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Bahati Member of Parliament Kimani Ngunjiri led a congregation that held prayers for Peter Thiong’o after the player secured a move to AFC Leopards.

Thiong’o in a recent interview with Goal, revealed that he had already signed a two-year pre-contract deal with the local heavyweights while waiting for his current contract with Kakamega Homeboyz to end in October.

The imminent move by Thiong’o led to intense friction between AFC Leopards and Kakamega Homeboyz.

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda had stated they were going to sign the highly-rated winger even if his club would have asked for KSh100 million transfer fee.

Cleophas Shimanyula – Kakamega Homeboyz chair – was adamant that they will not in any way let the player join the Nairobi club.

But in a recent interview, he seemed to have conceded the loss and said they will defeat AFC Leopards with or without Thiong’o in their line-up.

“Praying with the family and neighbours of [Peter Ng’ang’a] Thiong’o from Dundori after he secured a two-year player contract with AFC Leopards,” the vocal MP posted on Facebook.

“Ng’anga's talent was identified four years back during a football tournament my office had organised in my constituency.

“Immediately after the tournament, he was called to play for Kenya U16. My office paid for his passport and all travel documents so that he could be able to represent the country in an international competition.

“Through his hard work and determination, he got a chance to play for Kakamega Homeboyz, he played for a while and has now secured a two-year contract with AFC Leopards.

“I am committed to youth empowerment and sports is one of the ways to empower our youths. I call upon all youths not to give up on their talents and my office is fully committed to helping our talented youths.”

Thiongo’s switch to the Den will add to the number of players the club has signed from the vast Nakuru County.

Mike Baraza, John 'Softie' Ndirangu and Dennis Shikhayi, now playing for Wazito FC, are the other players who hailed from the central rift county and played for the 13-time Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions.

AFC Leopards have not confirmed any new player so far even though numerous reports have linked them with the now free Derrick Otanga who previously played for Wazito and Sony Sugar.

Musa Masika is also understood to be on Ingwe’s radar for the August window.

The 1998 league champions have lost Vincent Oburu to Wazito.

Selangor have entered into a sponsorship deal with Malaysian animation studio Les' Copaque Production, who will sponsor its soccer school programme in the state.

On Tuesday, August 25 morning, the two organisations signed the deal at Les' Copaque's Shah Alam headquarters, with Red Giants' president Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin and the animation studio's managing director Burhanuddin Radzi also present.

Les' Copaque is best known for producing the 'Upin & Ipin' children's cartoon series and movies, which have not only been a hit in Malaysia, but also in the more-populous neighbouring Indonesia.

According to Selangor secretary-general Johan Kamal Hamidon, the cash sponsorship by Les' Copaque is worth RM120,000 (around USD30,000) for the first year.

"Selangor are grateful for the trust given and thankful for the cooperation, because Les' Copaque is not just an internationally renowned animation brand, but it is also close to the hearts of many Malaysian children through its 'Upin & Ipin' cartoon.

"For our soccer school program to succeed and fulfil its objectives, a close cooperation between the two entities will provide the catalyst for us to inculcate the love of football among children in the state of Selangor," wrote Johan in the press statement.

"Among our missions at Les' Copaque is to provide added values to our audience that are beyond just entertainment, and our involvement with Selangor's grassroots football initiatives runs parallel to this mission.

"We would like to see more children playing football actively through our involvement, and we hope to see more young talents unearthed by this programme," wrote its creative content director Nur Naquyah Burhanuddin in the same statement. 

Johan also revealed that the continued participation of Les' Copaque depends upon the Red Giants' success in expanding its soccer school programme. At the moment, six primary schools in the state of Selangor have signed up to host the programme.

"The expansion plan had been put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as it requires schools' cooperation and resources.

"But God willing, if everything goes well, the initiative will resume operations by September, and we target the participation of at least 12 schools by December this year," he explained.

READ: Selangor launch its soccer school, monthly training fee set at RM40

Pitso Mosimane isn't getting ahead of himself in the PSL title race despite Mamelodi Sundowns' 1-0 win over Golden Arrows on Monday night. 

The victory saw the Brazilians move to within three points of log leaders Kaizer Chiefs ahead of Thursday's crunch encounter at Orlando Stadium. 

While the football fraternity feels the match between the two title-chasers will determine the destiny of the PSL trophy, Mosimane doesn't think this is the case, saying the title might be decided on the final day of the season. 

"Funny enough, I don't think Thursday is a title decider. The way I know this thing [the title race], the way I have been in this thing, sometimes the title might be decided at the last minute," Mosimane told the media.

A win for Sundowns will see them equal Amakhosi on points but Mosimane warned that Sundowns might not even win on Thursday but again made it clear that as long as his side is mathematically in the title race then anything is still possible. 

"I always say to you guys that sometimes you don’t value a point. We might not even win against Chiefs," he said.  

