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West Indies are eliminated but could still cause problems for the contenders – South Africa will certainly hope they do

Andrew McGlashan05-Nov-2021

Big picture

Group 1 now looks significantly different than it did a couple of days ago. Australia hold the aces in terms of booking a semi-final position in what is a two-horse race with South Africa. Various permutations are here, but as South Africa play second, the exact outcome wouldn’t be known until the end of the day. It could be that a team exits the World Cup despite winning four group matches.Australia could not have done any more against Bangladesh, skittling them for 73 and racing to the target in 6.2 overs. They will hope that with West Indies now eliminated following their defeat to Sri Lanka, there is a chance for something similar in Abu Dhabi. However, West Indies’ batting line-up still shapes as posing more of a threat than the brittle and confidence-sapped Bangladesh.Related

• Zampa reveals Australia 'wanted to be aggressive early'

• Group 1 scenarios: Australia frontrunners for second spot

• Dwayne Bravo confirms international retirement

• End of an era as West Indies' greatest hits fall flat

The bowling attack Australia have at their disposal is not vastly different from the one that was involved in the 4-1 series defeat in the Caribbean earlier this year, aside from the addition of Pat Cummins. They reverted to four frontline bowlers and the extra batter after the pummelling by England – it leaves a greater onus on Glenn Maxwell but does feel a better balance.A semi-final berth was the bare minimum required by Australia to give their tournament a pass mark. Their build-up was dominated by defeats and debates over personnel but, while the heavy loss to England rekindled many of the questions, when they have clicked there has been some good cricket. A second-place finish in this group would mean a likely meeting with Pakistan.There will be at least one farewell from international cricket within the West Indies side with Dwayne Bravo confirming he would retire after the tournament. Given a need to rebuild there may be others as well, although perhaps not Chris Gayle, who has previously said he has eyes on next year’s T20 World Cup as well, and captain Kieron Pollard has already said he wasn’t going to quit.

Form guide

Australia WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LWLLL

In the spotlight

Is David Warner getting his form back? It’s been a tricky one to judge so far. He has a half century against Sri Lanka but was given a life when Kusal Perera dropped a sitter along the way. He played some good shots against South Africa before finding point, nicked a decent ball from Chris Woakes and then had a bit of a hack against Bangladesh as Australia sought quick runs. There probably needs a bit more evidence yet before it’s known if Warner has found the old groove.Chris Gayle may want to play next year’s World Cup, but can he? His highest score in his last ten T20I innings is 21. However, the innings before that was 67 off 38 balls against Australia, when questions were again being asked about what he had left in the tank. That, though, is his only half-century since the hundred he made against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup. In 30 innings after that he is averaging 14. Time might really be running out now.Chris Gayle hasn’t been dismissed by any of Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell in T20Is yet•ICC via Getty

Team news

There would seem little reason for Australia to change having secured their three wins in the tournament with this team.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodLegspinner Hayden Walsh Jr could come back into the equation as he has an excellent record against Australia (12 wickets at 11.66). Aaron Finch said he expected him to play. “He had a sensational series against us over there,” he said. “I do think we’re better equipped to deal with that at the moment. Obviously having played him before in a five-game series there’s been a lot more information sharing amongst the boys and chat about that.”West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Kieron Pollard (capt), 8 Jason Holder, 9 Dwayne Bravo, 10 Akeal Hosein, 11 Ravi Rampaul/Hayden Walsh Jr

Pitch and conditions

Australia won their previous game at this ground chasing in a nervy finish against South Africa. In a bit of an upturn, the last three contests in Abu Dhabi have been won by the side batting first.

Stats and trivia

• The two teams have met five times at the T20 World Cup with West Indies leading 3-2
• Finch has fallen to Hayden Walsh in all the innings (3) he has faced him so far in T20Is
• When bowling first, Australia have taken the joint-most powerplay wickets in the year (22), but when bowling second they have the joint fewest (8)
• Gayle is yet to be dismissed by Starc, Zampa or Maxwell in T20Is. He strikes at 233 against Maxwell and 256 against Zampa.

Quotes

“West Indies is such a dangerous side. We saw that when we played them. Obviously with them being out of the competition now they’ve got nothing to lose, which can also be a really dangerous spot.”

