After scoring just 127, Zimbabwe had a chance with Afghanistan at 45 for 4, but they let the advantage slip

Himanshu Agrawal14-Dec-2024

[File photo] Azmatullah Omarzai top-scored for Afghanistan in the chase•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Afghanistan were down at 45 for 4 after seven overs in their pursuit of 128 to beat Zimbabwe in the third T20I, and with that, win the series. That could have been the point at which the game went Zimbabwe’s way. But Faraz Akram then bowled an 11-ball over with five wides to give Afghanistan the breathing space they needed, and the fifth-wicket pair of Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib eased into the repair job.Later, Akram’s bowling colleagues worked hard enough to dismiss Omarzai, Naib and Rashid Khan, and leave Afghanistan needing seven runs in the final over to win the game. But the first ball of the 20th, bowled again by Akram, went for four, and Mohammad Nabi wrapped the chase up with three balls remaining.A sloppy Zimbabwe eventually ended up giving away 17 extras, and have now lost all six of their bilateral T20I series against Afghanistan.[File photo] Brian Bennett has been Zimbabwe’s best batter of late•AFP/Getty Images

Bennett continues to scoreAfter contributing in the T20Is against Pakistan prior to this series, Brian Bennett ended as the highest run-getter across the two sides against Afghanistan with 107 runs. He slapped and sliced Naveen-ul-Haq for fours in the third over, as Zimbabwe went on to put up 31 in four overs despite losing Tadiwanashe Marumani early after being asked to bat.Bennett was the third to fall when he swung Omarzai to Naveen at deep midwicket, having hit four boundaries in his 24-ball 31. Zimbabwe were 57 for 3 one ball into the ninth over, and the slowdown had begun.Rashid runs through lower-middle orderFrom being 78 for 3 in the 11th over, Zimbabwe found themselves at 106 for 9 after 17. Rashid bagged four of those six wickets.But the slide had started with Sikandar Raza running out of luck. After a leading edge went over point and a top edge fell short of fine leg in the 11th over, Raza holed out to long leg off Mujeeb Ur Rahman.Mujeeb then had Wessly Madhevere caught for 21, after which Rashid weaved his magic. He trapped Akram in front, had Tashinga Musekiwa pulling to midwicket, saw Richard Ngarava chip to cover off a googly, and pinned Blessingh Muzarabani in front. The last three of those wickets all fell in the 17th over, as Rashid finished with 4 for 27. Although Wellington Masakadza scored 17 not out and added 21 with Trevor Gwandu for the last wicket, Zimbabwe’s 127 was below par.[File photo] Rashid Khan picked up four wickets, including three in one over•Getty Images

Bowlers give Zimbabwe a chanceNgarava and Muzarabani got some extra bounce with the new ball, leaving Afghanistan at 9 for 2 three overs into the chase. Muzarabani struck first, when he had Sediqullah Atal tickling behind to Marumani. Ngarava then had Zubaid Akbari slashing behind to Marumani, as the ball kicked up from outside off.Rahmanullah Gurbaz then cut and clipped Muzarabani for fours in the fourth over, and he and Darwish Rasooli picked 11 runs off the fifth. But Muzarabani, bowling his third over in a row, found Rasooli’s leading edge, as the ball looped up to point.Raza then brought Gwandu into the attack, and some luck went Zimbabwe’s way immediately. A short ball skidded through without bouncing, and got Gurbaz out lbw. Afghanistan were 44 for 4, but Zimbabwe couldn’t capitalise.Omarzai, Naib and Nabi take Afghanistan homeThe over in which Akram bowled five wides went for ten runs, and Afghanistan hardly looked in trouble after that. Omarzai cut and pulled for boundaries during his stand with Naib, as they otherwise ticked along steadily – they added 48 for the fifth wicket, with the required rate below six runs an over.That is when Raza turned one into Naib, and had him lbw for a run-a-ball 22. Omarzai and new batter Nabi kept going mostly with ones and twos – although Nabi drove Ngarava for four on one occasion – but Raza got a simple return catch from Omarzai, who scored 34 from 37 balls.Afghanistan were left needing another 12 runs from nine balls as things got tight, but Nabi dabbed Gwandu for four behind point to settle the nerves. When he got the boundary to start the final over, bowled by Akram, victory was all but sealed.

