Category Uncategorized

Long gone are the days when Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah would tear the Premier League to shreds at Liverpool.

Staggeringly, from 197 games together at Anfield, the long-feared trio would combine for a devastating 338 goals, with Virgil Van Dijk once describing them together in action as a “scary” prospect to defend against.

Now, it’s very much a work in progress in attack for Arne Slot’s men, with both Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz remaining goalless in Premier League action since joining.

On top of that, fellow summer recruit Hugo Ekitike has largely blown hot and cold on Merseyside, with no league strikes next to his name from his last five clashes.

Last summer also saw a lot of change in attack in outgoings, with the wasteful Darwin Nunez finally put out of his Anfield misery. But, away from the heavily scapegoated South American, the Reds also waved goodbye to loyal servant Luis Diaz, who is now excelling at Bayern Munich, to Liverpool’s ongoing distaste.

Diaz's electric form at Bayern

Next to the memorable frustrations regularly served up by Nunez, Diaz’s starring role at Liverpool when he was still there could be viewed as slipping under the radar, somewhat.

Yet, Diaz was still labelled as a “very special” talent at Anfield by Jurgen Klopp for good reason, with the one-time Premier League title winner collecting a standout 41 goals and 23 assists from 148 appearances at Anfield.

Before he was moved on to the Bundesliga, he also chipped in with his most fruitful top-flight season in England, tallying up 13 goals.

That same clinical edge has clearly followed him to Bavaria, with Diaz already up to a bumper 11 goals and five assists in his new shade of red from just 17 clashes.

Worryingly, Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitike only have 11 goal contributions between them back in England, with the Colombian winger proving to be a stroke of genius signing for Vincent Kompany’s men at the £65.5m range.

To add insult to injury, all three of those Liverpool underperformers mentioned cost far more to obtain, with the 28-year-old already being hailed as a star who “delivers week in, week out” by his new manager.

Thankfully, Slot and Co could be brewing a homegrown iteration of their former attacker.

Liverpool's homegrown Luis Diaz

One of Diaz’s strong points when still situated at Anfield was his ability to line up all along the forward positions, with the malleable Colombian managing to bag eight strikes from 16 appearances as an out-and-out centre-forward, away from regularly completing his duties as a left winger.

The Reds have plenty of exciting young stars in their academy right now, chiefly fellow winger Rio Ngumoha but he’s not the focus this time around.

Indeed, another teenager by the name of Keyrol Figueroa is now beginning to make a strong impression on the youth staff.

Like Diaz, he has interchanged between wing and striker duties for Liverpool U21s this season effortlessly, with his “instinctive” nature in front of goal – as it was described by Liverpool academy reporter Lewis Bower – also seeing him score goals and pick up assists aplenty.

While he has predominantly found most of his joy on youth pitches comes from leading the line, with a clinical eight goals powered home from 20 games in that role, Figueroa has also not looked out of place whatsoever on either flank, much like Diaz in his Anfield prime. To put those numbers into perspective, it’s more goals than Ngumoha has bagged at the same level, having beaten the goalkeeper on just two occasions in nine U21 fixtures.

He will also want to give a disappointing Isak a run for his money down the line, with a deadly hat-trick bagged against Everton U21s last month no doubt making him an even more popular figure in youth circles in the red half of Merseyside, away from being an adaptable figure.

It would be wild to throw Figueroa into the first team imminently, considering he is just 19 years of age and is only used to the comforts of youth football.

But, if he continues as he is now, it will surely only be a matter of time before he is unleashed, having also been described as a “ruthless” finisher of chances by his U21 boss in Rob Page.

Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp also hailed Diaz as having a similarly impressive “eye for goal” during his Liverpool playing days, as Slot and Co now hope Figueroa can be as lively in the first team picture as the Colombian down the line.

New Trent: Liverpool star is "one of the most underrated players in England"

Slot could find a shrewd solution to Liverpool’s problems in this talent.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 17, 2025

As New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe prepares to play in his first World Series in just his second MLB season, his father Michael posted quite the memory on Instagram to get fans pumped up.

