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Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Nzoia Sugar have confirmed the signings of three new players.

Felix Oluoch and Erick Mango have been signed from KPL side Posta Rangers and have signed deals that will run for three and two years, respectively.

Both Mango and Oluoch are strikers and their immediate jobs will be to help the Sugar Millers get goals when the new season will start.

The Sudi-based club also signed defender Moses Mudavadi from Bandari FC. The right-footed player has signed a two-year deal with the Sugar Millers who hope to have a stable 2020/21 campaign unlike what they experienced in the previous season.

Despite a number of changes to the technical bench, Nzoia Sugar did not stabilise and dodged relegation by a small margin at the time when the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) cancelled KPL in May due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The club has already confirmed the appointment of John Muraya as the new team manager. Muraya fills the position that was left vacant by Evans Kadenge who had earlier been elected the new chairman.

Ahead of the new season, Nzoia Sugar have also revealed they are in the market looking for a new coach.

“The club is currently looking for a head coach to take charge of the team as they prepare to compete in the top league,” Nzoia Sugar’s statement obtained by Goal read.

The club also made clear on the qualification they want the new coach to meet.

“He must have a coaching certificate Caf C license and above and a good communicator in English and Kiswahili languages.

“Must have over four years of experience in football management with KPL teams and must have been either a coach or an assistant coach with a KPL team in the last two years or more.

“Being a former player in KPL or in its equivalent is an added advantage and must also have a record of steering teams to success.

“Must have a proven ability to nurture young talent to realise their potential and reach the peak of their potential.

“He must have leadership skills.”

FKF are yet to release the calendar of the new season as contact sports remain banned since March.

Zambia coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic believes his team "dominated and over dominated" Kenya despite going down 2-1 in a friendly match staged at Nyayo Stadium on Friday.

Cliff Nyakeya forced Tandi Mwape to turn the ball into his own net before scoring his side's second with a fierce strike from 16 yards out.

Emmanuel Chabula scored a consolation for the visitors and they felt it could have ended 2-2, but Chongo Kabaso's effort was judged not to have crossed the line.

"We got what we wanted in the game we played since 17 players were used in the game and had a chance to show what they can give and this was the main measurement point," Micho told Goal.

"On the other side, you can lose the game but deep inside you feel sweet; one thing is we dominated and over dominated the Kenya team at their home despite conceding especially the second goal from the counter-attack."

The former Uganda coach has also opined on the disallowed goal, stating the assistant referee made an intentional mistake.

"We also scored a genuine goal and those who feel we do not need VAR in the game got the answers because [the disallowed goal] is comedy. At this level, it should not be happening," the ex-Orlando Pirates coach asserted.

"But in football, it is you either win or learn the lesson and on our part, we have learned. We shall not look at the obvious intentional mistake by the assistant referee but we shall have to go and sit and access ourselves critically.

"The positive thing is that we dominated in all aspects of the game but failed on getting the most important thing, goals."

The 51-year-old has now shifted his attention to forthcoming assignments hoping to get positive results.

"We want to correct where we went wrong before our [Sunday] game against Bafana Bafana," Micho added.

"But what we did right we will for sure maintain it ahead of our [Africa Cup of Nations qualifier double header] against Botswana in November. 

"Zambia is a big team that should play football in a good way, dominating and scoring."

Young Africans (Yanga SC) assistant coach Juma Mwambusi feels new signing Carlinho Fernandes is yet to hit his best form for the club.

The Angolan star was among the 14 new players unveiled by the Jangwani street-based club at the end of the last transfer window.

Carlinho has already found the back of the net once in the past five Mainland Premier League matches, managed two assists, and he also provided another assist as the team beat Mwadui FC 1-0 in a friendly played at Chamazi Complex on Friday.

It is the reason Mwambusi, who is currently handling the team after the sacking of Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, believes the player is yet to hit his best form which convinced the club to go for his services but also asked for fans to be patient and give him time.

“To say the truth, he is yet to reach the required level to get the best from him [Carlinho],” Mwambusi is quoted by Daily News. ”You can see that whenever he plays as a winger, he struggles a lot to defend that is why I think that he needs to train more to get extra fitness.

“He is a very good player who has something to offer aside from being dangerous in taking set-pieces as such, we just need to wait for his other side of playing football.”

On the team’s performance, which helped maintain their perfect start to the season, Mwambusi said: “A coach usually comes with his philosophy to be imparted in his team. Sometimes, it takes a long time for the chemistry to work well like what happened with the former coach [Krmpotic].

“We simply need to sharpen their skills and correct some of the mistakes they showcase before considering them into the first line up of the team.”

Despite firing the coach, Yanga have enjoyed a good start to the new campaign as they have won four matches from the five matches played, with the other one ending in a draw.

