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Hyderabad, at one point in time, was a hotbed of Indian football with several star footballers and coaches hailing from the City of Nizams. The 1950s and 60s witnessed the heydays of Hyderabad football but it fizzled out thereafter. 

The city’s football was revived last season when Hyderabad FC was formed and made their debut in the Indian Super League (ISL). One of the objectives was to bring back the glory days of football in the Southern city.

Unfortunately, for ‘The Nizams’, the results did not go their way. They finished at rock-bottom on the league table with just two wins in 18 matches and 10 points to show for. 

After a nightmare debut in the ISL, the team management decided to rebuild the side. They appointed former Bengaluru FC manager Albert Roca at the helm who came on board in January this year but took charge of the side only after the 2019-20 season concluded. Unfortunately, Roca decided to leave the club and join La Liga giants FC Barcelona as one of their fitness coaches under Ronald Koeman. 

The Spanish coach was replaced by his compatriot Manuel Marquez Roca who had the prior experience of managing La Liga side Las Palmas. The Nizams have made wholesale changes to their roster. Hyderabad FC parted ways with as many as 14 footballers from their first season, including six of their foreigners, and brought in 15 new faces to the squad.

They have signed nine new Indian players among whom the most notable inclusion has to be experienced Indian goalkeeper Subrata Paul who left Jamshedpur FC after three seasons. The goalkeeping position was a major concern for the club last season. Their first choice custodian Kamaljit Singh who appeared in 12 out of the 18 matches, conceded 26 goals and failed to keep a single clean sheet. Paul’s inclusion is undoubtedly an improvement in the goalkeeping department.

Hyderabad have also brought in notable names in Halicharan Narzary and youngsters Rohit Danu and Akash Mishra. 

Foreigners play a key role and Hyderabad have brought in some promising players. Their midfield looks compact in the presence of Brazilian midfielder Joao Victor and Spaniard Lluis Sastre both of whom have experience of playing in La Liga.

In defence, they have brought in only one foreigner in Odei Onaindia. It must be noted that the team has opted to sign only six foreigners. 

The attack looks to be one of their strong suits, thanks to the addition of former Girona forward Francisco Sandaza and Australian forward Joel Chianese. But the most notable addition to this team is undoubtedly Spanish striker Aridane Santana who has already made a name for himself in the league with Odisha FC last season.

Santana had an excellent run of form last season until he suffered an unfortunate injury in January and was ruled out of action for the rest of the season. In the 14 matches he played for Odisha, Santana scored nine goals and provided two assists.

With an experienced coach like Manuel Marquez Roca at the helm and with a mixture of youth and experience in the new-look squad, Hyderabad FC will hope to turn things around this time.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman was left feeling concerned by the manner of Atletico Madrid's winning goal in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Wanda Metropolitano.

Barca travelled to Madrid having won only one of their previous five La Liga matches, a run of results that already had them playing catch-up in the table.

Defeat – their third in a little over a month – means they could end the weekend in the bottom half of the table, with the Blaugrana seemingly struggling to recover from a tumultuous pre-season off the pitch.

The solitary goal conceded against Atletico came at the end of the first half when Gerard Pique – who was later substituted with a nasty-looking knee injury – failed to cut out Angel Correa's pass, and Yannick Carrasco skipped past the stranded Marc-Andre ter Stegen before slotting into an empty net from 35 yards.

The whole situation left Koeman frustrated.

"It is worrying," he told Movistar . "For a big team, conceding a goal like this ... it can't be, because it's the 47th minute, we had the ball and then they score, 1-0.

"We controlled and we knew that it was difficult to create many chances. We had a pair and with the score 0-0, the game would have been totally different [if they had taken either chance].

"Like any coach, I am responsible for the team's results."

Although the campaign is still in its early stages, Atletico's win saw them go nine points clear of Barca.

Koeman recognised it as a significant gap to bridge and is demanding a streak of wins from his men in response.

"It's a pretty big difference, but there is a lot of the league left and a lot of games," he continued.

"We know that every match is complicated, but after this defeat we have to chain an important winning streak.

"I have seen a team that has fought until the last second to been able to level the game, so in this sense I am not worried."

Barca confirmed after the match that Pique had sustained a knee sprain" though further tests are required to determine the extent of the injury.

Vincent Aboubakar took his Cameroon form to Besiktas as he found the net in Saturday’s 3-2 triumph over Istanbul Basaksehir.

During the international break, the 28-year-old got three goals in two Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games as the Indomitable Lions completed a double over Mozambique.

He continued with his notable goalscoring run helping the Black Eagles shrug off their 3-1 defeat to Gaziantep FK their last time out.

With the first-half of the keenly contested affair heading for a goalless draw, captain Atiba Hutchinson tucked home a corner-kick from Brazilian midfielder Souza in the 44th minute.

