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Kerala Blasters begin their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign with a fixture against ATK Mohun Bagan at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on November 20, 2020.

A week later, they take on NorthEast United in their second game. Kibu Vicuna's team will then face FC Goa and Bengaluru FC back-to-back on December 6 and 13 respectively. 

Here are Kerala Blasters' first 10 fixtures. 

Fixtures for only the first 11 rounds, which consists of 55 matches, have been released right now. The schedule for the remaining 55 league matches will be published in December as the league awaits clarity on calendar dates of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) matches.

The entire tournament will be held behind closed doors in Goa, due to the Covid-19 pandemic which means the teams will have to stay in a bio-bubble for the duration of the tournament. 

Kerala Blasters have failed to make it to the playoffs in the last three seasons. The Kochi-based club has appeared in the final of the ISL twice, in 2014 and 2016 but has not been able to achieve similar success in recent years. They have assembled a strong squad and will be hoping to challenge for the title under the able leadership of I-League-winning former Mohun Bagan coach Kibu Vicuna. 

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Fabinho will not be part of Liverpool’s squad for Saturday’s match against West Ham because of a hamstring injury.

The Brazil international limped off in the first half of the Reds’ Champions League win against Midtjylland on Tuesday and was replaced by 19-year-old Rhys Williams.

Fabinho had been called on to slot into the centre of defence after Virgil van Dijk was ruled out with a knee ligament injury, but Klopp will now have to make another change to his back line for the upcoming clash at Anfield.

“Fab is not in, that's clear,” he told reporters. “He got a little injury and so he will be out for the weekend and probably slightly longer. That’s one thing, but all the others who are fit will be in contention, either on the pitch or on the bench and coming on.”

Liverpool announced on Friday that Van Dijk had undergone a successful operation on the knee injury he sustained after a heavy challenge from Jordan Pickford in the 2-2 draw against Everton in early-October.

The club said there is no timeframe regarding the Netherlands star’s return, but Klopp is hoping for a quick recovery.

“I don't think it's the place to talk about personal things. After surgery, a successful one, it is always unpleasant. He is good as can be and that's it,” he added. "It's clear to say he is a quicker healer. He can cope, it's clear.

“Virgil is a friend, he is our boy but we are used to injuries. It was just how it was unnecessary.

“The more you like a person, the more you suffer with them. Injuries are the worst part of a professional's life. A part of the game. We are unfortunately used to it.

“We care about Virgil and will take care of him, but our focus is on available players. That is what we do.”

Jordan Henderson was substituted at half-time in the midweek encounter, but Klopp says there are no concerns about his fitness. He said: “Jordan Henderson did not have a fitness problem. Responsible is maybe the better word for [the substitution].”

Zinedine Zidane insists there are no lasting issues between Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior after the Real Madrid striker told Ferland Mendy not to pass to their team-mate. 

In Madrid's 2-2 draw at Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Zidane's side two down at half-time, Benzema was caught on camera appearing to discuss Vinicius. 

"Brother, don't pass to him," Benzema told Mendy in the tunnel. "On my mother's life, he is playing against us." 

Benzema did not play a single pass to the Brazilian in the second half, having created an opportunity with one of his three first-half passes, while Mendy found Vinicius just twice more before the latter was substituted in the 70th minute. 

Zidane was not concerned by the part of Benzema - who pulled a goal back before Casemiro levelled - in the conversation, suggesting such exchanges are commonplace but not usually made public. 

"It is clear about Benzema and Vinicius," Zidane said. "They have talked to each other. Things stay on the field. They talked and it is perfect.

"There is no problem between them - the opposite. In the end, the important thing is that the energy is on tomorrow's game [against Huesca].

"Things like Benzema and Vinicius have always happened but they stay on the field. The only thing that has changed is that there are many cameras." 

By the time he made way for Eden Hazard, none of Vinicius' three shots had hit the target, with two blocked, while he did not pick out a team-mate with any of his three crosses, although he did create chances for both Benzema and Mendy. 

A disappointingly low 71.4 per cent of passes found their man, however, and the 20-year-old completed only two of his five attempted dribbles, but Zidane expects the forward to bounce back as he remains a big part of Madrid's plans. 

