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This season has been rough for Tottenham Hotspur, but the last few days have provided the fans with reasons to be hopeful.

On the pitch, Ange Postecoglou’s side showed some real defensive solidity in their Premier League win away to Brentford, and off of it, Daniel Levy and Co finally strengthened the squad.

Just a day before the transfer window slammed shut, the club announced the signing of RC Lens centre-back Kevin Danso on a short-term loan with an obligation to buy at £20.9m.

Then, on deadline day itself, Mathys Tel was announced in a brilliant twist following reports that he had turned the Lilywhites down on Friday.

The French phenom has also joined on a short-term loan, but with an option to buy at £45m, and while his arrival is exceptionally exciting, the club could have been even more stacked in the attack had they been able to keep hold of a former player who was their original Tel.

Why Tel is a brilliant signing for Spurs

It would be fair to say that Spurs’ capture of Tel on Monday afternoon caused quite a stir among fans across the footballing world, and for good reason.

The 19-year-old dynamo might not have played much football under Bayern’s new boss, Vincent Kompany, this season, but last year, in the still limited but greater amount of game time Thomas Tuchel gave him, the Frenchman was unreal.

For example, in 41 appearances, totalling just 1406 minutes, the Sarcelles-born game-changer scored ten goals and provided six assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.56 games, or every 87.87 minutes, which is simply sensational.

Furthermore, while the “mind-blowing” star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, will likely come in and play off the left for Spurs to provide the dynamism that Son Heung-min and Timo Werner cannot, he’s also more than capable of playing down the middle, and even off the right on occasion.

Therefore, not only will the manager have another tremendously exciting winger on his hands who can score and assist goals with aplomb, but he’ll also have a versatile star to help cover for injuries elsewhere across the frontline.

With that said, the club would be even better positioned had they kept one of their former youth players, who has since won comparisons to Tel.

Spurs' original Tel

So, to get straight to the point, the former Spurs player who has since been compared to Tel is Chelsea’s Noni Madueke.

Yes, before the £50k-per-week Englishman was playing for the Blues, he was tearing it up for PSV Eindhoven, who he joined for free in the summer of 2018 from the Lilywhites youth set-up, despite efforts by the club to keep him.

In the Netherlands, the 22-year-old racked up a haul of 20 goals and 14 assists in 80 appearances, which was enough to tempt the Pensioners into spending £30m on him in January 2023.

The potentially “world-class” international, as dubbed by journalist Simon Phillips, initially struggled for game time in West London, but this season, he has scored eight goals and provided four assists in 22 appearances, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.16 games.

However, with all that said, aside from the clear positional similarities between the pair, where has this comparison to Tel come from?

Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this case, has concluded that the Englishman is the second most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the French prospect.

The best way to see how this conclusion has been reached is by looking at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, actual and progressive passes, expected assists, crosses into the penalty area, tackles won, attempted take-ons and more, all per 90.

Progressive Passes

3.21

3.21

Expected Assists

0.21

0.15

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.36

0.38

Tackles Won

0.71

0.69

Attempted Take-Ons

4.29

4.34

Carries into the Final Third

2.50

2.39

Ball Recoveries

3.57

3.77

Moreover, while there is a sense that the ceiling is that little bit higher for the Bayern loanee, there is also a real chance that in a more stable environment and under an attacking manager, the former Lilywhites prospect could develop into an incredibly exciting winger.

Ultimately, Spurs have done well to secure Tel’s services this season, but we can’t help but imagine just how much more dangerous they would be with Madueke on the other flank.

Spurs hit the jackpot on "dominant" ace worth millions more than Disasi

The exceptional talent could be something great at Spurs.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 4, 2025

Nottingham Forest are simply blessed with attacking talent in their current crop of forwards. The men in Garibaldi Red have been on fire this season, and find themselves flying high in the Premier League in third.

Chris Wood has certainly remembered his shooting boots this term. The New Zealand striker is the in-form player in the Forest side, with 13 goals in all competitions this term, more than any of his teammates.

