Will Sutherland held them up for a while but the result was never in doubt

Tristan Lavalette26-Mar-2023Western Australia cemented their status as domestic cricket’s undisputed powerhouse with a crushing nine-wicket victory over Victoria to emphatically complete a back-to-back Sheffield Shield triumph.Having bowled out Victoria for 210 in their second innings, WA chased down the 91-run target in the second session on day four. Their 17th Shield title was secured when opener Cameron Bancroft, the leading run-scorer in the competition, hit the winning runs to trigger scenes of jubilation around the WACA.As expected against a strong Victoria attack, WA were made to work and lost skipper Sam Whiteman for his seventh duck of the Shield season when he was trapped lbw to unrelenting seamer Scott Boland.Related

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It was Boland’s 300th Shield wicket and he almost added another when he caught an edge from teenager Teague Wyllie only for skipper Peter Handscomb to drop a tough chance at second slip.But WA were not to be denied as they completed a historic treble of domestic titles for the second straight season. They thrashed South Australia in the 50-over Marsh Cup final and Perth Scorchers overcame Brisbane Heat in an epic BBL decider.WA’s revelry was held up by impressive allrounder Will Sutherland, who superly backed his attacking instincts with 83 off 84 balls but Victoria’s lead just wasn’t enough.Victoria started day four at 6 for 122 with their slim hopes resting on Sutherland and Mitchell Perry, who had both defied WA late on day three.Sutherland was almost caught at long on in the first over but settled in after that in a gutsy performance having been moved down to No.8 due to a back injury.The batters looked comfortable until Perry was caught behind off quick Matthew Kelly, who was on a hat-trick after a cracker of a delivery knocked over Fergus O’Neill.Matt Kelly made quick inroads on the fourth morning•Getty ImagesThe end was nigh but Sutherland received support from Todd Murphy, who offered resistance having had little impact with the ball in his return from a breakout Test tour of India.As Victoria’s lead approached triple figures, Murphy’s defiance ended on 26 when he was caught at point off allrounder Aaron Hardie.Sutherland, who claimed five wickets in WA’s first innings, holed out just shy of a deserved century but capped a strong allround season and looms as a player of interest for the national selectors.After being sent in on a green-tinged surface, Victoria managed just 195 in their first innings with 21-year-old opener Ashley Chandrasinghe mustering the only substantial fight.In a rearguard that polarised public opinion, Chandrasinghe carried his bat to finish unbeaten on 46 from 280 balls but Victoria failed to collect any bonus points.WA struggled in response at 4 for 53 before veteran Ashton Turner scored a drought-breaking century to power his team to 315 and a lead of 120 runs.Having only recently returned to WA’s Shield side after a near three-year exile, Turner counterpunched to notch his first Shield ton since November 2017.Turner’s heroics dented Victoria’s hopes of avenging last season’s final where they fell short to WA in a drawn match decided by bonus points.Victoria can take heart out of a spectacular turnaround after they were staring down the barrel mid-season before storming into the final with five straight wins.An emerging Victoria, marked by an exciting pace attack, are on the cusp of a formidable run but will be left pondering how they can knock off all-conquering WA, who are firmly amid a golden era.

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Os duelos de quartas de final da Libertadores começarão apenas em agosto, mas a tensão para eles já está no ar. Nesta sexta-feira, a Conmebol divulgou as datas e horários das partidas entre Palmeiras x Atlético-MG, que se enfrentarão nos dias 3 e 10 do próximo mês.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoSaiba onde assistir Fortaleza x Palmeiras pelo BrasileirãoBrasileirão08/07/2022VídeoVÍDEO: Assista aos bastidores da goleada do Palmeiras sobre o Cerro Porteño na LibertadoresVídeo08/07/2022PalmeirasBreno Lopes fala sobre assistência para gol de bicicleta e projeta próximo desafio do PalmeirasPalmeiras08/07/2022

GALERIA
> Confira os públicos do Palmeiras no Allianz Parque em 2022

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador da Libertadores-2022 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Na última terça, o Galo eliminou o Emelec com um placar agregado de 2 a 1 para garantir sua vaga na fase seguinte, enquanto o Verdão bateu o Cerro Porteño-PAR com um agregado de 8 a 0 para confirmar o confronto diante dos mineiros, valendo lugar na semifinal.

