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Are we witnessing history unfold before our very eyes in Scottish football?

No club outside the Old Firm has been crowned champions of Scotland since Aberdeen in 1984/85, with Celtic themselves hoovering up 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles.

However, right now, it is Heart of Midlothian who lead the way, five points clear of faltering Celtic, and the pair meet at Tynecastle on Sunday lunchtime in, potentially, one of the biggest matches played on Scottish soil for a generation.

Brendan Rodgers will take his team to Tynecastle depleted, potentially without five key starters, so should the Celts’ “exceptional” forgotten youngster come into the team and, belatedly, be entrusted to start matches?

Cameron Carter-Vickers injury latest

On Thursday night, any celebrations sparked by Celtic’s come-from-behind Europa League victory over Sturm Graz were very much tempered by a trio of injury concerns.

Right at the end of the game, Cameron Carter-Vickers suffered a nasty injury, with Rodgers later revealing that the USA international has sustained a serious Achilles tendon injury which will see him sidelined for potentially up to five months.

This came after both Kelechi Ịheanachọ and Alistair Johnston were forced to withdraw during the first half on Thursday, joining Jota and Daizen Maeda in a star-studded and crowded treatment room.

Thus, none of this quintet will feature at Tynecastle on Sunday, with Maeda the only one in contention to return in time for the League Cup semi-final against Rangers a week later, but Carter-Vickers will be a particularly impactful absentee.

Since joining from Tottenham in the summer of 2021 under Ange Postecoglou, initially on loan but then permanently for £6m, he has been an absolutely integral figure, as the table below documents.

Most Celtic appearances 2021/22-present

Players

Appearances

Callum McGregor

208

Cameron Carter-Vickers

172

Daizen Maeda

171

Greg Taylor

167

Kyōgo Furuhashi

165

Reo Hatate

154

Joe Hart

153

James Forrest

129

Matt O’Riley

124

Alistair Johnston

116

Anthony Ralston

114

Liam Scales

112

Jota

99

Statistics via Transfermarkt

As the table documents, since Carter-Vickers’ arrival in Glasgow, only captain Callum McGregor has made more appearances for the club than the American international, featuring in 172 of 224 fixtures, around 77%, despite various injury problems, including requiring knee surgery two years ago, but that ratio will drastically drop in the coming weeks and months.

His performances have earned high praise, with former long-serving captain Scott Brown believing he is the club’s best centre-back since Virgil van Dijk, labelling him “solid, strong and quick”, praising his reading of the game and leadership qualities.

So, how on earth does Rodgers go about filling this ginormous void in the middle of his back line?

Well, now would be the time for him to trust his forgotten “exceptional” youngster.

Celtic's ready-made Carter-Vickers deputy

Liam Scales has been Carter-Vickers’ centre-back partner throughout this season, with fellow United States international Auston Trusty seemingly next in line to come into defence.

However, as documented by Art de Roché of the Athletic, managers of possession-heavy teams are often hesitant to start two left-footed centre-backs together.

Meanwhile, Trusty’s form last season suggests he may not be the best candidate, as he made five errors that led to shots or goals in the Premiership, per Sofascore, more than any other defender in the squad.

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

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Thus, should forgotten man Jahmai Simpson-Pusey return from the footballing wilderness and be thrust into the spotlight at Tynecastle?

The 19-year-old, who is right-footed, joined on loan from Manchester City during the summer, but is yet to make his senior debut, an unused substitute for both legs of the Champions League play-off against Kairat, but otherwise not even on the bench for any other fixture.

​​​​​​​

His sole outing in hoops to date came for Celtic B in the KDM Evolution Trophy, starting a 5-3 defeat to East Fife in front of just 616 spectators at Bayview, probably not what he had envisaged when he made the move north of the border.

Simpson-Pusey,​​​​​​​ though, does boast an impressive pedigree, captaining Manchester City to FA Youth Cup success in 2024, featuring regularly for the Sky Blues in the UEFA Youth League and other underage competitions, notably named Premier League 2 player of the season last year, per Transfermarkt.

With the Citizens enduring something of an injury crisis, he made six senior appearances during the most recent campaign too, starting against Brighton in the Premier League, Sporting in the Champions League, and Salford in the FA Cup, thrown in at the deep end.

Thus, he is certainly highly rated by Pep Guardiola, who labelled him “exceptional” following an EFL Cup tie at Tottenham a year ago, while the Scouting App praised his ‘very good passing ability​​​​​​​’ and ‘physical presence’, noting that he thrives in a high line.

These all sound like comparable traits to Carter-Vickers, who is regularly tasked with playing penetrative passes forward, while his usual starting position is on the half-way line, given how much Celtic dominate possession in domestic competitions.

