Eliminação do Palmeiras desperta insatisfação interna com 'teimosia' de Abel Ferreira

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Abel Ferreira é, para muitos, o maior técnico da história do Palmeiras e é tratado como tal dentro e fora do clube. No entanto, diante de algumas decisões do treinador em relação ao time titular, houve o despertar de certo descontentamento com o que é chamado de “teimosia” do português. Não há risco de demissão ou mudança no trabalho, mas a verdade é que internamente essa postura já não é vista com bons olhos.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Nas duas partidas da semifinal da Libertadores, contra o Boca Juniors, a grande reclamação da torcida era sobre a insistência no esquema com Mayke improvisado no ataque, fazendo uma dobradinha com Marcos Rocha na lateral direita. Na visão dos torcedores, seria melhor um atacante de origem, como Endrick ou Luis Guilherme, que já vinham dando sinais de que estavam pedindo passagem.

Acontece que a insatisfação não é apenas nas arquibancadas. Internamente, a convicção de Abel tem sido vista como realmente uma “teimosia”. Há quem diga que o treinador tem se fechado aos conselhos recebidos por quem trabalha no dia a dia das atividades, especialmente em relação ao desempenho dos garotos, que têm correspondido quando acionados e não receberam as oportunidades nos momentos decisivos.

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+ Opinião: ‘A arrogância que acabou com o 2023 do Palmeiras’

Dentro dessa mesma corrente que contesta as decisões de Abel, o entendimento é de que no segundo tempo contra o Boca o “campou falou” e mostrou ao técnico qual era o caminho correto a seguir nas duas partidas da semi. Por isso, quando na coletiva o português diz que “perde e ganha com as próprias ideias e não a dos outros”, há quem pegue o recado como também uma resposta ao “zumzumzum” interno.

Além disso há um descontentamento sobre a decisão de usar um time totalmente reserva diante do Bragantino, pelo Brasileirão. Por se tratar de um adversário direto, na mesma faixa da tabela e que poderia ultrapassar o Palmeiras, a visão era de que poderia ser montada uma equipe mais mesclada, pensando até na decisão contra o Boca Juniors. Nesse sentido, a preferência era por poupar contra o Santos, neste domingo (8).

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+ Abel parabeniza goleiro do Boca e sustenta suas convicções: ‘Perco e ganho com as minhas ideias’

Com a derrota em Bragança Paulista, o Verdão caiu para o quarto lugar com 44 pontos, oito atrás do Botafogo, líder do campeonato ao qual Abel já considera difícil de buscar. Por isso, a luta agora é pelo G4 para garantir uma vaga direta na fase de grupos da Libertadores de 2024. Entre os insatisfeitos com Abel, o desejo é de que ele se abra mais nas convicções e veja o que o campo está falando para não ficar fora do objetivo que restou ao time em 2023.

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Abel FerreiraPalmeiras

Stafanie Taylor out of T20Is against South Africa with shoulder injury

West Indies have called up Shawnisha Hector as her replacement

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-2025

Stafanie Taylor scored 30* and 17 in the first two ODIs (file photo)•Getty Images

Senior batter Stafanie Taylor has been ruled out of the T20I series against South Africa with a shoulder injury, with West Indies calling up fast bowler Shawnisha Hector as her replacement.Taylor sustained the injury during the third and final ODI against South Africa in Barbados, where she was declared absent hurt as West Indies folded for 121in the DLS-adjusted chase of 288. South Africa won the ODI series 2-1, with Taylor scoring 30* and 17 in the first two ODIs.Hector, meanwhile, made her ODI debut in 2019, becoming the first woman from Antigua to play for West Indies. She is yet to feature in T20Is.The rest of the squad is largely unchanged. Experienced allrounder Chinelle Henry, who replaced Cherry Ann-Fraser in the ODI squad, will be part of T20Is as well.The three-match T20I series will begin on June 20 at the 3Ws Oval in Barbados while the remaining matches will be played at the same venue on June 22 and June 24.West Indies T20I squad: Hayley Matthews (capt), Shemaine Campbelle, Aaliyah Alleyne, Jahzara Claxton, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Realeanna Grimmond, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack

Gary Neville says "ungainly" Arsenal "misfit" could struggle vs top teams

Gary Neville has now suggested an “ungainly” Arsenal “misfit” could struggle against better teams than Nottingham Forest.

