Blowout on Hundred opening night leaves new owners under no illusions about men’s team

Matt Roller05-Aug-2025It was the night that the Hundred’s new private investors marked their ground. London Spirit’s new co-owners, a consortium of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs dubbed the “Tech Titans”, strolled across the outfield at Lord’s, posing for pictures with their families next to the pitch on which their new team had just been bowled out for 80.The titans – officially known as Cricket Investor Holdings Limited – valued Spirit at an eye-watering £295 million in a virtual bidding war in late January, a sum which blew the Hundred’s other seven teams out of the water. But the past 48 hours have shown why: they have unlocked the keys to Lord’s, dining in the Pavilion on Monday night before lining a corporate hospitality suite in the Edrich Stand on Tuesday.It is the start of a brave new world for English cricket: after months of negotiations, the ink is now dry on the paperwork for six deals out of eight, with the final two on track to follow. The first payments in a £500 million windfall have landed in counties’ bank accounts, and everyone is trying to work out exactly what happens next.Related

• Mo Bobat named London Spirit director of cricket

• London Spirit investors believe Hundred can rival IPL

• CA exploring BBL investment 'unashamedly' to be second behind IPL

• Two remaining Hundred deals 'on track' after six new investors finalise terms

• Hundred's 'transition' year is relying on Test star Steven Smith as headline act

Akash Ambani was also at Lord’s, with Reliance Jio – where he is chairman – in the final stages of thrashing out the paperwork for their joint-venture agreement with Surrey for Oval Invincibles, with the aim to complete after the Hundred. He spent Saturday in a box at The Oval, watching India build a healthy lead over England in the fifth Test with Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard for company.On Tuesday night, he would doubtless have enjoyed the efforts of Rashid Khan, who said his established connection with Mumbai Indians’ offshoots was “a big part” in his off-season move to Invincibles. “It’s nice that they’re getting in,” Rashid said. “I spoke to [Ambani] last night, and he said, ‘I’m coming to the game.’ Maybe tomorrow, next day, I’m going to meet him.”The Hundred’s opening night had all the ingredients: a crowd of 26,013 on a perfect summer evening; a London derby shown live on the BBC; some genuine star power from Rashid, David Warner and Kane Williamson. But the recipe failed. The biggest cheer of the night was for a stray fox that ran a full lap of the boundary, before being scared off by Ashton Turner.Akash Ambani watches the fifth Test at The Oval•Alex Davidson/Getty ImagesThe men’s match was a poor spectacle on a slow surface: the first six of the night did not arrive until the final ball, with any sense of jeopardy long gone, and the top individual score was Will Jacks’ 24. After the drama of England and India’s epic men’s Test series over the last six weeks, it was hard to shake the sense of a collective comedown.It cannot have been what the tech titans had in mind when they outbid the RPSG Group in late January in a virtual auction. But they have fully bought in: their deal was finalised late last month and they have held extensive talks with the MCC over their vision for the franchise’s future. They will assume operational control on October 1, and plan to hit the ground running.Even the hardiest investors must have felt some sense of buyer’s remorse while watching Spirit’s men bat, as a team comprising 11 players aged 30 or above managed nine boundaries between them in 94 balls. “It wasn’t a shocking pitch – not at all. But we probably didn’t adapt to the pitch quick enough,” said Liam Dawson, never prone to overstatement.There were few signs of what was to come in the women’s game, albeit with the boundaries pulled in significantly. The teams scored 335 runs between them including 15 sixes – 11 off the bats of Australians Grace Harris and Meg Lanning – with more than 15,000 fans arriving by the mid-point of the run chase in Spirit’s successful defence of 176.Spirit are defending champions in the women’s Hundred but their men have been consistently poor, winning just three of their last 18 games. They have again revamped their squad this year, with Williamson and Justin Langer replacing Dan Lawrence and Trevor Bayliss as captain and coach, but this was a desperate start.Yet the first impression of the Hundred’s fifth season was that it will be all about the sixth – just as the fourth was all about the fifth. Last year, the tournament was framed as a “shop window” to attract prospective investors; now, it is a “transition” season as new investors work out what they already like, and how much they will need to change when they take charge.

The highs of euphoria and the depths of despair were not for New Zealand’s long-serving former cricket coach. Here he looks back at the highlights of his tenure with the team

Interview by Alex Malcolm02-Aug-2025New Zealand are playing their first Test series of 2025 in Zimbabwe, and they’re doing so without long-time coach Gary Stead for the first time in seven years. He called time on his illustrious coaching tenure with New Zealand in June. Stead speaks here in detail about his time in the role, winning the inaugural World Test Championship final in 2021, beating India 3-0 in India last year, and his coaching style.You’ve had a little bit of time to reflect on leaving the role after such a lengthy tenure. How are you feeling about that chapter of your coaching journey coming to a close?
It’s sad in a way but other opportunities may present themselves as well. I always stepped into the role knowing I wouldn’t do it forever. But I’ve been really privileged and fortunate to be around this group of players and staff for nearly seven years, and I look back very, very positively. It’s been a really exciting time for New Zealand cricket, the way that we’ve played our cricket, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given.If you look back at the first Test XI you coached in 2018, and even the ODI World Cup team from 2019, compared to the current Test team and the XI from the Champions Trophy final this year, you’ve overseen a massive period of change in New Zealand cricket and a huge turnover of players and yet remained competitive throughout. How do you reflect on that?
Probably something I’m most proud about with our group is, we’ve continued to manage to find a way to keep competing with the very best teams in the world. I knew when I was stepping into the role that some players were getting [towards] the end of their career, and you want to help them transition out of it. Sometimes you’ve got to make tough calls and say, hey, we think it’s time you finished. That probably is the thing that weighs on your mind most as a coach, because it is about trying to keep strong relationships and trusting relationships with people. I hope that they know that you’ve always got the best interests of the team at heart, and sometimes as a coach, you do have to front up and have those tough conversations.Related

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Stead calls time on seven-year tenure as New Zealand coach

How did you manage those, and how much did your own experience as a player shape how you dealt with them?
As a player I went through that transition myself. And it’s not easy. I remember back to my time when I’d made the decision to retire from playing, and it was a very, very, emotional time. You think about how much the playing side has given you for so long. So you try and do it with some empathy and understanding for the player, but also you’re clear that you believe you have to make those calls. It’s not just a one-person decision. These things are normally talked about with a wider group of staff and selectors, but it’s often you that delivers that message.During your tenure, New Zealand, like a number of countries, was heavily affected by the growth of franchise T20 cricket in terms of how it impacted the player pool. New Zealand have managed that better than most. Can you give some insights into how you worked through that challenge and how that impacted your coaching style?
There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is about having flexibility. And I think our contract system is very flexible. I think it’s about understanding the players’ desires and where they’re at in their careers. Also, you’re clear that there are a lot more opportunities out there. Our premise is, when the players come back to the Black Caps, they still see this as the preferred place to be – the preferred place to work, if you like. We try and make sure our environment is well looked after. Everyone chips in for that, to make sure it is the environment we want, that it still is seen as a place that you can improve and get better. To be playing international cricket at the peak of your powers is a place that most people dream of still.Matt Henry’s career resurgence, combined with the rise of Will O’Rourke, means New Zealand’s fast-bowling stocks are strong•Hannah Peters/Getty ImagesHow much did the role of the head coach change during your time? And did your coaching philosophies or core principles shift with that?
The role has definitely changed and become a little bit more complicated, just with the advent of franchise cricket. There is a lot more management around the edges of, as I touched on before, what players’ desires are as well. But you keep your core principles of what we’re trying to achieve. It’s been going on for a while now. Colin Munro went down that track, then Trent Boult, and now you’re seeing a number of other players that are shifting into that space. But one of our principles is to try and look after our players and show that we do have care for them. And even though they go [the franchise cricket] route, it may be we still want them to play in some of our competitions. Keeping that strong relationship is still very important.Outwardly you are an extremely calm and level individual, and it is a trait of several of your leaders, including Kane Williamson and Tim Southee. Was that a key part of the environment you tried to create to help get the best out of the playing group?
It is something we talked about, not getting too low or too high. We play professional sport and it’s nigh on impossible to win every game, although you are trying to go out and obviously do that. But sometimes you’re not quite at your best. Other times you can play at your very best and still be beaten. And that’s the great thing [about] the highest level of sport. You still do need a little bit of luck to go your way, whether it be a toss or a bit of weather, that type of thing. That’s the beauty of Test cricket, in particular, that it has all those things in one match.There were some heartbreaks, particularly the 2019 World Cup final, but even the 2021 T20 World Cup final and the 2025 Champions Trophy final. How did you manage the emotions of the group after those results and get them back up and going for the next challenge?
In some ways it’s easy. Because of the amount of cricket that’s being played, you are usually straight into another tour. The 2019 one, for example, I know we went home for a week or so and then we were straight off to Sri Lanka for a Test series. I think it comes in your DNA a wee bit as well. And again, it falls back to that [thing of] not being too high, not being too low. But I think back to 2019 and one of the things I’m most proud of is the way we handled it.Led by Kane, the team showed real graciousness. It was hard to accept what happened, but it did, and we were one run short in the end. You can go back and look at probably a hundred different things that happened in the match, but if you start doing that, I think you’ll end up beating yourself up and become a nervous wreck. But still, what an amazing game of cricket to be part of. Arguably, perhaps the best one-day game there’s been in a World Cup final. To be part of that is still, I think, a real privilege.Winning the WTC trophy in 2021, making two World Cup finals, winning 3-0 in India, finishing runners-up in the 2025 Champions Trophy – New Zealand have a formidable list of achievements under Stead (second from left)•Getty ImagesOn the ODI theme, 50-over cricket shifted quite a bit in your time. New Zealand consistently made semi-finals and finals over that period and adapted and evolved with it. What has been the key to that?
I think one of the keys is understanding the competition, for a start. In my view, in those competitions, yes, you’ve got to be at the business end, but you’ve got to start the tournaments really well. We knew in England in 2019 that you play every team. We had a reasonably favourable draw. It so happened we bowled Sri Lanka out in the first game pretty cheaply. I think we were only chasing 130 or 140, so we made the call in the dressing room that we were going to go after it quick and try and make sure we had a real boost in our net run rate, because we thought it could have come down to that when it comes to semi-final spots. It could have been easy to say, oh, we’ll just ease into this game and make sure we get over the line. But while we had a brilliant start, we also had Colin de Grandhomme padded up to come in very early and try and just take the game away from the opposition quickly to get that net run rate right up. I think understanding those little things around tournaments and what might give you that little one-to-five-per-cent sort of advantage is really important.There have been some great triumphs. Were there any other little bits of planning that you’re proud of that turned out to be really important for a success that you had?
I think the most obvious one to me is the series win we had against India. We’d come off a 2-0 series loss in Sri Lanka prior to that, and bar a couple of bad sessions, we’d actually played some pretty good cricket [in Sri Lanka]. But one of the things we’d planned around beforehand is the way we wanted to bat, the way we wanted to apply pressure back to the opposition, understanding the games weren’t likely to go five days. That it was about how many runs you got, not necessarily the time you were taking up in the middle. While we lost those matches, the template of the way we wanted to play was laid out. It was the second Test in Sri Lanka, the first innings, we went back into our shells and that just highlighted to us that the track we were on was the right one from a batting perspective. We had to apply pressure, and we were prepared to take risks early in our innings to try and put the pressure back on. It helped us when we went to India and the way we played there in the next series.How fulfilling is it as a coach when you reinforce those messages, and then the guys go out and execute in a series like that one against India under immense pressure?
It’s highly satisfying when you put the plans into action and the players go out and trust the plan is the right way to go. That just doesn’t happen because you sit around and talk about it. You practise it, you train for it, and you reflect on it as well. I think the innings we were bowled out for [88] in Sri Lanka [second Test] laid the foundations for saying that’s not the way we want to play in India, and we will not fall into that trap again.Goodbye is not forever: of the trend of players going freelance, Stead says, “It may be we still want them to play in some of our competitions. Keeping that strong relationship is still very important”•Getty ImagesAs the series win unfolded in India could you believe what was happening? What were some of the other things that you planned for and implemented that came to fruition?
We lost the toss in the first Test, which was a blessing in disguise because we would have batted as well. It did feel just a little bit damp on top, but it just took one session to put us right on the front foot. The way Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke bowled that day was fantastic. And then we just went about our play.That first Test in Bangalore was a little bit different because the wicket was pretty good. While it nipped early, it did flatten out, and we probably got the best of the batting conditions there. Then it was really a war of attrition after that when we bowled again just to stay in the game and make sure their lead wasn’t too big, because cracks were opening on the pitch, and it could have been pretty difficult in that last innings.I guess we looked at it and thought, you win one Test in India, it’s as good as what most teams do over there at times. But then we really shifted our attention to Pune and that was a very, very different-looking wicket. We knew it would spin from the very start. But that and then the game in Mumbai is where I think the lessons from Sri Lanka really gave us the opportunity just to be really clear on the way we wanted to play. We won a couple of tosses, which helped. We got probably the best of the conditions. Though they were never that easy. I thought we bowled really well, just to keep applying pressure and keep the heat on the Indian players. They’re obviously tough to beat over there, their record shows that. For me, it’s probably the greatest achievement of my time from a results point of view that we had.No doubt then that the second best was the World Test Championship title in 2021 with a different group. A different style of victory. But you played some great cricket for a long period of time to build up to that one. What were some of the things that you did well with that group?
It was different. We played on some reasonably spicy home wickets. I remember talking to the guys when we had four Tests left in the cycle – two against West Indies and two against Pakistan – and sort of said, while we don’t talk about the big goal too much, here’s the carrot for you: we win four Tests, we’re a good chance of making the final. It was largely a seam-dominated type attack, not a lot of spin bowling.New Zealand lost the series in Sri Lanka 0-2, but they set the template for their momentous India win there. “We had to apply pressure, and we were prepared to take risks early in our innings to try and put the pressure back on,” Stead says•AFP/Getty ImagesEven in the final, we went in with four seamers plus Colin de Grandhomme, so five seamers really, and didn’t play a spinner, which as a tactical decision was a hard one to make because we did think the pitch would spin a bit, but we thought India would struggle more against the seam bowling than spin.That group of guys, a lot of them had had the heartbreak from 2019 [World Cup]. And it was a difficult time because of Covid, and people were in isolation at different times. We had guys coming from the IPL. We had a little bit of preparation with two Tests versus England beforehand, which was instrumental in us finding some cricket rhythm leading into that final as well.You mentioned that attack of Southee, Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner, but you built a lot of depth underneath. Matt Henry is having a career resurgence. Will O’Rourke and Ben Sears have been finds. How have you built that depth while keeping a strong core across all three forms?
I think a big part of it is trying to play as much New Zealand A cricket as you can and giving guys experiences in different conditions. That for me is a little bit of a stepping stone to international cricket, where you get to test players that you think could be involved in the future at that next level. Pace bowling to me is a little bit like being an openside flanker in rugby in a way that, you’re going to get niggles and you’re going to get injured at times, but I think the resilience of our group has been very good. I think you can probably put a lot of that down to [strength and conditioning coach] Chris Donaldson and the work that he does around the guys as well to have them ready.You’ll continue to be involved with coaching within the New Zealand system for some time to come but is there a legacy you hope you’ve left for the national team?
I’ve never really thought it’s my legacy or anything like that. For me international cricket, when you play around the world, and especially at home, when you see the places full and cricket being still talked about a lot, and fans wanting to engage with our team, that’s the thing that I think cricket is still about. If you don’t have your fans there, then you’re probably not going to feel the same about it. I know our guys love playing in front of people and showing off their skills. For me, it’s more about what the team has managed to keep doing, keep throwing punches and keep finding ways to succeed at some of these world events. There’s never any given when you go into those tournaments, but I think our New Zealand teams have done really well. While we obviously want to win them, everyone wants to do that, we’ve certainly given ourselves a good chance by getting up there and being among the best most of the time.

With Rangers currently fourth in the Scottish Premiership and rock-bottom of the gigantic Europa League table, they need wins and fast.

On Saturday, Danny Röhl’s side will go in search of a fourth successive league victory when last-placed Livingston visit Ibrox.

This is followed by a European clash with Braga and, considering the Gers are currently pointless halfway through the league phase, they really could do with a victory over the Archbishops from Northern Portugal.

However, potentially dealing with something of a defensive injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s game, how could Röhl combat his new injury problems?

Rangers' defensive injury crisis

The news any club supporter and indeed manager fears during an international break is reports that their players may have suffered an injury while away with their countries, but this may be exactly the reality Rangers are facing.

First, ahead of Scotland’s historic World Cup qualifying victory over Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday, mere minutes before kick-off, centre-back John Souttar withdrew from the starting lineup after suffering an injury during the warm-up.

The extent of the injury is currently unknown, but it is always a concern when it comes to Souttar, considering he has ruptured both anterior cruciate ligaments in the past.

This season though, he has been a near-ever-present in Rangers’ back line, starting 23 of the Gers’ 24 matches, rested against Alloa, as well as ten of Scotland’s last 11 competitive fixtures prior to Tuesday night.

Later that day, in the middle of the night UK time, further bad news emerged given that Derek Cornelius was withdrawn just 33 minutes into Canada’s 2-0 friendly victory over Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale.

Since arriving on loan from Marseille, the 27-year-old has cemented himself as a key figure, especially since Röhl has switched to a back three, given the scarcity of alternative centre-back options.

Similar to Souttar, it is not yet publicly known if Cornelius will be available for the weekend, but this has to be a concern.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Nevertheless, given bottom of the table Livingston are the visitors to Ibrox, neither should be risked if not 100% fit, hence why Röhl should entrust his forgotten “colossus” with a start.

How Rangers can solve their defensive injury problems

Of Rangers’ 13 new recruits during the summer, Emmanuel Fernandez is often forgotten and overlooked by supporters.

The 6 foot 4 central defender arrived from Peterborough United in July, having bounced around the lower division in England, representing non-league clubs including Sheppey United and Spalding United.

This move north of the border was supposed to be the 24-year-old’s big breakthrough, but he’s so far been more of a lesser-spotted species than an integral figure.

Fernandez scored on debut against Alloa Athletic, starting at St Mirren the following weekend, but has seen just one minute of action since 24 August, introduced late during the last-gasp, hard-fought victory over Hibernian at Easter Road, an unused substitute on 11 occasions.

This is despite the fact that the Englishman boasted impressive statistics in EFL League One last season, as the table below documents.

Goals

5

2nd

Tackles *

1.24

63rd

Interceptions *

0.91

46th

Clearances *

6.83

19th

Passing accuracy %

85.35%

20th

Passes *

65.93

5th

Aerial duels won *

4

27th

Aerial duels won %

62.24

25th

Ground duels won *

2.87

35th

Note: rankings are defenders only.

These performances for Posh last season led to Peterborough Chairman Darragh MacAnthony describing the central defender as a “colossus”, also noting that he is a “gentle giant” as well as a “great organiser and talker”.

His most spectacular moment came when he scored an astonishing long-range goal against Exeter City.

Also worth highlighting is that, according to Global Football Rankings, EFL League One is the 41st strongest division in the world, just eight places below the Scottish Premiership, suggesting Fernandez would be more than good enough to start, particularly against Livingston at home.

With fixtures coming thick and fast, and a must-win European match against Braga right around the corner, Röhl surely cannot risk either Souttar or Cornelius exacerbating their injury issues, emphasising that he has to trust Fernandez to start as the middle man in his back three at the weekend.

Ferguson 2.0: Rangers' "best player" is now more important than Tavernier

Rangers’ “best player” who is reminiscent of Barry Ferguson has emerged under Danny Röhl and it is not captain James Tavernier.

ByBen Gray Nov 14, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The digital clock on the wall of the Dodgers’ clubhouse read 12:10 a.m., only 20 minutes after the most exhausting World Series game ever played, and Shohei Ohtani, hair tousled and uncombed from a quick towel dry, clad in shorts and a T-shirt, hurried out a back door. His first World Series start on the mound was approaching later the same day, just 17 hours away.

Maybe Ohtani was headed toward a phone booth to restore his superpowers. Or maybe he is the modern Chiron, the centaur whom the ancient Greeks believed when wounded by Hercules invented modern medicine to heal himself.

We know not how he does it. All we know is that those 17 hours, like the eye of a hurricane, define the sheer wonder of Ohtani as definitively as the whirlwind of what he does on the field. Somehow after reaching base nine times in the 18 innings of madness that was Game 3—three more times than anybody ever did in a postseason game—and refusing to leave the game as cramps wracked his legs, Ohtani planned to take the ball as the starting pitcher in Game 4.

The Dodgers outlasted the Blue Jays, 6-5, on a merciful home run by Freddie Freeman that put an immediate stop to 18 innings, 19 pitchers, 31 hits, 399 minutes, 595 pitches and innumerable thrills, many of which were the consequences of awful baserunning and shaky fielding interspersed with moments of grandeur. It was a night you needed the organist to sign off with Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus,” the way Fenway Park’s John Kiley did 50 years and six days previous when Carlton Fisk presaged Freeman. But nothing rose above the sublime and the ridiculous like the industriousness and unique greatness of Ohtani.

When I asked him on the field immediately after the game how he felt, he said quietly, “I need to go to bed.” The most active game anybody ever played in the World Series was played by the next day’s starting pitcher. Just the idea of that, like most everything Ohtani does, was unfathomable until he came along.

“I mean, I threw two innings, and I feel like I’m dead,” Dodgers reliever Emmet Sheehan said. “So, it’s really just a testament to everything he does behind the scenes, like taking care of his body. He’s one of a kind. And yeah, if anybody can do it, play a game like that and pitch the next day, it’s him.”

Shohei Ohtani’s Record-Setting Night

Running a depleted staff, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has little choice but to stick with Ohtani on the mound for Game 4. Given how exhausted and hobbled Ohtani looked over the back half of Game 3, maybe Roberts would do well to allow him to pitch only—and give him some rest while somebody else takes his DH spot. But such an impact hitter is Ohtani that giving his four or five—or nine—plate appearances to anybody else is doing the Toronto Blue Jays a favor.

How is this for spending the day before your start on the mound:

First player to reach base nine times in a postseason game.First player in 119 years to swat four extra-base hits in a World Series game.First player with a third multi-homer game in one postseason.First player with four intentional walks in one postseason game.

By the 11th inning, so worn out was Ohtani that Roberts, upon seeing him dead-legged hobble from first to second, offered to take him out of the game to rest for his Game 4 start on the mound. Ohtani told him he wasn’t going anywhere.

“It’s really crazy to put it in words what he did,” said Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, “but the biggest thing is he didn’t want to come out of the game. He got the opportunity to. When he was cramping and he was feeling discomfort on his legs, he got the opportunity to come out of the game knowing that he needs to pitch tomorrow.

“But he talks a lot about like the commitment and the effort that everybody’s doing. Like he’s seeing his teammates out there and the pitchers going extra mileage, like a guy [pitcher Will Klein] who maybe never threw more than 25 pitches or 30 pitches in a game in his life. With Shohei, that’s kind of like his aura and who he is. He will never come out of the game because he wanted to win today. And regardless of what happened tomorrow, we got this one. And that’s the most important part.”

Right there in the gallantry department with Ohtani, Klein, Freeman and exhausted catcher Will Smith, who caught all 18 innings and blocked more pitches than a Hollywood show-runner, was Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Only two days earlier, the 5-foot-10 Yamamoto became the smallest pitcher to post a World Series complete game win since Billy Pierce of the 1962 Giants. Yet around the 16th inning, just after Roberts told me he would have to use a position player after Klein, Yamamoto, still with his sneakers on, approached pitching coach Mark Prior in the dugout with the interpreter Will Ireton. He volunteered to pitch in relief.

أدلى مدرب آرسنال ميكيل أرتيتا بتصريحات عقب هزيمة فريقه أمام أستون فيلا في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لموسم 2025-2026.

وتعرض آرسنال للهزيمة من أستون فيلا بهدفين مقابل هدف على ملعب “فيلا بارك”، وجاء هدف فوز أصحاب الأرض في الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع.

وتجمد رصيد آرسنال في صدارة الترتيب عند النقطة 33، ويأتي أستون فيلا في وصافة الترتيب بـ 30 نقطة.

وقال أرتيتا في تصريحات لـ “TNT sports”: “كان من الصعب تقبّل الخسارة بالطريقة التي خسرنا بها، أتيحت لنا بعض الفرص في الشوط الأول، وبعد ذلك بدأنا بالسيطرة على المباراة، وكانت لدينا فرص جيدة”.

وأضاف: “لم نحسن إدارة الكرة عند استرجاعها، بدأنا بشكل جيد في الشوط الثاني، وسجلنا، وكنا مسيطرين، ثم مررنا بفترات فقدنا فيها الكرة، وهو ما كان سيكلفنا خسارة المباراة قبل الهدف، إنه لأمر مؤلم”.

وأردف أرتيتا: “بطريقة لعبنا، عندما يتفوق لاعب على خصمه، تكون المساحة مفتوحة، أتيحت لنا بعض الفرص، لكنهم فريق جيد، كنا قريبين من التسجيل في بعض الأحيان، علينا أن نرفع من معنوياتنا ونواصل التقدم”.

وأشار: “سيكون كل أسبوع على هذا المنوال، لم نخسر في 18 مباراة، وفارق النقاط ضئيل للغاية، علينا أن نركز على أنفسنا وعلى معايير معينة، اليوم لم تكن المستويات الفردية موجودة في بعض الحالات، علينا أن نواصل التقدم”.

وأتم: “كان مستوى الثبات في الأداء مع كل ما حدث لنا مذهلاً، لا أجد أي مانع من التفكير بخلاف ذلك”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo terá novo desfalque em meio à disputa da Copa Intercontinental. Matheus Cunha foi liberado pelo clube para acompanhar o nascimento do filho e voltará ao Brasil. Ele deixa Doha, capital do Catar, na madrugada desta quinta-feira (11), à 1h30 (horário local, 19h30 de quarta-feira no horário de Brasília).

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➡️ Com brilho de Arrascaeta, Flamengo sofre, mas vence Cruz Azul e avança no Mundial

Desta forma, o goleiro não estará à disposição para o duelo com o Pyramids, do Egito, pela Copa Challenger — a semifinal do Mundial. Ainda não foi definido se, em caso de classificação rubro-negra, o jogador retornará ao Catar para enfrentar o Paris Saint-Germain.

Sem Matheus Cunha, as únicas opções do Flamengo para a meta são o titular Agustín Rossi e o jovem da base Dyogo Alves. O regulamento não permite a inscrição de novos atletas ao longo da competição e, portanto, o grupo ficará com 25 jogadores.

continua após a publicidadeProvável despedida de Matheus Cunha no Flamengo

Matheus Cunha está de saída do Flamengo e defenderá o Cruzeiro na próxima temporada. O goleiro, cujo vínculo com o Rubro‑Negro termina no próximo dia 31, assinou pré-contato para defender o clube mineiro a partir de janeiro.

Assim, a provável ausência do jogador de 24 ano pelo restante da Copa Intercontinental marca o fim do ciclo dele na Gávea. Promessa das categorias de base do São Paulo, o Matheus Cunha foi trazido para o Flamengo ainda no sub‑20 e chegou a atuar como titular sob o comando de Jorge Sampaoli. Ao total, foram 55 partidas com o Manto Sagrado.

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The Yankees, trailing by three at the bottom of the fourth in an elimination Game 3 on Tuesday, needed a huge boost with the Blue Jays threatening to sweep the series. So Aaron Judge decided to take matters into his own hands.

The famed pinstripes slugger smashed one off the left-field foul pole for a three-run homer for New York, tying the game 6–6 and infusing some much-needed momentum into a team looking to claw its way back from a 2–0 ALDS series hole vs. Toronto.

Naturally, the hit brought fans both in the stadium and online to their feet (literally and metaphorically, depending on the crowd), but no group had as strong or as funny a reaction as the Yankees dugout, which cameras caught freaking out as Judge made his way around the diamond.

This screen grab in particular is quite illustrative of the mood in the Bronx at that moment:

The following inning, the Yankees managed to take the lead on a Jazz Chisholm Jr. home run, then kept it for a final 9–6 tally. And now that they've pulled off the clutch win, thereby living to see another game, both the team and onlookers will point to the Judge homer—and the subsequent reaction from his teammates—as the moment it all changed.

Tottenham Hotspur secured a needed 2-0 victory over Brentford this afternoon to help ease the pressure on the shoulders of current manager Thomas Frank.

The win over Bees was the Lilywhites’ first in the Premier League since the win at Everton at the end of October – a run that lasted a total of five matches.

Goals from Xavi Simons and Richarlison secured all three points for the hosts, with such a result taking the side up to eighth place in England’s top-flight after 15 games.

Frank will no doubt be hoping such a result will kickstart his tenure in North London, especially after a stop-start period which has led to discontent being directed his way from the fans.

One player could well prove to be crucial over the next couple of months, especially if his showing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon is anything to go by.

The stats behind Xavi Simons’ display against Brentford

After spending £52m on Simons’ signature during the summer window, many Spurs fans will no doubt have expected the attacking midfielder to make an immediate impact to life in England.

However, prior to the clash with Brentford today, he had failed to find the back of the net for his new side, but his 43rd-minute effort has finally broken such a spell at the 19th attempt.

The Dutch international also registered the assist for Richarlison’s strike in the 25th minute, with the youngster having a hand in both of the side’s efforts in North London.

Simons’ underlying stats from the triumph were just as impressive, with the midfielder completing 86% of the passes he attempted, with five of which going into the final third.

He also won three fouls, whilst also creating two chances for his teammates – in what was undoubtedly his best showing since his big-money transfer to the Premier League.

The fanbase will no doubt be hoping that the Dutchman can continue such form, but it didn’t stop another player from reaching similar levels this afternoon.

The Spurs player who looked like Bale against Brentford

Gareth Bale was a player who often managed to get the Spurs fans off their seats as a result of his performances on the pitch during his spell in North London.

The Welshman used to torment defenders with his relentless running and his ability to go either inside or outside when travelling with the ball on the right-flank.

However, since his big-money transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, the club have greatly lacked that presence and talent off such a wing in the final third.

Brennan Johnson was often filled the void in the last couple of years, even scoring 18 times last season, but he’s ultimately struggled to nail down the position as his own.

He’s since dropped further down the pecking order in the last few months since Frank’s arrival, especially after the Dane forked out a reported £55m for the signature of Mohammed Kudus.

The Ghanaian international has started all but one league game since his arrival, with the manager once again selecting him during the victory earlier this afternoon.

He once again took centre stage in the clash with the Bees and demonstrated why the manager has faith in him to provide the goods – arguably being just like Bale with such a display.

Kudus managed to complete five dribbles during the win – the most of any player on the pitch – taking his tally to 45 this season, the highest tally of any player in the division at present.

He also managed to complete two crosses, created two chances and completed 92% of his passes – reminiscent of the numbers Bale produced during his own spell at the club.

Minutes played

80

Touches

67

Passes completed

92%

Dribbles completed

5

Crosses completed

2

Chances created

2

Duels won

9

Aerials won

100%

The winger’s excellent display was further reflected in his tally of nine duels and 100% aerials won, with the forward managing to star even when not in possession of the ball.

As a result of his showing, the forward was handed an impressive 7/10 match rating by Football London, further showcasing his impressive display against Frank’s former side.

There’s no doubt the winger has made himself one of the first players on the teamsheet, with him and Simons potentially playing a key role at the club for many years to come.

Should he continue on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t become as pivotal as Bale was at the club – potentially taking the club to new heights in the process.

Forget Simons: Spurs "liability" is now becoming the new Ndombele

This Tottenham star is flattering to deceive in spite of his immense talent.

ByAngus Sinclair 6 days ago

KL Rahul resorted to spinning the coin with his left hand and finally won India a toss for the first time in their last 21 ODIs. They followed it up with a nine-wicket win to show what a challenge it had been for them to stay competitive and force a decider against South Africa, despite losing both the earlier tosses in this series.The beleaguered Prasidh Krishna began India’s turnaround, bowling Quinton de Kock after a sensational century. Kuldeep Yadav – playing with the dry ball for the first time in the series – then ran through the lower middle order to restrict South Africa to 270, after they would have entertained thoughts of 350 at various points in the innings.

India penalised for slow over-rate

India’s players have been fined 10% of their match fees for their slow over-rate against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur on December 3.

KL Rahul’s team was ruled to be two overs behind the target in match referee Richie Richardson’s estimation, and the team was penalised in accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC’s code of conduct for players.

The charge against India was levelled by on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Rohan Pandit, third umpire Sam Nogajski, and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal.

The low target allowed Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal to be measured in the initial overs, as the ball moved for longer and the dew appeared later than in the first two matches. Rohit shepherded Jaiswal in the early parts of his innings as the youngster found his tempo in a new format. However, Rohit didn’t stay long enough to watch him cruise to a maiden ODI hundred.In the end, the match wasn’t as simplistic as “win the toss, win the match” – it ebbed and flowed with a variety of conditions presenting themselves.Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana used the early moisture – perhaps a touch extra, to stop the pitch from drying out in the first innings – beautifully to tie South Africa down. Ryan Rickleton was opening, with Aiden Markram pushed down the order – to No. 5 – in Tony de Zorzi’s absence. Arshdeep took Rickleton’s edge in the first over. Rana followed it up with a maiden. India bowled three maidens in the first eight overs and only two edged boundaries from de Kock’s bat took South Africa to 25 for 1.Quinton de Kock brought up his seventh ODI ton against India•BCCI

The introduction of Prasidh, already under fire in this series, brought South Africa an opportunity to break free. De Kock took a special liking to him, pulling him for two sixes in his first two overs and playing the two shots of the day: an aerial extra-cover drive on the up for a six and one along the ground for four. Prasidh went for 27 in his first two, and runs started to flow in a 113-run stand between de Kock and Bavuma. The latter scored only 48 of those in 67 balls, which was more indicative of the conditions and the quality of bowling. De Kock, on the other hand, was already 63 off 55 at this point.The pitch had settled by now, and Matthew Breetzke took down the part-time spin of Tilak Varma, playing in place of Washington Sundar. By the end of the 26th over, the fifth-bowler combination of Prasidh and Tilak had leaked 56 runs from their five overs. De Kock was well on his way to a seventh century against India in just 23 innings. No one has scored more against India. Nor has any visiting batter scored more than his seven centuries in India.Related

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This is when, at 158 for 2, Prasidh started his second spell. His first over went for just two. Rana came on at the other end, with India desperate for a wicket. De Kock hit a four to take South Africa past a run a ball for the first time. In Prasidh’s next, Breetzke tried to get back to dominating him and made an error in judging length. He was out plumb lbw playing back and across the line to a ball hitting top of off. In the same over, Markram ended up chipping one to Virat Kohli, fielding close at short cover.Given the depth in their batting and the need to capitalise on the overs before the extra fielder went out for the last 10 overs, South Africa kept going. The run rate stayed up, but de Kock ended up playing all around a long half-volley from Prasidh, dismissed for 106 off 89 out of a score of 199 for 5 in 32.5 overs.Dewald Brevis and Marco Jansen kept attacking, but the return of Kuldeep brought new challenges. India needed to bowl five overs of spin in the last 14, which could have been tricky. However, Kuldeep was cherishing the dry ball for the first time this series as well as the older ball for the first time in his career, since the bowling side is now allowed to bowl with only one of the two balls after the 34th over.Brevis and Jansen were bullish in their response. They were not willing to play out Kuldeep, the leading wicket-taker in the series despite a predominantly wet ball in hand. When Kuldeep started the second over of this new spell, there had been 19 balls without a boundary. The extra fielder would go out in two overs as well. Aware of a big shot around the corner, Kuldeep kept tossing the ball wide and taking it away. Both of the batters holed out in the same over.Rohit Sharma celebrates with Kuldeep Yadav, who took four wickets•Associated Press

Kuldeep’s wizardry picked up two more wickets – only Adam Zampa has taken more hauls of four or more since Kuldeep’s debut – and Prasidh wiped off the last man.If South Africa had to compete in this defence, they needed early wickets. The ball moved around for Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, but seven wides in the first two overs and the occasional calculated strike from Rohit kept India in touch with the asking rate.Even as Jaiswal struggled, Rohit took the game on, charging and pulling Ngidi for a six and chipping Keshav Maharaj for a four against the turn. His trademark imperious pull made an appearance soon enough. While Jaiswal’s strike rate hovered around 50, Rohit got to his 94th score of 50 or more at a run a ball, buying Jaiswal time.It hasn’t been an ideal scenario for Jaiswal, filling in for the injured captain Shubman Gill. He was obligated to hit out in the first two ODIs as India strived for above-par scored to counter the toss disadvantage, but here, he could use the extra time and post a big score before Gill takes over again.The innings flowed smoothly after he reached 50 off 75 balls. He reached his hundred in just 36 more balls, becoming the sixth batter to be a centurion for India in all three formats. He batted with the two others in this chase. After Rohit fell 25 short of what would have been a 34th ODI hundred, Kohli displayed yet another upgrade to his game: he took his sixes tally to 12 – more than he has ever hit in a series before. He finished unbeaten on 65 off 45, as India won with more than 10 overs to spare.

Chelsea have held talks with one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents and made their plan for him crystal clear, with the Blues getting a response to their serious interest.

Chelsea's plan to sign 'more Estevaos' as Blues target rising stars

BlueCo’s recruitment strategy remains firmly focused on acquiring world football’s brightest prospects before they reach superstar status, with several teenage sensations already lined up to follow in Estevao’s footsteps at Stamford Bridge.

The Brazilian wonderkid’s dazzling performances this season highlight the success of Chelsea’s approach to signing elite young talent with modest salaries.

Estevao chose Chelsea over rumoured interest from Real Madrid, PSG and Barcelona after the club spent three years of scouting, ultimately going for him ahead of Endrick, who’s since endured a torrid time at the Bernabeu by contrast.

The 18-year-old was convinced by Chelsea’s project and the playing opportunities available in London (Sky Sports), with more players like him due in West London very soon.

Chelsea favourites to sign £53m Liverpool target after 'generational' Man United claim

He’s admired up and down the Premier League.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025

Sporting Lisbon winger Geovany Quenda, who’s been called ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ by Portuguese media sources, arrives next summer following a March agreement worth up to £40 million, with the young forward viewed as another potential game-changer.

Joining Quenda will be two 17-year-olds — Kairat Almaty forward Dastan Satpaev and Corinthians left back Denner — with Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha also coming to Cobham next year.

Looking even further ahead, 16-year-old Ecuadorian centre-back Deinner Ordonez is scheduled to arrive from Independiente del Valle in January 2028, so Chelsea are very much planning for the future.

As the Blues plot to secure ‘more Estevaos’, in the words of Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol that is, TEAMtalk now bring news of yet another rising star attracting Chelsea’s attention.

Chelsea hold talks with Austrian starlet Johannes Moser

That man is 17-year-old attacking midfielder Johannes Moser.

The teenager was one of the standout stars at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar recently, taking home the Golden Boot after a remarkable tournament which saw him bag eight goals during Austria’s route to the final against Portugal.

Moser was also named Runner-Up in the Player of the Tournament Award, taking home the Silver Ball, and he’s already clocked 13 senior appearances for FC Liefering in the Austrian second division.

All signs point towards him being a real one to watch in the coming years, and TT state that he has ’emerged as one of the finest teenage attacking players in mainland Europe’.

According to their information, Chelsea have also held talks with Moser and his representatives in a bid to convince the versatile forward to join them, alongside Man City.

Enzo Maresca’s side went as far as presenting their plan for Moser to develop as a player under the BlueCo umbrella, but TT also report some bad news on that front.

Indeed, at least for now, the Austrian is apparently set to snub both Chelsea and City’s interest in favour of remaining at Liefering, specifically the Red Bull Group, to further his development.

Liefering, who are Red Bull Salzburg’s reserve team, have managed to hold on to Moser thanks to Red Bull making it clear that his pathway into the Salzburg first team is ‘already in place’.

While a move to the Premier League is off the cards for now, the wunderkind’s sky-high potential means we shouldn’t rule out another English swoop in future.