"Vinicius is young," he added. "He has a present and a future at Madrid. He is a boy who wants to learn and improve. He works and that is good for a coach and a team."

Real Madrid face Huesca at the weekend as they look to go top of La Liga. They are currently second, one point behind leaders Real Sociedad with a game in hand.

Chelsea fans finally got a glimpse of what Hakim Ziyech can offer in the Blues’ 4-0 success over Krasnodar on Wednesday evening.

Due to an injury sustained in the club’s only official pre-season friendly vs Brighton & Hove Albion, the signing from Ajax had to bide his time with substitute appearances in draws vs Southampton, Sevilla and Manchester United.

After seemingly proving his fitness, Frank Lampard started the maverick in Russia and he made it count, too, scoring the visitors' third as the Premier League side returned to winning ways after three stalemates on the spin.

The overall mood within the Chelsea fanbase on the night and in the days after has certainly been mixed. In fairness, this is consistent with the glass half-full or half-empty notion among fans of the club since the start of the season owing to the club’s performances and results since September.

In a defensive sense, yet another clean sheet for the backline was a good thing, especially without 36-year-old Thiago Silva, whose minutes have to be managed due to his advanced years.

The credit for the West London club’s succession of shutouts has to be shared, however, with Edouard Mendy’s arrival and immediate impact giving a previously unconvincing backline renewed faith in the man between the sticks.

Mendy’s stop to deny Daniil Utkin early on was followed by the Senegal goalkeeper’s assuredness in coming off his line to claim potentially dangerous crosses into the box, witnessed intermittently on the night.

Still, the aforementioned comes with the caveat that it was just Krasnodar, a club making its Champions League debut.

This probably explains why critics in the ‘glass half-empty’ bracket remain sceptical. Truthfully, it’s near impossible to control a game in its entirety but the extended period in the second half where Lampard’s men were on the back foot was worrying.

During that period, the English side’s extreme sloppiness in possession saw the home side force them back as they racked up attempts at Mendy’s goal.

As a consequence of the adversity faced for much of the second half, the team’s attacking players like Ziyech were peripheral until the late flurry of goals which added a bit of gloss on the final score. Chelsea’s non-penalty xG of 1.1 to Krasnodar’s 0.6 further suggests the eventual result was harsh on the competition’s debutants.

Despite the rarity of clear-cut chances in midweek, the Moroccan’s undoubted qualities shone through, albeit sporadically. Asides scoring, the North African was indirectly involved in two of the away team’s other three goals, with the fourth by Christian Pulisic coming after his 80th-minute withdrawal.

For Callum Hudson-Odoi’s strike, Ziyech ignored the obvious pass to Ben Chilwell, instead playing a zipped ball to the seemingly unprepared Kai Havertz who then set up the winger’s first UCL goal. Also, it was the wide playmaker’s obvious — yet easy to misplace — pass to Pulisic that led to the award of Chelsea’s second penalty on the night.

Earlier in the game, Ziyech’s movement inside and awareness to then link-up with the overlapping Cesar Azpilicueta was crucial in winning the London side’s first penalty. Even though his teammates at times struggled to get him on the ball early enough, the maverick’s willingness to try things on the pitch was important to the Blues’ success in Russia and will be crucial for the rest of the season.

The aforementioned sentiment stems from an interesting defensive conundrum and frustrating midfield imbalance troubling Lampard’s team. For large periods of the encounter, possession was largely sterile as the ball kept going laterally across the backline.

While Kurt Zouma is arguably Chelsea’s best defender after Silva, with his dominance at defending set-pieces so far proving to be a key element in preventing concessions from dead-balls and crosses this season, playing vertical passes between the lines has never been the Frenchman’s forte.

This isn’t a strength of Antonio Rudiger, either, while Andreas Christensen and Fikayo Tomori — ironically two players largely comfortable on the ball — appear to be out of favour.

The Dane’s inconsistency and failure to dominate opposition strikers have been emblematic of a general feeling he hasn’t kicked on from a promising 2017/18 campaign.

Tomori’s situation poses an even bigger headache. He’s probably the team’s most accomplished defender in possession and is many fans’ third-choice central defender after Silva and Zouma, but the Anglo-Nigerian seldom gets a look-in.

