Category Uncategorized

More players took part in this PSL than ever before, and that made picking the team of the tournament tricky

Umar Farooq and Danyal Rasool25-Jun-2021Colin Munro (285 runs, 57.00 Avg, 169.64 SR)The Islamabad United’s top order looks a little bereft without Luke Ronchi, but fellow New Zealander Munro filled those boots impressively and seamlessly. Despite only being available for the Abu Dhabi leg of the PSL, he hit the ground running, getting United off to several explosive starts. No side scored at a higher rate in the powerplay, and while he got able support from Usman Khawaja, Munro was the primary reason for that. Two innings particularly stood out: a 36-ball 90 which saw United post the highest ever PSL powerplay score and chase down a target of 137 inside ten overs, and an unbeaten 88 off 56 to chase down 191 which sealed qualification for the playoffs.Related

Misbah-ul-Haq: 'Couple of positions we need to focus on over the next two series'

A field of dreams for Sohaib Maqsood

Shahnawaz Dahani – the pace bowler with the smile

What's gone wrong for Quetta Gladiators in the last two seasons?

Mohammad Rizwan (500 runs, 45.45 Avg, 127.87 SR)Rizwan seems to get little wrong in T20 cricket these days, but he doesn’t just get into the side for the superb wicketkeeping and brilliant captaincy which led the Multan Sultans to the PSL title. His scintillating form in Karachi saw him post scores of 71, 41, 76, 43 and 66 even as the Sultans struggled to get wins on the board. But he followed up with an unbeaten 82 in Abu Dhabi which got the Sultans’ juggernaut going. His stability and consistency at the top – just once in 12 innings did he fail to reach double figures – gave the Sultans a solid platform, allowing their bigger hitters the freedom and license they craved. Not least the man who follows him in at number three, both in the Sultans team and this list..Sohaib Maqsood (428 runs, 47.55 Avg, 156.77 SR) Maqsood capped off a whirlwind season with the PSL title and a first call-up to the Pakistan side in half a decade. It came thanks in no small part to his devastating form at the top of the Sultans’ order, scoring five half-centuries in 12 innings and getting more runs in boundaries than any other player in the league. Some of the shot-making was otherworldly, smashing 59 in a momentum-changing innings against United in the qualifier, before doubling up with an unbeaten 35-ball 65 in the final that saw him named Player of the Match.ESPNcricinfo LtdShoaib Malik (354 runs, 35.40 Avg, 149.36 SR)Malik insisted he wasn’t done as an international T20I cricketer just yet, and he did his chances little harm in the yellow of Peshawar Zalmi this season. The strike rate stands out, but it was his ability to blend his more conventional anchoring role with all-out attack when necessary that truly impressed. Only three players managed more sixes than Malik’s 17 all season, and even if Zalmi ended up second, Malik’s personal season finished with 168 runs in the last four games. They included a valiant 28-ball 48 in the final and a 36 ball 68 in an insurmountable chase of 248. Most clinical, though, was an astonishing 32-run onslaught that came off just ten deliveries as Islamabad United were put to the sword in the second qualifier.Sherfane Rutherford (276 runs, 34.50 Avg, 153.33 SR)The 22-year old Guyanese was something of an unsung hero, but his regular contributions lower down the order gave many Peshawar Zalmi innings the late impetus they required. An unbeaten 18-ball 36 which saw him put Dale Steyn to the sword in a game in Karachi stands out, with the Zalmi chasing down 202 – the highest total run down in the league this season. It was just one of several handy innings peppered throughout the competition, meaning there always danger lurking for the opposition at the tail-end of the Zalmi innings. He would end up hitting the winning runs in a nerve-wracking final over to eliminate the Karachi Kings, and in the end, Munro was the only overseas player who managed more runs than his 276.Tim David (180 runs, 45.00 Avg, 166.66 SR)There’s something about people named David rescuing the Lahore Qalandars from hopeless scenarios that just fits. Perhaps the most out-of-the-box selection, the Singaporean came in to replace South Africa’s David Weise for the Abu Dhabi leg, and took the competition by storm. A priceless unbeaten 23 took the Qalandars