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Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways on Saturday, defeating Brentford 2-0 courtesy of goals from Xavi Simons and Richarlison.

It was the first time that Thomas Frank’s men have won a game of football since November 4th when they defeated Copenhagen 4-0 in the Champions League.

Since then, the Lilywhites have been on a dire run of form, notably losing the north London derby 4-1. It’s a sequence of results that has thrown doubts over Frank’s future in the dugout.

What won’t help Spurs is that they’ve now received a series of injury blows following the win over Frank’s former side.

Tottenham dealt injury blows against Brentford

Spurs may well have sealed all three points on Saturday afternoon but the game didn’t come without some bad news for the club.

Indeed, they now have injury concerns over Destiny Udogie and Randal Kolo Muani before they face Slavia Prague in Europe on Wednesday night.

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Udogie missed Saturday’s 2-0 win over Brentford after he sustained a soft tissue injury in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle while PSG loanee Kolo Muani stood out against Brentford but was subbed early and was later seen limping as he left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Frank was quizzed about those issues after the game, with the Dane asked how long Udogie will be out for.

The manager responded: “Not too long. He got a soft tissue injury, unfortunately, against Newcastle.”

Spurs are already without long-term absentees Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison while Mathys Tel will be missing after not being registered in the club’s Champions League squad.

The north Londoners will now hope they can string a positive sequence of results together with the win against the Bees somewhat easing the pressure on the manager.

Speaking after sealing their first home win in the Premier League since August 16th, the boss stated: “Yeah, that is the standard.

“Sometimes there’s more tight games, as we know, but I like what I saw from the team and that’s what we need to build on and try to become even better.”

As good as Simons: Spurs sensation was looking like Bale 2.0 vs Brentford

One Tottenham Hotspur player managed to catch the eye during this afternoon’s victory.

By
Ethan Lamb

5 days ago

Wolves are now expressing an interest in signing a Man City player, with one of their squad members potentially set to leave in January.

Wolves nailed on for relegation barring Rob Edwards miracle

The Old Gold face the most perilous situation in the Premier League, rooted firmly to the bottom of the table with just two points from 14 games.

Wolves appear destined for Championship football unless Rob Edwards can orchestrate an almighty turnaround during the second half of the campaign.

Edwards arrived from Middlesbrough in mid-November, leaving a promotion-chasing outfit second in the Championship to tackle one of football’s most daunting rescue missions.

Wolves still remain winless, sitting 12 points adrift of safety – a margin that already carries significant historical weight.

No team has ever survived relegation after collecting merely two points from their opening 14 games, and at their current rate, they would finish the season with just seven points — threatening to eclipse Derby County’s infamous 11-point record from the 2007-08 campaign.

Huddersfield Town (18/19)

16

Sheffield United (23/24)

16

Sunderland (05/06)

15

Southampton (24/25)

12

Derby County

11

The appointment of Edwards represents a desperate gamble by chairman Jeff Shi, who acknowledged the club needs a complete philosophical refresh.

Edwards’ deep connections to Molineux — having made over 100 appearances as a player before serving in various coaching capacities — offer hope that he understands the DNA required to navigate this crisis.

Wolves plotting January bid for "prolific" £17.5m striker with 29 G/A last season

The Old Gold are looking to bring in a centre-forward this winter, in order to bolster their survival hopes.

ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025

However, his task is monumental. Vitor Pereira managed just a 36.8 per cent win rate before his sacking in early November, inheriting a squad stripped of its best talent through successive transfer windows.

The pattern has become devastatingly familiar.

After selling Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes in 2023, then Pedro Neto and Max Kilman in 2024, Wolves lost Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri last summer without securing adequate replacements.

Cunha’s departure to Man United for £62.5 million removed their most reliable goalscorer, 17 goals in all competitions last season, while Ait-Nouri joined Manchester City for £31 million.

The club’s attacking output has obviously collapsed as a result, with just seven goals scored so far — the division’s worst record and only team failing to reach double figures.

However, according to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, Shi and Fosun do have a succession plan for goalkeeper Jose Sa.

Wolves express James Trafford interest with Jose Sa set to leave

Indeed, it is believed that Wolves have expressed interest in signing Man City’s James Trafford on loan in January as Edwards searches for solutions.

The 23-year-old England youth international finds himself behind Gianluigi Donnarumma in Pep Guardiola’s pecking order after the Italian’s summer arrival, which is bad timing ahead of the World Cup next year.

After starting the campaign as City’s number one following Ederson’s departure to Fenerbahçe, Trafford has managed just three appearances since August and is eager to continue his development elsewhere.

Wolves face mounting concerns between the posts, with current number one Sam Johnstone enduring a difficult spell.

His error against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday proved costly, failing to connect properly with Omari Hutchinson’s cross and allowing the winning goal.

Meanwhile, second-choice Sa is ‘potentially set to leave’ next month, with West Ham monitoring the Portuguese ahead of a potential winter swoop.

