The England defender has arguably been the best performer in the Women's Super League this season, and she is now looking to replicate that in Europe

There was no more interesting duel in Saturday's Women's League Cup final than that between Millie Bright, the Chelsea centre-back, and Khadija Shaw, Manchester City's star striker. At the opposite end of the pitch, Mayra Ramirez's overwhelming success in her battle with Laia Aleixandri proved to be a big difference-maker in the Blues' 2-1 win – but Bright's ability to lock down Shaw, who managed just one shot on target all match, was perhaps just as significant.

While Bright didn't win every header and every little duel with Shaw (arguably no defender could), she limited her effectiveness massively, so often getting in the way to block shots and restrict her space in the box to prevent the Jamaica international from impacting the game. Combining well with Nathalie Bjorn to prevent City having many clear cut chances, Bright was one of Chelsea's best performers on the day, and her reward was the opportunity to lift the League Cup for the first time in four years.

However, the England star's display was simply a continuation of what she has shown all season. Now, after some real bad luck with injuries, the Chelsea captain is primed to be fully involved in the final stretch of the season again and, for the first time in four years, has the opportunity to make a real difference in their quest for that elusive Women's Champions League title.

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  Making up for lost time

  The last time a fully-fit Bright played a significant role in the knockout phase of the Champions League was way back in the 2020-21 season, when she helped Chelsea reach the final for the first time. After a difficult group-stage exit the following year, the Blues were in the quarter-finals again in the 2022-23 season, but it was in the first leg of their win over Lyon that Bright limped off with a season-ending knee injury.

  Last season, it was quite the opposite situation, with Bright sidelined for five months and actually making her return in the Champions League in late April, albeit only as an 84th-minute substitute in the second leg of Chelsea's semi-final loss to Barcelona. Thrown on as a makeshift centre-forward as the Blues desperately searched for a goal to keep them in the competition, she could not impact the tie as she would've hoped to.

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  In flying form

  But now, in her first campaign of full fitness since 2021-22, Bright has reminded everybody of her incredible quality. She has been immense all year long and should certainly be a strong contender for top honours when the end-of-season awards come around.

  Ranking among the top five players in the Women's Super League for most successful passes, aerial duels won and interceptions made, Bright is also among the top three Chelsea players for winning tackles, duels and possession, while leading the Blues' squad for blocks made and most successful long passes. Only Manchester United have conceded fewer goals than Sonia Bompastor's still undefeated side this term, and their captain has been a big part of the reason why.

  "Her performances have been great," Bompastor said of Bright on Saturday. "She's really having an impact on the team. I'm really pleased for her because she's a really good player, but also a good person. It's always positive when one of your leaders, and the main leader in Chelsea, is performing at that level. I think she just sets the tone for everyone else and as a captain, she shows the example."

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  Leader and a performer

  That's the other element of Bright's value that cannot be quantified. Her leadership is immaculate, as further evidenced by the fact she earned her the role of England captain when Leah Williamson was ruled of the 2023 Women's World Cup, and led the Lionesses to the final there.

  England have a lot of depth at centre-back and there are a lot of differing opinions among observers about who should be starting at this summer's European Championship. Many have long wanted to see Alex Greenwood in there regularly, owing to her world-class displays over the last few years, while Jess Carter has always been solid when she given the opportunity. Then there is Williamson, the captain and a player who has looked good for Arsenal in the second half of this season. Others, such as Esme Morgan, Millie Turner and Maya Le Tissier, will also hope to throw their hats in the ring over the next few months. It's one of the most competitive areas in the entire team.

  Right now, though, it's hard to argue against Bright being the most in-form centre-back at England's disposal. She has been the most outstanding player in that position in the WSL this term and Sarina Wiegman will certainly hope she carries that momentum into the summer.

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  Stepping up

  That's been especially important lately, too, as Chelsea have endured some serious bad luck in the position. Kadeisha Buchanan suffered a devastating ACL injury back in November, thus curtailing her season. When the January transfer window opened, the Blues strengthened in the position in the most emphatic manner possible, signing United States international Naomi Girma for a world-record fee. However, she arrived with a knock and has not played since limping off during her eventual debut over two weeks ago. Maelys Mpome has also been out since mid-February, leaving Bompastor with just Bright and Bjorn as her only natural centre-back options.

