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Leeds United came out with a 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers in the Championship on Saturday to bounce back from their defeat to Millwall.

The Whites had lost 1-0 at The Den on Wednesday night and immediately bounced back to secure all three points at Elland Road at the weekend.

Goals from Jayden Bogle and Joel Piroe either side of half-time were enough to claim the win, with a fifth clean sheet in the last six home games providing the attackers with the platform to go and win the match.

There were a number of players who caught the eye with impressive performances for Daniel Farke’s side in the win over Marti Cifuentes’ men…

Leeds United's top performers against QPR

One star who impressed was the scorer of the opening goal in the game – Bogle. The right-back found the back of the net with a close range volley to make it 1-0 after several players fluffed their lines inside the box.

He also won nine of his 12 ground duels throughout the game to complete five of his seven attempted dribbles and win three tackles for his side, which shows that the full-back made an impact in and out of possession.

Central midfielder Joe Rothwell put in an assured and quality display in the middle of the park, completing 94% of his attempted passes and creating two chances. It was his burst and cross down the left side of the box that eventually created Bogle’s goal.

Central defender Pascal Struijk was also crucial to the clean sheet, winning five of his seven duels without being dribbled past a single time, with a dominant performance at the heart of the defence.

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There was also another impressive showing from Joel Piroe as a substitute for the Whites and Farke appears to have unearthed his own version of Jhon Duran.

Leeds United's own Jhon Duran

The Aston Villa striker has made a name for himself as a super substitute for the Premier League side, with four goals as a substitute in the top flight and one in the Champions League – four of those five goals were also match-winners.

Duran’s most memorable goal, arguably, was his terrific lobbed finish against Bayern Munich to win the match for the Villans in the Champions League at Villa Park.

Piroe came off the bench to score the second goal, to make sure of all three points, against QPR on Saturday and that was his sixth goal as a substitute in 2024, which is the most by any Leeds player in history in a calendar year.

The Whites record-breaker, who was once hailed as “dangerous” by journalist Josh Bunting, has been a reliable source of goals off the bench for Farke this term.

As you can see in the table above, Piroe has contributed with five direct goal contributions in eight appearances as a substitute for Leeds so far this season.

He has been a fantastic option for the German head coach to call upon in the second half of matches, to provide his team with a big threat in the final third, which has also been the case for Unai Emery with Duran.

Leeds star sold by Christiansen is outscoring Rutter & Summerville in PL

The former Leeds United star has gone on to enjoy a great career in the Premier League.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 8, 2024

Whilst Piroe may prefer to start week-in-week-out, using him as an impact substitute appears to be the most effective way for Leeds to make use of his quality right now.

Borussia Dortmund are set to face Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals, and Didi Hamann is causing a stir with his prediction.

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• Hamann makes surprise Barca claim
• Believes Dortmund will beat Catalans
• Criticised Barcelona's 'open' defence

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Germany international Hamann, currently working as a TV pundit for , made a bold Champions League quarter-final prediction, backing Borussia Dortmund to beat Barcelona and book a berth in the last four. Dortmund progressed to the quarter-finals after overcoming Lille 3-2 on aggregate. Barca, meanwhile, beat Benfica 4-1 across two legs.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After securing a hard-fought victory to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a spirited performance at Lille on Wednesday evening, Borussia Dortmund will now face Europe's top-scoring team, Barcelona, next month. Despite being in 10th place in the Bundesliga, Dortmund are widely regarded as the underdogs against Hansi Flick's men, who are arguably the best team in the world and the bookmaker's favourites to go all the way following Liverpool's elimination against PSG. However, Hamann is not ready to write Dortmund off and predicted a win for the Bundesliga outfit.

• WHAT DIDI HAMANN SAID

  The former Bayern and Germany international, himself a Champions League winner with Liverpool in 2005, said on Wednesday: "Barcelona are wide open at the back and I don't know if that will hold up in the long run. They score a lot of goals, of course, because they have some incredible players up front, but Dortmund know what it takes, they showed that last year. I think they'll knock Barca out over the course of the two games."

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA AND DORTMUND?

  The Catalans will turn their attention towards La Liga, where they are currently in first place, level on points with Real Madrid. Flick and Co. have a game in hand, though, and they visit Atletico Madrid on Sunday in what could be a potential title-decider.

  Meanwhile, Dortmund will take on sixth-placed RB Leipzig on Saturday as they look to close the gap between them and the top four.

