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Alonso vetoed his former teammate

Looking to fill the void left by Enzo Fernández’s (25) departure for Manchester City, Chelsea have explored numerous options in recent weeks. With moves for Manu Kone (Roma) and Lamine Camara (Monaco) failing to materialize in the final 24 hours of the transfer window (there were even whispers that Xabi Alonso had his eye on Fulham’s Sander Berge as a temporary solution), the Blues turned their attention to the free-agent market. That led to initial contact with representatives of Georginio Wijnaldum (35), but after he eventually joined Al Ittihad, the London club’s hierarchy put forward another former Paris Saint-Germain player to the coaching staff – none other than Renato Sanches (29)?!🚨🚨 CHELSEA A TENTÉ UNE APPROCHE POUR… RENATO SANCHES 🇵🇹, libre !!! 💙😳Xabi Alonso a finalement préféré faire confiance à son effectif actuel.🗞️ @sebnonda pic.twitter.com/tHSne4t1Z0— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) September 7, 2026 Once regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Portuguese football, the midf..

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Harambee Stars winger breaks Alexander Isak’s record after scoring first LaLiga goal

Harambee Stars forward Job Ochieng delivered a sensational performance on Monday night, scoring once and providing two assists as Real Sociedad edged Elche 3-2 in a dramatic La Liga encounter at the Martínez Valero.The 23-year-old, who came through Real Sociedad’s youth system, was handed his second La Liga start in only his second appearance for the senior team following his impressive cameo against Real Madrid.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsHe repaid the faith of coach Pellegrino Matarazzo with a performance that saw him directly involved in all three of Sociedad’s goals and earn the man of the match award.Ochieng opened the scoring in the 11th minute, producing a superb finish from a tight angle after connecting with Carlos Soler’s delivery from the edge of the box.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936487##His powerful volley flew into the roof of the net, giving Sociedad an early advantage and marking his first professional and La Liga goal.He was at the heart of the second goal as well…

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National 7s Circuit’s role in propelling high-school stars to East African title

Kiambaa Ladies are proving that the gap between school and senior women’s rugby can be bridged. Their innovative player-development pathway is helping a group of schoolgirls gain valuable experience on the National 7s Circuit before going on to conquer East Africa.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsThe Kiambaa Ladies club has created a pathway that allows talented youngsters from Kinale School to compete against established senior teams while continuing their education.Rather than waiting until the players finish school to introduce them to senior rugby, coach Allan Bush has chosen to expose them to the demands of the National 7s Circuit early in their development.The bold approach has already produced significant results.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936487##Kiambaa Ladies announced themselves on the circuit at the opening Prinsloo 7s, where they stunned a star-studded Kenya Harlequin Queens 21-17 to reach the Main Cup final.They eventually finished runners-up after losing 19-0 to Mwamba La..

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Ntabeni Dukisa outlines areas that denied Kabras maiden Embu 7s title

Kabras RFC head coach Ntabeni Dukisa has pointed to officiating and missed defensive opportunities as key factors behind the Sugarmen’s narrow defeat to KCB Rugby in the Embu 7s final.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsKabras fell 12-10 to the Bankers in a closely contested final at Embu Stadium on Sunday, missing out on their maiden Embu 7s title despite an impressive run to the final.The Sugarmen had enjoyed a dominant campaign, opening with a 28-0 victory over Nakuru RFC before seeing off Strathmore Leos 19-5.Club representation breakdown of 14 Kenyan stars at inaugural Ultimate 7sThey completed the pool stage with another convincing 21-7 win over Nondies RFC before progressing to the knockout stages.Kabras defeated Mwamba RFC 22-12 in the quarterfinals before producing a commanding 22-5 victory over Menengai Oilers in the semifinals to set up a final against KCB.However, the Bankers held their nerve to edge the Sugarmen by two points and claim their first Embu 7s title.##N..

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Road less travelled: Netherlands-born prospect switches allegiance to DR Congo

The trend of African players choosing to represent European countries at the international level may be dying out.Four years ago, Morocco became the first African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals, while the latest edition of the prestigious tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico showed that national teams from the “mother continent” can more than hold their own against far stronger opponents.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Morocco, Ivory Coast, Senegal, DR Congo, Cabo Verde, Egypt… They are all testament to the rise of African football.Until recently, players opted for CAF-affiliated teams only when they had no other choice – when it became clear that European powerhouses had no place for them.Ayyoub Bouaddi set a precedent when he chose Morocco over France, despite being born there and having represented Les Bleus’ youth categories.However, the 18-year-old is no longer an isolated case.According to Dutch outlet Voetbal International, talented Netherlands-born midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi ..

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K’Ogalo head coach explains reason for first half sub against Pyramids

Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has explained his decision to withdraw midfielder Lesley Otieno early in Sunday’s CAF Champions League preliminary round clash against Egyptian outfit Pyramids FC at Nyayo National Stadium.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe record FKF Premier League champions fell 2-0 to the Egyptian powerhouses in the first leg, with Walid El Karti opening the scoring in the fifth minute before Mahmoud Saber doubled the advantage on the stroke of halftime.Facing one of Africa’s continental heavyweights, the Ghanaian tactician made several tactical adjustments during the contest, including sacrificing Lesley and introducing Ben Stanley Omondi as he looked to restore balance to his midfield.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936564##The decision to take off one of his core players before halftime attracted attention, but the former Ghana national team coach explained that it was purely a tactical move rather than a reflection of the midfielder’s performance.“Yeah, it wasn’t..

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Six lessons learned from Gor Mahia’s defeat to Pyramids in CAF Champions League

With dust slowly settling on Gor Mahia’s humbling 2-0 loss to Egyptian moneybags Pyramids FC in the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) first preliminary round, plenty of lessons can be drawn from the first-leg clash.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThis was K’Ogalo’s first continental match since September 2024, when they suffered elimination at the hands of record African champions Al Ahly in the same competition.The highly anticipated clash was settled by Walid El-Khati and Mahmoud Saber, who both scored in the fifth and 45+5th minutes to give the Egyptian outfit a much-deserved away win.K’Ogalo head coach explains reason for first half sub against PyramidsWith the two sides set for a second-leg encounter on Sunday, 13 September, in Cairo, Egypt, the 2025 CAF Champions League winners already have one leg in the next round.Having covered the match extensively, Mozzart Sport takes a look at some of the key takeaways from the Sunday afternoon encounter.Significance of opponent anal..

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Epitome of humility – Mbappe: “Who do I vote for to win Ballon d’Or? For myself!”

UEFA will announce the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or, and for the first time in years, there won’t be a clear favourite to claim the prestigious honour.For some, Rodri is the frontrunner as the World Cup winner with Spain and the tournament’s Golden Ball. Ruthless goalscorers like Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are always in the mix, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, arguably the best player of Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, will be waiting in the wings for his chance.Of course, Kylian Mbappe will, as usual, be in the running, as well.🚨BALLON D’OR NOMINEES DROPPING TOMORROW!The wait is finally overFrance Football will reveal the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees tomorrow, September 8.30 players. One ultimate prize. Mbappé? Kane? Rodri? Haaland? WHO ARE YOU EXPECTING TO MAKE THE LIST? #BallonDor— XtraScore (@XtraScoreHQ) September 7, 2026 The Frenchman broke Miroslav Klose’s record, won the scoring battle with Lionel Messi, and became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer w..

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Karius’ redemption 8 years later: First man to stop Bayern in 14 months

Following their merciless start to the new season, with two wins against Stuttgart and Osnabruck and a combined goal difference of 9-2, few could have expected Bayern Munich to slip up against Bundesliga newcomers Schalke 04.Truth be told, the Gelsenkirchen club is still among Germany’s giants despite its recent struggles, but it is far from the Bavarians’ level.Either way, Schalke held firm.No Kane, no Olise from the start and no goals – Bayern drop points at SchalkeVincent Kompany’s men were below par, and their forwards were misfiring – all of that holds true. However, the Royal Blues’ defence should get credit for keeping a clean sheet against the mighty opponent, while the man between the posts, Loris Karius, deserved to be specifically highlighted and praised.The man whose career was marked by a tragic night in Kyiv eight years ago, when he handed Real Madrid two goals on a plate and cost Liverpool a 3-1 defeat in the Champions League final.It took him time to recover from such a..

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Gor Mahia fans react to CAF Champions League defeat against Pyramids FC

After suffering a deflating 2-0 loss at the hands of Egyptian moneybags Pyramids FC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) preliminary round, Gor Mahia fans have expressed mixed reactions.The two sides met in the first leg of the CAFCL preliminary round on Sunday, 6 September, at Nyayo National Stadium, where the visitors secured a crucial away victory.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsMoments after K’Ogalo missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead, Pyramids broke the deadlock in the fifth minute through Walid El-Khati before Egypt international Mahmoud Saber doubled the advantage at the stroke of halftime.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936459##Gor Mahia staged a spirited performance in the second half, but it was not enough to overturn the damage inflicted in the opening 45 minutes.Mozzart Sport caught up with Gor Mahia fans after the final whistle, who offered divergent views on the defeat.“I honestly believe that Gor Mahia had a good game. We conceded largely due to ind..

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