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A round-up of the playoff matches of the Under-19 World Cup that took place on January 26

Cricinfo staff26-Jan-2010New Zealand prevailed in a close encounter in the play-off for seventh place against England, winning by two wickets in the final over at the Village Green in Christchurch. Chasing 229, the hosts were in trouble at 153 for 7 but Logan van Beek’s unbeaten 51 off 46 balls saw them through those tense moments. Several England batsmen failed to convert their starts but they still managed a competitive total. Jack Manuel was the top scorer with 43. Harry Boam, Tim Johnston and Ben Wheeler took three wickets apiece. New Zealand were jolted early in their chase at 37 for 3 before Craig Cachopa and Corey Anderson added 100 for the fourth wicket. But a double-strike by Nathan Buck and a run out set New Zealand back. van Beek and Boam, batting at No.9, ensured a consolation win for the hosts.Noor Hossain’s all-round performance was the highlight of a one-sided encounter in the ninth place play-off semi-final between Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea at Palmerston North. Noor made a brisk 66 to push Bangladesh to 253 and later took four wickets to bundle out PNG for a paltry 85. After opting to bat, Bangladesh were led by Saikat Ali’s 61 but were in a spot of bother at 125 for 6. Tasamul Haq and Noor began the lower-order revival with a stand of 80 for the seventh wicket. Noor hit eight fours and a six in his brisk knock which came off 50 balls. It was a cakewalk when Bangladesh took the field, bundling out PNG within 33 overs. Only four batsmen managed double figures and Noor cleaned up the lower order to finish with 4 for 11.

A thrilling opening match set up the Tri-Nation Under-19s Tournament in South Africa beautifully as the hosts held their nerve to beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in Johannesburg

Cricinfo staff27-Dec-2009
Scorecard
A thrilling opening match set up the Tri-Nation Under-19s Tournament in South Africa beautifully as the hosts held their nerve to beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in Johannesburg. The South African bowlers, led by Sammy Mofokeng, did well to keep Sri Lanka to just above 250, before the openers – Dominic Hendricks and wicketkeeper-captain Josh Richards – hit crucial half-centuries to ensure the hosts got off to a winning start.Sri Lanka were under the cosh from the start after being put in. With Mofokeng and Graham Hume denting them early, they clawed to 79 for 4. Udara Jayasundera however, anchored the innings well with a watchful fifty, including six fours. But it was No. 7 and Man of the Match Dhanushka Gunathilleke’s breezy half-century which provided some late impetus. He smashed nine fours and two sixes and starred in a 91-run eighth-wicket stand with Charith Jayampathi. He became Mofokeng’s third victim, but not before taking the visitors to a sizeable score.Hendricks and Richards led the charge during the reply, putting on 119. While Richards played the aggressor, hitting seven fours and a six during his 67-ball stay, Hendricks provided good support with seven boundaries. Rumesh Buddika and Jayasundera provided a brief glimmer of hope for Sri Lanka, but Cody Chetty’s quick 48 strengthened South Africa further. Needing five runs off the final over, Malcolm Nofal wafted the second ball for a six to end the match off in styleSouth Africa take on India in the second match tomorrow .

William Porterfield will make his 100th appearance for Ireland in Thursday’s one-day international against the West Indies in Jamaica

Cricinfo staff14-Apr-2010William Porterfield will make his 100th appearance for Ireland in Thursday’s one-day international against West Indies in Jamaica.Porterfield, the Ireland captain, will have fond memories of the Sabina Park ground after playing there when Ireland inflicted a shock defeat over Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup.Thursday’s game is part of Ireland’s preparations for the World Twenty20, which starts at the end of April in the Caribbean. “It’d be a perfect way to celebrate my 100th cap to get a win over West Indies,” said Porterfield. “Sabina Park has great memories for us – the dramatic tie with Zimbabwe and the win over Pakistan.”He will become the 11th player to play 100 matches for Ireland but will want a better return from his side than last Sunday, when poor batting meant they suffered a 31-run defeat in a Twenty20 match against West Indies.”We were in a great position against them on Sunday, but let it slide,” he said. “Our bowlers are hitting their strides, and Trent Johnston in particular has been exceptional. It’s up to the batsmen to come to the party now.”