"Of course, we want to make everything correct, but mathematically the league is not won on Thursday. How many more points do we have [to play for]? So, we have a chance." 

Mosimane further stated that everyone is feeling the pressure and the stress of wanting to win the league but his strongest warning to Sundowns' doubters was that it's not over until the fat lady sings. 

"You know this thing still has a heartbeat. We have to buckle up. We are all feeling the pressure, we are all feeling the stress.

"As I say, it’s a long way. The fat lady hasn’t sung and we are still going," added Mosimane.

The Tshwane giants are determined to win their third successive league title while Amakhosi are looking for their first league title in five years. 

In the reverse fixture earlier this season, Chiefs beat Sundowns 2-0 in Tshwane; the result which didn't sit well with Mosimane who felt Middendorp's men had benefitted from the match officials' mistakes at the time. 

Eric Choupo-Moting revealed it hurts to lose the Champions League final to Bayern Munich but feels his side can be proud of their effort after giving their best in the game.

The Parisians lost 1-0 to the German Bundesliga side at Estadio da Luz to narrowly miss out on the European trophy on Sunday.

Kingsley Coman’s strike made the difference in the encounter, heading home from Joshua Kimmich’s cross moments before the hour mark.

Choupo-Moting featured six times in the competition for PSG and scored the winning goal against Atalanta that propelled them to the semi-final of the tournament.

The Cameroon international also made a cameo appearance in the final, replacing Angel Di Maria and contributed his effort in the game.

Choupo-Moting has taken to the social media to express his feelings on losing the final to the Bundesliga champions.

“It’s difficult to find the right words right now, because it still hurts a lot,” Choupo-Moting posted on Instagram.

“But even if we lost the game yesterday, we keep our heads up and comeback stronger! It was a long journey, we can be proud of our way.

“We gave everything on and off the pitch, like our supporters to whom I want to send a big thank you and big respect .We worked hard to come so far and we made history for such a big club.”

Choupo-Moting has been with PSG since the summer of 2018 when he joined the French side after leaving Stoke City following their relegation from the Premier League.

The forward’s contract will end at the end of the 2019-20 season and it is yet to be seen if the Parc des Princes outfit will hand him a new deal.

Since teaming up with the Parisians, the striker has won two Ligue 1 titles, the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue trophies.

Choupo-Moting is currently the Cameroon national team captain and has 55 caps for the West Africans, scoring 15 goals since he made his debut for the side in 2010.

Arsenal new boy Jonathan Dinzeyi said he views the likes of Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah as examples to follow after moving from arch-rivals Tottenham.

Dinzeyi joined Arsenal as a free agent on Monday, having been released by Spurs last month.

The 20-year-old defender will go straight into Steve Bould's Under-23 squad ahead of the new season, with a view to fighting for a spot in Mikel Arteta's senior set-up.

Dinzeyi is optimistic of breaking into the first team, having seen a number of promising young players graduate from the academy at the Emirates in recent seasons, including Saka and Nketiah.

The talented centre-back is hoping to follow in their footsteps, and is also looking forward to working under Bould.

Asked what attracted him to Arsenal, Dinzeyi told the club's official website: “Knowing that Steve Bould is the head coach was a big factor for me.

"He’s a legend at the club and he’s played in my position, so I’m really hoping I can learn from him to develop my game.

“Seeing the likes of Nelson, Saka, Nketiah and Willock getting chances was a big thing for me too.

"That was another reason why I wanted to come here because I believe if you train hard then you’ll play well and the manager will give you the opportunity for you to show what you’re about.

"I’m really glad I’ve been given this opportunity."

Dinzeyi added on joining the club he followed in his youth: "It’s a great feeling. Arsenal is a massive club and they were actually the first club I supported as a child.

"They have a great history and with the new manager coming in who likes to play a lot of young players, I think it’s a great opportunity for me to show the fans and the coaching staff what I’m about.

"I’m really excited to get started now."

The former Spurs starlet went on to describe his preferred style of play, before outlining his targets for the 2019-20 campaign.

"I’m a ball-playing centre half. I love to tackle and win headers and keeping clean sheets for me is vital. If I don’t then it really hurts me. I just love doing my job," said Dinzeyi.

"Right now I just want to start as many games as possible with the Under-23s and in the long run, hopefully, be involved in some cup fixtures with the first team.

"Who knows what could happen after that? It’s just about proving myself with the Under-23s right now and taking any opportunity that’s given to me."

Inter have probably already begun attempts to sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona, former president Massimo Moratti says.

The Nerazzurri have been touted as one of the clubs most likely to try to sign the Argentina star if he chooses to leave Camp Nou.

Messi is said to be giving his future serious consideration after a disappointing season that ended with an 8-2 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

That loss has seen plenty of change at Barcelona with Ronald Koeman replacing Quique Setien as manage r while sporting director Eric Abidal has been dismissed.

