantage away from home against their Burkinabe hosts in Ouagadougou.

Having lost 1-0 on their last visit to Burkina Faso in 2019, the People's Elephant, who eventually advanced 5-1 on aggregate at the same stage, were eager to celebrate an away win this time.

On the other hand, the Burkinabe champions were desperate to avenge last season's elimination and also profit from their league form against their inactive Nigerian opponents.

Enyimba almost got an early lead in the opening 60 seconds but Stephen Manyo's cross from the edge of the box went to waste as his teammates were not in the area for a tap-in.
 
Sadiq Abubakar came close for the visitors but his strike went marginally over the crossbar in the seventh minute as teams remained cautious defensively to end the first half on level terms.

The People's Elephant continued their search for a crucial away goal in the second half as Tosin Omoyele created space before teeing up Abubakar, but his shot went wide in the 52nd minute.

On the hour mark, manager Osho brought on Mbaoma as a replacement for ineffective Tosin Omoyele to boost his attacking line.

Super-sub Mbaoma justified his introduction as he outjumped his marker to head in a corner kick from Anayo Iwuala and put the visitors in front 16 minutes later.

In the final stages, the hosts put up a strong fight but Osho's men held their nerve to secure a crucial away victory.

After their first-leg win in Ouagadougou, the Nigerian giants will focus on ensuring a double over their Burkinabe counterparts in the second leg at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba on December 6.

Jose Mourinho believes Tottenham have had a "complete change of mentality" after seeing that his players were disappointed with Sunday's 0-0 draw with Chelsea.

The north London side ensured they went back to the top of the Premier League, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference, as they left Stamford Bridge with a point.

While avoiding defeat at Chelsea would historically be seen as a positive for Spurs, Mourinho was happy to see that his players were irritated in the dressing room after failing to get the better of Frank Lampard's team. 

"A draw at Stamford Bridge is usually a positive thing and staying top of the league is also a positive thing," he told Sky Sports.

"But my dressing room isn't happy with that and that is fantastic. It's a complete change of mentality and personality.

"That was a game where we respected them and they respected us. Nobody gambled today or tried to change the direction of the game. Everybody was in a situation of one mistake wins the game, especially in the last 15 minutes."

He continued: "The game did not have many chances. It is a game where we both wanted to win. We respect each other. Nobody gambled.

"They had one shot from distance, we had more in the first half than the second. I think a big game is difficult for both teams."

Mourinho was happy to see his side stay at the top of the table before they turn their attention to Thursday's Europa League match against LASK, with a home game against Arsenal to follow next Sunday.

"We stay top. I like the feeling and I think it is only for 2,000 fans but the feeling of playing the first game with public and being top is a gift for the fans," he added, with fans due to be allowed to return to Premier League matches in England in a limited capacity in certain regions from next weekend.

"Not just these 2,000 but what they represent - the universe of Tottenham fans. We are happy. But I don't change my mind. If we are a bit better we win today. It was there to win. To be top is just a nice thing. The next match we need to win."

Swansea City attacker Andre Ayew is delighted by the club's performance in their Championship triumph over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

At the City Ground, Connor Roberts' lone goal sealed a 1-0 away victor in the matchday 14 fixture but it was the Ghana international who walked off the pitch with the official Man-of-the-Match award.

"3 points away from home. Love it! Great shift guys. We keep going.. MOTM"

Sunday's win has catapulted Steve Cooper's Swansea side to fourth on the league table, tied on points with third-placed Watford

“Forest are a good team; I know their league position doesn’t say that at the moment, but I think their squad is one of the strongest on paper in terms of experience and resources. You have to respect that, which we did," Cooper said of Sunday's performance, his club's official website reports. 

“While respecting that, we also came here to win. All of our body language and motivational wording was around that. So to go and deliver a performance like that is really, really good."

It was Ayew's first start for Swansea since returning from a hamstring injury picked up while on international duty with Ghana earlier this month.

After sitting out the matchweek 12 clash with Rotherham United, the 30-year-old made a scoring comeback with a valuable equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, which preceded Sunday's away trip to Forest.

"I’ve always felt that [he's worth his wages]," manager Cooper responded during the pre-match press conference when asked whether he felt the 30-year-old was producing a good return on his speculated £80,000 weekly wage.

“I’ve said it many times, he’s an outstanding player and professional and a good person, too.

"He’s motivated to do well, but he had a setback getting injured on international duty.

"The Championship is full of really good players and Andre is up there with the best of them. He has been fantastic for us.”

