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She added that “reaching a couple of semi-finals in the [recent] past just gives us more confidence”

S Sudarshanan24-Oct-20252:11

The big question – Is Healy fit for South Africa clash?

South Africa were the second team to qualify for the semi-final of the Women’s World Cup 2025, and did so with two league games still to play. They have been on a remarkable run in ICC tournaments in recent years – reaching the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2017 and 2022, and of the T20 World Cup in 2020 and 2023. They were also runners-up at the T20 World Cup last year.Batter Anneke Bosch felt that the recent experience of making the knockouts puts South Africa in good stead to make their maiden ODI World Cup final. They will play their last league game of the competition against Australia at the Holkar Stadium on Saturday. The winner will head to Navi Mumbai for the semi-final against India, while the losing team will face England in Guwahati in the first semi-final.”We’ve been really good at being consistent in big tournaments, and different players doing well at different stages of the tournament,” Bosch said. “It’s just something that works for us when we get to tournaments like these and motivates us to do well. Reaching a couple of semi-finals in the [recent] past just gives us more confidence.Related

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“But now obviously we want to take it one step further because in the ODI World Cup, we haven’t [reached the final] before. So, it would mean a lot to us – and that’s what you compete for and what you’re here for – to make it to the final and, hopefully, lift the trophy. The fact that we have participated in a couple of semifinals now just helps us to deal with that pressure.”What has helped South Africa continue to perform well is a settled core. Twelve players in the current World Cup squad have been part of the T20 World Cup squads in 2023 and 2024. Bowlers Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune and Nonkululeko Mlaba have been consistent fixtures in the national side since the 2022 ODI World Cup.And it’s not just the senior women who have enjoyed success at World Cups. The men’s team reached the final of the T20 World Cup last year and the semi-final of the Champions Trophy earlier this year. The Under-19 women’s side were runners-up at their T20 World Cup earlier this year, while the men’s Under-19 team made the semi-finals in 2024.”It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Bosch said of the winning culture. “We are a massive sporting nation and we love to play for the country, and make the country and the people back at home proud. [A key factor is] our resilience and the way we come together as a country in big tournaments like these. We play for each other and we play for people back at home.”South Africa’s road to a first Women’s ODI World Cup title starts with a tough assignment against Australia in their final group-stage match. They have beaten Australia just once in 18 ODI meetings. With a solid core and the belief to go where they never have before, they’ll be aiming for a second ODI win against the defending champions.

Thomas Frank’s start to life at Tottenham Hotspur has certainly been an impressive one, as seen by his side’s current Premier League standing in 2025/26.

The Lilywhites currently sit third in England’s top-flight, after losing just two of the first nine outings – even keeping four clean sheets during such a period.

His men have been just as impressive at the opposite end of the field, as seen by their tally of 17 goals in the first nine matches, with Mohammed Kudus having a huge bearing on such a record.

The Ghanaian has made an immediate impact after his £55m switch from West Ham United, subsequently registering one goal and four assists in the league to date.

However, despite his impressive start to life in North London, he may have a long way to go until he makes the list of the Lilywhites’ best additions within the last decade.

Spurs’ best additions over the last decade

Over the last few years, Spurs have made numerous high-profile additions to help the first-team squad mount a challenge for a Premier League title challenge.

Cristian Romero was brought into the club on loan in the summer of 2021, but would move to North London on a permanent basis 12 months later for a reported £42.5m.

Such a deal may have seemed to be an expensive one, but three years on, it could go down as one of the Lilywhites’ best over the last few years, given his impact in North London.

The Argentine has brought a needed steel to the club’s backline, racking up a total of 133 appearances across all competitions – even being named as part of the current leadership group.

However, Heung-min Son will no doubt take top spot for Spurs’ best addition in the last decade, with the South Korean exceeding all expectations during his spell in the Premier League.

The hierarchy paid £22m for his signature from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015, an absolute bargain given his total of 454 appearances in North London.

