Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left his team's game Monday against the Pirates after he made an incredible stretch to get an out at first base.
Shortstop Bo Bichette made an off-balanced throw to first on a ground ball that forced Guerrero to stretch as far as he could to capture the ball before Pirates shortstop Jared Triolo could touch the bag. Guerrero did the splits as he caught the ball and kept his back foot on the base to record a miraculous final out to the third inning:
He may have gotten slightly injured on the play, however, as the Blue Jays pinch hit Ty France for Guerrero in the fifth inning, removing the star first baseman from the game. The team provided an official update that he was removed from the game with left hamstring tightness. He did come up a bit gingerly after the acrobatic play, but ran back to the dugout following the out. Hopefully it's nothing serious.
Guerrero leads the Blue Jays with 21 home runs this season. He's slashing .300/.398/.500 and has added 68 RBIs in his seventh season with the team. He made a similar play last week to get an out.
England have not savoured World Cup glory since 1966, but Wes Brown has exclusively told GOAL – ahead of the group stage draw for the 2026 event – that “nobody will want to play” the Three Lions when chasing down a global crown. Thomas Tuchel’s side will head to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer sat among the favourites to go all the way.
Faultless Three Lions: England qualified in style
They made serene progress through qualification, with maximum points being taken from eight fixtures. England scored 22 goals across those outings, while conceding none. A winning formula has clearly been found, with the promise of more to come.
Tuchel has made it clear that he will not be bowing to pressure when it comes to big selection calls, with the former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain boss prepared to make unpopular decisions if required.
He has enough talent at his disposal to suggest that whoever earns seats on the plane, they will be there or thereabouts when the most prestigious of prizes is handed out. The Three Lions have made back-to-back European Championship finals – coming unstuck against Italy and Spain – while reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.
AdvertisementFear factor: England should have rivals running scared
Sir Gareth Southgate oversaw an era of near misses, with thenhot seat now being filled by no-nonsense German tactician Tuchel. He has won Ligue 1, the Champions League and Club World Cup as a coach.
With the likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Marcus Rashford raring to go, there is every reason to believe that Tuchel can be the man to bring 60 years of hurt to a close.
Quizzed on whether England should fear nobody, ex-Three Lions defender Brown – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “I think we are one of the teams to fear. The only thing I would say is, we have been so close now that it’s like, we know we can but we just get to that end bit… Regardless of how we get there, we know we can. People say ‘look who we played’ or ‘these are much better’, but that’s not the point because we still got there, getting the wins in.
“You look at the quality of the squad, it doesn’t matter about age now, these are established players that have no fear. They know what they need to do, they know what the set-up is. We know we can do it because we have been there before, we have nearly done it, it’s just that extra step. Regardless of the manager changing, I still feel like there is that bond in the squad which is excellent. You can see a nice buzz going around.
“The variation of different personnel is up there. You might need somebody to come on and change something in a certain way. Have we got that? I think we have. Take all that away, I think the experience they have as a group, the majority of them, they will understand that they can do it. It just takes that little bit more when we get to that next stage, when you get to the point where ‘this is it’. Can we? A lot of the players have done that, experienced it, and now you have got to believe and stay together and try to get it done. It’s going to be hard again – look at all the teams and the quality in there – but believe me, nobody will want to play England.”
Getty Images
Underdogs tag: Tuchel tries to calm expectations
Tuchel has been doing his best to calm expectations, saying of England’s current standing: “We will arrive as underdogs in the World Cup because we haven't won it for decades, and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time, so we need to arrive as a team otherwise we have no chance.
“If you've never won Wimbledon, you may be one of the favourites but you are not the favourite. You can go and if you come close, OK, you are within the pool, but you are not the favourite. It is just how it is. There is Brazil, there is Argentina, Spain, France and they just did it recently. It doesn't mean we have no chance and we know very well.”
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Getty ImagesWorld Cup draw: When & where does it take place?
England, along with their fellow World Cup hopefuls, will discover who they are set to face in the group stage when the draw for that part of the competition is made on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
Crystal Palace are now in ‘direct talks’ about signing a Bayern Munich star ahead of the looming January transfer window, according to a new report.
