All posts by h716a5.icu

Only two Mzansi Super League games have seen a bowling team close out a close game in the final over

Firdose Moonda19-Feb-2020The absence of proper pressure in South Africa’s domestic competitions is leaving bowlers ill-equipped to handle similar situations on the international stage, according to bowling coach Charl Langeveldt.Speaking three days after Mark Boucher assessed his bowlers’ skill levels as not being good enough following South Africa’s failure to defend totals in two out of the three T20 matches in the recently completed England series, Langeveldt said more practice at franchise level is essential for his young pack.ALSO READ: Hamstrung Bavuma out of first T20I”It was disappointing, especially with the scores we had. I thought we could have defended that but in saying that, not a lot of guys get into that position in domestic cricket,” Langeveldt said. “It’s a concern for me. It’s not good enough. In World Cups, you are going to get a lot of games like that. And if I look around the country, domestic cricket, the close games aren’t like it used to be.”The evidence from the Mzansi Super League (MSL), South Africa’s flagship T20 competition, supports Langeveldt’s claim. In 54 completed matches across two editions of the tournament, only three matches have reached their stage where the fielding team needed to defend fewer than 15 runs to win off the last over. On two occasions, they were successful, once in 2018 when Andrew Birch of the Tshwane Spartans ensured they beat the Paarl Rocks and then in 2019, when Sri Lanka’s Isuru Udana gave Paarl Rocks victory over the Cape Town Blitz. While Udana has been in action against India recently, Birch has never played for South Africa despite a strong domestic record.Instead, it is a new crop of quicks that Langeveldt has been tasked with moulding into death bowlers and the one he sees as best-placed to do the job is no longer in the squad. “A guy like [Sisanda] Magala, from seeing him in the nets, he is the most confident,” Langeveldt said. But uncapped Magala was dropped from the squad having spent the England series working to pass a fitness test that would see him debut. He has returned to his franchise, the Warriors, and was named in their team to play a domestic one-day cup match on Tuesday, which was rained off.Magala is due to continue working with South Africa’s fitness trainer to meet the team’s requirements and remains a candidate for the T20 World Cup but for now, Langeveldt is looking at Lungi Ngidi and Andile Phehlukwayo to do the job and the latter, specifically. “has gone a bit backwards.” Phehluwayo’s changes of pace used to be key to South Africa’s ability to contain but he has struggled with his consistency.One of the only ways to improve on that is repetition and Langeveldt is trying to emphasis that. “It’s training. The same way you train bowling length every day, with yorkers you have to train it,” he said. “It’s when to release the ball.”But even then, bowling in the nets is entirely different to pulling it off in a match, when eyes and expectation are on you and that is something Langeveldt can’t teach. “The big thing is to land it under pressure. You can execute it in the nets but it’s when you are in the game, you need to be able to,” he said. “It’s sometimes difficult to coach that to a guy because he needs to figure it out for himself, once he is out in the middle. You can give him the tools, it’s what he does with them.”Dale Steyn celebrates dismissing Jos Buttler•Getty ImagesWhile Langeveldt’s focus is on “mentally preparing” his bowlers, he also hopes the inclusion of experienced players like Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada will bring belief into group. Rabada was rested for the white-ball games against England, after being suspended from the final Test, and spent his time at NBA All-Star game in Chicago. He arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday, “refreshed and ready to get straight back to work,” which is exactly what Langeveldt hoped would happen.”Renewed focus is a good thing. As 24-year-old playing for your country all the time, you’re always under pressure,” Langeveldt said. “He was our leading bowler for a couple of years and probably still is so hopefully he brings that energy back.”One thing that is certain is that Rabada will bring intent, especially against Australia. His most recent history with them involved a shoulder-brush with Steve Smith which almost saw him banned for a match in the 2018 Tests series but he successfully appealed the charge. He has since earned a further demerit point for an aggressive send-off which included screaming at Joe Root and entering his space during the Port Elizabeth Test and has promised to contain his passions for the good of the team in future.But Langeveldt hopes not too much. “KG will always bring that competitiveness. He is competitive by nature. He wants to take wickets and we will definitely use our bumpers,” Langeveldt warned. “But he also needs to control the aggression. Be controlled with your lines, lengths and your bouncer.”