  Fortunately, both have been superb. "It's really important, especially having the chemistry between these two players in the back line," their coach noted at the weekend. It was no surprise that their strong understanding on the pitch was top of mind for Bompastor, given the comments came shortly after the pair had worked together to deal so well with Shaw's threat.

  There are other players who have deputised in the heart of defence when absolutely necessary, be it the incredibly versatile Sjoeke Nusken or England's Lucy Bronze, and Bompastor did admit she may need to think about those options in the coming weeks, if others do not return soon, in order to give Bright and Bjorn some rest.

  For now, though, neither look to be feeling any negative effects of the increasing importance of their top form and instead look primed to simply continue it as the big games come thick and fast.

Capitals race to 81 inside powerplay, and past the target in 10.3 overs, after restricting Kings to 115, the lowest total this season

Sidharth Monga20-Apr-20222:08

Manjrekar: Pant’s use of spinners was exceptional

The Delhi Capitals players spent the last four days inside their hotel rooms, unsure if they would get to play this match. They even had a change of venues to facilitate the match, but till about an hour before the game, they didn’t have the go-ahead to go to the ground, especially with a sixth member, Tim Seifert, testing positive for Covid-19 on the day. From the moment they were uncaged, almost everything went right: they won the toss, bowled Punjab Kings out for 115, and chased it down in 10.3 overs to earn some extra time off before they went back into their rooms.Punjab Kings, who have now lost more tosses than any side this IPL, stayed true to their aggressive approach but didn’t have the depth to match, especially with Odean Smith dropped for a specialist bowler, Nathan Ellis. Wickets kept falling – two each to Lalit Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Khaleel Ahmed – on what Axar called a sticky surface, although it didn’t look too sticky when the Capitals batters ended the chase in a hurry.Agarwal gets off to a flier
Mayank Agarwal, who missed the last game with injury, came back but that didn’t make any difference to Kings’ luck at the toss. Asked to bat first, Agarwal started off with intent. Staying beside the line of the ball he hit three boundaries in three overs before picking one off into the leg side last ball of the third as Shardul Thakur tried to cramp him for room. Kings were 27 for no loss in three overs with traditionally more expensive powerplay overs to come.Kuldeep Yadav struck twice in quick succession, sending back Kagiso Rabada and Nathan Ellis•BCCI/IPL

A wicket an over times four
Rishabh Pant played match-ups by bowling Lalit to Shikhar Dhawan and got a wicket immediately, although not conceivably in a planned manner. This was a long hop down the leg side, Dhawan tried to help it along to fine leg, but just didn’t get there in time, and Pant took a special catch off the face of the bat. In the next over, Agarwal, trying to stay beside the line, ended up playing on to Mustafizur Rahman.This wasn’t going to slow Kings down in the last over of the powerplay. Liam Livingstone tried to take Axar down, but missed wildly and got stumped. In the next over, Jonny Bairstow nailed a flat pull off Khaleel, but found long leg with precision. Four wickets gone for 21 runs.A new bunch of four
Jitesh Sharma and Shahrukh Khan stemmed the fall of wickets – Jitesh even managed a strike rate of about 140 – but their partnership ended at 31. Jitesh tried to sweep one of the most difficult bowlers to sweep – Axar – and paid the price with an lbw. In the one match that Kings didn’t play Smith, they found themselves five down with the best part of eight overs to go.Kuldeep then went through Kagiso Rabada and Ellis in the 14th over, Rabada with the wrong’un and Ellis with the conventional wristspin. When Shahrukh edged a Khaleel offcutter through to Pant in the next over, the last hope of a fighting total disappeared.The last two wickets added 23 but not at a pace that would bother Capitals.David Warner ended with 60 not out in just 30 balls•BCCI

Shaw, Warner romp home
The target was never going to test the Capitals batters, but they were not going to stroll to it. Teams are aware how important net run-rate can be. Not that Prithvi Shaw needs any extra motivation to go from ball one, but David Warner, too, could play much more freely than he does as the experienced batter in the side.Not surprisingly, it began with Shaw, first off an inside edge to a big inswinger from Vaibhav Arora, then more deliberately. Once Warner started going after Rabada, it was almost a hit-off between the two. If Warner hit two fours off Arora, Shaw responded with a six. Warner raised three fours off Rabada in the fourth. It took them to fifty in 3.3 overs, the fastest this season and the fifth-highest 3.3-over score in the history of the IPL.Capitals ended the powerplay with 81, the highest for any Delhi-based team in the IPL. This was the highest percentage of a 100-plus target shaved off inside the powerplay in all IPL matches.The powerplay failed to dim their intent. While Shaw fell for 41 off 20, trying to hit Rahul Chahar for a six in the seventh over, Warner went on to add to his record of fifty-plus scores in the IPL.

