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Ahmed Musa has stated Nigeria will aim to secure victory over Sierra Leone even without their fans at the newly renovated Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin City.

The Super Eagles will take on the Leone Stars in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Friday before facing the side again in the reverse fixture in Freetown on November 17.

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

Gernot Rohr’s men could qualify for the next edition of the continental tournament if they beat the Leone Stars home and away.

Aware of this, Musa has revealed his side will leave no stone unturned in their quest to secure maximum points in the double-header.

“It is true we don’t know much of the Sierra Leone national team, but we have resolved to play our best game to beat them at our home and away,” Musa told the media.

“Two victories over them will give us the ticket to Afcon, so we won’t joke with the games.”

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) recently set guidelines for the return of the Afcon qualifiers, which have been suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and as part of the laid down rules, all matches will be played behind closed doors.

“Playing without our ever-supportive fans at the newly refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia stadium will not affect our games both in Benin City and Freetown,” he continued.

“It’s quite a pity that Edo fans will miss the opportunity of seeing us play live because of the pandemic but we shall try to win for them.

"For me and the team it is a very sad [playing without fans] moment because playing in Benin in the hometown of my mom, I'd love to see my family members watch but there is nothing we can do because of the situation in the country with the pandemic so we have to play like that."

The forward became a free agent after leaving Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr in October, but has promised his lack of game-time will not affect his performances for the Super Eagles while also assuring he would reveal his next destination soon.  

“Though I have parted ways with my club in Saudi Arabia [Al Nassr], I trained with them until I came down for this game. I am still myself and I will give my best on Friday,” he added.

“I will soon reveal my new club as soon as all the necessary details are completed. I hope to return to Europe as soon as possible.”

Musa has made 93 appearances for the Super Eagles, scoring 15 goals, and will hope to continue his consistent performances for the West African giants against Sierra Leone.

Nigeria take on Sierra Leone in an Africa Cup of Nations qualification game as the race for Cameroon 2022 gets fiercer.

Having won their first two games against Benin Republic and Lesotho, the three-time African champions would be gunning for victory as they hope to consolidate on their position as Group L leaders.

They come into this fixture well prepared following their recent international friendlies against reigning African champion Algeria and Tunisia in Austria.

Following their dreadful start to life in the qualifying series, John Keister’s men know that anything short of all maximum points against Gernot Rohr’s men would spell doom in their race to appear at the biennial African football showpiece for their third time ever.

WHEN IS THE GAME?

The Africa Cup of Nations qualifier has been scheduled for 17:00 (West African Time) on Friday, November 13.

WHAT CHANNELS CAN I WATCH THE GAME ON TV?

WHERE IS THE CLASH OF THE TITANS?

Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium

HOW CAN FANS GET INVOLVED?

Goal will be providing comprehensive coverage, news, interviews and features of the showdown.

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has slammed the club’s links to Mauricio Pochettino, with the former defender claiming no talks have been held and that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves more respect.

Murmurs of change in the Old Trafford dugout are nothing new, with speculation surfacing every time a disappointing result is posted.

There have been a few too many of those of late, leading to Solskjaer seeing his position called into question.

A 3-1 victory over Everton last time out appears to have eased some of that pressure, but links to the likes of ex-Tottenham boss Pochettino continue to do the rounds.

Ferdinand is disappointed to see a coach doing the best he can with an inconsistent squad facing more unwelcome rumours, especially as he sees no substance to such talk, with everyone in the United camp – on and off the field – pulling in the same direction.

“Man United needed a huge performance and a result this weekend,” Ferdinand said on his FIVE YouTube channel.

“The pressure was absolutely on this team and the management, they went out there and produced.

“In the media, there’s been bit of disrespect to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be honest. People touting about that Pochettino has been spoken to.

“I’ve got it from a really, really, really good source that there’s been no conversations and they wouldn’t disrespect Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in that manner. I feel like that should be addressed.

“We can all say ‘so and so will be good or better’, that’s just part of the game. But to say someone has been spoken to and is coming in imminently, when it’s not true, I think that’s out of order.

“The man is in the job and his team have found a knack of always pulling a result out when they need it and this was no difference, they were solid.”