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has been suspended and fined by CONMEBOL and Copa America after his halftime antics earlier this week.

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Argentina boss Scaloni suspended and finedCopa America crack-down on halftime anticsPeru suffer same fateWHAT HAPPENED?

Argentina's failure to comply with CONMEBOL rules regarding re-entering the pitch in a timely manner after halftime has seen them hit with a hammer blow. Manager Scaloni has been fined and suspended for their final group stage match against Peru Saturday evening.

La Albiceleste were warned by Copa America officials after their first offense in their opening match against Canada, but after they followed-suit with a delay once again against Chile on Tuesday, CONMEBOL put their foot down.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Canada's Jesse Marsch delivered a damning statement following their loss to La Albiceleste, calling for consequences for their actions that he claims handed Argentina a seemingly unfair advantage.

“When they were waiting, I knew that they were looking at video and they were analyzing how they wanted to play against us,” Marsch said. “Now, I wish again the referees would manage that. If we were five minutes late, we’d get a fine. There’d be a big problem. Let’s see what happens with Argentina. I think they have to be fined.”

Marsch added: "They had that time to prepare how they wanted to play against us in the second half, which if we would have known ahead of time that we could have an extra 10 minutes then we could have prepared some things more. Argentina should be fined. They should be fined for coming out 20 minutes late for the second half.”

CONMEBOL themselves took the criticism seriously it seems, and now La Albiceleste will face the consequences. Their opponent Saturday, Peru, will too suffer the same fate. La Blanquirroja manager Ricardo Gareca will also miss the match for the same double-offense.

WHAT ARGENTINA SAID

Assistant coach Walter Samuel, a former Argentina international himself, will take control of the squad at Hard Rock Stadium Saturday evening.

“Lionel is upset about this,” Samuel told reporters. “We consider ourselves to be staff with a lot of professionalism. We found out today. It was a blow. Sometimes you’re talking about a small detail. We weren’t trying to find an advantage. Now we have to focus on the next match and move forward.”

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARGENTINA?

Argentina will round-out their group stage Saturday evening against Peru. With both head coaches suspended, and the defending champions already through to the knockout round, it will be a highly-contested match as Peru look to pull off a shocking result.

Newcastle United are believed to be interested in signing a "very good" Premier League player who Roy Keane has praised for his ability to dictate games from midfield.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies are eyeing further business ahead of the summer transfer window, at which point Eddie Howe will understandably want to bolster his squad options.

One player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle is Arsenal attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, who could look to leave this summer after struggling for minutes at the Emirates this season. He is seen as an alternative to Aston Villa ace Jacob Ramsey, who the Magpies made an approach for in January.

The Magpies are also reportedly the front-runners to sign teenage Sunderland star Chris Rigg, seeing him as a hugely exciting long-term candidate who could develop into a special player over time.

Newcastle now winning the race to sign “wonderful” in-demand gem for Howe

This would be some coup…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 14, 2024

Howe could also look to improve his attack moving forward, not least because Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson struggle to stay fit for long periods, and Lille forward Jonathan David has been backed to seal a move to Newcastle at the end of the season.

Another attacking player who could move to St James' is Albert Gudmundsson, who is currently plying his trade at Genoa, scoring nine goals in Serie A this season.

Newcastle want James Garner

According to a new update from TEAMtalk, Newcastle are keen on signing Everton midfielder James Garner, being joined by a number of other Premier League clubs in showing an interest.

"Garner has emerged on the radar of Spurs and several other Premier League clubs, including Newcastle, after catching the eye at Goodison Park over the last 18 months."