Trafford enjoyed an outstanding 2024-25 Championship campaign with Burnley before returning to City, keeping 29 clean sheets in 45 appearances with an impressive 84.6 per cent save percentage.

His promotion-winning pedigree under Scott Parker could prove invaluable as Edwards desperately seeks reinforcements capable of mounting an unlikely survival bid during the second half of the season.

However, they’ll have to contend with competition for Trafford’s services, with Tottenham also believed to be exploring a move for the ‘top talent’.

India have never been swept in a bilateral ODI series against Australia as they aim to bounce back in Sydney

Tristan Lavalette24-Oct-2025

Xavier Bartlett dismissed Virat Kohli for a duck•Getty Images

Big Picture – Can India avert a clean sweep?In an anti-climax, considering the rivalry and general fanfare, the third ODI at the SCG will be a dead rubber after Australia clinched the series with a two-wicket victory in Adelaide.The final result probably flattered India, who fought to the end but were mostly up against it through the game. While valid excuses could be made for the truncated rain-affected opener in Perth, India were generally outplayed in the second ODI and could never quite recover from the early wickets of captain Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, who bagged a second consecutive duck for the first time in his legendary ODI career.India’s top-order has been completely pinned down by Josh Hazlewood, the standout quick across the two games as England watch on ahead of the Ashes. The much-hyped returns of Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not quite gone to plan, although Rohit top-scored with 73 in Adelaide, and there remains an unknown over their futures with some pushing for Yashasvi Jaiswal to freshen up the top-order.Related

Calm and composed Connolly showcases his worth

Edwards called up for Sydney ODI, Beardman added to T20 squad

Shreyas Iyer begins new chapter with old stance in Australia

Josh Hazlewood and the beauty of a wicketless spell

Short, Connolly, Zampa guide Australia to series victory in Adelaide

Without Hardik Pandya, India have looked unbalanced and they trotted out the same XI across the two games to no avail. There are clearly teething problems for Gill as he looks to start moulding his preferred line-up.In a notable contrast, Australia feel rejuvenated especially with fringe players Matt Short, Cooper Connolly, Mitch Owen and Matthew Renshaw making valuable contributions in their successful run chase in Adelaide.Their performances would have pleased Australia’s hierarchy as they look to bed down a batting-order after the ODI retirements of Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell.Australia have never swept India in a bilateral ODI series, providing further motivation for a group that is currently in good spirits after a patchy run in 50-over cricket.Like in the previous two games, a pro-India crowd is expected amid a sold-out SCG.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia WWWLL
India LLWWWShubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir talk during a training session•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Matt Renshaw and Shubman GillHaving waited nine years into his international career to play ODIs, Renshaw has fitted in seamlessly after finishing the job in Perth with an unbeaten 21 off 24 followed by a run a ball 30 in Adelaide. He has publicly spoken about shutting out the external noise and exuded composure after coming to the crease in Adelaide with Australia wobbling at 54 for 2. Renshaw helped change the momentum with a brisk 55-run partnership with Matt Short, but would have been annoyed to not make a big score after being knocked over by a looping delivery from left-arm spinner Axar Patel having attempted to launch over mid-off. Renshaw is set to get another chance in Sydney as competition hots up in this transitioning batting-order. There is also the Ashes hovering, with Renshaw considered an outside chance of being in the selection mix.There has been a lot of attention on the returns of Kohli and Rohit, which has somewhat deflected the slow start to Gill’s ODI captaincy. Gill has been unable to set the tone like he spectacularly did in Test cricket. He has made just 10 and 9 although hasn’t been helped by Rohit holding up an end early in the innings, putting pressure on Gill to counterattack. He will face some heat early in his captaincy reign if India succumb to just a sixth ODI series whitewash in their proud history, underlining the importance of this game.Team news: Hazlewood/Starc may opt for restAustralia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Matt Short, 4 Matthew Renshaw, 5 Alex Carey (wk), 6 Cooper Connolly, 7 Mitch Owen, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Mitchell Starc/Jack Edwards, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Nathan Ellis/Josh HazlewoodWith the match a dead rubber, Australia might be tempted to rest Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc with there being just one day of rest between games two and three. Nathan Ellis, who performed well in game one, might be recalled while allrounder Jack Edwards has been named in the squad on the back of strong form on Australia A’s tour of India. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann has also returned to the squad after an impressive effort in the first ODI but two spinners in the XI seems unlikely.Josh Inglis has joined the squad in Sydney after missing the first two but is unlikely to play as he continues to recover from a calf strain, which means the top seven will likely remain the same.Josh Hazlewood could be rested•CA/Getty Images

