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Mohammad Amir opens up on his strategy against Australia that fetched him his maiden career ODI five-wicket haul

Danyal Rasool13-Jun-2019Mohammad Amir’s spell against Australia was one of the few bright moments on a day that, for Pakistan fans, proved grey in more ways than one.Under overcast conditions at Taunton, Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed looked especially pleased to have won the toss and put Australia in; Pakistan had left out their ace spinner Shadab Khan specifically for this eventuality. The joy would soon evaporate, however, as Australia put on 146 for the first wicket in 22 overs, looking well on track for a total above 350 on a pitch where the par score was at least 75 runs below that.That they didn’t manage to get there was thanks almost solely to one man, Amir needing to come up with career-best figures – including a first ever five-wicket haul in ODI cricket – to bowl Australia out for 307 in 49 overs. Given the impregnable position they had been in less than two hours earlier, it was an impressive passage of play for Pakistan, and a reminder of why Sarfaraz had opted to bowl first – this was what Pakistan had hoped would transpire for all 50 overs, not just the second half.That Amir would need to fight something of a lone hand was evident in the first five overs, where despite the left-armer having conceded just three runs in his first three, Australia had raced to 27 in the opening 5. Shaheen Afridi, playing in place of Shadab, hadn’t made the selectors look too bright with an opening two overs where he was much too short, far too predictable, and way too inaccurate to complement his colleague at the other end. Perhaps he, or indeed Hasan Ali who followed him, hadn’t figured out the best strategy for the pitch – something Amir said he had sussed out as early as the first over.”As soon as I bowled the first over, I got the idea it wasn’t swinging, it was seaming,” he told the PCB’s official website. “So I was just floating the ball and making sure I put it in the right area instead of putting too much work onto it at the point of release. And the movement it generated came off the seam. It was just a matter of hitting the right areas on this wicket and I did that effectively.”There’s no doubt Australia batted well, but in the first 10-15 overs, we weren’t able to pitch the ball up as consistently as we needed to. I think that might have been the difference between a score of 250-260, and the 300 plus they ended up getting.”The five-wicket haul means Amir is now the leading wicket-taker at the World Cup (10), a remarkable turnaround in form from just a few weeks ago. In the initial squad, named on April 18, Amir had been left out by Pakistan because his ability to strike at the top of the innings had deserted him. Before the first game of the World Cup, he had managed just five ODI wickets in the two years since the end of the 2017 Champions Trophy, and none in the first Powerplay for 17 months – 12 consecutive ODIs. It was his uncanny ability to keep the runscoring down at all stages of an innings, however, that saw him get the nod at the end. At Taunton, he was impressive by both metrics, conceding just thirty runs in ten overs even as Australia ran up a total of 307.Even so, he acknowledged his personal glee was tempered significantly by the 41-run defeat, which leaves Pakistan precious little margin for error if they are to make it to the semi-finals.”It would have been a lot more satiating if we’d won, of course,” Amir admitted. “We have to win every single game now. We can’t lose even one. We have to go into each match with a positive mindset, because pressure exists for every team, not just Pakistan. If we continue to play the positive cricket we played for parts of the Australia game, I’m sure we can win.”

Pep Guardiola admits his "game plan was not good" during Manchester City's FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

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• Guardiola admits he got tactics wrong
• City beaten at Wembley
• Dreams of double up in smoke

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City were beaten by their bitter rivals at Wembley, as their dreams of a Premier League and FA Cup double crumbled. A mistake from Stefan Ortega gifted United the opener, as he rushed out of his goal and Josko Gvardiol headed the ball over the goalkeeper's head, allowing Alejandro Garnacho to score. Kobbie Mainoo then added a second prior to half-time before Jeremy Doku pulled a goal back. City, however, couldn't muster a late comeback.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Guardiola made a number of bold tactical decisions throughout the game, substituting both Nathan Ake and Mateo Kovacic at half-time, then hooking Kevin De Bruyne before the hour. And he has now admitted that he got his tactics wrong.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  He told reporters: "Congratulations to Manchester United for winning the FA Cup. I think my game plan was not good.

  "The second half was much, much better. We were more intense, in part because we were 2-0 down and had nothing to lose. It was a tight game. We gave away the first goal, they made a good transition for the second so credit to United for the second goal. We tried. We had clear chances in the second half which wasn't easy because they had man marking and defended the pockets but we had the chances and unfortunately we scored a goal a little bit late. Maybe it could have been different but the team was there like all the time when we lose.

