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Following another evening of wasted chances, Everton have reportedly joined the race to sign Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus, who have set a bargain price for their striker.

David Moyes was once again left frustrated after being held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland in a game that saw Thierno Barry spurn a clear-cut opportunity to win the game. In the forward’s third start, expectations were high that he could finally kickstart his Everton career.

When the ball arrived at the far post, it looked as though the £27m man was destined to open his account in Merseyside, only for his attempt to find the stands rather than the back of the net. For the umpteenth time this season, the Toffees simply couldn’t find the missing piece to an impressive attacking move.

Moyes didn’t shy away from mentioning the missed chances at full-time either, and will be getting more and more frustrated with his current striker situation.

What really summed up Everton’s striker problem was the performance of Beto when he came from the bench. Whilst Barry was guilty of missing his chance, his replacement simply struggled to get himself into the game.

It’s something that The Friedkin Group must address if they are to push Everton into the top half of the Premier League. Several names have already been mentioned who could solve Moyes’ problem in the January transfer window, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll arrive.

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Among those mentioned includes Ivan Toney, who will likely need a move back into Europe from Al-Ahli if he is to get into Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad. But he’s not the only name on the list, with Vlahovic’s new bargain price suddenly making him an interesting option.

Everton enter race to sign Dusan Vlahovic

According to TEAMtalk, Everton have now entered the race to sign Dusan Vlahovic, who is now available for as little as €20m (£18m) in January if he fails to sign a new contract at Juventus.

The Serbian striker has been linked with a move away from the Italian club for some time, but could now get his chance to move on courtesy of the Premier League in 2026. Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and West Ham United are also in the race to secure his signature in a bargain move.

Minutes

499

597

308

Goals

3

1

0

Assists

0

0

0

Expected Goals

3.2

3.9

1

If the Toffees want a clinical striker then Vlahovic could be their man. The forward has scored three goals in just 499 minutes of action so far this season – the same as three goals in around 5.5 full games.

Described as “strong” by former Juventus boss Igor Tudor, Vlahovic has also matched his expected goals so far this season, whilst Beto has fallen far behind what he is expected to have scored by this stage. Simply put, Everton would be landing themselves a major upgrade.

Everton also eyeing Nicolas Jackson move

Tottenham Hotspur’s attack in 2025/26 has massively failed to deliver at present, as seen by the measly figures produced by those in such an area of the pitch.

Richarlison is currently the Lilywhites’ top scorer in the Premier League this campaign, but the Brazilian has only managed to score five times in his 14 appearances to date.

Micky van de Ven is the only other player within Thomas Frank’s squad to net more than two goals in England’s top-flight, further showcasing the lack of talent in the final third.

Fellow centre-back Cristian Romero also netted a double in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday night, with the Argentine rescuing a point at St James’ Park.

However, the January window presents an opportunity for Frank and the hierarchy to add needed quality to the attacking department to aid their chance of success.

Spurs looking to bolster their forward line

In an attempt to improve the options within the final third, Spurs have identified Porto striker Samu Aghehowa as a potential option ahead of the January window.

The 21-year-old has been in tremendous form during the 2025/26 season, as seen by his tally of 12 goals in his 20 appearances for the Portuguese giants.

However, such a deal would certainly be a hefty one for Frank’s men, with his current employers demanding a fee in the region of €80m (£70m) to part ways with their talisman.

Samu isn’t the only attacker currently being considered by the Lilywhites hierarchy ahead of the winter window, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo also another target.

According to Sky Sports, Frank’s men have started to intensify their efforts to land the 25-year-old winger, who has already registered nine combined goals and assists this campaign.

They also state that Liverpool are also in the race for his signature, but Fabio Paratici’s early efforts have seen the Lilywhites take the lead in the hunt for his services.

Why Semenyo could be Spurs' new Heung-min Son

Heung-min Son is a player who massively exceeded expectations during his decade in North London, with the South Korean international one of the best to wear the Spurs shirt.