Thus, stylistically, Simpson-Pusey appears to be the ideal deputy, not that Celtic supporters have seen any evidence of this to date.

The teenager was not included in Celtic’s European squad but, following a change in UEFA regulations, if a player is injured long-term, they can be replaced for the remainder of the league phase; clubs can only make this change once a season.

Thus, Simpson-Pusey could yet feature in the Europa League so, before the Hoops travel to Midtjylland next month, he needs to be given an opportunity to prove his worth, starting with Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash in Edinburgh.

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The wheels are in danger of coming off for Chelsea this season, if they haven’t already.

Enzo Maresca’s side have looked a shadow of the team that demolished Barcelona over the last week or so.

First, they lost to Leeds United, then drew with Bournemouth, and then, to make matters even worse, they threw away a one-nil lead and lost to Atalanta on Tuesday night in the Champions League.

It’s a run of form that should see the board reflect on who is and isn’t good enough to represent Chelsea, and there is one player who has been even worse than the underwhelming Jamie Gittens and therefore shouldn’t play another minute this season.

Chelsea's poor performers vs Atalanta

Unfortunately for Maresca, although he bears a great deal of responsibility for the loss, more than a handful of Chelsea players were seriously poor against Atalanta on Tuesday night.

Chalkboard

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

Gittens, for example, once again put in a performance that should seriously worry fans as he was utterly ineffective against the 12th-placed Serie A side.

Somehow, the former Borussia Dortmund gem remained on the pitch for the full 94 minutes, despite doing nothing of any note on or off the ball.

For example, he registered a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.26, lost seven of his ten duels, failed to take a single shot on target and played just a single key pass.

To say it was an underwhelming showing from the Englishman would be an understatement, and therefore the 5/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Dom Smith was more than justified.

The journalist gave Benoit Badiashile the same rating, and it’s hard to disagree.

Sure, the French centre-back made a few good interceptions and tackles in the first half, but he was partly responsible for Charles De Ketelaere’s winner, as he kept backing off from the Belgian before he shot.

It was also a really disappointing night for Enzo Fernández.

The World Cup winner has been crucial for the Blues at times this season, and a source of goals from the middle of the park.

However, against the Bergamo outfit, he was hugely frustrating, as while he did get into dangerous positions on more than one occasion, he either fluffed his lines or made the wrong decision.

Minutes

67′

Expected Goals

0.01

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.42

Assists

0

Key Passes

1

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Passes (Accurate)

24/33 (73%)

Lost Possession

15

Dribbles

0

Duels (Won)

10 (3)

Now, there is an argument that all three of these players should be dropped for this weekend’s game, but there is another player in the squad, someone who’s been worse than Gittens, who should probably never play for the club again.

The Chelsea flop who cannot play another minute for Maresca

While there are a few Chelsea players who need to be sold in the upcoming transfer window, the first one out the door should be Tosin Adarabioyo.

Now, it should be said that he was far from the worst player on the pitch on Tuesday night, but he still managed to disappoint in the 18 minutes he spent on the pitch.

For example, he lost 100% of his ground duels, committed a foul, lost the ball four times and didn’t even make a tackle, despite the hosts pushing more in the closing minutes.

However, the defeat to Atalanta is not the sole reason the 28-year-old should no longer be getting any minutes for the team, as he has cost the side on multiple occasions this season.

The most recent example of this came in the game against Leeds United.

It was at Elland Road that, under very little pressure, he lost the ball in the Blues’ penalty area, which led directly to the hosts scoring, and content creator Tom Overend calling him “utterly embarrassing.”

Moreover, the statistics from his season overall do not make for pleasant reading.

In the four Champions League appearances he’s made this season, the former Fulham star has averaged just one point per game and conceded eight goals.

Games

9

5

1

Starts

5

3

1

Minutes

557′

239′

90′

Goals

0

0

0

Assists

0

0

0

Points per Game

1.78

1.00

3.00

Then, in the Premier League, he has averaged just 1.78 points per game across nine appearances, five of which have been starts.

Finally, FBref have ranked him in just the top 38% of centre-backs in the league for tackles won per 90, but the top 13% for tackles attempted, meaning he simply isn’t winning enough of them.

Ultimately, Gittens has been disappointing this season, but he’s still young and could come good.

However, Tosin is an experienced defender who has directly cost Chelsea points and, given he was signed for free, should be sold as soon as possible.

