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Joel Matip has declared his delight at returning to action after featuring in Liverpool’s 7-2 victory over Blackpool on Saturday, getting a goal for himself.

The 29-year-old was out of action for much of the 2019-20 season due to various injury problems, playing just 13 times in all competitions, nine of them in the Premier League, which the Reds emphatically won by 18 points compared to closest challengers Manchester City.

After playing 73 minutes of the goalless draw against Merseyside rivals Everton at the restart of the league, Matip failed to make any further appearance because of a foot injury.

The Cameroon international scored just once which was in a 3-1 win over Arsenal at Anfield.

In Saturday’s friendly, Blackpool took a 2-0 lead in the first half before Matip halved the deficit few minutes to the half-time break.

Senegal forward Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Harvey Elliot, Takumi Minamino, Divock Origi and Sepp van den Berg all got their names on the scoresheet as the Reds took total control of the second half.

“It was nice to be back on the pitch and to be directly back in the stadium. I’m looking forward to the season,” Matip told the club website .

“Of course, they started quite well and made some problems, but that’s the thing about pre-season – you have to learn about things in the game. In the second half especially, we made it much better.

“You can learn from every game and every situation, even if you have not the perfect start. You always can come back.”

Matip has been in the red half of Merseyside since February 2016 having arrived on a free transfer from Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04. He has made 111 competitive appearances, scoring five goals and providing one assist.

Liverpool had previously played two pre-season games against VfB Stuttgart and Red Bull Salzburg, the former ending in a 3-0 win while the latter ended 2-2. In between these was the Community Shield against Arsenal which the Gunners won 5-4 on penalties after it ended in 1-1 in regular time. 

Jurgen Klopp’s men begin their Premier League campaign at home to newly-promoted Leeds United on Saturday.

Barcelona are preparing a final offer for Lautaro Martinez, Goal can confirm, with the beleaguered Blaugrana ready to test Inter's resolve as they prepare for life without Luis Suarez at the head of their attack.

New boss Ronald Koeman recently made it clear to the Uruguayan, despite him being close friends with wantaway Lionel Messi, that he would no longer be a key player for the Catalans and should attempt to find a new club.

And although Lyon attacker Memphis Depay has been mooted as a potential successor due to his ties with Koeman, Goal can confirm that Lautaro remains at the top Barca's wishlist, with the Argentine seen as a complete centre-forward in the precise mould the club are looking for.

There are many complications in the way, however, the most notable of which being the fact that Suarez still has a year left on his contract at Camp Nou, with an automatic renewal for a further year should he feature in more than 60 per cent of matches.

In essence, Barcelona have two options: let Suarez stay and look on from the stands while he sees out the final season of his current deal or pay him his full salary for the 2020-21 season and allow him to leave as a free agent.

The latter, of course, would see the striker sent off with a clean break, but forking an annual salary of €14 million (£12.5m/$16.5m) in one go is far from ideal for the Liga side, whose financial issues amid the coronavirus pandemic are well documented.

Sources close to the situation have learned that Suarez is willing to sit down with the club and negotiate his exit. 

However, should president Josep Maria Bartomeu try to play hardball and attempt to wriggle out of paying said €14m, the 33-year-old will simply return to training and collect his weekly wage.

Should both parties reach an accord, it is understood that Juventus have already come to an agreement with Suarez over a three-year contract worth €10m (£9m/$12m) per season, with the attacker having already begun the process of applying for an Italian passport.

Barca will try to recoup some kind of compensation from Juve should Suarez make the switch to Turin, but the Italian giants have no intention of providing Bartomeu and Co. what would essentially be a handout.

Lautaro, at least at first, would earn significantly less than Suarez per annum, yet another reason the Camp Nou side are keen to bring the 23-year-old Argentine in to lead the club into the future.

Neco Williams scored a stoppage-time winner to secure Wales a 1-0 Nations League victory over Bulgaria and take charge of the group.

Ryan Giggs' men left it late on matchday one of Group B4 when netting an 80th-minute winner against Finland, and they had to wait even longer after what had been an underwhelming performance at home to Bulgaria.

The hosts did not pose any credible threat to the Bulgaria goal until the latter stages of the first half, but David Brooks spurned a decent opportunity and that failed to usher in much of an improvement after the interval.

Gareth Bale, only able to play 45 minutes last time out, managed the whole match though hardly terrorised the Bulgaria backline – instead it was left to substitute Williams to nod in with virtually the last action of the match to make it two wins from two for Wales in the Nations League.

A deflected Galin Ivanov effort in the 25th minute was the first talking point of note in a low-key first half, but it ultimately went wide of Wayne Hennessey's left-hand post.

Wales eventually showed signs of life in attack in the final minutes of the first period, with Bale's long-range free-kick forcing Georgi Georgiev into an easy save, before Brooks volleyed off target when gifted an opportunity by Kristian Dimitrov.

The home side initially maintained a decent level upon the resumption, but their tempo soon fell flat again.

It was not until the 67th minute that they threated Georgiev's goal again – Daniel James cutting in from the left and shooting at the keeper following a one-two.

James was involved again soon after, teeing up Brooks as he struck the top of the post.

But deep into added time, just when Wales' chances appeared lost, substitute Williams latched on to a cross from Jonny Williams to steal a dramatic win.

What does it mean? Wales do just enough to take charge of the group
Victory for Giggs' side leaves them with six points from two games, meaning they will head into matchday three at least two points clear at the top regardless of other results.

Doing well in this competition could vastly improve their World Cup qualification hopes, so clinching all three points at the end may prove pivotal in the long run.

