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The South African Football Association (Safa) has expressed disappointment at the PSL's decision to resume the season on July 18. 

In a letter sent to Safa's acting CEO Tebogo Motlanthe dated July 10, the league acting CEO Mato Madlala said the board of governors resolved in their meeting to go ahead with matches next weekend. 

The PSL and its board of governors also identified 14 stadiums around the Gauteng province to be used as training venues while matches will be played in 11 venues. 

The following stadiums have been chosen as training venues for the clubs: Marks Park (Johannesburg), Wanderers (Johannesburg), St Stithians (Johannesburg), Fourways High (Johannesburg), Johannesburg Stadium, Ruimsuig Stadium (Johannesburg), Auckland Park Bunting (University of Johannesburg), Chris Hani Stadium (also UJ), Loftus Versfeld (Tshwane), University of Pretoria (Tshwane), Pilditch Stadium (Tshwane), TUT Stadium (Tshwane), Germiston Stadium (Ekurhuleni), Vosloorus Stadium (Ekurhuleni)

The board of governors put forward the FNB Stadium, Orlando Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium, Rand Stadium, Makhulong Stadium, Ellis Park, Bidvest Wits, Loftus Versfeld, Lucas Moripe Stadium, University of Pretoria Stadium and the Tsakane Stadium as the match venues.

This despite Gauteng being the new epicentre for the coronavirus having overtaken the Western Cape in terms of the number of confirmed positive cases this week.   

However, the resolution by the board of governors is subject to government's approval but Safa is against the idea of exposing players and match officials to the coronavirus so soon. 

In his response to Madlala's emailed letter, Motlanthe said he was surprised by the contents of the letter, especially because it came hours after the two football bodies agreed to postpone their meeting. 

The reason for the postponement was because PSL compliance officer Michael Murphy wasn't present due to health issues. 

"I would like to express utter surprise at the contents of the letter, coming as it does only a few hours after we agreed at our meeting, (at the request of the NSL) that we cannot conduct any substantive deliberations due to Mr Murphy's absence due to ill health," said Motlanthe.

Furthermore, Motlanthe feels the PSL's resolution undermines Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa's directive that Safa should oversee the return-to-play. 

He indicated Safa's stance that no football should be played before August 1 to ensure the safety of the players and officials, including match officials, in his response. 

It is for that reason the association said it will being their head of referees Tenda Mashikhwa to their Monday meeting with the PSL, confirmed Motlanthe. 

"The unilateral confirmation of training venues and date for resumption of play on 18 July 2020 by the NSL is against the spirit of our meeting and the resolutions of the Joint Liaison Committee," he added.

"Sadly, it also undermines Minister Mthethwa's directive that the Association should play an overarching role in this matter," he added.

"I wish to reiterate two critical factors we outlined at the meeting today [Friday], namely; that we are committed to the resumption of play under safe conditions wherein the safety of players, team officials, match officials and other participants is not compromised and secondly, that for the reasons outlined at the meeting and in the presentation I have since sent you, it is not practical to expect the resumption of play before 1 August 2020.

"It is for this reason that we agreed to invite the management of the Referees Department to our next meeting to outline their project timelines, which will then enable all of us to make informed, responsible decisions." 

Safa feels the match officials won't be ready to get on with the work on July 18.  

"One of the primary considerations for the return to play is that the mobilization, administration, group training, and conditioning of match officials cannot be done with haste. It must be executed meticulously and with due regard to for Caf and Fifa prescripts. This is in addition to the prerogative to respect the process outlined by the government," explained Motlanthe. 

PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza is set to address the media on the return of football at 12:00 on Monday. 

Harambee Stars legend Dennis Oliech has welcomed the move by Wazito FC to release 12 players, so far,  over what was termed as under-performance.

The Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side axed foreigners Issioffu Bourahana, Paul Acquah, Piscas Kirenge and Augustine Otu. Others released include goalkeepers Steve Njunge and Kevin Omondi. Victor Ndinya, Teddy Osok, Derrick Otanga and Lloyd Wahome were not spared either.

Striker Paul Kiongers, whose short contract with the team had expired as well, was let go.

Club owner Ricardo Badoer took to Twitter to slam the released players, saying they were being paid for doing nothing, and they were signed without his approval.

His statements received wide-spread criticism but Oliech suggested the Wazito owner was justified with his remarks.

"I like people who are firmly in charge of their teams and take the bull by his horns like Ricardo [Badoer]," Oliech said as quoted by Nairobi News.

"I support his decision to axe the lazy players because they were a big let down to him. 

"Gor Mahia players and other clubs have been suffering after failing to get pay for months yet Wazito players have been paid to date but didn’t perform on the pitch.

"They were just not committed to the team."

The 35-year-old believes the Swedish investor would have been the ideal Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president, only he is not Kenyan.

"Nobody would want to invest and pay underperformers even in business," Oliech added.

"If he was a Kenyan, I would have vouched for him to lead the federation because he is a no-nonsense man in management.

"He is firmly in charge of his team and rewards hard work by retaining those who are ready to excel."

Kiongera has since shed some light on why he parted ways with the 2018/19 National Super League side.

"I take this opportunity to thank the management and teammates for the great time and the success we achieved together at Wazito," Kiongera wrote on his social media pages.

