The tour had suffered a blow after Sri Lanka’s government said they received news of a “possible terrorist threat on the Sri Lanka team”

Umar Farooq in Lahore13-Sep-2019

Ehsan Mani addresses a press conference•AFP

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani reiterated his confidence in Pakistan hosting Sri Lanka later this month, saying neither he nor his board was looking to shift the series to a neutral venue.According to the original schedule, both teams will be playing three T20Is and three ODIs in Lahore and Karachi between September 27 and October 9. But doubts over those matches actually taking place surfaced earlier this week when the Sri Lankan government received news of a “possible terrorist threat on the Sri Lanka team”. This development came two days after SLC named their touring squads without ten frontline players who refused to travel.Mani, addressing the press in Lahore on Friday, said the PCB was in discussion with the SLC and that he expected the tour to continue as planned. “Our decision is very clear and we are not exploring any other neutral venue. We don’t have the time to shift or lookout for any other option right now. Our default position is that it is Pakistan’s home series and it will be played in the country. This has been the understanding right from the start and we are in discussions with the Sri Lanka board and they are also very positive about sending their team.”SLC had committed to the tour after a thorough security assessment, but with less than two weeks for the first match, their government has asked for another round of checks to be made. It is also understood that the Pakistan ambassador to Colombo met with the Sri Lankan defence secretary on Thursday and that the SLC has prompted the Sri Lankan defence ministry for an updated threat assessment.”We didn’t get any negative feedback from their board and they never said that they are not coming,” Mani said. “All they are seeking is their government’s permission and they are engaging with them. There are speculations that they are sending their under-strength team but it’s their prerogative. But what is important that international cricket will be played in Pakistan, and Sri Lanka is fulfilling their commitment.”Comprising six games, this will be the longest international series in Pakistan for a decade. It will also mark the first international action in Pakistan in 18 months. The tour was supposed to include two Test matches as well but they have been postponed to December. The PCB wants to host them in Pakistan as well and see this limited-overs series as a trial run towards that ultimate aim.On a different note, but directly relevant, is the appointment of the ICC officials for the series. ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB has already informed them about the schedule but the ICC will carry out its own assessment of the security situation prior to sending match officials.The National Stadium in Karachi will host the ODIs, while the T20Is will be held in Lahore. These will be the first ODIs to take place in Pakistan since Zimbabwe toured for a three-match ODI series in 2015; all the international cricket since the 2017 PSL final has been in the form of T20Is.

Mixed reactions to the players’ strike from BCB officials, with some terming the players’ stance “blackmail”

Mohammad Isam22-Oct-2019The BCB has called an emergency meeting of its directors on Tuesday in response to the players’ strike. They have less than 48 hours to convince the players to play the next round of the first-class National Cricket League matches in four venues across the country, and just a little more time to convince them to start training in a prep camp for the tour of India. The India tour begins on November 3.The cricketers put out an 11-point demand on Monday, which they said must be fulfilled before they will take part in any on-field activities. A majority of those demands are financial commitments that the board has to make publicly. Apart from the call to bring back Dhaka Premier League’s players transfer in the 2019-20 season, even the players understand that the rest of the points can only come into effect from next year.Mashrafe backs the players

In a Facebook post, Bangladesh’s ODI captain Mashrafe Mortaza has expressed solidarity with the cricketers, but said he wasn’t made aware of their plan.
“I have been asked several times why I wasn’t present with the cricketers,” Mashrafe wrote on his official Facebook page. “I think it is best to ask the players. I wasn’t aware of this movement. Definitely this was in discussion, and they were making preparations. The first I heard about their strike was when I saw their press conference.
“I have always been with cricketers and if I had known about their plan, I would have been with them. I have questioned myself why I wasn’t made aware. But it is more important that their 11-point demands are met. All of their demands are fair, and necessary for the betterment of cricket and cricketers. I, Mashrafe Mortaza, am in favour of a peaceful implementation of their 11-point demand.”