Crystal Palace prepare for Man United after excellent start to the season
Palace welcome Man United to Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon with Oliver Glasner’s side sitting just outside the top four, while the Red Devils languish nearer mid-table following Monday’s shocking home defeat to ten-man Everton.
Positioned just three points behind second-placed Chelsea, the South London club have managed 20 points from their opening 12 Premier League games — their strongest start to a top flight campaign since 1991-92 — all while conceding just nine goals.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Glasner’s long-term future, not to mention Marc Guehi’s, and the fact they lost star playmaker Eberechi Eze in the summer, Palace’s start comes as a shock to everyone.
They’ve also coped extremely well with the added Conference League fixtures, and responded in excellent fashion after being denied what many perceived as their rightful place in the Europa League.
Allardyce names "arrogant" Crystal Palace man over Arsenal star in Team of the Season
The former Crystal Palace boss has named his Premier League Team of the Season so far.
ByDominic Lund Nov 26, 2025
Following the departures of Eze and another quality forward, Michael Olise, in the last two years — Palace have relied on new stars like in-form striker Jean Philippe-Mateta to deliver the goods instead.
Palace’s unprecedented 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions, which was eventually ended by Everton in October, is also testament to the fine job Glasner has done with limited resources.
Palace 0-0 Bournemouth (Premier League)
Arsenal 2-2 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 3-0 Aston Villa (FA Cup)
Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
Tottenham 0-2 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 1-0 Man City (FA Cup)
Palace 4-2 Wolves (Premier League)
Liverpool 1-1 Palace (Premier League)
Crystal Palace (3) 2-2 (2) Liverpool (Community Shield)
Chelsea 0-0 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 1-0 Fredrikstad (Conference League)
Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
Fredrikstad 0-0 Palace (Conference League)
Aston Villa 0-3 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 0-0 Sunderland (Premier League)
Palace (4) 1-1 (2) Millwall (Carabao Cup)
West Ham 1-2 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dynamo Kyiv 0-2 Palace (Conference League)
However, if Palace are to convince the Austrian to remain at Selhust Park, chairman Steve Parish will need to showcase ambition.
According to reports, Palace could be active in the January transfer window, and it is believed that Bayern right-back Sacha Boey is a player of real interest.
Crystal Palace hold talks over signing Bayern Munich's Sacha Boey
The former Galatasaray star, who was once a rumoured target for Arsenal, hasn’t found life easy since swapping Turkey for Bavaria in 2024.
Galatasaray defender Sacha Boey.
Boey has been in and out of Vincent Kompany’s starting elevens, and a January transfer for the 25-year-old is now growing increasingly possible.
That is according to Bayern Insider, who also report that Glasner is in ‘direct talks’ with sporting director Christoph Freund about a potential move for Boey.
Palace are also said to have made a ‘concrete offer’ for the Frenchman, who’s potentially looking to battle his way into Didier Deschamps plans for the 2026 World Cup next year amid stiff competition.
Even though the Bundesliga champions signed him for around £26 million, Bayern are now prepared to sell for half the price at around £13 million — opening the door for Palace to strike a bargain move.
Links to Boey will intensify reports that in-form Eagles right-back Daniel Munoz could leave in the near future, with Chelsea among those considering a swoop for the Colombian who’s arguably been one of Glasner’s top players this season.
