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Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq have expressed their relief at returning to the national team after the PCB accepted their resignations from the ICL

Cricinfo staff30-May-2009Pakistan players Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq have expressed their relief at returning to the national team after the Pakistan Cricket Board had accepted their resignation from the unofficial ICL. The PCB had waived the “cooling period” for the duo, meaning that they could return as early as the tour of Sri Lanka which starts in late June.”It is a great relief to be cleared to play for Pakistan again because I have missed the competition that is available while playing for your country,” Yousuf told PTI. “I had given my resignation to the board sometime back and finally the ICL has accepted it.”Yousuf had signed up with the ICL in 2007, quit and rejoined the following year. He also had his differences with the previous PCB administration under Nasim Ashraf and the former captain Shoaib Malik. He represented the Lahore Badshahs along with a number of other Pakistan players for one season in 2008.Now set for a second stint with the national side, he said he was looking forward to starting off on a clean slate. “What happened in the past is now in the past,” he said. “My experience with the ICL was a short one but there is no greater pride then playing for your country.”Razzaq had a longer spell with the ICL, joining the league in 2007 after he was excluded from the World Twenty20 squad the same year. He was one of the key players for the Hyderabad Heroes in their title win in 2008.”I had resigned from the league sometime back but they gave an NOC recently. But I have always said I wanted to play for Pakistan and it was the board’s decision to not allow us to play for the national team.”He also assured that the ICL had no issues with him quitting. “They understand the situation and they never stopped us from playing for our country they looked after us well.”

حقق ريال مدريد فوزًا بثنائية نظيفة أمام يوفنتوس في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما بملعب روزي بول بولاية كاليفورنيا الأمريكية.

ريال مدريد سجل هدفًا في الثواني الأولى من المباراة لكن حكم المباراة ألغاه بداعي التسلل على كريم بنزيما.

سيطر يوفنتوس وكان الأفضل وأهدر مويس كين أكثر من هدف، وأنقذت العارضة تسديدة ليوناردو بونوتشي من مخالفة خارج منطقة الجزاء.

ظل يوفنتوس يضغط على دفاع ريال مدريد، ولكن تأتي الرياح بما لا تشتهي السفن بالنسبة لـ البيانكونيري، ومن خطأ في استلام الكرة من دانيلو، يحصل فينيسيوس على الكرة وينطلق إلى منطقة جزاء السيدة العجوز، ليحاول دانيلو تصحيح الخطأ ويعرقل مواطنه، ويحصل الأخير على ركلة جزاء.

طالع أيضًا.. فيديو | برشلونة يختتم جولته الأمريكية بثنائية أمام نيويورك ريد بولز

ركلة الجزاء نفذها كريم بنزيما ببراعة على يمين الحارس ماتيا بيرين الذي حاول منعها ولكنه فشل أمام هداف دوري أبطال أوروبا.

انتهى الشوط الأول، ولم يتمكن يوفنتوس من العودة في اللقاء.

في الشوط الثاني، بدأ يوفنتوس ضاغطًا ولكن سرعان ما امتص النادي الملكي حماس البيانكونيري، وسيطر على اللقاء.

خرج دي ماريا ومن ثم فلاهوفيتش، من يوفنتوس، وعلى الجانب الآخر قام أنشيلوتي بتغييرات عديدة في كل المراكز.

دخل أسينسيو وهازارد، لينطلق إيدين ويرسل الكرة للبديل الآخر فاييخون الذي يمرر ببراعة لـ أسينسيو في منطقة جزاء يوفنتوس، ولم يجد الإسباني صعوبة في أن يسكنها شباك الحارس بيرين، والذي غادر بعد الهدف مباشرة في الدقيقة 69 ليحل محله بينسوليو.

الشوط الثاني شهد العديد من التغييرات، وتحديدًا من ريال مدريد الذي يريد إراحة لاعبيه قبل مواجهة إنتراخت فرانكفورت بعد 10 أيام في نهائي كأس السوبر الأوروبي.

بينما يوفنتوس تنتظره مواجهة أخيرة ودية أمام أتلتيكو مدريد يوم 7 أغسطس، قبل حوالي أسبوع من انطلاق الموسم بملاقاة ساسولو في الافتتاح. أهداف مباراة يوفنتوس وريال مدريد

العارضة تحرم بونوتشي من هدف التقدم لـ يوفنتوس

 هدف بنزيما الأول لـ ريال مدريد في مرمى يوفنتوس

 هدف ماركو اسينسيو في مرمي يوفنتوس

West Ham United return to Europa League group stage action later this evening as they host Austrian outfit Rapid Wien at the London Stadium.

David Moyes and his side will be buoyed by their last-gasp victory over Leeds United on Sunday afternoon after their fine form in 2021 continued.

The Irons kickstarted their quest for European glory with a bang two weeks ago, defeating Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in their own back yard and one of the standout performers from that game must start in east London tonight.

Issa Diop has often struggled for consistency since arriving in a then club-record £22m deal from Toulouse in June 2018.

But his recent performances, whenever given a chance to start, have been rather impressive.

Once described a “monster” by former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, the 24-year-old centre-back has been restricted to only 15 league starts since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, as per Transfermarkt.

In Croatia, the French colossus recorded a squad-high three interceptions, constantly putting a stop to the opposition’s attack. They weren’t taken lightly considering the same players who knocked Spurs out of the Europa League last season.

He also registered two tackles, one clearance and one block as he arguably outshone match-winner Michail Antonio, as suggested by Football FanCast at the time.

Diop then followed up this display with another stunning outing, this time against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.

Irons assistant manager Stuart Pearce waxed lyrical about him after the game (via The Athletic):

“But I thought Diop was absolutely magnificent. The longer the game went on the more of a colossus he looked at the back and he’s still in relative terms, a very young man for a central defender so we’re absolutely delighted to have Issa at this club.”

Kurt Zouma’s arrival at the club this summer has seen the fellow countryman slip down the pecking order but with both Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson getting older and older into their 30s, he will be needed in the future.

He will also be called upon should either of the aforementioned trio pick up any injuries across the current campaign, so handing him further game time in an encounter like this could be super beneficial. It could be a game-changer for the rest of the season.

The £16.2m-rated beast must start at the London Stadium tonight.

AND in other news, Newman can end West Ham striker hunt with £18m-rated “goal king” scoring every 83 mins…

Cricinfo previews the first ODI between Sri Lanka and India in Dambulla

The Preview by Jamie Alter27-Jan-2009Match factsWednesday, January 28, 2009
Start time 10:00 local, (04:30 GMT)The Big Picture
The presence of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag should further bolster India’s strong batting line-up © AFP
India begin a short limited-overs series in Sri Lanka after success in both forms of the game over the last six months. They beat England 5-0 in November 2008 and had earlier notched up an impressive 3-2 series win in Sri Lanka – and they have a much stronger side this time, with Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar both fit.India were pretty clueless against the spin wizardry of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in the Test series last year, but tackled them well in the limited-overs contest. So well, in fact, that Murali’s four wickets in four matches at 43 apiece were his worst series figures at home since India toured Sri Lanka in 1997 (among series with a minimum of three ODIs). On paper, the equilibrium tilts India’s way considering their consistency in the last six months.Sri Lanka have won six of their last seven ODI series but have not been as convincing. The batting struggled against Zimbabwe and they lost a match to Bangladesh recently, and that will be a worry even though the side is boosted by emphatic back-to-back wins over Pakistan last week. There is another worry: They have traditionally frightened opponents at home but defeats to Pakistan, England and India have opened up cracks. Mahela Jayawardene will be keen to dismiss those as bugs in an otherwise remarkable record in Sri Lanka. Making the early running in a series compressed to 17 days will be essential.ODI form guide (most recent first)Sri Lanka WWLWL
India WWWWWWatch out for …Nuwan Kulasekara had a fantastic 2008 in ODI cricket, and his start to this year hasn’t been too shabby. In six matches in 2009, he has taken 12 wickets at 13.33. With Chaminda Vaas cutting down his workload, Kulasekara has become Sri Lanka’s premier quick bowler in this format. His numbers over the past year – 45 wickets at 18.86 – and his success against India in their last series – 11 wickets at 14.45 – make Kulasekara a serious threat.When India toured Sri Lanka last, Mahendra Singh Dhoni didn’t have it easy. With Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar absent and the top order struggling, Dhoni and Suresh Raina were left with plenty to do. He had it easier in India’s last ODI series, against England at home, when the batsmen fired but this promises to be a sterner test. Knowing Dhoni’s competitive nature, he will want to stamp his mark with the bat again.The aura over Ajantha Mendis, who recently became the quickest bowler to 50 ODI wickets, diminished somewhat when Pakistan’s batsmen handled him efficiently. Mendis picked up four wickets at 20.00 in three games without being as threatening as he was in the Asia Cup. On the favourable home pitches, though, Mendis will always be a factor.Sachin Tendulkar has never faced Mendis in an ODI. Injury ruled him out of the last contest in Sri Lanka but his return reinforces India’s top order. He averages 41.81 over the past 12 months and 42.00 in Sri Lanka. How he handles an in-form pace attack could prove a key component of this series.Team newsSri Lanka’s selectors have retained, for the first three ODIs, the 15-man squad that beat Pakistan 2-1. Tillakaratne Dilshan’s promotion to opener in Pakistan worked stupendously – he scored 255 runs, including an unbeaten 137 in the decider – and he is likely to continue in that role. Sri Lanka’s batting has struggled in recent games against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe but against Pakistan they put up good numbers, bar Jayawardene. Thilina Kandamby’s inclusion in place of Jehan Mubarak worked wonders and he and Chamara Kapugedera will bolster the middle order. The bowlers pretty much pick themselves given their successes recently.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Thilina Kandamby, 6 Chamara Kapugedera, 7 Thilan Thushara, 8 Farveez Maharoof, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Ajantha MendisIndia are certain to go in with the three fast bowlers who did well in Dambulla last year – Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel – and possibly a fourth. In that case, it will be a toss-up between Pragyan Ojha and Praveen Kumar. Ojha will be given opportunities in this series with Harbhajan Singh, the frontline spinner, injured. Sehwag and Tendulkar will open, while a red-hot Yuvraj Singh will drop down to No. 4. Yuvraj has struggled against spin in Sri Lanka but India will hope his recent success rubs off against Murali and Mendis. Suresh Raina is likely to get the nod ahead of Rohit Sharma.India (probable) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Suresh Raina/Rohit Sharma, 6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt/wk), 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Praveen Kumar/Pragyan Ojha, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Munaf Patel.Pitch & conditionsThe captains expect a seaming pitch, which explains India’s strategy to play as many as four seamers. The weather is likely to be clear as well, and the team winning the toss might want to put the opposition in.Stats & Trivia Sri Lanka have won 14 out of 20 ODIs at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium India have won three out of seven matches here, but have only won one of five games against Sri Lanka. Dambulla has traditionally been a low-scoring venue: in 32 ODI innings since 2004, only seven times has a team scored at a run-rate of five or more. Murali has a bowling average of 14.21 and an economy rate of 3.33 runs per over at this ground, with 32 wickets from 14 ODIs.Murali, who has taken 500 wickets, need three to go past Wasim Akram, the highest wicket-taker in ODIs. Sixty-nine of those have come against India at an average of 29.39.Sanath Jayasuriya’s record in Dambulla isn’t as impressive – an average of 24.26, with just one half-century in 17 innings.Since 2007, spin has fared slightly better in Dambulla. The slow bowlers have taken 54 wickets here at an average of 19.65 and an economy rate of 3.64. The fast bowlers have taken the same number of wickets at 22.14 and an economy rate of 3.99.Quotes”I’d like to get more runs and contribute more to the team’s totals. This is something I have been working really hard on. I hope I get it right against the Indians.”
“We did not know what was coming out of his hand and how much variations he had. But when you play constantly against the same bowler, tackling him becomes easier. This time, we will start on an even platform against him.”

Liverpool are reportedly showing “strong interest” in signing Juventus and Italy star Federico Chiesa in the near future, but they face competition to sign him.

The Lowdown: Chiesa excelled at Euro 2020

There were a number of excellent performers at Euro 2020, but Chiesa was undoubtedly one of the attacking standouts, winning the tournament with Italy.

The 23-year-old ran England ragged at times in the final and ended up scoring twice overall during the competition, being hailed as “world-class” by former Azzurri defender Alessandro Pierini.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The Latest: Liverpool linked with Chiesa move

Liverpool could be looking for a new attacking signing soon, and according to Calciomercato, they are among several huge clubs who are keen on acquiring Chiesa’s signature.

Chelsea and Bayern Munich are also believed to be keen, with the winger scoring 15 goals in 47 appearances for Juventus. Indeed, the report claimed that the Blues had been ready to table an offer of roughly €100m (£85.6m) for the Euro 2020 winner over the summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-4/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Chiesa would be a sensational signing

Chiesa seems to be an exceptional prospect and he could be a perfect signing for Liverpool at a time when fresh blood is required in the attacking areas of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

He is fearless on the ball, running at players with pace and energy, and with Sadio Mane still looking a shadow of his former self, the Italian gem could be viewed as an ideal long-term replacement for the 29-year-old at Anfield.

In other news, some Liverpool fans were unhappy with one Reds player against Brentford. Find out who it is here.

Ian Evatt has had a strong start to the campaign with Bolton as they currently sit unbeaten after five competitive matches.

The Trotters have won three and drawn two of their first five games, winning two in League One and progressing through in the Carabao Cup by beating Championship side Barnsley on penalties.

They now travel to fellow League One outfit Wigan in the second round of the Carabao Cup as they attempt to extend their unbeaten run and make their way into the next stage of the competition, which is where the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool enter the draw.

Will Evatt shake things up? Here is our predicted XI for the match tonight:

We are predicting that he will make four changes to the side from Saturday’s win over Oxford, with Matt Gilks, Harry Brockbank, Liam Gordon and Elias Kachunga all coming in.

Between the sticks, we are predicting that experienced veteran Gilks will be handed the gloves to give 27-year-old Joel Dixon a rest. The latter has started the last four matches in all competitions, so it could be time to give the 39-year-old a match in goal to prove that he still has it in him to perform at this level.

In defence, we are predicting the two full-backs to switch out. Young prospects Brockbank and Gordon should be given the opportunity to impress, allowing Evatt to omit Gethin Jones and £8.4k-per-week gem Declan John in order to give them a rest.

We believe that the spine of the team will remain the same, though. Ricardo Santos, George Johnston, Jordan Williams, Josh Sheehan and Antoni Sarcevic all registered SofaScore ratings of 6.6 or higher in the 2-1 win over Oxford last weekend, and keeping the core of the team could help to build momentum and confidence moving forward.

This is also why we think that Eoin Doyle and Oladipo Afolayan will keep their places in the team. They both scored in the win against Oxford and will be on a high after their respective performances, so it would be counterproductive to then place them on the bench for this game.

The final change we are predicting is Elias Kachunga coming in for Lloyd Isgrove. The former Southampton winger was given a disappointing SofaScore rating of 6.3 against Oxford, as he lost 10 of his 14 duels on the pitch and relinquished possession 14 times.

This is why we are predicting the Welshman to be dropped, and we have published an article explaining why Kachunga should come in, stating that he could provide quality end product given the impact he has made as a substitute in recent games.

AND in other news, Evatt must unleash “fantastic” £720k-rated Bolton gem vs Wigan, he’s a game-changer…

Many West Ham United fans have been airing their frustration on Twitter, after it emerged that the Hammers are in no hurry to submit a formal offer for CSKA Moscow attacker Nikola Vlasic’s services [Eurostavka via Inside Futbol].

Enjoying a productive 2020/21 campaign, the Croatian registered 18 goal contributions from 34 appearances in all competitions; 12 goals and six assists [Transfermarkt].

Vlasic has been at the centre of rhetoric within West Ham United circles in recent weeks, after being identified as a reported target for David Moyes’ men [Eurostavka via Inside Futbol].

His agents are now allegedly applying pressure on to his current club, CSKA Moscow, to sanction his exit.

West Ham United are rumoured to be ready to pay a base value of €20m plus add-ons for his signature, however, are in no rush to formalise an offer.

In light of this news, lots of West Ham fans took to Twitter to protest what seems like yet another unsuccessful transfer saga.

West Ham fans react:

Replying to multiple outlets on Twitter, here is what some Irons fans had to say about the update:

““In no hurry” Other than the window closes Tuesday and it takes us about 20 years to complete a medical.”

Credit: @JoshuaHearne

“West ham are in no hurry lol”

Credit: @IanCulleyMorga2

 “No hurry only 100 hours left”

Credit: @WHUemployee””No rush” * 4 days left on the market *”Credit: @WestHargm”In no Hurry to Complete a Deal, Despite the Window About to Close FC”Credit: @WestHamRambles”why are we in no hurry there is 4 days left”Credit: @dajwhufcIn other news, West Ham United fans react to their Europa League draw. Find out more here.

Shamrock Rovers defender Liam Scales is set to complete a transfer to Celtic by the end of the month, as reported by the Irish Mirror.

The Lowdown: Celtic eye defensive reinforcements

Starting to string together impressive consistency levels after four wins on the trot, Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou will be keen to recruit further reinforcements in key areas to ensure that his squad has sufficient depth to challenge for the Premiership title.

Centre-back has been an area of particular concern for the Celts, with Ko Itakura and and Cameron Carter-Vickers pursued in recent weeks [Daily Record].

However, Scales seems to be the most likely defender to become the latest Parkhead import, owing to recent claims in the Irish media.

The Latest: Scales said to be Parkhead-bound by the end of the month

After impressing in Shamrock Rovers’ 1-0 victory over Drogheda United, the Irish Mirror has claimed that the 23-year-old is preparing to finalise his move to Celtic imminently.

The fee reported is expected to be €600,000 (£510,000) plus add-ons, whilst a deal is mooted to be on the cards before the close of the Scottish transfer window on 31 August.

Southampton were also linked with a swoop for his services, but he is set to choose the Hoops as a consequence of Postecoglou viewing him as another quality option in the first-team backline [Irish Mirror].

The Verdict: Scales would be a low-risk signing

Scales would be an inexpensive signing who could develop considerably in Scotland. Capable of filling in at centre-back, left-back and left midfield, his versatility and passing ability would be an asset to Celtic moving forward.

He has performed admirably for his current employers so far this season, registering six goal contributions in 26 appearances in all competitions with three goals and three assists [Transfermarkt].

Once labelled as “remarkable” by Irish Examiner writer Graham Cummins [The Celtic Star], Celtic should look to put the finishing touches to the move for the 23-year-old and duly secure another rising talent.

In other news, a Premier League defender has signalled his desire for a Parkhead switch. Read all about it here.

Nottingham Forest have seen a third bid for Lee Buchanan rejected.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that, after submitting an improved offer for the Derby County left-back, the Rams have once again rejected their rival’s advances.

However, Nixon continues by stating that the summer transfer window is far from over, suggesting that deal could well be struck regarding the defender, as well as claiming in a further tweet that the offer made by Forest is more than fair in the current climate.

He said: “Forest. Latest offer for Buchanan at Derby bigger and with decent add ons. Derby say no just now. But window far from shut,” before adding “the Forest bid is not an insult. Pretty fair in current climate.”

Fans will be buzzing

While Derby’s rejection of Forest’s latest bid will undoubtedly come as a blow to Dane Murphy and his side, the fact that it seems as if an agreement for the 20-year-old could be found if the Reds keep pushing should well give fans of the club hope.

And, considering Chris Hughton’s lack of depth in Buchanan’s position, as well as the sheer amount of potential the England U21 international seems to possess, should Murphy manage to convince Derby to part with the defender this summer, it would have to go down as something of a masterclass by the new Forest CEO.

Indeed, over his 35 Championship appearances for Wayne Rooney’s side last season, the £2.25m-rated starlet helped his side keep seven clean sheets, as well as making an average of 0.9 interceptions, 1.6 tackles and 2.3 clearances and winning 6.1 duels per game.

The man Rooney dubbed a “top player” also impressed in a creative capacity, providing three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.4 key passes per match.

As such, the addition of Buchanan would very much look to be a fantastic deal for Murphy to get over the line for Forest this summer, not only as he would solve Hughton’s issues at left-back, or that he is a player who boasts a great amount of talent, but pinching one of the Garibaldi’s rival’s brightest stars would undoubtedly have the City Ground faithful buzzing.

In other news: Forest transfer news confirmed on “talented” £2.5k-p/w gem, Hughton will be buzzing

Kevin Phillips has offered his thoughts on Leeds’ interest in Huddersfield midfielder Lewis O’Brien.

What’s the talk?

Former England international Kevin Phillips has urged Leeds to push the boat out to sign Lewis O’Brien from Huddersfield this month. Leeds have had an offer rejected for the Championship battler, with Phillips now expecting them to go in with another bid.

He told Football Insider:

“Huddersfield’s season has already started so Leeds will have to push the boat out a little bit more and I’m sure they will because he is a very good player.

“If we are talking about a few more million then just go and get the player because the last thing they want is the second season syndrome. They do not want to be caught short. A player like O’Brien would definitely strengthen their squad.

“It is critical that Leeds get off to a good start in what is a huge game against United. If O’Brien came in, I think he would be a real good addition.”

Imagine him and Dallas

As per Phillips’ suggestion, Leeds must splash the cash by pushing the boat out to bring O’Brien to the club this summer. He could be a shrewd addition to the squad as he provides what the club want from a central midfield player and he could be the replacement needed for Mateusz Klich, who struggled for consistency last season.

The Polish international averaged a poor WhoScored rating of 6.51 in the top-flight for Leeds, which suggests that he was not cut out for Premier League football week-in-week-out. Stuart Dallas, meanwhile, averaged an impressive score of 6.87 in midfield next to him.

Therefore, O’Brien could come into the midfield alongside Dallas for Marcelo Bielsa’s team. It remains to be seen whether or not the 22-year-old would be an immediate upgrade on Klich, but at the age of 22, he has room to develop further and he has the physical qualities needed to impress at Leeds.

Anyone who has watched Bielsa’s team play will know how much hard work is required from the two central midfielders ahead of Kalvin Phillips, with pressing constantly a key component of their role. To that point, Huddersfield writer Steven Chicken claimed that O’Brien is the type of player managers love due to his work rate on the pitch. 

He said: “He certainly has the potential to be (a Premier League player), if he’s not already. His fitness is incredible and he just never seems to get tired, which is one of the biggest difficulties Championship players have when stepping up to the Premier League.

“He’s never going to be a big glamorous name in the Premier League, but he is the kind of wholehearted, committed player that managers love because they do so much of the hard work that helps other players to shine.”

This suggests that he has the attributes required, physically and mentally, to succeed in a Bielsa team. Imagine Dallas and O’Brien bursting their lungs to get up and down the pitch throughout the 90 minutes battling it out for Leeds, it could be great to watch!

This is why Victor Orta must get on the phone to Huddersfield with an improved offer.

AND in other news, Orta must sanction Leeds swoop for “god-given” talent, Bielsa would love him…