UP Warriorz head coach was “very surprised” to bag Sophie Ecclestone for INR 85 lakh, as he expected her to go for 1.50 crore

Daya Sagar28-Nov-20253:39

Karim: ‘Getting Lanning a masterstroke by UPW’

Coming into the WPL 2026 auction with the leanest squad and hence the biggest purse, UP Warriorz (UPW) made some heads turn by buying Shikha Pandey for a whopping INR 2.40 crore, using the RTM (right to match) option for Deepti Sharma, whom they had released earlier, and getting England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone for just INR 85 lakh. Their new head coach Abhishek Nayar, who takes over from Jon Lewis from the upcoming season, said they wanted Pandey for her experience and using the RTM for the Indian names was always their plan.”[Shikha] came for the trials. She is an experienced player and we wanted her experience of having played in high-pressure tournaments,” Nayar told ESPNcricinfo after the auction in Delhi on Thursday. “Her numbers in the WPL are the best among Indian pace bowlers in the last three years, be it in the powerplay or death overs.”We wanted experience in those aspects. Kranti Gaud is a young and exciting player, but like I said we wanted experience.”Pandey last played a T20I for India in February 2023 and has since been playing in T20 franchise leagues around the world such as the WPL, the Women’s CPL and the WBBL. Even though she currently doesn’t have a WBBL deal, she recently played all four games for Trinbago Knight Riders in the WCPL and finished as their top wicket-taker with five scalps and an economy rate of 6.73. Overall, she was joint-third on the wicket-taking charts.Related

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WPL 2026 from January 9 to February 5

Deepti, Kerr, Shikha get biggest bids; Healy unsold

Like Nayar said, Pandey is the top wicket-taker among Indian pace bowlers in the three seasons of WPL, with a tally of 30 (and economy rate of 6.96), just behind Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 32. The next Indian fast bowler on the list is Arundhati Reddy with 14 wickets. Pandey, Gaud, Tara Norris of USA, and allrounder Deandra Dottin will be the pace-bowling options for UPW.Leading their spin attack will be Deepti and Ecclestone, along with Asha Sobhana, Georgia Wareham and allrounder Chloe Tryon among the other options. While UPW splurged INR 3.2 crore on Deepti, Mumbai Indians spent INR 3 crore on Amelia Kerr, Asha fetched INR 1.1 crore and Georgia Wareham INR 1 crore (from RCB) – all spinners – it came as a surprise to many that Ecclestone got a top bid of just INR 85 lakh, despite being the No. 1 ODI bowler and No. 4 T20I bowler in the ICC rankings.”I was very surprised, everyone was surprised,” Nayar said of Ecclestone’s price. “I thought she would go for something like 1.5 crore. But we got her for a great deal at just 85 lakh. But that’s how the auction works – sometimes you pay less, sometimes more. So I’ve very happy overall.”Even before using the RTM for Ecclestone, UPW used that option for Deepti, who led them earlier this season in the absence of Alyssa Healy. While their decision to release Deepti before the auction might have been surprising, using the RTM for her was not.

“We wanted a big purse in the auction, that’s it,” Nayar said. “The first retention price was 3.5 crore, we got her in 3.2 [at the auction]. So, there is still some money saved and we can get an extra player. Getting someone like Pratika Rawal, though she is injured, has become possible.”So the mindset was we are going to get her (Deepti), that is the advantage of having the RTM. If we didn’t have the RTM, I think things would be different but we were very confident with the RTM, we just wanted to try and use it in the auction.”UPW went into the auction with four RTM options and used them on Deepti, Ecclestone, Gaud and Kiran Navgire, but not on Healy, who was the first name to come up in the mega auction and she eventually went unsold. UPW filled the opening slot with former Australia captain Meg Lanning, the third-highest run-scorer in the WPL, behind Sciver-Brunt and Ellyse Perry. They also picked Phoebe Litchfield, whom Lanning has earmarked as a future captaincy candidate for Australia. Will Lanning and Litchfield open together for UPW?”Meg is a leader, we all know,” Nayar said. “Phoebe is also a kind of a leader, we think. She can add a lot of value to the team. She is a fearless cricketer and she can play 360 (degree cricket) or 180. So we were very excited to have someone like that potential and I feel really good to buy her with that money (INR 1.20 crore). But right now we can’t say that they both are going to open for us. If we reveal that here in this interview, teams will already be making strategies about it .”Another opening batter UPW bought was India’s ODI opener Rawal, who was prolific in the recent World Cup-winning campaign at the top with Smriti Mandhana, but is yet to make her T20I and WPL debut. She picked up an injury while fielding in India’s last league game in the World Cup and missed the knockouts after that, and may not be fit in time to play the WPL too.”When you buy a good player there’s no guarantee that she will be fit or not for the season,” Nayar said. “We know that she is not fit right now but we also know that if there’s a superstar rising through Indian cricket, it’s Pratika Rawal. Like I said earlier our attempt was to get those players who can play for India in the long run, are potential superstars, and who can become the face of this franchise. That was an important thing to do because that will be an advantage for the next retention cycle after two years.”