to a last over victory on his debut, while another undefeated 64 off 36 in the game that followed rescued them from 25 for four, ensuring a ten-run win. While the wins dried up for the Qalandars thereafter, David’s contributions did not. He went on to launch an astonishing counterattack that nearly sealed a famous win against the Kings, and ended up as the Qalandars’ highest run-scorer in the second leg.Hasan Ali came in clutch for Islamabad United•Pakistan Super LeagueMohammad Nawaz (6 wickets, SR 26.00, Eco 7.50)Nawaz proved his worth this season as a spin-bowling allrounder with an ability to get his side get out of sticky situations. His side the Quetta Gladiators might have ended at the bottom of the table, but he was among their best performers. Nawaz is the only spinner to have taken 50 PSL wickets, and among the top 12 wicket-takers in the league, no one can boast a lower economy rate than his 7.17.Hasan Ali (13 wickets, SR 18.38, Eco 6.75)A versatile cricketer, Ali moved from the Zalmi to United this year and became their go-to man. Need quick runs at the death? In comes Hasan Ali. Need a breakthrough? In comes Hasan Ali. Need to tighten up the fielding? In comes Hasan Ali. The heartbeat of the side, Ali kept United pumping all season and made the difference as an allrounder. His 16-ball 45 in the playoffs might have come in a losing cause, but proved his worth to the team. He was handy with the ball too, as he was low on wickets, but rarely conceded more than 30 runs a match.Rashid Khan (11 wickets, SR 17.45, Eco. 5.46)One of the most celebrated picks this season, Khan was earlier meant to play only two games for the Qalandars but was successfully persuaded to return by the franchise. And he returned to light up the league. His fantastic five-wicket haul – his first in franchise T20 cricket – ripped through the Zalmi in the group stage to make the Qalandars a force to reckon with. He played eight games and won two Player-of-the-Match awards in addition to making some crucial contributions with the bat. He also ended with the best overall bowling economy this season at 5.46.Rashid Khan played eight games and won two Player-of-the-Match awards•Pakistan Super LeagueShaheen Afridi (16 wickets, SR 15.00, Eco. 7.30)Arguably the world’s best new-ball bowler, Afridi regularly provided the magic in the opening over, taking 12 such wickets in the PSL, the highest among any bowler. He picked up five wickets from his first over in 2020 alone, and four more this season to eventually end the tournament as the third leading wicket-taker with a sparkling strike rate of 15.0.Shahnawaz Dahani (20 wickets, SR 12.10, Eco. 8.42) Dahani burst into the spotlight with a happy face as the Sultans’ trump card in PSL 2021, and ended a remarkable season as the leading wicket-taker. Dahani not only provided the breakthrough on numerous occasions, but was also instrumental in containing the runs, as the Sultans went from losing four of their first five games to eventually winning the title. His most memorable performance came against the Qalandars, as he picked up 4 for 5 to bowl the opponents out for 89 in 15.1 overs.The Sultans’ journey carried a lot of Dahani’s impact, with his ability not only providing breakthrough in regular intervals but also containing runs. His tremendous 4 for 5 against the Qalandars were the most memorable figures that divested the Qalandars within 15.1 overs to stall all out for 89 runs.12th man
Hazratullah Zazai (212 runs, Avg 42.40, SR 185.96)

MatériaMais Notícias

Contratado para ser o novo técnico do São Paulo, Luis Zubeldía é um nome conhecido entre os tricolores. O técnico argentino foi cotato para assumir o clube após a saída de Dorival Júnior, que está na Seleção Brasileira.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSão PauloSão Paulo fecha contratação do técnico argentino Luis ZubeldíaSão Paulo19/04/2024Fora de CampoEx-São Paulo critica demissão de Carpini e aponta culpados: ‘Cultura do Brasil não vai mudar’Fora de Campo18/04/2024Fora de CampoDenílson sugere estratégia para o São Paulo em busca de novo técnico e cita nomesFora de Campo18/04/2024

➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

Zubeldía está sem clube desde que deixou a LDU, do Equador, no fim de 2023. No comando da equipe equatoriana, o técnico argentino fez alguns times brasileiros como vítima. Foram os casos do próprio São Paulo e do Fortaleza.

