Edwards, Dunkley and the Vipers connection – how Southern Brave reached the Hundred final

Charlotte Edwards seeks to add Hundred title to impressive CV after masterminding Brave’s maiden campaign

Matt Roller20-Aug-2021The Edwards factor
Charlotte Edwards’ reputation as a coach has burgeoned over the last two years and it would be no surprise to see her succeed Lisa Keightley in the England job before too long. She captained Southern Vipers to the inaugural KSL title in 2016, coached them to the inaugural Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy last summer, and there is every chance she will make it a treble in the Hundred.Her role in recruitment has been particularly key – Mahela Jayawardene, her men’s counterpart, joked that he “didn’t know how Lottie managed to get that top order together” – and she has galvanised the dressing room, encouraging batters to play without fear of being dismissed.”I was pretty clear from the start that I really wanted to work with her,” Anya Shrubsole, their captain, said. “She was my first England captain and we’ve always got on. She’s really quite inspiring to work with and you want that in your corner. Her knowledge of the game is obviously really good and we’re both to the point, but pretty relaxed.”Drafting Dunkley
Edwards drew up a wishlist of players after being appointed coach and while she was only 21 at the time, Sophia Dunkley’s name was at the top of it. “I remember her calling me when I was in Portugal and I was dancing round the swimming pool when she said she’d play for me,” Edwards laughed.”I knew what a talent the girl was going to be and we offered her a top-four batting spot, which nobody else did. That’s how we got her: we believed in her and we knew what she could do.”Sophia Dunkley has been a revelation this summer•Harry Trump/Getty ImagesIt became clear in England’s multi-format series against India earlier in the summer that Brave had made a wise move but Dunkley’s performances in the Hundred have still surpassed expectations: she made 244 runs in the group stages, with an average of 48.80 and a strike rate of 143.52 demonstrating her ability to combine heavy-scoring with a high tempo from No. 3.Vipers core
Dunkley and Shrubsole are exceptions that prove the rule as two of the only players in the Brave squad without a tie to Southern Vipers, the regional hub based at the Ageas Bowl who previously competed in the KSL. “We were really keen to keep a core of domestic player that Lottie knows and that play down here at the Vipers,” Shrubsole said.Edwards added: “Anya knows I’ve got a lot of knowledge about the domestic structure and she’s trusted me in terms of our selections domestically, which have proved to be really, really good ones. A lot of it was about people we knew had played with this group and a big part of this group has been the fact we gelled together really quickly.”The biggest part of it has been that our domestic players have stood up. You expect England players and overseas players to win you games but we’ve actually had really good performances from our domestic players: Lauren Bell and Maia Bouchier have been two of the standouts.”Bouchier has only faced 55 balls in the tournament due to Brave’s top-order strength but has batted positively, making 85 runs off them at a strike rate of 154.54. Following her match-winning stand with Dunkley against Northern Superchargers, Danni Wyatt described the pair as “stars of the future – that’s going to be the future of English cricket right there.”Bell, meanwhile, is Brave’s second-highest wicket-taker with her hooping inswingers and has impressed both in the Powerplay and the middle of an innings. She has claimed some big scalps – Nat Sciver, Hayley Matthews, Sarah Taylor and Jemimah Rodrigues among them – and Dinesh Karthik, the former India batter, said on Sky Sports that she has “everything going for her as a fast bowler”.Lauren Bell celebrates with Stafanie Taylor•Getty ImagesTwo of their three overseas players have Vipers links: Stafanie Taylor has anchored in the middle order and chipped in with her offbreaks, while Amanda-Jade Wellington – a late replacement for Amelia Kerr – is their leading wicket-taker, having played under Edwards with the Vipers and in the WBBL with Adelaide Strikers. She was initially expected to miss the final due to state commitments but has been allowed to stay on.Batting depth
Wyatt’s opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana – who has left for some time at home ahead of India’s Australia tour – was dream-team stuff, with their complementary styles making them hard to attack with the new ball. Both scored at strike rates above 130 across the group stage, with Wyatt explaining that the message from Edwards had simply been: “Play your natural game.”They were able to do so because of the resources that Brave deployed beneath them, with Dunkley, Taylor and Bouchier offering a cushion in the rare occasions that both openers failed. Their allrounders have hardly been used: Shrubsole hit 40 not out off 30 balls in their opening game but has only batted once since, and Wellington – a handy lower-order hitter in the WBBL – has faced 10 balls in the competition.Saturday will provide a big test, with Mandhana’s absence putting more pressure on the rest of the top order to perform; Gaby Lewis, the Ireland international replacing her, is an attacking opener but struggled for rhythm in her first innings against Oval Invincibles on Monday. If they can remain positive and trust their batting depth, their bowlers should be strong enough to get them over the line.

