8/10 Sheffield United star just made himself as undroppable as Brewster

da blaze casino: Sheffield United picked up the league double in the Steel City Derby on Sunday lunchtime as Chris Wilder’s Blades got the better of Danny Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday by a single goal.

da dobrowin: As is often the case in a contest that has huge bragging rights on the line, the clash itself was cagey and attritional at points, with only five shots on target registered by both sides at Hillsborough.

Thankfully for the promotion-hungry Blades, one of their on-target efforts would trickle in courtesy of Rhian Brewster, with the number seven one standout performer that would help his side go joint top of the Championship with Yorkshire foes Leeds United.

Brewster's game-changing performance vs Wednesday

Indeed, Wilder would elect to start the ex-Liverpool forward for this full-blooded affair ahead of Callum O’Hare, which was a decision that proved to be a masterstroke come full-time.

The injury-prone attacker is enjoying his finest spell in a Blades shirt to date at the moment, with this late tap-in taking his second-tier goal haul for the campaign up to two alongside his three assists.

Not the most memorable strike in terms of quality, but the effort – which was all Tyrese Campbell’s making down the wing – would still send the Blades masses into pandemonium at Hillsborough, knowing their title charge remains on.

But, although Brewster would steal all the headlines at the end with this invaluable contribution, there were other faces in South Yorkshire who stood out even more, including this defender who could now be deemed as undroppable moving forward.

The Sheffield United star who is now undroppable

Whilst certain positions in Wilder’s XI are fixed now, with Michael Cooper an absolute shoo-in in-between the sticks among other names, the right-back position is still very much up for grabs.

With both Harry Clarke and Alfie Gilchrist absent for the Steel City Derby, Wilder would hand Femi Seriki only his fourth start of the Championship season to try and make up for these woes, which was another close call the United boss got spot on.

Seriki’s performance in numbers

Minutes played

90

Touches

54

Accurate passes

17/20 (85%)

Key passes

1

Accurate long balls

3/4

Successful dribbles

4/6

Clearances

4

Tackles

4

Total duels won

11/21

Stats by Sofascore

The 57-year-old wouldn’t have felt any worry with Seriki at the right-back spot despite the occasion, having seen him win five duels against Bristol City just the league match before, only for him to put in even more of a determined and dogged effort against Rohl’s hosts when glancing at the table above.

Across the course of the 90 minutes, the Manchester-born 21-year-old won a steep 11 duels for his side when they were under the cosh, on top of also relieving danger with some sprints in attack, leading to four successful dribbles also coming his way before the high-stakes game was done and dusted.

Having battled back from his own injury concerns, the up-and-coming Blades prospect will hope he’s gifted an extended run in the main team now as Wilder’s first-choice right-back, with Sheffield Star journalist Danny Hall even gifting Seriki a high 8/10 rating post-match.

United will know the win wasn’t clinched in the prettiest of manners, but another three points being tallied up on the board keeps the title race ticking over for another day, as the red and white half of South Yorkshire aim to take Leeds all the way.

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ByKelan Sarson Mar 14, 2025

He'd be as important as Alvarez: Liverpool "held talks" to sign £40m star

da bet7: There could be a huge summer on the cards for Michael Edwards and Arne Slot at Liverpool due to potential player movement in and out of Anfield.

da marjack bet: Firstly, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract at the end of this season, and it remains to be seen if any of them will put pen to paper on extensions on Merseyside.

Losing any of them would be a significant blow for Liverpool, as they are all regular starters, but Salah could be the biggest loss as he has scored 32 goals and provided 22 assists in all competitions this season.

Rather than finding a one-for-one replacement, which would be incredibly difficult to do, the Reds could sign players in several positions in hope that they all step up to make up for the goals and assists lost.

Mohamed Salah celebrates for Liverpool

For example, Liverpool have been linked with a move to sign Atletico Madrid centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who they reportedly ‘appreciate’ and hold a long-term interest in.

Why Liverpool need to sign a player like Julian Alvarez

Salah has been Liverpool’s main source of goals from a right wing position and that has papered over the cracks in the front three, as Slot has had a problem in the centre-forward position this season.

Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez have both had attempts at being the main number nine for the Reds, but they have both failed to provide a reliable presence in front of goal. The former has scored five goals from 7.21 xG and the latter has scored five times from 5.28 xG in the Premier League.

