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Hassan Oktay has supported former Gor Mahia official Omondi Aduda after he made claims foreign coaches use the club as a stepping stone for greater things.

The Turkish-Cypriot tactician is among the six foreigners who have handled the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions in the last six seasons, an influx which the club’s former CEO explained was as a result of the coaches using the club to better their CVs.

The 46-year-old, who won a record 18th league title with the club, and also made history by taking the team to the quarter-finals of the Caf Confederation Cup, has now claimed not all the coaches who come to handle K’Ogalo have passion and dedication to do their job.

“Aduda is very right,” Oktay told Goal from his base in Britain on Wednesday. “We have coaches who come to a team ready to work and deliver while others are after something, I can’t speak for them.”

Asked to explain how the coaches used the club, Oktay said: “I didn't understand, my character, I don't use people when I learn how to use people I will let you know.”

Oktay further said he was happy Gor Mahia understood his problems when he asked to go home for family matters before he tendered his resignation.

“It's true you guys know my problem I had a hard time, big problems, and left but I did work very hard and did a good job there,” Oktay continued.

“Before coming to Gor Mahia, my background was very strong - West Ham United Academy, Watford FC. I also worked in Asia where I won the league and also worked in Saudi Arabia.

“I always did a good job where I went to, while at Gor Mahia I managed to beat Egyptian giants Zamalek, Hussein Dey [Algeria], Petro Atletico [Angola], it is not easy, don’t think it’s easy.”

Oktay also defended Aduda on allegations he was lying on coaches using Gor Mahia as a stepping stone, by stating: “For me, Aduda was a great, experienced person and with a great personality.”

On Tuesday, Dylan Kerr, who left the club to pave way for the arrival of Oktay, also distanced himself from the claims saying he never used the club as a stepping stone.

Kerr, who won two league titles with Gor Mahia before ending his 16-month spell to sign for Black Leopards of South Africa, defended himself by saying he was not that type of coach and that his stay with the club was done in a professional manner.

“No…not in my case,” Kerr told Goal on Tuesday when asked whether he was among the coaches who have used Gor Mahia as a stepping stone. “But I can’t say for any other coach, I don’t know about them.”

When pressed further to explain, Kerr said: “It never happened that way and Gor Mahia chairman [Ambrose Rachier] knew about my move, he knew why I left because I talked to him.”

Gor Mahia have since appointed Brazilian coach Roberto Oliveira Goncalves to replace Steven Polack, who left on mutual agreement last week.

Mason Mount says he is eager to play alongside Jack Grealish for England, with it his desire to work with the "best" players in the game.

Grealish was handed his first senior start for England in a friendly against Wales last week. The Aston Villa talisman produced a man of the match performance as Gareth Southgate's side ran out 3-0 winners at Wembley, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Conor Coady and Danny Ings grabbing the goals.

He was, however, subsequently dropped for a meeting with Belgium at the same venue in the Nations League.

Mount was drafted in to feature in a front three alongside Marcus Rashford and Calvert-Lewin, and the Chelsea midfielder ended up grabbing the winning goal - albeit with the help of a fortunate deflection.

England were far less creative during the 2-1 win with Southgate prioritising functionality over flair, but got the job done to move top of League A, Group 2.

Much has been made of the competition between Mount and Grealish, with the Three Lions due back in action against Denmark on Wednesday. The former has played down any notion of a rivalry though, while expressing his belief that there is plenty of room for both in Southgate's line up.

"I love watching him [Grealish] play as well. He's brilliant to be around. Obviously, we all know what he can do, what a brilliant player he is," Mount told Sky Sports. "I get on very well with Jack. He's a brilliant player and, yes, we always want to play together.

"We have such a strong group with loads of top, top players. You always want to play with the best and when you come away with England you're doing that.

"It means so much to come away and play with the likes of Jack and the top, top players in the group.

"You're learning all the time. Sometimes when you come away you don't really know what kind of moves they make on the ball.

"You have to kind of learn about the players while you're away training. You don't get much time, but when you're playing the games you kind of have that connection and I think me and Jack do definitely have that. You always want to play with the best players, win a lot of games as a group.

"We want to win things, we're definitely on that path to keep working hard and to get better and better."

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have officially confirmed new coach Cedric Kaze will report to work on Thursday.

The Burundian tactician is set to be unveiled by the Jangwani giants as a replacement for Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, who was fired by the club after only 37 days in charge of the team.

Since confirming Kaze was to take over as coach, the club was yet to confirm when he will arrive to take charge.

