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BUL FC head coach Arthur Kyesimira believes they can push for the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) title against top teams like KCCA FC and Vipers SC.

BUL won just two of the last 10 matches of the cancelled season after starting on a strong footing. Kyesimira says the target will be to win the league title as they will not be proud fighting for relegation.

“The British say, don’t blow your own trumpet, but the Americans add that if you believe enough, please do,” Kyesimira said as was quoted by Football256.

“So, I believe that the clubs who have been on top like Vipers and KCCA are strong teams but we can push them.

“Yes, there is a difference between a good team and a great team. Great teams are successful for a long time. We are a good team, but I am sure after some years we shall be described as a great team.

“We cannot get the next season underway without having that goal. Of course, different teams have different agendas at the start of the season, but we cannot be proud of fighting for survival as a club.”

The Jinja club has already signed seven players but the coach revealed the coronavirus pandemic affected their scouting mission.

“The challenge now is that with the coronavirus pandemic in play, a lot has changed and we cannot get many of the options we want,” he added.

“We also don’t know when we can return and with the licensing process going on, it means we have to move as fast to get a lot of stuff on board and that makes the whole situation tricky.”

He also spoke about the status of players and some of their expiring contracts.

“We have a couple of players whose contracts have lapsed, but we have started talks over the renewal for some of them while others the club will make an official statement soon, we have to wait and see,” he concluded.

“We are also looking at having more battle-hardened players come in, but they need to fit into the profile of what we want.

“We have already had arrivals and I am confident that they bring something different to the squad and improve the quality of the squad.”

Aggrey Madoi, Ibrahim Mugulusi and Davis Mutebi are some of the players the club have signed.

Kenneth Kibaale Elvis, Douglas Bithum, Paul Mbaziira and Peter Onzima are the other new stars who are expected to help BUL mount a meaningful campaign in the 2020/21 season.

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has said that if he were in charge of handing out the Ballon d’Or this year, he would award it to himself.

The Pole helped Bayern to win the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal and Champions League, with the hitman the leading scorer in each of those competitions.

It was the best season of his career to date as he found the net on 55 occasions in just 47 matches, notably scoring in every Champions League match he played until the final.

He will not, however, have the opportunity to win the coveted individual accolade, with France Football, who organise the award, having elected to shelve it for a year because of the coronavirus crisis.

For many people, he was the outstanding candidate – and that includes himself.

“We won everything there was to be won. I was the top scorer in every competition. I think if a player has achieved that much, he should win the Ballon d'Or,” he told Onet.

He credited Bayern’s success in Europe, which came after a spectacular 8-2 quarter-final victory over Barcelona, a 3-0 semi-final success over Lyon and a 1-0 final win over Paris Saint-Germain, to the strength in depth of their squad.

“If Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic come on in the 80th minute, then the opponent knows what is going on: they realise that we do not intend to stop pressing. That makes them insecure,” he explained before going on to discuss the tremendous self confidence in the squad.

“Before the game, we knew we were going to beat Barca. Some even said it would be a 5-1 - but an 8-2 is something completely different. We were very confident. 

“Before the game against Barca, Serge Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich met me. They didn't ask whether we would win this game, but whether we would win the Champions League. I answered: ‘Yes.’”

Quizzed about interest from Real Madrid last summer, the 32-year-old said that he had no intention of leaving the Allianz Arena: “During this phase I felt the support from FC Bayern, which was sometimes a little lacking before. Ultimately, I believed in the FC Bayern project.

“I want to play at the highest level after 2023. And I'm not yet thinking about what I'll do afterwards.”

Victor Wanyama’s Montreal Impact teammates did not want to play against Toronto FC on Tuesday, it has now been reported.

The reports Montreal Impact players were reluctant to face their rivals in a match they lost 1-0 on Friday have been linked to the widespread solidarity demonstrations following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Montreal Impact against Toronto FC tie was the first one to be played after the postponement of five matches on Wednesday.

After the loss, Wanyama’s manager Thierry Henry did not want to be dragged into the debate surrounding the said go-slow. 

“Please can we talk about the game? Toronto played a good game and they deserved to win. So can we talk about that?” Henry said in his post-match reaction.

“Toronto kept the ball at the beginning and didn’t give us the ball back cheaply. [Alejandro] Pozuelo, [Pablo] Piatti – guys like that in the middle. [Marky] Delgado with [Michael] Bradley – they know how to manage the ball.

“And so it became difficult for us to get it back. Once you don’t get it back, you can’t obviously impose your style and so it became difficult. As I said, they were better than us on the day, but we have an opportunity to rectify that on Tuesday.”

Montreal Impact centre-back Luis Binks was categorical players did not want to be involved in the Friday match.

“Yeah, no one [on the Impact] wanted to play. That’s true,” Binks said.

“But I don’t think we can use that as an excuse. The final decision was to play, so we played the game. We weren’t good enough. They were pretty better than us. They had more chances than us.

“There are a lot of boys in the changing room, if not everyone, who felt that the right decision was to support what’s going on and try to make a stand against what’s going on in the US.

“And we thought it would be quite powerful if two Canadian clubs – although it’s not happening in Canada, racism happens everywhere – but although what happened didn’t happen directly in Canada, we thought it would be good for us to show our support.

“But for whatever reason, that didn’t happen. And we played the game. But I don’t think we can use that as an excuse to say that’s why we didn’t win or that’s why we didn’t play as well as we can.”

Toronto captain Michael Bradley responded on whether there was communication between them and Montreal Impact regarding the need to take part in the social justice movement protest.

“It’s not worth talking about. Again, there are real things to talk about. There are important issues at hand,” Bradley said.

“The behind-the-scenes stuff that has gone on in so many different locker rooms and across different leagues, that stuff is not important right now.”

Montreal Impact won their previous match against Vancouver Whitecaps.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have promised a major and final signing when they celebrate Wiki ya Mwananchi on Sunday.

The Jangwani giants have already signed Michael Sarpong, Yacouba Sogne, Carlos Stenio Fernandes Guimaraes do Carmo ‘Carlinhos’ and Waziri Junior but according to GSM Director Hersi Said, the giants will unveil Rwandan striker Jacques Tuyisenge on Sunday.

Tuyisenge is a free agent having parted ways with Petro Atletico of Angola, a club he joined from Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia in 2019.

“We have a big surprise for our fans, and it will happen on Sunday, we will close our transfer activities with a big signing [of striker], we want our fans to be ready for the signing,” Said is quoted saying by Sokaletu.

“The striker is none other than Jacques [Tuyisenge], we will unveil him on Sunday, so our fans must come in large numbers to see the unveiling ceremony, it is a big surprise for them.

“Last season, Yanga fans suffered a lot because we did not have strikers to give us the goals, but this time around we have signed quality strikers, we have beefed up our squad and are confident of doing well in the new season.”

The striker left K'Ogalo for Angola in 2019, after helping them to win three league titles during his three-year stint.

Despite his exit, the Rwandan international stated K'Ogalo will remain part of his heart as he left to join the Angolan side.

Tuyisenge arrived at Gor Mahia in January 2016 and became a regular goalscorer for the Kenya giants. He managed to score 50 goals for the team and was one of the best strikers in the division.

Coincidentally, his former team Gor Mahia are hunting the services of his teammate in the national team, Patrick Sibomana.

Sibomana was among the 14 players released by Young Africans SC (Yanga SC) after the end of the 2019/20 season.

The 24-year-old had scored six goals in the Tanzania Mainland League in favour of the 27-time league champions, but his contract was not extended as Timu ya Wananchi felt they needed a better player in the offensive position.

Eight girls from Jharkhand have been part of the India U17 Women's team that has preparing for the U17 World Cup for the last year or so. There remains a possibility that a couple of more players from Jharkhand might also receive a national call-up. 

The Jharkhand government has lent the U17 girls their complete support as such. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, has personally met the girls during the Coronavirus pandemic and has promised that they would be supported in every possible manner.

Jharkhand's Secretary of Sports, Pooja Singhal, once again reasserted the Govt's support for the team and are making sure that their progress is not hindered under any circumstance. 

"Eight tribal girls of Jharkhand have been selected to represent India in the upcoming U17 World Cup. We are expecting at least six of them to be in the final squad. They are the future mascots of Jharkhand. Even UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Fund) is projecting them as ambassadors in their campaign ‘Champions of Change’.

She also said that the state Govt is planning to host a national camp for the U17 Women's World Cup squad in the future.

"We are also expecting to host the U17 national camp in Jharkhand with support from the AIFF (All India Football Federation). That will be a major milestone for Jharkhand. I thank the Chief Minister for giving his mandate that his priority is U17 World Cup and providing the girls with every possible support," said Singhal in a webinar hosted by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry). 

Jharkhand have been at the forefront for promoting women's football for the past four-five years.

And in 2019 they even reaped rewards in the Sub-Junior and Junior Girls National Football Championship, bagging gold and silver respectively in the two competitions. 

Confederation of African Football (Caf) instructor Majida Nantanda believes many female players retire early from the game because football in Uganda is still in its first phase.

Despite the undoubted talent in Uganda, women disappear from the game and those who make it, end up quitting early, and the former Crested Cranes coach has explained why. 

"It is so sad that our girls retire from active football at a tender age," Nantanda told Fufa FM.

"This is so because right now women football is still in its first phase; that is to say that football is still based in secondary schools. For instance, schools like Ugandan Martyrs Rubaga, Rhines, Kawempe Muslims do offer bursaries to girls who can play football which helps parents to benefit over six years of education.

"After the six years at the secondary level, since we have few universities that have embraced women football, the girls lose motivation and morale which forces them to put football aside."  

The former player has also pointed out the level of competition in women's football and its impact.

"In addition, there has not been strong competition in women football, but at least things have improved, for example, during our generation, we stopped playing active football in 2003 when we faced the Tanzania team," Nantanda continued. 

"Since then, there was no active football competition up to 2009, and even in 2009, we just went to a junior team of under 20."

The instructor has now urged all involved to work together, promote the game, ensure the girls and all involved benefit.

"The Federation and football stakeholders should be able to sensitize parents and players that football is now employment, not a leisure activity," she added.