Volpe is a New York native and grew up as a Yankees fan, and he happened to be present at the team's last World Series parade in 2009.

The shortstop was eight years old in the picture his dad posted of him standing in the first row watching the Yankees celebrate their 27th World Series title.

His dad captioned the photo "2009 World Series parade. 4 more wins!!"

Volpe could be present at this year's World Series parade, but this time on a bus with the rest of his teammates instead of standing as a fan in the crowd. Talk about a (potential) full circle moment.

The Yankees will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 World Series beginning on Friday, Oct. 25 in California.

MatériaMais Notícias

Os momentos antes da bola rolar para Palmeiras e Santos, na Arena Barueri, ficaram marcados por protestos. A torcida alviverde ecoou cânticos direcionados à diretoria do Verdão, mais especificamente à presidente Leila Pereira e ao diretor de futebol Anderson Barros. A insatisfação dos palmeirenses se dá principalmente pela eliminação do time na Libertadores, na quinta-feira (5), para o Boca Juniors-ARG, no Allianz Parque.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras x Caracas: onde assistir ao vivo e horário do jogo pela Libertadores FemininaPalmeiras08/10/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras x Santos: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pelo BrasileirãoPalmeiras08/10/2023PalmeirasPressionado, Abel Ferreira reencontra o Santos, para quem jamais perdeu pelo PalmeirasPalmeiras08/10/2023

+ Palmeiras x Santos: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pelo Brasileirão

Alguns cantos foram: “Leila, incompetente, pegou o Palmeiras pra brincar de presidente”, “Ooo, o seu dinheiro não compra o meu amor, mentirosa”, “Ô Barros, vai se f*, o meu Palmeiras não precisa de você” e “Leila, quebra meu galho, pega o avião e vai pra casa do c*”. Veja momentos do protesto no vídeo acima.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

* JALILE ELIAS colaborou sob a supervisão de Rafael Oliva

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoPalmeirasprotesto

Messi extended his deal with Miami, which will surely be a boost for the club and league – but what does it mean for him?

So we've finally got the Messi extension news we wanted. The Argentine sticking around in Miami. It gets even better than that, too. A one year extension would have been welcomed. But Messi has signed on for three, extending through 2028. Nicely done, everyone. 

There are a few things that need acknowledging here. The first is that this is an immense win for MLS. It's pretty good for soccer in general. It's also massive for Miami, who rely on their star man. But there are larger questions to be asked.

For all of his individual success – presumptive back-to-back MVP awards are hard to argue with – it hasn't translated into much silverware for Miami. They aren't favorites for MLS Cup this year, though they should contend, and will presumably need roster reconstruction going forward. 

What can we make of Messi's time in Miami? And what can we expect going forward?

GOAL US writers debate all that and more in the latest edition of… The Rondo.

Getty Images SportWhat's the key takeaway from Messi's extension?

Tom Hindle: An actual dream for the league. They needed this beyond belief. The Messi effect simply cannot be understated. And even if there is widespread frustration that MLS isn't quite getting everything out of him from a marketing POV, as long as he's here, people will care. Miami are probably buzzing that they get him in their new stadium, too. Nicely done, to all parties. Probably the only sad thing here is that this would appear to be the Messi endgame. There's not another contract after this. Welcome to the beginning of the end. 

Ryan Tolmich: Great news for the league, and for Miami, who will now waltz into their new stadium with the name of the most famous player on the planet on the marquee. Both the league and the club needed this as they look to build on the momentum certain to be generated by the 2026 World Cup. On the field, we'll have to see how it goes. But in terms of the off-field buzz, this was the best news the league could generate.

Alex Labidou: Although it felt inevitable, it is still massive for both Inter Miami and MLS. The league needs eyeballs in a World Cup year and Inter Miami has a new stadium to fill next season. Both greatly benefit from having Messi in the league, though it is fair to wonder if this means Messi and Miami will exert even more influence over the league.