So far, there are mixed reactions from within the BCB, with some directors accusing the cricketers of “blackmailing” the board, while others have said that they understand the players’ stance in these difficult circumstances.Director Jalal Yunus said that instead of going to the media, the players should have gone to the board with their demands. “We had no idea that the cricketers were so angry, disappointed and upset,” Yunus told Bengali daily . “They could have placed the demands at the board before issuing the ultimatum. However, they went to the media to call off all cricketing activities. This is nothing but blackmailing.”Speaking to the same newspaper, Mahbubul Anam, another influential board director, accused the cricketers of being part of a “wider conspiracy”. “They can have demands but before going to the media, they should have come to the BCB,” Anam said. “The board president is always in touch with these cricketers.”They could have followed the process of going through the CEO, cricket operations chairman and board chief, and if their demands weren’t met, then they could have gone for action. I believe something else is behind the cricketers’ call for the strike. It is a conspiracy against BCB.”But Akram Khan, the former Bangladesh captain and now a board director in charge of cricket operations, had a conciliatory tone: “These things always start with a movement. Once you sit with the board, it is no longer a movement. The board is there to serve the cricketers’ purpose. I hope there will be reconciliation between the players and the board. We will try to solve their issues in the board meeting [on Tuesday].”ALSO READ: What do the Bangladesh players want?Veteran board director Ahmed Sajjadul Alam said that he feels most of the demands are “reasonable”, and they can be met after discussion with the players.The cricketers have also generally received support from outside the cricket board, including some former cricketers. One of them, Salim Shahed, said that he was impressed by how the cricketers didn’t bring only their own issues into focus.”They didn’t just talk about themselves,” Shahed told the Bengali daily . “They wanted improvement in salaries for groundsmen, coaches, trainers, physios. They spoke about infrastructural improvement. They also didn’t drag the age-group cricketers in to their strike. They are only looking to ensure a better future for them.”

كشفت تقارير صحفية عن حقيقة رحيل دافيدي أنشيلوتي، نجل ومساعد كارلو أنشيلوتي المدير الفني لفريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ريال مدريد الإسباني.

دافيدي أنشيلوتي هو مساعد كارلو في تدريب ريال مدريد والعقل المدبر مع والده من على مقاعد بدلاء النادي الملكي، ويعتمد عليه المدرب الإيطالي في العديد من الأشياء.

إذاعة “ريليفو” الإسبانية، أكدت أن دافيدي أنشيلوتي وفرانشيسكو ماوري، مساعدي كارلو في تدريب النادي الملكي، يفكرون في خطواتهما التالية، حيث يتطلع كلاهما إلى مقعد المدير الفني.

طالع أيضًا | أنشيلوتي يوضح حقيقة تواصله لتدريب منتخب إنجلترا قبل توخيل

ارتبط اسم دافيدي أنشيلوتي بالعديد من الأندية مثل إشبيلية وليستر سيتي، ولكنه لن يترك ريال مدريد قبل أن يرحل والده عن النادي الملكي حسب ما أكدت التقارير.

الإذاعة الإسبانية أكدت أن دافيدي وماوري يدرسان العروض المقدمة من الأندية الأخرى، ولكن لا يتوقعان الرحيل قبل أن ينهي أنشيلوتي مسيرته في ريال مدريد.

أنشيلوتي لديه عقد حتى 2026 مع ريال مدريد، وحسب ما أفادت بعض التقارير، فإن المدرب الإيطالي لا يفكر في خوض تجارب أخرى، وقد يعتزل التدريب بعد نهاية عقده مع النادي الملكي.

Cristiano Ronaldo has explained his tearful reaction to missing a penalty for Portugal at Euro 2024, while also dropping a major retirement hint.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

All-time great waiting on first goal at Euro 2024Saw Oblak save spot-kick in last-16 clashWill not grace the continental competition againGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Having failed to find the target during the group stage, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was determined to make a decisive contribution in a last-16 showdown with Slovenia. He fired in several free-kicks, while coming close to meeting a number of crosses, but was given his big moment in extra-time when stepping up to the spot. CR7 saw his effort beaten away by Jan Oblak, leaving the Portuguese superstar in tears.

