Mehidy the hero once again as his century helps Bangladesh recover from 69 for 6 to 271 for 7

Vishal Dikshit07-Dec-20221:40

Jaffer: Mehidy Hasan Miraz is a ‘fighter’

Mehidy Hasan Miraz became Bangladesh’s hero for the second game in a row by pulling off another remarkable effort with the bat in another see-saw match, scoring his maiden ODI century off just 83 balls to pull his team out of trouble and post a challenging 271 for 7 that proved to be just beyond India’s reach in the end. India lost early wickets and were reduced to 207 for 8 when an injured Rohit Sharma walked out and made a match out of the equation of 65 off 44 balls. He belted five sixes even as he was running out of partners and brought it down to 20 needed off the last over and a six needed off the last ball, but an accurate yorker from Mustafizur Rahman sealed the series for Bangladesh. The 2-0 win ensured Bangladesh’s second series win against India after their 2-1 win in 2015.Bangladesh were first rescued by Mehidy and Mahmudullah with a record seventh-wicket stand of 148 to pull them out of the pits of 69 for 6 before their quicks struck early to dent India ‘s chase. Virat Kohli opened in Rohit’s absence, but he and Shikhar Dhawan fell in the first three overs of the chase, and the Bangladesh spinners struck later on to hurt India further. Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel tried to rescue India from 65 for 4 with a century stand but it was only a matter of breaking that stand for Bangladesh to bounce back. Once they did, with Iyer’s wicket in the 35th over when India needed another 100 runs, the hosts roared back with Axar’s wicket too, and India’s lower order, with an injured Deepak Chahar, only delayed the inevitable as the asking rate crept up until Rohit gave the hosts a scare.Related

Rohit frustrated with India's mounting injury list: 'We need to get to the bottom of it'

Mahmudullah and Mehidy script cross-generational tale of strength in crisis

Stats – Mehidy equals highest score by a No. 8 in ODIs

Another low-scoring match seemed likely when Mehidy and Mahmudullah got together in the 19th over. Mohammed Siraj’s early movement accounted for the openers by trapping Anamul Haque lbw and knocking over Litton Das’ middle stump. The ball before Haque’s dismissal was when Rohit picked up his thumb injury, as he dropped the batter at second slip and walked back immediately, only to bat in the 43rd over of the chase.Umran Malik fired in a few thunderbolts above 150kph and one of them ended Najmul Hossain Shanto’s scratchy stay for 21 when the batter was beaten by pace to lose his off stump. Siraj and Malik then peppered Shakib with a short-ball barrage and struck his helmet twice with bouncers. As soon as Malik was taken off, Shakib tried to attack Washington, but the attempted sweep was top-edged, and was taken by Dhawan at short fine leg after a juggle. Sixty-six for 4 soon became 69 for 6 when Washington Sundar removed Mushfiqur Rahim and Afif Hossain, having them caught off the glove and bowled respectively.Mehidy and Mahmudullah, however, steered Bangladesh out of troubled waters and set the stage for a late push. They found the boundaries regularly in the middle overs as Mahmudullah dropped anchor and Mehidy played the attacking role by smoking Washington for a six down the ground and then slog-sweeping Axar for his second six. Mehidy seemed to be struggling with cramps soon after, but he continued to run ones and twos and brought up his half-century off 55 balls. Mahmudullah got to his off 74 balls; in between, the century stand also came up as Bangladesh reached 169 for 6 with 10 overs left.Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored his first ODI century, off 83 balls•Walton

By now, India were a bowler short as Deepak Chahar had a stiff hamstring. The two batters cashed in on that as Mahmudullah went after Siraj in the 46th by targeting the leg-side boundary in a 14-run over, and even though he fell in the next over, Mehidy’s best was yet to come.Nasum Ahmed too slapped Malik down the ground for back-to-back fours and then smashed Siraj for a six in the next over to take them towards 250. It was the Mehidy show after that. He was on 72 off 74 with two overs to go and he first went after Malik with two drives that raced to the boundary before reverse-scooping the last ball to the deep-third boundary to make it a 14-run over. In the last over, Mehidy carted Thakur for two big sixes on the leg side off slower balls, reached 99 with a double and dabbed the last ball – a full toss – towards mid-on to reach the hundred. With a useful 11-ball 18 from Nasum, Mehidy helped Bangladesh collect 68 off the last five overs and 102 off the last ten.India’s chase lost most of its steam when Kohli chopped on off Ebadot Hossain for 5 and Dhawan was bounced out by a ripper of a short ball from Mustafizur Rahman to be caught at point for 8. Washington came out at No. 4 ahead of Rahul, but he fell on the last ball of the powerplay when he chipped Shakib to midwicket for an easy catch. Rahul’s boundary-less stay didn’t last long either; he attempted a lap sweep against a straight ball from Mehidy to be trapped right in front and India were 65 for 4.An injured Rohit Sharma smacked 51 off 28 from No. 9•AFP/Getty Images

