da esoccer bet： Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been urged to play a youngster who former Spurs right-back Pascal Chimbonda says is just like Mohammed Kudus.

da mrbet： Spurs head into next Sunday’s North London Derby at the Emirates Stadium with genuine hope that their star attacker will be fit to face Arsenal, though he missed their last two crucial matches and didn’t travel with the Ghana squad to face Japan and South Korea.

The 25-year-old, who started every Premier League game this season before his recent knock, has been one of Spurs’ most effective players, registering four Premier League assists and scoring his first goal for the club away to Leeds just before the last international break.

Kudus’ impact since arriving from West Ham in the summer has been transformative, and he’s established himself as the creative heartbeat of Tottenham’s attack. The forward’s absence was pretty evident in their 2-2 draw with Man United, where Spurs lacked the directness and spark that has made Kudus such a pivotal figure in Frank’s system.

The Lilywhites boss has been optimistic about his chances of featuring at Arsenal, though, telling the media that Kudus should be available for the clash.

With Tottenham already decimated by injuries to key players, Kudus’ potential return would be a massive boost. The winger’s excellent form before his knock makes him arguably Tottenham’s most important attacking player, and Frank will be desperate to have him available for a fixture where Spurs desperately need to end their Emirates hoodoo.

Tottenham absentee list

Problem

Estimated return date (subject to change)

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

According to WhoScored, no other player in the Premier League has averaged a greater number of completed dribbles per 90 than the ex-West Ham star this season, and he’s also the ninth-best performing player in the entire division overall.

Kudus could play a key role in breaking down a resolute Arsenal backline and the best defence in Europe’s top five leagues, but according to Chimbonda, Frank has another young, direct winger who could also provide that extra injection of threat.

Thomas Frank urged to play Wilson Odobert with Mohammed Kudus comparison made

Speaking to Spurs Web, the ex-Tottenham defender says Frank would have a lot more luck going forward if he started Wilson Odobert on the left-hand side more often.

The Frenchman was recently heralded for his ‘best performance in a Spurs shirt’ in their 4-0 rout of FC Copenhagen last week, and the winger bagged an assist against Man United after coming off the bench to replace the injured Randal Kolo Muani.

The 20-year-old contributed three goals during an injury-disrupted debut season, and enjoyed a memorable night against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League Round of 16, where his double helped Spurs overturn a 1-0 deficit.

Brennan Johnson has struggled since being displaced from his preferred right-wing position by Kudus too, failing to replicate form which saw the Welshman finish last term as their top scorer.

With the likes of Kudus, Xavi Simons and Mathys Tel all competing with him for a starting spot, rotation is hardly a surprise, but Johnson has failed to impress off the left, and Odobert has started to feature more in that role in recent weeks.

Tel has showed promise in brief cameos, doing in five minutes what Richarlison failed to do in 84 against United. However, he remains inconsistent and relatively raw. Simons can also play on the left wing, but Spurs need the Dutchman to inspire in a more central attacking midfield role.

Odobert represents the best option to start against Arsenal on November 23, with his pace and directness potentially giving Jurrien Timber something to really think about.

MatériaMais Notícias

da apostaganha： Após a vitória de virada contra a Ponte Preta por 2 a 1, na última segunda-feira (15), o Londrina continua vivo na luta contra o rebaixamento na Série B do Brasileirão.

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da bet7： >Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

Em entrevista coletiva pós-jogo, o técnico Márcio Fernandes destacou qual foi o teor da conversa que teve com os jogadores no intervalo para sair com o resultado positivo.

– Tínhamos apenas um resultado possível que era a vitória e se colocássemos pressão nos jogadores no vestiário, isso poderia atrapalhar. Passei que estávamos bem na partida, era ter paciência – frisou.

– Precisávamos de equilíbrio, saber jogar, trabalhar a bola, encontrar o lado oposto livre para finalizar. Era só virar o lado. Fomos premiados com uma vitória, pois merecíamos – concluiu.

Na 17ª posição da tabela, o Tubarão abre o Z4 com 41 pontos, mesmo número de Remo e Brusque, que ganham no critério de desempate. Na próxima rodada, os comandados de Márcio Fernandes encaram o Vila Nova, na sexta-feira (19), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no OBA, pela penúltima rodada da Série B.

