100% duels lost: Pep must drop Man City flop who was shown up by Khusanov

A frustrating week for Manchester City came to an end on Sunday as they were beaten 2-0 by Premier League leaders Liverpool at The Etihad.

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai secured all three points for Arne Slot’s men, who are now 11 points clear at the top of the division.

This came off the back of a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, resulting in their exit from the competition, on Wednesday night, thanks to a stunning hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe.

There were some positives for Pep Guardiola and his team to take from the defeat to the Reds, though, and one was the performance of Abdukodir Khusanov at the heart of the defence.

Abdukodir Khusanov's performance against Liverpool

The January signing from Ligue 1 side Rennes was selected alongside Nathan Ake at centre-back, with Ruben Dias left on the bench, and stepped up with an excellent showing for the Cityzens.

Abdukodir Khusanov in action for Man City

Khusanov had a nightmare debut against Chelsea, making an error for Noni Madueke’s goal after just three minutes, but the 20-year-old titan appears to have settled into Premier League life now.

The talented youngster made a terrific last-man challenge on Szoboszlai towards the end of the game and halted Salah, when the score was 0-0, in the first half when the forward appeared set to test Ederson unchallenged.

Chalkboard

In total, he made six clearances, one block, one tackle, and one interception, whilst the centre-back also won two of his three duels and completed 99% (87/88) of his attempted passes.

Khusanov made some vital defensive interventions and produced some excellent moments to keep Liverpool at bay, whilst Ake struggled in the left-sided centre-back role.

Why Nathan Ake should be dropped

Guardiola must instantly drop the Netherlands international from the starting line-up for the next game against Tottenham Hotspur after he put in a dismal display against Liverpool.

As you can see in the clip above, Salah’s goal to open the scoring at The Etihad came via a deflection off Ake, as the left-footed flop dangled a leg out and deflected the effort past Ederson.

The former Chelsea and Bournemouth star offered very little from a defensive perspective, as Salah also burst past him with ease in the left channel and Khusanov had to sweep up and win possession back before the forward could get a shot away in the first half.

Vs Liverpool

Nathan Ake

Clearances

2

Blocks

0

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Duels won

0/1

Touches

77

Accurate passes

70/73 (96%)

Key passes

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Ake lost 100% of his duels in the match and did not make a single tackle, interception, or block to help his side out.

Whereas, Khusanov, as aforementioned won two of his three ground duels and made six clearances, tackles, blocks, and interceptions combined, which means that he showed up the Dutch dud – who is ten years his senior – on Sunday.

Guardiola must, now, instantly drop Ake from the XI and bring Dias, who has won 54% of his duels in the Premier League this season, back into the side to provide a dominant presence alongside Khusanov against Spurs.

Man City now poised to chase "great" £100m ace in blockbuster summer deal

He could replace Kevin De Bruyne…

By
Tom Cunningham

Feb 22, 2025

It will then be down to the Dutchman to show, in training or off the bench, that he can bounce back with an improved display when he next gets an opportunity to start.

Nabi, Kharote demolish Ireland to seal series win

Ireland were bowled out for 119 chasing 237, with the 19-year-old debutant Kharote proving the perfect foil for the experienced Nabi

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2024The ball turned and skidded to the tune of Mohammad Nabi and Nangeyalia Kharote, who combined with Mohammad Nabi to grab nine wickets and fashion a big win for Afghanistan in the third ODI against Ireland in Sharjah. Nabi, who turned 39 at the beginning of the year, got his maiden ODI five-for 15 years after his debut. Kharote, the 19-year-old left-arm spinner, was on debut and pocketed four.Ireland lost 8 for 26 in a startling collapse, as a comfortable 93 for 2 in the 22nd over turned into 119 all out in 35 in pursuit of 237. Afghanistan won by 117 runs, and took the three-match series 2-0 after victory in the first and a washout in the second.Nabi bowled all ten of his overs in a single spell – he finished with 5 for 17 – using all his experience to keep varying his pace, line and length and sternly testing the Ireland batters. Nabi’s best on night was his fifth wicket. He went around the stumps to Graham Hume, and angled it into the left-hand batter. The ball dipped on the shorter side of a length on off, and rushed through to strike the stumps after beating Hume’s defence.Kharote bowled nine overs on the trot at the other end and finished with 4 for 30, with his first wicket coming in the 25th over. Curtis Campher, on 43, tickled one to the wicketkeeper, having smashed Kharote’s first two balls in international cricket for 6 and 4 back in the 19th over.The slowness of pitch meant it wasn’t easy for a new batter to start on, and Nabi had, earlier in the day, played his part with the bat too. He added 97 in 21 overs for the fifth wicket with Hashmatullah Shahidi, before departing for 48. Shahidi, though, batted deep for a patient 69. Both batters’ knocks were much needed after their side were 96 for 4 despite a half-century by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz.From there Ireland’s bowlers did well to restrict Afghanistan to 236, claiming 5 for 45 in the last eight overs. But their batters were not allowed to back up that effort as, despite the absence of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, the veteran Nabi found an able partner in teenager Kharote to help carry Afghanistan’s spin-bowling baton.

Woakes feared he would never play again a year before Headingley rescue mission

Player of the Ashes series makes his time for England count after comeback from knee injury

Vithushan Ehantharajah01-Aug-20232:26

Will James Anderson be involved in India next year?

That Chris Woakes was awarded player of the series for the 2023 Ashes was impressive given a sample size of three Test matches from a possible five. But such was the influence of the Brummie Botham, helping England win two of the final three Tests to draw 2-2 with Australia, the decision made perfect sense once you gave it a moment’s thought.As big a feat, however, might be that Woakes is even here at all. A year before parachuting in to save England at Headingley, the 34-year-old feared he would never play cricket again.Following a packed 2021-22 winter in which Woakes was the only bowler to play the T20 World Cup, the Ashes and tour of the Caribbean, he arrived back in the United Kingdom with the chronic issue in his right knee worse than ever before. The pain was so excruciating when he bowled that he wondered if a Test career of fits and starts, was finally coming to an end. One which climaxed with a dismal return of 11 dismissals at 52.36 across six appearances in unforgiving circumstances.Thankfully,we know Woakes’ story has a happy ending. The operation last summer, performed by knee and sports specialist Andy Williams, was such a success that Woakes was able to help England secure the 2022 T20 World Cup within months. Now, he has the Compton-Miller medal to add to a collection that includes the 2019 50-over World Cup. His bowling average is now under 30 (29.13), he picked up a first five-wicket haul against Australia in the fourth Test and his stock has never been higher with English supporters.Related

  • From 'team man' to poster boy – Woakes finally commands the spotlight

  • Big-action Broad, and the sharp spells of utter anarchy

  • McCullum: Crawley's success against Australia validates England's approach to Test cricket

  • Did the teams catch up after the Oval Test? Yes, at a nightclub, Stokes clarifies

  • Switch Hit: They think it's all Oval…

“The way my knee felt, I wasn’t sure if I was going to play cricket again,” Woakes admitted. “If I could be at the end of that tour again (Caribbean), at no point did I think I’ll be stood here now with what I’ve achieved. So yeah, it’s pretty incredible to think about.”You don’t always get what you want and what you’re kind of destined for. But I turned down the opportunity to go to the IPL (2023) for a number of reasons, one being the opportunity to potentially be a part of this series.”At no point did I think I’d be stood here. That’s not how far your mind works. You don’t think ‘I can’t wait to be player of the series in the Ashes’. You just want to be a part of it, contribute and hopefully win. So to think that I’m stood here now actually… I think I need to let it sink in.”The last four of the 19 dismissals at 18.15 came on the final day of the series, split between two spells; the first accounting for both set openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner, the second taking out Steve Smith, who had got Australia to within 110 of their target of 384. A collapse followed, capped off by a brace for the departing Stuart Broad.Woakes was initially a doubt for this Test and revealed a “tiny” quad tear which he felt during his 10th over in the first innings. He powered through to bowl 25 – taking 3 for 61 – before another 19 in the second. His durability throughout has covered for his fellow quicks who waned as the series drew to a conclusion.Chris Woakes celebrates a wicket•AFP/Getty Images

There were runs, too, notably the 32 in the Headingley chase which got the comeback up and running. Every time England needed to someone to stand up in the back end of this Ashes, Woakes was more often than not that man. Unsurprisingly, he rates this as high as any of his other achievements, particularly given how the team rallied from 2-0 down.”The last three weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind – just amazing to be a part of. Just turning up at Headingley knowing that I was going to play and I think the belief in the dressing room at that point was still that we could win 3-2, which is amazing.”I think, in the past, we may have thrown the towel in but it was never the case. You know, the captain and the coach aren’t interested in draws so we knew that they were going to be results games. And coming off the back of Headingley, we felt that we could go on and win. Were it not for the weather, maybe we would be standing here 3-2.”Broad’s retirement, and question marks over James Anderson, who turned 41 on Sunday and returned just five wickets at 85.40, puts Woakes in a unique position in the latter stages of his career. Since debuting at the Oval against Australia in 2013, he has never played more than nine Tests in a row, partly because of their longevity.”When he’s not playing anymore it will all be ‘if he wasn’t in the era of Jimmy and Broad, he would have been more consistent in the England team’,” stated Ben Stokes after the match. Typically, Woakes rallies against the assertion they were ever obstacles in his career.”I’m pretty sure I’ve answered this a few times, but I feel very lucky to have played with Stuart as well. Jimmy’s the same. The stuff that I’ve learned from them has had a huge impact on how I’ve bowled about over the years. It’s extended my international career if anything.”So we obviously won’t know what would have been if they hadn’t been around. But I can only have good things to say in terms of the knowledge that they’ve passed on and the games that I have been a part of with them. It’s been an honour really.”James Anderson and Woakes chat during a net session•Getty Images

Nevertheless, there is a job up for grabs for an experienced head to oversee a transition for the bowling attack. And Woakes wants it, even among all his lucrative options on the franchise circuit.”Yeah, definitely. I want to play for England for as long as possible. Still, for me, playing international cricket is the pinnacle. You want to be a part of days like today. You don’t get it any anywhere else. So, you want this to last for as long as possible whilst you’re still performing, obviously. I think it’s important that the older guys in the team do pass on the knowledge to younger guys coming through.”I think there’s a big thing to be said for that. Because the international game is very different to what we play at county level. So much information can be passed on and hopefully, I can be part of that.”Even last summer when Woakes was out of action, Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had touched base with the Warwickshire allrounder because they knew he would fit their approach. That has played out to a tee, and now, as with many others in the set-up, you wonder how things would have been for Woakes if this management style was around five years ago.Woakes approached that philosophical question with a philosophical answer: “Would I be here today without what’s been? I don’t know.” He’s got a point.Even at the end of an Ashes series that thrilled but could have been better, there are no regrets. Least of all from Woakes.”I’m just proud of myself. It’s quite fitting to be where I was where I made my debut 10 years ago. I think I’ve played 47 (more) games in that time which, in 10 years, is not that many as an international cricketer. A lot would have played a lot more.”But, stood here now, I would have snatched your hand off for anything that I’ve achieved.”

One of FSG’s “best signings” looks like the new Allen & Leiva at Liverpool

It might not have been pretty, but Liverpool have that winning feeling again, having ended their recent rut with a deserved 1-0 win away at Inter Milan on Tuesday evening.

There few highs, but also – more importantly – few lows at San Siro for Arne Slot’s side, with the reigning Premier League champions looking far more comfortable than they did just days earlier amid the chaos at Elland Road.

Perhaps that speaks to the gulf in quality that has opened up between the Champions League and England’s top flight, although, regardless, seeing off last season’s losing finalists is no mean feat. Slot needed that.

Having been vindicated in his decision to leave out Mohamed Salah for the trip to Italy, the title-winning Dutchman’s ruthless streak might well be beginning to pay off.

The issue is, the Egyptian isn’t the only problem still to be solved, with more members of last season’s glorious side still looking way off the pace.

Liverpool's worst performers against Inter in numbers

Now, this isn’t to try and pop the balloon following what was a much-needed victory for Slot and co, although the former Feyenoord boss himself would admit that his side were far from perfect on the night.

Indeed, a string of absences – and not just that of Salah – saw the Reds lineup with something of a new-look forward line, albeit with it taking a controversial Dominik Szoboszlai spot-kick to eventually settle the affair.

All eyes were on the pairing of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike – with the night marking just their second start together all season – yet, perhaps as to be expected, there was little in the way of fluency or dynamism, even with the visitors posing the greater threat during the first half, in particular.

Isak, in particular, endured yet another frustrating outing to continue his Merseyside woes, with the £125m Swede regularly failing to make things stick through the middle, losing the ball on eight occasions from just 25 touches, as per Sofascore, prior to being withdrawn on the 68-minute mark.

While the price tag may suggest otherwise, the 25-year-old shouldn’t necessarily be the only avenue for concern, with it also proving a difficult outing for Joe Gomez at right-back.

Liverpool vs Inter – Key Stats

Stat

Highest Ranking

Accurate passes

Jones (67)

Duels won

Mkhitaryan (8)

Aerial duels won

Van Dijk (3)

Successful dribbles

Ekitike (5)

Touches

Bastoni (94)

Key passes

Akanji (3)

Possession lost

Dimarco (17)

Stats via Sofascore

The Englishman was safe and steady, although he provided little attacking flair, having lost the ball 11 times himself, while failing to provide a single successful cross or key pass, having won just a solitary duel all night.

The Anfield side looked far more progressive and threatening with substitute Conor Bradley unleashed down that side, with the hope being that the Northern Ireland star can remain injury-free heading into a hectic festive period.

Slot will surely wish to bring the academy graduate into the starting lineup on a regular basis, although one man who could fall out of the reckoning is last season’s star, Alexis Mac Allister.

Liverpool's new Joe Allen & Lucas Leiva

Central to what made Slot’s side so impressive last term was the midfield unit, with the Dutchman reinvigorating Ryan Gravenberch in that deep-lying role, while also finally getting a tune out of Szoboszlai in an advanced, attacking berth.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

It was also, however, another fine campaign for that man Mac Allister, with the 2023 summer arrival from Brighton having cemented his status as “one of the best signings” that the club had made in the FSG era, in the view of DaveOCKOP.

The World Cup winner was the key, the glue keeping it together in the centre of the park, having also showcased his attacking flair with 13 goals and assists in all competitions.

From that knack for delivering clutch moments, the Argentine has frustratingly tailed off this time around, with his effort against Real Madrid earlier this season having been his only goal to date in 2025/26.

With just two assists also added into the mix, the 26-year-old is morphing into Lucas Leiva and Joe Allen territory at present, representing a solid but unspectacular option at the heart of the midfield.

Indeed, neither man was particularly adept at making the difference in a creative sense, with Allen scoring just seven goals in 132 games during his time at Anfield, while cult figure Leiva also netted just seven times himself, albeit from 346 total games.

To compare Mac Allister to such a limited pairing might appear hyperbolic, although again on Tuesday night, he was distinctly lacking any spark or flair, having failed to provide a single key pass, nor attempt a single shot or dribble.

He did win six of his seven ground duels, while losing the ball just five times, but again, there was that risk-averse feel to his performance, echoing those sorry days of Allen and Leiva lining up in the Brendan Rodgers and early Jurgen Klopp era.

As already stated, Mac Allister’s prior work ensures he remains one of FSG’s “best signings”, not least considering his bargain £35m fee, although like many of his teammates, the former Seagulls star simply doesn’t look like the player of 2024/25.

As bad as Isak vs Inter: Liverpool mainstay must now be axed by Slot

Liverpool secured a significant victory at Inter Milan in the Champions League.

By
Angus Sinclair

1 day ago

Meek Bangladesh leaving yet another World Cup with a whimper

“We had great expectations, but we couldn’t play up to those. All the criticism is quite natural,” admits Taskin Ahmed

Mohammad Isam02-Nov-2021There’s a popular belief – mired more in hope than anything else – in Bangladesh that the team would often pull out a win whenever they were backed into a tight corner.They did it, for instance, when their very existence as a Full Member was questioned. They did it after a big group of players defected to the Indian Cricket League. They did it after they were smashed in their home World Cup.Related

  • T20 World Cup: Bangladesh, the rot within, and a campaign destined to fail

  • Mashrafe: Bangladesh 'succumbed' to BCB criticism at T20 World Cup; board should learn from BCCI

