Tag Futebol

The Yankees have had a tumultuous start following the trade deadline where they reworked their bullpen and acquired Ryan McMahon to help address their need at third base.

On Friday, new Yankees relievers gave up nine runs in three innings which led to a devastating 13–12 loss to the Marlins on a dribbler that brought in the walk-off run. Then, on Saturday, they were shutout by the Marlins 2–0 where they saw unfortunate mistakes on the base paths.

Major League Baseball held the Speedway Classic Saturday which pitted the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves in the middle of the track at Bristol Motor Speedway. The first-ever MLB game in the state of Tennessee started in a rain delay which allowed the Fox broadcast crew plenty of time to discuss the happenings across the league as they waited out the weather. As part of the broadcast crew, Yankees legend and Hall of Famer Derek Jeter didn't hold back on the team's recent struggles.

"They make way too many mistakes. Way too many mistakes," Jeter said Saturday. "And you can't get away with making that number of mistakes against great teams, it just doesn't happen. They had a baserunning mistake today, we saw the guy get thrown out at home plate.

"You can't continue to do it. You have to clean it up. I mean, it's that simple, there's no excuses. You have to play better. If you don't play better, you're not going to go very far."

Unfortunately for the Yankees, their AL East rival Red Sox won Saturday which moved them ahead of New York in the division standings by half of a game and into the AL's top wild-card spot. With many new deadline additions, it will take some time. After winning the final three games of their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays during the week, the Yankees dropped the first two in Miami. They have a chance to avoid the sweep in a Sunday matinée at LoanDepot Park.

The England opener said that Ben Stokes had been training like a “beast” since arriving in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-20257:23

Will Joe Root finally score his first hundred in Australia?

Ben Duckett believes England will start the Ashes series without much “baggage” and said that the team’s aggressive approach to Test cricket is evolving beyond what has sometimes been perceived as reckless.Duckett is one of 11 players in England’s squad who have yet to play Test cricket in Australia while the average age is 28 compared to the home side’s 33. The players have been greeted in Perth by a series of comical headlines from the local newspaper but Duckett said they have been warmly welcomed.Related

Will this Ashes be the making of Bazball 2.0?

Stokes urges England players to go full throttle in intrasquad Ashes warm-up

Stokes signals 2027 Ashes intent with two-year England deal

England and Australia Ashes squads compared: who comes out on top?

Mark Wood puts 'boring' rehab behind him as he gears up for bowling return

“This group we’ve got, I actually saw the other day I’m the fourth oldest, which was tough to see,” Duckett told the podcast. “So we’ve got quite a fresh group coming here where there’s not a lot of baggage, which I think will help us.”Since his Test recall in 2022, Duckett is the leading run-scorer among openers. In the 2023 Ashes he made 321 runs at 35.66. “I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “You know how tough it is for touring sides coming over here. I’m not expecting or setting myself any targets. I know I’m opening the batting against probably the best bowling attack in the world in their home conditions.”For the first Test, at least, that attack will be missing Pat Cummins as he continues to recover from a lumbar stress injury. There remains hope he will be available for the second Test and went through another solid workout at the SCG on Tuesday.Ben Duckett will have a vital role to play at the top of the order•Getty Images”You want to play against the best and you don’t want to have guys like that missing out in series like this,” Duckett said. “But on the flip side, I’m an opening batter and he’s probably one of the best bowlers in the world. So yeah, quietly, I hope it’s not too bad but obviously any game where he’s not playing is an advantage for us.”Much of the pre-series narrative is around how Bazball will go in Australian conditions, but Duckett said that both individually and collectively their approach was becoming more nuanced.”I think now it’s definitely about reading moments,” he said. “[Brendon McCullum] will come up to me and say, now you’re a better player than just getting 40 off 30 and getting us off to a good start.”There’s moments as an opening batsman, for example, it could be at Perth in a few weeks where we’ve got five overs to see at the end of the day. And I did it against India last summer where actually just get through it. I don’t care how many runs you’ve got, just be there in the morning.”I think that’s where we’re trying to go as a team now, it’s not just being this entertaining, reckless at times, side. And it’s something that I’ve got frustrated with myself in the past, where I might have got 80 off 60 and it looks great and stuff, but they’re going to put my side in a good position. So it’s realising moments and doing that and then kicking on and getting a big score. And I think that’s where we’re really wanting to go as a side now.”Duckett termed captain Ben Stokes “probably the most important man” in the team and had been taken aback by the intensity of his training. “I can only say we’ve been out here for a few days and he’s been in beast mode,” he said. “He has been running, bowling two spells, batting for two hours. The way he trains and stuff these days is something that I’ve never seen before.”He’s obviously probably the most important man in this side when he’s bowling. So hopefully he stays fit for all five tests and he’s bowling in all of them because he’s crucial for us.”

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has revealed he once broke the club's “body fat record”, admitting he has always loved food and struggled to stay within strict limits at the elite level. The veteran says Robert Lewandowski jokingly mocked him over his physique, adding to a brutally honest reflection on his fitness, longevity and the pain he's endured throughout his career.

• Szczesny reveals he broke Barca's 'body fat record'

  Szczesny opened up about his physical condition during a wide-ranging interview, where he admitted he once registered Barcelona’s highest-ever body fat percentage. The goalkeeper explained that footballers face strict weight clauses and financial penalties, and despite staying inside the weight limit, his body fat result “broke the record.” He also revealed that Lewandowski once mocked him during a Poland camp, highlighting how teammates used humour to react to his surprising numbers.

  Szczesny further discussed how he has never been the hardest trainer, but has maintained a consistently high level across an 18-year career. His comments come after an extraordinary period that saw him retire at Juventus, then return months later to join Barcelona as an emergency signing during their goalkeeper crisis. Despite this unusual comeback, the 35-year-old remains a key figure for the Spanish champions, continuing to compete at the highest level.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Polish goalkeeper admits Lewandowski once mocked him

  Speaking to GQ Poland, Szczesny revealed: “Footballers aren't allowed to gain weight. Their contracts include severe financial penalties. I like to eat, and although I manage to stay within the weight limit, I broke Barcelona's body fat record. Once, ‘Robert Lewandowski,’ mocking me in the Polish national team's dressing room, said: ‘How could Szczesny have had such a career with that body?’”

  “I've never been a player who trained harder than others, but I've managed to maintain the same high level throughout my 18-year career. I may never have been in the top ten, but I've never dropped below eighth either. If I had played at my absolute best, I would have alternated between tens and sixes, but I maintained eights the whole time.”

• Unbearable pain caused his earlier retirement from football

  Szczesny also revealed how his career-long arm injury continues to cause him severe pain, even after multiple surgeries and the insertion of metal plates that were never removed. He explained that the issue sometimes becomes so intense during training that he loses feeling in his hands and cannot even hold a water bottle. The goalkeeper admitted this was one of the reasons why he originally retired, saying he had “had enough of this suffering” before being persuaded back into football by Barcelona’s crisis.

  He described the pain as unpredictable and particularly bad during demanding pre-season workloads, where the discomfort traveled from his wrist to his elbow “as if everything inside my arm is trying to get out.” Despite that, Szczesny still returned to action and played an entire season “for free”, explaining that his Barcelona salary simply covered the fee he owed Juventus for ending his contract early. The veteran ultimately helped the Catalan giants win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, cementing his extraordinary yet unexpected comeback.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Szczesny no longer No. 1 but future remains open

  Szczesny remains under contract with Barcelona until 2026; however, this season, he has lost his starting spot to new signing Joan Garcia, somebody he has claimed boasts an enormous talent. The Catalan goalkeeper is currently No. 1 at Barcelona with Szczesny as his backup until Marc-Andre Ter Stegen returns from his injury.

  While it is expected that this could be Szczesny's final season as a professional, the question marks surrounding Ter Stegen's future following his summer fallout with the hierarchy could open the door for the Poland legend to continue on for yet another season.

There has now been a major injury update on West Ham United star Crysencio Summerville ahead of the Premier League fixture against Liverpool this Sunday.

West Ham had to make do without the winger for the trip to AFC Bournemouth at the weekend, with Nuno’s side taking a point at the Vitality Stadium, although they will be frustrated they were unable to take more from the game.

The Hammers raced into a 2-0 lead against the Cherries, courtesy of a Callum Wilson brace before half-time, but Bournemouth fought back to earn a point, with Marcus Tavernier and Enes Unal getting on the scoresheet.

With Leeds United falling to a 2-1 defeat at home against Aston Villa, the Irons remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference, but they will need all the help they can get in the coming weeks, as there are some tricky fixtures on the horizon.

West Ham United’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Liverpool (h)

November 30th

Manchester United (a)

December 4th

Brighton & Hove Albion (a)

December 7th

Aston Villa (h)

December 14th

Manchester City (a)

December 20th

Injury update on West Ham's Crysencio Summerville ahead of Liverpool

As reported by The Standard, Nuno has now been handed a boost heading into this weekend’s fixture against Liverpool, with Summerville expected to return to training this week, having seemingly made strides towards recovering from a calf strain.

The 24-year-old is set to be in contention for the game against Arne Slot’s side, which will be welcome news for West Ham, given that Niclas Fullkrug is out due to a thigh issue, and they are keen not to overuse Wilson, despite the striker bagging a brace last time out.

Former Leeds United U23 manager Andrew Taylor has waxed lyrical about the Dutchman in the past, saying: “Everything going forward he’s fantastic at, but he doesn’t just stop there, he does the defensive work as well, he works really hard.”

Since moving to the London Stadium, however, the Rotterdam-born winger’s progress has been hampered by a number of injuries, having spent large parts of the 2024-25 campaign on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue.

That said, the former Leeds man has exhibited some promising signs this season, having already registered two assists in the Premier League, albeit both came in the 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest at the end of August.

Summerville still retains the backing of Nuno, however, who said last month: “I think he can be really important. Against Brentford, he started really well and, in terms of distance, in terms of work rate, it was a good 90 minutes for him.

“So we expect, as time goes by, to elevate his fitness, because to produce all of the actions he has to be on his top level.

The West Ham boss will be hoping for a similar performance this weekend, with his side taking on Liverpool at a good time, given that they have lost six of their last seven Premier League games.

West Ham could bring in academy star if Crysencio Summerville isn't fit in time for Liverpool Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

The new RCB captain’s coaches and team-mates are confident in his ability to be an effective leader in the IPL

Shashank Kishore21-Mar-20251:12

What makes Patidar a menace for spinners?

Chandrakant Pandit, currently coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders, regards working with Rajat Patidar as one of the highlights of his coaching career. The duo has played a key role in Madhya Pradesh’s rise as a dominant force in Indian domestic cricket since 2021. Their bond strengthened in late 2024, when Pandit, MP’s director of cricket, appointed Patidar as T20 captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Patidar repaid the trust by leading MP to the final.Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s head coach Andy Flower and director Mo Bobat closely observed Patidar during that campaign, assessing his decision-making and leadership. Impressed, they flew to Ahmedabad in January to discuss their observations with Virat Kohli, who, while preparing for the third India-England ODI ahead of the Champions Trophy, gave his full backing to Patidar.Last month, RCB officially named him captain for the 2025 IPL.Related

Andy Flower 'comfortable' with RCB's spin attack for IPL 2025

RCB hope 18 is the charm as hunt for IPL glory continues

Clear-minded Patidar leads MP to SMAT final with his sixes

Kohli on Patidar as RCB captain: 'He will do a great job for this amazing franchise'

