Brahimi: Porto not through yet

F.C. Porto winger Yacine Brahimi has warned his team-mates that they have yet to seal their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 despite securing a 2-0 win over Israeli champions Maccabi Tel-Aviv on Tuesday.

The Algeria international, who joined Porto from Granada CF for a fee of €6.5 million in the summer of 2014, and Vincent Aboubakar each found themselves on the score-sheet at the Estádio do Dragão, as Porto climbed to the top of Group G, having earned seven points from their opening three UCL games.

But despite moving into first-place, Brahimi has urged his team-mates to secure one more win to guarantee their place in the knockout stages. 

Porto are priced at 8/11 to win Group G.

“It was a very important win for us, but we are not qualified yet,” Brahimi said.

“We have to win one more match, but in this match we did very well and I am happy for that. My goal was special for me, as are all the goals I score. I always try to give my best for the team.”

Porto midfielder Andre Andre added: “We wanted to win and we managed to do that. We played a good match, we controlled things well in the second half and we are top of our group.

“There are still three games to go, though, and we know that the next one, in Israel, will be very difficult.

“But if we manage to win that one we will be almost certainly through. Maccabi has a good team, they defended well, but fortunately we were able to sew things up in the first half.”

Hammond joins Sheffield United

Sheffield United have completed the signing of Leicester City midfielder Dean Hammond on loan until January.

The move will reunite Hammond, 32, with manager Nigel Adkins, who managed the 32-year-old when Southampton were promoted to the Championship and the English Premier League.

“Dean is a fantastic professional, he was my captain at Southampton when we won promotion to the Championship and Premiership and he has enjoyed success with Brighton and Leicester,” Adkins told the club’s official website.

“I cannot speak highly enough of him as a player and a person, he sets high standards both on and off the pitch and after waiting for the right person, we are delighted that we can bring Dean into this football club.”

Hammond did not feature in the Premier League for Leicester this term. His only appearances for the Foxes in 2015/16 came in the 4-1 Capital One Cup win over Bury on August 25.