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Where his colleagues tried to force the situation, he batted with seemingly no preconceived ideas and made a landmark hundred away from home

Alagappan Muthu30-Sep-20241:08

Manjrekar: Mominul’s ‘old-school batting’ worked well for Bangladesh

There was one good thing that came out of the wet outfield at Green Park. Mominul Haque got his birthday off. He spent Sunday at the Bangladesh team hotel being spoiled rotten by his team-mates.Respite is the very last thing that comes on a tour of India these days. Especially for a batter. Mominul could attest to that after he began his tour with a first-ball duck before getting worked over by one of the greatest spin bowlers of our time.Related

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There is a pattern to his career so far. At home, he averages 48.57, the best of any Bangladeshi batter in history (min five games played). Away from home, he averages 27.39 with 60% of his innings ending before the 30-run mark. This is part of the reason why Mominul struggles to feature in the same conversation as some of the great players from his country. He has the game – particularly the concentration levels required to face high quality bowling – but an asterisk has always accompanied his numbers.Bangladesh are staring at an incomprehensible situation in Kanpur. With a great deal of help from the rain, they’d been able to see off three days of a Test match in India with only three wickets lost. On the fourth, they lost seven wickets for only 126 runs. India rubbed that in their face when they then amassed 285 in just 34.4 overs. A game that was shuffling towards a draw is now bursting with life.Mominul Haque made a statement with his sweeps•Associated PressMominul finds himself at the centre of it. He had hoped not to, with Bangladesh sending out a nightwatch when the openers were unable to negotiate the 40-odd minutes there were until stumps. But R Ashwin took care of Hasan Mahmud and he had to represent, which, if his 107 in the first innings was any indication, he can.His back-foot play, all through the innings, was both impressive and crucial. It helped him survive India’s unerringly accurate spinners. As much as Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja tried to tempt him forward, he knew he didn’t need to succumb. The slowness of the pitch gave him an advantage and he took it gleefully.Against the quicks, Mominul on the backfoot was not just a pain but a threat. He used to have a problem against the short ball, used to be hurried by it. It was an area that needed work and based on recent evidence it seems he’s put that in and then some. On the tour of Pakistan, he messed with Naseem Shah’s attempts to bounce him out. Here, he kept carving India’s quicks over point and third man every time they gave him an opportunity.Mominul’s century was his second away from home; he has 13 Test hundreds in all•Associated PressAccording to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, Mominul only scored 35 of his runs off the back foot but he scored them at a strike rate of 112.90, which suggests that, more often than not, he took that option knowing he’d be able to score runs.”Cricket is a game of runs,” Mehidy Hasan Miraz said at the press conference on Monday. “You have to score and batters make mistakes with wrong shot selection. Sourav [Mominul] was good with his shot selection. He played a good innings after a while. His commitment and temperament were very good and that’s why he scored runs.”Other Bangladesh batters tried to throw the Indian bowlers off their discipline. Litton Das succeeded for a while before India forced him away from the shots that were working for him. Shakib Al Hasan, in possibly his last Test match, ran at the bowlers to see what would happen. Only Mominul seemed to bat without preconceived ideas. He did have his plans of attack – whenever Ashwin or Jadeja tossed it up a little too straight, he was quick to go down and sweep them – but they were more like guidelines. Up until playing the shot that got him runs, it seemed as if he had the blankest mind of all the Bangladesh batters. That’s where good decisions come from. Bangladesh are going to need a lot more of that on Tuesday.”Anything is possible in Test cricket,” Mehidy said. “It’s not like we have lost already. We have won matches like this and lost as well. So it’s an opportunity for us, for those batters remaining. The wicket is good and it will be challenging for us but if we can get a good partnership up top and our batters bat with responsibility for a session it will be a positive sign for us. We still have tomorrow’s day so we are not trying to think about it [losing].”

تنبأ الذكاء الاصطناعي اليوم الخميس بالفائز ببطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل 2026، والتي سوف تقام في كندا والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والمكسيك.

ويترقب عشاق كرة القدم بطولة كأس العالم، والتي من المرجح أن تشهد منافسة كبيرة بين العديد من المنتخبات.

ونقلت صحيفة “ماركا” تنبؤ الحاسوب العملاق بشبكة “أوبتا” والذي يعمل بالذكاء الاصطناعي، بطل كأس العالم المقبل، حيث جاء منتخب إسبانيا على رأس المرشحين.

إسبانيا تمتلك منتخبًا قويًا للغاية، وقد تمكن لاروخا من الحصول على لقب اليورو في ألمانيا العام الماضي عن جدارة واستحقاق.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ترامب يحسم موقفه من حضور قرعة كأس العالم 2026

وكشف حاسوب “أوبتا” عن منتخب إسبانيا كمرشح أول للحصول على كأس العالم بنسبة 17%، بينما جاء منتخب فرنسا في المركز الثاني بنسبة 14.1% ، في حين تواجد منتخب إنجلترا في المركز الثالث بقائمة المرشحين للحصول على البطولة بنسبة 11.8%.

وبالنسبة لحامل اللقب، منتخب الأرجنتين والحاصل على كأس العالم عام 2022 في قطر، فقد جاء في المركز الرابع من ضمن المرشحين للحصول على كأس العالم وبنسبة 8.7، بينما في المركز الخامس يتواجد منتخب ألمانيا بنسبة 7.1%.

أما منتخب البرازيل والذي يدربه كارلو أنشيلوتي، فقد جاء في المركز السابع بنسبة 5.1%، وعلى الجانب الآخر يتواجد منتخب البرتغال بقيادة الأسطورة كريستيانو رونالدو في المركز السادس بنسبة 6.6%.

ويأمل منتخب البرتغال في الحصول على كأس العالم، من أجل رونالدو والذي سيخوض آخر منافسة كروية كبرى على الأرجح في مسيرته مع بلاده.

وشهدت التوقعات حضورًا عربيًا بتواجد منتخب المغرب، والذي حصل على نسبة 1.3% من بين المرشحين للحصول على كأس العالم، حيث قدم أسود الأطلس بطولة مميزة في النسخة الماضية واحتلوا المركز الرابع.

كما تواجد منتخب السنغال في قائمة المرشحين للحصول على كأس العالم وبنسبة 0.6%.

Chelsea have been tipped to ‘easily’ sign a ‘top player’ who could become a ‘superstar’ away from his current club.

Chelsea suffer Atalanta blow as Maresca crashes down to Earth

Chelsea’s aspirations of securing automatic Champions League knockout round qualification took a significant hit as they surrendered a half-time advantage to lose 2-1 against Atalanta in Bergamo on Tuesday evening.

Enzo Maresca’s side appeared on course for a crucial victory when Joao Pedro slid home his maiden Champions League goal in the 25th minute, capitalizing on Reece James’s delivery after a VAR review confirmed the captain had timed his run perfectly.

The Blues controlled proceedings during the opening period, with their man-to-man pressing disrupting Atalanta’s rhythm and limiting the Serie A outfit’s opportunities.

However, Josh Acheampong did have to produce a stunning goal-line block to deny Ademola Lookman what appeared a certain opener.

.

Maresca’s decision to withdraw the booked Trevoh Chalobah at half-time appeared to kickstart a dramatic shift in momentum.

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James spurned an excellent opportunity to extend Chelsea’s lead early in the second period, firing wide from a promising position on the edge of the penalty area.

Atalanta immediately made Chelsea pay, with Charles De Ketelaere delivering an exceptional cross from the right flank, allowing former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca to rise completely unmarked inside the six-yard box and nod past Robert Sanchez.

The Belgian forward then completed the turnaround with seven minutes remaining, his deflected strike looping over Sanchez after taking a wicked deflection off Marc Cucurella’s retreating leg.

Despite late opportunities for Alejandro Garnacho, James and Pedro, Marco Carnesecchi’s goalkeeping ensured Atalanta claimed all three points.

It was a humbling night for Chelsea, merely a fortnight after they were being talked about as genuine Premier League title contenders.

There is clearly still work to do before the west Londoners can be discussed in that manner, with Maresca lamenting Chelsea’s defending in a post-match press conference.

With holes still ever present and Maresca constantly rotating his first-team due to injuries, there may still be more work to do in the transfer market next year.

Chelsea spent nearly £300 million in the summer, but they remain pretty light in midfield with the constantly-injured Roméo Lavia sidelined for yet another extended period.

As a result, the west Londoners have been tipped to move for a new midfielder in 2026, and Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo could be available.

Chelsea tipped to 'easily' sign Kobbie Mainoo from Man United

Chelsea have been repeatedly linked with the Red Devils sensation these last 12 months, with Mainoo on the fringes of Ruben Amorim’s first team and potentially poised for the exit door.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, ex-United midfielder Nicky Butt has tipped Chelsea to sign Mainoo amid his current club’s ‘mind-boggling’ stance when it comes to young stars.

The 20-year-old, who burst on to the scene at Old Trafford in 2023/2024, was once a revelation under Erik ten Hag and one of England’s rising stars.

Mainoo’s excellent form that year, including an FA Cup final goal against Man City, earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.

He played in all but one of the Three Lions’ games that tournament, including a start in the final against Spain, so finding Mainoo in this situation at United is truly bizarre.

The talented and versatile midfielder seemingly doesn’t fit into Amorim’s tactical blueprint, with Chelsea believed to still be keen on Mainoo amid their search for world football’s most elite young talents.

This could be a match made in heaven.

Leeds United are in a difficult position heading into the weekend as they are in the bottom three and heading to play Manchester City at The Etihad this afternoon.

The Whites have lost their last three matches in the Premier League, losing to Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa, and now face a run of games against City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

On top of the daunting fixture list, Daniel Farke also has several new injury issues to contend with before they kick off against Pep Guardiola’s side today.

The latest Leeds injury news

Anton Stach will not be in the squad because he has been unable to train this week through concussion protocols, after the German midfielder was taken off in the first against Aston Villa last weekend with a head injury.

The £17.4m summer signing from Hoffenheim will resume training on Sunday before coming into contention for the Chelsea match, and Ao Tanaka could start in his place this afternoon.

Reserve defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, who joined from Wolfsburg in the summer, is going to be a late call on whether or not he can make the bench today, per Farke.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Unfortunately, the German head coach also revealed that central midfielder Sean Longstaff suffered a calf injury and is due to be out of action for between four and six weeks, in a major blow for the Whites.

The summer signing from Newcastle has started ten of his 12 Premier League appearances for the club, creating six ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, and Farke will need to find a way to replace him this afternoon and for the weeks to come.

Instead of bringing Ilia Gruev, who is more of a deep-lying number six, into the side, Farke should unleash Brenden Aaronson in a new role to ease the Longstaff injury blow.

The new role that Brenden Aaronson should play in

Earlier this month, Farke said that the USA international “polarises and can be annoying” and then added that he “works his socks off, gives everything, relentless and leaves his heart on the pitch” in defence of the attacking midfielder.

Because of that work rate, it would be interesting to see how he would fare in Longstaff’s position as one of the two number eights ahead of Ethan Ampadu.

Aaronson, of course, was the main number ten for Farke in his 4-2-3-1 system last season before being moved to the right wing in the current 4-3-3 shape, which means that he is used to playing centrally under the German boss.

The 25-year-old star, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, has the creative qualities to soften the blow of losing Longstaff, who has created the most ‘big chances’ in the team, albeit as the main set-piece taker.

Goals

1

3rd

Shots per game

1.4

3rd

Key passes per game

0.9

3rd

Big chances created

3

2nd

xA

1.49

1st

Possession lost per game

8.4

8th

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has been one of the most creative players in the team in the top-flight this season, without being one of the most wasteful in possession.

This, along with Farke’s comments on his work rate, suggests that the American midfielder could be the ideal player to fill in for Longstaff in the next few weeks, because the Whites would still have a hard-working and creative player in that role.

On top of that, moving Aaronson away from the right wing position would allow the manager to unleash Dan James on the right, and his pace in behind could be particularly useful in these next three games against superior opposition who will be expected to dominate the ball.

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Therefore, playing the USA international in this new role could be an excellent way to respond to Longstaff’s injury, which is why Farke should consider it this afternoon.

Palmeiras academy director Joao Paulo Sampaio has made a major remark about Brazilian defender Vitor Reis, who is currently playing in La Liga for Girona on loan from their sister club, Manchester City, who are monitoring his progress. According to Sampaio, Reis has the ability to shine in the coming years and establish himself as a vital player in the Brazilian national team.

Reis enjoying a perfect season at Girona

In January 2025, Manchester City landed one of Palmeiras' top young talents in the form of Reis. Just 19-years-old, the Brazilian did not enjoy much playing time under head coach Pep Guardiola, who mostly used him in the FA Cup. Accumulating four appearances since his switch from Brazil, Reis was loaned out to Girona at the start of this season. Girona fall under the same ownership as City, the City Football Group, and currently sit 18th in La Liga. 

AdvertisementAFPWhat did Sampaio say about Reis?

Among the U-20 players in La Liga, which includes Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid next-gen talent Franco Mastantuono, Reis is the one with the most playing time. Sampaio, who has worked with him at Palmeiras, knows the youngster well and has predicted that he will become a mainstay in the Selecao XI. "He will be Brazil’s centre-back for the next three or four World Cups. This kid is very different. Technically, physically, mentally, as a leader… he is one of the best in the Spanish league in terms of numbers," the director told ESPN Brazil (via Sport Witness).

Brazil currently have an experienced defensive third comprising Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos or even Eder Militao. However, among the upcoming talents, Reis is one to keep an eye on.

Reis' youth coach speaks on his leadership abilities

Reis was part of City's rebuild, and the Etihad-based club are minutely tracking his development in La Liga and might reintegrate him into the squad once his two-year loan stint comes to an end. However, when they signed him back in January, his youth coach at the R10 Academy, Roberto Custodia, heaped praise on the teenager. 

He said (via ESPN): "After I saw him play at centre-back for the under-9 side, he came to train with me. And there I saw that he could command, that he would organise those around him. You could see that he had a strong personality. Then he went to Palmeiras and won everything there at youth level. He's a very humble, down-to-earth guy."

Abel Ferreira, who is the head coach of Brazilian side Palmeiras, also spoke highly of the youngster. "He's been a pleasant surprise. Everyone should have the strength of will that this lad has. I congratulate him, because despite his age, he's a man of character," he said to ESPN. He further stated (via Manchester Evening News), "We sold Vitor because I spoke too much to the wrong people and that’s it. When you talk to directors of other clubs about your squad, people believe a lot of what you say. But he deserves it, he’s a kid with the whole package. That’s what makes players valued. It was with Vitor Reis, Danilo, Estevao, (Luis) Guilherme, Endrick."

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Getty Images SportReis to face Real Madrid soon

Girona will return to action on November 23, when they meet Real Betis on the road. Currently placed 18th in the standings, they will aim to secure a second consecutive victory of the season and boost their motivation before taking on Real Madrid a week later. Reis, who has so far been an integral part of Michel's system, is expected to start both games.

Newcastle United fans won’t want to dwell on Alexander Isak’s notable summer exit at all now.

The Magpies’ former fan favourite definitely left on sour terms in the summer when he forced through a mighty £125m move to Arne Slot’s Reds, though, having bagged a weighty 62 goals for the Tyneside giants across 109 outings.

Luckily, Eddie Howe’s men have recovered strongly from what had the potential to be an earth-shuddering setback, as Nick Woltemade came in through the door to instantly replace the superstar Swede for a whopping £69m.

He has filled the Isak-shaped hole well, too, with a blistering six strikes already in his back pocket for the Premier League titans from just 12 games. In stark contrast, Newcastle’s ex-star man has only one meagre effort next to his name at Anfield.

Worryingly, though, the “first class” Woltemade – as Eddie Howe has recently labelled him – has been a rare bright spark at St James’ Park this season, despite only just entering the English game.

On the contrary, many of Newcastle’s stalwarts who have been in and around the Magpies’ first team long before the 6-foot-6 menace’s arrival have been below-par this campaign, with all of Newcastle’s mounting issues clear for all to see, as they collapsed to a 3-1 defeat away at lowly West Ham United last time out.

The biggest problems facing Newcastle in 2025/26

Newcastle must wish they could only play in the Champions League at the moment, with the Magpies picking up a lethal eight goals across two wins so far in that competition, as they re-enter the illustrious stage on Wednesday night against Athletic Club.

From a far larger pool of games back in the Premier League, ten to be exact, Howe and Co only have a slim three wins next to their name, with the 3-1 defeat picked up at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon sparking St James’ Park royalty Alan Shearer into labelling the loss on the road as a “rotten” performance.

It was far from Newcastle at their very best, that’s for sure, with Woltemade even letting the side down with just 14 touches of the ball, as the Magpies only had an early Jacob Murphy effort to shout about in the attacking positions.

Defensively, the travelling Toon looked all over the place, too, with more question marks popping up at the close of the loss at the London Stadium as to how Dan Burn remains in Howe’s starting XI.

Howe has had to count on his ageing number 33 to be a stand-in in the left-back spot for the majority of the season so far, with one Newcastle-based content creator even stating that persisting with the 33-year-old here is the “stuff of nightmares.”

The Blyth-born defender certainly had an afternoon to forget in East London to back up these comments, with zero tackles and only two duels being won, as Howe now prays he has Lewis Hall back to full fitness shortly to bring this long-standing experiment to a close.

Newcastle’s long-term injury list
Player	Games missed
Yoanne Wissa	13
Tino Livramento	7
Lewis Hall	6
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Injuries have been a real pain this season so far for the Premier League underperformers, with Newcastle’s lack of depth in defence – due to Hall being in and out of the treatment room – meaning they have had to rely solely on Burn in a makeshift left-back position.

Moreover, their frustrations in this department have, no doubt, only been strengthened by the fact that summer arrival Yoanne Wissa has not been able to line up for one single Magpies game so far this season, after joining for a bumper £55m from Brentford.

With 45 Premier League goals next to his name for the Bees, he would have been a breath of fresh air for Newcastle fans to latch on to, in a similar fashion to Woltemade.

Instead, with Wissa sidelined and many more issues coming to the forefront, the feel around St James’ Park is arguably stale, with Joelinton also now showing visible signs of rust.

Yet, he continues to be selected week in, week out – like Burn – despite zero goals or assists coming his way this campaign so far.

He isn’t the only first-team star that is crumbling right now, however.

£100m Newcastle star now looks "all over the place"

Newcastle turned a few heads this summer when gaining £125m after Isak left the building.

But, this trend of selling one of their prized assets for around the £100m mark could amazingly continue on, if rumours surrounding Anthony Gordon’s long-term future at St James’ Park were anything to read into the same window Isak departed.

Indeed, the Merseyside-born winger was being tipped to relocate to Anfield, much like his former teammate, for an equally ludicrous fee, with statistician Statman Dave even noting that Gordon can be “unplayable” on his day, like the lethal Swede, as well.

The England international loved linking up with Isak when he was still situated on Tyneside, with eight of the Scandinavian’s aforementioned 62-goal tally coming directly from a Gordon assist.

On top of that, the former Everton youngster turned Newcastle first-teamer also has 26 goals in total for Howe’s men, with nine of those efforts coming just last season to pique the Reds’ clear interest.

But, away from some flashy performances in the Champions League so far this season, with Jose Mourinho even waxing lyrical about the 24-year-old when his Benfica side came to St James’ Park, Gordon has cut a disinterested presence in Newcastle’s ongoing demise in the Premier League.

The hot-and-cold number ten is now deep in a 19-game patch in the top-flight, where he has picked up zero goals and assists.

Worryingly for Newcastle, this isn’t the first instance where Gordon has mentally checked out of proceedings, having left behind boyhood employers Everton mid-season – in controversial circumstances – to jump ship to the Toon in early 2023.

While that was a major plus at the time, as Newcastle didn’t have to play the long game, it should have been a slight warning sign for what the future could hold, with the attacker even being hauled off at the half-time mark against West Ham, after an “awful” 45-minute spell, in the words of journalist Luke Edwards.

Further said to be looking “all over the place” at the moment by journalist Adam Clery, it could be that Gordon is just hurting from his synergy with Isak going to the wayside, as a possible £100m move to Anfield in January – to link back up with his deadly former teammate – now looking way off the cards.

In the same breath as criticising Newcastle’s recent downfall, though, Shearer has also offered some pearls of wisdom to the likes of Gordon, with this big-game mentality and the constant need to entertain, now having to be replaced by a “back to basics” approach to get off the mark in the league, sooner rather than later.

If Gordon can get back to his best in the bread and butter of the league, Newcastle will surely rise in the league standings, with an unsatisfactory 13th spot at the time of writing, just not cutting the mustard.

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Fim da novela! Depois da ‘guerra de notas oficiais’, Nova Iguaçu consegue liberação para mandar segundo jogo da semifinal do Campeonato Carioca, contra o Vasco, no Maracanã. A Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Ferj) oficializou, por fim, na tarde desta quinta-feira (14), o palco da partida de domingo.

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Ao confirmar jogo de volta das semifinais para o Raulino de Oliveira, em Volta Redonda, o futebol carioca se viu mais uma vez envolvido em polêmicas envolvendo o estádio. De acordo com a nota divulgada pelo Nova Iguaçu nas redes sociais, o clube solicitou ao Consórcio Fla-Flu na segunda-feira (11) para mandar o jogo no Maracanã. Porém, até a tarde desta quarta-feira não tinha recebido resposta da dupla, e foi orientado a pensar em um ‘plano B’.

➡️Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com a repercussão, o govenardor do Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro, postou um video divulgado nas redes sociais, dizendo que o estádio está sempre aberto para o Nova Iguaçu e Vasco mandarem seus jogos. O que gerou uma reviravolta nos bastidores do Laranjão.

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– Não há, nunca houve e não vai haver nada contra o Vasco vindo do Governo do Estado. Queria garantir para o torcedor vascaíno e do Nova Iguaçu que o Maracanã está à disposição de qualquer jogo. Se a Federação Carioca e o mandante quiserem, podem fazer. O Maracanã está à disposição de qualquer jogo. – afirmou o mandatário.

Diante desse imbróglio, os clubes não iniciaram as vendas de ingressos para o jogo de volta da semifinal. Na ida, as equipes empataram por 1 a 1, e o Carrossel da Baixada tem a vantagem de uma nova igualdade no placar em busca da final.

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Nova Iguaçu e Vasco voltam a se enfrentar no domingo (17), às 16h (Brasília), no Maracanã, em jogo que valerá a classificação para a final do Campeonato Carioca.

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Campeonato CariocaMaracanãNova IguaçuVasco

Ryan Reynolds has praised Wrexham’s “heart” after the club’s impressive rise continued with a determined 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic. Josh Windass’ penalty extended the Red Dragons’ unbeaten run to five matches and lifted them to 13th in the Championship, just four points off the play-off spots, capping off a strong turnaround that has left the Hollywood co-owner beaming with pride.

• Reynolds praises Wrexham as they extend unbeaten run

  Wrexham continued their impressive surge up the Championship table with a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic, further cementing their place as one of the division’s most inspiring stories. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when substitute Onel Hernandez was penalised for handball, allowing Josh Windass to calmly convert from the penalty spot for his fifth goal of the season. The goal was enough to secure Wrexham’s third consecutive home win and fifth match unbeaten in the league.

  The result carried even more significance given the quick turnaround from a midweek fixture against Portsmouth, where Wrexham had ground out a gritty draw. Despite the fatigue, Phil Parkinson’s side maintained their energy and resilience, keeping Charlton’s attacking threats largely quiet. It was another display of maturity from a squad that had once looked out of its depth early in the campaign but now appears to be growing stronger with each passing week.

  The atmosphere inside the Racecourse Ground was electric once again, with fans fully embracing their side’s newfound confidence. The energy in the stands, mirrored by the team’s intensity on the pitch, reflected a club that has rediscovered its belief at home. The full-time whistle was met with jubilant scenes, while Ryan Reynolds’ short Instagram post — “This Town. This heart. Forever.” — summed up the pride that has defined Wrexham’s remarkable rise.

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  'Intensity' key to Wrexham's return to form in the Championship

  Wrexham’s resurgence has come at a good time. From a nervy start to life back in the Championship — their first appearance in the second tier since 1982 — to now sitting four points off the play-offs, the Red Dragons’ transformation has been a testament to patience, structure, and spirit. The early-season growing pains, marked by defensive errors and narrow defeats, have given way to a side that plays with organisation, confidence, and self-belief.

  As Parkinson put it, the “intensity” has returned — a feeling long associated with Wrexham’s ascent through the divisions. The Wrexham boss said:  "I think the atmosphere now and the feeling in the stadium is what we've been used to. Those early games, we didn't quite create that intensity in our play. We had some really good periods in all those games but we got punished in key moments.

  "The Oxford game, I thought the support was great. Coventry was special and today, what an atmosphere. We've always spoke about making this place difficult for the opposition to play and I think we've got it where we need it to be, and we've got to keep it there. That comes with the supporters obviously playing their part like they've done so well today, but also the manner of the performance, the physicality.

  "I think Issa Kabore kind of typifies that really in his fighting spirit and the defenders winning headers when they needed to and playing with that physicality, and teams know if they come to Wrexham, they're in for a tough afternoon." 

• Wrexham's remarkable story from non-league to Championship

  Wrexham’s return to the Championship marks one of football’s most remarkable modern success stories — a story written not only through investment but through culture. Since Reynolds and Rob Mac took ownership in 2021, the club has undergone a complete transformation, combining Hollywood ambition with genuine community spirit. What began as a bold experiment has evolved into a model of sustainable growth, media influence, and sporting ambition.

  The documentary Welcome to Wrexham introduced the club to global audiences, but it’s their on-field progress that continues to astound. Three consecutive promotions — from the National League to the Championship — were achieved through smart recruitment, shrewd management, and the unwavering backing of the fanbase.

  Financial investment from the owners has undoubtedly been key, with improved training facilities, global sponsorships, and Racecourse Ground redevelopment projects all elevating the club’s infrastructure. Yet, beyond the money, Reynolds and Mac’s genuine emotional connection to Wrexham remains the defining factor.

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  Wrexham will look to maintain form after the break

  Wrexham enter the international break sitting comfortably in 13th place. Phil Parkinson will use the next fortnight to rest key players and prepare for a challenging run of fixtures, beginning with a trip to Ipswich Town on November 22. Maintaining this momentum could turn a season of survival into one of genuine promotion contention.

  For Reynolds and Mac, the latest chapter in Wrexham’s journey is further vindication of their long-term vision. The club’s trajectory continues to defy expectation, with performances on the pitch matching the ambition off it.

تم الكشف بشكل رسمي عن مجموعة منتخب البرازيل في بطولة كأس العالم، والتي سوف تقام العام المقبل في كندا والمكسيك والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وتم إجراء قرعة دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العالم، أمس الجمعة في عاصمة الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، واشنطن، وسط حضور الرئيس دونالد ترامب.

وأسفرت القرعة عن وقوع منتخب البرازيل في المجموعة الثالثة إلى جانب كل من المغرب وهايتي واسكتلندا، العائدة للمشاركة في المونديال بعد غياب لسنوات عديدة.

اقرأ أيضًا .. مواعيد مباريات مصر في كأس العالم 2026

وكشف الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم ”فيفا”، عن مواعيد منتخب البرازيل في دور المجموعات بكأس العالم، حيث يفتتح السيليساو مشوارهم في المنافسة بقمة مرتقبة أمام المغرب، يوم 13 يونيو من العام المقبل.

البرازيل تعتبر ملكة كأس العالم، حيث يعتبر السيليساو هو أكثر منتخب فاز بالمسابقة الأغلى برصيد خمسة ألقاب.

ويدخل البرازيل بطولة كأس العالم بطموحات كبيرة، خصوصًا مع تواجد كارلو أنشيلوتي كمدير فني للسيليساو منذ شهر مايو الماضي.

وستكون مهمة البرازيل صعبة حقًا ضد المغرب، والتي أنهت كأس العالم في النسخة الماضية عام 2022 محتلة المركز الرابع. مواعيد مباريات البرازيل في كأس العالم 2026

الجولة الأولى:

البرازيل والمغرب.. الساعة 1 بعد منتصف الليل (فجر يوم 14 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في ولاية نيويورك بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

هايتي واسكتلندا.. الساعة 4 فجرًا (صباح يوم 14 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في ولاية بوسطن.

الجولة الثانية:

البرازيل وهايتي.. الساعة 4 فجرًا (صباح يوم 20 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في ولاية فلاديلفيا بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

اسكتلندا والمغرب.. الساعة 1 بعد منتصف الليل (فجر يوم 20 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في ولاية بوسطن.

الجولة الثالثة:

البرازيل واسكتلندا.. الساعة 1 بعد منتصف الليل (فجر يوم 25 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في ولاية ميامي بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

هايتي والمغرب.. الساعة 1 بعد منتصف الليل (فجر يوم 25 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في ولاية أتالانتا.

The Blue Jays’ 11–4 blowout win over the Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series on Friday night turned into a laugher. Game 2 was anything but.

In a pitcher’s duel between Toronto veteran Kevin Gausman and Los Angeles ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers separated themselves with two big blasts by Will Smith and Max Muncy in the seventh inning. It was enough for Los Angeles to ride Yamamoto’s right arm the rest of the way for a 5–1 win to even up the World Series at one game apiece.

The World Series now shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3. But before it does, let’s take a look at what we learned from Game 2:

An October legend in the making

A star is born.

The last time Yamamoto took the hill in a playoff game, he allowed just one run in a complete game to lead the Dodgers to a 5–1 win over the Brewers in Game 2 of the NLCS. He did it again Saturday night on baseball’s biggest stage.

Yamamoto allowed just one run on four hits over nine innings with eight strikeouts against the Blue Jays in Game 2. He’s the first pitcher to log back-to-back complete games in the postseason since Curt Schilling did it for the Diamondbacks in 2001.

He’s also the first pitcher to log a complete game in the World Series since Royals righthander Johnny Cueto in 2015.

Yamamoto found himself in trouble early, allowing at least one baserunner in the first three innings, and the Blue Jays got one run across on a sacrifice fly in the third. But he was lights out the rest of the evening, retiring 20 straight batters from the third inning to when Daulton Varsho popped out to end the game.

In two career World Series starts, Yamamoto has surrendered just two total runs on five hits with 12 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings—adding up to a 1.17 ERA.

Gettin’ jiggy wit it

Entering Game 2, Dodgers catcher Will Smith had nine hits in this postseason run, but all nine were singles. He added another base knock in the first inning off Gausman—one that brought in the first run of the game—but Smith saved the biggest swing of the Dodgers’ postseason run for the seventh.

With one out in the inning, Smith squared up a 3–2 fastball and sent it 404 feet into the upper deck in left field for a 2–1 lead.

Smith’s timely hitting calmed concerns about the Dodgers’ offense. There’s not much to complain about Los Angeles’s 9–2 record this postseason, but it’s been on the backs of an elite pitching staff. The Dodgers are batting just .230 with runners in scoring position this postseason, and most of that damage was done in a two-game sweep over the Reds in the wild-card round.

The Dodgers’ offense woke up in Game 2. Bad news for Toronto.

Lights weren’t too bright for Gausman

Thirteen seasons and 373 career appearances in the big leagues later, 34-year-old Kevin Gausman toed the rubber in a World Series game for the first time Saturday night.

Gausman, in his fourth campaign with the Blue Jays, saw Toronto’s previous two playoff runs in 2022 and ‘23 end with a sweep in the wild-card round, and last year was a 74–88 dud—seasons he called “heartbreaking” and a “punch in the face,” according to Fox Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal. Well, on Saturday night, Gausman punched back.

The veteran surrendered one run in the first inning on Will Smith’s RBI single before locking in and dominating for much of the night. Gausman didn’t allow a single baserunner until Smith and Max Muncy went yard in the seventh, retiring 17 consecutive batters in that span. In all, Gausman allowed three earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks in 6 2/3 innings—his longest career postseason appearance.