South Africa defeated Burkina Faso 3-1 in the World Cup - Qualification Africa. The fixture is part of the 3rd Round - 5 stage in the 2018 season. The full-time result capped a South Africa vs Burkina Faso meeting in World Cup - Qualification Africa with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for South Africa and Burkina Faso. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
World Cup - Qualification AfricaRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
South Africa defeated Burkina Faso 3-1 in the World Cup - Qualification Africa. The fixture is part of the 3rd Round - 5 stage in the 2018 season. The full-time result capped a South Africa vs Burkina Faso meeting in World Cup - Qualification Africa with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for South Africa and Burkina Faso. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
World Cup - Qualification Africa
The Champions League is going to stretch Aston Villa and I don't see them making it back into the top four this season. Also, I'm not sure if anyone can get a tune out of Alejandro Garnacho but I suppose if anyone can it is Unai Emery. As I had to remind Mark Chapman on Monday Night Club, you can't play with two goalkeepers - they changed many laws of the game over the summer, but not that one - so we will have to see who gets the nod on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo's fight for the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot won't be easy, as he started off at a disadvantage. Cristiano Ronaldo is already facing an uphill battle in the search for a third Saudi Pro League Golden Boot, with the Al Nassr captain only opening his scoring account for the season well behind the division’s early pace-setters. Ronaldo was absent for Al Nassr‘s first two matches of the 2026-27 campaign, having missed preseason training entirely due to an extended break away from the squad. That absence pushed back his season debut and left Ange Postecoglou managing his return carefully rather than throwing him straight into the starting lineup. The Portuguese forward finally got on the pitch during Al Nassr’s 4-0 win over Al Riyadh, coming on in the 62nd minute and playing only the final half hour of the match. It took him just 21 minutes to make an impact, latching onto a low cross from Ayman Yahya to scoring his 977th career goal, his first Saudi Pro League strike of the season. Even with that goal, Ronaldo remains well off the pace in the Golden Boot standings. Moussa Dembele and Ivan Toney currently lead the race with three goals apiece, while Ronaldo sits on just one after playing a fraction of the minutes available to him so far. 3 points, 4 goals and a 5 ⭐️ performance by Al Nassr 🟡 pic.twitter.com/mn11tKV9vM— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) August 21, 2026 The 41-year-old finished third in the Golden Boot race last season, with Julian Quinones claiming the title, and this slow start, driven largely by his delayed pre-season, makes an early return to the top of the standings look unlikely for now. Golden Boot standings after Saudi Pro League Matchday 2 Ronaldo’s tally still doesn’t reflect his goal against Al Riyadh in the latest available data, meaning he remains outside the top of the standings for now, but here is how the race looks: Moussa Dembele (Al-Ettifaq) — 3 goalsIvan Toney (Al-Ahli) — 3 goalsRuben Neves (Al-Hilal) — 2 goalsAlexandre Lacazette (Neom SC) — 2 goalsAbderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Taawoun) — 2 goalsAngelo (Al-Nassr) — 2 goalsJoao Felix (Al-Nassr) — 2 goalsKarim Benzema (Al-Hilal) — 1 goalCristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) — 1 goal Al Nassr’s next test comes on the road against Al Ettifaq Al Nassr will look to build on their 4-0 win over Al Riyadh when they travel to face Al Ettifaq on Tuesday. Ronaldo is expected to get his first start of the season in that match, a significant step up in workload after his 28-minute cameo. How Postecoglou manages his minutes will be closely watched, with the captain still building up to a full 90 as Al Nassr look to keep pace at the top of the table.