He joined as an unknown quantity to many supporters back in the summer of 2015, but after a decade at the club, it’s safe to say he cemented himself as one of their best-ever attackers.

The winger racked up a staggering total of 173 goals in his 454 appearances for the club, even racking up 101 assists – often being to the go-to man alongside Harry Kane.

However, Frank was unable to rely upon the 33-year-old after taking the reins, with the attacker departing in a £20m deal to join LAFC during the summer window.

Son, who was capable of impressing with both feet, has left a huge hole on the left-hand side of the Lilywhites’ attack, something which has been a huge issue for the Dane.

That could be about to change in the coming months, especially if the hierarchy are able to secure a move for Semenyo in the upcoming transfer window

The Ghanaian international, who has demonstrated his two-footed ability this campaign, has also produced numerous impressive figures – with his underlying figures showcasing his qualities in possession.

Semenyo, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by teammate Justin Kluivert, has managed 0.69 goals and assists per 90, a tally higher than any player in the Spurs squad.

Such a tally ranks him in the 97th percentile of all other attackers in the division, showcasing his incredible ability to produce the goods in front of goal.

Games played

13

Goals & assists

9

Goals & assists (per 90)

0.69

Shots on target

1.1

Take-ons completed

1.8

Carries into opposition box

1.4

Aerials won

2.3

Progressive passes

3.8

He’s also registered 1.1 shots on target and 2.3 aerials won per 90, with both figures also ranking him higher than 95% of other wingers in the Premier League.

Semenyo is an all-round talent who can either go alone or provide the goods for those around him, with £65m potentially being an excellent price for a player of his quality.

Other stats, such as 1.8 take-ons and 1.4 carries into the final third per 90, further highlight his talent in possession, which could hand Frank the talent he craves in attacking areas.

It’s unclear if the board will manage to get a deal over the line in the coming months, but if they want to reach the next level, a move for Semenyo is an absolute must.

His skillset is scarily close to that of Son, with the Ghanaian having the chance to emulate the South Korean and make his own history should he move to North London.

Saved by Romero: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur were fortunate to walk away with a point against Newcastle United last night.

2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

The Athletics will complete their first season in their temporary home of Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif., against the Royals on Sunday.

Between their departure from their longtime home in Oakland and the move into their new stadium in Las Vegas expected by 2028, Sacramento is home. It may not feel that way, though, as they became known simply as the "Athletics" this season. The franchise's stopgap home is set to feel a bit more natural next season as they unveiled new alternate uniforms Sunday that proudly read Sacramento across the chest.

The new jerseys will seemingly replace the team's current gold alternates with the "A's" logo on the left chest. According to MLB.com's Martín Gallegos, the A's plan to wear their new Sacramento gold uniforms for every home Saturday game next season.

Just one of two MLB franchises without a City Connect uniform, the new jerseys are a no-brainer to further relate to their new city even if they will only be there for a couple more years. The Athletics' '25 campaign will come to a close Sunday as they finish the regular season near the bottom of the AL West with the Angels. There's plenty to be excited about, though, with strong rookie campaigns from Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson, plus the deadline deal where they acquired top prospect Leo De Vries by sending Mason Miller and JP Sears to the Padres.

One-hundred and sixty-one games later, it all comes down to this.

After a drama-filled week of heartbreaking eliminations and champagne-popping celebrations, there is still plenty to be decided on Sunday, the final day of the 2025 MLB regular season.

In the National League, two teams remain jockeying for one final playoff spot. Over in the American League, the AL Central and AL East divisions have yet to crown a champion, and there is playoff seeding up for grabs throughout the bracket.

Here's a breakdown of everything each team is playing for on the final day of the 2025 regular season:

American LeagueToronto Blue Jays (93-68)

What's at stake: AL East title; No. 1 seed
The skinny: Toronto owns the tiebreaker over the Yankees, so the Blue Jays will be crowned AL East champs on Sunday (and secure the No. 1 seed in the AL) with either a win over the Rays or a New York loss to the Orioles. If Sunday doesn't go their way, the Blue Jays will be the top wild-card team in the AL as the No. 4 seed.

