Hathurusinghe deflects Shakib vs Tamim talk, wants focus to be on making final four

These days, a public appearance by a member of Bangladesh’s team management inevitably means a flurry of questions about the Shakib Al Hasan-Tamim Iqbal issue.It was no different for Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe ahead of the team’s first World Cup game, against Afghanistan in Dharamsala. Hathurusinghe, though, deftly deflected most of these questions, saying it was his job to keep the pressure off his team.When asked whether Bangladesh would be better off without Tamim facing up to Fazalhaq Farooqi, Hathurusinghe called it a “weird question”. When asked about Shakib’s scathing attack on Tamim, Hathurusinghe just smiled.Related

  • Hathurusinghe: Our batting let us down with 'high expectations'

  • Scenic Dharamsala offers Bangladesh, Afghanistan chance to grab early points

  • Bangladesh's unlikely heroes step up as race for World Cup spots heat up

  • Tamim hits out at BCB; claims he would have been fit in time for World Cup

  • Shakib: Tamim 'childish' and 'not a team man'

Hathurusinghe himself had caused a stir last month when he said that people should “wake up” if they were dreaming about Bangladesh winning the World Cup. Speaking to Dhaka-based newspaper , Hathurusinghe had said: “For whatever reason, our captain [Shakib] was appointed five weeks ago. I came six months ago. This is not ideal [so close to a World Cup]. But it doesn’t mean Bangladesh can’t do anything good in the World Cup…”Bangladesh’s biggest achievement is three wins in a campaign. So if someone is dreaming that we will win the World Cup, I will tell them to ‘wake up from their sleep’. It is possible to do something better than before. We are keeping our goal big – to reach the semi-finals.”Later, when these comments were pointed out to Tamim during the New Zealand series, he expressed surprise, saying, “I definitely think we should dream. You won’t achieve it if you don’t dream. Our Under-19 team never went past the quarter-finals but because they dreamt big, they became champions [at the 2020 World Cup]. This is our seventh World Cup, so when are we going to have a dream?”The question popped up again in Dharamsala, and Hathurusinghe responded: “My job is to take the pressure off from the players. People can dream, can aim. They can have goals. We are trying to have a good World Cup, win matches. Our aim is to get into the semi-final. It can be a dream.1:43

Steyn: It will be spin vs spin, and Shakib vs Rashid

“We all want to win the World Cup. Since you asked me our realistic goal, if we can win four or five matches we can get into the semi-finals. This is our first target. We have a good enough team to do this. We have to reach the semi-finals stage.”On the actual cricket front, foremost among the big questions is who will step into Tamim’s shoes at the top of the order? Will it be young Tanzid Hasan or will Mehidy Hasan Miraz remain their preferred opening option, particularly as coach and captain believe Mehidy is effective against offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is likely to take the new ball alongside Farooqi? The surface, too, will need to be taken into account, with talk of the Dharamsala pitch perhaps not aiding the spin trio of Mujeeb, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, who have often dominated Bangladesh across formats.”We have two options [to take Tamim’s spot]. We will be in a better place to make that decision tomorrow morning,” the coach said. “We will see if we bat first or second, and then take a decision. Wicket looks really good for one-day cricket. It has a nice covering of grass. I think it will be a really good sporting wicket. We are expecting high scoring in this ground. We will decide the combination tomorrow morning.”Often, a big win has papered over many cracks for Bangladesh. This World Cup opener, against Afghanistan, is a game which Bangladesh desperately need to win, and for more than just the two points.

Bangladesh trump Sri Lanka amid high drama in Delhi

The win has put Bangladesh at No. 7 on the points table, giving them an edge in the four-way contest to fill the last two spots at the 2025 Champions Trophy

Madushka Balasuriya06-Nov-20231:29

Harmison on timed-out dismissal: ‘Mathews a little hard done by’

