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Tottenham star Heung-min Son does not consider himself to be one of the best players in the Premier League despite his hugely impressive form over the last few seasons.

Son has been superb at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, with eight goals scored in as many league games and 10 strikes in 13 matches in all competitions.

While his goalscoring ability, skills on the ball and significant turn of pace have established him as one of the most feared Premier League forwards, Son himself claims to have never considered himself on a par with Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne or any other top-flight star.

In an interview on the  Korea Football Association (KFA) YouTube channel , Son said: "I've never once thought I am among the best players in the Premier League. Honestly, I’ve never thought that for a moment.

"I have always tried to do my best for Tottenham and in the national team and try to show all my abilities. It feels different to play for the national team and for Spurs. We will prepare well so that we can play as well as we can for the fans."

Son is currently with the South Korea national team for friendlies against Mexico and Qatar and is aiming to bring his club form to the international stage.

He will be looking to link up with the likes of Hwang Hee-chan of RB Leipzig and Hwang Ui-jo, who plays for Bordeaux, with Son going on to discuss his international team-mates, as well as his relationship with Harry Kane.

He said: "Kane and I have played together for a long time. It's common to try to develop [the partnership] at every moment. He is younger than me, but he always plays hard.

"Hee-chan and Ui-jo also work hard. We've known each other for a long time, and we know what we want. Hee-chan and Uijo are having a hard time with their [club] teams these days, but I'm lucky with my team.

"I hope Hee-chan and Ui-jo will boost their performance with the national team. I think it's also my role to help them return to their teams in a better way."

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit FC Goa have entered into a new partnership with Red Bull Leipzig that will run until June 30th, 2023.

The relationship is something that has been in the making for a while now and the deal has finally been announced. 

FC Goa's Indian assistant, Clifford Miranda, also used the Goan club's contact with Leipzig and visited the Bundesliga side's premises as part of a module to complete his two-year AFC Pro Diploma Coaching Course in Uzbekistan last year.

Leipzig are touting this affiliation as its first step in Asia as they try to forge a global presence. The partnership will involve opportunities for young Indian talent to train and hone their skills at the German club's facilities, although the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic will limit the prospect to online correspondence for now. 

In future, Leipzig is expected to offer support with on-site training that will involve the exchange of know-how regarding youth development. 

Back in March this year, FC Goa co-owner and president, Akshay Tandon, expressed to Goal about what they are looking for in a potential investor as he stressed that Indian football needs investment first.

"We need a strategic partner as well an investor to help take us to that next level. We have come to understand the appetite within the Indian and foreign markets and other clubs internationally. What we have found is that right now, there is a lot of curiosity about India and ISL but that curiosity has yet to become a sustained investment. 

"India needs investment first. We need to invest in youth, infrastructure, technical expertise and coaching. We are looking at someone who can help us with those things and allow us to take it to the next level. So we are going slowly but surely to find the right partner to take us to that next level and cement us amongst the great clubs of India," Tandon said.

Meanwhile, Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of RB Leipzig, commented on the newly forged partnership as one that could explore all suitable prospectives.

"We are very much looking forward to the partnership with FC Goa, because this club is a perfect fit for us with its young, modern, and innovative approach. We want to break new ground with RB Leipzig and take our first steps internationally. Our cooperation with FC Goa is the first step of a wider internationalisation strategy.

"The up-and-coming and rapidly growing Indian market is perfectly suited to cooperation. The discussions with FC Goa were very open, convincing, and purposeful from the beginning. Additionally, such a partnership also offers the opportunity to represent the Bundesliga in India in the best possible way and, to a certain extent, act as an ambassador."

Simba SC Chief Executive Officer Barbara Gonzalez has stated there is no way they are going to let midfielder Clatous Chama join Young Africans (Yanga SC).

The Zambian midfielder was a Yanga target in the last transfer window but they failed to lure him to Jangwani. Further interest has been reported and the club is said that they will fight for him.

However, Gonzalez has revealed Simba are still in talks with the star over a contract extension and although nothing yet has been agreed upon, Chama will not be joining Yanga anytime soon.

“Simba are a big brand who know what to do so that the fans might not end up regretting their support for the club,” Gonzalez told Mwanaspoti.

“On matters Chama, we have had some negotiations with him which are ongoing and in a direction we like but for now we have not come close to an agreement. What I can tell fans is that soon, they will know the answer to the questions surrounding the midfielder and his future.

“Talking of Simba, they are the biggest club in the country and in no way can be compared to Yanga. I can state categorically, Chama will never join Yanga and if their fans were waiting for that to happen, let them prepare their minds to see him turn out in Simba’s jersey for long.

“During transfer seasons, anything can be said about any player but we know what to do and how to help Tanzania soccer grow even better. As Simba, we want to be a good example to other teams.”

On his part, Chama revealed the state of the current negotiations with the Mainland Premier League champions and what he would do.

“We are still in negotiations with Simba and I have tabled a number of offers that should be primary considerations during the talks,” said the 2019/20 Player of the Year.

“Simba are a priority for me especially if they are going to meet the demands I have made.

“If we are not going to reach a good agreement, then I will look at the offers from South Africa and in the Middle East because I have got a number of them.”

Simba signed Chama from Lusaka Dynamos in 2018 on a one-year deal which was later extended by two years. The contract is expected to expire at the end of the season.

Liverpool should not be investing £50 million ($66m) in a new centre-half “for the sake of it” in January, says Jamie Redknapp, with there no need to panic despite Joe Gomez joining Virgil van Dijk on the treatment table.

The Reds’ wretched run of fortune on the injury front has continued into the November international break.

Having already lost talismanic Dutchman Van Dijk to knee ligament damage , while seeing the likes of Fabinho and Joel Matip pick up knocks, Gomez has now been forced out of the England squad.

He has suffered a knee problem of his own, but Redknapp is not convinced that Jurgen Klopp has to splash the cash at the turn of the year as talk of moves for the likes of Dayot Upamecano and Kalidou Koulibaly builds.

The former Reds midfielder told Sky Sports : “It's a difficult one. I've heard people say that they've got to go out and get a really big signing because Virgil is going to be injured, but if he goes through the right rehab to get fit, he's not going to be too far away from coming back in maybe March or April time as a guess. Normally it's six or seven months, he's an incredibly fit guy and he'll be a good healer.

“You don't want to bring in someone for the sake of it for £40m or £50m because you know you've got someone coming back really quickly. But if you've lost Gomez as well, you're certainly looking to get into the market and try and bring in someone in January or as quickly as you can, be it a loan, be it a signing - but it's not going to be easy to get players in.

“Your hands are tied to a certain extent because straight away, everyone knows you're desperate so the prices are going to get inflated. Liverpool have worked the market so well, they've not always bought the big stars, they've made them stars. Virgil may be the opposite, they paid £75m for him but what his fee now would be, maybe three times as much as that because he's such an incredible player.

“Defenders are at a premium because there's not many good ones around that can play like Virgil, that can defend like Joe Gomez, who is still a young man. I really hope it's weeks rather than months but I don't like the rumours that are coming out of the squad.”

The full extent of Gomez’s injury is yet to be determined, with Redknapp hoping for good news as he added: “I'm choked for Joe Gomez if it is a bad injury. He's a young man who has already had knee injuries and come back brilliantly. I'm a big fan of his, he seems like a really good, down to earth player.

“From an England point of view, it's a disappointment for Gareth Southgate, but for Jurgen Klopp, if this is a long-term one and you've got no Virgil, no Joe Gomez, that puts an enormous amount of stress on this squad from a team that were red-hot favourites at the start of the year.

“It's certainly going to change things and for everybody else involved, that back two have been so impressive at times. It's not been easy with no Virgil at the moment, but no Virgil and no Gomez is going to make it even more difficult.”

Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has hit back at talk he was fortunate to be included in the Bafana Bafana squad which will do duty in upcoming back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe.

The 33-year-old Amakhosi goal minder has been South Africa's number one for the better part of the last decade but has struggled with injuries over the past couple of seasons.

