The Central American side edged Suriname 4-3 in a dramatic Gold Cup opener with thrilling comeback

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Costa Rica blew an early 2-0 lead and trailed 3-2They now face the Dominican RepublicThe group stage finale will be against MexicoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Miguel “Piojo” Herrera made his return to the Gold Cup – this time on the bench for Costa Rica – and did so with a rollercoaster victory. In his tournament debut with , the Mexican manager saw his team claim a wild 4-3 win over Suriname in a match full of momentum swings.

Costa Rica jumped out to a 2-0 lead, only to fall behind 3-2 before salvaging the win with a stoppage-time penalty in the 90+13 minute on Sunday night.

True to his trademark confidence, Herrera didn't hold back after the match, saying, "We have a team capable of winning the tournament. We’re here to win it. The dream is alive, and it’s up to us to make it real. We have a squad that can compete with anyone.”

AdvertisementAFPWHAT MIGUEL HERRERA SAID

Herrera emphasized that his belief in winning the Gold Cup is based on what he’s seen from his players so far, adding, “I wouldn’t be saying this if I didn’t see it reflected on the pitch. Technically, we’re in a good place. If we stay focused, we can go all the way.”

AFPDID YOU KNOW?

The 2025 Gold Cup features three Mexican head coaches. In addition to Javier Aguirre, who leads the Mexican national team, and Miguel Herrera, now at the helm of Costa Rica, Guatemala is coached by another familiar name in Mexican football – Luis Fernando Tena.

The veteran manager guided Guatemala to the quarterfinals in the 2023 edition of the tournament and currently has the team in contention for a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

WHAT NEXT FOR COSTA RICA?

Costa Rica will face the Dominican Republic Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, before closing the group stage with a much-anticipated clash against Mexico on June 22 – a match likely to decide the top spot in Group A.

Stumps Playing his first Test since 2019, Dane Piedt recorded his best figures in the format to put South Africa ahead on the second day in Hamilton. Offspinner Piedt picked up 5 for 89 as New Zealand collapsed to 211 in response to South Africa’s 242. At one stage, New Zealand were 143 for 3 but lost their last seven wickets within 68 runs to concede a lead of 31.It started with quick bowler Tshepo Moreki dismissing Rachin Ravindra at the end of a seven-over spell bowled either side of tea. He slanted one across the left-handed Ravindra, who went for the cut and got an inside edge on to his leg stump.A few moments later, Tom Blundell became the fourth batter on the day to play on. He was late to withdraw his defensive push against Dane Paterson; the ball hit the back of the bat and deflected on to the stumps.Piedt, who had dismissed Tom Latham and Kane Williamson earlier, then sent back Glenn Phillips with a big offbreak. The batter got an inside edge on to his pad and wicketkeeper Clyde Fortuin grabbed the chance.Dane Piedt celebrates his first five-for in nine years•Hannah Peters / Getty

Will Young, batting at No. 5 for the first time in Test cricket, was fighting it out. But with wickets tumbling at the other end, he ran out of patience. He skipped down the ground to Piedt and holed out to long-on.Piedt could have had his fifth when Tim Southee edged one to first slip, but Shaun von Berg could not hold on to a low chance. Southee eventually fell to Paterson for 5.A miscommunication resulted in Matt Henry being run out, leaving New Zealand 183 for 9, still 59 in arrears. But Neil Wagner smashed 33 off 27 to eat into the deficit, before Piedt had him stumped to complete his second five-for in Test cricket.In the morning, South Africa could add only 22 to their overnight total of 220 for 6, losing their remaining wickets in just 8.2 overs. Debutant Will O’Rourke broke the stubborn seventh-wicket stand between Ruan de Swardt and von Berg when the latter edged one on to his off stump. The pair had accumulated 70 on Tuesday evening but could add only seven more to it.At the other end, Piedt gloved a Southee bouncer down the leg side, with Blundell running in and diving forward to take a low catch.Tom Latham started well for New Zealand, and had a good stand with Kane Williamson•Getty Images