Darwin Nunez warming up for Liverpool

These statistics show that Liverpool do not possess a ruthless number nine who can make the most of the chances that come their way in the box, which is why they need to go out and sign a player like Alvarez.

The former Manchester City man joined Atletico Madrid last summer to bolster Diego Simeone’s squad, and has proven to be a big hit in Spain with his performances at the top end of the pitch.

Julian Alvarez (24/25)

LaLiga

Champions League

Starts

22

10

xG

8.86

2.38

Goals

11

7

Minutes per goal

166

113

Big chances missed

5

1

Assists

2

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Alvarez has outperformed his xG in both LaLiga and the Champions League this term, which shows that he can be ruthless in front of goal.

In fact, the Argentina international has only missed 26 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Atletico and Man City combined since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Nunez, for comparison, has missed a staggering 81 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Liverpool in that time, having joined from Benfica in 2022, which illustrates the stark difference in quality between the two centre-forwards.

The Reds, though, are also interested in signing a defender who could be as important of a signing as Alvarez in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool have held talks to sign Premier League star

According to journalist Bence Bocsak, Liverpool “have held talks” with Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez over a potential move to Anfield next season.

The reporter claims that the club “like” the Hungary international but that a transfer to Merseyside is not advanced at this moment in time, with nothing beyond those initial talks.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Bocsak’s article for Anfield Watch expands on the news, adding that Liverpool wanted to sign Kerkez from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023, but the player decided to move to Bournemouth instead to play regular football.

The report reveals that Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City are also keeping tabs on the Hungarian dynamo, which suggests that there will be plenty of competition for his services this summer.

Michael Edwards, though, must push to sign the left-back, who is reportedly valued at £40m by the Cherries, because he could be as important of a signing as Alvarez.

Why Liverpool need to sign Milos Kerkez

Liverpool are reportedly in the market to sign a replacement for veteran left-back Andy Robertson this summer, and Kerkez would be a dream signing to take the Scottish star’s place.

The Scotland international has been a terrific servant for the Reds over the years, racking up 66 assists in 336 appearances in all competitions for the club, as a consistent creative threat down the left flank.

However, Robertson’s powers appear to be waning. The 31-year-old star has failed to register a single goal or assist in his 27 appearances in the Premier League this season, along with just one assist in his eight outings in the Champions League.

He is heading towards the latter stage of his career and has not been as influential as in previous seasons, as shown by his lack of production in the final third, and that is why a new long-term left-back option should be a priority this summer.

Milos Kerkez for Bournemouth

Kerkez, at the age of 21, is ten years younger than Robertson and could, therefore, be the new left-back for the club for the next decade, if all goes to plan, which is one of the reasons why he would be such an important addition this summer.

The Hungarian star’s performances in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season also suggest that he would come in as an immediate upgrade on the current Liverpool defender.

24/25 Premier League

Milos Kerkez

Andy Robertson

Appearances

29

27

Goals

2

0

Assists

5

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

2.0

Clearances per game

2.7

1.3

Dribbled past per game

0.4x

0.6x

Ground duel success rate

58%

51%

Aerial duel success rate

33%

27%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Kerkez has vastly outperformed Robertson with his play in and out of possession in the top-flight, as he has made a bigger impact at the top end of the pitch whilst being far more active and reliable defensively.

Wingers find it harder to get past the Bournemouth star, as he makes more tackles and interceptions whilst being dribbled past less, and opposition defenders find it harder to deal with him, as he has scored more goals and provided more assists.

Milos Kerkez for Bournemouth.

Therefore, Kerkez could come in as a big upgrade on Robertson at left-back this summer, which is why Liverpool must push hard to get a deal done for him this summer.

As important as Alvarez and the addition of his finishing quality would be for the Reds, signing a Premier League proven left-back with the potential to be a key player for the next decade is equally as important.

He earns more than Gakpo: Edwards must sell Liverpool's "pointless" star

The Liverpool chief must ruthlessly cash in on the forward who has been outperformed by Cody Gakpo.

ByDan Emery Mar 19, 2025

Coordenador administrativo do Fluminense fala sobre chance de Fred ter cargo no clube

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin: A possibilidade de Fred trilhar um novo caminho no Fluminense continua a agitar os bastidores do clube. Nesta sexta-feira (11), o coordenador administrativo Marcelo Penha opinou sobre a chance do ex-jogador ocupar um cargo na diretoria do clube caso Mário Bittencourt seja reeleito para a presidência.