Having been criticised for chopping and changing last term, Lampard has ostensibly settled on Silva and Zouma as his first-choice centre-back pairing. While the Brazilian has somewhat excelled at playing fairly risky passes to get the ball forward to the attacking players, his age and need to be managed means long-term solutions have to be found eventually.

The club’s midfield bugbear was examed before the season commenced, where it was suggested how then-Arsenal target, Thomas Partey, could theoretically solve a huge problem at Cobham owing to his rounded nature in and out of possession.

Supporters have recently clamoured for a permanent switch to a 4-3-3 (utilised briefly vs Krasnodar) — which allows the hugely important Mason Mount to play in his best position in midfield — as a potential solution, but the presence of Havertz and profile of midfielders in the team imply that wish may be unlikely for now.

Indeed, the result of largely having so many passive players in the team means Chelsea often resort to playing the safest possible pass available, as opposed to attempting riskier plays to open up the pitch.

This is mostly alien to Ziyech, given his profile and proclivity to be adventurous in possession. Against Krasnodar, the Morocco superstar played the highest volume of passes into the final third (nine), joint-highest with Havertz for passes into the penalty area (three) and was tied with Azpilicueta for nine progressive passes.

Interestingly, the talented German and the club captain played from start to finish, having 77 and 96 touches respectively to the North African’s 54. Make of that what you will...

Undoubtedly, getting the ball quicker to the high-risk-high-reward playmaker would have its merits. Be that as it may, the improbability of this suggests Chelsea fans and Lampard may be in for a demanding campaign.

Tactical innovation is a necessary phenomenon in football and coaches must be ready to adapt their approaches in the pursuit of glory.

There have been many different formations and playing philosophies in the history of the game, from the Totaalvoetball popularised by the Netherlands in the 1970s to Jurgen Klopp's 'Heavy Metal Football'.

Certain formations have emerged and re-emerged over the years, with 3-5-2 in particular becoming increasingly popular in the late 2010s as an antidote to the tiki-taka of Spain and Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.

Among the most important components in the 3-5-2 formation (or any set-up with a back three) are the wing-backs, and players who can play in the position are given a lot of responsibilities.

So what exactly is the role of the wing-back and how does it differ from that of a full-back? Goal brings you all you need to know.

What is a wing-back in football?

The wing-back position in football is essentially a mixture of a full-back and a winger. They play on either side of the defence, helping to provide width to a team.

A player who plays in the wing-back position is expected to get forward as much as possible in order to assist the attack, but they must also track back to help the defence.

It is a highly demanding position from a physical perspective given the ground that must be covered on the wing, so wing-backs need to have a lot of stamina and all-round strength.

As well as being able to get up and down the wing at speed, one of the main jobs of a wing-back is to supply crosses into the box or passes into the forward line.

However, a wing-back must also possess defensive attributes, such as good tackling ability and sound positional awareness - knowing when to drop deep or push forward at the right time.

While wing-backs are commonly used in 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formations, such as those used by Antonio Conte, they can also be a feature of teams playing with a back four, in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 for example.

Liverpool's 2019-20 Premier League-winning team under Jurgen Klopp lined up with a 4-3-3, but full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson pressed so high that they were effectively wing-backs.

Indeed, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson set up a combined 25 goals for the Reds on their way to the title in that campaign, while they scored six between them.

Brazil also famously deployed a back four with two flying full-backs - essentially wing-backs - in the form of Roberto Carlos and Cafu on their way to World Cup success in 2002.

What is the difference between a full-back and a wing-back?

Full-backs and wing-backs play in more or less the same part of the pitch, but there are key differences between the roles within a system.

The main difference is that a wing-back has more licence to attack, whereas the full-back has more emphasis on defence.

While full-backs can be encouraged to get forward and help attack on occasion, wing-backs are expected to dictate the attacking width of their team.

When Tottenham signed Matt Doherty from Wolves in 2020, he arrived in north London as a player who had played solely as a wing-back in the previous three seasons.

However, he has been deployed as a full-back at Spurs, as well as internationally for the Republic of Ireland.

