Category Uncategorized

Another defeat will put UPW on the brink of elimination, but they have home advantage on their side

Hemant Brar05-Mar-20255:00

How do Warriorz contain Nat Sciver-Brunt?

Who’s playingUP Warriorz (UPW) vs Mumbai Indians (MI)
Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, 7.30pm ISTBig picture: UPW at critical junctureAfter their Super Over win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UPW have faced two back-to-back defeats. That has left them with just four points from six games and at a critical juncture in the tournament. Given their net run rate is by far the worst among all teams, another loss will push them to the brink of elimination.MI are in a much better position with six points from five games and a net run rate in the positive. But they have their own share of concerns, the biggest being their opening pair. Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews have added just 73 runs in five innings at an average of 14.60 and a run rate of 5.03. Three times they were separated with less than ten runs on the board. While Matthews did score a half-century two games ago, Bhatia has managed just 38 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 84.44.When the two sides met last month, in Bengaluru, Nat Sciver-Brunt’s all-round performance – 3 for 18 and 75 not out – decimated UPW. Can UPW find a way to stop her?Form guideUP Warriorz LLW (last three matches, most recent first)
Mumbai Indians LWWIn the spotlight: Chinelle Henry and Amelia KerrChinelle Henry was not part of UPW’s original plan. She was drafted in only when Alyssa Healy pulled out of the tournament. But she has emerged as their MVP, especially with the bat. Despite batting mostly at No. 8, and never higher than No. 7, she is the leading run-getter for UPW with a tally of 138 at a strike rate of 209.09. Given UPW lack firepower in the middle order, it would only be prudent to promote Henry a couple of slots.Should Chinelle Henry bat higher up the order?•BCCI

Amelia Kerr was one of the key batters for MI in the first two seasons. But this time she has had a lean run so far. In four innings, she has scored just 47 runs at an average of 11.75 and a strike rate of 88.67. With the openers also not clicking, that has left MI being overly reliant on Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur. Kerr would like to rectify that.Team news: Ishaque for Gupta?Despite losing their last two games, it is difficult to see how UPW can improve their XI. Perhaps they could bring in Rajeshwari Gayakwad for Gouher Sultana, who did not bowl a single over in the previous game despite Gujarat Giants piling up 186 for 5.UP Warriorz (probable): 1 Grace Harris, 2 Kiran Navgire, 3 Georgia Voll, 4 Vrinda Dinesh, 5 Deepti Sharma (capt), 6 Shweta Sehrawat, 7 Uma Chetry (wk), 8 Chinelle Henry, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Gouher Sultana, 11 Kranti GoudWith UPW likely to have only one left-hand batter in their XI, MI could consider bringing in left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque for offspinner Sanskriti Gupta.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 S Sajana, 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 G Kamalini, 9 Saika Ishaque/Sanskriti Gupta, 10 Jintimani Kalita, 11 Shabnim IsmailStats and trivia: The Sciver-Brunt show Teams winning the toss have opted to chase in all 15 games so far this season. They went on to win 13 of those. Sciver-Brunt is MI’s leading run-getter and joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament. In WPL 2025, Sciver-Brunt has more half-centuries (three) than the whole UPW team combined (two). UPW are the only team with no player in the top five run-getters or the top five wicket-takers in WPL 2025.

The former USMNT defender has shared his assessment of Freese's status, suggesting the position remains unsettled despite recent performances

• Freese has established himself beyond penalty-saving specialist
• Current No. 1 status reflects goalkeeper depth concerns
• Competition remains open with key contenders absent from recent camp

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  U.S. icon Alexi Lalas says Matt Freese is the USMNT’s current No. 1, though he admits that “says a lot about their goalkeeping situation.” The Fox Sports analyst credited Freese for moving beyond his penalty-saving reputation while ranking him second among winners of the September international break.

  "Timing is everything. He was there this summer, made a big splash in terms of saving the penalties, went to the final," Lalas said on his podcast. “I thought he should have done better on one of the goals, certainly against South Korea. He got his shut-out [against Japan], made some good saves, and I think established himself as more than just a guy who saves penalties, which I think he kind of needed to do."