India (possible): 1 Shubman Gill [capt], 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Axar Patel, 6 KL Rahul (wk), 7 Washington Sundar/Kuldeep Yadav, 8 Nitish Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed SirajIndia decided to stick with the same XI in Adelaide but it did not do the trick and changes are almost certain. There has been a lot of debate over whether left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav should be in the side with the attack lacking some bite so far in the series. India have preferred the more conservative option of allrounder Washington Sundar, who has taken three wickets in the series but failed with the bat. Seamer Prasidh Krishna could be in the frame to replace Harshit Rana, who has been expensive in the series. It is also interesting to see if they find a way to give a game to Yashasvi Jaiswal.Pitch and conditionsClear and pleasant conditions are expected in Sydney on Saturday. While turn has not been as notable at the SCG in recent times compared to previous decades, spinners have still played a vital role on flat surfaces. Australia’s batters have feasted in the conditions, piling on huge scores during their current six-game winning streak in ODIs at the ground.Stats and triviaKohli still needs 54 runs to move past Kumar Sangakkara and into second place on the ODI runs list.India have lost the toss a record 17 times in a row in ODIs dating back to the 2023 World Cup final. India have not lost three consecutive ODIs since a four-game skid to Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2021-22 Australia have a commanding 16-2 (1 no result) record over India at the SCG. India’s only victories were six-wicket wins in 2008 and 2016.Quotes”We’ve got a lot of depth in Australian cricket. With Smudge [Smith] and Maxi [Maxwell] retiring from one-day cricket earlier in the year, there’s room for some younger guys to come through.”
“It definitely hurts [to lose the series]. I personally feel the way Australian bowlers bowl on such wickets, they have a fair bit of an advantage at the start and they utilised it pretty well.”

He might not have the big trophies just yet, but Mikel Arteta has already achieved a lot at Arsenal.

He has taken a club that was spiralling into competitive irrelevance and turned them into serious contenders for the Premier League and Champions League.

Furthermore, on several occasions, he has helped revitalise the careers of players most considered to be done at the very highest level.

He has done the same this year, with someone who only last year received some particularly scathing criticism.

The best career revivals at Arsenal

When it comes to redemption stories at Arsenal, the one everyone will think of first, and rightly so, is Granit Xhaka’s.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The Swiss international famously fell foul of the Emirates faithful in late 2019 when, as he was being jeered, he threw the armband and his shirt to the floor while swearing at the supporters.

At the time, it looked like his time in N5 was up, and were it not for the Spaniard, it probably would have been.

The midfielder would later tell the press that “my suitcases were packed, but I had a meeting with Mikel when he came” and that “he [Arteta] is the reason why I’m still at this football club.”

Over the next few years, the passionate international would slowly win the fans back onside, and by the time his final game came at the end of the 22/23 season, the entire Emirates was singing his name, and seemed desperate for him to stay.

Another player whose career has been revived in N5 is Kai Havertz.

The German wasn’t taken particularly seriously when he made his surprise move to the club in 2023, and the fact that he struggled to have an impact in the first half of that season certainly didn’t help.

In fact, just a month into the campaign, former professional Gabby Agbonlahor described the former Bayer Leverkusen man as a “joke.”

However, a move up front completely changed the game for the struggling player, and in 18 starts as a centre-forward, the “magnificent” ace, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored eight goals and provided seven assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.20 games.

Starts

32

18

Goals

6

8

Assists

0

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.18

0.83

Then last season, despite being ruled out halfway through, he still managed to score 15 goals and provide five assists in 36 games.

In all, Havertz might not be Arsenal’s best player, but his revival under Arteta is undeniably impressive, and now another player previously written off is starting to show his best form again this season.

The Arsenal star who is now undroppable

The good news for Arsenal is that there are more than a handful of players who are currently undroppable, although few would have expected Leandro Trossard to be among them at the start of the season.

Now, the £90k-per-week Belgian is an undeniably talented player, but it would be fair to say that he underwhelmed last season.

While it took him just 46 games to produce 20 goal involvements the previous year, it took 56 games to produce the same number last season.

Moreover, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star was simply having less of an impact on games, unless, of course, you include the red card he picked up against Manchester City, for which Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville blasted him. The latter notably labelled the situation as “ridiculous.”

The 30-year-old was such a disappointment that by the end of the season, fans seemed alright with moving him on to sign someone more dynamic, and based on reports, it looked like that might have been the club’s plan.

However, such a move never transpired, and fans should be delighted about that, as so far this season, he has been utterly superb.

For example, in just 14 appearances, totalling 832 minutes, the Waterschei-born “little magician,” as dubbed by Arteta, has scored four goals and provided four assists.

In other words, he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 104 minutes, which is a rate of return not even Bukay Saka can match at the moment.

It’s not just his raw numbers that have improved, though; he is also having far more of an influence in games.

For example, while his thunderous effort against Sunderland caught everyone’s attention, he played brilliantly throughout.

Ultimately, it’s early in the season, but as things stand, Trossard is utterly undroppable and looks like another player Arteta has revived.

