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Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs who are monitoring the Championship centre-back Nathan Wood as an option for the summer.

Who is Nathan Wood?

The north London club's defensive record this season has been woeful with the Lilywhites having already conceded 45 goals in the Premier League alone.

Only six other teams in the league have a worse record than Spurs and all six of those sides find themselves in a relegation battle going into the final games.

It is believed Daniel Levy is keen to bring in two new central defenders over the summer after failing last summer to land their main target Alessandro Bastoni.

Spurs brought in Clement Lenglet over the summer on a season-long loan deal but it is not believed the north London side hold the option to buy at the end of the campaign.

But it seems as if their search for a new centre-back could take them to the second tier again with Fabrizio Romano naming Wood as a potential target on his Here We Go podcast:

(20:10) "I can also tell you that, from what I understand, Arsenal are monitoring some talents around in England. Nathan Wood is a player of Swansea. A very talented centre-back born in 2002, doing very well also with England U21. Arsenal, Tottenham sending their scouts to follow this boy."

Would Spurs be a good move for Wood?

Over recent years, Spurs have brought in a number of promising young talents from the Championship which could provide the 20-year-old with an idea of what to expect.

Last summer, Spurs signed Djed Spence from Middlesbrough and his time in north London has failed massively so far with Antonio Conte refusing to give the youngster any real opportunity in the side.

Having labelled the wing-back as a 'club signing', Conte oversaw Spence's exit in January on a short-term loan deal to the Ligue 1 side Rennes.

And it was a similar case for centre-back Joe Rodon who has also found himself at Rennes on loan this season with opportunities few and far between in north London.

After signing for Spurs back in 2020 as a promising young defender, Rodon has since made just 24 appearances for Spurs across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

It has been made clear the Spurs philosophy has not benefited young players since Mauricio Pochettino's exit so perhaps the decision on the next manager make them appealing once again to young talents.

However, when there are also reports suggesting the Lilywhites are looking to reward Eric Dier with a new contract, there has to be questions asked as to where the club's long-term vision is.

The England international has been slammed throughout the season for his poor defensive judgement, yet it seems as if Spurs are looking to stick with him in defence.

Wood has played a significant role in Swansea City's promotion push this season with 36 appearances in the Championship alone so far (via Transfermarkt).

The 20-year-old has been hailed as "outstanding" by Romano but whether he will get the chance to show that if he was to move to Spurs is another matter.

Match facts

Saturday, June 11 2016
Start time 1300 local (1700GMT)

Big Picture

Round Two. All even. Just about.The Guyana leg of this triangular series resulted in a win for each of the three teams, with South Africa and Australia claiming bonus points. The caravan moves to St Kitts, where South Africa and Australia kick off proceedings on Saturday.Relations between both countries have improved since the sides last met, after South Africa agreed to play a Day-Night Test in Adelaide in November after initially rejecting the idea. It’s only fitting that on the field, they are battling under lights at the moment, with South Africa having the upper hand.After being run down by Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard in the tournament opener, South Africa surged back to humble Australia, who just two days earlier had brought West Indies down to earth.Bowling has been South Africa’s stronger suit thus far, with Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir, in particular, excelling in dual roles of attacking and containing. That has meant time on the bench for Morne Morkel, although he is likely to force his way in at some stage.Australia’s attack has been equally impressive. After restricting West Indies to under 120, they dismissed South Africa for 189. Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood have been misers and their two spinners – Nathan Lyon and Adam Zampa – have worked well together. That leaves both teams with concerns over their batting.South Africa’s tail was exposed too early in both matches and while Australia were untested in their first outing, they fell apart against quality seam and spin in their second. Some of that may come down to conditions, however. Providence’s slow, spinner-friendly surface made for slow scoring rates and a scant boundary count, but that should change with change in venue.Both line-ups will want to work on partnership-building in what could be an important match in deciding who holds the advantage before they take on the hosts.

Form guide

(last five completed games most recent first)Australia LWLWL
South Africa WLWWW

In the spotlight

Faf du Plessis’ recovery from a finger injury and Dean Elgar’s calls up means there’s that much more pressure on JP Duminy to perform. Duminy has not scored an ODI half-century in eight innings, since July 2015 against Bangladesh. He has had starts in both innings in the tournament, but uncertainty outside offstump has cost him.Unlike Duminy, Australia’s captain Steven Smith hasn’t managed to get into double figures in either of his innings so far. Smith has been out lbw on both occasions while shuffling across his stumps to play through the onside. He will want to get back to the kind of form he was in against India earlier in the year, when he hit a century and a fifty, along with two scores in the forties.