However, GSM, who are Yanga's sponsors, have now revealed through Hersi Said that the coach will land in Dar es Salaam on Thursday from Canada in readiness to start work.

“Our new coach Cedric [Kaze] will arrive in Dar es Salaam on Thursday via a KLM flight from Canada,” Said is quoted by Sokaletu. “The plane carrying Kaze will arrive at Julius Nyerere Airport at 22:00.”

Since the exit of Krmpotic, Yanga have been training under assistant coach Juma Mwambusi ahead of their next Mainland Premier League match against Polisi Tanzania.

In a recent interview, Kaze confirmed he took part in recruiting new players at Yanga and also explained how he would face rivals.

Yanga signed a number of players from local and international locations and the Burundian confirmed he played a role in getting them.

“It is true I have been following on what the team is doing since the league started and I have also been having a keen look at how the players - especially the foreign ones - have been doing,” the Burundian Ligue A winner told Mwanaspoti.

“Mukoko Tonombe, Tuisila Kisinda, Michael Sarpong and Yacouba Sogne are all the players who were under my radar and I wanted the club to sign.

“The only player I did not know well was Carlos Carlinhos but since the league began I have seen he is a top player and is good especially in taking fouls. He can deliver super crosses and can also bring deadly free-kicks.

“He is a good player whom I have come to hold in high regard.”

Kaze also spoke about local players at Timu ya Wananchi who he believes are talented enough to help them mount a successful campaign.

Kaze had been approached by Yanga to succeed Luc Eymael but he was not available due to family issues forcing the club to appoint the former Zesco United coach instead.

Denmark centre-back Jannik Vestergaard expects his side to give England a good test in Wednesday’s Nations League encounter between the two countries.

The Danes have four points from their three matches to date and sit third in League A Group 2 after a 3-0 win away to Iceland on Sunday, with Kasper Hjulmand's side looking to cause an upset at Wembley.

Gareth Southgate will know not to take Wednesday's opponents lightly following the scoreless draw between the two sides at the beginning of September in Copenhagen.

And Southampton defender Vestergaard, who is seeking to win his 19th cap, has predicted another tight affair, telling Goal: "England are great, but we are a good team as well, and we have just gone unbeaten as a team for almost four years and 34 internationals - until we lost to Belgium last month.

"We are a small country, and we are almost always underdogs coming up against the biggest countries like England, but we are a hardworking, tight group of players with good discipline.

"We are ambitious and we believe in ourselves and in our team, so we always stay focused and give everything in the 90 minutes. We fight for each other and play with respect but are never overwhelmed by the opponents.

"We have a unique kind of spirit, proven by our long unbeaten run. We know that we can be a tough team to play, difficult to beat and that we can hurt anybody. 

"And our opponents have to respect us as well, like England did in the Parken Stadium last month with a very balanced and pretty careful tactical approach and line-up.

"We have a new national team manager in Kasper Hjulmand, who has some interesting ideas that we are implementing in our game right now - and which will help us grow as a team."

Vestergaard plays alongside England internationals Danny Ings and James Ward-Prowse at Southampton, while he regularly comes up against some of the Three Lions' best players in the Premier League.

"The quality of the group of players in the England squad is mind-blowing," he said. "I know them all very well from the Premier League, and there is so much talent - and by the way also so many young talents - that you simply have to look at England as one of the favourites to become European champions next year.

"Ings got so close to the top scorer title of the Premier League last season. That is an amazing achievement playing for a team who were not in the top six. I am always madly impressed by his nose for goals - he can sniff them up out of nothing. He is an amazing player to have in your team - and a fantastic person as well.

"What an engine Ward-Prowse has got! It just never runs out of fuel during games - he is so hard-working for the team. His direct free-kicks are not matched by many - if by anyone - in the Premier League. Both are great guys, and I see them as more than team-mates - I see them as my friends."

The in-form centre-back also reflected upon his decision to stay at Southampton in the summer transfer window despite reported interest from Tottenham, with Leicester City having also been keen on signing him.

"I wont lie and say that a move hasn’t been in my thoughts," the 28-year-old admitted. "I came close in January, but the club and the manager told me that they wanted me to stay. And then I stayed. 

"This summer there has been some contact from interesting clubs, for example in Spain, but only my agent knows the details - not me. I have been dedicated to the idea of continuing at Southampton, and I certainly feel that my manager believes in me and my qualities. 

"I wanted to stay, just like other players chose to stay this summer, because we want to be a part of the great project going on here. 

"I am sure that as a team – we’ve been together for a while now – we will build upon our great results especially after the corona break, and that our manager’s exciting system will only get better and better, the more automatised it gets. 