Arsenal dealt Martin Odegaard injury blow after three-word Norway update

The Gunners captain was reported to be eyeing a return against Tottenham.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 13, 2025

Manchester United’s fans have been hugely disappointed over the last 12 years, with the club unable to reach the heights that were set under the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

The Scotsman led the Red Devils to a staggering 13 Premier League titles, but since his retirement in 2013, the first-team have only been able to muster multiple second-place finishes.

Ruben Amorim will no doubt want to end such a drought, but the 2024/25 campaign was the polar opposite of what he would have had in mind after taking the reins in November.

The 15th-place finish was unacceptable, especially given the expectations of the fanbase, but the recent run of three wins in a row has highlighted glimpses of a turnaround in form.

However, the upcoming January transfer window will present a new opportunity for the manager to further invest in the squad and bolster the options at his disposal.

United’s hunt for added additions in January

Over the past couple of days, United have been named as one of the sides interested in a move for Borussia Dortmund star Jobe Bellingham in the January window.

The Englishman only moved to the Bundesliga during the summer, but after just two starts in 2025/26, he could be set for a quick exit to gain valuable minutes to aid his progression.

A £42m price tag has been mooted as a result, but other teams such as Crystal Palace and Sunderland are also in the race for his signature at present.

However, he’s not the only player in their sights, with AC Milan winger Rafael Leao another top-level star who’s reportedly being scouted by the Red Devils hierarchy.

According to TEAMtalk, the Portuguese international would be “very keen” on a Premier League switch, with Arsenal and Chelsea just two other sides in contention for his services.

Their report also states that the 26-year-old does have a €150m (£132m) release clause in his contract, but it remains unclear if the Italian side would be willing to negotiate a cut-price deal.

Why United’s £132m target is even better than Mbeumo

The summer gave Amorim and United the perfect chance to improve the first-team squad, with the hierarchy forking out a fee in the region of £71m for attacker Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian international was a key target for multiple sides in the division, but ultimately, it was the Red Devils who came out on top to win the race for his services.

Many people raised eyebrows at the mammoth fee, especially after one solid year in the top-flight with 20 goals, but it’s safe to say the money spent looks worthwhile just a handful of games into his spell.

The 26-year-old has already found the net on five occasions within his first ten outings for the club, already sitting as the club’s top goalscorer at present.

Mbeumo has nailed his starting role down in Amorim’s system, but that could be about to change beyond January – especially if a deal is agreed for Leao.

There’s no denying it would be a hefty investment given the recent spending at Old Trafford, yet it could be one that takes the current first-team squad to the next level.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from the current season, the Portuguese star has managed to outperform the current United star in countless key areas.

Games played

5

9

Goals scored

3

5

Minutes per goal

91

193

Progressive carries

4.1

3.1

Progressive passes

3.3

2.3

Take-ons completed

2.3

0.8

Pass accuracy

75%

74%

Key passes completed

1.9

1.8

Passes into the 18-yard box

1.5

0.8

Leao may have scored slightly fewer goals in 2025/26, but he has posted a better minute per goal ratio – showcasing his clinical nature within the final third.

With the ball at his feet, the Milan star has dominated Mbeumo, posting a higher tally of take-ons per 90 and subsequently achieving a higher success rate.

Finding a teammate is also another strong point of his game, as seen by his higher tallies of key passes and passes into the opposition box per 90 in 2025/26.

Such numbers would allow the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha to also hit the ground running in Manchester after their own big-money transfers this summer.

To top off his dominance over the current Red Devils star, Leao has produced more progressive passes and progressive carries per 90 – highlighting his ability to get the ball into forward areas at any given opportunity.

£132m is an absurd amount of money, with United having to break the current English transfer record to secure his signature if the Serie A side are unwilling to negotiate.

However, it’s evidently clear that the 26-year-old is a phenomenal talent, levels above Mbeumo, with the hierarchy needing to jump at the chance of landing him in January.

Not Cunha or Mbeumo: Man Utd gem is becoming one of the "best in the world"

Manchester United have yet another world-class star on their hands under Ruben Amorim.

2 ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

Former Real Madrid and Spain centre-back Sergio Ramos has departed Mexican side Monterrey following their final game of the season. Monterrey fell to a 3-2 defeat to Toluca in the semi-finals of the Liga MX playoffs, and Ramos has confirmed that he has played his final game for the club. However, the legendary defender has no plans to call time on his playing career.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'This is my last game' says Ramos

  Ramos moved to the Mexican side earlier this year following his departure from La Liga side Sevilla. The 39-year-old returned to the Spanish outfit in 2023 after his PSG exit but at the weekend confirmed that Monterrey's 3-2 loss to Toluca would mark his final appearance for the club.

  "I made it very clear last week. Obviously, yes – this is my last game," Ramos said following the weekend's defeat. Reflecting on the semi-final loss, the experienced defender stated that "losing a semi-final always hurts, especially when you fall just short of a final."