Swansea's top scorer so far this season, Ayew has registered six goals in 13 Championship outings, continuing from where he left off last term when he finished the campaign as his club's top scorer and most valuable player. 

South Africa claimed the winner's trophy at the Cosafa Qualifiers for U-17 Afcon 2021 in Morocco, lifting the regional title in this age-group for the first time since 2002.

South Africa defeated holders Zambia 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the decider in Nelson Mandela Bay to spark wild scenes of celebration.

Both sides had already qualified for the continental finals in Morocco, which will have been a major aim before the tournament, but Zambia will have to settle for the silver medal after losing the shoot-out.

South Africa also extend their record number of wins in the competition to three, one more than the Zambians.

Zambia took the early lead in the final when they were awarded a penalty that was put away by Joseph Banda, who netted his fifth goal of the competition.

But South Africa won a spot-kick of their own at the other end and Thabang Mahlangu levelled matters for the hosts.

There were a number of chances at either end in the remainder of the game, but the match went to penalties and when South Africa goalkeeper Enrique Erasmus saved two spot-kicks.

Earlier, Angola picked up the bronze medal when they defeated Malawi 2-1 in the third-place play-off.

Things started brightly for Malawi as Andrew Lameck gave them the lead inside a minute.

But Angola gradually grew in the game and when Jeremias Kossi and Custodio Hequele netted, the latter grabbing a fourth goal of the competition.

South African Mduduzi Shabalala was named Player of the Tournament, while Banda picked up the Golden Boot for his five goals.

The Golden Glove for best goalkeeper was won by Zambia's Eric Makungu, who had made a number of excellent saves throughout. Zambia also claimed the Fair Play award.

Meanwhile, Banda and Shabalala have also been selected to travel to Spain in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the standard of the professional game in that country.

La Liga is giving the duo the chance early next year so that they can experience the rich football culture in one of the world's great football nations.

The two boys were chosen by the Technical Study Group at the tournament and get to train with teams in Spain, take in the sights and sounds of the country, and, Covid-19 willing, take in a La Liga match.

La Liga afforded the same opportunity to two girls from the recent Cosafa Women's Under-17 Championship, with Zambian Tisilile Lungu and South Africa's Jessica Wade chosen.

Cosafa has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with La Liga that will see them partner on a number of exciting initiatives over the next few years.

Chennaiyin failed to make the most of their opportunites as they settled for a goalles draw against Kerala Blasters at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Sunday.

The Marina Machans attacked with the likes of Esmael Goncalves, Rafael Crivellaro and Jakub Sylvestr in the first half an hour as Kerala Blasters were continously forced to play inside their own half. They also spilled a golden opportunity to bag all three points in the second half of the match after Jakub Sylvestr missed a penalty in the 77th minute.

The Marina Machans head coach Csaba Laszlo, ahead of the match, said that his team will look to the control the match against Kerala Blasters. At the final whistle, they registered 46 per cent possession, but Lazlo believes that his men controlled majority of the evenly-contested fixture. 

"You know you can't control 90 minutes but for the majority of the game we were definitely in control. We had a good chance to score. We didn't. We made some mistakes and aslo the opponents got a shot from distance. We missed penalty which is a big blow," Csaba Laszlo said after the game. 

Chennaiyin, who finished as runners-up last season, had only two shots on target in the match against their southern rivals. The 56-year-old highlighted the poor record in front of the goal as a major concern and a weakness that he would like to address.  

"We have to continue it is. We have very good and fast players. We can use the space, also the speed, what is missing is the shot on target. If you don't shoot on the target you can't win the game. This was what I missed from the start," Laszlo. 

Chennaiyin are currently in the third spot on the points table with four points from two matches. 

Memphis Depay can help Barcelona build for the future if he teams up again with Ronald Koeman in La Liga, according to Clarence Seedorf. 

Depay has long been linked with a move to Barca and is in the final year of his contract with current employers Lyon, who will either have to cash in during January or risk losing one of their prized assets for nothing at the end of the season. 

A move in the previous transfer window was rumoured, particularly after Koeman – who worked with the forward at international level during his time in charge of the Netherlands – was appointed as the new head coach at the Spanish giants.  Earlier this month, the Dutch boss refused to rule out a bid for Depay.

While a move to Manchester United earlier in his career failed to work out, with Depay scoring just two goals in 33 Premier League appearances during his 18-month stint at Old Trafford, Seedorf believes his compatriot is now primed for success at one of Europe's major clubs. 