O primeiro jogo da disputa será no Mineirão, no dia 3 de agosto (quarta-feira), às 21h30, com transmissão da ESPN.

Já a partida de volta será no Allianz Parque, pois o Palmeiras tem melhor campanha. A data para o embate decisivo é 10 de agosto (quarta-feira), também às 21h30 e com transmissão da ESPN.

Vale lembrar que não há mais o critério do gol fora de casa para o desempate, como ocorreu no confronto entre as equipes na semi da edição de 2021 da Libertadores. Caso o placar agregado termine empatado depois dos 180 minutos, a decisão será nos pênaltis.

Manchester City have failed to see the best out of some of their finest players this season.

Erling Haaland may have scored 28 goals in all competitions, but there have been spells where he has failed to demonstrate his true talents.

Elsewhere, Phil Foden is another player who has struggled at times. The Englishman has registered 16 goal contributions – ten goals and six assists – yet only three goals came in the Champions League against Sporting CP, Sparta Prague and Slovan Bratislava.

When compared to his peers in the Premier League, Foden fails to rank in the top 55% for successful take-ons, progressive carries, touches in the opposition penalty area and progressive passes received per 90 this season.

This highlights how much he has regressed this term, and it appears as though City are approaching the end of a glorious era under Pep Guardiola.

Even Kevin De Bruyne hasn’t quite been at his best throughout the entire campaign, failing to inject the spark that City have so often required in 2025/26.

Could this be his last one at the Etihad? Only time will tell.

Kevin De Bruyne’s season in numbers for Man City

During the early part of the season, a hamstring injury meant he played just four of their opening ten Premier League matches.

Overall, the Belgian maestro has started just 18 of his 29 games for the club in all competitions, scoring four goals and recording seven assists.

When compared to his fellow attacking midfielders in the Premier League this season, De Bruyne ranks in the bottom 79% for successful take-ons, the bottom 54% for progressive carries (3.03) and ranks in the top 45% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90.

Hardly the statistics that the supporters have been used to over the years, and it could finally be time for the 33-year-old to think about his future.

Indeed, his contract expires this summer, meaning City could release him for nothing. Much will depend on what happens over the next few weeks, but considering he hasn’t been as productive as in previous seasons, combined with injury problems, De Buryne’s best days are behind him.

Guardiola may look to build a new side around the youngsters he signed in the winter transfer window, as well as those who have progressed through the academy in recent years.

City have let a few youngsters go in the past, however, with several finally showcasing their talents elsewhere. Players such as Morgan Rogers, Roméo Lavia, Jadon Sancho and James Trafford moved away from City in order to secure regular game time at other clubs.

All four have gone on to impress significantly over the years. But could someone who only departed the Etihad in 2020 be their biggest regret?

Man City let "England's next superstar" leave for £0

Now outperforming De Bruyne in the here and now, a certain Jamie Gittens is the player they must regret letting go all those years ago.

He made just two appearances for the City U18 side during the 2019/20 campaign, scoring once, before, like Jadon Sancho, he made the move to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2020.

His first two seasons were spent with the youth side, registering 11 goals and five assists, sufficiently impressing boss Marco Rose, who gave him his Bundesliga debut towards the end of the 2021/22 season.

That summer, he signed a three-year contract extension due to take effect on his 18th birthday, and it has been a wise move by Dortmund, especially with his recent rise.

He was introduced to the senior squad slowly, making 20 first-team appearances throughout the 2022/23 season, before this increased to 34 games last term.

The youngster chipped in with two goals and five assists for the club in all competitions while even making a brief appearance in the Champions League final against Real Madrid, although they lost the tie 2-0.

