All posts by h716a5.icu

The left-arm spinner has recovered from a calf strain ahead of the South Africa ODIs and believes he can have a big role in the World Cup

Alex Malcolm30-Aug-20230:41

Hazlewood: Conditions can change so much in India

Ashton Agar is fit and raring to play a key role in Australia’s ODI World Cup tilt in India after recovering from a recent calf injury that was the latest chapter of a rollercoaster year which included an aborted return to the Test side.Agar suffered a minor calf tear in an innocuous incident while training with Western Australia during the pre-season which ruled him out of the T20I portion of the South Africa. But he will be in contention for the ODI series, which starts late next week, and will fly to South Africa on Thursday alongside Cameron Green, David Warner, Josh Hazlewood and coach Andrew McDonald who have all been rested from the T20Is ahead of the one-dayers which lead into the World Cup.Speaking at the launch of the BBL overseas draft on Wednesday in Melbourne, where Agar was hopeful Perth Scorchers could retain some of the previous players that had helped them win the last two titles, he was frustrated to have suffered another setback, having injured his side twice on overseas tours in 2022. But he was confident he will be ready for the start of the ODI series next Thursday.Related

Warner and Head to open, Marsh to bat No. 3 against SA

From Test No. 2 to going home: the bizarre handling of Ashton Agar

'It's a ruthless environment, and that's how it should be' – Agar on being sent back from India

Six players to watch in South Africa-Australia T20Is

“It was really unfortunate,” Agar told ESPNcricinfo. “I was going really well in the pre-season and my body was in a really good place. Feeling very fit. And unfortunately got a little tear in that calf. But it’s been a really good rehab. We’ve got great physios on staff [in WA] and have been working really closely every day with them. I’ve done a couple of full-intensity sessions at the WACA now. So I think I’ll be up to playing at 100% intensity in an ODI.”Agar looms as an important figure in Australia’s World Cup squad. Currently, there are three specialist spinners in Australia’s 18-man squad including Agar, Adam Zampa and the uncapped Tanveer Sangha who had not played a professional match in over 12 months until the Hundred due to injury. The selectors will confirm the World Cup 15 next week, but are able to make changes up to September 28.Meanwhile, spinning allrounder Glenn Maxwell has been hampered by an ongoing ankle issue which has forced him home from the T20 series against South Africa and he won’t return to the squad until they reach India for the three ODIs that starts on September 22 because of the birth of his first child.Agar faces a similarly compromised preparation coming off his calf injury. He is also expecting the birth of his first child and is set to fly home from South Africa late in the five-match ODI series before rejoining the squad in India.Agar’s World Cup role will depend on Australia’s balanceHe has not played in an ODI World Cup but will be a key man in Australia’s campaign as they are set to play with differently structured sides throughout the tournament depending on the conditions and the fitness of the squad. They will play nine round-robin games in eight different cities in just over a month.Australia’s selectors showed their cards in the recent series in India in March where they played three different line-ups, all of which they might use in the World Cup. They have trialed playing eight batters, including four allrounders, and just three specialist bowlers. They have also played with seven batters, three quicks and one spinner with Zampa playing as the lone specialist and Maxwell providing spin support.Ashton Agar played a key role in helping Australia clinching the ODI series against India in March•BCCIBut they have also lined up with two specialist spinners among four bowlers and seven batters as they did in Chennai in the third ODI earlier this year. Agar took 2 for 41 in 10 overs in that match, including knocking over Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav in consecutive balls in the 36th over to turn the game Australia’s way defending just 269. He and Zampa combined for six wickets in the match as India were bowled out 21 runs short.Australia’s opening World Cup game is against India in Chennai on October 8 and Agar is eager to play a role.”World Cups bring out the best in one-day cricket, particularly in India,” Agar said. “You never know what pitch you’re going to get. But the chances are as a spinner that you’ll be playing, and there’s a chance that you play two spinners in a lot of the games, particularly if the pitches get tired.”It’s a place I love going. I’ve had really great experiences. Obviously, the Test tour was a difficult experience there. But then I got to go back and play that one-dayer and do really well. It’s a place I really like to bowl.”Agar’s India Test series: ‘That was my chance and it didn’t happen’Agar was honest and philosophical about his experience on the Test tour of India earlier this year. He went to India as an incumbent in Australia’s Test XI having played as the second spinner alongside Nathan Lyon in a four-man attack in Sydney against South Africa. But an extraordinary sequence of events saw him leave the Test tour halfway through having not played in either of the first two matches, despite Australia selecting three spinners in Delhi.”It’s never easy,” he said. “You probably take a hit to your pride more than anything. Even after Sydney. All I’m trying to do is my best every single time. I’m always trying to get better. That’s just who I am. And I give as much as I can to any team that I play in. But I felt okay coming back from India because I tried my arse off. It wasn’t where it needed to be.Ashton Agar returned home midway through the India Test series•Getty Images and Cricket Australia”It was wonderful communication [with the selectors] and a clear path forward. I think that’s all you want. Yeah, I was flat. I had grown up wanting to play Tests in India forever. I think that’s the coolest thing ever. And that was my chance and it didn’t happen. So that hurt for sure.”But there’s no way I’m going to stand here and point fingers. Absolutely no way. It’s just about moving forward. So I’m really strong on that attitude. And it’s helped me bounce back all the time from little selection hiccups here and there and come back and ultimately try and perform.”Agar still wants to be a three-format spinner but is acutely aware of how difficult it is to switch between formats without long lead-ins.”If we’re talking about really trying to gear up for red-ball cricket it’s as hard as it gets, especially as a spinner,” Agar said. “[In limited overs] you’re bowling six different bowls an over. Whereas a [Test] spinner in Australia, you need to bowl hard overspun balls and hit the same length, every ball. If you’re not doing that for a long time, it’s pretty hard to put that all together all of a sudden. It’s really tough.”But I’ve never wanted to be a one-dimensional cricketer. I want to be as selectable as possible. And I’ve always wanted to be a batter. I’ve always wanted to be a bowler and a good fielder. And it means that you can’t invest all your time into one discipline. And you get spread a bit thin sometimes. But that’s cool because I’m playing the game the way I like to play it. It’s much more fun for me that way.”

Arsenal might not be able to match Rodrygo's wage demands as they rekindle their interest in the Brazilian after missing out on Nico Williams.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Arsenal face stumbling block in Rodrygo pursuitRekindled interest in the Brazilian after missing out on Williams Rodrygo's wage demands too high for the Gunners Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rodrygo has been tipped to move out of the Santiago Bernabeu this summer after an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign, where he saw his game time reduced due to fierce competition in the club's attack. The Gunners, who are looking to sign a new forward, have been linked with a move for Rodrygo.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

reports that Arsenal, at one point, were keen on signing Nico Williams from Athletic Club, but with Barcelona now in pole position to secure a transfer for the winger, the English giants have reportedly rekindled their interest in Rodrygo. Other than the Selecao star, Mikel Arteta also has his eyes on RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres.

DID YOU KNOW?

Los Blancos are likely to demand a fee in the region of €75 million (£64m/$86) for their star attacker, which Arsenal are ready to meet; however, the player's massive €12m per season salary demand could prove to be stumbling block for the North London club as they are not ready to spend that amount of money on player's wages.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Mikel Arteta's men will reassemble in late July and are then set to travel to Singapore and Hong Kong for their pre-season Asia tour.

Australia raced to their third-highest total in ODIs, and defended it with ease

Firdose Moonda09-Sep-2023Australia 392 for 8 (Labuschagne 124, Warner 106, Head 64, Inglis 50, Shamsi 4-61) beat South Africa 269 (Klaasen 49, Miller 49, Zampa 4-48) by 123 runs Australia scored their third highest total in ODIs, and second-highest against South Africa, and though their biggest – 434 – was successfully chased 16 years ago, there was no repeat as South Africa slipped to a fifth successive defeat. After being blanked in the T20I series, South Africa now face three consecutive must-win games if they are to win the series.David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne put on 151 for the second wicket and scored their 20th and second ODI centuries respectively; both were significant for different reasons. Warner equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI century record against South Africa – 5 – and went past Tendulkar to sit on top of the pile for most centuries as an opener across the three international formats: 46.Labuschagne’s only three-figure scores in the format have come against his former home country, South Africa. His first, in March 2020, came in Potchefstroom, the international ground closest to his hometown of Klerksdorp. Now, his second, has come in Bloemfontein, the second-closest ground, where he took a picture with Shaun Pollock as a four-year-old. Labuschagne’s runs have also given Australia’s selectors a headache they did not expect to have. They left him out of Australia’s World Cup squad but with the form he is in, may have to rethink their decision ahead of the September 28 deadline.South Africa have more serious concerns. Their first-choice seamers looked both hapless and careless and Anrich Nortje left the field with lower-back spasms after bowling only five overs, though he returned to bat. The spinners had a decent outing – Aiden Markram and Tabraiz Shamsi conceded less than seven an over between them while completing their respective quotas – but the batters were unable to keep pace with a demanding chase.Nathan Ellis was outstanding in maintaining his line on or just outside off stump and finished with 2 for 32 at an economy rate of exactly four an over, while Adam Zampa did the bulk of the damage, bagging 4 for 48. No South African scored a half-century but there were four scores in the 40s and no partnership was bigger than the opening stand of 81.David Warner scored a record 46th international hundred as an opener•AFP/Getty ImagesAustralia’s intent was obvious from the get-go. They took advantage of the width offered by Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada upfront and brought up 50 inside seven overs. Nortje threatened to pull things back with an opening over that cost three but then completely lost his lengths and conceded 36 runs off his next two overs. Australia racked up their third-highest powerplay in the format, of 102 without loss, with Travis Head the aggressor of the early exchanges. He brought up fifty off 26 balls when he sent Nortje over midwicket for his second six.Tabraiz Shamsi had Head caught by David Miller, running back from mid-on, and then removed Mitchell Marsh first ball on review. The Australian captain missed a reverse-sweep first ball and ball-tracking showed the ball crashing into middle stump.Warner reached 50 off 52 balls and then took only 33 more to get to hundred. It was his second-fastest century in the format and included all his usual back-foot power hits as well as a down-on-one-knee loft over long-on off a Phehlukwayo slower ball, and a massive launch over long-on when Jansen took pace off. The century came with a pull off a Shamsi long-hop and was followed by a signature leaping celebration.At the other end, Labuschagne had one nervy moment when he bottom-edged Andile Phehlukwayo, but de Kock, who was standing up to the stumps, could not hold on to a difficult chance. Labuschagne was severe against spin and showed off exquisite footwork. He took 66 runs off the 45 balls bowled he faced from Markram and Shamsi. He got to 50 off 54 balls and then, like Warner, accelerated. His next 50 runs took just 26 balls. Together, Warner and Labuschagne put on the second highest third-wicket partnership for South Africa against Australia, and it seemed that would not be separated.It took a delivery from Phehlukwayo – who has not played an ODI since October last year and was only drafted into the squads on the morning of the game – that stayed low to beat Warner’s pull and bowl him. Warner left the field with a smile and to a standing ovation.Adam Zampa’s dismissal of Temba Bavuma set South Africa back after a strong start•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesWith 17.2 overs still to be bowled, Josh Inglis, in his 5th ODI, had a licence to play freely and raced to a 36-ball fifty. He holed out off the very next ball, which allowed South Africa to mount a small fightback. Starting with the Inglis dismissal, they took five wickets in 27 balls, including Labuschagne’s, and gave away only 26 runs, which ensured that Australia were kept to under 400. Shamsi finished with the second four-fer of his ODI career.South Africa’s chase started brightly as Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma put on 81 in the first nine overs, but their time together was not without chances. De Kock was on 24 when a back-of-a-length Ellis delivery hit the stumps but the bail did not fall off, and had yet to add to his score when he miscued Sean Abbott into vacant space. His luck ran out when he drove Ellis down the pitch and the bowler pulled off a stunning reaction catch to dent South Africa in the last over of the powerplay.Bavuma showed good intent but when Zampa was brought on and runs dried up, tried to lap him, missed and was out lbw. In the next over, Aiden Markram hit Zampa down the ground to Abbott and three overs after that Rassie van der Dussen dragged Aaron Hardie onto his stumps. At 119 for 4 in the 18th over, South Africa had already lost too many wickets to mount a serious challenge.Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller looked threatening and shared 58 runs for the fifth wicket but when Klaasen went back to hit a Zampa legbreak and was bowled, the writing was on the wall. Miller was left to marshal what looked a longer-than-usual tail. He was beaten for pace by Ellis and hit on the pad and Australia reviewed successfully. South Africa lost 5 for 28 to crash to their second-biggest defeat to Australia.

Chelsea have held 'positive' talks over a deal to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund but have yet to meet the German club's asking price.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Dortmund want €65 million (£55m/$76m)Blues holding talks over Gittens dealRival suitors also interestedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per , Chelsea have held a positive round of talks with Dortmund over a deal for Gittens but they have yet to meet the Bundesliga club's asking price of €65m. Dortmund are also said to be aware of the fact that rival clubs are growing in interest, although they are yet to hold talks with Bayern Munich over any potential deal.

AdvertisementImago ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Gittens was wanted by Chelsea before the start of the Club World Cup but they were unable to strike a deal in time, with Dortmund director Lars Ricken explaining that the bid came at too "short notice" for them to agree to his departure. Now, it appears Dortmund are continuing to put up a significant fight to keep the winger.

DID YOU KNOW?

The 20-year-old has already made more than 100 appearances for Dortmund, scoring 17 goals and registering 14 assists. Chelsea have reportedly identified two potential alternatives to Gittens: Brighton's Joao Pedro and West Ham's Mohammed Kudus.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

The Bundesliga giants will hope to gain some clarity over Gittens' future in the next few days. Chelsea, meanwhile, will hope for him to end up in a blue shirt.

Ameen top-scored for Pakistan with an unbeaten 84 but they could only finish with 166 for 9

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2023A record opening partnership for Bangladesh in women’s ODIs set up their series win in the final game of the tour against Pakistan. The right-left combination of Fargana Hoque and Murshida Khatun added 125 for the first wicket, setting Bangladesh on course for their 167-run chase at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.It took an unbeaten 84 from opener Sidra Ameen for Pakistan to crawl to 166 for 9 in their 50 overs. On a slow surface, Bangladesh employed only six overs of fast bowling from Marufa Akter, operating with spin for the rest of the overs to pin Pakistan down.Ameen hit only three fours in her knock and finished with a strike rate of 58.74. She added 65 for the opening wicket with Sadaf Shamas (31 off 61 balls) but Pakistan failed to string partnerships in the middle order. While the opening part took 116 balls for their stand, the second-wicket stand between Ameen and Muneeba Ali was worth 28 off 70 balls.From 93 for 1, Pakistan could never quite find the momentum and finished with a low total. All of the middle-order batters were out for single digits and only Diana Baig – batting at No. 9 and scoring 11 off 9 – scored at a strike rate in excess of 100. Nahida Akter once more was the tormenter-in-chief, finishing with 3 for 26 in ten overs.Bangladesh’s reply was a slow but steady one. Both Hoque and Murshida had strike rates in the fifties but they never let Pakistan in the game. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu then struck twice in two overs to dismiss the openers. But captain Nigar Sultana once again exuded calmness and finished the chase off in the company of Sobhana Mostary.It was the third ODI series win for Bangladesh over Pakistan, but the first time in a bilateral series of three matches. Pakistan had won the opening contest before Bangladesh got back with a Super Over win in the second ODI.Pakistan continue to be second on the ICC Women’s Championship table while Bangladesh are placed sixth. But only three points separate the two sides.

Oasis have paid tribute to Diogo Jota on the first night of their reunion tour, displaying his jersey on screen during a performance of Live Forever.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Tributes continue to pour inOasis' performance described as 'beautifully poignant'Crowds in Cardiff cheer as Jota's shirt flashed on screenFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The football world continues to grapple with the death of both Jota and his brother Andre Silva on Wednesday night. As avid fans of the game, the Gallagher brothers delivered their own special tribute to his memory, flashing Jota's jersey on screen during their first performance of their breakthrough hit in 16 years.

AdvertisementGetty Images EntertainmentA SPECIAL TRIBUTE

The crowd in attendance at the Principality Stadium greeted the reveal with rapturous applause. One concert-goer described the tribute as "beautifully poignant". The band have often used Live Forever to pay homage to those no longer with us. At their 1996 show at Maine Road, images of their musical influences Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley and John Lennon accompanied the song. In 2017, Liam performed the song with Coldplay's Chris Martin at the One Love Manchester Concert, an event held for the victims of the Manchester Bombing.

FOOTBALL PAYS RESPECTS TO JOTA

Earlier on Friday, Jota's former captain Jordan Henderson visited Anfield to pay his respects, while compatriot Jose Mourinho shared a touching message of condolence, asserting that Jota will "always be part of the family" at Anfield. They have added their voice to a chorus of heartfelt messages from across the world of football.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GOALA STORY THAT TRANSCENDS FOOTBALL

As we have seen with Oasis' tribute, the outpouring of grief over this story has transcended football. Tennis stars, UFC fighters, politicians and now musicians have all shared messages of condolence for Jota's family. It is a fitting farewell for a man who was universally loved by those who met him, worked with him and watched him play. His legacy will live forever.

Experienced spinner will be available in all formats during season-long deal at Old Trafford

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2023Lancashire have confirmed the signing of Nathan Lyon as one of their overseas players for 2024. The Australia spinner, eighth on the all-time Test wicket-takers’ list with 496, is expected to be available for the whole summer.Lyon, who recently returned to playing after a serious calf tear during the second Test against England in June limited his Ashes involvement, revealed last month that the Lancashire deal was on the table.He will arrive ahead of the start of the LV= Insurance County Championship in April, during which he will team up with long-time Ashes rival James Anderson, and is set to be available in all formats.Related

Lyon poised to sign with Lancashire after injury layoff provides new goals

ECB defends 'Super September' as 2024 county fixtures put season climax in spotlight

Onions heads back to Durham as bowling coach

Abell steps down as Somerset captain after seven seasons in charge

“This is an exciting opportunity for me, and I am really looking forward to heading over to England for a full season of county cricket with Lancashire,” Lyon said. “I love playing cricket in England. I’m keen to keep learning, keep improving my game and hopefully I can contribute to winning matches for the Red Rose and pass on some of the experiences that I have gained over the years throughout my career.”They have a strong squad at Lancashire and Emirates Old Trafford is a really great venue to play cricket at, so I am looking forward to that. It will also be great to catch up with Jimmy Anderson too.”Lyon has previously played in the Championship for Worcestershire and had signed with Hampshire for the 2020 season before the deal was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.Lancashire are currently without a head coach, after the departure of Glenn Chapple, but Mark Chilton, director of cricket performance, said that Lyon would be “an important player” as the club looked to improve on a run of near misses that has seen them finish as runners-up in all three county competitions in recent years.Chilton said: “Nathan is an extremely skilled and experienced operator and, once we heard that he was available for the duration of next summer, we jumped at the opportunity to add him to our squad for the 2024 season.”His bowling record in both international and domestic cricket speaks for itself, and we believe that he will be an important player for us with the ball as we look to achieve our goals in all competitions.”We have several young spin bowlers in our squad and for them to have the opportunity to learn from and play alongside somebody with almost 500 Test match wickets will be invaluable in their development and I am sure Nathan will play an equally significant role off the pitch as he will on it.”

The money-spinning tournament has gone extremely well for several clubs, players and coaches – but it's been a disaster for others…

The 2025 Club World Cup concluded on Sunday night, with Chelsea lifting the trophy alongside Donald Trump after a Cole Palmer masterclass at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It made for a surreal sight and mainly because few pundits expected the Blues to win the revamped tournament, let alone dismantle Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

However, Enzo Maresca's men fully deserved their 3-0 win, which sent their much-lauded opponents into a mini-meltdown, underlining just how seriously both teams took the game – and indeed the competition overall. The tournament suffered from several significant issues but one would be hard pressed to question the level of commitment among those involved.

But who benefited most from the expanded event? And who was left regretting their participation? GOAL runs through all the big winners and losers from the Club World Cup below…

Getty ImagesLOSER: Kylian Mbappe's timing

Kylian Mbappe missed the entire group stage with a nasty bout of gastroenteritis – but that was nothing compared to the pain inflicted upon the French forward during his eagerly-awaited reunion with Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe played every minute of Real Madrid's humiliating 4-0 loss to his former club but proved utterly incapable of impacting a shockingly one-sided semi-final.

Indeed, the game in New Jersey merely hammered home just how much PSG have improved since he left the Parc des Princes – and how much Real have regressed since he arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Of course, it has to be acknowledged that the Xabi Alonso era has only just got under way. Los Blancos should get better and better on the Spaniard's watch, but the size of the rebuild required has now been made shockingly clear.

Right now, Real are nowhere near PSG's level, making Mbappe's move to Madrid look one of the most poorly-timed decisions in football history.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWINNER: Messi's Miami

Let's be honest: Inter Miami's participation in the Club World Cup was purely opportunistic, an attempt to use the 'Lionel Messi effect' to generate interest and boost ticket sales.

However, while Inter Miami definitely didn't earn their chance to perform on the global stage, they undoubtedly made the absolute most of it. The Herons may have been ultimately outclassed by PSG (there's no shame in that these days!) but they did MLS proud just by reaching the last 16.

Furthermore, despite the "bloodbath" in Orlando, Javier Mascherano's men have clearly taken a huge amount of confidence out of qualifying for the knockout stage. They've won three games on the spin since returning to MLS action, with a rejuvenated Messi scoring six times in the process.

There's every chance, then, that the Club World Cup could prove a pivotal moment in Inter Miami's season – and not just in terms of helping to convince their Argentine superstar to sign a new contract with the franchise.

GettyLOSER: PSG

Chelsea upset PSG – in every sense.

The Parisians were fully expected to beat Chelsea in much the same manner as they had Atletico Madrid, Inter Miami, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid – but their hopes of winning a historic quadruple were as good as over by half-time in the final.

Basically, the Blues overwhelmed PSG with the kind of intensive pressing and deadly transitions that Luis Enrique's side had been dismantling everyone else with for the previous six months – and there was absolutely nothing the European champions could do about it. At one point in the second half, the Olé's even came out for every Chelsea pass as an increasingly desperate PSG tried to recover the ball.

Still, nobody expected the collective head-loss which followed, with Joao Neves sent off for a pull of Marc Cucurella's hair before Luis Enrique got involved in a post-match brawl that ended with Joao Pedro on the deck.

It was all very undignified and reflected poorly on the PSG coach and his players. They're obviously not used to being outplayed – and it showed in New Jersey.

Consequently, while Luis Enrique insisted afterwards there is never any shame in finishing as a runner-up, PSG embarrassed themselves by behaving like the sorest of losers.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

AFPWINNER: Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer suffered a dreadful dip in productivity during the second half of last season, with the attacking midfielder only really turning up for the Europa Conference League rout of Real Betis. He was also worryingly quiet for the majority of Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign.

However, Palmer once again proved himself to be a man for the big occasion in the States, reminding the world of his nonchalant brilliance with a delightful double and a classy assist in Sunday's final win over PSG, meaning he's now been directly involved in six goals in his past three finals for club and country.

"It's happened again. I like finals," the England international pointed out in his own inimitable, simplistic style – and, in fairness to Palmer, it really does look like absolutely nothing fazes him. Despite the searing temperatures in East Rutherford, he once again lived up to his 'Cold' nickname with a couple of ridiculously cool finishes.