The 26-year-old certainly excelled in the Champions League during the 2019-20 season, scoring six goals to help surprise package Lyon upset both Juventus and Manchester City as they reached the last four. 

"I think Memphis Depay is one of the major talents in Europe at this moment," Seedorf – who made 87 appearances for the Netherlands – told Stats Perform News in an exclusive interview.

"He had a serious injury, but he is a player that has to be at a big club sooner or later. 

"If it is meant to be Barcelona, it will be better for them. Koeman and him worked very well together [in the past].  

"Sincerely, Koeman has done a great job with the national team, and especially with players like Memphis Depay, giving them the necessary trust to come out and show their talent. 

"I am convinced that any big club that signs him will be delighted with his talent." 

Depay discussed his future during the November international break, admitting "everyone would like to play" at a club like Barca. 

"Who wouldn't like to go to Barcelona? It's a top club," he said  after captaining the Netherlands in their recent 1-1 draw with Spain. 

"We'll see what the future holds for me. Barca is one of the biggest clubs and everyone would like to play there, but I'm focused on my club and the national team." 

However, his possible arrival at Barca could be part of a major squad rebuild, with Lionel Messi's future remaining uncertain beyond the current campaign. 

Seedorf, though, feels Depay would provide a solid building block during a period of change at Camp Nou.

"Barcelona is in a transition moment, and whenever they can bring in players like Memphis, they will be getting ready for the future," the former Real Madrid, Inter and AC Milan midfielder said.

Gor Mahia captain Kenneth Muguna believes his charges have learned their lesson after falling 2-1 away to APR Rwanda in the first preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.

Niyonzima Seif and an own goal by Andrew Juma gave the hosts victory while the only goal for the Green Army was scored by Charles Momanyi. The 24-year-old has stated it is time to focus on the forthcoming assignment after the Kigali disappointment.

"The match in Kigali is now a past chapter," Muguna said after the team landed from Rwanda.

"We have to focus ahead on the return leg and stop talking about a match that’s already played. We recognise our mistakes and we know what to do in the return leg."

Philemon Otieno, who was making it back to competitive football after a lengthened stint in the sidelines continued.

"The team spirit is high and the away goal will motivate us," the Harambee Stars defender said.

"We expect to give our very best in the return leg at home. We know if we win that match, it will give us a good platform to start off the season on a high."

In the game against APR, Boniface Oluoch made a key save to keep the score at 0-0 in the seventh minute, but Gor Mahia conceded three minutes later when they went down to a Seif strike.

K’Ogalo equalised in the 27th minute when defender Momanyi rose to meet Kenneth Muguna’s free-kick and superbly found the back of the net.

With the equaliser, the Kenyan side looked a more stable side and dealt with attacks from their hosts with palpable calmness.

Gor Mahia made a change in the 53rd minute when Bertrand Konfor, who was making his competitive debut, paved the way for winger Clifton Miheso.

Miheso saw his 56th-minute attempt from outside the box fly just wide as APR introduced Jacques Tuyisenge to face a side he won three Premier League titles with before he left in 2019.

Gor Mahia went behind again in the 63rd-minute when Juma, signed from Mathare United to replace Joash Onyango, conceded an own goal.

The Kenyan side made a change in the 67th minute as another debutant, Tito Okello, was substituted and Nicholas Kipkirui was brought on in order to fire up the attacking department.

The changes made by stand-in coach Sammy 'Pamzo' Omollo did not pay off with a goal, but the one scored away may end up being vital in the return leg in December at Nyayo Stadium.

Antoine Griezmann starred and Lionel Messi paid tribute to Diego Maradona as Barcelona beat Osasuna 4-0 at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Ronald Koeman had called on his players to produce a performance befitting the former Barca and Argentina star, who died this week.

They duly delivered, Griezmann scoring the pick of the goals in a fine performance against a side who won 2-1 at this ground in July.

There were also goals from Martin Braithwaite, Philippe Coutinho and Messi, who honoured compatriot Maradona with his celebration after scoring the fourth.

A brilliant goal-line clearance from Unai Garcia stopped Coutinho from opening the scoring after Griezmann teed up the Brazilian.

The breakthrough eventually came in scrappy fashion. Messi's pass split the defence, Jordi Alba found Coutinho, Sergio Herrera saved his shot and Braithwaite's rebound, but the latter managed to bundle the ball over the line with Messi's help.

Ante Budimir turned past Marc-Andre ter Stegen after a brilliant double save by the keeper, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside against Oier Sanjurjo.

