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Coach Luc Eymael’s comments that sealed his fate as Yanga SC head coach have been revealed.

In a voice message obtained by Goal, the Belgian coach has pointed out numerous issues he claims made his time in Tanzania unbearable.

Yanga confirmed they had released the former Polokwane City coach after his comments following a 1-1 draw with Mtibwa Sugar last Wednesday, ahead of the final match of the season against Lipuli FC.

“My brother this place is not for me, playing in such pitches so bad pitches of a level of seventh or eighth division in Europe is not for me,” Eymael is captured as saying.

“With fans who are only shouting and are not able to invade the pitch to beat the officiating man and change things is not for me. You know if officiating were always against us and is only favouring Simba SC and not giving us even a clear penalty and things like that is not for me.

“Changing rooms too is not for me. I would prefer that they release me, let me just do my last game and let me go.”

The former AFC Leopards coach did not spare the larger Tanzanian public in his rant as he complained about conditions in the country.

“I am not enjoying your country [Tanzania], you are uneducated people. I don’t have a car, what is that? I do not have Wifi and I do not have the DSTV. No! No! No!” he added.

“Working in this condition is not for me, my man.

“My wife is absolutely not enjoying here and this is disgusting to me. I am disgusted. The only pleasure that I have is the pitches are always full when we are playing, full of our fans but these fans do not know anything about soccer.”

The former Black Leopards tactician also hit at the fans for their reaction during their Wednesday match against Mtibwa Sugar that ended in a 1-1 draw

“This striker [David] Molinga did not win any ball, did not make one run and did not bring any danger,” he added. “I had put [Gnamien] Yikpe on the wing then I put Yikpe as a striker and he gave us runs and efforts and the fans were shouting at him and wanted me to take Yikpe out.

“The time when I took one holding midfielder out to put a second striker they did not understand. There is pettiness in this country.

“The fans can only shout and are like monkeys who are barking ‘babababa’. They can only do that. They do not know anything about soccer.

“The soccer is very poor when you are playing away games and the pitch is like that, the officiating is against you and all the things. It is not for me, it is not for me.”

The Belgian also claimed Yanga, the record Mainland Premier League champions with 27 titles, are not going to win them again given their state of organisation and went further to claim Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) is a biased body.

The federation has already stated they will report Eymael to Fifa for action.

“I said to the sponsor [GSM] again that ‘please, please my men, please release me. It is better!’” Eymael concluded.

“Do your own things and you cannot be able to win the league because you are not an organised team, you are not an organised club and the officiating is always against you because you are a poor club.

“Then you wait for the federation and the federation is only for Simba. It is not for us, so you have to release me.

“I do not want to stay here.”

Eymael joined Yanga in January 2020 to replace Mwinyi Zahera.

Ghana's national U17 and U20 female teams have received a special permit to regroup for training ahead of upcoming international assignments despite a lingering ban on contact sports in the west African country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The dispensation was announced when Ghana president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo addressed the nation on Sunday night.

Both the U17 and U20 women's side are set to commence training ahead of World Cup qualification matches.

"Our female Under-20 and Under-17 national football teams have been given the clearance to go into their respective training camps to begin preparations towards their Fifa and Caf-sanctioned international matches, which begin in September," Akufo-Addo said in his speech during a live broadcast on TV, radio and social media.

"Whilst in training, the playing, technical and management teams must observe strictly all the protocols issued by Government, CAF and FIFA against Covid-19. All other team and contact sports, and competitive sporting events remain suspended till further notice."

Ghana are set to face arch-rivals Nigeria over two legs in October/November, with the winners guaranteed a ticket at the U17 World Cup in India.

The Black Maidens will host the first leg before travelling for the return fixture.

Both legs were initially scheduled for May but had to be postponed due to the coronavirus disturbances.

Originally scheduled for November 2 to 21 this year, the final tournament has had to be moved to February 17 to March 7 next year.

Ghana are hoping to continue with their enviable record as the only African side to have qualified for all six previous editions of the U17 Women's World Cup.

Their best performance remains a third-placed finish at the 2012 edition in Azerbaijan.

Ghana's U20 women's team will, however, be first to get into action as they face Guinea-Bissau over two legs in September, having dispatched Liberia in the preliminary round.