Leeds United are battling fellow Premier League sides Newcastle and Spurs for the signing of Lens midfielder Seko Fofana.

What’s the story?

Back in the January transfer window, Foot Mercato’s editor-in-chief Sebastien Denis claimed the Whites were one of several teams looking at a potential move for the Ivory Coast international.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

Now, Newcastle World have suggested that the Magpies face competition from both Spurs and Jesse Marsch’s side in the race to sign him this summer, and that Leeds in particular have been monitoring his situation.

Dream midfield partner for Kalvin Phillips

While Kalvin Phillips has struggled with injuries this year, if he does stay put at Elland Road this summer, he will no doubt be hoping to enjoy a far more consistent campaign next season.

The big question for him and Leeds, is who his midfield partner should be in the long-term, with the likes of Mateusz Klich and Adam Forshaw generally used in the engine room alongside him.

But, in Fofana, they could have the kind of box-to-box powerhouse that would thrive with someone like Phillips next to him.

As per Whoscored, Fofana is currently Lens’ fourth highest-rated player (6.90) out of those who have started more than one game this season in Ligue 1, while compared to his teammates, he ranks top for both shots and dribbles (2.4 and 1.9), and second for key passes (1.1).

Indeed, with seven goals in his 31 appearances, he’s the club’s second top goal-scorer, with one of those strikes coming during a 1-1 draw with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, leading to journalist Zach Lowry describing him as a “phenom”.

It’s no surprise then his manager Franck Haise dubbed him “the most complete player”, and added: “On the pitch, he is able to stay organized to adjust the team’s balance. At the same time, he has a great ability to create and to be decisive on the last pass. He is also capable of scoring a few goals in a season.”

The £18m-rated powerhouse could be a dream midfield signing for Marsch at Leeds, and would surely have Phillips dreaming about the prospect of running things in the engine room.

AND in other news – Leeds could strike gold with £42m teenage sensation, he follows Raphinha on Instagram

Manchester United will be without centre-back Harry Maguire for their FA Cup fifth-round tie against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

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Maguire unavailable for FA Cup tieVarane & Fernandes also doubtsUnited face Nottingham ForestWHAT HAPPENED?

The defender has been ruled out of the midweek trip to Nottingham, joining Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw on the sidelines, manager Erik ten Hag confirmed on Wednesday. Fellow central defender Raphael Varane and midfielder Bruno Fernandes are also in danger of missing out.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT TEN HAG SAID

Ten Hag told club media: "We have some question marks in our squad. Harry Maguire will not be available. Bruno is doubtful. Also Rapha Varane is doubtful. We have to watch and see what we will have and then pick a team, with the aim of course [of winning]. It's an FA Cup game, so it's about win or lose. Black or white. We have to win and that should be our approach."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

With Maguire out and Varane possibly following, United have only Jonny Evans, Willy Kambwala and Victor Lindelof available to play at centre-back. Lindelof played on the left side of the defence in Shaw's absence against Fulham last week, meaning all three could start.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

The FA Cup represents United's only realistic hope of winning silverware this season. They sit sixth in the Premier League after 26 matches and have already crashed out of Europe, so Ten Hag will hope to have his team fired up despite their fitness issues.

Progression has been the game for Arsenal since the departure of Arsene Wenger. Following the arrival, Unai Emery has had a number of jobs to do, and so far, he’d done them well.

First and foremost, he’s had to take Arsenal into a new era, away from the manager that had overseen one of the most successful eras in their history. That’s no mean feat on its own, yet the transition has been smoother than anyone could have expected.

He’s also had to clear out a lot of the talent that was previously performing regularly under Wenger. This, inevitably, led to a few departures, but it also led to a few arrivals. This ties into Arsenal’s biggest quest, which was to help reinvigorate the team with fresh legs and youth.