Barca doubled their lead just two minutes later, Griezmann walloping a volley past the motionless Herrera after Alba's cross had been cleared to the edge of the box.

Griezmann turned provider 11 minutes into the second half, teeing up Coutinho for a tap-in after good work from Braithwaite to win back possession in the Osasuna half.

A good outing for the Catalans was soured when they suffered another defensive injury, Clement Lenglet unable to continue after apparently taking damage to his ankle.

Roberto Torres rattled the post before Ousmane Dembele had a goal ruled out for offside, but Messi soon made it 4-0 with a fierce strike from the edge of the box, the Argentine then removing his Barca shirt to reveal a Newell's Old Boys jersey emblazoned with the number 10.

What does it mean? Barca edge closer to leaders

Barca's victory moves them into seventh place, three points behind champions Real Madrid in fourth, with a game in hand.

They can take some confidence into coming league matches with Cadiz and Levante before the meeting with leaders Real Sociedad on December 16.

Osasuna are 15th, three points above the relegation places.

A turning point for Griezmann?

Griezmann seemed to vent months of frustration with his emphatic volley, but he had already looked Barca's brightest attacking player before then.

The France star hit the target with three of his four shots, completed more passes than any other forward (69) and looked, at last, to be enjoying himself.

Defensive worries abound

Any serious injury to Lenglet would leave Barca without a fit senior centre-back, with Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Araujo all sidelined.

Osasuna offered scant attacking threat, with five shots on target and all those in the second half, but there are tougher opponents to come in December.

Key Opta Facts

- Barcelona have scored 13 goals in their past four games in all competitions (3.2 on average) after scoring 19 in the first nine games under Ronald Koeman (2.1 on average).
- Lionel Messi has scored 23 goals in 19 LaLiga games against Osasuna and has scored at least one goal in his previous seven league games against them at Camp Nou (15 goals in total in this streak).
- Antoine Griezmann has been involved in six goals in his past six games in all competitions (four scored, two assisted) after being involved in only one in the previous 20.
- Martin Braithwaite has scored two goals with just five total shots this season in all competitions (60 per cent accuracy). No other Barcelona player has a better shot conversion rate so far.
- Philippe Coutinho attempted six shots in this game, his best figure of the season and the best in the same game for Barcelona in all competitions since April 2019 (six versus Levante).
 

What's next?

Barca, who have already qualified for the Champions League last 16, visit Ferencvaros on Wednesday before next Saturday's league trip to Cadiz. Osasuna have a week to prepare for a home game against Real Betis.

Funeral workers who took a picture with the coffin of late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona say they have received death threats.

There has been an outpouring of grief following the death of the 1986 World Cup winner, aged 60, earlier this week.

Emotions have been especially high in Argentina, where he achieved a remarkable status for what he achieved with the national team.

Claudio Fernandez was pictured beside the coffin along with his son, who had his thumb raised. It has caused outrage in Argentina.

"My son, like every kid, raised his thumb and they took the photo," he told Radio 10. "I know that many people have been offended, they have taken it badly. They say they are going to kill us, break our heads.”

Meanwhile, the owner of the funeral parlour, Matias Picon, admits that the incident has seriously saddened them.

“The family has total confidence in us, that's why we are so affected,” he told TN. “My father is 75 years old and he is crying, I am crying, my brother too, we are destroyed.”

Maradona’s playing career saw him turn out for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla.

It was during his time with Napoli, though, that he struck his peak. He led the Naples side to a raft of titles, including two Serie A crowns, a Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup.

His most iconic moments on the field, however, were reserved for Argentina in their World Cup quarter-final encounter with England in 1986.

First, he scored his famous ‘Hand of God’ goal then minutes later embarked on one of the greatest goals in history as he left a slew of Englishman in his wake before rounding Peter Shilton and planting the ball into the net from an acute angle.

Argentina went on to win the 1986 tournament in Mexico, before reaching the final again four years later in Italy, only to lose 1-0 to West Germany.

Following his retirement from the game, he enjoyed a coaching career. He led Argentina at the 2010 World Cup finals and also charge of Al-Wasl, Fujairah and Dorados de Sinaloa. At the time of his death, he was the head coach of Gimnasia de La Plata in his homeland.

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.

Lionel Messi paid an emotional tribute to Diego Maradona by revealing a Newell's Old Boys shirt after scoring for Barcelona against Osasuna.

The forward looked close to tears during the minute’s applause for Maradona, who died of a heart attack on Wednesday, prior to the game kicking off.

