All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall will miss at least the rest of the season and the next round of international fixtures, according to reports in Sweden.

Bergvall injured as Spurs hunt Europa League glory

There’s no question the Lilywhites won’t have 100 per cent of their focus on the all-London clash with West Ham this weekend, despite the unquestionable morale boost a win over the Hammers would provide.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travel to Norway next week with a 3-1 aggregate lead over Bodo/Glimt, knowing if the manager can fulfil his second season trophy promise it would not only rescue a diasastrous domestic campaign but also present more opportunities in the transfer market with Champions League football on offer.

They will have to do it without perhaps their player of the season however, with Swedish starlet Bergvall injured in training and since spotted wearing a protective boot.

Explaining the problem in his pre-West Ham press conference, Postecoglou said he expects the 19 year-old, who has just signed a new contract, to miss most or all of the remaining matches: “Just something you see all the time. It wasn’t a tackle, he was on his own, he just went to turn and just his ankle gave away, so it’s just one of those things.

“Sometimes life works in mysterious ways and it’s denied Lucas the opportunity to play in a big game last night (Thursday). He’s been a massive contributor to us, but I’ve got no doubt he’ll come back stronger from that.”

Tottenham may sign £300k-p/w Premier League star if they win Europa League

A lot is on the line.

ByEmilio Galantini May 1, 2025 Swedish media share Bergvall return date

According to Swedish outlet Fotboll Direkt, translated by Sport Witness, Bergvall is without a doubt set to miss the entire Spurs fixture list, including a potential all-English Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21.

However, Ange may have underplayed the issue, with this update suggesting the teenager’s return is “at least eight weeks” away, meaning he would also miss Sweden’s matches against Hungary on June 6 and Algeria on June 10, as well as the opening stages of Spurs’ pre season, with a return date expected around July 1.

This would of course be a massive blow for a player who has taken huge strides this season, having featured in 27 top flight matches and 12 more in European competition.

The young midfielder expressed his delight this week after signing a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2031, but will now have to wait until the middle of the summer to continue that journey.

As for Ange, he will have to rely on a combination of Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Bergvall’s compatriot Dejan Kulusevski to fill the gap against West Ham, in Norway on Thursday and beyond.

Manchester United are now working to seal a deal for a £60m+ star “very soon”, with the “incredible” forward “keen” on a move to Old Trafford, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd stepping up summer transfer plans

Although Rasmus Hojlund bagged a late equaliser, the recent 1-1 draw against AFC Bournemouth once again underlined the need for Ruben Amorim to strengthen his squad considerably this summer, with Daniel Sturridge dubbing the current Man United team the “worst” since he was born.

As we edge closer to the summer window, it is becoming clear Amorim wants to bring in a number of new forwards this summer, with Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta among the targets at striker, alongside the likes of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui.

There have also been widespread suggestions that the Red Devils are progressing towards agreeing a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha, having reportedly submitted a five-year contract offer in recent days.

Romano has now taken to X to drop an update on Man United’s pursuit of Cunha, stating they are “working” to seal the deal “very soon”, with negotiations now underway over the final details of the contract.

Man Utd set to hold talks with £50m ace who has been contacted by Barca

United are trying to beat Barcelona to the signing of an exciting attacker.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 28, 2025

The Wolves star is “keen” on a move to Old Trafford this summer, but he is unlikely to come cheap, given that he is protected by a £62.5m release clause in his contract.

Reports from elsewhere have stated the Brazilian is set to be brought in to play as a number 10, which means United are still tasked with signing a new striker, and there is no shortage of potential targets.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace

£40m

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

£64m

Mateo Retegui

Atalanta

£50m

Liam Delap

Ipswich Town

£30m

Victor Osimhen

Napoli

£62m

"Incredible" Cunha could help transform Man Utd's attack

United have been particularly poor from an attacking point of view this season, having scored just 39 goals in 34 Premier League games, which suggests they may need to make a number of additions to their frontline this summer.

