Looking for Soccer News?

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has challenged Ainsley Maitland-Niles to produce his best form more consistently after he celebrated his 23rd birthday with a Community Shield triumph and a maiden England call-up.

Maitland-Niles was named man of the match as the Gunners drew 1-1 with Premier League champions Liverpool at Wembley before prevailing 5-4 on penalties.

As he did during the respective FA Cup semi-final and final wins over Manchester City and Chelsea, Arteta selected Maitland-Niles at left wing-back.

After full-time, the youngster learned this versatility had earned him a place as cover in Gareth Southgate's England squad to face Iceland and Denmark in the Nations League next week.

Southgate did not select a recognised left-back in his original party and has also called up similarly uncapped Wolves captain Conor Coady to a group now lacking Manchester United's Harry Maguire.

Maitland-Niles' Arsenal future has been far from certain in recent weeks, with Wolves and Newcastle United both touted as having an interest in his services, and Arteta told a post-match news conference that the London club's academy graduate still has plenty of work to do.

"Has to be able to convince me every day in training that he can compete at this level – not once every three months but every three days," he said of a player who told BT Sport amid the celebrations: "I'm an Arsenal player until I'm told otherwise".

Arteta added: "The way he's playing at the moment shows me that he can do it. His mentality, the way he is going about every single detail for the preparation of a football game is much better than before.

"I'm delighted and very happy for him as he’s changing a lot of things around him to become the player that he can be.

"The best way to show a player what a manager thinks about him is to give him the chance to play or not. Today, in a final again, he has started – like he did against City in the semi-final, against Chelsea in the final."

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who once again impressed on the big occasion, although Bernd Leno's return from injury could leave the Argentine as the odd man out once the Premier League season kicks off next month.

"We are in the market and there is a lot of speculation," Arteta said. "Emi has shown over the past few months what he is able to do for this football club.

"I am convinced that he has the level to play for us consistently at that level. He showed that today in a final.

"But I cannot stop speculation and what all the people can write about this."

Asked whether there had been any offers for Martinez, Arteta replied: "I'm not going to discuss publicly what is happening with our players."

Ghana striker Jordan Ayew reveals he is looking to inspire Crystal Palace to a top-half finish in the Premier League next season despite calls for him to pursue a career with a 'bigger' club.

The 28-year-old is looking to continue from where he left last term, having notched nine goals to finish as the club's top scorer, helping the side to 14th spot in the end.

Former Chelsea ace Marcel Desailly and erstwhile Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng recently urged the Black Star to take a step up after last term.

“Everyone wants to play in big competitions. We want to finish in the top half of the table. We hope to get a good start to the season and we’ll see how it goes,” Ayew said, as reported by Citi Sports.

“There haven’t been too many changes. The manager is trying to find solutions and different options, which is normal. The most important thing is to stay focused and start the new season well.

“I’m a Crystal Palace player, I’m happy here. My family is also happy here. Everything is in Palace’s hands. I’m a very ambitious player but I intend to give my best for Palace this season."

Ayew also looked at his club's performances last season where after a run of four straight wins towards the end of the term, The Eagles failed to find a winner in their last eight games, losing seven of them.

“I think it’s quite simple. I think we had a good season until March, then [there was the] Covid-19 [suspension] for three months, then [we] started the league again. I think we won our first game after Covid-19 and after, I think we didn’t win until the end of the season,” Ayew explained.

“I think we won one game out of eight. I think overall it’s been a good season. We didn’t do well at the end but like I said we are a team and our target was to stay in the Premier League and we managed to do that."

"Overall, it was a good season. The target was to stay in the Premier League and we managed to do that. [The break from] Covid-19 didn’t help us like it did for other teams but we’re getting ready for next season."

Ayew will be hoping to get off to a flying start when Palace face Southampton in the 2020-21 Premier League season opener on September 12.

On Saturday, the striker showed his readiness for the task ahead as he netted twice to ensure a 3-0 triumph over Charlton Athletic in a pre-season fixture.

Eduardo Camavinga found the back of the net as Rennes secured a 2-1 win over Montpelier in Ligue 1 on Saturday, with both teams finishing with 10 men.

The same incident occurred in the Red and Blacks season opener with at Lille where they had Franco-Cameroonian right-back Sacha Boey sent off for a violent challenge while Mozambique left-back Reinildo Mandava got a straight red card for similar conduct.

The first bit of action at Roazhon Park saw Rennes take the via Damien Le Tallec who put the ball into his own net in the 22nd minute.

More misery was to follow Montpellier as midfielder Florent Mollet was given a red card for a dangerous tackle that left Franco-Congolese left-back Faitout Maouassa in pain. Mollet was initially given a yellow card but after a VAR review, it was changed to a straight red card.

Rennes would have a second player sent off in the space of one week when Martin Terrier was given a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Montpellier’s Gaetan Laborde in the 73rd minute.

Despite being a man down, Julien Stephan’s men did not relent and extended their lead three minutes later thanks to Camavinga.

