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David Radebe believes Kaizer Chiefs were right in firing their immediate former coach Gavin Hunt.

The 56-year-old was fired on May 28 owing to consistent struggles in the PSL that threatened to drag Amakhosi into a relegation battle.

The former striker singled out the perceived lack of communication between the coach and the players as one of the reasons Hunt was let go.

Why does Radebe believe Hunt had to go?

"I think it was a good decision because of his unwanted record of turning Chiefs into [promotion/relegation] play-off candidates man," Radebe said recently.

"I think it was his fault because the communication between him and the players was not right.

"The players were not understanding him very well. A team like Chiefs can't play with youngsters only, you must include some experience.

"For example, [Bernard] Parker is the one helping Chiefs now, the person that at first we thought was finished." 

Who was to blame for the poor domestic form?

Some of the players felt shackled under the former Amakhosi coach and one of them went on to reveal to Goal that they were playing for the badge, and not Hunt. 

Nevertheess, the 41-year-old former attacker does not want to take sides as he believes there was a problem in communication between the players and the coach.

"No way [did the players contribute to Hunt's sacking], it was just a misunderstanding," Radebe continued.

"Personally, I won't say the problem lies with the players or lies with the coach. Players will always behave as players, but as a coach, if you can't manage them then you are going to have a problem. 

"Even now, I couldn't understand why the likes of [Willard] Katsande were not playing. They are the ones who put us up there last season. But this season we are saying they are finished." 

Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele will miss out on the match against TS Galaxy on Saturday.

The defender was cautioned while on the bench on Wednesday during Amakhosi's 3-2 win over Golden Arrows, and now with four yellow cards to his name, will miss out on the match against TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium.

Chiefs must win the game against the Rockets in order to secure a top-eight spot which will allow them to participate in next season's MTN8 competition.

Hansi Flick enjoyed working with "phenomenon" Thomas Muller at Bayern Munich, but was often left with the sense that the World Cup winner was annoying him "on purpose".

Muller remains as important as ever to Bayern at 31, and has earned a recall to the Germany squad for Euro 2020.

He has been part of Bayern's first-team set-up for over a decade, with 581 appearances and 214 goals, with his value never lost on his team-mates or coaches - despite boasting the ability to amaze and frustrate in equal measure.

What has been said?

Flick, who will succeed Joachim Low as Germany's new manager, told Bayern's official website of working with Muller: "Thomas is a phenomenon for me. 

"He doesn't always get everything right in the game, but he brings you significantly more moments of joy as a coach than moments when you're upset about him - for example, when he goes out to the corner when he shouldn't, loses the ball, and a counterattack emerges.

"Sometimes I almost have to laugh and have the feeling that he does this on purpose to annoy me a little and get the adrenaline going again, but he means so much for the team and this club, there will never be anyone like him again. What he has achieved in his career is unique. On top of that he is incredibly down to earth and a really good guy."

The bigger picture

Flick will not be working with Muller at club level next season, with the decision taken to walk away from his contract at Bayern.

Julian Nagelsmann will be filling his shoes in Bavaria, with the highly-rated 33-year-old set to fill the most demanding of all Bundesliga posts.

Flick expects his successor to thrive with the star-studded squad, saying: "I think Julian Nagelsmann will have a lot of fun with this team because they have enormous quality and a great attitude. I've written that to him as well. 

"They're a top team and they know what's important. You have to support them as a coach."

Further reading

Yanga SC have hit a U-turn and confirmed they are ready to face rivals Simba SC in their rescheduled Mainland Premier League fixture on July 3.

On Thursday, the Jangwani giants left the football fraternity in Tanzania in suspense after they claimed they only have four matches remaining to conclude the 2020-21 season, thus excluding the Karioakoo derby which was rescheduled after it failed to take place on May 8.

Yanga media officer Hassan Bumbuli made the comments and insisted they are already done with playing against Simba this season in the league and that their focus is on remaining matches against Ruvu Shooting, Mwadui FC, Ihefu FC, Dodoma Jiji, and also the FA Cup.

However, Bumbuli has clarified he did not say they are not going to face Simba but what he meant the game was not fresh in the calendar having been postponed from May 8 and hence the reason he stated they only have four matches remaining to finish the season.

What has been said?

“What I clearly said is we have only four fresh matches in our calendar to conclude the season and for the Simba game it is a scheduled game which we don’t want to count because it is not part of the fresh games we have not played before this season,” Bumbuli told Goal.