Barca were back to somewhere near their best in the 4-0 win over Osasuna, and Messi found his way onto the scoresheet after 73 minutes. He was found on the edge of the box by Francisco Trincao and made space for himself before firing home.

Upon finding the target, his first in open play this term, Messi took off his Barcelona shirt to reveal a Newell’s Old Boys jersey, with the No.10 on the back in tribute to Maradona.

Messi pointed to the sky while displaying the Newell’s kit, in a show of emotion for his fellow Argentinian.

In accordance with the rules, Messi was subsequently shown a yellow card for taking off his Barca shirt.

Messi spent a spell in his youth at Newell’s, a club Maradona represented for one year towards the end of his career.

The pair shared the pitch together in 2005, in an exhibition match featuring some greats of Argentina football. Neither was anywhere near their peak, with Messi 18 and Maradona 45, but they had great respect for each other’s talents.

Maradona coached Messi for a spell at international level, when he was in charge of the Argentina team from 2008 to 2010.

Along with Pele, Maradona and Messi are in the conversation over the greatest footballer of all time - although the latter once dismissed any comparison between himself and the two.

“Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona,” Messi said. "Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever been.”

Messi will look to carry the momentum from Sunday’s win into a busy period of the season. Barca remain some way off the pace in La Liga, but they can make ground with positive results in games against Cadiz, Levante, Real Sociedad, Valencia, Valladolid and Eibar before the turn of the year.

Chippa United and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila drew 1-1 in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match which was played on Sunday afternoon.

Augustine Chidi Kwem opened the scoring for the Chilli Boys, who dominated the first half, but the visitors restored parity after the restart through Thabo Rakhale. 

The Chilli Boys were looking to bounce back to winning ways after succumbing to a 2-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC last weekend.

Coach Lehlohonolo Seema's side was without club captain Veli Mothwa, who has reportedly left Chippa for AmaZulu FC and he was replaced by Mlungisi Mazibuko in goal.

On the other hand, Vhadau Vha Damani were hoping to make it two victories in a row after recording their first-ever win in the PSL when they edged Baroka FC 1-0 last weekend.

Seema's counterpart, Joel Masutha opted to name an unchanged team with Justin Shonga, who came off the bench to score against Baroka, named among the substitutes.

The Chilli Boys controlled the match from the start with Peter Maloisane dictating the pace of the game from the middle of the park.

The diminutive midfield general found himself unmarked on the edge of the box and he unleashed a powerful low shot which was well-saved by Washington Arubi in the Tshakhuma goal-posts.

The Tshakhuma defence was struggling to deal with crosses which were played into the box and Sandile Mthethwa's header was brilliantly saved by Arubi on the goal-line.

Pressure mounted on Vhadau Vha Damani and the deadlock was broken five minutes before the half-hour mark and towering defender Mthethwa was involved.

The Orlando Pirates loanee set-up Augustine Chidi Kwem, who tapped home to make it 1-0 to Chippa as the hosts' hard work and pressure finally paid off.

However, the hosts took their foot off the pedal and this allowed Tshakhuma to launch attacks as they looked to restore parity.

Chippa were able to contain the visitors and the score was 1-0 at half-time. 

Tshakhuma were the better side after the restart and they grabbed an equalizing goal just five minutes into the second-half through Thabo Rakhale.

The home side failed to clear their lines and Rakhale pounced onto a loose ball and beat Mazibuko with a well-taken shot to make it 1-1 for the visitors.

However, Vhadau Vha Damani suffered a blow as they were reduced to 10 players after Meshack Mphangule was sent-off after receiving his second yellow card of the match.

Seema reacted by introducing Cameroonian centre forward Bienvenu Eva Nga, who scored the first hat-trick of the season when he netted three times against Maritzburg United earlier this month.

The Chilli Boys pushed for the winning goal, but the visitors, who were numerically disadvantaged, sat back and defended too deep in the closing stages of the match as they looked to hold out for a draw. 

Tshakhuma stood firm at the back with Alfred Ndengane working tirelessly in defence and ultimately, the encounter ended in a 1-1 draw with the two teams sharing the spoils.

The draw left Tshakhuma and Chippa placed ninth and 11th respectively on the league standings.

Both teams will be in action next weekend with Chippa facing Baroka FC on December 6, while Tshakhuma are scheduled to take on AmaZulu FC on December 5.

Kariobangi Sharks condemned Wazito FC to a 4-0 defeat in their Football Kenya Federation Premier League opening tie at Moi International Sports Complex, Kasarani on Sunday.

