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Few academies in England can claim to have produced future Premier League stars with such consistency as Southampton over the last decade. Arsenal have swooped for practically every Saints teenager to show half a season of decent form, whilst Liverpool are regular shoppers at the St. Mary’s market stall as well. Four Saints academy products have made the last two England squads and a further four have been called up at U21 level since the start of the season.

Many of those success stories stem back to two fateful days in 2005, when Southampton faced Ipswich Town in the final of the FA Youth Cup. Although the young Tractor Boys won the battle – two battles, actually – to win the title 3-2 on aggregate, it was Southampton’s runner-up cast that went onto much bigger and brighter things…

Those who made the top

From the Southampton players involved in both legs, three names inevitably stand out – Theo Walcott Adam Lallana and Gareth Bale. Ironically, the latter duo were excluded from both starting line-ups and had to settle for spots on the bench. Arsenal famously moved for Walcott as a 16-year-old, heralding a shock call-up to Sven Goran Eriksson’s 2006 World Cup squad, and his career since has weaved between relative success with the Gunners and struggling to meet the expectations placed on him as a youngster.

Lallana, meanwhile, helped Southampton charge from League One to the Premier League before earning a big-money move to Liverpool, where he has since established himself as not only a key player for the Reds but also the England national team. Bale, of course, became the most expensive player in the world when he left Tottenham for Real Madrid in summer 2013. He’s since won two Champions League titles.

Those who came close

While they may not have matched Walcott, Lallana and Bale in forging careers at the very top of the game, former youth team-mates Nathan Dyer, Leon Best, Martin Cranie and David McGoldrick have made names for themselves at a decent level. In fact, Dyer boasts one achievement that has thus far evaded the former trio in the Premier League title, being part of the Leicester squad that lifted it in 2015/16 after signing on loan from Swansea.

Best and McGoldrick, on the other hand, have spent most of their careers in the Championship – McGoldrick ironically enjoying the best form of his career for FA Youth Cup final foes Ipswich. Best now plies his trade with the Tractor Boys as well, but is yet to score since signing in August. Cranie, meanwhile, is a classic Football League journeyman, spending spells at Yeovil, Portsmouth, QPR, Charlton Athletic, Coventry, Barnsley and current employers Huddersfield.

Those who went abroad

Having failed to make names for themselves at Southampton, goalkeeper Andy McNeil, substitute Feleciano Condesso, defender Sebastian Wallis-Taylor and midfielder Tim Sparv all sought opportunities abroad. The glovesman returned to his native Scotland to test his luck north of the border, representing most notably Hibernian, Montrose and Livingston before undergoing a short spell in New Zealand with the excellently named Waibop United. He moved back to Scotland after just 15 league games and left Morton in January this year to undertake a coaching role at Guangzhou R&F.

Sparv headed back to Scandinavia with Halmstad and is now at FC Midtyjland – scoring against Southampton and beating Manchester United in the Europa League in 2015. Wallis-Taylor was last heard of in France, captaining Ca Lisieux after moving there in 2009, but details of his career since are hazy. Condesso daringly ventured to the exotic destination of Villarreal, but struggled to make the grade there as well and eventually disappeared into the depths of lower league Portuguese football.

Those who faded away

Whilst Lloyd James went on to enjoy much more success than team-mate Kyle Critchell, both of their careers have headed in the same direction since leaving Southampton – downwards. Whereas James went on to make 85 appearances for Saints at senior level, albeit 30 coming during his final season in League One, Critchell didn’t make a single first-team outing.

He dropped down to League One with Chesterfield in 2007 but after just ten games slid further down the English pyramid, this time joining Weymouth in the Conference Premier. He’s since undergone three more spells with Weymouth, but spent last term with Portland United in the Wessex League. James, on the other hand, has spent his career in League One and League Two, and signed for Exeter City last summer after being released from Leyton Orient.