The Black Princesses travel away for the first leg ahead of the return fixture at home.

The two matches were originally planned to take place in March.

The winners will have two more stages of matches to negotiate to stand a chance of grabbing a ticket for the world gathering.

Ghana has qualified for the last five previous editions of the U20 World Cup, and will hope to make a sixth appearance at the tournament to be co-hosted by Costa Rica and Panama from January 20 to February 6.

The championship was originally set to be hosted in August/September this year.

Ghana's ban on contact sports has been in effect since March, a situation which resulted in premature termination of the 2019-20 football season, including the Premier League (GPL). 

Huesca midfielder Kelechi Nwakali has named former Arsenal star Nwankwo Kanu and ex-Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure as his role models, while also revealing his desire to play for Barcelona in future.

The 22-year-old has struggled to play top-flight football since he bursts into the limelight at the 2015 U17 World Cup, where he captained Nigeria to victory at the tournament.

The midfielder joined the Gunners in 2016 but failed to play a single game for the Emirates Stadium outfit during his three-year stay and made do with loan spells at MVV Maastricht, VVV-Venlo and Porto B.

In the summer of 2019, the midfielder secured a permanent move to Spanish Segunda Division side Huesca and recently helped them gained promotion to La Liga.

Nwakali only played five league games for the Oscenses, owing to visa issues and hopes to feature regularly for the side in the top flight.

The midfielder also revealed Nigeria legend Kanu and former Ivory Coast international Toure as players he models his football after while also hoping to fulfil his long-term dream of playing for Spanish giants Barca. 

“I am delighted that my club has gained promotion to the Spanish La Liga. It was not easy for my team at the second division because of the quality of teams at that level,” Nwakali said, per the Guardian.

“I was only able to play in five games because I had Spanish visa issues. My focus now is to work hard to play regularly when the league resumes.

“I have always hoped to play for Barcelona someday as a young footballer but in life, you must start somewhere to achieve your dream. I am delighted that I am now a player in the Spanish top league.

“Giving my best to my club remains the priority now. As a young footballer, I aspire to play like Kanu Nwankwo and Yaya Toure because I fancy their style of play.”

Nwakali has one cap for the Nigeria national team while his teammates at U17 level, Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze have become a key part of the Super Eagles.

“I believe when Coach Gernot Rohr needs me, he will invite me. I speak with him at times and I know my time will soon come,” He continued.

“I am delighted that my teammates, Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze are doing well in Super Eagles. My aspiration is to join them in the team. They understand my kind of play and we connect very well on the pitch.”

Nwakali will hope to deliver convincing showings for Huesca to boost his chances of enjoying regular call-ups to the Super Eagles.

Former Chelsea star Oscar, who is now on the books of Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG, has said that he would be willing to switch international allegiance from Brazil to China.

The 28-year-old playmaker has won 47 caps for the country of his birth, with 12 goals. He has, however, been overlooked by the Selecao for several years now, with Brazil always well stocked for attacking talent.

Oscar is also plying his club football a long way from home and away from the spotlight cast on South American and European competition.

He took the decision to leave Chelsea for Asia in January 2017, with a big-money deal seeing his head turned. A career call that raised plenty of eyebrows has been justified by league and cup success in China, with Oscar catching the eye across 123 appearances and 39 goals.

Having become a star attraction in Shanghai, the talented forward has now revealed that he would be willing to represent his adopted home at international level.

FIFA rules prevent players who have appeared in competitive fixtures from representing another nation.

Oscar, though, would like to see those regulations tweaked, telling Sportscene: “Of course I can think about it because it's difficult to go to the Brazil national team now because I'm here, but in China everyone sees how good I play. 

“The China national team need one good midfielder, so I think I can help with this. I like China, but the players now who go to China to change their nationality, they can do better also.”

Oscar made his debut for Brazil in 2011, while he was on the books of Internacional in his homeland. A high-profile switch to Chelsea was made in 2012, while he formed part of a triumphant Confederations Cup side a year later.

He also earned a place in the Brazil squad for a home World Cup in 2014, but has not been called upon since 2016.