On the stroke of half-time, Canadian forward Cyle Larin doubled the lead after beating goalkeeper Volkan Babacan from close range with Hutchinson providing the assist.

Aboubakar added the third goal in the 72nd minute from the penalty spot after Mehmet Topal had stopped his goal-bound effort with his arm. Before the Cameroonian converted the ensuing kick, Topal was given the marching orders for a second caution.

Basaksehir looked dead and buried after leaking three goals and having a man sent off, yet, they refused to go down without a fight.

Demba Ba’s replacement Fredrik Gulbrandsen pulled one back for the visitors in the 81st minute before completing his brace in the 90th minute. Even at that, he could not save his team from their fourth defeat of the 2020-21 campaign.

Aboubakar who now boasts of two goals in six Turkish elite division games this term was in action for Sergen Yalcin’s men from start to finish. Ghana’s Bernard Mensah who is on loan from Kayserispor was handed a starter’s role, nevertheless, he was replaced in the 69th minute by Serbian midfielder Adem Ljajic. Algeria’s Rachid Ghezzal also was substituted for Gokhan Tore while Congo DR international Fabrice N'Sakala was not listed for the five-goal thriller.

Ba was in action for 75 minutes for Istanbul Basaksehir while Cape Verde’s Carlos Ponck replaced Rafael with 10 minutes to play. Belgian left-back of Congolese descent Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo was also in action as Nigeria’s Azubuike Okechukwu continue to stay out on the side-line owing to injury worries.

Thanks to this result, Besiktas are seventh in the log with 13 points from eight games - same point as Basaksehir who have a superior goals difference.

Cristiano Ronaldo was hailed as a born champion by Andrea Pirlo after the superstar forward kept his goalscoring run going with a double in Juventus' 2-0 win over Cagliari.

The Portugal international scored twice in the space of four first-half minutes to take his tally for the season to eight goals in six appearances in all competitions.

In doing so, Ronaldo became the first Juve player to score in each of his first five Serie A outings in one season in the three-points-per-win era.

His match-winning brace came from five attempts and he also laid on three chances for his team-mates, earning praise from head coach Pirlo.

"He is a great professional, as we already knew," Pirlo told DAZN . "He is a real champion and sets the example for everyone around him, both in the matches and in training.

"The only advice I can give him is to keep going in the same way."

Juventus also had a Federico Bernardeschi goal ruled out for offside and tested opposition goalkeeper Alessio Cragno five times in Saturday's clash at the Allianz Stadium.

It was a dominant display from Juve, with nine of their players having at least 60 touches of the ball – only once in the last 15 years, against Bologna in 2018, have they done better.

The defending champions are second after winning four of their eight league outings under Pirlo, who is happy with the way his players are taking on his ideas.

"There's a lot of quality in this squad, but that alone is not enough," he said. "If we are going to dominate games then we have to work the ball quickly from side to side.

"The players enjoy this style of football. When we have possession we have to pin the opposition back.

"We've been trying this pressing game since the first game but have not had much time to work on it. It is about winning back the ball as quickly as possible to keep the pressure."

Arthur completed more passes (101) than any player on the pitch, with an unrivalled 57 of those in the opposition half.

In the week that he scored his first goal for Brazil, Pirlo hailed the former Barcelona midfielder for the way he has quickly adjusted to his new surroundings.

"He is the player we expected. He came from a different league and needed a period of adaptation," he said. 

"Now he is better and is a very important player for our games if we are to avoid the opposition press."

Cagliari had a goal of their own ruled out when Ragnar Klavan headed home in the second half but they failed to register a single attempt on target in Turin.

They had previously won four of their last five games in all competitions but Eusebio Di Francesco conceded his side could have no complaints with the result.

"We came with a plan to press Juventus but their superior quality forced us back," he said. "They kept forcing us deep and they was always going to lead to a goal.

"We created more in the second half. We used players with little experience and sometimes that tells."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was relieved to see his Manchester United charges struggle past West Bromwich Albion in a game the manager admitted saw them far from their best. 

Bruno Fernandes' second-half penalty proved the difference between the two sides at Old Trafford on Saturday, the Portugal midfielder stepping up to net his sixth goal of the Premier League season after the decision was consulted by VAR. 

The 1-0 win moves the Red Devils up to ninth place in the standings, building on their impressive victory over Everton in the final match before the international break.

Saturday's showing was far less eye-catching, but Solskjaer was pleased to take all three points from the match.  

"It’s definitely not a step forward," the Norwegian admitted to reporters after the final whistle.

"Performance-wise we played really well against Everton, that’s a performance I was really happy with. But this one was way below par but we got the first win at home.

"Sometimes three points is more important than the performance. We know we need to get points and move up the table and we have to play better.