And although Khune began his current season in goal for Amakhosi, a dismal performance in a 3-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the first league game of the campaign saw him dropped in favour of Nigerian international Daniel Akpeyi.

Khune hasn't played since, yet was still named by Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki as one of three goalkeepers (the others being Ronwen Williams and Darren Keet) in the latest senior national team squad.

When chatting to the media this week, the player claimed he didn't mind that there have been question marks over his inclusion and says that he thrives under criticism.

“To be quite honest, critics will always be there, and that’s what brings the best out of every player,” Khune was quoted as saying by the Sowetan.

“I think the strong mentality has kept me going since day one. I always turn negativity into positivity, and that has kept me going, and I will continue working hard at club level to gain my confidence back. I was out for nine months, and I cannot be hard on myself.

“The guys know what I have achieved in my career, and there is no need to remind them about that," he continued.

"They all know, and they draw inspiration from me. I don’t have to get to camp and start being big-headed and looking down on my teammates.

"My presence itself should say a lot. I am not an arrogant player, I am humbled. I think the other guys draw inspiration from me. We are here to work as a team and not as individuals."

The veteran stopper also believes that his presence will have a settling effect on the squad's younger members.

“I am happy to be part of the team. There are a lot of youngsters coming into the team, and when they see players like me who are still playing and who have been in the game for more than a decade, they get motivated."

Arsenal new boy Thomas Partey has made a bright start to his time at Emirates Stadium, with the Ghana international revealing that he now wants to follow in the footsteps of his “idol” and become the next Michael Essien.

Essien won two titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League during a memorable eight-and-a-half-year stint at Chelsea between August 2005 and January 2014.

He made more than 250 appearances for the Blues, becoming a modern-day legend at Stamford Bridge along the way, and also earned 58 caps for his country.

Essien was also a talisman for Ghana and a key component for those he represented at club level.

Partey enjoys a similar standing at present. The 27-year-old's stock has risen enough to earn him a £45 million ($59m) move from Atletico Madrid to Arsenal, with another midfield talent that mixes graft and guile looking to follow in the footsteps of his legendary fellow countryman.

Partey told Arsenal’s official website of wanting to emulate Essien in England: “He's a fantastic midfielder. He fights for every ball, he's a great legend. For me, he's one of the best midfielders that we've ever had in Africa. 

“I think we've all seen what he has done at Chelsea, what he has done for the Black Stars and for me, he's my idol.

“I grew up watching Michael Essien, [Sulley] Muntari, the Ayew brothers - they are the people I look up to and they made a lot of impact on Ghanaians. I think this is my moment and I have to make sure I take it.”

Partey is now inspiring the next generation of talent in Ghana, although he remains a humble hero.

“Now most of the young guys are looking up to me and I think I have to do my best to make sure I get them to support this great family [at Arsenal],” he added. “When they support me, they're going to feel good when they see us play.”

Partey has impressed in his early outings for the Gunners and will hope to shake off a slight knock in time to return to action for Mikel Arteta’s side when they travel to Leeds on November 22.

Dosu Joseph has advised the Nigeria national team to aim for victory in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game against Sierra Leone.

The Super Eagles will host the Leone Stars at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Friday behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus.

The three-time African champions are leading Group L with three points from two games after victories over the Republic of Benin and Lesotho.

Victory against the Leone Stars in the double-header could see Gernot Rohr’s men secure a place in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

After the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic across the world and the recent protest against police brutality in Nigeria, Joseph wants the Super Eagles to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians after a difficult year.

“Nigeria have gone through a tough time in the year 2020 because of the pandemic and then protests,” Joseph told Goal.

“The only thing the payers can do now is to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians by winning against Sierra Leone on Friday.”

Although spectators will not be allowed into the stadium due to the coronavirus, Joseph believes such decision will not have any negative effect on the performances of the Super Eagles.

“We’ve seen the players playing in their clubs in empty stadia, so playing for the national team without the fans will not be strange to them,” he continued.