  However, Lalas emphasized the importance of timing in Freese's ascension, noting that the New York City FC goalkeeper benefited from the absence of key competitors during recent training camps.

  "He's there, it's open, there's a competition. Matt Turner, who for a long time was the incumbent, wasn't even in this camp," Lalas explained. "So I'm going to put Matt Freese at No. 2, and the only reason I wouldn't put him at No. 1 is that I'm still not convinced, as you may be, that Matt Freese is going to be the starting goalkeeper come next summer.”

Advertisement

• WHAT ALEXI LALAS SAID

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The USMNT goalkeeper situation represents one of the most uncertain position battles heading into next summer's World Cup. Traditionally, a position of strength for American soccer, the current lack of a clearly established international-caliber goalkeeper reflects broader developmental concerns within the program. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The goalkeeper competition will intensify in upcoming camps as Pochettino evaluates all available options ahead of competitive fixtures. The USMNT will regroup next in October for the international break where they will face Ecuador and Australia.

قاد المدافع المصري أحمد حجازي فريقه نيوم لتحقيق فوز صعب ومثير على حساب الرياض في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما، في الدوري السعودي.

والتقى فريق نيوم نظيره الرياض، مساء اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة من بطولة الدوري السعودي للمحترفين.

طالع.. فيديو | بمشاركة أحمد حجازي.. الأهلي يفوز على نيوم في الدوري السعودي

وسجل فريق نيوم ثلاثة أهداف عن طريق لونشيانو رودريجيز وأحمد حجازي وألكسندر لاكازيت في الدقائق 2 و28 و54.

بينما أحرز هدفي الرياض، خليل العبسي وعبدالله دوكوري “بالخطأ في مرماه” في الدقيقتين 19 و77 من عمر اللقاء.

وبهذه النتيجة، يحتل نيوم المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي برصيد 9 نقاط، وفي المقابل تجمد رصيد الرياض عند 3 نقاط في المركز الثالث عشر. هدف أحمد حجازي مع نيوم أمام الرياض اليوم

هدف! ⚽️

رأسية أحمد حجازي تعلن الهدف الثاني لنيوم 🤯

⁧#الرياض_نيوم pic.twitter.com/lNz7S2uOSp — رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) September 27, 2025

 

West Bromwich Albion have already displayed an outside-the-box approach with their transfer activity this summer.

Whilst Nathaniel Phillips is a well-known name to most Championship fans, Aune Heggebo is definitely more of an unknown entity to the average supporter. Yet, West Brom have gambled on the former Brann goal machine to come good on English shores, having spent £4.7m on the Nordic striker.

It remains to be seen whether Heggebo will go on to be a rip-roaring success in England, but his blistering goal record in his native Norway is definitely encouraging to look at.

Why Heggebo could be a success at West Brom

After all, Erling Haaland infamously hails from the same nation, with the lofty attacker now one of the most feared strikers in world football after beginning his career in Scandinavia.

Of course, nobody will be anticipating Heggebo to storm into his new environment and be as instantly clinical as the Manchester City powerhouse, but the signs are there that he could be a lethal finisher at the Hawthorns if he can manage to navigate the step-up well.

In total, for Brann, the £4.7m forward would power home a potent 51 goals from 146 games, with the Eliteserien outfit no doubt putting up a valiant fight to try and keep their star asset around for longer.

Unfortunately, whilst £4.7m is a steep amount to splash in go, West Brom’s lavish spending has been overshadowed somewhat by near neighbours Birmingham City routinely flexing their muscles.

Across the Midlands, the £10m forked out on ex-Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi around the same time has certainly sent a message to the division’s best clubs.

However, the Baggies could shoot back into the limelight if they manage to get another left-field piece of business over the line, with a new target perhaps going down as Ryan Mason’s very own Kyogo if all clicks into place.

West Brom's answer to Kyogo

Before being renowned as a venomous goal threat with 85 strikes next to his name at Celtic, Kyogo would have been viewed as a bold pick-up by the Hoops, considering the Japanese gem had only ever played in the comforts of the J League, before Glasgow came calling.