Team news

After resting Mitchell Starc from their first meeting with South Africa on Tuesday, Australia will be keen to unleash him here. The changing conditions could mean space for only one of Zampa or Lyon, with Nathan Coulter-Nile and Josh Hazlewood forming part of the pace attack.Australia: (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steve Smith (capt), 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Adam Zampa/Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh HazlewoodRilee Rossouw’s injury should pave way for du Plessis’ return at No. 3 even though Dean Elgar has been called-up as a replacement. South Africa are unlikely to field three specialist spinners again. That would leave them with a choice between Aaron Phangiso, the left-arm spinner, and Tabraiz Shamsi, the left-arm wrist spinner. They may opt for a holding spinner in Phangiso if Morkel gets a game. Shamsi could yet find a place if Kyle Abbott plays.South Africa: (probable) 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Wayne Parnell 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Morne Morkel/Kyle Abbott, 10 Aaron Phangiso/Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Imran Tahir

Pitch and conditions

The biggest difference between Warner Park and Providence is the size. Smaller boundaries are likely to mean more big hits, although a livelier surface could bring the pacers into play a lot more than they did in Guyana. The rain threat from Guyana has been reduced to next to nil, although humidity levels could test the players’ fitness.

Stats and trivia

• The average first innings score at this ground is 282, well ahead of the Providence’ average of 211.
• Both Australia and South Africa have made totals over 300 here, Australia four times including a match-winning 377 for 6 against South Africa at the 2007 World Cup and South Africa once.
• Warner Park is the venue of Herschelle Gibbs’ six consecutive sixes against Netherlands at the 2007 World Cup.

Quotes

“I just thought we didn’t pick the ball out of the spinners hand. It’s just the basics of batting. We needed to be a bit more patient, maybe. We talked about adapting, we’ve talked about partnerships. Probably we didn’t do any of those things the other night.”

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Ruben Neves this summer, albeit with Erik ten Hag's side likely to face competition for the midfielder's signature.

What's the latest on Neves to Man United?

According to Football Insider, the Red Devils – as well as rivals Liverpool – are currently said to be leading the race ahead of La Liga giants Barcelona in the battle to sign the 26-year-old, with the Portugal international facing an uncertain future at Molineux with just over a year to run on his existing deal.

The suggestion is that the former Porto man – who arrived in England on a £15m deal back in 2017 – is intent on leaving the Old Gold this summer even if Julen Lopetegui's men are able to stave off relegation in the coming months.

The 36-cap maestro – who is now valued at around £22m according to CIES Football Observatory – had appeared set to leave his current side at the end of last season, with United among those who were said to be tracking his progress at the time.

Would could Neves replace at Man United?

If Neves is brought into the fold at Old Trafford, the Wolves "hero" – as described by Express and Star reporter Matt Maher – could represent a notable upgrade on Scott McTominay, with the latter man having been linked with a move away from the Premier League outfit at the end of the season.

The United academy graduate – who could be the subject of an approach from high-flying Newcastle United – has racked up over 200 appearances for the club since emerging from the youth ranks, although has been restricted to just seven league starts this season following the arrival of Casemiro.

Although Ten Hag and co seemingly fended off interest from other top-flight clubs regarding McTominay amid the signing of the influential Brazilian, it remains to be seen if they will sanction an exit this time around, with the Scotland international's limited role this season a marker of his slide down the pecking order.

Deemed "not good enough" by club legend Roy Keane, the 26-year-old has failed to score or register a single assist in the league this season, having also been unable to offer a truly destructive midfield presence as he has averaged just 1.4 tackles and only 0.6 interceptions per game this term.

Neves, by contrast, has been far more influential from his deep-lying berth, notably scoring five goals from his 27 league starts so far this season as an illustration of his greater quality in the final third, with that attacking thrust also matched by the playmaker's workman-like approach, as he has averaged 2.4 tackles and 1.5 interceptions.

The £50k-per-week man's forward-thinking style is also showcased by the fact that he has averaged 6.56 progressive passes per game across the last 12 months, while McTominay appears far more restrained and safe on the ball as he averages just 3.34 for the same metric.

Hailed as an "incredible player" by teammate Hugo Bueno, the Wolves talisman would seemingly be a player of ready-made, Premier League quality who could go straight into Ten Hag's side, with such an addition allowing the former Ajax boss to finally move McTominay on.

Newcastle United have been thinking about a shock move for AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho to replace Eddie Howe, according to reports.

Howe's instant impact…

The Premier League boss was appointed at St. James’ Park back in November 2021, 15 months on from his sacking at Bournemouth, and it’s fair to say that he’s made a hugely positive and significant impact on the team during his time in charge.

The Magpies coach led his side to an 11th place finish in his debut season in the dugout, but having since been backed with signings like Nick Pope and Alexander Isak, has overseen an even further improvement in performances and results. Winning 12, drawing 11 and losing just three of his 26 matches this term, the 45-year-old’s side are two points outside the Champions League places, not to mention that he also guided them to the Carabao Cup final, coming extremely close to securing silverware.

According to Italian outlet Il Corriere Dello Sport (via TEAMtalk), Newcastle have surprisingly “been considering” Jose Mourinho as an ideal candidate to replace Howe at St. James’ Park. The AS Roma boss’ contract at the Stadio Olimpico is set to expire next summer and it’s claimed that the northeast outfit are the “most likely club” to bring him back to the English top-flight.

Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United’s former leader has reportedly always viewed the Magpies with a “degree of affinity from afar” as a result of the relationship he had with Sir Bobby Robson. Should Mourinho depart the Serie A this summer, it’s stated that it would be for either Newcastle or Paris Saint-Germain, though it’s claimed that he has decided to see out his deal until 2024.

Should Newcastle swap Howe for Mourinho?

Mourinho is undoubtedly one of the managing greats having been dubbed a “legend” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for the 35 trophies that he’s picked up throughout his career, but Newcastle relieving Howe of his duties would be completely the wrong thing to do, even though this report is suggesting a change could be over a year away.

The Amersham-born coach only signed a new long-term deal last year, showing that the hierarchy want to keep him in charge for the foreseeable future and he is equally as committed to seeing out the project he’s started to build on Tyneside.

Speaking to ChronicleLive, the boss was asked whether he’d consider replacing Gareth Southgate for England, and whilst he didn’t want to rule it out down the line, he admitted that he’s only focused on giving his all for Newcastle and there’s still so much he can achieve with the squad going forward.

West Ham United have enjoyed considerable success under the tutelage of David Moyes, and certainly owe a lot to the veteran Scottish manager, having risen to European stature over the past two campaigns.

Granted, progress has fallen by the wayside this term, and the Hammers languish near the nadir of the Premier League after 22 matches, just two places and two points above Everton in 18th place, but there have certainly been the highest of highs to counteract the perils that plague the outfit at present.

But after confidently winning their Europa Conference League group, West Ham await the results of the first knockout phase in the competition as they prepare for their opposition, sights fixed on a surge towards what would be a monumental European triumph, should they succeed.

Did Olivier Giroud nearly join West Ham?

Moyes will be confident in his side’s ability to rectify the wrongs and end the season on a high, but he might cast a rueful gaze back to the transfer activity of 20/21 when assessing his team’s prospects of success, both domestically and in Europe, when a certain record-breaking French talisman slipped through Iron fingers.

Olivier Giroud, formerly of Arsenal and, more recently, Chelsea, departed Stamford Bridge for AC Milan in the summer of 2021, mere months after West Ham’s swoop for the veteran striker fell wide of the mark.

Did West Ham miss a trick with Giroud?

The roaring success of the past few years will have swiftly dissipated any dark clouds that followed the failed transfer to sign Giroud, with last season’s run to the Europa League semi-final an indication that the Hammers were on the up.

However, his abundant pedigree could have been just what Moyes needed, with his physicality and towering presence the perfect magnet to draw in defenders and create pockets of space for the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma to weave into.

And his experience, indeed a winner of the World Cup and Champions League among many other major honours, could have been the catalyst to ensuring the club overcame adversity against Eintracht Frankfurt, eventual Europa League champions, in the bitter disappointment of the penultimate stage.

Since the failed bid, the Hammers have spent £35.5m on Gianluca Scamacca and now £15m for Danny Ings, and with Giroud reportedly costing Milan just £855k, the deal certainly could’ve been one of the shrewdest, most prudent buys in recent West Ham history.

The latter, Ings, fell out of favour under Unai Emery at Aston Villa, starting only on two occasions in the league since the Spanish manager’s debut against Manchester United, and given that the fee paid dwarfs what Milan parted with for the illustrious Giroud, there might be a sense of resentment over the predicament – that could have been averted – that resulted in the requirement for a new forward.

Giroud is not only an imposing and physical forward threat, but an exquisite master of ball control, selfless, and a wise reader of the game, one of the more abundant footballing intellects on the major stage.

The World champion, hailed as “intelligent” and “exceptional” by Gary Lineker, is France’s all-time top goalscorer, plundering 53 goals from 120 appearances and breaking Thierry Henry’s record at the 2022 World Cup, and the storm that is his attacking calibre is showing no sign of abating, despite his twilight age.

The 36-year-old has scored 262 goals and supplied 91 assists at club level over the duration of his professional career, and despite his age, has landed 35 direct contributions from 67 appearances for the Rossoneri, including 11 goals this season.

Moyes would have dearly benefitted from a signing of Giroud’s ilk, and while £15m has been splashed on Ings to combat the club’s concerning position in the Premier League, one can’t help but feel the impact won’t be quite as profound, had Giroud donned the claret shirt.

Australia quick James Pattinson has signed a two-year deal with Brisbane Heat for the Big Bash League. Pattinson, who had been with Melbourne Renegades between 2013 and 2017, missed the entire last season because of a back stress fracture – the fourth such time he had been diagnosed with the injury in more or less exactly the same spot in his back.He subsequently underwent a surgery in New Zealand late last year, the same procedure that helped prolong the careers of former New Zealand quick Shane Bond, and current players Matt Henry, Hamish Bennett and Corey Anderson.”I’m feeling very good physically after the surgery and I’m looking forward to getting back into some bowling during the winter,” Pattinson said. “The facilities at Allan Border Field are second to none so that will also be very helpful as I build towards the coming season.”Pattinson hasn’t played a competitive match since July last year but Daniel Vettori, the Heat coach, believed that his workload could be managed like how his former New Zealand team-mate and former assistant at the Heat, Shane Bond’s had been done.”Knowing how Shane and other bowlers have managed their career in similar circumstances will help us provide the right environment for him to deliver his best,” Vettori said. “As a senior player, James will also have the chance to do likewise and mentor some of our up-and-coming bowlers.”I’m sure the Heat fans will make him very welcome when he arrives and we’re looking forward to some more exciting matches with James in our squad.”Pattinson bolsters a pace attack that includes Mark Steketee, Brendan Doggett, and allrounder Ben Cutting. Pattinson said he was feeling “very good physically” and that he was looking forward to return to action.

Despite top-scoring for India with a 41-ball 67, the opener blamed herself rather than the misfiring middle order for Thursday’s defeat to Australia

Annesha Ghosh at the Brabourne Stadium22-Mar-2018It’s not hard to tell that Smriti Mandhana has evolved in her twin roles in the Indian side since her up-and-down World Cup last year. On the field, she has done what most of India’s other batsmen have failed to do since the start of the South Africa series last month: score runs consistently. Off it, she is approaching the T20I vice-captaincy head-on, by taking responsibility.On Thursday, following India’s fourth straight loss to Australia – a six-wicket thumping in the T20 tri-series opener after being whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs – Mandhana took sole ownership of a collective failure, instead of sidestepping it. This despite top-scoring for India with an attractive 41-ball 67.”I am taking that blame on myself, that if I am set and middling the ball well, I should continue, like Mithali [Raj] does. We have to learn from seniors,” Mandhana reasoned, when asked if the repeated failures of the middle order to build on her starts have been a cause of personal disappointment.”It’s very easy to blame others and not put it on ourselves. As a player, it is easy to say that they didn’t perform, but the fact is that it is really hard for a new batsman to come and bat, and it is really [important] for a set batsman to play. So it is much easier for me to continue till the 20th over than for the other batsmen to come in and bat.”It is little surprise that while defending the batting line-up’s inconsistency, Mandhana invoked the example of Raj, who for much of her career has struggled to find support for her prolific returns at the top of the order.Since the end of the World Cup, Mandhana has scored more ODI runs – 350 – than any other India batsman, and at a better average – 58.33 – as well. In T20Is, she’s been second-best behind Raj in terms of runs and averages, though her strike rate of 148.72 has been far superior to Raj’s 109.94.After successive low scores in the last match of the South Africa tour and the first ODI against Australia, Mandhana has been in rollicking form, clobbering three consecutive half-centuries. After scoring 67 and 52 in the last two ODIs, she made the fastest T20I fifty by an India women player, on Thursday, even as her team-mates, barring Anuja Patil, failed to build on the platform she laid.”I would have been pleased if I would have continued for 20 overs, and we would have had a good total and eventually won the match,” Mandhana said. “I have been timing the ball well, and we [as a team] are not learning from our mistakes from what we had [made] in the one-dayers. Like, I am getting out after getting set. So, that is the takeaway from this match.”The upswing in Mandhana’s form this home season has largely coincided with the absence of Jhulan Goswami from India’s attack. Goswami is now back after recovering from a heel injury, however, and that could just be the spark India need to rebound from their series of losses to Australia.In the tri-series opener, Goswami picked up three wickets, and the nature of two of them – knocking back the middle stumps of Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner – particularly pleased Mandhana.”It was amazing to see some bowleds of some Australian players. [Goswami] coming back to the team has been a boost to all the bowlers, because they have someone like Jhulu to guide them.”We are doing the same mistakes in the bowling unit, one is performing and others are not supporting. As a bowling unit, if there is pressure from both ends then the batsmen will go and try something else. Our bowling unit has to step up and create the pressure which we haven’t done in the ODIs.”

West Ham United will be keen to demand a significant fee for one of their prize assets whose situation is 'one to watch' at the London Stadium, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving West Ham United?

West Ham have endured a frustrating window up until now and didn't sign a single player until last week, with Edson Alvarez arriving at the London Stadium from Ajax for a fee in the region of £35 million, as per Sky Sports.

Upon arrival at the club, the Mexico international spoke of his delight at being able to have the opportunity to feature in the English top-flight, stating: "It's a hugely sentimental moment for me in my career. To join a club like a West Ham is a dream for me and my family. "The Premier League is a special league, the best league in the world and I think my style will suit it. I now have a responsibility to West Ham and the West Ham family and I will give absolutely everything for the shirt."

James Ward-Prowse has also arrived at the Hammers in a deal worth around £30 million, joining the club on a four-year contract following 20 years at Southampton, as per BBC Sport.

David Moyes has been trying to bring in Ward-Prowse for much of the summer window and has talked up the quality the England international will bring to east London, saying: "He's performed to a very high level in the Premier League over the last decade, constantly producing good numbers season after season. His leadership qualities are obviously another huge plus for us – he'll be a big voice for us, someone who drives the team on from the middle of the pitch."

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire is also in talks with West Ham and it is believed that the Irons are growing in confidence that they can 'wrap up' an agreement to take the 30-year-old to the London Stadium after he was told that he must decide whether or not to fight for his place by Erik ten Hag, as per Telegraph Sport.

In terms of departures, West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta is subject of interest from Manchester City, who have seen a whopping €101 million (£87 million) bid turned down for the Brazil international, according to Foot Mercato.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs has indicated that West Ham are in a position of strength with regard to negotiations involving Paqueta and will look to maximise their potential financial reward from the situation after already losing Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105 million.

Jacobs stated: "This one remains one to watch right until the end of the window, because I'm told still that Paqueta is quite prepared to push and force the move.

"Then it will all come down to money and the package and what kind of value West Ham place on Paqueta. They can be quite bullish, simply due to the fact that they've already got good money in for Declan Rice.

"It also looks like they're going to get a flurry of incomings over the course of the next few days."

Should West Ham United look to keep hold of Lucas Paqueta?

Labelled as "mind-boggling" by former teammate Rice, Paqueta has began to take the fore as a real dominant presence in the engine room for West Ham that can do a little bit of everything.

In his time at the club so far, Paqueta has made 42 appearances in total, registering five goals and seven assists across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite his evident creative qualities, Paqueta has ranked in the first percentile in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for completed tackles across the last 365 days, averaging around 3.17 per 90 minutes, as per FBRef.

West Ham took on Bournemouth in their Premier League opener last weekend and managed a 1-1 draw, in which Paqueta gained a rating of 8/10 from Sofascore for his exploits on the pitch.

Paqueta would be a huge loss for Moyes in midfield and West Ham should be doing everything in their power to ensure he is still at the London Stadium come the end of the window.