"I strongly believe that we will develop and have a great season and finish higher in the table than in recent seasons.

"I had played around 200 games in the Bundesliga and I have some experience from the Danish national team as well as the Champions League and Europa League, but the intensity, the tempo, the physical challenges, and the sheer power of the Premier League is second to none. It is so competitive. 

"I love the duality of playing in the Premier League: both the beauty of a completing a perfect pass up the pitch and in the primitive one-against-one duels with full physical power. Both the battle and the beauty. 

"And I enjoy the passion in English football - and especially from our fans. The only minus is missing the fans because of corona. The Premier League is with no doubt the greatest league in the world."

Swansea are leading the race to sign Liverpool winger Harry Wilson on loan before Friday’s transfer deadline. 

The Welsh outfit are one of a host of Championship clubs keen on the 23-year-old, who failed to secure a permanent move away from Anfield earlier this month.

Liverpool had been willing to sell Wilson this summer, but rejected a bid of £12million ($15.5m) plus add-ons from Burnley shortly before the Premier League window closed, insisting the Wales international was worth closer to £20m ($26m) following a productive season on loan in the Premier League with Bournemouth last term. 

With no follow-up offer from the Clarets, and with no rival bidders emerging in the final days of the window, it looked as though the Wrexham-born wideman would be forced to remain on Merseyside until at least January.

That, though, could change before the end of the week, with Liverpool ready to soften their stance on a loan move ahead of the Football League deadline. 

Wilson was a surprise starter for Liverpool in their Carabao Cup defeat to Arsenal recently, his first appearance for the club since 2017 and only his second in total, but he has already been omitted from the Reds’ Champions League squad list, and Goal understands that the club will consider offers from the Championship before Friday’s 11pm deadline. 

Swansea at this stage appear to be in pole position. Managed by Steve Cooper, a former Liverpool academy coach, they earned credit with the Reds for their handling of Rhian Brewster, who scored 11 goals in 22 appearances having moved to the Liberty Stadium on loan last season. 

Derby, with who Wilson enjoyed an eye-catching spell in 2018-19, are believed to be another strong contender, while Goal has been told at least three other clubs have expressed interest to the player and his representatives. Wilson, for his part, is keen on the idea of playing regular football. 

Liverpool have already allowed midfielder Marko Grujic to leave, having failed to find a buyer for the Serbian midfielder. Grujic joined Porto on loan last week after a potential deal to join Werder Bremen permanently fell through.

There may be other departures in the coming days. Defender Nat Phillips is wanted by a host of Championship clubs, including Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough, while Ben Woodburn could move to League One, with both Charlton and Hull City keen.

Canada forward Liam Millar and midfielder Herbie Kane may also earn temporary moves.

Coach Bobby Williamson has claimed he never applied for the position of Gor Mahia head coach.

Williamson was appointed in 2013 by the Kenyan Premier League giants and helped them win the title after 18 years of wait, however, a recent claim by the former CEO Omondi Aduda that foreign coaches use the club to better their resumes has forced the Scot to respond.

“I never applied for the Gor Mahia position, I was approached,” the former Uganda head coach told Goal.

“I wanted to stay at the national level but out of courtesy I spoke to the chairman [Ambrose Rachier] and we had a gentleman's agreement that if a national position came up he wouldn't stand in my way.

“True to his word he never, as for using the club to promote me I'm not sure. I knew of interest from clubs in Tanzania before we won the league and Sam Nyamweya [then FKF President] was well aware of what I achieved or didn't with Uganda.”

The former Harambee Stars head coach also defended his successors, Frank Nuttall and Dylan Kerr. Aduda had also stated Nuttall was appointed after Williamson suggested to the club that he was the right man to take over.

“As for the other two coaches, Frank [Nuttall] wasn't seeing eye to eye with the chairman and a coach he worked with previously asked him to join Zamalek SC, as for Dylan, he loved the club and the country," Williamson continued.

“I love the country reason l am still here but circumstances presented themselves and left.”

The tactician also explained why he feels coaches come and go at K’Ogalo, but is hopeful should certain things improve, they will stay longer.

“Gor Mahia were great up until they lost their sponsor then it became difficult for everyone,” he added.

“Players were unhappy and downed tools but still were good enough to win leagues and that is the reason coaches were leaving.

“I think [it] was down to that, working with unhappy players. I wish Gor Mahia all the best and if they can pay players and keep them happy I'm sure the new coach will have a great time.

“I wish him and the club all the best.”

Nuttall was the first one to hit back at Aduda saying the former CEO painted the coaches in a bad light.

