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Simba SC fans have categorically told those of Yanga SC they will recover their six points from recent consecutive defeats by beating them home and away.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi suffered their second defeat in a row after losing 1-0 to Ruvu Shooting in a Mainland Premier League contest on Monday, and this came after they had also lost to Tanzania Prisons by the same margin four days earlier.

The two defeats have elicited excitement within Yanga circles, especially the fans, who took to social media to celebrate, and further claimed they now have a good chance to win the league title for the first time since the 2016-17 season as they are still unbeaten from seven matches played so far this campaign.

With the first derby between the two giants earmarked for November 7, 2020, Simba fans have told their rivals they will recover the six points dropped from the two defeats by beating them home and away and will also win a record fourth straight league title this season.

“The points that we have dropped now are six points, they are very crucial but I want to assure our fans that we will recover the points when we play against Yanga [home and away],” a Simba fan explained to Sokaonline TV after their match against Ruvu Shooting at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es salaam.

“Yanga will pay for the suffering if we have gone through [losing two matches in a row], they like it or not, we will beat them and recover the points from them, we ask them to rejoice now, let them celebrate but the time will come, they will not be seen anywhere near social media.

“It is very normal for a team to lose a match but the way Yanga are celebrating it is as if Simba are out of the race, they will cry soon, you will see and I want you to come back for another interview after the derby.”

Prior to Monday's meeting, Simba and Ruvu Shooting had met 18 times in all competitions and Wekundu wa Msimbazi had managed to win 16 games, drawing the remaining two.

Coach Sven Vandenbroeck tinkered with his squad, giving Beno Kakolanya and Francis Kahata a chance. Bernard Morrison, the returning John Bocco, and Aishi Manula were the players who started on the bench.

However, Ruvu took a deserved lead when Fully Zulu Maganga, who made no mistake from three yards, sent his team into the break with a deserving lead.

Simba were given a lifeline in the 80th minute when they were awarded a penalty after foul play by their opponents in the danger zone but Bocco, who had been introduced, took it and despite beating the goalkeeper, he could not beat the crossbar.

Monday’s defeat has definitely cast doubt on the future of the Belgian coach, who has arguably the best squad in the Tanzania Mainland League.

Simba have now dropped to fourth position with 13 points from seven games.

Azam FC have maintained they will continue to fight for the targets they set for the 2020-21 season despite suffering their first defeat of the campaign to Mtibwa Sugar on Monday.

The Chamazi-based giants had gone for seven matches unbeaten and were sitting at the top of the 18-team league table before their impeccable start came to an abrupt end courtesy of Jaffary Kibaya’s second-half strike at Jamhuri Stadium.

Kibaya scored two minutes after the hour mark after the two sides fought hard but were unable to break the deadlock in the first half and in the first 15 minutes of the subsequent half.

Despite the defeat, Azam media officer Thabit Zakaria has maintained they will not be distracted by the outcome but will continue to fight and make sure they achieve some of the targets they set before the new season began.

“In football, you have three results, a win, draw or lose, we lost our game despite the boys putting up a very brilliant fight,” Zakaria is quoted saying by Sokaletu.

“The players did a tremendous job, they worked very hard to get us a win but it never came, the result did not come our way, we have lost our first match this season but must not stick to that, we have to plan for our next match, we don’t want to be distracted by the defeat.

“I strongly believe it is part of football to lose and win and we will continue to fight hard and achieve our targets, our focus has already shifted to the next league match, one thing I am happy about is that we have a very good squad and fans should not panic, we will bounce back.”

Against Mtibwa, Azam missed the services of key players – striker Obrey Chirwa, who has so far scored four goals, with injury and winger Salum ‘Sure Boy’ Abubakar – who was serving a one-match ban from accumulated cards.

The defeat saw Azam fail to keep a clean sheet – as they had done in six out of seven matches while goalkeeper David Mapigano was in charge - for the second time since the league began.

The Aristica Cioaba-coached side had established themselves as a ruthless team in front of goal given that they had scored 14 goals in the seven matches but were unable to breach Mtibwa’s defence which had failed to keep a clean sheet in five of their last six matches.

Mtibwa Sugar are now in position 10 with 11 points and their next game will be against Kagera Sugar on November 1 while Azam will hope to resuscitate their campaign when they host JKT Tanzania at Chamazi Sports Complex on the same day.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Cedric Kaze says he is happy with his first two matches in charge of the club but has promised more is still to come from the team.

The Burundian tactician signed a three-year contract to sign for the Jangwani giants following the abrupt exit of Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, who had overseen the club for only 37 days.

So far, Kaze has overseen two matches – winning 1-0 against Polisi Tanzania before beating KMC 2-1 at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza.

Kaze has now revealed he is yet to get satisfied with his players despite the two wins and has promised the fans to expect more from the team when they start playing his style of football.

