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Oldest seamer to take a five-for in Asia shows up deficiencies of the rest of the attack

George Dobell23-Jan-2021During the English summer of 1986, as a Richard Hadlee-inspired New Zealand completed their first away victory over England, Graham Gooch bemoaned the relentless dominance of the opposition’s great fast bowler.”It’s like [facing] the World XI at one end, and Ilford Second XI at the other,” he was famously quoted as saying.It was an exaggeration, of course. And a bit harsh. Indeed, New Zealand’s first Test victory in England, in 1983, came in a match where Hadlee didn’t take a wicket. Gooch, no doubt, had his tongue in his cheek when he came up with that line.But it wasn’t without a germ of truth. In that 1986 series, Hadlee bowled 153.5 overs and claimed 19 wickets. New Zealand’s next most successful bowler, John Bracewell, claimed six wickets. Their next most successful seamer, Willie Watson, claimed four.So while Hadlee’s record of 36 five-fors in Tests is ridiculously good – especially as he achieved it in only 86 appearances – it might, to a limited extent, also reflect the lack of wickets being taken at the other end. By comparison, Joel Garner, who had to fight for his wickets alongside the likes of Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts and Michael Holding, claimed seven five-fors. Suffice to say, New Zealand came to be enormously grateful for Hadlee’s longevity, resilience and reliability. He was really was as good as it gets.This was a scenario that occurred while watching James Anderson complete his 30th five-wicket haul in the second Test in Galle. While it would be absurd to claim Anderson has gone through his career with as little support as Hadlee, having enjoyed bowling with Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann among others, there were moments in performance – really quite long, drawn-out moments – when England seemed unhealthily over-reliant upon a 38-year-old with more miles on the clock than a London taxi.ESPNcricinfo LtdMake no mistake: Anderson’s performance here was outstanding. To provide such unrelenting service, in this heat, at his age is just about unprecedented. No seamer has ever taken a five-wicket haul in a Test in Asia at the age of 38. Hadlee, at 37 years and 145 days, was the previous record holder.But the unfortunate side effect of Anderson’s excellence was to show up the lack of contribution of England’s spinners, in particular. For this was the first time since 2001 that all 10 wickets in an innings had been taken by the seamers in a Test in Sri Lanka.It was more than that, though. Everyone would accept that, on the first day especially, there was little assistance for the spinners. But to contribute just seven maidens between them – Anderson, by contrast, bowled 13 – showed they also failed to provide the control required. For Dom Bess to bowl fewer overs than Anderson or Mark Wood is a far from flattering reflection of his ability to do the job required.It’s tough to set a field for Bess. You need sweepers for the long hops. But that means gaps closer in. And while you might like to stop the singles, he produces the odd full toss, too – Niroshan Dickwella brought up his 50 from one – which leaves a captain requiring at least 15 fielders to retain any hope of building pressure. Really, he can be milked like a Friesian without any need to take risks. Long term, this puts an unsustainable burden on the shoulders of the seamers.The comparison with Sri Lanka’s spinners was unflattering, too. Within 13 balls of Lasith Embuldeniya’s spell, he had done twice what England’s spinners failed to do in their combined 66 overs: claimed a wicket. Not just that, but Sri Lanka’s spinners gained turn and bounce that was almost entirely absent for England’s. Yes, the pitch was wearing a little. But to change radically over the course of the tea break? That’s more a reflection of the bowlers than the surface.Related

