In the face of universal outrage over the ball-tampering controversy, the chief executive will arrive in Johannesburg on Tuesday to assess the findings of the integrity officer’s hurried investigation

Daniel Brettig26-Mar-20181:19

‘It seemed completely beyond belief’

Further action against Australia captain Steven Smith, deputy David Warner, the coach Darren Lehmann and any other implicated members of the South Africa touring party will be confirmed by Wednesday morning, enough time for replacement players and staff to be flown to Johannesburg ahead of the fourth and final Test of a series now synonymous with the ball-tampering fiasco of Cape Town.MCC calls for cultural shift

Cricket’s leaders must be at the vanguard of a cultural shift for the game to eradicate the spiral of poor behaviour towards Australia’s calculated ball tampering offence during the Newlands Test, according to the game’s traditional law-makers, the MCC.
“Changing the condition of the ball is prohibited under Law 41 concerning Unfair Play,” the MCC chief executive John Stephenson said. “Law 41 also places upon the captains of both sides the responsibility for ensuring that play is carried out in accordance with the spirit of the game as well as within the Laws.
“The behaviour of some of the players in the current South Africa/Australia series, and other incidents in recent times in the game we all cherish, has fallen well below the standard required to inspire future generations of cricket-loving families. The time has come for a major shift in attitude and culture of all those with responsibility for leadership within the game, to give young players the kind of role models who will uphold standards, preserve cricket and, vitally, the Spirit of Cricket for future generations.”

In the face of universal outrage from Cricket Australia’s corporate sponsors and amid negotiations for the next round of broadcast rights, the chief executive James Sutherland will travel to Johannesburg to assess the findings of the integrity officer Iain Roy’s hurried investigation into the events of the Newlands Test, which commenced at the Australian team hotel in Cape Town on Monday.While the CA’s code-of-behaviour (CoB) charges likely to be brought against numerous members of the Australian team will require CoB commission hearings, with the right to natural justice and procedural fairness are also enshrined in its terms, the board will have the option of standing down any players or coaching staff found to be in breach until the hearing or hearings can be held with an independent commissioner.This means that in addition to Smith, already banned from the Wanderers Test by the ICC, Warner is almost certainly set to miss the match, with Cameron Bancroft also an unlikely participant. CA advised state associations on Monday of Roy’s investigation needing to be concluded in time to determine “at a minimum” selections for the fourth Test, which starts on Friday, and of the possibility of replacement players being flown over. Justin Langer, the Western Australia coach, is also reportedly waiting in the wings should Lehmann be removed.Sutherland’s journey to South Africa has echoes of a similar trip made on the eve of the 2013 Ashes series, when the then coach Mickey Arthur was replaced by Lehmann as a result of disciplinary problems within the team personified by Warner’s drunken punch at Joe Root in a Birmingham bar following the loss of a match at the Champions Trophy. At the time, Sutherland spoke of “grasping the nettle” in advance of public expectation, but this time he and CA have been left reacting to a far greater level of umbrage.2:28