Chelsea legend John Terry has found himself at the centre of social media ridicule after performing a rap with British artist ArrDee at the Baller League UK. The former Blues defender, who lifted 15 trophies with the club, was labelled "cringe" and "embarrassing" by fans following his appearance alongside the rapper during Monday night’s event.

• Terry’s rap shocks fans at Baller League

  Terry, one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players, made headlines this week after taking part in a musical performance during the Baller League UK, an indoor six-a-side competition that blends football with online entertainment and features content creators alongside former pros.

  The 44-year-old, who manages a team named the 26ers, joined ArrDee during the team's entrance for what appeared to be a playful diss track aimed at influencer Angry Ginge. Footage of the pair walking out together and performing quickly spread across social media, with many supporters expressing their disbelief at the sight of their former captain trying his hand at rap.

  Terry, who spent his entire 22-year playing career at Stamford Bridge and won the Premier League five times, appeared in good spirits during the performance, but the online reaction was the opposite, with sections of the Chelsea fanbase calling it "painful to watch" and questioning why a club legend would involve himself in such antics.

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• Social media reaction: ‘Cringe’, ‘embarrassing’, and ‘tops the slip’

  It didn’t take long for the clip to go viral, and fans across were quick to pile in with a mix of humour, disbelief, and second-hand embarrassment.

  One user, @saxon_davi67265, wrote: "He's topped his most embarrassing moment in his life of slipping in a Champions League final."

  Another, @ONLYONEWEEDA, admitted he felt incredibly uncomfortable watching the scenes unfold. He posted: "Jesus christ that was cringe"

  @NikBoReid simply added: "Embarrassing nonsense."

  Meanwhile, @jordymaui commented: “What the f*ck is this?", followed by several crying laughing emojis. 

  And @pusb1991 questioned those who watch the competition in the first place, adding: "Who watches this sh*te genuinely?".

  The negative wave of reaction didn’t stop there. On Reddit and other platforms, fans described the moment as "super cringe" and "hard to watch", while others urged Terry to "stick to coaching" instead of pursuing a career in the music industry.

• From captain to content creator

  While the reaction was mostly mocking, Terry’s involvement in the Baller League reflects his growing interest in football-based entertainment. The competition features former professionals, influencers, and content creators, mixing sport with live performances and plenty of viral moments. Terry has served as one of the Baller League’s headline figures since its launch, managing the 26ers team and making regular appearances in promotional content. His collaboration with ArrDee was clearly meant to be light-hearted, though it appears many fans took it less kindly.

  The former England international retired from playing in 2018 before moving into assistant coaching roles at Aston Villa and Leicester City. He’s also been open about his desire to one day manage Chelsea, describing it as his "final dream" in football.

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  Terry’s legacy damaged?

  Despite the backlash, Terry remains one of Chelsea’s most decorated figures, having made 717 appearances and captained the club to its first Champions League title in 2012. Yet, his off-pitch persona has often divided opinion, from controversial posts on social media to now, an unexpected rap performance.

  Some supporters took the criticism in stride, noting that the clip was likely meant to be fun and part of the Baller League’s entertainment approach. Others, though, saw it as another "PR own goal" for a figure who once embodied the club’s old-school toughness.

  The contrast between the former captain who lifted trophies under Jose Mourinho and the man rapping in a tracksuit beside ArrDee was too much for many to process. Although it is worth noting that the reaction the clip sparked on social media served its purpose. Terry will have been well aware that purist fans of the game will have picked up on his performance, and while he may face the brunt of the backlash, the moment draws more eyes to the Baller League.

Kraigg Brathwaite, Joshua Da Silva and Kavem Hodge have been excluded in the latest announcement by Cricket West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025Cricket West Indies (CWI) has made three changes to their list of men’s international retainer contracts for 2025-26, with former Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite, Joshua Da Silva and Kavem Hodge missing out. Justin Greaves, Sherfane Rutherford and Jomel Warrican have been added to the 15-player roster in their place.In their list of women’s international retainers, seamers Jannillea Glasgow and Shawnisha Hector have been added to the 13-player roster, while Shamilia Connell, Cherry Ann Fraser, Chedean Nation and Rashada Williams are not part of the list.The core group remains in place. Among the men, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie and Jayden Seales have all been retained, while the women’s list continues to feature Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle. The contracts commence from October 1, 2025.Miles Bascombe, CWI’s director of cricket, said that the retainers were given out keeping in mind “current performance and long-term potential, while keeping a close eye on our broader strategy of building towards major global tournaments”. These decisions, he said, aligned with the pathways designed for West Indies’ cricket’s long-term success.Starter (development) contracts were also offered for Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Johann Layne, Jahzara Claxton and Realeanna Grimmond. Additionally, academy contracts were given out to 15 men’s cricketers and 14 women’s cricketers.West Indies – more so in men’s cricket, but also in women’s cricket – are looking to regain their identity after a string of disappointing performances. The women’s team failed to qualify for the ongoing ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka although they beat South Africa in a T20I series in June. The men’s team was blanked in the Test series against Australia at home in July – with the 27 all out in the last innings the lowest of lows – and was followed by an “emergency meeting”, but then went down 2-1 to Nepal in a T20I series in late September. They did win an ODI series against Pakistan at home in August but lost the corresponding T20I series.