Garner may not necessarily be the elite midfielder that some Newcastle fans crave this summer, but he could still be a shrewd addition, boosting Howe's squad depth and acting as a long-term addition who should only improve.

Appearances

23

Starts

22

Goals

1

Assists

1

Tackles per game

2.8

Clearances per game

1.5

Interceptions per game

1.4

The fact that the Englishman spent so many years at Manchester United as a youth team player says a lot about his potential – he also made seven appearances for the Red Devils' first team – and Roy Keane has lauded him in the past during a spell at Nottingham Forest, saying:

"He’s very good technically and he likes to dictate the play, sit a little bit more than Yates. Tough game for him today, but this game is good for those young players to experience playing top teams like Liverpool. It’s a great way to learn."

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Newcastle have an abundance of teenage talent in their squad that they could use to try turn their fortunes around.

ByZak Anderton Feb 15, 2024

Garner would add to the homegrown quota at Newcastle, which would be an added bonus, and Howe could feel that he could develop an exciting young player into an even more formidable figure as the years pass, ensuring he reaches his potential.

This afternoon, Manchester United will look to beat Fulham for the fifth time in a row.

Bruno Fernandes has been Erik ten Hag's hero in this fixture since the manager's arrival, scoring four goals in four games against Marco Silva's side.

The Red Devils' captain will lead his side tomorrow, but one player who will not feature at all is Luke Shaw, who is set to miss almost all of the season from this point on due to a leg injury.

With Tyrell Malacia still out injured – and with Sergio Reguilon having departed the club in January following his brief loan spell – United have no left back available in the squad, which may lead to the former Ajax boss being slightly creative with his back four.

The ways Man Utd could replace Luke Shaw

When Shaw was replaced at half-time against Aston Villa and moments before the break versus Luton Town, Ten Hag called upon Victor Lindelof to fill in at an unnatural left-back role.

As a right-footed centre-half who isn't blessed with speed, athleticism, or physicality, this has the potential to be taken advantage of by Fulham on Saturday, just like the Hatters did at the weekend.

During the second period, the Swedish defender was exposed both off the ball and on it, as highlighted by his 50% pass accuracy, zero duels won, and his yellow card for a rash challenge.

The passing aspect is a huge concern because Lindelof always looks to come inside on his right foot, which makes the team extremely vulnerable to the press.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, there is a player who has been dubbed "super talented" by journalist Julien Laurens who could come into the side and not only fix the left-back issue but also be an upgrade on Lindelof at the same time.

The reasons why Willy Kambwala should start v Fulham

19-year-old Willy Kambwala has already been handed some first-team action this season by Ten Hag, with the French defender making four appearances across all competitions.

The highly-rated gem is a centre-back by trade, but in his last two outings he has been subbed on as a right-back and quietly impressed despite going under the radar slightly.

In just eight minutes against Newport County in the FA Cup, Kambwala showed his excellent defensive ability, physicality, and dominance, making two clearances, one tackle, and winning five of his six duels, including all four of his aerial battles.

The United academy star has also already made his first Premier League start in the 2-0 away loss to West Ham United, but his showing was impressive for someone of his experience, and an away day to the Hammers is never an easy trip.

However, during that match, he did show another side of his game, which would make him suited to the right-back role this weekend, with his confidence on the ball standing out as well as his ball retention. The table below shows his key stats from that match.

Minutes

84

Passes completed

78

Pass accuracy

90%

Touches

95

Clearances

3

Kambwala's inclusion in the starting XI would see the usual right-back, Diogo Dalot, move to left-back, with the Portugal international having regularly lined up in that role under Ten Hag's watch.

In truth, neither Lindelof nor Kambwala are the answer to Ten Hag's Shaw dilemma in the long-term, but the young prospect is perhaps far more suited to lining up at full-back than the experienced Swede.

GOAL analyzes winners and losers from USMNT's disastrous loss to Panama in Copa America group stage

There's a scene in the sports movie "The Replacements" that seems fitting. It's a comedy about American football, yes, but this scene will perfectly encapsulate how the U.S. men's national team will be feeling after Thursday night's shocking 2-1 loss to Panama.

In the scene, Keanu Reeves' character talks about quicksand – not the literal kind, the metaphorical kind.

"You're playing and you think everything is going fine," he says during a heartfelt talk with his team. "Then one thing goes wrong. And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can't move, you can't breathe, because you're in over your head. Like quicksand."

That's precisely what Thursday night was for the USMNT: quicksand. Every mistake led to another. Every wrong was followed up by another one. And, in the end, as hard as they fought, there was no preventing the sinking, deeper and deeper.

It was a nightmare for the USMNT's own doing, and that's why it will hurt even more. This was all so … avoidable. The USMNT knew exactly what they were in for, exactly what they would face in terms of Panama's attack and physicality – and they messed it up anyway.

Tim Weah's early red card set the tone, and it wasn't the one the USMNT wanted. Weah will take most of the blame, but he wasn't the only one perpetrator; from top to bottom, the U.S. wasn't wily enough to navigate everything that happened after the red card. Individual mistakes, moments of rage, the inability to close out a game – it was all there, and it explains the dire circumstances in which the USMNT finds themselves in this tournament.

Now, they'll have to fight for their lives against Uruguay next Monday. It's still in their hands, of course, but this Copa America may have just slipped away on Thursday night in Atlanta. The USMNT isn't totally buried, but the push to get out of this metaphorical quicksand will only get harder.

GOAL examines the winners and losers of Thursday night's match.

Getty ImagesLOSER: Tim Weah

Inexcusable. There's no other way to look at it. Sometimes, red cards happen within the flow of the game, but this? As dumb as it gets.

Weah is a veteran so he'll know how big of a mistake this was. This also was totally out of character. Weah is normally the calming presence, the most relaxed guy in the room. He never loses his cool but, in this massive moment, he did.

"It's a shame because there was more in this game," Gregg Berhatler said, "and a silly decision by Timmy leaves us shorthanded."

Panama's only real hope in this game was to provoke a reaction from the U.S., and Weah reacted in the worst way imaginable. You simply can't swing your arms near an opponent's head. Intentional or unintentional, you put yourself at the mercy of the referee.

In this case, there was no doubt. Weah's movement looked more like a jab than a swing, leaving the referee with a relatively easy decision. Weah was off, leaving his teammates to suffer for his moment of madness.

Now, the whole tournament is at risk. This summer is a legacy-defining one for many of these USMNT stars, and that is now being threatened due to one swing of the arm.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWINNER: Folarin Balogun

There are no doubts anymore: Balogun is the guy. He was the USMNT's bright spot on Thursday but, unfortunately for him, he was let down in a big way.

Moments after Weah's red, Balogun stepped up and into the moment. In any situation, his rocket of a finish would be massive. Considering the state of the game, it felt tournament-defining. It was exactly the response the U.S. needed. Surely, they'd calm down a bit and bring order to the match.

Nope. Four minutes later, the USMNT gave it away. Balogun, though, didn't stop pushing. He hit the bar later in the match and threatened throughout with his pace. It wasn't to be for the USMNT, but Balogun couldn't have done much more.

They'll need him going forward, particularly given the challenges ahead. Balogun looks like a player for big moments after being one of the few to really embrace the challenge at hand on against Panama.

GettyLOSER: Ivan Barton

The goal of every match referee is to not be noticed but, by halftime, nearly everyone watching Thursday's match hadn't just noticed Barton, they knew him by name.

Barton has a reputation for being yellow-card-happy, but it was quite clear from the start that he was going to struggle to control this match. It all began when U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner was clattered early in the game. Barton opted not to show a card and, from there, it spiraled out of control.

Weah's red card is the winger's fault and his alone, but there's also something to be said about a referee ensuring that players don't reach that level of frustration with physicality. It was still so early, but the match was already getting ugly, and that's down to the referee.

"We talked beforehand about the tendencies of this referee," Berhalter said. "We knew what he's capable of and to be honest I think we played right into his hands."

It didn't get much better from there. Barton was inconsistent with his whistle and his cards, drawing the ire of the American crowd. By the end, the game turned into a brawl of sorts, with Panama earning several cards, headlined by a red card to Coco Carasquilla for a horrific tackle on Christian Pulisic.

"Toward the end, it got a bit silly," Balogun told FOX Sports postgame. "I mean, It’s obviously the referee’s job to manage the match. You can’t control that, but I didn’t think the way the game was finished was in a professional manner."

Overall, this wasn't the refereeing performance that this game needed. This was always going to be a CONCACAF cage match, and Barton simply wasn't equipped to handle it.

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GettyWINNER: Panama

Talk about executing a gameplan.

Panama knew exactly what it would take to win on Thursday. They were underdogs as they so often are against the USMNT. However, in recent years, this program has learned how to thrive in that role, having repeatedly lured the USMNT into their traps in big games.

They laid their trap early in this one, baiting Weah into his red. From that moment, they had the U.S. right where they wanted them. Up a man and with a bit more spring in their step, Panama knew they had a chance. They had to earn it, but their opportunity had arrived.

Ultimately, Panama seized it and, once they did, they made sure the USMNT couldn't wrestle it back. Did they make it ugly to seal the win? Yes. Did it borderline on dirty? A bit. Was it effective, though? Hell yeah.

Now, Panama will be the favorite to escape this group. A win over Bolivia would be enough to see them through. Few would have seen this coming outside of Panama but their ability to grind out this win has them on their way.

Admits guilt on four counts of anti-corruption code for trying to influence team members to fix matches

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2020The ICC has banned Oman player Yousuf Al Balushi from all cricket for seven years after he accepted four charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. The charges relate to attempting to influence team members to engage in corruption during the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier, played in the UAE.Balushi had been suspended last month for the same offence, and has now been formally slapped with the sanction after he “chose to admit the charges and agreed the sanction with the ICC in lieu of an Anti-Corruption Tribunal hearing,” an ICC release said.While Alex Marshall, the ICC’s general manager for Integrity, called Balushi’s offence “very serious”, he also revealed that the ban could have been “significantly longer” had Balushi not cooperated with the investigation and admitted his guilt.”This is a very serious offence where a player attempted but failed to get a team mate to engage in corrupt activity in high profile games and this is reflected in the severity of the sentence,” Marshall said in the ICC statement. “Without Mr Balushi’s admission of guilt and full cooperation throughout our investigation, the ban could have been significantly longer. The player has also indicated that he is willing to contribute to future integrity education programmes on our behalf to help younger players learn from his mistakes.”The ACU had charged Al Balushi for breaching its code on the following four counts:Article 2.1.1: Being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of matches in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019.Article 2.1.4: Attempting to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or intentionally facilitate a Participant to breach Article 2.1.Article 2.4.4: Failing to report the approaches or invitations that you received from three different individuals to be a party to an agreement or effort to fix matches in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019.Article 2.4.7: Obstructing or delaying an investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code, including by concealing or tampering with information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or lead to the discovery of evidence of Corrupt Conduct under the Code.The ICC’s investigation found that Balushi had been approached in August 2019 by someone he knew from playing in an unsanctioned Arabian Carnival League match in Bahrain. The individual, referred to as Mr X by the ICC, asked Balushi if they could “do some work together”, asking for Balushi’s help to fix matches in the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifiers.Subsequently, Mr X introduced Balushi to two other men (Mr Y and Mr Z) who told him he needed to get a particular Oman player on board. The fix would involve this player getting out for less than a pre-agreed amount of runs. To show that the fix was on, the player would have to use an orange or black coloured grip on his bat, and he would then have to act on a signal from Mr Y and Mr Z, who would be in the stands.Balushi messaged the player and put the offer to him, but the approach was immediately rejected and reported to the ICC’s anti-corruption unit. Balushi learned of the approach being reported, and on being told that the ACU would interview him and also look at his phone messages, he deleted the messages. Balushi did not report the approaches made to him and accepted he had deleted incriminating messages on his phone, which then led to the punishment.

It would be an understatement to say that Philippe Clement has made his mark since arriving at Rangers, with the club already winning the Scottish League Cup while level on points at the top of the Scottish Premiership and only behind on goals scored. And now, he is reportedly set to shake things up with a number of departures in the summer transfer window.

Rangers transfer news

Clement's first transfer window in Scotland last month could prove to make all the difference in the title race, with the likes of Fabio Silva, Mohamed Diomande and Oscar Cortes all coming in on loan. Cortes could reportedly turn his loan move permanent this summer.

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ByCharlie Smith Jan 4, 2025

It's not all good news on the transfer front, however, with Borna Barisic set to leave Rangers upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season alongside goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, who will also become a free agent. Meanwhile, Ridvan Yilmaz's future remains a constant doubt, which would leave the Gers without a left-back to call on altogether next season, as things stand.

Even if they begin the summer window as champions, those at Ibrox look set to content with a number of departures. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Kemar Roofe is another player expected to leave Rangers this summer following the Gers' decision not to offer the forward a new contract, allowing him to leave as a free agent alongside Barisic and McLaughlin.

The decision brings to an end an inconsistent spell in Scotland for Roofe, who struggled with injuries at times. What's more, the Scottish giants will be able to clear Roofe's reported salary of £26k per week off their wage bill, which makes him one of Rangers' highest earners. When the summer arrives, it certainly looks as though change is afoot at Ibrox, with a number of players reportedly set to depart.

"Important" Roofe needs Rangers exit

With just five starts to his name in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, Roofe may need to leave Ibrox if he is to gain consistent game time and rediscover his best form. His time at Rangers will be looked back on as inconsistent and that's mostly thanks to Roofe's injury record.

2021/22 – Knock

6

2021/22 – Knee injury

7

2021/22 – Knee injury

22

2022/23 – Knee injury

35

2023/24 – Unknown injury

11

Rangers fans have still seen glimpses of what the experienced forward can do, however, including under former manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Van Bronckhorst praised Roofe after he scored a winner on his comeback from injury against Aberdeen back in 2022, saying:

“Kemar is very important. In the last months he has struggled a little bit with some injuries but he is still working hard on the training ground to be ready.

“I gave him a compliment in the locker room because it is not easy, especially for the players who haven’t played a lot in recent weeks, to keep training hard and wait for your chance.

“His chance came against Aberdeen and he made the difference so I am really pleased for him. Not only for him but he represents the players who haven’t played a lot. In the coming weeks, when we will also play again in Europe, there are a lot of games to be played and we need to use everyone in that moment.”

He powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score with an unbeaten 93 as Brisbane Heat fell short by 34 runs

Tristan Lavalette11-Jan-2020A belligerent Mitchell Marsh powered Perth Scorchers to their highest BBL score and an important 34-run victory over Brisbane Heat at Perth Stadium.After electing to bat, the Scorchers captain took advantage of a batting paradise with an astounding 41-ball unbeaten 93 highlighted by eight sixes to energise the Scorchers faithful. Marsh, who notched his highest BBL score, dominated a 124-run partnership with Cameron Bancroft (41*) to lift the home side to a mighty 3 for 213.In reply, Tom Banton hit a rapid 55 but lacked support as the Scorchers easily won for just the fourth time from 12 attempts at Perth Stadium. It was their second straight victory over Heat in as many weeks.Pattinson struggles amid Scorchers flurryAustralian Test fast bowler James Pattinson had a tough BBL season debut when a pumped-up Josh Inglis cracked his first ball to the boundary in a sign of things to come. Pattinson’s struggles forced captain Chris Lynn to turn to in-form spinner Zahir Khan in the third over, but Inglis – who hit six boundaries in his first 12 deliveries – was unperturbed as he pounced on uncharacteristically loose bowling.Inglis looked unstoppable until he tamely chipped back to Josh Lalor. Inglis’ exit meant a return of Pattinson, but his horror start continued when Max Bryant dropped a sharp chance at backward point to reprieve Sam Whiteman in the fifth over.After a sedate start, Liam Livingstone found his groove and attacked Zahir in the sixth over to cap off an outstanding Powerplay for the Scorchers, where they amassed 63 runs.Ben Laughlin deceived Whiteman with a slower delivery as Heat dried the runs. But with big-hitters Livingstone and Marsh at the crease, Scorchers appeared well poised at 2 for 87 in ten overs.Marsh eviscerates HeatHeat clawed back when a frustrated Livingstone ungainly fell to a Zahir full toss, as the contest tightened in the middle overs. Scorchers failed to score a boundary for six overs with Marsh and Bancroft content on knocking the ball around on the wide expanses of Perth Stadium.Marsh ended the drought in the 14th over when he clubbed a Laughlin short delivery into the crowd to signal his intentions. He set his sights on a returning Pattinson in the 16th over with two sixes to further dent the big quick’s grim figures. He finished with figures of 0 for 52 from 4 overs.Bancroft joined the party with several lusty blows to expose Heat’s lack of bowling depth. Marsh was dropped by Banton on 54 and made them pay with an outrageous flick into the crowd off Lalor in the 19th over, followed by another six.Marsh then outdid himself with three successive sixes off Laughlin to complete the innings in style and ensure Scorchers easily beat their previous highest BBL score of 7 for 203.Heat lose wickets around aggressive BantonHeat needed a flyer and Banton got them rolling with a slew of boundaries off Scorchers’ fast bowlers. His most astounding shot was a premeditated ramp shot off Jhye Richardson in the fourth over to fuel hope. But his partner Bryant couldn’t get going and holed out moments later to bring Lynn to the crease.Marsh unsuccessfully tried Fawad Ahmed inside the Powerplay with the spinner leaking 19 runs, marked by a towering six from Lynn over long-off. The partnership menaced until Lynn holed out to a brilliant catch from a sliding Livingstone to put the onus on Banton.Straight after the Powerplay, Joel Paris, who replaced youngster Matthew Kelly in the team, claimed Matt Renshaw as Scorchers continued to chip away. Banton proved a thorn and brought up his half-century with a crunching straight drive off Marsh, but fell shortly after when he skied a return catch to Chris Jordan. His dismissal left Heat 4 for 89 at the halfway point with their faint hopes slipping away.Party time for ScorchersAfter his tough start, Ahmed bowled much better in the middle overs to shackle Heat, who did not score a boundary for five overs. Ben Cutting needed to hit top gear immediately but couldn’t get going.He had a reprieve in the 15th over when Cameron Green dropped a sitter and then smashed a six next ball. But Cutting’s luck ended when he hit straight to backward square leg to effectively end the contest.The back-end was party time for Scorchers on the disco themed night at Perth Stadium, as the Heat’s three-game winning streak ended.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone was sent off for his involvement in an altercation with Liverpool fans after his side fell to a 3-2 loss in the dying minutes of the Champions League clash. The Argentine admitted that his reaction was not justifiable, even though he claimed to have been on the receiving end of insults throughout the match at Anfield.

Simeone shown red card against Liverpool

Simeone was sent off in the penultimate minute of the game after an altercation with a group of Liverpool fans. Earlier, Virgil van Dijk had headed in from a corner to give Liverpool the lead against Atletico. Simeone was then seen protesting to the fourth official about insults he claimed to have received from the fans, and despite continuing his protests, he was eventually shown a red card.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSimeone reacts to Liverpool fans

Simeone however downplayed the incident in the post match interview saying he should have kept his cool and his actions weren't justified: "Let's start with my part. We're in a position where we don't have the right to react. It's not right when we react, because we're the protagonists."

He then spoke about the insults he received: "I'm not going to go into detail about the insults. But in the same way we fight against racism and insults directed at players, the benches are packed, and it's not easy to take insults all game. The third goal came, and besides the insults, there was a gesture, and I'm a person.

"From my perspective, I have to maintain my position, deal with everything that happens behind the bench, and until society can resolve it, any coach has to live with it because it happens all the time."

Liverpool get the job done after losing two-goal lead

Liverpool raced into a 2-0 lead through goals from Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah. Atletico, however, refused to give in and fought back with Marcos Llorente netting twice, including an 81st minute equaliser to make it 2-2. But Van Dijk struck deep into added time to restore Liverpool’s advantage and seal the win.

Simeone reacted to the narrow defeat saying that he was proud of the team after coming back from 2-0 down, saying: "The spirit was what we needed. There are a lot of new players adapting. We played on a difficult pitch, against a brave opponent, with a 2-0 lead at the start. It wasn't a good sign, but we were able to work, fight, and take the game to the limit. If we have to lose, let's lose like this."

Getty Images SportBack to La Liga action for Atletico

Simeone and Atletico will be back in action on Sunday as they travel to face 19th-placed Mallorca.

Brendan Rodgers wanted to bring a new striker to Celtic in the January transfer window, and he finally got his man on deadline day as the Hoops struck a loan deal for Norwich City frontman Adam Idah.

That agreement doesn't include an option to buy, so there's a possibility that Rodgers and his recruitment staff will have to revisit the position come the summer market.

Another number nine who's been on Celtic's radar is Brondby's Mathias Kvistgaarden. The Scottish Premiership side reportedly held talks with the Danish club over a move last month, having been impressed with his performances in the Superliga.

Celtic reignited Kvistgaarden interest in secret

Now, Football Scotland's Mark Hendry has revealed that Celtic made a secret new approach for Kvistgaarden "fairly late on in the January transfer window". While Brondby warned of their reluctance to sell, they did quote Celtic a price, but no official offer materialised.

Intriguingly, Hendry raises the possibility, on the basis of their ongoing interest, that Celtic will revisit a deal for Kvistgaarden in the off-season if they still have a vacancy. They may still be holding out hope that the 21-year-old will end up donning green and white.

It could be Idah vs Kvistgaarden this summer

Kvistgaarden finished the 2022/23 season in "crazy" form, to quote talent scout Jacek Kulig, as he notched ten direct goal contributions (six goals, four assists) in just five games, and he's carried that momentum into the current campaign with 12 involvements in 17 matches (five goals, seven assists).

Rodgers must unleash Celtic's "rapid" 5 ft 9 Maeda upgrade over Abada

The forward must be brought in from the start for the first time in his Hoops career.

ByDan Emery Feb 7, 2024

He ranks second in the league for assists, and fourth for goals and assists combined, but the key question for Celtic will be how he stacks up to Idah. While it's always difficult to compare players in two different leagues, Brondby (155th) aren't a million miles away from Idah's previous club Norwich (214th) in Opta's Global Power Rankings, and they'd played an almost identical number of minutes before the latter's move up north. As you can see, Idah was scoring at a higher rate, but wasn't a notable creative force.

Appearances

17

28

Starts

17

12

Minutes

1,317

1,279

Goals per 90

0.34

0.42

Assists per 90

0.34

0.07

Shots per 90

2.46

2.81

While Celtic may not have an explicit option to buy the Irishman, they've apparently been told that he's available for just over £3m this summer. If Kvistgaarden is significantly more expensive, there may be an argument for sticking with Idah, depending of course on how he performs over the next few months.