Axar and Iyer kept India’s hopes alive as the asking rate was still under seven an over. Iyer was his usual attacking self against the spinners. Axar was the quicker of the two as he found gaps regularly and went after Nasum and Shakib early on for sixes on the leg side, while Iyer brought up a patient fifty off 69 balls. Their stand was eventually broken when Iyer tried to go for a second six in the 35th over but holed out to deep midwicket for 82.Axar continued to attack and brought up a run-a-ball fifty but Ebadot returned to remove him immediately by having him caught at cover with the equation still a gettable 83 off 70 balls. However, India didn’t have many options left. Shardul Thakur struggled to connect during his 23-ball 7 before he was stumped and an injured Chahar fell for 11 off 18.Rohit mainly had the poorer side of the tail for company and started his boundary barrage with two sixes and a four off Ebaot to bring it down to 41 off 24. Mahmudullah and Mustafizur strengthened Bangladesh’s position again by giving just one run off two overs by keeping Siraj mostly on strike. With 40 to get off 12, Rohit smoked Mahmudullah for two sixes, got two lives in four balls and lost Siraj before reducing it to 20 needed off six but couldn’t finish it on the last ball.

Manchester United have now joined the race to sign an exciting new forward for Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford this summer, it has been reported, as they look to find a new face to lead their attack for the 2025/26 campaign.

Man Utd edge past Leicester City

Though they progressed in the FA Cup courtesy of a controversial winning goal from ex-Leicester City defender Harry Maguire, Amorim was still unhappy with his side’s performance and refused to be carried away with a potential cup run, given his side languish 13th in the Premier League.

“I think we have to do so much better, with the ball, without the ball. We didn’t have any energy in the beginning, especially in the first half”, the Red Devils boss explained after the game.

Man Utd now eyeing summer move for "decisive" 26 y/o playmaker

An intriguing swap deal has been mooted.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 10, 2025

“Then in the second half, we played a little bit better with a little bit more speed and winning second balls. Then we managed to turn things around and it was a good result but not a good performance.”

Rasmus Hojlund led the line for Amorim’s side but completed just eight passes all game and had just 22 touches, the fewest of any player to complete 90 minutes at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Joshua Zirkzee came on as a second-half substitute to poke his side level, but Amorim has previously explained that he does not see the Dutchman as a number nine, and he was deployed in one of the no.10 roles instead of leading the line.

A new striker could be a must at Old Trafford this summer, amid widespread links to Viktor Gyokeres should he depart Sporting, while they have also previously had an interest in Christopher Nkunku.

Now, a new name has been thrown into the ring ahead of the summer transfer window, but they may have to battle Arsenal and PSG to land him.

Man Utd want to sign 23-goal striker

That comes in the shape of Atalanta marksman Mateo Retegui, who is enjoying an excellent season in Bergamo.

Four goals in his most recent outing (one more than Zirkzee has managed all season) took his tally to the campaign to 20 Serie A goals, alongside three in the Champions League.

Though often overshadowed by teammate Ademola Lookman, Retegui is a clinical forward in his own right, and is currently the man with the best minutes-per-goal ratio across Europe ahead of the likes of Harry Kane and even Mo Salah.

Player

Goals

Minutes per goal

Mateo Retegui

20

66

Harry Kane

21

73

Ousmane Dembele

16

75

Robert Lewandowski

19

93

Jonathan Burkardt

12

95

Mo Salah

21

97

Such form has reportedly drawn widespread interest from across Europe, and a report from Spain claims that Arsenal, Manchester United and PSG are among those to have registered an interest. Indeed, the trio are “bidding strongly” for the trio, who Atalanta value at between €50m and €60m (£42m and £50m).

Though Gyokeres is likely to still be Manchester United’s priority heading into the summer window, the form of Retegui could at least give them pause for thought, and a potential alternative should a move for the Swede fail.

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، تفاصيل مثيرة فيما يخص علاقة المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، هانز فليك، بحارس المرمى مارك أندريه تير شتيجن، في ظل الرغبة الشديدة للتخلص من الأخير.

ويسعى برشلونة إلى الاستغناء عن خدمات تير شتيجن والتعاقد مع حارس مرمى إسبانيول، خوان جارسيا.

ويرفض تير شتيجن مسألة الرحيل عن برشلونة، حيث يتمسك بالبقاء في النادي الكتالوني حتى نهاية عقده في يونيو 2027.

وذكرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية أنه من الصحيح أن علاقة تير شتيجن مع فليك لم تكن جيدة، وقد ساءت في الأسابيع الأخيرة من الموسم الماضي الذي قضى السواد الأعظم منه بعيدًا عن الملاعب بسبب إصابة قطع وتر الرضفة في سبتمبر.

