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Kenya international Michael Olunga failed to write history in the J1-League after Kashiwa Reysol battled to a 0-0 draw against Oita Trinita on Sunday.

The former Gor Mahia striker went into the contest with a record of scoring in seven consecutive matches and was seeking to reach the mark of scoring in eight straight matches set by Julio Salinas, who was turning out for Yokohama Marinos in the 1997-1998 season.

Olunga had notched in seven straight matches, which he started off with a hat-trick when Reysol beat Vegalta Sendai 5-1 and was also on target last weekend as they beat Vissel Kobe 3-2.

Against Trinita, Olunga tried his best but could not find the back of the net, with the home team giving him a hard time. The lanky striker, however, had three clear-cut chances which he failed to utilise.

The best scoring chance for Olunga came in the 67th minute when he ran onto a through ball from speedy winger Sachiro Toshima but his plan to lob the ball past the advancing Trinita goalkeeper did not work as it rolled out for a goal-kick.

Despite failing to hit the back of the net, Olunga is still topping the scorers' chart with 12 goals from 12 matches, while the draw saw Reysol remain fifth on the log with 20 points.

The former Thika United and Tusker striker has one assist to his name so far as he continues to enjoy a remarkable season since he helped Kashiwa Reysol earn promotion after winning the J2 League title in 2019.

In other matches played on Saturday, Yokohama FC recovered from two goals down to beat Shimizu S-Pulse 3-2, Nagoya Campus won 1-0 against Kawasaki Frontale, and Kashima Antlers managed a 1-1 draw against Gamba Osaka.

Elsewhere, Vissel recovered from losing to Resyol last weekend to beat Urawa Reds 2-1, FC Tokyo won 3-0 against Shonan Bellmare, Yokohama F. Marinos won 3-1 against Sanfrecce Hiroshima while Cerezo Osaka beat Vegalta Sendai 2-1.

Olunga will now be hoping to bounce back with a goal when Reysol face Kashima Antlers in their next league match on Saturday.

Tabitha Chawinga was on target in Jiangsu Suning's 3-2 win over Hebei China Fortune in a Chinese Women's Super League opener at the Kunming Haigeng Sports Training Base on Sunday.

The Malawi international was instrumental in Jiangsu's title success last season, scoring 12 goals in 14 league outings to claim the golden boot, and also retained the CWSL Player of the Year gong.

The Nanjing-based outfit continued from where they left off the last campaign as defender Wang Xiaoxue opened the scoring for the champions with a fine header. 

The holders doubled the lead moment later when Ni Mengjie's struck a delightful solo goal for the second of the match.

Before the half-time break, Chawinga made superb turn before making a brilliant finish to open her 2020 goal account and net the third of the match for Jiangsu.

Having gained a significant three-goal lead, Jiangsu withdrew Chawinga and almost paid dearly for it when midfielder Huang Rui pulled one back for the newcomers moments after the restart.

Hebei went on to further reduce the deficit when Geng Yiming scored from the penalty spot, but Jiangsu eventually held on to claim maximum points in their opening match of the season.

Chawinga, who was in action for the first 45 minutes of the match for Jiangsu, has now scored one goal from her first game in 2020.

The result saw Jiangsu opened the season in the third position after their opener and they will aim to continue their winning start against Henan Jianye in their next league fixture on Wednesday.

Nerijus Valskis created quite a stir last season in the Indian Super League (ISL) at Chennaiyin FC. The Lithuanian forward scored 25 goals and picked up the Golden Boot Award as Chennaiyin powered their way into the final.

Valskis has decided to follow coach Owen Coyle to Jamshedpur FC for the 2020-21 season but he remembers his time at Chennaiyin fondly. The striker heaped praise on Chennaiyin’s star Indian duo Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte and suggested that they need more games to keep improving. 

“They (Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte) are very good guys, they are quiet, very good professionals and they work hard,” opined the former Chennaiyin FC star during an Instagram live chat on Sunday.

“They (Indian players) need more games. They should go abroad because when you go abroad you grow more. Maybe to Europe or another country where there are more games per year. For Indian players, when you are young you need to play 35 or 40 games per season. Last year we played 20 matches. Thapa is a quality player, he is very fast and he has time to improve,” said Valskis.