AdvertisementWHAT RONALDO SAID

After converting his penalty in a shootout that Portugal won 3-0 courtesy of three saves from Diogo Costa, Ronaldo told of emotion getting the better of him: “Initial sadness and joy at the end, that’s what football gives you. These are inexplicable moments. I had the chance to put the national team ahead and I didn’t manage it. Oblak made a good save. I had to review the penalty, I don’t know if I shot well or badly, but during the year I didn’t miss a single time and when I needed it most, Oblak saved it. The most important thing is to enjoy qualifying, the team did an extraordinary job, we fought until the end and if you analyse the match well, Portugal deserved it because they had more chances.”

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo, who is competing at his 11th major international tournament, went on to admit that this summer’s European Championship will be his last. He added, with it impossible for the evergreen frontman to go on forever: “It’s certainly my last Euro. But I’m not moved by that, I’m moved by everything that football entails. The enthusiasm I have for the game, the excitement of seeing my fans, and my family, the affection that people have for me. It’s not because I’m leaving football, because if I do, what else is there for me to do or win? It’s not going to come down to one more point or one less point. Making people happy is what motivates me the most.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

WHAT NEXT?

Ronaldo hit 50 goals for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in the 2023-24 campaign, with there no sign of him slowing down at club level. There has also been talk of him playing through to the 2026 World Cup, which suggests that retirement remains some way off for now.

While the team's form has taken a slight hit recently, it's been a great season to be a Tottenham Hotspur fan this year.

Ange Postecoglou has taken a side that looked destined to struggle following the disaster of 2022/23 and made them one of the most dynamic teams in the country.

This transformation was undeniably helped by a summer that saw some brilliant signings, such as James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario and Micky van de Ven.

Daniel Levy and Co look to have got the incomings fairly spot on recently, although there is one fringe player who is costing the club something of a fortune at present, raking in a wage that is hard to justify.

Fraser Forster's salary at Spurs

The man in question is the six-capped Englishman Fraser Forster, who joined Spurs in June 2022 after his contract with then-fellow Premier League side Southampton expired.

Now, the fact he was signed for free is certainly a bonus. After all, he's a keeper with bags of experience from his time with Celtic and the Saints.

However, he joined off the back of a season in which he had made just 24 appearances across all competitions on the south coast, so the fact he was offered a £75k-per-week contract in north London was baffling.

In his defence, the 6 foot 7 titan earned his way last season, making 20 appearances across all competitions for the Lilywhites when Hugo Lloris was out injured – he also kept six clean sheets.

That said, this season, he's made just one appearance for Postecoglou, which came in the side's first defeat, their League Cup tie against Fulham, for which football.london's Rob Guest awarded him a 6/10 for his display.

In all, considering the 90 weeks he has been a Spurs player, he has cost the club around £6.7m, or around £319k per performance, which is only set to increase as Vicario seemingly goes from strength to strength.

Fraser Forster's compared to Spurs squad

Now, while Forster's minimal game already makes his wage hard to justify, the wages of his fellow teammates make it seem even more outlandish.

Player

Wage

Fraser Forster

£75k

Guglielmo Vicario

£75k

Destiny Udogie

£75k

Rodrigo Bentancur

£75k

Micky van de Ven

£50k

For example, the "immense" Van De Ven – as described by pundit Rio Ferdinand – has arguably been one of the best defenders in the entire league this season, yet is currently on a wage of just £50k-per-week, 50% less than Forster.

Equally, the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Destiny Udogie and Vicario are all on the same wage as the veteran goalkeeper, despite being far more integral members of the team.

It isn't just through comparisons with Forster's teammates that his wages begin to look crazy, though, as in contrast to some of the other backup goalkeepers around the Premier League, the 35-year-old is making a killing.