The midfield trio behind him are equally as productive. Callum Hudson-Odoi has four goal involvements this term, Morgan Gibbs-White has seven to his name and Anthony Elanga is flying with eight goals and assists.

Incredibly, it seems like Forest could be looking to add more firepower to their already deadly attack with one Premier League star.

Nottingham Forest's search for a striker

The player in question here is Bretford forward Yoane Wissa. The DR Congo attacker has been on fire this term for the Bees, but could well depart the club before the transfer window slams shut in February.

At least, that is according to a report from John Percy of The Telegraph. Forest are expected to ‘explore a move’ for the 28-year-old in the coming days, as they look to add to the depth in attacking areas, should Taiwo Awoniyi depart.

However, they will not be alone in the chase for the Brentford star. North London giants Arsenal, who are one of only two teams above Forest in the Premier League table, also have the forward on a list of new recruits for attack. At this stage, a price for the attacker remains to be seen.

Why Wissa would be a good signing

It has been an exceptional season for Wissa so far in 2024/25, starring up front for the Bees alongside Bryan Mbuemo. The pair have really stepped up since Ivan Toney left the club in the summer for Suadi Arabian side Al-Ahli.

This term, Wissa has scored 11 times in the Premier League, grabbing two assists along the way, in 18 appearances in the top flight.

He has scored and assisted multiple goals in a game four times, which included two crucial strikes against Bournemouth to give his side a 3-2 win. He has certainly been “massively underrated”, as football analyst Ben Mattinson explained.

The DR Congo star could be a fantastic long-term upgrade on Awoniyi. The Nigerian striker seems like he could be on the way to Forest, with Percy explaining he is a ‘target’ for West Ham but they are yet to make a bid.

Although the former Union Berlin striker has shown some promise in that Garibaldi Red shirt, with 18 goals in 71 games for the club, he has not performed well this term.

He has just one goal in 16 Premier League appearances all season, with that strike coming in the recent 3-0 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In fact, when looking at the statistics of the pair over the past two and a half seasons, since Awoniyi first moved to the Premier League, you can see the quality Wissa possesses compared to the Forest number nine.

For example, according to FBref, the Brentford attacker takes an average of 2.31 shots and averages 0.36 goal-creating actions per game. In comparison, Awoniyi averages 2.19 shots and 0.34 goal-creating actions.

Although those numbers are fairly close, Wissa is a superior player when it comes to his dribbling ability. The Bees’ number 11 averages 1.66 progressive carries each game, compared to 1.01 progressive carries per 90 minutes from the Nigerian striker.

Wissa vs. Awoniyi key stats compared
Stat (per 90)	Wissa	Awoniyi
Shots	2.31	2.19
Goal-creating actions	0.36	0.34
Assists	0.13	0.13
Key passes	0.9	0.71
Progressive carries	0.66	1.01
Stats from FBref

Given his hot form this term, Wissa seems like he would be a big upgrade on Awoniyi, who seems destined to leave the club. He would certainly add to the attacking firepower at the City Ground this term.

The former Lorient star could be exactly the player Forest are looking for to help spur them on to Champions League qualification.

Imagine him & Anderson: Nottingham Forest targeting "ball-carrying machine"

Nottingham Forest are targeting another addition to bolster their Premier League title ambitions.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jan 16, 2025

Nottingham Forest’s incredible start to the season is turning into something more than just a fast start. The City Ground faithful dared to dream of European football a few games into the campaign, but perhaps those dreams are well on the way to becoming reality with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side sitting third in the Premier League.

Goal difference is the only thing separating the men in Garibaldi Red from second-place Arsenal, with both sides on 40 points. Liverpool who are currently top of the Premier League, have a six-point lead.

Champions League football could become a reality for the East Midlands club at the end of the season. Nuno could look to bring in reinforcements this winter to ensure they get over the line, with Forest linked with a midfielder.