Gunners breeze past Nottingham Forest

Liverpool’s late winner at Burnley ensured the Gunners remain three points behind Arne Slot’s side in the Premier League title race, but Mikel Arteta is likely to be happy with the statement his side made against Nottingham Forest.

The north Londoners ran out comfortable 3-0 winners against Ange Postecoglou’s side, with Martin Zubimendi bagging a brace, while Viktor Gyokeres also scored his third goal of the season after linking up with fellow summer signing Eberechi Eze.

The Sweden international has made an impressive start to the campaign, having also chipped in with two goals against Leeds United, although there have been some suggestions the former Sporting CP man could be a flat-track bully.

That view is echoed to a certain extent by Neville, who suggested Gyokeres doesn’t fit in with the rest of his teammates, given that he isn’t easy on the eye, although the Sky Sports pundit also made it clear that he could be exactly the type of player Arsenal need.

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Neville said: “He’s a misfit, he’s a misfit for that group of players in the sense that he’s not sort of technically amazing, but I actually like that sort of contrast. That idea of having this battering ram who’s a little bit sort of ungainly, and he’s sort of, I think he’ll beat up small teams.

“Whether he’ll do it in the big games and score in the big games, not as sure, I think that the best defenders might handle him, and we’ll see, but I think he’ll beat up smaller teams for Arsenal, you know, that’s not a bad thing.”

Gyokeres is what Arsenal have been crying out for

In recent years, slipping up against some of the so-called smaller teams has been a problem for the Gunners, with draws against Everton, Brentford and Crystal Palace in April costing them in the Premier League title race last season.

As such, it is by no means a bad thing that Arteta has brought in a striker who may get the majority of his goals against teams lower down the table, and the 27-year-old has made a flying start to life in the Premier League.

The former Sporting CP star is not the only new signing who is looking promising either, with Eze bagging his first assist in an Arsenal shirt against Forest, while Noni Madueke completed five dribbles, the highest number of any player on the pitch.

The Gunners have the squad to make a real push for the title this season, but their next Premier League match will be another real test, with Arteta’s side set to take on Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

15/20 duels won: Sunderland star is proving he's on the same level as Xhaka

While Leeds United fell to a disappointing 1-0 loss on the road at Fulham on Saturday, Sunderland battled to a hard-fought draw at nearby Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have only lost one of their opening four matches in the league, too, with this battling draw away at Selhurst Park the first point picked up on their travels, which will surely only boost the confidence even more as they bid to beat the drop.

Granit Xhaka impressed once more from the middle of the park as Sunderland’s warrior centrally, with the decision to instantly gift the ex-Arsenal man the captain’s armband appearing to be a masterstroke.

Xhaka's performance in numbers vs Palace

The Swiss enforcer joining the building for £17m this summer did look to be a mightily impressive pick-up before the football had even got underway. After all, this is a player who had once scored nine and assisted seven goals in a solitary campaign for Arsenal.

Now, it certainly looks to be a top purchase for a Sunderland side attempting to make survival look a breeze.

Indeed, Xhaka backed up a standout performance against Brentford, which saw him pick up an assist, with a far more attritional effort away at the Eagles.

Indeed, alongside Robin Roefs heroically keeping the ball out of his net with six big saves, Xhaka would come up trumps, rolling his sleeves up and doing the dirty work, winning a high ten duels and completing eight clearances, meaning Palace were limited in their approach.

However, Xhaka wasn’t the only one figure after the dust had settled on the hard-fought draw that was receiving many a plaudit, with a new recruit defensively sticking out, having been heralded as an “unreal” bit of business by journalist Michael Graham after the full-time whistle was blown.