“I have received a lot of congratulatory messages from Yanga fans, thanking me for the few changes the team has had since I took over, especially the team holding well to the ball when in possession and also attacking the opponent at any given time,” Kaze is quoted saying by Sokaletu.

“I want to tell Yanga fans that it is just the beginning, more good things will come as you know I have only been around with the team for a few weeks, so we will have a few things we must work on to improve because my aim is to see the team playing the passing game, it is what I like most.

“For now, I am working on improving areas which are not 100 per cent, for example, the striking force, who are not using the chances they create and it has affected our goals not coming in, we have to improve on that.”

Kaze continued: “Another area I want to see improvement is the recovery process, when the team loses possession we take a long time to recover the ball, so we are working on rectifying such mistakes as we move forward.”

Yanga are currently second on the 18-team league table with 19 points from seven matches while Azam, who lost their first match this season against Mtibwa Sugar, are still perched at the top on 21 points.

They will next face Biashara United on November 1.

Wycombe Wanderers forward Uche Ikpeazu Mubiru has revealed his eagerness to earn a debut for Uganda in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Cranes are lined up to face South Sudan in a Group B double-header set for November, and the burly striker has pointed out he is ready to represent the country after being named in the squad for the match.

“It’s an honor to be called up and I am looking forward to representing my country in the up and coming fixtures,” Mubiru wrote on his social media pages.

Mubiru was due to make his debut for Uganda in early March after coach Johnathan McKinstry named him in the squad to face South Sudan, but the clash was postponed over the coronavirus outbreak.

Five days ago, McKinstry once again named the striker in his provisional squad of 20 which only featured foreign-based players.

The Cranes are set to face South Sudan on November 11 and 16 for match days three and four of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Fahad Bayo and Timothy Awany, both of Ashdod FC, Kizito Luwaga of Hapoel Kfar Saba as well as Michael Azira of Chicago Fire were also included despite missing a training camp in Dubai during the international break.

The camp was planned in order to help the players gel ahead of the qualifiers and the African Nations Championship (Chan) tournament but some players failed to turn up due to travel restrictions.

Derrick Nsibambi has also returned to the national side even though he also did not take part in the Dubai training sessions.

In a recent interview, McKinstry revealed he had held talks with Mubiru before he signed for Championship side Wycombe Wanderers.

“I have been in constant contact with Mubiru,” McKinstry began as per Kawowo. “We spoke about the prospect of moving to the Championship after he called to consult for advice and I gave him a go-ahead.

“The Championship is one of the most - if not the very best of the - competitive leagues in the world, with thrilling action week in, week out. It is definitely a great platform for Mubiru to develop further.”

The 25-year-old, born in London to a Nigerian father and a Ugandan mother, had managed to score two goals in 23 Scottish Premiership games for Hearts last season before he moved to Wycombe.

He previously played in the English League One with Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, Blackpool, and Doncaster Rovers, and he has expressed his readiness to play on the international scene with the Cranes.

Upon being called up to Cranes squad before the qualifiers were suspended owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Mubiru said: “It’s always been a dream to represent my country.

"I thank God for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to testing myself at international level and hopefully achieving great things with Uganda Cranes.”

Uganda are seeking to qualify for the Afcon for a third successive time.

This is according to their captain and goalkeeper, Veli Mothwa.

Chippa will go into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw against Cape Town City last weekend. And having come from a goal down, and finished as the stronger team against the Citizens, there will be a fair degree of confidence within the Chilli Boys camp.

Amakhosi, meanwhile, have played twice this season - they scraped through in a 2-1 win over Maritzburg United in the MTN8 quarter-finals and were then beaten 3-0 by Mamelodi Sundowns in their opening league fixture.

Always under scrutiny as the biggest club in South Africa, the pressure will soon build on Hunt and his men if they don't start putting results together quickly.

That could work to Chippa's advantage. And there's also the matter of revenge - last season the Chilli Boys lost twice to Amakhosi and ended the second match with nine men after two red cards.

With this in mind, the Eastern Cape side are fired up to give the Soweto giants a torrid evening.

“They might be a wounded lion‚ but so are we," Mothwa told Sowetan Live.

“Remember what Chiefs did to us [last season]? So there is no peace‚ no forgiveness for what they did to us.

"No matter what they bring at us we are going to fight‚” Mothwa continued. "Whoever wants it more and works harder to succeed will be the happier team.”

According to the Chippa keeper, the key to success will be for his men to keep cool heads against their more illustrious and experienced opponents.

“Yes it is a big-time game‚ we understand it will be tough. But I think it will come down to how we apply our minds and work towards achieving what we need to on the pitch‚” he explained.

In 16 previous games against the Glamour Boys, Chippa have won five and lost nine.

Antonio Conte says Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez can still improve as Inter prepare to face Shakhtar Donetsk once again.

The Nerazzurri made light work of Shakhtar in their previous meeting, winning 5-0 in the Europa League semi-final in August.

Lukaku and Martinez each scored twice in that emphatic victory in Dusseldorf as they became the first Inter striker duo to hit at least 20 goals each in a single season since Adriano and Obafemi Martins in 2004-05.

Lukaku, whose 34 goals in all competitions was the best tally for a player in his first season at the club since Ronaldo 22 years ago, has already hit seven goals in six appearances in 2020-21.

But Inter boss Conte expects both players to get better as he attempts to re-establish the club as a major force in the Champions League.

"They made huge improvements and they can become even more important for the team," Conte said on Monday ahead of Inter's Group B game with Shakhtar.

"In order to compare them with other [great strikers] at European level, we need to win, it's the only way to carve out an important place in Europe."

Conte also warned against any sort of complacency against a Shakhtar side that stunned Real Madrid with a 3-2 win in Spain on matchday one.

"The two situations [last season's semi-final and this match] can't be compared," he said. "In August, we were perfect both in defence and attack. We'll need another careful performance.

"They are very strong, most of them are Brazilian players, very fast and skilful. It's no accident they won in Madrid, so we'll need a lot of attention. We want to play a good game."

Shakhtar boss Luis Castro also hopes there is no repeat of the previous meeting, in which Inter scored four in 19 minutes in the second half.

"It showed what I already knew about football: everything can happen so suddenly," he said. "We were only one goal down at the break but after their second goal, the game was slipping through our fingers.

"However, tomorrow isn't decided yet. I'm learning all the time, and my biggest lesson from that game is that you have to keep going no matter what is happening around you."

Pep Guardiola has addressed Sergio Aguero's contract situation at Manchester City, while admitting the Blues "miss him a lot" when he's not fit to play.

Aguero has just entered the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium, having spent the last nine years of his career in Manchester.

The 32-year-old has hit 255 goals in 373 appearances for City during that time, becoming their all-time record scorer in the process, but injuries have often held him back from making an even greater contribution.

The Argentine made his return to action after four months out with a knee issue against Arsenal on October 17, and he netted his 40th Champions League goal four days later in a 3-1 win over Porto.

Aguero retained a spot in Guardiola's starting XI for a clash with West Ham at the weekend, but extended his scoring drought in the Premier League to eight games as City were held to a 1-1 draw, while also picking up a fresh knock.

Guardiola confirmed that a prized asset could be set for another four weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring issue ahead of a trip to Marseille on Tuesday night.

The City boss was also asked whether or not City have opened talks with Aguero over a contract renewal, but he refused to be drawn on his future before expressing his frustration over the striker's ongoing fitness problems.

"I don't know, I don't want to talk about it because I am not involved with this," Guardiola told a pre-match press conference.

"If I should be involved in contracts, maybe the day should be 48 hours, not 24! What I want is for Sergio to be fit, what I want is Sergio [to] come back again, be ready as much as possible.

"We miss him a lot. What he has done for this club is outstanding, [he] will be a legend of this club, we want to enjoy him before but it depends on his physicality and his physical condition."

After their latest European outing, City will start preparing for a must-win encounter away at Sheffield United on Saturday.

Guardiola's men have slipped to 13th in the Premier League standings after five fixtures, but do have a game in hand on current league leaders Everton, who have 13 points to their name.

Francisca Ordega has backed Randy Wandrum to succeed as Nigeria's women team coach, conceding the wait for his engagement took longer than expected.

The Super Falcons had gone without a substantive tactician for more a year since the resignation of Thomas Dennerby in September 2019.

But early in October, Waldrum, who previously handled Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the US U23 national team, was named as Dennerby's replacement by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The Shanghai Shengli striker was full of praise of the American's recruitment while expressing relief her side was able to get a new coach after more than a year wait.

"I am happy, very happy. It is not a good thing for a team to stay without a coach for a year," Ordega told ESPN.

"It has been a really long time for us. It's not a good thing for a senior team to be without a coach for a whole year. It's not proper at all."

Before accepting to take the Nigeria job, the 64-year-old had also previously handled Houston Dash for three years during which Ordega was with Washington Spirit.

Having featured against Dash, the 27-year-old striker gave her tactical impression of Waldrum after playing against his team in the National Women's Soccer League.

"I played against him several times. Playing against this team was always tough for us. So I really think he is a good choice for [Nigeria]," she continued.

"It wasn't really easy for them to beat us even though he is a good coach because if you don't have the kind of players you want or expect, it is hard for you to beat the bigger or better team and we had better players."

She also went on to share her expectations from the American as her national team coach, assessing his pedigree in the US.

"You know, America has one of the best teams in the world in terms of women's football. The reason is that they take your weaknesses and they work on it to make you improve," she added.

"For example, when I first went there, I did not have stamina, but they saw that as my weakness and worked on me and my stamina improved.

"Their professionalism is on a different level. I think he's going to bring that. The way Americans think is quite different from the way we think, in terms of football, they're very smart, they take decisions fast.

