Belgian centre-back Jan Vertonghen has announced his retirement from international football following his team's elimination from Euro 2024.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Vertonghen own goal knocked Belgium outDefender announced international retirementVeteran is a free agent after contract endedWHAT HAPPENED?

The veteran centre-back was part of the Rode Duivels side that crashed out of the competition with a 1-0 loss to France in the last-16. It was the former Ajax and Tottenham star who scored the own goal that saw his team eliminated, and it will be his final major action for the national team.

AdvertisementWHAT VERTONGHEN SAID

Vertonghen took to Instagram to announce the news, writing in a post: "First one, last one. Thx for all the memories, I lived my dream!"

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Vertonghen made 157 appearances for Belgium since making his debut in June 2007. He was part of the nation's 'golden generation' that included the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, among others. They made it to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals before beating England 2-0 in the third-place play-off. They then reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR VERTONGHEN?

The defender is currently out of contract after his contract with Anderlecht expired. The Belgian giants are eager for him to sign an extension, but he has not yet confirmed his decision.

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Tottenham and their plans for the upcoming window.

Spurs transfer policy taking shape ahead of the summer

Chairman Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange and the wider Spurs recruitment team have been drawing up their shortlist of targets for later in the year, and it is widely believed that a new forward could be on the agenda.

Tottenham pundit impressed by unseen teenager who may have big Spurs future

He’s a colossal presence already.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 21, 2024

Tottenham apparently want a new winger this summer, with manager Ange Postecoglou also recently admitting that the north Londoners are pretty keen to bring in a new central defender as well.

If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on Spurs signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

Son Heung-min

7.40

James Maddison

7.38

Pedro Porro

7.14

Cristian Romero

7.12

Dejan Kulusevski

7.05

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.

“We’re a squad that needs to develop, and we’re looking for that younger demographic. But at the same time you’re looking for guys that have played."

It could be an interesting next transfer window for the club, especially if they seal a place in the top four and a spot in next year's Champions League group stage.

Fabrizio Romano shares Spurs transfer "priority"

Now, speaking to JD Football, Romano has shared the "priority for Tottenham" when the transfer window reopens.

According to the renowned journalist, Lange, Levy and co want a "quality player" to chip in with both goals and assists – despite Postecoglou already possessing a fair few noteworthy players in the forward areas.

“Look, a player they appreciate for a long time is Raphinha from Barcelona. We know the financial situation at Barcelona is not easy, so he could be one of the names. They will look at that kind of player," said Romano.

"Another player they appreciate is Pedro Neto, but he has this issue with his injuries, so I’m not sure Liverpool, Tottenham or the other clubs following the player will be prepared to play big money for Pedro Neto this summer. That kind of player is the priority for Tottenham, I see them going for that kind of winger, a quality player to help with goals and assists."

Ex-Tottenham employee and former club scout Bryan King believes that manager Ange Postecoglou could soon hand a young player more game time.

Spurs set for Champions League chase

Spurs will continue their fierce battle with Aston Villa for fourth very soon, as Postecoglou's side next take on Fulham away this weekend.

Related Injury boost for Ange as reliable reporter shares update on Tottenham star

There’s been good news out of N17.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Mar 13, 2024

The trip to Craven Cottage precedes what was a fantastic win away to Villa in their last game, with Tottenham putting in their best second half display of the season and a very tricky opponent.

Goals from James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Son Heung-min and Timo Werner capped off a terrific 4-0 victory for the north Londoners, who now hold all the cards mathematically in their chase for a top four finish.

Tottenham's best-performing players per-90 this season

Average match rating (via WhoScored)

James Maddison

7.45

Son Heung-min

7.44

Pedro Porro

7.19

Cristian Romero

7.11

Dejan Kulusevski

7.08

Spurs sit just two behind Villa with a game in hand, and if they beat Fulham this weekend, then they could temporarily leapfrog Unai Emery's side into fourth – with the Villans not playing till the day after against West Ham.

A slight dampener to Tottenham's win over Villa, though, was the hamstring scare surrounding star defender Micky van de Ven. The Dutchman was hauled off with the issue to be replaced by winter signing Radu Dragusin, who has apparently been impressing in training according to his agent.

“They had a well-laid plan. He had to wait his turn and help his team," said Florin Manea to Fanatik this week.