“I don’t think it will have any impact on them, they are used to it now. What is important is the three points whether there are fans or not.

“Playing against Sierra Leone won’t be an easy ride we will sweat for the three points. We have our professionals and they have theirs but I hope we will be able to overcome them even without spectators at the stadium.

“I believe the boys will score more than two goals but the ultimate is the three points so that they can be better placed on the table.”

The former goalkeeper also praised the presence of Joseph Yobo among the Nigeria coaching crew and believes the former Everton defender will serve as an encouragement to the young Super Eagles players.

“It’s a good thing Yobo is around,” he added. "They know Yobo very well. He has played in the national team for years and won that jersey for more than 100 times and played in Europe.

“Seeing Yobo on the bench is good for the Super Eagles. He could give them a pep talk and let them realize the importance of playing in Afcon.

“He will be a morale booster for them and I think they will also make use of the opportunity of having Yobo around.”

Nigeria finished third in the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, behind champions Algeria and Senegal.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s situation at Manchester United would have been very different had the Red Devils managed to win one of the three semi-finals they reached in 2019-20, claims Andy Cole.

Questions are once again being asked of the man filling a demanding coaching post at Old Trafford.

Inconsistency has remained an issue in the current campaign, with United unable to build on the momentum they established towards the end of last season.

Change in the dugout is now being mooted, although a 3-1 win over Everton has helped to ease some of the pressure on Solskjaer.

Cole believes that the Red Devils have the right man for a tough job and hopes patience will be shown with a boss who showed that positive progress can be made when guiding his side to the last four of Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Europa League competition.

The former United striker told talkSPORT: “Things would be so different if Ole had won one of the cup semi-finals we got to last season. Things would be massively different.

“People wouldn’t be talking about him the way they’re talking about him now.

“Manchester United have not started the way they would have liked to have started the season. Their form in Europe has been really good up until last week [the 2-1 defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir].

“Their form in the league has not been the best for whatever reason.

“But stick with Ole. You need to do the things that are right. He’s done a very good job since taking over.”

Cole has also urged critics of United youngster Mason Greenwood to lay off the 19-year-old, with questions of his attitude and application doing nobody any favours.

He added on one of the hottest prospects in English football and the advice that he would offer to a talented teenager: “Hard work, dedication and get your head down.

“I’ve always been used to getting my head down and working, working, working, putting the hard work in.

“You’ve got to be dedicated. You’ve got to make sacrifices.

“With Mason, he just [needs to] get his head down and [for] the media to leave him alone… he’s a kid.”

England manager Gareth Southgate has admitted he does have concerns about the prospect of suffering from dementia later in life as a result of football. 

Southgate, a former centre-back who played for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough across an 18-year career, had a tendency to head the ball - a practice directly linked to health concerns. 

Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton was diagnosed with dementia earlier this month, with his former team-mate Nobby Stiles passing away from the same illness just days prior. 

A 2019 study funded by the Football Association found that former players are three-and-a-half times more likely to die from dementia than non-players in the same age range - research that has Southgate worried considering his own playing career. 

“Of course at my age, having headed a lot of footballs, I do have concerns," Southgate said on Wednesday. 

“But I also recognised that whenever I took the field I was taking that risk of injury, short or long term and I knew that, and I would always have wanted to have the career and the opportunity to play, even if it meant longer-term that there might be physical issues for myself or health issues.

“Most athletes would go that way, I think. That’s not to undermine the situation by the way.

“In terms of the link, there is research going on. That’s a little bit inconclusive at the moment, which is a bit frustrating for everybody because we’d love to have a clear solution.

“And so of course it’s a concern for everybody and we have to keep supporting that research. Part of the issue with dementia is age and one of the positives of being involved in sport is that people tend to live longer, they’re healthier, they live longer.

“And so there’s a possibility that that could be part of the link with the dementia as well.

“Unfortunately we don’t have all the answers we’d like at the moment. I know some of that work is going on in the background.

“But yes, do I have concerns? Of course I do. I’ve had people in my own family who’ve suffered with dementia and it’s a terrible, terrible illness.”

Donny van de Beek said his time is "definitely coming" at Manchester United as the Netherlands goalscorer preached patience amid his lack of minutes.

Van de Beek has yet to start a Premier League game for United since joining from Eredivisie giants Ajax at the start of the season in a deal that could rise to £39 million (€44m/$51m).

The 23-year-old has only seen 75 minutes of Premier League action, scoring once, while he has started twice in the Champions League and twice in the Carabao Cup this term.

Asked about his situation in Manchester after scoring in the Netherlands' 1-1 friendly draw with Spain on Wednesday, Van de Beek stressed that he was happy and that he's already shown his potential to have a positive impact on the side. 

"It sounds cliche for me to say this, because of course I would have liked to play more, but I really enjoy being in a nice team. I am simply received very well and helped by everyone," Van de Beek told NOS.

"I'm a patient person, but of course you go there to play as much as possible. I also think – in the minutes that I have made, in the times that I have come in – I have shown that I can add something to the team."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's midfield options include stars Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Fred, Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay.

United manager Solskjaer has preferred a midfield duo of Fred and McTominay just behind Fernandes in games against Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United, with Pogba and Van de Beek on the bench in last week's win over Everton.

In his limited Premier League minutes, Van de Beek has a passing accuracy of 83.33 per cent – better than Pogba and Fernandes.

In the Champions League through three matchdays, Van de Beek boasts a passing accuracy of 92%, better than Matic (89.4), Pogba (85.5), Fred (84.1), McTominay (83) and Fernandes (73.3).

Van de Beek added: "What does he [Solskjaer] say to me? That I have to be patient, but also that I just have to continue with what I am doing. 

"And that he's seen that I have a good impact when I come into the field. My time is definitely coming. And when those opportunities come, I have to be there."

FC Goa have roped in Jorge Ortiz on a two-year deal after last year's star performer Hugo Boumous left for Indian Super League (ISL) rivals Mumbai City FC. 

Having played only in Spain so far, the 28-year-old will get a taste of the AFC Champions League with the Gaurs. He is a player who is known for his speed, overlapping runs and diagonal deliveries. He also has a good long-distance shot on him.
 

Jersey Number: 9

Youth Career and Professional Debut

Ortiz trained in the youth teams of Getafe CF where he played in the Division of Honor in the 2010-2011 season. He started his senior playing career with CD Madridejos in Tercera Division and soon became an important member of the squad, He established a spot in the first team, playing 20 games and scoring five goals in the first half of the season.

Senior Career

After his impressive stint with Madridejos, Ortiz joined Albacete Balompie in 2012 where he had to pave his way from the reserves' side in the fourth level where he scored four goals from 14 games. Struggling for minutes, however, he looked towards CP Villarrobledo where he was brought in as a winter signing. Alongside Kike Espinosa, he was a hit at the club and the duo was heavily involved in the attack. 

At the age of 21, he was announced by Inter de Madrid where he gathered 38 appearances and scored a couple of goals before going on to help Alcorcon's B side. Soon enough, he was promoted to their first team which was playing for the Segunda division. However, he made only three appearances for the first team. 

A stint with Fuenlabrada where he scored seven goals in 36 matches including strikes against Real Madrid and Getafe's B teams in the Segunda B, was followed by a Real Oviedo stint. 

In January 2018, after the completion of FIFA's sanction on Atletico Madrid from registering players for two transfer windows, Los Rojiblancos announced the signing of Jorge Ortiz for their second team and the Spaniard scored in his first start. He continued scoring goals at Cultural Leonesa and Atletico Baleares in the Segunda B.

Last Stint

Before signing a two-year contract with FC Goa, Ortiz was part of Atletico Baleares's team that played the Segunda Division B play-offs in July 2020 where he recorded eight goals in 20 games that made him the second top scorer of Group 1.

Alberto Noguera is all set to vie for a position in the centre of the park for FC Goa in the upcoming edition of the Indian Super League (ISL).