Nevertheless, Giggs might be a little concerned with the performance. He named a strong side but for so much of the match they were devoid of craft and creativity.

Neco Williams makes the difference
Introduced in the 65th minute, Liverpool defender Neco Williams looked bright throughout his cameo.

He impressed even without the goal, though that is what earns him the headlines, as he showed admirable belief and positivity to even get into the position to score.

Bale fails to inspire
In a tight contest such as this, you look to your superstars – if you have one. Granted, Bale has not played a huge amount of football this year, but it is not unfair to expect more from him.

Four shots, only one of which was on target, and no key passes – he is better than that.

What's next?
Wales go to England for a friendly on October 8, while Bulgaria have a Euro 2021 qualifying play-off semi-final against Hungary to look forward to on the same day.

Former Nigeria U17 star Peter Olawale made a dream start to life at his new club Hapoel Ra’anana.

The teenager scored for the club’s U19 team as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hapoel Rishon Lezion Yehuda in Saturday’s Israeli Youth League fixture.

Olawale was making his competitive debut for the team, having recently joined the club from Tripple 44 Academy.

With the first-half ended 0-0, the Nigerian handed Ra’anana the lead after 49th minute – drilling home a one-time shot past the opposing goalkeeper.

However, they were denied a second victory this season as the visitors equalised with five minutes left to play.

Speaking through his club’s media department, the 18-year-old expressed his delight with his maiden goal while sharing his ambition for the senior team.

“Going into the game, I had a strong belief that I will register my name among the goalscorers,” he told Goal.

“Rishon Lezion are a very physical team and did not give us the room to operate, but when the chance came, I had no option than to strike at first touch before the defenders found their bearing.

“Overall, I gave a good account of myself but I would have been happier if we picked maximum points at stake.”

Olawale will make his debut for Hapoel Ra’anana’s senior squad when they welcome Hapoel Afula to the National Stadium Ramat Gan for a Liga Leumit clash on September 14 – and the ex-Tripple 44 man is ready to shine if paraded by manager Gal Cohen.

“I was drafted to play for the club’s youth team because of the international break, now my focus will be on that cracker which coach [Gal] Cohen claimed is a big match.

“With luck on my side I hope to continue my scoring run.

Shortly after the game on Saturday, he took to social media to revel in his achievement.

“I feel proud scoring on my debut for Hapoel Ra'anana A.F.C. this evening [on Saturday]. I give all glory to God and I believe it can only get better,” Olawale tweeted.

Thanks to an impressive outing at the 2019 U17 Fifa World Cup staged in Brazil, where the Golden Eaglets crashed out in the Round of 16, the striker attracted interest from a host of European teams, nonetheless, he signed for the Israeli outfit for an undisclosed fee.

Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Rudolph Seale has shared his thoughts on why the late inclusion of experienced goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has somehow dented the club’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) title chances.

While he said it was difficult to comfort the players after failing to lift the PSL trophy, he says they should not be discouraged.

Moreover, Seale is against the view the departure of George Maluleka to join new league champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, left a void in the midfield.

“I’m not pointing fingers here but I thought playing Khune when we smelled the title could have made things better,” Seale told Goal.

“I’m not saying [Daniel] Akpeyi was a bad keeper or blaming him. But to change him when he is injured did have a dent on our challenge.

“Look, there are some players that can give you good performances but sometimes fail to manage the game, organize things, and have that winning mentality especially when it comes to trying times like the final games of the season.

“We all know Khune is a good motivator, managing the game and has experience in big games and coming to the challenges of the title race, the character is what counts at such stages."

Coming to the title that was decided on the last day of the season, the former full-back says he expected one team would suffer heartbreak. 

“I think we expected the title to end up in tears for either club. It was obvious one would lose it in the last game,” added Seale.

“It’s very difficult to motivate and inspire the players. It’s been a very taxing and tough season not only for Chiefs but for everybody in the PSL. So, the fact that Chiefs managed to do well and challenge for the title up to the last game is something big for them.

“It happens in football that you lose the title. I think they can still come back and do well next season, I have faith they can continue where they left off.

“Losing the league title has always been happening in football and it’s not something new with Chiefs. I just hope the players will not feel bad about it. They must be professional and look at it in a positive manner.”

Speaking about the former Ajax Cape Town midfielder who recently joined the Tshwane giants, the legend believes coach Ernst Middendorp had quality to use in the heart of the park.

“On George, there are players there. The talk that George has left a void in the midfield and that sort of thing, it doesn’t work because Chiefs have top players in the midfield,” continued Seale.

“For those that didn’t enjoy regular game time, it was an opportunity for them to play just when they heard that George is leaving. This is not a one-man team but there’s talented and quality players at Chiefs.

“You can’t have passengers in a big club like this one, all the players have to play. Khune was out, he [Middendorp] played Akpeyi and unfortunately, Akpeyi cannot match Khune’s qualities when it comes to leadership.

“But there is plenty of players. They gave their best, to finish there is an achievement after finishing ninth last season.”

Sandro Tonali's move to AC Milan is almost complete but Brescia's president Massimo Cellino wanted him to join Roma.

Italy international Tonali has been one of the hottest properties in Italian football over the past few years, having broken into the Brescia team as a 17-year-old.

A technically gifted midfielder renowned for his dribbling and passing abilities, Tonali – now 20 – has long been seen as a future star of the Azzurri.

Brescia managed to keep hold of Tonali for the 2019-20 season after they were promoted to Serie A, but their relegation left them helpless to resist offers.

