It’s been an incredible summer for Arsenal so far this year.

On top of kicking off their Premier League campaign with back-to-back wins, the Gunners have gone big in the transfer market, with Eberechi Eze arguably being their best signing in years.

The former Crystal Palace star could be just the player Mikel Arteta has needed for years, someone who’s a mercurial creator and dangerous goalscorer from several areas on the pitch.

Moreover, the North Londoners now look set to sign another international star who could form the perfect partnership with him.

Arsenal target perfect teammate for Eze

While Arsenal have spent big in previous windows, fans have not seen the club spend this much money and sign this many top-quality players in one summer before.

Transfer Focus

Andrea Berta has significantly strengthened the squad with the additions of Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera, and has improved the starting lineup with stars like Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, and Eze.

Yet, the Italian journalist isn’t done there, as he now looks set to bring in another international ace who’ll be incredible alongside the Englishman.

At least that is according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has provided an update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Piero Hincapie.

The Italian journalist has revealed that the North Londoners are now “closing in on” the defender and that an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen is “almost done.”

Interestingly, while reports from earlier this week suggested that the German side wanted £52m for the Ecuadorian, they have now accepted a loan deal with an obligation to buy.

Hincapie is an exciting signing in his own right, but he could be even more effective for Arsenal alongside Eze.

Why Hincapie will be unreal with Eze

So long as he lives up to the expectations people have of him, Hincapie will likely be a brilliant teammate for every player at Arsenal, but we think he could form an especially effective partnership with Eze.

One of the main reasons is where on the pitch the Englishman might play, as, although he spent most of last season in the middle of the park, there is a good chance he will start many games for the club from the left wing.

However, as his heat maps from the last couple of years show, even when he is out wide, he likes to move towards the centre of the pitch the closer he gets to the penalty area.

Now, given how Arsenal’s left-hand side currently functions, that wouldn’t be ideal, as it would make the team far narrower and make life easier for opposition defenders.

However, with the Leverkusen star in the team, that wouldn’t be the case, as while he might not be quite as gung ho as a Jeremie Frimpong, for example, he is still very much an overlapping full-back.

In other words, the “Ecuadorian football legend in the making,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, will be the one to provide the width in place of Eze, bombing up and down the pitch and overlapping with the 27-year-old.

Interestingly, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as “a left-sided Ben White,” which, given the Poole-born star’s partnership with Bukayo Saka on the right, should excite fans about what could happen on the left this season.

Bundesliga

116

10

Europa League

26

1

Champions League

14

1

DFB-Pokal

9

0

DFL Super Cup

1

0

Moreover, playing both the 23-year-old “beast”, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and the Greenwich-born star in the same team will mean Arteta can get the best out of both, as their natural games complement each other and cover for their deficiencies.

Ultimately, while Hincapie will be another defender for Arsenal, the impact he could have on the team could make them and Eze far more potent in attack.

Player pushing to join Arsenal for £43m as Berta hopes to strike late deal

The north Londoners are not done yet this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 29, 2025

Temba Bavuma expressed disappointment at his “soft dismissal” and at failing to set up a foundation for the middle order as South Africa went down by 50 runs against New Zealand in the second semi-final of the Champions Trophy in Lahore.Chasing a mammoth 363, South Africa got off to a good start, reaching 125 for 1 in the 23rd over. With Rassie van der Dussen and Bavuma having added 105 for the second wicket, South Africa could have harboured hopes of chasing the target down, but both batters fell in quick succession to disrupt their plans.”Ideally, you would’ve wanted the both of us to keep going – at least till the 30th over. We know how destructive our middle order can be when they’re coming in that last 20 overs,” Bavuma said at the post-match presentation. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to set that foundation for them. Little bit of a soft dismissal, at least from my side. I think that just left too much for our middle order.”Related

• Philander: South Africa shouldn't be hasty with 'fantastic leader' Bavuma

• Miller puts weight behind New Zealand after 'not ideal' semi-final scheduling

• Keshav Maharaj goes from hunter to hunted as New Zealand shelve the fear factor

• South Africa down but not out after loss that will help them 'keep learning'