Ben Duckett falls five runs shy of second straight ton as Nottinghamshire’s lead looks fragile

ECB Reporters Network16-Apr-2022Glamorgan will enter the final day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Nottinghamshire feeling that they are in a strong position to complete their first victory in a red-ball match at Trent Bridge since 1998.Building on a lead of 77 on first innings, in which Timm van der Gugten’s 62 helped the last two wickets add 131 runs, they had Nottinghamshire 224 for for 8 at the close, the Netherlands international seam bowler having also starred with the ball by taking four wickets for 51.All four came after tea, starting with that of key man Ben Duckett, who fell five runs short of posting a second century in the match. No other Nottinghamshire batsman has made more than 30 and a lead of 147 looks a fragile one.Nottinghamshire, pre-season favourites to win promotion from Division Two, pulled off an improbable win over Sussex at Hove last week. Another would seem unlikely, although ninth-wicket pair Brett Hutton and Joey Evison – batting with a runner because of a sore toe – added 37 in the last 14 overs and a few more on the final morning could still set up an intriguing finish.Related

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Having let a good position slip on Friday, Nottinghamshire needed another seven overs on the third morning to take the last Glamorgan wicket, van der Gugten’s measured contribution with the bat ending when he miscued Liam Patterson-White’s left-arm spin and was caught at long-off.Michael Hogan, 19 not out, then demonstrated that his prowess with the ball does not wane even in his 41st year by removing both Nottinghamshire openers without scoring.He surprised Haseeb Hameed in his second over with a ball that climbed and looped to gully off the shoulder of the bat and, in his next over, banged another in short that Ben Slater went to pull but could only glove through to the wicketkeeper.Duckett and Joe Clarke were briefly on top as Nottinghamshire recovered from two down for one run to 45 for 2 at lunch. But Hogan and van der Gugten were able to dry up the runs immediately after lunch and Michael Neser returned to have Clarke caught behind, pushing at one that found a thin edge.Having survived a half-chance to midwicket on 32, Duckett went on the attack, going to his half-century with a lovely shot through the offside for four off Neser, following up with three legside boundaries against Andrew Salter’s off-spin.He lost another partner as skipper Steven Mullaney fell to a dab outside off stump that lacked conviction and turned into another catch for Chris Cooke.By tea, Duckett had moved into the 90s, but with Nottinghamshire still only 81 in front, Glamorgan knew that his early removal in the third session could be decisive.In the event, it came only four overs in, as the left-hander, with rare indecisiveness, pushed tentatively at a ball from van der Gugten only for it to leave him just enough to take the edge. David Lloyd took the catch at slip.Van der Gugten, finding some swing with the old ball, claimed his second wicket as Liam Patterson-White was adjudged leg before seeking to work one off his pads, a third as Sam Northeast dived full length to his left to snare Moores at second slip and a fourth as Northeast held one just over the ground to remove James Pattinson.But Hutton and Evison could yet turn the target into a tricky one, although there is a question mark over whether Evison will be able to bowl.

Arne Slot’s men are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. Eight points. Oh Jurgen Klopp, where for art thou? What the German would have given for that sort of a start to the season when he was at Liverpool.

Alas, the new regime with Slot at the helm is going rather well without the old boss. There were some hiccups on the road at St Mary’s on Sunday afternoon but just as they have done during the infant stages of the 2024/25 campaign, the Reds found a way.

Twice Southampton scored but ultimately Liverpool and indeed Mohamed Salah prevailed.

It took a succession of mistakes from Alex McCarthy and Flynn Downes that led to Dominik Szoboszlai’s opener before a neatly taken strike from Salah and a penalty from the Egyptian saw all three goals rather gift-wrapped a month out from Christmas.

It wasn’t plain sailing for the Merseysiders, far from it. Adam Armstrong scored before the break, following up on his spot kick that had initially been saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.

They did actually go ahead in the second period too when Mateus Fernandes fired home following an incisive break away by the hosts.

The inevitable Salah, however, rescued his side.

Salah's performance in numbers

Over the last few weeks, there has been a battle at the top of the league between two of the most prominent names in the Premier League; Erling Haaland and Salah.