He would score on 173 occasions during his decade-long spell with the Lilywhites, with such a tally putting him fourth in the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.

From solo goals against Burnley and incredible long-range strikes against North London rivals Arsenal, he was capable of the spectacular and handing the fanbase moments to last a lifetime.

Son was even a part of the club’s Europa League-winning campaign in 2024/25, with such an achievement undoubtedly cementing his place as a Lilywhites icon.

The player who could be Frank’s answer to Son

After such success in Europe, Son decided to call time on his Spurs career, leaving in the recent transfer window to join MLS outfit LAFC in a deal worth a total of £20m.

The South Korean international left for a net loss of just £2m from the fee forked out for his signature – further highlighting the incredible business done by the Lilywhites hierarchy.

The decision meant that current boss Frank was unable to have the opportunity to work with the iconic forward, which has often left him without a settled left-winger.

Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons have all operated in such a position over the last few weeks – but none have managed to clinch the faith of the boss in the role.

However, that could change in the years ahead, with the club already having a superb young talent within their ranks in the form of teenager Hyeok-min Yang.

The 19-year-old joined the Lilywhites from Gangwon FC back in January, undoubtedly being brought into the club for the future years rather than the present.

It’s evident he already possesses bags of talent, with the youngster scoring 12 times in his 38 appearances for his homeland club, prior to his switch to England earlier this year.

However, in order to gain familiarity with the demands of English football, he’s been sent on various loans in the Championship – currently spending the 2025/26 campaign with Portsmouth.

Yang may only have featured in seven league outings to date, but he’s already made an immediate impact with Pompey, registering two goals and one assist in England’s second tier.

His impressive form on the South Coast has led to Korean analyst Jason Lee stating that the teenager is just “like Son Heung-min” – huge praise indeed given his compatriot’s achievements in North London.

Yang’s underlying stats at Fratton Park further indicate how impressive he’s been in 2025/26, with the winger ranking in the top 18% of players for goals per 90.

Other tallies such as 1.8 fouls won and 4.7 touches in the opposition per 90, showcase the danger he poses to the backlines in the Championship, even despite being just 19.

There’s no denying that he has a long road ahead of him before he makes an impact in North London, but there’s no disputing that he could be a real asset to the club in years to come.

Should he get anywhere near the levels produced by his compatriot in the Premier League, Yang will be a force to be reckoned with and potentially help catapult Frank’s men to yet more silverware in the near future.

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She will remain in India and will support Mandhana whose wedding was postponed due to her father’s health issues

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2025

India batter Jemimah Rodrigues will miss the rest of the WBBL season, with her club Brisbane Heat agreeing to her request to remain in India.Rodrigues had returned home after playing three games for Heat, the last of which was against Hobart Hurricanes on November 15, as part of a pre-arranged commitment. She was set to be part of her India team-mate and close friend Smriti Mandhana’s wedding last weekend. But the event was postponed at the last minute because of a health issue with Mandhana’s father. Rodrigues will stay back in India to support Mandhana.”It has obviously been a challenging time for Jemi, so while it is unfortunate that she will take no further part in the WBBL, we were more than willing to agree to her request to remain in India,” Heat CEO Terry Svenson said in a statement. “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best for the future.”Jemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the Heat fans for being so understanding of the circumstances. She has been in touch with the players and wished them all the best for the rest of their games.”Rodrigues, 25, scored 37 runs at an average of 12.33 and a strike rate of 102.77 in the three WBBL matches, after helping India Women clinch their maiden ODI World Cup title earlier this month.Heat, though, will be bolstered by the return of allrounder Grace Harris for the match against Sydney Sixers on November 28. Harris will replace seamer Lily Bassingthwaighte after she missed the last fixture as part of her workload management plan.Heat are searching for their first win this season, having lost all their six matches so far.

Manchester United are now seriously considering a move for a “lightning quick” Paris Saint-Germain star, with a surprise Marcus Rashford swap deal on the cards.

Rashford tearing it up on loan at Barcelona

Rashford has really managed to kick on since joining Barcelona on loan in the summer, amassing six goals and ten assists in all competitions, but it has recently emerged that the forward isn’t expected to make his stay at the Camp Nou permanent.

The Englishman is likely to have plenty of options to choose from next summer, however, with it being revealed Chelsea have held talks over a potential deal, while Tottenham Hotspur are determined to win the race for the 28-year-old’s signature and give him a leading role.

It is difficult to envisage a way back for the United academy graduate at Old Trafford, given his sour relationship with Ruben Amorim, and it has now been revealed the manager could get him off the books in a different way at the end of the season.

According to a report from Spain, Man United are now seriously considering signing PSG forward Bradley Barcola, and a surprise swap deal is possible, with Rashford potentially set to be sent in the opposite direction.

Barcola’s negotiations with the French club over a new contract have now stalled, which could open the door for a move to Old Trafford, although his current employers are very reluctant to sanction a departure.

With a market value of around €70m (£61m), a deal for the Frenchman would be on the expensive side, but there are indications he could be worth every penny…

"Lightning quick" Barcola impressing in Ligue 1 and Europe

Hailed as “lightning quick” by journalist Raj Chohan, the PSG star has put in some top performances in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League this season, regularly contributing with goals and assists.

The 23-year-old also played a major role in the French side winning the Champions League for the first time last season, chipping in with three goals and four assists in 17 appearances.

Man United appear to have recruited well in the summer, with new forward Matheus Cunha grabbing an assist in the 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, while Bryan Mbeumo already has six Premier League goals to his name.

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However, with the Red Devils looking to return to Europe next season, they may need more depth in attacking areas, and Barcola could be a brilliant addition to Amorim’s squad, so they should definitely try to negotiate a swap deal involving Rashford.

Aitana Bonmati is preparing to lead Spain into another major final but insists her historic third Ballon d’Or does not change who she is. The Barcelona Femini midfielder addressed talk of being labelled the Lionel Messi of women’s football, spoke about expectations ahead of the Nations League showdown with Germany, and reflected on how she handles success on and off the pitch.

• Spain’s leader keeps perspective ahead of another final

  Bonmati heads into the Nations League final as the heartbeat of both Barcelona and Spain, once again carrying her side into another major showdown. The reigning world champions face Germany over two legs, beginning in Stuttgart on Friday before returning to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, where more than 70,000 fans are expected. The 27-year-old’s consistency has been extraordinary. From Euro 2016 to the 2023 World Cup, from multiple Champions League finals to a perfect season last year, Bonmati has risen to every occasion. Her performance against Germany in the Euro semi-final remains one of the defining moments of Spain’s modern era.

  Despite her meteoric rise, the Barca midfielder remains grounded. Asked how she feels returning to yet another decisive stage with Spain, she emphasised how the team cannot afford to take anything for granted. "It seems normal, but we're in another final. It can't be taken for granted. I'm so grateful for what's happening to me and what we're all experiencing. We've reached the finals in every championship we've played in. The road isn't easy, and we have to appreciate it. You win or you lose, but that's not all there is to it, because getting here is incredibly difficult."

  Bonmati was also asked about Spain’s mindset heading into the first leg against Germany, and she made their intentions clear and said: "It's clear: since we're here, we have to go all out and win. We want this Nations League title. It's true that it's an unusual final, because it's played over two legs. That's why the idea is to approach each leg as if it were a single match. If you try to play it safe, it could backfire."

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• Getty Images
  

  Bonmatí shuts down Messi comparisons and reflects on Ballon d’Or night

  Although Bonmati has now won three consecutive Ballon d’Or Feminin awards, she continues to reject comparisons to Barcelona and Argentina icon. With her dominance at club and international level, the parallels are understandable but she insists she is following her own path.

  When asked by about comparisons to Messi, she responded calmly: "No, no. I don't compare myself to Messi; he's on another level. I'm following my own path. The Ballon d'Or awards don't change me. I'm still the same person, with the same personality. I still enjoy the same things that make me happy and I'm surrounded by the same people who make me feel like myself. Nothing changes me, and I think that's a very positive thing."

  Bonmati also lifted the curtain on what it was like attending the Chatelet Theatre ceremony in Paris, especially in such elite company. "This year, to be honest, I went in with very low expectations. I believe that the higher your expectations, the harder it can be if you don't win. It was a surprise. You look around and see the incredibly high level of competition. I understand that everyone experiences it in their own way. It's a very special day, surrounded by the best in football. I feel that the most important thing is to enjoy it. To experience it with your loved ones."

• A legacy already built with more still to come

  The Barca midfielder's achievements are redefining what consistency looks like at the highest level of women’s football. Her Champions League masterclasses, especially against Chelsea and Wolfsburg laid the foundation for her latest Ballon d’Or. Her landmark displays for La Roja, including the semi-final performance against Germany, only strengthened her case.

  She has now won three Ballons d’Or in a row, been Player of the Match in a World Cup final, dominated the Champions League with three titles, starred in multiple European campaigns, and collected 22 domestic trophies with Barcelona. Even if she walked away tomorrow, her place among the all-time greats would be secure.

  And yet, she still hasn’t reached what many consider a midfielder’s peak years. At 27, her evolution continues – playmaking, leadership, spatial intelligence, defensive discipline. With Spain and Barca still competing for every major title, her influence is only deepening.

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  What comes next for Bonmati and where Barca fit in?

  Spain’s immediate focus is the two-legged Nations League final, where Bonmati will once again be central to their tactical approach. After that, the long-term question inevitably returns: will she spend her entire career at Barcelona?

  The midfielder addressed that speculation with honesty, stressing both her loyalty and her openness to the future. "Right now, I have a contract with Barcelona, I've been here for 14 years, and it's a club I love, a club I feel connected to," she said. "But I'm not closing the door on anything. It all depends on how you feel personally, emotionally, and in terms of motivation. Never say never. I have a contract, and my intention isn't to leave."

It was far from a rip-roaring classic at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening between Chelsea and Spurs in the Premier League.

But, in the end, Enzo Maresca’s Blues wouldn’t care one bit, as a hard-fought 1-0 win was secured that sees the West Londoners jump into the top four positions temporarily.

Joao Pedro answered back to his critics with the winning strike in the tight clash, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion attacker now out of a ten-game streak of no goals, after placing a fierce first-half effort past a busy Guglielmo Vicario.

Pedro's redemption arc versus Spurs

In pre-season, Pedro looked every bit worth the £60m splashed out on his services in the summer, with goals galore coming his way in the Club World Cup.

However, in the bread and butter of the Premier League this season so far, Pedro has looked shaky, with only three strikes falling into his lap in the top-flight from ten games, before being handed a chance on a plate by a relentless Moises Caicedo against Thomas Frank’s hosts.

He thumped home the resulting chance that did come his way, with the up-and-down Brazilian stating at the full-time whistle when speaking to Sky Sports that he really “needed this goal” to get his personal season back on track.

Hopefully, more and more goals come Pedro’s way in the coming matches, as Chelsea aim to be nearer to runaway Premier League leaders Arsenal when another London-based rivalry is on the menu at the close of November.

While Pedro undoubtedly strengthened his grip on a first-team spot with this decisive winner, there is another Chelsea attacker – at this moment in time – who will sense they’re on uneven ground when it comes to their own concrete position in Maresca’s starting XI.

Chelsea star on borrowed time after Spurs

Alongside splashing the cash on some fresh recruits – such as their brand-new number 20 joining in the summer to up the entertainment levels in attack – Chelsea have also looked towards the next generation coming through in West London to steer the Blues to some captivating wins in recent weeks.

Indeed, both Marc Guiu and Estevao were recently on the scoresheet against Ajax, as the youthful attacking duo aim to be senior regulars down the line.

Guiu will feel knocked by Pedro looking revitalised away at Spurs, but Estevao will feel that he’s even more deserving of first-team minutes down the right flank shortly, when analysing how poor Pedro Neto’s below-par showing was on Saturday.

Minutes played

85

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

45

Shots

3

Accurate passes

20/25 (81%)

Accurate crosses

1/3

Successful dribbles

1/6

Possession lost

18x

Total duels won

2/11

Neto ended up being replaced by the much-talked-about Brazilian for the final moments, after a dire day at the office saw the former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward only complete one successful dribble from six attempts, while also only registering one accurate cross as a gung-ho option that often lacked the killer pass, to back up his rapid pace.

Moreover, when Neto wasn’t frustrating fans with an overhit cross or giving up the ball entirely – with possession given away a high 18 times – the £54m buy ended up just fading out of the contest entirely, with his tally of 45 touches even being beaten by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez at the end, who amassed 51 himself on the way to clinching a clean sheet.

Thankfully, Neto’s dire afternoon didn’t cost his team the three points in the end but Maresca would surely fancy giving the likes of Estevao more chances in the first team soon over the hit-and-miss number seven, with the exhilarating 18-year-old already on to three goals and one assist for the season, despite his limited first-team starts.

Neto only has two goals next to his name, on the contrary, with Daniel Sturridge’s comments about Chelsea putting in an “absolutely brilliant” showing against Spurs for the most part still ringing true, even if the direct Portuguese attacker looks to now be on borrowed time in the first team picture.

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Fresh from the Asia Cup, he must now quickly recalibrate his game and instincts while leading India in his first ever home Test

Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Oct-20252:50

‘Nothing is pre-decided’ – Gill on Bumrah’s workload

In two successive games at the Asia Cup, Shubman Gill was bowled playing similar shots off similar deliveries from Oman’s Shah Faisal and Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf. One was delivered by a left-armer and the other by a right-armer, one moved in the air and the other off the deck. Both moved into the batter from a fullish length, and both times, Gill tried to drive on the up and meet the ball well in front of his body.The goodness and badness of shots is context-dependent, and these were T20 games. Gill was perfectly entitled to try and drive these balls on the up.On Thursday, Gill will lead India in a Test match against West Indies in Ahmedabad. He’s likely to face a lot of balls of similar line, length and intended target to those wicket balls from Faisal and Ashraf. He’ll face them on a pitch that could have quite a bit of assistance for the fast bowlers.Related

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Typically, Gill might spend at least two weeks preparing to meet this sort of delivery — and other modes of Test-match attack — in a Test-match-appropriate manner. On Thursday, Gill will go into a Test match — his first home Test as India captain, no less — less than four full days after the conclusion of a T20 tournament.Gill is one of four players in India’s Test squad — Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav are the other three — who also played the Asia Cup. While all of them will have to make quick adjustments to their game, Gill, as a top-order batter, probably faces the toughest challenge of the four. Batting is an act of split-second reactions, and T20s and Test cricket typically call for entirely different reactions to the same set of stimuli.The phrase “shot selection”, which is often invoked while discussing these reactions, doesn’t really capture what batters do, because selection typically involves conscious thought. Batting is about thought only in the spaces between actions. When the ball is in play, it’s mostly about instinct, and it’s at times when instinct is almost entirely unclouded by thought that batters feel on top of their game.This is what makes switching between formats so tricky, because batters need time to be able to train their instincts in format-appropriate ways. On Thursday, Gill will begin the Ahmedabad Test having had only two practice sessions since arriving in India at the conclusion of the Asia Cup.”When you’re going from the shortest [format] to the longest is probably the hardest,” Gill said in his pre-Test-match press conference on Wednesday. “When you go from T20 to one-day and then Test [it] is probably easier than going [directly] from Test to T20 or T20 to Test.”2:10