Those who disappeared off the face of the earth

It’s difficult to get accurate information on what has happened to Sean Rudd and Craig Richards despite both starting for Southampton against Ipswich. Rudd and Richards were both huge characters within Southampton’s youth squad but struggled to make the step up to senior level and after unsuccessful trials with lesser sides, the latter was forced to retire through injury. Richards made a shock move to New Zealand in 2006, going on to represent Sailsbury United and Dandenong Thunder, but has since returned to England, turning out for Brackley Town and Winchester City.

With all the talk of goals and free-flowing football, and Sky Sports’ cringe-inducing ‘Red Monday’ coverage, many had a sneaking suspicion Liverpool vs. Manchester United would be a damp squib. And that was indeed the case, as Jose Mourinho’s men nullified Jurgen Klopp’s flying Reds with a backs-to-the-wall performance reminiscent of when his Chelsea team killed the Merseysiders’ title hopes in 2013/14.

The 90 minutes at Anfield would not have been appreciated by lovers of goals, while tactical purists may have also found little to keep them going as Man United stuck resolutely to a back six when out of possession, with a further two holding midfielders in front, and played purely for the point – which, to their credit, they got.

However, result aside, it was a bleak night for the travelling fans (and those watching from further afield) and we at Football FanCast think there are some worrying trends emerging in the Red Devils’ camp. With that in mind, here are FIVE…

Admission from Mou that his team’s not up to scratch

To travel to your biggest rivals and set up with eight men behind the ball is essentially an admission that your team cannot compete in a straight-up football match. For all the lauding and claims of the 90 minutes at Anfield being the latest ‘Mourinho masterclass’, many fans would have been frustrated to see the negative play on show and the sheer lack of willingness to even entertain attacking the Liverpool goal after a 20 minute flurry at the start of the game.

Indeed, the bulk of Man United’s shots were from distance, with the fear of losing the ball and being counter-attacked by their opponents clearly on their mind – surely a direct result of their manager’s pre-match messages and tactical approach to the game.

How long until key players become frustrated?

To send the world’s most expensive player out onto the pitch with the basic instruction of ‘run around a bit’ is disappointing to say the least. Man United’s formation was essentially eight men behind the ball when out of possession with Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic tasked with attempting to disrupt Liverpool’s backline. The Frenchman must be questioning what is going on, with the 23-year-old either shunted out of position to accommodate others or tasked with doing the hard yards rather than using his natural talent.

De Gea still the key man

Man United defended well as a team, but had it not been for two quality saves from David de Gea, their efforts would have been in vain. The Spaniard’s stop from Philippe Coutinho’s drive from distance may have made for better video footage, but it was his keeping out of Emre Can’s left-footed shot from inside the area that was key. The German’s effort came through a crowd of players and took a slight deflection, making the way the stopper got down low to keep it out truly special.

For all the money thrown at this Man United XI, to have the goalkeeper continue being the key man is a cause for concern.

Still some way off the pace

A loss would really have put Man United’s position in the ‘title race’ in jeopardy as Liverpool would have moved six points clear of them, but even a draw has done little for their cause. Indeed, the Red Devils trail leaders Man City and Arsenal by five points and sit seventh, below Everton, and have the likes of Southampton gaining on them. Monday night was an opportunity to haul themselves back into the running after rivals slipped up across the weekend, which makes the lack of ambition all the more concerning.

Tough run of fixtures

Man United face Fenerbahce (H), Chelsea, (A) and Manchester City (H) in their next three games over the coming week. Granted, only the middle match will have an impact on their league position, but Mourinho’s men desperately need momentum. Playing tough Turkish opponents and hosting their bitter local rivals in the cup will not be welcomed with open arms by the Manchester giants.

Chelsea are reportedly ready to sell Romelu Lukaku for £37m as Roma look to raise funds in order to purchase the Belgian star.

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Chelsea keen to offload Lukaku in JanuaryLukaku hoping to stay back in RomaRoma must qualify for Europe to complete dealWHAT HAPPENED?

According to Chelsea are aiming to part ways with Lukaku in the next summer transfer window with Roma keen on turning his loan move permanent. Despite Lukaku's outstanding performance in the recent matches, which has seen him score nine goals in 14 games and four goals for Belgium against Azerbaijan in the Euro 2024 qualifier, Chelsea remain undeterred in their decision to sell and have slapped a £37million price tag for the 30-year-old striker. To make the move happen, though, Lukaku needs to agree to a significant pay cut. He is currently the Blues' top earner, despite their transfer activity in recent times.

