Celtic are consulting the managerial market in an attempt to bring in a new boss and are reportedly now ready to present a formal approach to their preferred candidate.

Undoubtedly, the feeling around Parkhead has changed dramatically in the last couple of weeks since Martin O’Neill was appointed in interim charge to lead the Scottish Premiership champions.

Joyous scenes against Falkirk and Rangers were tempered by a disappointing first-half collapse against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League last Thursday. However, Celtic signed off for the international break with a 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock to close the gap on Heart of Midlothian to seven points.

Furthermore, a game in hand will serve as an opportunity to move within four points of the league leaders, though, who will be in charge to lead the Bhoys’ defence of the Scottish top-flight crown?

Wales boss Craig Bellamy has ruled himself out of the Celtic vacancy. Nevertheless, Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy is the latest name to enter the running after his strong start to the campaign at the League One outfit.

Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, Nicky Hayen, and Efrain Juarez are also on the Bhoys’ radar. Meanwhile, Wilfried Nancy is the wildcard choice after his sterling work at Columbus Crew.

With several pivotal fixtures to come and off-field tension between supporters and the hierarchy continuing to linger, there is a feeling that Celtic must get this appointment right to move forward in unison.

Difficult away clashes against St Mirren, Feyenoord and Hibernian linger on the other side of the international break, so it is fair to say time if of the essence if the Bhoys are to bring someone into the fold on a full-time basis, and they may just be about to pull off that feat.

Celtic readying formal approach for Kjetil Knutsen

According to TEAMtalk, Celtic are readying an official approach for Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen after discovering that the 57-year-old is keen to take on a new challenge and is excited by the thought of taking over at Parkhead.

The report make it clear that he is still the standout foreign candidate, albeit the Bhoys also want an interview with Ipswich boss McKenna despite the fact Dermot Desmond may have to pay £5 million to secure him from Portman Road.

Kjetil Knutsen’s record at Bodo/Glimt

Wins

209

Draws

72

Losses

70

Trophies

Eliteserien x4

Ferencvaros boss Robbie Keane, a former Celtic player, has yet to receive a phone call regarding the vacant position. Still, it is said that he would ‘sprint to the table if asked’ to succeed O’Neill at the helm of the Scottish champions.

The Bhoys want to come to a resolution by December at the latest and they could now be closer to finding their next permanent manager if Knutsen was able to finalise contract terms.

An alternative Celtic manager candidate has a secret release clause

Nevertheless, nothing is signed and sealed until ink physically exists on paper, so there is still a long way to go before supporters know who their next leader will be.

Thomas Tuchel dished out another warning to an England defender over his conduct on the pitch. Tuchel has been very particular with the on and off-field behaviour of the players who represent the Three Lions and the former Chelsea manager is in no mood to compromise when it comes to discipline. Tuchel recently oversaw England's historic World Cup qualifying campaign, where they won all eight of their matches.

Djed Spence ignored Thomas Frank after Spurs loss to Chelsea

Following a terrible performance against Chelsea earlier this month, which produced just one shot on target, the home supporters made their feelings clear as boos rang around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the conclusion of the match. Despite the jeering, as is customary, Spurs boss Frank went onto the pitch as he and the rest of the players planned to show their appreciation for their fans' support during the game. 

However, later in a video which was widely shared across social media, Spurs duo Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence opted to leave the pitch instead of greeting supporters, to the anger of head coach Frank. 

The Spurs, though, later downplayed the incident as he told reporters: "All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that. I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSpence warned by Tuchel

Following the misconduct on the pitch for his club, England boss Tuchel has now spoken to the defender and warned against repeating such behaviour. The German coach later told reporters, "I didn’t like it. Because the players know they are not only national players when they are ten days in camp. They are always national players, and the standard of behaviour is always important."

Tuchel slammed Bellingham earlier

During England's World Cup qualifier against Albania on Sunday, Jude Bellingham finally got a chance to shine as he displayed an impressive performance. However, he was disappointed at being substituted in the 84th minute and was later accused of not "embracing the collective"

On Bellingham's behaviour, Tuchel later said: "That is a bad impression. It should be about the collective. What we did in camp is all about the collective. I have to then review it – I was happy about the goal. I had a quick talk with Morgan Rogers and I was sure that everyone celebrated together. I will have a look at it. That is not the image we want to transport. We feel everyone is committed and that everyone accepts tough decisions, be it before the match or in the match.