It’s safe to say the Egyptian superstar has come out on top. Haaland has scored just twice in his last seven top-flight games while Liverpool’s star man has found the net on six occasions in his last five matches. He is a phenom. He is world-class. He could well be the man who determines where the title heads next May.

Salah might not have been at his fluid best in the first half against the Saints but he came alive in the second half and contributed with an excellent late showing on the South Coast.

His first goal was beautifully taken, latching onto a ball in behind from Ryan Gravenberch. The Reds winger needed just one touch to nudge the ball past McCarthy who was hopelessly out of position.

His second was far simpler, executing from the spot much to the delight of the travelling support. Salah darted over to the away end, tore away his shirt and bellowed loudly into the night sky. This was his moment, yet again.

The attacker was a constant nuisance throughout and hit the post late on with one of his seven shots throughout the contest. He also completed two of his three dribbles and supplied a key pass during another mightily impressive display.

He was perhaps let down by the man next to him; Darwin Nunez.

Darwin Nunez's performance in numbers

With Diogo Jota out with an injury, Nunez has had an excellent chance to showcase to Slot exactly what he’s all about. Sadly, beyond his goal against Aston Villa last time out, he’s only showing his negative side so far.

We’ll let Jamie Carragher sum things up. Speaking during commentary of the game on Sky Sports he remarked that the striker “wasn’t involved in one thing in the game”.

The stats rather sum that up too as Nunez registered just one shot on target and failed with his one and only dribble attempt.

The 25 touches the Uruguayan managed were also one fewer than goalkeeper Kelleher while his tally of ten passes (67% success rate), was the worst of any Liverpool starter on the field at St Mary’s.

Liverpool really needed an out ball and they did get that in Salah but Nunez did little to assert himself on the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Downes who was playing out of position at full-back.

That point of view was echoed by GOAL’s Tom Maston who handed the forward a 4/10 and wrote that he ‘struggled’ against the out-of-position Downes and ‘cut a frustrated figure at times’.

Hounded for an “embarrassing” moment by BBC reporter Jim Spence in the first half where he went down too easily, that was perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the game from the former Benfica ace. It’s safe to say he was saved by Salah on Sunday afternoon.

Szoboszlai axed, £90m duo sign: Liverpool dream starting XI after January

Arne Slot’s high-flying squad might be set for a reinforcement or two this winter.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 18, 2024

Arsenal have a £300 million ($389m) summer war chest as their new sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly wants to make seven new signings.

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Berta set to replace Edu at ArsenalWants to make 'significant changes' to the squadCould bring in seven new faces in next transfer windowFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 53-year-old Italian, who previously spent over a decade shaping Atletico Madrid’s squad, has reportedly agreed to join the Gunners and is expected to start work as soon as his contract is finalised. With no concerns over breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations, Arsenal are ready to invest heavily, as reported by . Berta is believed to be targeting reinforcements across multiple positions, including a back-up goalkeeper, left-back, defensive midfielder, left-winger, striker, and cover for Bukayo Saka. Additionally, an all-round central midfielder could also be brought in to further strengthen the squad.

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One of Arsenal’s key targets this summer is Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, with the club reportedly looking to activate the £51m ($66m) release clause in his contract. The Spain international has long been on Arsenal’s radar, and Berta sees him as a key component in Mikel Arteta’s midfield plans. The club is also monitoring Athletic Club winger Nico Williams and Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, with sources indicating that both players could be part of Arsenal's summer spending spree.

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Newcastle United duo Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak have also been identified as priority signings. Berta is particularly keen on Guimaraes, believing the Brazilian midfielder could add dynamism and control to Arteta’s system alongside Zubimendi.

While signing Isak from Newcastle could be a challenge, Arsenal have also held discussions regarding RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko. The young Slovenian striker is said to be interested in a move to north London, making him a viable alternative if negotiations for Isak stall. The Gunners have also kept tabs on Wolves forward Matheus Cunha, who was linked with a move to the Emirates earlier this season.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

As Arsenal lay the groundwork for an ambitious summer rebuild, all eyes will be on how Berta’s arrival impacts their recruitment strategy and whether these marquee signings can take the club to the next level. With Arteta looking to turn Arsenal into title contenders in England and Europe, the backing from the club’s hierarchy will be key to fulfilling his ambitions.

Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side got a fantastic 2-1 Manchester derby win last Sunday. The Red Devils overcame Manchester City despite going 1-0 behind early on, with Amad Diallo starring once again. He won the penalty that Bruno Fernandes coolly converted, before grabbing the winner himself just moments later.