Blue Jays Pitcher Made the Most Savage Move Before Striking Out First Yankees Hitter

Trey Yesavage made his postseason debut on Sunday against the Yankees. The 22-year-old righty came into the game with just three MLB starts on his résumé and dominated the top-scoring regular season offense in baseball in Toronto's 13-7 Game 2 win.

Yesavage, who has an incredibly cool name on top of a nasty arsenal, showed very early in the game that he was not going to be intimidated or thrown off his game by anything New York did and lived up to his name in the process.

In the very first at-bat of the game, Yesavage jumped out to a 1-2 count against Yankees leadoff hitter Trent Grisham who hit 34 home runs this season. Grisham took his time getting back in the box for the fourth pitch of the at-bat and Yesavage did not move. With the ball in his hand inside his glove he stood on the mound like a statue while he waited for Grisham to step to the plate.

Once Grisham was ready Yesavage delivered an 85-mph splitter that made Grisham whiff.

Yesavage finished with 11 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays offense did the rest and Toronto now leads the series 2–0.

Tottenham determined to sign Barcelona star and ready to offer ‘immediate leading role’

Tottenham have expressed a real interest in signing one star from Barcelona ahead of 2026, according to a new report.

Spurs shortlist attacking targets with big-names on the radar

Spurs are preparing significant investment in attackers for January and beyond, with media sources indicating a new forward or two will definitely arrive at the club next year.

Indeed, Thomas Frank’s side have identified multiple targets as they attempt to revive their campaign.

Tottenham have significant funds available for the right acquisition, with the club willing to test the waters for elite talent. The recruitment team, led by co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange, are expected to prioritise signing a wide forward rather than a central striker, though no final decision has been confirmed as they approach the January window.

Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo remains the primary target, with the Lilywhites now intensifying their interest ahead of January.

The Ghana international has seriously impressed this season with his blistering pace and proficiency, which will definitely appeal to Frank as he seeks to add more creative spark.

Semenyo’s new deal also includes a tempting £65 million release clause which will be active early next month, but this has piqued rumoured interest from the likes of Liverpool and Man City as well.

Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye has emerged as another concrete target, viewed alongside Semenyo as possessing the energy and attacking versatility suited to elevating Tottenham’s forward line.

However, sources indicate Ndiaye is considered more likely as a summer acquisition rather than a January signing.

More ambitious names include Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa.

Tottenham tipped to strike Grealish-like deal for player who'd 'jump' at chance to join

Spurs could get him on loan in January.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 5, 2025

Tottenham are believed to be exploring a potential January deal for Rodrygo, who himself would consider a move to north London as he instructs his representatives to find him a new club.

Aghehowa, who’s been in monstrous form since joining Porto from Atlético Madrid in 2024, also has huge admirers at Spurs, amid reports that they’re also prepared to make a winter move for the Spaniard.

Paratici and Lange appear to be drawing up a shortlist of credible attacking targets as the Lewis family look to kickstart a new era post-Daniel Levy, with Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford now also on their radar.

Tottenham 'determined' to sign Barcelona star Marcus Rashford

Rashford finds himself at a career crossroads following his impressive revival at the Camp Nou, with Tottenham now emerging as serious contenders to lure the forward back to the Premier League.

Despite his outstanding form in Spain, Barcelona remain indecisive about the £30 million purchase option in his loan deal from Man United, creating uncertainty that several English clubs are eager to exploit.

His Barça renaissance has persuaded the Calatans’ hierarchy to at least contemplate activating the permanent deal clause, but their precarious financial situation complicates matters.

While the £30 million fee appears affordable on paper, Rashford’s long-term future hangs in the balance, and Spurs could offer him a route to London.

That is according to Spanish media sources, who report that Tottenham have identified Rashford as the ‘ideal’ profile to rejuvenate their attack.

