West Indies’ new captain Roston Chase has doubled down on criticism of umpiring decisions that went against his team during the opening Test against Australia, believing they had a significant impact on the outcome of the game.Coach Daren Sammy came out strongly after the second day’s play and raised concerns about the work of TV umpire Adrian Holdstock. The major decisions to anger West Indies were the dismissals of Chase, lbw when there was a possible inside edge, and Shai Hope to a brilliant catch from Alex Carey after the pair had put together a 67-run stand which took West Indies to 139 for 5 in reply to Australia’s 180. There was also a caught-behind decision against Travis Head on the opening they felt should have been out.The contest remained even at the start of the third day when Australia led by just 82 with six wickets in hand but it turned into a comprehensive 159-run defeat for West Indies.Related

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• Sammy fined for criticising third umpire Holdstock

• Hazlewood's five helps Australia surge to victory inside three days

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• Head, Carey, Webster show the way to Australia top order

“This game is a frustrating one for me and for the team because we bowled out Australia for a relatively low score. We were very happy with that,” Chase said. “But then there were so many questionable calls in the game and none of them went our way. I mean, as a player, you’re out there, you’re giving your all, you’re fighting. And then nothing is going your way.”It could be heartbreaking. You see what set batters can do on the wicket. The wicket is one where once you get in, you can get runs, but the hardest part is to get in. Me and Shai Hope were going well and then, obviously, we had some questionable calls. That really set us back in terms of creating a big lead on the total that Australia set.””It’s clear to see anyone would feel bad or feel hurt about those decisions. You’re out there playing to win, giving it your all and it seems like everyone is against you.”Chase called for more accountability on umpires for poor decisions, although the ICC has an annual assessment process in place which can see international umpires removed from the elite panel based on performance.”It’s frustrating because as players, when we mess up, when we get out of line, we’re penalised harshly,” Chase said. “But the officials, nothing ever happens to them. They just have a wrong decision or questionable decision and life just goes on.1:12

Cummins lauds middle order: ‘Those three were brilliant’

“You’re talking about guys’ careers. One bad decision could make or break a guy’s career. I just think that it should be an even playground in terms of when players step out of line, they’re penalised. I think that there should be some penalty put in place when you have blatant decisions going against you.”I think it was a big factor in the game because me and Hope were going well. We even had a catch that went against us in the first innings when we were bowling. So, you never know what the score could have been, but I don’t want to harp on it.”The catch referred to by Chase was when Head, on 53, edged through to Hope where it was taken low down and Holdstock ruled it not out. Head only added a further six runs. Australia, meanwhile, thought they should have had an lbw against Chase in the first over of the second day but it was ruled to be an inside edge.Pat Cummins said there would be no issues raised about the umpiring from the Australians. “We appeal [and] if we think it’s close, use DRS and leave the rest up to the umpires,” he said. “In some games, there’s a lot of 50-50 calls. Today we missed a few 50-50 calls that went against us. I think it’s cricket. I think it all balances itself out.”Both Chase and Sammy would appear to run the risk of ICC sanction for the comments about the match officials.Unlike umpiring decisions, something squarely in West Indies’ control is their catching and in Barbados they shelled seven chances, the last of them early on the third day when Head was dropped by Justin Greaves at second slip on 21 with Australia’s lead only 97.”There’s nothing I can say to justify the guys dropping the catches,” Chase, who spilled one himself on the first day, said. “We’ve been working hard on the slip catches. Every day, we try to take at least 30 to 40 catches. But practice and in the game is a big difference.”I just think it’s more a belief. From the time one goes down, I think guys tend to get a bit nervous and second guess their catching ability, and sometimes it can throw you off. But once you put one down, you have to look forward to taking the next one.”

There was a lot to like about Arsenal's win over Leicester City on Sunday. Despite concluding last season by stunning Barcelona to win the Champions League, the Gunners have been nowhere near their best at the start of this new campaign, suffering four successive defeats in all competition for the first time since January 2022. Unconvincing but vital wins against Brighton and Benfica allowed them to fight back before the international break and their return to action at the weekend, in a 4-1 victory over the Foxes, was much-improved.

Arsenal were more positive in the final third, provided better service to the long-starved Alessia Russo and showed real impetus and ruthlessness to kill the game off quickly, racing into a 3-0 lead before half-time. That they did it all despite a flurry of new absentees – with Olivia Smith, Frida Maanum, Lotte-Wubben-Moy and Kyra Cooney-Cross all missing – made it all the more impressive as the likes of Stina Blackstenius and Laia Codina stepped up in rare starts.

Though not as lesser-spotted as others, there was also an opportunity at the King Power Stadium for Beth Mead, who was arguably the Gunners' best performer on the day. The former Ballon d'Or runner-up has occupied the role of substitute more often than starter in recent times, for club and country, with her future in north London even in question over the summer. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, though, Mead has shown that she still has plenty to give as she comes into a strong vein of form that could really benefit an Arsenal team entering a vital run of fixtures.

• Getty Images
  

  Important difference-maker

  Starting on the right, where she is best-suited, Mead caused plenty of problems for the Foxes on Sunday. It was her cross that led to the Gunners' opening goal after just seven minutes, converted clinically by Russo, and her perfectly-weighted pass that Blackstenius swept into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

  Mead did plenty of the gritty stuff in this win, too. Winning eight ground duels and recovering possession three times in a performance that was as hard-working as it was eye-catching, this was a reminder of what the 30-year-old can do.

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• Getty Images
  

  Head of steam

  It was a continuation from the international break, too, where Mead was afforded starts in both of England's fixtures as the absences of Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, Jess Park and Grace Clinton massively reduced Sarina Wiegman's options in the wide areas. Had the squad been fuller, the Lionesses boss would've likely rotated more, but instead Mead took full advantage of the opportunity to play 90 minutes in back-to-back games for just the second time in 2025.

  In the defeat to Brazil that England kicked-off their October camp with, the Arsenal star was one of the few Lionesses to put in a decent performance, causing problems for the South American champions with her direct and positive approach. She completed no fewer than six key passes, won 11 of her 17 ground duels, delivered three accurate crosses from four attempts and completed three of her four dribbles, while also winning the penalty that Georgia Stanway converted to give England a chance of getting a result.

  What stood out most was how often Mead drifted into central areas from her position on the right wing, picking up pockets in which she could receive the ball and hurt the opposition with the time and space she had. That continued a few days later against Australia, as she again created chances aplenty and showcased her footballing intelligence. 

  "She can play in the pocket really well," Wiegman noted when asked about Mead following the 3-0 win over the Matildas. "She finds pockets and she's intelligent in that. That's what I wanted her to do today, too. When they dropped and had a lower block, of course, you want to break down that block and you want to challenge them in decision making. We try to create overloads and she plays a big part in that."

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  Falling out of favour

  Things have not been easy for Mead in recent months. After Chloe Kelly joined Arsenal on loan from Manchester City at the end of January, the 30-year-old found herself on the bench on a more regular basis, starting only six of the Gunners' final 13 games of the season having been named to the line-up 13 times in the 20 fixtures prior to Kelly's first appearance back in the colours of her childhood club.

  It's not just about the numbers, either, but also the occasions. In the Champions League quarter-final second leg, when Arsenal had to come from 2-0 down against Real Madrid; in the Champions League semi-final second leg, when the Gunners were out to overturn a 2-1 deficit in Lyon; and in the final of that competition, against all-conquering Barcelona, Slegers opted for Kelly over Mead in her starting XI.

  She has had to endure similar disappointments with England, too. Mead started all five of the Lionesses' games prior to the 2025 European Championship, with an impressive return of three goals and two assists from those appearances. But after keeping her place for England's tournament opener, a 2-1 defeat to France, she lost it when Wiegman reshuffled to great effect.

  Throw in the regular talk about her Arsenal future, amid very public interest from big-spending London City Lionesses, and it would make sense for Mead to look unsettled in her performances.

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  Still making her mark

  But that wasn't the case. Mead still produced three goals and three assists in those six starts after Kelly's Arsenal return, her most notable contribution coming off the bench in the Champions League final when she slipped Blackstenius through to net the title-winning strike.

  At Euro 2025, the numbers don't quite do her impact justice, but Mead was incredibly influential as a substitute, bringing calmness and composure to the table when Wiegman turned to her during the Lionesses' run to a second successive continental crown. That came in different positions, too, be they out wide or more central.

  Now, with back-to-back England starts followed by two in succession for Arsenal, Mead is showing that it's not just as a substitute that she can make telling contributions.

Tottenham Hotspur have seen a shift in their recruitment strategy over the last few years – something which Fabio Paratici no doubt was at the centre of.

The Italian spent two years at the club between 2021 and 2023, subsequently turning the hierarchy’s attention to investing in younger talents for the immediate and long-term future.

In the summer of 2022 alone, the 53-year-old completed deals for full-backs Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence – that’s despite the latter being unwanted by then-boss Antonio Conte.

However, in the present day, both players have become key members of Thomas Frank’s first-team squad, showcasing the impressive work done in the transfer market.

The aforementioned duo will be hoping they achieve more sustained success than one player who demonstrated glimpses of quality during the early days of his career in North London.

The real reason behind Dele’s decline at Spurs

Back in the summer of 2015, Spurs forked out a reported £5m for the signature of attacking midfielder Dele – with many supporters unaware of the youngster.

At just 19, many anticipated the Englishman to join the youth setup in North London, but he would make himself an immediate fan-favourite as a result of his tremendous displays.

For the first three years of his stint at the Lilywhites, he was a regular starter – racking up 146 appearances, scoring on 46 occasions and laying on 35 assists for his teammates.

Such form saw Dele claim the PFA Young Player of the Year two years in a row, becoming just one of five players to achieve such a feat in the history of the Premier League.

However, in a remarkable interview with Gary Neville back in the summer of 2023, the former Lilywhites star opened up on his trauma from his younger years, which no doubt had an effect on his footballing career.

He was often called into question by José Mourinho for his attitude and laziness, also suffering numerous injuries, which plagued his progress in North London.

Dele suffered 11 separate injury setbacks in his seven-year period in North London, with such issues preventing his progress and seeing him miss 44 first-team matches.

His time with the Lilywhites came to a disappointing end back in January 2022, subsequently joining Everton on a free transfer – an unthinkable ending given his previous form.

The Spurs star who’s their best teenage star since Dele

Many supporters questioned Dele’s attitude during his time with Spurs, but after his courage to speak out about his mental health struggles, it’s safe to say many fans empathise with the midfielder.

Such issues have taken a huge toll on his professional career, with the former Lilywhites star now without a club at the age of 29 after leaving Como this summer.

However, there’s no denying he will forever be remembered by the fans for his countless moments of magic that gave everyone involved with the football club memories to last a lifetime.

From Goal of the Season strikes against Crystal Palace, to his memorable double against Chelsea that ended the Blues’ unbeaten 2016/17 record at White Hart Lane.

Such levels are rarely seen from such a young talent, but there’s current generation of supporters has their next remarkable youngster in the form of Lucas Bergvall.

Like Dele, he joined the Lilywhites for less than £10m, arriving as an unknown quantity to the majority of supporters after previously plying his trade for Djurgarden.

However, the Swedish youngster has rapidly developed into one of the club’s best players, a simply remarkable feat given he’s still just 19 years of age.

Despite his tender age, the midfielder has already racked up 56 appearances for the first-team and has subsequently featured in all but one game since Frank took the reins.

Bergvall even netted his first Premier League goal in the win over West Ham United last month, leading to head of scouting Rob Mackenzie labelling him as “a genuine generational talent”.

His underlying stats from 2025/26 highlight that the praise is certainly warranted, with the teenager completing 70% of the dribbles he’s attempted to date, whilst also ranking in the top 12% of all players in the league for assists registered.

However, out of possession, the Swede has been just as impressive, winning 2.6 tackles per 90 and coming out on top in a total of 5.5 duels per 90 – stats which make him the perfect box-to-box option.

Games played

7

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

84%

Dribble success

70%

Tackles won

2.6

Duels won

5.5

Recoveries made

3.8

Shots taken

1.2

Frank and Co will desperately be hoping Bergvall can continue on his current trajectory in North London, with the youngster having all the tools to be a key member of the squad in their hunt for added silverware.

There’s little doubt that he’s the best teenage star they’ve had on their hands since Dele’s emergence, but everyone will be hoping that the end to his story with the Lilywhites is a happier one.

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Kieron Pollard. A batting coach at Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Apt, seeing that he is 38-plus. But a full-fledged allrounder elsewhere around the world, including at MLC, where he is such a key part of MI New York. Just how key, he showed on Friday night in Dallas, walking out with MINY’s asking rate over 12, smashing 47 not out from 22 balls, and putting his team in the MLC 2025 final at the expense of Texas Super Kings, who must have felt they were going to the title round till Pollard happened.The chase wasn’t massive: 167. But MINY lost Quinton de Kock and Michael Bracewell for single-digit scores by the seventh over. That they had 43 on the board when Bracewell fell was mainly down to Monank Patel, but he was going at a strike rate of just around 120. Nicholas Pooran, who had walked out at the fall of Bracewell, was at just about a run a ball. And when Monank, after trying hard, fell for 49 off 39 in the 13th over, MINY had only reached 83.They needed a shift in gears. Pollard, facing his first ball, off Noor Ahmad, saw the ball in his arc just outside the off stump and went thump – 100 metres down the ground.Akeal Hosein hit a quick half-century to give Texas Super Kings a fighting total•Sportzpics for MLC

Somehow, though, TSK stayed in the game. And after 16 overs, the asking rate was still 12.50. Then Zia-ul-Haq found the ball in his hand, Pollard across the pitch from him second ball onwards, and Pollard went 6, 4, 4, 2, 6. The over went for 23. That was the shift MINY needed, and TSK must have been dreading.It was straightforward after that, till Pooran finished it off with his third six off the last ball of the 19th, walking off with 52 from 36. Pollard walked off with him, 47 off 22. And MINY were in the final, where they will play Washington Freedom, having completed a dramatic switch after finishing the league stage with three wins from ten games and having to go through the Eliminator-Qualifier 2 route, which they have now.To be fair, the chase should have been more comfortable when TSK were kept to 166. Faf du Plessis had to play pretty much a lone hand for the best part of the innings, till the 13th over, with the rest of the batting collapsing like a pack of cards. Smit Patel, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shubham Ranjane and Marcus Stoinis all fell for single-digit scores, and du Plessis’ 42-ball 59 was the only reason TSK were in the contest.His fall, though, gave TSK their best phase with the bat, as Donovan Ferreira joined Akeal Hosein with the scoreboard reading 85 for 5 with just over seven overs to go. Hosein hit 55 in 32 balls, Ferreira hit 32 in 20, they put together an unbroken stand of 81 in 45 balls, and gave TSK hope. Pollard, in the main, and Pooran dashed it 19 overs later.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has been left unimpressed by one of the players he inherited, and may look to replace him in the January transfer window.

Spurs move up to third after victory at the Hill Dickinson

With Tottenham finishing 17th in the Premier League last season, Frank was always going to have a tough job on his hands trying to turn the north London club back into contenders at the top end of the table, but the Dane has made a solid start.

Courtesy of the 3-0 victory against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday, Spurs are now up to third in the Premier League table, with the manager taking the time to praise his side’s performance after the match.

Micky van de Ven secured the first brace of his career in the 3-0 victory, meaning the centre-back is now tied with Richarlison as the Lilywhites’ top goalscorer in all competitions this season, with the Brazilian also on three goals.

However, two of the Brazilian’s goals came on the opening day of the campaign against Burnley, with the 28-year-old failing to find the back of the net on a regular basis, while Dominic Solanke has had a different problem since moving to the capital.

The striker has suffered consistent injury issues since arriving in north London, making just two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, and Frank is now unimpressed by the former AFC Bournemouth man.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which claims the Tottenham boss doesn’t fancy Solanke, with the manager now deciding he wants to sign a new striker, and the Englishman could be replaced in the January transfer window.

Having suffered an ankle injury, the 28-year-old is set to spend a prolonged period on the sidelines, which could be an issue, given that Mathys Tel isn’t exactly flourishing, having scored just one Premier League goal in seven appearances.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Oct 26, 2025 "Fantastic" Solanke needs to put injury problems behind him

If Frank is questioning the three-time England international due to his injury record, he may have a point, given that he has spent a lot of time on the treatment table over the course of the past two seasons.

Season

Games missed due to injury

2024-25

14

2025-26

12

However, should the centre-forward be able to overcome his issues, he could be a better option than the likes of Tel and Richarlison, having amassed 21 goal contributions in all competitions last term, in what was an impressive debut campaign.

Once described as a “fantastic footballer” by Ange Postecoglou, Solanke, who rakes in £140k-a-week, could re-emerge as an important player for Tottenham, and it would be a little hasty for Frank to sanction a departure in the January transfer window.

The allrounder has termed Sabina Park as the “perfect ground” in which to bid farewell to international cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-20254:10

Russell: I want to win and finish on a high

In the lead-up to his retirement from international cricket, Andre Russell has picked out his innings in the Mumbai semi-final of the 2016 T20 World Cup as the proudest moment from his 141 matches for West Indies.When Russell walked in at No. 5 in a chase of 193 against tournament hosts India, West Indies needed 77 off 41 balls. Russell scored an unbeaten 43 off just 20 balls, smacking Virat Kohli over the midwicket boundary to seal victory with two balls to spare.”Definitely [my best moment was] the 2016 World Cup, that semi-final game against India where I brought the team home, me and Lendl Simmons, and obviously the start that we got from the other batters,” Russell said in a Cricket West Indies (CWI) interview.Related

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“Chasing 190-plus in that semi-final in India, with the crowd supporting India only, that was already a bit of pressure, but the wicket was a very good wicket, so the confidence that we had in the changing room and the batters that were left to come, it gave me the freedom and the confidence to go out and play the role that I did.”West Indies went on to beat England in a thrilling final in Kolkata and lift the T20 World Cup for the second time in four years. Russell was part of both those triumphs.”Obviously, two World Cups, it’s just a different emotion,” he said. “You sleep, you wake up [on the morning after the final], and you realise you’ve only been sleeping for two hours, but you feel well-rested because you just want to see what’s going on on the internet, you want to see all of those memories and all of those good comments.

“By just seeing the [social media] posts and seeing stuff going around on the internet, I get a bit emotional, to be honest, but, you know, decision already made, and I think I’ve done well enough to actually say, yes, that’s it for me towards international cricket”Andre Russell

“So those are the two most important moments, playing for West Indies.”Russell will retire from international cricket after the first two T20Is against Australia on July 20 and 22, both to be played at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.”It’s a pretty good feeling,” Russell said, on signing off at his home ground. “I think, [from the] first time I came to Sabina Park as a kid, and then to actually walk on the grass and feel the atmosphere and look in the stands and everything, and [to] now, I’ve achieved so much out of cricket for the last couple of years. I did my best in every chance I got, representing West Indies.”I think it’s the perfect ground and the perfect series – against a good team as well, Australia – to end my international career. By just seeing the [social media] posts and seeing stuff going around on the internet, I get a bit emotional, to be honest, but, you know, decision already made, and I think I’ve done well enough to actually say, yes, that’s it for me towards international cricket.”

The demand Sean Dyche made “clear” in talks to take over as Nottingham Forest manager has now been revealed, as the Englishman closes in on a City Ground move.

Dyche agrees to take over as Nottingham Forest boss

Evangelos Marinakis has moved swiftly to replace Ange Postecoglou, who lost his job after the 3-0 defeat against Chelsea on Sunday, with it recently emerging that Dyche is set to take over as manager after holding positive talks.

The former Everton manager has a big job on his hands, given that he will be tasked with bringing a ten-game winless run in all competitions to an end, but the 54-year-old is used to working under pressure, having spent nearly two years working under difficult conditions at Goodison Park.

The Toffees had to deal with point deductions and a relegation battle during the Kettering-born manager’s stint on Merseyside, but he ultimately achieved his main goal, which was keeping the club in the Premier League.

That said, Everton ended up deciding the ex-Burnley boss wasn’t the right long-term fit, replacing him with David Moyes earlier this year, at which point his side were the second-lowest scorers in the top flight.

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As such, there was uncertainty about whether Forest were targeting Dyche as part of a long-term project, or merely to guide them to safety, but Ben Jacobs has now revealed the Englishman requested it be the former before he agreed to join.

Dyche needs to make instant impact at the City Ground

It is a little early for Forest fans to be panicking, but there will certainly be a great deal of concern about the way in which they have started the season, having collected just five points from their opening eight Premier League games.

After securing a long-awaited return to Europe last term, the Tricky Trees spent heavily in the summer, so Marinakis would’ve been hoping to kick on, but it has been nothing short of a shambles so far, with Nuno’s departure proving to be a real blow.

The Forest owner’s decision to sack Ange after just 39 days has received criticism, with Jamie Redknapp and Steve Sidwell discussing the move on Sky Sports, but any manager who fails to win any of his first eight games is likely to find himself under pressure.

With Dyche well-known for a more pragmatic style of play, Nottingham Forest will be hoping to get back to basics and start grinding out more results, starting against FC Porto in the Europa League on Thursday.

Aside from the continuous number of injuries they’ve had to deal with, it’s starting to feel like everything is falling into place for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side have pretty much perfected the art of set-pieces, have become near enough impossible to score against, and as a result, are sitting atop the Premier League table.

Moreover, while there is still a level to go for many of the attacking players, many of those who underwhelmed last year are starting to look back to their best.

This includes one of Arteta’s signings, who has even been compared to the iconic Santi Cazorla – and no, it’s not Martin Zubimendi.

Santi Cazorla's Arsenal career

Cazorla joined Arsenal for a fee of just £16m from Spanish outfit Malaga in the summer of 2012, and it did not take him long at all to make an impact at the club.

The mercurial midfielder put in a man-of-the-match performance against Sunderland in what was his debut for the North Londoners, and ended up finishing that first campaign with a tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 49 games.

By the time he left the Gunners in August 2018, he did so with an impressive haul of 29 goals and 45 assists in just 180 appearances, but it wasn’t the output that made him such a firm fan favourite, but the way in which he played the game.

When fit, the 40-year-old magician was seemingly able to do it all, from playing outrageous balls from one side of the pitch to the other, to driving with the ball and beating opposition defenders with ease.

At times, the two-footed wizard was the embodiment of what Wenger wanted his teams to do on the pitch, someone who was capable of winning games with some incredible skill, but doing so while also entertaining the paying fans.

There are really countless examples of the Spaniard doing something remarkable in the famous red and white, but perhaps the most iconic and impactful was his free-kick in the 2014 FA Cup final, which kick-started the club’s comeback.

Had he managed to keep fit, there is no telling what Cazorla could have accomplished at Arsenal, and while the club have not quite had a player like him since, there is someone in the current squad who has been compared to the Emirates icon.

The Arsenal star compared to Cazorla

Now, the first player many of you might think of here is Zubimendi. After all, he is a Spanish midfielder with a great range of passing and the ability to use both feet when needed.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, in this instance, the comparison to the former Arsenal star comes from another former Gunners’ great, Kevin Campbell, and concerns Leandro Trossard.

Yes, when speaking back in 2023, Campbell was full of praise for the Belgian, saying that while “they don’t play in the same spot”, he could “see the comparison because he has such quick feet like Santi did.”

He went on to compare the way in which the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem is also able to “see things quickly and Santi saw things quickly.”

Another similarity the 30-year-old shares with the Spaniard, aside from wearing the number 19, is his impressive ability to use both feet without much trouble at all.

You can see this during games, and then on top of that, his former coach at Genk once told Sky Sports that the dynamic left-winger is indeed “right-footed and left-footed.”

Finally, while there are still plenty of other differences between the pair, one more key point of overlap is the Maasmechelen-born gem’s ability to make something happen, generally by finishing a chance most would consider too difficult.

After all, that is why Arteta has referred to him as a “little magician” and Ian Wright made the bold claim that he’s the Gunners’ “best finisher.”

Ultimately, Trossard is not the same player Cazorla was at Arsenal, but from his two-footedness to his technical class and ability to make things happen, he certainly shares a great deal in common with the Spaniard.