Cellino previously claimed Tonali ignored offers from Barcelona and Manchester United, while Inter had also tried to prise the talent away.

But Milan, whom he supported as a child, look set to win the race for Tonali – though Cellino would have preferred to sell him to Roma.

Speaking to Il Messaggero, Cellino said: "Sandro has supported Milan since he was a child.

"The negotiation with them made me doubly happy – I also respect a club that gives value to money.

"[Milan technical director, Paolo] Maldini has Milan DNA and has all the prerequisites for becoming a great manager.

"I would have seen Sandro more at Roma. It's a beautiful team, a hot city. [Roma vice-president, Mauro] Baldissoni told me some time ago that he was their dream, but now I don't know who is in charge of their transfers.

"I had an excellent relationship with [former president, Franco] Sensi and I know [former director of football, Walter] Sabatini very well.

"I feel very attached to Roma. For this reason, when I sold Cagliari, I had the dream of buying Roma and rehabilitating it, enhancing its potential through my work and my experience. It remained just a dream."

The deal for Tonali is rumoured to be an initial loan worth €10 million (£9m/$12m), plus an option to buy set at €20m (£18m/$24m), and given Brescia's relegation, Cellino felt it was impossible to keep him any longer.

"It had never happened to me before, to discover a strong player like Tonali," he added.

"I would have liked to keep him, but unfortunately the dream was shattered with the relegation and the uncertainty transmitted by the pandemic.

"I had to manage Brescia without refinancing the company. I hold the position of president as a profession, while my other millionaire colleagues do it as a hobby."

The match-ups for the 2020-21 MTN8 competition were confirmed on Saturday following the completion of the 2019-20 season. 

As this has been in the previous season, teams that finished in the top four will enjoy home ground advantage and will be seeded, meaning they will play terms that are finished outside the top four. 

Mamelodi Sundowns successfully overhauled Kaizer Chiefs and won the championship - their third successive league title and their 10th since the inception of the PSL.  

The Brazilians will play Bloemfontein Celtic who finished eighth on the log. 

Kaizer Chiefs finished second behind the Tshwane giants and will therefore play Maritzburg United, who finished seventh on the PSL log.  

Orlando Pirates did the most they could since the arrival of Josef Zinnbauer in December 2019 by finishing third and qualifying for the Caf Confederation Cup. 

They will then get to face Cape Town City who finished sixth on the log after the tough campaign they had. 

The Citizens were written off by many following the sacking of Benni McCarthy in 2019 but Jan Olde Riekerink saved the campaign and finished in a respectable despite the criticism from many football fans in South Africa. 

Lastly, Bidvest Wits secured the fourth spot but they will not exist beyond the current season after selling their PSL status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) owner Masala Mulaudzi. 

This means TTM will campaign in the MTN8 in their first season in the top-flight and they will face SuperSport United. 

With the 2020-21 season pencilled to kick off on the weekend of the October 9-10, it is expected that the season will get underway with the MTN8 taking the centre stage. 

The official draw for the MTN8 and the launch is expected to take place some time this month while the dates and venues will be released at a later stage. 

The MTN8 remains South Africa's richest Cup competition as eventual winners pocket R8 million prize money. 

Chiefs remain the only team to win it 15 times, a record that's yet to be matched by any team in the history of South African football. 

MTN8 fixtures in full: 

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Bloemfontein Celtic

Kaizer Chiefs vs Maritzburg United

Orlando Pirates vs Cape Town City 

TTM vs SuperSport United

Fantasy Premier League is back for the 2020-21 season and, as any veteran of the game will know - picking your team is a constant process.

However, if you get it right at the beginning with a solid selection then it can save you some headaches further along the campaign, when you run out of wildcards.

To help you get started, Goal brings you some advice on the new signings to pick as well as some hidden gems and bargains.

Contents

Fantasy Premier League new signings

Donny van de Beek | Man Utd | £7m

Manchester United's new signing Donny van de Beek is a goalscoring midfielder and he will be expected to burst through the lines for the Red Devils, similar to how Frank Lampard would at Chelsea.

The Netherlands international probably found himself in the shadow of Frenkie de Jong during their time at Ajax together, but he has the ability to be very effective for United.

Expect Van de Beek, who is relatively cheap to begin with in Fantasy Premier League, to bag his fair share of goals at Old Trafford.

Timo Werner | Chelsea | £9.5m

Germany international Timo Werner arrives at Chelsea this season on the back his best ever season at RB Leipzig, where he scored over 30 goals.

The striker will be expected to carry that form on at Stamford Bridge and he immediately showed a glimpse of what he is capable of with a goal in the Blues' pre-season friendly against Brighton.

Ferran Torres | Man City | £7m

While Pep Guardiola's Manchester City teams are notoriously difficult to predict, given his tendency to rotate, new signing Ferran Torres could turn out to be a bargain on FPL.

The 20-year-old winger is highly rated and he is priced lower than Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling at the beginning. That price could easily shoot up if he hits the ground running.

Hakim Ziyech | Chelsea | £8m

Hakim Ziyech has the capacity to be an extremely effective signing for Chelsea and the Morocco international is relatively cheap too.

Over the course of the past few seasons, Ziyech has been directly involved in a bulk of Ajax's goals. Not only is he a threat in terms of supplying assists, he has shown that he can score into double figures himself.

Fantasy Premier League hidden gems

Joe Bryan | Fulham | £5m

Fulham's play-off final hero Joe Bryan is a player that may not find himself part of many FPL squads, but his ability is reflected in his price.

The full-back takes free kicks for Fulham - and is well capable of scoring from them too - as well as being a strong crosser of the ball, so he will get assist points.

