All posts by h716a5.icu

On either side of Nurul’s blitz was an obstructing the field incident and an argument involving Tamim Iqbal on an action-packed evening

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jan-2025Nurul Hasan hit three sixes and three fours in the final over of Rangpur Riders’ chase against Fortune Barishal in a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match in Sylhet on Thursday, to take his team to a last-ball win.It was the third highest last-over score in a men’s T20, behind Somerset’s 34 runs in a nine-ball over against Somerset in the T20 Blast in 2015 and Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) 31 against Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2023.Nurul was on 2 from one ball after walking out in the 18th over of Rangpur’s chase of Barishal’s 197 for 5. First, he saw Shaheen Shah Afridi and Jahandad Khan send four batters back by the end of the 19th over – including Mahedi Hasan given out obstructing the field. Then, up against Kyle Mayers’ medium pace with Rangpur needing 26 runs to win the game, Nurul went 6 (scythed over cow corner), 4 (shovelled over fine leg), 4 (just short of the rope at deep square), 6 (into the stands at deep midwicket) and 4 (through the covers) to leave two runs to get off the last ball, which he smashed square on the leg side for six more. At the start of that over, it seemed like Rangpur’s unbeaten run in the competition was over. At the end of it, they had made it six wins out of six and were six points clear at the top.Most runs successfully chased in the last over of a T20•ESPNcricinfo LtdAfter the game, Nurul remembered another final over where he could not get the job done. “I always regretted not being able to take 20 runs off the last over against India, in the [2022] T20 World Cup,” he said. “We got close but I couldn’t finish the job in that big stage.”*This time around, he produced one of his “best knocks”. “Khushdil [Shah], who struck two sixes in the 19th over, said that we can still win this game. [Non-striker Kamrul Islam] Rabbi told me to play all six balls in the last over. I think the first six gave me the most belief. They have a good bowling attack. Twenty-six runs was a lot of runs… I was just hoping that I got the balls in my zone.”It is nothing new – people often forget my knocks of twenties or thirties. It is not a big deal as long as I can contribute for the team. Since I could win the game for the team, this is one of my best knocks.”Mahedi out obstructing the fieldThat last over was not the only drama in the game. The 19th over, which Khushdil began with consecutive sixes before falling, produced three wickets: the second one falling via an obstructing-the-field incident.Mahedi Hasan was facing his first ball, with Nurul at the other end. Mahedi lobbed the ball down the pitch, Nurul set off to get the strike, and the bowler Jahandad Khan hared towards his left to collect the aerial lob. Nurul and the bowler collided halfway down the pitch, as the latter was looking to complete the return-catch. An appeal followed and Mahedi was given out in accordance with Law 37.3.1 that states “if the delivery is not a no-ball, the striker is out obstructing the field if wilful obstruction or distraction by either batter prevents the striker being out caught.”Nurul said of the incident: “I was trying to take a run. He just came in front of me. I didn’t change my way. I didn’t have any intention to obstruct the bowler. The umpire informed us that whoever was the striker in that instance, would be declared out.”The final bit of drama came after Nurul’s winning six, when Barishal captain Tamim Iqbal was seen being held back from an argument with members of the opposition. “I saw it partly but I am not aware what it is about,” Nurul said.Barishal coach Nafees Iqbal described the incident thus: “I just saw that there was some excitement after the game. Emotions often carry over after this sort of match. I hope it is nothing serious. Possibly something was said, which prompted the reaction. I don’t think it is serious.”Rangpur batter Alex Hales who was involved in the incident told : “He [Tamim] was upset about something. I am not sure but maybe because his team had just lost. We shook hands. Nothing was said. He asked me if I have something to say, say it to his face. I didn’t say anything. He was getting very personal.”*

GOAL US unpacks the main weekend storylines from the Premier League, La Liga and other top competitions in The Euro XI

Can we jump to conclusions? Are the pieces just perfectly in place for most of Europe's top leagues? 

Liverpool played Everton – the definition of a trap game. But they saw them off, late pressure notwithstanding. Man City and Arsenal then did the Reds an almighty favor by playing out a 1-1 draw in which either manager could have set up a team to win, but neither looked like they really wanted to.