It appears unlikely that FIFA will be relaxing their stance regarding eligibility, but China could do with a player of Oscar’s experience and ability as they sit 76th in the world rankings and have failed to qualify for a World Cup finals since 2002.

KCB defender Mke Kibwage has set himself the target of winning the Caf Champions League in the next few seasons. 

The 22-year-old Kenya defender has been instrumental for the Bankers since joining from AFC Leopards and is quickly establishing himself among the best in the country. 

"As a player I have dreams and they keep me going," Kibwage told Goal on Monday.

"As I had said, we are targeting the KPL next season and we believe it is achievable. But for me, I want to win the Caf Champions League in the next few seasons. This is not meant for some players, it is meant for all, the difference is the effort one makes to achieve it."

The 2019/20 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) was halted owing to the Covid-19 outbreak. By the time, KCB were placed in the fifth position with 42 points from the 23 matches played.

Reports indicate the 2020/21 season might kick-off in October and the defender hopes it goes according to plan.

"I am yearning to give my best to my team and win the Defender of the Season Award on back-to-back basis," Kibwage continued.

"All this will happen if the league returns, and we hope it happens as planned. We are going for it as a team, and I am also going for my targets, my individual objectives and nothing is going to stop me."

It is not ending at the KPL and Caf Champions League for the towering defender.

"Most people, most football fans watch Uefa Champions League, it is where the big boys dine together.

"That is my dream competition which at one time I want to play. It is achievable, and once again, it is all about hard work. It is my long term target and I am optimistic I will realize it." 

In an earlier interview with Goal, KCB assistant coach Godfrey Oduor was not short of words for the defender.

"He is a talented player who is disciplined and works hard to have value for the team," the tactician revealed.

"We will continue nurturing him and make him even better. In Kibwage, Harambee Stars have their central defence problems solved for quite a long time."

Manchester City want to see David Silva off with the Champions League trophy, says Kevin De Bruyne, who thinks the Spaniard is one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.

Silva bade farewell to English football with a 5-0 thrashing of Norwich on Sunday, the sort of dominant City win which has become the norm over the course of his decade at the club.

His time in Manchester isn’t over just yet, though, with City still having European football to play.

Pep Guardiola’s side hold a 2-1 away-goal advantage over Real Madrid ahead of their last-16 second leg on August 7, with Lyon or Juventus lying in wait in the quarter-finals.

"He's going to be a big miss,” De Bruyne told the Manchester Evening News of Silva. “That's why you get young players in and learn from him. I did that myself, and hopefully we can end the season well for him. It would be great if we would win the Champions League so he can go in this way.

"It's good to stay in the rhythm. There's no point slacking a little bit then say in two weeks we'll put in another notch again. That's impossible in football.

"You need to keep going full pace, so it's good to keep going the 90 minutes and keep going until the end which we did. Now we have two weeks to prepare ourselves fully and we have another final in two weeks."

After a disappointing season which saw Liverpool race away with the league title and Arsenal or Chelsea set to lift the FA Cup, City need to see progress in Europe if they are to call the 2019-20 campaign a success.

The second leg against Real Madrid will be played in Manchester despite the UK's quarantine on arrivals from Spain, before the rest of the tournament is played out in Portugal.

With one-leg knock-out ties introduced for this season, City are two wins away from equalling their best ever European finish, the semi-final they reached under Manuel Pellegrini in 2016.

Whether City lift the famous trophy or not, their final game will be one tinged with sadness as Silva takes his leave.

"For me, he's probably one of the best players who's probably ever played in the Premier League," De Bruyne said. "Obviously you can always debate who is what but when you play with him you can appreciate what he does, day in, day out.

“I've played with him for five years so I've played a long time with him. We've won a lot together, we've won things together."

SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews says they have not received an offer from Orlando Pirates regarding their striker Bradley Grobler.

Although the Matsatsantsa boss says he doesn’t want to comment much on the matter involving their target man, he says they will wait for the Buccaneers to table a formal offer.

The 32-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to coach Josef Zinnbauer’s troops for some time but his agent Sean Roberts explains they have not been contacted by the former African champions.

“I cannot comment much on Bradley’s matter because Pirates have not contacted us,” Matthews told Isolezwe.

