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India's T20 World Cup squad: IPL form unlikely to heavily influence selection

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Who will make the 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup? The deadline for selection is May 1

Sidharth Monga29-Apr-2024Don’t expect IPL form to play too much of a role when India’s selectors pick the 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the deadline for which is May 1.The selectors are unlikely to go for players who are unproven at international level even though a few of them have made heads turn with their hitting in IPL 2024. The one bolter that might have been picked got injured. Much like consumers of the sport and pundits, the team management and selectors are believed to have been excited about Mayank Yadav’s pace and accuracy. They would have likely punted on him, but his injury-prone body might have prevented that now.The IPL, though, has served to prove the fitness of Rishabh Pant, who had been out of cricket since his horrific car accident in December 2022. Sanju Samson, however, is likely to be the first-choice wicketkeeper as India need a spin-hitter to pair with their top three who tend to get stuck against spin. Also, Jitesh Sharma’s form hasn’t been great and KL Rahul has been batting at the top of the order, which is crowded already. The top four of captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav was more or less decided even before the IPL began.Hardik Pandya’s bowling fitness could be a cause for concern for the selectors. When fully fit and in form, Hardik does what nobody else can in the country: bowl medium-pace and hit in the middle order. As such, he should be a certain starter, but he has been bowling only about two overs a match in the IPL and his pace has been down too. He still has a month to get into proper bowling rhythm and justify keeping Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh out of the XI.If India are to take both Dube and Rinku to the T20 World Cup, they will have to leave out either a back-up wicketkeeper or a back-up bowler. It will likely come down to a shootout between Rinku and a back-up fast bowler. It would have helped if one of the top four could bowl or keep wicket, but India are stuck with a top order that is one-dimensional.The only way to accommodate the power-hitters is to drop one or two of the top four, but Rohit had already been confirmed as the captain by BCCI secretary Jay Shah earlier this year. Rohit, in turn, is believed to have asked for Kohli because of his temperament. Not that it would be an easy call for the selectors to take one and leave out the other: as we have maintained in these pages, it’s either both or none. Jaiswal is the only left-hand option in the top order, and Suryakumar is among the best T20 batters in the world.The IPL’s Impact Player rule will add to the frustration of the selectors as prospective allrounders have not been called upon to bowl at all. For Dube to edge out Hardik, he ideally should have bowled a little, but CSK have not needed him to because of the Impact Player. The same goes for Riyan Parag at Rajasthan Royals. The IPL teams have no incentive to develop allrounders. So even if the selectors wanted to take Dube as a seam-bowling allrounder, they have nothing to assess his bowling.Hardik Pandya hasn’t been impactful as a bowler in the IPL•BCCIAs of now, Ravindra Jadeja might edge out Axar Patel as the spin allrounder in the first XI, but Axar could make the squad as the back-up spinner, leaving Kuldeep Yadav as the only wristspinner in the squad of 15.Jasprit Bumrah’s fast-bowling partners remain difficult to identify in the absence of the injured Mohammed Shami. Arshdeep Singh is likely to be the left-arm quick because of his ability to move the new ball, but his form at the death hasn’t been great in the IPL. Avesh Khan is in the fray because of his height and ability to hit the surface and Mohammed Siraj is also in the mix even though his form has not been great for RCB.The fast bowlers other than Bumrah are not yet in stone. Mohsin Khan and Harshit Rana have impressed the decision-makers, but their fitness is not believed to be at its peak, which can be a risk in a World Cup.India’s likely T20 World Cup squadTop order: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar YadavMiddle and lower-middle order: Sanju Samson (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Rinku SinghSpinners: Kuldeep YadavFast bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan/Mohammed SirajOther contenders: KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma

Craig Overton: 'I want to play for England as much as possible – not just the odd Test'

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Somerset seamer attempting to add a yard of pace to further his Test case

Matt Roller15-Aug-2020At the end of last summer, Craig Overton spoke to Ed Smith, England’s national selector, and asked what he was doing wrong.Ever since he ran the drinks in an ODI series against New Zealand as a 21-year-old, Overton had been in and around England squads, Lions trips and pace-bowling programmes without ever quite nailing his place down. He finally made an international debut at Adelaide in 2017-18, claiming Steven Smith as his maiden Test wicket, but appearances remained fleeting.ALSO READ: Overton reminds England selectors of his talent for SomersetSo after being calling into the side for the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester last summer, before he was left out without a second thought in the fifth, Overton took matters into his own hands.”I’ve been involved a little bit, but it felt like I would play one match and then miss quite a few,” Overton says. “So I spoke to Ed after the Ashes, just to try and figure out ways of improving so that I can not only get in the side, but also stay there.”I want to be playing cricket for England as much as possible, not just the odd Test match, so it was a case of me trying to figure out what he believes I need to do to improve. He said they wanted me to bowl a little bit quicker without losing the accuracy that I have – that was the main thing.”I don’t think I’ll ever be a 90mph enforcer. If I bowl 81-82mph at the minute, it’s about trying to get to around 85-86mph and still have that level of control. If I can be in the mid-80s with the shape and control that I have, I’ll be in the game most of the time.”