A brief history of ball-tampering in cricket

“Iain Roy and Pat Howard arrive in Cape Town this morning local time, and Iain will immediately conduct his inquiries around the specifics of the ball-tampering incident,” Sutherland said. “I am travelling to Johannesburg this evening and will arrive Tuesday morning local time to meet Iain to understand the findings of the investigation to that point, and to determine recommended outcomes. We know Australians want answers and we will keep you updated on our findings and next steps, as a matter of urgency.”Players most likely to be added to the squad will come from the Queensland and Tasmanian teams currently contesting the Sheffield Shield final, which ends in Brisbane on Tuesday. The Bulls openers Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns, plus the Tasmanian captain George Bailey, would appear the most likely players to be called up.There has been considerable disquiet within the team about events, with the pacemen Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc particularly unhappy to be drawn into the episode via Smith’s use of the term “leadership group” to describe discussions around ball tampering. At the same time, Warner is becoming seen as the central player in the decision to try to manipulate the condition of the ball with a foreign object, leading his opening partner Bancroft to make the attempt captured on television cameras.Save for the acting captain Tim Paine’s brief appearance at the end of the Newlands Test, no member of the Australian team has spoken publicly since Smith’s initial press conference alongside Bancroft. Lehmann’s customary post-match media conference did not take place, and a call with the spin bowler Nathan Lyon was also cancelled on Monday after Sutherland’s plan to fly to South Africa emerged – he is now expected to be the next person to speak on the events of Newlands, in Johannesburg on Tuesday night local time.”The Cricket Australia Board has been fully updated on the issue and supports James travelling to South Africa to manage the response to the investigation currently underway,” the CA chairman David Peever said. “We expect to be able to fully update the Australian public on the findings on Wednesday morning. We understand that everyone wants answers, but we must follow our due diligence before any further decisions are made.”James Sutherland leaves a press conference•Getty ImagesThe urgency of the issue for CA was underlined on Monday by an unprecedented rush of critical comments from corporate sponsors of the governing body and individual players. Sanitarium, Qantas, Lion, Commonwealth Bank, KFC, Accenture, Magellan Financial Group and the heath insurer Bupa, all expressed disappointment in the national team and encouraged CA to take prompt action.A spokesperson for Sanitarium, which sponsors the Twenty20 Big Bash League and also Smith, said the company would consider its future relationship with the suspended captain pending the outcome of the CA investigation. “Cricket Australia updated us on this issue as the story broke yesterday and we’re continuing to follow it closely. It’s a shameful moment for Australian sport.”Regarding our sponsorship relationship with Steve Smith, we will assess our response once the management team of Cricket Australia has finalised its investigations. Like the rest of Australia, we’re incredibly disappointed. The actions taken by the team in South Africa are not aligned with our own – Sanitarium does not condone cheating in sport. We expect Cricket Australia to continue to keep us updated over the coming days and weeks.”Former England captain Michael Atherton, himself embroiled in a ball tampering scandal in a Test match against South Africa at Lord’s in 1994, said that Smith did not appear to realise the gravity of the situation when he first spoke about it. “It seemed clear to me from watching Smith’s press conference, that he had not grasped the seriousness of his situation,” he wrote in the .”He could have been talking about a dropped catch or two. When I was fined at Lord’s in 1994, the first thing I did was call Graham Gooch into the back office and ask him whether he thought I should resign. Even in those fraught hours, I was completely aware of the gravity of the situation, and that it was a possibility that I would have to stand down. Smith seemed to lack that awareness which speaks of hubris.”

Arsenal have already dropped their first points of the 2023/24 Premier League season following last week’s 2-2 draw against Fulham, and it’s clear that Mikel Arteta still has plenty of work to do in order to turn his squad from also-rans into league champions.

The summer transfer window saw just four new arrivals make the journey to the capital and with Champions League football returning to the Emirates following a seven-year hiatus, it remains to be seen whether they are ready for the step-up in quality.

Who did Arsenal sign during the transfer window?

Goalkeeper David Raya arrived on a season long loan deal as experienced cover for Aaron Ramsdale, while defender Jurrien Timber joined from Ajax alongside Kai Havertz from Chelsea and Declan Rice from West Ham United in what was a saga which stretched for the majority of the summer window.

A grand total of £208m was spent and with the spine of his team significantly improved from last term, a lack of depth may prove to be Arteta’s undoing, especially if the club go on deep runs in Europe and the domestic cups.

Timber was injured in their opening Premier League match of the new season and faces the prospect of missing the entire season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury, while Havertz has yet to sparkle, failing to score or grab an assist across four matches for the club.

Rice, on the other hand, has been a wonderful signing and although it’s early doors, he could become a mainstay in the Arsenal midfield for the next few years and cement himself as a legend.

How has Declan Rice performed this season?

Having led West Ham to their first trophy in over 40 years as they claimed the Europa Conference League last term, it was inevitable Rice was leaving the club.

The £240k-per-week gem has embraced the challenge of playing for a bigger team extraordinarily well, and he looks comfortable at this level.

The midfielder has an average Sofascore rating of 7.37 from his three league matches so far, good enough to rank him fifth in the squad, while he ranks third for accurate passes per game (69), tackles per game (three) and second for interceptions per game (1.3), already displaying his passing and defensive skills to the Emirates faithful.

It’s no wonder he has previously been described as a “Rolls Royce” by journalist Joshua Mbu, and he is exactly the type of player that Arsenal requires in the heart of their midfield if they wish to be challenging the likes of Manchester City for the league title.