The star footballer reminisced his time at the Southern outfit and picked playoffs against FC Goa in Chennai and the league stage game against Hyderabad as his most memorable fixtures.

“The game against FC Goa at home was the best. It was an incredible game with an amazing atmosphere in the stadium and amazing support. If fans come in every game in the stadiums like that Indian football will grow much faster. Also, I remember the match against Hyderabad because personally for me and the team it was an important win.”

Valskis also gave his opinion on playing at a centralised venue without fans this season. He said, “It will be very difficult to play without supporters but this year the decision has been taken due to safety. What can we do? We must play, we must go ahead and enjoy it. The fans also want to see football matches.”

New RC Lens recruit Ignatius Ganago has praised Mario Balotelli for giving him inspiration during his time at OGC Nice.

The 21-year-old moved to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis after falling to nail a regular berth in the starting XI at the Allianz Riviera.

Despite struggling to impose himself, he was able to gain experience in the French Riviera, with Balotelli one of the key figures to inspire him. The eccentric Italian forward of Ghanaian descent was with Nice between 2016 and 2019 and netted 43 goals in 76 outings.

Ganago also recounted his journey to Nice, which began in his native country with Douala-based Ecole de Football Brasseries du Cameroun (EFCB) between 2011 and 2017, before he moved to France.

“I was very happy, I liked [Mario] Balotelli a lot," Ganago told FootMercato. "I liked his character. He inspired me. There was also Dante. During my first training with the pros, I took pictures with them. They were players I watched on TV in the Champions League!

“I was very happy to be there, but it was not going the way I wanted on the pitch," the forward added. "It was completely different from Cameroon; the climate, the way of playing, the training, the way of training…

"It was complicated, especially in terms of intensity. The thing is that in Cameroon I was the player we counted on the most, while [in Nice,] there were other players like me. We had to work more.

“At first I was a little lost, but I was lucky that there was a Cameroonian present at the club for a long time [Alvaro Ngamba]. He helped me a lot, he gave me advice after training, he reassured me too. After three weeks I started to adapt, then I was called a pro."

Ganago believes that Nice boss Patrick Vieira did not want him to leave the club, but that it was clear he had to more on in search of regular playing time.

“It was a great relationship," he continued. "[Vieira] never told me he wanted me to go, he always encouraged me to work, it was going very well, he gave me a lot of advice, but I saw how it was and that I was not going to be number one. So, I preferred to leave."

Lens are back in Ligue 1 after five years and they start their campaign against Nice on Sunday. Ganago has nothing but respect for his former employers and is happy to take on the pressure that will come with his club.

“Obviously, it's always something [to go back]. It's my first club in France, that's where I became a professional. It is a club that I cannot forget and that will always remain in my heart," he added. "Even though today I have moved on, I am in a new project in which I really want to get involved.

“It's a good pressure for me. I like having that weight on my back. It forces me to give more. When all eyes are on me, when everyone is looking at me, when everyone wants to see what Ganago is capable of, the player who cost six million [Euros], for me that's extra motivation.

“I want to take a step forward in my career and I think it's time. I will work every day for that and I think that when you work there is always a result at the finish.”

Steven Gerrard has admitted that he left out Alfredo Morelos from Rangers’ 2-0 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday because the striker was not “focused”.

The Colombia international has been a major source of transfer speculation this summer, with reports that he could move to Ligue 1 side Lille.

Although these appear to have stalled, Gerrard, who previously admitted that the 24-year-old had his head turned by such speculation, dropped the forward for Saturday’s Ibrox match, in which goals from Kemar Roofe and Ryan Kent cemented the Gers’ spot at the top of the Scottish standings.

"I've picked the players that looked focused," Gerrard told Sky Sports News. "I said last week he'd had his head turned. I'm going to pick the players that are hungry and want to be here.

"If there are players that are hungry, that want to give everything for the shirt, they play. If people lose focus and take their eye off the ball - unfortunately they won't be with us."

Morelos reacted in a frustrated manner as he was replaced in a scoreless draw against Livingston and was criticised by Sky Sports pundit Kris Boyd for his reaction.

"You're looking for more,” the former Scotland forward said. “If you are looking to get that move, push on your career as we're led to believe, you have to be doing a lot more. 

“The biggest thing that annoyed me, last week I wasn't too bothered about him going off the pitch because it shows he cares, but the way he came off on Sunday was a disgrace, ripping the black armband off and going straight into the stand.