Moratti, Inter president between 1995 and 2013, thinks a recent television advert by club owners the Suning group - featuring a silhouette of Messi projected onto Milan's Duomo cathedral - is a sign they are keen to bring the player to San Siro.

"It's not a simple operation economically, that's clear. But the biggest obstacle is Messi's intentions," Moratti told AS.

"You have to understand if he really wants to leave Barca. I'm not clear on that.

"I imagine Inter have already tried [to sign him]. I've seen the Suning advert with the Argentine's silhouette on the Duomo and this makes me think an initiative has already been taken.

"If not, I think they will do so soon."

Inter are certainly not short on attacking firepower, with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez having scored a combined 55 goals in all competitions in 2019-20.

Moratti has been particularly impressed with how quickly Lukaku has settled since leaving Manchester United last year.

"I honestly didn't expect such a high level of performance," he said. "He's proven to be an intelligent lad, who has adapted very well to Italian football, exceeding all expectations. I like him."

On Martinez, who is said to be a prime Barca target, he added: "The Argentine has incredible potential. He's a talent. He's showing really good things now but he's going to explode even more."

Inter finished second in Serie A this season, just one point behind Juventus as the Scudetto once again found its way to Turin.

In addition, Inter also made it to the Europa League final, but fell short against tournament regulars Sevilla in a 3-2 defeat.

Victor Osimhen has hit the ground running at Napoli with his first training session with the Italian topflight outfit.

Despite being linked with several top European clubs following his impressive goalscoring season at Lille – where he scored 18 goals in 38 appearances, the Nigerian moved to Naples in a deal claimed to be worth €50 million (£45m/$59m).

Nonetheless, he worked out with his new teammates as Gennaro Gattuso’s men commenced their pre-season campaign at Castel di Sangro in Abruzzo.

In the session watched by a maximum of 1,000 fans, Osimhen trained alongside Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne, Arkadiusz Milik, Matteo Politano as well as Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly.

The 21-year-old is expected to make his bow when the Blues take on Aquila and Castel di Sangro in a three-team friendly tournament from August 28, 2020. Thereafter, they take on Teramo in another build up encounter on September 4.

According to president of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick, the youngster is capable of making a similar impact at Stadio San Paolo as Argentina great Diego Maradona once did.

"I think Victor Osimhen is an excellent signing for Napoli. I’ve followed them from when they had Maradona. Naples is a proud city and also in football terms,” Pinnick told Radio Kiss Kiss.

"Osimhen is a source of pride for African football. He’s someone who is disciplined but focused on objectives, and if he wants something, he knows how to get it. He made the right decision for his career. I already believe he’ll receive the right support from the club and its fans.

"Napoli are the right club for him to achieve important results, and Osimhen will always give his best. I’ll say it now: Victor will do everything possible to match and even break the records set by a legend like Maradona.

"If he gets the right support, I guarantee he’ll stick to his word and make you all proud. Believe in him and he’ll help the team achieve their objectives. I’ll come to Naples next season to watch some of their games. Osimhen is young and could stay at Napoli for a long time."

After finishing in seventh-place in Serie A last term, Gattuso’s team would be competing for honours when the 2020-21 campaign starts.

St. Pauli have signed Nigerian midfielder Afeez Aremu from Eliteserien giants IK Start for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old penned a three-year-deal with the German second division outfit that will see him stay at the Millerntor-Stadion until June 2023.

Prior to his move to Germany, Aremu had featured for Nigeria Professional Football League sides Rivers United, Remo Stars, Sunshine Stars, Akwa United before heading for Ghana’s Inter Allies.

Upon the completion of his contract in Norway – where he scored five goals in 63 games, he was snapped by Timo Schultz’s men who are chasing a return to the German elite division.

Speaking on the acquisition of the youngster, club’s sporting director Andreas Bornemann stated that Aremu will bring his wealth of experience and athleticism to the Neighborhood kicker.

"Afeez Aremu corresponds to the profile we were still looking for the defensive midfield,” Bornemann was quoted by club website.

“He brings athleticism and aggressiveness in the duels and, despite his young age, has already gained plenty of professional experience. That's why we believe that he won't find it difficult to get started with us."

According to manager Schultz, the Nigerian is the missing link in his squad while lauding some of his qualities.

"With Afeez, we get an element that we have been missing from the squad,” he said.

“He's the type of dynamic 'clearer' I wanted. He has already played several seasons at a high level and is still capable of development at the same time at his age."

For the former Nigeria U20 star, he revealed that he did not lose his sleep before accepting the club’s offer.

"I'm glad I'm finally here. When the offer came from St. Pauli, I didn't have to think long,” stated Aremu.

“It's a big club and for me the change is the next important step in my development. Now I can't wait to get to know my teammates and start working."

He will join up with St. Pauli squad ahead of the 2020-21 campaign and is likely to train with them.

Yan Law, at the age of 26, became the youngest ever coach to manage a top tier Indian football club when he joined I-League side Punjab FC last season.

