GOAL looks at which teams are feeling the heat ahead of the quarterfinals of a tournament that has certainly delivered

"We believe we can get through the group," the Palmeiras fans on the train said, "after that, it's in God's hands."

Well, perhaps someone was listening. Palmeiras were truly excellent in the group stage, good value for their round of 16 win, and well-equipped to give Chelsea a good game in the quarterfinals. The good news, though? The pressure is off. They aren't supposed to be here. A loss would be gut-wrenching for their fans, no doubt, but it would also be a culmination of an unforgettable journey.

There's heart to be taken in that.

But for others in this round, there's a bit of tension. Real Madrid are top of the list. They have to win now. They've got through the nerves, cast off their first decent European opponent. Time to grow up. The same can be said for Bayern, PSG and perhaps even Chelsea – who remain a confusing entity due to their affinity for signing pretty much everyone.

GOAL looks at who is feeling the heat heading into the last eight of the CWC.

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  8Fluminense

  The cool kids call it "the unction." Basically, it's a nice way of saying that people, specifically athletes, are old and still good. Introducing, then, a 40-year-old Thiago Silva, who remains remarkably effective at this sport despite his age.

  No, the Brazilian couldn't cut it in the Premier League anymore. Nowhere else in Europe suited him for his final years. But a soiree in the hard-nosed football he grew up on? You bet. He has led Fluminense magnificently from the back this tournament, and the team that finished 13th in Brazil's top flight last year has taken on this tournament wonderfully.

  Anything more seems a bonus.

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  7Palmeiras

  Every year, a hungry European team peers over the Palmeiras system and picks their favorite forward. Real Madrid did it with Endrick. Chelsea did it with Estevao. Allan – or perhaps someone even younger you haven't heard of – could be next. The point is, European clubs spend big on teenagers nowadays, and Palmeiras are a fine breeding ground for them.

  The interesting thing with this iteration of Palmeiras is that their jewel, Estevao, has opted to stay with the team through the CWC. He really should be playing for Chelsea by now, or at least sent on loan to some random French club.

  Point is, Chelsea don't want him playing against them on Friday night. So much for that. Estevao is playing against his parent club, and it could be a fascinating matchup. Is this the guy who will tear up Premier League defenses for years?

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  6Al Hilal

  Saudi Pro League sides and major competitions are always interesting. These are the guys who have been spending money, pinching the players that might have just had a little more to give in Europe. They want your athletes, and they also want to show that they belong here.

  The World Cup will be on their shores in 2034. By then, they want to be a global superpower so strong that even European teams fear them.

  A win against Man City showed that such an attitude may not be too far removed from the truth. Al Hilal executed their game plan perfectly, and even though they needed extra time to see of Pep Guardiola's side, a massive upset has never felt so easy to manage.

  The issue now is how far they can go. Fluminense are a fascinating opponent, if only because they play without ego. But expectations have been set high by the City win. They've beaten one of the favorites – surely the sky is the limit now?

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  5PSG

  The only reason PSG aren't higher up is that they play with such a carefree verve. They are the best team in the world, and they know it. They run like they know it. They press like they know it. They score like they know it. They like they know it.

  Even in the Champions League final – just a month ago! – they strolled into a matchup against a vastly more experienced Inter team and tore them apart. It was too easy. And there's a foreboding sense that they just might treat the rest of this competition the same way.

  Of course, the games only get trickier from here. Madrid are likely semifinal opponents. But these guys play like it doesn't matter who they're kicking a ball against.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em julho deste ano, o São Paulo anunciou a contratação de Giuliano Galoppo, que atuava no Banfield. O argentino chegou ao elenco sendo visto como a contratação mais cara de toda a história do clube, o que fez surgir uma dúvida: o que estava por trás de sua negociação, tendo em vista a dívida de R$ 700 milhões que o clube atravessa?

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Conforme apurado pelo LANCE!, o São Paulo detém um contrato de garantia deUS$ 6 milhões (cerca de R$ 31,1 milhões) para a criação de um fundo. Este fundo teria algumas propriedades de marketing inseridas nele, comoa receita da SPFCPlay, placas, entre outros pontos correlatos.

Para este fundo ser ativo, teria que passar por uma série de estágios burocráticos, a fim de chegar até a fase de captação. O Tricolor, por sua vez, já estaria nesta fase final.