The Franco-Angolan midfielder made a run into the box before making a meal of some opposition players and then tapping in from a tight angle with his left foot.

Montpellier’s consolation goal came in added time courtesy of Larbrode, Cameroon left-back Ambroise Oyongo providing the assist.

Camavinga played for 86 minutes, producing 78 touches, 55 accurate passes at 91%, the second-highest among the Rennes starters. The 17-year-old wonderkid also had a total of two shots and was successful in three of his five dribble attempts.

He was replaced by 19-year-old Franco-Ivorian Yann Gboho.

Camavinga was recently called into the France squad that will take on Sweden and Croatia in the Nations League, replacing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba who tested positive for Coronavirus.

The game also saw Sehrou Guirassy make his Rennes debut having completed his move from Amiens during the week. He replaced Adrien Hunou in the 65th minute.

Rennes will next be on the road to tackle Nimes on September 13.

Nigeria Football Federation has named Faith Ben-Anuge the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Nigeria Women's Football League [NWFL].

The development means Ben-Anuge becomes the first woman to handle the post since the establishment of the NWFL body in 2017.

She has since replaced Ayo Abdulrahman, who has been in charge since 2017 before his redeployment to the Federation Cup division.

Before the appointment, she had served as the head of NFF women's football between 2006-2008 before being named in the Nigeria U20 women's team as an administrator from 2008 to 2014.

Under her watch, the Falconets reached the final of the U20 Women's World Cup twice, in Germany 2010 and Canada 2014. 

Her last major engagement was as the team administrator of the senior women's national side in 2016, leading the Super Falcons to the 2016 Africa Women's Cup of Nations triumph in Cameroon.

Commenting on her new role, the excited administrator is thankful for the opportunity and eager to deliver on her duties for the growth of the women's game.

"I feel very honoured and privileged to have been appointed as the first woman since 2017," Ben-Anuge told Goal.

"Though I have served in the same capacity in previous years 2006-2008 under Ibrahim Galadinma spanning over to Lulu's regime."

When asked about her vision and mission statements for the women's league board, she said: "They should expect some level of expertise in the administration of our women's football which of course should be in sync with global practices.

"We will try our best to improve on the image of our women league in the global scene because the world is a global village and football works better with technology as rebranding our league will be the major focus.

"I am ready to serve and would be relying on the cooperation of the clubs and the NWFL board in achieving set goals and objectives. 

"I will do my best as the COO to give attention to the welfare of the players liaison with the clubs to ensure that this is done both medically and legally when it comes to transfers, registrations and payments." 

She has since resumed her duties with the Aisha Falode led Nigeria Women's Football League board in preparation for the 2021 season.

Asante Kotoko captain Felix Annan reveals he has not received an explanation from coach Maxwell Konadu regarding his demotion to the bench.

The Ghana international has been vocal about losing his starting spot to Kwame Baah last season, calling out the club over their lack of support after he took time off to tie the knot with his girlfriend. 

He lost his spot after Matchweek Four of the Ghana Premier League last season and has since failed to reclaim his position. 

"I don’t have any problem with him [Konadu], no issue at all, he has also not told me he has a problem with me," Annan told Tropical Radio

"I will be happy if he tells me in the face that he has a problem with me, but he hasn’t done that as we speak. So whatever it is [for which he keeps overlooking me], he will be the best person to give answers to.

"People who do their analysis of the situation do it as they see it so he will be the best person to give that explanation.

"He is the coach so anything he should be bold enough to give explanations when he is asked.

"I kept asking myself that why is it that after each game, there is a conversation about me, why is it so?

”That means there is a problem. If there is no problem, there won’t be a conversation. But I, Felix Annan, until the world is over, am not giving up.” 

In March, Annan's lack of game time at club level cost him a place in Ghana's squad for an anticipated 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying double-header against Sudan. 

"Felix used to be our first-choice goalie before his wedding ceremony but Kwame Baah grabbed the opportunity and did very well without conceding in most matches so how can you drop him?" Kotoko goalkeeper coach Sampson Appiah said on Kweku Osei TV.

"The supporters would kill us if Annan underperforms if given the nod. There's no personal hatred for him but [we are just] following the rules of the game.

"Hard work will be the secret of him regaining his position devoid of any envies."

Annan was named Asante Kotoko captain last year following the departure of Amos Frimpong.

"Last week [Keylon] Navas in their [Uefa] Champions League game against Atalanta in the quarter-finals got injured but reclaimed his place after he was fit and played in the finals even though [Sergio] Rico had kept a clean sheet for a win against Leipzig in the semi-final,” Annan said. 

”If it was in our country, they will come and tell you the keeper had a clean sheet so he should continue. Some of these things I hear and I smile about it."

The shot-stopper, who was a member of Ghana's squad at the 2019 Afcon, joined Kotoko in 2015.

Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona is “the best thing that could happen to Ronald Koeman”, says Mido, with the new coach at Camp Nou considered to need big characters to depart in order to build his “empire”.