Boss Ange Postecoglou played it completely safe with his minutes against Al-Riyadh, setting the stage for a crucial next move, but 41-year-old's next appearance will indicate his readiness to handle a full workload. Cristiano Ronaldo made a massive statement in his return to the pitch, but all eyes are already locked on what’s next for the Al-Nassr captain. Boss Ange Postecoglou played it completely safe with his minutes against Al-Riyadh, setting the stage for a crucial next move, but the 41-year-old’s next appearance will indicate his readiness to handle a full workload. Ronaldo had started the campaign away from the matchday squad after an extended break, making his comeback one of the biggest talking points of Al-Nassr‘s 4-0 victory. His brief appearance changed that conversation almost immediately, with the veteran forward finding the net and sending an early warning ahead of the club’s next league assignment. Ronaldo began the match on the bench as Postecoglou continued to manage his workload. Al-Nassr had already established a comfortable advantage against Al-Riyadh through goals from Abdulelah Al-Amri, Angelo, and Joao Felix before Ronaldo entered in the 62nd minute. The Portuguese forward needed only 21 minutes to make his presence felt. Ayman Yahya’s low cross found Ronaldo inside the box, and he expertly created enough room before sweeping a left-footed finish past Milan Borjan in the 83rd minute. It was Ronaldo’s first appearance of the 2026-27 season and his first Saudi Pro League goal of the campaign. The strike also took his extraordinary career tally to 977 goals, leaving him 23 short of the much-discussed 1,000-goal milestone. Postecoglou explains Ronaldo’s controlled comeback Postecoglou was careful to explain why Ronaldo was introduced from the bench rather than being thrown straight into the starting lineup. The Australian coach wanted his captain to rebuild his fitness gradually following a demanding period away from competitive action. “Cristiano Ronaldo always wants to play, but it is important that he takes his time to return, as he was busy during the preparation period,” Postecoglou said, according to Al-Riyadiah. The manager was also delighted that Ronaldo managed to score despite receiving limited minutes. “It is wonderful for him (Ronaldo) to score a goal within 30 minutes of play, he did everything possible,” Postecoglou added. 🇦🇺🗣 Ange Postecoglou on Cristiano Ronaldo:“Obviously, I said after the last game that I think it was important for Cris to take his time coming back because he was very, very busy during the off-season.His mentality is that he always wants to play, but he made sure he did…— The Nassr Tribune™️ (@AlNassrTribune) August 21, 2026 Will Ronaldo play against Al-Ettifaq? That controlled return now appears to have paved the way for a bigger role in Al-Nassr’s next match. Ronaldo is expected to make his first start of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season when Al-Nassr travels to face Al-Ettifaq on Tuesday. According to Okaz Sports, the Portuguese superstar is set to lead the line at Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium in Dammam, with the match scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Saudi time. The report would represent a significant step up in workload after his 28-minute cameo against Al-Riyadh. The timing makes sense after Ronaldo emerged from his first appearance without any reported setback. Postecoglou can now assess him during training before deciding exactly how many minutes he can handle, but his expected start suggests the forward is progressing as hoped.
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The Champions League is going to stretch Aston Villa and I don't see them making it back into the top four this season. Also, I'm not sure if anyone can get a tune out of Alejandro Garnacho but I suppose if anyone can it is Unai Emery. As I had to remind Mark Chapman on Monday Night Club, you can't play with two goalkeepers - they changed many laws of the game over the summer, but not that one - so we will have to see who gets the nod on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo's fight for the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot won't be easy, as he started off at a disadvantage. Cristiano Ronaldo is already facing an uphill battle in the search for a third Saudi Pro League Golden Boot, with the Al Nassr captain only opening his scoring account for the season well behind the division’s early pace-setters. Ronaldo was absent for Al Nassr‘s first two matches of the 2026-27 campaign, having missed preseason training entirely due to an extended break away from the squad. That absence pushed back his season debut and left Ange Postecoglou managing his return carefully rather than throwing him straight into the starting lineup. The Portuguese forward finally got on the pitch during Al Nassr’s 4-0 win over Al Riyadh, coming on in the 62nd minute and playing only the final half hour of the match. It took him just 21 minutes to make an impact, latching onto a low cross from Ayman Yahya to scoring his 977th career goal, his first Saudi Pro League strike of the season. Even with that goal, Ronaldo remains well off the pace in the Golden Boot standings. Moussa Dembele and Ivan Toney currently lead the race with three goals apiece, while Ronaldo sits on just one after playing a fraction of the minutes available to him so far. 3 points, 4 goals and a 5 ⭐️ performance by Al Nassr 🟡 pic.twitter.com/mn11tKV9vM— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) August 21, 2026 The 41-year-old finished third in the Golden Boot race last season, with Julian Quinones claiming the title, and this slow start, driven largely by his delayed pre-season, makes an early return to the top of the standings look unlikely for now. Golden Boot standings after Saudi Pro League Matchday 2 Ronaldo’s tally still doesn’t reflect his goal against Al Riyadh in the latest available data, meaning he remains outside the top of the standings for now, but here is how the race looks: Moussa Dembele (Al-Ettifaq) — 3 goalsIvan Toney (Al-Ahli) — 3 goalsRuben Neves (Al-Hilal) — 2 goalsAlexandre Lacazette (Neom SC) — 2 goalsAbderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Taawoun) — 2 goalsAngelo (Al-Nassr) — 2 goalsJoao Felix (Al-Nassr) — 2 goalsKarim Benzema (Al-Hilal) — 1 goalCristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) — 1 goal Al Nassr’s next test comes on the road against Al Ettifaq Al Nassr will look to build on their 4-0 win over Al Riyadh when they travel to face Al Ettifaq on Tuesday. Ronaldo is expected to get his first start of the season in that match, a significant step up in workload after his 28-minute cameo. How Postecoglou manages his minutes will be closely watched, with the captain still building up to a full 90 as Al Nassr look to keep pace at the top of the table.