Those of a Liverpool persuasion will feel battered and bruised after Arne Slot’s side’s staggering drop-off this season.

The slew of defeats have forced a retreat from their position at the top of the Premier League ladder, and as Alexis Mac Allister said after arresting the losing run at West Ham United on Sunday, the title is not on anyone’s mind; rather, finding a measure of consistency and fluency on the pitch is the incentive right now.

Liverpool might have spent a bucketload this summer, but they also parted with key players, with writer Eddie Gibbs saying, “Liverpool right now look like a side caught between three different ideas of themselves, with none taking root.”

A few tweaks are needed, to be sure. And Liverpool are considering a new wide forward to restore balance across the frontline.

Why Liverpool want a forward

When Liverpool capped off their summer spending spree with the British-record addition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, the Premier League was in concert: Liverpool had signed a host of elite players.

And while Isak scored his first Premier League goal for the club on Saturday, it’s been a testing start to the season, with injuries and a lack of fluency a by-product of Liverpool’s wider struggles.

Florian Wirtz, too, looks like he is starting to click into gear, but the Reds have been imbalanced in the final third, and adding width would open up a new dimension from which Slot could rebuild his side’s form.

Well, according to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are frontrunners in the race for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who has been among the standout forwards in the Premier League this season.

The Ghana international, 25, has a £65m release clause which becomes active in January, and so Liverpool are not alone in their interest, with Manchester City and Tottenham also ready to lodge bids if the right opportunity presents itself.

In fact, Pep Guardiola’s side have initiated contact, so it’s time for Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes to roll up his sleeves.

Why Semenyo would be a better signing than Isak

Semenyo has only gone from strength to strength since joining Bournemouth from Bristol City in the Championship in January 2023. Andoni Iraola has taken that promising skillset and sculpted it into something special.

Now, Semenyo is considered to be “one of the best players in the league” by BBC writer Umir Irfan and it’s a sentiment many would agree with after a prolific start to the campaign, six goals and three assists posted in the Premier League already.

Two-footed and effortlessly dynamic, Semenyo has proved too tricky to handle for many Premier League defenders in recent memory, something of a monster in the duel and a fearsome, rip-roaring asset down the wing. He is a big-game player besides.

The thing is, Semenyo is conservative in his athletic application; he does not prance about with the force of an uncoiled spring. In this he echoes Luis Diaz, who brought a different flavour to Slot’s title-winning team and has not been directly replaced.

Perhaps Semenyo could be the signing that Liverpool need, one which would prove even more impactful than Isak, who has yet to prove he is worth the record sum, even when banked by such illustrious heights in black and white over the past several years.

Gakpo has enjoyed a quietly effective season on the left so far for Liverpool, even against the current of their crisis. However, he is far less mobile than Semenyo, and he lacks the clarity and sparkle on the ball that Semenyo imbues the Cherries flanks with.

It really cannot be understated how unique Semenyo is. This is a winger who is making incremental gains, a winger who could now bloom into a true superstar not only in the Premier League but in Europe’s elite club competition too.

Liverpool have been imbalanced this season, and this is the profile that Liverpool need. It has the potential to be the best signing of the season for the Reds, albeit one which should have been completed back at the start of the campaign.

Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"

Liverpool and FSG are considering a host of positions ahead of the January transfer window.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 1, 2025

A restructured FairBreak has promised to create “the Wimbledon of cricket” in partnership with Saudi Arabia, which will see 90 women’s players from both Full Member and Associate teams compete at an elite level in a multi-team T20 event. The tournament, which has its roots in the FairBreak Invitational, has, through Saudi Cricket, applied for ICC sanction and will run for five years starting in 2026.”It’s an event played in one city, one stadium, with one hotel where everybody stays and it’s over in two weeks,” Ramasamy Venkatesh, FairBreak’s MD, told ESPNcricinfo. “It means that every day at breakfast, women across different countries and teams will be mixing, chatting, and forming relationships. Then you get players contacting their heroes like Shabnim Ismail and Katherine Sciver-Brunt and asking them questions as they continue playing. That kind of relationship-building and feedback is invaluable.”FairBreak, which was founded in 2013 by former Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar and her manager Shaun Martyn, seeks to champion the cause of gender equality in cricket and democratise the space for women across the playing spectrum. After several invitational fixtures, it launched its first tournament in 2022, which included six teams.Related

• Saudi Cricket, FairBreak announce new Women's World T20 Challenge

• ICC launches Emerging Nations Trophy for women

• Women's World Cup 2029 to have ten teams

What makes it distinct from other franchise competitions is that there is no auction and squads are decided by a panel of between four and six selectors. Each squad composition is the same, with half the players coming from Full Members and the other half from Associates. Players are paid across four salary bands ranging from US$20,000 for category A to US$5,000 for category D (category B players earn US$15,000 and C players US$10,000). These signature features will remain in place for the upcoming event.All six teams will be owned by FairBreak, with the option to partner with a corporate sponsor for brand rights. Previous sponsors included the Barmy Army, and FairBreak intends to procure others, especially as that could impact players’ remuneration.”Our interest is always to increase the compensation to the women to make it more remunerative for them because we want the girls to be paid equally as men. That’s our long-term vision,” Venkatesh said. “If we get enough sponsorships to support an increase in pay, the first thing we’ll do this time is to increase the pay for the women.”The event has previously featured players from 35 countries, but none from India as the previous editions clashed with domestic tournaments in India. With FairBreak eyeing a September-October window that will fall after the Women’s Hundred and before the WBBL – both events that Indian players participate in – it is hoped there will be no obstacles to Indian players taking part this time. While only retired Indian men’s players can get NOCs to play in overseas leagues, active Indian women’s players have been involved in T20 leagues around the world, and FairBreak and Cricket Saudi are hopeful of achieving the same for this tournament.Chiefly, FairBreak’s focus is on casting the net as wide as possible to involve as many ICC members as they can. That will include Saudi Arabia, where there is a significant expat sporting community and women mostly play tape-ball cricket. “Right now, Full Member nations are getting a good amount of cricket, especially India, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia,” Venkatesh said. “Our aim is to make sure Associate nations can also take the step up to the higher levels. Today, women’s cricket is the fastest growing segment of cricket.”Shizuka Miyaji of Japan also played in the FairBreak tournament•FairBreak Global

Recognition of this growth is growing after the ICC launched an Emerging Nations Trophy for women last month and confirmed the expansion of the Women’s ODI World Cup. FairBreak, while not part of the ICC, works in the same area of development and aims to continue to partner with member countries to raise the profile of the women’s game, especially as their organisation has come through a period of uncertainty to find stability.After their inaugural event in 2022 in the UAE, FairBreak held a second tournament in 2023 in Hong Kong and appeared to be growing. They were due to hold a third event in 2023 in the USA which was initially pushed back to 2024 and then postponed indefinitely. Venkatesh explained that the logistical challenges of hosting the 2024 event with the Women’s T20 World Cup in October that year and several other tours prompted the organisation’s decision to hold off as they also faced internal changes.In 2026 too, the new FairBreak tournament will face the challenge of a calendar clash with the women’s Asia Cup, which is also scheduled for mid-September to early October as of now, along with bilateral tours such as England touring Ireland for six white-ball matches in September and West Indies hosting Zimbabwe for eight white-ball matches mid-September onwards.Martyn stepped down in January 2024 and Venkatesh, who is also the founder of a multi-national healthcare group Gencor and an ICC Development Panel umpire, was confirmed the MD in September this year. By that time, talks on another tournament were in full swing and FairBreak had identified the Middle East as a potential region for an event. They began negotiations in the first quarter of 2025 and believe they have signed a deal that will ensure their “sustainability” into the future.