"The club owners should also be able to pay these women to continue motivating them.

"Lastly, these ladies in football should be ready to work extra hard, our ladies once praised by media coverage, they tend to lose it and think they have everything which ends up costing them so they have to keep focused."  

Currently, the Uganda U17 women's team are preparing to play Cameroon in a two-legged affair in the 2021 World Cup qualifier scheduled for late October and early November. 

Napoli head coach Gennaro Gattuso has warned fans not to expect too much from summer signing Victor Osimhen, despite the Nigeria international striking a treble on his debut.

The Serie A outfit were in impressive form as they defeated Castel di Sangro 10-0 and L’Aquila 11-0 in pre-season friendly matches that lasted only 45 minutes, with Osimhen bagging a treble and also adding an assist in the latter of those fixtures.

It took him only eight minutes to compile his three goals, but Gattuso has called on fans not to expect too much from the €80 million (£70m/$93m) man.

“It’s not like we suddenly signed Pele or Maradona, we simply brought in a player with certain characteristics that can help us,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s too easy to get excited now, we’ve got to give him time and let him work, not put pressure on.

“He is an important player and we paid a lot for him, but there were no doubts he would give us something different that we haven’t had in my time here. There’s a long way to go.”
  
Meanwhile, the coach is pleased with the direction the team is heading, though he has warned that more needs to come from them if they are to reclaim their place among Italy’s best sides after a seventh-placed finish last term.

“I am satisfied with the work we’re doing, the team is motivated and knows what it wants,” the former Italy midfielder said.

“We are all aware that we have to improve in so many respects. We’ve got to do better when off the ball, be able to cover every inch of the field and find the right balance.

“More importantly, stamina, because I still can’t believe we basically scored three goals against ourselves against Barcelona in the Champions League. We’ve got to stay totally focused for 90 minutes.

“We must be aware that what we did last season wasn’t enough to qualify for the Champions League, so we must all do more and believe strongly in what we are doing.”

The new Serie A season is due to get underway on September 19, following the international fixtures at the start of the month.

The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is one of the five venues of the upcoming FIFA Women's U17 World Cup that is set to be held in India in February 2021.

Preparations are in full swing and Odisha's Commissioner-cum-Sports-Secretary Vishal Dev has stated that the infrastructure in the state will be ready by the end of September. 

"It is our privilege to be a part of the upcoming FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup. Our preparations are on track. The main pitch at the Kalinga Stadium is ready. We are creating three new FIFA standard pitches in the city. The idea is to provide the best infrastructure and training facilities for the participants.

"We have four practice pitches and we have another synthetic football turf that is coming up. We will be hosting eight matches including a quarterfinal and a semifinal of the tournament. We hope to be ready by the end of September," said Dev during a webinar hosted by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry).

He also spoke at length about FIFA Women’s World Cup legacy programme which will focus on identifying and nurturing young footballers from the state. FIFA will be the technical partner for the programme, alongside the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

"The idea of the legacy programme is to boost women’s football in the state. We have identified 11 districts and there we intend to create clubs and enroll girls for the leagues under the programme. Equipment will be provided to the school and we aim to improve the infrastructure across the 11 districts," stated Dev.

India was appointed as the host by the FIFA Council meeting at Miami on 15 March 2019. The country had also successfully hosted the 2017 U17 Men's World Cup.

Five venues have been selected as host cities - the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, EKA Arena in Ahmedabad and the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Spain are the defending champions, having won the 2018 edition while India will be participating for the first time ever.

Bidvest Wits central defender Lorenzo Gordinho says he is looking forward to their clash with Kaizer Chiefs in their next PSL clash on Sunday afternoon.

Chiefs will be gunning for their second win since the restart of the current season, while the Clever Boys will also be looking to secure their second victory this month. 

Bafana Bafana defender Gordinho expects a tough game against a wounded Chiefs side, who lost to Mamelodi Sundowns on Thursday evening.

“It’s a game I’m looking forward to,” Gordinho told the media.

“I’m looking forward to playing against my former teammates. I’m going to give my best so we can get a good result.

“I think it’s going to be a tough game. We’ve been watching [Bloemfontein] Celtic and they’ve been playing some good football," he continued. 

“Their confidence is high having reached the final of the Nedbank Cup. I think it’s gonna be a good game, it’s gonna be another fight to get points.”

After completing his switch from Chiefs to Wits in January, the 26-year-old shares his experience in the Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) so far, suggesting he is content with their progress so far.

“I think it’s been a decent time for us in the bubble,” he added.

“We have only lost once to Sundowns. We are working hard to start winning games. There are not many games left and we want to finish the season on a strong note.

“I just feel like sometimes we concede goals that are not directly in our control like set-pieces and things like that, which we have been working on," he explained. 

“I think we’re doing much better now to keep those clean sheets.”

Wits sit fourth on the log table with 46 points whilst leaders Chiefs are level on points (53) with second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, but they are separated by goal difference.

Meanwhile, the clash is seen as a make or break for Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp especially following their 1-0 loss to Sundowns at Orlando Stadium.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) fans can now breathe a sigh of relief after their new coach Zlatko Krmpotic arrived ready to take over reigns at the club.