Having made a welcome return to winning ways, United have the international break to devise a plan that will allow them to build much-needed momentum.

They are due to return to Premier League action on November 21 with a home date against struggling West Brom.

Former Ghana international striker Kwesi Appiah has joined Indian Super League (ISL) side NorthEast United FC this summer after seeing off his contract with League One side AFC Wimbledon.

Appiah has been a journeyman and has played for multiple clubs in England and Norway in his 12-year long career. He has also represented his national team in the African Cup of Nations.

Let's take a look at the career of the former Crystal Palace forward.

Professional debut

After graduating from the youth system of Ebbsfleet United in 2008, Appiah was promoted to the club’s senior team. In his first professional season in the National League (Fifth division of England), Appiah played three matches, scoring one goal.

Experience in England and Norway

The Ghanaian international has played for 27 different clubs in 12 seasons of his professional career. Before coming to India, the only time he had stepped out of England was in 2017 when he was sent on loan to Norwegian top division side Viking FK where he appeared in 12 matches, scoring three goals. He returned to Crystal Palace after his four-month-long loan period ended. 

He had joined Crystal Palace during the January transfer window of the 2011-12 season and remained at the club until 2017. During those four and half seasons, Appiah had appeared in just six Championship matches and two League Cup games.

International experience

Appiah was selected in the Ghana squad by then-coach Avram Grant for the 2015 African Cup of Nation. He made his international debut against South Africa in the third match of the group when he had come on as a substitute. The striker had started in the quarterfinal tie against Guinea where he had scored one goal and provided an assist as Ghana clinched a 3-0 win. It is his first and only international goal so far.

He also started in the semifinal and the final against Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast respectively. Unfortunately, Ghana lost in the final in the penalty shootout. The last time he wore the Ghana jersey was in March 2015 in two friendly matches against Senegal and Mali.

Last stint

The Ghanaian forward last played for League One side AFC Wimbledon. He joined the club ahead of the 2017-18 season on a three-year deal. He left the club at the end of the 2019-20 season and joined NorthEast United on a free transfer ahead of the 2020-21 ISL season.

Liverpool have no need to dip into the January market for another centre-half, claims Jason McAteer, with the likes of David Alaba set to require “a lot of money” in order to get a deal done.

The Reds will have funds available if they do decide to seek out defensive reinforcements.

With Virgil van Dijk facing up to a lengthy spell on the sidelines with knee ligament damage, Jurgen Klopp has some big recruitment decisions to make.

It has been suggested that he will look to add over the winter, with another proven performer sought at the heart of his back four.

Various targets have been mooted, from Dayot Upamecano to Kalidou Koulibaly, while Ben White and James Tarkowski have also been mentioned.

Bayern Munich star Alaba is another that the Reds are said to have in their sights, with the versatile Austrian seeing contract extension talks break down in Germany.

His price tag will be dropping as he edges towards free agency in 2021, but McAteer is not convinced that the reigning Premier League champions need to be investing at all in the next window.

The former Reds midfielder has told FreeSuperTips: “When Virgil van Dijk got injured everyone started to panic, saying that Liverpool need to bring a top-quality centre half.

“Jurgen remained calm and knew that if they brought in a world-class defender, the like of Alaba, you are going to have to pay a lot of money, certainly in this inflated market.

“When everyone is fit, if you have got four top centre-halves - Alaba, [Joe] Gomez, Van Dijk and [Joel] Matip and then Fabinho as cover - when Klopp picks his team, he can only pick two from five, one goes on the bench that’s three, he’s got two that he has to leave out.

“Liverpool don’t want to be paying a lot of money on wages to keep unhappy players that can’t make the squad, it has to be the right balance.

“Liverpool have enough players of real quality that can slot into the defence, even with Virgil van Dijk out, so they don’t currently need another top centre-back to come in.”

Along with the senior centre-half options mentioned by McAteer, Liverpool also have academy graduates Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams at their disposal – with both impressing when called upon of late – so may decide that they can make do with those already on their books.

Tottenham winning the Premier League under Jose Mourinho would be the "most outstanding story" and something that would "alarm" Manchester United fans, according to Gary Neville.

A congested 2020-21 season is expected to produce a much closer title race and the lead at the top of the table has changed hands several times already.

Spurs briefly hit the summit on Sunday, for the first time in over six years, following a late 1-0 win at West Brom and they are unbeaten in the league since an opening-game defeat by Everton.

Mourinho won the Premier League three times when Chelsea manager and, while Neville does not believe Spurs will end up champions, he acknowledges the former United boss has the attacking power at his disposal to deliver a first league title for the north London club since 1961.

"I said a couple weeks ago on Monday Night Football that Spurs couldn't win the league, and I still don't think they can,” the former United defender told The Gary Neville Podcast.

"But I do agree with Jamie Carragher that it would be the most outstanding story to see Jose Mourinho win the Premier League with Tottenham.

"It would be something that would alarm Chelsea fans, Manchester United fans and Arsenal fans. It would be one of the great stories, because Tottenham don't win leagues!

"He's got the forward players to do it. You think of the strike force and the goal - it's incredible.”

Neville also praised Harry Kane, whose winner against West Brom was his 150th goal in the Premier League, which came a few days after hitting the 200 mark for Spurs.

He added: "The only thing that can stop Harry Kane doing everything in the game, breaking every record, is injury.

"Alan Shearer is definitely the best striker in PL history in terms of his goal record. He's the best striker I've played with for England, in terms of a number nine, and Rooney I'd put up there with him.

“And Harry Kane has so much similarity in his game, in terms of the mentality, just ice cold, doesn't seem to flinch if he misses a chance, flinch if a goalkeeper saves one, he'll come back and do the right thing. Scoring a goal is a process for them, where he knows where the target is.

"It's methodical, and he's brilliant. He's a great professional, and England are lucky to have him."

Uganda striker Fahad Bayo has promised fans the best when the team takes on South Sudan on Thursday.

The Cranes will be hosting the Bright Stars on Thursday at the StartTimes Lugogo Stadium in the Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The forward has further stated the team is ready and are in dire need of maximum points.

"It is unfortunate that there will be no fans, but we promise to serve better because we love our country," the FC Ashdod striker said ahead of the game.

"Fans should expect the best, we want to win because we need these points badly. We are ready and we want it more."

The striker scored his first goal for the Johnathan McKinstry-led side in a 2-0 win over the Flames of Malawi on November 11, 2019.

Uganda started their campaign with a goalless draw away to Burkina Faso, before recording a 2-0 win at home against Malawi.

Emmanuel Okwi and Fahad Bayo scored the goals in the 30th and 68th minutes, respectively, to ensure the East Africa nation went top of the group with four points.

They are playing South Sudan, who started with a 1-0 loss away to Malawi with the lone goal coming in the 68th minute courtesy of Frank Mhango.

The Bright Stars then hosted Burkina Faso at home but ended up falling 2-1 despite putting up a brave fight.  

In Group B, both Uganda and Burkina Faso have four points but the former are on top courtesy of a better goal difference. The Flames of Malawi have three points ahead of matchday three actions.

Local-based players:

Goalkeepers: Lukwago Charles (KCCA FC)

Defenders: Galiwango Dissan (Vipers SC), Lwaliwa Halid (Vipers SC), Mbowa Patrick ( URA FC) 

Midfielders: Kagimu Shafiq (URA FC), Watambala Karim (Vipers SC)

Forwards: Aheebwa Brian (KCCA FC). 

Foreign-based players

Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Magoola Jamal Salim (Al Hilal Omdruman, Sudan)

Defenders: Ronald Mukiibi (Ostersunds FK, Sweden), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam FC, Tanzania), Timothy Denis Awany (Sport Club Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, Democratic Republic of Congo), Alex Kakuba (CD Cova Piedade, Portugal), Elvis Bwomono (Southend United, England)

Midfielders: Michael Azira (Chicago Fire, USA), Khalid Aucho (Misr Lel Makasa, Egypt), Allan Kyambadde (El Gouna, Egypt), Allan Okello (Paradou, Algeria) 

Forwards: Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha, Egypt), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Ittihad Alexandria, Egypt), Alexis Bbakka (UMEA, Sweden), Fahad Bayo (Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Farouk Miya (Konyaspor, Turkey), William Kizito Luwagga (Hapoel, Israel), Uche Ikpeazu (Wycombe Wanderers, England), Edirisa Lubega (Paide Linnameeskond, Estonia) 

Luis Suarez fits like a glove and even Lionel Messi and former star Antoine Griezmann would face competition for places at high-flying Atletico Madrid, says Koke.