“We will wait for Pirates to come to us, we will take it from there and see how we deal with it.”

By the time the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) season was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Grobler was enjoying his best form for coach Kaitano Tembo’s side.

On the other hand, his handler Roberts has also shared an update on the talisman, saying his client remains contracted to the reigning MTN8 champions.

“Bradley is SuperSport United’s player. It’s not true that Pirates contacted us. He still has a valid contract with SuperSport,” added Roberts.

In the past, Roberts had confirmed interest from Pirates in his client but more recently said they don’t know if the Soweto giants will come back with renewed interest.

Grobler had been expected to join Bucs prior to the start of the current season after Thamsanqa Gabuza and Kudakwashe Mahachi moved to SuperSport, but the move to the Houghton-based side never materialized.

The Johannesburg-born hitman has found the back of the net on 12 occasions in the league for SuperSport and will look to challenge the likes of Gabadinho Mhango of Pirates in the race to clinch the top goalscorer award.

Formerly on the books of Platinum Stars, Grobler has featured in 28 matches with 15 goals across all competitions for the Tshwane giants and has chipped in with three assists so far.

Brazilian defender Ricardo Nascimento has signed a new three-year deal with Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Tshwane giants confirmed the news in a statement on Monday with the centre-back expressing delight at extending his stay three more seasons. 

"I feel very happy about the confidence Mamelodi Sundowns has shown in me and my football abilities. I want to thank the President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, the Board and the Technical team with Coach Pitso," Nascimento told the Sundowns website.  

"From the start, I was well-received by all the supporters and I'd like to thank the supporters and my teammates for making me feel so welcome. My family and I are enjoying the country and I must certainly say that South Africa is my second home." 

Nascimento joined the Brazilians from Portuguese outfit Academia in 2016 and has been a regular for Pitso Mosimane's team since then. 

After suffering a nasty groin injury at the start of the season, Sundowns allowed Nascimento to go back to Brazil and recover and temporarily decided against registering him with the PSL for the first half of the season.

Upon his recovery toward the end of 2019, the technical team registered him with the league for the remainder of the season.    

The latest developments mean Nascimento will spend at least seven years at Choorkop, and he's vowed to help the club win more trophies, including the Caf Champions League.   

"I want to promise Mamelodi Sundowns that I want to help the Club win more titles starting with the League and Nedbank Cup this season. I also want Sundowns to win the CAF Champions League and make more history," concluded Nascimento.

Since his arrival four years ago, Nascimento has featured in 101 matches for Sundowns. 

He has 13 goals and one assist to his name despite being a natural defender.  

The 33-year-old was instrumental in Sundowns lifting the Caf Super Cup trophy in 2017 as his penalty against TP Mazembe secured the crown for Mosimane's men. 

Following his return from the groin injury at the start of the year, Nascimento has gone on to make nine appearances across all competitions and scored once.  

Yanga SC have prioritised the appointment of Hans van der Pluijm as Luc Eymael replacement as the club's head coach.

A close source within the club has told Goal the Tanzanian club are set to make a quick appointment after sacking Eymael for what they termed as racist comments.

Van der Pluijm was Timu Ya Mwananchi’s coach between 2017 and 2018 and the club’s top hierarchy have listed him as the best viable option to take over.

“You know Van der Pluijm has been with the club before and given the tight programme the club is expecting to have in the immediate future, Yanga would contact him soon and see if he is ready for the job,” the source told Goal.

Eymael’s stint at Yanga has been characterised with friction with the players and the club's senior management.

The former coach criticised players like Gnamien Yikpe who arrived at the club almost at the same time with him early in the year. He has been open that the Ivorian star was not part of his plans going forward given what he believed as below-par performance.

Defender Andrew ‘Dante’ Vincent, who was signed from Mtibwa Sugar three seasons ago, was also relegated from the first team by the Belgian coach who had confirmed he was not keen to retain him once his contract ends.

The former Free State Stars and Black Leopards coach has also not been keen to give Kenyan goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo playing time in key games for what has been termed as ‘lack of trust in him’ by various soccer pundits in Tanzania.

Bernard Morrison, who immediately became a darling to the fans due to his strike against Simba SC on March 8, has had a turbulent relationship with the management recently under the coach.

