Middlesex six down and only 25 ahead in second innings as three-day finish beckons

ECB Reporters Network07-Sep-2020Aaron Beard toppled the Middlesex top order after Adam Wheater’s chanceless 83 not out put Essex on course for the Bob Willis Trophy final.Fast bowler Beard took three wickets in 21 balls after tea to leave Middlesex with their backs against the wall at the Cloudfm County Ground, Chelmsford. The visitors did tiptoe into a lead but having ended the day on 123 for 6, ahead by 25, they’ll need an extraordinary effort from the tail to set Essex a tricky fourth-innings chase.Earlier, Wheater posted a three-year high score to give Essex a commanding first-innings lead of 98, as they pocketed four bonus points.After 15 wickets had fallen on the opening day at the Cloudfm County Ground, Chelmsford, batting seemed much easier for the most part on the day two. Wheater used the friendlier conditions to his advantage with a mature innings, partnered well by Ryan ten Doeschate and Simon Harmer.The home side’s morning, in which they lost just three wickets, was spoiled slightly by a back spasm suffered by ten Doeschate. The former captain had seemingly run an innocuous single unharmed, but felt a problem while scratching out his guard.He needed five minutes of treatment on the pitch before retiring hurt on 31, having put on 35 with Wheater.Harmer continued with Wheater and took Essex to a potentially valuable batting point. It added to their three bowling points from the first day, and with Derbyshire’s batting woes, could be an important factor in the race to secure a place in the final at Lord’s later this month.Wheater, who hasn’t scored a County Championship century since returning from a stint at Hampshire in 2016, cruised to his fifty in 76 balls. He and allrounder Harmer put on 72 before Harmer was lbw – the first of three quick wickets for Martin Andersson.The fast bowler then had Beard and Sam Cook caught in the slips in the 62nd over to bring ten Doeschate back to the crease, albeit with Dan Lawrence as his runner. The 40-year-old, who didn’t field, added 12 more runs to his tally before he departed to hand Andersson a fourth – returning figures of 4 for 38.Adam Wheater pulls during his half-century•Getty ImagesJamie Porter was the final man to go, caught behind off Tim Murtagh, to leave Wheater stranded on his highest first-class county score since he reached 88 versus Somerset in August 2017.All eyes were now on the Bob Willis Trophy’s leading wicket-taker Harmer and whether he could spin his usual magic. Instead it was the seamers, in particular Beard, who took centre stage from the Hayes Close End by bowling incessant line and length.Sam Cook pocketed an early scalp as Sam Robson, on likely his final innings of the summer, pushed to Harmer at second slip. Offspinner Harmer, who was a threat throughout his 21 overs, then picked up Nick Gubbins leg before on the cusp of tea.When Beard entered the attack he found pace to accompany accuracy, demonstrated perfectly by sending Steve Eskinazi’s off stump catapulting with a beautiful delivery which straightened.Max Holden had provided a rear-guard with 37, which included a pulled six off Porter, but became Beard’s second victim when he also lost his off-peg. Middlesex, still in arrears, were then 84 for 5 when a driving Andersson edged Beard to second slip.John Simpson and former Essex loanee Robbie White took their side into the lead with a 38-run partnership. But Harmer returned for a second spell to pin White leg-before to set up a likely three-day finish.

Enzo Maresca has brushed off questions over Jadon Sancho's 'discipline', insisting a booking on his Chelsea debut was a sign of the winger's 'desire'.

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Sancho was booked for dissent 11 minutes into debutChelsea loanee went on to provide assist for match winnerMaresca insists Sancho has been 'fantastic' since arrivalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Maresca was questioned over Sancho's discipline after seeing his deadline day signing booked for dissent early into his Chelsea career, however the Italian was adamant that he would rather see passion from his players than they show a 'lack of motivation'.

The Chelsea boss was also full of praise for Sancho's day-to-day conduct and believes the 24-year-old's display against Bournemouth was 'what we expected of him'.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Sancho was shown a yellow card on a night which saw referee Anthony Taylor hand out a Premier League record 14 bookings during Chelsea's 1-0 win at Bournemouth last weekend.

The forward, on loan from Manchester United, produced a game-changing display after coming on as a half-time substitute, with his creativity leading to Christopher Nkunku's winner.