The visitors are 0-1 down and will want to show their versatility playing in early-seaon, seam-friendly Australian conditions
Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Nov-2025Big picture: India will want to show their versatilityRelax, India. Your most relentless tormentor has left the building. Josh Hazlewood, perhaps the most influential player on either side during the ODI series and the first two T20Is, has turned his attention to preparing for the Ashes.Australia are 1-0 up with three games to go, but they suddenly don’t look like the same bowling team anymore.They will, however, welcome back Glenn Maxwell, who joins the T20I squad after recovering from the fractured wrist that has kept him out of action since mid-September. His return brings a new dimension to Australia’s line-up, particularly with the bat, and particularly against India’s spinners.It’s hard to say how much learning either of these teams can take from this series with the T20 World Cup in February-March in mind. That tournament will be played in India and Sri Lanka; conditions will be entirely different to those we’ve seen in the early part of this Australian summer, with levels of seam movement and bounce that are seldom to be found anywhere in the world in white-ball cricket.For all that, though, India want to be an all-weather T20 team; on the evidence of the second T20I on Friday, there are still gaps to plug, with bat as well as ball. There were times at the MCG where they looked, both on paper and in the field, like an XI assembled with Asian conditions in mind.Over the next three matches, India will want to show they have the versatility to win consistently even in these conditions — no matter how similar or dissimilar they may be to what they get at the World Cup.Form guideAustralia WWWWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first) India LWWWWSanju Samson has been trying to adapt to an unfamiliar role, batting down the order•Associated PressIn the spotlight: Maxwell and SamsonThe last time he played for Australia, Glenn Maxwell won them a T20I against South Africa in a manner only he and a handful of others can, from 122 for 6 in a chase of 173. That, though, was his first half-century in 11 T20I innings. That’s what you get from a player of Maxwell’s high-wire game. His T20 numbers against India’s wristspinners show a similar boom-or-bust tendency: a strike rate of 165.30 against Kuldeep Yadav, but also five dismissals in 49 balls, and a strike rate of 151.51 against Varun Chakravarthy while being dismissed five times in 33 balls. Whatever happens in this contest, you can be sure it will entertain. Maxwell will have a role to play with the ball too, possibly even with the new ball against Abhishek Sharma, even if teams are quickly finding out that a number of left-hand batters, Abhishek among them, are getting increasingly adept at taking offspin apart.Sanju Samson has been trying to adapt to an unfamiliar role at No. 5 or 6 in India’s T20I line-up ever since Shubman Gill’s return squeezed him out of the opening slot. He got the opportunity at the MCG to bat in the more familiar environs of No. 3, but his innings was shortlived, undone by a Nathan Ellis in-ducker that exploited his tendency to hang back and get stuck on the crease even against fullish lengths. If India have continued to back him ahead of Jitesh Sharma, it’s partly because of his strong record against pace. Samson has certainly got the attacking game when he’s in; he will, however, have to bat on pitches where sometimes he’ll have to survive one or two overs before he gets to unleash.Team news: Will India bring in pace-bowling support?Who replaces Hazlewood in Australia’s attack? Sean Abbott, who will himself leave the squad after the third T20I, seems the likeliest candidate, although Australia could potentially throw a surprise at India by handing the West Australian tearaway Mahli Beardman (who has, along with Maxwell, joined the squad) an international debut. Maxwell, who has recovered from his wrist fracture, will likely replace either Mitchell Owen or Matthew Short in the middle order.Australia (probable): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Tim David, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Owen/Matthew Short, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Sean Abbott/Mahli Beardman, 11 Matt Kuhnemann.Mahli Beardman was an Under-19 World Cup winner in 2024•Gallo ImagesIndia tend not to make too many changes to their T20I XI when series are still alive, but they might be having discussions around the balance of their team after how Friday’s game went. Do they view Shivam Dube as a viable bowling option in these conditions, and if not, could a specialist finisher in Rinku Singh, a batter with more pace-hitting pedigree, serve them better? And are two frontline seamers enough on these early-season Australian pitches, with or without Dube chipping in with a few overs?India (probable): 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Axar Patel, 7 Shivam Dube/Rinku Singh, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Arshdeep Singh, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.Pitch and conditions: Early season, lower totalsHobart can produce high-scoring games as well as low-scoring games, as its last two T20Is suggest. In February 2024, Australia beat West Indies in a match where both teams passed 200. Then, in November, Australia bowled Pakistan out for 117 and romped to victory in 11.2 overs.The timing of those matches may have had something to do with how they panned out. Four T20Is played in Hobart in January and February have produced an average first-innings total of 190, while nine completed T20Is in October and November have produced an average first-innings total of 148. Could these lower totals be down to early-summer juice in the pitches? Or do they just reflect the quality of the teams that batted in those games? Or is it all just randomness? And will it have any bearing on Sunday?A mostly clear day is expected, with evening temperatures cooling from the mid 20s to the low 20s.Stats and trivia: Samson, Tilak, Abhishek and David near 1000 T20I runs Sanju Samson needs five runs to become the 12th India batter with 1000 T20I runs. Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma, who have played 31 and 25 T20I innings to Samson’s 43, need 38 and 64 runs to get there respectively. Tim David is 50 runs away from the same landmark Glenn Maxwell is one wicket away from 50 in T20Is, and Marcus Stoinis is three wickets away (). Jasprit Bumrah is two wickets away from 100 in T20Is. Arshdeep Singh (101) is the only India bowler to have got to that mark so far. India have a positive win-loss record against all T20I oppositions. Against Australia so far, they’ve won 20 and lost 12. India have never played a T20I in Hobart.