"However, due to differences in opinion as regards my terms of engagement I'm to take a new challenge elsewhere."

The former Gor Mahia striker managed to score four goals before the season was halted in mid-March owing to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Fans travelling to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup can expect a truly special and unique experience, says CEO of the World Cup Nasser Al Khater.

The tournament is set to be one of the most compact World Cups ever held, with all the eight venues situated quite close to each other. This is apart from other pioneering aspects like the use of cuttng-edge technology like the Stadium Cooling and other similar initiatives that make the first ever World Cup to be held in the Middle-East unique.

Al Khater says that much of their planning for the World Cup has centred around ensuring the fans have a lot to engage themselves in.

"Much of our focus remains on operational planning and ensuring we offer a fan experience which makes this World Cup unique,” said Al Khater during a webinar hosted by the Swiss Business Council Qatar.

Given the close proximity of the stadiums, there is a possibility for fans to watch even two or more games in one day in Qatar. Al Khater says the organising committee is focusing on ensuring adequate travel arangements to facilitate their movement.

Al Khater also promises dedicated fan zones in strategic locations which will feature a wide vareity of activities to satiate football fans.

"We want to make sure fans have a holistic experience in terms of transport and are able to watch more than one match per day. There will be large fan zones in strategic locations, a vast range of activities and the opportunity to walk between West Bay and Souq Waqif."

The high-ranking Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) official also revealed that more than 85 per cent of the construction work for the 2022 event has been completed, with two more stadiums set to be unveiled before the end of 2020.

Despite the work being slowed down due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, all construction work will be completed at least a year before the tournament is slated to begin.

"We have reached 85 per cent completion across our construction portfolio. Two more stadiums will be launched by the end of this year, followed by Lusail, Al Thumama and Ras Abu Aboud in 2021. We will have at least a year between the completion of the stadiums and the beginning of the World Cup.”

Al Khater added: “The pandemic has affected everyone – and of course our project is not immune. However, preparations have continued and we have taken all the necessary health and safety measures – in line with government regulations. We have all become very familiar with Zoom and Microsoft Teams in recent months.”

Qatar recently unveiled the Education City stadium - the third World Cup 2022 venue to be inaugurated - after a digital ceremony that paid tribute to frontline health workers fighting the pandemic.

Graeme Souness believes Tottenham are "stalling" under Jose Mourinho and have fallen behind Arsenal.

Despite reaching the Champions League final last season, Spurs have endured a turbulent 2019-20 campaign.

Mourinho took charge of the London side in November after the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino, but the Portuguese has been unable to get them back in form.

Having won just two of their last 11 matches in all competitions, Spurs are 10th in the Premier League and have crashed out of the Champions League and FA Cup.

Souness believes the Tottenham job is the toughest the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid boss has faced so far in his career, but fears they are falling further behind their rivals.

"It seems strange to say this when you consider that Tottenham reached the Champions League final last June and have finished in the top four in the past four seasons while Arsenal have not made it into that bracket since 2016, but ask yourself this: who would you rather be managing right now — Tottenham or Arsenal?," the ex-Liverpool manager wrote in The Times.

"Arsenal are a long way from the finished article but they have two strikers with good scoring rates in Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and some young players, most notably Bukayo Saka, who provide energy and the promise of something good to come not far down the line.

"Tottenham look like a club which is stalling. Against Bournemouth last Thursday and in defeat by Sheffield United a week before, their players looked like they were ready to hit the beach.

"That is inexcusable at any time for a professional footballer but especially when you consider that when they went into the latter fixture Champions League qualification was far from a distant prospect.

"What Mourinho must be realising is that the club’s progression to the Champions League final papered over the cracks.

"They played some brilliant football and showed huge character to come through the quarter-final against Manchester City and semi-final against Ajax yet they also played some very sloppy football in those ties and ran out of steam in the final weeks of last season."

He continued: "Last summer they spent more than £50 million on Tanguy Ndombele. Unfortunately, he has yet to prove that he can cut it in the Premier League.

"Recruitment is integral to a successful club but at Tottenham it’s not clear who is in charge of it and what the strategy is.

"For Mourinho, it’s a bit like when he took over at Old Trafford — but without the big budget."

While Souness believes Spurs must address their ageing and underwhelming defence, he is more concerned about their chances of convincing star striker Harry Kane to stay.

"The worry must be, though, that Kane is gone within a year. He turns 27 later this month so is in his prime yet has no honours to show for being one of the best strikers in the world," he added.

"You will often hear the phrase 'Show us yer medals' in the context of footballers sizing up a manager. There comes a time too though when the best players must turn that phrase on themselves. Kane has no medals to put in his trophy cabinet. However well paid he is and however loyal he feels to the club, that should annoy the hell out of him.

"It’s not even as if he will have Champions League football next season. In fact, Spurs will be lucky if they are back in it the year after that because Chelsea, Manchester United and, possibly, Arsenal are getting their acts together.

"My take on Spurs is that they are back to the same position they found themselves in when Mauricio Pochettino took over in 2014."

Marcus Rashford deserves more credit for his "amazing" teamwork for Manchester United despite his goal return drying up, Bruno Fernandes says.