Yet another chapter was written into the story of subcontinental cricket’s most engrossing rivalry, in which Bangladesh came away deserved winners against Sri Lanka, winning by three wickets and, crucially, 53 deliveries in Delhi. The margin of victory means Bangladesh have leapfrogged Sri Lanka on the points table on net run rate, while Bangladesh, Netherlands and Sri Lanka are all on four points and all three – and England – are still vying for the two remaining spots at the 2025 Champions Trophy.This, though, was a game where a solitary incident overshadowed all else. The now customary controversy associated with the “Naagin Derby” was this time a historic first, as Angelo Mathews was dismissed timed out – the first instance of the rare dismissal in international cricket.The incident took place midway through Sri Lanka’s innings after Mathews’ faulty helmet strap meant that it had been over two minutes since the fall of the previous wicket without the new batter being ready to take strike. Shakib Al Hasan appealed. Mathews was out.Related

Mathews on timed-out dismissal: 'Never seen a team or a player stoop so low'

According to the tournament playing conditions: “After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within 2 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed out.”An incensed Mathews was sent back, and Sri Lanka played the rest of the game with a chip on their shoulder. But to focus solely on that would take away from a solid all-round effort from Bangladesh, and from Shakib.On a belter of a batting surface, Bangladesh had sent Sri Lanka in to bat and then limited them to a sub-par 279. The pacy young Tanzim Hasan went for 80 in his ten overs, largely because of Charith Asalanka – whose 105-ball 108 would go in vain – taking the attack to him, but he picked up three wickets, including the key wickets of Pathum Nissanka and Asalanka himself.The rest of the bowlers, though, ensured Sri Lanka were not allowed to cut loose, and aided by some loose batting, they kept their opponents well in check.Then a 169-run third-wicket stand between Shakib and Najmul Hossain Shanto underpinned their chase, even as Sri Lanka became the first side this World Cup to truly struggle with the evening dew. The bowlers struggled with control, while some dropped catches didn’t help their cause either.When the partnership was eventually broken, the requirement was just 70, but Sri Lanka kept picking up wickets to make for a nervy finish. Bangladesh, however, bat deep and they kept their cool to secure a hard-fought win.2:09

How good was Charith Asalanka’s innings?

On a surface well suited to batting, Sri Lanka were largely architects of their own downfall.After yet another early exit for Kusal Perera – caught acrobatically behind the stumps by Mushfiqur Rahim – a 61-run stand between Nissanka and Kusal Mendis settled the Sri Lanka innings. An aggressive Nissanka accounted for 40 runs in that stand, frequently finding boundaries to relieve the pressure being built at the other end, while an out-of-sorts Mendis searched for form.It took 14 balls for Mendis to get off the mark, and despite finding two boundaries – a four and a six – in his 30-ball stay, he looked a pale shadow of the man that had taken the early part of the tournament by storm. A loft down the ground lacking in power brought about his eventual demise.Nissanka followed soon, chopping Tanzim on, before another solid stand threatened to pull Sri Lanka clear. It was here that Asalanka entered the fray alongside Sadeera Samarawickrama, himself new at the crease. Their left-right pairing served to make life particularly difficult for the Bangladesh bowlers, while their run-scoring was largely risk-free.This is what made Samarawickrama’s dismissal all the more jarring, as he found deep square-leg with an aerial flick, having been unflustered up until then. It was this wicket that preceded the flashpoint in the innings – and the game – as Mathews strode out, not knowing the fate that was to befall him.Angelo Mathews tells Shakib Al Hasan it’s time to go, but it was far too late to do any good to Sri Lanka•ICC/Getty ImagesUp until that point, Sri Lanka’s batters could perhaps even have been accused of complacency in terms of the way they had lost wickets. But, just like that, the perceived injustice of Mathews’ dismissal instilled resolve that might have served them a lot better earlier in the tournament.Having barely strung together any partnerships of significance lower down the order all tournament, Sri Lanka suddenly found two of genuine quality. The first between Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva brought 78 – Sri Lanka’s best stand for the sixth wicket since their opening fixture against South Africa. After Dhananjaya fell, stumped off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Asalanka stitched another stand of 45 with Maheesh Theekshana – this one easily Sri Lanka’s best seventh-wicket stand of the tournament.Asalanka scrounged together another 20 with Dushmantha Chameera, before himself holing out at deep point. It brought an end to a marvellous innings that was replete with smart strike rotation and calculated risks. However, it would be a bittersweet day for him as he was the one to drop a sharp chance off Shakib when he was on seven. Mathews was the bowler.That wicket might have been karmic retribution for Sri Lanka, but Shakib would have the last laugh. While Mathews eventually got his man – giving Shakib a send-off as well, tapping his wrist, signalling that it was “time” to go – it was not before Shakib had scored 75 more runs.Mathews wasn’t done yet, though, removing Shanto shortly after as Sri Lanka were offered a whiff of an unlikely chance. Theekshana then picked up a couple and Dilshan Madushanka added another, to go with his two scalps at the start of the chase, to take his World Cup tally to 21. But, in the end, it was a case of too little, too late as some lusty blows brought the game to a swift close.