That meant a winter of hard graft. After an ECB camp in Potchefstroom, Overton spent time at Somerset working with Jason Kerr and Stuart Barnes – head coach and bowling coach respectively – before linking up with Kerr again on the Lions tour to Australia. They have made two minor adjustments: trying to increase his speed in his run-up, and loading up slightly later.”I’ve not generally been rapid through the crease,” Overton says, “but I’m trying to up it a little bit and find the right balance. If you’re too quick, you can’t stay on your feet. I wear a GPS vest to measure my run-up speeds, and I know that if I’m around 22 km/h then I’m generally in a pretty good spot.”And then the way I load up – I just want it to be slightly later, rather than being early and long. It might sound complicated, but in practice they’re just minor tweaks.”The rewards have been evident this summer. After adding to that work in the England red-ball bubble during the West Indies series, Overton returned to Somerset last month and picked up 11 wickets at 11.00 in the first two rounds of the Bob Willis Trophy, with a 30-ball 53 thrown in last week for good measure.

“I’ve performed well enough [at Somerset] to get into the England side, and I didn’t really feel like too much needed to change”Craig Overton

“It feels like it’s been quite a group effort with various different coaches involved, but there’s still loads to work on,” he says. “I know it’s not going to happen overnight for me. But I’m feeling a lot better, and in a position to keep bowling those more intense spells.”Before, I could bowl at sort of 80% [intensity] and feel like I’d done a decent job, but that’s not going to get me picked for England. I’ve got to be bowling those 100% spells all the time, running in and changing the game.”When I found out I could go back to play some county cricket it was quite nice, because I knew it would give me the opportunity to work on what we’d done in practice and put that into games, and see if it has done me any good. To play games has been massive.”There has been an additional concern for Overton this year, with his previous Somerset deal expiring at the end of the season. Despite widespread interest from around the grounds – and his twin brother Jamie deciding to leave the club for a new challenge at Surrey – he decided to stay put, signing a new three-year contract last week.”Obviously there was a lot of interest, which was really nice because it shows that you’re one of the better cricketers in the country,” he says. “But for me, it wasn’t about making a massive change, whereas Jamie potentially needed to have more opportunities than he was getting.”He felt he needed to make that change to show he wants to keep improving and have that chance to get into the England side. But I felt like I was in a good place at Somerset. I’ve performed well enough here to get into the England side, and I didn’t really feel like too much needed to change.”Overton has taken 11 wickets in two Bob Willis Trophy appearances•Getty ImagesOf course, it would be churlish to suggest that Overton’s form will fire him straight into the England side. All four of the seamers playing in the second Test against Pakistan bowl at similar speeds to him, with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood waiting in the wings and Ollie Robinson currently preferred as back-up.But there are reasons for him to be positive. He was awarded one of three ECB pace-bowling contracts earlier in the year, and his six wickets in the Lions’ victory over Australia A at the MCG in February may further his case for selection when the 2021-22 Ashes – the series that everyone involved in English cricket has targeted – comes around.”I felt like I did okay in Australia last time, but it’s generally quite a tough tour to go on,” Overton says. “The Lions tour this winter was a big learning opportunity for all of us, so to go over there and not lose a game was a massive confidence boost. Hopefully we can take that into that tour next winter, win some games and bring the Ashes back.”

Ranking MLB Strength of Schedules as Playoff Races Heat Up

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The dog days of summer have come and gone and as the temperature in some parts of the globe begins to gradually drop, the temperature in MLB is rising. Division and wild card races are running hot as the calendar prepares to flip from August to September and contenders move ever closer towards solidifying playoff spots. The playoff picture in MLB is beginning to take shape but there is much still to decide. Can the defending champion Dodgers hold off a furious second-half push from the Padres to win the National League West division title? Can the Astros do the same against a surging Mariners club?

The final month of the regular season will provide the answers to these questions and more. But before all that, it's worth taking a look at the remaining schedules of each contender. Who has the toughest remaining schedule? Who has the easiest path?

Ranking MLB Contenders' Strength of Schedules

The following contending teams are ranked in order from easiest schedule to hardest schedule, in terms of opponent winning percentage.