Rashford reached 20 for the season in all competitions with a penalty in the 5-2 Premier League win over Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

This has been the England forward's most productive campaign of his career in terms of goal involvements, but he has not yet scored from open play since the Premier League returned last month.

Fernandes has had no such trouble finding the net, his four goals in his past three league games helping him to win the Premier League Player of the Month award for the second time in a row.

But the Portugal star insists Rashford is hugely important for a United side unbeaten in 17 matches and with a top-four finish now in their own hands.

"I think everyone is talking about Marcus not scoring a lot of goals but he is doing an amazing job," Fernandes told United's website ahead of Monday's clash with Southampton.

"The game he is playing now, maybe he is not achieving his goals and everything but, with everything we are doing now, he will achieve more goals and more assists.

"In the games, in the complete football, because football is not just about goals and assists, it is about the team and Marcus is playing very well for the team.

"I hope Marcus can find more goals because he deserves it for the work he is doing for the team, and nobody sees it because everyone sees the goals and who scores and assists. The work he is doing for the team is amazing.

"Marcus was injured for a long time so it's difficult to find that confidence again, to do things like shoot from far out. But he is doing an amazing job for the group and I think he deserves credit for this."

Fernandes drew attention to Rashford's off-the-ball run in the 3-0 win at Brighton that helped to create the space for the swift counter-attack that ended with Fernandes volleying in United's third goal.

"The play we did, the way we came to score, means it's one of the best goals from a team [perspective] that I've scored,” he said.

"That's because of all the teamwork. We won the ball with the header from H [Harry Maguire], Nemanja [Matic] takes the ball and Mason [Greenwood] did an amazing run but, at that moment, Rashy did a perfect run.

"He was one of the far [off] guys but comes so fast to the goal that defenders know if they give him space, he will score. 

"So maybe he [the defender] closes him down being closer to the ball and, when the cross comes over, and it was a great ball by Mason, after that I just need to score the goal."

Former Orlando Pirates winger Tlou Segolela has suggested that the Soweto giants sign a goalkeeper, centre-back and a midfielder in the next transfer window.

Following a season in which Pirates’ chances of lifting the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title are very slim, Segolela feels that the team should be beefed up for next term.

“As you see, Pirates now have a nice foundation,” said Segolela as per Sun Sport.

“I can say the team needs to sign a centre-back, goalkeeper and in the middle, they need that one hard player who will do the dirty job for them and release the attacking players to score goals.”

Pirates have scored the second-highest number of goals (35) in the PSL so far this season and coach Josef Zinnbauer appears to have a decent strikeforce highlighted by the league's top goal-scorer Frank Mhango, who has scored 14 times.

This has left Segolela recommending reinforcement in other departments.

Experienced Wayne Sandilands is the current Pirates number one goalkeeper and he was having a good season before football was paused in South Africa after a nervy start to the term.

They also have Siyabonga Mphontshane, who has struggled for game time, and Frenchman Joris Delle, who started the season ahead of Sandilands but was elbowed out as number one after a series of blunders.

This has seen the Soweto giants being linked with Bidvest Wits shot-stopper Brandon Peterson and Maritzburg United’s Richard Ofori.

In the backline, Pirates have been battling to find a trusted partner for captain Happy Jele at the heart of the defence.

Largely due to a non-impressive combination between the goalkeeping department and defenders, Pirates have conceded the highest number of goals (26) in the top six in the PSL standings.

The arrival of South Africa and Bidvest Wits skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo, who is strongly linked with a move to the club, would be a big catch for Zinnbauer.

Former Maritzburg defender and free agent Siyanda Xulu has also been talked about as a Pirates transfer target, together with his former central defence partner at the Team of Choice, Rushine de Reuck, who is reportedly eyeing a move to Europe.

Wits midfielder Deon Hotto has also been reported as on Pirates' radar and but it remains to be seen if Zinnbauer manages to secure most of his rumoured targets.

Segolela has hailed the German as having made players believe in his coaching methods.

“Players are starting to believe in the coach’s philosophy, style of play. Usually, those things take long but they have to get it right,” Segolela said.

Pirates are currently in the fourth position on the PSL log but have strong chances of finishing third, which would hand them a spot in the Caf Confederation Cup next season.

Yanga SC communication officer Juma Antonio Nugaz has taunted his counterpart from Simba SC, Haji Manara, stating the Jangwani-based side is ready 'to fluke' again in Sunday's Kariakoo Derby.

A Bernard Morrisson free-kick handed Timu ya Wananchi maximum points in the last meeting on Sunday, March 8 at the National Stadium.

Despite the defeat, Manara has been insisting it was a fluke and Wekundu wa Msimbazi were the better side and they will prove so in the FA Cup semi-final match.

"We can not stop [Manara] from talking, but if we fluked to beat them in the last meeting, then be rest assured we are determined to fluke again and win on Sunday," Nugaz told reporters.

"Preparations have been on point and we know we have a point to prove at the National Stadium. We are determined to show Simba that we are a quality side and can get back to back wins against them."

The Msimbazi-based side have been boasting about the depth in their squad which gives coach Sven Vandenbroeck a chance to rotate as he pleases. However, that does not worry their opponents.

"We believe in the quality we have in our players and not about quantity," Nugaz continued. 