Three overs later, O’Rourke had de Swardt playing on. The batter tried to defend a short-of-length delivery only to dab it on to his back heel. The ball went on to tickle the stumps and dislodge the bails. On the next ball, Paterson miscued a hoick giving O’Rourke figures of 4 for 59. He will be on a hat-trick when he bowls his first ball tomorrow.New Zealand did not have a great start with the bat either – Paterson had Devon Conway caught behind for a duck in the first over of the innings. Latham and Williamson chose the defensive route against tidy bowling. At one point, Williamson was on 1 off 21, and the partnership 17 in 12.2 overs. The first boundary of the innings came in the 14th over when Williamson swept a short ball from Piedt over square leg for four.At lunch, New Zealand were 27 for 1 in 16 overs. After the break, Latham and Williamson came out of their shells. Latham skipped down the ground to Piedt and launched him over long-on for a six, and Williamson pulled Paterson over midwicket before collecting another four off Piedt.The characteristic of Williamson’s innings was his leg-side play; off his 43 runs, only two came on the off side. Overall, both he and Latham looked unhurried and did not mind a string of dot balls. Their 74-run stand was broken when Piedt got one to turn past Latham’s outside edge to hit the off stump.Williamson hit two back-to-back fours off debutant von Berg but fell soon after, caught at short leg off Piedt. Ravindra and Young took the side to a strong position after that, but the collapse undid all the good work.

Manchester United fell heavily by the wayside under Erik ten Hag, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before him; Jose Mourinho, previously, left hot under the collar after his progress unravelled like a spool of string in the wind.

Ruben Amorim has suffered a turbulent time at Old Trafford since replacing his hard-pressed predecessor, but he’s starting to turn a corner. His tactics are sinking in.

Just imagine how high the Portuguese tactician could reach should INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe equip him with a perfect spread of new signings this summer.

However, United have their financial difficulties and will need to sell in order to buy. Signing a striker is among the priorities for the Red Devils, but luckily, neither of Amorim’s recognised centre-forwards have proved they deserve a star role in the years to come at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man United's striking woes

United claimed a point in Sunday’s Manchester derby, which was very much emblematic of the issues presented to both neighbours right now.

Chiefly, the stalemate highlighted glaring deficiencies in attack, especially for the hosts’ part. Rasmus Hojlund toiled once again, replaced by Joshua Zirkzee in the second half. The Dutchman, who was signed from Bologna last summer for £36.5m, “offers a lot more” than his teammate, according to The United Stand’s Beth Tucker.

Even so, he’s not the long-term solution as the star focal frontman.

Minutes played

71′

19′

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

15

11

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

7/9 (78%)

4/6 (67%)

Key passes

0

0

Dribbles

0/0

0/0

Duels won

1/4

1/2

Hojlund, Man United’s £72m number nine, was a non-entity once again. At least Zirkzee, replacing him with just under 20 minutes left to play, sought to make things happen, sought to take some initiative.

With just three goals from 26 Premier League appearances this season, Hojlund, who is 22, is apt for sale this summer, especially when considering that he’s averaging 0.8 shots per game.

How much Man United could recoup for a player like Hojlund, who is clearly talented but has endured a torrid time of it this year, remains to be seen.

However, the Dane will need to part with his red shirt if things are going to improve. United, for that matter, have identified the perfect replacement for Hojlund, and only by selling him will they be able to pounce.

INEOS make bid for new striker

As per Spanish sources, Man United are very much in the running for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, who has been one of the most prolific players in Europe over the past couple of years.

The Athletic confirmed last week that Arsenal have bumped him up to the top of their wish-list given Newcastle United are staying firm on their £150m valuation of Alexander Isak, but INEOS will hope that Amorim’s connection with the Portugal champions could see a bid from United hold sway.

Gyokeres, 25, is the gold standard, and the Red Devils know it. In fact, the report suggests that they have already offered a €75m (£64m) figure to take him off Sporting’s hands and reunite him with his former gaffer, albeit with Chelsea in the same boat.

Why Man United should sign Viktor Gyokeres

For what it’s worth, former Tottenham star Rafael van der Vaart remarked that Gyokeres is “a better version of Haaland,” owing to his more complete and dynamic skill set.

The data, in fairness, takes a step toward backing such an audacious claim up. As per FBref, Gyokeres ranks among the top 2% of forwards across Europe over the past year for goals scored, the top 5% for pass completion and shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.

