Category Uncategorized

Celtic secured their place in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Sunday with a fantastic 4-0 win over Partick Thistle away from Parkhead at Firhill.

The Hoops strolled to a comfortable victory against the second tier outfit, who have not been in the Scottish Premiership in seven years, with four different goalscorers.

Hyun-jun Yang, Liam Scales, Sebastian Tounekti, and Luke McCowan all got their names on the scoresheet, and Tounekti was particularly impressive again.

The summer signing from Hammarby caught the eye against Kilmarnock, creating four chances (per Sofascore), and played an important role in the first goal against Partick Thistle with his pass for Benjamin Nygren, before going on to score his first goal for the club.

Brendan Rodgers will hope that the comfortable win will provide his squad with the confidence that they need to hit the ground running in the Europa League against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night.

One Celtic player who needs to step up on the pitch in the coming weeks after a string of unimpressive displays is central midfielder Reo Hatate.

Why Reo Hatate needs to step up for Celtic

The Japan international put in a decent showing against Partick Thistle, a Championship outfit, but it was not a mesmerising performance that made up for some of his recent outings.

Hatate’s form has not been up to the standards that he has set himself throughout his Celtic career, particularly with his displays in the Champions League qualifier clashes against Kairat.

The Hoops failed to qualify for the league phase of the competition, losing on penalties after two 0-0 draws, and the midfielder’s lack of contributions in and out of possession played a part in that.

Reo Hatate vs Kairat	1st leg	2nd leg
Minutes	90	105
Shots on target	1	0
Pass accuracy	84%	68%
Big chances created	0	1
Duels won	0/8	3/15
Fouls committed	3	4
Possession lost	16x	25x
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Hatate was far too wasteful with the ball at his feet and weak off the ball, losing the majority of his duels, across the two matches.

The 27-year-old star also failed to score a goal or create a ‘big chance’ for the team in his last two appearances in the Scottish Premiership for the Hoops, which shows that he has struggled in recent weeks outside of his showing against a lower tier opponent.

Hatate scored ten goals, including the one in the clip above, and created 14 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but he has been unable to deliver the same level of consistency in the final third this term.

This is why the Japan international needs to step up for the Scottish giants, because he is capable of being an exceptional performer for the club in the middle of the park with his ability at the top end of the pitch.

If Hatate is unable to recapture the form that his output last season proved he is capable of, Rodgers must consider removing him from the starting XI for a period of time.

The emergence of Colby Donovan, who has started the last two matches at right-back, shows that the manager is willing to provide academy talent with a chance if they are ready to be thrown in.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With this in mind, Rodgers could find the next version of Donovan, who has been a solid performer in the last two matches with his defensive reliability and composure in possession, by unleashing Sean McArdle to replace Hatate in the XI.

Why Sean McArdle could replace Reo Hatate for Celtic

Of course, the manager does have club-record signing Arne Engels, who joined for £11m from Augsburg last summer, Luke McCowan, and Paulo Bernardo also at his disposal to select in midfield.

However, the minor success of Donovan, who won five of his nine duels and had 101 touches (per Sofascore) against Kilmarnock, could inspire the head coach to look to the academy once again.

McArdle is not a complete stranger to first-team football at Parkhead. Rodgers rewarded his strong form for the B team with two appearances for the senior side in the Premiership towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The 18-year-old star made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old against Hibernian in the Premiership, playing eight minutes off the bench in a 3-1 win.

As the manager said in the clip above, the young sensation earned his chance through his form for the B team, and it is down to him to take the next step in his career.

McArdle, who Rodgers claimed has “got a wee edge to him”, then played a second match against Aberdeen, again off the bench, and showed promising signs in both outings.

Sean McArdle (Premiership)	Vs Hibernian	Vs Aberdeen
Minutes	8	9
Passes completed	8/8	11/12
Key passes	0	1
Dribbles completed	0	1
Duels won	1/2	1/1
Possession lost	1x	1x
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the teenage whiz only lost possession twice in those 17 minutes, plus stoppage time, of football, whilst creating one chance for the side.