Chopra: ‘I hope India don’t prepare rank turners’ against West Indies

Gill suggested that format-switching, for batters, was “more mental than it is about technique”, and went on to expand on what this meant.”I just try to get in the zone,” he said. “That zone is just watching the ball well, for me, and to be able to decide, as a batsman, which areas am I going to defend and which areas am I going to attack. Just identifying those areas, and then the mental side comes in, just how much control and how much patience does one have to stick to that process.”This constant format-switching is just life for top-level batters now, but is it, really? T20 has moved so far from the other two formats over the last few years that most international teams seem to now be picking entirely different top orders in the shortest and longest formats, with ODIs providing a space for a little bit of overlap.For a long time, India had been the last top international team to feature multiple top-order batters across the three formats, but even they seemed to step into a new era of format separation after they won last year’s T20 World Cup, when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from T20Is.Gill spent most of the next year or so out of the T20I side, with India prioritising the two longer formats, but now, with next year’s T20 World Cup looming, he’s back playing all three international formats. For the moment he’s the only India top-order batter doing this, with Yashasvi Jaiswal the only other Test regular genuinely in the running for T20I selection.And Gill’s present situation isn’t just unique; it’s possibly even unprecedented.For the bulk of their careers, Rohit and Kohli — and Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul — played T20Is in an ODI kind of way in India line-ups that did likewise. When they switched formats, the gaps between the formats weren’t quite as big as they are now.Shubman Gill inspects the Ahmedabad pitch•Associated PressGill has become India’s all-format poster boy at a different time. It isn’t just that teams around the world are playing T20s in an accelerated, hypermodern way — this was true of the best teams even a decade ago — but that India are playing T20Is in this way, and showing everyone else the way in some respects. At this time, Gill will not just have to play all formats as an all-format player but play all formats in format-appropriate ways. And as Test captain and vice-captain in both white-ball formats, he’ll be expected to set an example for his team-mates.It won’t be easy, because hugely gifted predecessors have struggled to pull off this juggling act. It was probably no coincidence that Rahul’s most explosive years in the IPL coincided with his worst period in Test cricket, and that he made a successful Test comeback as an old-school opener at around the same time he began to bat in a risk-averse way in the IPL. Similarly, Rohit’s late-career embrace of a high-risk approach in white-ball cricket may have played some role in precipitating his late-career decline as a Test opener.India’s selectors and team management are probably not unaware of the pitfalls that could lie in Gill’s path, and have probably chalked out some sort of medium-term plan for managing his workload — perhaps by limiting his involvement in whichever white-ball format happens to be less of a priority at any given time, though that can’t be easy given his leadership roles.For now, Gill faces perhaps the toughest format-switch of them all, from shortest to longest, with a gap of less than four days between matches. He’s 26, a generational talent entering what are usually a top-order batter’s best years, and he’s India’s Test captain to boot. It’s a lot to handle, but who’s to say he can’t pull it off?

Vinicius Junior is all set to face Erling Haaland in the international arena as a Brazil football chief has revealed plans to organise a pre-World Cup friendly with Norway in a potential repeat of the 1998 classic. The Manchester City goal machine emerged as the highest scorer in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers as his 16 goals helped Norway reach the finals in North America.

Brazil to face Norway in pre-World Cup friendly

Brazil national football team sporting director Rodrigo Caetano has confirmed they are in talks with the Norway FA over organizing a pre-World Cup friendly match between the two nations before they head to North America to take part at the 2026 World Cup.

Speaking to , Caetano said: "We are still negotiating the last warm-up match. Of course, we have a preference. It still requires negotiations, but our first choice is the Norwegian national team, which is a strong team right now."

AdvertisementGOAL/GettyWhy are Brazil facing Norway before World Cup?

According to Norwegian sporting commentator Arne Scheie, the five-time world champions are impressed by Norway's World Cup qualification performance, where they earned a direct qualification despite being in the same group as Italy and Israel. Also, Norway are the only national team the Selecao have never beaten. 

Speaking to , Scheie said: "It's fantastic. There's not much that sounds better than having Brazil at Ullevaal as a last test before the World Cup. Norway is the only nation Brazil has faced that they have not beaten. In total, Norway has played Brazil four times. The first meeting between the national teams came in a friendly match in 1988, which ended 1-1. In 1997, Norway won 4-2 at Ullevaal Stadium, one year before the teams met again in the 1998 World Cup. As is well known, Norway won 2-1.

"Brazil has upbeat leaders, and they have seen what Norway has achieved. They want to test themselves against the best teams, and they will get that matchup against Norway. That's how it is with the results Norway has had recently. They score a lot of goals, and hardly concede."

Haaland to face Vinicius Junior before meeting Mbappe

Haaland has a blockbuster list of fixtures in 2026. The City goal machine is guaranteed to face Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe at the 2026 World Cup as France, Senegal, Norway and the winner of FIFA play-off 2 – one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq – have been drawn together in the same group.

Reacting to the World Cup draw, Haaland has said: "France and Senegal, that’s tough [laughing emoji]. What do you guys think?"

With Brazil now organising a friendly against Norway, Haaland will go up against Mbappe's Madrid team-mate Vinicius Junior before facing the Frenchman in North America next summer.

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GettyWhere will Norway vs Brazil take place?

The venue for the friendly has not been finalised yet as the two football federations are negotiating the game. However, VG reports that the match is unlikely to be held on Norwegian soil and rather a neutral venue will be picked. 

The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) told NTB: "We will inform on our website when opponents in upcoming private international matches are ready."

Oftentimes, after MLB managers are ejected, the absolute last thing you'll hear from them is some sort of mea culpa:

It just doesn't happen.

But something to that effect occurred following the Red Sox' 4-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday, during which Boston's manager Alex Cora was ejected in the seventh inning.

Cora's protestations began in the top of the sixth inning with Astros righthander Hunter Brown on the mound. After Brown walked Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, he was called for a balk. Two batters later, Brown switched from the full windup to the stretch mid at-bat, prompting the Red Sox to object to ultimately no avail.

An inning later, Cora emerged from the dugout to further discuss the call—or lack thereof—with the umpires, who then ejected him. Cora explained what led him to emerge from the dugout and even surprisingly admitted that the umpires were correct in their ruling.

"First of all, they got it right," Cora said. "They got the call right. The only thing for me is that we've seen that situation before, that guys who have a regular windup and they ask the guys to declare. You don’t have to declare if you have a hybrid windup; that’s when you have to declare, because that way you’re not deceiving the runner.

"But throughout the last two years, we’ve seen situations that is a regular windup, and they’ve asked the pitcher to declare, that was the only thing. I went out there to educate myself to be honest with you. That’s what I told him. I want to learn. I don’t know if he took it that I was being sarcastic. I wasn’t. I was walking back, and he threw me out.”

Cora's ejection seemed to stem from a miscommunication with the umpire, as he insisted to reporters after the game that he wasn't trying to get tossed from the contest.

"…I hate getting thrown out," Cora continued. "My job is to be in the dugout and help this team to win games from the dugout. This whole thing about rallying the troops and getting thrown out—that's bull—-. My job is to be in the dugout…"

Ireland left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire has been cleared to resume bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.Maguire, 18, was suspended from bowling earlier this year after being reported during the first ODI against India in Rajkot on January 10. Her action was deemed suspect under the ICC’s Illegal Bowling Regulations.Maguire has since remodelled her action and subsequently underwent an independent re-assessment at an ICC-accredited testing centre where she was cleared.”An independent assessment of Maguire’s remodelled bowling action at an ICC accredited testing centre concluded that the amount of elbow extension was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations,” an ICC release said.Maguire made her ODI and T20I debut against West Indies in July 2023. She has so far played 11 ODIs, where she has picked 16 wickets, with best bowling figures of 5 for 19 against England last year. Maguire has also played nine T20Is, where she has nine wickets at an economy rate of 7.20.The 18-year-old is not part of the Ireland squad that faces Pakistan in a three-match T20I series, which begins in Dublin on Wednesday.