North Zone finished on top of the table after the last round of matches before the break for this year’s Dhaka Premier League

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2018East Zone and Central Zone played out a high-scoring draw at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna. In a match of several notable individual performances, Zakir Hasan scored his maiden double-hundred, while five other East Zone batsmen made centuries. East Zone made 735 for 6, the third highest team score in Bangladesh’s first-class history. Zakir top-scored with 211 off 320 balls, hitting 23 fours. He added 193 runs for the third wicket with Liton Das who made 112 off 186 balls with eight fours and a six.Zakir then added 132 runs for the fourth wicket with Tasamul Haque who made 60, before departing on the second day, following which Yasir Ali and Alok Kapali also struck hundreds. Yasir made 132 off 175 balls with 12 fours and two sixes while Kapali blasted an unbeaten 165 off 139 balls with nine sixes and 10 fours.Central Zone were then bowled out for 428 after fifties from Shadman Islam, Raqibul Hasan, Marshall Ayub, Shuvagata Hom and Tanbir Hayder. Sohag Gazi was the pick of the bowlers, taking 7 for 141 in 46.1 overs.There was enough time for two more centuries in the game. East Zone openers Tasamul Haque and Mehedi Maruf made unbeaten scores of 108 and 111 respectively during their unbroken first wicket stand of 226 runs in 52 overs in the second innings.Junaid Siddique raises his bat after notching up his century•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Junaid Siddique scored hundreds in each innings during North Zone’s drawn match against South Zone. They are now on top of the points table with 34 points as the Bangladesh Cricket League heads into a break for the Dhaka Premier League List-A competition that begins next month.Batting first, North Zone were bowled out for 408 runs after a big opening stand. Mizanur Rahman and Junaid added 169 runs, with both getting hundreds. Mizanur made 106 off 155 balls with 16 fours while Junaid, who batted till the 96th over, struck 13 fours and two sixes in his 137 off 238 balls. Dhiman Ghosh and Taijul Islam later struck fifties.Abdur Razzak, who recently became the first Bangladeshi to take 500 first-class wickets, took six wickets in the first innings from his 34.2 overs.South Zone took a 25-run lead wit their 433 runs in 115.1 overs. Tushar Imran, who recently became the first Bangladeshi to reach 10,000 first-class runs, top-scored with 148. Imrul Kayes made 118 off 131 balls and the pair added 143 runs for the third wicket.Taijul Islam and Shafiul Islam took four wickets each, following which North Zone batted 71.3 overs in the second innings. Junaid made 150 off 170 balls with 16 fours and a six. He added 109 runs for the fourth wicket with Naeem Islam who chipped in with 61, before adding 160 runs for the fifth wicket with Ariful Haque who remained unbeaten on 103 when the match ended.

Sergio Herrera claimed that the Spanish Super Cup was designed for Barcelona or Real Madrid to win following Osasuna's defeat to the Blaugrana.

Article continues below

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• Barcelona beat Osasuna 2-0
• Herrera's comments came after the defeat
• Barca to meet Real Madrid in the final

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Robert Lewandowski finally got back his scoring boots after squandering countless chances to open the scoring, while Lamine Yamal scored the second to seal a date with Real Madrid in the summit clash in the final. However, Osasuna feel Lewandowski's opener should have been struck down as they deem there was a foul on Jose Arnaiz by Andreas Christensen in the build-up. But, on-field referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz did not blow the whistle nor did VAR intervene after the goal. This infuriated the Osasuna camp and Herrera slammed the Spanish FA after the match.

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• WHAT SERGIO HERRERA SAID

  Speaking to reporters, Herrera said: "This competition is clearly designed for Barça or Madrid to win. It's obvious, they are the teams that generate the most money. Whoever disagrees does not watch football."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Osasuna defender David Garcia also minced no words to express his disappointment with the refereeing and added: "You’ve all seen it. The number of fouls that are whistled like that, the number that in the first half have all been whistled in favour of Barcelona. It was very obvious, very clear to me. Three minutes later, the same play was blown and the whistle was blown for the same side. What do you say? It was very obvious to me, but coincidentally or not, it’s always the same teams that benefit.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lamal became the youngest goalscorer in Supercopa history after he found the bottom corner, deep in stoppage time, for Barcelona's second goal. He replaced an injured Raphinha late in the first half and is poised to start in the final after a sensational finish.