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Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has criticised the selection of fast bowler Mohammad Asif for the Champions Trophy next month, saying the selectors are gambling by including a player with no international experience for more than a year.Asif is currently serving the ban imposed on him by the PCB last September after testing positive for the banned substance Nandrolone. It expires on September 22, a day before Pakistan’s first match of the tournament.”He has not played any cricket since last year and no one knows properly about his match fitness or general fitness condition,” Abbas told PTI. “It seems to me a big gamble taken by the selectors to rush Asif into the national team.”Asif was included in the 30-member probables for the Champions Trophy. He attended an Under-23 training camp in Karachi to assess his match fitness. He took 1 for 23 in a practice match during that camp, impressing Rashid Latif, who was overseeing it. Pakistan’s chief selector Iqbal Qasim was also satisfied with Asif’s progress and was confident his fitness would improve by 5-10% by the time the tournament starts.However, Asif wasn’t allowed to take part in Pakistan’s conditioning camp because his ban expires after the camp finishes. Abbas believed that the training camp was no substitute for first-class experience.”It would have been better if the selectors and the board had given Asif some more time to play domestic matches after the conclusion of his ban period and then consider him for the national side,” Abbas said. “It is a gamble considering the tough nature of the Champions Trophy and it is a decision which I feel will have a lot of influence on the performance of the team in the upcoming series.”

Everton’s fast start to the season may have been undermined by a string of injuries to key players, but there could yet be a significant silver lining to their recent fitness woes.

Midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure joined the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina on the sidelines after picking up a foot injury against West Ham United, leaving a sizeable gap in the Toffees’ engine room.

Rafael Benitez attempted to plug the gap in the centre of the pitch with Tom Davies and Allan last time out against Watford, but with disastrous consequences.

The industrious pair were unable to cope with the pace and physicality that every Premier League game now produces and were overrun in the midfield, heavily contributing to the 5-2 mauling that the Hornets handed out at Goodison Park.

However, Benitez may not have to search too long and hard to discover the solution to his latest managerial conundrum.

Academy starlet Tyler Onyango has caught the eye with a string of impressive performances in recent years, and the timing of Doucoure’s recent setback could hardly have come at a better time for the 18-year-old.

The former England under-17 international scored two goals and provided a further two assists in 17 Premier League 2 outings last season but suffered a serious injury of his own towards the end of the campaign, ruling him out for six months.

Onyango made a successful return to action in the under-23s’ game against Leeds United on 18 October – just a day after Doucoure picked up his foot problem – before featuring against Arsenal’s and Burnley’s youth sides respectively.

It has led to speculation that the box-to-box dynamo could make the leap to the first team over the coming weeks, with his playing style deemed most similar to that of the absent Doucoure.

The Athletic’s Everton reporter Patrick Boyland tweeted: “In Doucoure’s absence, Tyler Onyango was close to making the Everton squad on Saturday. The teenager has impressed since returning from injury & is seen by some as the natural successor to the Frenchman”.

It seems as though the talented teenager is making a strong case for his inclusion in Benitez’s matchday squad for the upcoming trip to Molineux on Monday night after some standout displays following his return to fitness.

“He looks sharp and has come back really well,” said under-23s coach Jose Baxter recently (as relayed by The Athletic).

“It shows his professionalism returning earlier than expected, right in at the deep end. He’s a great lad and a great professional. You’re seeing it now with his performances.”

Only time will tell if Benitez is brave enough to select Onyango from the off as the Toffees attempt to get back to winning ways on Monday night, but reports that the midfielder is so highly-rated and thriving once again will surely have Everton supporters buzzing with excitement, especially with Doucoure out of action.

In other news… Brands must sanction Everton swoop for 23-goal “predator” lauded by Kaka

The Pakistan coach has blamed his batsmen for the Test and ODI series defeats in Sri Lanka

Cricinfo staff15-Aug-2009Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has blamed his batsmen for the Test and ODI series defeats in Sri Lanka. Pakistan lost the Test series 2-0 and were 3-0 down in the five-match ODI series before snatching consolation wins in the last two games and the one-off Twenty20 international.”We dominated the Test series against Sri Lanka but just two bad sessions changed the whole scenario of the tour,’ Intikhab said on arrival back in Pakistan. “Poor shot selection brought about our downfall.”Pakistan were well-placed in the first two Tests but lost both after dramatic batting collapses. In Galle, they crashed to 117 in the fourth innings chasing a modest 168. At the P Sara Oval, they were bundled out for 90 in the first innings, but their collapse in the second was more dramatic. After staging a spirited comeback, they lost their last nine wickets for 35 runs and subsequently suffered their first ever Test series loss in Sri Lanka.The captain Younis Khan denied rumours of rifts within the team and also refused to quit after those defeats. Intikhab also refused to resign, following calls from various quarters that he was too old to coach the team.”I don’t think age has anything to do with it. And anyway I’m not yet 70,” said Intikhab, who is 67.Intikhab also welcomed the appointment of Javed Miandad as batting advisor to prepare for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The Pakistan Cricket Board is also expected to hire former opener Saeed Anwar as the batting coach.”Miandad has a lot of experience and I’m sure that his guidance will help our batsmen a lot,” Intikhab said.Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s new Twenty20 captain, hoped his team would carry the winning momentum to the Champions Trophy in South Africa next month.”We had lost all the previous games and were desperate to win the last few and managed to do that easily,” Afridi said. “I hope that we will continue playing like that in the Champions Trophy.”

Frank McAvennie has urged Celtic to sign Jota on a permanent deal following his loan spell at Parkhead.

The Lowdown: Option to buy

As per a revelation from Sky Sports, the Hoops have an option to buy Jota in the summer for a transfer fee believed to be in the region of just over £6m, following his loan spell from Benfica.

He has enjoyed a fine start to life in Glasgow, scoring three goals and making a further four assists in nine games in total over all competitions so far this season (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: McAvennie on Jota

Speaking to Football Insider, former Celts striker now pundit McAvennie has urged his old team to complete the signing of Jota permanently, after what he has seen of the Portuguese so far:

“He’s a heart-throb, the ladies love him.

“Honestly, I would buy him tomorrow. Get that deal signed, new terms, pay rise, all of it. I would take him, for six million?

“It’s a no brainer, I would take him. He’s only going to get better. Six million is nothing in today’s day and age.

“He seems to be enjoying himself as well. That’s half the battle. He’s always smiling, even when Celtic aren’t winning.

“He symbolises that happy camp that we seem to have now, what a difference from last season.

“It’s all clicking and we’re seeing the best of Jota as a result.”

The Verdict: No brainer

McAvennie could not have put it any better, it is certainly a ‘no brainer’ for the Bhoys to sign Jota after his loan spell ends.

£6m in today’s market is an absolute steal for a 22-year-old with the ability and potential he boasts, and he has already shown that he knows where the goal is.

Jota also ranks highly among his teammates in terms of shots (3.8), key passes (1.8), and dribbles (one) per game in the Scottish Premiership so far this term (Whoscored), proving already to be a key player for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

In other news, find out who Celtic’s worst three players were against Ferencvaros here!

MatériaMais Notícias

Com Renato, mas sem Victor Ferraz, o técnico Levir Culpi relacionou 22 jogadores para o jogo contra o Flamengo, nesta quarta-feira, às 21h45, no Pacaembu, pela 18ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

O volante está recuperado de uma lesão na coxa direita e retorna ao time titular contra o Rubro-Negro, enquanto o lateral direito desfalca o Peixe por ter sofrido uma concussão leve na partida contra o Grêmio. Com isso, Ferraz segue em observação no departamento médico.

Além do camisa 8, o lateral esquerdo Zeca e o atacante Kayke estão de volta. O primeiro retorna depois de sentir dores na parte anterolateral na perna esquerda, enquanto o segundo se recuperou de um edema e estará à disposição de Levir.

Confira a lista de relacionados:

Goleiros: Vanderlei e João Paulo
Zagueiros:David Braz, Fabián Noguera e Lucas Veríssimo
Laterais:Daniel Guedes, Orinho e Zeca
Meio-campistas:Alison, Jean Mota, Leandro Donizete, Léo Cittadini, Lucas Lima, Rafael Longuine, Renato e Yuri
Atacantes:Bruno Henrique, Jonathan Copete, Kayke, Ricardo Oliveira, Thiago Ribeiro e Vladimir Hernández

RelacionadasSantosSantos x Flamengo: prováveis times, onde ver, desfalques e palpitesSantos01/08/2017SantosRenato treina e deve reforçar o Santos contra o Fla; Ferraz é dúvidaSantos01/08/2017SantosLesionado, Vecchio faz procedimento para acelerar recuperação no SantosSantos01/08/2017

After a fraught first hour, when everything went against them, South Africa hit back with three bursts – the biggest being when they dismissed Australia’s top order for 23 runs in nine overs

The Bulletin by Jamie Alter19-Mar-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Dale Steyn had Australia in strife on day one© Getty Images
The final figures may not indicate it, but this was a day of rock climbing. Australia would scuttle a couple of meters only to be roped in; South Africa started sloppily but found their footing; Australia briefly regained stability but before they could inch ahead the home side pulled the ground from beneath. With each burst of wickets South Africa improved and at the end of an engrossing opening day the honours lay firmly in their hands.After a fraught first hour, when everything went against them, they hit back with three bursts – the biggest being when they dismissed Australia’s top order for 23 runs in nine overs. Aided by 16 fiery overs from Dale Steyn, South Africa rounded off the day with their new opening pair jogging unscathed to stumps through 14 busy overs.After sloppy (78 for 3 in Johannesburg) and authoritative (119 for 0 in Durban) mornings having won the toss, Australia began their quest for a whitewash by surviving a tricky start and gaining in confidence only to slip. And therein lay the impetus South Africa needed. Stroke-making wasn’t easy against a springy new ball and a vigorous opening spell but Australia were helped by a slew of missed chances and dropped catches. The openers had scrapped through the first hour – in which only 29 runs were scored – but once Phillip Hughes was out in the 23rd over, Australia’s top order folded.Paul Harris had Hughes in his first over, sweeping one that pitched just outside off stump, and next over Australia were dealt a massive blow when Ricky Ponting drove loosely at a full and late away-swinging delivery from the debutant Albie Morkel and feathered a thin edge to Mark Boucher.Makhaya Ntini’s exemplary yet wicketless opening spell of 7-5-6-0, at a consistently good pace to keep the two left-handed openers guessing, was better, but Steyn’s burst just after lunch yielded wickets. Steyn rattled the stumps of Michael Hussey – the ball after he raised 3000 Test runs, the 33rd Australian to do so – and Michael Clarke in consecutive overs to further dent Australia.Steyn ran in hard during that passage but Morkel and Jacques Kallis weren’t as threatening, and Simon Katich and Brad Haddin prospered, one steadfast, the other counter-attacking. Katich had been the chief beneficiary of South Africa’s sloppiness in the morning – reprieved on 4 when Kallis failed to refer what looked a plumb lbw shout and on 9 when the debutant Imraan Khan dropped a sitter at point – and the sole survivor of Australia’s top-order wobble. Efficiently, he cut out all flash as he gritted and grimaced along. South Africa’s two double-strikes had forced Katich to cut out most of his strokes and he held up one end well. As the bowlers slacked he cashed in on a spate of wide deliveries to move through the forties and on to his half-century, from 138 balls. The runs-to-deliveries quotient reflected his graft.The pair had added a promising 71 and Australia seemed to have found a solid footing. Everything changed when Harris was reintroduced. Having faced a few strangling overs, Katich attempted his first aggressive shot and top-edged a sweep to the man who had earlier reprieved him at point.The responsibility now grew on Haddin, who until this time had played well under pressure. His placement fetched him a flurry of boundaries after he came to the middle and a stroke-filled 42 helped pull Australia out of a tight situation. But, as the second session, the final began South Africa’s way. Harris rapped Haddin in front of middle and leg and the appeal was upheld, even after the batsman referred it to the third umpire.Andrew McDonald nudged uncertainly and held his ground to add 32 with Mitchell Johnson, only for Ntini to take two in two balls, becoming the highest wicket-taker at Newlands – the ground on which he made his debut – with 53. Steyn added Johnson, attempting to hit another one over the infield, and the journeyman debutant Bryce McGain became the last man to be dismissed, at 209.The manner in which Ashwell Prince, opening for the first time in Tests, and Imraan went about their task in the shadows of stumps reflected the good work done by a rejuvenated home side in the field. Imraan showed few nerves in accumulating an unbeaten 15, while Prince slipped into his new role with assurance to make a sparkling 37 not out – so much so, that he lofted McGain for six minutes before stumps.South Africa have every reason to be pleased with their day’s work. The jitters at base camp look miles below now.

أعلن نادي بايرن ميونخ الألماني تشكيل الفريق بقيادة المدير الفني يوليان ناجيلسمان، لمباراته الودية أمام دي سي يونايتد الأمريكي.

ويلاقي بايرن ميونخ نظيره دي سي يونايتد في مباراة ودية ضمن التحضيرات للموسم الجديد.

ويتواجد السنغالي ساديو ماني أساسيًا، وكذلك نصير مزراوي الوافد الجديد للفريق، أما الهولندي ماتياس دي ليخت فيتواجد على مقاعد البدلاء.

اقرأ أيضًا | رئيس بايرن ميونخ عن صفقتي دي ليخت وماني: جلبنا أفضل النجوم

المباراة ستنطلق الساعة 1:40 صباحًا بتوقيت القاهرة بدلاً من 1:30، حيث تأخر انطلاقها 10 دقائق بسبب الحشد الكبير من المتفرجين بحسب ما أعلن بايرن ميونخ عبر “تويتر”. تشكيل بايرن ميونخ ضد دي سي يونايتد

حراسة المرمى: مانويل نوير.

خط الدفاع: نصير مزراوي، نيانزو كواسي، أوبامياكانو، ألفونسو ديفيز.

خط الوسط: سابيترز، فيدوفيتش، جنابري، ساني.

خط الهجوم: تشوبو موتينج، ماني.

🔴⚪ Our starting XI for #DCUFCB! #packmas #AudiFCBTour pic.twitter.com/Il8FYWjjfT

— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) July 20, 2022

تقدم نادي الرائد السعودي بعرض مغر لمدافع سبورتينج لشبونة المغربي، من أجل التعاقد معه لتمثيل الفريق في الموسم الكروي المُقبل من دوري كأس الأمير محمد بن سلمان للمحترفين.

وأكدت “الرياضية” السعودية، أن نادي الرائد تقدم بعرض كبير للمغربي زهير فضال، قلب دفاع سبورتينج لشبونة، يُقدر بـ1.5 مليون يورو سنويًّا.

وأوضحت أن إدارة الرائد فتحت خط مفاوضات مع اللاعب، استغلالًا لانتهاء عقده، مطلع يوليو الجاري، مع نادي سبورتينج لشبونة البرتغالي.

طالع أيضًا.. تقارير: الرائد السعودي يستهدف التعاقد مع عدو نيمار

ولعب فضال، البالغ 32 عامًا، لعديد من الأندية خلال مسيرته الكروية الممتدَّة منذ 2008، بينها بارما وباليرمو الإيطاليان، وليفانتي وبيتيس الإسبانيان، وصولًا إلى لشبونة، الذي قضى الموسمين الأخيرين ضمن صفوفه.

Sheffield United have been handed a major boost in their bid to bring Matty Longstaff to Bramall Lane.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who relayed recent comments made by Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce regarding the future of the 21-year-old, amid reports of interest from both Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town.

The 60-year-old admitted that he needs to move a few players out on loan in order for him to make moves for his own targets in the remainder of the summer transfer window, and suggested that Longstaff will be one of the players to leave St. James’ Park.

In his comments, Bruce said: “It’s something that we have decided might be best for Matty. I have had that conversation with him. We have had one or two enquiries and hope something happens in the next couple of days.”

Jokanovic will be buzzing

Considering the fact that Slavisa Jokanovic’s Sheffield United side is lacking a considerable amount of depth in the middle of the pitch, as well as the sheer amount of potential Longstaff appears to possess, the news that Bruce is willing to sanction the temporary departure of the midfielder is sure to have left the Serbian boss buzzing.

Indeed, following the departures of both John Lundstram and Jack Rodwell earlier this summer, the 53-year-old currently only has two natural central midfielders in his first-team squad, in the shape of John Fleck and Oliver Norwood.

As such, while both Sander Berge and Regan Slater can operate in the position, it would nevertheless appear wise for United to bring in at least one more option, with an extremely long and arduous Championship campaign ahead of the Blades.

Furthermore, after bursting onto the Premier League scene by scoring the winner against Manchester United on his top-flight debut, pundits and teammates alike were quick to heap praise on the 21-year-old – with Sean Longstaff dubbing his brother an “outstanding” talent, Graeme Souness complimenting the midfielder’s ability to pick out players with “30 or 40 yard passes” and Jamie Redknapp claiming that the “game stands still” when the youngster is on the ball.

So, should Longstaff indeed go on to complete a switch to Bramall Lane in the coming days, it would very much appear to provide Jokanovic’s midfield with a very welcome boost – at a time when the Serbian desperately needs one.

In other news: Jokanovic drops Sheffield United transfer claim that’ll be music to the ears of fans

A Leeds United source has claimed the club’s wage bill for the season has skyrocketed to over £100million after the recent news of Patrick Bamford’s ‘big money’ deal.

The Lowdown: Big-money deals

The Whites’ output on salaries for the year ending July 2020 totalled up to £78million – a huge increase from the year before.

Leeds’ promotion to the Premier League has seen the wage bill tally up – it sat at just £31m when they were in the second tier.

With the likes of Diego Llorente and Rodrigo through the door last year, big summer signings and new contracts have led to the biggest wage bill ever seen at Elland Road.

The Latest: Top six ambitions

According to Football Insider, the wage bill for the current season will rocket past £100million after big-money contracts were handed out to Bamford and the summer incomings.

The report states that the reasoning behind the high figure comes from the vast outlay of expensive talent brought in when Leeds were promoted – Raphinha, Llorente and Rodrigo – whilst Dan James and Junior Firpo moved to the Yorkshire club on lucrative contracts this term.

Bamford’s contract news handed the striker a ‘big-money’ pay rise, a deal that will see the England international remain at the club for a further five years.

With revenues climbing since they were promoted, Andrea Radrizzani holds intentions of competing with the top-six sides and playing in European competitions.

The Verdict: Statement of intent

Radrizzani clearly isn’t messing about. With Rodrigo on £100k a week and Raphinha copping £58k a week, United’s ambition is obvious and clear to see.

Last season’s impressive ninth-placed finish was highly impressive and made people sit up and take notice. With the signings of James and Firpo, Leeds look like a serious team now and have all the tools to mount a challenge with the likes of Leicester City, Everton and Arsenal for the final European places this season.

Bamford’s first appearance for England is a good way to identify how far this club has come and they seem to be only just getting started.

In other news, the signing of this international player has been questioned by a Sky Sports pundit. Find out more here.