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Bernardo Silva has warned Manchester City stars that they face being "killed", in a sporting sense, if they fail to win trophies in 2025-26. Under Pep Guardiola, the Blues have grown accustomed to collecting major silverware. They missed out on the grandest of prizes last season and are aware that more tough decisions will be made if they come up short again.

Man City trophy hunt: Blues competing on multiple fronts

City did lift the Community Shield ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, but that was as good as it got on the trophy-hunting front. Liverpool ran away with the Premier League title, while Paris Saint-Germain were crowned champions of Europe. Guardiola’s side also came unstuck at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Arsenal’s bright start to the current campaign had many suggesting that City would miss out on a domestic title once again – having won four-in-a-row between 2020 and 2024 – but the odd wobble from the Gunners and a run of three successive top-flight victories for the Blues has lifted them to within two points of rivals from north London.

Positive progress has also been made in the Champions League, while Brentford will soon be faced in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals and another FA Cup quest will get underway in January when lining up against League One outfit Exeter.

AdvertisementGettyKill or be killed: Man City expect to win major silverware

Silva, who has been with City since 2017 and has claimed 17 pieces of silverware with the club – including a Treble triumph in 2022-23 – is aware of the need to keep on winning. The Portugal international says exits are inevitable in upcoming transfer windows if the Blues end the current campaign empty-handed.

Silva told when asked if City can restock their trophy cabinet this season: "That’s the aim. It would mean a lot because at this club it’s not acceptable to not win. If you don’t win, the club will make decisions again and it’s normal, it’s part of the business.

"Either you kill or you get killed, and that’s the way it is. That’s good, that’s good. If you want to play for Man City, you need to win. If you don’t win, you don’t deserve to be here. So that pressure, that’s on us, it’s a good one and we take it."

Quizzed on whether City are better prepared to compete for major honours than they were 12 months ago, Silva added: "I think we’re much, much better, you cannot compare. Like, if you said to me last season with no injuries, last season was a very, very good squad, but with all the injuries we had and all the problems that we had, I would say that right now we’re much more prepared to fight for titles, yeah."

Retirement plan: Will Silva become a manager?

Silva is determined to enhance his own CV as he will be out of contract next summer. He is far from being finished, at 31 years of age, but is already giving some thought to what path he will tread when reaching retirement.

Pressed by on whether he will remain in professional football, the 107-cap Portugal international said: "I don’t know if, when I finish my career, I will miss football or not. I think I will. Football brings a load of travel and energy that is difficult. With 20 years, or more with the youth years I gave to football, I will want to spend time with my family. I will want to travel with my wife. I will want to give time to my children.

"I don’t know if I will want to give that time back to football after I finish my career. But without a doubt, if I return it will be as a coach, and I think I will have the ability to do it."

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GettyWorld Cup quest: Silva will compete with Portugal as a free agent

Silva does have vast experience to pass on, having worked under the likes of Guardiola and alongside five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. After chasing down domestic and continental honours with City, his attention will turn next summer – when hitting free agency – to a World Cup title bid with Portugal.

Portugal secured their first-ever Under-17 World Cup title courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Austria in the final in Qatar on Thursday and Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the greatest Portuguese player of all time was first in line to offer his congratulations with a simple but very effective message to his huge audience of 668 million followers on Instagram.

AFPPortugal become U17 world champions

The decisive goal came in the 32nd minute when Benfica forward Anisio Cabral found the back of the net from close range, with his seventh goal of the tournament. Austria pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half, but a resilient Portuguese defence held firm. The win marks a historic milestone for Portugal and capped a tournament where they remained unbeaten, having reached the final by defeating Brazil in a dramatic penalty shootout in the semi-finals.

AdvertisementRonaldo sends celebratory message

Ronaldo often shows significant public and private support for younger Portugal teams and players. He embraces his role as a leader and mentor, offering advice and encouragement to the next generation of Portuguese talent. His commitment to the national team also serves as a benchmark for young players, as he once stated, "nothing compares to representing your country".

And following Portugal’s victory over Austria, Ronaldo shared an image on Instagram to his 668 million followers, saying: "Giants! Congratulations, World Champions!"