“He has painted us in a bad light and given an unfair representation of us,” Nuttall said on Tuesday.

“So, in the interest of a more balanced, fair, and respectful portrayal of the coaches that he mentions, including me, the questions that need to be asked is; why has the club had [eight] coaches since 2013?

On his part, Hassan Oktay, Kerr’s successor, said Aduda could be right that some coaches build their CVs by using teams.

“Aduda is very right,” Oktay told Goal on Tuesday.

“We have coaches who come to a team ready to work and deliver while others are after something, I can’t speak for them.”

Gor Mahia were forced to appoint Oliveira Goncalves as Steven Polack's successor after he left for holiday and resigned thereafter.

Portugal boss Fernando Santos says Cristiano Ronaldo still "wants to play" after the Juventus star was left frustrated by his Covid-19 diagnosis.

The Portuguese Football Federation announced that Ronaldo had tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday afternoon.

The 35-year-old must now observe a 10-day period in quarantine, which will see him miss Portugal's latest UEFA Nations League outing against Sweden.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will also be unavailable for Juve's clash with Crotone on Sunday, and their Champions League opener away at Dynamo Kiev three days later.

Ronaldo will have to be completely Covid-free for one week before returning to action, which puts his participation in a Serie A meeting with Verona and a European showdown with Barcelona at the end of the month in doubt too.

Santos has delivered an update on the talismanic figure's condition as he continues to prepare his side for the trip to Sweden on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old head coach acknowledges the fact Portugal will be weaker without Ronaldo, but says he is still in good health and high spirits after contracting the virus.

"No team can be better without the best player in the world but this team has already demonstrated that collectively it has the capacity to tackle the situation," Santos told a press conference of Portugal's captain.

"He is managing the situation very well. He is in the room, saying he wants to play, he talks to us from upstairs [from his balcony].

"He is completely asymptomatic, he is okay, without any symptoms, he doesn’t even know what happened to him."

Asked how Portugal will cope without Ronaldo against Sweden, Santos responded: "Any player who is absent due to Covid-19 is a big loss, and Ronaldo’s absence is probably even greater [than anyone else’s].

"But I have absolute confidence in those players who are going to play.

"The plan is the same. But the dynamics are different. Cristiano has his own characteristics. No team is better without the best player in the world.

"But this team have already shown that they have the ability to respond as a collective. I have full confidence in my players."

Nine players from the first batch of the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) academy in Navi Mumbai, have penned contracts with Indian Super League (ISL) clubs.

Aritra Das, Muhammed Basith PT and Birendra Singh have been signed by Kerala Blasters, G Balaji and Aqib Nawab will be at Chennaiyin FC, Muhammed Nemil will turn up for FC Goa, Thoi Singh will be playing for Bengaluru FC, Ayush Chhikara will be honing his skills at Mumbai City FC and Koustav Dutta at Hyderabad FC. 

Balaji and Nawab’s have agreed to a two-year contract while the rest of the seven players have signed a three-year deal.

“It is a matter of great pride and joy for us that our young champs from RFYC have embarked on their professional footballing journey with ISL.” said Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder & Chairperson of Reliance Foundation. “We started the academy in 2015 to provide a pathway for talented young players across India to build successful professional careers in the sport. These boys arrived at RFYC in their early teens and I am delighted that they step out today as highly skilled players, who have earned a place with the best football clubs in the country.”

These players have spent the last five years at RFYC as the first batch of students to be inducted when the academy was founded in 2015. 

Earlier this year RFYC was conferred Two-Star Academy status by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). In 2019 the All India Football Federation (AIFF) granted a 5-star rating during the Academy Accreditation process.

AFC grants two-star status only after an academy meets rigorous criteria based on its ability to provide leadership, planning, organisation, staffing, recruitment, finance, facilities, coaching, player health, coaching and fitness among other requirements.

“In order to unlock the huge potential of Indian football, we need to create a world class eco-system,” asserted Mrs. Ambani.

“That has been our goal at RFYC over these last five years. Of course, these are still early days and a lot of hard work lies ahead for these boys at their respective clubs. But I am hopeful the training they have received in all aspects from technical skills, physical fitness, and mental conditioning will hold them in good stead. I am keeping my fingers crossed for their success!”

With 22 new young players joining the programme in the last year, the total students currently training at the RFYC academy is 65, with 22 full-time staff. RFYC also supports AIFF’s coach education efforts, to help strengthen India’s wider sports knowledge eco-system.

AFC Leopards have learned their first five opponents for the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.

The fixtures have been revealed on Wednesday and AFC Leopards will first host Western Stima, who are expected to have a relatively new-look team after Gor Mahia and Wazito FC raided their first team, on November 20.