"It was natural, because the two centre-backs played very well together and it was hard to take them out. From one point of view, it wasn’t normal to take them out. I was talking to someone at the club and he told me he’s training exceptionally well. You can’t blame him. Training is like a match for Radu. That’s what we’ve been aiming for for years. The way you train is the way you play.”

King tips more game time for Dragusin soon

The young defender has been waiting for a consistent run in the team to impress Postecoglou, and he could well get it. Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King says the "complete" Dragusin could well get his chance in the Spurs first team amid concerns surrounding van de Ven.

“The only negative from the win against Aston Villa was van de Ven’s injury," said King to Tottenham News. “Dragusin came on and picked up the pace of the game. As soon as he was on the pitch, Spurs scored, and he of course helped his side to a clean sheet.

“It looks as if he might now get the chance to prove himself and he must take it. He was a little bit silly to pick up a yellow card, he didn’t need to put his foot up to try and block the free-kick, but apart from that he did well. He didn’t take chances, he played it simple and I liked the look of him.”

Leeds United are searching for their first win in three matches as they welcome Stoke City to Elland Road later tonight in the Championship.

The Whites head into this game off the back of a 1-1 draw with Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town away from home last time out in the second tier.

It was a result that allowed Ipswich Town to move ahead of them, and into the automatic promotion places, on Saturday as they won their clash with Plymouth Argyle.

Daniel Farke's side had also lost their game before the draw with the Terriers in a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round, which means that their last win was against Leicester City last month.

The German head coach could now look to make some alterations to his starting XI from last weekend's draw. With that in mind, here is FFC's predicted Leeds line-up to take on the Potters…

1 Illan Meslier

Illan Meslier should continue between the sticks. The French shot-stopper has been Farke's first-choice – with 33 league starts – and there is nothing to suggest that he will switch things up in goal at this point in the season.

2 Connor Roberts

The first change to the starting XI could come in the right-back position as Connor Roberts could be rewarded for his impressive cameo against Huddersfield.

Signed on loan from Burnley on deadline day, the Wales international came off the bench to assist Patrick Bamford's equaliser with a crisp cross along the floor for the striker to convert.

Roberts has contributed with one goal and one assist in five appearances as a substitute in the Championship for the Whites so far, and could now come in for his full league debut for the club.

3 Joe Rodon

At the heart of the defence, Joe Rodon should start once again for the Whites. The on-loan Tottenham Hotspur defender has been a reliable performer at the back throughout the campaign so far.

He has won 66% of his duels across 33 appearances in the Championship, and his defending has helped the side to keep 13 clean sheets in total.

4 Ethan Ampadu

Playing out of his natural position in central midfield, Ethan Ampadu could start next to his fellow Wales international to complete the centre-back pairing.

With Pascal Struijk's continued absence through injury, the former Chelsea prospect could be picked ahead of the experienced Liam Cooper.

5 Sam Byram

The second change to the XI could be an enforced one. Farke revealed in his pre-match press conference that Junior Firpo is a doubt to face Stoke due to a calf issue.

An injury to the former Barcelona defender could open the door for Sam Byram, who was on the bench against Huddersfield, to make a return to the line-up.

Signed from Norwich City on a free transfer last summer, the English full-back has won 51% of his duels and made 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 25 appearances in the league this season.

6 Archie Gray

Archie Gray could remain in the XI but move into the middle of the park to accommodate Roberts' involvement at right-back, which could see Glen Kamara dropped to the bench.

The Finland international only won two duels and created one chance for his teammates in an uneventful display against the Terriers, and Gray could be provided with a chance to shine in his natural position.

He was deployed in midfield against Chelsea in the FA Cup recently and his performance, with six duels won, four dribbles completed, and one chance created, earned him the official Player of the Match award.

The academy graduate could, therefore, be more combative in that role and offer more drive, with his dribbling ability, than Kamara, which is why the former Rangers star could be dropped for this game.

7 Ilia Gruev

Ilia Gruev could start next to the 17-year-old whiz for his 12th start of the Championship season, since his permanent move from Werder Bremen last summer.

Ampadu's continued deployment at centre-back has opened the door for the Bulgaria international to establish himself as a regular starter in midfield.

8 Dan James

The third change to the starting XI could come on the right side of the attack as Wales international Dan James could finally be unleashed over Wilfried Gnonto.

His last league start for Leeds came against Norwich City in January as a hip injury provided the Italian whiz with a chance to take his place in the side.

