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Ajax turn focus to R8m payday

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There’s a spirit of determination at Ajax Cape Town as they prepare to take on Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 final.

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There’s a spirit of determination and a fantastic mood of optimism at Ajax Cape Town as they prepare to take on Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 final in Port Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon (kickoff 3pm).

At the root of this ebullience is the fact that Ajax defeated Polokwane City 2-1 in a PSL fixture over the weekend to soar to the top of the league standings, and that this is their second Cup final (this one with a winner’s cheque of R8m) in the space of a few months.

In May this year, the Cape side was defeated on penalties by Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup final, also in PE, which is why they are motivated to emerge on the winning side this time around.

For the win over Polokwane at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night, Ajax rested Bafana Bafana defender Rivaldo Coetzee. The teenager returned from national duty with an ankle injury and was allowed some time to rest and recover, especially with the Cup final in mind.

In addition, Coetzee is also on three yellow cards – it would have been foolish to risk him getting another against Polokwane and then have a key player suspended for such an important upcoming match.

“Against Polokwane, we were very good in the opening 15 minutes,” said Ajax assistant coach Ian Taylor. “We pressed them high, passed the ball around well, and scored great goals through Nathan Paulse and Abbubaker Mobara.

“But Polokwane are a team that never gives up, they keep coming at you. They pulled one back and then kept on attacking. As such, we dropped a little deeper…

“We brought on Erwin Isaacs in the second half, who immediately allowed us to keep shape a lot better. We had a few more opportunities to add to our score, but never finished off.”

The win, though, said Taylor, was great for morale ahead of Saturday’s final.

“It was another home win,” he said. “These are the games a team should be winning… It’s a competitive league and a team should always be trying to win its home games. It takes us top of the PSL and it’s a boost for the squad as we now focus on the cup final.

“Chiefs, though, also come off a great win (4-1 against SuperSport United) and they will have their tails up. They are a fantastic football team, they keep possession and play with a lot of patience. At the moment, it looks like George Lebese is their danger man, he’s been among the goals of late.

“But, for us, for this young squad, it’s a second cup final. After the defeat to Sundowns in May, they are more than determined to redeem themselves. This time, they want to be winners, and they are eager and hungry to achieve success.” - Cape Argus

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Cech relishing beating Chelsea, again!

Arsenal's Petr Cech is looking forward to beating Chelsea for the second time when the Gunners visit Stamford Bridge Saturday.

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Arsenal's Petr Cech is looking forward to beating Chelsea for the second time when the Gunners visit the goalkeeper's former club in the Premier League on Saturday.

Arsenal defeated the champions in the Community Shield at Wembley - the first time in 14 attempts that Arsene Wenger got the better of Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho.

The clubs sit at opposite ends of the table, with the Gunners having recovered well from their opening day league loss against West Ham United to climb to fourth place on 10 points, while Chelsea are languishing two points above the relegation zone after their latest defeat by Everton at the weekend.

“Obviously it will be new to play against Chelsea but when you start playing the game the only concern you have is 'can I play my best game and can we win?'“ Cech, who left Chelsea after losing his place in the first team to Thibaut Courtois, was quoted as saying by the London Evening Standard.

“In a way it is nice that I spent so much time there. That I know every corner of the stadium and the space, so for me there will be no surprises.”

“I have never played at Stamford Bridge in the visiting team so it will be a new experience for me,” he added.

“I go to a familiar place but most important for me will be to win the game. That's the way it goes.”

Midfielder Mesut Ozil, who joined the Gunners from Real Madrid two years ago for a club record fee that made him the most expensive German footballer in history, said he is keen to repay Wenger's faith in him with good performances.

The 26-year-old has been criticised throughout his career at Arsenal, despite winning two FA cups and having created a total of 76 chances in 2015, more than any other player in the Premier League.

He has, however, always found a staunch supporter in Wenger.

“He (Wenger) has experience and in past years you've seen him develop some top players,” Ozil told the club's website (www.arsenal.com).

