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Marcado para esta quarta-feira (17), o jogo entre Cuiabá e Vitória foi adiado. Na estreia, o Dourado levou quatro do Athletico na Arena, enquanto o Leão perdeu para o Palmeiras no Barradão.

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O adiamento

A partida foi adiada por conta do compromisso do Cuiabá contra o Vila Nova, pela Copa Verde. O jogo é válido pela semifinal da competição.

Nova data para Cuiabá x Vitória

Até o momento, ainda não há uma nova data para a partida. No fim de semana, o Vitória recebe o Bahia, no domingo (21), enquanto o Cuiabá encara o Grêmio, no sábado (21).

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BrasileirãoCuiabáVitória

Manchester United and Liverpool have both been linked with signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, but it is Ruben Amorim’s side who are in pole position ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo is one of the most impressive wide players in the Premier League currently, scoring six goals and registering three assists in the competition leading into the international break.

The 25-year-old is wanted by a host of top clubs, with United among those thought to be right in the mix to snap him up, potentially even in the January transfer window.

Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his current Bournemouth contract for a certain time period, with David Ornstein reporting the Cherries will effectively be powerless to stop a departure in early January.

Liverpool look to be the most interested out of United’s Premier League adversaries, as they look for an injection of attacking quality midway through the season, with the Reds believing Semenyo can be their next Sadio Mane.

Man Utd leading Liverpool in Semenyo race with player keen on move

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United are the front-runners to acquire Semenyo’s signature from Bournemouth in January, with INEOS seeing him as a top target for the Red Devils.

The report claims it’s “hard to believe Manchester United won’t secure the signing” due to their willingness to pay the release fee and Semenyo being interested in a move to Old Trafford.

They are ahead of Liverpool in the race, which will no doubt delight the supporters, with Amorim possibly eyeing a long-term replacement for Marcus Rashford, should he leave Old Trafford for good at the end of this season.

Semenyo feels like an ideal signing for United in the mould of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, in terms of players who have proven themselves in the Premier League and are ready to make the step-up to a bigger club.

The Ghanaian provides strong end product on a consistent basis, and has scored twice in three Premier League appearances against the Red Devils, while Pep Guardiola recently hailed his ability, calling him an “extraordinary” player.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was asked earlier this week about the situation, saying he isn’t worried about losing his star player in January.

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Despite this, it is easy to envisage Semenyo’s head being turned by a move to United, especially if they continue their recent improved form under Amorim, and he would be a fabulous addition to the attack.

Man Utd have their own version of Semenyo & he's Amorim's "best player"

Manchester United are fighting to climb up the Premier League table under Ruben Amorim, though they may now have an alternative ready to replace him at Old Trafford.

Man Utd given no excuses by Ruben Amorim

In a campaign where the Red Devils have shown both encouraging signs and vulnerability, it remains to be seen whether Amorim can guide his side to a steady run of results that can land them back in European competition next season.

Nevertheless, he pointed out before his side’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace that whether Manchester United are in continental action or not, winning is the only thing that matters to their supporters.

He said via The Mirror: “In our club it is the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time and we took a lot of criticism because we are not winning.

“So in our club there is no excuses. About Europe, I’ve already talked about Europe and I said the same thing last year when we were still in Europe, and I say the same thing this year, the advantage and disadvantage of being in Europe so there is no excuses. Last year or this year, it’s always to win games.”

Undoubtedly, signings will be necessary to get Manchester United back on that level, and Conor Gallagher could head to Old Trafford for just £26 million in 2026 as they search for a midfield anchor amid Casemiro’s contract getting closer to expiry.

Either way, INEOS appear to have already planned ahead should Manchester United require a change in the dugout, in news that may come as a surprise to many supporters.

Man Utd line up former Barcelona manager Xavi

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are seriously considering hiring Xavi to replace Amorim as his experience in managing difficult situations, tactical framework and commitment to develop young talent aligns with their vision at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur are also pursuing the 45-year-old and for both clubs, it is said that the ex-Barcelona boss will be spoken to if results fail to improve in either high-profile environment.