Seattle Mariners (90-71)

What's at stake: Nothing.
The skinny: Seattle clinched its first division title since 2001 earlier this week, so there's nothing to play for on Sunday. The Mariners will be the No. 2 seed in the AL no matter what happens. It is worth watching to see if Cal Raleigh—sitting with 60 homers on the year—tries to chase Aaron Judge's AL record of 62 homers on the final day of the regular season.

Cleveland Guardians (87-74)

What's at stake: AL Central title
The skinny: The Guardians clinched a postseason berth Saturday in the ultimate "Guards Ball" way—on a walk-off hit by pitch in the ninth inning. Cleveland, which owns the tiebreaker over the Tigers, can claim its third AL Central title in the last four years on Sunday with either a win over the Rangers or a Detroit loss to the Red Sox. If Cleveland loses out on the division title, the Guardians would be locked into the final wild-card spot (No. 6 seed) because they lost the tiebreaker to Boston.

New York Yankees (93-69)

What's at stake: AL East title; No. 1 seed
The skinny: New York will be chasing a division title and a chance for home-field advantage and a first-round bye on the final day of the regular season. To do so, the Yankees will need to beat the Orioles combined with the Blue Jays falling to the Rays.

Boston Red Sox (88-73)

What's at stake: Wild-card seeding
The skinny: Boston, already having clinched a wild-card spot earlier this week, is postseason bound. But the Red Sox could either grab the No. 5 or No. 6 seed based on Sunday's results. The Red Sox own the tiebreaker over the Guardians but would lose the tiebreaker to Detroit. If Boston loses to the Tigers on Sunday and the Guardians beat the Rangers, the Red Sox would slide to the No. 6 seed. If any other scenario happens, the Red Sox will be the No. 5 seed in the AL.

Detroit Tigers (87-74)

What's at stake: AL Central title
The skinny: Take a sigh of relief, Detroit. The Tigers were on the brink of a historic collapse all week before clinching a postseason berth on Saturday. They could win the AL Central on Sunday with a win over the Red Sox combined with the Guardians losing to Texas. If Detroit beats the Red Sox and the Guardians take down the Rangers, the Tigers would be the No. 5 seed. If the Tigers lose on Sunday, they'll claim the No. 6 seed and final wild-card spot in the AL.

National LeagueMilwaukee Brewers (96-65)

What's at stake: Nada.
The skinny: Fire up the tailgate grill and relax, Brewers fans. For the first time since 1982, Milwaukee will finish the season with the best record in the big leagues, meaning the Brewers will have home-field advantage at American Family Field through the World Series. Milwaukee can play spoiler on Sunday, however, if they'd like to send the division rival Reds packing.

Philadelphia Phillies (95-66)

What's at stake: Not a thing.
The skinny: The Phillies had a chance at the NL's top seed before losing to the lowly Twins on Saturday night. That loss locked Philadelphia into the No. 2 seed, which also comes with a first-round bye. We'll see you in the NLDS, Phillie Phanatic.

Los Angeles Dodgers (92-69)

What's at stake: Nothing.
The skinny: Like the Brewers and Phillies, the Dodgers don't have anything to play for on Sunday. The NL West champs will be the No. 3 seed in the postseason and will be preparing to host a wild-card round at Dodger Stadium. There is some interesting baseball to watch for Dodgers fans on Sunday, however, to see if either the Reds or Mets will claim the final wild-card spot for a chance to play Los Angeles.

Chicago Cubs (91-70)

What's at stake: Nothing.
The skinny: The Cubs clinched the top NL wild-card spot on Saturday, so they'll host the Padres in the best-of-three first round of the playoffs at Wrigley Field. Aside from the postseason tilt in 2020 that had no fans in attendance, the last playoff game hosted at the "Friendly Confines" was the Cubs' 2-1 loss to the Rockies in the 2018 wild-card game. Should be fun.

