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He confirmed he will continue to play domestic and franchise cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2025Pakistan batter Asif Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket. Asif, 33, played 21 ODIs and 58 T20Is, mainly as a finisher in the middle order.An aggressive batter, his most renowned knock is likely the seven-ball 25 he scored in a tense win over Afghanistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup.”Wearing the Pakistan jersey has been the greatest honour of my life and serving my country on the cricket field has been my proudest chapter,” he said in a social media post.Asif confirmed that he will continue to play domestic cricket and in franchise leagues around the world.Asif made his T20I debut against West Indies in April 2018 after helping Islamabad United win the PSL that year, hitting three successive sixes at a cruicial point in the chase in the final. Two months later, an ODI debut followed.In his heyday, though, Asif was viewed as something of a revolutionary for Pakistan cricket. At a time when they were short of genuine power hitters, Asif was fast-tracked into both white-ball sides. However, his own game was at times misunderstood by Pakistan’s selection and management team. Primarily a finisher, he often came in at number six in ODI cricket, much earlier than was conducive to his talents. In T20Is, he batted an average of just over seven balls an innings across his 58-match career, and finished over a quarter of his innings unbeaten: an indication he had come in too late and generally been underused.However, it is those brief cameos that provided produced the most enthralling moments Asif delivered. Against Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup in 2021, with Pakistan needing 24 off the final two overs, he smashed four sixes off Karim Janat’s 19th over to secure Pakistan’s progression to the semifinals. The following year at the Asia Cup, his 8-ball 16 spree secured Pakistan a win over India that took them through to the tournament’s final.But that was something of a last hurrah. A poor T20 World Cup followed, with Asif a peripheral figure even as Pakistan made their way to the final. Consistency was never a strength, but as his form deserted him, Pakistan began to produce a younger group of big hitters. His last appearance proper for the Pakistan side took place against India at the MCG that year, before making a smattering of appearances for a second-string Pakistan side in the 2023 Asian Games.”I retire with immense gratitude, and will continue to share my passion for the game by playing domestic and league cricket worldwide,” Asif said.

Northamptonshire have re-signed Indian legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Australian seamer Harry Conway as overseas players for next season.Conway, who took 20 wickets in four Championship appearances earlier this year, will return for the start of the 2026 campaign. The 33-year-old is expected to be available for the first block of seven games in April and May.Chahal, meanwhile, has agreed to return for a third consecutive summer at Northants, joining for the second half of the season to play in the County Championship and Metro Bank One-Day Cup. Overall, he has taken 44 first-class wickets and seven in List A for the club.”Yuzi is a magnificent asset to this squad,” Northamptonshire’s head coach, Darren Lehmann, said. “His record across his career speaks for itself and he brings so much class and experience to the group. I loved working with him this year and am excited to go again in 2026.””For young spinners in the group like Nirvan Ramesh and Stuart van der Merwe, having Yuzi around to guide them will be a huge plus for their game.”On Conway, Lehmann added: “Harry is an excellent addition for 2026. His form last year was fantastic, and I am excited to work with him for a longer period. His ability to take wickets on all surfaces and presence around the team makes him an invaluable player.”Northants have also signed batter Louis Kimber on a two-year deal from Leicestershire. Largely known as a white-ball hitter and occasional offspinner, Kimber made headlines in 2023 after scoring 243 off 127 balls in the County Championship at Hove.”Louis brings with him a huge amount of knowledge and experience around county cricket as well as boosting our batting firepower,” Lehmann said. “He will no doubt attract people to Wantage Road with his explosive batting and I can’t wait to start working with him.”

Josh Shaw joins Somerset

Josh Shaw spent six years at Gloucestershire•Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Gloucestershire have seen another member of their seam-bowling group depart, after Josh Shaw signed for Somerset earlier this week.Shaw, 29, had been under contract at Bristol since 2019, having previously played on loan from Yorkshire. He follows Ajeet Singh Dale (Lancashire), Zaman Akhter (Essex), Archie Bailey (Durham), Tom Price and Dom Goodman (both Sussex) in leaving over the close season.”We have seen first-hand how impactful Josh can be,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said. “He has the ability to swing and seam the ball, and he is an excellent addition to our bowling unit.”We are fully aware of Josh’s strong character traits and his willingness to be the best version of himself, which will add real value to the dressing room as well as on the pitch. These attributes will be vital for us as we continue to compete across all competitions.”

After leaking ten runs off the first two balls of the 20th over, Fareed roared back to close out the game successfully

Alagappan Muthu05-Sep-202515:43

Can Afghanistan make the final of the Asia Cup?

Afghanistan had the game sewn up. They were playing a second-string side with even their captain Rashid Khan among six players sitting out. But Asif Khan threatened to rip it wide open. A dead rubber had burst to life. Fareed Ahmad started the final over with 16 to defend and was bashed for 4 and 6 off the first two deliveries. An upset was looming and the left-arm quick felt it. Asif felt it, batting on 40 off 25. It never came to be.Fareed had three chances to influence the outcome and he came up with the perfect option each time to close out the match: 4, 6, 2, dot, dot, wicket. And so, UAE ended the tri-series winless but they came so very close. The emotions at the end were excruciating, particularly for Asif and the captain Muhammad Waseem. They’re going to make the Asia Cup very interesting.Eye-catching IbrahimIbrahim Zadran was captaining Afghanistan for the 10th time in his career. Four of those games were against UAE. It is easy to see why he was the stand-in. He was cool when the runs didn’t come – 5 off 9 – and resplendent when they did. He looks so technically correct that even the shots in anger carried a stamp of class.There was one moment when he looked totally out of place though. He was utterly deceived by left-arm spinner Haider Ali’s change of pace and trajectory – the flatter ball making the batter think he should play back when the length was fairly full. Ibrahim lost his stumps for 48 off 34. He might feel a lot better about his contributions in the pointy end of the chase, where soon after he went up to have an arm around Fareed, the bowler switched from bowling over the wicket to round the wicket and gave away no more runs.Sharafuddin Ashraf conceded 20 runs in four overs and took a wicket•Emirates Cricket Board

Afghanistan slow down, Janat ramps upIt was a slow pitch and it showed when Afghanistan lost three wickets in 3.1 overs after a 98-run opening partnership. Karim Janat was 10 off seven balls at the time. He hit the only boundary during this spell too – a six, which are sometimes easier to pull off in these conditions especially against a bowling attack that didn’t camp in the good length spot for long enough. Often, they were too full or too short and that allowed Janat and the rest of his team-mates down the order to get underneath the ball.So it didn’t matter that overs 13, 14 and 15 went for only 16 runs. The next three yielded 36. Afghanistan finished on a healthy 170 for 4. Haider (2 for 23) and Simranjeet Singh (1 for 24) were the pick of the bowlers. Left-arm quick Muhammad Rohid was desperately unlucky with both of UAE’s dropped catches coming off his bowling. Rahmanullah Gurbaz enjoyed his second life going from 14 off 16 to 40 off 38.UAE almost, but not quiteUAE took to the chase with gusto, scoring almost twice as many boundaries as Afghanistan did in the powerplay (7 vs 4). Waseem was enchanting, depositing Mujeeb Ur Rahman inside out over cover for six. He produced another lovely piece of innovation, upper-cutting the debutant Abdollah Ahmadzai over deep third as he stalks Rohit Sharma on top of the six-hitters’ table in T20Is and it was looking like UAE had the firepower to earn the consolation win that they desperately wanted.However, in trying the same shot, Waseem feathered an edge behind and the greenest member of a side that was saving most of its firepower for the final had punched through an opening. Afghanistan rallied to turn an equation that read 67 off 48 balls into a rather more troubling 43 off 18. Mujeeb and Noor Ahmad, bowling in tandem from the 14th to the 17th overs, were virtually unhittable. Then it was the debutant’s turn but Abdollah leaked 16 runs all to Asif and the UAE bench started to stir.Four more boundaries – one of them a dropped catch – across the last two overs kept the contest alive and created tension among the Afghanistan coaching staff but in the end, they just about squeezed through.

With six days before the MLB trade deadline, the New York Mets have landed on the board by trading for relief pitcher Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, SNY's Andy Martinio reported. ESPN's Jeff Passan confirmed the news.

Acquiring a relief pitcher was high on the list for the Mets' needs ahead of the deadline. Since the All-Star break, three of New York's relief pitchers—Max Kranick, Dedniel Nunez and Brandon Waddell—all landed on the injured list. Kranick and Waddell are on the 15-day IL, while Nunez is on the 60-day IL.

In order to hold on to their close NL East lead in the second half of the season, the Mets needed strong relief pitching. The Mets' 59–44 record puts them 0.5 games ahead of the Phillies as of Friday.