Mauricio Pochettino made it loud and clear that the USMNT are about the collective rather than the individuals after Sebastian Berhalter and Alex Freeman stepped up with breakout performances.

TAMPA, Fla. – Mauricio Pochettino's press conference wasn't indicative of a 5-1 win. There was no celebration and, in truth, no joy. It was, in a word, feisty, as the U.S. manager laid down a marker for players, media, and fans. It was, in that sense, a challenge for everyone to recognize that the U.S. Men's National Team is a squad, not a select group of individuals.

Pochettino fought back against the idea of "regulars". Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah, among others, weren't here, for sure, but, on Tuesday, it was the USMNT that beat Uruguay. Regardless of who wears the shirt, who's in the team, or who scores the goals, it's the USMNT. Nothing changes.

"I don't want to be negative, but I hate that: 'no regular players'," Pochettino said. "What this means is that the USA is playing, the national team. We have to stop with that mindset. Every time that we make our decision and pick our starting XI, the U.S. Men's National Team is playing. I think after one year, you need to really know me and that I hate to talk this way. It's disrespectful. I think we need to give credit to all of the guys who were involved today."

That message, quite clearly, resonates. After making nine changes following the win over Paraguay, Pochettino's USMNT came to play. They scored four first-half goals and one in the second to stun an overmatched Uruguay, outplaying them at every turn. It was, in a word, relentless.

Over the last few months, Pochettino hasn't built an XI; he's built a pool. Every player in that pool, quite clearly, believes they have a chance at the World Cup. On Tuesday, that belief helped create the USMNT's best result of the Pochettino era, one that allowed them to close the year on a high.

"This is his first year and a half, and knowing how he built this roster, he's had this team here to be intense and be able to compete," Alex Freeman said after the match. "It feels good for all of us to have that connection. We know that, every game, every part of it is going to be intense. I feel like we're all building connections, and we're going to build right into the next games and then the World Cup.

"Knowing we've had these outcomes lately, we've [gone unbeaten] in five games against top 40 teams, so that shows we're a team that's hard to beat. No matter what competition we go against, we're hard to beat."

That's the big takeaway from Tuesday: the USMNT, as a whole, has become tough to play against and, with the World Cup looming, there's plenty for Pochettino and his staff to be happy about.

"That's the main thing that we've been focused on, is [building] that DNA, and that grit, that hard-working mentality, because that's us, that's us as a country, and that's us as a team," Diego Luna told

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Raymond James Stadium…

• AFP
  

  WINNER: Sebastian Berhalter

  Set pieces, set pieces, set pieces – they're important after all. It helps when you have someone who is apparently very good at them, and Berhalter might actually be just that. 

  In a matter of minutes, Berhalter scored one from a set piece and set one up with a perfectly hit corner. It's the type of danger Berhalter has shown he can bring, but in truth, Berhalter had never shown anything quite like this even at his best in MLS. 

  Up first was the free kick. Positioned on the left-hand side, Berhalter played it short to Sergino Dest, who laid it off right back to him. The Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder proceeded to smash a shot right into the back of the net, netting his first international goal. The celebrations after were emphatic, but Berhalter wasn't done. Just four minutes later, Berhalter whipped in a corner kick right to a wide-open Freeman, and the Orlando City star did the rest to make it 2-0.

  "We wanted to make a statement," Berhalter said postgame. "We wanted to show what U.S. Soccer is about. We had a chance to go out here and give everything we had and show that we're ready."

  Two goals in four minutes, and for a player fighting for a World Cup spot, this was a hell of a statement. It will surely leave Pochettino pleased. Berhalter has already shown he can bring the fight; now he's shown he can bring some goals, too, against an excellent Uruguay team.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  LOSER: Cristopher Fiermarin

  Uruguay are looking for a goalkeeper. That much was made clear by their call-ups this month. In total, the group had eight caps between them heading into these games. After watching Santiago Mele start the 0-0 draw with Mexico, Fiermarin was given the nod on Tuesday.

  He'll wish he hadn't. The 27-year-old goalkeeper wasn't at fault for all of the USMNT goals, but he surely did little to prevent them as he, like the rest of Uruguay's team, looked slow, lethargic, and, by the end of the first half, a little bit shellshocked.

