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The U.S. may need some help in midfield, and the answer to the team's problems may lie in Spain

The fear was already there, but Gregg Berhalter's recent comments only added to it. It's been a question that has been lingering for quite some time: what will the U.S. men's national team do if captain Tyler Adams isn't available this summer?

It's a big concern, for sure. The U.S. will play in not one, but two big competitions over the next few months. First will be the Nations League in March and, after that, the big one: the Copa America. As things stand, it's been about a year since we've seen Adams fully fit and, with those games looming, there's no guarantee we'll see the best version of him this summer.

So, with that being the big question, does the USMNT have an answer? It seems so, in the form of two players currently killing it in La Liga. Both Johnny Cardoso and Luca de la Torre could be the natural cover for Adams, and both have stepped up massively for their clubs in recent matches.

There's no replacing skipper Adams; no player in the pool is quite like him. However, a quick glace at what Cardoso and De la Torre are doing in Spain proves that the U.S. has two players that could capably fill in if Adams isn't good to go.

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  'Taking it day by day'

  By the time the Nations League kicks off, we'll have seen Adams play just one match over the last 12 months. In addition, he hasn't featured for the USMNT since the team's round-of-16 loss to the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup. Yes, it's been that long.

  His initial injury came all the way back in March 2023 while at Leeds United. A hamstring injury led to surgery, knocking out for the rest of the season as Leeds fell to eventual relegation. Adams, though, moved to Bournemouth this summer, but saw his debut delayed by that injury. Shortly after his debut, Adams was forced to go under the knife again, in October.

  He is continuing to rehab and it seems he may be back on the field soon, but Berhalter says Adams' status isn't totally clear at the moment

  “I don’t know,” Berhalter told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re taking it the same way he’s taking it, and that’s day by day. And as we get information, we’ll be able to make decisions, but for us, it’s just supporting him, continuing to communicate with his club, and really not getting ahead of ourselves."

  The hope is that Adams can go, giving the U.S. their midfield lynchpin and, more importantly, their captain. If he can't though, a spot in midfield is there for the taking, and both Cardoso and De la Torre look poised to take it.

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  Cardoso rewarded for big move

  For most of his USMNT career, it's been hard to really figure out what to make of Cardoso. He's earned nine caps, but has started just twice: once in a B-team camp against Bosnia & Herzegovina and then again in a 4-0 beatdown of Ghana in 2023.

  With him playing in the Brazilian league on the club level, he felt hard to compare. How did his exploits with Internacional line up with what others were doing in Europe? The Brazilian league is good, for sure, but it's fair to say that it's rarely the focus of American soccer.

  In January, though, everything changed. The midfielder made his big move, signing with Real Betis and, just a month into his time with the club, he's already a key player.

  He was instantly tossed right into the club's XI and hasn't looked back. On February 9, in just his fourth start, he provided an assist in a 2-0 win over Cadiz to earn man of the match honors. Then, in the Europa League on Thursday against Dinamo Zagreb, he ran the show, leading all players on the field in dribbles and duels despite a 1-0 defeat.

  Betis sit sixth in La Liga at the moment and have an outside chance at pushing for a Champions League spot. The signing of Cardoso may just help get them there as the midfielder is raising his level in a big way.

  For some time, there have been calls for the USMNT to take a longer look at him, and those calls are growing louder as he's shown the ability to run games in a league as good as La Liga.

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  De la Torre as consistent as ever

  It hasn't been the easiest season for Celta Vigo. They sit 17th in La Liga, facing a real relegation battle. De la Torre, though, has been one consistent positive as the American has put together a solid second season with the club.

  After joining in the summer of 2022, De la Torre became a regular for Celta relatively quickly, playing 30 times in that debut season. He hasn't slowed down in this sophomore campaign, either, featuring 26 times in all competitions for the club to date.

  Early in the campaign, he revealed a new nickname: The Aldi Frenkie de Jong; an insult, in one way, but a compliment in others. Like the Dutchman, De la Torre is a player who can contribute in all facets of the game. It's never too bad to be compared to an elite player, even if you are called the Aldi version.

  De la Torre recently put in his best performance of the season, leading the way in a huge 3-0 win over Osasuna. After assisting Jorgen Stand Larsen in the 24th minute, he then scored a goal of his own just 60 seconds later.

  The strike was his third in five games in all competitions as De la Torre is really rounding into form. In total, he has five goal involvements this season, with four of those coming within the last month. One of those efforts came via an outrageous heel flick – a highlight reel goal, for sure.