“I get on really well with him and he gives me his trust. I'm thankful to him for that and to be praised by a coach like him means a lot.”

“I thank him for that through good performances on the pitch. I just want to help the team as much as possible on the pitch - that's my target,” the World Cup winner added. – Reuters

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PSV not afraid of United

PSV Eindhoven must play without fear when they launch their Champions League Group B campaign at home to Manchester United.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands - PSV Eindhoven must play without fear when they launch their Champions League Group B campaign at home to Manchester United on Tuesday, said coach Phillip Cocu.

The Dutch club are returning to the group phase of the competition for the first time in seven years.

“We have respect for each opponent but we are not scared,” Cocu told reporters on Monday. “Manchester are an absolutely top team but that doesn't mean we don't have a chance.

“We'll have to reach above our potential, that's the way you get big results. If you don't do it then it becomes a lot harder, details are very important against these sort of teams.”

PSV are without Dutch international full back Jetro Willems due to a long-term injury. Striker Adam Maher was back in training on Monday after missing the 6-0 victory over SC Cambuur at the weekend but he is deemed to be short of match fitness.

“The players must play with their hearts and keep their heads in the game too because these are the kind of matches you dream about participating in,” said Cocu.

“We are going to give everything we can. We have to ensure we leave the field at the end of the match with the feeling that we did everything we possibly could.”

PSV will be featuring in the group phase for a Dutch record 14th time. Back in 2008 they finished last in their section behind Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Olympique de Marseille. – Reuters

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Chiefs’ transport offer for CT fans

Kaizer Chiefs has cranked up support in Cape Town by offering transport from the mother city to Saturday's MTN8 final against Ajax Ct in Port Elizabeth.

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Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs has cranked up support in Cape Town by offering transport from the mother city to Saturday's MTN8 final against Ajax Ct in Port Elizabeth.

Clouds of controversy have hovered over Cape Town ever since Chiefs announced they will be playing three home games this season at the iconic Cape Town stadium.

A bus trip from Johannesburg will cost R1400, while the same trip from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth will be R1100. “As Kaizer Chiefs we have been working hard with our travel agent and our bus partner (Protours) to put together some packages,” said Tracy Williams, Chiefs' Supporters Structures Manager; Retail, Branches, Supporters.

“The bus will be comfortable with soft and cosy seats and space to stretch the legs,” adds Williams. “There is on-board entertainment, showing various Kaizer Chiefs TV shows, and passengers will get a copy of the Amakhosi Magazine.” - African News Agency (ANA)

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No more excuses for City - Kompany

Despite all their recent domestic success - repeating that success in the Champions League remains elusive for Manchester City.

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It Is the itch that the new Manchester City have been unable to scratch.

Since the 2008 takeover and the heavy investment that followed, two Premier League trophies have been lifted, along with an FA Cup and a Capital One Cup.

But success in the Champions League remains elusive at the Etihad Stadium — and for captain Vincent Kompany there are no excuses in the need to improve on back-to-back, last-16 exits at the hands of Barcelona.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s European opener against last year’s beaten finalists Juventus, the Belgian declared: ‘We have to be better. It cannot be what it was in the previous years.

‘As long as we don’t perform in the Champions League as we have in the Premier League there will always be something left behind.

‘There is nobody here who left the Champions League satisfied last year. We came up against the best team in the world. That made it easier to understand but we want to beat them on a regular basis.

‘We are disappointed and frustrated from last season. We need to take that anger or desire or energy into the game.’

Kompany, whose side are in a group with Juventus, Borussia Monchengladbach and Sevilla, believes that playing Barcelona should not justify failure.

‘It is not an excuse,’ he said. ‘It is the truth. The group may be the hardest this year again but we have learned to cope with it in the last few years.’

Manager Manuel Pellegrini spent £135million in the summer on Raheem Sterling, Kevin de Bruyne, Fabian Delph and Nicolas Otamendi.

Kompany believes the squad, four points clear at the top of the Premier League, is the strongest it has been since he arrived at the club and can now challenge the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

‘Early signs would say so but experience would teach you to be careful,’ he said.

