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Kenya coach Francis Baraza is confident Simba SC have a great opportunity to overturn the result they suffered in the first leg when they host Kaizer Chiefs in the Caf Champions League on Saturday.

The Msimbazi giants will face a tall order to reverse a 4-0 defeat suffered at FNB Stadium in South Africa last weekend and it was their heaviest defeat so far in the competition this campaign.

But ahead of the return leg at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Baraza, who handles Kagera Sugar in the Mainland Premier League has remained confident Simba have what it takes to overturn the result and reach the semi-finals.

“In football anything is possible, Simba have a great opportunity to overturn the result against Kaizer [Chiefs] due to their record at home as well as the type of players they have in the squad, I am confident they will achieve the fete,” Baraza told Goal on Saturday.

“Players at the club like [Clatous] Chama, Luis [Miquissone], Bernard [Morrison] and Chris [Mugalu], are some of the players who can give you results at any time due to their great potential, especially if they enter with great caution to ensure they do not concede an early goal as was the case in the first game.”

Meanwhile, Simba head coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has revealed he has had to double-check videos of the previous game, to find out what they need to do to overturn their first result.

“I believe that if we do not repeat the mistakes and commit ourselves to the best of our ability nothing will be impossible, and we are confident we have a great opportunity to overturn the outcome,” Da Rosa told Goal.

“I don't know what will happen on Saturday but I know we will win and we will use completely different tactics to finish the game.”

In five games they have played at Mkapa Stadium since the preliminary round this term, Simba have scored 12 goals and conceded just once.

On two occasions, they scored four goals when they beat Zimbabwean champions FC Platinum 4-0, before thrashing AS Vita 4-1 and those results might be worrisome for Chiefs.

That could give Simba confidence of a successful comeback as they need to win 4-0 and force the contest into a penalty shootout, or a 5-0 victory.

They have previously overturned a 4-0 defeat in this competition and it still stands as a 42-year comeback record in the Champions League.

The Reds of Msimbazi lost 4-0 away at Mufulira Wanderers in Zambia in the 1979 first round, first leg but they turned the tables with a 5-0 victory in the home leg to progress to the second round.

Real Madrid will be on decisive duty on Saturday knowing a win over Villarreal and a loss to Atletico Madrid at Real Valladolid will hand them their 35th La Liga title.

It would be the first time Los Blancos have won the league in consecutive seasons since 2006/07 under Fabio Capello and 2007/08 under Bernd Schuster. In fact, Zinedine Zidane could become the first Real Madrid manager to win two league titles in a row since Leo Beenhakker's three in 1986/87, 1987/88 and 1988/89.

Real Madrid vs Villareal Latest Odds

Real Madrid have only won two of their last seven meetings with Villarreal in La Liga (D4 L1) and a third in eight attempts is tipped to occur at (1.45) with BetKing.

Villarreal have won both of their last two La Liga games and a third straight victory at Santiago Bernabeu is valued at (6.50).

A draw between Real Madrid and Villareal on the final day of the season is tipped to occur at (5.00).

Real Madrid vs Villareal Team News

Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, Eden Hazard and Lucas Vazquez are all not available for the La Liga giants as they are injured while Raphael Varane could be lined up after he started training as he had been sidelined by a muscle injury.

It remains to be seen whether Zidane will deploy Sergio Ramos for duty as the defender has been struggling with a problematic hamstring issue while midfield enforcer Toni Kroos will not be available since he contracted the coronavirus.

Samuel Chukwueze, Juan Foyth and Vicente Iborra will not feature against Los Blancos as they are injured while Etienne Capoue, Mario Gaspar and Geronimo Rulli have all completed their suspensions and thus are available for selection.

Real Madrid vs Villareal Preview

Villarreal have lost 70% of their away games against Real Madrid in La Liga (P20 W1 D5 L14) and this is their highest away loss ratio against a single side that they have visited at least twice in the top-flight.

Real Madrid have gone 17 straight games without losing in La Liga (W12 D5), the longest current undefeated streak of any team in the competition, and their best such run without a defeat within the same league campaign since March 2014 under Carlo Ancelotti (W15 D3).

Real Madrid have scored 16 headed goals in La Liga this season, more than any other team in the competition, and their highest total in this regard in a single league campaign since 2016/17 (27).

Zidane has won four of his nine managerial La Liga games against Villarreal (D4 L1), suffering his only such defeat against Villarreal at home; 0-1 in January 2018. Villarreal's Unai Emery has not won any of his nine away games against Real Madrid in La Liga as a manager; losing eight of them and drawing in April 2012 with Valencia.

Real Madrid vs Villareal Tips and Predictions

Real Madrid have scored nine goals in their last five games across all competitions, conceded five and kept two clean sheets. Villareal have hit the back of the net on nine occasions too, having conceded four and kept four clean sheets. Punters can take an offer of over 2.5 at (1.45) with BetKing.

Over 2.5 goals at (1.45) with BetKing.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

The Indian national team has already travelled to Qatar to play their remaining 2022 World Cup qualifying games against Qatar, Bangladesh and Afghanistan respectively in the month of June.

Igor Stimac's side are scheduled to face hosts and group toppers Qatar on June 3 followed by Bangladesh on June 7 and finally Afghanistan in their last qualifying game on June 15.

Let us have a look at the results of the Indian team in Qatar over the years. 

When did India first play in Qatar? 

India first travelled to Qatar in 1994 to play in the Qatar Independence Cup. They played four matches and could only win one, losing the other three. 

The squad was coached by Jiri Pesek of the Czech Republic and was led by V.P. Sathyan. 

1998 FIFA World Cup Qualifier

During their second trip, India played three matches of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. They won against Philippines, drew against Sri Lanka and were defeated by the hosts. 

AFC Asian Cup 2011

Under Bob Houghton, India went to play the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar in 2011 for the third time in their history. It was a disappointing campaign as India lost all their three matches of the group stage by a heavy margin. 

2022 World Cup Qualifiers

Under Igor Stimac, India achieved possibly their best international result when they held Qatar to a 0-0 draw in September 2019. 

2012 (Unofficial friendly) 

In 2012, India played an unofficial friendly match in Qatar against the hosts at the Jassim Bin Hamad stadium and won 2-1. Sunil Chhetri opened the scoring from the spot in the 16th minute and Sushil Kumar Singh scored the second. The solitary goal for Qatar was scored by Mohammed Razak. 

To sum up India have played 11 games in Qatar so far, and have won three of them. They have drawn twice and have lost six times. It remains to be seen whether the team can improve their record and pick up some wins this time around. 

Former captain of the Indian national women's team Ngangom Bala Devi has become the talk of the town once again, with her outrageous strike in a 5-0 win against Spartans last Sunday, in the ongoing Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) 1 season.

She scored for Rangers in December 2019 to become the first Indian woman to score in a professional league in Europe when she netted in a 9-0 win over Motherwell. Back then,  Devi was nominated by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for International Player of the Week and won it with 50% votes.

The 31-year-old who has been nominated by AFC once again in the latest poll for the same recognition spoke in a media interaction on Friday.

What did Bala Devi say?

"Being a striker, it's very important to make a decision quickly. When I first received the ball, my predominant thought was to pass it forward but I thought of taking the shot (instead). 

"I have been nominated in the International Player of the Week category by AFC before as well and I got a lot of support from Indian football and Rangers fans. This week as well I am nominated. So I feel very proud that there is so much support for women's football," she was ecstatic.

However, for someone who has scored over 100 goals in domestic football back home in India, Bala has adapted to a new role at Rangers. "Over here, I have been playing as a striker or in a number 10 position also, which is right for me as well. The advantage in a number 10 position is that you can score as well as pass. So the number 10 positions fit me well.

"In my opinion, in order to support the team, it is very important to create goals. So I like creating goals," she deplored.

Future at Rangers FC?

Bala Devi signed an 18-month deal with Rangers on 29 January 2020 as the team battles for the SWPL 1 title, just four points off leaders Glasgow City with four games to go.

"I feel good that I am getting a playing opportunity here, along with the experience. It's very good for a player and I'm sure it (the situation for women's football) will improve in India as well. I cannot say much about my future. The league gets over on June 6 and only after that can we decide what is to be done.

"Every player hopes to continue playing (in Europe) but I cannot confirm anything about what will happen after June 6," the India international maintained.

The women's football 'promise'

Last season's Indian Women's League (IWL) champions Gokulam Kerala is set to represent India in the eight-team pilot tournament of the AFC, touted to be termed the AFC Women's Champions League in 2013, to be played between October 30 and November 14 this year.

Besides this, India are also the designated hosts for the AFC Women's Asian Cup and FIFA U-17 Womens's World Cup in 2022.