San Diego Padres (89-72)

What's at stake: Nothing.
The skinny: As mentioned above, the Padres will be catching a flight to Chicago to open up the wild-card round at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

Cincinnati Reds (83-78)

What's at stake: Playoff spot.
The skinny: The Reds control their own destiny. A win over the rival Brewers, and Cincinnati is heading to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. It's that simple. If they lose to the Brewers, the Reds will still get in if the Mets lose to the Marlins. But if the Reds lose to Milwaukee and the Mets beat Miami, Cincinnati will be packing its bags for Cancún.

New York Mets (83-78)

What's at stake: Playoff spot.
The skinny: Missing the playoffs would be a disaster for Steve Cohen's $341 million payroll. But that has a decent chance of happening Sunday. The only way the Mets get into the playoffs is with a win over the Marlins combined with the Reds losing to the Brewers. Gulp.

Super-agent Jorge Mendes has dismissed the "noise" surrounding the young Spanish talent Lamine Yamal, urging for support for the 18-year-old Barcelona star. His comments come as Yamal himself refutes "lies" about his pubalgia injury after a stunning display in the Champions League, though Hansi Flick confirms the issue is still being actively managed.

Mendes defends Yamal

Mendes has publicly addressed the intense speculation and "noise" surrounding Yamal, following weeks of discussion about the 18-year-old's fitness and conduct. Mendes, who represents five players at Barcelona including Yamal, Alejandro Balde and Ansu Fati, broke his silence to defend the teenager from the mounting pressure. The agent's comments arrive in the wake of Yamal's scintillating performance in the Champions League, but also amid a backdrop of ongoing concerns over a persistent pubalgia injury.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMendes addresses 'noise' and ongoing pubalgia concerns

Speaking directly on the recent debate surrounding Yamal, Mendes sought to normalise the situation and called for the player to be supported, not scrutinised.

“I don't understand all the noise surrounding Lamine Yamal. We've all been 18 and young," Mendes told . "As president [Joan] Laporta said, what we have to do is support him and help him as much as possible because he's a great asset to the club."

The Portuguese agent, whose Gestifute agency manages Yamal, acknowledged the unique burden on the young forward, who now wears the number 10 shirt for Barcelona once worn by the likes of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

"Lamine is the player everyone is talking about worldwide; there's a consensus that he's a great player for both the present and the future," Mendes continued. "Having everyone watching you is also a great responsibility and a lot of pressure. He's handling it very well, and we have to continue helping him, and one way to do that is to focus exclusively on his work.”

Mendes also confirmed the reports of a physical issue but insisted it is being handled correctly by the player and the club.

“Lamine knows perfectly well what he has to do both on and off the field, and that's what he's doing: concentrating on working quietly and not talking much," he added. "He has some physical issues that he's addressing with the club to resolve them in the best way possible while he plays, and that's the most important thing, that he recovers well and can contribute as much as possible to the team."

Yamal hits back at 'lies' after Brugge heroics

Mendes's comments about letting the football do the talking were emphatically underlined by Yamal's performance in midweek. The agent noted: "The best thing Lamine does is let his play on the field do the talking; he does it like no one else, as we saw in the Brugge match."

In that chaotic 3-3 Champions League draw against Club Brugge on Wednesday, Yamal was Barcelona's standout performer. He dragged his side back into the game three times, scoring a sensational solo goal and creating the third, which resulted in a Christos Tzolis own goal.

After the match, Yamal himself confronted the recent rumours about his fitness. The forward missed seven games for club and country earlier this season with the pubalgia problem.

"I am good," Yamal told reporters. "I try not to read things. A lot has been said about my injury and that I was sad. It was all lies. I wanted to work hard to get back to this level, which is when I feel the best and have the most fun."

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Flick confirms injury is still being 'managed'

Despite Yamal's declaration and his agent's supportive words, Flick provided a more cautious assessment. The German coach confirmed that the pubalgia, a notoriously difficult groin-related injury, remains a daily concern.

