Despite missing their captain Yash Dhull and vice-captain Shaikh Rasheed after both tested positive for Covid-19, India thumped Ireland by 174 runs and in the process secured their quarter-final spot too.
Zimbabwe’s Victor Chirwa suspended from bowling
Victor Chirwa, the 18-year old left-arm wristspinner from Zimbabwe, was found to have an illegal action and as such the ICC has barred him from bowling in all international tournaments.
Chirwa was reported by officials at the Under-19 World Cup after he picked up 2 for 11 in seven overs against Papua New Guinea.
Upon further video analysis by the Event Panel, it was confirmed that Chirwa flexes his elbow beyond the allowed 15 degrees and was handed down his punishment.
Sent into bat, India openers Harnoor Singh (88) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (79) hit exquisite half-centuries to set the tone with a 164-run opening stand. The middle order then made crucial contributions to take India past 300. In Ireland’s chase, they were reduced to 66 for 6 inside 22 overs, after which the only question that remained was the final margin of India’s victory.With six of their 17 squad members either Covid positive or suspected as infected, India fielded the only 11 players who were available for selection. They were led by 17-year-old Nishant Sindhu from Haryana, and he struck a 34-ball 36 after the openers built the foundation. On either side of Sindhu’s innings, No. 3 Raj Bawa made 42 and the lower-order batter Rajvardhan Hangargekar – promoted for the slog overs – smacked 39 in a 17-ball innings to post 307 for 5.Openers Harnoor and Raghuvanshi had both failed in the first game against South Africa, but with the usual No. 3 Rasheed and No. 4 Dhull not available, both batters had an added responsibility. They were, however, unperturbed in their batting style, attacking right from the start. The right-handed Raghuvanshi hit a hat-trick of fours in the third over off Ireland spinner Matthew Humphreys and followed it up with three boundaries off offspinner Nathan McGuire to race away to 26 in 22 balls.After that, Harnoor found the gaps to hit back-to-back fours off seamer Muzamil Sherzad, and by the time the tenth over was up, India were 68 for 0.Raghuvanshi reached his fifty first, off 41 balls, when he pulled a short delivery from Humphreys over deep midwicket for six. Harnoor’s scoring-rate kept increasing steadily, and by the 21st over, he too had reached his half-century in 56 balls. A series of fours – all around the ground – then flowed from Harnoor’s bat and soon enough he had caught up to Raghuvanshi’s score, with both batters in their seventies.The stand was finally broken in the 26th over when India were 164 for 0. Raghuvanshi, on 79, was caught behind off left-arm spinner Jamie Forbes. The opening partnership gave No. 3 Bawa the liberty to settle in, but the 35th over brought about Harnoor’s end, as he was dismissed lbw by Humphreys on 88.With eight wickets in hand, a big finish was expected. It came with Sindhu playing aggressive shots off his pads on numerous occasions. After Sindhu fell in the 46th over, India promoted the seam bowler Hangargekar, and he got into the groove by hammering Humphreys for two sixes down the ground. In the 50th over, he spoiled Sherzad’s spell by crunching a hat-trick of sixes and ending the innings with a four to third man.Ireland’s chase of 308 began sedately. The first wicket came when left-arm seamer Ravi Kumar had Liam Doherty caught at midwicket in the fourth over. Hangargekar, on a high after at a strike rate of 229, then trapped Jack Dickson lbw. Bawa’s direct-hit then sent David Vincent back with Ireland at 17 for 3.Right-arm seamer Garv Sangwan, into the India XI because of the forced absences, then removed Ireland captain Tim Tector when the batter sliced a shot to gully. Sangwan followed it up with the wicket of Joshua Cox, who edged one to wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana.With half the side gone for only 66, Ireland’s chances of a win were almost zero. Vicky Ostwal, who took five wickets against South Africa, had Philippus le Roux lbw when he played a sweep down the wrong line. Although Scott MacBeth smacked 32, the rest of the game was a one-sided affair. Left-arm spinner Aneeshwar Gautam, another new entrant into the XI, then took two lower-order wickets, and offspinner Kaushal Tambe cleaned up the tail.
Manchester United have been advised to sign Paul Pogba again, with Dwight Yorke saying “give him a contract” as he is better than current options.
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Free agent following release by Juventus
Linked with clubs around the world
Red Devils urged to step in and do a deal
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The World Cup-winning Frenchman is a product of the Red Devils’ fabled academy system. He returned to Old Trafford from a stint at Juventus in 2016 as the most expensive player in world football. Unfortunately, the all-action midfielder struggled to live up to his £89 million ($113m) price tag.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
He departed again in 2022 but, after another spell in Turin, is currently a free agent after seeing his contract in Italy terminated while serving a doping ban. Pogba has been linked with teams around the world, including MLS outfit Inter Miami – who have Lionel Messi on their books – and Ligue 1 giants Marseille.
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WHAT DWIGHT YORKE SAID
Yorke believes United should be exploring the option of bringing Pogba back to Manchester, with the 1999 Treble winner telling : “It's an interesting take. I would give Paul Pogba a third chance, definitely, because of what United currently have and because of what we know he is capable of producing.
