Kazuma Kato-Stafford to lead Japan at men's Under-19 World Cup

Kazuma Kato-Stafford will continue as Japan’s captain for the men’s Under-19 World Cup, to be played in January-February 2026 in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Nikhil Pol, a former captain, and allrounder Timothy Moore, who missed the recent Asian Cricket Council Premier Cup in Ajman in November-December, are back in the squad.At the Premier Cup, Japan had positive results against Maldives, who they beat by 366 runs after putting up 422 for 7 in their 50 overs, and Qatar, who they trumped by 183 runs, but lost to Oman to miss out on a semi-final spot.Nihar Parmar, who scored 156 in 132 ball against Maldives, and Kaisei Kobayashi-Doggett, who slammed 106 in 73 balls against Qatar, are both in the World Cup squad.

Japan’s World Cup match schedule

Jan 10 – vs Tanzania (warm-up)
Jan 12 – vs West Indies (warm-up)
Jan 17 – vs Sri Lanka
Jan 20 – vs Australia
Jan 22 – vs Ireland

In the Under-19 World Cup 2026, Japan are drawn in Group A, alongside defending champions Australia, Ireland and Sri Lanka. The team will leave for southern Africa on January 5, and play warm-up matches against Tanzania and West Indies before the start of the tournament.Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, the captain of the senior men’s team, is the Under-19 team’s assistant coach, and Reo Sakurano-Thomas, also an active senior team cricketer, is the team’s head coach.

Japan squad for men’s Under-19 World Cup

Kazuma Kato-Stafford (capt), Charles Hara-Hinze, Gabriel Hara-Hinze, Montgomery Hara-Hinze, Kaisei Kobayashi-Doggett, Timothy Moore, Skyler Nakayama-Cook, Ryuki Ozeki, Nihar Parmar, Nikhil Pol, Chihaya Sekine, Hugo Tani-Kelly, Sandev Aaryan Waduge, Kai Wall, Taylor Waugh

Wolvaardt on South Africa's defeat: 'We are much, much better than 69 all out'

South Africa captain says they had prepared for left-arm spin and was confident of a strong comeback

S Sudarshanan03-Oct-20251:56

Wolvaardt: We’re much better than 69 all out

South Africa’s collapse in their Women’s World Cup opener against England was down to “one of those days where the top order and the middle order failed on the same day”, according to their captain Laura Wolvaardt. Sent in to bat in Guwahati, South Africa were bowled out for 69, their third-lowest total in women’s ODIs, and lost by ten wickets.Wolvaardt insisted they were “much better than 69 all out” and backed her side to bounce back.”I think our prep has been good, I don’t think there were too many demons in the pitch,” she said after the match. “It was just one of those days where everyone went out early and that happens in cricket sometimes. It was not a pitch that we were super foreign to. We spent a lot of time in these conditions in the last couple of months, so definitely wouldn’t put it on the wicket.Related

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Smith and Jones set seal on England's rout of South Africa

Smith puts the skids on South Africa to ignite World Cup campaign

“We are much, much better than 69 all out. As a group, we just need to put it behind us as quickly as we can and move forward, because if we’re going to take that into the next game, it’s going to be a very long tournament for us.”South Africa knew what to expect from England, who had two kinds of left-arm spinners, with Sophie Ecclestone’s release point being much higher than that of Linsey Smith.Marizanne Kapp became Linsey Smith’s third victim•Getty ImagesOn the eve of the match, South Africa’s batting coach Baakier Abrahams oversaw Wolvaardt’s preparation against left-arm spin closely. He specifically asked the net bowlers to change angles and bowl from wide of the crease as well. The focus was on her footwork and shot selection, and Abrahams reminded her of the forward defence with a straight bat. At one point, he praised her shot selection to a particular ball but pointed out that her head was falling over. Towards the end of her stint that lasted nearly 45 minutes, he nodded in approval.On Friday, though, it took Smith only two balls to dismiss Wolvaardt, who chipped a return catch. Smith then used inswing to beat the inside edges of both Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp and hit the stumps. South Africa were four down just 31 balls into the game and couldn’t recover.”You can’t really fault our preparation. Yesterday, personally, I was super specific in my training,” Wolvaardt said. “I had someone bowl like Lauren Bell would and I had the left-armer [bowling] at me. I had already planned which guard I would take and what my options were and what my strong options were. To have that soft dismissal today was very disappointing with all the preparation that we had put in. We’ve been very well-informed by all of our coaches. It’s just one of those days where we played the wrong line for the ball swinging in.”