Le Bris' biggest coup after Xhaka

It was expected that Xhaka was going to be a success, considering the 32-year-old already had a mammoth 225 Premier League games in his back pocket.

On the contrary, Nordi Mukiele might well have been viewed as needing more time to acclimatise to the tough division, having only ever plied his trade in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, before making the late switch to England this summer.

However, it’s clear from his opening two games in the heart of Le Bris’ defence that the Frenchman was born for the fight of the Premier League.

Minutes played

90

90

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

84

72

Accurate passes

49/55 (89%)

43/50 (86%)

Clearances

9

7

Total tackles

5

2

Total duels won

12/16

3/4

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that adding Mukiele for just £12m could now go down as a sensational coup on the same level as Xhaka, with a remarkable 15 duels already won by the gritty 27-year-old across his first two near faultless starts.

With just 13 passes misdirected too, it’s clear that the ex-Bayer Leverkusen defender – who would have known Xhaka at the BayArena – is cut out for the tough fight ahead, having reduced Jean Philippe-Mateta, who is revered for being a handful, to just 31 touches of the ball and one paltry duel won at Selhurst Park.

Having previously shone in the Champions League, it shouldn’t be a shock that Mukiele has instantly settled in. The Premier League can be a tricky beast to adjust to, but the early proof indicates that it’s a phenomenal capture.

Roker Report journalist Andy Tomlinson certainly agrees, with a glowing 9/10 post-match rating handed to the brand new number 20 after he ‘completely shut down’ the threat of Mateta.

With the French defender further heralded as “outstanding” by the aforementioned Graham, the hope will be that both Mukiele and Xhaka can continue to be crucial parts of Le Bris’ machine, as survival is triumphantly secured without any real worries seeping in.

Le Bris could unleash his own Mateta in Sunderland's “one man machine”

Regis Le Bris could unleash Sunderland’s very own Jean-Philippe Mateta for his side’s away test at Crystal Palace.

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Liverpool have a prodigy who has the potential to hit Wirtz's price tag

It was less than two years ago that Jurgen Klopp rocked Liverpool football club with the announcement that he would step down from his post at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Liverpool fans felt that the glory days would be no more, and the German’s project would taper off after several years of illustrious success.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp bows out

That, of course, wasn’t the case, with FSG appointing Arne Slot from Feyenoord and then watching as the shrewd tactician willed Klopp’s squad into a new shape, putting paid to any hopes of a Liverpool downfall, and instead guiding the Reds to the Premier League title.

So begins a new era, allowing Liverpool to sign some rather exciting superstars. Alexander Isak provided the cream on an extraordinary summer transfer window, but it’s Florian Wirtz who could become the club’s poster boy down the line.

Why Liverpool signed Wirtz

Liverpool broke the British transfer record when signing Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a £116m fee. The 22-year-old arrived having established himself as a “generational talent” in Germany, as was noted by sports media professional Cristian Nyari, and fills the creative void left when Trent Alexander-Arnold up and left for Real Madrid.

Admittedly, Wirtz’s opening few fixtures in the Premier League haven’t been the stuff of dreams, but there’s no question that his immense quality is in there, and that he will grow into a superstar under Slot’s wing.

Stats via Sofascore

After a few quiet showings, he looked flashier and smoother as Liverpool beat title rivals Arsenal before the international break and is expected to become one of the leading players in the Premier League.

Liverpool paid the big bucks to bring Wirtz over, and that’s all well and good, but the Anfield side might already have a homemade version of the playmaker in Rio Ngumoha, who has made his mark already this season.

Liverpool's future superstar

Liverpool poached Ngumoha from Chelsea’s Cobham Academy in 2024, and right from the off, it was clear that they had landed an elite talent, with John Terry even remarking that he was “gutted” the Blues had lost a prospect with a certain likeness to Eden Hazard.

He’s made exciting progress over his time on Merseyside, but Ngumoha announced himself when scoring the winner at St. James’ Park on his Premier League debut last month, marking the most extraordinary of entrances.