"He [Bellingham] has to accept it, he has to accept it. We should not make more out of it than it is. Rogers was not happy when he couldn't start today because he deserves to play, and he wants to play all the time. We gave him a bit of a rest because he came with a lot of minutes playing at club [level] and played for us against Serbia. I also don't want to make more out of it. I stick to my words – behaviour is key. Decisions are made, and you have to accept it as a player."

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GettyEngland's historic World Cup qualifying journey

England scripted history as they became the first team to win all of their eight World Cup qualifying matches without conceding a single goal, as they scored 22 times in this period. In their latest win over Albania, courtesy of a brace from Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich star took his international goals tally to 78 as he surpassed Brazil icon Pele in the list of all-time highest goalscorers in the international arena.

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.

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• 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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• Getty Images
  

  '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."

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

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.

A hot topic of conversation amongst Premier League fans is which stadium generates the best atmosphere.

Having a raucous home crowd can even help change the flow of a game, with an intimidating home support helping suck the ball into the net.

For visiting players, some grounds can be a nightmare to go to. However, there are other stadiums which are relatively quiet and less intimidating to visit.

Premier League Player Power Rankings 2025/26

So, for the 2025/26 Premier League season, here is every stadium ranked for atmosphere, taking into consideration noise levels and capacity.

Rank

Club

Stadium

1

Newcastle

St James’ Park

2

Liverpool

Anfield

3

Sunderland

Stadium of Light

4

Aston Villa

Villa Park

5

Leeds

Elland Road

6

Crystal Palace

Selhurst Park

7

Nottingham Forest

City Ground

8

Everton

Hill Dickinson Stadium

9

Arsenal

Emirates Stadium

10

Man Utd

Old Trafford

11

Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

12

Man City

Etihad Stadium

13

Chelsea

Stamford Bridge

14

Burnley

Turf Moor

15

Brentford

Gtech Community Stadium

16

Brighton

AMEX Stadium

17

West Ham

London Stadium

18

Wolves

Molineux

19

Fulham

Craven Cottage

20

Bournemouth

Vitality Stadium

20 Vitality Stadium Bournemouth

Starting off at the quieter stadiums in the division, AFC Bournemouth’s ground holds just over 11,000, something which hinders the atmosphere.

The Cherries have performed well on the south coast, however, a visiting player probably doesn’t fear a trip to the Vitality Stadium.

19 Craven Cottage Fulham

Next on the list is Fulham, with Craven Cottage previously having a mixed section for home and away supporters.

Now expanded to a capacity of just under 30,000, the Cottagers can create a good atmosphere, especially in a London derby, however, on the whole, it is one of the more relaxed stadiums to visit in the top flight.

18 Molineux Wolves

Wolves fans have not had much to shout about in recent years, and that has come across in the flat atmosphere at Molineux.

Regular defeats and flat performances have left home supporters with nothing to cheer or get behind, whereas it is arguably the worst viewpoint for away fans on the side of the pitch.

17 London Stadium West Ham

Even West Ham fans may even argue that the London Stadium should be further down this list after swapping the cauldron that was Upton Park for their current 62,500 stadium.

Built for the 2012 Olympics, it is evident that the ground was not made for football and that often comes across from the stands, with seats too far away to feel on top of the players.

16 AMEX Stadium Brighton

An impressive ground to visit, the AMEX Stadium has been home to Brighton & Hove Albion since 2011 and has been a Premier League stadium since 2017.

The Seagulls have had plenty of success and memorable moments at their home, which has created a solid atmosphere, especially behind the goal.

15 Gtech Community Stadium Brentford

Brentford moved into their new stadium in 2020 and have enjoyed plenty of success in the Premier League since.

However, the Gtech Community Stadium which holds more than 17,000 isn’t exactly a daunting place to go. A game under the lights can often generate the best atmosphere, though, as we saw in their 2-1 win over Liverpool.

14 Turf Moor Burnley

An old school traditional stadium, Turf Moor sees supporters close to the pitch with stands that rise steeply.

Holding just under 22,000 when at full capacity, the Clarets can generate a solid atmosphere but arguably cannot compete with some of their Premier League rivals and their grounds.

13 Stamford Bridge Chelsea

Chelsea’s atmosphere has been described as dull and lethargic and Joe Cole said in 2025 that it’s the “worst” he’s seen in all his years supporting, playing or visiting Stamford Bridge.