‘It was exactly what we needed. Those teams are not just the best because they have a better chance or colours, they have been working on the squad for so many years, attracting the best players.’

Kompany added that City are going into the clash against the Italians, who have yet to win in three Serie A matches, in high spirits.

‘If we are not confident after what we have done, then we will never be confident,’ he said.

City will be without Sergio Aguero, who is out with a knee injury after a poor challenge from Crystal Palace’s Scott Dann during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Selhurst Park.

The Argentinian striker is expected to be replaced by ex-Swansea targetman Wilfried Bony with Pellegrini reverting to a 4-2-3-1 from the 4-4-2 he deployed in London.

The Chilean, who has Spanish playmaker David Silva and winger Sterling fit again, will be unable to select teenage striker Kelechi Iheanacho — who marked his debut by scoring the winner at Palace — as he is not in the Champions League squad.

Pellegrini, who added that he hopes to have Aguero back for Saturday’s visit of West Ham United, acknowledged that City need to improve in the competition but refused to look beyond tonight’s match.

‘We need to take an important step forward in Europe and I hope it can happen this year,’ he said.‘We are not thinking where we are going to arrive, we are just thinking about how to win against Juventus.’ – Daily Mail

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Henderson blow for Liverpool

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is facing an extended spell on the sidelines and has flown to the United States for treatment on a foot injury.

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Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is facing an extended spell on the sidelines and has flown to the United States for treatment on a foot injury that has ruled him out of the last three games, British media reported.

The England international injured his heel in the 1-0 over Bournemouth on August 17 and has not played since.

Liverpool have struggled in his absence, picking up just one point from a run of games that included a 0-0 draw with Arsenal, a 3-0 defeat by West Ham United and Saturday's 3-1 loss to Manchester United.

The 25-year-old Henderson would visit orthopedic surgeon Dr James Cozzarelli for treatment, although he was not expected to require surgery, the reports said.

Liverpool were hopeful that Henderson would feature after the international break at the start of September but are now resigned to losing him for longer than anticipated.

However, midfielder Adam Lallana, who missed the club's last three games with a thigh injury, has returned to training and is in contention to face Norwich City in the Premier League on Sunday.

Phillpe Coutinho, who was suspended for the game against United, will likely return to the starting line-up when Liverpool travel to France to face Bordeaux in the Europa League on Thursday. – Reuters

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Chelsea deny Terry, Costa bust-up

Chelsea were forced to deny allegations that John Terry and Diego Costa were involved in an angry training-ground bust-up.

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Chelsea were last night forced to deny allegations that John Terry and Diego Costa were involved in an angry training-ground bust-up.

Pundit and former England international Stan Collymore claimed on radio station talkSPORT that skipper Terry and star striker Costa clashed at the club’s Cobham base.

Chelsea moved quickly to deny the allegation, and Sportsmail understands they will contact talkSPORT today.

Speaking on Sunday, Collymore said: ‘My understanding is John Terry and Diego Costa had a contretemps in training. In the context of every football training ground up and down the country that happens every day, whether it’s Manchester United, Chelsea or Scunthorpe.

‘But in the context of two very big personalities in the dressing room not winning games, that could fester and become a problem. In a harmonious (dressing room) everyone gets on, not best buddies but everyone respects each other.’

Chelsea, who face Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League tomorrow, are 11 points adrift of leaders Manchester City in the Premier League, with some members of the squad already believing the gap is too wide to claw back. – Daily Mail

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LVG asks for patience with Depay

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal demanded patience for newly signed forward Memphis Depay to allow him to settle.

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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal on Monday demanded patience for newly signed forward Memphis Depay to allow him to settle into the punishing pace of the Premier League.

“I have to be patient with Memphis and the fans also have to be patient,” Van Gaal told journalists at a press conference, a day ahead of Tuesday's Champion's League group opener against PSV Eindhoven.

“It's not easy to adapt to the high rhythm of the Premier League,” said Van Gaal, when taxed about Depay's jerky start to life at the Red Devils.