Reflecting on the difference in the positions, Doherty told reporters: "When you play as a wing-back you don't actually have to defend as much. At full-back you have to properly defend.

"You have a lot of one-vs-ones and you have a lot of players running off the back of you [at full-back], so you have to be switched on at all times. Your body position and everything about it defensively is totally different."

The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has successfully completed the bidding process to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027, covering all legal formalities required by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The move is in line with Qatar's aspirations to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup as per the highest international standards, in addition to providing a football experience that not only meets the ambitions of the Asian audience but also fosters social change and rapprochement between societies. The decision also has come as part of the QFA's commitment to fulfilling all hosting requirements according to the approved schedule.

The Qatar Football Association, represented by His Excellency Mr Fahad bin Mohammed Kafood, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Malaysia, had previously handed over the first part of the bidding file on the 26th August earlier this year. The submitted file fulfilled the necessities of hosting requirements in addition to highlighting Qatar’s rich history and legacy in organizing continental and international tournaments and sporting events.

The dossier presented by His Excellency also included the local federation’s vision for the country’s sports facilities and associated infrastructure that will be ready to host events of any scale such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, the first mega-sporting event of its kind in the Middle East.

The 2022 World Cup hosts had excelled in the first sustainability report for the global tournament which was published last week. Now this submission made by the QFA is also a symbol of the state’s ambition to bring next-level sporting experiences to the Asian audience.

Simba SC will bounce back and win the Mainland Premier League title for the fourth season in a row, Haji Manara believes.

According to the club’s media officer, what the team has gone through in recent weeks, losing back-to-back matches against Tanzania Prisons and Ruvu Shooting, – is part of football and “which makes the game interesting.”

“Simba is still my club, Simba is still my team for life, I don’t have any other team than Simba, my friends and fans, they know what Simba can do, I cannot stop supporting them now because I know, they are going to bounce back like Simba,” Manara wrote on his social media pages.

“We will bounce back, this is Simba, it happens in football, they are challenges every champion faces in their respective leagues, all teams must pass through what we are going through now.

“I want to ask Simba fans to stay calm and keep the support, we will do it again, we will bounce back, we will retain the title.”

On Thursday, Simba confirmed they had parted ways with Muharami Mohamed and Patrick Rweyemamu, who were serving as the club's goalkeeping coach and team manager, respectively.

The defeat against Shooting saw Simba surrender third spot in the 18-team table as they dropped to fourth while their rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC), who are still unbeaten, moved to second, behind table-toppers Azam FC.

The two defeats left Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck scratching his head and even went ahead to apologise to the fans and also promised a quick comeback in their next league match.

"First of all, I want to apologise for the two losses in a row to the Simba family and it is very hard for us to digest," Vandenbroeck stated, "If you look at the game, we missed some aggressiveness in the first half which was not our usual level of play.

"The second half was much better as we took some risks but in total, we were not efficient enough to take good results today [Monday]. It hurts all of us.

"At this point, it is very difficult to point out what is the problem and if I have to analyse everything, it is something which I cannot share with the members of the media.

"According to the way we pushed in the second half, I do not think match fitness is the problem to point at. I think the question is what we have available in the striking position which made me play with a false number nine."

Simba will next face Mwadui FC at Uhuru Stadium on Saturday.

Kenya U20 coach Stanley Okumbi has named the squad for the upcoming Cecafa U20 Championships, to be played between November 22 and December 6 in Tanzania.

The team largely comprises of players who featured for the Kenya U17 team at the 2019 Africa U17 Cup of Nations qualifiers, and the Union of North African Federations (Unaf) U17 tournament in Egypt in 2019.

Among them are Maxwell Mulili, Bixente Otieno, Boniface Mwangemi, Alphonse Omija, Nicholas Omondi, Keith Imbali, Telvin Maina, and Arnold Onyango.

Chapa Dimba na Safaricom hotshots Enoch Wanyama and Benson Omala have also been included in the team. The Rising Stars have been pooled in Group C of the tournament alongside Ethiopia and Sudan.

Group A is comprised of hosts Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, and Djibouti, while Group B will have Burundi, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Uganda.

The top teams in each of the three groups will proceed to the tournament’s semi-finals, alongside the best runner-up.