وأوضحت أن فليك وتير شتيجن خاضا أول خلاف لهما عندما كان الأول مدربًا لمنتخب ألمانيا.

وتولى فليك مسؤولية تدريب منتخب ألمانيا في مايو 2021، ليحل محل يواكيم لوف، ووعد بإجراء إصلاح شامل للفريق من أجل العودة إلى طريق الفوز.

وعلى الرغم من الأداء الضعيف لـ مانويل نوير وكثرة الإصابات، وضع فليك ثقته العمياء في حارس مرمى بايرن ميونخ، وتجاهل تير شتيجن.

اقرأ أيضًا | بين لويس دياز ونيكو ويليامز.. برشلونة يحدد أولوية الهجوم في ميركاتو الصيف

وأصبحت علاقة هانز فليك ببعض وسائل الإعلام الألمانية، وكذلك مع تير شتيجن، متوترة للغاية، خاصة خلال كأس العالم 2022 في قطر.

ولجأ فليك إلى الاعتماد على خدمات مانويل نوير كونه يعرفه جيدًا عندما كان مدربًا لـ بايرن ميونخ، ومنحه ثقة كاملة، في حين ترك تير شتيجن خارج حساباته رغم أنه كان لاعبًا أساسيًا في برشلونة.

ورغم إشادة فليك بـ تير شتيجن في المباريات التي بدأها كأساسي، ولكن الحقيقة أنه كان يميل بشكل واضح وملحوظ نحو نوير.

وواصلت “سبورت” تقريرها بأن فليك كان يعلم جيدًا، عند وصوله إلى برشلونة، أن تير شتيجن هو حارس المرمى، وتحدثا في وقت مبكر قبل الموسم وكانت العلاقة سلسة، ولكن الإصابة أبعدت اللاعب عن معظم الموسم.

وعلى الرغم من كون تير شتيجن بذل قصارى جهده من أجل تقصير مدة غيابه عن الملاعب والعودة في أسرع وقت ممكن من أجل استعادة مركزه في حراسة المرمى، إلا أن فليك كان لديه خطة واضحة في هذا الصدد، وهي الإبقاء على فويتشيك تشيزني كحارس أساسي حتى يتم الانتهاء من كافة أهداف الفريق.

وبدأ تير شتيجن في استعادة إيقاعه، وبحلول نهاية أبريل كان متأكدًا من قدرته على المنافسة بنسبة 100 % وأبلغ فليك بذلك، ولكن الألماني أخبره بأن تشيزني سيستمر في دوره، ومن هنا انكسر شيء ما بينهما.

وتجاوز تير شتيجن الحدود بعدما صرح لصحيفة “بيلد” الألمانية بأنه حريص على اللعب ولا يمتلك الصبر للدخول إلى أرض الملعب، وهي كلمات حملت في طياتها رسائل إلى فليك، ولم تلق استحسانًا.

وفي الأيام التي سبقت مباراة إياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا ضد إنتر ميلان، عانى برشلونة من الضغوط في محيطه بالنظر إلى قواعد يويفا، فلكي يتمكن تير شتيجن من اللعب في البطولة من جديد، يجب إلغاء تسجيل تشيزني.

وهنا كان قرار برشلونة حاسمًا والذي تمثل في عدم تغيير أي شئ في مركز حراسة المرمى، مع استمرار تشيزني في القيام بدوره، وأيد فليك ذلك الأمر بشكل شخصي، خاصة وأنه فضّل البولندي على حساب إيناكي بينيا في البداية، وبعد ذلك كرر الأمر على حساب تير شتيجن، وهي خطوة تكللت بالنجاح في النهاية، ولم يرغب في المخاطرة.

من جهة أخرى، لم يكن ذلك القرار مقبولًا بالنسبة لـ تير شتيجن، ولكن لم يكن أمامه سوى قبوله على مضض، ولم يعد إلى التشكيل الأساسي لـ برشلونة إلا بعدما حسم الفريق لقب الدوري.

وقرر فليك ذلك من أجل أن يتمكن تير شتيجن من التواجد رفقة منتخب ألمانيا في معسكر يونيو واللعب أساسيًا، ولكن شيئًا ما لكن يكن على ما يرام، حيث كان هناك توتر واضح في غرفة تبديل الملابس بين حارس المرمى والجهاز الفني.

وخلال الاجتماعات الأخيرة للموسم، بدأ فليك والمدير الرياضي، ديكو، في اتخاذ القرارات بشأن المشروع الجديد، وظهرت إمكانية استهداف التعاقد مع خوان جارسيا حارس إسبانيول، أو الانتظار لمدة عام آخر ومحاولة ضم ريميرو من ريال سوسيداد.