A contratação de Galoppo teria sido feita apenas com o contrato de garantia, semo dinheiro em caixa. Ainda conforme o informado ao LANCE!, a principal justificativa atrelada a isso seria o fato da janela de transferências estar próxima de fechar no período que o jogador chegou no São Paulo, assim, o clube viu uma boa oportunidade para começar a reformulação de elenco para a próxima temporada e a aproveitou.

Segundo o que o LANCE! levantou anteriormente, o pagamento de Galoppo foi feito através de um sistema de cotas aos patrocinadores e criptomoedas.

– Foi um sistema de cotas. Basicamente o marketing reuniu todo mundo que já está com a gente e propôs um aumento de repasse em troca de maior exposição e do direito de uso da imagem do Galoppo – disse ao L! uma fonte de dentro do Morumbi.

O jogador foi encontrado pela equipe de análise do Tricolor e foi visto pela diretoria como o atleta ideal para substituir Gabriel Sara, vendido ao Norwich, da Inglaterra. Com esta necessidade, era preciso agir durante a janela de transferência.

O L! ainda apurou que, na verdade,o valor do Galoppo é bem inferior a US$ 6 milhões (cerca de R$ 31,1 milhões). Além disso, o São Paulo estaria com todos os pagamentos em dia com o Banfield. Já a diferença captada será aplicada da maneira que o financeiro e o futebol considerarem mais adequado.

A vinda do argentinofoi questionada nesses dias em que o caos financeiro do Tricolor veio à tona.

O L! levantou que o São Paulo conseguiu diminuir de R$ 18 milhões para R$ 3 milhões a dívida com o plantel. Permanecem atrasados até dois meses de direito de imagem de alguns jogadores e outras luvas e premiações.

Para tentar resolver o problema, haverá a busca pela antecipação da receita das vendas de jogadores revelados pelo clube no futebol europeu.

Havia a expectativa que a venda de Gabriel Sara por R$ 60 milhões ao Norwich, e os quase R$ 110 milhões das transferências de Antony e Casemiro ao Manchester United fossem suficiente para encerrar os débitos. Mas o parcelamento dos valores atrapalhou os planos.

No caso de Antony, o Tricolor vai receber o montante em cinco anos – não necessariamente em parcelas iguais. Já os valores de Casemiro (cerca de R$ 10 milhões) e Gabriel Sara serão depositados nos próximos três anos.

Após a partida em Belo Horizonte (MG), o diretor de futebol Carlos Belmonte explicou a situação tricolor.

– Na verdade, quando a gente tem uma derrota como essa que tivemos, que dói em todo mundo, acaba sendo natural que a torcida fique infeliz. Aí surgem ataques absurdos, como dizer os jogadores estavam discutindo bicho antes da partida contra o Independiente del Valle. Primeiro que isso estava decidido há quase dois meses. E para deixar mais claro ainda, o nível do caráter que tem esse elenco aqui, nós não pagamos nem o bicho da vitória que nos levou à final, contra o Atlético-GO. Não foi pago porque a gente passa por um momento difícil. Mas vai ser pago – disse, ao canal ‘Sportv’.

O L! apurou ainda junto a fontes do Morumbi que um dos motivos para o atraso no pagamento do bicho pela classificação à final da Sul-Americana e que não houve até o momento o repasse da premiação por parte da Conmebol.

In a radical step to regulate the pace of play, the ICC has said it will experiment with having a stop clock between overs. A penalty of five runs will be imposed on the bowling side if they fail three times in an innings to start the new over within a minute.The move, which was approved by the chief executives committee, will be restricted to men’s ODIs and T20Is, and will be tested on a “trial basis” for six months between this December and April 2024. The first instance where this will be used will be in the upcoming three-match ODI series between West Indies and England, which begins on December 3.”The clock will be used to regulate the amount of time taken between overs,” the ICC said in a media release on Tuesday. “If the bowling team is not ready to bowl the next over within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed, a five-run penalty will be imposed the third time it happens in an innings.”In 2022, the ICC had introduced an in-match penalty in ODIs and T20Is – in both men’s and women’s cricket – to combat slow over rates. Currently, as per the playing conditions, the sanction for both formats is: if the fielding team fails to start the final over by the stipulated time, they are docked one fielder from outside the 30-yard circle.The third umpire, through a timer, regulates the time while accounting for any stoppages, before relaying it to the on-field match officials. The rule was introduced in T20Is in January and in ODIs during the World Cup Qualifiers in June-July earlier this year. That sanction is in addition to monetary fines teams have to pay for slow over rates under the ICC’s playing conditions.Having a stop clock is not an unprecedented move in sport, with tennis using the ‘shot clock’ where a player gets 25 seconds to get ready to serve between points. The ‘shot clock’ was also suggested by the MCC’s World Cricket Committee in 2018 to combat slow over rates in all three formats. The MCC committee, which included former international captains Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly and Kumar Sangakkara, had recommended the ‘shot clock’ would be used during the “dead time” in a game.The clock, Ponting, at the time, had explained would not be operation during an over. “It is the dead time in the game, so at the end of the over the fielders and the bowlers have to be back in the position and ready to bowl at a certain time. That is a non-negotiable. The same with the new batsman coming to the crease – the bowling team has to be ready when the batsman gets there and he has had certain amount of time.”

Cameron Bancroft made 100 against South Australia, to push his case for a Test recall, while Aaron Hardie made 99 to put Western Australia in a strong position

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2023

Cameron Bancroft enhanced his chances of a Test recall by posting another Sheffield Shield century.Bancroft’s 100 gifted Western Australia the upper hand against South Australia in their Adelaide Oval fixture. WA were 377 for 8 at stumps after Saturday’s third day of play, a lead of 354 runs over the Redbacks.Related

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Bancroft’s latest ton boosts his case to replace David Warner as Australia’s Test opener when the incumbent retires from the format in January.The WA righthander’s Shield season includes scores of 100, 57, 91 and 122. Those feats follow his stellar Shield achievements last season when he was the competition’s leading run-scorer with 945 at an imposing average of 59.06.Bancroft’s 25th first-class hundred put the reigning Shield champions in a strong position entering the last day. He absorbed 221 balls and struck eight fours in his century, and his team-mate Aaron Hardie narrowly missed a milestone when dismissed for 99. He was given out lbw to Harry Conway after striking 13 fours and a six in his 131-ball stay.Hardie combined with Bancroft for a century stand before the latter fell just after his milestone against the second new ball, edging Nathan McAndrew behind.Sam Whiteman made 51 in a 104-run opening stand with Bancroft to continue his good form but was run out by a direct hit from Jake Carder although replays showed it was a very close call.Conway, Wes Agar and Ben Manenti took two wickets each for the home side to ensure WA never got away from them but they will need to bat well on the final day if they are to win or avoid defeat.

AC Milan are interested in signing Mateo Retegui, but face competition from Saudi Arabia, as Atalanta set their asking price for the striker.

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Milan interested in ReteguiAtalanta set asking price of €50mAl-Qadisiyah also interested Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Atalanta have set an asking price of €50 million (£43m/$58m) for Retegui, but Milan value the player at only €40m (£34m/$47m), according to Italian media reports. However, according to in Italy, Saudi club Al-Qadisiyah are ready to offer a sum in the region of €60m (£51m/$70m) to secure the services of the player.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Retegui scored 25 goals in Serie A while playing for Atalanta last season, securing the title of Capocannoniere (league top scorer). With Tammy Abraham moving to Turkish side Besiktas and Luka Jovic becoming a free agent, AC Milan are left with only one active striker, Santiago Gimenez. Sporting director Igli Tare has stated that he intends to support Gimenez while also searching for a traditional number nine.

DID YOU KNOW?

Milan are close to completing the signature of Italian midfielder Samuele Ricci from Torino. While having completed a deal for Luka Modric on a free transfer, they are in negotiations with Club Brugge for Ardon Jashari.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR RETEGUI AND MILAN ?

With Massimiliano Allegri beginning pre-season as early as Monday, Milan will hope to get a few deals done quickly so that the Italian tactician can start the season in optimal condition. For Retegui, who had a stellar 2024-25 campaign, he will assess all the options on the table before making his next move.

His second century in as many games lifted South Africa to 311, and Australia barely got going in the chase

Vithushan Ehantharajah12-Oct-20231:10

Moody: Australia look like a side put together in the last minute

If South Africa really do want to move through this 2023 World Cup under the radar, they must do better than this. Because in wiping the floor with Australia in Lucknow, winning by a mammoth 134 runs for their second victory in as many games, they have put out one hell of a statement that is impossible to ignore.As ever, Quinton de Kock made the most noise, crashing 109 up top as South Africa put up 311 for 7 having been asked to bat first. Australia’s decision at the toss, and the moves to reinforce their batting with Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis drafted in for Alex Carey and Cameron Green, came to nothing. A lack of impetus with the ball and errors in the field spilled into their chase – dead and buried as early as the 18th over at 70 for 6. Two straight defeats mean they can afford little room for error in the remaining seven games of the league stage.Related