"I'm not even ashamed of telling this story. When I went to America at first, I always found it difficult because when the coach is trying to explain things the other girls would pick it up quickly, because they've been trained right from the college but I wasn't used to it.

"It was difficult for me to step in but with time, I was able to cope. I believe he's going bring the idea of enabling us think fast, not just while playing but even when we're outside the field we should also think really, really fast, we should be smarter.

"That would help us a lot because I think that is where our lapses are. We are strong, but we don't really know when to use that strength. So, I think he's going to come put it right for us when to use it, when to use our head and when to use the strength as well."

Waldrum is expected to lead the Super Falcons to defend their continental crown at the 2022 Africa Women's Cup of Nations and secure qualification to the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Leicester City’s 1-0 success at Arsenal on Sunday was an anomaly in every sense of the word. The Foxes’ win in North London was their first victory on the road over the Gunners in 27 games in all competitions dating back to 1973.

While Leicester’s first success in 47 years at the home of the historic club felt like a deviation from the expected, Jamie Vardy netting the game’s only goal was par for the course. Indeed, the Englishman’s headed strike with 11 minutes to play was his 11th in 12 appearances against the London side.

As for Arsenal, their first home defeat under Arteta since Chelsea got the better of them 2-1 in December 2019 was disappointing, particularly the second half. The Premier League goal drought of captain and talisman, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, now stands at five games, his longest stretch without scoring a league goal for the club.

Mikel Arteta’s line-up posed a few interesting questions, particularly the inclusion of Thomas Partey who featured from the off for the first time in the Prem. The signing from Atletico Madrid got a seven-minute run out in Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat by Manchester City in gameweek five, before playing brilliantly in their 2-1 comeback win over Rapid Vienna on Thursday night.

Given that observers pay little or no attention to the Europa League — in the competition’s infancy, at least —Sunday night was the perfect time to see the West African on their screens.

Following James Maddison’s audacious effort to catch Bernd Leno off his line in the opening minute, the Arsenal side settled and there was an immediate interest to work out how Arteta had set up his side.

Before a ball was kicked, it looked like a 4-3-3 — Leno; Hector Bellerin, David Luiz, Gabriel, Kieran Tierney; Granit Xhaka, Partey, Dani Ceballos; Aubameyang, Bukayo Saka, Alexander Lacazette — but it played out differently in reality.

Xhaka drifted away from central midfield, instead moonlighting as a left-sided centre-back whenever the home side had the ball. This was done to mitigate for Tierney’s pushing so far forward on that left flank, thus preventing Brendan Rodgers’ team from hitting on the break. In fairness, Vardy’s absence meant there were a paucity of runs in behind to truly threaten the Gunners.

The former captain’s role made things interesting, particularly for Partey. Out of possession in the opening 15 minutes and for majority of the first half, the Ghana midfielder pushed forward to press Leicester City’s defenders and central midfielders.

This was done along with Arsenal’s front three of Auba, Saka and Lacazette to disrupt the Foxes’ build-up. Interestingly, there were a few occasions where the 27-year-old midfielder found himself ahead of Lacazette, the Gunners’ central striker when harrying the visitors in their defensive third.

Whenever Arteta’s team were building up, Partey was intermittently the deepest midfielder mostly positioned centrally with Ceballos to his right. With Xhaka occasionally leaving his defensive position to join the new signing in central midfield when Leicester were sat really deep, Arsenal’s shape sporadically morphed into a 2-3-5 in possession.

Thus, the Spaniard and Swiss occupied the right-back and left-back zones respectively, guarding that area in preparation for any Leicester counter. Partey remained central, positioned in front of both centre-backs.

As Rodgers’ side strangely sat off, consequently leaving Luiz in glorious isolation to pick out both wing-backs who were free, the centre-back’s long-range passing set up a few promising openings for the three-time Premier League winners in the opening half.

Sadly, the Brazilian’s withdrawal four minutes after half-time killed every threat the home side carried from their build-up. This was strange due to the presence of Partey, whose first-rate passing range wasn’t utilised enough on the night.

Still, the ex-Atletico man had his moments. He found Bellerin with a well-weighted ball over the top in the 25th minute and the wing-back played a dangerous-looking ball into the centre of the box but there were strangely no Arsenal bodies in that area.

Puzzlingly, little of Partey attempting to release his full-back was seen until after the Foxes scored.

In the 82nd minute, two minutes after Arsenal fell behind, the new signing switched play to Bellerin with a beautiful ball but the wide defender couldn’t control in time and it ran out for a Leicester goal kick. This was repeated in the 89th minute but the ball was hooked away by Christian Fuchs before the Spaniard could chest it down.

In summary, it was bemusing that Arteta’s men were so affected by Luiz’s withdrawal after the break when they had a player of Partey's profile in the team. The pair had combined in the 40th minute — Luiz intercepted a short pass, played it to the Ghana star whose first-time pass set up Aubameyang for a shot, unwittingly blocked by the Brazilian CB — probably suggesting some sort of early understanding.

