Tag Futebol

Goldson 2.0: Rangers "interested" in signing £2m star from England

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Glasgow Rangers’ supporters have seen plenty of sublime strikers perform at Ibrox over the years.

Names such as Ally McCoist, Mark Hateley, Michael Mols and Kris Boyd roll off the tongue and how the new manager would love a goalscorer in this mould for next season at Rangers. The foundation of title wins and European runs, however, comes from an excellent defence, in particular a solid centre-back.

Terry Butcher arrived in Glasgow from England, and immediately became one of the most influential defenders in the club’s history. Richard Gough was next to follow, and he captained the Gers to nine league titles in a row at Ibrox between 1989 and 1997.

Following Gough’s departure, the likes of Lorenzo Amoruso, Craig Moore and Carlos Cueller emerged to continue the club’s ascent, with the latter helping Rangers reach the 2008 UEFA Cup final.

Who can forget David Weir? The former Everton defender was an absolute rock, despite playing until he was 41.

It took a while for the Light Blues to eventually replace Weir at the heart of the defence, but when Connor Goldson arrived in Glasgow during the summer of 2018, he looked every inch the heir to the Scot.

Conor Goldson’s Rangers statistics

Steven Gerrard’s rebuilding job that summer required a centre-back who could cope with the physicality of Scottish football.

Goldson, having played over 100 matches for Brighton and Shrewsbury down south, looked like the perfect signing.

Despite the Light Blues failing to win a trophy during Gerrard’s first two seasons at the club, progress was clear, and this stemmed from an improved defence led by Goldson.

Rangers defender Connor Goldson.

Indeed, he missed just six and two games during those two seasons. Rarely injured and consistently excellent, the Englishman was on the cusp of helping the Gers to one of their finest seasons on record.

Throughout the 2020/21 season, Rangers conceded only 13 Premiership goals, breaking the British record of 15 set by Chelsea 16 years before.

Goldson and Filip Helander were a commanding partnership at the back. The former Brighton star won an impressive 6.6 total duels per game that term – a success rate of 71% – while being dribbled past only 0.2 times per game and making 1.3 tackles each match.

Connor Goldson’s statistics at Rangers

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

48

0

3

2022/23

38

3

3

2021/22

61

4

4

2020/21

56

8

3

2019/20

52

4

2

2018/19

54

4

0

Via Transfermarkt

This was Goldson at his peak, no doubt about that. He was excellent during the club’s run to the final of the Europa League in 2022, but mistakes began creeping in steadily over the next couple of years.

His lack of pace was a worry, and he was regularly beaten in foot races against faster opponents, notably against Bojan Miovski, who got the better of the defender to open the scoring for Aberdeen in a 1-1 draw back in 2023.

He left last summer, joining Cypriot side Aris Limassol. He was awarded the best defender of the season and perhaps the club sold him prematurely?

It looks as though the Light Blues are showing interest in signing a centre-back from the Premier League. Could Cameron Burgess turn into Goldson 2.0?

Rangers eye move for Premier League defender

Leon Balogun looks set to leave Ibrox and with Rafael Fernandes returning to his parent club, the only centre-backs remaining will be John Souttar, Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala and Leon King.

With questions over Propper and Nsiala’s lack of experience, it is evident the club need to bring in a solid, reliable, defender this summer.

Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie gave the fans some transfer news when he took to X recently, saying: “Rangers are interested in Ipswich defender Cameron Burgess as they seek to bolster their defence ahead of the new season.

“29-yo has played 18 times in the Premier League this season.”

Burgess may be approaching 30, but with Premier League experience under his belt and the physicality to succeed in Scottish football, it could be a smart move to bring the £2m-rated star north of the border.

If he impresses early on, he could be the natural successor to Goldson at Ibrox. That much is certain.

Why Rangers must sign Cameron Burgess

Scottish scout and analyst, Kai Watson, profiled the centre-back amid rumors that Rangers are keen on signing him.

He said: “Cameron Burgess may not be the most exciting signing on paper but he’ll bring necessary experience to the back, particularly if Balogun departs.

“He’s 6’4, left sided, an Australian international and uses the ball well.”

Across his 18 Premier League appearances for Ipswich Town this term, Burgess has won 3.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 68% – and made 0.9 tackles and 6.9 clearances per game in the top flight.

Kieran McKenna, Burgess’ manager at Ipswich, hailed the defender as “excellent” back in 2022 and there is no doubt he would be a reliable option for the new manager to call upon next term, given his dominant duel success rate that compares well to Goldson’s aforementioned form at Ibrox.

While his passing statistics may not be out of this world, mainly due to Ipswich not having much of the ball during games, he makes up for it by impressing across other metrics.

Indeed, when compared to fellow defenders in the English top flight, the Australian ranks in the top 2% for clearances (7.48), in the top 21% for aerials won (2.57), and in the top 5% for percentage of dribblers tackled (81.8%) per 90 this season.

Although bringing the ball out from the back is important, having a player who is able to get the better of the opposition forwards – both in the air and on the ground – is something that the Gers have struggled with this season.