In the midfield, the Gaurs have managed to retain Edu Bedia from last season but have lost regular starter Ahmed Jahouh and Hugo Boumous. 
 

Jersey Number: 5

Youth Career and Professional Debut

Born in Madrid, the Getafe youth product started his senior football career with Rayo Vallecano B, Rayo Majadahonda and SS Reyes before joining Atletico Madrid's C team in 2009.

Noguera plied his trade in the Tercera Division but soon got himself promoted to the Atletico B team in Segunda Division B, thanks to his impressive performances that caught the attention of then first-team manager Quique Sanchez who handed the midfielder his La Liga debut towards the end of 2010-11 season. He came off the bench in the 85th minute after his side had already done the damage in a 4-1 win over Levante.

Senior Career

Although Noguera turned up for Atletico B team in the 2011-12 season, he received the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League winner's medal for having been part of the Atletico first team roster. 

Moving abroad at the age of 23, he tried it out with English side Blackpool in the Championship where he made only one appearance off the bench besides remaining an unused substitute for three other matches. Terminating his two-year contract with Blackpool by mutual consent, he then spent a season with FC Baku in the Azerbaijan Premier League before returning to Spain to join Trival Valderas in 2014 and Fuenlabrada a year later, both in the third tier.

Last Stint

Noguera, now 31, then helped Lorca gain promotion to Segunda Division in 2017 with a runners-up finish before joining CD Numancia. He went on loan to Racing Santander in the 2018-19 season where he finished runner-up in the Segunda B before returning to Numancia.

In the 2019-20 season, he made 23 appearances for Numancia in the Segunda B, 12 of them starts.

Igor Angulo is expected to fill the boots of former FC Goa striker Ferran Corominas in the 2020-21 Indian Super League's (ISL).

Corominas who is the all-time top scorer in the six-year history of the league, with 48 goals in 57 games, played a crucial role in FC Goa's three consecutive play-off appearances. He also helped the club win the Super Cup and the ISL League Winner's Shield in 2019-20. 

Angulo has also racked up 88 goals in 154 games during his time in Poland and will play a crucial role in FC Goa's fortunes this season. 

Goal takes a look at the career span of the Spaniard who earned the status of legend in just four years with his last club, Gornik Zabrze.

Jersey Number: 17

Youth Career and Professional Debut

Born in Bilbao, he enrolled himself with Danok Bat CF before joining Athletic Bilbao's youth setup at the age of 12. Six years later in 2002 went on to make his senior team debut with Basconia in the Spanish Tercera Division.

Having joined Athletic Bilbao the following year, Angulo had his first taste of playing in the La Liga coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 away defeast against Celta Vigo. His first overseas move was to French side AS Cannes, on-loan from his parent club.

Senior Career

Playing for a few more Spanish clubs such as Ejica Balompie, CD Numancia and Real Union in the Segunda Division B and Segunda Division, Angulo's next foreign expedition took him to Cypriot First Division side Enosis Neon. He also played for several clubs at Greece and Poland - where he gained his recent stardom.

Not that he didn't make a name for himself in Spain as he was the top scorer for Ejica in his second year at the club with nine goals 19 games that included a hat-trick against Jerez Industrial. Before moving abroad, Angulo's best numbers were with Real Union - 13 goals from 32 appearances and he was the team's top scorer in 2012-13.

In Greece, he represented Apollon Smyrnis and Platanias before moving at Poland where he helped Gornik Zabrze gain promotion to the Ekstraklasa - the Polish top division. He helped the club finish as I Liga runners-up in his first season and was the club's top scorer (17). Angulo then became the league's second highest goalscorer with 23 goals besides helping the team qualify for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League and subsequently went on to win the Golden Boot with 24 goals from 37 games.

UEFA Europa League & International Career

Angulo represented Spain's junior national teams at the U-19, U-20 and U-21 levels where he has shared the dressing room with former FC Goa players Carlos Pena and Ferran Corominas.