Player

Club

Wage

Fraser Forster

Tottenham Hotspur

£75k

Stefan Ortega

Manchester City

£55k

Tom Heaton

Manchester United

£45k

Altay Bayindir

Manchester United

£35k

Djordje Petrovic

Chelsea

£25k

Caoimhin Kelleher

Liverpool

£10k

For example, Manchester United's Tom Heaton and Altay Bayindir earn £45k-per-week and £35k-per-week respectively, Chelsea's backup turned first choice keeper Djordje Petrovic earns £25k-per-week and Liverpool pay Caoimhin Kelleher £10k-per-week.

Spurs struck gold with "special" Conte signing who's worth more than Son

The dynamic star has been on fire for the Lilywhites this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 21, 2024

Ultimately, there is no denying that Spurs are currently spending a lot of money on Forster, and while he's a totally serviceable backup keeper, it does seem unusual to pay a player who likely won't play again this season more than one of the team's essential starters.

Aston Villa return to Premier League action on Sunday just three days after they drew 0-0 with Ajax in the first leg of their Europa Conference League last-16 clash.

It shows just how far the club have progressed since Unai Emery took charge of the club in October 2022, as back then, the Midlands side were being dragged into a relegation battle.

The Spaniard not only guided them away from trouble, but subsequently led the club to a seventh-place finish, which secured European qualification.

With just a few months left of the current campaign, Villa have an excellent chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season, as they occupy fourth spot in the table.

The clash against Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow afternoon gives Emery the chance to stretch their advantage to eight points over Spurs, while he could make a few changes to his side.

With this in mind, Football FanCast predicts the starting XI that the Spaniard could deploy against the north Londoners tomorrow…

1 GK – Emiliano Martínez

The Argentinian is the undisputed first choice between the posts for Villa. This season, the ‘keeper has kept six clean sheets across 26 matches in the Premier League.

He has missed only one league match thus far during the 2023/24 campaign and his consistency has helped Villa take that next step and challenge the elite.

2 RB – Matty Cash

The right-back started on the bench during the midweek clash against Ajax, but he replaced Pau Torres for the second half and contributed towards the 0-0 draw.

Cash made one tackle, won 50% of his ground duels and was not dribbled past once during the clash against the Dutch giants, and he will be unleashed in the starting XI by Emery tomorrow on the right side of the defence.

3 CB – Pau Torres

The centre-back started in midweek but had to be brought off at half-time. However, he will retain his place in the starting XI ahead of tomorrow's clash, and Emery will be expecting him to marshal the defence.

The former Villarreal defender had missed five of the previous seven Premier League matches due to injury, but 45 minutes in midweek should allow him to hopefully feature for the full 90 minutes against Spurs.

4 CB – Ezri Konsa

Konsa was deployed at right-back from the start against Ajax, and he was shown a second yellow card during the dying embers of the match, which means he will miss the second leg at Villa Park next week.

This indicates that Emery could choose the Englishman to start alongside Torres at the heart of the defence tomorrow, knowing that he will be unavailable for the Ajax clash, keeping others fresh for midweek.

5 LB – Lucas Digne

The Frenchman made his first start since the Boxing Day defeat to Manchester United against Ajax in midweek, and while he failed to create anything going forward, he was solid defensively.

The defender made two interceptions, two clearances and won two of the three ground duels that he contested during the clash.

This performance suggests that he could make his first league start this year at the weekend.

6 RM – Leon Bailey

The winger was dropped for Moussa Diaby for the midweek clash, but he will return to the starting XI against Spurs.

This season, Bailey has registered 22 goal contributions – 11 goals and 11 assists – in all competitions as he has emerged as a key player under Emery.

The former Bayer Leverkusen gem played less than 30 minutes against the Dutch side, so he will be fresh and raring to go when Spurs arrive in the Midlands on Sunday.