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It felt like an entirely different challenge when Anderson was in the attack. At the start of day two, for example, Sri Lanka scored 24 for 2 in eight overs while Anderson was bowling (his figures were 4-2-5-1 in the spell). But once he was rested, Sri Lanka scored 60 without further loss in 18 overs.A similar thing happened either side of lunch. Before Anderson returned to the attack, Sri Lanka had scored 30 in 10 overs without loss. Once he was in the attack, they added 27 in 10 overs for the loss of two wickets. Anderson’s share was 6-1-11-2.With Wood – who gave great support in this innings – spent, Root was instead obliged to turn to Sam Curran to provide a spell of back-of-a-length stuff. With Ben Stokes in the side, that is a tactic that works just fine. But Curran? He is a young cricketer with many qualities. But as another 78mph/125kph bouncer sailed over the batsman’s head, the thought occurred that this was like using a Chihuahua as guard dog.That’s not Curran’s fault. The point is, he was asked to fill a hole created by the failure of the spinners to fulfil their role. He, like Anderson and Wood, has been asked to compensate for England’s lack of credible spin threat.The real worry here, is that England are about to head to India for a four-Test series. Unless there is a vast improvement in the performance of the spinners – and, to be fair, they may both improve for the overs they are bowling in this series – it is tough to see how England can mount a sustained challenge.Indeed, given the obvious strengths and weaknesses of England’s squad, you could understand them deciding to place their faith in their seamers instead.ESPNcricinfo LtdEngland have been down this road before. On the 1981-82 tour, for example, they pursued a policy of backing their seamers at least as much as their spinners; they lost the six-match series 1-0. Even in 2012, when they won, they started the series in Ahmedabad with only one specialist spinner, in Swann, and two what might loosely be termed spinning allrounders in Samit Patel and Kevin Pietersen. India won that game by nine wickets.There’s probably another lesson from that series. India erred in the next match, in Mumbai, by attempting to prepare a pitch that provided huge assistance for their spinners. Instead, it allowed Swann and Monty Panesar into the game.Things are a bit different now. Panesar and Swann have gone. Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook, who scored centuries in that game, too. Given India’s daunting all-round strength – the depth of their seam bowling, the quality of their batting and the options among spin – you would think they are best served simply preparing the sort of old-school flat pitch which we saw in Chennai on the 2016-17 tour. On flat surfaces, where the element of chance is diminished, it is hard to see how England can win.But then, it was hard to see how a 38-year-old seamer could take a six-for in Galle. This game, and Anderson in particular, has a habit of surprising us. It’s a huge part of its enduring charm.

Celtic picked up their first win of the league phase of the Europa League on Thursday night by beating Sturm Graz 2-1 at Parkhead in front of their home support.

A stunning goal from distance from Tomi Horvat gave the Austrian outfit the lead in the first-half, but the Hoops hit back through Liam Scales in the 61st minute with a well-worked corner routine.

Three minutes later, Benjamin Nygren scored a goal from a corner to put Celtic 2-1 up, which was enough for them to secure all three points.

Why Benjamin Nygren should have done more for Celtic

The Sweden international scored the winning goal in the game with an excellent header in the 64th minute, but the game could have been out of sight for the hosts if he had taken his other opportunities.

Nygren had a personal xG tally of 2.43 and had five ‘big chances’ to find the back of the net, per Sofascore, but only scored from one of those shots.

The left-footed star deserves praise for getting into positions to score, as he had five of the club’s seven ‘big chances’, but he needed to do more to finish those opportunities when they came his way.

This is why Nygren was not the star of the show, because he was too wasteful in front of goal. Instead, it was Arne Engels who deserves the headlines for Thursday night’s win.

Why Arne Engels was even better than Benjamin Nygren

Shunsuke Nakamura was a certified free-kick specialist during his time with Celtic, as shown in the clips below, and Engels did his best impression of the former Hoops star against Sturm Graz.

The Belgium international may not have scored a free-kick, but his delivery from deadball situations and from open play was outstanding throughout the game. Neil Lennon, commentating for TNT Sports, went as far as to say that his delivery was “world-class”.

Engels, as shown in the earlier clip, delivered a phenomenal corner in for Nygren to score the winning goal, and that was just one of a number of inch-perfect crosses from the former Augsburg man.

Minutes

90

90

Shots

7

2

Goals

1

0

Big chances missed

4

0

Key passes

0

5

Big chances created

0

3

Successful crosses

0/0

4/8

Ground duel success rate

30%

50%

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian starlet was incredibly unfortunate to end the match with only one assist to his name, as he created three ‘big chances’, whilst he also outperformed Nygren in his physical duels on the night.