After reaching an agreement to sign Fer Lopez to get their summer business underway, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly showing “intent” in the race to sign a veteran defender.

Premier League fixtures confirmed as Wolves plot signings

Whilst the chaos continues in the transfer window, the Premier League fixtures have now officially been announced. Discovering their fate, Wolves will have an interesting reunion on the opening day of the 2025/26 season, with the visit of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Manchester City kicking things off in difficult fashion for Vitor Pereira’s side.

Of course, the last thing that Wolves will want is to get sucked into another relegation scrap – especially after Pereira’s instant progress after taking the job last season. But if they do find themselves in trouble, then relegation six-pointers against Leeds United in April and then Sunderland and Burnley in May stand out as crucial fixtures.

Burnley away on the final game of the season could be particularly decisive and already looks like one to watch in the relegation battle. As much as Wolves are keen to avoid another season in and amongst the dropzone, there’s no denying that they could face a tough transition into life without Matheus Cunha and Ait-Nouri.

On that front, however, those at Molineux are already working on replacements. The big question will be whether the likes of Lopez and Evann Guessand are capable of replicating Cunha’s crucial output in the Premier League, which singlehandedly carried Wolves’ frontline at times.

It’s not just attacking additions that the Midlands club need either. Pereira and Wolves have also reportedly set their sights on some key defensive reinforcements and could even reunite with a familiar face as a result this summer and one that Molinuex would need no introduction to.

Wolves show "intent" in Conor Coady race

Just two years on from his departure, Molineux could have one of their favourites back this summer. According to Sky Sports (17:10pm), Wolves are now showing “intent” in the race to sign Conor Coady in a transfer battle against Scottish giants Rangers. The veteran defender has been shown the door at Leicester City, handing Wolves the chance to secure an important reunion with their former captain.

Premier League appearances for Wolves	Total
Ruben Neves	177
Joao Moutinho	175
Adama Traore	157
Conor Coady	151
Raul Jimenez	135

By rejoining Wolves, Coady would instantly become the most experienced Premier League player in the current squad and could even go on to break the record for appearances in the club’s Premier League history, jumping ahead of Ruben Neves in the process.

The veteran defender experienced it all at Molineux, from Championship failure and then Championship promotion all the way to a European tour. Now, at 32 years old, he could return to ensure that Wolves steer clear of the dropzone and so much more once again.

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Whilst it remains to be seen how much Leicester demand to sell their defender, reports that they have opened the door for the £75,000-a-week defender to leave suggest that they’d be willing to accept a relatively cheap price this summer.

Aston Villa have reached an agreement over the signing of a “good character” this summer, according to a key update from reliable journalist Jacob Tanswell.

Rumours of McGinn out and Luiz back at Aston Villa

Transfers rumours continue to come thick and fast at Villa Park this summer, with ins and outs expected in the coming weeks leading up to the new Premier League season.

John McGinn has been a wonderful servant for Villa down the years, but the Scottish veteran has been linked with a move away from the club this summer. Everton are thought to be interested in snapping him up, with Unai Emery perhaps feeling that now is the right time to sell the midfielder, with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027.

In fact, Douglas Luiz has been backed to return to the Midlands for a second stint from Juventus, with the Brazilian potentially coming in as his former teammate’s replacement in the middle of the park, according to some reports. He was an influential figure first time around, and at 27, he still has a huge amount to offer in his career.

It remains to be seen what will happen regarding McGinn and Luiz this summer – some supporters may love the idea of them being back together at Villa Park next season – but away from their respective sagas, another player looks set to be heading to the club.