“Obviously, with two months left, I would say, let's have a look. Give him a contract. You've got time here to prove yourself. You can come and play and help us out with the situation I’m sure Pogba would be very keen. Maybe he might want a long-term deal because of the security.
“I can see why his name has been mentioned because United have struggled, and Pogba is a damn good player. Even though he’s 31, I think he's far better than what we have now. And if you're going to get a player for free, who's far better than all our players in midfield, then you do it.”
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WHAT NEXT?
United have been struggling for creativity and goal threat under Ruben Amorim, with it clear that something needs to be done in order to reverse that trend and deliver an upturn in collective fortunes. Pogba may be the man to help provide a spark in familiar surroundings.
Glasgow Rangers’ success in the transfer window has been minimal over the previous few years, with only a couple of signings truly proving to be a hit among the Ibrox support.
Allowing Michael Beale free rein with a decent-sized budget could haunt the club for the next few years, as millions were spent on Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers, with both players looking short of the quality required to fire the Gers to a Premiership title.
Cyriel Dessers
Philippe Clement appeared to be going down a different route this summer, looking ahead to the future by signing a host of talented youngsters who could potentially make the club a serious profit in the next few years.
This is a system that Celtic have enjoyed plenty of success with in recent years. Indeed, players such as Matt O’Riley, Moussa Dembélé, Kristoffer Ajer and Jota all joined for relatively small fees, before raking in fortunes for the club.
By following a system like this, if a player succeeds in Glasgow, he will have plenty of suitors, especially from down south, thus making millions for the club in the process.
Jota is the best example of this, as he shone during his time at Celtic, especially during Old Firm matches…
Jota's success at Celtic
The winger was signed by Celtic from Benfica in the summer of 2021 on an initial loan deal, before this was made permanent ahead of the following campaign.
During his two seasons in Glasgow, the Portuguese gem scored 28 goals and grabbed 26 assists in all competitions, which included being the scourge of Rangers on numerous occasions.
He scored four goals and recorded an assist in ten games against the Light Blues, and it was clear if the Ibrox side were to re-establish their dominance in Scotland, signing a player like Jota was how they could go about it.
He ended up moving to the Middle East in a deal worth around £25m, joining Al Ittihad and the move allowed Celtic to make a stunning profit on the winger.
Despite losing someone of his talent, they have replaced him well, which is something Rangers have struggled with over the years.
Former Celtic forward Jota
Could the Ibrox side have had their own version of Jota a few years previously, however? As one former manager made what looked like a few exciting signings dur
Pedro Caixinha’s Rangers signings
It wouldn’t be entirely fair to say that every single one of Pedro Caixinha’s signings at Rangers were flops. Ryan Jack and Alfredo Morelos buck that trend, with both players enjoying success at the Gers during their respective stints with the club, winning the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.
The less said about the rest, the better, that’s for sure. Money was spent on Eduardo Herrera and Carlos Pena, who scored a grand total of seven goals between them all season.
Elsewhere, Fabio Cardoso arrived, along with Bruno Alves and Graham Dorrans. On the surface, they all looked like solid signings, but the reality was rather different.
One youngster who joined up with the club on a season-long loan was Dalcio, who – like the aforementioned Jota at Parkhead – made the temporary switch from Benfica.
Player
Club signed from
Alfredo Morelos
HJH Helsinki
Ryan Jack
Aberdeen
Carlos Pena
Chivas
Eduardo Herrera
UNAM Pumas
Graham Dorrans
Norwich
Fabio Cardoso
Vitoria Setubal
Bruno Alves
Cagliari
Declan John
Cardiff
Dalcio
Benfica
Daniel Candeias
Benfica
Aaron Nemane
Man City
Given their reputation for producing quality talents from their academy, it looked like Caixinha had landed a massive coup.
Unfortunately, his spell turned out to be a waste of time for all involved.
Dalcio’s Rangers statistics
Speaking on his arrival, the winger said: “What attracted me was the history of the club, the size of the club, and mainly, the supporters – the amazing fans the club has.
“The gaffer was a real influence on me too. I know he is really competitive and ambitious, and that was the reasons I wanted to join him.”
Prior to joining Rangers, Dalcio made 50 appearances for Benfica B, scoring twice and registering six assists, and it looked like he could offer something different, especially from the bench.
He started the game against Progres Niederkorn as the club secured a 1-0 victory, before being brought on at halftime during the second leg, which the Gers went on to lose, being knocked out of Europe before the domestic season had even begun.
A one-minute cameo against Hamilton in September proved to be his only other appearance for the Glasgow side, finally leaving in May 2018 after his unsuccessful loan spell.
He had the potential to showcase his talents in Scotland – much like Jota later did – and perhaps secure a permanent deal, yet his signing was arguably one of the worst in the club’s recent history, for that there is no doubt.
What Dalcio did after leaving Rangers
The 28-year-old found some success in Greece, making 67 appearances for Panetolikos before moving to Cyprus, where he shone for APOEL Nicosia, scoring seven goals and grabbing ten assists for the club and this secured him a move to Red Star Belgrade.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.
Remarkably, Dalcio has played in the Champions League qualifiers for his new side, making 15 appearances in all competitions for the Serbian outfit.
