تمكن فريق ليفربول، من تسجيل هدف التعادل في شباك خصمه كريستال بالاس، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز موسم 2025/26.
ويستضيف ملعب “سيلهرست بارك” مباراة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس، في الجولة السادسة من الدوري الإنجليزي.
ونجح ليفربول في تسجيل هدف التعادل في شباك كريستال بالاس، في الدقيقة 87 من عمر المباراة الجارية حاليًا.
جاء الهدف عن طريق البديل فيديريكو كييزا، ولكن الحكم لجأ إلى تقنية الفيديو للتأكد من صحته لوجود شبهة لمسة يد على المصري محمد صلاح، قبل أن يُحتسب في النهاية.
GOAL!
Federico Chiesa levels it up for the champions at Selhurst Park!#beINPL #CRYLIV #LFC pic.twitter.com/lNB3AF3AVM — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) September 27, 2025
Arsenal star Alessia Russo has been confirmed as the highest-rated Women's Super League player in the soon-to-be released EA Sports FC 26 game.
Standard
Standard Edition
It's available across PC, PlayStation and XboxFeatures over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leaguesExperience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges
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$69.99
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Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included
From
$89.99
Buy+ Pre Order Bonus
Standard Edition + PO Bonus
Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content
From
$59.99
Buy Standard
Standard Edition
It's available across PC, PlayStation and XboxFeatures over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leaguesExperience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges
From
$69.99
BuyUltimate
Ultimate Edition
Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included
From
$89.99
Buy+ Pre Order Bonus
Standard Edition + PO Bonus
Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content
From
$59.99
Buy Standard
Standard Edition
It's available across PC, PlayStation and XboxFeatures over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leaguesExperience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges
From
$69.99
BuyUltimate
Ultimate Edition
Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included
From
$89.99
Buy+ Pre Order Bonus
Standard Edition + PO Bonus
Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content
From
$59.99
Buy EA Sports FC 26 ratings revealedRusso tops WSL rankingsLionesses score highly as wellFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱EA Sports FC 26 RUSSO LEADS PLAYER RATINGS WITH CALDENTEY & SHAW
Gunners striker Russo and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw were joint-top WSL scorers last term with 12, and now they, alongside Arsenal ace and player of the season Mariona Caldentey, have been given 89 ratings – the best in the division. Chelsea's Guro Reiten is fourth at 88, and Arsenal's Chloe Kelly is tied with fellow Lionesses Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Lauren Hemp, and Millie Bright on 87. Ella Toone is the top-ranked Manchester United player in 16th with 85.
AdvertisementEA SPORTS FC 26 TOP WSL RATINGS
Top 26 Barclays Women's Super League
Rank
First Name
Last Name
Common Name
OVR (Overall ratings)
Position
Team
League
1
Alessia
Russo
89
ST
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
2
María Francesca
Caldentey Oliver
Mariona
89
CM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
3
Khadija
Shaw
89
ST
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
4
Guro
Reiten
88
LM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
5
Chloe
Kelly
87
RM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
6
Lucy
Bronze
87
RB
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
7
Leah
Williamson
87
CB
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
8
Beth
Mead
87
RM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
9
Lauren
Hemp
87
LW
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
10
Katie
McCabe
87
LB
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
11
Millie
Bright
87
CB
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
12
Sam
Kerr
87
ST
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
13
Grace
Geyoro
86
CM
London City
Barclays WSL
14
Sandy
Baltimore
85
LM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
15
Erin
Cuthbert
85
CDM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
16
Ella
Toone
85
CAM
Manchester Utd
Barclays WSL
17
Caitlin
Foord
85
LM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
18
Yui
Hasegawa
85
CDM
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
19
Vivianne
A
85
ST
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
20
Kim
Little
85
CDM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
21
Lauren
James
85
RM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
22
Naomi
Girma
85
CB
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
23
Keira
Walsh
85
CDM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
24
Chiamaka
Nnadozie
85
GK
Brighton
Barclays WSL
25
Hannah
Hampton
84
GK
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
26
Sjoeke
Nüsken
84
CDM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
EA Sports FC 26ARSENAL DOMINATE WSL TOP 10 BUT NOT EUROPE'S
While Russo, Caldentey, and Shaw lead the WSL pack, which features six Arsenal players in the top 10, they don't make up the top three in Europe. Spain stars Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati are tied on 91, and Barcelona team-mate Caroline Graham Hansen is third at 90. Incidentally, the Lionesses may have been helped in the player ratings after beating Spain in the Euros final this summer.
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WHAT NEXT?
EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Edition is being launched on September 19, 2025, but the Standard Edition of the game is out a week later on September 26. In the meantime, WSL action continues over the course of this weekend.
USEFUL LINKSLatest EA Sports FC news & updatesFull list of stadiums in EA Sports FC 26Who are the new ICONS in EA Sports FC 26?EA Sports FC 26 pre-order benefits explainedComplete guide to EA Sports FC 26
تحدث الأوروجواني مارتن لاسارتي، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي الأسبق عن النادي الذي المفضل له خلال مسيرته التدريبية المختلفة.
وقاد لاسارتي النادي الأهلي في عام 2019 وكانت فترته مختلطة بين الإيجاب والسلب، لأنه المدرب الذي تلقى أكبر هزيمة للأهلي في تاريخه بدوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام صن داونز بالخماسية الشهيرة، بينما هو نفس المدرب الذي فاز بأصعب بطولة دوري في القرن الجديد للمارد الأحمر.
كما شهدت فترة لاسارتي انهيار الأهلي أمام الفرق الكبيرة سواء على المستوى المحلي أو الإفريقي، إذ لم يفز نادي القرن في عهده خارج أرضه ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا بعد 3 خسائر أمام سيمبا التنزاني وفيتا كلوب وصن داونز وتعادل وحيد أمام شباب الساورة الجزائري.
اقرأ أيضًا | الأهلي يدعو لجمعية عمومية طارئة
فيما كان ظهوره باهتًا للغاية في بطولة الدوري المصري إذ خسر أمام بيراميدز ذهابًا وإيابًا بنتيجتي 2/1 و1/صفر، وتعادل أمام الزمالك سلبيًا.
وقال المدرب الأوروجواني من خلال حواره مع صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “لقد فُزت بالعديد من الألقاب في تشيلي وأوروجواي ومصر مع الأهلي لكن فترة وجودي في ريال سوسيداد لا تُنسى”.
وأتم: “هناك استطعنا تغيير عقليتي السلبية عند وصولي وحولنا التشاؤم إلى تفاؤل، فتوجنا أبطالًا للدرجة الثانية وحققنا الصعود الذي طال انتظاره إلى دوري الدرجة الأولى، تأقلمت جيدًا وسرعان ما فهمتُ ما يتطلبه الأمر للعودة إلى دوري الأضواء”.
The defending BBL champions have secured Munro on a two-year deal ahead of the overseas draft
AAP02-Jul-2024Brisbane Heat have taken a key step towards defending their BBL title by re-signing former New Zealand batter Colin Munro for a further two seasons.Munro, who announced his international retirement earlier this year after missing New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad, has played 428 T20 matches in multiple competitions and scored 10,961 runs at a career strike-rate of 141.25, with five centuries and 67 half-centuries.Related
All the BBL and WBBL squads for 2025-26 season
All the BBL and WBBL squads for 2024-25 season
Sydney Thunder confident of Warner BBL return
Billings picks Sydney Thunder ahead of rival T20 leagues
The 37-year-old lines up for his third season with Heat and is the BBL’s fourth player to be signed under new rules which allow each club to sign one international on a multi-year deal ahead of the overseas player draft.Munro, who was a member of the Perth Scorchers’ 2021-22 BBL title win, has played the past two seasons with the Heat and scored 502 runs with blistering knocks of 98 and 99 not out.In both seasons he left early to join Desert Vipers in the UAE-based ILT20 competition but his new Heat deal will ensure Munro is available for all BBL matches, including finals.England international and former Heat star Sam Billings has joined Sydney Thunder next season while Heat cult hero and last season’s finals hero Josh Brown will link with Melbourne Renegades.Munro will lead a strong Heat line-up, alongside Australia’s Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw, and wants to be part of a championship side.”It was pretty poignant being away and watching the boys go one better to win the title, after going through the disappointment of the previous season when we got beaten at the death in the final,'” Munro said.”It’s a strong squad again and I’m looking forward to being part of what we can build together. There are always opportunities to get better and as a group, we should be excited about the new goals we will pursue this summer.”Heat have a new coach for next season with Johan Botha having replaced Wade Seccombe.
Manchester United have wasted no time in the transfer market to aid Ruben Amorim in being a success at Old Trafford, already making a move to sign one player.
Matheus Cunha has been a player constantly linked with a switch to join the Red Devils over recent months, with a deal seemingly edging ever closer ahead of the final game of the Premier League campaign.