The new man in charge of the Liga giants has been talking up his desire to see a talismanic presence remain in Catalunya.

Messi has, however, informed Barca of his desire to move on, with the Argentine seeking a new challenge after becoming disillusioned with life on and off the field at the Liga giants.

No move has been sanctioned as yet, amid links to the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, with further talks due to be held between disgruntled player and under-fire board.

Mido believes Koeman will be open to the idea of a six-time Ballon d’Or winner leaving his ranks, as the absence of Messi and his considerable influence will allow Barca’s current coaching regime to stamp their authority on an out-of-sorts squad.

The former Egypt international, who played under Koeman during his time at Ajax, told Elwatan Sport: “Koeman is one of the best coaches I have trained with and he has a very strong character, but he is going to face many difficulties if Messi stays.

“The best thing that could happen to Koeman is the potential departure of Messi. Koeman won't be able to build his empire with Messi existing in the dressing room.

“Koeman was my coach for two-and-a-half years and no matter how much time goes by, he is still unable to handle players with strong characters and he doesn't want a player who has an opinion.”

While questioning Koeman’s methods when it comes to handling big-name players, Mido does concede that the Dutchman boasts Barcelona “DNA” and could prove to be a shrewd appointment.

Barca do, however, have a number of issues to address.

Messi is pushing for the exits after seeing the Blaugrana surrender the Liga crown to arch-rivals Real Madrid in 2019-20, before then crashing out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage after suffering a humbling 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich.

Barbra Banda netted the winner for Shanghai Shengli as they beat Guangdong Meizhou 1-0 in a Chinese Women's Super League encounter on Saturday.

The Zambia international is settling in well in China, having scored three goals and provided two assists in two appearances on her debut season since joining from Spanish side Logrono in January. 

The 20-year-old opened her 2020 Chinese account with a goal two assists in her side's 5-1 triumph over Zhejiang Hangzhou before bagging a double in a 4-1 win over Changchun Dazhong Zhuoyue.

Following back-to-back opening wins, Shanghai aimed to maintain the impressive winning run as Banda eyed finding the net for the third match in a row and her effort was a huge bargain in the win.

The former Logrono striker struck the winner for Shanghai, having pounced on the rebound after Zhang Xin's initial effort was denied by the crossbar in the 31st minute of the encounter.

The first half lone strike from the Zambian was all they needed to condemn their opponents to their second defeat of the season. 

Banda, who was in action from the start to finish of the game for Shanghai, has now scored four goals in three matches for Shanghai.

With her four goals, Shanghai's Banda is now joint-top scorer with Beijing Phoenix's Ma Xiaoxu and Wuhan's Wang Shanshan.

The win means Shanghai are sitting at the top of the log with nine points from three matches and they will face Henan Jianye in their next Chinese league match on Wednesday.

Selangor and Petaling Jaya City played out a drab scoreless draw in round five of the Malaysia Super League on Saturday.

SELANGOR

Khairul Azhan Khalid - 6/10

The goalkeeper was rarely tested and kept a clean sheet, although that may be scant consolation for the underwhelming result.

Syahmi Safari - 5/10

Selangor boss B. Satiananthan uncharacteristically changed his team to a 5-3-3 formation, and Syahmi was played as a right wing back. But he seemed to be lacking match sharpness and rarely threatened the PJ City defence.

Ashmawi Yakin - 5/10

Handed a rare start, the right central defender was nervy the few times PJ pushed up, and even managed to pick up an early booking when his team was in control of the game.

Taylor Regan - 6/10

Led his defence well on a night they looked shakier than they should have.

Safuwan Baharudin - 6/10

The left central defender put in a decent performance against a defensive opponent.

K. Prabakaran - 5/10

Playing as a left wing back, Prabakaran did not have to defend much against a defensive team, but his contribution to the attack was minimal.

Halim Saari - 6/10

The midfielder helped his team control the middle of the park.

Brendan Gan - 6/10

Helped the hosts control the midfield, but he was not as dangerous as he could have been.

Sandro da Silva - 7/10

The playmaker of Selangor's attacks and perhaps the most dangerous player in the match, but could not combine well with the other attackers.

Syazwan Zainon - 5/10

The winger could not help his team offer a bigger threat to the visitors down the flanks.

Rufino Segovia - 5/10

The striker lacked sharpness in front of the goal and was taken off halfway through the second half.

Substitutions:

Ifedayo Olusegun, K. Sarkunan, Wan Zack, Anwar Ibrahim, Azrin Afiq - NA

Second half changes who could do little to help the Red Giants break the deadlock.

PETALING JAYA CITY

Kalamullah Alhafiz - 6/10

Returning to the starting eleven, the custodian turned in a decent performance to keep a clean sheet on a night their opponents did almost all of the attacking.

D. Kugan - 6/10

The right wing back again could not help his team in attack on a night they were mostly defensive, but did enough to help keep a clean sheet when he was on the pitch, before he was taken off it.

Aaron Kumar - 6/10

The right back performed adequately to help his team pick up one precious point.