– Isso é o presidente que tem que definir, né? Com o presidente sendo reeleito, é ele que vai montar a sua equipe lá… Não sei nem se eu continuo. Brincadeira… (risos). Mas a questão vai ser escolhida pelo presidente. Vamos para a eleição primeiro – disse Penha, após oArbitral da Ferj.

A eleição nas Laranjeiras está marcada para 26 de novembro. Mário Bittencourt é candidato à reeleição, e Marcelo Souto e Rafael Rolim também estão no pleito. Ademar Arrais desistiu de sua pré-candidatura nesta sexta-feira.

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da 888casino: Perguntado sobre os desafios pelos quais Fred terá de se adaptar caso aceite um cargo do Fluminense, Marcelo Penha avaliou.

– O Fred é um ídolo. Como todo ex-jogador, a gente quer estar sempre por perto, que ele se qualifique, que ele venha a se integrar de novo ao meio do futebol, né? O Fred é um grande ídolo do Fluminense, sem dúvida nenhuma o maior ídolo vivo disparado do clube – e acrescentou:

– Tenho certeza que o Paulo Angioni, que está lá, tem muito mais experiência que eu. Caso o Mário decida pelo Fred vir, o Fluminense estará de portas. O Fred será muito bem-vindo, e o Paulo vai estar lá de braços para ensinar o que for preciso. Vamos ver!

4/10 Man City duo who "offer nothing" must now never start together again

da stake casino: Manchester City’s winless run after the international break extended to two games, following a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

da blaze casino: It was a night where Pep Guardiola made ten changes, with Nico Gonzalez the only player to keep his place in the side. However, it was not a decision that paid off.

It was a fairly equal first half, with City failing to exert any sort of dominance on the German side, which you might expect from them at the Etihad Stadium. They only managed five shots in that first 45 minutes.

Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring for the visitors in the 23rd minute, striding into the box unmarked and sweetly striking a left-footed volley into the bottom right corner.

It was a superb finish, but poor defending from Guardiola’s side to allow him that much space.

In the second half, the City manager turned to the bench, calling upon the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki to get his side back into the game. Yet, a header from Patrick Schick in the 54th minute doubled Leverkusen’s lead and was enough to seal the win.

It was a poor performance from City, with some players failing to take their chances.

City's worst performers vs. Leverkusen

On a night where Guardiola rotated his side, it could have been the moment for some players to stake a claim for a more regular starting spot. Well, one of the players who struggled was defender Nathan Ake.

The Dutchman has become a squad player under the former Barcelona manager in recent times, and did not exactly cover himself in glory on Tuesday night.

There is a case to be made that he was at fault for Schick’s goal, allowing the Czech Republic striker to get in front of him in the penalty box and head home. It was poor defending from the experienced Ake.

Another player who underwhelmed was Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian attacker is Haaland’s understudy at the Etihad Stadium, so it will always be hard for him to get regular minutes as a number nine.

Against Leverkusen, he was completely isolated and struggled to get involved in the game, being replaced by the Norwegian in the 65th minute.

Marmoush managed just 18 touches of the ball, didn’t manage a shot and could only win two out of five duels.

As poor as Ake and Marmoush were, two City players were arguably worse.

Man City's 4/10 duo must never start together again

Marmoush and Ake were disappointing, but two players who really played poorly were Savinho and Oscar Bobb. They were City’s two wingers against Leverkusen, but City Chief, a page over on X, said they “offer nothing” when playing out on the flanks.

Indeed, it was a night to forget for both of the wide men.

They didn’t cause Leverkusen many major problems, having a combined 12 touches in their box, creating two chances between them and losing the ball 34 times altogether.

Savinho and Bobb stats vs. Leverkusen

Stat

Savinho

Bobb

Touches in opposition box

10

2

Chances created

0

2

Passes into final third

1

0

Ground duels won

5/12

3/4

Number of times ball lost

25

9

Stats from Fotmob

One person who noticed how lacklustre the wingers performed was Manchester Evening News reporter Simon Bajkowski. He gave them both a 4/10 rating, explaining that Bobb ‘went missing’ after the opening minutes and Savinho had no ‘meaningful contributions’.

