On a blustery Wellington day, an Antarctic chill blowing in with the southerly, New Zealand’s home advantage may have played a role in their victory. This is what Matt Henry thinks, after his 4 for 19 led the demolition of Sri Lanka’s batting order. Bowling first on a green pitch, New Zealand rolled Sri Lanka over for 178. And yet Sri Lanka’s seamers were unable to exert similar pressure, New Zealand winning by nine wickets, inside 27 overs.Though this is midsummer in New Zealand, the temperature was around 15 degrees Celsius in the morning. And as almost always at the Basin Reserve, there was an end at which the bowlers had to work against a substantial wind. New Zealand understood how to harness these conditions, Henry said.Related

• Henry, Young give New Zealand thumping win in series opener

“It’s probably about understanding ends,” he said. “The wind plays a huge part here at the Basin. That’s the home advantage – knowing what it looks like to attack from both ends, and using the bounce that’s usually available here as well. Thankfully we were able to force some errors and take some wickets.”The first ten overs, at the end of which New Zealand had Sri Lanka 23 for 4, were the definitive period of this match. Henry claimed the first wicket – that of Pathum Nissanka – and Jacob Duffy and Nathan Smith also took wickets in their first spells.Jacob Duffy knocked over Kusal Mendis in the first powerplay•Getty Images

“The way we started with the ball, we were able to create pressure at both ends, and take wickets throughout, which is our key objective as a bowling group,” Henry said. “Any time you get the new ball you want to have an impact on the game. It’s nice to have that success, but you don’t have that without the guys doing the job at the other end as well. Starting with the new ball down-breeze, the way Duffy started and Smith as well – that’s how chances come as well. I thought it was a great team performance.”New Zealand also produced an outstanding fielding effort, with Mark Chapman in particular electric in the point region. The highlight of the fielding performance, however, was Mitchell Santner swooping on a ball from cover to fire in an underhand throw as he dived forward, to hit the single stump he had to aim at. This ran out Kamindu Mendis in the 10th over.”We pride ourselves on our fielding,” Henry said. “With these windy conditions, you can get lost out there. The engagement was brilliant, and we were taking our chances when they came. To have a run-out in the first 10 overs through Mitch Santner, with a great bit of fielding, it really puts a team under pressure and puts momentum in your favour. Little moments like that have a huge impact on the game.”Henry himself has entered a new phase in his career – one in which he makes all three New Zealand teams. For much of the last 10 years, he’d been in the shadows of the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Neil Wagner. With all three now retired, Henry is the senior-most bowler around.”It’s great to have that continuity. Playing for New Zealand in all forms is something I’ve wanted to do. I’ve been involved with this group for 10 years now. I love playing for New Zealand.”And though playing all three formats could pose fresh challenges to a fast bowler’s body, Henry is unconcerned.”That’s the beauty of the strength and conditioning coach, who does a great job. We play all year round now, and it’s something that I’ve always done. I’ve played a lot of county cricket as well. It’s probably about understanding your body and how to stay fresh.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras treinou na tarde desta terça-feira (6), na Academia de Futebol, seguindo a preparação para o duelo contra o Barcelona-EQU, pela quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. A bola rola nesta quarta-feira (7), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Allianz Parque. Ainda, o Verdão atualizou as situações do lateral Mayke e do meia Gabriel Menino.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras x Barcelona-EQU: onde assistir ao vivo, escalações e desfalques do jogo de hoje pela LibertadoresPalmeiras07/06/2023PalmeirasSem Ríos e Menino, Abel deve escalar Palmeiras diferente na LibertadoresPalmeiras06/06/2023Futebol LatinoRival do Palmeiras, Bolívar pode quebrar tabu de nove anos na LibertadoresFutebol Latino06/06/2023

+ Palmeiras x Barcelona-EQU: onde assistir, prováveis escalações e desfalques do jogo pela Libertadores

Os jogadores ensaiaram cruzamentos das laterais e finalizações antes do recreativo. Na parte final, os atletas aperfeiçoaram arremates da entrada da área. O lateral-direito Mayke passou por exames e não teve lesão constatada, podendo treinar normalmente com o restante do grupo. Já o meia Gabriel Menino sofreu uma entorse leve no tornozelo esquerdo e participou de parte da movimentação com o elenco e é dúvida para o confronto desta quarta.

Para o duelo contra a equipe equatoriana, o técnico Abel Ferreira não poderá contar com Rafael Navarro, lesionado, e Richard Ríos, que foi expulso diante do Cerro Porteño na última rodada, e está suspenso. Murilo, Atuesta e Marcos Rocha continuam sendo desfalques. 

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+ Sem Ríos e Menino, Abel deve escalar Palmeiras diferente na Libertadores

Com isso, a provável escalação do Palmeiras para enfrentar o Barcelona-EQU é: Weverton; Mayke, Gustavo Gómez, Luan e Piquerez; Zé Rafael, Fabinho (Jailson) e Raphael Veiga; Artur, Dudu e Rony. 