Daniel Sakari, Erick Kapaito and Julius Masaba scored the goals that took Kariobangi Sharks to the top of the table.

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.

In another match, KCB went second after a 3-0 win over Posta Rangers in an early kick-off at Kasarani.

Goals from new signing Derrick Otanga and Henry Onyango together with Enock Agwanda were enough to hand the Bankers the win.

Otanga scored the opener in the 19th minute before he assisted Onyango to get the second in the 70th minute. Agwanda added the third in the 87th minute to condemn Posta Rangers to an opening loss.

At the Ole Ntimama Stadium in Narok, Nairobi City Stars started the Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win.

Experienced winger Anthony ‘Muki’ Kimani gave the Simba wa Nairobi the lead in the 16th minute before the former Gor Mahia star Oliver Maloba scored the second in the 18th minute.

The Sugar millers would have denied Nairobi City Stars a clean sheet had Cliff Kasuti successfully converted a penalty in the second half. The former Ulinzi Stars and Sofapaka star was denied by goalkeeper Steven Njuge with a superb save.

Watching Manchester United is "not good for your health", according to the Red Devils’ former captain Roy Keane.

United have endured a mixed start to the 2020-21 season as, despite appearing to be on course to qualify from a tough group in the Champions League, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have disappointed in the Premier League.

A scrappy 1-0 win over West Brom last week was their first home success in the league this season, while they delivered a frustrating first-half display away to Southampton on Sunday.

Both Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes wasted golden opportunities to score, while at the opposite end, Southampton proved clinical from set-pieces. Jan Bednarek opened the scoring when glancing home a corner from James Ward-Prowse, who then curled home a free kick, which United keeper David de Gea was unable to keep out.

Reflecting on United’s first-half performance, Keane suggested that watching Solskjaer’s team should come with a health warning.

"United have had chances,” Keane told Sky Sports. “It's not good for your health watching Manchester United. They've given away a couple of bad goals, but there's goals here for them. 

"The problem is that you just don't know what you are going to get with this United team. We heard Ole and De Gea say before the game that they need consistency, but they are just not backing it up."

Keane has previously been critical of De Gea, who was replaced at half-time by Dean Henderson after banging his knee against the post when trying to prevent Ward-Prowse’s free kick crossing the line.

However, on this occasion, Keane pointed the finger of blame at Fred after the Brazilian midfielder conceded the free kick by tripping Moussa Djenepo.

When asked if De Gea was at fault for the second goal, Keane replied: "I would be more critical of Fred, giving away the free kick.

“I wouldn't expect my goalkeeper to be beaten from there, but he [Ward-Prowse] is certainly one of the best in Europe with that type of delivery. It was a fantastic set-piece.

“I would be disappointed with my goalkeeper, but l would be more annoyed with Fred for being so lazy and so sloppy."

Andre Ayew impressed for Swansea City in their 1-0 victory over Sammy Ameobi’s Nottingham Forest in Sunday’s Championship game.

Ayew was handed his 12th league start and played a significant role as the Swans secured their seventh win of the season, although he could not continue with his goalscoring form in the encounter.

The winger bagged a brace for Ghana in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game against Sudan before netting a decisive goal against Sheffield Wednesday to save Swansea from defeat.

Anglo-Nigerian Ameobi was afforded his 14th appearance for Nottingham Forest across all competitions and gave a good account of himself, although his effort was not enough to help his side avoid their eighth defeat.

The game started with both sides aiming to open the scoring in the early minutes but missed a number of chances.

Moments before the half-time break, however, Connor Roberts broke the deadlock with a fine strike which proved vital.

Despite efforts from Nottingham Forest to level proceedings in the second half, Swansea held on to their lead and secure all three points in the encounter.

Ayew made 54 touches on the ball, struck four shots, made two crosses and had a 62 per cent successful pass rate in the game.

Ameobi, meanwhile, completed four dribbles in his quest to open the Swansea defence, made one key pass, and had 48 touches on the ball.

Ayew featured for the duration of the game while the Anglo-Nigerian made way for Will Swan in the 76th minute.

With the result, Swansea moved to fourth on the Championship table with 26 points from 14 games while Nottingham Forest dropped to the 21st spot with 12 points from the same number of matches.

Ayew and Ameobi will hope to help their respective clubs secure positive results in their next league game in December.

Jamshedpur FC gave up a two-goal lead to share spoils with Odisha FC in their second match of the season on Sunday.