“When we heard Lille were interested and the money they wanted to spend, then you look at his performances, two goals against St Mirren and you thought with the new guys coming in we might see him getting back to where he was. But he just looks as if his head is elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, Rangers are doing their best to fend off interest in winger Kent, with Leeds reported to have a first offer for the former Liverpool youth turned down.

Darren Bent has backed Tottenham to bring in Bournemouth forward Callum Wilson as an "'adequate backup" for Harry Kane.

Wilson has spent the last six years of his career on Bournemouth's books, having joined the club from Coventry City in 2014.

The 28-year-old has racked up 126 Premier League appearances for the Cherries during that period, scoring a respectable 41 goals in the process.

However, he was only able to find the net on eight occasions last season, as Bournemouth's five-year stay in the top-flight came to an end.

A number of key players are expected to leave Vitality Stadium this summer, with Wilson among those being tipped to remain in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho has reportedly expressed his interest in signing the English frontman, as he looks to build a squad capable of returning to the Champions League in 2020-21.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has already been snapped up from Southampton, and Joe Hart has arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a free transfer, but no new attacking players have been added to Mourinho's ranks as of yet.

Spurs have been heavily reliant on the talents of Kane in the final third over the past six years, with his injury-enforced absence leading to a shocking dip in form for the team before the coronavirus-enforced break came into effect last season.

Bent believes Wilson is the ideal man to come in and provide cover for a prized performer, and can even see him challenging for a regular spot in Mourinho's starting XI.

“They need someone who’s an adequate backup to Harry Kane and Callum Wilson’s smart enough to understand to know he’s not going to go down there and play straight away," the ex-Tottenham striker told Football Insider.

“If Harry Kane’s fit, Harry Kane plays, but we’ve seen Harry Kane get injured every single season for the last couple of years and they’ve never really had anyone come in and be an adequate backup.

“You’ve had people kind of carry the load, Son stepped up a bit and scored goals but I think if you’ve got another genuine number nine who can come in and score goals, you never know, if Harry Kane gets injured and Wilson goes and starts smashing the goals in, we’ve got a fight on our hands.

“I like what Mourinho’s doing there.” 

Newly crowned 2020 Freestyle Football Champion Sipho Busakwe has called for the recognition of freestyle football.

Busakwe defeated Emilio Nahamuja in the grand finale of the 2020 South African Freestyle Football Championships to defend the title he won in 2019.

The virtual event has been ongoing for the past four weeks and has now concluded with the Vanderbijlpark native crowned champion.

"I am very happy with the way I have been performing, despite carrying an injury," Busakwe told Goal.

"I couldn't do hand-stalls but am grateful to have pulled through.

"I will also try to play my part to make sure this sport is recognised; I feel it does not get the recognition it deserves and that is why I have been trying to introduce the young girls in my community to the sport."

Final Rankings

1. Sipho Busakwe

2. Emilio Nahamuja

3. Rishaad Ibrahim

4. Kyle Rinquest

The 2020 event was proudly sponsored by Hi-Teach South Africa and organised by the South African Freestyle Football Association the World Freestyle Football Association.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) chairman Mshindo Msolla has confirmed Cedric Kaze will be the club’s next head coach.

Yanga have been in the market looking for Luc Eymael’s successor and during the launch of Mwananchi Day celebrations in Dodoma, Msolla confirmed the Burundian has accepted their offer for the top job.

Yanga have been without a coach since the latter part of July when they sacked Eymael for disparaging comments about the club, the fans and the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF).

“Those who are enquiring about the coach, we have already got [Cedric] Kaze who is from Burundi and was initially working in Canada,” Msolla said as per Mwanaspoti.

“We are in the process of ensuring his travel arrangements are in order so that he can join us soon and start his job.”

Kaze has reportedly made a demand that Yanga appoint former Azam goalkeeper Vladimir Niyonkuru as the new goalkeeping coach.

That position fell vacant when Timu Ya Wananchi did not renew Peter Manyika’s contract at the end of last season.

Yanga will also need to get a new assistant coach after Boniface Mkwasa left and joined rivals Ruvu Shooting as head coach.

Kaze will take charge of Yanga who are looking to end Simba SC’s latest dominance. Simba won a treble last season and their league success means they have kept the title in three consecutive campaigns after taking it from their archrivals.