Propper often struggles with the physicality of strikers from clubs lower down the league table, even though his passing is fairly reliable (88% pass success rate).

Burgess might not be a flashy new signing that will get supporters out of their seats at Ibrox next season. What he will offer is a solidity at the heart of the defence.

Following a campaign of disarray, this is exactly what is required for 2025/26.

Dream for Diomande: Rangers could land one of "Brazil's best" for £4m

Rangers are looking to sign a few players this summer

ByRoss Kilvington May 17, 2025

Celtic expected to pursue "superb" £13.5m star who Thomas Gravesen loves

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Celtic are into the final stretch of their bid for the treble and could now be set to reignite an old flame on the market that would excite supporters, per reports.

Celtic ready to build for the future under Brendan Rodgers

The weekend is nearly here, and Brendan Rodgers knows his side can take a major step towards claiming their fourth successive Scottish Premiership title if they can see off Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon.

Should that happen, a victory for Aberdeen 24 hours later would put the final nail in Rangers’ coffin. Undoubtedly, the Bhoys haven’t been at their best in recent times, but their divisional rivals haven’t been able to hold a candle to them this season.

Celticmanager BrendanRodgerscelebrates with the trophy after winning the League Cup

Finishing off the campaign with a flourish is now in their sights and may yield a domestic treble if St Johnstone and one of Heart of Midlothian or Aberdeen are both swept aside in the Scottish Cup.

Looking ahead to next term, Celtic have made their interest known in Newcastle United’s Martin Dubravka and may look to strike a surprise deal for the Slovakia international despite having Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo between the sticks.

Furthermore, Keith Wyness has claimed the Bhoys could make up to five summer signings as Rodgers puts his foot down ahead of his side’s involvement in Champions League qualifiers next term.

Celtic set to make major striker signing if they sell £3m star this summer

Celtic could be set for a busy summer window under Brendan Rodgers.

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 9, 2025

Additions are expected to be widespread at Parkhead to supplement the inevitability of departures. Celtic have the power to sell assets for a considerable sum, so don’t be surprised if they reinvest in premium talent.

Heeding that advice, Rodgers and company are now reportedly plotting a move for a goalscorer who would generate major excitement among supporters.

Celtic set to reignite interest in Brondby's Mathias Kvistgaarden

Per The Daily Record, Celtic are expected to pursue a deal for Brondby striker Mathias Kvistgaarden this summer after previously showing interest in the Denmark Under-21 international across recent windows.

Labelled “superb” by scout/analyst Jacek Kulig, the 22-year-old was subject to interest from the Hoops in January, which his current employers blocked and they have since placed a £13.5 million price-tag on his shoulders.

Mathias Kvistgaarden’s key statistics in 2024/25 – Danish Superliga

Appearances

21

Goals

13

Assists

4

Shots on target

25

Chances created

16

Completed dribbles

17

Non-penalty XG

9.98

Admired by Thomas Gravesen for his ‘skilled’ nature, as cited by the report, he has notched 17 goals and five assists across all competitions in 28 appearances this campaign.

Capable of playing through the middle or on the left flank, Kvistgaarden has the versatility needed to slot into Celtic’s front four with minimal fuss under Rodgers, who will want a degree of flexibility to work with heading into 2025/26.

Now, it remains to be seen if the Hoops can strike a deal for their long-term target amid further interest from the likes of Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurt in his services.

Gus Atkinson stays grounded as maiden century shows head for batting heights

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

England bowler not getting carried away despite startling success in first series at No.8

Matt Roller30-Aug-20240:35

Gus Atkinson proud of century after ‘frustrating’ year with the bat

Joe Root’s grin as he sat on the Lord’s outfield made clear that his outlandish comparison between Gus Atkinson and Jacques Kallis was tongue-in-cheek. But while Atkinson is unlikely to graduate to official allrounder status anytime soon, there was no questioning the talent he showed in making his maiden Test – and first-class – hundred.Atkinson has shown glimpses of his batting abilities in his international career, thrashing 35 off 21 balls in England’s heavy defeat to South Africa at last year’s World Cup and twice belting 21 from down the order against West Indies in his maiden Test series this summer. Even still, he looked a spot high at No. 8 when England reshuffled their side to cover Ben Stokes’ absence.Yet at Lord’s, he lived up to his promotion to reach 74 not out on Thursday evening, twice lofting Prabath Jayasuriya over mid-off and pulling Lahiru Kumara’s tired short ball over midwicket. “Being at the other end when he hit those straight sixes, they were unbelievable,” Root said, laughing, at the close of play. “It’s like watching someone like Jacques Kallis play.”It only took him 22 balls to convert his overnight score into a hundred, though not without a scare. After hitting the first two balls of the morning for four – a flick off the pads and a punch through cover – he was given out lbw by Paul Reiffel, only for a review to save him, with the ball shown to be missing leg. Marcus Trescothick, England’s batting coach, punched the air in relief on the balcony.Atkinson showed no such emotion, characteristically unflappable as he cruised to three figures. He has worked hard on his basics with Surrey’s coaches Gareth Batty and Jade Dernbach, trying to stay as still as possible with his eyes level on release. His practice came to fruition with the shots that took him from 95 to 103, crisp drives either side of mid-off.Finally, Atkinson allowed himself to smile, beaming as he charged towards the pavilion with fists clenched. His father, Ed, watched in disbelief from a hospitality suite in the Grandstand, and his team-mates stood to applaud from the balcony, all grinning as they shared in the unlikely success of a man averaging 6.71 in the County Championship this season.Atkinson had dinner with Zak Crawley and Harry Brook on Thursday night, and was gently ribbed by them about the prospect of reaching three figures. “There was a bit of pressure on from them, but thankfully I got there,” he said. “It was just pure elation. I was so happy, so relieved. It was a pretty surreal moment.Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope and Chris Woakes applaud Gus Atkinson’s century•Getty Images”I was pretty happy [last night],” Atkinson added. “I’d scored 70-odd already, so I tried to not put too much pressure on myself: if I got out, I got out. I just wanted to continue to play the way that I played yesterday. Thankfully it came off for me today. I feel like I hit quite a few boundaries today, so it was nice just to get there quite quickly this morning.”The innings put Atkinson in esteemed company, making him one of six men to take both a ten-for and hit a hundred at Lord’s, following his 12-wicket debut haul against West Indies last month. This was also the first century from England’s lower order (No. 8-11) for more than a decade, since Matt Prior in 2013; and, excluding innings which involved nightwatchmen, the first since Stuart Broad’s 169 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010.Related