Joshua Zirkzee and Hojlund have struggled to adapt to life in England, but Cunha has proven himself in the Premier League, playing a major role in steering Wolves clear of relegation trouble by picking up a total of 15 goals and six assists.

The Wolves star has been impressing in the Premier League for quite some time, having previously been lauded as “incredible” by reporter Jacob Steinberg after scoring a hat-trick against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season.

There are some doubts over the signing of Cunha, with suitors said to be put off by his disciplinary record, but Paul Scholes believes he has the “attributes” to fit into Amorim’s style of play, and there are plenty of indications that he could be a success at Old Trafford.

Daniel Farke had a daunting task before him when picking up the pieces from Leeds United’s promotion near-miss during the 2023/24 season, with the likes of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter all leaving Elland Road behind for good.

Losing all these exceptional talents in quickfire succession hasn’t quite derailed the Whites’ promotion mission this time around thankfully, as the West Yorkshire outfit aim to just keep picking up the wins to see a top two spot be officially clinched come May.

Then, it will all be about tinkering here and there to transform Leeds into a Premier League capable side, with one transfer rumour already giving fans a sneak peek as to what business they might conduct.

Leeds interested in new midfielder

As per Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the promotion-chasers are already monitoring Borussia Mönchengladbach captain Julian Weigl ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Farke did momentarily manage Weigl when he was Gladbach coach – with that good working relationship highlighted by Plettenberg – but any move getting off the ground rests on Leeds sealing promotion back up to the top-flight.

Initial contact has occurred between the two parties surrounding the £5.1m-rated star, but Leeds might not need to go after another face in the middle of the park after all, considering they already have this past import from Germany on their books who is worth more than Weigl.

The Leeds hero who's worth more than Weigl

Whilst Farke did have to deal with that worrying mass exodus last summer, he did also manage to welcome in a number of stunning buys, with loan sensation Manor Solomon up to a bumper eight goals and nine assists this season in the league action.

But, it could be argued that the pick of the bunch from the summer buys looking back now was former Fortuna Dusseldorf ace Ao Tanaka, who has been consistently top-notch for his new employers since an understated £2.9m switch occurred.

Indeed, the Japan international has instantly managed to fit into his new surroundings, with this audacious back-heel effort against Sheffield Wednesday back in January one of four strikes he’s managed to bag under Farke’s wing.

With 72.6 touches amassed on average per league clash too, it could be argued that the “unbelievable” 26-year-old – as he was lauded by his manager after a breakneck start to life in England – has become somewhat of a heartbeat for the title hopefuls since his arrival, culminating in his once humble £2.9m valuation shooting up.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Tanaka

Games played

39

Games started

33

Minutes averaged*

77 mins

Goals scored

4

Assists

2

Touches*

72.6

Accurate passes*

53.8 (90%)

Ball recoveries*

5.0

Total duels won*

4.6

Value when joining

£2.9m

Value now

£6.8m

As per Transfermarkt, Tanaka’s value now stands at a far heftier £6.8m, meaning the 32-time Japan international is worth around £1.7m more than the Gladbach target and deservedly so based on his sparkling Championship numbers above.

With Farke also able to call upon the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev in the holding midfield ranks, there might not be that much of a thirst to land Weigl moving forward, especially if Tanaka – who has further been donned “exceptional” by Opta statman Jonny Cooper – takes to the potential challenge of the Premier League swimmingly.

Whilst the Whites will have to presumably spend big on occasion in the top-flight to secure their safety, Farke and Co will want to stray away from spending for spending’s sake, with a more shrewd approach in the market paying off when Tanaka entered through the door.

Grayson let "outstanding" GK leave Leeds, now he's better than Meslier

Leeds United would love to reverse time to bring back this excellent shot-stopper.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 15, 2025

As rumours continue to rumble on over Marc Guehi’s future, Crystal Palace have reportedly set their sights on signing a South American defender who has impressed club chiefs.

