Looking for Soccer News?

Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan is delighted by his debut for local side Legon Cities in the Premier League (GPL) on Friday.

For the first time since leaving Liberty Professionals for Italian Serie A club Udinese in 2003, the veteran striker took to the pitch for GPL action as The Royals and Medeama played out a 0-0 draw in a matchweek three fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

He came on in the 70th minute, taking the place of Raphael Ocloo.

“I am very much excited to be back home. This is where the name, Asamoah Gyan started and it feels great to play in the league again after 17-years, ” Gyan said after the game.

“I am very much satisfied with the game tonight. It’s a positive one. We need to approach the next game with this same mentality and I believe soon the wins will come.”

Gyan joined Legon in October on a short-term deal, having been inactive since leaving Indian Super League outfit NorthEast United in January.

He has had to wait until matchday three to make his debut for his new club due to a lack of match fitness.

Without their marquee signing, The Royals drew 1-1 with Berekum Chelsea on matchday one before succumbing to a 3-0 loss to Great Olympics, leading to the sacking of coach Goran Barjaktarevic.

“He [Gyan] was super," interim Legon Cities boss Wahid Mohammed said after Friday's fixture.

"You could see that all the touches he had were fantastic. He had a positive game but we should expect more from him. He will lose some few pounds.”

“He is only 30 per cent fit that’s why he started from the bench. When we get him even 50% we will win the league, trust me.”

Gyan could make his first start for Legon in their matchweek four trip to Dawu-based Dreams FC.

"Saying you can challenge for the league is very easy," Gyan said earlier this month, as reported by Footballghana.

"You can purchase all the best players in the world but without knowing what you like, we cannot be successful.

“We have to play some matches before we will know whether we can win the league or not.

"The most important thing is that management are doing their best because they’ve signed players they think can help the progress of the team."

Gyan's career has taken him to multiple Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and three World Cup tournaments with Ghana. He has also featured for the likes of Sunderland and Stade Rennais.

Dani Ceballos has insisted that his fight with David Luiz shows that Arsenal are "alive", while admitting he clashed with his team-mate because of the "very similar leadership qualities" they share.

The Athletic revealed that Ceballos and Luiz were involved in a training ground bust-up last week, which left the former with a visible scratch on his nose.

It was reported that Luiz reacted angrily to a late tackle from the midfielder during a practice game, leading to a physical confrontation that had to be broken up by players and staff.

Arteta played down the significance of the incident before Arsenal's 0-0 draw at Leeds United last Sunday, as he told reporters: "I have got a really bad vision from far. That is why we train behind closed doors.

“Training is very competitive and issues happen a lot of times. Those things get resolved immediately within the team and there is not much to say.”

Luiz and Ceballos played together for the first time since their altercation in a Europa League clash against Molde on Thursday, and there appeared to be no lasting signs of ill-feeling between the pair during the Gunners' 3-0 victory.

Both men are in line to feature again as Arsenal prepare to welcome Wolves to the Emirates Stadium for a must-win Premier League clash this weekend, and Ceballos has admitted that his conduct fell short of the required standard ahead of that match.

“I’m not going to say that there wasn’t a clash or a scuffle,” the Real Madrid loanee told The Sun when quizzed on his confrontation with Luiz.

“It was not an exemplary behaviour but it is good to see Arsenal is alive - that the team has character.

“We are two footballers with very similar leadership qualities and these things can happen.”

Ceballos added on how quickly he resolved his differences with the Brazilian: “We didn’t let a single day go by. We spoke that same afternoon after training.

“Now we have to learn so it does not happen again.”

Arteta's men will turn their attention back to the Europa League after their clash with Wolves, with Rapid Vienna scheduled to arrive at the Emirates on December 3.

Arsenal will then look ahead to a huge north London derby clash against Tottenham three days later as the fixture list begins to pile up over the Christmas period.

Namungo FC coach Hemed Morocco has boldly stated his charges will not fail Tanzanians in their Caf Confederation Cup game at home against Al-Rabita SC.

The Tanzanian outfit will be making their debut in the continent and are aiming at starting the game in the best way possible. The tactician took over from Hitimana Thierry who was fired over their poor performances.

"The preparations for the game have been good and we are determined to get positive results in our debut game," Morocco said ahead of the game.

"We understand that we are playing at home, meaning we have to fight to get good results. All the players know what we want and Tanzania, at large, are hoping for nothing less than a win.

"We will not fail Tanzanians; we need a win, there are no two ways about it. If we get a win at home, it will be easier for us away."

The game will be played at Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam from 7 pm EAT.

Hitimana was fired on November 18 after a run of poor results in the ongoing campaign. By the time, he had helped the team register four wins, as many losses, and two draws.