Spanish newspaper AS, as referenced, claim that Spurs are ‘determined’ to sign the 27-year-old and ready to offer him an ‘immediate leading role’ in the team — though any transfer would have to wait until the summer considering he’s still on loan in La Liga.

Rashford’s wages, reported to be around £325,000-per-week, present a pretty major roadblock for Frank’s side, but his proven Premier League experience and versatility would undoubtedly improve the team.

The United academy graduate, during spells of superstardom at Old Trafford, earmarked himself as an England regular before falling out of favour and impressing on loan at Aston Villa last season.

Before Lucas Paqueta: Nuno must finally cash in on “shocking” West Ham star

The Premier League season is only 15 games old, but it’s already been something of a roller coaster for West Ham United.

For the first couple of months, with Graham Potter in charge, it looked like the East Londoners were destined for relegation and unable to buy a win.

However, over the last few weeks, new boss Nuno Espírito Santo has helped to turn the ship around, and while they’re still in the relegation zone, the Hammers have lost just one of their last six games.

However, there are still problems on and off the pitch, including the fact that they’ll likely have to sell Lucas Paqueta in the summer, but before they do that, West Ham should get rid of someone else in the winter window.

Why West Ham should sell Paqueta

Now, the first thing to say here is that, at his very best, Paqueta has a claim to be one of the most exciting and talented attacking midfielders in the Premier League.

However, the problem is that he hasn’t been at, or really anywhere near, his scintillating best for quite some time.

For example, while he managed a brilliant haul of 15 goal involvements in 23/24, he then followed that up with just five last season, and so far this year, he’s produced just four.

Paqueta’s recent form

Seaon

24/25

25/26

Appearances

36

14

Minutes

2536′

1217′

Goals

5

4

Assists

0

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, it’s hard to make a case that his performances over the last year and a half have justified his sizable £150k-per-week wage.

Speaking of his contract, the next reason the Hammers should probably be looking to sell the former Lyon star is the fact that he’ll have just a year left on his deal in the summer.

Therefore, he’ll either need to be handed another bumper contract or be sold to protect his valuation.

Finally, the 28-year-old revealed that he almost forced a move back to Flamengo in the summer. So it’s not impossible to imagine he’ll want to leave sooner or later, which comes back to the idea that the Hammers should be the ones to instigate his departure at the end of the season and protect his value.

With all that said, there is another player, someone far less important to the side, that West Ham should look to move on before Paqeuta.

The West Ham flop Nuno has to sell

With West Ham improving over the last month or so, fewer players are sticking out for the wrong reasons, but one who continues to disappoint is Max Kilman.

Chalkboard

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

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star joined the Hammers for a whopping £40m fee in the summer of 2024.

Since then, while there have been the odd moments in which he’s looked like a quality centre-back, the Englishman has largely been a flop and someone who has been more of a hindrance at the back than a help.

For example, in the 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford earlier this season, the 6 foot 4 titan was partly to blame for both goals and looked miles off the pace and, in the words of one content creator, was “shocking.”

Worryingly, his former manager, Gary O’Neil, went into detail about some of his weaknesses and described him as someone who likes to “switch off” during games.

That does not sound like the kind of defender you want in the backline when fighting to stay in the Premier League, and, based on reports, it seems Nuno would agree.

According to a story from earlier this week, the Irons would be willing to part ways with the centre-back should someone make an offer of around £25m, and reports from earlier in the season claimed that Crystal Palace were interested in the defender.

On top of the eye test, another reason the club should perhaps lower their asking price is the fact that his underlying numbers are dire.

According to FBref, the Chelsea-born dud ranks in the bottom 45% of centre-backs in the Premier League for pass completion, the bottom 18% for tackles, the bottom 14% for progressive passes, and the bottom 9% for interceptions, all per 90.

Ultimately, while West Ham will likely need to sell Paqueta in the summer, they must sell Kilman first, as he simply isn’t good enough.

Wilson upgrade: West Ham in race to sign "one of Europe's most in form CFs"

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Viduka 2.0: Leeds plotting move for £21m star who's "built like a brick"

Leeds United need to improve their offensive output if they want to stand a chance of avoiding an instant relegation from the Premier League this season.