كانت رغبة فليك وضحة، إحداث ثورة في حراسة المرمى من خلال الاحتفاظ بـ تشيزني حيث إنه سعيد به حقًا، والتوقيع مع حارس جديد هذا الصيف.

وفكر برشلونة في البداية في إمكانية التعاقد مع جارسيا وإعارته لمدة موسم، قبل العدول عن ذلك وحسم الموقف بكون حارس إسبانيول سيكون الأساسي لدى بطل الدوري الإسباني، من استبعاد تير شتيجن من المعادلة.

وأكدت الصحيفة أن فليك يعتبر تير شتيجن حارسًا رائعًا، وكان من الممكن أن يكون أساسيًا، ولكن هناك حاجة إلى تغيير وتيرة اللعب داخل غرفة الملابس، ويبقى أن نرى ما إذا كان الحارس الألماني سيتقبل بهذا أم سيظل صامدًا عند موقفه.

ولكن تجدر الإشارة إلى إنه في حالة تعاقد برشلونة مع خوان جارسيا، سيكون من الواضح أن تير شتيجن لن يحصل على فرص لعب، رغم عقده المستمر مع الفريق.

Leeds United could make a “statement signing” by bringing in a £34m striker this summer, according to former goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Leeds pursuing Premier League goalscorer

Joel Piroe has been in fine form in the Championship this season, having scored 15 goals, the joint-highest in the second tier, but Leeds are believed to be searching for a new striker, as promotion to the Premier League now beckons.

One target they have in mind is Southampton’s Cameron Archer, who is said to be keen on a move to Elland Road this summer, with the Saints almost certain to be relegated from the top flight.

The 49ers are also said to be looking at AC Milan striker Tammy Abraham, who is currently out on loan at AS Roma, with the former Chelsea man eyeing a return to the Premier League.

Leeds now likely to move for "excellent" £20m forward if they win promotion

The Whites are now in a very strong position to be promoted from the Championship.

2 ByDominic Lund Feb 26, 2025

A whole host of English clubs are queuing up for Abraham, who cost Roma £34m in August 2021, which means it could be difficult to get a deal done, but Robinson has recently indicated Leeds should go all out to sign the striker.

The former goalkeeper said: “Joel Piroe plays up there. He’s led the line. He’s got the goals this season. But actually, you look as an out-and-out recognised number nine, somebody like Tammy Abraham would be a great fit.

“He’s on loan at the moment, but his contract’s up at the end of the season. So if he’s going out on loan now with his contract up at the end of the season, you would think he’s got no future at his parent club. So a signing like that would be a statement signing for Leeds as well because he’s a quality player in an area of the field that Leeds need.”

Abraham could be a top signing for Leeds

It hasn’t been the best of seasons for the Roma forward out on loan at Milan, but he has still managed to score eight goals in all competitions, including two in the Champions League, and his top-level pedigree means he could be a success at Elland Road.

The 27-year-old, who has been lauded as a “beast”, has also impressed in the Premier League in the past, scoring a total of 26 goals in England’s top tier, including 15 in one season for Chelsea during the 2019-20 campaign.

It may be difficult to win the race for the English forward, given the level of interest, but he is the type of signing Leeds need to make if they are promoted this season and want to avoid an instant return to the Championship.

Although Piroe has been very impressive this season, the Dutchman is unproven at Premier League level, and it’s not a guarantee he will hit the ground running, while Abraham has a proven track record of scoring goals in the top flight.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em sintonia com o que chama de ‘tendência em crescimento no esporte’, o São Paulo inaugurou na manhã desta terça-feirao Inova.São, o seu Centro de Inovação Aberta, localizado dentro do estádio do Morumbi. A estimativa é captar nos três primeiros anos de operação investimentos em até R$ 6 milhões, que custearão o projeto sem que haja um aporte financeiro inicial do clube.

RelacionadasSão PauloPresidente diz que São Paulo ‘trabalha em oportunidades de mercado’ na busca por reforçosSão Paulo28/06/2022São Paulo‘Oportunidade dele esclarecer o que quis dizer’, diz presidente sobre ação contra ex-médico do São PauloSão Paulo28/06/2022Fora de CampoCicinho alfineta Palmeiras e relembra 2005: ‘Pode ser tetra da Libertadores, mas a questão é o Mundial. Não tem’Fora de Campo28/06/2022

Galeria
> Veja clubes brasileiros que podem faturar com mecanismo de solidariedade da Fifa nesta janela

A iniciativa objetiva desenvolver e implantar soluções inovadoras que permitam aumentar as receitas e a competitividade esportiva do clube.
– A concepção do projeto e a definição dos parceiros para viabilizar a operação do Inova.São, assim como suas primeiras entregas, vêm sendo trabalhadas pela Diretoria de Inovação do São Paulo desde que foi criada pelo presidente Julio Casares, em julho de 2021 – explicou Wladimir Castro, executivo do departamento de Inovação do Clube e mestre em Criação e Gestão de Empresas Inovadoras pela Universidade de Valência.