It’s been widely reported that the club have been in advanced talks with Wolves over a deal for the Brazilian international ahead of the summer despite the failure to win the Europa League.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' MatheusCunhacelebrates after Rodrigo Gomes scores
The 25-year-old has a £62.5m release clause within his current contract, but that doesn’t appear to be an issue after agreeing a deal to pay such a figure out in multiple instalments.
However, despite the movement with a deal for Cunha, it appears as though one deal could be completed before him, with another deal edging closer to completion.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
After such a dismal year in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, new additions are to be expected at United to try and right the wrongs of the current campaign.
The likes of Ronald Araujo, Ederson and Viktor Gyokeres have all been strongly linked already ahead of the off-season, as the hierarchy look to bolster various areas of the pitch.
However, despite the interest in the aforementioned players, Palmeiras star Richard Rios could be the first summer signing, according to one Spanish outlet.
Their report claims that he’s seen as a key part of the revival at Old Trafford, and could be available for a fee in the region of just £20m – an absolute bargain.
It also claims that, despite the move for Cunha, the 24-year-old could be set to be the first addition to the new project led by Amorim to lead the club back to their former glory.
Why Rios would be an upgrade on Ugarte
Midfielder Manuel Ugarte was seen as a huge signing last summer after joining in a £50m deal from PSG, looking to be a key part of the rebuild conducted by former boss Erik ten Hag.
The Uruguayan has started 22 league games to date, often having a stop-start period in the North West and being unable to string up a real run of games over the last few months.
He was benched for the Europa League final defeat against Spurs on Wednesday night, not even being brought on by Amorim – potentially highlighting his form of late in the first-team.
It remains to be seen if he will be part of the manager’s long-term plans at the club, but a deal for Rios could further limit his game time and offer Amorim a quality option in the middle of the park.
The Colombian, who’s been labelled a “machine” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has managed to match or better him in numerous key areas this campaign – highlighting why his £20m fee would be a bargain.
Rios has registered more goals and assists throughout 2024/25, handing the side an added attacking option from a deep-lying role, something which is needed given their lack of threat this season.
He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, registering more key passes per 90 – handing the players ahead of him the chance to bolster their own tallies.
Games played
27
29
Goals & assists
6
3
Progressive carries
1.1
0.8
Progressive passes
2.5
3
Pass accuracy
91%
89%
Key passes
1.1
0.5
Blocks made
2.2
1.6
Interceptions made
1.4
1.3
The 24-year-old’s talent out of possession is just as impressive, making more blocks and interceptions per 90, offering the added defensive presence they need, given their lowly league standing.
£20m in today’s market is a bargain price, especially for a player of Rios’ quality, with his skillset certainly bolstering the options currently at Amorim’s disposal.
As seen by the stats produced in recent times, he’s managed to better Ugarte in such a role, possibly being a key player in their ambitions of pushing back up the league table in 2025/26.
He's like Pogba: Man Utd begin talks to sign "world-class" £50m talent
Manchester United could be about to make a move for a star who may follow in Paul Pogba’s footsteps.
Liverpool will be crowned Premier League champions if they avoid defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
The momentum built up across Jurgen Klopp’s swansong season was expected to be derailed when Arne Slot, an unknown presence from Holland, took his place.
But FSG’s data-driven approach came up trumps, with more popular names such as Roberto De Zerbi, Luciano Spalletti, and Ernesto Valverde reported to have been ‘serious contenders’ for the hot seat by The Athletic.
Now, the data scientists and analysts will need to peer through Liverpool’s distinctive prism once again as a title-winning squad (not yet confirmed, but surely) look to defend their crown while challenging for the major honours which proved a stretch too far this year.
While fans are expecting strikers, left-backs, and centre-halves galore, there’s also the matter of the right side of Liverpool’s backline, with Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to sign for Real Madrid when his contract expires this summer.
The latest on Trent Alexander-Arnold
Fans have held onto hope, hopeless hope, that Alexander-Arnold will renew his Liverpool contract. But everything suggests he is on the cusp of joining Los Blancos at the start of a new era, with Carlo Ancelotti to depart in the coming weeks.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the formalities are all that stand between the 26-year-old and a new chapter over in Spain, with reporters on Liverpool’s side echoing the claims, offering little in the way of optimism.
With Liverpool on the brink of winning the Premier League, perhaps the England international is waiting until all is said and done before accelerating his personal plans to the final stage.