Clayton Kershaw has seen just about everything one possibly could on an MLB pitcher's mound throughout his 18 years in the show. But he may have experienced a career first during his outing on Thursday against the Rockies.
Midway through the third inning, Kershaw had a batter pinned with an 0-2 count when he went for the payoff pitch. While winding up to throw, however, something malfunctioned, and Kershaw ended up stuttering before spiking the ball into the ground not even halfway to the plate.
Kershaw typically has a pretty slow pitching motion, but he seemed to take a bit of extra time to get the ball out in this instance. Whatever hitch occurred was an awkward one, as he delivered maybe the worst pitch of his entire career.
The pitch was officially tracked as a 58 mph curveball, which of course, bounced on the grass in between the mound and the batters box. Ball one.
Kershaw ended up getting the strikeout on Ryan Ritter, though it certainly didn't look how he'd imagined it in his head. The 37-year-old improved to 8-2 on the season after throwing 5 2/3 innings with three strikeouts, three earned runs and one walk on the road in Colorado.
Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.
The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.
Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.
It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.
That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.
Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.
Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.
Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.
This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.
Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.
The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.
Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker
Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.
Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.
Since then, he’s excelled in the position.
The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.
Cummins has dismissed Rohit in each of the last three IPL matches and also in the last five innings across formats
Omkar Mankame22-Apr-20255:24
Pujara: Surprised Cummins hasn’t bowled much with the new ball
Match 33, Wankhede, IPL 2025 – c: T Head b: Cummins 26 (16)Rohit was off to a promising start, hitting three sixes in his first 13 balls. The third of those was a pick-up shot off Cummins that sailed into the stands. However, two balls later, he hit a low full toss straight to cover, falling to Cummins for the fourth time in the IPL.4th Test, Melbourne, 2024 – c: Boland b: Cummins 3 (5) and c: Marsh b: Cummins 9 (40)Rohit’s move back to the top of the order in the Border Gavaskar Trophy did not change his fortunes. In the first innings, Cummins needed just three deliveries to dismiss the opposition captain, with Rohit failing to execute his favourite pull shot cleanly and mistiming a top edge. He showed greater patience in the second innings, but as the pressure mounted, his first aggressive stroke once again led to his downfall.Pat Cummins removed Rohit Sharma in both innings of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne•Getty Images3rd Test, Brisbane, 2024 – c: Carey+ b: Cummins 10 (44)Batting in the middle order, Rohit walked out in a perilous situation – India 44 for 4 in reply to Australia’s 445 all out in the first innings. After 16 deliveries, he found his first boundary with a cover drive off Cummins, but the bowler struck back soon after by forcing an outside edge. The duo didn’t come face-to-face in the second innings, with India’s innings cut short by rain.2nd Test, Adelaide, 2024 – b: Cummins 6 (15)After missing the first Test, Rohit, not wanting to disrupt the opening combination, slotted himself into the middle-order for the day-night Test. Scott Boland trapped him lbw in the first innings, and in the second, Cummins knocked over his off stump with the pink ball under lights.A hat-trick in the IPLWhen Cummins dismissed Rohit earlier this season, it was the third successive time he got the MI batter out in the IPL. Cummins had dismissed the former MI batter both times last season.Pat Cummins got rid of Rohit Sharma in both of SRH’s games against MI in IPL 2024•Associated PressMatch 55, Wankhede, IPL 2024 – c: Klaasen b: Cummins 4 (5)Last year in Mumbai, Cummins needed only two deliveries to send back the MI batter. Rohit closed the bat face early against a length ball, and the resulting leading edge went up high in the night sky before settling into the wicketkeeper’s gloves.Match 8, Hyderabad, IPL 2024 – c: Abhishek b: Cummins 26 (12)With a mammoth target of 278 in front, Rohit had no option but to go for boundaries. He picked Cummins’ first ball to hit him for a six over midwicket but failed to control the pull shot on the following delivery and was caught at deep fine leg.