Aston Villa close to signing 34 y/o "good character"

According to a new update from The Athletic‘s Tanswell on X, Aston Villa have “finalised terms” to complete the signing of veteran Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot, with NSWE and Monchi working their magic.

“AVFC have finalised terms to sign Marco Bizot from Brest. 34yo regarded a good character, with experience & low-cost fee other key factors. Will be GK No 2 – target position filled for Villa & remain in pursuit of defender & winger.”

The signing of Bizot may not feel like the most earth-shattering piece of business that Villa have ever done, given his age and the fact that he is likely coming in as a squad player, but it still feels like a sensible signing for them.

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The Dutchman is a vastly experienced head, making over 300 appearances in Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie combined in his career – 139 in the former and 175 in the latter – as well as winning one cap for the Netherlands.

Tanswell’s description of Bizot as a “good character” certainly bodes well, in terms of him bringing a strong team ethic to the squad, and he can be an influential figure both on and off the pitch.

Big McGinn upgrade: Aston Villa make contact to sign £138k-p/w "engine"

Aston Villa are set to target a new midfielder this summer

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Villa will no doubt look to secure more expensive signings between now and the end of the summer transfer window, but Robin Olsen’s departure required a new backup goalkeeper and Bizot feels like a good choice to replace him.

The Cityzens have refreshed their squad but doubts remain over their ability to finish top of an ever-more competitive pile

Manchester City fans used to sing "City are back, whoa, whoa" when the team's fortunes began to look up after a period in the doldrums but the chant has been heard less and less amid the seemingly never-ending cycle of success of the last 12 years. However, last year's disappointing season, which Erling Haaland called "horrific" and "boring", has seen the motto return.

It was how the club marketed their recent open training session, and if Pep Guardiola's side get off to a good start this season you can bet those three words will reverberate around the Etihad Stadium and in away sections. There is certainly a huge desire among City players to make a statement after last season, when they finished outside the top two for the first time since 2017 and also failed to win a trophy for the first time in eight years.

"Definitely, I think everyone wants to make up for last season, we all want to come to our best and winning titles," said Phil Foden. "We have got all the experience and we have done it before. That’s a positive when you have done it before, you know how to do it and what it takes so hopefully we can get back there."

But have City really strengthened enough to get back to what they used to be?

Getty Images SportMood around the Etihad

Despite all the success they have had over the last 12 years, City fans are naturally pessimistic and the general feeling is that regaining their title will be extremely difficult. The drop-off from last season is still fresh in the memory and the competition has never been more fierce. 

Although some exciting new recruits have arrived, they pale in comparison to the scale of the influx of top talent at Liverpool, while Arsenal have been growing more consistent and have at last added a top striker to their ranks with Viktor Gyokeres. It is hard to imagine that City will not miss Kevin De Bruyne's ability to conjure something out of nothing and how well they do will also inevitably rest on whether Rodri returns to his best, which is far from guaranteed after suffering such a brutal injury last year and then hurting his groin in June.

The mood among players, though, is clear. They have not forgotten what happened last season and the only way to make things better is to stage a resurgence. "There's a lot of guilt among the players, in the manager, in everyone for not doing better last season," said new captain Bernardo Silva. "A team with our experience, with our quality, even with the injuries, we cannot go down as easily as we did. We should have done better to overcome this situation. About competing for the title, we didn't even give it a try."

But the Portuguese midfielder, who could be heading into the final stage of his nine-year career with City as he runs down his contract, also stressed that things will be different. "I think emotional-wise we're definitely back. In terms of being hungry again, we're back."

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City's new sporting director Hugo Viana has certainly not been shy about making his presence felt since switching over from Sporting CP to replace Txiki Begiristain. The Portuguese has made five signings in the summer to the tune of £153 million ($206m), after Begiristain bowed out of his final transfer window in January by splurging £180m.

Tijjani Reijnders, who joined from AC Milan for £46m, is an energetic box-to-box merchant who looks set to score many goals. Rayan Ait-Nouri, a smart £31m buy from Wolves, will make the team much more threatening out wide even if he might lead to them ceding possession more often. 