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What the teams in contention need to do to stay alive in the men’s and women’s competitions

Sampath Bandarupalli25-Aug-2025

Men’s tournament

Invincibles, favourites to confirm their place in the final, have a chance at a three-peat due to their superior net run rate. Rockets and Superchargers will now hope Invincibles go down against London Spirit on Monday.It will, however, be difficult for both to go past Invincibles on net run rate (NRR) as the current table-toppers are ahead of Rockets by about 180 runs and further 20-odd runs against Superchargers. Rockets have an edge of about 20 runs on NRR over Superchargers, and playing on a later date will help them determine their equation if Spirit can take down Invincibles.Oval Invincibles are currently on top of the men’s Hundred table•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Women’s tournament

Northern Superchargers – Wins 5, Points 20Superchargers are clear of every team barring Brave by at least four points, and their net run rate is second only to Brave, at 1.027. But that doesn’t guarantee them a place in the Eliminator. If they lose their last match against Manchester Originals, they could go down to fourth, behind Spirit and Originals.But their strong net run rate could give them a chance to stay in the tournament, as they will have to lose by at least 58 runs to fall behind Originals (assuming Originals bat first and score 140). Superchargers will be safe if Spirit do not win big enough against Invincibles.If Spirit win by 40 runs after making 140 while batting first, Superchargers can afford to lose by 70 runs (if Originals scored 140) and stay ahead of them on net run rate.Related

• Alana King's three keeps Trent Rockets' slim hopes alive

• Root 64* soothes Rockets nerves to book top-three finish

• Phoenix triumph over Originals on awkward Old Trafford pitch

London Spirit and Manchester Originals – Wins 4, Points 16Spirit and Originals are tied on 16 points and separated by only about three runs on NRR. If both win their respective last matches, the team with the bigger win will end up in Saturday’s Eliminator.Both could end up facing each other on Saturday if they secure heavy wins and topple Superchargers’ strong NRR. And if both lose, Rockets, currently fifth in the table, will qualify.But if Rockets also lose, then the team that loses narrowly between Spirit and Originals will qualify. Spirit have a cushion of three runs on net run rate over Originals now, but Originals have the advantage of playing later and knowing what to do.Trent Rockets – Wins 3, Points 12Rockets face Birmingham Phoenix on Wednesday, but to stay in the competition, they will need the results of the two preceding matches to go in their favour: Invincibles defeating Spirit on Monday and Superchargers winning against Originals.If they beat Phoenix on Wednesday, they will finish third, surpassing both Spirit and Originals on net run rate. Rockets are behind Spirit by only around 12 runs and approximately nine runs behind Originals.Even if both Spirit and Originals lose narrowly in their respective matches, their net run rate will fall, that Rockets won’t need to stress about their winning margin.

The election commissioner announced that Mithun got 154 votes, beating Salim Shahed

Mohammad Isam04-Sep-2025Mohammad Mithun has become the new president of Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) after winning the players body’s election, held in Dhaka on Thursday. Election commissioner Iftekhar Rahman announced that Mithun got 154 votes, beating Salim Shahed who was the interim CWAB convenor since May this year. Shahed got 34 votes.”We will try to solve everything through negotiation,” Mithun said shortly after the election results were announced. “If that’s not possible, as I have come here to protect the rights of the cricketers, I have to speak for them. The BCB is our guardian. We can go to our guardian with whatever demands that we have. I hope the BCB sees those demands positively.”CWAB was established in 2004 but it hasn’t had any elections in the 21 years of existence. Naimur Rahman, the former Bangladesh captain and Awami League MP, was the CWAB president for 11 years, alongside general secretary Debabrata Paul. The pair quit their posts earlier this year, before Shahed was made the interim head of an ad-hoc committee.After many years, CWAB saw involvement from the country’s top cricketers. Before Thursday’s elections, the other positions in the executive body were filled uncontested.Former batter Shahriar Hossain is the senior vice-president while Nurul Hasan is the vice president. Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shamsur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rumana Ahmed, Khaled Mashud Pilot, Imrul Kayes, Irfan Sukkur, and Akbar Ali are new executive committee members.CWAB is an affiliate of the World Cricketers’ Association (formerly known as FICA). It came under the spotlight when Bangladesh’s top cricketers went on an indefinite strike in 2019, and one of their demands was CWAB’s overhaul at the time. CWAB bosses Naimur and Paul promised elections, but it was never held in the following five years.

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez is one of the hottest names surrounding Major League Baseball's trade deadline on July 31.

Entering Wednesday, his 36 home runs on the year were tied for the National League lead until Shohei Ohtani mashed a homer for the fifth straight game. Still, Suárez is on a heater as one of the best power hitters in baseball. He trails only Cal Raleigh (39) and Ohtani (37) in home runs and leads the MLB in RBIs with 86.