The young manager, who hails from Kolkata, had an impressive debut as head coach as Punjab finished the season in the top half of the league table.

Law spoke about how he got the coach’s role in Punjab and how he was sceptical about accepting such a big offer.

“I never expected to be a coach in an I-League club at that age. It is definitely a dream to coach a team in I-League and hopefully in ISL in the future. I never knew I would get the opportunity so early but all thanks to Ranjit Bajaj who believed in me even before I believed in myself. When he gave me the offer, I was quite sceptical about it because the team had barely saved relegation in the previous season. But he gave me the confidence,” the former Punjab FC coach told Goal.

“It was a phenomenal experience. I got to work with some of the best Indian players and some of the best foreigners in the country. We performed so well compared to the previous season.

"Also, I had to change the style of play for what Punjab is known for. Before it was more of direct football. And changing the style completely and getting appreciation for that was amazing. We had a seven-match unbeaten streak. Unfortunately, we had too many draws otherwise we surely had a shot at the title.”

The former Punjab FC coach suggested that he never faced any problem in handling older players, being a young coach, and he also complimented the Punjab players for being thorough professionals.

“People think that coaching is about handling a team but I believe it is more about handling individuals. Everybody has a different mentality and character so if you can handle individuals, then I think it is smooth sailing. Also the guys I worked with are thorough professionals and they respected me irrespective of my age on and off the field.”

After a decent season with the Punjab club, the Kolkata-born coach returned to his home city to take charge of Mohammedan Sporting.

“When Mohammedan Sporting’s offer came, I thought this will be a different challenge because if I can get this team promoted to the I-League, it will be great.

“Mohammedan Sporting is one of the biggest clubs in Kolkata as well as in India and me being a Kolkata boy, I had always dreamt of coaching the three big clubs - East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting. So it was an easy choice when Mohammedan’s offer came to me. I can help this team create history.

“I had worked with the club before. I had joined them in 2018 as the Head of Youth Development and I had a contract till 2020. But when Punjab FC’s offer came last year, the club let me go and I am forever thankful to them.”

The Mohammedan coach made it clear that he will not settle for anything less than an I-League spot this time but he also remained cautious as the final round of the Second Division League has been shortened due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“The second division this time is about only four or five matches so there is no margin for error. Every match is like a final. When I came in, I started signing proven players including the foreign contingent. Hopefully, we can take this team up and do well in the I-League,” said Law.

The former Punjab coach also suggested that while building the team he considered the I-League and not just the second division.

“When I was in talks with the club I told them about the players I wanted. I might be young but I have my own way of working. At Minerva, Ranjit Bajaj had let me sign players of my choice. So Mohammedan was also very open with that.

“The transfer window will be open for another 10 or 15 days after the second division is over so. Even if we qualify for the I-League, there will be hardly any time for a couple of more signings. So I have made a squad thinking about the I-League and not just the second division. I am planning two steps ahead,” said Law.

Eze Kingsley was never supposed to come to India. It was only after a failed move to Belgium, he decided to try his luck in India. 

When he came to Bengaluru and joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a team that plied their trade in the I-League 2nd Division back in those days, he was just another face in the crowd of Africans who come to India every year in the hunt of better prospects. While most end up leaving after failing to find a break through, a few make India their home. Kingsey belongs to the latter faction. 

"In August 2012, I came to India. I was told to play for a year in India and in the next season, I will go to Belgium as promised. The promise of Belgium helped me to keep going. But the move never happened. One guy went back home (Nigeria). I could not do that. I had to fight and establish myself here. I did not allow the situation to pull me down. It took some time but it is fine," reminisced Kingsley to Goal. 

He did take some time to settle down, at least a few years. He understood that staying in Bengaluru was not helping his cause and he shifted base to Kolkata, in search of more opportunities. 

After reaching his new city, he joined Kalighat Milan Sangha which also played in the 2nd Division. But the team also plied their trade in the Calcutta Football League (CFL) which is closely followed by scouts and coaches of various clubs not only from West Bengal but across the country. This provided him the platform to showcase his talent. While playing for Kalighat, he was spotted by Aizawl but the transfer could not materialise in that season. 

Hence in 2015, he signed for United SC and continued to play in 2nd Division and the CFL. Co-incidentally in 2016, Aizawl was given a lifeline by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) which prevented them from getting relegated. The North-Eastern outfit roped in Khalid Jamil for the next I-League season and once again offered Kingsley. He did not think twice and after toiling in the 2nd Division for a couple of years, the Nigerian grabbed the opportunity with both hands to play in the then top tier of India. 

"Aizawl were put back in the I-league and we did not expect anything. We just tried to finish in a better position. The aim was for the fifth spot to be precise. But after the first match, everything changed. Against East Bengal, we won at Barasat. That was the turning point. Yet we did not think about the championship. Our target was to finish on a good note."