Initially, there were doubts about whether the qualifiers would be played owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a recent meeting by member associations unanimously agreed the matches should continue.

“During the Cecafa Executive Committee meeting held in Arusha on Saturday 10th October 2020, the decision to go ahead with the U17 and U20 Afcon Qualifiers was reached,” Cecafa confirmed in a statement obtained by Goal.

In the Cecafa region, Tanzanian football has been ongoing since June 13 while Uganda is set to start the 2020/21 season in early November, while Kenya has a proposal to start the season from November 20 after the games were postponed in mid-March.

Rising Stars Squad; Goalkeepers; Maxwell Mulili (AFC Leopards), Bixente Otieno (Wazito), Elvis Ochieng (City Stars).

Defenders: Boniface Mwangemi (Kariobangi Sharks), Omar Somobwana (AFC Leopards), Joseph Levin (Naivas), Wardfine Akhatsika (Chebuyusi High School), Kelvin Mose (Uweza), Alphonse Omija (Gor Mahia), Frank Odhiambo (Gor Mahia), Lewis Bandi (AFC Leopards), Fredrick Alushula (Kariobangi Sharks), Rolland Ashimoto (Kakamega High School), Steiner Musasia (Talanta), Nicholas Omondi (Gor Mahia), Keith Imbali (Gor Mahia Youth).

Midfielders: Enoch Wanyama (Ligi Ndogo), Ronald Reagan (Kariobangi Sharks), Alphonse Washe (Bandari), Hamid Mohammed (Bandari), Danson Kiprono (Zoo), Ian Simiyu (Nzoia Sugar), Austine Odhiambo (AFC Leopards), Mwakio Kisaka (Riruta United), Timothy Ouma (Nairobi City Stars), Telvin Maina (Kisumu All-Stars), Arnold Onyango (USA).

Forwards: Benson Omala (Gor Mahia), Henry Meja (Tusker), Stephen Otieno (Bongonaya), Kappen Samuel (Liberty), Sellasie Otieno (Nzoia Sugar), Unaiz Shajani (Starfield Elite FC).

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has paid tribute to team-mate Donny van de Beek, despite the summer recruit struggling to break into the starting XI.

The £35 million ($45m) addition from Ajax has started only a couple of matches for his new side since arriving at Old Trafford but did feature in the 5-0 Champions League win over RB Leipzig in midweek.

He was given the nod ahead of Scotland international McTominay, and the academy graduate sees him as a worthy addition to the squad.

“Donny van de Beek is a great lad and a brilliant football player,” McTominay told United Review. “I'm sure, the way he is working in training and how hard he's working, his time will definitely come to get more minutes on the pitch.

“I spoke to him a little bit and he's a top kid. The way he applies himself every day, he is never late - always on time - and always trains to his absolute maximum. We have got a really, really good player and really good person there.”

Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are blessed with numerous options in midfield, with the combination of McTominay and Fred winning much praise for the way they have dovetailed in defensive positions. McTominay, though, pointed out that the depth is formidable.

“I feel like obviously Fred is a terrific player but we've got Nemanja Matic, we've got Paul Pogba,” he said. “Phew, there are endless options in midfield really. We can play Bruno Fernandes in midfield.

“With regards to the players we've got in midfield, Nemanja is so experienced and I feel comfortable playing with him, but I am comfortable playing with every single one of them. I am sure they would all say that and it can only bode well for us going forward.”

While United have made a quick start on the continent, also beating Paris Saint-Germain, their form domestically has been less impressive and they lie 15th in the Premier League standings, albeit with a game in hand to play over many of their rivals. Their next test comes on Sunday, when they play host to Arsenal.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt is mixing optimism with caution ahead of Saturday's MTN8 semi-final first leg showdown with arch-rivals Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium.

Hunt has been with Chiefs for about a month, having replaced former coach Ernst Middendorp.

Middendorp and his predecessors Steve Komphela and Giovanni Solinas both failed to help the club win silverware and its now five years since Amakhosi last tasted glory - when they won the league in 2014/15 under Stuart Baxter.

Hunt admitted that he's eyeing success in the MTN8 as a means to settle in and build confidence - not only for himself but for his players.