"I am happy that Lamine is back on this level, but how I said also, we don't know what is tomorrow; we don't know what is next Sunday," Flick said in his post-game press conference in Belgium.

"The important thing is that he manages this situation he has now because it's not easy. He has to be focused on what he has to do, how he has to train and also the treatment. If he manages that the right way, hopefully it goes away, but it's not easy to say when with the situation."

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras venceu o Independiente del Valle por 2 a 1, em duelo válido pela quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. Richard Ríos e Gustavo Gómez marcaram os gols do Verdão no Allianz Parque, e Lautaro Díaz descontou para os visitantes.

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Com o resultado, o Palmeiras chega aos 13 pontos e não apenas garante vaga às oitavas de final da Libertadores, como também assegura o primeiro lugar no Grupo F. O Del Valle possui quatro pontos, assim como o San Lorenzo e o Liverpool-URU.

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Com a paralisação do Brasileirão, o próximo compromisso do Palmeiras de Abel Ferreira será no dia 23 de maio, contra o Botafogo-SP, pela partida de volta da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil.

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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
PALMEIRAS X INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE
LIBERTADORES – 5ª RODADA – FASE DE GRUPOS

🗓️Data e horário:quarta-feira, 15 de maio de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
📍Local:Allianz Parque, em São Paulo (SP)
Gols:Richard Ríos e Gustavo Gómez / Lautaro Díaz
🟨Árbitro:Alexis Herrera
🚩Assistentes:Lubin Torrealba e Alberto Ponte

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

⚽ESCALAÇÕES

PALMEIRAS (Técnico: Abel Ferreira)
Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Murilo, Gomez e Piquerez; Zé Rafael e Richard Rios; Estêvão, Lázaro, Endrick e Flaco López

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INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE (Técnico: Javier Gandolfi)
Moises Ramírez; Anthony Landazuri, Mateo Carabajal, Richard Schunke e Matias Fernandez; Cristian Zabala, Joao Ortiz e Patrik Mercado; Kendry Páez, Michael Hoyos e Júnior Sornoza.

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Pitcher Cade Horton has been one of the Cubs' most consistent performers in recent months, but Chicago will not be able to start the rookie against the Padres in the National League wild-card series.

The Cubs are putting Horton on the 15-day injured list with a right rib fracture, they announced Saturday afternoon. Per Jesse Rogers of ESPN, Horton would potentially be able to return for Game 5 of the NLDS should Chicago make it there.

Horton, 24, has gone 11–4 with a 2.67 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 118 innings this season. More specifically, he's 7–3 with a 1.28 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings since Aug. 1.

The Cubs are scheduled to play San Diego in the teams' second-ever playoff matchup next week, though its location is still to be determined.

Chicago is hosting the Cardinals in a three-game set this weekend; Jameson Taillon is starting Saturday while Sunday's starter is to be determined.