"The first game after the international break is never easy, there's not much time to prepare the game.

"We know we can play better than this and certainly could have made it comfortable if we had taken chances early on and toward the end.

"When you don’t do that there’s’ always an edge. It's important to get the win but we didn’t have the composure or quality to get the second goal that would have made it more comfortable."

With three assists to his name as well Fernandes has been directly involved in nine of the 13 goals United have mustered in this season's Premier League, and Solskjaer had high praise for his midfield lynchpin - particularly when it comes to converting from the spot.

"It says everything,  it should be said if you play for Manchester United you should never be afraid of taking a penalty," he added.

"We want players who want to take the responsibility good and bad and if some of the penalty takers would change their mind after missing I would be disappointed. I know he would want to take it again."

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer concedes his side were 'lucky' that West Brom had a penalty decision overturned in their 1-0 win at Old Trafford. 

After a goalless first 45 minutes, Slaven Bilic's side were awarded a spot-kick early in the second half after referee David Coote ruled that Bruno Fernandes had fouled Conor Gallagher in the box. 

VAR however intervened with the decision eventually changed after Coote reviewed the incident on the sideline. Replays suggested Fernandes did make some contact with the ball before collecting Gallagher. 

The Red Devils made the most of the call and were themselves awarded a penalty 10 minutes later which Fernandes tucked away at the second time of asking after his first attempt was saved only for goalkeeper Sam Johnstone to be caught coming of his line. 

Solskjaer admitted his side were lucky West Brom's penalty was chalked off, noting that he believed a similar call in an earlier Premier League game was wrong. 

"I looked at a penalty this afternoon, Villa-Brighton and there's contact on the ball and then the man," Solskjaer told BT Sport.

"In my head it might be a penalty. Maybe here we're a tad lucky but none of them are given. Maybe the rules are different to how I interpret them."

Unsurprisingly, West Brom manager Bilic was a lot more scathing in his assessment of the decision to overturn a penalty for his side, who are yet to win in the Premier League this season. 

"I'm very disappointed with the decision. I felt like 'small West Brom'. All those crucial decisions went against us. I've watched it a few times and it's a clear penalty. I don't understand why he overturned it," Bilic said.

"We played well. We had a few chances to score. We were there. I told the guys I'm disappointed, I think we deserved something.

"We deserved to go in front in the second half. I told them to stay positive and stay and fight and train and we'll win games."

On United's penalty, Bilic added: "It's a handball. It's a bit unlucky but it's handball. Before that it was a clear foul on Conor Gallagher. Instead of 1-0 for us, it's 1-0 for them. When you play against Manchester United away it's a huge difference."

Barcelona have picked up just 11 points from their first eight La Liga games this season - their worst tally since 1991-92. 

Ronald Koeman's side suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid on Saturday with Yannick Carrasco scoring the winner in first-half injury time. 

The result was the first time Diego Simeone has defeated Barcelona in La Liga with Atletico ending a 20-game winless run against the Catalans in the Spanish top-flight. 

Simeone's men have now also gone 24 games without defeat in La Liga and currently sit second in the competition on goal difference but with a game in hand. 

Barcelona meanwhile remain stuck in 10th, nine points adrift of Atletico, and have won just one of their last five La Liga games. That poor run has seen Koeman's side accrue a meagre 11 points with the club not tallying so few at this point of the competition in nearly three decades.

Despite that worrying statistic, the last time Barcelona started so poorly in 1991-91, they did go on to be crowned champions as they finished one point ahead of Real Madrid. 

Koeman will hope to see his men bounce back in the Champions League on Tuesday night against Dynamo Kiev with the Catalans winning all three of their group games in the competition to date. 

Following that clash, Barca return to La Liga action at home against Osasuna and will need to start winning matches if they hope to turn their poor league form around before it's too late. 

"We knew this could happen to us, we have to keep improving," Pedri said after the Atletico defeat. "La Liga is still long and I think we can compete."

In the Catalans' favour is the fact reigning champions and fierce rivals Real Madrid have also made a stuttering start in the league with Zinedine Zidane's side held to a 1-1 draw against Villarreal on Saturday.

Los Blancos are currently fourth in La Liga, six points ahead of Barcelona, but have played one extra game to date. 

Real Sociedad are the early pacesetters in Spain's first division with the club losing just one of their first nine games in the competition. 

Jurgen Klopp insists he is not interested in replacing Joachim Low as Germany coach – but says he would consider the job once his time at Liverpool was at an end.

Speculation has been rife that Low could face the sack following a disappointing run of results, which reached a nadir with the 6-0 Nations League thrashing at the hands of Spain earlier this month.

Klopp, naturally, would be the public’s choice to take over, but the 53-year-old has always played down the idea. 

And asked once again whether he would consider the role, the Reds boss offered a diplomatic response.