Uruguay striker Suarez was deemed surplus to requirements by new Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman and, despite being third on the Blaugrana's all-time goalscorers list, joined Atleti for a nominal fee.

From six La Liga appearances, Suarez has five goals and one assist for his new club, while he has created four chances for his team-mates and hit the target with eight of his 22 shots at goal, including blocked shots.

It is form that has helped unbeaten Atleti to third in the table with two games in hand on the two sides above them in the table, and they will face Barca at home after the international break.

Atleti midfielder Koke says Suarez's arrival has allowed others in the team, such as Joao Felix, Angel Correa and Marcos Llorente, to flourish.

"A radical change has hit us in [our] game," he told Cadena Ser. "[Having Suarez] leaves Joao, Correa and Llorente free in some situations. He has fit us like a glove."

One player Suarez has had limited playing time with is Diego Costa, with his fellow Atleti forward out with a left thigh injury sustained last month.

Asked about that link-up, Koke added: "They are two great forwards and they have to adapt together. The team is playing well and has more solutions in attack."

While Atleti's current attacking crop are flourishing, Griezmann – who departed for Camp Nou ahead of the 2019-20 campaign – has struggled to find his best form for Barca.

In seven top-flight appearances this season, Griezmann has two goals and an assist and created four chances, while he missed a penalty in the 5-2 win over Real Betis last week.

The last time Barca faced Atleti in June, it took until the 90th minute for Griezmann to enter the fray despite the game being locked at 2-2 – something that took Koke by surprise.

"I was very surprised to see a player of the stature of Griezmann [not play until] the 90th minute in the last game in which we faced Barca," Koke said.

But when asked about the potential for a Griezmann return, Koke added: "I think now he would have a lot of competition here."

Indeed, such is the strength of Atleti's forward line, Koke believes even superstar Messi – who himself failed to engineer a move away from Barca in a long-running saga during the close season – would find it difficult to get into the team.

"He would also have a lot of competition at Atleti," Koke added.

Koke is particularly delighted to see Llorente beginning to flourish at Atleti, with the 25-year-old excelling in a more advanced role, scoring three goals and assisting two more this term.

"He does everything. He is at a spectacular level. The work pays off and he works [hard]," Koke said. 

"I'm happy for him because at first he didn't have a good time by not playing, but all work has its reward. Those that last year had fewer minutes have more this season."

Lionel Messi’s attitude towards Barcelona team-mate Antoine Griezmann has been “deplorable”, claims the French forward’s former advisor Eric Olhats, with an Argentine superstar accused of being a bad influence off the pitch at Camp Nou.

A World Cup-winning striker was added to the talent pool in Catalunya during the summer of 2019.

With Barca having been heavily linked with Griezmann for some time, a long-running saga was finally brought to a close when a big-money deal was pushed through with Atletico Madrid.

The France international has struggled to make the desired impact with the Blaugrana, but Olhats says that is not down to a lack of effort from the 29-year-old.

For him, certain high-profile figures have made life more difficult for Griezmann than it needed to be, with Messi – who pushed for a move away from Barca in the last transfer window – considered to hold too much power at the club.

Olhats told France Football: “Antoine arrived in a struggling club where Messi has a view on everything.

“He’s at the same time emperor and monarch, and he didn’t see Antoine’s arrival with a good eye.

“His attitude has been deplorable, he made him feel that. I’ve always heard Antoine say there’s no problem with Messi, but never the other way around.

“In my eyes, Messi said he wanted to leave to see what role he still had as a decision-making player, regarding the players who arrived and those who left, but he eventually stayed. Classic Messi! As good on the pitch as he is bad off it

“Barcelona has been suffering for a while. There was a cancer in that club, and it obviously leaves some marks.”