Rajat Patidar appointed new RCB captain for IPL 2025

Patidar’s childhood coach, former India batter Amay Khurasiya, was thrilled at the development. Coaching Kerala ahead of a crucial Ranji Trophy semi-final against Gujarat, Khurasiya took time off to call Patidar, who he’d seen evolve from an aspiring fast bowler who tore his ACL as a 20-year-old to one of the state’s batting stalwarts.”He has never been enamoured by positions or power,” Khurasiya tells ESPNcricinfo. “He was obviously happy, but it didn’t seem like he was overwhelmed by euphoria. He had the same poise about him that I saw all those years ago. Even as a youngster, he’d always speak of wanting to help someone less privileged than him, even though his own journey had been rocky.”When Patidar was a struggling cricketer in MP – he had a difficult time breaking into any of the age-group teams – it was Khurasiya who took him under his wings to work on his batting technique.”Not once have I heard him complain about luck or fate – no ‘kismat kharaab hai [I have no luck]’ or any of that negativity,” Khurasiya says. “He was always clear: he’ll do what it takes. If the result goes his way, he’ll accept it. If it doesn’t, he’ll find something else to be good at. That mindset from very early on made him compartmentalise cricket and life. He’ll be an empathetic leader. Not a boss. And it stems from having seen failure and rejection in his early days.”Patidar has been among the top three run-scorers for RCB in 2022 and 2024; he sat out the 2023 season injured•BCCIAnand Rajan, former MP seamer and domestic coach, has witnessed Patidar’s growth first-hand. They worked together as captain and coach at Malwa Panthers in the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) last year. Rajan, with coaching stints at MP, Uttarakhand, and Puducherry, has also seen MP’s rise from a middling side to a domestic powerhouse, which mirrors Patidar’s journey from the periphery of the state setup to a senior player.”He doesn’t speak a lot, but his reading of the game is top notch,” Rajan says. “[He only ] gives his inputs if needed; he won’t speak just to be seen contributing to a team meeting. When he says something, people strain to hear him because he’s that soft-spoken – but the impact his words have on a group is immense.”The duration of the MPL was very short (each team played just four league games) to build long-lasting relationships. But you could see Rajat’s qualities even there. He could have gotten out in the most wretched manner possible, but if a younger player came up to him, he’d be the first to sit with him and chat, give him time and make him feel better. No one felt awkward going up to Rajat to talk.”Jalaj Saxena, a domestic stalwart, remembers Patidar’s clarity as a youngster vividly, even though it’s been eight years since they played together.In 2024, Patidar led Madhya Pradesh to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final since the 2010-11 season•PTI “It was his Ranji Trophy debut, against Baroda [in 2015-16] and we [MP] had conceded a lead. But Rajat was clear he would look to dominate spin from the get-go, because he felt that was the only way to put the pressure back. He scored an outstanding century, and we set them a target we easily defended. That innings earned the respect of the entire team.”Patidar’s career soared after joining RCB in 2021. He became a household name in 2022 after smashing a century against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator – the first by an Indian uncapped player in the playoffs – despite entering the season as an injury replacement. Mike Hesson, RCB’s director of cricket, knew then that the franchise had a player for the long haul.”He was always confident in his own skills without having to tell anyone about it,” Hesson says. “You could tell by the way he moved around the group. He would stand behind the nets watching others bat. Just watching, learning and listening and occasionally asking questions, but generally he was trying to align how his game might fit with theirs or picking up parts of everybody’s game. He was inquisitive.”Patidar’s introverted nature, Hesson says, wasn’t a deterrent.”When he spoke, he was always very clear. He’d have actually thought about what he was going to say before he said it. You could tell he processed it. It wasn’t like he would just speak, and the conversation would evolve. He would actually have something insightful to say or a question that you knew that he’d thought about before he asked it.Former captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind Patidar, and sees him leading RCB for the long term•BCCI”He also has a very good sense of humour. That is a nice trait to have in an environment that’s pretty high pressure. And it’s quite subtle. It’s not the in-your-face type of humour; he’s a clever guy who thinks about what he says. I’m sure he will continue that with his leadership style.”Rajat always had a really nice balance between, ‘Hey, I’ll do my work’ and ‘Now I can offer my inputs in my own way to others.’ When he’d stand behind the nets and watch, people batting wouldn’t hesitate to turn back and ask him, and Rajat always had answers, not just to help players but for his own game as well. He was always there and willing. And I think that’s the trait you always like.”Patidar’s ability to offer solutions, stay composed, and build trust makes him a leader who leads with empathy and clarity. If he can handle the pressure of RCB’s passionate fan base and their elusive IPL title, he’ll move closer to fulfilling Kohli’s recent prediction that “he’ll lead for many years to come”.

Manchester United made it three wins out of three in the Premier League on Saturday when they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo, who joined from Brentford in the summer, scored twice, whilst Casemiro and Matheus Cunha also got on the scoresheet in front of the home fans.

Bruno Fernandes, as shown in the clip above, played a crucial role in the fourth goal with his brilliant dummy, but his influence in the final third is beginning to wane.

Why Bruno Fernandes's influence is waning

The Portugal international has hit double figures for both goals and assists in all five of his full seasons at Old Trafford to date, per Sofascore, which speaks to the consistent impact that he has had at the top end of the pitch.

However, Bruno only has two goals and one assist in ten appearances in all competitions so far this term, scoring two goals from 4.29 xG in the Premier League, per Sofascore, which shows that his influence is waning.

Do not get it twisted, the 31-year-old star is still an influential player who can produce moments of magic for United, but the arrivals of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko mean that he does not need to carry the team on his back anymore.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

He still has two years left on his contract and only turned 31 last month, which means that he does still have plenty of gas left in the tank, but there is another player at United who may have Bruno’s captaincy in his sights, Matthijs de Ligt.

Why Matthijs de Ligt is a future Man Utd captain

The Netherlands international is five years younger than Bruno and may have more of a long-term future at Old Trafford, which could see him eventually snatch the captaincy if he continues to shine at the back.

After the 4-2 win over Brighton, content creator Liam Canning described his performance as “monstrous”, stating that he has “been United’s best player this season” and that the defender is “a future captain in the making” for the Red Devils.

It is hard to argue with that assessment from Canning after watching the former Bayern Munich and Juventus centre-back strut his stuff against Brighton on Saturday.

Vs Brighton

Matthijs de Ligt

Minutes

90

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Blocks

1

Ball recoveries

5

Aerial duel success rate

100% (2/2)

Pass accuracy

91%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, De Ligt was ‘monstrous’ at the back for Ruben Amorim by winning 100% of his aerial duels and making several important defensive interventions.

This season, per Sofascore, the United defender has won 61% of his duels across nine starts in the Premier League. This shows that he has provided a dominant defensive force at the heart of Amorim’s back three.

Rio Ferdinand recently claimed that the Dutchman should be “the first name on the teamsheet”, which is usually reserved for the captain and main star of the team, and that is high praise coming from a player who won Premier League titles whilst playing in the same position.

De Ligt, of course, has also shown that he is a leader. He was the youngest captain in the knockout stage of the Champions League when he played for Ajax in the quarter-finals at the age of 19, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he can be a leader and a captain.

Therefore, Bruno may need to watch out as his powers seem to be waning whilst De Ligt’s stock is rising and he potentially has more years left ahead of him than the Portugal international to lead the club forward as captain, should Amorim decide that he is suitable for that role.

Related Forget Sesko: Man Utd have Van Persie 2.0 who's 'one of the best in the PL'

Manchester United have found their next Robin van Persie in this star, and it is not Benjamin Sesko.

Posts ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025

Australia’s stand-in captain said that a pink-ball Test is ‘just a completely different game’

Matt Roller30-Nov-2025

Steven Smith looks set to emulate former West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul by wearing ‘eye blacks’ on his cheeks during the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. He trialled the anti-glare strips while batting in the nets during Australia’s floodlit training session on Sunday evening ahead of Thursday’s day-night, pink-ball fixture in Brisbane.Smith has played 13 of Australia’s 14 previous pink-ball Tests but has not taken to the format in the same way as red-ball cricket: he has only scored one hundred in 24 innings in day-night Tests, averaging 37.04. His record in daytime Tests is far superior, with 35 centuries in 190 innings and an average of 58.31.”The pink ball in general is just a completely different game,” Smith had said during Australia’s most recent day-night Test match, a 176-run win over West Indies in Jamaica in July. “Personally, I find it quite tricky just picking the ball up at certain times of the day and things like that, and the way it behaves is completely different to a red one.”I think people like the spectacle. But as a player, particularly as a batter, it’s very challenging. The game can so quickly, and things change really quickly, which you probably don’t get so much with a red ball. But yeah, people like watching it, I suppose, so I guess it’s here to stay.”Related

'I'll be wearing them' – Smith commits to anti-glare tape in day-night Test

Ten years since Adelaide, pink-ball Tests remain an Australian speciality

Bashir, Jacks in frame as England mull taking the pink for a spin

Root questions need for pink-ball Ashes Test

Head 'happy' to keep opening amid Khawaja debate

The ‘eye blacks’ – small, black, adhesive strips worn on the cheekbone – that Smith wore in training are commonplace in several American sports, and are designed to reduce the glare from floodlights by absorbing the light that would otherwise reflect off the skin.Chanderpaul is the most prominent cricketer to have used them previously. “I always used it whenever it was very glary,” he told in a 2018 interview. “I stick them on and it does help take 60-70 percent of the glare off my eyes, and that was good for me.”Alastair Cook, who played three day-night Tests for England, has identified focusing on the pink ball’s black seam as the biggest challenge for batters due to glare. “When the floodlights shine off the pink leather, it distracts from focusing on the black seam – and if you can’t see the seam as a batsman, you’re in big trouble,” Cook wrote in his column.”Whatever type of cricket you are playing, the seam is your clue as to how the ball will behave… At least you have a chance with a red ball. If it’s a pink one under lights, it’s nigh-on impossible to pick up the seam and, therefore, decide with confidence which way the ball might move.”Smith’s innovation came on the same day that Joe Root questioned whether the Ashes should feature a pink-ball Test, comments which Travis Head dismissed.Australia lead the five-Test series 1-0 after beating England inside two days in Perth.

Afghanistan recorded their 17th win in 19 T20Is against Zimbabwe

Sreshth Shah29-Oct-2025

Afghanistan’s approach with bat and ball bore the same hallmark – a start so strong that Zimbabwe were put on the back-foot immediately. Their top order batted with purpose, their bowlers produced a five-wicket powerplay, and the result was a comprehensive win in the first T20I in Harare.Ibrahim Zadran’s measured fifty set up a strong total of 180 and allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai had a hand in both halves of the match – first providing late runs with the bat, then striking in the powerplay. Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s guile completed the job as Zimbabwe tapped out long before a chase could take shape. Afghanistan, with their 1-0 lead, have now completed their 17th win in 19 T20Is against Zimbabwe.For the hosts, the five wickets they lost inside six overs was the most they have lost in the powerplay. Sikandar Raza’s 3 for 20 and Tinotenda Maposa’s 15-ball 32 from No. 9 were their only positives. The two teams meet again on October 31 for the second game of the three-match series.A blazing start, a brief stutterAfghanistan scored only six runs from the first eleven balls, but not for lack of intent. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim kept advancing down the pitch, determined to play off the front foot even as Zimbabwe’s seamers banged it in short.The boundaries eventually flowed – four in five balls, in fact – across the second and third overs to change the momentum. Ibrahim drilled Blessing Muzarabani through midwicket, while Gurbaz cut Richard Ngarava twice over backward point and then drove him through cover. From there, charging the seamers became routine and the pair raced away to 63 without loss by the end of the powerplay. The fifth over from Brad Evans went for 16, with Gurbaz hitting him for six straight down and twice cutting over the infield.Gurbaz eventually fell in the eighth over when he sliced Sikandar Raza to cover for 39 off 25. Ibrahim carried on briskly, and two fours off Ryan Burl in the 11th over brought up Afghanistan’s hundred and his 31-ball half-century. But Raza removed Ibrahim and Darwish Rasooli off successive balls at the start of the 12th over, leaving them 101 for 3 and at risk of losing steam.Afghanistan wrest back momentumA single-run, double-wicket over from Raza had pegged Afghanistan back. For the next 20 deliveries, they went without a boundary. Sediqullah Atal finally broke the drought by pulling Maposa’s short ball for six in the 15th over, but his innings ended soon after while attempting another shot across the line. Cramped by Muzarabani, he picked out deep backward square for 25. Muzarabani struck again off the next ball, jagging one back to trap Mohammad Nabi for a duck, and suddenly Afghanistan were 130 for 5 with only four overs left.Omarzai and Shahidullah though – the latter playing his first white-ball international since 2023 – arrested the collapse. Shahidullah made 22 not out off 13 balls, collecting four boundaries by using the pace on offer smartly, while Omarzai’s 27 off 21 ensured the tail wasn’t exposed. Their 32-run partnership came in just 18 balls, and Rashid Khan lifted the final ball of the innings over long-on for six to take Afghanistan to a score of 180 that looked commanding again. The last four overs went for 50.Mujeeb’s magic, Zimbabwe’s descentThere was a possibility of an exciting chase when Brian Bennett opened with three fours in the first over off Omarzai. But that brief flourish was all Zimbabwe had to show for their powerplay. They unravelled after that.Mujeeb, a regular bowler with the new ball, struck off his second delivery in the second over. Tadiwanashe Marumani was lbw for a two-ball duck, and the next ball – a disguised carrom ball – dismissed Brendan Taylor for a golden duck as he sliced high towards the wicketkeeper.Omarzai, who had gone for 15 in his opening over, hit back in his second by removing Raza and Ryan Burl, who was Zimbabwe’s third duck in the top five. Bennett, the lone bright spot with 24 off 13, fell in the fifth over when Omarzai dug one in short and forced a mis-hit to mid-on.The game had only one result possible from there on. Abdollah Ahmadzai rattled Tony Munyonga’s stumps with a seam-up delivery and later scored a direct-hit to remove Tashinga Musekiwa. Maposa and Evans showed some resistance with a half-century stand. Maposa was the aggressor, hammering 32 off his first 14 balls, as they handled Rashid smartly and capitalised on Shahidullah’s pace-on offerings.The finish, fittingly, came from Mujeeb. Evans chipped a return catch back to him, and Maposa top-edged another carrom ball for a simple take. Those were Mujeeb’s third and fourth wickets and Ahmadzai picked up his second wicket by shattering No. 11 Muzarabani’s stumps.

Matt Renshaw put his name back in the Ashes discussion with an unbeaten century, Marnus Labuschagne pushed his case for a Test return with an unbeaten half-century, and Usman Khawaja tuned up with a half-century of his own as Queensland’s top three dominated Tasmania at Allan Border Field.After another Ashes hopeful Michael Neser took four wickets for Queensland to bowl Tasmania out for 379 before lunch on day two, Queensland’s top three made a case to be Australia’s top three for Perth piling up 248 for 1 to leave the home side just 131 runs behind Tasmania with nine wickets in hand.Renshaw, who has averaged 34 and 29 respectively in each of the last two Sheffield Shield seasons, cruised to his 24th first-class century to remind the selectors of his quality having tried to ignore the noise surrounding Australia’s openers in the Ashes.”It’s hard – you have to get rid of a lot of things, external noise, off your phone and stuff but I just want to try and go out there [and play],” Renshaw said post-play. “I know that when I’m doing my job for Queensland, opening the batting well, we’re generally winning games.”I had a good opportunity to get in this afternoon. It felt like it was going to be a good batting wicket for us. There were some tough periods, but a really good position for the team now.”There’s a lot of noise that people can and can’t deliver, but I just want to go out there and have fun and play like it. If you told 12-year-old Matt that he was going to score a Sheffield Shield hundred, he’d be pretty pumped.”He shared a 137-run stand with Khawaja, who made a fluent 69 in his first innings since the third Test against the West Indies back in July.After Khawaja fell, gloving an attempted pull shot through to keeper Jake Doran off Kieran Elliott from around the wicket, Labuschagne walked in and picked up where Khawaja had left out. He took a while to get off the mark before striking six boundaries and a six in his 80-ball unbeaten 54.Renshaw and Labuschagne added 111 late in the day and neither looked under any pressure. Earlier, Renshaw and Khawaja had to fight through a challenging new-ball spell from Jackson Bird but thereafter they looked untroubled as the sideways movement disappeared on the true batting surface under the Brisbane sun.Renshaw struck 14 fours and a six while Khawaja found the boundary 10 times. Khawaja would be disappointed to fall in the manner that he did with a big score on offer. Labuschagne showcased some of the technical improvements he had made over the winter but Tasmania’s tired attack that does not feature any real pace was in no position to test him.In the morning, Neser had picked up two of the last four wickets to help bowl Tasmania out having added only 80 to their overnight total. He had Nikhil Chaudhary caught behind for 14 and then produced another outstanding caught and bowled to dismiss Elliott. An offcutter caught the inside edge onto pad and it ballooned into the on side, Neser changed direction in his follow through and dived full stretch to take the catch having already plucked a stunning one-handed return to dismiss Jake Weatherald on day one.Doran made a valuable 66 before he was bowled by Mitchell Swepson and Bird contributed 25, 20 of which came in boundaries.

And so Tottenham Hotspur put the brakes on their campaign for the third time this season, having played out a frenzied draw with Manchester United in the Premier League.

And so Tottenham sit fifth in the standings, 18 points from 11 matches and eight points behind table-topping rivals Arsenal. Thomas Frank will be frustrated with the manner of this side’s dropped points last weekend, Matthijs de Ligt nodding home right before the final whistle after Richarlison had struck moments before and wheeled away in topless celebration.

How to dissect the details of Spurs’ season? Improvements have been made since Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou after that Europa League triumph last season, a strange repulsion between the continental elation and the sour taste of a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

But Tottenham lack confidence and coherence and quality in the final third. To dare is to do. Are Tottenham doing enough? That is one of the biggest contentions of the campaign so far, and Frank simply has to find a formula to his side’s offensive struggles as the season heads into the wintry midpoint.

How Frank can fix Spurs' attacking problems

Tottenham have found a way to secure a greater number of points under Frank than they typically managed under his predecessor. However, more goals and created chances are needed if the Londoners are to hit the heights anticipated.

But this is a long-term project, and overnight success was never going to be on the cards. What Frank can do, though, is consider ditching Richarlison, even though the Brazilian scored with a deft header against United at the weekend.

We would be remiss not to acknowledge the cameo of Mathys Tel at the weekend, too. The young striker spun and scored after replacing Xavi Simons off the bench. It started the comeback that ultimately didn’t cement itself, but demonstrated the potential of a versatile forward whose talents could yet be fashioned into something special and suitable for life at the peak of the Premier League.

Dominic Solanke continues to languish in the infirmary, a frustration that has undoubtedly had an adverse effect on Frank’s start at the helm. Had the former Bournemouth striker been fit and in the form of his previous chapter across these past few months, Tottenham would have had a focal outlet from which to channel creativity.

It’s been an issue for the strikers, though, and there’s one man in particular whose campaign has been sent into a spin, even though some have acknowledged he has a bit of Jermaine Defoe about him.

Spurs' "Defoe-esque" star is becoming a big problem

Defoe was a proper Premier League striker. Something of a journeyman, he was always prolific and scored 143 goals across 363 matches in a Lilywhite shirt.

Tottenham

363

143 (31)

West Ham

104

40 (4)

Sunderland

100

37 (3)

Rangers

74

32 (10)

Bournemouth

64

23 (2)

Portsmouth

36

18 (5)

Toronto

21

12 (3)

Quick feet, attacking smarts and a natural-born instinct in front of goal made him a force to be reckoned with.

And now, some feel Spurs have found a similar profile in Randal Kolo Muani. Indeed, presenter Ben Bowman hailed Kolo Muani for his “Defoe-esque” attacking play after the weekend match.

In August, Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but he has struggled for fitness across his opening months in England, left waiting until midway through October for his Premier League debut, and has yet to score or assist in four matches since.

Disaster has struck once again, with the 26-year-old having fractured his jaw during the draw against the Red Devils. Now he is set to see a specialist to ascertain the severity of the setback.

Given the nature of Spurs’ attacking problems, with the injuries, yet again, piling up, it’s fair to say that Kolo Muani is presenting quite the conundrum to Frank’s desk, with this being a “strong, fast and powerful” centre-forward, as said by one analyst, endowed with all he needs to succeed in the Premier League, yet one whose time in England may be short-lived and unsuccessful on the grass.

His time in the French capital was somewhat turbulent, having failed to nail down his presence after transferring from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 for a whopping £76m fee. However, a short loan spell with Juventus last season led to ten goals and three assists from only 22 appearances.

Linking this back to the aforementioned Tel, Kolo Muani’s second injury of his Spurs stint could provide the Frenchman with the chance to nail down a regular starting berth.

Couple that with Solanke’s much-anticipated return and the wonders that could work on creating a more solid and dynamic attacking spread, Kolo Muani may be a striker on borrowed time as he struggles to acclimatise before the end of the season, when he will surely close the door on his loan stay down N17 without a sharp upswing in fortunes that look unlikely to materialise at this stage.

Tottenham have some issues, to be sure, but they have also shown themselves to have what it takes to make incremental improvements this season and beyond.

With Kolo Muani now sidelined once again, however, Frank’s scope at number nine has been narrowed. How big a blow will this prove to be? Whatever the verdict, the Les Bleus star is becoming a problem for the London-based outfit.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed in the PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Thomas Frank can unleash Wilson Odobert by ruthlessly dropping this Spurs flop.

2 ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025