It was a fantastic day at the office for United, who once again defended diligently and created some big chances, which, of course, they capitalised on. There were some bold calls from Amorim, who dropped two of United’s stars from the squad. Neither Alejandro Garnacho nor Marcus Rashford played any part in the game.

That has certainly thrown Rashford’s future at the club up in the air.

Why Rashford could leave Man United

United academy graduate Rashford has been the face of Old Trafford for a number of years. In a decade of inconsistency and poor performances, he has often been the man who could provide a bright spark.

However, it has been another tough campaign so far for the 27-year-old. He is failing to hit the numbers in front of goal that might be expected of him, with seven goals and three assists in 24 games across competitions. According to a report from the Guardian, ‘Amorim has decided Rashford needs to leave’ the club ‘to engineer a shift in culture’ at Old Trafford.

Indeed, his record for the club is exceptional. Since breaking into the first team, back in 2015/16 under Louis van Gaal, he has gone on to play 426 times for the club, scoring 138 times and grabbing 64 assists. His best campaign came in 2022/23 when he scored 30 times and grabbed nine assists in 56 games.

At his very best, Rashford can be absolutely deadly, and opposition managers have previously spoken highly of him. One of those is Barcelona legend Xavi, who explained the England international is “one of the most dangerous players now in Europe” back in 2023.

Sadly, United fans haven’t really seen that version of the Wythenshawe-born star for some time. Rashford might well leave the club, meaning United would have to replace their number 10. They have already been linked with one potential replacement.

Man United would 'love' amazing Rashford replacement

The man in question here, remarkably, is Real Madrid winger Kylian Mbappe. It has not been long since he moved to the Santiago Bernabeu, although he has already been linked with a departure. If that does materialise, United ‘would love’ to try and sign him, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

On the face of things, it would be an odd move considering it goes against everything Sir Jim Ratcliffe said when he bought a stake in the club. He explained that “I would rather sign the next Mbappe rather than spend a fortune buying success”, ironic given the club could now do just that.

With that being said, the new United owner hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory or fulfilled promises so far at Old Trafford, making some unpopular choices including hiking the ticket prices up to £66.

Despite Ratcliffe’s words, there is no doubt Mbappe would be a fantastic signing. He is an extraordinary talent, described as the “best player in the world” by former PSG captain Domi.

Many say he has had a slow start to life in Madrid, but that is because the £121m-rated star is held him to such high standards. In 22 games for Los Blancos, he has 12 goals and two assists, with nine of those strikes coming in La Liga and a debut goal against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup.

After bursting onto the scene at AS Monaco is PSG’s all-time top goalscorer, with 256 goals in 308 appearances, and is only ten goals away from becoming France’s all-time top scorer too, with 48 to his name so far.

This term, the 25-year-old is outperforming Rashford in several key metrics, as well as outsourcing the Englishman. According to Squawka, the Frenchman averages more goals per game than United’s homegrown forward, with 0.7 compared to 0.4. He also completes more take-ons, with 2.6 to Rashford’s 0.9.

Shots

3.4

1.1

Shots on target

2.5

0.9

Goals

0.7

0.4

Conversion rate

18.75%

36.36%

Take-ons completed

2.6

0.9

Take-on success %

45.12%

25.71

Singing Mbappe would be a big statement for United. As unlikely as it might seem at this moment, there is believed to be interest from the Red Devils.

Losing Rashford would sting for many reasons, but replacing him with a player who many, including Enrqiue, consider the best player in the world, would perhaps make up for it.

Their own Haaland: Man Utd eyeing "superstar" Rashford upgrade in January

Man United are looking to sign Victor Osimhen to replace Marcus Rashford, who was left out of the squad to face Man City.

ByGeorge Light Dec 16, 2024

أعلنت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة، مساء الثلاثاء، قراراتها الرسمية بشأن عقوبات الجولة الثانية من المرحلة النهائية لمسابقة دوري Nile، وذلك وفقًا للوائح المعتمدة للموسم الكروي 2024-2025، بما في ذلك لائحة المخالفات ونظام ضبط الجودة.

وأكدت الرابطة في بيانها أن القرارات تأتي ضمن جهودها لضبط السلوك الرياضي والحفاظ على الانضباط داخل وخارج المستطيل الأخضر، مشددة على التزامها بتطبيق اللوائح على جميع الفرق واللاعبين دون استثناء، لضمان سير المسابقة بأعلى درجات الاحتراف.