Appearances

31

Starts

23

Goals

Ten

Assists

Seven

Big chances created

11

As you can see in the table above, the former Manchester United whiz, who ex-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed has the "X-factor", has the quality to make an impact as a scorer and a creator of goals.

Gnonto has blanked in his last three matches, with zero goals or assists, after a run of five goals and one assist in five games, and Farke could rotate him out to bring James back in for this clash with Stoke.

9 Georginio Rutter

In the number ten position, Georginio Rutter could keep his place in the starting XI with the hope that he will have the key to unlocking the Stoke defence.

The French wizard has created 20 'big chances' and registered 11 assists for his teammates in 34 appearances in the Championship so far this season.

10 Crysencio Summerville

On the left of the attack, Crysencio Summerville could look to end a run of four matches without a goal or an assist to his name in all competitions.

He has racked up 15 goals and eight assists in 30 league starts so far for Leeds and his manager could back him to get back to his best tonight, especially with Jaidon Anthony ruled out of contention to play due to personal reasons.

Aston Villa recorded back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time in 2024 as they secured a nervy 4-2 win over Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

Unai Emery’s men are now five points clear in fourth place – although Tottenham Hotspur do have a game in hand – but it is beginning to feel like momentum is building at the club once again after an inconsistent January.

The Midlands side led by three goals as the interval neared, as Douglas Luiz scored twice following an opener from none other than Ollie Watkins, but it looked as if they were on cruise control.

Forest scored just before the whistle, however, while adding another goal in the 48th minute, and it looked like it could be a tense finish.

As it proved, Leon Bailey ultimately sealed the win with the fourth Villa goal with just under 30 minutes left, with that man Luiz having been one of the notable standouts on the day.

Douglas Luiz’s game in numbers vs Forest

The Brazilian midfielder has arguably been one of Villa’s finest performers this term, but he took his game to the next level today.

Luiz’s two goals put Villa into what looked like an unassailable lead and while they were pegged back monetarily, his display in the middle of the pitch ensured they secured three points.

He also completed 96% of his passes, took 75 touches and was fouled four times as he looked to control things in the heart of the midfield.

The midfielder also made two tackles, won six ground duels and lost possession 12 times, yet it could be Watkins who goes down as Emery’s real hero due to his performance this afternoon.

Ollie Watkin’s statistics vs Nottingham Forest

The striker scored his 19th goal of the campaign and if he continues at this rate, there is no doubt he will end up with 30-plus goals for the season.

Watkins managed to take four shots in total against Forest, while also succeeding with one dribble and even missing a big chance, meaning he could have had another goal.

He even completed 100% of his passes as he found a teammate every single time and his display was awarded a match rating of 8/10 by Birmingham Mail.

Journalist John Townley stated in his ratings that Watkins ‘lead the line brilliantly’ while claiming that he enjoyed ‘another strong performance’ for Villa this afternoon.

The game was perhaps nervier than it should have been during the second half, but all that matters is three points and the fact they extended their advantage over Spurs in the final Champions League qualification spot.

Luiz proved that he is one of Emery’s prized assets with yet another influential performance, but it was Watkins who demonstrated his keen eye for goal as he added to his tally for the campaign.

The momentum gained today will stand them in good stead as they travel to London to play Luton Town next Saturday in the evening kick-off, and it gives the club plenty of time to rest and recuperate ahead of what will be another tough clash.

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Renato Veiga from Basel in a deal worth €14m (£12m/$15m).

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Chelsea finalise Veiga deal
• Youngster moves from Basel
• Has signed seven-year contract

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea have announced the signing of Veiga on an extraordinary seven-year deal. The 20-year-old has committed his future to the Blues, and they also hold the option to extend his contract by a further year. Per Fabrizio Romano, they have paid €14m for the star.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Veiga is a Portugal Under-21 international and he plays primarily as a defensive midfielder. During his time at Basel, he played 26 times, scoring twice, having come through the ranks at Sporting CP. He also spent 2023 on loan at Augsburg in the Bundesliga.

• WHAT VEIGA SAID

  Veiga told Chelsea's official website: "I’m absolutely buzzing to be here. This is one of the biggest clubs in England – the biggest for me – and I’m just really excited to get started."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Chelsea kick off their pre-season friendlies against Wrexham on July 25. Veiga will hope to make a significant impression in the preparatory fixtures – it's clear he has the skills to make an immediate impact.

Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Leny Yoro as the Lille star has flown in for a medical.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd fighting Real Madrid for YoroFrenchman close to signing for Red DevilsMedical at Carrington on WednesdayWHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester United are finally set to get their man as Leny Yoro jets in for a medical, according to The Athletic. The 18-year-old reportedly wanted to join Real Madrid but has accepted a move to the Premier League is more realistic this summer.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It will be a big achievement for Mnchester United to get this deal done with Madrid lurking in the background. Erik ten Hag was happy to table a £52million (€61.9m/$67.8m) bid and meet the French club's asking price. Los Blancos were not willing to go as high as that, which resulted in Lille pushing Yoro towards United instead.

DID YOU KNOW?

Yoro made 32 appearances in Ligue 1 last season, scoring two goals as Lille finished fourth. The young star has shown more maturity than his age suggests, which may be a key reason for European giants like Manchester United and Real Madrid being so interested in his services.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR YORO?

The Athletic's report suggests there is still work to be done before Yoro signs on the dotted line, but everything is progressing well on both the player and club side. Unless Madrid come in with a late bid, it seems the 18-year-old will be playing at Old Trafford for the 2024-25 season.

Arsenal have made great strides under Mikel Arteta. They sit top of the Premier League table and are into the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 14 years. That doesn't sound bad, does it?

A large part of that has been the immense recruitment strategy that Edu and Co have deployed in north London since Arteta's arrival as manager in 2019.

There have been far more hits than misses, particularly in recent years with a host of 2023 signings shining of late.

We're running out of superlatives for the great Declan Rice, and so we should be considering his £105m price tag. He has won games on his own; just think of those late strikes against Manchester United and Luton Town for instance.

There is David Raya too. No Arsenal signing has arguably been questioned more than him during Arteta's reign but his penalty heroics – making two saves against Porto – demonstrate that he is the rightful no.1 at the Emirates Stadium. There has even been a revival for Kai Havertz who has scored four times in his last four Premier League matches.

However, if a different strategy was employed at Colney then only Rice would have been signed. London-born, what would the starting XI look like if the club could only buy and select local talent?

We've taken inspiration from the Athletic Bilbao model. Over the 125 years of the club's existence, they have operated with only Basque players at their disposal, utilising footballers from a region of northern Spain and across the border in France. Aymeric Laporte is one of the most poignant examples of recent times.

It's a fascinating tactic and it would be interesting to see what Arsenal's squad would look like if they deployed a similar strategy, recruiting and utilising players exclusively born in the London area.

Intrigued to find out who's involved? We've got all the answers…

1 GK – Arthur Okonkwo Born: London

The goalkeeper situation was rather tricky. Not a huge number of stoppers have risen to prominence in the modern era after being born in London so we've opted for 22-year-old Arthur Okonkwo on this occasion.

Aaron Ramsdale hails from Stoke-on-Trent while David Raya is Spanish so would be ineligible in this hypothetical squad of players.

Okonkwo is currently on loan at Wrexham in League 2, living the high life under Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. He'd be required to make quite the step up if this starting XI was real.

2 RB – Reece James Born: Redbridge

There isn't a great depth of current Arsenal defenders from London so we've opted for probably the best option in the Premier League; Reece James.

The Chelsea skipper has a wretched injury history, notably playing just 390 minutes and eight games of league action this term but on his day he is an electric talent. For the Blues, James has supplied 21 assists since breaking into the senior setup. Just imagine that sort of quality in Arsenal's all-London lineup.

3 CB – Reuell Walters Born: Lambeth

The sole representative currently at Arsenal in our backline is academy star Reuell Walters. A regular trainer with the senior side, the 19-year-old hasn't played a single minute of first-team football this season but has been on the bench in the Premier League on eight occasions, highlighting how much Arteta rates his qualities.

Previously compared to William Saliba, it surely won't be too long before we see the Lambeth-born youngster make a breakthrough.

4 CB – Max Kilman Born: Chelsea

The Wolves skipper is Chelsea-born, coming through the ranks at Welling and then earning a move to Maidenhead United. A Jamie Vardy-esque rise from non-league football has subsequently taken him to the Premier League.

The centre-back is now comfortably one of the better English centre-halves in the division and has even been linked with a £30m move to Napoli. If Arsenal's transfer policy centered around London-born talent then they'd surely only be too happy to oblige for such a fee.