Boss Ange Postecoglou played it completely safe with his minutes against Al-Riyadh, setting the stage for a crucial next move, but 41-year-old's next appearance will indicate his readiness to handle a full workload. Cristiano Ronaldo made a massive statement in his return to the pitch, but all eyes are already locked on what’s next for the Al-Nassr captain. Boss Ange Postecoglou played it completely safe with his minutes against Al-Riyadh, setting the stage for a crucial next move, but the 41-year-old’s next appearance will indicate his readiness to handle a full workload. Ronaldo had started the campaign away from the matchday squad after an extended break, making his comeback one of the biggest talking points of Al-Nassr‘s 4-0 victory. His brief appearance changed that conversation almost immediately, with the veteran forward finding the net and sending an early warning ahead of the club’s next league assignment. Ronaldo began the match on the bench as Postecoglou continued to manage his workload. Al-Nassr had already established a comfortable advantage against Al-Riyadh through goals from Abdulelah Al-Amri, Angelo, and Joao Felix before Ronaldo entered in the 62nd minute. The Portuguese forward needed only 21 minutes to make his presence felt. Ayman Yahya’s low cross found Ronaldo inside the box, and he expertly created enough room before sweeping a left-footed finish past Milan Borjan in the 83rd minute. It was Ronaldo’s first appearance of the 2026-27 season and his first Saudi Pro League goal of the campaign. The strike also took his extraordinary career tally to 977 goals, leaving him 23 short of the much-discussed 1,000-goal milestone. Postecoglou explains Ronaldo’s controlled comeback Postecoglou was careful to explain why Ronaldo was introduced from the bench rather than being thrown straight into the starting lineup. The Australian coach wanted his captain to rebuild his fitness gradually following a demanding period away from competitive action. “Cristiano Ronaldo always wants to play, but it is important that he takes his time to return, as he was busy during the preparation period,” Postecoglou said, according to Al-Riyadiah. The manager was also delighted that Ronaldo managed to score despite receiving limited minutes. “It is wonderful for him (Ronaldo) to score a goal within 30 minutes of play, he did everything possible,” Postecoglou added. 🇦🇺🗣 Ange Postecoglou on Cristiano Ronaldo:“Obviously, I said after the last game that I think it was important for Cris to take his time coming back because he was very, very busy during the off-season.His mentality is that he always wants to play, but he made sure he did…— The Nassr Tribune™️ (@AlNassrTribune) August 21, 2026 Will Ronaldo play against Al-Ettifaq? That controlled return now appears to have paved the way for a bigger role in Al-Nassr’s next match. Ronaldo is expected to make his first start of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season when Al-Nassr travels to face Al-Ettifaq on Tuesday. According to Okaz Sports, the Portuguese superstar is set to lead the line at Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium in Dammam, with the match scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Saudi time. The report would represent a significant step up in workload after his 28-minute cameo against Al-Riyadh. The timing makes sense after Ronaldo emerged from his first appearance without any reported setback. Postecoglou can now assess him during training before deciding exactly how many minutes he can handle, but his expected start suggests the forward is progressing as hoped.
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