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England have a 6-2 superior record against South Africa in the tournament

S Sudarshanan02-Oct-20252:05

Sciver-Brunt: WPL experience will benefit us

Big picture: England’s strong record vs SAEngland have been South Africa’s banana peel in the Women’s ODI World Cup. They have a 6-2 superior record in the tournament heading into the clash in Guwahati on Friday. While South Africa beat England in the group stages in 2022, they lost to England in the semi-final. The result was the same in the 2017 semi-final as well.”I feel like we’ve beaten them in the group stages in the past World Cups and then lost to them in the semi-final. So we know as a group, we can beat them, especially in the group stages,” South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt said on Thursday. “We have played some good cricket recently. We’ve been batting really well. We’ve been bowling better and better. I think all of us know that if we really stick to our plans and are really clear with what we want to do, we can beat them tomorrow.”South Africa enter the World Cup on the back of a solid run of games. They played a tri-series with India and Sri Lanka, then played Pakistan in Pakistan. They have been in action regularly with the same set of players, high on confidence. While the women made it to successive T20 World Cup finals in 2023 and 2024, the men ended the drought of ICC titles with the World Test Championship win this year.”It’s been amazing to see how the country has supported them and how excited everyone was back at home and united to support them in that trophy,” Wolvaardt said. “Hopefully we have the chance to do something similar to really get the country behind us in this tournament.”England have had a contrasting run in this regard. Their leadership group underwent a change after the Women’s Ashes. Under head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, England played just the two series – winning comfortably against West Indies and losing to India, both at home.Sciver-Brunt, however, was okay with the team’s preparation away from internationals. They had a ten-day camp in Abu Dhabi, where they acclimatised to the conditions they would encounter at the World Cup. Plus, there are eight players in the England squad with WPL experience.”We got some great time out in the middle in really hot, humid conditions where in England it’s not like that,” she said. “So preparing physically in that way was really good. That is going to be a massive part of our tournament, making sure that we are adapting as quickly as we can.”During the India vs Sri Lanka match at the ACA Stadium, spin played a part in the middle overs while it was easier to face pace at the start. That is a template that Sciver-Brunt backed England to follow.”That’s a blueprint that we work with, especially when we’re bowling, making sure the spinners in the middle are doing a really good job for us and making it really hard for people to get away. I think that has been a really good strength of ours for a number of years. We’ve got a brilliant spin attack.”Form guideEngland LWLWW (last five matches, most recent first)
South Africa LWWWWIn the spotlight: Nat Sciver-Brunt and Marizanne KappIn her first World Cup match as captain, the spotlight will be firmly on Nat Sciver-Brunt. She is England’s leading run-scorer since the 2022 World Cup and only Amy Jones has more than her so far this year. That is in addition to her 20 wickets in the last three years. With a view to manage her workload, she hadn’t bowled since the WPL but resumed duties with the ball at the warm-up games. With Heather Knight returning from a hamstring injury, Sciver-Brunt will draw from her WPL experience to navigate the side at the ACA Stadium, where the track could be slightly two-paced.This will be Nat Sciver-Brunt’s first World Cup as captain•Getty ImagesA like-for-like, South Africa allrounder Marizanne Kapp is at the peak of her powers. Give her the new ball, she’ll dry up the runs and pick up wickets. Send her in with South Africa in a spot, she will not just arrest the slide but also transfer the pressure back on the opponents. A WPL regular for Delhi Capitals, Kapp is into her fifth World Cup and would want her team to cross the finish line this time. “The amount of experience that she has is invaluable,” Wolvaardt said on match eve. “She knows every player going around. She’s bowled to basically all of them.”Team newsSciver-Brunt will bowl at the World Cup, which means England could play an extra spinner or an extra seamer. But she said on match eve that she would “like to select seven batters to go into this tournament” which opens the door for Alice Capsey, who also bowls offspin.England (probable): 1 Amy Jones (wk), 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Sophie Ecclestone, 9 Charlie Dean, 10. Em Arlott, 11 Lauren BellAyabonga Khaka bowled full-tilt on the eve of the game. She could shoulder duties with fellow seamers Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk and Annerie Dercksen. Karabo Meso had a long batting stint ahead of Sinalo Jafta, who is South Africa’s preferred wicketkeeper.South Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annerie Dercksen, 6 Chloe Tryon, 7 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Nondumiso Shangase, 10 Nonkululeko Mlaba, 11 Ayabonga KhakaPitch and conditionsRain washed out England’s pre-game practice session, while South Africa managed to get theirs done under lights. Showers are expected on Friday as well with IMD issuing thunderstorm alerts. A washout isn’t on the cards, though.A fresh pitch will be used for the game. Expect spin to come into play as the game goes on, as was the case during the India vs Sri Lanka contest.Stats and trivia No opening pair has scored more runs than Laura Wolvaardt-Tazmin Brits in ODIs since January 2023. They have 1536 runs at an average close to 60. The next best is Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal with 1316 South Africa have won only two of their last six ODIs against England Marizanne Kapp has dismissed Heather Knight five times in 15 innings, Nat Sciver-Brunt three times in nine innings and Tammy Beaumont five times in 13 innings Charlie Dean has got Laura Wolvaardt out three times in seven innings for only 65 runs and Sune Luus three times in four innings for just 19 runsQuotes”She obviously has a lot of experience. I think it would be stupid of me not to listen to her. She’s a hugely valuable person in our side, whether it’s with the bat or just that tactical thinking. She’s got a brilliant brain for cricket. So, yeah, I’m encouraging her to be as vocal as she wants to be.”
“The biggest learnings in that series are probably just how to play spin, especially being nice and proactive with the bat against the spinners in that middle phase. We generally get off to good starts, and I think we had really good death overs with the bat in that series in Sri Lanka, but probably could have done a bit more in that middle phase.”

One of the most sought-after players in free agency this year did not play in MLB last year.

Twenty-three-year-old Roki Sasaki plied his trade in 2024 for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, winning 10 of 15 decisions with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings. These numbers have stateside executives salivating—and allow Sasaki to express considerable discretion in how his free agency plays out.

On Monday evening, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Sasaki has a special request for the teams he's meeting with: he does not want them to bring any of their players to the meetings.

That tracks with Sasaki's unconventional approach to free agency, which agent Joel Wolfe said via Nightengale is driven by his desire to be great.

"‘He's a guy that wants to be great. He's not coming here just to be rich. He wants to be one of the greatest, ever," Wolfe said.

Per the rules governing player transfers between NPB and MLB, Sasaki is required to sign between Jan. 15 and 23 if he wants to play this season.

Lunch KL Rahul’s imminent century gave England a chance, and they took it. Rishabh Pant was run-out in the last over before lunch as he tried to hand the strike over to his partner so that he could bring up the landmark. Apart from that mistake, though, India were ruling the roost on the third day at Lord’s.An otherwise profitable session’s play – 103 runs in 22.3 overs – ended on a sour note for the visitors, and for Pant in particular – because he was out there with an injured finger. There were moments where he was placed in discomfort, but there were also moments that were straight out of his top drawer.Pant charged at Jofra Archer in the first over. He tried to break a sequence of 25 dots with a fall-away scoop. He was happy to risk the reverse ramp for just a single run. And, after securing his eighth half-century in England, he hammered his 88th six in Test cricket, which puts him only two shy of Virender Sehwag, who holds the India record.That is why Pant will be peeved at how he fell. It was needless, except for the fact that he thought he was trying to help his team-mate. Ben Stokes understood the urge. He might also have factored Pant’s injury into his calculations because the throw would’ve been a lot more straight forward to the batter’s end from his position. Instead, Stokes turned himself around and nailed the target at the other one, sparking a somewhat angry celebration.This happened towards the tail-end of Stokes bowling one of his fiery old spells, five overs where 26 balls were either short or short of a length, and his pace up at 90mph as he tried to make things happen. When he did, the whole team gathered around him, galvanised. Stokes himself knew how big a wicket Pant’s was and the circumstances in which it came, because England were very much second best throughout the session – though for no fault of trying.And perhaps that’s why there was a point in the celebrations where Stokes felt the need to bring his cap up to his mouth, a trick used to make sure the cameras don’t catch what you’re saying.Rahul, meanwhile, was the picture of simplicity and grace. Since his comeback into the Test team in 2021, on a tour of England, he has made four centuries away from home, the joint-most by an India batter. Pant is the man he shares the podium with, and it was in the effort to go clear at No. 1 that India lost a needless wicket and must now try and smother the momentum England might have gained thanks to their inspirational captain.

Harvey Elliott moved to Aston Villa from Liverpool on loan with an obligation to buy on deadline day. Elliott, who excelled for the England at the U21 Euros, was forced down the Reds pecking order following their high profile signing of Florian Wirtz. However, things haven't quite gone according to plan for the 22-year-old at Villa Park following his move to the Midlands.

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  Elliott can't play parent club this weekend

  Elliott is unable to face his parent club this weekend when Villa make the trip to Liverpool owing to stipulations in the deal that saw the midfielder move to the Villans over the summer. Even so, the 22-year-old was unlikely to have played a part for Unai Emery's side having struggled for game time since his deadline day move.

  Elliott has started just one league match for Villa this season, that coming in a 3-1 home win over Fulham last month, while he has registered just 97 minutes of game time for Emery's team. Even then, the youngster was hauled off at the break against the Whites, with his only other start coming in the EFL Cup penalty shootout defeat to Brentford.

  Villa have an obligation to make Elliott's loan move permanent for £35m over the summer but even then that only becomes active once the midfielder plays a certain number of games. It means that Elliott can, in theory, return to Liverpool should he fail to make the requisite number of appearances.

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• Midfielder didn't even make City squad

  Emery made the decision to leave Elliott out of the Villa matchday squad for their recent 1-0 win over Manchester City to add weight to the suggestion that the Spaniard isn't quite sold on the on-loan Englishman. Matty Cash scored the winning goal in the narrow victory over Pep Guardiola's side, a result that means Villa have won six of their last seven matches in all competitions.

  It would take an almighty turnaround for Elliott to work his way into Emery's plans, which is a blow for the Liverpool man. Indeed, Elliott had hoped for regular minutes at Villa Park as he looks to force his way into Thomas Tuchel's England plans with the 2026 World Cup looming.

  Should Villa make the move permanent, Liverpool also retain a buyback clause and a sell-on clause.

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  'I am being very, very demanding myself'

  Emery has previously addressed Elliott's lack of game time, suggesting he has been far from impressed with the loan star when called upon. "I am being very, very demanding myself to choose in each match the player to start and the players on the bench and the subs players, and firstly is always trying to get the best performance collectively, through individual players," Emery said.

  "Harvey is a 10 number in our structure, in our shape, and he plays some matches and there is still adaptation to add himself individually in our structure, the task we have. Of course, he is training well, and his commitment is being very well as well, but his performance was not enough (up to this point). At the same time, we have other players who can play as a 10 and they are performing well, and I have different players.

  "This is the main reason he is not playing the last matches minutes, but he has to continue working like he is doing in the training session and of course getting his confidence in the performance we need through him."

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• Villa seeking first Anfield win in over 10 years

  The only blip on Villa's recent record book came in a 2-1 loss at Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League last week. In that time, the Villans have claimed impressive wins over Tottenham and Manchester City, and have beaten both Bologna and Feyenoord in European competition.

  Villa follow up their trip to Liverpool with a home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League, and then welcome Bournemouth in the Premier League before the international break.

  Emery will hope to mastermind a first Villa win at Liverpool since Gabby Agbonlahor bagged the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory back in 2014.

Smith, Amla and Vettori also among the seven inducted ahead of the WTC final

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2025

MS Dhoni, Matthew Hayden, Daniel Vettori, Hashim Amla, Sarah Taylor, Graeme Smith and Sana Mir are the latest inductees into the ICC Hall of Fame, unveiled two days out from the start of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s.Mir became the first woman from Pakistan to be a Hall of Fame inductee.After making her debut in 2005, Mir captained Pakistan in 72 of the 120 ODIs and in 65 of the 106 T20Is she played, including two gold-medal wins at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014. She is the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in ODIs, taking 151 wickets with her offbreaks, and topped the ODI rankings for bowlers in 2018.Sana Mir is the first woman from Pakistan to be in ICC’s Hall of Fame•ICC

“From dreaming as a little girl that one day there would even be a women’s team in our country to now standing here, inducted among the very legends I idolised long before I ever held a bat or a ball – this is a moment I couldn’t have dared to imagine,” Mir said. “I am incredibly grateful for this honour and hope to give back to the sport in any way I can.”Former India captain Dhoni helped India break their drought in men’s ODI World Cups, four years after helping them to the inaugural men’s T20 World Cup title in 2007. He hit the winning runs as India won the ODI World Cup in 2011 and became the first team to win the silverware on home soil. Two years later, he captained India to the Champions Trophy title. He finished his ODI career with an average above 50, having played 350 matches and scored over 10,000 runs. Apart from his ability to ace run-chases, Dhoni will also be remembered for being the only captain to win all three white-ball ICC trophies. India also reached the top of the ICC Test rankings under him.”It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world,” he said. “To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever.”Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla were both among the latest ICC Hall of Fame inductees•Getty Images

Hayden was one of the most feared Australia openers of his times. He hit three centuries in Australia’s 2007 ODI World Cup win and was also part of their win in the 2003 edition. He finished his career with 30 Test centuries and an average over 50.Amla was a Test-cricket behemoth for South Africa, who became the No. 1-ranked team in the format during his long career. He was the first from South Africa to score a triple century in Tests when he hit an unbeaten 311 against England in 2012. He finished with over 55 international centuries across formats.Amla’s South Africa team-mate, Smith, was thrust into captaincy at only 22, and it was a role that he excelled in for a long time. He led South Africa in a world record 109 Tests, winning 53 of those. He is the only player to captain a Test team in over 100 matches. He also captained them in 150 ODIs, the most for South Africa.Sarah Taylor executed many a lightning stumpings across her international career•PA Images

“It is an honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, especially alongside Graeme,” Amla said. Smith concurred: “This is also a proud moment for South Africa, as two of us have got recognition this year.”Australia’s assistant coach and former New Zealand captain Vettori is one of only three players to score 4000 runs and pick up 300 wickets in Tests. He also captained New Zealand to a runners-up finish at the 2009 Champions Trophy.Taylor was one of the architects of England’s ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup double in 2009. She also starred in their win at the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2017, making a crucial 45 in the title-clash against India at Lord’s. She made a name for herself with some sensational wicketkeeping, effecting 232 dismissals across formats. Outside of the cricket field, Taylor took regular mental-health breaks, which helped normalise conversations around the issue among cricketers.”Being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame is one of the best moments of my life and truly feels like a dream come true,” she said. “Women’s cricket has been thriving in recent years, and receiving this award during such a significant time makes it even more special. I am grateful to the members of the ICC Hall of Fame selection panel for this recognition.”

Luis Ángel Malagón and Raúl Rangel have been the goalkeepers most often called up by Mexico manager Javier Aguirre since he took over last year. Both are vying for the starting spot at the 2026 World Cup — but Aguirre had a clear warning: don’t get too comfortable. The list of contenders keeps growing, and legend Guillermo Ochoa won’t be guaranteed anything at that position.

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  Goalkeepers in contention for World Cup spot

  The goalkeeping situation for the Mexican national team has become one of the main talking points just months before the World Cup. According to Aguirre, the starting spot between the posts is still up for grabs – even though América’s Luis Ángel Malagón has been his go-to choice in key tournaments such as the Nations League and the Gold Cup.

  “We’ve tested several young goalkeepers [at the position],” he said. “Just because Malagón and ‘Tala’ [Rangel] have been regulars doesn’t mean they’re untouchable. Everyone makes mistakes, and the competition remains open.”

  Chivas goalkeeper Raúl ‘Tala’ Rangel has regularly been the backup under Aguirre, but the race is far from settled. Veteran Guillermo Ochoa is hoping to make history by playing in his sixth World Cup, which would set a new record for the most tournament appearances by a Mexican player. Meanwhile, Santos Laguna’s Carlos Acevedo has returned for this international window, and other names like Carlos Moreno, Alex Padilla, and Sebastián Jurado remain in contention.

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  'I don’t hand out spots'

  Ochoa recently found a new club in AEL Limassol of Cyprus and has already made three appearances, but his place in the final World Cup squad is not guaranteed. In an interview with TUDN, Aguirre emphasized that no one – not even Ochoa – will receive special treatment.

  “Memo is doing fine right now,” Aguirre said. “But we haven’t even discussed the six-World-Cup milestone – not at all. If he’s playing and in good form, he’ll compete like everyone else. I don’t hand out spots, and Memo knows that. In fact, he prefers it that way.”

  Despite that stance, the coach acknowledged the unique value Ochoa brings to the squad.

  “The experience Memo has is unmatched,” Aguirre added. “The composure, the calm he transmits, and his leadership in the locker room – no one else has that. He’s spent many years abroad, and that gives him an edge you can’t buy. He knows how to guide the younger players, how to lead by example. Watching him train, you can see why he’s been at the top for so long.”

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  Acevedo back in the mix

  The coach concluded by emphasizing that it’s a healthy battle among five or six players, including Ochoa, to earn one of the three coveted goalkeeping spots for the 2026 World Cup.

  One of the names in the spotlight is Acevedo, who is in the midst of a breakout season for Santos Laguna. 

  “I’m happy and proud to be here, grateful for the opportunity to wear Mexico’s jersey, and eager to work hard to earn a place,”  he said in an interview with Mexico's official site. 

  The goalkeeper has six caps, with his last appearance coming in 2023. 

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  What comes next?

  Mexico face two high-level opponents during this October international window. First up is Colombia, with the match set for Saturday at AT&T Stadium, followed by a clash against Ecuador next Tuesday at the Estadio Arkon in Guadalajara.

Stephen Fleming, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach, acknowledged the team’s improved batting effort in the game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday night, but was scathing in his assessment of their fielding and execution with the ball after they slumped to their fourth straight defeat at IPL 2025.For the first time in five games, their openers managed to bat beyond the powerplay, with Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway putting together 61 in 6.3 overs in their chase of 220. But CSK then stuttered through the middle phase after losing Ruturaj Gaikwad cheaply, and saw their asking rate spiral to 17 for the last four overs. MS Dhoni, batting at No. 5, hit three sixes in his 12-ball 27, but was out in the final over, and CSK eventually fell 18 short.”The positives are we batted a bit better,” Fleming said in the press conference. “We’ve had some substance from the top order, which was a bit lacking, so we were able to then construct the chase. We just weren’t able to keep the run rate at a good level through the middle and it was just too much towards the end. But we’ve been in the game for a lot longer, which is a positive aspect.”Related

• Did CSK delay retiring Conway out? 'They missed that point,' says Chawla

• Sehwagesque Arya puts on a masterclass in see-ball, hit-ball batting

• Priyansh Arya racks up the records; CSK stack up the drops

• Arya's blazing 103 off 42 balls consigns CSK to fourth successive defeat

On the field, though, it seemed an unending nightmare for CSK as they repeatedly dropped catches. Two of those helped Priyansh Arya break free to wallop a 39-ball century. Khaleel Ahmed should have had him caught and bowled in the very first over on 6, while Mukesh Choudhary put down a skier at long-off in the 12th off Ashwin, when Arya was on 73.Those weren’t their only slip-ups. Ravindra reprieved Shashank Singh on 38 at deep midwicket off Noor Ahmad in the 17th, and Shashank went on to hit 52 not out to help PBKS post 219 for 6, with the last four overs producing 49.”The game was really lost in the field, I thought we were sloppy in the field, and we just lacked accuracy under pressure at certain times,” Fleming said. “We were put under pressure by a fine innings [from Arya] but we’ve got to be better than that in terms of shutting it down. So that’s where the game got away from us.MS Dhoni chalks out the plans with Noor Ahmad•BCCI

“We’re 18 runs short in a big run chase, so we can look at three sixes here and there. It’s been a frustrating season so far. The catching has been poor, but it was poor from both sides tonight. Whether it was something in the light I’m not sure, but certainly for us that was an area of concern.”Fleming looked back at the margin of defeat and felt “we weren’t too far away”.”If you’re going to win the IPL you need your top three-four to get a majority of the runs,” he said. “We haven’t been doing that, so it was pleasing that we got off to a more solid start. We weren’t able to just maintain a high momentum through the middle. Partly through good bowling and maybe we were trying to push it too hard. It was something we’ll review, but it’s not a bad chase. It’s three hits away but we just lost a little bit of momentum through the middle.”

Julian Alvarez ended his goal drought in spectacular fashion with a hat-trick that sealed Atletico Madrid’s 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, offering a lifeline to Diego Simeone’s inconsistent side. While Simeone hailed the Argentine as Atleti’s “best player” and called for him to stay long-term, the result only briefly masks the club’s broader struggles as they prepare for a decisive Madrid derby.

• Julian Alvarez ends goal drought with hat-trick

  Alvarez netted a brilliant hat-trick to give Atletico a 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday. He opened the scoring with a volley, levelled the match by firing in a rebound from close range and then sealed the win in the 88th minute with a superb shot from the edge of the box. These goals not only broke his dry spell but delivered a much-needed boost for Atletico's campaign, registering their second win in La Liga. Coach Simeone was delighted by his team's performance as he brough the spotlight on Alvarez's performance.

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  Diego Simeone wants Alvarez to stay at Atletico for years

  The Los Rojiblancos coach was elated that his team were finally getting back on track after their strong performance against Liverpool in the Champions League and now winning their fixture against Vallecano.

  "Julian is the best player we have," he told reporters. "We need to take care of him, to keep him here at Atleti for many years. He has to help us, and we have to help him, so he can become even better than he already is. Every time he makes a difference, he helps us a lot."

• Atletico Madrid's struggle continues despite Alvarez's heroics

  Alvarez had faced a six-match goal drought and growing frustration over his role at Atletico in recent weeks. Reports suggested dissatisfaction from the youngster regarding his playing time and position, fuelling transfer rumours linking him to Barcelona and Liverpool ahead of the 2026 transfer window. His hat-trick against Vallecano ended that drought and provided a rare highlight in what has been a disappointing start to the campaign for Atletico, who have struggled to find consistency and have only picked up nine points from a possible 18 in the league. While Alvarez's performance may ease speculation about his future, questions remain about the club's form and direction this season.

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  Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid get ready for derby clash

  Simeone's next game will be a defining one for this year's campaign as they face Real Madrid in their upcoming league fixture on September 27. After their derby, Los Colchoneros will switch their attention to the Champions League where they host German club Eintracht Frankfurt on September 30.

عقد الكابتن حسين لبيب رئيس مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك اجتماعاً الليلة مع البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، وحضر الاجتماع جون إدوارد المدير الرياضي للنادي.

ويعيش يانيك فيريرا، فترة صعبة داخل جدران الأبيض لا سيما بعد تدهور نتائج الفريق الأخيرة في مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز. 

وكان فريق الزمالك قد تعادل في الجولة الماضية أمام فريق غزل المحلة، بهدف لكل فريق في الجولة العاشرة من عمر مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز. 

طالع.. سامي الشيشيني لـ”بطولات”: الزمالك لن ينافس على الدوري.. وأشفق على فيريرا لهذا السبب

ويحتل الزمالك المركز الثاني، في جدول ترتيب الدوري الممتاز برصيد 18 نقطة بالتساوي مع فريق المصري البورسعيدي، حيث لعب الأبيض 10 مباريات، فاز في 5 مواجهات وتعادل في 3 لقاءات وخسر في مباراتين. 

وتم خلال الاجتماع استعراض أحوال الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بعد تراجع النتائج في المباريات الأخيرة، وكذلك التعرف على ترتيبات الفريق قبل بدء مشواره بالكأس الكونفدرالية هذا الموسم.

وتم الاتفاق في نهاية الاجتماع على عقد جلسة أخرى مع فيريرا في الأسبوع المقبل لبحث احتياجات الفريق للفترة المقبلة والعمل على استعادة الانتصارات وتحقيق النتائج وتقديم الأداء الذي يلبي طموحات جماهير الزمالك.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is now planning a key role for one previously unfancied member of the Spurs squad, according to a new report.

As the Lilywhites’ talks for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze ramp up behind-the-scenes, alongside their separate attempt to land Man City winger Savinho, Frank has also now had a very close look at his current options.

It’s been two months since Daniel Levy appointed the Dane as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement, with Frank since overseeing a dramatic pre-season and watching on as his side capitulated against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup.

Despite surrendering a two-goal lead in the dying minutes on Wednesday night, Luis Enrique himself admitted that Spurs were the better side and perhaps deserved something from what was a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero handed the north Londoners a shock but well-earned 2-0 advantage, and it took very late heroics from Lee Kang-in and Gonçalo Ramos to even rescue a penalty shootout for the Champions League winners.

This is despite Frank just losing club legend Son Heung-min to LAFC and chief creator James Maddison to an ACL rupture, with star winger Dejan Kulusevski also still on the sidelines with a long-term knee injury.

This weakened Spurs side giving PSG a serious run for their money is an undoubtedly an encouraging sign for Tottenham’s new manager as he begins his first full season in charge.

“Very, very proud of the players, the team, the club, the fans,” said Frank in his post-match press conference.

“I think the players gave everything, playing against one of the best team in the world, maybe the best, at the moment, and I think we were 75, 80 minutes perfect, almost giving nothing away against, they had four players with unbelievable individual quality on the pitch. So very, very proud of them.

“It’s down to the smallest of margins in the penalty shootout. It’s like the flip of a coin. First I’d like to thank all the players that stood up and were brave and took responsibility to take a penalty.”

Thomas Frank plots "major role" for Tottenham defender Djed Spence

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, some Spurs players have already left a glowing impression on Frank behind-the-scenes, and one of them is defender Djed Spence.

The Englishman was previously an outcast under Antonio Conte and Postecoglou for a time, before Spence rose to prominence during Tottenham’s injury crisis midway through last season and battled his way into the first-team squad.

Reliable reports now claim the ex-Middlesbrough man has signed a new long-term deal, just under a year after his last extension, as a result of his amazing comeback.

Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, says Frank has been “really impressed” with Spence, who could now be set for a “major role” in the Tottenham first-team.

“Spurs are really happy with Spence and Thomas Frank has been really impressed since arriving. I am told he is one of the players who has shone since Frank’s arrival.

“I get the idea that Spence has a major, major role to play for Spurs heading into the new season.”

The 25-year-old was once heavily linked with a permanent exit after spending time out on loan at various clubs – including Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa – but he’s now poised to continue being a significant member of the Spurs squad after a stellar 2025.