It was all good experience for the 20-year-old as he aims to follow in the footsteps of his compatriots Sancho and Jude Bellingham by using Dortmund as a stepping stone in order to secure a big-money move away from Germany.

Gittens’ stats in the Bundesliga this season

Goals

7

Assists

3

Big chances created

6

Successful dribbles per game

2.9

Key passes per game

0.8

Shots per game

1.8

Via Sofascore

Media outlet Get German Football News dubbed the winger as “England’s next superstar” back in September following an impressive start to the season and he has been so good throughout 2024/25, that the London-born starlet is even outperforming De Bruyne in a number of key performance metrics, proving how good a player he really is.

How Jamie Gittens compares to Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne has registered 11 goal contributions for City this term. For Dortmund, Gittens has scored 11 goals and grabbed four assists for the club in all competitions, with four goals coming in the Champions League.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the previous 365 days, Gittens ranks in the top 6% for progressive carries (5.93), the top 2% for successful take-ons (3.76) and in the top 5% for carries into the penalty area (3.21) per 90, highlighting how effective he has been in the final third, despite his tender years.

In comparison, De Bruyne ranks in the lowest 62% for progressive carries (2.92), the lowest 94% for successful take-ons (0.67), and the top 2% for carries into the opposition penalty area (1.05) when compared to his own peers across Europe’s top five leagues during the same time period.

These contrasting statistics clearly show that Gittens has been the most effective player in dangerous zones for their club and there is no doubt he will secure a move to a massive club sooner rather than later.

City must rue letting him go for nothing back in 2020, especially with his current rise to superstardom. Arsenal are thought to be mulling over a bid worth £83m for the speedster.

It takes some impressive performances to consistently outperform a player such as De Bruyne, but Gittens is doing it and then some this season.

Related Man City thought they had their next Yaya, then Txiki sold him for just £5m

Man City may have allowed the second coming of Yaya Toure to depart on the cheap

Posts ByRobbie Walls Mar 9, 2025

Thomas Tuchel says he had no doubt regarding his decision to name midfielder Jordan Henderson in the England squad ahead of the upcoming games.

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Henderson named in England squadTuchel explains reliance on veteranSays youngsters can't replace himFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 34-year-old has been included in the squad for England's upcoming friendlies against Andorra and Senegal in June, sparking mixed reactions from fans and media following a disappointing end to Henderson's season at Ajax while young Crystal Palace player Adam Wharton misses out on a place.

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Tuchel says the ex-Liverpool star's place in the team was never in question as he explained that the veteran is crucial when it comes to setting the standards regardless of the situation, insisting younger players cannot fill that role.

WHAT TUCHEL SAID

He told reporters: "If we have a training exercise with different groups and you have a group with Jordan you can turn your back you don't need to watch. He will take care of all the standards in the group. It may be a possession game, a passing exercise, maybe the warm up but you don't need to take care of this group because Jordan takes care of it. He sets the standards. He is a natural leader and the others follow. That is why he is with us. He is doing this in an impressive way and still playing at a decent level. That is why there was not a thought to drop him."

Asked if he is annoyed by the regular questions about Henderson's place in the team, he added: "I can understand it but once you meet Jordan and once you see Jordan and once you speak to Jordan, it's such an obvious choice… It's not Adam Wharton vs Jordan Henderson. What Jordan Henderson brings in the moment to the group, an under 21 player cannot bring, it's just impossible from the personality and from the experience."

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The Three Lions face Andorra on June 7 in a World Cup qualifier before facing Senegal in a friendly at the City Ground three days later.

The American attacker has opened up about the journey of winning his second consecutive Eredivisie title and his injury issues as well

• Tillman admits it’s been a tough season for him because of injury
• Praised the team’s comeback, calling it special
• Eindhoven won the title by one point on the final day

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  U.S. international Malik Tillman’s season looked all but over when he suffered a serious ankle injury in January that required surgery. But after intensive rehab—first in Qatar, then through a specialized five-week strengthening program in Germany—the American midfielder made a remarkable return to PSV’s lineup in April. His comeback couldn’t have come at a better time. Tillman contributed to six goals in the club’s final six matches, playing a pivotal role in their title-winning run.