The Jangwani giants had thought they had secured the services of a new coach to replace Luc Eymael when they appointed Burundian Cedric Kaze, who later turned down the offer to attend to family matters back home.

With Kaze opting out, Yanga were left scratching their heads again as time was already running out to have a coach in place ahead of the new season which kicks-off on September 6.

However, on Friday, the club confirmed they had hired the services of the much-travelled Serbian coach, though many fans felt they will only believe the appointment when they see him arrive in Tanzania.

The Serbian coach has now landed in Dar es Salaam ready for the task ahead only promising fans he will do his best to help the team win silverware in the coming campaign.

“I have just arrived and will have to meet the team and see what kind of players we have in the squad but I can promise a good campaign in the coming season,” the coach told reporters after arriving on Saturday.

The 62-year-old has vast experience in coaching in Africa, having handled APR of Rwanda, Zesco United (Zambia), Tout Puissant Mazembe (the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Polokwane City in South Africa.

It was in DR Congo when he was named the best coach of the championship in the 2016-2017 season and was also named the best coach of the Zambian Super League in 2017-2018, the best coach of the Botswana Premier League in 2018 and the best coach of Africa 2017-2018.

During his playing career, between 1977 and 1986, Krmpotic spent nine seasons with Red Star Belgrade, making over 200 appearances in all competitions and winning five major trophies.

At international level, Krmpotic represented Yugoslavia at the 1982 Fifa World Cup, making two appearances in the process, as the team finished third in Group 5. He previously won the Uefa European Under-21 Championship in 1978.

Timu Ya Wananchi have been without a coach since July 27 when they sacked Eymael for derogatory comments towards the club, the fans, and the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF).

The Belgian coach was appointed early in the year and took the reins of the team from Boniface Mkwasa, who was acting as an interim coach.

Eymael’s comments saw him sacked even after leading Yanga to second spot; a position they fought to the end with Azam FC.

His first match in charge will be against Tanzania Prisons on September 6.

Creative midfielder Francis Kahata has welcomed the signing of defender Joash Onyango at Simba SC.

The 21-time league champions signed the Kenya defender a couple of weeks ago from Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Gor Mahia. The 27-year-old was brought on board to help Wekundu wa Msimbazi tighten the defence of the team to have a better run, especially in continental outings.

"I was delighted when Joash Onyango was signed; he had a good season with Gor Mahia and his efforts have been rewarded," Kahata told Goal on Saturday.

"He has massive experience in domestic and international football, having played in the Caf Champions League as well as turning for the national team Harambee Stars.

"As Simba, we have set our targets as well for the new season and Onyango will play a vital role in helping us achieve them." 

Onyango, Kahata, and Rwandan Meddie Kagere played together in the KPL, and they have been reunited at the Tanzania Mainland League and, coincidentally, in one team.

How does it feel playing together again after several seasons apart?

"It is a good feeling for him joining us; a reunion in the team for me, Onyango and Kagere," Kahata added.

"However, the most important thing is to give our best in the team and ensure we are valuable. 

"We need to help Simba have a good season. We want to perform better especially in the Caf Champions League and I am confident everybody will play his role in ensuring we meet our objectives."  

Onyango is expected to make his full competitive debut on Sunday when the Msimbazi-based side plays Namungo FC in the Community Shield. 

Simba qualified after winning the league in the 2019/20 season while Namungo were losing finalists in the FA Cup final; which Wekundu wa Msimbazi won 2-1.

While Namungo are playing the Community Shield final for the first time in their history, this will be the third time in a row for Simba to raise the curtain on the league.

They have been boosted by the arrival of two of their key players, newlywed duo Luis Miquissone and Pascal Wawa.

The two players had returned to their countries, Mozambique and Ivory Coast respectively, to tie the knot before rejoining their teammates in preparation for the new season.

Orlando Pirates are set to square off with their top three rivals SuperSport United in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match on Saturday. 

This is a must-win match for Pirates, who are hoping to qualify for next season's Caf Confederation Cup, but they are struggling at the moment having failed to win their last six league matches.

Josef Zinnbauer's side will be desperate for a victory after succumbing to a disappointing 1-0 defeat to 10-man Cape Town City in their previous match.

They are placed fifth on the league standings - four points behind the third spot which guarantees a place in the Confederation Cup and it is currently occupied by SuperSport with three games left.

Pirates will face an in-form SuperSport side which is unbeaten in their last five matches in the league having recorded one draw and four wins including their recent 1-0 victory over Black Leopards. 

Matsatsantsa look destined to finish in the top three when looking at their current form and coach Kaitano Tembo knows that a victory over Pirates will see them take a giant step towards qualifying for the Confederation Cup. 

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport 4. 

Squads & Team News

Pirates have no suspension and injury issues heading into the clash with SuperSport, who thrashed them 3-0 in the first round league encounter in August 2019.

However, Zinnbauer still cannot use Justin Shonga, who remains suspended as he awaits the finalisation of the club's disciplinary proceedings against him.

The German coach will once again pin his hopes on Tshegofatso Mabasa, who has netted the Buccaneers' only goal since the current season resumed and he could be key to their win over Matsatsantsa.

