Beth Mooney has led Perth Scorchers back into the WBBL finals, executing the perfect chase against Brisbane Heat and ending Melbourne Renegades’ title defence in the process.Needing 165 for victory in a must-win game at the WACA on Saturday, Mooney hit an unbeaten 94 from 61 to help Perth reach the target with seven wickets and four balls to spare. The victory ensured the Scorchers would have a home final, knocked the Renegades out of the top four and handed the Heat the first winless season in WBBL history.With one game to play in the season, Hobart are guaranteed top spot and hosting rights for next Saturday night’s final at Ninja Stadium. Perth and the Melbourne Stars are also locked into finals spots, with the winner of the Sydney Sixers and Adelaide at North Sydney Oval on Sunday morning to join them.The WBBL’s finals system has third and fourth face off in eliminator on Tuesday, before the winner of that plays against second on Thursday for a spot in the final.The Stars could have wrapped up second spot on Saturday morning had they beaten the Sydney Thunder at Junction Oval, only for them to be well beaten. Instead Perth are now in second, and will stay there if the Strikers beat the Sixers on Sunday.Facing a tricky chase after Georgia Redmayne’s 57 helped the Heat to 164 for 7, Mooney took control of the game at the WACA. Australia’s veteran opener regularly picked balls up off her pads and hit them over the legside to the rope, hitting 12 boundaries in a near-flawless knock. The Scorchers’ chase threatened to wobble late when Maddy Darke (24) and Sophie Devine (13) fell, but Mooney held her nerve and Freya Kemp’s late hitting saw Perth home.The leading run-scorer in WBBL history, Mooney now has scores of 105, 75 and 94* for the season and will enter the finals as one of the league’s most dangerous players.
PTI17-Oct-2025Former India women captain Shantha Rangaswamy has been elected president of the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA), and former Delhi men opener Venkat Sundaram named secretary.Sundaram had served as the ICA’s president since December 2024, when he was elected unopposed following the death of the former president Aunshuman Gaekwad.Deepak Jain is the treasurer, while the member representatives are Jyoti Thatte and Santhosh Subramoniam.The ICA board has nominated former India women captains Sudha Shah and Shubhangi Kulkarni as its representatives in the BCCI’s Apex Council and the IPL Governing Council.The male representative to the BCCI Apex Council is V Chamundeswara Nath from the Hyderabad Cricket Association.”This election marks a notable moment for the ICA, with two women now serving on the ICA Board, and for the first time, a female president and a female nominee to the IPL Governing Council – reflecting the Association’s commitment to inclusive representation and progressive leadership,” a release stated.
The final international break of the year has finally come to an end, and Chelsea are back in Premier League action.
Enzo Maresca’s side resume their campaign with a trip to newly promoted Burnley, in what could be something of a banana skin fixture.
What will make things even more difficult for the West Londoners is their ever-growing injury list, which has decimated their backline.
However, arguably more concerning than that, Cole Palmer has picked up another knock, although there is someone in the squad who could stand in for him, and no, it’s not Estevao.
The latest on Cole Palmer
After an impressive Club World Cup campaign and strong pre-season performances, it felt like Palmer was set for another exceptional year in West London.
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However, after playing the first game against Crystal Palace, he missed the next two due to a groin problem, and while he returned for the following couple of matches, he was again forced off against Manchester United with another groin problem.
The Englishman hasn’t featured for the side since then, although it did look like he would be back in the squad after the international break.
However, it would appear Maresca and Co can’t catch a break this season, as reports yesterday morning revealed that the former Manchester City prospect had broken his toe in an accident at home.
In his press conference a few hours later, the manager confirmed the injury and said his star player “is not available for this week and next week.”
That means that, on top of today’s game, the 23-year-old is definitely going to miss the Champions League clash with Barcelona and the London derby with Arsenal.
It’s undoubtedly a massive blow for Chelsea, but the silver lining is that, alongside Estevao, they have another young talent who could step in for Palmer.
Chelsea's Palmer replacement
While Estevao should start on the right for the upcoming games, Maresca could get some of what Palmer would provide in the ten by starting Facundo Buonanotte there.
Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, nobody is arguing that the Argentine is as good a player as the Englishman; that would be absurd.
However, he is a highly talented young player who, based on his performances last season and what those in the know say about him, could replicate the 23-year-old’s capabilities.
For example, despite playing for a truly poor Leicester City side last season and being just 19 at the start of it, he was able to put in some impressive performances.
In 35 appearances, totalling 1701 minutes, the attacking midfielder, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “one of the most exciting South American talents to have moved to Europe in recent years,” scored six goals and provided three assists.