Yanga have already identified Burundian Cedric Kaze as the man to replace Krmpotic and he is expected in Dar es Salaam any time next week for the unveiling ceremony and ahead of the league resumption following the international break.

Philippe Coutinho is determined to make his spell at Barcelona a success after returning from a trophy-laden loan stint with Bayern Munich.

The midfielder had been a long-time target for Barca when at Liverpool and the La Liga giants finally got their man in January 2018 for a deal worth €120 million (£108m/$142m).

However, Coutinho was initially unable to live up to the hefty price tag and last season he spent the campaign with Bayern, who won the treble under Hansi Flick.

Coutinho played 38 times in all competitions, scoring 11 times, though he was often used off the bench, including in the 8-2 Champions League quarter-final win over Barca when he scored twice against his parent club.

With Ronald Koeman now in charge at Camp Nou, Coutinho has started all three La Liga games so far and is keen to finally make his marka.

"I'm having a very good time," he told reporters while on international duty with Brazil. "In these seasons I have achieved many things on a personal and collective level, which is the most important thing.

"I have returned to Spain with a lot of desire for things to go well and it is also what I want in the national team, every opportunity I have I want to play great games giving my best for the team."

Coutinho is back at Barca with the inside knowledge of how the best team on the continent operate. He pinpointed the intensity of Flick's squad as one of the chief reasons for their success.

"At Bayern, I learned a lot about work, because they are very intense in training," he explained. "A natural consequence is the evolution in the physical part, which I have really had, because you work a lot and I have worked a lot.

"I already had this way of thinking, but now I have to dedicate myself three or four times more than normal to be successful."

Coutinho has already said he is determined to “achieve big things” at Barcelona.

He told reporters after their 1-1 draw with Sevilla last weekend: “I've got a lot of hunger to work and achieve big things.

“It was a tough and difficult game [but] we knew that already. It ended up being like that. We've got a point and now we're going into the international break. When we return, it's about continuing to work.”

New Gor Mahia head Oliveira Goncalves has outlined how he is going to help the Kenyan Premier League champions remain a competitive club.

Robertinho, as the Brazilian is known widely, is coming at a time expectations are high on him to deliver trophies as the previous three coaches did.

The former Rayon Sports coach was appointed to succeed Steven Polack, whose contract with the club was mutually terminated last week after one season in charge.

“A big club and Gor Mahia, for example, have objectives and have experience in the Champions League and in the local championship but I think we need good preparations to handle this good project,” Goncalves told the club’s Online TV.

“We need the players, the coach and everyone's desire on the bigger objective.

“I need to work on my style step by step because every coach has a style and I have my own. I trust my players too much and before everything I respect my players but again they must respect me.

“I hope to start a good relationship in order to help the players seize the opportunity and show their capacity. It is not about picking eleven players to start the game but they must show me during the week why they should start.

“As a Brazilian coach and a former player, I have my own characteristics, I trust my job and during the week I work for my players until Saturday. On Sunday, they will have to work for me and the club.”

He has over 25 years of experience in football management and revealed he had many other offers before he accepted the Gor Mahia one.

“I accepted the proposal because the president [chairman Ambrose Rachier] is a good man and I like so much about the style of play of Gor Mahia,” he added.

“This is the main reason I accepted the offer even though I had two or three offers to come back to Africa when I was in Brazil but I could not take them.

“When Gor Mahia called, I immediately remembered how I played against them in the Cecafa Cup and in a Caf Confederation Cup tie and that made it easy for me to accept the offer.”

The Brazilian denied the Green Army a chance to qualify for the Confederation Cup quarter-finals in 2018 after Rayon Sports picked up a 2-1 win at Kasarani.

Fifa has cleared Uganda defender Juuko Murushid to play for Express FC in the Ugandan Premier League (UPL).

The 26-year-old defender has been out of active football since leaving Moroccan Botola Pro side Wydad Casablanca after they disagreed over payment.

After returning home, Juuko became a transfer target for both Express, Vipers SC, and KCCA FC but he opted to sign for Express on a one-year deal, but he was yet to be unveiled as he was waiting for the green light after petitioning Fifa over his former side.

According to New Vision, the former Simba SC player, who left Wydad in November last year due to claims of not receiving his sign-on fee and wages after joining them on a two-year deal in August the same year, has now been cleared to play for the Red Eagles in the new campaign set to kick off on November 20.

Juuko has previously played for Vipers and Simba SC of Tanzania and became the fifth signing for Express after Godfrey Lwesibawa, Mahad Yaya Kakooza, Charles Busingye, and John Byamukama.

The arrival of the player will be a great boost to coach Wasswa Bbosa, who is expecting a competitive 2020/21 UPL season.

Many teams are buffing up their squads in preparations for the new campaign and the tactician stated he is already aware of what to expect from opposing teams.