O Alviverde ainda deve realizar uma atividade no campo com o provável time titular na manhã desta quarta, dia do jogo. O Verdão é o atual segundo colocado do grupo C com os mesmos nove pontos do líder Bolívar-BOL, estando atrás apenas devido ao saldo de gols (seis a quatro). Logo, o Palmeiras precisa apenas de um empate nesta quarta para avançar às oitavas de final da competição continental e vai em busca da liderança.

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Gabriel MeninoLibertadoresMaykePalmeiras

New Zealand came close in the 219-run chase, but Sri Lanka did enough to get a consolation win

Madushka Balasuriya02-Jan-2025

In the end, Sri Lanka did enough. That’s not something you’d expect to say about a team that had racked up 218 runs in their first innings, but it speaks towards just how well New Zealand had set about their chase for most of the innings. It was a victory set up largely by Kusal Perera’s maiden T20I ton, the fastest ever by a Sri Lankan, coming off just 44 deliveries.For about 15 overs of the chase New Zealand were keeping up with the nearly 11-an-over required rate, and when Daryl Mitchell struck Charith Asalanka for four consecutive sixes in a 25-run 15th over they might have even been ahead.Sri Lanka then thought they had done enough with a couple of wickets at the death, before Zachary Foulkes’ final-over fireworks provided yet another scare. But despite frayed nerves, Sri Lanka held on to close out a consolatory seven-run win.Having entered inside the powerplay, Perera fell with less than two overs left in the innings, and such was the impact of his innings even a run-a-ball final two overs couldn’t prevent Sri Lanka from registering their second-highest T20I total ever.Asalanka also played a starring role – despite the treatment meted out by Mitchell – backing up his 46 with the bat with a three-wicket haul that derailed New Zealand’s well-planned chase. He also took a scorcher of a catch at extra cover to cap an impressive outing. There was however no looking beyond Perera for the player of the match award.Jacob Duffy, a thorn in Sri Lanka’s side throughout the series, picked up just the solitary wicket this time round, although his economy rate of 7.50 was still the best of any bowler who bowled at least two overs in the game. He was deservedly named player of the series.SL and NZ trade early blowsThe rollercoaster nature of the game was telegraphed right from the start. Sri Lanka lost three of their top four inside the opening 10 overs, and their openers inside the powerplay, but they didn’t let that slow them down.Kusal Mendis struck 22 off 16, Pathum Nissanka 14 off 12 and Avishka Fernando 17 off 12, as Sri Lanka kept a steady rate of around eight an over.Despite the early wickets, it could have been better too, had New Zealand held on to miscued reverse sweep off Perera when he was on just 15.Despite taking two excellent grabs to dismiss both Nissanka and Mendis, it was the chance they will likely look back on and regret.Mitchell Santner celebrates Kusal Mendis’ wicket•MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty Images

Perera and Sri Lanka turn on the afterburnersDespite losing three wickets, Sri Lanka’s score of 85 after the first 10 overs constituted their best score at the halfway mark of an innings all series. But the 10 overs to follow would put that tally comfortably in the shade.Led by a belligerent Perera, and aided by some short boundaries at Nelson, Sri Lanka proceeded to plunder 133 runs off the final 10 overs – and that could have been considerably more if not for two excellent overs at the death from Mitchell and Duffy.Those two overs went for six each, but that Sri Lanka still ended up on a mammoth 218 speaks towards the damage done in the overs that preceded them – particularly devastating was a four-over period from overs 14-18 that brought 75 runs. Much of that was down to Perera, whose century came at a strike rate above 200 and included 13 fours and four sixes.While he initially targeted the boundaries behind square with a catalogue of sweeps, switch hits and outright slogs, by the end his knock was a true 360 exhibition – a monster six over cover to bring up his century emphatically ramming home the point.He was kept company by an equally combative Asalanka, who struck 46 off 24 during a 100-run fourth wicket stand that came off just 45 deliveries.Well prepared New Zealand come out firingRegardless of the match situation you can always count on New Zealand to come out with an effective plan, and their chase in Nelson was a prime example.Most sides would be overawed when hunting down a target of 219, but from the very first over of the chase New Zealand set the tone as Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra each took Chamidu Wickramasinghe for a boundary each.This was followed by a five-run over by Nuwan Thushara, but New Zealand made up for that by taking on Sri Lanka’s most effective seamer this series, Binura Fernando, for 18 off his opening over.Sixty-three runs were scored inside the powerplay, but the onslaught only continued afterwards. By the halfway point New Zealand had run up 108 runs and still had eight wickets in hand.Charith Asalanka struck in three consecutive overs•MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty Images

