Tag Futebol

Manchester United did some impressive business on paper during the summer transfer window as they brought Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko in to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.

Mbeumo has hit the ground running since his move from Premier League rivals Brentford, with goals against Grimsby and Burnley in recent weeks.

The summer transfer window was not perfect, though, as the Red Devils were unable to get a deal done for Brighton & Hove Albion central midfielder Carlos Baleba.

There was also a scare late on in the window when Fabrizio Romano revealed that Kobbie Mainoo had told the club that he wanted to leave on loan for the season.

The England international wanted to go out on loan, but was not entertaining any permanent transfers away from Old Trafford, in order to play regular minutes ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

However, Manchester United were unwilling to lose the academy graduate, even on loan, so close to the end of the window, which means that he remained at the club.

Why Man Utd need to get the best out of Kobbie Mainoo

Ruben Amorim must find a way to get the best out of Mainoo now that the player is staying at Old Trafford, because he has proven himself to be an exciting young talent.

His only start of the season so far came against Grimsby in the League Cup. It was an awful night for the club, losing on penalties, but the midfielder showed his quality in and out of possession in midfield.

There should be little doubt over whether or not Mainoo is good enough to be starting matches for Manchester United when you consider his form prior to Amorim’s arrival.

23/24 Premier League

Kobbie Mainoo per 90

Percentile rank vs CMs

Take-ons attempted

2.71

Top 20%

Take-ons completed

1.42

Top 18%

Take-on success rate

53.4%

Top 28%

Goal-creating actions (take-ons)

0.09

Top 4%

Goal-creating actions (shot)

0.09

Top 2%

Goal-creating actions (fouls drawn)

0.05

Top 9%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old starlet was one of the most impressive central midfielders in the Premier League at driving with the ball and making things happen in possession in the 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag.

Now, at the start of this season, Mainoo was an unused substitute in the first two matches of the Premier League season, against Arsenal and Fulham, and Amorim explained that it was because he is competing with Bruno Fernandes for a place in the team.

Whilst you can rationalise what the manager says in the quotes above, as his midfield two typically has one creative player and one enforcer to complement each other, it seems like a waste of the talent that he has available to him.

Mainoo is capable of producing quality in the Premier League, such as the goal in the clip above, whilst Manuel Ugarte has made more appearances in the league than him this season, despite his disappointing performances.

The Uruguay international, who was signed from PSG in 2024, has not done enough to suggest that he should be prioritised over Mainoo, and INEOS must finally cash in on him when the transfer window opens again in January.

Why Man Utd should sell Manuel Ugarte

Per Capology, Ugarte currently earns £120k-per-week at Old Trafford. That is over four times as much as Mainoo earns per week (£25k), but his performances do not justify that expense.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Expand Collapse

The former Sporting star is a midfield destroyer who ‘suits’ Amorim’s system as a partner for Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount because he is naturally defensive-minded.

However, Ugarte was dribbled past 1.3 times per game in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, whilst Mainoo was only dribbled past 0.6 times, which shows that opposition midfielders found it too easy to get the better of him.

He also won 53% of his duels and made two errors that led to shots or goals. Mainoo, meanwhile, won 45% of his duels and made one error that led to a shot or goal, per Sofascore, which suggests that they were both fairly indifferent in physical contests.

Ugarte is, therefore, not enough of an upgrade, if at all, in a defensive sense, to rationalise him playing in the first two Premier League games off the bench ahead of the England international.

These comments on Sky Sports from last October still ring true to this day, as the Uruguay international’s ‘lackadaisical’ play on the ball was an issue for him throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

24/25 PL

Ugarte

Rank vs midfielders

Non-penalty goals

0.05

Bottom 41%

xAG

0.06

Bottom 30%

Shot-creating actions

1.56

Bottom 16%

Progressive passes

3.08

Bottom 18%

Progressive carries

0.81

Bottom 23%

Passes into the final third

2.96

Bottom 36%

Passes into the penalty area

0.45

Bottom 20%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Ugarte was one of the worst central midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to progressing play and making an impact at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, the ex-PSG man has flopped at Old Trafford because he has not been reliable defensively, given how easy it has been for players to dribble past him, and he has struggled badly in possession.

In fact, a former Netherlands international claimed in October of last year that Ugarte was “walking” around the pitch and criticised Ten Hag and the club for signing players who are “not even good”, referring to the midfielder.

INEOS must, therefore, cash in on Ugarte when they next get the chance to, because he is standing in Mainoo’s way, despite not being better than the English starlet, and has been a big flop since his move from PSG with his underwhelming performances on the pitch.

Related Man Utd tipped to join race for Premier League star who's an "absolute gem"

What a coup this would be for the Red Devils.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Sep 6, 2025

Liverpool Women's manager Gareth Taylor paid a moving tribute to former boss Matt Beard after he passed away at just 47. Taylor admitted the shock has left a "big void" across the Reds' Melwood base and beyond. On Monday, the squad gathered in silence at training, holding a minute of reflection in his honour.

Leading Liverpool to glory

Beard’s managerial journey began at Millwall Lionesses before he took charge at Chelsea. His career truly caught fire when he joined Liverpool in 2012, transforming the Reds into the dominant force in English women’s football. Within two years, he delivered consecutive WSL crowns, a golden era that etched his name permanently into the club’s history.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesA 'devastating' death, says Taylor

Speaking with raw emotion, Taylor emphasised the scale of Beard’s legacy: "We have lost Matt far too young. But where we can take some solace is by thinking of the huge impact he managed to have on so many people across his 47 years – a real legacy and he packed in more than a lot of people who are fortunate to be around until their old age.

"It's just really devastating news. Devastating for his family and friends and especially [wife] Debbie, [and children] Harry and Ellie. All of our thoughts of course are with them at this moment. It's a huge loss and he will leave a big void."

A man who delivered more than trophies

While his medal collection and achievements are unmatched at Liverpool, Taylor stressed that Beard’s true mark was the impression he left on people.

"I have to say, he's the most enjoyable to work with, in the sense of coming up against, in my time in the women's game," he added. "The legacy he has left, as a person firstly, because of the impression he left on the people he worked with at all of his clubs, particularly here at Liverpool. And then obviously his record as a gaffer.

"He took Liverpool to the real heights of the game. The most decorated women's manager for Liverpool and I think that is only half of the story. The other half is the void he will leave as a person. He served all of his clubs really, really well and definitely left an impression. As a person, as a coach, as an employee of a club, that's what you look for – to try to leave an impression, and you hope it's a good one. It certainly was with Matt. He left so many memories for people to hold on to."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesBeard's legacy will never fade

For Liverpool, Beard remains their most successful women’s manager, the person who delivered their only two WSL titles and the promotion that restored them to the top table. A touching tribute is set for Anfield on Tuesday night when Liverpool’s men face Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

Leeds United looked at signing a new attacker on deadline day but missed out to a rival Premier League club.

The Whites head into the first international break of the Premier League season above the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle United in the table, however Daniel Farke still wanted more signings before Monday’s deadline.

Picking up four points from the first three games, Leeds are yet to score from open play in the Premier League, bringing in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin on free transfers.

Noah Okafor

AC Milan

£18m

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

£17.4m

Jaka Bijol

Udinese

£15m

Lucas Perri

Lyon

£13.9m

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle

£12m

Gabriel Gudmundsson

Lille

£10m

James Justin

Leicester City

£10m

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Wolfsburg

£5m

Louis Enahoro-Marcus

Liverpool

Undisclosed

Lukas Nmecha

Wolfsburg

Free

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton

Free

Noah Okafor has been the marquee addition in the final third, but Farke urged the 49ers Enterprises to bring in more quality.

“I don’t play any games. Everyone in the club says: ‘OK, we want to try everything to give us the best possible squad’. Everyone wants to add, in the offence, some more quality players. If not, we also won’t raise the white flag and say, ‘OK, that’s it’.

“We have shown we are competitive in the first three games, but it will be difficult (thereafter). There’s also no moaning, but, until the last hour of the window, we have to try everything to bring some more quality in.”

Contact made: Leeds now plotting last-gasp offer to sign "underrated" star

He’s in excellent form.

5 ByTom Cunningham Sep 1, 2025

It remains to be seen whether or not Farke will get his wish in January, or if he’ll have to rely on Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor, Jack Harrison, Dan James, Brenden Aaronson and Wilfried Gnonto for the entire season.

Leeds were big fans of £35m Dilane Bakwa

Linked with a move to Leeds over the summer was Strasbourg winger Dilane Bakwa, and he remained on the Whites’ radar with hours remaining of the transfer window.

Leeds were thought to be in pole position to sign the attacker before the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, however, Nottingham Forest have since come in for the 23-year-old and sealed a deal late in the day.

Jarrod Bowen

West Ham

Jack Harrison

Leeds

Igor Paixao

Marseille

Dan James

Leeds

Ismaila Sarr

Crystal Palace

According to LeedsLive in their transfer deadline day blog, Bakwa had big admirers at Leeds and a £35m deal would have been a near record from what the club paid for Georginio Rutter back in 2023.

As can be seen, Bakwa has been compared to Harrison, James and even summer transfer target Igor Paixao by Football Transfers, and Leeds ultimately missed out on his services.

Juventus boss Igor Tudor praised Kenan Yildiz’s discipline and talent, insisting the Turkish starlet has everything to become a top player.

• Juventus coach Tudor hails Yildiz’s discipline
• Registered two assists in Juve’s opener vs Parma
• Contract runs until 2029 but new deal planned

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Juventus coach Tudor has singled out Yildiz for praise, stressing that the 20-year-old attacker combines talent with a model attitude on and off the pitch. The Juve boss explained that he rarely needs to correct the youngster in training, highlighting his professionalism and inner motivation as key strengths.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yildiz already boasts 86 senior appearances for the Bianconeri, scoring 16 goals and providing 13 assists since breaking into the first team. He assisted twice in Juve’s opening-day win against Parma and looks set for a pivotal role in the 2025-26 campaign. The Turkish international has quickly emerged as one of Europe’s brightest attacking talents, with Juventus eager to tie him down on a new contract despite his current deal running until 2029. His development comes at a crucial moment for the Turin giants, who have started the season with back-to-back victories and face Inter in the Derby d’Italia this weekend. With Juve aiming to reclaim Serie A supremacy and make a deep Champions League run, Yildiz’s ability to deliver consistently at the highest level could prove decisive.

• WHAT IGOR TUDOR SAID

  Speaking to , Tudor said: "I was talking to them the other day and I noticed that I never say anything to Yildiz in front of others, because he always does what he's supposed to do. We rarely say anything to him, whether it's about his playing style or his behavior. The difference is that inner motivation you have to get there and do what you do, which has to be there every day. Yildiz is proving he does that, and I hope he continues every day. He has all the attributes to become a truly top player."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS & YILDIZ?

  Juve will look to extend their perfect start to the season when they face Inter this weekend. Yildiz is expected to play a key role as Tudor’s side aim to maintain momentum in both the Serie A and the Champions League. With contract talks on the horizon, the Bianconeri are determined to secure his long-term future as the cornerstone of their attack.

يخوض فريق بيراميدز مواجهة قوية أمام نظيره الأهلي السعودي، في اللقاء الذي يجمع بين الفريقين ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال.

وتقام مباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي على أرضية ملعب استاد الجوهرة المشعة، في إطار مباريات بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال.

طالع | فيديو | بيراميدز يهزم الأهلي السعودي ويتوج بطلًا لكأس القارات الثلاثة ويتأهل لنصف نهائي كأس إنتركونتيننتال

ويدخل بيراميدز المباراة ساعيًا لتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية تمنحه دفعة قوية في مشواره بالبطولة، بينما يطمح الأهلي السعودي إلى حصد الانتصار والمنافسة على لقب كأس القارات الثلاثة.

طتاع | يورتشيتش: حلم بيراميدز أصبح حقيقة.. وطالبت اللاعبين بهذا الأمر أمام الأهلي السعودي

وكان بيراميدز قد استطاع أن يحقق الفوز على أوكلاند سيتي النيوزيلندي بنتجة 3-0، في المباراة التي أقيمت بالقاهرة ضمن مواجهات الدور التمهيدي الأول للبطولة العالمية.

وكان نادي بيراميدز، شارك في بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال، للمرة الأولى في تاريخه بعد التتويج ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا الموسم الماضي.