On November 28, the former champions will be away to league debutants Bidco United. The Thika-based club has moved to strengthen their squad incredibly with players including experienced Piston Mutamba, Edwin Mukolwe and Stephen Waruru.

Bidco United finished second to Nairobi City Stars when the FKF cancelled the National Super League in May. It remains to be seen how they will fare in the top-flight with the Ingwe match seen as their first major test.

On December 4, AFC Leopards will tackle Zoo FC at home in a game that will be expected to start at 18:30.

After facing Zoo, Leopards will play host to Nzoia Sugar on December 9. The Sugar Millers have always proved a tough opponent for Ingwe and the last time the two meet at Sudi Stadium a 2-2 draw was recorded.

On December 14, AFC Leopards will either face Kisumu All-Stars or Vihiga United in what will be their fifth match of the much-anticipated 2020/21 season.

Kisumu All-Stars and Vihiga United are set to meet for a Premier League promotion play-offs in a date that is yet to be confirmed.

The FKF had earlier stated All-Stars, who finished 16th in the top-flight last season, and Vihiga United, who came third in the National Super League (NSL), will face-off on October 7 but the ban on contact sports forced the play-offs to be rescheduled.

The return match had been scheduled on October 11.

On paper, the fixtures look easy for Ingwe who are expected to mount a title challenge after a wait that has stretched for over 22 years now. AFC Leopards finished sixth in the 2019/20 season.

Although they are yet to confirm the new signings, chairman Dan Shikanda is on record promising they will unleash one of their strongest sides to fight for trophies.

On the other hand, Bandari will play Zoo, Western Stima, Tusker, KCB and Sofapaka, in that order, as they hope to have a stable campaign unlike what they experienced during the last season.

Finally, Bidco United will have quite a tough task as they have been scheduled to face tough opponents in the first five ties. They will open the campaign with a game against Posta Rangers, and Leopards, Ulinzi Stars, Tusker and Gor Mahia follow in that order.

Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria ended an impressive international break with a 2-2 draw against Mexico in The Hague on Tuesday, despite being a man down for much of the second half.

The contest was a rare meeting between Africa Cup of Nations holders and Concacaf Gold Cup holders, but ultimately neither continental representative was able to clinch bragging rights for their confederation.

Diego Lainez struck in the 86th minute for Mexico as they salvaged a draw, having initially taken the lead late in the first half through Jesus Corona.

Algeria responded to his 43rd-minute effort two minutes later, when Ismael Bennacer finished with a fine effort from the edge of the box.

Despite going a man down 10 minutes in the second half when Adlene Guedioura was shown a second booking for a high challenge on Raul Jimenez, Algeria took the lead in the 67th minute as Mahrez finished calmly after Ramy Bensebaini had reacted quickest to lax possession from Mexico, intercepting the play and feeding the Manchester City forward.

By this point, they could have been further ahead, with Baghdad Bounedjah missing a decent chance before his withdrawal, and Yacine Brahimi striking the woodwork.

After equalising through Lainez, meeting a delightful Jimenez pass in style, Mexico could have even gone on to clinch a winner, as both Hector Herrera and Jorge Sanchez struck the crossbar during a frenetic finale.

The draw, coupled with last week’s 1-0 victory over Nigeria, extends Algeria’s undefeated streak to 20 matches—the longest such run of any of Africa’s teams.

"It was similar to how we thought it'd be,” Mexico coach Tata Martinez said after the match, “intense, a lot back and forth at times; in different moments Algeria had [control] of the game, in other moments we had.

“It was a good game to make conclusions,” he added. “I thought off the basis of the game it was a fair result.

"I'm satisfied with this tour to Europe. I'm satisfied with what we've shown against the Netherlands and Algeria."

Next month, Algeria will take on Zimbabwe in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header, as they look to return to the continent’s grandest stage to defend the prize they won in 2019.

Neymar scored a hat-trick to lead Brazil to a hard-fought 4-2 win over Peru in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

The forward starred in Lima as Brazil twice came from behind to make it six points from two games to begin their campaign.

Neymar moved past Ronaldo and into outright second on Brazil's all-time goalscoring list, taking his tally to 64 – behind only Pele (77).

He first cancelled out Andre Carrillo's opener before Richarlison made it 2-2 after Renato Tapia had restored Peru's lead.

Neymar was fouled to win a penalty for the second time and he converted before later sealing the win in what was a repeat of last year's Copa America final.

Peru were also reduced to 10 men as Carlos Zambrano was sent off late.

