All posts by h716a5.icu

Mumbai complete fourth 200+ chase this season and set up eliminator date with LSG

Shashank Kishore21-May-20231:29

Moody: Massive step for Green in his IPL career

Mumbai Indians did what was asked of them quite emphatically, to win the game and move to fourth. And then after nearly five hours of waiting, had their playoff spot confirmed following Gujarat Titans’ win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru.*Having chased down 201 courtesy a 47-ball 100 not out from Cameron Green, Mumbai needed RCB to lose their fixture, and that’s what happened in the end. Having got to 16 points, they now face Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator on May 24.Victory at one stage seemed far-fetched for Mumbai when Sunrisers openers Mayank Agarwal and Vivrant Sharma blasted an opening stand of 140 in just 13.5 overs. Then Mumbai hit back in the death overs to take the momentum with them; Sunrisers managed just 32 off their last four overs. It seemed as if the slowdown at the time would prove costly, but the manner of Mumbai’s chase made it amply clear that even another 20 runs would perhaps not have made any difference.Only just briefly in their defence, Sunrisers had it under control when Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Ishan Kishan early with the first three overs going for just 24. The turning point came in the fifth over when Rohit Sharma was reprieved on 12 by Sanvir Singh. He made them pay along with Green.The Mayank-Vivrant showBut long before the carnage that the majority of the strong 30,000 crowd anticipated, Agarwal and Vivrant overcame a slow start to set the game up. Vivrant ended the powerplay with two bludgeoning hits down the ground off Piyush Chawla to go from 10 off 16 to 27 off 24.The slow start wasn’t due to lack of trying, though. It was possibly a case of nerves and some good shots finding the fielders. He soon brought up his half-century off just 36 deliveries.Agarwal said ‘I’m in too’ as he galloped to his half-century by hitting Jason Behrendorff superbly inside-out over cover for six and scything the follow-up wide yorker behind point. His half-century was up off just 32 balls. Now, Sunrisers were beginning to get into overdrive.Madhwal leaves a markTasked to deliver the tough overs, Akash Madhwal brought Mumbai some interim relief when he had Vivrant caught at the boundary for 69. It was the highest score by an Indian in a debut IPL innings, and second-best overall. But any joy at having broken through quickly dissipated as the in-form Heinrich Klaasen helped himself to a first-ball four.Agarwal then galloped towards a century, racing from 62 off 36 to 83 off 45, courtesy of a sensational takedown of Kumar Kartikeya and Chawla off successive overs. But his dismissal to Madhwal off a knuckleball dug in to have him heaving across the line and nicking, brought Mumbai back.Sunrisers went for 19 balls without a boundary in the death overs as Madhwal also removed Klaasen and Harry Brook off consecutive deliveries to finish with 4 for 37. The last four overs produced just 32 as Sunrisers eventually just past 200 after a last-ball six by Aiden Markram.Akash Madhwal nailed his yorkers at the death•BCCIThe Rohit-Green run torrentAfter removing Kishan early, Sunrisers could have had a second when Rohit mistimes a heave to midwicket. Sanvir put down a straightforward chance to open the floodgates.The next ball was pummeled over deep midwicket by Green. It was the difference between young Nitish Kumar Reddy having figures of 2-0-12-1 and 2-0-19-0 in the powerplay. Kartik Tyagi too kept bowling hittable lengths and compounded his misery by overstepping. Green hit four fours and two sixes off his first 10 balls to kick Mumbai into high gear.He soon brought up his half-century off just 20 balls, while Rohit went past 11,000 T20 runs as runs bled against spin with Sunrisers unable to have any grip over proceedings. A part of this was down to some poor bowling by the spinners, who were all over the pace on a surface where there was hardly any purchase as the ball slid on nicely.Rohit had a second reprieve, again by Sanvir on 51, but fell soon after. But when Suryakumar Yadav coolly walked in and lofted his first ball inside-out for four, it seemed as if he was in a hurry.Suryakumar and Green next took down an erratic Umran Malik for 20 off the 16th to bring down the equation from 41 off 30 to 21 off 24. From there on, it was a walk home with two overs to spare, the winning runs also delivering Green a maiden T20 hundred as Mumbai ensured they did enough.1950 GMT: The report was updated after Mumbai’s fourth-place finish was confirmed.