But he's also pragmatic enough to know that it's not easy to hit the ground running and immediately get the players to buy into his footballing philosophies.

"It’s a great opportunity to get yourself in a cup final so early in a season‚ which I always think helps with momentum going forward‚” Hunt was quoted saying by Businesslive.

“The good thing is we’ve got two games in the semifinal‚ in a home and away situation.

“But I mean‚ for us‚ for me‚ being new at the club it’s just about trying to find out about the players a bit more every day‚ every game. And trying to find a way of playing that suits the players more. That’s the most important.

“You know‚ I can’t come in here and just bash the door down. We’ve got to try and find a way that suits what we’ve got‚ and try and take it a step forward every time.”

Hunt has arrived at Amakhosi in the middle of a transfer ban, which has made his task all the harder.

With that in mind, he has tempered expectations to an extent.

“Obviously the magnitude of the club is huge and they expect to win trophies on a regular basis‚” he admitted. “But you’ve also got to look at a lot of things. Why they have been five seasons [without winning a trophy].

"I already know what we need and don’t need. But that can only come out on the training ground working with the players‚ and try to improve the squad we’ve got and take it from there.

“So ja‚ anybody in their right mind wouldn’t not want to make it to a final and try and take it one step further. But sometimes it takes a little bit longer.”

Nice head coach Patrick Vieira has paid tribute to the victims of a suspected terrorist attack in the French city that left three dead inside a Catholic church on Thursday.

His side later played Hapoel Be’er Sheva in a Europa League clash, taking the three points thanks to an Amine Gouiri goal.

Although their prospects of reaching the knockout stages of the competitions remain strong after the victory, Vieira admitted that it was not what he and his players had on their minds after a second attack on the city, following the deaths of 87 people during an incident on Bastille Day four years ago.

“Football is obviously secondary tonight,” he tweeted. “But it was important for us to play and to win in order to pay homage to our city, which has once again been touched by drama. Sincere thoughts with the victims, their families and those close to them. We will not forget them.”

Meanwhile, he also spoke of the incident during his press conference.

“Speaking about football is very difficult,” he said. “We think of the families of the victims, of all those citizens of Nice who are suffering and in mourning. Talking about football after the attack is very difficult.”

Nice captain Dante added: “It was a unique, sad context. Of course we spoke about it between ourselves. We had planned not to celebrate the goal too much.

“We are, every one of us in the squad, very touched by this. It has hurt us.

“On behalf of the squad, we send our condolences to the affect families. Football comes as an afterthought, even if it is our job. We were very affected by it and it’s good to end this day with a victory.”

Meanwhile, the prefecture of police revealed that they had planned on cancelling the match only to perform a U-turn.

“We had to show that we are still standing,” president Jean-Pierre Rivere explained. “This match had to take place, not for the football itself, but for the symbolism of it. We cannot get down on the ground. Yes, it’s only a match and people might say: ‘Why are they playing a football match?’ We played it precisely because it was symbolic. Playing it was like saying: ‘We’re still standing.’”

New Bidco United signing Noah Wafula has tipped the club to excel in the FKF Premier League set to kick off in November.

The Thika-based club earned promotion to the top-flight after the lower-tier National Super League (NSL) was prematurely ended owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus in mid-March.

The former AFC Leopards, Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz striker, who is among the experienced players roped in by the club in the ongoing transfer window, is now confident they are well motivated to take up any challenge in the league but will take it one game at a time.

“Bidco United is not a small team as many would look at it,” Wafula revealed as quoted by the club’s social media pages. “Bidco United is a big team, that is very motivated to do well in the top-flight, especially after earning promotion after a very long time.

“I don’t want to say that we will win all the games but what I now our plan is to take it a game at a time.”

His sentiments come just two days after another new signing Stephen Waruru said they have what it takes to mix with the “big boys’ in the FKF Premier League.

“There’s no newbie in football, we all talk one language,” Waruru said as quoted by the club’s social media pages. “This may be our maiden season in the league but everyone in the team is motivated to face any challenge that comes our way.”

On how he feels after signing for Bidco United, Waruru explained: “I feel I am in the best team in the league, a team that is focused and has all to play for in the league. It feels great to be part of this team.”