Kaze is an experienced African coach who holds a Caf A License. He started his coaching job as an assistant to Armas Niyamugambo at Prince Louis Rwagasore FC.

He was confirmed as the head coach for the 2005/06 season and his team finished second to Vital’O.

He left and joined Atletico FC for the 2006/07 season and he helped the club remain among the top four sides in four seasons in charge.

Kaze was named Burundi’s coach of the season twice; in 2008/09 and in 2011/12 seasons although his side finished second.

He lifted the Ligue A title in the 2010/11 campaign.

According to reports, Yanga were persuaded to settle on the Burundian by Tanzania head coach Etienne Ndayiragije who was also targeted for the position.

Yanga have strengthened their playing unit with the signings of former Coastal Union defender Bakari Mwamnyeto, Yassin Mustapha from Polisi Tanzania, ex-Kagera Sugar’s Zawadi Mauya, and Abdallah Shaibu from LA Galaxy II.

Waziri Junior from Mbao FC, Kibwana Shomari from Mtibwa Sugar, Farid Mussa from CD Tenerife, Tuisila Kisinda and Mukoko Tonombe, both from AS Vita, are also other new players who were brought in to fill the gaps left by 14 players who were released.

The novelty of single-leg Champions League knockout matches this summer has prompted a lot of discussion among fans about the structure of Europe's premier club competition.

While single-leg knockout games were a feature of the old European Cup, they have made way for a group stage and knockout stage - with two legs each round except for the final - format.

The two-legged knockout tie as we know it, which allows each team the advantage of a partisan crowd, has been in place since the early 2000s, but could UEFA go back to the winner-takes-all approach?

Goal takes a look at why the changes were brought in for 2019-20 and whether they are here to stay.

Will Champions League 2020-21 knockout games be single-leg or two-legged?

Champions League knockout-stage ties will revert to two legs in 2020-21, which will no doubt come as a disappointment to single-leg tie proponents.

Ahead of the 2020-21 tournament, UEFA indicated that Champions League qualifying matches from the first qualifying round to the third qualifying round would be single-leg affairs.

However, the European football governing body confirmed that two-legged ties would return from the play-off round, which was scheduled to get under way on August 22-23.

The round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals of the 2020-21 Champions League are all scheduled to be two-legged ties.

Why were the Champions League 2019-20 knockout games single-legged?

UEFA made the decision to change the format of the Champions League knockout stage in 2019-20 due to the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, which had forced a three-month delay.

In order to complete the 2019-20 tournament in full and in timely fashion, all fixtures from the quarter-final stage on were to be single-leg matches.

The Champions League 'final eight' tournament was thus conceived of, with knockout matches coming thick and fast over a 12-day period in the neutral ground of Lisbon.

The first quarter-final match was played on Wednesday August 12, with the final taking place on Sunday August 23.

Why do some supporters want single-leg knockout rounds?

A number of arguments have been advanced in favour of keeping the single-leg knockout match approach to the Champions League.

Chief among them is the excitement factor, given that each game is a winner-takes-all encounter, which depends on teams being on top form on the day.

Playing a tie over two legs - particularly with the away goals rule - allows teams to adopt different gameplans and can often produce attritional games. 

For example, a team could opt to defend resolutely at home in order to avoid conceding an away goal, which would then allow them to play with significantly less pressure in the away tie. 

When progression to the next stage relies on a performance and result over the regulation time of one game, teams have little choice but to attack.

Another argument for the long-term introduction of single-leg knockout games is that it can favour ostensibly weaker teams, who may be able to capitalise on strong opponents having an off night.

An example of this came in the Lyon versus Manchester City quarter-final tie in 2019-20, with the French side dumping out a team that had widely been considered favourites to win the trophy.

Had Pep Guardiola's team had the luxury of a second game against Lyon they would have had a second chance where they may have been able to turn things around.

Clubs have discussed the possibility of keeping single-leg knockout matches, according to The Athletic, but the response has reportedly been conservative, with reduced commercial opportunities seen as an issue.

Orlando Pirates could move up to third on the PSL with a win over Cape Town City in a league match which is set to take place on Sunday afternoon. 

The Buccaneers were overtaken by both SuperSport United and Bidvest Wits this week after drawing their previous match. 