  Reflecting on the journey after PSV’s final game, Tillman acknowledged the hardship of dealing with injury but couldn’t hide his joy at how the season ended.

  “I’ve been also injured,” Tillman told the club’s YouTube channel when asked about the season. “So for me it’s been a tough, not tough but a season with a lot of ups and downs. But yeah, the way we came back is special, and I think everyone’s happy at the end.”

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• WHAT MALIK TILLMAN SAID

• GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  PSV Eindhoven's championship represents one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent Eredivisie history. After leading the league by as many as nine points early in the season, a mid-season collapse following Tillman's injury saw them fall nine points behind Ajax with just six matches remaining. The American's return coincided with a seven-win and one-loss run that saw PSV dramatically overtake their rivals on the final matchdays.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Malik Tillman was called up to Mauricio Pochettino's Gold Cup roster and has a good chance to impress with several key players out due to either rest or the Club World Cup.

“I spent the last couple of years frustrating myself, trying to win games for my team; tonight it came out well in the end,” says Pooran

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2023After a see-sawing contest, Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bangalore amid high drama, and KL Rahul credited their lower-middle order of Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis and Ayush Badoni for the two points they earned in their first win away from home in IPL 2023.The Royal Challengers bowlers had reduced Super Giants to 23 for 3 in four overs, but Stoinis’ 30-ball 65 gave them a platform, from which Pooran’s 19-ball 62 and Badoni’s 24-ball 30 took them to the doorstep of victory.”In T20s, I think that’s the most important batting position – Nos. 5, 6 and 7,” Rahul told the broadcaster after the one-wicket win. “That’s where the crunch games are won. Yes, your top order will do the bulk of the scoring in a big tournament like this but it is those boys who win you big games.Related

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“That is why we have invested in the power of Pooran, Stoinis and Ayush. Ayush is a youngster who is learning the art of finishing games and being there at the end. He has done it a couple of times last season and this season too. He is growing into that role and I’m excited in him becoming better in that position. That will give our team extra power with that skill as well.”But the game was not decided till the final delivery of the match.Badoni fell in the 19th over, followed by Mark Wood and Jaydev Unadkat being dismissed in the final over, which started with Super Giants needing five to win with three wickets in hand.Then with scores tied, and one ball to go and Super Giants nine down, there was drama of unparalleled proportions. Harshal Patel ran in and tried to run out non-striker Ravi Bishnoi, who had taken off in a bid to steal the all-important single, but he missed dislodging the stumps, and even though he did throw down at the poles later with Bishnoi still out of his crease. The umpire Anil Chaudhary, though, called it not out since the ball had gone dead when Harshal had ran a few yards down the pitch before turning and aiming for the stumps.When Harshal finally bowled the last ball, No. 11 Avesh Khan missed and the batters scampered. But wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik fumbled twice and then missed in his shy at the stumps (on both ends).”Unbelievable! This is Chinnaswamy – I have grown up here, I know that this is the only venue in the country to produce so many last-ball finishes,” Rahul said. “To win from the position we were in is phenomenal.”Wayne Parnell reacts as he sees the game going away from Royal Challengers•Associated PressFaf du Plessis: ‘We tried everything’Royal Challengers captain Faf du Plessis, who top-scored with 79 alongside fifties from Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell to post 212 in the first innings, said that he “fancied” his side’s chances of taking the game into a super over.”Obviously they played really well but we fought back beautifully. And then that last over, one off one ball, I fancied our chances of getting a run-out there,” he said. “Looking at the wicket, certainly we felt, when we were batting, it was quite slow between overs 7 to 14. Little bit dry. Then as the innings went in the last five overs I think maybe there was bit more moisture and the ball started skidding better, and that was the case right through the second innings. Really nice to bat on, really nice for good cricket shots. Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran didn’t miss the middle.”We tried everything. We threw all our weapons at them, but they took on one of our strong bowlers, Harshal Patel, in his first two overs. Took him for quite a bit of runs in the first two overs. Then he came back beautifully. We were there and thereabouts to bring the game down to the last over from where they were. Thought it was a good fight from us. It is a difficult place to bowl at the death, you have to be really on top of your game with the ball.”2:38