Rice will only get better by playing with players such as Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka and this should elevate his game to the next level in the coming years.

Arteta was also keen on another midfielder during the summer transfer window and although a deal failed to materialise, it's evident Rice is the better player.

Could Arsenal have signed Moises Caicedo?

Along with Rice, the saga involving Moises Caicedo was also one of the longest-running transfer sagas of the entire summer, with a whole host of teams showing interest in the young Ecuadorian starlet.

The Gunners had two bids rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion for the player back in January and they reignited their interest once the transfer window opened in June.

Chelsea were also keeping tabs on the youngster and as soon as the Rice move accelerated, Arteta focussed on securing the Englishman, leaving a plethora of clubs to do battle over the in-demand gem.

It was those at Stamford Bridge who did eventually secure Caicedo's signature for what could turn into a British record fee of £115m, with that representing £10m more than what Rice cost Arsenal earlier in the window.

They have struck gold on the 24-year-old however, and he is arguably a better player than Caicedo. Indeed, last season, Rice registered more goals and assists (five v two), shots per 90 (0.96 v 0.8), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.75 v 2.52), a higher percentage of challenges (62% v 58.8) and completed a higher percentage of successful take-ons (55.6% v 51.9%), clearing proving that he outshone Caicedo over a variety of metrics last term.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, Rice ranks in the top 5% for interceptions per 90 (1.78) and the top 15% for progressive carries per 90 (2.33), demonstrating that not only does he win the ball back often during matches, but he also drives forward with it on a regular basis in order to create chances.

In comparison, Caicedo ranks in the top 15% for interceptions per game (1.53) while ranking outwith the top 60% for progressive carries per 90 (1.12) when compared to peers, showing that he isn’t as forward-thinking compared to the Englishman.

Although Caicedo made more tackles (2.7 v 2.1) and won more total duels per game (5.9 v 4.4) than Rice in the top flight last season, Rice’s statistics are still excellent, and his attacking output will be key to any future Arsenal success.

Despite the extravagant cost, Rice has shown the pedigree in the Premier League which will allow him to blossom into one of the finest midfielders in the country in what will hopefully be a trophy laden spell for the player at Arsenal.

Caicedo is already outshining the majority of players in the league and while he is still only 21-years-old, there is no doubt he will continue to get better in the coming years.

There was no way Arteta could have afforded both talents, especially with the current nature of the transfer market, but he has certainly struck gold by signing Rice.

Having won the first piece of silverware of his career last season, the midfielder will be eyeing more glory at the Gunners during the 2023/24 campaign as they look to claim their first league title in 20 years.

Although it will be difficult to repay the £105m they shelled out on him, it’s clear they have signed a generational talent who will give them years of service over the next decade if he stays fit and healthy.

While West Ham United's star man Declan Rice completed a £105m transfer to London rivals Arsenal this summer and David Moyes' outfit toiled to a 14th-placed Premier League finish last year, the London Stadium is awash with optimism at present.

Solely going by these facts, one would assume that West Ham have suffered a compounding blow in losing their centrepiece after failing to live up to the past heights under their Scottish manager's tutelage, having finished sixth and seventh in the English top-flight across the previous two campaigns, but that only tells a segment of the story.

Victory in the Europa Conference League final over Serie A side Fiorentina in June secured a first major honour since 1980 – when the Irons won the FA Cup – and clinched qualification to the Europa League once again, with the triumph followed by splendid work in the transfer market, distributing the money from Rice's sale across several exciting additions.

West Ham summer signings

Transfer fee (via Sky Sports)

Mohammed Kudus

£38m

Edson Alvarez

£35m

James Ward-Prowse

£30m

Konstantinos Mavropanos

£17m

Sean Moore

N/A

Now that Rice has departed, West Ham have lost the tag that comes with such a highly-touted star in the mix, and the early results of the 2023/24 campaign hint at great seasonal success once again, having secured ten points from 12 in the Premier League so far.

Who is West Ham's best player?

The east London outfit boasts a squad steeped in shiny talent, with first-class aces across each department.

In the defence, Kurt Zouma has proved a brilliant signing since he joined from Chelsea for £30m in 2021, praised as an "absolute wrecking machine" by journalist Andrew Gaffney.