A gripping encounter saw Nerijus Valskis and Diego Mauricio scoring a brace each for their respective teams and Jamshedpur custodian Rehenesh TP was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty box.

Jamshedpur boss Owen Coyle pointed out that his team's inability to pass properly throughout the game allowed the opposition to stage a comeback but he was not convinced about Rehenesh's red card as he felt the decision was harsh.

"In the first half, we were brilliant. Two-nil up. Could have been three or four up too. We were in total control of the match. Even at half time, we stressed on continuing the momentum. We were not passing at our best in the first half and that continued in the second half. For Odisha, that allowed them to come back into the game. They had nothing to lose at 2-0 down and we could have managed ourselves better.

"In the end, it all boils down to the red card (that Rehenesh got). Was it a hand outside the box!? Maybe, maybe not. I am yet to watch the highlights. But was it a red card? I think a yellow would have sufficed, just the way the Odisha player got a yellow card when they conceded a penalty for a handball to stop a goal. 

"But that said, it's disappointing considering that we were leading 2-0, we should have done better to see the match through to get the three points. We didn't pass the ball around well in the second half. That's something to work on. If we replicate our first-half performance we can beat anyone," said the Jamshedpur manager. 

Hailing Rehenesh's performance, Coyle said, "I think he was a little bit unfortunate. I think it was Ricky who just missed the ball with his studs and it came bouncing to Rehenesh and it could have bounced anywhere. The bad luck was more with the ball bouncing to his hand than anywhere else.

"But regardless of what happened, whether you are an experienced player or a young player, you have to deal with it. I think Rehenesh was terrific. He had just made a terrific save from Onwu a few minutes before the sending off and was commanding so well."

The Jamshedpur boss admitted that the red card somewhat spoiled his plans but he felt his team should have done a better job after taking the lead.

"It's always difficult to defend with a man down. Especially with Odisha throwing everything they have. We need to have a cool head and see the game out by passing the ball well. We put in a couple of substitutions to try and see out the game. But when a goal like the one scored by (Diego) Mauricio is scored (Odisha's equaliser), there's nothing the defenders or the goalkeepers could have done. It was a wonderful strike.

"But regardless, when you are 2-0 up, you need to do better. We were in a winning position and we should have seen the game out. It's not about individuals making mistakes but we are all in this together. It's early in the season, but it certainly feels like two points dropped. Our next game against Hyderabad is in two days and we will surely be ready to go in that game," Coyle signed off.

Milan made light of Zlatan Ibrahimoivic's injury absence with an assured 2-0 win over Fiorentina to restore their five-point advantage at the top of Serie A.

Evergreen striker Ibrahimovic made it 10 goals in six top-flight matches this season when his brace inspired a 3-1 win at Napoli, although he limped off with a hamstring complaint in the closing stages.

Yet Stefano Pioli's side marched on without their talisman against struggling Fiorentina, with Franck Kessie netting one first-half penalty and missing a second after Alessio Romagnoli opened the scoring.

The result meant Milan were able to keep Inter at arm's length in what is shaping up to be an intriguing title battle, their city rivals having dispatched third-placed Sassuolo 3-0 on Saturday.

Fiorentina undid an encouraging start in the 17th minute when Milan captain Romagnoli was left unmarked at the back post to nod in Kessie's flick-on from Hakan Calhanoglu's right-wing corner.

Dusan Vlahovic thumped against Gianluigi Donnarumma's near post as Cesare Prandelli's men searched for an equaliser but they were left with a mountain to climb when German Pezzella clumsily brought down Alexis Saelemaekers in the area.

Kessie coolly sent Bartlomiej Dragowski the wrong way but the Fiorentina goalkeeper levelled their personal battle in the 40th minute – springing to his left to keep out a poorly struck spot-kick after Martin Caceres bundled into the marauding Theo Hernandez.

Calhanoglu fizzed a fabulous half-volley into the side netting before half-time and came even closer in the 53rd minute, hitting the base of the left post.

Franck Ribery almost reduced the arrears two minutes later but Donnarumma was equal to the veteran campaigner's dinked effort – a squandered chance which summed up a Fiorentina display littered with moments of self-sabotage.

What it means: San Siro big hitters going blow for blow

You have to go back to the 2010-11 season, the final campaign before Juventus' ongoing dominance began, for the last time the Milanese clubs finished first and second in Serie A. Milan, inspired by Ibrahimovic's goals, prevailed on that occasion. His supporting cast look in fine order a decade on.

