Ange Postecoglou has dropped a promising injury update on Celtic centre-forward Giorgos Giakoumakis.
What’s the latest?
In comments made after the Bhoys’ 2-0 win over St Mirren on Wednesday night, the 56-year-old revealed that, after missing the Hoops’ last two fixtures due to illness, the Greece international will be available for selection for the trip to Livingston this weekend.
Speaking about the current condition of the 27-year-old, Postecoglou said: “We’ve got Giakoumakis back for the weekend as well, which I think will give us some more quality in depth.”
Postecoglou will be buzzing
With both Kyogo Furuhashi and Albian Ajeti remaining sidelined due to injury, and with goalscoring having been something of an issue for Celtic in recent weeks, the news that Giakoumakis is set to return to action this weekend is sure to have left Postecoglou buzzing.
Indeed, over the Bhoys’ last three outings in all competitions, they have hit the back of the net just twice, with Celtic’s only available centre-forward Daizen Maeda having drawn a blank in all three fixtures.
Meanwhile, Giakoumakis had been in fantastic goalscoring form prior to his layoff, bagging four goals in his last four appearances, including a match-winning hat-trick in an uninspiring 3-2 win over Dundee.
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As such, the return of the £1.8m-rated hitman ahead of what is sure to be a challenging fixture against fourth-placed Livingston on Sunday will undoubtedly come as a huge boost to Celtic’s chances of leaving the Tony Macaroni Arena with all three points. Victory is all but essential should the Hoops wish to keep their Premiership title push on track.
In other news: £3.8k-p/w dynamo drops teasing transfer hint which will surely frustrate Celtic fans
Zimbabwe won’t be taking part in South Africa’s domestic four-day competition, Gerald Majola, chief executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA), told the , a South African newspaper.The decision came at a meeting of CSA’s general council on Friday, which was called after players expressed their reservations over travelling to Zimbabwe. The Highveld Lions were to play a four-day match in Harare starting on October 28.Majola indicated that there would be further talks with Tony Irish, the chief executive of the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) and that decisions regarding Zimbabwe’s participation had been put on hold.”Instead of them playing in the SuperSport Series, we are looking at the possibility of Zimbabwe playing some four-day matches in South Africa against composite teams,” Majola said. Zimbabwe might still feature in the domestic one-day competitions in South Africa.Majola re-affirmed that CSA would oblige the request from the ICC to assist Zimbabwe cricket.”The decision has been taken. It is now a matter of sorting out logistics,” he said.He also suggested that the objections from the SACA were cricket-based, over the extra fixtures and possible impact of Zimbabwe playing the competition, especially if the fixtures clashed with their international obligations.With the other competitions – the MTN 45-overs competition and the Standard Bank Pro20 in March – starting only next year, there is still a chance that Zimbabwe could play. Majola dismissed suggestions there were moral objections to playing in Zimbabwe. “We leave politics to the politicians and the ICC.”
Mlukeli Nkala will mark his return to international cricket when he travels with the Zimbabwean cricket team for the one-day series in Bangladesh, the team he last played against. The Zimbabwean side is set to leave on Wednesday (November 22) despite the violent unrest that has hit Bangladesh in the past few days.Zimbabwe will also play a Twenty20 match on November 28 at Khulna, followed by the first ODI two days later at the same venue. After a long lay off due to injury, Nkala returns to a relatively young and inexperienced team, hoping to lay a foundation for a return to Test cricket next year when Zimbabwe are set to resume their ‘Test’ Status.He last played an ODI against Bangladesh on January 31, 2005 at Dhaka, having made his debut against India seven years earlier. He picked up 22 wickets in 47 ODIs and has the distinction of taking the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar with his second ball in international cricket, A medium-pace swing bowler who can bat – he hit a century against England Under-9s in 1998 batting at No. 6 and was the leading wicket taker in the 1998 U-19 World Cup in South Africa, ending the tournament with 15 wickets. He subsequently spent a few weeks at the Australian Cricket Academy, working with Dennis Lillee.The 15-man squad has been dogged by injuries, with opening bowler Ed Rainsford and former captain Terrence Duffin, who has undergone surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left thumb and will not be able to resume training until next month, ruled out.In addition to that Tawanda Mupariwa has been carrying a knee injury since the tour of the Caribbean in May while Tafadzwa Mufambisi was hit by a ball on his left forearm during a practice match at the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy and is in plaster.The emphasis will be on slow bowling. In addition to Prosper Utseya, who retains the captaincy, three other slow bowlers – UK-based Sean Williams, Ryan Higgins and Keith Dabengwa – have been picked to take advantage of the normally spinner-friendly subcontinent conditions. Tino Mawoyo is the only uncapped player in the squad. The former Under-19 captain has been in good form in domestic cricket for Harare Sports Club. Other players who are making a return to international cricket include the lanky medium pacer Christopher Mpofu, and allrounder Blessing Mahwire who both missed out on the Champions Trophy in India.Meanwhile, Bangladesh have named a 13-man squad on Sunday for the first three ODIs and their squad included Tushar Imran, who had been overlooked for the Champions Trophy.Zimbabwe squad Prosper Utseya (capt), Gary Brent, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Ryan Higgins, Anthony Ireland, Blessing Mahwire, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Christopher Mpofu, Mluleki Nkala, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams.