West Indies men’s contracts 2025-26

Senior men: Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Jomel Warrican.

Starter contracts: Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Johann Layne.

Men’s academy: Ackeem Auguste, Ryan Bandoo, Jediah Blades, Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal, Giovonte Depeiza, Nathan Edward, Damel Evelyn, Amari Goodridge, Mbeki Joseph, Johann Layne, Zishan Motara, Kelvin Pittman, Renico Smith, Carlon Tuckett.

West Indies women’s contracts 2025-26

Senior women: Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Hayley Matthews, Ashmini Munisar, Stafanie Taylor, Karishma Ramharack.

Starter contracts: Jahzara Claxton, Realeanna Grimmond.

Women’s academy: Abigail Bryce, Asabi Callender, NaiJanni Cumberbatch, Shabika Gajanbi, Brianna Harricharan, Trishan Holder, Djenaba Joseph, Nyia Latchman, Samara Ramnath, Amrita Ramtahal, Selena Ross, Shunelle Sawh, Steffie Soogrim, Kate Wilmott.

Dele captured the hearts of the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase during his spell in North London, joining in a bargain £5m transfer from MK Dons in the summer of 2015.

No supporter could’ve imagined the immediate impact he would have on the first-team, racking up 269 appearances – netting 67 goals, with 22 of which coming back in 2016/17.

The Englishman won the PFA Young Player of the Year back-to-back, but his time at the club would come to an abrupt end – falling down the pecking order after scoring 14 times in his final three years at the club.

In an attempt to resurrect his career, he joined Como back in January, but only featured once – for a total of 10 minutes – subsequently departing Cesc Fàbregas’ side during the off-season.

There’s no denying the attacking midfielder failed to live up to the early expectations he once had in his professional career – potentially landing a similar player before the September 1st deadline.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new attacker this summer

Xavi Simons has been a player who has emerged on Spurs’ radar over the last couple of days, with the Lilywhites hierarchy even entering talks with the German side over a £60m transfer.

Chelsea have been said to be leading the race over recent weeks, but Thomas Frank’s side could complete their own hijack for the Dutch international’s signature in the coming days.

However, he’s not the only attacker who’s emerged on their shortlist in recent days, with Manchester United bomb squad member Jadon Sancho a potential option, according to TBR Football.

Journalist Graeme Bailey claims that the Lilywhites have “been offered” a last-minute deal for the Englishman, who looks certain to depart the Red Devils having initially cost them £73m.

It also states Frank’s side are desperate for a left-winger before Monday’s deadline, potentially targeting a move for the 25-year-old, who scored five times on loan at Chelsea in 2024/25.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Dele 2.0

Had his career continued on the same trajectory, Dele would still have been a key member of the Spurs squad, subsequently entering the prime years of his career.

At 29, he should be thriving in the Premier League, but unfortunately, off-field events have prevented the former England international from kicking on his career.

He spoke openly about his personal life two years ago, allowing the supporters to gain an insight into his struggles – with sympathy undoubtedly being directed the midfielder’s way.

Ultimately, despite his excellent start to his career, it’s safe to say the player never managed to fulfil the potential he burst onto the scene with – something which is also evident with Sancho and his own career.

The winger thrived at Borussia Dortmund, making over 120 appearances for the Bundesliga side, before completing a £72m switch to join Manchester United back in the summer of 2021.

He’s only made 83 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring just 12 times and failing to match the high expectations he arrived at Old Trafford with – leading to his pending departure this summer.

It’s unclear how much a deal for the 25-year-old would cost, but the stats from his loan spell at Stamford Bridge showcase he does still possess top-quality talent, with Frank needing to unlock such talent if he joins the Lilywhites.