It’s fair to say he didn’t kick on during his time in Glasgow. Whether it was pressure, or the lack of match fitness, the winger struggled to make an impression, and it was clear he wasn’t quite ready for senior football.
Over the previous few years, he has improved and his move to Red Star is evidence of this. The former Benfica youngster could have been Rangers’ very own Jota-type figure during his loan spell, yet he was just another poor signing made by Caixinha.
Some players blossom later on in their careers and this appears to be exactly what Dalcio is doing. Aged just 28, he still has a few more years left to shine at the highest level.
He's a free agent: Rangers could ditch Clement for "ambitious" 4-3-3 coach
Rangers could approach a free agent should Clement leave Ibrox
Ipswich Town were agonisingly close to picking up their first three points of the Premier League campaign against Leicester City, only for the Foxes to rain on the Tractor Boys parade right at the death.
Jordan Ayew would end up being the Leicester player that would jab the dagger into Ipswich’s hearts, as the ex-Crystal Palace man managed to combine well with Jamie Vardy under pressure, before finishing confidently past an otherwise rock-solid Arijanet Muric who had made four saves in the game prior to this sucker punch strike.
Ipswich will still be able to take away some positives from this crushing draw, particularly in the performance of standout defender Leif Davis who scored what he thought was going to be a dramatic winner early into the second 45 minutes, but Kalvin Phillips had another afternoon to forget for his new employers to further pile on the early misery of his loan spell.
Phillips wouldn’t even see out the full contest for Kieran McKenna’s men, as the ten men battled hard late on after his dismissal, but ultimately came up short in their mission to collect an elusive league win.
Phillips' performance in numbers
The ex-Leeds United midfielder has found it tricky to acclimatise to his new surroundings at Portman Road, but McKenna has stood firm in his selection choices regarding his new number eight, who had started seven Premier League games in a row for Ipswich heading into this one.
Of course, this streak of starting games week in week out will now be broken owing to a suspension, as Phillips received his marching orders on the 77-minute mark for a high boot on Ricardo Pereira, which saw a second yellow card come his way.
Away from some dubious refereeing decisions that got under the skin of both Phillips and McKenna, the 28-year-old did struggle in the game, with the Manchester City loanee squandering possession 14 times, on top of only winning five of his 13 duels in the contest.
Phillips’ suspension will allow his manager to think about alternatives in the holding midfield positions, alongside also now having food for thought as to who he should pick down the left wing, as Sammie Szmodics never got going against Steve Cooper’s men from down this flank.
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Szmodics' performance in numbers
It’s been an up-and-down ride for Szmodics since his arrival to Suffolk this summer, with an unbelievable start seeing him score a blistering strike away at Manchester City all the way back in August.
He has backed that up since with another league strike in Ipswich’s recent frenetic 4-3 loss to Brentford in October, but the ex-Blackburn Rovers man was anonymous for large spells against Leicester when his team needed more creativity and flair to really push on to a first league win of the campaign.
Szmodics’ numbers vs Leicester
Stat
Szmodics
Minutes played
74
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
20
Accurate passes
6/8
Shots
1
Big chances missed
1
Total duels won
2/6
Stats by Sofascore
Szmodics saw the game pass him by all too often, as the likes of Conor Chaplin got far more joy just running at the Leicester defence from a central attacking midfield position, over laying it off to the Ipswich number 23 down the left.
As can be seen glancing at the table above, the Republic of Ireland international only mustered up 20 touches of the ball in the 1-1 draw – which was less than Muric’s count for the day at 34 – whilst also only registering a meagre six accurate passes, as Szmodics failed to leave his mark on the back-and-forth affair.
He did manage to miss one big chance, which was his only shot of the afternoon, but McKenna must be tempted to change things up on the left wing after this quiet showing, with Jack Clarke one obvious option who is more of a natural down the left over Szmodics anyway.
McKenna will just pray whatever changes he does make for Ipswich’s next Premier League contest means a first league win of the season edges closer, but an away trip to Tottenham Hotspur will be an almighty challenge for his low on confidence group.
Left for £0m: Ex-Ipswich star is outperforming Hutchinson & Szmodics
The proven goalscorer enjoyed a long stint with Ipswich Town.
The pitch offered square turn and uncertain bounce from ball one, but it was India’s pacers who did all the damage at the top
Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Mar-20221:10
Why were India’s pacers more successful than the spinners?