"The Indian Women's League is improving in India right from 2017. So I think the women participating in AFC competitions will also help us improve in terms of our participation in the AFC Asian Cup. Whatever experience I can share, I will. But the Indian team has improved a lot, in fitness and in confidence. I think we can go a long way.

"From 2005 till now, I have represented India and nothing like this (U-17 Women's World Cup) has happened before. From 2017, women's football has improved a lot. The federation is doing a lot for the junior and senior teams to get enough exposure. So the federation deserves credit," Devi stated.

Kelechi Iheanacho has won the Leicester City Goal of the Season award for his wonder strike against Crystal Palace in April.

The 24-year-old scored the match-winning goal in the encounter after Timothy Castagne had cancelled out Wilfried Zaha’s opener.

The centre-forward cut inside with his left foot before unleashing a ferocious shot past helpless goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

The strike has been adjudged as the best from any Leicester player in the 2020-21 campaign and has been rewarded for his effort.

In scooping the individual accolade, the Nigeria international beat competition from Dennis Praet, James Vardy, James Maddison, Cengiz Under, Harvey Barnes, James Justin, Ayoze Perez, Youri Tielemans and Luke Thomas.

Iheanacho is currently enjoying his best season at King Power Stadium since teaming up with the side from Manchester City in the summer of 2017.

The attacker was named the Premier League Player of the Month for March for the first time in his career after bagging five goals in only three games.

Iheanacho’s form has helped Leicester maintain their third spot on the Premier League as they aim to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

His contribution also played a key role as the Foxes won the 2021 FA Cup title, scoring four goals in the competition.

Iheanacho has now found the back of the net 19 times and provided seven assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season.

He will hope to add to his tally when Leicester square off against Tottenham Hotspur in their last Premier League game on Sunday.

The attacker signed a new three-year contract with Leicester in April to ward off other European clubs ahead of the summer transfer window.

Iheanacho remains a key member of the Nigeria national team and recently helped the three-time African champions qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Karim Benzema says he's looking forward to finally linking up with Kylian Mbappe after the Real Madrid star was confirmed as part of France's squad for the Euros.

Benzema is back with France for the first time in six years, having been absent from the team since 2015 in the wake of his alleged involvement in the Mathieu Valbuena sex tape scandal.

Having shined with Real Madrid ever since, Benzema is now back in the fold after several productive talks with head coach Didier Deschamps, and he's looking forward to playing in a squad featuring several World Cup-winning attackers.

What did Beznema have to say?

"It's clear I've had a lot of feedback," he told Onze Mondial. "It can be only easy [to play with Mbappe]. It's true that he's a young player, but very, very talented. 

"I like his movements, how he plays football. Now it's up to us to get along well on the pitch, but anyway, I have no doubts about that.

"Still, we should not focus on the Mbappe-Benzema duo. There are many very talented players in this team: [Antoine] Griezmann, [Olivier] Giroud, [Paul] Pogba, [Ousmane] Dembele, [Kingsley] Coman, [Wissam] Ben Yedder. 

"The danger can come from anywhere and that is so much better for France."

'A source of pride'

Benzema's return to the national team will see him represent his country for the first time since 2015, having been left off of the team's World Cup-winning squad in 2018 as well as the Euros squad in 2016.

The Real Madrid star alleged that he was left off due to racism, but he has since mended any burned bridges with Deschamps.

Valbuena himself has also weighed in on the decision, saying he is at peace with Benzema's inclusion and Deschamps' decision to call him in.

Benzema, meanwhile, is thrilled to be back with France as he's looking forward to finally earning his 82nd cap after so many years away.

"It's more than being happy; it's a source of pride," he said. "I've been waiting for this for a while. I have always worked, I never gave up, never let go. In the end, it's a reward.

"I'm super happy, I can't wait to be there, to train, to start the games. It's a team with such talents, such players, and I too want to play on this team."

Further reading

Arnaut Danjuma has been named winner of Bournemouth supporters’ Player of the Season award.

The 24-year-old has been one of the shining stars for the Cherries in the current campaign, helping the club to the playoffs.

The Nigerian-born Dutch forward has bagged 16 goals and provided eight assists in 36 appearances across all competitions this season, amid other dazzling displays.

His effort was convincing enough to the fans, who voted overwhelmingly for him to scoop the individual accolade.

Danjuma secured 40 percent of the votes cast to beat off competitions from Asmir Begovic, Philip Billing Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jefferson Lerma.