Liverpool are five points clear and not playing well (yet). Further down the table – yes, down – Man United won their game against Chelsea and then tried really hard to lose it. In Germany, Bayern Munich are scoring for fun. And even if PSG-Marseille is postponed until Monday because of heavy rain, there's no doubt that the Parisians will walk it.

Of course, much can change here. Liverpool could start losing. Arsenal could decide they want to win. City could win 20 in a row and no one would bat an eyelid. Until then, though, we're left admiring from afar. But that might not be such a bad thing.

GOAL US presents The Euro XI, with 11 key observations from the weekend.

AFP1Mikel Arteta never changes

Why, Mikel, would you go out and spend big on Victor Gyokeres, Ebere Eze and Noni Madueke, if you aren't going to make the most of them? Arsenal's summer transfer business, from the outside, seemed a state of attacking intent. Here was a manager who loved his defensive structure, taking the handbrake off a little.

The Gunners could be expansive, maybe even just a little bit fun. But when it came to the big game, Arteta went right back into his shell. The Spaniard deployed seven (!) defensive players against a weakened Man City at home, and relied on a late moment of magic from Gabriel Martinelli to salvage a 1-1 draw.

Was this tragedy? No. But one point could have been three, if Arteta had just been a little more brave.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport2Pep Guardiola bunkers in

Man City are in a precarious spot. They are still rebuilding and tweaking, Pep Guardiola fiddling with a team rather than fine-tuning it. And you could see a side still a little uncertain of itself Sunday afternoon.

City went up 1-0 early thanks to a lovely goal from Erling Haaland. Guardiola's side of old would twist the knife, make it four or five. Instead, Guardiola shrunk and bunkered in. To be fair, it almost worked, but City were frighteningly conservative.

And even if Arsenal weren't exactly full of attacking inspiration, they could have few complaints about the draw. But something weird is happening: Pep is playing scared.

Getty3Erling Haaland is keeping Man City alive

It is a good thing, then, that Guardiola has a super Norwegian space robot demon to play up front. Haaland wasn't exactly last year, but he was miles off the player that smashed the Premier League goalscoring record in his debut season. Now, it seems, he is determined to restructure his game a little.

Haaland's whole vibe for a long time is that he was very good at one thing: sticking the ball in the net. Everything else was low priority. But this year, he's changed it up. Haaland is carrying Man City not only by scoring – he has six in five games – but also by affecting the game everywhere else.

Haaland passes. Haaland defends. Haaland now does a bit of everything. And without him, City would be in a far worse place.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images Sport4Liverpool keep playing with fire

It's rather funny that the most likely team to win the Premier League are doing it while looking reasonably poor for long stretches. Liverpool were excellent for 30 minutes in the Merseyside derby. They scored two very nicely crafted goals, and might have had a third if Mo Salah's whipped shot not gone inches wide of the top corner.

After that, though, they closed into their shell, and let Everton play. They were, in the end, outrun, outworked and perhaps slightly fortunate to come away with three points against their rivals. It's an odd situation, all said.

Liverpool probably have too much attacking talent to lose in a shootout. But they do a pretty poor job of controlling games from ahead. At some point someone is going to punish them. The question is, who? 

Everton have made it back-to-back wins in the Premier League, and David Moyes must be delighted with the way his team have responded after a disappointing defeat to Leeds United on the opening day of the term.

The Scotsman steered the Toffees away from relegation danger last term and is now focused on challenging for a place in the top half of the division, having strengthened well across the summer.

But, with merely hours remaining until the transfer window slams shut, The Friedkin Group appear willing to seal one final signing to ensure Moyes has everything he needs for the term ahead.

Everton in last-minute bid

As per The Times’ Paul Joyce, Everton are pushing to sign Merlin Rohl from Freiburg in the Bundesliga, with BBC Sport corroborating the reports and revealing a bid worth £20m is anticipated to get the deal done.

The 23-year-old has suffered his share of injury problems over the past couple of years, but wouldn’t be expected to start every week from the off.

And given that he boasts the athletic profile to succeed in the Premier League and indeed in Moyes’ industrious system, it might be worth TFG pushing ahead quickly and wrapping it up.