“You can’t really fault our preparation. Yesterday, personally, I was super specific in my training. I had someone bowl like Lauren Bell would and I had the left-armer [bowling] at me”

While batting has been South Africa’s stronger suit heading into this World Cup, the defeat put their Nos. 3 to 6 in the spotlight. In ODIs since the start of 2023, South Africa have been one of the top batting teams. That is largely due to Wolvaardt and Brits, the most prolific pair in this period. In the same time frame, their Nos. 3 to 6 average 28.08, the worst among all eight teams at this World Cup. That is down to Kapp not playing all games, plus some players moving up and down the order.”Our middle order has actually been better this year than they have ever been,” Wolvaardt said. “I think the likes of Sune [Luus], Marizanne, Chloe [Tryon], [Annerie] Dercksen, who didn’t play today, have really been scoring a lot of runs throughout the past few series. I don’t think that we have any trouble in our middle order at the moment. It’s just one of those days where both top order and middle order didn’t fire.”In South Africa’s last ODI before the World Cup, they were dismissed for 115 with Pakistan left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu taking 6 for 26. Not all of South Africa’s frontline players played that game, since they had already won the series. Wolvaardt didn’t read much into the similarities between that performance and this one against England.”Those were two quite different spinners. Smith was very good with her swing and her drift today, whereas Sandhu in that game got a lot of turn over the wicket. So very different conditions. In that Pakistan game, we probably didn’t adapt well to a turning wicket, probably a lot more turn than what we were used to, very out of our comfort zone conditions-wise, whereas today, it was just a total collapse. We just didn’t apply ourselves well enough with the bat.”South Africa’s second game in the World Cup is against New Zealand in Indore on October 6.

USMNT Form Rankings: Christian Pulisic remains among Serie A’s best as Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi take center stage

GOAL takes a look at which American players are playing the best heading into the final weeks of 2025.

It’ll be a while before the U.S. men’s national team convene again – a few months, to be exact. With no international breaks until March, everything shifts back to the club level, even as that little thing called the World Cup looms in the distance.

As the U.S. build toward that tournament, most of the heavy lifting now happens with their clubs. From the Champions League to the MLS playoffs, several of the USMNT’s key players are finding form at the right time, putting in meaningful performances as 2025 winds down. Keeping that momentum rolling into the spring will be vital, especially for those hoping to carve out bigger roles by summer.

From established USMNT starters to those pushing for a breakthrough, these are the American stars thriving at the club level. This is not a ranking of the best players, overall, but rather a snapshot of who is showing the best form at the moment. GOAL takes a look at this recurring feature, tracking the pulse of U.S. talent worldwide.

  • Imagn

    5Sebastian Berhalter

    The only MLS player on this list but, when you look at the quality of his recent performances, you can't leave him off.

    Berhalter has been magnificent for the Vancouver Whitecaps all season long, which is why he's vaulted himself right into World Cup contention. Down the stretch, he's taken his game up a notch, particularly in the games that have mattered most. Just four days after scoring and assisting against Uruguay, Berhalter played 120 minutes in an instant classic against LAFC, finishing the game as a pseudo-fullback after seeing the Whitecaps go down two men. He was really good against San Diego FC, too, to help the Whitecaps book their spot in the MLS Cup final.

    If the Whitecaps do beat Miami in that final, it is easy to assume Berhalter will have played a huge part.

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    4Tyler Adams

    If you don't know why he's here, check out his recent goal against Sunderland. That finish was nothing less than world-class. It was surprising, then, that it came from a player like Adams, who is much better known for his defensive prowess than his attacking contributions.