Nottingham Forest’s midfield target

The player in question here is Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz. The Brazilian has been out of favour in Turin since his summer move from Aston Villa, and could now depart the club in the January transfer window.

According to a report from the highly reputable Fabrizio Romano, Forest “are among the clubs showing interest” in a move for the midfielder this winter. He reports that the former Villa man’s “situation is open” ahead of a busy few weeks in January.

They could well face competition from other sides in the English top flight. According to Italian outlet Tutto Juve, Tottenham Hotspur are also considering doing a deal, with Manchester United and Arsenal also showing interest.

Why Douglas Luiz would be a good signing

Sadly, the Brazil international has not been a regular starter for the Turin giants this season, after his big-money £42.35m move from Villa Park. He has been out of favour under new Juve boss Thiago Motta.

Reuters/Daniele Mascolo

In total, Luiz has managed just 13 appearances across all competitions, with nine of those coming in Serie A. He has featured for just 354 minutes altogether, which equates to a remarkably low 3.93 full 90-minute games.

With that in mind, it is no surprise that he could be searching for an exit from the Old Lady. However, there is no doubting his quality, which he showcased for Villa during his time in England.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

In fact, football statistician Statman Dave previously described him as the “best box-to-box CM in the Premier League”, showing how highly rated he was.

The midfielder was formidable for the Villans. Over the span of five seasons in Claret and Blue, he played 204 games, scoring 22 goals and grabbing 24 assists.

Luiz’s best campaign at Villa Park came in 2023/24, where he scored nine times and registered five assists in 35 Premier League games.

Should Forest get this deal over the line, they could see a fantastic midfield partnership form between Luiz and Elliot Anderson. The Newcastle United academy graduate has been impressive for Forest so far this season, with Nuno describing him as an “amazing talent” earlier in the season.

He has been superb in Garibaldi Red since his move last summer, playing 19 times in the Premier League and registering five assists in that time. His quick feet and creativity have been a breath of fresh air for Forest.

The pair are both more than complimentary of each other in a midfield pivot, although one may have to take up more defensive responsibility. The stats on Squawka suggest it is certainly a duo that could work. It is worth considering that these are from their most recent season in the Premier League.

The Forest star trumps the £134k-per-week Brazilian in many key metrics. That includes the number of duels won per game, with 8.8 compared to 4.5, and the number of chances created per 90 minutes, with 2.1 as opposed to 1.6 for Luiz.

Stat (per 90)

Anderson 2024/25

Luiz 2023/24

Chances created

2.1

1.6

Forward passes

13.1

12.5

Take-ons completed

1.7

0.8

Duels won

8.8

4.5

Interceptions

1.2

0.7

Ball recoveries

7.1

5.6

Signing Luiz could be a fantastic piece of business this winter for Forest. He is clearly a superb player, and, as the stats suggest, could work well in a midfield pivot with Anderson.

With Forest chasing a Champions League spot, or maybe more, the Brazilian could make a big difference.

Watch out Wood: Nottingham Forest could land their own Gyokeres in £35m ace

Nottingham Forest could target added attacking reinforcements to bolster their top four hopes.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 8, 2025

Journalist Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Celtic have opted to terminate a current player’s deal in the January transfer window, paving the way for an immediate replacement.

Celtic transfer latest

Real Valladolid winger Raul Moro has been linked with a move to Parkhead in recent days, as Brendan Rodgers eyes more attacking reinforcements between now and the end of the season. It is reported that the Hoops are considering tabling an offer for the 22-year-old, who can play virtually anywhere in attack.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa youngster Louie Barry is also seen as a possible addition for Celtic, with the Scottish Premiership champions enquiring about signing the young attacker this month.

Former Hoops left-back Kieran Tierney is on the verge of making a return to the club, in an exciting piece of business, having struggled to ever be an important part of Mikel Arteta’s plans in north London. A pre-contract agreement is reportedly close to being signed.