Real Madrid’s teen sensation Franco Mastantuono has weighed into the GOAT debate and risked the wrath of the Bernabeu faithful by claiming former Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi deserves that title, not Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo have traded titles and accolades at the world’s biggest clubs and at international tournaments for years, but Mastantuono believes his Argentina colleague has the edge as the finest player in history.
Injured star in fitness battle
A serious groin injury has halted Mastantuono’s promising start for Los Blancos, putting the teenage sensation's season on hold. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder arrived from River Plate in August for a record £40 million ($52.4m). After a brilliant pre-season and a few sparkling appearances, including becoming the youngest-ever Champions League starter for Madrid, his campaign has now come to an abrupt halt.
Before his injury, the Argentina international had carved out a role under manager Xabi Alonso, showcasing his creative talent and ability to play between the lines. However, some critics in the Spanish media have questioned his influence in recent matches and his defensive effort, a far cry from the unstoppable form he displayed at River Plate. Now, with a long road to recovery ahead, the pressure is on the young Argentine to regain fitness and reclaim his momentum. With the recent return and excellent form of star Jude Bellingham, Mastantuono will face fierce competition for playing time upon his return, making his comeback one of the most anticipated storylines of the second half of the season.
While continuing his recovery, Mastantuono has decided to offer his opinion on who is the greatest player of all time.
AdvertisementAFP'He leaves you speechless every time he gets the ball'
The Real Madrid wonderkid told when asked to pick between Messi and Ronaldo: "I'm a Real Madrid fan and I'm at the biggest club in the world, but the best and greatest player in the world is Messi, and that will always be the case until he retires. I play with him on the national team and he's incredible. He leaves you speechless every time he gets the ball. He's admirable. It's amazing that he continues to surprise us teammates. I've played with many high-quality players, but being with him is a daily learning experience. I'm grateful for how he's always treated me. He's helped me a lot."
Ronaldo's Madrid career
Mastantuono's comments may not go down well with the Real faithful given Ronaldo's standing as a Bernabeu icon. The Portuguese striker scored 450 goals in 438 appearances for Madrid between 2009 and 2018 to become the club's all-time top scorer.
His incredible performances upfront inspired Real to four Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles, among a host of other trophies. Ronaldo eventually left the Spanish capital to join Juventus in a €100 million deal, and now plies his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.
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Getty Images SportMessi's number is up!
In September, Mastantuono created history with the Argentine national team as the Los Blancos youngster wore the iconic No. 10 for the Albiceleste in the absence of Inter Miami superstar Messi. In doing so, the teenager became the youngest player in Argentina history to don the legendary number. He did it aged 18 years and 23 days, surpassing Diego Maradona. On being given the honour, Mastantuono said: "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I didn't expect it. I didn't know I was going to wear it. It surprised me. Sharing the field with Leo and seeing how Messi represents it makes me really want to wear it. Nobody will ever be like him, but it's an honor to be able to wear a number that he wore for so long."
Teams settle for enthralling draw after Hampshire’s enterprising declaration
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Aug-2025 Hampshire 293 (Middleton 79, Weatherley 62, Taylor 5-55) and 313 for 7 dec (Gubbins 84, Organ 45*) drew with Worcestershire 249 (Libby 100*, Hose 82, Baker 5-72) and 303 for 8 (Libby 106, Kashif 65)Worcestershire produced a bold and spirited run-chase on the final day at Visit Worcestershire New Road, before the Rothesay County Championship Division One fixture against Hampshire ended in a gripping draw.Chasing a daunting target of 358 in just 53 overs after Hampshire’s enterprising post-lunch declaration on 313 for 7, the home side carried hope of completing one of the Championship’s most dramatic final-day turnarounds.In a match that ebbed and flowed throughout, it was Jake Libby’s second magnificent century of the game, a perfectly judged 106 off 122 balls, that fuelled Worcestershire’s pursuit. With solid support from Kashif Ali (65 from 79) and a string of aggressive cameos down the order, the chase was very much alive deep into the final hour. But with wickets falling, the hosts closed on 303 for 8, 55 runs shy of their