Kim Bong Jin - 6/10

The central defender combined well with the other defenders to make things harder for the ineffective home team attackers.

Elizeu - 6/10

Led the defence well to reduce Selangor attackers to creating half chances.

Filemon Anyie - 6/10 

An improved performance by the left wing back, who could only defend when his team could not offer much in attack.

K. Gurusamy - 5/10

Was mostly overwhelmed by the hosts in the midfield area.

R. Barathkumar - 5/10

The midfielder could only help his team defend, in a match they were on the backfoot for much of it.

Mahalli Jasuli - 5/10

The winger showed improvement, and as a result his team was able to threaten their opponent somewhat, towards the end of the match.

Anawin Jujeen - 5/10

Playing as an attacker in the evening, the Thai forward struggled to combine with striker Washington Brandao.

Washington Brandao - 6/10

The striker was dangerous enough the rare times his team ventured forward, but he ultimately lacked support from his teammates to end the night with a goal

Substitutions:

P. Rajes, K. Thivandaran, P. Gunalan, Safee Sali -

Second half substitutions who did enough to help the Phoenix bag a precious point on the road against the favourites.

Fans in England have returned to the stands for the first time since March, as 2,500 supporters were allowed at the Amex Stadium on Saturday for Brighton's friendly against Chelsea.

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the pre-season encounter, as Timo Werner opened his account for the Blues before Pascal Gross equalised with a late penalty.

Fans at the Amex were seated in a manner that respected social distancing protocol and were required to wear masks at all times except when they were at their seat.

It was a small step toward normalcy after football around the globe was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Premier League, along with several other leagues in Europe, returned to the pitch in June but played all matches behind closed doors. 

Saturday's match at the Amex was part of a government trial as the UK explores a gradual reintroduction of fans ahead of the 2020-21 season, which kicks off next month. 

Brighton head coach Graham Potter was boosted by the return of his club's supporters, even in a limited capacity.

“I thought it was a fantastic day – a small step to getting back to normal as soon as we can safely do so,” Potter said in quotes published on Brighton's official website.

“It was so nice to see fans here because as we know it brings a completely different dynamic to the stadium and I thought they made a lot of noise and really got involved in the game. Hopefully they enjoyed the performance as well.

“I think people at the club deserve a lot of credit for the work that has gone in and hopefully it was the first successful step to a return to normal at some stage in the future.”

Saturday's Community Shield between Arsenal and Liverpool was played behind closed doors at Wembley, but the Gunners are exploring a plan to allow fans back at the Emirates Stadium in October.

In an email sent to supporters, Arsenal said: “We are continuing to work hard with the Premier League and UK Government on plans to bring fans back to stadiums, initially with reduced capacities.

“We are disappointed that our home fixture against West Ham United on Saturday 19 September will be played behind closed doors, but based on current Government guidelines, we hope to be able to welcome supporters back to Emirates Stadium for the Sheffield United game scheduled for Saturday 3 October."

Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Watford’s Ismaila Sarr and Inter Milan’s Achraf Hakimi are among a number of African players who paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman after his death.

Boseman who died at the age of 43, played a starring role in the blockbuster movie, Black Panther where he was famous for his 'Wakanda Forever' sign.

He lost his fight against cancer on Friday after a four-year battle with the disease in his colon.

Following the announcement of his demise, African stars took to social media to mourn the movie icon with Gabon captain Aubameyang doing the ‘Wakanda Forever’ sign after scoring against Liverpool in the FA Community Shield on Saturday.

Ajax are bracing themselves for the sale of Donny van de Beek, with Erik ten Hag admitting there have been “some developments” around a midfielder who has been linked with Manchester United and Barcelona.

The Dutch giants are aware that they will always find it difficult to retain the services of top talent.

Leading sides across Europe often look to Amsterdam in their efforts to cherry pick the best options on the market.

Recent windows have seen the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong leave Ajax, while Hakim Ziyech agreed a switch to Chelsea at the start of the summer.

Van de Beek was always expected to be next to make his way towards the exits, with his star having been on the rise for some time.

Old Trafford and Camp Nou have been mooted as potential landing spots for the 23-year-old.

Ajax are ready to bow to pressure when it comes to parting with another prized asset, but they will not be sanctioning any sales on the cheap.

It has been suggested that the Eredivisie outfit will demand around €55 million (£49m/$65m) from any deal involving Van de Beek.

Ten Hag has given nothing away when it comes to possible price tags for the Netherlands international, but has conceded that a move towards the exits is being made.

The Ajax boss told Ziggo Sport when asked for a transfer update ahead of a friendly date with Eintracht Frankfurt: “There have been some developments that made us decide us to keep him out of today's squad.

“We will see what happens. We'll make an announcement as soon as there's some clarity.”

Van de Beek is a product of Ajax’s famed academy system.

He has been part of their first-team set-up since the 2015-16 campaign and taken in 175 appearances across all competitions.

The highly-rated playmaker has registered 41 goals through those outings, with double figures reached in terms of that end product in each of the last three seasons.