Klopp told reporters: “Wow, I thought that is one of the questions I answered most often in my life! 

“In the future, maybe. Now? No. I have no time, I have a job – a pretty intense job by the way!

“I’m not sure if anyone asked for me or whatever, but if they don’t know, I have a job at Liverpool. And even though the weather is bad again, I like it! 

“I’m responsible for a lot of things here, so I will not go and search for another challenge. I have enough challenges after waking up in the morning!”

Klopp was also asked about the news that Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension at Manchester City, which will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2023.

Klopp’s deal at Liverpool runs until 2024, meaning the two great rivals will continue to battle in the coming seasons – though the German believes the Premier League is now far from a two-horse race.

“Pep signed a new contract because of me?” Klopp joked. “I love it! 

“I’m happy Pep signed a new contract, but I’m a little bit afraid that it will not be Guardiola against Klopp or something like that for the next few years.

“It looks like Frank [Lampard] and Chelsea are building a proper team, Man United will not stay [where they are] without trying, and Arsenal will do the same. 

“Tottenham look really dangerous this year, Leicester is obviously really good, and 100 per cent Wolves will not settle. I watch a lot of football, and I see the steps they make. That’s a threat for all of us.

“But I’m happy that Pep stays with me for longer.”

Marc-Andre ter Stegen's extraordinary error gifted Atletico Madrid the decisive goal as they defeated Barcelona 1-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Saturday's hard-fought contest was settled by a remarkable Yannick Carrasco strike in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, ending Atleti's 20-match winless run against Barca in LaLiga.

Ter Stegen – making just his third Blaugrana appearance in all competitions since returning from a knee injury – rashly set off in pursuit of the ball near the halfway line and was beaten by Carrasco, who kept his cool to find the net.

It was a setback Barca could not recover from as they succumbed to a third league defeat of the season to remain 10th, also losing Gerard Pique to a knee injury as Ronald Koeman's teething problems show no sign of easing.

The visitors had held their own in a lively start that saw Antoine Griezmann stab his volley just over before Ter Stegen dived away to his right to make a smart save from Saul Niguez's 20-yard drive.

Marcos Llorente came closest to an early breakthrough but blasted against the crossbar.

Jordi Alba interrupted a subsequent lull in proceedings with a sublime pass between Kieran Trippier's legs to send Lionel Messi through, yet he shot too close to Jan Oblak from a tight angle.

A nutmeg at the other end proved far more costly on the stroke of half-time, however, as Carrasco nudged the ball beyond Ter Stegen, who had inexplicably charged 40 yards from his goal to leave the Atletico winger with a straightforward finish into an empty net.

Clement Lenglet should have nodded Barca level 11 minutes after the restart but instead directed his header straight at a grateful Oblak and then saw centre-back partner Pique land awkwardly under a challenge, requiring assistance to depart down the tunnel.

And Diego Simeone's men subsequently came on strong again, pushing Barca back the other way to see out a precious victory.
 

What does it mean? Simeone's side the real contenders

For a little over 10 minutes, this was an open, exciting affair with chances at either end. But Atletico, masters of the scrappy win, slowed the pace of the game expertly and seized on a rare Ter Stegen error in clinical fashion.

Koeman needs some respite, but Simeone's side were never likely to relent, surely believing this strange year could be theirs. Atletico are second, level on points with leaders Real Sociedad, as Barca sit nine points off the pace already.

Trippier handles Alba task

Had Messi taken his first-half chance from an exquisite Alba pass, the nutmeg on Trippier would have been replayed over and over again. As it was, the Atletico right-back recovered superbly to win the battle down that flank.

The England international was involved at both ends of the field. He sent in four crosses, two of them finding team-mates, and created one chance, while winning four of his six duels and making one tackle, three clearances and two interceptions.

Barca's sweeper exposed

Ter Stegen is a rival to Manuel Neuer at international level but has long been established as Barca's number one. Neither Germany goalkeeper will reflect fondly on this week, though, as the Blaugrana ace followed up his watching brief in the 6-0 defeat to Spain by enduring a nightmare of his own.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach man, like Neuer, can take risks at times with his sweeping style, and this was one occasion where he paid the price. Carrasco became the eighth player to dribble past Ter Stegen in his LaLiga career as he committed an error leading to a goal for the ninth time.

Key Opta Facts

- Atletico Madrid beat Barcelona in LaLiga for the first time since February 2010 (2-1).

- Barcelona have just 11 points after eight LaLiga games this season (W3 D2 L3), their worst start at this stage since 1991-92, when they won the title.

- Atletico have just conceded two goals in eight LaLiga games this season (W6 D2 L0), their best start in terms of goals conceded at this stage since 1995-96, when they won the double of LaLiga and Copa del Rey.