يذكر أن المتأهل من الأهلي السعودي وبيراميدز، سيلعب ضد الفائز من ديربي الأمريكتين في دور نصف النهائي، ثم المتأهل يلاقي باريس سان جيرمان في المباراة النهائية. موعد مباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي في كأس الإنتركونتيننتال

تقام مباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي، اليوم الثلاثاء 23 سبتمبر، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي في كأس الإنتركونتيننتال

من المقرر أن تنقل مباراة بيراميدز أمام منافسه الأهلي السعودي عبر منصة شاهد، وسيتم نقلها عبر قناة ام بي سي أكشن.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

Sunderland’s squad is really starting to take shape now ahead of their first Premier League showdown with West Ham United next month.

Indeed, at the time of writing, Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, and Noah Sadiki have all joined Regis Le Bris’ camp in rapid-fire fashion, with the next expected arrival through the door coming in the form of promising Club Brugge attacker Chemsdine Talbi for a weighty £19.8m.

Sunderland’s breakneck pace in the summer transfer window won’t be slowing down here, you imagine, as more and more new faces are tipped to join the exciting Black Cats ride up to the top flight.

Sunderland lodge bid for next summer signing

The central midfield department certainly looks well stocked on Wearside, as plenty of attackers now begin to be linked to the Stadium of Light to boost numbers all over the pitch, away from just Talbi strengthening their options down the right channel.

Both Gonzalo Garcia and Luiz Suarez have been on the Sunderland radar from Real Madrid and Almeria, respectively, as Le Bris looks to enhance the Black Cats’ firepower up top. Still, with Garcia reportedly content to stick it out in Spain, and with Suarez on the Sporting shopping list, it might well be a tough battle ahead to tempt either promising striker to England.

It could well be an equally testing endeavour to try and pick up Sassuolo ace Armand Lauriente this summer. However, it is stated that Sunderland still holds a concrete interest in snapping up the entertaining Frenchman, according to journalist Gianluigi Longari.

Further reports from Italy have also suggested that the Black Cats have seen a first offer rejected for the forward, with the Italian outfit holding out for more than €30m (£25m) plus bonus. The player himself is said to be pushing to leave.

If Sunderland were ultimately successful in this race to land the explosive 26-year-old, they could be about to win Le Bris his next Le Fee, as another exciting talent from Europe down the left flank prepares to wreak havoc on Wearside.

Wju Lauriente can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Sunderland’s strategy in the chaotic summer window so far seems to centre on them plucking gems from the European leagues, hopeful that they go on to be as instantly successful as Le Fee was on English shores.

Le Fee was a very bright spark for the Black Cats in their moment of need last season, as seen in the former Lorient midfielder collecting two assists in the tense playoff semi-final matches to secure his team a triumphant trip to Wembley.

Lauriente will hope he can translate his Sassuolo magic to the English game very shortly too, with the stylish winger spearheading his own promotion charge last season as Fabio Grosso’s men returned to Serie A at the first time of asking.

Their similarities don’t end there as Le Bris gears up to potentially welcome his next Le Fee to his ever-growing camp, with Lauriente well-versed in what it takes to be a star at a top level, having collected a mightily impressive tally of 42 goals and assists plying his trade in both Ligue 1 and Serie A. His compatriot, before embarking on a fresh challenge on Wearside, lags behind on 21 goals and assists in both those top divisions.

Sassuolo

102

31

18

Lorient

91

13

14

US Orleans

17

3

1

Rennes

2

0

0

Staggeringly, Lauriente might well go on to be an even bigger star than Le Fee when judging those numbers, with the Sassuolo number 45 no doubt ready to push the 25-year-old for a starting spot down the left flank. It’s no wonder that analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as “one of the best left-wing options out there”.

Having been lauded as an “amazing” performer to watch in the past by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, too, picking up Lauriente might well have the same impact Le Fee’s arrival did in boosting the Black Cats’ chances of being a success.

But this time around, he could be the decisive star that helps Sunderland stave off the relegation drop zone in the Premier League.