Rayan Cherki has a licence to thrill but his uneven career progression since making his debut for Lyon aged 16 invites some caution. He felt like a slightly underwhelming successor to Kevin De Bruyne after he left following a golden decade at the club and later joined Napoli as a free agent. There is little risk with Cherki though as he only cost £30m.

City have bought two new goalkeepers in third-choice Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea and James Trafford, who has rejoined the club from Burnley for £27m. Trafford has vowed to battle Ederson for the No. 1 jersey, although there is still a chance that the Brazilian departs for Galatasaray and talks taking place with Paris Saint-Germain over Gianluigi Donnarumma. Norwegian teenager Sverre Nypan's £12.5m switch from Rosenborg has flown under the radar, largely because he is expected to be sent out on loan right away.
As well as De Bruyne's departure, it has been something of the end of an era for City's treble winners as Jack Grealish has moved to Everton on loan while Kyle Walker has also departed, for Burnley after a mixed loan spell at AC Milan. James McAtee is expected to also leave permanently for Nottingham Forest, bringing in £30m in pure profit as an academy graduate. 

Yan Couto and Maximo Perrone have made permanent moves to Borussia Dortmund and Como respectively after spending last season on loan. January arrival Vitor Reis has gone on loan to Girona while Juma Bah, who is yet to play for City, has gone out on loan to Nice after previously playing for Lens. Goalkeeper Scott Carson has left City after four years in which he made just two appearances. Savinho could yet join the exodus after Tottenham opened talks with City over the Brazilian winger.

Getty ImagesPre-season performances

City have had highly unusual preparations for the coming season due to their participation in the Club World Cup in June. They treated the rebooted tournament a bit like a pre-season tour, with Guardiola rotating his side between matches and still seeing City top their group by winning three games. But their campaign came crashing down in the last 16 when Joao Cancelo's Al-Hilal beat them 4-3 in an extra-time thriller.

City's early exit to the SPL side was embarrassing given they were one of the favourites to win the competition while Rodri picking up a groin injury – which derailed his progress after missing almost the entire season with a torn cruciate ligament – rubbed salt into the wounds. The silver lining was that they got to take their break earlier and had an extra two weeks to prepare for the campaign than if they had reached the final. 

Guardiola's side only returned to training on July 28 and the only glimpse fans have had of them was in their opening training session and in their friendly against Serie B side Palermo, who also belong to the CFC stable. They easily beat the Italians 3-0, with Reijnders playing a starring role and netting twice after a first-half strike from Erling Haaland. The Norwegian scored in four of the five matches, firing another ominous warning to defences ahead of the new campaign.

Jeremy Doku looked lethal during the Club World Cup while Ait-Nouri impressed too. Foden also took a step back towards his best in the U.S., scoring three times and getting an assist despite only starting one match. But an ankle knock in training prevented him from facing Palermo and could lead to him missing the opener at Wolves along with Rodri and Mateo Kovacic.

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Guardiola admitted last season that he had delayed overhauling his squad out of loyalty to the players who had won so much with him only to admit the error of his ways. He has also revealed that feeling a sense of responsibility for the team's problems last years is what motivated him to sign a two-year contract last November, explaining: "I didn't want to let the club down."

There is not a single City fan who does not believe Guardiola is still the right man for the job and it is worth remembering that the year after that drab 2016-17 campaign, the Catalan's first in England, City swept to the title by amassing 100 points. And the last time they surrendered their Premier League crown, in 2020, they ended up going on a historical winning streak of four consecutive titles. 

And yet there is also a sense that Guardiola is exhausted and on the brink of burn out. Remember how he scratched his head so hard that it left him with scars during the 3-3 draw with Feyenoord. He underwent surgery in 2023 to treat a back problem that he had suffered from for 12 years although he stressed in a recent eye-opening interview with that the most important thing is his mentality, saying "the mind is everything". 

It was a little bit concerning, then, to hear him also say: "The job of a coach, and I'm not just talking about myself, but all my colleagues, is a 24/7 one. Otherwise, you can't do it. The weight on your shoulders is enormous. You have a responsibility to a lot of people who put their trust in you: the players, the president, the sporting director. It's that fear of letting them down that drives me."

Guardiola is constantly evolving and it will be intriguing to see whether the arrival of Ait-Nouri makes him embrace high-flying full-backs again after moving towards inverted, more narrow full-backs. How he seeks to get the best out of Haaland will be another fascinating subplot, particularly with a new cast of players brought in to help feed the Norwegian goal machine.

The head coach has freshened up his team of support staff, recruiting Jurgen Klopp's former number two Pep Lijnders and another former Liverpool employee in set-piece specialist James French. Former City defender Kolo Toure has also joined as an assistant coach.

Mushfiqur Rahim will miss the remainder of the ODI series against Afghanistan in the UAE after picking up a finger injury in the series opener that Bangladesh lost by 92 runs.”Towards the end of Afghanistan’s batting innings, Mushfiqur injured the tip of his left Index finger while keeping wickets,” team physio Delowar Hossain said in a BCB statement. “An X-ray after the match has confirmed a fracture on his left Index near the DIP joint. He is under conservative management and is not available for the second and third ODIs. Further updates on his condition and expected recovery period will be provided in due course.”Related

• Bangladesh lose 8 for 23 as Ghazanfar spins Afghanistan to victory

After picking up the injury, Mushfiqur batted as low as No. 7 as Bangladesh lost their last eight wickets for only 23 runs. He was stumped for 1 off three balls.Bangladesh, trailing 0-1 in the three-match series, have not named a replacement. With no Litton Das (recovering from fever) in the squad either, Jaker Ali is expected to take over wicketkeeping duties.With Bangladesh set to tour the West Indies for a mult-format tour of two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is later this month, Mushfiqur’s finger injury also leaves question marks over his availability for the Tests and ODIs. He retired from T20Is in 2022.After the Afghanistan ODIs end on November 11, Bangladesh are set to fly to the Caribbean for a tour game in Coolidge starting November 15 before the first Test begins in North Sound on November 22. They have not yet named a squad for the West Indies tour.

Everton are now keen on signing a “quality” World Cup winner on a free transfer, according to a recent Toffees transfer report.

Jarrad Branthwaite signs new Everton contract

This week, Everton announced that defender Jarrad Branthwaite has signed a new long-term contract, which runs until the summer of 2030. The 23-year-old has been with the Toffees since 2020, when he joined the club from Carlisle United.

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After spells on loan at Blackburn Rovers and PSV Eindhoven, Branthwaite has now turned into one of Everton’s key defenders, and that has led to speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United most recently. However, Everton have acted quickly to secure his future, and Branthwaite is “over the moon” at extending his stay with the Premier League side.

Branthwaite told the club’s official website: “I’m over the moon. It’s been something we’ve been talking about since the end of the season, and to get it signed now is something I’m really excited about.

“The trust the club’s put in me and how many games I’ve played over the past two seasons has made it quite an easy decision for me to stay and to keep progressing as a player.

“I know the Club. I feel loved by the players – we’ve got a good group here – and the fans. Over the past few years, I’ve seen the impact the fans have on us as a team and how much it means to them. And, obviously, with the new stadium we’ve got here, the new ownership and the new manager, it’s an exciting project, and it’s something I want to be part of.

“Moving to the new stadium together and having that first game at home is something we’re all looking forward to. We want to go again and push for a good season.”

Everton keen to sign World Cup winner on free transfer

Now that Branthwaite’s future has been resolved, the Toffees are turning their attention to who could be playing alongside him. According to The Daily Mail, relayed by Liverpool World, Everton are interested in signing left-back Nicolas Tagliafico on a free transfer.

The Argentine international, who won the World Cup in 2022, left French side Lyon at the start of this month when his contract expired. Given his situation, David Moyes is interested in adding him to his squad, as he would provide competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko, who is Everton’s only recognised left-back.

Tagliafico, who has been dubbed “quality” in the past, has never played in the Premier League before but has enormous European experience after playing for Lyon and Ajax in most recent seasons.

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The report does claim that West Ham and Sevilla are also interested in signing the left-back, but the Toffees may have an edge in this race, as Tagliafico does have the same agency as current Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, which means there is a previous relationship between the agency and the club.

Renuka, Wareham and Bisht bowled out Capitals for 141 before Mandhana and Wyatt-Hodge made short work of the target

Vishal Dikshit17-Feb-20255:16

Experts laud Mandhana, Renuka in RCB’s dominant win

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made short work of a full-strength Delhi Capitals by keeping their batting line-up to 141 and then chasing the total down with ease to continue the trend of the chasing side winning, for the fourth game in a row. Even though RCB were without the trio of Sophie Molineux, Shreyanka Patil and Asha Sobhana, which brought them glory in last year’s final against DC, the trio of Renuka Singh, Ekta Bisht and Georgia Wareham combined to bundle out DC to a below-par total.In reply, RCB openers Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on their second century stand, having earlier done so for Southern Brave in the Hundred in 2021. Mandhana scored her fastest WPL half-century, off 27 balls, and Wyatt-Hodge peppered the off side with six fours out of her seven during her 42 off 33. By the time she fell in the 11th over, RCB needed only 35 off 55 and they cruised over the line in the 17th over.

Rodrigues leads DC in the powerplay, Lanning scratchy again

Renuka landed DC the first big blow when Shafali Verma struck her first ball for the simplest of catches to mid-off for a golden duck. With Meg Lanning looking scratchy at the other end, just like she did against Shabnim Ismail two days ago, it was Jemimah Rodrigues who led DC in the powerplay. Rodrigues herself didn’t start too well – she survived a review on zero and took six balls to get off the mark – but she launched into the RCB attack at first sight of spin, gloriously lofting Ekta Bisht over the covers for a six. DC were also helped by plenty of byes and extras in the powerplay which Rodrigues combined with another six and two fours off VJ Joshitha in the sixth over to give DC their second 50-plus powerplay in as many games.Jemimah Rodrigues struck a quick 22-ball 34•BCCI

DC crumble again after the powerplay

RCB, however, made inroads through the introduction of Georgia Wareham in the seventh over. Once Rodrigues missed a reverse sweep to be stumped in a flash by Richa Ghosh for 34 off 22, DC lost Lanning as well in the next over when the captain miscued Kim Garth to Ellyse Perry at deep-backward square leg. Annabel Sutherland soon launched Bisht for a big six on the leg side to show that DC weren’t going to be bogged down by the double blow but her attacking approach handed a catch straight to cover in Renuka’s second spell. New batter Jess Jonassen miscued Bisht to midwicket five balls later and DC had suddenly slipped from 60 for 1 to 87 for 5.It could have been 95 for 6 had Kanika Ahuja not put down Marizanne Kapp at short fine leg and even 103 for 6 if the mix-up between Kapp and Sarah Bryce had not been followed by a fumble, also by Ahuja, but it did become 105 for 6 when Kapp holed out to long-off off a 69.2kph delivery from Bisht. Bryce chipped in with another useful cameo with a 23 off 19 that saw RCB past 125 but they needed a lot more to make a match out of this. Wareham handed them a double blow in the 18th over and Garth wrapped things up in the last over to finish with 2 for 19, while Renuka bagged 3 for 23 and Wareham 3 for 25.Renuka Singh picked up 3 for 23•BCCI

Mandhana, Wyatt-Hodge cruise through

Even with Kapp and Jonassen back in the XI after recovering from sickness, DC hardly posed any challenges for the RCB top order. Mandhana cashed in on the wayward lines from Kapp in the first over and turned the tide of her record against offspinners (she’s been out to them 10 times in the WPL) when she swept Minnu Mani for two fours in the third over. Wyatt-Hodge pierced the gaps square on the off side, especially against Shikha Pandey, for four fours in the powerplay.At 57 for 0 in the powerplay, RCB’s asking rate was just over six an over. Even bowling changes didn’t work for DC. Both Jonassen and Annabel Sutherland were carted for fours by both batters in their first overs, and when the reliable Rodrigues dropped Wyatt-Hodge on 34 after Mandhana had collected back-to-back boundaries, the game was all but over.Mandhana dispatched Kapp for six over midwicket and continued to attack Jonassen with lofted strokes on the off side to take her for 27 runs off 14 on the night. Even though both openers fell towards the end, Ellyse Perry and Ghosh ensured there were no jitters to seal the eight-wicket win and top the table.

MatériaMais Notícias

da betway： O Fortaleza está rebaixado para a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. O zagueiro Emanuel Brítez, ausência na derrota por 4 a 2 contra o Botafogo, lamentou a queda e se desculpou com a torcida tricolor.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFortalezaRebaixamento interrompe marca histórica do Fortaleza na Série AFortaleza09/12/2025FortalezaFortaleza é rebaixado e cumpre apenas uma meta em 2025Fortaleza08/12/2025FortalezaImprensa argentina reage ao rebaixamento do Fortaleza de PalermoFortaleza08/12/2025

da 888： ➡️ Tudo sobre o Leão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fortaleza

Brítez foi submetido a um procedimento cirúrgico no último domingo (7). Depois do quadro de pneumonia que teve em novembro, o defensor precisou passar por essa cirurgia para drenar líquido do pulmão.

Conforme divulgado pelo Fortaleza, o jogador está “clinicamente bem e estável” e deve ter alta nos próximos dias. A continuação do tratamento será sob supervisão do departamento médico do Fortaleza e de uma equipe médica especializada.

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➡️ Fortaleza é rebaixado e cumpre apenas uma meta em 2025

O zagueiro utilizou as suas redes sociais para se desculpar com a torcida e assumir a responsabilidade pela queda. A declaração do argentino indicou uma possível permanência para 2026, já que seu contrato vai até 2027.

— Às vezes, o fim da temporada é o mais importante. Lutamos até o último jogo, até nossa última esperança, e com muita fé, demos tudo nesta etapa final. Choramos, sofremos, acreditamos até o fim. Não foi o suficiente, mas preferimos sempre nos manter de pé, nunca de joelhos. Também não podemos esquecer o resto do ano, todas as coisas que fizemos de errado — não apenas os jogadores, mas como líder do elenco, tenho que aceitar que todos cometeram erros, do Emanuel Britez, o mais velho, ao mais novo – publicou.

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➡️ Rebaixamento interrompe marca histórica do Fortaleza na Série A

Queda interrompe marca histórica do Fortaleza

Com o rebaixamento, uma marca histórica do Fortaleza na Série A foi interrompida. Isso porque, como estava no Brasileirão desde 2019, o Tricolor permaneceu na elite por sete temporadas consecutivas. Esse é o recorde de uma equipe nordestina desde 2003, quando teve início o formato de pontos corridos.

O Leão ficou no G4 em duas oportunidades ao longo dessas sete edições. Além de frequentar a Copa Libertadores, as campanhas renderam idas à Copa Sul-Americana.

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ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2025

Stephen Fleming has stepped down as head coach of Southern Brave•ECB/Getty Images

Stephen Fleming has stepped down as Southern Brave’s head coach in the men’s Hundred, citing family reasons. Fleming replaced Mahela Jayawardene in the role ahead of the 2023 season and twice led the Brave to the knockout stages, losing the eliminator in his first year in charge and the final last season.He will be replaced by Adi Birrell, the Hampshire head coach, for the 2025 season, with Hundred franchises growing stronger ties with their host clubs as part of the ongoing privatisation process. Birrell has enjoyed recent success in franchise cricket, leading Sunrisers Eastern Cape to back-to-back SA20 titles.Birrell will become the first county head coach also taking charge of a men’s Hundred team, though several have served as assistant coaches. He will be replaced as Hampshire coach during the Metro Bank Cup, the 50-over competition which runs parallel to the Hundred, but remains in charge for the County Championship and the T20 Blast.Fleming’s resignation avoids a situation in which he would coach a team part-owned by a rival IPL franchise, given his long-running association with Chennai Super Kings. Hampshire were sold to the GMR Group – co-owners of Delhi Capitals – last year and are set to become majority shareholders in the Brave this year.Related

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He has coached Chennai since 2009, and has also taken charge of their affiliated franchises in Major League Cricket (Texas Super Kings) and the SA20 (Joburg Super Kings), where he is currently. Fleming said in a statement that stepping down from his role with the Brave would allow him to spend more time at home.”I absolutely loved my time at Southern Brave, working in the Hundred and working with a great group of people at Utilita Bowl,” Fleming said. “We got close to winning a couple of times so it’s difficult to step down but for family reasons I need to be able to dedicate more time to being at home this season. I wish everyone at Southern Brave the best for 2025.”Giles White, who is director of cricket at the Brave and Hampshire, said: “Stephen created an excellent environment for the players and it has been an enjoyable and successful stint with us… In his place we are delighted to welcome Adi Birrell and look forward to seeing him build on the team’s success in 2025.”White and Birrell have until February 24 to work out the core of their squad for 2025, with each team permitted to retain up to 11 players (including one designated central contract player). These can include one direct overseas signing for 2025, with the ECB hopeful that a new top men’s salary of £200,000 will attract some of the world’s best players to the Hundred.The Brave are the fifth Hundred team to recruit a new coach this winter. Justin Langer has replaced Trevor Bayliss at London Spirit’s men, while Ali Maiden (Birmingham Phoenix), Michael Klinger (Manchester Originals) and Lisa Keightley (Northern Superchargers) have taken over from Ben Sawyer, Stephen Parry and Dani Hazell respectively in the women’s competition.

من المعروف عن أندية القمة في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، أنها تتنافس دائمًا على ضم أفضل اللاعبين، بجانب تنافسها على الفوز بالمباريات والألقاب 

وقد أكد نادي تشيلسي، تعيين ديف فالوز مدير التعاقدات السابق في نادي ليفربول، ليكون مديراً رياضياً لتطوير كرة القدم في النادي اللندني.

وغادر فالوز ليفربول في أكتوبر 2024 بعد 12 عاماً قضاها في النادي، وقد ترأس فريق التعاقدات وكان له دور محوري في التعاقد مع لاعبين مثل محمد صلاح وفيرجيل فان دايك وساديو ماني.

ونشرت “ليفربول دوت كوم” ان فالوز انضم إلى تشيلسي بعقد مدته ست سنوات وسيقود فريقاً يضم خمس أعضاء في النادي ويشمل عدة أسماء.

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وكان فالوز قد شكل عاملاً محورياً في نجاح ليفربول خلال فترة تدريب يورجن كلوب للنادي وقد استخدم تحليلات وبيانات في سياسات الانتقالات، وهو نهج إبداعي غير مسبوق.

وكان فالوز قد أجل رحيله عن ليفربول ليساعد الفريق في مرحلته الانتقالية من يورجن كلوب إلى عهد آرني سلوت، وسبق له العمل مع مانشستر سيتي ونيوكاسل وبولتون.

وقال فالوز في بيانه: “يسعدني الانضمام إلى تشيلسي والعمل بشكل وثيق مع شخصيات مثل بول ولورانس وجو وسام وغيرهم من الشخصيات الموهوبة في فرق تشيلسي رجال وسيدات وشباب”.

وأضاف :”لقد أعجبت كثيراً بالعمل المبذول في استراتيجية تطوير وجذب اللاعبين على جميع المستويات وأتطلع للمساهمة في تعزيز الأسس التي أرساها النادي مع الفرق الموهوبة التي طورها الملاك”.