وشهدت الجولة الثانية عدة أحداث جدلية داخل الملاعب، تراوحت بين اعتراضات جماعية، وحالات طرد، وتجاوزات فردية من بعض عناصر الأجهزة الفنية والإدارية، بالإضافة إلى سلوكيات غير رياضية صادرة من بعض الجماهير، ما استدعى تدخلًا حاسمًا من لجنة الانضباط.

وأكدت الرابطة أنه تم تطبيق المادة (54) من لائحة دوري Nile الخاصة بتراكم الإنذارات على الأجهزة الفنية والإدارية والطبية، وكذلك اللاعبين. عقوبات رابطة الأندية 

مباراة إنبي ومودرن سبورت:

غرامة 10,000 جنيه على نادي إنبي لتأخر الفريق في النزول لأرض الملعب. 

إيقاف عبد الظاهر السقا، المدير الرياضي لمودرن سبورت، مباراة واحدة، مع غرامة 10,000 جنيه للطرد، و5,000 جنيه إضافية لاعتراضه على الحكم.

الأرقام لا تكذب.. الأهلي يتفوق هجوميًا وصن داونز يعاند بالتاريخ في موقعة دوري الأبطال

إيقاف طارق الشرقاوي مباراة واحدة وغرامة 10,000 جنيه للطرد.

غرامة 100,000 جنيه ولفت نظر لفريق مودرن سبورت بسبب قذف الزجاجات من مقاعد الجهاز الإداري نحو الحكم.

منع سمير علي، منسق الفريق، من مرافقة مودرن سبورت 4 مباريات وتغريمه 50,000 جنيه للاعتداء (غير العنيف) على الحكم.

مباراة الجونة وزد:

إيقاف محمد حسونة (الجونة) مباراتين وغرامة 5,000 جنيه للعب العنيف.

مباراة غزل المحلة وسموحة:

إيقاف موري توريه (غزل المحلة) مباراة واحدة وغرامة 5,000 جنيه لحصوله على الإنذار الثالث. 

مباراة فاركو وسيراميكا كليوباترا:

إيقاف بوبكر ندياي (فاركو) مباراة واحدة وغرامة 5,000 جنيه (الإنذار الثالث).

إيقاف ياسين عبد القادر (فاركو) مباراتين وغرامة 5,000 جنيه للعب العنيف.

إيقاف حسن علي جمعة (مدرب فاركو) مباراة واحدة وغرامة 10,000 جنيه للطرد، و30,000 جنيه لمحاولة الاعتداء على مدير سيراميكا.

إيقاف محمد بسام وأحمد رمضان (سيراميكا) مباراة واحدة وغرامة 5,000 جنيه لكل منهما (الإنذار الثالث). 

إيقاف خالد عبد النبي (مدير سيراميكا) مباراة واحدة وغرامة 10,000 جنيه للطرد، و30,000 لمحاولة الاعتداء على مدرب فاركو.

مباراة بيراميدز والأهلي:

إيقاف محمد الشيبي ووليد الكرتي مباراة واحدة لكل منهما، مع غرامة 5,000 جنيه (الإنذار الثالث).

إيقاف مهند لاشين مباراة واحدة وغرامة 2,500 جنيه للطرد بعد إنذارين.

إنذار أحمد زاهر (مدير إداري بيراميدز) وغرامة 30,000 جنيه لمحاولة الاعتداء على محمد شوقي.

إنذار كرونسلاف (مدرب بيراميدز) وغرامة 30,000 جنيه لمحاولة الاعتداء على إمام عاشور. 

غرامة إضافية 20,000 جنيه على الشيبي لعدم استلام جائزة رجل المباراة في الموعد المحدد. 

إنذار محمد شوقي (مدير الكرة بـ الأهلي) وغرامة 30,000 جنيه لمحاولة الاعتداء على أحمد زاهر. 

لفت نظر وغرامة 100,000 جنيه على الأهلي لقذف جماهيره الزجاجات مرتين خلال اللقاء.

إنذار إمام عاشور وغرامة 50,000 جنيه لمحاولة الاعتداء على مدرب بيراميدز أثناء توقف اللعب. 