McArdle’s form at youth team level for Celtic also suggests that he can provide the goal threat that Hatate offers at his best, with seven goals in 53 matches, per Transfermarkt.

The Scottish starlet has scored in both of his appearances in the Challenge Cup this season, per Sofascore, including one against Alloa Athletic earlier this month.

These statistics show that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch to go along with his composure in possession, as evidenced by his pass accuracy in his first two first-team outings.

He was not phased by the occasion against Hibernian or Aberdeen, showing his class on the ball in both games, and this suggests that he has the mentality to take that next step to be Donovan 2.0 this season.

As good as Tounekti: 7/10 Celtic star is now a player "to be excited about"

This Celtic star was as good as Sebastian Tounekti in the comfortable win over Partick Thistle.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 21, 2025

It is now down to Rodgers to provide McArdle with that opportunity to impress once again to see if he can emerge as a genuine alternative to Hatate, who has been a shadow of himself of late.

SRH have never won against CSK in Chennai. Will the jinx end on Friday?

Alagappan Muthu24-Apr-20252:38

How SRH could get off the mark against CSK in Chennai

Big picture: Former champions’ fading campaignsIPL 2025 is officially just over a month old. Teams are just about starting their return legs. So it is still far too early to rule any team out. Even the two at the bottom. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) can still make the playoffs if they win each of their remaining six matches starting Friday.Everything has to go right for something like that to happen and that’s really not how the CSK or the SRH campaign has gone this season. With only two wins so far, CSK have equalled their worst start to an IPL. They had two wins from eight games in 2022 as well, when they finished ninth on the table. Both sides have the same problem. Batting.Related

Jadeja in no-man's land as CSK's plans just won't work

Jamie Overton soaks in the different world of the IPL

'There are times when you have to rejig your attitude' but SRH haven't done that

Knight: 'Klaasen is batting far too low. Six overs or a tick over, get him out there'

SRH’s struggles are perplexing because this is the same line-up that made 250s for fun less than a year ago. They even strengthened it by adding Ishan Kishan. Somehow all that firepower keeps failing collectively, which is something CSK might be able to sympathise with. None of their auction picks have worked – barring Noor Ahmad – and even some of their established stars are tracking in the wrong direction.Form guideChennai Super Kings: LWLLL (last five matches, most recent first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: LLWLLIn the spotlight: Ayush Mhatre and Pat CumminsCSK’s batting line-up used to have a shock absorber. Someone MS Dhoni called a luxury player, who would bat only in case of collapses. Like S Badrinath or Ajinkya Rahane. Experienced hands capable of navigating tricky situations. This year, CSK’s tried and tested have failed, forcing them to look outside the system for solutions. Ayush Mhatre provided the glimpse of one in the last game against Mumbai Indians and on Friday, has another chance to show off his skills.As proof that T20 cricket really does hate bowlers, Pat Cummins, one of the finest of this generation, is the leader of a bowling attack that has been ineffective and expensive. SRH have the fewest wickets (38) and the highest run-rate (10.59) of all 10 teams. Cummins has put himself front and centre to try and find a solution to this, bowling more overs than anybody else in the team, but it hasn’t quite worked. He is their second highest wicket taker, but those wickets are coming at 40 runs apiece.Team news and probable XIIs: SRH could choose an extra spinnerCSK have used 20 of 27 players this season, which makes predicting their XIIs a bit of a lottery. Many of the younger players in the squad were involved in match simulation training at their High Performance Academy on Wednesday. It is learnt new recruit Dewald Brevis batted at No. 4.Chennai Super Kings: 1 Rachin Ravindra, 2 Shaik Rasheed, 3 Ayush Mhatre, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Jamie Overton, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmad, 11 Matheesha PathiranaSRH might want to bring in an extra spinner in Chennai, Rahul Chahar or Kamindu Mendis.Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Travis Head, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Rahul Chahar/Zeeshan Ansari, 12 Kamindu Mendis/Eshan Malinga0:42