Despite this, the Blues often show in a big game that the noise can be generated, but they just don’t do it regularly enough.

12 Etihad Stadium Man City

Manchester City’s home support has been a running joke for a number of years now, however, the Etihad Stadium can generate an excellent atmosphere at times, especially for the big Premier League games.

The consistency isn’t there, though, with home supporters often leaving early despite seeing Pep Guardiola’s side run riot more often than not.

11 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Tottenham

Even though Tottenham have one of the newest stadiums in the division, which includes a South Stand capacity of 17,500, Spurs’ home support is often flat.

Performances and results haven’t been there in recent years, but the 62,850 stadium doesn’t produce the atmosphere it should.

ESPNcricinfo looks back at some of Rohit Sharma’s best innings in ICC knockouts

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Mar-2025

30*(16) vs Pakistan

2007 T20 World Cup final, JohannesburgIn just his sixth international, a 20-year-old Rohit gave India a big finish after they chose to bat in the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup. Coming in at No. 6, he hit two fours, a six and four twos to ensure 27 came off the final two overs and India’s total was 157.Rohit Sharma gave a glimpse of his attacking batting as early as in his sixth international – at the T20 World Cup 2007•AFP

137(126) vs Bangladesh

2015 ODI World Cup quarter-final, MelbourneWickets through the middle overs slowed India’s scoring, and Rohit’s job was to bat deep as they aimed to build a big total that would take them through to the semi-final. On 90, Rohit was caught off a waist-high full toss that was called a no-ball, an incident that led to a furore in Bangladesh. From that point on, Rohit blasted 47 off 25, playing some exquisite shots, and India got to 302, a winning total.

123*(129) vs Bangladesh

2017 Champions Trophy semi-final, BirminghamWith India chasing 265, Rohit put on an exhibition, hitting 16 boundaries in his century and building a 178-run stand with Virat Kohli that took India home with nine wickets in the bag.

47(29) vs New Zealand

2023 ODI World Cup semi-final, MumbaiKohli’s 50th hundred headlined the day, but by the time he was in, a significant amount of the pressure on India had been relieved by Rohit’s whirlwind start. In their semi-final losses in the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, India had made poor starts. Here, Rohit blasted four sixes early to make sure India were scoring at nine an over in the first powerplay.Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma added an unbroken 178 for the second wicket in the Champions Trophy 2017 semi-final•Getty Images

47(31) vs Australia

2023 ODI World Cup final, AhmedabadIn the final, with India put in, Rohit was off early. It was only Travis Head’s brilliance in the field that stopped his onslaught. Once he was out, India slowed down dramatically and ended up short of a winning total.

57(39) vs England

2024 T20 World Cup semi-final, GuyanaAgainst the same team they had stumbled in at the 2022 T20 World Cup, India lost the early wickets of Kohli and Rishabh Pant. With history weighing on him, Rohit embodied the bravery he had beseeched his team to have and continued to play his shots on a challenging track. His innings set the base for India to reach 171, which was more than enough on the surface.

76(83) vs New Zealand

2025 Champions Trophy final, DubaiWhile he had not registered a fifty in the tournament, Rohit had maintained his attacking intent throughout. In the final, with his side chasing 252, he laid down the marker for India’s approach by pulling the second ball of the innings for six. More boundaries followed off the seamers, and Rohit rotated well against the spinners, ensuring that even as India lost wickets in the middle, the asking rate never became daunting.

أكد آرني سلوت، مدرب نادي ليفربول، أنه يريد بجانب لاعبي فريقه مصالحة جماهير الريدز، وذلك قبل مباراة سندرلاند بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويعتقد سلوت في حديثه إلى موقع ليفربول الرسمي، أن الانتصار الذي حققه فريقه على وست هام يوم الأحد الماضي كان خطوة في الاتجاه الصحيح بالنسبة للريدز.

ليفربول سوف يستضيف نظيره سندرلاند مساء اليوم الأربعاء على ملعب آنفيلد، ضمن الجولة الـ14 من عمر الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب آنفيلد.

ويسعى ليفربول لمواصلة صحوته بعد الانتصار على وست هام، والذي كسر سلسلة سلبية من الهزائم المتتالية لرجال سلوت.