  Despite his club's struggles, De la Torre's stock is rising, and it's rising at a good time.

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  The case for De la Torre

  It's safe to assume that Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah will start for the USMNT whenever healthy. But, if Adams can't go in March or, worst case, to the Copa America, who is the third midfielder?

  De la Torre could be the guy. He has been before. With 20 caps to his name, De la Torre has filled in plenty of times, playing as both a No.8 and a No.6. He was a member of the World Cup squad in Qatar, too, even if he didn't play.

  The Celta midfielder isn't a destroyer like Adams, but rather more of a ball-playing midfielder. He doesn't offer the physicality that Adams does, but what he does offer is significantly more passing range and the ability to move the ball up the field quickly once he gets it.

  Statistically, De la Torre is in the elite percentiles of ball carrying, offering a different sort of presence to the midfield. He's the natural replacement for Musah, realistically, but the U.S. could go with Musah and De la Torre in a more progressive role with McKennie sitting deeper. They could also interchange any of those names due to their flexibility.

  Against some teams, that type of setup is great, against others, not so much. But, either way, De la Torre has the quality and, now a regular in La Liga, the high-level experience, to step in.

India captain MS Dhoni blamed the absence of big partnerships for his team’s six-run defeat to New Zealand

Arun Venugopal20-Oct-20161:34

‘If anyone batted 15 minutes more, we would have won’

India captain MS Dhoni blamed the absence of big partnerships for his team’s six-run defeat to New Zealand on a Feroz Shah Kotla pitch that was slow and had variable bounce.After New Zealand had made 242, India stitched together sizeable partnerships in their chase but lost clumps of wickets on two occasions. First, Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey departed in the space of four balls in the 19th over, and then Dhoni, Axar Patel and Amit Mishra fell in a nine-ball span during overs 40 and 41, with Martin Guptill accounting for the last two of those dismissals in his only over of the match.”If you see there were quite a few partnerships, but we kept losing wickets after every partnership,” Dhoni said. “When you are chasing a score like this it is important that you need to keep a few wickets because the runs were coming. Even if you need six or seven runs an over in the end it can easily be achieved but our problem was that we kept losing the wickets. In fact in the 41st over we lost two wickets.”It’s not about one batsman, I felt we lost wickets throughout. Any batsman could have said that had I contributed 10 percent more we would have won the game. So it was the responsibility of the whole batting unit. I felt the bowlers did well.”Dhoni said the pitch continued to slow down despite the dew, which generally ensured the ball came on to the bat better. “I felt it was best to bat in the day time as the game kept progressing the wicket got slightly slower and slower with a bit of variable bounce,” he said. “Also, if you lose one or two wickets that slows you down to an extent. Then, if you have that partnership and still lose a wicket again, again you have to start from scratch.”He defended the decision to bowl first and said 242 was a par score on the pitch. “If any of our batsman had batted 15 minutes more we would have won the game,” he said. “The bowlers did well to come back into the game. Initially it was difficult to contain their batsmen and they played some proper shots, not to forget we dropped two catches off [Kane] Williamson. That also has a bit of a bearing. Overall I was happy with 240-245, because that was very much something we could have achieved.”Dhoni also lauded Jasprit Bumrah’s ability to bowl inch-perfect yorkers, and said his consistency made him his go-to man, particularly at the death. After a tight spell up front, Bumrah returned to clean up New Zealand’s lower order with yorkers and slower deliveries and finished with figures of 3 for 35.”Right from the time he began his international career he has always been someone who can bowl yorkers at will, and that’s why he has been someone I can always bank upon,” Dhoni said. “A lot of times I had to see how every bowler is bowling and then decide who will bowl the last few but with Bumrah be it any condition or situation he has always been someone who gives me those last few overs. He practices that way, he has an awkward action. Still credit to him for consistently bowling those yorkers.”

Down 1-2 in the series, this was a must-win game for Pakistan, and the pressure of the situation showed in the manner in which they approached their innings

On the Ball with S Rajesh16-Feb-2006Down 1-2 in the series, this was a must-win game for Pakistan, and the pressure of the situation showed in the manner in which they approached their innings. The Indian bowlers showed exemplary discipline early on, but Pakistan contributed with their attitude. The first couple of overs were maidens, and when the runs came, they were in trickles, interspersed with plenty of dot balls. The early defensive mindset of the batsmen allowed the bowlers to settle into a rhythm on a pitch which didn’t offer them too much assistance.The batsmen’s approach eventually resulted in a rash of poor strokes, so that after 15 overs their total read a miserable 38 for 4, from which there was no coming back. The pie-chart below shows just how much of a stranglehold the Indian bowlers had in the first 15: there were 32 defensive shots, while 18 balls were left alone. A comparison with the number of deliveries left alone in the earlier three games tells the story: in the previous match the number was six, while the figure from the first two games was three. Pakistan played 75 dot balls and managed just three fours in the first 15, and ultimately, that’s where the match was decided.