The D-Backs are in a position to pick their favorite package in return from Suárez if they decide to deal him, which certainly isn't a given. At 50-53 and 5 1/2 games back of the final wild-card spot, it may behoove them to deal Suárez, 34, before he becomes a free agent after this season. Although they could acquire talent by dealing first baseman Josh Naylor or starting pitchers Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, Suárez may just be the darling of this year's trade deadline. The thought of adding his bat for a postseason push could lead to some rival clubs offering shiny future-forward prospects to boost MLB's No. 22 ranked farm system.

Below are some of the best fits for Suárez as we approach the trade deadline.

New York Yankees

Of course the Yankees are in on the hottest bat available at the deadline. MLB insider Jon Heyman has long reported the Yankees have inquired with the D-Backs on the 34-year-old slugger. Suárez was asked about the possibility of a Yankees trade during All-Star weekend, to which he responded "it's a team that wants to win," seeming somewhat enticed about the potential of landing in the Bronx. The Yankees are in need of help at the hot corner down the stretch, seeing six different players play at least one game at third base this year: Oswald Peraza (47), Oswaldo Cabrera (33), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (29), Jorbit Vivas (12), Pablo Reyes (5) and J.C. Escarra (2).

Detroit Tigers

Suárez began his career in Detroit before he was quickly dealt to the Cincinnati Reds. Over a decade later, a return to where it all began may make sense. The Tigers won the race to 60 wins this season and had an incredible first half, but have been stuck in a slump, losing nine of their last 10 games. They need pitching support to help their ace Tarik Skubal, but adding a big bat should be a priority too. Plus, with Skubal only under team control through the end of the 2026 season and a massive contract looming, the Tigers could push their chips in and go for it all this year. If they are willing to give up one of their higher-tier prospects, the D-Backs could bite.

Seattle Mariners

Although they have MLB's home-run leader in Cal Raleigh, the Mariners are looking for an upgrade in the corner infield to strengthen their potential postseason push. Seattle traded Suárez to Arizona just two seasons ago, but a reunion may be in order. Rookie Ben Williamson has served as the primary third baseman for the Mariners this season, mainly supported by Miles Mastrobuoni. Both Williamson and Mastrobuoni have just one home run apiece this year. Suárez's bat brings an upgrade for any roster, but especially Seattle's. We'll see if they offer a package the D-Backs can't refuse, which would unite two of baseball's best home-run hitters on the same roster.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds haven't been rumored as a potential Suárez suitor for long. However, according to a recent report from 's C. Trent Rosecrans, there is mutual interest between the Reds and D-Backs in a deal that would return Suárez to Cincinnati, where he has spent the majority of his MLB career.

He played for the Reds from 2015 to '21 before he was traded to the Seattle Mariners and dealt to Arizona two seasons later. With Suárez slated to become a free agent after this year and Arizona in need of pitching, Rosecrans reported the D-Backs are "at least interested in kicking the tires" on young and promising righthander Chase Petty. The Reds are in striking distance of a wild-card spot and they could push to bring in a familiar face to help down the stretch.

Manchester City’s nine-match unbeaten run is over, with familiar issues coming to the fore.

On Sunday, Pep Guardiola’s team were beaten 1-0 by Aston Villa, Matty Cash the afternoon’s only scorer, condemning the Sky Blues to a third successive defeat at Villa Park for the first time since 1966.

Midfield was certainly the biggest problem position for the Citizens.

With Rodri still sidelined, and his natural deputy Nico González picking up a knock against Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday, Tijjani Reijnders was deployed as a one-man midfield in the Midlands, but struggled both in and out of possession.

So, with crucial and challenging fixtures right around the corner, should Guardiola recall an experienced member of his squad who has been compared to, arguably, the club’s greatest midfielder of the Abu Dhabi-era?

Rodri's importance to Manchester City in numbers

Manchester City’s downturn in results last season was primarily put down to Rodri’s absence, seeing a miserly 73 minutes of action in the Premier League, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Arsenal.

Well, after starting only three Premier League matches to commence this campaign, the Ballon d’Or suffered a hamstring injury at Brentford earlier this month, a major blow for both the team and the player, and the date of his return is not yet known.

Since his debut at West Ham in August 2019, Manchester City have lost only 38 of 237 Premier League matches, with the Spaniard sitting out 17 of these defeats (45%), including 16 of 18 since 5 February 2023 at Tottenham.

In fact, August’s 2-1 reverse at Brighton was the first time Rodri had started a Premier League match and lost for 938 days.

In summary, to reiterate the obvious, he is very important to Guardiola’s team, who are simply not the same without their midfield fulcrum, so with both Reijnders and Nico struggling to fill his void, do Man City have the ideal candidate for this role in their squad?

Manchester City's ideal Rodri deputy

Having spent over £380m across the January and summer transfer windows, many of Manchester City’s existing players have rather been forgotten about.