Getty ImagesWHAT MARESCA SAID

Maresca said: “If a player comes and doesn’t look motivated or passionate, it’s a problem. Now a player comes and looks passionate and motivated, it’s a problem? It’s not a problem. It just shows his desire. I don’t think there was any kind of discipline problem in that game. Jadon showed what we expected from him.

“Not only in that 45 minutes, but also in the day by day, the way he is working, it’s fantastic. Hopefully it can continue in that way.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR SANCHO AND CHELSEA?

Sancho will be hoping his impressive cameo against Bournemouth will net him a start when Chelsea travel to West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday, although the winger may still be eased into action as he continues to build his fitness.

The Blues are aiming to make it back-to-back away wins to build on an encouraging start for Maresca, who has won three of his first six games as Chelsea manager.

Glasgow Rangers return to competitive action for the final time this season as they travel to Hampden Park for the SFA Cup final this afternoon.

The Light Blues go from Ibrox to the national stadium to take on their local rivals Celtic in the final match of the domestic calendar in Scotland.

Philippe Clement's side failed to end the Hoops' dominance in the Scottish Premiership, as they sealed a third straight title, but they could prevent them from winning a double by coming out on top today.

The Belgian head coach is also eyeing a double of his own after winning the League Cup, with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen, at Hampden Park earlier this term.

Rangers were held to a 3-3 draw away to Hearts on the final day of the Premiership season last weekend and the boss may look to make some changes to his starting XI from that match, to give his team the best chance of picking up the win this afternoon.

Latest Rangers injury news

The Light Blues will be without central defender John Souttar for this clash, as the Scotland international has been completely ruled out of contention to feature.

Ridvan Yilmaz is also a big doubt for the game after he entered Clement's office to tell him that a new injury issue had cropped up, which may leave Robbie Fraser and Borna Barisic battling it out for the left-back berth.

Leon Balogun, Souttar, Tom Lawrence, Connor Goldson, and Dujon Sterling were among those who did not make the matchday squad against Hearts.

However, Clement did reveal ahead of this game that he could be willing to take some "risks" with some players due to it being the final game of the season, which suggests that some of the recently unavailable stars could make a surprise return this afternoon.

One player who returned to the squad against Hearts was Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Abdallah Sima, who made his first appearance since April off the bench.

The Senegal international has missed 19 games through injury since the turn of the year but his outing against the Jam Tarts suggests that he is now ready to play a part in the final against Celtic today in what could be his final game for the club before his loan ends.

With this in mind, Clement must now take one of the 'risks' he spoke of by finally unleashing Sima from the start ahead of Scott Wright on the left flank.

Why Scott Wright should be dropped

The Scottish winger was selected to start on the left wing against Hearts last time out but did not do enough to nail down his position in the team ahead of the cup final.

Wright played the opening 60 minutes and failed to register a single shot on target and did not create any 'big chances' for his teammates, whilst he also lost four of his six ground duels.

The right-footed attacker recently scored a brace in the 5-2 win over Dundee at Ibrox but that has been a flash in the pan in what has been a rather uneventful campaign for the forward.

Appearances

23

Starts

8

Goals

2

Assists

0

Big chances created

1

Key passes per game

0.6

As you can see in the table above, the former Aberdeen man failed to produce any goals or assists in his 22 appearances in the division either side of his two strikes against Dundee this month.

The 26-year-old dud also lost 60% of his ground duels in the Premiership, which suggests that opposition defenders have found it too easy to get the better of him in physical battles.

Wright, who has scored four goals and assisted zero in 31 matches in all competitions, has not proven that he has the quality to make a big impact in the final third for the Gers.

In fact, his last start against Celtic was a failure as the winger was substituted at half time after losing three of his five duels and completing just eight passes in the first half.

Clement must avoid another poor performance from the forward against the Hoops by ruthlessly dropping him down to the bench to make way for Sima to be included in the starting XI on the left side.

Why Abdallah Sima should be unleashed

The Senegal international should finally be unleashed from the start for the first time since the semi-final of this competition against Hearts on the 21st April – over a month ago.

He has the potential to be a match-winner for the Light Blues at Hampden Park this afternoon as his form throughout the season suggests that the quality is there for him to cause problems for Celtic.

In fact, Sima scored in his last appearance against the Hoops with a deflected volley off the bench in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Ibrox at the start of April.

The 22-year-old attacker scored 11 goals and provided two assists in 25 Premiership matches throughout the season, despite only starting 17 of those games.

This shows that the winger, who was hailed as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting, has been far more impressive in front of goal than Wright in the league, which suggests that he has a greater chance to be a difference-maker from the start in the SFA Cup final against Celtic today.

James Tavernier

38

15.66

17

Cyriel Dessers

27

21.72

16

Abdallah Sima

17

10.4

11

Todd Cantwell

24

5.49

7

Rabbi Matondo

7

2.93

5

As you can see in the table above, he has been one of the most prolific players within the squad and has outperformed, unlike Cyriel Dessers, his xG, whilst being the only player with fewer than 27 starts in double figures for goals.

Sima, who the aforementioned Bunting also lauded as a real "handful", is a threat to opposition defences with his impressive ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

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ByDan Emery May 22, 2024

This is why Clement must finally unleash the 6 foot 2 star from the start ahead of Wright, who has struggled in front of goal throughout the campaign, for this huge Hampden clash.

Big picture

Every IPL season, the Royal Challengers Bangalore look like one of the teams to beat on paper. They invariably have plenty of superstars, their supporters are filled with hope and all eyes are fixed on them. So far, there have been 12 seasons without a trophy, though. But the Sunrisers Hyderabad are in some ways the opposite of that. They don’t generate as much chatter, but they have been in the playoffs every year since 2016, when they even won the title, before finishing runners-up in 2018.The Royal Challengers come into this edition having tried to sort the issues that plagued them in the last two seasons: an over-dependence on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, and leaking runs at the death. Thus, they have added Aaron Finch – who will most likely open the batting for them – and paid a big sum to get allrounder Chis Morris. They also bought back Dale Steyn, who briefly gave their bowling the spark it had been missing in 2019 but was then injured. For the Sunrisers, there were no glaring gaps to plug, and they instead opted to strengthen their squad with smart buys such as Fabian Allen and Abdul Samad, both bought at the base price. The splurging by the Royal Challengers and the more restrained buying by the Sunrisers was again in keeping with the way both teams have operated over the years.Despite the contrasts, though, when it comes to the battle on the field between these two, things have been very even. Since 2018, they have each won two games against the other, and overall, the Sunrisers hold only a slender 8-6 lead in head-to-head contests. There hasn’t been a season where one of these teams has won both league matches against the other. The Sunrisers, of course, won their most important match, beating the Royal Challengers in the 2016 final.

In the news

• Both David Warner and Finch – opening partners for Australia but on opposite sides here – should be available for this game, having had to undergo only one day of quarantine after flying into Dubai from England. That applies to Jonny Bairstow too, fresh off a century in the third ODI between England and Australia. Warner will have the unique experience of seeing his opening partners swap places from being beside him to being in the opposition within a week.
• Warner has also spoken about the challenges of moving from one biobubble to another. The Australian and English players, along with those who played in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), face extended durations within biosecure environments, with all the restrictions it brings. Mentally, it will be a challenge to get themselves in the zone, knowing that they’ve left one biobubble and face two months in another.

Royal Challengers Bangalore have often been a bit over-reliant on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers•BCCI

Likely XIs

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Virat Singh, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Sandeep SharmaRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers (wk), 5 Moeen Ali, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Navdeep Saini, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Strategy punt

• The duo of Kohli and de Villiers is among the most intimidating to bowl at, but they have both been a bit more susceptible to legspin than other types of bowling, particularly the googly. The Sunrisers have Rashid Khan, arguably the best white-ball legspinner in the world at the moment, and one whose googly is among the most difficult to spot. It could be a good ploy to keep his overs in hand and bring him on when the Royal Challengers top guns are in the middle.
• In theory, playing Moeen Ali in the XI gives the Royal Challengers greater balance. He strikes big against spin, his left-hand batting is an advantage and he can be relied upon to bowl some economical overs too. However, given the problems they have had with pace bowling, the Royal Challengers could go out of the box by including both Dale Steyn and Chris Morris, having Umesh Yadav sit out and bringing in someone like Gurkeerat Mann to fill the middle-order role that Ali plays. It is a risky move, but given how power-packed the Sunrisers’ own opening duo is, it could be a gamble worth taking to see if Steyn can deliver an early wicket.