Milan remain the only team alongside Atletico Madrid in Europe's top five leagues to be unbeaten since the coronavirus shutdown and scored for a 29th consecutive game – equalling their previous best run in Serie A set between 1972 and 1973.

Calhanoglu shows his class

The Turkey playmaker did everything but get on the scoresheet, although his five shots (including one blocked) showed it was not for want of trying. Calhanoglu was Milan's creative inspiration throughout, making five key passes, completing 83.3 per cent of his passes in the opposition half and four of seven crosses.

Pezzella punished

The Fiorentina captain's attempts to lead by example backfired horribly when he conceded the crucial first penalty. Pezzella – an Argentina international – won only four of his nine duels during the contest.

What's next?

Milan host Celtic in the Europa League on Thursday, while Fiorentina are back in action at home to Genoa next Monday – a day after the Rossoneri travel to Sampdoria.

Chennaiyin FC and Kerala Blasters played out a goalless draw in an Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Sunday at the GMC Stadium, Bambolim.

Jakub Sylvestr missed a penalty in the 77th minute as the Marina Machans dropped crucial points.

Kibu Vicuna made three changes to the Kerala Blasters line up which played put a 2-2 draw against NorthEast United in their previous match. Denechandram Meitei, Nongdamba Naorem and Facundo Pereyra came in place of Jessel Carneiro, Puitea and Vicente Gomez. Chennaiyin, on the other hand, were unchanged. 

End-to-end football was on display throughout the first half as there was very little to separate between the two teams. While Kerala Blasters had more possession of the ball, Chennaiyin created more chances. 

Rafael Crivellaro came close to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute when Albino Gomes gave the ball away inside the box. The Chennaiyin skipper did well initially to snatch the ball away from the goalkeeper's legs but before he could compose himself and push the ball into an empty net, Bakary Kone tracked back and saved the day with a timely challenge. 

Sylvestr had found the back of the net in the 26th-minute from an inch-perfect cross into the box from Crivellaro but the forward was flagged offside. Nongdamba Naorem, at the other end, squandered Kerala's chance to break the deadlock when he failed to place his shot on target from close range. Costa Nhamoinesu's header, also from a few years from goal, was blocked by Crivellaro to keep the scoreline unchanged. 

The second half too witnessed a lot of intensity as both sides created goal-scoring opportunities but failed to convert the chances.

Chennaiyin were gifted a penalty in the 74th minute after Kerala Blasters skipper Sergio Cidoncha brought down Rafael Crivellaro inside the box but unfortunately, Sylvestr failed to convert the spot-kick as Albino pulled off a quality save.

The Marina champions moved up to the third position on the league table with four points from two matches while Kerala are placed on the seventh position with two points from their first three games.

Edinson Cavani inspired a superb turnaround as Manchester United came from two behind to beat Southampton 3-2.

Jan Bednarek's header and a trademark free-kick from James Ward-Prowse had put Southampton in command at St Mary's Stadium.

But the introduction of Cavani for the second half proved a masterstroke by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that paid initial dividends in the 59th minute when he teed up Bruno Fernandes to halve the deficit.

He then met the midfielder's deflected shot with a diving header to equalise and had the crucial final say when he diverted Marcus Rashford's cross beyond Alex McCarthy in the 92nd minute, securing a record eighth successive Premier League away win for United.

United should have been ahead in the seventh minute when Alex Telles played Mason Greenwood through after poor defending from Jannik Vestergaard, however, the striker could only hit the side-netting after rounding McCarthy.

The visitors were in the ascendancy early on but went behind against the run of play as Bednarek glanced home an excellent corner to the near-post from Ward-Prowse.

Kyle Walker-Peters then saw an effort deflected onto the left-hand post before McCarthy atoned for his own error to prevent Fernandes from finding an equaliser.

Another pinpoint set-piece from Ward-Prowse punished United for their failure to take that chance to restore parity, his ninth goal from a direct free-kick in the Premier League squeaking inside the near-post despite David de Gea getting a hand to it.

De Gea then denied Moussa Djenepo after a quick break but received treatment having appeared to injure himself when he clattered into the post in a vain attempt to keep out Ward-Prowse's free-kick and was eventually replaced by Dean Henderson after half-time.

Cavani also entered the fray and had the desired impact as he picked out Fernandes to convert on the turn.

Fifteen minutes later Cavani levelled matters with a show of clinical finishing that he repeated in injury time as he stooped to head home Rashford's delivery and send United seventh in the table.