Além da primeira tentativa do São Paulo em contratar Luis Zubeldía, os caminhos entre o clube e o treinador se cruzaram nas quartas de final da Sul-Americana. Na ocasião, o técnico comanndava a LDU, do Equador, e eliminou o Tricolor nos pênlatis.

continua após a publicidade

Em seguida, a LDU eliminou o Defensa y Justicia semifinal da Sul-Americana. Na final, Zubeldía enfrentou o Fortaleza e fez com a que a equipe equatoriana conquistasse do título da competição.

Antes da LDU, Luis Zubeldía comandou o Lanús-ARG, clube que também foi jogador, Barcelona de Quayaquil-EQU, Racing-ARG, Cerro Porteño-PAR e Alavés-ESP.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

Luis ZubeldíaSão Paulo

علق جو جوميز ، مدافع نادي ليفربول، على مشاركته الأساسية الأولى مع الريدز خلال هذا الموسم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مفسرًا أسباب فوز فريقه على وست هام يونايتد.

ودفع مدرب نادي ليفربول، آرني سلوت، بجوميز بشكل أساسي خلال مواجهة الفريق أمام وست هام يوم أمس الأحد، والتي فاز بها الريدز 2-0 بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ولعب جوميز بشكل جيد ضد وست هام في مركز الظهير الأيمن، حيث صنع كرة الهدف الثاني والذي سجله كودي جاكبو.

وأشار جوميز في مقابلة مع موقع ليفربول الرسمي، إلى أن المشاركة بشكل أساسي في لقاء الأمس تعني له الكثير.

وقال جوميز: “من الواضح أن هذا يعني الكثير بالنسبة لي أن أبدأ بشكل أساسي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مرة أخرى”.

وأضاف جوميز في حديثه: “في آخر مرة كنت فيها هنا تعرضت لأول إصابة لي، لكنني أبذل قصارى جهدي للبقاء متاحًا ومحاولة مساعدة الفريق، الأهم هو أن نبقى متحدين، فالجدول الزمني صعب الآن مع مباراتين متتاليتين في الأسبوع، علينا فقط أن نواصل العمل وسنفعل ذلك”.

وعن مفتاح الفوز على وست هام أوضح جوميز: ”من الواضح أنني أعتقد أن جودة الفريق لن تتلاشى أبدًا، أعتقد أنه كان هناك تركيز واضح على محاولة بناء قاعدة متينة والحفاظ على نظافة شباكنا والدفاع القوي ثم نعلم أن لدينا الكثير من الجودة في الهجوم، وأن الأمور ستتغير، وسيحصل اللاعبون على فرص يمكنهم استغلالها”.

وأردف: ”أعتقد أنه يجب علينا قبول الفوز وتقديره ، من الواضح أنه كان وقتًا عصيبًا لذا فالأمر لا يتعلق بتجاهله، بل يتعلق أيضًا بمعرفة أنه واحد من العديد من المباريات التي علينا أن ننتصر فيها، ونأمل أن يكون نقطة انطلاق لنا”.

أقرأ أيضًا .. هاتشيسون عن جلوس محمد صلاح بديلاً أمام وست هام: يبدو مجهدًا ويمر بفترة صعبة

وعن ما إذا كانت خطة ليفربول تعتمد على التحفظ قليلًا والحفاظ على نظافة الشباك تابع جوميز: نعم أعتقد ذلك بالتأكيد، من الواضح أننا نريد لعب أسلوب كرة قدم يعتمد على مزيج من الخطط وأنماط لعب محددة، ولكن في الوقت نفسه قد يتركنا ذلك أحيانًا في موقف مفتوح”.

وتابع: ”إنه أمر واضح ونحن نلعب أيضًا خارج أرضنا، كل مباراة في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز صعبة وقد شعرنا بذلك بوضوح، ونأمل أن يكون أساسًا نبني عليه”.

وعن الفترة الماضية لليفربول قال جوميز: ”لقد كان الأمر صعبًا، من الواضح أن كل شخص ينظر إلى الأمر بشكل مختلف وبالنسبة للاعبين الجدد، ربما يكون الشعور مختلفًا عما رأيته في الماضي”.

وأضاف: ”من الواضح أن هناك توقعات كبيرة في هذا النادي وعلينا أن نشعر بثقل القميص ونبذل قصارى جهدنا من أجل الشعار، ونحن نعلم ذلك”.

وأوضح: ”لقد شعرنا بخيبة أمل تمامًا مثل الجماهير، والأهم من ذلك أننا جميعًا معًا في هذا الأمر ويمكننا الشعور بذلك، يمكننا الشعور بدعمهم ويشعر اللاعبون بذلك، والأمر يتطلب توازنًا في محاولة عدم السماح للأمر بالسيطرة علينا، ونأمل أن يقودنا اليوم في الاتجاه الصحيح”.

وعن دوره في الوقت الحالي مع ليفربول أردف جوميز: ”أعتقد أن الأمر يتعلق بمحاولة الحفاظ على وجود طاقة إيجابية في الفريق، أحاول التأثير على اللاعبين بالطريقة الصحيحة وأُقدم لهم مثالاً يحتذى به في التدريبات، وأكون إيجابيًا وأحافظ على هدوئي”.

وتابع: ”أحاول الحفاظ على التوازن العام بين اللاعبين، وأتحدث إلى اللاعبين الأصغر سنًا وأقول لهم استمروا”.

واختتم جوميز: ”أحيانًا يكون تعليقًا صغيرًا إيجابيًا كافيًا لرفع معنوياتهم وإبقائهم في مكانة جيدة، لمجرد إدراكهم أنني هنا من أجلهم، جميعنا هنا من أجلكم، ندعم بعضنا البعض ونحن معًا في هذا، نحن فريق واحد وهذه اللحظات عندما نتجاوزها، تزيدنا قوة وتزيد من مرونتنا، لذا، نعم كلنا نفعل ما بوسعنا”.

The home side have handed out two debuts for the first time since 2019 while there remains much interest in the Perth pitch

Matt Roller20-Nov-2025Big picture: England’s perfect stormThe multi-purpose Perth Stadium staged a Metallica concert earlier this month and another heavy-metal tour begins there on Friday morning. No series can compete with the Ashes for anticipation, and months of speculation will finally come to an end when the first ball of the 2025-26 series is bowled in front of a sold-out crowd.The first Test arrives with an unmistakable sense of English optimism, fuelled by the injury status of both teams’ fast bowlers. For once, the absentees are Australian: Pat Cummins (back) and Josh Hazlewood (hamstring) are unavailable, while Jofra Archer and Mark Wood will play in the same team for only the second time in Tests.Related

Smith: If the result doesn't go our way, we can turn it around

Perth curators ride the storms as pitch battle adds Ashes intrigue

Ben Stokes yearns to join 'lucky few' in Ashes history

Weatherald and Doggett handed debuts in first Ashes Test

It represents the best-case scenario for England, who have spent the last three-and-a-half years under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s leadership building a team capable of competing in Australia. They are both aware that the next seven weeks will provide a lasting verdict on their tenures: McCullum has dubbed it “the biggest series of all of our lives”.Four years ago, England returned from Australia as a broken team, thrashed 4-0 on a tour made even more miserable by oppressive Covid restrictions. Since then, they have changed their approach to become Test cricket’s most aggressive team, with a settled batting line-up and a regenerated bowling attack since the retirements of Stuart Broad and James Anderson.But context is key: even being competitive on this tour would represent a marked improvement from England’s last three away Ashes series. The scarcity of the draw in the modern era means that they will likely need to win three Tests out of five to regain the urn; they have not managed to win even once in their last 15 in Australia, losing 13.Reports of Australia’s demise are an exaggeration: they have won 14 out of 18 Tests since the drawn 2023 Ashes in England, and are unbeaten in their last six series at home. Steven Smith, their stand-in captain, is an all-time great with a formidable record against England; in Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, they can boast two of the four Australians with over 400 Test wickets.Ready to go: Steven Smith and Ben Stokes pose ahead of the Ashes•Getty Images