  "Disappointed today, it's normal teams can lose finals but this season has been extraordinary fighting for all the trophies in a good way. We will rest and come back next season."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  City will begin preparations for next season as they aim to win a historic fifth successive league title. It remains to be seen how they will invest in the summer.

Phil Parkinson says Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney “get it” when it comes to the football business, with “everybody out to beat Wrexham”.

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• Takeover completed in 2021
• Back-to-back promotions enjoyed
• Not everything will go as planned

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hollywood co-owners arrived at SToK Racecourse in February 2021 as relative novices when it came to the world of soccer. They have, however, committed emotionally and financially to an ambitious project in North Wales that has delivered back-to-back promotions and plenty of drama for what is now an award-winning documentary series.

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  WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Parkinson has been able to call upon the full support of those in the boardroom throughout his reign as manager, with the Red Dragons boss telling the podcast of what it is like to work under the brightest of sporting spotlights: “People want to speak to you when you win, but it’s about when you have bad days at the office – which you are inevitably going to have. You need that support and Rob and Ryan have been brilliant. They get it, they totally understand it. This is a competitive industry we’re in and everybody is out to beat Wrexham – they know that. It’s not going to go all our way, all the time. When we lose, we take the pain together. When we win, we enjoy those victories. It’s not when we lose ‘let’s blame Phil and the team’, we all look at it together and we move on.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reynolds and McElhenney make a point of messaging Parkinson in the darker times, to let him know that they have his back, with the experienced coach adding on the need for everybody to pull in the same direction: “Support from the owners is huge. It’s good that they understand. They understand that the overall aim was to get promotion. In every season as a player or a manager where I have been successful, there have been times when it doesn’t go your way. The 111-point seasons, a record points total, they don’t happen! You are going to get beat, you are going to have bad days, you are going to get injuries to key players.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Parkinson does not get beaten very often – suffering only 27 losses through 165 games as Wrexham boss – but he is now preparing for an ever bigger challenge as the Red Dragons step up into League One and seek to ensure that they bring the right players in during the next transfer window.

The cannon returns for Arsenal in 2024-25, with the Gunners’ new home kit featuring a retro crest that offers a nod to legends of the past.

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• Gunners looking for title-winning inspiration
• Slick new design from manufacturers
• Men's & women's teams embrace fresh look

Shop Arsenal kits at adidasBuy now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Adidas are delivering a “timeless look” for the north London heavyweights that incorporates “traditional colours of red and white with a slick navy addition”. The new jersey sees the club’s famous cannon figure outside the badge on a home shirt for the first time since 1989-90.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It is been used on away and third kits since then, but Arsenal are now turning the clock back to an era when they were top-flight champions. The Gunners were title holders in 89-90, following Michael Thomas’ Anfield heroics against Liverpool, and they will be desperate to restore domestic dominance in their new threads.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  An iconic look is back with a bang, with the latest design using “a unique structured fabric throughout that creates a textured feel and adds intrigue to the design when viewed up close”. The historic crest will be used on all three Arsenal kits in 2024-25, by the men’s and women’s teams.

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  WHAT ARSENAL STARS SAID

  Lionesses forward Alessia Russo, who now plies her trade at Emirates Stadium – as the women’s team join the men in making that venue home – has said: “I love the simplicity of this new kit – giving the cannon space to shine. We know how much it means to the supporters – so to have it front and centre of our home kit will fill us with confidence every time we step foot on the pitch.”

  Brazil international Gabriel Martinelli added: “Since joining Arsenal, it has been clear to me how important the cannon is, to this great club and our supporters. It epitomises our spirit and we’re excited to wear it on the pitch with pride next season.”