Soto has appeared in 45 games so far this season for the Orioles, posting a 3.96 ERA in that span. He's pitched 36.1 innings and struck out 44 batters. He's had 29 hits, 16 earned runs and two home runs hit on him.

The three teams contest a tri-series in Sharjah starting on Friday, in preparation for the grander Asia Cup next month

Danyal Rasool28-Aug-2025Pakistan and Afghanistan had initially planned a three-game T20I series to get some practice in ahead of the Asia Cup next month. That dry run has become even more faithful to conditions at the Asia Cup now that the series is being played in the UAE itself. The hosts, themselves a participant at the tournament, also join, making it a tri-nation series that in the past may just have looked like one group of an Asia Cup.Beyond its value as match practice for the Asia Cup, the significance of this tournament is limited, especially in the case of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The two sides are in different groups at that tournament, which takes place in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and not Sharjah, where all games for the tri-series will be held.The mood music around Pakistan cricket at the moment is overwhelmingly negative, but they will go into this tri-series as favourites. They’re set to continue on the path of progressive, high-intent T20 batting that has characterised their approach over the last three T20I series under new white-ball coach Mike Hesson.Related

• Afghanistan pick 16 of 17 Asia Cup squad members for UAE tri-series

• Afghanistan bring back former Ireland allrounder John Mooney as fielding coach

• Junaid Siddique comes back as UAE ring in the changes for T20 tri-series

• Pakistan white-ball coach Hesson: Want players who are multi-skilled, not milestone obsessed

• 'Fearless without being careless' – Salman Agha lays down marker for Pakistan in T20Is

What Pakistan do about their bowling line-up, though, is more intriguing. Up till now under Hesson, Pakistan have – for better or worse – showcased a clear preference for allrounders over specialist bowlers in a bid to lengthen their batting line-up. It has meant anywhere between five to eight overs from non-specialists.That has worked for the most part in high-scoring contests where weaker opposition can essentially be batted out of the game; Pakistan won comfortably at home against Bangladesh, as well as two of the three games against West Indies in Florida. On slower, lower wickets where par scores range below 150, though, things have proven tricky, something Bangladesh exploited effectively in a 2-1 series defeat in July. With the surfaces in the UAE more likely to resemble those rather than anything seen at Gaddafi or Fort Lauderdale, how flexible Pakistan are with that strategy may go a long way to determining the kind of tournament they have.Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be key for Afghanistan•Associated PressAfghanistan appear particularly well-suited to exploiting this with a line-up whose batting explosiveness does not come at the expense of a quality bowling attack, particularly in the spin department. If the wickets offer slow-bowling assistance, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad are all well positioned to capitalise, with genuine allrounders, top-order attackers and fast bowlers spread throughout the squad.However, despite significant T20 pedigree and experience, there is a touch of the unknown about Afghanistan. They haven’t played a T20I all year, and even though their star players ply their trades in multiple leagues around the world, there is never a guarantee that translates to instant synchronisation within a national side. This tri-series serves as a useful lubricator to ensure all systems run smoothly at the Asia Cup, where they are in the harder of the two groups alongside Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.For UAE, the series is the perfect preparation ahead of their biggest tournament of the year. They have played their fair share of T20 cricket this year, and shown they can compete with the bigger teams in the format, coming from behind to beat Bangladesh 2-1 in May. The multi-team Pearl of Africa series in Entebbe was perhaps less impressive despite a second-placed finish, soured by two losses to the home side Uganda.UAE will rely heavily on their captain Muhammad Waseem•SLCTheir captain and opener Muhammad Waseem is their talisman and the one clear standout player in the side; he’s the leading run-scorer this year as well as one of the more explosive batters with a strike rate in excess of 155. Lower down the order, Asif Khan betters that with a superior average as well as a strike rate of 162.50 this year. But lack of firepower elsewhere, particularly for fellow opener Muhammad Zohaib, means sustaining momentum through an innings is likely to be a challenge. Power-hitting wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan, who was lured back from the UAE by Pakistan last year, would have been a handy addition.In slower conditions, left-arm orthodox spinner Haider Ali and wristspinner Zuhaib Zubair are the home side’s best hopes at strangling an opposition. Haider was instrumental in the series decider at this very ground against Bangladesh, figures of 4-1-7-3 keeping Bangladesh to a low enough target for batters like Asif to gun down. It was followed up by wickets in Entebbe; any path to victory must have Haider sustaining those performances.This tri-series is destined to be remembered only in the context of what happens at the Asia Cup, but Sharjah has found a way of embedding itself in cricketing lore and staying there. The next week may fan those flames a while longer.

In the last few years, there has been a debate raging at Manchester City as to who is the better striker, Sergio Aguero or Erling Haaland.

Well, it is not an easy question to answer, given how long the Argentine striker was successful at City.

In total, Aguero played 390 times for the East Mancunian outfit, and his record speaks volumes about how good he is. The 101-cap Argentina international bagged 260 goals in that time. You consider it ludicrous to go against him in this debate.

Yet, the numbers Haaland is putting up certainly make him better than Aguero in the eyes of many.

Why Haaland is Man City's greatest striker

This is a debate that, at this stage, doesn’t really have a right answer. However, with the trajectory that Haaland is on, it is hard to see him failing to overtake Aguero’s record as City’s all-time top goalscorer.

In just 161 appearances in the famous Sky Blue shirt, the 25-year-old already has 143 goals to his name, as well as 22 assists. He’s averaging a goal involvement in more than every game. That is why Jamie Carragher said Haaland is “the greatest goalscorer to ever play in English football.”

Indeed, his form this season has been astronomical. Already, he’s found the back of the net 19 times in just 15 games. Miraculously, he’s not added to the 11 hat-tricks he has for the club, but has bagged twice in a game six times.

Haaland is a simply ridiculous number nine who can do it all, from excellent link-up play to clinical finishing in the box. His goal against Arsenal is perhaps the best example, with the striker starting the move by tucking the ball round the corner to Tijjani Reijnders, before charging forward and receding the ball again to score.

The Norwegian is incredible, although City don’t have a natural striker as his understudy if he gets injured. If that were the case, the answer might be an academy star who could one day take the number nine shirt after Haaland.

Man City's in-house number nine after Haaland

Haaland’s injury record isn’t perfect. The striker has missed 26 games since he moved to City, and they don’t really have a natural replacement. Omar Marmoush can lead the line, but he excels in a slightly deeper role, a little like Julian Alvarez did.

Lucky for the Citizens, they might have the perfect striker in the academy in the form of Mahamadou Sangare.

The France U18 centre-forward only moved to the club in the summer from Paris Saint-Germain, but is already excelling in the youth side.

This season across all competitions for the esteemed City academy, Sangare has found the back of the net on nine occasions in just 14 games. That includes three goals in four UEFA Youth League games.

In fact, it was in that competition that Sangare put in his most impressive performance to date. The 18-year-old shone against AS Monaco U19s, bagging a hat-trick and assisting one goal, after creating two chances.

Sangare vs. Monaco U19s

Stat

Number

Touches

35

Opposition half passes completed

14/18

Aerial duels won

5/6

Shots

4

Goals

3

Chances created

2

Assists

1

Stats from Sofascore

One person who has spoken highly of the striker is football scout Antonio Mango. He called Sangare a “prolific” number nine, complementing him on the fact that he was one of the standout PSG youngsters last season. He scored 33 times in 35 games for their U19s.

Well, it certainly seems like City are seeing the quality he can bring to the youth sides. It will be fascinating to see how quickly Sangare’s development continues. He certainly has an eye for goal and will be hoping that he can translate that to senior level.

Of course, the 18-year-old is quite some way from being on Haaland’s level, but with his natural goalscoring instinct, there is no reason why he can’t establish himself in the first team. Perhaps he will even be the natural successor to Haaland’s iconic number nine shirt.

Related As important as Doku: £50m star just had his best ever game for Man City

Manchester City smashed Liverpool 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday, Jérémy Doku the star of the show, but another player shone for Pep Guardiola.

Posts 1 ByBen Gray Nov 10, 2025

There’s reportedly no way back for one West Ham star as Nuno Espírito Santo ultimately decides that he doesn’t want the player, and a January exit is now described as inevitable.

The pressure on Nuno’s shoulders has slightly eased following back-to-back victories against Newcastle and Burnley, which also gifted the Hammers some much-needed encouragement over surviving the relegation dog scrap.

Before their only consecutive home wins since October last year, West Ham looked nailed on for a drop to the Championship for the first time since 2011, but six points from Nuno’s last two matches have suddenly flipped the narrative on its head.

However, things don’t get any easier for West Ham from this point onward, with Nuno braced for a tough round of fixtures just after the international break.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

The east Londoners take on Bournemouth and Liverpool before travelling to Man United, who are enjoying a resurgence under Ruben Amorim, with Aston Villa and Premier League title contenders Man City awaiting them over the festive period as well.

After that, the January transfer window does represent a major lifeline for West Ham, and reports suggest the club are set for a very active winter when it comes to incomings and outgoings. Sky Sports report that West Ham are targeting a new defender, midfielder and striker in January, with Nuno given assurances that David Sullivan and co have money to spend on fresh talent.

We’re also likely to see a fair few players head out the exit door, not least striker Niclas Füllkrug, who has apparently been given the green-light to leave after a lacklustre spell marred by injuries and a lack of form.

West Ham could also sell Guido Rodriguez for pure profit after signing him on a free transfer from Real Betis last year, but one player who looks the most likely to depart by far is midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

The 31-year-old was axed from West Ham’s matchday squad immediately after Nuno’s arrival, despite being vice-captain under Graham Potter and a “quiet leader” of the team.

James Ward-Prowse "almost certain" to leave West Ham after Nuno decision

For anybody wondering, there is basically no chance for Ward-Prowse to play his way back into contention, with Nuno fully deciding that he’s surplus to requirements.

That is according to journalist Dean Jones, who told TEAMtalk this week that the Englishman is “almost certain” to leave as David Moyes’ Everton take real interest.

The question for West Ham is how much money they can recuperate from Ward-Prowse’s sale, and how much could be reinvested into bolstering key areas when the January window opens for business.

Sullivan will also be keen to get the former Southampton star’s £115,000-per-week wages off the books, as he is currently the club’s fourth-highest earner behind Alphonse Areola, Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen.

Thomas Frank’s appointment as Tottenham Hotspur boss brought about a newfound sense of excitement, with the Dane tasked with building on last season’s Europa League triumph.

He was brought into the club to replace Ange Postecoglou, even being handed over £100m by the hierarchy to make the desired changes he wanted to his first team squad.

Whilst his tenure in North London started off in excellent fashion, even remaining as the only side unbeaten away from home in the Premier League, but that came crashing down against Arsenal last week.

The Lilywhites have now failed to win any of their last three outings, shipping a total of 11 goals in that time – with five coming against PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday.

As a result, the hierarchy have since been targeting added reinforcements for the January transfer window to try and bolster Frank’s current first-team squad.

Spurs’ hunt for added reinforcements in January

During the past couple of weeks, Spurs have been targeting a move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo – with the Ghanaian seen as the perfect man to improve the frontline.

He’s already scored six times and registered three assists in the Premier League this campaign, leading to interest from other sides such as Arsenal and Liverpool.

However, his asking price has already been revealed, with the 25-year-old available for £65m as his release clause becomes active from the start of 2026.

He’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer a defensive option being targeted ahead of the upcoming window.

According to TuttoJuve, Frank’s men are “ready to make” a €40m (£35m) bid for the Brazilian, who has been restricted to just four Serie A appearances this campaign.

The report states that the Lilywhites see the 28-year-old as the perfect option to bolster their backline, but it’s unclear if his current employers will sanction his transfer.

Why Spurs’ £35m target would be an upgrade on Romero

After Frank’s appointment in the summer, the Dane made a swift decision to create a leadership group that would lead Spurs forward under his guidance in North London.

Centre-back Cristian Romero was named as one of the players in the aforementioned group, with the Argentine wearing the armband in every game he’s featured in.

Whilst many have heaped praise on the 27-year-old in recent times, he’s endured somewhat of a slump in form over recent weeks – as seen by the club’s poor defensive record.

He was even responsible for two of PSG’s goals on Wednesday night, as he gave the ball to Pape Sarr in a dangerous position, before blocking Vitinha’s shot with his hand – resulting in a penalty for the hosts.

His underlying stats have also taken a hit as a result in recent weeks, which has led to numerous areas becoming a cause for concern to the manager and his staff.

When comparing Romero’s stats to those of Bremer in 2025/26 to date, the Brazilian has managed to better his fellow South American in key areas – highlighting why he’d be an upgrade on the Lilywhites defender.

Bremer, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by Matteo Bonetti, has completed more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst also notching more key passes per 90.

How Bremer & Romero compare in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)	Bremer	Romero
Games played	4	10
Goals & assists	2	1
Pass accuracy	89%	88%
Key passes	0.8	0.2
% of tackles won	90%	76%
Clearances made	5.8	3.7
Recoveries made	4.7	3.7
Aerials won	68%	66%
Stats via FBref

Such numbers highlight his incredible ball-playing ability, with such numbers handing Frank an added option to play out from the back and through the thirds when needed.

He’s also won more of the tackles he’s entered in 2025/26, whilst making more clearances per 90 – offering the needed defensive quality the side has lacked in recent weeks.

Other numbers, such as a higher aerial success rate and more recoveries made, highlight his all-round dominance without the ball – with Bremer looking like an incredible addition at £35m.

Such a move may feel somewhat harsh on Romero, but ultimately, it’s clear that the hierarchy have identified a player who is a level above the Argentine international.

If the board can complete a deal for Bremer, it would be a superb deal and one that could finally hand Frank the answer to their recent struggles in the defensive third.

As bad as Romero: Frank must instantly drop 5/10 Spurs flop after PSG

Thomas Frank will have some huge calls to make on some players after Tottenham Hotspur’s latest defeat.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 27, 2025

The midfielder reminded the world of what he brings, taking a big step forward as the clock ticks towards next summer's big tournament

CHESTER, Pa. – Gio Reyna insisted he didn’t remember what he shouted into the camera after scoring his early goal on Saturday against Paraguay in a 2-1 win for the USMNT. Later, he admitted he did – he just didn’t want to repeat it.

No matter. His celebration made it clear: he’s back

"I was just happy to score," Reyna said after scoring one and setting up another in the USMNT's 2-1 win. "Just happy to be back."

After all this time, Reyna offered reminders of the player he can still be. He delivered a big goal – something that has long been his calling card – and found ways to influence the game throughout. And he remained, as always, at the center of attention when he pulls on a USMNT shirt, for better or worse.

His teammates, though, insist this is a new version of Reyna – a bit smarter and a bit more mature. Whether this Reyna can help lead the USMNT into a World Cup is the lingering question. Even after his goal, the debates around him haven’t faded; if anything, they’ve only grown sharper.

"I feel really good," Reyna said. "I feel valued, feel important, feel ready to go. Obviously, when you feel better mentally, you can definitely play better on the field, too. So yeah, I'm definitely building up, but I feel great. I'm just happy, but I have to keep working now."

• Getty
  

  'Always had confidence'

  After the match, Reyna acknowledged that, despite a Man of the Match-level performance, he’s still not quite himself.

  Following several rollercoaster years and an early-season injury that delayed his start at new club Borussia Mönchengladbach, the midfielder is still finding his footing.

  "Probably 80-85 percent," Reyna said when asked about his fitness levels. "It's hard to say when [I'll be 100 percent], but I'm not far. I'm definitely getting there. I feel really good."

  If this was 80-85 percent, then Reyna is on a good path. 

  It took less than four minutes for him to make his mark. After seeing Max Arfsten break through on the right side, Reyna found himself in position to head home the Columbus Crew wingback's perfectly-weighted cross. Reyna made no mistake, smashing the ball off the underside of the bar and in for his first USMNT goal since netting in the Nations League final in March 2024.

  "I always had confidence in myself," Reyna said. "To see a goal going into the back of the net, it's always nice. I just want to stay in dangerous areas and continue to work."

  Then, with the match level in the second half, Reyna popped up again, playing a ball across the box and into danger. It banked off a defender and right to Folarin Balogun, who made no mistake. In the end, Reyna completed 39 of his 47 passes, created two chances, won two tackles, and had an interception. It was an emphatic performance from a player who clearly felt he needed one to impress USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

  "I knew it was an opportunity for me to show him that I belong here," Reyna said after the match. "He's been great with me all week. Working with him, it's just giving me the freedom and the confidence to sort of be myself. I can't thank him enough, obviously, for the start and just for the relationship that we've built this camp."

  The 23-year-old midfielder is, of course, still getting to know Pochettino. This is his second camp under the USMNT boss, with the only other one coming in that ill-fated March Nations League window. Reyna is a familiar face for most of the USMNT, though, and there is the sense that this go around does feel different for the midfielder.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  'His focus is so much greater now'

  Heading into camp, there were obvious questions about Reyna. He hadn’t played meaningful USMNT minutes in over a year, and much of the work he did earlier in the cycle came with a cloud hanging over it. As long as former manager Gregg Berhalter was in charge, the tension stemming from the 2022 World Cup was always going to linger.

  Now, with that finally behind everyone, Reyna can simply be himself – free of the weight of the past.