Crystal Palace targeting Guehi replacement

After earning the interest of Newcastle United before the Magpies were priced out of a move last summer, Guehi was always likely to receive plenty of attention just one year later. This time, however, it’s clubs of Liverpool’s calibre who are reportedly interested, as they look to reinforce Arne Slot’s backline by splashing out on the Palace star.

Such interest in Guehi should come as little shock either following the season that he has enjoyed. After a slow start in Oliver Glasner’s first full campaign in charge, Palace have rediscovered their best form since the turn of the year and recently booked their place in the last four of the FA Cup by thrashing Fulham 3-0.

That success often comes with consequences, however, and those in South London are seemingly already preparing for Guehi’s potential departure by turning their focus towards signing a replacement.

According to GiveMeSport, Crystal Palace are now plotting a move to sign Kevin Lomonaco from RB Bragantino this summer by potentially triggering his €20m (£17m) release clause.

Sky journalist drops major Glasner update as Klopp eyes Crystal Palace blow

A concern for those at Selhurst Park…

1 ByTom Cunningham Apr 2, 2025

The 23-year-old Argentine defender has seemingly impressed those at Selhurst Park and could now be on his way to European football for the first time. On loan at Independiente this season, Lomonaco has played a key role, starting in all 11 of their Torneo Apertura games and helping them keep five clean sheets in that run.

Whilst there will still be some question marks over just how ready he is to step into the Premier League, clubs around English football have benefitted in the past from welcoming South American players of such calibre.

"Aggressive" Lomonaco could become Guehi heir

Whilst he wouldn’t steal instant headlines like other options might, Lomonaco is still one to watch if Guehi leaves Crystal Palace this summer – especially when priced at just £17m. Earning plenty of praise during his time at Independiente, who bought 75% of his rights last winter, PanoScout described Lomonaco as “aggressive in ground duels”, and a player who “won’t hesitate to tackle”.

With West Ham United and German club Wolfsburg also chasing the defender’s signature, those at Selhurst Park should make their move as soon as possible this summer.

The last thing that the South London club will want is to miss out on Lomonaco and then watch on as Guehi departs to join a club of Liverpool’s calibre in the coming months.

Celtic are well down the line in their hunt for the Scottish Premiership title and could now be set to offload one of Brendan Rodgers’ signings at the club come the summer window, per reports.

Celtic are set for movement in both directions this summer

The Bhoys are closing in on a fourth Scottish Premiership title in succession and could also land a domestic clean sweep should they advance by St Johnstone and one of Heart of Midlothian or Aberdeen in the latter stages of the Scottish Cup.

Continuing their proactive nature off the pitch, Celtic expect Kieran Tierney to arrive from Arsenal on a pre-contract ahead of 2025/26, replacing the outgoing Greg Taylor amid the latter opting not to sign an extension at Parkhead.

In light of Rodgers’ admission that the Scotland international is set to leave, Dinamo Zagreb have put a lucrative proposal on the table to Taylor that may see him earn a significant increase in wages if he opts for a switch to the reigning Croatian champions.

Alternatively, Celtic could move for £5 million-rated Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha to provide an extra dimension on the flanks. Daizen Maeda has recently transitioned to a central-striking role, and it is likely the Japan international will remain the preferred option in attack should he remain at the club.

Celtic and Rodgers can now sign "excellent" long-term target for just £4.2m

The Hoops tried to snap him up mid-season.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 5, 2025

Exciting times are on the horizon for the Bhoys, but they must trim where possible to ensure they have a balance when registering players for next campaign’s Champions League qualifying play-off round.

Now, Rodgers and company could have the opportunity to sell one of his first signings upon returning to Glasgow, per recent developments.