Knight: Klaasen batting far too low for SRH

The big questionHeinrich Klaasen is SRH’s best batter with 281 runs at an average of 40.14 and strike rate of 159.65. Should he come up the order and shape the game, especially against CSK who are likely to attack with spin, or stay in the middle as the designated finisher?Pitch and conditions: CSK’s struggles against spinSpinners have taken 27 out of the 50 wickets that have fallen at Chepauk this year. But CSK haven’t been in a position to exploit that because their own batting has struggled against spin, including in their most recent home game against Kolkata Knight Riders where they gave up six wickets for 55 runs in 12 overs.Stats and trivia: Dhoni’s 400th T20 match SRH have never won against CSK in Chennai. Will it be their turn to breach the fortress, after Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals did the same earlier? CSK’s usual win-loss ratio at home (68%) has fallen to 25% this IPL Dhoni will be playing his 400th T20, joining the ranks of Rohit Sharma (456), Dinesh Karthik (412) and Virat Kohli (407) as the most experienced Indians in the format. Shivam Dube rose to prominence as a spin-hitter. This season he has the second-lowest strike rate against spin – 114.86 – among those who have faced at least 50 deliveries. Top of the list is another CSK player, Ravindra Jadeja (87.93). Rahul Chahar has picked up 14 wickets at an economy rate of 6.2, which is only bettered by Sunil Narine’s 5.9 among bowlers who’ve bowled at least 25 overs at Chepauk. He also keeps Dhoni (strike rate 56), Jadeja (SR 88) and Dube (SR 114) quiet. That’s a strong case for SRH to put him in the XI. CSK might save Matheesha Pathirana’s overs for whenever Klaasen comes in to bat. Their head to head in T20 cricket reads 26 runs in 22 balls for three dismissals There are five batters who have faced at least 30 balls in the powerplay and haven’t hit any sixes this IPL. Four of them are in this match: Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ishan Kishan and Shaik Rasheed.

When England hired Thomas Tuchel, they knew they were about to steal several headlines. Not only did the former Chelsea boss become the first foreign manager to take the role since Fabio Capello, but he also instantly stood out as a manager who has achieved great things at club level.

Gareth Southgate didn’t steal those headlines and for all his experience, neither did Roy Hodgson. Tuchel, however, is a Champions League winner who entered the Three Lions’ den with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich on a CV packed with moments to remember. Now, many believe that he could be the England manager to finally stop the world in its motion and end the men’s side’s wait for silverware.

Naturally, with such an illustrious career, Tuchel has coached some of the best players around European football. At Chelsea, he had N’Golo Kante and Thiago Silva. At PSG, it was even more absurd as he took charge of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar – arguably becoming the last manager to truly get the best out of the latter.

Neymar under Tuchel

Record

Appearances

67

Goals

51

Assists

34

His time as England manager has only continued the trend of top players. The German now has the chance to mold a golden generation into long-awaited winners in a squad which is likely to include Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka at the 2026 World Cup – just to name a few.

Kane has already been full of praise for the manager too, telling reporters: “Thomas Tuchel is fantastic, he has settled in straight away. He is a pleasure to work for, he has brought the passion.”

Related England's top 12 goalscorers at the World Cup

Harry Kane has surged up the rankings in recent years, but which England star has the most goals at World Cup finals?

Posts 2 ByBen Browning Feb 25, 2025

Not even Kane’s praise has been enough to soften Tuchel’s stance, however, as the veteran coach named a former Borussia Dortmund star as the best player he’s worked with.

Tuchel: "Outstanding" Dembele is best player I've worked with

Not Neymar, not Kane, not Saka and not even Mbappe could take the crown away from Ousmane Dembele as Tuchel listed off the best player that he’s worked with. Speaking to Sky Sports, Tuchel name-dropped Dembele and described the Frenchman as one of “the craziest natural talents” that he’s ever seen.