Root 143 repels Sri Lanka before Atkinson 74* turns screw

Gus Atkinson profits from Sri Lanka's profligacy to power England towards 400

Clenched fist in a velvet glove as Joe Root comes good when it matters again

Kamindu fights for Sri Lanka but England seize control after Atkinson hundred

That Broad averaged 15.64 after that hundred, with eight fifties and no hundreds in his 199 subsequent innings, should be a reminder that Atkinson will not always have things this easy. For all his poise, he was up against a four-man attack with 57 previous Test caps between them: batting may look a little less straightforward next year when he comes up against India and Australia.Atkinson, however, does not seem the type to get ideas above his station, and made clear that he is not looking for a promotion. “I’m happy at eight; eight is good,” he said. “I haven’t thought about it too much… obviously missing Stokesy this series gave me the opportunity to bat No. 8, and thankfully I scored a hundred. Going forward, obviously I’d like to bat as high as possible.”I’ve been frustrated with my batting this year: I haven’t really scored many runs for Surrey at all. But I know how good a player I can be. I feel like I’ve got so much natural ability with the bat and I felt like I was moving really well and hitting the ball really cleanly. It was just one of those days where it comes off for you.”In the long term, his emergence with the bat might enable England to make bold decisions away from home: Atkinson becoming a regular contributor from No. 8 would empower them to leave Chris Woakes out overseas without unduly compromising the balance of their side. More immediately, it has put them on the cusp of a fifth win in a row, and a second series victory of the summer.

Can Chris Jordan find redemption and a swansong at the World Cup?

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

After England’s loss in last year’s semi-final, he was cast as the villain. Now the death-overs specialist is back, fitter, for one last crack at a world title

Vithushan Ehantharajah21-Oct-2022″Don’t apologise for bringing it up,” Chris Jordan says. “It happened, it’s a fact.”It felt appropriate to say sorry before dredging up bad memories from last year when Jordan stepped up to bowl the 17th over of the chase in England’s T20 World Cup semi-final . New Zealand needed an unlikely 57 from 24 deliveries. Six legitimate balls and two wides later, that was a more manageable 34 off 18 . They eventually got home with an over to spare.Jordan was crestfallen as he walked off the ground at the Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. “Nothing is guaranteed in T20 cricket,” he says. “But we were in a decent position, and a couple of half-decent overs and we come out on the right end”.Related