The former Polokwane City’s coach also criticised Yanga management before the league resumed after coronavirus lockdown saying they were not keen to help him travel from Belgium and join the players for preparations.

Although Eymael managed Yanga to a second-place finish in the league, a 4-1 loss against Simba SC in the FA Cup semi-final match on July 12, was a big blow to confidence in the coach's abilities.

Yanga might still get a Champions League slot should Caf move to strip Libya of its place and that is why the club prioritised finishing second after elimination from the FA Cup tournament.

Van der Pluijm is a Dutch coach with massive experience in African football as he has been in charge of more than 10 teams across the continent.

He was at Heart of Lions between 2003 and 2004 before joining Saint George of Ethiopia for one year after he left the Ghanaian side.

He did not last at the Ethiopian club as he exited in 2005 for Gold Fields where he remained for one year too. Between 2006 to 2014 the 71-year-old coach served different Ghanaian teams that included Heart of Lions again, Red Bull Soccer Academy, Kessben FC, Berekum Chelsea and Medeama SC.

He was appointed by Yanga in 2017 and lasted until 2018 where he lost just four matches in the 57 games he oversaw, although it wasn't enough to win the league as arch-rivals Simba lifted the trophy.

Van der Pluijm has also had coaching spells at Azam FC and Singida United in Tanzania.

Bruno Fernandes has “nothing against the Europa League” but believes Manchester United “deserve” a Champions League place and is determined to deliver major silverware at Old Trafford.

The Portugal international midfielder has made a stunning impact in English football since his arrival from Sporting in the January transfer window.

United, who were some way off the top-four pace at that stage, desperately needed inspiration from somewhere. Fernandes has provided that, with a remarkable run of results through 2020 seeing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to a third-place finish.

With one target hit, the Red Devils can still finish their season with a trophy in continental competition.

Fernandes is eager to deliver on that front, telling MUTV: “Now our focus is on the Europa League because this is a really good trophy and we want to win. I came to Manchester to win trophies. We need to play every game to win. If we go into the Europa League and win every game, we know we'll win the trophy.”

United have struggled for consistency in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, but Fernandes believes they are heading back to where they belong.

He said: “Of course, playing Champions League is always special and I hope it can be with the supporters, that will be more special. We deserve to be in the best games, in the best European competition. Nothing against the Europa League, but everyone knows the best competition is the Champions League.”

The 25-year-old added on climbing into the top four, with Leicester edged out 2-0 on the final day to get over that line: “We feel good, it's what we wanted.

“We trained hard and we worked hard for this moment. We know the only thing we could achieve this season was getting into the Champions League, so we fought hard for that, but we are not happy enough because we know this club and these players, they can bring much more for the club.

“I think we have qualities enough to fight for some titles - more than one title, you know? I think we need to win some trophies and then we'll be really happy.”

United will be back in European action when they face LASK on August 5, with a 5-0 lead already established in that contest to have one foot in the quarter-finals.

Jan Vertonghen has confirmed he has played his final game for Tottenham.

The Belgian defender posted on Twitter confirming that he would be leaving the club, although he gave no clue as to a possible next destination.

Vertonghen, 33, is a veteran of Spurs’ progression in recent years, making 315 appearances in all competitions since joining from Ajax in 2012.

He wrote: “So my time at the club comes to an end. A sad day for many reasons. I will miss the friends I’ve made here, the staff that make the club run, playing at the amazing new stadium & of course you fans.

“Thank you for all the support over the years. You’ve been amazing. We had many unbelievable memories but for now, it’s goodbye.”

Vertonghen’s contract in north London has expired, and he is now available to sign on a free transfer.

He was signed early on in Andre Villas-Boas’ tenure as Spurs boss, going on to play under Tim Sherwood, Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho.

While Spurs didn't win any silverware during his time at the club - coming closest when they reached the League Cup final in 2015 and Champions League final four years later - Vertonghen developed into one of the Premier League's most reliable defenders, and was named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2012-13 and 2017-18.

He was also elected into the Champions League Team of the Season in 2018-19 as Tottenham came runners-up to Liverpool.

