Saham go into the GCC Champions League semi-final second leg at Al Shabab as favourites following their 3-1 first-leg victory.
The Omani side in the competition for the first time since 2011 are in a strong position thanks to goals from Mohsen Essence and Mohamed Al-Zeno.
Although UAE Pro League side Al Shabab pulled one back through Rashid Hassan, Saham restored their two-goal advantage in the final minute with a Fahd Aljelbobe strike that puts them in control for Tuesday s return encounter.
Saham go into the game in fine form, having lost just once in their last 11 games in all competitions and they have not tasted defeat by two goals or more since February.
By contrast, Al Shabab twice winners of this competition are without a victory in their last four games…
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert looks set to welcome back Darren Bent and Alan Hutton into the first-team fold.
The duo were frozen out during the 2013/14 season, as Lambert, whose future is in doubt, hoped to sell the pair and reduce the club s wage bill.
Bent, Villa s record signing when he joined in January 2011, was loaned to Fulham last season after Lambert rarely used him in 2012-13.
Hutton has never played for Villa under Lambert having been loaned out to Nottingham forest, Mallorca and Bolton but it appears that could change.
Everybody s even now, everybody s level, Lambert said.
It s public knowledge what s happened and now everyone is on the same level playing field.
Aston Villa s American owner Randy Lerner is expected to sell the club, w…
BBC Sport is reporting that Manchester United are weighing up summer move for Burnley stopper Michael Keane.
The Red Devils appear to have regretted allowing the centre-back to leave for mere £2 million in January 2015, although they are set to earn 25% from his next transfer.
Manchester United seem determined to bring Keane back to Old Trafford after he impressed at Turf Moor, becoming an England international in the process.
The Red Devils’ defensive issues are well documented and Jose Mourinho has set out to reinforce his back line ahead of the 2017/2018 campaign.
Michael Keane does seem like a very good choice considering that he is familiar with the surroundings and is performing at a high level at the moment, while his £25 million valuation sho…
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba believes the reigning Premier League champions are lacking leadership figures.
Jose Mourinho s men have been struggling to find their best form this campaign, sitting down in 15th on the league table after 13 games.
Drogba has suggested the absence of strong characters in the dressing room apart from John Terry could be one of the reasons behind the club s recent difficulties.
During my time at Chelsea we had a lot of leaders in the team, not only last year but during the previous seasons as well, Drogba was quoted as saying by The Sun.
We had Frank Lampard, Petr Cech, John Terry, myself, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Andriy Shevchenko, Claude Makelele big names, big players and big characters. We could take respo…
Gabriel Martinelli produced another outstanding display in a thriller against Liverpool last weekend and the Arsenal forward can torment Leeds United on Sunday.
If you have overlooked Martinelli for your fantasy team so far this season, now is the time to see the error of your ways and pick the Brazil international before he wreaks havoc at Elland Road.
Tottenham duo Harry Kane and Eric Dier can also rack up the points when they face Everton in the Premier League.
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is enjoying a new lease of life with Graham Potter at the helm and that could continue this weekend.
It s that time of the week when you need to be finalising your fantasy selections and help is at hand, as Stats Perform pick out the Opta data to point you in…
The Netherlands and Scotland played out a in a friendly international on Wednesday evening.
Both the Netherlands and Scotland will play in the Euro 2020 finals this summer, and the game on Wednesday was a warm-up for them.
Steve Clarke’s side took the lead after just 10 minutes when Jack Hendry drilled the ball home after good work from Stuart Armstrong.
However, the Dutch restored parity just seven minutes later when Georginio Wijnaldum found Memphis Depay to find the back of the net with a first-time shot.
Kevin Nisbet came on as a substitute to score with his first touch in the 63rd minute to put Scotland back in the lead.
However, Depay scored with a stunning effort on 89 minutes to make it 2-2 to the Netherlands, who are rated at 12/1 by …
Former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has been appointed the coach of Cagliari, the Serie A club announced Tuesday.
Donadoni, who played with AC Milan from 1980-1990 and went on to coach Italy in 2006-2008, replaces Pierpaolo Bisoli who was sacked on Monday following a string of poor results.
Cagliari sit 17th in Italy s top flight following two consecutive home defeats which have left the Sardinian side equal on points with the second from last team in the league, Cesena.
Bisoli becomes Serie A s third coaching victim of the season after Gian Piero Gasperini, who was sacked by Genoa on November 8, and Franco Colomba, who was sacked by Bologna just as the season was about to start.
At club level Donadoni has also coached Lecce (2001-02), Livorno (2002-03 a…
Arsenal s Welsh international midfielder Aaron Ramsey has joined Championship side Nottingham Forest on loan until the beginning of January, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.
The 19-year-old is bidding to return to fitness after breaking his leg in a challenge by Stoke s Ryan Shawcross in February.
He played for 45 minutes in Arsenal s reserves match against Wolves on Tuesday.
Ramsey joined Arsenal from Forest s second division rivals Cardiff City in 2008, having become the youngest ever player to represent the Welsh club at the age of 16 years and 124 days.
He has 11 Wales caps to his name and will link up at Forest with his international team-mates Chris Gunter and Robert Earnshaw.
Everyone at Arsenal Football Club wishes Aaron th…
Andre Villas-Boas has described the sacking of Jose Mourino as Chelsea manager as quite incredible .
Mourinho lost his job at Stamford Bridge last month following a miserable first half to the 2015-16 Premier League campaign, being sacked by chairman Roman Abramovich for a second time.
And countryman Villas-Boas, who was fired by the Russian in 2012 and is now in charge of Zenit, appeared surprised by the abrupt end to the reign of the man he called Chelsea’s dearest coach .
Villas-Boas told beIN Sports: It’s been quite incredible to see that it [being sacked] was applied to everybody. It was applied to probably their dearest coach, their most successful coach, so in the end we have seen nothing different.
Roman has sacked basically every coach that …
Tottenham s 4-1 victory over Colchester United on Saturday was fully deserved, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The Premier League visitors dominated the early stages of the FA Cup fourth-round clash at Colchester Community Stadium and took the lead though Nacer Chadli on 27 minutes, though they spurned a number of chances to double their advantage before the break.
The League One side put in a much-improved display in the second half but a deflected Eric Dier strike and a second for Chadli settled the encounter, shortly before Tom Carroll rounded off the win after a Ben Davies own goal.
And Pochettino insisted his side were good value for their emphatic win, telling BT Sport: I don t know if it was flattering. I think this competition is magic.
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