Depay - the Dutch league's top scorer with 22 goals last season – has at times strugglied since his £25 million (34m euros, $38.6m) summer transfer to Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old Dutch international's recent blip was also highlighted by the contrast with newly signed French teenager Anthony Martial's goalscoring debut against Liverpool on Saturday.

Van Gaal however pleaded with fans to be patient not only with Depay but also with Martial, hinting the Frenchman may not feature in his starting line-up.

“You can't demand from these players, 19, 20, 21 years old that they continue to be consistent. You have to accept that,” said Van Gaal.

The 19-year-old Martial, signed from Monaco on transfer deadline day for a reported fee of £36 million ($55 million, 49 million euros), stepped off the bench to score United's third goal in a 3-1 win.

Pressure is mounting on Van Gaal to hand the youngster his first start, but the United manager could opt to protect the rising star and keep him on the bench.

The Dutch manager said of Martial: “The impression is good, but I can only say... the same for him as for Memphis: you have to give them more time and that's what I am asking.”

Depay told journalists that donning the United jersey “is a new experience for me and I still have to improve.”

He said it will be a “special moment” to run out against his former team-mates on Tuesday.

Depay should get a warm reception in the Philips Stadion having helped PSV to a first title win in seven years last season at the club where he played for almost a decade.

Asked whether he'll celebrate if he scored a goal against his former club – a frequent question in the recent weeks – Depay said: “I'll celebrate. I play for Manchester United now, even though I respect PSV.” – AFP

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Newcastle without a win under McClaren

Newcastle United slumped to the foot of the Premier League table after a 2-0 defeat at West Ham United.

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London - Newcastle United slumped to the foot of the Premier League table after a 2-0 defeat at West Ham United on Monday left manager Steve McClaren still seeking a first win in charge.

Dimitri Payet was Newcastle's chief tormentor, scoring early in each half to lift West Ham into the top five with three wins and two defeats from their opening five games.

If West Ham are unpredictable, Newcastle have been predictably uninspired under new boss McClaren and they offered little to excite their fans at Upton Park.

After being delayed en route because of pre-match traffic and needing to walk the last mile to the ground, Newcastle's players began slowly and went behind after nine minutes when Frenchman Payet took a pass from Mark Noble and placed a rising shot into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Payet, impressive since signing from Marseille during the transfer window, doubled West Ham's lead three minutes after the interval when he calmly volleyed the ball home from close range after Victor Moses struck the underside of the crossbar with a fierce drive following a counter-attack.

Newcastle, who have two points and dropped below north east rivals Sunderland because of an inferior scoring record, enjoyed plenty of possession without forcing West Ham goalkeeper Darren Randolph into a difficult save.

They have found the net only twice this season, the lowest total in the top four divisions, and former England manager McClaren is already under pressure to turn things around.

“I don't know what it was, whether it was the journey, late getting here, the 10-minute warm-up, but we said before no excuses, deal with it, and maybe we didn't deal with it.

“It was a big wake-up call for everybody because in this Premier League if you are not at 100 percent you get beat,” he said.

West Ham's first home win of the season after defeats by Leicester City and Bournemouth edged them up five places, six points behind leaders Manchester City, and gave manager Slaven Bilic plenty of reasons to be cheerful.

He even had the luxury of sending on injury-plagued England striker Andy Carroll in the closing stages for his first action since February.

“The second half I was very proud of the team, we were very solid,” former West Ham player Bilic, who as Croatia coach in 2007 masterminded a win over England that cost McClaren his job, told Sky Sports.

“This is proof that we are on the right way and proof we did well in the transfer window.” – Reuters

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Have players given up on Jose?

As Jose Mourinho stomps around the training ground, Chelsea employees dive into side rooms to avoid him.

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As Jose Mourinho stomps around the training ground, Chelsea employees dive into side rooms or peek around corners to avoid their temperamental manager.

Nobody wants to come into contact with him these days. Not when the mood is black and the atmosphere oppressive.