Juuko was part of the Johnathan McKinstry-led side that defeated Malawi 2-0 in the 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifying match played at Namboole.

The six-time league champions finished the abandoned league in the ninth position with 31 points, after managing nine wins, four draws, and 12 defeats.

In a recent interview, coach Bbosa said he was confident the team will be capable of challenging for silverware in the new season.

"We all know clubs are re-organizing themselves and that they will be competitive next season," Bossa said as quoted by the club's official website.

"But actually if anything, we have already done our homework on all the teams. So I would say we are braced up for any team that will come our way."

Bbosa was appointed at the club at the expense of the sacked George Ssimwogere and after steering the team from the relegation zone to a ninth-place finish, he was rewarded with a three-year contract.

After the 2019/20 struggles, the Wankulukuku-based side went on to release 18 players who they felt were surplus to requirements.

Those released were Tonny Kyamera, Joshua Adea, Mohammed Yiga, Emmanuel Bafoe, Martin Kizza, Joseph Zziwa, Hamis Batega, Andrew Kiwanuka, David Kakeeto, Hamdan Nsubuga, Axel Konan, Lawrence Kigonya, Dennis Sserukwaya, Peter Mutebi, Isaac Doka, Shafiq Avemah, Baker Lukooya and Idris Kabonge. 

Inter defender Ashley Young has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating.

The Serie A side announced the news on Sunday via a brief statement on their official website.

The news comes during the international break, during which the 39-time capped England international had remained with the Italian outfit.

The club’s statement reads: “Inter announces that Ashley Young tested positive for Covid-19 following the test carried out yesterday [Saturday] in Appiano Gentile. The English footballer is already in quarantine at his home.”

Young is therefore set to miss Inter's clash with city rivals AC Milan. The duo are scheduled to meet in Serie A next Saturday, October 17.

The coronavirus pandemic, which saw football globally shut down in March until the early summer, has seen close to 40 million people worldwide diagnosed with the virus, and has been attributed to the deaths of more than one million globally. In Italy, close to 350,000 people have been infected with more than 36,000 deaths. 

Young, who turned 35 in July, has featured in all three of Inter’s Serie A matches this season, picking up an assist in the 5-2 victory over Benevento on September 30. 

He has helped Antonio Conte’s side climb to third in the league off the back of seven points from a possible nine, dropping only a couple away to Lazio in a 1-1 draw prior to the international break.

Having joined the club in the January transfer window of 2020, he established himself as a regular player in the Nerazzurri’s starting XI, in the second half of last term, turning in impressive numbers that saw him feature in all 18 of his club’s league matches, during which he posted four goals and as many assists.

Meanwhile, he also played five Europa League encounters for the San Siro side, who lost 3-2 to Sevilla in the final.

Previously, he had been on the books of Manchester United since the 2011 season, starting out as a winger at Old Trafford but moving back into defence later in his career. While a Red Devil, he played 261 matches, scoring 19 goals and creating another 43.

His professional career had started, however, with Watford in 2003 and after four years with the Hornets saw him move on to Aston Villa, where he won his first England cap under the management of Steve McClaren. 

Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has given an account of how ex-Chelsea player Didier Drogba had an impact on him.

The 21-year-old Nigerian joined the Partenopei from Lille in a big-money move and has subsequently been drawing a lot of attention as he is expected to play a huge role in Napoli’s ambitions and targets this season.

Osimhen has often cited Drogba - who built legendary status at Chelsea with his 164 goals and 14 titles that included a historic Champions League win - as the person he looked up to while growing up.

Osimhen explained that an unknown man who saw him train made comparisons between both of them and told him to go look up some of Drogba’s videos online.

“I grew up watching Didier Drogba play, he was an example for me,” Osimhen said on the Napoli YouTube channel. “One day I was training and a man called me asking if I knew who I play like. He told me to go to YouTube and see Didier Drogba.

“There I fell in love with his way of playing and the kind of person he is. From that moment, seeing Drogba play had a major impact on my game and helped me a lot.”

Drogba’s accomplishments at Chelsea and beyond saw him claim the African Footballer of the Year award twice (2006 and 2009) and Osimhen also has a desire to win the accolade which his fellow Nigerians in Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba have been recipients of as well.

“My dream is to win the award for the best African footballer of the year,” he continued.

“I still have a long way to go and I am working towards this goal. I think I'm on the right path. It won't be easy, but, as a person, having a family would be a dream. But I still have a lot of things to do so I don't think about it now.

“Football is the only thing on my mind now. I want to focus on this here in Naples. There are many expectations for me and I will do everything to live up to it.”

Osimhen goes on to further reveal that he never envisaged getting to play for Napoli following his struggles at Wolfsburg, where his senior career kicked off in 2016, but was blighted by injuries and lack of form.

“For me, being here [at Napoli] is a dream that has come true,” he said.