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It’s not news that this tournament will be de Kock’s last appearances in the ODI format, but it is worth remembering on nights like these. The 30-year-old is departing the scene at the peak of his powers, following a crisp 100 in the opening victory against Sri Lanka with this classy 91-ball jaunt to three figures. The 13 boundaries – five of them sixes – were crispy as you’d like against some of the most accomplished white ball bowlers on the circuit. Hundred No.19 was as much a reminder of the stock of a modern limited-overs great, as a word to the wise that South Africa are gunning for the their first world title.As poor as they were, Australia have cause to lament two decisions against them. Steven Smith was given out LBW as an on-field decision was overturned on DRS despite the naked eye suggesting the ball was on its way past leg stump. Of far greater doubt was the decision to send Marcus Stoinis on his way for a catch down the leg side. Stoinis’ bottom hand was off the bat when in contact with the ball, with television umpire Richard Kettleborough suggesting it was in contact with the top hand, which did not seem to be the case from the front-on view. Kagiso Rabada was the bowler to profit from both, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 33.However, it will be far more productive for Australia to assess their own mistakes, missing an eye-watering seven chances in the first half of this counter. Temba Bavuma was on the right end of three of them. A top edge on 15 caught Adam Zampa lacking at deep third, before an edge off the leg spinner was missed with the Proteas skipper on 19. He was then lucky to continue his innings on 31 when a relay catch on the midwicket boundary could not be completed after substitute fielder Sean Abbott’s overarm toss back into play went over the head of Mitchell Starc.Quinton de Kock kicked off the 2023 World Cup with back-to-back tons•AFP/Getty ImagesPat Cummins then shelled a caught-and-bowled from Aiden Markram, allowing him to move on from 1 to 56 from 44 deliveries, before two more errors in the penultimate over of the innings; Starc shelled David Miller (on 10) at deep square leg and Stoinis botched a simpler opportunity at cover off Marco Jansen (25). Factor in a spurned run out of de Kock when looking for a single on 22 at the end of the sixth over, and the collective malaise tots up to a galling 170 runs.The crux of de Kock’s assault was the clarity of every shot in anger. The early swing and seam available to Starc and Josh Hazlewood, respectively, lent itself to a quiet start. The opening batter soon turned up the volume with a flick for six over square leg off the former, followed by a brace of fours, guided then driven square, off the latter, across the fifth and sixth over.His steady progress allowed Bavuma to go at his own pace, pitching in with 17 from the 53 managed in the powerplay, then 35 in the overall opening stand of 108 before falling to Maxwell to a catch at deep midwicket. Though Maxwell was able to follow that up with a maiden against de Kock in the 22nd over, the left-hander made amends in the 23rd with a brace of sixes over backward square leg off Hazlewood.A half-century stand for the second wicket ended with Rassie van der Dussen falling to Zampa, failing to clear straight where, this time, Abbott had enough room between him and the sponge to complete the dismissal himself. Eight deliveries later, de Kock heaved over the leg side for his fifth six to bring up his third ODI hundred against Australia.With the score 171 for 2 and 20 overs remaining, the threat of an insurmountable total was taking its toll on Cummins, evident when he burned a review against de Kock – on 104 – for a speculative outside edge off his own bowling. But the wicket they craved would come, de Kock trying to force the issue with a reverse sweep that made its way onto his own stumps.That was the second batter to fall to Maxwell, who would eventually close out his 10 overs without conceding a boundary as they continued to flow elsewhere. Markram and Heinrich Klassen combined to heap more misery on Hazlewood in the 38th, with three boundaries in an over costing 14. The pair brought up another fifty stand – this one off 41 deliveries. Markram would take as many himself to bring up one of his own in the midst of Zampa’s final two overs getting carted for 25.Kagiso Rabada was at the centre of South Africa’s bowling excellence•ICC/Getty ImagesAt that point – 263 for 3 with seven overs to go – Australia began to pull things back with pace-off deliveries. Cummins nabbed Markram with a cutter guided to backward point, then Klaasen top-edged Hazlewood’s slower bumper through to Inglis – both in the space of seven deliveries.Starc was struck for a six by Jansen, who then skewed over third up in the ring for four. The left-armer then dropped Miller on 10, having seemingly caught a tough chance at backward square leg only for the ball to pop out as he bumped to the ground. Two balls later, Stoinis shelled an easier high chance at cover for Jansen’s life.Starc would close things out emphatically – Warner catching Jansen, Miller yorked – in a final over which would reap just one run via a leg bye. Australia looked back in contention with the damage from the final seven overs limited to just 48 runs.Unfortunately, South Africa’s quicks had been taking notes. And in among the movement with the two shiny new Kookaburras were variations that accounted for Australia’s openers Mitchell Marsh and David Warner in seven deliveries up to the end of the seventh over. Marsh skied to Bavuma at mid off after Jansen got a delivery to stop in the pitch, before Warner slapped a similar ball straight to cover in the second of Lungi Ngidi’s two maidens in the first four overs of his 50th ODI.Then came Smith’s contentious LBW appeal, having struck two crisp fours off Rabada, who left nothing up for debate when squaring up Inglis to take out the right-hander’s off stump. When Maxwell’s leading edge gave Keshav Maharaj a simple return catch, Australia’s goose was well and truly cooked at 65 for 5 with 247 still required from 33.5 overs.A defiant stand of 69 – the second highest of the match – was put together by Marnus Labuschagne and Starc after Stoinis fell. The aim was solely NRR preservation, clawing back what pride they could before extra bounce from Jansen and a chip to cover off Maharaj saw another two dismissals.Cummins and Zampa heaved for 32 more between them, before Tabraiz Shamsi – playing instead of Gerald Coetzee – took two in three, Cummins and Hazlewood skying into the off side, to have something to show for his day.The moment of victory arrived with 9.1 overs to go. But really, the match was done a long time before.