Electric on the ball, physical and having showcased an ability to keep his cool to convert in big moments, Ngumoha has the lot, and his precocious emergence is somewhat reminiscent of Wirtz’s at Bayer Leverkusen, with the Germany talent making his professional debut at the age of 17 in May 2020.

The rest is history, and Ngumoha has already written himself into the record books with his goal against the Magpies. Hailed as a “special” player by journalist Bence Bocsak for his efforts during pre-season, Ngumoha has since proved himself to be in a different category altogether.

1

James Vaughan

16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days

2

James Milner

16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days

3

Wayne Rooney

16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days

4

Rio Ngumoha

16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days

5

Cesc Fabregas

17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days

It was a show-stopping moment, to be sure, and Ngumoha’s potential is clearly recognised by Slot and Liverpool’s coaching staff, who opted against signing a direct replacement for Luis Diaz this summer after selling the Colombian to Bayern Munich for £65.5m.

Ngumoha will feature prominently throughout the campaign, and given that he has only just turned 17, he certainly carries the same prodigious weight as Wirtz when the German started to make a name for himself in Germany.

It would be foolish for the Reds to heap too much weight onto this youngster’s back as he cuts his teeth at the senior level, but there’s no question that he has what it takes to emulate Wirtz and one day stand alongside him as a generational talent in Slot’s Liverpool.

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Bella James ruled out of Sri Lanka ODIs; Down named replacement

James sustained a grade-two quadricep strain and requires between three and six weeks of rehabilitation

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2025Bella James has been ruled out of New Zealand’s ODI series at home against Sri Lanka with a grade-two quadricep strain on her right leg. She is expected to require between three and six weeks of rehabilitation and has been replaced by Lauren Down. A decision on James’ availability for the T20I series that follows will be taken based on her rehabilitation.James sustained the injury during Otago’s game against Central Districts in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, New Zealand’s women’s one-day competition. James made her ODI debut against Australia in Wellington last year and scored 51 runs in two games.Head coach Ben Sawyer was disappointed that she won’t be able to build on that “strong start” against Sri Lanka.Related

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“We’re all gutted for Bella,” Sawyer said. “She had a strong start to her international cricket career in December so it’s a shame she doesn’t get the opportunity to back that up this series. But we’re hopeful she’ll be tracking to return for the T20s.”The three-match ODI series will begin on March 4 in Nelson before moving to Napier for the next two games, and will be followed by three T20Is from March 14 to March 18.Down is currently Auckland’s third-highest scorer in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, with 280 runs in ten games at an average of 31.11. The 29-year-old was part of the Australia series and has played 35 ODIs, which Sawyer said made her a “strong replacement”.”Lauren brings plenty of experience to the group,” Sawyer said. “She’s been a key contributor for the [Auckland] Hearts this season and we’re pleased she’ll get the opportunity to take that form into this series.”

£52m winger has now told club he wants to leave as Everton submit offer

Still in the market for an attacking reinforcement even after signing Jack Grealish, Everton have now reportedly been handed a major boost in pursuit of a top target.

Moyes "looking forward" to "best version" of Grealish

It wasn’t so long ago that Grealish was breaking records by becoming the most expensive British player of all time, and everyone involved at Everton will be desperate to see a player worthy of that £100m price tag arrive and not the version that Manchester City have witnessed in the last couple of years.

There’s plenty of debate over whether the former Aston Villa man ever truly lived up to his price at The Etihad, but it’s hard to forget the impact that he made during their infamous treble-winning campaign – even if that was not reflected through goals.

That’s the calibre of player that Everton have welcomed to The Hill Dickinson and David Moyes is keen to see the “best version” of that player.

Whether Grealish will be ready to make his Everton debut as soon as Monday’s Premier League opener against Leeds United remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt that he’ll play a key role in the Toffees season with minutes under his belt.

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His arrival was a statement of intent by The Friedkin Group and they’re not done there on the transfer front. In fact, reports are now suggesting that they’ve received a major boost in pursuit of a La Liga star.

Kubo now wants to leave Sociedad amid Everton interest

According to reports in Spain, Takefusa Kubo has now asked to leave Real Sociedad following news that Everton submitted an opening offer to secure his signature earlier this summer.

Initial offers from those in Merseyside as well as from West Ham United and Bournemouth were believed to be around the €40m-mark (£35m) and, therefore, short of the winger’s €60m (£52m) release clause. As such, it would be easy to assume that all parties are still fairly far apart in negotiations, but Kubo’s request to leave could yet soften Sociedad’s stance in a major boost for Everton and others.

Since earning the praise of scout Jacek Kulig, who dubbed his start to the 2023/24 campaign as “fantastic”, Kubo has only kicked on and deservedly earned interest from the Premier League.

A first-time winner beckons as South Africa face New Zealand in T20 World Cup final

Both teams have had similar journeys so far but on Sunday, one will have glory and the other heartbreak

Shashank Kishore19-Oct-20244:55

NZ or SA – who will be crowned first-time T20 world champions?

Big picture: A shot at historySome pictures speak more than words can convey.Like Siya Kolisi looking skywards and roaring into the Parisian sky, before lifting last year’s Rugby World Cup.Like Grant Elliott, a South African by heritage, offering a hand to a crestfallen Dale Steyn after hitting the winning six to seal New Zealand’s final at the 2015 ODI World Cup.Like Katy Perry joining Meg Lanning’s victorious Australian team on the winners’ podium in front of a record 86,174 fans at the MCG in 2020.Or, more recently, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – standing side by side, like brothers in arms, with the Indian flag, their medals and the World Cup trophy, before walking into the sunset.On Sunday, South Africa and New Zealand will go toe to toe to earn the right to add to the iconic images and moments of the sport, for which one works hard for years, or decades in the case of Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, and Marizanne Kapp.New Zealand have a shot at glory after 14 years, South Africa their second in two years, having vanquished Australia, the team that broke their hearts on a sparkling Cape Town afternoon last February.Their journeys to the World Cup final have been somewhat similar. Filled with stunning wins that warmed the hearts. And losses that questioned – with a transition looming – the pathway structures that haven’t exactly been able to replicate the benchmarks set by Australia and England. Which is why their appearance in the summit clash holds out hope for the women’s game and the sport’s expansion.Dubai has a massive significance for both teams. South Africa lifted their only ever silverware – senior or junior – at a World Cup here in 2014 under Aiden Markram’s captaincy. For New Zealand, this was the epicentre of their most recent finals heartbreak at the men’s T20 World Cup in 2021.Irrespective of what happens in the grand finale on Sunday, the women’s T20 World Cup will have a new winner.Can New Zealand do it for their old guard, Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu?•ICC/Getty Images

Form guideNew Zealand WWWLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
South Africa WWWLWIn the spotlight: Sophie Devine and Anneke BoschFourteen years ago in Barbados, Ellyse Perry’s boot intercepted an absolute rocket hit from Sophie Devine to prevent a boundary that would have sent the T20 World Cup final into a Super Over. A generation has come and gone, but Devine has willed herself to fight through the highs and lows. On Sunday, she has a rare opportunity to finish her captaincy career with the ultimate crowning glory.Anneke Bosch’s batting until the semi-final had come in for sharp criticism from several quarters as she was striking below a run a ball. The team management was aware of it but continued to back her as they believed a big knock was around the corner. On Thursday, Bosch batted out of her skin to send Australia packing – her unbeaten 74 was a knock full of enterprise and innovation. After a performance for the ages, she will hope for another impactful innings.Team news: Not many changes expectedThere is little indication that both teams will greatly change with their XIs from the semi-final. South Africa have remained unchanged all tournament.New Zealand (probable): 1 Georgia Plimmer, 2 Suzie Bates, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Rosemary Mair, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Fran JonasSouth Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Anneke Bosch, 4 Chloe Tryon, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Sune Luus, 6 Annerie Dercksen, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Sinao Jafta (wk), 10 Nonkululeko Mlaba, 11 Ayabonga KhakaAnneke Bosch was innovative during her unbeaten 74 in the semi-final•ICC/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions: Spin to winThe build-up to the last two major ICC finals was dominated by chatter around the pitch and conditions. In Ahmedabad, at last year’s 50-over World Cup, you didn’t know until a day before the final which surface was going to be used. In Barbados, this June, rain had been predicted all day with the threat of a hurricane – which eventually delayed India’s departure – loomed. There is less drama this time around.Pitches in Dubai have taken turn, and taking the pace off has been a ploy captains have often stuck by. Pakistan exploited this quite superbly against New Zealand. India realised the perils of playing three seamers when they conceded 160 in their opening game against New Zealand.The absence of dew has been a reason why spin has been effective. Dew had reduced the toss to a lottery at the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, but its effect has been minimal this time. While temperatures have considerably dropped in the last two weeks, it will still test players’ fitness, especially because evenings continue to be muggy.Stats and trivia Bates is set to become the most capped player in women’s internationals, surpassing Mithali Raj’s tally of 333 matches. Wolvaardt has overtaken Dane van Niekerk to become South Africa’s highest run-scorer at a T20 World Cup. New Zealand have lost just one wicket in the powerplay in this tournament. Amelia Kerr’s 12 wickets at this T20 World Cup are the third-most by a bowler at a single edition. Two wickets on Sunday will take her past Anya Shrubsole and Megan Schutt’s joint record. Bosch’s 74 not out in the semi-final is the highest individual score of the tournament so far.Quotes”Playing that final, we put ourselves behind the eight ball. In such games, you have to be at 200%, and stay calm. We kind of got flustered, we do get flustered at times. But throughout this tournament, we have been calm and clear about how we want to go about things. It shows the growth of this team.”
“We’re the grandmas of this team, still standing. Leah [Tahuhu] with her bionic knees, Sophie having dealt with a lot of stuff as captain, and me keeping on going – it’s really a special moment. There have been tough times, we have been through ups and downs, but that we have made the final is special. We look after each other.”

Rodrigues challenges India to bounce back from shock New Zealand loss

How India bounce back from their T20 World Cup upset at the hands of New Zealand will demonstrate the character of the side, Jemimah Rodrigues says.It will also have a huge bearing on their semi-final prospects with Group A – the tournament’s ‘group of death’ – delicately poised just two days in following New Zealand’s 58-run victory in Dubai on Friday and Pakistan’s fightback against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on the opening day.Australia, the defending champions and title favourites, open their campaign on Saturday against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, South Africa defeated West Indies by 10 wickets in the earlier game on Friday to join Bangladesh at the top of Group B, with Bangladesh to play England on Saturday.And it will require some turnaround from India. Bowled out for 102 chasing 161 for victory, none of their batters passed captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 15 runs from No.3, and only five reached double-figures, including Rodrigues with 13 batting at No. 4. For New Zealand, seamers Rosemary Mair and Lea Tahuhu took 4 for 19 and 3 for 15 respectively.”Today would be the game we would like to forget, because this is a World Cup,” Rodrigues said. “We need to keep moving on and keep picking ourselves up. We can’t stay stuck at this game. We need to pick ourselves up, and I think that will show the character of this team.”We know every game from here is so crucial for us. We know that, but at the same time, we’re going to go one game at a time and just make sure we stick to our process and do our job well. If we can do that, I think we play our best cricket, I think we can win matches.”New Zealand laid the foundation for victory with a 67-run opening stand between Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, who attacked the powerplay, followed by captain Sophie Devine’s powerful 57 not out from 36 balls.Related

