Over the years, Manchester United has been the home to numerous elite-level centre-forwards, with Robin van Persie one who captured the hearts of the fanbase.

The Dutchman joined in a controversial deal from Premier League rivals Arsenal for a reported £24m back in August 2012 – a deal that proved to be an absolute bargain.

He ended up making 105 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring a total of 58 goals, with his total of 26 league goals in 2012/13 helping Sir Alex Ferguson win his final top-flight title.

Van Persie also managed to notch 16 assists during such a period, taking his total goal contributions to 74, resulting in an average of 0.7 goals or assists per game over a three-year period.

Such a record has undoubtedly cemented his place in the Red Devils history, but numerous managers have been unable to rely upon similar talents at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try and unearth his own version of the talisman, subsequently spending big on a new centre-forward during the recent summer window.

The reasons behind Benjamin Sesko’s struggles at United

After taking the reins back in November last year, Amorim had to rely upon the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee to provide the goods at the top end of the pitch.

However, the duo’s tally of just seven combined goals in the Premier League last season highlighted the need for reinforcements during the summer transfer window.

The board handed the manager over £200m worth of funds to make the desired changes, which resulted in three huge names making the move to Old Trafford.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were just two of the additions made by the hierarchy, with Benjamin Sesko the player brought in to operate alongside the pair in the final third.

The latter of the trio cost a reported £74m from RB Leipzig during the summer, with real hope generated by the fans that he would be the man to solve their issues.

However, his start to life in Manchester has been far from plain sailing, as seen by his tally of just two goals in his first 11 league outings – even going four games without a goal.

His early struggles will no doubt present cause for concern, with his underlying numbers also highlighting his lack of impact in recent months after his big-money switch.

He’s only registered a total of 3.6 touches in the opposition box per 90, which has ranked him in the bottom 20% of all other centre forwards in England’s top-flight.

Such a figure showcases that he’s either unable to get himself into the right positions, or he’s not being provided the goods – which could explain his lowly goalscoring tally.

However, Sesko has been hugely reliant upon players around him, with his tally of 0.2 dribbles completed showcasing that he’s unlikely to create a chance on his own.

Like the aforementioned tally, it has placed him in the bottom 20% of other strikers in the league, which could also be contributing to his lack of goals at present.

The United star who could end Sesko’s Man Utd career

There’s no doubt that Sesko will need added time to flourish in England, with his big-money transfer to United in the summer presenting a huge culture change for the 22-year-old.

He’s had to move to a new country, league and surroundings, which is certainly a daunting task for a young talent – which too could be having an effect on his lack of output.

But the lack of quality in such a department has no doubt ramped up the pressure on the Slovenian international to provide the goods in front of goal at Old Trafford.

Amorim will no doubt have to manage Sesko personally to get the best out of the centre-forward, but it’s unclear how much patience the manager will present to the new addition.

The fans, too, will need to cut him some slack, but it will no doubt be tricky, especially given the form of the previous talents in such a role – including the likes of Van Persie.

However, the club may have their next talisman in the form of Chido Obi, with the young star already matching the Dutchman in making the move to Old Trafford from rivals Arsenal.

At just 17, the fans will have to be patient with the Dane, but there’s no doubt excitement has been generated by his incredible goalscoring record in the youth setup.

He scored 13 times in just 11 appearances for the U18 outfit last campaign, living up to the billing he is a “goalscoring machine” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig. Such form has seen him make the step-up to the U21 squad over the last couple of months.

Obi has now made 22 appearances at such a level, scoring nine times and registering four assists in the process – even managing to thrive at an age group four years above his own.

Given the lack of quality in the centre-forward department last season, Amorim even handed the teenager his first taste of senior football in an attempt to improve the situation.

The Dane made a total of eight first-team appearances in 2024/25, but failed to find the back of the net once – however, it didn’t stop the youngster from receiving huge praise.

Teammate Leny Yoro previously waxed lyrical about the youngster, even claiming that he could become “one of the world’s best” in the years to come should he continue on his current path.

After returning to youth level, Obi has backed up Yoro’s statement, averaging a goal every 100 minutes and registering a staggering total of 2.2 shots on target per 90 this season.

Games played

8

Games started

3

Goals scored

3

Mins per goal

100

Shots on target

2.2

Dribbles completed

68%

Touches in opposition box

6.6

Fouls won

1.7

He’s even completed 68% of the dribbles he’s attempted, massively starring in such an area, something which Sesko has been unable to do over the last few months.

Obi has also dominated countless backlines lately, as seen by his tally of 4.7 duels won, with his physical presence potentially perfect for Amorim’s current side.

Whilst he’s just 17, the future is massively bright for the Dane at Old Trafford, with the club desperately needing to streamline his progress into the senior ranks.

Sesko’s inability to impress could certainly hand the manager the perfect chance to allow him to stake his claim and nail down the position as his very own for many years to come.

If he can match Van Persie’s level during his own time with the Red Devils, he will certainly be a fan-favourite and a player who can take the first-team back to their former glory.

An Mbeumo repeat: Man Utd to make £52m bid for "best winger in the country"

Manchester United look set to make another huge bid for a new attacker for Ruben Amorim.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 18, 2025

By giving bowlers a little leeway down the leg side, cricket will bring new skills and forgotten strokes into play

Abhinav Mukund13-Aug-2025After the thrilling finish in the Oval Test earlier this month, Shubman Gill said that nothing should be changed in terms of the Test cricket playing conditions. Rightly so, with all the games in the England-India series going the full distance.But what about the other formats? The ICC has made a few changes in their playing conditions for white- ball cricket. One change in particular, which is to be trialled from October, has piqued my interest. This relates to the wide-ball rule.This change, which aims to provide a certain amount of wriggle room for a bowler when faced with a batter moving around in their crease before or during a delivery, says that the position of the batter’s legs at the point of delivery will be used as the reference point for a wide. Further:Related

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[…] A ball that passes the popping crease between the leg stump and the protected area marker [will not be] called a Wide. To help with this, the protected area marker line will be extended to the popping crease and act as a guide for the umpires.

Any leg side delivery that passes behind the batter’s legs and outside of the line at the time the ball reaches the popping crease may still be called a Wide. Previously, a wide had been called for a delivery that would not have been called wide if the batter had retained their normal batting position.

Effectively, a ball that passes just a little behind the batter’s legs will not be ruled a wide. But before we get into the details, I want to talk about the existing playing conditions. (The Laws of Cricket and the ICC’s playing conditions are interconnected, with the latter supplementing and sometimes modifying the former for specific competitions.)The wide law as it stands currently states that if the ball passes wide of where the striker is standing, or has stood at any point after the ball came into play for that delivery (and if it would also have passed wide of the striker standing in a normal batting position), it should be given a wide. And while a wide is called as soon after the ball passes the batter’s wicket as possible, it is considered to have been a wide from the time the bowler entered their delivery stride.So, according to the Laws, the movements of the batter during the delivery are taken into account for adjudging a wide – which gives the batter leeway to move about their crease to possibly attempt to manipulate a wide call in their favour. In contrast, the ICC’s new proposed playing conditions state that the ball needs to pass within the protected area marker on the leg side when it goes past the crease. This is a fixed reference point. If the ball passes close to the pad near the batter’s legs and moves away afterward, outside the protected area line between that point and the bowling crease, it will be called a wide.Ashwin KumarIn the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Premier League, a similar wide law was trialled, but using the framework of the Laws of cricket. A three-point system was used to judge wide calls:Where was the batter standing at the point of the release of the ball?
How close to the batter was the ball when it passed them?
How close to the stumps was the ball when it went past them? This ensures that, even if the batter was moving all over the place before the ball was bowled, the wide call was based on the position of the batter at the point of the bowler’s release.How did the new rule play out in the TNPL?In the 2023 tournament, 319 wides were bowled; in 2024, 311; and in 2025, 275. So there was a significant drop in the number of wides called this year, under the new rule. But surprisingly, that did not impact the scores at all; rather, the scores were higher.In 2023, 9570 runs were scored. In 2024, this grew a little, to 9659. And in 2025, it went up more substantially, to 10,048. In a power-hitting, flat-batting world, it was wonderful to see the batters adapt and play the leg glance or flick against the ball going down leg. You don’t often see those shots in a T20 game.Did the new rule give an advantage to the bowler?T Natarajan, who has played multiple years of IPL and won the TNPL title with the IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans this year said, “There is a definite advantage in terms of bowlers who have control – especially in the death, when the go-to delivery is a wide yorker. The stump yorker comes into play with this [new] rule, as it gives you the margin of error to miss your line by a few inches.” This puts doubt in the batter’s mind, he said. “It adds an element of variety in your bowling.”Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy thinks the rule presents fast bowlers with more of an advantage than it does spinners. “While the pacers can add a lot more variety with a yorker or bouncer, the only advantage I had was if I got the googly slightly off target and it beat the batter on the leg side – it wouldn’t be called a wide. Otherwise, spinners who have the ability to bowl the yorker can use it to their advantage in a T20 game.”Batters win you sponsorships, bowlers win you championships. The T20 game, in particular, is built on batting exploits and the long sixes that batters hit. As fans, we generally tend to want to see more sixes being hit and not lower scores.Did the new bowler-favouring rule mean we saw fewer sixes this year in the TNPL? Surprisingly not: 418 were scored in 2024, 463 were scored this year. Batters found a way to adapt. The battle between bat and ball was heightened thanks to this rule.The ICC has announced the revised rule will come into effect from October on a trial basis for six months in ODIs and T20Is. In ODIs, with two new balls for the first 34 overs (another new rule) we might see bowlers attempt to swing the ball without fear of being called wide for going fractionally down the leg side. We might see reverse swing attempted a lot more at the death. Tactically, having a leg-side-dominant field in the middle overs could be an option for captains, as you are allowed only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle in that period.Batters will need to work on their leg-side game – not many have the leg glance or flick in their repertoire because of the strong hold that flat-batting has on the game. There will be a definite need for batters to alter their technique ever so slightly if they want to succeed against a bowler who has good control.Personally, I would like the ICC playing conditions to mirror the Laws of cricket, and account for the batter stepping out or moving around in the crease before the ball is bowled, without just making it a standard rule of judging whether the ball passed inside the protected area markers or not.This could, however, make it a nightmare for the umpires, who will have to note when the bowler starts his delivery stride, and also keep in mind where the batter was in his stance when making their decisions. In the TNPL and IPL you are allowed to call for the DRS for wides; in an international game you are not. I am pretty certain this will change soon, though the pace of play may be affected. Certainly the modified rule in the ICC playing conditions will have an impact in deciding the results of games.As a batter myself, I am overall in favour of the new rule. It provides an exciting element, especially in the closing stages of a T20 game, bringing an element of unpredictability to what a bowler can do, without the fear of being penalised. It gives bowler and batter another layer of skill to display. I won’t be surprised if we have games decided on one or two legal deliveries that previously might have been called wide.

Ange Postecoglou has reportedly been tipped for a shock return to management with Premier League strugglers Leeds United, but is likely to face competition from Brendan Rodgers. The Whites find themselves in the relegation zone, winless in their last four matches and spiralling into a crisis that now threatens to sweep away manager Daniel Farke, only months after he masterminded a 100-point promotion campaign.

• Leeds plunge toward crisis as pressure mounts on Farke

  Seven defeats in 12 games have left the Whites 18th in the table, and according to , there are no reassurances coming from Elland Road’s hierarchy regarding Farke’s future. His Premier League record, dating back to his Norwich City days, now gives him the lowest points-per-game return of any manager with more than 50 matches in the competition’s history (0.61). With Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool looming in their next three fixtures, Leeds appear to be edging toward a tipping point. 

  Postecoglou, who was once hailed as the charismatic architect behind Celtic’s resurgence, has unexpectedly become a name floated for the Leeds hot seat. His brief, bruising stint at Nottingham Forest, where he lasted a record-short 39 days, may have dented his Premier League credentials, but not his admirers within the Leeds boardroom. Figures at Elland Road are said to be intrigued by his front-foot philosophy, believing it fits the club’s identity.

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  Rodgers emerges as a serious contender

  Rodgers, who stunned Celtic supporters last month by resigning and exiting Parkhead for the second time in his career, is reportedly eager for a Premier League return. His departure sparked a furious statement from Celtic chief Dermot Desmond, who accused him of behaviour that was "divisive, misleading and self-serving". 

  He told Celtic's official club website: "Brendan Rodgers has today tendered his resignation as manager of Celtic Football Club. I want to acknowledge Brendan’s contribution across his two spells as manager, during which he helped deliver success that forms part of the club’s modern history. However, I must also express my deep disappointment at the way the past several months have unfolded.

  "When we brought Brendan back to Celtic two years ago, it was done with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of sustained success. Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust. In June, both Michael Nicholson and I expressed to Brendan that we were keen to offer him a contract extension, to reaffirm the club’s full backing and long-term commitment to him. He said he would need to think about it and revert. Yet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract. That was simply untrue."

  Despite the acrimony, Rodgers’ coaching reputation remains largely intact. His time at Leicester saw him deliver an FA Cup triumph and consecutive European qualifications before the Foxes’ late nosedive in 2023.

• Will Postecoglou accept the offer?

  Reports indicate Postecoglou has privately ruled himself out of any immediate managerial return, including the vacancy at Celtic. After an emotionally draining few months, he is believed to be deliberately stepping back from frontline football to rest and recharge before deciding his next move. To many Celtic supporters, Postecoglou remains a beloved figure who delivered five domestic trophies in two years and revolutionised the club’s style of play. But for now, he appears committed to pause rather than plunge into another high-pressure environment, making a Leeds move far from guaranteed.

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  What comes next for Leeds?

  Farke arrived at Elland Road with a clear mandate to lead Leeds back to the big time, stabilise the squad and embed a long-term identity. For a year, he did exactly that. But the Premier League has exposed his tactical rigidity and the limitations of a squad still adapting to top-flight intensity. Leeds look vulnerable in transitions, short on creativity and low on confidence. The issues are exacerbated by the relentless fixture list. The next three matches may prove terminal. Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool represent an unforgiving gauntlet for a side battling to stay afloat. Anything less than a shock turnaround could leave the Leeds hierarchy with a decision they already appear to be preparing for.

Leeds United are already pursuing some January transfer targets in a bid to turn around their declining season in the Premier League.

At the start of the campaign, there looked to be promising green shoots for Daniel Farke’s men in their attempts to instantly clinch survival, with two victories picked up from their opening five fixtures back in the gruelling division.

However, since a 2-2 draw was picked up versus AFC Bournemouth at the tail-end of September, the wheels have started to fall off alarmingly, with four defeats from their last five Premier League games certainly highlighting why Leeds need some game-changing purchases this January.

Rumours have already begun to circulate that AZ Alkmaar goal machine Troy Parrott is on their agenda, with just one goal scored across their last two away-day defeats, really bringing into focus why they need such a deadly finisher in their ranks.

It would take an alleged £25m bid or even more to tempt AZ into getting rid of their 30-goal hero from last season, with Leeds not always coming out the other side of an expensive capture full of glee, which might see them err on the side of caution over a statement deal.

Still, if the Whites are serious about survival, they might well have to put their money where their mouth is and land the potent Irishman.

After all, the West Yorkshire giants have forked out similar wads of cash in January before when landing Georginio Rutter back in early 2023, with the £35.5m splashed out on the skilful Frenchman proving to be somewhat worthwhile, as he went on to score eight goals and pick up 18 assists as a memorable entertainer under Farke’s wing.

Sold for £40m to Brighton and Hove Albion, as well, it’s fair to say Leeds’ most expensive capture goes down as a hit.

The same cannot be said, however, for the likes of Jean-Kevin Augustin, who Leeds wanted to return to RB Leipzig after an unsuccessful loan stint in 2020.

Yet, Leeds would still have to pay up £18.4m for the Paris-born flop two years later, after failing to make the loan permanent, which had been previously agreed. In short, it was labelled as an “absolute disaster” of a transfer by journalist James Marshment.

Still, while Illan Meslier certainly did a great deal more in Leeds colours than Augustin, he has also been something of a disaster.

Why Illan Meslier was such a disaster at Leeds

Arguably, in the here and now, the £5m deal to secure Meslier could also be viewed as a blunder with hindsight on side, even if he was also a recipient of some glowing comments when Marcelo Bielsa still occupied the helm.

It does feel like an awfully long time ago, now, since Meslier was being heralded as a ‘keeper that “transmits security” by Bielsa, and would also come up trumps with top saves, with 72 Leeds clean sheets in his back pocket.

Unfortunately, in more recent times, he could be viewed as a waste of money with the amount of errors that seeped into his game last season as Leeds went for the glory of automatic promotion, which saw Meslier make three errors in total that directly led to an opposition goal.

To make matters worse for Meslier’s long-term future, Karl Darlow – who cost just £400k – would come up trumps in his place with an important tally of four clean sheets from his seven stand-in second-tier appearances, helping to make their promotion dreams a reality.

The reliable Welshman has since lined up for five Premier League games this campaign, while his £5m counterpart now routinely sits on the substitutes bench, presumably planning an exit route out of the club he has made 214 appearances for.

Yet, while Farke has been cutthroat with his former number one by also buying Lucas Perri, he still sticks by this other underperformer week in, week out, who is a far bigger waste of cash than the error-prone stopper.

Leeds flop is a bigger waste than Meslier

Meslier did – at one point – hold down the number one goalkeeper position rather comfortably.