Sixteen wickets fell on a pitch offering square turn and uncertain bounce from ball one, and India ended day one in a hugely dominant position. The packed crowd that thronged the Chinnaswamy Stadium may have expected their spin trio to get them to that position; instead, it was Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami who took five of the six Sri Lankan wickets to fall, bowling with high pace and skill, and extracting maximum value from a pink ball that swung and seamed just enough under lights to keep threatening both edges.This was still a spinner’s pitch, but R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel were still waiting to fully come into the game at the close of play. Sri Lanka’s spinners, meanwhile, failed entirely to capitalise on the help they were getting, bowling too full or too short and allowing India to score at more than four runs an over on a pitch where they had no business doing so. Shreyas Iyer led their charge to a first-innings total of 252, using his feet expertly and putting the spinners under immense pressure over the course of a counterattacking innings of 92.The innings was one of calculated aggression and daring forays down the pitch – he hit four sixes, one of which clattered into the roof of the stands beyond wide long-on – but it was also helped along by poor bowling, particularly from Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama.Two numbers from ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data summed up the contest between Iyer and Sri Lanka: of the 89 balls he faced from the spinners, he cut or pulled 14, and he only defended 11. Iyer told the broadcasters after the day’s play that he went in with defence far from his mind – “I just decided I couldn’t get out defending the ball because there was more chance getting out that way” – but Sri Lanka’s spinners hardly ever forced him to either.Iyer and Rishabh Pant – who clattered 39 off 26 balls – took away all momentum from Sri Lanka after India ended the first session at 93 for 4, but the truth was that Embuldeniya and, in particular, Jayawickrama had already let India off the hook, with the latter making a nervy start to his first spell of the series, spraying the ball short or down the leg side repeatedly.Mohammed Shami struck with his first ball, bowling Dimuth Karunaratne•BCCIEmbuldeniya extracted turn and bounce from the very first over he bowled, and soon had Rohit Sharma edging one to gully. Hanuma Vihari and Virat Kohli judged length beautifully during a third-wicket stand of 47, but neither could have done much about the balls that got them out – Jayawickrama nicking off the former with one that turned to follow one that didn’t, and Dhananjaya de Silva trapping the latter in front with a short ball that scooted through at shin height.The ball continued to misbehave through the rest of the innings, but the spinners’ inconsistency and Iyer’s opportunism ensured that India ended up with more than 250. Embuldeniya, Jayawickrama and de Silva combined to take 8 for 207 in 48.1 overs. The wicket balls were inevitable on this pitch; what they did in between put their team firmly on the back foot by the time they began their reply.Sri Lanka knew they would get no such largesse from India’s bowlers; what they may not have expected was the sheer potency of Bumrah and Shami. India began with pace from one end and spin from the other, but Bumrah, swinging the ball both ways, had both the right-handed Kusal Mendis and the left-handed Lahiru Thirimanne caught at third slip by the time he’d bowled 13 balls, so Ashwin gave way to Shami.And Shami struck with his very first ball, in trademark fashion, bolt-upright seam causing inward deviation to bowl the left-handed Dimuth Karunaratne through the gate. Shami struck again in his fourth over, getting one to skid through from just short of a length to strike the crease-bound de Silva’s back pad in front of the stumps. It took a certain amount of pleading from Shami and Pant to convince Rohit to review umpire Nitin Menon’s not-out decision, and vindication arrived when ball-tracking suggested the ball would have hit a good chunk of the top of the stumps. Shami’s skiddiness had prised out another victim.Angelo Mathews looked very good while his innings lasted, but on 43 he erred against Jasprit Bumrah•BCCIWhen pace finally gave way to spin in tandem, Sri Lanka enjoyed perhaps their most comfortable – only in relative terms, because the bowling was still testingly accurate – spell with the bat, with Angelo Mathews and Charith Asalanka adding 22 in just 5.4 overs, with both batters showing a willingness to use their feet. But Asalanka’s readiness to step out also cost him his wicket, as he failed to reach the pitch of an Axar delivery and skewed it high and into mid-off’s hands.Mathews played perhaps the innings of the day, demonstrating a method of coping with the threat of Jadeja and Axar. He largely stayed leg-side of the ball against the two left-arm spinners, leaving his pads out of the way of the straight skidder, and playing with his hands close to his body and allowing himself to be beaten in case the ball turned big. He also used his reach to hit down the ground when anything was remotely in his arc, and made it harder for the spinners to settle into their lengths.Having done all that hard work and moved to 43, though, he made a fatal error against a not particularly threatening ball from the returning Bumrah, the lack of pace of his offcutter possibly causing him to jab away from his body. The ball bounced a little more than expected, caught his outside edge, and settled nicely in second slip’s hands. The dismissal was perfectly timed from India’s perspective, allowing them to begin day two with one lower-order batter at the crease.
Last season, Oliver Glasner took the reins at Crystal Palace halfway through the campaign, leading the Eagles to a brilliant tenth place finish in the Premier League.
However, so far this season, the loss of Michael Olise, some injury issues throughout the squad, and just a slow start overall has led Palace into 18th place, currently languishing in the relegation zone.
Palace averaged 41.6% possession last season, took 12 shots per match, and conceded just 12.1 shots per game. However, so far this term, the Eagles have averaged 44.6% of the ball, taken 14.3 shots per match, and allowed 13.7 shots per fixture.
The numbers tell us they haven’t actually been as bad as their league position suggests, and a few injured players returning, adding some extra quality, could start to see a shift in results and allow them to climb out of the relegation zone.
Crystal Palace team news before Newcastle
Glasner will remain without Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca, who are both out with long-term injuries, Franca suffering a rib fracture, and Riad suffering from a knee injury.
Adam Wharton is expected to remain out, as he is recovering from a groin injury which he had surgery to address. The Eagles are hoping to have the English midfielder back in the coming weeks.
Daichi Kamada also remains out through suspension, after his straight red card against Fulham. However, one man who’s capable of replacing Kamada in the team could return from injury for this game, as Eberechi Eze looks set to play a part against Newcastle for the first time in a month.