“Rescheduled matches are called matches in hand and not fresh matches and that is why I said this game is not in our plans, but I have not said we will not play against Simba.

“If [TFF] wants us to play Simba now, even today, even tonight [Friday], we are ready to play, but the fresh matches that we are planning for and the ones which even our coach and the technical bench are focused towards are the four matches, but the Simba and Yanga game is on, the game has not been removed and nothing will change.

“We are ready to play Simba any day and June 3 date is still on.”

TPLB warning to Yanga

Earlier on Friday, the Tanzania Premier League Board warned Yanga they will be relegated two divisions down from the top-tier if they make good on their threats and fail to face rivals Simba.

“We have rules that govern the sport in the country and they will be used if Yanga goes ahead and fail to face Simba, the rules are very clear any team that fails to honour a match will be relegated two divisions down,” Kasongo told Goal.

“The rules are not in force because Yanga have said what they have said but the rules are there for all teams to follow and they cut across all clubs in the top-flight, not alone Yanga, so they have to be very careful before doing what they want to do.”

The two giants have only met once this season with the first round contest ending in a 1-1 draw but they are also likely to meet in the domestic cup final if Simba beat Azam FC in their semi-final and Yanga overcome Biashara United.

Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was given a hero’s welcome by his Senegal teammates on his arrival at the national team camp on Thursday evening.

Players and members of the national team management waited until late on Thursday evening to welcome the 29-year-old, who helped Chelsea win the Uefa Champions League trophy last Saturday after a 1-0 victory over Manchester City.

Mendy is the second Senegalese player to lift the coveted European title after Sadio Mane won it with Liverpool in the 2018-19 season.

He played a vital role in the Blues’ successful European campaign with a record nine clean sheets in 12 games.

Following an impressive debut campaign in England, Mendy, who has made himself Chelsea’s no. 1, said he will continue working to improve his game.

"I don't set limits for myself. I try to be better and improve every day," he said.

"When you're in a team like Chelsea, you have to keep in mind that you have to improve and play well. This is the only way you can win titles and impose yourself over time.

"I am very proud and very happy to have lived this moment, it is something rare in the career of a player.

"We had built up a lot of confidence since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel. In particular against Manchester City, as we had beaten them twice. We knew we were better than them physically.

"In the stats, in the data, we were superior to them. We knew that we had to play the perfect game to win this trophy. And, tactically, we played the perfect game."

The 29-year-old will turn his attention to national team duty with Senegal preparing to face Zambia in Thies on Saturday, before taking on Cape Verde in another friendly match scheduled for June 8.

The former Rennes goalkeeper was part of the Teranga Lions set-up that finished second at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and he is hoping to win the continental prize in Cameroon next year.

Mendy played two games at the last Afcon which were in the group stage against Tanzania and Algeria.

Bruno Fernandes is among the contenders for the 2020-21 PFA Player of the Year award, but the Manchester United midfielder admits he would happily swap individual recognition for collective honours.

The Red Devils have ended another campaign empty-handed, with a barren run on the trophy front at Old Trafford stretching beyond the four-year mark.

Portuguese playmaker Fernandes did all he could to change that, with 28 goals and 18 assists recorded in 58 appearances in all competitions, but runner-up finishes in the Premier League and Europa League are all he has to show for those efforts.

What has been said?

On being nominated alongside Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Manchester City quartet Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan for the PFA prize, Fernandes told United's official website: "If we win trophies, it is the most important thing.

"Of course, it’s good for a player to win individual awards and I will never say I don’t want to be the best player in the league or I don’t want to be the PFA Player of the Season. I want to be [that] but I want to be [that] if the team wins trophies. If the team does win trophies, for me, it’s the same. 

"For me, the most important thing is to help my team-mates to also be player of the season. That’s the most important thing because, if someone from the club is player of the season, it means that we do very, very well this season. 

"I think we will always be happy if someone else takes an individual award because it means the team is doing well. Nobody in football, a team sport, wins an individual trophy just doing well himself. You have to do well but you have to have the help of your team-mates to do well. 

"When you have an individual trophy, of course, you are doing really well and deserve the credit but that credit goes to the team because they help you do better and better."

Fernandes' record at United

Fernandes now has 40 goals and 25 assists for United to his name, in just 80 matches.