“If someone had told me three years ago that I was going to play in one of the most important teams in the world I would not have believed it. Because I had a hard time in Wolfsburg, I was rejected by two Belgian teams, then I was signed by Charleroi. My life was very stressful at the time.

“About three years ago if someone had told me that I would have signed for Napoli it would have been impossible. Now I believe that nothing is impossible. I kept working and doing my thing and now I'm here. It is a dream come true and I am grateful for it.”

Houssem Aouar has said that he is happy to stay with Lyon, despite a potential summer move to Arsenal disappearing.

The France international midfielder has long been associated with several of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, but it was Arsenal who emerged as sole candidates to sign him late in the summer window.

The Gunners, however, could not match OL’s demands and the player will remain with the Ligue 1 side until January at the earliest. Aouar, however, is not unhappy about seeing such a deal breakdown.

“I’m happy to stay at Lyon,” the 22-year-old told TF1. “It’s my city, it’s my club. It gives me immense pride to represent Lyon.

“It wasn’t really Arsenal or nothing else, although at the end it was close to that. Really, a choice had to be made and I’m happy to stay here.

“I spoke about it a lot with sporting director Juninho. He shows me confidence every day and it’s a real pleasure to work with him. To stay here for another season – or more – with him, it’s a great pride.”

Lyon, meanwhile, have failed to back up their strong European form, which saw them knockout Juventus and Manchester City en route to the Champions League semi-finals, where they were defeated by Bayern Munich.

Presently in Ligue 1, they find themselves in a mid-table position, with one win from their six matches to date.

Aouar, though, is eyeing a far higher finishing position for the Rhone giants, who missed out on European football last year.

“The top three is the minimum objective this season,” he said. “Lyon is one of the biggest French clubs, so we must be as high as possible.”

Lyon’s challenge will be further aided by Memphis Depay, whose anticipated move to Barcelona broke down due to fine details. The Netherlands international, though, has admitted that he expects interest in his services to arrive in January, suggesting that he will not see out the duration of his contract, which is up in 2021.

Aouar, meanwhile, has a deal with Lyon that runs until 2023.

South African football fans are criticising Bafana Bafana's failure to win their matches consistently but that's the least of Molefi Ntseki's worries at this stage of his tenure as head coach.  

The 51-year-old mentor revealed that while his team is expected to win almost every match, he's not interested in that, saying his only worry is how the team gels and understands each other. 

Furthermore, Ntseki said all that will help come up with the best tactical approach for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sao Tome.  

"For me, I am not interested in the results," Ntseki told the media. 

"I am more interested in our team; how they gel and how they understand each other.

"Those are the things we need to work on going into Sao Tome. Those are the things that will allow us to tick the boxes and say, 'this one has done well and that one has done well and these are the areas we need to improve on going into Sao Tome. So, that is important."

Bafana Bafana take on Zambia on Sunday afternoon, and Ntseki sees this clash as an opportunity for both himself and his counterpart Milutin Sredojevic to implement their ideas and tactics, adding that the most important thing is for players to wear their national team jerseys with pride and perform.    

"I think for both countries and both coaches, it's preparation, giving players an opportunity to implement your ideas and tactical approach to the game but the most important thing is wearing the national team jersey, you have to perform," added Ntseki. 

Ntseki's comments about not being interested in the results come on the back of Clive Barker's view that Bafana Bafana should have gone for tougher opponents such as Germany.

According to Barker, Bafana Bafana players will not benefit anything from playing their regional opponents as he feels they are not strong enough. 

But whether or not Ntseki's charges would have gained from the two international friendlies will be evident come the Afcon qualifiers in next month. 

One of Ntseki's mandates is to help Bafana Bafana qualify for the continental tournament to be staged in Cameroon in 2021. 

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has paid tribute to his brother's work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The former Sporting CP star revealed that his brother works for the NHS in London along with his girlfriend.

When the pair last spoke, the Portugal international’s brother joked that he had not seen the 26-year-old thanking him for his efforts on social media.

Fernandes has now corrected that oversight in an interview with MUTV.

“He is working in London and his girlfriend is also working in London. And my brother said two days ago, I don’t see a photo in your Instagram saying ‘thank you’ for your work,” he said.

“I say it now so, after, he can see it on MUTV, thank you for his work in the NHS!

“It’s hard work [for the NHS staff], you know. They work for so many hours. Some of them can’t see their families and friends and it was really difficult.

“For example, my brother he was due to come in March but he didn’t come because he was working in the hospital. He doesn’t want me to take any risks in being with him as he could have had the virus or not.

"For him, it was difficult as he couldn’t fly back to Portugal to see my mum and dad. So, for him and the rest of the people, it was really difficult.

“Some people have kids at home and need to go to work and go somewhere else, go to work and go somewhere else. Only after maybe two to three months working, they can see their kids. It was very difficult.”