It has been apparent for some time that Vertonghen would be on his way out of the club, though he signed a short-term contract extension once the season’s resumption was agreed.

Former club Ajax have already ruled out a move, although director of football Marc Overmars confirmed talks with his agent had taken place.

Vertonghen himself has offered some clues as to where his next club might be, saying he wanted to remain in Europe and learn a new language.

Spurs must now go about the task of replacing one of their longest-serving players without the luxury of an incoming transfer fee. Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti is one of the players linked with a move in recent weeks.

Virgil van Dijk is aware rivals want to beat Liverpool “even more” now, but the Reds are determined to defend their Premier League crown in 2020-21.

Those at Anfield have waited 30 years to get a taste of domestic glory.

Having once dominated the English game, the Merseyside outfit found themselves knocked from their perch by rivals such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

They are now back at the summit having wrapped up a title triumph in record-breaking style, but staying on top is set to prove as tricky as getting there.

Van Dijk admits as much, but the Dutch defender says there remains a hunger within the Reds’ ranks to back up their efforts across 2019 and 2020.

He told BT Sport “I think the personal highlight is winning the Premier League! It’s been a big dream of mine coming through and I think for all of us, for this beautiful club, it’s outstanding and it should spur us on to try even harder to retain the title.

“It’s going to be very tough, teams are going to improve, they’ll want to beat us even more - but yeah, we will focus on each game at a time, that’s what we did already this season, and hopefully we can be as consistent as we have this season. It’s going to be a new challenge but we should all look forward to it as well.”

Liverpool have tasted Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup glory over the course of the last 13 months, with Jurgen Klopp overseeing a remarkable run of success.

He must ensure that his players remain motivated for further challenges to come, with Van Dijk adamant that he will not be allowing his standards to slip.

The Netherlands international centre-half added, with the Reds having brought the curtain down on their 2019-20 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park: “If I’m talking personally I don’t think I need any more motivation.

“I want to go out there every opportunity there is, trying to get results with the boys, enjoy the game like, for example, the second half [against the Magpies] I really enjoyed it: how we played, how we pressed, how we won the ball when we lost it.

“That’s the key for next season as well. We want to improve on the way we play and be as consistent as we have been this year. It’s going to be hard because consistency is the hardest thing in football but it’s going to be a nice challenge.”

Kenyan international Michael Olunga has dedicated his hat-trick for Kashiwa Reysol against Vegalta Sendai to his teammates.

The former Gor Mahia striker added three goals to his J1 League tally after a 5-1 win over Sendai in a top-flight match played on Sunday.

After going for three matches without a goal since the Japanese league resumed on July 4, after taking a break owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Olunga has so far scored in the last three matches and went top of the scorers’ chart.

Olunga has now dedicated his latest goals to his teammates, who he said have perfected the art of picking him out with great passes, thus helping him to do the job of scoring the goals.

“It was a good game, basically we tried to push from the very beginning and I want to thank the whole team for providing the platform for me to be able to score three goals today [Sunday],” Olunga told reporters after the match.

“I want to thank the whole team because my work is to stick at the danger zone and put the chances away and I did it again today [Sunday] because they provided the passes, it is great to play alongside such great players.”

In a recent interview, after the team’s 3-2 win against Shonan Bellmare, Olunga claimed he had regained his scoring boots and will make sure he scores in every match.

“Of course as a striker when you go into games your main aim is to score goals but at the end of the day in football, there are moments where you will have a goal drought and you cannot find the back of the net again,” Olunga told reporters after the match.

“But of course it is a good feeling to get my scoring boots back again and I know now the gates are open and it is going to be a different ball game altogether and today [Saturday] I scored two goals and I am looking forward to the upcoming games.”

With eight goals now, the former Thika United forward has a four-goal cushion against his closest challengers, Yu Kobayashi of Kawasaki Frontale, Musashi Suzuki of Consadole Sapporo, Marcos Junior of Yokohama Marinos, Leonardo Perreira of Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kyogo Furuhashi of Vissel Kobe.

Kashiwa Reysol will be up against Nagoya Grampus on August 1 in their next league encounter.

Former Harambee Stars captain Musa Otieno has revealed how he has had to battle stigmatisation since he contracted the coronavirus.