In most cases, the Premier League title race feels like it’s done and dusted with weeks left of the campaign, with one team taking on what looks to be an unassailable advantage at the summit.

However, with every big lead at the top comes the prospect of a team completely losing their composure at the crucial moments.

Over the years, even the best sides have suffered from stage fright when the going got tough, found guilty of fluffing their lines with the title in reach.

Here, we’ve looked back at some examples of teams who have squandered huge chances to win the Premier League…

The 10 fastest title wins in Premier League history

Liverpool have looked like champions for a while, but whose footsteps are they following in?

ByStephan Georgiou Mar 31, 2025 1 Man Utd 1994/95 Failure to beat West Ham hands title to Blackburn

In truth, this could very easily have been a section about Blackburn Rovers bottling the title. Indeed, the Lancashire side had only won one of their previous five matches heading into the season finale, which gave Manchester United the opportunity to seal a third straight title should they slip up again.

Despite Rovers’ poor late-season form, they still led the Premier League ahead of their final-day clash against Liverpool, but knew that even a draw could let United in due to the Red Devils’ superior goal difference.

Blackburn’s worst nightmares then appeared to be coming true as they succumbed to a 2-1 loss at Anfield, meaning a win for United would earn Sir Alex Ferguson’s men another league championship.

But United uncharacteristically fluffed their lines, running into an inspired Ludek Miklosko in the Hammers net as they were continuously denied a winner that would have secured the title, settling for a 1-1 draw at the Boleyn Ground.

2 Newcastle 1995/96 Toon squander huge lead as Keegan's Entertainers implode

If today’s Arsenal squad needed a reminder that 12-point leads can vanish, they’d be wise to look at Newcastle United’s collapse in 1995/96 for inspiration.

The Magpies, led by Kevin Keegan, installed a 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League by mid-January.

But within two months, Newcastle had lost three and drawn once to allow Manchester United to close the gap.

To make matters worse, the Toon then lost to Liverpool and Blackburn in the space of a week to fully hand the initiative to the Red Devils.

Newcastle even had the chance to head into the final day level on points before two successive draws saw Man Utd wrestle the title back at the first time of asking.

3 Man Utd 1997/98 Awful run-in lets Arsenal snatch title glory

In fairness to Manchester United, Arsenal were on a hot streak in the latter months of the 1997/98 campaign, but for seasoned winners, their sudden fall from title certainties to also-rans will have been a bitter pill to swallow.

With 10 games remaining, Fergie’s men led the table by 11 points – 12 clear of Arsenal, who did have three games in hand.

March 1998 saw Arsenal reel off 10 straight victories, but United’s position still meant that all they needed to do to retain the title was see off either Liverpool or Newcastle at home – or even take a point from Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Those draws and Arsenal’s winning run (including a 1-0 success in Manchester) meant the Gunners could afford two defeats at the end of their campaign.

It was an opportunity missed for the Red Devils, though they did make up for it with a treble a year later.

4 Arsenal 1998/99 Defeat in penultimate match gift-wraps title for United

Arsenal were aiming to secure back-to-back titles in 1999, but despite getting themselves in a marvellous position to get the job done, they let themselves down just before the final hurdle.

The Gunners had won just 6 of their first 17 matches, but a competitive field that season meant there was still time for a title charge in the new year.

They won 15 of the next 19 matches to go level on points with two games to play, but a dramatic late defeat at Leeds meant United could afford to drop points at Blackburn Rovers and win the title by a point.

This one is more in hindsight, but one more win would surely have been enough to deny United the title – and their historic treble.

5 Arsenal 2002/03 Champions in control until Bolton comeback derails season

Arsenal were in a similar position in 2002/03 as they looked to successfully defend the title.

And despite having the title in their hands after a crunch clash with Manchester United, a late draw at Bolton Wanderers – in which Martin Keown scored an own goal – handed United the advantage.

The Gunners were then shocked at home by relegation-threatened Leeds United to go from title favourites to confirmed runners-up in a matter of weeks.

6 Arsenal 2007/08 Gunners let commanding lead slip after horror March

Arsene Wenger’s Gunners were not expected to challenge in the 2007/08 season, especially with club legend Thierry Henry leaving in the summer.

But the north Londoners produced an exciting start to the campaign, not losing until December and leading by five points with 12 games left.

The turning point came in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Birmingham City, which saw Eduardo da Silva suffer a double leg break and Gael Clichy concede a contentious last-minute penalty.

Arsenal struggled to restore their momentum, and four straight draws and a defeat to title rivals Chelsea saw their lead wiped out.

Despite winning their last four games, they had to settle for third place, having fallen just short in the big games at the business end of the campaign.

7 Man Utd 2011/12 Red Devils lose 8-point lead in final six games

With six matches remaining in the 2011/12 season, it looked for all the world that Manchester United would defend their title thanks to an eight-point lead at the summit.

Manchester City had threatened to knock them off their perch but defeats to the likes of Swansea City and Arsenal seemed to have killed off their challenge.

City then won five on the spin – including in the Manchester derby – to set up the historic final day that saw them win the title on goal difference.

But United could have avoided all the drama by avoiding defeat to Wigan Athletic or holding onto their lead at home to Everton, in games that will still be leaving a scar today.

8 Liverpool 2013/14 Suarez cries as Reds waste huge chance to win PL title

When Liverpool beat Manchester City in April 2014, it looked as if the Reds would finally end their decades-long wait for a league title.

When title rivals Chelsea lost prior to another Liverpool victory over Norwich City, the Reds had extended their lead to five points with three matches to play, albeit with Man City having games in hand.

Then it all went wrong. Defeat to Chelsea in their following match meant the door was open for City, who only had a slender advantage on goal difference.

But an ignominious draw to Crystal Palace when the Reds had led 3-0 destroyed their realistic chances of winning the league.

Man City then got their job done on the final day with a victory over West Ham, leaving Liverpool’s success over Newcastle academic.

The closest title races in Premier League history

Manchester City and Arsenal have delivered a Premier League title race for the ages – here are some of the tightest from years gone by…

ByStephan Georgiou May 20, 2024 9 Tottenham 2015/16 Pochettino's Spurs come third in two-horse race

In Spurs’ defence, they were never meant to even challenge for the title in 2015/16. But then again, neither were eventual winners Leicester City.

It seems a little unfair to call Tottenham Hotspur out on their failure to take a once-in-a-generation chance of winning the title when so many others underperformed, but when you get to the last 11 games and you’re just two points off Leicester in second, anyone would kick themselves.

Unfortunately for Spurs, they won just four of their remaining matches, and collapsed so dramatically that losing their final two games allowed rivals Arsenal to pip them to second place.

Ironically, the following season was more successful from a points perspective, though they were accused of being ‘bottlejobs’ despite barely even getting to within touching distance of a relentless Chelsea. 2015/16 surely hurts more.

10 Arsenal 2015/16 Underwhelming Gunners lose out to fairytale Leicester side

As was the case with Spurs, Arsenal may have performed far better than their expected title rivals this year – Chelsea finished 10th and Liverpool finished outside the European places – but they also failed to convert a fairly unique position into title glory.

Points-wise, the Gunners didn’t dip too drastically (scoring just four fewer than the previous campaign), but in a season where they only needed 10 more to win the title, it was a huge opportunity wasted.

It was a season of false dawns for the Gunners, who had beaten both Manchester sides and eventual champions Leicester to lead the table at the turn of the year.

But a series of needless draws and a failure to build momentum after their last-gasp win over the Foxes – which had left them two points off the summit – meant the Gunners were the nearly men once more.

MCC criticised for hosting annual Eton-Harrow fixture but solitary women’s ODI since 2017

Matt Roller26-Jun-2023The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) were “alarmed” by the “truly appalling” fact that England Women have never played a Test match at Lord’s, making the damning assertion that: “The ‘home of cricket’ is still a home principally for men.”In a 317-page report published on Tuesday, the ICEC highlighted the “public function” of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the private members’ club which owns Lord’s and said that recent decisions made by the club’s members have sent “a very public signal about the club’s values”.Specifically, the ICEC recommended to MCC that the annual Eton-Harrow and Oxford-Cambridge fixtures should no longer be staged at Lord’s after 2023, and that they should be replaced by a national Under-15 state school finals’ day for boys and girls, and a national university finals’ day for men’s and women’s teams.”We respect and value many of the traditions of cricket generally, and Lord’s in particular, but not all,” the commission wrote in its report. “Some no longer have a place in contemporary Britain.”Guaranteeing a tiny number of schoolboys the right to play at Lord’s every year when millions of children are denied that right is completely unacceptable. So too is the fact that the schoolboys of two expensive and elite institutions get to play at Lord’s every year when the England Women’s national team have yet to play a Test Match there.”The Oxford and Cambridge match has also had its time and should no longer be played at Lord’s. It sends a similar message of elitism, entrenching the position of certain institutions to which only a small minority of school pupils will gain access.”Related