Bruno has played every minute of Manchester United’s Premier League campaign to date, scoring one goal and grabbing an assist.

Not everything has been going to plan for the Red Devils on the field, however, as they find themselves with only three points from their opening three matches of the season, having lost home fixtures to Crystal Palace and Tottenham.

The 6-1 loss at home to Jose Mourinho’s side prior to the international break was a particularly chastening affair and puts additional pressure on them before a week that sees them visit Newcastle and then Paris Saint-Germain in their opening Champions League clash.

Preparations for the seventh season of Indian Super League (ISL), to be played entirely in Goa due to the Coronavirus pandemic, have started with clubs set to begin pre-season training at their assigned training grounds. 

The teams, except for new entrants East Bengal, were assigned separate grounds to train by the league. East Bengal, who are the eleventh team to play in the ISL, have had their pre-season proceedings delayed due to the formalities regarding the transfer of ownership.

Four clubs - FC Goa, Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC and Kerala Blasters have officially announced that their players have started on-field training. The others, except East Bengal, are set to take the practice ground by the end of next week. 

While getting the Indian contingent to Goa was not an issue, foreign players and coaches have had to wait for the approval of their visas, which has been made difficult due to the ongoing pandemic. 

Hyderabad, who were one of the first ISL teams to start training, did so under the guidance of their technical director Thangboi Singto. Their head coach Manuel Roca has already reached Goa while his counterparts and fellow Spaniards at Mumbai City and FC Goa, Sergio Lobera and Juan Ferrando are all expected to reach Goa by Monday. 

Hyderabad FC players Aridane Santana and a couple of other Spaniards have reached Goa too.

Antonio Habas (ATK Mohun Bagan) was the first ISL head coach to mark his attendance in Goa, followed by Jamshedpur's Owen Coyle and NorthEast United's Gerard Nus. Kerala Blasters's Kibu Vicuna and Bengaluru boss Carles Cuadrat arrived on Saturday. Kerala Blasters Sporting Director Karolys Skynkis is also expected to arrive over the weekend. While the arrival date of Chennaiyin's coaches is to be decided, Odisha fans can expect Stuart Baxter to get on a plane to India soon as he has had his visa approved in the last few days. 

Robbie Fowler, who was announced as the head coach of SC East Bengal, is not expected to arrive in India this week. All foreigners will be required to undergo quarantine for 14 days in Goa. 

East Bengal squad are expected to reach Goa by October 16th.

South Africa will lock horns with their Southern African rivals Zambia in an international friendly match on Sunday afternoon.

Bafana Bafana are targeting nothing but a victory after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Namibia in a friendly match on Thursday.

Coach Molefi Ntseki has explained that it is imperative for Bafana to defeat Zambia, before they face Sao Tome and Principe in the 2022 Afcon qualifiers next month.

Bafana will take on a Zambia side which is desperate for a victory after succumbing to a 2-1 defeat to Kenya in a friendly match on Friday.

Coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic has stressed that Chipolopolo need to improve defensively ahead of their clash with South Africa.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SABC TV. 

Squads & Team News

South Africa are likely to be without Lebogang Manyama with the experienced playmaker having missed the match against Namibia due to lower back strain.

However, Ntseki has confirmed that the likes of Thulani Hlatshwayo, Themba Zwane and Percy Tau will return to the starting line-up after being rested in midweek.

Bafana will look to Tau as the RSC Anderlecht forward has the ability to inspire the 1996 African champions to a win over Zambia.

Meanwhile, Chipolopolo will be without Kabaso Chongo, who captained the team against Kenya and the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) did not give specific reasons regarding his absence.

Sredojevic selected a squad made up of mostly Zambia-based players including Napsa Stars duo of Luka Banda and Collins Sikombe.

The 2012 African champions will pin their hopes on Sikombe with the 23-year-old marksman having netted the solitary goal which earned Chipolopolo a win over Kenya.

Match Preview

South Africa are undefeated in their last two matches having secured a win over Sudan, before drawing with Namibia. 

Bafana are also enjoying a three-match unbeaten run at home having registered two victories and one draw.

While Zambia are struggling at the moment having lost three of their last four matches against Algeria, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Micho's side is also winless in their last two away games having recorded two successive defeats on the road.

In head-to-head stats, Bafana and Chipolopolo have met 21 times since South Africa were re-admitted to Fifa in 1992.

The two teams have met 21 times with Zambia registering seven wins compared to South Africa's six, while eight matches ended in draws.

The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 2-0 win for Bafana in a Four-Nation Tournament in Ndola, Zambia in March 2018.

It is six in the morning. The village of Alakhpura is slowly waking up from its slumber. Smoke from the chullahs has begun to puff out from a few households while a few women are seen making dung cakes outside the house. 

