South Africa and Botswana will hope to snatch a spot in the final round of the CAF section of FIFA World Cup qualifying on Saturday.
The pair are currently second and third in Group A respectively, and will need leaders Ethiopia to stumble against rock-bottom Central African Republic in order to reach the third and final qualifying phase.
World Cup 2010 hosts South Africa were expected to stroll through the group, but have struggled, crucially losing 2-1 to Ethiopia in the last round of fixtures in June.
Stanley Tshosane’s Botswana side will need to pull of an unlikely victory in Durban and hope Ethiopia lose in order to progress, but the 56-year-old is confident of their chances.
The mood in the camp is excellent as we have never been this close to achieving g…
The world s deadliest finishers will be out prospecting over the coming month in South Africa as they look to land the World Cup golden boot award.
Ronaldo, Gerd Muller, Gary Lineker, Paolo Rossi the roll call of previous winners trips off the tongue and at least a dozen of today s top strikers will be vying for the honours at this year s finals in South Africa.
Brazilian legend Ronaldo wrote his name into the history books four years ago in Germany when he bagged his 15th World Cup goal, beating the record of Germany s Muller set in 1970.
Ronaldo top-scored in 2002 on the way to lifting the trophy as he brilliantly left behind memories of the 1998 final loss to France, in which he was largely anonymous after suffering an apparent seizure before kickoff.
Rangers have completed the loan signing of Arsenal attacking midfielder Jon Toral.
Toral s loan spell at Granada ended after he had only made six appearances in all competitions this season.
The 21-year-old played regularly in previous season-long loan spells with Brentford and Birmingham City in the Championship and now joins the Scottish Premiership side until the end of the season.
Toral worked with Rangers manager Mark Warburton during his campaign at Brentford in 2014-15.
I m very, very happy to be here and the stadium just shows how big the club is I really can t wait to get started, Toral told Rangers TV.
I think knowing the manager has played a big part in it and also the connection the gaffer has with Arsenal.
It s happened be…
Monaco Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed a sparkling breakthrough campaign and is being linked with a big-money move away from the principality
Monaco have been one of the most exciting and forward thinking teams in the European game this season.
Leonardo Jardim’s team are currently leading Ligue One and are also in the last-eight of the Champions League, where they face German side Dortmund.
Not only have they achieved success this season they have played a brand of football that most people love to watch.
They have scored 87 goals in Ligue One this season, which is the highest goal tally in any of Europe’s top leagues.
Players and boss in demand
A couple of years ago Monaco spent big to compete with Ligue One rivals PSG. However, that faile…
Ronald Koeman says he has no interest in further speculation over Lionel Messi s future as Barcelona battle for the LaLiga title.
According to TNT Sports, Paris Saint-Germain are preparing an unbeatable contract offer to try and lure Messi to the French capital.
Messi s contract expires at the end of June, so the Barca captain could walk away from Camp Nou as a free agent.
The mercurial Argentina forward sensationally handed in a transfer request last August before agreeing to remain with the Catalan giants for the 2020-21 season.
Koeman reiterated his desire for Messi to sign a new deal, but for the time being the focus is on securing a win over Granada on Thursday that would move Barca top of the table.
The Barca boss said in a press conferen…
Fiorentina are willing to sell Federico Chiesa for the right price, club president Rocco Commisso said.
Chiesa, 22, has been linked with a move to Serie A giants Juventus, Inter and Milan.
After a 3-1 win over SPAL on the final day of the 2019-20 season on Sunday, Commisso once again reiterated Fiorentina are open to selling the star forward but are in no rush to see him leave.
Chiesa still at Fiorentina? We hope so, he told Sky Sport.
He can do whatever he wants. The main thing is that if he goes, he will get to the cash desk as much as we ask.
Commisso added: I hope he will stay, but if he wants to leave they must pay him what we value him, on our terms.
Chiesa scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 37…
Japanese defender Atsuto Uchida who has joined German club Schalke 04 after the World Cup turned up several weeks early for training on Tuesday, saying he was eager to get started.
Asked why he was not taking the three weeks holiday allowed him after the World Cup, Uchida said he wanted to get into the swing of things.
I don t need that much holiday. I would rather get acclimatised and established as quickly as possible, he said in an interview posted on the club s Internet site.
In Japan, we play a lot of games, but don t have a special training regime. In Germany a lot of attention is given to fitness. For me that means building my body so that I can really make a difference here, he said.
Asked about his knowledge of German, Uchida said he has alrea…
Real Madrid have confirmed that captain and record-breaking striker Raul Gonzalez will leaved the club on Monday after 16 years in the first team and with German side Schalke his destination.
Raul, who has played for Real since 1994, won six La Liga championships and three Champions League titles during his time with the Spanish giants.
He has scored 323 times in 740 appearances for the club.
Fellow veteran Guti, a product of Real s youth system who made his pro debut in 1995, said earlier Sunday that he was leaving with Besiktas in Turkey his likely new home.
Both men have been told by new coach Jose Mourinho that they do not form part of his plans for the new season.
A statement on the Real official website on Sunday announced that 33-year-old …
Al Shabab face Saham in the first leg of their GCC Champions League semi-final on Monday, with both sides looking to seize the advantage.
UAE Pro League side Al Shabab have enjoyed a successful season on the domestic front currently sitting third and look set to qualify for next season s AFC Champions League.
Al Shabab not to be confused with the Saudi club of the same name are, like their namesakes, two-time winners of this competition, lifting the trophy in 1992 and 2011.
They cruised into the last four with a 4-0 victory over Al Kharaitiyat of Qatar, and meet a Saham side who were 3-1 winners over Bahrain s Busaiteen in the last eight.
The men from Oman have never reached the final of this competition and are aiming to become the first team from the country to…
St Mirren midfielder Paul McGowan was given 130 hours of community service on Wednesday for assaulting two police officers.
The former Celtic man was also hit with a one-year supervision order after pleading guilty to the attack on PC Edward Gilmartin and Sergeant Tony Fitzpatrick in Airdrie last August.
The 26-year-old had a not-guilty plea to acting in a threating and abusive manner and kicking special constable Martine McNee on the body accepted by prosecutors at Airdrie Sheriff Court.
Scottish Premiership club St Mirren have vowed to do all they can to ensure McGowan learns from his mistakes.
A statement on their official website said: Today s sentencing brings this deeply regrettable matter to a close.
We have been very clear that we do not condone Pau…