Dream squad Sunderland could build: £112m spent on 7 signings after Talbi

Sunderland looks ready to take the Premier League by storm, with this being potentially what their dream squad could look like very soon.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 6, 2025

The renovation work could impact the Test against England in Karachi

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2024The PCB is confident that Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the National Stadium in Karachi will be ready in time to host the Champions Trophy next year, though ongoing work could continue to impact their bilateral commitments this season, including the Test against England in Karachi.The board has already moved the second Test against Bangladesh, originally scheduled in Karachi, to Rawalpindi. Speaking to reporters on Monday in Lahore, Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, acknowledged that “matches [during the season] may move back and forth but the main target is that these stadiums are ready before the Champions Trophy”.England play their second of the three Tests in Karachi, from October 15-19. In announcing the switch of Bangladesh’s Test to Rawalpindi on Sunday, the PCB did not exactly nail down Karachi as a venue for England.Related

Gaddafi redevelopment picks up pace as Champions Trophy nears

Pakistan women miss out on daily allowances at training camp

Pakistan vs Bangladesh Test moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi

“At this stage, we will not like to speculate on the hosting of the second Test in Karachi from 15-19 October and will continue to work closely with the architects and construction experts on the safe and secure hosting of the match, while keeping the England and Wales Cricket Board updated,” the statement said.The fluidity of the situation is evident in how the switch in venues for Bangladesh occurred. Two days after posting ticket prices online, the PCB announced the Karachi Test would be played behind closed doors with no spectators. Then on Sunday they announced they were moving it to Rawalpindi, because they wanted to ensure the renovation work went on uninterrupted and that hosting a game while such major work was being undertaken could have an impact on the game.Naqvi confirmed on Monday the reasons for the move. “Our calculation was that we could do matches without crowds, but various security institutions and the police said that even if there are people working inside, you shouldn’t host a match.”

“None of our stadiums could qualify internationally. Not the seats, not bathrooms, and a view that looks like you are watching from 500 metres away”PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi

That talk with journalists has led to some reports that Naqvi implied a change in venues or dates for the Champions Trophy from the draft schedule the PCB has submitted to the ICC. In a statement on Tuesday the PCB emphatically denied that was the case.”During the media talk, which is available on the PCB’s official YouTube channel, the PCB chair clearly stated that the redevelopment and redesign of the three designated stadia would be completed on schedule, ensuring readiness to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The PCB chair also mentioned that while some domestic matches may need to be shifted to facilitate uninterrupted construction work, this in no way pertains to the ICC Champions Trophy, which remains a priority for the PCB as a premier eight-team international event.”During that media talk, Naqvi did point to the pressing need for this renovation work. “Our stadiums and those abroad, there is a massive difference,” he said. “In no way were our stadiums international-standard stadiums. None of our stadiums could qualify internationally. Not the seats, not bathrooms, and a view that looks like you are watching from 500 metres away. If I want to stay in a 1980 model then great, but the world has gone far ahead.”Naqvi pointed out that while both stadiums in Lahore and Karachi are eventually undergoing total upgrades, partial renovation between now and early next year will mean they are ready in time for the Champions Trophy.”Right now we have five months,” he said. “In that time, definitely the two enclosures on either side [in the Gaddafi stadium] and the main building [will be ready], that is the focus for now.”The stadiums will be totally upgraded. Not just this but we plan to have a new stadium in Islamabad, in Abbottabad, we want to work on that as well. A few stadiums that we don’t operate – we’ve written to the local authorities that either you upgrade it or hand it to us so we can host domestic and even international cricket there. These stadiums will be 100% upgraded but in the next five months, the target we have, we hope to complete that.”The New York stadium [for the T20 World Cup] was completed in the last 10-15 days. We will be ready well before that timeline.”

Arsenal hold a concrete interest in an “unbelievable” Cristhian Mosquera alternative, and they have now made an approach over a potential deal, according to reporter Sami Mokbel.

Gunners identify Mosquera as main centre-back target

Mikel Arteta is blessed with having a top-quality centre-back duo at his disposal, with Jamie Carragher heaping praise upon William Saliba and Gabriel last season, suggesting the defenders complement each other.

Speaking about Saliba, the Sky Sports pundit said: “I think he is one of the top centre-backs in European football. As a partnership, him and Gabriel is as good as anything in the Premier League.

“I think Saliba is the better player but Gabriel is the better leader, and Saliba needs to bring that to his game if he wants to get to the levels we talk about with Virgil van Dijk.”

Saka will love him: Arsenal agree initial fee to sign £60m "monster"

Arsenal could be growing closer to signing a new striker.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 29, 2025

However, with Gabriel absent through injury during the back end of the campaign, Arteta was left a little short on options, with Jakub Kiwior filling in, suggesting it could be savvy to bring in additional strength in depth at centre-back this summer.