While strolling down the street towards the Senior Secondary School you will come across young girls in sports gears jogging past you. The number only increases as you go closer to the school. 

As you reach the playground, the numbers increase exponentially and that means you have reached the Alakhpura Football academy. Around 200 girls train every day in this academy under the watchful eyes of Sonika Vijarnia, the coach appointed by the Haryana Government for the upliftment of women's football in the village.  

It all started in 2006 when Gordhan Dass joined the co-educational secondary school as the physical instructor. A trained Kabaddi player himself, he started building a men's kabaddi team. Soon the girls wanted to join but Dass was reluctant. 

Frustrated by their persistence, he threw towards them a ragged football and then things changed forever. 

Dass started training the band of 20-25 girls regularly from 2008 and within a couple of years, they were stealing the limelight with impressive performances on the pitch. 

In 2014, the Haryana government took notice and they sent Vijarnia to further help the kids.

"We had only two balls as equipment. There was only one ground. When I started I did not set any target. We just worked hard. From sunrise to sunset we spent time on the playground. We just believed in ourselves and success followed. We won the Bronze medal in the senior National Games in 2015. After that, we did not have to look back," stated Vijarnia to Goal. 

Laurels followed one after another. They won the Subroto Cup in 2014 and 2016 and the recent exploits of Haryana in the Khelo India games was powered by this very same academy. 

"Haryana is one of the most successful states in Khelo India and we have contributed immensely. The state has won gold in U17 U19 U14 Khelo India and in every team, there are eight to nine girls from the Alakhpura academy."

The Haryana government offers cash prizes to the winners and also job opportunities through the sports quota for bright athletes. This has brought along a change in the outlook of the villagers and they now view sports as a passport to progress in life. 

"Take, for example, Sanju. She comes from a weak financial background but now she has built a pucca (Concrete) house and is doing well. She also has a job with the Railways. The villagers are seeing this and they are getting inspired."

Under Vijarnia, this team also participated in the inaugural edition of the Indian Women's League (IWL) and they reached the semi-finals until they were knocked out by Manipur Police. Sanju Yadav, the winner of AIFF (All India Football Federation) Women's Player of the Year, was in fine form in the preliminary rounds and scored 11 times to top the goal-scoring charts. 

"It was a wonderful achievement. But after that, the players started getting jobs in various government offices under sports quota. So they have to play for those teams now. From those teams, they only release players to teams who can pay the girls handsomely."

The coach believes that since she is a woman, the villagers trust her even more and hence even girls who are below six years are coming to train. 

"Gordhan ji had to face a lot of problems to get girls enrolled in the academy. Compared to him, I had fewer troubles. This is because I am a woman. Moreover, I am appointed by the Haryana government. So when the villagers saw that there is a female coach, they felt comfortable and started sending their girls without hesitation." 

Vijarnia spends her whole day on the field with the girls. She calls herself a 'desi' coach who just knows that working hard will definitely reap results. 

"I do not know how many hours I spend on the field. I reach there early in the morning and several batches of girls come and I train them. There is only one coach and so many girls. So I have to work hard. In the morning, we focus on fitness and in the afternoon, we do training with the ball. No technology, nothing. Simple methods that focus on the basics of each player. 

"But I must say that my family supports me a lot. My mother-in-law looks after the house and without her support, it would not have been possible for me to concentrate on my girls. She even cooks my food. Although I have a small daughter who is just 11 months old, I don't take holidays."

Once the government allowed training sessions to take place, she jumped on the opportunity and resumed classes. She doesn't have any plans to pursue a full-time professional coaching course. She fears that even if she leaves for a day, the girls will suffer. 

"To do a course, I have to leave Alakhpura and that is not possible. Some of my girls have gone ahead and have done coaching or a referee course but I cannot do. 

"I am happy with what I have. I am an employee of the Haryana government and I am content with that. My only target is to make more girls capable and economically independent through football," signed off the self-styled desi coach rushing for another session as the girls wait patiently for their madam-ji.  

Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew has been adjudged 2019 Footballer of the Year by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (Swag).

The striker beat off competition from new Arsenal signing Thomas Partey and China-based midfielder Mubarak Wakaso in the event held in Accra on Saturday evening.

Currently in Ghana's camp for October's international friendly matches against Mali and Qatar, the centre-forward was presented with his award by Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku in Turkey.

The award honours the most outstanding Ghanaian male footballer plying his trade abroad.

"Thank you to Swag Ghana! I’m honoured and grateful to receive the Swag Foreign Footballer of the Year Award," Ayew has posted on social media.

The former Olympique Marseille man succeeds last year's award winner Partey, who was also in contention for this year's prize.

The Swag gong is Ayew's latest honour after he scooped three at Crystal Palace's End of Season Awards in July following a fine club campaign.

In his second year with the Eagles, the 29-year-old registered nine goals in 37 Premier League appearances to help the club finish the season in 14th position.