Jaffer: Very hard to stop Pooran when he gets going

Nicholas Pooran: ‘It was about cashing inThe game had changed some time before that, courtesy Pooran. He struck seven sixes and four fours in his 19-ball 62 and also got the joint-third-fastest IPL fifty. Along with Badoni, he added 84 in 35 balls for the sixth wicket. After collecting his Player-of-the-Match award, Pooran credited the earlier partnership between Stoinis and Rahul that started the initial liftoff before he took over.”Stoinis played really well. It kept us in the game,” he said. “We felt like we can chase 15 runs an over. We knew that in the back end of the innings it gets much easier, the pressure is on. The wicket was really nice to bat [on]. It was about cashing in, getting in the right positions and executing.”I was reacting tonight, and I have been working really hard on my game, and this is how I want to be. I spent the last couple of years frustrating myself, trying to win games for my team; tonight obviously it came out well in the end. I want to win games for my team, and I have been working really hard on it. Just happy that tonight we could get that victory.”1:42

Jaffer: Du Plessis played the situations really well

Marcus Stoinis: ‘We bowled really well in the powerplay’Stoinis credited spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya for restricting Royal Challengers to 212 despite losing only two wickets.”I actually think we bowled really well in the powerplay,” Stoinis said after the game. “There was beautiful batting from Virat and Faf, some of those shots you don’t see every day. I thought we bowled okay in the powerplay and our spinners bowled beautifully. History suggests that 200 is pretty much par a lot of the time.”Maxwell, too, said after the first innings that the spinners’ efforts through the middle overs sucked the momentum out of their batting for a brief period. In a game of close margins, that proved important in the end.”There was a little bit of variable bounce. Ball was staying a bit low from back of a length,” Maxwell said at the halfway point. “Bit dry from the other night, there was little bit variable bounce. Spinners were able to bowl back of a length. Thought Bishnoi and Krunal bowled extremely well after the first few overs and probably kept us back after an electric powerplay.”

Ex-Manchester City and Inter striker Mario Balotelli has signed up for a Baller League UK 'Legends vs Creators' game alongside Jay-Jay Okocha.

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More stars join Baller League projectBalotelli & Okocha to play for Legends teamAll action to unfold at the O2 ArenaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Balotelli is set to headline a team of footballing icons in an upcoming Baller League UK 'Legends vs Creators' match. The 34-year-old Italian forward, currently winding down his time at Genoa with his contract set to expire this summer, will grace the pitch at the iconic O2 Arena as part of the highly anticipated season finale.

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Balotelli will line up alongside Nigerian great Okocha, who is revered for his magical footwork and show-stopping style, bringing a dose of flair to the Legends squad. Waiting on the other side of the pitch is a dynamic group of digital heavyweights, led by none other than KSI, the YouTube sensation, boxer, and president of Baller League UK. Joining him in this high-octane fixture is popular entertainer and football content creator Chunkz, forming a formidable duo representing the Creator community.

DID YOU KNOW?

The evening will also feature two semi-final battles — pitting the 1st and 4th place teams in the Baller League Uk against the 2nd and 3rd, respectively — leading into a climactic winner-takes-all finale that will crown the 2024 champions.

Among the teams that have already punched their ticket to the final four are ‘Deportrio’ and ‘Yanited’. Deportrio, managed by legendary English trio Micah Richards, Gary Lineker, and Alan Shearer, currently sit at the top of the standings. Yanited, under the leadership of fan-favourite Angry Ginge, have also locked in their place in the semi-finals.

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

Balotelli’s career has taken him from Inter and AC Milan to Man City, Liverpool, Marseille, and beyond. Though his time at Genoa has been brief, he continues to show flashes of brilliance that once made him one of Europe’s most exciting young talents. The Baller League appearance provides him a platform to showcase those talents once more.