In midfield, Rice might have left the flock but summer signings James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez have both taken to life under Moyes' stewardship with aplomb, crucial in the early-season success this year.

And of course, Jarrod Bowen has been the offensive lynchpin since joining from Hull City in a £20m plus deal in 2020, a consistent goal threat and the match-winner against La Viola in June, with his skills attracting the attention of Liverpool, who are ostensibly preparing for life without Mohamed Salah.

Perhaps, however, it is Rice's positional peer, Lucas Paqueta, who takes the crown as the most talented, influential and important member of the Irons team.

How much did West Ham sign Lucas Paqueta for?

Last summer, West Ham sealed a coup in welcoming Brazil star Paqueta to the fold, signing the player from French side Lyon in a club-record £51m transfer, with South American football expert Tim Vickery heralding him as a "classy" and "elegant" midfielder.

It was a move to add some flair and panache to the fold; West Ham were built upon an industrious foundation under Moyes but had not seen a player of such seamless technical quality since the days of Dimitri Payet, and Paqueta, by Moyes' own admission, was the heir.

The signs were certainly promising, with the 26-year-old plundering 11 goals and seven assists across 44 outings during his final term in France, described as "key in the Lyon system" by journalist Josh Bunting.

The £51m move might have appeared steep to some affiliated with West Ham, especially after the previous club-record purchase of Sebastien Haller for £45m fell flat – the Ivorian scored only 14 times from 53 displays – but it is now, undoubtedly, a success, especially considering his integral role in the resounding success in Europe.

How much is Lucas Paqueta worth now?

While Paqueta suffered a slow start to life in the Premier League, described as a "bit of an enigma" by journalist Paul Brown after not quite settling across the first half of the 2022/23 season, he started to shine as the term entered the later phase.

The £150k-per-week maestro posted five goals and seven assists across all competitions, but only four of those contributions came in the first half of the season, with it his sublime through ball that slid through the central channel to play Bowen through on goal to end an interminable wait for silverware.

A proficient creator, Paqueta also boasts an underrated array of defensive weaponry, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 3% for clearances, the top 9% for blocks, the top 6% for aerial wins and the top 16% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

Described as "unreal" by an awestruck teammate in Vladimir Coufal, the 42-cap international – with nine goals – was on the cusp of a move to imperious Premier League champions and treble winners Manchester City this summer, with Pep Guardiola's outfit actively pursuing the dynamic gem and prepared to pay £80m for his services but for an FA betting investigation plugging the chances of a move.

A transfer that would have already proved a 57% rise on the fee paid to bring him to London, the fact that Paqueta has already seen a £29m increase on his name is a testament to the first-class, all-encompassing nature of his craft.

If the 5 foot 10 phenom was discontented with the collapse of a move to arguably the best team in the world, he has not shown much disgruntlement in the early stage of the campaign, bagging a goal and assist apiece from the opening four Premier League games of the term.

He has earned an impressive average Sofascore rating of 7.47, complementing his direct contributions with 1.8 shots and key passes per game, a 74% pass success rate – which is not impressive but an indication of his creativity in possession – and an incredible 4.5 tackles and 10.8 ball recoveries per match.

While West Ham missed out on a pretty penny by not selling the player this summer, he still holds four years on his current deal and will likely command a lucrative fee if and when he does depart, and Moyes and co will hardly be complaining that such a superlative force plies their trade at the heart of the Irons system.

Rangers have suffered a major injury setback for one player ahead of their return to action, acting as a significant blow for Michael Beale.

Who is currently injured for Rangers?

The Gers have endured a below-par to the season, finding themselves struggling for top form in both the Scottish Premiership and in Europe. They were dumped out of the Champions League by PSV Eindhoven, losing 5-1 in the return leg in the Netherlands, and they were beaten 1-0 at home to rivals Celtic in their last league outing.

It means that Beale's side are four points behind their man title adversaries already, giving them little room for error even this early in the season, not to mention cranking up the pressure on the manager.

On Saturday afternoon, Rangers are back in action after the international break, making the trip to St Johnstone for a Saturday lunchtime clash in the league. It feels like a must-win game for Beale and his players, in order to pick up some much-needed momentum.

They aren't without injury problems, however, with Steven Davis a high-profile absentee who isn't expected to return from a serious knee issue until later this year, and Kieran Dowell also unavailable at the moment. Now, another setback has emerged ahead of the weekend action, acting as a further blow for the Gers.