"Coach [Luc Eymael] understands our players better and we have faith he will select a side capable of sending us to the final of the FA Cup. It is all about who can deliver what on the pitch.

"So for [Simba] having many players, it does not worry us, the many players they have will not all be involved. Just selected 11, same case with us. The selected ones will meet and battle it out on the pitch."

Simba have already won the league and are guaranteed a place in the Caf Champions League. For Timu ya Wananchi, Sunday's game means more than getting bragging rights, with a spot in the Caf Confederations Cup on the line.

"Kariakoo Derby is a massive game which every team want to win, and we want to ensure we give our fans something to brag about," Nugaz continued.

"But apart from getting the bragging rights, we want to play in continental assignments next season, we want to play in the Caf Confederation Cup and it is the reason why we must win the derby."

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga failed to score again as Kashiwa Reysol registered a straight third loss on Saturday.

Olunga and Reysol were tormented by Kawasaki Fontale at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium as they lost 3-1.

It was the third match for the J2 League 2019 title winners since the resumption of the Japanese league after losing initial matches to Tokyo FC and Yokohama FC.

A double from Akihiro Lenaga, in the 40th and in the 42nd minutes, was enough to ensure Kawasaki Frontale went to the half-time break with a clear lead. Kyohei Nabarizato, incidentally, was the provider of both assists.

Kawasaki Frontale scored the third goal seven minutes after the resumption of the second half through Leandro Damiao to ensure Olunga and his company were not going back home to Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa with any points.

Hiroto Goya scored Kashiwa Reysol’s lone goal four minutes after Damiao’s to deny the home side a clean sheet.

The win took Kawasaki Frontale to the top of the table with 10 points after four matches played. Olunga and Kashiwa Reysol dropped to the 14th position as they find the top-flight journey rather tough at this point.

In another Saturday match, Oita Trinita drew 1-1 against Vissel Kobe. There will be seven matches scheduled to be played on Sunday as the league gathers speed following a suspension that saw it halt matches for close to four months.

A win for Sagan Tosu against Sanfrecce Hiroshima will see them go ahead of Kashiwa Reysol on four points against the latter’s three.

The matches are being played behind closed doors as a measure to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

Olunga opened his maiden J1 League campaign with a double for Kashiwa Reysol against Consadole Sapporo on February 22.

The former Gor Mahia and Thika United star had expressed fear his form might go down when football activities were suspended.

“I had scored against Gamba Osaka in the J-Cup and then scored in the first league match of the season and then the games were stopped,” Olunga explained in an earlier interview.

“With that form, I was looking to be among the top scorers in the league here and also positively influence the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.”

Kashiwa Reyol’s next match will be against Shonan Bellmare on July 18.

Gian Piero Gasperini was proud of Atalanta after a 2-2 draw with Juventus, but felt his side deserved to win.

Atalanta led twice through Duvan Zapata and Ruslan Malinovskiy, but Cristiano Ronaldo scored penalties to cancel out both goals, including a 90th-minute equaliser in Turin on Saturday.

While Gasperini was proud of his team, the Atalanta coach believes they deserved all three points.

"I'm definitely more proud. We played great in the first half and in the second half there was a comeback by Juve," he told a news conference.

"But with our play, we managed to take the lead and play a great game anyway. Of course, we are also upset because we deserved to win.

"But, in football, your performance is not always enough."

He added: “We were ahead until the last minute and we did everything to deserve the win.

“We said qualifying for the Champions League for the second year in a row was our ultimate aim, so after that finishing third or second is about prestige, but the objective remains the same.

“I thought we started quite strong this season, then of course the Champions League took some energy out of us. The real points we dropped were in the games with Lazio, Juventus and Inter, but then we never did target the Serie A title.

“We’ve raised the bar and are hitting our targets anyway. We can’t think of the Scudetto. It’s already infuriating many people to see us in the Champions League, as it brings with it so much financial gain and prestige.

“We’re seeing the team grow every year. We didn’t have this kind of character to play like this at the Juventus Stadium in the past, but if we keep getting results and performances, we do grow.

“Juventus have the Scudetto, they’re not going to let it go. I don’t know how much longer we can keep winning games, but it’s in any case a way of testing ourselves for the Champions League and we fully intend to make a good impression in Europe.”

With six games left to play in Serie A, Atalanta are third in the table, nine points adrift of Juventus.

Simba SC team manager Patrick Rweyemamu has revealed why they have to beat rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC) in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The two Tanzania giants will face off in the domestic Cup at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

Rweyemanu insisted their main target is to avenge the 1-0 defeat they suffered against Yanga in the second round league fixture and also play the derby in a respectful manner.

The two sides have already met twice this season already - Yanga came from a goal down to secure a 2-2 draw in the first round contest before they turned on the screw to beat Simba 1-0 in the second-round match.

“Yanga beat us in the second round match of the league and we want to erase that defeat as quickly as we can, we want to win and make sure we have earned sweet revenge,” Rweyemamu told the club’s official website.

“It is not good for a side like Simba to be losing against Yanga, we want to make sure we keep the respect in the derby, we want to show them we are the best team in Tanzania, we want to show them we are the league champions and also the best in the derby.

“We have given our players all the support they need, we have motivated them well, we know they are ready to do the job and the coach is also ready to give us the best squad, all we want now is our fans to rally behind the team, we have to win the derby.”

On behalf of the players, Simba captain John Bocco assured the fans they are ready to earn revenge against their sworn rivals.

“All the players are ready, we are ready, we have received all the support we need as players from the management and our work now is to make sure we win the match for the fans,” Bocco also told the club website.

“We respect Yanga very much, we know they have a good squad, they have good players and a good coach but we have to make sure we win the match because our main aim is to seal a double this season and also revenge the league defeat.”

Simba are keen to complete a double having won the Mainland Premier League title for the third season in a row while Yanga will be keen to reach the final of the domestic Cup and win the trophy so as to get a direct ticket to Caf Confederation Cup.

Leke James continued his fine scoring run for Molde as they recorded a 3-0 victory over FK Haugesund on Saturday.

Having failed to find the net against Kristiansund and Mjondalen, the Nigerian rediscovered his scoring form against the hosts who came into the clash unbeaten in their last four games.

Eirik Andersen handed Molde an 18th-minute lead thanks to Magnus Eikrem’s assist. He fired home from close range with defender Benjamin Hansen unable to prevent the ball from beating goalkeeper Helge Sandvik.

Twelve minutes later, Etzaz Hussain increased the advantage when the midfielder headed home a simple cross from Ola Brynhildsen inside Haugesund’s goal area.

In the second half, the hosts attacked in their numbers but were repeatedly denied by impressive Helge Sandvik.

In the 78 minutes, James put the game beyond the hosts after his header beat Sandvik, with Mattias Mostrom credited for the assist.

The goal was his third in five games so far this term and he would be hoping to better last season’s tally where he found the net 17 times from 28 Norwegian elite division outings.

Cote d’Ivoire forward Mathis Bolly was not listed for the game by manager Erling Moe, nor was Gambian forward Sheriff Sinyan.

Senegal’s Ibrahima Wadji was nowhere to be found in the Seagulls’ team list, while Cote d’Ivoire’s Benjamin Karamoko was an unused substitute.

Thanks to this win, Molde have gone seven games without any defeat (six wins, one draw) to top the log having garnered 19 points – one point above Bodoe/Glimt who are in second place.

They welcome 12th-placed Viking to the Aker Stadium as they look to defend the title they won last season.

Born in Kaduna 27 years ago, James began his career at Bridge Boys before heading for Aalesund in 2012.

After three seasons at the Color Line Stadium, he signed for Chinese League One side Beijing Enterprises before moving to Molde on a three-year contract in 2018.

He made his debut on 26 July, 2018 when he came on as a 67th-minute substitute in their 3–0 win against Laci in the 2018–19 Europa League second qualifying round and scored the game’s third goal.

Jean-Pierre Nsame found the net as Young Boys suffered a major title setback following Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to FC Basel in the Swiss Super League.

Gerardo Seoane’s men went into the game needing a win to extend their lead at the summit; however, their failure to earn at least a point at St. Jakob-Park saw them become joint-leaders with St. Gallen.

In the five-goal thriller, the hosts took a 13th-minute lead through Samuele Campo. The Swiss midfielder got a defence-splitting pass from 21-year-old Angolan Afimico Pululu before unleashing a shot past goalkeeper David Von Ballmoos.

Basel doubled their lead three minutes into the second-half through Arthur, who tapped in from close range after Valentin Stocker’s assist.

In the 61st minute, Arthur completed his brace as the hosts raced to a 3-0 lead after heading home a cross from Stocker.

Five minutes later, Nsame reduced the deficit - the Cameroonian capitalised on some shambolic defending from Silvan Widmer to beat goalkeeper Jonas Omlin.

Young Boys were on course to turn the game around after Christian Fassnacht’s effort, however, those hopes were dashed after Michel Aebischer was given his marching orders for a second caution from referee Sandro Scharer.

Even at that, Nsame won a last-gasp penalty for Gerardo Seoane’s men after he was brought down by an onrushing Omlin, but substitute Miralem Sulejmani fluffed the chance as the goalkeeper guessed the right way.

Thanks to his latest effort, the 27-year-old striker has now recorded 24 goals this season to steer further clear of Golden Boot challenger Arthur and Cedric Itten, who have hit the target on 13 occasions.

His compatriot Nicolas Ngamaleu was handed a starter’s role but was replaced by Congolese star Meschak Elia at half-time, with Guinean defender Mohamed Camara seeing every minute of action.

For the hosts, French-born Angolan forward Pululu – who featured in his 18th game of the season - was a 72nd-minute replacement for Dimitri Oberlin. His only goal so far came in the 4-0 thumping of Sion on December 8, 2019.

Nsame’s Young Boys would be hoping to return to winning ways when they welcome fourth-placed Servette to Bern’s Stade de Suisse on Wednesday.

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has dismissed talk of his assistant John Terry leaving to take charge of Bristol City.

The former Chelsea centre-back has been touted as one of the top candidates to fill the vacant role at the Championship club.

Bristol sacked Lee Johnson this week after they went nine games without a win and they now sit three points adrift of the last playoff spot.

But Villa coach Smith says there is no chance Terry will abandon the Premier League side amid their fight for survival and doubts the ex-England star will be on the move this summer, either.