• Ravindra and Williamson set up title bout with India

Bavuma admitted 363 was always going to be a tough chase, and South Africa needed all of their batters to stand up and string partnerships. David Miller hammered an unbeaten 67-ball century but didn’t get much support from the others as South Africa were kept to 312 for 9.For New Zealand, both Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson smashed hundreds, and Bavuma felt either he or van der Dussen needed to match those efforts and stay right till the end.”Yeah, look, I do think it [target] was above par. I think as well as they bat, we felt that if [the target was] anything around 350 – not over 350 – we’d back ourselves to chase the score with the wicket hopefully getting better,” Bavuma said. “From a batting point of view, we just weren’t able to really get those partnerships. There were one or two partnerships there, but I think you probably needed either myself or Rassie van der Dussen to go on and emulate what their top four batters did.”But yeah, 360 was always going to be tough. It was always going to require someone to play well. We had David who did that, but we probably needed someone else as well.”Bavuma also heaped praise on the New Zealand batters. While Ravindra scored 108 and Williamson 102, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips contributed a quick 49 each to put the target beyond South Africa.David Miller hit a 67-ball hundred, but New Zealand had both Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson score centuries•AFP/Getty Images

“They really put us under pressure from the get-go, [with] the way they were able to pierce the off side, and I think even in the middle [overs], how they were able to just keep scoring boundaries,” Bavuma said. “Normally, we pride ourselves in our ability to take wickets – especially in that middle period – but we weren’t able to. Obviously, if you go into the death phase with wickets in hand, it always becomes difficult to contain them, especially on these type of wickets. So yeah, kudos to them.”Credit to their betters, Kane Williamson, Rachin, and even the guys who came in as well – Mitchell, as well as Phillips. They put us under pressure with the bat.”New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was also effusive in his praise for Williamson, who scored his century at more than a run a ball.”Yeah, he keeps doing it,” Santner said. “I think that partnership [with Ravindra] was massive for us. It looked like he might’ve been frustrated at times but he was able to keep going and get through little periods where South Africa had challenged us. I think they decided to flip the switch a little bit earlier and were able to kind of cash in, and then the boys to back that up and the finish to get us up to 360, where probably 320 may not have been enough.”New Zealand meet India in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday, in a replay of the title match from 25 years ago.

MatériaMais Notícias

Thiago de Camillis chegou ao Botafogo em 2019 e trabalha atualmente como treinador do time sub-20 alvinegro. O técnico concedeu uma entrevista exclusiva ao LANCE! e comentou sobre as recentes transformações que vêm ocorrendo nas categorias de base do clube.

RelacionadasBotafogoVeja cinco motivos GLORIOSOS para Luís Castro não trocar o Botafogo pelo Al-NassrBotafogo27/06/2023BotafogoASSINA, ESCOLHIDO! LANCE! CRIA ABAIXO-ASSINADO PARA O ‘FICO’ DE LUÍS CASTRO NO BOTAFOGOBotafogo27/06/2023BotafogoLaterais apresentam atuações seguras e comprovam bom momento do BotafogoBotafogo27/06/2023

– A base do Botafogo vem passando por um processo de transformação profunda desde houve a transformação do clube para SAF. Em todos os aspectos, existe mais investimento financeiro, mais profissionais envolvidos em todos os departamentos e uma diretriz metodológica bem definida. Muitos efeitos já são perceptivos e outros virão com o tempo.

+ Vitória do Botafogo sobre o Palmeiras rende enxurrada de memes na web

+ Textor confirma proposta saudita por Castro e comenta futuro do técnico no Botafogo: ‘Decisão difícil’

O treinador trabalhou nos últimos meses com grandes promessas do Botafogo como Bernardo Valim, Raí e Sapata. O técnico acredita que estes jovens ainda estão em processo de adaptação, mas renderão bons frutos futuramente.

– São ótimos jogadores. Hoje ainda estamos em fase de adaptação e de melhoria em muitos aspectos, mas com um potencial de crescimento enorme, que logo vai se transformar em excelentes resultados no campo, em vendas de jogadores e, consequentemente, em retorno financeiro do investimento que vem sendo feito.

Thiago de Camillis fez uma análise da “Botafogo Way”, que consiste na unificação da metodologia de trabalho em todas as categorias do clube. O comandante acredita que este modelo levará bastante tempo para ser implementado, mas será benéfico para base.

– Avalio como uma excelente oportunidade de se criar um DNA formador. Desde os processos, métodos e perfis de profissionais, até uma ideia unificada de jogo. Como dito anteriormente, algumas coisas já são perceptíveis no clube e outras ainda estão em fase de adaptação. Essas coisas demandam um pouco mais de tempo para serem notadas.