How long is Todd Cantwell out for?

According to The Daily Record, Todd Cantwell has picked up a knee problem, meaning he is out going to be out of action for the next several matches:

"Michael Beale has revealed that Todd Cantwell is set to miss the next "three or four games" with a knee injury. The Englishman has been is a key player for Michael Beale's side this season, playing eight out of nine games for Rangers so far. His last was against the Celtic, seeing out the 90 minutes but had to go off the pitch on the 81st minute for treatment to after a challenge with Celts winger Daizen Maeda.

"Following the 1-0 defeat, images of Cantwell was wearing a leg brace in the airport were circulated on social media. Ahead of the clash with St Johnstone, Beale also noted that Kieran Dowell would remain on the sidelines. However, there was positive news on Tom Lawrence and Kemar Roofe."

This is a massive blow for Rangers, with Cantwell someone who is undoubtedly an important figure moving forward, having completed a move from Norwich City back in the January transfer window. He has scored and assisted six times apiece in 28 appearances, highlighting the quality that he can provide from midfield.

Granted, he hasn't always necessarily been the most consistent figure, but journalist Josh Bunting has described him as "outstanding" in the recent past, and he could be a significant miss over the next month or so, in terms of being something of a link man between the midfield and the attack.

The hope is that his injury isn't too serious and that he misses as few games as possible, but Beale will be cursing his luck at a time when he desperately needs some good fortune.

The India captain believed that Karthik was the best candidate at No. 6 to provide the final flourish, although Karthik was unhappy about not batting higher

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo19-Mar-2018Dinesh Karthik had been unhappy he was not batting higher in the order. Right through the tournament, he had come in no lower than No. 6. In the most recent match, against Bangladesh, he had actually batted at No. 4.But there was a plan, said captain Rohit Sharma, even if Karthik seems not to have been completely briefed on it at the time. Karthik has experience. Karthik has shots around the ground. Thus, he was the perfect candidate to provide the innings with its final flourish.”When I got out, I went and sat in the dugout and Dinesh was quite upset that he didn’t bat at No. 6,” Rohit said. “But I told him: ‘I want you to bat and finish off the game for us, because whatever skill you have, it will be required in the last three or four overs’. That is the only reason he was not batting at No. 6 in the 13th over when I got out. He was upset with that, but he’ll be quite happy now how he finished off the game.”I have to go back to the kinds of shots that he has in his books – it suits him to finish off games at the death where you have to use that one fielder that is inside the circle – either fine leg, or mid-off or short third man. He can always play those ramp shots which he played in the end to Rubel Hossain. He knows that. I thought Mustafizur [Rahman] would bowl probably the 18th and the 20th overs, and we wanted an experienced guy to handle him. We knew he would come out with his offcutters and Dinesh probably would have been a better choice at that point.”That Karthik produced an innings of such quality and poise will perhaps put pressure on India’s selectors to make him a more permanent member of the side. At present, the place of wicketkeeper-batsman is occupied by MS Dhoni who, at 36, is still producing good finishes in limited-overs innings, though not quite with the frequency of his heyday. Before this final, Karthik had spoken of how tough competition in the India side was at present: on how even one poor series or tournament could see him leapfrogged by the next contender. For now, his place in the second string at least, is secure following this 29 off eight balls.”He was with us on the previous tour in South Africa and didn’t get much game time,” Rohit said of Karthik. “To do what he did today will give him a lot of confidence going forward. Most important thing he has is belief in himself. Whatever situation comes, he’s ready – whether he bats up the order or down the order. That’s the kind of guy we need in our team.”Rohit was also full of praise for Washington Sundar, whose economy rate finished at a staggering 5.7 for the tournament. Of the 20 overs he bowled in Sri Lanka, 13 were delivered in the Powerplay. Having taken 1 for 20 in the final, he and Yuzvendra Chahal – who took 3 for 18 – finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-takers, with eight dismissals apiece.”I think throughout the series Sundar’s bowling has been magical for us. What he has done with the new ball is quite incredible, I would say. Not anyone can just take the pressure of bowling within the Powerplay. Not to forget he also got wickets at the same time. He didn’t allow any of the opposition to score runs really in the Powerplay.”The skillset that he has – he’s quite courageous to do what he wants to do in the middle. It’s not just one or two games. He consistently bowled in the Powerplay, and always kept us in the games. We identified him as one of the promising talents who can play for the national team for many years. This tournament will give him a lot of confidence.”