Questions about England's bowling? Wood, Curran and Stokes have some answers

England performance director ponders delicate winter juggling act

Chris Woakes doubtful for England's opener against Afghanistan

Chris Jordan: 'Real conversations' are the key for anti-racism message

Chris Jordan: Pressure for places is driving England's players to keep improving

That night went as they usually do: a few drinks and a lot of reflection. Eventually, Jordan decided to check his phone and reply to several commiserating messages, before opening up social media. What he found was a torrent of racist abuse.He had been racially abused before, but not to this extent. “It wasn’t necessarily the fact it was racist abuse, it was the volume of it.”A lot of nasty things were said. I got told stuff about my family, so many different things. Whatever you can think of from a racial point of view, it was said to me, it was sent to me.”Accounts were reported to the respective social media authorities, though the sheer number of them, coupled with the fact that it was unlikely any action would be taken, gave him a sense it was all a bit futile.That being said, Jordan carries a degree of optimism. Conversations had over the past few years, particularly in his role as ambassador of the ACE programme – a charity started by former England and Surrey cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent in January 2020 to support diverse talent, from grassroots to elite – gives him a sense things are changing. Yet there is also an awareness of how these drives for inclusivity draw out the worst of society.”It’s a tough one, to put your finger on what exactly can be done, because ultimately people will hide behind profiles and feel like they can pull their keyboard out and tell you whatever they want to tell you, whenever they want to tell you.”I personally believe the needle is moving ever so slightly. But everything has to start somewhere.Chris Jordan thinks he has Jimmy Neesham out in last year’s World Cup semi-final, but the decision was overturned on review. Neesham ended up getting 23 runs off Jordan’s over•Francois Nel/Getty Images”By the time it fully shifts, I’m not even sure we might even be around. We can only do our bit in the present, with a hope you would have played even a small role in fully shifting the landscape.”It is a measure of Jordan’s experience that he understood why he was being insulted, if not the scale and framing of the insults. Being a death bowler in T20 cricket is perhaps one of the most polarising roles in professional sport.”It felt as though a lot of the blame was put solely on myself,” he says. “Which is fine. When you bowl in those situations, more often than not, the game is on the line and it’s you who determines which way the game swings.”At the pointy end, the best-laid plans can go awry, but also, poor execution of those plans can still bring glory. Jordan embodies the dichotomy inherent in the job; very few have toed the line between hero and villain as he has in his 14 years in the shortest format. Understandably, it is often forgotten he conceded just eight in the penultimate over of the 2016 T20 World Cup final before Carlos Brathwaite eviscerated Ben Stokes. Even when you do your job, neither acclaim or success is guaranteed.Of the 13 bowlers to have sent down 25 or more overs in the last four overs of a T20I since the start of 2021, Jordan’s economy rate, 10.65, is the fourth worst. Expanding that to all T20s in that same period, Jordan’s 9.66 is the seventh-most expensive of 19 bowlers, though only Pakistan’s Haris Rauf has bowled more than Jordan’s 205 dot balls. At the time of writing, no one, domestically or internationally, has bowled more at the death in the last two years.

Given how unforgiving the role is, the question has to be asked: Why do it to yourself? Why assume all that pressure while others have the luxury of getting their four out of the way early?”I take it back to life,” Jordan says. “Nothing in life comes easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it, and everyone would want to do it. I pride myself on that, if you like.”I really do genuinely enjoy being in those situations, because I think about the positives. When you do come out of the right side of those situations, it builds confidence.”If there is a thrill-seeker element to death bowling, it comes with a requirement to focus on the hazards. Jordan regularly debriefs his performances, judging himself primarily on execution, though occasionally focusing on outcome, particularly if he can identify external tweaks like adjusting the angle of certain fielders to turn fours into ones.Having watched his final over in last year’s semi-final, bowled exclusively to Jimmy Neesham, whose 27 off 11 allowed Daryl Mitchell (72 not out) to see New Zealand to their target of 167, he admits to being conflicted.”When I look back on it, Neesham came out on top. But I still created two chances in that over that could have swung the game back the other way. Jonny [Bairstow] stepped on the rope, which ended up being a six, then another went up in the air where Livi [Liam Livingstone] misjudged it. But that’s part of cricket. Although I felt he definitely won the first part of the over, I definitely won the second in terms of creating chances. Though certainly not outcome.”It wasn’t one of the better overs in my career, but I could have swung the game in our favour. Over a period of time, if it plays out like that, I feel like it could end up in my favour a high percentage of the time.”This T20 World Cup is likely to be Jordan’s last, though he arrives at a neat juncture where learnings and body are sharp. He has fully recovered from a finger injury that cut his summer short. He showcased greater pace this season than in the previous two; CricViz data shows 37.9% of his deliveries were over 140kph compared to 25.3% in 2021 and 34.9 in 2022 overall.That timeline is no coincidence. A nerve problem in his shoulder resulted in the wasting of his right bicep, which required surgery in the summer of 2020. Medical consultations that followed revealed he would only get back to full pace two years later. Jordan initially let that assessment slide before a moment of realisation during the second T20I against India at Edgbaston. He took 4 for 27, with the destructive duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya among them.Back in the 2016 T20 World Cup final, Jordan bowled an eight-run 19th over, after which Carlos Brathwaite took four sixes off Ben Stokes for the win•Jan Kruger/IDI/Getty Images”I only realised when the speed gun was coming up consistently,” admits Jordan. “The surgeon said obviously there will be a little bit of improvement but I probably wouldn’t see the best of it until after two years. And then it hit me that that was almost two years to the day, when it coincided with my speeds and consistency. I guess the surgeon was more or less bang on!”Before that series, a one-on-one meeting with an England analyst revealed Jordan was bowling fewer yorkers. From 27.7% of his deliveries in 2021, that figure had nearly doubled to 50.4 this year.He was surprised at that dip in 2021 because he prides himself on the delivery. At the same time, he admits it might have been the subconscious result of fearing he was becoming predictable and moving to hit length more.Batters have become accustomed to scoring off yorkers with ramp shots or by sitting deeper in their crease, and tactics have shifted accordingly. England, for example, bowled the fewest yorkers of the Super 12 teams at the 2021 World Cup. However, from Jordan’s perspective, they remain in vogue.”I made a conscious effort to bowl a lot more [of them] and then game to game, player to player, I just tried to put the percentages in my favour: whether [those batters] had a higher strike rate on wider yorkers or straight yorkers. Being a little bit smarter in that way.”I guess the more data that has come into the game, you end up having more bespoke plans for each player, which don’t really revolve around yorkers. You find out that some players are actually really good at hitting them, and that’s when you know the margin for error when you miss is smaller, so you might avoid it.”I do feel it has gone out of the game as a go-to plan at the death, and captains and coaches are encouraging you to actually hold length a little longer, because you could get someone out in that fashion instead of trying to restrict them.”Jordan is 34, and given the next T20 World Cup is in 2024 and he has not played an ODI since February 2020, it is not unreasonable to think this World Cup could be his last appearances of note in an England shirt. Beyond three T20Is in early 2023 away to Bangladesh, international duty may be a thing of the past for Surrey’s T20 captain, though he continues to be ever present on the franchise circuit.England have a chance to make amends for 2021. A generation of cricketers who have lifted the team out of the white-ball doldrums have a shot at the perfect sign-off by holding both limited-overs world trophies concurrently. And for Jordan, it is an opportunity to right his wrong and add some personal glory to a dedicated career that might only truly get its flowers when he’s no longer around.

