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Afc Leopards Suffer a Thorough Whip by Fc Talanta Amidist Matchday Unveiling of New Kits

AFC Leopards unveiled their new jerseys today over a heavy defeat against FC Talanta at the Dandora Stadium. Normally, football clubs believe in unveiling new kits after winning a match, but for AFC Leopards, this was unfortunate after a long wait for the Singapore-made Mafro jersey designs. It has been a week of mixed reactions and feelings both to the Ingwe players and fans as a whole. First, it started by the players boycotting training citing non-payment of their December salaries. The team\’s management came to aid and on Thursday paid each player Fifteen Thousand Kenya Shillings but the players still refused to train claiming they needed their dues in full. Later on the teams management intervened and the players agreed to train on Friday.On the same Friday the Club unveiled their new set of kits produced by a Singaporean brand named Mafro. Mixed reactions from fans roomed their social media pages with disappointment over the nonpayment of salaries and joy over the unveiling of the arrival of the new kits. Come match day, the players arrived in their new cuts and of course with more excitement to unveil the kits with a win. Things seemed to be working right as Boniface Munyendo capitalized on the captain Clifton Miheso attack which the Talanta defender failed to clear gifting the Fred Ambani-coached side the opening goal in the 11th minute into the match. The celebrations could not last as Talanta\’s Kevin Owino\’s direct free kick leveled the scores three minutes later to pile pressure on Afc. Still not done with the Leopards, Alex Kipruto converted into the net from a Machaka punched-back shot ensuring Talanta the lead in the 27th minute of the match. Bach from the break in the 50th minute, Talanta striker Emmanuel Osoro pressed high, capitalized on Ingwe\’s goalkeeper Katasi error during the build-up from the back, and scored the third goal in an empty net. As goes the saying it is never over until it is over, Talanta\’s Alex Kipruto pounced on a failed clearance from an Afc Leopards defender making a solo effort and putting the ball inside the net to ensure a sealed match for Talanta and four goals for his team. Afc Leopards Maxwell Odongo rose to stage to try and salvage matters as he scored the Leopards second goal but it was too late as the referee clocked his watch to signal the end of the match and a defeat to the Leopards.    

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Young Africans Sc Host Mc Alger in a CAF CL Decider at the Mkapa Stadium.

The Confederation of African Federation Champions League (CAF CL) last group matches are being played today but the African football atmosphere shifts to Tanzania as Young Africans host Mc Algers in a decider match. The high stake match will be played at the Benjamin Mkapa stadium today Saturday 4:00 pm EAT. Mc Alger rank second in the group with 8 points.Young Africans on the other hand rank third with 7 points. It is a must win match to the Tanzanian side as a win of any kind seals them through the group stage to the quarter finals. Mc Alger are a foot ahead and they only need a point to proceed to the quarters. The two clubs previously met in the CAF Confederations Cup way back in 2017 where Mc Alger bundled out Yanga. CAF CONF Aprili 8, 2017 Yanga SC 1-0 MC Alger Aprili 15, 2017 MC Alger 4-0 Yanga SC The previous meeting was during the 1st leg fixture in the Champions League in Algers and Mc Alger won the match by two goals. CAF CL MC Alger 2-0 Yanga SC Throughout the week Yanga have been mobilising all the fans in Tanzania making it clear to them that they have a business to seal at the Mkapa Stadium. Will they make it count ? \”Let me make it clear, it will be a very difficult game, it will be a game that will use a lot of energy, it is a game with a lot of pressure, but I believe that my young people can withstand those rushes. we are going to light the fire from the first minute to the last whistle\” Young Africans Sc Coach Sead Ramovic Assistant Captain Dickson Job also insisted on the same, confirming it to be a tough and important match. “The players are ready for the game tomorrow, we know it will be a difficult game and every player should be mentally ready to be able to withstand the pressure of the game, attention is what we players should emphasize, we know if you make a mistake in an important match like this it can cost the team so it is very important to increase attention\” Other matches that will be played today are as follows ; CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 15:00 TP Mazembe – Al-Hilal Omdurman 18:00 Al Ahly – Orlando Pirates 18:00 CR Belouizdad – Stade d\’Abidjan 21:00 Esperance Tunis – Sagrada Esperanca 21:00 Pyramids FC – Djoliba    