SuperSport are yet to report any injuries in their camp ahead of their encounter with their Gauteng rivals and they do not have any players on this weekend's PSL suspension list.

Zimbabwean tactician Tembo will look to in-form Bradley Grobler, who has netted twice in Matsatsantsa's last four matches and he will be eager to inspire his side to a win over Bucs.

The Bafana Bafana international will be targeting goals which would boost his hopes of clinching this season's Golden Boot as he is currently one goal behind the league's joint-top scorers Frank Mhango of Pirates and Highlands Park striker Peter Shalulile. 

Match Preview

SuperSport are looking to complete a league double over Pirates for the first time since the 2013/14 season.

Matsatsantsa secured a 2-1 win over the Buccaneers away in Soweto, before recording a 2-0 victory at home in the second-round clash.

In head-to-head stats since 1990, Pirates and SuperSport have clashed in 57 league matches.

The Buccaneers have the upper hand having registered 23 wins compared to 19 for Matsatsantsa, while 15 games ended in a draw.

However, Pirates have recorded only one win in the last nine league meetings with SuperSport.

For the first time in a while, there is an air of optimism around Arsenal going into the season.

Some of that is to do with the afterglow of a 14th FA Cup triumph, achieved at the expense of London rivals Chelsea.

That, though, is only superficial; many are sensible enough to understand a trophy at the end of a disappointing league season only papers over cracks at best. No, the real source of excitement is the presence of Mikel Arteta at the helm and what that represents: a return to lofty standards, but also the sense of direction and deliberation he seems to exude.

Brazil international Willian was first through the door this window as far as transfers go, arriving on a free with Arteta’s express approbation.

The signing of Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes, which by all accounts is imminent, means the heart of the Gunners’ defence is sorted for many years to come. There is also work being done to secure reinforcements in midfield, going by links to Thomas Partey and Houssem Aouar – if Arsenal were to force either (or both) of those deals through, they would be very pleased with their summer business. The transfers may be financially challenging to do, but the targets are clear.

The big question mark is upfront though, and ironically involves the club’s most consistent presence over the last three seasons.

Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose goals saw Arsenal through the business end of their FA Cup run, has one year left on his contract with the club, and there has been no announcement of an agreement regarding an extension.

It is a delicate situation that Arteta has weighed in on, impressing on the club the necessity of retaining its best player as recently as early August. However, whether or not he does sign, there is another nagging concern to pay attention to.

Aubameyang is into his 32nd year, and it is only logical to anticipate a downturn in production at some point. While modern advancements in sports science and nutrition mean players are more and more able to extend their careers, the Gabon international is now at the age where strikers typically (and historically) begin to decline. So, while 70 goals in 109 appearances so far for Arsenal is a gargantuan contribution, it is statistically unlikely he will continue to score at that clip for the year(s) to come.

For many though, this line of thought is somewhat generalist and simplistic. Aubameyang is a physical freak: rarely injured and absolutely dedicated to his physical conditioning. Former Arsenal head of scouting Sven Mislintat described him as a “great athlete”, and his lithe frame and almost ascetically low body-fat percentage bear that out. If any player is capable to extending his peak years, it is surely him.

It is worth stressing though that it is far from an exact science. Especially if he continues to be used as he has been in Arteta’s system.

So far, being stationed out on the left of the attack has done Aubameyang no harm at all as concerns his goal output. However, a deeper look at his Expected Goals (xG) numbers actually suggests he is getting fewer chances, but has been able to, by virtue of his own gifts, make a similar number of bricks with less straw.

There is a bigger tactical concern though, in that playing there places a huge demand on him to defend, tracking the opposing right-back in order to keep the side defensively secure. This means more sprints, and more miles on the meter for a player well into his 30s—hardly the most efficient use of the latter years of his career.

Ideally, the responsibility to extend his peak would work both ways: the 31-year-old keeping his body in the best possible condition, but Arteta also devising a means by which his explosiveness can be harnessed in a less exhausting brief. Whether that be by playing him upfront, or by having him remain higher up the pitch while a midfield shuttler covers the right side, it would allow him focus on being an ever-present outlet in the final third. (Think Jamie Vardy and how his dotage has been managed, despite the received wisdom dictating speedsters flame out earlier).

Whether or not Aubameyang ultimately opts to stay on beyond the end of the coming season, Arsenal will look to their talismanic captain to once more supply the ammunition upfront at least over the next year. There is no doubting that he can, but in order to ensure that he does, the keyword will be efficiency.

The Uganda U17 women's team has received a major financial boost as they prepare to face Cameroon in the Fifa U17 World Cup qualifiers.

According to Fufa Communications Director Ahmed Hussein, a total of 35 players will each receive USD100 as financial support from the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) ahead of the crunch two-legged fixture.

“Fufa will release funds to 35 players in the U17 Girls’ national team and each player will receive $100 to aid them in personal training as they prepare for the final stage of the Fifa U17 World cup qualifiers with Cameroon,” Hussein told the Fufa official website.

“The coaches have been in constant engagement with the players, sharing training manuals as we wait for the Government to lift the lockdown on sports activities.