Mosquera has emerged as Arteta’s main target to come in as a back-up option for Gabriel and Saliba, with the Gunners expected to make a bid for the 21-year-old, however, they have now made a move for an alternative option.

That is according to Mokbel, in a report for BBC Sport, with the reporter stating Arsenal have now made an approach to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who is expected to be available for a fee in the region of £40m this summer.

The north Londoners hold a concrete interest in Guehi, having made an initial enquiry, but their interest may have cooled, having now turned their attentions to Mosquera.

Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also retain an interest in the Palace captain, so it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, should the Gunners decide to launch a move.

Guehi could be better-suited to Arsenal than Mosquera

It remains to be seen whether the England international would be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium, given that it would be difficult to force his way into the starting XI, but there are signs he could be a more suitable addition to the squad than Mosquera.

Crucially, the Palace star already has experience in the Premier League, having been a key player for the Eagles for a number of years, while he has also outperformed the Valencia defender across some key defensive metrics over the past year.

Average per 90

Cristhian Mosquera

Marc Guehi

Tackles

1.52

1.79

Blocks

1.0

1.62

Clearances

3.47

4.80

Aerials won

1.11

2.0

Lauded as “unbelievable” by members of the media, Guehi could be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, but a move for an established centre-back could cause unrest if it means Gabriel or Saliba receive less game time.

Despite the loss, Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus looked on the positive side, saying “these big games are always gold dust”

Andrew McGlashan12-Jun-20245:54

Finch: Zampa owns the stumps and it’s hard to play square against him

They overcame a small wobble to win convincingly, completely outplayed their higher-seeded group opponent and now dispatched a lower-ranked team with clinical ease. Australia can lay claim to having had the most serene path so far in T20 World Cup 2024, a marked contrast to living on the edge as they have done in recent global events.Things could change, of course, come the Super Eight but Australia are a well-drilled side with, seemingly, all bases covered. Pat Cummins was able to have the first game off; there was no need to push a sore Mitchell Starc into this one. Others could now get a rest against Scotland ahead of the next stage, which sees three games in six days for all the teams who make it.Namibia were not expected to be a roadblock, but this tournament has thrown up the unexpected quite frequently. This, however, was not going to be a night for anything to be added to that list. Australia’s powerplay bowling was relentless; Adam Zampa helped himself to the middle and lower order; the fielding was outstanding and the chase brutal.Zampa, becoming Australia’s first male player to 100 T20I wickets, took the plaudits with the Player-of-the-Match award – his second in two games – and from his captain. Like in the ODI World Cup, he has so far operated as the lone frontline spinner, supported by Glenn Maxwell’s offspin.”If you look at his career, especially over the last five years, he’s probably our most important player,” Australian captain Mitchell Marsh said at the post-match presentation. “He loves the big moment, loves the pressure, and that comes with experience. He’s bowling beautifully at the moment, so we’re lucky to have him.”Gerhard Erasmus finished with 36 off 43•Getty ImagesIt took 24 minutes and less than six overs to knock off the target. Run rate was of no concern, or benefit, for Australia (whether they take note of England’s in a few days’ time is another thing entirely) but they were in no mood to hang around. Perhaps they can squeeze in another of Antigua’s 365 beaches before hopping over to St Lucia.”I think in the back of your head turning up today, that’s how the day should go for us,” Josh Hazlewood said. “And it’s one thing thinking that, it’s another thing actually going out and doing it. So, it was up to us to set the tone as the bowling group and to have them 3 for 16 [15], 5 for 20-odd really sort of set that tone. Then obviously we’ve got the freedom with the bat to chase a lowish score as quickly as possible… but yeah, it’s good to get a win like that.”Gerhard Erasmus, the Namibia captain who was made to sweat 17 balls to get off the mark, did not shy away from the result and conceded his team had not played their best throughout the competition, which started with a Super Over win against Namibia and then a loss to Scotland. However, he hoped his players would still take gains from the experience.”I think these big games are always gold dust in the sense that you get a physical run out with the best in the world,” he said. “You tend to face different ball speeds, different skills at a very high quality, a very high consistency and whether that’s a game that runs very close or one that you even lose quite far, it’s still gold dust that you need to try your best to take in every moment of that and every sort of experience that you can because they don’t come around often. So hopefully, some of the boys could do that tonight again, even though it was a bit of a runaway.”

