All posts by h79snht.top

Tottenham Hotspur’s start to the 2023/24 campaign tantalises new heights, with new manager Ange Postecoglou’s summer transfer activity paving the foundation for some blistering form that has thrown the club into title-chasing contention.

In fact, Spurs top the Premier League table after ten matches, having won eight matches – with wins over Manchester United and Liverpool – and completed two draws, with one such result coming against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

It’s a remarkable revival and in such a short time, with Tottenham moored in deep, dark waters last season, finishing eighth in the English top-flight and losing both esteemed manager Antonio Conte and Harry Kane – with the latter joining Bayern Munich after becoming the club’s record scorer months before.

Harry Kane's statistics at Tottenham Hotspur

Having completed a number of decent loan spells among the lower divisions, Tottenham youngster Kane was just another striker looking to earn a place in the Premier League.

It’s fair to say that he has achieved his goals, having posted 278 goals and 64 assists from 430 appearances for Spurs, earning praise as a “legend of the game” by Statman Dave, a sentiment that is surely echoed by many who know their salt.

The distinguished striker never managed to get his hands on some silverware with Tottenham, though he became England’s record goalscorer last season too.

But now aged 30, he seeks a silver-laden chapter to confirm his stature as one of the best, and, as such, he joined German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in a £100m deal in August.

Harry Kane is thriving at Bayern Munich

Tottenham might be thriving and some might claim that the 30-year-old will be watching the success with a sense of poignancy, but having scored 14 goals and supplied seven assists from just 13 matches for Bayern, he’s probably contented with his decision to jump ship.

Kane served the Lilywhites with stalwart devotion, and without his incredible talismanic leadership, many of the good times over the past decade would not have been realised.

As per FBref, the £419k-per-week machine ranks among the top 9% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals and assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90 – dynamic and destructive, a real box of tricks.

His sale will sting the Lilywhites support despite the feats at the moment under Postecoglou’s wing, though whether he is the greatest modern Spurs player to have left the fold is debatable, with Luka Modric still plying his trade at the highest level, and earning acclaim while doing so.

Luka Modric's Tottenham career

Tottenham signed talented midfielder Modric from Dinamo Zagreb for a fee believed to be around £15m in 2008, warding off competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

It proved to be one of the most resounding transfer successes of chairman Daniel Levy’s reign, with the 5 foot 8 ace making 160 showings and leading iconic Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to claim that he “could play in any team.”

Alas, the good times never last and Modric eyed a move to Stamford Bridge in 2011, even handing in a transfer request, but Levy’s unbudgeable transfer negotiating closed the door on that particular avenue.

Instead, Real Madrid secured his signature for £30m one year on, where a long and illustrious partnership would commence – a partnership that persists to this day, over a decade later.

Now aged 38, the 170-cap Croatia captain has just finished tenth in the Ballon d’Or rankings, meaning that he has actually finished comfortably above Kane, despite the England captain’s remarkable individual season, scoring 30 goals for Spurs.

What Luka Modric is doing now

Dubbed a “legend of the game” by the likes of writer Usher Komugisha – like Kane – Modric has enjoyed quite the career since leaving English shores, and he has no doubt proved his worth as one of the greatest midfielders to have ever worn the boots.

While the Santiago Bernabeu has been his primary stomping ground, Modric has enjoyed a central role in the most prosperous period in his nation’s history, earning the 2018 World Cup Player of the Tournament, with journalist Liam Canning describing him as “world-class” for his exploits on the international stage.

The £366k-per-week phenom has now completed a momentous 500 appearances with Los Blancos, scoring 37 goals and supplying 78 assists, leading pundit Darren Bent to remark that he has “three eyes”, so stunning is his vision on the pitch.

