Panrieng FC beats Holy Baby FC in Copa Ruweng final.

Thon Ayuek scored an outstanding goal as panrieng FC beat Holy Baby FC 3-0 in Copa Ruweng Final on Saturday which burst into life after a sluggish start.


Just as panrieng fc looked like being overwhelmed by a dangerous-looking Holy Baby fc side, substitute Kafi controlled a cross-field ball on the left wing before cutting across the area and smashing it into the far top corner in the 31st minute.
His fellow substitute Thon Ayuek made sure Panrieng FC took the Copa Ruweng by scoring twice in the 65th minute & 89th minute.

Cristiano Ronaldo says he still has “a lot to give” as he comes up against PFA Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk in the inaugural Nations League final.

Ronaldo, 34, scored a hat-trick against Switzerland to put Portugal through, with the Netherlands beating England.

He won the Serie A title with Juventus last season, while Van Dijk claimed the Champions League with Liverpool.

“I still feel good despite being 34 years of age,” said Ronaldo. “It is the preparation and my work ethic.”

“The most important thing is your head, to feel motivated and happy, and to follow my path as a player, because I think I still have a lot to give and I feel very good.”

A star-filled final

Both sides go into the game with exceptionally talented players, including Portugal’s Joao Felix and Bruno Fernandes who have both been linked with big money moves to the Premier League, while Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt is also wanted and midfielder Frenkie de Jong has joined Barcelona from Ajax.

But it is the battle between five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo and the world’s most expensive defender Van Dijk that is the most intriguing.

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward Ronaldo will be playing in his third international final having lost at Euro 2004 and triumphed at Euro 2016, while Van Dijk has played a large part in transforming Liverpool’s backline to win Europe’s biggest club prize and coming close to winning the Premier League.

Ex-Southampton centre-back Van Dijk has also helped rejuvenate a previously ailing Dutch side which had failed to qualify for the last two major tournaments.

“We know sometimes it is impossible to have good defending against Cristiano Ronaldo,” said Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman.

“I think the best that we can do is keeping the ball, to have good ball possession because when we have the ball he can do nothing in attack.”

Ronaldo added: “The Netherlands are an excellent team. They have been playing pretty well.

“I have been watching them in recent matches and they have an excellent squad with great players – young players and more experienced players, which makes their team even stronger.

“We know that they will be quite a difficult opponent, but I think that for both Portugal and the Netherlands, this is simply what finals are like.”

Dangerman Depay – the stats

  • Portugal have reached their second major final in the last three years, having won Euro 2016 in France. In fact, before then, they had only ever reached one final of a major competition in their history – finishing as runners up at Euro 2004, in Portugal.
  • Netherlands are appearing in their first final since the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, a match they ended up losing 0-1 to Spain after extra time. Indeed, the Oranje have lost three of their last four major finals, only emerging victorious in Euro 1988 in Germany with a side that included current manager Ronald Koeman.
  • Portugal have only lost two of their 13 previous international encounters with Netherlands in all competitions (W7 D4), though one of those defeats came in their most recent meeting in Geneva, a 0-3 defeat by Ronald Koeman’s men back in March 2018.
  • Netherlands have never beaten Portugal in Portugal, drawing two and losing three of their five meetings in all competitions. This will be the first competitive meeting there since June 2004, when Dick Advocaat’s men lost 2-1 in the semi-finals of Euro 2004.
  • Portugal are looking to become the first European nation to host and win a final of a major competition since France beat Brazil 3-0 in the final of the 1998 World Cup.
  • Since Ronald Koeman took charge of Netherlands in February 2018, the Oranje have lost only three of his 13 matches in charge, winning six and drawing the other four.
  • Portugal are unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions (W4 D5), last embarking on a longer such run between February 2009 and June 2010 under manager Carlos Queiroz (19 games).
  • Excluding own goals, Memphis Depay has either scored (three) or assisted (five) each of Netherlands’ last eight goals in all competitions, including setting up two of the three goals in their semi-final win over England.
  • In their semi-final victory over Switzerland, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo netted his 53rd hat-trick for club and country. In fact, seven of the last eight hat-tricks scored for the Portuguese national side have come from Ronaldo (André Silva – 1).
  • Should he feature, Netherlands’ Jasper Cillessen will become just the fifth different goalkeeper to earn 50 caps for his country, after Edwin van der Sar (130), Hans van Breukelen (73), Maarten Stekelenburg (58) and Gejus van der Meulen (54)

Arsenal are reportedly closing in on the signing of Yannick Carrasco as the rumours around his move start to gather pace.

This week it was reported that Arsenal are back for Yannick Carrasco after failing to land him in January according to a report that came out of the Netherlands.

Now, Sport in Spain are reporting Arsenal are a ‘step away’ from landing him.

They write [via Google translate]:

Yannick Carrasco, a former Belgian player of Atletico Madrid, now in Chinese football, could be on the point of returning to European football, as he has on the table an offer from Arsenal.

Arsenal already had among its objectives the Belgian player in the market last winter, but finally the club ‘gunner’ in favour of Denis Suarez, on loan from Barca. The Belgium international, concentrated with his selection to play qualifying matches of Euro 2020, has made it clear he wants to leave Chinese football: “The negotiations are progressing very well,” said the Belgian player. “I am aware that I am a very important player in this team,” he said on the Dalian Yifang.

From the point of view family and staff, I would like to return to Europe,” he acknowledged. Returning to the Premier would be a new challenge for Carrasco. “It is a game more physical, but there are also many spaces to run.”

Yannick Carrasco wants to leave China, he’s been perfectly clear about that. It also seems like his club, Dalian Yifang, have come to terms with losing him
There is an offer on the table according to the player from a club that ‘regularly plays in the Champions League’. Somehow the Dutch publication seems to think this means Arsenal despite our Europea League status lately and the rest of the press are going with that now too as the player does nothing to deny it is Arsenal who are interested
While it all sounds like a move is very close it’s worth remembering that these things collapse all the time so I’d hold any excitement you might be feeling just for a little longer.

Ex-South Sudan FA boss Alei to appeal ‘unjust’ 10-year Fifa ban

The disgraced past president wants to clear his name following a lengthy suspension by football’s governing body for misappropriation of funds

The former president of the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) Chabur Goc Alei will appeal a lengthy 10-year ban imposed on him by Fifa last week for misappropriation of funds.

Alei, who was also fined 500,000 Swiss francs ($499,000) for his misdemeanour, said in a statement, as reported by the BBC, that he’ll fight to clear his name after deeming the decision of the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee unfair.

“We have decided to assign an international law firm specialized in this field to appeal against Fifa’s decision in the Court of Arbitration of Sport,” Alei said in a statement. “We will demand that this unjust decision be cancelled without questioning and listening to me personally at any session.”

Last week, football’s governing body confirmed that Alei had breached article 28 (Misappropriation of funds) and article 20 (Offering and accepting gifts or other benefits) of the 2018 edition of the Fifa Code of Ethics, which resulted in their decision to suspend him from all national and international football matters for a decade

“The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found Mr. Chabur Goc Alei, the former President of the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) and a former Fifa standing committee member, guilty of having misappropriated Fifa funds, as well as having offered gifts or benefits, in violation of the Fifa Code of Ethics,” the statement continued.

“The investigation into Mr. Alei was related to the misappropriation of Fifa Financial Assistance Programme (Fap) and Fifa Goal Programme funds received by the SSFA during the 2014 and 2015 period, and to various payments made (from such funds) to football officials and other individuals.”
Meanwhile, a warrant for Alei’s arrest has been issued in his homeland after claims made by the incumbent SSFA president Francis Amin Michael saying the former supremo failed to return a vehicle that belonged to the association.

Real Madrid sign Eden Hazard

Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Eden Hazard from Chelsea on a five-year contract.

The 28-year-old will be officially unveiled as a Real player on Thursday, June 13 – subject to a medical – after striking a deal that could reportedly rise to a club-record transfer of £130m once all bonus payments come into play.

Hazard had one year remaining on his Chelsea contract but said it was his wish to leave Stamford Bridge after scoring twice in the Europa League final win over Arsenal.