There are many outrageous Roses takes told long into the night and Jordan Clark and Kyle Jarvis have produced another one with a resounding last-wicket stand at Old Trafford

Paul Edwards14-Aug-2016
ScorecardJordan Clark is better known for his white-ball exploits•PA Photos

Lancashire’s former players met for their annual reunion on the second day of this match and over thirty of the old boys turned up for the bash. No doubt tales were told and mayhap some had grown in the telling. “An’ you know what they said / Well some of it was true!” sang Joe Strummer, although probably not too many of the ex-cricketers meeting in the Emirates Old Trafford pavilion this warm Sunday will be familiar with The Clash’s rich oeuvre.But however outrageous the stories of white on green might have been as the late-morning claret slipped down they would have been tall indeed to eclipse events taking place in the middle. For as if to heighten the strangeness of Lancashire’s rapid subsidence on Saturday evening, the home side’s last three wickets added 195 runs in 37.2 overs during an extended session in which both Jordan Clark and Kyle Jarvis made career-best scores and the pair broke the county’s tenth-wicket record for Roses matches.That mark was established in 1991 when Peter Martin and Ian Austin added a very rapid 82 at Scarborough, partly, so another tale goes, to expedite a rapid return home in a game Lancashire were going to lose. As it turned out, the visitors went down by a mere 48 runs.Clark and Jarvis’s stand was worth 107 when the latter was leg before to Adil Rashid for 57 and the partnership was thus a single run shy of the tenth-wicket record in all Roses matches, which was set at Old Trafford by Lord Hawke and Lees Whitehead in 1903. Yet as the historians remembered long-dead cricketers and the former players recalled their own days of glory, the crowd – well, most of them, anyway – enjoyed the excitement offered by a morning which had begun when Clark and Arron Lilley rattled off a series of boundaries against an attack which pitched the ball up without employing, or maybe perfecting, the yorker.Lancashire’s eighth-wicket pair put on 87 in a mere 13 overs and they established a completely fresh tempo for their side’s innings. Instead of calling on Rashid – “Henry the Hoover” is just one of the leg spinner’s domestic appliance nicknames – to clean up Steven Croft’s later batsmen, Yorkshire bowlers had to cope with two perfectly capable stroke-makers who employed the old tailender’s maxim, “if it’s up, it’s off” to very good effect.And even after Lilley had been caught behind off Patterson for 45 when attempting an uppercut to third man and Buck had been leg before to a full length delivery from Bresnan five balls later, Yorkshire had to deal with the galling frustration that always comes when an attack believes its work is done, only to discover that an hour’s irritiation lies ahead.One man’s irritation is another’s joy, of course, and so it was at Old Trafford late on the second morning of this game when Jarvis hit Rashid for a couple of big sixes over long on during an innings in which he took an equal share of that last-wicket stand with Clark.Yet the exuberant hitting and the uninhibited sense of fiesta during the morning session threw the rest of the day into sharp relief as Yorkshire’s batsmen made their way carefully to a 136 for two off 62 overs against an accurate attack and in a typically lively Roses match atmosphere. The only successes enjoyed by Lancashire bowlers were the dismissals of Adam Lyth, who was leg before to Jarvis for 25 and Jack Leaning, who was caught at slip by Liam Livingstone off Tom Smith for seven two balls after being dropped by Lilley, also in the slip cordon. Lyth walked across his wicket and hardly waited for the umpire’s decision while Leaning was discomfited by a little extra bounce.For the rest of the day Alex Lees and Andrew Gale accumulated runs in a fashion and tempo much more recognisable to those watching from the pavilion and, indeed, to Lord Hawke as well. A morning session that had seen 195 runs scored at 5.22 runs an over was followed a few hours later by an evening in which Lees and Gale, perfectly understandably, managed 61 in 35 overs, a rate of 1.74.Yorkshire have their eyes on the follow on target which lies a distant 209 runs away; Gale may also be relieved to score what would be only his second fifty of the Championship season, although it is probably three figures that he craves rather more and the return of the famous pennant most of all. Lancashire know that the new ball is only 18 overs away and are still nursing fond hopes of what would be their first victory in a four-day Roses match at Old Trafford since 2000.

USMNT striker Folarin Balogun scored on his return to Reims as Monaco stayed top of Ligue 1 with a comfortable 3-1 win.

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• Balogun scores on return to Reims
• Monaco stay top of Ligue 1
• USMNT striker gets standing ovation

Balogun got USMNT fans excited with his 21-goal league campaign with Reims last season, and it appears that he has hit the ground running at Monaco

The 22-year-old scored his third goal in five appearances for his new club since a €30 million (£26m/$32m) move from Arsenal, setting Monaco on their way to a 3-1 away win that keeps them top of the pile.

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The opening stages of the match were certainly not for the purists; both sides could barely string more than a few passes together and instead exchanged petty fouls and misplaced passes.

  It was starting to look like an extremely uneventful first half would end goalless, but Ismail Jakobs tore up that script when he side-footed home a few minutes before half-time.

  If Balogun played a minor role in the opening goal – his presence in the middle of the penalty area forced the Reims defenders to leave Jakobs unmarked at the back post – he was the protagonist of the second.

  Play had barely restarted when the 22-year-old found himself with grass to run into on the right of the box. Youssouf Fofana slipped Balogun in on goal and he kept his cool to rifle into the roof of the net, albeit via a slight deflection.

  The youngster held his hands up in apology to his former fans, but moments later he was celebrating another goal. This time strike partner Wissam Ben Yedder applied the finishing touch, heading home Jakob's dangerous cross across goal.

  Reims pulled one back from the penalty spot through Teddy Teuma, but it was Balogun and Monaco who emerged victorious in northeast France.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Balogun was a revelation in France last season, scoring 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances during a season-long loan at Reims from Arsenal. Finishing fourth in the scoring charts made clubs across Europe sit up and take notice, and it was Monaco who won the race to sign him.

  There were some worries about whether Balogun would be able to replicate his scoring antics at a club with greater standards, expectations and pressure, but three goals in five appearances this term seem to have put those concerns to bed.

  At Monaco, Balogun has already formed a partnership with veteran marksman Ben Yedder. The 33-year-old scored his 150th Ligue 1 goal on Saturday; there are probably worse strikers Balogun could learn from.

  After suffering the embarrassment of missing two penalties in a 1-0 defeat to Nice a couple of weeks ago, Balogun has shown maturity and resilience in scoring in back-to-back outings.

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  USMNT IMPACT

  USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter will be pleased that the youngster has now started three consecutive games for his new club, and that his goal-scoring exploits at Reims last season clearly wasn't just a flash in the pan.

  Balogun has started all four of the USMNT matches he has featured in since making his senior debut in June, suggesting that Berhalter sees him as his best striking option.

  That the 22-year-old has found his shooting boots in Monaco is only a good thing for the national team.

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  GOAL'S RATINGS

  Folarin Balogun (7/10):

  Balogun was a constant thorn in Reims' side, using his pace to lead dangerous counter-attacks and his technical ability to link up with Ben Yedder and Aleksandr Golovin.

  The Arsenal academy graduate took his goal well, and would have bagged a brace had he not lost the ball under his feet moments after Reims pulled a goal back.

  He did lose nine duels – more than any other player on the pitch – so that's something to work on.

The hosts pulled off one of the great tournament victories after some early setbacks, but others weren't so lucky

In a tournament overflowing with underdogs stories, it's fitting that Ivory Coast's name has ended up on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations trophy. On the surface, it may not seem that uplifting that the hosts and 2015 winners came out on top, but that assessment does not take into account just how shambolic their group-stage campaign was, with the Elephants becoming the first team to lose two games and still win a major international tournament – excluding any league formats.

Ivory Coast's unlikely victory only scratches the surfaces of the myriad of captivating storylines the tournament cooked up, too. We had footballing backwaters cutting the giants of the continent down to size, some huge names of African football failing to turn up and even some new stars seemingly emerging on the biggest stage.

GOAL reviews a staggeringly good tournament by breaking down all the winners and losers from the 2023 AFCON…

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  LOSER: Jean-Louis Gasset

  "There are sometimes nightmare matches, matches where everything seems to be against you. A catastrophic scenario," Ivory Coach boss Jean-Louis Gasset mused following his side's awful 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea.

  The tournament was a huge chance for the 70-year-old. Managerial stints at the likes of Montpelier, Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne had previously ended trophyless, and, in the twilight of his career, he was surprisingly gifted the opportunity to lead a football-obsessed nation at a home AFCON.

  However, even with a vociferous crowd backing them, Gasset's charges were well off it from the outset. Prior to that 4-0 humiliation, they squeezed past Guinea-Bissau in their opener and were beaten by Nigeria, leaving them on the brink of elimination.

  But the Ivorian Football Federation were in no mood to wait around to see if they would be gifted a spot in the knockout stages as one of the best losers. Instead, Gasset was sacked on the spot – which proved to be an inspired decision.

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  WINNER: Ivory Coast

  With their uninspiring leader out of the picture, the Elephants staged a quite remarkable recovery under interim boss Emerse Fae. After sneaking through to the knockout stages as one of the best third-place teams, not many expected them to get past Senegal in the last 16 – but some penalty heroics assured them of a quarter-final tie with Mali.

  That game was even more dramatic. After Odilon Kossounou was sent off on the stroke of half-time, it seemed like the hosts would be heading out; with Mali eventually breaking the deadlock as expected 19 minutes from the end. But, not for the last time in the tournament, Fae's troops refused to accept their fate, with Simon Adingra scoring a last-gasp equaliser to send the game to extra-time.

  Even with 10 men, the Elephants refused to be beaten, and after anxiously holding on in the final throes of the additional period, Seko Fofana's shot from the edge of the box was diverted in by Oumar Diakite, booking Ivory Coast's place in the last four just 10 days after Gasset's departure.

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  WINNER: Sebastien Haller

  In said semi-final, the hosts were pitted against DR Congo. It was a drab affair for the first hour or so, particularly when compared with Ivory Coast's exploits in previous rounds, and they were in need of a hero to turn the tide in their favour. And, after a quiet tournament leading up to the semi-final, Sebastien Haller eventually emerged as that inspirational figure.

  Just after the hour mark, 100-plus-caps veteran Max Gradel stretched to swing in a cross from the byline. It wasn't very good, looping high, wide and not very handsome into what looked like a harmless area. Haller had other ideas, though. Spotting the flight of the cross early, he quickly shimmied a few paces back and just about made contact. His volley sent the ball travelling on a quite bizarre trajectory, as it smashed into the ground before rising high – too high for DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi in fact, who could only watch as it slowly drifted past his outstretched hand.

  After booking his side's place in the final, Haller made sure to rise to the occasion once again, and his winner at the the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe was just as inventive. With the scores level at 1-1 and 10 minutes left on the clock, the electric Adingra burst into some space on the left touchline and fizzed a wicked, low cross to the front post.

  A few seconds later, the ball was in the back of the net. In real time, it was hard to see how Haller had managed it, with Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong stuck to him like glue. Fortunately the replay provided some clarity. That showed Haller displaying his lethal striker's instinct, with the Borussia Dortmund man sending Adingra's cross into the far corner by simply sticking his toe out.

  It was a fittingly unorthodox goal for unorthodox winners and was exactly what Haller deserved after battling back from his testicular cancer diagnosis in 2022.

  Reflecting on the triumphs, and likely with his star striker's inspiring comeback on his mind, Fae said at full-time: "It is more than a fairy tale. I am struggling to take it all in. When I think about all we have been through, we are miracle survivors. We never gave up and we managed to come back from so many tough blows."

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  LOSER: Nigeria

  While Nigeria will be pleased to have made a significant improvement on their last-16 exit in 2021, they will also head home from the Ivory Coast feeling pretty deflated. Despite going ahead, they were far from at their best in the final, and manager Jose Peseiro might reflect that his side became too passive as they looked to cling onto their early lead.

  There is a wider debate to be had around whether the defensively-minded coach is the best man to lead the Super Eagles forward in the long term. No African team possesses as much strength in depth in the forward positions than Nigeria, but they only scored more than once in one of their seven games at the tournament.

  While that does suggest that the team were holding something back going forward, you could argue that some structure and conservatism is exactly what the Super Eagles need to be successful at tournaments. Regardless of what side the federation falls on this particular argument, it's hard to shake the feeling that the final represented a big opportunity missed for this stacked Nigeria squad.

Joe Root produced a seamless 93 from 106 balls and Jos Buttler made 70 from 45 balls as England wrapped up victory by 122 runs for a 3-0 series win

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Jul-2016England 324 for 7 (Root 93, Buttler 70, Vince 51) beat Sri Lanka 202 (Chandimal 53, Willey 4-34) by 122 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJoe Root’s 93 set up a 122-run win for England•PA Photos

England’s start was swift, their middle overs lively, and their finish was efficient. In response to an imposing total of 324, their visitors stuttered at the outset, lost wickets through the middle, and arrived at a limp finish. Sri Lanka’s 122-run defeat was an apt reflection of the chasm between the quality of the teams on display this series, which England have sewn up 3-0.Joe Root produced a seamless 93 from 106 balls to underpin his team’s dynamic innings, but it was arguably Jos Buttler who played the most electric knock within it. He set off with a four to fine leg, collected quick runs into the outfield for a while, then after facing 25 deliveries, let fly with the boundaries. There were shovels over the shoulder, searing cuts, crunching drives and a six over long off, all executed with a powerful bottom hand. His tally was 70 off 45. James Vince had also hit a half-century at the top of the innings.Erratic seam bowling at either end of the innings had helped England to their imposing total. Most hopes of Sri Lanka running that score down then dissipated in the first 22 overs, after which they were 107 for 5. Dinesh Chandimal made his fourth consecutive fifty as the wickets fell around him, before David Willey wiped out the tail to finish with four wickets for himself. Sri Lanka were all out for 202, and never in the course of their chase, did they appear to have the measure of their target.In England’s innings, Danushka Gunathilaka’s part-time offspin claimed three wickets for 48 from his full quota of overs, but it was debutant left-arm seamer Chaminda Bandara’s 1 for 83 which was the more definitive set of figures. Bandara was wayward at the outset while the other seam bowlers failed to pose a consistent threat, and costly at the death when everyone was going for runs. Nuwan Pradeep was also expensive again, giving away more than seven an over, as he attempts to come to grips closing out an innings.England had purred into motion with a cover-driven boundary from Jason Roy’s bat, third ball. Though play was soon left suspended for about 25 minutes by a passing shower, the hosts’ tempo rarely wavered over the following three-and-a-half hours. Bandara bowled overs that cost 11 and 14 in the Powerplay, while more experienced bowlers delivered more disciplined, but hardly miserly, spells. By the tenth over, only seven boundaries had been struck in all, yet 66 runs had been gathered. The green tinge on the pitch, which had put both captains in the mood to bowl first, offered only modest sideways movement. The overhead cloud made for only the slightest swing.The dismissal of Roy came somewhat against the run of play – caught on the midwicket boundary off Suranga Lakmal for a run-a-ball 34. Root, the next batsman, sent his first ball skipping through the covers for four, and Vince continued his pretty progress alongside the new man, the pair flitting efficiently between their wickets until Vince reached his first international fifty, off 54 balls. He was soon out charging Gunathilaka, who pulled his length back and slipped a ball past Vince’s advance, but neither that wicket, nor the next one, really dented England’s rate of progress. Halfway through the innings, the hosts were 138 for 3.With a confident Gunathilaka proving so successful, Mathews banked on spin through the middle overs. Jonny Bairstow was occasionally tested by it during his 21 off 28, but Root’s mastery of the single prevented Sri Lanka from making substantial headway. This steady beat of ones and twos was occasionally enlivened by the crash of cymbals: the reverse-paddle for four off the exceptionally part-time bowling of Kusal Mendis, the clatter through the covers at the end of the 38th over.Buttler twice hit Pradeep for consecutive fours, and thwacked a six off Lakmal in the 44th over, as he scored 45 runs from the last 20 balls he faced. It was he who propelled England’s run rate past six, and though he was out in the 48th over to give Bandara his first international wicket, had laid the groundwork for a fast finish. Thirty-three runs were hit off the last three overs.When the chase got under way an inability to pierce the lively infield drew a fatal mistake from Kusal Perera, not for the first time in the series. He was out lbw to Willey at the end of the fourth over. Mendis and Gunathilaka attempted to build the platform Sri Lanka required, before committing another of Sri Lanka’s most common mistakes through the series: attempting to come back for a second run in the 14th over, Mendis was caught short by Bairstow’s throw.From 66 for 2, the match slipped quickly. Gunathilaka was lbw to Liam Plunkett for 48. Mathews had his stumps splayed by a yorker from the same bowler. Upul Tharanga was bowled first delivery by Adil Rashid, and Dasun Shanaka was stumped off him, some time later. When Seekkuge Prasanna was caught at fine leg by a diving Willey, Sri Lanka had crumbled to 170 for 7 in the 35th over. A brittle tail didn’t hang around long.

Here's everything you need to know about Inter Miami after Lionel Messi confirmed he is joining the David Beckham-owned MLS club in July.

Regarded by many as the best player in history, Lionel Messi has revealed his intentions to join Inter Miami and compete in the Major League Soccer (MLS).

It will be South Beach, not Saudi Arabia, where Messi will showcase his talents for the rest of 2023, with the Argentine leaving life in Europe behind having achieved legendary status at Barcelona before his two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain.

Inter Miami is one of the newer clubs to have appeared in MLS, with their first playing season having taken place just three years ago in 2020. There may be a lot of unknowns about the Herons for Messi and his legion of supporters across the globe, so we're here to help.

GOAL brings to you everything you need to know about Messi's next club!

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  What competitions do Inter Miami compete in?

  Inter Miami currently participate inMajor League Soccer in the United States. The league serves as the top flight for a combination of teams from the United States and Canada. There are 29 teams participating in the league divided into the Eastern and Western Conferences. Inter Miami are part of the Eastern Conference as the club is situated in Florida on the eastern coast of the USA.

  The 'Herons' also participate in the U.S Open Cup, which is the national cup competition for the clubs from MLS and the second tier, the USL Championship.

  Miami, as of June 8, 2023, are still in the competition having booked their place in the semi-final of the cup after a win against USL Championship side, Birmingham Legion.

  In July, Messi's new club will also participate in the third edition of the Leagues Cup, an annual tournament that brings together teams from MLS and Liga MX, the top professional soccer league in Mexico. This inter-league competition is scheduled to take place from July 21 to August 19, 2023 and could well be the setting for the Argentine's highly-anticipated Miami debut.

  Messi’s new club could also potentially qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup next season, if they win the US Open Cup. The CONCACAF Champions Cup is the continental competition between clubs in the CONCACAF region and, in MLS, the MLS Cup winners and the respective leaders of the two conferences from the previous season receive a direct berth alongside the winner of the U.S. Open Cup.

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  Get to know Messi's new team-mates

  Inter Miami's most well-known player before the signing of Messi was his compatriot, Gonzalo Higuain. However, at the end of the 2022 season, the former Juventus and Chelsea forward decided to call time on his illustrious career.

  While there have been rumours in the air about David Beckham's club also looking to target some of Messi's former team-mates, including Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Angel Di Maria, it remains to be seen who will actually join the Argentine on his Miami quest.

  The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will, however, join forces with Josef Martinez, who holds the record as the most decorated single-season player in MLS history by winning the League MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Golden Boot, and MLS Cup Final MVP.

  He will also join fellow Argentines Franco Negri and Nicolas Stefanelli, former Newcastle full-back DeAndre Yedlin and ex-Wolves man, Leonardo Campana.

  Despite his father's departure as manager, Phil Neville's son Harvey Neville is also still on Miami's books.

  Inter Miami squad in full

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Callender, Marsman
  Defenders	Negri, McVey, Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Sailor
  Midfielders	Mota, Gregore, Pizarro, Ulloa, Jean, Duke, Cremaschi, Neville, Duke
  Forwards	Martinez, Lassiter, Campana

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  What trophies have Inter Miami won?

  Although Inter Miami was formed as a club in 2018, they only started playing in 2020 and have failed to win a trophy in their short life so far. However, in 2022, the Herons did make an appearance in the MLS Playoffs, albeit losing in the first round against a dominant New York City FC.

  As for the U.S. Open Cup, the South Florida club only reached the quarter-final once, back in 2022. However, they are currently in the semi-final of the 2023 US Open Cup, which could represent their first proper chance of silverware, with Messi leading the charge.

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  What kit do they wear?

  Inter Miami's brand colours since their inception have been pink and black. The colour theory has been followed by their home and away kits, with the home jersey pink in color with black accents that pop out through the contrast. Their away offering, meanwhile, follows the opposite combination, with black being the major colour with classy pink accents.

  It's not yet been confirmed what number Messi will be given upon his arrival in Miami, although with the No.10 shirt vacant, it would be a huge surprise to see him take anything other than the iconic number he's worn for much of his professional career.

Kolkata Knight Riders and Rising Pune Supergiant are both enjoying strong runs of form and have their sights set on finishing the league stage in the top two

The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy02-May-2017

Match facts

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rising Pune Supergiant
Kolkata, May 3, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)4:20

Bangar: Pune’s improved bowling effort showing on the points table

Form guide

• Kolkata Knight Riders (second): lost to Sunrisers by 48 runs, defeated Daredevils by seven wickets, defeated Rising Pune by seven wickets.

• Rising Pune Supergiant (fourth): defeated Lions by five wickets, defeated Royal Challengers by 61 runs, lost to Knight Riders by seven wickets.

Head-to-head

This season: Robin Uthappa’s 47-ball 87 helped Knight Riders hunt down a target of 183 with 11 balls remaining at the MCA Stadium in Pune.Overall: Knight Riders have chased and won in each of their three matches against Rising Pune.

In the news

Lynn, who has been out of action since dislocating his left shoulder while fielding against Mumbai Indians on April 9, trained with the Knight Riders squad on Tuesday. He hopes to return before the playoffs, Lynn told , possibly against Kings XI Punjab on May 9 or against Mumbai on May 13.Shakib Al Hasan has only played once for Knight Riders this season, and the match against Rising Pune is likely to be his last chance for game-time: he is set to leave the tournament on Thursday to join Bangladesh’s training camp in Sussex ahead of a triangular ODI series in Ireland, which also involves New Zealand.Knight Riders are on 14 points and Rising Pune on 12. The team that wins this clash will fancy a top-two finish, and two shots at a spot in the final.

The likely XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 3 Robin Uthappa (wk), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Sheldon Jackson, 7 Colin de Grandhomme/Shakib Al Hasan, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Kuldeep Yadav.Rising Pune Supergiant: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 MS Dhoni (wk), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Manoj Tiwary, 7 Daniel Christian, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Jaydev Unadkat, 10 Shardul Thakur, 11 Imran Tahir.

Strategy punt

Rising Pune have scored quicker against pace (8.97 per over) than spin (7.32) this season, and the gap is particularly exaggerated in the case of MS Dhoni, who has scored at 8.15 against pace and 5.28 against spin. Knight Riders have tended to go with pace-dominated attacks this season, especially at Eden Gardens, which has provided an unusual amount of seam movement and bounce. But given their opposition, and Dhoni in particular, they might think of a spin-for-seam swap in the allrounder department, with Shakib Al Hasan coming in for Colin de Grandhomme.

Stats that matter

• Rising Pune lost three of their first four matches of the tournament, and have won five out of six since then. Their rise has coincided with a marked improvement in their bowling. In their first four games, their bowlers averaged 38.15, gave away 9.41 an over, and conceded a boundary every 4.76 balls. In the period since then, they have topped the tournament in terms of average (21.61) and economy rate (7.69), while only conceding a boundary every 6.68 balls.
• They have become better both in the first six overs – their economy rate has dropped from 10.00 to 7.50 – and in the last five – 13.00 to 8.03.
• The inclusion of Jaydev Unadkat has made a difference to their bowling in both these critical phases. In Pune’s last six matches, the left-arm quick has a Powerplay economy rate of 7.80 and an economy rate of 7.92 in the last five overs. He has been helped by Washington Sundar in the first six overs (6.37) and Daniel Christian in the last five (6.66)
• MS Dhoni has had a difficult time against Sunil Narine in T20s, scoring only 29 off 58 balls, while being dismissed once.
• Chris Woakes has been Knight Riders’ joint-highest wicket-taker this season with 11, but his wickets have come at a price. His economy rate of 9.65 is the second worst among all bowlers who have bowled 20 or more overs this season, with only Lasith Malinga proving more expensive.

Manchester United are reportedly lining up a £16m move to sign Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri amid Rasmus Hojlund's struggles in front of goal.

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• Man Utd tracking Moroccan striker En-Nasyri
• Could pay upto £16m as transfer fee
• Ten Hag wants cover for struggling Hojlund

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the Red Devils are actively pursuing a move for the Moroccan striker in a bid to strengthen its squad in the January transfer window.

  Amid a challenging season, with seven losses in their first 17 Premier League games and struggles with injuries and underperforming signings, United are ready to dip into their market to revive their fortunes. Their Danish frontman, Hojlund, is yet to score in the English top-flight and Marcus Rashford's declining output has compounded the troubles for Erik ten Hag.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United were earlier linked to Bundesliga sensation Serhou Guirassy, but it is believed that the striker prefers a move to United's league rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Scouts from United have been deployed to observe En-Nesyri's performances and will also be present in the upcoming La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  En-Nesyri has been one of the few bright spots for Sevilla this season with his eight goals and four assists as the Andalusian side find themselves reeling in the 14th spot in La Liga.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Sevilla should be willing to offload the En-Nesyri as they are in the midst of a financial crisis and are looking to reduce expenses by offloading players which can help them fill their coffers. The striker could be a potent addition to United as he has proven himself on the international stage as well by playing a crucial role in Morocco's impressive run to the World Cup semi-final last year.