Apart from Wafula and Waruru, other experienced players signed by the team are former Wazito FC striker Pistone Mutamba, former Zoo FC defender Wilson Anekeya, Luke Ochieng from Western Stima, Brian Opondo from Kariobangi Sharks, veteran Dennis Monda, former Nzoia Sugar forward Batts Awita, Anthony Gathu, who was with Murang'a Seal, goalkeeper Edwin Mukolwe from Wazito FC, and Victor Ayugi of KCB.

In a recent interview, Bidco United coach Anthony Akhulia revealed he had opted to go for experienced players since the squad which helped him to earn promotion is composed of relatively young players yet to compete at the top.

“The squad that won us promotion to the top-tier is a relatively young group of players,” Akhulia was quoted by the club’s social media pages.

“None of them has played in the top-tier before, and as such, we needed to bring in a couple of experienced players to make the team complete.”

On how prepared they are for the new season, Akhulia said: “It’s our maiden season in the top-flight and our target is to maintain consistency in the top-tier, and over time, we can be able to challenge for silverware.”

Bidco United will make their debut in the 2020-21 top-tier season with an away trip on Sunday, November 22 where they will play hosts Posta Rangers, then host 13-time league champions AFC Leopards at Kinoru Stadium on Sunday, November 28. 

Four-time champions Ulinzi Stars will then entertain Bidco at Afraha Stadium on Saturday, December 5. The latter will then have the privilege of hosting Tusker FC four days later at Kinoru Stadium.

The Anthony Akhulia-led charges will then complete their fifth round in the FKF Premier League with a game against Gor Mahia at Kinoru Stadium on Sunday, December 13.

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer says it's Amakhosi and not his side who are under pressure for Saturday's MTN8 semi-final encounter at the Orlando Stadium.

The first leg game kicks off at 15:00 and will be followed by the return match next week Sunday, November 8.

For both sides, the MTN8 is a chance to end a long trophy drought - for Pirates that extends to six years and for Chiefs it's five years.

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Zinnbauer, now going into his second season with Bucs, tried to play down the weight of expectation and hoped to flip that onto Amakhosi.

“We are not the favourites," he said. "We have no pressure, Kaizer Chiefs have the pressure in this game.

"But we do our best, we have to win the game it’s important for us it’s the derby and it’s a big chance you can win a cup."

It's not entirely clear though why he feels this way. For one thing, Zinnbauer has had substantially longer than his opposite number, Gavin Hunt, to work with his team.

He's also had the benefit of bringing in a number of quality players during the transfer window, while the Glamour Boys are in the middle of a transfer ban.

And Pirates fans are no less expectant than their Glamour Boys rivals. So perhaps Zinnbauer should be feeling pressure, or maybe it's just mind games that he is playing.

And indeed Hunt has gone for the same approach in his pre-match comments:

“My opinion is that they [Pirates] are big favourites for the league title," he said. "They have built a good squad.

"They have a lot of players whom I know and obviously worked with [some of the former Bidvest Wits players which Bucs have signed]. So they have a very good squad of players.

"Pirates are much stronger than they were last season. I know what is ahead of us so we look forward to the game."

Terengganu FC head coach Nafuzi Zain has paid tribute to his former boss at the club, Irfan Bakti Abu Salim after taking the club to a third-place finish in the Malaysia Super League this season.

The former had been an assistant head coach at the club while the latter was the head coach, from 2017. When the veteran coach vacated the post midway through the 2019 season, Nafuzi took over temporarily, before he was appointed on a permanent basis ahead of the 2020 season.

Nafuzi credited his former boss for guiding him as a young trainer at the club.

"I am where I am now at Terengganu, from our days of winning promotion in the 2018 Premier League, due to my time with him.

"It's all because of his contributions while I was his assistant since 2017, up to 2019 when he stepped down. He took me to the Super League. Before he stepped down, Irfan stated his belief that I would be able to guide the team, and that's how I got the chance to lead Terengganu.

"If not for the opportunities provided by him, my career would not have taken off," explained the 42-year coach in an interview with the Malaysian Football League.