Celtic could sell Luis Palma as he wants permanent departure

According to Futbol Centroamerica, Celtic winger Luis Palma has no intention of staying at Parkhead once his loan spell at Olympiacos comes to an end.

The Hoops now want to sell the Honduras international to the Greek giants for the £3.3 million option inserted in his initial deal, though they are also open to dropping their price lower.

Appearances

48

Goals

10

Assists

10

From a personal standpoint, sources close to £16,000-per-week Palma have cited mistreatment while in Glasgow as a reason behind his desire to move on in the summer. Should Olympiacos activate his clause, it is believed that he will join the club on a four-year contract.

Labelled “a brilliant lad” by Rodgers, the 25-year-old has registered one goal and an assist during his temporary stint in Greece. Ultimately, despite moments of brilliance at Celtic, his style of play never really fitted the high-octane framework his parent side operate within.

Jota and Maeda are said to offer adequate cover on the left flank, so it comes as no surprise that the Scottish Premiership champions are now willing to cut their losses on Palma after failing to find a place for him in their plans.

Erling Haaland brought up a century of Premier League goals and Phil Foden continued his impressive scoring streak in a hugely entertaining 5-4 win for Manchester City over Fulham. But Pep Guardiola's side will be hugely concerned about his side's defending as they conceded three goals and almost threw away a victory for the second time in four days.

Haaland was on a short drought of no goals in three games and began the game by hitting the post with a glorious opportunity. But he quickly made amends in typically emphatic fashion, lashing in a cross from Jeremy Doku in the 17th minute to score his 100th Premier League goal, doing so in record time. Scorer turned provider when City doubled their lead later in the first half, the Norwegian holding the ball up to slip in Tijjani Reijnders for a simple finish. 

Foden, fresh from bagging a brace to rescue the win against Leeds, joined the goal frenzy by smashing in a loose ball from outside the box a minute before half-time after a careless punch by Bernd Leno a minute. But before half-time had arrived, Fulham got back in the game as Emile Smith-Rowe landed a diving header in first-half stoppage time.

City seemed to have put the game beyond the hosts' reach within nine minutes of the restart as Foden scored again and then Sander Berge deflected a shot from Doku into his own net. But Marco Silva's side rallied to set up an epic finish, with Alex Iwobi quickly responding by whipping the ball in from outside the box and making it 5-2. 

Samuel Chukwueze then scoring his first two goals in English football in quick succession to reduce the deficit to one goal with 12 minutes remaining. City clung on nervously until the end to move two points behind Arsenal, who have their game in hand on Wednesday against Brentford.

GOAL rates Man City's players from Craven Cottage…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10):

Needed to command his area better and made a real mess leading to Chukwueze's second goal as he again flapped at a corner.

Matheus Nunes (5/10):

Switched off for Fulham's first goal and for the second game running looked powerless to cope with waves of pressure from the opponent, underlining City's need to sign a natural right-back.

Ruben Dias (5/10):

Played Fulham's players onside for the third goal and should have patrolled the defence better.

Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

Didn't defend with the urgency he needed to until the end when he at last dug deep. Caught in two minds in the other box, spurning a chance to put the game to bed.

Nico O'Reilly (5/10):

Needs to be more careful about bombing forward as he left his fellow defenders short on a few ocasions.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Bernardo Silva (5/10):

His early influence faded as the game dragged on and he should have been taken off to inject some energy into the team.

Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

Caught in possession a couple of times but it says a lot that Fulham came flying back into the game once he had been taken off. 

Tijjani Reijnders (6/10):

Scored for the first time since the opening day of the season with a cool finish and played his part in City's flurry of dangerous attacks.

Getty/GOALAttack

Phil Foden (8/10):

Stepped up again to make it clear he is City's most important player other than Haaland.

Erling Haaland (8/10):

It's difficult to argue with his 100th goal and two assists, even if the second was accidental. Should have scored earlier than he did but even so, this was yet another reminder of his importance to City.