5 LB – Luke Shaw Born: Kingston upon Thames

The scorer of a goal in a European Championship final, Shaw is undoubtedly one of the finest talents to come out of London and walks into a side of capital-born talent.

Ben White is the only English defender regularly used by Arsenal and could be fielded at left-back, although was born in Poole, Bournemouth, so is ineligible for selection. The Man United full-back has been signed instead.

6 CM – Joe Willock Born: Waltham Forest

Now at Newcastle United, Willock has taken his game to a new level after graduating from the Arsenal academy under Unai Emery.

The central midfielder actually appeared 78 times for the Gunners first-team while at the club, scoring 11 goals and registering four assists.

However, after a swashbuckling loan spell in the Toon, where he famously netted seven games on the trot in the top flight, Arsenal cashed in to the tune of £25m. It's unlikely that would have happened if they only relied on Londoners.

7 CM – Declan Rice Born: Kingston upon Thames

Arsenal's club-record signing is an absolute shoo-in for this team and is perhaps one of the finest talents to ever come out of London.

Of course, Rice learnt his trade with West Ham United and after joining the Gunners last summer has become one of the most elite midfield players in the game.

The England international has now added attacking contributions to his arsenal – pardon the pun – scoring six goals and supplying seven assists throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

8 CAM – Emile Smith Rowe Born: Croydon

Now an outcast in the current Arsenal side, Emile Smith Rowe features prominently in this London-born XI as one of its key creators.

The 23-year-old's career has been ravaged by injury in recent years and is now seemingly not trusted by Arteta, with the Englishman starting just twice in the Premier League this term.

Arsenal supporters long for the days when he found the net on 11 occasions in 2021/22 but truth be told an exit looks inevitable this summer. It's safe to say he'd be far more important in a London-based XI.

9 RW – Bukayo Saka Born: Ealing

Who else? Saka walks into this team as one of the club's very best players. The winger is Arsenal through and through having risen through the ranks of the academy to make 216 first-team appearances.

The 2023/24 term is proving to be the best of the young attacker's career, netting 16 goals and laying on 15 assists across 37 appearances. Not bad indeed.

10 LW – Reiss Nelson Born: Elephant & Castle

Like Smith Rowe, academy graduate Nelson has found it tough to break into the starting lineup ahead of Saka and Co this term but he will always live long in the memory for that last-gasp goal against Bournemouth last season.

Sure, there might be better options around but Nelson is a pure Arsenal lad and would deserve a chance to make the left wing spot his own if the club could only select those hailing from London.

انتهت قبل قليل مباراة بيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا التي أقيمت ضمن منافسات كأس السوبر المصري للأندية الأبطال 2024، بفوز بيراميدز بركلات الحظ الترجيحية، ليحصد الميدالية البرونزية.

والتقي فريقا بيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا في مباراة تحديد المركزين الثالث والرابع، ضمن منافسات كأس السوبر المصري المقام في الإمارات خلال الفترة الحالية بمشاركة 4 أندية.

وشارك فريق بيراميدز في بطولة كأس السوبر باعتباره بطلًا لكأس مصر، فيما تواجد نادي سيراميكا كليوباترا بصفته بطلًا لكأس رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة.

طالع..موعد والقنوات الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي والزمالك اليوم في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري.. والمعلقين

وافتتح سيراميكا كليوباترا التسجيل بهدف لـ إسلام عيسى بعد تلقيه تمريرة حريرية من أحمد القندوسي في الدقيقة 22 بعد أن انفرد الثنائي بالحارس شريف إكرامي.

الجدير بالذكر، أن إسلام عيسى منتقل لصفوف سيراميكا كليوباترا قادمًا من نادي بيراميدز على سبيل الإعارة ضمن صفقة تبادلية.

ثم سجل بيراميدز هدف التعادل في الدقيقة 33 عن طريق عبد الله مجدي مدافع فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا عن طريق الخطأ في مرماه بعد أن حول عرضية مصطفى فتحي لشباك حارسه محمد بسام.

وعاد فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا للتقدم بتسجيل الهدف الثاني عن طريق ركلة جزاء نجح في تنفيذها أحمد بلحاج بالدقيقة 77 من عمر اللقاء، لتصبح النتيجة 2-1.

وسرعان ما تعادل فريق بيراميدز مرة أخرى بهدف لمروان حمدي في الدقيقة 85 من عمر اللقاء بتسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء، ليحتكم الفريقان لركلات الترجيح.

ولجأ الفريقان لركلات الترجيح مباشرة حسب لائحة بطولة السوبر والتي ابتسمت لفريق بيراميدز ليفوز بنتيجة 5-4 بعد أن تألق شريف إكرامي وتصدى للركلة الخامسة. 

وخسر بيراميدز، في مباراة نصف النهائي، أمام الزمالك بركلات الترجيح، بعد التعادل بهدف لكل منهما في الوقت الأصلي، بينما خسر سيراميكا كليوباترا، بهدفين مقابل هدف أمام الأهلي.

بتلك النتيجة يحصل فريق بيراميدز صاحب المركز الثالث في البطولة، على 75 ألف دولار أي ما يقارب 3.600.000 جنيه مصري، ويحصل صاحب المركز الرابع والأخير فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا على 50 ألف دولار، ما يقارب 2.500.000 جنيه مصري.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن فريقي بيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا قد اصطدما في مباراة تحديد المركز الثالث بالنسخة الماضية للسوبر المصري وفاز بيراميدز بركلات الترجيح أيضًا.

وكانت لجنة الحكام أسندت مباراة بيراميدز وسيراميكا للحكم محمود ناجي، ويعاونه شريف عبدالله وعمر فتحي كحاملي راية ويتواجد وائل فرحان كحكم رابع، ومعهم الإمارتي محمد عبيد على تقنية الـvar ويساعده هاني خيري. أهداف مباراة بيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا اليوم في كأس السوبر المصري

ملخص وركلات ترجيح مباراة بيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا

Gary Stead hints at rotation policy ahead of five Tests in under seven weeks

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2019Lockie Ferguson, the New Zealand fast bowler, could be in line for a Test debut after missing the final T20 internationals against England to allow him some red-ball practice for Auckland in the Plunket Shield.New Zealand face a punishing schedule over the Christmas period with five Tests spanning just under seven weeks, and head coach Gary Stead has suggested that they will have to rotate their seam bowlers, opening up the possibility of a debut for Ferguson.ALSO READ: Ferguson has sights set on Test breakthroughThe first two of those Tests – against England, with the series starting at Mount Maunganui on November 21 – do not form part of the World Test Championship, meaning there is less riding on them than the three-match series in Australia.”We have five Test matches in six weeks and I’m not sure the last time a New Zealand team has ever done that,” Stead told .”We have to be really conscious of wear and tear and make sure every Test we play we have fighting fresh bowlers who can do the job for us.”Established seam-bowling trio Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner have been almost ever-present in home Tests since 2015 – they have played 16, 16 and 18 respectively out of a possible 19 – but given the nature of the fixture list, it is unlikely that they will be able to play in all five of the upcoming games.Ferguson, who recently recovered from a thumb injury in time to take four wickets with an economy rate of just 7.25 in the T20I series against England, is the fastest bowler available to New Zealand, and Stead admitted that his pace made him a tempting option.”That’s the point of difference Lockie brings that other guys don’t have,” he said. “We have to work out our best line-up and what we think is right for the conditions, and if we fight fire with fire we’ll see. There’s no doubt that X-factor is an exciting prospect.”Ferguson took 4 for 23 in the first innings of Auckland’s rain-affected Plunket Shield game against Wellington last week, while Matt Henry, whose ten Tests to date have been spread over four years, will also be in contention.Stead also said that New Zealand would look to learn from how Australia managed their bowlers’ workloads during the recent Ashes series in England, in which Pat Cummins was the only ever-present as the management made a point of trying to keep the seamers “cherry-ripe”.”It would be silly for us not to look at that,” he said. “They did rotate their bowlers and it was horses for courses a bit.”Like us, they have quite a bit of difference in their attack and definitely we have to consider that.”England’s preparations begin with a two-day match against a New Zealand XI at Whangarei on Tuesday, before a first-class game against a New Zealand A side at the same venue on Friday.The second fixture, against an ‘A’ team captained by Tom Blundell which includes 11 recent international call-ups, will only be England’s fourth first-class warm-up match in six years.England’s other winter tours to South Africa and Sri Lanka include a three-day game against an ‘A’ team and first-class four-day warm-up against a Board President’s XI respectively, emphasising a shift in focus towards Test cricket as stressed by Ashley Giles.