West Brom might well look to tap into the Asian markets themselves with their next summer buy, with reports from earlier in the month suggesting that the Championship side had bid £1.1m for Jeonbuk Hyundai attacker Jeon Jin-Woo.

Games played

163

182

Goals scored

32

66

Assists

20

36

Jin-Woo might well follow in Kyogo’s footsteps in establishing himself as a menace up top when making the same daunting geographical leap, having amassed an electric 52 goal contributions plying his trade in Korea for both Jeonbuk and ex-employers Suwon Bluewings.

The brand-new Birmingham buy was able to devastatingly reach double Jin-Woo’s goal tally when starring for the likes of Vissel Kobe, but the two-time South Korea international will surely feel less nervous about taking that next step to the Baggies, knowing others have moved to the United Kingdom and thrived in some challenging environments.

To help the 25-year-old even more, Mason will also have Heggebo available for selection in attack, who will be equally eager to hit the ground running in his fresh location.

It does remain up in the air how well West Brom will do next season, with Mason also being a rookie manager away from their daring summer business, but Jin-Woo could become a firm fan’s favourite at the Hawthorns if he manages to excel in the English game to the same lofty heights Kyogo managed in Scotland.

Dream Johnston upgrade: West Brom submit surprise offer for £1.1m star

West Bromwich Albion could think outside of the box when pursuing a Mikey Johnston upgrade.

2 ByKelan Sarson Jul 16, 2025

حذر توماس توخيل مدرب منتخب إنجلترا من أن الأسود الثلاثة سيكونون مستعدين للضغط البدني الذي ستفرضه صربيا يوم الثلاثاء في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.

وسيكون لقاء منتخب إنجلترا ضد صربيا هو التحدي الأصعب في طريقها لنهائيات كأس العالم الصيف المقبل، ومن المتوقع أن تكون المواجهة عدائية بين المنتخبين.

وقال توماس توخيل عن لقاء صربيا خلال تصفيات أوروبا لكأس العالم في تصريحات نشرتها “إيفنينج ستاندرد”: “سيكون اختبار جيد ونتطلع له”.

وأضاف: “نشعر أننا مستعدون لمواجهة هذه الأجواء والقوة البدنية وستكون مباراة حماسية ومهمة للغاية في المجموعة وسنكون مستعدين لها”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. جاتوزو: سنحترم مهنتنا أمام الكيان الصهيوني.. ونواجههم بمزيد من الألم

وواصل: “تحدثنا للتو عما نريد بنائه لنكون أكثر وضوحاً في لعبنا وما هي أنماط لعبنا وكنا نعمل على ذلك طوال الأسبوع”.

وتابع: “سنخصص الساعات القادمة لمباراة صربيا، علينا التكيف مع الظروف الصعبة والتغلب عليها، ولنر كيف ستكون أرضية الملعب وكيف ستسير المباراة”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “سنكون مستعدين لكل شيء، سنواجه نفس التشكيلة، كتلة دفاعية 5-4-1 مع جودة فردية في الهجوم ومهاجمين طوال القامة يتمتعون بلياقة بدنية عالية، اختبار كبير قادم يوم الثلاثاء”.

وأكد توخيل أنه كان من المرجح أن يتم إخراج هاري كين من التشكيل الأساسي ضد أندورا ويمنح واتكينز مهاجم أستون فيلا الوقت في الشوط الثاني، ولكنه اضطر لإجراء تبديل لاستبدال جويهي، والذي قال بين الشوطين إنه شعر بألم في فخده، وسيبدأ مهاجم بايرن ميونخ بشكل أساسي ضد صربيا في بلجراد.

Derby County have now opened talks to sign an “unbelievable” defender, who is set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the month, according to a report.

Derby set to strengthen in defence

Derby survived the drop by the barest of margins last season, and they have their defence to thank, keeping clean sheets in four out of their last eight games to ensure Championship football will be played at Pride Park once again next season.

In the end, John Eustace wasn’t left to rue the decision to leave Blackburn Rovers for the Rams, but a club of their stature will have far loftier ambitions than merely surviving in the second tier, and the manager is looking to put his own stamp on his squad.