A year ago, that answer would have received a questionable response. Dembele looked like a player destined to fall below his potential and instead suffer a career summarised by injury struggles. But then things finally clicked.

From a struggling star, Dembele is now among the Ballon d’Or favourites after leading PSG to Champions League victory for the first time in their history.

Whilst others began to look past his ability, Tuchel always believed. He had the chance to work with the PSG star during the early days of his career at Dortmund and shaped a player who joined Barcelona for a staggering £135.5m. Now, years on and in the middle of a long-awaited Parisian romance, Dembele is finally proving Tuchel right.

Crystal Palace are in the market for late signings and are now in surprise talks over a deal to bring a rival star to Selhurst Park, according to reports.

Crystal Palace set to welcome Christantus Uche

The Eagles have been involved in some high-stakes negotiations today and they could be set to welcome a number of arrivals before the close of play.

Eberechi Eze is gone and Crystal Palace may now have found his replacement in the form of Christantus Uche, who will arrive from Getafe after Wolverhampton Wanderers saw their move break down for the Nigeria international.

Bobby Manzi confirmed the latest on his situation this morning via X, stating: “Christantus Uche closing in on a move to Crystal Palace. Versatile forward capable of playing as a striker, left-sided attacker and advanced midfielder. Boosts forward ranks with Odsonne Edouard set to leave. Uche has started all three games for Getafe this season, picking up a goal and an assist.”

Putting that aside, Crystal Palace are set to complete a shock loan move for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Igor Julio in the form of a straight loan, in a surprise development given both sides are fierce rivals.

That may be a pivotal step in Marc Guehi’s situation, which is subject to change at any moment, but it appears that Oliver Glasner wants backline cover regardless of circumstance.

Time is running out and supporters are waiting on baited breath for announcements, which could help to shape the campaign Crystal Palace can have moving forward after their FA Community Shield victory.

Managers are always hungry for more options to fit their tactical mode of operation, and Glasner appears to have made a late play to bring a winger to Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace in talks over loan move for Manor Solomon

According to Mailsport, Crystal Palace are in discussions over a loan swoop for Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon that could include a buy option.

Speaking about the deal, reporter Matt Barlow stated: “Crystal Palace are among those interested in Manor Solomon. They had an approach flatly rejected over the weekend.

Crystal Palace make late approach to sign 19-cap defender alongside Canvot

The Eagles are ready to try and land his signature.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 30, 2025

“Maybe Daniel Levy was not keen to deal with Palace after the embarrassment he suffered when the Eberechi Eze deal was hijacked by rivals Arsenal. And Thomas Frank does not want to lose firepower unless it can be replaced. But Palace have returned today and there are discussions about a possible loan with an option.”

Labelled “brilliant” by Adam Pope, the former Fulham man was a smash-hit on loan at Leeds United last term, registering ten goals and 13 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions as they claimed promotion.

Nevertheless, there may be a late opening for him to leave North London, and a move across the city could be on the cards if all parties can come to an agreement before this evening’s cut-off point.

The deal includes the two Tests in Galle and the pair of ODIs which provide preparation for the Champions Trophy

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2025The Seven Network has stepped in to secure the rights for Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka, just 12 days before the first Test begins.Australian cricket fans were at risk of being plunged into a television black hole for the two Tests and two ODIs after no network had acquired the rights.But Seven, which broadcasts home Tests, women’s internationals, and the Big Bash League, will take on the entire tour through their free-to-air stations and on the 7plus app. The first Test in Galle, which starts on January 29, runs concurrently with the day-night Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG.Related

Smith's assist in Connolly's selection, ten years on from childhood photo

Extra ODI added to Australia's tour of Sri Lanka

'It doesn't look great': Kuhnemann's Sri Lanka tour in jeopardy after thumb injury