Brian Lara has spent his cricketing life exciting fans with spectacular deeds and he marked his step into Test run-scoring’s unknown with an extraordinary single. A swept boundary moved Allan Border past Sunil Gavaskar’s record in 1993 and Lara used a similar method when he bravely shuffled across his stumps to paddle Glenn McGrath to fine-leg for a single, his 214th run of the innings and his 11,175th over 15 years.The beautiful ground rose again and Australia’s players formed a casual line to offer their congratulations as Lara’s team-mates stood with hands high in the dressing room. Lara was pleased but calm – and probably tired after making 202 on day one – and hugged Daren Powell before accepting the opposition’s compliments.”It’s a great feeling,” Lara said at lunch. “With stuff like this you’d like to do it in front of your home crowd but it’s special with Allan Border being an Australian. The reception this morning was excellent and it’s really touching to be appreciated by a country I’ve had great battles with throughout my career.”Before play Lara said the record was “testimony to the longevity I’ve had in the game”. “I’ve had my ups and downs but I’ve stuck it out,” he told . “And at 36 I’m looking forward to passing AB.”Lara had watched Border add to his tally as a youngster at Queens Park Oval in his native Trinidad and was impressed with his style of play. “I’ve seen him defy the West Indies fast bowlers and I enjoyed watching him,” he said. The world has enjoyed watching Lara.Border, who missed the innings to watch his son in an under-10s match, was quick to pay tribute to his successor and said Lara was a “very worthy” record holder. “I played against Brian when he made his century in Sydney in the season of 1992-93 and I would rank him as one of the best three batsmen in the world,” Border said. “I have had the pleasure of seeing him play a lot of cricket and there is no doubt he is a genuine genius. I am sure I am not the only Australian who is pleased to see him hold this record.”Border’s moment of history was sealed on February 25, 1993 in Christchurch when he hit Dipak Patel for a boundary as his team-mates huddled in the dressing-room under blankets. Border fell 12 runs short of a century and Lara was also disappointed when he stepped away to McGrath and lost his off stump. It was a minor blemish and November 26, 2005 will always be Lara’s day to treasure.
If you’re in Bangladesh for just one day, make sure it’s a Friday. That’s the day when the masses throng the roads, the kids drag their parents out in search of the parks, and the parents spend a day away from what must be a fairly onerous working week. Chittagong, though, is a bit different from Dhaka, in that there are a mere 7000 cycle-rickshaws per half-kilometre, a mere pound and a half of suspended particles per cubic metre of air.An English journalist once described Chittagong as a breath of fresh air, and in a limited sense that’s accurate. Sections of the city have gently sloping hills, and the poverty and despair that seem to assault the visitor in Dhaka are not as apparent, perhaps gently alleviated by the sea breeze that cools things down as the sun begins its downward journey.On Friday, just one day after another holiday – Victory Day – you would have been forgiven for thinking that the census board was lying when it recorded that Chittagong had about a quarter of the population of Dhaka. The stands were well-packed, though the support waned as Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid silenced the yelling and chanting with booming drives. There’s nothing like the crack of opposition willow on leather to shut the crowds up.But for most of the day, the real action was outside the ground. The Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka is skirted by electronics stores, so the chatter is naturally businesslike and rather dull. The edges of the MA Aziz Stadium, on the other hand, are teeming with life. East of the ground is what would have been a large open space, before it was taken over by a mammoth circus tent. All manner of garish amusements trot in and out of the tent with regularity, and almost to provide relief to the eyes, the immediate surroundings of the tent is a dhobi ghat. Large swathes of clothes dry on lines and, to the untrained eye, the whole exercise seems a waste of time, as the thick exhaust fumes of vehicles and the heavy dust particles drift towards the freshly washed clothes.If you wander towards the media box, which is at the Circuit House End, overlooking an amusement park, you have to go past the curiously named Royal Hut kebab house. The aroma of an assortment of meats being grilled over hot coals tempts you towards the shop, but you know that the cricket beckons, and refrain. The location of the kebab house could not be more apt, as it is owned by Nurul Abedin, the brother of Minhazul Abedin, and Shahidur Rahman, both former Bangladesh cricketers.But on Saturday, the second day of the Test, with India beginning well and truly on top, the surrounds of the stadium were largely deserted. It was back to work for everyone as the inevitable records tumbled. The fans trickled into the stands but, as the first ball was about to be bowled, it was only the two press buildings – the commentary boxes at the Chittagong Club End, and the three-storey tower that houses the written media – that were full. If the average fan was worried that his day would be wasted watching his favourite cricketers ground into the dust by Sachin Tendulkar, he needn’t have bothered. Mashrafe Mortaza, the hero at Dhaka, hit the perfect line and length first up, and Tendulkar was so palpably in front of the stumps that even Aleem Dar had to take that left hand out of the pocket and point to the sky.As word of Tendulkar’s dismissal and – soon after – VVS Laxman’s spread, hope returned and the stands began to fill up. But just outside the stadium, rickshaw-wallahs argued with customers, kebab houses solicited customers, and life went on. After all, it wasn’t a Friday, there was work to do, and there was no time to stop and stare.
All Today’s Yesterdays – October 29 down the yearsOctober 28 | October 301877 Birth of the man Neville Cardus described as “Yorkshire cricket personified”. Wilfred Rhodes was arguably England’s best-ever allrounder, a fine strokemaker who started his Test career at No. 11 and ended up opening the batting, and a slow left-armer so precise and cunning in flight that the great Victor Trumper once implored,”For God’s sake Wilfred, give me a minute’s rest”. Rhodes was the oldest man to play Test cricket (at 52 years 165 days in West Indies in 1929-30) and the only man to have a Test career spanning over 30 years (1899-1930). He took a record 4187 first-class wickets, at a cost of only 16.71 apiece. His finest Test moments came at Melbourne: in 1903-04 he took 15 for 124, the 11th-best match figures of all time, and eight years later he matched Jack Hobbs run for run in an opening partnership of 323, England’s highest in Ashes Tests. He lost his eyesight in later life, and died in Dorset in 1973.2000 The mother of all one-day thrashings. In the Champions Trophy final at Sharjah Sri Lanka spanked India by a staggering 245 runs, the biggest win in ODI history until Australia beat Namibia by 256 runs in the 2003 World Cup. Sanath Jayasuriya went berserk, slamming 189 off 161 balls with 21 fours and four sixes. It equalled the second-highest individual score in a one-dayer, made by Viv Richards against England in 1984. Venkatesh Prasad took the most flak, with his seven overs disappearing for 73. As if that wasn’t bad enough, India then collapsed for 54, their lowest one-day total and the third-lowest of them all. Only Robin Singh reached double figures, with Chaminda Vaas taking 5 for 14 and Muttiah Muralitharan 3 for 6.1974 From the moment he faced his first ball in Test cricket with England on an unprecedented 2 for 4 at Johannesburg in 1999-2000, Michael Vaughan, who was born today, has looked the part. After his career started badly – blighted by injuries – Vaughan quickly established himself as an integral part of the England batting line-up. In 23 Tests before the start of the Ashes series in 2002, he averaged a healthy 47.50. With a very successful home series against India the same summer as an opening bat, during which he also plundered his career best 197, Vaughan confirmed he is a natural successor to Mike Atherton, whose unflappable nature he shares. In Australia, Vaughan averaged 63.3 and hit up three stylish hundreds, by far the most successful English batsman on tour. But greater challenges were ahead; after Nasser Hussain quit midway through the home series against South Africa, Vaughan had to rev up a demoralised team, which he did admirably to draw the series from 2-1 down in the final Test.1971 For some time Matthew Hayden, who was born on this day, was seen the Australian Graeme Hick – a destroyer on good wickets but short of that certain something at the top level. All that changed in 2001, when he cracked 549 runs – an Australian record for a three-match series – in India, followed by runs galore against England and South Africa. He finished with 1391 Test runs, an Australian record for any calendar year, and carried on where he left off the following season, with an heroic seven-hour 119 in stifling heat against Pakistan in Sharjah. More was to come. Against Zimbabwe at Perth, Hayden smashed 380 in quick time, breaking Brian Lara’s record of 375 in five sessions.1935 Birth of the underestimated David Allen, who played 39 Tests for England in the 1960s. He was a very useful offspinner and a handy lower-order batsman with five Test fifties and a top score of 88, at Christchurch in 1965-66. He also famously played out a rampant Wes Hall’s last over to secure a draw at Lord’s in 1963, with Colin Cowdrey, fractured arm in plaster, looking on at the non-striker’s end. With the ball Allen was consistent and steady, but he did win a couple of Test matches for his country, at Durban in 1964-65 and at Sydney a year later. He took 1209 first-class wickets, most in a 19-year career with Gloucestershire.1971 It’s a sign of the fearsome strength-in-depth of Australian cricket that Greg Blewett, who was born today, is nowhere near their Test side, because he would breeze into any other team in the world. He made three sumptuous hundreds in his first three Ashes Tests, but his finest hour came against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1996-97, when he and Steve Waugh batted throughout the third day for a fifth-wicket partnership of 385. So why isn’t he in the side? Well, he struggles against spin, for a start: Mushtaq Ahmed embarrassed him in 1995-96, and even Robert Croft snared him three times in 1997. And for all the luxuriance of his better performances, Blewett does only average an under-par 34 from his 46 Tests.1984 The first 199 in Test history. Mudassar Nazar fell at the final hurdle when he was caught behind off Shivlal Yadav in the second Test between Pakistan and India at Faisalabad. It was a fad that soon caught on: Mohammad Azharuddin, Matthew Elliott, Sanath Jayasuriya, Steve Waugh and Andy Flower have all since made 199 in a Test – but of the six, only Elliott (at Headingley in 1997) has been on the winning side. This one ended in a draw: Mudassar added 250 for the second wicket with Qasim Omar, who went on to grind out 210 in 685 minutes.Other birthdays 1870 Charles Eady (Australia) 1915 Dennis Brookes (England) 1941 Bryan Yuile (New Zealand) 1946 Anura Tennekoon (Sri Lanka) 1969 Dougie Brown (England) 1973 Adam Bacher (South Africa)
Nashua Dolphins Squad selected to play in the Discovery Knockout ChallengeThe team for the Discovery Knockout Challenge to be played at Newlands on 2nd January will be chosen from the following squad:- THE TEAM WILL BE CHOSEN FROM THE FOLLOWING SQUAD:- 1. Doug Watson 2. Ashraf Mall 3. Ahmed Amla 4. Jonty Rhodes 5. Dale Benkenstein (Capt) 6. Jon Kent 7. Errol Stewart 8. Gulam Bodi 9. Nixon McLean 10. Andrew Tweedie 11. Jon Bastow 12. Rivash Gobind 13. Kyle Bender COACH: E. BAPTISTE MANAGER: D. CARLSTEIN FITNESS TRAINER: A. SHEDLOCK UMPIRES: R. KOERTZEN + B. JERLING T.V. UMPIRE: W. DIEDRICKS 4TH UMPIRE: L. MATROOS MATCH 1 (09H00) NASHUA DOLPHINS vs NASHUA TITANS MATCH 2 (12H30) NASHUA WESTERN PROVINCE vs HIGHVELD STRIKERS
Confronted by the pluperfect pitch they were promised and stymied by the traditional lack of variety in their all-pace attack, the West Indies once more let Pakistan wriggle out of a tight bind on the first day of the second Cable & Wireless Test at Kensington Oval yesterday.Almost exactly mirroring the first morning of the previous rain-ruined Test in Georgetown, when they were 39 for five, Pakistan found themselves 37 for five after an hour-and-a-quarter’s play.Sharp West Indian close fielders snared everything that came their way off bowlers who used their height to exploit the early bounce from a rock-hard surface and exploit the vulnerability of the Pakistani top order in such conditions.As the searing heat squeezed the early life out of both the surface and the bowling, Pakistan were revived by an innings of the highest class by Yousuf Youhana and the support he received from three successive partners.Entering in the fire straits of seven for three, the 25-year-old right-hander compiled his second Test hundred, a chanceless 115 before he was last out nearing the end of a protracted day. It was a tired shot, a deflection for the seventh slip catch of the innings, and gave the perennial Courtney Walsh his fifth wicket that raised his Test record count to 442.Although none matched the 206 between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Abdur Razzaq that transformed the innings in the first Test, Youhana’s counter-attacking stands of 73 with captain Moin Khan, 69 with Wasim Akram and 41 with Saqlain Mushtaq guaranteed a total of 253 that their varied bowling can work with.Sherwin Campbell and Adrian Griffith saw out the two overs the West Indies were left to bat before close and, on a second day when Kensington is traditionally at its most amiable to batsmen, the West Indies still have an excellent chance of building a useful lead.Previously out for four ducks on tour, the last first ball in the first Test, Youhana accumulated his runs over six hours with stylish, straight-batted orthodoxy that brought him 14 boundaries, mostly drives straight and through the off-side.No more than half-dozen of the 235 balls he received troubled him. Only leg cramps that twice required lengthy on-field attention and an unscheduled visit to the dressing room late in the proceedings slowed his progress – and that of the play that was extended by an annoying assortment of other interruptions.An inviting pitch, beige in colour, bare of grass and reminiscent of those on which the Three Ws, Sobers and the plethora of the great Barbadian batsmen of the past were raised, left Moin no option but to bat on winning the toss.In no time, he would have been wishing he hadn’t, as ill-advised strokes kept flying off edges into the slips and Razzaq’s clear aversion to the short ball was clinically exploited by Nixon McLean.Jimmy Adams, as he has done throughout the season, immediately set the standards for his team with a sensational catch at third slip, diving far and low to his right to grasp Mohammed Wasim’s deflection off Walsh.Imran Nazir, in his first Test of the series, followed in the next over, steering Ambrose into Campbell’s lap at first slip, the stroke of the raw 18-year-old that Imran is.Walsh struck again after half-hour when Younis Khan’s tentative defensive stroke flew from the outside edge to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at third slip.Once again, the responsibilty weighed heavily on the broad shoulders of Inzamam, Pakistan’s sole batsman of proven quality, but neither he nor Razzaq could repeat their heroics of Georgetown.Imzaman could not negotiate King’s bouncing leg-cutter and was comfortably taken by Adams at third slip and Razzaq fended off McLean’s bodyline delivery to be caught so low to the ground by Wavell Hinds at short-leg it needed several television replays before he was correctly ruled out by third umpire Halley Moore.Moin has developed a familiarity with crisis during his lengthy career and he responded to this one with typical gusto.He and Youhana plundered 38 off four overs from King and McLean, both of whom were expensive and disappointing in their support roles, and counted 16 boundaries between them.It took the return of Walsh, back with Ambrose after lunch, to make the crucial breakthrough as Moin was neatly snapped up by Chanderpaul at second slip for 38.The left-handed Akram, Pakistan’s longest-serving player in his 94th Test, picked up where Moin left off. He delighted in the West Indian tactic that fed him outside his off-stump where he could advertise his boisterous off-side strokes that brought him all of his seven fours in an arc between mid-off and third man.Whenever McLean shortened into his body, he was distinctly uncomfortable and when Ambrose went round the wicket to angle into him, he got himself into a tangle and diverted the ball into his stumps off the inside edge. Surely, after all this time, the West Indies would know how to best bowl to him.Youhana found another willing partner in Saqlain Mushtaq who remained with him for over an hour until, cutting at Adams’ left-arm spin, he provided Campbell with his third catch at slip.By then, there was little spark in the West Indies bowling. It took another three-quarters of an hour to wrap things up and a 37-year-old with a sore right ankle to do it.Sticking his right foot out to make an interception at mid-off shortly before tea, Walsh trod on the ball, tumbled over and lay motionless on the ground for a few worrying moments. When he got up, he limped to the pavilion for examination, was assured it was nothing serious and, typically, returned to the fray. In the circumstances, a host of others of his vintage would have taken the rest of the afternoon off.Not Courtney. Back he came and his reward were the wickets of Waqar Younis and, fittingly, Youhana.
Ok, so there’s no Premier League, La Liga or Champions League right now. The football season, however, is still far from finished.
From the Women’s World Cup to the Gold Cup, this summer sees a handful of tournaments taking place to ease the pain of fans around the world who can’t stop crying about the lack of club football going on. And that includes the Copa America, which will see South America’s biggest and best go head-to-head from next week to see who is the king of the continent.
The oldest international football tournament is set to be one of the most entertaining in decades this year, and it could be a competition that brings in to light players who fans around the world are yet to hear of, which is why we have come up with the Copa America Alternative XI, where only one player per nation is represented in the side.
With 12 teams competing in the competition, one nation had to miss out, and that country was Qatar. With all the formalities out of the way, here is the Copa America Alternative XI.
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Wuilker Farinez
South America has been a hotbed for goalkeeping talent since football arrived on the continent over a hundred years ago, and Wuilker Farinez could be the next great star.
The Venezuelan and Millonarios number one has been part of the national setup since the age of 19 when Farinez starred in the U-20 World Cup that saw the South American side make it all the way to the final before losing out to England 1-0. This summer the keeper will certainly be one of the young names to keep an eye on.
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Antonio Valencia
Arguably the most famous Ecuadorian player of all-time, Antonio Valencia’s shift from the wing to full-back has been more beneficial for country than it has been for club, as it has allowed a new generation of attacking talent to take up their natural positions in the XI.
Valencia’s pace and experience will be vital for an Ecuador side that will be keen on making an upset as they seek to win their first ever Copa America with the veteran defender leading them out in Brazil.
Gary Medel
Soccer Football – International Friendly – Chile v Costa Rica – Estadio El Teniente, Rancagua, Chile – November 16, 2018 Chile’s Gary Medel in action with Costa Rica’s Bryan Ruiz REUTERS/Pablo Sanhueza
Yes, that is former Cardiff City player Gary Medel, and yes, he’s still as nuts as ever. The former Bluebird has continued to hack down everyone who stands in his path, this time in the name of Besiktas, and for Chile, the 31-year-old is as important as ever.
Although Medel is more a defensive midfielder at club level, the Chilean has been a rock in the backline for the South American nation, and heading into the Copa America the former Inter Milan hard-man will be hoping to retain the continental championship and add a third to his trophy cabinet.
Fabian Balbuena
Soccer Football – Premier League – Everton v West Ham United – Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain – September 16, 2018 West Ham’s Fabian Balbuena during the match REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Fabian Balbuena was an interesting signing for West Ham last summer, but after an adjustment period the Paraguayan defender more than paid back the fee Manuel Pellegrini shelled out for the former Corinthians defender, and on an international level, the centre-back has started to make an impact.
The defender has only made nine appearances for Paraguay, and this year’s Copa America could be the time Balbuena establishes himself as a vital player for Los Guaranies, who head to Brazil as the tournament’s underdogs.
Luis Advincula
Peru quickly became a neutral’s favourite during last year’s World Cup, and this time around in the Copa America Luis Advincula will be hoping to see more success on the pitch than off it.
The Tigres defender, who has been on loan at Rayo Vallecano this season, is one of the more experienced players in this Peru side, but his lightning pace has also made him one of the most feared attacking full-backs on the continent.
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Philippe Coutinho
After the disappointment of Russia last year, Brazil will be eager of a return to the top with a big performance in their home country, and supporters will be praying that Coutinho is back to best.
The Barcelona star has been lacklustre since his blockbuster move to the La Liga giants, but with Neymar out of the tournament, the pressure of success has been shifted onto Coutinho’s shoulders, who many will be expecting to perform.
Lucas Torreira
After an impressive World Cup and a stellar debut season with Arsenal, Lucas Torreira has quickly established himself as one of the most promising midfielders in the Premier League, and he will be essential to Uruguay this summer.
The 23-year-old rottweiler of a midfielder has been ever-present for his nation since Russia, and this summer could see the Arsenal man be the difference between a first Copa America title since 2011 or another competition where Uruguay could have done better.
Alejandro Chumacero
You know the name from your FIFA career mode when you were searching in the free agents pool, but in real life, Bolivia’s hopes will be pinned on Alejandro Chumacero, who is one of the few members of the squad that plays outside of the country.
The midfielder has been a mainstay for Mexican side Puebla since 2018 and is regarded as Bolivia’s best player heading into the Copa America, and at 27-years-old, Chumacero will have no better time in his career to show the world what he’s got.
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[snack_break title=”Forwards”]
Lionel Messi
Soccer Football – Champions League Semi Final First Leg – FC Barcelona v Liverpool – Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain – May 1, 2019 Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Albert Gea
Was there any doubt who was going to represent Argentina in this XI? Lionel Messi might be one of the greatest players to ever play the beautiful game, but on the international stage, the Barcelona superstar has had his difficult moments.
The forward has carried Argentina to World Cup and Copa America finals, and this summer could be Messi’s last big chance to claim international glory and further cement his status as arguably the best of all time.
Duvan Zapata
Soccer Football – Serie A – Atalanta v Juventus – Stadio Atleti Azzurri, Bergamo, Italy – December 26, 2018 Atalanta’s Duvan Zapata celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria
The Atalanta striker fired the Bergamo-based club to the Champions League for the first time in their history with a 28-goal haul season, and for Colombia, Zapata now has some big shoes to fill with Radamel Falcao’s goalscoring abilities slowly dwindling.
Shoya Nakajima
With the years of Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa fading away into the history books, a new era of Japanese football could be about to emerge, and in Shoya Nakajima, Japan could have their latest hero.
The most expensive Japanese player in history following the winger’s move to Qatar’s Al-Duhail last February according to the Japan Times, Nakajima made a name for himself in Portugal after a string of impressive performances for Portimonense, and the attacker’s contributions could lead to Japan surprising a few this summer in Brazil.
Jacques Kallis has attributed his enforced absence from the game for his Man-of- the-Series display against Pakistan in the two-Test series, which South Africa won 1-0.”I had a nice long break and it had done me a world of good,” said Kallis, fresh from scoring three centuries from four innings on his way to a series tally of 421 runs at an average of 210.50.”Targets and goals have never been huge issues for me. I’ve never really been one who sets targets. I try and play according to the situation of the game and whatever the team requires at that stage.”Kallis had not been included in the South African team for the ICC World Twenty20 and resigned from the vice-captaincy in protest. Despite persuasion from the South African board to reverse his stand, Kallis stuck to his decision. “I don’t think vice-captaincy plays too much of a role. Obviously the vice-captain comes in when the captain is injured. I don’t think it’s a huge difference.”Kallis was also satisfied by the progress made by his team. “One big thing for us now is we have found the spinner [Paul Harris] and we know what we can get from [him] and [that he will] do a good job for us. So I think that’s going to be a key for us. We have also found few fast bowlers that have come through – Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. Andre Nel is obviously bowling well now and we have the experience of Polly [Shaun Pollock]. So I think we are finally getting a nice, rounded side where we have got most of our bases covered.”But Kallis has an eye on the future, with the major challenge being the away tour to Australia. “That will probably be the number one target. It’s a tough tour; they are the best in the world and they are ahead of everyone at the moment and you want to test yourself against them. Beating them would be sort of equivalent to winning a World Cup, certainly in the Test series.”Meanwhile, South Africa’s preparations for the upcoming five-match one-day series against Pakistan were hampered after Graeme Smith and Vernon Philander joined the sick bay. Smith was confined to his hotel room on Sunday after being laid low by a virus, while Philander is doubtful for the first ODI on Thursday due to hamstring strain. “His [Philander’s] rehabilitation may not start before Wednesday, making his chances of being available for selection pretty tight,” said Shane Jabbar, the team physiotherapist.