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Yassin Mzamiru scored to help his team get a point against Mtibwa Sugar in the Tanzania Mainland League match played at Jamhuri Stadium, Morogoro on Saturday.

His 45th-minute strike gave the visitors a deserved lead but he did not celebrate, only to raise his hands signifying he was sorry for his former team. The 24-year-old has further clarified why he did not celebrate the goal.

"I could not celebrate after scoring [in the stroke of half-time]," the midfielder told the club's official portal.

"I have had a good relationship with Mtibwa since my time as their player to date."

Muzamiru was signed by Simba in 2017 alongside Shiza Kichuya and Mohammed Ibrahim, who have since left the 21-time league champions.

In Saturday's match, the hosts came back stronger after the break and managed to get an equalizing goal courtesy of Ugandan Boban Zirintusa.

Despite coach Sven Vandenbroeck bringing in Meddie Kagere and Francis Kahata in place of Bernard Morrison and Muzamiru, the champions were unable to score another goal.

As a result, Wekundu wa Msimbazi have four points from the two games played this season, after starting the campaign with a 2-1 win against newbies Ihefu FC.

In other league matches played on Saturday, Dodoma Jiji FC once again showed they mean business after humbling JKT Tanzania 2-0 to get their second win in their debut season in the league.

After a goalless first half, the Dodoma-based charges needed just five minutes in the second to hit the back of the net. Jamal Sudi Mtegeta was fed in the danger zone, the goalkeeper made wrong calculations and the forward rounded him before scoring from a tight angle.

The second goal came from former Gor Mahia and Alliance FC striker Dickson Ambundo, who capitalized on a defensive mistake to loop the ball past the helpless custodian who remained glued to the ground.

Meanwhile, KMC maintained their spot on top of the table after a 2-1 win against Tanzania Prisons.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 21st minute courtesy of Hassan Kabunda. However, Tanzania Prisons equalized in the 39th minute through Kassimu Mdoe before Kenneth Masumbuko hit the winner with five minutes to go.

Juventus have elected to put attacker Douglas Costa up for sale due to the Brazilian’s persistent problems with injury, Goal can confirm.

Manchester United are set to have their ears pricked by this news, as they have been closely linked with the 29-year-old wideman in the past, but the more persistent interest has come from clubs in the UAE.

The player, however, is not keen on departing Juve as he wishes to prove himself at a club he joined in 2017, initially on loan, following a two-year stint in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.

This is in part driven by a lack of interest from elsewhere. Although his agents have tried to stir up interest from Premier League clubs, there is too much doubt over his physical capacity to play on a regular basis. 

During the 2019-20 campaign, he managed 29 outings for Juve and impressed when he was available, scoring three goals in all competitions while laying on a further seven assists.

However, his season was blighted with injury issues, missing 21 fixtures in total, and it was only after the suspension of play because of the coronavirus pandemic that he was able to put together a lengthy series of appearances, and even then these typically came from the bench.

His season ended prematurely as he suffered a tear in an abductor muscle, and that same issue is set to prevent him featuring at the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign for the Turin giants, who are aiming for their 10th Serie A crown in succession having appointed Andrea Pirlo to head coach over the summer.

Similarly, he spent a good deal of time during the previous term out. He featured 18 times in Serie A during the 2018-19 term but missed four matches due to a suspension and another 16 because of injuries.

These were overwhelmingly muscular, with a hamstring problem keeping him out for two months only to be struck by a calf injury sustained after only 30 competitive minutes.

During his time in Turin, he has won three Scudetti, while he is also a two-time Bundesliga champion.

Tanzania's grassroots football has received a boost after betting firm Play Master announced a sponsorship worth TSh 240 million.

The deal between the firm and the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) is meant to help in developing the game in lower tiers. The Federation's president Wallace Karia stated the monies to clubs were not meant for campaigns and were meant to develop the game.

"The money we are giving you is not because of the football elections scheduled for 2021, this is meant for football," Karia told reporters during the signing and unveiling of the two-year sponsorship deal.

"Even if I wanted to use them for politics, it could have been less beneficial considering the fact that clubs in grassroots do not directly get involved in voting for the president."

The administrator has warned club officials against misusing the funds meant for the players.

"The monies should be deposited in the club's respective accounts for future use," Karia continued.

"I don't want misuse of the monies; any official who will embezzle them will not be pardoned. 

"The deal is just the beginning; we intend to continue working together, all the way to the top."

Play Master's chairman Edgar Pambukyan was delighted with the partnership and exuded confidence it will help in promoting Tanzania football.

"This is a great opportunity and privilege to work together with the TFF and we appreciate it," the administrator said.

"It is a big day for Play Master and it is our hope that we will impact football in Tanzania positively.

"The game in the country has a bright future and by both parties entering the deal, there will be mutual benefit. We have been in the country for the last seven years and we have come to love it including the culture, and now we want to be more involved."

The 2020/21 top tier league commenced on September 6.