  That said, there have been new struggles. Unable to crack the Borussia Dortmund XI over the last few years, largely due to injuries, Reyna swapped clubs this summer by moving to Borussia Monchengladbach. That move hasn't gotten off to a strong start, as another injury has limited him to just one appearance in the starting lineup so far this season.

  "They've been fantastic with building me up to full fitness, and I'm slowly getting there, as you can see tonight," Reyna said. "I definitely expect, when I get back, to start more matches."

  Those in the USMNT camp have already seen a change in him. Starting from the first training session, Reyna has had some extra pep in his step and some extra intensity in everything he does.

  "He's not really let the challenges overseas seep into this camp, which is great to see," veteran defender Tim Ream said. "I've had a few conversations with him, nothing crazy, but he's speaking up a lot more in training in terms of, 'Okay, I see this, what are you seeing?' He's getting really involved in the understanding of the movements and what we're doing in the build-up and the defensive shape. I feel like he's more tuned and more focused on the field than I've seen in the past, which is a great thing. I think his focus is so much greater now."

  That said, this wasn’t a total reinvention. Reyna is still doing what he has always done for the USMNT: make an impact.

• Imagn
  

  'He always shows up'

  Following the game, Brenden Aaronson made a point to say it.

  “He always shows up for the national team,” he said after starting next to Reyna as the USMNT's two attacking midfielders. "He deserves it [the opportunity]. He’s been through a lot with injuries, with all this stuff, but whenever he plays for the national team, he's always there, and it's awesome to see.”

  Even after so long away, old relationships remain. Chief among them? Reyna's chemistry with Balogun, who has been one of Reyna's favorite teammates to play with since his own USMNT arrival in 2023. The two have combined to wreak havoc whenever they've been on the field together, dating back to a Reyna-to-Balogun assist all the way back in the 2023 Nations League final win over Canada.

  "Gio wanted to come into this camp and do his thing and wanted to put the noise behind him, " Balogun said. "I feel like he did that today. It was a really strong performance in a difficult game. He got the goal early for us and helped create the second goal. I'm really happy for him, and it's a fantastic night for him."

  Reyna, for his part, was just happy to be back with the group. It has been a turbulent year for the U.S., prompting Pochettino to reset things after the March Nations League camp. The team rebuilt chemistry during the Gold Cup and carried it into the fall, producing a four-game unbeaten run with three wins.

  "I definitely felt the energy and the collectiveness," Reyna said. "The will to win games and the want to represent your country has been taken to the next level. Of course, there are tactical things that I try to adjust to and learn when I get in as quickly as possible, but we've had some camps that have not been as good, but, in the end, I've been with this team for the most part, and it's always really positive. 

  "We're a group that loves to work together and play together, and we've had some success in the past, too. In the tough moments, I was never concerned for the team. It was just working the kinks out and taking things and learning and getting better."

  The time for getting better is running out, though. The World Cup is around the corner – will Reyna be a part of it?

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  'I want to be at the World Cup'

  Reyna says he doesn't think about the World Cup, at least not too often. Still, it's there, and it's coming soon. He, like all players, wants to be a part of it. He knows, though, that his path there has to begin with his club, not necessarily his national team.

  "You try not to think about the national team every day," he said. "Of course, it's important and I want to be here and I want to be at the World Cup and be an important player for the team, but I was just moreso trying to focus on my club situation and getting minutes there and really building up. I believe if I do my work there, then it'll fall into place here, too."

  Still, Saturday was a good start. Given an opportunity to impress Pochettino, he seized it, leaving the USMNT boss with plenty to praise following the 2-1 win.

  "He scored and I think he did a very good job," Pochettino said. "I am so happy with him, and he showed why he started. He confirmed that he's a player who needs to improve, because he needs to play more in his club, but we can see today that he was great. He scored, he assisted, and his capacity to read the game and find space between the lines, it was a nightmare for Paraguay. He did a very good job."

  He'll have to keep doing that. Competition will be fierce for the World Cup spot in that attacking midfield spot. Christian Pulisic and Malik Tillman seem like locks. Diego Luna, Brenden Aaronson, and Alejandro Zendejas will have something to say, too. You can add Weston McKennie into that mix as well, despite the Juventus star's absence from this camp.

  The pressure is on Reyna, but then again, it almost always is. He answered that pressure with a goal on Saturday, which leads to the next question: now what?