'You play for something more' – Dominant Diego Luna helps overcome gonzo Guatemala crowd, pressure-packed moments: Winners and losers as USMNT reach Gold Cup final

In an emotionally charged match, Luna silenced the crowd with two goals in the first 15 minutes, putting U.S. in final

ST. LOUIS – Less than a year into his U.S. men's national team tenure, coach Mauricio Pochettino is encountering some things for the first time. Wednesday night was the latest example. When he and the U.S. walked out for their Gold Cup semifinal, they weren't greeted by red, white and blue – they were overwhelmed by blue and white, horns and chants of "Si Se Puede" ringing out throughout Energizer Park.

These weren't the colors of Pochettino's native Argentina, but rather of Guatemala, the Central American nation that took over this city. Still, despite the cheers and the chanting and the excitement, there's only one of the two teams bound for a Gold Cup final. And it's not Guatemala.

The U.S. found their win, riding two first-half Diego Luna goals to defeat Guatemala, 2-1, and advance to Sunday's deciding game in Houston, where they will face Mexico for the eighth time in a Gold Cup final.

It was an emotionally charged match from the first whistle, although Luna did seemingly silence the crowd with two goals in the first 15 minutes. Guatemala, though, wouldn't give up and, with the backing of their fans, they had no reason to.

"This was good for our players because when you talk about the future, about seeing the team and how to fight, how to come here, how their fans behave, that is an important thing we have to learn in this country," Pochettino said. "I am not telling anyone to do this or do that. No, we talk about culture. I come from Argentina. In Argentina, it's not the same. We don't lose, because the consequences were massive."

The U.S. didn't lose. They kept their tournament going, earning a fifth straight win after losing four in a row entering the Gold Cup. The final will also present a hostile atmosphere, one that will be even louder and fiercer than Wednesday night.

Pochettino and his team believe they're ready for it, though. Having cleared their latest hurdle, the USMNT have a chance both to make a statement and to lift a trophy.

"Winning helps," said Tim Ream. "I also think guys like Diego Luna help, guys like Malik Tillman. You're seeing these guys get more and more experience and understanding of how to win games. None of this is going to happen unless we win and continue to win. And, for us, what's the hallmark of a U.S. team? Fighting and togetherness. That's what we're finding and doing in this tournament."

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Energizer Park.

  • Getty Images

    WINNER: Diego Luna

    Throughout his young UMSNT career, Luna had influenced games, but he had yet to truly take one over. There were big plays here, an assist there, his goal against Costa Rica – all moments in which he'd make a mark. But this was more. This was domination.

    It took just four minutes for Luna to find the back of the net, easing any nerves that anyone in the U.S. may have had. It was a finish defined by Luna's biggest asset: his hustle. Once Kenderson Navarro spilled Luca de la Torre's shot, there was no doubt who'd be the first one to it.

    His second, though? A thing of beauty. After dribbling right on past a defender, Luna rocketed a shot into the back of the net. His shot wasn't curled or placed; it was thumped via sheer force of will. His celebration was as emphatic as his finish. Rightfully so.

    "It’s an honor, I’m extremely grateful," he told Fox Sports of sporting the U.S. crest. "Every single one of these players think about it the same way I do. This is the No. 1 dream we’ve had as a kid and we’re going to fight for this to have as many chances to wear it as we can."

    Time and time again, Luna continues to prove he's the man for the big moments. And with bigger opportunities ahead, there's no doubt about whether Luna should be involved.

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    LOSER: Tim Ream

    Everyone has an off game now and then, including 38-year-old veterans.

    Ream, to be fair, didn't even have an off game, but rather an off half. For the first time in recent memory, Ream looked a step off in the first half this semifinal, and he was beaten several times by Guatemala's attackers. Rubio Rubin, who once played for the USMNT, got him once, forcing a tough save out of Matt Freese.