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Led by Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga, Los Angeles FC cruised into the next round of the MLS Cup Playoffs with a dominant 4-1 win over Austin FC in Game 2 on Sunday night. The star duo tormented Austin’s back line from the start, combining to seal a sweep of the first-round series and book LAFC’s spot in the Western Conference semifinals.

Getty Images SportLAFC's stars shine

The Son-Bouanga duo wreaked havoc throughout the first half and, once they got going, there was little Austin could do to stop them. It began with a Son goal in the 21st minute, and Bouanga's goal four minutes later gave the visitors a huge advantage early. The hosts were given a lifeline just a few minutes later, though, when they were awarded a penalty, but Myrto Uzuni's shot from the spot was saved by Hugo Lloris to preserve the lead.

Bouanga made them pay in the 44th minute, making it 3-0, but Austin FC did keep some hope alive heading into the halftime whistle thanks to another penalty, which was converted this time by Daniel Pereira to pull Austin FC back within two.

Unfortunately for them, that was as close as they'd get, as LAFC would see out the second half to end Austin's season. They wouldn't leave the Lone Star State without one more good measure, though, as Jeremy Ebobisse scored in stoppage time to finish the game off at 4-1 while booking a date with No. 2 seed Vancouver Whitecaps in the next round.

AdvertisementImagnThe MVP

Son was magnificent but, somehow, DenisBouanga was actually better. With two goals and an assist to go with it, albeit one that required Son to do much of the hard work, LAFC's longtime talisman did exactly what you'd expect from a star player. It's worth remembering that this LAFC team does have two of those star players and, when they're clicking in this sort of way, it's hard to imagine any team in MLS with the quality to stop them.

Getty Images SportThe big loser

There was a pathway back for Austin FC, a route back into a game that was slipping away. That pathway, though, was fired straight into the hands of Lloris, and that was that.

Myrto Uzuni, the man who missed that spot kick, will be kicking himself for his effort. When a goalkeeper of Lloris' quality is in net, you have to make him work. Uzuni didn't do that and, moments later, the game was out of reach. Against LAFC, you need to take your chances. Uzuni, ultimately, didn't, and it's one of several reasons Austin FC's season ended.

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وجه الألماني يورجن كلوب، المدير الفني السابق لـ ليفربول، رسالة إلى منافسه اللدود بيب جوارديولا، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي بعد وصوله إلى ألف مباراة تدريبية.

وينضم بيب جوارديولا الذي سيخوض مباراته رقم 1000 في مسيرته التدريبية، كأحد أعظم المدربين على مر العصور إلى نادي كبير من المدربين وصلوا إلى هذا العدد من المباريات.

وحقق جوارديولا الفوز في 715 مباراة خلال 999 مباراة، وقال بعد وصوله لهذا الرقم المميز في تصريحات نشرها موقع “مانشستر سيتي الرسمي”: “الوصول لـ 1000 مباراة في مجال التدريب أمر مميز للغاية بالنسبة لي”.

وقال يورجن كلوب لـ بيب جوارديولا بمناسبة وصوله إلى 1000 مباراة عبر فيديو نُشر عبر سكاي سبورتس: “بيب، صديقي! أهلًا بك في نادي الألف، لا أصدق أنك تبدو بهذا العمر الصغير وقد وصلت بالفعل إلى هذا الإنجاز المذهل”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | بـ4 أهداف مميزة.. مرموش يغري جوارديولا قبل مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليفربول

وأكمل: “ربما لا أحتاج للقول إنني وصلت إليه قبل 81 مباراة، ولكن ربما كانت هذه هي المرة الوحيدة التي وصلت فيها قبلك”.

وأردف: “لقد كان من دواعي سروري وشرف لي مواجهتك كثيرًا خلال مسيرتنا، كانت أصعب المباريات أمامك لكنها كانت أكثر المباريات التي استمتعت بها لأنك كنت وما زلت مصدر إلهام لنا جميعًا”.

وأتم: “فهمك لكرة القدم لا مثيل له والرغبة التي تُظهرها كل يوم رائعة للغاية، أنت الآن عضو في نادي أسطوري آخر، إلى اللقاء بالتوفيق”.