He has made no secret of a desire to start adding major silverware to the personal praise that has rained down on him, with the Red Devils in the process of piecing together plans for 2021-22 - with plenty of movement expected in the summer recruitment market.

Further reading

Moroka Swallows FC defender Njabulo Ngcobo has responded to transfer rumours linking him with Premier Soccer League side Kaizer Chiefs.

Ngcobo said he is yet to be told where he will go after the current season, although he still has two years left on hiscontract with Swallows.

The 27-year-old has had a good time with the current club and has played 31 games, scored two goals and was nominated for the defender of the season award.

"For now, nothing is clear on my side," Ngcobo told Soccer Laduma.

"I feel like I haven't been well-informed because of some things I've only read about in the papers or on the internet."So, for the time being, I have no idea which team has approached me about my services. Nothing has been finalised."

'Roadblock', as he is affectionally known, maintained his focus is to conclude the season with Swallows and head home for the post-season break but reiterated the desire to remain with the Soweto club amid numerous rumours around his future.

"What I know is that I still have two years left at home [Swallows]," he added. "There’s nothing I know for now and my focus, for now, is with Swallows. We know that the season is ending, and I am going home [Folweni] soon, so I haven’t been informed that I should move or what. 

"As we speak, I’m still staying where I currently am and I’m preparing to go home now because we’re playing our last match this Sunday.

"Already, my things are here knowing that I will return to the place where I’m currently staying when I get back. There’s nothing concrete that has reached me saying, ‘Next season, you are moving' or, ‘Would you be happy to move?’ So, for now, I know I’m still a Swallows player for the next two seasons."

Amakhosi are expected to significantly boost the squad in the transfer window after serving a two-year ban meted out by Fifa.

Chiefs were sanctioned by the Switzerland-based body in 2020 for illegally signing Madagascar star Andriamirado Andrianamimanana.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport found that Chiefs entered into a new contract with 'Dax', who was still under contract with Fosa Juniors FC.

The player, together with Chiefs, were jointly ordered to pay Juniors Fosa $40,000 in damages.

Amakhosi have struggled in the PSL this season, but they have made it to the Caf Champions League semi-finals at the expense of the expensively assembled Simba SC of Tanzania.

The struggles in the PSL saw coach Gavin Hunt shown the exit door last week and the club were placed under interim leadership. 

The expectation from most quarters as India went into their 2022 World Cup qualifying encounter against Qatar on Thursday was that they would be on the receiving end of a hammering. 

Though India had held Qatar to a goalless draw at the very same venue back in September 2019, that was seen as an anomaly - a fluke result. Qatar, reigning Asian Champions, were keen to 'put things right' themselves. 

However, what transpired was not an overwhelming victory for Qatar but a narrow 1-0 win against a bealeaguered India which was battling multiple odds at the same time. Qatar needed a 33rd-minute goal from Abdel Aziz Hatem to notch a hard-earned win against a disciplined Indian defence that weathered almost everything that came their way.

India themselves had one or two chances to score and could have, on another day, eked out a draw or even a win. That was how unimpressive Qatar were on Thursday.

So, this result changes nothing realistically in terms of India's chances of finishing third in the group. But with two key games coming up, what did we learn from Igor Stimac's men's performance on Thursday?

Battling odds off the field and on the field

The 1-0 loss in many ways should be a result India should not be disappointed in any way, given the ordeal they've been through. The players, barring those from the FC Goa set-up (only Glan Martins played on Thursday) and Bengaluru FC, had not seen competitive action since early March. And many other key players were not even able to train professionally given that the most parts of the country were in lockdown following the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

India flew to Qatar without even organising a training camp or playing a friendly and their preparation consisted of only two-to-three hours of training for the last last 10 days. 

And then, the team were further handicapped with injuries and a Covid-19 infection. Key midfielder Rowllin Borges suffered a hamstring injury and was ruled out of this game while another starting midfielder in Anirudh Thapa was diagnosed with Covid-19.  

Without two key midfielders, India had to give a debut to Glan Martins who actually toiled hard for the team. And India, playing a 5-4-1 formation, looked really comfortable dealing with Qatar's attacks until a fateful error by Rahul Bheke, who started as the right wing-back.

Having received a harsh yellow card for his first foul of the game, Bheke committed a blunder by stopping a ball with his outstretched arm, giving the referee no option but to send him off. What it did was hamstring India who had made a good start to the game. And it was no surprise that Qatar opened the scoring soon after. 