Well, Mateo Kovačić certainly fits into that category, but he could certainly still be a useful contributor.

After requiring achilles surgery in June, thereby sitting out the Club World Cup, the Croatian international had not been seen in sky blue this season, before coming off the bench against both Everton and Villarreal in the last week or so.

Nevertheless, as the table below documented, Kovačić was a massively important figure in Guardiola’s team last season.

Goals

7

4th

Shots

51

7th

Goals – xG

+4.8

1st

Completed passes

2,020

4th

Key passes

35th

7th

Big chances created

6

8th

Passes into final 3rd

240

4th

Progressive passes

193

3rd

Tackles

74

1st

Interceptions

30

2nd

Touches per 90

87.8

3rd

Average rating

7.31

4th

As the table emphasises, Kovačić was one of Man City’s best performers last season.

Only Erling Braut Håland, Omar Marmoush and Phil Foden scored more goals across all competitions, while he also ranked very highly for chance creation, passing, touches and defensive metrics such as tackles and interceptions, which is a long-winded way of saying he was an all-action midfielder.

During his time at Chelsea, then manager Frank Lampard labelled him “intelligent” while, following a 3-2 win over Fulham 12 months ago, Guardiola described him as a “copy and paste” Rodri.

Meantime, former Man City defender Micah Richards described Kovačić as being “like Yaya [Touré]”, arguably the club’s best-ever midfielder, noting that the Croatian “can beat three players with his skill”, concluding that he is a vitally important player.

In his pomp, especially in the 2013/14 campaign, Touré was untouchable, both literally and metaphorically, possibly the best all round midfielder the Premier League has ever seen and, while he may not be that good, Kovačić certainly shares those same well-rounded characteristics.

Thus, with key games against high-flying Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund and then beleaguered champions Liverpool all to come in the next fortnight, Kovačić’s return could be the Sky Blues’ under-the-radar secret weapon.

The Citizens travel to Swansea City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and it would probably be sensible for Guardiola to give the Croatian a run out, helping to rebuild his fitness, although who knows, those in South Wales may get a glimpse of the lesser-spotted Kalvin Phillips, after his cameo in round three.

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ByBen Gray Oct 27, 2025

The BCB has announced that it will form a committee to investigate allegations made by fast bowler Jahanara Alam, claiming that a former selector approached her inappropriately during the 2022 ODI World Cup. The board has instructed the committee to submit its findings and recommendations within 15 working days.In a statement released on Thursday, just before midnight, the BCB stated that it would take appropriate action based on the investigation’s findings.”The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has noted with concern the allegations reported in the media made by a former member of the Bangladesh national women’s cricket team regarding alleged misconduct by certain individuals associated with the team,” the statement read. “As the matter is of a sensitive nature, the BCB has decided to form a committee to investigate the allegations thoroughly. The committee will submit its findings and recommendations within 15 working days. The BCB is committed to ensuring a safe, respectful, and professional environment for all its players and personnel. The board takes such matters with utmost seriousness and will take appropriate action based on the findings of the investigation.”Related

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Jahanara, who now resides in Australia, stated in an interview with journalist Riasad Azim that a former selector behaved inappropriately toward her when he was the women’s team selector and manager. She claimed that he asked her lewd questions. Jahanara also alleged that a couple of BCB officials acted inappropriately with her. She said she reported the incident to former BCB director Shafiul Islam Nadel and the board’s chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury.These allegations come shortly after Jahanara made similar claims in another interview, in which she accused Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana of physically abusing her team-mates. However, the BCB called them “baseless”.Jahanara has taken 48 wickets in ODIs and 60 in T20Is across 135 white-ball matches for Bangladesh. She is also the only Bangladesh player to have competed in the Women’s T20 Challenge in India and the FairBreak Invitational T20.

Laura Wolvaardt backed up a century in the semi-final with another one in the final but South Africa fell short in a chase of 299

Karthik Krishnaswamy02-Nov-2025

The Indian team lifts the World Cup Trophy•ICC/Getty Images

This had been India’s World Cup all along. As hosts. As the emerging global powerhouse of women’s cricket. As the team that has pushed the sport’s hegemonic force harder than any other, defeating it twice in semi-finals. As the team whose time had been too long in coming.On Sunday, India made it their World Cup by winning it. Shafali Verma capped an extraordinary week with an extraordinary display in the final: 87 off 78 balls to set up a total of 298 for 7, and two unexpected wickets of characteristic cheek at a crucial juncture in a chase that threatened more than once to turn into a nailbiter. Deepti Sharma, a world-class offspinner who has raised her batting to a new level this year, backed up a run-a-ball half-century with a five-wicket haul that combined old-school overspin with new-age defensive skills. India won by 52 runs, and that margin disguised how much tension this final contained.This was a meeting of two teams nursing histories of heartbreak, and one had to lose. That fate was South Africa’s, cruelly for their captain Laura Wolvaardt, the tournament’s highest run-getter, who followed a career-defining semi-final century with an innings just as good. This was anyone’s game as long as she was in, given South Africa’s immense depth, until she was seventh out for 101 off 98 balls, miscuing Deepti high into the Navi Mumbai night.Nadine de Klerk, the match-winner in the league-stage meeting between these teams, kept faint hopes alive with her hitting, but 78 to get with only Nos. 10 and 11 for company was too much of an ask even for her.Laura Wolvaardt finished 571 tournament runs, new World Cup record•ICC/Getty ImagesSouth Africa won what looked to be an important toss, but the dew that Navi Mumbai has always brought to run-chases didn’t quite materialise, possibly because the showers that pushed the match back by two hours brought temperatures down well before night fell.This equalised conditions for both teams, and India, in the end, had personnel better suited to a pitch where the ball stopped and gripped: more in-form batters adept at risk-free manipulation of spin, and spinners who posed a greater attacking threat. As long as dew didn’t complicate Deepti and Shree Charani’s job, South Africa were going to find it difficult to chase 299 on this pitch.Related

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The chase put India’s innings in perspective. Their total was the second-highest ever achieved in a Women’s World Cup final, but given the events of Thursday’s semi-final on the same ground, and given South Africa’s depth, it looked less than intimidating.And recent events were fresh in the mind. India had been 200 for 3 after 35 overs. They only scored 98 in their last 15 overs, and only 69 in their last 10.But the key passages may have come earlier.When the skies cleared and the match began, Shafali and Smriti Mandhana got off to start as ominous as Australia’s on Thursday; 58 for no loss in eight overs. Ayabonga Khaka struggled to control the sometimes extravagant swing she found, and Marizanne Kapp didn’t find much at all with her new ball. Both erred frequently.Shafali Verma made her highest ODI score in the World Cup final•AFP/Getty ImagesShafali, stepping out to the seamers whenever she could, drove and flicked her way to five fours in her first 19 balls, and Mandhana, less overtly aggressive, had unfurled her two favourite shots, the back-cut and the cover drive, against Khaka in a 14-run sixth over.But South Africa pulled things back courtesy de Klerk’s straighter lines and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba’s pace variations, with India only scoring 13 runs in the five overs from the ninth to the 13th.The boundaries began to flow again thereafter, though, with Shafali launching de Klerk down the ground for the first six of the innings in the 15th over, but just when India seemed to be pulling away from South Africa’s reach, Mandhana was out edging a late-cut to the keeper, bringing a 104-run opening stand to an end.This pull-push continued all the way through the innings, in conditions where neither the bowlers nor batters could quite get on top. A tiring, cramping Shafali fell after adding 16 runs to her previous ODI best of 71*, holing out while looking to hit straight and big. Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet and Amanjot Kaur all got off to starts but couldn’t convert, two of them falling to balls that seemed to stop on the pitch.India’s lack of a big finish owed a lot to how well South Africa exploited this tendency of the pitch, with Khaka making up for her expensive new-ball spell (3-0-29-0) by conceding just 29 runs in her last seven overs while picking up the key wickets of Shafali, Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh.Ayabonga Khaka picked up three big wickets•Getty ImagesGhosh walked in at 245 for 5 in the 44th over and launched her second ball for an effortless six over the covers. She remained the only India batter to defy the conditions and hit the old ball cleanly through the line, pouncing on South Africa’s shift in strategy from stump-to-stump cutters to yorker attempts that came with a smaller margin for error.Khaka’s dismissal of Ghosh in the 49th over, however, seemed to even up the contest once more. Right through that over, Khaka kept cramping Ghosh with pinpoint yorkers that followed her attempts to manufacture room, before a last-ball flick ended up in deep backward square leg’s hands.De Klerk followed up with a final over in which Deepti and new batter Radha Yadav were only able to take singles, and India had ended up two short of 300.Deepti had been a busy presence through the last 20 overs of the innings, slog-sweeping with authority when she could, and keeping the strike turning over when she couldn’t. She didn’t quite find the next gear, however, to lift India to the 320-plus total they had seemed set for for so long.The magnitude of India’s 298, however, began looking clear from the time they began defending it. Their seamers didn’t make the line and length errors that South Africa’s did with the new ball, with Renuka Singh causing problems in particular with her booming inswing. She unsuccessfully reviewed a not-out lbw appeal against Tazmin Brits early on, and then nearly had her spoon one to a cleverly positioned short mid-on.DY Patil Stadium was a sea of blue on Sunday•ICC/Getty ImagesBut it took a brilliant bit of fielding for India to get their breakthrough, with Amanjot pouncing to her wrong side from midwicket and throwing down the stumps at the bowler’s end to find Brits short while attempting a quick single.Two overs later, South Africa were two down, as Anneke Bosch ended a miserable tournament with a six-ball duck, misreading Charani’s length and getting trapped right in front while playing back to a ball of fullish length.Wolvaardt, though, was already on 35 off 30, and already looking ominous, having broken free of early pressure with a series of leg-side swats and a clean, straight six off Deepti. Just when she needed a partner to stay in with her, she found one in Sune Luus, whose trademark mix of square and fine sweeps quickly began putting India back under pressure.But just when the third-wicket stand had crossed the half-century mark, India found their golden arm. Shafali, who had taken just the one wicket with her part-time offspin in 30 previous ODIs, sauntered to the crease and prised out Luus with her second ball, delivering something like a slow legcutter or a carrom ball without the finger flick. Expecting turn in one direction and finding it in another, Luus closed her bat face and popped back a return catch. Kept on for another over, she struck again with her first ball, this time turning an offbreak big to have Kapp strangled down the leg side.Deepti Sharma was named Player of the Tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesWith parts of Mumbai experiencing rain at that moment, South Africa had been ahead of the DLS par score before Luus’ dismissal. At 123 for 4 in the 23rd over, they were well behind it.And they slipped further behind when Sinalo Jafta, batting ahead of more proven, more powerful names despite an ODI average in the mid-teens, began to dot up against the spinners. By the time she spooned Deepti to midwicket, she had scored 16 off 29 and 25 off 44 with Wolvaardt.But even with 151 required from 123 balls, this match wasn’t done. Annerie Dercksen silenced a packed stadium with back-to-back sixes off Radha, the first off a high full-toss no-balled for height. Wolvaardt ended Shafali’s spell – perhaps ambitiously stretched into a seventh over – with a pair of fours drilled through the covers and down the ground.With 11 overs to go, South Africa needed 92.But they still had the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, and an end-overs ace, to contend with. Deepti, in the second over of a new spell, produced a quick yorker out of nowhere that Dercksen couldn’t put bat to. And then, in her next over, she slowed one down, inviting Wolvaardt to go big. Dip produced the mishit, but it still needed to be taken, and Amanjot, walking in from deep midwicket, did on the third – or was it the fourth? – attempt, falling to the floor but somehow holding on.Three balls later, Deepti’s white-ball smarts put India another massive step closer, a quicker, cross-seam ball beating Tryon to rap her front pad; given out on the field, DRS upheld it on umpire’s call.There was still work to do, and still nerves to get past, but the World Cup, so elusive for so many years, was beginning to loom into India’s view.

Sources have described an incoming Chelsea starlet as another potential superstar, as BlueCo prepare to welcome another Estevao-like talent.

Estevao rise leads Chelsea youth transfer revolution

Estevao has announced himself as one of world football’s brightest young talents since joining Chelsea this summer, producing performances that suggest the Brazilian teenager could become a generational superstar at Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a sensational start to life in English football, scoring five goals and providing one assist in just 740 minutes across all competitions.

Statistically, he’s already surpassed legendary figures at similar stages of their careers, with his goal contributions eclipsing what Lionel Messi and Ronaldo managed in their first seventeen appearances for Barcelona and Manchester United respectively.

Estevao’s finest hour yet came against Barça in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

His breathtaking solo goal left top-level defenders trailing in his wake before the ex-Palmeiras sensation fired into the roof of the net, making him only the third teenager in history to score in each of his first three Champions League starts alongside Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Man City’s Erling Haaland.

Minutes

83′

Expected Goals

0.13

Goals

1

Expected Assists

0.35

Big Chances Created

1

Key Passes

3

Long Balls

1/1

Shots

2

Touches

47

Recoveries

4

Estevao’s Premier League performances have shown similar promise, with the South American’s dramatic last-gasp winner against Liverpool in October sending Enzo Maresca into raptures on the touchline.

Chelsea’s investment in young talent continues to shape their long-term recruitment strategy, with Estevao representing just the beginning of an exciting wave of arrivals.

Ecuadorian midfielder Kendry Paez, who is currently on loan at sister club Strasbourg, has been tipped for an exciting future, with Kairat Almaty forward Dastan Satpaev and Corinthians left-back Denner also set to arrive in 2026 — alongside Strasbourg striker Emmanuel Emegha.

As well as the aforementioned quartet, Chelsea will welcome Sporting CP sensation Geovany Quenda to London next summer.

Maresca’s side struck a £44 million deal for the winger in March, and he’s already been described by some as one of the most exciting young talents in world football.

Quenda has been on fire this term with five goals and eight assists in 20 appearances, with Chelsea signing Quenda for half of his release clause earlier this year in what could turn out to be a bargain move.

Chelsea have already signed 'the next Cristiano Ronaldo' in Geovany Quenda

That is according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, who also says that those in Portugal are describing Quenda as ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ in very high praise.

Speaking in a video down at the bottom of a Sky Q&A, Solhekol also reports that there are ‘more Estevaos on the way ‘— referencing Quenda as chief among them.

Commenting on his move to Chelsea, Sporting boss Rui Borges did have a word of caution for the Portugal Under-21 international — namely that this hype could ‘affect his mental state’.

Being compared to Ronaldo brings its own pressure, but from what Quenda has shown already, Chelsea could indeed be about to welcome yet another Estevao to Maresca’s ranks.

Tottenham Hotspur’s activity in the transfer market in the last few months has been a huge success, with the board completing deals for numerous top-level talents.

Thomas Frank will no doubt have been hoping the hierarchy would have given him the opportunity to improve the options at his disposal ahead of his debut campaign in North London.

The biggest deal came in the form of Mohammed Kudus, with the winger costing a total of £55m from Premier League rivals West Ham United – a fee that already looks to be a bargain.

He’s already registered four assists in his first two league outings for the Lilywhites, with the Ghanaian currently the joint highest goal creator in the entire division.

However, with January rapidly approaching, the Dane will no doubt be eying up further deals to help his side be competitive in England’s top-flight and in the closing stages of the Champions League group stage.

Spurs’ hunt for added attacking reinforcements in January

Over the last couple of days, Spurs have been named as just one Premier League club currently in the race to sign Brentford forward Kevin Schade in January.

The German has caught the eye of Frank once more, after the 51-year-old previously signed the attacker during his stint in charge at the GTEC Community Stadium.

It’s been reported that the Lilywhites are already working on a winter deal for the 23-year-old, with a fee in the region of £48m mooted for his signature at present.

However, he’s not the only forward-minded player on their radar, with the hierarchy also currently considering a move to sign Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo.

The latest report from one Spanish outlet states that the board see the Japanese international as a priority target for the upcoming window, with a £52m price tag, the ballpark figure right now.

It also states that the 24-year-old is keen on a switch to the Premier League in the coming months, seeing such an opportunity as a chance to take his career to the next level.

Why Spurs’ £52m target would be a huge upgrade on Johnson

Spurs haven’t been alien to a big-money attacking signing, as seen by Kudus’ arrival in the summer, but Brennan Johnson is another player who falls into such a category.

The Welsh international cost a staggering £47.5m back in the summer of 2023, joining the Lilywhites from Nottingham Forest in an attempt to improve the right-wing position.

His time in North London over recent years has certainly been topsy-turvy, with numerous highs often being overshadowed by various moments to forget for the 24-year-old.

He’s previously been subject to vile online abuse from his own supporters on social media, but it’s safe to say he proved all of them wrong with his Europa League-winning goal last season.

Frank’s arrival gave the winger the chance to build on his success in 2024/25, but it’s been a couple of months to forget for Johnson, as he’s dropped down the pecking order – whilst being sent off in Kudus’ absence against FC Copenhagen.

It could be about to get a whole lot worse for the forward should Kubo arrive, with the Japanese star certainly pushing last campaign’s top-goalscorer down the order further.

He may be an unknown quantity to many, but when comparing his stats to those of Johnson from 2025/26, they highlight how much of an upgrade he would be on the current winger.

How Kubo & Johnson compare in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Kubo

Johnson

Games played

9

10

Goals & assists

1

2

Progressive carries

3.8

2.3

Progressive passes

2.9

1.4

Pass accuracy

72%

66%

Key passes per 90

1.8

0.7

Take-ons completed

33%

25%

Carries into final third

1.6

0.7

Crosses completed

3.7

3.5

Stats via FBref

Kubo, who’s been labelled “world-class” by former Barcelona star Xavi, has completed more progressive carries and passes per 90 – numbers which showcase his desire to get balls into dangerous areas whenever possible.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst notching more key passes per 90 – which could allow him to add a more creative presence to Frank’s first-team squad.

Other tallies, such as more take-ons completed and more carries into the final third per 9,0 reaffirm his ability with the ball at his feet, which could take some of the responsibility off Kudus in the process.

£52m would be yet another huge statement of intent from the board after the summer deal to land the Ghanaian, but it showcases the ambition they do have to take the Lilywhites to the next level.

As for Johnson, such a deal would all but end his career in North London, with the board desperately needing to offload him to avoid losing a small fortune on their investment.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025