With Jeremy Doku and Cherki tending to be Guardiola’s first-choice wingers this term, it is hard to see how the pairing that started against the German side will get into the team together again.

Individually, the quality is there, but as a duo, they lack the potency and perhaps confidence to pose a real threat to a full-back. It was certainly a passive showing against Leverkusen, especially with City losing for most of the game.

It is hard to see how Guardiola doesn’t switch back to his first-choice wide pairing, after such a disappointing performance from Bobb and Savinho.

They would fit well with more direct wingers on the other flank, but as a duo, are perhaps too similar and not urgent enough in one-vs-ones to cause frequent problems.

Worse than Savinho: Man City star is in danger of becoming another Grealish

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2 ByKelan Sarson Nov 26, 2025

Abhishek: 'The team has always told me to keep my attacking intent'

“That was a big moment for me, that when the team wants me to do that, then I can do it”

Sreshth Shah22-Jan-20253:09

Abhishek: ‘At SRH and India, I have the freedom to express myself’

Abhishek Sharma has had a blistering couple of years in the IPL and his elevation to the India T20I side has been justified by his performances, which now includes a 34-ball 79 against England in Kolkata.But he has also blown hot and blown cold over this period, being dismissed for under 20 in eight of his first 12 T20I innings and also putting on some big-hitting shows. With India having a plethora of top-order batters, all potentially breathing down his neck and vying for the same position, the pressure can build on a man who is still only 24.However, Abhishek said his captains and coaches have told him never to change his style of play, and that’s what has given him the freedom to play fearless cricket.Related

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“I have thought always from the start to be a team player,” Abhishek said at the press conference after setting up India’s win over England in the first T20I with 43 balls to spare. “In India, there will always be a lot of competition [when it comes to selection] in our senior team. But when Suryakumar [Yadav, the T20I captain] and Gautam [Gambhir] tell me to always keep my intent, that was a big moment for me, that when the team wants me to do that, then I can do it.”As a batsman, it can play on your mind if you don’t score runs in three-four-five innings, but the way the coach and captain have managed all the players, even when I’ve not done well – even then they tell us, ‘we know you’re going to win the game for us, any game, just go and express yourself’ – I think when the captain or coach say this, you get confidence and you back yourself.”Abhishek has worked closely with some great batters as a young man coming up the ranks, especially at Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and he credits them for not only improving his batting but also giving him the scope to play freely.”I believe I’m very lucky in this,” he said. “I was working with [Yuvraj Singh] at first. Going forward, I had Brian Lara, who really helped me at SRH. Moving forward, Dan Vettori was pretty simple, he just wanted everyone to express themselves, and I think that gave me the freedom to play my shots. So obviously, with Yuvraj Singh, Brian Lara and even Gauti right now, they just want me to showcase my talent the way I play and to back myself.”

Abhishek also revealed his style of preparation leading into big tournaments and series, while giving a vote of confidence to India’s new batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.”I think it comes at the camp only, once you’re practicing for a tournament,” Abhishek said. “I try and want to face the kind of bowlers I will potentially face in a match.”Special mention to Kotzy sir [Kotak] and Abhishek Nayar . Both helped me in the nets to get me similar bowlers. I always believe that going into a match or a particular tournament, I hope I get similar bowlers that I will get in the match. Shot selection is very simple for me. I watch the ball and react.”On a good batting surface in Kolkata, Abhishek did not forget to credit the India spinners for their strangle-job of an explosive batting line-up to restrict them to 132, calling Varun Chakravarthy a “game changer”.”I think if you see the last few series, the way Varun has bowled, I think he has been a game changer for us,” he said. “When you get good wickets all around in the T20 format, you have to have that bowler that bowls really well. It is always difficult for other teams to pick him up. Also, the other spinners, Ravi Bishnoi and Axar [Patel] . It is very difficult for batters to play shots.”

فيديو | بعد رحيل فيريرا.. الزمالك يعود لطريق الانتصارات في الدوري بثلاثية أمام طلائع الجيش

استعاد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، نغمة الانتصارات بعد الفوز على طلائع الجيش، اليوم الأحد، بثلاثية مقابل هدف، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

الزمالك التقى مع طلائع الجيش، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

طالع.. ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري بعد ثنائية ناصر ماهر وهدف الدباغ أمام طلائع الجيش

وتقدم فرسان ميت عقبة في الدقيقة السابعة، عن طريق ناصر ماهر بعد تلقيه تمريرة رائعة من نبيل دونجا لينفرد بحارس طلائع الجيش ويصوبها في المرمى مباشرة.

وفي الدقيقة 48 عزز ماهر التقدم محرزًا الهدف الثاني له وللزمالك تسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء تصدى لها محمد شعبان حارس مرمى الطلائع، ليتابعها اللاعب بنجاح في المرمى.

وسجل الفلسطيني الدولي عدي الدباغ، الهدف الثالث في الدقيقة 61 من عمر المباراة، من رأسية مميزة بعد تلقيه عرضية من زميله أحمد فتوح.

وجاء هدف طلائع الجيش الوحيد في الدقيقة 81 عن طريق محمد عاطف من رأسية داخل منطقة الجزاء.

ورفع الزمالك رصيده إلى 22 نقطة في المركز الثاني بشكل مؤقت، بينما تجمد رصيد طلائع الجيش عند 10 نقاط في المركز الثامن عشر.

وقاد الزمالك، في مباراة اليوم أحمد عبد الرؤوف بعد توليه المسئولية الفنية عقب رحيل البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا بسبب تراجع النتائج. أهداف مباراة الزمالك وطلائع الجيش في الدوري

Worse than Bruno Fernandes vs Everton: Amorim must bin Man Utd's 3/10 flop

da spicy bet: “One of the most disgusting showings I have ever seen.” Those were the words used to sum up Manchester United’s 1-0 home loss to Everton by H, analyst for The Overlap.

da bet nacional: One year on from Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge, the Red Devils put in a performance to forget at Old Trafford.

The Toffees, who started the game on the front foot, were down to 10 men early on in strange circumstances.

Idrissa Gueye was sent off for fighting with Michael Keane. However, the red card did not affect the Toffees, who soon took the lead after a stunning individual goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

United were lacklustre in attack for much of the game, with Amorim sticking rigidly to his infamous 3-4-2-1 system, which, on Monday night, did not work. They had 25 shots, but managed just six on target, and looked devoid of any creativity.

The closest the Red Devils came was through Joshua Zirkzee, making his first start of the season. His well-directed header looked goal-bound, but Jordan Pickford pulled off a superb diving stop to keep it out. That was as good as it got for United.

It was a night to forget for Amorim’s side, with Bruno Fernandes one man who struggled.

Fernandes' stats vs. Everton

So often, the player United look towards in the moments when they need inspiration, Fernandes struggled to have a real impact on the game.

Perhaps that is because the Red Devils boss plays him so deep, where he cannot have as much of an influence in the final third.

On Monday against Everton, a club the Portuguese star has had plenty of success against, the final killer ball, something that would normally carve open a defence, was missing.

The United captain tried his luck from range twice but failed to test Pickford and missed a golden opportunity late on from close range, after good play by Mason Mount.

His disappointing performance was noticed by Steven Railston, United writer for the Manchester Evening News. He gave their skipper a 4/10 match rating, describing Fernandes’ efforts against the Toffees as “sloppy.”

The stats certainly reflected that rating. Normally, one of the players who can muster something up out of nowhere, United’s number 8 could only create two chances, despite looking after the ball well, losing it just 13 times out of 115 touches.

It was certainly not the best night at the office for Fernandes, although there was one of his teammates who was far more disappointing.

Man United's worst player vs Everton

It was a night to forget for several United stars, but one of those who struggled most was Patrick Dorgu. The Dane had little impact on the left-hand side and was too often slack in possession or missing the final pass to create an opportunity.

Indeed, Dorgu’s stats from the game highlight his struggles against the Toffees.

He had 41 touches, completing just 76% of his passes and only creating one chance. He also blazed an effort over the bar after getting on the end of a good cross from Zirkzee in the first half.

Dorgu key stats vs. Everton

Stat

Number

Touches

41

Pass accuracy

76%

Opposition half passes completed

8/15

Possession lost

11

Duels won

2/6

Crosses completed

0/3

Key passes

1

Stats from Sofascore

Railston did not seem to think highly of the United number 13’s performance against the Toffees. He gave the 21-year-old a 3/10, the lowest of any teammate, claiming that he “looks low on confidence” and put in a “poor” showing on Monday.