He left the team in 14th position and it was an unwelcome struggle considering the team was preparing to play the Sudanese outfit Al-Rabita in the first preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup.

Hitimana led the club to a top-five finish last season and went all the way to the final stage of the Azam Shield Cup tournament which is commonly referred to as the FA Cup.

They were defeated in the final by Simba SC and earned the Confederation Cup slot by virtue of being the domestic competition finalist as Simba SC lifted the trophy as well as the league title.

League champions Wekundu wa Msimbazi are away in Nigeria where they will be playing Plateau United FC in the first preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.

Mamelodi Sundowns would be keen to reclaim the Premier Soccer League (PSL) top spot when they welcome Stellenbosch at Loftus Versfeld.

A win for Downs will see them back at the top of the standings where they were dislodged by Swallows FC who edged Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 on Tuesday.

Sundowns would be two points clear at the summit if they overpower their Eastern Cape visitors.

Ninth-placed Stellenbosch on the other hand would be out to build on last weekend’s 2-0 win over Chippa United which was their first win of the season.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

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

Squads & Team News

The Sundowns camp in the build-up to this match has been shaken by the death of their player Anele Ngcongca who was set to join AmaZulu on loan.

The Brazilians could also feel disturbed by the transfer request handed in by Uruguayan attacker Gaston Sirino who is keen to reunite with Pitso Mosimane at African champions Al Ahly.

Sirino is yet to play a single match this season and his return from injury was expected to add more attacking flavour to the red-hot partnership of Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus.

But Sirino’s possible exit could hurt the coaches’ plans around him.

Another piece of unpleasant news at Chloorkop ahead of the Stellenbosch assignment is that Sirino’s compatriot Mauricio Affonso aggravated his injury just as he was said to be nearing recovery.

Affonso has been a long time absentee from the team. Goalkeeper Denis Onyango is expected to be back in goal for Downs after missing last weekend’s 4-3 win over AmaZulu.

There are no major injury worries in the Stellenbosch camp.

But coach Steve Barker would be hoping that Zambian midfielder Nathan Sinkala continues with his good form that has seen him score two goals in four league games.

Argentine midfielder Junior Mendieta has also enjoyed a bright start to PSL life with a goal in two appearances.

Nigerian striker Stanley Dimgba could make his debut for the Stellies.

Match Preview

Judging on their form, Mamelodi Sundowns appear on paper favourites to win this match after recording three league wins and a draw so far this season.

They have also scored the highest number of goals in four games in this campaign but their attackers face what appears to be a strong Stellenbosch defence that has shipped in just three goals in four games.

The experience of veteran centre-backs defenders Robyn Johannes and Marc van Heerden seem to be working for Stellies.

The central defenders now face Sundowns midfielder Zwane who goes into this match on a high after grabbing a hat-trick in their last match against AmaZulu.

Shalulile and Erasmus also pose a serious threat to Stellenbosch who have been struggling for consistency after recording a win, a defeat and two draws which has left them in ninth position.

Previous encounters between the two sides have seen Sundowns emerging victorious in the two matches they played last season when Stellenbosch were making their PSL debut campaign.

Arsenal "were almost dead" before Mikel Arteta's arrival, according to Dani Ceballos, who has praised the Gunners boss for bringing about "radical change" at Emirates Stadium.

Unai Emery was sacked after 18 months in charge at Arsenal following a seven-match winless run in November 2019.

Interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg was unable to steady to the ship, and by the time Arteta was appointed five days out from Christmas day, the Gunners' 2019-20 campaign was in tatters.

However, Arteta immediately set about stamping his own mark on a squad struggling for confidence, implementing the same style of football which had garnered so much success for Manchester City during his three-year stint as Pep Guardiola's assistant.

Arsenal salvaged an eighth-place Premier League finish in the end, and also got their hands on the FA Cup after a thrilling run which included impressive wins over Leicester, City and Chelsea.

The Gunners haven't kicked on as supporters might have hoped in the early stages of the new season, but Ceballos has no doubt that Arteta is the right man to take the club forward after seeing the impact he has had in north London over the past 11 months.

“The team was almost dead - but after Arteta’s arrival we won the FA Cup and the Community Shield," the 24-year-old told The Sun.

“It’s not even a year since he arrived and he has given a radical change to the club.

“He’s the soul of the club and he’s lucky that the players trust him 100 per cent.

“Arsenal need him, in part because he takes the initiative most of the time.”

Ceballos, who is currently on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid, went onto insist that Champions League qualification is still a realistic goal for the team ahead of a crucial meeting with Wolves at the Emirates on Sunday.

