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سجل منتخب الجزائر، الهدف الثاني أمام نظيره منتخب مصر الثاني في المباراة الودية الجارية بينهما الآن، استعدادًا للمشاركة في كأس العرب.

ويستضيف منتخب مصر الثاني، نظيره الجزائر على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي ضمن استعدادات المنتخبين للمشاركة في بطولة كأس العرب.

وجاء هدف الجزائر الأول في الدقيقة 31 من عمر المباراة عن طريق عادل بولبينة بعد اختراق من الجهة اليمنى للفراعنة.

طالع| فيديو | بالنيران الصديقة.. منتخب مصر يسجل الهدف الأول أمام الجزائر

وسجل هدف مصر، عماد الدين عزي، مدافع الجزائر بالخطأ عقب عرضية من محمد شريف في الدقيقة 40 وضغط من إسلام عيسى.

وجاء الهدف الثاني للجزائر في الدقيقة 67 بواسطة نسيم الغول بعد تسديدة تصدى لها محمد بسام وتابعها اللاعب في الشباك.

منتخب مصر أوقعته قرعة كأس العرب في المجموعة الثالثة بجانب منتخبات الأردن والإمارات والفائز من المباراة التأهيلية بين الكويت وموريتانيا.

وتقام بطولة كأس العرب 2025 في دولة قطر خلال الفترة من 1 إلى 18 ديسمبر المقبل. هدف الجزائر الثاني أمام مصر  

Mulder explains why he declared SA’s innings when he was unbeaten on 367 at lunch on day two

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2025

Wiaan Mulder brought up the second-fastest triple-century in Test cricket•Zimbabwe Cricket

Wiaan Mulder had a shot at overhauling Brian Lara’s world-record 400* when he went to lunch at 367* on day two of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Mulder, the stand-in captain, though, declared the innings at the break, and stopped short of the record because he felt “Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be”.”Well, first things first, I thought we’ve got enough, we need to bowl. And secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real,” Mulder told Shaun Pollock during the post-day interview with SuperSport. “He got 401 [400*] or whatever it was against England. And for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special. I think if I get the chance again, I’d probably do the same thing. I know I was speaking to Shuks [coach Shukri Conrad].”He kind of said to me as well, like ‘listen, let the legends keep the really big scores’. You never know what’s my fate or whatever you want to call it, what’s destined for me. But I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”Related

Mulder: Lara told me I should have gone for the record

Gayle on Mulder's 367* declaration: He 'panicked and blundered'

Dominant South Africa wrap up 2-0 sweep inside three days

Stats – Wiaan Mulder breaks records and Zimbabwe with 367*

Mulder's 367* headlines SA's day of domination

Mulder, though, broke a number of other records and Zimbabwe’s attack on the day. He became only the second South Africa player after Hashim Amla to score a triple-hundred went on to surpass Amla’s 311*. And he did it while humming away to himself.”I mean, there was a lot of thoughts,” Mulder said. “In the end, it’s just singing my song between balls and trying to keep myself natural and trying to keep myself present. Kept feeling my shoes, that type of thing, to make sure I’m in the moment and not too far ahead.”And, to be honest, when I went past Hash’s score, I didn’t really notice what actually happened until I looked up. I was on 312. I was like, ‘oh, wow! I was just on 300’. I don’t know how I got there, but yeah, it was truly special.”In Bangladesh, it was an Afrikaans song that I got to my hundred with and I lost it a little bit along the way. And in this song, in this game, it was by The Cranberries. So I just sing .”

“The way he constructed his innings, session by session, was a masterclass in temperament and shot selection. It’s the kind of performance that anchors a team and sets the tone for the entire match. We’re incredibly proud of what he’s achieved today”Shukri Conrad

Mulder had made his international debut for South Africa in an ODI in 2017, when he felt that he wasn’t well-equipped to deal with the pressure and ruthlessness of top-flight cricket. He has since evolved as an allrounder, thanks to playing three seasons of county cricket at Leicestershire.”I think when I started playing with South Africa, I was nowhere near good enough, to be honest with you,” Mulder told Pollock. “It did offer me a lot of opportunities to learn from great players who have retired now, and some guys are still playing. But going to England really gave me a chance to understand what type of batter I want to be as well and figure out some technical things.”I think I came across the ball for a very large portion of my career. And in England, if your front pad’s in the way, you kind of get exposed quickly. So those were lessons. I mean, there’s many more I can name, but those were lessons that I continuously kept learning in England as well as in South Africa.”Batting at the Wanderers is pretty difficult. So, yeah, I think it’s all put me in a good place. The head coach, Justin Sammons of Zimbabwe, played a massive role in my batting. In particular, playing the short ball. So, I mean, there’s a lot of growth that’s happened over the last couple of years.”ESPNcricinfo LtdAll of those lessons helped Mulder dictate terms against Zimbabwe in the second Test and put South Africa on the path to an innings win. In response to South Africa’s 626 for 5 declared, Zimbabwe folded for 170 in their first innings and went to stumps on 51 for 1 in their second after being asked to follow-on.”Yeah, it’s pretty special,” Mulder said. “I’ve never even dreamt of getting a double-hundred, never mind a triple hundred, but super special. The most important thing is to put the team in a good position to hopefully win this Test.”South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad was full of praise for Mulder’s knock.”Wiaan’s innings was nothing short of extraordinary,” Conrad said in a CSA statement. “Being the captain, then batting at No. 3, where he had to absorb early pressure and face the new ball, which he did with immense composure and control – it was unbelievable.”The way he constructed his innings, session by session, was a masterclass in temperament and shot selection. It’s the kind of performance that anchors a team and sets the tone for the entire match. We’re incredibly proud of what he’s achieved today.”

Everton’s chances of making a move for an England international have been revealed, with a January transfer potentially taking place.

Everton in need of more attacking firepower

The Blues were beaten 2-0 away to Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with chances coming at a premium at the Eithad, and Erling Haaland’s two goals downing them.

For Everton striker Beto, it is now only one league goal in eight appearances this season, with James Tarkowski trying to show his support for him after the City game, having nearly found the net.

“I’ve just seen it back, to be fair. [Beto’s] movement is brilliant to get away from the defender; he just got a toe but just couldn’t get close enough to it.So he’s working very, very hard, Beto. He always has done and he always will, so he’s trying his best for us and I’m sure the goals will come soon.”

While there is much to be positive about for Everton under David Moyes this season, a lack of firepower is an issue, with only nine goals scored in their eight league matches in 2025/26 to date.For that reason, a new striker could be looked at when the January transfer window rolls around, and a key update has emerged in that respect.

Everton backed to sign England international Ivan Toney

Writing for The i Paper [via Goodison News], journalist Daniel Storey backed Everton to potentially sign Ivan Toney in January, with the 29-year-old currently plying his trade at Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.

“The answer – what about Ivan Toney in January? West Ham are very keen, but if I were Toney I’d be very enthused about having chances created by Grealish et al and giving me an outside run at a World Cup place next summer.”

Toney would be an intriguing choice for Everton, even if it was only a loan signing, with the former Brentford man surely eyeing a place in England’s 2026 World Cup squad.

His chances of being selected in the squad will only be enhanced if he returns to the Premier League, given the down down in quality in the Saudi Pro League, and it is easy to see him flourishing under Moyes, having been lauded by City manager Pep Guardiola in the past.

“He is so dangerous. He’s a master at using his body for the second ball… Good finishing. You can link with him; he’s one of the best I’ve ever seen (at that hold-up play).”

Pat Nevin slams Everton star who will "infuriate" Toffees fans in Man City defeat

He struggled again…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 18, 2025

Toney could hold the ball up similarly to Beto, but also be a far more reliable source of goals, having scored 36 times in 85 Premier League outings, and Everton should take a punt on him in January, should he show signs of wanting a move.

Had Manchester United failed to beat Chelsea on Saturday evening, had they failed to capitalise on Robert Sanchez’s fifth-minute red card under the Old Trafford lights, Ruben Amorim might have reached a point of no return.

At least, the Portuguese tactician would have slid deeper into the pit which threatens to engulf him, having laboured to a woeful 15th-placed Premier League finish last year, losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur and enduring more inconsistency across the opening weeks of the season.

Amorim is under no illusions about the scale of the task still ahead of him, but he is determined to make it work at The Theatre of Dreams, and, with Bruno Fernandes still leading the ranks from the centre circle, there’s a belief that the club will rise again.

The significance of Bruno Fernandes

Had Man United failed to beat Chelsea, tensions would have boiled over. They didn’t, with the Red Devils scoring a hard-fought, well-deserved victory, lifting them to ninth in the standings.

Fernandes got the ball rolling, turning in from close range following Patrick Dorgu’s powerful header. He continued to provide United with a presence across attacking and defensive phases, so passionate and rousing from the middle of the park.

Thanks to data provided by Sofascore, we can observe that the Portugal international, 31, also won four duels and two tackles across his 87 minutes, replaced late on by Kobbie Mainoo.

He might be getting on a bit, but Bruno is still the leading force in this side, and that’s unlikely to change any time soon. If United are to rise once again, he will form the nucleus of the resurgence.

However, it’s worth noting that Fernandes has entered the penultimate year of his £300k-per-week contract, and while INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe would love nothing more than a renewal, that might prove difficult, for Fernandes will want to remain among the highest earners.

Surprisingly, the Iberian playmaker isn’t actually the top earner at the club. Indeed, the man above him is a controversial number one, and it may be that he needs to be sold in 2026.

Man United must sell their top earner

Casemiro’s Manchester United contract expires at the end of the current campaign, though the club have the option to extend the veteran’s stay for an additional year.

Curiously, the 33-year-old has enjoyed something of a revival under Amorim’s wing. “Leave the football before the football leaves you,” Jamie Carragher notoriously said of the Brazilian in 2024, but Casemiro has bounced back, providing an anchoring presence in the centre.

But it’s imperfect, there’s no doubt about that. Having signed for the Red Devils from Real Madrid for a whopping £70m fee in August 2022, Casemiro has played 130 matches for the club, scoring 18 goals and winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

This season, he has started four of his side’s five Premier League fixtures thus far, watching from the bench as Pep Guardiola’s side gave their neighbours a hiding in the Manchester derby.

Casemiro scored what proved to be the winning goal during the recent win over Chelsea, but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows as he got himself sent off before the interval to hand the Blues a lifeline in a match they were struggling to find room to breathe in.

Perhaps he was unfortunate to have been shown a second yellow for hacking down Andrey Santos, but the fact remains there is a rash streak about the South American, who has now been dismissed three times in the Premier League.

United need to sign a new number six, and no mistake. Casemiro is still capable of putting in a “monster shift”, as has been said by Statman Dave, but there’s plenty not to like there too.

Casemiro

2026

£350k-per-week

Bruno Fernandes

2027

£300k-per-week

Mathhjis de Ligt

2029

£195k-per-week

Harry Maguire

2026

£190k-per-week

Matheus Cunha

2030

£180k-per-week

Last winter, for example, AS Roma had shown an interest in signing Casemiro, but the interest ultimately came to nought. Still, it underlines the abiding curiosity in one of the most accomplished midfielders of his generation, and is something INEOS must consider in the forthcoming January window.

Indeed, if Amorim truly wants his project to hit the heights he would have envisaged upon signing the contract, he would do well to inform the board that he wants Casemiro gone, perhaps then accelerating a bid for Carlos Baleba, with the Brighton & Hove Albion talent of a vested interest to the Devils during the summer, who had been willing to pay a figure in the region of £100m for him, but for the Seafulls to maintain an unwillingness to do business.

So be it. But Baleba’s head was turned by the thought of a move to Manchester, and the club’s interest isn’t going to have gone away, merely been shelved until the time comes when they can strike again.

Indeed, it’s already been suggested that United are preparing a January move for the Cameroonian prospect, who, aged only 21, has already established himself as one of the Premier League’s most exciting talents. It’s felt that a figure close to that which Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo – £115m – would need to be forked out, so recouping finances from the wage bill would ease the cost and then some.

Should Casemiro be sold – for what would inevitably be a small fee – Man United’s wage bill would indeed reduce dramatically, and then a concerted transfer assault on the south coast could be mounted.

Casemiro and Fernandes celebrated together when the Brazilian put paid to Chelsea’s resistance and made it two-nil before 40 minutes at Old Trafford.

He still offers something, the 33-year-old, but Man United wanted to spend big on a new holding midfielder this summer, and are expected to go again in 2026.

Given the staggering pay packet Casemiro takes home each month, is there really any justification for his continuing presence in Amorim’s squad?

Better than Casemiro: Ten Hag sold "incredible" Man Utd star for just £9m

Manchester United must now regret offloading one talent given his rise away from Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 22, 2025

Rinku Singh played a crucial role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) last-ball win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Eden Gardens but may have injured himself in the process of keeping his team alive in the race to the playoffs in IPL 2025.He first scored an unbeaten 19 off 6 balls as KKR took 22 off the final over of their innings to post a total of 206 for 4. Then, when RR needed 22 off the last six balls of the chase, Rinku made a couple of critical saves. Off the first ball of the 20th over, he ran to his right at deep cover and dived full length to deny Jofra Archer a boundary, after which he was seen limping while holding the region near his right groin.Related

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With RR needing three runs off the last ball – two to take the game into a Super Over – Shubham Dubey dug out a yorker from Vaibhav Arora towards mid-off. Rinku charged in from his position on the long-off boundary, collected the ball, and threw it on the bounce to Arora, who ran out the diving Archer to seal a one-run win. Rinku was originally placed at long-on but was moved to long-off by captain Ajinkya Rahane just before that ball.Vaibhav Arora ran out Jofra Archer off the final ball•AFP/Getty Images

“[The diving effort on 19.1] was very important because everyone in India knows that the outfield here is very fast,” Rinku told the broadcaster after the match. “So you have to react accordingly. Once the field restrictions are lifted after the powerplay, I field outside the 30-yard circle. I enjoy my fielding a lot. And to be honest, I like fielding more than batting.”ESPNcricinfo TimeOut expert Ambati Rayudu said Rinku always had his eyes on the ball and was impressed by the way he picked it up: “That was a great pick-up. The ball wobbled just before his hands but his eyes were stuck to the ball. So, it was a very good pick-up.”With KKR needing to win every game to have a realistic chance of making the playoffs, they put on a strong fielding performance while defending 206. In the first over of RR’s chase, Rahane ran backward from midwicket and took a diving catch to dismiss Vaibhav Suryavanshi despite having stitches on the webbing of his right hand, which was heavily bandaged.”Fielding is the factor where you can control as a unit,” he said after KKR moved to sixth place on the points table. “If you can save 10 or 12 runs in the field, that’s a bonus. That’s what we decided – let’s give our best in the field, bowlers are doing their job anyway. It is all about if you can take one or two brilliant catches, stop a couple of runs, and in the end that was the difference.”KKR’s next play Chennai Super Kings at home on Wednesday.

Manchester United have been known to splash the cash over the last couple of years, spending over £800m on new additions for the side since the summer of 2022.

Erik ten Hag was responsible for the vast majority of such spending, having five windows to make the additions he thought would transform the club’s fortunes.

The likes of Casemiro, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund were all brought in under the Dutchman’s guidance, with the latter two departing the Red Devils in the closing stages of the recent window.

However, current boss Ruben Amorim has also spent in the region of £200m alone this window, securing the signatures of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

Such funds are way higher than any supporter would’ve expected, but it may have been an even bigger shopping spree had they completed a deal for Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd’s hunt for Baleba this summer

In an attempt to bolster the midfield department, United targeted various options in the Premier League, with Adam Wharton just one name on their shortlist.

However, Brighton star Baleba was undoubtedly the biggest target, with Amorim’s side making an approach for the Cameroonian international’s signature ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

While at one stage the player himself seemed keen on a switch to Old Trafford, a move failed to materialise as the Seagulls were reluctant to offload the 21-year-old talent.

Fabian Hurzeler’s side stated that they wanted a fee in the region of £100m to part ways with Baleba, but such a figure was out of the Red Devils’ budget after their previous dealings in the window.

It remains unclear whether the hierarchy will return for his services in 2026, but it’s clear that the board have been targeting added reinforcements in the middle of the park.

However, despite their attempts in the market, United already have a hugely talented player in their ranks – with his recent rise now seeing his value soar over recent months.

The United talent who’s worth more than Baleba

Over the last couple of years, United have shifted their focus to recruiting younger talent to try and decrease the age of the current first-team squad.

The side for the 2025/26 Premier League campaign currently has an average age of 25.6, with the age range in the side having players placed between 17 and 39.

Casemiro is currently one of the midfield options currently at Amorim’s disposal, but the Brazilian, who is now 33, is entering the final years of his career and desperately needs to be moved on in the near future.

Youngster Kobbie Mainoo is another player who is available to Amorim in that department, but despite his success on the field in recent times, he’s fallen down the manager’s pecking order.

After his dream 2023/24 campaign, which saw an FA Cup final goal and a late strike against rivals Liverpool, many supporters would’ve expected the 20-year-old to be a first-team regular by now.

The 20-year-old, who’s been labelled “generational” by teammate Hojlund, only made 25 league appearances last season, 19 of which were from a starting role, with the likes of Casemiro often being selected ahead of the academy graduate.

His only start in 2025/26 so far came in the Carabao Cup defeat against Grimsby Town – leading to the player himself asking for a loan spell away from his boyhood side.

Kobbie Mainoo – PL stats (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

25

Pass accuracy

87%

Tackles won

1.6

Interceptions made

1.1

Blocks made

0.9

Take-on success

46%

Carries into 18-yard box

0.6

Recoveries made

4.8

Tackle success rate

60%

Stats via FBref

However, such a request was immediately dismissed, resulting in the player needing to fight for a place within the first-team squad – until January at the earliest.

Despite his recent lack of action, Mainoo has seen a swift upturn in his market value, with FootballTransfers now valuing the Englishman at a staggering £57.8m.

Such a figure is now higher than the value of Baleba, who’s now valued at just £49.1m by the same site despite his recent valuation by the club in the summer window.

Given the aforementioned price tags, it’s clear that Mainoo is still a young talent with huge potential, with Amorim desperately needing to hand him consistent minutes in the months ahead.

He’s already showcased he’s capable of thriving at Old Trafford, but he needs the manager’s backing to do so, which could potentially put a permanent end to their hunt for Baleba.

Related Man Utd may regret selling £73m CF who's scoring more than Sesko & Mbeumo

Manchester United may have made a mistake in offloading one top-level talisman.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Sep 9, 2025

When thinking about the best players to ever play for Germany, the likes of Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller all spring to mind. The fact is, they have been blessed with outrageous talent in several different eras – winning four World Cups as a result.

The biggest name that stands out in the modern era is arguably Neuer. It’s rare when a goalkeeper is recognised as the best of his time, but the Bayern Munich legend has simply revolutionised his role. As the first real ‘sweeper keeper’, Neuer shocked opponents by positioning himself close to the half-way line and often taking risks as if he were in the No.6 role rather than between the posts.

Appearances

124

Clean Sheets

51

Goals Conceded

118

Conceding less than a goal a game throughout his international career, it’s no surprise that Neuer has been showered with praise over the years. And that includes from Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who told reporters: “I’ve seen everyone. Sepp Maier, Oliver Kahn, and now Manu.

“I have the greatest respect for Sepp and Oli, they were absolutely world-class. But what Manuel has done is something else: he took the whole goalkeeping game to a new level.”

Meanwhile, if your preference is goals rather than those that prevent them, then Muller stands out for Germany. Nicknamed Der Bomber by fans thanks to his ability to tear defences apart, only Miroslav Klose has scored more goals for Germany than Muller.

So, there’s certainly plenty of players to choose from in Germany’s illustrious history. You could do a lot worse than simply picking any of the players involved in their 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in 2014, that’s for sure. But that didn’t stop recent Newcastle United signing Nick Woltemade from naming a shock Arsenal player as his favourite German player of all time.

Nick Woltemade: Kai Havertz is my favourite German player

After putting pen to paper to join Newcastle, Woltemade shocked everyone by naming Kai Havertz as his favourite German player. The Arsenal forward was selected over the likes of Klose, Muller and Neuer, with the Newcastle star revealing that he’s a big fan of his compatriot in unexpected fashion.

Whilst Havertz made the cut above several legends, Woltemade may simply enjoy the thought of playing alongside the Arsenal man. If both enjoy impressive campaigns, they could provide Julian Nagelsmann with quite the strike partnership.

Germany are due some success if history is anything to go by too. They haven’t won a major trophy since the 2014 World Cup and the pressure is on ahead of next summer.

With 20 goals and 17 assists in just 55 games for his country, there’s every chance that Havertz will play a large role in Germany’s attempt to get back to the top of world football. Whether his biggest fan in Woltemade is alongside him remains to be seen, however.

There was scrutiny around India’s move to bring on Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube during the fourth T20I against England, with England captain Jos Buttler saying after the match that this did not fit the definition of a like-for-like replacement. The television commentators who were on air at the time of the substitution – Kevin Pietersen and Nick Knight – had also questioned the swap. Dube did not take the field in the chase, after taking a blow on the helmet on his way to 53 off 34 balls.”It is not a like-for-like replacement. We don’t agree with that,” Buttler said after India completed a 15-run win. “Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25mph with the ball or Harshit has really improved his batting. It’s part of the game and we really should have gone on to win the match, but we disagree with the decision.”There was no consultation [with us]. That’s something I was thinking as I came out to bat – who is Harshit on for? They said he is a concussion replacement, which I obviously disagreed with. It is not a like-for-like replacement. They said that the match referee had made the decision. We had no say in it or any part of it. But we’ll ask Javagal [Srinath] some questions just to get some clarity around it.Related

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“Like I said, it was not the whole reason why we did not win the match. We had our chances to win the game which we could have still taken. But I’d like to have a bit more clarity on that.”As per the ICC’s playing conditions for men’s T20Is, “The ICC Match Referee should ordinarily approve a Concussion Replacement Request if the replacement is a like-for-like player whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his/her team for the remainder of the match. In assessing whether the nominated Concussion Replacement should be considered a like-for-like player, the ICC Match Referee should consider the likely role the concussed player would have played during the remainder of the match, and the normal role that would be performed by the nominated Concussion Replacement.”Dube scored a half-century after walking in at 57 for 4 and stitched an 87-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Hardik Pandya. It allowed India to post 181 for 9. On the penultimate ball of the innings, Dube was hit on the helmet by Jamie Overton’s 141.5kph bumper.India had batting allrounder Ramandeep Singh on the bench, who might have better fit the definition of a like-for-like replacement for Dube. For a short while, Ramandeep came on as a substitute for Varun Chakravarthy.3:48

How allrounders test the limits of concussion sub rules

“He [Rana] is not the like-to-like replacement for Shivam Dube,” Pietersen had said on air. “You ask anyone in the world, and they will say the same thing. Dube is not a genuine pacer, but Rana is.” Knight also echoed these thoughts.India’s assistant coach Morne Morkel said: “Shivam came off the field in the innings break with mild headache symptoms. We took a name forward to the match referee in terms of a suitable substitution, and from there it is up to the match referee to make the decision. When the decision was made, Harshit was having dinner. So we had to get him ready as quickly as possible to go on the field and bowl.”It goes to the powers above me – match referee makes the decision. We can only take the name forward and from there it is out of our hands.”Rana, who was playing his first T20I, was brought into the attack in the 12th over and he struck with his second ball. He got a short-of-good-length ball to bounce extra to take the outside edge of Liam Livingstone, who had looked to guide it through third. Rana bowled his full quota of overs and picked up three wickets. He also was at short third to catch out England captain Jos Buttler, who walked back fuming and had a few words with head coach Brendon McCullum, perhaps regarding the approval of Rana as the concussion substitute.”Two overs into the chase, I was told [about being the concussion substitute],” Rana said after the match. “I have been preparing for a while, not just for this series. I have been waiting for this moment [his debut] to prove myself. When I got the chance, I did not think of the circumstances and just thought about delivering. I have experience of bowling at the death [for KKR in the IPL] and relied on that.”

Lamine Yamal was given an injection by the doctors and physiotherapists of the Spanish national team ahead of their World Cup qualifying clash against Turkey as he was experiencing acute lower back pain. The 18-year-old had sustained a minor injury in the sacroiliac region before joining up with the national team but was trusted to play in the international games, sparking fury at Barcelona.

• Spanish federation was in contact with Barcelona

  A feud has erupted between the club and the national team after the teen sensation returned with an injury, ruling him out of their most recent match and is expected to the Champions League opener against Newcastle this week.

  According to although the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) claimed Yamal had no discomfort, they had informed Barcelona that they had "injected Voltaren into his spine because he couldn’t leave the hotel and asked us not to play."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Yamal missed Valencia game due to injury

  Barca missed Yamal’s services against Valencia, a game in which the Catalans whitewashed their opponents 6-0, with Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji starting on the wings. 

  Head coach Hansi Flick was furious with the RFEF’s treatment of Yamal, who was unable to train with his team-mates after returning to Catalunya. The 60-year-old said in the press conference: “Lamine Yamal will not be available. He went with the national team in pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play. They had at least a three-goal lead in every match, and he played 73 minutes and 79, and between matches he couldn't train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this.”

• Sporting director Deco sides with Flick

  Amid the controversy regarding Yamal’s injury and Flick’s comments, which stunned the RFEF, Barca’s sporting director, Deco, has backed the German manager. He said in an interaction with the club’s media team: “In Lamine’s case, I agree with what [Flick] said. In the end, we have to improve our communication, we have to improve the protocols between clubs and national teams. Players are subject to excessive workloads nowadays as we all know. [International breaks] are always complicated because many times players come back with injuries. We have to try to improve. We agree with the mister because in the end, [Yamal is] an important player for us, an important player for Spain, and I think between all of us we have to be a little bit more careful.”

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  Will Yamal play against Newcastle?

  Barcelona will be featuring in the Champions League this week to take on Premier League side Newcastle in their opening game. But unfortunately, the teenager, who did not train on Monday, is expected not to take the field.

Ajax wonderkid Aaron Bouwman is reportedly attracting interest from a host of Premier League sides and a European giant.

Bouwman next big hope for AjaxBarcelona interested in defenderPremier League sides in transfer raceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to TEAMtalk, the 18-year-old is being tracked by Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Manchester City. The centre-back has already made his debut for Ajax and has been tipped for a bright future.

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The report adds that Bouwman is part of the next lineage of 'Dutch defensive gems destined for stardom'. If all these footballing giants are interested in signing the 6ft 2in defender, the Netherlands Under-18 international must be a prodigious talent.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Haarlem-born player joined Ajax in 2018 and made his debut for Jong Ajax, Ajax's second team, in the 2023-24 season. After making 15 appearances for them, the youngster, who has a Dutch father and a Jamaican-English mother, has graduated to the first team. 

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Transfer speculation aside, Bouwman will likely be focusing on getting as much game time with the Dutch giants this season. More first-team minutes could come his way on Saturday when Ajax host PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie.