Tag Futebol

حقق فريق النصر السعودي فوزًا كبيرًا على مضيفه استقلال دوشنبه بنتيجة 5-0، مساء اليوم الأربعاء، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن مواجهات بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا 2.

وأقيمت المباراة بين النصر واستقلال دوشنبه، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات لمسابقة دوري أبطال آسيا 2.

وافتتح عبد الرحمن غريب التسجيل مبكرًا عند الدقيقة 14، وأضاف البرازيلي أنجيلو جابرييل الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 17، قبل أن يعزز ويسلي التفوق بالهدف الثالث عند الدقيقة 59.

وسجل الفرنسي كينجسلي كومان الهدف الرابع في الدقيقة 89، واختتم السنغالي ساديو ماني الخماسية في الدقيقة الأخيرة ليؤكد تفوق الفريق السعودي خارج دياره. أهداف فوز النصر أمام استقلال دوشنبه في دوري أبطال آسيا 2

شوف أهداف فوز النصر السعودي 5-0 على الاستقلال الطاجيكي

#النصر_الاستقلال
#دوري_أبطال_آسيا_الثاني
#قنوات_الكاس || #منصة_شوف pic.twitter.com/FUOlCohl18 — قنوات الكاس (@AlkassTVSports) September 17, 2025

وشهدت المباراة غياب القائد كريستيانو رونالدو عن القائمة بقرار فني من المدرب البرتغالي جورجي جيسوس، الذي فضل إراحته.

بينما شارك كومان وساديو ماني من على مقاعد البدلاء ونجح الثنائي في ترك بصمتهما بهدفين في الدقائق الأخيرة.

ويشارك نادي النصر، في بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا 2، بعدما احتل المركز الثالث في الدوري السعودي الموسم الماضي، حيث لم يتأهل للمشاركة في بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا للنخبة البطولة الأكبر في آسيا.

ويتواجد نادي النصر في المجموعة الرابعة من بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا 2، بجانب كل من الزوراء العراقي واستقلال الطاجاكستاني وجوا الهندي.

On a 35-degree third day broken up into sessions of uneven length – including a three-hour morning session – to accommodate Friday prayers, Bangladesh’s batters weathered a period of early hostility before asserting themselves on Pakistan’s bowlers as the Rawalpindi Test witnessed a riveting fight for first-innings honours.Shadman Islam laid the foundations for Bangladesh’s resistance with a 93 spanning more than five-and-a-half hours, and Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das built on this with half-centuries of their own. At stumps, Bangladesh were five down and 132 adrift of Pakistan’s first-innings total, with Mushfiqur and Litton at the crease, having added an unbroken 98.Litton joined Mushfiqur at a pivotal moment in Bangladesh’s innings. Mohammad Ali had nipped out Shadman with the last ball before tea, and Shakib Al Hasan had fallen early, chipping the part-time spin of Saim Ayub to the fielder at cover. The sixth-wicket pair took quick charge of the situation, rattling along at more than five an over and launching a decisive counterattack against Pakistan’s quicks when they took the second new ball late in the day. Bangladesh scored 67 off the last 11 overs of the day, with Litton unfurling some exquisite strokeplay along the way.The high point of this came in the 89th over of Bangladesh’s innings – the 77th of the day – when Litton tore into Naseem Shah. He stepped out and chipped the first ball of the over straight back over the bowler for a one-bounce four, and followed up with an exhibition of pulling and hooking – two unstoppable fours and a massive six over square leg – to race past the half-century mark.That over went for 18. Having conceded just 15 runs from his first 12 overs of the innings, and picked up a wicket in that time, Naseem gave away 62 in his last eight. Those numbers reflected Pakistan’s wider fortunes: Bangladesh’s scoring rate went from 2.97 in the first session to 3.33 in the second to 5.08 in the third.Pakistan, though, still have a 132-run cushion, and will begin day four knowing they are two wickets away from Bangladesh’s lower order.They had to work extremely hard for the five wickets they did take, though, in conditions that were excellent for batting once the first new ball lost its shine. Pakistan’s discipline and persistence for most of the day, however, ensured that Bangladesh also had to work hard to earn their late scoring spree.Starting the day on 27 for no loss, Bangladesh scored just 12 runs in 12 overs before the first drinks break, losing Zakir Hasan along the way. Naseem and Shaheen Shah Afridi were relentless with their probing in the channel and found enough movement to imperil on-the-up shots, and Bangladesh’s top three resisted them for most part through a combination of skill, judgment and a bit of luck.Pakistan made their breakthrough in the fifth over of the day, however, when Naseem’s angle across the left-hander, and a bit of away seam movement and extra bounce, coaxed Zakir into a hard-hands push away from the body. Mohammad Rizwan – back as keeper after going off the field with cramps late on day two – flew to his left to complete the catch off the edge.Runs flowed slightly quicker when the third and fourth seamers came on, and Najmul Hossain Shanto drove Shahzad crisply for fours through mid-off and extra-cover when he overpitched. But those were marginal errors from Shahzad as he bowled to a plan, bringing Shanto forward with fuller lengths while angling the ball into him from round the wicket. Having habituated Shanto into front-foot drives and blocks into the cover region with a slightly open bat face, he pulled his length back slightly and got one to nip back in off the seam and bowl him comprehensively through the gate.Bangladesh were 53 for 2, and the seven overs before the next drinks break brought Shadman and Mominul just 12 runs.Through all this, Shadman batted with poise, except for a couple of ungainly moments against the short ball when he top-edged pulls off Mohammad Ali and Shahzad, the ball falling safely in front of the long leg fielder both times.Pakistan players celebrate the dismissal of Shadman Islam•AFP/Getty Images

As hard as Pakistan were pushing, however, the three-hour first session was always going to be a test for them. Having gone without a boundary through the first two hours of the day, Shadman found his release when Shaheen served up a pair of freebies in the 24th over of the morning, driving a half-volley to the cover boundary and punching a full-toss back past the bowler. Then he stepped out to Salman Ali Agha and drilled him through the covers for another boundary to enter the 40s.Naseem returned to the attack, and his day, which had begun so brightly, began to unravel with three fours conceded in his last two overs before lunch. Mominul hit two off successive balls – a cheeky uppercut over the slips followed by a premeditated step back and across to flat-bat a marginally short-of-length ball wide of mid-on – before Shadman closed out the session with a pulled four that brought up his fifty.Shadman and Mominul put on 94 for the third wicket, before Shahzad broke the partnership in the fourth over after lunch. The wicket was near-identical to that of Zakir: a fullish length from round the wicket drew Mominul half-forward to defend, and inward seam movement pierced the bat-pad gap.Pakistan twice came close to getting an lbw soon after this, with Shahzad reviewing a not-out call off an inducker against Mushfiqur Rahim and Shadman reviewing an out call against a slider from the offspinner Salman Ali Agha. Both reviews went Bangladesh’s way.As the second session wore on, Shadman began to look dangerous, rushing from 64 to 93 in just 25 balls, hitting six fours in that time. Then Ali took a leaf out of Shahzad’s playbook and bowled him with the last ball before tea: once again, a ball from round the wicket that nipped into the left-hander and bowled him through the gate.

Liverpool hardly need a rebuild, and could likely go again next season, qualifying for the Champions League and competing for major trophies, with just minimal investment.

But FSG are prepared to reward Arne Slot for winning the Premier League in his first year in charge by making a ferocious statement of intent in the market.

Already, the Reds have signed Jeremie Frimpong to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold; Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz are in talks to follow.

But it’s not just incomings on sporting director Richard Hughes’ mind. Liverpool have a few potential high-profile exits to contend with.

Liverpool transfer exit news

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is expected to leave this summer, having been persistently linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League. La Liga giants Atletico Madrid have also shown an interest.

Having scored only seven times across all competitions for Slot’s side, the 25-year-old would probably be best off wiping the slate clean and trying his hand elsewhere, especially since plans have been drawn up for a new number nine.

Though Nunez is tenacious and likeable, there’s no doubt he’s regressed in a Liverpool shirt over the past year, incongruous and ineffective as the frontman of Slot’s set-up.

Darwin Nunez – Liverpool Career (all comps)
Season	Apps	Minutes	Goals	Assists
24/25	45	1,982′	7	7
23/24	54	3,026′	18	15
22/23	42	2,366′	15	4
Stats via Transfermarkt

On the note of players in need of a switch, Harvey Elliott has admitted on England U21 duty that he may need to leave Anfield this summer.

Elliott, 21, is a boyhood Liverpool supporter and a special creative talent, but his opportunities have been limited since Klopp departed, and a move away might be for the benefit of his career.

However, Liverpool may not just be selling those they wish to part with. Indeed, Luis Diaz is being mooted for a move to Saudi Arabia, and it might prove a bigger mistake than many are anticipating.

Why selling Luis Diaz would be a mistake

Liverpool acted swiftly to replace Sadio Mane with Diaz before their Senegalese legend had even left the club. In January 2022, FSG purchased Diaz from Porto in a deal, rising to £49m, and his predecessor stayed on until the end of the campaign.

When Liverpool sold Mane to Bayern Munich, however, they perhaps didn’t grasp how out of kilter it would knock Klopp’s side. The 2022/23 season sits as an infamous outlier across the illustrious span of Klopp’s tenure, a dark and permanent blot on his copybook.

Though Mane objectively reached a higher level of quality than Diaz, the Colombian is still one of the most important parts of Slot’s system, and he’s just come off his most productive campaign too, having posted 17 goals and eight assists across 50 appearances.

Regarded as a “world-class player” in the view of his former German boss, at least, Diaz’s unique value for Slot has been further underscored by his regular deployment as a false nine, combating an absence of reliable central striking options.

Diaz might be happy at Liverpool, but the riches of the Saudi Pro League could tempt him to pack up and leave off the back of winning the Premier League.

According to Foot Mercato, talks appear to have already begun, with Al-Hilal having established contacts with the 28-year-old as they sound out a bid.

Liverpool were warned that losing the “irreplaceable” Mane would “knock them sideways” by former star Dean Saunders in 2022, and this proved to be the case – in the short term, at least.

Diaz has done a rather good job in the years since, now a Carabao Cup and Premier League champion in the seasons since Mane’s departure.

Given the need to make numerous signings this summer, maybe Liverpool would be better off warding away interest in their dynamic left winger.

Move over Wirtz: Liverpool can sign Salah's next Firmino in £84m "magician"

Mohamed Salah is going to have some exciting new attacking talent alongside him next season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 8, 2025

Nitish Kumar Reddy had received his maiden India call-up before being sidelined due to a hernia

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2024

Nitish Kumar Reddy had a consistent IPL 2024 with Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCI

Nitish Kumar Reddy will have to wait for his international debut after he was sidelined from India’s T20I tour of Zimbabwe due to an injury. Shivam Dube will take his place in the 15-member squad.While the BCCI did not specify the nature of Reddy’s injury, ESPNcricinfo has learned that he has been ruled out due to a hernia.Reddy, a 21-year-old seam bowling allrounder, had earned his maiden India call-up after an impressive IPL 2024 season with Sunrisers Hyderabad. He made 303 runs in the season at a strike rate of 142.92, while also delivering 13.1 overs for three wickets.In just his second innings of the season, he scored 64 off 37 balls against Punjab Kings, which took SRH to 182 and eventually helped them seal a two-run win. Reddy also scored an unbeaten 42-ball 76 against Rajasthan Royals in a group game later in the tournament. With the ball, his three wickets included Rishabh Pant, Tristan Stubbs and Jitesh Sharma.Reddy has been a part of the BCCI’s target group of young players who have been under the NCA’s watch over the past year.Dube is part of the India squad at the T20 World Cup 2024. While his numbers in the tournament so far have been middling: 106 runs in six matches with a strike rate of 107.07 and zero wickets, he had a tremendous IPL 2024. Coming in to bat primarily in the middle overs, he was Chennai Super Kings’ spin-hitter, finishing the season with 396 runs in 14 games, striking at 162.29. He was CSK’s second highest run-scorer behind Ruturaj Gaikwad.India will play Zimbabwe in five T20Is in Harare which get underway on July 6. With the senior players rested, Shubman Gill will lead the squad which features Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Tushar Deshpande, all of whom received maiden India call-ups.India squad for T20I series in ZimbabweᏚhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande

Tottenham Hotspur will let Mathys Tel go back to Bayern Munich this summer if they can sign a highly-rated forward, according to a report this week, with Spurs holding a “concrete” interest heading into the first summer window on June 1.

Tottenham's option to buy Mathys Tel may be renegotiated

After a mixed first season at Spurs for Tel, with the Frenchman bagging just three goals and an assist in 20 total appearances so far, there are suggestions that chairman Daniel Levy will seek to bring his costs down.

Club now prepared to sell £50m star to Tottenham amid Jobe Bellingham plan

A deal is there to be done for Daniel Levy.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

May 29, 2025

The Lilywhites have an option to buy Tel permanently for around £42 million, which was negotiated when Spurs signed the versatile attacker on loan in January, but Levy apparently wants to renegotiate the fee needed to make him a Tottenham player next term.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

GiveMeSport and some reports from Germany indicate that Spurs will enter discussions with Bayern over a fresh deal for Tel, with the former claiming Ange Postecoglou’s side wish to bring his price down to somewhere around the £30 million mark.

The 20-year-old has displayed flashes of real promise during his time in N17, but there are arguments that Tel needs to improve his consistency and output in front of goal, so it will be intriguing to see whether Levy can whittle down Bayern’s asking price or move on to other targets.

Interestingly, credible reports this week have started linking Tottenham with another Bayern star – £242,000-per-week winger Leroy Sane – who is out of contract this summer as things stand.

Super-agent Pini Zahavi was pictured meeting with Bayern chiefs again over the prospect of a new deal, and the lengthy ongoing saga surrounding whether he’ll remain has motivated Premier League sides to consider him.

The 29-year-old has reportedly been offered to many clubs in England (Graeme Bailey), while some German media sources claim that Tottenham are currently the strongest contender to sign Sane on a Bosman deal (Sport Bild).

Tottenham unlikely to sign Mathys Tel if they seal Leroy Sane deal

The likelihood of them sealing a deal for the “dangerous” ex-Man City forward will have a knock-on effect when it comes to Tel’s future, according to Bundesliga insider Christian Falk.

Falk tells FC Bayern that, if Tottenham manage to sign Sane, they’re “unlikely” to pursue a permanent deal for Tel.

Spurs are said to hold a “concrete” interest in the former, and his agent Zahavi has a “very close” relationship with Levy, who is actively looking to find a suitable landing spot for his client if they cannot agree fresh terms with Bayern.

While Vincent Kompany’s side are attempting to restructure Sane’s initial contract offer to better suit the German, there remains a strong possibility that he chooses a move to London, especially considering his family currently reside in the English capital.

One Tottenham Hotspur star is attracting very serious interest from a Premier League rival, who are also set to open talks over his signing “in the coming weeks”.

Tottenham face Bodo/Glimt in crunch Europa League semi-final

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou’s sole focus right now is on the club’s potentially fruitful Europa League campaign.

Manager who's open to joining Tottenham has now turned down new contract

He’s becoming a more solid contender to replace Ange Postecoglou.

2 ByEmilio Galantini May 8, 2025

The north Londoners travel to Bodo/Glimt knowing they’re just 90 minutes away from their first European final since Mauricio Pochettino took them to the brink of Champions League glory in 2019, and if they avoid an embarrassing defeat against the Norwegian minnows, Spurs’ spot will be confirmed.

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Winning the Europa League would be a perfect end to an otherwise dismal campaign for Postecoglou, who has led the Lilywhites to 19 Premier League defeats as Tottenham languish 16th in the table.

Not only would it mean lifting their first piece of major silverware since 2008, but Spurs also have a golden opportunity to book a place in next season’s Champions League draw, so quite a lot is on the line tonight as Postecoglou seeks to rescue the season in dramatic fashion.

“I think the fact it is a semi-final and such a big game irrespective it is always going to be a bit tight and tense throughout the whole game,” said Postecoglou on the challenge of Bodo/Glimt.

“I think it is just the nature of the competition you’re in and being in a semi-final, whether it was at our place first or at our place second, it would have been the same kind of scenario of two teams who know there is a big prize at the end of getting to a final. Yeah, we’ll have to perform.”

Everton set to open talks for Richarlison

Their success in the competition may also determine Tottenham’s transfer plans for the summer, with recent reports suggesting they’re set for a ‘sell to buy’ summer window as things stand (The Telegraph).

One of the men who could be sacrificed to make room for new signings is £60 million striker Richarlison, who hasn’t featured as often as he would’ve liked this term due to a 24/25 campaign blighted by injuries.

The Brazil forward also faces losing his spot in the national team, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, who also told The Boot Room that Everton are set to open talks for Richarlison “in the coming weeks”.

The Merseysiders could offer Tottenham’s “underrated” attacker a route out in pursuit of more minutes, and it is believed Richarlison views the brand-new Everton Stadium as an ideal landing spot.

“I’m told that he has been made aware that he needs to be playing next season,” said Bailey.

“Brazil have a host of options competing with him – Real Madrid’s Endrick but also a host of Premier League rivals – Joao Pedro, Rodrigo Muniz and Evanilson – and they will all be starting for their respective clubs.

“Richarlison needs to be playing, he knows this and that is just why Everton are in such a strong position. They can offer him that chance of first-team football.

“Everton want him back, as we revealed earlier this year, and I believe there is confidence from their side, but also a belief from Richarlison and Spurs’ end that this is likely the best option.

“As it stands a permanent deal will be tough, but that is what the talks in the coming weeks will be aimed to work out.”

Richarlison is also believed to be attracting interest from Brazilian Serie A sides, and it will be intriguing to see where his future lies.

The 27-year-old has been a real mixed bag since making the move to London, enduring spells of bad form and unavailability whilst also going through real purple patches, like the one midway through 2023/2024, when he was seemingly scoring goals for fun.

Manchester United just about managed to salvage a share of the points away at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday as Rasmus Hojlund broke free of his wretched luck in front of goal in the Premier League to rescue a 1-1 draw.

The Cherries were hanging onto their 1-0 slim lead after Evanilson saw red on the 70th minute mark and must have thought United’s wastefulness in attack was going to be their saving grace, only for the usually misfiring Dane to level the game right at the death.

Whilst the 22-year-old was the unlikely hero come the full-time whistle, a draw might still be deemed as an unsatisfactory result based on the away side’s lack of composure up top ,robbing them of a much-needed victory.

Man United's wasteful attackers vs Bournemouth

In total, Ruben Amorim’s men would notch up a hefty 25 shots on the Cherries’ goal, with Hojlund’s effort amazingly the only one that ended up beating the consistently switched-on Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Away from accumulating a stunning seven key passes to try and set up his teammates for opportunities, Bruno Fernandes will feel irked that he didn’t manage to beat Kepa like his Danish teammate, with three efforts unfortunately passing him by on the South Coast.

Likewise, Hojlund will feel somewhat annoyed that he couldn’t pick up a whole host of strikes, with the goal-shy number 9 failing to get involved in the contest for large portions of the 90 minutes, leading to his only effort on the day being the golden one that trickled in.

But, there was a far worse culprit than both of these attackers when it came to squandering chances against Andoni Iraola’s open hosts, with Amorim now clamouring for Wolverhampton Wanderers superstar Matheus Cunha’s signature even more so off the back of this underperformer lacking a clinical edge.

5/10 Man Utd could soon be replaced by Cunha

Whilst United’s wastefulness reared its ugly head once more during the 1-1 draw, Cunha showed off his spellbinding ability in attack again for Wolves at the weekend, with the ex-Atletico Madrid ace picking up a goal and two assists in his side’s convincing 3-0 takedown of Leicester City.

With it reported that the Brazilian could be on his way to Old Trafford, Fernandes would likely not be sacrificed for Cunha to take up a first-team spot.

As a result, his comrade in the attacking positions in Alejandro Garnacho could be the casualty, with his showing against Bournemouth leaving a lot to be desired.

As is outlined above, Garnacho is now up to a dire 14 big chances missed this season, with his game in the forward areas against Iraola’s men screaming of an attacker low on confidence when the heat is ramped up.

The South American forward ended the game having been handed a low 5/10 rating post-match by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst and it was unsurprising to see why.

He fired a mammoth eight shots at the Cherries net without ever beating Kepa, meaning his goal count for the season in the Premier League is stuck at a paltry five. Furthermore, he won just four of his seven duels and gave away the ball 13 times, once every 3.7 touches.

Games played

33

29

Goals scored

5

15

Assists

1

6

Expected goals (xG)

7.02 xG

7.86 xG

Goalscoring frequency

411 mins

156 mins

Big chances missed

14

2

Big chances created

3

12

Whereas, moving back to Molineux, Cunha finds himself on a mightily impressive 21 goal contributions for the campaign from 29 clashes, with Amorim well aware that the Brazilian’s arrival onto the scene would see Garnacho instantly drop out of the XI.

It remains to be seen whether United can win their desired man away from rampant speculation, but if they are successful in their pursuit, he could be one piece of the jigsaw that enables Amorim’s Red Devils to recapture their former glories.

He'd be incredible with Cunha: Man Utd are in talks to sign a "monster" CM

Manchester United could land a star who would be perfect for Matheu Cunha this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 25, 2025

Arsenal are preparing for a first Champions League semi-final since 2009 after defeating defending European champions Real Madrid.

The Gunners were 3-0 up from the first leg thanks to Declan Rice’s double and Mikel Merino’s strike, and sensationally won 2-1 at the Bernabeu after a late winner from Gabriel Martinelli.

Their reward is a tie against Paris Saint-Germain, with the winner heading to Munich to face either Barcelona or Inter.

The last week or so has seen Arsenal add to their prestigious list of memorable European nights, with their first-leg victory over Los Blancos arguably the greatest night the Emirates Stadium has ever seen.

With that in mind, here is a look at the best European matches in the club’s illustrious history.

What happened to the Arsenal team that beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu?

Arsenal will be looking to emulate these heroes from 2006.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 15, 2025 11 Roma 1-0 Arsenal (6-7 on penalties) 2008/09 Champions League, round of 16 second leg

After securing a 1-0 win at home, Arsenal went to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in 2009 hoping to finish the job without any major issues.

However, the Gunners fell behind pretty quickly, with Juan levelling the aggregate scoreline inside 10 minutes.

With no further goals on the night, a shootout was required, and despite Eduardo’s miss for the visitors, Manuel Almunia saved from Mirko Vucinic and Max Tonetto blazed over to send Arsene Wenger’s side through to the last eight.

10 Arsenal 2-0 Juventus 2005/06 Champions League, quarter-final first leg

Arsenal delivered one of their finest results in the Champions League when seeing off Juventus in the first leg of their quarter-final in 2006.

Buoyed by eliminating Real Madrid in the previous round, the home side went ahead through Cesc Fabregas, who slotted past Gianluigi Buffon just before the break.

Thierry Henry then scored against his former club to double Arsenal’s advantage and cap a magical night at Highbury, with the Old Lady held to a goalless draw in the second leg in Turin.

From Cole to Wilshere: The best 11 players to come out of Arsenal's academy

There have been plenty of stars to come out of Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy.

ByBen Browning Feb 14, 2025 9 Arsenal 3-0 Anderlecht 1969/70 Fairs Cup, final second leg

It feels strange to put a final so low on this list, but 55 years on, Arsenal’s victory against Anderlecht in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup to secure their first European trophy would be worth a mention in any case.

Down 3-1 from the first leg, Ray Kennedy’s consolation in Belgium would set up a superb comeback at Highbury.

Eddie Kelly got the ball rolling in north London, before two goals in two minutes from John Radford and Jon Sammels handed the Gunners the trophy.

Bertie Mee’s side would go on to win the league and cup double the following season.

8 Arsenal 1-0 Porto (4-2 on penalties) 2023/24 Champions League, round of 16 second leg

Arsenal had been out of the Champions League for six seasons before their long-awaited return in 2023/24, with their wait for a quarter-final stretching back to 2010.

So when they went 1-0 down late on against Porto in the first leg, history looked like repeating itself, with Arsenal’s last seven Champions League campaigns ending at the last-16 stage.

Leandro Trossard put Mikel Arteta’s side in front on the night, but there were no more goals on a tense night in north London.

Thankfully, the Gunners were faultless from the spot, with David Raya’s save from first-leg hero Galeno sparking wild celebrations at the Emirates.

7 Milan 0-2 Arsenal 2007/08 Champions League, round of 16 second leg

Arsenal were underdogs heading into their clash in the San Siro to face reigning European champions Milan, but came away with one of their best results on the road in Europe.

A goalless draw at the Emirates meant a score draw would be enough to send the Gunners through without the need for extra time, but if anything, it looked as though another 0-0 was on its way.

Six minutes from time, Cesc Fabregas picked the ball up in the centre of the field and unleashed a shot from 30 yards, which somehow found the corner to all but seal the result for Arsenal.

Emmanuel Adebayor scored late on to put the icing on the cake.

6 Inter 1-5 Arsenal 2003/04 Champions League, group stage

Rather incredibly, Arsenal’s heroics against Milan may not even be their greatest in the San Siro.

While their victory over Inter was only in the 2003/04 group stage, it probably trumps their win over the Rossoneri for the fact that a win was vital, and that the scoreline remains stunning to this day.

Arsenal had a horrendous start to their group campaign, earning one point from their first three matches, and required a win in Milan to stay alive.

That meant beating a team that had thumped them 3-0 at Highbury just two months earlier.

Fortunately, Thierry Henry was in red-hot form, and hit a brace to help smash an Inter side that fell apart in the second half, with Freddie Ljungberg, Edu and Robert Pires all getting in on the act before the final whistle as Arsenal smashed their opponents on their way to winning Group B.

5 Arsenal 1-0 Parma 1993/94 Cup Winners' Cup final

Arsenal’s most recent European trophy was secured 31 years ago, when an unfancied Gunners side saw off favourites Parma in the Cup Winners’ Cup final in Copenhagen.

George Graham’s side, who were also without the suspended Ian Wright, took a surprise lead through Alan Smith’s volley in the first half.

Parma’s stars, including Gianfranco Zola, Faustino Asprilla and Tomas Brolin, had plenty of chances either side of Smith’s effort, but the defence remained resolute to bring the trophy home.

4 Villarreal 0-0 Arsenal 2005/06 Champions League, semi-final second leg

Arsenal were 90 minutes away from their first Champions League final after a 1-0 success in Highbury’s final European game against Villarreal.

The surprise package in the Champions League that season, Villarreal were hoping to overturn their deficit to set up an all-Spanish affair in the Paris finale.

And just when Arsenal looked like seeing it out, the hosts were awarded a soft penalty in the final moments, with extra time now looking like a certainty.

But Jens Lehmann had other ideas, diving to his left to keep Juan Roman Riquelme’s spot-kick out and send the Gunners through.

3 Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona 2010/11 Champions League, round of 16 first leg

While this tie eventually ended in controversial defeat, the first leg of Arsenal and Barcelona’s last-16 tie in February 2011 can still give fans goosebumps.

Led by Pep Guardiola, tournament favourites Barca took the lead through David Villa’s first-half finish, only for a late Gunners comeback to send the visitors home defeated.

Robin van Persie levelled an absorbing tie after catching out Victor Valdes at his near post, before an incisive breakaway saw Samir Nasri find Andrey Arshavin free in the box to slam home the winner.

2 Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League, quarter-final first leg

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal came of age when they came up against the European champions at the Emirates Stadium, with a second-half blitz seemingly putting the tie beyond their opponents.

A close tie exploded into life in the second half when Declan Rice curved a superb free-kick around the Madrid wall to draw first blood, before repeating the trick with an arguably better strike just minutes later.

Makeshift striker Mikel Merino then rounded off a super move to give Arsenal a golden chance of defeating their fancied opponents and make the semis for the first time in 16 years – a chance they didn’t pass up.

9 of the greatest Arsenal free-kicks of all time

Declan Rice’s heroics against Real Madrid have got to be among the best.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 9, 2025

They are a competitive side that has continued to improve

Ian Chappell29-Jun-2024Afghanistan beating Australia and eventually reaching the semi-final of the T20 World Cup constituted a major upset but it wasn’t a surprise.Afghanistan is a competitive side that made their intentions clear in the 2010 Caribbean T20 World Cup. “We are not here to make up the numbers,” they said and then lived up to that lofty claim. Afghanistan has continued to improve and they are mentally strong.In addition to producing some world-class cricketers, Afghanistan continues to challenge the better teams. This is not always the case with minnows or even some Test-playing nations – take Bangladesh, for instance.Related

Afghanistan women request ICC to help set up a refugee team in Australia

Not just another piece of content, Afghanistan have been a headline-grabbing act

Dwayne Bravo: Afghanistan have everything a T20 team needs

India vs South Africa at the T20 World Cup final: all you need to know

For South Africa, and those who know what they know

Bangladesh have threatened improvement at times but they regularly fail at the big hurdles. You could never accuse Afghanistan of being overawed by their opponents.Australia has refused to play Afghanistan in the past because of their Taliban rules, especially regarding women, which would only add to the satisfaction of beating the former T20 World champions. It also doesn’t help that Australia has a reputation for succumbing against good spin bowling. This is an unwanted flaw that is quickly understood by opposing teams.Afghanistan then produced a magical win over Bangladesh, albeit clouded by controversy, to make the semi-final. The controversy concerned a player’s cramp and brought into focus the position of the coach, in this case former England player Jonathan Trott.A persistent concern of mine around the position of coach is that they can favour their own interests (retaining a coaching contract) over those of the team’s priorities. This appeared to be the case when team captain Rashid Khan made clear his displeasure with the Afghanistan player’s antics.The important thing was the result, as Afghanistan earned their semi-final spot.However, the integrity of the tournament was flawed from the moment it was decided India was playing the second semi-final in Guyana whether they finished first or second in their group. This blatant scheduling bias accommodated the morning start time of the second semi-final, which favoured Indian prime time television.This was further confirmation – if any was needed – that the bottom line is a major deciding factor among cricket’s administrators. Cricket’s financial integrity will continue to be a problem as long the imbalance remains, with India providing at least 70% of the finances.Afghanistan’s magical run came to a sudden halt when South Africa avoided their trademark World Cup semi-final meltdown by producing a bowling masterclass. They dismissed Afghanistan cheaply and then batted sensibly to enter the final.

Cricket’s financial integrity will continue to be a problem as long the imbalance remains, with India providing at least 70% of the finances

In the other semi-final India proved to be far too strong for England, as skipper Rohit Sharma led the team with a typically brave batting performance. The spin bowlers, with the revived Kuldeep Yadav displaying his vast improvement, then dismantled the England batting and India were safely into the final.The India versus South Africa final is a battle of two unbeaten sides and most importantly the best teams in this competition.The hope in a major tournament is that the final will feature the two best teams and they then provide a spectacle worthy of the occasion. South Africa have blatantly focused on T20 cricket lately, so they’ll claim this is vindication of that policy but they still have to overcome their bad habit of wilting in major World Cup matches.If that South African trait continues, India will win comfortably. Nevertheless South Africa maintain that this team is a different proposition and its captain, Aiden Markram, has already experienced World Cup success, albeit at the Under-19 level in 2014.India, on the other hand, has plenty of World Cup big-match experience and a captain in Rohit who has a pedigree of success. Both teams have well balanced pace attacks, but India’s spin bowling is superior.A lot will depend on the way South Africa reacts to the pressure of a final. In the compressed nature of T20, a mistake can be terminal and judging by South Africa’s previous World Cup history, India is the team most likely to be lifting the trophy.

The Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai Indians bowler talks about how he developed his craft to become a jack of all spin trades

Shashank Kishore01-Jul-20225:17

Kumar Kartikeya: ‘One big thing I’ve learnt is: when bowling, don’t go by the batter’s reputation’

“It was on April 1, 2013, that I left my home in Kanpur. That’s nine years, two months, and some days. I can’t wait to go home and give my parents a hug.”It’s as if Kumar Kartikeya has a counter in his head reminding him of his self-imposed exile: he vowed to go back home only “after becoming something in life”. It’s unlikely he will have imagined he would accomplish that goal as quickly as he has, though.”Whatever I expected, I’ve achieved somewhat,” he says. “I’ve not yet reached where I ultimately want to, but I’ve come to a certain point, where people recognise me now.”Related

• 'He hadn't eaten lunch for a year' – The sacrifices of Kumar Kartikeya Singh

• 'I couldn't take my eyes off Rohit Sharma' – Kumar Kartikeya Singh lives the IPL dream

• High-flying Kartikeya believes Madhya Pradesh have the ability to 'go all the way'

• Six stars from Madhya Pradesh's Ranji Trophy winning season

He made his first-class debut in 2018, bowling traditional left-arm spin, but it wasn’t until Mumbai Indians signed him midway through IPL 2022 and he switched to bowling left-arm wristspin with an array of variations, that his career hit another gear. In the four games he played in the tournament, Kartikeya’s confidence and skill, much of it self-taught, stood out.When he returned to Bhopal, where he lives, from the IPL, an airline official recognised him and gave him a ride home. It was a small validation of the notion that he had indeed become “something”.The IPL might have brought Kartikeya recognition, but the pinnacle of his career so far came last week in first-class cricket, when he scripted a fairy tale, bowling Madhya Pradesh to their maiden Ranji Trophy title with his left-arm spin. He ended up taking 32 wickets in the season, finishing in second place on the wicket-takers’ table.The red-ball success was massive because it proved he isn’t a one-trick pony.Kartikeya with his coach Sanjay Bharadwaj: “Where he stands for me, nobody else does. He is everything for me,” Kartikeya says•Sanjay BhardwajNext up on the agenda is a tour of England with his IPL franchise, where he will be pitched against top T20 club sides.But while his homecoming will have to wait, his family has been in his thoughts. In his hour of glory, as he lifted the Ranji Trophy, he missed his grandmother most.”My grandmother didn’t like my [father’s older brother] naming me Kartikeya,” he says. “She asked him if he knew who Kartikeya was. He said, ‘Yes, I know, he’s Lord Shiva’s son.’ She said, ‘Not that. Kartikeya always stayed far from his father. If you give him such a name, he’ll have the same characteristic.'”My grandmother kept telling that it was because of the name he gave me that my life turned out in such a way that I needed to be away from home.”She always wanted to watch me on TV. She did see me in a Ranji match but passed away last year.

****

Kartikeya’s dreams first took wing when he was a 16-year-old new to Delhi, under Sanjay Bhardwaj, the Dronacharya Award-winning cricket coach who runs the famous LB Shastri Cricket Club in the city. Bhardwaj was convinced of the boy’s talent after one net session. And when he learned about how Kartikeya travelled 80km a day to train, while holding down a day job as a mechanic at a tyre factory, he was struck by his dedication and offered to train him for free and to take care of his day-to-day needs.Imitation game: Kartikeya built up his repertoire of spin deliveries watching clips of the world’s top spinners on YouTube•BCCI”The first day I met him, he told me that whatever expenses I had, shoes, clothes, whatever is needed for your cricket, I will provide,” Kartikeya says. “I started weeping. Who does this in Delhi? He said, ‘Just think that I’m like your father.’ I got very emotional then. Since I had come to Delhi, everyone just wanted to take from me. ‘Give me this much and I’ll do this for you.’ He spoke only about giving. I felt so nice. Even now, where he stands for me, nobody else does. He is everything for me.I was not the only one – he did it for a lot of players. Some 70 players have played with him, of whom 30-35 have played the Ranji Trophy, 10-12 have played in the IPL, and a few have played for India, like Gautam Gambhir, Amit Mishra, Joginder Sharma. Among the women, Reema Malhotra. Whichever player he thought was hard-working and honest in his work, he helped them with everything he had.”When Kartikeya had put aside some savings from his cricket earnings, he wrote a cheque out to Bhardwaj – who refused to take it. “I had told him that whatever I earn throughout my life, I’ll give you 30%,” Kartikeya says. “When I first offered it to him, he didn’t accept it,” he says. Then I said, ‘Sir, there are many kids like me who come to you. This will help them.’ That is when he accepted the money.”It was Bhardwaj who impressed upon Kartikeya the need to be different to stand out. That drove his transition from left-arm orthodox to left-arm everything, especially in T20 cricket.”In the T20 game, if I bowl normal left-arm spin, there is a greater chance of being hit,” Kartikeya says. “But if I bowl deliveries that batsmen can’t read which way it’s turning, then it’s not so easy to hit.”He learned by spending hours and hours on YouTube, picking up the mechanics of the carrom ball from watching Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and developing his googly off what he saw Akila Dananjaya and Rashid Khan bowl. Likewise, Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa were the templates for his left-arm wristspin. The flipper was taught to him by former India and Madhya Pradesh bowler and one-time national selector Narendra Hirwani.Against Punjab, Kartikeya picked up six wickets in the second innings to see MP through to the knockouts of this year’s Ranji Trophy•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I studied their grips and fitted them to my action with the same grip,” he says, demonstrating. “I can bowl with the normal grip but that will be easy for batsmen to pick. So now I bowl left-arm spin, legspin, googlies, carrom balls, all with the same grip.”I have one thing, with regards to bowling – my mind is sharp. I can pick some things up very quickly.”After watching his role models intently, he put what he picked up into practice, bowling marathon sessions in the nets. “I’ve practised for this a lot. I mean, I over-practised,” he says. “When the IPL started, I had done six months of practice with legspin and carrom balls. I used to do single-wicket practice for three-four hours daily. I would bowl six variations in six balls and continue that for three-four hours.””I spoke to my coach also several times, because at the back of my mind I did have doubts that if I try these variations, it could spoil my left-arm spin. But he told me, ‘Left-arm spin is in your blood. You’ve been bowling it for ten years. If you bowl legspin for a couple of months, nothing will change. So if you think you can bowl it, do it.'”When he told me that, I felt more secure. Earlier when I used to practise this on the ground, several people told me not to do it, that my left-arm spin will get ruined. They said I was established in the Ranji Trophy team, and asked why I wanted to try this.”I kept all this to one side and kept the belief in myself that I can do it. I used to speak to my coach, and he told me that there’s nothing that I cannot do. If I decide to do something, I will do it. So whenever I thought it’s not happening, I would speak to him for ten minutes. It would give me a kick.”Kartikeya played four games for Mumbai Indians in the 2022 IPL, having made the side as a late addition after the season got underway•Mumbai IndiansKartikeya takes great joy in narrating his experiences, and he writes about them as well – in journals he keeps. Chances are, even this interview might find its way into an entry. “If I fumble, we can retake, right?” he asks with endearing earnestness, before talking about his writing habit.”If someone tells me something, I write it down in a diary. I have three-four diaries, and one of them is for noting down who has told me what. In one of them, I note down the good things people tell me – if there’s something motivational that I want to always remember. Then there is one diary in which I write down what happens in my life. Everything that has happened to me so far is written there.”I don’t write every day but at intervals.”Has he written about particular challenges he has overcome?”Of course,” he says, and gives the example of facing MP team-mate Venkatesh Iyer in their first meeting in the IPL.A few days before the game, Iyer ribbed him with, “Pray to God that I don’t play the match.” “I told him, ‘It’s fine,'” Kartikeya says, laughing. “‘I’ve got my planning done for you.’ He said he wouldn’t spare me, and I said, ‘We’ll see.'””I’ve always felt that on a good wicket, he can easily hit me. So I had it in my mind that I can’t let him smash me, and I need to bowl a delivery he wouldn’t understand. I bowled legspin to him. The first ball was a carrom ball and it went for four from the outer edge. Next ball, I bowled a googly and he hit me for six. Then I bowled a legspinner. He thought it would be a googly and he got a top edge and got caught.”So long, bro: Kartikeya celebrates the wicket of friend Venkatesh Iyer in the IPL•BCCIIyer and he get along well, Kartikeya says. “When I did well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali [domestic T20s] this year, he told me that I’m such a bowler that I can play at a higher level anytime, but I need to concentrate on my fitness and diet.” Iyer said that he needed to stop giving in to his sweet tooth if he wanted to play top-level cricket.”I don’t eat sweets now,” Kartikeya says. “When I go home now, I’ll tell my mother in advance that I can’t eat , because right now it’s more important that I play! As long as I’m playing I won’t eat sweets. Yes, it will be difficult to tell her, of course. But if she insists on making it, I’ll tell her to make it sugar-free.”Does his diary include entries about tongue-lashings endured from his MP coach Chandrakant Pandit? You bet.On the last day of their Ranji season opener against Gujarat, MP were defending just 196. Pandit thought Kartikeya had been overconfident and conveyed as much without mincing his words. Kartikeya took it in his stride but left the meeting saying, “Sir, don’t be tense. I will win this game for you. If I don’t, you can leave me out of the side.” He picked up 5 for 34 in his side’s 106-run win, which set the tone for their campaign.Kartikeya is clear he has miles to go before he can dream of resting on his laurels. Bhardwaj’s first message when he returned from his first IPL season was, “You have one blue jersey [Mumbai Indians] now. The main blue jersey [India] is still left. Don’t think you have achieved something big. This is just the start. You have a ladder, climb it. Always respect the game.”Recently a Bollywood film-maker approached Kartikeya with an offer to make a film about his life and career, much like the recent Pravin Tambe biopic. Kartikeya politely refused. “There is so much to achieve still,” he said. “Let’s see after I become ‘something’.”