Sancho, who’s been labelled “incredible” by Joe Cole, ranked in the 91st percentile for progressive carries (5.1) and 91st percentile for carries into the opposition’s box per 90 (2.9).

Such numbers highlight the threat the former Dortmund star possesses in attacking areas, showcasing his ability to drive forward with the ball at any given opportunity.

He also completed 2.3 take-ons per 90, at a success rate of 46% – further offering Frank’s side an added dimension within the final third for his first campaign in the role.

The winger has also been able to find a teammate consistently, completing 83% of the passes he attempted, subsequently ranking in the 93rd percentile for passes into the opposition box – which could provide those around him with key opportunities in front of goal.

There’s no denying that Sancho won’t be many of the supporters’ first choice between now and the end of the window, but it could be an excellent option if he can recapture his best form.

It’s unclear how much a deal would set the Spurs hierarchy back this summer, but it’s certainly a risk worth taking – with the upside massively outweighing the potential drawbacks.

The new Son: Spurs make last-minute approach to sign "phenomenal" £60m star

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to land a star who could be their next Heung-min Son.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 28, 2025

Stats highlights from the Group B match between India and South Africa at the MCG on February 22

Shiva Jayaraman22-Feb-20153:18

Insights: Dhawan’s impressive ODI record overseas

0 World Cup matches won by India against South Africa before this game. This was their first win against them in four matches.130 Runs South Africa lost the match by – the heaviest of their nine defeats while chasing in the World Cup, beating their 83-run loss to Australia in 2007.0 Number of times South Africa have won chasing a target of 300 or more against India in ODIs out of four attempts. Overall, South Africa have a win-loss record of 4-15 in such chases.137 Runs scored by Shikhar Dhawan – the highest individual score against South Africa in a World Cup, beating 134 not out by Stephen Fleming in 2003. Including Dhawan’s there have been only nine hundreds against South Africa in World Cups. This was also Dhawan’s highest score in ODIs. Dhawan had scored 216 runs on this tour in ten innings before the World Cup. He has already scored 210 in two innings in this World Cup.3 Number of India openers to start World Cups with back-to-back fifty-plus scores, including Dhawan. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly are the others to do it. Ganguly scored 66 and 89 against Bangladesh and Bermuda, respectively, in 2007. Tendulkar had scores of 127*, 70, 90 and 137 in his first-four innings in the 1996 World Cup.85 Runs conceded by Wayne Parnell in this innings – the most by a South African bowler in a World Cup match, beating Shaun Pollock’s 83 runs against Australia in 2007. Parnell’s 85 runs were also the second-highest conceded by a bowler from a Test team against India in World Cups. James Anderson’s 91 in the last World Cup in the tied game are the highest.131.66 Ajinkya Rahane’s strike rate in his innings of 79 – the best by a No. 4 against South Africa in a World Cup innings of 50 or more. This was only the sixth fifty by a No. 4 against South Africa in World Cups.3 Number of century partnerships India’s second wicket has put together against South Africa in four World Cup games. Their last three partnerships have been 127, 125 and 130. Mohammad Azharuddin and Sanjay Manjrekar had added 78 runs in 1992, the lowest in the list.3 Number of times India have had two century partnerships against South Africa in ODIs including this match. Two of them have come in the World Cups. India’s first and second wickets put together century partnerships in the previous World Cup game against South Africa in 2011. Overall, there have been only nine such instances against South Africa, with the last three involving India.5 Centuries by India’s openers in ODIs in Australia including Dhawan’s in this match. Three of them have come at the MCG and two on this tour. Rohit Sharma also got a hundred against the hosts in the recent triangular series.307 India’s total in this match – the second-highest against South Africa in World Cups. Australia had scored a mammoth 377 for 6 against them in the 2007 World Cup, which is the highest.1 Wickets R Ashwin had taken against South Africa in ODIs before the match and had given away 216 runs in bargain. He took 3 for 41 in this game bringing his average down to 64.25 against them. This was only the second instance of an Indian offspinner taking three or more wickets in a World Cup match and both have come against South Africa. Harbhajan Singh took 3 for 53 against them in the previous World Cup.44 for 0 India’s score in the batting Powerplay – only four runs short of the best score by any team against South Africa during the overs 36-40 outside Asia since 2010. Sri Lanka had scored 48 for 0 against them in 2012.6 Number of openers who have been run out for a duck in World Cups, including Rohit Sharma in this match. The last such batsman was Charles Coventry of Zimbabwe against New Zealand in 2011 . Incidentally, of the six openers, three are from Zimbabwe and two from New Zealand.