Kenya keeper suspended amid match-fixing investigation
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The Courier
2 days ago
- The Courier
How Liverpool star Mo Salah is helping motivate Dunfermline Athletic midfielder Alfons Amade
Alfons Amade is convinced Dunfermline can reap the rewards of his international experiences taking on global superstars. The summer signing is still finding his feet with the Pars but made his Scottish league debut as a substitute in the 2-0 victory over Airdrie last time out. It was a far cry from the glamour of his outings at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals with Mozambique in January last year. Amongst his opponents in three starts were Liverpool icon Mohamed Salah, Manchester City's Omar Marmoush, Spurs signing Mohammed Kudus, and Leicester City's Jordan Ayew. Mozambique failed to progress for the knockout stages, with a 97th-minute Salah penalty costing them victory against Egypt in their opening group game. However, with the 'Os Mambas' qualifying for the 2025 tournament, which kicks off in December, Amade admits his international challenges are helping to motivate his drive for success at club level. 'It's different on the international level but it's a nice experience,' said the 25-year-old. 'I think it's improving me as a player as well. 'Not only to play with (good players), but also to play against them. The environment is different. It's a good experience. 'I take it for my career, for my life, for everything. This is something I learned there. I'm happy about it. 'Nobody can take (the Africa Cup of Nations) from me because I experienced this. 'This is also something that motivates you to improve more. It's not about just being nice or to enjoy (playing) against big players. 'It's about winning against them, no matter who their name is or who the opponent is. 'This is something that I can do not only on an international level, but also in the league or in the cup. It's something that I have learned for myself.' Amade was born in Germany and played internationally there at youth level as he came through the ranks at Hoffenheim. However, after leaving for Oostende in Belgium in search of first-team experience, he made the decision to switch allegiance to Mozambique. With Chiquinho Conde's team being drawn against Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Gabon in this year's tournament, there is plenty for Amade to look forward to internationally. But, with a televised Fife derby fast approaching on Friday, the midfielder has his sights set only on Dunfermline for the time being. 'Obviously, this year there will be a big tournament. But, for now, it's far away for me,' added Amade, who joined the Pars on a two-year deal last month. 'I'm just focusing now on Dunfermline. I will see how the season will go. 'I personally look at it from step to step. Dunfermline, the club, everything is new. I still need to adapt. I still need to know the players on the pitch, off the pitch, the coach as well. 'This is the only thing I'm focusing on right now.'
Metro
6 days ago
- Metro
Fantasy Premier League changes for 2025 explained from bonus points to transfers
Fantasy Premier League is back underway for another season, albeit with plenty of complicated changes to the points system, transfers and chips. The game has become more and more admin-heavy over the years, so it is important to keep track of the new rules and regulations each season. There is always going to be someone in your league who is on top of everything and you don't want to fall behind because you are not as clued up. Picking the best players is just half the battle, deciding when to play the vast array of chips and take advantage of extra transfers are more things to worry about. Do not worry, though, we have got you covered on the things you need to know as the season gets underway. Here's everything you need to know. There are now going to be points on offer for players who make clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles. This means defensive midfielders will become a much more appealing option than they ever have before – although that is not hard as they were a complete non-starter before. Defenders of bottom half teams will also get a boost as they get more chances to make the defensive contributions. FPL have done the maths for last season and it was Everton's James Tarkowski who would have earned the most defensive contribution points, with a whopping extra 44 over the season. That's big! Defenders who make a combined total of 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles in a game will get two extra points. Hi, I'm Phil Haigh, Metro's resident FPL expert. I'll be sharing tips and tricks on how to come out on top of your fantasy league each week in our new football newsletter In The Mixer. We'll also have exclusive analysis, data-led transfer talk and a whole lot more, sent directly to your inbox every Friday morning. Sign up here Midfielders and forwards can also earn these points and will be credited for clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles AND ball recoveries. However, they need to make a combined 12 of those actions to land two points. Chelsea's Moises Caicedo would have been a big hit for this last season, racking up an extra 42 points. The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) funs from December 21 to January 18 this season and has been a headache for FPL managers in the past. However, the kindly fantasy overlords have dished out some extra transfers this season to deal with the disruption to your team. The tournament will cover Gameweeks 17-22, so in Gameweek 16 there will be FIVE free transfers available. Make sure you have no free transfers by the end of Gameweek 15 to cash in on all five AFCON freebies. This is where your admin skills really need to be deployed, because there are now eight chips to use this season. The Wildcard, Triple Captain, Free Hit and Bench Boost chips are back but now you can use them all in the first half of the season and again in the second. More Trending You will be able to use all four chips up until the Gameweek 19 deadline on December 30 and then again after that date. They cannot be carried over. The Wildcard has been available twice in recent seasons, the other three chips are now joining it. Last year's bizarre and quite annoying Assistant Manager chip has been binned, quite rightly. There have been other changes this season, with the way assists are registered tweaked and minor alterations to the bonus system, but life really is too short to worry about such things. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Mikel Arteta confirms stance on 'unbelievable' Max Dowman ahead of Man Utd clash MORE: Federico Chiesa speaks out on Liverpool future after emotional Anfield goal MORE: Bournemouth captain rages over alleged racial abuse of Antoine Semenyo
Wales Online
7 days ago
- Wales Online
Fantasy Premier League tips: The best last-minute players and team to pick today
Fantasy Premier League tips: The best last-minute players and team to pick today Fantasy Premier League football is played by over 10 million people worldwide and the deadline to select your team is imminent Liverpool forward Mo Salah had a quiet game in the Community Shield, but don't let that influence your decision to pick him. (Image: (Photo by Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)) The 2025/2026 Premier League season is upon us. The season curtain-raiser in English football, the Community Shield, was played on Sunday afternoon, with Crystal Palace defeating Liverpool on penalties to secure silverware before the regular season starts tonight. If you haven't played before, Fantasy Premier League (FPL), provides the player with a £100 million budget to spent on 15 players, which includes 11 starting and four substitutes. There are new rules this year, with free transfers permitted during the Africa Cup of Nations. The likes of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and Manchester City's new star signing Omar Marmoush will miss a significant portion of the season from December. There are also double the amount of chips to play with, making things all that more interesting for participants. For those unfamiliar, chips can be used whenever a player wishes, and help contribute to a points boost. For example, you could use a captain chip to triple your captain's points (instead of double) for that game week, but you could not use it again for the whole season. This season, players will get a set of chips until game week 19, which will refresh for the second half of the season, offering more opportunity to increase your tally. Article continues below But what about the team itself? We take a look at the best possible team you could select based on the numbers. Remember, there will always be a couple of breakthrough stars who end up scoring big, so don't be afraid to take a punt on a cheaper player! The most important selection First things first, you absolutely need a player who is going to guarantee you points every single week. A player that will carry the rest of the squad if you have a bad week. Mohamed Salah, Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland are good shouts here - they are players who will get goal contributions every single week. You'll only be able to pick one or two though, because of the budget. Our pick for this would be Salah, he'll be absent for the Africa Cup of Nations, but he's well worth having up until then and afterwards, just use a transfer for Palmer, Haaland or another high-performing player when Salah jets off to Morocco. He was a points machine last season, getting the most of any player. Make sure you captain him, or whoever you select as your talisman. Differentials While those star players are important, you are on a budget in fantasy football, and this is where differentials come in. This term is used to describe players who are not selected by a large percentage of fantasy players, and can give you the edge over your rivals. These players are often cheaper, and are therefore a crucial part of your selection. They also allow you to select a higher number of elite players. Getting the balance right is essential. The build Now we have the most important pick addressed, let's start from the goalkeeper and work up the field. In goal, you need a player from a team that is not going to concede many goals - to put it simply. Clean sheets will provide all-important points for your tally. Alisson and Ederson are good shouts from Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively, although picking the likes of Nick Pope or Emiliano Martinez could also be good picks, but the latter is suspended until August 23, so it's best to avoid him this week! We're going for Liverpool's Alisson. One of the best shot-stoppers in world football and his ability in a one-on-one is second to none. Liverpool, despite their loss to Palace last weekend, have strengthened significantly and could well retain the league title this year. Wins and clean sheets come hand in hand with winning the league, so this is why we're going for the Brazilian. One mistake fantasy players make is not utilising formations. You don't need to select four defenders, if anything, it will hinder your scoring. FPL have introduced an improved points system for defenders but attacking players are always going to get the most points. So, we've gone for three at the back - Neco Williams, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Cristian Romero. West Ham signing Diouf is cheap at £4.5m and was a key fixture in Slavia Prague's league title win last season. He's just 20 and has been praised as a top young talent. He could be a shrewd acquisition and the definition of a differential. Welshman Neco Williams brings attacking threat in the defensive line in a very strong Forest outfit who challenged for the Champions League places last season. Williams is also only £5m. Spurs have a good set of games to start their season, playing against Burnley at home this weekend before facing Bourenmouth on match day three. They are likely to keep clean sheets and win, and Romero will start those games. It's four in midfield - Salah (captain), Donyell Malen, Florian Wirtz and Eberechi Eze. Malen has been strong in pre-season for Aston Villa and often grabs a goal. He's also a seasoned, 43-cap international with Holland and costs just £5.5m. Wirtz was instrumental in Liverpool's attacking play against Palace on Sunday and is one of the most promising young talents in Europe - he's one of our talismanic players at £8.5m - expect goals and assists galore from the German. Eze is a man in demand, and his future at Palace is uncertain, with Spurs circling for his signature. Wherever he ends up, at £7.5m he's well worth the price tag. If he ends up signing for a club outside of the Premier League, just remember to take him out of your side! Up front, it's Chris Wood, Victor Gyokeres and Danny Welbeck. This writer had Welbeck last season, and what a contributor he was. The Premier League veteran regularly contributes with a goal and will only set you back £6.5m. He got 10 goals and five assists last season, a total of 125 points. A cheaper forward line player will also allow you to select another talismanic contributor. We've gone for new Arsenal striker Gyokeres. Despite not being Premier League-proven, he is a prolific goal-scorer, and the exact thing Arsenal have been missing in their challenge for the title in recent years. If he clicks, he is going to earn you a lot of points. To be frank, Chris Wood's 2024/2025 season was absolutely ridiculous. He's well into his twilight years now at 33-years-old but clearly he hasn't lost any of his ability. Wood scored 20 goals in the league last year and was tied fourth in the top-scorer charts. A must-have in our opinion. The team Ultimately, the Premier League is hugely unpredictable, so it's likely there will be a multitude of selection changes to make down the line. It's possible for new signings to flop and for unheard players to make their break - so just keep a close eye on the action. Your bench should be largely made up of cheap players to accommodate for elite selections. But these bench players should realistically be able to play for their club (not fringe players) to ensure that if they are activated, they actually earn you points. In other words, don't just pick someone because they're really cheap. However, listed below is our match day one selection. Have fun! Article continues below WalesOnline XI: Ederson, Williams, Diouf, Romero, Salah, Malen, Wirtz, Eze, Gyokeres, Welbeck, Wood. The deadline The first game of the season, Liverpool v Bournemouth, is on Friday, August 15 at 8pm. The deadline is 6.30pm for all transfers on FPL.