Heather Knight unsurprised by ICEC report after experiences of sexism

ECB issues 'unreserved apology' as ICEC report reveals deep-rooted discrimination within English cricket

English cricket prepares for release of ICEC report

Commission recommends 'fundamental overhaul' of women's cricket pay structure

Ten key recommendations of the ICEC report

England Women have played at Lord’s only once in any format since they won the 2017 World Cup final there six years ago – though are due to return on July 8 for the third T20I of the ongoing Ashes series.England Men, by contrast, have played two Tests and at least one limited-overs international at Lord’s every year since 2000 – except for the pandemic-affected 2020 summer.Richard Thompson, ECB chair, told BBC Radio 4’s programme: “That’s unacceptable, and we’re going to ensure that there will be a Test match by the England Women in 2026 – and that should have happened sooner. So that has been addressed and will be addressed in 2026 when we also host the Women’s T20 World Cup which is a real moment for women’s sport in this country. Clearly, we hope that will be a celebration of cricket.”The commission highlighted the successful attempt by MCC members to challenge the decision of the club’s committee to move the “historic fixtures” away from Lord’s as “an illustration… of the obstacles placed in the way of those seeking to modernise the game”.It added: “MCC may be a private members’ club, in which some members may resent ‘interference’ with their right to make their own decisions, but it is also a club that benefits from substantial amounts of money from the general public through ticket sales for major matches, with all the accompanying publicity and prestige.”Those who argue for the continuation of the Historic Fixtures do not seem to understand the damage they are doing to the reputation of MCC and Lord’s in the public imagination – compounding a view, whether fair or not, that MCC members are out of touch, elitist and unrepresentative of both the wider population and those who play cricket.”As the game strives to become more inclusive, as it clearly must, decisions such as these at ‘the home of cricket’ do more harm than some people appear to realise.”Lord’s was also singled out as the only major venue in the country that does not permit the use of musical instruments, which the commission gave as an example of “ways in which authorities have sought to sanitise the atmosphere at grounds”, saying the ban “had a disproportionate impact on ethnically diverse communities, particularly those from Caribbean communities”.In a statement, the MCC Chief Executive & Secretary, Guy Lavender said: “Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) received the report published by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) earlier today. We recognise that it will make very difficult reading for everyone involved in cricket in this country. This is a vitally important piece of work and all stakeholders in the game must now reflect on the contents of the report.”MCC is named in the report and we will be analysing the findings in detail. We are committed to playing our part in ensuring cricket is the most inclusive sport in this country and that Lord’s is a place where everyone feels welcome.”

Harry Kane has shown off his England knowledge, reeling off a list of the Three Lions' top scorers without needing help.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Kane names England top scorersBayern Munich striker tops listForgets one name out of 10Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kane was challenged by GOAL to name the top 10 England goal-scorers of all time – a list the Bayern Munich striker tops by some distance with 73 strikes in 107 appearances for his country.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Of a top 10 that includes Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney (53 goals), Sir Bobby Charlton (49) and Gary Lineker (48), the only name that Kane couldn't remember was the late Sir Tom Finney, who comes in at number nine with 30 efforts. The others on the list were Jimmy Greaves (44), Michael Owen (40), Alan Shearer (30), Nat Lofthouse (30) and Frank Lampard (29), as well as Kane himself.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

The England captain's season isn't over just yet, as he prepares to lead the line for Bayern Munich at the Club World Cup. Die Roten begin their campaign against part-timers Auckland City on Sunday before group phase games against Boca Juniors and Benfica.

Bayern Munich are yet to decide on the best option to strengthen their attack, with Bradley Barcola, Nico Williams and Rafael Leao on their list.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Bayern eyeing three attackers this summerBarcola too expensive and Williams off to BarcaBundesliga side have doubts about LeaoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The club leaders have not yet been able to unanimously agree on their preferred candidate to replace Leroy Sane heading into the summer transfer window, according to . Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain is said to be the most popular target within the club, with the 22-year-old highly regarded by sporting director Max Eberl. However, a move for the Frenchman may be out of their reach as PSG say he is not for sale.