The attacker has appreciated all those who voted for him and hopes Bournemouth can clinch promotion to the Premier League through the playoffs.

"A big thank you to all the supporters who voted for me as supporters' Player of the Year,” Danjuma told the club website.

"Obviously there have been a lot of highs and lows this season, this one means a lot to me because it was voted on by the supporters.

"I've enjoyed the season so far, let's make sure we can finish on a high as well."

Danjuma has been at Dean Court since the summer of 2019 when he teamed up with the club from Belgian First Division A side Club Brugge in the summer of 2019.

The attacker has made more than 50 appearances for the Cherries across all competitions since his arrival.

 Danjuma will hope to help Bournemouth see off Brentford in the second leg semi-final of the Championship playoff on Saturday.

The forward has made two appearances for the Netherlands, notwithstanding, he is still eligible to represent the Nigeria national team due to the new Fifa rule.

Danjuma has previously stated he could switch his allegiance to the Super Eagles if he is continued to be ignored by the Dutch senior team.

Juventus midfielder Douglas Costa will return to his former club Gremio on loan, the Serie A giants have confirmed.

The 30-year-old, who spent the 2020-21 campaign on loan with Bayern Munich after falling out of favour in Turin, has sealed a move back to where he began his career, with the Campeonato Brasileiro outfit.

It brings an end to a decade-long spell in Europe that has seen him win league titles in three different countries and appear at the World Cup with the Selecao at Russia 2018.

What has been said?

"Douglas Costa has officially signed for Gremio on a free loan from Juventus," read an official Bianconeri statement.

"The Brazilian winger, who joined Juventus back in 2017 and spent this past season on loan at Bayern Munich, will wear the shirt of the Porto Alegre outfit until 30 June 2022."

What did Gremio say?

Juve were the first to confirm the deal and later on Friday, Gremio officially announced Costa's return.

The Brazilian club stated that should Juve not sign Costa to a new deal by the end of 2021, he would join them on a free transfer through December 2023.

Costa seals homecoming at last

The playmaker's return to his home country will surely stretch beyond the end of his year-long loan, given that his contract with Juventus will expire at the same time, paving the way for a free transfer to join Gremio for good.

It will mark an emotional comeback for a player who conquered a host of European leagues during his stay, emerging as something of an unsung hero for several leading sides.

He has endured a difficult few years since the World Cup, first falling out of favour at Juventus, before struggling to convince at former club Bayern, to whom he returned on a short-term deal.

Hansi Flick's side were uninterested in offering him a longer-term deal, paving the way instead for him to link back up with Gremio.

Further reading

Femi Seriki has signed his first professional contract with Sheffield United on Friday after delivering impressive performances for the youth team.

The wing-back teamed up with the Blades in September 2019 after leaving Bury's academy and has been in fine form for the club.

In the current campaign, he has featured prominently for the Blades’ U23 side and helped them to win the Professional Development League, where he scored five goals in 24 games.

His eye-catching performances earned him his first Premier League debut against Newcastle United on Wednesday, making a cameo appearance in the encounter.

Seriki along with Daniel Jebbison, Andre Brooks, Jordan Amissah and Oliver Arblaster have signed long-term deals with the Blades.

Sheffield academy manager Jack Lester has expressed his delight with the growth of the youngsters and the developmental programme of the club.

"It's fantastic news for the football club, the development within these young men has been impressive,” Lester told the club website.

“The work going on within the academy is quite special, there is so much talent rising all the way through, and we will continue to push the boundaries in our approach."

Sheffield are already relegated to the Championship, although they still have one more game to play before the end of the season.

Seriki will hope to get some minutes under his belt when Sheffield take on Burnley in their last game of the campaign on Saturday.

The wing-back will be expected to get more regular playing time with Sheffield in the Championship and help them gain promotion back to the English top-flight at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

Seriki was born in England to a Nigerian father, who hails from Lagos which makes him eligible to represent the Nigeria national team in the future if he chooses to.

For a chance with the Super Eagles, however, he will be expected to play more consistently for Sheffield's first team.

FIFA will investigate the possibility of hosting the World Cup every two years instead of four, for both the men's and women's tournaments, the governing body has acknowledged.

The organisation will launch a feasibility study into the ramifications of such a decision after a proposal was put forth by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF) at the annual congress.

The next men's tournament will be held in Qatar at the end of 2022, with Australia/New Zealand 2023 to follow eight months later for the women's game, but any potential future reshuffle would likely force widespread changes in both the club game and with continental tournaments such as the European Championship and Copa America.

What has been said?

"We believe the future of football is at a critical juncture," said SAFF president Yasser Al-Misehal in presenting the plan.

"The many issues that football has faced have now been further exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic.

"It is important to review how the global game is structured, which should include whether the current four-year cycle remains the optimum basis for how football is managed both from a competition and a commercial perspective as well as overall football development.

"Having fewer yet more meaningful competitive national team matches could potentially address concerns regarding player welfare whilst at the same time enhancing the value and merit of such competitions."

Is such a move set in stone?

Any potential change to the way that the existing system is run will likely take years, with no official end date for the feasibility study indicated by FIFA.

President Gianni Infantino indicated that any investigation would not be rushed at the congress, saying: "We have to go into these studies with an open mind but we are not going to take decisions which will jeopardise what we are [already] doing. We know about the value of the World Cup, believe me.

“I would like to put this discussion in a much broader context, that of the international match calendar. Are we really convinced that playing qualifying games [across the year] is the right way when we are saying that fans want more meaningful games?

"All these points have to be considered. But we will put the sporting element as the top priority, not the commercial element.”

Further reading

Carlos Akapo scored his first La Liga goal for Cadiz in their 2-2 draw against Levante on Friday night.

The 28-year-old defender has spent most of his career in Spain, featuring for Huesca, Valencia and Huracan among others but had been unable to open his account in the elite division.

The Equatorial Guinea international eventually ended the unwanted record when he found the back of the net at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.

Akapo was handed his 10th league start of the season in the encounter, forming a four-man defense along with Pedro Alcala, Fali and Isaac Carcelen.

Levante hit the ground running, dominating possession and soon opened the scoring in the eighth minute of the game through Roger.

The lead was, however, short-lived as the Yellow Submarine equalized six minutes later through Alvaro Negredo after benefitting from Isaac Carcelen’s assist.

Akapo then handed his side the lead for the first time in the game with a fine strike after receiving a through pass from Alberto Perea in the 32nd minute.

Gonzalo Melero then levelled proceedings for Levante moments before the hour mark after an assist from Roger.

Akapo featured for the duration of the game in his 13th league appearance of the season for the Yellow Submarine.

The draw ensured Cadiz finished the 2020-21 campaign in the 12th spot on the league table after gathering 44 points from 38 games.

Akapo has been with the Yellow Submarine since the summer of 2019 and played a significant role as they gained promotion to the Spanish top-flight last season.

The Equatorial Guinea international has one year left on his current contract and with Cadiz maintaining their La Liga status, the right-back will be expected to continue his stay with the club beyond the summer.

Akapo has made 17 appearances for Equatorial Guinea since making his debut against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2013.

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool are yet to make a decision over the future of on-loan defender Ozan Kabak.

The Turkey international has made a decent impression since joining from Schalke on the final day of the winter transfer window in February.

Kabak has made 13 appearances for the Reds, but is set to miss the final game of the season, at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, through injury.

What has been said?

Liverpool boss Klopp spoke glowingly about the 21-year-old on Friday, and said a decision will be made on whether to make his move permanent once the season is over.

Liverpool have the option to sign Kabak, it is understood, for a fee of around £18 million ($24m).

Klopp told reporters: “Ozan was absolutely incredible, he did a great job. Not to forget he is a young, young boy with incredible experience already. He has been with different clubs, moved early from Turkey to Germany and played at two big clubs in Germany in difficult situations which were obviously not his fault, we could all see that when he arrived here. 

“Yes, he took a little bit of time to adapt but he did super things for us. I don't know how many games out but against Leipzig he was incredible, we knew how good Leipzig could be. 

“About the future, we will talk about it and decide about it after the last match. There is obviously enough time for that, nothing else really to say about that.”

Kabak wants to stay

Kabak has said he would like to remain a Liverpool player, though with the Reds strongly linked with a move for RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate, and all three of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip set to return from injury in pre-season, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool make their move.

“It’s Liverpool. Of course I want to stay,” Kabak told reporters this week. “These five months have been very valuable for my career, my personality. I have met with very good people, very good footballers.

“I have worked with a manager like Jurgen. Now I have a lot of experience with these stars. I would say they are stars. There are a lot of stars on our team. Even to train with them makes you better.

"Jurgen has not said anything yet [about my future]. We don’t speak about this topic so far. This is a huge club. I am very proud to wear this jersey so far. Every moment, every single minute, I am proud.

“We will see what is going to happen next season, but whatever it is I have really enjoyed it and appreciate what everyone has done for me.”

Further reading 

Jurgen Klopp believes that Manchester City would not have reclaimed the Premier League title this season if they had been forced to contend with the same injuries that Liverpool have, as the Reds prepare for a last-stand shot at securing Champions League football.

The Merseyside outfit, English title holders for the first time in three decades last term, have struggled to defend their crown this campaign, and looked at one point at serious risk of missing out on continental football entirely after several key defensive injuries.

Rivals City conversely rallied from a slow start to claim a third title under Pep Guardiola and reach the Champions League final for the first time under the Spaniard - but the German believes that had they been hampered the same way, they would not be sitting atop the summit this time around.

What has been said?

"As good as they are, if City have their three centre-halves out, no [they don't win the league]," Klopp told his pre-match press conference ahead of a final-day encounter with Crystal Palace.

"Three centre-halves of United, no. For the whole season pretty much too, that is how it is. [But] the thing about a season is you cannot cut off the negative parts from the positive parts and say that we are nearly there."

Klopp further expanded on how the loss of players such as Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez scuppered Liverpool's chances to compete for silverware once again, adding: "I said when we lost our centre-halves, all of them pretty much, we broke our leg, but we could still win games. 

"It was not always in the most convincing fashion but we were still winning games, scoring. 

"Then we had to - and we had to at that time - make midfielders into centre-halves and it broke our spine. Then the whole setup was gone. The young boys were not ready to play at centre-half, the midfielders had to at times [play] at centre-half.

"We lost some rhythm all of a sudden but not all the time. A football team is like an orchestra where plenty of people work together and if you lose one piece, you might be able to still do it, but if you lose two then it becomes difficult. 

"It is how I said before, this year, with the amount of injuries we have had, it was not the year to become champions. No chance. For nobody.

"We have fought back a bit, accepted the difficulties and made the best of it. And if we win on Sunday, and if we qualify for the Champions League then we made the best of it. That is it.

The bigger picture

Having seemingly faded from European contention at one point, the collapse of several rivals across the final weeks of the season means that Liverpool find themselves back inside the top four heading into the last game of the campaign.

Though they could theoretically still win and not make the Champions League, that would require Leicester City - coached by former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers - to secure a superior four-goal margin of victory over Tottenham than what Klopp and his side manage against Palace.

An extra wrinkle is that Anfield will play host to the final game of former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson's time in charge of Palace, with his side surely determined to send him off on a high.

Further reading

Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus has been named Talent of the Month of May in the Dutch Eredivisie, the club have announced.

The 20-year-old picked up the latest honour for the season after a string of fine performances for the Lancers in four appearances in the month under review.

It seals his renaissance and good end to the 2020-21 term after injury disrupted a strong start to the campaign.

"Mohammed Kudus has been personally decorated for his game on the Dutch fields in recent weeks,” Ajax have announced on their official website.

"The Ajax midfielder has been named talent of the month in May in the Eredivisie. Kudus received the accompanying trophy at the Toekomst Sports Complex.

"Twenty-year-old Kudus came into action with Ajax four times this month and scored a hundred percent in terms of victories: FC Emmen (4-0), Feyenoord (0-3), VVV-Venlo (3-1) and Vitesse (1-3) were all defeated. The Ghanaian was also accurate against Feyenoord and VVV-Venlo.

"Kudus succeeds teammate Jurrien Timber, who was awarded the prize in April."

Kudus started in two of the four games played and scored two goals.

In his first game of the month, he came on as a second-half substitute against Emmen before scoring after once again coming on as a substitute against Feyenoord in a 3-0 win.

His strong impact from the bench earned him starts in the final two games of the season against VVV Venlo and Vitesse Arnhem, scoring in the penultimate match.

After a strong start to the season, Kudus suffered a big setback in October when he picked up a meniscus injury on his Champions League debut against Liverpool, a situation which kept him on the sidelines until January.

On his return, he suffered another setback which forced him back to the treatment room for one more month.

He joined Ajax in a five-year deal from Danish outfit Nordsjaelland last summer.

The attacker, who has urged former Nordsjaelland teammate Kamaldeen Sulemana to join him at Ajax, has been named in Ghana's squad for their upcoming friendlies against Morocco and Cote d'Ivoire next month.