“What this summer has shown us is that Australians absolutely love their cricket, and we cannot wait to deliver even more action as Australia takes on Sri Lanka,” Seven’s head of cricket Joel Starcevic said.Every men’s Test tour has been broadcast back to Australia for the past three decades. The last Test not shown in Australia was during the Pakistan tour in 1994.But this will be the first non-Ashes full overseas men’s Test tour shown on free-to-air TV in Australia since Mark Taylor’s team played in South Africa back in 1997, when Seven also had the rights. In 2023 they broadcast the World Test Championship final between Australia and India at The Oval.Foxtel has had a stranglehold on rights for Australia’s overseas matches since broadcasting tours of India and Pakistan back in 1998. They broadcast Australia’s most recent Test series in Sri Lanka in 2022.However, Foxtel has not regularly broadcast Test series from Sri Lanka not involving Australia, and therefore do not have a long-running agreement with them.Foxtel recently agreed to a sale to British-based sports streaming platform DAZN, but that is still to be finalised over the first six months of 2025.Amazon has won the rights to ICC events in the 2024-2027 cycle, including this year’s WTC final, but the streaming giant’s Australian arm is yet to dip its toe into bilateral series.

England's schedule for the remainder of 2025 has been confirmed, with the Lionesses to host Brazil, Australia and Ghana before the year is out.

Home

Home Kit

Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyAway

Away Kit

Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyGoalkeeper

Goalkeeper Kit

Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyHome

Home Kit

Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyAway

Away Kit

Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyGoalkeeper

Goalkeeper Kit

Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyHome

Home Kit

Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyAway

Away Kit

Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyGoalkeeper

Goalkeeper Kit

Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL

From

£84.99

BuyEngland confirm final matches of 2025Lionesses to face Brazil in next fixtureAustralia, China & Ghana also to visitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

England had already confirmed a date at Wembley to face China in November and another trio of home friendlies now forms what is being branded as their 'homecoming series', as the Lionesses hit four different venues around the country to celebrate their European Championship triumph this past summer with as many fans as possible.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Brazil will be the first team to take on Sarina Wiegman's side after they clinched their second successive European title by beating Spain on penalties back in July, with the Selecao coming off the back of their own triumph at Copa America. The two will meet at the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, on Saturday October 25. England's second fixture of that international break will take place three days later, when they face Australia at Derby County's Pride Park. The Matildas will be led by a familiar face, after former Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro took over the side back in June.

AND WHAT'S MORE

The Lionesses' final international break of the year will also feature two non-European opponents, starting with China at Wembley on Saturday November 29. More than 60,000 tickets have already been sold for that fixture, which was announced at the end of July. Three days later, a clash with Ghana will follow, at St Mary's in Southampton. It will be England's first-ever meeting with the Black Queens, who finished third at this summer's Africa Cup of Nations.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

"It is great that we can return to action after our incredible summer with four exciting fixtures at home," Wiegman said. "Each opponent will challenge us in different ways, which is exactly what we need with World Cup qualification beginning early next year. It’s very nice to begin against Brazil and it is also special for us to be able to play again for our fans in Manchester for the first time since Euro 2022. We know from the Finalissima in 2023 that they will be very tough opponents.

“We love taking the team around the country, so to also play Australia in Derby and Ghana in Southampton as well as the China fixture at Wembley gives us a lovely way to say thank you for the incredible support we have had this year and before."

A hugely promising Glasgow Rangers transfer update has now emerged, with a fresh update claiming that they have agreed to sign a Premier League player.

Rangers open talks with Vardy and eye further signings

The Gers have reportedly opened talks to bring Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy to Ibrox, ahead of what could be such an interesting piece of business this summer. 49ers Enterprises are clearly hoping to add some high level experience along with bringing in the likes of Thelo Aasgaard from Luton Town to add some youthful exuberance.

At 38, Vardy certainly isn’t getting any younger, and isn’t the force he was when he inspired the Foxes to a stunning Premier League title win back in 2015/16, but he still has the hunger and quality to be a big success in the Scottish Premiership next season.