But there are hints of vulnerability, not least with Australia fielding two debutants in an Ashes Test for the first time since January 2011. Jake Weatherald will become Usman Khawaja’s sixth opening partner since David Warner’s retirement, and Brendan Doggett is the first fast bowler to win an Australia cap in four years.Two years ago, Australia took a 2-0 lead in England but were clinging onto a 2-2 draw by the end of the tour, ultimately saved from a series defeat by the rain in Manchester. It left the clash of styles between England’s power and Australia’s pragmatism in an unsatisfactory stalemate, whetting the appetite for this rematch.This is the first time since 1982-83 that an Ashes series in Australia has not started at the Gabba, with Perth now locked in as the host of the first Test of the summer. Starc said on Wednesday that Australia’s players would rather be in Brisbane, while England will hope that a change of venue brings a change in their fortunes.Form guideAustralia: WWWLW
England: LDWLWJofra Archer prepares for the opening Test•PA Photos/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Mitchell Starc and Jofra ArcherIn the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc is the last man standing in Australia’s long-established pace trio, a fact which he joked made him feel “old” after training on Wednesday. He is the undisputed leader of the attack, and England’s approach against him will be instructive: Starc leaked 4.78 runs per over in the 2023, but was the leading wicket-taker on either side despite missing the first Test. If Australia bowl first, memories will immediately return to the first ball of the 2021-22 series, when he cleaned up Rory Burns at the Gabba to set the tone for a 4-0 win.He may only have played two Tests in the last four years, but Jofra Archer’s gradual comeback to international cricket after back and elbow injuries has culminated in him being available this week. It will be his first Ashes appearance since his maiden Test series six years ago, when he took 22 Australian wickets at 20.27 and hit Steven Smith on the head with a lightning-fast bouncer at Lord’s. He is expected to open the bowling alongside Gus Atkinson, and Ben Stokes plans to use him in “short, sharp bursts” to break games open. Archer’s return to red-ball cricket in the English summer was a reminder of his potency against left-handers, and Australia are expected to field five in their top eight.Team news: Another batting reshuffle for Australia, England set for all paceAustralia will hand debuts to two 31-year-olds: opening batter Jake Weatherald, the top run-scorer in last season’s Sheffield Shield, and seamer Brendan Doggett. There is also a recall for Marnus Labuschagne, who was the spare batter during their most recent series against West Indies, with Cameron Green shuffling down to No. 6 at Beau Webster’s expense. Steven Smith returns as captain in Cummins’ absence, leading Australia for the 41st time in Tests.Australia: 1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Lyon, 10 Scott Boland, 11 Brendan Doggett.England named a 12-man squad on Wednesday, but went no futher, with Shoaib Bashir expected to be the one to miss out. Mark Wood has been cleared to play what will be his first match since February’s Champions Trophy – and his first Test match since last August – after hamstring soreness last week, and is set to form part of a five-man, all-pace attack. Ollie Pope, who captained their most recent Test against India, has been replaced by Harry Brook as vice-captain but retains his spot at No. 3 after pressure from Jacob Bethell.England (probable): 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Jofra Archer.1:45

Will Australian pitches affect England’s Ashes chances?

Pitch and conditionsCurator Isaac McDonald predicts that his pitch will offer fast bowlers the “pace and bounce” that has long been associated with cricket in Western Australia, and that cracks could open up as the Test wears on. The weather has been relatively cool in Perth in the build-up and will continue throughout, with forecast highs of 28 degrees Celsius and the possibility of occasional showers over the weekend. Around 10,000 England fans are in Perth for the first Test, with more than 40,000 expected to attend across the series.Stats and trivia Australia have won 13 and drawn two of their last 15 men’s Ashes Tests on home soil. Their last defeat to England in Australia was in January 2011. Perth last hosted a men’s Ashes Test in 2017/18, when Australia won by an innings and 41 runs at the WACA. Each of the five previous men’s Tests staged at Perth Stadium has been won by the team batting first. Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have only played once together previously in Tests, against West Indies in Southampton (July 2020). Mitchell Starc needs 13 wickets in the series to overtake Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history. Brendan Doggett will become the third indigenous man to play for Australia in men’s Tests, after Jason Gillespie and team-mate Scott Boland.Quotes”The first three days are sold out, which is outstanding. There’s going to be plenty of viewers on TV, both here and back in England as well, so hopefully we can put on a good show and entertain plenty of people.”
“We’ve obviously come here with a goal, and that goal is to get on that plane in mid-January, returning to England, being Ashes winners. But we know it’s going to be very, very tough.”