“We believe this financial facilitation will help the players to continue with personal training as we work around plans to get the team to camp in preparation for the matches against Cameroon.”

The statement continued: “Fufa is ready to support the team so that we realise our target of qualifying for the 2021 Fifa U17 Women’s World Cup in India.”

Uganda will face Cameroon in the final qualifying round of the 2021 Fifa U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers with the first leg in Kampala slated to take place between October 31 and November 2, 2020, with the return leg set for a fortnight later.

Uganda under coach Ayub Khalifan reached this stage after eliminating Ethiopia and Tanzania in the preliminary and first-rounds respectively.

“The beneficiaries of this financial support are players from the previous U17 squads plus six new faces named by head coach Khalifan,” Hussein continued.

The new faces in the squad include Gift Nasasira, Winnie Kwatira, Devine Mirembe, Aucho Kagongo, Ritah Mushimire and Kamuyati Naigaga.

The Full Squad; Goalkeepers; Daphine Nyayenga- Uganda Martyrs High School Joan Namusisi – Isra Soccer Academy, Zulaika Ngamita – Asubo Gafford Ladies and Gift Nasasira – Maroons WFC.

Defenders: Grace Aluka – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Samalie Nakacwa – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Sumaya Komuntale – Tooro Queens, Bira Naddunga – Olila High School, Gillian Akadinda – Olila High School, Gloria Namugerwa – Uganda Martyrs High School, Stella Musubuka – Kawemoe Muslim Ladies, Patricia Akiror – Ajax Queens FC, Winnie Kwatira – Jinja United FC, Devine Mirembe – Asubo Gafford Ladies FC, Shamira Nalugya – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Shakira Nyinagahirwa – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Kevin Nakacwa – Uganda Martyrs High School, Moreen Nangonzi – Ajax Queens FC, Aucho Kagongo – St. Noa, Ruth Nyakato – Tooro Queens FC, Phiona Matama- Watoto Girls, Sumaya Kyomuhendo – Isra Soccer Academy and Sumaya Tibazalika – Sumaya (Wakiso).

Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley has explained why he did not take a knee during the Canadian national anthem along with his fellow players on Friday.

Prior to the club’s clash with the Montreal Impact in MLS, the 21 other players kneeled as the music played, yet Bradley maintained his standing position.

He subsequently revealed that he took this stance after careful thought – and certainly not because he does not support the cause of equality that it represents.

Speaking after the 1-0 victory, he said: “It’s obviously something that I’ve thought a lot about. I could talk about myself and give you some of my thought process, but it’s not about me. Thirty seconds talking about myself is 30 seconds we should be talking about the real issues. 

“The conversation and the rhetoric that has been created around the decision for people to peacefully protest by kneeling, it’s designed by the people that don’t want change, to take away from the real conversation that we all need to be having every single day.

“That’s what they want. They want this divisive, hateful rhetoric, conversation where there is no nuance, there is no middle ground. So for me, I will always be a strong voice for racial equality and I will continue to try to do everything I can to use the platform that I have to talk about things I believe are important. 

“When you look at our society right now, it’s heart-breaking to see the systemic racism that still exists after hundreds of years. The social injustice. The police brutality. It all has to end.”

Sport around the world, though primarily in North America, was affected by a walkout of players after NBA franchise Milwaukee Bucks refused to play in protest at the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times by police in Wisconsin on Sunday.

The NBA will resume on Saturday after three days without action, while play was also stopped at tennis’ Western & Southern Open, being held in New York, on Thursday following the decision of former WTA World No.1 Naomi Osaka not to play her slated women’s semi-final with Elise Mertens.

Five MLS fixtures were postponed on Wednesday as a result of the protests, with the Players’ Association offering their support to the NBA players by tweeting: “We stand with you. #JusticeForJacobBlake”.

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) outfit Sofapaka have denied they are in the race to sign ex-Gor Mahia midfielder Tobias Otieno.

The 21-year-old left K’Ogalo to sign for US third-tier team Union Omaha in February, but the player is yet to link up with the team.

His presence in Kenya despite signing for the USA-based club has left social media reports linking him with a move to Sofapaka in the on-going transfer window.

However, Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa has denied knowledge of the player by saying: “I don’t even know him and we are not interested.”

“I don’t know the player you are talking about,” Kalekwa told Goal on Saturday when asked if the club is going for Otieno’s signature. “I don’t even know him; which team does he play for? Kalekwa posed.

“We have a list of players we are engaging and he is not one of them, I have already signed three players and we will be completing the list soon with two foreign signings, I cannot give you the names, just wait, it will not take time, soon we will unveil them to complete our transfer activities.”

The 2009 league champions have already signed three players – Michael Bodo arriving from Kariobangi Sharks and goalkeeper Kevin Omondi and midfielder Roy Okal from Wazito FC and Mathare United respectively.

Omondi, who had a promising outing with relegated Sony Sugar in the 2018/19 season, did not settle at his immediate former club Wazito FC.

Omondi was among the players who were signed by Wazito but they did not make much of an impact for a side that was looking for instant dominance in the KPL after winning the National Super League (NSL) title before.

