Sydney Thunder survived a wobbly chase to secure a BBL finals berth after a tense three-wicket victory over Melbourne Stars at the MCG.The finals positioning came down to the last match of this riveting regular season with Thunder needing a win to leapfrog Hobart Hurricanes, who had pushed into the top five after a remarkable two-run victory over Brisbane Heat earlier in the day.Eerily similar to that game in Launceston, it went down to the wire after a nervy Thunder almost botched their chase of 120.But Thunder, who have been up and down all season, did enough in a see-saw of a contest to claim fourth place and will host an elimination final on Friday against fifth-placed Heat.It ended another underachieving season for Stars, who finished bottom of the ladder with just three wins.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Thunder stumble over the line

Chasing a low target, Thunder had early wobbles with David Warner’s run of low scores continuing after being undone by extra bounce from quick Luke Wood.Warner lasted just three deliveries and has made just 63 runs from five innings since his long-awaited return to the BBL. He is likely to have one more chance to better those returns at elimination final.Thunder were boosted by the return of batter Jason Sangha, who was out for five weeks due to a broken collarbone. But Sangha couldn’t get going and was stumped off a sharp delivery from spinner Adam Zampa.Thunder kept losing wickets and appeared to be headed for the same fate of Heat earlier in the day. But a hard-hitting 28 off 18 balls from Daniel Sams and composed batting from skipper Chris Green and Nathan McAndrew got Thunder over the line and into the finals.

Zampa gives it his all

Zampa has had a rough season after taking the Stars’ captaincy reins from injured Glenn Maxwell. But he remains their talisman and did his very best to thwart Thunder’s finals hopes. He enjoyed a spinning MCG surface and turned the match by outfoxing Alex Ross and Sams to leave the contest in the balance. It wasn’t a flawless effort with Zampa dropping a sitter to reprieve Green on 1 in what proved a costly missed chance. The Stars did what they could to fight all the way to the finish and perhaps in that respect they made it a reasonable send off for coach David Hussey.Adam Zampa celebrates dismissing Jason Sangha with Marcus Stoinis and Joe Clarke•Getty Images

Qadir shines, Sandhu injured

Thunder vindicated Green’s decision to bowl after a disciplined performance from the attack. They bowled well in partnerships from the get go to shackle last-placed Stars, who appeared to be going through the motions in what was a dead rubber for them.Legspinner Usman Qadir, the son of legendary Pakistan spinner Abdul Qadir, stole the show with a three-wicket haul. He bamboozled Stars’ struggling batters with flighted deliveries and combined well with Green, who was typically miserly to finish with 2 for 19 off four overs. Qadir has proven a reliable part of Thunder’s attack after being drafted into the squad for injured spinner Tanveer Sangha.The team’s hierarchy will be well pleased with the performance of the attack after seamer Gurinder Sandhu limped off the ground with a suspected calf injury having bowled two overs. He appears in major doubt for Friday’s final.

Stoinis’ struggles caps tough season

Marcus Stoinis’ season might have been doomed from the start when he fell first ball in the opening game against Thunder shortly after contracting Covid-19. He made just 14 runs in his next three innings before finally rediscovering his belligerent best with a couple of powerful half-centuries. But a hamstring injury derailed his momentum and Stars’ season was basically shot when he returned.Stoinis was hoping to at least end things on a high and find some form before he heads to the UAE’s ILT20. He targeted Qadir in the sixth over and clobbered a six down the ground but couldn’t repeat the dose later in the over to hole out. It summed up a disappointing season for Stoinis, where nothing seemingly went right and he finished with just 190 runs at 23.75 from nine matches.