Hugh Morris wants a “much stronger Welsh core” at Glamorgan but that is a tough ask – just as it was for the home side bowling to James Bracey

Richard Hobson at Spytty Park14-May-2019. Welcome to Wales. The friendly words beneath the red dragon greet M4 drivers after they cross the Severn Bridge immediately before the lanes narrow and average speed checks of 50mph take force. There are two parts to the message and while few ever question the warmth of said welcome at Glamorgan, the cricket has not always felt particularly Welsh.A cynic might have thought as much again en route to the club’s newest Championship ground, Spytty Park, in Newport. The vowel-shy name is authentically, even evocatively Welsh. But it is actually closer to the land border with England than the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, which is preparing for the World Cup later this month.In fact, the ambiguous status of Monmouthshire as Welsh was only legally clarified in the Local Government Act of 1972, and even then, boundaries could be blurred. Mike Knight, the chairman of Newport CC, bumped into a number of visiting Gloucestershire supporters as he lapped the ground who recalled playing here in the nineties when the club featured in a league in England.Knight smiles at the historical nuances. His greater emotion is one of pride at seeing around 1000 people enjoy the weather and the cricket almost three decades after Newport’s previous ground, Rodney Parade, was sold off after nearly a century to leave the club’s future in jeopardy. It is now the sight of a school, and, yes, Maindee Primary does offer cricket of a sort to its boys and girls.”There are people here from Newport and Gwent,” Knight says, pointing to the ring of spectators. “We are not far from Cardiff [around 12 miles], but it is an opportunity for people to see cricket in their local area and possibly they are not comfortable going to Cardiff for whatever reason. Also, there are people here because they want to see a new venue. I understand Glamorgan’s commitment to Cardiff, but varying grounds does widen interest.”Rodney Parade hosted its final Championship match in 1965. Glamorgan included seven Welsh-born players on that occasion. Here the total was only three: David Lloyd, from Denbigh, Jeremy Lawlor (Cardiff) and Kieran Bull (Haverfordwest). Five of the current side are not even from the same hemisphere. Some more stats: In 1965, Glamorgan used seven home venues, this season four – though the fact that they played away at Leyton, Weston-Super-Mare and Nuneaton reminds that they are hardly alone in centralising their home.Robert Croft was sacked as head coach last year after a third poor finish in a row having tried (partly for budgetary reasons) to give young talent its head. It worked, but not often and then in fits and starts. In fact, poor results long pre-date Croft’s appointment to that post. Since 2000 when the Championship split into two divisions, Glamorgan have spent only two years in the top flight – and been relegated both times.In his 2017 notes, Edward Bevan, the doyen and great optimist of the Glamorgan press scene, said that more local players emerged in 2016 than for many seasons. He cited Aneurin Donald, Kiran Carlson, Lukas Carey and Owen Morgan. Carlson would be playing here but for exams, while Carey is twelfth man. But Morgan is back in the second team and Donald, a prolific and exciting schoolboy batsman, was playing for Hampshire having left last season, he said, to further England ambitions.Knight describes the Welsh representation as “a sore point” and talked about the game well below first-class level. “We are seeing the demise of cricket in schools,” he says. “If we didn’t do as a club what we do for the junior cricketers there would be no cricket in Newport, or almost nothing.”Our next step is to try to develop an indoor cricket school here to safeguard things. We have the building. We just need some help. Our junior kids have to go to Ebbw Vale for a training session indoors in winter for their coaching. That can be impossible in the evenings and I am sure it is contributing massively to the demise of cricket in Gwent. Cardiff is nearer, but that caters for the South Glamorgan area.”Another problem is the relatively small sector of Welsh independent schools. Hugh Morris, Glamorgan’s chief executive, estimates that only 1% of Welsh children attend private establishments compared to 7% in England. Here, at least, cricket has facilities and budgets to thrive. In June, Glamorgan are hosting a 20-over competition involving Monmouth School, Christ College in Brecon and Cardiff’s Cathedral School along with a number of Colleges to try to identify talent.Morris played in the last Glamorgan team to win the Championship, in 1997. Bristling at suggestions the county is insufficiently Welsh he delivers a register of current officials. There is Gerard Elias, the president, who replaced the man Morris describes as “Mr Welsh Cricket,” Alan Jones. The roll continues: Gareth Williams, a Welsh-speaking chairman, Matthew Maynard, interim head coach, with fellow coaches Steve Watkin, Adrian Shaw and David Harrison.”Do we want to get more Welsh talent in the side?” Morris answers his own question. “Yes, absolutely. Last season, we did that, we were in a position where we had to play too many youngsters and it was too early for them. But we do want to get more talent through.” Talks are ongoing with Cricket Wales over the pathway through junior levels up to the age of 17. “The will is there to have a much stronger Welsh core in the team.”Just as the World Cup has opened opportunities for out-grounds this season, so The Hundred will force eight county sides to move 50-over fixtures from their headquarters next year. Newport want more of the action and can only hope the metaphorical sun shines on them as brightly as the real one against Gloucestershire, although it was hot work for the bowlers as James Bracey compiled 152. Glamorgan are also looking at an array of grounds with their second team this year. One of them, Pontypridd hosted Surrey on Tuesday.As Morris spoke, Lloyd was bowling his medium pace from the opposite side of the ground, a rare example of a Welshman established in the side. His steady, all-round progress gained due reward in a ceremony in front of the pavilion before lunch when he received his County Cap. Andrew Hignell, the club historian, suggested he thus became the first North Walian by birth to be capped since the formidable Wilf Wooller, captain of the 1948 title-winning side. Well played David Lloyd, but that fact has to be an indictment of something.