Last season, every team that avoided the drop scored at least 42 goals, with Spurs in 17th place scoring 64 times, whilst all three of the teams that went down averaged less than a goal per game.

The Whites are currently in the middle of that, with 11 goals in 11 matches in the Premier League, which shows that they need to improve their output at the top end of the pitch.

11 games into the season, no Leeds player has scored more than two goals in the division, with three players leading the way for goals, and that needs to change in the coming weeks.

25/26

Noah Okafor

Joe Rodon

Lukas Nmecha

2

22/23

Rodrigo

13

21/22

Raphinha

11

20/21

Patrick Bamford

17

As you can see in the table above, at least one player hit double figures for goals in each of the three seasons that the club were in the Premier League during their last stint.

In their run in the division before that, Australian forward Mark Viduka hit double figures in four successive seasons, including 17 and 20-goal hauls in two of them, per Transfermarkt.

Why Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward

Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch in the January transfer window because none of their current options look likely to be their next Viduka.

As aforementioned, no one in the squad has scored more than two goals in the Premier League after 11 matches, and summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a particular disappointment so far this term.

The experienced number nine, who was signed on a free transfer from Everton in the summer, is reportedly the highest earner in the squad on £100k-per-week, but has not done enough on the pitch to justify that.

25/26

1.62

1

24/25

8.85

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

13

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/17

1.25

1

As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin has historically been a poor finisher in the Premier League, mostly for Everton, and arrived at Elland Road in the summer off the back of four successive seasons without scoring more than seven goals in a league campaign.

It should, therefore, not be a surprise that he has struggled for form for the Whites in front of goal, with one goal and ten ‘big chances’ missed in all competitions so far this season, per Sofascore.

Nmecha, meanwhile, has scored two Premier League goals this season, but has not scored more than eight goals in a league season, per Sofascore, since he plundered 18 goals in the Pro League for Anderlecht in the 2020/21 campaign.

Leeds plotting move for new striker

The unlikelihood of Calvert-Lewin or Nmecha pushing on to hit double figures for goals in the Premier League has reportedly prompted the club to pursue another option in their position.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to TEAMtalk, the club recognise that they let Daniel Farke down in the summer transfer window and plan to rectify that mistake by adding more firepower to his squad in January.

The report claims that Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda is one of the players they are plotting a possible move for, alongside Coventry’s Haji Wright, AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott, and Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia.

It adds that the Scottish Premiership forward has told the Hoops of his desire to move on from Parkhead in the next transfer window, which will come as a boost to Leeds, as well as Everton and Brentford, who are said to be leading the race for his signature.

Maeda was reportedly valued at around £21m by Celtic in the summer, amid interest in his services at the time, but it remains to be seen if that valuation has changed ahead of January.

Why Daizen Maeda could be Leeds United's new Mark Viduka

As aforementioned, Viduka had great success in the Premier League during his time at Elland Road, with 72 goals in 166 matches in all competitions for the club, per Transfermarkt.

That impressive form for the Whites came after he made a move from Celtic, where, per Transfermarkt, he scored an eye-catching 27 goals in 37 games in the 99/00 season, before his switch to West Yorkshire in the summer of 2000.

Maeda, who is currently shining for Celtic, could follow in Viduka’s footsteps by making a similar move to be a goalscoring sensation for Leeds in the second half of this season, and beyond.

The Japanese forward, who can play on either wing or as a number nine, scored 33 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has scored four goals so far this term.

These statistics show that Maeda has been an incredibly prolific goalscorer for the Scottish giants, which is exactly what Leeds are lacking in their current squad.

xG

12.76

Top 1%

Goals

16

Top 1%

xA

5.99

Top 6%

Assists

10

Top 1%

Duels won

104

Top 23%

Tackles won

44

Top 6%

Possession won in the final third

13

Top 16%

Perhaps most interestingly, though, the Japan international ranked within the top 16% of his positional peers in the Premiership last season for winning possession back in the final third, despite Celtic being an incredibly dominant team who won the title.

At Leeds, Maeda would be in a team that is under pressure a lot in matches, as they are fighting relegation, which would give him even more opportunities to use his incredible pressing skills and speed to win the ball off the opposition to spark counter-attacks.

The Celtic star, who ex-Rangers boss Barry Ferguson claimed is “built like a brick”, could be the perfect signing for Leeds because he has the goalscoring record to suggest that he can provide the threat that they are currently missing, whilst also possessing the out-of-possession attributes that you need a player to have in a relegation scrap.

Maeda’s relentless running and pressing could be invaluable to the Whites as they battle to avoid the drop, and his goalscoring quality could make him Viduka 2.0 at Elland Road.

Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds

Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

He's the next Amad: Amorim must unleash Man Utd's 18-year-old "steam train”

For the first time in a long while, Manchester United appear to have acted astutely in the transfer market, having notably snapped up Premier League-proven talents in the form of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Fresh off the back of netting 35 league goals between them for Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively, last term, the £130m+ pairing have scored six times in all competitions in their new surroundings – three of which came at Old Trafford last weekend.

There is a joy in seeing ready-made signings hit the ground running, but so too is there in United unearthing something of a hidden gem.

A player who arrives as a relative unknown, before achieving cult hero status.

Think back to the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, recruited from obscurity in Norway and Mexico, respectively, or even in the current crop, the likes of Senne Lammens and Amad could fall into that category.

In the case of the latter man, the Ivorian has endured a long route to the top at Old Trafford, but now he is truly flourishing.

Amad's long road to becoming a Man Utd star

It was remarkably just over five years ago that the news broke of United’s £19m signing of a teenage Atalanta starlet by the name of Amad, with the then 18-year-old ultimately making the switch in January 2021.

At the time of the announcement on that October deadline day, the youngster had made just three Serie A appearances, totalling only 30 minutes, with the Red Devils gambling heavily on a raw and inexperienced addition.

Despite ultimately making his mark by netting in inventive fashion against AC Milan, the diminutive forward was forced to bide his time under the likes of Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, with the major breakthrough coming amid his stellar loan stint at Sunderland in 2022/23 – following a short spell with Rangers.

Amad Diallo for Sunderland

With 14 goals and hero status achieved at the Stadium of Light, Amad returned to Erik ten Hag’s ranks in the summer of 2023, albeit with injury curtailing his involvement in the first-half of the subsequent season.

Aside from that FA Cup winner against Liverpool – and a first Premier League goal against Newcastle United – that 2023/24 campaign was something of a write-off on a personal level, with a strong start to 2024/25 quickly halted as he again slid down Ten Hag’s attacking pecking order.

Since the Dutchman’s departure, however, the 23-year-old has gone to a different level under Ruud van Nistelrooy and now Ruben Amorim, producing a string of clutch moments, including goals away at Anfield and the Etihad last term, alongside his late treble at home to Southampton.

Now shifted back to right wing-back this season, amid the presence of Mbeumo, the £120k-per-week wizard is beginning to find his groove, highlighted by his statement early assist away on Merseyside.

Manager

Games

Goals

Assists

Ruben Amorim

36

8

10

Erik ten Hag

24

3

3

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

Ruud van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

Michael Carrick

0

0

0

Total

73

14

14

It’s been five years or so in the making, but Amad – who is set to head to AFCON later this year – is properly realising his potential in a United shirt.

Perhaps a similar success story could be on the cards?

Man Utd's next Amad in the making

All the focus five years ago was on the £40m capture of Donny van de Beek, alongside the free transfer arrival of Edinson Cavani, with Amad’s announcement something of an afterthought – not least as he didn’t actually make the move until a few months later.

Manchester United forward Amad Diallo.

Such a scenario has seemingly been repeated in 2025, with United having quietly confirmed the £6m signing of another teenager, Diego Leon, back in January, with the Paraguayan belatedly joining this summer after turning 18.

Like a young Amad, the rampaging full-back has been signed as something of a project player, more with a nod to the future than with an expectation that he should immediately hit the ground running at Premier League level.

Like Amad too, however – who was even described as “like Messi” in training by Atalanta teammate Papu Gomez – the teenager arrives with a burgeoning reputation, having already scored four times in 33 games for former employers Cerro Porteno.

Comfortable at left-back or left wing-back, the rising star has been hailed for his physical attributes by the likes of analyst Ben Mattinson, who has noted that he “runs like a steam train” down that flank.

Such quality was evident only last week as United’s U21 side saw off Tottenham Hotspur, with Leon surging forward from his left-sided berth, running almost the length of the pitch, before converting for his first goal for the Red Devils.

Unsurprisingly, there is still a rawness to his game – having notably lost the ball nine times from just 31 touches in the recent EFL Trophy defeat to Barnsley, as per Sofascore – but with remarkable pace and power, it might not be long before United’s No.35 is featuring at first-team level.

Indeed, he has been a regular fixture in Amorim’s matchday squads this season, despite not actually making his competitive senior bow, while he has also received a first international call-up from Paraguay.

Paraded on the pitch ahead of the pre-season clash with Fiorentina, the left-footer was no doubt in the shadow of the marquee signings of Cunha, Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, although his time will surely come before too long.

With Patrick Dorgu yet to nail down that left wing-back berth – and with fellow teenager Harry Amass out on loan – there is a clear route to game time in the coming weeks and months, starting with Saturday’s meeting with Nottingham Forest.

While, like Amad, he may have to bide his time, United could reap the rewards later down the line of having invested in such an exciting teenage talent.

Carragher said Man Utd star was "terrible", now he's Amorim's key player

Manchester United now have a talent who has managed to transform his career at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

سلوت: ليفربول سيخوض أحد أصعب التحديات ضد مانشستر سيتي على ملعبه

تحدث آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول، قبل دقائق من لقاء مانشستر سيتي على ملعب الاتحاد في الدوري الانجليزي الممتاز.

وقال سلوت في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي” البريطانية: “في الوقت الحالي لا يتعلق الأمر بالنظر لجدول المباريات، بل بمحاولة الفوز بأكبر قدر ممكن من المباريات ووضع أنفسنا في أفضل مركز ممكن”.

وأضاف عن لقاء مانشستر سيتي: “سيلعب فريقان قويان ضد بعضهما البعض، وسنرى ما سيخبئه لنا المستقبل”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جوارديولا: ليفربول كان في حالة كارثية.. ولا أحد يفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي في نوفمبر

وواصل حول هدف فريقه من لقاء مانشستر سيتي: “تركيزنا الوحيد على أنفسنا، علينا مواصلة التحسن وأن نجعل اللاعبين في كامل لياقتهم ونرى ماذا سيحدث بعد ذلك”.

وختم: “لقاء مانشستر سيتي مباراة بحد ذاتها، اللعب خارج أرضنا ضدهم هو أحد أصعب التحديات التي نواجهها طوال الموسم وهذه هي المباريات التي يتطلع لها الجميع”.

عمرو السولية: سنواجه بيراميدز من أجل الفوز.. ورسالة للاعب منتخب مصر الجديد

تحدث عمرو السولية، لاعب فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا، عن مواجهة بيراميدز في بطولة كأس السوبر المصري المقامة في الإمارات.

ويلتقي فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا، نظيره بيراميدز في مباراة تحديد المركزين الثالث والرابع من بطولة كأس السوبر المصري 2025.

وكان سيراميكا كليوباترا، قد تلقى الخسارة أمام الأهلي في نصف النهائي بهدفين مقابل هدف، ليفشل في التأهل إلى النهائي، بينما بيراميدز خسر أمام الزمالك.

طالع.. 3 قنوات تنقل مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري

وقال عمرو السولية، عبر المؤتمر الصحفي: “نخوض اللقاء من أجل الفوز، للحصول على دفعة معنوية قبل استئناف الدوري”.

ووجه السولية، رسالة لزميله مروان عثمان، قائلًا:” أوجه التهنئة لمروان عثمان بعد اختياره في قائمة منتخب مصر”.