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Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Fantastic Crystal Palace star must return to the lineup
Speaking in a recent press conference the manager confirmed that Eze is on the verge of returning to the match day squad, with last week’s clash against Aston Villa providing to be soon for the England international.
Despite injury, Eze has been the hub of creativity for Palace this season, a burden that was often shared between himself and Olise in the past. Scout Jacek Kulig described Eze as “fantastic” back in 2020, and the 26-year-old is now a consistent member of the national squad.
Kamada has often played in his advanced role this season, and Palace fans will be glad to see Eze back, adding more variation to their attacking play in those advanced zones.
Goals
0.34
0.21
Assists
0.26
0.21
xG
0.33
0.09
xAG
0.11
0.09
Progressive Carries
3.00
1.88
Progressive Passes
5.00
5.65
Shots Total
4.14
1.58
Key Passes
1.78
1.74
Shot-Creating Actions
4.67
3.33
Successful Take-Ons
1.89
0.29
The metrics above show how much more effective Eze has been in creation for the Eagles, averaging more key passes, more shot-creating actions, more progressive carries per 90, and better output in both goals and assists this season.
The summer signing only ranks ahead of the former QPR man in one metric analysed above, and that is progressive passes per 90. This is most likely due to the deeper midfield role the Japan star has played on several occasions in the absence of Wharton, giving him more build-up responsibility in their own half.
The return of Eze could be exactly what Palace needs to start converting their chances and find that extra creative edge in games. With the Englishman in tow, they stand a far better chance of climbing their way out of the relegation zone and saving Glasner’s job.
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Pakistan have called up uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris and allrounder Asif Afridi to their white-ball squads for the upcoming home series against Australia.The selectors have largely retained the squad that faced West Indies at home last December. Fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, whose bowling action was recently found to be illegal, makes way for Hasan Ali, who has played just one white-ball international for Pakistan since he went for 0 for 44 in his four overs during the T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia last year in Dubai.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Haris, 20, was among the breakout stars of PSL 2022, hitting 166 runs in five innings at an average of 33.20 and strike rate of nearly 187 for Peshawar Zalmi. Haris’ strike rate was the highest by any top-order batter in PSL 2022. He had made an immediate impact on PSL debut, slamming a match-winning 49 off 27 balls, against Karachi Kings.Haris also displayed strong form in the 50-over Pakistan Cup last year, scoring 289 runs in eight innings at an average of 41.28 and strike rate of over 100, during Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s run to the title. This is Haris’ second call-up to the Pakistan squad after having made the cut for the New Zealand series, which was eventually postponed last year.Haris’ selection effectively shuts the door on Sarfaraz Ahmed who has been part of the larger squad over the past two years as a back-up for Mohammad Rizwan. Rohail Nazir was also on the selectors’ radar previously, but Haris has now got the nod.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Asif Afridi, too, has been rewarded for impressing in the PSL. The 35-year-old took eight wickets in five matches for Multan Sultans at an economy rate of 6.52. He has been picked as a cover for the first-choice Mohammad Nawaz who missed a part of the PSL with a foot injury. Nawaz had also missed the ongoing Benaud-Qadir Trophy and his participation in the following white-ball series is subject to clearing a fitness test.Related
Political situation could force PCB to shift white-ball series out of Rawalpindi
Breakout stars of PSL 2022: Zaman Khan, Mohammad Haris
The selectors have put faith in Haider Ali despite his poor returns in PSL 2022: 152 runs in nine innings at an average of 21.71 and strike rate of 116.03.Pakistan have named a 20-man squad for the ODI leg and a 17-man squad for the T20Is, with Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel and Imam-ul-Haq being excluded for the shortest format. The white-ball players will assemble in Lahore on March 22 and will undergo a three-day in-room isolation before linking up with the squad.The tense political climate in Pakistan’s capital could cause the PCB to relocate the white-ball series against Australia out of Rawalpindi, with Lahore likely to be the new venue. With Prime Minister Imran Khan set to face a no-confidence vote, Rawalpindi and its twin city Islamabad are gearing up to become the focal point of political gatherings led by both the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the opposition-formed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).As of now, Rawalpindi is scheduled to host three ODIs on March 29, March 31 and April 2, and a one-off T20I on April 5. The PCB has confirmed it is monitoring the situation and that it has “a contingency plan in place”, which will only be applied if advised by experts.
أبدى كيفين جونسون، المدرب السابق للنادي الأهلي، ثقته في أن مواجهة فريقه الأسبق أمام صن داونز في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا ستكون مواجهة تكتيكية ومختلفة عن اللقاءات السابقة بين الفريقين.
وسيعود الأهلي وصن داونز من جديد للمواجهة في المربع الذهبي وهي مباراة اعتاد عليها الجمهور المتابع للبطولة الإفريقية.
وستكون مباراة الذهاب في جنوب إفريقيا يوم 18 أبريل الجاري في حين الإياب سيكون يوم 25 أبريل بالقاهرة.