    And there was a shaky moment a few minutes later that again led to a Guatemala chance. In the second half, though, Ream cleaned it up. Still, if Guatemala had a bit more quality, the U.S may have been punished. Ream knows that as well as anyone. He's been doing this for a long time and, if all goes well, he tends to do this a little bit longer. He certainly has the quality and smarts.

    "I love watching these guys grow up right before my eyes, starting to understand and create connections," Ream said. "It's those two things that are worth keeping at it: these atmospheres and helping these guys become better players and better people. That's what putting on this jersey is all about and the pride that I have for it will never change. It won't change until I'm done, completely done. I'm so happy with this group and happy that I can still help."

    Ream can still help. He's been proving it for years and has continued proving it all summer long. That doesn't mean he's immune from an off night, and this was a reminder of that.

  • Getty Images

    WINNER: Guatemala fans

    All tournament long, the Gold Cup has been criticized for a lack of atmosphere. There are reasons for that: ticket prices, the ongoing Club World Cup, the upcoming World Cup.

    But make no mistake – the atmosphere on Wednesday night was electric. The traveling Guatemala fans ensured that was the case.

    The nation's supporters were loud and proud in Minneapolis for their win over Canada in the quarterfinals, seemingly willing their team to victory in the upset of the tournament. On Wednesday night, they were even louder. The crowd in St. Louis was largely pro-Guatemala and, even hours before the opening kick, they made themselves heard.

    It didn't result in victory this time, but credit to Guatemala's fans for their energy. This game and this tournament were made better by it.

    "It was an unbelievable energy, and that is football," Pochettino said after the game. "That is football! When we see the connection between the fans and the team, that is the connection that we want to see in the World Cup. We can talk about soccer, many things, different sports. But we cannot compere football to another sport.

    "Do you think today was just a sport? Just a team playing? No, you play for something more. You play to be happy, be sad. I saw players from Guatemala crying. That is the way that we need to feel, and our fans need to feel the same. It's good for our players, because when we talk about culture, that is culture. That is an important thing that we need to learn here in this country."

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    LOSER: U.S. control

    In a perfect world, the U.S. would have been able to see out the game easily. They would have found a third, maybe a fourth goal and put this game to bed. Even if they couldn't find it, they would want to keep some semblance of control, allowing them to play through the match on their terms.

    That didn't happen. The moment Guatemala scored, and even at times before it, the U.S. lost control of the game. Guatemala couldn't quite seize it, but again, the U.S. didn't make this easy for themselves.

    "It's a learning experience," Ream said. "Will it all happen as quickly in the next game as it did today after the second goal? Probably not. I think the guys understand it better. They can say, 'OK, I do actually have more time than I realize.' It's just talking about experience and it comes with playing in these environments and in these games."

    Some of it was, as Ream said, inexperience. Some of it was personnel. Tyler Adams was taken off in the second half as a precaution as he dealt with hamstring tightness, leaving the U.S. without its most veteran presence in midfield. When John Tolkin went into the game, the U.S. was playing with two left-backs, which led to some moments of chaos before Walker Zimmerman replaced Max Arfsten to settle things down.

    "In that moment, the stress and the noise make it a difficult moment," Pochettino said. "What you need to understand is how difficult it is to come off the bench in that moment. It's not easy. The rhythm of the game was really fast and it was difficult to communicate. It's not easy."

    As Ream said, the U.S. need to slow things down. They need to breathe, take back control and see things out. Their inabilty to do that made this game more stressful than it should have been – he U.S. just needed to keep things tighter.

Destaque no Palmeiras, Estevão comemora primeira convocação e gol na Seleção Brasileira Sub-17

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos maiores destaques da base do Palmeiras nos últimos tempos, Estevão foi convocado pela primeira vez para a Seleção Brasileira Sub-17. Em sua primeira oportunidade defendendo a Amarelinha, o jogador marcou seu primeiro gol e ofereceu uma assistência.

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>Veja os favoritos entre os indicados ao prêmio Bola de Ouro 2022

Em um amistoso contra o RB Bragantino, o jovem palmeirense justificou a convocação. O garoto comentou sobre a realização do sonho na Seleção e exaltou a experiência vivida.