They are a point behind the two teams but have played a game more than Josef Zinnbauer's men.       

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The match will be screened live on SABC 1 and SuperSport TV in South Africa.

Squads & Team News 

Cape Town City have not had any of their players testing positive for Covid-19 and they head into this clash with a clean bill of health.

Thamsanqa Mkhize was rested for precautionary reasons in the previous match against Mamelodi Sundowns but was introduced in the second half.

He's expected to start against the Buccaneers with Jan Olde Riekerink set to keep the same starting line-up that did the job since the return of football.  

Kermit Erasmus is one player everyone will be keeping an eye on after netting twice in his last three competitive matches. 

He has scored 10 league goals so far this season and with Gabandinho Mhango struggling for form, the striker would fancy his chances of catching him up. 

Peter Leeuwenburgh is another player expected to play a huge role in keeping Bucs at bay on the day after doing ever so well for himself since arriving in South Africa.

The Buccaneers have seen the return of Thembinkosi Lorch after his suspension two weeks ago.

The attacker returned in Pirates' midweek match but didn't have much of an impact after coming on as a second-half substitute. 

After struggling to score since the return of football, Zinnbauer had to make changes to his striking department against Baroka with Tshegofatso Mabasa finding the back of the net in the 1-1 draw in midweek. 

Now, it remains to be seen if Mabasa will start for this encounter with Mhango playing a much deeper role to ease the pressure on him. 

And Lorch's return is seen a massive boost to the Soweto giants' chances of returning to Africa. 

While they are still mathematically in the race, chances of them winning the league are very slim as Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns are considered strong contenders. 

Match Preview

In head-to-head stats, Cape Town City have not been as dominant as the majority have thought. 

There have been three draws while City won just twice against the Buccaneers while Zinnbauer's men have won three times in the two teams' all-time meetings. 

The last time these two teams met, Pirates and City played to a thrilling 3-3 draw at Orlando Stadium. 

That was soon after two consecutive 2-2 draws against each other, meaning both teams don't have goalscoring problems and attack each other every time they clash. 

Angel Di Maria "could have been a major star at Man Utd", according to Wayne Rooney, who has described the PSG winger as a "wonderful player".

United forked out a then-British record transfer fee of £60 million ($79m) to bring Di Maria to Old Trafford from Real Madrid in the summer of 2014.

The Argentine left La Liga after helping the Blancos win their tenth Champions League crown, and also appeared in the World Cup final before joining up with his new team-mates at the Theatre of Dreams.

Di Maria thusly arrived in Manchester with a sterling reputation as one of the most effective attacking players in European football, but endured a nightmare 12-month spell in the Premier League under Louis van Gaal.

The 32-year-old only managed to score four goals in 32 outings for the Red Devils, as he struggled to replicate the form he showed on a weekly basis at Santiago Bernabeu.

United ended up accepting a £14 million ($18m) loss on their initial investment to offload Di Maria, as PSG snapped him up on a four-year contract ahead of the 2015-16 season.

The former Madrid star has since won 15 major trophies with the French outfit, and he's also played a key role in their run to the Champions League final this season.

Ahead of PSG's meeting with Bayern Munich in the showpiece event on Sunday, Rooney has offered an insight into Di Maria's ill-fated spell at United, while talking up his unique attributes in the final third of the pitch. 

"He’s a wonderful player," The Red Devils' all-time record scorer wrote in his latest column for The Sunday Times. "When he came to United I remember Louis van Gaal saying to the team: 'He is the only one who is allowed to dribble with the ball.'

"Angel works tirelessly on the pitch and his delivery, vision and awareness is brilliant. He could have been a major star at United but at the time we were going through a bit of a transition and it was tough for him to settle.

"He had young kids and lived a couple of houses down from me and someone tried to burgle him. I remember that really shook him and his family.

"From then on, really, you knew it was going to be tough for him and it was probably better for him to leave."

Rooney went on to express his belief that PSG are capable of springing an upset against Bayern in Lisbon, as he added: "Bayern have the advantage that most of their starting line-up have played in the Champions League final before.

"But I have a feeling for PSG. It will be a shoot-out and I think with Neymar, Mbappe and Di Maria, PSG will exploit the high line that Bayern play. They will get chances and take them.