Jeremy Doku (7/10):

Contributed to two goals after a difficult display against Leeds and was off the pitch when the real chaos happened.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

John Stones (5/10):

City lost control of the game after he replaced Gonzalez in midfield.

Savinho (5/10):

Like Stones, the game almost slipped away from City when he came on. Made an important tackle in added time before dribbling his way out of the box, only to lose possession.

Rayan Cherki (N/A):

Brought on in the 84th minute to keep Fulham on their toes but only managed to get a booking.

Pep Guardiola (6/10):

His blood pressure must have been soaring in the second half but he made a silly mistake in taking off Gonzalez and making Stones anchor the midfield instead.

An end to your season is one thing, but falling in 15 innings during a winner-take-all postseason game is another.

Tigers fans suffered that unfortunate reality Friday when they fell 3-2 to the Mariners in Seattle in a marathon Game 5 of the American League Division Series. Seattle will now face the Blue Jays in the AL Championship Series. And the Tigers, well, they're joining David Ortiz with the Yankees in Cancún.

It was a heartbreaking end of the season for Detroit, who couldn't capitalize on another strong outing from their ace Tarik Skubal, although nobody could have expected the game would have lasted a full nine innings after his night was done. The game bled early into Saturday morning on the East Coast as the Mariners earned their first trip to the ALCS since 2001. Tigers play-by-play man Dan Dickerson was on the radio call, and captured the emotions of every Detroit fan as he was caught on a hot mic after the devastating loss.

"We'll be back to talk about it after this on the Detroit Tigers radio network," Dickerson said before he thought he was off the air. The broadcast stayed on the air and a hilarious rant ensued at what was after 1 a.m. in the morning in Detroit. "I don't have to do a game [recap], ah f—. F— this game recap. Oh, I'm sorry, was that out loud?" He continued on the airwaves.

Listen to Dickerson's quick rant after the wild loss below. Note, the clip does include profanity:

Although his comments appeared that they weren't supposed to hit public ears, it perfectly encapsulated the night for the Tigers as their offense slowed once again other than Kerry Carpenter. Hopefully Dickerson was able to get some rest after he gave the unwanted game recap.

Sunderland are now keen on a January move for an “unreal” defender and could make a £12m approach for his services.

Black Cats looking to strengthen this winter

The Black Cats have fared very well upon their return to the Premier League, currently sitting just three points off the Champions League places, and 10 clear of the bottom three, but they are not out of the woods just yet.

With only 15 games played, Regis Le Bris will be well-aware there is still a long way to go, and some January additions could strengthen his side’s chances of preserving their Premier League status, or perhaps even making a surprise push for Europe.

Although the Mackems have had some tough matches in recent weeks, taking on Arsenal in November, before facing reigning champions Liverpool and title contenders Manchester City, they have looked a little more shaky defensively.

Nine of the 17 goals Sunderland have conceded in the Premier League this season have come in the last five matches, most recently suffering a 3-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium, and they are now keen on signing a new centre-back.

That is according to a report from Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), which states the Black Cats are still interested in signing Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi, after submitting a €28m (£24m) bid for his services during the summer.

Having maintained their interest, the 2024-25 Championship play-off final winners could make an approach at half the price during the upcoming transfer window, with a €14m (£12m) bid on the cards.

Lucumi is out of contract with the Italian club in 2027, and with Bologna struggling to tie him down to a new deal, the defender’s future is up in the air heading into the January transfer window.

"Unreal" Lucumi could be bargain signing at £12m

It would be a steal if Sunderland were able to sign the centre-back at the heavily discounted rate of just £12m, given just how impressive he has been in Italy, being lauded as “unreal” by journalist Ethan Todd courtesy of his performances across the three previous campaigns.

Sunderland now eyeing move to sign midfield ace who Chelsea wanted to sign

Regis Le Bris could hold one key advantage.

ByTom Cunningham 5 days ago

Not only has the 27-year-old put in some solid performances in the Serie A, but he has also established himself at international level, picking up 34 caps for Colombia, most recently helping his side pick up a clean sheet in a 3-0 win against Australia.

The Bologna star is comfortable with the ball, while he is also strong at winning back possession, as showcased by his performance across some key statistics over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Progressive carries

1.03 (81st percentile)

Successful take-ons

0.37 (85th percentile)

Passes attempted

67.14 (79th percentile)

Tackles

1.94 (83rd percentile)

Sunderland are already in a strong position to avoid the drop, but they would be boosting their survival chances even further if they were able to sign Lucumi next month.

Manchester United’s £200m spending spree over the summer window was a huge statement by INEOS in an attempt to help lead the club back up the Premier League.

The vast majority of the funds were invested into the Red Devils’ forward line, which has handed Ruben Amorim a deadly trio within the final third of the pitch.

Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha were all added to the first-team ranks, with the former of the trio currently sitting as the club’s top goalscorer.

However, other areas of the pitch are also in need of investment in the near future to help Amorim in his quest for success during his tenure in charge at Old Trafford.

The midfield department looks set to be the next area to be improved in the coming months, with additions expected to be made during the upcoming January window.

Man United looking to sign £100m + midfielder

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been just one side tipped with an interest in securing a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes ahead of January.

It has been reported that the player himself would be open to a move to Old Trafford this winter, leading to a £44m price tag being mooted for his signature.

However, no contact has yet been made between the two Premier League clubs, but that’s not to say a move could transpire in the weeks leading up to the window.

He’s not alone in being identified as a potential option for the Red Devils, with Real Madrid star Federico Valverde another star currently in the hierarchy’s sights.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are planning to make a club-record £105m bid for the Uruguayan’s signature in the upcoming window amid his struggles at the Bernabeu.

The report claims that he’s been in the middle of a dispute with current boss Xabi Alonso, and could be allowed to depart the LaLiga giants despite making 23 appearances across all competitions in 2025/26.

How Fede Valverde compares to Elliot Anderson

In United’s attempts to improve the options at the heart of the side, one name has constantly been on the tongue of a huge number of supporters – Elliot Anderson.

The Nottingham Forest star has endured quite the rise over the last 18 months, after he joined the Reds in a £35m deal from boyhood club Newcastle United in the summer of 2024.

He’s since racked up a total of 57 appearances for his current side, achieving a total of 10 combined goals and assists during that time – including a superb strike against Tottenham Hotspur last season.

The 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength in recent months, featuring in every minute of Forest’s Premier League campaign to date – leading to a consistent run in the England national team.

Such a feat is a huge credit to the player, but it’s only driven his price tag up further in recent months, with Sean Dyche’s side now valuing the youngster at around the £100m mark.

However, the aforementioned fee may be a risk given his short period of success at the City Ground, which could lead to a move for Valverde instead this January.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the Uruguayan international has managed to outperform Anderson in key areas – which could make him a better option this window.

Valverde, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has completed more of the passes he’s attempted this campaign, with more of his efforts being defined as key passes.

Such tallies showcase he’s arguably better in possession than Anderson, handing Amorim that added ball-playing presence he craves at the heart of the side.

Games played

13

12

Goals & assists

4

2

Pass accuracy

89%

83%

Key passes

1.6

1.5

Tackles won

62%

51%

Clearances made

2.1

1.1

Take-on success

50%

46%

Carries into final third

1.7

1.4

Aerials won

59%

48%

However, the main responsibility of any new addition will be to regain possession, something which the Real Madrid star has demonstrated in abundance this campaign.

He’s bettered Anderson for tackles won to date, whilst also making more clearances per 90 – subsequently offering a better option out of possession than the Englishman.

Other stats, such as a higher take-on success and more aerials won, showcase his all-round dominance over the Forest star – with the board needing to pursue a move for Valverde’s signature.

£105m would be a huge investment from the board, subsequently breaking the club record, but it’s a deal that would emphatically end their hunt for a new midfielder.

There’s no disputing Anderson is a top talent, but it would be rash of the hierarchy to spend such funds on him, especially when a proven talent of Valverde’s calibre is available for just £5m more.

Not Lammens: Man Utd flop is becoming their biggest liability since Onana

Manchester United have a player who has massively failed to deliver at Old Trafford since his transfer.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025

Australia captain says they should have scored more than they did, and that they failed to take their chances

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2025

Alyssa Healy dropped a crucial catch off Jemimah Rodrigues•ICC/Getty Images

Australia captain Alyssa Healy said “we did that to ourselves a little bit” after they failed to defend 338 in the World Cup semi-final against India in Navi Mumbai.”I mean, good contest in the end,” she said after India pulled off the highest chase in women’s ODIs to dethrone the champions and set up a summit clash with South Africa on Sunday. “Probably reflecting on that, we did that to ourselves a little bit. It’s probably the first time that I’ve felt like we’ve done that. So, we probably didn’t finish off with the bat, didn’t bowl that great and dropped all our chances in the field, and still hung in there until the second last over. So, I mean, we can take something out of that, but ultimately, outdone in the end.”At 220 for 2 in the 34th over, Australia looked like posting more than 350 but lost wickets in a hurry and were dismissed for 338 in 49.5 overs. In the field they dropped three catches, including two off Jemimah Rodrigues who scored an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls.”I think we created enough [chances]. We created pressure,” Healy said. “We created opportunities. We just weren’t able to capitalise. And, you know, I’m at fault for that as well, and I think that’s something that Australia really prides themselves on.”Related

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'The belief, the fight, the hunger to win' – cricket world reacts to India's historic win

India make history as Rodrigues and Harmanpreet end Australia's reign

“We kind of let ourselves down in that regard today. So that’s probably why it’s disappointing. It felt a little bit similar this time last year, sort of going out playing, you know, not the way that we wanted to play,” she said, comparing this defeat to the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final loss to South Africa. “So we’ll learn from that. We’ll grow. And I think our one-day cricket will hopefully improve since.”Despite the disappointment on Friday, she was proud of Australia’s campaign. “I think we’ve played some unbelievable cricket,” she said. “And, you know, ultimately, like we’ve been saying the whole time, the semi-finals is a knockout game. If you don’t quite turn up on that evening, you know, anyone’s going to get you.”So there was so much to be proud of this World Cup. I’m really proud of our group and every single player’s contribution. I think somebody came in every game and got a job done for us. So I think that’s really cool. Yeah, that’s probably why it stings a little bit more having this conversation with you right now, knowing that we are playing really good cricket, but we just weren’t able to get over that hurdle.”Healy praised the next generation of Australian players, singling out Phoebe Litchfield, whose 119 in the semi-final went in vain.”When you’ve seen players my age walk away from the game, it’s kind of a weird experience to stand there and watch the next generation go about it,” she said. “I thought Phoebe was sensational today, set us off really nicely at the top and then went on to make a hundred, which I thought was really crucial. Kudos to her. It’s been fun to watch her unfold, and I think the next four years leading into the next ODI World Cup are going to be really exciting to watch.”The other change in batting, I think, is around that No.6, No.7 position. I think Ash Gardner has completely owned that role this World Cup.”The 35-year-old also confirmed that this was her final ODI World Cup. “I won’t be there now. There you go,” she said. “That’s the beauty of this next cycle – we’re going to see that unfold. Obviously, there’s a T20 World Cup in the middle of next year, which is really exciting for our group. But I think our one-day cricket is probably going to shift a little bit again.”We’ll learn from what we did wrong tonight. We’ll grow, we’ll get better. And the opportunity for some young players to get greater opportunities in this side is a really exciting thing for Australian cricket.”