It started with the appointment of Ange Postecoglou and the sale of Harry Kane in 2023, but the rebuilding of Tottenham Hotspur still has a long way to go.

For all his faults and the incredible number of injuries the Australian has had to deal with during his time in North London, he has been able to turn what was a terribly dull team under the previous managers into one capable of playing exciting football.

However, to ensure he can kick on with his process next season, Daniel Levy and Co have to continue to back his vision by signing the players he wants, like Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke and Lucas Bergvall, but also shipping off those who don’t have a long-term future in the side.

One of the players in the second camp is Son Heung-min, and while the club may be tempted to go out and splash the cash on his replacement, they might not need to, as Hotspur Way could have already produced one.

Why Son's time is coming to an end

So, before the torches and pitchforks come out, it has to be said that Son is not only an icon for Spurs but also for the Premier League as a whole.

However, just because he has been a sensational player for the Lilywhites for nearly a decade now does not mean he is irreplaceable.

In fact, the reason the club need to think about his heir is because of how long he’s been playing.

The South Korean superstar is set to turn 33 in the summer, and while he has still been surprisingly productive this term, racking up 22 goals and assists in 40 appearances, most fans will attest to the fact that he’s no longer as dynamic on or off the ball as he used to be.

Now, this is not a slight on the Chuncheon-born star’s ability, but a simple fact that he’s another footballer who’s set to be the victim of time, with research from The Athletic in 2021 revealing that wide players hit their peak at 26 years old and then suffer a steep drop-off in their ability to take defenders on when they hit 30.

Unfortunately, this struggle to beat opposition defenders is reflected in the 32-year-old’s underlying numbers, as according to FBref, Son sits in the bottom 46% of attacking midfielders or wingers in the Premier League for total successful take-ons, and the bottom 27% for the percentage of his take-ons that end in success, all per 90.

In all, the Spurs captain should be considered one of the best wingers the Premier League has seen, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that he’s beginning to lose some of what made him so dangerous.

The good news, however, is that the club might already have the perfect heir to take his place in a year or two.

The talent who could replace Son

While the likes of Mathys Tel, who can play out wide or down the middle, and Wilson Odobert could undoubtedly prove to be brilliant wingers for Spurs, the true heir to Son might well come from Hotspur Way.

Mikey Moore hasn’t been able to play as much first-team football as some of the club’s other exciting teenage talents this season, like Archie Gray and Bergvall, but when he has stepped on the pitch, he has looked tremendously impressive.

For example, it was against AZ Alkmaar in the league phase of the Europa League that the promising prospect really announced himself as a future star, as while he didn’t score or provide an assist, he was a constant thorn in the side of the Dutch team.

Whenever he had the ball on the left, he would run at his opposing defender, and it was this impressive showing that led to James Maddison describing him as “fearless” and comparing him to Neymar Jr.

On top of standing out at the senior level, the 17-year-old dynamo has been nothing short of phenomenal for the North Londoners’ junior sides.

Games

24

5

5

Goals

19

2

0

Assists

13

2

0

Goal Involvements per match

1.33

0.80

0.00

For example, in 34 appearances for the Lilywhites’ various youth sides, the teenage force of nature has scored 21 goals and provided 15 assists, resulting in a simply sensational average of 1.05 goal involvement every game.

Ultimately, with the incredible Moore, Spurs can rest easily, safe in the knowledge that when Son eventually hangs up his boots or takes a more significant step back, they already have the perfect homegrown replacement to step in and step up.

Ange has found a "mind-blowing" star at Spurs who could be the next Defoe

The talented forward could replicate the Spurs icon.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 21, 2025

عبّر لاعب وسط بورتو، فاسكو سوزا، عن دعمه التام للمدرب مارتين أنسلمي، وذلك خلال حديثه لوسائل الإعلام قبل المواجهة الحاسمة أمام الأهلي المصري، في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، مشددًا على صعوبة المباراة.