However, the Division One league will kick off on October 3, 2020, while the last division will start on November 7, 2020.

The domestic Cup, which is referred to as the Azam Cup, will start on November 28, 2020, while the mid-season transfer window will open on December 12, 2020, and will close on January 15, 2021.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho insists that he has not lost his passion for management after 20 years at the top level.

The Portuguese first managed with Benfica in 2000 then moved to Uniao de Leiria and Porto, where he won the Champions League, before switching to England.

Successful spells at Chelsea and Inter followed, but his star began to wane at Real Madrid, where he won only one league title in three years at the club.

After leaving the Bernabeu, he endured a mixed spell at Manchester United, where he won the EFL Cup and Europa League but struggled to re-establish the Old Trafford giants in the Premier League top four.

In 2019, he replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham where he remains in charge, and as he closes in on 1,000 matches in the dugout he says he retains all his appetite for the job.

“Of course, the colour of my hair is different, and some wrinkles! But I'm the same guy, the same principles, the same passion, nothing at all has changed,” he told Sky Sports ahead of Spurs’ Premier League opener against Everton.

“I am the same in my DNA, my principles, I'm the same man - but obviously a big evolution in terms of coaching, in terms of managing players and football teams, and the evolution of everything related to the game.

“I love everything related to my job. The only thing I don't enjoy is to lose - I hate to lose - but I know very well that it is part of our job. Everything related to my job is something I love, that's why I don't see myself doing another thing in my life.

“In football I just love everything. If you ask me about everything related to the job, there is nothing I don't enjoy. Even the problems, the difficulties, are things I enjoy about the job. So the challenge is to be happy, happy, happy, happy!”

Meanwhile, his target for Tottenham is simple.

“Our ambition is to win every match,” he said. “Our target is to go to every match, thinking and feeling that we go to that match to win. It doesn't' matter the competition, the opponent, I want Tottenham to have this level of confidence to go to every match to win.

“We are going to lose some, we are going to draw some too, but I want to have this feeling that it doesn't matter who the opponent is, I want Tottenham to go to try to win, not just trying to win, but feeling like they can too.

“It is good to be nice lads, but it is good also to have that competitive mentality, that aggression and ambition that you need. I was never afraid to establish with my boys some difficult targets, and not be afraid of going for it.”

Tottenham finished sixth in the Premier League table in 2019-20 and approach the new campaign as one of the sides tipped to challenge for the Champions League spots.

Marcelinho Leite Pereira became an instant success in his maiden season in the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2016 when he was part of Delhi Dynamos.

The Brazilian forward had bagged the Golden Shoe award in the league scoring 10 goals in 15 appearances and had assisted five times.

Since then, he has been a regular in the ISL, plying his trade with FC Pune City for two years and Hyderabad FC for a year and has been amongst the top players in the league.

Last season, even though, Hyderabad finished at the bottom of the ISL table, the Brazilian still managed to score seven goals and provide two assists in 17 matches and was arguably the club’s best performer.

Marcelinho has now once again decided to rejoin his former employers. It has to be noted that Delhi Dynamos were rechristened as Odisha FC after the owners had decided to change their base last season.

The talismanic striker revealed that the new challenge in Odisha is what prompted him to jump ship this season.

“After a hard season with Hyderabad FC, the new team (Odisha FC) made me feel motivated. The club management and the coach (Stuart Baxter) showed a lot of interest in me and that is what prompted me to join the club,” Marcelinho told Goal.

The 2020-21 season will be the fifth consecutive season for the Brazilian in India and the forward suggested that he has seen Indian players grow massively in the past five years.

“Each season has been crucial for them (Indian players). We always see new faces and new talents. I am sure we will get to see more young stars this year.

“The Indian players are improving every year thanks to the way the ISL is organised and with experience from foreign players and coach, for the future, we will see Indian players moving and going to other countries,” the experienced player explained.

Former South African national team coach Stuart Baxter has taken over at Odisha FC as their manager this season and Marcelinho suggested that he is looking forward to working with such an experienced manager.

“I have a lot of expectations. I want to see how he will manage the Indian youngsters and foreign players, that's the balance that makes a team good. But I also know that he has experience in Asia as well as worldwide and he will successfully manage the team.

Marcelinho revealed that the affection he gets from the Indian fans convinced him to continue his stint in India for the fifth consecutive season.

“The love and affection from fans, respect developed from all the parties involved, staff, media and players make me feel beloved and continue my life in India. The organization and lifestyle are different from my country but it is a nice experience for me, I love it all.”

The ISL this season will be conducted in a centralised venue (Goa) without the presence of fans due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The Brazilian suggested that while the lack of travelling will benefit the teams, the players will miss playing in front of the enthusiastic Indian fans.

“It will be something strange for me to play without the fans, to be honest. I hope for a better world after this season and a normal life. There will be an advantage of playing without any travelling but the disadvantage is that I will miss the fans screaming,” said the former Atletico Madrid ‘B’ striker.

The Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in sporting activities without fans inside stadiums in most parts of the world. The seventh season of Indian Super League (ISL) is also set to be played behind closed doors in Goa later this year. But what if it wasn't? 

Since the Indian Super League started in 2014, there has always been one clear winner in the category of 'the biggest crowd-puller'.

Kerala Blasters started their journey by managing to attract more than 50000 spectators per game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. After the FIFA U-17 World Cup for which the JLN stadium was also a venue, the capacity was reduced and the team also struggled on the field, resulting in smaller turnouts in recent years. But both in the stands on social media, Blasters remained ISL's crowd-puller. 

But their status will now be tested with the entry of two of the biggest Indian football clubs into the scene. Mohun Bagan have merged with ATK to form ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal's entry into the ISL has been confirmed by the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

The two clubs, known as the Kolkata giants, and from a region famously known as the 'Mecca of Indian Football' will surely change the look and feel of the whole league. 

There will be space for social media campaigns because the upcoming season will be played without fans inside the stadium but if it ever a battle for supremacy in terms of the atmosphere inside the stadium, the league would have had a mouth-watering contest on its hands.

A fixture involving any two of Kerala Blasters, ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal would have witnessed a sell-out crowd but unfortunately, the Indian football aficionados will be kept waiting for such an experience. 

Last season, in terms of average attendance figures, Blasters were ranked third in the list behind toppers ATK and runners-up Jamshedpur. But with the focus now on TV and OTT (over the top) viewers and strength on social media, Kerala Blasters fanbase have lately become unmatched (if in doubt, do check out the engagement for Kerala Blasters-related posts on social media).

But this was also because fans of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan couldn't care less about the Indian Super League until recently when the doors were opened. At least next season, neutrals could witness a different winner in polls wherein Kerala Blasters are featured. 

Terengganu FC 0-1 Johor Darul Ta'zim

JDT increased their lead at the top of the table from six points to eight points thanks to a solitary goal from Safawi Rasid, who made his first start for the reigning champions in this MSL resumption.

Perak 1-0 UiTM FC

Mehmet Durakovic's boys bounced back from that crushing defeat last week and had Shahrel Fikri to thank for returning to winning ways.

It was a display of efficiency from the leading striker on each team as points were shared at UiTM Stadium with Brendan Gan receiving his marching orders.

Felda United 1-2 Kedah

Three in a row now for Kedah as this away win pushed them up behind JDT in the standings.

Beleaguered Pahang had Ivan Carlos back in the team and he produced a stunning free kick to help the Elephants back on the right track. 

PJ City FC 1-1 Sabah

A draw that does neither any good in their battle to stave off relegation but PJ City will rue the misses right at the end.

It has lately been a period of good news for East Bengal fans after a relatively frustrating 2019-20 season on and off the field.

The Red and Golds struggled in the I-League and were nowhere near the eventual champions Mohun Bagan. They were reportedly in a tiff with former investors Quess Corp over the transfer of sporting right required to continue operations in the upcoming season.

It took some time to sort out, with the Bengaluru-based company pulling out of East Bengal once and for all. However, that cast a huge shadow of doubt over the financial health of the club. And at one point, it seemed they might have to continue in the I-League and not play in the Indian Super League (ISL) unlike Mohun Bagan who merged with ATK.

But thanks to the intervention of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the club were able to rope in Shree Cement Limited as their new investors - a development that also paved a way to their eventual inclusion in the ISL. In fact, Shree Cement Limited, who now own around 76 per cent stakes in the club, have already picked up the bid documents needed to enter ISL.

The fans, obviously, are overjoyed at this development. More importantly, they should rest easy knowing that their club's future lies in the hands of an entrepreneur many consider to be an industry leader.

The Managing Director of Shree Cement Limited is none other than Hari Mohan Bangur who has played a key role in shaping the destiny of his firm in the last 20-odd years.

After almost 19 years of work experience at several firms, Hari Mohan Bangur joined his father Benu Gopal Bangur in 1991 after the Bangur Group underwent a three-way split. It was in 1997 that Benu and his son would get the cement business. Hari Mohan would slowly assume control of the firm, turning it into the behemoth it is currently.

To put it in context, in 1997, Shree Cement was a $56 million business. Today, its revenues exceed $1 billion, ie a growth ofabout 20x in around 25 years. The market capitalization has reached $8.7 billion and Hari Mohan and his father hold almost 65 per cent stakes in the company.

Though headquartered in Kolkata, Shree Cement empire currently stretches across Central and North India. They are India's second largest cement manufacturers. They do not have any plants in West Bengal, however. And that is one of the reasons behind Hari Mohan's decision to invest in East Bengal - a club which is also a source of pride for a lot of Bengalis.

Mamata Banerjee's work in finalising the deal was also well appreciated by the cement tycoon.

“Shree Cement does not have any plants in West Bengal. We were thinking of doing something in West Bengal for a long time. So when Didi (Mamata Banerjee) approached us for supporting East Bengal we readily agreed. The credit for bringing the company and East Bengal together fully goes to our beloved Didi," Hari Mohan told Goal.

"She was fully involved in the deal since day one. The deal was materialized only due to her untiring efforts. At several points during the discussions when it appeared that there was a deadlock, it was Didi who sorted things out for both of us.”

The success did not come easy for Hari Mohan though. By the late 1990s, Shree Cement was struggling on the face of a global economic slowdown and Hari Mohan almost sold the company to French cement firm Vicat. It was agreed in Paris in July of 2000 that Vicat would pay about $65 million for the entire business.

However, Hari Mohan did not want to let go of his and his family's legacy and backed out of the deal in the eleventh hour.

The fact that his company was still attracting buyers gave him confidence and he brought about several changes in operation that turned the fortunes around. In the last 15 years, Shree Cements' share prices have risen from ₹50 to ₹18500, at a compounded growth rate of 48.3 per cent, making it the best performing cement stock in India.

Behind the turnaround was a decision to utilise research and technology to cut costs. He found out that Petroleum Coke, a waste by-product sold cheap by Reliance Industries, could be a fuel for cement manufacturing. It was such a success that Bangurs kept it a trade secret for almost eight years. Even now, according to experts, Shree Cement enjoys an average 25 per cent cost edge on most of their Indian rivals.

In short, Hari Mohan is someone who has survived tough times, has displayed innovation to grow his firm and takes bold decisions, Clearly, he is somone who values legacy and fights to the utmost end to honour it. 

These are qualities that should gladden the hearts of East Bengal fans, for here is a man who knows how to revive a struggling entity, innovating and adapting to the ever-changing world while respecting its legacy.

"East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are two iconic football clubs of the country. These clubs are the pride of Bengal. The love and passion for football and these clubs, in particular, is in the blood of every Bengali," he said.

Hari Mohan Bangur is not just a successful entrepreneur, he is also an avid sports lover. Before entering the world of Indian football, Shree Cement was associated with the Indian National Hockey team.

Back in 2010 during the Hockey World Cup, they had entered into a sponsorship deal with the Indian hockey players which would see the hockey sticks of each and every player carrying the company logo.

The company has also patronized volleyball in India in the past and the man himself is a national level Bridge player.

“Shree Cement has been active in sports for a long time. We have been patronizing volleyball, hockey, etc. in the past. I myself am a national level Bridge player and a sports lover,” he added.

The company would not just promote football but other sports too at East Bengal and would like to participate in every national and international competition, according to their Managing Director.

“Shree would work together with the club for the promotion of various sports not limited to football alone. We would like the club to participate in various local, national and international level tournaments. The modalities or structure of investing is still being worked on,” he opined.

What is clear is one fact - Hari Mohan Bangur and his son Prashant are entrepreneurs with a vision. And judging by how they have turned Shree Cement into cement royalty, East Bengal also can expect that level of commitment from their new patrons.

East Bengal are a club with a lot of heritage and history who have struggled on the field of late. Under Hari Mohan Bangur and Shree Cement's leadership, the fans will be hoping their fortunes will change for the better in a new era, in a new surrounding.

Aster Vranckx has produced an early and very strong candidate for miss of the season after his failed effort in Mechelen's 1-0 loss to KV Oostende in Belgium's first division on Saturday. 

With the game goalless in the 67th minute, the 17-year-old found himself gifted an open goal after a shot from his team-mate struck the crossbar. 

After chesting the ball down, Vranckx was left with the simplest of finishes but ended up tripping over, colliding with the post and seeing the ball ultimately cleared by a scrambling defender. 

It's a miss that must be seen to be believed and is reminiscent of an effort from Paris-Saint Germain forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting not long ago.

Vranckx's blunder would prove costly too, with Oostende going on to score an injury-time winner courtesy of Celtic loanee Jack Hendry. 

Remarkably, the teenager kept his cool when asked about his miss post-match, suggesting he has the mentality to recover from the embarrassing incident. 

“I think I just had to kick the ball in. I took it wrong, and then I missed it," Vranckx told Eleven Sports. "It's a shame that I missed, but I'm just going to look to the next match and not let my head go crazy."

Vranckx, generally deployed as a central midfielder, has already scored this season and established himself as a key part of Mechelen's side after breaking through last year. 

Manager Wouter Vrancken was in a forgiving mood post-match, declaring luck simply wasn't on his team's side and was quick to point out Vranckx's otherwise strong performance. 

“If those balls don't even go in, you get the feeling that it's not going to be," he said. "I don't blame Aster. When you see how that 17-year-old boy stood out above everyone else today, you shouldn't blame him.

"Above all, we must not enter a downward spiral after this defeat. Until now we have always been able to deliver quality and we will continue to do so." 