وقال سلوت: “لن يحتاج أي شخص يحضر هذه المباراة إلى أن أخبره أن أدائنا الأخيرين أمام جماهيرنا لم يرق إلى المستوى المطلوب، دون أن أطيل الحديث عن تلك المباريات، من الواضح أن هذا أمر لا نريد تغييره فحسب بل نحن بحاجة إلى تغييره جذري”.

وأضاف: “كلمة مستوى أساسية في وضعنا الحالي، يتعلق الأمر بالمستوى الذي وضعناه لأنفسنا الموسم الماضي والتوقعات التي وضعها النادي لنفسه لسنوات عديدة سابقة، هذا لا يضمن دائمًا نتائج جيدة ولكنه بالتأكيد يعزز فرصنا في تحقيقها، هكذا كان الحال دائمًا وهو كذلك الآن بالتأكيد”.

وأوضح: “لهذا السبب كان فوز يوم الأحد على وست هام خطوة في الاتجاه الصحيح بعد هذه الفترة الصعبة، لم تكن أفضل مباراة خاضها فريق ليفربول على الإطلاق، ونعلم أن هناك حاجة إلى مزيد من التحسينات ولكن الأداء كان المطلوب في ظل هذه الظروف”.

أقرأ أيضًا .. فيرتز: سعيد بترك بصمتي أمام وست هام.. ولاعب ليفربول بارع

وأردف: “حافظنا على نظافة شباكنا، ولم نمنح أي فرصة حقيقية لوست هام باستثناء الدقيقة الأخيرة ، وبذل اللاعبون جهدًا كبيرًا من بداية المباراة وحتى صافرة النهاية، علاوة على ذلك، سجلنا هدفين رائعين منحانا المكافأة التي نستحقها في ذلك اليوم”.

وتابع: “هذه هي أبرز ما قدمناه كفريق وفوق كل ذلك، حظينا بدعم يحدث فرقًا كبيرًا في مثل هذه الأوقات، إلى كل من سافر إلى لندن ليقدم لنا هذا الدعم، لا يسعني إلا أن أشكركم جزيل الشكر”.

وواصل: “لقد مررنا جميعًا باختبار صعب في الأسابيع الأخيرة، ومع ذلك استطاع المشجعون تجاوز خيبة أملهم ودفعنا للأمام، كنت أعرف قبل قدومي إلى ليفربول أن جماهيرنا معروفة بهذا، لكن معايشة ذلك عن كثب أمر مميزٌ حقًا مع أنني كنت أتمنى ألا يكون ولاءكم قد خضع للاختبار كما حدث مؤخرًا”.

واستكمل: “في الشوط الأول من المباراة ضد وست هام سمعت هتاف الأبطال من جانب الفريق الضيف في أكثر من مناسبة، وقد جسد هذا الهتاف روح التحدي التي سنظل بحاجة إليها في الأيام والأسابيع القادمة”.

وقال: ”نعم، أعلم أن هذه الأغنية تغنى بدافع الفخر لما حققناه معًا في الموسم الماضي، لكنها في هذه الفترة تكتسب معنىً إضافيًا بالنسبة لي ، معنى ذكرنا بهويتنا وما نؤمن به”.

وأضاف: ”ليس من قبيل الصدفة بالنسبة لي أن هذا النوع من التحدي في المدرجات لاقى صدى في الملعب، في لحظة عصيبة وقفنا جميعًا معًا وقاتلنا من أجل ليفربول، هذه الروح قادرة على المضي قدمًا، حتى بعد فترة سأكون أول من يعترف بأنها لم تكن كافية”.

وأوضح: ”التحدي الآن هو البناء على هذا الفوز، لا يمكننا أن نصدق أننا تجاوزنا مرحلة صعبة أو أن التعافي قادم، علينا أن نبقى متواضعين وأن نعمل بجد وأن نواصل الكفاح، إذا فعلنا ذلك، فربما نتمكن من مواصلة اتخاذ الخطوات الصغيرة للأمام وهي خطوات ضرورية للغاية”.

وأردف سلوت في حديثه: ”أود أن أرحب بريجيس لو بري ولاعبيه وجهازه الفني بالإضافة إلى جماهير سندرلاند ومجلس إدارته، في ملعب أنفيلد لمباراة الليلة، إن ما قدموه في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم يعكس بشكل إيجابي للغاية أداء جميع أفراد النادي بعد صعودهم إلى الدوري الممتاز في مايو الماضي”.