MS Dhoni retirement: Tributes pour in on social media

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Social media abuzz with tributes for former India captain MS Dhoni

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2020

View this post on Instagram

‘Midas Man’- what an amazing career. Would have loved to have duelled against this street fighter. #congrats #champion #icon @mahi7781

A post shared by Steve Waugh (@stevewaugh) on Aug 17, 2020 at 3:12am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Always a pleasure to play against you @mahi7781 You did it with style, flamboyance and above all else, calmness. Your own way. The Dhoni way. Congrats on all you achieved.

A post shared by Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) on Aug 15, 2020 at 4:45pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

A hero of mine and so many millions more all around the world. Congratulations on a quite incredible international career @mahi7781! An honour to have played against you. #MS

A post shared by Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) on Aug 15, 2020 at 9:35am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Congrats on a wonderful career @mahi7781 The way he remained calm under pressure & made his own unorthodox batting & wicketkeeping technique work instead of changing to fit into the 'accepted mould' was something I admired the most & tried to learn from to improve my game #MSD #Legend

A post shared by Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) on Aug 16, 2020 at 1:34am PDT

Soon after Dhoni’s post on Instagram, Suresh Raina also took to the platform to announce his international retirement.

View this post on Instagram

It was nothing but lovely playing with you, @mahi7781 . With my heart full of pride, I choose to join you in this journey. Thank you India. Jai Hind!

'Psychological boost' – Erling Haaland reveals why Man City weren't 'happy' with Kylian Mbappe absence after Real Madrid victory

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Erling Haaland admits that the absence of Kylian Mbappe in Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid handed Pep Guardiola’s side a “psychological boost”, but insists they were “not happy” at seeing the French superstar remain benched. Mbappe saw no game time as City left Santiago Bernabeu with a morale-boosting 2-1 win in elite European competition.

Why Mbappe sat out Real Madrid's clash with Man City

Premier League giants City headed to Spain fully expecting World Cup winner Mbappe to pose their defensive unit plenty of problems. He was known to be nursing a knock, but was still included in Xabi Alonso’s matchday squad.

The France international remained rooted to the bench even when Real found themselves trailing in the second half of a heavyweight encounter. Rodrygo’s opening goal of the evening was cancelled out by Nico O’Reilly and a penalty from Haaland.

The Blancos opted not to take any risks on Mbappe’s fitness, with the 26-year-old ‘Galactico’ nursing a knee complaint. Alonso needs him fit and firing in what has been a faltering bid for La Liga title honours in 2025-26.

AdvertisementGettyHaaland had been hoping to line up against Mbappe

Seeing Mbappe among the substitutes – with 25 goals to his name this season – offered a timely shot in the arm to City. Haaland is, however, adamant that they would rather have faced one of the best in the business.

The prolific Norwegian, who has taken his own goal tally this season to 21 through as many appearances at club level, told : “We know about their injuries, we have a few as well, but they have many injuries and you don't want anyone to be injured, but we expected Mbappe to play.

“I thought I was going to play against Kylian, so, of course, when a player like Kylian doesn't play, you're not happy because you want to play against the best, but it gives you a bit of a psychological boost.”

Haaland converted from the spot against Real having won that decisive penalty himself. He was bundled over in the box by Antonio Rudiger and was given the opportunity to step up from 12 yards following a VAR review and advice to the referee for a pitch-side monitor to be checked.

City’s fearsome No.9 added on the physical tussle that he enjoyed with Madrid’s defence: “[Raul] Asencio was starting to push me and try to beef with me a lot. It's something I like. And, of course, Rudiger as well, we've been having some great battles and today he wanted a bit too much, he pulled me. So, for me, a clear penalty.”

Notable scalp: City delight in victory at the Bernabeu

From seven previous visits to the Bernabeu, City had just one win to show for their efforts – a 2-1 success back in February 2020. They suffered a 3-1 defeat at the same venue in February 2025 and were fully aware of how big the challenge they faced was.