"I have spoken to John and he is fully committed to our cause here at Aston Villa,” he told Sky Sports.

"I don't think we can look at the summer, we've got to look at now.

"They've got Dean Holden, a former coach of mine, in charge at the moment. He is working hard for his club and JT is certainly working very hard for me.

"We've got a very good relationship and we enjoy working together."

Villa are second bottom of the English top-flight and seven points from safety with four games left to play.

Smith’s team have collected just two points from their last 10 Premier League matches but he is confident they can pick up points before the campaign comes to an end.

"We've got four massive games to come and they're not against Man Utd or Liverpool, they're against teams we feel we can be competitive against but there is an awful lot of quality in the Premier League,” he added.

"Our concentration now is fully on Crystal Palace. They won their first game after lockdown at Bournemouth 2-0 but they've lost their last four.

"I watched their last game against Chelsea and they were very good, they were very unfortunate they didn't get a result in that game.

"We have to just make sure we concentrate on ourselves and that we are performing to the levels we can.

"Now we face a team in Crystal Palace we feel we can be competitive against rather than the internationals at Liverpool and Manchester United.”

Biashara United coach Francis Baraza has picked Young Africans (Yanga SC) to emerge winners in the FA Cup semi-final clash against rivals Simba SC on Sunday.

The two Tanzanian giants will face off in the domestic Cup fixture at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, with Simba coming into the match having been crowned champions of the Mainland Premier League while Yanga are third on the 20-team league table.

The Kenyan coach has now told Goal why he feels Yanga will carry the day in the derby, whose winner will qualify for the final and face Namungo FC, who beat Sahare All-Stars 1-0 in the other semi-finals clash staged on Saturday.

“In any derby, and in my own opinion as the coach of Biashara, I look at it as a derby and I know all matches in derby are hotly contested, but all I know, because I have also played in derbies in Kenya, any team that is not doing well in the league [or simply struggling], when they meet with the best team in the derby, the struggling side will always win,"  Baraza told Goal on Sunday.

“That is how a derby goes, a team struggling will always put pressure on the favourite team and they end up winning the match, it happens not in Tanzania alone but in all derbies that I know and I have always followed.

“So in my own opinion, Yanga are not doing well like Simba and now they are struggling, and when I look at how they have been playing in recent matches, I feel they [Yanga] will carry the day on Sunday.”

It will be the third meeting between the two giants this season with the first round fixture ending 2-2 while Yanga turned on the screw in the second-round contest to win 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Bernard Morrison.

Baraza’s sentiments come just a day after former Yanga coach Mwinyi Zahera also tipped his former side to eliminate Simba.

“Yanga have the biggest chance to beat Simba because they are doing better technically than their opponents and especially they are always better when playing against them [Simba],” Mwinyi was quoted by Sokaletu.

“All Yanga need to do is to continue with where they left, they played very well in the last league match and won 1-0 and they can still win the domestic Cup contest, they stand a good chance.

“Also I know the team is now being handled well by sponsors GSM, they know how to treat the players and with such motivation, they cannot lose in the derby.

“Furthermore, Yanga know very well that if they win the trophy they have a straight ticket to continental football next season, and that is why they will strive even harder to perform, I give them my support and I know they will make it to the final.”

The eagerly awaited derby will kick-off at 17:00 East African time.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) skipper Papy Tshishimbi has been given the green light by doctors to face Simba SC in the semi-finals of the FA Cup at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

The two giants will face off in the domestic Cup competition on Sunday with Simba eyeing the trophy to complete the double while Yanga are keen to win the trophy and snatch a ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup.

It will be the third meeting between the two giants this season, with the first round fixture ending 2-2 while Yanga turned on the screw in the second-round contest to win 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Bernard Morrison.

Yanga information officer Antonio Nugaz has now confirmed that Tshishimbi, who is yet to play for the giants since the football action returned in Tanzania on June 13 owing to injury, is now fit and ready to play in the crucial fixture.

“We have prepared well for the match, we know we are playing against Simba, one rival but I am happy that all the players starting with our captain [Tshishimbi] have been declared fit to play,” Nugaz told reporters in Dar Salaam on Saturday.

“It is now upon the coach to see if Tshishimbi can play any role but our doctors are happy with his progress, he has worked hard in training the whole of this week and he wants to play in the derby, only the coach will make the decision not us, but he is fit to lead us in the match.

“We know Simba are keen to win a double but we also need to the trophy to be assured of continental football next season, so we are well prepared to win the match and reach the final, it is our hope that the players will maintain their usual commitment when playing against them [Simba] and I know we will get a positive result.”

Meanwhile, Simba SC information officer Haji Manara says the pressure is with Yanga since if they lose, they will not play continental football next season.

“They will play to win the match and we will play to revenge for the loss we have suffered from them this season and here is where the toughness of the game is,” Manara told reporters.

He added they have already talked with their players to fight hard for the victory insisting that real celebrations come when a team triumphs in derby games.

The winner of the match will reach the final where they will face Namungo FC, who beat Sahare All Stars 1-0 in the other semi-final clash staged on Saturday.

Unlike most other major football competitions, the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup tournament, Southeast Asia's top international competition does not look like it will be impacted too severely by the coronavirus pandemic.