Mourinho will not speak about the moment he shouted ‘filha da puta’ at the club’s popular doctor Eva Carneiro during the 2-2 draw with Swansea City on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season.

Privately, employees at the club are firmly on her side.

It is one of the reasons Mourinho is struggling to motivate the dressing room, creating tension between him and the players.

Carneiro has not been to work for the past 36 days, in limbo as Chelsea prepare for a potential civil action that could cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages.

Mourinho is refusing to apologise, to take responsibility for publicly calling out a highly respected member of the medical profession during an explosive confrontation.

There are rumours at the club that Roman Abramovich’s partner Dasha Zhukova, along with the wives and partners of the players, felt Mourinho was heavy-handed and disrespectful.

He is struggling to hold this team together, to unite this dressing room after they slipped to their third defeat of the season at Everton on Saturday.

It was a pitiful performance, with the body language of the players when they stepped off the team bus suggesting they were about to surrender. Where was the swagger of champions, the aura that is usually associated with Mourinho’s title-winning teams?

Some of the issues can be traced back to last season and the manager’s frustration with Diego Costa goes much deeper than the continued frustrations with the £32million striker’s troublesome hamstrings.

After Chelsea had sewn up the title with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on May 3, Mourinho rewarded his players with four days off to give them time to celebrate.

Costa, who flew to Madrid to party, indulged a little bit too much and took an extra day. Mourinho responded by axing him from the team that drew 1-1 at Anfield on May 10, but by then the problems were beginning to pile up for Costa.

Over a three-week period in the build-up to the title triumph there had been numerous complaints about loud noise and parties at chez Costa. By then, the goals had pretty much dried up.

Physically the Brazilian is back in good shape this season, with Chelsea players noting that he has returned to peak condition following the summer’s excesses. Despite that, he has scored just once.

Radamel Falcao, the back-up striker who shares the same agent, Jorge Mendes, as Mourinho, is paid £150 000 per week by Chelsea as part of the arrangement with his parent club Monaco. He has made little impact.

There is also resistance among the players to Mourinho’s autocratic — yet hugely successful — system, a legacy from last season’s title run-in. There are players in that team — Oscar, Willian and Eden Hazard — who would prefer to play with more flair.

But Mourinho is unmoved and the downturn in results this season have made him dig in even more.

To get out of this hole the manager will have to address the internal divisions that are creating so much conflict and bring the players back onside.

This was supposed to be the year when the academy players would flourish, with Mourinho promising at the end of last season that he would integrate four youngsters in the first-team squad. Abramovich is applying the squeeze from above.

Everyone at the club is under pressure to end the 18-year wait for a youth-team graduate to become a regular fixture in the first team. The wait will go on.

There is a general perception within the game that Mourinho will not promote young players, a theory that cost the Portuguese the chance to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

When they met with Mourinho, United’s powerbrokers were not convinced that he would continue the great traditions of the club by developing young players.

They called it right, with a staggering 33 Chelsea players currently out on loan to other clubs.

At academy level there is surprise that Dominic Solanke, one of the most talented young forwards in the country, has been loaned to Vitesse Arnhem. Most assumed he would be Chelsea’s fourth striker this year. Instead the club are deep in crisis, with the excuses that this team were under-prepared for the season ahead long forgotten after their alarming start to the season.

This is another big week for Mourinho, starting with Wednesday’s Champions League game at home to Maccabi Tel Aviv followed by the visit of Arsenal on Saturday.

The last time Chelsea played Arsene Wenger’s team — in the Community Shield at Wembley last month, Mourinho lost to the Frenchman for the first time in his managerial career.

If he is beaten again, Mourinho will be running for cover. – Daily Mail

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Bad draw sinks Banyana Banyana

Banyana Banyana were eliminated from the African Games Brazzaville 2015 after their Group B was decided by the drawing of lots.

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Cape Town - Banyana Banyana were eliminated from the African Games Brazzaville 2015 after their Group B was decided by the drawing of lots in Congo on Monday.

Both Banyana Banyana and Ghana finished equal on points and goals scored, conceded and difference and as per CAF rule, the toss of the coin was to decide who among the two who would proceed to the semifinals.