Indeed, the biggest compliment you can pay Palmer is that he was the best player on a pitch graced by some of the leading contenders for this year's Ballon d'Or. There's no doubt, then, that he'll be in the running for the 2026 prize if he can continue producing these kinds of decisive and dazzling displays for Chelsea and England on the game's grandest stages.

Messi became the first player in MLS history to score multiple times in four straight games with two goals vs. the Revolution Wednesday

Lionel Messi made more MLS history Wednesday evening as Inter Miami defeated the New England Revolution 2-1 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Argentine scored both goals as the took all three points on the road, winning their fourth-straight regular-season match while stretching their MLS unbeaten streak to five matches.

It was a record-setting evening for multiple reasons, including Messi becoming the first player in MLS history to ever score multiple goals in four matches in a row. For New England, it was their highest-attended home match of the season at 43,293. Last season, the Revs saw 65,612 attend their match against Messi and Miami – the largest turnout in franchise history.

As for the match itself, Messi opened the scoring 27 minutes into the game after Revs' defender Tanner Beason attempted to head the ball back towards his goalkeeper, Aljaz Ivacic, only to see it intercepted by the Argentine and tucked home into the back of the net for his first of the evening. He then doubled Miami's lead 11 minutes later, tucking home a delightful through ball from Sergio Busquets, slotting home into the bottom right corner of the net underneath the diving body of Ivacic.

The Revolution had multiple chances to get themselves back into the match, but they lacked a clinical finish until the closing stages of the game. With 10 minutes to spare, club stalwart Carles Gil fired home from distance with a blistering effort after dribbling past Tomas Aviles, cutting the deficit in half. However, it was too little, too late for the Northeastern club as their attacking momentum arrived in the closing stages of the game, and they were never able to find an equalizer.

Miami, upon return from the FIFA Club World Cup, has now won two straight while outscoring their opposition six to two. With Wednesday's victory, the South Beach club moved up to 35 points on the campaign through 18 matches played, putting them fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. They trail first-place FC Cincinnati by seven points, but have three games in hand.

GOAL US rates Inter Miami's players from Gillette Stadium…

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGoalkeeper & Defense

Oscar Ustari (7/10):

Nothing he could do about Gil's goal Was otherwise tidy in net all evening.

Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):

Defensively sound all evening, but didn't quite bring the attacking threat Mascherano had hoped with his progressive play up the pitch.

Tomas Aviles (6/10):

Was completely opened up for the Revs' goal, but was otherwise defensively sound.

Maxi Falcon (7/10):

Aggressive and strong alongside Aviles, he thwarted nearly every Revolution attempt that came at him. Great performance.

Jordi Alba (6/10):

A quiet night from the Spaniard, but he locked down his flank when tested.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Tadeo Allende (7/10):

Lively going forward, and often found himself creating chances going forward. Didn't make it on the scoresheet, but had a great game.

Sergio Busquets (8/10):

Cheeky assist on Messi's second, and an otherwise solid midfield performance. Classy from the veteran.

Federico Redondo(5/10):

Didn't quite impress alongside Busquets. Picked up a pointless yellow.

Baltasar Rodriguez (5/10):

Handed his first start for Inter Miami in MLS action, the young Argentine picked up a yellow for dissent and was otherwise pretty quiet all evening.

Getty Images SportAttack

Lionel Messi (9/10):

Capitalized on an early New England error to open the scoring and then doubled the lead with a spectacular finish. History maker.

Luis Suarez (7/10):

A few decent moments off the ball opening space for others, but just couldn't get anything going in the final third himself.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Telasco Segovia (6/10):

Introduced with roughly 30 minutes to spare, but made very little impact on the game.

Benjamin Cremaschi (N/A):

Brought on with 10 minutes to spare to help close out the match.

Hector Martinez (N/A):

Introduced with minutes to spare.

Javier Mascherano (7/10):

Questions have to be asked of him for not rotating Messi and Suarez sooner, considering it's a triple-game week for the However, tactically, Miami was sound and got the job done on the road.

