The former USMNT striker said the Whitecaps wasted an opportunity, and didn't make necessary in-match adjustments
Tom Alsop, James Coles add fifties on shortened second day in Bristol
ECB Reporters Network28-Apr-2023A trademark defensive masterclass from captain Cheteshwar Pujara batted Sussex into a promising position on the second day of the rain-affected LV= County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.After a delayed start at 1.50pm due to a saturated outfield, the visitors took their first innings total from 47 for 1 to 302 for 4, India Test star Pujara leading the way with 99 not out, one short of his 58th first-class century, while Tom Alsop contributed 67 and James Coles a career-best 74.Zafar Gohar was the most successful Gloucestershire bowler with 2 for 67. But even his efforts on a docile surface could not unsettle the patient Pujara, who by the close had faced 190 balls and hit 13 fours and a six.Warm sunshine and a drying breeze dispelled fears of a second day washout after only 16 overs had been possible on day one before persistent heavy rain left standing water on an already wet outfield.Umpires Billy Taylor and Mark Newell decided play could resume after inspections at 11am, 12.30pm and 1.20pm. Gloucestershire skipper Graeme van Buuren opted to open the bowling with left-arm spinner Gohar and it paid quick dividends.Ali Orr, having added five to his overnight score of 31, went to reverse sweep the first ball of the third over and only succeeded in top-edging a gentle catch to wicketkeeper James Bracey, making the score 58 for 2.Having advanced from 11 to 34, Alsop survived a sharp chance to Miles Hammond at gully off Marchant de Lange, the ball stinging the tips of the fielder’s fingers on the way to the third-man boundary. It was all the good fortune the Sussex left-hander needed to progress to fifty, off 123 balls, with 6 fours, out of a total of 111 for 2.Ominously for Gloucestershire, Pujara looked to be setting his stall out for a long innings from the moment he took strike. The experienced India Test batter exercised great caution, particularly against the accurate de Lange, who had figures of 1 for 17 after 11 overs, four of them maidens.Pujara took 78 balls to reach 19, but then cut loose with a pulled four off de Lange and a square cut boundary off Gohar. By tea, which was taken at 4pm, Sussex had made 138 for 2 from 49 overs, with Alsop on 63 and Pujara on 28. The visitors were clearly intent on only batting once in a match already heavily curtailed by the weather.The final session began with Ajeet Dale going past the inside edge of Alsop’s bat, the ball swinging late and beating Bracey to add four byes to the total. Dale troubled both batsmen from the Ashley Down Road End, working up decent pace on the slow pitch, and got his reward when Alsop edged a defensive shot to first slip where Chris Dent held the catch into his midriff.At 158 for 3, Sussex needed to rebuild. But by then Pujara had moved on to 40 off 108 deliveries and looked well set. He was joined by a player more than 16 years his junior in England Under-19 international Coles.With the Seat Unique Stadium bathed in sunshine, Pujara moved to his half-century, having batted for almost exactly three hours and hit eight fours. He celebrated with a glorious driven boundary through extra cover off van Buuren, an indication of the fund of attacking shots in his locker when he chooses to unleash them, while Coles looked untroubled in sharing a century stand in 24 overs.The nearest Pujara came to getting out was an inside edge past his leg stump off Gofar. He responded by cutting two boundaries off the left-arm spinner’s next over.Gloucestershire took the second new ball after 80 overs, with the scoreboard reading 258 for 3. But it made no impact as Coles reached a fluent and chanceless fifty off 85 balls, with six fours. The 19-year-old fell in the final over of the day, stumped moving down the pitch to Gohar in an effort to give Pujara the strike.The Indian maestro is unlikely to lose any sleep over being on 99 and will look to add significantly more on day three.