Real Madrid turned in a solid performance but made some key defensive mistakes to suffer a 2-1 home loss to Manchester City in a Champions League loss that will put further pressure on Xabi Alonso. Los Blancos took the lead, but threw it away and were unable to mount a second half comeback to drop their second game in a row.

The game simmered for the first 30 minutes. Madrid thought they had a penalty early when Vinicius was tripped by Matheus Nunes – but VAR ruled that the foul was outside the box. Otherwise, the home side were happy to dig in and defend. Los Blancos were rewarded for their rearguard efforts after 28 minutes, though, with Rodrygo giving them a 1-0 lead thanks to a tidy finish from a tight angle. 

But City charged back. They got their first off a corner. Thibaut Courtois spilled the initial effort and Nico O'Reilly tapped home the loose ball. The second came from the spot. Antonio Rudiger dragged Erling Haaland in front of a gaping net. Haaland appealed. VAR determined he was fouled. The Norwegian dutifully finished from 12 yards. 

Madrid had a clear chance immediately in the second half, but Jude Bellingham lifted over with the goal gaping. There were further looks, too. Vinicius had two of them, putting a free header wide before volleying over off a corner. But they simply couldn't find an equalizer – and Alonso could be in trouble. 

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

At fault for the first goal, made some vital saves after, but was beaten from the spot. 

Federico Valverde (5/10):

Had a rough time against Doku, and didn't get forward loads. Can't be faulted for his effort, though. 

Raul Asencio (5/10):

Absolutely torched by Jeremy Doku. Won his headers but was burned in transition over and over. 

Toni Rudiger (5/10):

Gave away an entirely meaningless penalty, and never looked particularly steady at the back. Should have picked up a second yellow. 

Alvaro Carreras (8/10):

Immensely effective. Shut down his wing and scampered forward down the left. 

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Dani Ceballos (6/10):

A surprise inclusion. Brought in for some midfield control but never really got in the game. 

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

Effective when the game slowed down but was complete torched on the break a few times. 

Jude Bellingham (6/10):

Allowed to be the main man in midfield. In on all the action and very impressive… until he missed a sitter. 

GettyAttack

Rodrygo (8/10):

Handed a start on the right. Then moved to the left. Absolutely excellent throughout, both as a goalscorer and creator. 

Gonzalo Garcia (6/10):

A bit mixed. Did well as a focal point at times, but didn't get involved enough. Can't be blamed. 

Vinicius Jr (6/10):

Never stopped running at his man, but City doubled up on him effectively. Missed a couple of good chances, too. 

GettySubs & Manager

Arda Guler (6/10):

A decent 30 minutes, but never fully got involved. 

Brahim Diaz (6/10):

Barely had a kick. 

Endrick (N/A):

No time to make an impact. 

Xabi Alonso (5/10):

Oversaw a pretty good performance, but this is a results based business and Madrid should have gotten one here. Can he survive another week?

“I feel such things [about Kohli making it to the 2027 World Cup] shouldn’t even be spoken about after the way he plays and performs,” Sitanshu Kotak says

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-20252:15

Kotak: We don’t need to talk about Kohli’s future

Virat Kohli has the most centuries in ODI history, and yet, each time one sees him bat in the only format he is still active in internationally, thoughts turn to the 2027 World Cup. Kohli is 37 now. Will he still be playing two years on? For Sitanshu Kotak, India’s batting coach, “there’s no point talking about all this” and fans should stay in the moment.”I don’t know why we need to look at all this – he’s really batting well, and I don’t see any reason we need to talk about his future,” Kotak said after Kohli’s 135 from 120 balls took India to victory in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday.”Just the way he’s batting, it’s just brilliant. The way he’s performing, [and] his fitness – there are no questions about anything,” Kotak said. “I feel such things [the 2027 World Cup] shouldn’t even be spoken about after the way he plays and performs. That is something which is two years away. There’s no point talking about all this. For us, once the team arrives and we start practice, we just enjoy.”Related