Team

Strength of Schedule

Philadelphia Phillies

.493

New York Mets

.494

Detroit Tigers

.495

Kansas City Royals

.495

Houston Astros

.496

Cleveland Guardians

.497

Los Angeles Dodgers

.497

Milwaukee Brewers

.497

Cincinnati Reds

.498

Texas Rangers

.499

Toronto Blue Jays

.501

Boston Red Sox

.502

San Diego Padres

.503

Seattle Mariners

.505

New York Yankees

.506

Chicago Cubs

.506

Now, let's take a deeper dive into each team's schedule in the divisional and wild card races.

American League EastToronto Blue JaysPosition in Playoff Race: 1st in AL EastFangraphs Playoff Odds: 99.7%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. NYY Sept. 5-7, vs. BOS Sept. 23-25

Toronto will be battle-tested in the final month, as four of its final nine series will be against teams currently in the postseason picture.

Boston Red SoxPosition in Playoff Race: 1st AL Wild CardFangraphs Playoff Odds: 94.6%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. NYY Sept. 12-14, vs. TOR Sept. 23-25

Boston has it slightly easier than Toronto, as just three of its final nine series are against playoff teams. Six straight games against the Blue Jays and first-place Tigers to end the season is certainly a gauntlet, though.

New York Yankees Position in Playoff Race: 2nd AL Wild Fangraphs Playoff Odds: 98.1%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. TOR Sept. 5-7, vs. BOS Sept. 12-14

One thing is for sure: the Yankees will find out what they're made of in the season's last month. From Sept. 2 to the 14th, the Yankees, respectively, face the Astros, Blue Jays, Tigers and Red Sox. Blue Jays and Tigers and Red Sox, oh my!

American League WestHouston AstrosPosition in Playoff Race: 1st in AL WestFangraphs Playoff Odds: 90.8%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. SEA Sept. 19-21

The late-September series against the Mariners very well could decide the division. But games against the Yankees, two series against the Rangers and games against the Blue Jays loom large as well.

Seattle MarinersPosition in Playoff Race: 3rd AL Wild CardFangraphs Playoff Odds: 90.4%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. HOU Sept. 19-21

The Mariners' sneaky-tough schedule peaks in the season's final week with a pivotal series against the Astros and a test against the defending-champion Dodgers sandwiched around a series against the lowly Rockies.

American League Wild Card Race

Kansas City RoyalsPosition in Playoff Race: 4th in AL Wild Card chase Fangraphs Playoff Odds: 14.6%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. SEA Sept. 16-18

Kansas City has played its way back into the AL Wild Card race and will have a chance to at least cause mayhem with matchups against the Tigers, Guardians, Phillies, Mariners and Blue Jays in September.

Texas RangersPosition in Playoff Race: 5th in AL Wild Card chaseFangraphs Playoff Odds: 7.3%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. HOU Sept. 5-7, 15-17

Even after losing ace Nathan Eovaldi to a rotator cuff strain, the math still says the Rangers have a chance to make the postseason. And six games against the Astros in September give the 2023 World Series champs a chance to take destiny into its own hands.

Cleveland Guardians Position in Playoff Race: 6th in AL Wild Card chaseFangraphs Playoff Odds: 3.8%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. SEA Aug. 29-31, vs. KC Sept. 8-11, vs. TEX Sept. 26-28

The Guardians have had a nightmarish August but are still in the running for the AL Wild Card. Worst case, they muck up the plans of playoff-caliber teams like the Mariners and Red Sox. Best case, they take their nearly 4 percent playoff odds and make something crazy happen.

National League EastPhiladelphia PhilliesPosition in Playoff Race: 1st in NL EastFangraphs Playoff Odds: 99.8%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. MIL Sept. 1-4, vs. NYM Sept. 8-11, vs. LAD Sept. 15-17

Despite a three-game sweep at the hands of the Mets, the Phillies remain in the driver's seat for the NL East title. But four straight games against the Amazin's in mid-September could widen their lead or make this race very interesting.

New York MetsPosition in Playoff Race: 3rd NL Wild CardFangraphs Playoff Odds: 96.6%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. PHI Sept. 8-11, vs. SD Sept. 16-18, vs. CHC Sept. 23-25

The Mets can take one last shot at the division when they take on the Phillies later in September. But games against the Padres and Cubs present a chance for the Mets to rise up the standings and potentially secure home-field advantage for a Wild Card series should they end up as the first Wild Card.

National League WestLos Angeles DodgersPosition in Playoff Race: 1st in NL WestFangraphs Playoff Odds: 100%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. PHI Sept. 15-17, vs. SEA Sept. 26-28

As they look to hold into first place in the NL West, the Dodgers will benefit from a schedule that will see them play just two of their last nine series against current playoff teams.

San Diego PadresPosition in Playoff Race: 2nd NL Wild CardFangraphs Playoff Odds: 99.5%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. CIN Sept. 8-10, vs. NYM Sept. 16-18

The Padres don't have it as easy as the Dodgers, even though they do get to play the Rockies seven times in September. Games against the Reds and Mets will be pivotal for San Diego's standing in the Wild Card race, as well as its chances of catching Los Angeles.

National League Wild Card Race

Chicago Cubs Position in Playoff Race: 1st NL Wild CardFangraphs Playoff Odds: 99.5%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. CIN Sept. 18-21, vs. NYM Sept. 23-25

While the Cubs still have an outside shot at the NL Central title, their most likely path to the postseason is through the wild card, in which they currently hold homefield advantage for a potential series.

Cincinnati RedsPosition in Playoff Race: 4th in NL Wild Card chaseFangraphs Playoff Odds: 3.5%Biggest Remaining Matchups: vs. NYM Sept. 5-7, vs. SD Sept. 8-10, vs. CHC Sept. 18-21

The Reds have a golden opportunity to increase their playoff odds with September series against the Mets, Padres and Cubs, each of whom is ahead of them in the NL Wild card standings.

Strength of schedules and playoff odds are subject to change. Here are the latest, up-to-date strength of schedules and playoff odds.

Knee surgery rules R Ashwin out of BBL 2025-26

by csb10.top Uncategorized

R Ashwin has been ruled out of his BBL debut season with Sydney Thunder after undergoing knee surgery.Ashwin said he was “gutted” to miss the opportunity, which would have made him the first capped India player to play in the BBL, while Thunder said they were “working closely with him on a revised schedule of activity” that could include appearances at games in a non-playing capacity.The offspinner released a letter on Instagram to Thunder fans explaining that he had hurt his knee while training in Chennai and had undergone a procedure, which meant he would be unavailable to play for them this BBL season, which runs from December 14 until January 25.Ashwin’s retirement from the IPL earlier this year made it possible for him to play in overseas leagues, but the deal with Thunder, who he had committed the entire BBL season to once he went unsold in the ILT20 auction, was the only one that had been confirmed.”I’m gutted to miss BBL|15,” Ashwin was quoted as saying in a Thunder statement. “My focus now is recovery and coming back stronger. I’m grateful to the Thunder family and the fans for the warmth they’ve already shown me. Trent [Copeland, Thunder general manager] and the entire management made me feel part of the club from our very first conversation.”If rehab and travel plans allow, I’d love to be around the group later in the season and meet the fans. Wishing both Thunder teams a big year.”

It is a huge blow to Thunder and Copeland, who had gone above and beyond to lure Ashwin to Sydney.”Everyone at Sydney Thunder was devastated to learn of Ash’s knee injury that has ruled him out of BBL|15, and we wish him well in his recovery,” Copeland said. “From the moment we first spoke with Ash, his commitment to Thunder was clear. We are hopeful of welcoming him into our dugout for part of BBL|15, introducing him to our fans at events and building a long-term relationship. While disappointing for the club, we have built two championship-contending squads and expect to continue the progress of recent seasons in WBBL|11 and BBL|15.”Ashwin’s absence is also a major blow to the BBL. Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg and head of the BBL Alistair Dobson had been in contact with Ashwin about playing in the BBL prior to him signing with Thunder.The anticipation of having a capped Indian player of Ashwin’s stature was enormous and there was particular excitement about him playing alongside David Warner at Thunder and bowling to a host of Australia’s stars including Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell, as well as a highly anticipated match-up with Pakistan’s Babar Azam who is set to play for Sydney Sixers after Pakistan’s national players were cleared to take part in the BBL.Thunder now have the opportunity to sign an injury replacement player but they are already well stocked in the spin department with Chris Green, Tanveer Sangha, Pakistan’s Shadab Khan and Tom Andrews already on the list.

Concern for England & Arsenal! Lionesses star Chloe Kelly limps off injured in Ghana clash as crucial run of WSL & Champions League fixtures looms for Gunners

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Lionesses star Chloe Kelly limped off with an injury in England's clash with Ghana on Tuesday night, casting doubt over her availability moving forward as Arsenal prepare to enter a very important part of their season. The Gunners have two huge Champions League games coming up this month, as the holders bid to qualify for the knockout stages, but they could well have to take on those challenges without Kelly.