While LSG have showcased batting flexibility and have backed unheralded Indian talents, CSK have stuck to a rigid template with little room for experimentation

Shashank Kishore13-Apr-20252:39

Cricinformed: CSK’s batting lagging way behind this season

Big Picture – LSG’s spinners vs CSK

Mentor and mentee, both struggling captains, lead teams on opposite ends of the table – LSG vs CSK is a clash of contrasts.Rishabh Pant has some cushion as LSG are riding a three-match winning streak, while CSK have slumped to five consecutive losses for the first time in their history. Any sense of excitement or elation at MS Dhoni returning to take over as captain seems to have dissipated following a crushing loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home two nights ago.Where LSG have showcased batting flexibility and have backed unheralded Indian talents like Digvesh Rathi, CSK, by contrast, have stuck to a rigid template with little room for experimentation.Related

• CSK head coach Fleming: 'Dhoni doesn't have a magic wand'

• Outdated CSK near a point of no return

• Markram turns away from Pooran model, backs his strengths to find form

LSG have played with intent from ball one and haven’t lost a wicket in the powerplay for three straight games, while CSK continue to struggle for momentum and stability at the top. They don’t have a single batter in the top 10; Rachin Ravindra tops their charts with 149 runs – the last time a team did not have a single batter score 150 runs after six games into a season was KKR in 2014.Nicholas Pooran alone has nearly hit more sixes (31) than all of CSK combined (32). His tempo at No. 3, along with Aiden Markram’s return to form and Mitchell Marsh’s aggression have made LSG among pacesetters: they score at 10.3 in the powerplay as compared to CSK’s 7.5, which is the season’s lowest. In fact, CSK’s combined strike rate of 124.23 is the worst.In their previous game at home, against KKR, CSK’s batting approach was a reflection of these struggles. They attempted to hit a boundary just 15 times in the innings as per ESPNcricinfo’s data – which is by far the lowest number of attempts by a team since IPL 2023. Overall too, their attempt to hit boundaries this season stands at 38.3% of balls faced, the second-lowest this season.In all, CSK have lost most wickets to spin this season, and LSG have two quality ones in rookie Rathi and Ravi Bishnoi, who rediscovered his form in the previous game. That’ll make getting out of the mess they’re in that much tougher on Monday, but they must or they risk elimination halfway in.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Form Guide

Lucknow Super Giants WWWLW (last five matches, most recent first)
Chennai Super Kings LLLLL

Team news and likely XIIs

Mitchell Marsh missed the previous game because his daughter was unwell, according to Pant. LSG played with just three overseas players in his absence. If available, he’ll slot back in for Himmat Singh.LSG (probable XII): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh/Himmat Singh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Akash Deep, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh Khan, 12 Digvesh RathiMatheesha Pathirana is likely to be in contention as an Impact Player. CSK had to summon an extra batter in Deepak Hooda because of their top order collapse against KKR. Pathirana has a favourable match-up against Pooran – he has dismissed him four times in five innings, averaging just 6.3.CSK (probable XII): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha PathiranaRishabh Pant hasn’t had a great season with the bat so far•BCCI

In the spotlight – Rishabh Pant and R Ashwin

Rishabh Pant hasn’t been able to get going in IPL 2025 – he has tallied 40 runs at a strike rate of 80 in four innings. Until the previous game, he hadn’t batted long enough to read a whole lot into the strike rate aspect. But against GT, he opened – for the first time in IPL since 2016 – and struggled his way to 21 off 18 before falling to Prasidh Krishna’s slower delivery. Pant’s rough patch hasn’t been a cause for concern as yet thanks to their other batters being in form. Can he find his gears against CSK?R Ashwin’s reunion with CSK after nearly a decade hasn’t gone as planned. He’s bowled his full quota in just three of the six games, doesn’t have as many wickets as he’d like (five) to show. He’s been expensive in the powerplay and death (conceding at 15 an over). But he has a favourable match-up against Pooran, having dismissed him thrice in eight innings while conceding at a strike rate of 93. It’s in the middle overs, where he concedes at 7.7, that CSK may want to use him, even though Noor Ahmad has the most wickets by a spinner (10) in that phase this season.

The Big Question

Pitch and conditions

The average score batting first at Ekana Stadium so far this season is 184. The ground dimensions are among the bigger ones in the country, which will bring spinners into play. The team chasing has won six out of the 10 games here since IPL 2024.

Stats and Trivia

• LSG have scored 60 or more in the powerplay in four of their six innings this season. Their run rate of 10 against spin is the second-best.
• Pooran’s 67 sixes are the most in the IPL since 2024. His strike rate of 215 is second-best – behind Priyansh Arya – among batters with 100 or more runs this season.
• Noor Ahmad has the wood over David Miller, having dismissed him thrice in six innings. Miller manages to strike at just 54.
• LSG’s economy of 10.8 in the powerplay is the second worst this season. But that’s the phase CSK have been poor with the bat. Maybe this is an opportunity to capitalise.
• Khaleel Ahmed’s 66 dot balls are the second-most in the powerplay this season.

DC will be looking to get back to winning ways after their perfect start was cut short in their last game

Ashish Pant15-Apr-20253:11

Rayudu: Hetmyer should bat at No. 4 for RR

Big picture – Can RR get their floundering season back on track?

They lost their first two games, then won two and have now lost two more matches to have just four points after six games. And if they thought it could get any easier, Rajasthan Royals (RR) now travel to the Arun Jaitley Stadium to face second-placed Delhi Capitals (DC), who seem to have most bases covered.RR’s top order has been found wanting and without the depth in their batting, their middle overs have lacked teeth. RR have the second-best powerplay run rate of 9.72 in IPL 2025, behind Punjab Kings, but that drops to 7.86 in the middle overs: the second-worst behind Chennai Super Kings (CSK).That’s where RR will have to buckle up against DC. In Kuldeep Yadav, the hosts have one of the most potent middle-overs bowlers. Kuldeep has bowled 18 overs in this phase and has gone at an economy of just 5.94, picking up nine wickets, the second most only behind Noor Ahmad.On a flat surface, RR desperately need their inconsistent batting to come good. Sanju Samson has scored just fifty so far, Riyan Parag form has been indifferent, Nitish Rana has just had one innings of note, while Shimron Hetmyer’s entry point has stirred some debate. Only Yashasvi Jaiswal with two fifties in his last three games seems to have found some consistency. RR will need the rest of the power-packed batting unit to fire.Jake Fraser-McGurk is yet to click in IPL 2025•Delhi Capitals

For DC, there are fewer issues, but Jake Fraser-McGurk’s form might have them sweating. He’s scored 46 runs in five matches at 9.2 and a strike rate of 100, a far cry from the sensational season he had last year. While the DC management has backed him, time might be running out for the youngster.DC have four wins in five games, but their loss against Mumbai Indians will sting them and they will want to get back to winning ways ASAP. A clash against a beleaguered RR might just be what they are looking for.

Form guide: Can DC make it five out of six?

Delhi Capitals LWWWW
Rajasthan Royals LLWWLRelated

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• Karun Nair takes his long-awaited chance to light up big stage again

• Mohit Sharma: 'I feel it is important to have pressure. It always teaches you something'

Team news and likely XIIs: Is du Plessis fit?

There is still uncertainty over Faf du Plessis’ fitness with the word from the DC camp being that he is recovering. “He’s recovering well although I’m not sure (if he’ll play or not). As far as I know, it’s not a big concern,” Mohit Sharma said about du Plessis’ availability for the RR game. If he is fit, it is likely he will replace Fraser-McGurk at the top of the order, with Karun Nair slotting in at No. 3. If du Plessis is yet to recover, then DC might go with the same XII as the game against MI, with Nair swapping with Mukesh Kumar as the Impact Sub and vice-versa. Du Plessis, however, was not available for practice on the eve of the game.Delhi Capitals (probable): 1 Faf du Plessis/Jake Fraser-McGurk, 2 Abishek Porel, 3 Karun Nair, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Ashutosh Sharma, 7 Axar Patel (capt), 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohit Sharma, 12 Mukesh KumarRR do not have any injury concerns but need to take care of other issues. They could possibly look at having Akash Madhwal come in place of Tushar Deshpande, while Kumar Kartikeya is again expected to come in as the impact player replacing Rana.Rajasthan Royals (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Tushar Deshpande/Akash Madhwal, 11 Sandeep Sharma, 12 Kumar Kartikeya1:24

Bishop: Hasaranga and Theekshana need to get their lengths right

In the spotlight – Karun Nair and Riyan Parag

After what has been a barely believable domestic season for Karun Nair, he’s made a statement knock in IPL 2025. In his maiden appearance of this season, Nair smashed a 40-ball 89 to nearly take DC home against MI. His takedown of Jasprit Bumrah – 26 runs in nine balls – will remain the highlight of the season. He came in as an Impact Sub against MI, but that is likely to change going forward, especially if Fraser-McGurk’s lukewarm season continues. Incidentally, Nair has had a couple of stints with RR, the most recent one coming in 2022, the last time he played in the IPL and also had one of his best IPL seasons with them back in 2014.There were a lot of expectations from Riyan Parag after the bumper season he had in 2024, but it’s been a season of what-ifs for the batter so far. He’s scored at least 25 or more in five of the six innings so far, yet his highest score remains 43. Parag has looked compact most of the time he’s walked out but has thrown it away more often than not. Considering the placid surface in Delhi, RR will rely a lot on Parag to provide the top-order muscle he is capable of. Another important battle will be between Parag and the DC spinners. He does not have a great record against spinners in the IPL; a strike rate of 118.61, and that will be crucial considering he will come up against Kuldeep and Vipraj Nigam, two of the better spinners in the tournament this year.

The big question

Pitch and conditions

Delhi has recently become a haven for batters with run-scoring at an all-time high. In the last seven games, teams batting first have posted scores in excess of 200 each time and have also won. The surface for the DC-MI game was once again a belter where the home side almost chased down 206. But, there was also some turn on offer and that could bring the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, Nigam, Kuldeep and Maheesh Theekshana into the game.The temperature is likely to hover around the mid to late 30s on the Celsius scale, but the evenings are expected to be cooler.

Stats and Trivia

• Kuldeep’s economy in IPL 2025 of 5.60 is the best for any bowler with at least ten overs under his belt
• RR have taken the third-fewest wickets so far in the IPL: 29 in six innings
• RR are marginally ahead in the head-to-head count, having won 15 out of 29 matches between the two sides, with DC winning 14
• Mukesh has had the wood over Jaiswal in the IPL. Jaiswal has managed just seven runs in two matches against the pacer and fallen twice
• KL Rahul has a great record against Jofra Archer in the IPL: 89 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 151 without being dismissed even once

Quotes

“I am not someone who… if the game demands that I should tell Sanju [Samson] or anyone that I can do something here or bowl, then I will. But there is no need to overthink. I always try to take whatever comes my way and help the team, be it bowling, batting or fielding. I also want to bowl regularly, because I have bowled before and am a decent bowler. If situation arises, why not, I will talk to Sanju and let’s see what happens.”
.”KD (Kuldeep) is bowling very well not just for DC but in the entire tournament. Despite bowling on small grounds, dew being around, he is not being read that well right now and hopefully he won’t be later also through the tournament. The way Axar has been using him to pick wickets, break partnerships is great.”

Thirteen wickets fall on opening day as Essex slump redresses balance

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 09-May-2025James Wharton stood resolute at one end while wickets fell all around him as Yorkshire pressed the self-destruct button after a promising start, before battling back with the ball, on a difficult Chelmsford wicket.The 24-year-old right-hander came in when the first wicket fell at 71 and was still there 55 overs later on 63 not out from 145 balls when Matt Critchley wrapped up Yorkshire’s innings on 216 with his fourth wicket.The heart had been ripped out of Yorkshire’s innings when four wickets fell in six overs, three of them in nine balls, as a promising 108 for 1 became 128 for 5 and continued in the same vein at the same time as Wharton painstakingly racked up his second Rothesay County Championship half-century of the season. Only opener Adam Lyth, with 58 from 148 balls, showed any similar resolve.Watched by a bumper first-day crowd of 2,612, bolstered by a number of school parties, Essex lost both openers and the nightwatchman in the 16 overs remaining in the evening session while reducing the arrears by 27 runs.Charlie Allison nicked Ben Coad behind, Dean Elgar fished at one from George Hill to be caught at second slip and nightwatcher Jamie Porter was beaten for pace by the same bowler.Yorkshire had taken one look at the wicket, which had plenty of grass left on it, and decided to bat. It played dead for a session and a half and then suddenly became more responsive for bowlers who had toiled previously.Yorkshire also had gone into the game without either of their overseas players, the seamers Ben Sears and Jordan Buckingham, plumping instead for an extra batter in Jonny Tattersall for his first outing of the season. It was a plan that backfired spectacularly.However, before the mid- and late-afternoon clatter of wickets, the openers had moved along serenely for the initial 23 overs during which Lyth, on 36, had been dropped at wide mid-off by a running Tom Westley. Both Lyth and Finlay Bean had already come down the wicket and lofted Simon Harmer in similar directions for boundaries. The seamers had generally been despatched through the covers.The chance did not prove costly and, three overs later, Bean looked to drive Shane Snater but played down the wrong line and was lbw.From scoring without trouble, Yorkshire went into their shell and Lyth and Wharton added just nine runs in the eight overs that preceded lunch. Lyth had been particularly watchful,but stirred after lunch and reached his half-century from 120 balls when he lent back and cut Harmer for his ninth four.Lyth added one more boundary, a leg glance off Kasun Rajitha, before the Sri Lankan pace man trapped him lbw, playing an indeterminate prod.Bringing in Tattersall did not pay the dividend required as he departed for four to the second ball of a Critchley spell, wafting one that turned into leg slip’s hands.Jonny Bairstow and Hill departed to successive balls from Porter, the captain lbw on the back foot, and Hill getting an inside edge that carried to the wicketkeeper.Wharton and Matty Revis knuckled down to steady things for a while before two self-inflicted wounds heralded another slew of wickets. Revis carelessly top-edged Critchley to point where Harmer was steady under the steepling ball. And Dom Bess followed almost immediately, leaving alone a straight delivery from Rajitha and being surprised when it rapped him squarely on the pads.Wharton took more than three hours over his fifty, late-cutting Rajitha for four to reach the milestone from 138 balls. But he lost three more partners in quick succession when Coad pulled Critchley to short midwicket and Dan Moriarty’s cameo embracing six fours in 24 ended when he was lbw playing around one from Noah Thain. Critchley finished with figures of 4 for 49 when he had Jack White caught at chest height by slip.

“There’s a bit of joy when you finish games for the team”, he said after scoring a match-winning century

Shashank Kishore18-May-20251:13

‘DC got it wrong with their bowling match-ups’

Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill felt his team may have conceded “ten to 15 extra” to Delhi Capitals (DC). But B Sai Sudharsan and he more than made up for it with an unbroken 205-run opening stand that powered GT to a ten-wicket win that also put them in the IPL 2025 playoffs. GT now sit top of the table, with two league games – and potentially a home playoff – still to come.”Honestly, at the halfway point, I thought we gave ten to 15 extra,” Gill said on the broadcast. “There was a little bit of grip for the spinners. They [DC] batted well, kept wickets in hand, and utilised the wicket pretty well. When we went out to bat, the talk was to just try and play good cricket shots, and once we were in the flow, we can take the game from there.”Gill, who revealed that the enforced break in the IPL had allowed him to recover from a bug, finished unbeaten on 93, while Sai Sudharsan brought up his second IPL hundred – 108 not out off just 61 balls. Together, the two have now amassed 839 runs (and counting) this season, the most by an Indian opening pair in IPL history.Related

• Gill and Sai Sudharsan 'have learnt how to move through the gears'

• What's the real secret to GT's batting success? (Hint: it's not the batters)

• Stats – GT second team to pull off double-century chase without losing a wicket

• Sai Sudharsan and Gill help clinical GT book playoffs berth

• GT, RCB and PBKS book their places in IPL 2025 playoffs

“There’s a bit of joy when you finish games for the team,” Sai Sudharsan, the Player of the Match, said. “In the break we got, I was thinking on that [finishing games] a bit more. Between overs seven to ten, they bowled really well [DC conceded 30 to leave GT 93 without loss]. The momentum went down a bit.”We wanted to take the game deep, didn’t want to be desperate to take a lot of chances, have a cool enough mindset to take the game deep. And we got two or three big overs that changed the game. In the previous games, I took chances and got out. Here, I was aware enough to take the game deep, and take my chances against the right match-ups.”Asked about the changes in his approach to T20 batting, Sai Sudharsan pointed to growing belief and mental freedom. “I’ve started to believe a bit more,” he said. “From my mindset point of view, the belief I have has gotten better to take the game deeper and win games. I have expanded my batting, explored my batting; mentally I’m a bit more free and expressive.”1:21

Moody: Gill, Sai Sudharsan now have five gears

Sai Sudharsan also praised his captain when asked about their partnership and understanding. “When I got after the bowlers, he complements me; we rotate strike and run really well,” he said. “In the middle overs, running is a vital thing for us. When I do some mistakes, he makes me aware, and similarly from my side as well.”Meanwhile, GT batting coach Parthiv Patel credited the pair’s chemistry and risk-free aggression for their continued success.”You talk of high-risk, high reward. These two play low-risk cricket and still have the ability to hit down the ground and get boundaries and sixes,” Parthiv said. “The fours they hit in the powerplay… I feel they know their game, on top of everything. People don’t see how much hard work they put in, creating those basics stronger, that’s why they are scoring runs. They communicate really well.”Last year also, they batted brilliantly. When the season started, everyone thought [Jos] Buttler would be opening. These two knew what they are doing. The opening pair is about chemistry and knowing each other’s game really well, and these two know their games really well.”

While Brazil goes into Monday's round of 16 match as the favorite, El Tri can look back at previous successes to gather inspiration

Every match is a different story. Yet, when Mexico meets Brazil on Monday in the round of 16, El Tri may be able take inspiration from previous meetings between the two teams.

While Brazil is a footballing giant – the five time champion of the world, as Andres Guardado reminded everyone Friday – and Mexico a relative underachiever, El Tri has plenty of evidence to point to when their players say they can put an end to Brazil's 14-match unbeaten run. 

looks back on El Tri's historic results against the South American giants…

• Omar Torres
  

  1999 Confederations Cup final

  Mexico hosted the 1999 Confederations Cup and was able to advance atop its group and move into the final. Enormous crowds showed to see El Tri during the tournament, and the final in the Estadio Azteca against Brazil was no different. More than 100,000 fans crammed in to see Mexico beat Brazil 4-3.

Advertisement

• Zepeda doubles, while Marquez suits up in defense

  Mexico went into half time of the 1999 Confederations Cup final with a 2-0 lead and despite a second-half charge by Brazil was able to fend off the rally and win the tournament. A familiar face to current Mexico fans anchored the defense, with Rafa Marquez the key at the back for Manuel Lapuente's team, while Miguel Zepeda had by far his finest hour in an El Tri kit with two of his side's four goals. 

• Alexandra Brun
  

  2005 U-17 World Championship final

  It was the tournament that boosted so many in the current generation of Mexico stars to prominence. Giovani dos Santos earned the Silver Ball, while a number of other players on the roster that will face Brazil on Monday were also in the team that topped the South Americans 3-0 to lift the trophy in Peru. 

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• Alexandra Brun
  

  Vela launched to fame

  A young Carlos Vela made his name in the 2005 U-17 final in Peru. Vela announced himself with a diving header to open the scoring, and his slick play in the middle of the park helped spark the move for Mexico's second, helping El Tri to a win over a Brazilian side that included a young Marcelo. In addition to Vela and Giovani dos Santos, Hector Moreno, Efrain Juarez and Adrian Aldrete also went to the professional ranks, with Moreno in the World Cup team in Russia but not available this week because of a suspension.

The salaries of star men within the U.S. game was released on Wednesday, with a number of household names among the top earners

The Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) has released its salary guide for 2019. 

As expected, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's new deal with the LA Galaxy has seen him vastly improve his wages from a year ago, and while his move up the list is not a shock, there were a few surprises along the way. 

See for youself below, as Goal runs through the 10 highest-earners in MLS from top to bottom. 

• Katharine Lotze
  

  10Zlatan Ibrahimovic | LA Galaxy | $7.2 million

  After working through the 2018 season on the measly listed wages of $1.5m, Ibrahimovic made the decision to stick around in MLS, and it paid off in a big way.  

  The LA Galaxy designated player is on the highest salary in the history of MLS, his $7.2 million just a shade over the $7.1m listed wage for Sebastian Giovinco with Toronto last season.

  But with 33 goals in 39 outings, the Galaxy likely feel they're getting strong value out of the former Manchester United forward, who continues to shine both on and off the field and is the biggest star in the league at this point. 

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• Getty Images
  

  9Giovani dos Santos | No Club | $6.5m

  To keep Ibrahimovic, the Galaxy had to make a sacrifice elsewhere, and Dos Santos was the man to take the hit. 

  The Mexico international was one of four designated players on the Galaxy roster heading into the 2019 season, but MLS rules allow for only three. The club made the call to cut loose the older of the Dos Santos brothers in March, but his compensation package still sees him listed as one of the highest-paid players on the MLS payroll, even if he is not currently in the league. 

• Getty Images
  

  8Michael Bradley | Toronto FC | $6.5m

  Bradley has been among the league's best paid players for several years and was part of a high-earning Toronto side which won the 2017 MLS Cup title in record-setting fashion. 

  His total compensation package still sees him listed as one of the top-three earners in the league, and TFC will be hoping he can help them reach championship form again in 2019. 

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• Vaughn Ridley
  

  7Jozy Altidore | Toronto FC | $6.3m

  Another player who picked up a big payday from Toronto FC, Altidore remains in the top-five highest paid players in the league. 

  The USMNT forward has netted five times in nine appearances so far this season for TFC as he has battled injury, but remains a threat when fit and on the pitch. 

  He will be hoping for a return to his 2017 form, when he netted 15 times for the club in helping lead them to the top of MLS. 

It had to take the lottery of penalties for the Pharaohs to sneak through to the last eight of the continent's premier competition

Egypt reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after beating Ivory Coast 5-4 on penalties following a 0-0 draw after extra time in Douala on Wednesday.

GOAL rates the performances of the Pharaohs players in this match.

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  Mohamed El Shenawy – 7/10

  The Al Ahly gloveman was at his usual best in goals and his efforts saw him ending up being injured two minutes before regulation time.

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  Omar Kamal – 7/10

  The right-back had Nicolas Pepe to deal with and he did well to shut out the Arsenal star.

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  Ahmed Abou El Fotouh – 6/10

  Coming back from injury, the Zamalek man did not disappoint playing as a left-back where he frustrated Max Gradel in some moments of the contest.

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  Ahmed Hegazy – 7.5/10

  The centre-back led from the back and showed his experience.

  Hegazy managed to keep at bay waves of attacks by the Elephants and was a threat to head in setpieces for Egypt.

The Manchester United defender was at fault for Wahbi Khazri's winning goal on Wednesday as the defending champions were given a wake-up call

The most bittersweet of victories for Tunisia and relief for France. The Africans pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history by defeating the reigning champions at a raucous Education City Stadium thanks to Wahbi Khazri's second-half strike.

But their famous victory proved in vain, as Australia progressed to the last 16 instead of them thanks to a 1-0 defeat of Denmark.

France are also through, of course, and as winners of Group D, but Didier Deschamps' lack of strength in reserve was exposed on a night where he had to bring on his big guns to try salvage the game.

GOAL runs through all of the winners from a wild evening in Doha…

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  The Winners

  Wahbi Khazri:

  Instant immortality for Wahbi Khazri. For all their dominance, Tunisia were toiling in front of goal until the skipper stepped forward and wrote himself into World Cup folklore. It was a hell of a goal, too, with Ellyes Skhiri's tenacity getting the better of Aurelian Tchouameni in the middle of the park before Aissa Laidouni released Khazri. The Tunisia No.10 took care of the rest, surging forward, wrong-footing Raphael Varane before finding the bottom corner with a swing of his left foot. It certainly wasn't the cleanest strike in the world but it was greeted like a World Cup winner…

  Tunisia fans:

  The noise, my God, the noise. The Tunisia fans had been making quite the racket throughout the game anyway, having turned out in huge numbers to support their side through what looked like a thankless task against the reigning world champions. But when Khazri's goal went in, things just up a notch. The Education City Stadium pretty much exploded in joy. After the frustration of the Australia defeat, this felt like a collective roar of relief. It was their first goal of the tournament but boy was it worth the wait! The shame, of course, is that all proved in vain. Tunisia ultimately paid the price for a poor performance against the Socceroos, but these players were rightly cheered to the rafters at full-time by an immensely proud – and loud – set of supporters.

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  The Losers

  Deschamps' hopes of resting Mbappe:

  We knew beforehand that Kylian Mbappe wouldn't start, given he was nursing a minor knock. However, the hope was among French fans that he would be able to remain on the bench for the duration of the game. Best-laid plans and all that… Mbappe had to be summoned into action after Tunisia sensationally took the lead. He will still likely benefit from having an hour's rest, but the sight of France's best player having to be thrown into the fray did not reflect well on the squad's strength in depth.

  France's left-back options:

  The tournament-ending injury suffered by Lucas Hernandez in the first half of France's opener against Australia really was a disaster for Deschamps. His decision to bring only one specialist left-back – Lucas' brother, Theo – was queried as soon as the squad was announced. And it could yet prove incredibly costly. Theo Hernandez has been exceptional so far, at least from an offensive perspective (no player has created more chances), but as this game so emphatically underlined, Les Bleus are now one injury away from having to once again play Eduardo Camavinga at left-back. Valiantly as he played here, making umpteen tackles and clearances, the Real Madrid youngster was clearly targeted by the Tunisians. A makeshift left-back is a weakness that would be brutally exposed by even stronger sides later in the competition.

  Raphael Varane:

  There was no talk before the game of William Saliba carrying an injury, which made his exclusion all the more puzzling. However, the feeling was that Deschamps wanted to give Varane more game time after his recent return to full fitness, and he certainly looked like he needed it given the cumbersome way in which he tried to deal with Khazri. His withdrawal midway through the second half felt like an act of mercy and it would now be a massive surprise if Saliba, who came on his place, has not moved ahead of him in France's central defensive pecking order.

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  France Ratings: Defence

  Steve Mandanda (5/10):

  Bizarrely elected to punch the ball clear early on, rather than just claim it with both hands, and just never looked convincing. Questions will be asked about how he was so easily beaten by such a weak strike.

  Axel Disasi (5/10):

  Unlike Camavinga, he was actually able to get forward down the right flank, but to little effect.

  Raphael Varane (4/10):

  Made a good clearance during early Tunisian pressure but followed it up with a poor one to Khazri, who stung the palms of Mandanda. On the plus side, more minutes under his belt, but his lack of pace was exposed on the goal.

  Ibrahima Konate (6/10):

  Given far more to do than he would have expected, making six tackles during the first half alone. One of the few French players to acquit himself reasonably well.

  Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):

  Selected to start at left-back and made his presence felt early on with a thunderous challenge on Khazri. He had plenty of struggles but he never stopped battling. Deserved to see out the game.

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  Midfield

  Youssouf Fofana (4/10):

  Struggled horribly to get into the game, so it was no surprise to see him hauled off in the second half.

  Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

  One of the few French players capable of holding onto the ball during the first half but he was at fault for the goal.

  Jordan Veretout (3/10):

  Amazing that he's in the squad, let alone in the starting line up. Lucky to last more than an hour.

GOAL has been tracking the race for the most coveted individual award in men's football all year, and here's our final standings…

For all the controversy and criticism it generates, the Ballon d'Or remains the most important individual award in world football, and the race to claim the 2022 prize has been epic.

announced in March that the rules for Ballon d'Or voting have changed, with the key one being that the award will be based on performances over a single season, rather than a calendar year.

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That means performances at the 2022 World Cup, which is set to kick-off in November, will not be considered this year, and instead will be judged when voting for the 2023 Ballon d'Or gets under way.

The importance placed on trophies (aka 'Jorginho's Law') has also been scaled back, meaning the prize reflect the best footballers from each season, rather than those who lift the most silverware.

With all that in mind, and with the winner of the 2022 prizes set to be announced in Paris on Monday, check out the final standings from GOAL's season-long tracking of the prime contenders…

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  20Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)

  Though he finished the season as Man City's top scorer in all competitions, Mahrez's form steadily slipped during the final months of the season, and some of his missed chances could have proven costly.

  He was, however, rewarded with a new contract over the summer and should earn a handful of votes.

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  19Rafael Leao (AC Milan)

  Dubbed 'the new Thierry Henry' in Italy, Leao was voted Serie A's MVP of the season after firing AC Milan to their first Scudetto in 11 years.

  The Portugal forward should, therefore, get a handful of Ballon d'Or votes from regular watchers of the Italian top flight.

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  18Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

  Though he was forced to share the Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah, Son's achievement in finishing as the Premier League's joint-top scorer without netting a penalty should not be underestimated.

  His struggles in the early weeks of the current campaign might go against him a little bit, but he still should be a deserved top-20 finisher.

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  17Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

  Van Dijk returned to the Liverpool line up after missing almost the entire previous campaign and was back to his imperious best almost instantly.

  He might now being questioned as to whether he is still the finest centre-back currently playing the game, but at least the World Cup in November will finally see him grace a major international tournament stage.