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Vastly experienced players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who is a year older at 38, add value to the dressing room even otherwise, Kotak pointed out. And it’s not like they aren’t performing. Rohit’s last three innings in ODIs have been worth 73, 121* and 57.”Obviously, they do share their experience with others,” Kotak said. “I don’t think we’re talking anything about the 2027 World Cup. They are just brilliant, and they are performing. They are contributing to the team, which is a great thing for us.”Like Kohli, Rohit is also active only in ODIs internationally. That leaves both of them with very limited game time. But, despite that, for the second successive match, Kohli and Rohit showed good form while stitching together a match-winning century stand.After adding an unbeaten 168 against Australia in Sydney last month, they had a stand of 136 in the first ODI against South Africa. While Kohli followed 74* in Sydney with 135 in Ranchi, Rohit scored 57 at better than a-run-a-ball against South Africa after hitting 121* in a win over Australia.”They are such experienced players; it’s always great to have them,” Kotak said. “The way they bat – like today also, that partnership – it makes a huge difference. Obviously, they batted really well.”

The India opener’s takedown of Pakistan fast bowler has shaped the results of their previous two matches at this Asia Cup

Shashank Kishore27-Sep-20252:53

Chopra: Abhishek vs Shaheen could decide the game

Abhishek Sharma has been India’s spark plug at the Asia Cup, his fearlessness in the powerplay providing his team enough momentum to make up for the rustiness in the middle order.The 25-year old is on a hot-streak of back-to-back half-centuries against Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka; each of those innings so devastating that it deflated the opposition. His consistency – he made thirties in three matches preceding the half-centuries – is an upgrade on his previous hit-or-miss aggression.Shaheen Shah Afridi is also 25, though he has been around for much longer than his opponent on Sunday. He’s been successful against every team at this Asia Cup except India, against whom he’s bled 63 runs for no wicket in 5.5 overs across two games. In his two previous matches leading into Sunday’s final – both must-win fixtures for Pakistan – he took six wickets, having rediscovered the magic that made him new-ball royalty.Once renowned for his ability to strike in the first over of a T20, Afridi has come under attack from Abhishek. In their first meeting on September 14, Abhishek charged at Afridi first ball and hit a full toss back over his head. The next one disappeared over extra cover for six. Abhishek scored 31 off 13 balls, taking a sizeable chunk extremely quickly out of the target of 128.The sequel had even more heat in the wake of handshake-gate. Words were exchanged and Afridi’s temper frayed. When wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris suggested standing up to the stumps – to prevent Abhishek from stepping out – Afridi waved him away, his frustration visible. The first ball was a bouncer with a fine leg on the boundary; Abhishek hooked him for six right there anyway.After the first two bouts, the scoreline is 2-0 to Abhishek, his head to head with Afridi reading 31 runs off 14 balls with three sixes and two fours. For the India opener, round three on Sunday is perhaps his most high-pressure game yet.Related

Salman Agha: 'If you deprive a fast bowler of their aggression, then what's left?'

An India-Pakistan final that carries more weight than a title

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He did play the IPL 2024 final, when he ran into Mitchell Starc who, despite struggling for most of the season, produced a six-ball burst that proved too good for Abhishek and Sunrisers Hyderabad. It’s that kind of big-match impact Pakistan hope Afridi will be able to summon too.Afridi did it once against India right here in Dubai, dismissing Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with lethal inswing in the first over of their encounter in the 2021 T20 World Cup. It helped Pakistan beat India for the first time in a men’s World Cup game.The new-ball contest between the two has been fiery – in action and words•Getty ImagesSince then, Afridi has struggled against India. At the MCG in 2022, he came under Virat Kohli’s wheel. At the 2023 ODI World Cup, Afridi dismissed Shubman Gill in Ahmedabad to silence a crowd of 120,000 but India were on course for victory by then.At his best, like he was that night in 2021, Afridi is box office. His run-up is quick and has the crowd bristling with anticipation. And when the breakthrough arrives, his celebration is a statement: arms aloft with kisses blown into the skies.His 22 wickets in the first over of T20Is are the joint most by a bowler from a Full Member nation. In all T20s – including franchise competitions – he’s second.His last two outings proved that Afridi hasn’t lost his new-ball magic. He dismissed Kusal Mendis second ball against Sri Lanka, and Parvez Hossain Emon with his fifth against Bangladesh. Sunday’s final is likely to be a charged contest, and it’s hard to see Abhishek approach Afridi in any other way.”Shaheen is obviously an aggressive bowler that will try and knock you over,” said India’s fast bowling coach Morne Morkel ahead of the game. “And Abhishek is not going to hold back. I think so far, every time these two went head-to-head, we all as cricket supporters and fans are on the edge of our seats, and that’s great for the game.”Whether Abhishek is able to dominate once again, or whether third time pays for all for Afridi, could chart the course of the 2025 Asia Cup final.

Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. wasn't included in New York's starting lineup for their playoff opener against the Red Sox Tuesday. He entered late in the game as a defensive substitute for Amed Rosario who started at second base.

The Yankees fell to the Red Sox 3–1 as they were unable to convert with bases loaded and no outs in the ninth. After the game, Chisholm was asked about manager Aaron Boone's decision to leave him out of the starting lineup, but he didn't seem too interested in discussing the matter.

"I mean I guess, yeah," Chisholm said with his back to the camera in the locker room on whether he was surprised with Boone's decision. "It's a little conversation. Not much, but yeah, just move forward after it."

Chisholm said that Boone relayed the decision to him in a text message Monday night. "I mean, got to do whatever we got to do to win, right? So, that's how I look at it," he said.

Before the game, Boone mentioned the decision was a matchup call to play the right-handed-hitting Rosario against the Red Sox' lefty ace Garrett Crochet, according to NJ.com. Righthander Brayan Bello is Boston's planned starter for Wednesday's Game 2, so Chisholm will presumably be back in the starting group.

He had one at-bat Tuesday night, hitting a flyout out in the ninth inning as the Yankees' comeback attempt fell short. Chisholm received his second All-Star appearance this year as he slashed .242/.332/.481 with 31 home runs, 80 RBIs and 31 stolen bases over the regular season. He slashed .248/.322/.411 with six homers and 19 RBIs against lefties this year.

علق محمد فضل لاعب الأهلي السابق على خروج منتخب مصر الثاني من كأس العرب بعد الخسارة من الأردن بثلاثية في ختام دور المجموعات.

وودع منتخب مصر كأس العرب من دور المجموعات بعدما حصد نقطتين فقط من تعادلين وهزيمة.

وقال فضل في تصريحات لقناة “أون سبورت”: “الأمس كان يومًا سيئًا على الكرة المصرية وهذا ليس طبيعيًا، دائمًا أقول إن الناس يأخذون النتيجة وينسون البداية”.

طالع.. شوبير: لاعب واحد أشفق عليه في منتخب مصر بكأس العرب.. ويرد على مُبررات طولان

وتابع: “من المسؤول؟ وزير الشباب أم رئيس اتحاد الكرة أم رئيس الرابطة أم المدير الفني أم اللاعبين أم المحللين؟ لماذا لم يتم التخطيط ويتم التركيز على الجزء الأخير؟”.

وكشف: “هناك عدم تنسيق بين حسام حسن وحلمي طولان، مصر لو لاحظت لغة الجسد ستفهم أنه ليس هناك تنسيق بينهم، لم أحدثك عن الشعب المصري ولكن أحدثك عن المغتربين المصريين الذين ينتظرون أي مصري”.

وعن أداء منتخب مصر في كأس العرب: “سيئ من أول البطولة، ليس لك شكل وحلولك قليله جدًا، والحارس محمد بسام تم اكتشافه بالصدفة، ومروان حمدى مسؤول ويحاول بشكل جيد جدًا وإسلام عيسى مفاجأة، عنده ثبات جيد وغنام جيد جدًا”.

وواصل: “منتخب مصر ضمن أكبر معدل أعمار في البطولة، والأرقام الكلية سيئة جدًا في الفرص الضائعة والاستحواذ”.