ويلتقي الأهلي وبورتو فجر يوم الثلاثاء الموافق 24 يونيو، في الجولة الثالثة لدور المجموعات ببطولة كأس العالم للأندية، ويملك كل منهما نقطة واحدة.

وتحدث سوزا في البداية عن عودته للملاعب بعد فترة غياب طويلة بسبب إصابة قوية، قائلًا في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “A bola” البرتغالية: “كان من الرائع العودة إلى الروتين اليومي، واستعادة الثقة الكاملة”.

وأضاف: “العمل مجددًا مع الفريق كان طموحًا شخصيًا منذ لحظة إصابتي، والآن أشعر بسعادة كبيرة”.

وفيما يخص حظوظ الفريق في التأهل إلى دور الـ16 من البطولة، شدد سوزا على أهمية التركيز الكامل.

وأشار: “ندرك تمامًا أن هذا النادي يعيش على الانتصارات، وليس من المجدي الحديث كثيرًا في هذه المرحلة، بل الأفضل أن نُظهر ذلك في المباراة المقبلة، وأنا وزملائي نعي ذلك جيدًا”.

وعن الانتقادات اللاذعة التي وجهها رئيس النادي، أندريه فيلاش بواش، عقب الهزيمة أمام إنتر ميامي، علّق سوزا: “الجميع هنا من أجل مساعدة النادي، والرئيس ليس استثناءً، علينا أن نثبت ذلك في المواجهة القادمة”.

وحين سُئل عن مدى ثقة اللاعبين في المدرب أنسلمي، وإذا ما كان هو الرجل المناسب للموسم القادم، أجاب: “ليس من شأني تحديد ذلك، لكن المدرب أنسلمي معنا ونحن معه، لدينا ثقة مطلقة فيه، ونرغب في إظهار ذلك على أرض الملعب”.

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وتوقع سوزا مباراة صعبة أمام الأهلي، قائلاً: “ننتظر مباراة تنافسية للغاية، البطولة شهدت بالفعل العديد من المفاجآت، ونحن نُدرك أننا بحاجة إلى اللعب بثقة وبكرامة، نحن نؤمن بقدرتنا على الفوز، وهذا ما جئنا من أجله”.

وعن حالته البدنية بعد التعافي، أوضح سوزا: “أشعر أنني في حالة ممتازة وسعيد للغاية، هذه اللحظات هي سبب ممارستي لكرة القدم، التواجد في الملعب مجددًا مع زملائي أمر رائع، ويمنحني ثقة كبيرة”.

وردًا على ما يُقال بأن “لا يوجد الكثير من اللاعبين بروح بورتو”، استطرد: “أعتقد أن زملائي، مثلي تمامًا، يمتلكون روح التنين التي تميزني، نريد أن نظهر ذلك بكل قوة، خاصةً أن هذه المباراة قد تكون الصورة الأخيرة، والصورة الأخيرة هي التي تبقى”.

وفي ختام تصريحاته، نفى سوزا التفكير في الرحيل معارًا في الموسم المقبل بحثًا عن دقائق لعب أكثر، موضحًا: “أنا حاليًا مركز تمامًا على مباراة الغد، لا أفكر في المستقبل، أريد أن أستغل الفرصة لأثبت نفسي، وسأبذل قصارى جهدي كما أفعل دائمًا”.

Batting fireworks from Gujarat Titans in the death overs and five wickets shared by Afghan spinners Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad gave the hosts their second win in a row as they steamrolled Mumbai Indians for their second straight loss on a hot and humid evening in Ahmedabad. After defending the big score of 207 for 6 comfortably, Titans jumped to second place with 10 points, the same as table-toppers Chennai Super Kings.Mumbai’s death bowling came in the spotlight again with Jofra Archer sitting out with an illness, Arjun Tendulkar not bowling in that phase, and their quicks leaking 70 runs in the last four overs, after conceding 65 in the same phase against Punjab Kings in their last game.After Shubman Gill’s fifty and a boundary-laden partnership of 71 off just 35 balls between Abhinav Manohar and David Miller for the fifth wicket, Mumbai’s batting firepower fizzled against Afghanistan’s spin duo as only one of their top six crossed 25 and they fell short by 55 runs after being reduced to 59 for 5 in the 11th over.