مباراة الزمالك وحرس الحدود:

إيقاف محمود حمدي ومحمود بنتايك (الزمالك) مباراة واحدة وغرامة 5,000 جنيه لكل لاعب لحصولهما على الإنذار الثالث. 

Big picture

362 caps v 206 caps.For the first time since they got Test status in 2000, Bangladesh are in South Africa with an opportunity to challenge the home team. They have already won the ODI series, they have the more experienced Test squad, and can potentially take advantage of South Africa missing their IPL stars in the two-match series.South Africa captain Dean Elgar has toned down the rhetoric after he had called the players’ choice between national duty for this series and IPL as a “litmus test of loyalty.” Having not got his way with the squad, the onus is on Elgar to bat, bat and contribute big.Elgar will heavily bank on Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj, the other experienced players, along with Duanne Olivier, the fast bowler who leads an inexperienced pace attack. Maharaj may be able to bowl in tandem with offspinner Simon Harmer. who is set to return to international cricket for the first time since 2015.The only solace for the home side is that Bangladesh won’t have Shakib Al Hasan, who is home for personal reasons. Shakib aside, Bangladesh have their best players available, particularly with Tamim Iqbal back in the Test fold after missing the New Zealand series. Bangladesh can look at that tour for inspiration too, having recorded their first-ever Test win in New Zealand.Tamim, Mominul and Mushfiqur would once again carry the batting. Their form will be particularly crucial because Bangladesh have averaged 18 with the bat in South Africa, so just like the ODI series, they have a lot of room for improvement in this country.

Form guide

South Africa WLWWL (Last five completed matches; most recent first)
Bangladesh LWLLW

In the spotlight

Taskin Ahmed was named Player of the ODI Series. This has helped rebuild his reputation in South Africa after his disastrous 2017 tour. That said, Taskin has lots to prove in Test cricket still. The initial signs are encouraging. Over the past 11 months, he has brought down his bowling average from 97.42 to 56.73. He’ll be looking to improve further.All eyes will be on Dean Elgar whose 74 caps make up for one-third of South Africa’s Test experience ahead of the series. Apart from, of course, wanting talk about the missing stars to die down, he has to bounce back with some runs too, having managed just 55 runs in four innings.

Team news

From the XI that beat New Zealand by 198 runs to level the series last month, South Africa will be without Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. Ryan Rickelton is likely to be handed a debut, while Harmer, Olivier and Keegan Petersen could also get games.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Keegan Petersen, 4 Ryan Rickleton, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Simon Harmer, 9 Duanne Olivier/Glenton Stuurman, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Lutho SipamlaTamim Iqbal and Mahmudul Hasan Joy will form the opening pair while Mushfiqur Rahim returns to the middle order after missing the second Test in New Zealand in January.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Ebadot Hossain

Pitch and conditions

Rain is in the forecast for the first four days in Durban. The Kingsmead pitch is synonymous with pace and bounce but spin has played its part in recent years. First-class teams this year have averaged 400 runs in the first two innings.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa have four uncapped players in their current Test squad. In 2017, they fielded two debutants in the Potchefstroom Test, the most against Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque and South Africa’s Temba Bavuma will play their 50th Test in Durban on Thursday. Mominul will be Bangladesh’s seventh, and Bavuma South Africa’s 24th.

Thierry Henry remains one of if not the best ever player to grace the Premier League after his spell in North London with Arsenal, giving the supporters countless memories during his time as a player.

The Frenchman only cost £11m way back in 1999, a fee that turned out to be an absolute bargain given his goalscoring exploits during his time as a Gunner.

Henry managed to register a total of 228 goals during his time in the capital, the most of any player in the club’s history, managing to reach double figures in all but one season during his first eight years at the club.

His time under Arsène Wenger was littered with moments of magic, helping his compatriot claim two Premier League titles and three FA Cup triumphs – along with two Player of the Year awards, cementing himself in Arsenal folklore forever.

Fast forward to 2024 and current boss Mikel Arteta would undoubtedly do anything for a player with similar qualities to the fan favourite, potentially getting just that in the form of one star in January.

Arsenal plotting January move for French star

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are targeting a January loan deal to sign PSG attacker Randal Kolo Muani to help bolster their title ambitions towards the tail end of the campaign.

The Frenchman has been allowed to leave the Parisians ahead of the upcoming window to help him gain valuable first-team minutes after struggling to make an impact in Ligue 1 as of late.

Big expectations were placed on the shoulders of the 26-year-old after his £76.4m move back in the summer of 2023, but he’s only managed to notch 11 goals since his big-money transfer.