Nafuzi Zain. Photo by Sports Regime

The Spanish centerback Sergio Ramos was voted as one of the two "best center-backs in the world" beating out Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and becoming the third player to cement his position in the Goal's Top eleven powered by FIFA 21 as we attempt to identify who you think are the best footballers around the world.

Ramos led the table with 59% of the votes (+21275) beating out the only close competitior Virgil van Dijk who ended up with 35% of the votes (+12900) followed by Leonardo Bonucci, Dayot Upamecano and Raphael Varane ending up with 928, 734 and 696 votes respectively. 

Stay tuned to this space as we ask for your help to identify the best left center-back soon.

Tusker FC have confirmed the signing of former Gor Mahia defender Wellington Ochieng'.

The 11-time champions have been strengthening for the new season aiming at challenging for the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League title. It is for this reason they have decided to bring onboard players who can help them challenge for the trophy.

"Ochieng' is now our player, he signed with us yesterday [Thursday]," Tusker FC chairman Daniel Aduda told Goal on Friday.

"He is an experienced player who will give us much-needed experience at the back. Ochieng' is also versatile and I believe he will be a valuable asset to the team."

The former Muhoroni Youth player was released alongside Edwin Lavatsa a couple of weeks ago.

The defender becomes the third player the Ruaraka-based side have signed in the transfer window. It started with experienced centre-back Eugene Asike extending his stay at the club by one year. Goalkeeper Robert Mboya also extended his stay at the club by another season as well.

Christopher Oruchum was the first signing for the former champions from the 13-time champions AFC Leopards.

"One of the things that motivated me to sign for Tusker is that Tusker is one of the biggest clubs in Kenya whereby we stand a chance to be exposed to big teams in Africa and outside the country," the defender said after completing the move.

"Having joined a team that was high-flying the previous season, I hope and pray that I will also add something and also help the team to achieve more than they achieved last season.  

"There was a time I was really close to signing for Tusker when I was at Thika United but the deal did not materialize then I ended up going to AFC Leopards, then from there I have the chance again of joining this great club, which I have longed to play for."  

Kevin Monyi is another player who has been signed by the Brewers on a two-year contract as well.

Monyi comes to help strengthen the whole playing unit for the local heavyweights, who last won a trophy four seasons ago.

Since then they have been chasing the league trophy unsuccessfully as Gor Mahia have won them in the subsequent seasons, and have sparingly participated in the domestic cup tournament.

Ugandan Premier League champions Vipers SC have secured the services of Manzoki Cesar Lobi for two years.

The striker had attracted interest from Olympic Club Beja of Tunisia and an unnamed Moroccan club after his contract with AS Vita had ended, but the Venoms moved faster to sign him.

“Congolese Manzoki Cesar Lobi has been cleared to play for Vipers, after agreeing to a two-year term for an undisclosed fee,” Vipers confirmed.

“Manzoki Lobi comes in weeks after South Sudanese Joseph Dhata put pen to paper.”

Viper have praised the Congolese's abilities as they hope he can excel at the club over the next two seasons.

“Lobi mainly plays as a striker but can drift towards the flanks and centre where he can receive the ball, turn and drive at the defenders fearlessly," the statement added.

“His first touch and passes are enviable and he boasts of an added advantage as a player who can shoot with both feet.”

The former Tout Puissant Mazembe striker revealed his personal targets for the four-time Premier League winners.

“I am so happy to be here,” he said in his first interview during the unveiling ceremony.

“I want to use this chance well. My dream is to become an important player for Vipers, I hope I can become a starter immediately and hope to win some trophies with my new team.

“I don’t regret this move because it took me time to make this decision to move here. I chose the best team out of the many clubs that were after me and I am proud of it.

“I hope I can push my career further. My goals are that simple.”

Lobi spent three years at AS Vita where he featured in 58 matches and went on to score 38 goals. His time at AS Vita’s big domestic rivals TP Mazembe saw him score 12 goals in 21 games from 2016 to 2017.

The centre-forward launched his career when he started playing for Dauphin Noir De Goma for five seasons in the top-flight. Lobi has international experience too as he has scored three goals for the national side.

As Vipers shift their focus to the Caf Champions League, Lobi’s services might come in handy given he has scored six goals in nine games of the competition. In the Confederation Cup, the striker has featured in 12 games.