Mechelen currently sit 14th in the Belgian Pro League with one win, two draws and two losses to show from their first five matches of the new season. The club will be hoping to improve upon their strong showing last season that saw them finish sixth and get within touching distance of a spot in the Europa League qualifiers. 

David Okereke has scored his first goal of 2020 in Club Brugge’s 4-1 triumph over Waasland-Beveren in Saturday’s Belgian First Division A encounter.

Since netting a brace against Zulte-Waregem on December 26, 2019, the former Nigeria U23 star has gone on a run of nine months without finding the net.

Against Wase Wolven, however, the former Spezia man returned to scoring ways inside Jan Breydel Stadium that accommodated over 9,000 fans.

Hans Vanaken gave the Blue-Black a 16th minute lead from the penalty mark after Morocco’s Amine Khammas had brought down Nigeria’s Emmanuel Dennis. Referee Erik Lambrechts pointed to the spot before the Belgian slotted the ball past goalkeeper Nordin Jackers.

Daan Heymans equalised for the visitors on the half hour mark with VAR upholding the goal despite Aleksandar Vukotic’s tackle on Clinton Mata before the goal was scored.

Nine minutes later, Vanaken restored the hosts’ lead after heading home Ruud Vormer’s corner kick to hand Philippe Clement’s men a 2-1 lead going into the half-time break.

Five minutes into the second-half, Okereke found the net after Eduard Sobol’s cross touched his shin before sailing into the net. In the 84th minute, substitute Michael Krmencik wrapped up the win as Nicky Hayen’s men returned home with heads bowed low.

After an impressive evening, Okereke was replaced in the 78th minute by Senegal international Krepin Diatta. His compatriot, Dennis, who was cautioned in the 52nd minute, came off after 72 minutes for Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere. Cote d'Ivoire's duo of Simon Deli and Odilon Kossounou including Angola's Mata were in action from start to finish.

For the visitors, Belgium-born striker of Senegalese descent Aboubakary Koita and Khammas lasted for the whole duration.

Thanks to this result, Club Brugge are third in the Jupiler League log having garnered nine points from five matches, with Waregem sitting in seventh position with six points.

Okereke would be hoping to find the net again when his club travel to Regenboogstadion for Sunday's clash with Zulte Waregem that parade Ghana’s Daniel Opare and Burundi international Saido Berahino. On Saturday, Waasland-Beveren welcome Anderlecht to the Freethiel Stadion.

Barcelona began Ronald Koeman's tenure as manager with a 3-1 friendly win over Gimnastic de Tarragona on Saturday. 

After Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring in the fifth minute, penalties from Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho guided Koeman's side to a comfortable victory.

Barcelona lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, a system rarely used at the club in the past, with the entire starting side switched out at half-time.

Sergio Busquets and Carles Alena began the match as the holding midfielders before being replaced by Frenkie de Jong and Riqui Puig, with Koeman stressing afterwards that having two players occupy such a role will allow the team to attack with more versatility. 

"It may be different and somewhat more defensive than what has been seen in recent years, but the objective is to move the ball, hold on to it and find the spaces to play between the lines, and behind rival midfielders," Koeman said post-match. 

"I think this team can do it because we have midfielders to play like that.

"The most important thing is that fortunately there have been no injuries. Everyone has played 45 minutes. There were moments of good intensity. There are always things to improve on but we're happy. We have been here for two weeks and we have two more to go.

"It is important that they already play because it is not a normal pre-season. We only have four weeks, not six. It is complicated. What we want to do now is physical work and in the next two weeks work on the tactical side more."

After his failed attempt to leave Camp Nou, Messi started the match as captain and seemed happy to be back on the pitch following so much off-field drama. 

While Messi featured in the friendly played at Johan Cruyff Stadium, Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal were notable omissions with both players linked with a possible Barcelona departure in recent weeks. 

Suarez was believed to be close to joining Juventus, while Vidal may also be heading to Serie A with Inter reportedly keen to bring the midfielder to Milan. 

Barcelona will play another pre-season friendly on Wednesday against Girona before kicking off their La Liga season against Villarreal on September 26. 

Diego Simeone has tested positive for coronavirus, Atletico Madrid have confirmed.

The 50-year-old Argentine is not displaying any symptoms, and will self-isolate at home in line with social distancing guidelines.

Simeone had been back in training with his side since last Monday ahead of the new La Liga season.

Atletico are scheduled to play Cadiz in a friendly game on Tuesday, ahead of their season opener at home to Granada on September 27.

A statement from the club said: "The first team, coaching staff and auxiliary personnel underwent tests on Friday as soon as they returned from training in Los Angeles de San Rafael after a positive test was returned by a member of the travelling party in the previous tests carried out on Thursday. 

"The analysis of these new samples in the laboratory has determined that our coach, Diego Pablo Simeone, has given a positive result for Covid-19. 

"Fortunately, he does not present any symptoms and is isolating at his home and fulfilling the quarantine after taking training with the team since last Monday."

Simeone is not the only leading figure to test positive for Covid-19 since clubs in Spain returned from the summer break.