Netherlands win epic contest after three Super Overs against Nepal

Historic scenes unfolded in Glasgow as the Netherlands-Nepal game went into a third Super Over, with Netherlands prevailing in a thrilling contest. This was the first time any men’s professional match – T20 or List A – had gone into a third Super Over, and it was Netherlands who eventually came on top in a topsy-turvy encounter.With Nepal requiring 16 to win the match in the final over of regular time, Nandan Yadav hit fast bowler Kyle Klein for 4, 2, 2, 4 and took the game into the first Super Over.Left-arm spinner Daniel Doram was tasked with bowling the over, and he went for 19 with Kushal Bhurtel smashing him for two sixes and a four. Doram had conceded just 14 in his four overs and picked up three wickets during regular time. Michael Levitt then launched a six the first ball and Max O’Dowd went 6 and 4 off the final two balls to take the game into a second Super Over.Lalit Rajbanshi was then smashed for two sixes off his first three balls but came back well as Netherlands were kept to 17 in Super Over No. 2. Rohit Paudel crashed a six first ball while Dipendra Singh Airee hit a four as the equation came down to seven off the final ball. Airee then smashed Klein over cow corner to take the game into a third Super Over for the first time.Offspinner Zach Lion-Cachet started the third Super Over, and grabbed the wickets of Paudel and debutant Rupesh Singh as Nepal failed to score a run. Levitt then held his cool and thumped Sandeep Lamichhane for a six over long-on to finally end a thrilling contest.Earlier defending 152, left-arm pacer Ben Fletcher had a dream start to his T20I career, getting Lokesh Bam caught behind with a full and wide delivery. Klein then had Anil Sah caught at mid-on as Nepal slipped to 9 for 2 in 2.1 overs. But Bhurtel and Paudel took the attack to Netherlands.Nepal raced to 52 for 2 in five overs before Doram ended Bhurtel’s brisk stay on 34. The runs dried up after the powerplay, with Doram taking charge. He got rid of Airee and then Kiran Thagunna as Nepal could only reach 97 for 5 after 15 overs. With 56 required off the last five overs, it was Rupesh who got Nepal going with a four and six but fell soon after. Paudel and Karan KC kept Nepal in it before the game ran into overtime.In the first innings, seamer Nandan took the new ball for Nepal and was taken for two back-to-back fours by O’Dowd before the opener planted fast bowler Karan over the ropes. But the introduction of spin changed the narrative.Rajbanshi struck with his first ball, sending O’Dowd back. Lamichhane was introduced into the attack after six overs and made an immediate impact. He first flattened Levitt’s middle stump with his second ball and four balls later had Netherlands captain Scott Edwards caught at deep backward square leg.Lamichhane then struck for a third time to dismiss Noah Croes. Saqib Zulfiqar’s late blows, however, took Netherlands past 150.

Crystal Palace now looking to sign £25m CB as ready-made Guehi replacement

Crystal Palace are now looking to sign a £25m centre-back, who is viewed as a ready-made replacement for Marc Guehi, with the captain still expected to sign for Liverpool.

Guehi left fuming after deadline day Liverpool move falls through

Guehi was expected to complete a move to Anfield on deadline day, but the deal fell through, as Palace were unable to bring a suitable replacement through the door in the summer, despite tabling a club-record £37m bid for Inter Milan’s Yann Bisseck.

It has since emerged that the Englishman has been left fuming with the move not going through, despite doing everything right by continuing to honour his contract and play for the Eagles amid widespread speculation over his future.

With less than one year remaining on his contract, the 25-year-old is now poised to leave the South London club on a free, which will be a difficult pill for Steve Parish to swallow, given that he was valued at £60m not too long ago.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Guehi is still edging towards a move to Liverpool, which means Crystal Palace have now set their sights on Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, who is viewed as a ready-made replacement for the centre-back.

It is deemed ‘inevitable’ that Disasi will leave the Blues during the January transfer window, given that he is not a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans, and a move to Selhurst Park could now be on the cards.

Aston Villa's AxelDisasiin action with Brentford's Kevin Schade

The Eagles are thought to be looking to sign the 27-year-old on loan, with previous reports stating Chelsea value the defender at around £25m.

How Disasi compares to Guehi stylistically

The Frenchman could be an improvement on Guehi in some departments, given that he appears to be more comfortable in possession of the ball, although the England international has outperformed the Chelsea man across some key defensive metrics over the past year.

Average per 90

Axel Disasi

Marc Guehi

Passes attempted

58.50

51.02

Pass completion %

87.9%

83.2%

Tackles

1.84

1.85

Blocks

1.01

1.50

That said, while the former AS Monaco man has been lauded as “incredible” in the past, it does not bode well that he is a part of the Chelsea ‘bomb squad’, while he is also thought to have turned down a late move to Selhurst Park.

Theoretically, another four months without playing any football may change his mind, but it remains to be seen whether Disasi is even interested in a move to Selhurst Park this January.

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