In terms of outgoings in the January window, there is some concern about the future of key Celtic left-back Greg Taylor, with the long time Hoops star wanted by a number of Championship clubs. Hull City and Queens Park Rangers have both been named as suitors for him.

Celtic to terminate player's loan deal

According to Romano on X, Celtic have decided to terminate Alex Valle’s loan deal at the club this month, ahead of Tierney joining, with Como now “closing in” on signing him from Barcelona.

Moving Valle on in the coming weeks seems like the logical thing for Celtic to do, considering his loan stint at the club hasn’t necessarily gone to plan, having arrived from Barca last August.

The 20-year-old has only started seven league matches, with Taylor invariably preferred at left-back, limiting his importance to Rodgers, who did admittedly speak positively about him earlier on in the season.

This all makes sense assuming the Tierney deal goes through, which appears highly likely, with the Scot signing a pre-contract ahead of a permanent summer switch, but joining Celtic on loan for the remainder of the season.

Celtic now eyeing bid to sign tricky new 22 y/o forward – reliable reporter

A new name is on the Parkhead radar.

ByCharlie Smith Jan 17, 2025

His vast experience makes him an upgrade on Valle, while for the young full-back, a move to Italy to play under Cesc Fabregas could undoubtedly feel like a mouthwatering opportunity for him.

Aston Villa and NSWE are interested in signing one of the “greatest talents” for Unai Emery who may cost them £19 million, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans saw their winning run end over the weekend in what is becoming an up-and-down campaign for the Midlands side. Emery’s side still have a lot to play for, and with that said, he and the Villa board may see January as a good time to refresh certain parts of the squad.

Aston Villa keen on signing 21 y/o Real Madrid gem seen as ideal for Emery

He’s come through the academy.

ByCharlie Smith Dec 15, 2024

Ahead of the transfer window opening, Villa have been linked with a few high-profile players. Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha is one, as he is someone that Villa are interested in signing, and a deal could be possible as Dortmund are open to offers of around the £33 million mark.

Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz is also of interest to Villa, but this may be a more difficult deal to complete, as the player is happy in Turin and the club are also happy with the Yildiz. However, the Turkish international does have a £66 million price tag on him, and if that was to be met, they may consider a sale.

In a less high-profile target, Villa are also looking to refresh their goalkeeper department and are interested in signing Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday. He has impressed scouts while playing for Northern Ireland, and Villa are now ready to move Robin Olsen on in favour of offering Charles their number two slot in the goalkeeper department, as his ability to play out from the back has impressed their scouts.

Aston Villa eyeing move for Stefanos Tzimas who may cost £19m

Now, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Aston Villa are interested in signing striker Stefanos Tzimas. The 18-year-old came through the academy at Greek side PAOK and remains a player of theirs, but this season is on loan at Bundesliga 2 side FC. Nuremberg.

Tzimas, who has been dubbed “one of the greatest talents in Greek football”, has been in impressive form in Germany this season. Tzimas has been very good in front of goal in a short space of time, and that has now put him on the radar of teams from England.

Plettenberg reports that Villa are interested in signing Tzimas and are keeping an eye on his situation. However, they may have to wait before they can add him to their squad, as Nuremberg are planning to activate their €18m buy option and then intend to sell him in the summer transfer window.

Apps

14

Goals

7

Assists

2

The German side are aiming for a net profit of €3-5 million, which means he may cost Villa up to £19 million. However, Emery’s side are not the only team interested, as Chelsea and Newcastle United are also keeping an eye on the situation, as well as Bundesliga side Stuttgart, but they deem the price too high. Tzimas is a player who still has a lot of development to do, but he could be a player that Emery believes could become a real star in the future.

GOAL writers discuss the USMNT's Nations League disappointment, and where the program goes next after a miserable week

So, there goes the USMNT's footballing hopes for the forseeable future. That's it. Program done. World Cup lost. Move on to 2030, or even 2034, because 2026, on home soil, is a lost cause.

Of course, that's all hyperbole.