The hosts had made a dream start, opening the scoring in the sixth minute through Carrillo.

A tame clearance from Marquinhos – who was substituted soon after with a suspected injury – fell to Carrillo to volley superbly into the corner.

Roberto Firmino should have brought Brazil level in the 13th minute, but the Liverpool forward was denied by a fine save from Pedro Gallese after Richarlison's header into his path.

But the visitors would get an equaliser from the spot, Neymar fouled before finding the bottom corner with a penalty for his 62nd international goal.

Neymar thought he had given Brazil the lead on the half-hour mark, only for his effort to be ruled out for a narrow offside decision against Richarlison.

Miguel Trauco forced Weverton into a good save with a strike from an angle early in the second half before Peru restored their lead in the 59th minute.

Tapia's volley from 25 yards took a huge deflection off Rodrigo Caio, wrongfooting Weverton and finding the back of the net to make it 2-1.

However, Brazil were level five minutes later, Richarlison forcing a Firmino header over the line after Neymar's corner.

Neymar converted another penalty in the 83rd minute to give Brazil the lead.

The star forward was fouled by Zambrano as he tried to get on the end of an Everton Ribeiro cross, before again placing his spot-kick into the bottom corner.

Making matters worse for Peru, Zambrano was sent off for an elbow on Richarlison, with Carlos Caceda having also been shown a red card while on the bench minutes earlier.

Neymar wrapped up his hat-trick in additional time, tucking away a finish from close range after Everton hit the post.

What does it mean? Brazil stay perfect

Tite's men were made to work hard, but two wins from two gives them a dream start to the gruelling campaign. But they were also put through two different encounters – a 5-0 thrashing of Bolivia followed by the test against Peru.

Neymar steals the show

Neymar was the star once more for Brazil. Along with his hat-trick, he was also involved in Brazil's other goal as his corner led to Richarlison's effort. Aged 28 and within 13 goals of Pele, Neymar seems certain to pass the all-time great on Brazil's goalscoring list.

Brazil encounter defensive issues

While they kept a clean sheet against Bolivia and in their previous win over South Korea in November last year, Brazil had conceded in six straight games before that. They had problems defensively again against Peru as Marquinhos' poor clearance was punished before his replacement, Caio, also headed into a dangerous area and threw himself at Tapia's shot, although the deflection was unfortunate.

What's next?

Brazil's campaign continues with clashes against Venezuela and Uruguay next month, while Peru will face Chile and Argentina.

Germany's Toni Kroos made his 100th international appearance in a 3-3 draw with Switzerland on Tuesday, but insisted he cares more for results than the number of games he plays.

Serge Gnabry's superb finish on the hour secured a point in Nations League Group A4 for Germany, who had to come from two goals down in Cologne.

Switzerland raced into a 2-0 lead through Mario Gavranovic and Remo Freuler, though Timo Werner swiftly pulled one back before Kai Havertz equalised.

Gavranovic's second put Switzerland back ahead, only for Gnabry to restore parity once more with his 14th international goal since November 2016.

Though Kroos made a landmark appearance, his error ultimately led to Switzerland's second goal, and though content with reaching a century of caps, the 30-year-old said winning titles means much more to him than personal accolades.

"It was of course a special game for me. To have reached 100, that's a nice mark. But anyone who knows me knows that I care more about results and titles than appearances," Kroos said.

"But of course, 100 games is something nice. In the past I have played with incredibly good footballers and guys. I hope that we can build on these successes with the current team.

"Our problem was the first 10 or 15 minutes. After that we played a good game and improved our footballing skills to the last game. In the end we are not satisfied with the point because we aim to win the game."

Kroos is one of the old guard in Germany's squad, with Joachim Low having stood by his decision not to select Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller, despite the latter's sensational form for Bayern Munich.

Havertz, who took his goal brilliantly and looked sharp alongside his Chelsea team-mate Werner, believes the comeback is a step in the right direction for Germany, who have managed just one win so far in 2020.

"We came back after many setbacks, we showed our morals," Havertz said. "We are in a process, we have a young team. We will not be dissuaded from our path and will keep trying. We have to defend more intelligently, but we saw good beginnings today."

Head coach Low added: "The game was incredibly intense. Both teams risked a lot, but also made a lot of mistakes. 

"We got into the game badly, then we showed very good morale. That was certainly positive. But we made some mistakes at the back. We consciously risked a lot, made mistakes, we have to fix that."

The NorthEast United management had an important task ahead of the seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL). They had had a different head coach at the helm for each of the past six seasons and everyone at the club cried out for stability and success. 

The Highlanders finally got their man when they managed to convince former Liverpool coaching staff member Gerard Nus to take up the challenge.

"It is a great opportunity," Gerard Nus began, in an interview to Goal. "There is no doubt that during the last couple of years, Indian football has improved quickly. Many well-known players with remarkable careers, such as Asamoah Gyan or Tim Cahill have chosen to play in this league and that is something that not many leagues can say. I am delighted to help this club grow and I cannot wait to get started."

Nus, who was part of the first-team staff at Liverpool under Rafael Benitez, has also worked with the likes of Gus Poyet (at Brighton) and Avram Grant (at Ghana national team). The 35-year-old Spaniard praised their influence in his coaching career and admitted that he has learned a lot from the high profile managers he has worked under. 

"I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest coaches in the world. Avram Grant is not only an amazing coach but also a great person and leader. Gus Poyet and Rafael Benitez have also had unbelievable careers and they’ve proven their qualities everywhere they have coached.

"I have learned a lot from them, their passion for the game is matchless and their work ethic is unique. They have made me a better coach and I cannot wait to see them continue to succeed."

He is also in awe of the work of Jurgen Klopp who has helped his former club Liverpool return to the business of winning trophies. 

"Jurgen is an incredible coach and what he has achieved with Liverpool is admirable. They play in a very challenging competition and they have the pressure to perform well every season. Like Rafael Benitez, he has gained the trust of the supporters and his players. It is outstanding. Liverpool is a special club, in an extraordinary city and I have amazing memories from my time there," Nus reminisced. 

The former Rayo Vallecano technical director is glad that the ISL is set to begin soon amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic which has put India in a spot of grave bother. India is presently the second-most affected country in the world but the ISL is taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that the football season resumes soon.  

"We are blessed to have the chance to play the game we love and to do what we like the most. I would like to say thank you to all the officials of the ISL for allowing us to get back to the field," Nus said.

"During these unprecedented times, we have faced challenges that we would have never expected and this league has proven its resilience. It is important that we keep respecting the protocols established and that we work hard to provide the best possible football to our fans," said the NorthEast head coach who has joined the team in Goa where the ISL is set to be played this season. 

Mohammedan Sporting currently sit pretty atop the standings table ahead of matchday 3 of the ongoing I-League Qualifiers 2020.

The Black Panthers picked back-to-back wins in their opening two games, with a late winner against Garhwal FC before thrashing ARA FC 4-1.

In the third round of fixtures on Wednesday, Garhwal take on Bhawanipore while ARA face Bengaluru United. Garhwal have lost both their matches while ARA have so far played only one game that they lost.

With Bhawanipore also having played and won their only fixture so far (2-0 win over Bengaluru United), both Sankarlal Chakraborty and Richard Hood's men have can go level on points with Mohammedan with a win on Wednesday - in which case at least Garhwal will be knocked out of the equation.

If ARA lose on Wednesday, they would need to win both their remaining fixtures against Garhwal and Bhawanipore besides needing the rest of the teams to drop points. Should the Ahmedabad-based side win on Wednesday, Bengaluru United will be in a spot of bother and will need to win against Mohammedan in their final match and hope Bhawanipore does not win another match.  

Remaining fixtures:

Wednesday, October 14:
Garhwal vs Bhawanipore United (12:30 pm IST)
Bengaluru United vs ARA (4:30 pm IST)

Friday, October 16:
ARA vs Garhwal (12:30 pm IST)
Bhawanipore vs Mohammedan (4:30 pm IST)

Monday, October 19:
Bengaluru United vs Mohammedan (2 pm IST)
ARA vs Bhawanipore (2 pm IST)

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has decided to extend the deadline for submitting the necessary documents for AFC Club Licensing to November 13 for the 2020-21 season.

This is certainly good news for East Bengal as the Red and Golds will now get some additional time to complete their licensing process for the upcoming season.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had opened up the club licensing system for the 2020-21 season on July 14. The Club Licensing Application Pack (CLAP) was sent to all eligible clubs and they were asked to submit a signed copy of the Club Licensing agreement which is a declaration that they are ready to undertake the initiative of procuring a license. 

At that time, East Bengal had just exited from their previous Joint Venture (JV) with Quess Corp and had applied for the license in the name of East Bengal Club Private Limited.

Thereafter, the Red and Golds roped in Shree Cement as their new investors in September and had entered into a fresh Joint Venture where they had 24 per cent stake. A new company has been formed, Shree Cement East Bengal Foundation, who currently have the sporting rights. East Bengal Club Private Limited had to first transfer the sporting rights back to East Bengal Club after which it was transferred to the new company.

It was only after the transfer of sporting rights, the new company could apply for the club licensing with AFC. As the entire process could only happen by end of September, there was a concern for the Red and Golds if there was enough time for them to procure a license.But the extension of the deadline comes as a huge relief for the Red and Golds.

Shree East Bengal Foundation had picked up the bid paper to participate in the Indian Super League (ISL) and has also been approved by Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) who run the league. 

They have already announced former Liverpool legend, Robbie Fowler, as the club’s new manager and have also confirmed the signing of their first foreigner in Australian defender Scott Neville, who joined the club on a year-long loan.

They have also made some important Indian signings like Jeje Lalpekhlua and Narayan Das.

Malaysian teenage sensation Luqman Hakim continues his march in Belgium.

Having scored in a friendly match for KV Kortrijk's U-21 team and played with the first team in a friendly match not long after his move there back in August, the 18-year old striker reached another milestone on Monday.

He scored his first competitive goal for Kortrijk's U-21 team, in their Group 2 Reserve League match against KFCO Beerschot Wilrijk. Even more incredibly, Luqman's goal, a 83rd-minute header, was the only goal of the match, to give De Kerels a 1-0 winner.

The win has placed Kortrijk U-21 in fourth place in the group, after six matches.

Luis Enrique made it clear he will not accept anyone blaming David de Gea for Spain's Nations League defeat to Ukraine.

La Roja's 15-game unbeaten run came to an end in Kiev thanks to a second-half goal from Viktor Tsygankov.

Spain had nearly 72 per cent of the possession, attempted 21 shots to Ukraine's two and were denied eight times by goalkeeper Georgi Bushchan, although they did not create many clear-cut opportunities.

They paid the price for a moment of poor concentration 76 minutes in, as Andriy Yarmolenko played in Tsygankov right through the heart of the defence, and the substitute blasted past De Gea from the edge of the area with the Manchester United goalkeeper having been caught well advanced from his line.

The goal will likely prompt further debate about De Gea's place as Spain's number one, with his form for club and country having been questioned for much of the past two years.

However, head coach Luis Enrique was not prepared to listen to reporters apportion blame on the 29-year-old.

"You can always do more, but blaming De Gea is already a bad habit," he said.

"If David is blamed for a game like this, switch it off and we'll leave."

He continued: "If you attack in a continuous way, you know there are transitions. If a team defends and keeps it at 0-0, they grow, and in one action they've caught us. We have to congratulate them.

"Nothing happens because in one or two games you don't score goals. We created chances to kill them off. It was a game clearly under our control, with opponents closing the passes and the passing lines.

"We created chances with Adama [Traore] through his overlapping. In the end, we went into panic mode. I've lost lots of these games in my career. The opponent is growing and then in a transition…

"The conclusion is I liked the attitude of the players. I like what I see."

Spain will regroup next month for a friendly against the Netherlands on November 11 before returning to Nations League play with a clash with Switzerland three days later.

Germany midfielder Kai Havertz was pleased to see his side show character and come back twice in a 3-3 draw with Switzerland on Tuesday. 

Early goals from Mario Gavranovic and Remo Freuler gave the Swiss a two-goal lead in the Nations League match in Cologne, but Germany fought back to level the match through goals from Chelsea duo Timo Werner and Havertz.

Gavranovic would restore Switzerland's advantage in the second half before Serge Gnabry levelled the match with a wonderful backheel goal on the hour mark.

Though Germany missed the chance to win a second straight Nations League match, Havertz said he was satisfied to see his side come back on two occasions.

"We came back after several setbacks and showed some character. We’re in the middle of a process and we’re a young side," Havertz said in quotes on the Germany FA website.

"We won’t allow ourselves to be knocked off course and we will carry on as we are. We need to defend better, but there were plenty of positives on show tonight."

Germany defeated Ukraine 2-1 on Saturday for their first Nations League win, and Joshua Kimmich drew a contrast between that match and Tuesday's game.

"You could tell that we had worked on things for today’s game," Kimmich said. "We wanted to bring some real energy to the pitch. We should have defended better for the goals, but it was a different performance to the one against Ukraine.

"We had the right mentality tonight. I don’t want to suger coat things, but it was a step in the right direction. We need to bring our qualities onto the pitch more in the coming games."

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was also positive after the game, though he admitted that Germany could have done better defensively.

"We would have liked to win today. We conceded too many goals for sure, but got going after a while and had control of the game," the Bayern Munich shot-stopper said.

"There were good things about our performance. We didn’t give up and we’ll look ahead now. We want to win both games in the next break."