Asad Shafiq is a vital cog at No. 6 for Pakistan but he isn’t interested in the limelight. He just wants to keep getting better

Melinda Farrell27-Jul-2016

The Pakistan travelling show is a billboard bursting with shiny headline acts: a chorus line of sexy quicks belting out their best swing numbers, a legspinner with more razzle dazzle than Catherine Zeta-Jones; Misbah-ul-Haq, the noble leading man with a stirring solo; Sarfraz Ahmed grabbing centre stage for a dashing cameo; and, of course, Younis Khan – mesmerising the audience with footwork that would have flabbergasted Bob Fosse himself.Among the noisy and entertaining flamboyance it’s easy to miss Asad Shafiq: Pakistan’s Mr Cellophane, quietly accumulating runs in the wings with a purer technique than any of his flashier team-mates. Shafiq plays an unselfish role; coming in at No. 6, he often provides stability when Pakistan’s batting crumbles and guides the tail with the authority of a batsman who, in many other teams, would be at three or four. If not for the longevity of Misbah and Younis, he almost certainly would fill one of those roles for Pakistan.Shafiq is currently the 13th ranked Test batsman in the world. He is almost certainly the least famous in the top 20, despite playing 43 Tests over a period of nearly six years. He lives with his wife and two young daughters, and looks after his widowed mother, in Karachi. While others at his level have been endlessly profiled, their backstories told and retold, their personal lives treated as public property, he has remained refreshingly enigmatic.”I’m not that person that I want to really go out and express myself as a celebrity,” Shafiq tells ESPNcricinfo. “I just want to do things very simply and very quietly.”It was on the suburban back streets of Karachi that Shafiq simply and quietly began his cricketing journey. His mother was kept busy looking after ten children while his father worked at a cement factory. Shafiq, the youngest and smallest, would often be found with his friends and neighbours, pretending to be Sachin Tendulkar as he faced a taped-up tennis ball on the street outside his front door. He would bowl a few deliveries, too, the lightweight ball allowing him to bowl faster than his small frame would normally allow.But it was while batting that he made people sit up and take notice. Enough to stand out as a 12-year-old and be invited to play against much older boys at the local cricket ground. Enough to be singled out to join Karachi’s Jalaluddin academy.”I started playing with the big boys in the ground,” Shafiq says, “and then I found the love of cricket inside me. The love took me to my first trial of hard-ball cricket at the Under-19 regional academy in Karachi. That’s how I found the love for the game and the start of my career.”Once cricket became a serious career path, Shafiq looked closer to home for inspiration, settling on the elegant and prolific Mohammad Yousuf as a role model.”I watched Mohammad Yousuf when he scored 1000 runs and broke the world record for number of centuries in a calendar year,” Shafiq says. “The way he was playing, especially in that year, it was amazing and I just can’t forget his drives and his cuts. I really liked him after that.”Yousuf is now one of Shafiq’s batting mentors, a group that also includes Javed Miandad and Rashid Latif. While his technique may be widely praised, Shafiq is on a never-ending perfectionist’s quest to hone his already considerable skills.”I’m always thinking about my batting and my front foot and my back foot and I always like to talk about it with Grant Flower, our batting coach,” Shafiq says. “I discuss with him what I should do to get it better every time. What to do and what not to do. I want to sit with him and talk about my batting, about my stance, about my grip, about my head position.”

“That was the team requirement [batting at No. 6] so I think whatever the team wants me to do, whatever role they want me to play, I really take it as a responsibility”

Shafiq’s promotion to the national side in 2010 came with a demotion from his usual top-order batting position. He had never batted at No. 6 until his first Test but he has made more of his role there than most; his tally of eight Test centuries is the joint highest by a number six, a record he shares with Garry Sobers.The best of those innings came during his first tour of South Africa, in 2013. On a hard and bouncy Newlands wicket, facing a fearsome pace attack boasting Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel, Shafiq and Younis combined for a 219-run partnership. It wasn’t enough to win the match but it did give Shafiq the confidence that he has the skills to survive and score in any conditions, although he has yet to categorically prove that against England in this series.There are certainly fewer opportunities to rack up big scores when primarily batting with the tail. But rather than being frustrated at the limitations it places on his batting, Shafiq relishes the responsibility of shepherding his team-mates in the lower order.”That was the team requirement, so whatever the team wants me to do, whatever role they want me to play, I really take it as a responsibility,” Shafiq says. “I want to do more with my batting at No. 6. It was difficult in the beginning because I’d never batted with the tail. It’s very difficult, you have to give confidence to the tail, to the bowler who cannot bat like a batsman. You have to give them the belief that they can bat, that they can contribute because these contributions are the most hurtful to the opposition. They think they’ve got all the batsmen out and after that, if the partnership builds between me and a tailender, that’s the most frustrating thing for the opposition.”With Misbah and Younis in the latter phase of their careers, when one – or both – of them eventually retires it will be a natural progression for Shafiq to move up the order. But while he has ambitions to bat higher, he is as patient for a promotion as he is at the crease.His attitude is born of a deep respect for Misbah, which is hardly surprising. Shafiq made his debut in late 2010, the end of an that left Pakistan cricket’s reputation in tatters. Shafiq was a key member of Generation Restoration.”It was a difficult time but I would like to give credit to Misbah for that,” he says. “He really took on the responsibility and showed the correct way and put his belief in every player. Whatever had gone on had gone. We had to move forward, we had to forget all the things we left behind. We needed to look forward every time and show the world that we were good cricketers who could play in any conditions and beat any team in the world. So that’s the belief we carried from there and each and every day it got better and better. After that we rebuilt our reputation. Every player was good after that.”When you go on any tour with the star on your chest, then it is your responsibility to take all of the things that belong to your country and that’s my belief: I shouldn’t do anything that would hurt my people back home, that would reflect anything negative on my country. That’s a personal thing.”Shafiq’s approach to batting is generally a conservative one; to be patient in spending time at the crease, to leave confidently and defend neatly while summing up the conditions. He was impressive in Pakistan’s win at Lord’s, with diligent scores of 73 and 49, but his dismissals at Old Trafford were frustrating: tempted into a loose drive to the man at backward point in the first innings he was then the last recognised batsman to fall as Pakistan tried to dig in defensively second time around, missing a straight delivery from James Anderson to be given out lbw on review.Perhaps one answer for Shafiq and his team-mates can be found in push-ups; not the ones performed in celebration on the Lord’s outfield but in the 300-400 they ground out of their boot camp in Abbottabad. Such resilience and stamina were missing from their batting in Manchester.With the series levelled after a bruising defeat, Pakistan must now regroup and rebuild before Edgbaston. For a team whose top order is proving brittle, a record-breaking century from their No. 6 – a command performance from Mr Cellophane – would be most timely.

da bet nacional： With rumours regarding Andreas Pereira’s potential exit not going away, Fulham have now reportedly set their sights on signing an in-demand Premier League midfielder for Marco Silva.

Fulham transfer news

da jogodeouro： The Cottagers remain one of the most exciting sides to watch in the Premier League. No longer a side scrapping away in the battle to avoid relegation, Fulham have once again become an established top-flight side under Silva – who is doing an excellent job. His side’s recent success may not come without its consequences, however. In fact, they could fall victim to their own success.

Related Fulham now keen to sign "special" Man City star ready to leave in January

He’s a man in demand…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 28, 2024

With the January transfer window now open, Fulham are reportedly fearful that Marseille could reignite their interest in Pereira and secure the Brazilian’s signature this month. And they’re not the only club reportedly interested. Recent reports have indicated that Brazilian club Fluminense are progressing in talks to sign the midfielder in what would be a major blow this month.

It seems as though that fear has led them straight to a potential replacement too. According to Football Insider, Fulham are now eyeing a move to sign Will Hughes in what could come at no cost at all if he leaves Crystal Palace as a free agent at the end of the season.

The London club aren’t the only side interested, however, with West Ham United and local rivals Brentford also keeping an eye on the situation. A player with plenty of experience in the top flight, the interest in Hughes’ signature should come as no surprise.

From a business standpoint, selling Pereira for an impressive fee and welcoming a possible replacement in the summer without having to splash out, themselves, could represent a shrewd move for all involved at Fulham.

"Leader" Hughes could seamlessly replace Pereira

More combative than the elegant Pereira, Hughes would step straight in to replace the Brazilian at Craven Cottage and sit next to both Alex Iwobi and Sasa Lukic. Forming a tireless midfield three, Silva’s side could even benefit from swapping the old for the new all whilst wisely cashing in.

Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Will Hughes

Andreas Pereira

Goals

0

2

Assists

3

1

Tackles Won

21

4

Ball Recoveries

66

62

Also able to create whilst completing impressive work off the ball, it’s no surprise that Hughes has been at the centre of Oliver Glasner’s praise throughout his Crystal Palace tenure.

The Palace manager told reporters as relayed by Tribal Football last month: “Will Hughes not just a performer, he’s also a leader in the dressing room. He’s an experienced guy, an English guy, he’s been here for several years, he knows the club, he knows his teammates, and of course he’s an outstanding good football player.

“His passing, his fighting spirit, and he’s one of the few players, maybe a little bit old generation, who is talking on the pitch. Every manager is looking for some guys who are talking on the pitch, he’s one of them, so he’s very important for our game.”

Crystal Palace do have the option to extend Hughes’ Selhurst Park deal, but if they don’t, Fulham could be in a position to pounce in a cheap transfer.

Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh gave KKR a chance after SRH put up the biggest total of the season so far, but they fell well short in the end

Hemant Brar14-Apr-20232:28

Moody: Brook is a sensational talent in all formats

Harry Brook put behind a string of low scores with an unbeaten 55-ball 100 that included imperious hitting against pace and calculated strike rotation against spin. Aiden Markram was equally destructive, scoring 50 off 26 balls, as Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 228 for 4, the highest total of IPL 2023 so far.In response, Kolkata Knight Riders were 96 for 5 in the 11th over and in need of a miracle for the third game in a row. Nitish Rana’s 41-ball 75 kept their hopes alive, and with 58 required from the last three overs, they had Rinku Singh and Shardul Thakur – their miracle-makers from the previous two games – in the middle. Rinku fought hard with an unbeaten 58 off 31 but this time, it wasn’t to be.

Brook shows his class

Coming into this game, Brook had 29 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 74.35. But one felt it was only a matter of time before he stepped up. On Friday, he started by hitting the first ball of the innings, bowled by Umesh Yadav, through the covers for four. He picked up two more fours in the over, pulling and scooping the bowler with little fuss.Against Lockie Ferguson, he exposed his stumps and dispatched a slow full toss to the cover boundary. He used the same strategy in Umesh’s next over with even better returns – two back-to-back sixes. Thanks to Brook, Sunrisers raced to 43 for no loss in three overs.

Russell’s double-strike

Andre Russell hadn’t bowled this season so far, but it took him just one ball to make an impact. While Brook seemed unstoppable, Mayank Agarwal was struggling. Russell ended his agony by having him caught at short third for 9 off 13 balls. Rahul Tripathi hit a couple of fours but ended up top-edging a pull on the last ball of the over, giving Russell his second wicket.Aiden Markram took out his big strokes when Harry Brook slowed down•Associated Press

Markram takes over

In their spinners, Knight Riders found a way to keep Brook quiet. In the first six overs of the innings, Brook had smashed five fours and two sixes. In the next eight – seven of which were bowled by the spinners – he didn’t find a single boundary, and instead focused on rotating the strike.That, though, didn’t mean Knight Riders could breathe easy. Markram took the baton and ransacked 42 off 22 balls against the spinners. He was severe on Suyash Sharma, in particular, taking him for two sixes and a four in the 12th over of the innings. In the next over, he hit successive balls from Varun Chakravarthy for a four and a six, the second shot bringing up his half-century off 25 balls. He tried to go big on the next ball as well but holed out at deep midwicket.

Brook brings up his hundred

In the 15th over, Knight Riders re-introduced seam in the form of Ferguson. And Brook was back hitting boundaries, sending the bowler for four fours and a six in a 23-run over. Abhishek Sharma, meanwhile, took over Markram’s role and looted 32 off 16 against spin. He didn’t even spare Sunil Narine, hitting him for a four and a six in the 17th over. Those were the only two boundaries Narine conceded in his 4-0-28-0. Abhishek faced just one ball of pace, and was out on that.Brook kept picking up the occasional boundary, and moved to 95 off 52 with one over left. He was tiring by then but found just enough energy to hobble a couple of twos and a single to bring up his hundred.1:59

Did KKR get their plan for Narine’s overs wrong?

Knight Riders start poorly

Bhuvneshwar Kumar dealt Knight Riders an early blow when Rahmanullah Gurbaz sliced the third ball of the chase to deep third. In the fourth over, Marco Jansen dented them further by removing Venkatesh Iyer and Narine off successive deliveries. Iyer, who came in as Impact Player for Suyash, hit a couple of boundaries before miscuing one to Markram at mid-on. Narine was cramped for room and was also taken at mid-on, leaving Knight Riders 20 for 3.

Nitish Rana’s counter-attack

It looked like Knight Riders would surrender without a fight, but their captain Rana resuscitated the chase. In the sixth over, he hit Umran Malik for 4, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6. Not every shot came off the middle of the bat, but the 28-run over helped Knight Riders end the powerplay on a solid 62 for 3.N Jagadeesan gave Rana good support with his 36 off 21 before Mayank Markande had him caught at deep midwicket. Russell, who had walked off twice during the first innings with cramps, didn’t last long either, holing out in the legspinner’s next over.At that stage, Knight Riders needed 133 in 9.5 overs. Rana and Rinku kept the fight on, adding 69 in 6.2 overs for the sixth wicket. The pair was also helped by some lapses in the field – both Rana and Rinku were dropped once each, and later, Thakur was dropped twice.With 70 needed from 23 balls, Rana got two full tosses in a row from T Natarajan. He smashed the first one for a six but ended up hitting the second to sweeper cover, where Washington Sundar held on to the chance.Rinku hit three fours off Natarajan in the 19th over to reduce the equation to 32 needed off six, but as Rana himself said after the game, miracles don’t happen every game.

This is a new year. Is this Liverpool’s year? Let’s not be too hasty – especially with Arsenal narrowing the deficit in the Premier League title race with an impressive win at Brentford – but the Reds are fixed in pole position.

The Saka-less Gunners reduced the gap to six points, leapfrogging Nottingham Forest into second place. There’s still a sizeable gap to bridge toward Liverpool, who also have a game in hand, but too many false dawns have stretched across Merseyside in recent years.

Liverpool have plenty of success stories over the past decade, but plenty more agonising flashbacks besides. That’s football. It’s staggering that Arne Slot has done so well after gripping Jurgen Klopp’s baton last summer, taking Liverpool to another level that promises, at least, gripping showdowns across multiple cylinders.

Signings are needed though to complement – hopefully – some stirring contractual resolutions. Liverpool merely dipped their toes into the market last summer, but will need to strengthen considerably this year, lest their rivals catch up and overtake them this year and next.

Liverpool looking at big signing this year

As per Football Insider, Liverpool have made Morgan Gibbs-White their top target this year, with the dynamic midfielder endowed with the completeness to make more than a few ripples within Anfield’s squad.

It’s claimed that FSG’s recruitment team have upped their interest in the Nottingham Forest star ‘ahead of the January and summer transfer windows’, suggesting that a move this winter isn’t out of the question.

Gibbs-White has been the life-juice of Nuno Espirito Santo’s third-placed side this year, and prising him away won’t be easy. In fact, he was valued at £60m by his outfit during the off-season and they will hardly be looking for a reduced figure after the progress this term.

What Morgan Gibbs-White would bring to Anfield

Nottingham Forest appeared to splurge upon their return to the Premier League in 2022, scattergunning across the market as they sought to preserve their place back in the big time. It worked. Just.

But English football felt that business had been conducted haphazardly. English football was wrong. The Tricky Trees have burgeoned into one of the most steely and cohesive units in the Premier League, with Gibbs-White pulling the strings from the middle.

Forest signed Wolves’ talent in August 2022 for a fee rising as high as £42.5m, something that was met with derision from many circles of the Premier League’s sprawling support base. The Tricky Trees will feel that they’ve had the latest laugh, for Gibbs-White is one of the highest-performing midfielders in the Premier League this season.

Still only 24, Gibbs-White has now claimed 35 goal contributions from 95 appearances, and having been praised as a “monster in transition” by one analyst, the Englishman’s general play is highlighted, with such an impressive distinction through his playmaking, yes, but also his defensive work and on-the-ball retention.

Also praised for his “magic tricks” by reporter Jamie Martin, the £80k-per-week star has the quick-footed, fast-thinking style that works perfectly at the City Ground, marrying flair with tactical pragmaticism.

There’s also a combativeness to him and a sense of responsibility too. The free-scoring Chris Wood has commented on Gibbs-White becoming a “really positive leader for Forest” who is “always looking to progress the team.”

Bearing the full package, Gibbs-White could even become Slot’s own version of Steven Gerrard at Liverpool. That’s a bold claim, but just hear us out.

Slot's own Steven Gerrard

Steven George Gerrard. Liverpool’s ultimate superstar. The iconic England midfielder engineered the greatest Champions League triumph in history, played 710 times for his boyhood club and registered 341 goal contributions.

The Premier League title eluded him but he remained on Merseyside throughout his European career and knitted a connection with the city that will endure forever.

He was the perfect centre-midfielder, in many ways, for his all-encompassing nature made him a force to be reckoned with across the various roles. Eight, six, ten – he could do it all, and with panache at that.

Gibbs-White has the prototypical skill set to assume the kind of dynamic approach that Gerrard once plied in the Premier League, with his ball-playing and -carrying skills reminiscent of the Scouse hero. Moreover, Forest’s midfield talisman has fostered an impressive defensive game through Nuno’s strategic system.

The skills learned during this time are transferrable, and Liverpool would be sure to reap the rewards of such an impressive tactical range. In fact, Gibbs-White has even been warmly referred to as the “Aldi Jude Bellingham” by BBC analyst Raj Chohan, praising his athleticism and ability to plough through even the most noble of defensive lines.

Matches (starts)

15 (15)

14 (14)

Goals

3

6

Assists

3

4

Shots (on target)*

1.7 (0.9)

1.4 (0.6)

Pass completion

80%

89%

Key passes*

1.8

1.1

Dribbles*

1.4

1.1

Ball recoveries*

4.1

3.0

Tackles + interceptions*

2.3

3.0

Total duels (won)*

5.3 (46%)

5.4 (57%)

Bellingham is cut from a similar cloth as Gerrard, describing the retired pro as his “hero” and admitting that he has attempted to incorporate similar aspects into his own game.

Jamie Carragher has also waxed lyrical about Bellingham and drawn him against a prime Gerrard, with his strength across every single area something unique and hardly replicable.

Ultimately, Liverpool know that their lionised skipper is someone who will never be replaced, not really, but through Gibbs-White, whose silky ranged passing, crunching challenges and leadership skills provide him with the template, there could be a second coming to a lesser degree.

One thing’s for certain: Slot’s tactical acumen would only elevate Gibbs-White’s impressive game over the coming years, and while he’s been eye-catching since moving to Nottingham, at Liverpool he would raise his game by many levels.

Worth more than Trent: Liverpool have hit gold on £115m star in the making

Arne Slot has turned this Liverpool talent into a superstar.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 2, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing a new forward, but they are set to face competition from a whole host of other top Premier League clubs including rivals Arsenal.

Tottenham transfer rumours

Tottenham’s squad has been stretched significantly in light of recent injuries, with Guglielmo Vicario becoming the latest player to be sidelined after suffering an ankle injury, meaning Ange Postecoglou may have to be active in the January transfer window. The Spurs boss said: “A lot of it will depend on where we are as a squad at that time.

“Between now and then, it is only really Romero and Van de Ven who will be back in that time frame, but Richarlison will hopefully be back in the New Year and we will just assess where we are squad wise.

“I think last year we did a little bit of business [Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner] which ended up helping us, but nothing concrete now because January is always tricky.”

The Lilywhites’ fixture schedule does not get any easier in the run-up to Christmas, and with important games against Newcastle United and Arsenal on the horizon in January, Postecoglou may feel reinforcements are needed in order to be competitive.

Recently, Tottenham have made it clear they are interested in strengthening their attacking options, with Postecoglou said to be eyeing a move for Real Valladolid star Raul Moro, while Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi has also emerged as an option.

Now, Sky Sports have provided a new update on a potential transfer target in the last 48 hours, reporting that Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens is of interest to Spurs, but there is set to be plenty of competition for his signature.

Liverpool, Chelsea and rivals Arsenal are also named as potential suitors, with some of the interested parties having already opened talks with Borussia Dortmund to find out about the situation and position themselves for a future transfer.

The 20-year-old is currently said to be happy in Germany, given that his contract situation is comfortable, but he sees himself in the Premier League long-term, meaning a move could be possible at some point in the future.

Gittens impressing

The youngster has made a fantastic start to the ongoing campaign, having scored eight goals in all competitions, most recently scoring in Dortmund’s 1-1 draw against rivals Bayern Munich on Saturday afternoon.

Former teammate Niclas Füllkrug has previously lauded the Dortmund star, saying: “He’s an invaluable player to have in the final third, so dangerous for the opposition in the one-on-ones. We’re delighted to have him.”

As such, Spurs could have their hands on a future star if they do manage to win the race for Gittens signature, but it will not be easy, given the level of interest, and it seems unlikely he will be available as soon as the January transfer window.

نجح فريق الهلال السعودي، في التقدم على نظيره مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، نسخة 2025.

ويلتقي الفريقان في إطار منافسات دور الـ16 من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، نسخة 2025، المُقامة حاليًا في أمريكا.

وأحرز البرازيلي مالكوم، الهدف الثاني لصالح الهلال، بعد انفراد بإيدرسون حارس مانشستر سيتي ليضع الكرة في المرمى.

وكان برناردو سيلفا قد سجل هدف مانشستر سيتي الأول في شباك الهلال، في الدقيقة 9 من عمر الشوط الأول، وسط احتجاجات كبرى من جانب الفريق السعودي لوجود لمسة يد على اللاعب ريان آيت نوري.

وتعادل ماركوس ليوناردو للهلال بعد عرضية من كانسيلو داخل منطقة الجزاء، تصدى لها إيدرسون، لتصل إلى مالكوم الذي سددها واصطدمت في الدفاع، لترتد ناحية ليوناردو الذي وضع الكرة برأسه في الشباك بالدقيقة 46. هدف الهلال الثاني أمام مانشستر سيتي في كأس العالم للأندية

Maiden ton for Hackney but NSW end one of their worst-ever Shield seasons winless after South Australia held on for a draw

AAP and ESPNCricinfo staff17-Mar-2023

South Australia’s push for an unlikely winning run-chase turned into a game of survival with the Redbacks ultimately hanging for a draw in their final-round Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales in Adelaide.Set a challenging 386 from 87 overs for victory at Karen Rolton Oval, South Australia ended at 290 for 7. The Redbacks were in the contest at five wickets down, and with 144 required from the final 20 overs, but the dismissal of captain Jake Lehmann forced the home side to bat for a draw.The result means South Australia finished ahead of Tasmania in fourth on the Shield standings but means New South Wales have gone through the season winless for the first time since the competition became a home and away 10-game season in 1982-83.Daniel Drew scored 84 at No.3, completing an excellent match having made 85 in the first innings, as South Australia built slowly after a relatively cautious start.Lehmann kept the run rate high, scoring 74 from 83 balls, following on from his first innings century, while Liam Scott made 40 only to be undone by a stunning catch at square leg by Blake MacDonald off Ben Dwarshuis. Scott smoked a pull shot only for MacDonald to pluck it one-handed diving full length to his right.Lehmann was adjudged lbw off Chris Green, before Harry Nielsen and Nathan McAndrew ensured the home side secured a draw.Earlier, New South Wales batted for seven overs during the morning, before declaring at 247 for 3. Young opener Ryan Hackney was the only wicket to fall but not before he completed his maiden first-class century. He slept overnight on 98 not out but found the extra two runs for his first Sheffield Shield century before falling for 102.

Tom Brady and Birmingham and being backed to beat Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Wrexham to the Premier League.

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Blues & Red Dragons flying high in League OneWill need to spend again over the summerCan either bounce straight through the Championship?Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues and Red Dragons, with famous faces on their respective boards, are currently scrapping it out for automatic promotion in League One. They fill the top two spots in that division at present, meaning that both could be stepping up into the Championship.

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More money will be required in order to remain competitive in the second tier and push on towards the ultimate goal of securing a top-flight standing. Birmingham and Wrexham have been prepared to splash the cash while chasing ambitious dreams.

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Birmingham, as a former Premier League outfit, are considered to be better placed when it comes to bouncing straight through the Championship. Wrexham may find that tough, although there has been talk of Reynolds and McElhenney opening the door to further investors.

Getty/GOALWHAT MATT JANSEN SAID

Ex-Red Dragons forward Matt Jansen told when asked whether St Andrew’s or SToK Racecourse will play host to top tier football first: "Anything's possible with Wrexham and they've got the backing. With the media around them, they've got the idea of what they want to do.

"I think back-to-back would be too soon. They will probably try to consolidate first and build on that with more signings, spending more money. Look at the three coming down, the Premier League is tougher now for teams going up. But then Nottingham Forest have done it. I thought they'd struggle this season, but they’re looking like they should get Champions League football.

"So you can never say never, but it will be a real big ask. If I was going to choose anybody to go back-to-back, it would be Birmingham. I think they're a Championship side right now and if they spend wisely, they'll be stronger."

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da leao： Com o apoio de sua torcida, o Vitória venceu o Figueirense, por 1 a 0, neste domingo (18). Os times se enfrentaram no Barradão, pela 5ª rodada do quadrangular da Série C do Brasileirão 2022. Tréllez marcou o gol solitário do confronto.

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Embalado pela torcida, o Vitória dominou o Figueirense durante todo o primeiro tempo. O time baiano pressionou e teve as melhores chances da primeira etapa. Honório, por exemplo, quase marcou, com uma bomba de fora da área. Aos 34, Rafinha, que havia retornado de lesão, fez bela jogada e mandou para Tréllez, que anotou o gol. Pelo Figueirense, Tito surpreendeu, mas parou no goleiro Dalton.

Na segunda etapa, o Vitória teve um grande baque. Mantendo o ritmo do primeiro tempo, o time baiano sofreu aos 15minutos. Em uma disputa pelo alto, Sanchez atingiu Natan Masiero com o cotovelo. O lateral levou vermelho direto e desfalcou os donos da casa. Depois disso, em vantagem, o Figueirense teve chances, mas nada marcou.