وتابع: ”أكد فوز سندرلاند على بورنموث يوم السبت على العديد من الصفات التي لا تزال تميزهم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، نتوقع منهم أن يصلوا بثقة عالية وعزم على تعزيز سمعتهم”.

واختتم سلوت: ”علينا أن نكون مستعدين وأن نظهر رغبتنا في تحسين وضعنا الحالي، إذا تمكنا من تحقيق ذلك فسنرى إلى أين سيقودنا”.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson tied his team's contest against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night with an RBI infield single … until he didn't.

Down 3–2 with a runner on third and two outs on the board, Swanson took the plate against Reds reliever Graham Ashcraft. Swinging on a full count, he sent a grounder down the left side where third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes picked it and threw to first—but not in time, allowing Willi Castro to score. Upon further review, however, it was determined that Swanson missed the first base entirely. He was called out, the run was wiped and Cincy maintained their lead.

Take a look at the mishap here:

Swanson's blunder ended up being a costly one. No runs were scored for the rest of the game, and the Reds came away with a 3–2 win—cutting into Chicago's lead atop the National League wild card race.

It'll take a while for the two-time All-Star to live this one down.

It was a deeply physical Test that stretched these modern-day gladiators to their limits, till India experienced heartbreak in slow-motion and England celebrated a win that might not have been

Sidharth Monga15-Jul-2025

Shoaib Bashir is engulfed by team-mates after he picked up the last wicket•Getty Images

It is nearing 7pm on a balmy London evening. The sun is shining bright on Lord’s. Water sprinklers are on. The ground staff have dusted off the pitch all the loose dirt and debris and the pieces of spirit and heart left on it. It is covered now.It is a little over two hours after the epic finish to the Test between England and India, witnessed by a raucous day-five crowd built not of rich patrons and MCC members only who can afford tickets starting at 170 quid, but ordinary-class folk taking advantage of tickets worth 25 quid.The Indians’ balcony is deserted. Shoaib Bashir still sits in the England balcony, looking out at the stage of the great Test. At 4.53pm, Bashir bowled the ball to break India’s hearts. With a broken finger on the left hand, sustained when trying to stop a powerful straight hit from Ravindra Jadeja in the first innings, he came out to bowl as a last resort.Related

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India’s last two wickets were threatening to break England down. Ben Stokes had bowled spells of nine and ten overs. Jofra Archer, playing his first Test in four years, had roused himself to bowl arguably the ball of the series to get rid of the biggest threat, Rishabh Pant. Stokes had bowled one to match it, nipping it up the hill to get rid of the wall, KL Rahul, who scored 100 and 39 in the Test.Jadeja, though, was threatening to do the improbable. Whittle down the target one run at a time in the company of Jasprit Bumrah first and Mohammed Siraj later. Siraj had been there in England’s faces all Test. He was putting his body on the line now. He stood resolute with Jadeja. When an Archer short ball stayed low, he wore it on his left biceps. And there wasn’t enough pace in the pitch to regularly threaten him of physical harm.And then, 5.2 overs before the second new ball and 22 runs separating the two teams, the lethal blow came. In slow motion. Siraj defended the offbreak fairly well, off the middle of the bat really, but he played it with such soft hands that it topspun after dropping on the pitch towards the wickets. Immediately I texted “Srinath 1999” to those not at Lord’s. They had visualised the heartbreak even before they saw it on the telly.Siraj instinctively stuck his left leg out to try to kick it away, but missed. A football fan missed. Hawk-Eye doesn’t provide you these trajectories. Had it continued in a straight line, the ball would have missed the leg stump, but it turned the other way on the second bounce, then slowly tickled the leg stump with just enough force to knock one bail over.A soft, delicate end brought to a violent Test match where Pant nearly broke a finger, which ended Bashir’s series, where Ollie Pope and Siraj copped blows, a reminder of the irony of how hard the “soft” cricket balls still are. Stokes would later say the celebrations were most subdued for a Test that went into the final session of the final day and one they won by just 22 runs.Zak Crawley and Joe Root console a distraught Mohammed Siraj as India fell 22 runs short•Getty ImagesIn what seemed like just 30 seconds, they turned their attention to Siraj, who would go on to punch his bat hard. Siraj, who had earlier been booked for a send-off to one of them. Siraj, who was leading the sledging when Zak Crawley tried to run the clock down on the third evening. Siraj, who now had a tear in his eye. Siraj, now being consoled by them. Joe Root, whom he drew nine false shots out of in one spell without taking his wicket, was among the first ones to go to him.It was as much exhaustion as it was empathy. A competitor they respected, one who had got out in an unfortunate manner. Two marathoners in a photo finish. The winner checking on the one who came second, almost thankful that they pushed each other.