The USMNT had a very bad week. But there will be some good ones, too. International football exists on a knife edge. There are seldom gray areas to be found. Still, it's hard to spin back-to-back losses to Panama and Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League with much optimism.

Indeed, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino comes out of this whole thing with more questions than answers. He still doesn't really know what his best XI is, or which configuration of footballers should start on day one of the 2026 World Cup – he has more than 400 days to figure that out, but the clock is ticking.

And with this summer's Gold Cup likely yielding a depleted squad because of the simultaneous Club World Cup, he is facing a long wait before he is able to put his best side on the pitch.

So what can be learned here? Did anyone impress? Has anyone played their way out of the squad? Did Gio Reyna, Diego Luna and others help – or hurt – their cases? A word, too, for Mexico and Canada. El Tri are back at the top after winning Nations League for the first time. A good Mexico is probably good for world football. Canada boss Jesse Marsch will be disappointed that his side lost in the semifinals, but can take joy from a second straight win over the U.S.

There's a lot to analyze, and GOAL US writers break it all down in the latest edition of… The Rondo.

Getty ImagesJust how bad were the losses to Panama and Canada for the USMNT?

Tom Hindle: Well, it wasn't great. Pochettino made all of the right noises about wanting to win this thing, and, uhhh, didn't. So in that sense, objectively, he failed to do what he wanted to do. The manner of the defeats isn't as bad as everyone made it out to be. For the billionth time, the USMNT did not lack effort. It is not a case of "not wanting it enough." They were just tactically outdone, twice, which is objectively a little bit funny. Then again, if you're Pochettino, you'd probably rather learn about all of the bad stuff now than halfway through a World Cup campaign.

Jacob Schneider: Bad isn't the right way to describe it. It was a pretty pathetic performance. The stars didn't shine, and it felt… slow. The tempo wasn't there, and there was a severe lack of urgency on the ball. It was odd to watch. It was as if the players didn't know each other, lacked chemistry and were waiting for someone else to do something. They were playing self-consciously.

Ryan Tolmich: Are you a glass half-full or half-empty person? The half-full agrees with Pochettino, who rightly points out that it’s a good thing this happened now and not next summer. It’s a humbling, yes, but a well-timed one. Now then work begins, and it’s clear that there’s much to be addressed. As for the half-empty, the sky is falling! The roster hasn’t turned over nor has it really improved since Qatar. This team isn’t dramatically different from the one that winter and, in many ways, that’s a concern. They’re supposed to be better but they aren’t – at least not yet. Again, there’s a lot of work to be done.

AdvertisementShould the USMNT be worried ahead of the 2026 World Cup?

TH: Most coaches tend to know what their starting XI will be for day one of a major tournament at least a year out. How many guaranteed starters are there for the USMNT right now? Probably Christian Pulisic, Sergino Dest, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson? Chuck in the fact that it's unclear where Pulisic, Adams and McKennie will all play, and only the full backs are set. That's not great.

JS: Not yet. Pochettino is still in an evaluation phase – although that excuse is out the door after this competition. Come the Gold Cup in June and July, the player pool should be determined. An XI with minor rotation needs to be implemented and that group is that.

RT: No one will want to hear it, but Pochettino is right: this was timed well. It’ll fire up the group and likely humble them a bit. The injured stars will return, players can make their summer moves and everyone can, eventually, move on. Check back in again after the Gold Cup, though. If that goes south, then we can discuss.

ImagnWhat positives can Pochettino take from these games?

TH: All of the right noises are being made about Diego Luna. And sure? Zoom out, and he was impressive for about 45 minutes against Canada. But therein lies the problem. Are we really getting excited about a backup attacking midfielder, with no clear position, who doesn't sniff this XI at full strength? We shouldn't be. It's like getting gassed after your backup point guard gives you 20 good minutes off the bench. That's a pretty weak outlook.

JS: On the contrary, Luna was sensational – his creativity will be so, so important for the U.S. against teams where they need some to experiment. Otherwise, Joe Scally's defensive prowess was really impressive – the U.S. have a really talented defender on their roster. Just not sure he fits the mold of Pochettino's style.