+ Botafogo organiza jogo festivo para despedida de Joel Carli e planeja evento com fotos e autógrafos no Nilton Santos

CONFIRA OUTROS TRECHOS DA ENTREVISTA

TRANSIÇÃO ENTRE BASE E PROFISSIONAL

– Acho que todas as dimensões do jogo andam junto na formação. O jogo não as separa. Claro que deve haver um profissional adequado para cada área e que demandas especiais devem ser tratadas também de maneira especial. Entendendo que cada indivíduo tem seu próprio ritmo de desenvolvimento, seja mental, físico ou técnico.

PLANEJAMENTO DA CARREIRA DOS JOVENS

– Essa é a pergunta de 1 milhão de dólares. A velocidade com que o futebol e o mundo vem se transformando nos últimos 20 anos é absurda. O que eu vivi nos meus tempos de atleta é muito diferente do que se vive hoje. As ofertas são outras, as facilidades são outras e as dificuldades também. Noto uma série de diferenças e diversos fatores influenciadores. Mas ainda acho que família e educação são ainda os meios mais eficientes para que um jovem faça boas escolhas.

FUTURO DA BASE DO BOTAFOGO

– Se continuarmos nesse caminho, acho que estaremos, em alguns anos, no nível dos melhores clubes do Brasil.

Sunderland have now submitted an offer for an “unreal” centre-back, according to a significant update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Sunderland's summer spree set to continue

It has been a memorable summer for the Black Cats, who have built on their Championship promotion last season by making 11 permanent signings in total to date.

Granit Xhaka is arguably the most high-profile addition, with the Swiss arriving from Bayer Leverkusen and immediately being made Sunderland captain, helping his side beat West Ham 3-0 in their Premier League opener on Saturday afternoon.

Habib Diarra and Simon Adingra have come in as the Black Cats’ two most expensive additions of the summer, however, joining from Strasbourg and Brighton respectively, looking to bolster Regis Le Bris’ midfield and wide options.

The early signs certainly bode well for Sunderland, in terms of their new signings ensuring that they avoid relegation straight back down to the Championship, but their business might not be done there.

Sunderland’s 11 permanent summer signings	Joined from	Price
Habib Diarra	Strasbourg	£27.1m
Simon Adingra	Brighton	£21m
Enzo Le Fee	Roma	£19.8m
Chemsdine Talbi	Club Brugge	£17.2m
Noah Sadiki	Union SG	£14.6m
Granit Xhaka	Bayer Leverkusen	£12.9m
Nordi Mukiele	Paris Saint-Germain	£10.3m
Omar Alderete	Getafe	£9.8m
Robin Roefs	NEC Nijmegen	£9m
Reinildo Mandava	Atletico Madrid	free transfer
Arthur Masuaku	Besiktas	free transfer

Sunderland submit bid for "unreal" centre-back

Now, Romano has taken to X to claim that Sunderland have tabled an offer for Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumi, as their summer of spending continues. He is keen to seal move to the club.

Lucumi could be just what the Black Cats are after, with the 27-year-old an experienced head but really rising into a star over the last couple of seasons, bringing high level talent and physical dominance to Le Bris’ back-line.

He is a 29-cap Colombia international, which is no mean feat, and after 94 appearances in Serie A, he may like the idea of testing himself in the Premier League.

Younger Xhaka: Sunderland could hijack move to sign "phenomenal" £30m star

Sunderland are reportedly interested in signing a star who is a younger version of Granit Xhaka.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 16, 2025

Lucumi was once backed to become a “great” centre-back” by scout Jacek Kulig, while journalist Ethan Todd described him as “unreal” earlier this summer.

The Colombian would be a statement 12th permanent signing of the summer for Sunderland, assuming the deal goes through, as their squad goes from strength to strength amid their efforts to remain a Premier League team beyond this season.