He could now form part of a rebuild at Barcelona under fellow countryman Ronald Koeman or join the ranks at United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seeks to bring added creativity into Manchester United’s squad.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains non-committal on a contract extension at Arsenal, with the Gabonese striker once again seeking to avoid questions on his future after netting a match-winning penalty in the Community Shield.

He told BT Sport when informed that all of the club’s supporters are waiting on an update: “Yeah I know. We're going to see in these [coming] days. Today we take the trophy.”

Aubameyang further underlined his value to the Gunners cause at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

He has been enjoying a purple patch at the home of English football, and saw that run continue in a meeting with Premier League champions Liverpool.

Having inspired Arsenal to FA Cup glory in 2019-20 with braces in the semi-finals and final of that competition, the 31-year-old hit the back of the net once again versus the Reds.

His stunning first-half strike broke the deadlock in what is the traditional curtain-raiser to a new season.

Takumi Minamino stepped off the bench to restore parity for Liverpool, sending the game to spot kicks.

Rhian Brewster blazed over the top for Jurgen Klopp’s side, presenting Aubameyang with a chance to secure another piece of silverware.

He lifted the Community Shield as Arsenal captain, but uncertainty continues to reign when it comes to his future.

He is yet to extend his terms in north London beyond the summer of 2021, despite regular claims from those at Emirates Stadium that an agreement is close.

For now, Aubameyang is enjoying the renaissance being enjoyed by the Gunners under Mikel Arteta.

He added: “We are improving and there's still work to do but it's a really happy and exciting time to be an Arsenal player.”

Aubameyang has seen a move mooted as he mulls over his options, with his stunning strike rate making him of obvious appeal to leading sides around the world.

It is not the only one to have sparked transfer talk, though, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles another seeing his Arsenal future called into question.

He has been linked with the likes of Wolves and Newcastle, but the versatile 23-year-old is another playing his cards close to his chest.

The Gunners academy graduate said when quizzed on his plans: “I'm an Arsenal player until I'm told otherwise. My heart's in the club and whilst I'm here I'm going to give 100 per cent all of the time.”

Arsenal won their second trophy in August as the FA Cup winners beat Premier League champions Liverpool 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield.

Just 28 days after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice to sink Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley, the Gunners triumphed in the new season's curtain-raiser in north London.

Mikel Arteta's side were forced to do it the hard way, with Takumi Minamino's first Liverpool goal having cancelled out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 12th-minute opener.

However, Rhian Brewster – who has enjoyed a fine pre-season for Liverpool – missed his spot-kick, setting the stage for Aubameyang to wrap up another Wembley triumph for the Gunners.

Virgil van Dijk – sporting a cut to his forehead sustained in the pre-season clash with Salzburg last time out – had the ball in the net after seven minutes, but the flag was up for offside.

James Milner should have done better with a close-range header soon after, and Liverpool were quickly made to pay.

Having beaten Liverpool's press, Arsenal progressed down the right before Bukayo Saka picked out Aubameyang with a superb crossfield pass.

It left Neco Williams isolated up against Aubameyang, who stepped inside and curled a sublime 20-yard finish beyond Alisson.

Roberto Firmino sent a wicked strike just wide following the restart, with Emiliano Martinez then rushing off his line to deny Sadio Mane.

Naby Keita and Minamino were introduced as Liverpool looked to take the initiative, and the changes soon paid off.

After attempting to play a tight one-two with Mohamed Salah, Minamino was on hand to slot in after the rebound fell his way – VAR allowing the goal to stand after a check for handball.

Martinez made another superb stop from Mane moments later, while Joe Willock went close with a header at the other end as penalties were required.

Yet it was Arsenal who triumphed – Brewster, brought on to take a spot-kick, hitting the crossbar with his effort, with Aubameyang coolly sending Alisson the wrong way to condemn Liverpool to defeat.

What does it mean? Arsenal pick up where they left off as Liverpool look to sharpen up

Arteta now has two trophies under his belt as a coach, and Arsenal appear to be going from strength to strength under his leadership.

Jurgen Klopp's side were far from at their fluent best, but the Liverpool manager will be sure to have his team fully up and running by the time the Premier League season rolls around.

Wembley wonderland for Aubameyang

With his excellent opener, Aubameyang – who is yet to sign a new contract with the Gunners – took his tally of goals at the national stadium to five, making him Arsenal's joint-top scorer – along with Alexis Sanchez – at Wembley. All of these goals have come in the space of 42 days. To cap off another brilliant afternoon, the striker kept his composure to slot in the winning penalty.

Tough cameo for Brewster

Liverpool's young striker has been in fine form in pre-season after an excellent second half of 2019-20 with Swansea City, but Brewster's decision to go for power and height with his penalty ultimately cost the Reds at Wembley.

What's next?

Both sides will lose players for the upcoming international break, before they kick off their respective Premier League campaigns on September 12. Arsenal will face Fulham, while Liverpool host Leeds United.

