Football

South Africa Women’s U17 head coach Ntombifuthi Khumalo has revealed why South Africa has a stable supply of U17 players, a lesson Kenya can learn from.The Bantwana faced Junior Starlets in the third and final qualifier of the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup with Kenya securing a 5-1 aggregate win.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsDespite the setback, South Africa has been consistent with their U17 already qualified twice to the World Cup and always reaching the advanced stages of the qualifiers.Speaking before their match against Junior Starlets, Khumalo explained why South Africa always have a strong team in all the editions.“We are lucky that we have the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) girls Academy, a FIFA program where we take some of the girls and nature them, we have a Talent Development System (TDS) program funded by FIFA as well as many school programs.We have so many development programs where we get a constant supply of talents,” she said.##NAJAVA_MECA_9858114##So..

Harambee Stars defenders Manzur Okwaro and Amos Wanjala featured for their respective European clubs on Wednesday, July 22, as they continued their pre-season preparations ahead of the new campaign.Okwaro played just over 45 minutes for French side Stade de Reims in a 1-1 friendly draw against fellow Ligue 2 club Amiens SC at Stade de la Licorne.##NAJAVA_MECA_6501##Coach Nicolas Usaï named a strong starting XI, but Amiens took the lead in first-half stoppage time through Albin Doucet after the two sides had looked destined to go into the break level.Seeking to give every player valuable minutes, Usaï made 11 changes at half-time, with Okwaro among those introduced in defence.Hundreds of millions await Harambee Starlets at WAFCON after CAF prize boostReims fought back in the closing stages, with Arone Gadou scoring a 90th-minute equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw.Okwaro will be hoping to earn more playing time and impress Usaï as he pushes for a regular place in the senior team. Harambee St..

Arsenal could be forced into a major defensive signing after confirming that William Saliba will spend an extended period on the sidelines with a back injury.The Premier League champions have already stepped up their search for reinforcements, with former Manchester City defender John Stones emerging as one of the club’s leading targets to fill the void left by the France international, The Athletic reports on Wednesday.Saliba suffered the injury during France’s 2-0 FIFA World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain, pulling up after just 30 minutes before signalling to the bench that he could not continue.Arsenal fear five-month lay-off after Saliba suffers serious back injuryFollowing further examinations in London, Arsenal confirmed that surgery will not be required, but the 25-year-old faces a lengthy rehabilitation programme.”William Saliba has returned to us from World Cup duty. Subsequent specialist reviews… have confirmed that he has suffered a back injury which will require a period ..

BETTING GUIDE: Hammarby IF vs AnderlechtThe UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds get underway with an exciting clash as Swedish side Hammarby IF host Belgian giants Anderlecht in the first leg of the second qualifying round.Hammarby head into the tie full of confidence after an impressive run of domestic victories, while Anderlecht begin their competitive European campaign looking to make a strong statement despite only playing pre-season friendlies so far.Download Our MozzartSport App For More NewsThis encounter promises to be an entertaining battle between two attack-minded teams. Hammarby have been scoring freely since the Swedish league resumed, while Anderlecht have also shown plenty of attacking intent during pre-season. With a place in the third qualifying round on the line, both sides will be eager to take an advantage into the return leg.##NAJAVA_MECA_9858188##Kick-off: 9:00 PM (Kenyan Time), ThursdayVenue: 3Arena, Stockholm, SwedenGroup: UEFA Europa League – Second Qualifying..

Jamie Vardy could be set for a new adventure in Spain, with reports claiming the veteran striker has made Sevilla his preferred destination.The 39-year-old is currently a free agent after ending his spell with Cremonese, making him an attractive option for clubs looking to strengthen without paying a transfer fee. According to Fichajes, Sevilla are exploring the possibility of bringing the former Leicester City icon to Andalusia, while Vardy is said to be willing to lower his wage demands to help make the move happen.🚨#SevillaFC 39‑year‑old striker Jamie Vardy is open to a move to Sevilla.The free agent is attracting interest from Sheffield Wednesday and former club Leicester City, among others. pic.twitter.com/YBnMT1IVSD— Mission (@Missionqa) July 21, 2026 Talks are reportedly centered around a two-year contract worth approximately €1.5 million per season. For Sevilla, such a deal would represent a low-risk opportunity to add proven experience to their attack while staying within thei..

Kakamega Homeboyz have continued to strengthen their squad ahead of the new FKF Premier League season after completing the signing of experienced centre-back Maurice Ojwang.The former Gor Mahia and Western Stima defender, who recently returned to Kenya following a stint with Tanzanian side Tanzania Prisons, trained with the Homeboyz first team for the first time on Monday as preparations for the new campaign gathered momentum.##NAJAVA_MECA_9857684##Ojwang arrives with a wealth of experience from both the Kenyan and Tanzanian top flights and is expected to provide stability and leadership at the heart of Homeboyz’s defence as the club targets another competitive season under head coach Edward Manoah.Club chairman Cleophas Shimanyula believes the defender’s arrival is a major boost for the Kakamega-based side, insisting his experience will prove invaluable both on and off the pitch.Harambee Stars coach backed for Bafana Bafana job ahead of Pitso Mosimane”We are very pleased to welcome Ma..

Aymeric Laporte is turning back the clock!He was impressive at the World Cup he won with Spain, leading La Roja’s sturdy defence which set a record by conceding only one goal in the tournament, while his centre-back partnership with Pau Cubarsi proved exceptional.Hence, the reports of the Spanish outlet Sport about Barcelona’s interest in Laporte come as little surprise.🚨🚨🌕| 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: FC Barcelona have made their first move to SIGN Aymeric Laporte! He would LOVE to join Barça & the club is going all out for him.Talks have already taken place with the defender’s entourage and negotiations are set to continue this week. His release… pic.twitter.com/K0Gj1Z4dxx— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) July 21, 2026 Ever since Inigo Martinez left the club in August 2025, the Catalans have been struggling to find a suitable partner for Cubarsi. Hansi Flick experimented with Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, and Gerard Martin alongside the youngster, but his team’s defence seemed more vulnerable than befor..

Shabana have strengthened their attacking options with the signing of Kenya Under 20 striker Luis Ingavi, who returns home after several years in the United States.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe Glamour Boys confirmed the arrival of the highly rated forward in their trademark style, welcoming him to Gusii with a message on the club’s official social media pages.”All the way from USA to Bosongo. Welcome to Tore Bobe, Luis Ingavi. Karibu ndani ya Shabana ya asali na maziwa.”##NAJAVA_MECA_9857532##Ingavi rejoins Kenyan football after recently undergoing trials with American outfit Fort Wayne, and brings with him a blend of international exposure and youth national team experience.His arrival comes at a time when Tore Bobe are rebuilding their frontline following the departure of several attackers who featured prominently last season.Although the Gusii-based side finished an impressive fifth in the 2025/26 FKF Premier League, a return of 35 goals exposed the need for great..

After several seasons in South Sudan, experienced defender Terra Fernandez is set for a return to Kenyan football, bringing with him valuable continental experience and memories of an eventful spell with Atlabara FC.Fernandez leaves Juba having been part of one of South Sudan’s traditional football powerhouses during a period of transition. Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsHis time at Atlabara included domestic title challenges and appearances on the continental stage after the club featured in the CECAFA Kagame Cup and the CAF Champions League following their league triumph.While Atlabara were unable to reclaim the league crown in the seasons that followed, Fernandez believes the experience helped shape him both as a footballer and as a person.”South Sudan surprised a lot of people. Every season the league became more competitive and more professional. Clubs are investing more, the players are improving, and the fans are becoming more passionate. I genuinely believe South S..

Harambee Stars prospect Maik Nelson Afri Akumu has taken another significant step towards top-flight football after being included in Bundesliga side FC Köln’s senior team’s pre-season preparations ahead of the 2026-2027 season.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsAlthough the 18-year-old is officially part of FC Köln II, the highly-rated attacker has been training with the club’s first team throughout pre-season as he bids to earn opportunities in the Bundesliga. His growing status within the club was further underlined after he featured in FC Köln’s official pre-season Media Day at Geißbockheim on 17 July.##NAJAVA_MECA_9855116##Akumu joined the Billy Goats from Hertha BSC in August 2025 after signing a long-term contract. At Hertha, he progressed through every age group from the U9s.Despite still being eligible for U17 football, he earned promotion to both the U19 and reserve teams.Born in Berlin on 13 July, 2008, to a Kenyan father and an English mother, Akumu remains eligibl..