But that stage is, sadly, set.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool Career by Competition
Competition
Apps
Goals
Assists
Premier League
255
18
65
Champions League
60
2
13
FA Cup
13
1
3
Carabao Cup
10
0
6
Europa League
5
0
2
Club World Cup
2
0
1
CL Qualifying
2
0
1
Community Shield
2
1
0
UEFA Super Cup
1
0
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
He’s won the lot, and he could win plenty more on Merseyside yet. But Trent’s head has been turned, and while Conor Bradley is an exciting young talent, Liverpool need to ensure they are well-stocked at right-back next year and beyond.
That’s why FSG are preparing to sign a talented young defender.
Liverpool advancing talks for Trent heir
As per Brazilian publication RTI Esporte – as translated by Sport Witness – Liverpool are one of the strongest teams pushing to sign right-back Wesley Franca, 21, this summer and have now made their first move.
Indeed, Wesley’s representatives have actually flown across the Atlantic and landed in England as they look to canvass their client’s qualities to FSG’s transfer team, with Flamengo hoping to earn around €35m (about £30m) from his sale.
Wesley Franca celebrates for Flamengo.
Signing the rising star isn’t going to be a walk in the park, though, with both major clubs of a Manchester persuasion in the mix too.
What Wesley would bring to Anfield
Wesley has featured 124 times for Flamengo’s senior squad after graduating from the academy, scoring three goals and providing five assists for his teammates.
As with Klopp, Liverpool would be foolhardy to try and replace Alexander-Arnold with a B-grade version, but in Wesley, they would be signing a right-back with similar strengths, excelling in passing and crossing, while bringing his own distinctive style to the Anfield side.
Crisp, powerful and steely in defence, Wesley ranks among the top 9% of full-backs in divisions similar to the Brasileiro Serie A over the past year for pass completion, the top 18% for shot-creating actions, the top 21% for progressive carries, the top 12% for successful take-ons, the top 16% for ball recoveries and the top 12% for tackles and interceptions per 90.
This is quite the oversaturation of data, so let’s simplify it: talent scout Antonio Mango has lauded him for his “consistent and well-rounded” game, blending athleticism with natural intelligence and a stage presence that bespeaks a future on the Premier League pitch.
Such an energetic game with a skill at beating his man with the ball at his feet highlights a tenacious attitude that Slot would love to work with.
It would be remiss for the powers that be at Anfield to expect Wesley to replicate Alexander-Arnold’s sweeping creative skill set, but there’s nothing to suggest that he wouldn’t bring his own brand to the team, all the while providing consistent crosses into the box and support for Salah and co.
Looking at his opening performances in the Brazilian top flight this year, it’s not hard to see why he’s all the talk.
Wesley – Brazilian Serie A Stats (24/25)
Stats (* per game)
#
Matches (starts)
5 (5)
Goals
0
Assists
1
Touches*
76.6
Pass completion
87%
Key passes*
1.4
Crosses*
1.4
Dribbles*
1.6
Ball recoveries*
4.6
Tackles + interceptions*
3.4
Duels (won)*
6.8 (57%)
Stats via Sofascore
His strong start to the 2025 campaign highlights the quality that Liverpool would be weaving into their ranks, with Mango also gushing over the player’s “immense” performances right from the get-go.
FSG chiefs might feel that £30m is quite a steep figure to pay for a young defender plying their trade in South America, especially when there’s so much to do across various other positions.
But if sporting director Richard Hughes can succeed in whittling the price down, there’s every reason for Liverpool to be investing in this talented Brazilian, who recently earned his first two caps for the national team.
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold
Given that Bradley has been in such fine fettle since breaking onto the scene, signing an up-and-comer such as Wesley could be the way to go for a Liverpool team looking to increase their depth.
With both players jockeying for the number one spot, it might even prove to elevate both stars to an even higher level.
Liverpool want world's "best player" in £77m deal who'd be Slot’s own Mane
Liverpool are planning to strengthen Arne Slot’s frontline in the transfer market this summer.
Leeds United look likely to make a £15m+ player their first summer signing following promotion to the Premier League.
Leeds preparing for Premier League return
The Whites can officially start preparing for life back in the top fight after winning promotion from the Championship on Easter Monday. Daniel Farke’s side hammered Stoke City 6-0 with four goals from Joel Piroe in the first half, while Junior Firpo and Willy Gnonto also got on the scoresheet.
Burnley’s 2-1 win at Sheffield United later in the day meant the party could get underway at Elland Road, with the players joining thousands of Leeds fans in the celebrations.
Talking on Monday evening, Farke said: “Don’t scare me with the Premier League right now. All the clubs who were promoted are already relegated before we were promoted. It’s important to enjoy it. This club has had tough times in the last years, it’s important that our supporters celebrate it and embrace it.
“We’re back where we belong. The next step is to make this club an established Premier League club. You can be sure I will work with all my skills to make sure we do this. But this is something for in a few weeks. Right now we celebrate the first step, the most important one, to take this club where it belongs. Let’s see what we can do.”
Leeds now considering promotion move for "sensational" England international
Leeds United are already looking to the summer transfer window after smashing Stoke City on Monday.
ByBarney Lane Apr 21, 2025
The 49ers have been working behind the scenes on potential transfer targets, though, with the Whites looking to sign players who have Premier League experience. Now, an update has emerged on one attacker who has that.
£15m+ Manor Solomon likely to be Leeds’ first signing after talks
TEAMtalk shared a Leeds transfer update the day after the Whites officially won promotion, stating that the 49ers are looking to make at least six new signings ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Leeds and Farke want to sign a goalkeeper, a left-back, a midfielder, a winger, an attacking midfielder and a striker over the coming months, but the first addition of the window is likely to be loanee Manor Solomon on a permanent basis.
The report reveals that ‘talks having taken place already with Spurs over a permanent move’, with Leeds ‘optimistic that a permanent arrangement’ will be agreed. Tottenham and Daniel Levy value Solomon at £15m to £20m, and a development over a fee is expected soon.
Games
37
24
Goals
9
4
Assists
11
2
Solomon has starred on loan in the second tier this season, contributing to 20 Championship goals on the left hand side, striking up a positive relationship with Firpo. Farke will be delighted if the 49ers sign Solomon for Leeds on a permanent transfer, with the manager hailing the winger recently, saying earlier this month: “Always a joy to work with. A top character. Yes can be tricky, he’s emotional! Especially when he doesn’t finish a game. But top.”
Leeds United is currently the home to various talents who have made their names across Europe before moving to Elland Road over the last couple of seasons.
Brenden Aaronson is just one player who cost big money to secure a move for his signature, costing a fee in the region of £25m during their final season in the Premier League back in 2022/23.
The American has so far failed to demonstrate why the hierarchy forked out such a hefty fee for his signature, struggling to make a real impact under Daniel Farke in recent weeks.
Whilst he scored the opener against Swansea City last weekend, it was only his second goal contribution of the calendar year, struggling to produce any tangible results in their hunt for Championship promotion.
He’s since been unable to match the levels produced by one player who starred in Yorkshire after his own transfer from the Swans multiple years ago.
Pablo Hernandez’s stats for Leeds United
Over the years, Leeds has been the home to countless icons, with Pablo Hernandez undoubtedly cementing himself as a modern-day hero for his heroics at Elland Road.
The Spaniard originally moved on loan from Swansea back in 2016/17, before joining permanently in the January of that campaign after impressing in the first half of the season.
Former Leeds winger Pablo Hernandez.
Such a move would be the springboard for his success with the Whites, with Hernandez going on to register 36 goals and 41 assists from 175 outings, helping the club lift the Championship title at the close of the 2019/20 campaign.
He was a pivotal part of Marcelo Bielsa’s side that season, remaining a key member of the squad the following year as the club ended their long wait for Premier League football.
Whilst he left the club back in 2021, current boss Farke already has his own version of the fan-favourite, playing a vital role in their own ambitions of returning to the top flight.
The player who’s become Farke’s own Hernandez at Leeds
The plethora of attacking talent on the books at Leeds has contributed to their phenomenal attacking record, which has seen them score 78 times in the league this season – by far the highest tally in the division.
Joel Piroe has been central to such a record, netting 15 league goals to date, a tally which is the highest within the current first-team squad – producing key goals at various moments.
The Dutchman arrived in a £10m deal from Swansea back in the summer of 2023, following in Hernandez’s footsteps in joining from the Welsh outfit and having an immediate impact in Yorkshire.
The similarities to Hernandez continue, with the 25-year-old also able to feature in the number ten role, as seen in certain matches this season, with the “superb” star, as dubbed by one analyst, key to the club’s recent success.
During his final Championship campaign in Yorkshire, the Spaniard notched a total of 18 combined goals and assists back in 2019/20 – cementing himself as a key member of Bielsa’s squad.
Piroe has already registered a combined 21 contributions with seven matches remaining this campaign, with any hope of securing promotion potentially down to whether he can continue to produce the goods in the final third.
Combined goals & assists from Leeds attackers in the Championship (2024/25)
Player
Tally
Joel Piroe
21
Daniel James
19
Manor Solomon
14
Brenden Aaronson
11
Wilfried Gnonto
11
Mateo Joseph
6
Largie Ramazani
6
Stats via FotMob
He’s been subject to criticism in recent times, but it’s safe to say the club wouldn’t be in this current position without his goals, certainly playing a key role in their promotion ambitions.