Segundo Castro, a maioria das inovações adotadas por clubes de futebol no Brasil envolve a adoção, com eventuais otimizações, de produtos existentes e trabalhados em larga escala também em outros players. No Inova.São, o foco não é replicar, mas sim desenvolver soluções inovadoras e inéditas para o São Paulo, com a possibilidade de trazer novas fontes de receitas e aumentar a competitividade esportiva do clube.

Esses ganhos virão a partir do sucesso de cada projeto “nascido” dentro do hub à medida em que forem se desenvolvendo e obtendo crescimento e resultados.

– O São Paulo é um excelente lugar para desenvolver e validar bons projetos – afirmou Castro.

Para criar um ambiente inspirador e impulsionar novas ideias, o Inova.São terá uma área dedicada no Morumbi com vista para o gramado. O espaço, inicialmente de 300 m², está localizado na área do Morumbi Concept Hall, no anel inferior do estádio, e vai funcionar
como um coworking, reunindo startups e desenvolvedores. A ideia é que no local circulem profissionais de universidades, de empresas, mentores, especialistas, sócios, torcedores, investidores e startups de todo o mundo, para formar assim o ecossistema de inovação que
vai compartilhar conhecimento e recursos em prol do desenvolvimento do clube. A Escolade Educação Física da USP (Universidade de São Paulo), a primeira instituição de ensino a
fazer parte do ecossistema, firmou um convênio de colaboração com o hub, assim como aorganização social de cultura IDBrasil, responsável pela gestão do Museu do Futebol, que aportará conhecimento qualificado para preservação de coleções, mediação de conteúdos e difusão do futebol em ações culturais e educativas.
O Inova.São será operacionalizado pelas parceiras Sportheca e Deboo.

O Inova.São conta também com uma metodologia própria de trabalho, desenvolvida utilizando as principais ferramentas e as melhores práticas em abordagens de inovação, e que será empregada na condução das diferentes atividades do hub.

TABELA
> Confira jogos, classificação e simule resultados do Brasileirão-22
> Confira os jogos da Copa Sul-Americana-22
> Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Dean Elgar supports the space white-ball captain Temba Bavuma was given ahead of the upcoming Test series in Australia. He is also committed to getting the best out of Bavuma in the longest format.Bavuma was the only specialist batter in the squad who was not required to play a first-class match in the lead-up to the tour after a chastening T20 World Cup and a difficult period for him, personally. Bavuma missed South Africa’s tour of England, went unsold at the SA20 auction – as did Elgar – and struggled for form in the lead-up to the World Cup, where calls for him to be dropped grew.Related

• 'Back six batters' – Graeme Smith wants South Africa to have an 'aggressive mindset' in Australia

• 'We enjoy confrontation as a group' – SA brace for 'feisty' tour of Australia

• Bavuma not taking 'emotional' decisions on his future as captain

• The complicated case of Temba Bavuma, and non-performing captains

• 'Feelings of almost being let down' – Temba Bavuma on not being picked for SA20

In the aftermath of South Africa’s tournament-exiting defeat to Netherlands, Bavuma indicated he would take time to decide on his white-ball future and would not allow raw emotion to cloud his judgment. There has been no further indication of whether Bavuma has made a decision, and no feedback from Cricket South Africa about it, but Elgar has been in touch with his deputy and has sympathy for this position.”I respect what he has been through,” Elgar said. “I can’t speak for what he has been through because I wouldn’t know how to deal with it personally. For now, I am respecting the space he is in.”The time off has done him well. He wanted to have a break from the game for a little while and you’ve got to respect that as well. He has got a lot of pressure on his plate, but we still have work to do and he has to be in the right space for the team.”That’s going to be the message I put forward to him, and I am pretty sure he will respond well. He hasn’t played a lot of cricket of late and it’s up to me to get him into the right space, so we give him the best opportunity to go out and play his brand of Test cricket.”Temba Bavuma has been one of South Africa’s better batters in Test cricket•AFP/Getty Images