Ellie Anderson three-for trumps Kate Cross’ hard-fought fifty for hosts

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Sep-2025An impressive bowling display set Somerset up for an entertaining five-wicket DLS victory against high-flying Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford as they boosted their Metro Bank One-Day Cup semi-finals hopes.Sixth-placed Somerset restricted their second-placed hosts to 169 for nine from 44 overs and chased a revised 164 from the same allocation inside 35 for a bonus point.Ellie Anderson’s seam accounted for three wickets and Amanda-Jade Wellington’s leg-spin two before Niamh Holland and unbeaten Dani Gibson contributed 44 apiece to help secure a fifth win in 11 games. Wellington also added a steadying 25 not out to cap her impressive day.Inserted, Lancashire had been put under early pressure at 69 for seven inside 24 overs before England seamer Kate Cross’s composed 51 off 58 balls led a fightback which ultimately failed to prevent a fourth defeat in 11.Both sides maintained the group-table positions they held at the start of the day.This fixture was interrupted for just over an-hour-and-a-half by rain from 1.10pm onwards.The Red Rose made a disastrous start on an overcast and damp Manchester morning.Anderson – three for 44 from 10 overs – did the early damage with three of the first four wickets, including Ireland overseas batter Gaby Lewis superbly caught low down at cover by Holland for a debut eight.She also bowled Seren Smale and had Fi Morris caught at backward point following a sliced drive. The 21-year-old was bowling from the end named after her fellow Anderson, Sir James.Somerset let a few catches go begging, but none were too damaging.Australian Wellington’s spin then further tightened the screw.She had Ailsa Lister caught behind and a sweeping home captain Ellie Threlkeld caught at short fine-leg, finishing with an excellent two for 19 from 10 overs.But Cross and fellow England fast bowler Mahika Gaur calmly settled the ship with their side’s highest eighth-wicket partnership in List A cricket since the start of the professional era in 2020, including regional Thunder matches.Gaur contributed a determined career best 20, while Cross was more expansive. She was particularly strong against spin in hitting nine fours.It has been a bittersweet few weeks for Cross having been left out of England’s squad for the forthcoming World Cup before – on Sunday – winning the Hundred with the Northern Superchargers.Just after Gaur miscued the left-arm spin of Olivia Barnes to cover – 141 for eight in the 39th over – the rain came.Cross reached her fifty off 57 balls shortly after the resumption before heaving Mollie Robbins’ seam to deep midwicket. Robbins claimed the first and last wickets of the innings.Somerset made a stress-free start to their chase, with Holland and Bex Odgers sharing 64 inside 14 overs for the first wicket.The latter contributed 24 before falling lbw on the reverse sweep to the spin of Hannah Jones.And that was the start of a collapse which threatened their victory as the score slipped from 64 for none to 109 for five.Holland was caught behind off the seam of Danni Collins – 82 for two in the 19th over – before Fran Wilson and captain Sophie Luff both fell cheaply. Cross bowled the latter.But Gibson and Wellington steadied the ship and saw their side home by sharing 58 unbroken. Gibson hit four fours and a six in 36 balls.In the semi-finals race, Somerset are three points behind fourth-placed Surrey with three games remaining. Lancashire, meanwhile, are five points clear of Durham in fifth.

Proactive captaincy will be hardest to replicate as inexperienced team face up to Pakistan challenge

Matt Roller05-Oct-2024England have only had a fleeting glance at a fully-fit Ben Stokes in the last three years but he has committed his long-term future to them, signing a new central contract which is expected to take in the 2025-26 Ashes tour. Stokes declined to specify the length of his new contract on Saturday, but it is understood to be a two-year deal.Stokes will miss a fourth consecutive Test in Multan, having torn his hamstring in August while playing in the Hundred. The timing was hugely frustrating, coming so soon after he had sorted out his chronic left-knee injury through surgery, to the extent he could bowl 49 overs at full tilt across three matches against West Indies in July.It is now two months since Stokes sustained the injury, but he said he is slightly ahead of schedule and does not believe it is a long-term concern. “Injuries are part of sport,” he said. “I’m 33 now, so I’ve put my body through quite a lot. But I’ve started working incredibly hard over the last two years… it’s not through lack of effort.”The ECB has not announced the latest batch of central contracts, though most of their regular players are already tied to multi-year deals. Stokes was an exception, leaving his options open last year after gambling that his value would rise during the subsequent 12 months. His new deal is thought to see him through until September 2026, taking in next year’s Ashes tour.It is a significant commitment, not least with the backdrop of a lucrative deal to play in the SA20 in January leaving Stokes fully aware of his value on the franchise circuit. But England are just as aware of Stokes’ importance to their Test team, not only as a player but as a leader and figurehead for Brendon McCullum’s regime.Related

• Jamie Smith joins England's senior ranks with two-year ECB contract

• Anderson's golfing absence highlights inexperience of England seamers

• The good news for Pakistan? England have problems. The bad news? Pakistan have bigger ones