  "There’s a lot to assess. We practically gave away the first half. We lacked intensity, rhythm, personality, and control of the ball. You can lose – football works that way – but if you lose, it should be by playing like we did in the second half, not the first, which we gifted to them."

  Ramos leaves the club having made 32 competitive appearances in 2025, scoring seven goals and receiving one red card, and is determined to play in Europe once again.

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• Ramos keen to continue playing

  And as a free agent, Ramos is free to choose where to play next outside of the traditional winter and summer transfer windows. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has also confirmed that the World Cup winning centre-back has a number of proposals as he assesses his options.

  "Sergio Ramos leaves Monterrey as he confirms he’s played his last game in Mexico," Romano posted on his official X account. "Ramos wants to continue playing football, no plans to retire and set to assess proposals. Free agent from now on."

  AC Milan have since emerged as a potential destination for Ramos with Italian publication Calcimercato reporting that former Spain star is offering his services to the Italian giants. Ramos is keen to reunite with former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric, who left Los Blancos for the San Siro earlier this year.

  Modric has made an impressive start to life in Milan as the Rossoneri look to secure the Scudetto in Max Allegri's first game back at the AC Milan helm.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Ramos a surviving member of Spain's 2010 World Cup winning squad

  Ramos is one of four members of Spain's 2010 World Cup winning squad still playing. Winger Pedro is on the books at Serie A side Lazio, while centre-back Raul Albiol plies his trade for Pisa. Juan Mata, meanwhile, moved to A-League side Melbourne Victory earlier this year after a brief stint with Western Sydney Warriors.

  Ramos is not looking to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who both called time on their career recently. The ex-Barcelona pair both played the full 90 for Inter Miami, who claimed a 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2025 MLS Cup final over the weekend.

  Lionel Messi was instrumental in the victory, providing two assists as Alba and Busquets both ended their respective playing spells on a high.

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• What trophies has Ramos won?

  Ramos has enjoyed a distinguished career for both club and country, which saw him win La Liga five times, the Champions League four times and the Copa Del Rey twice with Real Madrid. In addition, he claimed two Ligue 1 winners' medal during his two-year spell with PSG.

  For country, meanwhile, Ramos was part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, and was a key member of the side that won the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Andres Iniesta scored a extra-time winner 15 years' ago as La Roja got the better of the Netherlands.

  And Spain are looking to win football's showpiece in North America next summer and were drawn against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H in Friday's World Cup draw.

Suryavanshi scored a 15-ball 38 in chase but the middle order failed to fire before an unlikely lifeline took the game to a Super Over

Shashank Kishore21-Nov-2025
Bangladesh A won the Super OverIn a thriller that nearly went into a second Super Over, Bangladesh A seamer Ripon Mondol knocked India A out in the semi-final of the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha, Qatar on Friday.Mondol delivered a superb 19th over, giving away just five runs and removing the well-set Ramandeep Singh to leave India A needing 16 off the final over; a target Bangladesh A nearly didn’t defend.With eight needed off the last three balls, Jishan Alam dropped a sitter at long-off to reprieve Ashutosh Sharma off left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan. Even worse, he parried it to the boundary for four. Ashutosh couldn’t capitalise, though, and was bowled next ball to leave India A needing four off the final delivery.Yet, India A found an unlikely lifeline thanks to a misjudged underarm throw from Bangladesh A captain Akbar Ali. As Harsh Dubey dug out a full delivery to long-on, he’d nearly given up but somehow willed himself to run a second.Akbar collected the return and had enough time to run to the stumps to seal the game, but instead flicked an underarm throw that missed. With no one backing up, India A stole a third run to force a Super Over.India A then perhaps misfired tactically, not unleashing the tournament’s highest six-hitter, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, to open. Instead, Mondol bowled a pinpoint yorker to castle a frazzled Jitesh Sharma, who premeditated too early and got into a tangle attempting to paddle. Ashutosh toe-ended a yorker straight to extra cover as India A ran out of gas, leaving Bangladesh A a mere one run for victory.There appeared to be another twist when Suyash Sharma struck off the first delivery to remove Yasir Ali to a sharp catch by Ramandeep at the long-on fence. Akbar then took a strike with an opportunity to undo some of his earlier damage. Fortunately for him, Suyash’s misdirected googly ended up being a wide and Bangladesh A sealed victory in dramatic circumstances.Habibur Rahman Sohan led Bangladesh A’s charge•Asian Cricket CouncilAs a result, India A bowed out following an underwhelming campaign, where they were also beaten by Pakistan A in the group stages, while also being pushed by Oman.As chaotic as the finish was, India A would reflect on a poor finish with the ball as one of the major turning points. They conceded 50 off the last two overs alone, as left-hander SM Meherob made an unbeaten 48 off 18 balls. This included four stunning sixes in a 28-run penultimate over by Naman Dhir.Meherob’s cameo was the perfect sequel to Habibur Rahman’s 46-ball 65 up top that helped set up the game for Bangladesh A, before the middle-order briefly wobbled.India A brought up their fifty off just 19 balls as Vaibhav Suryavanshi went big, hitting two fours and four sixes in his 38 off 15 before he toe-ended a slog to long-on. Dhir struggled for timing – he was on 3 off 10 at one stage – and fell soon after.The chase was revived by Priyansh Arya and Jitesh Sharma, who made 44 and 33, respectively, to ensure India A were up with the asking rate for most parts. When Jitesh fell to leave India A 150 for 4 in 15 overs, the chase was upon Ramandeep and Nehal Wadhera, who appeared to have it under control before India A’s chase combusted in dramatic circumstances.