AdvertisementGettyHow likely is it that Messi will actually play until 2028?

TH: Zero-percent chance (he says with no actual concrete information). The three years is probably to guarantee whatever business benefits come at the end. It would be no surprise to see him retire at the end of 2026. That extra time? Just seems like security.

RT: A lot can change in three years and, because of that, it's hard to see him playing out this full deal. Many believed Messi would step away somewhere around the 2026 World Cup, and there are questions as to whether he'll actually play for Argentina next year. So the thought of him effectively playing through 2028? Unlikely. If it happens, thought, great, because the league and American soccer would surely benefit. But at some point, the man will probably just want to ride off into the sunset and spend more time with family.

AL: In any other circumstance, offering a three-year extension to a 38-year-old will be nonsensical. But this is Messi we’re talking about. At 40 or 41, he could probably still better Diego Luna’s numbers in the league. That’s not a diss to the Real Salt Lake star, it's just reality. Mess is the greatest player the world has ever seen from a skill point of view, and he’s vastly ahead of anyone currently playing in MLS.

Getty Images SportWhat's the biggest positive from his MLS tenure?

TH: Eyeballs, competition, and the fact that the best of all time is playing in this league. Genuinely think about it; we may never see another footballer this good. It is a privilege for American soccer to have him around. MLS has boasted about its 3.7 million weekly viewers worldwide. A good chunk of those are because of Leo. It's probably a good thing, too, that Messi has started some chatter about how the league can function long term. The hatred of Miami by fans of other teams, ironically, might lead to some change here. 

RT: The eyeballs are obvious. But the real positive is that it has ignited some debate about this league and where it's going. Even with the likeable Messi, Miami has become something of a supervillain for this league. And as it turns out, people like tuning into that type of thing. Let this all serve as a reminder to MLS that, in the end, fans care about quality, star-power and, ultimately, storylines more than parity. MLS should probably adjust league rules accordingly.

AL: Messi is probably the first big-time DP signing whose production has outmatched his hype. He has scored 50 goals in 53 appearances and has also been the league’s best playmaker. In a league in which fans saw Thierry Henry, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard all past their best, Messi brings world-class moments to the pitch almost every night. He’s not here to sell shirts, and he genuinely appears frustrated when his team isn’t lifting trophies.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWhat's the biggest criticism?

TH: Can we please get over this spokesperson thing? Messi signed for Miami because he wanted to play in Miami, for the club. He did not sign for MLS, and doesn't really owe the league anything. Should he have showed up to the All-Star game? Probably. But it's hard to begrudge him for not talking to the media every day. He didn't before and he shouldn't have to now. There isn't anything meaningful to criticize.

RT: Actually, it is just that – his total lack of participation as a spokesperson for the league. Yes, Messi is a big star, but you know who else was?  Beckham, Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They all spoke after every game, did all of the appearances and helped prop up the league even when, in truth, they didn't really want to. Messi has done none of that. In some ways, it's his prerogative. And there's no denying that he's more introverted than those other global stars. That said, it would be nice if he spoke to media or participated in any of the other events and moments that other MLS stars have made themselves available for.

AL: Messi, the ambassador for MLS, has a lot to be desired. He’s participated in only a handful of media opportunities. This is the greatest player to ever play, and obviously the best in MLS. Fans want to hear from him, get his thoughts on playing in North America, the quality of the league and his future. And he’s been very quiet. While that might not be a big deal in Europe, where Messi spent the majority of his career, it is massive for MLS as it competes for interest with other American sports leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. Fans of those sports get insights daily from their favorite players. Beckham single-handedly changed the perception of MLS when he arrived. That hasn’t been the case since Messi joined this league.