– É um orgulho e uma honra poder representar a seleção brasileira. Sempre foi um sonho e fico feliz de estar realizando. Muito feliz também em marcar um gol. Aproveitei ao máximo esse período de treinos, fazendo o meu melhor dia a dia. Então sei que aprendi e evolui nesse período – relatou.

> Clique e confira a tabela completa da Série A do Brasileirão-2022!

Estevão é o artilheiro do Verdão em 2022 no Sub-17 com 21 gols, além de seis assistências, em 27 jogos disputados. A joia alviverde completou exaltando esse trabalho feito na base palmeirense.

– A primeira convocação é sempre muito especial. Claro que o objetivo é representar o Brasil mais vezes, mas sei que isso só será possível com muito trabalho no Palmeiras, muita dedicação no dia a dia. Então agora é seguir forte no Palmeiras, buscando os objetivos na temporada – concluiu.

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Shakib Al Hasan rejoins Bangladesh World Cup contingent in Kolkata

Shakib Al Hasan returned to Bangladesh’s World Cup camp in Kolkata on Thursday evening, cutting short his three-day Dhaka trip to two days. Shakib had gone to Dhaka on October 25 to have a nets session with his childhood mentor Nazmul Abedeen Fahim.Bangladesh trained at Eden Gardens on Wednesday under lights, without Shakib of course, who had taken the evening flight from Dhaka. He reached the team hotel around 8.45pm where the team manager Rabeed Imam received him. Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, on his way out to dinner, also met Shakib at the reception.According to the team management, Shakib didn’t tell them that he was returning home for cricketing reasons. Team director Khaled Mahmud, who is the head of the Bangladesh delegation in India, said that Shakib had said it was for “personal reasons” that he was going to Dhaka from Mumbai the day after their 149-run defeat to South Africa.”We have no idea about this,” Mahmud had told the Dhaka-based on Wednesday. “He may have gone to Fahim since he is not batting well. But we didn’t know about this. [Wednesday] was travel and rest day. [Thursday] is optional training. That’s why coach gave him the two-day break. He said that he had some personal matters in Dhaka. We know that much only.”Shakib reached Dhaka on Wednesday morning, going straight to the Shere Bangla National Stadium nets where Fahim met him. Shakib batted under his watch for three hours.Shakib has struggled with the bat at this World Cup, having scored just 56 runs in four innings. He has taken six wickets so far.Bangladesh have an afternoon training session in Kolkata on October 27, with the match against Netherlands on the following day.

'The confidence is unwavering' – Bairstow backs England to return to winning ways

He also insists their firepower with the bat can’t be questioned despite the early defeats

Matt Roller18-Oct-20231:16

‘England need to adapt to Indian pitches’

England have not become a bad team overnight and their players remain confident that they can win the World Cup, despite early defeats to New Zealand and Afghanistan. That was the message put forward on Wednesday by Jonny Bairstow, who also pushed back against criticism of the squad’s focus.With two points from their first three games, England will probably need to win five of their remaining six group-stage fixtures to qualify for the semi-finals. They play against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday night, which represents a chance to respond from a shock 69-run defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi.And Bairstow said the squad retains belief that they can put a run of victories together. “There’s a reason why the guys won the T20 World Cup last year; there’s a reason why the guys won the 2019 World Cup, and we’re the defending champions,” he said. “Just because we’ve lost a game to Afghanistan doesn’t make us bad cricketers or anything like that.Related

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“You look at [Fazalhaq] Farooqi, his record in the IPL; you look at the three spinners that they’ve got and their records. Just because they play for Afghanistan, they’re no slouches. They’ve actually got some of the world’s best in there and they’ve got match-winners. We lost that game, we didn’t play well enough, and we’ve accepted that and moved on from that.”Asked whether England’s batting line-up is still capable of dominating opposing teams in the way they have over the last eight years, Bairstow said: “I don’t really think much has really changed, has it? You look at the strength in depth that we have with our batting line-up… I don’t think the firepower can be questioned.Jonny Bairstow said one defeat doesn’t mean England are a bad team•Getty Images