Chelsea are reportedly pursuing USWNT star Lily Yohannes to join Catarina Macario and Mia Fishel in West London from Ajax.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Chelsea looking to strengthen their midfieldEager to lure Yohannes from AjaxHas a contract with the Dutch giants until 2026Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According tothe Ajax midfielder has caught the eye of the reigning Women’s Super League (WSL) title holders, who are aiming to bolster their midfield depth for the upcoming season. Chelsea’s interest in the 17-year-old is longstanding, although official negotiations have yet to begin. With the youngster set to celebrate her 18th birthday on June 12, the timing for a potential move could soon align.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite being committed to her development at the Dutch club, Yohannes is reportedly intrigued by the opportunity to join Chelsea. However, there is no final decision from the player regarding her next step.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite being eligible to play for the Netherlands, Yohannes opted to represent the United States — a decision that paid immediate dividends. She marked her first appearance for the four-time World Cup champions by scoring just 10 minutes into a match against South Korea, underlining her potential as a future mainstay in the national setup.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Chelsea are not resting on their laurels after a sensational domestic campaign. The west London side wrapped up their sixth straight WSL title with two games to spare, collecting 60 points from 19 victories and three draws — the highest total ever in league history. Now, as the Blues look toward another season of domestic dominance and European conquest, adding a talent like Yohannes could be a statement of long-term intent.
Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid will be part of the meeting, ahead of the white-ball series against Sri Lanka
PTI31-Dec-2022
Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will be part of the BCCI meeting on January 1•PTI
The BCCI’s top brass will review India’s underwhelming performance in the 2022 T20 World Cup with captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid on January 1.NCA chief VVS Laxman, who has also been with the Indian team in Dravid’s absence, is expected to be part of the meeting as well.The meeting in Mumbai is scheduled ahead of the limited-overs against Sri Lanka, which begins on January 3.England had hammered India by ten wickets in the T20 World Cup semi-finals, extending their barren run in ICC events since 2013, when they won the Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s leadership. India’s last World Cup title came in 2011 at home.The selection panel, led by Chetan Sharma, was shown the door post the World Cup, but a new panel is yet to be formed.The committee was sacked in November but it continues to track the ongoing Ranji Trophy and also picked the team for the three T20s and ODIs against Sri Lanka.The Cricket Advisory Committee, which was formed earlier this month, met in Mumbai on Friday to shortlist the list of candidates for the selectors’ posts.The panel comprises Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe and Sulakshana Naik.Chetan Sharma and Harvinder Singh have reapplied for the job while the others who have applied include former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad and former India wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia.
The selectors have called up Shoriful Islam as a back-up for Taskin
Mohammad Isam01-Dec-2022Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed has been ruled out of Bangladesh’s first ODI against India in Mirpur due to a back injury, while captain Tamim Iqbal is also in doubt for the game due to a groin injury he picked up during a warm-up match on Wednesday.The selectors have called up Shoriful Islam as a back-up for Taskin from the Bangladesh A side who are currently playing against India A in Cox’s Bazar.Related
Bangladesh reaping rewards of Taskin and Litton's changed mindsets
'It gives us a breather but it's not the ultimate goal' – Tamim on Bangladesh's World Cup qualification
Shakib returns to Bangladesh squad for ODIs against India
Jadeja, Dayal ruled out of Bangladesh ODIs
“Taskin is out of the first ODI and we will know about his availability for the rest of the ODI series only after another fitness test,” Bangladesh’s chief selector Minhajul Abedin told ESPNcricinfo. “Tamim is also in doubt due to a groin injury but we will keep assessing him in the next few days.”Taskin suffered the injury during a BCL match on November 20 for which he has been taking a pain-killer injection for the last few days. He has emerged as the bowling attack leader in the last 12 months after making a stellar comeback to international cricket. But earlier this year, he was put of action for a few months due to a shoulder injury. He picked up the back injury during a BCL match on November 20.The first ODI will be held in Dhaka on Sunday followed by the second one at the same venue on December 7 and the final match on December 10 in Chattogram.
Chelsea chiefs hold a serious theory that they’ll win the race for a top-class player after consistent discussions with his club this month, and they also believe that their transfer target is pretty keen on a move to Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Maresca’s side returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Wolves in west London, courtesy of strikes from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke.
Chelsea closing in on £17m signing of "physically imposing" 6 ft 4 teenager
An agreement has been reached with the player in question.
By
Henry Jackson
Jan 21, 2025
The result takes them back up to fourth as Maresca continues his attempts to seal a Chelsea return to the Champions League for next season, but a lot could happen between now and then in terms of transfer activity.
|
Chelsea’s next Premier League fixtures |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Man City (away) |
January 25 |
|
West Ham (away) |
February 3 |
|
Brighton (away) |
February 14 |
|
Aston Villa (away) |
February 22 |
|
Southampton (home) |
February 25 |
Chelsea are believed to be looking at new forwards for before the end of this January window, with Christopher Nkunku agreeing personal terms to join Bayern Munich, even if the Bundesliga giants are yet to make any serious headway on a club-to-club deal.
In the event Nkunku does leave, BlueCo are doing their due-diligence on alternative attacking options. A Chelsea approach has been made for Alejandro Garnacho, according to respected journalist David Ornstein, while the club also sense a potential opportunity to lure another exciting Man United starlet, Kobbie Mainoo, away from Old Trafford – amid his contractual standoff (The Mail).
From the very beginning of this window, Chelsea have also been heavily linked with a move for ex-defender and Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.
Trevoh Chalobah saw his Palace loan terminated, with Chelsea activating their re-call clause, but this apparently hasn’t stopped Maresca’s men from pursuing a 2025 deal for the England international.
As per GiveMeSport, Chelsea chiefs are “adamant” they’ll win the race to sign Guehi this year behind the scenes.
They’re also convinced that the 24-year-old wants to make a return to his former club, following “constant dialogue” between Chelsea and Palace throughout this month.
While they’re now prepared to wait until the summer to strike a deal for Guehi, the report also doesn’t entirely rule out Chelsea swooping before February 3, but they’ll need to be given more encouragement that Oliver Glasner’s side could sanction it.
On a reported £50,000-per-week at Selhurst Park, Guehi’s price tag stands at around £70 million for January, as Palace attempt to deter suitors from making a formal mid-season move.
However, it is worth noting that Chelsea would receive a 20 per cent discount on that £70m price tag, due to the sell-on clause they inserted into the deal which saw Guehi leave for Palace.
Eight time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is reportedly set to sign a contract extension that will keep him at Inter Miami through 2026
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Lionel Messi expected to sign a extension through 2026 seasonCurrent deal expires at the end of 2025Inter Miami will open brand new stadium next yearGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?
Lionel Messi appears set to play in MLS for at least one more year, with reporting Friday that the Argentine is expected to sign a contract extension that will keep him with Inter Miami until the end of the 2026 season.
His original deal, signed in July 2023, was set to expire at the end of the campaign. Messi will be 39 by the end of the 2026 season. Messi is currently in his third season in MLS, and has three goals and two assists in four league games.
AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The move would seem to open the door for the Argentine to play at the 2026 World Cup. There were questions as to whether Messi would return to the national team for a sixth iteration of the tournament, but a new deal will prolong his career for at least 18 months – and ensure that he is at least on the pitch for the tournament, due to be held primarily in the United States.
WHAT JORGE MAS SAID
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has repeatedly assured fans that Messi will stay at the club through the 2026 season, most recently remarking that "the stars are aligning for something great, for a beautiful future for the club and for Lionel. It’s solely his decision.
“I expect that within 60-90 days we’ll have to determine all of this. My hope has always been – and everything we’re doing – is to see Messi play at our new stadium in 2026. Hopefully, that happens."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?
Messi has not officially signed a new deal, but it would appear that an announcement is imminent. For now, the 37-year-old will be part of the Miami setup when they take on Chicago this weekend in an MLS clash. are currently second in the Eastern Conference.
يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض عدة مباريات حاسمة خلال شهر مايو الحالي، من أجل إنقاذ موسمه السئ بأي طريقة ممكنة.
ويحتل مانشستر سيتي حاليًا المركز الرابع في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي، برصيد 61 نقطة.
ويسعى مانشستر سيتي للتأهل إلى دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم المقبل، وسط منافسة شرسة مع أكثر من فريق.
اقرأ أيضًا | مواعيد مباريات ليفربول في شهر مايو 2025.. مواجهتان ناريتان وصلاح يسعى للمجد
في حين أن مانشستر سيتي لديه فرصة لتحقيق بطولة خلال الشهر الجاري، من أجل إنهاء موسم 2024/25 بشكل مشرف.
وتأهل مانشستر سيتي إلى نهائي كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، حيث ضرب موعدًا مع كريستال بالاس، بعدما أطاح بـ نوتينجهام فورست من نصف النهائي.