Guardiola had his troops well prepared, though, and they were able to claim a notable continental scalp. Haaland was full of praise for the manner in which City set about downing Madrid – especially after falling behind.

He said: “It's difficult to come here and the game has loads of transitions. We could have had another goal. I was close on one in the second half, Jeremy [Doku] was close a few times but the game was a bit chaotic. We can't really control it, which is difficult and it's difficult to come here, so in the end, we're super happy.

“It could have looked completely different today if we didn't win because we lost against Leverkusen, so this win is really important. Now we've got two more games left so we need to finish strong now and hopefully we can be in the first eight because then we're through.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyMan City fixtures: Domestic action now the focus

City have risen to fourth in the Champions League table, but are only one point clear of ninth-placed Liverpool. They will not be back in European action until January 20, with domestic competition – including a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Brentford – taking centre stage through the remainder of 2025 and into the new year.

Navi Mumbai gears up for India-Australia epic, but will Healy play?

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Big picture – How will Shafali-Mandhana bat?

The stakes couldn’t be higher.Australia are here with a clean slate. They have been pushed back multiple times during this World Cup, and they’ve found a way back each time. Two of their batters, Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner, have scored two centuries each. Two of their bowlers, Annabel Sutherland and Alana King, have taken more than ten wickets each. And apart from everything else that makes them such intimidating opponents, Australia have not lost an ODI knockout game since they lost to India in the the semi-finals of the 2017 World Cup.Related

  • How to beat Australia in three easy steps (step 1 – invent a miracle)

  • Tactics board: Mandhana's level-up, Sutherland's steady hand

  • Shafali tunes up for Australia, a day after destiny's call

  • What will Harmanpreet vs Australia bring us this time?

India are riding a wave of emotion. They recovered from a three-game losing streak to sneak into the semi-finals. In their last full game, played at the same venue, they posted their record World Cup total. No team has pushed Australia harder than India in recent times. And they are now two wins away from doing what no India women’s team has ever done.Their key player Smriti Mandhana has scored 105, 58, 117, 125 and 80 in her last five ODIs against Australia. But she’ll start from 0 again, and this time she’ll have an adjustment to make, with her usual opening partner Pratika Rawal, with whom she added a record 212 against New Zealand, ruled out of the World Cup. Mandhana is all set to open with Shafali Verma, and the new combination could have an effect on how she bats.In ODIs involving Shafali, Mandhana averages 51.83 and strikes at 85.55. When these two opened together, Shafali was usually the early aggressor. Mandhana took on that role when Shafali went out of the side, however, as her numbers in matches involving Rawal suggest: an average of 62.65, a strike rate of 108.75. How will the new (old) opening combination bat on Thursday?For Australia, there is a fair bit of intrigue around Healy’s availability. A minor calf strain sidelined her ahead of the game against England, and she missed two matches subsequently. Australia would not want to be reminded of the T20 World Cup semi-final from last year; Healy missed the clash and South Africa romped to an eight-wicket win.The second semi-final, for which the cheapest tickets were priced at INR 150 (as opposed to INR 100 for the Guwahati semi-final), is a sell-out. You can expect all of Navi Mumbai to cram itself into the DY Patil Stadium. They could get to witness an epic.Shafali Verma waits for her turn at the nets•ICC/Getty Images

Form guide

Australia WWWWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India WLLLW

In the spotlight – Phoebe Litchfield and Deepti Sharma

Phoebe Litchfield loves playing India. She has one century and four fifties in just eight ODI innings against them, and averages 63.50. She has a wide range of sweeps that could potentially upset the rhythm of India’s spinners. After a pair of low scores against England and South Africa, Litchfield may feel she is due some runs too.Deepti Sharma has been India’s leading wicket-taker at this World Cup with 15 at 22.46. There will be a lot of focus on her during this game, because she has a fine record against Australia’s middle-order batters. She has dismissed Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner twice each in ODIs, while going at less than a run a ball against both, Ellyse Perry three times, and Tahlia McGrath five times in nine innings. Only Perry and Annabel Sutherland from the current side have managed to hit Deepti for a six in ODIs.

Team news – Australia sweat on Healy’s availability

While Healy batted and kept wicket during Tuesday’s training session, she opted out of optional training on Wednesday, with Georgia Voll batting in partnership with Litchfield. Head coach Shelley Nitschke said Australia would give Healy “as much time as she needs” and will take a call on her participation on Thursday. That aside, expect Sophie Molineux to come back into the spin attack for Georgia Wareham, who played against South Africa but did not get a chance to bowl.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Beth Mooney, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Megan Schutt.Shafali is likely to swap straight into India’s XI in Rawal’s place at the top of the order. Richa Ghosh, who was rested against Bangladesh after injuring her finger during the match against New Zealand, did not look in any discomfort during her keeping drills and batted a fair bit on Tuesday. Sneh Rana and Kranti Gaud, both of whom were also rested against Bangladesh, could come back into the XI.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Kranti Gaud, 10 N Shree Charani, 11 Renuka Singh.2:15

Australia coach Nitschke: Not underdogs, but also not favourites’

Pitch and conditions

The game will be played on the pitch on which Sri Lanka played Bangladesh. That track was devoid of grass and had a bright brown look to it. It is expected to be a high-scoring game. There has been rain in Navi Mumbai in the lead-up to the match, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for Wednesday and Thursday, but the forecast for matchday has cleared up somewhat. The match will go into a reserve day should it not finish on Thursday.

Stats and trivia

  • Mandhana and Shafali have opened together 25 times in ODIs, adding 893 runs at an average of 37.20 and a run rate of 5.38. Mandhana and Rawal, who have opened together 23 times, are India’s most successful opening pair in ODIs, having put on 1799 runs at 78.21 and 6.06.
  • Alana King’s average of 34.63 and economy rate of 5.93 against India are her worst by a distance against any opposition in ODIs. Mandhana (160.00), Harleen Deol (116.66), Harmanpreet Kaur (114.58), Jemimah Rodrigues (113.23) and Deepti Sharma (105.40) have 100-plus strike rates against the legspinner.
  • Australia are on a 15-match winning streak in ODI World Cups. They had also won 15 in a row across the 1997 and 2000 editions.
  • Megan Schutt is one wicket away from becoming the leading wicket-taker for Australia in ODI World Cups. She has 39 now, on par with Lyn Fullston

Quotes

“Ash [Gardner] has been unbelievable. We all know what she’s capable of with the bat, but to take her game to the next level, and do that in a World Cup, has been fantastic. She’s someone who is very diligent in everything she does; she’s a hard worker. When she’s at her best, it’s about making sure that she’s enjoying the game and enjoying the environment and she’s getting in the contest.”
“I was playing domestic cricket and was in good touch. [Semi-finals] are not something new for me because I’ve played many semi-finals before. It’s just a matter of keeping my mind clear and giving myself confidence. I’ve been in such situations earlier, so it’s nothing new. I’ll keep telling myself to stay calm and believe in myself. So absolutely, I’ll do well, 200%.”

رجل مباراة ريال مدريد وجيرونا في الدوري الإسباني

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

خاض فريق ريال مدريد مباراة أمام جيرونا، مساء الأحد، ضمن مباريات بطولة الدوري الإسباني لموسم 2025-2026.

واستقبل جيرونا خصمه ريال مدريد، في إطار مباريات الجولة الرابعة عشر للدوري الإسباني “الليجا”، على ملعب “مونتليفي”.

وحسمت المباراة بين الفريقين بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لمثله، حيث أحرز عز الدين أوناحي هدفًا لجيرونا، وأدرك كيليان مبابي التعادل لريال مدريد.

اقرأ أيضًا | ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإسباني بعد هدف مبابي في مباراة ريال مدريد وجيرونا

وحصل على جائزة رجل المباراة، عز الدين أوناحي، لاعب جيرونا، بعد الأداء الذي قدمه أمام ريال مدريد خلال المواجهة.

وأصبح رصيد ريال مدريد 33 نقطة في المركز الثاني بالترتيب، خلف برشلونة المتصدر بفارق نقطة، وجيرونا لديه 12 نقطة في المركز الثامن عشر.

Brookes stars in thrilling chase as Worcestershire seal One-Day Cup glory

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Orr century, Currie five-for give Hampshire the edge until flying finish at Trent Bridge

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay20-Sep-2025Worcestershire 188 for 7 (Brookes 57, Currie 5-34) beat Hampshire 237 for 7 (Orr 110, Waite 3-60) by three wickets (DLS) Worcestershire ended a week that saw them relegated in the Rothesay County Championship by winning the Metro Bank One-Day Cup by three wickets in a sensational finish to a rain-affected final at Trent Bridge, despite a brilliant century from Ali Orr for Hampshire.Chasing a twice-revised target of 188 from 27 overs after Hampshire had made 237 for seven in 45, the Rapids clinched victory with two balls to spare after ninth man Henry Cullen, with four required to win, was caught on the boundary at long leg only for the fielder, Kyle Abbott, to touch the rope while the ball was still in his hand.The heartbreak for Hampshire came only a week after their defeat by Somerset in the Vitality Blast final.Hampshire’s Scott Currie, who had earned an England call-up earlier in the week but was not required for the T20s against Ireland, looked to have bowled his side to victory here as three wickets in his final over gave him figures of five for 31.But after Ethan Brookes hit four sixes in a superb 34-ball 57 to haul Worcestershire back into contention after falling behind the rate required, Matthew Waite’s two sixes in a five-ball 16 set up what had seemed an unlikely victory with 13 needed off Brad Wheal’s final over.Until then, Orr’s 110 – his third century in this season’s competition – including two sixes in addition to 10 fours and came off 130 balls, looked to have been the match-winning performance.It took a superb one-handed catch off his own bowling by Waite to dismiss him.Orr and fellow left-hander Nick Gubbins (38) put on 82 in 16.2 overs for the first wicket, but the opening pair apart, all-rounder James Fuller’s 23 from 20 balls was the highest Hampshire score in the face of a disciplined response from Worcestershire’s seam attack.Ali Orr’s century gave Hampshire the upper hand in the early part of the final•Getty ImagesBowling nine overs each, Waite took three for 60, Ben Allison impressed with two for 41 and a miserly Tom Taylor took one for 24.Play had begun at the scheduled 11am start time, with Worcestershire opting to bowl first, perhaps with a nod to overcast conditions.Orr and Gubbins, mainstays of the Hampshire batting along their path to a fourth final in the last seven editions of the 50-over competition, had the upper hand against Taylor and Khurram Shahzad, hitting nine boundaries to be 55 without loss in the opening 10-over powerplay.Allison and Waite slowed their progress – and forced a breakthrough when Waite squared up Gubbins, who was caught at backward point off a leading edge. The skipper’s 38 had taken him to 707 as the leading runscorer in this season’s competition.Fletcha Middleton departed between showers, mistiming Taylor to be caught at extra cover. The second break for rain came at 141 for two from just under 31 overs, after which Hampshire pushed the accelerator.Orr walloped Brookes over deep midwicket before completing the fifth List A century of his career in a costly over for Waite that included a six and three fours, reaching the milestone off 118 balls with 14 fours in addition to his two maximums.But Worcestershire removed Toby Albert via a top-edge to deep square and Ben Mayes, bowled by Brookes before Waite ended Orr’s impressive innings via a brilliant one-handed caught-and-bowled.Worcestershire’s bowlers maintained their grip, conceding only one boundary in the last five overs, delivering 15 dot balls and picking up two more wickets as Fuller and Andrew Neal both picked out Brookes on the fence at wide long-on.Their chase did not begin until 5.15pm after a long stoppage between innings but it got off to a flyer despite – 28 without loss from four overs after 19-year-old Daniel Lategan had lofted Wheal high over wide long-on for the first six of the innings.But two setbacks checked their progress as Roderick sliced Fuller to third man and Currie’s first ball had Lategan caught behind.Kashif Ali and Jake Libby added 62 for the third wicket but their rate of progress was well behind what was needed as Gubbins rotated his quintet of bowlers, none of whom gave away easy runs and when Kashif was caught on the reverse at backward point, the Rapids still needed 94 at 93 for three in the 17th.Libby was caught behind swinging at Currie, at which point Hampshire were clear favourites with Worcestershire still 81 short and less than seven overs remaining.But Brookes kept them in contention and though Currie ended his charge via a steepling catch to ‘keeper Ben Brown and dismissed Rob Jones and Taylor in his last over, Cullen had the final word.

Talks open: Sunderland willing to make record £70m offer for Barcelona star

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Sunderland are sitting inside the Champions League slots and could now be set to put forward a record bid for a European star that would represent a major shift in mentality at the Stadium of Light.

Regis Le Bris has continued to thrive in the North East after leading the Black Cats to the Premier League last season, and his side emerged with major credit over the weekend after securing a last-gasp 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal.

Despite the visitors defence being near-impenetrable in the top-flight before kick-off, Sunderland managed to carve their way through Mikel Arteta’s backline on several occasions.

More importantly, the Black Cats withstood immense pressure from the Gunners, throwing bodies on the line to secure a valuable point that keeps them on course for an excellent campaign as a newly-promoted outfit.

Dan Ballard played a significant role in helping Sunderland claim the result. However, the Northern Ireland international has stressed that his teammates have a long way to go before achieving their initial target of retaining their place in the division.

He told Match of the Day: “It’s a good morale boost to show we can go against a really top team – probably one of the best in Europe at the minute – and delighted with that. But it is just one point and we’ve got a lot of work to do to achieve our goal of staying up this year.”

Of course, Ballard’s comments are fairly routine for a side who are exceeding expectations. Still, Sunderland have definitely shown a healthy sense of ambition this term, and appear on course to achieve an excellent points total if they can maintain their current form.

With that in mind, they could now be set to target a record signing who would change the landscape of what could be to come at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland could submit record offer for Fermin Lopez

According to reports in Spain, Sunderland could be set to submit an offer of over £70 million to sign Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, contingent on whether they secure a dream Champions League slot this season.

Given their financial structure allows Le Bris to compete with elite sides across the continent, there is now internal debate at the Catalan giants over whether to accept a money-spinning sum for one of their rising stars, who would instantly be Sunderland’s most expensive signing ever.

Five similar players to Fermin Lopez (FBRef)

Leroy Sane

Galatasaray

Serge Gnabry

Bayern Munich

Christian Pulisic

AC Milan

Luis Diaz

Bayern Munich

Dani Olmo

Barcelona

Labelled “sensational” by Hansi Flick, the attacking midfielder has already notched six goals and four assists in 11 matches this season, and he is also capable of playing on the left flank or in central midfield.

Sunderland have bid for the new Chemsdine Talbi

Talks are at an initial stage and Barcelona are yet to give a definitive signal whether they are going to let him depart, though it is clear that Sunderland have given them something to think about ,and a high-profile transfer saga could be set to follow.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus