O Corinthians foi eliminado na última quarta-feira pelo América-MG nas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil. O lance que definiu a classificação, porém, gerou polêmica entre os corintianos, que se sentiram lesados pelo pênalti marcado em toque de mão involuntário de Lucas Piton. Nesta quinta-feira, Andrés Sanchez prometeu levar um protesto contra a arbitragem até a CBF.
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Aos 35 minutos do segundo tempo, o árbitroWagner do Nascimento Magalhaes (Fifa/RJ), assinalou a penalidade no momento em que o lateral-esquerdo alvinegro tentava proteger a bola de Ademir, dentro da área, quando o toque em sua mão aconteceu. Nas imagens, é possível observar que o jogador nem está olhando para a bola, o que indignou os jogadores do Timão.
Logo após o jogo, em entrevista ao GE, Andrés Sanchez já havia se manifestado sobre a arbitragem polêmica e classificou o lance como “uma vergonha”. Já na tarde desta quinta-feira, o mandatário do Corinthians voltou a criticar ocorrido e prometeu levar o protesto para a CBF. Além disso, ele diz que faz questão de ouvir o áudio do VAR no momento da jogada e promete não deixar barato.
-Não vai ficar barato. Vou à CBF levar o protesto do Corinthians por esse pênalti absurdo e farei questão de ouvir o áudio da conversa do VAR. Arbitragens como essa de ontem não tem cabimento – disse Andrés em seu perfil oficial no Twitter.
Não vai ficar barato. Vou à CBF levar o protesto do Corinthians por esse pênalti absurdo e farei questão de ouvir o aúdio da conversa do VAR. Arbitragens como essa de ontem não tem cabimento
— Andres Sanchez (@andresanchez63) November 5, 2020
O gol marcado por Rodolfo na cobrança da infração foi o que definiu a classificação do América-MG, já que o 1 a 0 a favor do Corinthians levava a decisão para os pênaltis, lembrando que na ida, na Neo Química Arena, os mineiros levaram a melhor pelo pelo placar de 1 a 0. Com o empate no agregado, a vaga não seria decidida no tempo normal e sim nas penalidades.
USMNT captain Tyler Adams is edging closer to a first-team comeback after an injury-ravaged year for the Bournemouth summer signing.
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Adams been out with hamstring injuryUSMNT star played 20 minutes in a yearStarts for Bournemouth's development sideGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
The United States international midfielder picked up a hamstring injury last March while at Leeds United and then suffered a setback last summer. The former RB Leipzig man, who swapped the Whites for Bournemouth in a £23 million ($29m) transfer, then had another surgery on his hamstring after a recurrence of the issue in his Cherries debut last September. However, he played in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Colchester United's Under-21s for Bournemouth's development squad on Tuesday as he steps up his comeback.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT ANDONI IRAOLA SAID
The Bournemouth manager said last month: “Tyler has started training with the group. In the past week, he has started training quite normally. Not everything, but most of the things he does with the group. It is very possible he plays some minutes with the second team, because after almost one year he will need some rhythm.”
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Adams has played a paltry 20 minutes of first-team football in nearly a year. He was one of the few Leeds players to come out of their relegation season with any credit but the past 12 months will have been hard for the 25-year-old. However, the fact that he is playing football again is a boost to Bournemouth and the USMNT.
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WHAT NEXT?
Adams is likely to continue his comeback for Bournemouth's development side in the coming weeks. It remains to be seen if he will feature for the first-team this season but some game time may not be too far away.
Glasgow Rangers have endured a whirlwind two weeks following the sacking of Michael Beale. Interim manager Steven Davis lost his first game in charge against Aris Limassol while securing three points against St Mirren in the Premiership.
He wasn’t expected to last more than two matches and last weekend, the Gers appointed Philippe Clement as their 19th permanent manager, ending weeks of speculation.
The Belgian has a stellar CV which includes winning three league titles in his homeland during spells with Genk and Club Brugge, while he spent 18 months at AS Monaco before being sacked in the summer.
It’s clear he has a winning mentality and this could be crucial as the club eye up trophies in the near future. Beale failed to generate any sort of playing style or identity on the field with this group of players and Clement’s first job will be to get them used to his tactical philosophy and make them embrace it.
Former Monaco boss Philippe Clement.
The 49-year-old has coached some of the finest young talents in Europe during his managerial career and this could be good news for some of the B team, who will be hoping to get a chance under him in the coming months.
Who has Philippe Clement previously coached?
Despite achieving a third-place finish at Monaco during the 2021/22 campaign, narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification and a sixth-place finish last season, Clement has worked with some incredible talent at the French side.
He coached defenders Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile, who have both secured moves to the Premier League, joining Chelsea in big-money transfers.
Simon Mignolet
117
Axel Disasi
70
Noa Lang
67
Wissam Ben Yedder
65
Leandro Trossard
60
Sander Berge
42
Data via Transfermarkt.
Wissam Ben Yedder was another name who shone for Clement and has emerged as one of the most effective strikers in Ligue 1, yet it was a midfielder who played just 22 games under the Belgian that has gone on to have the biggest impact – Aurelien Tchouameni.
How much did Aurelien Tchouameni cost Real Madrid?
The French midfielder had burst onto the scene during the 2018/19 season for Bordeaux, making ten Ligue 1 appearances and he ended up at Monaco in 2020, going on to play nearly 100 times for the club before the mighty Real Madrid came calling.
Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni
He signed for a transfer fee in the region of £85.3m to lure the youngster to La Liga, and it looks as though it’s been an inspired move, especially with his talents.
The 23-year-old typically plays in a defensive midfield role yet can push slighter further forward if required, and he has already 61 appearances for the Spanish giants in just over a year and his potential is limitless.
With Clement analysing his Rangers side ahead of the tie against Hibernian on Saturday, he will pick the best players that suit his current style and once he gets to grip with the squad, he will notice there is some excellent talent that was simply mismanaged under the previous regime.
Jose Cifuentes is a player who could become one of the finest midfielders in the Scottish top flight if he kicks on under Clement, and he has rather similar statistics to that of Tchouameni.
How has Jose Cifuentes performed for Rangers?
The Ecuadorian midfielder was one of Beale’s main transfer targets in a saga which stretched for the duration of the summer transfer window.
The Englishman eventually secured his signature for a fee believed to be around £1.5m and this looked like it could be a wonderful bargain, especially with his form for Los Angeles FC.
Goals
7
1
Key passes per game
1.3
1.7
Successful dribbles per game
1.5
1.4
Big chances created
11
5
Total duels won per game
4.7
4.3
Stats via Sofascore.
He had helped the club win the MLS Cup in 2022 and had scored 15 goals while grabbing 20 assists across 121 games for the club.
Lauded as “very dynamic” by LAFC assistant manager Marc Dos Santos, he hasn’t hit the ground running yet in Scotland.
The 24-year-old has registered just one assist all season across 12 matches and currently ranks seventh in the squad for accurate passes per game, 11th for key passes per game and 16th for successful dribbles, indicating that he hasn’t quite gotten to grips with the Scottish game.
If Clement can give him an ideal role in the first team and give his confidence a boost, there is no doubt the player will eventually turn good and he could be another Tchouameni under the Belgian manager.
Is Jose Cifuentes similar to Aurelien Tchouameni?
Although Cifuentes tends to operate slightly further forward than the Frenchman, the duo do share some similar attributes across a wide range of performance metrics.
Jose Cifuentes
During their respective 2022/23 seasons (just 2022 for the MLS), the duo registered similar stats with regard to assists (six to four), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.54 to 0.51), tackles won (33 to 40), successful take on percentage (61.4% to 71.8%) and ball recoveries (184 to 123), clearly indicating that the duo play similarly.
Indeed, Cifuentes is slightly better in terms of going forward and creating chances for others, while also providing plenty of assists, yet he can still offer excellent defensive skills which help out the midfield. These statistics were from the season when he won the MLS Cup with LAFC, and it was arguably his finest year in America.
Moving to Scotland is a culture shock, absolutely no doubt about it, and once he settles in properly, the supporters will begin to see a player who is ready to take the country by storm.
Clement has coached some of the best and brightest young talents in Europe over the previous few years and using the same methods with the likes of Tchouameni and Disasi will surely only have a positive effect on Cifuentes.
Jose Cifuentes
The supporters simply can't judge a player after just 12 appearances and in fairness, the vast majority of the playing squad has been poor throughout the 2023/24 season so far.
Cutting him some slack and seeing how he develops under the Belgian will be key to see just how good he can become at Rangers and if he hits the ground running, the Gers will make a major profit on the £1.5m they shelled out for him in the first place.
Leeds United could suffer another blow regarding one of their star men's injury situation following their disappointing defeat to Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on Saturday, according to reports.
What's the latest news involving Leeds United?
Daniel Farke cut a frustrated figure on the South Coast against Southampton as his side lost out by a score of 3-1, with a double from Adam Armstrong and an effort from Will Smallbone rendering Pascal Struijk's reply nothing more than a consolation.
The Whites' six-match unbeaten streak is now at an end in the Championship and Farke lamented their defensive work in his post-match press conference, stating via BBC Sport:
"Southampton were more effective in this game. We have won more or less every statistic but all that matters is that they have won 3-1. What was decisive was that our defensive behaviour was not spot on, like it was in the last games, when we had four clean sheets in a row. We need to be more aware, more awake, sharper in decisive moments. Tiny little moments can make a big difference. The first goal would have been ruled out for offside by VAR but there is no VAR in the Championship so you have to drop a little bit quicker to defend the run of Armstrong."
Former Whites icon Jermaine Beckford explained his reasoning as to why he believes Southampton got the better of their divisional rivals, stating on Sky Sports via The Yorkshire Evening Post:
"It was very frustrating, they just didn't seem to get in the groove of things at all. They were second to most balls, especially in that first half. Southampton were fantastic, they moved the ball really well, they didn't keep the ball at the back as I expected them to do, they changed their game-plan very, very quickly and very cleverly. It was an uncharacteristic performance from Leeds United and one that I don't expect to see again any time soon."
In other news, Leeds summer transfer target Matt O'Riley has signed a new deal at Scottish Premiership outfit Celtic, ending speculation linking the Denmark Under-21 international with a move to Elland Road, as per Leeds Live.
Looking ahead, the Whites will take on Queens Park Rangers at Elland Road on Wednesday, who have taken just eight points from their opening nine fixtures in the league and sit in 22nd position.
When will Wilfried Gnonto return from injury?
According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, Leeds attacker Wilfried Gnonto could be out until November or even early December after having surgery on his ankle.
Timeline wise, a figure of around eight weeks has been detailed as a potential worst-case scenario for Gnonto amid indications that Leeds are keen to offer the Italy international a new contract at Elland Road to prevent speculation over his future at the club.
Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.
Gnonto, who was labelled "special" by Leeds coach Michael Skubala back in February, has made six appearances this term for his current employers across all competitions, registering one goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt. Nevertheless, Farke will have to do without the ex-Zurich star for a while longer as he looks to motivate his side for a busy upcoming fixture schedule.
Arsenal and England star Alessia Russo sent a heartfelt message to her "best friend" and mum on Mother's Day.
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Alessia Russo makes Mother's Day tribute
Thanks her 'best friend' Carol Russo
Posts photos of her and mum on Instagram
Getty Images
WHAT HAPPENED?
With Arsenal not playing this weekend, due to the Gunners not being in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Russo took to social media to praise her mum, Carol Russo, on Mother's Day. The former Manchester United forward paid homage to her mother with some photos of the two over the years and a touching line or two.
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WHAT ALESSIA RUSSO SAID
Posting photos of the two embracing, she wrote in an Instagram story: "Happy Mother's Day to my best friend. Love you always."
Instagram (alessia)
Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Arsenal return to Women's Super League action on Friday away to defending champions Chelsea at Kingsmeadow. The Blues are two places and three points ahead of the Gunners, and if Jonas Eidevall's team can beat Emma Hayes' side on their own patch they will draw level with the west London outfit.
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WHAT NEXT?
After this upcoming heavyweight clash, Arsenal, who thumped Chelsea 4-1 in the reverse WSL fixture back in December, travel to Aston Villa on March 24 before facing the Blues in the final of the FA WSL Cup on March 31.
كشف مدرب الوحدة الإماراتي السابق، مانولو خيمينيز، كواليس رحيل جناح منتخب مصر الأسبق، أحمد رفعت، سريعًا عن الفريق بعد حوالي 4 أشهر فقط.
وتوفى أحمد رفعت صباح أمس، السبت، بسبب مضاعفات بعد أشهر قليلة من إصابته بسكتة قلبية لعدم انتظام ضربات القلب ترجع إلى مارس الماضي.
هناك الكثير من الأسباب غير المعلنة عن سبب وفاة أحمد رفعت، ولكن من أبرز الأسباب التي ذكرت هي فترة إعارته في الوحدة الإماراتي ورحيله المفاجئ.
اقرأ أيضًا | ميدو لـ نادر شوقي: لماذا حاولت تحجيم أحمد رفعت أثناء حديثه؟.. وحقه سيأتي
ولعب رفعت مع الوحدة الإماراتي في الفترة من أكتوبر 2022 حتى يناير 2023، حيث شارك في 10 مباريات تحت قيادة المدرب، مانولو خيمينيز، قبل العودة إلى نادي فيوتشر الذي أصبح اسمه الآن مودرن سبورت.
سجل أحمد رفعت مع الوحدة هدفين وصنع 3 آخرين وكانت آخر مبارياته أمام عجمان في الدوري الإماراتي يوم 25 ديسمبر 2022.
ولكن رحيل رفعت تحدث عنه نادر شوقي وكيله بالأمس عبر قناة “MBC Masr 2″، وقال: “لقد تمت إعارته ولكن كان لا يحق له الخروج خارج البلاد بسبب تصريح السفر الخاص به”.
وتابع: “لكن اكتشفنا بعد ذلك عكس هذا، مستواه بدأ في التراجع مع الفريق لأن علم بأن موقفه غير قانوني وقلق على نفسه، قبل فسخ الوحدة لعقده مع رفعت في ذلك الوقت بسبب مشكلة السفر”.
وتواصل “btolat.com” على الفور مع مدرب الوحدة الإماراتي السابق الذي يعمل في باراجواي في الوقت الحالي، مانولو خيمينيز، الذي كان يشرف على تدريب رفعت بعدما تم تعيينه خلال الفترة من 4 أكتوبر 2022 حتى رحيل اللاعب عقب مغادرة المدرب البرتغالي، كارلو كارفالهال.
وقال خيمينيز في تصريحات خاصة لـ”بطولات”: “لقد حزنت كثيرًا لوفاة أحمد رفعت، وبعثت بعض الرسائل النصية لواجب العزاء، يا له من موقف محزن، لأنه صغير للغاية”.
واستمر: “أحمد رفعت كان جناحًا جيدًا للغاية، لاعب مميز، لديه إمكانات فنية كثيرة، ولكنه لم يتأقلم جيدًا مع الأجواء في الوحدة وهذا سبب رحيله السريع”.
وعن إذا كان يعلم مشكلة رفعت مع تصريح السفر وأنها سبب عدم تأقلمه مع الوحدة: “ربما يكون هذا كان سببًا، لا أعلم، لكن السبب الأكبر هو أنه لم يتأقلم مع الفريق، كان يفتقد عائلته بدرجة كبيرة كان يحتاجهم بالقرب منه”.
واختتم: “الجميع في الوحدة كانوا سعداء بتواجد أحمد رفعت، وعلى رأسهم أنا كمدرب للفريق، لأنه كان شخص جيد للغاية، كنا نريد بقاءه ولكن كانت لديه مشكلة في التأقلم”.
Glasgow Rangers appointed just their 19th permanent manager in the club's history on the weekend as Philippe Clement joined the Ibrox side.
Following a woeful start to the current campaign under former manager Michael Beale, the Belgian faces a tough task in order to get a tune out of the current crop of players, where confidence appears to be low.
Hopefully, the new appointment will spark some inspiration across the squad, and with a clash against Hibernian to come this weekend, it represents an ideal chance for Clement to see where he stands with the first team.
AS Monaco's former managerPhilippe Clement.
Despite overhauling the playing squad in the summer, bringing in nine new faces to Ibrox, It's fair to say that Jack Butland has been a standout performer so far, saving 76% of the shots against him at Premiership level, out of Beale's business.
The likes of Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, and Sam Lammers have struggled to hit the ground running and perhaps found Scottish football harder than first anticipated.
It was not just his incomings that have been disappointing, as several players who became cult figures departed in the summer following the expiration of their contracts.
Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield, and Filip Helander all left following the end of last term and have since moved on to other clubs, yet it is the decision to release Alfredo Morelos that could come back to haunt the Gers, especially when you consider his current market value.
How much did Alfredo Morelos cost Rangers?
The Colombian striker was arguably the only positive aspect of the failed Pedro Caixinha reign. The Portuguese manager signed him from HJK Helsinki in the summer of 2017 for a fee in the region of around £1m.
Spending that amount on a 20-year-old who had recently played in Finland seemed like a slight gamble, yet he had scored 46 goals in just 62 appearances for the Finish side and if there was something the Gers needed following the 2016/17 season, it was an out-and-out scorer.
Despite Caixinha being relieved of his duties just a few months later after the Light Blues suffered yet another poor start to the campaign, Morelos went on to become a shining light at the club, helping them return to the summit of Scottish football with some swashbuckling displays, not only in Scotland, but on the continent too.
What happened to Alfredo Morelos?
Early impressions were good, as he scored 18 goals during his first season, yet when Steven Gerrard took over ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, Morelos took to the next level.
The next two seasons saw him score 30 and 29 goals respectively across all competitions, and he began to make an impact across European ties for the Gers.
Across the 2019/20 Europa League season, he scored 14 goals in total and his efforts against Porto and Feyenoord were key in allowing the Ibrox side to secure some impressive results.
Alfredo Morelos' record at Rangers
Games
Goals
2022/23
45
12
2021/22
42
18
2020/21
44
17
2019/20
47
29
2018/19
48
30
2017/18
43
18
Stats via Transfermarkt
Morelos even became the top European scorer in the club’s history the following season, scoring goal number 22 against Benfica, overtaking the record set by club icon Ally McCoist during the 1990s, and the very same season, he scored 11 Premiership goals to spearhead the club to their first title in a decade.
The world was at his feet, no doubt about it, yet the final two full seasons of his spell in Glasgow failed to really hit the notes of previous achievements.
18 goals followed under Giovanni van Bronckhorst during 2021/22, however a serious injury sustained in April 2022 while on international duty for Colombia ruled him out of the Scottish Cup and Europa League finals, which meant that he was forced to watch on as his team lost against Frankfurt in Seville.
The 5 foot 9 machine was hailed as being a “nightmare for defenders” by one former Premiership opponent who remained anonymous and, during his peak, he was a menace to opposition players in Scotland.
Morelos had everything in his locker, from a clinical nature in front of goal to showcasing his ability to play as a lone striker, holding up the ball well using his physical strength, and he left the club in the summer for nothing having scored just 12 goals all season.
How much is Alfredo Morelos worth now?
Since leaving Glasgow, Morelos initially struggled to secure a club for the new season, yet he found solace at Brazilian outfit Santos, who snapped up the former Gers hitman last month, yet offered a cryptic message to his fans via social media.
The striker said: "I will always be ready to be there for my friends in Royal Blue.
"This is not a final farewell but a see you later filled with hope. See you in the future Rangers."
Could we perhaps see the 27-year-old back at Ibrox in a playing capacity? Since his move to Brazil however, his market value now currently stands at €3.7m (£3.2m) according to Football Transfers, clearly indicating that it was a mistake letting him run down his contract and leave for nothing.
Indeed, this figure is lower than the €17.2m (£15m) he was valued at back in November 2021, yet it is perhaps unsurprising given his recent form in Scotland.
The Gers had opportunities to sell Morelos when he was at the peak of his powers, including rejecting a staggering £16.5m bid for him during the summer of 2020 from French side Lille.
The Colombian has made two appearances for his new club thus far, failing to get on the scoresheet in any of them, and it could take him a while to get up to speed having not completed a proper preseason.
Morelos was one of the Gers' finest strikers since the turn of the century, scoring 124 goals across 269 games for the Ibrox side, and it will be hard to replace his qualities. Clement will give fresh starts to the likes of Dessers and Danilo, yet early signs indicate that they have not demonstrated the vast potential that led Beale to bring them to Scotland.
Hopefully, Morelos can return to some sort of form during his spell in South America, and he may prove that Rangers had a shocker by letting his contract expire, given the lack of production from his successors and his current market value being more than £0 they let him leave for.
Durban, Bay Stars and Bloem teams hit out at CSA for scrapping the T20 Global League, but the board believes the former owners could still work with a new league
Firdose Moonda29-Jun-2018In response to being publicly attacked by three of the eight owners of team in the cancelled T20 Global League, Cricket South Africa has “welcomed interest,” from the businessman they have angered. The Durban Qalanders and Nelson Mandela Bay Stars threatened CSA with legal action unless owners are reinstated while the Bloem City Blazers asked South Africa’s sports ministry to intervene, but CSA has focused on the fact the trio still want to work in cricket in the country.”The fact that they want to be part of it is an encouraging response and this confirms that they believe, as we indeed do, that our new T20 is a good product that compares with the best international standards,” Thabang Moroe, CSA’s acting CEO said in a statement released on Friday morning.Moroe’s comments came after statements from Nelson Mandela Bay Stars and Bloem City Blazers earlier in the week, the latter accusing CSA of dishonesty, miscommunication and poor planning, none of which were addressed by Moroe. CSA had earlier this week said it would not “debate this matter through the media,” as it was in the process of planning a new tournament. The board stuck to this line and left the door open for the former owners to become involved once the details of the yet-to-be-named competition, which CSA co-owns with pay-television broadcaster SuperSport, are finalised.”At the same time, it is essential that we follow process in the development of our T20 strategy which in the first place required us to resolve the outstanding issues from last year,” Moroe said. “As has been well documented, the key to the postponement was the inability to secure key stakeholders and revenue streams. We have now secured a broadcasting equity partner and are currently engaging potential sponsors. Once those parties are secured as a collective the business plan will be finalised. We will then be in a position to clarify what we can propose and offer to other stakeholders.”SuperSport, who the owners have also pointed a finger at for becoming involved with CSA’s tournament even though the broadcaster refused to pay the rights the board initially demanded for the Global T20 League, have also played down the effects of owner unhappiness. “CSA has advised us that it is dealing with those concerns,” SuperSport told ESPNcricinfo. “They do not impact on our relationship with CSA.”
The World Cup Qualifier in March was supposed to be the start of a fruitful home season for Zimbabwe. With a tri-series against Pakistan and Australia followed by five ODIs against Pakistan lined up, this was set to be a bumper summer. A side playing close to full-strength in a bid to qualify for 2019 meant the signs were promising. The crisis of 2004 seemed far off.What a difference, then, three months – and more precisely, three runs make. Zimbabwe’s loss to UAE by that margin in their final qualifying game, and consequently missing a World Cup spot has led to an implosion of sorts. The finances are in doldrums, the fans are looking away and several top players are revolting against unpaid salaries dating back to last year.Graeme Cremer, who led them at the qualifiers, will not be a part of the T20I tri-series. Neither will Sikandar Raza, playing in the Global T20 League in Canada, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams and Craig Ervine. Hamilton Masakadza is set to lead a team stripped of much of their star quality as a result. That he was named captain on match-eve is a measure of their lack of preparedness.There is also a new head coach in Lalchand Rajput, who has previously enjoyed a relatively successful stint with Afghanistan and a few first-class sides in India. Can he inspire a team that can expect no mercy from a full-strength Pakistan side that has won 19 of their last 22 T20Is?They are the No. 1-ranked side in the world, playing at a time when the disparity in mood in the respective camps is continents apart. What was to be the highlight of the Zimbabwean cricketing year is now a chore to be seen through, an impending mauling to be dreaded.Pakistan’s openers are fearless, the middle order ruthless, the pace bowlers excellent, and the spinners canny. They’ve gone around the world undoing far better sides than this Zimbabwe unit, and are likely to see the game as a warm-up to their clashes against Australia, their overwhelmingly likely opponents in the final on July 8.
Form guide
Zimbabwe WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first) Pakistan WWWWW
In the spotlight
It has been nearly two years since Elton Chigumbura played international cricket, but with his recall, Zimbabwe have brought back one of their more recognisable faces. A mainstay in Zimbabwean cricket since his debut in 2004, Chigumbura is perhaps more suited to T20Is than any of his team-mates. Chigumbura has seen as many ups and down in Zimbabwean cricket as just about anyone, and if anyone is likely to be up for a rebuilding job, it is the 32-year-old allrounder.Fakhar Zaman is supposed to be the ideal T20I cricketer, but strangely enough, he hasn’t quite managed a devastating knock in the format befitting his reputation. His match-winning century in the Champions Trophy final against India showed his comfort against the best opposition, but in T20Is, he has never gone past 50, with a somewhat unremarkable average of 23 from 16 innings. Even a strike rate of 135 – by no means unimpressive – doesn’t quite scale the heights you would expect of a player who looks like he could smash every ball for six. Against a weakened Zimbabwe, he has the ideal opportunity to right all of that.
Team news
Zimbabwe’s line-up is anybody’s guess, but one positive for the hosts is their fast bowling is largely unaffected by the player boycott, with Chris Mpofu, Blessing Muzarbani and Kyle Jarvis all likely to start. Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Brian Chari, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Tarisai Musakanda, 4 Hamilton Masakadza, 5 Elton Chigumbura, 6 Peter Moor (wk), 7 Malcolm Waller, 8 Tendai Chisoro, 9 Kyle Jarvis, 10 Blessing Muzarabani, 11 Chris MpofuWhile it will be hard to say how experimental Pakistan get, they might want to give their best players a run to start the tour. Pakistan (possible): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Hussain Talat, 4 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 5 Asif Ali, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Usman Khan
Pitch conditions
It’s the middle of winter in Zimbabwe, with conditions expected to be cool and dry. The surface can offer something early on, but this is a late start. Hence, the side winning the toss may not mind batting first and setting up the game.
Stats and trivia
Zimbabwe have played only two T20Is in the past two years, both against Afghanistan in February this year. They lost both games.
Pakistan’s longest-serving player Shoaib Malik averages 66.72 in his last 24 T20I innings. In more than half of these – 13 – he has finished unbeaten.
Leeds United could suffer another blow regarding one of their star men's injury situation following their disappointing defeat to Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on Saturday, according to reports.
What's the latest news involving Leeds United?
Daniel Farke cut a frustrated figure on the South Coast against Southampton as his side lost out by a score of 3-1, with a double from Adam Armstrong and an effort from Will Smallbone rendering Pascal Struijk's reply nothing more than a consolation.
The Whites' six-match unbeaten streak is now at an end in the Championship and Farke lamented their defensive work in his post-match press conference, stating via BBC Sport:
"Southampton were more effective in this game. We have won more or less every statistic but all that matters is that they have won 3-1. What was decisive was that our defensive behaviour was not spot on, like it was in the last games, when we had four clean sheets in a row. We need to be more aware, more awake, sharper in decisive moments. Tiny little moments can make a big difference. The first goal would have been ruled out for offside by VAR but there is no VAR in the Championship so you have to drop a little bit quicker to defend the run of Armstrong."
Former Whites icon Jermaine Beckford explained his reasoning as to why he believes Southampton got the better of their divisional rivals, stating on Sky Sports via The Yorkshire Evening Post:
"It was very frustrating, they just didn't seem to get in the groove of things at all. They were second to most balls, especially in that first half. Southampton were fantastic, they moved the ball really well, they didn't keep the ball at the back as I expected them to do, they changed their game-plan very, very quickly and very cleverly. It was an uncharacteristic performance from Leeds United and one that I don't expect to see again any time soon."
In other news, Leeds summer transfer target Matt O'Riley has signed a new deal at Scottish Premiership outfit Celtic, ending speculation linking the Denmark Under-21 international with a move to Elland Road, as per Leeds Live.
Looking ahead, the Whites will take on Queens Park Rangers at Elland Road on Wednesday, who have taken just eight points from their opening nine fixtures in the league and sit in 22nd position.
When will Wilfried Gnonto return from injury?
According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, Leeds attacker Wilfried Gnonto could be out until November or even early December after having surgery on his ankle.
Timeline wise, a figure of around eight weeks has been detailed as a potential worst-case scenario for Gnonto amid indications that Leeds are keen to offer the Italy international a new contract at Elland Road to prevent speculation over his future at the club.
Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.
Gnonto, who was labelled "special" by Leeds coach Michael Skubala back in February, has made six appearances this term for his current employers across all competitions, registering one goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt. Nevertheless, Farke will have to do without the ex-Zurich star for a while longer as he looks to motivate his side for a busy upcoming fixture schedule.