Stats that matter

• Rashid Khan’s economy rate in the UAE is an incredible 5.6. Since his debut, only Boyd Rankin has conceded runs at a fewer rate, at 5.5 – given a minimum of 50 overs bowled.
• AB de Villiers is thee sixes away from getting to 400 in all T20s. He could get to the landmark easily if he bats long enough.
• Although prolific in all cricket, one of the few holes in Virat Kohli’s resume is his recent record against the Sunrisers. Since IPL 2018, he averages only 17.5 against them, and the strike rate of 121 is also not too hot. This is his opportunity to set that record right.

A £109,000-per-week Arsenal player may have played his last game for the club, with Mikel Arteta against keeping him as the Spaniard green-lights his sale.

Arsenal players who could be sold this summer

The Gunners' squad could be seriously trimmed this summer window, as it is believed that sporting director Edu and Arsenal are open to offers for a wide array of squad members.

Related £319,000-per-week Bayern Munich star would be keen on joining Arsenal

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Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah have all been named by various reports as players who could be sold by Arsenal this summer as Arteta looks to continue evolving the squad.

The likes of Ramsdale, Partey, Jesus, Zinchenko, Smith Rowe and Nketiah stand out as the biggest names to have fallen down the Arsenal pecking order last season, and all players could fetch a pretty decent transfer fee depending on approaches from clubs.

Arsenal best-performing players in the Premier League last season

Average match rating (WhoScored)

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

It is believed Fulham are in talks to sign Nketiah from Arsenal and preparing an official offer (TEAMtalk), while Partey is attracting interest from Turkey and Saudi Arabia as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.

There is also the matter of fringe squad members who spent 2023/2024 out on loan elsewhere. Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Kieran Tierney all fall into this bracket, and there's a very high likelihood that all three players will depart Hale End in the coming months. The latter was on a temporary spell at Real Sociedad last campaign, where he managed 20 La Liga appearances.

Arteta green-lights Kieran Tierney sale at Arsenal

According to TEAMtalk, the Scotland international may well have played his last game for Arsenal.

Indeed, it is believed Arsenal are set to green-light Tierney's exit this summer with Arteta personally against keeping him at the club. The north Londoners have opted to sell, with the 27-year-old having struggled with injuries for many years.

On a reported £109,000-per-week, TT claim the full-back would walk back to Celtic as his favoured option, but it is unlikely the SPFL champions could afford his asking price.

"He has been solid," former Arsenal defender Ashley Cole told Sky Sports.

"I think he would have liked to see more game time, he’s had a few injuries that hampered his season. When he’s in the team, they are a different team, he’s willing to defend, he’s that kind of leader and warrior they need in this team.

"There were those questions marks over him and his ability to come from Scottish fooball and adapt to the Premier League. But I think he’s adapted very well.

"He’s got those leadership qualities which are needed along with the younger players in there. When he doesn’t play they miss him on he left. for me, he can defend which is a plus."

If there has been one area of their side in which Manchester United have always had legendary players, it is on the wing. Over the last 70 years, the Red Devils have had some iconic wide players, who are now considered by fans to be club legends.

From the 1960s to recent years, their history is littered with iconic wingers. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was George Best. The Northern Irishman made 470 appearances for United, scoring 179 times and winning the Ballon d’Or in 1968.

In the 1990s, David Beckham had the crown for the best winger at United. The former England captain scored 85 goals and registered 120 assists in 394 games for the Old Trafford club. There are fewer things as iconic in football than Beckham’s unique free-kick technique.

The torch was passed to Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2000s, as he dominated the Premier League from the wing for many years. The Portuguese attacker scored 81 goals and registered 41 assists – when operating as a winger – during his time as a United player, as well as winning the 2008 Ballon d’Or.

Nowadays, Marcus Rashford is the main man out wide for the Red Devils. Despite a tough season, his record speaks for itself. Rashford has scored 131 goals and has 64 assists in exactly 400 games for United. He has time on his side to break Wayne Rooney’s club record of 253 goals.

However, United have been linked with signing one Premier League winger in recent weeks…

Man Utd looking to sign Premier League winger

The player in question here is Crystal Palace and France under-21 international Michael Olise, who is having a sublime season despite being hampered by injuries. The 22-year-old has scored ten goals and registered five assists in just 18 games in the Premier League, his best return yet.

