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GOAL gives you the details to follow South Africa's Group B opener at the continental competition against the Palancas Negras at Stade de Marrakech on Monday. The 1996 African champions would be seeking to start their campaign on a high by claiming a morale-boosting victory against their COSAFA rivals. Coach Hugo and his men are on a mission to go a step further after finishing third the last time out.

Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City squad that they cannot indulge over Christmas, with the “controlling” Catalan coach vowing to weigh his players on December 25 in a bid to ensure that none of them get “fatty” during the festive period. Premier League title hopefuls City are back in action on Saturday with a trip to Nottingham Forest.

Real Madrid are reportedly set to join Manchester City in the race for Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, with Europe’s elite circling one of the Bundesliga’s standout performers. However, Die Roten have made their stance clear as they view the France international as untouchable amid plans to secure his long-term future at the Allianz Arena.

Leny Yoro saw his performance for Manchester United in their 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa torn apart by Red Devils legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville. The French defender had to shoulder much of the blame for both of Morgan Rogers’ goals in the West Midlands, with United accused of being “one of the worst teams in the league” when out of possession.

Harry Kane's incredible season continued on Sunday as the Bayern Munich striker made more history with a goal in their 4-0 win over Heidenheim in the Bundesliga, captaining the club for the first time. This was the England captain's 100th Bundesliga goal contribution. The 32-year-old has also been named German Footballing Personality of the Year by kicker for a phenomenal 12 months.

Morocco kicked off the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday with a 2-0 win against Comoros, with Ayoub El Kaabi's overhead kick to clinch the victory likely to be remembered as one of the goals of the tournament. The Atlas Lions are tournament hosts and hoping to become the kings of the continent for the first time in their history having never won AFCON before.

London City Lionesses have confirmed they have sacked manager Jocelyn Precheur despite making a promising start to life to the Women's Super League season in their maiden campaign. London City, who were formed back in 2019, made their debut in the top division of women's football in England for 2025-26 after gaining promotion from the Women's Championship.

Morgan Rogers has insisted he is doing all he can to keep his England place, with Thomas Tuchel's squad boasting a 'heap of quality'. The attacking midfielder continued his fine 2025-26 season on Sunday with a superb match-winning brace in Aston Villa's 2-1 triumph at home to Manchester United, taking his tally of Premier League goals to seven for the campaign.

Liverpool are concerned that Alexander Isak suffered a broken leg after being hauled off injured during Saturday's 2-1 win at Tottenham. Isak broke the deadlock with a strike shortly after the half-time break, but was brought down by Spurs defender Micky van de Ven in the process, with the Dutchman sliding into the Swede at full pace, trapping the striker's leg in an awkward position.

Aston Villa mocked viral Manchester United fan 'The United Strand' after beating the Red Devils 2-1 and extending their winning run to 10 games across all competitions. The viral sensation, whose real name is Frank Ilett, has vowed not to cut his hair until United win five matches in a row. The closest Ruben Amorim's side have come to that feat since his appointment was three games, a run which ended in November.

GOAL reviews the weekend’s top Americans Abroad performances as Pepi keeps scoring and McKennie, Malik Tillman, and Brenden Aaronson impress.

All preparations have been done, and now it’s time for the games to begin. Hugo Broos’ charges have done everything to get ready for the AFCON opener, and now all that is left is for the players to deliver on the pitch. After spending the last few days fine-tuning their preparations in Morocco, they kick-start their campaign with a clash against Angola at the Grand Stade de Marrakech today.

Ruben Amorim has revealed Bruno Fernandes suffered 'soft tissue' damage during Manchester United's 2-1 loss at Aston Villa. The battling Red Devils were undone by two fine strikes from Morgan Rogers, which came either side of Matheus Cunha's equaliser. But ultimately, the visitors' afternoon was overshadowed by the injury picked up by their near-ever present captain.

Former Manchester United favourite Nemanja Matic came in support of the club, ex-head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as the midfielder claimed that the Norwegian 'deserved more time' as Man Utd boss. Solskjaer lasted almost three years at Old Trafford before being sacked by his former club due to a poor start to their campaign in the 2021-22 season.