So then, you see why he’s such a covetous man right now. Given that he fronted Amorim’s system at Sporting, posted 66 goals and 23 assists across just 68 matches for the young manager, you begin to see why INEOS are so desperate to bring him over to Manchester this year.

Such a powerful, precise and imposing number nine must leave Bruno Fernandes giddy at the thought of playing with him. Man United’s skipper, the all-inspiring talisman and all-embracing leader, has been the brightest light to emerge from a dreary campaign, popping up with big moments and providing creative support and defensive relief in nearly every fixture he competes in.

The 30-year-old is so many things for his team, but his chance creation is quite literally second to none, surely something that may tempt Gyokeres to move to Old Trafford and lead the line for Amorim’s side, charged as he would be by Fernandes’ consistent playmaking.

1.

Bruno Fernandes

30

74

2.

Cole Palmer

30

71

3.

Mohamed Salah

31

70

4.

Dejan Kulusevski

27

62

5.

Enzo Fernandez

29

60

While he wouldn’t come cheap, Gyokeres is the perfect profile for United and if signing a striker is neglected this summer, it’s hard to see how Amorim is going to close the huge gap between his team and their rivals.

There’s all the Sweden international’s clinical nature to consider. Sofascore record that he has missed 22 big chances across Liga Portugal and Champions League campaigns this season, scoring 36 goals across the two competitions.

That’s an insane level of composure and success in the ball-striking department. Truly, if such prowess can be translated to the Premier League, United could return to the forefront of the division, especially with Fernandes pulling the strings from behind.

Make no mistake, this is a player of greatness, a player who, in different circumstances, would be heralded with more effusive praises. Instead, he has remained committed to the United cause.

Fernandes has tasted a few pieces of silverware since walking through the gates, but if partnered with Gyokeres in a purring Amorim system, there’s no telling how high this club might reach.

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أكد سيد عبد الحفيظ، مدير الكرة السابق بالنادي الأهلي، أن المرحلة الحالية تتطلب تكاتفاً ودعماً كبيراً للفريق قبل المواجهة المرتقبة أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا في الدوري الممتاز، مشدداً على أن الانتقادات في هذا التوقيت لن تكون في مصلحة النادي.

وقال عبد الحفيظ في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “MBC مصر”: “ما أراه إن هذا التوقيت يحتاج إلى تكاتف أكثر، الفترة الماضية انتقدنا الفريق، لكن الآن نحن على وشك مباراة هامة جدًا قد تعيدك للمنافسة”.

وتابع سيد عبد الحفيظ: “أنا كمنتمي للأهلي أتساءل، هل من مصلحة الأهلي أن ننتقد الآن؟ لا، المفترض أن نجتمع الآن قبل مواجهة سيراميكا كليوباترا لأنها مباراة هامة”.

وأضاف: “مشكلة الأهلي في اللاعبين أنفسهم، عليهم أن يعرفوا المعنى الحقيقي للأهلي والسمات الحقيقية التي تميز النادي، وأن من يدخل الفريق يأخذ من سمات النادي وليس العكس، وهي أن اللاعبين يكون قلبهم على قلب بعض، هذه هي الروح التي تجعلك تكسب بطولة”.

طالع أيضًا | شوبير يوضح موقف فيتوريا من تدريب الأهلي.. ويوجه اللوم للجمهور

وأردف: “بداية الأهلي المتعثرة قد تحدث، لاعبو الأهلي ليسوا في حالتهم الجيدة، في موسم 2010 -2011 كان هناك أسماء كبيرة في الأهلي وكانت نفس الحالة السيئة، ثم عادوا وانطلقوا انطلاقة قوية، لذلك أطلب من الجميع الاتحاد والاجتماع خلف الفريق في الفترة الحالية لنتخطى هذه الفترة”.

وبسؤاله عن إمكانية توليه منصب المدير الرياضي للنادي الأهلي، أجاب عبد الحفيظ: “لا يجب أن تسألني هذا السؤال خاصة وأن هناك من يعمل في هذا المنصب الآن منذ فترة قليلة، فلا بد أن يأخذ فرصته وما زال الوقت مبكرًا جدًا”.

ومن المقرر أن يواصل الأهلي مبارياته في الدوري المصري بخوض لقاء قوي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، في إطار مواجهات الجولة السابعة من المسابقة المحلية، وذلك يوم الجمعة المُقبل الموافق 19 سبتمبر.

da brwin： Manchester United have now joined the race to sign an “excellent” goalkeeper, who could be brought in as a replacement for Andre Onana this summer, according to a report.

Major concern over Onana's Man Utd performances

da fazobetai： Onana was the subject of heavy criticism prior to Man United’s recent Europa League clash against Lyon, with Nemanja Matic launching a scathing attack on the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old didn’t exactly manage to silence the critics at the Groupama Stadium, making a late blunder to gift Rayan Cherki an equalising goal, which means there is everything still to play for at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

After the poor display against Lyon, Onana was dropped from the squad for the trip to St. James’ Park, but Altay Bayindir didn’t exactly stake a claim for a regular starting spot, with the Red Devils succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

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As such, Ruben Amorim is now looking to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, and Man Utd have joined the race for Anders goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, according to a report from The Boot Room.

Fofana’s performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brentford and Nottingham Forest also making checks in recent weeks.

Previous reports have detailed that the Angers shot-stopper could be available for just £15m this summer, so Amorim may not have to break the bank if he chooses to pursue a deal.

"Excellent" Fofana could be Onana upgrade

It is clear Amorim is losing faith with Onana, and it is little wonder, given that the Cameroonian’s latest blunder could be costly in United’s Europa League campaign, while Bayindir also failed to impress against Newcastle.

Fofana’s performances this season indicate he could be an upgrade for United between the sticks, having been lauded as “excellent” by members of the media after putting in a solid display against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Ivorian, and believes the £15m fee Angers are set to hold out for “could be a bargain”.

The 24-year-old is yet to prove himself at the highest level, but his performances this season indicate he could be capable of making the step-up to a top club, and his availability for a low fee is an added bonus for United.

Babar Azam has been appointed captain of the Pakistan side in white-ball cricket, the PCB announced on Sunday. As reported by ESPNcricinfo a few days ago, the announcement means Shaheen Shah Afridi’s one-series stint as T20I captain comes to an end.”Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team,” the PCB posted on X.Babar had reluctantly stepped down as captain after the PCB made clear they wanted to name a replacement in November, which led to Afridi’s appointment. At the time, Afridi was the hot favourite to take over as ODI captain, too, though subsequent events meant those prospects receded.For Babar, this is unlikely to be seen as anything other than vindication after the manner of his ouster following Pakistan’s indifferent World Cup. Former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf had presented his decision to remove Babar as fait accompli, leading Babar to put out his statement of resignation. That, a mere four months and one white-ball series later, the PCB found itself turning back to Babar places him in a significant position of strength.The majority of the four newly appointed members to the selection panel were understood to be in favour in reinstating Babar, though he did have certain preconditions before he accepted the captaincy once more. In discussions with the PCB, he wanted guarantees he would not be removed again on a whim following the T20I World Cup in June, asking for a longer stint at the helm. In addition, ESPNcricinfo understands he has asked for much greater control in matters of selection than he believed he previously had.The PCB’s brief dalliance with Afridi is unlikely to have done his morale much good. The writing was on the wall for him since Naqvi refused to back him at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday, saying at the time a final decision would be made after Pakistan’s training camp with the military ended. But it appears there has been a rapid loss of faith in Afridi’s leadership abilities when he led Pakistan in one series and his PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars. Pakistan lost the T20I series against New Zealand 4-1, and Qalandars won just one game out of ten and finished bottom of the PSL table. Part of the appeal of appointing Afridi, still 23, as captain was he could learn on the job and continue in the role for an extended period of time.Babar’s first assignment since his reappointment is a five-match T20I home series against New Zealand next month.

Wolves have made contact over the signing of a “brilliant” Manchester United player on a free transfer this summer, according to a new report.

Man Utd circling for Cunha after Wolves win at Old Trafford

Wanderers are sweating over the future of star man Mathues Cunha, with United looking like they are leading the race to sign him at the end of this season. The Brazilian has been such an impressive performer for Wolves, in what has largely been an underwhelming season for too many players, scoring 14 goals in the Premier League and once again shining in the recent 1-0 win at United.