Olise's Premier League career by season
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2021/22	26	2	5
2022/23	37	2	11
2023/24	18	10	5
Stats from Transfermarkt

This week, speaking to GiveMeSport, renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed United’s interest in Olise. He explained that United are “informed on the release clause and informed on the conditions of the deal”, should Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co wish to pursue a deal for the Frenchman.

Indeed, according to BBC Sport, those responsible for transfer dealings at Selhurst Park would only consider bids that 'start at £60m or more'. This goes for both Olise and teammate Eberechi Eze, who could also leave the club in the summer.

Romano confirmed on X last week that Olise’s release clause is around the “region of £60m and will be active this summer”. This would take up a large chunk of United’s summer budget, however, which is reported to be around £100m, according to Mark Odgen of ESPN.

With that in mind, United may decide to look for an internal solution for their right-wing issues. In recent weeks, one candidate has become a viable option, despite a lack of game time under Erik ten Hag.

How Amad could improve Man Utd

It has been a whirlwind few months for young Ivorian winger Amad, who has risen from a rotational option for Ten Hag, to become a key starter in the last few weeks. Amad’s talent was clear from his time at Sunderland, where he was described as “special” by journalist Josh Bunting on X. He scored 14 goals and registered four assists in 42 games at the Stadium of Light last season.

Despite making just 11 appearances so far this season, and just two starts which have come in the last two Premier League games, the 21-year-old has certainly made his time on the pitch count. He has scored twice and registered one assist, but has played just 394 minutes, which equates to just four full 90 minutes.

On the ball, you will find fewer players as silky as Amad. He has a low centre of gravity which he uses to glide in between defenders gracefully. Last season in the Championship, as per FBref, Amad averaged 3.72 progressive carries per 90 minutes, 2.33 carries into the final third per 90 minutes and 1.57 carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes. The first two stats rank him in the top 3%, with the latter ranking him in the top 4%.

He is also a creative genius in the final third, as he has shown for United this season. His progressive passing stats per 90 mins last season were excellent, averaging 5.12 which ranked him in the top 1%. Not only that, Amad played 3.90 final third passes and 1.22 passes into the penalty area, which place him in the top 1% and 3% respectively.

Football analyst H explained that although Amad is “an elegant footballer” who can “handle the ball in tighter spaces and maintain good balance and creativity”, something that really stands out is his finishing.

He scored 14 goals last season for Sunderland, plus twice this season for United, and three prior to that on loan at Rangers. Indeed, they have all come in a variety of ways. As H notes, Amad has, amongst other ways, scored by “curving it into the far corner on the inside of his foot, striking from range with good and clean power, and even using his head”.

This range of finishing, plus his excellent carrying skills and his ability to unlock defences with the ball at his feet, make Amad an elite talent. Although he has only played fleeting minutes, he has more than shown his worth so far.

In previous interviews, Ten Hag has acknowledged the young Ivorian’s lack of minutes, ensuring fans that he would “give him opportunities” to start. It is fair to say that, given his performance against Newcastle, in which he scored a wonderful goal and assisted Kobbie Mainoo, he has taken those chances.

In that same quote, Ten Hag cited the fact that there is “a lot of competition” out wide for United. However, considering his recent outings in that famous red shirt, Amad could well be considered the first choice over the likes of Antony.

With that in mind, signing Olise could well reduce Amad’s opportunities next season. Should they decide against signing the France under-21 international, Amad could really make that right-wing spot his own, saving United and Ratcliffe £60m in the process.

However, the importance of squad depth cannot be understated. Having quality options to pick from on the right-hand side would be a complete luxury for Ten Hag next season, and would undoubtedly give him a selection headache many managers would be envious of.

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The Brazilian's individual brilliance secured three points for Los Blancos – but their performance was lacking

Vinicius Jr. provided a crucial moment of quality in an otherwise lacking Real Madrid performance as Los Blancos secured a tepid 2-0 win over Villareal.

Carlo Ancelotti's men never really asserted themselves on the game, but were opportunistic when it counted, Federico Valverde and Vinicius making the difference to keep the pressure on Barcelona atop La Liga.

After a slow start, Los Blancos took the lead. Valverde provided the moment of magic, his 30-yard effort taking a somewhat fortunate deflection before spinning into the bottom corner.