Appearances
31
2
2
Goals
5
1
0
Assists
2
1
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.22
1.00
0.00
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.88 games, or every 189 minutes, which is not a bad rate of return considering the circumstances.
Moreover, the promising ace with a “left foot made of gold,” per Jacek Kulig, has also earned comparisons to some Argentine football legends.
For example, Premier League great Carlos Tevez told the press that the youngster “reminds me of Messi” a few years ago.
Finally, away from the numbers and appraisals, when the twice-capped international was in full flow last season, he looked like the sort of mercurial talent who, with the proper coaching and chance, could create game-winning moments for his side.
Ultimately, while he isn’t on the level of Palmer at the moment, Buonanotte is an undeniably talented youngster, and for the next few games, could provide cover for the Englishman.
Forget Delap: 18-year-old star is destined to be Chelsea's future number 9
The incredible youngster will be a superstar for England and Chelsea.
Manchester City are now willing to make an unexpected decision about Rodri’s future at the club in an attempt to sign Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid in 2026.
The Citizens were in a ruthless mood against Liverpool before the international break, with Pep Guardiola overseeing his 1000th game as a manager in classic, dominant style.
Injured £150k-a-week Man City star in protective boot, will miss 20+ games
He’s had more surgery.
ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025
It was the first time that the Citizens have sent a damning statement to the rest of the Premier League about their title credentials this season and former player Micah Richards believes that they could yet beat Arsenal to the crown once again.
What has made City’s quietly impressive form even better is the fact that they’ve coped without Rodri. In the Spaniard’s absence last season, they looked a shadow of their controlled best. This time around, as Rodri continues a stuttered recovery from an ACL injury, Nico Gonzalez has provided Guardiola with the perfect replacement.
It’s allowed City’s Ballon d’Or winner to slowly work his way back to his best, but has also welcomed some interesting reports about his long-term future at the Etihad. Some in Spain have even gone as far as to suggest that Rodri could yet be sacrificed as part of another £100m+ deal.
Man City willing to spend £100m+ to sign Bellingham
According to those reports in the Spanish media, Man City are now willing to spend €150m (£133m) to sign Bellingham in 2026 and could be prepared to use Rodri as a makeweight in any potential deal with Real Madrid.
There’s been more unrest at the Bernabeu since the arrival of Xabi Alonso, with Vinícius Jr particularly struggling with the Spaniard’s call for discipline, and that has opened the door for a number of potential exits.
Whether Bellingham is among those is the question that many will be asking. There’s no doubt that he — as one of the best midfielders in the world — would take City back to the level that resulted in Premier League dominance not so long ago.
Former Real boss Carlo Ancelotti has been one of many iconic names to hand Bellingham plenty of praise in recent years, having told Gary Lineker on the Rest is Football podcast earlier this week: “I think Jude is a fantastic player.
“If I have to compare, we were talking about Kaka. He is this kind of player, a really intelligent player, who is physically really strong, fantastic to arrive in the box at the right time.”
Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has a grand plan for striker Dominic Solanke once he returns from injury, contrary to other reports.
In the last few days, Spurs’ club-record signing has actually been linked with the January exit door.
The 28-year-old’s last appearance came during a brief cameo in Tottenham’s 2-0 win away to Man City at the very start of the campaign, but he’s been sidelined with a niggling ankle problem ever since.
Dejan Kulusevski
Knee
22/11/2025
James Maddison
ACL
01/06/2026
Radu Dragusin
Knee
22/11/2025
Ben Davies
Thigh
23/11/2025
Kota Takai
Ankle/Foot
08/11/2025
Yves Bissouma
Ankle/Foot
08/11/2025
Wilson Odobert
Abdominal
01/11/2025
Cristian Romero
Groin
01/11/2025
Destiny Udogie
Knee
08/11/2025
Dominic Solanke
Ankle
08/11/2025
Archie Gray
Calf/Shin/Heel
06/11/2025
via Premier Injuries
Solanke underwent minor surgery to fix the issue, with Frank’s forward still working his way back to full fitness ahead of a tough run of fixtures.
Despite playing just 49 minutes in total under Spurs’ new boss, reports have surprisingly suggested that Frank isn’t particularly impressed by Solanke and could look to sell the England international.
Solanke’s inconsistency and fitness issues have raised some doubts among supporters about his suitability as Tottenham’s long-term first-choice striker, with Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović reportedly emerging as a prime alternative as the Serbian’s contract expires at the end of this season.
Links to Vlahovic could raise some questions about Solanke’s future in N17, but according to reporter Dean Jones, the former Bournemouth star shouldn’t be too worried about his place.
Thomas Frank's grand plan for Dominic Solanke at Tottenham
Jones, writing for TEAMtalk, says that Frank is preparing to make Solanke the focal point of his attack once the striker returns from injury, with growing “inside” belief that he can add a fresh and “new” dimension to their attacking play.
Despite Solanke’s challenges, there’s a clear sense among Tottenham’s coaching staff and insiders that he has the qualities to lead the line effectively.
The return of Solanke is eagerly anticipated by Frank, with hopes that he will elevate Tottenham’s attacking threat in crucial matches.
The delay in his comeback may also be put down to Spurs adopting a more cautious approach with the number nine’s overall fitness as they look to avoid any setbacks.
Mathys Tel, bar his goal away to Leeds United, has struggled to replace Solanke overall, while Richarlison endured another night to forget during Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Last season, Solanke proved his worth by scoring 16 goals across all competitions, finishing as Spurs’ second top scorer behind Brennan Johnson. This goal tally underscores his importance to the team’s attack and highlights the threat he poses when fully fit.
Solanke’s presence allows Frank to build the attack around a proven goalscorer, providing a sense of stability to the entire forward line.
The ‘underrated’ forward’s ability to deliver crucial goals will be vital, especially in tight games where a clinical finish can make all the difference.
Jamie O'Hara takes aim at "non league" Tottenham player in defeat to Newcastle
Thursday nights were Ruben Amorim’s saviour at Manchester United last season, although there was to be no solace in that slot this week, following the dismal draw at home to relegation strugglers, West Ham United.
A tepid and uninspiring display saw the hosts almost sleepwalk to that eventual 1-1 scoreline, despite taking the lead through Diogo Dalot in the second half, with the Red Devils showcasing almost a refusal to put the game to bed.
Even with the returning Matheus Cunha reinstated in the forward line, it was particularly concerning just how light United looked with regard to attacking options, not least with Benjamin Sesko the only senior star who is currently sidelined in that department.
At the back too, the frustrating absence of the previously ever-present Matthijs de Ligt also left Amorim scrambling to rejig his defensive unit, with the surprise inclusion of 19-year-old Ayden Heaven having seemingly backfired.
Ayden Heaven's game in numbers vs West Ham
A January arrival from Arsenal, the teenage sensation looked impressive during his handful of outings last season, with club legend Wayne Rooney suggesting that it looked like he’d “been there for years”, following his standout, albeit brief, impact.
Cruelly struck down by injury against Leicester City just a few games into his United journey, Heaven has since been on the periphery in 2025/26, with his only start prior to Thursday having come in the debacle down at Grimsby.
As was the case that rainy night at Blundell Park, the England youth international had a rabbit in the headlights feel to his performance against the Hammers, notably receiving an early yellow for a rash challenge on Jarrod Bowen.
Unsettled in a new role at the heart of the backline, in the absence of De Ligt, Harry Maguire and the benched Leny Yoro, the youngster was somewhat bullied up against the experienced Callum Wilson, having failed to win a single duel at all, as per Sofascore.
Indeed, the towering defender was unable to make a single tackle or interception, while recording a lowly 67% pass accuracy rate from just 17 touches, before being rightly withdrawn at the break.
Such is his age, the £1m signing certainly shouldn’t be written off, with that showing unlikely to prove terminal for his United career.
If anything, more of the scrutiny should rest on Amorim, with the Portuguese’s substitutions also needing to be put under the microscope.
Man Utd substitute looks to be on borrowed time
As treble winner Roy Keane suggested post-match, the hosts were almost attempting to see the game out as if they were champions, knocking the ball around with little belief that they would need a second goal to win the game.
That approach perhaps stemmed from Amorim’s second-half changes, with Joshua Zirkzee and the aforementioned Cunha both withdrawn for midfielders Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte.
There were also eyebrows raised at the decision to remove goalscorer Dalot, not least with the Portuguese defender having actually looked settled in that unorthodox left wing-back berth.
That move remained even more bizarre considering the criticism that Amorim had directed at his replacement, Patrick Dorgu, ahead of the weekend trip to Selhurst Park, highlighting the “anxiety” that has been a feature of the Dane’s game of late.
Such woes were evident even during the 21-year-old’s cameo appearance, a display that epitomised the drop off that United tend to endure once alterations are made mid-game.
Dorgu’s West Ham cameo
Stat
Record
Minutes
22
Touches
28
Pass accuracy
93%
Key passes
1
Successful crosses
1/3
Successful dribbles
2/3
Total duels won
3/5
Tackles
0
Possession lost
6
Stats via Sofascore
Indeed, Dorgu memorably wasted a promising opening late on after producing a wayward cross that evaded everyone in red, having lost the ball six times from just 28 touches during his 22-minute outing.
Equally, there were audible groans from the Old Trafford crowd at one stage as the ex-Lecce starlet opted to let the ball run out of play for a throw-in inside his own half, rather than try and keep the play alive.
That might be a case of nit-picking, but nothing appears to be going right for the left-footer right now, with content creator Liam Canning of the assessment that he is “miles off the standard” required to be a success at Man Utd, suggesting the attack-minded talent is “nowhere near it”.
With Amorim now approaching a period where his squad will shrink even further amid the loss of Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui to AFCON next week, the likes of Dorgu and other peripheral figures will have to be relied upon more heavily.
On the evidence of Thursday and this year in general, United’s number 13 has shown little sign that he is up to that challenge.
18x ball lost: Amorim must ruthlessly bench overhyped 5/10 Man Utd man
This Man Utd ace struggled in their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham
Former Manchester United player Zidane Iqbal has been banished from the Utrecht squad and will be absent for the game against Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday. Utrecht coach Ron Jans has publicly criticised the midfielder following his return from international duty with Iraq, saying that he needs "a reset" before he will be brought back into the team.
Iqbal's dismal time at Utrecht
Iqbal, after an unsatisfactory tenure at United, left the club in 2023 to join Eredivisie outfit Utrecht. To date, he has featured 47 times for them across all competitions, recording just a single goal. This season, the central midfielder has made five Eredivisie appearances, having returned to the senior team after a brief stint with the reserves as he recovered from a knee operation. His last appearance came against AZ on October 26, and now the player, who started both of the recent World Cup qualifying games against United Arab Emirates, has been removed from the squad ahead of their crucial away game in the Europa League against La Liga side Betis on Thursday.
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Utrecht boss outlines why Iqbal has been left out
Speaking to , Utrecht coach Jans has clarified on his stance about the midfielder. He said: "Zidane then had a bad training week. He has shown little dedication, also around and after the matches. He was in disappointment all the time. You can have that for a day, sometimes for two days, but not longer. It needs to be reset."
The 67-year-old has not identified a potential return date for the youngster, but it is reportedly said that he might be suspended for more games than the Betis one.
Iqbal was frustrated at United too
Last season, Iqbal had revealed that he was not satisfied at United as well. He secured 35 appearances for the U-21 side but just one for the senior team – a one-minute cameo against Young Boys in the Champions League. He wanted to show his prowess to then-head coach Erik Ten Hag. However, opportunities were hard to come by and he soon opted to accept the Dutch side's offer.
"I was supposed to start a cup game against Charlton," he later lamented. "I was in all the shapes and patterns in pre-match training. I was starting as a 10 and Lisandro Martinez came up to me and said: 'Now's your chance'. He talked to me and said: 'All of us are supporting you. Just show yourself, you're a good player. We're going to fight for you, make sure you're ready to fight'. It motivated me and it was nice from him, an aggressive leader in the team, a big player. I got tickets for family and friends to see me. Finally, my chance. Then I got to the stadium, looked at the whiteboard and didn't see my name. I was gutted. Then I thought I'd come off the bench. Nothing. That was the turning point for me. I didn't feel the manager respected me enough to play me."
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Iqbal feels respected at the national team
Despite his struggles at club level, Iqbal has enjoyed a more prosperous national team career so far. He has 22 caps to his name and could even secure a place at the World Cup, with Iraq set to face either Bolivia or Suriname in an inter-confederation play-off tie in March to decide whether or not they will be at the tournament in Canada, United States and Mexico.
Iqbal feels he is valued by the manager, telling : "For Iraq, the manager Graeme Arnold and his assistant, Rene Meulensteen, told me of my importance to the team. They told me to be ready and as soon as we conceded the first goal, the gaffer just pointed at me and said: 'You're coming on'."
The 22-year-old also reflected on his struggles with injuries that spilled over from last season into this one, adding: "Having no pre-season was tough as that’s where you gain your fitness. So I came back and everyone else had a pre-season and rhythm, while I was trying to pick up minutes. It's tough coming back from injury but I think I'm coming back to myself more. And I think I had a positive impact on the game. I'm just ready to give 100 per cent, whether they need me in the first minute, the last minute, whether I start or I'm off the bench making an impact."
Crystal Palace are now readying a January move for Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling, with Oliver Glasner personally keen, and they hold an advantage in the race for his signature.
Palace are one of many clubs looking like they could make a push for the European places this season, should they manage to keep their squad together, and there has recently been a positive update on that front, despite Liverpool retaining an interest in Marc Guehi.
There has also been a new update on Adam Wharton’s future, amid widespread interest from Premier League clubs, while the Eagles have been forced to make do without Eberechi Eze this season, with the 27-year-old moving to Arsenal in the summer.
Following Eze’s departure, Glasner’s side brought in Yeremy Pino, but it has now been revealed they want to bring in another forward to soften the blow of losing their talisman in the previous window…
Crystal Palace readying January move for Raheem Sterling
According to a report from SportsBoom, Crystal Palace are now readying a January move for Chelsea’s Sterling, with Glasner personally keen, and the Blues willing to pay part of the winger’s wages to get him off the books.
There is expected to be competition for the Englishman’s signature from Leeds United, but Palace may hold a key advantage in the race for his signature, as he wants to remain in the south for personal reasons.
The South Londoners’ location could give them the edge in the battle for the Chelsea outcast, who has been named as one of the best wingers in Premier League history, given that he lives in Berkshire, but there are doubts over whether they should even pursue a move.
Pep Guardiola has lauded the former Manchester City man in the past, saying: “For his confidence it will be massive, the first goal is brilliant, when Raheem executes without thinking he is excellent.”
However, the 30-year-old has had little opportunity to show his brilliance in recent times, having not made a single appearance for the Blues this season, and he struggled on loan at Arsenal last term, scoring zero goals and picking up just two assists in 17 Premier League games.
Having amassed a whopping 198 goal contributions in 396 Premier League matches and won 11 trophies, there can be no denying that Sterling was a top player in his prime, but his best days might be behind him, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Leeds beat Palace to his signature.
Crystal Palace join race for "extraordinary" forward likened to Kvaratskhelia Crystal Palace join race for "extraordinary" forward likened to Kvaratskhelia
The Eagles are looking to bolster their options in attacking areas during the January transfer window.
Should Hong Kong chase the target down, it would be their highest successful T20I chase
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2025
Sediqullah Atal celebrates his half-century•Getty Images
Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai struck half-centuries each to carry Afghanistan to 188 for 6 in the opening match of the men’s T20 Asia Cup. Hong Kong had their moments, their spinners in particular harnessing slow conditions well enough to frustrate their more pedigreed opponents. But the gulf in class eventually showed as Yasin Murtaza’s side dropped catches and committed misfields to hurt their own chances.Sediqullah has brought up each of this three T20I fifties in his last four innings, and as well as he looked out in the middle, standing tall at the crease and largely coping with the lack of pace, he benefited from three missed chances. A man who could’ve been dismissed in the very first over in the end batted through to finish on 73 off 52.Murtaza was involved in all three lives Sediqullah got – twice dropping the catch himself and once having to watch it go down off his own bowling. He did the best he could to make up for it, the three Hong Kong spinners giving the ball such little pace but so much air that this game looked straight out of the 90s. As such, the more modern day T20 batter wasn’t able to adjust. Murtaza, Ehsan Khan and Kinchit Shah picked up 3 for 75 in 11 overs.However, the arrival of pace in the 17th over changed the game with Atal and Omarzai targeting Ayush Shukla. Afghanistan scored 69 runs in the last four overs with Omarzai raising his first T20I half-century. From the simple clear-the-front-leg slog to the cheeky ramp past the keeper, the Afghanistan allrounder has shown impressive range on a difficult batting pitch and finished with a strike rate of 252.38.Should Hong Kong chase the target down, it would be their highest successful T20I chase.
علق ألكسندر سانتوس، المدير الفني لنادي الجيش الملكي المغربي، على تعادل فريقه مع الأهلي بهدف لكل فريق، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.
وحل الأهلي ضيفًا على الجيش الملكي في المغرب، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات لبطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، اليوم، الجمعة.
طالع | موعد مباراة الأهلي القادمة بعد التعادل مع الجيش الملكي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا
وقال سانتوس في تصريحات لقناة “بي إن سبورتس”: “حصلنا على نقطة فقط ولدينا 6 مباريات نحتاج إلى أكبر عدد ممكن من النقاط، الأهم أننا تمكنا من مواجهة فريق كبير جدًا والأفضل في إفريقيا ومن بين الأفضل في العالم”.
وتابع: “كنا نستحق الفوز، واجهنا صعوبات وتقدمنا في النتيجة، قدمنا مباراة كبيرة جدًا وأنا فخور جدًا باللاعبين، وعلى جماهيرنا أن تكون فخورة بذلك”.
واختتم: “المباراة المقبلة صعبة جدًا ولكن نحن فخورن بمستوانا، كنا أفضل من الأهلي وسيطرنا في آخر 15 دقيقة”.