اقرأ أيضًا.. كاف: الأهلي الأكبر في إفريقيا.. ننظم البطولات بشفافية وتطورات جديدة بشأن الفار
وتواصل بطولات مع جونسون للحديث عن المواجهات المنتظرة بين الأهلي وصن داونز وكذلك مباراتي بيراميدز ضد أورلاندو بايريتس والتواجد الجنوب إفريقي القوي هذا الموسم.
كيف ترى تأهل الأهلي وصن داونز إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا؟ وهل ستكون المواجهة المقبلة مختلفة عن السابقة؟
كلا الفريقان واجها صعوبات في التأهل، وكانت المنافسة مختلفة تمامًا بينهما، المباراة القادمة ستكون كما يخطط لها المدربون، سواء ذهابًا أو إيابًا، ولا يمكن مقارنتها بالمواجهات السابقة.
أداء الأهلي هذا الموسم كان غير مستقر في أكثر من مباراة، وكذلك الحال بالنسبة لكاردوزو مع صن داونز، رغم تصدره الدوري المحلي.. هل سيؤثر هذا على المواجهتين القادمتين؟
“لا، دوري أبطال أفريقيا بطولة مختلفة تمامًا، وكلا المدربين يدركان ذلك جيدًا”.
هناك حضور قوي للأندية الجنوب إفريقية هذا الموسم في البطولات القارية، مثل صن داونز، أورلاندو بايرتس، وستيلينبوش، ما السبب في ذلك؟
“نعم، لدينا ثلاثة فرق، اثنان في دوري أبطال إفريقيا وواحد في الكونفدرالية، هذا يُظهر الكثير عن قوة الدوري المحلي لدينا، وقوة اللاعبين من حيث الذهنية، والمهارة، والتكتيك”.
ماذا تتوقع من مباراة الأهلي ضد صن داونز؟ وهل تتوقع نهائيًا مصريًا جنوب إفريقيًا، أم مصريًا خالصًا، أو جنوب إفريقيًا خالصًا، مع مواجهة بيراميدز ضد أورلاندو بايريتس؟
“الأهلي ضد صن داونز ستكون مباراة تكتيكية ومغلقة بلا شك، كذلك مواجهة بيراميدز وأورلاندو بايرتس ستكون قوية، فكل الفرق الأربعة لديها مدربون ولاعبون مميزون، وأنا أعرفهم جميعًا”.
“أعتقد أن المنافسة يجب أن تتوقف عند نصف النهائي (ضاحكًا)، ومن يصل إلى النهائي سيكون قد استحق ذلك فعلًا”.
كل هذا يحدث قبل مواجهة مصر وجنوب إفريقيا في كأس أمم إفريقيا نهاية العام في المغرب.. كيف ترى المشهد بشكل عام؟
“منتخب جنوب أفريقيا قوي، وكذلك منتخب مصر، أعتقد أن المباراة بينهما ستنتهي بالتعادل”.
Whether it’s the Battle of the Bridge, Tottenham Hotspur’s last piece of silverware or even Ange Postecoglou’s tactical stubbornness last season, Spurs v Chelsea rarely disappoints. And as the two London rivals prepare to square off yet again in the Premier League, we’ve taken a look back at the best games between the two sides.
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2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024 10 Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham (2022) Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte's firm handshake
Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte.
It feels somewhat strange that it’s been just two years since Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte created a famous Premier League moment as Chelsea and Tottenham battled out a dramatic 2-2 draw.
It was the Blues who struck first through Kalidou Koulibaly before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s effort levelled things up just after the hour mark.
The drama really began to heat up when Conte and Tuchel were booked over a disagreement about Anthony Taylor’s failure to award Chelsea a free kick following Rodrigo Bentancur’s challenge on Kai Havertz prior to the equaliser.
Tuchel then stoked the fire by sprinting past Conte to celebrate Reece James’ strike to regain the Blues’ lead, only for Kane to head home a late leveller.
If those at Stamford Bridge thought the drama was about to end there, a firm handshake between both managers soon proved otherwise, resulting in a red card apiece.
9 Chelsea 3-3 Tottenham (2007) Blues bounce back to earn replay
Frank Lampard for Chelsea.
Taking their battle from the Premier League to the FA Cup, Chelsea were forced to come from behind to earn a dramatic replay against Spurs in 2007, albeit one that Jose Mourinho wanted to avoid.
The majority of the drama arrived in a frantic first half, with Dimitar Berbatov’s effort handing his side a swift lead in the opening five minutes, only for Frank Lampard to level things up in the 22nd.
The sides weren’t level for long thanks to Michael Essien’s own goal and Hossam Ghaly’s strike, giving the Lilywhites some breathing room.
The Blues looked down for the count up until the very last when Lampard rose to find his brace with 19 minutes remaining and Kalou equalised in the remaining four minutes of normal time to force a replay, which they went on to win 2-1.
8 Chelsea 4-2 Tottenham (2017) Matic stunner shows Spurs the door
Another FA Cup thriller to remember, it was unlikely star Nemanja Matic who stole the headlines in the semi-final clash between Chelsea and Spurs in 2017, as the Blues advanced to the final at Wembley.
Level after the hour mark thanks to Willian’s first-half brace and a goal apiece from Harry Kane and Dele Alli, Chelsea took things up a level and soon soared to victory.