Along with Kamo Bayi, Mahmoud Al-Amna, and Kingsley himself, most of the players of that team were debutantes in I-League. He believes that the lack of pressure helped their cause. 

Moreover, in the absence of any marquee player, the players were keeping each others' back, instead of relying on any particular individual. The 'team' stepped forward in the important matches and made the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizawl their fortress which could not be breached by any other outfit in that season. 

"We won every match at home barring the one against Bengaluru FC. But if I have to speak of one match it would be the one against Mohun Bagan. They just needed a point to virtually seal the championship and we had to get those three points. It was a 2 o'clock kick-off but there was so much fog, the visibility in the ground reduced drastically. I could not even see the forwards. We kept hanging there. They missed one or two golden opportunities and after the 80th minute, we scored from a corner. It was surreal to win against them."

But in the next match against Shillong Lajong, they would be missing two of their key players in Alfred Jaryan and Ashutosh Mehta due to suspension. To further complicate matters, Kingsley himself was a doubt after he suffered a sprain in the knee in the final practice session before leaving for Shillong. 

"The night before the match (against Shillong) I could not sleep. I went to four different hospitals to get it treated and so that I could play. It was swelling and nothing was working. The coach could not sleep and personally I also felt very restless. Throughout the night, I tried to do so many things with my knee and around four and I started jogging outside the hotel. On the matchday morning, I felt a little less pain but the niggle was still there. Nevertheless, I played the whole match."

Aizawl ended up winning 2-1, and bagged the title.

That title-winning campaign not only earned Aizawl a place in the record books but also made Kingsley a sought after name in the transfer market. In the next season, he joined Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan with a fat pay cheque.

He arrived reluctantly in this country, looking for a better life. He has achieved much more than that, more importantly, he found a 'second home' i.e. Kolkata.

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr says Bayern Munich has an exemplary philosophy which other clubs across the globe would like to emulate on the back of winning their sixth European crown with a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Sunday.

The Bavarian giants triumphed thanks to French star Kingsley Coman’s 59th minute. It was a bitter blow for PSG who were reaching their first final among Europe’s elite, parading a fearsome attacking trio of Angel Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

Rohr – who played for Bayern from 1972 to 1974 is of the opinion that such experience will help PSG grow stronger and give them a better shot at lifting the trophy next time.

“Of course. Experience is very important. Hardly ever a club that arrived for the first time in the Champions League final has won the cup so it would have been a surprise for PSG,” Rohr told France Bleu.

“And here too we had to recognise the superiority of Bayern. They are used to big meetings. It is an exceptionally structured club, led by former great players and still able to honour the old ones. I think it's a club that has an exemplary philosophy. Lots of clubs around the world would like to be like them.”

Rohr went on to share his thoughts on how the game panned out and stated that Bayern deservedly won the game and had Manuel Neuer to thank for keeping out the threats of PSG.

“It was a good game, a suspenseful final with two teams that were technically at the top level. With a Bayern which, true to its philosophy, had the ball, the possession and the chances and managed, thanks to his goalkeeper, to keep his clean sheet,” Rohr continued.

“The best team won. Paris Saint-Germain tried to the end and weren't ridiculous at all. Obviously, I'm happy, as a former Bayern player, to see that my friend Hans-Dieter Flick was rewarded and was able to lift the cup. I think it is well deserved.

“In the second half, there was a physical but also technical and tactical stranglehold on the side of Bayern who mastered their subject. More than 62% possession, more shots on goal, more attacks. These statistics prove that it is the best team which won even if with its individualities, Paris could have scored a goal. But the best individuality was Manuel Neuer, the Bayern goalkeeper, who stopped everything.”

Cercle Brugge coach Paul Clement has revealed that new signing and on-loan Chelsea striker Ike Ugbo is still lacking match fitness even after scoring on his debut in a 3-2 win over KV Mechelen on Saturday.

The Green and Blacks started on the back foot with William Togui giving Mechelen the lead in the 37th minute. Ugbo went on to equalise in the 54th minute before Dino Hotic made it 2-1 not long after. Aster Vranckx then levelled it up for Mechelen until Thibo Somers popped up with the winner 10 minutes from time.

Clement – who had an influence in bringing Ugbo from Stamford Bridge, had nothing but praise for the Anglo-Nigerian. He did assert that Ugbo should have started from the bench had it not been for an injury to Congo forward Guy Mbenza.

"It is good for him that he can make a new start, with a good goal,” the former Swansea City boss said as per Voetbalkrant.

"He is a good attacker, you can see how he runs to the first post when he scored. He is still a bit behind in fitness. It is good that he has already had sixty minutes in his legs. Normally Mbenza would play and would start Ugbo on the bench.

"Mbenza has an injury to his pelvis, that became clear on Friday. He had some irritation and we had a scan. It's nothing too serious, but he will be out for a while."

Ugbo says he wants to gain confidence and has noted that his speed which was a major highlight during the game is something he works on constantly.