After finishing a gruelling season at No. 3 and 4, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians face off in a knockout

Hemant Brar29-May-20252:58

Moody: GT have a few more concerns than MI

Big picture: Can GT cope without Buttler?Before the start of IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans (GT) seemed to have a hole in their batting line-up. They had an excellent top three and a bunch of finishers but the middle order looked thin. GT, though, finished third in the league stage and will now face Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator in New Chandigarh on Friday. The winner moves on to Qualifier 2, one step closer to the final; the loser is eliminated.GT relied heavily on their top three during their run to the playoffs. In most games, at least one of Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler batted so deep that the middle order was barely required. On the rare occasion when they fell relatively early, Sherfane Rutherford and Shahrukh Khan proved that the perceived hole in the middle order wasn’t so deep.The interruption to the season, however, interrupted GT’s momentum. They were on course for a top-two finish but lost their last two league games and dropped to No. 3. Now Buttler has left for the England duty and GT’s first match without him is the Eliminator. His replacement Kusal Mendis is a fine batter but he is not in the same league. Moreover, he has never played the IPL and his last innings in a competitive game was more than a month ago.Related

MI's turnaround decoded: death overs tamed, middle overs mastered

GT were perhaps the only franchise to have constructed their squad around their bowling. But with Mohammed Siraj’s form tapering off and Rashid Khan’s never really picking up, their strongest department does not look as strong. In the last three games, they conceded 199, 235 and 230.MI, on the other hand, are a galaxy of stars. But not everyone has been shining as brightly. Suryakumar Yadav is their leading run-getter with 640, but the next best, Ryan Rickelton, is 252 behind. And he is not available for the playoffs. The next on the list is Rohit Sharma with 329.Unlike Mendis for GT, MI’s replacement for Rickelton is an IPL veteran: Jonny Bairstow. Last fortnight, he smashed twin fifties for Yorkshire, albeit in a red-ball game. Will Jacks, who has also left MI for England duty, does not leave behind that big a hole. On current form, their bowling attack also seems stronger than GT’s.GT, though, will draw confidence from having beaten MI in both league games. In fact, MI are yet to beat any of the three other teams in the playoffs. They did have a six-match winning streak in the middle, but after two losses in their last three league games, they no longer appear invincible.3:00

Aaron: Bairstow is one of the replacements of the IPL

Form guideGujarat Titans LLWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Mumbai Indians LWLWWIn the spotlight: Rashid Khan and Jasprit BumrahRashid Khan and Jasprit Bumrah have been T20 cricket’s best spinner and best fast bowler for years now. But they have had contrasting fortunes in IPL 2025. Rashid is having his worst IPL season. In 14 games, he has picked up just nine wickets at an average of 53.66 and an economy of 9.47. The 31 sixes he has been hit for are the joint most for any bowler in an IPL season alongside Siraj in 2022.Bumrah missed the first four matches as he was recovering from a back injury. Despite that, he is joint sixth on the list of highest wicket-takers this season. He has taken 17 at an average of 14.64 and economy of 6.33, both a personal best for him in an IPL season.Jasprit Bumrah is having his best IPL season•Getty ImagesTeam news and likely XIIsMendis replacing Buttler could be the only change for GT.Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 M Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Gerald Coetzee, 9 Arshad Khan, 10 R Sai Kishore, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Prasidh KrishnaBairstow coming in for Rickelton is a straight swap. Choosing between Charith Asalanka and Bevon Jacobs for Jacks could be trickier, but Asalanka’s offspin could tilt the decision in his favour.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Charith Asalanka/Bevon Jacobs, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 Karn SharmaThe big questionPitch and conditionsNew Chandigarh has not dished out consistent pitches this season. In the four games played there before the playoffs, a team lost after making 201 and a team won after scoring 111. In Qualifier 1, Punjab Kings (PBKS) were all out for 101 on a surface that helped both seamers and spinners, but it will be a fresh pitch for the Eliminator. The weather forecast for Friday is likely to be cloudy, but there is no indication of rain.Key stats In the IPL, Hardik Pandya has dismissed Gill four times in 23 balls while giving away only 19 runs. Mendis has struggled against Mitchell Santner in T20 cricket – four dismissals in 39 balls for just 34 runs. Across all T20s, Suryakumar has taken Rashid for 117 runs in 77 balls without a dismissal. Rashid has dominated his match-up against Hardik, though: 32 runs in 44 balls, two dismissals. Tilak Varma has faced seven balls from Prasidh Krishna in the IPL. He’s been dismissed twice and hasn’t scored a run.