There was one sensational open play cross from the right channel that was a thing of beauty from the central midfielder that Nygren failed to convert in the second half, whilst he also created other chances from his Nakamura-esque set-piece deliveries.

The £11m signing has only started three of his seven appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season, per Sofascore, and he should be kept in the starting line-up for the big game against league-leaders Hearts on Sunday.

If Engels can continue to create chances and deliver set-pieces with the quality that he displayed on Thursday, the Belgian will soon rack up assists and close in on the tally of 13 that he managed in his debut season in Scotland.

Kuhn 2.0: Celtic have their next #10 in the making & it's not Balikwisha

Celtic have their next Nicolas Kuhn in the making and it is not Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

ByDan Emery Oct 22, 2025

He was the star of the show against Sturm Graz and Brendan Rodgers should provide him with another opportunity to impress against Hearts this weekend.

Kuldeep and Prasidh set up the victory by sharing eight wickets between them

Sidharth Monga06-Dec-2025 • Updated on 08-Dec-2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal brought up his maiden ODI century during the chase•Associated Press

KL Rahul resorted to spinning the coin with his left hand and finally won India a toss for the first time in their last 21 ODIs. They followed it up with a nine-wicket win to show what a challenge it had been for them to stay competitive and force a decider against South Africa, despite losing both the earlier tosses in this series.The beleaguered Prasidh Krishna began India’s turnaround, bowling Quinton de Kock after a sensational century. Kuldeep Yadav – playing with the dry ball for the first time in the series – then ran through the lower middle order to restrict South Africa to 270, after they would have entertained thoughts of 350 at various points in the innings.India penalised for slow over-rate

India’s players have been fined 10% of their match fees for their slow over-rate against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur on December 3.

KL Rahul’s team was ruled to be two overs behind the target in match referee Richie Richardson’s estimation, and the team was penalised in accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC’s code of conduct for players.

The charge against India was levelled by on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Rohan Pandit, third umpire Sam Nogajski, and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal.

The low target allowed Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal to be measured in the initial overs, as the ball moved for longer and the dew appeared later than in the first two matches. Rohit shepherded Jaiswal in the early parts of his innings as the youngster found his tempo in a new format. However, Rohit didn’t stay long enough to watch him cruise to a maiden ODI hundred.In the end, the match wasn’t as simplistic as “win the toss, win the match” – it ebbed and flowed with a variety of conditions presenting themselves.Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana used the early moisture – perhaps a touch extra, to stop the pitch from drying out in the first innings – beautifully to tie South Africa down. Ryan Rickleton was opening, with Aiden Markram pushed down the order – to No. 5 – in Tony de Zorzi’s absence. Arshdeep took Rickleton’s edge in the first over. Rana followed it up with a maiden. India bowled three maidens in the first eight overs and only two edged boundaries from de Kock’s bat took South Africa to 25 for 1.Quinton de Kock brought up his seventh ODI ton against India•BCCI

The introduction of Prasidh, already under fire in this series, brought South Africa an opportunity to break free. De Kock took a special liking to him, pulling him for two sixes in his first two overs and playing the two shots of the day: an aerial extra-cover drive on the up for a six and one along the ground for four. Prasidh went for 27 in his first two, and runs started to flow in a 113-run stand between de Kock and Bavuma. The latter scored only 48 of those in 67 balls, which was more indicative of the conditions and the quality of bowling. De Kock, on the other hand, was already 63 off 55 at this point.The pitch had settled by now, and Matthew Breetzke took down the part-time spin of Tilak Varma, playing in place of Washington Sundar. By the end of the 26th over, the fifth-bowler combination of Prasidh and Tilak had leaked 56 runs from their five overs. De Kock was well on his way to a seventh century against India in just 23 innings. No one has scored more against India. Nor has any visiting batter scored more than his seven centuries in India.Related