If Bayern fail to make progress with Barcola, they will have to turn their attention to one of the two other stars on their list. One of those is Nico Williams, but the Athletic Club star seems set on joining Barcelona instead, while his salary demands may be excessive for the Bundesliga champions.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

AC Milan star Leao is the remaining attacker on their radar, but there are still concerns about the Portuguese player. Eberl is said to have already spoken to him on the phone, and the report adds that there was a secret meeting between Bayern and Leao's advisors in Munich at the end of May. However, the 26-year-old is said to be causing some doubts among Bayern officials, mainly due to his occasional lack of defensive work. This is especially true given that he was not always a regular starter for Milan last season and recently only came off the bench in Portugal's Nations League triumph.

Nevertheless, according to , the Germans want to keep all options open with Leao. They hope that coach Vincent Kompany will be able to convince him of the importance of defensive work.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bayern are in need of new attackers after failing to convince Sane to sign a new contract, resulting in the Germany international joining Galatasaray. Meanwhile, club legend Thomas Muller will leave after the Club World Cup, with a move to MLS expected.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT?

Bayern will hope to settle on one of their targets in the coming weeks to strengthen Kompany's team after the Club World Cup and ahead of the new season.

Farbrace says Sussex “can’t get any lower than that” after “embarrassingly” home defeat

ECB Reporters Network18-Aug-2023Gloucestershire, inspired by Ollie Price and Jack Taylor, maintained their fine form in the Metro Bank One Day Cup with their fifth victory in seven matches, also boosting their net run rate as they defeated the Sussex Sharks by 166 runs at the 1st Central County Ground, Hove.For Sussex this was another failure to replicate their strong performance in this competition last season; this was their fifth defeat in six matches, another heavy one as they were bowled out in just 25 overs, and they looked a side devoid of belief.Paul Farbrace, their coach, was left to bemoan their performance: “It would be fair to say that we were out-batted, out-bowled and out-fielded., and that’s what we’ve just talked about in the changing room. They know they’ve been embarrassed, and embarrassed is the word.”That was the worst of the lot. This is the point where we say, that’s it, we can’t get any lower than that. There’s only one way to go now and that’s up. We fielded poorly, we started off nicely with the bat but then we capitulated. We gave our wickets away.”Chasing a sizeable Gloucestershire total they never looked in the contest. Tom Haines, driving without moving his feet, was caught at cover in the fifth over and Tom Alsop, short of runs in the competition, was run out by a direct hit by Paul van Meekeren at mid-on as he attempted to scamper a quick single.Harrison Ward chanced his arm and hit four fours and a six in a skittish 27 off 19 balls but was then lbw as he fell over attempting to negotiate a full delivery Matt Taylor, returning to the side after recovering from an infected toe. The experiment to promote Danial Ibrahim ahead of James Coles did not pay off, the batsman lbw for just six.With Cheteshwar Pujara ticking over and the required run rate going up all the time the pressure was now on Coles to provide something spectacular. He looked in the mood to do so too, with a six and two fours in his 17-ball 23. But then he was magnificently caught by Ollie Price. Attempting to pull van Meekeren, he got a top edge and Price, sprinting round from fine leg took the catch two-handed just inside the rope to leave Sussex reeling at 88 for five.When Pujara was sixth out at 126, lbw to Tom Smith, it was realistically all over despite some lusty blows from Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who fell to another outstanding boundary catch by Ollie Price.Gloucestershire’s big total was based around a partnership of 128 in just 13 overs between the in-form pair of Ollie Price and Jack Taylor. Price scored a very impressive 95 off 88 balls, with 11 fours. But he looked almost pedestrian alongside Taylor, whose 106 came at a rate of almost two runs a ball.Taylor, who had already scored two fifties and 121 against Worcestershire in this year’s campaign, faced just 54 deliveries and thumped eight fours and seven sixes. At times he looked impossible to bowl to, especially when attacking the short boundary on the east side of the ground.Gloucestershire had lost Chris Dent in the second over before their innings was launched by James Bracey, in the form of his life after his recent 224 against Somerset. Bracey hit a fluent 41, with five fours and a six before he cut Jack Carson to Pujara at backward point. Miles Hammond, playing his first List A game for four years, was stumped for 19 and when Graeme van Buuren fell immediately, lbw to Ibrahim for a duck, the innings was wobbling at 127 for four in the 19th over.It was then that Price and Taylor came together to wrench the game in Gloucestershire’s favour with some thunderous blows, the most memorable being a lofted straight six by Taylor off Hudson-Prentice that sailed over the media centre and into the car park at the sea end.The Sussex bowling was poor, not for the first time in the competition this season. But Henry Crocombe, whose first three overs had disappeared for 37 runs, had the satisfaction of returning to the attack to pick up four wickets, his best return in List A cricket.