Matheus Pereira | West Brom | £6m

Brazilian Matheus Pereira had a hand in 24 of West Brom's goals in the Championship last season - around a third of their total.

The former Sporting forward laid on 16 goals for the Baggies and scored eight himself on the way to promotion. The chances are that he won't get the same freedom in the Premier League, but he has the ability.

Mateusz Klich | Leeds | £5.5m

Mateusz Klich has been around the block, but he won't be too familiar to followers of the Premier League and thus might be overlooked as an option.

A Poland international, Klich thrived under the challenges of the Marcelo Bielsa regime and last season he scored six goals from midfield, laying on five more.

Ivan Cavaleiro | Fulham | £5.5m

Former Wolves winger Ivan Cavaleiro is always good for a few goals a season and has plenty of pedigree, having played in Spain, Portugal and France.

He scored five league goals last season and also chipped in with seven assists so is certainly an attacking threat.

Fantasy Premier League bargains

Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | £5.5m

Arsenal's No.7 is a definite bargain in FPL this season at just £5.5m to begin with. Bukayo Saka may still be a teenager, but he looks set to play a crucial role for the Gunners this season.

Saka, who got six assists and a goal for Arsenal last season, set up his side's goal in the Community Shield against Liverpool and will be eager to kick up a gear in 2020-21. Get him in your team.

Ruben Vinagre | Wolves | £4.5m

With Matt Doherty gone from Wolves, it has opened up the right-wing-back position for Ruben Vinagre and, if Nuno Espirito Santo's side continue with the same system, Vinagre should score points.

Vinagre is quite cheap too at £4.5m and should pick up clean sheet points as well.

John McGinn | Aston Villa | £5.5m

Scotland international John McGinn missed about a quarter of last season through injury, but had been one of Aston Villa's best players before being laid low.

A midfielder who's been linked with Manchester United, McGinn scored three goals and assisted three last season, a number that was certainly affected by his injury. He is fit again now though and relatively cheap.

Mason Greenwood | Man Utd | £7.5m

OK, so £7.5m is not exactly what you expect to spend when you're looking for a bargain, but it is a good price for Mason Greenwood considering what the youngster is capable of.

Greenwood - who is deemed a midfielder in FPL - has been tipped as Harry Kane's deputy for England by none other than Wayne Rooney and the teenager looks impossibly comfortable in the Manchester United forward line.

Tom Cairney | Fulham | £5.5m

Tom Cairney didn't live up to his reputation as a goalscoring midfielder when he last featured in the Premier League, so the Scotland international will feel he has a point to prove this time.

Cairney scored eight goals last season and is a strong option for set-pieces.

Mat Ryan | Brighton | £4.5m

It is somewhat perplexing to see Mat Ryan priced so lowly, considering the fact that the Brighton goalkeeper has been among the top scoring FPL goalkeepers in the past three seasons.

The transition from a more defensive style of play under Chris Hughton to a style which is more attacking under Graham Potter has not affected Brighton's goals against column and Ryan is a big part of that.

Aleksandar Mitrovic | Fulham | £6m

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is very much a striker of Premier League quality and he finished last season as the top scorer in the Championship with 26 goals.

Still in his mid 20s, the Serbia international is a powerful unit who is very much adept at ploughing a lone furrow in attack - he will be worth a punt at £6m.

Jonjo Shelvey | Newcastle United | £5.5m

Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey rediscovered his goalscoring touch to a degree last season and if he can continue that form in 2020-21 he could prove a bargain.

The England international is usually always good for a few goals, but had gone off the boil in recent years. However, he looks refreshed and at £5.5m isn't a bank breaker.

Zesco United have started a rebuilding process with the arrival of Lazarus Phiri from Green Eagles.

The Team ya Ziko had a disappointing campaign last term, missing out on a ticket to represent the country in Caf competitions for the first time in ten years.

“Zesco United is delighted to confirm the arrival of Lazarus Phiri from Green Eagles. The former Kansanshi Dynamos winger has signed a one-year loan contract subject to completing medicals,” the club confirmed on their official website.

Zesco United technical chairman Peter Mutale, who witnessed the signing ceremony, said: “Lazarus is a young player who has a bright future ahead of him. He is an exciting winger who will bring speed to our game. This is also a great opportunity for him to shine at the biggest stage of the Zambian game.

“He has joined us on a one-year loan spell with a chance to extend. As a club, we want to get the best on the market.”

On signing for the club, the winger revealed: “It is rare that one gets such an opportunity to play for a big club like Zesco United. This is an important moment for me to prove that I am worth playing for this club. My focus now is to work hard and help the team win trophies.”

On Friday, Zesco United announced their first signing in Bruce Musakanya from Red Arrows. The Zambian international attacking midfielder signed a two-year contract to join the Ndola-based club.

The 26-year-old Musakanya was excited to sign for Zesco United: “I am very excited to sign for a big club like Zesco United. My aim is to work hard and help the team win the league and qualify for Caf next season," he also told the club website.

“It was unfortunate that the team didn’t qualify for continental football owing to the fact that the league ended prematurely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Musakanya further revealed his main mission is to win the league title with the club in the new campaign.

“It is my mission to win my first career league title with Zesco United. This is a big opportunity for me. I will work hard to make everyone happy at the club," he concluded.

Zesco United is also the home of three Kenyan players - goalkeeper Ian Otieno, striker Jesse Were and defender David Owino.

Donny van de Beek has revealed that fellow countryman Steven Bergwijn tried to steer him towards Tottenham before he settled on his move to Manchester United earlier this month.

The Red Devils fought off several other clubs to capture the signature of the highly rated 23-year-old from Ajax, who arrived at the Theatre of Dreams on Wednesday on a five-year deal with the option of an additional season.

Van de Beek's signing has reaffirmed United's intent to challenge for top honours at home in domestic competition and abroad in the Champions League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, as the Norwegian continues to rebuild his squad following on from a third-place finish in the Premier League last term.

Having impressed for Ajax throughout the 2019-20 campaign, the midfielder had been linked with a move to Real Madrid as well as garnering interest from Arsenal, though a switch to the former fell through with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, Van de Beek has also revealed that a move to Tottenham was theoretically mooted at one point - mostly because his Dutch team-mate Bergwijn tried to lure him there instead - while adding that a discussion with his agent just before his move convinced him to make the switch away from Ajax.

“Steven Bergwijn texted me to see whether I would play for Spurs,” he told Algemeen Dagblad. “But I chose United.

"I felt ready for the next step. This was the time to go. That is why I was on the phone with my agent last weekend. In the end, there was an agreement."

Van de Beek previously opened up on the role that former United shot-stopper Edwin van der Sar played in the switch, with the latter helping to broker the deal in his current position as chief executive officer of Ajax, as well as the discussions that the pair held about United's history.

"We talked about football things, about the club and I always make decisions about my feelings and my feelings were directly good with everything," he stated. "That was for me an important thing.”

Raheem Sterling has admitted that England rode their luck with their late victory in their Nations League opener over Iceland on Saturday - but the forward added that the team has "a bright future" ahead of them.

The Manchester City man was the hero in a frantic final five minutes in Reykjavik after a game marked by a relative pre-season rustiness sparked to life with penalties at either end of the pitch.

With captain Harry Kane substituted off, it was Sterling who stepped up to calmly bury his side's spot-kick down the middle after he saw a shot handled in the box by Sverrir Ingi Ingason.

Yet England almost had to settle for a draw a moment later when Joe Gomez was cited for a foul at the opposite end on Holmbert Fridjonsson from the restart.

The Three Lions' blushes were spared however - in a game where they amassed 78 per cent of possession and restricted their opponents just two shots - when Birkir Bjarnason's subsequent effort was sent wildly over the top-right corner, to hand Gareth Southgate's side three vital points in Group A2.

Sterling - one of three City players alongside debutant Phil Foden and returning defender Kyle Walker, who was sent off in the 70th minute for a second yellow card, in the starting XI - admitted that there was "sloppy" play late on, but that England mostly rose to the challenge they faced at Laugardalsvollur.

“It was tough but we got through it," the 25-year-old told City's website. "It was definitely strange but I'd rather play matches than training.

"We knew it would be difficult. We knew we had to challenge ourselves deep within. We kept playing our football, kept compact.

"We got the penalty, we shouldn't have conceded that sloppy penalty, but we got lucky in the end. We have a bright future ahead and we need to keep growing as a team."

Foden - who was one of two faces to win their first senior cap, alongside substitute Mason Greenwood - acquitted himself well in a game that frustrated England's attack for long periods, and added that he hopes to push on to become a regular fixture at this level for Southgate.

"It feels amazing, a dream come true," he said. "[It's] a big moment for me and my family.

"It was a very difficult game, we defended well and showed great character. To get that win is massive. We all try to play our football. It was frustrating at times but we came through in the end.

"I want to keep playing for my country, not just [to be] a one off and, hopefully, I can keep the shirt."

England next face Denmark in Copenhagen on Tuesday as they look to make it back-to-back wins after 10 months away from the international game.

Belgium boss Roberto Martinez hailed his side's "incredible" ability to rack up wins even without key men after seeing off Denmark 2-0 in Saturday's Nations League clash.

The world's top-ranked side were without Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois for their trip to Copenhagen, while Eden Hazard remained on the bench for the whole game.

Despite the notable absentees, Belgium picked up an 11th win in a row in their first game back after a 10-month hiatus thanks to goals from Jason Denayer and Dries Mertens.

Martinez was pleased to see some of his fringe players step up as the Red Devils made a winning start to their Group A2 campaign.

"After 10 months without playing together, we needed to find some rhythm," he told RTL Sport. 

"Despite everything, we managed to remain threatening, scored a good goal and maintained a good attitude throughout. I am delighted with this performance.

"We miss players like De Bruyne, Hazard and Courtois, and yet the team has shown that they always know how to win. It's incredible!

"There will probably be three changes in the next game because some players can't play longer than 90 minutes. 

"Thomas Meunier will probably play. But we won't make too many changes because we have to create some rhythm."

Denayer, who scored his first international goal on his 14th appearance, echoed the views of his head coach after a hard-fought victory at the Parken Stadium.

"It was difficult at first, but we regained our rhythm as the match progressed," he said. "We had players missing, and yet we have still won. It shows that the squad is very strong."

Denmark struggled to create many opportunities across the 90 minutes, with stand-in Belgium goalkeeper Simon Mignolet making just one save of note to keep out Christian Eriksen.

New head coach Kasper Hjulmand was happy with the overall display of his side but admitted the visitors' quality told in the end.

"I think we played a really good first half," he told Kanal 5. "When Belgium go in front, they are hard to deal with. They stood well and were good at defending.

"Otherwise, I think our first half was perfectly okay. We played with a great deal of intensity and got in good positions. We stopped them creating the same number of chances as usual.

"We handled the first half really well, and there were also 10-12 minutes of the second half, where I think we did what we were supposed to. 

"Then we ran out of intensity and energy. And then you could see the quality of the Belgian team."

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had started the Golden Baby League project back in 2018 with the help of FIFA’s development programme in order to encourage young players between the age group of 6-10 to take up the sport.

The AIFF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of leagues, Sunando Dhar, revealed the reason why AIFF took the project of Baby League two years back.

“If we look at the developed football countries by the time the players are 13, you will know whether they will be able to make it professionally or not. Out here, the likes of Bhaichung Bhutias and Sunil Chhetris start playing football seriously from 15,” said Dhar during an online chat on grassroots development.

The CEO also suggested that the Indian FA went through case studies in countries similar to India economically but were doing better in football before creating the Baby Leagues.

“We intentionally tried to lower the age. Catch them young and help them grow. We started at the U13 level and we realised that we have to start much earlier. That’s what when we did research, we looked at developed countries that had economic issues similar to India or infrastructure problems but were doing better in terms of football.

"We started with Golden Baby Leagues and one such country is Uruguay. They don’t have proper fields, you can play on the streets or anywhere else. It is about letting them play and enjoy the game. That is when the Golden Baby League was introduced.”

Dhar explained the progress the Golden Baby League made in the past two years and how it captured the imagination of budding footballers in the country.

“Over the two years, we have seen a huge jump. In the first year there were 21,000 players both boys and girls and last year the number went up to more than 32,000.

“The 2019-20 season, of course, couldn’t be completed because of the pandemic but despite that, the total number of matches that were organised were nearly 33,000. When you look at it, it is phenomenal. But considering our population, much more can be done,” Dhar said.

Jurgen Klopp is hopeful Takumi Minamino can carry his pre-season form into the new campaign after starring for Liverpool in their 7-2 friendly win over Blackpool.

The January signing from Salzburg netted in last week's Community Shield defeat to Arsenal and was on target again at Bloomfield Road on Saturday.

Minamino started just behind Roberto Firmino in a 4-2-3-1 formation and set up the Brazilian for Liverpool's third goal as they recovered from two goals down.

And Klopp is glad to see the Japan forward find his feet at Liverpool ahead of next week's Premier League opener at home to Leeds United.

"I hope [he takes confidence from this]," Klopp told the club's official website. "It's clear that's what you always hope for. 

"It's important for Taki and important for us, but it's about all together, so I think about the overall performance. Individuals then can always shine when everything else works, that's how it is. 

"If you only have these individual glimpses here and there, it doesn't really work out. So, we have to work to win football games. 

"Who scores then is not too important. But for Taki, of course it was a rather nice seven or eight days - of course."

Liverpool found themselves two goals down against the League One club with 33 minutes played and Klopp admitted he was not pleased with his side's first-half display.

"It was because of a lack of aggression from our side, a lack of desire a little bit for this game - that's how it is, playing around," he said.

"The goals we conceded, yeah, that's mistakes - it's typical for pre-season games. But so far I think we conceded pretty much all the goals in similar situations; losing the ball in the build-up, then it's a counter-attack, it's a free chance pretty much. 

"We know that and it's clear we cannot do it like this. We have to improve that. But we have another week to get the legs fresher, again an intense week. We have to use the weeks, we cannot change that. 

"I would love to have always fresh boys with super fresh legs in the games, but that only can work over the year when you do the hard work in the pre-season. 

"That's what we are doing. We scored a good goal after a nice set-piece in the first half, then all the rest was pretty much like it should be [in the second half] - much more aggressive and we could bring in other fresh legs. That helped obviously."

Six of Liverpool's goals came in the second half, with teenage winger Harvey Elliott among the goalscorers.

Fulham academy player Elliott started eight games in all competitions last season and Klopp, like many others, is expecting big things from the versatile youngster.

"It's in his hands. I liked much more the offers he made today - he was really sharp, quick, he offered different runs to what he is usually doing," Klopp said.

"Inside this little boy is a playmaker, he can be a playmaker, but he has to be a finisher as well. You have to be a striker, you have to be a defender and all that stuff. 

"That's what we are all trying to figure out to bring it on the pitch - and that's good, of course. It was very nice for him to score this goal today."

Former Ghana U17 coach Samuel Paa Kwasi Fabin has revealed he was at one point forced to seek help from agents of players during his time at the helm of affairs.

The former Inter Allies coach guided the Black Starlets to the 2017 Africa U17 Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Gabon where his side finished as losing finalists.

Despite the disappointment in the climax, Ghana's last four berth was enough to secure a qualification ticket for the World Cup in India later that year where the team reached the quarter-final.

"I was told to break the lads at a certain point in our preparation due to the lack of funds. But that would have been a big blow to the team so I couldn't let that happen," Fabin told Pure FM.

"So I had to use my money just to get food for the team. I asked the kitchen staff what they needed and made calls to the managers of the players.

"They were also very supportive and I added my quota just so we stay in camp."

Fabin could not remain in charge of the U17 side after the World Cup as rumours speculated the team's disappointing World Cup performance as the reason behind his departure.

He, however, discloses the true reason for his exit was far from the media reports.

"I was told to continue as head coach of the Ghana U17 national team after the World Cup but I gave them a condition. It was simple," he said.

"I had stayed with the level for six years and I preferred a contract before I accept the job. They didn't agree and that is why I was not appointed."

Early 2018, Fabin got a new job as head coach of Ghana Premier League (GPL) giants Asante Kotoko but the union surprisingly only lasted seven months.

Despite his unceremonious departure, he is not closing the door on a possible return to the Porcupine Warriors.