The £25m signing has been hailed as a “standout” previously by journalist Ashley Preece, and he is the ideal replacement for Diaby.

7 CM – Douglas Luiz

The Brazilian has been the beating heart of the Villa midfield this season, becoming one of the most important players in the squad.

Indeed, the former Manchester City player has missed only one top-flight match this term – which was due to suspension – while he has scored ten goals and chipped in with eight assists in all competitions, proving he can be a big goal threat from the middle of the pitch.

He failed to register a shot against Ajax, but the midfielder will be determined to contribute more effectively against Spurs.

8 CM – John McGinn

The captain was dropped to the bench in midweek but came on for the final 30 minutes in place of Moussa Diaby, and like Bailey, he will be fresh for tomorrow's clash.

McGinn has also been a solid attacking threat from central midfield, scoring eight times and grabbing a further five assists, indicating that Emery’s options in the middle of the pitch are good for a few goals.

9 LM – Nicolo Zaniolo

The Italian has perhaps not featured as often as anticipated when joining last summer, but he could be unleashed by Emery against Spurs on the left of the midfield.

With the second leg against Ajax taking place in just five days, rotating his squad will be vital and this means the on-loan 24-year-old could be given a chance to add to his two goals scored already this season.

10 AM – Jacob Ramsey

Against Ajax, Youri Tielemans was slotted in alongside Ollie Watkins, but he failed to impress, and this could lead to Ramsey coming into the starting XI.

Emery will deploy the Englishman in the No 10 role just behind Watkins, and he will be hoping Ramsey can enjoy some success against Spurs.

Injury problems have restricted the 22-year-old to just eight Premier League starts this term, but his ninth could arrive tomorrow.

In what could be seen as an encouraging development as far as Sri Lanka playing a Test series in Pakistan before the end of the year is concerned, Sri Lanka coach Rumesh Ratnayake said he hoped the ongoing limited-overs series would encourage more Sri Lankan players to tour Pakistan. The three-ODI, three-T20I series currently being played by Sri Lanka in Pakistan is in lieu of the originally scheduled two-match Test series, which was postponed owing to several first-team Sri Lankan players’ reluctance to tour Pakistan at this time.”This will be a precursor for that [Test] tour [in December],” Ratnayake said. “I’m sure this will certainly encourage the others to take decisions, but we can’t enforce it on them. They have taken a decision and we have to respect that, but certainly if things go well, this will be a huge thing for the future, not only for them but for all other countries to be here.”The tour was affected by ten Sri Lankan players deciding against touring, resulting in Sri Lanka selecting a somewhat inexperienced team to tour Pakistan. Compounding their problems, head coach Ratnayake said the team’s “preparation hadn’t been that good”. Regular afternoon rains during much of the last week inhibited the teams’ ability to get full training and practice sessions in, and Ratnayake revealed wet weather in Sri Lanka had hampered their ability to turn up fully prepared.”Even before we came here, the preparations were hampered by rain. It seems as if it’s raining in the whole world. We had only had a day’s training outside, and today was the second day. So, as you can imagine, the prep hasn’t been all that good, but that’s not going to be an excuse because they are all professional players. “The people who have taken their place are challenged to do well, it’s for their future also, so I hope there won’t be any rain.”If anything, the elements may throw up the opposite challenge for the sides. Following a week with unseasonal, torrential downpours in a city completely ill-equipped to deal with them, a stiflingly hot, humid weekend meant spending much time outside practicing would push players’ physical fitness to the limit. Ratnayake, however, was already busy working away at several strategies to motivate his players, which included playing up to the image of his side being comprehensive underdogs.”There are various ways of motivating them. One is the challenge of facing this Pakistan team, and we talked about the Pakistan team being Goliaths and us not,” he said. “That’s the sort of the way we are motivating them, but they are professionals and I’m sure they’ll do what’s needed to be done.”The challenge today was from the heat rather than the rain. It was sunny but the focus was for the batsmen to know the sort of conditions they will face during the match, and ensuring they train well enough to be prepared for whatever comes their way.”While much of Pakistan will be tuned in to the cricket over the next week, they will, like Ratnayake, be hoping the Sri Lankan players who opted to stay home will be watching closely, too.

