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A late Ismail Abdul Ganiyu equaliser helped Asante Kotoko snatch a 1-1 away draw against relegation-threatened Liberty Professionals in the Ghana Premier League on Sunday.

The defender's 82nd minute effort spared the Porcupine Warriors' blushes at Dansoman's Carl Reindorf Park after Evans Owusu put the home side in front.

The Kumasi-based side still lead the table, four points ahead of second-placed Karela United, who beat Eleven Wonders 2-0 at Crosby Awuah Memorial Park. Diawisie Taylor and Bismarck Oppong were on the score sheet for the hosts. Wonders, meanwhile, are 14th on the log.

Hearts of Oak, who are set to engage 11th-placed Elmina Sharks in a late kick-off fixture on Sunday, are currently third on the table. A win for the Phobians will propel them to second on the log and cut down Kotoko's lead to two points.

Elsewhere, in Dormaa, Medeama, fourth on the standings, suffered a setback in their bid to move up the table as they were handed a 2-0 away defeat by Aduana Stars. Samuel Bio and Sam Adams netted for the Fire Boys who sit one place below the opposition.

Medeama are tied on points with Great Olympics, who succumbed to a 1-0 away loss to Ashanti Gold, owing to Stephen Banahene's strike in the 55th minute. The winners hold the ninth position.

In Dawu, rock-bottom Inter Allies hammered 12th-positioned Berekum Chelsea 5-0, thanks to goals from Alex Aso (2x), Richmond Lamptey, Samuel Armah and Suleman Nafiu. 

King Faisal's quest to leave the relegation zone received a boost by their 3-1 home victory over Bechem United, who are 10th on the table. A Zubairu Ibrahim double and a Kwame Peprah effort have moved the Kumasi-based side level on points with Liberty and Legon Cities. Steven Owusu Kaakyire registered the consolation for Bechem, who hold the 10th position.

Earlier on Saturday, Wafa beat Legon 1-0, courtesy of Justus Torsutsey's first half effort. The victorious Academy Boys are seventh on the standings while the Royals place one spot above the relegation zone.

On Monday, Dreams will hope to make it two wins in a row with victory over Ebusua Dwarfs away in Cape Coast. The clubs are eighth and 13th on the standings, respectively.

Raja Casablanca came from a goal down to claim a 1-1 draw against Orlando Pirates in a Caf Confederation Cup first leg quarter-final clash at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

It had looked good for the Soweto giants when they were 1-0 up at half time through Vincent Pule's well-taken goal, only for the north African side to rally in the second half to earn a share of the spoils through Ben Malango's 59th minute strike.

Pirates had started the game on the front foot and visiting keeper Anas Zniti had to react sharply in the seventh minute to keep out a deflected cross from Wayde Jooste, following a free-flowing move by the South African team.

At the other end, Bucs keeper Wayne Sandilands didn't have much to do until the 23rd minute when he made a routine save to keep out Soufiane Rahimi's shot, which was partically blocked by Ben Motshwari.

The Sea Robbers should have taken the lead on the half hour mark when Pule sent in a great cross from the right which picked out Deon Hotto, but from right in front of goal he failed to connect with his attempted volley.

A couple of minutes later, Pirates skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo made a brilliant headed clearance from what was a very dangerous ball into the box towards Malango.

Bucs had the breakthrough they were looking for in the 39th minute when Jooste launched a long ball up field, which was flicked by a Raja defender into the path of Pule, who gobbled up the chance superbly as he took the ball in on goal before chipping it past the on-rushing Zniti.

Three minutes after the restart and the Moroccan side were left upset that they were not awarded a penalty after Malango's touch in the box hit defender Ntsikelelo Nyauza on the arm.

It wasn't given, but Raja kept up the pressure and it paid off on the hour mark when Malango out-muscled Nyauza and then turned inside Bongani Sam before firing a low shot in at the far post to level the score-line.

Following that the game became increasingly cagey as Pirates tried to get back in front but found the visiting team hard to break down.

Even the introduction of Thembinkosi Lorch didn't help the hosts much, with their next opening only arriving in the 82nd minute when Paseka Mako picked out Hotto in the box, but a moment of indecision meant the chance came to nought.

Right at the end of the game there was another glimmer of hope for Pirates when Mako broke into the box down the left flank, but Zniti came out quickly to make the block.

Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt has said that people within the club sometimes laugh at him for the clothes he wears, as he prefers to go for comfort over style while others deck themselves out in expensive designer gear.

Still just 21, the Netherlands international has already been with the Bianconeri for two years, having quickly established himself as a key player despite his young age.

Mentality likely plays a big part in the starlet's rapid rise – even if the laser focus on his profession can sometimes lead to jibes from his team-mates.

What has been said?

Speaking to de Volkskrant, De Ligt said: “I always dress the way I am dressed now. I'm just not a big fan of expensive designer clothes. 

“I am Matthijs, I am myself and you will not see me going to training in a tailored suit, it's just that simple. My profession is football player. I want to be a star on the field.

“Sometimes I get laughed at at the club for what I wear, but I don't care. As long as I feel good with my behaviour and how I dress, I am satisfied. 

“The most important thing is to perform well on the field, then people respect you much more than when you're wearing certain clothes.”

Hero in a normal boy's clothing

One change De Ligt has had to get used to, however, is the passion with which football is treated in Italy, with the centre-back admitting that while he enjoys being revered, he also likes returning to his home country for the peace and quiet.

“That's the funny thing here,” he said of Turin and beyond. “Whether you play well or play badly, you remain a hero to the supporters. They look up to footballers so much here. 

“In the Netherlands, I was just a normal boy who happened to play football. In Italy, footballers stand above average members of society. That's just what it's like here.

“I like the appreciation, but it's also nice to walk around in the Netherlands without being approached so much!”

Bigger picture

Sitting in fifth place in Serie A, Juventus have only one more game with which to secure Champions League football for next season. If Napoli and AC Milan win their remaining games, however, Andrea Pirlo's outfit will be lining up in the Europa League in 2021-22.

Further reading

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota will miss the rest of the season after suffering another injury, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.

The 24-year-old was ruled out of the Reds' Premier League match against West Brom on Sunday with a foot injury.

Jota went off in the second half of the clash with Manchester United on Thursday as his side ran out 4-2 winners, but it will be his last display of 2020-21.

What has been said?

“No good thing without a bad thing – so, we won at Manchester United but Diogo got something with the bone,” Klopp told Sky Sports.

“Not too serious but serious enough to end the season. That’s it.”

How has Jota performed this season?

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves last September but has been limited to just 18 appearances in the Premier League.

The Portugal international suffered a knee injury in December and was kept out of action until early-March.

The attacker netted his side's first goal against United in midweek to take his tally in the top-flight to nine, while he also struck four times in nine Champions League appearances.

Liverpool in fight for top-four finish

The Reds are fifth in the table heading into Sunday's fixture and four points behind Chelsea, who occupy the last spot that guarantees a place in next season's Champions League.

Three days after they face West Brom, Liverpool will take on Burnley before they finish the campaign with a home game against Crystal Palace.

Further reading

Raja Casablanca came from a goal down to claim a 1-1 draw against Orlando Pirates in a Caf Confederation Cup first leg quarter-final clash at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

It had looked good for the Soweto giants when they were 1-0 up at half time through Vincent Pule's well-taken goal, only for the north African side to rally in the second half to earn a share of the spoils through Ben Malango's 59th minute strike.

Pirates had started the game on the front foot and visiting keeper Anas Zniti had to react sharply in the seventh minute to keep out a deflected cross from Wayde Jooste, following a free-flowing move by the South African team.

At the other end, Bucs keeper Wayne Sandilands didn't have much to do until the 23rd minute when he made a routine save to keep out Soufiane Rahimi's shot, which was partically blocked by Ben Motshwari.

The Sea Robbers should have taken the lead on the half hour mark when Pule sent in a great cross from the right which picked out Deon Hotto, but from right in front of goal he failed to connect with his attempted volley.

A couple of minutes later, Pirates skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo made a brilliant headed clearance from what was a very dangerous ball into the box towards Malango.

Bucs had the breakthrough they were looking for in the 39th minute when Jooste launched a long ball up field, which was flicked by a Raja defender into the path of Pule, who gobbled up the chance superbly as he took the ball in on goal before chipping it past the on-rushing Zniti.

Three minutes after the restart and the Moroccan side were left upset that they were not awarded a penalty after Malango's touch in the box hit defender Ntsikelelo Nyauza on the arm.

It wasn't given, but Raja kept up the pressure and it paid off on the hour mark when Malango out-muscled Nyauza and then turned inside Bongani Sam before firing a low shot in at the far post to level the score-line.

Following that the game became increasingly cagey as Pirates tried to get back in front but found the visiting team hard to break down.

Even the introduction of Thembinkosi Lorch didn't help the hosts much, with their next opening only arriving in the 82nd minute when Paseka Mako picked out Hotto in the box, but a moment of indecision meant the chance came to nought.

Right at the end of the game there was another glimmer of hope for Pirates when Mako broke into the box down the left flank, but Zniti came out quickly to make the block.

Sofapaka defeated Wazito FC 2-0 in Sunday’s Football Kenya Federation Premier League tie at Wundanyi Stadium.

Nixon Omondi and Lawrence Juma scored the two second-half goals to condemn Francis Kimanzi’s side to a loss.

Wazito won a fourth-minute penalty but Aigba Abdoul pulled a huge save to deny the visitors' Kevin Kimani an opening goal in the early moments of the first half. Ambrose Sifuna of Batoto ba Mungu was yellow-carded in the 31st minute as the game turned more physical.

Timothy Otieno came on in the 46th minute to replace Pistone Mutamba as Sofapaka added more men upfront in search of an opener. David King'atua came out in the 51st minute as Rwandan star Isaac Mitima came on in another change for the home side. 

Omondi scored a goal for Batoto ba Mungu in the 72nd minute after the hosts had looked the hungrier side for the better part of the second half. Juma, a key goal scorer for Sofapaka, added the second in the fourth minute of added time to hand the home side a win and a clean sheet against the Nairobi club.

Meanwhile, Mathare United and Vihiga United shared points from a 0-0 draw at Ruaraka Ground.

John Mwangi won Mathare United a free-kick from a promising position in the 19th minute but Tyson Otieno’s conversion flew over the bar. Goalkeeper Job Ochieng was alert to parry away a free-kick by Lawrence Luvanda in the 38th minute in Vihiga United’s most open chance.

A late challenge on Michael Odongo saw Anthony Otieno receive a yellow card in the 51st minute. Wycliffe Nthatha and Eric Opiyo came on in the 54th minute to replace Mike Isabwa and Lesley Owino in Vihiga United’s first changes.

Mathare United made their first substitutions a minute after the hour mark as Boniface Akenga and James Kinyanjui came on for Danson Kago and Daniel Otieno.

Otieno came close to breaking the deadlock in the 63rd minute but he blasted slightly wide from a good goalscoring position. On the other end, Patrick Okulo was unable to find the back of the net against Mathare’s Ochieng three minutes later.

A deflected cross from Alphonse Ndonye almost gave Mathare United an opener but the ball flew slightly above the far post in the 74th minute. Clifford Alwanga came on in the 78th minute in place of Otieno as Mathare made another change. A final change saw Mwangi and Khalid Jumaan exchange places in the 87th minute.

Sam Allardyce has warned that the Premier League is in danger of becoming boring because teams have been "brainwashed" into using the same playing style.

The English top-flight has opened up to different tactical approaches over the last decade, with an influx of coaches coming from elsewhere in Europe.

However the West Brom manager fears coaches are being prevented from sticking to their preferred style and that the league is suffering as a result.

What has been said?

He said to Sky Sports: "What's the point of playing out from the back against Man City and Liverpool, the best high-pressing team in this country. If they drop off, you play out from the back. Where's the space? Exploit the space. I tried to get the players to think about that. It's a simple game that's been complicated far too much by too many people.

"Has the Premier League got tougher tactically? No. The big change is that everyone wants to play the same way. Everyone's been brainwashed into, 'You must play this way, you must…

"As a manager at 66, I really am glad I'm not in my 30s, with people telling me what I should do and how I should play. It's detrimental to the world of football. It'll become boring. The best league in the world should have different systems, different ways of playing.

"To press every young manager into the same way hinders the development of coaches for me; they'll end up trying to do something because of the pressure and they'll end up losing their job and they will be perfectly good coaches who might not get another chance in football to manage.

"We must let young coaches express themselves with the team and players they have and their capabilities. If they've got the capabilities to play out from the back all the time, great. If they haven't, they will keep giving the ball away and the opposition will keep scoring. You have to find another way sometimes and if you don't, you lose your job."

What happened to West Brom?

Allardyce took charge of the Baggies in December but was unable to rescue them from relegation. The Hawthorns side sit second bottom of the Premier League and 12 points from safety with three games left to play.

West Brom host Liverpool on Sunday, which will be followed by a home game against West Ham on Wednesday. They will then take on Leeds at Elland Road in the last game of the season on May 23.

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt can now finally afford to smile after his side thumped Simba SC 4-0 in Saturday’s Caf Champions League quarter-final, first leg match at FNB Stadium.

After enduring days of sorrow in which his team was losing to relegation-threatened teams in the Premier Soccer League, results which dented Chiefs’ top-eight ambitions, Hunt's mood was changed on Saturday. 

He was captured on television a couple of times beaming with smiles or laughing, especially after substitute Leonardo Castro’s goal, wich added to Erick Mathoho’s opener and Samir Nurkovic’s brace in sinking Simba. 

“Sometimes things do work out you know - that's why I laughed,” said Hunt as per IOL.

“Ten or 15 seconds before that [fourth goal], I said what we need to do, the things we work on and where we need to be without the ball, and then we turned the ball over and we were in the right position so the goal came.

“So, that's why I laughed because that was pretty much [what we wanted]. You don't get that much in football but it was, from an organisational point of view, out of position.

"Because I knew when we turned it over that we would get a situation like that, and it worked out.”

It was the first time for the Soweto giants to win by such a huge margin this season, which Hunt described as the “most testing” as they have been struggling on the domestic front. 

Going into the Simba game, Chiefs had not tasted victory in four straight league games and are placed 10th on the table, five points above the relegation zone. 

Despite making huge strides towards the Champions League semi-finals, the Chiefs coach declares that personally he will come out of this term stronger. 

“This has been the most testing [season] for me personally. It has taken a lot of patience,” Hunt added.

“A lot of endeavor, a lot of work. I know I will come out of this stronger. I am not a coach that speaks a lot, that gloats. I let the record speak for itself. But I know next season I will be stronger that's for sure.” 

The Amakhosi tactician also explained why Chiefs have been thriving on the continent while finding it difficult in the PSL as he feels that his players are more suited for Champions League football.

“It is a much slower game [in the Champions League], a much more predictable game. I have always said that the players run faster than the ball in the PSL,” Hunt continued.

“But in the Champions League it's much slower and maybe it suits us a bit better. The group of players that we have here are a little bit more methodical and a bit more direct.”

After centre-back Mathoho grabbed Chiefs’ opener, he is now on three goals and among the top-scorers in this competition this season.

He is also Chiefs’ all-time top-goal scorer in the Champions League with six goals after overtaking Knowledge Musona.

Leicester City defender Daniel Amartey has come under heavy criticism after being caught on camera throwing a Chelsea pennant onto the floor as his team celebrated their FA Cup final triumph over Chelsea in the dressing room on Saturday.

In the game, Belgium star Youri Tielemans scored the only goal of the game to hand the Foxes their first FA Cup title.

Leicester’s celebrations, as expected, continued into the dressing room, with some players deciding to share the special moment live on social media.

It was in one of such broadcasts that Amartey, an unused substitute in the fixture, incurred the wrath of fans.

In a dancing mood, the Ghana international went for the Chelsea pennant, displayed it to the camera before throwing it over his shoulder.

The action has generated a lot of talk on social media, with many calling it “disrespectful” while others have called for a prompt apology.

Some of the reactions are curated below:

Lille star Sven Botman has admitted he's flattered by rumours linking him with Liverpool and says that the Premier League is "something special".

Botman is attracting plenty of attention from top clubs heading towards the summer transfer window, having played a key role in Lille's tilt at the Ligue 1 title in 2020-21.

Liverpool reportedly tried to sign the 21-year-old in January amid a defensive injury crisis, and have been tipped to reignite their interest when the market reopens, with the Dutchman keeping his options open despite still having four years let to run on his current contract.

What's been said?

“It is a good compliment when you hear these clubs are interested,” Botman told The Athletic when quizzed on the Liverpool rumours.

"I’m lying if I say it’s not interesting me — it’s the first time such big clubs are linked to me — but it was early days because in January I was only at Lille for half a season. It was nice to hear but I was focusing on Lille and I’m still doing this.

"After the season I will enjoy a vacation and see what happens next. If I’m honest, the Premier League is one of the leagues I dreamed about… but also Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga.

"The Premier League is something special. It’s the football I really like and that fits me. The style of play, the emotion; I really like to see the fans with such big emotions in the stands.

"It is a beautiful competition I really like to watch and did for pretty much all my life."

The Lille centre-back added on the possibility of leaving Stade Pierre Mauroy this summer: “I’m not the kind of guy who is already planning for the future. How it’s going with me now, I hope to someday make a good step to a top competition or a big club; that’s my goal.

"But I’m good at the moment with Lille. I’m really enjoying this year, I’m enjoying playing a lot. I learn a lot and I still have to improve a lot. I’m not complaining about my situation right now, I’m happy at the moment.

“For my ambitions, yes, of course I want to achieve as much as possible. I hope to make a big, beautiful step for me. We’ll have to see in the future if that is possible or not.”

Botman's record at Lille

Lille snapped Botman up from Eredivisie giants Ajax for just €9 million in July 2020, and he made his debut in a Ligue 1 clash against Rennes a month later.

The Netherlands international has since racked up 45 appearances across all competitions for Christophe Galtier's side, who will be crowned champions of France if they pick up four points from their final two league fixtures against Saint Etienne and Angers.

The bigger picture

Liverpool ended up signing Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke and Ben Davies on a permanent deal from Preston North End in the winter transfer window as Jurgen Klopp sought to plug the gaps at the back caused by the injury-enforced absence of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.

However, Davies has yet to feature for the Reds senior team and Kabak's future is uncertain, with the Merseyside outfit reportedly set to pass up the option to sign him outright for £18m ($25m).

Botman could, therefore, emerge as a target for Liverpool once again later in the year, especially if Van Dijk's recovery from knee surgery runs through to the start of the 2021-22 season, with Gomez and Joel Matip also still on the treatment table.

Further reading

AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems has revealed his disappointment after the team’s failure to score many goals in their slim 1-0 FKF Premier League win against Nzoia Sugar on Saturday.

Ingwe returned to action after the league resumed on Friday against the Sugar Millers and it was Caleb Olilo who scored the only goal of the game that helped Ingwe move above KCB on the log after 15 games.

However, the win has not excited their Belgian coach, who feels his team returned to defend the lone goal most of the second half and thus failed to score many goals in the match they dominated.

“But you know in this kind of game we had the opportunity, we needed to win with a large scoreline obviously and that is a little bit my disappointment today [Saturday] because in the second half we were sinking too much to defend,” Aussems told Goal.

“It was not an easy game because it was like we have started a new league because it is almost two months we did not play any official game so the most important thing was the three points.

“We knew will not be ready especially physically regarding the days we had to prepare for the match but did the job even if we were a little bit in trouble in the second half with all the longs balls.”

On his part, Nzoia coach Ibrahim Shikanda faulted his players for the defeat, insisting they did not play according to his instructions.

“I don’t have much to say but thank God for the game we put up today [Saturday], AFC Leopards got three chances and used them to score, but we created many chances and failed to convert them,” Shikanda told Goal.

“So we have to go back to the drawing board and work on the mistakes that we committed against AFC but if you ask me, we have lost because we did not use our chances, and also the break occasioned by the lockdown because our display is not the same like when we stopped playing.

“I am also not happy with some of my players, they have not responded well to my plans and instructions but it is okay we are now going back to the drawing board to start afresh.”

Yanga SC defender Bakari Mwamnyeto has insisted they have not lost hope in their quest to clinch the Mainland Premier League title after their 0-0 draw against Namungo FC on Saturday.

The Jangwani giants went into the match at Majaliwa Stadium in Ruangwa seeking a win so as to close the gap between them and table-toppers Simba SC but they could not break down the resilient Namungo side and the points were shared.

The draw ended Yanga’s two-match-winning run but Mwamnyeto, who was captaining the side in the absence of defender Lamine Moro, has told Goal the draw was a fair result considering the effort their rivals put in, and he maintained they are still in the race to win the title this season.

“It was a difficult game, we came with our own plans to win and take the three points but Namungo also came with their own plans and we have managed a point, which is not a bad result for us, we are happy with the point,” Mwamnyeto told Goal.

Asked whether the draw will affect their push for the title, the Taifa Star, who was signed from Coastal Union, said: “I don’t think so, we still have hope, we still have the chance to win the title, we have not lost hope, the league is a marathon and we will fight to the end.

“We have not lost against Namungo but we managed a draw and for me, I feel a draw is a fair result considering how our opponents fought in the match, we managed a point and must now focus on our next match.”

Namungo striker Reliant Lusajo said they are happy to pick up a draw against one of the best teams in the Tanzanian league.

“We all know Yanga is a strong team, and one of the best in the league, and picking a draw from them is a good result for us, we are happy and contented with the draw,” Lusajo told Goal.

Yanga were, however, denied a goal in the 73rd minute after striker Yacouba Songne headed in from a corner-kick, but the assistant referee controversially ruled it out despite replays suggesting it should have stood.

With the draw, Yanga will remain in second position with 58 points from the 28 matches they have played. The 27-time league champions have collected 16 wins, 10 draws, and two losses and have further scored 41 goals and conceded 17.

Reigning champions Simba lead the race with 61 points from 25 matches having won 19, drawn four, and lost two, scoring 58 goals and conceding 10.

Mamelodi Sundowns fans took to their social media platforms to express their disappointment after their team lost 2-0 to Al Ahly.

Masandawana were playing the defending Caf Champions League champions in the first leg of the quarter-finals at the We Al-Ahly Stadium in Cairo on Saturday night. 

However, Mohamed Taher and Salah Mohsen scored midway through the first half and right at the end of the match, respectively, to hand Pitso Mosimane's men a huge advantage ahead of the second leg next weekend.

The supporters of the PSL heavyweights were frustrated by the result but remained optimistic that their team can get the needed result in the second leg to advance to the last four.

Simba SC chairman Mohammed Dewji has stated they will fight using all means at their disposal to overturn the 4-0 defeat suffered against Kaizer Chiefs in the Caf Champions League on Saturday.

The Msimbazi giants went into the match at FNB Stadium with a good record from the group stage but Amakhosi used their home advantage well to win the first leg contest and put one leg in the semi-finals of the competition.

Goals from Samir Nurkovic (a brace), Erick Mathoho, and Leonardo Castro inspired Amakhosi to a well-deserved win which saw the Soweto giants maintain their unbeaten home record in this season's Champions League. 

But despite the humiliating defeat which will require Simba to beat Chiefs by a huge margin to advance, the Mainland Premier League champions' owner Dewji has maintained they have only lost the battle but the war will be fought in Tanzania, when the two sides meet in the return leg at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on May 22.

“We have lost the battle, but not the war,” Dewji wrote on his Twitter handle. “We will keep on fighting with our blood, sweat, and tears to live another day.”

Chiefs got off to the perfect start as they broke the deadlock through Mathoho, who marked his return to the starting line-up with a goal just six minutes into the match.

Nurkovic flicked a well-taken corner-kick from Bernard Parker and Mathoho headed past Simba goalkeeper Aishi Manula to hand Chiefs a 1-0 lead and it was his third goal in this season's Champions League.

Chief then doubled their lead four minutes after the half-hour mark as Frosler's delightful cross was headed home by Nurkovic, who netted his first goal in the Champions League, to hand Chiefs a 2-0 lead heading into the half-time break.

The Reds of Msimbazi looked to pull one back after the restart, but their defence looked shaky whenever the visitors were forced to defend against the likes of Lebogang Manyama, Nurkovic, and Castro.

Nurkovic pounced and scored with a brilliant volley to make it 3-0 to Chiefs after Simba defender Mohammed Husseini had mistakenly headed the ball into his path three minutes before the hour-mark, and it was soon 4-0 to Chiefs in the 63rd minute when Castro hit the back of the net with a diving header to extend the four-time PSL champions' lead.

Simba will now face a tall order to overturn the deficit when the two sides meet again in the return leg next weekend and keep their dream of winning the trophy this campaign alive.

Sunday’s Women’s Champions League final between Barcelona Femeni and Chelsea will see two of the most deserving sides face off in Gothenburg.

It is perhaps fitting that the Spanish outfit, overly dominant in the Primera Iberdrola, play Emma Hayes’ side that recently sealed back-to-back FA Women's Super League wins on Sunday, proving their own superiority in English football.

However, while Barcelona’s success seemed wholly straightforward — they have a 100 percent record from 26 games, scoring 128 and allowing a paltry five — the West London outfit’s WSL triumph was anything but.

Hayes’ troops had to battle with Manchester City right to the very end, before sealing successive titles in style with a 5-0 thrashing of Reading at Kingsmeadow on the final day.

Indeed, it seems equally gratifying that, having beaten England’s second-best side, Spain’s dominant force will face the team that overcame the Manchester outfit in the WSL.

Asisat Oshoala was instrumental in that quarter-final defeat of City, especially thriving in the ‘home’ fixture that took place in Monza, Italy. The Nigeria star not only opened the scoring after 35 minutes with a well-placed effort from the edge of the box, but she also then won the penalty for the second strike in the eventual 3-0 win.

That impressive first-leg win could have been higher had Barca been more clinical than the emphatic final score demonstrated.

Oshoala’s movement in dropping deep to drag away her marker was an intermittent theme during the game, and her clever positioning often befuddled the ‘away’ side’s backline.

Their dominant first-leg result meant the English outfit needed to score four unanswered goals or risk having to score five if the Spanish champions netted one.

Again, it was Oshoala who got the all-important away goal in Manchester to, more or less, guarantee progress to the semis.

A notable aspect of the West African’s strike in that encounter at the Academy Stadium was how she didn’t hide after a tough first-half in which she missed two presentable chances to equalise on the day. Rather than rue those misses and feel sorry for herself, she kept plugging away and tucked away into an open goal after the break to almost guarantee progress.

While she may have fired blanks in the semi-final encounters against Paris Saint-Germain, Oshoala’s four strikes in the competition better all but four players, including teammates Jennifer Hermoso and Lieke Martens.

After Lyon’s dominance of this competition in recent years — the French outfit won five straight titles from 2016 to 2020 — both sides are looking for their maiden Champions League crowns in Sweden.

After suffering back-to-back semi-final exits in 2019 and last year under the uncompromisingly forthright Hayes, the Chelsea boss is now one game away from taking her expensively assembled squad to the Holy Grail.

Even though the London side’s determination to claim the sought-after trophy is apparent, Oshoala and her teammates are looking to right the wrongs of their 2019 defeat by a then-unbeatable Lyon side.

“We played in the 2019 final, we lost and then we picked up corrections from there,” the Nigerian stated before Sunday’s decider “Come May 16, against Chelsea, I don't think we're going to make the same mistakes again, because we already learned from the past.

"We are a better team now than we were two years ago," she added. “I think it's going to be a very, very interesting one because both teams have top stars around the world. It's not going to be a boring match, I promise.”

Oshoala netted the consolation strike in that one-sided 4-1 loss two years ago and she may feel there’s unfinished business for herself and her teammates.

The obvious improvement in the Barca team has seen them blow away every obstacle domestically and now within 90 minutes of European elation.