“I am ready to serve Asante Kotoko SC again. Not only Kotoko but any other club. I have enjoyed every club I have coached. I have never regretted coaching any team in Ghana," the coach stated.

"I enjoyed coaching when coach Middendorp took me to Herbert Mensah to help develop players for Asante Kotoko."

Fabin also had a brief spell as coach of the Uganda U17 and U20 national teams in 2019.

AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini has kept the door open to a move for Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, refusing to deny claims his side have moved for the Frenchman.

Bakayoko appears to be on his way out at Stamford Bridge, having spent the past two seasons on loan – first with Milan in 2018-19 and then with former club Monaco last season.

The 26-year-old originally joined Chelsea in 2017 in a £40 million ($52m) move from Monaco, but failed to live up to expectations in his debut season in the Premier League. 

Milan have been rumoured to be keen on a permanent move for Bakayoko, a link that Maldini would not deny existed. 

“We have many options,” Maldini told Sport Mediaset when asked about a bid for Bakayoko.

“We set out a list of priorities before the transfer market opened, so now we can proceed calmly. If we can improve the current squad, then we will.”

Last month Bakayoko, who has a contract at Chelsea through 2022, admitted he was open to a permanent return to San Siro.

"Everyone knows that Milan is in my heart and I have good memories," the French midfielder told Tuttomercatoweb.

"At the moment I'm a Chelsea player, then we'll see in football."

After his difficult opening season with Chelsea, Bakayoko regained his form at Milan in 2018-19, making 42 appearances in all competitions. 

Bakayoko could be a part of a rebuilt Milan midfield in 2020-21, as Brescia star Sandro Tonali is closing in on a move after turning down interest from several other clubs. 

The 20-year-old could have joined Manchester United or Barcelona, but Brescia president Massimo Cellino said the midfielder's head was turned by interest from the Rossoneri.

“As soon as Milan showed real interest, he did not want to listen to any other options. I also have a historically good rapport with Milan and we reached an agreement with Paolo Maldini quite quickly," Cellino told Top Calcio 24.

“We also had interest from Barcelona and Manchester United, but the lad is in love with Milan and went crazy once he heard of their offer, because he supports them.”

Mamelodi Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana says his side were less deserving to be crowned the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions after the Brazilians emerged triumphant in one of the most riveting league title races.

Having at one point opened a 13-point gap at the summit of the log, Chiefs enjoyed top spot until they capitulated on the final day of the season after being held 1-1 by Baroka FC.

Downs, meanwhile, beat Black Leopards to be crowned champions for three successive seasons and a 10th time in the PSL era.

Their skipper Kekana has won seven PSL titles, five of those at Sundowns and three as their captain. He bagged two others while at SuperSport United.

“I call myself a lucky guy because I have so may trophies under my belt,” Kekana told SuperSport TV.

“In my career I have so many beautiful memories. This is one of the trophies I will cherish for the rest of my life because it hasn’t been easy. At some point we were 13 points behind. To be honest Kaizer Chiefs played very well. They really deserved more than we did because at some point they were scoring non-stop and we were behind and trying to fight back and to win our trophy back.

“Look it is something we should be proud of as players for a job well done. It hasn’t been easy season for us considering the [coronavirus-induced] break. It has been difficult for footballers during this pandemic to come back from five months break and come back straight into it.

“More than anything we are just happy we managed to win this trophy for the 10th time for Mamelodi Sundowns and for me I couldn’t ask for more for the seventh time. It’s a moment I should be proud of my journey. I still remember I first won it while at SuperSport. Look at me now it’s the seventh.”

Joining Kenana in bagging a seventh PSL title are his teammates Anthony Laffor, goalkeeper Denis Onyango and defender Tebogo Langerman.

It was coach Pitso Mosimane’s fifth league title at the club he joined in December 2012 to establish it into a continental powerhouse, winning the 2016 Caf Champions League as well as the Caf Super Cup.

“The technical team, always challenge us to do well under difficult conditions,” said Kekana.

“We always travel to North Africa, West Africa but we come and give good performances. I has been a task to play for Mamelodi Sundowns. We have a huge responsibility as players. We will continue to serve the people who love Mamelodi Sundowns.

“We are the generation that should be remembered for the hard work that we have been putting day in, day out. We have sacrificed a lot."

Downs now shift focus to the Nedbank Cup final where they play Bloemfontein Celtic on Tuesday as they seek to seal a treble after also winning the Telkom Knockout earlier in the season.

Kylian Mbappe was on target but Antoine Griezmann missed a penalty as France edged past Sweden 1-0 in Solna to get their Nations League campaign started with a win.

Paris Saint-Germain attacker Mbappe converted France's only shot on target in the 41st minute of the Group A3 match, threading the ball through the narrowest of gaps between Sweden goalkeeper Robin Olsen and the near post.

The 21-year-old's goal was a bitter blow for the hosts, who earned promotion from League B in 2018-19, given they had the better of the chances up until that point.

Sweden made a late push for an equaliser before Victor Lindelof was caught out by the pace of substitute Anthony Martial, but Griezmann blazed the resulting penalty over with the final kick of the game.

France lacked cohesion in their 3-4-3 formation and nearly fell behind in the 15th minute when Mikael Lustig's venomous 30-yard effort flashed past the post.

Hugo Lloris produced a brilliant save to keep Marcus Berg at bay after a great pass from Albin Ekdal, while Raphael Varane – who was caught out by the Sampdoria midfielder's ball over the top – ensured Emil Forsberg's cross on the follow-up did not find a team-mate.

France took the lead three minutes later, with Mbappe making the most of a fortuitous bounce by tucking home from a tight angle.