Newcastle United fans from far and wide eagerly anticipate the advent of Monday night’s Premier League clash, with Eddie Howe’s side meeting Liverpool to St. James’ Park.

Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and the like will want to mete out a kind of retribution on the defending champions after weeks of being embroiled in a bitter transfer saga concerning the future of Alexander Isak, who is on strike as he tries to force a move to Merseyside.

Isak won’t be involved, Howe has confirmed. Whether the Sweden striker will wear black and white again remains a million-dollar question, and one that has disrupted United’s build-up to the 2024/25 campaign.

Though Anthony Gordon gave it his all as a makeshift number nine as Newcastle opened their season with a goalless draw at Villa Park last weekend, it’s clear that a natural finisher is needed.

And though the interminable search for such a forward drags on, there remains hope that Newcastle will get a deal for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa over the line.

The latest on Yoane Wissa to Newcastle

Newcastle have been locked in a battle to sign Wissa for several weeks, and though the 28-year-old is desperate to move to Tyneside, with parallels to Isak’s situation, his outfit are playing hardball, having rejected two bids so far.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews said earlier this week that the DR Congo star had returned to pre-season training, but he played no part in the Bees’ trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Wissa scored 19 goals in the Premier League last season, but he’s not as technically gifted or nimble-footed as Isak, and so is not actually viewed as the 25-year-old’s potential replacement.

Callum Wilson, after all, joined West Ham United this summer after his contract expired with the Toon.

So then, Newcastle might need to sign a centre-forward to compete with Wissa, should he arrive, for a place in Howe’s starting 11. And they might have found one who has more about him than the Premier League goalscorer.

Newcastle enter the bidding for new striker

According to Spanish sources, Newcastle have entered the bidding for Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth, who wants to leave Diego Simeone’s side before the end of the transfer window.

The prolific marksman is available for a cut-price €35m (£30m) figure, which is beneath the £40m offer Newcastle tabled for Wissa earlier this week.

However, Tottenham Hotspur and Serie A champions Napoli are also reported to be interested in the Norway international, so Howe and his transfer coterie will need to act swiftly here.

What Sorloth would bring to Newcastle

The 29-year-old Sorloth might not be a spring chicken, but he’s developed into a devastating striker in Spain, having previously fallen by the wayside when at Crystal Palace seven years ago, scoring just once across 20 matches.

Afterwards, Sorloth rediscovered himself out on loan in Turkey with Trabzonspor, scoring 33 goals across the 2019/20 campaign. He hopped to Germany and joined RB Leipzig, and that was so-so, but La Liga has proved a hothouse for his shooting skills, having now surpassed 20 goals in successive campaigns, first with Villarreal and then in the capital under Simeone’s wing.

Last term, in fact, Sorloth managed to notch 24 goals across 53 appearances for Atletico, starting only 20 of those matches. Talk about clutch. Simeone remarked that the frontman had been “phenomenal” when finding space in the box.

Sorloth is powerful and prolific, but he’s also mobile and committed during defensive phases. When looking at how he matches up against Wissa over the past 365 days, there’s little question that he’s the more complete man.

And that’s okay. Wissa is not targeted for his creativity (although he showed when linking up with Bryan Mbeumo last season that he’s capable of more than just shooting), and he would serve as a neat foil if Sorloth were to be welcomed to the fold.

For such a hulking striker, the 6 foot 4 Sorloth has a spring in his step, and his willingness to get on the ball and drive forward himself suggests that he could provide Howe with a more dynamic and effective focal point at the front of his system.

It’s something that Isak, 6 foot 3 himself, has performed with such aplomb across his three years as a Magpie.