MatériaMais Notícias

Dorival Júnior vinha ao Flamengo, geralmente, como um treinador para “apagar incêndios” e tentar contornar situações que não estavam tão boas. Até esta temporada. O treinador foi um dos responsáveis pela volta por cima do Rubro-Negro nos títulos da Copa do Brasil e Libertadores, e entrou para a histíria do clube.

+ Gabigol decide mais uma Libertadores pelo Flamengo e fica a poucos passos de Zico

O treinador teve outras duas passagens pelo clube, em 2012/13 e 2018. Na primeira, assumiu o Flamengo ainda com riscos de ser rebaixado no Brasileirão. Na outra, chegou ao clube com “data de validade” e classificou a equipe para a Libertadores de 2019 – que terminou em título.

Sempre que pôde, Dorival falou com carinho sobre as outras oportunidades que teve e que “sabia que um dia iria retornar ao Flamengo”. O comandante, vale lembrar, estava em boa fase no Ceará antes de aceitar o convite do Rubro-Negro – o Vozão estava na fase mata-mata da Copa Sul-Americana.

Era praticamente o destino que o técnico tivesse uma real chance de desenvolver um trabalho no Rubro-Negro. Ela chegou. Dorival foi responsável por “limpar a poeira” deixada pelo conturbado trabalho de Paulo Sousa, deu uma nova cara à equipe e entrou para a história: dois títulos em uma temporada.

– Se eu fizer um apanhado da minha carreira, são 13 títulos e 5 vices. É muito difícil, nunca fiz alarde, nunca me preocupei, sempre fiz trabalhos em equipes vencedoras. Saí em momentos que as equipes estavam próximas de grandes conquistas, nunca me preocupei em tentar ser lembrado. Em algum momento eu sabia que teria uma oportunidade, sabia que voltaria ao Flamengo. Quero agradecer a oportunidade – afirmou o treinador após o duelo.

Os títulos pelo Flamengo chegaram dez anos depois da primeira passagem e, com eles, o reconhecimento eterno por reerguer o clube em uma temporada que parecia há meses. Dorival Júnior está na história do Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.

A day after being released by Gujarat Titans, the keeper-batter made the second-fastest List A hundred by an Indian batter

