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‘Uganda Can Play With Big Boys’ …As Ayew Gives Ghana Narrow Win Over Uganda

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Uganda coach Milutin Sredojevic insists that his side can mix it with the continent’s best teams in the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Cranes marked their return to the AFCON for the first time since 1978 when they face the Black Stars in their Group D opener in Port-Gentil last night.
The East Africans are seen as the underdogs of their group, which also includes seven-time champions Egypt and West African powerhouses Mali.
This status seemed to be confirmed by a 3-0 loss to reigning AFCON champions Ivory Coast in their final pre-tournament friendly last week.
Yet ‘Micho’ reckons Uganda is capable of competing with the “big boys” and hopes to see his team continue their improvement.
“I can tell you that seeing all this football and results, we have strong belief that we can play this football and squeeze out results,” the Serbian is quoted by our sport correspondent.
“We are on the same table with big boys of African football and we know they are planning for us but we are ready for the battle.”
Meanwhile, Andre Ayew converted a first-half penalty as Ghana started their latest bid to reclaim the Africa Cup of Nations title with a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Uganda yesterday.
The West Ham United star’s 32nd-minute spot-kick was all that separated the sides on an awful pitch in Port-Gentil as Ghana withstood Ugandan pressure in the second half and ended their recent poor record against the Cranes.
The Black Stars, who have not won the continental title since 1982 and lost on penalties to the Ivory Coast in the final two years ago, can now look forward with confidence to their next game against Mali. “In the first half we dominated the game but in the second half we knew the result was the most important thing and we played to win,” said Ghana coach Avram Grant.
“We missed two or three good opportunities but at the end of the day I am happy and I think we will keep improving.” Uganda will have to wait a little longer for their first goal and points in their first appearance at the Cup of Nations since 1978.
“In 39 years we have not been there and in the first half we had an element of stage fright,” admitted Cranes coach Milutin Sredojevic. Mali and record seven-time champions Egypt were due to meet later on Tuesday, at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT).
Eight of Ghana’s line-up started the final in Equatorial Guinea in 2015, the only exceptions being Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew and Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey. Ghana had struggled in recent matches against Sredojevic’s side, failing to win any of three encounters spread over the qualifiers for the 2015 Cup of Nations and the 2018 World Cup.
However, Uganda were without key players in centre-back Murushid Juuko and midfielder Khalid Aucho through suspension, and they spent most of the first half on the back foot.
Twice skipper Asamoah Gyan headed just wide and Christian Atsu fired narrowly over before Andre Ayew steered a low shot towards goal only for Denis Onyango to save. After knocking on the door in the first half hour, the breakthrough came when Gyan robbed Isaac Isinde inside the area before being held back.
The referee from Botswana pointed to the spot and booked the defender, with Ayew waiting for Onyango to commit before slotting in the penalty. Atsu, the star of the 2015 tournament, tested Onyango soon after but by that point Ghana had lost left-back Abdul Rahman Baba, stretchered off with what looked like a hamstring injury.
Spurred on by a small but lively band of supporters decked in red, yellow and black, Uganda finished the first half with a flourish and Faruku Miya of Standard Liege should have done better than send in a shot that grazed the post on its way past.
Tonny Mawejje came close and captain Geofrey Massa tried his luck from a 30-yard free-kick that flew inches over Razak Brimah’s bar, as Ghana held on. Indeed, they might have won by more had Atsu not been denied by Onyango five minutes from the end.

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Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton

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Tottenham fought back from two-goals down to secure a deserved point against Brighton.

The Seagulls were second best for much of the match but found themselves 2-0 up after 31 minutes thanks to Yankuba Minteh’s early strike and Yasin Ayari’s powerful drive.

However, Richarlison halved the deficit just before half-time when he stopped a shot by Mohammed Kudus before slotting in.

Spurs dominated the second half but their finishing let them down as Richarlison and substitute Xavi Simons were both unable to make the most of promising opportunities.

But the equaliser came eight minutes from time when Jan Paul van Hecke turned Kudus’ cross into his own net.

Spurs then pushed for a winner as they looked to continue their impressive start to the season, but Brighton held on for the point.

Bundesliga: Kane Continues Goal Harvest (5)

Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season as Bayern Munich overcame a shaky start to win at Hoffenheim and continue their 100% start.

The England captain, 32, broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a clinical first-time finish from a cleverly worked low corner, and doubled Bayern’s lead from the spot after Albian Hajdari was harshly penalised for a handball.

That broke Hoffenheim’s resistance and Kane completed his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick with another penalty, given for a foul on substitute Michael Olise after a video assistant referee (VAR) check.

This time Kane sent home keeper Oliver Baumann the wrong way for his 13th Bayern goal in seven matches across all competitions this season, adding to his Champions League double against Chelsea last Wednesday.

“Hat-trick Harry is what they called me in school,” Kane told Tidesports source after the match. “That one kind of stuck when I was younger.”

“Any ball in the box, whether penalty or not, I back myself to hit the target.”

Hoffenheim had the better of the first 45 minutes, Fisnik Asllani only able to hit the post after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer passed straight to the Kosovan.

They eventually got some reward for their efforts, former West Ham full-back Vladimir Coufal’s deflected free-kick beating Neuer to earn the Czech his first goal for the club.

Ex-Liverpool winger Luis Diaz hit the top of the bar late on as he failed to continue his record of scoring in every Bundesliga game this season, but Serge Gnabry added a fourth for Bayern with the last kick, converting a rebound from a tight angle after Baumann saved from Joshua Kimmich.

Nicolas Jackson made his first start since joining Bayern on an initial loan deal from Chelsea, but the Senegal striker had a very quiet game before being replaced in the 62nd minute.

In Italy, Lorenzo Pellegrini fired Roma into the Serie A top four as Lazio had two players sent off in a fiery derby.

The midfielder found the bottom corner in the 38th minute as Roma extended their unbeaten run to four games against their city rivals.

Lazio have lost three of their opening games of the season and had Reda Belahyane and former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi dismissed in late drama.

Roma started well and Rome-born Pellegrini claimed the vital goal – his fourth in a Rome derby after being available for transfer in the summer – following good work down the right by Matias Soule.

But the hosts will rue missed opportunities as Boulaye Dia, Mattia Zaccagni and Alessio Romagnoli all had openings.

With four minutes left substitute Belahyane was shown a red card for a late studs-up challenge on Manu Kone.

Danilo Cataldi struck the outside of the post for Lazio in a last-gasp effort to snatch a point, while team-mate Guendouzi was sent off for dissent after the final whistle.

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Zidane’s Son Switches Allegiance To Algeria

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Luca Zidane, the son of France’s World Cup-winning playmaker Zinedine, has switched his international allegiance from France to Algeria.

Born just outside Marseille, the 27-year-old goalkeeper had appeared for France at various youth levels.

The move, which was approved by Fifa, may enable Zidane to follow in his father’s footsteps by appearing at a World Cup, with Algeria expected to secure a place at the 2026 finals in North America in their qualifier against Somalia next month.

Zidane, who is the second of four brothers, all of whom came through the Real Madrid academy, currently plays for Spanish second tier side Granada.

He played two matches for Madrid and has La Liga experience at Rayo Vallecano, but dropped a level in 2022 to play for Eibar before heading to Andalusia in 2024.

Zidane qualifies for the North African country through his father, whose parents hailed from the Kabylie region of Algeria.

Zinedine Zidane, who is regarded as one of the games greatest players scored twice for France in their 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, but was famously sent-off in the 2006 final, which was won by Italy after a penalty shootout.

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Man Utd Beat Chelsea To Ease Pressure 

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Manchester United capitalised on Robert Sanchez’s fifth-minute red card to secure a crucial victory over Chelsea in torrential rain at Old Trafford.

The first match in Premier League history to see two or more goals, red cards and substitutions in the first half was settled by goals from United skipper Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, who was the other player sent off before the break.

It was Sanchez’s dismissal that set the course of the game though.

The Spain international raced from his goal to meet Bryan Mbeumo as the striker ran beyond the Chelsea defence.

Sanchez then upended the forward outside his area rather than allow him past to tap the ball into an empty net.

Enzo Maresca’s response to the red card was to take off both Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian and, as Cole Palmer had to be replaced after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury, Chelsea had lost three attacking players in the space of 20 minutes.

Trevor Chalobah pulled one back for Chelsea with a header 10 minutes from time but United kept their nerves at bay to make it to the final whistle with their lead intact.

The victory was United’s second of the season and came in front of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who gave head coach Ruben Amorim assurances over his future 48 hours earlier.

It also means Chelsea have still not won at Old Trafford since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson was United manager.

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