His goal haul won his the club's top scorer of two season award, in addition to being adjudged the club's Player of the Season and the Players' Player of the Season.

This season, however, he is yet to find the back of the net after four rounds of matches.

Ayew also netted twice for Ghana at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt.

On Friday, the striker was in action as Ghana succumbed to a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Mali in a friendly tie.

He will hope to register his first strike of the 2020-21 term in any competition when the Black Stars face 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar in a second friendly game on Monday.

Elsewhere at Saturday's Swag awards, Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Felix Annan was adjudged the most outstanding player on the domestic scene.

Ghana women's captain Elizabeth Addo won the award for the best female footballer of the year.

The awards gala was delayed until October by the coronavirus outbreak.

France will host Portugal on Sunday for a Uefa Nations League meeting in what is expected to be the highlight of the weekend during the international fixtures.

France vs Portugal Latest Odds

Le Bleus  – who have won their last five games - have been tipped to win against Portugal at (2.15) with BetKing.

Fernando Santos’ side, meanwhile, have won four of their last five games and are priced to register another victory at (3.70).

France last recorded a draw on October 14, 2019, when they were held 1-1 by Turkey in a Euro 2020 qualifier. Portugal played out a 0-0 draw against Spain on October 7 and tipping the game to end in a draw on Sunday has been valued at (3.20).

France vs Portugal Team News

Midfielder Moussa Sissoko has been left out even after starting in the last Nations League tie against Sweden. Coach Didier Deschamps picked Lyon’s Houssem Aouar instead and the 22-year-old could be in line for his competitive debut for France.

Ricardo Pereira remains sidelined for Portugal through an injury, Andre Gomes and Joao Mario have missed games due to injuries too while Jose Fonte and Mario Rui are the latest players to pull out.

Fernando Santos called up Daniel Podence of Wolves, William Carvalho, Ruben Semedo and Rafa Silva for the previous match against Spain and all are in line to face France.

France vs Portugal Preview

France have scored 30 goals in their last 10 matches that they have played at home but only managed to keep clean sheets on four occasions.

On the other hand, Portugal have scored 23 goals in their last 10 away outings but have managed to keep just four cleans sheets in those games.

France vs Portugal Tips and Predictions

Les Bleus have scored 16 goals in their last five games, an average of 3.2 goals, while Portugal have scored 14 goals - an average of 2.8 goals - in the same number of matches. Punters can therefore take an offer of three goals or more in Paris at (2.30) with BetKing.

Over 2.5 goals at (2.30) with BetKing.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

Antoine Griezmann’s 32nd goal for France might have been an inconsequential deflected shot from range in a 7-1 friendly victory over Ukraine, but it was a symbolic strike that carried him past Zinedine Zidane to push him into the top five goalscorers of all time for his nation.

Having also won the 2018 World Cup – and with it the Bronze Ball and the Silver Boot – the Macon-born star is set to go down in the annals of history as being one of Les Bleus’ greatest players.

He has also ensured a similar status for himself at Atletico Madrid, where he played from 2014, but since making his big summer move to Barcelona in the summer of 2019, things have not worked out.

During the club’s scruffy 2019-20 campaign, he scored 15 goals and added four assists in 48 games under two different coaches and struggled to justify his presence to such an extent that by the time football restarted after lockdown he was out of the team as much as in it. For a transfer fee of €120 million (£109m/$142m), it was a desperately poor return.

He appears to have fared no better after the summer revolution at Camp Nou. Shedding numerous members of the first-team squad, including striker Luis Suarez, Griezmann might have expected a greater opportunity to shine under new boss Ronald Koeman, yet the Dutchman has pitched him into a wide-right position that he does not favour.

Although he has started all three Primera Division matches that Barca have played, he has yet to finish one and has only gone significantly beyond an hour once. In terms of decisive contributions, he is waiting on both his first goal and his first assist.

“I am sure he is not happy with this situation,” national team boss Didier Deschamps said earlier this week. “I don’t interfere with the use of my players in other clubs, be at Barca or anyone else. “Antoine is playing on the right there at the moment. It's true that Koeman said, and told him, that he did not understand that he was used to playing in a more central position.”

Although Deschamps also pointed out that Griezmann “must adapt” to the role he is being asked to play, that Koeman did not comprehend why the player prefers operating in a more central role must set alarm bells ringing.

To that end, France’s Nations League matches with Portugal on Sunday and Croatia on Wednesday open up an important avenue for the 29-year-old to show he remains potent in his favoured position.

Three goals in his last four internationals are evidence that Griezmann can still be an effective weapon for France, even if there have been doubts voiced over his long-term ability to remain in the team if his struggles at Barca continue.

The emergence of 17-year-old midfielder Eduardo Camavinga may be one factor that is of benefit to the forward. The prodigious Rennes youngster can offer the type of balance to the midfield that will allow Griezmann to operate in a central role, and Deschamps, who was the man to deliver the message of the attacker’s unhappiness on the right, has pledged to use him there.

“For me, he is still more effective when he is in the heart of the game, when he is able to touch the ball a lot. In that position, he has the possibility to come and help in the midfield too,” the coach said. “He doesn't have the ability to take the ball and beat opponents on the wing like others. He needs to touch the ball a lot and he is smart in his movement.”

France’s success under Deschamps has been achieved by following the simple philosophy of playing his best players in their best positions, and that has allowed Griezmann to flourish. There may be other stars around him, such as Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba, but it is through the Barcelona star that the play typically flows.

Indeed, for Sunday’s Nations League match with Portugal, he is expected to play in a No.10 role behind Mbappe and Olivier Giroud, allowing the potential of all three to be maximised.

At Barcelona, on the other hand, he is forced to compete with six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi for the keys to the side, and with that in mind he is peripheral both metaphorically and physically in Koeman’s attacking plans.

Messi should never be considered to be a 'problem', but there must surely be a way of exploiting the Frenchman's talents alongside that of the Argentine.

The Dutchman, whose resources have been left stretched by Barca’s inability to sign Memphis Depay from Lyon, another player who would thrive in a No.10 slot, will need the intelligent and subtle attacker operating near his best if they are to stop Real Madrid from winning another league title - and that will not happen on the right wing.

Instead, he must look for inspiration in the way that Deschamps uses Griezmann. It helped with France a World Cup, and perhaps it can help Barca win La Liga back. 

Lyon attacker Memphis Depay is hopeful that there will be more interest shown in him during the January window, having narrowly failed to complete a switch to Barcelona before the transfer deadline.

With a contract that expires next June, it was expected that the Netherlands international would leave the Ligue 1 side before the October 5 deadline, but while the Camp Nou side were close to getting a deal over the line they stumbled at the last.

Memphis is not perturbed by the setback and seems optimistic that a deal can be completed in the winter.

“I’m 26 and my transfer will cost next to nothing,” the former Manchester United player told BN DeStem on Saturday. “So we can expect that clubs will show an interest. It’ll be January soon. We’ll have to see how things are going. Not that I will definitely be leaving, but the possibility of clubs showing up soon is probably greater.”

Amid the transfer speculation that has swirled around him, Memphis has found his playing time under Rudi Garcia cut down and he is eager to get back in the team with Lyon foundering in mid-table in Ligue 1 after six matches of the season.

“What I found regrettable is that I’ve played a lot fewer minutes in Lyon in recent weeks. I felt it was all due to the fact that I was going to leave,” he said, having scored four goals in the opening six games of the French season. “As a forward, you want to continue this streak. I scored the first three of those goals in the first game. It’s a shame.”

Lyon will be braced for a busy January after they also saw deals for midfielder Houssem Aouar, who was attracting interest from Arsenal, fall through.

On the park, Garcia’s side, who reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, have once again endured a difficult start to the season and lie 14th, having drawn four of their opening six matches of the campaign.

Memphis, meanwhile, is currently away on international duty, with the Netherlands set to play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday before travelling to face Italy on Wednesday.

Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong has accepted criticism from head coach Ronald Koeman for his performance against Sevilla, admitting he was “mediocre”.

The Catalans dropped their first points of the season at home against the Andalusians last weekend in a 1-1 draw.

While Sevilla instigated a high pressing game that complicated life for the Camp Nou side, it was De Jong who bore the brunt of the criticism publicly from Koeman in the aftermath.

“He lost too many balls and has not been fine like his other team-mates,” the new Barca coach said in the post-match press conference.

It was a critique that midfielder De Jong admits was true ahead of the Netherlands' match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.

“I didn’t play at the top level against Sevilla,” he admitted to the media. “I was only mediocre. How is my form? We’ll see, but I feel good.”

He warned his international team-mates to expect a tricky encounter away from home before a clash with Italy on Wednesday.

“We have to be realistic and not expect the Netherlands to dominate and win every game,” he said. “We want to aspire to that.

“I think we have many players who are already world class and are already first rate. We have other talented young players who can grow with the squad.

"We are a very good team but when you see some details you realise that there are still aspects in which we have to grow. We need to improve tactically and in our understanding.

“We want to show Bosnia that there is still magic with us.”

The 23-year-old is in line for his 18th international cap, having made the breakthrough under Koeman in 2018 when he was still with Ajax. A year later, he made his big move to Barcelona after impressing in the Champions League, in which he helped the Amsterdam outfit to the semi-finals only to be undone at the last by Tottenham.

His first season with the Camp Nou side saw him feature on 42 occasions in all competitions and score two goals. He has played every minute of Barca’s three competitive fixtures at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.