Kelly injury concern: Lionesses star limps off in Ghana friendly

There were less than 20 minutes on the clock when Kelly reached down to grab her right knee, after an attempted cross off that wing was blocked. The 27-year-old tried to carry on but after playing a short pass a few seconds later, she went to ground and, once seen to by the Lionesses' medical staff, would gingerly walk off the pitch and be replaced by Arsenal team-mate Beth Mead, ending her night very prematurely.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesBad luck continues: Knee issue continues as Wiegman reacts to 'sad' Kelly injury

That it appeared to be Kelly's right knee troubling her will be of concern to many, and of frustration for the player herself. That's because after missing Arsenal's game against West Ham, their second Women's Super League fixture of the season, Kelly had visible strapping on that knee for around six weeks, until early November.

The disappearance of that support seemed to signal Kelly had come through the issue, as did her first Arsenal start for six weeks, handed to her by Gunners boss Renee Slegers just before this international break began in the win over Real Madrid. "She missed the West Ham game and a couple of training sessions but since then she's been building back, and some things take a little bit longer than others, but she's fully fit," her manager said the day before that game.

While the specifics of the issue Kelly was clearly nursing remain unclear, it will not have been encouraging for anyone to see her limp off on Tuesday because of what appeared to be a problem with that same knee she has sported noticeable support on for a large portion of this season, even if the injury itself on the night didn't come across as a bad one.

"She felt something with her knee that didn’t feel right," England boss Sarina Wiegman said, asked about Kelly after the 2-0 win over Ghana. "She could walk but it just didn’t feel right. For her it’s sad because she had a start and she was playing and then she had to go off. Of course you want to be available at all times and you don’t want to have those niggles but that’s just the way it is now and what she has to sort out is: What is it? And just assess that and try to get back as soon as possible and get consistency. That’s what she wants too, but you have to take it as it is."

Searching for rhythm: Kelly's start to the season disrupted again

To have to be subbed off will have been even more frustrating for Kelly because this felt like a potentially big night for her and her season. After an outstanding 2024-25 season saw her star in Arsenal's Champions League triumph before stealing the show as the Lionesses won the 2025 European Championships, that niggling injury has prevented Kelly from really getting going in the 2025-26 campaign, as she's only been able to make three starts so far.

To get the nod against Ghana in England's final game of 2025, then, felt like a good platform for the winger to be able to build on that start for the Gunners just before this camp and start to generate some form and rhythm. Unfortunately, she wasn't allowed to do so.

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Getty ImagesArsenal's next fixtures: Kelly now a doubt for big WSL and Champions League games

The good news is that Kelly's injury didn't appear to be particularly bad in the moment and Arsenal will hope that is a sign of it not being a knock that will keep her out for long, because the Gunners have some big games before the winter break. The reigning European champions are currently 10th in the Champions League table, six places and three points off the automatic qualification spots for the knockout stages with two games to go. Those two games come later this month, at home to Twente and away at Leuven.

There's also two WSL fixtures on the calendar before Christmas, with Arsenal needing to rack up wins to get back into the title race after a sloppy start, and a League Cup quarter-final clash with Crystal Palace. Given all that is on the line, the Gunners will desperately hope they have Kelly, and her knack for turning up in the big moments, available to them.

BCB elections on October 6; Tamim accuses board president of 'interference'

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Tamim Iqbal is standing for election himself; new BCB president will serve four-year term

Mohammad Isam21-Sep-2025

Tamim Iqbal: ‘Elections should be open and fair for everyone’•AFP via Getty Images

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections will be held on October 6, the board’s election commission announced on Sunday. The general members body, known as the councillors, will elect 23 of the 25 board directors, and the BCB president will be elected from that pool of 25 to serve a four-year term.The announcement was made less than an hour after former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal accused BCB president Aminul Islam of “interference” in the election process.Tamim, who recently announced he was standing for election, held a press conference in Dhaka along with several other aspirants and former BCB directors. He said Aminul’s signed letter, dated September 18, instructing the country’s sports secretary that he has extended the deadline for nomination submission, was a unilateral decision taken by the board president.”The election commission is in charge since their appointment, which in this case was from September 6,” Tamim said. “The BCB president extended the deadline for nomination submission twice. The deadlines for submitting nominations were first set for September 17. He extended it to September 19, and then September 22. The second extension was signed off by the president himself, which is highly irregular. The BCB’s chief executive is supposed to send out these letters, but he didn’t issue the letter for the second extension. The president signed off the letter.”Tamim alleged the BCB’s constitution was violated when the board representatives from the country’s eight divisions and 64 districts were nominated by an ad-hoc committee, rather than seasoned sports organisers being nominated. “Typically, in districts and divisions, those involved in sports can nominate councillors through the district administration. This has been the practice for many years. But this time, an ad-hoc committee was formed and only its approval would be valid for nominations.”It isn’t mentioned in the BCB’s constitution. Moreover, we have seen people being removed from or added to the ad-hoc committee at will. If elections are conducted this way, it is no longer an election but a selection. Elections should be open and fair for everyone.”Tamim urged the authorities to respect the original councillors’ list. “I hope that those declared as councillors on September 17 remain unchanged. There should be no modifications. Cricket must remain for everyone – not for a specific person or group. I hope the election is impartial and free from interference.”According to the election schedule, the draft voter list will be published on September 22, followed by the final list on September 25.The election will have three categories. In the first, ten directors will be elected from the divisions and districts in the country. In the second category, 12 directors will be elected from the representatives of the Dhaka clubs. In the third category, one director will be elected from a pool of former cricketers, national captains, security forces, and councillors nominated by the National Sports Council. The Bangladesh government will also select two directors to sit on the board.

Man Utd women's player ratings vs PSG: Magnificent Melvine Malard & classy Jess Park spoil Mary Earps' Champions League return to Old Trafford

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Manchester United made it three wins from three in their first-ever Champions League campaign, courtesy of a thrilling 2-1 victory over Paris St-Germain in the inaugural women’s European match at Old Trafford. Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps was booed throughout in the PSG goal as the French giants conversely suffered a third defeat in the competition this season.

Man Utd opened the scoring courtesy of a wonderful strike from Melvine Malard, who showed great strength to hold off her defender and fired an unstoppable shot past Earps and into the far corner of the net. Earps was targeted by home fans throughout, despite spending five years with United, seemingly in response to the revelations about life in the Lionesses squad she made in her recent autobiography. 

The hosts looked on course to reach half-time in the lead, but they were pegged back in added time thanks to an incredible long-range strike from Spain international Olga Carmona from fully 25 yards out into the top left-hand corner, beating Safia Middleton-Patel’s despairing dive – the first goal United have conceded in Europe this season.

But the hosts were back in front in the second period after a wonderful team goal, as a quick interchange of passes through midfield involving Jess Park led to Anna Sandberg’s cross being met by Fridolino Rolfo’s header at the far post to seal the three points. The win puts United third in the Women’s Champions League league phase table, while winless PSG are 16th – only off the bottom due to goal difference.

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from Old Trafford…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Safia Middleton-Patel (7/10):

Making her Champions League debut for United and there was nothing she could do for PSG's stunning goal in the first half. Made a superb save at the start of the second period which kept her team level. 

Jayde Riviere (7/10):

Cool, calm and confident for most of the match and had to be at her best during periods of heavy pressure from the visitors. Barely put a foot wrong.

Maya Le Tissier (8/10):

A commanding performance at the heart of United's defence, remained vigilant to threats and made some telling blocks. 

Gabby George (7/10):

An excellent evening, shown by the way she helped cover her full-backs as well as in the more central positions.

Anna Sandberg (8/10):

A fully committed evening, plenty of running and covered both defence and provided support in attack. Also credited with an assist for her brilliant cross for United's second goal. 

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Hinata Miyazawa (7/10):

Wasted a good opportunity to open the scoring on the half-hour mark, her only chance in the match, but will be pleased with her performance. Had her work cut out it a busy midfield and played an important role in breaking up play. Taken off with 15 minutes remaining. 

Simi Awujo (7/10):

A constant threat for United and had a number of half-chances, but failed to remain cool at the crucial moment, snatching at a brilliant opening in the 67th minute, which would have sealed the points. Taken off in the 69th minute, replaced by Ella Toone.

Julia Zigiotti Olme (6/10):

A confident performance and covered huge amounts of ground, will be happy with her efforts against stern opposition.

AFPAttack

Jess Park (8/10):

A busy evening with a performance packed with creative spark, and did tonnes of work for the team. Was solid throughout and played a key role in the winner. Taken off in the the last minute.

Melvine Malard (8/10):

Showed exceptional strength to beat her defender and thrashed a brilliant shot past Earps into the far corner. Picked up a yellow card in the 17th minute, leading with her elbow into he marker's face. Had to be subbed off in the 76th minute after receiving a hefty knock.

Fridolina Rolfo (7/10):

Played a brilliant role in supporting Malard up front, covering acres of ground for United's cause and nodding in the winner. Will be pleased with her performance – subbed off in the 75th minute.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Ella Toone (6/10):

Brought on with 20 minutes to go, to provide a creative spark as United pushed for the third goal. Given a huge ovation as she entered the pitch, but wasn't able to create a big chance.

Elisabeth Terland (5/10):

Brought on after injury to Malard and was full of running, but too little time to make a significant impact. 

Leah Galton (5/10):

Clearly delighted to come on, but not enough time to make an impact. 