Rangers are also said to be closing in on the signing of Conor Coady from Leicester, with the centre-back possessing an enormous amount of experience in his career, representing both Liverpool and Everton.

He isn’t the only central defensive option being looked at by the Gers, however, with that search at both ends of the age spectrum evident again.

Rangers agree deal for Nasser Djiga

According to The Daily Record [via Ibrox News], Rangers and 49ers Enterprises are now also set to complete the signing of Nasser Djiga, bringing him in on a season-long loan deal from Wolves.

There is no buy option come the end of next season, though, with Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira considering him an important part of his future plans.

While signing Djiga on a permanent basis would be even more perfect for Rangers, the idea of him being at Ibrox for the whole of next season is still a big positive.

The 22-year-old is such a gifted young footballer with a bright future in the game, making six appearances for Wolves to date and being hailed as both “aggressive” and “powerful” by journalist Kai Watson.

Hopefully, Djiga will be desperate to prove his worth out on loan, showing Wolves that he can be a key starter for them eventually, which should play into Rangers and Russell Martin’s hands, meaning they have a player who is giving his all every day.

Rangers have now opened talks with England legend with £9m in net worth

What a signing this would be for Russell Martin.

By
Henry Jackson

Jul 7, 2025

The centre-back has been loaned out to Nimes and Red Star Belgrade in the past, so he shouldn’t find it too difficult to adjust to new surroundings, and the hope is that he plays a part in the Gers getting their hands back on the Scottish Premiership trophy and is tempted to stay for good.

Bhui, Padikkal and Bharat also scored fifties as India D ended the opening day on 306 for 5

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2024

File photo: Sanju Samson hit form with an unbeaten 89•Sportsfile via Getty Images

Shreyas Iyer bagged his second duck in as many Duleep Trophy games but half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, KS Bharat and Ricky Bhui helped India D gain the upper hand against India B in Anantapur.Samson stayed unbeaten on 89 off 83 balls at stumps, taking India D to 306 for 5 in 77 overs. He had Saransh Jain for company on 26.After India B had elected to bowl, their bowlers were in for an early toil with Padikkal and Bharat stitching a 105-run stand for the opening wicket in 31.1 overs. Padikkal having scored fifties in both Duleep Trophy games so far added a third during a knock in which he hit eight fours. Bharat, who was promoted up the order, also cashed in stroking 52 off 105 balls with nine fours.Padikkal was the first to depart edging Navdeep Saini through to the wicketkeeper. Bharat followed suit soon after, caught behind off Mukesh Kumar. Nishant Sindhu and Ricky Bhui then added a 53-run stand for the third wicket but when Rahul Chahar struck twice in quick succession, India D found themselves in a spot of bother.The legspinner first had Sindhu caught in the 47th over. In his very next over then, he sent back Iyer for a five-ball duck as India D slipped to 175 for 4.Bhui, fresh from a fourth-innings 113 in the previous match, continued his good form to become the third half-centurion of the innings. But like his other team-mates, he also fell in the fifties with Chahar grabbing his third wicket of the day. Bhui departed for 56 off 87 balls with nine fours.Samson, however, made sure to carry on. He struck ten fours and three sixes in his quick half-century, dominating an unbroken 90-run stand off 109 balls with Jain.For India B, Chahar was the most successful bowler picking up 3 for 60 in 13 overs while Mukesh and Saini chipped with a wicket apiece.

أجرى نجم فريق مانشستر سيتي، عمر مرموش، حوارًا خفيفًا مع شبكة “Tntsports” العالمية، حيث طُلب منه اختيار أفضل لاعب في عدد من الدول الإفريقية، من ضمنهم مصر.

ويستعد عمر مرموش لخوض مباراة منتخب مصر، بعد قليل، ضد نظيره منتخب بوركينا فاسو في ملعب الأخير، في إطار الجولة الثامنة من تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.