Eden Hazard regained his side’s lead – as he often did – with 15 minutes of normal time remaining before a loose ball fell the way of Matic, who simply could not resist the chance to unleash what proved to be an unstoppable thunderbolt.
For all of their efforts and Jermaine Jenas’ verdict that they had been the better side, Spurs found themselves dumped out of the FA Cup by their rivals once again.
7 Tottenham 1-4 Chelsea, 2023 Jackson punishes chaotic nine-player Spurs
In between Nicolas Jackson keeping the linesman busy and earning what felt like an inevitable hat-trick, the main question that many sent the way of Spurs was whether it was brave, stupid or honourable to stick to their high-line principles when down to nine men against a Chelsea side that could not believe their luck.
The Lilywhites initially found the lead as early as the sixth minute through Dejan Kulusevski, but things never got better from there. Instead, the chaos began.
Brennan Johnson’s goal was ruled out by VAR, as was Raheem Sterling’s, before Moises Caicedo suffered the same controversial fate. But in amongst the constant line-drawing at Stockley Park, Cristian Romero was caught red-handed on the replay of Caicedo’s effort and was given his marching orders following a reckless challenge on Enzo Fernandez.
Cole Palmer’s equaliser from the penalty spot finally denied VAR the chance to intervene, as did Destiny Udogie’s second yellow card of the evening after the break.
Down to nine men and level, some would rightly assume that the wise tactic would have been to hold what you have, but that’s not the way of Postecoglou, who forced his side to suffer an eventual and inevitable Jackson hat-trick.
6 Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea (2012) Chelsea fuel goalline technology debate
Whilst the main topic of debate these days is whether to scrap VAR, it wasn’t so long ago that the Premier League was crying out for the goalline technology which has since proved to be a great success.
When Chelsea put five past London rivals Spurs in merciless fashion at Wembley, it was once again at the centre of debate when referee Martin Atkinson awarded Juan Mata’s effort despite replays appearing to show that the ball has not crossed the line.
From there, even Gareth Bale’s response to Didier Drogba and Mata’s initial strikes couldn’t stand in the way of a Chelsea victory, who sealed a five-star display through Ramires, Lampard and Florent Malouda in the second half to send the Blues to the FA Cup final yet again.
5 Chelsea 4-3 Tottenham (1994) Stein wins seven-goal thriller
Mark Stein for Chelsea.
To find one of the most high-scoring games between Chelsea and Tottenham, we have to go all the way back to 1994 when the Blues defeated their London rivals 4-3 thanks to Mark Stein’s last-minute winner from the penalty spot.
Once the floodgates were open, they never slammed shut at Stamford Bridge to create a true Premier League thriller.
Spurs initially thought they were on course to secure victory when Steve Sedgley opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Jason Dozzell instantly doubled their lead a minute later.
But that was only the start, with Chelsea fighting back through Mal Donaghy, Stein’s equaliser and John Spencer’s 40th-minute effort to turn the game on its head before half-time.
Adding one last crescendo, Andrew Gray’s penalty to level things up in the 73rd minute almost foreshadowed what was to come, given that Stein sealed a dramatic brace from 12 yards to find a last-minute winner for Chelsea.
4 Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham (2008) Spurs secure silverware
Spurs win the 2008 Carling Cup.
It may be difficult to imagine these days given how it’s become the stick to poke those in north London with, but 16 years ago, Spurs found themselves lifting the League Cup after defeating Chelsea at Wembley to end a nine-year chase for silverware.
Little did they know, of course, that their victory over the Blues would be their last trophy win to this day.
What that does mean, however, is that as things stand, Jonathan Woodgate holds quite the place in the Spurs history books after scoring an extra-time winner to defeat the Blues all those years ago.
3 Tottenham 5-3 Chelsea (2015) Kane shocks leaders Chelsea
Harry Kane for Spurs.
Despite eventually being crowned Premier League champions in the 2014/15 campaign, Chelsea couldn’t find a way past Mauricio Pochettino’s side at White Hart Lane, as Harry Kane inspired the Lilywhites to a thumping 5-3 victory, scoring twice.
The Blues initially set course for another win over their rivals after Diego Costa found the opener, only for Kane to level things up after half an hour.
By the time the break rolled around, the Lilywhites had flipped the game on its head to lead 3-1 courtesy of Danny Rose and Andros Townsend from the spot. As if things then couldn’t get any worse, Kane found his second and Spurs’ fourth right after half-time.
Eventual champions Chelsea had been given their wake-up call in violent fashion even as goals from Eden Hazard and John Terry in between Nacer Chadli for Spurs’ fifth restored some pride.
2 Tottenham 4-4 Chelsea Spurs and Chelsea share points in eight-goal thriller
Joe Cole for Chelsea.
A year after they shared a stunning 3-3 draw in the FA Cup, Tottenham and Chelsea entertained us all in the Premier League with a 4-4 draw.
An eight-goal thriller which began with Drogba’s opener within three minutes and Woodgate’s leveller just nine minutes later, the eight-goal thriller remains one of the best games between the two London clubs.