واختتم: “لم ينجح أحد في المنظومة الفترة الماضية من المدربين لأن المعطيات سيئة جدًا، وهناك مدير فني أجنبي للاتحاد يتم النظر في تعيينه، ولكن هل هناك مدربين مؤهلين أو لاعبين أو ملاعب مؤهلة؟، الحل هو وضع خطة من المسؤولين عن الرياضة بشكل عام وإن كانت الخطة طويلة الأمد”.

The Tigers' offense woke up just in time to avoid elimination as they scored all nine of their runs unanswered to secure a 9–3 victory over the Mariners in Game 4 of their American League Divisional Series. Javy Báez, one of the few Detroit batters to show any signs of life this postseason, put things out of reach by blasting a two-run homer on a hanging slider that sent Comerica Park into a frenzy.

It was a no-doubter from the moment it left his bat, but Fox Sports' A.J. Pierzynski still deserves credit for putting it on the board before Baez had even completed his swing. Listen to him nail the call in record time.

"And now, two more" Pierzynski said before the ball had even sailed over the infield.

Even better, he quickly got out of the way for his partner Adam Amin to narrate the moment with some context, saying this was Báez's first playoff homer in eight years. That one came as a member of the World Series-winning Cubs.

Pierzynski has seen a lot of baseball and knows what a pitch like that can result in, but still some incredible speed on the processing there.

MatériaMais Notícias

Campeão da Libertadores em 2023, o Fluminense pode alcançar mais um marco histórico nesta temporada. Se não for derrotado nesta quarta-feira (29), às 21h30, pelo Alianza Lima, no Maracanã, o Tricolor chegará a 14 jogos de invencibilidade na competição, empatando com o River Plate e entrando no Top-10 de maiores invencibilidades da história da competição.

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O Fluminense não perde pela competição desde a derrota por 2 a 0 para o River Plate, na Argentina, em 2023. Desde então, são oito vitórias e cinco empates.

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Ranking completo1º Palmeiras – 18 jogos1º Atlético-MG – 18 jogos3º Flamengo – 17 jogos3º Sporting Cristal (PER) – 17 jogos5º Palmeiras – 16 jogos5º Corinthians – 16 jogos7º América de Cali (COL) – 15 jogos8º Cruzeiro – 14 jogos8º Newell’s Old Boys (ARG) – 14 jogos8º River Plate (ARG) – 14 jogos11º Fluminense – 13 jogosEstatísticas de Fluminense e Alianza Lima

As equipes se enfrentaram apenas uma vez na história, justamente na fase de grupos deste ano da Libertadores, quando empataram por 1 a 1, no Peru.

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Já com o primeiro lugar da chave garantido, resta ao Flu tentar ser o melhor classificado da fase de grupos, mas não depende apenas de si. Além de vencer, precisa torcer por tropeços de Palmeiras, Talleres, River Plate e Atlético-MG.

O técnico Fernando Diniz espera que Samuel Xavier, Douglas Costa, Marquinhos e Manoel também possam jogar depois de lidarem com lesões.

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Na lanterna da chave com quatro pontos, o Alianza Lima ainda tenta avançar na Libertadores. Para se garantir nas oitavas de final, precisa vencer e torcer para que Cerro Porteño e Colo-Colo, que têm cinco pontos cada, empatem.

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Os números do Fluminense na Libertadores, até aqui, são os seguintes: tem 2419 passes certos, 161 errados, 14 finalizações certas, 28 erradas, 28 desarmes certos e 7 errados, 15 escanteios, e uma média de 60,51% de posse de bola.

O Alianza Lima tem 1012 passes certos, 209 errados, 15 finalizações certas, 38 erradas, 58 desarmes certos e 9 errados, 6 escanteios, e uma média de 41,78% de posse de bola.

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

Fluminense: Fábio; Guga (Marquinhos), Manoel, Felipe Melo, Marcelo (Diogo Barbosa); Martinelli, Lima, Paulo Henrique Ganso; Keno, Arias, Cano.

Alianza Lima: Franco Saravia; Garcés, Carlos Zambrano, Juan Freytes; Huamán, Arregui, Jesús Castillo, Sebastián Rodríguez, Ricardo Lagos; Cecilio Waterman, Hernán Barcos.

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