All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has led the Lilywhites to a pretty promising start so far this season, but one internal decision has sparked some debate.

Thomas Frank averaging close to 2 points per game at Spurs

Following their gritty 2-1 win over Leeds United just prior to the international break, Frank has averaged close to 2 points per game over his first 11 games at Spurs so far.

Ex-chairman Daniel Levy’s controversial decision to axe former boss Ange Postecoglou, who guided them to their first major trophy in 17 years last season, looks vindicated as the Australian endures a torrid time at new side Nottingham Forest.

Matches

11

Wins

5

Draws

3

Losses

2

Points

18

Points per game

1.91

As Postecoglou struggles to chalk up his first Forest win after replacing Nuno Espírito Santo, with reports suggesting that Tricky Trees owner Evangelos Marinakis is considering his unceremonious sacking already, Frank’s tenure in North London has been very positive by contrast.

While some concerns surrounded their performances against Wolves and Bodo/Glimt, with Tottenham rescuing dramatic draws against the two teams they were expected to beat comfortably, Frank has certainly solidified what was a fragile-looking Spurs side.

Only Premier League leaders Arsenal have conceded fewer goals than Tottenham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace over the first top flight games of 25/26, and Spurs’ performance at Leeds was built upon their newly-found resilience as a unit.

Tottenham ended the Yorkshire side’s year-long unbeaten run at home in the league by overcoming Daniel Farke and co at Elland Road, whilst also ending their torrid record of seven consecutive defeats in games just before an international break.

Frank is undoubtedly making his mark at N17, with the Dane also deciding his leadership group to spearhead Spurs through a long campaign where they’ll be competing on multiple fronts.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, who have been called one of the best centre-back partnerships in world football, are among the chosen leaders, with long-serving defender Ben Davies, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and playmaker James Maddison making up rest of the five.

However, pundit John Wenham has been left shocked by a key omission from the group.

Pundit "surprised" by key Thomas Frank decision at Tottenham

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham believes that right-back Pedro Porro should be in there.

The Spaniard, who’s played the fifth most league minutes out of any Tottenham player under Frank, has also made more clearances per 90 on average than all of his teammates in the top flight this season (WhoScored).

The 26-year-old has attracted criticism at times, but he was a solid candidate for the leadership group, with Wenham left “surprised” by Frank’s decision not to include Porro given the defender was captained for the very first time against Doncaster Rovers.

The former Sporting CP star, who was originally signed to slot into former boss Antonio Conte’s wing-back system, has gone on to make 116 appearances in all competitions.

His flair as an attack-minded full-back has seen Porro rack up 22 total assists for the club, including a sumptuous cross for van de Ven to head home against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League most recently — which eventually helped to prevent a humbling defeat in Norway.

Frank has also compared Porro to Real Madrid and former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, so while the Dane doesn’t view him as one of the leaders, it is clear how highly he’s rated by Tottenham’s new boss.

Warwickshire narrowly avoid follow on as match looks headed for a draw

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 24-Jun-2025Warwickshire and Somerset are heading for a Rothesay County Championship draw at Edgbaston after the home side narrowly avoided the follow on on the third day.In reply to 498, Warwickshire were bowled out for 351, achieving the 349 follow on figure with just two wickets to spare. Alex Davies hit 78 (186 balls), Sam Hain 78 (170) and Tom Latham 65 (158) but, on a very good batting pitch, nobody else reached 30 against a Somerset attack which kept the pressure high, led by skipper Craig Overton (four for 61).Somerset closed the third day on 116 for 3, 263 ahead overall, a commanding position but unlikely to be a winning one on a batter-friendly pitch which is not deteriorating.Somerset’s seamers opened up superbly after Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 158 for 1. Matt Henry bottled up fellow Kiwi Latham with a sequence of maidens before, still to add to his overnight score, Latham drove at one that nipped away and edged to wicketkeeper James Rew. Five overs, and just six runs, later, Davies perished when he edged Overton to slip where Tom Kohler-Cadmore took a fine catch, low to his right.Jacob Bethell, promoted to four, batted solidly until the stroke of lunch when he bottom-edged a pull at Overton to Rew. The wicketkeeper collected again shortly after the interval when Ed Barnard edged an injudicious drive at Overton and self-flagellated all the way back to the pavilion.As Warwickshire wobbled to 235 for 5, Somerset had all the more reason to regret their recklessness with the bat on the second afternoon. A follow on figure of 550 would have put the home side under pressure but 349 was within reach albeit, it transpired, only just.Kai Smith and an increasingly expansive Hain added 66, Hain passing 50 from 133 balls and celebrating with two straight sixes in an over from Jack Leach.Smith supplied Rew’s fifth catch with a leg-side tickle off Overton and when, in the final over before tea, Hain edged Leach to slip, Warwickshire were still 32 short of the follow on figure with three wickets left.Corey Rocchiccioli responded aggressively with 28 from 31 balls but pulled Migael Pretorius to long leg with ten still required. Tense moments followed for the home side until Ethan Bamber reverse-swept Leach for four to avert the follow on and pretty much sentence the match to a draw. Bamber and Che Simmons both soon fell playing the forward defensive, Simmons bowled by Archie Vaughan and Bamber lbw to Leach.Somerset’s second innings started with a couple of jolts when both openers fell in the first eight overs. Kohler-Cadmore lifted Bamber to mid off and Josh Davey’s off-stump paid a high price for his decision to play back to Olly Hannon-Dalby.Tom Lammonby and James Rew added 83 before the former (33, 46) lifted Rocchiccioli to midwicket to squander the opportunity of reaching a third century in successive championship innings tomorrow.

Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes finished the first half of his stellar rookie season on Thursday by flirting with a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers, as the right-hander gave up zero hits through seven innings before being pulled from the game after throwing 99 pitches.

Skenes, whose next action will come in the MLB All-Star Game this Tuesday, was just six outs away from a no-no, which must have been hard for him to walk away from. But the Pirates want their ace to be healthy for the long haul and didn't want to risk keeping in the game, even though he could have gotten a no-hitter.

Skenes's girlfriend, LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, spoke with at the ESPYs on Thursday night about the Pirates' decision to pull him from the game.

"You know what, it would have been a cool accolade to say that you threw a no-hitter in your rookie year," Dunne said. "But also, you gotta make that arm last long, so I don’t blame them."

The Pirates won the game, 1-0.

iShowSpeed was seen leading the celebrations after Al-Nassr’s recent 5-1 win over Al-Fateh, with the streamer’s favourite player, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the second goal in the routine victory.

iShowSpeed in attendance as Al-Nassr demolish Al-Fateh

Al-Nassr continued their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season on Saturday evening, winning their fifth game on the spin, which leaves them four points clear of nearest rivals Al-Hilal at the top of the table.

iShowSpeed was in attendance, with the American well-known to be a super-fan of Ronaldo, and the forward, who is still regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, rewarded the 20-year-old, scoring Al-Nassr’s second goal of the game on the hour mark.

Gary Lineker named and ranked the greatest players of all time – no Cristiano Ronaldo

Lineker has named his footballing Mount Rushmore.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 2, 2025

After the game, the Twitch streamer was directed to lead the celebrations by the 40-year-old, who instructed him how to play the drum, with the clip subsequently going viral.

It is not the first interaction iShowSpeed has had with his idol, with a video of the two meeting a little over two years ago racking up over 25 million views.

Speed’s love of the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend stems from a £1.79 donation to his stream over three years ago, which has been credited as a life-changing moment for the Cincinnati-born streamer.

With the Al-Nassr star clearly thankful for the support, he has now followed iShowSpeed on Instagram and even posted him on his story to his 666 million followers.

Fans of the duo will be hoping the gesture could lead to a collaboration of sorts in the future, although the streamer, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, has made it clear he doesn’t want to meet his idol on stream.

Ronaldo at the top of his game ahead of 2026 World Cup

There was an expectation that the 2022 World Cup may be the Portugal star’s last, but he is showing no signs of slowing down, having scored six goals for Al-Nassr already this season, taking his tally to 99 in 112 appearances.

The legendary forward has also continued to impress at international level, most recently bagging a brace in a 2-2 draw at home against Hungary, although his side were denied early qualification as a result of Dominik Szoboszlai’s late equaliser.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s longevity can only be commended, but given that he is now 40-years-old, the 2026 World Cup will surely be the former Real Madrid man’s last opportunity to get his hands on one of the only trophies that has eluded him…

Wayne Rooney’s son Kai is nearing a return to action after suffering a “life can’t get any worse” injury blow. The talented youngster, who continues to catch the eye in the Red Devils’ academy system, has been nursing a foot problem since September. His recovery is almost complete, with Rooney junior back in boots and stepping out onto the training field.

Another Rooney to lead the line for Man Utd?

Kai celebrated turning 16 on November 2, but has spent several weeks stuck on the sidelines unable to do what he loves most. The highly-rated teenager is held in high regard at Old Trafford, with there every chance that he will follow in the illustrious footsteps of his famous father.

Wayne remains United’s all-time leading scorer, having registered 253 goals for the Red Devils, but could see his eldest son begin to chase down that record at some point in the not too distant future.

AdvertisementHas Kai Rooney recovered from injury?

Kai has been stepping up the age groups in United’s youth ranks, earning a call-up to their U19 side prior to being laid low with an untimely knock. He has already savoured success in tournaments around Europe, with trophy wins being added to his CV.

It was, however, revealed in September 2025 that a blow to his right foot had been suffered – leaving Rooney sporting a protective boot. He posted an image on social media alongside the caption: “Life can’t get worse.”

More pictures from behind the scenes have now been shared, with Kai revealing how close he is to earning a recall at United. He is back on the grass, with boots being laced up again as he works on rebuilding match fitness and sharpness.

Instagram

Man Utd urged to appoint Rooney as a coach

The Rooneys have been lapping up some sunshine of late, with Kai joining dad Wayne on a trip to Dubai. The ex-England captain was in the Middle East during the October half-term break as he continues to deliver coaching sessions in that region with Football Escapes. He was joined on this occasion at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel by former Nottingham Forest and Tottenham defender Michael Dawson.

Having enjoyed a relaxing break, Kai is now ready to resume his football career. It has been suggested that his ongoing development could be aided by a return to Old Trafford for his father – who has struggled as a manager across stints with Derby, D.C. United, Birmingham and Plymouth.

Former team-mate Danny Simpson recently told GOAL when asked if United should add Rooney to their coaching team – allowing him to work with Kai in the academy ranks: “Kai, I’ve seen him play a few times and he looks fantastic – looks just like his dad but obviously left-footed! Any time that you get a chance to bring these ex-players back in, I think you have to. Whether he would want to do that, I don’t know.”

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GettyDisney documentary: What next for the Rooneys?

Kai has not always wanted his father to be that close, with mother Coleen telling of how Wayne can be an unwelcome distraction: “I’ve got to make them aware that with social media, things can come back around again. My eldest is 15, he’s at a football academy [in Manchester] where they have social media workshops. They’re told if they put anything online now and you’re in the public eye, it can affect you later on.

“But I think our kids grew up with it. There’s certain things that it does affect – there were times when the kids have said, when Wayne was playing, ‘Can Dad stay at home?’ because we didn’t get around the theme park. Or, ‘He’s not watching me play football because he’s being asked for selfies.’

“He’s grateful for fans too, so it’s a hard situation. We’ve obviously made them aware of things as they’ve got older and started to understand things.”

Wayne is free to watch Kai in action at present, having opted against another return to management, with the 40-year-old enjoying punditry work with Match of the Day and TNT Sports. He is also set to star in an upcoming Disney+ documentary alongside Coleen and their four sons.

Charlie Dean says pressure of performing in hard-fought bilateral series can help harden team ahead of World Cup

Valkerie Baynes21-Jul-2025An even scoreline going into Tuesday’s deciding ODI between England and India in Durham carries stakes higher than a series win.Victory for England would bring a more meaningful endorsement of their new leadership than sweeping West Indies aside could and with it a confidence boost ahead of the World Cup.As co-hosts of that tournament, a loss for India feels like more of a setback, especially as they completely outplayed England in three of the five T20Is that preceded this 50-over leg of the tour.Charlie Dean, the England offspinner who was Player of the Match in the fifth T20I with 3 for 23 as the home side took a consolation victory to make it 3-2 to the visitors, felt winning a high-pressure match against India would constitute a step forward for her team.Related

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“Losing the T20 series as well and the first game of the 50-overs, it would probably feel like a bit of a shift, just a bit of momentum maybe,” Dean said. “So to be able to pull that off would be something really special and it would give a lot of the girls a lot of confidence going to India playing some of the best teams.”When England joined India in being bundled out of the T20 World Cup at the group stage last year, there were murmurings that they hadn’t been pushed enough in the lead-up, going unbeaten at home to Pakistan and eventual T20 world champions New Zealand.When they play their first match of the 50-over World Cup on October 3 – almost a year to the day since their opening match of the T20 event – England won’t have that excuse.Their two T20I wins against India have gone down to the last over, their only comfortable victory coming in the rain-hit second ODI at Lord’s where a combination of England’s spinners, a lightning start to the run-chase by Tammy Beaumont and the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method helped them to an eight-wicket win with three overs to spare.”Whenever we can challenge ourselves in pressure situations, especially in these bilateral series, we’re only going to benefit from it,” Dean said. “When you’re in a winning position, you don’t want to lose that and force yourself into places where you have to really be on it, but in a way it’s good learning and a way that you grow as players.”We’ve seen bilateral series where we’ve done really well and then when it comes to World Cup games and tournament cricket, we’ve maybe not had momentum or not been clinical in those pressure moments. So any chances that we can emulate that in bilateral series is perfect practice.”Dean also acknowledged that England’s spinners, who took six wickets between them to cause irreparable damage to India’s formidable middle-order at Lord’s, could learn from their visiting counterparts.And perhaps no one had been more instructive than Deepti Sharma, whom Dean has played with and against since being controversially run out backing up by Deepti the last time they played an ODI at Lord’s, a moment Dean described as “water under the bridge” despite another feisty encounter on Saturday.”When we look at the Indian spinners and our spinners, we are all very different bowlers and I think I’ve probably been drawn into some comparisons,” Dean said. “But what we do as English spinners is we bowl the ball with a bit more pace on it, and that means that it might go to the boundary a little quicker, but it’s something that we’ve had to do and that’s how we play on English wickets.”Also maybe our batters are a little more susceptible to spin than India’s bating line-up. They’re all brilliant sweepers, they use their feet and they really come at us hard, which is something that we look to emulate with the bat as well but we try and stay away from comparisons too much because you maybe get a little lost.”But taking pace off and being really accurate, Deepti’s just hammered the stumps and changed her pace, and it works really well for her. That’s something that we can really look to try and emulate in our own way, without trying to be something that we’re not.”For her own part, Dean has concentrated on adapting between formats and looked for lessons that can be used in Indian conditions in just over two months’ time.”I’m in a really good spot and that might not be reflected against all games that I’ve played, but having that innate sense of, ‘I’m going well here,’ and really backing that no matter what situation I come into is something that I’ve probably not had in my international career for a while,” she said.”Predominantly in English conditions I bowl a lot of scrambled seams and try and skid onto the stumps and while that has its place – particularly in Indian conditions where you get a bit more favour, a bit more turn, I can look to slow it down and really try and spin the ball – which sometimes I go away from because I feel like if it’s turning too much, I might miss the stumps.”Sometimes accuracy can be your biggest currency in women’s cricket, so it’s just knowing the right moment to go between different plans. But all that’s doing is building a portfolio of skills that I have in my basket that I can hopefully go out and use when it comes to the World Cup.”

Kirk Gibson was at a cabin in the woods of Northern Michigan at 11:37 p.m. ET Friday. He and a few friends did not have a television on. They were listening to Game 1 of the World Series on one of their phones.

“Like old times, huddled around a radio,” Gibson says with a laugh.

He heard Fox announcer Joe Davis say the New York Yankees intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases to pitch to Freddie Freeman with two outs in the 10th inning.

“Get ready,” Gibson said aloud. “Here it comes.”

At 8:37:50 PT, New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes threw an inside fastball to Freeman, who had not hit a ball hard for three weeks after spraining his right ankle, causing him to limp through the games he was able to play.

Freeman, the hobbled left-handed hitter, with the Dodgers down to their last out, pulled a home run into the right field pavilion to turn defeat into Game 1 victory. The ball landed at 8:37:55 p.m.

Thirty-six years and 10 nights earlier, Gibson, the hobbled left-handed hitter, with the Dodgers down to their last out, pulled a home run off Oakland A’s closer Dennis Eckersley into the same right field pavilion to turn defeat into a Game 1 victory. The baseball landed at 8:39 p.m.

“What I want to know,” Gibson says, “is did he see all the taillights leaving the parking lot as he rounded the bases?”

It’s one of Gibson’s clearest memories of his historic home run: looking beyond right field as he rounded first base to see the red taillights of those who had lost faith, choosing to put a premium on beating traffic than the hope of history. (The stadium traffic pattern has changed since then.)

“Sparky Anderson taught us a long time ago,” Gibson says of his former Tigers manager. “It’s never over until the last out.”

Kirk Gibson is 67 years old and battling Parkinson’s disease. “I’m doing O.K.,” he says when asked about his health. Thirty-six years after he became the first player to hit a walkoff home run in the World Series when down to his team’s last out, the memories and the physical sensations of that night all came flooding back to him when Freeman became the second hitter to end a World Series game in that manner.

“I just had a premonition,” Gibson says about the Freeman home run. “Is it the Dodgers? Is it Dodger Stadium? What is it? It’s freaky. It’s spooky. I’m not sure I can find the right words to explain it.

“It was down to the last out. I had a feeling it was going to happen. Then I heard it go down. And I heard, ‘Gibby, say hello to Freddie.’ And then all those feelings come back. Going around the bases, seeing those taillights and then the joy of seeing all your teammates there at home plate. That’s the best part. Though I did have to tell them, ‘Take it easy! Don’t jump on me.’ ”

Gibson had injured both legs so badly he was not expected to play and never took another at-bat in the series.

“Bob Costas wanted to talk to me on the field,” Gibson says. “But we had something special going as a team. We savored victories. So, I said, ‘I’ll be right back.’ And we had this routine. I yelled to the guys, ‘What a f—ing team!’ And they would all respond, ‘Oh, how sweet it is! The fruits of victory!’ ”

Gibson says he knows Freeman “a little bit.” He knows Freeman is “a great guy, a great hitter, a great ambassador” for the game and with a swing that Gibson finds unique. He says Freeman should also know that the home run could be life changing. For Gibson, there is “before” and “after” the home run.

“Freddie has no clue yet what it means to the game and the history of the game,” Gibson says. “It’s big. The home run will be shown over and over. It really belongs to the game and a part of its history. It’s really, really cool. Just take care of it. Honor it.

“In a way, it can make you feel like there’s too much attention on you. Because I always think about all the teammates and people on the team it took to get to that point. It doesn’t happen without them. I was back at Dodger Stadium about six weeks ago. And I was on the dais, and they wanted me to speak. I wanted to hear from my teammates.”

The impact of that Freeman home run, Gibson says, is yet to be known. Game 2, he says, will go a long way in determining whether the Yankees can recover.

“Now what?” Gibson says. “How do you respond? Seeing the pictures of [Oakland manager] Tony LaRussa, you knew they had just taken a solid punch in the jaw. I saw the same look in [Yankees manager] Aaron Boone. It’s hard to stop the momentum. It’ll be talked about forever.”

There was one more detail Gibson wanted to share. On the night before Game 1, suddenly he heard the yelps of a pack of coyotes near his cabin. He has heard them before. Sometimes they would even playfully approach his tractor as he worked the fields of his ranch. But there was something about this plaintive call that startled him. It was so loud. It was so close.

He went to a back door and opened it. There was the pack of coyotes, closer to him and the cabin than he had ever seen them. They looked right at him. It was as if they were trying to tell him something.

“It makes you think,” Gibson says, “there is more at work than we know.”

Bayern Munich have reportedly decided to offer veteran goalkeeper and club legend Manuel Neuer a contract extension for another year, which would see him remain at the Allianz Arena until June 2027. The 2014 World Cup-winning custodian has reiterated that he wants to take his time before reaching a decision over his future, however, with the club set to hold talks in December.

Neuer going strong at Bayern in his final year of contract

The 39-year-old has managed to retain his place in the starting lineup under head coach Vincent Kompany, proving week in week out that he is still among the best in the business despite having entered the twilight of his career long ago. Despite his horror blunder in the 2-2 draw against Union Berlin last weekend, which saw Bayern's 16-game win streak come to an end, there are no doubts Neuer is still the man for the No.1 spot. Neuer has played in 14 of the 17 games the Bavarian giants have played this season.

But Neuer will not stay at Bayern forever. The legendary goalkeeper is set to turn 40 in March next year and is into the final seven months of his deal. According to a report from , Bayern have reached a decision over the future of their iconic player. The report claims that the club are keen on extending Neuer's contract by another year, until June 2027. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportNeuer keen on taking his time amid retirement talks

Bayern are determined to ensure Neuer stays at the club beyond next summer, with contract talks set to intensify sometime in December. The club are extremely happy, not only with his performances, but also with the significant changes he has incorporated into his daily routine to prevent further injury setbacks. mention that Neuer consults the physiotherapist everyday and undergoes weight training ahead of every team training session. What's more, his main workout sessions are followed by an extra 30-minute weight lifting sessions twice a week. 

With Neuer walking the extra mile with respect to his fitness, it may seem like he aims to prolong his career. However, the Gelsenkirchen-born goalkeeper is not spending any time pondering over his future, preferring to take it one day at a time instead. 

"I’m totally relaxed about it. The most important thing is what we do with our team," Neuer told reporters ahead of the Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month. "I already hinted at this in the mixed zone, that my well-being will also be important. I'm taking my time and being totally relaxed, at least over the winter. Many factors come into play. It's a question of health, fitness, and motivation. But also, what happens with the club next season. I can't answer that myself because it's still far too early. Then, of course, we can always talk. Everything plays a role."

Urbig motivating Neuer to push himself

There's belief at Bayern that they will reach an agreement with Neuer to extend his contract. At the same time, they are also relaxed about the future of second-choice goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, who has made just 15 appearances since joining Bayern from Cologne in January earlier this year. Per , Neuer is motivated by his heir apparent; he understands that his colleague is a highly-promising goalkeeper and hence, he is not taking his current status as the undisputed first-choice for granted at all. 

Urbig, for his part, is embracing the experience of learning from experienced goalkeepers like Neuer and Sven Ulreich. He is not paying attention to whether Neuer extends, he says. “These are things I don't really concern myself with,” he told recently. “Because it's not my place to comment on the decisions Manu makes, or the club makes. I concentrate on the day-to-day work with Manu, the goalkeeping team, and the squad. Our relationship is good; we work well together. It’s important to me to emphasise that we have a good relationship within the entire goalkeeping team. Manuel and Sven simply have an incredible amount of experience, which I can learn a lot from.”

Still only 22, Bayern believe Urbig can further develop behind Neuer in the 2026-27 season, should the latter potentially opt against retiring.

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AFPA return to Germany on the cards?

Whether Neuer retires or not also probably hinges on whether he comes out of international retirement. Reports over the past few months have mentioned that Germany could urge Neuer to consider re-joining the national team in light of the uncertainty faced by Marc-Andre ter Stegen at Barcelona. 

Speculation also suggests that authoritative figures within the German Football Federation (DFB) are trying to persuade head coach Julian Nagelsmann to allow Neuer to return. However, the final decision will rest with the former RB Leipzig and Bayern head coach. 

also mentioned that DFB sporting director Rudi Voller reportedly held conversations with Neuer to ask him if he was willing to return to the national team, with the World Cup set to take place next summer.

Tournament opener to be held in Guwahati; Navi Mumbai to host second semi-final and, potentially, the final on November 2

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Aug-2025The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai has replaced Bengaluru as the fourth Indian venue for the upcoming women’s ODI World Cup starting September 30, the ICC announced while issuing the revised schedule for the eight-team tournament on Friday. According to the updated itinerary, Guwahati will now to host the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka.Navi Mumbai will host two group fixtures involving India (against New Zealand on October 23 and against Bangladesh on October 26), the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh game (originally slotted for Colombo on October 20), the second semi-final (October 30) and potentially the final, on November 2, if Pakistan don’t qualify. One other game – Sri Lanka vs England (October 11) – has been switched from Guwahati to Colombo. The Bangladesh vs New Zealand game on October 10 has moved from Visakhapatnam to Guwahati, while England vs New Zealand on October 26 – the only day game in the tournament – has gone the other way, Guwahati to Visakhapatnam.The changes became necessary after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) failed to obtain police clearances to host games at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the wake of the stampede that led to 11 deaths and many injuries during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebrations on June 4.Prior to Navi Mumbai, the BCCI had identified Thiruvananthapuram as a potential replacement for Bengaluru. While the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) expressed its readiness to host, it’s believed that the lack of direct flights from the city to some of the other venues proved a hurdle.Related

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In June, the ICC, while announcing the dates for the tournament, had listed Bengaluru as one of the five venues for the tournament. Along with the opener involving hosts India, the city was also scheduled to host the October 30 semi-final and the final on November 2 (if Pakistan didn’t make it).This is the latest setback for the KSCA, which has been involved in several issues with the police and Bengaluru’s civic authorities as well as the electricity department, which has cut off power supply to the venue owing to non-compliance with fire-safety regulations.Bengaluru hasn’t hosted any top-flight cricket since May 17, when the RCB vs Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2025 game was washed out. In the aftermath of the stampede, the state government had held the franchise and KSCA responsible for the mismanagement of the parade, and instituted a one-member committee to investigate the incident. The committee subsequently deemed the stadium “unsafe” to host large-scale events. Since then, the police has refused to give permission to the KSCA to host matches at the Chinnaswamy.This forced the KSCA to shift the Maharaja T20 – the state’s premier franchise tournament – from Bengaluru to Mysuru. The KSCA had offered to host the tournament behind closed doors, but even that wasn’t allowed by the authorities.

Manchester United have improved drastically in the forward areas this season, though they could now be prepared to offer a platform for Real Madrid star Endrick to shine ahead of the World Cup if circumstances align.

Benjamin Sesko has endured a mixed time since joining the Red Devils. Two goals in 11 matches haven’t exactly set the house on fire, though he has been an impressive presence within build-up play under Ruben Amorim.

Nevertheless, his recent performances have not escaped Gary Neville’s attention, who told NBC Sports that the ‘jury is out’ on whether he will be the right fit through the middle long-term.

He said: “I’m no further forward with him. The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings that Man United made up front in Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward, he had a couple of really good opportunities in the first half – when balls got played over the top. And his touch wasn’t quite right.”

Quite clearly, Sesko has the potential to come good. Other than him, Joshua Zirkzee has had limited minutes at Manchester United this season, and he is now reportedly in the sights of Everton with the World Cup taking place next summer.

At this point, it is unclear whether he will be allowed to leave in January. If he is permitted to go, the Red Devils will likely target another forward to pick up the shortfall for the second half of the campaign, even temporarily.

As the transfer window draws closer, Manchester United may now have a plan in place to land a world-renowned talent to bolster their attacking options.

Man Utd target Endrick tells agent he wants loan from Real Madrid

According to The Daily Star, Manchester United target Endrick has told his agents that he will seek a loan move in January, with the only way of that being likely to change if his minutes improve at Real Madrid.

The Brazil international has been frozen out by Xabi Alonso and has played in a single match this season. Aston Villa have also come to the table if uncertainty over his future is set to linger.

Endrick since joining Real Madrid

Appearances

38

Goals

7

Assists

1

West Ham United and Juventus have been mentioned in dispatches as alternative suitors, with the 19-year-old fearful that a lack of games may prohibit his chances of going to next year’s World Cup.

In the scenario where any deal is concluded to send Endrick on loan, Real Madrid want his next club to pay his wages in full for the duration of a spell away from the Spanish capital.

Man Utd are also pushing hard to sign an England international

Mid-season always promised to be an important time of year at Old Trafford, and it now remains to be seen whether they can secure the youngster in a deal that would make headlines across the world.