Robert Haynes takes over as interim chairman as new CWI president hints at return of exiled star players

George Dobell11-Apr-2019Floyd Reifer has replaced Richard Pybus as West Indies’ coach just weeks ahead of the World Cup.Reifer, who was briefly captain of West Indies in 2009, has been appointed to the role in an interim capacity following a review of West Indies’ coaching and selection policies led by newly-elected Cricket West Indies (CWI) president, Ricky Skerritt.The entire West Indies selection panel has also been dismissed. Courtney Browne, who had been a selector since 2013 and head selector since 2016, has been sacked with Robert Haynes, who played eight ODIs for West Indies between 1989 and 1991, appointed as interim head selector in his place.”We have found it necessary to immediately adjust our selection policy to become more open, inclusive, and player-centric,” Skerritt said. “I am therefore pleased to confirm that we have terminated the old embedded selection policy which secretly, but actively, victimized some players and banished them from selection consideration.”While Pybus was only appointed to the role of interim head coach in January and was at the helm when West Indies recently defeated England in a Test series, his dismissal is no surprise. He had ruffled many feathers during his time as West Indies’ director of cricket – University of West Indies vice-chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles recently described Pybus’ decision to shut down the West Indies’ high-performance centre in Barbados as “deeply troubling” and “an act of vandalism” – and was seen as closely aligned to former CWI president, Dave Cameron.Indeed, it is understood that despite Jimmy Adams, West Indies’ director of cricket, not including Pybus’ name among a not so shortlist of 11 suitable candidates for the interim position in December, Cameron decided to appoint him anyway.Pybus had also been party to the decision to consider for selection only those players who made themselves available for selection in the Caribbean’s regional tournaments. As a result, many of the West Indies’ best T20 players were squeezed out of selection contention. It is possible his departure may encourage one or two more players who have previously announced their international retirement to reconsider.Lockhart Sebastien, Travis Dowlin and Eldine Baptiste are the other selectors to be dismissed. Adams and Reifer will assist Haynes with team selection for now. The team captain, Jason Holder, will also be involved in selection of the World Cup squad. Pybus will return to the role of High Performance Director.”Robert Haynes will be in place for three months or until the selection system review is completed,” Adams said. “Following this, full-time two-year appointments will be made. The Head Coach will also have selector status to ensure he or she has meaningful input into the selection process which is such a big factor for team success.”Reifer has enjoyed a previous stint of as interim head coach during which West Indies won a T20 series in Bangladesh. He has also coached the West Indies A side, including to victory over England, and the Combined Campuses and Colleges side to victory in the regional 50 over tournament in 2018.Skerritt explained that his appointment was reflective of the board’s new “West Indian first policy” designed to promote and encourage regional talent whenever possible.”Floyd Reifer had been identified as the outstanding emerging local coach,” Skerritt said. “Our landmark decision to immediately introduce a well suited young West Indian professional as our men’s team coach is therefore a clear indicator of the seriousness of our West Indian first policy and represents our commitment to celebrate the best of what it means to be West Indian. This decision also underscores the need for fresh thinking, and an even more urgent need to embrace the new inclusive selection policy.”We believe very strongly in localising the expertise that we put behind our teams and we believe in bringing in non-Caribbean expertise only where it is not available across the region. We want to be sure that the team does well at all times with the possible resources but we also have to make sure that they have a Caribbean support team around them.”Our performance record overseas under international coaches has been dismal at best. All of our victories in ICC tournaments have been with the help of local coaches. That is also why we have decided to give the opportunity to a young but seasoned professional, who lives among us, and who has dedicated his life to developing our young people and teaching them our cricket culture.”The changes we have triggered this week are more than a change in personnel or a shake-up in the ranks. This is a calculated strategic move designed to reignite the passion for a culture, where our cricket is being put back where it belongs: at the very centre.”West Indies depart for Ireland in less than three weeks for a tri-series ODI tournament also involving Bangladesh.