“We’re just focusing on ourselves. That’s what we do. We’ll go out and play the way that we’re looking to play, put pressure on the opposition like we said that we’d try and do. People are allowed to bowl or bat well. But if our mindset is right and if the way in which we approach the game is right, then that’s the bit that we can control.”England’s players came in for significant criticism across broadcast and print media after their defeat on Sunday, which the squad have largely ignored. But they have taken issue with one report which focused on the players’ use of their downtime and suggested that they should spend less time on the golf course, and more in the nets.”The group remains calm within it,” Bairstow said. “Belief and confidence isn’t something that’s been questioned one bit. That’s something that you’re able to call upon when you do lose a game. We lost to Sri Lanka in 2019. We lost to Pakistan in 2019. We still went through. There were similar things that I’m sure you guys [the press] wrote in 2019 at the home World Cup.”But that’s OK. That’s what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to write certain things about certain members and what people do and don’t do in their downtime. That’s things that you’ll fill in the [column] inches and you’re doing that. Whether it’s true, whether it’s incorrect, whatever it is – that’s up to you to do that, isn’t it?”The confidence is there. It’s unwavering. There’s no lack of belief within this group.”Responding to a question about whether criticism would bring the squad closer together, Bairstow said: “Not really, no. I don’t read it [but] I got told about some of the stuff that you put, so we’ll leave it at that.”South Africa, England’s opponents on Saturday, started the World Cup with convincing wins over Sri Lanka and Australia but were beaten by Netherlands on Tuesday night, which Bairstow described as “a great result to wake up to”. He believes South Africa have “a quality attack” and also cited Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen as two “exceptional” batters.England will also face South Africa in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup in Paris on Saturday night, which Bairstow said would be “a great day” for two “extremely proud nations”. He added: “You’ll have people in South Africa having a few brandy-and-cokes and a couple of braais, and you’ll have a few Englishmen popping down the pub… it’ll be great, and hopefully both results go our way.”

Viktor Gyokeres' replacement already identified as Sporting CP line up Luis Suarez bid as Swedish striker nears Arsenal move

Sporting CP have identified Almeria's Luis Suarez as a possible replacement for Viktor Gyokeres as the striker nears a move to the Premier League.

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Sporting CP interested in Luis SuarezPortuguese club want Suarez to replace GyokeresSporting contacts Almeria for strikerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , the Portuguese club have identified Almeria's Suarez to replace Gyokeres as their primary striker. Arsenal have advanced their interest in the Swedish striker, which has prompted the Liga Portugal champions to fill their forward spot.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Suarez was the top scorer in Spain's second division, scoring 27 goals and registering eight assists in 41 games for the Andalusian club. The 27-year-old has been scouted by multiple clubs, but reportedly Sporting are the only club to have approached the Spanish side over a possible transfer for the striker.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Colombian striker is reportedly interested in moving to Lisbon as Sporting are the only interested side that will play in the Champions League next season. Suarez is tied to Almeria until 2029 and has a release clause of €40 million (£34m/$47m). The Spanish side are willing to offload the striker for €25m (£21m/$29m), but Sporting are confident they can make a deal for a much cheaper price.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SPORTING?

Gyokeres' move to Arsenal is now advancing after the Swedish striker agreed to take €2m euros off his salary to join the Gunners. However, even with the 27-year-old making efforts, it still falls below the Portuguese club's valuation of the player. Signs are positive as the London club are trying to negotiate a deal and bring the transfer to a conclusion.

وسام أبو علي يوجه رسالة جديدة بعد رحيله رسميًا عن الأهلي

حرص الفلسطيني وسام أبو علي، لاعب الأهلي السابق، على توجيه الشكر إلى محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي الأهلي، وجماهير القلعة الحمراء، وذلك بعد ساعات من إعلان رحيله.

وأعلن النادي الأهلي رسمياً رحيل الفلسطيني وسام أبو علي مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالقلعة الحمراء، إلى كولومبوس الأمريكي.

الأهلي تعاقد مع وسام أبو علي قبل عام ونصف مقابل 1.8 مليون يورو من سيريس السويدي، وتألق الفلسطيني مع القلعة الحمراء.