  • Rabada returns to form but SA batting still a concern

  • Group 1 scenarios: SA strong contenders to join England in semis

  • Rabada, Nortje set up SA's rout of Bangladesh

So, there was some hope that after losing their first three matches in this T20 World Cup, Bangladesh would feel cornered enough to bounce back strongly. Instead, it was the other less popular, but more regular scenario, that panned out in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.Faced with two dead rubbers, Bangladesh appeared to be homesick children after a long school outing. They appeared disinterested in the slim mathematical probability of their semi-final chances. Then came the Shakib Al Hasan blow, which reduced their squad to 13 members.Then, the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Dwaine Pretorius, aided by seam movement and bounce, hit them hard. When they were 45 for 6 in the 12th over, Bangladesh were at risk of getting bundled out for a total lower than West Indies’ 55 from earlier in this tournament, or their own 70 all out from the 2016 T20 World Cup.

Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the US. Match highlights of Bangladesh vs South Africa is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

Some of Bangladesh’s dismissals appeared to give a window into their mindset. Feeling frustrated in only the fourth over, Mohammad Naim hit one straight to midwicket. Seniors like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah were undone by short-of-a-length deliveries. Mushfiqur played around it while Mahmudullah didn’t know the ball hit his thumb, asking for a review. Afif Hossain missed a slog first ball, before Liton Das, who rarely faces a left-arm unorthodox bowler, got easily duped by Tabraiz Shamsi.They still have Australia to play later this week, but already the tournament feels too long for Bangladesh. This is usually how ICC events have ended for them. For many years, there have been reports of Bangladesh feeling homesick during long tours, particularly at ICC tournaments. Bangladesh had a poor ending to a bright 2007 World Cup in West Indies. They finished their 2015 World Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy meekly. New Zealand stuffed them in their last match in the 2016 T20 World Cup. They ended the 2019 World Cup with huge defeats, too.What is most worrying is how the batters have gone missing for most of this tournament. Bangladesh’s 84 all out against South Africa was the third time they got bowled out in double figures this year. They have averaged 129 runs in the Super 12s phase. Clearly, something is wrong in their batting in T20Is. The string of ten home matches against Australia and New Zealand on raging turners in pitches in Dhaka didn’t help their cause or confidence.”We haven’t played according to our potential. We are better than this,” an articulate Taskin Ahmed said at the press conference. “We lost games that we were supposed to win. Maybe we are not as good as other T20 sides, but even then we didn’t play up to our potential. I think we could have played better than this.”It could have been a different story if we made even 120 or 125. I think today’s wicket was different. The ball was seaming. There was off-the-pitch movement in both innings. They took nearly 14 overs to score 85 runs.”Taskin admitted that T20s are all about making runs, but Bangladesh couldn’t combine batting and bowling in this competition.”At the end of the day, runs are a factor in T20s. We didn’t have regular big totals. When we did get a big score in one game, we didn’t bowl well on that day. The opposite also happened. We made different mistakes in every game.”Losing is not fun. Nobody wants to lose. We had great expectations, but we couldn’t play up to those expectations. All the criticism is quite natural. We have to accept it.”We have to get over it before the next match, or the next series. We just want to give back one win for the country.Of course Taskin is hopeful. Perhaps he has a point to prove given that he has been in and out of the team throughout this T20 World Cup. But many of the batters, too, had to show their worth. Instead, they now simply appear to want to get out of the bio-bubble in the UAE, having been riddled with defeats, injuries and controversies.

Lyon: Australia 'not there yet' in journey to greatness

The visitors secured a huge victory in the opening Test against Sri Lanka but there are some key achievements Lyon still wants to tick off

AAP03-Feb-20252:48

Steven Smith: ‘A near-flawless performance’

Nathan Lyon has warned Australia could still be years away from Test greatness, despite continuing their blistering summer with a record-breaking rout of Sri Lanka.Australia claimed their biggest ever win on the subcontinent, thrashing Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs in the Galle series opener, only weeks after sealing their first series defeat of India in a decade.Related