  "In the end, it’s performances like this that can help everybody here," he said. "I want to have, more importantly, seven or eight good months in the rest of the season with Gladbach, and then I believe if I keep performing like I did tonight, then I'll have a good chance to make the team and have an impact there too."

تحدث الحكم الدولي، محمود البنا، عن أسباب إعلان قرار اعتزاله مبكرًا، ليضع حدًا لمسيرته التحكيمية التي امتدت لأربعة وعشرين عامًا.

وكان محمود البنا، قد أكد في بيان رسمي نشره عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيسبوك”، أن قرار اعتزاله جاء نتيجة ظروف غير عادلة، طالع التفاصيل

وقال محمود البنا، ضيف برنامج “الكورة مع فايق”، على قناة “إم بي سي مصر”، عن سبب الاعتزال المبكر: “قرار الاعتزال هو الأصعب لأي شخص يعمل في كرة القدم، خاصة للحكم الذي يتحمل الضغط وحده، سواء في التدريب أو العلاج أو مواجهة الجماهير والسوشيال ميديا”.

وتابع: “تحملت كل ذلك لأنني أحب التحكيم وأشعر بالتقدير، لكن حين شعرت بأني لم أعد مقدرًا رغم تاريخي المحلي والدولي، قررت الاعتزال”.

وبسؤاله هل الاعتزال بسبب عدم القدرة على العطاء؟، نفى ذلك تمامًا، مؤكدا أنه ما زال في قمة مستواه، وكان ضمن نخبة حكام “A” في كاف، ومعه محمد معروف وأمين عمر المرشحان لكأس العالم، مضيفًا أن وجوده في هذه النخبة أكبر دليل على جاهزيته.

وذكر أنه تم استبعاده من القائمة الدولية، وبالتالي استبعد تلقائيًا من بطولة أمم إفريقيا 2026، رغم أن أحد مسؤولي كاف أكد له أنه سيكون موجودًا في البطولة.

وكشف أنه عندما صدرت القائمة تفاجأ باختفاء اسمه، وهو ما أدى أيضًا إلى فقدان مصر مقعدًا من مقاعد الحكام في البطولة، بعد أن انخفض العدد من سبعة حكام العام الماضي إلى ستة هذا الموسم، رغم خبرته ومشاركته السابقة في بطولتين لأمم إفريقيا.

وعن أزمته مع أوسكار رويز، رئيس لجنة الحكام، أوضح أن مشكلته بدأت بعد تولي أوسكار رويز مسؤولية التحكيم؛ إذ شعر بأن استبعاده كان شخصيًا، وخلال الفترة التي عمل فيها معه أدار فقط أربع مباريات، وهو ما رآه غير منطقي مقارنة بتاريخه، إذ يعد أكثر حكام جيله إدارة للمباريات (188 مباراة)، وأدار أكبر عدد من لقاءات الأندية الجماهيرية والمباريات الكبرى محليا وإفريقيا.

وأشار إلى أنه عندما تواصل مع لجنة الحكام، أخبروه أن رويز يستبعده دون أسباب واضحة، فتحدث معه ليعرفه بتاريخه وخبرته الدولية، لكن رويز، بحسب حديث البنا، لم يتقبل الحوار، وتكرر الاستبعاد عند بداية الموسم الجديد.

البنا أكد أن استبعاده من القائمة الدولية كان “المسمار الأخير” في قراره، فالقائمة لم تعلن رغم أن كل دول إفريقيا أعلنت قوائمها، وهو يرى أن استبعاده بلا مبرر، خاصة أن معايير اختيار القائمة واضحة: اللياقة البدنية، اللياقة الطبية، المستوى الفني، وفيفا يطلب أفضل سبعة حكام في هذه المعايير، متسائلا: “كيف لا أكون من بين السبعة وأنا الذي أدرت أهم مباريات الموسم مثل السوبر؟”.

ورغم أن رويز أسند له السوبر المصري، يرى البنا أن ذلك لا ينفي استبعاده المتعمد، إذ إن القرار النهائي بيد الاتحاد، الذي، بحسب قوله، منح رويز كل الصلاحيات.

وعن “تجديد الدماء”، رفض البنا مبرر تجديد القائمة، لأن مصر لديها بالفعل حكمان مرشحان لكأس العالم (معروف وأمين عمر)، والقائمة ليست بها أزمة تستدعي الإطاحة بحكم صاحب خبرات ومشاركات كبرى، كما أن التحكيم المصري ممثل في بطولات الكاف بعدد جيد من الحكام.