South Africa lost the toss and Ghana progressed to play in the penultimate stage of the tournament while Banyana Banyana is heading home.

Vera Pauw’s charges drew 1-1 with Cameroon in the opening match and 0-0 with Ghana while Cameroon and Ghana also ended deadlocked at 1-1; meaning Cameroon led the 3-team log standing on superior goal scored while Banyana Banyana and Ghana ended deadlocked on the same number of points and goals.

Banyana Banyana coach Vera Pauw said while she was disappointed by the drawing of lots she had accepted fate as this was part of the rules.

“Well, I don’t really have much to say except that I am very disappointed at the way we were knocked out but then again rules are rules. I still think things went wrong for us when we had a penalty awarded against us late in the first match.

“We then had to play Ghana who hadn’t played a match and were still fresh. I guess we were just unlucky because the toss could have gone either way,” added Pauw.

“We really needed to play more matches as part of preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympic qualifier against Equatorial Guinea later this month. We will re-group and re-strategise to ensure we are more than ready when we play that match. But it is a bit disappointing for the girls to lose this way.”

African News Agency

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Bafana heading in right direction - Shakes

Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba says he is confident where his team are headed despite the setback of losing to Mauritania.

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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba says he is confident where his team are headed despite the setback of losing to Mauritania which has put huge pressure on them qualiyfing for the African Cup of Nations in Gabon in 2017.

In an interview with Safa Media, Mashaba admitted he would be the first to put up his hand and say the team did not play well against Mauritania but gave some reasons why they slumped to defeat.

“Though we didn't play well I also think some of the criticism went beyond fairness and was a bit personal. But, it also showed me how people of South Africa are passionate about their sport and in particular Bafana Bafana. It is out of national pride that people have expressed their views.

“I understand that the game of football is all about winning, losing and drawing. I have been through a lot during my playing and coaching career. I have lived this game for my entire life, so yes, while some criticism hurt, I always pride myself in the fact that I put all for my country, the team and all those who love this team.”

When questioned about playing on synthetic pitch and its affect on the final outcome Mashaba said: “We have travelled and played across Africa on numerous occasions, played on synthetic and grass pitches with great success.

“In fact, the harsh reality on the continent is that it is 50/50 regarding grass and artificial pitches, so talk that we didn't do our homework is far-fetched. We were just outgunned on the day and we are not happy with our overall performance on the day. Everything just didn't go well for the team and it hurts.

“We conceded a bizarre goal very early in the game, a goal which would not beat Itumeleng Khune in a million attempts. But that is football for you. Check around the globe and you will see that errors are part of this game.

“After a pep talk in the second half, I was confident to turn things around but minutes into the second half, we got a red card and that really threw us into a spin. Much as we tried, playing with 10 men, away from home against a rejuvenated home team, we were always going to chase the game.

Mashaba said that injuries did not help against Mauritania.

”We had three defenders all suffering niggling injuries in the second half - Eric Mathoho (shoulder), Rivaldo Coetzee (ankle) and Anele Ngcongca (mild concussion) - and because we had already used all three substitutions, we couldn't take them off.

“The heat didn't help matters as well, but, most importantly, we offer no excuses and we understand that we should have done much better. This will be addressed decisively in the remaining matches.”

Discussing Bafana Bafana's improvement against Senegal in the Nelson Mandela Challenge a few days after the Mauritania defeat Mashaba said: “We showed against Senegal that when our backs are against the wall we can dish as much as we can get. We have beaten some of the best teams and qualified for the 2015 Afcon unbeaten.

“We do lots of homework on the opposition and make use of the modern technology as dictated by modern trends. There is a lot of work put into the entire system such as checking the well-being of the player, his suitability within the set-up, dedication to the team, discipline and match fitness.

“We are headed into a busy fixture programme which starts next month with two away friendly matches in Costa Rica and Honduras before playing Angola home and way in Chan and World Cup 2018 qualifiers.

“I am confident of where we are headed and think that we are entering a defining period in our campaign on all three fronts.” - African News Agency (ANA).

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Rooney ruled out of PSV game

Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney will miss the English club's Champions League group match opener at PSV Eindhoven.

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Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney will miss the English club's Champions League group match opener at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday with new summer signing Memphis Depay looking to spark at his former club.

Rooney picked up a hamstring injury training ahead of Saturday's 3-1 win over Liverpool and will not be rushed back by manager Louis van Gaal for the European group stage opener.

United make their return to the Champions League away to PSV in a clash which will see Dutch winger Depay return to the club he left in the summer for £25 million ($38.6m).

Depay has struggled since his arrival in United with French teenager Anthony Martial's goalscoring debut against Liverpool on Saturday distracting from the 21-year-old's struggles.

Depay should get a warm reception in the Philips Stadion having helped PSV to a first title win in seven years last season.

The forward was the Dutch league's top scorer with 22 goals, but United fans are yet to see the same form of a player that shone for PSV and the Netherlands at the World Cup.

A return to the ground where Depay spent nine years could help kickstart his United career, although van Gaal could be in for a rough time from the home fans having played for and coached rivals Ajax.

Depay's place however could be under threat following the impressive performance of Ashley Young off the bench on Saturday and Morgan Schneiderlin could come in for either Michael Carrick or Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Martial could make his his first start for Manchester United with Rooney ruled out.

The 19-year-old, signed from Monaco on transfer deadline day for a reported fee of £36 million ($55 million, 49 million euros), stepped off the bench to seal United's third goal in a 3-1 win.

Pressure is mounting on van Gaal to hand the youngster his first start, but the United manager could opt to protect the rising star and keep him on the bench.

English forward James Wilson and Belgian midfielder Andreas Pereira, who was also signed from PSV, have also both been added to the squad for the trip to the Netherlands.

Pereira suffered an injury while away with Brazil's Under-23 side but is fit for selection again.

PSV coach Phillip Cocu's side should not be under-estimated as they are top seeds in the group and have an unbeaten start to the season.

They warmed up for the clash with Luuk de Jong scoring a first-half hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Cambuur in the Dutch league at the weekend.

The sides clashed at the same stage of the 2000/2001 competition, with honours shared – United losing 3-1 on the road, turning the tables with the same scoreline at Old Trafford.

PSV gained automatic qualification as Dutch champions, while van Gaal's United advanced through the play-off route 7-1 against Club Brugge. – AFP

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Benitez didn’t like me - Gerrard

Steven Gerrard says he feels that former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez never liked him as a person.

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Rafael Benitez was the best tactical manager Steven Gerrard ever played under but the former Liverpool captain said he felt the Spaniard did not like him as a person, according to an extract from his autobiography being serialised in the Daily Mail.

Gerrard left Anfield to join LA Galaxy after 17 years at his boyhood club and has already gone on record to say he might have stayed had he been offered a role within current manager Brendan Rodgers' backroom staff.

“I don't think Rafa Benitez liked me as a person. I'm not sure why, but that's the feeling I got from him,” the 35-year-old said.

“I can pick up the phone and speak to all of my previous Liverpool managers. Except for Rafa.

“It's a shame because we probably shared the biggest night of both our careers - the 2005 Champions League victory in Istanbul - and yet there is no bond between us,” the midfielder added.

Gerrard said Benitez's “ultra-professionalism” and “frostiness” drove him to be a better player but “on a basic human level” he preferred the management style of Rodgers and another former Liverpool manager, Gerard Houllier.

“I had a hunger to earn a compliment from him (Benitez) - but also a hunger to let him know he really needed me as a player. We were like fire and ice,” Gerrard added.

“It would not be my style if I were to ever become a manager - I'd try to fuse the best of Rafa's tactical thinking with Brendan's skill as a man-manager,” Gerrard said.

Liverpool's long-serving skipper criticised the Spaniard for his more flamboyant outbursts, including Benitez's public spat with the club's board and his infamous “facts” speech against then Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.