There were one of two other moments in the first half. Vinicius Jr slipped Mbappe through on goal, but the Frenchman couldn't convert. The Brazilian finally added some breathing room in the second half, lashing the ball into the top right corner from 25 yards with 20 minutes remaining.

Madrid coasted their way through the fixture after, comfortable to rotate and sit in – while Villarreal failed to offer much. There were some concerns, though. Dani Carvajal was removed in second half stoppage time with what appeared to be a serious knee injury, while Vinicius was grasping his shoulder when subbed.

Once again, this wasn't a pretty performance. But it's the three points, and flashes of individual quality, that really count.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Santiago Bernabeu…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Andriy Lunin (6/10):

Claimed a couple of crosses. Barely had a save to make.

Dani Carvajal (6/10):

Scampered up and down the wing with regularity, but his connection with Mbappe wasn't always entirely smooth. Went off in real pain in second half stoppage time.

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

Very fortunate not to give away a penalty when Thierno Barry was adjudged to be offside in the buildup.

Antonio Rudiger (7/10):

Probably should have scored in the first half. Made a couple of key interventions in the second. Handled Barry well.

Ferland Mendy (6/10):

Didn't have loads to do, and fulfilled his protective role for Vinicius effectively.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):

Enjoyed 70 agreeable minutes as he works his way back to full fitness. Much better than his stinker in midweek.

Federico Valverde (8/10):

Scored the opener, and seemed to enjoy it quite a lot – even if there was a massive deflection involved. Assisted another, and was more expansive in his passing. A proper performance, with Toni Kroos watching in the stands.

Luka Modric (7/10):

Never stopped moving, created three chances, and was involved in both goals.

Jude Bellingham (7/10):

Did lots of pretty things without being entirely effective in the final third. Still figuring out how to make things work with Mbappe, in particular.

Getty Images SportAttack

Kylian Mbappe (5/10):

Interesting to see him used on the right. He didn't really make it work, and never really had a clear look on goal. Still figuring it out.

Vinicius Jr (8/10):

Impressed in moments at first, and then bashed one in from long range to seal three points. Removed with a knock to his shoulder with 10 minutes to play.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Eder Militao (6/10):

A solid shift at centre back.

Rodrygo (N/A):

Immediately stuck out on the left. Never really got involved.

Arda Guler (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Lucas Vazquez (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Carlo Ancelotti (X/10):

Changed things up, with Mbappe playing as a right sided forward. Wasn't always the smoothest setup, and his team didn't create loads – but two wonderful goals carried them through. Evening was dampened by a knock to Vinicius and potentially serious injury to Carvajal.

MatériaMais Notícias

De maneira surpreendente, a Chapecoense anunciou a contratação do atacante Henrique Almeida, que estava em trabalho de recuperação no Atlético-GO.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

O acordo entre Verdão do Oeste e atacante é válido até o fim do ano e será por produtividade, algo que chamou a atenção.

Henrique Almeida é a grande esperança da Chape para viver dias melhores na temporada e escapar do rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro.

Veja a nota da Chapecoense

A Associação Chapecoense de Futebol oficializou, nesta sexta-feira (20), o retorno do atleta Henrique Almeida à equipe. O atacante de 30 anos defendeu o time alviverde em 2019 – quando disputou 12 partidas oficiais e marcou três gols.

Agora, o atleta – que estava concluindo o período de recuperação no Atlético-GO – volta à Chapecó sob contrato de produtividade: por ter realizado o seu último jogo em fevereiro de 2020, Henrique passará por um período maior de preparação física a fim de recuperar o ritmo e estar preparado para os compromissos da sequência da temporada 2021 e, principalmente, da temporada 2022.

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كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، أن رابطة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم، استنكرت تصرفات الدولي البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور، خلال مواجهة ريال مدريد ورايو فاليكانو.

وتعادل ريال مدريد 3-3 أمام رايو فاليكانو في الجولة الماضية من بطولة الدوري الإسباني، على ملعب باييكاس في العاصمة الإسبانية مدريد.

طالع أيضًا | “لا أحب الكذب”.. اعتراف مثير من مدرب رايو فاليكانو عن ركلة جزاء فينيسيوس

وأشار فينيسيوس جونيور لجماهير رايو فاليكانو بعلامة تشير إلى هبوطهم إلى الدرجة الثانية، أثناء هتافات ضد اللاعب البرازيلي الذي دخل بديلًا في تلك المباراة.