RT: Welcome to the USMNT, Diego Luna! The RSL star is here and here to stay. Pochettino loves his attitude and energy, and there’s plenty to love there going forward. Outside of that, not much. It was a rough week, one that reinforces that spots can and should be up for grabs over the next year.

AFPWhat can Marsch and Canada take from the win over the U.S.?

TH: That they're pretty good without being elite. The Mexico game was a real chance for them to establish themselves as the best side in CONCACAF. Instead, they conceded inside the first minute, and never really grabbed a foothold thereafter. Marsch will be delighted with the win over the USMNT. But this feels like a missed opportunity to bring home a trophy. Still, with Jonathan David on fire and good performances from the likes of Alistair Johnston and Ismael Kone, there's plenty to be excited about. More to come.

JS: Marsch cares an awful lot about the program, and their striker situation is set for the foreseeable future. Tani Oluwaseyi and David both really impressed across the two games.

RT: It just reaffirms what they’ve been saying for some time now: on their best day, they can compete with anyone. Canada have legitimate match-winners in their squad, which often makes the difference. They also have depth and, more importantly, personality. They’re a good team and, while they may not be great in time for 2026, they’re not a team anyone will look forward to playing.

The Austin FC co-owner was joined by long-time friend Harrelson, cheering on the Verde and Black

McConaughey Austin FC's most visible supporterHarrelson joins his "True Detective" co-star for MLS actionAustin FC lost to Colorado Rapids 1-0Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Hollywood stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson cheered on Austin FC in the club's home game against the Colorado Rapids at Q2 Stadium.

McConaughey, a co-owner of the club, brought his long-time friend and fellow actor Harrelson to experience the electric atmosphere of an MLS match in Austin on Saturday. McConaughey led the Austin FC's supporters in their "Verde! Listos!" chant before matches, a tradition at Q2 Stadium.

AdvertisementWHAT AUSTIN FC POSTEDTHE BIGGER PICTURE

McConaughey's involvement with Austin FC has been a driving force behind the club's popularity since its inception. As a co-owner and the club's Minister of Culture, McConaughey has been instrumental in building the team's identity and fan base.

The two actors’ presence at the game highlights the growing appeal of MLS to celebrities and the entertainment industry.

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Following their 1-0 home loss to Colorado Rapids, Austin FC sit 10th on the Western Conference table, six points behind league leaders Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Verde and Black face LAFC on the road before returning to the Q2 Stadium to host San Diego FC on March 15 and 23, respectively.

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de assegurar o título da Recopa Sul-Americana ante o Athletico-PR, o Palmeiras volta ao campo do Allianz Parque às 16h (de Brasília) deste domingo (6) para enfrentar o Guarani, pela décima rodada do Campeonato Paulista.

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O Verdão ainda está invicto na competição. Lidera o Grupo C com 17 pontos e ampla vantagem por ter ainda dois jogos a menos que os rivais de chave, uma das mais disputadas da competição.

Portanto, uma vitória sobre o Bugre pode garantir matematicamente a classificação palmeirense para as quartas de final. Certamente um grande alívio visto que este é o último jogo da equipe antes da maratona em que terá pela frente todos os três clássicos em sequência e o duelo contra o Red Bull Bragantino, o time mais forte do interior.

Por conta da oportunidade, o técnico Abel Ferreira avalia mandar a campo um time misto. Quem apresenta desgaste acentuado pela partida da Recopa, deverá ser poupado, o que alterará bastante o desenho tático da equipe.

Pelo lado do time de Campinas, uma vitória na Capital é fundamental para manter o sonho da classificação vivo. Afinal o Bugre está na segunda colocação do Grupo A com dez pontos, apenas dois de vantagem sobre outros rivais em uma chave que tem o Corinthians como líder, já classificado.

Veja as informações sobre o jogo:

PALMEIRAS x GUARANI

Local: Allianz Parque, em São Paulo (SP)
Data/Horário: 6/3/2022 (domingo), às 16h (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Fabiano Monteiro dos Santos
Assistentes: Alex Alexandrino e Gustavo Rodrigues de Oliveira
VAR: Rodrigo Guarizo Ferreira do Amaral e Fabio Rogério Baesteiro
Onde acompanhar: Record TV, Paulistão Play , Premiere e em tempo real no LANCE!/Voz do Esporte

PALMEIRAS

Weverton; Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Marcos Rocha (Mayke), Danilo, Zé Rafael (Atuesta) e Gustavo Scarpa (Gabriel Veron); Dudu, Rony (Wesley) e Raphael Veiga (Rafael Navarro)
Técnico: Abel Ferreira

Desfalques: Luan (lesão na coxa esquerda) e Gabriel Menino (entorse no tornozelo direito)

GUARANI

Maurício Kozlinski; Diogo Mateus, Ronaldo Alves, Derlan e Eliel; Bruno Silva, Índio (Yago), Rodrigo Andrade e Giovanni Augusto; Júlio César e Lucão do Break.
Técnico: Daniel Paulista

Desfalques: Matheus Pereira (suspenso)

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

The Richardsons – Jhye and Kane – set up victory by limiting Sri Lanka to 139 for 8

Alex Malcolm18-Feb-2022Australia’s bowlers strangled Sri Lanka with the ball before a middle-overs batting masterclass from Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell rescued the home side from a precarious position to post another comfortable six-wicket win at the MCG and go 4-0 up.Sri Lanka lost 6 for 12 in 19 balls in their under par innings of 8 for 139 with Ashton Agar bowling 10 dot balls to claim 1 for 14 from four, while Jhye Richardson picked up 2 for 20 on his international return.Australia slumped to 3 for 49 in the ninth over in the chase before Inglis stroked a masterful 40 off 20 and Maxwell manipulated the chase with a classy 48 not out from 39 balls to steer his side home with 11 balls to spare and claim player of the match honours.Maxwell also produced a stunning direct hit run out to remove the dangerous Kusal Mendis during Sri Lanka’s innings just as he and Pathum Nissanka were laying the visitor’s best platform of the series. Nissanka made 46 from 40 but failed to kick on. Australia managed all this without their big three fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins who were sent home to Sydney to rest for the last two games of the series.Kusal finally arrivesNissanka had been holding up Sri Lanka’s top order in this series but finally he got some support from Mendis. He was one of the few Sri Lankan batters to show some true power-hitting intent in this series. Danushka Gunathilaka struck a powerful six down the ground but fell for a run-a-ball 17 to Ashton Agar. Mendis took a few balls to get off the mark but he opened his account with a sublime piece of timing. He then attacked Maxwell and Kane Richardson with two excellent blows down the ground. Nissanka was busy as well as the pair were intent on facing fewer dot balls in this innings after Sri Lanka absorbed 55 dots in game three in Canberra. They laid the perfect platform moving Sri Lanka to 1 for 73 after 10 with both Mendis and Nissanka well set.Maxwell missile sparks collapseWhile the running intent was admirable it brought about Mendis’ downfall. Nissanka worked a ball to the mid-on circle off Agar and Mendis pushed for two but picked the wrong fielder to take on. Maxwell swooped from the rope with a one-handed pick-up and a rocket throw to produce a direct hit that left Mendis miles short. Agar then put the squeeze on again claiming figures of 1 for 14 from four for the second straight game, including 10 dots and just 14 singles. Adam Zampa also clamped down to pressure Nissanka and Charith Asalanka. The latter cracked, skying Jhye Richardson straight up and Sri Lanka lost 6 for 12 in 19 balls at the end of the innings. The two Richardsons cashed in with two wickets apiece while there was another calamitous run out, although Kane copped some tap in the final over conceding 17. Chamika Karunaratne produced two sensational strikes. He clubbed two length balls over wide long on to leave Kane Richardson with figures of 2 for 44 from four.Glenn Maxwell made a 39-ball 48•Getty ImagesAgar out of his depthAustralia trialled Agar at the top again. The theory is similar to the way Melbourne Renegades first used Sunil Narine as an opener, which was eventually adopted with great success by Kolkata Knight Riders. Andrew McDonald was coach of the Renegades at the time and Aaron Finch was captain as they are for Australia now. The idea is to lengthen the middle order and let the lesser skilled Agar bat with just two men out in the powerplay. But the mystery of Maheesh Theekshana and the express pace of Chameera Dushmantha and Lahiru Kumara tied Agar in knots. He faced 14 dots in 31 balls, including four in a row at one point, and struck just two boundaries. It was more dot balls than he bowled. His lack of scoring put pressure on Ben McDermott and Aaron Finch with both succumbing while searching for a boundary. Kumara was rewarded for an exceptional spell of express pace bowling with two wickets. Finch holed out to deep backward square and then Agar miscued to mid-on to end his tortured stay of 26 from 31 and leave Australia in a major hole at 3 for 49 in the 9th over.Ingenuity from Inglis and MaxwellIf there was any pressure built up, Inglis wasn’t feeling it and he released it immediately with a skillful array of strokeplay to take the game away from Sri Lanka. His first ball was a dot ball and then he scored off every ball he faced thereafter until he fell. He struck back-to-back boundaries off Jeffrey Vandersay including a brilliant reverse sweep. He did have a huge slice of luck in Vandersay’s next over when he lofted him to long off and Chameera took the catch but misjudged where the rope was and landed on the wrong side of it with ball still in hand.Inglis was flawless from thereon. He picked off three twos with superb placement and carved Chameera for six over wide third man. He fell trying to dab the next ball for a single and got a thin edge but his job was done. He dragged his more senior partner Maxwell with him. Maxwell didn’t find the rope with the same ease but he struck eight twos using his intimate knowledge of the MCG’s huge dimensions to his advantage. He and Marcus Stoinis struck three boundaries after the fall of Inglis to ice the game with 11 balls to spare.