Biyendolo, Rodriguez, Yazmeen Ryan and Alyssa Thompson all scored as USWNT stayed unbeaten in 17 all-time matches vs Ireland

The U.S. women's national team that rolled past Ireland 4-0 only three days prior lined up entirely different in Sunday's second meeting between the two teams. It didn't matter at all.

USWNT head coach Emma Hayes' side matched the effort on Sunday in Cincinnati, once again taking a 2-0 first-half lead and cruising to a comfortable 4-0 win – the 600th all-time victory for the program. The USWNT have now outscored Ireland 59-1 in 17 all-time matches, all wins for the Americans.

Hayes rolled out a completely revamped starting XI that once again handed two players their first caps – Kansas City Current's Izzy Rodriguez and Seattle Reign FC's Sam Meza.

Forward Lynn Biyendolo captained the squad, and earned her 82nd cap in just her second start this year. Biyendolo, at 32, was not only the oldest player on the field for the USWNT, but has almost twice as many caps as the rest of the team on the pitch.

Captaining the USWNT for the first-time was a massive nod to the striker who's scored 25 international goals throughout her career. In just the 12th minute of the game, Biyendolo put on her cape and finished a one-time volley on a precision chipped service from Racing Louisville's Emma Sears, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead. Rodriguez added to the total, scoring her first USMNT goal on debut in the 42nd minute.

"Crazy, incredible," Biyendolo said. "It's such an honor to even play for the national team, be a part of camps. But to be able to be a captain? I'm going to remember this day forever. I'm probably gonna go back to my room and be like, ‘What the heck?’ And debrief on my own. But it's truly incredible."

The second half marked a newfound tempo for the USWNT, with Yazmeen Ryan finding a second wind and creating endless opportunities on the wing. Ryan buried home a one-time finish for her first USWNT goal to make it 3-0 in the 66th minute.

As cheers erupted in the stadium, with fans yelling "We want Rose" it became clear Hayes would find a way to get Rose Lavelle, a Cincinnati native, into the match.

In the 86th minute – right after the USWNT scored their fourth goal, thanks to young sensation Alyssa Thompson – Lavelle came into the game to thunderous applause. Lavelle had scored and assisted in Thursday's 4-0 win, her first USWNT match in more than six months.

"Emma had said she’d put me in for a little cameo at the end, so that was always the plan and I really appreciated that," Lavelle said. "It’s always special coming home. It was special for me to have that moment."

From Sears' endless runs (for all 90 minutes) to a pair of debuts – not to mention Biyendolo scoring and captaining the young squad – the USWNT simply showed out once again.

GOAL rates the USWNT's players from TQL Stadium.

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defense

Mandy McGlynn (6/10): McGlynn made her fourth appearance for the USWNT, and didn't have a lot to show for it. While she stayed disciplined in her position and kept her defensive line organized, she didn't have many opportunities to make saves – or make a case for why she should be the No. 1 keeper. Ireland had three total shots to the USWNT's 25, and none on frame.

Emily Sams (6/10): The defensive line wasn't challenged too much, but even so, Sams did a good job keeping the ball and building out of the back on the rare occasions. There were some moments when she was a little late stepping to the ball, which created some potentially dangerous moments.

Jordyn Bugg (7/10): She is just 18, yet played like she's been next to Naomi Girma her entire career. Bugg wasn't challenged much, but positionally stayed locked in and was able to win some balls in key moments to maintain the clean sheet.