Luka Modric’s Career Accolades

Team

Individual

Champions League (x5)

Ballon d’Or (x1)

FIFA Club World Cup (x5)

FIFA The Best (x1)

European Super Cup (x4)

UEFA Men’s Best Player

LaLiga (x3)

Club World Cup Golden Ball (x1)

Copa del Rey (x2)

Club World Cup Silver Ball (x1)

Spanish Super Cup (x4)

Croatian Football League (x3)

Croatian Football Cup (x2)

Croatian Super Cup (x1)

*Sourced via realmadrid.com

As the table portrays, Modric’s trophy cabinet is rather impressive, and the sheer volume of illustrious success that he has had throughout his career underscores his standing as one of the finest midfielders of his generation.

A leader like no other; calm, composed and elegant on the ball, ingenious in guiding the ball through the lines – Modric has it all, and despite his twilight years, he is still among the foremost midfielders across Europe.

Indeed, as per FBref, the Croatian icon ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90.

Such metrics underscore his value as one of the finest ball-players around, a creative force still capable of pumping life through Real Madrid’s veins.

In truth, Modric forced his way out of White Hart Lane and it would have been foolish to prevent him from doing so; the chances of a fresh deal were pretty unlikely.

But, that does not mean that Spurs supporters cannot dream of what might have been, and of the rewards that could have been reaped had Modric remained at the club to serve as the fulcrum of Mauricio Pochettino’s era.

Kane left Tottenham as one of the best players in the club’s history, and he has etched his name into the books for his contribution, but Modric remains the greatest former star yet to have hung up the boots.

MatériaMais Notícias

A 16ª rodada da fase de grupos da Série C do Campeonato Brasileiro ocorreu nesse final de semana. As 20 equipes participantes, que estão divididas em dois grupos, entraram em campo buscando a classificação para a segunda fase da competição. Com o fim das 18 rodadas, apenas os quatro melhores de cada chave avançam. Os dois últimos são rebaixados.

Com uma média de gols alta, o destaque ficou por conta dos goleadores. No grupo A, o líder isolado Santa Cruz foi derrotado em casa para o time do Manaus, por 2 a 1. O atacante Hamilton, artilheiro da Série C, marcou os dois gols do time amazonense. Chiquinho descontou para o Tricolor do Recife. Mesmo com a derrota, o Santa não pode mais ser alcançado e, com seus atuais 36 pontos, já está classificado como primeiro colocado da chave.

O Paysandu recebeu o Ferroviário e ganhou por 3 a 0. Com dois gols de Marlon e um de Victor Feijão, o Papão chegou aos 25 pontos e entrou no G4 do primeiro grupo. Com a derrota, o time cearense quase que dá adeus para a possibilidade de jogar a próxima fase da competição. A equipe é a sétima colocada com 19 pontos.

> CONFIRA A TABELA DA SÉRIE C E SIMULE OS RESULTADOS

Ainda na mesma chave, o Vila Nova venceu o Imperatriz de virada, na casa do adversário, por 3 a 1. Cebolinha abriu o placar para o time maranhense, já rebaixado, na lanterna com apenas um ponto. Os gols do Tigre foram marcados por Dudu, Henan e Ramon. Com o resultado, o time goiano chegou aos 27 pontos e à segunda colocação, empatado com o Remo, que não saiu do zero contra o Botafogo-PB.

Pelo grupo B, o líder Brusque perdeu para o Tombense, por 2 a 0. Agora, o time catarinense tem 28 e o time mineiro, com os três pontos conquistados, entrou no G4 e agora é o terceiro colocado, com 26. O destaque da partida foi o atacante Keké, que entrou no intervalo, abriu o placar em seu primeiro toque na bola e ainda deu assistência para Ibson marcar o segundo.

O novo vice da chave é o Ituano, que recebeu o Boa Esporte e, em jogo eletrizante, saiu vitorioso pelo placar de 4 a 3. Guilherme, Filipe Souto, Luiz Paulo e Paulinho Dias fizeram para o time da casa. Dieguinho, Diego Ceará Jefferson marcaram para o visitante. A equipe de Itu tem agora 26 pontos. O Boa é o lanterna com 14.

Quem fecha a lista dos quatro primeiros do grupo B é o Londrina, que foi até o Rio Grande do Sul e empatou em 0 a 0 com o São José. Também pelo segundo grupo, outros dois empates: Criciúma e Ypiranga terminaram a partida com a igualdade de 4 a 4 e Volta Redonda e São Bento com o placar de 1 a 1.

Vale ressaltar que, após a segunda fase da competição, os dois primeiros de cada quadrangular garantem vaga na Série B de 2021 e os vencedores de cada grupo decidem o título da competição em dois jogos, nas finais, marcados para os dias 24 e 31 de janeiro de 2021.

A 17ª e penúltima rodada dessa primeira fase da Série C 2020 tem início marcado para a próxima sexta-feira (27). A competição é transmitida pela plataforma de streaming DAZN. Você pode assistir aos jogos ao vivo e ainda aproveitar 30 dias grátis (clique aqui para se associar). No canal do DAZN, no YouTube, você ainda pode ver lives após os jogos.

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In 2018, the number of “club and community” players in Australia has shrunk for the second year in a row, slipping from a peak of 454,657 in 2016 to 444,570 in 2017 and now 432,609

Daniel Brettig06-Sep-2018

In the world of finance, “recession” has a simple definition: two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Cricket in Australia now faces an equivalent recession, according to the latest edition of CA’s annual census conducted each year since 2000.CA census reports on club cricket figures

2012: “313,536 people participated in club cricket in 2011-12 across 570 associations and 3,820 clubs. 2,359 coaches and 257 umpires administered the game in 2011-12.”
2013: “After a small dip last year, club cricket rebounded with a growth of almost two per cent (1.7%), with 318,830 participants across 577 associations and 3,737 clubs.”
2014: “An eight per cent increase in traditional club cricket, bringing total participation up to 337,000 across Australia’s 477 cricket associations and 3,995 clubs. This is the biggest single year percentage growth in this segment for over five years.”
2015: “Traditional 11-a-side club cricket accounted for 344,053 participants across 23,000 teams, including 90 new female 11-a-side teams. It is the third consecutive year that traditional club cricket participation has increased. 415,104 club & community participants.”
2016: “Club and community participation jumped 9.5 per cent to 454,657 in the past 12 months.”
2017: “444,570 club and community players”
2018: “432,609 club and community players”

While the census has always been accompanied by glowing “participation” numbers, growing every year and once again in 2018 reporting a jump to more than 1.5 million, this figure has long been known to be particularly rubbery, given that according to CA and its census taker Street Ryan it is defined by anyone participating in school programmes or competitions at least four times over a summer. Within that figure, the number of paid-up, registered club cricketers is a far more reliable indicator of the game’s grassroots reach, and herein lies the trouble.In 2018, the number of “club and community” players in Australia has shrunk for the second year in a row, slipping from a peak of 454,657 in 2016 to 444,570 in 2017 and now 432,609. Given the inbuilt tendency of any self-assessed survey to look for gains, this trend may actually be more pronounced than it appears, even as losses from the traditional ranks of male and adult players are offset by growth among female players and juniors. Also notable is the fact that not even these numbers seem truly reliable anymore, as a result of ever widening criteria.Over the most recent seven surveys, club numbers tell something of a swinging tale. In 2012, the figure was 313,536; in 2013 it rose to 318,830, then jumping in 2014 to an even 337,000. Here is where things become more interesting still, as that was the year CA started to recut the numbers by including less formal “community cricket” numbers also – bumping up the 2014 figure to 400,000.For 2015, club figures rose again to 344,053, with the amalgamated figure coming in at a more bountiful 415,104. As if by process of evolution, the distinction had disappeared in figures for 2016, when CA trumpeted a seemingly mighty 454,657 “club and community” players. Therefore, the drop-off in that number in 2017 and this year may actually hide a more marked shrinkage of the number of players actually playing the sort of club cricket that could readily be defined as serious participation.This is not to say that CA is ignoring the aforementioned recession. On the contrary, their version of Keynesian stimulus was announced last week in the form of some A$35 million in directed and strategic funding for community cricket levels. Population growth areas in New South Wales/ACT, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia are to be served by no fewer than 58 new community cricket staffers, nearly A$13 million will be pushed directly towards infrastructure projects, registration fees for junior programmes will be redirected towards funding clubs, further funding will be pushed towards growing competitions for women and girls, and free level one coaching courses have been made available to help volunteers.At the helm of the relevant CA department is the game development chief Belinda Clark, who has long noted the critical importance of the club participation number in assessing the game’s overall health in Australia. When asked about how CA was addressing the gap between rosy overall participation and the rather less promising club numbers, Clark pointed to three methods being tried.Getty Images

“The rollout of new junior formats has been taken up really well in the community,” Clark told ESPNcricinfo recently. “So last year there were 65% of associations that had started to implement those formats and this year we anticipate getting as high as 90% of associations, so step one is to make sure that the game is fun and fast and attractive to kids, so that’s that.”But in terms of making sure the environment’s great, that’s where the free level one community coaching courses come into play, making sure the kids – once they arrive at the club – have got good coaches and great experiences. The third bit is providing additional resources – by sharing the revenue from Cricket Blast registration it provides clubs with a revenue stream that previously wasn’t there in order to make sure there’s opportunities to continue to play.”Clark’s efforts are being given further urgency by the fact that more independently gleaned numbers are also slipping downwards. In 2016 the then Australian Sports Commission – now Sports Australia – released AusPlay, a national survey of sporting participation that immediately installed cricket as a mid-table dweller, with 562,669 registered participants. That ranked the game sixth among the top 10, well behind soccer, golf, AFL, netball and tennis.In the most recent AusPlay survey, conducted last year and released in April 2018, cricket had slid to 545,704 participants, and found itself seventh in the top 10, now also behind basketball. Of course there is a difference between registered club players, participants and followers, an area in which CA can still point to plenty of success. The figure denoting the game’s estimated following more loudly than any other is the A$1.18 billion paid by News Corporation and Seven for broadcast rights, more than any sport other than the winter staples of AFL and NRL could dream about.To that end, the triumphal note struck by the chief executive James Sutherland in his final census before departing the job was not entirely off the mark. “We are thrilled to see the number of Australians playing cricket continue to grow year-on-year. To have more than 1.5 million Australians participating in cricket last season is a fantastic result, highlighting the passion Australians have for cricket,” Sutherland said. “We are pleased with the uptake of young children experiencing cricket through programmes specifically designed for schools.”More than 850,000 young Australians participated in these programmes in 2017-18 – these entry level numbers are outstanding, and we hope the programmes help instill a love of the game that will see them continue to play and enjoy their cricket. We are working hard with the community to ensure this interest and enthusiasm is transferred to regular playing opportunities.”We have more women and girls playing cricket than ever before, and The Growing Cricket for Girls Fund has been an overwhelming success and a programme we will continue to invest heavily in. We are particularly pleased with 619 new junior girl’s teams creating opportunities for the next Meg Lanning or Ellyse Perry to learn the game.”All that said, the participation recession in club land will have more serious consequences if allowed to continue. Just ask the ECB.

وقع اختيار ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، لاعب فريق ليفربول، على زميله النجم المصري محمد صلاح، كأفضل من زامله في صفوف النادي الإنجليزي.

وانضم محمد صلاح إلى ليفربول قادمًا من روما في صيف 2017، حيث سرعان ما نجح في ترك بصمته المذهلة في ملعب “الأنفيلد”.

وحقق محمد صلاح كافة الألقاب الممكنة مع ليفربول، وعلى رأسها الدوري الإنجليزي، دوري أبطال أوروبا، السوبر الأوروبي وكأس العالم للأندية.

وأجرى أرنولد حوارًا مع صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية، حيث طُلب منه اختيار أفضل لاعب زامله في صفوف ليفربول، حيث وقع اختياره على محمد صلاح.

وقال أرنولد: “لقد لعبت مع الكثير من اللاعبين من الطراز العالمي، ولكن أود أن أقول محمد صلاح، نعم بالنسبة لي هو، صلاح”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: ليفربول يحدد سعر بيع فان دايك لـ الدوري السعودي

وأضاف: “يمكن النظر إلى اتساقه الذي تحلى به منذ مجيئه إلى هنا، وحتى يومنا هذا، لم يفقده على الإطلاق”.

وواصل: “أعتقد أن ما يحققه يُعد أمرًا رائعًا، وهذا دليل على مدى عمله الشاق وتفانيه للعبة ومهنته، وهو ما استطعت مشاهدته بشكل يومي”.

واستمر: “يمتلك دافعًا لا هوادة به من أجل دفع نفسه يومًا تلو الآخر، لتحقيق الأفضل وتحطيم الأرقام القياسية”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em momento decisivo para a sua carreira, o atacante Marcos Leonardo não foi relacionado para o duelo entre Grêmio e Santos, nesta quarta-feira (09), às 19h15, pelo confronto de ida pelas quartas de final da Libertadores, na arena gremista.

O jovem, de 17 anos, está sem agenciamento e deve decidir o novo responsável pela sua carreira nos próximos dias. O LANCE! apurou que Marcos foi alvo de sondagens recentes de clubes da Espanha, França e Itália. O Santos ainda não foi comunicado formalmente sobre os interesses, e a definição do novo empresário pode ajudar no avanço das conversas.

Marcos Leonardo tem contrato com o Peixe até outubro de 2022 e a sua multa rescisória chega a 100 milhões de euros (R$ 615 mi), contudo o jogador deseja permanecer no Alvinegro, onde sonha em deixar o clube pelo menos com títulos conquistados. Por outro lado, o duelo contra o Tricolor Gaúcho é o terceiro consecutivo que o atacante não é relacionado.

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Enquanto está sem agente, pessoas da família de Marcos estão a frente das questões que envolvem a revelação santista e aguardam a definição do novo empresário do atacante para se reunir com a diretoria santista para discutir o futuro do jogador.

Marcos Leonardo foi promovido ao time principal do Peixe neste ano e já tem dois gols marcados, um pelo Brasileirão e outro pela Libertadores. O atacante tem 12 jogos pelo Santos, mas a maioria entrando no decorrer das partidas, portanto totaliza 268 minutos em campo e uma média de 0,66 gols a cada 90 minutos.

It's reported that a barely-seen Tottenham player has "impressed" manager Ange Postecoglou, and he'll now "get his chance" in the starting line-up.

Injury problems at Spurs

A fortnight ago, Spurs were top of the table after a phenomenal early-season unbeaten run. Fast-forward to now, and Postecoglou's side are fresh off the back of two consecutive Premier League defeats, bringing Tottenham's popular new manager right back to Earth as they slip down the table.

Injuries and suspensions are a huge part of Spurs' recent slump, with star summer signings James Maddison and Micky van de Ven not expected to play again until 2024 after being taken off against Chelsea the week before last. Van de ven suffered a hamstring problem and could barely leave the field without assistance during Tottenham's 4-1 defeat at home to Mauricio Pochettino's side, while Maddison sustained ankle ligament damage.

Postecoglou isn't helped by Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero being unavailable through suspension, either, with the duo picking up red cards on a night to forget against Chelsea. These absentees leave Spurs desperately short of options right now, and it's clear as day they missed both Maddison and van de Ven during their most recent 2-1 loss to Wolves at Molineux.

After the international break, which comes as almost a blessing for Spurs, they take on Unai Emery's Aston Villa in what will be a tough game without some of their key men.

Crucial Maddison is a huge Spurs miss

It will be a particularly tough task for Postecoglou to fill the gaping hole left by Maddison, as the England star was proving to be one of the signings of the summer window. The 26-year-old, who joined from Leicester City for around £40 million, has scored three goals and assisted five others already this season with ex-Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon praising Maddison for his excellent displays.

“Yeah, at the minute he’s on absolute fire," said Lennon after their 2-0 win over Fulham last month.

"I was watching him and he completely dictated the game. He was working hard off the ball, I think the new manager has got that into him. He must be a joy to play with, as one of those front players with him behind you, if you make the run he’ll find you. He’s the man of the moment at the minute."

Lo Celso "will" get Spurs chance after Maddison blow

However, according to journalist Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail, Spurs' head coach has a plan to replace Maddison in the midfield until he returns. Postecoglou has apparently been "impressed" by barely-seen midfielder Giovani Lo Celso in training, and he "will" now get his chance in the absence of Tottenham's new superstar.

Giovani Lo Celso's style of play

Gets fouled often

Likes to shoot from distance

Likes to cut inside

Likes to tackle

The Argentina international has played just 39 minutes in the league this season, thanks partly due to an injury of his own earlier in the campaign, but Lo Celso appears set to play a key role over the next few weeks.

تستكمل اليوم مباريات منافسات كرة القدم في دورة الألعاب الأولمبية “أولمبياد باريس” 2024.

ويصطدم منتخب العراق تحت 23 سنة، بنظيره منتخب الأرجنتين، في خضم منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات.

ترتيب مجموعة العراق والمغرب في أولمبياد باريس

ويتواجد منتخبا العراق والأرجنتين في المجموعة الثانية التي تضم إلى جوارهما المغرب وأوكرانيا.

طالع | نتيجة مباراة العراق والأرجنتين في أولمبياد باريس 2024

ويخوض منتخب العراق مباراته بمعنويات مرتفعة بعد الفوز في الجولة الأولى على أوكرانيا بهدفين مقابل هدف.

أما منتخب الأرجنتين فيطمح في تعويض خسارته بالجولة الأولى أمام المغرب بنتيجة 2-1. موعد مباراة العراق والأرجنتين اليوم في الأولمبياد

ومن المقرر أن تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية والعراق. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة العراق والأرجنتين اليوم

ومن المنتظر أن تذاع المباراة عبر “بي إن سبورتس 1″، وكذلك قناة “الرياضية” المغربية.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

England have named Derbyshire’s Afghanistan-born spinner Hamidullah Qadri in their 18-man Young Lions squad for winter training camps in the UK and India

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2018

England have named Derbyshire’s Afghanistan-born spinner Hamidullah Qadri in their 18-man Young Lions squad for winter training camps in the UK and India.Qadri, 17, last year became the first county player to have been born in the 21st century, taking 5 for 60 on debut for Derbyshire against Glamorgan, and went on to make his first appearances for England U-19s.The squad, led by Young Lions coach Jon Lewis, also includes allrounder Ben Charlesworth, who finished the season by making a strong impression in Gloucestershire’s first team.The players will take part in a 20-day camp in Bangalore as part of their preparations for a tour of Bangladesh early next year, encompassing all three formats. A 15-man squad will be named for Bangladesh nearer the time.”It’s a high potential group of players and I am excited by the prospect of them working with this set of staff and the challenging conditions that India will present,” Lewis said. “I think it’s one of the best parts of the job, being able to provide an experience that adds value on top of what the players normally receive at their counties.”It’s been hugely enjoyable this year to see Harry Brook, Will Jacks, Dillon Pennington and Ethan Bamber progress from representing us in last year’s World Cup to impressing in their county 1st XI.”I know from having chatted to them that they felt their time with the Young Lions improved them as players and that’s an example of the value our pathway can add to young players.”I reminded this squad that it wasn’t that long ago at all that Sam Curran and Ollie Pope were sat in the same seats as them. They both showed the characteristics of players who wanted to become international cricketers and their speed of ascent since has been testament to their hard work. I’m looking forward to developing this group so that they can start their own journey on that path.”England Young Lions squad: Kasey Aldridge (Somerset), George Balderson (Lancashire), Ben Charlesworth (Gloucestershire), Jordan Cox (Kent), Tom Davis (Kent), Adam Finch (Worcestershire), Lewis Goldsworthy (Somerset), Jack Haynes (Worcestershire), George Hill (Yorkshire), Luke Hollman (Middlesex), Nick Kimber (Nottinghamshire), Tom Lammonby (Somerset), Dominic Leech (Yorkshire), Jack Morley (Lancashire), Dan Mousley (Warwickshire), Hamidullah Qadri (Derbyshire), Will Smeed (Somerset), Jamie Smith (Surrey)

Captain takes pride in leading from the front as England seal first series win in Asia for six years

Andrew Miller18-Nov-2018Having challenged his players to play “bold, courageous cricket” on their tour of Sri Lanka, England’s captain Joe Root said that he would take immense pride in the manner in which his players backed up their words with deeds to secure their first series win in Asia for six years.Root himself was named Man of the Match for his superb second-innings 124, a performance that epitomised his team’s positive approach to batting in challenging conditions, and he admitted that it was especially pleasing to have been able to lead from the front in precisely the manner that he had called for.”I’m really pleased to back up everything I’ve spoken about and the way that I did it,” Root told Sky Sports. “It’s nice to make a big contribution but the thing that sits well with me is the manner in which I did it. I asked the guys to play a certain way, and I went out and backed it up myself.”However, Root was quick to praise his entire squad for the manner in which they bought into the challenge of taking on Sri Lanka in their own conditions – not just the 11 players who have so far taken the field in the two Tests, but the full 17-man squad, not least the likes of Stuart Broad and Jonny Bairstow, two hugely experienced players who have been surplus to requirements given the specific balance of this team.”Look at the guys we’ve got on the sidelines,” he said. “We’ve got some very exciting young players and a lot of experience, and for Stuart Broad [and Bairstow] to have no played a part in this series shows the strength of the squad, and the adaptability as well. Around the world we could have played a very different side with a similar well-balanced look to it.”It’s nice to be in a position where all 17 guys could walk into the team and it wouldn’t look any less balanced, or out of place in these conditions.”If England’s set-up allowed them to do without some of their most senior campaigners out in the middle, then Root was quick to praise the contributions of two of his most trusted lieutenants, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes. Both are integral members of England’s world-class white-ball squad, and after a match in which England’s fielding standards, particularly the close catching, had made the difference between the two teams, Root insisted that their contributions had been instrumental in raising the overall standards of the squad.”The guys have worked really hard on their close catching, we know how important it is in this part of the world,” said Root. “When you’ve got Jos and Ben in the outfield, the standard does rise, it drags people with them.”They are the sort of characters we have, two senior players who command respect in the way they go about things. Not verbally, but with their actions on the field and the way they train. They set the standard, and when people see that and the success they have on the field, they are very quick to follow suit.”Getty Images

The final morning of the match had dawned with England needing a further three wickets, and Sri Lanka 75 runs, but Root insisted that he and his players had been pretty calm when play resumed, thanks to a belief in the plans that had already carried them to the brink of victory.”We were pretty confident,” he said. “We knew we’d be able to create three chances on that surface, but we also recognised that when partnerships developed it became quite difficult. We tried to stay as calm as possible, trust all the plans we had, and follow through on that, and thankfully it paid off.”That’s not to say there had not been one or two nervous moments in the field as Sri Lanka set off in pursuit of a victory target of 300, and Root conceded that the extended sessions on day four had not helped his team, in the wake of the heavy rainfall that interrupted their own second innings.”The extra 15 minutes in both sessions didn’t help,” he said. “[Sri Lanka’s] two significant partnerships were towards the back of those sessions and they got away from us a little bit. It’s a nice learner for me as captain to do things differently, but ultimately we reassessed things very well and very quickly and put things right.”The credit for the victory ultimately went to England’s trio of spinners who claimed 19 of Sri Lanka’s 20 wickets in the match, with Jack Leach and Moeen Ali sharing nine out of ten in the second innings,”They dealt with the pressure pretty well, and to do it in these conditions as well,” said Root. “To do it in England on pitches you’re familiar with is one thing, but we have guys like Mo who are very good at beating the bat on both sides when there’s more consistent spin. It’s about finding different ways of getting the most out of your skill and expand your game.”You’ve seen a big improvement and development in all three of them to harness and shoulder that pressure. It was really pleasing.”Root’s captaincy also encountered a steep learning curve out in the field, part of which revolved around him unlearning some of the lessons that became apparent to him while batting.AFP

“It’s difficult, you see the ball spin when you’re batting and it’s really hard work,” he said. “There is that expectation on yourselves at times to go and take clusters of wickets and put them under huge amounts of pressure. But if you over-attack, it can be difficult, you can leak runs, and then the pressure is back on yourselves.”More than anything, you have to get that balance of attack and defence, defend with the field but attack with the ball in hand, that is sometimes a bit more useful.”Root also praised his team’s batting, not merely for producing three centuries in the two Tests to Sri Lanka’s none, but for the intent and the depth that they were able to dredge out of the entire line-up – right down to the contributions of James Anderson at No.11, who helped add 101 runs for the last wicket across two innings.”We’ve made some really crucial partnerships at key times,” he said. “Going back to the start of the second innings, going back to Keaton [Jennings] and Rory [Burns], they kept the scoreboard moving very quickly, and kept them under pressure from the start, and in a calm and controlled manner. That set the innings up beautifully and gave the guys a huge amount of confidence to play their own way and keep the runs coming.”The beauty of this team is the depth of batting,” he added. “Guys like Rashid coming in at No.10 at times, he’s more than capable of big scores in Test cricket, and has more than 10 first-class hundreds. It’s nice to know that the depth is there, but one thing we’ve seen is there is no attitude of ‘leave it to someone else’. The guys have stood up and shouldered that responsibility really well.”Ben Foakes, England’s rookie wicketkeeper, was also singled out for special praise after another match in which his impeccable glovework was matched by a vital performance with the bat.”Foakes has made it look a lot easier than it should look, both keepers have,” said Root. “Both stood back and up, with the ball not carrying at times. It’s been spitting, keeping low, but he’s done phenomenally well, and makes it look a lot easier than it is which is fantastic to have as a wicketkeeper.”His runs have been fantastic as well. His demeanour out in the middle is one of someone who has played a lot more than he has. He has a great attitude towards learning and improving himself.”

قدم أشرف صبحي وزير الشباب والرياضة، التهنئة لمنتخب مصر الأولمبي لكرة القدم، بعد الفوز على باراجواي بركلات الترجيح والتأهل إلى نصف نهائي أولمبياد باريس.

منتخب مصر فاز على نظيره باراجواي في ربع نهائي أولمبياد باريس 2024، بركلات الترجيح بنتيجة 5-4، وذلك على أرضية استاد اورنج فيلودروم بمدينة مارسيليا.

وقال أشرف صبحي في تصريحات صحفية: “هذا الإنجاز يُعد إضافة جديدة لسجل إنجازات الرياضة المصرية على الساحة الدولية، اللاعبون والجهازان الفني والإداري بذلوا مجهودًا كبيرًا للوصول إلى هذا المستوى المتميز، والذي يُعد تتويجًا لبرنامج الإعداد الطويل والمكثف الذي خاضوه”.

طالع أيضاً.. موعد مباراة مصر القادمة في نصف نهائي أولمبياد باريس بعد الفوز على باراجواي

وأتم: “أطالب الجماهير المصرية، بتشجيع الفريق وكافة أبطالنا الرياضيين المشاركين في دورة الألعاب الأولمبية، لتحقيق المزيد من النتائج الإيجابية ورفع إسم مصر عاليًا، وكذلك استمرار تقديم الأداء المميز”.