If Cunha does leave Wanderers this summer, a top-quality player needs to come in and replace him, and Chelsea’s Joao Felix has been mentioned as a loan target. The Portuguese hasn’t reached his potential, having won the European Golden Boy award back in 2019, but he could still be an exciting addition.

Aside from Cunha, there could be other exits at Wolves in the coming months, with Tommy Doyle expected to move on to pastures new, in order enjoy more regular playing time. Now, a well-known central defender has been backed to head to Molineux in the next transfer window.

Wolves make contact with Man Utd's Lindelof

According to the latest from Caught Offside, Wolves have “been in contact” with United centre-back Victor Lindelof over a summer move to Molineux. The 30-year-old is expected to leave the Reds Devils on a free transfer at the end of the season, and Wanderers are among a host of clubs who are keen on snapping him up. Fulham, Everton and West Ham are all mentioned in the report, too.

The £120,000-a-week Lindelof could be a shrewd signing by Wolves, even though his best days may arguably be behind him, hence United being willing to lose him on a free. The defender is a hugely experienced figure, making 277 appearances for the Red Devils and winning 71 caps for Sweden, while Fraizer Campbell lauded a performance against Everton last season.

“He was brilliant. He’s not let his man have time or space, [Jack] Harrison, who started on the right fot them, he’s a good player, he could have caused us a lot of problems, he snuffed that out. He did really well. That’s exactly what the manager wants. He wants people he can trust when he picks them, whatever position they play in, to do a job for him. He’s demonstrating that by playing left-back.”

There is a certain gamble Wolves would be taking in signing Lindelof, especially as he has had lots of injury problems at United, but the free aspect of the transfer would take out some of the risk element.

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The Swede can come in and be a strong squad option for Vitor Pereira, putting his experience to good use and adding the much-needed depth that Wanderers crave ahead of what is hopefully a more positive 2025/26 campaign.

The Argentine relishes intimidating his opponents, and his imposing character would restore a winning mentality at Old Trafford

If Manchester United end up signing Emiliano Martinez, then the goalkeeper might need to apologise to the Old Trafford faithful given the relationship between them. After seeing Bruno Fernandes hammer a stoppage-time penalty over the bar to confirm Aston Villa's 1-0 win in 2021, Martinez began dancing in front of the Stretford End, deliberately goading the supporters.

Though he did not directly save the penalty, Martinez was effectively claiming the assist, and for good reason: the Argentine wound up Fernandes by telling him that Cristiano Ronaldo should take the spot-kick, and the mind games worked as Fernandes missed only his second of 23 penalties for the Red Devils, handing Villa a first win at Old Trafford for 12 years.

United fans have also seen Martinez lose his head to their benefit, when he was sent off in the final game of last season for rushing out of his area and clattering into Rasmus Hojlund. Both sides of Martinez's mentality will be being pored over by United's coaching staff and recruitment team as the club weighs up whether or not to sign him from Villa, but what they will be most interested in is his ability to make saves. The ex-Arsenal man is the best in the world when it comes to that particular skill, one that has been devalued in football lately, especially by United.

And that is why the Red Devils should make signing Martinez their next priority after completing a deal to secure Bryan Mbeumo, as they would be getting a world-beating goalkeeper who is renowned primarily for keeping the ball out of the net.

gettyWeakness exposed

When United signed Andre Onana in 2023, all the talk was about the Cameroonian's skill with the ball at his feet and how his arrival would help Erik ten Hag finally implement the possession-based football he wanted his United team to play to take them to the next level. Not much analysis was done on Onana's shot-stopping ability, and his shortcomings in that area were brutally exposed soon after his £47m ($64m) arrival from Inter.

Onana was lobbed from the halfway line in a friendly against Lens on his Old Trafford debut before enduring a truly torrid time in the Champions League, as he made ghastly errors against Bayern Munich and in both matches against Galatasaray which directly led to United being dumped out of Europe's elite competition. He has continued to make high-profile errors ever since, most notably in April's Europa League clash with Lyon after being dragged into a war of words with Nemanja Matic.