Kenya’s long-serving captain was admitted to Mbagathi Hospital, which has been designated as a coronavirus isolation centre in Kenya, on June 26 and was discharged on July 5.

The former Tusker defender has now revealed how the situation subjected him to stigmatisation in his neighbourhood.

“This is not something that anybody would like to contract by socialising with you. Sometimes when I get out of the house or walk in the neighbourhood, I see people pointing at me,” Otieno told The Standard.

“I thank God for everything. At the moment, I’m feeling much better compared to the first few days when I was admitted at Mbagathi Hospital.

“I can now walk around and I don’t have those Covid-19 symptoms anymore; chest pains, coughing, fever and sore throat.”

Otieno stated he contracted the disease while serving the Maringo community through his foundation, Kick-Off to Hope. 

“It’s just unfortunate that I got it while on duty distributing foodstuff to the vulnerable groups. I wasn’t feeling well and I went to Mbagathi Hospital for a test,” continued the former AFC Leopards star.

“My biggest problem was that I was struggling to breathe. There was no fitness anymore, and I just wanted to get better and leave the hospital.

“Once I was discharged I felt like I had already overcome the battle. Yes, I was going back to my house under restrictions with no visits, but it came with some freedom; I could do anything I want in my house. 

“The first three days were a bit difficult for me because I wasn’t used to staying in the house but after the fourth day, I started adapting to the new lifestyle.”

Otieno, who served the national team from 1993 to 2009 and guided the country back to the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2004 after a 12-year wait, also spoke about his return to football activities after retirement and services to the community through his organisation.

“One thing that brought me back after my retirement was to analyse Kenyan Premier League matches on DSTV's SuperSport as well as working with my organisation.

“I then had some coaching experience with FC Talanta [a National Super League side] before deciding to focus on my organisation as I tried to give hope to the community through mentorship programmes and a football academy.

“It has not been easy to raise an annual budget of KSh1 million but we are trying our best to bring hope to over 150 children we are working with.” 

Otieno also played for Santos FC of South Africa where he equally made his name by winning the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title in the 2001/02 season.

Victor Lindelof considers Manchester United to be “back”, after wrapping up a Premier League top-four finish, but admits the time has arrived for them to “start winning trophies”.

The Red Devils emerged victorious in a crucial clash with Leicester on the final day of the Premier League season.

A 2-0 win over the Foxes has secured Champions League football for 2020-21, but Lindelof says that is the “minimum” requirement for a club of United’s stature. For the Swedish defender, elite European competition has to be complemented by tangible success.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side remain in the hunt for Europa League glory in what has been an elongated campaign.

Lindelof told the club’s official website after helping to down Leicester: “When you play for this club, you should always play in the Champions League as a minimum.

“Now we’re back and it’s time for us to start winning trophies as well because we have to do that. We have one trophy left to win this season and that should always be the mentality, to win trophies. Our goal was to be back in the Champions League and now we have another one: to win the Europa League.”

United will return to the continental stage on August 5, in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 encounter with LASK.

Solskjaer’s side lead that contest 5-0 on aggregate, with a quarter-final clash with either Istanbul Basaksehir or FC Copenhagen lined up – with games from the last eight set to take place in Germany.

“It’s a trophy to win and this club should always be aiming for trophies,” Lindelof added on the Red Devils’ ambition. “It’s a great opportunity for us and to secure the Champions League spot today, it makes the players a little bit more calm.

“We go to Germany - after the game against LASK at home - and if we win, we can travel to Germany and I’m really looking forward to it.”

While United still have competitive fixtures to take in this season, the summer transfer window has swung open and Solskjaer is now able to further bolster his ranks.

Riyad Mahrez sent an emotional message to David Silva, who reached the end of his contract with Manchester City in July.  

The Spanish midfielder played his final Premier League game for Pep Guardiola’s men in their 5-0 thrashing of Norwich City on Sunday.

The 34-year-old has been with the Citizens since 2010 when he joined from La Liga side Valencia and made a key contribution during his 10-year stay with the club.

Silva scored 77 goals in 433 Premier League appearances and provided 93 assists, the most in the club's history.

The midfielder helped the club to win a number of accolades including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and three Community Shields.