“I have no doubt that press will create chances for Bayern but PSG are good enough in possession to deal with it and once they play through it there will be opportunities for their attackers.”

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Electoral Board has continued with the process of holding elections after they published the official register for voters who will take part in the exercise.

The Electoral Board led by Kentice Tikolo has already set October 17 as the date for the national elections which will be preceded by grassroots polls held across the 47 counties on September 19.

“FKF Electoral Board has published the final list of clubs eligible to vote at both county and national level in the upcoming FKF elections,” revealed the statement obtained by Goal.

“This comes after the lapse of a disputes’ resolution window last week, by the Electoral Board. The Board will on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, publish the final register of delegates eligible to vote at both levels.”

The statement continued: “Aspirants seeking elective positions at county level will, in the meantime, have two days, Tuesday, August 25, and Wednesday, August 26, 2020, to submit their nomination forms.

“These forms can be downloaded from the FKF Electoral Board website, elections.footballkenya.org, and submitted to the Board as per the nomination calendar.

“County elections are set to be held on September 19, 2020, while national elections shall be held on October 17, 2020.”

The statement by the Board comes just a few days after they commenced the process of listening to disputes arising on the club register ahead of the polls.

It will be the third time in a year that the FKF will be holding elections.

The previous two exercises were nullified by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) last December and in March this year, with SDT chairman John Ohaga ruling the rules of engagement were flouted on both occasions.

On setting the guidelines for the exercise, Tikolo told Goal in a previous interview the FKF Electoral Code, which has been the contentious issue with most presidential candidates saying it should be changed, will remain in force.

“In consonance with the directive from Fifa and in the spirit of progression, the FKF electoral process shall be predicated upon the FKF Statutes, the FKF Electoral Code currently in force and/or the Fifa Statutes/guidelines where required or where applicable,” Tikolo told Goal.

“The electoral process shall begin at the county level in accordance with article 27 of the FKF (2017) Constitution.”

FKF presidential aspirants Sam Nyamweya, Twaha Mbarak, Herbert Mwachiro and Nicholas Musonye, have strongly opposed the decision to use the Code and have already moved to court to have the exercise stopped.

Lille manager Christophe Galtier believes Reinildo Mandava’s red card was justified in his side’s Ligue 1 opener with Rennes on Saturday which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Mozambican left-back was first on the receiving end of a dangerous tackle in the 30th minute from Franco-Cameroonian right-back Sacha Boey with the 19-year-old getting his marching orders immediately.

Mandava needed to get treatment for a few minutes and was soon back on his feet, but went on to commit the same offence as Boey two minutes to the half-time break, this time on Brazilian winger Raphinha. They got a straight red card which saw both saw sides down to 10 men each.

Judging by the nature of the foul, Galtier had no complaints about the referee’s decision to send off Mandava.

"The two red cards are justified. Reinildo is caught in the back in the depth, he takes the ball but it's an unchecked tackle from behind,” Galtier was quoted saying on the Lille website after the match.

Franco-Ivorian midfielder Jonathan Bamba put Les Dogues in front in the 35th minute, but Rennes responded with 16 minutes left on the clock thanks to Damien Da Silva, the assist coming from substitute and Real Madrid-linked Franco-Angolan midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

Galtier was pleased with Bamba’s effort and believes the game was dominated by either team in either half, his side in the first and Rennes in the second.

“Jonathan Bamba is a hard-working player, who was very frustrated with last season when his stats weren't very good compared to before,” he said.

“He is a player who is physically ready. He finished off a good goal, there was good timing from the passer, Xeka, who did well.

“In the first period, I think we scored in our strongest moment, a great goal. I found our first half interesting in what we wanted to do and what we had decided to put in place. We had the opportunity to open the scoring, to play 11 against 10.

“If we had returned to the locker room with this configuration, I think it would have been more difficult for Rennes afterwards. Unfortunately, we suffered a lot in the second half. Each team has scored in its highlight. Rennes brought a lot of density. I find that my players raised their level in the first period but lacked precision in the second."

Lille will be on the road next Sunday when they tackle Reims at Stade Auguste-Delaune II.

Lionel Messi must be convinced that Barcelona remain the right club for him, according to former team-mate Deco.

Messi's future has been the subject of fresh speculation since last week's humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich.