Gill lays the platform

Tendulkar kept it tight with his inswing early on that had Wriddhiman Saha caught down leg and along with Jason Behrendorff, he kept Titans to 33 for 1 after five overs. Gill then started his onslaught by milking Cameron Green for 17 in the last over of the powerplay, with a powerful pull, a scythe through off and a stunning lofted straight drive for six to power the run rate past eight.Mumbai brought on Piyush Chawla immediately and Hardik Pandya holed out to long-off immediately for 13. But that didn’t deter Gill’s tempo. He drilled Chawla through the covers for four and smashed Kumar Kartikeya to the leg side next over to reach a 30-ball fifty and lead Titans to 84 for 2 at the halfway mark.David Miller was in a marauding mood at the death•BCCI

The take off from Manohar and Miller (and Tewatia)

Gill and Vijay Shankar holed out to long-on against the spinners in successive overs, and at 103 for 4 after 13 overs, the innings could have tilted either ways.Manohar bravely took on a miserly Chawla and tilted the pendulum in Titans’ favour in such a way that Mumbai never recovered. With the field spread out, Chawla started the 15th over with two full deliveries and Manohar blasted both to the cover boundary. On the fifth ball, Manohar charged down and smoked a straight six which made it a 17-run over, the same runs Chawla had conceded in his first three.There was no stopping Manohar and Miller after that. The duo hammered three batches of back-to-back sixes in the last three overs – with the help of Rahul Tewatia – and gave Mumbai’s bowling lots to think about before their next game. Manohar used his brute force to slam Green for the first of those batches in the 18th over, Miller did it with his golf swings to end Meredith’s last over, which also saw Manohar hole out to long-off for 42 off 21.Tewatia swept his first ball for six before slamming two more off Behrendorff’s slower ones in the last over on the leg side to finish on 20 off 5, and Miller’s dismissal for 46 off 22 on the penultimate ball was hardly a consolation for Mumbai because by then Titans had crossed 200.

Shami’s masterclass

The WTC final is still month and a half away, but Mohammed Shami was so accurate with his pace and swing early on that Mumbai and India captain Rohit Sharma might have something to smile about. Maybe not. Shami fired in one quick delivery after another outside Ishan Kishan’s off stump and made him look like a deer caught in the headlights, which meant Mumbai never took off in the chase. Kishan poked, jabbed and prodded at many such Shami deliveries to score eight off his 13 balls and crawled to 10 off 17 at the end of the powerplay.From the other end, Hardik fired in deliveries around 140-145kmh with outswing and took Rohit’s return catch off a leading edge for just 2, before also beating Green’s swings many a times in the powerplay that saw Mumbai struggling on 29 for 1.Nehal Wadhera impressed with his hard-hitting late in the order•AFP/Getty Images

The Rashid and Noor strangle

Titans unleashed the Afghan spinners together after the powerplay and Rashid struck immediately. He first had Kishan caught off a heave on the leg side to end a painful stay of 13 off 21, and three balls later trapped the Impact Player Tilak Varma for 2 with the help of a review. Green had by now collected two sixes and slammed a third off Noor in the ninth over even though the asking rate crossed 14.Noor then landed a double blow himself by rattling Green’s stumps in the 11th over and also had the big-hitting Tim David caught off a full toss for a two-ball duck. At 59 for 5 after 11, Mumbai hardly any chance of bouncing back.Apart from a cameo from Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai will be thrilled about unearthing another young batter, the 22-year-old Nehal Wadhera from Punjab. Wadhera manipulated the field to find gaps, hit big sixes down the ground and on the leg side, and impressed with his temperament under pressure even if the chase was virtually over when he batted. He and Suryakumar took down Noor for 15 runs in the 13th over and Wadhera finished with 40 off 21 studded with three sixes and as many fours even as Mumbai stumbled in another big chase.