    The Bournemouth midfielder, though, has been contributing more on that attacking end. He provided an assist in a win over Nottingham Forest, although, admittedly, that one was a bit lucky. He scored a goal against Manchester City to open November, netting his first Premier League goal of the season, and then, of course, scored that stunner against Sunderland.

    This season, Adams is proving that he's more than just a midfield bulldog as he continues to show the world that he can make things happen with the ball at his feet, too.

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    3Christian Pulisic

    He'd almost certainly be higher on this list of injuries didn't limit him for a while, but Pulisic also seems eager to make up for lost time.

    With his recent game-winning goal agaisnt Inter, Pulisic scored in his first start in six weeks, continuing the good form he showed throughout the early Serie A season. With that goal, he now has five goals and two assists in just 422 minutes played, a fantastic haul for a player that, throughout the campaign, has sure looked like world-class winger for AC Milan.

    The challenge, as it has been, will be keeping Pulisic fit and firing. If he can stay on the field, Milan will be a much, much better team.

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    2Ricardo Pepi

    It’s kind of crazy to have a player this high on the list when he isn’t even starting for his own team. But you can’t really hold that against Ricardo Pepi – he’s been that good.

    Over the last month and a half, Pepi has scored against Napoli, Fortuna Sittard, Olympiacos, and FC Volendam. He added assists against Napoli and Volendam, and essentially created another when he sparked a goal against Liverpool. And yet, in that span, he’s started just once, with PSV unwilling to change a winning formula despite his consistent impact off the bench.

    So we’re back to the familiar question: just how good could Pepi be if he finally gets a proper run of games as guy for PSV?

Fullkrug & Wilson upgrade: West Ham chasing £26m CF who's 'like Harry Kane'

While their performances last year and at the start of the season suggest otherwise, West Ham United do have a talented squad.

The likes of Freddie Potts, Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters are all good to great players who will help move the East Londoners away from a Premier League relegation scrap as the season goes on.

However, one area of the team that the Hammers have consistently failed to address is up top, with neither Niclas Füllkrug nor Callum Wilson good enough to lead the line.

Fortunately, West Ham are now being linked with an inform number nine who could end their striker curse and was even linked to Harry Kane as a youngster.

West Ham target Füllkrug and Wilson upgrade

Before his injury, Füllkrug had made seven appearances for West Ham this season, in which he failed to score or assist a single goal, which makes news of his likely departure in January rather welcome to most fans.

Transfer Focus

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

Wilson, on the other hand, has been able to find the back of the net twice, in fact, but even so, he has hardly blown anyone away in his nine appearances so far this season, and with his injury record being what it is, he cannot be relied upon.

So, with all that in mind, it’s clear that the East Londoners are in desperate need of a new striker once the window opens, and fortunately, that might happen.

According to a recent report from Turkey, West Ham are among several sides interested in man of the moment, Troy Parrott.

Alongside the Hammers, the report claims that Everton, Leeds United and Stuttgart are keen on signing the Irish international from AZ Alkmaar, who want at least €30m for him, which is about £26m.

It could be a tough transfer to get over the line, but with how well Parrott has played in recent years, and how much of an upgrade on Füllkrug and Wilson he’d be, it’s one worth fighting for.

Why Parrott would be massive upgrade on Wilson & Füllkrug

It’s the obvious place to start, but it’s also the most important: Parrott would be a huge upgrade on Wilson and Füllkrug because he’s simply the better goalscorer.

For example, while the two West Ham strikers have just two goals between them this season, the Irishman has already racked up an astounding tally of 13 goals and two assists in 14 appearances, totalling 928 minutes.

That comes out to a sensational average of 1.07 goal involvements every game, or one every 61.86 minutes.

Appearances

14

Starts

11

Minutes

928′

Goals

13

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

1.07

Minutes per Goal Involvement

61.86′

Points per Game

2.21

Such an incredible rate of return makes the claim of one analyst, made over five years ago, that he was “reminiscent of Harry Kane” as a youngster look rather reasonable today.

It’s not just this season that the former Tottenham Hotspur gem has been on fire, though, as he ended last season with an excellent haul of 20 goals and five assists in 47 games.