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Erling Haaland signs new 9.5 years long deal at Manchester City until 2034

The citizens have been through hell in recent times.This long term deal ties down their main man to the club so as to try and stabilise the Etihad bound ship.  The deal comes about with a release clause set for only after 2029. Despite struggling in this season, here is how Erling Haaland performed in 2023: Premier League Winner Champions League Winner FA Cup Winner EPL and UCL top scorer European Golden Boot  Most goals EVER in a single Premier League Season Premier League Player of the Season PFA Team of the Year PFA Players\’ Player of the Year  He is currently on a tough season after having scored 16 goals that rank him second on the goal scorers chat.  Here is what he had to say towards the new deal ; “I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great Club.Manchester City is a special Club, full of fantastic people with amazing supporters and it’s the type of environment that helps bring the best out of everybody.I also want to thank Pep, his coaching staff, my teammates and everyone at the Club as they have all helped me so much in the past couple of years. They have made this such a special place to be and now I am City no matter what.I want to keep developing, keep working to get better and look to do my best to try and help us achieve more success going forward.” This deal means ; The highest salary EVER at Manchester City. One of highest salaries EVER in Premier League. One of highest salaries EVER in football. One of highest salaries EVER in sports.

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Amad Diallo rescues Manchester United from embracing loss with incredible hatrick

Manchester United\’s comeback ensured them a hard-fought 3-1 win against Southampton at Old Trafford.  Three last-minute goals from Amad Diallo not only saved the Red Devils but also ensured them maximum points at home. Coming from the FA Cup win against Arsenal FC over the weekend, Manchester found themselves under pressure as they conceded first into the match.  Their joyous mood seemed to be short-lived in the first minutes of their Premier League match against Southampton.  Manuel Ugarte gifted the Saints the first goal, deflecting a corner into his net a couple of minutes before the half-time break. With a goal ahead, Southampton came back with the energy to defend their lead and bag home the three points but their efforts could not last them through the 45 minutes of the second half.  What seemed like a hard nut to crack finally cracked off in the 82nd minute from the solo Amad effort completing his run with the ball into the net to level the scores. Energized by this goal, United’s forward immediately piled up more pressure up front that bore fruits in the 90th-minute mark. The Ivorian came to aid by capitalizing on an Ericksen’s pass as he volleyed it in the net gifting the Reds the second goal and a lead. Just before the end of the 4 minutes of added time, the Saints seemed tired and confused. Up on a build-up from the back, Amad seized possession from Taylor Harwood-Bellis after the Reds super press right in front of the goal and simply knocked his third into an empty net. The hat-trick and three points added on another memorable and dramatic night at the Old Trafford. Amad Diallo’s message to the fans. “I am ready to play every position where the manager likes to put me. I am ready to fight for this club. I am so happy to play where the manager wants me to play and I am so happy to score a hat-trick.’’

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‘Kenya One’ Patrick Matasi Exits Kenya PoLICE FC.

Having joined Kenya Police FC as a veteran goalkeeper with vast experience, Patrick Matasi is set to depart the law enforcers\’ camp during the midseason transfer window. Matasi joined Police FC from the Ruaraka-based side Tusker FC after a contractual tussle with Tusker maintaining that he remained to clear his contract while Police FC had offered a lucrative deal and a possible job in the Police Service.  Police FC had beefed up their squad and they needed a locally experienced shot-stopper, with all the stakes falling on one Patrick Matasi, ‘Kenya One ‘as he proudly calls himself. Matasi would then make the move to Police Fc in March 2023 and as well articulated he helped them to give both his former employer Tusker Fc and Gor Mahia a hefty run in the league although they finished third on the log.  The keeper’s arrival played a big role which was also witnessed in the Mozart Cup after he played vital roles in the knock-out matches. In the Finals he again went ahead to save two penalties in the post-match penalties to hand Police Fc the Mozart Cup Trophy at the Ulinzi Sports Complex. Things would then take a wrong turn after the top goalie started making dubious mistakes and conceding very easy goals in crucial matches.  The technical bench remained hopeful and kept handing him second chances but no change was witnessed leading to the team losing confidence in him handing over the starting role to the second-choice keeper Job Ochieng. The same was happening in the National team as Matasi was handed a starting 11 in several matches but again went ahead to commit lots of goal-keeping errors.  These consistent errors did not only keep him at loggerheads with his teammates but the fans as well.  Fans would go ahead to start calling for his omission from both the National team and Police squad. This led to him losing a slot in the National team until now.  The second chances came to an end after their match against Kakamega Homeboyz after he conceded what was termed as an easy last-minute goal sealed his exit fate.  It is after this match that he went ahead to post on his social media handles about a goodbye to the Police Sacco-based club although his next destination remains unclear.

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Mikel Arteta Again Tossing Around The Hearts of the Gunners But Delivers on a Comeback in The North London Derby

Arsenal again found themselves on the pressured side of the match as they hosted Tottenham in the North London derby only to come back from behind and secure the match in a highly tense encounter at the Emirates Stadium. The Mikel Arteta-coached side has had numerous heartbreaking encounters that have not only left their fans crying foul and cursing but also their rivals making them a laughing stock.  Over the weekend they failed to bundle out Manchester United in the FA Cup despite the stakes and moments of the match favoring them all through.  Now here they were in the derby they needed to convince their die-hards that they were still on track in the Premier League and close down the gap against Liverpool.  With the pressure on the Coaching Staff, Players, and fans, they again started the match on the wrong foot.  Arteta made four changes in his starting lineup bringing on board Sterling and Trossard to partner on the flanks with Partey and Rice pairing at the heart of the pitch. Tottenham’s captain Son Heung-min opened the scores shattering apart the hearts of the gunners even before they healed from the previous match only for Gabriel Martinez to force Dominic Solanke to put through his own net and level the scores. Four minutes later, Leandro Trossard blasted in a cracker to put Arsenal ahead towards the halftime break.  Coming back from the break Arteta had a terrible time making sure he held onto the win or rather doubled it but all the efforts bore no fruit as he only remained to hold on to the scores granting the gunners a fifth-time win against their neighbors in the premier league era.  Speaking to the media Arteta expressed so much joy after the match and here is part of what he had to say; ‘’I think I feel very proud about the team and about the players that we have and how privileged we are that they are representing this football club in the way that they do. Today was one of the best [atmospheres] that I’ve seen. That’s what we have to do consistently, I said it in the press conference, that depends on us, nobody else. There are things that we cannot control – that one for sure we can control, so let’s make the most out of it.” Arsenal Fc 2 -1 Tottenham Hotspurs

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The Total Energies CAF African Nations Championship 2024 (CHAN) draw places Kenya in A Group of Death

In an evening of mixed reactions and anxiety to Kenyan football enthusiasts, the Total Energies CAF African Nations Championship 2024 (CHAN) draw was conducted live at the KICC.  This is the country\’s first time hosting such a prestigious tournament that was scheduled for next month in a co-host of Tanzania and Uganda but was later postponed to August 2025. Conducting the draw in Nairobi already raised the mood as it cemented the atmosphere that CHAN is finally here.  The country has been in a terrible rush to finalize infrastructure preparation, which, to some extent, brought up the tension of losing the rights to host the tournament to Rwanda, but a plus came in after the committee approved Kenya to co-host. Three veteran legendaries\’ led by Kenyan Mcdonald Mariga who is the new FKF Vice President, Mrisho Alfani Ngasha from Tanzania and Hassan Waswa from Uganda took it to stage to conduct the draw. Kenya has been placed in the group of death as articulated by Kenyan fanatics owing to the current performance by the stars. In his sentiments at the draw, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice President McDonald Mariga expressed confidence and determination. \”We are in a group of death but hopefully we make it to the next round.Some fans take the positivity in it by expressing the joy that the stars are going to experience a good test of times from wonderful football-playing countries who are giants in the continent paving the way to say \’ the positives outweigh the worry of an early exit \” All this comes amidst the transition period at the FKF office as the new office is barely less than a month old.  The office is only resting on interim coach Francis Kimanzi as they await to settle on a new coach although word has it that they have settled on South African Mcarthy who is yet to be confirmed by the FKF President. What are your thoughts after the draw? What are your expectations? What are you looking forward to ?

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Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta Appears to Blame Carabao Cup Ball after Loss to Newcastle United

Mikel Arteta has responded to Arsenal’s heavy Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Newcastle United. Arsenal were beaten at home, with goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon putting them far ahead of the 2nd leg at St. James’ Park. Arsenal were a shadow of themselves, and despite getting a few clearcut chances, they couldn’t score. Arteta reacts to the heavy loss In his interview, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appeared to lay blame on the kind of ball used in the League Cup. In his own words, Arteta said the ball was different from the Premier League ball and that his team had to adapt to it. “It’s just different, different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that because it flies different and when you touch it the grip is very different as well, so you have to adapt to that,” he said. 🗣️ Mikel Arteta on the ball used in the Carabao Cup: “It’s just different, very different to a Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that because it flies differently…” ⚽️pic.twitter.com/NZLIVjdzLj — DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) January 7, 2025 Many will see this as a blatant excuse for not turning up in the game, considering how fans expected a better performance. The loss has given the Gunners an uphill task, and they will have to produce a near-perfect performance in the second leg to claim their spot in the final.  

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Funeral Plans Set For Ezekiel Otuoma: Burial Scheduled For January 11th

Former AFC Leopard Striker Ezekiel Otuoma to be buried on January 11th. Otuoma will be laid to rest at his parents’ home in Ramula, Gem, Siaya County. The footballer player was suffering from a chronic illness called Motor Neurone Disease (MND) until he met his untimely death on December 21st. The 31-year-old deceased was diagnosed with the illness 2020 which allegedly affected his muscles and nerves in the brain. His family spokesman Dennis Mogendi informed the public that the arrangements for his burial were underway. Several activities have been planned in the rest of the days to the burial date which includes fundraising event at Mbotela Social Hall in Makadara Constituency, Nairobi on January 8th. A football tournament has also been proposed for January 8th at the Absa Bank Sports Club on Thika road where Otuoma’s former teammates and selected FKF premier league side are expected to feature. The plans for a requiem mass on January 9th are also underway. Ezekiel Otuoma’s death came as a huge blow not only to the football team but also to Government officials and Kenyans at large. Kenyans congratulated his wife Rachel Otuoma for taking care of him till the last day. While announcing his death, his wife wrote a powerful condolence message for him. To my husband, you have left a hole in my heart that no one else can fill. The emptiness in my arms reminds me of the love we shared, your love was a gift, and I’ll always cherish it.  She wrote on her TikTok account.

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Manchester United Battling Relegation As Ruben Amorim Admits to Being Huge Embarrassment

Manchester United’s embarrassing two-nil loss to Newcastle United at home made it three home losses in the league for the first time in decades. The match started in the worst way possible as two crosses in the first 20 minutes saw Newcastle go two up with goals from Isak and Joelinton. A 30-minute substitution to replace Joshua Zirkzee with Kobbie Maino was another sign that the manager got his team wrong, and Newcastle were running the show. Eriksen and Casemiro couldn’t handle the opponent’s strength and pace in the middle of the park and had to bring in Mainoo’s energy and composure, which turned the game a bit. However, this was too late, as Newcastle went on to win the game, leaving Manchester United 14th in the league and much closer to the bottom than the top. FULL-TIME: MAN UNITED 0-2 NEWCASTLE • Isak A. • Joelinton Newcastle United dominate at Old Trafford! 💥 pic.twitter.com/lPuCm7vQrn — Football Videos (@BarcaEvadon) December 30, 2024 Amorim selection issues and embarrassing admission After the game, the manager was quick to admit that his system wasn’t improving the players, but he had to continue his ways despite being a huge embarrassment at the moment. His selection will also be questioned, as Casemiro and Eriksen lacked the agility to handle the midfield, and this was pretty clear even under the previous manager. Having young and energetic players such as Toby Collyer and Mainoo on the bench was clearly a bad choice, and maybe he should consider this going forward. “The team is not improving” 💬 Ruben Amorim admits it’s “embarrassing to be a Manchester United coach” 🔴 pic.twitter.com/NwW7fuACgW — Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 31, 2024 Marcus returns Marcus Rashford returned to the bench but was an unused sub, with Amorim noting that he was more focused on the team than Rashford. United head to Anfield on Sunday, January 5, in their first game of 2025. With Liverpool flying high, they could face another huge embarrassment. The fans will be waiting to see a change in the personnel, especially at wingback, and maybe a much-improved side that can get a result in the rival match.  

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