In this way, it feels crucial that Newcastle beat off the competition and sign Sorloth this month, maybe even combining him with Wissa at number nine.

Sorloth is far above the level he performed while playing for Crystal Palace, and given the overarching fluidity that Newcastle’s squad is imbued with, there’s no reason why he couldn’t produce the goods for Howe over the next several years.

As well as his goalscoring success across the 2024/25 campaign, the nomadic forward also won 51% of his duels across the La Liga campaign, further underscoring his robust and combative nature, tailor-made for the rigorous nature of the Premier League.

Though there remains a chance that Isak could be reintegrated into Howe’s Newcastle team, it may well be that irreparable damage has been done over these frantic past weeks.

If that truly is the case, it would be worthwhile to sign a player such as Sorloth, who is progressive, strong and boasts a prolific touch that surpasses even Wissa on his A-game last year.

Higher ceiling than Wissa: Newcastle in talks to sign £80m CF this week

Newcastle United are in talks to sign a star who has an even higher ceiling than Wissa.

By
Will Miller

Aug 23, 2025

The KKR captain also heaped praise on Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana, especially in the powerplay

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-20251:10

Do SRH need to rethink their batting approach?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane has advocated for his batters to set their performance in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as an example and carry this template for the rest of IPL 2025.After collapsing for a mere 116 in their previous outing, against Mumbai Indians (MI), KKR bounced back in style putting up 200 for 6 against SRH in Kolkata on Thursday. This despite them losing both openers by the third over. Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi consolidated the innings before Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh went big in the death.”The discussion when we lost two wickets, Quinny [Quinton de Kock] and Sunny [Sunil Narine] was all about consolidate till six overs, play with intent but play cricketing shots and then when we have wickets in hand after 10-11 overs, guys down the order can get as many runs as possible. So that’s what we wanted to do,” Rahane said after KKR thrashed SRH by 80 runs.Related

Swing while you're winning – KKR 'bowl a touch fuller' to thwart Travishek

Venkatesh: 'Aggression does not mean tonking every ball for a six'

The Arorana stumbling block in Travishek's rumbling road

Raghuvanshi: 'Cricket is what I go to sleep wanting to do and what I wake up wanting to do'

Venkatesh and Arora consign SRH to their biggest-ever defeat

“This game was really important for us and winning with a big margin, that was really crucial. I think starting off with batting first, losing the toss, even we wanted to bowl first on this wicket.”Overall, I am really happy with the batting unit. The last two games were not up to the mark for us. But again, we learned a lot from our mistakes and it’s again staying in the moment. This game has happened but this is a great example for us as a batting unit to learn from this game and take it forward.”Another crucial moment in the KKR innings was when the Rahane-Raghuvanshi stand ended on 81 with the score on 97 for 3 in 11 overs. Ten balls later, Raghuvanshi also fell and there were two new batters in the middle. KKR could have capitulated but Iyer and Rinku stood firm. They started slowly, but soon found their stride and smoked 78 runs in the last five overs to give KKR a grandstand finish.”See, the chat when Rinku and Venkatesh were batting it was all about, last 30 balls we can get 50-60 runs on this wicket,” Rahane said. “Those guys can play brilliant shots. We all saw that tonight.”Ramandeep again was sitting in the dugout. Dre [Andre Russell] was sitting in the dugout and Moeen [Ali] was also ready. So, it was all about play normally till 15 overs and then take it on.”Rahane also heaped praise on his bowlers, in particular Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana. Arora, coming in as an impact sub, picked 3 for 29, including the wickets of Travis Head, Ishan Kishan and later Heinrich Klaasen, while Rana picked the key wicket of Abhishek Sharma as SRH were reduced to 9 for 3 in 2.1 overs. It was always tough going thereon.”Credit goes to Vaibhav and Harshit as well. Bowling in that powerplay, difficult overs, especially Vaibhav picking up those two wickets was amazing,” Rahane said.”Initially, we thought 170-180 on this wicket would be a really good total. I mean, we got 20-30 runs extra because of the partnership of Rinku and Venkatesh. We saw how SRH bowled. The slower balls were gripping a bit. We had three quality spinners. Moeen, unfortunately, couldn’t bowl tonight. But Varun [Chakravarthy] and Sunny bowled really well.”