The home side's lack of intensity after the interval was underlined in how their top midfield signing was a tad slow in closing Tielemans down in the move leading to Vardy's customary goal against them.

Arsenal, who had one attempt after half-time, shouldn’t have suffered as badly as they did after Luiz’s substitution, and the Gunners have to involve the West African in their build-up going forward if they’re to be beneficiaries of his undoubted qualities.

Mohamed Salah is better now than he was in his first season at Liverpool, according to Jordan Henderson, who has described the Egyptian's goal record as "computer game stuff".

Salah endeared himself to Liverpool fans instantly following a €42 million (£38m/$50m) move from Roma in the summer of 2017, scoring 44 goals in 52 appearances in his maiden campaign at Anfield.

He became the highest scoring striker in a single Premier League season in the process, while helping the Reds reach their first Champions League final in 13 years.

Salah has since increased his tally for Jurgen Klopp's side to 100 goals in 161 games, bringing up his century in a thrilling 2-2 draw in a Merseyside derby clash against Everton earlier this month.

The 28-year-old's output in the final third has decreased gradually over the past two seasons, but he remains one of the most deadly forwards in European football, and already has six goals to his name in 2020-21.

Henderson is in awe of how consistent Salah has been in front of goal, and thinks he is a more complete player now than he was during his extraordinary first year on Merseyside.

“Mo’s numbers are jaw-dropping,” the Liverpool captain wrote in the club's official matchday programme ahead of a home date with FC Midtjylland in the Champions League on Tuesday. “He’s achieved his century in just 159 appearances – that is computer game stuff!

“I read that Mo got to this milestone in the third-quickest time in LFC history. The other two Liverpool players who got to a century quicker are Roger Hunt and Jack Parkinson – and we are going back quite a long time. It just emphasises the enormity of his contribution. 

“I shouldn’t be surprised, but it yet again underlines just how blessed we all are to be working with him, or be a supporter of this club at the time he is here with us.

“Not for one minute do I think Mo is taken for granted; he 100 per cent isn’t by anyone associated with our club at least. But I do think the level of his achievement maybe deserves a little more recognition in the game.

“It’s possible that the numbers he hit in his first season with us – 40-plus goals – means everything else since has been measured by an unfair and unrealistic yardstick.

“As someone privileged to play alongside him, I can tell you I think he is so much better now than during that first season. I also think his contribution now is more important than in that first season. As amazing as he was, he has only got better and better."

Henderson added on the work Salah puts in across the pitch which often gets overlooked: “If you look at how we have evolved as a team since 2017-18, the contribution by Mo to that has been as big as anyone’s. He works so hard for the team, sacrifices for the team. All of us on the pitch benefit from that.

“It does feel – rightly or wrongly – that Mo is only really praised when he scores goals, and that for me is missing so much of the all-round contribution he makes.

“We are so fortunate to have this quality in all our front players. Sadio, Bobby, Taki, Diogo, Divock, Shaq and so on… To play in our forward line you have to be about far more than just goals and assists. Mo epitomises the best of that and yet still gets the numbers he does.

“Personally speaking, I hope the goal at Goodison Park was Mo reaching his first hundred for Liverpool and there are so many more to come. I’m sure that will be the case. But in the meantime, I can’t begin to tell you how much we all appreciate him.”

Orlando Pirates' new signing Wayde Jooste will be put through a late fitness test to determine whether he can feature against Stellenbosch FC on Wednesday.

The Buccaneers take on Stellenbosch at the Orlando Stadium at 7:30 and are looking for their first league win of the new season after drawing 1-1 with AmaZulu on Saturday night.

They began the 2020/21 campaign the week before that with an edgy 1-0 victory over Cape Town City in the MTN8 quarter-finals.

The 29-year-old Jooste, signed from Highlands Park, completed a full 90 minutes in both games as he hit the ground running for his new team.

However, the Soweto club have now revealed that the former Golden Arrows wide player picked up a bit of a knock and is a slight doubt for Wednesday's showdown with the Western Cape side.

"New signing Wayde Jooste is expected to undergo a late fitness test to determine his availability for the home DStv Premiership clash against Stellenbosch FC on Wednesday evening," read a statement on the official club website.

"The full-back experienced a minor discomfort in his legs during Bucs’1-all draw away to AmaZulu this past weekend. According to the medical team, the 29-year old’s injury is not serious, but he will still have to undergo the necessary tests to determine his availability for the clash against the hard-running visitors from Cape Town."

Also revealed is that Collins Makgaka picked up an eye injury during training.

The club explained he's been receiving treatment but did not elaborate as to whether this would rule the former Baroka player out of selection contention. He has been an unused substitute in both of Pirates’ opening two matches this season.