طالع أيضاً.. تقارير توجه صدمة قوية لجماهير كولومبوس كرو بشأن وسام أبو علي

وأفادت تقارير أن الصفقة بلغت قيمتها الإجمالية 8.5 مليون دولار، بعد مفاوضات طويلة شهدت شدًا وجذبًا بين الناديين، قبل أن يحسم الأهلي قراره بقبول العرض الأمريكي. رسالة وسام أبو علي إلى النادي الأهلي

أولاً عايز أشكر رئيس النادي الكابتن محمود الخطيب ومجلس الإدارة الذين وقفوا بجانبي من اليوم الأول، ودعموني دايما في الأوقات الصعبة زي ما في الأوقات الجميلة، الأهلي محظوظ جدا بهذا الرئيس الرائع اللي بيهتم بمصلحة النادي قبل كل شيء، كان شرفا لي أن أعمل تحت قيادته.

أنا ممتن جداً على الفرصة التي حصلت عليها للانضمام لهذا النادي العظيم من سنة ونصف النادي الذي منحني فرصة لكي أُظهر من أنا كشخص، وكلاعب كرة قدم أمام العالم، وأمام ملايين الجماهير الرائعة.

الأهلي تعلمت فيه معنى الفوز، وشعرت بلذة تحقيق البطولات، وهي مشاعر ستبقي معي إلى الأبد.

أشكر كل اللاعبين والجهاز الفني والمدربين وكل من في النادي الذين قضيت معهم أيام جميلة.

شكرا لكل من وقف بجانبي وجعلني أشعر أنني بين عائلتي الروابط والعلاقات هذه ستبقى معي مدى الحياة.

عشنا لحظات رائعة وصعبة سواء لكن الشيء الذي لن أنساه أبدا هو قوتنا عندما نتكاتف في الأوقات الصعبة وأخيرا وليس آخراً والأهم، شكرًا لجمهور الأهلي العظيمة.

أعلم  أن الفترة الأخيرة كانت مليئة بالكلام والقصص، وكانت صعبة بيني وبينكم، لكن المهم بالنسبة لي هو أنني لن أقصد أبدًا إيذاء علاقتنا، فأنتم سبب سعادتي في كل ثانية لعبتها في هذا النادي العظيم.

أنتم من شجعتوني لكي أقدم أفضل ما لدي في كل مباراة، وجعلتوني أشعر بالفخر أمام عائلتي وشعب فلسطين كاملا، جمهور الأهلي هو صوت النادي وصورته أمام العالم، أنا فخور أنني لعبت أمامكم وفخور أنني ارتديت التيشرت الأحمر أمامكم جميعًا وبعتذر إذا صدر مني أي شيء تجاهكم جعلكم تفكروا فيا بشكل مختلف.

شكرا ليكم، لأنكم دائما كنتم بجانبي وساعدتموني على التطور والوصول، الشيء الوحيد الذي أستطيع أن أقوله للي انا فيه حالياَ دة في هو أنني حبيت كل لحظة من حياتي كلاعب في الأهلي.

Pakistan change tack as Rizwan replaces Sarfaraz for Boxing Day

The burning question of what Pakistan do with their wicketkeeping conundrum on Boxing Day has finally been addressed, with Mohammad Rizwan replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed for the second Test.It follows a difficult Perth Test for Sarfaraz, particularly with the bat, after he scored seven runs across both innings, struggling particularly against Mitchell Starc’s pace.It’s one of at least three changes Pakistan will make for the second Test at the MCG after they named a 12-man squad, which will be cut to 11 on match day. Khurram Shahzad has been ruled out of the series while allrounder Faheem Ashraf will also miss out after a poor Test with bat and ball, with Pakistan to take a final call on the sort of combination they play with.Related

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There is a possibility, however faint, that the visitors line up with another all-seam attack, which leaves Sajid Khan, named in the 12, out. That, however, is believed to be a remote possibility, with Sajid and one of Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza getting the nod considered much more probable. Mohammad Wasim Jnr was not part of the trimmed squad, so the pace bowling debate comes down to Hasan and Hamza.However, it is Sarfaraz’s omission that remains the most significant. His inclusion for the first Test received significant scrutiny because of his historical record in Australia and on similar, bouncy surfaces, only exacerbated by how the Perth Test went. At the time, Pakistan team director and coach Mohammad Hafeez pushed back against suggestions playing Sarfaraz was a mistake, saying it wasn’t right to label Sarfaraz as “someone who can only perform in a limited set of conditions”.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

But with Pakistan dropping him three Tests on from one of his career-defining batting performances in a very different set of conditions, that is precisely what Pakistan have done. Captain Shan Masood, in the captains’ Christmas Day press conference, said Sarfaraz had been given the nod in Perth despite what the numbers said because of his red-ball form in domestic cricket in Pakistan, and the intensity and commitment he brought to every game.”I wouldn’t think that that one change would have changed the whole course of the game,” Masood said. “The reason to play Sarfaraz was pretty much the same [as the reason to play Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad]. People go back to stats and Rizwan averages very well in SENA. Firstly, there’s no competition between the two. They’re equally important to the team. Any competition they have is healthy competition. We know what Rizwan has done but we gave Sarfaraz the benefit because he averaged 56.50 on his last tour here in 2016. Yes, that’s been quite a while but he’s also played red-ball consistently in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in the last few years.”Rizwan just came from the World Cup, a lot of white-ball cricket. And he also had a gap in red-ball cricket since Sarfaraz took over from him for the New Zealand series. Sarfaraz had an outstanding performance there and Rizwan hadn’t played a lot of red-ball cricket. So there was a method to it. He’s been there, he played red-ball cricket. Karachi had a very good season where he was the tournament’s MVP, and that allowed us to get a player like Rizwan into shape. If I had it my way, I’d ideally like both to play but that’s not possible. Now we think Rizwan is ready and we can give Saifi that little bit of break to recuperate and come back.”Despite the extensive build-up to the Test – Pakistan arrived in Melbourne a full week out from Boxing Day – they have spent relatively little time out at the MCG. A training session on the 21st was followed by a two-day practice game at the Junction Oval. Pakistan rested on the 24th, and heavy rain forced both sides to conduct their training session indoors on Monday. Masood explained that was part of the reason Pakistan had named a 12, rather than 11, to enable them one final look at the surface.”Our last look at the pitch was on the 21st,” he said. “Then we went to the Junction Oval and we rested yesterday, and then it’s been raining today. So I think we should be a bit sensible. Make sure that we have a full look at the pitch and let’s say if we need to play a certain kind of bowler or batsman then we will make that decision.”

رسميًا.. توماس بارتي يستقر على وجهته القادمة بعد الرحيل عن آرسنال

دخل توماس بارتي لاعب خط الوسط الغاني الدولي في محادثات جادة للتوقيع لأحد الأندية العملاقة في أوروبا بعد رحيله عن صفوف آرسنال في صفقة انتقال حر.

وأعلن فياريال عن التوقيع مع لاعب خط الوسط الغاني توماس بارتي لمدة موسم واحد، وسينضم إلى فريقه الجديد غدًا في ملعب التدريبات.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | في ظهور جيوكيريس.. آرسنال يخسر أمام فياريال استعدادًا للموسم الجديد

وذكر فياريال في بيانه: “توماس بارتي لاعب خط وسط متكامل يتمتع بقدرات عالية ومواصفات بدنية استثنائية، ويتميز بمهارات فائقة في الاستحواذ على الكرة”.

وأضاف: “هو لاعب يملك القدرة على بدء الهجمات من العمق ويتميز بتسديداته القوية من مسافة متوسطة وقدرته على اختراق الخطوط عند التقدم للأمام”.

وخاض لاعب خط الوسط الغاني المخضرم أكثر من 50 مباراة دولية، كما لعب مع آرسنال وأتلتيكو مدريد وريال مايوركا.

وحقق بارتي بطولة واحدة مع آرسنال بينما فاز مع أتلتيكو مدريد بثلاث بطولات وهي، الدوري الإسباني مرة واحدة وكأس السوبر الأوروبي والدوري الأوروبي.

ويدرك فياريال أن توماس بارتي يخضع حالياً لإجراءات قانونية في إنجلترا، ويصر اللاعب على براءته وينفي جميع التهم الموجهة إليه.

وسينتظر فياريال نتائج الإجراءات القضائية التي ستوضح وقائع القضية ونظراً للقانون الإنجليزي المتعلق بالإجراءات الجارية يتعذر على النادي الإدلاء بمزيد من التعليقات.

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