Graeme Smith and Vernon Philander look back to 2012, when South Africa became the No. 1 Test side, and what the team needs to do to get there again in the WTC final

Firdose Moonda06-Jun-2025South Africa have done it before: become world Test champions (though it was not called the World Test Championship then) at Lord’s. Though much has changed in the 13 years since, two of the architects of their success in 2012 believe the class of 2025 can do it again. Former captain Graeme Smith and player of the match in the Lord’s Test, Vernon Philander, spoke about their experiences of handling pressure, playing the mental game and what it meant to become No. 1.When we was fab
By the time South Africa got to England, they had been hovering near the top of the Test rankings for years, had a reputation as a formidable outfit, and won consistently away from home. Back then they were unbeaten for six years and eight series on the road and believed they had earned the right to be called the best.”It started for us in ’07, when we started to build a style of play, the right type of personnel, and a batting unit that could perform consistently as a top six,” Smith says. “We also had a really well-rounded attack that offered me enough options. We had wicket takers, we had bounce, we had solid spin options, and having allrounders like [Jacques] Kallis and [AB] de Villiers gives you options as well.”Related

'I don't buy this thing about us beating nobody' – Conrad responds to Vaughan's criticism

Make plan, find a way and believe – South Africa's not-quite-perfect WTC campaign

Rabada sorry about drug use but 'won't be Mr-I-Apologise too much'

Rabada heads six-man pace attack in SA's WTC final squad

Smith's South Africa come of age

After Hashim Amla’s triple-hundred at The Oval and a weather-affected draw at Headingley, South Africa went to Lord’s 1-0 up.No one reached three figures in a first-innings total of 309, and things were kept even when they bowled England out for 315. Amla scored another century in the second innings and South Africa set England a target of 346. England were 16 for 2 heading into the final day, 120 for 4 at lunch, and 208 for 6 in the third session. It was tense until the end.”That was a great test,’ Smith says. “Once we got to our second-innings total, I thought we’d be in with a chance because of our bowlers. As a captain, it was about holding your nerve, planning for the moment and trying to keep the game together, so you can then attack again. These are skills that I think you only get when playing and winning and through tough times.”Philander’s match haul of 7 for 78, and specifically his second-innings five-for, was instrumental in South Africa’s win at Lord’s•PA PhotosUltimately, Philander’s 5 for 30 won the match and the mace. “For me, it was always about picking those big moments and wanting to be the guy that gets the team across the line,” he says. “And Lord’s is a special place – the history that goes with playing at Lord’s, the aura of playing [there], there’s so much to take in and to soak up. Once you walk through that members’ lounge, I don’t think you need much more motivation as a player. You look at the honours board and the names on the honours board and you want to have your name engraved there too.”In that game, it was not like the bat dominated or the ball dominated but for bowlers, there was always something in it because of the slope. We used that to our advantage.”Here we are, tough road or not
That 2012 South Africa side travelled to explorer Mike Horn’s home in the Swiss Alps for a few days before playing two practice matches in England. It was seen as unnecessary and outlandish but had its merits. “We got a lot of flack in terms of our preparation,” Philander says. “We went to Switzerland instead of playing an extra warm-up game, so the English media were all over us, but if you look at the team’s record up until then, we had a hell of an away record. For us, we needed to get mentally sharp before heading into that series. A lot of English media wrote us up as underprepared, but we knew what we were about, we knew our identity as a team, and that really came to the fore.”This time around, South Africa are playing a warm-up match against Zimbabwe at Arundel, which has been weather-affected, but half the squad has just come off game time at IPL and others were playing on the county circuit. There are fewer worries about match-readiness than there are about the quality of the opposition they’ve played – in the lead-up and throughout the cycle.South Africa played neither England nor Australia in the 2023-2025 WTC period, and their only visit to the subcontinent was to play Bangladesh. Some of the pre-final talk has questioned whether South Africa deserved to be there. But Smith has bullishly batted that back and urged the current team to embrace the underdogs’ tag.Bavuma has led South Africa in nine Tests since 2023, and hasn’t lost one yet•ICC via Getty Images”Everyone knew what South Africa’s run to the WTC final was [like] and it just so happened that they went and nailed it. No one complained at the beginning [of the cycle]. It’s just ultimately their teams aren’t there and that’s frustrating to them,” he says. “The mental preparation for Shuks [Shukri Conrad, South Africa head coach] and Temba [Bavuma] is gonna be so important, because it doesn’t matter what other people say, you have a chance to go and play a wonderful game. In your career, you don’t know how many times these types of opportunities are going to come around for you, and it’s about them recognising that.”Philander is certain South Africa have had a tough enough path. “You have to give a lot of credit to this team and the way they’ve gone about their work, especially the last 12 months,” he said. “It’s not easy to win in Bangladesh, let alone being a team that doesn’t have any superstar names and with a lack of experience in those kinds of conditions. They’ve had to fight and overcome a lot of battles along the way. And in every series they just became better and better. The self-belief came to the fore. They’re not dependent on a particular player. It’s a matter of the guys really backing each other and believing in themselves.”Bavuma, Conrad and Co
Smith’s captaincy was well established by 2012 – he had had 100 Tests in charge – and he was also among their best batters. Bavuma has had just two years of experience in the role, but in that time he has been South Africa’s second-highest run-scorer. Smith says Bavuma and Conrad will have to manage the environment leading up to the final.”Gary [Kirsten, South Africa’s coach in 2012] and I had a very great working relationship. He knew when I needed to step in and vice-versa,” Smith said. “When you get into that game, then Temba’s got to control it. He’s going to have to lead. In the build-up Shuks might do a little bit more. Then when you get into the Test match those roles kind of shift. Your captain’s going to have to be a key performer in the Test match.Philander sees Dane Paterson (centre) as a key part of South Africa’s bowling attack in the WTC final•Gallo Images”It’s obviously an exciting time for Temba, but it’s also a big game. It will be about playing the moments, and handling the pressure as the game goes on. The thing about tense Test matches, in every session, as a captain, you say it’s an important session, because it starts to feel like that. You can’t have a soft session. They’re [the team] gonna have to make sure that every session they’re up for it and that they don’t give away an inch.”A career-ending injury to Mark Boucher in 2012 meant South Africa had to make a last-minute tactical change to their team, which allowed them to lengthen the batting line-up. With AB de Villiers behind the stumps, they played with seven frontline batters, three seamers and a spinner. Now, they line up similarly, but the presence of three seam-bowling allrounders – Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Corbin Bosch – means they have an additional quick at their disposal.Heading into Lord’s, they have two main selection questions: who will bat No. 3, and who will be the third specialist seamer joining Kagiso Rabada and Jansen? All indications are that Mulder could be promoted to No. 3, with Tristan Stubbs (who was initially given the role last year) at No. 5. That leaves no room for Tony de Zorzi. One of Bosch, Lungi Ngidi or Dane Paterson will be in the pace pack.For Philander, the choice is obvious. “Patto is going to be key for me,” he says. “Lord’s has a slope, so there will be natural variation in the surface, and for a bowler of his kind of pace [around 130kph], batters always feel that they need to play them and [they] very often get dragged into playing at balls that they don’t have to.”An attack of Rabada, Jansen, Paterson and Mulder excites Philander, and though it doesn’t have the star power of Australia’s Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood, he believes they’ll match up. “There’s a beautiful mixture of skills. You’ve got Marco Jansen, he’s tall and he can swing the ball. [Paterson] will be consistent and he can move the ball both ways, and KG [Rabada] is going to do what KG does best: hit the surface hard and extract movement out of the surface. And Keshav Maharaj is such an important bowler. He’s going to hold things tight and he’s going to allow those guys to operate, and hopefully strike,” he says. “If you look at the Australian set-up, many would argue that they perhaps have the more senior of the two attacks, but it’s a wonderful opportunity for these guys to go over and just do what they’ve been doing.”Rabada has had a fractious rivalry with Australia, and now there’s fuel for more•Associated PressDoes Rabada have a target on his back?
Experience, both in number of caps and winning ICC trophies, is not the only thing about Australia that may worry South Africa. There’s also the love-to-hate history between the two sides, whose most acrimonious meetings included the 2018 Sandpapergate series. South Africa will be wary of the war of words that might be coming their way.The first spat could involve comments to or about Rabada, who has previously been engaged in battle with Australia (when he shoulder-brushed Steven Smith in 2018) and has served a month-long ban for cocaine use. Rabada has already said he is prepared for whatever Australia bring, and even looking forward to it, but Graeme Smith hopes the topic will not be too much of a fire starter.”The best way to approach these things is to just hit it on the head and be honest and say sorry. It’s not like the Aussies have had a perfect record of not making mistakes. KG has been through the process. He served his punishment so the only thing to do is just to own it, and say sorry and get on with it,” Smith says. “Playing in Australia, one of the things that really worked for us at the end of each day’s play was to chill in the changing room and talk about all the stuff that we had heard in the day because that took away the sting of it. It became humorous for us. But then you’ve got to match it with performance.”The import of the mace
Having had more than their share of heartbreak, South Africans are too scared and scarred to dare dream of what winning may mean for them, but Smith and Philander, who have experienced it, can speak to what it does. When they became No. 1, they stayed there and kept winning for much of the next three years. When they were dethroned in 2015, it precipitated a slide down the rankings, and it has taken them a decade to rebuild. Smith now sees them as being on the brink of being the finished article.Mace me: dare South Africa dream of stealing the Test Championship from Australia again?•ICC/Getty Images”They’re at that point now where they’re putting those pieces together,” he says. “For Test cricket to remain strong, you absolutely need South Africa. You need a South Africa that’s competing and strong. We’ve seen when the team does well people are still engaged in Test cricket and want to support it. In a T20, one person can come off and upset the apple cart, but in a Test match, over a number of days, it’s attrition, it’s a test of your mental ability, and your skills can be tested dramatically. They’ve got talent and ability and match-winners, especially with the ball. In a one-off Test match, they definitely stand a chance. If it was over three to five, maybe it would be a little bit tougher, but in a one-off , I absolutely think they’ve got enough fire power to compete with Australia.”And if they do get there?It will be the start of a whole new story of success in South African sport, which Philander believes will set a new high-water mark. “When you’re at the top, you almost need to be training harder, you’re more hungry and more determined to want to stay there. There’s a new set of expectations,” he says. “If this team wins the mace, there will be a new energy in South African cricket overall because it sends a clear message to the rest of the guys coming through.”And I remember in 2012, for a couple of the younger guys coming through at the time, Faf [du Plessis] and later KG – the standard at the time was set. We lost that standard a little bit, but right now I can see that it is being upheld again and there’s a real sense of pride in the way the guys go about their business, the way the guys train, the language being spoken in and around the group. I feel they’ve done a phenomenal job in building this team culture. Now it’s just, go and do it.”

Two epic finishes in Chennai, one against Australia and one against England. Which one do you remember more fondly?

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-AUS 2001 Chennai Test moves into the quarter-finals.Harbhajan too good for Australia – Chennai, 2001It was fitting that a series that had kept everyone on the edge of their seats ended in a thrilling last-day finish.After Matthew Hayden’s 203 had taken Australia to 391, India responded by racking up 501. Like he had in the first innings, Harbhajan Singh ripped through the Australia middle order in the second innings, as they ended the fourth day on 241 for 7, a lead of 131.On the fifth morning, Harbhajan wasted little time in picking up the last three Australia wickets, bundling them for 264. He returned second-innings figures of 8 for 84 and match figures of 15 for 127, finishing with 32 wickets for the series.But he wasn’t done.Chasing 155, India lost Shiv Sunder Das early, but Sadagoppan Ramesh and VVS Laxman added 58 to give India the advantage. But a middle-order collapse followed, and it was game on. But keeper Sameer Dighe, on Test debut, held his cool as he took India closer. India lost Zaheer Khan just four runs shy of a win, but Harbhajan sliced a Glenn McGrath delivery past point to give India a famous Test and series win.India’s chase to remember vs England – Chennai, 2008It was not a match India were supposed to win. For three days and two sessions at Chepauk, England were on top. India were staring at a target close to 400, when nothing above 300 had ever been chased before in the country (and the highest target chased at the venue was 155).But then the England bowlers came across a belligerent Virender Sehwag, who laid the platform for India to push for the win on the fifth day. Gautam Gambhir put in the grind at the top. And then Yuvraj Singh, with his Test credentials under the scanner, joined Sachin Tendulkar at the crease to take India over the line on a pitch with awkward bounce.Tendulkar applied the icing on the cake, hitting the winning runs while also bringing up a fine fourth-innings century. Only six higher totals have been chased in Test history than the 387 by India in Chennai, only two of which have come in Asia, and none in India. It was a win, as ESPNcricinfo’s Editor-in-Chief Sambit Bal noted at the time, forged by unwavering belief to go for the jugular and not just settle for a draw.

غادرت بعثة الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، مطار جوهانسبرج منذ قليل، في طريقها إلى القاهرة عقب خوض مباراة كايزر تشيفز في الكونفدرالية بالأمس.

وتعادل الزمالك مع نظيره كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي، بهدف لكل فريق، في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما على استاد بيتر موكابا في الجولة الثانية لمباريات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

وكانت البعثة مكثت في مطار جوهانسبرج ترانزيت لمدة 4 ساعات، بعد مغادرتها لمدينة بولوكواني، قبل أن تستقل طائرة العودة إلى مطار القاهرة الدولي.

طالع | انضمام ثنائي الزمالك إلى منتخب مصر الثاني استعدادًا لـ كأس العرب

ومن المنتظر أن تستغرق الرحلة من جوهانسبرج إلى القاهرة حوالي 8 ساعات.

ويقع الزمالك في مجموعة تضم كلًا من: كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي – المصري البورسعيدي – زيسكو يونايتد الزامبي.