With that said, the second reason he’d be an excellent upgrade on the Hammers’ ageing forwards is that he’s still just 23 years old, and therefore has plenty left in the tank.

Moreover, while he did have some injury problems early on in his career, he has not missed more than nine games for club and country in any of the last three campaigns.

Finally, as was made quite clear over the last week or so, the Dublin-born game-changer is someone for the big occasions.

For example, he scored both goals in Ireland’s 2-0 win over Portugal, and then followed that up with what is already a legendary hat-trick against Hungary, securing the country’s place in the World Cup play-offs.

Moreover, his third goal was practically the final kick of the game, suggesting he isn’t someone to flap under the most immense of pressure.

Ultimately, while it might be difficult to get ahead of the other interested parties, West Ham should be doing all they can to sign Parrott in January, as he might be the man to end their striker curse.

£67m spent & no Wilson or Fullkrug: Nuno's dream West Ham XI after January

This is the dream West Ham starting line-up that Nuno could build in the January window.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 15, 2025

'How on earth is that disallowed?' – Why Virgil van Dijk's goal at Manchester City was ruled out as Liverpool fans go into meltdown

Liverpool were left furious after Virgil van Dijk’s first-half header against Manchester City was ruled out for offside, despite Andy Robertson not touching the ball. The Dutchman thought he had equalised from a Mohamed Salah corner, but VAR sided with the on-field officials. And here's why Arne Slot's team did not end up getting a goal that could have had a big impact on the game.

Van Dijk goal ruled off in Man City loss

Liverpool were denied what they believed to be a legitimate equaliser in the first half of their Premier League clash with City at Etihad Stadium. After falling behind to Erling Haaland’s opener, Van Dijk met a corner from Salah and directed a powerful header past Gianluigi Donnarumma, seemingly restoring parity for the visitors. The Liverpool captain sprinted away in celebration, only for the assistant referee’s flag to cut short the jubilation.

Robertson was deemed to be in an offside position during the play, standing just a yard from Donnarumma inside the six-yard box. Although the Scotland international made no contact with the ball and attempted to duck out of its flight path, VAR confirmed that his movement was enough to interfere with the goalkeeper’s ability to play the ball. The Premier League’s Match Centre later clarified that Robertson’s proximity constituted “an obvious action which impacted an opponent’s ability to play the ball,” meaning the goal could not stand.

The decision proved divisive, particularly as Donnarumma appeared unlikely to have reached the header regardless of Robertson’s position. While City took advantage of the reprieve and doubled their lead before the interval, Liverpool’s players were left visibly frustrated — with Arne Slot animatedly remonstrating with the officials on the touchline. It was a key moment in a match where fine margins once again played a decisive role.

AdvertisementFans fume at VAR's offside decision

@TheKopWatch commented on X: "Side netting. GK is getting nowhere near it. Robertson doesn’t block his view of the ball. How on earth is that disallowed?"

@markgoldbridge wrote: "Got to say that is a joke. Keeper is at full stretch and Robertson isn't interfering with play. Another shocker."

@Abdulba71267148 fumed: "Complete robbery."

@JonnyGibson33 explained: "He's miles away from the keeper the ball, literally moving away from the goal and then ducks. Incredible decision."

@holly82649091 claimed: "They want a title race between Arsenal and City."

@mo11salahh took shots at the inconsistency: "Bernardo Silva against Wolves last season. Robertson against city this season. Man City goal given. Liverpool goal NOT given."

Getty Images SportWas Robertson actually in Donnarumma's 'line of sight'?

The controversy stems from Law 11 of the FA’s rules on offside, which outlines that a player can be penalised even without touching the ball if they “make an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball”. In this instance, Robertson’s quick duck to avoid Van Dijk’s header was deemed an “obvious action”. Officials concluded that his proximity to Donnarumma caused hesitation in the goalkeeper’s movement, constituting interference.