- Atletico are unbeaten in their last 24 LaLiga games (W15 D9), their longest run without defeat in the competition and the longest current such streak across the top five European leagues.

What's next?

Champions League action resumes in midweek with Atletico at home to Lokomotiv Moscow on Wednesday, the day after Barca visit Dynamo Kiev.

Bruno Fernandes scored his seventh goal of the season with a retaken penalty as Manchester United claimed a controversial first Premier League home win since July with a 1-0 defeat of West Brom.

United have endured their worse home start in the top flight for 48 years, but finally secured three points at a ground that used to be such a fortress at the fifth attempt.

They needed some fortune to end a six-match run without a home victory that stretched back to last season, though, as referee David Coote overturned his decision to award struggling Albion a penalty at the start of the second half.

Fernandes breathed a sigh of relief after he was adjudged to have brought down Conor Gallagher and the midfielder was a lucky man soon after when he was given a second chance to score from the spot.

Sam Johnstone tipped away Fernandes's first attempt after Darnell Furlong was harshly penalised for handball, but came off his line too soon, and the United talisman did not pass up another opportunity to open the scoring.

Johnstone made the first of several brilliant stops against his former club from an early Anthony Martial header and then produced a superb reflex save low to his left to thwart the United forward.

The Baggies had a first sight of goal when Karlan Grant's shot was tipped wide by David de Gea before Martial was denied a penalty when the France international felt he was tugged back by Matheus Pereira.

Albion thought they had a golden opportunity to take the lead just after the break and Coute's pitchside change of heart - which preceded an excellent De Gea stop from Conor Townsend - was not the end of the VAR drama.

Johnstone was shown to be too quick off the mark and Fernandes made no mistake second time around.

Substitute Callum Robinson struck the bar just after coming on and Johnstone produced another sharp save to prevent Marcus Rashford from doubling United's lead.

The Baggies' wait for a win goes on, while United - who were without Paul Pogba due to a knock - are up to ninth.

What does it mean? Relief for United, Albion unfortunate

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will know the Red Devils must show more of a spark at home if they are to continue to climb the table, but back-to-back top-flight wins have eased the pressure on the United boss.

Slaven Bilic will rue Albion's misfortune and wonder why the decision to award Gallagher a penalty was changed when it appeared there was contact from Fernandes, with his side still languishing in the relegation zone.

Fernandes invaluable with Pogba absent

The absence of Pogba in the squad will lead to further speculation over the France midfielder's future, despite Solskjaer stating he had picked up a knock.

Fernandes gave yet another demonstration that he is very much United's main man, with his vision, ability to drift into space and pick a pass making him the most likely to cut open a well organised Albion side.

The playmaker made six key passes, with no other United player producing more than one. Fernandes also had four shots as he stepped up again when an otherwise all-too predictable Red Devils side needed him.

Martial misfires again.

There was more frustration for Martial, who has not scored a Premier League goal this season.

Martial has failed to find the back of the net in five top-flight matches in the 2020-21 campaign, although he came across an inspired Johnstone on Saturday evening, registering four shots - two of which were on target.

Key Opta facts
- United ended a run of six consecutive home league games without victory (D3 L3) since beating Bournemouth 5-2.
- West Brom have failed to win any of their opening nine games to a league season (D3 L6) for the first time since 1985-86.
- Fernandes’ opener was United's first home league goal in 324 minutes of football, since his second-minute penalty in the 6-1 defeat to Spurs in October.
- Since the start of last season, 16 per cent of United's Premier League goals have been penalties (13/79), the highest ratio of any team to have played in both seasons.

What's next?
United go in search of revenge when they face Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Albion take on fellow strugglers Sheffield United at The Hawthorns next Saturday.

A disappointing afternoon for Barcelona was compounded by potentially serious injury to Gerard Pique, who was forced off following a freak collision with Atletico Madrid star Angel Correa. 

Needing a positive result at the Wanda Metropolitano to kick-start their spluttering Liga campaign in 2020-21, Barca instead fell behind just before half-time due to a horrendous mistake from Marc Andres ter Stegen. 

The Germany goalkeeper was caught far from his net and rounded by Yannick Carrasco, who was left with an easy finish into the open net to put Atleti in the ascendance. 

Worse was to come for the Catalans after the break, when Pique hobbled out of the game in evident pain. 

The central defender found himself in Correa's path when the winger was felled by Jordi Alba, and as he tumbled he did so directly on top of Pique. 

Pique's knee took the full brunt of the Argentine's weight, and concern around the Barca team was clear as he received treatment on the Wanda Metropolitano turf. 

The Spain international was eventually able to take to his feet aided by two Blaugrana assistants but could barely put any weight down on the affected area, which at first glance appeared to be his right knee. 

He proceeded to hobble to the sideline, where Sergino Dest was waiting to take his place. 