Despite the stellar defensive efforts at the back end of last season, one position in which Eustace appears to be particularly keen to strengthen is centre-back, with the likes of Blackburn Rovers’ Danny Batth and Birmingham City’s Dion Sanderson of interest.

Related Eustace loves him: Derby now keen on "incredible" 100+ career goal forward

The Rams have set their sights on a forward, with John Eustace believed to be a big fan.

Posts ByDominic Lund May 22, 2025

According to a report from Derbyshire Live, a League One centre-back has also been identified as a target, namely Lincoln City’s Paudie O’Connor, with Derby recently opening talks over a deal for the defender.

O’Connor’s contract is set to expire at the end of the month, meaning he is able to leave the Imps on a free transfer, and there are a number of clubs interested in his signature, with Huddersfield Town and Barnsley also being linked.

Wycombe Wanderers are currently believed to be in pole position for the Lincoln centre-back, but a move to Pride Park could be more appealing, given that Championship football will be on offer next season.

Derby need new centre-back after Phillips departure

The Rams’ defence was not the main problem last season, considering they shipped fewer goals than Coventry City, who reached the play-off semi-final, but it is clear they will need to bring in a new centre-back this summer, as Nat Phillips has returned to Liverpool.

Phillips was a regular starter whenever fit, making 32 appearances in the Championship last term, and he even scored a vital goal away at Hull City in the penultimate match of the season, which proved to be crucial in Eustace’s side avoiding the drop.

As such, it could be a difficult task to replace the 28-year-old, but there are some signs that O’Connor could be up to the task, having previously been lauded as “unbelievable” by teammate Jack Moylan.

The Lincoln captain was a key player for the Imps last season, making 45 appearances in all competitions, during which time he also proved himself to be a real attacking threat, picking up three goals and five assists in League One.

As such, the Irishman could now be ready to test himself at Championship level, and he would be a low-risk addition to the Derby squad on a free transfer.

Tottenham Hotspur will let Mathys Tel go back to Bayern Munich this summer if they can sign a highly-rated forward, according to a report this week, with Spurs holding a “concrete” interest heading into the first summer window on June 1.

Tottenham's option to buy Mathys Tel may be renegotiated

After a mixed first season at Spurs for Tel, with the Frenchman bagging just three goals and an assist in 20 total appearances so far, there are suggestions that chairman Daniel Levy will seek to bring his costs down.

Club now prepared to sell £50m star to Tottenham amid Jobe Bellingham plan

A deal is there to be done for Daniel Levy.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 29, 2025

The Lilywhites have an option to buy Tel permanently for around £42 million, which was negotiated when Spurs signed the versatile attacker on loan in January, but Levy apparently wants to renegotiate the fee needed to make him a Tottenham player next term.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

GiveMeSport and some reports from Germany indicate that Spurs will enter discussions with Bayern over a fresh deal for Tel, with the former claiming Ange Postecoglou’s side wish to bring his price down to somewhere around the £30 million mark.

The 20-year-old has displayed flashes of real promise during his time in N17, but there are arguments that Tel needs to improve his consistency and output in front of goal, so it will be intriguing to see whether Levy can whittle down Bayern’s asking price or move on to other targets.

Interestingly, credible reports this week have started linking Tottenham with another Bayern star – £242,000-per-week winger Leroy Sane – who is out of contract this summer as things stand.

Super-agent Pini Zahavi was pictured meeting with Bayern chiefs again over the prospect of a new deal, and the lengthy ongoing saga surrounding whether he’ll remain has motivated Premier League sides to consider him.

The 29-year-old has reportedly been offered to many clubs in England (Graeme Bailey), while some German media sources claim that Tottenham are currently the strongest contender to sign Sane on a Bosman deal (Sport Bild).

Tottenham unlikely to sign Mathys Tel if they seal Leroy Sane deal

The likelihood of them sealing a deal for the “dangerous” ex-Man City forward will have a knock-on effect when it comes to Tel’s future, according to Bundesliga insider Christian Falk.

Falk tells FC Bayern that, if Tottenham manage to sign Sane, they’re “unlikely” to pursue a permanent deal for Tel.