What Rohl would bring to Everton

Everton don’t look like they are going to sign Soucek before this evening’s deadline, but in Rohl, they might land not just an alternative but an upgrade on the Czech Republic international.

He’s featured 60 times for Freiburg since joining from fellow German outfit Ingolstadt, and has built up some healthy experience in the Bundesliga, playing 48 times all told in the top flight.

Injuries stifled Rohl’s progress last season, but he showcased some intriguing qualities the year before, and given that he is still in the early stage of his professional career, he might be a far more prudent purchase for the Merseysiders than Soucek.

The West Ham star might be more refined, but Rohl fits the profile Moyes often covets, and he could fashion him into a winner.

Matches (starts)

35 (30)

24 (17)

Goals

9

2

Assists

1

3

Touches*

38.2

31.6

Pass completion

75%

81%

Big chances created

1

5

Key passes*

0.4

0.8

Dribbles*

0.2

0.9

Ball recoveries*

1.8

4.3

Tackles + interceptions*

1.9

1.3

Duels won*

5.0

3.8

The 6 foot 3 German also ranks among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for aerial battles won per 90, as per FBref, which further underscores how Moyes could fashion into his version of Soucek, a superior version.

He doesn’t boast the same goalscoring ability as Soucek, for sure, but Rohl has the makings of an attacking gem from the centre, with former Freiburg manager Christian Streich hailing him as a “difference-maker” with a wealth of “dangerous” qualities.

Soucek played a role of great importance when bringing silverware to Moyes’ West Ham project in 2023, but he’s now 30, and an up-and-comer such as Rohl could prove the right move for Everton.

He bears similar physical properties to the Czech man, and maybe a touch more flair and skill besides. Given the strength in depth at the Hill Dickinson Stadium already after the summer exodus, there’s no reason why Rohl couldn’t prove a jackpot signing for Moyes.

An Isak-level deal: Liverpool in D-day talks to sign "one of the best LWs"

Liverpool are pushing a flurry of activity at the final stage of the summer transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 1, 2025

Former Newcastle and England star Alan Shearer has responded to recent comments made by Roy Keane branding him "sneaky and nasty". Shearer laughed off the criticism, while Gary Lineker suggested that the Manchester United legend is trying to generate publicity for his own podcast by targeting him.

Shearer-Keane rivalry continue to endure

The Shearer-Keane rivalry is one of the most enduring in Premier League history. Their on-field clashes in games between Newcastle and Man Utd and differing punditry styles have always created headlines and talking points. Any new barbs will therefore spark interest among fans, with Keane stirring the pot on the latest episode of the podcast, brought to you by . The Irishman said: “Shearer was sneaky, sneaky elbows. I didn’t admire people who were nasty, I don’t like nasty people."

AdvertisementKeane accused of 'trying to get PR'

England icon Lineker brought up Keane's comments with Shearer on , saying: "It's amazing what rival pods will do to try and get a bit of PR."

Shearer then replied: "Someone sent me that the other day, and then Micah [Richards] sent me it and Wrighty [Ian Wright] and we had a laugh. I mean, really, come on." 

Lineker then suggested that Shearer is "living in his head", before the ex-Newcastle striker continued: "Sneaky and nasty… I mean, some of the tackles, come on."

The segment concluded with Lineker simply saying: "Pot, kettle, black, and that kind of stuff."

Getty Images SportSwing and a miss in PL thriller

Keane and Shearer's most famous bust-up came when Newcastle beat Man Utd 4-3 at St James' Park in a Premier League thriller back in September 2001. Keane was sent off in the game after hurling the ball at Shearer in response to a shove from the Newcastle captain, and subsequently appeared to throw a punch at him, but missed his target and instead knocked the yellow card out of the referee's hand.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Early season struggles for Newcastle & Man Utd

Expect further back and forth between Shearer and Keane in the media. Both are prominent pundits, and opportunities for further exchanges are inevitable, especially if their former teams are involved in controversial incidents. 

United and Newcastle have both made poor starts to the 2025-26 campaign, and sit 14th and 15th in the Premier League table after six games, respectively. The Magpies have a Champions League fixture against Union Saint-Gilloise to attend to next on Wednesday before hosting Nottingham Forest in the league four days later. United, meanwhile, are set to host high-flying Sunderland on Saturday.

Doggett signs for his fourth BBL club on a two-year deal while Jewell is set to leave Hurricanes on the final day of the player movement window

Tristan Lavalette05-Feb-2025Melbourne Renegades have further bolstered their pace stocks after landing free agent Brendan Doggett, while the club’s shake-up is set to continue with Hobart Hurricanes’ title-winning opener Caleb Jewell poised to sign with them before the BBL’s new player movement window ends on Thursday.Doggett, who was part of Australia’s squad during part of the recent India Test series, has played the past two seasons with Adelaide Strikers, but only claimed three wickets in six matches in BBL 14. He had previously played four seasons with Sydney Thunder after having started his career at Brisbane Heat.His signing comes on the back of Renegades securing left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff on a three-year deal after Perth Scorchers were not able to guarantee him a contract.Related

Marsh and David set to re-sign as BBL, WBBL contracting embargo ends

Swepson moves to Melbourne Stars on deadline day

Finch keen for BBL auction, Maxwell questions power surge

Beau Webster returns to Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL

BBL watches Hundred sales process amid 'shifting' landscape

“Brendan is an exciting addition to our squad, he’s a skilful fast bowler with ability to execute under pressure and take important wickets,” Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said. “We believe Brendan will play an important role for us. To pair him up with Tom [Rogers], Jason, Adam [Zampa] and Will [Sutherland], we believe we have a powerful bowling unit that boasts variety and the very highest-end talent.”After missing out on the finals for the fifth time in the past six seasons, Renegades have also looked at shoring up their top-order batting. ESPNcricinfo understands that Jewell is set to be released from his Hurricanes contract and take up a deal with Renegades. He played a key role in Hurricanes’ championship campaign, complementing breakout opener Mitchell Owen in an anchoring role.Owen extended his contract with Hurricanes through to BBL 17, while free agent Tim David is expected to re-sign after significant interest from Melbourne Stars. Hurricanes, however, are believed to not have offered a contract to legspinner Peter Hatzoglou. He only took one wicket from six matches this season, but was relatively economical and did play through their finals campaign.ESPNcricinfo understands left-arm seam-bowling allrounder Hayden Kerr is set to re-sign with Sydney Sixers on a two-year deal having had considerable interest from several teams, including Stars.Kerr started his BBL career with Sixers in 2019-20 and has been a mainstay of the side since his breakout in BBL 11, highlighted by clubbing 98 not out as an opener against Strikers in the Challenger final. He took nine wickets from ten matches this season.Free agent D’Arcy Short is expected to re-sign with Strikers, but the club is believed to be still weighing up their batting options. The veteran averaged 23.50 with a strike rate of 135 from nine matches in various roles in Strikers’ batting-order.Caleb Jewell is set to leave Hurricanes for Renegades•Getty ImagesMeanwhile, left-arm quick Joel Paris has returned to Scorchers, his original BBL club, after signing a one-year deal. Paris was Scorchers’ primary target to replace Behrendorff and he will rejoin the club he played for from BBL 5 through to BBL 10. He finished the latest BBL season strongly and helped Stars make an unlikely finals appearance.”We identified the need for another new-ball bowler and saw this as a great opportunity to bring Joel back to Perth,” Scorchers high-performance boss Kade Harvey said. “Joel had a strong BBL14 season for the Stars, bowling a lot of his overs during the powerplay. We also like having a left-arm pace bowler in the squad.”He’s an excellent leader and has been an enormous contributor for WA over many years, so we’re looking forward to having him throughout the whole summer.”Scorchers’ former captain Mitchell Marsh is still out of contract but appears likely to remain with the team despite interest from both Melbourne clubs.In another development, Stars general manager Blair Crouch has stood down after four seasons in the role. Stars appear set to reshape the general manager role to remove the cricket high-performance and list-management element from the job having hired former Australia fast bowler Clint McKay as T20 high-performance manager last year.

Former U.S. international Herculez Gomez says Ricardo Pepi's availability and fitness could be the deciding factors in whether the PSV Eindhoven striker secures the starting No. 9 role for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup. The 22-year-old forward recently returned for the Dutch champions after recovering from knee surgery that sidelined him for several months.

AFPPepi's finishing quality evident

The ESPN analyst noted that the position remains wide open for the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup, presenting a significant opportunity for Pepi.

“I think he has shown, in the brief time he has played, this season and last season when fit, with the USMNT – if he’s fit – he is going to score goals,” Gomez said on Futbol Americas. “He’s got to stay fit, got to stay hungry. Because that No. 9 for the USMNT, if the World Cup is his bar, then it’s a wide open race. It was his, but if you’re not on the field, you’ve already lost it. And he’s not been on the field…

"I hear a player who is being told to stay patient and I see a player that, in flashes, shows you good things. But I’ve been there myself… I don’t know where he is, only he knows where he is. But he’s got to stay patient, he’s got to stay strong and he’s got to take his chances with the national team when they come.”

AdvertisementClub form shows promise

Since joining PSV Eindhoven in 2023, Pepi has shown glimpses of his potential, when available. The striker has contributed 34 goals in 78 appearances for the club, including key strikes in the Champions League.

However, a knee injury last season led him to miss a majority of the season, and he has only just recovered, scoring a brace against NEC Nijmegen upon his return to full fitness.

Striker competition intensifies

Pepi's fight for the starting role comes amid increasing competition from other American forwards. Folarin Balogun became the favorite after his strong performance in the September friendlies, while Patrick Agyemang endeared himself to Mauricio Pochettino during the Gold Cup.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWorld Cup roster decisions ahead

With approximately nine months remaining before the 2026 World Cup, time is running short for players to solidify their positions in Pochettino's plans.

The upcoming international windows in October represent crucial evaluation opportunities.

The defending champions started WPL 2025 with two wins, but five straight losses cost them a knockout spot

Vishal Dikshit12-Mar-2025Smriti Mandhana had a poor WPL 2025, both as captain of a team that didn’t make the knockouts and as a batter with mediocre returns. WPL winners in 2024, RCB finished second-last this time, just above UP Warriorz, and that too on net run-rate.Mandhana’s demeanour at her final press conference of this season after an 11-run win against against Mumbai Indians, however, gave us a wise and pragmatic captain who had ended on a high, and not a sullen leader after a disappointing season. She became slightly philosophical, too, almost summoning the cricketing gods as she rued her team’s failure to clinched some of the crucial moments.”Yeah, we were just having a joke post the match that we started the season on a high, ended it on a high and midway we just lost somewhere,” Mandhana said after the game on Tuesday. “Pretty much that sums up our season. But yeah, having lost a lot of players from last season post the auction, definitely we had our thinking shoes on in between the auction and the season. But the way we started, I really thought that we are in it.”Related

Mandhana, Wareham, Rana breach Brabourne fortress to deny MI top spot

The defending champions started with two wins before stuttering to five straight losses that cost them a knockout spot.Injuries to Asha Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil and Sophie Molineux, and Sophie Devine opting for a break didn’t help, and the big setback was that RCB didn’t win even one out of their four home games, in stark contrast to 2024 when they won three out of five in Bengaluru.What hurt them further was that at home, where local fans again filled the stands, RCB lost two matches by agonisingly close margins: by four wickets with one ball to spare to MI and then the Super Over loss to Warriorz.”I think in Bangalore, a lot of things didn’t go our way,” Mandhana said. “But I am really proud of the way the team showed the character. Losing a lot of close matches is not easy on a team and I think we lost first two to three matches, which were pretty close. But everyone was really positive, which is something I am really pleased [about] as a captain. You win or lose. Sometimes in franchise cricket, these things go your way, and you win it. But when it doesn’t go your way, and the team sticks together, that is a team for me.”5:25

Mel Jones: ‘Phenomenal’ Perry played a different sort of innings

What also didn’t work for RCB at home was the toss. Teams opted to chase as the league moved from Vadodara to Bengaluru to Lucknow to finally Mumbai, and with the lack of dew and big totals in the first innings, chasing teams won most matches.RCB, in their home leg, lost all four tosses and were inserted by oppositions. At their home stretch also came Mandhana’s own lean patch, which meant the team largely relied on No. 3 Ellyse Perry for the bulk of the runs. But their totals were never enough.Perry’s prolific run placed her second among the run-scorers this season and on top in the WPL overall.”Sometimes, there’s something called cricketing god, which I believe a lot in,” Mandhana said. “You do a lot of things right and in the last two or three overs, things don’t go your way. We won [the title] last year by winning those moments. And this year, in the first two matches in Bangalore, we couldn’t make those moments ours, which is, I feel, a turning point for us, especially the first two matches.”Looking back, I wouldn’t want to throw anyone under the bus saying that would have changed it. We all, together as a team, could have contributed a lot more. Me as a batter in the mid phase, I was not able to score a lot of runs.”I think especially the Bangalore leg, losing the toss, not many teams could actually put up more than 160, but we could do that only because the way she [Perry] batted out there. Just really good to have her around the team, around all the Indians as well, because [there’s] a lot to take from her, lot to learn from her. And I am sure a lot of people in the team watch her and try and take a lot of things from her. And I hope that it only goes well for Indian cricket because people like that make you work really hard.”Richa Ghosh struck at 175.57 in WPL 2025•BCCIThe other positive for RCB was the big hitting of Richa Ghosh, whose strike rate of 175.57 was the best in the team (minimum 30 balls faced). She smashed 13 sixes and 25 fours on her way to 230 runs off 131 balls. She ended the RCB campaign also in style, particularly when going after Shabnim Ismail. Ghosh scooped and reverse scooped Ismail and reverse swept Hayley Matthews for boundaries on her way to 36 off 22 on Tuesday.”She is just amazing to watch,” Mandhana said of Ghosh. “I have seen her grow throughout the last three seasons of WPL and with the Indian team. The way she can change the game single-handedly is a sight to watch. When she is out there, the other dugout can’t sit peacefully, and no equation is less or more for her.”I mean, for us to chase 223-odd runs [against Warriorz] and just losing by ten runs and the way she batted… For batters like us, we see the smaller side [of the boundary], but for batters like Richa, they just see the ball and hit with their power.”The variety of shots is something she has really worked on. People always just relate Richa with a lot of power, but the cuts, the reverse sweeps today, which she switch hit. A lot of things have gone in, a lot of work, and her work ethics have been really good for the past year. [I am] really happy for her, and I hope she keeps going because [Ghosh] batting like that is amazing signs for Indian cricket.”

It is fair to say that Celtic need to improve their options at the top end of the pitch before the summer transfer window officially comes to a close this evening.

The Hoops have failed to score a goal in three of their last four matches in all competitions, including in both legs of their Champions League play-off loss to Kairat on penalties.

TEAMtalk reports that Celtic are closing in on a deal to sign Anderlecht centre-forward Kasper Dolberg in an attempt to improve the options at Brendan Rodgers’ disposal in the final third.

Celtic confident of deal for winger

The Denmark international may not be the only attacking addition to come through the door before the end of the summer transfer window tonight, though.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to TEAMtalk’s report, Celtic are confident that they will win the race to seal a deadline day deal for Crystal Palace forward Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

The outlet claims that the Scottish Premiership giants are in a battle with Rangers and Leicester City to sign the left-footed star on loan for the season.

It adds that Celtic feel they are well-positioned to win the race because of the regular first-team football and European matches that they can offer the 22-year-old starlet, who has been described as “devastating” by U23 scout Antonio Mango.

What Rak-Sakyi would bring to Celtic

The English winger would provide a real goal threat from the right flank to finally replace what they lost when Nicolas Kuhn completed a move to Como earlier this summer.

Celtic have struggled for goals in the early parts of the season and the signings of Dolberg and Rak-Sakyi, if they can get them over the line, would go a long way to solving their issues in that department.

Rak-Sakyi spent last season on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship, and previously impressed on loan at Charlton in League One in England.

Appearances

43

34

Starts

40

22

Goals

15

7

Minutes per goal

233

248

Big chances created

5

3

Key passes per game

1.3

0.9

Assists

8

2

As you can see in the table above, the Palace youngster has scored 22 goals in his last 62 league starts in the Championship and League One combined, which shows that he can provide a regular source of goals when picked week-in-week-out.

Dolberg, meanwhile, has scored three goals in six matches this season and plundered 19 goals in 40 games in the 2024/25 campaign for Anderlecht, per Sofascore, as the main number nine for the Belgian side, showing that he is in-form and could hit the ground running in Glasgow.

This means that, in Dolberg and Rak-Sakyi, Celtic appear to be closing in on two new signings who could add a spark to what has been a dull attacking set-up at Parkhead so far this season.

Of course, it is now down to the club to ensure that they can get these deals done before the deadline to avoid missing out on the huge boost to their attack that this duo could provide them with.

Worse than Nygren: Rodgers must drop Celtic flop who "offered little"

Celtic must drop their flop who was even worse than Benjamin Nygren against Rangers.

ByDan Emery Aug 31, 2025

Departure follows dismal T20 World Cup and Women’s Ashes campaigns

Valkerie Baynes21-Mar-2025Jon Lewis has left his role as England Women’s head coach.Amid a review of England’s 16-0 Women’s Ashes defeat in Australia, which followed their group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in October, the ECB announced on Friday that Lewis had left his position.”I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as England Women’s head coach,” Lewis said in a statement. “Unfortunately I won’t be able to finish this incredibly challenging but enjoyable job of developing this young team, whilst winning and growing the women’s game in this country.”I have worked tirelessly with this group of young players to develop their skills and understanding of modern-day white ball cricket, whilst still making good progress in 2024, winning 83% of all our games.”I am proud that we have seen unprecedented bumper crowds in 2023 and 2024 and I am determined to continue to help drive women’s cricket forward in whatever comes next for me. I wish all the players the best and thank them for letting me be part of their journeys.”Related

Jon Lewis appointed London Spirit Women's head coach

Jon Lewis returns to Gloucestershire as new director of cricket

'Like the English Graeme Smith' – Grace Scrivens, future England captain?

Heather Knight's captaincy ends but her work as a leader goes on

Knight's inglorious exit exposes limits of England women's evolution

Clare Connor, ECB managing director, England Women, and deputy chief executive officer – who announced the review in the immediate aftermath of the Ashes whitewash – said: “I’d like to thank Jon for all he has given in his time as head coach.”He came into the role after a very challenging period for cricketers during the pandemic, and one of his priorities was to create the right conditions for the team to flourish and develop. Under his leadership the team held off Australia to draw a thrilling 2023 Women’s Ashes – attracting record crowds with an entertaining brand of cricket – while the team’s consistent success in bilateral cricket included a remarkable eight consecutive ODI series wins for which he should take real credit.”While the recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and Women’s Ashes in Australia have been disappointing, there is no doubt about the talent we have available and we will look to appoint a successor shortly. We must be ready for an exciting summer of international cricket and to challenge for two World Cups over the next 15 months, including the T20 World Cup in this country next year.”Lewis had been in charge since November 2022, during which time England Women won 52 of their 73 matches.He has just finished his third season as coach of UP Warriorz, who finished bottom of the WPL table in the 2025 season.While the drawn 2023 Ashes series, in which England won both white-ball legs, was seen as a mark of progress for the team, they took a backward step when a hapless fielding performance against West Indies cost them a place in the knockout phase of the T20 World Cup and the recent Ashes drubbing brought Lewis’s position under intense scrutiny, particularly once the review was announced, details of which are yet to be made public.Charlotte Edwards is a potential successor for Jon Lewis•Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty ImagesSpeaking immediately after the Ashes Test at the MCG, which Australia won by an innings and 122 runs to keep England winless for the entire multi-format series, Lewis said he felt “I haven’t finished the job that I came here to do”, indicating a desire to stay on in the role.His comments earlier in the tour raised eyebrows when, after England had slumped to their fifth defeat of the tour in the second T20I, he suggested that Australia’s active, outdoors lifestyle was more conducive to producing athletes.The England team had already become embroiled in controversy after former team-mate turned commentator Alex Hartley had said that a handful of players were “letting the team down” with their fitness levels. Lewis repeatedly defended the squad’s training efforts, although Connor said all aspects of their preparation – including physical and mental – would be examined in the review, which has sought input from players.The ECB said it would provide an update on plans to appoint a new head coach “in due course” with visits by West Indies and India looming, followed by the 50-over World Cup in India and a home T20 World Cup next year.Charlotte Edwards stands out as a potential successor, having just coached Mumbai Indians to their second WPL title in three years.Edwards, the former England captain, offered to help the ECB in its review while not ruling herself out from taking over as head coach should the role become available.Having initially said she was interested in taking the England Women’s job in 2022, Edwards decided against applying, choosing to focus on her burgeoning franchise coaching career with Southern Brave in the Women’s Hundred and WBBL side Sydney Sixers, as well as leading Southern Vipers in the domestic women’s competition, which included a T20 competition named in her honour.Edwards has led Southern Vipers to five titles, including two Charlotte Edwards Cup victories – the second as part of a domestic double in 2023 – and Southern Brave to three Women’s Hundred finals, winning the 2023 edition. She also led Sydney Sixers to the WBBL final in her first season in charge in 2022-23. She has been appointed head coach of Hampshire Women under the new domestic structure in England and Wales beginning this season.Before becoming England Women’s head coach, Lewis had been ECB’s elite pace bowling coach since 2021, working alongside the England Men’s Test and white-ball teams. He was previously head coach of the Young Lions, having joined the ECB from the coaching staff at Sussex. As a player, Lewis took more than 1,200 professional wickets in a 19-year professional career at Gloucestershire, Surrey and Sussex, and played 15 times for his country.

MLS announced Charles Altchek has been named as Executive Vice President of Club Performance and League Growth while Ali Curtis takes over as President of MLS NEXT Pro and Executive Vice President of MLS Sporting Development. Altchek will work directly with team owners and executives to drive business growth, while Curtis takes control of MLS's developmental league.

Executives bring complementary experience

Both appointments leverage extensive MLS experience, with Altchek bringing over a decade of league service to his new role overseeing club business performance and expansion opportunities. Since joining MLS in 2014, he has helped establish nearly a third of the league's current teams while most recently building MLS NEXT Pro from concept to a 29-team competition. 

Curtis, a former Hermann Trophy winner at Duke and the No. 2 selection of the 2001 MLS SuperDraft, transitions to development leadership after successful General Manager stints with both the New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC.

AdvertisementMLSAltchek to lead club performance initiatives

Altchek's new role will be focused on club performance, recognizing his decade-long contributions to the league’s growth. MLS Commissioner Don Garber highlighted his pivotal work in launching and expanding MLS NEXT Pro, as well as his extensive experience collaborating with clubs across the MLS ecosystem. 

"Charles has played an integral role in the growth of Major League Soccer over the past decade,” Garber said in a press release. “His leadership in launching and expanding MLS NEXT Pro, his work with clubs across our ecosystem, and his experience at the team level make him uniquely qualified to lead our efforts in club performance. I’m confident he’ll bring the same focus and strategic vision to this role as we continue to drive growth across the League.”

MLSCurtis now leads MLS Next Pro

MLS Executive Vice President of Sporting and Competition, Nelson Rodriguez, praised Curtis' strategic vision and his role in driving innovation across the league. Rodriguez emphasized that Ali’s leadership will be key in guiding MLS NEXT Pro through its next phase of growth and development.

“Having contributed to our sport as a player, a club executive, and a league executive, Ali has the experience, strategic mindset, and vision to lead MLS NEXT Pro,” Rodriguez said in a press release. “He has been instrumental in bringing innovative changes to MLS and is the ideal leader to guide MLS NEXT Pro into its next chapter of growth.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportExecutive restructuring signals MLS's new focus

The timing of these executive appointments reflects MLS's strategic focus on maximizing club business performance and streamlining its development pathway as North America prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These complementary executive roles highlight the league's dual focus on immediate business growth and long-term sporting infrastructure as MLS positions itself to capitalize on unprecedented global attention during and after the tournament.