وحسب ما أفادت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، فإن رابطة الليجا، أدرجت إشارة اللاعب في شكوى مقدمة من نادي رايو فاليكانو، واستنكرت ما فعله البرازيلي.

وأشارت التقارير إلى أنه في الدقيقة 74، قامت مجموعة من المشجعين في المدرج باستخدام الميكروفون، بالغناء حوالي 12 ثانية وتوبيخ اللاعب فينسيوس جونيور.

ذلك الأمر أدى إلى إشارة اللاعب أثناء خروجه من الملعب بهبوط رايو فاليكانو إلى الدرجة الثانية، وهو ما اعتبرته رابطة الليجا استفزازًا واضحًا لجماهير أصحاب الملعب.

Among the new convener’s most pressing early task will be to appoint a new men’s Test captain

Firdose Moonda14-Sep-2020

Although he has extensive experience, Linda Zondi (far right) is not among the candidates South Africa are looking at to be their new convener of selectors•AFP via Getty Images

Linda Zondi will not be considered for South Africa’s convener of selectors position, after failing to be shortlisted for the post despite being the incumbent. ESPNcricinfo understands that Victor Mpitsang, Hussein Manack and Patrick Moroney were interviewed last week with Mpitsang the frontrunner to get the job.The post, which has been vacant since Zondi’s contract ended after the 2019 World Cup, has been significantly revamped and is now a full-time role. The convener will no longer only select the men’s national team but will also be responsible for selecting the women’s side, the A team, the under-19 team and will oversee the scouting and selection program in consultation with the director of cricket (DOC) Graeme Smith. Earlier this month, Smith spoke about the importance of the position.”The convenor of selectors is a key person in CSA. It’s a job that comes with a lot of pressure from all fronts,” he said. “The role definition is slightly changed. We’ve shifted it to not only being a national team convener but to controlling the whole pipeline, which speaks to our high-performance strategy. We feel it’s important to create the avenues of communication — the way we play, the way we select, the way we think, the way we operate, the type of people we want involved in that environment is key. We’ve aligned the convenor of selectors right through the pipeline. He’ll be overseeing everything. The convenor now is a much more extensive job. The convenor of selectors working on the whole system and owning the whole system, and being part of all the processes, is key.”For that reason, an extensive list of criteria was laid out for applicants to the post including a minimum of five years experience as a selector and a qualification in sports management. Zondi, who has been a selector for 13 years and holds a diploma in sports management, was told he did not meet the requirements to be shortlisted.”The process to appoint the new convener is currently under way and once it is complete we will announce the successful candidate and other relevant information,” a CSA statement said.It is also unclear when the new convener will be unveiled but ESPNcricinfo expects it imminently. Mpitsang, who is understood to be the preferred choice, convened the selection panel for the under-19 team that participated in this year’s World Cup and placed eighth. He has also worked as a commentator for pay-television channel . He is also the only black African candidate on the shortlist and although CSA’s affirmative action policy does not extend to full-time employees (only consultants), having Mpitsang on the staff is likely to be met with approval from CSA’s transformation policy.Still, Mpitsang does have competition. Manack and Moroney both impressed the interview panel. Manack served as a selector under Zondi and also applied for the DOC position but lost out to Smith. Moroney was being considered under the former CEO Thabang Moroe’s regime and convened the selection panel for the Jozi Stars, the team that won the inaugural Mzansi Super League (MSL).In contrast, Zondi, who will no longer be involved, has a history of selection that stretches back almost two decades. He worked within the structures at the Kwa-Zulu Natal province and Dolphins franchise, as a national women’s selector between 2007 and 2009, as national men’s team selector between 2013 to 2015, during which time he also selected the under-19 squad that won the 2014 World Cup, and as convener of selectors between 2015 and 2019. During that time, Zondi’s picks including the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi and Rassie van der Dussen have thrived and he was also involved with Quinton de Kock’s elevation to white-ball captain. He was then reappointed as an “independent selector,” when the national men’s team management was overhauled last December, on a short-term contract which ended in April.Among the new convener’s most pressing early task will be to appoint a new men’s Test captain, even though there is no indication of when the national team will be in action again.