Despite his poor T20 form, Bavuma has been among South Africa’s most successful Test batters in the last two years. Since December 2020, he averages 47.93 and has scored six half-centuries, which is a better return than anyone else in the line-up. He was sorely missed in England, where South Africa were bowled out for under 200 four times and lost the series 2-1.Elgar put some of the failures down to the swinging ball and expects things could be slightly easier in Australia.”We had a very tough series in England. The conditions were bowler friendly and a lot of guys were exposed to the harsh conditions of Test cricket,” he said. “Going to Australia, it is a little bit more of a fairer competition between bat and ball, where the wickets that they produce are pretty good cricket wickets.”Even on less hostile surfaces, South Africa have not done as well as a team ranked second on the World Test Championship (WTC) table would have liked. In two home Tests against Bangladesh this summer, there were no hundreds among their line-up, and they have only scored two centuries in the current WTC cycle.Elgar has not scored a century since the beginning of 2021, and Bavuma has yet to add to his first hundred which came in 2016. This is the tour where Elgar wants that to change.”We haven’t been good enough with the bat,” he said. “We are not going to hide away from that. Batters have to take responsibility. At the end of the day, it’s their careers in their hands and they are playing for South Africa. There are a lot of guys that want to play for South Africa who are knocking on the door hard. It’s up to the batters to take responsibility. We are not shying away from that language. Honest chat is the only chat for me.”Dean Elgar has a fair bit to ponder ahead of the Australia Tests•Getty Images

And in that vein, Elgar confirmed that all 16 players travelling to Australia will be equally considered for Test selection, which is particularly important for the batting. South Africa’s top six is far from certain, with Elgar set to open with Sarel Erwee, Rassie van der Dussen and Bavuma returning and a tussle for middle-order spots between Heinrich Klaasen, Theunis de Bruyn, Khaya Zondo and Kyle Verreynne.South Africa are also considering lengthening their line-up to include seven specialist batters, as was their strategy between 2012 and 2015-6, and four bowlers rather than the usual six-five unit, which allows them to play four quicks and a spinner.”Both options are definitely still on the table,” Elgar said. “At the end of the day, it’s got to be what I am happy with taking on the field and whether I feel the bowlers have got enough in their tank to perform a heavy workload. Either way, it will be a positive move we make, whether we go with seven-four or six-five. Currently, we are still in a bit of debate around it.”Whichever South Africa decide, Elgar is adamant that South Africa’s focus has to be on scoring runs above anything else. “Runs on the board is key in Australia. If you have got a bowling line-up like we have, you need runs on the board to give them the opportunity to take 20 wickets.”

Manchester United are interested in bringing Torino stopper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic back to the club in the summer transfer window.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Man Utd considering signing new goalkeeper
• Keen on Torino's Milinkovic-Savic
• Stopper began career at Old Trafford

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ruben Amorim's side have made "initial contact" with Torino and are ready to "explore a potential summer move" for Milinkovic-Savic, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Red Devils are now waiting to hear back from the Serie A side regarding price. The Torino stopper is expecting to move on this season after an impressive season in Serie A and is thought to be keen on signing for the Premier League side.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Milinkovic-Savic began his career at Old Trafford back in 2014 but was released as he was unable to obtain a work permit. The goalkeeper moved on to Polish side Lechia Gdańsk and the signed for Torino in 2017. He enjoyed loan spells at SPAL, Ascoli and Standard Liege before going on to become first choice at Torino.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Milinkovic-Savic is known to be something of a giant. He stands at 6ft 8in tall, some three inches higher than PSG stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT

  Any move for Milinkovic-Savic will depend on his price tag and also United's plans for the current stoppers. Andre Onana has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League after an underwhelming season, while back-up Altay Bayindir's future at the club also remains uncertain.

If Sheffield United are to return to the Premier League come the close of the intense 2024/25 campaign, Chris Wilder’s men will hope they can build on this promotion and remain in the top flight for more than one fleeting season.

Both times the Blades have recently won promotion, a relegation has soon had to be swallowed thereafter, minus the unbelievable 2019/20 season which saw Wilder lead his beloved side to a crazy ninth spot in the elite division.

Falling back to the Championship would then greet the South Yorkshire outfit after this one-off achievement, however, with the signing of Oliver Burke before the following campaign going down as a major flop.

Oliver Burke's disastrous Bramall Lane stint

Supporters at Bramall Lane would have been surprised that Wilder was willing to give the Scotsman a chance, considering he was fresh off a one-goal stint at West Bromwich Albion, having cost the Baggies a whopping £15m to obtain back in 2017.

Yet, the 57-year-old must have thought he could unearth a diamond in the rough in Burke when he arrived in the summer of 2020, only to be bitterly disappointed with what then transpired.

Whilst the Scotsman’s stint in South Yorkshire would see him collect one more strike than his nightmare time at the Hawthorns, it’s fair to say nobody associated with United was particularly enthused by his forgettable one-season stay when it came to a halt, with a relegation now on his varied CV courtesy of his brief connection to the club.

Where Are They Now

The strange deal to bring Burke to the Blades will sting even more now when you consider who West Brom won as part of the bewildering exchange, with the ex-United attacker now staggeringly outscoring every single player at Wilder’s disposal in the here and now.

The "quality" star now outscoring every United player

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the attacker now enjoying a resurgence in form since leaving Bramall Lane behind, with the Baggies also offloading the the 30-year-old forward two years into his stay in the West Midlands.