Back on the pitch Barca's malaise continued, rarely threatened to turn round a game that finished 1-0 to the Colchonero and leaves the Catalans marooned in mid-table, with just one Liga victory in their last six outings.

Barca must now hope that Pique merely suffered from the impact of Correa's fall, for which the Atletico player was absolutely blameless, and that he has not suffered lasting damage which could keep him out of action in a key period of the season for Ronald Koeman's charges. 

The Catalans are back in action in the Champions League on Tuesday when they visit Dynamo Kyiv, the first of three consecutive midweek Group G prior to December's visit to Ferencvaros and hosting of Juventus. 

In La Liga, meanwhile, Koeman's men will return to the field next Sunday at home to Osasuna, as they seek to finally turn around a run of horrendous league form that has made them outsiders to regain the title from Real Madrid by the end of the season.  

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a first-half double to help Juventus return to winning ways with a routine 2-0 victory over Cagliari in their Serie A clash at the Allianz Stadium.

Juve conceded a last-gasp goal to Lazio last time out to make it only three wins from seven league outings this term, but Ronaldo inspired them to three points on Saturday by scoring for the fifth league game running.

The Portugal international curled in the opening goal with 38 minutes played and grabbed a second with an impressive hooked finish shortly before the interval.

Andrea Pirlo's side were unable to add to their tally but Ronaldo's brace was enough as they moved into second place, albeit having played a game more than the majority of the teams around them.

Federico Bernardeschi rounded off a flowing team move with a thumping finish after 11 minutes but the goal was ruled out due to Alvaro Morata being offside in the build-up.

The lively Bernardeschi had a shot saved by Alessio Cragno and Dejan Kulusevski fired wide from a good position before Ronaldo cut onto his right and picked out the far corner.

Ronaldo did not have to wait long for his second, sticking out a leg to send Merih Demiral's flick-on flying past Cragno from eight yards with an improvised finish.

Having played an important part in that second goal, Demiral nearly added Juve's third as his powerful header cannoned off the crossbar. 

Cragno kept out another attempt from Bernardeschi three minutes later and the missed chances nearly came back to haunt the home side.

Ragnar Klavan nodded into the bottom corner with a little over 20 minutes left but the goal was chalked off for a foul on returning Juve defender Matthijs de Ligt. 

What does it mean? Ronaldo lifts Juve up the table

This is the first season since 2015-16 that Juve had been outside the top two position heading into matchday eight.

Thanks to this Ronaldo-inspired victory, Pirlo's men are now a point behind Milan ahead of the leaders' game in hand away to Napoli on Sunday – far from an easy contest.

With his latest double, Ronaldo becomes the first Juve player to score in each of his first five Serie A appearances in one season in the three-points-for-a-win era, netting eight times in total.

Morata-Ronaldo axis shows promising signs

Juve had not won a game when picking Morata and Ronaldo together before this contest but it is clear they are Pirlo's preferred pair to lead the line, with Paulo Dybala a second-half substitute.

Morata was unable to score from his two attempts but he teed up Ronaldo for the opener to maintain his impressive start to the campaign for club and country.

A welcome return for De Ligt

With Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini out, De Ligt was rushed back for his first appearance since undergoing shoulder surgery in August.

He made more clearances (3) than any Juve player and won all five of his duels, but questions must be asked of Cagliari's attack, having failed to register an attempt on target across the 90 minutes.

What's next?

Juventus switch focus back to the Champions League on Tuesday with a home match against Ferencvaros. Cagliari, who had won four of their last five matches in all competitions prior to today, host Hellas Verona in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.

FC Goa are set to host Bengaluru FC in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) at the Fatorda stadium in Goa, on Sunday. 

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

FC Goa Possible XI:   

Injured - None
Doubtful - None  
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Igor Angulo, Jorge Ortiz   

Bengaluru FC Possible XI: 

Injured - None  
Doubtful - None  
Suspended - None

Key Players - Dimas Delgado, Sunil Chhetri   

Steve Mounie sealed Brest's 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne with his first-half effort in a Ligue 1 outing on Saturday.

It was a harvest of goals in the first 45 minutes as all efforts came just before the interval.

Olivier Dall'Oglio's side got off to a flying start at the Stade Francis-Le Ble with a seventh-minute opener from Franck Honorat, courtesy of an assist from Irvin Cardona.

Jean-Kevin Duverne doubled the lead in the 23rd minute but Cameroon defender Harold Moukoudi linked up with Mahdi Camara to reduce the deficit for Saint-Etienne eight minutes later.

Shortly after Camara's effort, Cardona stretched Brest's lead again before Mounie sealed all three points for the hosts with his goal in the 38th minute.

The 26-year-old attacker who returned to France this summer, after struggling in the Championship with Huddersfield Town last campaign, has scored three goals in nine Ligue 1 appearances so far.

Mounie was later replaced in the 79th minute and Algeria's Haris Belkebla played the entire duration for Brest. Meanwhile, his compatriot Ryad Boudebouz alongside Gabon's Denis Bouanga, Cameroon duo Moukoudi and Yvan Neyou Noupa were on parade for Saint-Etienne.

The result was Brest's second straight win at home after they defeated Lille 3-2 in their last league outing before the international break.

They climbed to 12th in the Ligue 1 table after gathering 15 points from 11 matches, while Saint-Etienne dropped to 15th with 10 points after the same number of games.

Mounie will hope to help Brest build on their fine winning run when they visit Metz for their next Ligue 1 fixture on November 29.

Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko made history on Saturday as he became the youngest player ever to feature in a Bundesliga match. 

Moukoko turned 16 on Friday and was immediately included in Dortmund's squad for their league clash away to Hertha Berlin. 

A rule change in the German top-flight earlier this year has changed the minimum age requirement from 16 and a half to 16, enabling his inclusion on the bench the day after his birthday. 

And the young forward appeared in the 8th minute coming on for Erling Halaand, as he replaced the Norwegian, who fired four goals on Saturday, to mark a new Bundesliga record. 

At just 16 years and one day, that mark is likely to stand for some time, showing once more Dortmund's commitment to youth. 

Moukoko was one of three teenagers to make the bench for Saturday's clash, alongside Jude Bellingham, 17, and 18-year-old Giovanni Reyna, while 20-year-old striking sensation Erling Haaland started for the visitors against Hertha. 

Born in Yaounde, Cameroon, where he spent the first 10 years of his life before moving to Hamburg with his father, the prodigy began to play with Dortmund's Under-17 side when he was just 12 after moving from St. Pauli and his appearance in the first team has long been expected despite his tender age. 

Former coach Michael Feichtenbeiner is just one of those to have seen Moukoko who predicts big things for the forward. 

The ex-Germany U16s coach told Goal and SPOX: "Such a talent does not come along in Germany every five years. 

"His football skills are simply outstanding and he is a player who can make all the difference. He scored his goals everywhere - and there will be no end. 

"Youssoufa will break many records in the Bundesliga.

"In an environment like Dortmund with so many young players, it's a little easier for him. You can see that in Jude Bellingham, who as a 17-year-old from England seems to have few problems keeping up with the level."

Moukoko has also made an impact at the international level, representing Germany at both U16 and U20 levels 

Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer is optimistic the club's leading goalscorer Gabadinho Mhango will soon be back in action.

Mhango has missed the Buccaneers' last four matches after picking up a groin injury in the match against Stellenbosch FC at the end of October.

It also ruled him out of recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games for his national team Malawi.

Mhango was the Premier Soccer League (PSL) joint top goalscorer last season with 16 goals.

In his absence, Pirates have however won all four matches, including Saturday night's 2-1 win over SuperSport United at the Orlando Stadium.

Speaking after the match, Zinnbauer provided an update on Mhango's fitness status.

"I hope we get him next week. We have time a little bit, we have a full week and I hope we get him back," the German told SuperSport TV.

Zinnbauer was referring to Pirates' next match, against Baroka FC next Saturday afternoon, 28 November, at their home base in Soweto.

There was also some more good news for Bucs supporters regarding the return from injury of Bongani Sam. There is still a debut in the pipeline for the club's newly signed Democratic Republic of the Congo striker Jean-Marc Makusu.

"He's (Mhango) is not the only player," Zinnbauer said, "we have Sam coming back, with Jean-Marc we have a new player. We have other players injured who are coming back closer to full conditioning. Maybe in a week, we have all players available, I hope.”

Another player who has just returned from injury, Tshegofatso Mabasa, came off the bench to get the winner for Pirates against SuperSport after Zakhele Lepasa had earlier equalised via the penalty spot.

The one player who will be out for a while longer is Thembinkosi Lorch - Pirates confirmed earlier this week that he would be out for around five weeks.

Perth Glory's Asian Champions League campaign could soon be hanging by a thread if they fail to produce a positive result against K-League giants Ulsan on Wednesday. 

Richard Garcia's side have lost both of their first two group games, while their upcoming Korean opponents lead the way with four points. 

Glory fell to Shanghai Shenhua 2-1 last time out and though they showed signs of progress in the second-half of that match, the fact Ulsan beat the same side 3-1 on Sunday highlights the challenge that awaits them. 

Ulsan finished second in the K-League this season and could have finished as champions had they not lost two of their last three matches. 

Kim Do-hoon's men did finish the domestic campaign with the best goal difference of any side in Korea's top-flight - scoring an impressive 54 goals across 27 league matches. 

Perth, meanwhile, laboured to a poor finish in the A-League as they lost five of their final seven games in the Australian competition. 