Spurs are said to hold a “concrete” interest in the former, and his agent Zahavi has a “very close” relationship with Levy, who is actively looking to find a suitable landing spot for his client if they cannot agree fresh terms with Bayern.

While Vincent Kompany’s side are attempting to restructure Sane’s initial contract offer to better suit the German, there remains a strong possibility that he chooses a move to London, especially considering his family currently reside in the English capital.

Omar Marmoush has been a revelation since making the move to Manchester City in the January transfer window. The Egyptian star joined for £59m at the back end of the winter window, and has been in scintillating form ever since.

In 14 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side so far, he has managed to score seven goals and register one assist. That included a fantastic hat-trick against Newcastle United, which came in the first half of a 4-1 win in the space of 15 minutes.

Perhaps, with the goals Marmoush has scored in a City shirt so far, he could be on track to be as prolific as Sergio Aguero was for the East Manchester side.

Aguero’s Man City career

“We cannot replace him” were Guardiola’s words when Aguero departed the Etihad Stadium at the end of the 2020/21 campaign. Well, that didn’t turn out to be entirely true, with Erling Haaland and, more recently, Marmoush, providing the goals that the legendary striker brought.

In his prime, few were better than Aguero. He scored an extraordinary 260 goals for City in 390 games, notching up 64 assists in that time, too. Only four players in Premier League history scored more goals than the former Argentina international, who bagged 184 Premier League goals.

At one stage, Aguero was described as “the best striker in the Premier League” by a man who knows what that means, Alan Shearer. There were six seasons in which he scored 20 or more goals in one top-flight campaign, including his first, in 20211/12.

However, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and Aguero’s final season for City showed just how much he struggled. He only managed six goals in all competitions in 2020/21 and became more of a squad player under Guardiola.

A decline of a club legend like that is always sad to see, and unfortunately, City fans could be seeing a similar thing with another player currently at the club.

Man City’s new Aguero

Perhaps a bigger legend than Aguero in City colours is Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian legend recently announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season, and has been linked with a move to MLS side Chicago Fire on a free transfer.

His time at City has been nothing short of extraordinary. De Bruyne has been the spearhead of all the success the club has experienced under Guardiola, with the icing on the cake, of course, the iconic treble in the 2022/23 campaign.

His current record in that famous Blue shirt is phenomenal. The City number 17 has played 415 games for the club, scoring 107 goals and registering 177 assists. It is no surprise that football statistician Statman Dave once described him as a “genius”.

The 33-year-old enjoyed his best individual Premier League season in 2019/20. That year, he managed an outrageous 13 goals and 20 assists in 35 games, scooping up the player of the season award for his incredible campaign.

However, his decline this season has been steep. The Belgian has struggled with injuries this term, and, like Aguero, has become more of a squad player. He has only played 33 times in all competitions, with five goals and eight assists to his name.

De Bruyne record in 2024/25 campaign
Stat	Games	Minutes	Goals	Assists
Premier League	22	1279	3	7
Champions League	7	397	0	0
FA Cup	3	198	2	1
Community Shield	1	1	0	0
Stats from Transfermarkt

We have still seen quality from De Bruyne in his final season as a City player, despite his decline. That included a fantastic free kick against Crystal Palace in their most recent Premier League outing.

With that being said, it is a shame to see such a legend of the game in the final throes of his Premier League career. He has given so much to the game and has been sensational in a City shirt for years.

Their fans will no doubt want to see him end on a high in the final weeks of his time at the club.

He's like David Silva: Man City in talks for £100m De Bruyne replacement

Man City have held talks to sign one of the best players in Germany…

1

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 14, 2025

Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Vaughan, Wasim Akram were among many who paid tribute to the English maestro

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2024

Hey Jimmy!

You've bowled the fans over with that incredible 22-year spell. Here's a little wish as you bid goodbye.

It has been a joy to watch you bowl – with that action, speed, accuracy, swing and fitness. You've inspired generations with your game.

Wish you a wonderful life… pic.twitter.com/ETp2e6qIQ1

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 12, 2024