But, Callum Robinson is definitely proof how of a star can age like a fine wine, with his best goalscoring form in some time coming when donning a Cardiff City strip.

Season

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

24/25

26

11

1

23/24

25

3

2

22/23

29

7

7

21/22

44

8

9

20/21

29

6

0

19/20

16

3

2

Indeed, his career in Wales looked to be fizzling out last campaign with a lacklustre return of five goals and assists, but he now has a stunning 12 goal contributions across 2024/25.

Not even £10m buy Tom Cannon can boast better goalscoring numbers back at the Blades – who has nine strikes himself in league action – as Gustavo Hamer, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Tyrese Campbell also all fall behind in comparison with seven and six goals next to their names.

Even when he wasn’t been firing on all cylinders for the Bluebirds, there were enough flashes of his excellence that made the relegation-threatened side persevere – when his former employers handed him over after just two meagre goals for Wilder and Co – with ex-Cardiff manager Erol Bulut labelling the experienced EFL face as “quality” last season even during regular goal droughts.

With the Blades’ issues up top seeing the aforementioned Cannon already pull up with a knee concern, alongside Kieffer Moore being sidelined, having Robinson at their disposal now would be an effective option for Wilder to call upon.

But, that is with a heavy serving of hindsight on side, as the promotion challengers aim to go all out to clinch automatic promotion in the crunch months to come, whilst Robinson will try to continue enjoying his rebirth in the Welsh capital.

Value has fallen £12m: Sheffield United hit gold selling "brilliant" star

Sheffield United cashed in on this star at the best possible time.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 20, 2025

In their last regular-season meeting, Tigres edged Necaxa 2-1 in what turned out to be their final road win under Veljko Paunović

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Tigres are on a six-match winless streak on the roadHave gone 524 minutes without scoring away from homeThe second leg will be played on Sunday at Estadio UniversitarioFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Tigres will visit Necaxa on Thursday in the first leg of the Liga MX quarterfinals, fully aware of the dangers of overconfidence – a mistake that cost them dearly in the previous tournament when they were eliminated at the same stage by Atlético de San Luis.

As the postseason begins, playmaker Juan Brunetta spoke about the challenge of facing Nicolás Larcamón’s Necaxa and the weight he carries in leading Tigres through the knockout rounds.

“This is a completely different kind of match – it’s the Liguilla, where everything is on the line," Brunetta said. "We either do things right or we’re out. I’m more convinced than ever about what the coaching staff wants, and we need to be sharp. It’s a 180-minute battle, and we can’t afford to repeat what happened against San Luis, when we came home with a heavy loss and struggled to come back,”

He acknowledged Necaxa’s growth under Larcamón, a coach he knows well from previous encounters.

“Necaxa has done things well," he said. "Since Larcamón arrived, the club has improved a lot. He’s a coach with a clear idea of how he wants his team to play. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to place ourselves below them. We need to focus on what we do well. It’s going to be tough – as all Liguilla matches are.”

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

In their last regular season meeting, Tigres edged Necaxa 2-1 in what turned out to be their final road win under former coach Veljko Paunović. Since then, including matches in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Tigres have failed to win their last six away games.

Even more concerning is their goal drought away from home – 524 minutes without scoring. Their last road goal came on March 4, in the first leg against FC Cincinnati, courtesy of Nico Ibáñez.

“We’re aware of that stat, and yeah, the last goal was in Cincinnati from Nico," Brunetta said. "It’s something we need to fix – our inability to score or win on the road. But these are just streaks. They end eventually. Hopefully, we can break it tomorrow in what will be a tough match, against a team that has done things well."

AFPWHAT JUAN BRUNETTA SAID

When Tigres step onto the pitch in Aguascalientes on Thursday, it will be a special return for Guido Pizarro, who played his final professional match there in March before transitioning into his current role as the team’s head coach.

That night, Tigres earned a 2-1 victory over Necaxa – a win that would mark the end of Veljko Paunović’s tenure and the beginning of a new chapter under Pizarro.

Brunetta couldn’t resist poking fun at his coach ahead of the trip.

“I told him yesterday, ‘That was your last dance,’” he joked. “We tease him about it, but now it’s a different story. It’s a new match, a new stage – the Liguilla. We know how important it is; this is the most critical part of the league. You either do things right or your season ends.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Brunetta was Tigres’ top performer during the Clausura 2025, consistently showing a high level of play throughout the regular season. The Argentine midfielder was involved in nine of Tigres’ goals, scoring six and providing three assists.