Chennai Super Kings are expected to host Mumbai Indians on March 23

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Feb-2025Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening match of IPL 2025. ESPNcricinfo has learned the season opener will be played at Eden Gardens on March 22 and the IPL final will be played on May 25.While the IPL is yet to release the schedule, it is learned that last season’s finalists Sunrisers Hyderabad will begin their campaign at home against Rajasthan Royals on the afternoon of March 23. Later that Sunday evening, Chennai Super Kings are likely to host Mumbai Indians at Chepauk.The 10-team league is set to start 12 days after the Champions Trophy final on March 9 and will be played at 12 venues – the ten traditional homes of the franchises as well as Guwahati (second venue for RR) and Dharamsala (second venue for Punjab Kings).Related

• Samson undergoes finger surgery, expected to be fit in time for IPL 2025

• Rajat Patidar appointed new RCB captain for IPL 2025

The opening fixture will feature two teams led by new captains. While RCB recently appointed Rajat Patidar as their captain, KKR are yet to announce the successor to Shreyas Iyer, who led them to the title in 2024. RCB had finished fourth in the league last year, following a streak of six defeats with six wins to make it to the playoffs where they lost the Eliminator. KKR have been dominant against RCB in Kolkata, winning eight of their 12 matches at Eden Gardens.PBKS, who have a new captain and coach in Shreyas and Ricky Ponting, will play three of their home matches in Dharamsala – one more than the usual two they play each season at the picturesque venue in Himachal Pradesh. Their remaining four home matches will be at Mullanpur in Punjab.

Their position at the top of the points table hasn’t hidden their batting problems, and without a turnaround, things could get tougher as the league progresses