Asalanka the unlikely heroWith Thushara and Binura being saved for the death overs and Theekshana having an off day, Asalanka was left with a conundrum through the middle overs. Was he going to rely on the green Wickramasinghe to handle the fifth bowler quota on his own, or would he bowl a few himself?He ended up opting for the latter, and it might just be what swung the game in Sri Lanka’s direction. In his first over the Lankan skipper removed Mark Chapman, before taking out Glenn Phillips in his second. But it was his third that brought the big fish, sliding one past Ravindra’s inside edge to dismiss the New Zealand opener for a 39-ball 69.Perhaps Asalanka overestimated his capabilities in bowling himself out, and was duly punished by Mitchell. But his breakthroughs meant New Zealand would be forced to score heavily off Sri Lanka’s frontline bowlers at the death.New Zealand can’t stick the landingDespite Asalanka’s strikes, Mitchell’s monster striking had brought the equation down to 51 from 30 with six wickets in hand.At that point it seemed like the hard work had been all but done, but New Zealand just couldn’t stick the landing. Hasaranga’s double-wicket 16th over did much to reverse to momentum that had swung New Zealand’s way through Mitchell’s onslaught. And then when Mitchell fell an over later, looking to take on Thushara, the writing seemed on the wall.Foulkes however ensured Sri Lanka were made to work for their win with some powerful hitting at the death, but the visitors just about managed to hold on.

Chelsea fans are still very firmly on cloud nine after their beloved side defeated their near-London rivals West Ham United with ease on Friday night.

After experiencing a disappointing stalemate on the Premier League opening day versus Crystal Palace, such a vibrant display was desperately needed, with new personnel such as Joao Pedro instantly settling into his spot up top in Enzo Maresca’s XI by bagging the leveller on the night.

Estevao also shone as a new livewire down the wings at the London Stadium, but while everything is rosy in terms of incomings, it looks as if a whole host of sales will have to be signed off on very soon to appropriately balance the books.

Chelsea's long list of departees

It is to be expected after all, with Chelsea splashing the big bucks to land the likes of Pedro for £60m, before you even consider further deals that saw Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Liam Delap, and many more join Maresca’s growing ranks this summer.

The Blues have got rid of some notable personnel already, with hit-and-miss attacker Noni Madueke defecting over to North London to join Arsenal for a weighty £50m back in July.

Christopher Nkunku could soon rival that amount when he is very likely to depart the building before September’s cut-off point, having now been eyed up by Aston Villa.

It’s a sorry end for the Frenchman who was expected to light up the English top-flight with the Blues after a significant £52m move, only to now be chucked to one side after a turbulent 18-goal stint at Stamford Bridge.

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

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Moreover, despite starring in flashes with 24 Premier League strikes in West London, Nicolas Jackson also looks set to depart before the busy window is out, having further been named as a main target for Unai Emery’s men, on top of Newcastle United hunting him down as an effective way to get over the ongoing Alexander Isak scandal.

Chelsea fans far and wide will see the logic in trying to move on from these outcasts, but they would be bitterly disappointed if their side were to allow a rising star to leave, who could well become the Blues’ next Cole Palmer if given time to blossom.

Chelsea youngster could be Chelsea's next Palmer

Often, Chelsea has been negatively portrayed as a club that can be impatient when it comes to the next generation of talent rising through the ranks, with the likes of Declan Rice, Marc Guehi, and many other Premier League starters discarded by the cutthroat outfit when they were still youth players.

Thankfully, the Blues benefited from Manchester City prematurely getting rid of their own homegrown talents when purchasing Palmer back in 2023 for a modest £42.5m.

The rest is history now, with Palmer worth far more than that amount today, having notched up a ridiculous 43 goals and 29 assists from 98 senior outings.

That amount will no doubt rise and rise, but Chelsea won’t want to be plagued with regret if they were to sell Tyrique George shortly, with a hope surely on their end that the raw, yet exciting Englishman can go on to be Palmer 2.0 down the line.

Like Palmer, George possesses a magical ability to create something out of nothing. He’s quicker but he’s got a dazzling and mazy dribbling ability that can get him out of tight situations. Raw, of course, but there’s a lot to like about a player who is earning first team football at a higher level than Palmer did at the same age.

Sadly, he could be on the move. Fabrizio Romano has taken to X recently to confirm that AS Roma are keen on snapping up the 19-year-old attacking menace this summer, holding talks about the player at the back end of July.

Alongside interest from Serie A, Romano has also stated that there is interest from within the Premier League itself, on top of RB Leipzig further throwing their hat into the ring.

This would be a disastrous set of circumstances to lose George so early into his Blues career, having only just seen him bag his first-ever senior goal for the west London side last season, after being dubbed a “ridiculous” talent for the future previously by content creator Felix Johnston.

George for Chelsea

Age

Games

Goals + Assists

U18s

39

14 + 10

U21s

28

7 + 9

Senior Team

26

3 + 5

Sourced by Transfermarkt

George has since backed up his debut effort with a further seven goal contributions in the first team picture, with Chelsea surely better placed to just gift their homegrown prodigy more minutes to get even more out of him, instead of prematurely putting him up for sale.

More consistent senior minutes could be presented to George out in Italy or Germany, however, as he now deliberates on his next step.

For Chelsea’s long-term sake, the hope will be that he remains put, so they can avoid another regret being piled onto their mountain of missteps.

Related Chelsea now plotting last-ditch move to sign £80m star who Maresca wants

The Blues may be saving their best deal for last.

Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham Aug 23, 2025

Leeds United are now “keeping close checks” on an “exceptional” player, and there is a “good chance” he completes a move to Elland Road.

Leeds looking to bolster midfield options

One of Daniel Farke’s main tasks this summer has been to improve his central midfield options, bringing in the likes of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach, but two of the manager’s Championship promotion-winners stole the headlines against Everton.

Ao Tanaka was voted the Player of the Match by Leeds fans after the 1-0 victory against Everton, and the Japan international was not the only midfielder who impressed, with Ethan Ampadu winning six of the eight duels he contested to keep the Toffees at bay.

However, there has now been a disappointing new injury update on both Tanaka and Ampadu, with the two midfielders being ruled out due to MCL injuries.

As such, Farke may feel a need to dip bring in another central midfielder before the transfer deadline, and transfer expert Graeme Bailey has now revealed the Whites are in a strong position to get a deal for one of their former players over the line…

Speaking to Leeds United News, Bailey suggested that Kalvin Phillips could soon be on his way to Elland Road, saying: “Leeds are keeping very close checks on Kalvin Phillips – am told that Man City might be trying to pay up his contract – there is still a good chance he ends up at Elland Road.”

Phillips still has nearly three years remaining on a £150k-a-week deal with City, but Pep Guardiola’s side are clearly eager to get him off the books, which could open the door for a return to Leeds.

Leeds now showing strongest interest in signing "incredible" £70m maestro

The Whites are very keen on bringing in a new central midfielder.

1 ByDominic Lund Aug 27, 2025 Signing Phillips could be gamble worth taking for Leeds

If Man City are willing to pay off the 29-year-old’s contract, bringing him in could be a risk worth taking for Farke, given that the former Leeds man has proven he has what it takes to perform at Premier League level in the past.

The defensive midfielder made 49 appearances across the Whites’ two previous stints in the Premier League, during which time his form was good enough to earn regular call-ups for the Three Lions, with the Englishman picking up 31 international caps.

Despite being lauded as an “exceptional human being” by Man City boss Pep Guardiola, the ex-Ipswich Town loanee didn’t exactly set the world alight at Portman Road last season, however, given that he suffered two major injury setbacks.

That said, given that Phillips could potentially be available on a free transfer, he would be a low-risk signing for Leeds, who are perhaps in need of more depth in midfield, given that they are light on options following injuries to Ampadu and Tanaka.

Both are exceptional ODI outfits, coming in with a string of wins to their name. Both will also already have one eye on their respective semi-finals, which quickly follow Sunday’s game

Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Mar-20252:19

Kumble: ‘Not in favour of resting players at this stage’

Big picture: Kohli joins 300 clubScroll down to the form guide section. Actually, no need, because, spoiler warning, both teams have WWWWW next to them going into this match.These are two exceptional ODI outfits in potentially title-winning form, deep and balanced thanks to the allrounders they possess. They are well-suited to conditions at this Champions Trophy – particularly, perhaps, to those in Dubai where this contest will take place – thanks to their spin options and the variety of batting gears in their top orders.There has also been, especially over the last five years and a bit, a lot of history between these two teams.Related