The Premier League’s post-match explanation described Robertson as being “in an offside position directly in front of the goalkeeper”. However, replays suggested the full-back was actually slightly to Donnarumma’s left, leading to debate over whether the “line of sight” element of the rule applied. While Robertson’s motion to evade the ball was instinctive, officials interpreted it as influencing Donnarumma’s reaction, and therefore as active involvement in the play.

The controversy reignited broader frustrations over VAR’s inconsistency in judging offside interference. Similar incidents in previous seasons have seen goals allowed when players appeared to obstruct goalkeepers, further blurring the line between passive and active involvement.

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VAR continues to split fans on a weekly basis

The fallout from the disallowed goal is likely to continue, with Liverpool supporters and pundits demanding greater clarity from the Premier League’s officiating body. While the decision may have adhered to the letter of the law, the interpretation will once again draw criticism for its subjectivity — particularly in high-stakes fixtures like this one.

City, meanwhile, took full advantage of Liverpool’s deflation, controlling the tempo in the second half to preserve their lead and maintain their unbeaten home record.

Title-winning 4-4-1-1 manager now very keen on replacing Martin at Rangers

A “fantastic” title-winning manager is considered a serious option for Glasgow Rangers, after 49ers Enterprises decided to part ways with Russell Martin on Sunday.

Rangers sack Russell Martin

Martin accepted full responsibility as another dismal Rangers performance ended with a 1-1 draw at Falkirk, after which enraged fans tried to block the team bus from leaving the ground.

The Englishman had been bullish about the job he is doing at Ibrox prior to dropping more points on Sunday, but admitted the blame lies at his door after a valiant effort by his players.

Martin’s fate was sealed as the club announced in a statement on Sunday that he, Assistant Head Coach Matt Gill and First-Team Coach Mike Williamson will all leave, and a well-known figure has now been mentioned as a possible option to replace him.

"Fantastic" manager keen to replace Martin at Rangers

According to a fresh claim from TEAMtalk, Sean Dyche is “very open” to becoming Rangers’ next manager. He is described as a “serious option” for the Gers, and “ranks very highly” on their “shortlist of potential replacements” as Martin was finally put out of his misery.

Dyche, who plays a 4-4-1-1 system, could be a strong choice for Rangers after the 49ers finally took the plunge and sacked Martin, having proven himself at the top level for a long time now.

Sean Dyche’s managerial career

Matches

Years in charge

Points per game

Everton

83

2023-2025

1.23

Burnley

425

2012-2022

1.34

Watford

49

2011-2012

1.37

The Englishman is a title-winning manager, winning the Championship during his Burnley days, while Thomas Frank has spoken highly of him as a boss in the past.

“Sean is a fantastic coach and manager. He always makes his team very difficult to play against. They are physical, intensive in pressing, they have pace on transitions, are very good on set-pieces, and they play behind you. What he brings is a fantastic foundation. I don’t think he always gets enough credit for how dynamic they are and how good they are in the offensive third.”

Rangers supporters have not been enamoured with Martin’s ball-playing style, with the players not always necessarily capable of always doing what he wants, but in Dyche, a very different style of football could be on show at Ibrox.

"To be honest" – Miovski explains why Rangers have better players than people realise

The Gers are still seeking their first away clean sheet of the season.

By
Ben Goodwin

Oct 4, 2025

He adopts a far more direct style of play, which may appeal to some more than others, but most importantly, he knows how to win games and make his teams difficult to beat, which hasn’t been the case with Martin.

Bayern Munich have no fear over losing teenage sensation Lennart Karl with extension already in place to warn off European giants

Lennart Karl is the crown jewel of Bayern Munich, having broken through the Bundesliga heavyweights' youth academy. The 17-year-old has been enjoying a purple patch with the Bavarians, with head coach Vincent Kompany offering regular minutes to the talented youngster. Now, recent reports from Germany reveal that the club already has plans in place to secure Karl's long-term future.

Karl becomes Bayern's big bet for the future

Karl joined the Bayern youth academy as a prodigious 14-year-old in 2022. The talented youngster had a colossal impact for Bayern's Under-17 and U19 outfits in the 2024-25 season, scoring 32 goals and delivering 10 assists in a combined total of 26 games. His dramatic rise through the ranks saw him earn his first-team debut in the 10-0 win over Auckland City at the Club World Cup during the summer.