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Favouring a 4-3-3 formation, Xavi won the La Liga title at Spotify Camp Nou in 2022/23 and was subsequently hailed as “the best manager in the world” by Barca president Joan Laporta. Meanwhile, he has also enjoyed success in Qatar, winning seven domestic trophies at Al-Sadd.

Intriguingly, he is ready for a return to coaching after over a year out of the hot seat, and the revered tactician is set to have his fair share of interest from clubs courting his services over the coming months. Taking notice, it remains to be seen if Manchester United decide he is the man to replace Amorim.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was pictured holding up a shirt with Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell little more than a month ago, and now he is the only one of those three men remaining at Ibrox.

The Light Blues announced on Monday that they have parted ways with their sporting director and CEO after the club’s dismal start to the season, and the failure of Russell Martin’s appointment.

Despite coming in after Martin won five of his 17 matches in all competitions, Rohl has won all four of his Scottish Premiership matches in the dugout so far, which is no mean feat.

The Gers had only won one league game before the German’s arrival at Ibrox, and goals from Emmanuel Fernandez and Mohamed Diomande against Livingston claimed a fourth straight victory for Rohl on Saturday.

Despite those four wins in four games for the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, there is still plenty of work for the tactician to do to make sure that the Light Blues are competing for silverware moving forward.

For example, summer signing Oliver Antman failed to deliver once again in the win over Livingston and should be dropped from the starting line-up.

Why Danny Rohl must drop Oliver Antman for Rangers

Thelwell swooped to sign the Finland international for a fee of up to £4m from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer in an attempt to bolster Martin’s options on the flanks.

Unfortunately, the 24-year-old flanker has failed to deliver much in the way of quality at the top end of the pitch since his move to Ibrox in the summer, with no goals and three assists in 18 matches, per Transfermarkt.

In fact, Antman has no goals and one assist in 17 games since his two assists on his debut against Viktoria Plzen, which illustrates just how much he has struggled in front of goal in recent weeks and months.

The Finnish forward, as shown in the graphic above, scored for his country during the recent international break, to go along with an assist, which means that he has been more productive for his national side than for Rangers this season.

Rohl provided the former Eredivisie star with a chance to shine from the start on the right wing against Livingston on Saturday, possibly due to his international form, but he did not reward the manager with a strong performance to justify his inclusion.

Minutes

64

Shots

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Crosses completed

0/3

Dribbles completed

3/7

Duels won

5/13

As you can see in the table above, Antman made little impact at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues, whilst he was also dominated by the Livingston defenders in physical contests.

With games against Braga in the Europa League and Falkirk in the Premiership coming up this week, Rohl must ruthlessly ditch the Finland international from the starting line-up to provide other players with an opportunity to impress.

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Antman has simply not done enough in the final third to suggest that he deserves a continued run of games in the team, as he has gone seven matches without a goal contribution in all competitions for the Gers.

With this in mind, the German head coach should finally unleash Nedim Bajrami from the start against Falkirk at the weekend, whilst he is unable to feature against Braga because Martin did not add him to the Europa League squad list.

Why Danny Rohl should finally unleash Nedim Bajrami for Rangers

Former sporting director Thelwell attempted to bolster the club’s options at the top end of the pitch with the signings of Djeidi Gassama, Thelo Aasgaard, Antman, Youssef Chermiti, Mikey Moore, and Bojan Miovski in the summer.

This shows that he attempted to replace Bajrami, who played in the attacking midfield and wide areas for Philippe Clement, as four of those players play in the Albania international’s main positions.

Per Transfermarkt, the £3.5m signing from Sassuolo has only played 196 minutes in all competitions. 24 players have played more minutes for the club, including players like Jeft and Cyriel Dessers, who left in the summer.

Bajrami was described as “anonymous” in a game last season by content creator Stevie Clifford, which now perfectly sums up his situation at Ibrox this season, as he has been so rarely used.

Now, though, Rohl should unleash the Albanian flop from the start in the Premiership because he has the potential to be an upgrade on Antman at the top end of the pitch, based on his form at times for Clement last season.