Rachel Williams (N/A):

Huge cheers as she came on in the last minute.

Marc Skinner (7/10):

Will be delighted with the performance and with his team's excellent progress in the Europe. His big players performed on the night and made the right changes to add fresh legs to close out the game. Good job.

The best players Tottenham Hotspur nearly signed including Ronaldo and Mbappe

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur have pulled off some eye-catching signings in their history, with Daniel Levy spending big in recent times.

However, Spurs have also missed out on bringing some world-class players to north London, with Eberechi Eze the latest Tottenham transfer to fall through. With a deal close to being finalised, fierce rivals Arsenal swept in and poached the attacking midfielder frim under Spurs’ nose.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t been just Eze. Tottenham have been pipped to the post or rejected by a plethora of legends, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Kylian Mbappe.

Tottenham's most expensive signings of all time

A detailed look at Spurs’ 10 most expensive signings of all time.

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 5, 2025

10 superstars Tottenham Hotspur nearly signed

10

Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Tottenham scout and player Ronny Rosenthal was urging the Spurs to sign Cristiano Ronaldo when he was coming through at Sporting CP.

However, Spurs didn’t listen, with Manchester United landing the Portuguese superstar for just over £12m in 2003.

9

Kylian Mbappe

Back in 2015, a teenage forward by the name of Kylian Mbappe impressed Spurs chiefs for Monaco during a Europa League clash against Tottenham.

Those in north London kept tabs on the Frenchman and were looking to bring him to the club, however, they quickly realised he was out of reach, with Mbappe instead choosing PSG.

8

Diego Maradona

Tottenham legend Teddy Sheringham had two spells with Spurs and once revealed that the club were in talks to sign Diego Maradona.

Ossie Ardiles managed Spurs in 1993-1994 and once told Sheringham he was looking to partner him in attack with Maradona.

7

Rivaldo

Levy missed out on signing Brazilian icon Rivaldo in 2002 when he was on the search for a new club after leaving Barcelona.

Manuel Auset, Rivaldo’s friend and lawyer, said that Spurs offered the then-30-year-old a move to the Premier League, but he instead chose AC Milan.

6

Eden Hazard

Now remembered as a Chelsea legend, Eden Hazard could quite easily have been a Tottenham player when leaving Lille in 2012.

Former Spurs coach Clive Allen admitted that the Belgian star was “keen to come to Tottenham” but instead chose to head to Stamford Bridge.

5

Bruno Fernandes

Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham made a concrete effort to sign Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP in 2019.

Fernandes, who eventually moved to England with Man Utd, once revealed he was “really angry” his move to Spurs fell through after being convinced to join by Pochettino.

4

Sadio Mane

Tottenham and Pochettino made Sadio Mane their top target in 2016, however, Spurs were outbid by Liverpool.

The Reds paid £34m for Mane who’d go on to become an Anfield legend, with Tottenham instead using the money that would have gone on the forward for midfielder Moussa Sissoko.

Sadio Mane’s record vs Tottenham

Wins

9

Draws

5

Losses

2

Goals

3

Assists

2

3

Virgil van Dijk

Tottenham had Virgil van Dijk on their shortlist of central defender targets back in 2015 when the Dutchman was still on the books of Celtic.

Instead of signing Van Dijk, though, Spurs brought in Toby Alderweireld from Atletico Madrid, with Van Dijk signing for Southampton the same year.

2

Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish for Aston Villa

At one point, Tottenham thought they were on course to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for just £25m.

Grealish wasn’t happy about the failed transfer to Spurs in 2018, however, three years later, he’d cost Manchester City a then-British record £100m.

1

Luis Diaz

Tottenham were in pole position and pushing to sign Luis Diaz from FC Porto in the 2022 January transfer window before Liverpool hijacked a transfer.

The Reds paid a guaranteed fee of £37.5m for the Colombia international, who would go on to win the Premier League at Anfield before being sold for a profit to Bayern Munich.

Divine Mukasa: Man City's latest teen sensation who scores from kick-off, takes Panenkas and wants to emulate Kevin De Bruyne

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Manchester City's youth academy is one of the most productive talent factories in the world, although the reality is the vast majority of graduates end up having to seek their fortune away from the Etihad Stadium. Phil Foden is the pride and joy of City's youth system, but for many years he was the exception that proved the rule.

Exceptionally talented players like Cole Palmer have chosen to leave City in search of regular first-team football while the likes of Romeo Lavia, Jeremie Frimpong, Jadon Sancho, Morgan Rogers and Michael Olise departed without ever appearing for the senior side.