Ahead of the season, Karl was promoted to the first team. Now, according to a report from , the future looks bright for both the talented teenager and the Bavarian giants. The report claims that Bayern already have a foolproof plan in place to secure Karl's long-term future. The news comes after Karl's stunning breakthrough in the first team in the ongoing 2025-26 campaign, where he has featured in 10 of the 13 games Bayern have played in all competitions. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKarl to receive automatic extension gift on his 18th birthday

"I want to assert myself at Bayern Munich and one day play for the club in the Champions League," Karl told Bayern's official website in an interview earlier this year. He has already started proving himself in Europe's greatest club competition. Last week, he scored his first-ever professional goal in a 4-0 rout of Belgian side Club Brugge, surpassing Jamal Musiala to become Bayern's youngest ever goal scorer in the competition at the age of 17 years and 242 days. 

Karl is currently tied to the club until June 30, 2028. Per , the diminutive winger's contract will be extended automatically until 2029 on February 28, 2026, when he turns 18. With the renewal, his current contract will be converted into a professional contract, accompanied by an increase in the young prodigy's salary. There will not be an exit clause inserted, as both the club and the player want to prolong this association into the foreseeable future.

Patience the key to Karl's development at Bayern

Aided by his mentor and agent Michael Ballack – among Germany's all-time greats – Karl has shown an eagerness to learn and improve in the first few months of his life as Bayern's senior side member. His minutes have been managed carefully by head coach Kompany, handing him three starts already. Karl has clocked 291 minutes of action so far, and is on course to breach the 1,000-minute milestone if he remains injury-free. 

Kompany, however, has urged for patience with the versatile left-footed teenager. "I'm not a fan of hype, and now he will be getting some of that," the Belgian boss told reporters after the 4-0 win over Brugge last week. "I'm a fan of training and calm… Everyone knows he can score goals and if he keeps going like this, he'll get a chance and maybe at the right time he'll need a bit of calm.

"As a young player, you don't have pressure. I want Lennart to feel that too. He has to enjoy what he's doing. If he makes mistakes, we'll discuss it. Hopefully, at some point, the pressure will be on his shoulders. But for now he should enjoy these moments without any pressure."

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Getty Images SportPremier League giants scouting Karl

Karl's gradual progression into the first-team has attracted attention from some of Premier League's biggest sides. Indeed, a report from earlier this week claimed that the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City reportedly sent scouts to monitor the teenage sensation. Adding intrigue to this report is his agent Ballack's past affiliations with Chelsea, whom he played for between 2006 and 2010. 

The focus for the rest of the reason will be to ensure that Karl continues his development with regular playing time off the bench along with occasional opportunities to feature in the starting XI. His versatility allows Kompany the luxury to hand rest to undisputed stars like Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, and even Harry Kane.

Nat Sciver-Brunt juggles captaincy, motherhood and injury ahead of England redemption quest

Nat Sciver-Brunt hasn’t just been juggling life as a new working mum in recent weeks, but also an intensive rehab programme on an Achilles injury that means she will start her tenure as England Women’s captain playing as a batter only.Speaking publicly for the first time since her appointment as Heather Knight’s successor a fortnight ago and becoming a mum with wife Katherine in March, allrounder Sciver-Brunt said she had been battling Achilles tendinopathy “on and off for years”. But her maternity leave had allowed a clear six-week window to treat the injury – including painful shockwave therapy – which had her on track to bat during her first assignment as captain, when England host West Indies in two white-ball series starting on May 21.”For now I haven’t been bowling,” Sciver-Brunt said. “Just from an Achilles perspective to build up my workload through playing, batting is important in terms of the next step up. So certainly for the first part of the summer I’ll be playing as a batter.”My intention is to keep bowling. I mean, bowling 10 overs every 50-over match probably isn’t something that is sustainable for me. But I’d like to have a good role with the ball as well.”It just came to a head and was very sore during the winter, so I was really glad to have a chance to have a good period of rehab so that I can go through the summer more pain-free, obviously with a big 50-over World Cup after the summer. I’m on track, which I’m really happy about.”Related

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Sciver-Brunt said she was still adjusting to “a new normal” since the arrival of son Theo, who will join Nat and Katherine on tour as England look to put their 16-0 Ashes drubbing at the hands of Australia in January behind them.”It’s been interesting, obviously doing everything I can to get back into cricket and whilst rehabbing my Achilles was important,” she said. “Doing all of that and then being at home and there for Katherine and Theo has been tricky at times, but looking after a newborn is really rewarding.”To be asked [to be captain] is a huge privilege and one that I didn’t want to turn down. Obviously that doesn’t come without its challenges in terms of where I’m at in my life and the changes that have happened outside of cricket, to becoming a mum and getting used to all of that, so it will be a new thing to get used to, but hopefully something I can take in my stride.”West Indies named their squad – without the injured Chinelle Henry and Deandra Dottin – on Tuesday and England were set to follow suit within 48 hours. During that time Lydia Greenway is expected to be confirmed as the national women’s selector, a new position created to work alongside head coach Charlotte Edwards, England Women’s managing director Clare Connor and director Jonathan Finch on a four-person selection panel.Unlike Knight, Sciver-Brunt won’t be part of the selection panel as captain, although she will have share her views in pre-selection meetings with Edwards and have a say in the starting XI for each match.England are yet to settle on a leadership group to support Sciver-Brunt and on whether they will have a vice-captain. In her role as deputy, Sciver-Brunt was called upon a number of times to lead the side in Knight’s absence, most recently midway through their T20 World Cup defeat to West Indies in October which resulted in England failing to reach the knockout phase of the tournament. Sciver-Brunt has a 9-3 win-loss record in the 12 matches she has captained for England – 11 T20Is, including at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and one ODI.”We’ve had some great success when I’ve stepped in to captain, but also lost a few games as well,” she reflected. “Just learning from those experiences and working out the best way to help everybody on the pitch stay level and in the best place to perform well, that’s the biggest learning, how to help people get back to their normal, which we’ve done a lot of as a group over the last year or so.”I’ll be having conversations with everybody just to work out the best way to work with them when we’re on the pitch and what they would need from me to help them best work.”As a leader, I want to empower everyone to be the best version of themselves, as a group I want us all to work really hard for each other and the team and themselves, and also making smarter decisions, with learning about the game and different experiences and using what we’ve done really well in the past and just tweaking it a little. We’ve got a great chance with a new coach, a new captain to start fresh I suppose, and look forward as a group. We’ll look to tweak a few things and hopefully we can win a few more games.”

!Time da Fé! Cinco vezes que o São Paulo reverteu uma derrota no primeiro jogo e se classificou em decisões

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Nesta quarta-feira (16), o São Paulo decide seu futuro contra o Corinthians na Copa do Brasil pela semifinal da competição. O Tricolor perdeu o jogo de ida por 2 a 1 na casa do rival, mas tem chance de recuperar o resultado no estádio do Morumbi. Embora o resultado negativo desanime a um primeiro olhar, o Tricolor já apresentou algumas reviravoltas na história onde conseguiu reverter no duelo de volta – e com a mesma diferença de gols que está apresentando agora. Relembre cinco vezes em que isso foi possível!

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Conquista da Copa Libertadores de 1992
Na final do continental daquele ano, o Tricolor enfrentou o Newell’s Old Boys. No primeiro jogo, perdeu fora de casa por 1 a 0. No duelo de volta, no Morumbi, venceu por 1 a 0 e decidiu o confronto nos pênaltis. O resultado consagrou a primeira Libertadores da história do Tricolor e um dos títulos mais importantes da equipe.

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

+ ATUAÇÕES: Lucas Moura marca primeiro gol após volta, e São Paulo empata com Flamengo pelo Brasileirão

Oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil de 2012
O São Paulo garantiu sua vaga nas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil em 2012 contra a Ponte Preta. Primeiro, perdeu o jogo de ida fora de casa por 1 a 0. No duelo de volta e com apoio da torcida, venceu por 3 a 1 e se classificou.