Sruthi Ravindranath in Bengaluru22-Apr-20193:13

I will never question what Dhoni does in the back end – CSK coach Fleming

On the eve of the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday, MS Dhoni walked to the nets an hour after his team had begun training. He was seen practising his big hits – mostly against spinners – and smashing the ball all around the park. The 50-odd fans, who had come to catch a glimpse of the teams before the big day, cheered almost every time the ball was dispatched. Back spasms had kept Dhoni out of Super Kings’ previous match – against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday – in which they had been consigned to a heavy defeat, and his availability against Royal Challengers was not confirmed.On Sunday, in front of a full house, those rehearsals paid off. Dhoni turned up, brought out the fireworks and single-handedly almost took Super Kings to a win. He had barely any support from the rest of the batsmen in Super Kings’ chase of 162. Having walked in to bat in the sixth over, with the score at 28 for 4, Dhoni shared a 55-run stand with Ambati Rayudu for the fifth wicket, the highest for the side. Where the rest of the line-up struggled to score at a run-a-ball, Dhoni slammed 12 boundaries in total – four of them coming in 20th over.Super Kings’ form and consistency over the years can intimidate any T20 side. However, the team that has previously had several in-form batsmen and a number of finishers, this season have only one consistent performer – their captain Dhoni. Their dependence on him has exposed a gaping hole in batting the line-up, evident in the three losses this season.Super Kings’ approach to a chase has rather become a convention. One batsman assumes the role of an anchor, whose chief role is strike-rotation, especially in the event of an early collapse. The other batsmen play around this anchor. Often this season, Dhoni has been pushed to play that role. Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav and Suresh Raina – who all have the reputation of being match-winners – have one-odd good score each. While Super Kings have somehow gotten over the line in the first few games this season, the inconsistent form of the other batsmen could land them in a rather dicey situation towards the end of the league stage.Dhoni is the team’s highest run-getter (314 runs at an average of 104.66) this season and has five 30-plus scores batting at No. 4 or lower. He’s 11th on the list of highest run-getters this season and the next best Super Kings batsman is Raina, at No. 27, with 207 runs in 10 innings. These numbers should give some indication about the side’s batting struggles.Super Kings’ two matches against Rajasthan Royals again illustrate Dhoni’s impact. Batting first on a dewy night in Chennai, Dhoni produced a vintage innings to save the team from an embarrassing collapse. His unbeaten 75 took Super Kings from 88 for 4 in the 14th over to 175 for 5, and the innings included hard-run, risky ones and twos, and a big flourish at the end with four sixes in the last over, including three off the final three balls of the innings.In the away fixture, Super Kings were chasing but their innings followed a similar script. They were 24 for 4 after the Powerplay, with another 128 needed off 14 overs. Dhoni scored no boundaries off the first nine balls he faced before launching into a counter-attack. Rayudu imbibed some of that aggression in the pair’s 95-run partnership and Dhoni’s 43-ball 58 was crucial to a dramatic last-ball win.Do these trends and numbers indicate that the Super Kings’ line-up is overdependent on Dhoni?”We’ve got a really talented batting order, which has been consistent throughout the years,” coach Stephen Fleming said after the one-run defeat to Royal Challengers. “On paper, you can see the strength but we’ve not been able to string partnerships or individual scores this year. What we’re bordering on is being a little reckless, trying to find that form. We were being a little bit reckless, and that just comes from guys trying to find form and do the job. But what’s happening is we’re relying too heavily on Dhoni and Rayudu to patch things up and we won’t win the competition if that continues.”We’re happy to be crossing the line, but we’d like to see some form creeping back into the top order.”Super Kings did not have these struggles last year, when they found different match-winners with the bat. Rayudu and Watson enjoyed top form, making 602 and 555 runs respectively, while Raina had four half-centuries, and struck a crucial 24-ball 32 in the final. This year, the side’s bowling unit, especially spinners, seem to have found top gear, but the top order is yet to find its feet ten games into the tournament. Could the sluggish home pitches, which have been forcing them to play more cautiously, be one of the reasons affecting them?”It can, and we’ve been very conscious of that,” Fleming said. “We played on Chennai tracks which were difficult to find form on. It was tough to keep the momentum. So, we train well on the grounds that we’ve gone to, to see if they’re faster or more friendly batting conditions. But it’s just getting a little bit of form back. You can’t try too hard, so it’s very hard to try and deliver messages when on the one hand the game, we’ve got to be positive and aggressive and take calculated risks.”Maybe we’re just missing the 1% in between, so we’re looking to hit our way into form rather than just work our way into form, and we’re getting great examples from Dhoni and those partnerships in the middle, but it’s taking a little bit of time to sink in. So we’ll go back to Chennai and it’s going to be a grind, but if that’s what it’s going to take, then we have to grit our teeth and do it.”

GOAL looks at the best players from the Gold Cup, which culminated in Mexico's 10th trophy after beating USMNT in final

The 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup was one for the books. Mexico were crowned champions for the second straight edition, defeating the U.S. men's national team 2-1 in the final and capping the final competitive tournament for the region ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Edson Alvarez, Raul Jimenez, and Luis Malagon were all terrific for s their trio of reliable veterans helped Mexico lift the trophy for the 10th time. They weren't the only top performers, though. For the U.S., defender Chris Richards had a fantastic tournament and was arguably the best center-back throughout the Gold Cup.

Panama's Ismael Diaz was named the top scorer of the competition, earning the Golden Boot and making a name for himself among CONCACAF's attackers. Who else stood out in this year's tournament?

GOAL US looks at the top 10 performers, including a few new breakout stars.

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  10Olger Escobar: Guatemala

  Named Young Player of the competition, Escobar, who plays his club soccer with CF Montreal in Canada, had a breakout tournament for Guatemala. The midfielder scored twice, including the lone goal for against the USMNT in the semifinals.

  In his first real taste of competitive CONCACAF soccer, the 18-year-old performed brilliantly. Upon his return to CF MTL, it will be of no surprise if he pushes for a regular spot in the XI – and potentially be looked at by some of the heavy-hitters within the league for a transfer.

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  9Malik Tillman: USMNT

  Tillman had a real breakout tournament, his best performance to date for the national team. The PSV midfielder, who is reportedly on the verge of signing for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, scored three goals for the USMNT, adding two assists. His performance was among the most promising takeaways for coach Mauricio Pochettino.

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  8Ismael Diaz: Panama

  The top scorer of the competition, Diaz put on a thrilling performance for Panama, even though they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. The 28-year-old striker, who plays his club soccer for C.D. Universidad Católica del Ecuador, had six goals in four matches to secure the Golden Boot award.

  Diaz scored a hat-trick against Jamaica in a 4-1 victory in the group stage, and scored again in their 1-1 quarterfinal draw against Honduras – they were eliminated in a penalty shootout.

  In the shootout, Diaz found the back of the net on his attempt. A true breakout performance for the forward.

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  7Keylor Navas: Costa Rica

  Navas, 38, likely played in his final Gold Cup, but the Real Madrid legend put on a show. The goalkeeper was heroic throughout the group stage, coming up big in a scoreless draw against Mexico, making four saves. In the knockout round, Navas and Costa Rica took on the USMNT, and he had the best goalkeeping performance of the competition in an eventual 2-2 draw that went to a penalty shootout.

  Navas made two saves in regulation and thwarted a regulation PK attempt from Tillman, sending the match to spot kicks. In the shootout, he came up with a clutch save against a John Tolkin attempt.

  Costa Rica and Navas can hold their heads high knowing they were the only team in the Gold Cup to not lose to either finalist, the USMNT and Mexico.

David Moyes has come into the Everton hot-seat and been just the breath of fresh air needed to pull the Toffees away from relegation danger, with a draw to Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out signalling his side’s eighth straight game in the Premier League without defeat.

Whilst many faces in the Everton camp looked dejected and lost towards the end of Sean Dyche’s troubled tenure, a large portion of the Blues first team personnel now look rejuvenated under the Scotsman’s newer methods, with Beto one star very much benefitting from the inspired managerial switch-up having now scored six top-flight strikes.

But, a renewed belief is coursing throughout the team at this moment in time, with a defensive star really sticking out as another figure who has taken to the return of Moyes.

Jake O'Brien's improvements under Moyes at Everton

Whilst the Toffees weren’t exactly leaking goals for fun under the dogged managerial style of Dyche, some of the defenders at Goodison Park have shown signs of improvement already under the ex-West Ham United boss.

That is definitely the case for Jake O’Brien, with the young Irishman a regular on the bench under the previous regime, only to now be a solid first-team option.

The former Olympique Lyonnais defender even grabbed his first-ever Toffees goal on the road at Brentford to finish a sterling February on the best possible note, with that month also seeing him star against Manchester United with five duels being won, on top of a clean sheet being collected at home to Leicester City.

Therefore, it looks now as if Everton have a fantastic long-term candidate to be their right-back, with both Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman towards the end of their careers, compared to the ever-improving O’Brien who has a valuation of £13m according to Transfermarkt.

Amazingly, the breakout star at the back is now worth more than a former Toffees star who was sold for a big fee to a Premier League rival back in 2022.

The Everton "machine" now worth less than O'Brien

Everton have sold on a number of players over recent years for high fees, with Amadou Onana’s name sticking out from last summer’s bumper transfer window, having won the Merseysiders £50m when he moved onto pasture new with Aston Villa.

This isn’t the only time Villa and the Toffees have had a healthy working relationship, however, with former owner Farhad Moshiri losing French full-back Lucas Digne to the Villans in January of 2022, costing the West Midlands side £25m in the process.

The Frenchman was a beloved figure when he was strutting his stuff at Goodison, with Digne going on to notch up six goals and 20 assists across 127 appearances, before inevitably breaking hearts when a move to Villa came calling.

Whilst the 31-year-old has taken to his new challenge at Villa Park well, Everton definitely hit gold selling the ex-Barcelona “machine” – as he was once lauded by football journalist Ty Bracey – when they did.

Why? Well, his steep £25m valuation has taken a hit the more his Villans career goes on.

Whilst Digne has continued to be an exciting option down the left flank with four goals and 14 assists tallied up, his valuation has slipped all the way down to a lesser £10m as per Transfermarkt, representing a £15m decrease.

He has also looked shaky at points this season for Unai Emery’s men in Premier League action, with only two clean sheets coming his way from 28 encounters a worrying statistic to chew over.

Whilst Digne is still remembered as a stellar defender throughout his time on Merseyside, Everton did cash in at the best possible time with hindsight firmly on their side, as Moyes goes about picking up more and more positive results at Goodison with his revitalised troops.

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