Tara McKeown (6/10): She held down the backline, and even managed to get up the flank on occasion, creating some important moments for the attack. Like Sams, she is still finding her rhythm for the USWNT, but each game appears more confident on the ball.

Izzy Rodriguez (7/10): Rodriguez not only earned her first cap for the USWNT, but also scored. Rodriguez wasn't just effective in front of the goal and with her execution, but was also relentlessly involved on both sides of the ball.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Croix Bethune (5/10): Bethune grew into the game, but took a little too much time on the ball on occasion. Bethune has been out of the USWNT for awhile, and it showed up in moments. She had some lights out plays and it was clear she was evolving and getting more confident as the match went on.

Sam Meza (6/10): Meza's debut was solid, however she struggled to keep the tempo moving in the midfield. She was good on the ball and kept her passes tight, but the next step would be evolving her vision to see the opponent playing a high line and finding that over-the-top service to the corners.

Olivia Moultrie (7/10): She was as good on the ball as anyone could hope to be, taking control of the midfield and finding line-breaking passes. Moultrie can be overlooked because of all of the experience and talent in the midfield, however on she took control and was involved in each of the three goals.

Getty ImagesAttack

Lynn Biyendolo (8/10): Biyendolo not only captained the USWNT for the first time in her career, but also showed off her experience by putting away an important goal in just 12th minute. She kept the attacking line organized and helped create a stretch 9 role.

Emma Sears (8/10): Sears may not have scored for the USWNT, but her service and end-line work kept the her team in this game, over and over again. Sears was absolutely rapid on the sideline and managed to not only execute perfect balls into the box, but her work rate to keep the ball in play and adjust her type of service on the fly was fun to witness.

Yazmeen Ryan (7/10): Ryan had some quiet moments throughout the match, and found herself taking too many touches in front of the net. In the second half, however, she worked herself into the game and managed to score her first goal for the USWNT. Moments later, she almost created another highlight-worthy moment for her side, taking a strong touch towards the middle and using her speed to draw in the Ireland defense, all before playing in Sears in-behind.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Ally Sentnor (7/10): Sentnor is just better when she starts, but that doesn't mean her impact wasn't felt in this match. Even when Sentnor isn't scoring, she finds herself in dangerous positions that always brew for a goal.

Sam Coffey (6/10): Once Biyendolo was subbed, it was as if Hayes needed another "veteran" to keep the kids in line. Coffey did her thing – although nothing can quite compare to the goal she scored on Thursday.

Alyssa Thompson (8/10): There isn't much more demoralizing for a team such as Ireland than seeing Thompson enter in the 80th minute with fresh legs. Thompson didn't waste much time and put her mark on the game, scoring the USWNT's final goal.

Claire Hutton (7/10): Hutton was all to credit for Thompson's finish, and that's just the type of player she is. Hutton comes into the match when she's called and plays with theutmost grit and composure.

Rose Lavelle (7/10): Hayes simply could not have the USWNT play in Cincinnati and not get Lavelle into the game. While she didn't have a lot of time to do a whole lot, she still brought the energy and kept up the tempo and rhythm of the midfield.

Emma Hayes (9/10): Give it to Hayes, she managed to not only play a completely new lineup against Ireland, but also seal the game 4-0, again. She has a challenging task ahead to put together a master roster for the 2027 World Cup with all of this talent – a nice problem to have.

It will be the third club in the WBBL for the top order batter and completes Heat’s overseas signings

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2023Former South Africa batter Mignon du Preez has joined Brisbane Heat for the WBBL through the direct nomination route having skipped the overseas player draft.The WBBL included an option for players to not be available in the draft and instead sign with a club afterwards for a reduced fee of up to AU$61,750 – 95% of the value of the silver category.Six players took this path, with du Preez the second confirmed signing after Sophie Dunkley with Melbourne Stars.Related

Beaumont signs with Renegades, Adams heads to Strikers in WBBL

Kapp goes pick one to Thunder in WBBL draft as Scorchers retain Devine

WBBL 2023-24: Melbourne Stars sign Sophia Dunkley via direct nomination

Du Preez is the second-highest run-scorer in WBBL history among overseas players with 2292 at 28.29 and a strike-rate of 113.80 having previously played for Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars.”Minnie is a proven match-winner with the bat, especially in Australian conditions,” Heat coach Ashley Noffke said. “She is a calm and composed leader and a great person, so naturally we are thrilled to have her joining the Heat for the summer.”Her signing completes Heat’s three overseas names for the upcoming season after they took Amelia Kerr with that platinum pick and selected England batter Bess Heath at silver.The other players who took the direct nomination route are Amy Jones, Lizelle Lee, Suzie Bates and Tammy Beaumont. Jones is expected to join Perth Scorchers with Bates returning to Sydney Sixers, Beaumont heading to Melbourne Renegades and Lee to Hurricanes.