“Arsenal have to fight to be in the top four," he added.

“But before there were five teams fighting to get into the Champions League, now there are six or seven.

“You just have to look at Manchester City, one of the best teams in England, or Manchester United. They are not up at the top of the table.

“Southampton and Aston Villa, who last year struggled not to be relegated, have surprised everyone.

“It is a tremendously competitive league, anyone can beat anyone. But our moment will come.”

AFC Leopards captain Robinson Kamura has warned his teammates not to be over-confident ahead of their opening Football Kenya Federation Premier League tie against Tusker.

They clashed in a friendly match on November 13 where the former emerged 2-0 winners.

“We are confident but not over-confident as we do not look at the friendly match. That was just a test match during the pre-season,” the centre-back told the club’s Online TV.

“Tusker were doing and testing something and we were testing our tactics but it was good we won in order to build our confidence.”

The skipper also spoke about their preparations for 2020/21 which will see footballers take to the pitch yet again after the suspension that lasted over eight months due to the coronavirus.

“I would not talk about our opponent for Saturday but I would talk about how we have prepared. It has been over two months preparing for the league and finally, the time has now come,” he added.

“The morale is high and the team spirit is at the best level as one can see from the training. We have been training well and are really looking forward to working hard for the three points.

“The points will be key for us as we have to start the league well. Last season, we did a good job due to everyone’s individual push and effort.

“This is another game that has not been played but we know Tusker very well. We will do our part and work hard to get the three points because that is the most important thing in a game.”

The Ingwe supporters, just like the other club’s fans, will not be able to watch the game but Kamura has promised them good results while they are away.

“We will miss our fans but the most important thing is to give them a good performance,” the former Mathare United defender concluded.

“We are going to play like they are there. Pushing ourselves for a win is the only way to make them happy until they will be allowed to come back.”

The AFC Leopards home match against Tusker will be broadcast by new league partner, StarTimes.

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Alex Iwobi needs more confidence to play in the wingback position for Everton.

The 24-year-old delivered an impressive performance for the Toffees in the right-back position against Fulham last weekend.

Ancelotti has praised the impact of the Nigeria international in the encounter and believes he can be an option for injured Lucas Digne when they take on Leeds United on Saturday evening.

“I was happy about his performance [against Fulham]. He did well. He can cover that position as a full-back,” Ancelotti told the club website.

“Iwobi is a good player but he needs to feel that confidence, as does everyone! For Alex, it’s important to feel there are people that have confidence in him.

“During a season, it can happen that you lose some important players and we have to manage this situation.

“I think we will be able to adapt to the loss of Lucas Digne. We have a good squad, good substitutes in that position [full-back].

“Nkounkou doesn’t have experience in the Premier League but showed good quality in the game he played. He is young but has a lot of quality

“We have Jonjoe Kenny on the right, we have the possibility to substitute and we will try. Three centre-backs can be an option. Alex Iwobi can play on the left as a wing-back without a problem.”

Iwobi has also previously stated he is disposed to playing in any position for the Goodison Park outfit but admitted he still needs a lot to learn to play in the wing-back role.  

“I played right wing-back a couple of times with Arsenal, they wanted me to bomb on and, like I was doing in the first half at Fulham, get crosses in and run down the line with the ball,” Iwobi said.

“It is not something I have done a lot of but anywhere I am told to play, I try to do my best. Ben [Godfrey] and James [Rodriguez] and Doucs [Doucoure] were talking to me and made it more comfortable.

“Sometimes, with my defensive position, I wouldn’t know where to be but with them helping and talking it was a lot easier.

“I will take the positives but there are still things I have to learn if I am going to play in this position, especially defensively.

“At least, for me, playing right wing-back, the manager has in his mind, I can play anywhere on the left and right and in the middle.

“Anywhere he wants me to play, I will be able to do that job. And wherever I am playing I will give 100 per cent for the club.”

Iwobi has made 10 appearances for Everton this season across all competitions and will hope to help them secure their second consecutive victory against Leeds United.

Chennaiyin FC started their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign under new coach Csaba Laszlo on a winning note as they defeated Jamshedpur FC 2-1 in their opener. The mood in the Chennaiyin FC camp is upbeat ahead of facing Kerala Blasters at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Goa, in the second of Sunday's double header that has Jamshedpur take on Odisha first.

"We know our opponent (Kerala Blasters) very well. The coach (Kibu Vicuna) spends his second year in India and knows Indian football very well but generally he's new in the team. I am also new but the most important thing is the reaction from the team," Laszlo stated.

"We have to control the game and sometimes, we have to also control ourselves. I think we will continue what we began with. We have our style and we will try to work on our style. Hopefully, we can collect three points which is the most important (thing)."

Blasters will play their third game of the season and are yet to register full points after suffering a defeat on the opening day followed by a draw. The Chennaiyin gaffer was asked whether Kerala, having played a game more, would help them get their team cohesion better.

"All teams played just two or three games in the pre-season, maybe four. We (Chennaiyin coaching staff) also came very late and I didn't have much time with the team for this reason. Sometimes I wished to have more (pre-season friendly) games but to tell you whether this is a fortune or not I can tell you after the game," answered the former Dundee United coach.

"Sometimes the best training sessions are games and this could be an advantage for Kerala, but if you look at the recovery time, we had a little bit more but we will also face less time for recovery in the next games," he was quick to add.

Laszlo used all of his seven foreigners during the course of the last game but maintained the importance of having quality Indian players in the squad. He reiterated the importance of developing the Indian contingent which in turn, would help the Indian national team and the ISL as well in the long run.

"It's true that when you have good Indian players, you can decide a game. It's a sort of an advantage as everybody keeps talking about the foreigners and what qualities they have but as I told before, I have an eye on the Indian talent because they are the future. If you want to have a good league and a good national team, you need to develop this Indian talent. 

"In the last game I used all seven foreigners but on the other side, you have to see that German (Germanpreet Singh), (Rahim) Ali also came in the game. (Lallianzuala) Chhangte, (Anirudh) Thapa, Reagan (Reagan) all had a very good (outing). I think these (Indian) players can decide a game and it's also important who comes off the bench. For example, when we took Deepak (Tangri) and Rafael (Crivellaro) out, we had the option of bringing other quality players like German and Thapa took over the role from Rafael really well," he explained.

Could youngsters like Aman Chetri and Abhijit Sarkar also see game time in the near future?

"It depends. Normally you don't change the winning team, but in the upcoming games everybody will definitely get a chance."

AFC Leopards goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan has revealed areas they must work on for a better season in the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

The Ugandan stated their general performance last season saw them have a stable season where he also emerged as the best goalkeeper with 15 clean sheets.

“We thank God the long wait is over and the pre-season has been good for us and I believe we are going to have a good season this year,” Ochan told the club’s Online TV.

“One of our strong points last season was working as a unit; we defended together, and attacked together. It was not about an individual as the general performance was a collective thing.

“We must work on those points and improve for a better campaign.

“We believe we are going to build on that and pray we can have more clean sheets this season and remain very solid all through.”

According to the former St George SC goalkeeper the fact that Tusker are under veteran Robert Matano they must be given more respect.

“We respect Tusker and the senior coach they have as they are always very tactical in their approach,” Ochan added. “But we are also prepared as we have a plan which we have worked on all week which we hope to implement during the game.

“We hope for the best and we hope our best is good enough to give us the results we want.”

On his part, new signing Fabrice Mugheni revealed how life has been at the club and how the coach would play a key role in his effort to achieve the set targets.

“Life at AFC Leopards is good and I am fighting to gel together with the rest,” Mugheni said.

“Signing for AFC gave me an opportunity to come to Kenya for the first time and I am working hard to impress especially that I have seen how good the team is.

“Personally, my target will come out clear given how the coach would want me to play. If he would want me to be a box-to-box player fine and if he would want me to drop or help in attack on some occasions, well that is also good.

“It is not all about me it is the coach that plans for the team. We are very ready for the season and I hope the season will be better.”

FKF Premier League is set to kick-off in November after it was initially postponed when the government failed to give the green light for the return of soccer in October.

East Bengal began their journey in the Indian Super League (ISL) on a sour note as they went down 0-2 against arch-rivals ATK Mohun Bagan on Friday.

The Red and Golds were a late entrant into the ISL and hence, had less time to prepare for the season as compared to the rest of the teams. Former India striker Shyam Thapa believes that although East Bengal suffered a defeat in their ISL opener, Robbie Fowler's team did a commendable job given the circumstances.

“It is quite normal that East Bengal went down to ATK Mohun Bagan as it was their first match. But there was not much difference between the two teams except the two goals. I have to say that East Bengal, in their first match and with less preparation in such a big tournament, did not play badly. I am quite sure that they will improve in the coming days.

“The match was interesting but there was a lack of good moves. The match was decided by individual brilliance,” Thapa told Goal.

The former East Bengal striker praised ATK Mohun Bagan’s Roy Krishna, who scored the opening goal of the match. He was also impressed by Manvir Singh’s second goal which was his solo effort.

“Krishna is a great goal-scorer. For one hour he did nothing with the ball. He got one chance and buried that into the net. He does not miss much. And the second goal by Manvir (Singh) was an intelligent goal. A good goal by an Indian scorer.”