Indeed, during Leeds’ first season back in the big time under Bielsa, the 6-foot-6 ‘keeper would help himself to a weighty 11 clean sheets from 32 top-flight outings, before things started to unravel. In the case of Brenden Aaronson, though, he has never been able to fully settle under the intense spotlight of the top division.

Thankfully, for Aaronson’s sake, he did turn on the style on occasion last season as the Championship title was lifted, with nine goals and two assists collected, which included this wonderfully constructed team goal away at Derby County being finished off by the up-and-down American.

Meslier also chipped in with 21 clean sheets, in all fairness, before it was deemed necessary for a change in between the sticks.

But, he still leaves a lot to be desired with his mediocre Premier League output, with the aforementioned Marshment’s comments about the ex-Union Berlin playmaker falling victim to “anonymous” displays very much ringing true this season, and throughout his playing days in the elite league to date.

For £28.5m, which remains Leeds’ second most expensive capture of all time, you would have anticipated a lot more than what Aaronson has offered up over 47 games in the intense division, with a measly six goal contributions amassed from those 47 games, very much strengthening arguments that he can go missing in crunch moments.

At least when it comes to the other high-profile signings, such as Rodrigo, he came away from his disappointing spell with the club with 28 strikes next to his name, despite costing £2.5m less.

Even Meslier has more to write home about from his Premier League adventures in West Yorkshire, with Aaronson’s output this season of just one goal and one assist from 11 games not exactly encouraging Leeds fans that he can change his ongoing Elland Road tale for the better.

There were faint glimmers of hope when he scored against West Ham United to close out October, with one Leeds-based content creator even dubbing it his “best game in a Leeds shirt”, off the back of Aaronson completing all 100% of his dribbles and winning eight duels to be a livewire throughout.

Yet, that was then followed up by two unmemorable displays on the bounce, as the “lightweight” version of Aaronson – as he was once branded by ex-Leeds player Jon Newsome – reared its ugly head once more.

These inconsistent performances would likely be more excusable if he didn’t cost such a bomb at the £28.5m mark, with it being very clear now that he is a far bigger waste of money than Meslier, and – arguably – one of the club’s poorest pursuits in recent Premier League history.

Leeds stance on recalling Joe Gelhardt in January as Hull eye Harry Gray

He’s been on fire in the Championship.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 19, 2025

During the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have started to splash the cash in the transfer market to aid them in their quest for success in the Premier League.

In the last four years alone, the hierarchy have dropped over £400m on new additions, but not all the big-money additions have made the desired effect in North London.

Tanguy Ndombele is just one of the players who cost a pretty penny, with the Frenchman costing a reported £63m in 2019 – a deal that was then a club-record.

He was only able to rack up 91 appearances for the Lilywhites over a five-year period, before leaving on a free transfer last summer to move back to his homeland.

With the January window on the horizon, the board and Thomas Frank will need to keep such a deal in mind to prevent themselves from losing a huge chunk of their investment.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this January

In recent weeks, Juventus defender Gleison Bremer has been one of the latest players touted with a move to join Spurs during the upcoming transfer window.

It’s been reported that Frank’s men are willing to fork out £35m for the Brazilian centre-back, as the board aim to add key depth and quality to the backline.

The Lilywhites have shipped 11 goals in their last three competitive outings, which could make the 28-year-old a viable option for the upcoming window.

However, the attacking department could also be subject to improvement, with Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche once again emerging on their radar after previously wanting to sign the forward in the summer.

According to Sacha Tavolieri, the Lilywhites are extremely keen on a deal to land the 23-year-old this winter, but a deal could cost the hierarchy a pretty penny.

The journalist has stated that the Ligue 1 side are currently demanding a fee in the region of €70m (£61m) for his signature, a deal that would be one of the most expensive in their history.

Why Spurs’ £61m target would be Simons 2.0

Spending big on a young attacker hasn’t been alien for Spurs in the last couple of months, with the board splashing a reported £52m on the signature of Xavi Simons last summer.

The Dutchman’s move generated huge excitement, with the hierarchy selecting the 22-year-old as the player to fill the void in the number ten role after James Maddison’s injury.

However, a couple of months on from his mammoth transfer, the youngster has struggled to hit the ground running, as seen by his tally of zero goals and just two assists to date.

Frank has also evidently been frustrated by the Dutchman’s lack of quality, with the manager leaving him on the substitutes bench in each of the last two outings.

A little ounce of leeway must be handed Simons’ way though, especially with the attacking midfielder often having to operate in a somewhat unnatural left-wing role in multiple of his starts.