Having helped Gornik Zabrze qualify for the UEFA Europa League after a gap of 23 years and now to turn up for ISL side FC Goa in the AFC Champions League, the 36-year-old scored in the Polish club's first tie that ended in a 1-0 win over Zaria Balti in the European competition.

Last Stint

He made 36 appearances for Zabrze in the 2019-20 season, 33 of them starts, and scored 16 goals. 

France head coach Didier Deschamps saw "some interesting things" from Marcus Thuram on his international debut against Finland.

Les Bleus' 12-match unbeaten run was ended with a shock 2-0 loss to Finland at Stade de France on Wednesday.

Thuram, the son of World Cup winner Lilian, hit the crossbar with a header and volleyed over as he made his international debut.

Deschamps liked some of what he saw from Borussia Monchengladbach forward Thuram.

"Because it is his first cap with France, I will look at some mitigating factors," he told a news conference.

"He has done some good things, especially during the first half. He could have scored with a bit more luck when his header hit the crossbar.

"He has tried, he has created some space. It was a bit more difficult for him during the second half. There were less gaps and maybe he was a bit tired too, his last game was on Sunday. He has shown us some interesting things for his first cap."

Marcus Forss and Onni Valakari scored debut goals for Finland in a shock win. France attempted 24 shots against Finland, their highest tally in a game without scoring a single goal since drawing with Luxembourg in September 2017.

Deschamps said France needed to learn from their loss ahead of facing Portugal in a crucial Nations League clash on Saturday.

"I want to congratulate this Finland team. Regarding our aggressiveness, intensity and togetherness it is a hard lesson to remember for us," he said.

"Sometimes, it is nice to take a hard game like this in case we forget some of the basics. Those are the facts, this is the reality of high-level football and hopefully it is like that."

Deschamps is hopeful of having injured duo Benjamin Pavard and Kylian Mbappe back for his side's next clash, adding: "We are sure of nothing, but things are going in the right direction. It is progressing every day. Will this be enough? It's Wednesday, there are still three days until the match." 

James Donachie has joined FC Goa on-loan from A-League outfit Newcastle Jets for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) and AFC Champions League.

The Australian, standing at 6 feet and 5 inches, is adept at countering the aerial threat in the backline and will be an asset during offensive set-pieces. Donachie also holds a vast array of experience of playing in the AFC Champions League over multiple seasons with different clubs as well.

He is a three-time A-League champion with two of his triumphs coming in the colours of Brisbane Roar in the 2011/12 and 2013/14 seasons before winning the title again as a part of Melbourne Victory in the 2017/18 campaign. 

Goal takes a look at the 27-year-old's illustrious career so far.
 

Jersey Number: 8

Youth Career and Professional Debut

Donachie is a product of the Brisbane Roar’s youth programme. He played junior football in Queensland and was awarded Australia’s Youth League Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The central defender started off his semi-professional career with Rochedale Rovers while holding a youth contract with Brisbane Roar before joining the latter's senior side in 2012. In the very first season with Roar, he tasted silverware as his side overcame Central Coast Mariners in dramatic fashion to clinch the title.

Senior Career

The Queensland native made his first big move in 2016 when he signed for Melbourne Victory. After a few injury struggles, in the 2017-18 season, he became a crucial part of the club's defensive line to eventually play 15 league matches that year. He also started Victory's 1-0 grand final win over Newcastle Jets.

He was with Victory till the end of last season except for a short six-month spell with the erstwhile K-League side Jeonnam Dragons in 2018 where Donachie replaced fellow Australian defender Tomislav Mrcela. With the Korean side relegated to the K-League 2, even though Jeonnam were keen to retain his services, Donachie moved back to Melbourne on loan later in January 2019.

It is also a known fact that, at the age of 25, Donachie had his eyes on a move to Europe but eventually made his Victory move permanent.

Before returning to AAMI Park for a second spell, Donachie had amassed 47 appearances in all competitions over two seasons (2016-17 and 2017-18) and later became a key figure in the Victory defence to be awarded the club’s Players’ Player of the Season award for his performances in 2019-20. He had signed on a three-year deal with Newcastle Jets earlier this year before joining Goa on loan. 