The November 31 - December 31 2020 date scheduled earlier has been retained, thanks to how late it is in the year.

The AFF (Asean Football Federation) is very likely to hold this year's edition, judging by the fact that they have renewed sponsorship deals as well as signed on with new sponsors for the tournament, beginning this year.

While most international tournaments that had been scheduled to take place this year, have been postponed to 2021 instead, it seems that the AFF Suzuki Cup will be the first international tournament to be played post Covid-19 outbreak!

Goal brings you everything you need to know about the upcoming 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup draw, as well as the format of the competition.

Contents

When is the AFF Suzuki Cup draw?

Although most of the information regarding the coming edition is yet to be confirmed, so far, only the date of the final tournament has been officially confirmed. The draw will be held sometime in August.

Where will the AFF Suzuki Cup draw take place and how can I watch it?

The finals draw is expected to be held in Vietnam, although the details of the draw broadcast has not been announced. However, fans can expect the draw to be shown live on cable television and/or on official streaming.

Which teams will play at the AFF Suzuki Cup?

Nine teams will automatically qualify for the finals, while the tenth spot will go to the qualification play-off winner between the two lowest ranked AFF teams; Brunei and East Timor.

Australia, who is also an AFF nation, at least nominally, is expected to be absent again from the competition, although there has been renewed interest in taking part in the competition due to the success of the 2018 edition's format change.

Timor-Leste vs Philippines in the 2018 edition. Photo from AFF/Lagardere

When and where will the AFF Suzuki Cup take place?

The 2018 edition did away with the host nation format, with teams their playing group stage matches at home and away alternately, and the semi-final and final stages held also home and away. The change was successful, resulting in improved attendance as well as better gate collection.

It was reported that the AFF hopes to retain this format this year, but if this is not possible, Vietnam has expressed their eagerness to hold this year's tournament from start to finish. The country with a population of nearly 100 million was a coronavirus response  success story, recording only 370 cases and no deaths. When football returned to the country, it did not need to be played behind closed doors. Perhaps the chance to defend their title at home has also spurred them to offer to host the coming edition.

Only the date of the tournament has been confirmed so far; from November 31 to December 31 2020.

My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi. Photo from Getty

Who won the AFF Suzuki Cup in 2018?

The most recent edition was won by the Golden Dragon under their talismanic South Korean head coach Park Hang-seo, for their second AFF Suzuki Cup title. The two legged-final was first played in Kuala Lumpur, with the visitors racing to a 2-0 lead before the hosts clawed their way back into the game to tie it 2-2. The second leg in Hanoi was an anti-climactic affair, a sixth-minute goal by Nguyễn Anh Đức sealing the win for Vietnam.

Who has won the most AFF Suzuki Cup titles?

Only four countries have won the championship since it was first contested in 1996; Thailand are the most successful side while Malaysia have won it once. Singapore have won it four times, emerging the winner everytime they were in the final match. Indonesia meanwhile are the perennial bridesmaids, having reached the final five times without ever winning it.

Can Milan continue their good form against Napoli, after their stunning win in the previous win?

Thailand winning the 2014 edition. Photo by Thana Wongmanee / Goal Thailand

What are the rule changes?

In June, the AFF council announced the approval of several rule changes to the competition, in line with the post-Covid 19 changes approved by FIFA earlier. For this edition, teams will be allowed to list 70 players on their provisional squad, as compared to 50 previously. The competition squad has also been increased to 30 from 23, while the matchday squad may include up to 23 players, three more players than before.

Meanwhile, each team will be allowed to make a maximum of five player substitutions in each match, although they will only be allowed to make substitutions three times in a match.

Keep updated of the latest 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup news on Goal !

On July 10, the first board meeting of the new entity ATK Mohun Bagan FC took place where it was decided to retain the iconic green and maroon jersey and the boatman logo, which has been synonymous with the 131-year history of Mohun Bagan.

After the declaration of the new entity, the board members gave an assurance to the fans of better days to come. Goal takes a look at the four promises that stand out.

Mohun Bagan's club tent at the Gostho Pal Sarani will be renovated so that the players get access to the best infrastructure and training to compete in domestic and continental competitions. But to build any permanent structure the club management needs to get permission from the Indian Army who remains the de-facto owner of the plot.

It remains to be seen how and when this project sees light of the day.

It is no surprise that the three-time ISL winners are eyeing a spot at the AFC Champions League, the marquee club tournament of the continent. The directors promised that significant investments will be made to ensure refurbishment of the existing Mohun Bagan facility so that ISL and AFC home games are held there.

But to host AFC matches at the Bagan ground would require massive upgradation of the infrastructure to meet AFC standards. 

The management has assured that it will invest in building a world-class football academy in Bengal which will help the local players upskill their talent. ATK Mohun Bagan soccer schools will be launched across the country which will impart high-quality football education. 

Currently, Mohun Bagan have an academy in partnership with SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd) but lately, it has not been in the best of financial health. It remains to be seen if ATK Mohun Bagan will upgrade this facility or build a new one from scratch.

"If I can, I would like to upgrade the facilities at the Mohun Bagan ground. It is part of the city's history. As we have grown up, each one of us has seen that it is iconic. But, it needs up-gradation, modernization, and needs to be reconstructed in a manner that is different. And, if I can I would definitely like to upgrade the facilities such that to begin with we can have ISL games there. But over a period of time, maybe have AFC games there as well and really build it into a world-class facility," said Sanjiv Goenka, principal owner of ATK Mohun Bagan.
 

Mohun Bagan have four promising talents in their ranks and all of them have been guaranteed a spot in the squad of the new team. This will ensure that Sk Sahil, Subha Ghosh, Kiyan Nasiri, and Deep Saha get to rub shoulders with the seniors under the tutelage of coach Antonio Habas. But it remains to be seen how many minutes do they get under their belt in the next season. 

Diego Costa denied that his goal in Atletico Madrid's 1-0 victory over Real Betis was scored with the assistance of his arm.

Atleti secured the win they needed to clinch a top-four finish in La Liga on Saturday, despite playing over half an hour with 10 men following Mario Hermoso's straight red card for a foul on Loren Moron.

Costa was sent on as one of a trio of attacking changes just before Hermoso's dismissal and, after Diego Simeone's side absorbed some late pressure, he guided Yannick Carrasco's free-kick into the bottom-right corner to seal the three points.

Betis defender Marc Bartra played Costa onside but a lengthy VAR check was conducted to see whether the Atleti striker had used his arm in the process of scoring.

The replays appeared inconclusive and the goal was allowed to stand, unlike first-half efforts for Angel Correa and Alvaro Morata that were chalked off with video assistance.

"It would be one thing if they called it offside for my goal but it didn't come off my arm. I'm very clear it wasn't [handball] and I'm happy," Costa told Movistar.

"It was a difficult game after Mario's red card. Our goal was to finish in the top four. Now we have that and we've got two more games we have to try to win to continue our good form.

"I think it was a good sign that we scored from a set-piece. We were in control. What happened in the second half made it more difficult, but we had a bit of luck and got the win.

"I don't know why we always have to suffer like this, but we always suffer and win. If we don't suffer, we don't feel right, so we're happy and we'll look for more glory."

Referee Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez maintained his decision to dismiss Hermoso after a trip to the pitch-side monitor, but Costa felt a booking would also have been a fair punishment.

"If they'd given a yellow card for Mario Hermoso then fine. I think it was on the limit and in the end the referee has to make the decision, but I think a yellow or red was fair," he said.

Guido Rodriguez disagreed with Costa's assessment of the goal, claiming the ball clearly struck the attacker's arm.

"We saw that when Costa scored it touched his arm, but they didn't make that decision, so that's how it was," the Betis midfielder said.

"We played with a player more, looking for the goal, but we leave pretty annoyed because we couldn't get it."

Kerala Blasters' all-time top scorer and former PSG striker Bartholomew Ogbeche is the latest name in the list of players who could soon be part of the City Football Group-owned Indian Super League (ISL) club Mumbai City FC.

Blasters and Mumbai City are close to finalizing a deal and if things go as planned, it will be another good move pulled off by the Islanders since the conclusion of the 2019-20 season of ISL. 

The Indian football fraternity was curious and excited when the ISL took it upon themselves to announce the arrival of CFG to India. The owners of clubs such as Manchester City, Melbourne City and Girona officially took a majority stake in Mumbai City in November 2019. 

It was important for the new owners to watch Indian football closely both before and after taking over and that's exactly what they did. The group seems to have done plenty of work behind the scenes and come up with a solid plan for their first full season in charge. And they are making their presence felt in their first summer transfer window. 

Having missed out on a playoff spot last season, changes were bound to be made. They have roped in Sergio Lobera, the master tactician behind the attractive football that FC Goa showcased in the last three seasons. It is a definitive indication of the direction that the club wants to take. 

With a deal for Ogbeche more or less wrapped up, the Nigerian is set to join the likes of former FC Goa stalwarts Ahmed Jahouh, Mourtada Fall and Mandar Rao Dessai in donning the blue kit next season. It is very clear that Mumbai City's squad will be restructured to fit the philosophy of their Spanish head coach. In doing so, the aggressive and professional workflow of the new-look Islanders will help the team put out a strong squad capable of challenging for the title.

Ogbeche, a former wonderkid, has had a phenomenal impact in the ISL although he is 35 years old. Fans can expect more such good moves from their favourite club in the coming days - they are globally known for trying to make a mark with their investment both on and off the field and raise the profile of the club.

Ogbeche is a player who offers a lot to any attack. He gets involved in the build-up play heavily and brings his teammates into play. He scores goals from outside the box with a lethal right foot and also takes up intelligent positions inside the box. It is a trait Sergio Lobera loves in his strikers, as evidenced by how Ferran Corominas has been a success under him at FC Goa.

The move is also mutually beneficial. Ogbeche has pumped in goals galore despite playing for two teams who have struggled to offer him quality service from the wings in the ISL. However, he can expect that to change for the better at Mumbai City with the squad Lobera is assembling and the style his teams play.

It will be interesting to see how the Mumbai City squad shapes up in the coming weeks. 

Somebody other than three-time champions ATK, two-time champions Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC needs to go all out for the ISL trophy for the league to not be termed as a three-horse race.

And going by what is known about Mumbai City's involvement in the transfer market, it is safe to say that they are off to a good start.