The goalkeeper was among another 12 players released by Wazito ahead of the upcoming season but he has now found himself a new home in the top-tier.

His arrival at Batoto ba Mungu means he will fight for first-team chances with Richard Aimo, who previously played for Chemelil Sugar and Isaiah Wakasala.

He is also a direct replacement for Ugandan goalkeeper Nicholas Ssebwato who left Sofapaka after his half-a-season contract ended and was not renewed.

Percy Tau ensured Anderlecht took something out of their Jupiler League game with Oostende on Friday, netting an equaliser with the match ending 2-2.

The South African forward - on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, was making his first start for Purple and Whites having started the last two from the bench.

It was the home team that took the lead with Robbie D'Haese and Senegal forward Makhtar Gueye (from the penalty spot) doing the goalscoring honours before Adrien Trebel halved the deficit in the 35th minute.

With the game at 2-1 heading into the break, there was hope that Anderlecht – under the watch of former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, would maintain their unbeaten start to the season and they did thanks to Tau in the 54th minute.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns player latched on to Trebel’s pass inside the box before coolly slotting home a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner of the net.

It was Tau’s second goal in three games for his new employers having netted in the 3-1 win over Sint-Truiden on August 16. He was taken off for Landry Dimata in the 89th minute.

The South Africa international is now one goal short of reaching his Jupiler League tally from last season which he achieved in 18 games with Club Brugge, providing four assists as they lifted the league title. Overall, Tau scored four goals in all competitions and provided eight assists, one of them coming in a famous 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in Group A of the Champions League.

Tau joined Brighton from Sundowns in 2018 but has been unable to feature for the Seagulls and was first loaned to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and had a hand in 26 goals (13 goals, 13 assists) in 35 competitive appearances, before joining Club Brugge and now Anderlecht.

Tau spent five years with Sundowns, scoring 24 goals and providing 27 assists in 102 outings, winning six titles that included two Premier Soccer League titles and the Caf Champions League in 2016.

He will hope to find the back of the net once again when Anderlecht host Cercle Brugge on September 13.

Young Indian midfielder Amarjit Singh Kiyam's international career was dealt a massive blow when he picked up an injury just before the Indian team's World Cup qualifiers in September 2019.

The Jamshedpur midfielder had fractured his arm in training and missed out on a chance to show the world why head coach Igor Stimac had placed immense trust on a 19-year-old to take control of his team's midfield. 

He recovered in a few months and returned to action at the turn of the year to play for his club in the Indian Super League (ISL). Looking back, the midfielder feels the support he received from the head coach of the national team was crucial for his mental recovery. 

"It was a very unfortunate moment for me. It was my dream to play in the first XI in the World Cup qualification rounds but because of my injury, I got very sad that I would not be able to participate," the player spoke during an Instagram live conversation with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday.

He continued. "When the coach (Stimac) came to the ground and said to me 'Amarjit, be strong. You will come back stronger', all my fears vanished. He even gave me his number and told me to call him if I needed anything. That gave me more of a belief to make a comeback in the team."

Amarjit reserved special praise for Stimac's approach behind the scenes. The youngster feels that coach does not discriminate between players and values effort and commitment to the cause more than anything.

He said, "He sees senior and junior players equally. He likes anyone who gives their 100 per cent. The transition of play - from attack to defence and defence to attack - is a very important factor for him. As I play as a defensive midfielder, I have to be quick to supply the ball to the nearest player and I try my best to apply whatever the coach likes."

The former Indian Arrows midfielder played only eight matches last season in the ISL and will be looking to get minutes under his belt when the Coronavirus-hit season starts rolling later this year.  
 

When you’ve experienced an ascent as great as Liverpool’s in the last 24 months which has seen the historic club win the Champions League, Club World Cup and return to the pinnacle of the English game with 2019/20’s Premier League success, there’s a temptation to rest on your laurels.

That shouldn’t be the case with this Liverpool side under Jurgen Klopp, whose mentality to become the very best has arguably been unrivalled in the last couple of seasons (Manchester City and Bayern Munich may have a thing or two to say about this claim!).

Going into 2020/21, the casual observer may suggest the Reds might not be as impenetrable, dogged and ruthless as they have been in the last two campaigns, an argument certainly set to be put to the test on Saturday. However, other observers would counter that Community Shield success or otherwise gives little or nothing away as to the level of the champions’ motivation for the new season.

From an African persuasion, three individuals immediately stand out when broaching the topic of ambition going into the fresh campaign: Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita.

Sadio Mane

Without question, last term was Mane’s best for Liverpool and the finest of his time in English football. Statistically, the forward outdid his overall return from 18/19, when he scored 22 and assisted one, to post three more goal contributions – 18 goals and seven assists.

Midway through an unprecedentedly long season, the Senegal star was named African Footballer of the Year, a deserved success by many observers’ estimation. He could, and probably should, have scored more but for unsatisfactory finishing sometimes, evidenced by his 18 big chances missed in the previous season.

For context, when Mane scored 22 times to end joint-Golden Boot winner, he failed to tuck away 11 clear-cut opportunities. Ideally, with last season’s return, the West African should have missed nine big chances. The fact his eventual figure was double that number was striking.