"It was only my first game. I want to help the team and I will immediately gain confidence,” he said.

"I work on that all the time. I'm always ready to take a sprint. You won't always get to the ball, but you have to make that effort."

Ugbo also says he is keen to continue playing outside England having featured for Roda JC in the Netherlands last term.

"No reason in particular. I just wanted to keep learning at the highest level outside of England."

OGC Nice manager and former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira believes his club will be more dangerous in subsequent Ligue 1 games with the help of Amine Gouiri.

The 20-year-old officially opened his account for Les Aiglons in a 2-1 win over newly-promoted RC Lens on Sunday. The French Riviera side started from behind after former Chelsea winger and DR Congo international Gael Kakuta gave Lens the lead in the 11th minute from the penalty spot before Gouiri first equalised in the 23rd minute and then bagged the winner with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Gouiri became the youngest-ever Nice player to score a brace on his debut in 70 seasons and the first of any Nice player to do so since Mario Balotelli did vs his former club Marseille on September 11, 2016.

All of these have led Vieira into asserting how important Gouriri will be in the games to come especially his partnership with Danish forward Kasper Dolberg.

“Amine confirmed what he's shown since he arrived here. He's ambitious, wants to improve and gives himself the means to succeed,” Vieira said on the club website.

“His work paid off. He's not a winger who's going to stay wide. He likes to get on the ball and play between the lines. His relationship with Kasper [Dolberg] is important for us, even if it didn't work. They speak the same language. We'll be more dangerous in the coming games."

Lens boss Franck Haise did not pay too much attention to the defeat but was simply happy to be playing top-flight football. He explained why Ivorian forward Seko Fofona and Mali and former Newcastle United left-back Massadio Haidara were absent from the tie.

“I didn't think too much about this premiere. A few months ago, I was a coach in National 2 and today I’m in Ligue 1. I am lucky to be at the top level in a club like Lens. With the staff we work every day to best support the players,” Haise said.

“Seko Fofana had a little muscle alert at the end of the last workout. We did not want to rush his return. Massadio Haidara had post-session discomfort. We saw a little something on the ultrasound, not very bad. It required a few days of rest."

Ronaldinho is free to return home to Brazil after five months living under house arrest in Paraguay with his brother, Roberto Assis.

The pair were arrested in Paraguay in early March after using false passports to enter the country.

In April, they were released from prison after lawyers posted a $1.6 million (£1.3m) bail on their behalf, and they were placed under house arrest in a hotel in Asuncion to await trial.

The pair had faced up to five years behind bars if convicted.

Both brothers have pleaded guilty to entering the country with fake passports as part of the agreement. Ronaldinho has paid a fine of $90,000, while Assis has been fined $110,000.

While Assis will now have a criminal record in Paraguay, Ronaldinho will not.

Assis is not permitted to leave Brazil for two years, and must periodically present himself to Brazilian authorities in Rio de Janeiro during that 24-month span.

The former Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG star is now free to return to Brazil and reports claim that he can leave at any time if he makes officials aware of how long he will be out of the country.

Ronaldinho and Assis were initially detained after producing the fake documents having travelled to Paraguay to take part in a number of promotional events.

They spent 32 days in the maximum security Agrupacion Especializada prison after being arrested at the Resort Yacht and Golf Club Paraguay.

Ronaldinho said during a televised interview in late April that he and his brother has not realised their passports were not legal at the time.

He told Paraguayan network ABC Color: “We were totally surprised to learn that the documents were not legal. Since then our intention has been to collaborate with the justice system to clarify the facts.

“From that moment until today, we have explained everything and facilitated everything that has been requested of us.

“It was a hard blow, I never imagined that I would go through such a situation. All my life I have sought to reach the highest professional level and bring joy to people with my football.”

Videos of Ronaldinho taking part in a series of prison football matches went viral at the time, but friends and family spoke of the toll the experience had taken on the 40-year-old.

“Ronaldinho is not happy at all," former Paraguay international Nelson Cuevas told CNN Radio in March after visiting his friend in prison.

"What distinguishes him is his smile, his good energy, his way of being but today, due to the situation he is going through, that smile is lost because he is in prison which is a place he is not accustomed to.”

Louis van Gaal says he was very close to taking over at Tottenham in 2014 as the Dutch manager revealed that he only ended up at Manchester United because Daniel Levy "blew the chance" by waiting too long to offer him a contract.

At the time, Van Gaal was nearing the end of his time managing his native Netherlands, while Tottenham were on the hunt for a new coach following Tim Sherwood's tenure.

The Dutch boss was heavily linked with the job, with Van Gaal admitting that he met with Levy to discuss the job and was open to the idea of joining Spurs.

However, as talks delayed, United came in with an offer to take over as David Moyes' successor.

In the end, Spurs' delay allowed Man Utd to swoop for Van Gaal, although Tottenham ended up doing just fine as they hired Mauricio Pochettino that year.