target.Resuming on 139 for 2 overnight, Hampshire batted with purpose to build their second-innings lead, despite a short interruption from rain. Nick Gubbins anchored the innings with a fluent 84, while Tilak Varma added 38 and Felix Organ struck an unbeaten 45 from 54 balls.There were contributions all the way down the order, with Joe Weatherley (25), Tom Prest (27), and James Fuller (26) all chipping in to maintain momentum. Ben Allison (2 for 58) and Ethan Brookes (2 for 54) were the pick of the Worcestershire attack, with Taylor, Waite, and Finch each taking a wicket.Hampshire’s declaration just after lunch, setting Worcestershire 358 to win in a minimum of 53 overs, showed real intent, and set the stage for an enthralling afternoon.Worcestershire’s chase got off to a stuttering start when Gareth Roderick was adjudged run out for 4 in the very first over, but from then on, the home side turned the game on its head.Libby and Kashif added a superb 134 for the second wicket in just over an hour and a half. The pair struck the ball cleanly and rotated the strike with authority, bringing up their respective half-centuries in fine style. Libby, who had scored just one previous Championship hundred this season, was timing the ball sweetly and accelerated confidently after reaching fifty.Kashif, too, looked composed, striking six fours and two sixes before falling lbw to Sonny Baker for a brisk 65. At tea, Worcestershire were 61 for 1 from 15 overs, very much in the game.The final session saw drama at every turn. Worcestershire kept pushing with a string of aggressive middle-order contributions. Adam Hose clubbed a quick 25 from 18 balls before being bowled by Eddie Jack, who proved a key figure with 3 for 63. Brookes (12), D’Oliveira (37 off 23), Waite (19), and Taylor (25 from 18) all took the fight to Hampshire’s bowlers, but wickets began to fall regularly.Libby reached a majestic hundred, his 13th for Worcestershire, but was finally bowled by Fuller as he looked to push on, the score 213/5.Still, the hosts didn’t relent. D’Oliveira’s cameo, five crisp boundaries in 23 balls, briefly reignited hopes, but follow the Worcestershire skippers dismissal, Allison and Finch saw the Pears safely through to the close.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared what’s impressed him most about teenager Andre Harriman-Annous after the Hale End graduate’s senior debut against Brighton on Wednesday.
The Gunners extended their unbeaten run to 11 in all competitions whilst booking a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after their victory over Brighton.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Goals from fellow youngster Ethan Nwaneri and star winger Bukayo Saka handed Arsenal a routine win at the Emirates Stadium, despite summer signing Kepa Arrizabalaga being forced into a string of early saves to deny the Seagulls, who threatened to break through first.
The headlines initially belonged to Max Dowman, after the 15-year-old became Arsenal’s youngest ever starter.
Dowman showed flashes of brilliance on the right-hand side in place of Saka and the injured Noni Madueke, who’s believed to be making “faster-than-expected” progress in his recovery from a knee injury.
However, once the teenager was hauled off Saka, and Harriman-Annouss replaced Declan Rice, attention turned towards the latest in a long queue of star-studded talents from the Hale End production line.
Harriman-Annous, who bagged 18 goals in 37 games for the Under-21s last season, has been a regular in first-team training at London Colney with Arteta taking note.
The England Under-18 international can feel hard done by that he didn’t mark his first senior appearance for the club with a goal too, having watched Jason Steele save his one-v-one effort before Saka dispatched the rebound.
Arteta shares what's impressed him about Harriman-Annous after Arsenal debut
It was a night to remember for Harriman-Annous, with Arteta explaining in a post-match press conference why he finally gave the youngster a chance to shine at N5.
Arsenal’s boss explains that Harriman-Annous has impressed him with a fierce mentality and work ethic behind-the-scenes, with the versatile centre-forward desperate to make an impact.
Arsenal supporters have plenty of reasons to feel excited about Harriman-Annous after his debut against Brighton.
Stepping onto the pitch in a high-stakes cup match is no small feat, and the teen showed glimpses of the potential that has impressed coaches throughout his development.
His composure and confidence stood out. He demonstrated good technical skills and an understanding of the game that belies his age. For a young player making his first senior appearance, showing such calmness under pressure is a promising sign of future growth.
Harriman-Annous made the bench against Liverpool in August, and if he continues to seize his opportunities like he did against Brighton, it’s only a matter of time before he makes his first Premier League outing.