In January 2009, with Liverpool top of the league, Ferguson commented that nerves might ruin the Reds' title bid.

Benitez responded by reading out a list of accusations about Ferguson's conduct regarding referees, the FA's Respect campaign and fixture lists at a bizarre press conference.

“Rafa kept saying 'fact, fact, fact' and I could not believe what I was hearing,” Gerrard said. “I was grabbing the couch, digging my fingers into the arms, feeling embarrassed for him.

“When I met up with England, all the Manchester United players told me Fergie was just laughing at Rafa, saying: 'I've got him, I've got him'.”

“Rafa made a lot of decisions with himself in mind. He wanted power and control. I didn't like it. Fighting with the board, other managers and the press wasn't the Liverpool way.

“Rafa broke the focus of the team,” Gerrard added. – Reuters

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City face struggling Juventus

Manchester City open their Champions League campaign against last season's beaten finalists Juventus.

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Manchester City open their Champions League campaign against last season's beaten finalists Juventus on Tuesday hoping that this will be the year they finally make a mark on the competition.

After successive group-phase exits, City have fallen to Barcelona in the last 16 in the last two seasons, but they spent big during the close season and are currently flying high at the top of the Premier League.

Once again the draw was not entirely kind to Manuel Pellegrini's troops, who will also face Borussia Moenchengladbach and Europa League winners Sevilla, but midfielder Fernandinho says they will draw inspiration from their impressive domestic form.

“It is a tough group,” said the Brazil international. “We have tough games against good teams, but I think if we keep playing like we are playing in the Premier League, we have a great chance to finish top of the group.”

City would be eyeing their Group D opener with more confidence were it not for the potential absence of last season's top scorer Sergio Aguero, who took a blow to the knee during Saturday's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

The Argentina striker limped off in the 24th minute at Selhurst Park after a foul by Scott Dann and is due to undergo tests to assess his fitness.

“It was an important kick on his knee,” said Pellegrini, whose side are four points clear at the league summit after five straight wins.

“We'll see if he can recover between now and Tuesday.”

Attacking midfielders David Silva and Raheem Sterling are both in contention to return, having sat out the game at Palace with ankle and hamstring problems respectively.

But 18-year-old Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho, the match-winner in south London, will not feature, having not been included in City's squad for the Champions League.

There was no shame in City losing out last season to Barcelona, who beat them 3-1 on aggregate before overcoming Juventus by the same scoreline in the final at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

But it demonstrated the gulf separating City from the European elite, which moved the Etihad Stadium hierarchy to splash out on Sterling, Nicolas Otamendi, Fabian Delph and £54 million ($83.3 million, 73.5 million euros) record signing Kevin De Bruyne, who made an encouraging debut at Palace.

Juventus also experienced close-season upheaval, with Paulo Dybala, Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic, Simone Zaza, Alex Sandro and Hernanes among a raft of players brought in to bolster a squad that lost a trio of talismans in Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal.

In stark contrast to City, however, the new signings have not yet clicked and Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chievo meant that Juve have gone three games without winning at the start of a season for the first time since 1968.

Massimiliano Allegri handed full debuts to left-back Alex Sandro and Hernanes, who caught the eye at number 10, while Juan Cuadrado, a loan signing from Chelsea, impressed as a substitute and won the penalty that enabled Dybala to net an 83rd-minute equaliser.

The Argentine's goal spared Juve the humiliation of a third straight defeat, after consecutive losses to Udinese and Roma, but it was not enough to prevent Allegri hauling his players in for a rainy training session on Sunday morning.

“It's obviously a negative period and we have big improvements to make,” Allegri told the club's in-house television channel, JTV.

“We need to keep on working. The season is long. We're not thinking about league titles or the Champions League. We're taking things a game at a time.”

Former Inter Milan player Hernanes, who may be asked to fill in for the injured Claudio Marchisio in a deeper midfield role, added: “We gave it everything to try and win, but it wasn't enough.

“Now our focus is on the Champions League and the game against Manchester. We'll try to be more clinical against the English.” – AFP

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