The 'ATK Mohun Bagan' defence holds firm

Stimac, in a bid to neutralise the Qatari attack, started with a five-man backline. The central defensive trio - Sandesh Jhingan, Pritam Kotal and Subhasish Bose - all play for ATK Mohun Bagan who had the stingiest defence in the Indian Super League (ISL) last season. 

That solidity and understanding translated to the India colours as well and the trio were very good in thwarting the Qatari attacks. They were brave in their challenges when the game called for it and good in the air too. Credit must also go to Suresh Singh Wangjam who deputised at right-back after Bheke's exit. 

Though India lined up in a socially distanced manner before the game, there was nothing socially distanced in defence during the game. India packed the penalty box with bodies and forced Qatar into going for quite a few long-rangers.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, as usual, was at his best, narrowing down angles when he could and being authoritative in the air. He also pulled off a few good saves. At the end of the day, limiting Qatar to just one goal at their home turf despite playing 70-odd minutes with just 10-men is not a bad result.

Ashique Kuruniyan needs to play upfront

India did not have the luxury to have a ball-playing midfielder in the team after Borges and Thapa were ruled out. Martins and Suresh, who started in midfield, are more of workhorses rather than passmasters. As such, India did not have the chance to play the ball out of midfield and give meaningful service to their forwards, given that the likes of Brandon Fernandes were rested with the upcoming games in mind.

In such a situation, it was Ashique Kuruniyan who explored his adventurous side from his starting position as left wing-back. The Keralite was seen embarking on runs, troubling the Qatari players, on quite a few occasions. He has sort of become a left-back at Bengaluru FC in the recent past after emerging as one of the most promising wingers in the country. 

He created quite a few chances in the game, with one of them a dangerous cross that almost saw Manvir Singh score in the first half. Kuruniyan also went on a mazy run that opened up the entire Qatari defence bar the last man. In fact, he looked eager to make things happen throughout the game. 

His performance against Qatar was proof that Kuruniyan needs to play upfront more where his abilities come of help to the team. Against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Stimac should consider playing the enterprising footballer in attack. 

10-man India went down 1-0 against Qatar in their sixth match of 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers Group E match on Thursday at the Jassim Bin Hamad stadium in Doha. 

Abdel Aziz Hatem scored the only goal of the match in the 34th minute to secure three points for the hosts who remained at the top of the group.

Qatar coach Felix Sanchez Bas was all praise for a resolute Indian side that made it extremely difficult for the Maroons to score goals. 

What did the Qatar head coach say?

"We expected a very tough game. We faced a team who were waiting for very us with many players in defence with very good organisation so it was very difficult to create clear chances but we created a lot. We tried shooting from distance, crossing from the sides, making combinations. We could score one which was enough to get the three points, that was the main target. We are happy with the three points but at the same time, we expected to score some more goals considering the difference there was in the game," opined Sanchez.

India had to defend with just 10-men for more than 73 minutes and still managed to limit Qatar to just one goal. 

He continued, "The red card in the first half made the difference and then I think the plan for us was to win the tie. We didn't change anything. We were playing our game we expect. Of course, playing with 10 men for a long time is not easy at the same time they had many players involved in defending. It was difficult for us to reach their goal."

'Gurpreet had a great game'

The former FC Barcelona youth coach lauded Indian custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's efforts in the goal and felt that his performances were a major reason why his team could not score more goals. 

Gurpreet had also starred for India back in November 2019, coming up with numerous saves as India held Qatar to a goalless draw.

"The team tried everything. We generated more than 25 shots against a team who were waiting inside their box. It is a difficult thing we tried but today it was not effective. Also, they were very organised and their goalkeeper once again had a great game. We have a lot of things to improve but we played a good game and we got the three points which is the most important thing. But a great effort by the opposition," stated the Spaniard.

"India have shown that they are a very difficult team to beat. They concede very few goals in each game which is because of the team as a whole but the goalkeeper (Gurpreet Singh Sandhu) made a big difference. He was once again outstanding and he saved some goals which we created," said the Qatar boss.

Who are India facing next?

India are set to take on Bangladesh next on Monday, June 7, and will finish their campaign with a match against Afghanistan on June 15. India's target will now be to finish third in Group E and avoid a play-off to get into the Asian Cup qualifiers.

Here's how India can finish third in the group

For all that no meeting on a football pitch of Cameroon and Nigeria can ever truly be regarded as 'friendly', Friday’s match between the rival neighbours has a very distinct lack of edge.

There are a number of factors to which this can be chalked up, of course.

The first, and most obvious, is that this is not a match that should be happening at all: Caf qualifying for next year’s World Cup, which was originally slated to begin in June, was abruptly moved back on account of Covid complications. This created a lacuna: an international window that needed filling in some form or fashion.

The solution – Cameroon on short notice, twice in five days – is one that barely suffices and definitely does not satisfy, especially when you consider there are a clutch of European teams preparing for the Euros who are in need of sparring partners.

Sure, this is a fixture to get excited about, one with a rich history. Without adequate build-up, however, some of the important context can be lost.

Then there is the question of personnel.

It is easy enough to motivate players for crucial qualifiers, even with the spectre of unpaid allowances and bonuses hanging over them.

To get them as invested in a hastily thrown-together friendly, against African opposition with whom familiarity has begun to breed contempt, at the end of a brutal, non-stop club season is a whole other proposition.

Having soldiered through what has been a slog of a campaign, no doubt nursing sundry aches, pains, tears and muscle abrasions, the last thing players want to do is shorten deserved holidays, schlep to Austria and play in an afterthought of a match or, in this case, two.

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr admitted as much, telling ESPN, “I think they made this friendly in Austria to give us a good condition for preparation, but I see that it is difficult to motivate the players to come to Europe because some of the players are in Nigeria already...and they have to come back to Europe to play.”

So, predictably, the withdrawals began to roll in.

At the time of writing, there were only 21 in camp, and that only because former U-23 international defender Anthony Izuchukwu, who plays in Slovakia, was drafted in on short notice to address an emergency in defence: of the nine defenders called up initially, six withdrew with injury.

Hardly the best preparation then, although the unavailability of the likes of Semi Ajayi, Zaidu Sanusi, Ola Aina (niggling injury), Victor Osimhen (niggling injury) and Samuel Chukwueze (surgery) will perhaps force Rohr to do what he has seemed reluctant to: experiment a little bit.

The initial list of call-ups was stacked with the usuals, but lacked any real intrigue and seemed to defeat the purpose of friendlies, which is to have a look at other solutions.

For their part, Cameroon appear to have none of the issues plaguing Nigeria, and can count on the services of a number of regulars, including Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, and Karl Toko Ekambi.

However, under coach Toni Conceicao, who was appointed in 2019, the Indomitable Lions have drawn four from eight matches (all ending goalless), underlining his inability (as of yet) to get their attack firing.

They seem healthy at the other end though: six clean sheets, only four goals conceded.

That obviously has a bearing on expectations for Friday: this is by no means a vintage Cameroon, and so it is unlikely there will be much by way of fireworks. Without first-choice striker Osimhen and speedy winger Chukwueze, there is little certainty as to what configuration Rohr will opt for.

Paul Onuachu has yet to truly impress as a starter for Nigeria, and it is unclear how he will dovetail with Kelechi Iheanacho, who will likely play just off him (if he is selected to start, of course).

Moses Simon seems the obvious pick on the right, but he has not featured in that position for Nigeria since the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, and is hardly fresh having only just participated in the relegation play-offs in France.

All this uncertainty suggests there will be little by way of fluidity on Friday as the Super Eagles search for chemistry and solutions. It also, interestingly enough, means the second match, slated for Tuesday, holds more excitement in prospect – with the benefit of more training sessions, as well as 90 minutes of action under their belts, the attacking play should be a lot more cohesive on the second pass.

UAE national team striker Ali Mabkhout is now second on the all-time active goalscorers list in international football, with only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of him.

Mabkhout scored a couple of goals against Malaysia on Thursday evening to take his tally to 73, thirty goals behind Ronaldo.

He scored his first in the 19th minute as he latched onto a pass from Abdullah Ramadan and with the very next touch, managed to get it over Farizal Marlias in goal. The Al Jazira striker had numerous chances in the game but struggled to convert the opportunities.

However, he did score his second of the evening in the 91st minute to make it 4-0 for UAE.

Lionel Messi too got on the score-sheet against Chile with a first half penalty goal and now has 72 international goals, the same as India’s Sunil Chhetri.

With the Asian World Cup qualifying rounds on for another 11 days or so and Argentina to participate in the Copa America, expect the trio of Mabkhout, Messi and Chhetri to get on the score-sheet and add to their tally.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will be in action for Portugal at Euro 2020 where they are grouped alongside Hungary, Germany and France.

Igor Stimac's India went down 1-0 to reigning Asian champions Qatar in their sixth 2022 World Cup qualifying match on Thursday evening.

The national team is currently in Doha and are playing their World Cup qualifiers. India next play Bangladesh on June 7 and then face Afghanistan on June 15. While India does not stand a chance of qualifying for the next round of the World Cup qualifiers, they still can qualify directly for the third round of the Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers if they finish third in the group.

Stimac took charge of the Indian team back in May 2019 on a two-year deal that was supposed to expire last month. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has now extended his stay until September 2021.

The highlight of the Stimac era was the Blue Tigers' draw against reigning Asian champions Qatar in 2019. A gritty Indian side without their star player Sunil Chhetri had managed to hold the mighty Qataris to a goalless draw in their second World Cup qualifying game in Doha. It was a spirited performance by the Blue Tigers and a lot of credit must go to their coach.

In his stint so far, the former Croatian international handed debuts to as many as 20 Indian footballers. FC Goa's midfielder Glan Martins became the 20th player to make his international debut under Stimac on June 3 against Qatar.

India's results under Igor Stimac

Challenges faced by coach Igor Stimac

The biggest challenge that the Croatian faced as India's coach was the 16 months gap where the Indian national team did not play a single game due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. After a busy 2019, where the Blue Tigers played 10 matches under Stimac's tutelage, not a single international match was played in 2020. 

Thus after playing their last competitive game in November 2019, it was only in March 2021, that Stimac got to reassemble the squad. India played two friendly matches against Oman and UAE in March 2021.

Members of the Brazil national team are deeply unhappy that the Copa America has been moved to Brazil in a last-minute switch just weeks before the start of the tournament.

Tite has revealed that there are ongoing talks between his players and confederation president Rogerio Caboclo about rejecting the switch, which was agreed upon by Brazilian authorities last week after original hosts Colombia and Argentina were deemed unsuitable to hold Copa matches. Colombia is dealing with political unrest and Argentina has been rocked by a spike in Covid cases.

Casemiro did not show up to his scheduled press conference on Thursday because of his displeasure with the situation, according to his boss, and Brazil are set to face Ecuador in World Cup qualifying on Friday with the matter still hanging over the squad.

What has been said?

"We've asked the athletes to focus only in the game against Ecuador," Tite said. "Then they've (the players) asked to speak directly to the president (Caboclo).

"It was a very straightforward conversation. And then the players' stance has also became very clear. We have a position but we will not reveal it now.

"Our priority now is to play well and to win against Ecuador.

"We understand that the situation will become clear after this international break. They (the players) have an opinion, they've told it to the president and they will tell it to the people at the right time.

"That was the reason why Casemiro, our skipper, wasn't here for this interview."

What's next for Brazil?

On the pitch, Brazil will clash with Ecuador in World Cup qualifying, but off of it, it's unclear what's to come.

There have been protests against the government regarding the decision to bring the Copa America to the country in the wake of their own Covid contagion and economic uncertainty. However, the Brazilian players themselves have yet to speak out about why they're against hosting the tournament; those comments are expected to come soon.

The Copa America is supposed to begin on June 13.

Further reading

Jordan Siebatcheu picked the perfect time to net his first U.S. men's national team goal, thrilling fans with his late, match-winning header vs Honduras winner in the Nations League semifinal on Thursday night.

Until his late breakthrough, it had been a cagey CONCACAF affair familiar to USMNT veterans but perhaps less so for the many recent newcomers to the squad.

With memories of Christian Pulisic lifting the Champions League trophy still fresh in the minds of many American fans, Siebatcheu's effort provided yet another moment for celebration among USMNT supporters. The squad will now play in the Nations League final on Sunday.

USMNT fans & players react to Siebatcheu winner

What has been said?

"Thats why we put Jordan on," said USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter to reporters.

"He's a force on crosses and in the penalty box. He gave us the edge we needed. A lot of what we saw from him on club level."

Further reading

Diego Maradona was honoured by the Argentina national team with a statue outside the sparkling new Madre de Ciudades Stadium on Thursday just before the squad's World Cup qualifier against Chile.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020, after suffering heart failure. He had been in ill-health, undergoing brain surgery not long before his death. His medical treatment around that time has been the subject of investigation by local authorities.

The 1986 World Cup winner was an iconic player and personality who helped lift his country to incredible heights while also dominating opponents at the club level with Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli, along with a host of other sides.

Argentina unveils Maradona statue

Argentina players gathered before their match against Chile to unveil the statue, which features Maradona standing tall with a ball at his feet.

Shirt tribute

The team also wore No.10 kits before the game in honour of the legendary midfielder, with the shirts bearing his face and "1960-∞" to represent his timeless legacy.

Further reading

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr said his players are motivated for their double-header friendly game against Cameroon on Friday and next Tuesday.

Despite the injury crisis that struck his squad, the German tactician has 21 players available in Austria with four players in contention to make their international debut.

Having earlier stated that the games would be an avenue to test new players, Rohr added that the players are ready to make a statement in order to make the squad for the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers that will begin in September.

“The players are well motivated. They want to do well. The training sessions have been good. They are happy to come together again,” Rohr told the Super Eagles media.

“The last time we played was in March. We have two victories against Benin and Lesotho. Now we are in June. This is the last preparations for us. We have the Afcon draw at the end of June.

“Then in September, October and November, we have the World Cup qualifiers. So this is the preparation before the World Cup which is very important.

“The players want to do well to be in the squad for the World Cup qualifiers.”

Nigeria are unbeaten in their last three outings against Cameroon under Rohr. They knocked the Indomitable Lions out of the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers followed by elimination from the Round of 16 at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

In his pre-game interview, Watford centre-back William Troost-Ekong said Antonio Conceicao's men might be aiming for revenge even though it is a friendly game.

"It has been good, we've got a lot of new faces in the camp. All of us are making sure we have a good game. It is good to see we have a great team spirit and I'm happy to be here,” Troost-Ekong said.

"It is going to be a different game, I think we've played them a lot in the last couple of years. They are going to be a difficult opponent. It will be a team that's looking for revenge because we knocked them out of the World and at the Afcon, so it is going to be a different game. The boys are ready to have good fight so we'll just enjoy the game and cheer ourselves."

Gareth Southgate has given an update on Jordan Henderson's fitness ahead of England's Euro 2020 opener against Croatia.

Henderson has been out of action since undergoing successful surgery on a groin injury in February, but was still included in Southgate's final 26-man squad for this summer's European Championship.

The Liverpool midfielder was an unused substitute during the Three Lions' 1-0 friendly win over Austria in midweek and it is unclear whether he will be handed his first competitive appearance in three months when they take on Romania in their final warm-up game on Sunday.

What's been said?

England are due to open their Group D schedule on June 13, and with Henderson running out of time to build up match fitness, Southgate is sceptical about his chances of featuring in the clash with Croatia at Wembley.

"I don’t think it would be fair to rule him out of it but I think it’s clear to everyone how much football he’s missed," the Three Lions boss said of Henderson's condition.

"The timelines are getting more difficult with each training session he might miss. But I’m being very realistic about what’s possible here.

"It’s a decision we took (to select Henderson) because we have been able to take extra players and we feel he is such an important influence around the place.

"If we can get him close to being able to contribute on the pitch against Croatia that will be a real bonus at the moment."

Other England injury concerns

Henderson is not the only man in the England camp struggling to shake off a serious injury, with Manchester United's Harry Maguire still recovering from ankle ligament damage.

Maguire was also absent against Austria, while Henderson's Liverpool team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold has been forced to withdraw from the squad after tearing his quadricep muscle during that encounter.

Southgate on Bellingham

The man best placed to take Henderson's spot in England's midfield at the Euros is 17-year-old Jude Bellingham, who has just completed a stellar debut season in Germany with Borussia Dortmund.

Bellingham impressed in the win over Austria and Southgate has no doubts that he has the quality and temperament to shine at a major international tournament.

Asked if the teenager has done enough to earn a start at the Euros, the 50-year-old head coach responded: "The best way to answer that is to say he is not just here for the experience.

"You’ve seen what he is capable of, we’ve seen that for Borussia Dortmund especially in the Champions League.

"The whole group respect him, he has great humility around the camp but he competes in training like he’s been with them from day one which is a great mentality to have."

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