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Roma manager Jose Mourinho supports a permanent move, but uncertainties remain around his stay at the club as several Saudi Arabia clubs reportedly want to lure him to the Middle East at the end of his current contract in Roma after they failed to get him last summer despite offering a £104m-a-year contract. Antonio Conte has reportedly emerged as a potential replacement who shares a strong bond with Lukaku from their Inter days.

DID YOU KNOW?

However, Roma's qualification for Europe and a potential sale of Tammy Abraham could impact the deal as Roma are looking for funds to complete the transfer. The English striker is nursing a long-term knee injury and might be sold off if he fails to score goals to make room for Lukaku.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ROMELU LUKAKU?

Juventus, who were previously interested, might reenter the competition, while AC Milan are also monitoring the situation. Nonetheless, Lukaku, who continues to be Chelsea's highest-paid player, might need to reduce his £325,000-a-week wages to half of the amount for a Serie A move.

The young Gunners striker has taken France by storm this season to sit top of the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts – but what does his future hold?

When Folarin Balogun opted to leave Arsenal and join Reims on loan last summer, he was sent on his way with an instruction from Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners boss, however, didn’t overload the young striker with anything tactical or set him any targets to aim for during his season on loan in France. It was all far more simple than that.

“Mikel just wanted me to develop as a man,” Balogun said. “I’m starting to learn what he meant by that. I think by the time I go back I’ll be in a better place to compete than I was before I left.”

Given what Balogun is achieving in France this season, there is no doubt he will return to Arsenal in the summer far better placed to push for a spot in Arteta’s first-team squad.

The 21-year-old has 14 goals from 18 starts for Reims and currently tops the scoring charts in Ligue 1. He’s one goal ahead of Kylian Mbappe and two clear of his former Arsenal team-mate Alexandre Lacazette, who is now back at Lyon. Lionel Messi, meanwhile, is four goals behind the England Under-21 international.

Balogun has taken France by storm, with his heroics over the past fortnight catapulting him into the headlines on both sides of the channel.

First, he scored an injury-time equaliser at Paris Saint-Germain to stun Parc des Princes and earn Reims a deserved 1-1 draw. He then helped himself to a hat-trick a few days later as Lorient were swept aside in style.

Balogun’s impressive form this season means Arsenal will have a big decision to make when it comes to his future in the summer. Do they keep him around or is this the perfect time to cash in, given his stock might never be as high again?

GOAL takes a look at all the options…

• Keep

  After enjoying such a breakthrough year in France, the worst thing that could happen for Balogun next season would be to return to north London and spend the majority of the campaign sitting on the bench.

  But with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in front of him, that is probably what would happen should he stick around and be part of Arteta’s squad.

  There would be opportunities for him, but you would expect they would be few and far between, especially as Arsenal look well set to secure Champions League football next season.

  So this does not feel like the best option when it comes to managing Balogun’s ongoing development. He’s had his first proper taste in senior football of playing week in, week out, and he will not want to go back to just getting the odd minute here and there off the substitutes' bench.

  That scenario will not really suit anyone. It certainly won’t benefit Balogun and it won’t really benefit Arsenal either. It might give them another body in the squad, but Balogun’s value would plummet should he spend the season without having any regular playing time. 

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  Loan

  This would certainly be an appealing option.

  Balogun has had two decent loan spells so far. His stint at Middlesbrough during the second half of last season may not have been spectacular, but it taught him a lot about what to expect from senior football. He’s clearly taken a lot from that experience into his time with Reims and has taken his game to another level.

  It feels like the next step for Balogun in his development could potentially be to spend a season on loan with a Premier League club. That would be a major step up from Ligue 1 and would allow Arsenal to have a prolonged look at how the young striker deals with the demands of the English top flight.

  The big issue with this option, however, is that Balogun would really need to agree to a contract extension at Arsenal before they send him out on loan again.