Quartas de final do Campeonato Paulista de 2018
Nas quartas de final do Paulistão de 2018, o São Paulo se classificou também após perder o jogo de ida. No caso, foi derrotado por 1 a 0, mas reverteu vencendo por 2 a 0 no jogo de volta.

Terceira fase da Copa do Brasil em 2021
Sem dúvidas, uma das decisões recentes mais memoráveis do São Paulo. Em 2021, o Tricolor foi do lixo ao luxo na Copa do Brasil contra o IX de Julho. No jogo de ida, perdeu por 3 a 2. No duelo de volta, simplesmente virou o resultado após vencer por 9 a 1 – um dos placares mais elásticos da história do clube.

Oitavas de final da Copa Sul-Americana em 2023
O exemplo mais recente de virada do São Paulo. Nas oitavas de final da Copa Sul-Americana, o São Paulo perdeu para o San Lorenzo por 1 a 0 na Argentina. No Morumbi, reverteu ao vencer por 2 a 0 e se classificar para as quartas.

*Estes levantamentos foram concedidos pelo historiador Alexandre Giesbrecht, do Anotações Tricolores

Lamine Yamal, what an impact: Barcelona star comes off the bench and immediately assists Robert Lewandowski winner as Hansi Flick's side stage impressive comeback against Real Sociedad

Lamine Yamal returned to the Barcelona matchday squad and had an instant impact as he his assist led to Robert Lewandowski scoring the winning goal in the second half. Yamal started on the bench against Real Sociedad and was introduced in the game just a minute before the hour mark. He came on and within a few seconds played a perfect cross for the Polish forward to score.

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    Hansi Flick rested several first-team stars like Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Eric Garcia as he wanted to keep them fresh for the Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain next week. Lamine Yamal, on the other hand, returned to the matchday squad from injury but started on the bench.

    Barcelona were the more dominant side in the first half as they enjoyed 86 per cent ball possession and created several goalscoring opportunities. Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro was the busiest player on the pitch as he pulled off multiple saves to deny players like Pedri and Marcus Rashford from scoring. 

    After resisting the Barcelona attack for half an hour, the visitors broke the deadlock against the run of play. Goncalo Guedes sent in a curling cross towards Mikel Oyarzabal, who in turn, found Ander Barrenetxea with a pass. The left winger then kept a low ball inside the box from which Alvaro Odriozola converted a simple tap-in.

    The Catalan giants restored parity just two minutes before the end of regulation time in the first when Jules Kounde converted a clinical header from Marcus Rashford's inch-perfect corner.

    Flick introduced Olmo and Yamal in the second half and the changes instantly had an impact on Barcelona's game. Yamal came on just a minute before the hour mark and contributed to Lewandowski's goal. The youngster received a pass from Olmo near the left edge of the box and made a run before keeping a perfect cross inside the six-yard box as the veteran Polish forward converted a brilliant header. Lewandowski came close to a second goal for himself when Ferran Torres set him up with a perfect ball inside the six-yard box, but the 37-year-old's powerful shot from a close range hit the crossbar and went out. 

    With a 2-1 win on Sunday, Barcelona overtook rivals Real Madrid to occupy the top spot after Los Blancos suffered a 5-2 loss against Atletico Madrid a day before.

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    THE MVP

    Rashford had yet another impressive night in a Barcelona shirt as he worked relentlessly on the left side of the pitch, but Yamal's impact on the game was magical. Just seconds after he replaced Roony Bardghji on the pitch, the Blaugrana sensation played an inch-perfect ball for Lewandowski to score the winner.

  • THE BIG LOSER

    The Sociedad defenders let their goalkeeper down on a night when Remiro made eight saves and was practically unbeaten in front of goal. Yet Barcelona converted two headers as the backline was caught napping on both occasions. 

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    WHAT COMES NEXT?

    The Catalan giants will now shift their focus to Europe as they are all set to host defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in a crucial Champions League fixture on Wednesday. 

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