Crystal Palace have unearthed some mighty talent over the years, nurturing some stellar academy stars as well as assisting new arrivals on their path to greatness at Selhurst Park.

Not many talents stick out in south London as prolifically as Wilfried Zaha, who graduated from the academy to go on to make 458 senior appearances for Palace over his 18-year connection to the club.

Now that the Ivorian has bid farewell, it’s time for the new wave of starlets to take centre stage for the Eagles, with Roy Hodgson left with an abundance of talent at his disposal thanks to some smart signings in recent years.

Three years ago, Steve Parish welcomed one bright spark in particular to Selhurst, in a move that has proven to be a huge hit in south London. Step forward Eberechi Eze.

How much was Eberechi Eze worth at QPR?

When Queens Park Rangers signed youngster Eberechi Eze on a free transfer from Millwall in 2016, the R’s couldn’t have expected what the future would hold for both club and player thanks to his talents.

Two years after his arrival, the attacking midfielder broke into the first-team squad sporadically, making 16 Championship appearances in the 2017/18 campaign.

As a result, his expected transfer value (xTV) rose to €3m (£2.5m), as calculated by Football Transfers, telling of the path he would lead going forward.

How much did Crystal Palace sign Eberechi Eze for?

It wasn’t long before the Englishman made it to the big time, sealing a move to Crystal Palace in 2020 for a fee in the region of £20m, £4m of which were to be made up of add-ons.

At the time his xTV sat around the €17.8m (£15.2m) mark, suggesting that Palace overpaid for his services, however, the Eagles would go on to have the last laugh by capturing his signature.

What is Eberechi Eze’s market value now?

After three years and 98 appearances, it’s come to light that Parish struck gold by signing Eze, whose xTV has since rocketed to €35.1m (£30m), showing a mightily impressive £10m rise from the price he was purchased for back in 2020.

At just 25 years old, the growth that the versatile attacker has shown during his rise in the Premier League has earned him praise from beyond the comforts of Selhurst, with him earning two caps for England this year.

Why is Eze worth that much?

Lauded as having the “potential to become a star” by U23 scout Antonio Mango amid his move to Palace, Eze has quickly become one of the best talents in Hodgson’s team.

Last season, the Londoner scored ten goals as well as registering four assists in the Premier League, showcasing his importance to the attack on show in the south of the capital.

The 25-year-old was previously dubbed to be a “different class” by former Palace boss and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, which was supported by Eze registering as the highest-performing player in the Premier League in one decimal.

Indeed, as per FBref, Eze topped the charts in terms of his average of successful take-ons in comparison to other midfielders in the top flight, averaging 2.42 per 90 to show just how much of a menace he is on the ball.

From £20m to being valued at £30m in three years, Parish truly struck gold by signing Eze from QPR, with the future looking bright for both Palace and the England international.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo se despediu da Copa Libertadores 2020 em grande estilo. Na noite desta terça, o Tricolor bateu o Binacional, do Peru, por 5 a 1, com gols de Vitor Bueno, Brenner, Pablo (duas vezes) e Arboleda. A equipe do Morumbi ficou na terceira colocação do Grupo D, com sete pontos ganhos, e ficou com a vaga para a segunda fase da Copa Sul-Americana.

O confronto diante os peruanos demonstrou grande distanciamento técnico entre as equipes. Durante a partida, o São Paulo chegou a ter mais de 80% da posse da bola, na partida que ficou marcada pelo embate entre o ataque do clube do Morumbi e a defesa do Binacional. O gol dos peruanos, inclusive, nasceu de uma jogada isolada.

Primeiro tempo
Não demorou para o São Paulo sair na frente da partida. Logo aos seis minutos do confronto, o meia Vitor Bueno recebeu bola no meio, avançou sem ser incomodado e decidiu arriscar de longe. O são-paulino acertou o ângulo do goleiro Raúl Fernández, que não conseguiu fazer a defesa.