  • Kuhnemann, Lyon consign Sri Lanka to their biggest defeat

  • Length, more than pace, key to Australia spinners' success, says Smith

  • McDonald credits Kuhnemann recovery, Dubai training camp for Galle rout

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph confirmed Australia’s spot in a second consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final, with the ICC’s top-ranked side winning more Test matches in the past cycle than any other team.Elder statesman Lyon saw signs of greatness in the win in Galle, where Australian appeared in control from a first over that featured three fours off Travis Head’s bat. But Lyon does not feel the current crop of Australian players can yet lay claim to being a truly great side.”We want to become a great Australian team. We’re on that journey, we’re not there yet. That’s our end goal,” he said. “Part of that journey is making sure that when we close the window, we nail it shut. It’s all about being ruthless and doing our best thing for long periods of time.”The win in Galle ensured Australia would continue to hold every bilateral trophy for which they are eligible, alongside the ODI World Cup and the WTC trophy.But Lyon was quick to point out that Australia had drawn and not won the past two Ashes series played in England, last winning outright on the road in 2001. Australia have also not won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India since Ricky Ponting’s side took out the four-match series 2-1 in 2004.Nathan Lyon took seven wickets in the first Test•AFP/Getty Images

“There’s a few things [Australia needs to achieve],” said 37-year-old Lyon. “This is only me and my thoughts as well. We’ve got some great players within that change-room, there’s no point hiding behind that. “Australia will have to wait until 2027 for chances at away series wins in India and England. The country’s greatest ever offspinner, Lyon said he “100 percent” hoped to play on that next trip to spin-friendly India as a 39-year-old.Sri Lanka may be the last time before then that Lyon has the chance to bowl in tandem with fellow offspinners Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann.The trio took 17 of Australia’s 20 wickets in Galle, but the team does not have a subcontinent Test tour planned between the ongoing two-match series and India in 2027.”We’re going okay, but I still feel like we’ve got a lot of improvement to do. That’s about being ruthless,” Lyon said of the offspinning trio. “We’re three totally different bowlers with three totally different mindsets as well. I feel like I’m learning off Todd and Matt, and I feel like they’re pushing me to try and get better as well. Hopefully I’m passing on a little bit of knowledge here and there.”Lyon is mostly free of a left hip injury he suffered in the summer, though he is still in pain if he falls on the area.”But I didn’t have to land on it today, so all good,” said Lyon, who took match figures of 7 for 135 in Galle. “Apparently I ripped the deep tissue off the fascia [hip muscle], whatever that means. Apparently there was a bit of excess blood or something in there. Not ideal, but all good now.”

VIDEO: Fast & Furious! Hollywood superstar Vin Diesel delivers inspirational ‘no limit’ message to Karim Benzema & Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad

Fast & Furious actor Vin Diesel has delivered an inspirational “no limit” message to Karim Benzema and Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad.

  • Benzema and Co taking in friendly games
  • A-list visitors to the dressing room
  • Preparing to face Ronaldo again in 2025-26
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Hollywood superstar was granted access to the Al-Ittihad dressing room as they take in pre-season friendly dates during a training camp in Portugal. Diesel was joined by film director and legendary New York Knicks fan Spike Lee.

  • Advertisement

  • WATCH THE CLIP

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Diesel is best known for playing the character Dominic Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise. He is a leader of friends and family in those movies, with motivational speeches often being delivered.

  • Getty Images Sport

    WHAT DIESEL SAID

    He gave another when crossing paths with Benzema and Co. Diesel said, with an interpreter on hand: “Each one of you should take it upon yourself to take the team as high as you can. You never have a moment off. No matter what time of day it is, you always have to be planning how to elevate your profile, your fame, because you are really talented. There is no limit for you. You are stars. The whole world is going to know your name.”

    Diesel signed off by saying, as he turned to embrace Real Madrid legend and former France international Benzema: “I mean that guys, especially you brother.”

Ravindra unlikely to feature in ODI against South Africa after blow to forehead

Earlier in the match, Haris Rauf went off the field with what was later confirmed to be a low-grade side strain

Danyal Rasool08-Feb-2025New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra is unlikely to feature in the ODI against South Africa on Monday, after sustaining a blow while fielding during Saturday’s tri-series ODI against Pakistan.Fielding at deep square leg in the 37th over, Ravindra steadied himself to take a catch as Khushdil Shah slog-swept Michael Bracewell towards the on side. But Ravindra seemed to lose the ball, struck flat and low, mid-flight, and took no evasive action as it struck him square on the forehead. He was seen staring at the ground, apparently in a daze, as blood streamed down his face while medical staff rushed onto the field.New Zealand Cricket [NZC] has since released a statement saying that Ravindra is “otherwise well” and will continue to be monitored.Related