  With his current deal due to expire in the summer of 2025, it makes little sense to send him out on loan next season if he has not agreed to extend his stay with the Gunners first.

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  Sell

  This would be a difficult decision, given Balogun’s undoubted potential and the fact that he has come through the academy. But Arsenal need to get better at selling players when their stock is at their highest.

  The north London club have struggled for years to bring in good money from their unwanted or under-used squad members, with a couple of notable exceptions.

  One of those exceptions was Joe Willock, who the Gunners sold to Newcastle for £25 million following his exceptional loan spell at St James’ Park during the second half of the 2020-21 season.

  Arteta was a fan of Willock, but he and the club decided that £25m ($33m) was an offer they couldn’t really turn down for a player who was far from guaranteed to become a regular at Arsenal.

  It’s a similar scenario when it comes to Balogun. There is clearly lots of potential there, but should a big-money offer arrive on the back of his impressive exploits with Reims, it would be very tempting for the Gunners to cash in.

  They know they have to start bringing in revenue from transfer fees and there are few players in the squad as sellable as Balogun right now.

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  The verdict

  There’s no doubt Arsenal have a dilemma on their hands when it comes to Balogun.

  Of the options available to them, the worst one they could take would be to keep him around for next season and not play him. That will do him no good whatsoever and would only see his market value plummet.

  It feels like the best possible scenario would be for the striker to agree to a new long-term contract and then head out on loan again, but this time to a Premier League club. He’s had experience in the Championship and also a season in one of Europe’s top leagues, but a year in the Premier League will be the acid test.

  It will show Arsenal a lot in terms of his ability to perform at the very top level and would give Balogun the opportunity to develop in the world’s toughest league.

  But for that to happen he would need to extend his contract first before going out.

  Should he decide not to do that, then the best option for Arsenal this summer would be to cash in when he still has two years of his deal remaining and take advantage of the sensational season he has been enjoying in France.

Dead-ball specialists are an important part of the modern game, with Goal having uncovered the cream of that particular crop over the past decade

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  =10. Philippe Coutinho

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Inter, Liverpool and Barcelona.

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  =10. Christian Fuchs

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Bochum, Mainz, Schalke and Leicester.

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  =10. Wayne Rooney

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Manchester United and Everton.

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  =10. Aleksandar Kolarov

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Lazio, Manchester City and Roma.

Luke Procter’s career-best 137 cemented Lancashire’s command of their match against Hampshire, while Haseeb Hameed gave a study in concentration until just before lunch

Paul Edwards at Old Trafford09-May-2016
ScorecardAlviro Petersen was able to play with freedom after Lancashire’s solid start•Getty ImagesOld Trafford on a blissful Monday morning in May. The leaves on the trees girdling the red-brick Town Hall are green with all the delicate effrontery of an English spring.Inside the ground, a medium-pace bowler runs up to the wicket and delivers a ball which passes perhaps nine inches outside off stump. The willow-thin batsman lets the ball complete its journey while holding his bat extravagantly high, as if excluding the merest possibility of outrageous accident. The bowler shrugs, turns and walks back to his mark while the batsman plays his leave again, as if something about the original execution displeased him. In the early stages of Ken Dodd’s marathon one-man shows he encourages his audience to chant: “Time matters not one jot.” One can rather imagine Haseeb Hameed nodding in fervent agreement.Certainly the cricket seemed held in gentle suspension when Lancashire’s Hameed was occupying the crease for nine minutes short of five hours in taking his score to 62 in the first session of this game. The pace quickened markedly after lunch as Alviro Petersen hit 13 fours in a pedigree 81 off 85 balls to extend Lancashire’s lead beyond 200 and reinforce their dominance. But Petersen is 17 years older than Hameed and has played exactly 200 more first-class matches. He is stronger, cricket-fitter and knows his game far better. At the moment Petersen has more of everything…except time.Comparisons between the two players were therefore of limited value and they threatened to deflect attention away from the career-best 137 made by Luke Procter on a day when Lancashire extended their first-innings lead to a colossal 347 before they were bowled out for 456. The home side’s late clatter of wickets was caused largely to a splendidly defiant spell from Tino Best, who took four wickets in 23 balls, finished with 5 for 90 and greeted every success with a lovely explosion of Barbadian joy.This was still far and away Lancashire’s day, though, not least because they claimed the important wicket of Jimmy Adams, caught at second slip by Karl Brown off James Anderson, in the hour before the close. They are playing very much like a team bubbling with self-belief and this is obvious in all their disciplines. Petersen built on Hameed’s work and Procter combined well with both his partners in century-plus stands.Hameed deserves credit for opening the Lancashire innings with impressive solidity and for the smooth grace with which he drove the ball through the covers. Although only 19 years old and with more than 15 cricketing summers before him, he bats as if every innings is precious. Hameed plays a minimum of 12 shots every over, six to the balls bowled and then at least one after each of those six, as if he is still searching for a shot so perfect that it defies experience or description. He leaves the ball as a matador might manoeuvre a bull, the bat a muleta before it becomes a sword.What Hameed needs to do is develop the ability to work the ball around in the manner of Procter who spent much of the morning pushing ones or twos and keeping things moving The stance of Lancashire’s No. 3 may remind one of an arthritic rent-collector trying to see under a door of a late payer but he knows his strengths and he is revelling in his new responsibilities.Indeed, it seemed that the many Lancashire supporters at Old Trafford would be greeting at least two centurions this run-soaked afternoon but it was not to be. Hameed pushed forward to Mason Crane’s penultimate ball before lunch and edged a good leg-spinner to James Vince at slip.Simon Barnes once wrote of cricket as a wonderful metaphor for death and one imagines that each of his dismissals is accompanied by a sense of mild bereavement for Hameed. At one stage it seemed nip and tuck whether, if Hameed was to score his first century for Lancashire, he would do so before the county completed the building of their new hotel But such frivolous speculations suddenly became as nothing. Hameed departed, smacking his bat against his pad in an abyss of disappointment. Lunch had become funeral meats and they will have tasted no sweeter to the young Prince of Farnworth than they did to his Danish counterpart.The cricket in the afternoon session only deepened the woe for Hampshire as 146 runs were piled on in 33 overs. And only a flint-souled Jesuit would have no sympathy for Hampshire at the moment. Deprived for varying lengths of time of Fidel Edwards, Gareth Berg and Chris Wood, they are trying to make do and mend until Sean Ervine and Reece Topley are fit to wear the colours again in around a fortnight or so. James Tomlinson must feel like one of the last Texians at the Alamo, albeit that Hameed currently lays the gentlest of sieges.

SLC has expressed dismay over the bid amount (USD 1.4 million) by Ten Sports for Sri Lanka’s home series against India

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jun-2015

Sri Lanka’s home series against India, which will include Kumar Sangakkara’s farewell Test, has fetched only $1.4 million in TV broadcast bids so far. SLC has expressed dismay at the bid amount, and has said it is re-negotiating with Ten Sports, who had made the only bid when the tender period closed last week. Other networks have also renewed their interest in the series since.Ordinarily, one Test with India is expected to be worth over $2 million in broadcast rights. As the series in August and September comprises of three Tests, the board found the bid to be exceedingly meagre, SLC chairman Sidath Wettimuny said.”I can’t tell you how disappointed I was with the quotation we got from Ten Sports,” he said. “We were all a bit surprised. So I’ve gone back to them and asked them to look at the figure again, and I’m expecting them to get back to me over the next two days. We have a working relationship with Ten Sports, but I told them that if nothing changes, we’ll have to look elsewhere.”SLC had hoped broadcasters such as Sony and Star would bid for the series, but although both had originally expressed interest, neither had entered a bid. Broadcasting budgets in India are said to have been drained after the IPL and World Cup, while Star is also preparing for a heavy home season. In addition, networks have been concerned about the possibility of rain interrupting the series, which will be played in Sri Lanka’s inter-monsoon season.However, Star has since suggested it could enter a bid after all. The company has made no firm commitments yet.Ten Sports currently holds the broadcast rights for international cricket in Sri Lanka, but as this series is surplus to what had been scheduled in the Future Tours Programme, SLC could sell these rights separately. The series was originally scheduled to be played in India, but the venues were switched as repayment for Sri Lanka’s impromptu ODI tour of India last October and November.The series schedule has not been finalised, but the latest draft has the first Test beginning on August 18, and the third Test finishing on September 7.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras quase conquistou os três pontos, mas o VAR polemizou no fim. Neste domingo, aos 40 minutos, o gol de Bruno Henrique, e o resultado contra o Internacional acabou empatado por 1 a 1, no Beira-Rio, pela 22ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Após a partida, o técnico Mano Menezes afirmou que o lance foi difícil de analisar e vê empate amargo fora de casa.

– A bola bate na mão do zagueiro do Internacional e raspa na mão do Willian. Isso não tem dúvida, está claro na imagem para nós. Ele marcou, depois da revisão, a bola do Willian. O Willian, antes da bola bater na mão dele, sofreu uma falta bem em frente à área. É muito complexo o lance, muito difícil. De maneira nenhuma foi voluntário o lance, e não é o lance de acabamento da jogada. Me parece que a regra nova fala que você não pode fazer um gol com a mão. Mas ao sofrer a falta e levar vantagem nisso não está escrito em lugar nenhum. É nítido que o Willian não tem intenção. A gente fica chateado porque há interceptações diferentes do VAR – disse antes de complementar.

– Nós assistimos todos os jogos, uma hora é uma coisa e outra hora outra. Ontem vimos lance de cartão vermelho que o VAR não chamou. Todos chegamos na conclusão que era lance de cartão vermelho. Isso decide um campeonato. Não pode decidir campeonato porque vai ser ruim para a nova ferramente que estamos implantando. O VAR não pode ter camisa, o VAR não pode ter pressão, o VAR não pode ter estádio. Tem que ter uma linha de conduta para que todos saibamos que tem que se comportar. Sabemos que não foi o caso dessa semana, ficou claro – completou.

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Mano Menezes também comentou sobre o resultado. O treinador ressaltou o domínio do Internacional na maior parte do jogo.

– Saímos com um gosto amargo. Poderíamos ter vencido, fizemos o gol para vencer. Os primeiros trinta minutos foi do Internacional, e em um jogo grande como esse precisamos jogar como na segunda parte. Aí poderíamos ter construído a vitória – afirmou.

O treinador ainda foi questionado sobre a possibilidade de título. Ele confirmou que não tem nada definido e que há muitos jogos pela sequência do Brasileiro.

– Eu vejo a rodada da seguinte forma, analisando friamente a questão técnica. Mantivemos a diferença para o líder jogando fora de casa e empatando. Se manteve a diferença. O líder jogando em sua casa e empatando, e nós fora de casa e empatando. A gente sabe que o campeonato é feito de rodadas como essa. Às vezes, o adversário pode aumentar a vantagem e você não deixa. Teremos muitas rodadas pela frente para tentar desmanchar essa diferença de pontos – concluiu.

O empate com o Inter acabou com a sequência de vitórias de Mano Menezes no comando do Palmeiras. O técnico, agora, tem cinco vitórias e uma igualdade. Mas está suspenso contra o Atlético-MG, no próximo domingo, por conta do terceiro cartão amarelo. Com o resultado, o Palmeiras perdeu a oportunidade de se aproximar do Flamengo e permanece na vice-liderança, com 46 somados.

تحدث سيد عبد الحفيظ مدير الكرة السابق بالنادي الأهلي، عن تغيير موعد إقامة مباراة المارد الأحمر أمام صن داونز، كما علق على طاقم تحكيم المواجهة.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع صن داونز، في الثالثة عصر غداً الأحد، في إطار منافسات ذهاب دور نصف نهائي دوري السوبر الإفريقي بجنوب إفريقيا.

وقال عبد الحفيظ خلال تصريحات على “قناة أبو ظبي” الرياضية: “تغيير موعد المباراة من السابعة إلى الثالثة (لخبطة) من القائمين على المسابقة، أمر ليس له تفسير، فريق يلعب كل مبارياته في توقيت معين ما عدا أمام الأهلي وفرق شمال إفريقيا سواء الترجي أو الوداد، لعبوا أمام بترو أتلتيكو الساعة 7 في نفس البطولة”.

وأضاف: “هذه بطولة جديدة وبالتأكيد تُفضل أن يشاهدها أكبر عدد، أي منطق أن تقام الساعة 3 ظهرًا، هذا من الناحية التسويقية خطأ، واستمرارًا (للخبطة في الاتحاد الإفريقي)، الكاف لو يريد أن يجعل المباريات الساعة الثانية ظهرًا أو في أي توقيت سيفعل ذلك”.

وعن طاقم التحكيم، أوضح: “أريد شخص واحد فقط من الاتحاد الإفريقي يقول لي لماذا تم اختيار هذا الحكم، عندما يتم اختيار شخص لمكان معين، يكون بناءً على الثقة، تخيل أن هذا الحكم أدار لقاء أو لقائين على مستوى دوري الأبطال في الأدوار التمهيدية لموسم 2021”.

طالع | الأهلي يواجه صن داونز في مهمة ثأرية بـ نصف نهائي دوري السوبر الإفريقي

وواصل: “من الممكن أن يكون حكماً جيداً، لكن الموسم الماضي لماذا لم يأخذ أي مباراة في دور ربع نهائي دوري الأبطال أو الكونفدرالية، هل يعطوه إدارة نصف نهائي دوري السوبر الإفريقي! أخشى من هذا القرار وأتمنى أن يخيب ظني”.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي الأهلي مع صن داونز مجدداً بجولة الإياب لدور قبل النهائي من دوري السوبر الإفريقي، يوم الأربعاء المقبل 1 نوفمبر، في القاهرة.

كاف أسند إدارة مباراة الأهلي وصن داونز في ذهاب دوري السوبر الإفريقي، إلي الحكم البنيني لويس ديجيندو.

Half-centuries from Charles Amini and Vani Morea revived a flagging Papua New Guinea innings to ensure they won their debut ODI in Townsville

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPapua New Guinea made a bright entrance to ODI cricket•ICC

Half-centuries from Charles Amini and Vani Morea revived a flagging Papua New Guinea innings to ensure they won their debut ODI in Townsville. They had been 76 for 5 in the 17th over against Hong Kong, who could not push their advantage any further and the target of 203 was achieved with 10 overs to spare.Amini was the aggressor and displayed a range of strokes, including a left-handed helicopter shot that skimmed to the long-on boundary and a controlled straight drive to reach his fifty off only 53 balls. Morea was happy to be circumspect at the other end, but he did hit belt a six off Nadeem Ahmed in the 37th over. Their partnership accounted for 91 runs and left a patchy start behind them. Papua New Guinea’s top order had been brisk, they had made 67 runs by the 13th over but had lost three wickets in the process. The wobble was furthered with seamer Irfan Ahmed picking up two wickets in two overs.Jamie Atkinson, the Hong Kong captain, might have envisioned a victory, especially after he had held the batting together with an 79-ball 59. His team had slumped around him to be 98 for 6 before No. 8 Aizaz Khan struck 42 off 62 balls and No. 9 Haseeb Amjad contributed 35 off 38 to help eat up as much of their full quota as possible. Amini, though, would not let them have that consolation as his 2 for 29 helped finish the tail off.”I’m over the moon, I’m speechless,” Amini said. “After Vani got out I told myself I have to pass the score. I’m proud of the achievement so far, that’s one out of two. We want to make it two out of two tomorrow.”PNG coach and former New Zealand offspinner Dipak Patel was delighted with his team’s effort. “I look back at some of the great victories I’ve been a part of and it brings back a lot of memories,” Patel said. “This is totally different as a coach as you have different emotions but I’m just so pleased for the guys. They’ve worked particularly hard over the last two or three months and we’ve changed a lot. At times they’ve sort of looked at me sideways asking me where I was coming from, but today they summed it up and it was a great team effort.”