Com a vantagem, o Tricolor passou a dominar ainda mais a partida e abusou dos passes de lado. A impressão era de que a equipe não buscava muita coisa na partida, mas apesar da postura pouco combativa encontrou o segundo gol. Bem posicionado, o garoto Brenner, de apenas 20 anos, aproveitou uma rebatida na área e precisou de apenas um toque na bola para marcar seu nono gol na temporada 2020.

Antes do intervalo, no entanto, o Binacional conseguiu seu gol de honra na partida. Em uma raríssima oportunidade, o atacante Deza recebeu a bola na ponta direita, encarou Tchê Tchê, ganhou vantagem e arrumou o corpo para chutar colocado, sem chances de defesa para Tiago Volpi. Curiosamente, foi o terceiro gol dos peruanos na Libertadores – os outros dois também haviam sido contra o São Paulo.

Segundo tempo
Os últimos 45 minutos do Tricolor na Copa Libertadores 2020 também foram de total domínio na partida. O atacante Pablo fez um golaço de voleio e Arboleda, aproveitando rebote de Pablo, deixou o dele e, para terminar, Pablo – de novo – balançou a rede adversária. Depois, o técnico Fernando Diniz deu rodagem ao elenco, colocou alguns jovens formados na base em campo e pôde observar jogadores que não vinham sendo utilizados, como Toró, Tréllez, Rodrigo Nestor e Helinho.

Tricolor na Sula
A vitória colocou o São Paulo na segunda fase da Copa Sul-Americana (todos os terceiros colocados da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores garantem vaga no segundo torneio da Conmebol). O Tricolor receberá uma premiação de 375 mil dólares (R$ 2,1 milhões na cotação atual) e aguarda o sorteio para saber quem será seu adversário na sequência da temporada.

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FICHA TÉCNICA
SÃO PAULO 5 x 1 BINACIONAL

Local: Morumbi, em São Paulo (SP)
Data-Hora:20/10/2020 – 21h30 (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro:Facundo Tello (ARG)
Assistentes:Juan Belatti (ARG) e Pablo Gonzalez (ARG)
Público/renda:Portões Fechados
Cartões amarelos: Tchê Tchê (São Paulo)
Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols:Vitor Bueno (6’/1ºT) (1-0); Brenner (34’/1ºT) (2-0); Deza (40’/1ºT) (2-1); Pablo (5’/2ºT) (3-1); Arboleda (8’/2ºT) (4-1); Pablo (39’/2ºT) (5-1)

SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Fernando Diniz)
Tiago Volpi; Tchê Tchê, Arboleda, Bruno Alves e Léo; Luan (Toró, aos 30’/2ºT), Daniel Alves (Rodrigo Nestor, aos 18’/2ºT), Igor Gomes (Paulinho Bóia, aos 18’/2ºT) e Vitor Bueno (Helinho, aos 37’/2ºT); Pablo e Brenner (Santiago Tréllez, aos 18’/2ºT).

BINACIONAL (Técnico: Javier Arce)
Raúl Fernández; Ángel Pérez, Fajardo, Mancilla e Jackson Reyes; Labrín, Guachiré, Ojeda, Angles e Arango (Gularte, aos 27’/2ºT); Zeta (Deza, aos26’/1ºT)

أعلن المدير الفني لمنتخب سلوفاكيا، فرانشيسكو كالزونا، عن التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة منتخب بلجيكا مساء اليوم في كأس أمم أوروبا.

ويلتقي المنتخبان في إطار منافسات الجولة الأولى من دور مجموعات كأس أمم أوروبا، يورو 2024.

اقرأ أيضًا | تشكيل بلجيكا أمام سلوفاكيا في يورو 2024.. لوكاكو يقود الهجوم ودي بروين أساسيًا

ويتواجد المنتخبان في المجموعة الخامسة، والتي تضم كل من رومانيا وأوكرانيا، حيث خسرت الأخيرة بثلاثة أهداف دون رد منذ قليل. تشكيل سلوفاكيا أمام بلجيكا في كأس أمم أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: دوبرافكا.

خط الدفاع: بيكاريك، فافرو، سكرينيار، هانكو.

خط الوسط: كوسكا، لوبوتكا، دودا.

خط الهجوم: سكرانز، بوجينيك، هاراسلين.