Mohammad Rizwan and Shoaib Malik have been declared fit by Pakistan’s medical team to take part in the T20 World Cup semi-final game against Australia in Dubai on Thursday, after they had stayed away from training on the eve of the game with mild flu and fever.Related

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The two, both first XI regulars at the tournament for Pakistan, have tested negative for Covid-19 twice in three days. Both woke up on Wednesday morning with what a team official described as “light flu and low fever”, and were advised to stay back in the hotel and remain under observation. The rest of the squad members and support staff went ahead with their usual pre-game plans, including a full-fledged training session at the ICC Academy premises. ESPNcricinfo understands that all of them had cleared their regular Covid-19 tests throughout the tournament, including the last one a couple of days ago.There was no Covid-19 scare in the team anyway, and it is understood that the team management had expected Rizwan and Malik to be available for the game. Despite that, medical professionals travelling with the team continued to assess them at regular intervals through Wednesday and Thursday.Both players, especially Rizwan, have been key to Pakistan’s plans and performances in the tournament so far, where they have run up a 5-0 record, having swept the Group 2 matches on their way to the semi-final.Rizwan, one half of a tremendous opening pairing with captain Babar Azam, has scored 214 runs in five innings so far, his runs coming at an average of 71.33 and a strike rate of 127.38. Earlier in the tournament, he also went past Chris Gayle’s record of most T20 runs in a calendar year; he now has 1676 runs in 2021, at an average of 57.79 at a strike rate of 132.59.Malik, who got into the squad as a late replacement for the injured Sohaib Maqsood, didn’t have too big a role to play with the bat in the first few games, but he starred in Pakistan’s win over Scotland in the last group match with an 18-ball 54*.Pakistan have so far fielded the same playing XI in all their matches. With Rizwan and Malik now available for selection, they could well do the same in the knockout fixture too.