Griezmann managed only 15 goals for Barcelona in his debut campaign, and has only two to his name this term.

Questions are once again being asked of his long-term future, but Olharts says struggles for consistency are down to issues outside of the Frenchman’s control.

He added: “It’s the club that’s sick, not him.

“Last year, when Antoine arrived, Messi didn’t talk to him, didn’t pass him the ball. He created a real trauma for a more than negative adaptation.

“That clearly left its mark. It was clear and visible. Add to that the president stepping down, the club conceding eight against Bayern and three different managers, the conditions aren’t good.”

While conceding that Griezmann has found the going tough at Camp Nou, Olharts claims to be “very confident” that a seasoned performer will turn things around and prove his worth to those who continue to write him off.

Joseph Yobo has stressed the importance of Nigeria beating Sierra Leone at home when they face off in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game on Friday.

The Super Eagles will square off against the Leone Stars at Ogbemudia Stadium before the reverse fixture in Freetown on November 17.

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

Yobo, an assistant to Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr, believes the Super Eagles must take the home tie in Benin City seriously, as it could go a long way in deciding their qualification for the continental showpiece.

“These are big games. There’s a difference between friendly matches just like the ones we played, [against Algeria and Tunisia],” Yobo said on the Super Eagles YouTube channel.

“It was experimental where we gave younger players the opportunity to show themselves. But this is a qualifying match where if we do well in both games we will almost qualify for the Afcon.

“We expect big performance and very good results. If we have to do the mathematics, I think four points will get us through. But when you play at home, it’s crucial, it is so important to play very well and to take the three points. 

“Away from home we know is always difficult especially Sierra Leone. If I can remember the last time we were away to Sierra Leone was 2008 and it was very difficult and I scored the only goal. So, it’s a difficult place to go to but football has also changed so the first game is what is important.

“I try not to bother much about the second game. All we have at this moment is the first game so we need to play very well and our performance will get us the three points.”

Yobo had his first experience as a Super Eagles assistant coach when Nigeria played Algeria and Tunisia in international friendlies last month.

The 40-year-old revealed his delight to return to the Super Eagles after starring for the side for 13 years, winning 101 caps.

”It was good. One thing was that after my career I stayed away because I played for 13, 14 years and I wanted that break. So coming back was refreshing for me because most of the players haven’t seen me,” he continued.

“I think it was a very good thing. And coming back as a coach and not as a captain or player anymore is a different ball game.

“We have the head coach, Gernot Rohr that is there and his team. For me, it was like a family. It was like I never left, even easier than I thought because when I got on to the pitch and into the mood of playing and coaching, the natural things I needed to do started coming out.

“So, whatever I do came out naturally and I think it’s because of my love and passion for the national team.”

Nigeria finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and will hope to reach the next edition of the tournament with ease.

Manchester United players are always going to be “under pressure and scrutiny”, admits Andy Cole, with the club’s class of 2020-21 urged to embrace that expectation and forge a “siege mentality”.

Calls for leadership at Old Trafford are growing in intensity, with the Red Devils considered to be lacking in that department of late.

The likes of Bruno Fernandes have been doing their best to drag others along with them, but collective effort is going to be required in order to hit ultimate targets.

Former frontman Cole knows what is required to deliver under the brightest of spotlights, having secured an enviable collection of trophies with United in his playing days, and he wants those in the modern era to prove that they have what it takes to follow in some illustrious footsteps.

“The club is about being under pressure and scrutiny consistently,” Cole told The Sun.

“Success breeds contempt and, when things are not going well, people want to jump on the bandwagon and talk about your lack of success.

“You have got to use that and get that siege mentality. And when you walk out there, believe in each other and say to yourselves, ‘This is what we are going to do, it is about us and what we can achieve’.

“The players have to get their heads down and become a unit.”

Cole added on the accusations of United lacking leaders and character: “In my day we were all captains in our own right and you had to lead your own ship.

“When we crossed that white line and looked at each other we knew we all wanted to win. In fact, we had some teams beat when we were in the tunnel.”

Cole concedes that adopting such a mindset is never easy, with tangible success required in order for morale to be lifted, but he believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have shown that they can compete with the very best in the business.

“Being at United at times is not easy,” added the ex-England international.

“Even if the club have not won the league for seven years, every opponent still raises their game against you.

“You have to match that. When I was at Manchester United the players understood what the club was about, that you always had to prove yourself.

“This team has to find that consistency. They go to Paris Saint-Germain and get an unbelievable result and then come back to the league and not play well.

"You are just not sure what team is going to turn up. Once they get that consistency it will breed confidence.”

Reece James is a "better defender" than Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to Glen Johnson, who feels the England right-back position is a "toss-up" between the pair.

Alexander-Arnold has established himself as arguably the pre-eminent right-back in world football over the past few seasons after playing a key role in Liverpool’s recent success.

James, meanwhile, has come to the fore at Chelsea under Frank Lampard over the past 18 months and has also broken into the senior England squad.

Both players have been selected by Gareth Southgate for the upcoming friendly against the Republic of Ireland, and the Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Iceland.

However, Alexander-Arnold will now miss out on the games after suffering a calf injury in Liverpool’s draw with Manchester City on Sunday, while James is suspended for the Nations League games after being sent off against Denmark last month.

When both players are available for selection, former England full-back Johnson believes Southgate faces a difficult decision over who to start on the right side of defence.

“I would say, overall, it’s a toss-up between Trent and Reece James,” Johnson told compare.bet when asked who England’s best option at right-back is.

“It depends on who you’re playing against of course, but I think Reece James is a better defender. I think he’s quicker, stronger.

“Trent is great on the ball, he’s a great footballer, and he’s very smart and a lot wiser than his age suggests. But in international football, you get a lot more time on the ball, so I think Trent would be number one, but Reece would be a fantastic back-up.”

Johnson has also backed Southgate’s decision to start with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount over in-form Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish.

Former Blues defender Johnson added: “At the moment, I think he’s probably getting it right picking Mount.

“But look, in terms of what Grealish can do, of course, we’ve seen him in fantastic form, but it’s a difficult one.

“With Grealish, he’s Villa’s main man and loves being the main man, but when he goes to the England camp he’s not the main man.

"So he’s got to adapt the way he plays and when he learns to do that, then I think he’ll certainly climb the ladder in Southgate’s pecking order.”

Hakim Ziyech has been billed as a mix of Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas by former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin, with the Morocco international making quite the impression at Stamford Bridge.

Frank Lampard moved early in 2020 to put a deal for the talented 27-year-old in place.

His obvious quality was prised away from Ajax, with the opportunity to grace a Premier League stage being embraced by an ambitious performer.

Early injury issues prevented Ziyech from stepping immediately into the fold, but patience in west London is being rewarded.

Two goals and three assists have been contributed to the Chelsea cause, with arguably his best performance so far put in against Sheffield United last time out, and Nevin claims to see shades of two iconic figures from years gone by in a player looking to write his own memorable story for the Blues.

“It was a magnificent performance showing little glimpses that reminded you of the best of Eden Hazard at one moment and then Cesc Fabregas’s genius two minutes later,” Nevin told Chelsea’s official website of Ziyech’s display against the Blades.

“Okay, so it was ‘only the Blades’ some might say and yes, things will be tougher against the likes of Man City and Liverpool, but he has enough technical ability to live and thrive very easily in that company too I reckon.

“We will find out soon enough, but it is noticeable how many chances we appear to be making and indeed scoring since Ziyech started against Krasnodar. We have played four games and have a current running scoreline of 14-1!

“So there is his vision, stunning delivery with his left foot, while his right foot is pretty hot as well. He can score as well as creating but it is that ability to see gaps and deliver the ball into them that is the most noticeable thing at the moment.

“In short, it all looks very good, but of course because it looks good, everyone else has been watching him now and maybe the element of surprise will be diminished? Will this have an influence on his effectiveness in the short to medium term?

“If you are an opposition coach the first thing you have to do against him now is a no-brainer, you have to get him ‘shown down the line’ on that right-hand side by the full-back and hopefully the covering midfielder. 

“It is better dealing with a decent right-foot cross than that vicious, bordering-on-unstoppable left-foot screamer he has in his locker.

“The thing is, it is obvious players have been trying to do that to Hakim for years and he is wise to it. If they over-cover he just goes inside further and releases the space for his own overlapping full-back. That creates just as big a problem for the oppo, as Reece James is probably the only player who could argue with Hakim about having the best delivery in the squad just now.

“As the new players have arrived and been integrated into the team, many of us have been waiting for the on-field understandings to blossom.

“Sometimes these can take a while, but I can already see something special with Reece and Hakim. You might stop one, but that will create space for the other.”

The middle third of the pitch is where Kerala Blasters are stacked with talent, going into the seventh season of Indian Super League (ISL). 

If the rest of the ISL teams were all given a chance to sign a Kerala Blasters player before the season kicks off, most of them are likely to go for a midfielder. And their choice wouldn't be a foreign player. 

When you look at the Kerala Blasters midfield lineup, you see highly talented youngsters like Sahal Abdul Samad, Arjun Jayaraj, Givson Singh, promising players such as Ritwik Das, Rohit Kumar and there is also experience in Seityasen Singh.

Also part of the setup is Spanish midfielder Sergio Cidoncha, who is the only foreign player to be retained after the team's seventh-placed finish under Eelco Schattorie last season. 

With Kibu Vicuna in charge of the first team and sporting director Karolis Skinkys taking care of football decisions, Blasters' recruitment process seems to have been well thought out over the summer.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown all over the world affected scouting, communication and impacted the team's ability to wrap up deals but in Vicente Gomez, they may have found the right formula for success. 

Gomez fills a position on the field that Kerala Blasters have struggled at since the departure of Mehtab Hossain four years ago - the defensive midfield. They have tried to fill the hole with several foreign players - Keziron Kizito, Moustapha Gning, Nikola Krcmarevic - but all of them struggled to properly bridge the defence to the attack.

They also tried to get defenders Gianni Zuiverloon and Wes Brown play that role and the worst case was when Victor Pulga was signed for a second stint in the second half of the 2017-18 season and he ended up playing a total of 69 minutes. 

The likes of Jeakson Singh, who is young and talented, will offer defensive stability, as he proved during a good 2019-20 debut season. However, he and the others can learn a thing or two from the former Las Palmas captain who has faced off against the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga. 

Arriving from the Spanish football school, Gomez is well-versed with the art of passing the ball and will keep things nice and solid at the heart of the midfield for Vicuna. 

Gomez is 32 what he does bring with him is a wealth of European experience and the ability to consistently play matches. The midfielder from Las Palmas has played 21 or more league games in every single season since 2010 - and three of those were in the top tier of Spanish football. 

He has started 118 league games since 2014. Kerala Blasters, since its inception, have played 108 matches. 

"I see this as an opportunity to maintain a high level of football across the season as there are only a few games," Gomez told Goal about what is set to be an unusual season for him, not only due to the fewer number of matches in an Indian football season but also because it will all be played behind closed doors in Goa. 

Kerala Blasters will begin the season with an opening game against Antonio Habas' ATK Mohun Bagan on November 20. 

Hyderabad have signed Spanish forward Francisco Sandaza who is expected to partner Aridane Santana upfront in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL). 

Sandaza is an atypical centre forward who will act as the target-man upfront, allowing Santana to take up a free role in the attacking third. 

Goal takes a closer look at the forward who has been a journeyman throughout his career. 

Jersey Number: 21

Youth Career and Professional Debut

Sandaza was born in Toledo, Spain. He spent his developmental years in Leganes and Coslada respectively. He started his senior career at Toledo Reserves and after a season, he was promoted to the senior team. 

He went on to join Valencia Reserves where he shared the dressing room with current FC Barcelona full-back Jordi Alba. In the final season, he scored 23 goals for the Valencia reserves. 

In 2008, Sandaza signed for Dundee United in Scotland on a three-year contract. He made his senior professional debut against Hamilton Accies on August 11, 2008. A week later he became an instant fan-favourite when he scored against Celtic in a 1-1 draw. He continued his rich vein of form, scoring a brace against Rangers, until December when he sustained an injury. In his first season at Dundee, he appeared in 31 matches and scored 10 league goals.

Injuries continued to trouble the 'braveheart' and he could make only seven appearances next season scoring just once. But he played 14 matches in the FA Cup and helped them clinch the title. Yet a move away looked inevitable and after his trial at Swansea City fell through, he was released as a free agent. 

A Globetrotter

After leaving Dundee, he joined Brighton & Hove Albion in League One. He made his debut against  Plymouth Argyle in a 2-0 win and a couple of games later he scored his first goal in a 2-1 win over Oldham Athletic. He carried his scoring boots in the FA Cup as well as he netted in two consecutive matches. At the end of the campaign, Brighton got promoted to Championship but the club chose not to renew his contract. 

Sandaza returned to Scotland and joined St. Johnstone where he enjoyed a fruitful spell in his career. In 29 matches, he scored 14 goals. This prompted Rangers to offer him a pre-contract. But the forward rejected the approach and was set to sign an extension with the Saints. But the deal could not go through and he ultimately signed a three-year deal for Rangers in August 2012. 

He started on a bright note but suffered a broken cheekbone injury after a clash of heads with Motherwell's Shaun Hutchinson which ruled him out for more than two months. He was catapulted to the centre of controversy in Rangers when he admitted in a hoax call that he was playing for money and if a suitable offer arrived, he would have no qualms in leaving the club. Soon after, Rangers terminated his contract. 

After the 'hoax call' fiasco, he returned to Spain and joined CD Lugo. During this stint, he scored against Barcelona reserves but could not show consistency as he once again got injured in the middle of the season which sidelined him for months. He was released at the end of the season in which he scored five goals. 

Sandaza went on to join Girona where he enjoyed the best days of his career. He was an undisputed starter for the Catalan club and during the course of the season, he made 38 appearances and scored 16 goals. In spite of having a good season, he decided to have a fresh challenge and looked East to join FC Tokyo in Japan. 

But the striker could not find his feet in Japan and after a disappointing two-year spell, he came back to Girona. He recovered his form to some extent in familiar conditions and fired his side to a runner-up spot in the Segunda Division which helped them earn a spot in La Liga. But he could not play in La Liga as he was loaned out to Al Ahli SC (Qatar) but once again he got injured and had to spend a lengthy period in the sickroom. 

In 2018, he joined Chinese side Qingdao Huanghai FC and he looked to be getting into his groove with five goals from 12 matches. But a turn of events saw him return to Spain and join Alcorcon in a two-and-half-year deal. He made 31 appearances and scored four goals before terminating his contract prematurely in September 2020, to join ISL side Hyderabad FC. 

Kei Kamara has confirmed his return to the Sierra Leone senior national team ahead of their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualification games against Nigeria.

The 36-year-old, who announced his retirement from international football in 2019, was among the 16 foreign-based professionals invited for the two-legged encounter against Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles.

In a statement released by the player per BBC Sport, the former Norwich City man expressed his delight getting a recall from coach John Keister, while vowing to do his best to ensure the West African nation is represented at the biennial African football showpiece.

"A year ago I made the decision to step away from our national team, and it was a decision I made with good intentions." Kamara wrote.

"During this year of being on the outside watching and listening, I can tell you it has not been easy.

"In the past few months I have heard some wonderful conversations with newly appointed head coach John Keister about his vision for the national team, and they're remarkable.

"I'm very honoured to be considered by Coach Keister as someone that could impact the team. To be included on the roster for the upcoming games is an invitation I have accepted.

"I'm very excited to wave the green, white and blue flag and will proudly represent my country. I'll do what I have always done- play my heart out for mama Sierra Leone. I look forward to joining the team in the quest for qualification."

Zoned alongside Lesotho and Benin Republic in Group L, Sierra Leone have made a poor start in the race to Cameroon 2022.

Having recorded a draw against the Crocodiles and defeat to the Squirrels, the Leone Stars sit at the base of the log with just one point.

They last featured at the 1996 edition staged in South Africa. There, they crashed out of the group stage after one win and two defeats.

The 33rd edition of the biennial tournament was due to begin in Cameroon on January 9, 2021, but has now been pushed to January 2022 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic across the continent.