Real Madrid’s stance on a sensational transfer swoop for Erling Haaland has been revealed. The Blancos have been heavily linked with the prolific Norwegian for some time, as he is considered to fit the ‘Galactico’ mould at the Bernabeu, but no imminent raid on Manchester City is being lined up as Kylian Mbappe is delivering the goods in Spain.

Manchester United saw festive cheer sapped by an injury to Bruno Fernandes during their visit to Aston Villa, with a Morgan Rogers brace firing the hosts to a 2-1 win and 10th consecutive victory in all competitions. Matheus Cunha was handed a gift late in the first-half, as he found the target, but defensive frailties ensured that the Red Devils left the West Midlands with nothing to show for their efforts.

Liverpool were humiliated as they fell to a disastrous 9-1 loss to reigning Women's Super League champions Chelsea in the Women's League Cup quarter-finals on Sunday. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd scored a hat-trick, while Matildas star Sam Kerr contributed with a brace as the Blues comfortably reached the competition's last-four stage.

Few players have faced as much scrutiny as the 25‑year‑old lanky forward. Critics highlight flaws, but his six goals and two assists for Bafana Bafana show undeniable value. His performances at club and national level reveal a striker who thrives under pressure, turning doubt into fuel for his rise.

Daryl Dike has explained to the ‘Beast Mode On’ podcast what makes USMNT star Christian Pulisic special. The AC Milan forward is fondly known as ‘Captain America’ in his homeland and does take on skipper duties at times. He is a source of inspiration to many of those around him, with an unassuming character taking to leading through action rather than words.

Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal delivered a second-half goal after surviving a horror challenge from Renato Veiga as the defending champions comfortably beat Villarreal 2-0 to restore their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Raphinha had handed the visitors the lead from the penalty spot before Yamal scored the clincher.

Alisha Lehmann has been showcasing her skills again, with the Como Women star completing the Baller League UK ‘bib challenge’. The Switzerland international is one of the celebrity coaches on show at that event, having linked up with Love Island host Maya Jama for a second campaign in charge of MVPs United. Lehmann is a regular at games in London.

The stingy "treat" that Dani Dyer’s husband Jarrod Bowen is allowed has been revealed, with the West Ham captain unable to indulge at Christmas. The holiday season is a busy one professionally for Bowen, with Premier League fixtures coming thick and fast, and that means the England international must steer clear of the excesses that are enjoyed by others.

Vinicius Junior jetted off to Dubai less than a day after he was booed and jeered by Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu during their 2-0 win over Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday. After a series of poor results at the start of this month, Madrid are finally showing some consistency as they have now won three matches in a row across all competitions, including their last two league outings.

Daryl Dike has explained why he pledged international allegiance to the USMNT over Nigeria. The powerful striker, who is of African heritage, has seen his brother Bright and sister Courtney commit to the Super Eagles. Dike opted to tread a different path, with 10 caps being earned for the United States. He has discussed that decision with the ‘Beast Mode On’ podcast.

Given their performance in Ivory Coast in the last AFCON edition, Bafana go into the upcoming finals as pre-tournament favourites. The North Africans, on the other hand, are the record champions and, in addition to the kind of players they have, are automatically tipped as favourites too. Coincidentally, both are in Group B, and football fans will be treated to a high-stakes encounter at the preliminary stage.

Kobbie Mainoo has been left out of Manchester United's matchday squad to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday. The midfielder was expected to at least be among the substitutes but was a surprise omission from the Red Devils' travelling party. A reason has now been given for his absence as United look to kick off the festive period with a win on the road.

South Africa kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations journey on Monday, December 22, facing Angola in Group B at the iconic Stade de Marrakech. Hugo Broos’ men will be determined to set the pace early, aiming to surpass their bronze medal run from the last AFCON and ignite hopes of a deeper, history-making charge in Morocco.

Mohamed Salah continues to generate transfer talk on the back of a sparking a storm at Liverpool, but Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has refuted any suggestion that the superstar forward is in "crisis". Salah was benched for five consecutive Premier League fixtures prior to linking up with his country for Africa Cup of Nations duty, leading to uncertainty being cast over his future.

Monaco boss Sebastien Pocognoli has addressed growing concern around Paul Pogba’s stuttering comeback after again opting to rest the midfielder, insisting patience is required following his long absence from football. The Frenchman’s limited minutes since returning from a doping ban have sparked debate, but the Belgian coach remains calm about his situation.