Phillips confident NZ have the resources to find success in slower Dubai

KL Rahul plays down India's injury worries ahead of NZ clash

India wary of keeping bowlers fresh for semi, says ten Doeschate

Dot-ball 'beast' Bracewell stays under the radar but soars high

Trial by spin on slow Dubai pitches a key step in Gill's evolution

This should, for all those reasons, be a main-course kind of contest, but it’s an appetiser in the context of where this Champions Trophy stands. India and New Zealand are both through to the semi-finals, and know exactly where and when their respective semi-finals will be played. All that remains to be decided is whom they will face there, and it’s unlikely there’s a “preferred” opponent for either team, given it’s a choice between South Africa and Australia.With that in mind, and the short turnaround before the semi-finals – particularly in the case of India, who only have a one-day gap before their game on March 4 – Sunday night’s contest may not necessarily be played at vein-throbbing intensity. There’s a chance of big names resting, and also – as India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate suggested on Friday – of key bowlers not completing their full ten-over quotas.There’s one man whose intensity is never short of vein-throbbing when he’s on the field, though, and he’s set to play a very special match. Virat Kohli is set to play his 300th ODI, becoming the 22nd player and seventh from India to get to that landmark. Given how infrequently ODIs are now played, and given how far away Kohli’s closest contemporaries are – Mushfiqur Rahim (274) and Rohit Sharma (272) are the only two to have played more than 250 – will he also be the last to get there?Virat Kohli is poised to play his 300th ODI•Alex Davidson/Getty ImagesForm guideIndia WWWWW
New Zealand WWWWWIn the spotlight: Shreyas Iyer and Kyle JamiesonIndia’s batting is yet to face a truly daunting test in this Champions Trophy. They have batted second in both their games so far, and chased down targets of 229 and 242. Whether they bat first or second on Sunday, they are likelier to face a stiffer challenge from New Zealand, particularly from their fingerspinners Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell through the middle overs. It is perhaps in this context that Shreyas Iyer becomes especially important. Where Kohli and KL Rahul have gone at strike rates in the low 80s against spin in the middle overs since the start of 2023, Iyer has struck at 95.24. New Zealand know how dangerous Iyer is against spin – he hit five sixes while scoring 48 off 35 balls against their spinners during his century in the Mumbai World Cup semi-final of 2023.If the Kohli generation is India’s golden generation, it probably peaked around the time of the inaugural World Test Championship of 2019-21. And it’s quite possible that India may have won that trophy had they not happened to run into Kyle Jamieson. This towering and hugely gifted fast-bowling allrounder has gone through a testing time since then, mostly due to injury, and he’s now set to face India for the first time in any format since December 2021. Jamieson hasn’t yet had the same impact in ODIs that he has had in Tests; could the sight of his favourite opponents bring out his best?Team news: Daryl Mitchell fit, but where does he fit in?India only have a day’s gap between this match and their semi-final, but had a six-day gap between their previous match, against Pakistan, and this one. Do they believe, then, that their key players are adequately rested for 200 overs over three days? Or do they rest one or two of them? And what of the players on the bench, and their match-readiness should they suddenly be required in a knockout game? Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami went off the field with niggles at various stages during the Pakistan game, but both, according to the team’s press-conference representatives, are fit.India didn’t train on Saturday, but Rishabh Pant had an extended session in the nets on Friday, which suggests he could get a game – he has only played one ODI, back in July 2024, since his return from injuries suffered during his car crash. Given that as many as five left-hand batters could feature in New Zealand’s top eight, there’s a chance India may replace one of their two left-arm fingerspinners with the offspinner Washington Sundar. If Pant plays and adds his left-handedness to India’s top five, it relieves them of the need for Axar Patel as a floater.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Kuldeep Yadav/Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Mohammed Shami/Arshdeep Singh.India, especially, will have a question of balancing workloads to address•Associated PressDaryl Mitchell is fit again after missing the match against Bangladesh with an illness, and this leaves New Zealand with a major top-order headache. Rachin Ravindra, who was himself returning from injury, replaced Mitchell and scored a match-winning hundred against Bangladesh. Will Young scored a hundred in the tournament-opener against Pakistan. Devon Conway, who had replaced Ravindra at the top of the order, has also been among the runs, scoring 97 against South Africa in the tri-series that preceded the Champions Trophy.New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Will O’Rourke.Pitch and conditions: spin to win?Dubai has been the most spin-friendly of the four Champions Trophy venues, with spinners currently returning an average of 37.07 and an economy rate of 4.36 here. Rawalpindi is second on both counts, at 40.60 and 4.81.This, of course, may also have something do to with the quality of India’s spinners. In any case, the pitches in Dubai, far from being square turners, have tended to be merely slow, with the large outfield also serving as an ally to the slower bowlers.Bangladesh and Pakistan both won the toss against India and chose to bat, reflecting the trend for dew not to be much of a factor at this time of the year. It’s possible that bat-first may still be the way to go, given the tendency for the pitches here to slow down over 100 overs.A clear, pleasant day is expected on Sunday, with a maximum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius.Vital runs aside, Tom Latham now has 100 ODI catches as a keeper to his name•ICC/Getty ImagesStats and trivia India and New Zealand have only met once before in the Champions Trophy: the final in 2000 when an unbeaten Chris Cairns century led New Zealand to a four-wicket win. India have won each of their last five completed ODIs against New Zealand; New Zealand won five in a row before that stretch. Tom Latham’s unbeaten 118 made all the headlines, but he also enjoyed a big moment on the field during New Zealand’s tournament-opener against Pakistan: the catch of Shaheen Shah Afridi, off Matt Henry, was his 100th as wicketkeeper in ODIs.Quotes”That’s a lot of ODI games and a lot of international games and yeah, he’s been… I mean, words fall short to express how good a player he’s been, and what a great servant of Indian cricket he’s been.”

Sunday afternoon’s draw with Crystal Palace was not how Chelsea wanted to kickstart their Premier League campaign.

Enzo Maresca’s side were not terrible, but they were toothless, and in sharp contrast to his pre-season form, Joao Pedro was anonymous.

The Brazilian forward didn’t register a single shot on target or complete a single dribble during his 73 minutes of inaction and took 20 fewer touches than Robert Sanchez.

It was a seriously disappointing performance from a player we all know can do so much more, and therefore, fans should be delighted about reports linking them to someone who’d help make him more lethal.

Chelsea target perfect teammate for Pedro

As it is every year, this summer has been a busy one for Chelsea on the transfer front, as on top of selling a swathe of players they no longer wanted, the club have made a number of exciting additions to the side.

Transfer Focus

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

Jorrel Hato, for example, is looked at by many as one of the next great defenders, while Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens should bring more dynamism, and crucially, more goals to Maresca’s side.

Yet, with the window still open until next month, the West Londoners appear intent on adding even more talent to the squad, and are now eyeing someone who’d help make Pedro far more lethal.

At least that is according to a recent report from The Athletic, which has claimed Chelsea are still interested in Morgan Rogers.

The report has revealed that the England international is ‘highly rated at Stamford Bridge’ and that the board would like to bring in an attacking midfielder before the window closes.

A price is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this summer claim that the Aston Villa star could cost as much as £100m, and while that is an outrageous sum of money, he might just be worth it, especially if he can help make Pedro more lethal.

Why Rogers would make Pedro more lethal

From watching him in the Club World Cup and pre-season, we know that Pedro is a fine finisher and someone you can trust to lead the line, so why was he so poor on Sunday?

Well, simply put, his teammates did not fashion enough chances for him, as while he certainly wasn’t at his best, the team collectively created just two big chances, which isn’t great when playing a mid-table side at home.

The good news here is that this is a problem Rogers can help with.

For example, in his 54 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 4496 minutes, the Halesowen-born “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, scored 14 goals and provided 16 assists.

That means the often “unstoppable” midfielder, as dubbed by former Liverpool defender turned pundit Jamie Carragher, was able to average a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 149.86 minutes.

In other words, the Englishman was a lean, mean output machine, and someone his teammates could rely upon to finish the chances they created, or more importantly for Pedro, depend on him to create an avalanche of chances for them.

Another significant advantage of the Villa ace is his versatility.

The dynamic 23-year-old is comfortable playing in midfield and on the wing, which should allow him to play more games for the Blues and develop a deeper understanding with the Brazilian poacher.

Ultimately, we know Pedro is a brilliant striker, but we also saw how anonymous he can be without the right service.

Therefore, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Rogers before the window slams shut, as, on top of his goal-scoring ability, he is an assist-making machine.

Chelsea submit £43m bid for defender who's "as good as Van Dijk and Saliba"

The Blues have now received a response after submitting an offer for a highly-rated centre-back.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 18, 2025

Pakistan had to wait for nearly three decades for a global tournament to return to their country, but New Zealand spoiled their party on the opening day of the Champions Trophy, handing the co-hosts a 60-run loss in Karachi. In a short, sharp tournament, where each team plays just three group-stage games, a defeat like this might jeopardise Pakistan’s chances of making the semi-finals. Will Young and Tom Latham were the architects of their team’s victory, both batters scoring outstanding hundreds to set up the dominance that followed but there was also a little bit of luck.Two balls into the game, Fakhar Zaman suffered an injury while chasing a cover drive from Young and was forced off the field for large parts of the first innings. As result of the time spent off the field, Fakhar, whose big hitting is exactly what was necessary for a big chase, could not open the batting in their pursuit of 321. And when he came out to bat at No. 4 – Pakistan were 22 for 2 in ten overs at the time – he was visibly hampered while running between the wickets. New Zealand’s offspinners, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips, kept hiding the ball away from his reach and made life even more difficult for him. Fakhar’s tortured stay eventually ended when Bracewell bowled him with a non-turner for 24 off 41 balls.Just like Fakhar, most of the Pakistan batters failed to get out first gear, including Babar Azam who needed 81 balls for his fifty. New Zealand’s attack was depleted by the injuries to Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears, but their spinners made up for that on a pitch that offered turn and variable bounce. The spinners were so good that New Zealand didn’t need Nathan Smith, their third seamer, until the 31st over. By then Pakistan’s asking rate had almost touched ten an over.New Zealand were also depleted by the injury-enforced absence of Rachin Ravindra, but Young and Latham scored tone-setting hundreds before Glenn Phillips provided an electric finish. In all, New Zealand plundered 113 off their last ten overs to finish with 320.That total, however, had looked so far away when New Zealand were reduced to 40 for 2 in the ninth over and then 73 for 3 in the 17th over. That’s when Young got together with Latham to repair the early damage and then boss the middle overs.Young has spent much of his international career on the fringes. He might not have played this game had Ravindra been fit and despite his maiden international hundred away from home, he might make way for Ravindra once the allrounder recovers. In Kane Williamson’s absence, Young had emerged as the Player of the Series in New Zealand’s historic 3-0 sweep of India in India but was left out for Williamson in New Zealand’s very next Test against England at home. However, whenever Young gets an opportunity, he’s ready to take it, like he demonstrated once again on Wednesday.After Devon Conway was undone by a carrom ball from mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed for 10 and Williamson fell for his first single-digit ODI score in six years, in the next over, Young reined himself in and saw off challenging spells from Abrar and Naseem Shah.Tom Latham and Will Young paced their centuries perfectly•Associated Press

Young brought up his third fifty-plus score in nine innings in Pakistan and converted it into a century. He got there in 107 balls in the 35th over, with Ravindra warmly applauding him from the dressing room.As for Latham, he rattled off his own hundred off 95 balls and remained unbeaten on 118 off 104 balls. It capped a remarkable turnaround for him after he had come into the tri-series final on the back of three ducks, stretching back to the Auckland ODI against Sri Lanka in January. After being assisted by multiple reprieves on his way to 56 in the tri-series final against Pakistan, Latham reminded the world of his full range. He played a variety of sweeps, including the reverse, off a variety of lengths to disrupt Pakistan’s spinners. Fifty-two of his 118 runs came square or behind square on the leg side.After Young holed out for 107, Latham forged 125-run partnership with Phillips for the fifth wicket off just 74 balls. Having been on 10 off 18 balls, Phillips surged to his fifty off his next 16 balls. He had launched Shaheen for back-to-back sixes and then when he shaped to ramp Haris Rauf over short third, he ended up toe-ending it to the fielder for 61 off 39.Phillips wasn’t done though. He produced the play of the day when he leapt to his left from point, stuck out one hand above his head and held onto a screamer to dismiss Mohammad Rizwan for 3 off 14 balls on the last ball of the first powerplay. Will O’Rourke had already dismissed Saud Shakeel, the makeshift opener in place of Fakhar, for 6 in the fourth over. Matt Henry, who had missed the tri-series final with a knee niggle, also kept it tight in the first powerplay, which yielded Pakistan only 22 for 2.It was Pakistan’s lowest score in the first ten overs since March 2019 and third lowest in the history of the Champions Trophy. There would be no way back for them, despite late blows from Khushdil Shah, who hit 69 off 49 balls, and the lower order. Pakistan were ultimately bowled out for 260 in the 48th over.In his first match at a global event as New Zealand captain, Santner came away with three wickets though he took some tap at the end. For the third time in a space of two weeks, New Zealand put Pakistan away with ruthless efficiency and embellished their status as title contenders.

Tottenham Hotspur fans had the first opportunity to see new signing Mohammed Kudus in competitive action during the UEFA Super Cup final against PSG on Wednesday night.

The Ghanaian, who joined the Lilywhites in a £55m deal from West Ham United, featured for 79 minutes, arguably being one of the shining lights despite the penalty defeat.

At just 24, he has the ability to make an immediate and long-term impact in North London, looking to be a key player in any success endured under new boss Thomas Frank.

However, despite the big-money addition made for the former Hammers star’s signature, other key attackers are still being targeted by the Dane ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

Numerous names have been mentioned in recent days, which has seen huge progress being made in an attempt to further bolster the club’s attacking department.

Spurs preparing bid for Mohammed Kudus upgrade

Eberechi Eze has been one of the names hugely mentionedwith Spurs in recent days, even preparing a bid for the Crystal Palace star after their demotion to the Europa Conference League.

The Englishman is said to have a £60m release clause in his current deal at Selhurst Park which could make a deal a formality – potentially avoiding a repeat of the Morgan Gibbs-White saga.

However, he’s not the only Premier League star currently in their sights, with Manchester City forward Savinho a player they’re targeting, according to the Daily Mail.

Their report claims that the Lilywhites are preparing an offer to sign the 21-year-old, who only moved to the Etihad from Girona less than 12 months ago.

It’s also been reported that the Brazilian would be open to a move to join Frank’s side before the current deadline, with Pep Guardiola’s side demanding £60m to offload him this window.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be a better signing than Kudus

A deal for Kudus was always going to be excellent business, but his showing against the Champions League winners has handed the fanbase another reason to be positive.

His tally of 100% crosses completed, and three chances created – the most of any player on the pitch – highlights the threat he possesses when in attacking areas.

He also holds a versatile skillset that could allow him to operate in the number ten role, off either flank or even as a centre-forward – as seen in his first competitive outing.

If he can add further goal contributions to his game, it would be a great addition, adding the quality the side have craved in forward areas in recent months.

However, despite his impressive start to life in North London, he could be trumped by Savinho, that’s if the Brazilian completes his own move to North London this summer.

He managed to notch more combined goals and assists last campaign, but his underlying stats were also just as impressive, managing to outperform Kudus in various key areas.

Savinho, who’s been dubbed “sensational” by journalist Adam Keys, achieved a better shot on target accuracy rate, subsequently being able to finish more of the chances he’s presented with in front of goal.

Games played

29

32

Goals & assists

9

8

Shot on target accuracy

38%

28%

Progressive carries

7.1

3.4

Progressive passes

3.4

2.7

Key passes made

2.4

1.1

Take-ons completed

46%

44%

Carries into the 18-yard box

3.8

1.4

Crosses completed

4.3

2.8

Passes into the 18-yard box

2.4

1.1

However, when driving with the ball, the City ace also dominated, completing more of the take-ons he attempted, with more being made into the opposition box – which would hand the side the added presence they’ve crave in the final third.

Besides scoring, the youngster has also been able to provide for others in the opposition’s defensive area, picking out a teammate from more crosses per 90 than Kudus – able to offer a more all-rounded talent for Frank in 2025/26.

After already spending £55m on the Ghanaian, there’s no denying that a £60m move for Savinho would be another mammoth investment from the board in the hunt for Premier League glory.

However, if they are to stand any chance of rising up the table and ending their years of disappointment in England’s top-flight, it’s a move that needs to be made before the September 1st deadline.

Dream Maddison replacement: Spurs chasing incredible £30m Eze alternative

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be eyeing up another Premier League star instead of Eberechi Eze.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 13, 2025

The two teams haven’t made their own luck at the tournament, looking out of ideas at most times, and go into their last fixture knowing the result doesn’t really matter

Mohammad Isam26-Feb-20251:54

Urooj: Pakistan have let themselves down again

Big picture: Pakistan and Bangladesh hope rain stays awayIt has not been a tournament to remember for either Pakistan or Bangladesh, and the team talks ahead of their last game, against each other in Rawalpindi, are likely to be similar: play for pride, etc. With some chatter about the poor weather – if it continues, as the forecast says, the long faces in the two dressing rooms will get longer.Pakistan’s numbers in the Champions Trophy matches against New Zealand and India don’t make for pretty reading. Their top-order batters haven’t pulled their collective weight. With Fakhar Zaman out injured, Imam-ul-Haq came in and didn’t do much. Saud Shakeel and Babar Azam have both hit a half-century each, but not been able to have any major impact. Mohammad Rizwan hasn’t looked in any sort of form despite scoring a century in the tri-series at home before the Champions Trophy. Pakistan could bring in Kamran Ghulam just to freshen things up, but who do they drop?After the top four, it’s no better. Khushdil Shah, Salman Agha and Tayyab Tahir seem to be playing similar roles, which has led to stagnation in the middle. Faheem Ashraf, potentially, could have balanced the side a bit, but hasn’t been given a go. And the quick bowlers have struggled to control the flow. India took apart Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Naseem Shah has been better, but has looked below his best. Abrar Ahmed has bowled one great delivery that was overshadowed by his celebration.Related

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Bangladesh haven’t been too different, bar their quick bowling. Their batting has been one-dimensional, and not been able to go through the gears, with the lower order having to bail them out. Their top order caved in against India, while Michael Bracewell’s offspin got rid of their middle order in the other game. Najmul Hossain Shanto showed form against New Zealand, while Jaker Ali has been consistent – they might have to do even more against Pakistan. As is the case with Towhid Hridoy, who scored an impressive century against India.1:58

‘Disappointing to see Bangladesh’s big players go missing in a must-win game’

But they will want veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah to sign off from what could be their last ICC game with a bang and not a whimper. Their lack of fire has been disappointing to see, though, in Mahmudullah’s case, it’s just been one match and one failure.Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana have to do the heavy lifting again on Thursday, with Mustafizur Rahman continuing to be steady without being spectacular. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain, the lead spinners, have a lot to do, too, especially in Rawalpindi where they should have a more central role.But the two teams will also be looking beyond this game. They have to set their priorities right in the domestic circuit and then look for improvement in their international teams. They will both have to go back to the drawing board ahead of the next ICC tournament, and figure out how they can make a better fist of it, especially with a transition of sorts possibly around the corner.Form guidePakistan LLLWL
Bangladesh LLLLLIn the spotlight: Abrar Ahmed and Jaker AliHis send-off after the wonder ball to Shubman Gill has attracted all the attention, but Abrar Ahmed has been one of the few success stories for Pakistan in the last couple of weeks. He’s posed a wicket-taking threat. He’s been economical as well. But Bangladesh handled him well last year in the Rawalpindi Test so it will be interesting to see what happens on Thursday.Jaker Ali has been a revelation for Bangladesh in the lower-middle order in the last few months. It has been just seven ODIs, but he averages 50-plus with two fifties. He is a strong hitter in the death overs, often finding the boundaries, but wouldn’t mind having another specialist batter at the other end for at least a part of the time. Jaker can also offer his wicketkeeping if Bangladesh look to tinker with their XI and leave out Mushfiqur.For Mushfiqur Rahim, as well as Mahmudullah, this could be a final appearance in an ICC tournament•ICC via Getty Images

Team news: Will the teams ring in the changes?Could Pakistan leave out one of their star quick bowlers to give Mohammad Hasnain or Faheem Ashraf a chance? They also have batting options in Usman Khan and Kamran Ghulam.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq/Usman Khan, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Saud Shakeel, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Tayyab Tahir, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi/Mohammad Hasnain, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar AhmedBangladesh are likely to field the same line-up that played against New Zealand.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 3 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 4 Tohwid Hridoy, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Nahid RanaPitch and conditions: An eye on the weatherPakistan will hope that their farewell from their own Champions Trophy is not rained out. There is rain in the forecast. The previous match at the venue, between South Africa and Australia, was abandoned because of rain too. The pitch would have been under cover for a lot of the last three days by the time the game starts, and there’s always the chance of extra moisture around the square.Stats and trivia: Bangladesh’s pacers slightly better This is the first Pakistan vs Bangladesh contest in Champions Trophy history Pakistan beat Bangladesh in their only previous ODI in Rawalpindi in 2003 Pakistan have a 12-0 overall home record against Bangladesh in ODIs The fast bowlers across the two teams have taken 11 wickets, but Bangladesh’s group has a bowling average of 44.83 and have conceded runs at 5.12 per over, while Pakistan’s have an average of 63.50 and an economy rate of 7.18.