Match

Antoine Griezmann has opened up on a highly emotional night at the Metropolitano, with the touching reason behind his decision to turn away during the Champions League anthem having been revealed. The French superstar was the standout performer in Atletico Madrid's 1-1 draw with Arsenal, but his focus was as much on the stands as it was on the pitch during his European home farewell.

The Tshwane giants went back to the summit of the Premier Soccer League table as the race to win the crown tightens with each matchday. The Sea Robbers would have widened the gap at the top had they won against Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby, but that was not the case.

The Glamour Boys were expected to collect their first-ever victory over the Premier Soccer League debutants, but things took an unexpected turn. The Soweto giants were undone by their hosts, ending their recent run of seven league outings without defeat.

The 20-year-old South African defender will be disappointed he could not help his team see out the game and secure the win over their Western Conference rivals that would have seen them through to the quarterfinals of America's premier cup competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo has put Al-Nassr on the brink of Saudi Pro League glory after inspiring his side to a vital 2-0 victory over rivals Al Ahli. The Portuguese sensation was once again the difference-maker, ensuring the Riyadh-based giants extended their incredible winning run to 20 matches across all competitions.

Arsenal reportedly made a frantic last-minute request to UEFA officials just hours before their Champions League semi-final showdown against Atletico Madrid. The Gunners were concerned that the Spanish giants were employing tactical "dark arts" to disrupt their play at the Metropolitano Stadium.

Fresh from their hard-fought Soweto Derby draw, Amakhosi were brought crashing back to earth as the Bloemfontein outfit swiftly punctured their renewed confidence. Lehlohonolo Seema’s side took another significant step away from the relegation zone with a performance full of purpose and conviction. The defeat not only snapped the Naturena side’s unbeaten run and dented their hopes of securing a stable top-three finish, but also tested the growing faith they had begun to place in the tactical approach of co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef.

The tactician will be in action on Wednesday night with Rise and Shine against the Brazilians, as the South African top-flight outfits continue working towards achieving their targets. Masandawana are aware they can't afford to drop points.

There is no clear leader in the title marathon between Bucs and Masandawana with a few games to go. The Tshwane giants had a chance to open the gap on Sunday after the Sea Robbers had been held in the Soweto Derby, but were frustrated by Richards Bay, which means the gap remained relatively where it was before.

The South Africa legend has been a keen follower of his former team Amakhosi, whom he represented for 25 years before his exit two seasons ago. The Glamour Boys have been doing well in the last seven games, where they have collected 17 points from a possible 21.

There were questions when Panama were confirmed as South Africa's opponent during the March FIFA international break. Many argued that the national team ought to have faced a stronger opponent than the Central Americans. However, Bafana failed to beat them, with the first game ending in a draw before a defeat in the second match.

The former Esperance coach has been vocal about some of the pitches in South Africa, arguing they are not fit to host the Premier Soccer League matches. Ahead of the fixture against Rise and Shine, the 53-year-old has publicly explained why he is not happy with the venue.

Mzansi will be among the 48 nations that will take part in the increased global competition. Apart from the actual participation on the pitch, there are financial rewards awaiting all the teams that qualified for the showpiece.

One of the players that has been conspicuously missing in Bafana's squad is the former Mamelodi Sundowns star. Even though he has been in good form, especially with Wydad Casablanca before, the 73-year-old head coach has always found a reason to snub the highly rated attacker. So what exactly is the reason why the Al Ittihad player may miss out again on the national call-up?

Santos manager Cuca has jumped to the defence of Neymar following a quiet performance in the Copa Sudamericana, insisting the superstar is finding his rhythm in a bid to make Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad. Despite the frustration of a draw in Argentina, the Peixe boss believes his talisman is sharpening his tools just in time for the international stage.

Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele has offered a blunt assessment of his side's second-half performance after they survived a late scare in a nine-goal Champions League thriller against Bayern Munich. Despite securing a 5-4 victory in the first leg of their semi-final clash, the Frenchman admitted that the hosts lost their way after establishing what looked like a commanding three-goal lead.

Harry Kane found himself on the receiving end of a verbal volley from Wayne Rooney after the Bayern Munich star offered a bizarre assessment of the defensive displays in a nine-goal Champions League epic. Despite seeing his side ship five goals in a chaotic semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, the England captain insisted the backlines were "outstanding", prompting a fierce response from Manchester United legend Rooney.

Joshua Kimmich has called for a rule change following Bayern Munich’s 5-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. The flashpoint was the controversial penalty awarded to PSG just before half-time, which Ousmane Dembele converted to make it 3-2 to the home side. "More of an unfortunate decision," Kimmich told Amazon Prime after the match, adding, "It’s just not in the spirit of the game".

When a player leaves a club, it is mostly news that is not well-received by the fans, especially if he was a dependable figure. In most cases, such moves put the players at the receiving end of intense criticism from the club's faithful. This is exactly a situation a former Amakhosi forward found himself in when he decided to pursue greener pastures elsewhere.

The defending Premier Soccer League champions are a point behind Orlando Pirates in the race for the crown. However, they have collected just two points in their latest as many outings, with the most recent being against the Natal Rich Boys on Sunday.

The Glamour Boys battled against their traditional rivals, the Buccaneers, last weekend to share the Premier Soccer League spoils at the FNB Stadium. It was a massive result for Amakhosi, who look destined to get back to continental football once again next season.

As fans anxiously waited for the players to square it out on the pitch, chaos erupted during the warm-up session. The event, which overshadowed it, involved Amakhosi team officials and the security personnel of the home team. However, tension cooled down, and the game started before each side earned a point from the stalemate.

The showdown between the Soweto rivals continues to dominate headlines days after it was played. Apart from coaches of respective teams, pundits and fans have continued to analyse the match whose outcome is believed to be able to highly influence the title race.

Dani Carvajal has sparked controversy after being caught on camera apparently mocking team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold during Real Madrid's draw with Real Betis. The veteran right-back, who has seen his minutes slashed under Alvaro Arbeloa, appeared to critique the Englishman's defensive work rate from the sidelines.

The Soweto giants have been going for quality in the last several years in their bid to dominate South African football across all brackets. They recently acquired a quality Amakhosi product to strengthen ahead of the forthcoming assignments.

As Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns size each as far as the league title is concerned, Amakhosi and Usuthu are fighting for the CAF Confederation ticket next season. At the bottom, there is another fervent fight for survival as the likes of Orbit College, Marumo Gallants, Magesi, Chippa United and TS Galaxy hope to avoid dropping to the second tier.

Manchester United are on the brink of a return to the Champions League after Michael Carrick’s transformative spell as interim boss continued with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford. The Red Devils have been revitalised since the former midfielder took the reins in January, prompting Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher to claim that he will "certainly" be given the job on a permanent basis.

The defending champions could have opened a one-point gap at the top of the table with a victory against the Natal Rich Boys, but they failed to take the opportunity. Interestingly, their coach claims he didn't know Masandawana had the advantage since their rivals had dropped points against the Glamour Boys in an earlier game.

After a losing streak that extended for six games, Amakhosi finally managed to put a stop to Bucs' derby dominance in the league. Although the Naturena heavyweights did not win the game, they snatched a point from their rivals, who are in a tight race against Mamelodi Sundowns.