AFC Champions League & International Career

The Australian was named in the Young Socceroos squad for the AFC U-22 Qualifiers two years after he signed a youth contract with Brisbane Roar in 2010. He has represented his country's U-20 and U-23 national teams U-20 World Cup and AFC U-23 Asian Cup competitions respectively.

With FC Goa becoming the first Indian club to make it to the group stage of the AFC Champions League on account of winning the 2019-20 ISL League Winners' Shield, Donachie will play a fourth consecutive in the AFC Champions League. He has played in the Asian competition over five different editions including the last three seasons - all with Melbourne Victory - other than two seasons with Brisbane Roar previously. 

Last Stint

In the 2019-20 A-League, he made 25 appearances for Victory. 

Despite some challenges, Montpellier and Bafana Bafana forward Keagan Dolly is pleased with how the national team is shaping up ahead of this weekend's double-header 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe.

Bafana take on the tiny Atlantic Ocean nation at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night, before meeting again at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Monday. Both games are taking place in South Africa in order to limit travel in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

On paper, these are games which Bafana should comfortably win. However, they've been known to slip up against minnows such as Seychelles.

Adding to the pressure are the recent performances by the national team in friendly games - a 1-1 draw with Namibia and a 2-1 defeat to Zambia.

Another challenge has been the high number of players who have pulled out of the game through injury or illness, as Dolly has underlined.

"We really want to win both games‚ especially because we are playing here at home," the former Mamelodi Sundowns attacker was quoted as saying by Sowetan Live.

"For the new players, it's been a bit tough‚ because we lost a few players and had to call in some new players."

Those who have been withdrawn from the squad include Abbubaker Mobara, Thamsanqa Mkhize, Bradley Grobler, Thibang Pete, Thulani Serero, Andile Jali and Reeve Frosler.

The incoming men are Siyethemba Sithebe, Mosa Lebusa, Vincent Pule, Thapelo Morena, Tshepo Rikhotso and Thabo Nodada.

There is certainly some exciting talent in the squad and Dolly believes there's a good balance to the side.  

"It's always good to have players come in with confidence‚" he explained.

"And I think that with the squad what we have is a good balance of young players and experienced players. And I think we can work well together."

Bafana are currently second in Group C of the qualifiers, on three points. Sudan also have three points in third spot, while Ghana lead the way with six points and Sao Tome are yet to register any points.

Joachim Low believes Germany should have beaten Czech Republic by a bigger margin than 1-0 in Wednesday's friendly, but was satisfied with his new-look side's performance.

Full-backs Ridle Baku and Philipp Max made their debuts for the national team, while midfielders Florian Neuhaus and Jonas Hofmann made their second appearances in the clash in Leipzig - though the latter went off injured after 20 minutes.

Luca Waldschmidt's goal just 13 minutes into the match was enough to secure the hosts' second win of 2020.

While Low says his side played well, he admits it is unlikely he will field the same starting XI again. 

"We will probably never line up in this constellation again. Nevertheless, the boys got to show themselves, so you can be satisfied," he told RTL.

"We did well in the first half, but in the second we should have made it 2-0. A few more mistakes happened in the second half, including in the build-up. Overall, we defended the 1-0. You could tell that we wanted to win, so we can be satisfied.

"We were sometimes unable to concentrate. In the first half we were better, in the combinations up to the goal, had more shots. That was the problem in the second half, so the opponent came into play a little better."

He continued: "I'm very happy that [Philipp Max] came in so well, also that Waldschmidt scored. I think overall you can be satisfied with the newcomers. In the first half we had more quality of play with Ilkay Gundogan. But overall everybody was very committed."

Max, who has impressed at PSV since his summer move from Augsburg, was delighted with his debut.

"I am very happy and proud that I was able to make my first international match today," he said.

"This is a special day for my family and friends. I enjoyed the day very much, despite the ghost game atmosphere.

"The coach just said I should enjoy it, have fun and do what I do at club level, just make the situations dangerous up front, play balls in front of goal. That's me, thank God it was a success."