البدلاء: أوبيرت، ريجو، جيومبر، سوسلوف، توبتا، بينيس، روداك، هروشوفسكي، مورلاكي، ستريليتس، دوريس، بيرو، رافاس، ساور، كوشا.

West Bromwich Albion have made a first move to sign a free-agent midfielder, according to reports.

Who did West Brom sign this summer?

The Baggies had a relatively quiet summer transfer window ahead of Carlos Corberan’s first full season in charge at The Hawthorns.

In total, the club brought in just three new players and didn’t spend a penny. Striker Josh Maja arrived on a free transfer from Bordeaux, whereas Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Jeremy Sarmiento and Ludogorets right-back Pipa made the move on loan.

In regards to outgoings, West Brom cashed in on defender Dara O’Shea to Premier League side Burnley and let go Jake Livermore, David Button and Tom Rogic.

On the pitch, things have got off to a relatively solid start, picking up seven points from their opening five Championship fixtures, leaving them in the top half ahead of this weekend's trip to Bristol City.

However, there could be further scope for the Baggies to add to their squad, with Corberan recently admitting that the free agent is going to be ‘useful’.

“This market is going to be different for everyone in the world. The fact that this year there appears new markets, for example Saudi Arabia, and they don’t have the same timeline as Europe, it’s different.

“Not just for West Bromwich, but for football, the free players’ market is going to be more useful this year than previous years because some things can happen, that nobody expects, in the next two weeks.”

And it looks as if those in the Midlands have now identified one player of interest who is currently without a club.

According to TEAMtalk, West Brom and Championship rivals Southampton have both made enquiries to the agent of Portuguese midfielder Xeka.

However, the two second-tier sides aren’t the only clubs keen, with Crystal Palace, Everton, Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers as well as clubs in France, Italy, Spain and Turkey also interested.

Who is Xeka?

Xeka is primarily a central midfielder but can also play in a holding role or out on the left if needed, showing how he could provide a versatile option at The Hawthorns if the club manage to secure his services.

The 28-year-old doesn’t actually have a weak foot, as per Transfermarkt, and is valued at €6m following his release last month from French side Stade Rennais. He turned out on just nine occasions for his previous employers and is best known for his time at Lille, where he made close to 150 appearances.

Alongside his experience in France, Xeka has also plied his trade in his native country with Braga and SC Covilha and over the past 365 days, has shown his quality when on the pitch.

As per FBref, Xeka has placed highly for pass completion, and blocks, so he could be viewed as another solid option in midfield for Corberan alongside the likes of current options Okay Yokuslu, Nathaniel Chalobah, John Swift, Alex Mowatt and Jayson Molumby, making this one to potentially keep an eye on.

Former England women’s captain will combine management role with continuing to play for Hampshire

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Apr-2018

Charlotte Edwards, the former England women’s captain, has made her first movement into cricket administration by being appointed as Hampshire’s director of women’s cricket.Edwards, who will continue to captain Hampshire Women for a second season this summer, will head up the management of both Hampshire Women’s first-team and player pathway sides, as well as the Southern Vipers – the team she led to the inaugural Kia Super League title in 2016.She takes over the role filled by former Hampshire wicketkeeper Bob Parks, who has announced his retirement after more than 45 years involved in the game.”I’m extremely excited about my new role as director of women’s cricket,” Edwards said. “Having played for Hampshire and Southern Vipers for the past two seasons, I see an ambitious organisation that will complement my passion for domestic cricket. I look forward to working with players, coaches and staff to help Hampshire become one of the leading domestic clubs in the country for women’s cricket.”Edwards, who captained the England Women’s side for more than a decade before retiring in 2015, scored more than 10,000 international runs during her 20-year career.Her career spanned four Ashes series victories, a World T20 title and the 2009 World Cup victory as England captain. In 2014, she was awarded a CBE for her services to cricket.”We’re delighted that Charlotte has agreed to take up the role,” Hampshire’s chief executive officer, David Mann, said. “She’s a legend in the women’s game and has been a superb ambassador for the Vipers both on and off the pitch over the past two seasons.”Her wealth of experience and knowledge of the game will be invaluable assets for our management group and we’re excited by the qualities she brings to the role.”Our thanks must go to Bob Parks who has been an integral part of what the Southern Vipers and Hampshire Women have been able to achieve over the past two seasons and we all wish him well in his retirement.”