They aren’t the finished project, but Chelsea have built an impressive squad over the last few years.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Cole Palmer, Estevao and Reece James, for example, would get into most Premier League teams.

However, if there is one weakness in the side, it’s probably at centre-back, as without Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana, the options at Enzo Maresca’s disposal aren’t all that inspiring.

Fortunately, Chelsea have been linked with an impressive defender who has been compared to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.

Chelsea target defensive reinforcements

The transfer is over a month away, but Chelsea are already being linked with some incredible players from the Premier League and beyond.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, the Blues have been among a handful of sides credited with significant interest in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, and have even been linked with Juventus wonderkid Kenan Yıldız.

However, while both players would most certainly improve Maresca’s squad, they wouldn’t improve the centre-back depth, unlike Ousmane Diomande.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea have reignited their interest in the up-and-coming Sporting CP star.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the West Londoners are planning to hijack Crystal Palace’s move for the Ivorian international.

However, to do that, the Pensioners would have to match or even exceed the Eagles’ supposed bid of around £44m.

It could therefore be a complicated and somewhat costly transfer to get over the line, but given Diomande’s ability, potential, and the fact he’s been compared to Saliba and Gabriel, it’s one Chelsea should pursue.

How Diomande compares to Saliba and Gabriel

Now, while Chelsea fans might not want to admit it, and understandably so, Saliba and Gabriel have been the best centre-back pairing in the Premier League for at least a season now.

Therefore, it’s a huge claim to suggest another defender is like a combination of the two, a claim respected analyst Ben Mattinson made when he described Diomande as “a hybrid between Gabriel and Saliba” just last year.

Now, when it comes to the Brazilian, the similarities are rather difficult to miss, as while he’s just an inch shorter, the Ivorian international is still a titan of a player at 6 foot 3.

This stature allows the 21-year-old “monster,” in the words of Mattinson, to overpower opposition attackers and put in challenges that a more slight centre-back would find difficult.

How about the Frenchman, then? What makes the Abidjan-born star similar to him?

Well, despite his impressive physicality, the former Midtjylland gem is no slouch on the ball and has a passing range most defenders could only dream of.

Moreover, according to FBref, the Arsenal star was statistically the most similar centre-back to the Sporting man across last season’s Champions League.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.01

0.03

Progressive Carries

0.36

0.36

Passing Accuracy

93.2%

92.2%

Expected Assists

0.01

0.01

Live Passes

58.8

56.5

Interceptions

0.96

0.91

You can gain a better understanding of how FBref arrived at this conclusion by examining the underlying metrics that the pair ranked closely.

These metrics included non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, passing accuracy, expected assists, live passes, interceptions, and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he is still young and untested in the top leagues, Diomande looks like an exceptional talent, and given his similarities to Gabriel and Saliba, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign him.

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.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 21, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras venceu o São Bernardo por 1 a 0, nesta quinta-feira (15), pelo Campeonato Paulista, em partida marcada por queda de energia em um dos refletores do Estádio 1º de Maio. O gol do Verdão foi marcado por Flaco López, que entrou no lugar de Endrick na segunda etapa.

continua após a publicidade

Com o resultado, a equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira chega aos 17 pontos e permanece na liderança do grupo B. Os mandantes, por sua vez, estacionam nos 11 pontos e ocupam a terceira posição do grupo D.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

Mesmo com uma equipe alternativa, o Palmeiras dominou as ações na primeira etapa. No entanto, pecou nas finalizações e não conseguiu abrir o placar. Aos 28 minutos, a partida foi interrompida por falta de energia em um dos refletores do Estádio 1º de Maio. Após 25 minutos de paralisação, o duelo foi retomado.

continua após a publicidade

Na segunda etapa, Abel Ferreira promoveu as entradas de Flaco López e Estêvão, que decidiram o confronto. Aos 42 minutos, o jovem encontrou o argentino dentro da área, que aproveitou saída equivocada do goleiro Alex Alves para marcar o único gol do duelo.

➡️ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

No próximo domingo (18), o Palmeiras encara o Corinthians, às 18h (de Brasília), na Arena Barueri, pela nona rodada do Campeonato Paulista.

✅ SÃO BERNARDO 0 X 1 PALMEIRAS
Campeonato Paulista – Primeira fase – Oitava rodada

Data e horário: Quinta-feira, 15 de fevereiro de 2024, às 19h30 (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio 1º de Maio, em São Bernardo (SP)
Árbitro: Luiz Flávio de Oliveira
Assistentes: Daniel Paulo Ziolli e Daniel Luís Marques
Cartões amarelos: Lucas Lima, Helder, Wesley Dias e Pedro Carrerete (São Bernardo); Jhon John e Vanderlan (Palmeiras)
Cartões vermelhos: –

continua após a publicidade

Gol: Flaco López

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES

SÃO BERNARDO
Alex Alves; Vitor Ricardo, Hélder Maciel, Pedro Lima e Arthur; Silvinho, Lucas Lima e Souza; Wellison, João Carlos Ferreira e Lucas Tocantins. Técnico: Márcio Zanardi.

PALMEIRAS
Marcelo Lomba; Marcos Rocha, Kaiky Naves e Murilo; Aníbal, Menino, Jhon Jhon, Luis Guilherme e Vanderlan; Rony e Endrick. Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

Liverpool aren’t quite right this season. Despite an incredible summer spending spree that soared above anything that English football has seen before, Arne Slot’s side are struggling to recapture the verve of last season.

But for Liverpool to have completed an underwhelming start to their title defence and perch at the top of the table after six games, winning the first five before suffering defeat at Crystal Palace last weekend.

Many Redmen have struggled to find their finest form, but not all have flattered to deceive, with Federico Chiesa already looking leaps and bounds above the rarely-seen winger on the margins last year.

Chiesa's Liverpool resurgence

Liverpool hardly broke the bank after replacing Jurgen Klopp with Slot during the summer of 2024, only adding Chiesa to the ranks, and for a shrewd £12.5m fee at that.

However, Chiesa arrived having been ravaged by injury problems in recent years at Juventus, and he spent the lion’s share of the 2024/25 campaign on the sidelines, either suffering from fitness issues or overlooked by Slot.

This year, however, he is looking to make up for lost time, already with two goals and two assists apiece across all competitions. So impressive has he been that there have been calls for the underperforming Mohamed Salah to be dropped, and for Chiesa to start from the right.

The versatile Italian will play an important role across the term, but there’s another member of Slot’s squad who has fallen deeper into the fringes of the squad and is beginning to look like last year’s version of the 27-year-old.

Slot's new version of Chiesa

While Chiesa is enjoying a resurgence on Merseyside, Wataru Endo’s role at the club continues to become more and more insubstantial, having

Described by Liverpool correspondent David Lynch as being an “unsung hero” for Liverpool, Endo was instrumental in steering Klopp toward a trophy-winning crescendo at the Anfield helm, and he achieved cult status last year for his tough-tackling cameos in the dying embers of matches.

Having joined for about £16m from Stuttgart after Liverpool missed out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, both signing for Chelsea, the 32-year-old Endo has played a crucial role in getting this current Liverpool team off the ground, but he’s into the penultimate year of his contract and has sat as an unused substitute for each of his side’s past three top-flight fixtures.

Tenacious, industrious and a model professional, Endo remains a valued member of Slot’s squad, but it’s hard to see him earning many opportunities, with his quality on the ball admittedly limited.

Given Gravenberch came into his own last year and is now one of Liverpool’s most important players, even said by journalist Beth Lindop to be “on par with Salah and Van Dijk”, it doesn’t look like Endo will be earning a string of starts in the Premier League any time soon, with Slot sure to look for other ways to cover at number six, should the Dutchman fall to an injury.

With Stefan Bajcetic also waiting in the wings and boasting a confidence in receiving the ball, pivoting and progressing forward, there’s a sense Endo’s fringe role at Liverpool may become more peripheral still as the year goes on.

While Chiesa’s bounce-back across the opening weeks of the season serves as inspiration for any footballer looking to pick themselves up from the wayside, Endo is not a spring chicken anymore, and his big moments in Slot’s squad might trail behind him.

Trent 2.0: FSG have already sold a Bradley & Frimpong upgrade at Liverpool

Arne Slot has problems to fix at Liverpool after an up-and-down start to the season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 30, 2025