"Daniel Levy flew into Holland with a private jet and came to my house, where we spoke for several hours," Van Gaal told FourFourTwo.

"He even stayed on to watch the Southampton-Spurs match later that afternoon [which Spurs won 3-2]. He asked for my thoughts about that game, so that was a kind of test as well.

"When Levy wanted to leave in the evening, I noticed there were TV cameras outside my house. A Dutch broadcaster had heard that he was in Holland, and guessed he would be here for me.

"As we wanted to keep it quiet, I called my neighbour to ask whether he could take him away in his car. As they did, with Levy hiding in the back seat, I opened my front door and approached the reporters to ask what they were doing.

"It worked out very well – they were taken by surprise. As a coach, timing is everything! But it took Spurs a long time to make a firm offer, and United approached me in the meantime. They acted far quicker.

"I also liked the idea of going there, to coach the number one club in England – just like I had done before in Holland, Spain and Germany. If Spurs had come with a concrete offer earlier on, I’d have signed for them.

"Spurs were actually a club I liked when I was younger, as I was a big fan of Jimmy Greaves. I told Levy that as well, but he blew the chance by waiting so long."

Van Gaal went on to manage Man Utd for two seasons, winning the FA Cup in 2015-16 before being sacked days later.

In the years since his departure, Wayne Rooney has called Van Gaal "the best coach I have worked with" and, despite the unceremonious end to his tenure, the manager says he takes pride in having earned the forward's praise.

"Those things were really great to read," Van Gaal said. "I’ve also been a very demanding coach, so if players still say those things about me, it’s particularly nice.

"I gave Wayne the captaincy to keep him within the team’s discipline and code of conduct, which he struggled with on occasions. A new period was dawning and he was one of the older players, so I thought that it could have a positive influence on him. And he was an outstanding player, of course."

Louis van Gaal revealed that he wanted to sign Neymar, Robert Lewandowski and Sadio Mane, among others, during his time at Manchester United.

The Dutch manager replaced David Moyes as Man Utd boss in 2014 and was in charge at Old Trafford for two seasons.

Despite winning the FA Cup in 2015-16, Van Gaal was dismissed by the club, who instead turned to Jose Mourinho.

Having been out of management ever since, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss revealed that he tried to bring some major stars to Manchester during his time with the club, although he was unsuccessful with most. 

“I wanted Robert Lewandowski, but when this proved difficult I tried to get Gonzalo Higuain instead," he told FourFourTwo.

“Before I had arrived, I also spoke with the board about Neymar. If you are at United, you have to think big.

“He was also interesting for the club in terms of selling shirts, and I wanted to have quick wingers. For that reason, I also tried to get Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez.

“Thomas Muller was on my wish list, too, and in central midfield I wanted N’Golo Kanté.

“I even tried to sign James Milner, who was already quite old but very multi-functional and possessed leadership skills.

“For the defence, I wanted Sergio Ramos and Mats Hummels, because ours wasn’t the strongest in building from the back.”

Van Gaal, who revealed that Daniel Levy and Tottenham missed a chance to hire him prior to his Man Utd tenure, also revealed that he previously had talks with Liverpool over a sporting director role.

The Dutchman was never considered for a managerial role at Anfield, although he did meet with former Liverpool executive Ian Ayre to discuss a potential role before returned for his second stint as Netherlands national team boss  in 2012.

"Yes, their managing director [Ayre] came over to Portugal where I have a house, and we held lengthy talks – he even stayed on to have dinner," he said.

“After he left, though, I never actually heard anything again. I don’t imagine he would have come out to Portugal if they weren’t serious about it, but later I heard I was apparently too arrogant or something. I don’t know.”

Red Bull Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch is confident that Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic will form a lethal partnership at Chelsea next season.

Marsch previously worked with Werner at RB Leipzig and the striker joined the Blues from Salzburg's sister club in a deal worth £47.5 million ($59m) earlier this summer.

After deciding against competing in the knockout stage of the Champions League with his former team, the Germany international will be available for selection for Chelsea's opening Premier League game of the season, on September 14 away at Brighton, along with fellow new signing Hakim Ziyech, who has arrived from Ajax.

Marsch is in no doubt that that the Blues have got themselves a bargain, as the American coach feels that Werner is just as suited to English football as Pulisic, the former Borussia Dortmund winger who went from strength to strength last season.

"Timo is an incredible talent and an aggressive attacker and a great scorer and an intelligent footballer," Marsch told Goal about the former Leipzig striker. "Chelsea, for a relatively cheap price, have picked up a world-class player.

"I am really excited for Timo because a lot of Germans don’t leave. I am really excited that Timo is moving outside of his comfort zone to challenge himself at a different level and I think that he will be rewarded for it in his career.

"He is a cut-throat attacker and the potential for him and Christian to be a good pair is really, really high."