Instagram

Stunning tournament concludes in Doha

The Under 17 World Cup in Qatar was a landmark event, marked by a major format overhaul and the maiden title for Portugal. The tournament saw the field expanded to a massive 48 teams and shifted from a biennial to an annual competition, with Qatar locked in as the host nation for five consecutive editions – 2025-2029. Highlights included a compact "football paradise" set-up, with most matches in the state-of-the-art Aspire Zone, allowing fans to easily watch multiple games. The new developments centered on FIFA's strategy to accelerate youth development by providing more frequent, high-level international competition. The tournament's expanded, single-city format was praised for its logistical efficiency, leveraging the facilities built for the 2022 senior World Cup. 

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Getty Images SportWhat next for Ronaldo?

The global football icon may be heading into the twilight of his playing career, with one eye on a last hurrah on the world stage at next year’s World Cup, but he also continues to pursue multiple avenues to continue building Brand Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar has announced he is making a move into MMA, revealing a new role in a link-up with UFC legend and compatriot Ilia Topuria on WOW FC. 

WOW FC, once a small promotion, has rapidly become one of Europe's fastest-growing MMA organizations. In the last year, attendance has soared by over 400 per cent, with events consistently selling more than 5,000 tickets. Live broadcasts now reach over 170 countries. The addition of Ronaldo is set to accelerate the promotion's expansion into Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, leveraging his involvement to blend sport with culture, fashion, entertainment, and education.

In a statement, Ronaldo said: "MMA represents values I truly believe in – discipline, respect, resilience, and the constant pursuit of excellence. WOW FC is building something unique and powerful, and I’m proud to join this project to help elevate the sport and inspire the next generation."

And in a separate post on social media, he added: "I’m excited to share some big news: I will become a shareholder of @wowfcmma! We share values I truly believe in – discipline, respect, resilience, and the constant pursuit of excellence. WOW FC is building something unique and powerful, and I’m proud to join this project to help elevate the sport and inspire the next generation."

Winner joins India in Super Four round from Group A; loser exits the Asia Cup

Danyal Rasool16-Sep-20253:21

Mukund: ‘Pakistan go in as clear favourites’

Big pictureThere may not have been handshakes in Pakistan’s most recent game at the Asia Cup, but in the one coming up, there will certainly be a goodbye.One of the two teams – either UAE or two-time champions Pakistan – will be eliminated on Wednesday. Both sides beat Oman comfortably and lost to India heavily, making their fixture in Dubai a knockout game: the winner joins India in the Super Four, while the loser exits.Pakistan are favoured to win, having beaten UAE twice over the past fortnight, during the recent tri-series in Sharjah. However, there were moments in both those games where UAE appeared to have the upper hand, and it was their inability to sustain these sparks that separated the Associate team from the Full Member one.Pakistan have also had consistency issues. Against India on Sunday, they had what their coach Mike Hesson called a bad day. But there is a suspicion that Pakistan might have become flat-track bullies. They have racked up wins against inferior opposition over the past few months, but were outmatched against India from the first ball. Questions have intensified since about whether their positive results against weaker oppositions reflect an uptick in quality, or are just a reflection of their kind schedule.Either way, Pakistan should have enough skill and power to defeat UAE. Their slower bowlers might be what separates the two sides: Pakistan have played two wristspinners, as well as Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz, in each of their previous two fixtures, as well as the final of the recent tri-series. The good news for them is they appear to have settled on an eleven that should see the job through with little fuss.Related

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Hesson: We were a bit frenzied against India