But in the last couple of years, a pathway – albeit a very narrow one – has opened up from the academy and into Pep Guardiola's squad. Rico Lewis is into his fourth season in the first-team ranks while Nico O'Reilly has established himself as a regular less than a year after making his competitive debut and recently signed a bumper new contract with the club and earned his first England call-up.

Now, another player, Divine Mukasa, is slowly forcing his way into Guardiola's plans after being fast-tracked into the team just one month after his 18th birthday. GOAL has everything you need to know about the creative midfielder who doing all he can to earn the coach's trust…

  • Where it all began

    Mukasa was born in London to a Lithuanian mother and a father from Uganda. He enrolled in West Ham's academy when he was five years old and spent a decade there, forming part of an exciting generation of players who won the Under-18 Premier League South and FA Youth Cup double. Aged just 15 at the time, Mukasa scored in the title-clinching win over Arsenal befor the Hammers then outclassed the Gunners 5-1 in the Youth Cup final at the Emirates Stadium, although Mukasa was an unused substitute that day.

    After lifting the league title, Mukasa said: "We are a relentless team, and we will never sit off. We will always try to win, and we will always try to score goals. We have won the title today, but we are not finished yet."

    Mukasa, however, was about to finish his journey with the Irons. He spoke to Rangers and Newcastle that summer, but eventually decided to join City, one month after turning 16. He won his second FA Youth Cup in his first season, this time starting in the final as City rolled over Leeds United 4-0.

    However, it was not the smoothest of transitions, as he admitted to the : "The first six months were tough, especially with City playing such a different way and the high standards from the club. "t wasn't just me getting used to the club, it was the staff getting used to me, what my attributes are, trying to help me optimise them. It was a little bit tough, getting used to the system and adjusting it a little bit has helped as well.

    "It was that sense of freedom that I had at my previous club. I didn't get it at first, but that's natural. The coaches are used to having a set structure so I can't just come in and change that. It took some getting used to."

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    The big break

    Mukasa began to settle more in his second season at City as he started more often and took more responsibility. Fans subsequently began to sit up and take notice of him after he netted a hat-trick in a 7-1  trouncing of Newcastle in December 2024.

    The first goal in particular was impossible to ignore as Mukasa scored directly from kick-off. Newcastle had just given themselves a bit of hope by making the score 4-1, but Mukasa brought them right back down to earth with a single kick, leaving his opponents dumbstruck as he lobbed the ball downfield and high into the net.

    It wasn't the only demonstration of his innovation that day, as he scored his next goal by glancing the ball into the net with his chest. Mukasa's treble against the Magpies contributed to him ending the season with 17 goals and 25 assists in 37 age-group games, and his excellent campaign vindicated the youth team coaches' decision to keep him in the U18s for the majority of the season rather than promote him full-time to the U21s.

    "I was expected to dominate a bit more this season, help lead the team," he explained. "I think I've done that, It's been a good season. For my own confidence and relationship I've built with the managers, playing all the time has helped me a lot."

  • Getty

    How it's going

    Mukasa was earmarked for the U21s this season, but he has effectively jumped up a level and gained first-team experience. He got the call to join Guardiola's side for their only pre-season friendly of the summer against Palermo and impressed in his short cameo, assisting Tijjani Reijnders' second goal in the 3-0 win with a classy flick.

    He continued to train regularly with the first team and featured on the bench for the Premier League games against Manchester United, Arsenal and Burnley, as well as Champions League clashes with Napoli and Monaco. Mukasa eventually made his competitive debut when he started City's Carabao Cup third round tie at Huddersfield Town in September.

    He produced an impressive performance, too, as Mukasa filled the centre-forward role usually reserved for Erling Haaland. He had never played up front before and revealed that Guardiola had told him to operate more as a false nine. In doing so, Mukasa laid the ball off for Phil Foden to score the first goal and led the line admirably as City walked all over their League One opponents.

    "Divine played unbelievable, he’s an incredibly top player in the pockets, he had two or three chances to score," gushed Guardiola.  "Divine is top, top. He has a sense of touch, quality with the ball, and he fought a lot. He played really well."

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  • Getty

    Biggest strengths

    While his strike rate is impressive, particularly for a midfielder, Mukasa's greatest quality is his technique, which makes him a brilliant dribbler as well as someone who can play line-splitting passes under pressure.

    "He is so brilliant on the ball. What he can do with the ball sometimes is unbelievable," City's U18 coach Oliver Reiss said. "It looks sometimes too easy for him, because of his quality. He's good with both feet, normally he's left-footed but then delivers to the corner with his right foot. So no problem, the way he's thinking, what he sees, it's incredible for me."

    'Confidence' is another word that crops up a lot in discussions around Mukasa, and it's easy to see why. You do not score from a kick-off if you are lacking in self-belief, after all!

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