There's no getting away from it: Crystal Palace have been having a shocker this season.

Roy Hodgson's side have the sixth-worst defence in the Premier League, the fourth-worst attack, are missing some of their best players through injury and were recently hammered by fierce rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

Crystal Palace's previous five games
Wins	1
Losses	4
Goals Scored	5
Goals Conceded	15
All Stats via Sky Sports

Losing by three or four goals against some of the 'big six' sides is one thing, but to simply roll over in a heated derby is unforgivable, and it would seem that it was this game in particular that has solidified in the minds of Steve Parish and Co that it is finally time to move on from the experienced Hodgson.

The latest on the Eagles' manager search

It was revealed early last week that in the aftermath of the South Londoners' embarrassing 4-1 defeat at the Amex, Parish 'strongly contemplated' giving the former England manager the boot but finding a coach willing to take the reins mid-way through such a tumultuous season was proving far more complicated than they had expected.

Several names have been touted for the job, including former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui, former Mainz manager Bo Svensson, as well as even current Ipswich Town coach Kieran McKenna.

However, while the aforementioned names have been linked with the job, former Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg manager Oliver Glasner is seemingly leading the pack.

The Austrian has an impressive track record in Germany and even led Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022.

However, there is another manager, former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, whom Crystal Palace writer Bobby Manzi claims is still being "seriously considered" by the board.

How Cooper compares to Glasner

So, the first thing to recognise is that, yes, Glasner has a far more illustrious managerial CV to his name than Cooper. He has managed in a top-five league for longer than the Welshman, he has managed more top-flight clubs than him, and he already has a European trophy under his belt before turning 50.

All of that is true, but just because Cooper – who has utilised a 4-3-3 formation in recent times – has spent less time in the top flight than his potential rival does not mean he is less qualified.

The Championship is often praised for its quality, with even Pep Guardiola saying, "The Championship is probably the hardest second division in the world" in 2018. Yet, the Pontypridd gaffer managed to drag Forest from the bottom of the second tier into the Premier League within a year of being at the club.

Moreover, the "brilliant" 44-year-old, as David Moyes described him, also managed England's U17 squad when they won the U17 World Cup for the very first time in 2017. While it doesn't have quite the same prestige attached to it as the Europa League, it's an impressive achievement nonetheless.

Finally, when looking at the pair's managerial statistics from their last jobs compared to Hodgson's, there is little in it.

For example, Cooper won 42 of his 107 games in charge of Forest and won an average of 1.43 points per match, whereas Glasner won 39 of his 97 games in charge of Frankfurt, picking up an average of 1.51 points per match.

Cooper vs Glasner vs Hodgson (most recent jobs)
Manager	Cooper	Glasner	Hodgson
Games	107	97	38
Wins	42	39	12
Draws	27	29	10
Losses	38	29	16
Points per Match	1.43	1.51	1.21
All Stats via Sofascore

While the Austrian has his potential competitor beat in that regard, it is not by much at all, and when taking into consideration the strength of their respective leagues and their squads, it could be argued that Cooper's 1.43 points per match is more impressive.

Crystal Palace could hire "outstanding" manager to end Hodgson nightmare

Now linked with Crystal Palace, Jurgen Klopp has sung this manager’s praises in the past.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 15, 2024

Ultimately, the Eagles clearly need fresh ideas in the dugout, and while hiring Glasner might excite fans more, Cooper would still be a great option.

Leeds United moved back into the automatic Championship promotion places, ahead of their rivals playing on Saturday, with a 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night.

The Whites ran out winners with a comfortable scoreline in what was a less than comfortable evening for Daniel Farke's side at Hillsborough.