The UAE, meanwhile, have seen their stature grow in the past few games. A poor showing against India aside, they ran both Pakistan and Afghanistan close in the tri-series. They defeated Oman, racking up a significantly higher total than Pakistan managed against the same opposition. Their slightly wayward bowling attack will need some quick fine-tuning ahead of their final group fixture, but they would have taken a one-match shootout against a bruised Pakistan at the start of this tournament.UAE’s top-heavy batting order is the key to their success. Captain Muhammad Waseem has settled into a good run of form, scoring a 54-ball 69 against Oman. Since Muhammad Zohaib has been replaced by Alishan Sharafu at the top of the order, Waseem has not needed to play the quick-scoring role alone. Sharafu also scored a half-century in his 88-run opening stand with Waseem against Oman, while Asif Khan’s promotion up to number three of late rounds out their menacing top order.The UAE, too, will need their spinners to be pitch perfect. Haider Ali is the spin pack’s obvious leader and he demonstrated during his spell of 2 for 22 on Monday. Waseem has also talked up right-arm offspinner Dhruv Parashar’s ability.For the UAE, this upcoming encounter is their biggest game of the year so far, and they will feel they have the tools to spring this Asia Cup’s most dramatic surprise.Muhammad Waseem is crucial to UAE’s chances•Ryan Lim/AFP/Getty Images

Form guidePakistan: LWWWL   UAE: WLLLLIn the spotlightThere are days when Fakhar Zaman is impossible to rein in. Though they are less frequent than they used to be, he had one of those the last time these sides faced each other. Stuck at 80 for 5, Pakistan needed someone to take them through the second half of their innings, and Zaman delivered, smashing an unbeaten 77 off 44.Zaman has had an interesting couple of months with the T20I side. While deemed to have suffered a loss in form, he has found a way to contribute just about every time through high-impact cameos. He has scored 17 or more in eight of his last nine innings, even if seven of those ended between 17 and 28. Though his match-winning potential remains alive, UAE will sense his vulnerability at the top of the order.Asif Khan announced himself to the wider cricketing public when he blew Pakistan’s spinners away at the end of August, smashing six fours and six sixes en route to his 35-ball 77. Since then, however, he has not been able to use his unquestionable power with the bat. His 40 against Afghanistan in a dead rubber was the only other meaningful knock he has played since, with the other four innings producing a combined 12 runs. In a side that lacks power outside the top three, UAE cannot afford to have one out of form for a game of this magnitude.Fakhar Zaman has had starts but not many big scores recently•Associated Press

Team newsHesson made clear the defeat to India was not a personnel issue. Pakistan have played the same XI in each of the past three games, and changes are unlikely.Pakistan (possible): 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub 3 Fakhar Zaman 4 Salman Ali Agha (capt) 5 Hasan Nawaz 6 Mohammad Haris (wk) 7 Mohammad Nawaz 8 Faheem Ashraf 9 Shaheen Afridi 10 Sufiyan Muqeem 11 Abrar AhmedUAE also have a settled XI that produced a clinical win over Oman on Monday. Expect them to give the same combination one more crack at glory.UAE (possible): 1 Alishan Sharafu, 2 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 3 Muhammad Zohaib, 4 Asif Khan, 5 Harshit Kaushik, 6 Rahul Chopra (wk), 7 Dhruv Parashar, 8 Haider Ali, 9 Muhammad Rohid Khan, 10 Muhammad Jawadullah, 11 Junaid SiddiquePitch and conditionsThere are no signs of the hot and humid weather abating in the UAE. The pitch is expected to continue offering plenty of assistance to the slower bowlers.Stats and triviaPakistan have lost six matches across the men’s T20 Asia Cups – the second most defeats for any team in the tournament, with only Hong Kong losing more. Across all formats of the Asia Cup, Pakistan’s 26 defeats are also the second most, surpassed only by Bangladesh’s 44. UAE captain Muhammad Waseem brought up 3000 T20I runs on Monday, more than any current Pakistan player. Fakhar Zaman, who has 2144, is the only Pakistani in the side with more than 1000.

Kylian Mbappe has hailed Rayan Cherki as a "spectacular talent" after seeing his France team-mate "integrate very well" into Manchester City's team. After starring for Lyon with 13 goals and 21 assists across all competitions in the 2024-25 campaign, Cherki was signed by City in the summer transfer window, while Didier Deschamps handed him his France debut in June.

How is it going for Cherki at City?