Whilst it’s unclear whether he will be able to cut it in the Premier League, Piroe has a huge job to catapult the side into the top flight between now and the end of the season.
His goals could provide the difference over the next couple of weeks, with the Dutchman able to cement his place in the Whites’ history books should he produce the goods and fire them back to England’s top-division.
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Deepti Sharma was one of India’s stars throughout the World Cup, and upped her game in the final with a run-a-ball 58 and then a five-wicket haul
Vishal Dikshit03-Nov-2025
Deepti Sharma derailed South Africa’s chase in the death overs•ICC/Getty Images
Deepti Sharma. South Africa. World Cup.Till Sunday night, even Deepti would have thought of that World Cup night in Christchurch, back in 2022, if those words had been put to her together. India were on the verge of progressing to the semi-finals then, they had to go past South Africa in a must-win game, and Deepti had the task of defending six runs in the last over with the set Mignon du Preez in front of her.When South Africa needed three from two, Deepti had du Preez caught at long-on to spark wild celebrations before realising that the umpires were checking for a no-ball and Deepti had no part of her heel inside the crease. Two balls later, du Preez hit the winning runs. The abiding memory from that moment is of Jhulan Goswami, out of that match with a niggle, her mouth covered with her hands as she saw her last World Cup dream shattered.Related
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It’s hard to know how Deepti would have slept that night. Or how she dealt with that in the days and years to come. In fact, Deepti might have gone into the 2022 World Cup with baggage already, having not been able to see India through in the 2017 final when she was the second-last wicket to fall and India fell short by just nine runs against England.The nature of sport is such that sportspersons often feel redeemed by shining in similar situations, often against the same team, and even more when there’s a lot at stake.Harmanpreet Kaur and India have often fallen back on Deepti as the partnership-breaker in recent times, and Sunday night was no different. But it was the World Cup final, so there was the added pressure. Deepti was first bowler Harmanpreet turned to after the opening quicks didn’t get a wicket in the first eight overs. But the nature of the pitch and the way the South Africa batters manoeuvred her, that Deepti only got the one wicket, of Sinalo Jafta, in her first seven overs. Wickets had been falling at the other end, though, and South Africa needed 92 from 66 with five wickets in hand when Deepti began her eighth.Deepti is known for her variations and her deception, gained from over 250 international games and two overseas T20 leagues. She sent down a yorker that Annerie Dercksen, whom she had dropped on 24, couldn’t pick and was bowled for 35. The cross-seam delivery was a reminder of how Deepti thought on her feet when the conditions were not in her favour or if the batters were going after her, just like in India’s opening game, when Chamari Athapaththu was taking her down. She nailed this one. Just like when Tammy Beaumont were looking to accelerate after a half-century opening stand before Deepti darted a quicker one that bowled her around her legs.8:05
‘What dream? We’re living it’
Deepti has been a consistent death-overs bowler this tournament and that responsibility could have felt heavier in front of a packed stadium. It didn’t show when she got the biggest one of them: Laura Wolvaardt. Deepti fired one in flat to the century-maker with the field spread out and the miscued slog sweep went to Amanjot Kaur at deep midwicket, and the crowd caught its collective breath as Amanjot juggled the ball before completing the catch on the third attempt. Three balls later came another pace variation and when Chloe Tryon missed a flatter one to be given lbw.”I’ve always like challenges so I was confident going into my second and third spells,” Deepti told the host broadcaster after the game. “When we got the momentum with Dercksen’s wicket and then Laura’s wicket, I had this belief that as a senior player I have to pick up my performance and back the others.”I always look to use variations along with my stock ball and I know when to use which one, like against a set batter or a new batter. I’ve also practiced for them a lot in the WPL and other series, so all those games helped me. That season of the WPL when I was the MVP (2024) it really helped me.”Deepti Sharma made good use of the sweep in the final•AFP/Getty Images
Emergence of the quick-scoring lower-order batter
Deepti has rescued India on several occasions with the bat in this World Cup, too, while also scoring runs quickly. It was the lift in her strike rate in 2025 that added a new dimension to her game. When India were 121 for 5 against Sri Lanka, Deepti steered the ship with a run-a-ball 53 that gave them a competitive score.As much as the thought lingered after the England loss that she should have carried the team through in the chase, Deepti had scored 50 off 57 and kept India going till the 47th over. And then in the finale, she again produced a gritty run-a-ball 58 when the two batters before her – Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet – had fallen with strike rates of under 70. Her expansive slog sweeps in search of boundaries, her six off Marizanne Kapp, her singles and doubles in the end when South Africa’s quicks took the pace off the ball to stem the flow of runs helped India inch closer and closer to the 300 mark that they wanted to get.Deepti Sharma took two wickets in the same over•ICC/Getty ImagesDeepti’s knocks this World Cup combined for 215 runs at a strike rate of 90.33, not far behind her strike rate of 103.25 this year until the World Cup had started, a remarkable improvement from 71.38 in the last two years.”My batting used to come mainly in the last 15 overs so I worked on it with Bala (her brother Sumit) in recent times,” Deepti said. “I worked on the shots that I would have to play in the slog overs. So I improved accordingly and tried to stay positive.”It was fitting that it was Deepti who sealed India’s maiden World Cup triumph when she had Nadine de Klerk caught by a leaping Harmanpreet to get the party started, for her team, the near-40,000 crowd at the ground, and millions of Indian watching from around the world.And the next time someone says Deepti Sharma, South Africa and World Cup together, the night that will be remembered is the one on November 2, 2025, Navi Mumbai. Capped off with Deepti proudly holding the Player-of-the-Tournament trophy, big smile on her face.
There was music, fireworks and top-notch on-field action as a sell-out crowd braved the searing heat, with MLC making a grand debut
Peter Della Penna14-Jul-2023The sun began to set behind the luxury suites on the west side of the Grand Prairie Stadium on Thursday night, to the sound of 2000 yellow whistles handed out to fans coming through the gates. Members of the Grand Prairie fire and police departments began to take the south side of the field, opposite the Texas Super Kings (TSK) and LA Knight Riders (LAKR) squads lined up on the north.Moments later, a Texas-sized American flag was unfurled by Grand Prairie’s first responders ahead of a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, as the sound of cricket married the sights of American sporting pageantry. The first night of Major League Cricket (MLC) was here.”The American flag, I think was massive. It was half the field,” said TSK’s David Miller in the post-match press conference, when asked what he’ll remember most on a night where he was named Player of the Match for a 42-ball 61 in his team’s 69-run win over LAKR. “We’ll look back on this day one day and there was a lot to it. Just taking in everything and being really welcomed and really loved. Probably the win was to top it off.”Related
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As the first responders and colour guard left the field before the first ball, there was still a bit of uncertainty as to how the night would unfold. In terms of on-the-field historic firsts, USA star and Texas local Ali Khan had the distinction of bowling the MLC’s first ball. It was something that team-mate Andre Russell said afterward was a conscious decision by a team leadership cognizant of the historical significance of the moment.But as Ali charged in from the southern end, the stadium was half empty. On a night billed as a sellout for the last week, there was a slightly peculiar vibe. That got slightly more awkward when the very partisan Texas crowd saw their captain and birthday boy Faf du Plessis caught driving the first ball of the second over from Lockie Ferguson straight to extra cover, a moment that silenced most of the whistles temporarily.”Oh, my God! Faf got out first ball?!” shouted Ruhaan Oberoi, a 12-year-old from Dallas who is part of the MLC-affiliated Mustangs Academy. Oberoi was there with his sister Alisha, 15, as well as mom Jess and dad Ankit. He was decked out in a new TSK “Whistle for Texas” t-shirt, one among a number of promo giveaways on the night, along with yellow flags as well as TSK bucket hats emblazoned with “GO. BIG. TEXAS.””Some guy I’ve never heard of is coming in,” Oberoi said of Texas No. 3 Lahiru Milantha, who was one of the highest domestic scorers in the 2022 Minor League Cricket tournament, the local feeder competition for MLC. “So… that’s good… I’m supporting CSK today.” A few seconds later, someone nearby reminded him that it was TSK on the field, not CSK. Most of the fans interviewed at the final training day in Grand Prairie who came for a glimpse of du Plessis and Dwayne Bravo identified themselves as fans of the Chennai parent franchise. Autograph and selfie seekers of the local American players were in far less demand.It was fitting that Ali Khan, a USA star and Texas local, bowled the first ball in MLC history•SportzpicsSoon after du Plessis got out, Milantha gave Oberoi and others a reason to follow him a bit more closely as he flicked the first six of the tournament into the stands. The moment popped literally and figuratively as fireworks burst into the sky behind the Race Track End, as fans continued to steadily trickle in.At this stage, a few thousand were still stuck in a bottleneck at the lone entrance gate on the west side of the ground. It wasn’t just that fans were desperate to get in to watch the cricket; the temperatures near the entrance gate, with the sun bouncing off the concrete, touched 103F (39.45 degree Celcius) and felt like 115F (46.1 degree Celcius). MLC organisers and Grand Prairie Fire and Police collaborated and made the call to stop scanning ticket barcodes and let everyone inside.”Today’s experience on match day is probably the most intense, draining and fulfilling but certainly full-on day I’ve had in nearly 100 matches I’ve done,” MLC Tournament Director Justin Geale told ESPNcricinfo at the end of the night. Geale arrived in the USA three years ago, hired by MLC with a track record of operations experience at the IPL from his eight years at IMG. “We were out here until 4am last night. We had an emergency alarm drill at 