However, the club could be about to land another version of the big-money talent this January, especially if they manage to complete a deal for Akliouche in the near future.

He’s been ranked as a similar player to Simons in the Champions League by FBref, with the pair even facing off against each other in the clash between the two sides in October.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats in such a campaign, the Frenchman has dominated the current Spurs star, which could hand Frank the attacking talent he’s craved in recent months.

Akliouche, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has achieved a higher tally of combined goals and assists in the Champions League at present.

Games played

5

5

Goals & assists

2

1

Pass accuracy

83%

81%

Progressive passes

6.3

4.7

Passes into final third

3.8

2.9

Take-ons completed

2.7

2.1

Carries into final third

2.1

1.3

Crosses completed

2.4

2.1

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of his efforts going into the final third – showcasing his creative nature when in possession.

The aforementioned tallies would undoubtedly hand Frank the big-money talent he’s been craving since taking the reins in North London during the off-season.

The Monaco star has also completed more take-ons per 90 in Europe this season, whilst achieving more carries into the final third per 90 – reaffirming his incredible ability with the ball at his feet.

£61m in today’s market for a player of Akliouche’s quality would be an excellent deal, with the 23-year-old having bags of time to reach the next level in his development.

As for Simons, the Frenchman’s potential move could push him down the pecking order further, but it could also provide him with the

needed kick to ignite his career in North London.

Romero upgrade: Spurs "ready to make" £35m bid for "world-class" defender

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge January move for a new centre-back.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

Omarzai’s four-wicket haul went in vain for Afghanistan, who were restricted to 147 in the second T20I

Mohammad Isam03-Oct-2025

Shoriful Islam produced a miserly spell with the ball and added crucial runs with the bat as Bangladesh secured a two-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second T20I in Sharjah. The result gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Once again, Bangladesh had to recover from a collapse after a strong position in their chase, with Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, and Nurul Hasan playing key roles in the middle order. Shoriful’s all-round contribution proved decisive in a tense finish.Shoriful takes Bangladesh home with batBangladesh slipped from 102 for 4 to 129 for 8 in the space of four overs. Noor Ahmad removed Shamim for 33, before Nasum Ahmed, who looked competent with the bat until he unnecessarily slogged at Rashid Khan, fell in the 16th over. Azmatullah Omarzai removed both Mohammad Saifuddin and Rishad Hossain in the 18th over.Bangladesh needed 19 runs to win in 12 balls, with eight wickets gone, but Nurul Hasan kept them in the hunt. He started the 19th over with a six off Noor, before taking a single. At the time, it seemed like a dicey move. But with three runs coming off wides and seven off Shoriful’s bat – that included a straight boundary – it left Bangladesh with just two to win in the final over.Ibrahim Zadran scored 38 in 37 balls•ACB

Shoriful had kept the strike for the last over, and crashed Omarzai’s first ball down the ground for the winning runs. Nurul remained unbeaten 31 off 21 balls, while Shoriful smashed a decisive 11* in six deliveries.Jaker, Shamim revive BangladeshOmarzai gave Afghanistan the perfect start with the ball, removing openers Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain. Rashid took a good tumbling catch at mid-off to get Tanzid in the second over, before Omarzai trapped Parvez lbw in his next over. Saif Hassan struck a couple of sixes on either side of the wicket, but became Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s victim in the fifth over. Sediqullah Atal took a catch running back from extra cover, as Bangladesh slipped to 24 for 3.Shamim responded to the situation aggressively, hammering Rashid for a six to end the powerplay. Jaker then struck his first six in seven innings when he lofted Mohammad Nabi over long-on. It was followed by a flick over square leg off Abdollah Ahmadzai in the next over.Shamim struck his second six, a huge hit over midwicket, off Noor, as Bangladesh looked on the path to recovery. Jaker, who reached double figures after four consecutive single-figure scores, fell lbw to his opposite number Rashid for the second game in a row, as the fourth-wicket stand between him and Shamim ended on 56.Shoriful Islam gave just 13 runs in four overs•AFP/Getty Images

Rash shots upend Afghanistan’s startAfghanistan started slowly, managing only 35 runs in the powerplay, but they did not lose a wicket. Atal tried to up the ante in the eighth over, hitting Rishad for a couple of sixes. But it was followed by his wicket next ball, as the left-hander was caught at long-on for 23. That broke the opening partnership on 55, before Nasum had Zadran caught at long-on, too, for 38 off 37 balls. When newcomer Wafiullah Tarakhil fell for 1, also taken at long-on, Afghanistan’s steady start had evaporated.Shoriful leads Bangladesh’s squeezeThree of Bangladesh’s five bowlers finished with great economy rates. Shoriful conceded just 13 runs in his four overs, while Nasum and Saifuddin also kept their economy rates below 6.50 in their respective four overs. Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad were expensive, though the latter picked up two wickets.Nasum removed Darwish Rasooli after he had struck him for a six the previous ball. Rahmanullah Gurbaz struck Rishad for two sixes, but fell to Shoriful in the 17th over, having made 30. Afghanistan made just 40 runs in the last five overs, losing one wicket, and hitting just two sixes during this phase.

The Dodgers secured back-to-back World Series titles over the weekend with a thrilling Game 7 win over the Blue Jays. The 2025 Fall Classic was an awesome series and Los Angeles emerged the victor. It writes the franchise into the history books as a true modern dynasty and leaves Toronto absolutely heartbroken after coming within two outs of a championship.

It was a wild ride. But it’s over. Which means it’s time for one last celebration of the 2025 MLB season—the championship parade, slated for Monday, November 3.

As is tradition the Dodgers get to enjoy a championship parade as a reward for all their work. The entire roster, coaching staff, front office, and accompanying family members will pile onto a large group of buses and take a slow tour through downtown Los Angeles. Hundreds of thousands of Dodgers fans will attend and cheer on their favorite team after a playoff run for the ages. It will produce plenty of viral moments and lifelong memories for those involved.

Here’s how you can follow along, whether you’re watching from home or planning to trek alongside Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and the other Dodgers stars on the ground in Los Angeles.

What time is the Dodgers’ World Series parade?

The Dodgers’ World Series parade is slated to kick off at 11 a.m. PT, or 2 p.m. ET. This is about the standard start time for a championship parade and it’s slated to last about 45 minutes.

How to watch the Dodgers’ World Series parade

Those living in Los Angeles have a multitude of options to enjoy the parade on television.

On the local station front, on Fox 11 will be live at the parade throughout. Other local stations covering the parade will be NBC 4, KTLA 5, ABC 7, KCAL 9, CBS 2, Spectrum SportsNet LA and Spectrum News 1.

For those around the country who want to watch but don’t enjoy such easy access to local programming, Major League Baseball has ensured a multitude of viewing options. The parade will be streamed live on Dodgers.com, MLB.com, MLB Network, and the MLB App.

Dodgers’ parade route

Hundreds of thousands of fans will choose to celebrate in person. For many it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, even if the Dodgers have won multiple World Series titles recently. For those fans, the parade route will be a key piece of information for Monday’s showcase.

The Dodgers will begin the parade at the intersection of Temple Street and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. After two blocks west the buses will turn south onto Grand Ave, which will be the longest single stretch of the parade. The Dodgers will slowly drive down Grand Ave and wave to the adoring fans for several blocks until they reach 7th Street, at which point the buses turn west until they hit Figueroa Street. Then the Dodgers turn north; the parade will finish at the intersection of Figueroa and 5th Street.

The team will then head on into Dodger Stadium for more celebrations. Fans can purchase tickets to that separate showcase, which is slated to begin at 12:15 p.m. PT.

Enjoy the parade!

The MLB Draft lottery results are in after the drawing occurred on Tuesday.

The 18 teams that didn’t make the postseason were thrown into the lottery with the chance of earning top picks for the 2026 draft. The White Sox entered Tuesday with the best odds to land the No. 1 pick, and wound up winning the lottery. It’s the first time since 1977, and just the third in franchise history, that the White Sox have secured the top draft pick.

The team entering the lottery with the worst record was of course the Rockies, who went 43–119 this past season. However, since they selected in the top six in each of the past two years, they were not allowed to do so for a third year in a row, per MLB rules. Colorado ended up in the 10th draft spot.

Here’s the full draft order from Tuesday’s lottery.

The 2026 MLB Draft will take place in Philadelphia on July 11–12.

أعلن الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم لجماهير الكرة المصرية عن الخطوات الرسمية لشراء تذاكر مباريات منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العالم 2026، المقرر إقامتها في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك خلال الفترة من 11 يونيو إلى 19 يوليو المقبل.

وتُعد نسخة 2026 هي الأولى التي تشهد مشاركة 48 منتخبًا، مقسمة على 12 مجموعة، حيث أسفرت قرعة البطولة التي أُجريت مؤخرًا عن تواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة السابعة إلى جانب منتخبات إيران وبلجيكا ونيوزيلندا.

طالع أيضًا | بالتوقيتات.. مواعيد مباريات منتخب مصر في كأس العالم 2026 بيان الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم

أكد الاتحاد، عبر الدكتور مصطفى عزام المدير التنفيذي، أن التذاكر تُشترى حصريًا عبر بوابة التذاكر الرسمية التابعة للاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم (فيفا)، وذلك وفق الخطوات التالية:

إنشاء حساب على منصة تذاكر فيفا

يجب على كل متقدم إنشاء حساب شخصي على منصة تذاكر فيفا (FIFA TICKETING ACCOUNT) قبل تقديم الطلب، حيث لن يتم قبول أي طلب أو استلام التذاكر دون وجود حساب مفعل.

فترة التقديم

يفتح باب التقديم للحصول على التذاكر من 11 ديسمبر 2025 وحتى 13 يناير 2026، حصريًا عبر بوابة التذاكر الرسمية لفيفا.

السحب العشوائي لتخصيص التذاكر لجماهير مصر

بعد انتهاء فترة التقديم، ستجري فيفا سحبًا عشوائيًا (RANDOM SELECTION DRAW) لتوزيع التذاكر المخصصة لجماهير مصر ضمن حصة EGYPT PMA SUPPORTERS’ ALLOCATION، خلال الفترة من يناير إلى فبراير 2026.

مرحلة السداد

يبدأ سداد قيمة التذاكر مباشرة بعد إعلان نتائج السحب، خلال الفترة من يناير إلى فبراير 2026، ويعد السداد شرطًا إلزاميًا لتأكيد الحجز.

استلام التذاكر

ستُرسل جميع التذاكر المقبولة للجماهير بصورة رقمية عبر البريد الإلكتروني، مع رمز QR CODE معتمد للدخول إلى الملاعب.

إعادة بيع التذاكر

أوضح الدكتور مصطفى عزام أن الاتحاد تقدم رسميًا بطلب إلى فيفا لتفعيل خدمة إعادة بيع التذاكر (RESALE) للجماهير غير القادرة على الحضور، بحيث يمكن استعادة قيمة التذاكر عبر منصة فيفا.

الحد الأقصى للشراء

وفق لوائح فيفا، يُسمح بشراء 4 تذاكر كحد أقصى لكل مباراة، و40 تذكرة كحد أقصى للبطولة لكل أسرة.

ويهيب الاتحاد بالجماهير الالتزام بشراء التذاكر عبر القنوات الرسمية، والبدء مبكرًا في إجراءات الحصول على التأشيرة للراغبين في حضور الحدث العالمي.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians desembarcou em Belo Horizonte nesta terça-feira (9) sob protestos. Os comandados de Dorival Júnior se preparam para enfrentar o Cruzeiro, no Mineirão, pelo jogo de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

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Cerca de 40 torcedores estiveram em frente ao hotel do Corinthians e espalharam sal grosso na calçada de acesso, soltaram fogos de artifício e exibiram faixas com protesto ao elenco.

Entre as cobranças, havia faixas com mensagens como: “Não vieram passear, vieram aqui para ganhar”, “Aqui é Corinthians! Entrem por nós, lutem por nós, ganhem por nós” e “Respondem em campo (sic)”.

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Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Alvo

A Gaviões da Fiel, torcida organizada do Corinthians, desistiu de se depedir do elenco alvinegro na véspera da viagem para Belo Horizonte, onde a equipe enfrentará o Cruzeiro na quarta-feira (10), pelo jogo de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

A organizada planejava se reunir em frente ao CT Dr. Joaquim Grava nesta terça-feira (9). Entretanto, a torcida decidiu cancelar a ação em forma de protesto contra os jogadores. Segundo a Gaviões, há um incômodo com o elenco, que, na visão da torcida, “escolhe os jogos”, abandonou o Brasileirão e não demonstra o mesmo compromisso que a Fiel mantém ao apoiar o clube.

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O Corinthians não vence há quatro jogos. No último domingo (7), o clube alvinegro ficou no empate por 1 a 1 com o Juventude, na Neo Química Arena, pelo Brasileirão. O resultado deixou o Timão na 13ª colocação da competição nacional. Nas arquibancadas, a torcida protestou contra atuação e entoou “é quarta-feira”, em alusão ao jogo contra o Cruzeiro, que será às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Mineirão.

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