That’s been achieved by buying young players like Lucas Torreira and Mateo Guendouzi, whilst also moving players like Per Mertesacker and Lucas Perez on.

It makes you wonder, then, why Arsenal reportedly want to bring in Ivan Perisic, at least according to the Evening Standard. Arsenal are apparently keen to bring in the Croatian, who has handed in a transfer request at Inter Milan, with Emery clearly viewing him as an impressive target.

Certainly, Perisic is a good player, but he would represent a big step back for the club, at least with regards to the above criteria. At 29-years-old, he’s a player that is coming towards the end of his peak, and that’s the opposite of what Arsenal have been looking to target lately. He’s very much representative of the sort of player that Arsenal would have targeted under Wenger, and he’s exactly the sort of player that Arsenal would have avoided over the summer. They’ve got enough experience in the team now, and so Perisic would simply be a waste.

Beyond all that, though, Perisic’s recent form begs the question: is he still good enough? He’s bagged just 3 goals and 2 assists this season, which is a marked step down from the 11 goals and 9 assists tally that he managed to achieve last season. Furthermore, his overall game seems to be a level below where it was 12 months ago, and whether that’s down to tiredness or another issue; his fall has been evident.

He’s still a good player, but he’s certainly not in the tier of a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and the Gabonese attacker is exactly who Perisic would compete with on the flanks, given that Alexandre Lacazette largely dominates the number 9 slot.

A move for Perisic, then, would be a step back for Arsenal. Unai Emery hasn’t made many mistakes at the helm in London, yet, but bringing him in would certainly be a major one.

Thoughts?

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt yet another injury setback ahead of their Premier League clash with Watford on Saturday.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by football.london, manager Antonio Conte revealed that winger Steven Bergwijn missed out on Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Southampton on Tuesday afternoon as the 24-year-old forward was suffering from a calf strain picked up in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

The 52-year-old went on to state that, as a result of this knock, the Netherlands international looks as if he will remain sidelined for the visit of Watford on Saturday afternoon, as the player will need more time to recover before returning to first-team football.

When asked whether Bergwijn was injured for the Saints game, Conte said: “Yeah, yeah. During the game against Crystal Palace, he felt a problem in his calf. Yeah, he was injured. Together with [Giovanni] Lo Celso and [Cristian] Romero and [Ryan] Sessegnon.”

The Italian was then asked whether the winger would be back for Watford, to which he replied: “I don’t think so. He has a muscular problem and he needs to recover more time than 10 days or only a week.”

Conte will be livid

As we are well and truly in the thick of the busiest period of the Premier League calendar, with Spurs having at least six fixtures to play between now and the end of January – with the potential of more being scheduled due to earlier postponements – the news that Bergwijn will be unable to feature against Watford is sure to come as a huge blow to Conte, as well as leaving the manager livid.

Indeed, with the 52-year-old recently revealing that he considers the forward as a backup to Harry Kane – currently Tottenham’s only recognised centre-forward – something that is evidenced by Bergwijn replacing the 28-year-old at Selhurst Park last week, the Dutchman’s injury severely limits the Italian’s options should he wish to give the England captain a rest in the club’s upcoming games.

Furthermore, with the likes of Lo Celso, Romero and Sessegnon already in the Tottenham Hotspur treatment room, a fresh injury is the last thing Conte needs heading into 2022, as the former Inter Milan manager will need as many of his first-team squad fit and firing as possible if he is to have any chance of guiding Spurs to a top-four finish in the league this season.

In other news: “Serious chance”: Romano drops teasing Spurs transfer update that’ll have fans buzzing

Jamie Carragher believes Lionel Messi is miles ahead of long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming the Al-Nassr star is "nowhere near his level".

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Carragher hails Messi as the GOATClaims Ronaldo is "nowhere near" his levelClashes with fellow CBS Sports punditsWHAT HAPPENED?

The retired Liverpool defender-turned pundit was explosive in his backing of Messi's ability when speaking to host Kate Abdo on CBS Sports, saying there was "never a debate" between the two star forwards. The Inter Miami and Al-Nassr players have consistently been pitted against each other over their two decades at the top of the global game, but for pundits such as Carragher, Messi's superiority has never been in doubt.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT CARRAGHER SAID

"It was never a debate," said Carragher. "Ronaldo's nowhere near the level of Messi." Arguing with fellow pundit and ex-USMNT player Charlie Davis, the former Premier League defender added: "Ronaldo is one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, Messi is the greatest player of all time, it's not even close. Ronaldo scored goals, Messi scored goals and was an unbelievable player."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi's historic 2022 World Cup win with Argentina — and his dazzling performances throughout the tournament — were enough to push the balance toward the Barca legend for many people, as debates rage on about who has been the better player over the years. Since joining Inter Miami in July, Messi has continued fuelling that reputation, impressing so much that tickets to see him in action are now more in-demand "than any NFL game".

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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

It's unlikely that this debate will phase Messi at all, now that he's won everything there is to win in football. Besides, he's still got plenty of games coming up for club and country, the most pressing concern right now being to ensure his country qualify for the 2026 World Cup. And despite the fact that Messi will be pushing 40 when the competition rolls around, Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has even backed his "unstoppable" captain to play at the tournament in North America.

Goal looks at every player to top the goalscoring charts at FIFA's tournament over the years

Scoring at the World Cup is the ultimate dream for every aspiring footballer growing up.

Sure, the Champions League is great and so are the Premier League and LaLiga, to name just a few elite competitions.

And yes, tournaments like the Copa America, European Championship, Asian Cup and African Cup of Nations are massive at a regional level.

But the World Cup, that's something else!

Which players have been able to fulfil their childhood dreams, though, and haven't just managed to find the net at international football's elite competition, but were even crowned top scorer?

Let's take a look at some of the most clinical strikers in the history of the beautiful game!

GettyWorld Cup 2022 | Kylian Mbappé | 8 goals

Kylian Mbappé was the man for France, dragging them to the World Cup finals for a second straight time with 8 goals in 7 games. He left the best for last as he scored a clutch hattrick against Argentina to take the game to penalties, but alas he could not repeat his success from 2018, and the French went back home as runners-up.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWorld Cup 2018 | Harry Kane | England | 6 goals

The Tottenham legend was in fine form in Russia as he helped England to the semi-finals with six goals.

Kane was simply unstoppable in the group stages as he netted twice against Tunisia, before getting a hat-trick versus Panama.

He then scored another in the round-of-16 win over Colombia to cap off a fine tournament overall.

Getty ImagesWorld Cup 2014 | James Rodriguez | Colombia | 6 goals

Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez claimed the Golden Boot after scoring six goals throughout the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, despite his side getting knocked out in the quarter-finals by the host nation.

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World Cup 2010 | Thomas Muller | Germany | 5 goals

Thomas Muller scored five goals for the German national team during the 2010 World Cup, assisting in his side finishing third in the tournament. During the 2014 World Cup, Muller also won the Silver Boot after netting five goals which contributed to Germany lifting the World Cup.

The pair delivered doubles for their respective sides and were instrumental in securing hard-fought wins

Getty Images1Danny Welbeck | ArsenalWelbeck scored twice and assisted the other goal in Arsenal's 3-2 victory against Southampton.AdvertisementGetty Images2Ayoze Perez | Newcastle UnitedThe Spaniard was directly involved in both of Newcastle's goals against Leicester, assisting one and scoring the second.Getty Images3Christian Eriksen | Tottenham HotspurEriksen netted both goals and also made two key passes in Spurs' 2-1 win against Stoke, which moved them level on points with third-placed Liverpool. ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty4Paul Pogba | Manchester UnitedPogba netted twice in Manchester United's comeback win at the Etihad over their local rivals, with just 97 seconds between his two finishes.