Reports in Catalonia suggest the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is still lukewarm over the prospect of remaining at Camp Nou following a meeting with newly installed head coach Ronald Koeman.

Koeman succeeded the ill-fated Quique Setien, and Eric Abidal has also moved on from his post as sporting director.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, ex-Barca, Porto and Chelsea playmaker Deco urged Barca to get their house in order or face up to an unpalatable reality.

"I don't know [if Messi will leave], but he has a contract," he said. "He is a player who wants to keep winning and it will depend on what Barca does when it comes to offering him a competitive team. I haven't spoken to him, but I'm sure that's what he thinks.

"I think he has to think about his future at a sporting level. It is very difficult to make a decision because we are talking about the club of his life; it is not that he has been at Barca for three or four years. 

"We are talking about the best player in the history of the club and his family is linked to the city. It's not easy, but it is also clear that he wants to keep winning. We cannot imagine a Barca without Leo, but it can happen."

Whatever Messi decides upon for his next move, Deco does at least feel the under-fire Barcelona board have happened upon a safe pair of hands in Koeman.

"He is a coach who knows the club very well and has a lot of experience," he added. "He knows the whole Barca environment and I think he can help Barca at this time."

Another former Barcelona star, Ronaldo, doubts that the club will allow Messi to leave and will eventually be able to win him around from any doubts.

"It is very unlikely that Messi will leave Barcelona, especially with the financial crisis in Europe," he said. "Messi is the reference of the team and if I was Barcelona I would not let him leave in any case."

Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney has admitted to hoping that Thiago doesn't join Liverpool, believing the Bayern Munich star is "one of the best midfielders around".

Bayern are reportedly ready to sell Thiago if their €30 million (£27m/$36m) asking price is met during the summer transfer window. CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed that the Spaniard has turned down the chance to sign a contract extension and is eager to undertake a new challenge away from Germany.

Manchester City, Man United and Arsenal have all been linked with the 29-year-old, but Liverpool has been touted as his most likely next destination.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp described Thiago as a "great player" when asked about a possible swoop for Thiago last month, and City manager Pep Guardiola, who coached the playmaker at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, has insisted that he would thrive in the Premier League.

United legend Rooney would love to see the Bayern talisman plying his trade in the English top-flight but would rather he didn't join up with the newly crowned champions at Anfield.

The former England international and current Derby County captain told The Sunday Times of Thiago's quality: "He almost came to United in 2013 and now Liverpool are linked with him. He’s one of the best midfielders around – I just hope he doesn’t go there!

"He can take the ball, be composed on it, keep things ticking over – and he’ll put his foot in. He’s an all-round midfielder, really, with a bit of everything. He backs up that Bayern press and he drops in between the centre-halves to take the ball yet can also join in when they’re playing around the other box too.

"He’s a great player. It would be great to see him in the Premier League, actually."

Thiago is currently preparing with the rest of the Bayern squad for a Champions League final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon.

The Spain international will likely retain his spot in Hansi Flick's line up on Sunday, having started against his former club Barca in an 8-2 quarter-final victory before also starring in a 3-0 win over Lyon in the last four.

Ghana U17 women's coach Baba Nuhu believes the team's health and safety are under control despite their coronavirus challenges upon the camp's resumption for the 2021 World Cup qualifiers.

On special permission of Ghana president Nana Akufo-Addo, the Black Maidens regrouped for camp last week despite a standing ban on all contact sports, including football, ahead of games against archrivals Nigeria.

The U17 side, jointly in camp with the U20 women's team, was hit by a setback as a total of seven players were confirmed positive for Covid-19 when the two outfits underwent testing as part of safety protocols for camp resumption.

The seven players, shared across both teams, are currently in isolation.

"The training has been good so far and you know under this [coronavirus case] situation, we have to revise our training schedule," Baba said, as reported by the Ghana Football Association's official website.

"We know we have to observe all the protocols which we have not forgotten, so what we are doing now is more of individual work, trying to see how we can work individually, not as one person.

"We will still be in groups but more of individual work, so to be able to observe all the protocols. The players have been wearing the nose masks but once we come to training, it is taken off and after training, they put it on again, even at dining.

"We are fully aware of whatever that is happening and we are very careful. I am sure in the coming weeks; everything will be normal, then, we can revise our training accordingly."