They had to dig in deep at times to secure all three points on the night, thanks to goals from Patrick Bamford – in the first half – and Wilfried Gnonto – in the second half.

Whilst the two goalscorers won the match for Leeds, and deserve praise for their vital contributions, the real hero of the game for Farke was central defender Ethan Ampadu.

Bamford and Gnonto's stats against Wednesday

The side's starting number nine opened the scoring just before the break with a close-range finish from Junior Firpo's excellent ball across the box.

Bamford also created two chances for his teammates and won five of his nine – the majority – of his ground duels against the Wednesday defenders.

Gnonto, meanwhile, got himself on the scoresheet with a well-timed run and clinical finish after Georgino Rutter played a clever ball in behind the Owls defence.

The Italy international was unfortunate to end the match without an assist for his efforts as he created one 'big chance' for Crysencio Summerville, who saw his one-on-one effort saved by James Beadle.

Ethan Ampadu's impressive stats against Wednesday

Bamford and Gnonto produced the telling moments in the final third but they were able to be the matchwinners because of Ampadu's outstanding defensive work when Wednesday were on top.

Anthony Musaba appeared to be through on goal with the score at 0-0 in the first half but the former Chelsea prospect recovered brilliantly to make a fantastic last-ditch block to prevent Illan Meslier from being worked.

The 23-year-old enforcer then had a potential assist ruined by Rutter's poor finishing as he raked a sublime pass over the top of the Wednesday defence for the French whiz, whose effort was smothered by Beadle.

Ethan Ampadu & Joe Rodon at centre-back

Championship

Starts

11

Goals conceded

Three

Clean sheets

Eight

Wins

Ten

Draws

One

Losses

Zero

Stats via Sofascore

When Leeds were 2-0 up, Ampadu made a huge goalline clearance in the 72nd minute from Michael Smith after Meslier fumbled an effort towards his own goal, before making a big block on Ike Ugbo during the next phase of play.

This meant that the hosts did not pull one back with around 20 minutes – including what was to be added as stoppage time – to play to find an equaliser, which is why his interventions were so important.

The Wales international, who had 93 touches of the ball and completed 87% of his attempted passes, was dominant defensively with a 100% aerial duel success rate (2/2), as he did not allow Smith or Ugbo to get the better of him in the air.

Ampadu also made four clearances, two blocks, and completed one tackle throughout the 90 minutes to keep his eighth clean sheet in 11 appearances as a centre-back for Leeds this year.

Overall, he was the real hero of the night for Farke's side as his exceptional defensive work provided Bamford and Gnonto with the platform to win the match, and then made sure that the Whites saw the game out without any major problems.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann slammed Premier League referees while speaking about their win over Denmark on Saturday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Nagelsmann hits out at Premier League referees
• Called English officials 'picky'
• Germany beat Denmark 2-0

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The hosts picked up a 2-0 win over Denmark courtesy of second-half goals from Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala to book their berth in the quarter-final stage. The closely fought encounter witnessed several controversial refereeing decisions that affected both sides.

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand expressed his displeasure over Joachim Andersen's cancelled goal and his handball that resulted in Havertz breaking the deadlock, Nagelsmann called the Premier League match officials – Michael Oliver, Stuart Burt and Dan Cook – 'picky' for disallowing Nico Schlotterbeck's fifth-minute strike.

• WHAT JULIAN NAGELSMANN SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the former Bayern Munich boss said, "It was a bizarre game somehow. The first 25 minutes were our best of the tournament. We scored what I thought was a normal goal, but the referee was very picky with his whistle. Small blocks like that happen in every corner, it wasn't anything dramatic. Then we had the rain delay and changed things around a bit.

  "We showed some play during the break because we wanted to get behind their defence quicker. We're really good, we saw that in the first 20 minutes. We had to put up with a lot of resistance today. We need to be more patient and wait for our moments."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR GERMANY?

  The 2014 World Cup winners will now face the winner of the round of 16 clash between Spain and Georgia in the quarter-final stage on Friday.