At the beginning of September, striker Diego Costa and right-back Santiago Arias were forced to delay their return to training after both returned positive tests.

Both players were also asymptomatic, with the pair also sent home to self-isolate.

Despite the general success of the return to football after lockdown, there are concerns once more over welfare as players return from summer holidays.

Paris Saint-Germain lost the opening game of their Ligue 1 season 1-0 at minnows Lens after a number of star names, including the front four of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Mauro Icardi and Angel Di Maria, were ruled out with the virus.

Paul Pogba missed Manchester United's final pre-season friendly against Aston Villa on Saturday, after the latest round of testing in the Premier League returned three positive cases.

Gabrielle Onguene scored as CSKA Moscow thrashed Yenisey 3-0 in Saturday's Russian Women's Superliga encounter in Moscow.

The reigning champions went into the showdown on the heels of a hard-fought 2-1 triumph at Krasnodar in their last outing.

The 31-year-old had scored five goals in the holders' fine start to a title defence this season and she made an impactful ninth outing.

At home, CSKA struggled to find an early breakthrough until Lyubov Yashchenko broke the deadlock in the 36th minute of the encounter.

Anastasiya Pozdeeva added the second of the match two minutes after the restart to ensure the hosts stepped up their advantage.

Onguene struck on the hour mark to hit her sixth goal of the season and guaranteed the victory of Maksim Zinovjev's team.

Onguene played for 77 minutes before she was replaced by Valeriia Bizenkova and has now scored five goals in nine matches this term.

The result means CKSA have opened a seven-point gap at the summit of the Russian log with 23 points from nine matches.

They will seek to build on the fine run against Zenit Saint Petersburg in their next Russian Superliga fixture on September 26.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah honoured Al Ahly midfielder Moamen Zakaria with his celebration after scoring a hat-trick in the Reds' 4-3 victory over Leeds United.

After securing maximum points for Jurgen Klopp's men in their opening Premier League fixture with his 88th-minute strike from the penalty spot, the Egypt international imitated Zakaria's celebration by pulling his tongue out and putting his hands on his ears.

Zakaria was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) last month, a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and he will not be able to play football again.

The 32-year-old joined Al Ahly from Egyptian Premier League rivals Zamalek in 2015 and he has not played competitive football since December 2018.

Zakaria is also an Egypt international and he played alongside Salah in their 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign where he made three appearances against Ghana and Chad (home and away).

During his active playing career, he won the Egyptian Premier League title thrice and he is a three-time Egypt Cup winner.

After their 3-0 thrashing of Ismaily SC in an Egyptian Premier League match on Friday, Al Ahly players paid tribute to Zakaria with the celebration and the 32-year-old responded with an appreciation tweet to the Red Devils.

“I thanked Al Ahly’s management and players,” he tweeted.

“I enjoyed one of the most beautiful days of my life. It was one of the sweetest days in my life for almost two years.

“I thank all fans. Your prayers to me for a speedy recovery.”

Former Liverpool right-back Stephen Darby is also battling ALS and he has started a foundation to support people affected with the disease which forced him into retirement two years ago.

In July 2019, his former clubs Liverpool and Bradford City held a fundraising match to support the 31-year-old's cause.

Following Saturday’s heroic display at Anfield, Salah will be expected to continue his goalscoring exploits when Liverpool visit Chelsea for their next Premier League fixture on September 20.

Kamal Sowah scored his first goal in the Belgian First Division A as OH Leuven silenced Standard Liege 1-0 on Saturday evening.

The Ghanaian youngster ended the Reds’ unbeaten run this season after firing past goalkeeper Arnaud Bodart with 13 minutes left to play.

Marc Brys’ team came into the encounter having secured a 3-1 victory over Waasland-Beveren, where the Leicester City loanee played every minute at Freethielstadion.

Against the Reds, however, they met strong resistance as they were unable to break past a dogged Liege rock-solid backline.

Just before half-time, Sowah blasted at goal after a fast Leuven attack launched by Thomas Henry, but his strike was repelled by goalkeeper Bodart.

In the second half, the hosts continued to dominate but were lethargic in the final third while the visiting team also missed the few chances that came their way.

Nevertheless, the visitors’ ambition of getting a positive result got dented on the hour mark after Nicolas Gavory was sent off by Lothar D'Hondt for a second bookable offence.

17 minutes later, Brys’ team sealed all points at stake after Sowah rounded off the opposing goalkeeper, thanks to an assist from Xavier Mercier.

After ensuring his side were guaranteed all three points, the African was replaced in the 89th minute by Cote d’Ivoire’s Aboubakar Keita. South Africa international Darren Keet and Benin Republic’s Yannick Aguemon were not listed for the showdown, but Burkina Faso’s Dylan Ouedraogo was in action from start to finish.

For Philippe Montanier’s men, Cameroon star Collins Fai, Morocco’s Selim Amallah saw every minute of action, while Mali's Moussa Sissako who is on loan from Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco's Mehdi Carcela, Congo DR's William Balikwisha, John Nekadio and Burkina Faso's Abdoul Tapsoba played no part in the game.

Thanks to this result, OH Leuven sit in fifth position in the Jupiler league having accrued eight points from five games, while Standard Liege remain in second position with 10 points from the same number of ties.

The Ghana youngster who was loaned from the King Power Stadium in 2018 would be hoping to add to his goal tally when his side heads to Diaz Arena for a date with KV Oostende.

Liverpool found a way to beat Leeds at the end of their pulsating Premier League curtain-raiser on Saturday, but the reaction from the champions was unanimous – the newcomers are going to cause teams problems.

Both Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk were full of praise for Marcelo Bielsa’s side as the teams opened the new season with a classic encounter at Anfield.

Leeds equalised three times and threatened throughout the game, but were eventually seen off as Mohamed Salah completed his hat-trick with his second penalty of the game in the dying minutes.

Van Dijk scored Liverpool’s second goal of the game with a powerful header from a corner but was then at fault for Patrick Bamford’s equaliser.

"I enjoyed the win for sure,” the Dutchman told BBC Match of the Day.

“We knew it was going to be very intense and we knew it was going to be tough. It's early on in the season and there are many things we can improve. We will work on it.

"It's totally what we expected from Leeds. At times we could have done better but the most important thing is the three points.

"Leeds are going to cause a lot of teams problems because of the way they play. Credit to them."

Klopp was seen mouthing the word ‘Wow!’ to opposite number Bielsa after full-time, and he agreed with Van Dijk that the new boys have a big season ahead.

"A lot of people said Leeds can cause us problems and they did,” Klopp told BBC MOTD.

“We conceded three goals and that means we made some mistakes. They forced us to make mistakes. We have to work on that, we will work on that, and we will be better.

"We were ready for a fight, I like that. I love the desire we showed. We didn't stop and I like that.

"We will analyse the game. We made mistakes. We have to continue to work. We have to make sure we are prepared next game."

Reflecting on the game, Klopp said he could excuse some of the rustiness from his players as he argued playing football ‘isn’t like riding a bike’.

Saint-Etienne recorded a 2-0 victory over Strasbourg in Saturday’s French topflight clash, with Mahdi Camara and Denis Bouanga getting the goals.

Having lost their opening Ligue 1 games to Lorient and Nice, Thierry Laurey’s men travelled to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard with the ambition of earning their first win of the 2020-21 season.

Nevertheless, that dream was a mere wish as they bowed to second-half goals from the African duo.

The first-half which ended 0-0 produced no sparks with yellow cards to Saint-Etienne’s Yvan Noupa and Strasbourg duo of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Ibrahima Sissoko the key actions of the first 45 minutes.

In the second-half, the hosts turned the game around as their attacking forays produced the required result.

First, Gabon international Bouanga beat goalkeeper Bingourou Kamara from the penalty spot in the 57th minute after France-born Ghanaian defender Aleksander Djiku was adjudged by referee Eric Wattellier to have handled a cross directed at Charles Abi.

Camara sealed the win in the 82nd minute after smashing into an empty net after the visitors failed to clear their backline.

That strike was the 22-year-old’s first in the French elite division since he was promoted to the Green's first team in the 2017-18 season.

While Camara played from start to finish, Bounaga was replaced in the 86th minute by Kevin Monnet-Paquet. Cameroon's Yvan Noupa who is on loan from Braga was replaced in the 72nd minute by Zaydou Youssouf, while Cote d'Ivoire's Jean-Philippe Krasso, Senegal's Assane Diousse, Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri and Algeria's Ryad Boudebouz played no part in the fixture.

South African star Lebo Mothiba was not listed by Strasbourg while Cote d’Ivoire’s Kevin Zohi who was handed a starter’s role was replaced by Mehdi Chahiri in the 61st minute, while Algeria's Idriss Saadi came in for Ghana's Abdul Majeed Waris with 10 minutes left to play and Adrien Thomasson for Mali's Ibrahima Sissoko a minute later.

There was no place for Tunisia's Moataz Zemzemi and Cote d'Ivoire's Lamine Kone as Strasburg have now lost all their games so far this term to sit at the base of the log. They would be hoping to halt their poor run on Sunday when Dijon visit Stade de la Meinau.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has opened up on how he ensured the club secured the signing of Timo Werner over the summer.

The former RB Leipzig striker sealed a move to Stamford Bridge in June with the Germany international also attracting reported interest from the likes of Liverpool and both Manchester clubs. 

Werner, however, was seemingly convinced to join the Blues when Lampard and Petr Cech personally went to meet the attacker earlier this year for face-to-face talks. 

The Chelsea coach described his plans for the striker and made sure to stress how much the club wanted Werner to join them. 

"You understand that when there is competition from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City that you need to state your best case to the player," Lampard said.

"Having been that player at one point, I tried to sell the club to the best of my ability when I spoke to players. Petr in his role does the same.

"With a player like Timo, we were very keen to bring him in. He needs to feel that from us. I loved everything that he said to me in those conversations, the same with all the players.

"That manager-player conversation is really important because our relationship needs to be good. All you can do is your best as a club.

"I think we can be happy that we have brought in players of their level. That is just how we tried to work. Now it is stage two, get them settled and playing to the best of their ability."

After scoring 28 goals in the Bundesliga last season, Werner will be determined to hit the ground running in the Premier League when Chelsea face Brighton in their season opener on Monday night. 

The German international scored in his first non-competitive appearance for the Blues last month, finding the back of the net after just four minutes in a friendly against Graham Potter's side. 

Chelsea team-mate Christian Pulisic believes Werner can have a big impact at the club and is savouring the chance to play alongside him. 

"He’s a very dangerous player," Pulisic told the club's official website last month. "I think he has some similar qualities to me and some of the attacking guys we have. He’s obviously very quick and very good in front of goal.

"He seems like a very humble guy. He wants to come in and wants to work. Playing against him has been a great experience and it’s going to be nice to have him on my team as well. So I’m definitely looking forward to that."

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris says Spurs are prepared to be ‘naughty’ to win games for Jose Mourinho.

The north London side are hoping to put a tumultuous 2020-21 season behind them on Sunday when they kick off their new campaign with a home game against Everton.

Clips from the club’s Amazon Prime documentary series have shown Mourinho chastising his players for being too nice on the field – and Lloris accepts his side need to be able to win ugly.

“It can be true in football, you sometimes have to know how to win in the ugly way,” Lloris told the Guardian.

“You don’t always need to play the fantastic game to win, you just need to know how to win. Particularly on a bad day, it helps if you still know how to win.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be a good guy off the field, but when you are on the field you have to do everything you can. You might have to be naughty, to get the winning taste, but if you win that kind of game it makes you even stronger.

“You still need talent and team spirit and all the usual things, but sometimes that’s not enough. The manager is trying to instil a winning mentality, which is something we all have to follow.”

While Mourinho has stated his desire for a new striker, Spurs have been active in this summer's transfer market.

Matt Doherty has joined from Wolves and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton, as well as the free-transfer signing of former England goalkeeper Joe Hart.

With fresh faces among their ranks, Lloris is hoping Spurs can enjoy a fresh start in Mourinho's first full season in charge.

“It was tough at times last season but it belongs to the past,” he said. “We have to look ahead, we have to rebuild our confidence and we are making some progress.

“When I look at the games we played after the restart there were some good signals. I could see some improvements, especially in the way our manager wants us to play.

“We should not forget it was not easy for him either, arriving in the middle of the season, but now it’s a new season and important to make a good start.

“We have only had four weeks’ preparation, and there are far too many games to play, but it is the same for everyone. That’s why it is important to make a good start. We have a really good squad with very good spirit and we are ready to start and compete.”

Nigerian American Fatai Alashe has ended his 16-month scoreless run as Columbus Crew came from a two-goal deficit to play a 2-2 draw with Chicago Fire in Saturday’s Eastern Conference Major Soccer League encounter.

Before the clash at the Soldier Field, the former United States of America youth international last scored in the MLS during his time at Cincinnati, as his former team defeated Montreal Impact on May 11, 2019.

However, that jinx was broken as Caleb Porter’s men dusted off a poor start to ensure that the game ended on a no winner, no vanquished note.

Chicago Fire started impressively, scoring in the 11th minute through Djordje Mihailovic who notched his first goal of the 2020-21 campaign. The American beat goalkeeper Eloy Room from close range with Robert Beric supplying the assist.

Two minutes later, Robert Beric slotted in the second for the hosts having converted a Fabian Herbers’ pass after a freekick from Mihailovic. Unfortunately, Mihailovic lasted for just 22 minutes as he was replaced by Elliot Collier owing to injury.

Alashe pulled one back in the 68th minute after redirecting Gyasi Zardes’ header from a cornerkick – leaving goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth stranded.

Unfortunately, the hosts could not hold on to their slim lead as Zardes levelled matters with two minutes left to play after capitalising on a deflected shot to thump home the equaliser.

Ghana's duo of Harrison Afful and Emmanuel Boateng were on parade from start to finish while Fanendo Adu came in for Portugal's Pedro Santos with nine minutes left to play, with Morocco’s Youness Mokhtar replacing Derrick Etienne in the 75th minute.

The draw means Columbus moves three points ahead of Toronto FC for first place in the MLS Supporters' Shield standings. They welcome Nashville SC to Ohio's Mapfre Stadium on Sunday, while Chicago Fire are guests 0f Orlando City on the same day.

Born to Nigerian parents in Michigan, the 26-year-old boasts of 12 caps for the United States U23 team – scoring twice between 2015 and 2016. He is eligible to represent Nigeria at senior level.