A total of 30 U17 players were called up for the camping exercise.

Seeking a seventh straight appearance at the World Cup, Ghana will welcome Nigeria to Cape Coast for October's first leg.

The aggregate winners after November's second fixture in Nigeria will secure a ticket for India 2021. The tournament was initially scheduled to be held in November this year but had to be postponed to February-March due to the coronavirus disruptions.

On Ghana’s last appearance at the tournament, the Black Maidens reached the quarter-final of the 2018 gathering in Uruguay.

Ghana coach Yusif Basigi is not bothered by the postponement of their upcoming 2021 Fifa U20 World Cup qualifiers against Guinea-Bissau due the coronavirus challenges.

The two-legged home-and-away tie has been moved from September to a yet-to-be-announced date owing to safety concerns. It is the second time the games have been rescheduled.

A team of 31 players began camping in Cape Coast before continental football's governing body, Caf announced the latest postponement.

"We started training on Monday with individual training, just as we are doing right now and response to training is not too bad," Basigi said, as reported by the Ghana Football Association's official website.

"We started on a lower pace so we will be climbing slowly. I think the postponement has been a blessing in disguise for us and because of that, we will not rush the team into physical conditioning.

"We will be doing that until the end of this week before we go into individual ball games. The players will be doing strength and power as well so that they can rest the next day because we are going to work on the lower and upper extremities and as a result of that, they need about 24 hours rest before we do recovery.

"The long stay in the house has affected the players and that’s why we are taking our time to reduce their weight but it should be at a slower pace."

The postponement is not the only recent setback ahead of the upcoming games.

The U20 team are jointly in camp with the U17 women's team, who are also preparing for World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria. Last week, a combined total of seven players were confirmed positive for coronavirus when the two teams went through testing upon camp resumption as part of health and safety protocols.

The precise identity of the positive players and their division between the two teams have not been revealed by the Football Association.

The Ghana-Guinea-Bissau exchange was initially set for March but the coronavirus pandemic forced a rescheduling to September. Last week, and for the second time, Caf announced the postponement of the matches, this time indefinitely.

With the final tournament scheduled for January-February next year, the qualifiers are nonetheless expected to be concluded before the end of 2020.

Paris Saint-Germain will struggle to cope with Bayern Munich's intensity across the entirety of the Champions League final, says Martin Demichelis.

Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal champions Bayern will attempt to complete the treble at the Estadio da Luz on Sunday, while PSG have the chance to seal an unprecedented quadruple.

The Bavarian giants have won their past 20 games in all competitions and have scored 42 goals in their 10 Champions League matches this season, three shy of the record set in 1999-2000 by Barcelona, who played 16 games.

Demichelis, who won four Bundesliga titles with Bayern as a player and now coaches their Under-19 team, acknowledged Hansi Flick's attacking tactics could lead to chances for PSG's pacey forwards Angel Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

However, the former defender believes Bayern's high press will prove too much to handle for the Ligue 1 champions, as it has for most teams they have faced this season.

"Bayern are not going to modify their structure and way of playing because they have gone through difficult parts in different games," Demichelis told Ole. "The risk they take, even defending with a high line, it is clear it gives returns because they are nearly the highest-scoring team in Champions League history.

"It was well demonstrated these risks can be detrimental to them at some stage of the match, as was the case in the first few minutes against Lyon, but Bayern don't change the way they play.

"This time they play against PSG knowing that Neymar, Mbappe, Di Maria are quality players and very fast, but Bayern will go out to play the same way. To cope with the intensity Bayern exerts across every line over 90 minutes is practically impossible for opponents. In general, I see Bayern as stronger than Paris."

Demichelis highlighted that Alphonso Davies and David Alaba are by no means slow in Bayern's backline, while goalkeeper Manuel Neuer provides a formidable last line of defence.

"Bayern can allow themselves to press high because of the speed they have at full-back. Alaba has reinvented himself as a centre-back and is very fast," said Demichelis. "[Jerome] Boateng may not have the speed of previous years, but he does have a mental speed due to experience and the great career he's had."

He added: "Surely they [PSG] will have some chances but there is also Manuel in the box and he's proved to be very good physically and in strong form. I hope Paris don't get those chances, but because of the way both teams play and the quality of the players in Paris' attack, they will have some.

"It's impossible for defenders to always do everything right."