Cherki struggled with a thigh injury at the start of the 2025-26 campaign but now that he has recovered, the Frenchman has started to feature regularly in Pep Guardiola's team. He has appeared in nine matches across all competitions for the Cityzens, registering three goals and three assists. Cherki is slowly establishing himself as a key member of the City squad and is building an understanding with Erling Haaland, having set up both of the Norwegian's goals against Bournemouth in the Premier League earlier this month. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'He's a special talent'

Cherki has now linked up with his France team-mates for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. After watching the City star training with the squad, captain Mbappe spoke highly of the youngster, telling reporters: "He's a special talent. I think he has a gift, which he's making the most of. It's an innate, spectacular talent. He's integrated very well into the group and into Manchester City, which isn't easy. I hope he continues like this. He's started well with us. Now he has the opportunity to return, and I hope he's as good as he was at Manchester City."

Guardiola blown away by Cherki

Guardiola has coached some of the greatest players in the world, including Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi at Barcelona, and considers Cherki to be in a similar talent bracket. He declared in October: "Rayan is one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my career. His talent… he is top. The question is how he settles and how he needs to read actions. He started well at the Club World Cup but then had a few weeks off. I have the feeling most of the time when the ball comes to him, the situation is better. But not all the time you have to do exceptional things – just play football. He has something. He is a player who doesn't feel pressure. He is like a street player. He wants the ball when he doesn't have it. But he is here a short time – he needs a little bit of time because in football you learn to play with your mates. But these types of players are intelligent. They see everything."

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Getty Images SportCherki tipped to reach De Bruyne's level

Former City, Arsenal and France full-back, Gael Clichy has also heaped praise on his compatriot, backing Cherki to reach the level of Etihad Stadium legend Kevin De Bruyne. Clichy told GOAL, via : "If we talk about the quality of the player, I haven't seen anyone that good. That's a big quote, but I do feel that if he can bring his off-the-ball game to a certain level, I think we could be talking about a player that can can reach Kevin De Bruyne’s numbers, because in tight spaces, in key areas of the pitch, he can create danger. And this is what you want at City. When you play against a low block team with a defence of five, there's not much space. So you need to have the quality on the on the wing, which I think City are lacking a little bit. You know, you go from Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane which for me, as a full back, were a nightmare to play against. I think they lost that."

Leeds United have a full midweek to train and prepare for their next Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX next weekend.

One of the aspects of the team’s play that Daniel Farke may place a big emphasis on is their ruthlessness in front of goal when it comes to taking the big chances that they are creating this season.

Crystal Palace

22

Manchester City

19

Liverpool

19

Manchester United

17

Leeds United

15

Brentford

15

Arsenal

15

Newcastle United

14

Everton

13

Chelsea

11

As you can see in the table above, only four teams have missed more ‘big chances’ than the West Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League this term, which shows that they have been wasteful in the final third.

The Whites have only scored nine goals in nine matches in the top-flight in the 2025/25 campaign, but the number of ‘big chances’ that they have missed suggests that they should be well into double figures by now.

Part of that is down to the quality, or lack thereof, within the squad in the attacking areas of the pitch. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought in to be their main number nine, and they need much more from him.

Why Leeds need more from Dominic Calvert-Lewin

The £100k-per-week centre-forward was signed on a free transfer in the summer transfer window after he was released by Everton at the end of last season.

Calvert-Lewin’s only goal for the club in all competitions so far, though, came in the 3-1 win over bottom-of-the-league Wolverhampton Wanderers last month, as he brilliantly guided a header into the back of the net from Jayden Bogle’s cross.

The 11-cap England international was a risky signing for the Whites, despite being a vastly experienced player at Premier League level, because of his form in front of goal for Everton in recent seasons.

Since a 16-goal haul in the 2020/21 campaign, when supporters were not allowed in stadiums for the most part, the English striker has failed to hit double figures for goals in a top-flight season.

24/25

8.85

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

13

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/17

1.25

1

The statistics in the table above show that Leeds signed a player who arrived at Elland Road in fairly dismal form in front of goal as a finisher.

As you can see in the graphic below, that form has carried over to his time in West Yorkshire, as he has missed five ‘big chances’ and only scored one goal in the Premier League so far this season.

These statistics show that the Whites need more from the experienced forward, because he is one of the main reasons why they are among the worst teams in the division for missing ‘big chances’.

Leeds considering move for Championship striker

Amid Calvert-Lewin’s struggles as a finisher in the Premier League this season, Leeds are reportedly showing an interest in a striker from the Championship.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to LeedsUnitedNews, the club are considering a swoop to sign Coventry City centre-forward Haji Wright to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The report claims that Leeds are keen on a deal to sign the USA international when the January transfer window opens for business, after they also considered a move for him in the summer.

However, the outlet adds that it may be difficult for the club to convince the Sky Blues to part ways with the striker, as they are currently top of the Championship and gunning for promotion to the Premier League.

In January, pundit Carlton Palmer claimed that it could take a fee of around £20m to tempt Coventry to sell him, but it remains to be seen whether or not that would be the case next January.

Why Leeds should sign Haji Wright

Farke should push for Leeds to press ahead with a deal for the USMNT centre-forward when the January transfer window opens for business at the start of next year, because he could be an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

As aforementioned, the current Whites number nine has not done enough in front of goal in the Premier League to be deemed a reliable marksman for the German head coach, which may be why Wright has emerged as a possible target.

The Coventry star is unproven in the Premier League, having never played in the division, but his form in the Championship suggests that he has the potential to make the step up and excel at Elland Road.

Wright has racked up eight goals in ten starts in the second tier so far this season for Frank Lampard’s side, per Sofascore, after a return of 12 goals in 21 starts in the division in the 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

7

11

xG

1.77

7.49

Goals

1

8

Big chances missed

5

6

Conversion rate

7%

29%

Minutes per goal

534

101

Duel success rate

38%

44%

As you can see in the table above, the American centre-forward has scored eight times as many goals as Calvert-Lewin at league level, with a far superior conversion rate.

At his current performance level, Calvert-Lewin would miss 40 ‘big chances’ to hit the eight-goal mark that Wright has reached this season, with just six ‘big chances’ missed for Coventry, albeit at a lower level.

The Sky Blues striker, who was described as a “big, big winner” by former USA international Alexi Lalas, has shown that he can finish chances at an impressive rate, outperforming his xG in the Championship in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.

Meanwhile, Calvert-Lewin is currently underperforming against his xG for the tenth Premier League season running, which suggests that Leeds cannot expect his fortunes to change in front of goal.

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This is why Farke should be pushing for the club to strike a deal to sign Wright in the January transfer window, as his impressive finishing skills could make him an upgrade on the Englishman at Elland Road.

Celtic secured their place in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Sunday with a fantastic 4-0 win over Partick Thistle away from Parkhead at Firhill.

The Hoops strolled to a comfortable victory against the second tier outfit, who have not been in the Scottish Premiership in seven years, with four different goalscorers.

Hyun-jun Yang, Liam Scales, Sebastian Tounekti, and Luke McCowan all got their names on the scoresheet, and Tounekti was particularly impressive again.

The summer signing from Hammarby caught the eye against Kilmarnock, creating four chances (per Sofascore), and played an important role in the first goal against Partick Thistle with his pass for Benjamin Nygren, before going on to score his first goal for the club.

Brendan Rodgers will hope that the comfortable win will provide his squad with the confidence that they need to hit the ground running in the Europa League against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night.

One Celtic player who needs to step up on the pitch in the coming weeks after a string of unimpressive displays is central midfielder Reo Hatate.

Why Reo Hatate needs to step up for Celtic

The Japan international put in a decent showing against Partick Thistle, a Championship outfit, but it was not a mesmerising performance that made up for some of his recent outings.

Hatate’s form has not been up to the standards that he has set himself throughout his Celtic career, particularly with his displays in the Champions League qualifier clashes against Kairat.

The Hoops failed to qualify for the league phase of the competition, losing on penalties after two 0-0 draws, and the midfielder’s lack of contributions in and out of possession played a part in that.

Minutes

90

105

Shots on target

1

0

Pass accuracy

84%

68%

Big chances created

0

1

Duels won

0/8

3/15

Fouls committed

3

4

Possession lost

16x

25x

As you can see in the table above, Hatate was far too wasteful with the ball at his feet and weak off the ball, losing the majority of his duels, across the two matches.