“New Zealand are a strong team, but if things go to plan, we can beat them with our spinners and batters,” says Najmul Hossain Shanto

Mohammad Isam27-Nov-20231:48

‘Guys from first WTC know how special it is’

The captains of Bangladesh and New Zealand couldn’t be more different. Tim Southee is a 94-Test veteran who is in the same stature as the best fast bowlers in his country. Najmul Hossain Shanto, meanwhile, has just completed his first 12 months of consistent form.Southee, who made his debut in 2008, has been the New Zealand captain from his 89th Test, since December last year. Shanto is the Bangladesh captain in his fifth year, after playing just 23 Tests.Related

Bangladesh's spin band delivers another hit, sans leading man

Phillips: 'As a batter, I'd look to target myself as well'

Bangladesh and New Zealand meet for their first World Test Championship game of the new cycle

Mitchell, coach Ronchi back NZ to adapt to Bangladesh conditions

Hathurusinghe wants Bangladesh youngsters to step up in 'exciting' transition period

Their outlook for the World Test Championship is also, predictably, quite different.Southee wants to build the new cycle on his side’s experience – particularly with the first series being in Bangladesh – from their time spent in the subcontinent in recent years. New Zealand have packed their side with five spinners, although Southee believes that they are facing a stiff challenge against the home side.”It is foreign conditions compared to New Zealand,” Southee said. “Pace plays a big role in New Zealand. Spin historically plays a big role in this part of the world. Our spinners have done some great things in Tests. We are looking forward to them showcasing their skills. It won’t be easy to just get the (WTC) points. We know that Bangladesh are a great side in these conditions. I would imagine a hard-fought Test series.”It is a different role than what we are used to back in New Zealand. We have three seamers here that offer different strengths. It is a collective bowling unit wherever you play in the world. Everyone chips in different ways. Spin doesn’t play a big part in New Zealand but they will play a bigger role in Bangladesh.”Over at Bangladesh’s pre-match press conference, Shanto had to field questions about his impending captaincy debut in this format. He has led Bangladesh in three ODIs since September, including two matches at the recent World Cup. He got the role this time after the regular Test captain Shakib Al Hasan (finger injury) and his deputy Litton Das (paternal leave) both were forced to miss the series.”It is hard to pinpoint what I learned from those two games (in the World Cup),” he said. “It was a different format, too. I figured out small things like how to handle certain things in different situations. New Zealand is a good team. They are strong. They will be challenging in the Test series. But since we are playing at home, we should be able to challenge them with our spinners and batters. If things go to plan, we can beat this team.”Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has a close look at the Sylhet surface•BCBShanto also believed a Bangladesh captain should be ideally appointed with a long-term focus.”It helps to plan better,” he said. “I hope the board also considers a long-term captain. But I don’t think the players are thinking too much about this. A captain will perform his duty. A team always does well when everyone does their particular work.”Southee, meanwhile, spoke about how he intends to use the side’s recent experience of playing in India in the World Cup, and even their two-Test series in Pakistan at the start of the year, to good use in Bangladesh.”We took a little look at the (Sylhet) wicket. There hasn’t be a lot of Test matches here. So there’s not a lot of information and statistics to go back on. I think we are expecting a pretty good surface. Of course spin will play a part in the match. We played in Pakistan earlier this year. The guys now have a lot of experience in the subcontinent.”I think we will have a closer look at the wicket. There will be some assistance in the morning. It is what you get when you play at this time of the year. We have been training little bit early. So the wickets have been good in training.”Shanto said he was confident that Bangladesh’s batters can bounce back after a poor World Cup. He said that the likes of Mominul Haque, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan, who were playing domestic first-class cricket recently, will be free of the World Cup burden too.”Zakir (Hasan), (Mahmudul Hasan) Joy and (Mominul Haque) Sourav played well in this season’s NCL. They have made runs in this tournament. I played one game (after the World Cup). We obviously had a tough time but it was a different format. We are playing Tests now. We want to continue from where we left off from the Afghanistan Test in June.”