Since the end of their domestic season, Glory farewelled manager Tony Popovic, with relatively unproven Garcia handed the top job and he faces an almight first challenge in Qatar. 

Glory need at least a draw on Wednesday to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages in their own hands rather than be left relying on results elsewhere. 

Against Shenhua, Perth showed some signs of life with foreign stars Diego Castro and Bruno Fornaroli displaying fleeting glimpses of their quality. 

Garcia will be relying on his attackers to step up against Ulsan with goals likely to flow at both ends in the heat of the Middle East.   

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reflected on how his side failed to break down Tottenham on Saturday, adding that Spurs played in a manner that is very reflective of manager Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho and Spurs got the last laugh on Guardiola's side, taking down the visitors 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs took the lead early though Son Heung-min, who fired home within five minutes thanks to a City defensive lapse.

After both sides saw a goal waved off in the first half, substitute Giovani Lo Celso all but sealed the points in the 65th minute, putting Spurs 2-0 ahead for good.

City maintained 67 per cent of the possession while outshooting their opponents 22-4 but failed to truly break down the Spurs defence.

And, after the match, Guardiola lamented his side's inability to create in the final third while praising Spurs for a typical Mourinho performance.

"It could be better, we played similar to how have all season. We did not defend good for the first goal. They then defended so deep, they defended with six and it was not easy," Guardiola told BBC Match of the Day.

"We had our chances, but we couldn’t score and they made two or three chances on the counterattack and we lost the game.

“We knew before the game that you cannot give them the first goal. We had more chances than them but we lost. Mourinho’s teams are like this, you make a mistake and they punish you on the counterattack.

"It is not easy, Harry Kane and Ndombele are on halfway, the space is so difficult, our possession play was good, but football is the boxes and that is where we were not good."

With the loss, City sit 10th in the league, while Spurs move atop the Premier League for the time being.

City will now look ahead to a trip to Greece as they take on Olympiacos in the Champions League as they sit atop their group with nine points from three games.

Spurs, meanwhile, are off until Thursday when they will face Ludogorets at home in the Europa League.

Black Leopards secured their maiden win of the 2020/21 season when they defeated Maritzburg United at Thohoyandou Stadium in Limpopo.

Rodney Ramagalela started for Leopards after rejoining the Limpopo side in midweek after being released by TS Galaxy last month.

English coach Dylan Kerr was taking charge of his first match as Leopards head coach after being reappointed earlier this week. 

On the other hand, Sebastian Mwange and Fares Hachi made their debuts for Maritzburg, who were looking to record their maiden win of the season. 

The two teams attacked each other in the first half, but they could not find the back of the net and the score was 0-0 at the interval.

The deadlock was finally broken 11 minutes into the second-half and it was Ramagalela, who marked his second debut for Lidoda Duvha with a goal.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns marksman was set-up by Lifa Hlongwane and he beat Zambian goalkeeper Mwaange in the Maritzburg goal-posts to make it 1-0 to Leopards.

Ramagalela's solitary goal earned Leopards a narrow 1-0 victory over Maritzburg and it took the Limpopo side to 13th spot on the league standings.

It was Maritzburg's fourth successive defeat in the league this season and they remained 16th on the table.

Meanwhile, Stellenbosch FC returned to winning ways when they secured a victory over Chippa United at Danie Craven Stadium in the Western Cape. 

Stellies were wounded after suffering a 1-0 defeat to SuperSport United before the Fifa break, while Chippa had recorded their first win of the season when they defeated Maritzburg 3-1 on November 3.

The deadlock was broken 21 minutes into the game and it was Argentine playmaker Junior Mendieta, who scored with a header from Marc Van Heerden's cross to make it 1-0 to Stellenbosch.

The score was 1-0 to Stellenbosch at the interval and they continued to attack after the restart as they looked to double their lead.

Stellenbosch's 2-0 win over Chippa was sealed by Nathan Sinkala, who netted his second goal of the season in the 86th minute with debutant Phathutshedzo Nange grabbing an assist.

The win took Stellies to eighth spot on the league standings, while the Chilli Boys slipped down to 11th place on the table.

Lastly, Swallows FC remain undefeated in their return to the elite league after drawing with PSL debutants TS Galaxy at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

The two teams struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half and the score was 0-0 at the interval.

A quite second-half followed with the Birds having introduced Kaizer Chiefs loanee Given Thibedi, while former Bidvest Wits hitman Mxolisi Macuphu was introduced by Galaxy coach Dan Malesela.

Both teams launched late attacks in search of a goal, but it never came and ultimately, the match ended in a 0-0 draw on the night.

The result saw Swallows climb to the top of the league standings - leapfrogging Orlando Pirates, while Galaxy moved up to sixth spot.