Thapa, who is also the Chairman of All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Technical Committee, praised Antonio Habas’ pragmatic tactics. He also reiterated that Fowler's team can only improve but they need to be more alert at the back.

He said, “Habas is a very clever coach. He knows when to make the substitutions and whom to bring on. This shows his experience. He knows how to defend a lead and manage the game. This is his forte. But if East Bengal had beaten Bagan in their very first match, there was a chance of complacency setting in the side. This defeat would spur them to work harder and come back stronger. Fowler has a lot to think about after conceding two goals.”

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has confirmed when the new trophy for the 2020-21 Premier League season, made of pure gold will arrive in the country.

According to FKF President Nick Mwendwa, the 24-carat gold trophy will arrive in the country in the next 21 days.

“The golden trophy is being worked on, the progress is very good and I can assure you we will have a big ceremony when it arrives in the country in the next 21 days,” Mwendwa told Goal on Saturday.

“We have already booked KCB Bank and that is where we will keep it [the trophy], it will be round in shape, very good for everyone’s eyes, these are some of the changes we promised after taking over the league.

“We don’t have time to waste now, we were given the mandate to run football and that is what we are doing now, we don’t have time to fight, our work is for the job we are asked to do by Kenyans and it is the reason we want to have everything in place to avoid inconveniences when the season ends.”

Mwendwa also confirmed the winners for the 2020-21 campaign will walk home with Ksh5million while a similar amount will be shared among the remaining 17 clubs.

“Winners of the league will get Ksh5million, plus the golden trophy, then another Ksh5million will be divided amongst the remaining teams, and let me make it clear, the proposal of awarding teams was decided by the clubs themselves, not FKF, even promoted Vihiga United attended the meeting.

“The clubs felt that was the only way to share the sponsorship money, and as FKF we have supported it, that is how it is going to work.”

In the last two seasons, winners Gor Mahia never received a trophy and prize money after title sponsors SportPesa walked away.

Three matches will kick-off the season on Saturday with AFC Leopards versus Tusker being broadcast live by StarTimes, with the two other matches pitting promoted Vihiga United against Kakamega Homeboyz at Mumias Compex and Bandari against Sofapaka at Mbaraki Stadium.

On Sunday, four matches will be played - Nairobi City Stars taking on Nzoia Sugar at Nyayo Stadium, Kariobangi Sharks against Wazito FC at Kasarani Stadium, Posta Rangers vs KCB at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, and Western Stima against Bidco United at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

Gor Mahia, who will be taking part in Caf Champions League assignment against APR of Rwanda, and will open the season with a home game against Zoo FC at Nyayo Stadium on December 2.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa has thanked the Kenyan government for lifting the ban on contact sports and further said they are ready to kick-off the Premier League season on Saturday.

Kenyan football was banned by the government in mid-March following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a move which forced FKF to end the 2019-20 season prematurely and declare Gor Mahia the champions.

Since then, there has been no league action, with only the national team Harambee Stars managing to play a friendly match against Zambia, but behind closed doors, and also tackle Comoros in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.

While FKF had shown their willingness to start the season, the government through the Ministry of Sports also announced on Friday they have allowed the league to start.

A letter from the Ministry of Sports signed by CS Amina Mohamed and obtained by Goal confirmed the resumption of contact sports by stating: “The Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Heritage in consultation with the Ministry of Health has revised the resumption of sports guidelines as follows.

“All contact sports [low-risk] may resume their Premier [tier] and team Kenya activities. All other activities related to lower-level leagues remain suspended.”

Mwendwa has now thanked the government for their quick gesture saying they are ready to organize the best league ever and also will adhere to the Covid-19 protocols set up by the Ministry of Health.

“The long wait is now over and for me, this is the biggest day in Kenyan football,” Mwendwa told Goal on Saturday. “We had really waited for the day local football will return and I want to thank CS Amina [Mohamed] for having faith in us and her gesture to allow football to resume.

“We will make sure all protocols as outlined by the Ministry of Health [in regards to Covid-19] are followed all the time when we have matches, be it in Nairobi or outside the City, we will follow them and clubs have been told what to do.”

Mwendwa has further reiterated no fans will be allowed to watch the matches as per the government guidelines and warned that match referees have been instructed not to start any match if fans are in the stadium.

“I want to be very clear, no fans will be allowed into the stadium be it in Nairobi or matches being played outside the City,” Mwendwa continued. “We don’t want fans crowding the stadium, trying to come to watch matches, they will not be allowed in.

“We are under clear instructions to play football without fans and that is what we will do, and to be clear, should fans of any team try to come to the stadium to watch any match, then the referee of the day is under instructions not to kick-off the match, the match will not start.