Despite the early goals, the majority of the drama came in the second period. With Chelsea in the lead thanks to Michael Essien’s goal in the 20th minute, those at White Hart Lane were forced to wait until just before the hour mark for the drama to pick up again, courtesy of Joe Cole. The midfielder extended his side’s lead to commence a dramatic Spurs comeback.
Coming through Berbatov and Tom Huddlestone, Spurs stunningly had the scores level with 15 minutes to go.
However, in a manner which can only be described as vintage Spurs, Cole found his brace just minutes later to hand Chelsea a 4-3 lead before Robbie Keane finished the drama with two minutes of normal time remaining to end the game at four apiece.
1 Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham (2016) Battle of the Bridge ends Spurs title dream
It may not be the most high-scoring game on this list, but it is arguably the best, so much so that it even has its own name.
The Battle of the Bridge took place on the field of Stamford Bridge and featured as many as 12 yellow cards between the two sides – and a crowning moment for Leicester City. It remains one of the most entertaining spectacles in one of the most historic seasons of English football.
In truth, the Blues had no right to even secure a point against a high-flying Spurs side that year, especially whilst they sat in mid-table and were quickly 2-0 down against the Lilywhites. Kane and Son Heung-min’s efforts left their side on course for three points, only for Eden Hazard’s best form to reveal itself for the first time that season.
Following Gary Cahill’s goal to halve the deficit, Hazard took hold of proceedings and curled a sensational effort beyond Hugo Lloris to secure a point for Chelsea and an odds-defying Premier League title for Leicester. In a battle between Chelsea and Spurs, it was the Foxes who truly came out on top.
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Aston Villa have got a long history of unleashing deadly strikers at the club throughout the Premier League era. Of course, one of those is playing in Claret and Blue now, namely Ollie Watkins.
The England international has scored 75 goals and has 29 assists in 184 games. Going back a bit further, there was Christian Benteke. The Belgian marksman scored 49 goals and had 13 assists to his name in just 101 games.
In the 1990s, Dwight Yorke was the main man up front at Villa Park. He was sensational for the club, and his form earned him a big move to Manchester United in 1998, where he won the treble. Dion Dublin was his replacement, and the Englishman was just as clinical in front of goal.
Next in line for that list of esteemed Villa strikers could well be Jhon Duran, who is on fire at Villa Park this term.
Duran’s Villa career
Duran’s rise to the top at Villa Park has been nothing short of astronomical. The 20-year-old joined the club in the winter transfer window of 2023, in a deal worth £18m from MLS side Chicago Fire.
Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran
So far, the young striker has played 66 games in that famous Claret and Blue shirt, scoring 16 goals. Whilst that might not seem a lot on the face of it, it is important to reference the fact Duran has played just 1834 minutes. That equates to just 20.3 full 90 minute games, meaning on average he scores almost one goal per 90 minutes.
He is yet to start in the top flight this term, having started just three times in the Premier League across his whole Villa career. Thus, the centre-forward, who has four goals in 11 league matches so far this season, has earned himself a reputation as a super-sub. In fact, of the eight goals he has in all competitions, Duran has scored only three as a starter.
The Colombian knows how to put on a show. He has scored some spectacular goals this term, including one against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, a lob over Manuel Neuer’s head from just inside the penalty area, and a screamer against Everton from distance.
As good as Duran is, there may be a bit of regret at the club that another talented striker did not make it at Villa
Aston Villa's original Jhon Duran
The player in question here is centre-forward Keinan Davis. The 26-year-old – who is also a towering, left-footed striker like Duran at 6 foot 3 – came through the ranks at Villa Park after joining from non-league side Biggleswade, with the early signs certainly looking promising.
Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis.
In 2017, ESPN broke the news that Davis, who was 19 years of age at the time, was wanted by some of the biggest clubs in English football. The report suggested that Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton, amongst others, were tracking the youngster, who was ‘highly regarded at Villa Park’.
The Stevenage-born marksman – who scored ten goals in 36 games at U21 level for the Villans – even made his first-team debut for the club at the age of just 18, while later earning notable praise from teammate Jack Grealish, who called him “absolutely unplayable” in training.
The praise went even further, with former Villa star Alan Hutton stating in 2020 that Davis has “everything to be a top centre-forward“, even if his role was somewhat limited.
Sadly, things did not quite work out for the centre-forward at the Villans. Over a span of five seasons, the attacker made 86 appearances, scoring six goals and grabbing seven assists in that time, managing just one goal in the Premier League, in 2020/21.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2016/17
6
0
0
2017/18
30
3
4
2018/19
7
0
0
2019/20
23
1
1
2020/21
18
2
2
Following reasonably successful loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Watford, who were both Championship clubs at the time, Davis made the move permanently away from Villa Park in 2023, with Unai Emery in charge of the club. Like with Duran in the present day to some degree, the challenge of ousting Watkins as the leading man in attack was ultimately too much.
As reported by The Athletic, he joined Udinese in Serie A for just £2m, in a deal which included a sell-on clause of between 15% and 20%
Sadly, Davis has struggled with injury in Italy. The striker has played just 22 times for I Bianconeri, scoring three goals in that time, albeit while registering three goal involvements in 14 games this season.
It must surely be disappointing for Villa fans to look back on his time at the club and wonder just what could have been if he had managed to live up to all that early hype.
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