His footwork has barely compensated for all those errors, and after two years there has been no noticeable improvement in United's ability to play out from the back. Onana has even cost them infuriating goals when trying to play out, such as when he failed to communicate with Patrick Dorgu against Ipswich Town in February. The goalkeeper has mostly abandoned short passing and has resorted to hoofing the ball downfield, more often than not hitting it out of play or to the opposition.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesChange in priorities

Onana's litany of mistakes have evidently frustrated Ruben Amorim, and the Portuguese even dropped the goalkeeper for one game after the Lyon debacle. When asked in a press conference whether he needed to replace Onana in the long term, Amorim did get into a heated argument with a reporter, but what was most telling was that he did not defend his No.1 nor talk up his qualities. "We need to improve every position on the field" was his response; not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Just as the season was winding down, it was reported that Amorim had grown so frustrated with Onana's mistakes that he had tweaked the team's style of play to discourage the ex-Ajax man from playing out from the back. It was also reported that the coach primarily wanted a goalkeeper who could give 'peace of mind' and 'reduce the sense of volatility' that had defined the team's defensive displays.

The search for a potential Onana replacement would focus on ' fundamental traits like shot-stopping, catching, and minimising errors rather than building play from the back'. If that report is accurate, then Martinez and Amorim are speaking the same language.

GettyFrom the bottom to the very top

Martinez has taken the long road to superstardom after joining Arsenal as a 17-year-old. He spent time up and down England playing in the unglamorous lower leagues, dropping as low as fourth-tier League Two to play for Oxford United as well as taking in Championship stints with Wolves, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United.

Playing out from the back is rarely a priority in such surroundings, and Martinez thus focused on the basics of goalkeeping. He maintained that focus when his career began to finally take off back at Arsenal and then at Villa, as well as when he became Argentina's No.1 as he played a pivotal role in them winning the World Cup and two Copas America.

Martinez saved three penalties in the semi-final shootout triumph over Colombia in the 2021 Copa America, playing incredible mind games with his opponents which could be easily heard in a stadium that was empty due to Covid-19 rules. His shootout heroics continued into both the 2022 World Cup quarter-final win over the Netherlands and the final victory against France, as well as in the 2024 Copa America quarters against Ecuador. He collected the Golden Glove at all three tournaments and was subsequently named the top goalkeeper in the world, winning the Yashin Trophy (part of the Ballon d'Or awards) in 2023 and 2024 while scooping the FIFA Best Goalkeeper prize in 2022 and 2024.

Getty'By saving, I win titles'

Martinez celebrates the fact that he is known above all for his ability to make saves. He told 'Sports Center': "Now in the football world the first question they ask about a goalkeeper is 'Is he good with his feet?'. Sometimes clubs maybe sign a goalkeeper who's skilled with their feet but doesn't save much. I always focus on needing to save better than I play with my feet. I focus on saving, saving, saving. By saving, I win titles."

Signing Martinez would signal United going back to their roots for having a goalkeeper who is adept at making saves. David de Gea was an incredible shot-stopper and that is why he went on to become the goalkeeper with both the most appearances and clean sheets in the club's history. That ability was ultimately under-appreciated by the club amid their bid to modernise and find their own version of Ederson, but signing Martinez would be a step back in the right direction.

The 32-year-old is a figure who intimidates opposition players. In his own words, he likes to "create chaos" for his rivals, and he shares many traits with United's most legendary goalkeeper of all, Peter Schmeichel.

حرص اثنين من لاعبي ليفربول على توجيه التهنئة إلى نجم فريق باريس سان جيرمان، عثمان ديمبلي، على تتويجه بجائزة الكرة الذهبية لأفضل لاعب في العالم لعام 2025.

وتمكن عثمان ديمبلي من الحصول على جائزة الكرة الذهبية، المُقدمة من جانب مجلة “فرانس فوتبول” الشهيرة، وذلك لأول مرة في مسيرته، خلال حفل مساء أمس في العاصمة الفرنسية باريس.

وكان محمد صلاح ضمن المرشحين لنيل الكرة الذهبية، ورأى الكثيرون أنه الأجدر بها ولكن انتهى به المطاف للتواجد في المركز الرابع.

وسلطت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية الضوء على رد فعل ثنائي ليفربول، هوجو إيكتيكي وإبراهيما كوناتي، تجاه تتويج ديمبلي بالكرة الذهبية، على حساب محمد صلاح.

اقرأ أيضًا.. صحفي أمريكي ينتقد فوز ديمبلي بـ الكرة الذهبية: محمد صلاح الأحق.. جائزة لا قيمة لها الآن

وأوضحت أن إيكتيكي وإبراهيما كوناتي وجها التهنئة لـ ديمبلي، رغم كون محمد صلاح زميلهما في صفوف ليفربول.

وغاب محمد صلاح عن حفل الكرة الذهبية، ولكن زميليه فيرجيل فان دايك وأليسون بيكر كانا حاضرين ليشهدا فوز ديمبلي، ورغم أنهما ربما شعرا بالتعاطف مع موقف المصري، إلا أن إيكتيكي وكوناتي كانا في وضع أصعب.

وأشارت “ميرور” إلى أن إيكتيكي وكوناتي يعرفان ديمبلي جيدًا من خلال المنتخب الفرنسي، في حين شارك الأول غرفة الملابس لفترة وجيزة مع الفائز بالكرة الذهبية في باريس سان جيرمان.

وسارع إيكتيكي وكوناتي إلى تقديم التهنئة لـ ديمبلي، عبر إنستجرام، عقب الإعلان عن فوزه بالجائزة، حيث كتب الأول: “في قمة السعادة، شكرًا لك يا عثمان ديمبلي”، وكتب الآخر: “تهانينا يا أخي”.

وأفادت الصحيفة بأن الأمر المؤكد هو أن محمد صلاح لن يحمل أي ضغينة تجاه زميليه في ليفربول لاحتفالهما بنجاح منافسه على الكرة الذهبية، مشددة على أن إضاعة الفرصة هذه المرة ستحفزه على مواصلة سعيه للفوز بالجائزة قبل اعتزاله.

Islamabad United scored the lowest first-innings total of PSL 2024 and went down for their second loss in three games

Associated Press23-Feb-2024Quetta Gladiators overcame a late batting collapse to beat Islamabad United by three wickets on Thursday for their third straight win in the Pakistan Super League.Quetta dismantled United’s batting through spinners and restricted them to this season’s lowest total of 138 of 9.United pushed for an unlikely win when they grabbed three late wickets off eight balls. Naseem Shah (2-34) knocked back the off stump of Sherfane Rutherford (29), Akeal Hosein was run-out when he went for a needless third run, and Mohammad Wasim (1) was clean bowled by Shadab Khan (2-24) while attempting a reckless swipe at the Islamabad skipper.Mohammad Amir showed plenty of courage to smash two boundaries with captain Rilee Rossouw scoring an unbeaten 34 as Quetta reached 139-7 with 10 balls to spare.Quetta joined Multan Sultans at the top of the leaderboard with six points from three games. Islamabad has lost back-to-back games and has two points.Jason Roy had provided Gladiators a brisk start of 51 in the powerplay when the Englishman smashed 37 off 18 balls before he played fast bowler Hunain Shah’s PSL debut ball back onto his stumps. Hunain is one of the three brothers picked by Islamabad this season along with Naseem and Ubaid.Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was relieved from the Gladiators captaincy after leading the franchise for eight seasons in a row, could make only one before he was trapped leg before wicket by Shadab before Rutherford and Rossouw combined in a 62-run stand.Earlier, after being sent in to bat, United faltered after cruising along at 69-1 in the first seven overs. Salman Ali Agha (33), who was dropped by Amir early in his knock, Alex Hales (21) and Colin Munro (20) all couldn’t convert good starts and threw away their wickets.Abrar Ahmed (3-18) and Hosein (2-32) dismantled Islamabad’s batting power-house on a slow and dry wicket while Wasim ran through the lower order with 3-20 that included wickets of Faheem Ashraf and Rumman Raees off the last two balls of the innings.Hales smashed Hosein for back-to-back sixes before he went for a needless third big hit against the left-arm spinner and was caught at covers. Munro and Agha both miscued big shots and were caught in the deep as Islamabad lost eight wickets for 69 runs in the last 13 overs.