خاض منتخب البرتغال، بقيادة النجم كريستيانو رونالدو، مباراته مساء السبت في إطار التصفيات المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، وذلك ضد نظيره أيرلندا.

واستضاف ملعب “جوزيه ألفالادي” مباراة البرتغال وأيرلندا، في خضم تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى مونديال الصيف المقبل، حيث فاز أصحاب الأرض بهدف دون رد. هدف فوز البرتغال على أيرلندا في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

وسيطر التعادل السلبي على مجريات المباراة في السواد الأعظم منها، حيث لم يتمكن أي من الفريقين من التسجيل، مع فرص سانحة لكليهما.

وتحصل منتخب البرتغال على ضربة جزاء، في الدقيقة 73، بسبب لمسة يد على أحد لاعبي الخصم، ونفذها كريستيانو رونالدو ولكنه أهدرها بعدما تصدى لها حارس أيرلندا. رونالدو يهدر ضربة جزاء أمام أيرلندا

وكادت المباراة تمنح نقطة لكل فريق لولا هدف قاتل من روبن نيفيز، في الدقيقة 91 من عمر المباراة، ليتحصل منتخب البرتغال على 3 نقاط ثمينة.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد البرتغال إلى 9 نقاط في صدارة المجموعة السادسة، بينما تجمد رصيد أيرلندا عند نقطة في المركز الرابع والأخير.

وسيواجه منتخب البرتغال خصمه منتخب المجر يوم الثلاثاء المقبل، حيث يحتاج إلى الفوز من أجل التأهل رسميًا للمونديال.

After three successive years of finishing in second place in the Premier League, Arsenal fans will undoubtedly be getting tired of their inability to end their drought without a league title.

The Gunners have now gone over two decades without a Premier League triumph, with patience potentially running thin among the fanbase should Mikel Arteta fall at the final hurdle once more.

The hierarchy have already backed the manager in his quest to reach the next level at the Emirates, spending upwards of £200m on new additions, subsequently improving various areas of the pitch.

Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi have already been added to the midfield department, adding key depth after various departures earlier this summer.

However, despite the huge funds already splashed on various new additions, countless other options are still being considered by the club in an attempt to further their ambitions of finishing top of the pile.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new additions this summer

Despite the addition of Noni Madueke this summer, Arsenal are targeting the addition of Real Madrid star Rodrygo in an attempt to bolster the attacking department.

Book Premier League Hospitality

Secure your matchday experience with Seat Unique.

Buy Premium Now Expand Collapse

However, any deal for the Brazilian would see them face competition from various sides, such as Manchester City and North London rivals Tottenham, for his signature.

He’s not the only attacker currently in their sights between now and the end of the window, with Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze also high up on their shortlist, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that an agreement is close between the Gunners and the Eagles over a ‘blockbuster’ £55m deal that would see the 27-year-old move to the Emirates ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

It also states that Oliver Glasner’s side are resigned to losing the England international this summer, but a deal will have to be put on hold until his side land a replacement.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse Why Arsenal’s latest target would be as exciting as Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres is undoubtedly Arsenal’s most high-profile addition during the current window, which is no surprise given his goal tally at Sporting CP.

The Swedish international netted 97 goals in his 102 appearances, having the ability to transform the club’s form in the final third if he can replicate such levels in England.

However, he will have a huge price tag to live up to, after the hierarchy forked out £63.5m, including add-ons, to secure the services of the 27-year-old this summer.

The fanbase are already all aboard the hype train of Gyokeres, after the forward netted his first goal for the club in the recent pre-season triumph against LaLiga side Athletic Club.