ويعتمد مانشستر سيتي بدرجة كبيرة في الوقت الحالي على خدمات المحترف المصري عمر مرموش في ظل إصابة إيرلينج هالاند. مواعيد مباريات مانشستر سيتي في شهر مايو 2025
مانشستر سيتي وولفرهامبتون، الجولة الخامسة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الجمعة 2 مايو 2025، 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.
ساوثهامبتون ومانشستر سيتي، الجولة السادسة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم السبت 10 مايو 2025، 5 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.
كريستال بالاس ومانشستر سيتي، نهائي كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، يوم السبت 17 مايو 2025، 6:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.
مانشستر سيتي وبورنموث، الجولة السابعة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الثلاثاء 20 مايو 2025، 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.
فولهام ومانشستر سيتي، الجولة الثامنة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الأحد 25 مايو 2025، 6 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.
With Graham Potter seemingly on his way to replace Julen Lopetegui, West Ham United are now reportedly plotting a move to sign a £40m young forward who could do the same to Niclas Fullkrug.
West Ham transfer news
Just when it looked as though Julen Lopetegui was turning things around at the London Stadium with a run of four games without defeat, Liverpool and Manchester City arrived to defeat the Hammers by a combined scoreline of 9-1 in what was the final straw for the Spaniard. In his place looks increasingly likely to be Graham Potter, who could make a return to management for the first time since being sacked by Chelsea in 2023.
In a move that must go to plan for Potter after his Chelsea failure and long wait to return to the technical area, the Hammers could turn towards the transfer market and instantly back their new manager. According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, West Ham are now plotting a move to sign Conrad Harder from Sporting CP in a deal worth €50m (£42m) this month.
European giants hold talks with agent of £27m West Ham player over move
A West Ham player could be set for a move away in this transfer window.
ByBrett Worthington Jan 7, 2025
With Chelsea and Arsenal also interested in the 19-year-old, West Ham will undoubtedly have to put together a convincing pitch to win the race and secure Harder’s signature for years to come. And that’s where Potter’s arrival and the Hammers’ hopeful rise as a result of that could pay dividends.
What should also provide those at the London Stadium with a much-needed boost in pursuit of the forward is that Sporting are reportedly demanding £40m rather than Harder’s €80m (£67m) release clause.
"Amazing" Harder would solve West Ham's striker problem
With Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen currently sidelined, West Ham will be forced to turn towards summer signing Fullkrug to step up once and for all following a slow start to life in the Premier League. Alas, at 31 years old, the former Borussia Dortmund forward is far from a long-term option or perhaps even a short-term replacement for Bowen in current form. Instead, that’s where Harder could make an instant impact.
The 19-year-old has risen to stardom at Sporting this season, scoring nine goals and assisting a further six in 29 games in all competitions. Earning impressive praise as a result, Harder’s start to life in Portugal was dubbed “amazing” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig back in November.
At just £40m, West Ham could land one of the bargains of the window and a player with plenty more to come by securing Harder’s signature this month.
One-Test keeper leaves his head of national development role to become Victoria’s general manager of cricket performance
Alex Malcolm11-May-2022One Test wicketkeeper Graham Manou has become the latest figure to depart Cricket Australia’s high-performance team leaving his role as head of national development to join state side Victoria as their new general manager of cricket performance.Manou, 43, was head of national development at CA for 10 months after a four-year stint as pathways manager overseeing the underage programs.But he has departed CA to join Victoria, taking over from long-time GM Shaun Graf who retired after several decades in the role earlier this year. Manou will work alongside Victoria head coach Chris Rogers after the pair worked together at CA when Rogers was a high-performance coach working at the National Cricket Centre with the Under-19s.CA has a number of holes in its high-performance team that need to be filled. Ben Oliver is holding the fort as general manager of national teams but there has not been a replacement in the high-performance role that was vacated by Drew Ginn last year, in part due to a health issue. Ginn was incidentally part of the four-person recruitment panel that was assembled by Cricket Victoria to hire Manou.Manou will begin his role with Cricket Victoria in June. He played one Test for Australia on the 2009 Ashes tour, filling in at short notice for Brad Haddin after he broke his finger on the morning of the third Test in Birmingham. He also played four ODIs on the 2009 tour of India.Manou played 103 first-class matches, predominantly for South Australia, during a 13-year career. He also played in the inaugural BBL season for the Melbourne Renegades.