Olivier Giroud nodded a cross from Lucas Digne narrowly wide in the 54th minute but Les Bleus struggled to continue to apply pressure.

Martial replaced Mbappe for his first France cap since March 2018 and, after Leo Dubois inadvertently hit the crossbar, Forsberg and Berg were unable to take chances to equalise.

Sweden's attempts to restore parity left them short at the back and although Lindelof pushed Martial - his club team-mate at Manchester United - over in the box, Griezmann was unable to convert from the spot.

What does it mean? France have food for thought

On paper the front three of Mbappe, Giroud and Griezmann looked like it would cause Sweden no end of problems, but they did not quite click on Saturday.

Griezmann and Mbappe regularly dropped deep to get involved in the play and Giroud was consequently left isolated, leading to a lack of link-up play between the trio.

Despite only being on the pitch for 13 minutes, Martial was able to stake a claim for a greater role in their next fixture.

Mbappe maintains form

There were not many chances for France, but Mbappe made sure their first opening counted. He has now been involved in seven goals in his past seven internationals (four goals, three assists).

Griezmann comes up short

In contrast to Mbappe, Griezmann proved wasteful when opportunities came his way. He missed the target at the end of a quick break in the 76th minute and produced an utterly woeful penalty in the last action of the game – something that will no doubt stick in his memory.

What's next?

France entertain Croatia in Paris on Tuesday, when Sweden will welcome European champions Portugal to Solna.

Cristiano Ronaldo's absence proved no hindrance for Portugal as the Nations League holders began their title defence with a dominant 4-1 win over Croatia in Porto on Saturday.

Ronaldo, remarkably just one goal away from 100 for Portugal, was unavailable due to an infection in his toe believed to be caused by a bee sting, but the Selecao were flying at the Dragao despite the Juventus forward sitting in the stands.

Croatia's defensive third was a hive of activity throughout the first half as Portugal peppered the visitors' goal, hitting the woodwork three times before Joao Cancelo finally found a way through in spectacular fashion in the 41st minute.

Diogo Jota, one of those to hit the post in the first half, got a deserved goal - his first for Portugal - to double the hosts' advantage before the hour and Joao Felix added a third 20 minutes from time.

Bruno Petkovic's late consolation did little to take away from a routine win, which was wrapped up by Andre Silva in the final minute of injury time.

It did not take Portugal long to establish themselves as the dominant force, but their quest to find the breakthrough was initially a frustrating one.

Cancelo, Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix, who hit the post, had early opportunities, while Dominik Livakovic produced an unlikely double save to thwart Pepe.

Jota twice went close before the half-hour mark – first heading a Fernandes cross onto the upright and then lashing into the side-netting after a promising run.

Croatia's luckiest escape came in the 33rd minute as Raphael Guerreiro's long-range strike hit the left-hand post, struck Livakovic's foot and bounced just wide.

But Portugal's persistence paid off just before half-time, Cancelo picking out the top-left corner from distance.

Jota made it 2-0 with 59 minutes on the clock, racing on to Guerreiro's lofted throughball and finishing neatly into the bottom-right corner after holding off Tin Jedvaj.

Joao Felix put Portugal out of sight 11 minutes later, his powerful low drive too hot for Livakovic to handle.

Croatia finally offered a modest attacking threat in the latter stages, pulling one back through a smart finish courtesy of substitute Bruno Petkovic.

But a Portugal victory was never in doubt and Silva restored the three-goal cushion with a close-range finish at the death.

What does it mean? No Ronaldo, no problem

There will come a day when Portugal can no longer rely on their talismanic striker Ronaldo. While that may seem a way off even though he is 35, it must be reassuring for Fernando Santos and supporters to know this is a squad blessed with immense talent even without him.

Although an out-and-out striker was not selected in the starting XI, each of the front three – and Fernandes – were lively, linking well and producing some smart football against a strong Croatia. The breakthrough may have taken a little longer than it should have, but the overall performance had been full of positives already.

Fernandes makes Portugal tick

The Manchester United star was once again a fine performer here. An assist – albeit a simple pass that was followed by a long-range shot – and six key passes highlights the influence Fernandes. He was key in pushing Portugal up the pitch and was a real leader in Ronaldo's absence.

Jedvaj given the runaround

It was a difficult day at right-back for Jedvaj. One of Portugal's most fruitful avenues in attack was down their left, with Jota causing the full-back no end of issues.

What's next?

Portugal go to Sweden on Tuesday, while Croatia will hope to bounce back away to France the same day.

Uchenna Kanu scored a brace to help Linkopings secure a 3-0 victory over Umea in Saturday's Swedish Damallsvenskan game.

The 23-year-old has continued to show what she is capable of since teaming up with Olof Unogard's side this July.

Kanu, who has made 13 league appearances for the Swedish outfit so far, again shone against Umea, inspiring them to victory.

The Nigeria international fired the hosts ahead of the top-flight newcomers with a brilliant finish after 21 minutes into the encounter.

Jasmin Nejati added salt to the injury of the visitors as she mistakenly turned the ball into her own net to gift Linkopings the second goal of the match in the 30th minute.

Despite a two-goal lead, Unogard's side continued to search for more goals after the restart and they were rewarded with the third when Kanu bagged her brace seven minutes from time.

Kanu was in action for 88 minutes for Linkopings before being replaced by compatriot Ebere Orji and has now scored seven goals in 14 outings.

The victory takes Linkopings to third on the log with 26 points from 14 matches and they will hope to continue their form at home against fifth-placed Vittsjo on September 13.