The journalist also suggested Diogo Dalot will come into the side on Sunday for United’s trip to Crystal Palace. Certainly, Amorim will have a selection decision ahead of the clash at Selhurst Park, with the wing-back’s place in the side perhaps on the line.

As Utd Faithfuls said over on X, he can be “unreliable” at times. Coming up against a high-flying Eagles team on Sunday lunchtime, this might be cause for concern, and Amorim might well decide to rotate the youngster out of the side.

There are options at his disposal. Dalot is one player who could operate out there, or a centre-back could slot into the side, with Luke Shaw pushing further up the pitch to play high and wide instead.

It will be interesting to see if Amoirm decides to switch things up and take Dorgu out of the side against Palace. It is certainly a must-win game for United, as they look to get back to winning ways and push for Europe.

Better than Joao Gomes: Man Utd make £52m "monster" a concrete target

Man Utd are looking to add depth to their midfield this winter

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 24, 2025

Raza, Nyamhuri take three each to skittle Afghanistan on rain-reduced day

The visitors, who made five changes heading into the Test, were bowled out for 157 on the first evening

Ashish Pant02-Jan-2025

File photo: Sikandar Raza came back into the side, and picked three wickets•AFP

It had taken Zimbabwe 197 overs and over two days to take ten Afghanistan wickets in the opening Test. A few days later, at the same venue, Zimbabwe required just 44.3 overs and less than two sessions to bowl Afghanistan out for 157, and take early control of the second Test in Bulawayo.Newman Nyamhuri and Sikandar Raza picked three wickets apiece while Blessing Muzarabani got two as none of the Afghanistan batters managed to build on starts. In reply, the Zimbabwe openers Ben Curran and Joylord Gumbie had a tricky three overs to face which they eventually survived.The conditions were very different at the start of the opening day, with persistent rain greeting the two teams, and the toss delayed by close to four hours.When the conditions improved, Craig Ervine had no hesitation in bowling first on what his opposite number Hashmatullah Shahidi described as a “spicy pitch”. Zimbabwe made two changes to their playing XI from the first Test, bringing in Richard Ngarava and Raza, while Afghanistan made five changes to their side. That included them handing Test debuts to Fareed Ahmad, Riaz Hassan and Ismat Alam.The Bulawayo pitch had a green tinge to it, but Muzarabani and Ngarava failed to extract much movement largely due to them being on the shorter side. The Afghanistan openers Abdul Malik and Riaz largely looked unhurried, and managed just 25 runs in the first ten overs.Blessing Muzarabani got two wickets•Zimbabwe Cricket

But a moment of brilliance in the field gave the hosts the opening. Riaz pushed a full delivery from Ngarava to the right of point, and set off for a single, only to be sent back by Malik quite late. Riaz, who was almost halfway down the pitch, scurried back, but Bennett sprinted to his right, picked up the ball with one hand, and in one swift motion smashed the stumps at the striker’s end to catch the batter short.In the next over, Nyamhuri got a short-of-a-length ball to rear up sharply, thus catching Malik’s gloves through to the wicketkeeper.Shahidi and Rahmat Shah, who had stitched a record stand in the opening Test, then looked to arrest the slide. Shahidi began with a fierce cut off Muzarabani over backward point while Rahmat also got off the mark with a four, albeit a streaky one past the wicketkeeper’s left.Rahmat then struck two more fours off Muzarabani, but got a reprieve when he got a thick outside edge off Ngarava to Dion Myers, who spilled a relatively comfortable catch at gully. Thus, Shahidi and Rahmat moved to lunch unbeaten.But it did not take Zimbabwe long to strike after the break, with 18-year-old Nyamhuri once again getting into the act by squaring Shahidi up, and trapping him bang in front of the stumps for 13. Afsar Zazai, another centurion from the first Test, then came in and immediately found his bearings.But it was Raza’s introduction into the attack which brought about Afghanistan’s downfall. He varied his pace brilliantly, bowled wicket-to-wicket lines, and had both Rahmat and Zazai second-guessing. Nyamhuri also stuck to a plan, and induced multiple outside edges before Raza orchestrated a collapse.Ben Curran and Joylord Gumbie survived a tricky 20-minute burst before stumps•Zimbabwe Cricket

Rahmat, unable to get Raza away, tried to unsettle him by trying a cheeky lap sweep. But Raza fired the ball in on middle, and Rahmat missed it to see his leg stump pegged back. Ngarava then got rid of Zazai with a snorter before Raza cleaned debutant Alam up with a yorker as Afghanistan slipped from 81 for 3 to 84 for 6 in the space of ten balls.Rashid Khan unfurled a number of strokes as soon as he walked in by spanking Raza for three back-to-back cover drives. Shahidullah also got his first boundary away via a wristy flick. Muzarabani, who was wayward all day, finally got the ball to land on a channel outside off and induced a thin edge off Shahidullah’s blade through to the wicketkeeper. Rashid then failed to keep a short and wide delivery off Muzarabani down, with deep point taking an easy catch.When Raza cleaned Yamin Ahmadzai up for his third wicket, the end was nigh for the visitors. But Zia-ur-Rehman and Fareed added a run-a-ball 27 for the final wicket, with debutant Fareed smashing a four and a six in his 19-ball 17 to take Afghanistan past 150.The Zimbabwe openers survived a tricky 20-minute burst from Afghanistan, and will want to wipe off the deficit early on day two. Rain and a wet outfield allowed only 47.3 overs to be bowled on the opening day, but the Test has already moved on at a rapid pace.

مران الزمالك | محاضرة من فيريرا.. وجاهزية الثنائي المصاب استعدادًا لمواجهة البنك الأهلي

خاض الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، تدريباته الجماعية، اليوم الثلاثاء، على ملعب استاد الكلية الحربية، استعدادًا لمواجهة البنك الأهلي في الدوري.

ويستعد الزمالك لمواجهة البنك الأهلي، المقرر لها يوم الخميس المقبل، على ستاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية عشرة لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وحرص البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني للفريق، على إلقاء محاضرة بالفيديو على اللاعبين قبل انطلاق المران، وشرح فيها بعض الأمور الفنية والخططية التي سيتم تطبيقها في مران اليوم، استعدادًا للقاء البنك الأهلي في الدوري.

وشدد فيريرا على ضرورة التركيز وبذل أقصى جهد في التدريبات، من أجل تحقيق الفوز في مباراة البنك الأهلي، وأكد صعوبة وأهمية اللقاء، كما منح المدير الفني اللاعبين بعض التعليمات لتنفيذها في مران اليوم.

طالع | إداري الزمالك السابق: شاهدت خطاب إيقاف دونجا.. وأقول الحق ولو على رقبتي

وانتظم ناصر منسي وأحمد ربيع، ثنائي الفريق، في التدريبات الجماعية، بعد تماثل الثنائي للشفاء من الإصابة، وكان ناصر منسي يعاني من إصابة قوية في العضلة الخلفية، في حين اشتكى أحمد ربيع من تعرضه لإجهاد عضلي.

واطمأن الجهاز الطبي على جاهزية الثنائي قبل المران ليشارك اللاعبان في التدريبات الجماعية بصورة طبيعية.

وأدى آدم كايد وأحمد شريف تدريبات تأهيلية، في ظل التعافي من إصابتهما، حيث يعاني آدم كايد من إصابة في عضلة السمانة، في حين يعاني أحمد شريف من إصابة في العضلة الضامة، ويسعى الجهاز الطبي لتجهيز الثنائي للمشاركة في التدريبات الجماعية خلال الفترة المقبلة.

ويحتل فريق الزمالك، المركز الخامس، في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 18 نقطة، من 10 مباريات فاز في 5 وتعادل في 3 وخسر في 2.

Brendon McCullum promises focus on entertainment as England white-ball era begins

England take on T20 World Cup champions in five-match series to start new coach’s tenure

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2025

Jos Buttler shakes hands with Brendon McCullum after his century at Edgbaston in June 2015•Getty Images

Brendon McCullum’s era as England’s white-ball head coach gets underway in Kolkata on Wednesday, with a promise to carry over his Test team’s focus on aggression and entertainment, both in their upcoming series against India and on into the Champions Trophy, and a faith that captain Jos Buttler’s “best years are yet to come”.McCullum’s unveiling in the role has been a long time coming. His new deal, as England’s dual red- and white-ball head coach, was announced back in September, and he has since overseen consecutive Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand while Marcus Trescothick covered the one-day role in an interim capacity.Now, however, McCullum is straight into the hot seat, with a five-match T20I campaign against the newly-crowned T20 World Cup champions, followed by three ODIs against the finalists of the last 50-over World Cup in 2023, ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Australia in Lahore on February 22.Speaking at Eden Gardens ahead of the first T20I, McCullum described England’s batting as being “as powerful as anyone’s in the world”, but said that, at this stage, he was more focused on freeing up his players to perform at their best, rather than gunning for outright victory.Related