Whilst it would be disingenuous to suggest that Bajrami had an amazing debut campaign with Rangers, there were some promising signs in his performances domestically and in Europe that suggest that he has more to offer to the team.

Starts

15

8

Goals

2

1

Big chances missed

2

0

Key passes per game

1.0

1.3

Big chances created

4

6

Assists

1

0

As you can see in the table above, the versatile attacker was not fairly rewarded for his creativity in the 2024/25 campaign, as his teammates only scored one of the ten ‘big chances’ that he created.

This season, Antman has only created two ‘big chances’ and delivered one assist in 12 appearances in the Premiership and the Europa League combined, per Sofascore, which suggests that Bajrami could provide more creativity than the Finnish flop.

Thelwell attempted to replace the former Serie B playmaker in the summer with a host of new signings, but these statistics suggest that the former Rangers chief failed to do so successfully.

This is why Rohl should ditch Antman to unleash Bajrami, who could offer more quality in the final third, when the Gers face Falkirk in the Premiership on Sunday, to see if he can ignite his Ibrox career under the German boss.

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Liverpool are probing the market for reinforcements after a poor start to the Premier League season and could now be ready to break their transfer record in the process.

Despite returning from the international break determined to arrest their slump in form, the Reds were on the end of a comprehensive defeat to Nottingham Forest that hammered home some of the frailties Arne Slot has been trying to address since the beginning of the campaign.

Nevertheless, David James is a firm believer that Liverpool can still have a solid season despite losing six of their last seven top-flight matches, claiming that the Champions League may be where they are most likely to earn success.

He told BBC Sport: “Liverpool do not recruit for one season, they recruit for the future. I believe with the players they signed they can be good, but I was one of those that expected them to be fine from the get-go.

“The test for Arne Slot as manager is whether he can turn this around. Not winning the title this season doesn’t make it a bad season. Comparatively it does compared with last season but he wasn’t expected to win it last season. He has already ticked that box if we are looking at the broader picture. The Champions League now becomes more important and winning it would justify everything this season.”

PSV Eindhoven visit Anfield in midweek as the Reds bid to move well into the top eight of the league phase, which would result in an automatic place in the last 16 if they were able to finish the job.

January and beyond will be pivotal for Liverpool as they look to build for the challenges ahead, and they could now be willing to shatter their transfer record to land a premium target.

Liverpool submit club record bid for Federico Valverde

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool have submitted an offer worth over £131 million for Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde. The Reds would also be willing to make the Uruguay international, who Toni Kroos called one of the ‘top three’ players in the world, their highest earner on over £500,000 per week.

Liverpool's record signings ranked

Willing to double his current wage at the Santiago Bernabéu, the Reds see Valverde as someone who could revolutionise their midfield after falling into a sticky patch under Slot. Simply put, he fits their tactical framework and England’s reigning champions are ready to convince him that Anfield is a place where he can thrive.

Internally, there is debate at Real Madrid over whether letting one of their high-profile stars leave the club would offer up the opportunity to invest elsewhere, as the size of the offer has caused discourse within Los Blancos’ higher ups, something that may give Liverpool a fighting chance of landing their man.

Federico Valverde at Real Madrid

Appearances

339

Goals

32

Assists

35

With any transfer more likely to occur in the summer, it now remains to be seen whether Valverde will become a statement addition on Merseyside.

South Africa are already in the semi-finals but Pakistan, despite not winning a game so far, are still in contention for a spot in the last four

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Oct-20252:48

High-flying South Africa take on deflated Pakistan

Big picture – Can Pakistan find some batting firepower?South Africa have already booked a semi-final spot. Despite not having won a match so far in the tournament, Pakistan still have a slim chance of sneaking into the knockouts, provided they win their last two matches by huge margins and other results also go their way. With no teams ruled out of contention just yet (at least until Monday’s Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match finishes), there is plenty on the line in every game. This tournament has now arrived at its pointy end.Pakistan’s bowlers will perhaps still be buoyed by their most recent performance. Fatima Sana and Co. struck early and then repeatedly against England, restricting one of the better batting units in the tournament to a low score that Pakistan looked likely to chase down, before a second spell of rains washed the rest of that match out. As had been the case in that game, the rains that have held sway in Colombo will likely envenom seamers, who may get the ball to move appreciably off a slightly moist deck. Often, teams prefer to bat first at the Khettarama – a venue that is notoriously tricky for chasing sides, especially under lights. But at this time of year, bowling first is an advantage too.Related

Road to the semis: Five teams in contention for one spot

Bangladesh, Pakistan and SL fall behind in the power game

In fact, Pakistan’s batters were on the receiving end of some good seam bowling in Saturday’s match against New Zealand, when they had been 92 for 5 in an already rain-reduced innings, before more rains ended that match. South Africa have experienced seamers like Masabata Klaas and Marizanne Kapp in their XI. Although they haven’t quite lit this World Cup up so far, both bowlers are very capable of bowling themselves into better rhythm on a helpful deck.The tougher the surface is to bat on, however, the more Pakistan will feel they can compete. As batting is by a distance the weaker of their two main discipline, a low-scoring match would suit them best. In fact, it had been a low-scoring game in which Pakistan last took South Africa down, roughly a month ago in Lahore.South Africa’s batting, which, as Sri Lanka found out on Friday, is led off by one of the best opening combinations going, is looking in increasingly good shape. They appear to have left the embarrassment of being blown away for 69 in their tournament opener well and truly behind them.1:15

Sekhukhune: ‘We want to keep ticking all the boxes’

Form guidePakistan: LLLLW
South Africa WWWWLIn the spotlight – Fatima Sana and Nonkululeko MlabaPakistan captain Fatima Sana has been putting together an excellent World Cup, with nine wickets at an average of 16 so far. Almost 15% of her overs have also been maidens (she has bowled more maidens than any other bowler in this tournament). Against England, her last outing with the ball, Sana bowled some vicious inseaming deliveries, presenting a beautiful wobble-seam, and extracting substantial movement to send balls shooting between right-hand batters’ bats and pads. Both South Africa’s opening batters are right-hand batters. Expect Sana to repeat that same mode of attack against them.Although in T20Is Nonkululeko Mlaba has been a force for some time, this World Cup may be remembered as the tournament in which she stepped up her ODI bowling. She is by a huge distance South Africa’s most penetrative bowler of the tournament, having claimed 11 wickets at an average of 15.18, with an economy rate of 4.63. Pakistan’s batters will know that even if they survive the seamers, they have one of the world’s smartest spinners to counter later in the innings.Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?I think we can call it now – the northeast monsoon appears to have properly arrived in Colombo, which makes a match uninterrupted by rain even less likely. There will likely be juice in the pitch for the seamers, but it is a rare match at the Khettarama where the ball does not take significant turn as well.0:58

Nawaz: ‘We are not being able to build momentum with the bat’

Team news: Pakistan might strengthen their battingPakistan will search for ways to add muscle to their fragile batting order. Could Eyman Fatima or Sadaf Shamas make it back into the XI as they search for better combinations?Pakistan (possible): 1 Omaima Sohail, 2 Muneeba Ali, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Eyman Fatima/Rameen Shamim, 7 Fatima Sana (capt), 8 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 9 Diana Baig, 10 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Sadia IqbalSouth Africa will likely keep their XI as it is.South Africa (possible): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annerie Dercksen, 6 Chloe Tryon, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Karabo Meso (wk), 9 Nondumiso Shangase, 10 Masabata Klaas, 11 Nonkululeko MlabaStats and trivia Sana has played more ODIs (ten) against South Africa than any other team. But she has a poor record against this opposition, having claimed only six wickets at an average of 62.83. Before this tournament, Mlaba had bowled in 12 matches in Asia, and claimed 18 wickets at an average of 31.44. Her bowling average in Asia is now 25.27, and her strike rate is down to 29.3. This is more than twice as good as her numbers at home (average 51.18, SR 71.4). Since 2020, these teams have played each other ten times. Pakistan have won two of those games, both at home. South Africa have won the other eight.

Enzo Fernandez has been reflecting on how he helped Lionel Messi to complete “unfinished business”, with an “incredible” experience being savoured at the 2022 World Cup. The Albiceleste captured a global crown at that tournament, allowing their talismanic captain to complete his medal collection and emulate the achievements of fellow GOATs Pele and Diego Maradona.

World Cup win: Messi prevailed in epic final

Messi headed to Qatar aware that the clock was ticking on efforts to capture the most prestigious of trophies. He suffered final heartache in 2014 and must have wondered whether he would ever get another chance to hoist the World Cup aloft.

His dreams came true in the Middle East, with Argentina prevailing in an epic showdown with France that saw Messi bag a brace and Kylian Mbappe net a hat-trick before a penalty shootout determined the winner.

Fernandez played his part in that triumph, with a memorable first goal for his country being recorded in a must-win group stage clash against Mexico – which saw him become Argentina’s second-youngest scorer at a World Cup, behind all-time great Messi.

AdvertisementGettyFernandez proud of efforts alongside Messi

The all-action midfielder, who is now plying his club trade in the Premier League with Chelsea, made enough memories in Qatar to last a lifetime. He will forever be proud of delivering the most sought-after of honours for an illustrious countryman.

Fernandez has told : “Winning the World Cup with Messi was incredible. We were fully motivated because our team grew up watching Leo at home on TV. We’d been fighting for it for many years and Messi had unfinished business.

“I’m so proud that I was able to share that moment with him and win the World Cup alongside him, knowing what it meant to him and all of us. Of course, we all wanted to do it for him because it was the only sporting achievement missing for him.

“He’s a great person and I’m so proud to share these moments with him. He’s the greatest of all time, so it’s a privilege to share the dressing room with him. It’s a huge thing for me and I’m really enjoying it. I try to make the most of every moment spent with him.”

Shock award: Fernandez landed gong he knew nothing about

Messi walked away with the Golden Ball after lifting the World Cup, while Fernandez was – at 20 years of age – named young player of the tournament. He was unaware that such a prize was even up for grabs, but was delighted to fend off competition from the likes of Jude Bellingham, Goncalo Ramos and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Fernandez added: “I wasn’t expecting the award. I didn’t even know it existed, so it was a big surprise to receive it after the final.

“I’m so proud to have won it because the best players take part in the World Cup, including many youngsters. It was a unique moment because they called me up and I didn’t know which trophy I was going to receive. It was so strange for me.

“I remember the moment when they handed me the award, as they also gave Messi the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup and Emi Martínez received the Golden Glove.”

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GettyWorld Cup draw: When is it & will Messi grace the tournament?

Messi, Fernandez and Martinez are now looking to go back-to-back in the World Cup-winning stakes. The countdown is very much on to the next staging of FIFA’s flagship event, with the United States, Canada and Mexico preparing to throw open their doors in the summer of 2026.

Messi is yet to confirm that he will be taking part in that event, as head coach Lionel Scaloni refuses to pressure his skipper, with the evergreen 38-year-old conceding that playing in MLS for Inter Miami may leave him short of match sharpness.

The expectation is that he will be involved, with Fernandez among those desperate to line up alongside the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner at another major tournament. Argentina are among the favourites again and will discover their group stage opponents when the 2026 World Cup draw takes place on Friday.

يستأنف مانشستر سيتي مشواره في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بعد الفوز على ليدز يونايتد بثلاثة أهداف لهدفين على ملعب الاتحاد.

وكان مانشستر سيتي قد افتتح التسجيل في الدقيقة الأولى عن طريق فيل فودين، وأضاف جفارديول الهدف الثاني للفريق المضيف في الدقيقة 25.

وقلص دومينيك كالفيرت لوين الفارق في الدقيقة 49، قبل أن يتعادل لوكاس نميشا رغم تصدي دوناروما لركلة الجزاء في الدقيقة 68.

وفي الوقت القاتل من المباراة، أحرز فيل فودين الهدف الثاني الشخصي له والثالث لمانشستر سيتي في الدقيقة 91 ليخطف النقاط الثلاث.

بهذه النتيجة، يرتفع رصيد مانشستر سيتي للنقطة 25 في المركز الثاني، بفارق 4 نقاط مؤقتاً عن صاحب المركز الأول آرسنال.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول يخطط لتوجيه ضربة لـ مانشستر سيتي لحل أزمة خط وسط الفريق موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي القادمة في الدوري الإنجليزي

يلتقي مانشستر سيتي مع فولهام، على ملعب كرافن كوتيج، في الجولة الرابعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الثلاثاء المقبل 2 ديسمبر، في الساعة التاسعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت مصر.

GOAL’s writers found no shortage of drama in the Conference semis, highlighted by Messi’s Miami rolling on and Son Heung-min’s LAFC crashing out in dramatic fashion.

And then there were four. After a month of playoff chaos – interrupted by that odd two-week break due to international duty – MLS finally has its Conference finalists: Inter Miami, NYCFC, San Diego FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. All four got here after a wild weekend. Miami went on the road to their biggest Eastern Conference rivals and dismantled them behind another dose of Lionel Messi brilliance. NYCFC followed by taking down the Philadelphia Union on their own pitch — a result that somehow feels both surprising and strangely predictable.

Out West, things were a little more intriguing. Vancouver and LAFC played out what was, without a doubt, one of the best MLS games in history. Tied 3-3 before extra time, and pens needed to win it? Yes please. Had Son Heung-Min's penalty kissed the inside of the post rather than slamming off it, we'd have a totally different story here. And then, a word for San Diego, who managed the ugliest of 1-0 wins over a predictably resolute Minnesota United. 

What we’re left with is genuinely compelling. It was a chaotic weekend, and the picture is suddenly much clearer – so what does it all mean now? Are Miami truly unstoppable? And what’s been the standout element of these predictably unpredictable playoffs? With the conference finals now set, GOAL U.S.’s writers break down the MLS postseason so far.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Can anyone stop Lionel Messi's Inter Miami now?

  Tom Hindle: In the East? No way. NYCFC did an admirable job by springing an upset on Philadelphia, and will put up a good fight. But Miami are a tier above – especially the way a certain Argentine is playing. Beyond that, it's tough to say. match up well with San Diego, and would certainly be favored there. But Vancouver are a trickier side to play against – and have already beaten them convincingly earlier this year. Right now, that's the dream final. 

  Ryan Tolmich: It sure doesn’t seem like it! Even compared to his usual form, Messi is on another level right now and seems totally determined to lift this team to a trophy. When he’s in that type of mood, and at this fitness level, more importantly, there’s not much anyone can do to stop him. Have fun, NYCFC!

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• Are Messi's playoff performances the best in MLS history?

  TH: Yes – and it's not particularly close. Messi has been at his best for a month now, and that form has only continued. He's on fire, and Miami are, too. 

  RT: We all know how to really answer this question. Ultimately, none of this matters unless there’s a trophy in the end. What we can say, though, is if that trophy lift does happen in Florida, yeah, this was the one, for sure.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Was Vancouver vs. LAFC the GOAT playoff game?

  TH: If not, what more would you like out of a game? Aside from a physical fight, a couple (more) red cards or some sort of act of a divine power, this has a pretty good claim. Perhaps the better one is the LAFC and Philadelphia Union final from a few years back. But even that simmered for a while. This was mad from the first minute. That Thomas Muller signing now looks like absolute genius. 

  RT: Not the GOAT, but in the top five or 10. There have been some classics over the years: Toronto vs. Montreal and LAFC vs. Philadelphia both come to mind. Let this serve as a reminder of how good the playoffs can be when they’re at their chaotic best.

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• Imagn
  

  How big of an upset was NYCFC over Philly?

  TH: BIG. NYCFC went to Philadelphia, suffering from injury and suspension, and managed a pretty convincing win. This was no 1-0 smash and grab, either. Philly certainly had their chances, but NYCFC played football, and were rewarded for it. Most had this pegged for a comfy victory for the Union. What happened was the opposite. 

  RT: A little? The biggest factor were the injuries, as NYCFC went into this game so, so shorthanded. The Union, however, showed signs of weakness all season long against the league’s good teams, the ones that wouldn’t wilt to their tactics. NYCFC are one of those teams, so no surprise they were able to at least make it a 50-50 game and come out on the right side of their 50 thanks to some great goalkeeping.

Big picture – Who will bounce back?

New Zealand and South Africa meet for the first time since they contested the 2024 T20 World Cup final in October last year, under rather different circumstances. Both teams began their Women’s World Cup campaigns with heavy defeats and there’s little to choose between them as they face off in Indore on Monday.New Zealand’s 89-run defeat to Australia laid bare familiar concerns with the bat; they crumbled in a chase of 327 despite a century from Sophie Devine. Since the start of 2024, they have lost ten of 15 ODIs – a result of their inconsistency with both bat and ball. To add to their challenges, they entered this World Cup without playing a single ODI in the six months leading up to it.While there have been individual performances, the batting unit will be eager to click collectively. New Zealand have scored 250-plus only twice since 2024. In the bowling department, they have a mix of youth and experience with Lea Tahuhu, the Kerr sisters – Jess and Amelia – along with Bree Illing and Eden Carson, forming a unit capable of making a difference.South Africa had a disastrous start against England in Guwahati, where they were bowled out for 69. They will look for a reset in Indore. They remain a top-heavy side, with Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, and Marizanne Kapp scoring the bulk of their runs. But their last two ODI defeats – including a 115 all out against Pakistan – have been due to severe batting collapses. A third in a row will be difficult to come back from in this tournament.

Form guide

New Zealand LWWLL (last five completed matches)
South Africa LLWWWSophie Devine made a hundred against Australia•Getty Images

In the spotlight – Brits and Bates

Tazmin Brits has hit peak form in 2025. In ten ODIs this year, she has scored four centuries and one half-century, averaging 81 at a strike rate of 93.91. Known for her power game, Brits has made noticeable improvements against spin. With the in-form Laura Wolvaardt at the other end, the pair forms a strong right-hand opening combination capable of dictating terms. If they get going, South Africa could get the platform they’ve lacked in recent ODIs.Suzie Bates will make her 350th international appearance for New Zealand on Monday – a landmark in the women’s game. The veteran remains a key presence in a top order featuring Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr. Although she fell for a duck against Australia, Bates has scored three half-centuries in her last seven ODI innings. As New Zealand aim for their first win of the tournament, Bates will be eager to mark the occasion with a defining innings.

Team news

South Africa may reconsider their XI after leaving out allrounder Annerie Dercksen – one of four batters to make a century for them since the start of 2024 – for Anneke Bosch, who has neither been a regular nor scored a fifty since December 2023.South Africa:1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Anneke Bosch/Annerie Dercksen, 6 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Masabata Klaas, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululeko MlabaLeft-arm spinner Flora Devonshire was ruled out of the World Cup with an injury to her bowling hand and seamer Hannah Rowe was named her replacement. However, New Zealand are unlikely to change the side for their second match in Indore.New Zealand: 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Graze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Bree Illing

Pitch and conditions

Indore rolled out a flat track for the opening game and Australia piled on 326 batting first. A different surface will be used for the second match, but weather could be a factor. It rained heavily the day after the first game there and conditions are expected to be overcast with hazy sunshine. As Suzie Bates put it, “It’s all about who adapts the best tomorrow because it is a different wicket, and it can play differently.”

Stats and trivia

• Suzie Bates, the third highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, is 104 short of 6000
• Marizanne Kapp is two away from breaking into the top five wicket-takers in women’s ODIs. She has 169 scalps from 154 matches.
• Wolvaardt and Brits have scored nine ODI hundreds between them since 2024.
• New Zealand have not scored a 300 in ODIs since the start of 2024.

Quotes

“Yeah, I think it’s a huge advantage. It’s not only playing in the same conditions, but not having to travel after that game.”
“For us as a batting unit is to just literally just knuckle down and just bat. Don’t think too much about the outcome. Just take it one ball at a time.”