In some way, it probably explains why the former Southampton forward couldn’t retain the top scorer’s award despite Liverpool’s title success. That honour went to Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy (23 goals), even though the Englishman’s drop off in the second part of the season meant the chasing pack had a chance going into the final weeks of 19/20.

While collective success obviously remains of supreme importance, retaining his African honour and reclaiming the Golden Boot would represent individual success for Mane.

Mohamed Salah

Having had arguably the best individual season in Prem history in 17/18, Salah has been unable to match that outstanding year, although he has remained one of the best players in the league.

Despite a reversion to the mean in subsequent seasons, the brilliant Egypt attacker has still delivered really impressive numbers for Klopp’s side. His goal return of 19 was one more than Mane and he posted three more league assists than his teammate, with whom he shares a friendly rivalry.

Still, knowing how driven the North African star is, there will have been some disappointment at his inability to retain the Golden Boot last term. Success would have been Salah’s third on the spin, a feat managed only by Alan Shearer and Arsenal great Thierry Henry in the league’s history.

After failing to end top scorer in 19/20, claiming a third Golden Boot will probably be the former Chelsea man’s principal target, as will outdoing Mane to indicate he remains Klopp’s most prolific marksman. Success will see him move level with Shearer (three) and one behind Henry (four) as the only players to end top scorer on more than two occasions.

Naby Keita

With Keita, the primary goal will be cementing his place in the Reds midfield after an injury-plagued 24 months on Merseyside.

After missing out on many occasions in the last two years, the ex-RB Leipzig dynamo will hope to carry even more responsibility for Klopp in what will undoubtedly be a draining 20/21. Of course, the Guinea international’s minutes on the pitch have to be managed given his history but there’s a feeling he hasn’t quite shown what he’s all about since moving to Anfield, and the upcoming campaign will be huge for the West African.

Indeed, 'Naby Lad'’s strong finish to the end of the just-concluded campaign indicated that the dynamic midfielder could play an even more crucial role for Liverpool in the new season, provided he stays fit.

The rumoured arrival of the world class Bayern Munich maestro Thiago Alcantara would suggest minutes may be harder to come by next season, but it’ll be up to 'Deco' to thrive regardless of a potentially classy midfield operator challenging him for a place in the side.

There’s also a tendency to forget the gigantic Joel Matip, who lost his place in the team to Joe Gomez due to the latter’s greater mobility and persistent injury problems. Without question, the Cameroon centre-back will hope to become Virgil van Dijk’s partner at the heart of the defence, but supplanting the established English defender will be no mean feat.

Collectively, retaining the Premier League title ought to be Liverpool’s major goal for next season. While critics would argue that Champions League success ought to take precedence, especially given last term’s disappointing defeat by Atletico Madrid in the first knockout round, back-to-back Prem wins would cement the Reds’ domestic dominance.

Only three teams – Manchester United, Chelsea and, until recently, Manchester City – have retained their league crown in 28 years, and Klopp will want his side to join that illustrious group. Aiming higher, the Merseyside club could push for both titles, becoming only the second English side after Sir Alex Ferguson’s United to achieve Prem and UCL success.

If anyone thought Liverpool had little to play for in 20/21, they surely need to rethink that standpoint. The Reds may have reached the acme in England and Europe in the last two seasons, but the current group can still achieve a lot more.

Boosted by the goals of their African triumvirate, Klopp’s troops could aim for untouchable status next term, with many of their rivals putting a target on their backs this time around.

The Chinese Women's Super League will set up a duel between two sisters considered to be Africa's best strikers as Jiangsu Suning's Tabitha Chawinga faces Wuhan's Temwa Chawinga on Saturday. 

Tabitha, 24 and Temwa, 21 are sisters from Malawi and enjoyed playing together for most of their careers from Malawian club DD Sunshine to Sweden side Kvarnsveden and the national team.

Tabitha is currently in her third season with Jiangsu and has made a huge breakthrough in the Asian nation after being named back-to-back Player of the Year, with 68 goals in two seasons.

The 24-year-old's sterling goalscoring form helped Jiangsu secure all the Chinese titles in 2019, including a first domestic league diadem since 2009.

However, she will face huge competition in her dream for retaining the title and top scorer award from her younger sister Temwa, who is in her debut season after joining Wuhan in January 2020.

Temwa, on her part, boasts of an incredible goalscoring record as she netted 59 goals in 57 outings for Kvarnsveden before completing her move to Wuhan, who finished fourth last term.

This weekend will be the first time the sisters go head to head when their teams play against each other competitively in China.

After two games, they have made an impactful start to their sides campaign this season, scoring two goals each to fire their teams to back-to-back opening victories respectively with six points.

Ahead of the build-up, Temwa, who is eager to outshine her senior sister Tabitha, told BBC Sports: "Both of us will do our best to see who the best player is." 

On her part, Tabitha, who is full of praise for her sister ahead of the duel, said: "she's a very good player, and the thing is everyone will be working hard to make her team and fans happy."

Both women will be targeting another win on the bounce in Kunming to maintain their race for the league diadem at the end of the season.