However, despite the recent excitement around the move, the club could land a star just as impressive as the Swede should they complete a deal for Eze in the coming weeks.

The 27-year-old would provide a versatile all-round option in the final third, able to feature out wide or in the number ten position – not to mention his experience in England’s top-flight.

His stats from the most recent campaign highlight the ability he possesses in the final third, able to create for others whilst also having the tools to thrive individually.

Eberechi Eze’s stats for Palace in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

34

Goals & assists

16

Progressive passes

3.4

Successful take-ons

2.4

Key passes made

2.1

Passes into final third

1.8

Carries into final third

1.7

Shots taken

3.5

Stats via FBref

Eze, who’s been labelled “sensational” by talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings, completed 2.4 take-ons per 90, whilst making 1.7 carries into the final third – having the tools to offer fresh impetus to the side in attacking areas.

He also registered 16 combined goals and assists in England’s top-flight last season, having the tools to provide an end product to his mazy runs into the opposition’s penalty area.

Such tallies highlight his ability to provide for others whilst being able to find the net himself, which is hardly a surprise given his tally of 3.5 shots per 90 – which ranks him within the top 6% of all players in the division.

If he can replicate the levels he’s produced at Selhurst Park in recent times, it would be a superb addition that would further improve the options at the manager’s disposal.

The prospect of Eze linking up with Gyokeres in attacking areas is one to be excited about, potentially catapulting the club to new levels of success in the near future.

Readers like you help support FootballFanCast. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.

Related Better signing than Zubimendi: Arsenal plot late move for £78m "monster"

The international superstar would be a game-changer for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta…

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 11, 2025

Crystal Palace are looking to source fresh reinforcements and could now be set to close in on their next signing after making a decisive move in recent days.

Crystal Palace prepare for FA Community Shield clash

After their historic FA Cup victory, Crystal Palace have the chance to claim another piece of silverware in the FA Community Shield against Liverpool at Wembley this weekend.

Speaking ahead of the tie, Oliver Glasner has confirmed the Eagles will go all out to win the trophy despite being up against the odds in light of the Reds’ status as Premier League champions.

“We are facing the champions. A team who invested £300m, buying high-quality players. It is a great challenge. We will be ready. I don’t expect they will be in the best possible shape, the same with us at the beginning of the season.

“We will go for winning the next trophy. When you have the chance to win a second trophy in three months, go for it.”

Eberechi Eze has been frequently linked with a move to Arsenal, which reports suggest could turn Crystal Palace in the direction of West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta should their star man move across London.

Tosin Adarabioyo is also on the Eagles’ radar and could become a statement addition if circumstances align, though it remains to be seen where Glasner will opt to strengthen with less than two weeks until the Premier League season kicks off.

Crystal Palace’s opening fixtures of the season

Liverpool

FA Community Shield

Chelsea (A)

Premier League

Nottingham Forest (H)

Premier League

Aston Villa (A)

Premier League

Sunderland (H)

Premier League

Now, the Eagles may be moving closer to announcing a new addition ahead of their return to competitive action, according to reports.

Crystal Palace make decisive move for Arnau Martinez

According to Tuttosport, Crystal Palace have made a decisive move to sign Girona full-back Arnau Martinez, who is also said to be a target for West Ham United and Juventus.

Said to be available between £8.7 million and £10.4 million, the Eagles have stepped up their efforts in a decisive manner and they hold the advantage of recently negotiating with Girona to sanction Odsonne Edouard’s potential move to the La Liga outfit.

As pictured, the former Celtic striker is still on the books and no deal has been sealed yet, but effectively carrying out two transfers between both entities would potentially be advantageous to Crystal Palace in terms of profit margins.

Martinez, who is predominantly a right-back, featured 39 times last season for Girona across all competitions, registering three goals and three assists.

Labelled “intelligent” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Spain Under-21 cap made 18 chances in La Liga last term and appears to fit Crystal Palace’s exciting style of play from full-back, though it remains to be seen whether they will win the race for his signature.