A 46-ball 90 against India restored his touch and confidence, as he reignited interest ahead of the IPL auction

Firdose Moonda11-Dec-2025Timing, as we say in cricket, is everything, and Quinton de Kock’s best T20I score in 19 innings could not have come at a more opportune moment.De Kock made his comeback for South Africa exactly two months ago but his returns in this format: 1, 23, 7, 0 and 0, were cause for concern. The question hung in the air: did he still have it to contribute at the highest level in this format? There is also the not-so-small matter of next week’s IPL auction, and he was added to the shortlist earlier this week after initially being left off, which suggests one or more franchises are interested in him. Another question: had he done anything recently enough to suggest he’d be an obvious choice?Throw in a 46-ball 90 against an attack that includes Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya into the mix and both of those have been answered with the same yes. De Kock is back, and back properly.His first big shot signalled it. Arshdeep went slightly short, got his line a little wrong as the delivery was directed down leg stump and de Kock barely had to move towards offstump to pick up and flick it over backward square for the game’s first six. He would hit five more in that area and two in the ‘V,’ for a total of seven sixes in an innings also punctuated by five fours.Related

• Suryakumar's lack of runs a worry in lead-up to T20 World Cup

• IPL 2026 auction – De Kock added in 359-player shortlist, Green part of first set

What stood out was the clean ball-striking, his ability to pick up the short or slower ball early and decide where he wanted to hit it and the nonchalance with which he went about the innings. Too much, maybe, as he was run out on 90 and the chance for a second century in this format was squandered, but to see de Kock show the shades of old will be reassuring, to both South Africa and the IPL franchises.So far, his trip to India has been all or nothing with a duck and 8 in the first two ODIs before a 106 in the third, which was his seventh against India. Then, he got a duck in the first T20I, to a wonderful Arshdeep ball that swung away from him as he edged behind. He grinned and bore it but inside had the same thoughts we all did. “I didn’t know what’s going on, it was all just happening,” de Kock told the host broadcasters afterwards. “I guess it’s just when I do get going, I have to just try and make it count.”Arshdeep was the first bowler he faced again in this match and with much less swing on offer in New Chandigarh than Cuttack, he was able to get his own back. As Arshdeep struggled for consistency – he bowled nine wides all told – de Kock took 27 runs off the 14 balls he faced against him, and three of those were big sixes. Was he claiming any bragging rights? Doesn’t sound like it. “The guy’s got me out plenty of times, that I know for sure,” he said.

“I just let the instincts take over and kept making sure I was in good positions. That was all it was.”Quinton de Kock

In T20Is, de Kock is the batter Arshdeep has dismissed the joint-most number of times so de Kock’s memory serves him well. It’s also against a bowler like Arshdeep that he measures himself. “I judge myself and how good my technique is under moving balls because that’s how I think I get the best out of myself,” de Kock said at the post-match press conference. “Against guys like Arshdeep and Booms (Jasprit Bumrah), you have to be strong in your positions. Otherwise, they are going to find you out. You can’t be loose.”De Kock’s footwork, use of the crease and the way he accesses the legside were all on display in this innings and it came because he didn’t think too hard about it. “I just let the instincts take over and kept making sure I was in good positions. That was all it was.”It was also about who he was up against. India is the country de Kock has enjoyed most of his white-ball success. While he puts that down to the frequency with which South Africa play them, it’s also about the desire to step up against the best. “Before my retirement, it would be hard to wake up and go play for the team again, especially when you play a series over and over where you’ve played India multiple times, home and away. Over time, I was getting sick of it. I was looking for a new challenge and I wasn’t getting it,” he said. ‘Coming back, I feel like this is actually what I missed. As everyone knows, you never know what you have until you’ve lost it. That’s kind of now coming back. I feel I can play much longer than what I thought previously.”Against India and in India, which also bodes well for next week’s auction. De Kock may well have caught the eye of the franchise that let him go, Kolkata Knight Riders, as they have retained neither him nor their other wicket-keeper opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz but they wouldn’t be the only ones looking. Mumbai Indians, whose South African wicketkeeper-opener Ryan Rickelton is not even in this South African squad and Delhi Capitals, where Faf du Plessis has opted out, may also consider de Kock for next season.