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It was quite the turnaround for a side whose T20 World Cup in 2023 was over as soon as it had begun with heavy defeats to Australia and South Africa, and who lost all eight games they played – including five T20Is – against England in June and July.But Rodrigues said her side wasn’t necessarily caught off-guard by New Zealand attacking in the powerplay.”They came out with a lot of intent,” she said. “We did create opportunities, but unfortunately we didn’t make the most of them. Then the way we came back after the start was … I mean, not many positives in this game, but still, going forward, we need to have the right approach because the tournament is not over. We need to take some positives from this game and a lot of learnings from this game.”It’s not the easiest of conditions, it’s really hot here in Dubai, but I think we’ve got enough time to get used to the conditions so we don’t give an excuse, like it’s too hot or whatever it is. We just need to do our job and win the match for the team. So when it comes to conditions, I think we are very used to the conditions. It’s got better from the first day we’ve come here. So I think we are very prepared for this and all of us stay in India, so we are very familiar to such conditions.”Rodrigues also said India weren’t rattled by a controversial moment in the 14th over of New Zealand’s innings. India thought they had run out Amelia Kerr, who had hit a Deepti Sharma delivery towards long-off and run a single with Devine. As Harmanpreet Kaur gathered the ball, the batters attempted a second run, just as Deepti took her cap back from the umpire. Harmanpreet threw the ball in and Richa Ghosh broke the stumps with Kerr short of her ground but the ball was deemed to have been dead, sparking heated discussions between Harmanpreet and the India team management with the umpires. As it turns out, Kerr was dismissed two balls later.”We know how important Amelia Kerr’s wicket is and yes, at that moment it felt a little, ‘why didn’t it go in our favour?'” Rodrigues said. “But at the same time, I think we did what we could. We spoke to the umpire, then we had to accept the decision of the umpire and move on. I think that’s what we did really well, that we just moved on from that and we got her out pretty soon. So that worked for us.”

Sky Sports: Birmingham in contact to sign 156 career-goal star this summer

Birmingham City are looking to put themselves in contention for promotion to the Premier League and have made contact to sign a prolific goalscorer from one of Europe’s top-five leagues, according to a report.

Birmingham City line up summer signings

The Blues are looking forward to returning after claiming promotion to the Championship last time out, and it is fair to say there is plenty of progress being made in their hunt for summer signings.

Recent reports have noted that Birmingham are hotly pursuing Leeds United forward Mateo Joseph and it is said that Real Betis and RC Strasbourg are also competing for his signature.

Intriguingly, Joseph hasn’t closed the door to an exit from Elland Road, citing his need for regular game time in a recent interview while enjoying some downtime during the off-season.

He stated: “We achieved our goal as a team, but I personally want to be more involved in the final stretch of the season. I think I need more participation to continue developing as a player.

“The season has just ended, and we have to stop and evaluate. We’ve been promoted to the Premier League. We’ll see what the club says, but I want to play more to continue growing.”

Birmingham City want to beat EFL rivals to sign Klarer 2.0 this summer

Birmingham City could land their next Christoph Klarer by signing this gem from Germany.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 18, 2025

Oli McBurnie could also join Birmingham after becoming a free agent following Las Palmas’ relegation from La Liga, albeit competition from all angles exists regarding the Scotland international’s availability.

It does feel like the Blues will arrive into the new campaign with a genuine shot at something more than consolidation. However, if they manage to pull off a deal for their latest target, it could signal they are looking to put themselves in the mix for promotion.

Birmingham City eye ambitious Kyogo Furuhashi swoop

According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, Birmingham City have made contact with Rennes over Kyogo Furuhashi’s availability after the Japan international fell out of favour in France.

Despite only joining Habib Beye’s men in January for £10 million, the 30-year-old has barely featured and now appears primed for a quickfire exit.

Labelled “excellent” by Brendan Rodgers, Furuhashi has scored 156 career goals, combining his exploits for club and country and is most revered for his time at Celtic, where he became a pivotal force in helping the Scottish champions claim nine major honours.

The former Yokohama F. Marinos man has endured a difficult few months, but a move to Birmingham could be the perfect tonic to reignite his fortunes as the Blues look to put themselves in contention for a return to the Premier League under Chris Davies.

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