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It is 8pm, and the sun is still out, although there have been patches of cloud in between. The sprinklers have stopped. England are still there celebrating although not out on the balcony. The ground staff are over by their shed, celebrating rolling out a pitch that has been as much a hero as the main cast. The first two Tests contrived to produce excitement in the end. This one had just enough in it for the bowlers to make each day exciting without making batting perilous.Runs came at only 3.08 an over. There was a session of just 51 runs and one wicket that had more tension and drama in it than a day full of runs on a flat pitch can have. There were moans about over rates and player behaviour, but these are elite cricketers just competing at their fiercest and most intense in one of the hottest Tests at Lord’s.It was a deeply physical Test played by some battered players. Bumrah, who must preserve his body if he wants to continue playing Test cricket, bowled 43 overs in the match, only behind Stokes, only by one over. Stokes, about whom his team worries he gets carried away and bowls spells that are too long. Archer, with no miles in his legs, struggled to hold length, but showed what raw pace can do: when he got it right, he took five wickets in just 36 false shots.Tempers frayed more than once, but that can happen when alite players are giving it their all•Associated PressJust like life, the game can be unfair. India created more chances throughout the match, which is often enough to win Tests. Bumrah bowled more good balls than anyone, but ended up with just seven wickets in 82 false shots.India swung the ball more, bowled a higher percentage of high-seam deliveries, stayed on good lengths for longer, kept England in the field for longer, but England seized the brief windows of opportunities to inflict maximum damage. Just like India were on day four, England’s bowlers were relentless on day five. They didn’t have the added threat of spin that India had with the old ball, so it was imperative they got into the tail before the ball went soft.On the fourth evening, Brydon Carse sensed India were not quite picking full lengths early enough, and bowled 63% balls fuller than good length to take two wickets, one of them Shubman Gill. Archer, dismissively charged at by Pant, channelled his anger to find the perfect length and just enough seam against the angle from around the wicket. Running on fumes, Chris Woakes produced a peach to get rid of Nitish Kumar Reddy in the last over before the final lunch break, with the ball beginning to go soft.When the ball did go soft, India just didn’t have enough batting to punish the bowlers, who kept coming hard at them, over after over, even when they knew they had a wicket-taking opportunity for one or two balls every over. In that session, they just outlasted Jadeja.There was a time when India had lost seven second-innings wickets in just 30 false shots, reminiscent of the 36 all out in Adelaide when they were bowled out in 32.1:07

Manjrekar: Test cricket is the ‘acid test for players’

Then again, they should never have been in this position. Fourth innings on deteriorating pitches are often lotteries. In the second innings, they had England where they wanted them, but the pursuit of a personal milestone before a break got the better of them.It was not necessarily selfish. It was an error. A human imperfection. A reminder that the game is not played by robots. India will acknowledge they need to learn, but must the lessons always be this harsh?

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It is almost 9pm. The teams have left. There is a ceasefire for a week. As there is every evening actually. It is this break and then the resumption of the contest from the same position that makes Test cricket special.On the third evening, the two sides were going at each other as though they might need an actual ceasefire. Only for Rahul to say minutes later that he could empathise with what Crawley was doing: running the clock down to play as few balls as possible when India tried to get as many in as possible before stumps.Hostilities resume and cease, flow of time has its say on conditions, human imperfections and brilliance dance together, endurance and sharp bursts both matter. Every once in a while, they all conspire to create a result as magical as the one at Lord’s: only the ninth Test in 2594 to be tied on first innings, two teams separated by just 22 runs after 15 sessions of attrition, ending in the most poignant and chaotic of manners, a solid defensive shot by a No. 11 rolling onto the stumps.Outside Lord’s, nothing much has changed. The No. 13 to Baker Street Station is not on time but it does arrive. It marries seamlessly with the Metropolitan Line tube to Farringdon and the Thameslink from there to Herne Hill. It doesn’t feel like the usual long journey. The mind is engaged. It is basking in the Test. It will take a while before it stops doing so.