The Blues are also closing in on Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz, who will cost between €80m (£71m/$94m) and €100m (£87m/$118m).

Marsch believes that, like Werner, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder will benefit from a Premier League transfer: "Havertz is another player that I think needs to get out of his comfort zone and he has major potential.

"What I learned about Germans is that they don’t like being out of their comfort zone; they like defining things, having rules and being uncomfortable is not always the best thing.

"I really think the more talents that challenge themselves in a different culture will be rewarded for it."

Amid all of the excitement over Chelsea's new signings, the form of the 21-year-old U.S. Men's National Team captain Pulisic after the coronavirus-enforced break is also cause for optimism.

Pulisic starred for Frank Lampard's side during the closing stages of the 2019-20 campaign, until suffering a hamstring injury in the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.

Fellow American Marsch has also been monitoring Tyler Adams' progress, after he scored Leipzig's winner in the 2-1 Champions League quarter-final win over Atletico Madrid.

He thinks that the young duo is destined to achieve great things in the European game and will, thus, inspire young players across the U.S. to fully believe in themselves.

"I know Tyler much better than Christian but they are very close friends," Marsch continued. "I have spoken to Tyler about Christian and I have met Christian a number of times. What makes these two young talents very special is their fearlessness. They have self-belief.

"The beauty of it is not arrogance, it is just steeped in deep confidence and their belief they can be the best. They came to Europe at young ages to test themselves, show and challenge themselves. They have been rewarded for it, both of them.

"They are both still 21 years old. The future is bright for both of them. I am very happy that Christian made the jump to Chelsea because I think that environment is even more challenging for him.

"I know Tyler Adams well and he is only getting better. He's growing and he is going to be a bigger leader, player and man. I am excited to continue to see them grow.

"There is certainly more and more talent coming from the States and it is inspiring more and more people as well."

Recent successes among young USMNT players in Europe comes after the team failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018.

There is increased hope that the next generation can put things right but Marsch believes that his country paid the price for dropping the ball in player and coach development.

"The number one purpose I have right now is as a fan and supporter, whether that’s for the entire national team programme or for Gregg Berhalter, is to help our national team get back to being successful," he explained.

"I'm often asked about my involvement or my future. If the U.S. national team calls me at any point or any day, then I will take that call or return it immediately because of the passion I have for football and our country.

"It is the responsibility that I think we all have. We will see what happens. Right now, I am enjoying this project fully. But I hope to one day be involved in the national team in whatever capacity."

When pressed on what needs to be done to maximise the potential of the USMNT, Marsch had clear ideas: "I think, first, the training environments for young players needs to continue to get better. Frankly, that comes from coaching.

"In the past five years, we have really upped our coaching education. If I am being totally honest, then the level of coaching in our country for the last 20 years has not been good enough. That’s at five-year-old level, 10-year-old level and professional level.

"So, we need to continue to grow the standard. Sometimes that has meant importing expertise but I think we can still grow the right talents from a coaching perspective in our country.

"Then, the proper playing environments that we create at younger ages means that we can continue to competitively produce better players that are 14, 15 and 16-year-olds.

"We are very impatient in the U.S. and as the game becomes more global, our lack of patience is exposed more and more but we have made great progress.

"I am very proud of our progress at so many different levels. And it is coming. We are going to get better; we are going to grow. It is just our American mentality means we want it now."

Former Tanzania head coach Emmanuel Amunike has revealed his unhappiness following Farid Mussa’s return to the Mainland Premier League.

Mussa, a Taifa Stars striker, left Tenerife CD of Spain and signed for Yanga SC where he will play for one year. The Nigerian tactician states the star should have remained in Spain and fight for his place.

Amunike was Tanzania’s coach during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt where the team failed to pick up a single win in Group C.

“I have been telling the young people of the need to fight hard even if many people might not see the importance of your contribution at the time,” Amunike is quoted by Mwanaspoti as saying.

“I understand that because I played football for a very long time in foreign lands. There are times you can play hard but people end up not seeing or valuing your contributions.

“They can ignore, yes, but there will come a time everyone will value the contribution.”

Mussa, on his part, revealed why he turned down a new offer from Tenerife CD and opted to return to Tanzania.

“It is true they wanted to extend my contract with the condition that I remain to play for Team B something that I did not agree with,” he revealed. “They wanted me to help the team fight for promotion from where they are now in the Third Division.

“I think they failed to recognise what my dreams were. For how long will I play in the lower leagues? It is good to return home and rearrange my goals anew."

He added that he had a lot of offers but given that more clubs are facing financial stabilities, he preferred to sign the rather short-term deal with Yanga despite criticism the move would generate.

“I have one season to play for Yanga and I know many people are talking a lot but, in the end, I know what I am doing,” the forward concluded.

Mussa left the country four years ago after earning a deal from CD Tenerife while playing for Azam FC and spent time playing for Team B in the four seasons he was in Spain.