Mahrez had the opportunity of playing with Silva for two years after the Algeria international teamed up with City in the summer of 2018 from Leicester City.

The winger took to the social media to praise the effort of the Spanish star during his time at Etihad Stadium and wished him success in his future endeavours.

“An honour to have shared a few games and titles of your incredible career at City David Silva, good luck for what's next,” Mahrez posted on Instagram.

Mahrez has played 60 Premier League games for Manchester City since his arrival and won four titles with the side, including the league trophy.

The forward was a key component of the Citizens in the 2019-20 season as they finished second in the Premier League behind champions Liverpool.

The former Le Havre winger scored 13 goals and provided 16 assists across all competitions and could add to his tally in the second leg round of 16 of their Champions League game against Real Madrid on August 7.

Mahrez, who has 57 caps and 15 goals for Algeria, captained the Desert Foxes to victory in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Tanzania striker Mbwana Samatta has confirmed he will remain at Aston Villa for the new Premier League season after helping the club to stay up.

Jack Grealish’s late goal, coupled with Watford’s 3-2 defeat at Arsenal, was ultimately good enough for Aston Villa to avoid relegation from the top-flight in the final day of EPL action.

The battle to avoid the two remaining relegation places went to the wire as Aston Villa scored in the 84th minute, conceded a minute later, then held on for 1-1 draw at West Ham to survive.

West Ham had already secured their own Premier League place for 2020-21 with a draw at Manchester United on Wednesday and end the season in 16th.

Samatta, who struggled for form since the return of football - after impressing in his early stints with goals against Bournemouth and Manchester City, signed for Aston Villa in January - and came into the side for Brazilian Wesley Moraes who fell to injury at the start of the year.

The Taifa Stars captain has now taken to his social media pages to thank God for helping Villa to stay up and went on to confirm he will be at the club for the new season.

“I want to thank God for giving me another chance to play in the Premier League for another season,” Samatta wrote on his social media pages.

“I also want to thank all those fans who were behind me, and kept praying for Villa to stay up so that you can see me again in the Premier League.”

Samatta, an £8.5million January signing from Genk, barely had time to get settled in his new surroundings before the season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, he was able to write history by becoming the first player from Tanzania to play in the Premier League. 

Samatta scored only one goal in 14 appearances leading to Birmingham Live reporting that the attacker could be granted a quick exit route from the club at the end of the season.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has dedicated the team’s efforts to finish second in the Mainland Premier League to the late former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa.

Mkapa died on July 24 at the age of 81 after leading Tanzania from 1995 to 2005 and was succeeded by Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

And in a perfect sendoff, Yanga, who in an earlier statement had described Mkapa as their ‘number one fan’, pipped Azam FC to the second position after beating Lipuli FC 1-0 while the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ only managed a 2-2 draw against Tanzania Prisons.

The win enabled the Timu ya Wananchi to finish second with 72 points, while Azam settled for third on 70 and Namungo FC came fourth on 64, while Simba SC, who had already been crowned champions, finished top on 88 points.

The Belgian coach has now told Goal the win against Lipuli, which pushed them to the second position, is a perfect dedication to the late Mkapa.

“It is all because of God because going into the match we lost one of our best fans in the country, Mkapa, and I want to dedicate this win and the position to him,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

“[Mkapa] was a great Yanga fan, I am told he could not miss our matches especially when we are playing in Dar es Salaam and also follow our results and we want to join other Tanzanians to mourn his sudden death, the win is dedicated to him.

“I also want to thank the sponsors and fans for their support throughout the season, without them we could not have achieved what we have achieved, to finish second and also reach the semis of the FA Cup.”

Eymael continued: “I am very proud of my boys, very proud of my staff and the people who were there, they never gave up, you know my physio came back, the U-20 coach also came to rescue us and finally with a very weak squad, we have managed to finish second, it is a fantastic feeling to finish second.

“It was not easy for us because when I arrived the gap between us and Simba was 28 points but we have managed to finish second and it is a good day for Yanga and the fans, we thank them for their support throughout the season.”

Singida United, Ndanda FC, Alliance FC, and Lipuli FC were all relegated as the curtain came down for the 2019-20 season.