Experienced Simba SC defender Pascal Wawa has welcomed the arrival of Joash Onyango and Ibrahim Ame.

The Ivorian centre-back will have to fight for the first-team position with the two new rivals but he says he has no reason to fear competition at all.

The number of centre-backs at Simba is now five as Erasto Nyoni, Juma Kennedy and Wawa were the only defenders before Onyango and Ame were signed.

Last season, the former Azam star played regularly at the back as his partners rotated between Nyoni and Kennedy.

“I have had to deal with competition before but because I believe in my abilities, there is nothing that has always put me under pressure,” Wawa told Mwanaspoti.

“What I hope should happen is team unity so that we can go on and win titles together.”

Meanwhile, Winger Shiza Kichuya has responded to the speculation surrounding his new deal at Namungo FC.

Whereas it has been claimed at some quarters the Tanzanian joined Namungo on loan from Simba, Kichuya has emphasised he crossed over to the Premier League side on a permanent deal after the expiration of his Wekundu wa Msimbazi contract.

It has been widely reported Kichuya signed a two-year deal with Namungo who are set to feature in the Caf Confederation Cup.

“Let people keep guessing as they are doing now. But the truth is that I have been signed by Namungo as a free agent after my contract with Simba ended,” Kichuya told Mwanaspoti.

“What I can assure my fans is that the kind of football life which was there before will still be there. What I have just done is to change the environment.

“I started at Morogoro [Mtibwa Sugar], signed for Simba and now I am at Namungo.”

On his part, Namungo’s head coach Thierry Hitimana revealed why he supported the move made by the star to join them.

“Kichuya is a very good player and we are confident he is going to help the team especially given the massive experience he possesses. That is why I advised that he be signed,” Hitimana told Mwanaspoti.

The Tanzanian failed to nail a regular spot at Pharco FC of Egypt before was loaned to ENPPI SC where he also struggled.

Cape Town City continued with their winning ways as they beat Golden Arrows 4-1 in their Premier Soccer League (PSL) clash on Saturday evening at Ellis Park Stadium.

A hat-trick from Fagrie Lakay and a solitary strike from Tashreeq Morris handed the 2017/18 MTN8 champions the full three points to see them move to seventh spot from 28 games with 39 points.

Resulting from their fourth defeat since the restart, Arrows occupies 11th spot with 33 points and has two remaining games on their programme.

Fresh from two consecutive losses against Black Leopards and Mamelodi Sundowns, Abafana Bes’thende were under enormous pressure to secure a win and move up the log table.

On the other hand, the Mother City-based club has had a mixed bag of results, they lost to Stellenbosch before overcoming Orlando Pirates last weekend, but their mission was to qualify for the top eight.

Despite a slow start in Johannesburg, the Citizens broke the deadlock when Devine Lunga failed to clear the ball, and Lakay capitalized when he beat goalkeeper Sifiso Mlungwana on his right corner in the ninth minute.

In two minutes, Lakay completed his brace when a rebound fell on his path, he stunned Mlungwana on the near post from a deflected cross, to make it 2-0 to Arrows.

City enjoyed dominance in the midfield and in the 34th minute, Arrows came close to pulling one goal back but Siyabonga Dube saw his shot sailing wide for a goal-kick.

However, coach Jan Olde Riekerink’s charges were dealt a massive blow when striker Kermit Erasmus was substituted for Morris with 10 minutes to the interval.

Arrows would have a shot on target in the 41st minute through Seth Parusnath from the edge of the box, as his effort was easily collected by keeper Peter Leeuwenburgh.

With one minute left to half-time, a real opportunity came for Mduduzi Mdantsane who made a run into the box, but the shot was blocked by Mlungwana who read the situation well.

City went to the dressing leading 2-0. The visitors continued to control the proceedings in the heart of the park in the 56th minute and following an interchange of passes, Mdantsane was fouled on the edge of the penalty area, but the set-piece was easily blocked, allowing Mlungwana to collect the follow-up shot.

In the 63rd minute, City ensured they cemented their lead when Morris finished Bradley Ralani's pass whose brilliant play on the left flank set up the lanky striker to make it 3-0.

Forward Knox Mutizwa managed to pull a consolation goal for the hosts in the 74th minute to score his 13th goal of the season with a superb free-kick to beat Leeuwenburgh on his right corner.

Arrows regained their confidence and Parusnath nearly caught Leeuwenburgh napping in the 83rd minute with a thunderbolt, but the 26-year-old netminder was equal to the task to punch the long-range shot away for a corner.

In search of their second goal, midfielder Gladwin Shitolo could have made it 3-2 in injury time, his first touch was clever but he failed to connect with the ball to unleash a powerful shot.

On the opposite half, skipper Thamsanqa Mkhize who came from the bench was fouled in the box and Lakay blasted from the spot to complete his hat-trick as City clinched their 10th victory of the season.

Mikel Arteta has reiterated his belief that Arsenal are “close” to agreeing a new contract with star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gunners have seen speculation regarding their captain’s future drag on for longer than anyone at Emirates Stadium would have liked.