  • Lockie Ferguson in doubt for Champions Trophy and Pakistan tri-series

  • Phillips 72-ball hundred flips the script as New Zealand beat Pakistan

“Rachin Ravindra sustained a laceration to the forehead after being struck by the ball in yesterday’s ODI tri-series win over Pakistan in Lahore,” the release said. “Ravindra passed the initial head injury assessment and the laceration, which required stitches, was addressed and treated at the ground. He is otherwise well and will continue to be monitored under HIA (Head Injury Assessment) protocols. He is unlikely to feature in tomorrow’s match against South Africa.”A stunned silence took hold of the ground after Ravindra went down. A stretcher was brought on as well, though it was ultimately not required. The Pakistan team doctor, nearest to the incident, also rushed on to provide first-aid assistance. After lying down on the ground while receiving a few minutes of treatment, Ravindra got up with the assistance of medical staff, and walked off the field, holding a towel to his head, to warm applause from what had just recently been a packed Gaddafi Stadium.New Zealand, riding on Glenn Phillips’ maiden ODI ton, won the opening game of the tri-series comfortably by 78 runs. Ravindra had earlier opened the batting and scored a brisk 25 off 19 balls to get his side up and running and sent down three overs.Haris Rauf walked off the field with a side strain•Associated Press

Earlier in the match, Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf went off the field two balls into his seventh over, and the PCB later revealed he had complained of “sharp pain in the left side of the chest and abdomen muscles”, which was later confirmed to be a “low-grade side strain”. Rauf, it was confimed, would not come out to bat during Pakistan’s chase.These developments come just 11 days before the start of the Champions Trophy, which begins when these two sides meet in Karachi on February 19. New Zealand’s next game is on Monday, when they take on South Africa in the second match of this tri-series, while Pakistan are scheduled to meet South Africa on Wednesday.As the Champions Trophy looms, New Zealand could also be without the fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, who suffered a hamstring injury while playing in the ILT20 in the UAE. As yet, the team is awaiting reports of a scan on Ferguson’s injury.GMT 0925 The news report was updated following NZC’s statement on Ravindra’s injury.

Bayern Munich land Luis Diaz! Reds agree €75m transfer as winger heads for medical with Harry Kane's side

Bayern Munich have struck a €75 million (£65.6m/$88.1m) deal with Liverpool to sign Luis Diaz, who is reportedly set to undergo a medical within 24 hours. The Colombian winger has been granted permission to leave the Reds’ pre-season tour in Tokyo and join Harry Kane’s side as Die Rekordmeister prepare for a fresh Bundesliga title charge.

  • Diaz set to leave Liverpool for Bayern in €75m transfer deal
  • Set to undergo medical with Bayern over next 24 hours
  • Liverpool eye Isak after signing Ekitike earlier this summer
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Liverpool have accepted Bayern’s €75m offer for Diaz, as per The Athletic, after having previously rejected a lower bid earlier this summer from the Bundesliga champions. The Colombian, currently in Tokyo with Liverpool’s pre-season squad, has been granted permission to leave and complete his medical with Der Rekordmeister and become Bayern’s latest high-profile signing under Kompany.

  • Advertisement

  • Getty Images Sport

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Diaz’s departure is part of a wider shake-up at Liverpool under Arne Slot this summer. The Merseyside club have already brought in Hugo Ekitike and are chasing Alexander Isak as a possible addition. With Darwin Nunez also potentially on the move, Liverpool’s attack could boast a very different look in 2025/26 as they prepare their Premier League title defence.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Diaz made a total of 148 appearances for Liverpool after arriving from Porto in the summer of 2022 before playing a key role in the Reds' domestic cup double that season. During his time with the Merseyside club, he scored 41 goals and provided 23 assists.

  • AFP

    WHAT NEXT FOR DIAZ?

    The 28-year-old Colombian is expected to complete his medical and sign a long-term deal with Bayern Munich within the next 48 hours. Liverpool will turn their focus to finalising a move for Isak as they rebuild their frontline. More changes could follow as the transfer window progresses.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus