Tea Centuries from KL Rahul (120*) and Rishabh Pant (118) put India firmly in control of the first Test, leading England by 304 runs heading into tea on day four.That Rahul’s ninth hundred and Pant’s eighth came off 202 and 130 deliveries, respectively, tells the story of their roles within a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket that initially quelled a tough morning, before running riot in the afternoon. They had earned a decent platform after toughing out the first session, scoring just 63 runs for the loss of skipper Shubman Gill to a brute of a delivery from Brydon Carse. And with it, they made hay with 145 runs over the next 27 overs.Both had their share of good luck. Rahul was dropped by Harry Brook on 55, while Pant edged a couple through the cordon – a vacant first slip to start with when on 31, and then a vacant second which moved him to 49 – before a full-blooded cover drive on 75 was tipped around the post by Ben Stokes at cover. But neither batter dwelled on errors, nor lost sight of the bigger picture.Rahul’s serenity on the drive was coupled with wearing three blows to the glove. A caress through the covers for two took him to his eighth overseas century, celebrated with little more than a shrug. It was his sixth outside of Asia as an opener, with only Sunil Gavaskar ahead of him (15).Similarly, Pant’s was far more subdued than his first-innings celebration, remaining upright this time but seemingly promising Gavaskar he would do the front-flip again next time. And the stats suggest there will be a next time, given he has become the first visiting wicketkeeper to score four Test centuries in a country.Pant accelerated upon passing fifty, taking 44 off 25 deliveries to move to 95. The journey from there to 100 took 22 balls more, though he made up for “lost” time by smashing Joe Root for four, six and four in the very next over. An attempt to do the same to Shoaib Bashir resulted in a catch for Zak Crawley at long-on.Bashir celebrated like he had won the battle, but he really had not, given Pant was aiming for the stand in which he had sent Bashir earlier for back-to-back sixes. Both Pant and Rahul had just started tucking into the rookie offspinner. Karun Nair then reverse swept Bashir for four, taking himself off a pair and moving India’s lead beyond 300.

Premier League fans will have enjoyed a feast of football after the conclusion of the international break. However, a former player in England’s top-flight calling out Jake Paul may not have been on their bingo card this weekend!

Former Premier League star Curtis Davies claims KO victory over Paddy Kenny

Boxing is a sport that has seen plenty of high-profile crossovers in recent years. On Saturday night, it was the turn of former Hull City defender Curtis Davies and ex-Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny to pull on the gloves for charity.

The Sun report that Graham Stack was behind the event, one that also saw Jody Morris and David Bentley go head-to-head, among other bouts involving Leroy Lita, Lee Trundle and Greg Halford, but Davies and Kenny grabbed the headlines due to a turn of events in Mayfair that has garnered social media attention.

With both ex-footballers fighting it out looking to raise money for Playskill, Willow Foundation, Helping Hands and Sport In Mind, Davies took the victory ruthlessly, knocking out Kenny in the first round to claim a resounding victory.

Despite showing admirable bravery to carry on after his opponent landed a series of blows, Kenny, a former Republic of Ireland international, was eventually downed after a standing count took place moments earlier, in footage that can be seen below courtesy of The Daily Mail.

Unfortunately, the Sheffield United favourite needed oxygen after suffering the knockout blow. Hopefully, he can recover well following a bruising affair with some noble causes at the heart of the event.

Davies said after the fight: “Really pleased, I’ve worked hard for this, it’s bittersweet, I love Paddy to bits, I didn’t want to have to knock him about, but that’s what we’re here to do. It’s all for charity, yes, but I enjoyed that win.”

Curtis Davies calls out Jake Paul after victory over Paddy Kenny

Later on, Davies took the surprise step of calling out world-renowned influencer and professional fighter Jake Paul, alongside signalling his intention to enter the Misfits boxing scene.

Whether his comments were tongue-in-cheek or not remains to be seen, but he said after speaking about his victory:

Full list of results of charity fight card
Jody Morris vs David Bentley	Winner: Jody Morris (decision)
Leroy Lita vs David Noble	Winner: Leroy Lita (decision)
Anthony Gardner vs Lee Trundle	Winner: Anthony Gardner (decision)
Marvin Elliott vs Greg Halford	Winner: Marvin Elliott (decision)
Curtis Davies vs Paddy Kenny	Winner: Curtis Davies (KO)

In his heyday, Davies was a dominant central defender who would offer a physical challenge to any striker in the English football pyramid, and it appears he may have found a new calling in boxing, becoming part of a growing trend of ex-players who have swapped boots for gloves.

Curtis Woodhouse has carved out a successful career in the sport. At the same time, Danny Simpson have been involved in Misfits, creating some intriguing match-ups in a different setting to test out their competitive nature.

Either way, charity was the real winner on this occasion, and money raised will go towards helping vital causes after a momentous night of action in Mayfair.

أصبح كريستيانو رونالدو الأسطورة البرتغالية محل أنظار العديد من المشجعين الأيرلنديين قبل مباراة تصفيات كأس العالم بين منتخب بلاده وأيرلندا.

ويسعى منتخب البرتغال لتأكيد تأهله لنهائيات كأس العالم رسمياً في أمريكا الشمالية، بينما يجاهد منتخب أيرلندا للحفاظ على آماله في التأهل.

وكان رونالدو قد تعرض للإحباط في المباراة الماضية ضد أيرلندا في لشبونة بعد تصدي كاويمين كيليهير لركلة جزاء الشهر الماضي.

وقد استقبل كريستيانو رونالدو بصيحات استهجان من العديد من الجماهير الأيرلندية في آخر مباراة لعبتها البرتغال عام 2021 قبل أن يتلقى تصفيقاً من الجمهور بسبب إهداء قميصه لأحد الشباب الذين اقتحموا الملعب مع صافرة النهاية، وناشد مهاجم النصر السعودي قبل لقاء الخميس بعد إطلاق صيحات الاستهجان عليه مرة أخرى.

أقرأ أيضاً.. كريستيانو رونالدو: كأس العالم 2026 سيكون الأخير لي

وقال رونالدو عن الجماهير الأيرلندية في تصريحات نشرتها “irishexaminer”: “رائعون للغاية، أنا معجب جداً بالجماهير هنا وبالدعم الذين يقدموه لمنتخبهم، إنه أمر رائع”.

وأضاف: “إنه لمن دواعي سروري أن ألعب هنا مرة أخرى، وستكون مواجهتنا صعبة، آمل ألا يطلقوا ضدي صيحات استهجان كثيرة غداً، أقسم أنني سأحاول أن أكون لاعب جيد”.

وواصل: “لكنني بالطبع أقوم بعملي، أحاول الفوز بالمباراة والتسجيل لمساعدة فريقي، لكني متأكد أن المباراة ستكون صعبة”.

Wayne Rooney has doubled down on his criticism of Virgil van Dijk after seeing his previous comments branded “lazy” by the Liverpool captain. The Manchester United legend remains of the opinion that the Dutch defender has not been at his best during the 2025-26 campaign, and believes the commanding centre-half would admit as much “if he’s honest with himself”.

Run of defeats after big spend: Questions asked of Liverpool

After seeing a flurry of late goals help them to a faultless opening across domestic and continental competition, the reigning Premier League champions saw the wheels fall off in spectacular style when suffering six defeats through a testing run of seven fixtures. Inevitable questions were asked of whether the Reds were in danger of imploding.

Rooney is among those to have picked fault with Arne Slot’s side, having seen them struggle to replicate the consistency that carried them to the English top-flight title in 2024-25. Few could have predicted that they would wobble so spectacularly after smashing transfer records in the summer window – with historic deals being done for the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

AdvertisementGettyWhat Van Dijk said in 'lazy' jibe at Man Utd legend Rooney

Liverpool have been accused of lacking leadership on and off the field, with experienced skipper Van Dijk falling under the microscope. He has not taken kindly to seeing his contribution questioned by the likes of Rooney.

Responding to accusations that he has not “really led” his team this season, Van Dijk said: “I didn't hear him [Rooney] last year. It doesn't hurt me. Just to come back to this particular player, obviously a legend, a big player of the game who inspired so many, I can say only positive things but I feel that comment is just I would say it's a bit of a lazy criticism.

“It's easy to blame the other players but he knows we do it together, trying to help each and every one of us to try to get out of this. Last year when things go well you don't hear that at all. It is what it is. [Pundits] have to do that job. He has an opinion and we have to deal with it. There's no hard feelings. I don't take it personally.”

Must do better: Rooney stands by comments on Van Dijk

Rooney is not about to apologise for his comments or backtrack on them. Instead, the ex-England captain maintains that Van Dijk should be demanding more himself and those around him at Anfield.

Speaking on , the five-time Premier League title winner said: “Virgil van Dijk’s similar to [Mohamed] Salah, you know, over the last five years he’s been one of, if not the best defender in the world, and last year it was hard to say anything bad because they were that good, and he was that good.

“I’m sure he’ll come out and tell you, he probably hasn’t been at his best this season, if he’s honest with himself. And as captain, your job as captain if things aren’t going right, is to speak to your team-mates, call meetings with your team-mates, and that’s really what I was saying. You know, as a captain, as a leader, I’m sure he will have been doing that.

“I've got full respect for Virgil. I think he's a fantastic player. My job now as a pundit is to give my opinions on what I feel. I'm sure if you ask him or Arne Slot, he probably hasn't been as good as he has been over the last few years. That was my comment which I stick by.”

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AFPLiverpool fixtures: Real Madrid & Man City next up

Van Dijk helped Liverpool return to winning ways in their latest outing, with a welcome 2-0 victory being enjoyed when playing host to Aston Villa. That contest saw the Reds pick up their first clean sheet since September 14.

Slot’s side will be back in European action on Tuesday when taking in a glamour Champions League clash with Real Madrid, with the next international break set to be reached after a trip to old adversaries Manchester City on Sunday.

Things are looking rather bleak for West Ham United at the moment.

Yes, Nuno Espírito Santo did oversee a spirited comeback away to Everton in his first Premier League game, but since then, the Hammers have lost two and sit in the relegation zone, three points and a better goal difference from safety.

Worse yet, while the defeat to Arsenal was to be expected, the East Londoners needed to get something from the game against Brentford. Instead, they put in one of their worst performances in a long, long time.

So, to arrest this downturn in form, Nuno has to try something dramatic, such as dropping Lucas Paqueta for an exciting young talent.

Why Lucas Paqueta has to be dropped

Now, the first thing to say is that there is no denying that Paqueta is an incredibly talented footballer and has the ability to be a real game-changer for West Ham.

Chalkboard

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

However, it is equally true that the former Lyon star has been underwhelming for quite some time and was utterly ineffective last time out.

For example, in 94 minutes of inaction against Brentford, he produced a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.12, took a single shot, which was off target, took 61 touches, but lost the ball 23 times, misplaced 100% of his crosses and was accurate in just 26 of 41 passes.

Minutes

94′

Expected Goals

0.04

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.08

Shots on Target

0

Shots Off Target

1

Touches

61

Lost Possession

23

Dribbles (Completed)

1 (0)

Key Passes

0

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Duels (Won)

20 (7)

Such a terrible showing cannot even be blamed on the fact that he was playing as a false nine, either, as he’s been poor for most of the season thus far.

For example, while he has scored three goals this season, the last one was a penalty on deadline day, and since then, he has yet to score another or even provide an assist.

Moreover, while players can go through barren spells and still provide some attacking impetus for their sides, that has not been the case with the Brazilian, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan who has been impressed with his displays.

So with all that said, while there is every chance Paqueta gets back to his mercurial best later in the season, it’s time he was taken out of the team entirely.

There are other options to play up top, like Callum Wilson, and if Nuno really wants to shake things up, he could start a particularly promising prospect in the ten for the game against Leeds United.

The West Ham gem Nuno could start over Paqueta

While it might be something of a gamble, this is the time for Nuno to take risks to try and improve West Ham’s fortunes in the next game, and therefore, he should look to start the incredibly exciting Luis Guilherme in place of Paqueta in attacking midfield.

Now, it might be the case that the young Brazilian is viewed as more of a winger at the moment, but the “complete” and “electric” attacker, as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has played all over the pitch, including as a ten.

For example, from his time in Brazil up until today, the 19-year-old prospect, who, according to Mattinson, has “the world at his feet,” has made appearances at centre-forward, left-wing, right-wing, right midfield and attacking midfield.

Therefore, it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for him to adapt.

More importantly, his skill set could help add some real dynamism to the middle of the park, and according to U23 scout Antonio Mango, the ten position would “suit his profile brilliantly.”

For example, when scouting him, Mattinson highlighted the fact that the teenager is a player who “thrives on transitions” and can “turn past players with ease” thanks to his “elite ball manipulation.”

On top of that, when he does take shots, Mattinson states that they are often of “high calibre.”

Finally, away from direct goal involvements, his impressive agility could make him an absolute nightmare for opposition defenders and defensive midfielders.

Ultimately, starting Guilherme in the ten would be a gamble, but with how poorly Paqueta is playing at the moment, it’s one Nuno should take.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 22, 2025

Every West Bromwich Albion manager who has taken on the reins since Carlos Corberan’s exit in late 2024 is undoubtedly trying to achieve success with the Spaniard’s legacy weighing heavily on them.

Corberan would turn the Baggies into regular promotion contenders in the Championship, which made his departure to Valencia last year very much sting.

To make matters worse, the wheels would come off West Brom’s 2024/25 season at a worryingly quick pace after he moved on to La Liga, with his successor in Tony Mowbray only managing to collect a paltry five victories from 17 matches before being dismissed.

Now, the pressure is on Ryan Mason’s shoulders to deliver, and the strain is already beginning to show, with two recent Championship defeats on the spin for the perpetual promotion nearly-men even seeing some Baggies natives begin to grow restless with their new 34-year-old boss.

It hasn’t been completely bleak since Corberan returned to Spain, however, with a lot of star quality still on display from some new signings.

West Brom's mixed recruitment since Corberan left

In the direct aftermath of Corberan leaving, though, there were some underwhelming flops to stomach.

Namely, Adam Armstrong would relocate to the Hawthorns on loan and fail to live up to this well-known image of him being a prolific performer in the EFL’s top league, with just a forgettable three goals falling into his lap from 16 outings in the West Midlands.

Tammer Bany, who was purchased this January for a whopping £3.3m, has also failed to get up and running in England as a post-Corberan purchase.

But, there have been some success stories to hold onto.

Isaac Price is very much the first name that springs to mind in this regard, having signed for the Championship outfit a matter of days after Mowbray was unveiled.

While he was a Mowbray capture, he has very much come into his own this season under the fresh methods of Mason, with a stunning five goals and two assists next to his name in all competitions.

Other members of Mason’s first team are also in with a shout to be the best buy since Corberan moved on, with Chris Mepham one worthy candidate, as the Welsh centre-back has become an everpresent member of his new manager’s defence to soften the blow of Torbjørn Heggem exiting for Bologna.

But, it’s a different defensive monster who could be well handed the honour…

West Brom's best signing post-Corberan

While Price has dominated a lot of West Brom conversations this campaign with his goal and assist output, he has also been prone to a quiet day at the office, frustratingly.

Indeed, the Northern Ireland international would go the entirety of September without collecting a single goal or assist.

During this same month, it could be argued that Nathaniel Phillips was very much settling into his new Hawthorns environment, on the contrary, with the decision to bring in the Premier League-experienced defender for just £3m already looking to be an ingenious move.

The 28-year-old is yet to miss a Championship game this season, and for good reason, with the 6-foot-3 colossus very much living up to his billing as a “lion”, as he was lauded by his former Anfield coach in Pepijn Lijnders.

Indeed, in West Brom blue and white so far, Phillips has won a commanding 5.5 duels on average across his 12 league clashes to date.

Games played

12

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Touches*

81.9

Accurate passes*

56.6 (86%)

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Clearances*

7.4

Total duels won*

5.5

Clean sheets

3

Looking at the table above in greater detail only further reinforces how much of a sterling purchase Phillips has already been, with his brute strength when rising up for duels also gifting him one goal at his new club, already, away from also cutting an assured presence on the ball with 56.6 accurate passes averaged per tense match.

EFL pundit Sam Parkin would likely agree with Phillips being one of West Brom’s best signings in recent memory, with him labelling the former Derby County loanee as “absolutely sensational” after he collected a clean sheet versus promotion rivals Stoke City.

Mason will need both Price and Phillips performing to their maximum to try and get his side out of their current sticky patch of form.

But, while the first of those named has shone in spurts and looks a top talent for the future, Phillips has been the real deal from minute one of his West Brom journey, with 19 Premier League appearances also under his belt, standing the Baggies in good stead if they can finally break their second-tier hoodoo.

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ByKelan Sarson Oct 29, 2025

Aside from finally facing a shot on target, that was about as perfect a game as Arsenal could have hoped for.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, and while Diego Simeone’s side are usually no pushovers, they were in North London.

Bar a momentary loss of composure from David Raya in the first half and a decent-looking shot from Julián Alvarez in the second, the Gunners never really looked in any danger and tore the Spanish side to pieces, earning their third win in Europe this season.

There were standout performances from all over the pitch for the hosts, but two starters really stood out: Declan Rice and someone who now has to be considered as one of the best in the world in his position.

Rice's game vs Atlético

While Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi put in brilliant performances alongside him, Rice was once again Arsenal’s most impressive midfielder on Tuesday night.

Granted, there were a couple of times in which he seemed to lose his footing, but aside from those minor blips, he was near enough faultless from the first minute to the last.

If the former West Ham United captain wasn’t helping snuff out attacks, he was helping kickstart them for the North Londoners, and as always seems to be the case these days, his deliveries were on another level.

It was his free-kick that led to the opening goal, and then towards the end of the game, he came incredibly close to picking up another assist with a similar pinpoint accurate delivery.

The all-action monster also left quite the impression on the Sun’s Jordan Davies, who awarded him an 8/10 match rating at full-time.

Rice’s game in numbers

Minutes

93′

Assists

1

Big Chances Created

2

Key Passes

3

Passes (Accurate)

45/46 (98%)

Shots

1

Touches

63

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Blocked Shots

1

Recoveries

2

All Stats via Sofascore

Unsurprisingly, his statistics more than justify the praise and back up the eyetest.

In 93 minutes of action, he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.36, created two big chances, played three key passes, completed 45 of 46 passes, was accurate with 100% of his long balls, took one shot, took 63 touches, and made one clearance, an interception and two ball recoveries.

In all, it was another world-class performance from Rice that more than proves he is one of the very best in the world, which could also be said about one of his teammates displays.

The Arsenal star who is one of the best in the world

The brilliant thing for Arteta and the Arsenal faithful is that a host of players delivered sensational performances on Tuesday night.

Chalkboard

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

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For example, Gabriel Martinelli scored a wonderful goal, Viktor Gyokeres nabbed a brace, and Jurrien Timber continued his impressive form going forward.

However, while all these starters were excellent, it’s impossible to ignore Gabriel Magalhães.

The Brazilian centre-back was at his imperious best against Simeone’s usually hard-as-nails Atlético, and in all phases of play looked near enough untouchable.

Of course, it was he who opened the scoring when he got on the end of Rice’s free-kick in the 57th minute.

And then, as if the Madrid outfit hadn’t learned their lesson from 13 minutes earlier, he once again got his head on a set-piece to provide the assist for Gyokeres to make it 4-0.

It wasn’t just in the opposition’s penalty area where he was a monster, though, as he did his absolute best to try and keep Raya from facing a shot on target at the other end of the pitch.

Unsurprisingly, the Sun’s Davies was massively impressed, awarding him a 9/10 and analyst Statman Dave went even further, describing him as one of the best defenders “on the planet.”

The 27-year-old’s statistics certainly help such a claim.

Gabriel’s game in numbers

Minutes

72′

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clearances

3

Blocked Shots

1

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (2)

Big Chances Created

1

Key Passes

1

Passes (Accurate)

43/48 (90%)

Shots

3

All Stats via Sofascore

In just 72 minutes, he produced a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.54, made three clearances, won 100% of his ground duels, blocked one shot, played one key pass, created one big chance, took three shots and completed 90% of his passes.

Ultimately, given his years of impressive displays and the level at which he is operating this season, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Gabriel is one of the best in the world, and Tuesday night only helped his case.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 20, 2025

Daizen Maeda saved the day for Celtic in stoppage time against Motherwell with a last-gasp goal to send the team to within two points of the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

The Japan international reacted quickly to run across the front post to bundle in a cross from substitute Michel-Ange Balikwisha to complete a comeback for the hosts.

Motherwell had been leading 2-1 until Benjamin Nygren equalised with a composed finish inside the box, before Maeda claimed all three points in the final moments.

The Japanese star saved several of his teammates with his late goal, as there were a number of poor performers on the pitch for the Hoops, including Arne Engels.

Why Arne Engels' form is concerning for Celtic

The Belgian midfielder did play a part in the goal with his pass through to Balikwisha in stoppage time, but his general play off the bench was a cause for concern.

Engels lost all six of his ground duels, per Sofascore, and was dribbled past three times in just 30 minutes on the pitch, which shows that he was too weak for the physicality of the game.

The central midfielder, who joined from Augsburg for a club-record £11m fee, made a solid start to life at Parkhead with ten goals and 13 assists in all competitions last season, per Transfermarkt.

Chalkboard

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

Unfortunately, he was unable to sustain that form and has only started three of his six league outings this season, losing a whopping 73% of his duels, per Sofascore, which is a concern because it shows that he is struggling badly.

Brendan Rodgers will now be hoping that Sebastian Tounekti is not already destined to be the next Engels at Parkhead after a disappointing showing against Motherwell.

Why Sebastian Tounekti could be the next Arne Engels

The Tunisia international has been a bright spark in Glasgow since his deadline day move from Hammarby, exciting supporters with his electric play down the left flank.

He scored his first goal in the League Cup against Partick Thistle in the League Cup last month, and completed six dribbles and created three chances in the games against Hibernian and Braga before this clash with Motherwell.

Unfortunately, Tounekti was unable to build on his promise shown in those matches with a strong performance on Sunday, as he struggled on the left flank at Parkhead.

Minutes

60

Shots

0

Dribbles completed

1/6

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Possession lost

9x

Ground duels won

2/10

Aerial duels won

0/1

As you can see in the table above, the Tunisian forward lost 82% of his duels throughout the match, failing with five of his six attempted dribbles, and did not create a single chance for the side.

Engels, as aforementioned, has fallen down the pecking order for Celtic because his goal contributions have faded and he has struggled with the physicality of the league, after a promising first season at Parkhead.

Tounekti has had a promising first month or so at Parkhead, showing the potential to be an electric winger for Rodgers, but he has yet to deliver a goal or an assist in three outings in the Premiership to date.

As exciting as he can be at his best, the former Hammarby star, who lost nine of his 11 duels on Sunday, can be a bit of a lightweight when things are not going his way, as has been the case with Engels.

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ByDan Emery Oct 5, 2025

Therefore, Rodgers must push Tounekti to add more end product to his performances to ensure that he does not follow the same path as the Belgian central midfielder in the weeks and months to come.

MatériaMais Notícias

Técnico do Corinthians, Mano Menezes elogiou a postura do time no empate em 1 a 1 com o Santos, principalmente na primeira etapa. Ele afirmou que a equipe do Parque São Jorge poderia ter terminado os 45 minutos iniciais com três gols de vantagem, caso não fosse a excelente atuação de João Paulo.

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+ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

– Acho que o Corinthians fez um primeiro tempo que era pra ter terminado 3 a 0 pela qualidade do jogo, pelo controle total das ações, pelo número de oportunidades criadas… e temos que dar os parabéns para o João Paulo, que fez uma atuação muito boa” – comentou Mano Menezes.

Indagado a respeito da queda de rendimento da equipe na segunda etapa, Mano comentou sobre a dificuldade de manter o alto ritmo durante toda a partida e lamentou os contra-ataques desperdiçados.

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– Não voltamos tão bem no segundo tempo. Proporcionamos dois contra-ataques, isso acontece, existem dois times. Depois retomamos, fizemos o gol, mas não é tão fácil manter em 90 minutos o ritmo que fizemos no primeiro tempo. O pecado que nós cometemos foi no fechamento do jogo, quando puxamos dois, três contragolpes, e naquela hora temos que ter maturidade, fazer o time sair de trás, porque o adversário está perdendo e arriscando tudo que pode naquele momento – desabafou o treinador.

Indignado com a arbitragem, o comandante corintiano reclamou do pênalti marcado em Soteldo, além de questionar os critérios adotados por Daronco ao longo do clássico.

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– O pênalti é absurdo. É tão claro que o pé do Méndez está no chão quando o pé de Soteldo projeta no pé do nosso jogador, que não tem como marcar. Existem lances duvidosos, mas esse pênalti não cabe nessa categoria. Nós tivemos também dois lances fora do normal no jogo, O árbitro marcou impedimento no primeiro tempo que o bandeira não sinalizou. No segundo tempo, voltou a acontecer isso, o bandeira não sinalizou e o árbitro não apitou. São as famosas vozes do além – finalizou.

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After claiming the MLS Golden Boot, Lionel Messi has been named to the MLS Best XI for the second time since joining Inter Miami. The recognition comes after Messi finished with the second-most goal contributions in a single season in MLS history and became the second player in league history to lead the league in goals and assists.

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  A star-studded team

  The squad features six first-time honorees and players representing nine different clubs, with the Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps each seeing two players recognized. The team features multiple award winners, too, including Golden Boot winner (and MVP favorite) Messi, MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair, MLS Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon, MLS Young Player of the Year Alex Freeman, and MLS Newcomer of the Year Anders Dreyer.

  Freeman is the youngest player named to the Best XI in five years (Brenden Aaronson in 2020), while Dreyer joins Roman Burki and Walker Zimmerman in making the list from a first-year expansion team in the 2020s. Denis Bouanga, meanwhile, became the first player since Josef Martinez to make the team three consecutive times as he joins Dreyer and Messi as the three attackers in the team.

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  Best XI in full

  Goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC)

  Defenders: Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC), Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union)

  Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC)

  Forwards: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)

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  Local flavor

  Four players in the side have played for the U.S. men's national team this year: Freeman, Blackmon, Sebastian Berhalter and Cristian Roldan. All four were in the U.S. squad for the September camp, with Roldan and Freeman returning for the October camp as well. Berhalter, meanwhile, joined Freeman this summer in representing the U.S. on the run to the Gold Cup final.

  Canada, too, is represented by St. Clair, who becomes the second Canadian player to be named to the MLS Best XI in the last decade, following Tajon Buchanan in 2021.

  The five domestic selections are the most since 2015, when there were also five: Luis Robles, Matt Hedges, Benny Feilhaber, Ethan Finlay and Dax McCarty, all American.

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  What comes next?

  Of the Best XI selections, Freeman is the only one not left in the playoffs after Orlando City were knocked out in the Wild Card round. All five deciding Game 3s of the current round will be played this weekend.