It has not proved to be a distraction, though, with the north London outfit putting themselves back on the trophy trail.

Aubameyang inspired them to FA Cup glory in 2019-20, with match-winning performances put in against Manchester City and Chelsea to emerge victorious in that competition.

He was back among the goals in a Community Shield clash with Liverpool on Saturday, with his stunning first-half strike breaking the deadlock in that contest.

Arsenal were unable to get the job done in 90 minutes against the Premier League champions as Takumi Minamino grabbed an equaliser, but the Gunners  held their nerve to prevail on penalties.

Aubameyang converted the decisive spot-kick, allowing him to lift another piece of silverware.

Inevitably, he was quizzed on his future afterwards and continues to remain coy when it comes to the penning of fresh terms.

Arteta, though, is hoping that a positive update will be delivered soon, with the Arsenal boss telling BT Sport: "We are close."

Arsenal are desperate to see their skipper extend his association with the club as his latest outing further underlined his value to the cause.

Arteta added on another match-winning display: "Big games, big moments, big players. He has responded really well to that kind of pressure. He was magnificent in the FA Cup final and the same today."

While Aubameyang has been a talismanic presence for the Gunners, improvement has been made as a collective under Arteta’s stewardship.

He has offered a loyal fan base cause for optimism, with two trophies collected in the month of August.

Arteta said of the progress being made and his impact on Arsenal: "I'm so happy. I knew the challenge we were facing today. Thank you to the players for the effort and the performance.

"The courage of the team [was the most pleasing thing], how aggressive we were without the ball and to break the pressure of Liverpool. I knew in the second half we would suffer.

"This generates belief, to be able to compete against a team like this in a final makes me happy."

Jordan Ayew bagged a brace while Wilfried Zaha scored the other as Crystal Palace recorded an easy 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday with new signing Eberechi Eze getting some minutes of action.

The 22-year-old Anglo-Nigerian attacker sealed a move from Queens Park Rangers on Friday and was placed right into the starting XI showing some bright sparks of quality until he was substituted at the start of the second half for Jeffrey Schlupp.

The game was goalless for the entire opening half and didn’t come to life until the hour mark thanks to Ayew who tapped home Zaha’s delivery on the left from close range.

It was not long after the Ghanaian made it 2-0 with a powerful effort from 12 yards before Zaha added the third by brilliantly linking up with Brandon Pierrick.

The result marked Palace’s second win of the pre-season having gotten the better of Oxford United on Tuesday.

Ayew was the Eagles top scorer last season with nine goals, a personal best in England and he reaffirmed his commitment to staying put at Selhurst Park and even doing better in the upcoming season.

“I’m a Crystal Palace player, I’m happy here. My family is also happy here. Everything is in Palace’s hands. I’m a very ambitious player but I intend to give my best for Palace this season,” Ayew said as per Citisports.

Last term Palace were close to the European places following a four-game winning run in which the Ghana international scored in three of them. However, an eight-game winless run that included seven consecutive defeats saw them ultimately finish in 14th position. Ayew is aiming for a much higher position on the table this time around.

“Everyone wants to play in the big competitions. We want to finish in the top half of the table. We hope to get a good start to the season and we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Roy Hodgson’s charges will begin their quest for a much-improved season when they host Southampton on September 12.

Lionel Messi and his legal team have informed Barcelona that the Argentine will skip pre-season medical tests as he continues to push for a way out of the club. 

The Blaugrana are beginning to prepare for the 2020-21 campaign, with a number of players having already reported for pre-season training. 

Most of the first-team squad are still away after Barca were demolished 8-2 by Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final on August 14, ending their 2019-20 season.

Sources have confirmed to Goal, however, that when Barca players do begin arriving for standard pre-season medical tests, Messi will not be among them.

On Tuesday, Messi dropped a bombshell declaration on Barca, expressing to the Blaugrana that he wished to opt out of his contract and leave the club after 20 years. 

Although his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, Messi and his legal team have activated a clause they believe will allow him to terminate his deal unilaterally.

Messi and his team believe that his contract has expired and as such, the club legend will not report for pre-season testing. 

Carrying out the examinations could be construed by Barcelona as recognition that he remains part of the club, an assertion that Leo and his lawyers reject.

The 33-year-old wants to leave the club on good terms, however, and wants to meet with the board to negotiate his exit from the Catalan side. 

Messi is hoping to avoid a drawn-out saga, as Barcelona could potentially challenge his assertion that he is able to activate the clause allowing him to opt out of his contract at the end of each season. 

That clause expired in June but Messi's legal team will argue it was valid until the end of the 2019-20 season, which was extended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rumours of Messi's unhappiness have been rampant for months, with Barca enduring a difficult 2019-20 campaign that saw them sack two managers and fail to win any trophies. 

Ronald Koeman has taken over as head coach at Camp Nou to replace Quique Setien, who was sacked after the Bayern defeat along with sporting director Eric Abidal. 

Messi cut his vacation short to meet with Koeman last week, telling the Dutchman in their meeting that he no longer believed in the club's project.

The likes of Manchester City, Juventus, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter have all been linked with the Barca sensation, with L'Equipe having reported that he has chosen to join Pep Guardiola's side.

Orlando Pirates secured their maiden win since the current season resumed when they defeated SuperSport United 2-1 in a PSL match which was played on Saturday afternoon.

The Buccaneers were desperate to snap their six-match winless run in the league and also boost their hopes of qualifying for next season's Caf Confederation Cup.

Coach Josef Zinnbauer made two changes to the team which faced and lost to Cape Town City last weekend with Fortune Makaringe and Frank Mhango making their return to the starting line-up.

On the other hand, Matsatsantsa were looking to extend their unbeaten run to six matches in the league having defeated Polokwane City and Black Leopards in their last two games. 

Zinnbauer's counterpart, Kaitano Tembo surprisingly preferred young centrebacks Luke Fleurs and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe ahead of the experienced Bongani Khumalo in the absence of Clayton Daniels. 

However, a youthful SuperSport side started the match well with the team featuring a three-man midfield of Sipho Mbule, Jamie Webber and Teboho Mokoena, who are all under the age of 23. 

Mokoena had a glorious opportunity to hand the visitors an early lead following a good move in the Pirates box, but goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands came out to deny the young midfielder from close range.

Pirates grew in confidence as the match progressed and they were nearly gifted a goal when Botswana youth international Ditlhokwe slipped up and gave away possession to Mhango.

The Malawi international unleashed a powerful shot which was brilliantly saved by Ronwen Williams in the Matsatsantsa goal and the away side survived a scare. 

However, Williams was beaten when Thembinkosi Lorch combined with Vincent Pule, who pulled the trigger from range and his left-footed effort hit the back of the net to make it 1-0 to Pirates in the 29th minute.

Matsatsantsa then pushed for the equalising goal and they got it in the 41st minute when Fleurs rewarded Tembo's faith in him by heading home Webber's corner-kick to make it 1-1 heading into the half-time break.

Zinnbauer decided to make a change in the early stages of the second half as he introduced Lerato Lepasa, who replaced Mhango, and the lanky centre forward made an immediate impact.

Lorch made a brilliant pass for Lepasa and the former TS Galaxy striker burst into the Matsatsantsa box, before firing past Bafana Bafana international Williams to make it 2-1 to Pirates.

Almost immediately at the other end, SuperSport were awarded a penalty when Innocent Maela was adjudged to have fouled second-half substitute Ghampani Lungu in the box.

Bradley Grobler had a chance to join Mhango and Highlands Park striker Peter Shaulile at the top of the league's goalscoring charts with the duo currently on 14 goals, but the marksman was denied by Sandilands from the spot-kick.

However, SuperSport continued to attack and they were awarded another penalty when Aubrey Modiba was fouled by Ntsikelelo Nyauza inside the box.

This time former Pirates striker Thamsanqa Gabuza stepped up and he was denied by the experienced Sandilands, who ensured that the score remained 2-1 to Pirates.

SuperSport launched late attacks as they looked to snatch a late equalizing goal, but the hosts contained the likes of Gabuza, Lungu and Grobler and ultimately, Pirates emerged 2-1 winners on the day.

The victory took the Buccaneers to the fourth spot on the league standings - a point behind third-placed SuperSport with two matches left.

Lionel Messi remains a “magician” and would be an “incredible” addition for Manchester City despite his advancing years, says Micah Richards.

The Blues are looking to position themselves at the front of a notable transfer queue.

With Messi informing Barca of his desire to move on in the current window, a scramble for his signature has been sparked.

Few clubs can offer the financial and sporting package required to land a six-time Ballon d’Or winner, but City form part of an elite group of clubs that are daring to dream.

The Premier League outfit have a number of factors working in their favour, including the presence at the Etihad Stadium of former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola and Argentina international frontman Sergio Aguero.

They are considered to be serious contenders to prise Messi from Camp Nou, with excitement building in English football amid a remarkable saga.

Richards is among those hoping to see an all-time great make his way to the Premier League.

The former City defender believes Messi would shine on such a stage despite having previously never plied his club football outside of La Liga and now being the wrong side of 30.

Richards told Sky Sports of a man who has maintained unworldly standards over the course of his career to date: “As a fan of football, to have Messi in the Premier League would be fantastic. I'd love to see him over here but Barcelona will not make it easy.

“He's 33 but I watched him against Napoli and thought, he's still got it, he's still a magician.

“When Sheikh Mansour took over, the signing of Robinho from Real Madrid was massive. He was the catalyst for the likes of [David] Silva, Aguero, [Vincent] Kompany.

“If Man City could pull it off, it would be incredible.”

Feelers are said to have been put out by City as they explore the option of adding Messi to their ranks.

He is, however, set to hold further talks with Barca regarding his future and may yet be talked into prolonging his association with the Catalan giants and committing to a new contract beyond the summer of 2021.