“Of all the wickets we’ve played on this World Cup, this one was the best,” Fakhar said

Danyal Rasool05-Nov-20231:47

Mumtaz on Fakhar’s knock: ‘Pakistan’s dreams and hopes alive due to one man’

Pakistan captain Babar Azam believes that as long as Fakhar Zaman was batting on Saturday, they “could even have chased 450″ against New Zealand in Bengaluru. Speaking on an in-house PCB video, Fakhar and Babar talked about their unbeaten 194-run partnership that saw Pakistan post 200 for 1 in just 25.3 overs before rain put paid to the game, giving Pakistan a 21-run win by the DLS method. Pakistan were originally set 402 to win from the 50 overs.”My view was as long as Fakhar was there, we could even have chased 450,” the Pakistan captain said. “When he plays innings like these, we win 90% of games. After every six I said to him, ‘don’t force the issue’. He said okay but then ignored me and started hitting sixes anyway. So I then said to him, ‘do whatever you want, just don’t get out’. [It’s] one of the best innings I’ve seen.”While the prospect of rain had hung around all day, it hadn’t eventuated until partway through the second innings. New Zealand amassed 401, their second-highest ODI total, before a brief rain interruption delayed the start of the chase. But according to Babar, Pakistan approached the chase in the belief the game would go all the way.Related

The sweet sound of Fakhar's sixes makes unreal real

Fakhar on his fantastic comeback: 'I did not rest'

Babar: 'Fakhar was playing on a different pitch'

“We didn’t have rain in our mind at all,” he said. “But the clouds came suddenly, and then we started to calculate the DLS and we wanted to stay with it throughout. We were trying to keep wickets in hand, and I was trying to take it deep. Fakhar was utilising the short boundary while I held one end up and we made sure we didn’t let the run rate get out of control.Fakhar praised the wicket as “outstanding for batting”. He stopped short of calling it his best innings, reserving that for his 193 against South Africa at the Wanderers in 2021. But the value of an innings where he smashed an unbeaten 126 off 81 was not lost on him; he hit more sixes in that innings than any Pakistani has throughout the entire World Cup. And it meant Pakistan stayed alive, becoming just the second team to win an ODI after conceding more than 400 runs in the first innings.”Of all the wickets we’ve played on this World Cup, this one was the best,” Fakhar said. “It was clear from the second over that the wicket was great for batting. If Southee and Boult aren’t swinging the ball, you know the wicket is great to bat on. After four overs or so, whatever little swing there was also evaporated, and that gave me even more freedom.”This is a World Cup innings so this might be one of my favourite ones. It still doesn’t pip the 193 I scored at the Wanderers, because it’s the fastest wicket in the world and Asian players struggle there, but this innings and the situation I scored my runs in made me very happy.”

Spain's Guardia Civil has released a statement giving an explanation for the car crash which killed Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Brothers were involved in crash in SpainTheir Lamborghini's tyre blew out on motorwayThe car burst into flamesWHAT HAPPENED?

Jota and his younger brother Andre, 28, were travelling by car in the province of Zamora in north-western Spain shortly after midnight on Thursday when the vehicle came off the motorway, killing them both.

WHAT THE GUARDIA CIVIL SAID

The Guardia Civil told the : "The information we have so far is that the car, which was a Lamborghini, was in a road traffic accident and left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking. It was in the early hours, 00:30 BST, in the municipality of Cernadilla in the province of Zamora. The car caught on fire and the two occupants were killed."

LIVERPOOL'S STATEMENT

Liverpool released a statement saying the club were "devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota" and pledged to provide the player's family, team-mates and club staff with their full support.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty RONALDO'S TRIBUTE

Jota's Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo issued an emotional statement after the news was announced. He wrote on Instagram: "It doesn't make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just gotten married. To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you."