  There are times in a game like this where a goalkeeper can make one good save just to calm things down. That never happened. As goal after goal sailed past the goalkeeper, Uruguay seemingly got worse, ultimately leading to a dreadful scoreline and even worse performance.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WINNER: Alex Freeman

  The Orlando City defender broke out in MLS season as a dynamic, goal-threatening attacking fullback. We hadn't gotten a full glimpse of that yet in a USMNT shirt – despite playing in the 2025 Gold Cup. Yet, on Tuesday night, Uruguay had absolutely no idea how to handle the 21-year-old defender.

  Freeman scored his first two USMNT goals on Tuesday, scoring one from a set piece and one from open play. The first came via a header, one perfectly placed thanks to a great ball in from Berhalter. The second, though, was all his. After receiving a pass just past Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte, Freeman then put Barcelona star Ronald Araujo on skates to create the space needed to fire his second into the back of the net.

  "Before the game, you see the players and go 'Wow, he plays in the Prem, he plays in La Liga, they play in the Champions League', and, going into the game, you just try to get that out of your system and not think about it," Freeman said. "You think about you because it's you and him at the end of the day. If I'm able to think like that, I think it gives me confidence in myself. I'm not overthinking it, but I'm just trying to do my best to try and win my duel. At the end of the day, it's just me doing that and trying to play like I'm the best player on the pitch in my mind in every game."

  It was certainly a statement performance from the player who was named the MLS Young Player of the Year Award this season. There will be a lot of big nights for Freeman ahead, but it'll be hard to have one bigger than this one, as the 21-year-old was the star of the show.

  "I am so happy because today he scored twice," Pochettino said,  "but, in a way, I think you need to analyze the way that he plays. He can play like a third center back. He can go forward on the side. How difficult is it for the opponent to stop him from going inside and playing? When he has the ball, the team [can exhale]. He's so strong."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  LOSER: Marcelo Bielsa

  Ahead of the match, Pochettino was asked about his relationship with Bielsa. The two Argentines worked together at Newells, where Pochettino was a player under the legendary manager. He described the now-Uruguay coach as something more than a mentor; he described him as some sort of mythical figure, one that even he defers to when they come face to face.

  "Always, my admiration and my respect are massive," Pochettino said Monday. "I cannot consider him like a friend. I cannot consider him like another normal person. It's a bigger respect. I speak with him like a man that you admire, like one that is your hero. He's the type of person that you wait [to] talk to. You always wait for him to say hello and then you say hello."

  The USMNT showed Bielsa's side no such respect on Tuesday as they battered them thoroughly. And, through it all, Bielsa could only watch, frustrated, from his seat on his cooler.

  Bielsa, of course, is known as "El Loco" for a reason. Behind closed doors, he will be none too pleased with this. There will be ramifications, no doubt, even with the World Cup on the horizon. This was a bad night for him, but more importantly, it was a bad night for Uruguay's players, who will now feel his wrath as a result.

Ambati Rayudu, Ruturaj Gaikwad part of preparatory camp starting from March 9

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Mar-2021MS Dhoni has landed in Chennai. That means the Chennai Super Kings are back in town ahead of IPL 2021. Dhoni reached Chennai on Wednesday evening for the Super Kings preparatory camp, which is set to begin on March 9. Among the other Super Kings players that will join Dhoni in the camp, which will be held at the MA Chidambaram stadium, are the batting pair of Ambati Rayudu and Ruturaj Gaikwad along with the uncapped Tamil Nadu players.Related

• IPL Governing Council yet to meet and finalise dates

• Deepak Chahar rejoins Chennai Super Kings squad after recovering from Covid-19

• Ruturaj Gaikwad: 'Covid has made me tough'