“We don’t know how long the league will be played without fans but that is the situation, for now, clubs must inform fans of the development, we don’t want to have problems, only players, a few club officials and journalists covering matches will be allowed into the match venues.

“My humble appeal to the fans is to urge them to grab their StarTimes decoder and watch matches live from their homes, the matches will be live on both packages, aerial and satellite, and will also apply if you have a StarTimes App, so get ready so as you don’t miss the action.”

Three matches will open the season on Saturday with AFC Leopards versus Tusker being broadcast live by StarTimes, with the two other matches pitting promoted Vihiga United against Kakamega Homeboyz at Mumias Compex and Bandari against Sofapaka at Mbaraki Stadium.

On Sunday, four matches will be played - Nairobi City Stars taking on Nzoia Sugar at Nyayo Stadium, Kariobangi Sharks against Wazito FC at Kasarani Stadium, Posta Rangers vs KCB at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, and Western Stima against Bidco United at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

Gor Mahia, who will be taking part in Caf Champions League assignment against APR of Rwanda, will open the season with a home game against Zoo FC at Nyayo Stadium on December 2.

Vipers SC captain Halid Lwaliwa has stated they are ready to take whatever challenge their opponents Al-Hilal will pose during their Caf Champions League match on Saturday.

The Venoms will be making a return to continental football after winning the Uganda Premier League (UPL) last season and have been drawn to confront the Sudanese in the preliminary stage of the competition.

Vipers will host the Sudanese champions at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende for the first leg on Saturday then play the return encounter in Omdurman. The second leg, set for December 4-6, will be Vipers’ first visit to Sudan since 2018 when they knocked out Hilal’s rivals El-Merriekh.

Lwaliwa has told the club’s social media they are ready to battle for a win by stating: "We are quite ready for whatever challenge comes our way. The morale in camp is high.

“We have prepared very well with the coaches and everyone is ready and confident for the game.”

In a previous interview, Vipers SC head coach Fred Kajoba revealed he will bank on experience in his squad to eliminate Al-Hilal.

“It’s another great opportunity to revive our fortunes in this competition,” Kajoba told the  club’s official website . “We have what it takes to get past our opponents because the team has been at this level before and we have been preparing for this for many months.

“We have a good team and we believe that with determination and character, we shall get where want to be.”

The club's assistant captain Geoffrey Wasswa also opined on what the UPL champions need to do to stand a chance of advancing.

“We have been there before and believe it will be a good experience facing our opponents in a familiar place. The teamwork, commitment, and determination are all we need to progress," he said.

Venoms custodian Bashir Sekagya stated the game against the Sudanese champions will be a challenge considering the UPL has not yet started, but exuded confidence his team will perform well.

“We have been preparing ourselves for this moment despite the fact that the Uganda Premier League has not started yet. It is a real test but we are set and even motivated by the return of our teammates who have been sidelined with injuries," he opined.

The winner between Vipers and Al-Hilal will face the winner between Asante Kotoko of Ghana or Mauritanian champions Noudhibou FC in the qualifying stage.

Jamshedpur FC did not only lose three points against Chennaiyin FC but also suffered heavily on the injury front as both central defenders in Peter Hatley and Narender Gahlot had to be replaced. Hence before facing Odisha FC on Sunday evening, Owen Coyle has much to ponder upon when selecting his best XI.

"David Grande was not available and wouldn’t be for this game. Hopefully, he will be back sooner rather than later. Joyner (Lourenco), we still expect to be absent as he has not been able to get back to training fully. Amarjit (Singh) might have the possibility of being in the squad however, the percentage is lower. We will assess how he does in training and take a final decision prior to the game. Peter Hartley’s availability will also be a very late decision. He has not trained after the match, but he has a big heart to play. Some of these players really want to play, but we have to be careful to not make any injury worse.

"Once again, we will be without a few players but that’s the nature of how it is this season due to a shortened pre-season. So, we have to make sure that the players available are ready to give their best for the upcoming match. At their best, the players know they can cause problems to any teams in the ISL and the players will play with the objective of gaining those three points," stated the coach. 

It must be noted that both teams had started their campaign with a defeat which should make their resolve to win their first three points even stronger. Coyle also knows the importance of this fixture and is ready to rally his team even with depleted resources. 

"Both, Stuart Baxter and I, know that every match is important. The first and second game are as important as the final games of the season. Each result makes a difference in the long run. And considering both teams have started on a losing note, the players from both teams will be hungry to prove themselves and get a win. Also, as I said earlier, one win can take you a few places up and compared to the previous season, this season will be a more evenly matched contest between all the teams. Everyone is capable of beating each other. Wish the fans were able to see it, but they can’t unfortunately."