Iyer, who scored a match-winning half-century, was originally meant to sit out the first ODI

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Feb-2025

Shreyas Iyer came out all guns blazing in the first ODI•BCCI

Shreyas Iyer, who scored a match-winning 36-ball 59 in the first ODI against England in Nagpur, was originally meant to sit out the match. Iyer revealed this in a post-match interview with the broadcasters.India were without Virat Kohli, who was ruled out of the match with a swollen right knee, and they handed the opener Yashasvi Jaiswal an ODI debut. Rather than coming in for the injured Kohli, however, it has emerged that Jaiswal may have been part of India’s original line-up for the match, with Iyer, their regular No. 4, due to start the series on the bench.Iyer revealed that he only came to know he was playing via a late-night call from captain Rohit Sharma.”So, funny story,” Iyer said. “I was watching a movie last night, I thought I could extend my night, but then I got a call from skipper saying that you may play because Virat has got a swollen knee. And then [I] hurried back to my room, went off to sleep straightaway.”Related

India's left-arm orthodox spin twins give them a good headache to have

Rohit: Varun 'definitely in contention' for Champions Trophy

Kohli misses first ODI against England with injury

Gill, Shreyas and Axar provide the firepower as India go 1-0 up

Asked about Jaiswal starting ahead of him, Iyer kept his answer diplomatic. “You know what you want me to say, but I’m going to keep it low-key and cherish this moment, the victory today.”Jaiswal’s addition necessitated a shuffle in India’s line-up, breaking up their regular opening partnership of Rohit and Shubman Gill, with Gill moving down to No. 3. It is as yet unclear who would have batted at No. 3 had Kohli also been available.Iyer has established himself as India’s ODI No. 4 over recent years, and was a vital member of their line-up during their run to the final of the 2023 World Cup, scoring 530 runs at an average of 66.25, with two hundreds including a 70-ball 105 in the semi-final against New Zealand. His strike rate of 113.24 was the best among India’s middle-order batters.The series against England is India’s last set of ODIs before the Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19. India are set to open their tournament with a match against Bangladesh on February 20.It’s not yet clear that India’s original top order for Thursday’s match indicates how they are looking to line up at the Champions Trophy. With Jaiswal uncapped, it is possible they may have been looking to give him game time in this series to keep him ready to play in case India lose one of their regular openers. Gill’s move to the middle order could have been aimed at testing him out in that role should the need arise to replace a middle-order batter. Jaiswal’s left-handedness could also be a factor: there is no left-hand batter in India’s first-choice top six from the World Cup.

Thomas Frank has confirmed that he would love Tottenham to re-sign Harry Kane from Bayern Munich. The England captain departed north London in 2023 and has won the Bundesliga in Germany, but Frank has now confirmed that he would be more than willing to welcome him back with open arms, should the opportunity arise.

A clause in Kane's contract

Football.London has reported that Kane is believed to have a release clause in his contract worth just under £57 million ($77m) that kicks in next summer, provided the striker confirms his desire to leave before the end of the January window. Spurs also have first option on their former talisman, having negotiated the clause when he was sold. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesCould he make emotional return?

Kane is only 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer's Premier League goals record, and there are said to be fears within Bayern that he could leave before the end of his four-year contract. The 32-year-old has won the trophy he long craved in Germany, and may now be minded to return to his homeland. 

Frank fans flames

Spurs boss Frank has insisted that he would love to have Kane in his squad, should he become available. 

He said: "I think there’s a lot of Tottenham fans including myself who would like to see Kane back. He’s a top player. Personally, I don't think he will do it right now, if I’m honest, he’ll probably stay in Bayern and continue performing well.

"He was top scorer last year and won the championship, he’s doing fantastic now. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Myself, I’m a traveller, I like to travel, I like to explore things as well. He’s been here for many years so why not enjoy the time at Bayern a little bit more.

"But he’s welcome. If he wants to join us, he’s more than welcome."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyTwists and turns to come

Kane's future is likely to be in the spotlight until January, given the apparent existence of the exit clause in his contract. He will next be in action when Bayern play Werder Bremen on Friday. Spurs, meanwhile, are set to face Doncaster in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday night.

This Saturday, Spurs will have initially hoped to have paraded a certain England international by the name of Eberechi Eze around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Alas, the boyhood Gooner decided that Arsenal was for him and after the setback of Morgan Gibbs-White a few months earlier, Thomas Frank and Co were back to the drawing board once again.

They ultimately decided on Xavi Simons. The Netherlands international moves to north London from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £51m.

It was a risky play from Daniel Levy, largely because for a long time it looked as though Chelsea would bring him to Stamford Bridge. For once, however, Spurs got their man.

The task now is to bolster the forward line further.

What to expect from Spurs on transfer deadline day

With the arrival of Simons, it remains to be seen whether Spurs look at strengthening Frank’s options further.

They will certainly try to do so and have a number of attackers lined up already. Lucas Paqueta of West Ham has been mooted as a target but now appears to be on his way to Aston Villa instead.

Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is another player Levy and the recruitment team could explore. The Nigerian has been pushing for an exit all summer long and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he finally got his move on deadline day.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

There’s also the curious case of Morgan Rogers. Last week it was reported that Spurs had held exploratory talks over bringing the England international to north London. Yet, with a price tag of £80m, it’s an incredibly unlikely deal, particularly this late in the window.

Still, according to TEAMtalk, the ‘dream option for Spurs’ if they fail to secure summer target, Savinho, is indeed Rogers.

Villa have given the Lilywhites no indication that they are willing to sell but Spurs have been exploring the deal since Thursday.

How Morgan Rogers compares to Xavi Simons

After James Maddison suffered a horrendous ACL injury in pre-season, Frank knew he needed to add a new number 10, someone capable of scoring and creating in equal measure.

Maddison may not have been at his best last term but he did still find the net on 12 occasions, registering a further 11 assists in all competitions. Spurs needed someone capable of replacing that output and Simons certainly ticks a lot of boxes.

The 22-year-old scored 11 goals and supplied eight assists in 2024/25, nearly matching the output of Maddison.

Well, in Rogers, they’d secure a player capable of being elevated by Simons. In short, they’d be truly game-changing together.

Since leaving Middlesbrough behind for Aston Villa in January of 2024, the former Manchester City youth gem has been a revelation in the Midlands.

Last season, Rogers scored a Champions League hat-trick, earned his England debut and racked up a whole host of goal involvements.

It was a stunning 2024/25 campaign for the 23-year-old who bagged 14 goals and supplied 16 assists in all competitions. So, based on raw output, he’s an upgrade on the talented Simons but just imagine the thought of those two playing together. Frank’s attack becomes infinitely better overnight.

Rogers vs Simons – 24/25 League

Stat (per 90 mins)

Rogers

Simons

Goals

0.23

0.42

Assists

0.29

0.25

Key passes

1.47

2.13

Progressive passes

3.55

5.86

Progressive carries

3.29

3.56

Attempted take-ons

4.62

4.18

Successful take-ons

1.91

1.38

Successful take-on %

41.3%

33.%

Data via FBRef.

Analysing the numbers further, we get a sense for the main similarities and differences between the two players.

Simons certainly looks a bit more creative, registering more progressive passes and managing more key passes throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Thus, he’d be a fabulous supply line for Rogers who could play on the left wing next to the Dutchman.

They’d bounce off each other tremendously well, considering when it comes to dribbling and beating a player, Rogers is your man. He’s elite at taking players on and that’s rubberstamped by the fact that he completes over 40% of the dribbles he attempts.

Combine that with the ability to score goals and you certainly have one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe right here. It’s hardly a surprise that Villa presenter Kate Tracey has described him as a “superstar”.

That’s exactly what he is and if Villa could land a sensational coup in the remaining hours of the window, it would send out a huge message to their Premier League rivals. Just imagine Rogers and Simons in the same side. It’s a scary thought.

Related Better signing than Akanji: Spurs make late approach for "incredible" star

Tottenham Hotspur’s business shows no signs of slowing down before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Aug 29, 2025

Paul Scholes claims that Marcus Rashford “quit on Manchester United” and has branded the England international’s attitude a “disgrace”. A product of the Red Devils’ famed academy system spent time on loan at Aston Villa last season, having slipped out of favour under Ruben Amorim, before linking up with La Liga giants Barcelona for the 2025-26 campaign.

• Getty
  

  Rashford's record for Man Utd: Appearances & goals

  Rashford has taken in 426 appearances for United, scoring 138 goals, but he may not figure for the Premier League outfit again. His form dipped on the back of signing a lucrative new contract, leading to questions being asked of his commitment to the collective cause.

Advertisement

• Champions League double & benched by Barcelona

  A spark of sorts was rekindled at Villa, while a stunning brace was recorded for Barcelona in a Champions League clash with Newcastle at St James’ Park on September 18. Rashford was, however, benched by Hansi Flick for a domestic date with Getafe after reporting late for a team meeting.

• Getty
  

  Man Utd legend Scholes slams Rashford

  United legend Scholes has hit out at Rashford on podcast, accusing the 27-year-old forward of letting the Red Devils and himself down. Scholes said: “I really struggle to feel happy for Marcus Rashford.

  “Mainly because of his attitude. His attitude towards Man United towards the end was disgraceful. The amount of times I saw him walking because he wanted to leave… His whole demeanour about him was a disgrace.

  “I think he quit on Man Utd. When you quit once, you’ll quit again. He was late last night [for Barcelona]. He wont get away with that for long at Barca. There’s absolutely no chance. How can you sleep in these days? Your phone, f*cking alarm, whatever. How can you sleep in?

  “He’s definitely got the talent to be [one of the best players in the world]. But he’ll never have the mentality.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Rashford future: Contract at Man Utd & Barca purchase option

  Rashford made unfortunate headlines in January 2024 when being spotted on a night out in Belfast before calling in sick to miss United training. He remains under contract at Old Trafford until 2028, but Barca’s season-long loan agreement includes an option to buy.

Gujarat ended the day on 222 for 1 after Azharuddeen’s unbeaten 177 had taken Kerala to 457

Shashank Kishore19-Feb-2025At 34, Priyank Panchal is no longer on the fringes of the national team like he once was. He’s also now just a one-format player for Gujarat. Up until the semi-finals, he had just one century and a half-century in what was an underwhelming 2024-25 Ranji season. The selectors resisted the temptation to chop and change, and Panchal was persisted with for the semi-final.On Wednesday, Panchal repaid that faith, hitting his 29th first-class hundred that he brought up with a six and a nerve-popping roar, leading a strong Gujarat reply to Kerala’s 457 on a hot and humid day in Ahmedabad. Gujarat ended day three on 222 for 1, trailing Kerala by 235 runs, with the second-wicket stand between Panchal and Manan Hingrajia already worth 91.By batting as slow as they did, Kerala effectively put all their eggs in one basket – trying to convert this into a one-innings game. And Gujarat’s strong reply has effectively ensured Kerala may not have enough time to try and force a result if they happen to concede a lead.Kerala’s day began with Mohammed Azharuddeen quickly getting away with a single to bring up his 150, but a flurry of lower order wickets left him with no option but to bring out the big hits. He was left unbeaten on 177 in the end as Kerala added just 49 to their overnight total for their last three wickets. Azharuddeen’s efforts spanned 341 balls in which he hit 20 fours and a six.Gujarat began solidly, with runs coming at a decent clip with Panchal and young Aarya Desai, who is just three seasons old, not missing any scoring opportunities. Kerala’s fast bowlers were guilty of erring on the shorter side and kept getting punished as Panchal cut superbly, while Desai exhibited a tremendous backfoot punch.Desai was the more stylish of the two, but Panchal was a little more aggressive, unlike his usual self. The opening pair had added 131 when Desai’s attempt to play an expansive drive away from the body had him drag one back onto the stumps as Nedumankuzhy Basil broke through in the 37th over.That wicket was hardly a deterrent for the batters as Panchal raised his century by stepping out to loft left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate over the long-on boundary. Hingrajia at the other end played largely within himself, in what was an innings of denial for large parts, understandable given how free-flowing Panchal looked since getting past his half-century.His game against the spin duo of Sarwate and Jalaj Saxena was particularly impressive as he used his feet well, both to smother the spin as well as when he was driving with and against the turn. As the day progressed, there were some rough patches beginning to develop outside off from one end, but they managed to negate that largely.

علق مدحت عبد الهادي، لاعب الزمالك السابق، على تأهل منتخب مصر إلى بطولة كأس العالم 2026 المقامة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

وقال مدحت عبد الهادي، عبر قناة “MBC مصر 2”: “هذا ليس مستوى ولا شكل منتخب مصر، الهدف الرئيسي تحقق بتأهلنا إلى كأس العالم، ولكن علينا في الفترة المقبلة أن نركز على ما هو مطلوب من حسام حسن وجهازه الفني”.

طالع.. خاص | هل تنقل كأس أمم إفريقيا من المغرب؟.. وموقف مصر

وتابع: “المجموعة المتواجدة مع حلمي طولان مميزة وقوية جدًا، وأغلبهم شاركوا مع المنتخب الأول واحتكّوا بشكل قوي، أرى أنه يجب أن يكون هناك مزيج بين المنتخب الأول والثاني”.

وأتم: “منتخب مصر يحتاج إلى مهاجم قوي جدًا بجانب مصطفى محمد وأسامة فيصل، وعلى الجميع أن يكونوا داعمين لحسام حسن وجهازه المعاون في الفترة المقبلة، حتى يحقق هدفه، لا أن يقتصر الدعم على الكلام فقط”.