However, he could provide a solid option in the short-term for Arteta, looking to soften the blow of losing Bukayo Saka, after the Englishman was ruled out for up to two months after picking up a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace.

Kolo Muani can operate in any of the front three attacking roles, providing that added depth and quality needed if the club are to make a push for top spot over the coming months.

He would also provide an upgrade on one current first-team option who’s ultimately failed to make the impression many would’ve been envisaged after his own huge move to the Emirates.

Why Kolo Muani would be an upgrade on Jesus for Arsenal

Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus made the move to North London in the summer of 2022, looking to hand Arteta the quality he desired at the top end of the pitch.

His £45m move brought about massive excitement among the fanbase, but to date, the former Manchester City forward has only scored 25 times in his 92 appearances during his two-and-a-half-year stint as a Gunner.

The 27-year-old has only scored twice in the league during 2024/25, with the focal area of the pitch undoubtedly the area which requires the greatest need of attention ahead of January.

The PSG forward, who’s previously been dubbed a “superstar” by German legend Lothar Matthäus, has also been compared to club-legend Henry by the Bundesliga website – making him an exciting addition should he get anywhere near close to his performance levels.

Any deal for Kolo Muani would provide that added quality the Arsenal boss has been desiring in recent times, producing figures that Jesus has simply been unable to match during the opening months of the season.

He’s managed to produce a higher game per goal ratio than the Brazilian, whilst also completing more take-ons per 90, making him a useful fit across the frontline should a deal be completed.

Kolo Muani

Jesus

Games played

10

14

Goals scored

2

2

Games per goal

5

7

Shot-on-target accuracy

40%

33%

Take-ons completed

1.8

1

Take-on success

50%

25%

Aerials won

75%

31%

However, it’s his ability to win aerials that could prove crucial, massively outperforming Jesus in such a department, potentially handing Arteta that added focal point which his side have desperately lacked since the Spaniard’s arrival.

With any transfer likely to only be on a temporary basis, it could be a free hit for the club in taking a punt on the Frenchman, potentially reaping the rewards should they decide to do so, whilst only paying his reported £202k-per-week wage.

Kolo Muani would certainly provide that added quality needed at the top end of the pitch, whilst also providing depth to soften the blow of losing arguably their most important player in Saka.

Arsenal chasing £159k-p/w Havertz upgrade who's "even better than Haaland"

The striker could be exactly who Arsenal need

2 ByJoe Nuttall Dec 28, 2024

أكد الإعلامي خالد الغندور، نجم الزمالك السابق، إن هناك تحركات من لجنة التخطيط بالقلعة البيضاء، لإتمام التعاقد مع صفقتين جديدتين خلال الفترة المُقبلة، تمهيدًا لانضمامهما للفريق الأول لكرة القدم، في فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المُقبلة.

وقال الغندور، في تصريحات إذاعية عبر برنامج “الحريفة” على إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “الثلاثي أحمد حسام ميدو وعمرو الجنايني وحازم إمام يعملون حاليًا على إنهاء صفقتين، إحداهما من المغرب والأخرى من الجزائر”.

طالع أيضًا | شريف أشرف عن رحيل زيزو المحتمل لـ الأهلي: جمهور الزمالك اعتاد على الصدمات

وأضاف: “هناك لاعب سيأتي ليحل محل أحمد سيد زيزو، الذي كان يشغل مركز الجناح الأيمن، في الوقت الذي يقترب فيه شيكابالا من الاعتزال، ويوجد أيضًا أحمد الجفالي، وهو لاعب من مواليد 2005، لكن حتى الآن لم يتم حسم ما إذا كان سيُقيد تحت السن أم لا، خاصة أن موعد القيد في الموسم الجديد لم تتضح تفاصيله حتى الآن”.

وأشار الغندور إلى أن الغموض لا يزال يحيط بشروط القيد الجديدة، سواء من حيث عدد اللاعبين الأجانب أو من سيُعتبر ضمن قائمة تحت السن، لافتًا إلى أن الحديث يدور حول فتح باب القيد يوم 2 يونيو، لكن التفاصيل الرسمية لم تُعلن بعد.

يذكر، أن الزمالك يستعد لملاقاة المصري البورسعيدي، يوم الخميس الموافق 1 مايو، في إطار الجولة الثالثة من عمر منافسات المرحلة النهائية لبطولة الدوري المصري.