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“Obviously, we want to win every game we play, to try and be successful, and that’s ultimately the mission for us,” he said. “But our conversations and the language which we use within the dressing-rooms is quite different.”It’s about trying to get the best out of the talent that sits within the dressing room, trying to gel the guys as best we can, trying to work out complementary skills, and how we how we play the style of cricket that gives us our greatest chance.”I’m desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket,” he added. “With the talent we have, there’s no reason why we can’t. We’ve got a batting line-up which is as powerful as any batting line-up in the world. We’ve got gun spinners, very good fielders and guys who bowl absolute rockets with the ball, so you’ve got options there to be able to entertain and give yourself the greatest chance of success.”McCullum takes over a white-ball set-up deep in the throes of transition, with the team having lost both its 50- and 20-over World Cup titles in the space of seven dispiriting months in 2023-24. His selections for this campaign, however, made it clear that he intends to use his joint coaching role to unify the Test and one-day set-ups, with eight of his 15 selections for the ODI squad having featured in the longer format in the course of 2024.One man who stands apart in that regard, however, is the captain Buttler, who played the most recent of his 57 Tests on the 2021-22 Ashes tour. Speaking back in September, McCullum memorably declared that his first task would be to cheer up his “miserable” captain, who at the time had been struggling with a long-standing calf injury.”He’s smiling, that’s good. He’s very happy at the moment,” McCullum confirmed, adding that his pre-existing relationship with Buttler, forged during his own playing days at the IPL and around the world, had enabled them to hit the ground running as a captain-coach combination.Buttler returned from injury on England’s tour of the Caribbean last year•Getty Images

“Obviously we’ve known for a couple of months that this was going to unfold, so there’s been plenty of time to chat to Jos over the last couple of months,” McCullum said. “When I took over the Test job, Stokesy and I knew each other and there was a mutual respect, but wouldn’t say we were friends necessarily, even though it’s now a really tight personal relationship, as well as a working relationship.”With Jos, we actually start from a slightly stronger base. Jos and I have been friends for a long time, we’ve often shared some of the philosophies of game, and that friendship gives us really good base to be able to be able to get things going pretty quickly with this team.”He’s in really good space. He’s excited about the team, and the opportunity that sits in front of us, I’m sure we’ll see Jos really enjoy himself over the next couple of years, and hopefully finish with a real strong enjoyment for the game at the back end of his career.”McCullum also confirmed that Buttler would once again be relinquishing the gloves, in order to lead the team from the field rather than behind the stumps, with Phil Salt likely to continue in the role he took on for both series in the Caribbean in November.”It’s really a really positive thing for us, because it gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler, and to have that relationship built at that last second, rather than from 22 yards away,” McCullum said. “We’ve got great keeping options within the side as well.”At the age of 34, and as a double World Cup-winner, Buttler has little left to prove as one of the modern greats of the white-ball game. But, having witnessed the success and enjoyment that Stokes has got from leading the Test team over the past couple of years, McCullum believes there’s scope for Buttler to put a cap on his own career in a similar manner.”I think his best years are definitely ahead,” he said. “Sometimes, when you get the opportunity to lead in the latter part of your career, you can be a little bit desperate for success and that can create frustrations, and it doesn’t become quite as enjoyable.”But if you can let yourself go a little bit, with nothing to prove other than trying to get the best out those around you, sometimes that can lift your game up a bit more. Those are the conversations Jos and I have had. He’s fully on board with that, he’s excited about the next little while, and I’m sure you’ll see him smiling.”It’s going to be a tough tour. We’re taking on a very good India side, and I’m sure we’ll play what I hope is a very watchable style of cricket. I’m sure there’ll be some times we don’t quite get it right but, hopefully, we’ll chisel away at that over the next few weeks and be in good shape come the Champions Trophy.”But we are very much focused on this series, knowing India are a very good cricket team, particularly in their own conditions.”

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