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2023

A day after he was released by Gujarat Titans, Urvil Patel scored an unbeaten 41-ball 100 for his state side Gujarat in their Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Arunachal Pradesh in Chandigarh. Urvil’s century was the second-fastest by an Indian batter in List A cricket.Yusuf Pathan leads the list of fastest List A hundreds by Indians with a 40-ball ton for Baroda against Maharashtra in 2010. Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav are third and fourth in the list, having scored tons off 42 and 50 balls respectively.Opening the batting in a chase of 160, the right-hand keeper-batter slammed nine fours and seven sixes on his way to the landmark, and ensured that Gujarat reached their target in just 13 overs. With two wins in three matches, Gujarat are second in Group D, behind Rajasthan on net run rate. Gujarat’s next fixture is against Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday,Urvil, who made his debut in the 2017-18 season, has scored 204 runs in 10 List A innings at an average of 29.14 and a strike rate of 112.08. He has also played 41 T20 games, in which he has scored 847 runs at 21.17 and 155.41.Titans signed Urvil, who hails from Mehsana in Gujarat, for INR 20 lakh during the 2023 IPL auction. With Wriddhiman Saha, KS Bharat and Mathew Wade ahead of him in the wicketkepeers’ queue, Urvil did not get a chance to feature in IPL 2023. Titans finished the seasons as runners-up, losing to Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling final in Ahmedabad.

Waqar Younis has voiced his alarm at the lack of pace in Pakistan’s Test attack as they search for a way back into their Test series against Australia.During the first Test in Perth, Pakistan’s pace bowlers – Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal and Faheem Ashraf – rarely broke the 140kph mark although they did give the Australia batters some uneasy moments in the second innings as cracks emerged on the Optus Stadium surface.Pakistan were comprehensively beaten by 360 runs, bowled out for 89 in their second innings, and to compound their woes have lost Shahzad, who impressed on debut, to a series-ending rib injury. It will mean an enforced change at the MCG with either Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr or Mir Hamza coming into the attack, but Waqar remains unconvinced.Related

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“Another thing that I’m worried about is that always when we come to Australia, one thing that excites is the fast bowling and this time around I’m not seeing that,” he said on ESPN’s show. “I’m seeing medium-pacers or slow-medium-pacers, allrounders, there’s no real pace. People used to come and watch Pakistan pace bowlers really running in hard and bowling 150 clicks [kph], and that’s what I’m not seeing there.”That’s my worry and issue because I have not seen it at the domestic level also. There are a few injured, I can understand, but in the past you would always see a battery of fast bowlers that they could always bring on, but unfortunately that is not there and I’m really worried about that.”Shaheen Afridi was below his best in Perth•Getty Images

Naseem Shah, who was also ruled out of the World Cup with injury, was a big loss while Haris Rauf opted to play the BBL for Melbourne Stars instead of the Test series. Pakistan will need much more from Afridi, who claimed 2 for 172 in Perth, if they are to challenge Australia but Waqar had particular concerns about his loss of pace.”I’m not really sure what’s wrong with him,” he said. “If he’s not fit, if he’s got some issues, he needs to go away from the game and fix that because if you are going to carry on like that you are going to become a medium-pacer. He used to bowl 145-150kph and used to swing that ball. What I’m seeing now, yes there’s a little bit of swing but his pace is way down… and that is not going to get him wickets.”Watching the first Test match was painful. We had moments, we had opportunities where we could have pulled the game back a bit but we didn’t take the opportunities. When Pakistan come to Australia they have to make sure their fielding is spotless… because Australia batsmen, if you give them opportunities, they’ll take it with both hands and make it big and that’s what we saw in Perth.”

علق عبد الله بستنجي، لاعب منتخب مصر للشباب، على الهزيمة أمام الأهلي، بهدف دون رد، في المباراة الودية التي جمعت بينهما أمس الأحد، ضمن الاستعداد للموسم الجديد.

وقال عبد الله بستنجي في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “مباراة الأهلي أصعب مواجهة خضناها مع منتخب مصر، حتى لو هي مباراة ودية، خسرنا بهدف مقابل لا شيء، نتيجة جيدة ومرضية”.

وتابع: “قدمنا أداءً جيداً ومميزاً وكنا منظمين ضد الأهلي، نحن نتعلم من هذه المباريات، وهذا أفضل اختبار لأننا لعبنا أمام الأهلي”.

طالع أيضاً..أسامة نبيه يعلق على هزيمة منتخب مصر للشباب أمام الأهلي

وتابع: “طاهر محمد طاهر كان يلعب في مركزي وهو أكثر لاعب أرهقني في الملعب، اللعب عليه صعب، وأحمد عابدين مدافع كبير وأرتاح في اللعب بجانبه”.

واختتم: “أحلم بميدالية في كأس العالم للشباب، الموضوع صعب ولكن ممكن يحدث، أي أحد يسمع هذا الكلام سيكون الأمر صعبًا بالنسبة له، بطولة إفريقيا لم تكن سهلة ولكن استطعنا أن نحصل على المطلوب منها وتأهلنا لكأس العالم للشباب”.