Tshegofatso Mabasa is, meanwhile, still receiving rehabilitation for a foot injury and will be out for another few weeks before returning to training.

Bongani Sam is close to recovering from a hamstring injury and is likely to be back training next week.

Franck Kessie has praised AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli for his ability to manage the club which he believes has contributed in no small measure to the impressive form of the side.

The San Siro Stadium outfit are on a 22-game unbeaten run, winning 17 of them and have continued to enjoy a near-perfect start to the 2020-21 season.

The Red and Blacks have won four of their opening five Serie A games to sit atop the league table with 13 points.   

Milan last won the league title in 2011 and the Ivory Coast international believes they can finish high this season, while showering encomium on Pioli for the progress of the Red and Blacks thus far.

"We don't set ourselves any limits. We are on the right path and we have to carry on working like this,” Kessie told BBC Sport Africa.

"We have great enthusiasm and high spirit. We want to keep it and nourish it even more until the end of the season.

"The gaffer knows how to manage the group - and we all feel important parts of the project. He told me what he expected from me.

“At the beginning, it wasn't easy, but then I understood his requests and I could translate them onto the pitch."

Kessie has been with Milan since the summer of 2017, initially on loan from Atalanta before the deal was made permanent.

The midfielder struggled on his arrival before becoming a key member of the team under Pioli and explains his feelings each time he plays for the Italian giants.  

"I have never even thought of leaving the club and no one here asked me to do so," he continued.

"Wearing this shirt, which is like a second skin to me, is a source of pride for me and my family. I am already a veteran of the squad and I need to lead by example.

"Wearing this shirt is an honour as well as a responsibility. We represent millions of fans around the world and we all work hard every day to bring AC Milan back where it belongs."

The midfielder has 42 caps for Ivory Coast and featured prominently in their friendly games against Belgium and Japan this month as part of their preparation for the Afcon qualifying match against Madagascar in November.

"Ivory Coast has a good squad - we are a tight-knit group and I am happy. We have important players such as Wilfried Zaha, Nicolas Pepe, Christian Kouame, Maxwel Cornet and Serge Aurier,” he added.

"We played two friendly games recently and we drew against Belgium, which is one of the best teams in the world. Unfortunately, we didn't do as well against Japan [losing 1-0]. We are improving though and we have what it takes to go all the way."

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Xola Mlambo is the latest big-name player to join the AmaZulu revolution and is eyeing trophies with the Durban-based club.

Mlambo became the fourth player to make the switch from Pirates to Usuthu this season as he followed in the footsteps of Luvuyo Memela, Augustine Mulenga and Thembela Sikhakhane.

Another former Bucs star, Thabo Rakhale, is continuing to be linked to AmaZulu as well.

Other new arrivals at the club include Siphiwe Tshabalala, Limbikani Mzava, Makhehleni Makhaula, Siphelele Mthembu, Sphamandla Nene, Sicelo Mkhize and Sazi Mgwazela.

Head coach Ayanda Dlamini will have his work cut out in getting all the new players to settle in, while still keeping those who have remained from last season happy.

Mlambo, though, feels excited to be part of a new chapter in Usuthu's history, which has seen new owner Sandile Zungu be quick to get out the cheque-book to bolster the squad.

“I’m also happy to see some familiar faces in this new-look AmaZulu squad," Mlambo was quoted saying by the official club website.

And the former Chippa United and Bidvest Wits midfield schemer is adamant that his new team can challenge for silverware.

"The combination of the players that have been here and those that have joined will take this club to greater heights as we look to win cups for Usuthu,” he said.

The KwaZulu-Natal club were losing Nedbank Cup finalists in 2010. One has to go all the way back to 1992 for their most recent trophy success, which came in the Coca Cola Cup (now known as the Telkom Knockout).

AmaZulu started the new campaign with a credible 1-1 draw against Orlando Pirates at the Kings Park Stadium and were a bit unlucky not to take maximum points after Pirates scored through a penalty kick which should have in fact been a free kick.

Usuthu next take on Premier Soccer League (PSL) newcomers TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Last season the Durban team finished in 13th spot on the league table, just a single point above the relegation zone.

Jose Mourinho has warned that he will not tolerate "prima donnas" at Tottenham as he held Harry Kane up as a model professional.

Spurs stretched their unbeaten run to 10 games in all competitions when they beat Burnley 1-0 on Monday.

Before he provided the assist for Son Heung-min's decisive goal, Kane prevented Burnley from scoring in the second half when he cleared a James Tarkowski effort off the line.

The England star has five goals and eight assists in the Premier League this season and Mourinho wants all of his players to make sacrifices for the team the way he does.

"In the last minute [he was also] pressing, a sliding tackle and stopping the guys from putting the ball in the box. When you want to win you do everything for your team, there is no space for individuals, no space for prima donnas," he told BBC Sport.

"Even a top player like Harry has this spirit, I just want to say it’s fantastic.

"I don’t want to say that [this is the most complete he has been], he was amazing with every coach here, he was amazing for Mauricio [Pochettino].

"I want to say that the way the team plays, and today is not the best example of that, but I think he feels very comfortable and it’s a very good way for him to play because he’s good in the box, but he’s also magnificent outside the box."

Spurs' latest victory was not as glamorous as their 6-1 win against Manchester United, but Mourinho says he was just happy to get the three points, which lifted his side to fifth in the English top flight.

"[Whether it's] 6-1 or 1-0, three points. So, I’m as happy as I was at United, at Old Trafford," he said. "I knew and I said in the pre-match interview that this was not the game for beautiful football, this was not the game to score many goals.

"This guy here beside me, Sean [Dyche], he knows how to organise a team and he knows how to stop the better teams from playing fluid.

"The game is really difficult, they defended very well, they press very well, they reduce the tempo of the game and then in one set-piece they can always score like they almost scored when Harry Kane took the ball on the line. Very hard game, but I’m very happy because this is the typical match where you can easily leave two points behind."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic must rest "every now and then" despite his surprising "physical condition", according to Stefano Pioli, who insists that even AC Milan's star man "will have to catch his breath".

Ibrahimovic took his tally to six goals in five Serie A appearances at the start of the new season by netting twice in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Roma on Monday night.

The 39-year-old opened the scoring in the second minute at San Siro, knocking the ball past Antonio Mirante in the Giallorossi net after latching onto a superb Rafael Leao through ball.

Edin Dzeko headed an equaliser for the visitors 12 minutes later, but Milan regained the advantage just before the interval via an Alexis Saelemaekers strike.

Jordan Veretout drew Roma level again 20 minutes from time when he slotted home from the penalty spot, before Ibrahimovic produced an equally composed finish from 12 yards at the other end to set Milan on their way to a fifth successive victory.

Paulo Fonseca's side were not to be denied though, with Marash Kumbulla turning home a deflected corner at the back post late on to ensure that both sides shared the spoils.

Pioli hailed Ibrahimovic for delivering the goods in the final third once again, but warned he will need to conserve his energy amid a congested fixture list as the season progresses.

"It is never easy to score so many goals at the beginning of the season, he is surprising me with his physical condition, also because he has made a particular preparation," the Milan boss told reporters.

"Then every now and then he too will have to catch his breath."

Pioli also reserved special praise for four more members of his senior squad, beginning with 21-year-old midfielder Leao, who is just starting to deliver on his considerable potential at San Siro.

"During the week I spoke quite clearly to Rafa about what I expect from him, I am very happy with his performance. He must insist this way, he is a very young and strong guy," he said.

"Saelemaekers is growing a lot, also [Samu] Castillejo, [Ante] Rebic is missing for more than a month, [Jens Petter] Hauge was doing well. We raised the level of the squad."

Pioli added on Milan managing to retain their spot at the top of Serie A and extend their unbeaten start to the season: "I go home satisfied with the performance, we don't have to look at the standings.

"It is useless to hide it, at the end of the game the players were not satisfied, there are regrets, we tried until the end."

Ahmed Hegazi said a fond farewell to West Bromwich Albion in an emotional statement published on social media following his move to Al Ittihad.

The 29-year-old joined the Baggies on loan from Al Ahly on July 17, 2017 and after his impressive maiden season for the English side, West Brom signed the centre back on a permanent basis.

After helping the Hawthorns giants return to the Premier League, his progress stalled as he failed to establish himself in Slaven Bilic’s squad that boasts of Nigeria international Semi Ajayi.

His only game in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign was in the 0-0 home draw with Burnley.

However, he has teamed up with the Saudi Professional League club on an initial loan deal where he would be hoping to get regular playing time.

Now, as he prepares to commence on a new journey with Fabio Carille’s squad. Hegazi reiterated his affinity for West Brom.

“To my dear Baggies, I would like to thank you deeply for all the support you have given me over the past three years, through all the ups and downs. You have been amazing to me and my family,” the Egyptian wrote on Instagram.

“And I have always endeavoured to repay this faith by giving absolutely everything on the pitch for this great club, the fans and my team mates.

“I would also like to thank my team mates, coaches, and all the staff at West Bromwich Albion for welcoming me from day one, you have become family and I will miss you all, I wish you the best of luck for the rest of the season and the future.

“Now I'm looking forward to starting a new challenge with Al Ittihad club, which is one of the biggest and most popular in Arab region, Asia.”

At the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the former Perugia and Fiorentina player unites with Cape Verde’s Garry Rodrigues, Cote d’Ivoire’s Wilfried Bony, Tunisia's Anice Badri, Morocco's El Ahmadi and Mali's Ahmed Eldin for the 2020-21 Saudi Pro League campaign.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he is expected to make his debut against Al Ahli on October 31.

With news having emerged that Nigeria's military opening fire on citizens and killing 12 protesters, sports stars and athletes all over the world have voiced their solidarity in support of ending Sars.

But what is the End Sars movement about and which footballers are supporting it? Goal takes a look.

What is the End Sars protest about?

The End Sars movement is a protest fighting against the police brutality of Sars, Nigeria's Special Anti-Robber Squad, which was launched in 2017.

Sars have been accused of several unjust arrests, discriminatory profiling, extortion and torture, which has led to and protesters banding together.

End Sars protests began in early October, with thousands of young Nigerians taking to the streets to peacefully protest the injustice of Sars' methods.

The Nigerian military had opened fire on thousands of civilians who attended an #EndSars protest in Lagos, with the city's state governor stating that it resulted in just one death.

Amnesty International, however, have confirmed that the Nigerian army and police had killed at least 12 peaceful protesters.

Though the unit was disbanded after several days of protests following tensions within the country, activists still believe that there is much left to be done.

"Opening fire on peaceful protesters is a blatant violation of people’s rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Soldiers clearly had one intention - to kill without consequences," said Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

"These shootings clearly amount to extrajudicial executions. There must be an immediate investigation and suspected perpetrators must be held accountable through fair trials.

"Authorities must ensure access to justice and effective remedies for the victims and their families."

Which footballers have supported the End Sars campaign?

Several athletes have spoken out in support of the End Sars protests , with the movement having several links to the world of sport.

Nigerian sports stars have a personal connection to the End Sars campaign since the death of Nigerian footballer Tiamiyu Kazeem in February 2020, with Kazeem having been killed by a hit-and-run driver after being stopped by Sars officers.

Izu Joseph, also a footballer, was shot during a community raid by law enforcement agents in 2016.

Victor Moses dedicated his first Russian Premier League goal for Spartak Moscow to the End Sars protesters in his native Nigeria during a 3-1 win over Krasnodar.

“Brilliant win today and delighted to get my first goal for the club,” Moses tweeted.

“I dedicate my goal today to the people of Nigeria. Enough is enough! Nigerians have the right to protest and not be killed for it. Pray for Nigeria.”

Other high-profile footballers both Nigerian and non-Nigerian such as Odion Ighalo, Tammy Abraham, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Antonio Rudiger have also voiced their support for the protesters.

“Sending the military to kill unarmed protesters because they are protesting for their own rights? It’s uncalled for," Ighalo said in a video posted to his Twitter.

“I’m calling the UK government and all the leaders in the world to see what is going on in Nigeria and help the poor citizens. The government are killing their own citizens.

“We are calling you guys in the United Nations to see to this matter. I want to tell my brothers and sisters back home to remain safe, be indoor and please don’t come out because the government are killers and they will keep killing if the world doesn’t talk about this.”

"#EndSARS for the safety of Nigerians... we are scared to visit home because the people who are meant to protect us are killing us. Looking good with dreads is not a crime," wrote Ndidi.

The likes of Marcus Rashford, Mesut Ozil and Rio Ferdinand have also voiced their solidarity.

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone said Luis Suarez could still start the club's Champions League fixture against Salzburg, despite training away from the squad.

Suarez trained individually ahead of Tuesday's Group A showdown with Austrian visitors Salzburg in Madrid.

Simeone - whose Atletico were routed 4-0 by defending champions Bayern Munich on matchday one - provided a fitness update on Suarez, telling reporters on Monday: "He'll be in the squad.

"We agreed with the doctor that it was best for him to work away from the group [on Monday] and then, according to what we see tomorrow, he'll [either] start or be on the bench."

Suarez has been in red-hot form since swapping embattled La Liga giants Barcelona for Spanish rivals Atletico at the start of the season.

The 33-year-old has scored four goals in five league games, including the second goal in last week's 2-0 victory at home to Real Betis.

Suarez also scored his 150th La Liga goal earlier this month, becoming the second fastest player to reach that milestone in the competition this century - quicker than Lionel Messi and only behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

Asked if he was surprised by Suarez's impact, Simeone replied: "Surprised, no.  I've found a player who I listened to on the phone when we first made contact in that first chat to see if there was a chance he could join us.

"He wanted to be here and he's proving it. Let's hope we can help him."

Simeone also hailed Atletico attacker Joao Felix, who has impressed during the early stages of 2020-21.

Joao Felix arrived from Benfica for a club-record €126 million fee last season but injuries hampered the Portuguese after a solid start.

He has a goal and one assist through five La Liga appearances and Simeone added: "It's always the same. For me, he's had some very good games since the start of the season. Granada, Huesca, Villarreal despite being tired, the whole game in Munich...

"He's looked dangerous on a number of occasions. The other day [against Real Betis], when he came on in the 25th minute, the team had a good fluidity.

"I'm happy with his work, except for a few minutes against Celta [Vigo], which weren't the best. We're always looking for a situation to find him [on the pitch]. He's a boy who's in good form, like many of his team-mates."