The 27-year-old star also failed to score a goal or create a ‘big chance’ for the team in his last two appearances in the Scottish Premiership for the Hoops, which shows that he has struggled in recent weeks outside of his showing against a lower tier opponent.

Hatate scored ten goals, including the one in the clip above, and created 14 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but he has been unable to deliver the same level of consistency in the final third this term.

This is why the Japan international needs to step up for the Scottish giants, because he is capable of being an exceptional performer for the club in the middle of the park with his ability at the top end of the pitch.

If Hatate is unable to recapture the form that his output last season proved he is capable of, Rodgers must consider removing him from the starting XI for a period of time.

The emergence of Colby Donovan, who has started the last two matches at right-back, shows that the manager is willing to provide academy talent with a chance if they are ready to be thrown in.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With this in mind, Rodgers could find the next version of Donovan, who has been a solid performer in the last two matches with his defensive reliability and composure in possession, by unleashing Sean McArdle to replace Hatate in the XI.

Why Sean McArdle could replace Reo Hatate for Celtic

Of course, the manager does have club-record signing Arne Engels, who joined for £11m from Augsburg last summer, Luke McCowan, and Paulo Bernardo also at his disposal to select in midfield.

However, the minor success of Donovan, who won five of his nine duels and had 101 touches (per Sofascore) against Kilmarnock, could inspire the head coach to look to the academy once again.

McArdle is not a complete stranger to first-team football at Parkhead. Rodgers rewarded his strong form for the B team with two appearances for the senior side in the Premiership towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The 18-year-old star made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old against Hibernian in the Premiership, playing eight minutes off the bench in a 3-1 win.

As the manager said in the clip above, the young sensation earned his chance through his form for the B team, and it is down to him to take the next step in his career.

McArdle, who Rodgers claimed has “got a wee edge to him”, then played a second match against Aberdeen, again off the bench, and showed promising signs in both outings.

Minutes

8

9

Passes completed

8/8

11/12

Key passes

0

1

Dribbles completed

0

1

Duels won

1/2

1/1

Possession lost

1x

1x

As you can see in the table above, the teenage whiz only lost possession twice in those 17 minutes, plus stoppage time, of football, whilst creating one chance for the side.

McArdle’s form at youth team level for Celtic also suggests that he can provide the goal threat that Hatate offers at his best, with seven goals in 53 matches, per Transfermarkt.

The Scottish starlet has scored in both of his appearances in the Challenge Cup this season, per Sofascore, including one against Alloa Athletic earlier this month.

These statistics show that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch to go along with his composure in possession, as evidenced by his pass accuracy in his first two first-team outings.

He was not phased by the occasion against Hibernian or Aberdeen, showing his class on the ball in both games, and this suggests that he has the mentality to take that next step to be Donovan 2.0 this season.

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This Celtic star was as good as Sebastian Tounekti in the comfortable win over Partick Thistle.

ByDan Emery Sep 21, 2025

It is now down to Rodgers to provide McArdle with that opportunity to impress once again to see if he can emerge as a genuine alternative to Hatate, who has been a shadow of himself of late.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Monsoon conseguiu mais uma vitória na Copa FGF. Em compromisso atrasado da quarta rodada da competição, o Trovão da Zona Sul se impôs na segunda etapa e goleou a equipe do Novo Horizonte com o placar de 4 a 1, nesta terca-feira. Em partida válida pela nona jornada, o time já havia goleado o adversário por um impiedoso 8 a 0.

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Semifinalista da Série A-2 do Campeonato Gaúcho, o Trovão da Zona Sul tentou se impor assim que o apito inicial foi dado. Contudo, o time acabou encontrando dificuldade para furar o bloqueio do Novo Horizonte, que assegurou a igualdade nos 45 minutos iniciais.

+ Veja tabela do Brasileirão e simule resultados

Porém, o panorama mudou completamente na etapa final. Logo aos seis minutos, em bom contra-ataque, Joãozinho encontrou o atacante Kerlly, que só teve o trabalho de encobrir o goleiro. Aos 25, em mais uma descida de Joãozinho, dessa vez pela direita de ataque, o atacante Alex só empurrou para o gol e marcar o segundo.

Quatro minutos mais tarde, Tcharles infiltrou por trás da marcação adversária e deixou o seu. Aos 34, Teylor descontou para os mandantes. O veloz Joãozinho deu números finais ao confronto e fechou o placar. Destaque doembate com um gol e duas assistências, o jogador parabenizou o segundo tempo do vencedor.

“A equipe se reencontrou no segundo tempo. Não conseguimos furar o bloqueio deles no começo, mas assim que o nosso time marcou o primeiro, teve mais tranquilidade e construiu um placar sólido. Esse resultado foi importante já que nos deixou em uma boa posição na tabela de classificação”, disse.

A vitória fez com que o Trovão da Zona Sul chegasse aos 10 pontos, na segunda posição do Grupo A da Copa FGF. O time voltará ao campo no próximo domingo, quando enfrentará a equipe do Internacional de Santa Maria, no Estádio Presidente Vargas.

Manchester United made an approach to sign a “brilliant” player, but they were too late, with bitter rivals Liverpool winning the race for his signature.

Man Utd's summer signings under question after poor start

Despite a 3-2 victory over Burnley last time out offering some respite, Man United have undoubtedly made a poor start to the new campaign, having infamously been knocked out of the EFL Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town at the second-round stage.

As such, there are some justified concerns about some of the Red Devils’ summer acquisitions, not least Benjamin Sesko, who is yet to make his mark, having mainly been utlised as a substitute, and failed to open his goal-scoring account.

However, Sesko believes he will soon find his feet once he adjusts to the Premier League, recently saying: “The level of the matches is certainly much higher, the players and teammates are also at a higher level,”

“After all, English football is at the highest level in the world of football.

“But I am very much looking forward to the coming period, also because I am getting better and faster in every training session, and I am also progressing in my football mentality every day.”

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By
Dominic Lund

Sep 3, 2025

The jury is still out on the Slovenian, but it has recently been revealed that Man United could’ve signed a different striker, who has made a flying start to life in the Premier League.

Indeed, according to a report from The Athletic, Man United made a late approach to sign Hugo Ekitike before his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool, but the wheels were already in motion for a move to Anfield.

As such, United’s bitter rivals ultimately came out on top in the race for Ekitike’s signature, and he has since gone on to impress for Arne Slot’s side, although there are signs the Slovenia international could soon be capable of making a similar impact.

How Sesko's goal-scoring record compares to Ekitike's

The Frenchman, who is widely reported to earn £200k-a-week, has scored three goals in his first four games for Liverpool, with Jamie Carragher lauding the 23-year-old for the “brilliant” start he’s made to life in England.

However, Sesko actually had a slightly better goals-per-game record in the Bundesliga during his time with RB Leipzig, averaging 0.42, compared to 0.40 from Liverpool’s summer signing.

Player	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Benjamin Sesko	64	27	7
Hugo Ekitike	47	19	10

Carragher and Roy Keane also agreed that it is “too early to tell” whether Sesko will be a success, given that he is yet to be given a proper run of games, so he should not be judged properly until after the international break.

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O Grêmio está na semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Em Porto Alegre, o Tricolor Gaúcho empatou com o Bahia por 1 a 1 no tempo regulamentar e precisou dos pênaltis para avançar: triunfo por 4 a 3, na noite desta quarta-feira (12), na Arena. Além de toda a emoção em campo, a partida teve momento de apreensão por conta do ciclone extratropical que passou por Porto Alegre e causou fortes chuvas na região. Por isso, o confronto começou com uma hora de atraso.

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Na próxima fase, o Tricolor mede forças com o vencedor do confronto entre Athletico e Flamengo.

O jogo

Mesmo com o gramado prejudicado, o Grêmio tomou conta das ações e abafou o Bahia no campo de defesa. As melhores chances do Tricolor surgiram na bola parada, onde Marcos Felipe fez ótima defesa em cabeçada de Bruno Uvini e depois tirou com os olhos a testada de Bruno Alves.

Quando a pressão parecia insustentável aos baianos, o Grêmio teve um pênalti a seu favor muito discutido após o árbitro ver mão na bola de Gabriel Xavier. Na cobrança, Cristaldo parou no goleiro Marcos Felipe.

Com a efetividade apurada, o Bahia abriu o marcador com Everaldo. O centroavante recebeu na entrada da área e acertou o ângulo, 1 a 0.

Na etapa final o jogo permaneceu com o tom da emoção e teve o Tricolor Gaúcho no campo ofensivo. Porém, a bola teimava em não entrar.

De tanto insistir, o empate veio aos 26 minutos. Ferreira achou Villasanti, que desviou para o fundo da rede. A virada poderia ter saído na sequência, mas Vina isolou a bola na entrada da pequena área.

Nos minutos finais, com os dois times exaustos, os espaços surgiram e três bolas na trave pintaram. Pelo lado do Bahia, Mugni e Adermir. Já com o Grêmio foi Suárez o responsável. 

Pênaltis

Na marca da cal, o aproveitamento do Grêmio foi melhor. Em seis cobranças, o time de Renato Gaúcho acertou quatro. O destaque foi Gabriel Grando, que pegou as cobranças de Cicinho e Gabriel Xavier. O Esquadrão só acertou três e está eliminado.

GRÊMIO (4 ) 1 X 1 (3) BAHIA

Local: Arena Grêmio, Porto Alegre (RS)

Data-Hora: 12/7/2023 – 20h

Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio(GO)

Auxiliares: Bruno Raphael Pires (GO) e Leone Carvalho Rocha (GO)

VAR: Luiz Flávio de Oliveira (SP)

Público/renda: pagantes/R$

Cartões amarelos: Carballo (GRE),Everaldo, Ryan, Kanu, Acevedo(BAH)

Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols: Everaldo (49’/1ºT) (0-1) e Villasanti (26’/2ºT) (1-1).

GRÊMIO: Gabriel Grando; Bruno Uvini, Bruno Alves e Kannemann (Ferreira, aos 11/2ºT); João Pedro (Gustavo Martins, aos 45/2ºT), Vallasanti, Carballo (Nathan, aos 45/2ºT), Bitello, Cristaldo (Vina, aos 25/2ºT) e Reinaldo; Luis Suárez (André, aos 45/2ºT). Técnico: Renato Gaúcho.

BAHIA: Marcos Felipe; Cicinho, Gabriel Xavier, Kanu e Ryan (Matheus Bahia, aos 25/2ºT); Acevedo, Rezende e Cauly, Ademir (Yago, aos 45/2ºT), Everaldo e Kayky (Lucas Mugni, aos 33/2ºT). Técnico: Renato Paiva.

كشف مصدر عن موقف عدد من اللاعبين من التواجد في معسكر منتخب مصر الثاني والمشارك ببطولة كأس العرب القادمة.

وكان منتخب مصر الثاني قد خاض مباراتين وديتين في التوقف الدولي المنقضي، محققاً الفوز على البحرين برباعية والهزيمة أمام المغرب بهدفين.

طالع.. فيديو | منتخب مصر الثاني يًمطر شباك البحرين برباعية استعدادًا لكأس العرب

وقال المصدر لـ بطولات: “عدد كبير من اللاعبين اعتذر عن الانضمام لـ معسكرات منتخب مصر المشارك في كأس العرب خلال الفترة قبل بداية المسابقة”.

وأكمل: “هؤلاء اللاعبون رحبوا بالانضمام لـ منتخب مصر الثاني ولكن في البطولة العربية مباشرةً وليس في المعسكرات التي تسبق البطولة”.

وأتم: “من بين هؤلاء اللاعبين الذين اعتذروا الثنائي عبد الله السعيد لاعب الزمالك وأحمد حجازي المحترف في نيوم السعودي”.

ومن المقرر أن تلعب بطولة كأس العرب في الفترة من 1 حتى 18 ديسمبر المقبل، ويقع منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثالثة، التي تضم كلاً من، الأردن والإمارات والفائز من (الكويت ضد موريتانيا).