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This is when, at 158 for 2, Prasidh started his second spell. His first over went for just two. Rana came on at the other end, with India desperate for a wicket. De Kock hit a four to take South Africa past a run a ball for the first time. In Prasidh’s next, Breetzke tried to get back to dominating him and made an error in judging length. He was out plumb lbw playing back and across the line to a ball hitting top of off. In the same over, Markram ended up chipping one to Virat Kohli, fielding close at short cover.Given the depth in their batting and the need to capitalise on the overs before the extra fielder went out for the last 10 overs, South Africa kept going. The run rate stayed up, but de Kock ended up playing all around a long half-volley from Prasidh, dismissed for 106 off 89 out of a score of 199 for 5 in 32.5 overs.Dewald Brevis and Marco Jansen kept attacking, but the return of Kuldeep brought new challenges. India needed to bowl five overs of spin in the last 14, which could have been tricky. However, Kuldeep was cherishing the dry ball for the first time this series as well as the older ball for the first time in his career, since the bowling side is now allowed to bowl with only one of the two balls after the 34th over.Brevis and Jansen were bullish in their response. They were not willing to play out Kuldeep, the leading wicket-taker in the series despite a predominantly wet ball in hand. When Kuldeep started the second over of this new spell, there had been 19 balls without a boundary. The extra fielder would go out in two overs as well. Aware of a big shot around the corner, Kuldeep kept tossing the ball wide and taking it away. Both of the batters holed out in the same over.Rohit Sharma celebrates with Kuldeep Yadav, who took four wickets•Associated Press

Kuldeep’s wizardry picked up two more wickets – only Adam Zampa has taken more hauls of four or more since Kuldeep’s debut – and Prasidh wiped off the last man.If South Africa had to compete in this defence, they needed early wickets. The ball moved around for Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, but seven wides in the first two overs and the occasional calculated strike from Rohit kept India in touch with the asking rate.Even as Jaiswal struggled, Rohit took the game on, charging and pulling Ngidi for a six and chipping Keshav Maharaj for a four against the turn. His trademark imperious pull made an appearance soon enough. While Jaiswal’s strike rate hovered around 50, Rohit got to his 94th score of 50 or more at a run a ball, buying Jaiswal time.It hasn’t been an ideal scenario for Jaiswal, filling in for the injured captain Shubman Gill. He was obligated to hit out in the first two ODIs as India strived for above-par scored to counter the toss disadvantage, but here, he could use the extra time and post a big score before Gill takes over again.The innings flowed smoothly after he reached 50 off 75 balls. He reached his hundred in just 36 more balls, becoming the sixth batter to be a centurion for India in all three formats. He batted with the two others in this chase. After Rohit fell 25 short of what would have been a 34th ODI hundred, Kohli displayed yet another upgrade to his game: he took his sixes tally to 12 – more than he has ever hit in a series before. He finished unbeaten on 65 off 45, as India won with more than 10 overs to spare.

كشف أحد الصحفيين الذين أجروا حوارًا مع محمد صلاح، نجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، عقب مباراة ليدز يونايتد كواليس اتفاقه مع قائد منتخب مصر.

وخرج صلاح بعد انتهاء مباراة ليدز يونايتد وتحدث لوسائل الإعلام وفتح النار على الجميع، وعلى رأسهم مدربه آرني سلوت، بسبب جلوسه على دكة البدلاء لثلاث مباريات متتالية.

كما أثار الجدل حول مستقبله مع الفريق الإنجليزي مشيرًا إلى أنه استدعى والده ووالدته للحضور في مباراة برايتون الذي لا يعلم إذا كان سيلعبها أم لا.

بعد تلك التصريحات، انهالت على صلاح تعليقات اللاعبين القدامى والمحللين الإنجليز وانتقدوا حديثه بشدة وعلى رأسهم جيمي كاراجر.

وقرر الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني لليفربول، استبعاد محمد صلاح من مباراة إنتر ميلان بعد تصريحاته الأخيرة عقب تعادل الفريق مع ليدز يونايتد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي.

وخلال المؤتمر الصحفي قبل المباراة، علق سلوت على الأزمة التي حدثت بعد تصريحات محمد صلاح، واصفًا نفسه بأنه هادئ لكنه ليس ضعيفًا.

اقرأ أيضًا | أول رد فعل من محمد صلاح عقب استبعاده من مباراة ليفربول وإنتر

وقال الصحفي بول جورست، مراسل شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” في تصريحات نقلتها “givemesport”: “مر صلاح بجانبي، وقلت له كما أفعل في أغلب الأسابيع، مو، هل لديك دقيقتان؟”.

وأكمل: “في 99 مرة من أصل 100، عادةً ما يكون رده ليس اليوم مع ابتسامة خفيفة، إنها مزحة متداولة مع نفسي في الملعب، لأنه يفعل ذلك كل أسبوع”.

وأكمل: “قال لي، سأستحم فقط وسأعود، ولم أكن متأكدًا ما إذا كان ذلك ساخرًا لأنه لم يلعب”.

وأردف: “كما تعلم، كان الأمر بمثابة إزعاج داخلي، لماذا كان يستحم وهو جالس على مقاعد البدلاء لكنني قررت الانتظار”.

وأتم: “بعد 10 أو 15 دقيقة عاد وكان هناك ربما نصف دزينة (6 أشخاص) منا مستعدين للتحدث معه”.

Will Arsenal have any of their injured attackers back?

Ahead of Sunday’s North London derby, as well as star centre-back Gabriel, Gooners fear that as many as six forward players could remain on the sidelines.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke have all been out long-term, with Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyökeres and Martin Ødegaard joining them in the treatment room more recently.

So, if none are back, Mikel Arteta remains very short of forward options, which isn’t ideal considering games against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea are up next, meaning Mikel Merino could once again be thrust into the emergency centre-forward role.

With Ødegaard out, the Spaniard will have Eberechi Eze behind him, although the England international will need to improve upon his recent displays.

He did find the net for Thomas Tuchel’s side last week but hasn’t had much to cheer about in recent weeks beyond that.

Eberechi Eze's start to life at Arsenal

Eze’s move from Crystal Palace is the most excited the Arsenal fan base have been about a signing since Mesut Özil’s deadline day move from Real Madrid in 2013.

That’s not just because he is such an enthralling player, but the fact that he appeared destined to join Spurs, before a last-minute U-turn.

His presentation on the pitch prior to the first home game of the season against Leeds was genuinely a spine-tingling moment, but now the dust has settled, the discussion is around Eze’s performances.

Many suggested the England international had been signed to play on the left wing but, in the absence of Ødegaard, he has started the last eight Premier League and Champions League games in a more central role.

Well, so far, Eze has scored two goals and registered three assists, lashing in a spectacular scissor-kick against, who else, former club Crystal Palace in a 1-0 victory last month.

Nevertheless, supporters would like to see a little bit more end-product from their high-profile new addition, considering all the numerous absentees, aiming to add to his tally against Tottenham on Sunday; should he manage it, the roof might just come off.

Considering all their sidelined stars, determined not to allow another campaign to be derailed by injuries, could Andrea Berta and Arteta enter the transfer market in January, which opens in just 42 days, and attempt to bring “one of the best wingers in the world” to North London?

Arsenal targeting a world-class Eze upgrade

It was one of the sagas of the summer, but we’re back here again!

According to reports over recent days, Arsenal are willing to spend as much as £80m to sign Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, with further claims stipulating that Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester City have registered official offers for the player.

The 24-year-old has started just three times for los Blancos this season, included in Xabi Alonso’s lineup for just one of the last ten La Liga games, yet to score this season.

Despite this, Rodrygo did start both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break, these against Senegal in North London and Tunisia in Lille, still very much trusted by Seleção boss Carlo Ancelotti, but could he push for a January move away from the Bernabéu to increase his chances of featuring prominently at the World Cup?

Thus, other reports in Spain claim that President Florentino Pérez would sanction a sale in January should a Premier League club bid £70m or more.

So would the winger be worth such heavy investment? Let’s compare his statistics last season to Eze to help answer that question.

Appearances

54

43

Minutes

3,453

3,303

Goals

14

14

Assists

11

11

Big chances missed

6

8

Shooting accuracy

53%

48%

Chances created per 90

2.3

2

Big chances created

9

11

Dribbles success %

58%

51.9%

Possession lost per 90

12.5

15.2

Touches per 90

67.1

54.9

As the table documents, the duo’s statistics were remarkably similar last season; the Brazilian played only 150 more minutes across all competitions, with Rodrygo and Eze both scoring 14 goals and registering exactly 11 assists apiece.

When looking at the underlying numbers though is where the difference is made apparent, with the Brazilian coming out on top when it comes to chances created, dribbling and touches per 90.

Spencer Mossman labels him “one of the best wingers in the world”, while Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham asserted that Rodrygo is “the most gifted player in the squad”, adding that he is “underrated” and “does a lot for the team”, something Arteta would certainly appreciate.

Thus, it is clear that Rodrygo and Eze are very different players, with the Englishman more of a chance creator, while the Brazilian is a direct winger who boasts blistering pace and the ability to take on and glide past defenders.

Right now, particularly with Martinelli, Madueke and Gyökeres in the treatment room, the Gunners would certainly benefit from adding someone with Rodrygo’s talent, skillset and quality, so could he be the final piece in the jigsaw as they chase that elusive first Premier League title for 22 years?

Arteta can fix Gabriel injury blow by unleashing Arsenal's £45m "beast"

After both Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori picked up injuries on international duty, Mikel Arteta must unleash Arsenal’s “physical” defender vs Spurs.

Nov 16, 2025

كشف أحمد جاب الله طبيب فريق الكرة بـ الأهلي، أخر المستجدات الخاصة باللاعبين المصابين وموقف عودتهم للملاعب في الفترة المقبلة.

وكان الأهلي قد فاز على فريق شبيبة القبائل الجزائري، برباعية مقابل هدف، ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

وقال أحمد جاب الله في تصريحات عبر الموقع الرسمي لـ الأهلي: “محمد الشناوي بدأ تنفيذ برنامج العلاج الطبيعي المحدد له؛ للتخلص من الإصابة التي لحقت به مؤخرا في العضلة الضامة، وخضع اليوم لتدريبات علاجية وتأهيلية”.

وأكمل: “مصطفى العش غادر المستشفى ظهر اليوم بعد الاطمئنان على حالته الطبية، وسوف يبدأ تنفيذ برنامج علاجي لمدة 6 أيام قادمة وفق البروتوكول المحدد من “فيفا” لإصابات الارتجاج”.

طالع | محمد يوسف يوضح سر تأخر تجديد ديانج.. ويُصرح: “زيزو شبه الأهلي”

وواصل: “حسين الشحات واصل تنفيذ المرحلة الأخيرة من تدريبات الكرة منفردا، على هامش المران الجماعي الذي أقيم ظهر اليوم”.

وأتم: “حسين الشحات يبدأ المشاركة التدريجية في التدريبات الجماعية بالكرة؛ غدا الأربعاء، مع اللاعبين الغائبين عن رحلة المغرب”.

Crystal Palace star Daniel Munoz admitted he would love to make a switch to Manchester United despite playing for their Premier League rivals. The 29-year-old has been nothing short of transformative since arriving at Selhurst Park from Genk in January 2024. His first full season in England saw him score six goals and provide eight assists in all competitions. It was a level of productivity that caught the attention of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and several elite clubs across the continent.

The rise of Palace's defensive star

Munoz’s journey to the top of European football has been anything but conventional. Growing up in Medellín, a city once synonymous with cartel violence and some of Colombia’s most dangerous neighbourhoods, he had little margin for error. 

"I come from a difficult neighbourhood," he told Belgian newspaper . "One of the toughest in Colombia. There are few options. I don’t think you know that in Belgium. Young people don’t have the chance to just become what they want to become.

“It was difficult for me and my family. There have been certain moments that have shaped me, such as the death of several friends. You see a lot of things: death, hooliganism, robbery… it is a different world, one where everything does not always end well. At one point, I had to make a choice. Which way do I want to go? Do I choose the path that ends as it ended with one of my friends? Or do I walk a different path and make the best of it? I chose the latter."

Those experiences hardened him and shaped him into a player and person who understands adversity far better than most. Before he ever stepped onto a professional pitch, Munoz was part of the ultras at Atletico Nacional, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Los del Sur, as he sang and chanted for the club he adored. And at 16, he walked away from the terraces to pursue the game full-time.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFrom South America to the Premier League

Munoz’s early professional years with Aguilas Doradas saw him play nearly 100 matches in Colombia’s top flight before he fulfilled his childhood dream of joining Atletico Nacional in 2019. In less than two seasons, he became the captain of his team.

His performances drew the eye of European scouts, and Genk paid €4.5 million to bring him to Belgium. There, he blossomed into the Jupiler League’s standout right-back, and Palace did not hesitate when the opportunity arrived, signing him on a four-year deal. Since then, Munoz has become an indispensable piece of Glasner’s high-intensity system. He assisted the goal that helped the Eagles clinch the FA Cup last season and his consistent performances reportedly drew interest from Barcelona and Champions League winners PSG.

A dream to represent the continent's best

Munoz spoke candidly to Colombian outlet about the long-standing rumours linking him to major European powers.

"First of all, I think there’s a lot of talk about one club or another," Munoz said. "If you ask me, it would be a dream come true to play for one of these clubs, whether it’s Barcelona, PSG, Real Madrid, or Manchester United."

Munoz did not disguise the ambition that has fuelled his rise: "I think I’m working towards that; I strive every day to one day attract the attention of one of these clubs, because it’s a dream of mine to get there."

However, the defender quickly brushed aside those rumours and insisted that he remains focussed on his job at Palace. 

"Right now I’m focused on my club, on doing things well at Crystal Palace," he said. "If you ask me, I don’t have any concrete information that any of these clubs are interested in me. My focus is on Crystal Palace; we’ll see when the winter transfer window gets closer. Right now, I’m fully focused on these two matches with the national team."

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For Palace supporters, his words might provoke mixed emotions. On the one hand, his desire to reach the highest level and play for the European heavyweights is very natural. On the other hand, his presence has been vital to their transformation under Glasner. However, he has a contract with the Eagles until 2028, and any suitor will have to fork out a significant transfer fee to whisk him away from the English capital. In the short term, Munoz will complete Colombia’s upcoming internationals against New Zealand and Australia during the November break. After returning to London, he will shift focus to Palace’s next Premier League fixture against Wolves on November 22.

In the final start of his impressive rookie season, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes went out with a bang at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

Facing New York Yankees sluggers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in the bottom of the first inning, the Pirates rookie put on a show.

First, he got the normally-patient Soto to foul off the first two pitches of the at-bat. On the fifth and final pitch of the at-bat, Skenes caught Soto looking with a wicked pitch on the black.

Then, facing the presumptive American League MVP in Judge, Skenes pounded the zone with a fastball and slider. After Judge took a ball and fouled off the fourth pitch, the Pirates rookie got Judge to chase a sweeper that broke out of the zone.

Truly impressive stuff.

Then, if that wasn't impressive enough, Skenes, who was pulled after two perfect innings, struck out Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. looking with perhaps his best pitch of the day—and his final one of the season.

How in the world are you supposed to get a hit off of this guy?

Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav has been named as a like-for-like replacement for Shuchi Upadhyay for India Women’s white-ball tour of England. A left-shin injury has ruled Upadhyay out of the tour.Upadhyay made her ODI debut during the tri-series in Sri Lanka, against South Africa. She received her maiden T20I call-up for the upcoming England tour.The BCCI said the shin injury was diagnosed during the pre-tour camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru.She was the third-highest wicket-taker at the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy held in December last year. She picked up 18 wickets then at an economy rate of 3.48 and an average of 15.44 in nine innings. She was named the Player of the Tournament as her team, Madhya Pradesh, won the trophy.Radha, who has played seven ODIs and 84 T20Is, last featured for India in December 2024, where she picked up four wickets against West Indies. However she was overlooked for the ODI series against them that followed.Before the West Indies series, she was the highest wicket-taker in the one-dayers against New Zealand at home.India will take on England Women in five T20Is, followed by three ODIs, starting June 28.