ويسعى منتخب مصر إلى تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم من أجل الحصول على بطاقة التأهل إلى المونديال الذي سيُقام العام المقبل في كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك.

من جهة أخرى، نشرت شبكة “Tntsports” عبر حسابها بموقع إنستجرام مقطع فيديو لـ عمر مرموش، وهو يختار أفضل لاعب في عدد من دول القارة السمراء، حسبما طُلب منه.

اقرأ أيضًا | “البرنس”.. مانشستر سيتي يعلق على هدف عمر مرموش أمام إثيوبيا

وعندما سُئل عن أفضل لاعب في مصر، رد مبتسمًا: “أنا”، في حين اختار رياض محرز كأفضل لاعب جزائري، صامويل إيتو أفضل لاعب كاميروني، كولو توريه أفضل لاعب إيفواري.

في حين اختار مرموش كل من حكيم زياش كأفضل لاعب مغربي، جي جي أوكوتشا أفضل لاعب نيجيري وإلياس سخيري أفضل لاعب تونسي.

   عرض هذا المنشور على Instagram   

‏‎تمت مشاركة منشور بواسطة ‏‎TNT Sports Football‎‏ (@‏‎tntsportsfootball‎‏)‎‏

Chelsea have identified Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as a top centre-back target for the summer transfer window, following yet another impressive campaign for the commanding centre-half.

£47m star has already agreed to join Chelsea with club talks "to follow"

Enzo Maresca’s side are busy behind-the-scenes amid their Club World Cup campaign.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 17, 2025

This time last summer, much to the bemusement of fans and critics alike, Branthwaite was a surprise omission from Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 – but he’s since taken that rejection in his stride.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

The 22-year-old starred for Everton again last term, playing a key role as David Moyes’ side comfortably avoided the drop, and supporters will be hoping that Branthwaite will repeat those same feats at their new home on Bramley-Moore Dock next season.

Five years after Carlo Ancelotti handed Branthwaite his senior top flight debut against Wolves, followed by a succession of productive loan spells at the likes of Blackburn Rovers and PSV Eindhoven, the towering 6 foot 5 starlet is now a wanted man across the Premier League.

His growing list of admirers includes Chelsea, with the addition of a centre-back still on Enzo Maresca’s to-do list after the west Londoners missed out on a deal for Dean Huijsen, who eventually chose to join Real Madrid instead.

Chelsea made contract offers to Huijsen, but it wasn’t enough to convince the Spaniard to U-turn on his dream move to the Bernabeu, with Maresca’s side back on the hunt for exciting defensive options.

Jarrad Branthwaite's fresh stance on joining Chelsea

According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, writing via his Substack, Chelsea have been handed a boost in pursuit of Branthwaite as an alternative to Huijsen, as BlueCo set their sights on the Englishman despite rumours he’s set to command a seismic £80 million price tag.

It is believed that Branthwaite could now ask to join Chelsea, amid “frustration” that Everton have placed such a large asking price on his head.

“Chelsea intend to push for him [Branthwaite] again and there is a possibility that they offer players to Everton in an attempt to get the fee down and make the deal more appealing on both sides,” said Phillips.

“The other further info we have received from SPTC sources is that there’s a feeling now that Branthwaite could actually leave Everton this window for a Champions League club – which puts Chelsea in a strong position.

“We’ve also heard that he is a little frustrated, on Everton putting such a big valuation on his head. We had initially heard that Branthwaite would not actively push for a move. But it has now transpired that he is keen on Chelsea and could end up asking for the move. He loves Everton and wants to respect them, but he is keen to advance now to the next stage of his career and play UCL football. I don’t foresee him kicking up a fuss as such, but he may privately ask for the move.”

His ball-playing ability and defensive intelligence would complement Chelsea’s possession-based system under Maresca, offering both quality for now and excellent long-term potential.

However, there is little denying that Chelsea will definitely want to re-negotiate the mooted fee Everton are demanding, and Branthwaite’s desire to join them could play a pivotal role in this.