The former Chennaiyin coach feels that the penalty awarded against his side in the previous match was harsh and did not mince his words. He mentioned that key decisions such as awarding a penalty can change the course of a tie.

"It’s a difficult job to do (on refreeing). And I understand the pressure on the referees with 22 players and two benches shouting at them continuously. But as I always said, it’s the big decisions that change matches. The small fouls in the center of the pitch, throw-ins, etc. can be more easily accepted by the coaches but when it comes to giving penalties, the offside calls, these need to be given right and have the least margin of error as these cost goals. The penalty given against us in the previous game was never a penalty.  But again, it was the first game and we all have teething problems and hopefully, these will iron out as the season progresses," opined Coyle. 

It was evident from their last outing against Chennaiyin FC that Jamshedpur FC are yet to get in the groove and the manager has asked for more time. 

"The simple challenge is that it is a new team effectively. There have been wholesome changes compared to last season. But the more we work together, the more we will improve. We are really looking forward to it. The idea was to build something considering the club has never made the play-offs. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as waving a magic wand to make things happen. This requires hard work to make fall things into place. Chennaiyin started with four points in four games and still made it to the final. So, it’s all about continuing hard work on the training pitch and with Jamshedpur, we can do the same. As I have mentioned earlier, it’s important to put the building blocks and infrastructure in place to ensure the club gets results.

"Very simply, we had a slow start and were punished for the first mistake of the game with a wonderful finish from Anirudh Thapa. We could have equalised straight away with the skipper (Hartley) having a great chance which was just centimetres wide. And then we found ourselves 2-0 down for a penalty which should not have been awarded, a very soft penalty given by the referee. We picked ourselves up from there despite the scoreline and started passing with more precision and scored a wonderful goal, built up well as (Nerijus) Valskis found the net. And as the game progressed, we had some more good chances falling our way and so did Chennaiyin.

"I was happy with the camaraderie and cohesion in the team, especially after being 2-0 down so early. But we did feel the disappointment of not coming out of the match with any points on the night. We had some wonderful chances to equalise, we kept the ball better and passed around more than our opponent. We also had some injuries prior to the game and added two more during the game – both center backs (Narender and Hartley) – leaving us with only one center-back available (Stephen Eze). But there were many positives and the team showed togetherness that will stand out and help us in the rest of the season," explained the 54-year-old manager. 

His opposite number Stuart Baxter has won a lot of laurels in South Africa and Coyle heaped praise on the British manager, hailing him as one of the 'great additions' to the ISL. 

"I think Stuart Baxter has a great standing in the game of football. He is someone I know well and he is a great addition in the ISL. Odisha are going to be difficult opponents. They have a nice blend of youth and experience along with some good foreign players. So, we have to make sure we are ready for the challenge at hand. We will, of course, look to start the game better, try and win the game to get those valuable three points. Early on in the season, just one win can take you four or five places up in the league and serve as a good morale booster. So, we can’t wait for the game to come about," signed off the former Bolton Wanderers manager.

Bengaluru FC are to face Hyderabad FC in the second round of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) at the Fatorda stadium in Goa, on Saturday evening. 

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

Bengaluru FC Possible XI:   

Injured - None
Doubtful - None   
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Ashique Kuruniyan, Cleiton Silva     

Hyderabad FC Possible XI: 

Injured - None  
Doubtful - Fran Sandaza  
Suspended - None

Key Players - Aridane Santana, Joao Victor    

Former Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney will be in sole charge of Derby County this weekend as he takes his first steps in management.

Rooney, a player-coach at Derby, has shared responsibility of the first team since Phillip Cocu was sacked earlier this month.

The veteran forward was joined by Liam Rosenior, Shay Given and Justin Walker in the coaching set-up, but the Rams lost at both Bristol City and Middlesbrough without scoring.

Hindered by a points deduction, Derby are bottom of the Championship table, six points shy of safety and winless in nine.

With a takeover imminent, the club have made a change, promoting Rooney in a decision the new interim coach hopes will provide "clarity".

Rooney, who will not play at home against Wycombe on Saturday, revealed technical director and former England boss Steve McClaren - returning to Derby this week - was "part of that conversation".

"For the two previous games, the four of us did it together, preparing the team and picking the team together," Rooney said.

"We felt that it needed one voice, one person to do that and make the decisions on the team, the starting team and obviously the subs coming into the game.

"We felt I felt I was the right man for that. That's where we're at.

"It's obviously exciting for me to do that. Management is something I've always said I wanted to go into. It's an opportunity for me to try to pick the right team to get us a positive result."

Despite his eagerness to kickstart his coaching career, Rooney refused to look beyond Saturday's match.

"Tomorrow is so important to us that we have to focus on tomorrow," he said. "We can't focus on what happens in the long term just yet.

"There will be conversations, obviously, but we have to focus on tomorrow and can't look too far ahead. It wouldn't be fair on the players to be looking at what happens in the next few weeks.

"We have to solely focus on tomorrow's game and then the new owners will be in, I'm sure, in the next few days. Once that's complete, there will be conversations and we'll see where that goes.

"I wouldn't sit here and say I'm auditioning myself for the job. This football club deserves better than that. It deserves better than someone saying they're having an audition."

Rooney believes he could not juggle the new role with playing - at least for now.

"Obviously I played the last game, but if I'm making decisions on who plays the game and doesn't play the game and the preparation of the team, I wouldn't be able to give it my full attention and still be part of the game," he said.

"I won't be involved in the game tomorrow. I'll be focusing on getting the team right to play the game."

Asked if he would miss the opportunity to use a player of his talents on the pitch, Rooney replied: "Of course, but as I said before, this is what I want to do, this is what I see myself doing.

"As much as you'd like to carry on playing for as long as you can, there comes a point where you have to make decisions. For tomorrow, I think it's the right decision."

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed the club will not be making any signings in the January transfer window despite their indifferent start to the Premier League season.

The Citizens are currently 14th on the Premier League table after their eight matches, and trail leaders Tottenham by eight points despite holding a game in hand.

Guardiola's side have only won three league contests, with defeats against Leicester City and Spurs, and draws versus Liverpool, West Ham and Leeds blotting their copybook.

There has been suggestion the Manchester giants will be looking to bolster their squad when the player movement period resumes in a month's time, but Guardiola denies the club will be pursuing reinforcements.

"No, not at all. I have a fantastic team to fight for all the titles," Guardiola told Man City's official website.

The former Barcelona coach's belief in his squad depth was proved true by John Stones' performance in the mid-week win over Olympiacos in the Champions League.

The England international has found himself on the periphery of Manchester City's first team for most of the season, but showed Guardiola he has a part to play this campaign.

"The guys who play good, they continue to play," Guardiola said.

"The guys especially at the back who don't make mistakes - everyone makes mistakes - but the [guys who don't make] mistakes that cost a lot, they have more chance to continue in the team.

"And the guys up front who score goals, they have more chance to continue in the team. I try to judge players in the present. John [Stones] played very well, and I am especially happy for John because he is a special guy for me.

"We arrived here together, we spent lots of time together, he was injured and had personal issues but now he is settled again. He is confident. He will have chances to show his quality in this team."

Manchester City will attempt to catapult themselves up the Premier League table as they host Burnley at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Their next Champions League clash against Porto on Tuesday will be a dead rubber with the English side accumulating maximum points from their four matches to date and have secured qualification for the knockout stage already.

Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold hit out at the Premier League fixturing, saying some of it "defies common sense".

Jurgen Klopp, manager of the Premier League champions, has been critical of the scheduling amid a busy run of games for clubs.

Three days after losing to Atalanta in the Champions League, Liverpool will visit Brighton and Hove Albion in the early kick-off on Saturday.

Alexander-Arnold, who is sidelined with a calf injury, was also critical of the scheduling, saying change was needed.

"At a time when we've had a three-month lockdown, coming back and not being able to get fully fit as we would like to and having to play the remainder of the games, and then not getting much of a break – I think we got two weeks and then a 10-day pre-season – and then straight back into the most competitive league in the world, it's ... difficult," the full-back told Standard Sport.

"The times of games, in terms of your last internationals coming back [before playing early on a Saturday] defies common sense really. Anyone with common sense would spot that that is something that cannot happen.

"The teams that play midweek most weeks – I think Tottenham had it recently where they played on the Thursday and then on Sunday at 12 [noon].

"There is not enough time to recover, your body cannot recover that quickly. Your muscles are going into it not being 100 per cent and that is how you pick up injuries. Something has to change."

The 2019-20 Premier League season was suspended for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It finished on July 26 before the 2020-21 campaign started seven weeks later.

Liverpool, who are second in the Premier League table, will play eight games in December and Alexander-Arnold said the injury problems were predictable.

"I think these problems could have really been predicted, anyone could have seen them coming," he said.

"Maybe not to this extent because it looks as if every club is feeling the harshness of the schedule, but you would expect this period to be coming around December and Christmas time because that is when it is the most intense, but for this to be happening so early in the season – eight games in – is far too early. It shows that something is not right. As long as something happens soon, then it is better than nothing."