5:30am. The stadium was just in time delivery and we were still bolting down seats at 3:30 in the morning.””I think from a broadcast perspective, everyone is relatively happy. It is really hot here. Logistically, we probably need to look at our entry. The lines to get in today were a bit too long and we acknowledge that. I will say the local police have been fantastic here in Grand Prairie. We can adjust. Ultimately, a good problem to have is too many people. But we don’t want too many people having a bad experience. I think overall, the feedback I’ve had has been fantastic. I think it’s a fantastic base. I pinch myself a little that we’re sitting in a ground here in Texas, in a baseball stadium, watching cricket. We’ve dressed it like you would anywhere else in the world.”Fans line up to enter the Grand Prairie Stadium•SportzpicsOnce all of the fans in the 7200-capacity venue jammed in, the noise was immense. And not just from the yellow whistles. The fans were jumping out of their seats early and often at the boundaries coming off the bats of Miller, Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner. A pair of sixes were flicked high over cow corner that landed within 20 feet of each other in the same section. A mad scramble for the ball from fans ensued, including first-time cricket watcher Jason Adams from Thibodeaux, Louisiana, a small town of 15000 people located 500 miles southeast of Grand Prairie.”I’m gettin’ that ball!” Adams replied in a thick Cajun accent when asked what was going through his mind as the first six in the sequence in the 17th over came screaming toward him off Miller’s bat. “It’s exciting for the amount of fans that they have. It reminds me of… what we used to is college football.”Adams is a season ticket-holder for LSU college football, who play at 102,000 capacity Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge and won the CFP National Championship in 2019. Like most fans to his left and right, Adams was enjoying a few beers with the action, and the only thing that could make the night better in his eyes would be Mike the Tiger, a real-life Bengal that lives in a habitat on the LSU campus as their official mascot, and of course, “we need some cheerleaders. That’s what we need!””I’m Indian-American and I never thought I’d see a Major League Cricket match in my lifetime here,” said Ashish Cheerath, from Houston, Texas, who was sitting next to Adams along with a group of friends who flew in from southern California. “It’s awesome to see the Commonwealth community in the USA – the UK community, Indians, Brits, Aussies, all together here. It reminds me of the same kind of crowd feeling of the Houston Rodeo. Everyone’s happy to be here. Everyone’s excited.”MLC Tournament Director Justin Geale (middle) mingles with some new fans in Texas•Peter Della PennaThat excitement in the first innings was capped off by a six from Dwayne Bravo, a moment which might have been almost too on the nose for any scriptwriter. It sent the fans into the biggest frenzy of the night. While the night was a special occasion for all fans, it took on special significance for coaches and players who are embedded in American cricket culture. Numerous former USA players were in attendance, such as Houston resident and former USA captain Sushil Nadkarni as well as Amer Afzaluddin and Abhimanyu Rajp, who flew in from Michigan and Los Angeles respectively, to take in the festivities.Out of all of them though, former USA captain and current USA men’s national team selector Orlando Baker, a longtime resident of Fort Worth – the sister city of Dallas in the metroplex – had a bigger grin than usual. A former Jamaica player before migrating to the USA in the early 2000s, Baker’s appreciation for everything unfolding in front of him took on greater value, knowing the struggles that players like himself have had to deal with in the USA cricket ecosystem, whether playing in front of a handful of fans or struggling to get support from the home board to fund tours. There was deep inspiration to be drawn from the way Baker, and several other USA players and local officials, continuously talked about the occasion.”Everything is big in Texas and it’s a big thing happening tonight,” Baker said. “This opens doors for a lot of kids. Kids who are in the academies, they could see where they can play at the highest level without going outside of America. I’m really happy to see something new. I just want people to come out and enjoy it and I want kids to come out and take a look and see what it’s like to play at a high level.”