• MS Dhoni 'definitely not' retiring from IPL

• Team review: Ageing Chennai Super Kings need an immediate revamp

According to Kasi Viswanathan, the Super Kings’ chief executive officer, Suresh Raina, the second-most senior player in the franchise, is expected to join the camp at some point next week. Viswanathan said that the majority of the squad, along with head coach Stephen Fleming and the other overseas support staff, are expected to assemble around March 18. Former India fast bowler L Balaji, who is the Super Kings’ bowling coach, along with fielding coach Rajeev Kumar, will assist Dhoni during the initial part of the camp.Ravindra Jadeja, who has been ruled of the Test and T20I segments of India’s series against England due to a finger surgery he underwent during the Test series in Australia, will be joining the Super Kings only in the first week of April. Jadeja is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, and earlier this week posted videos and pictures of him returning to active training. It is not clear if he will picked for the three-match ODI series against England, scheduled in Pune in late March.”The camp will begin with all available players from March 9. The tentative plan is to go on until the tournament starts,” Viswanathan said. Viswanathan pointed out that the Super Kings will operate out of bio-secure environment, a mandatory requirement during the pandemic. Incidentally, several members of the Super Kings contingent tested positive – including the pair of Gaikwad and fast bowler Deepak Chahar – last August, immediately after landing in Dubai for the 2020 IPL. The franchise has decided to be extra vigilant this time around.Asked whether the franchise planned to vaccinate players, Viswanathan said no firm decision had been taken. “All the players, coaching staff and those part of the team bubble who arrive to Chennai will be in quarantine for five days at the team hotel, where they cannot come out of the room during this period,” Viswanathan said. Post quarantine all members in the bubble will undergo testing before starting the camp. Testing will carry on every fifth day.Ahead of IPL 2020, the Super Kings were the only team to conduct a preparatory camp before heading to the UAE. However once more than a dozen positive cases were reported from the Super Kings contingent in the UAE, questions were raised about how secure the camp was in Chennai.Vishwanathan said that the franchise had taken all necessary precautions last year, too. He said crowds and media would not be able to enter the ground to watch the preparatory camp. Also, the groundstaff and security at the venue would be undergoing testing and stay away when the squad is training. “The entire staff at the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, along with ground staff and security, will be tested frequently.”

He bowled only a one-over spell with ten minutes left, but that was enough to change the complexion of the game

Andrew McGlashan05-Jan-2024Mitchell Starc has had his inswingers. Pat Cummins is, well, Pat Cummins. Nathan Lyon claimed his 500th wicket. Mitchell Marsh is enjoying the finest run of his Test career. David Warner is on his farewell lap.Plenty of Australians have had their moment in the sun in this series. Now it was Josh Hazlewood’s turn. To be fair, his ball to Babar Azam in the second innings at the MCG was worth talking about more, but Australia’s surge to victory meant it got a little lost.In Sydney on Friday, Hazlewood had already opened his account when Shan Masood poked at his second ball of the innings after Australia collapsed to concede a first-innings lead of 14. Now, with ten minutes to go on the third evening, he was thrown the ball again by Cummins. It ended up being a one-over spell, but what an over it was as he cut through an already wobbling Pakistan innings with three wickets.Related

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An edge to slip, the off and middle stump taking a beating, and a nick to Warner. With each wicket, the noise got louder. A big SCG crowd had stayed late into the pink day. It wasn’t quite the scenes in Cape Town that prompted an already immortal line from Ravi Shastri, but this was again Test cricket on fast forward.”You hear a crowd get behind it, and that’s why Test cricket is so exciting,” Alex Carey said of Hazlewood’s over. “You have six hours of play, then the last five minutes you get the crowd going like that. Growing up as a youngster, you play a bit of backyard cricket, you come in and watch the last little bit, and it’s so exciting to see an over like that and a session like that.”The final session had begun with Australia six down in their first innings; it ended with Pakistan seven down in their second and needing a miracle to avoid defeat. Aamer Jamal was still talking positively about Pakistan’s prospects; but even on a pitch playing a few tricks, it will need a remarkable performance.Another whitewash on home soil. Business as usual, then? Well, not quite. Even if they canter to victory on Saturday, Australia will have been pushed close to their limits at times in this series, which is a rare thing to say on their own turf.Last week’s MCG Test was arguably the best men’s game in Australia since the famous game against India at the Gabba in early 2021. This series won’t go down in folklore as that one did, but it is comfortably the best in Australia since then. England were rolled in 2021-22, West Indies brushed aside last summer and South Africa overwhelmed.Josh Hazlewood rattled Pakistan with three wickets in an over•Getty ImagesPrior to India’s visit in the Covid-19 season of 2020-21, Pakistan and New Zealand had been beaten by whopping margins in five consecutive Tests the previous season. The 2018-19 summer was another famous one for India and stood tantalizingly at 1-1 after two matches, but the edge was taken off a little by the absence of Warner and Steven Smith.The point of all this is that to challenge Australia at home is a rare achievement. Ultimately, it appears Pakistan’s batting will have proven too brittle – and their catching too poor – to break the back of the Australians. But they have gone where many teams have not been able to. Until their late slide, they had again clung to Australia’s coat-tails.When Marnus Labuschagne and Smith had laid the base for a strong first innings with a stand of 79 in 29.5 overs, Mir Hamza went around the wicket to remove Smith with a well-set off-side catching ring. Smith has made important contributions in this series, but has had to work very hard. His strike rate sits at 39.25, only the fourth time he has struck at below 40 in his career – and three of those have come since 2022.Agha Salman then produced one of the balls of the series to rip through the gate of Labuschagne, while Travis Head’s lean series continued when he was lbw to Jamal. Over the next couple of hours, it again looked like Australia were taking a grip of the game when Marsh, using up his share of good fortune along the way, and Carey added 84 to approach Pakistan’s first-innings total. But on the stroke of tea, Sajid Khan squeezed one between Carey’s bat and pad to graze the top of the leg bail.After the interval, Marsh drove to mid-off, and the tail was blown away by Jamal, who has left an indelible mark. Not many would begrudge him if he was named Player of the Series even if it was 3-0 to Australia. For the first time since the MCG Test against India in 2020, Australia trailed in the first innings at home. Their lower order had also been put in the shade by Pakistan’s: on the first day, the visitors’ last wicket had added 85, and the last four 123.Mitchell Starc clean bowled Abdullah Shafique•Getty ImagesBut then Australia flexed their muscles with the ball in the second innings. Starc produced a first-over gem that snaked back between Abdullah Shafique’s bat and pad to condemn him to a pair. The SCG had found its voice again, and you wondered whether the home side would get on an unstoppable roll.”The crowd can feel that,” Carey said. “They clapped that whole over when he was charging in. You get a fast left-armer steaming in with the new ball, [and] it’s pretty hard to keep out an inswinger like that. He was in the contest today; he was grumpy. Think we left him stranded. He probably felt like he was going to get some runs.”Saim Ayub had been handed a tough examination to open on his Test debut, and, like Shafique, had been on a pair. He avoided that in the second over, but all of a sudden decided to show some of his T20 skills, scything Starc through backward point and upper-cutting him for six in the same direction. He greeted Cummins’ first ball of the innings by taking him over mid-on.Australia burned a review for a caught behind against Babar Azam, and were just getting a little twitchy when Lyon trapped Ayub lbw. Three overs later, Babar’s below-par series was over when he edged a drive against Head. The prospect of setting a target of around 200 was receding into the distance. A few minutes later, as Hazlewood wheeled away in celebration after celebration, it was a blip on the horizon.So it will probably be 3-0. In years to come, when only the scoreline is mentioned, it may look like a normal summer’s work for Australia. The reality is, it’s been anything but.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has now personally stepped in to prevent Manchester United from making a move for Robert Lewandowski, despite Ruben Amorim being very keen on signing the striker.

Ratcliffe has been unwavering in his support of Amorim during the manager’s first year in the job, recently making it clear he has no plans to part ways with the 40-year-old anytime soon, stating he has three years to prove himself.

The INEOS chairman has also opened up on his personal relationship with the former Sporting CP boss, saying earlier this year: “I really, really like Ruben. He’s a very thoughtful guy. Every time I go to the training ground, I speak to Ruben. I sit down and have a cup of coffee with him and tell him where it’s going wrong, and he tells me to f*ck off. I like him.”

So far, there can be no doubting that the 73-year-old has backed his manager in the transfer market, with the Red Devils investing heavily in the summer, bringing in the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko to upgrade the forward line.

Sesko hasn’t made a flying start to life in the Premier League, with Peter Schmeichel claiming he was an unnecessary signing, but the centre-forward may take some time to adjust, given that he is still only 22-years-old.

Ratcliffe blocks Man Utd move for Lewandowski

According to a report from Spain, Amorim is very keen on signing Lewandowski, who is available on a free transfer upon the expiration of his FC Barcelona contract next summer, but Ratcliffe has stepped in to block the move.

United are set to prioritize the signing of younger players, meaning the 37-year-old doesn’t fit the bill, despite still being regarded as one of the greatest strikers in the world.

The Poland international’s wages are also considered an issue, given that he rakes in roughly £352k-a-week at Camp Nou, which makes him the highest paid player in the squad.

Lauded as a “world-class” striker by journalist Muhammad Butt, the Barcelona star is undoubtedly still a top-level striker, despite his age, having maintained a fantastic goalscoring record since signing for the La Liga side.

Season

La Liga appearances

Goals

2022-23

34

23

2023-24

35

19

2024-25

34

27

2025-26

7

4

That said, it is understandable that Ratcliffe isn’t keen on a move, given that the Pole would likely demand huge wages, while the veteran’s arrival could also hamper Sesko’s development, given that he would be competing with the Slovenian for a starting spot.

It is well-documented that Ratcliffe has been trying to make Man United more sustainable since his arrival, with lowering the wage bill of key significance.

As such, despite Lewandowski establishing himself as a top striker, it would probably be a wise idea for United to avoid signing him next summer.

Robert Lewandowski has been named one of the world's best strikers The Best 15 Strikers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best number nine right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Top-order batsman Raynard van Tonder and fast bowler Lutho Sipamla have received maiden call-ups to South Africa’s Test squad, while allrounder Dwaine Pretorius has been cleared fit to be a part of the group too. In addition to members of the squad that was named last week, two more players have tested positive for Covid-19 and will no longer be part of the playing group. That takes the total number of players in preparation for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka to 17.In keeping with doctor-patient confidentiality, CSA will not name the two players who have been removed from the squad but them, and at least 10 others including van Tonder and Sipamla, were part of domestic matches in which cases of Covid-19 were detected this week and may not be able to enter the bio=bubble on Saturday, which may necessitate further changes to the squad.Related

• SA face selection headache amid domestic Covid-19 scare

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former national Under-19 captain van Tonder has been rewarded for his form in the domestic four-day competition, where he is on top of the run-chart. His most recent knock was a double-hundred, which set the Knights up for a big win over the Lions, Sipamla’s team. That match was Sipamla’s first red-ball cricket of the summer and he took 2 for 75. Also, in that fixture, one Lions player tested positive for Covid-19 on day three and was substituted, with the game allowed to continue. Testing and monitoring have continued when it comes to other Lions players.Pretorius, who also plays for the Lions, was not involved in the match as he was recovering from a hamstring injury, which had ruled him out of the aborted white-ball series against England. He was due to play in the round of fixtures that were scheduled to start this Sunday but because the matches have been postponed, Pretorius has been added to the national squad.”Pretorius has made great progress from the hamstring injury he picked up last month just before the start of the England tour. He would have completed the last step of the CSA Return to Play protocol by playing in the now postponed round of the 4-Day Cup and will instead work closely with the team’s medical staff and coaches to ensure that he is Test match-ready,” a CSA statement said.Kagiso Rabada, the other injured player among South Africa’s regular playing group, has not been cleared to play after sustaining a groin injury against England and is expected to sit out the Sri Lanka series. Rabada’s absence has resulted in South Africa calling up reinforcements including Sipamla and, earlier this week, Migael Pretorius.South Africa’s players were tested for Covid-19 between Wednesday and Thursday and will be tested again on arrival in Centurion tomorrow. They will spend the first 72 hours in managed isolation in their hotel rooms with training on a one-on-one or small group basis and will be tested for a third and final time on Tuesday next week, two days before the series starts on Boxing Day.Squad: Quinton de Kock (capt & wk), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Beuran Hendricks, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Sarel Erwee, Anrich Nortje, Glenton Stuurman, Wiaan Mulder, Keegan Petersen, Kyle Verreynne, Migael Pretorius, Dwaine Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Raynard van Tonder

Elly De La Cruz's curiosity got the best of him during a Cincinnati Reds pitching change Monday night.

As Reds manager Terry Francona made the call to the bullpen during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals, De La Cruz grabbed Francona's glasses to try them on for size. Francona's eye prescription appeared to be so strong that it nearly blinded De La Cruz as he put the specs on his face.

Francona let out a big laugh as De La Cruz winced and immediately handed the frames back.

The first-year Reds manager and star shortstop have managed to have some fun throughout their first season together. In June, Francona said he found a good way to get under the star's skin, telling him he'd make a really good designated hitter. Francona also hilariously mimicked De La Cruz's home-run celebration after a win last month, although he didn't do it exactly right.

There's never a dull moment between the two.

The Reds fell to the Nationals Monday night 10-8. De La Cruz scored three runs after he walked three times. The third-year star is slashing .281/.357/.486 with 18 home runs, 65 RBIs and 25 stolen bases this year.

“Every game we play now is a big lead up opportunity. It’s about filling in the gaps with guys who have left.”

Firdose Moonda02-Dec-2025

Temba Bavuma will be back to lead South Africa’s ODI side as they seek to square the series in India but has not confirmed where he will bat while the team continues to tinker with top-order combinations.Bavuma missed the opening match with illness, where South Africa stuck to their new(ish) combination of Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, with Quinton de Kock at No.3. With the series on the line, they may look to return to the more successful and experienced combination of de Kock and Bavuma at the top, especially given their record. While Markram and Rickelton have opened together in just seven innings, and scored 306 runs at 43.71, de Kock and Bavuma have been South Africa’s second-most prolific opening pair since 2016 with over 1,000 runs together from 19 innings at 56.42, and would appear the better choice.On the eve of match two, Bavuma was non-committal about where he stood in the line-up. “Where I fit in, generally being in that top three, I’m easy whichever way is best for the team, as long as I’m still contributing,” Bavuma said in Raipur, where he also had a long net session, confirming his return to health. “At the moment, it’s about creating depth. There is versatility in that guys who generally bat at the top of their order have used in the middle. In this team, a guy like Matthew Breetzke, who generally sees himself at the top in one-day cricket, but he’s doing that job more than well now at No.4 A guy like Tony (de Zorzi) – he’s getting that opportunity to bat at five.”Related

South Africa hope to cross the line in Raipur after Ranchi thriller

South Africa find reason for ODI optimism despite top-order tangles

In the absence of Heinrich Klaasen (retired), Tristan Stubbs (dropped) and David Miller (not in this ODI squad), South Africa have effectively created a top five out of five different opening batters with Dewald Brevis in at six. The only reserve batter is Rubin Hermann (also a top three batter for the bulk of his List A career) and Bavuma explained their reasoning for stacking the squad with top-order players.”Going back to South Africa, there’s always that element of batsmanship that you need. I know there’s a big craze about guys hitting sixes in the middle order, but you need a little bit of batsmanship. A guy like Tony, he has the characteristics.,” Bavuma said. “I guess now it’s just to keep putting on the performances to justify why he should do that.”De Zorzi has played 21 ODIs for South Africa, scored 688 runs and averages 36.21. He has a strike-rate below 100 and though he is strong against spin, is seen more as someone who can build an innings and rotate strike rather than a big-hitter. It’s that type of player South Africa think they will need, not only in the subcontinent but as they build their resources for the home ODI World Cup in 2027.The tournament is just less than two years away but South Africa will only play, according to the FTP, nine ODIs after this series, all at home. That could change especially as the FTP only runs to April 2027 and the World Cup will be held in October but the time to experiment is now, which is exactly what South Africa are doing.”Every game we play now is a big lead up opportunity. It’s about filling in the gaps with guys who have left,” Bavuma said. “Especially from a resource point of view, we want to make sure if we do have a situation where one of our main bowlers is out that we do have young guys to step in. We’re seeing guys like Nandre Burger, they are putting up their hands. So creating depth and then seeing where guys can be filling in those roles.”Bavuma feels Matthew Breetzke is pulling his weight and more at No.4•BCCI

With Kagiso Rabada out of the series. Burger led the attack in the first match with support from three other seamers: Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen. South Africa also have Lungi Ngidi, who is certain to play a role at some stage, in the squad, but for now, seem to be leaning more towards allrounders. Bosch and Jansen were both crucial in South Africa’s attempt to chase 350 in Ranchi and could keep their places as the series goes on. Jansen, in particular, has had a coming of age tour of India, and has made himself central to South Africa’s XI in all formats. Expect to see much more of him in this series.”I don’t know where the rankings sit but I’m sure Marco Jansen in any one of those formats will definitely be in the top 10. His contributions with the bat, with the ball, sometimes even both, have been immense to our success. Marco is still a young guy but he’s had a lot of international cricket that is under his belt and he’s only growing into his own and he’s becoming a lot more comfortable in his skin.”Currently, Jansen, who scored 93 and took seven wickets in the Guwahati Test, is sixth on the ICC’s Test allrounder rankings but 35th on the ODI list. His returns in Ranchi, where he scored a 39-ball 70 and took 2 for 76, could be the start of his climb up the charts.

The World Cup draw yielded a number of fascinating groups – and the hype for the 2026 tournament can truly build

Are you excited yet? Can you feel it properly? Do you know, exactly, how this is all going to go? The World Cup is always fun in abstract. There are ideas, dreams and hopes. What this thing look like? Who do we our team to get? But the hypothetical discussion runs out, and it all feels a bit silly. What can you say when you don't relly know anything? Not all that much. 

Well, now we know things. FIFA's gaudy 48-team World Cup was unveiled in baffling fashion at the Kennedy Center Friday afternoon, and amid the pomp and circumstance of it all, the balls coughed up a pretty compelling draw. The host nations are all in intriguing groups. There will be some terrific matchups: Portugal-Colombia, France-Norway, Brazil-Morocco. 

There really isn't a dud here. Even the groups that seem a little more predictable feature some good games – at least, on paper. It's now time, officially, to get excited. But which groups are the best? Which favorite can feel pretty good about their chances? And who might get grouped early? GOAL U.S. writers break down the draw in another edition of… . 

ImagnWhich of the co-hosts got the best draw?

TH: The USMNT, and by some distance. Australia, Paraguay and likely Turkey? That's a winnable group. Canada did OK, too, but Switzerland aren't pushovers, and Italy, should they make it, will be tough. But Mauricio Pochettino is the guy who can be happiest. 

RT: The USMNT will feel good. While none of their games are slam dunks, they are all winnable, which gives them a realistic path to the knockouts. Looking ahead, there’s a date with Belgium lurking, which is a lot better than France or Argentina. Overall, the USMNT will be pretty happy, although Mexico’s draw could have been a lot worse, too.

AdvertisementAFPWhat's the best group?

Tom Hindle: Well, they're all pretty good! Is there a single dud here? Sure, we're supposed to get hyped and reactionary and giddy, but it's hard to see any weaknesses – even in an oft-maligned 48-team field. The safe bet has to be France, Senegal, Norway, and whichever playoff team makes it (likely Bolivia). There is a real chance that France, among the faves, could lose two of those games. Now THAT could make things interesting. 

Ryan Tolmich: Group I gets it. France-Norway is going to be fantastic as it gives us that mouthwatering Mbappe-Haaland matchup. Then there’s Senegal, a team with the ability and experience to play with both of those sides. Mix in an underdog with a point to prove from the playoffs, and you have a very fun group.

GettyWhat's the least competitive group?

TH: It was a BIG day for stat-pad-Ronaldo. Portugal did OK, didn't they? Colombia will push them – and could win the group – but Uzbekistan and whoever wins the first FIFA playoff will surely struggle. It's pretty easy to pick No. 1 and 2 there, even if the exact order is up for debate. 

RT: See you in the knockouts, Argentina. They’ve been given an easier run there with Austria, Algeria, and Jordan on the docket. That should allow the champions to surge through the group and really peak later on.

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Getty Images SportBased on the groups, who is your early favorite to win it?

TH: This might be a regrettable prediction later. But, , England have done rather well here. They should navigate their group pretty easily, and the likely sequence of knockout fixtures looks OK, too. Then again, the answer is Spain, who appear to be better than pretty much everyone else at the moment. 

RT: There are a lot of good teams, perhaps more than ever before, with real ambitions of winning this thing. Until someone knocks off Argentina, though, they’re a team worth backing, particularly given their group stage draw.