Earlier Naseem Shah’s five-wicket haul restricted New Zealand to 255

S Sudarshanan09-Jan-2023The Pakistan ODI method was on show. Stymie the opposition to a par total. Make them, and everybody else, believe that they are struggling in the chase despite a good show from the top order and then overhaul the target rather comfortably.After Pakistan opted to bowl first, Naseem Shah picked up his second ODI five-for – in back-to-back games, having last played in August 2022 – to restrict New Zealand to 255 for 9. And then, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan stroked fine half-centuries to help Pakistan go 1-0 up in the three-match series in Karachi. Rizwan stuttered his way at the start and then suffered from cramps towards the end, before unleashing an assault of innovative measures on New Zealand to take the side home to a six-wicket win.Chasing 256, Fakhar and Imam-ul-Haq got Pakistan off the blocks quickly. Imam hit his first ball through midwicket – aided by a misfield – for four as both batters feasted on debutant Henry Shipley’s erring lines and lengths. All this before Imam looked to take on Michael Bracewell by skipping down the track and only managed to miscue one to mid-on.Fakhar Zaman hit a well-paced half-century•Associated PressFakhar and Babar then added 78 off 103 balls for the second wicket to give Pakistan a strong base. While Fakhar looked at ease for most parts of his innings, Babar did have a tough time when Bracewell and Mitchell Santner were brought on after the first powerplay. Even though he slog-swept a six and pulled a four off successive deliveries off Santner, Babar was a tad unsure of the turn with Bracewell and Santner varying the flight, pace as well as the angle.Babar was ruled out lbw when he missed an arm ball from Santner on 24, but he was reprieved on review, with the tracker showing the ball would have missed leg stump. He also tried a few uncharacteristic reverse sweeps early against Bracewell. At the other end, though, Fakhar was milking the singles as well as using the sweep to good effect and got to his half-century. However, the partnership was broken when Bracewell sneaked one through Fakhar’s attempted slog to bowl him.Babar and Rizwan then added 60 off 82 balls. It was slow going, with the sluggish track not really aiding strokeplay. Kane Williamson then brought the part-time offspinner Glenn Phillips on to keep a leash on scoring. Babar soon got to another half-century – his tenth fifty-plus score in the last 11 ODI innings – even as Pakistan managed to keep abreast of the asking rate. But soon, Phillips managed to hoodwink Babar and have him stumped down leg to mount the pressure.Haris Sohail, who last played an ODI in 2020, then shifted the pressure back on to New Zealand with a 23-ball 32. Twice he thumped Tim Southee over deep midwicket to decisively shift the equation in Pakistan’s favour. After he fell, Rizwan saw them home and stayed unbeaten on 77.Naseem Shah picked up a five-for to stifle New Zealand•Associated PressNaseem rattles New ZealandEarlier, Naseem struck on the last ball of the first over as Devon Conway’s back foot conspired to help the ball ricochet on to the stumps after he missed a flick. Williamson and Finn Allen were taking time to get the measure of the surface.But Allen finally started to get the ball to ping off the meat of his blade as New Zealand looked to put the slowish start behind them. He first hit Naseem for two fours in an over before smashing Haris Rauf for a troika of fours. But with aid from an athletic diving catch from Agha Salman off Mohammad Wasim, Pakistan managed to see the back of Allen for 29 off 27 balls.Meanwhile, Williamson had managed to get a fair measure of the surface and managed to hit some well-timed fours. However, a ripper from debutant legspinner Usama Mir ended his stay. Mir got one to drift and land on middle and leg before turning away to beat Williamson’s bat and knock the top of middle stump.Seeing the purchase – and turn – Mir managed to get, Babar pressed Mohammad Nawaz, and then the offspin of Salman, into service through the middle overs. New Zealand managed to score only 57 runs between overs 21 and 35, even though they lost just two wickets in the phase. Overall, the Pakistan spinners went for a combined 98 off 24 overs, picking up three wickets.While Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham managed to hang around and hit the occasional boundary, they couldn’t really break free. They added 56 for the fourth wicket before Mitchell was done in by a Nawaz delivery that landed on middle and straightened enough to beat his outside edge and clatter into the stumps.Latham was among the most fluent of the New Zealand batters and it seemed as if he would up the ante, given his strength against spin. But he only managed to pull a half-tracker from Mir straight to deep midwicket.New Zealand were in a spot of bother after which Phillips and Bracewell added 66 off 75 balls. Despite not getting the big shots away regularly, the pair rotated the strike and helped the tourists get a base for a final-overs assault. So much so that in the face of mounting pressure, Phillips played out four dots before hitting Naseem for a massive six – the first of the game – in the 40th over.But Naseem had the final laugh as he managed to dismiss both Phillips (37 off 53 balls) and Bracewell (43 off 42 balls) to hamper New Zealand at the death. He cleaned up Bracewell and Shipley off successive balls only for Southee to deny him a hat-trick. But a quick hand from Santner and Southee managed to see New Zealand cross the 250-run mark. It wasn’t enough, eventually.