Without a genuine allrounder available, England have stuck with the five-bowler formula they used against Sri Lanka and with Chris Woakes at No. 7. It is Woakes’ first opportunity in two-and-a-half years to address his away Test record – 36 wickets at 51.88 – and throughout his career, he has tended to contribute more in Stokes’ absenceAs much as his batting and bowling, England will miss Stokes’ captaincy in Multan. He was the mastermind of their unexpected series sweep in Pakistan two years ago, not least in Rawalpindi when his early declaration – setting 342 in four sessions – defied conventional wisdom. Ollie Pope’s biggest challenge will be matching Stokes’ proactivity in changing the tempo of matches.Pope kept wicket in the first two Tests of the 2022 series, and is one of six men in England’s XI who was ever-present in that series. Jack Leach is their only bowler to have bowled a red ball in Pakistan before; Gus Atkinson will be playing his first overseas Test, and Brydon Carse is on debut. Pope cannot simply rely on his attack managing itself.”There are no doubts in my mind about the bowlers we have picked,” Stokes said, speaking inside an empty commentary box to avoid the 40-degree heat on the boundary edge. “We know they will be able to withstand it. We know it is going to be tough, but it will be great exposure for the first time for them… It will show them how hard Test cricket can be.”Pope tried to follow Stokes’ lead in setting attacking fields against Sri Lanka, but was too slow to react and adjust at The Oval as the third Test slipped away from England. He seemed to lack Stokes’ ability to grasp opportunities to change the pace or mood of an innings in the field, though will have learned plenty from his first experience of the role.Stokes will be on hand throughout to relay any advice, while James Anderson – who got the ball reversing in Multan two years ago – will arrive on the second day. “He has seen what can work out here,” Stokes said. “I’m sure at some point I will want to say something to him, but I will only do it if I think something is worth saying. I don’t want to say things for the sake of it.”[In 2022], it was about trying to push the game forward because of the conditions we were faced with. We were always trying to do something to force a result, even if it means potentially giving Pakistan a sniff of winning the game… me and Brendon will encourage Ollie to influence the game himself, and make sure that comes across in his captaincy.”Shan Masood’s public desire for surfaces that suit his seamers has piqued the interest of England’s players, and there was a significant grass covering on the Test strip two days out. Pakistan are a better side than recent results suggest, not least when Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah are involved, and England will not take them lightly.England’s clean sweep in Pakistan remains their best series result under Stokes and McCullum, and was arguably the regime’s high point, with a 10-8 win-loss record in the past two years. With Stokes unavailable for at least the first Test, a repeat on this tour might trump it.

أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، مواعيد مباريات بطولة كأس العالم 2026 المقرر إقامتها في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

وكانت قرعة دور المجموعات، أقيمت مساء أمس الجمعة، في مركز “جون كينيدي” بمدينة نيويورك والتي أسفرت عن وقوع تونس في المجموعة السادسة.

طالع.. مواعيد مباريات المغرب في كأس العالم 2026

وتشهد النسخة المقبلة من كأس العالم 2025 لأول مرة، مشاركة 48 منتخبًا في نسخة واحدة، من بينها حضور عربي قياسي يضم 7 منتخبات.

وأسفرت القرعة عن وقوع منتخب تونس في المجموعة السادسة والتي تضم هولندا واليابان والمتأهل من أوكرانيا ضد السويد وبولندا ضد ألبانيا.

وكان منتخب تونس قد ودع كأس العالم من دور المجموعات في النسخة الماضية، التي أقيمت في قطر.

وتأهل منتخب تونس، متصدرًا مجموعته في التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم والتي ضمت نامبيا وليبيريا وغينيا الاستوائية ومالاوي وساو توميه برينسيب. مواعيد مباريات تونس في كأس العالم

تونس ضد (أوكرانيا أو بولندا أو ألبانيا أو السويد)، 14 يونيو 2026، 5 فجرًا (15 يونيو) بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.

تونس ضد اليابان، 20 يونيو 2026، 7 صباحًا (21 يونيو) بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.

تونس ضد هولندا، 25 يونيو 2026، 2 فجرًا (26 يونيو) بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.