Manchester United can count themselves lucky that their unbeaten run is still intact. The Red Devils secured a late point away to Tottenham Hotspur, drawing 2-2 in North London, after a largely uninspiring performance once again from Ruben Amorim’s team.

Last season, the Lilywhites were something of a bogey team for United, who lost to Spurs four times. However, when Bryan Mbeumo scored just past the half-hour mark, it looked like that run could be coming to an end.

It was a good goal too, with Amad swinging a cross in for the Cameroonian attacker to guide home with his head.

The Red Devils were passive for most of the game, happy for Spurs to dominate the ball. Eventually, they did buckle under the pressure. In the 83rd minute, Mathys Tel saw his strike take a deflection and fly past Senne Lammens after excellent back-to-goal play.

Eight minutes later, in the first of six added minutes, Richarlison got his head on Wilson Odobert’s shot to direct it home. United seemed dead and buried, but Matthijs de Ligt was the saviour, heading home Bruno Fernandes’ corner to secure a draw.

It was a lacklustre performance from Amorim’s side, with De Ligt a key man at the back.

De Ligt’s stats vs. Spurs

Dutch international De Ligt capped off a good week for him personally by getting on the scoresheet. He was also recalled to the Netherlands squad after a fantastic start to the season at Old Trafford.

His last-gasp header to earn a point for United was an impressive effort.

He managed to shake off his marker and ghosted towards the back post, rising unmarked to head past Guglielmo Vicario in the Spurs goal.

Defensively, the former Ajax star impressed. He was the player whose deflection sent Tel’s strike into the back of the net, but it is hard to blame him after good centre-forward play.

Aside from that, De Ligt made six clearances and three recoveries, mainly operating at right centre-back, having largely bullied the likes of Richarlison ahead of him.

The heroic late goal from the Dutchman, meanwhile, would have brought relief to United fans and players alike. That includes another starter, who struggled against Spurs.

The United star who struggled against Spurs

Despite the performance of De Ligt, United were disappointing against Thomas Frank’s side. It was a largely toothless performance going forward, with Amorim’s side managing just five shots in the entire game.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

One of those attacking players who struggled was Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian has shone this season as something of an Amorim favourite, but, operating as a number nine on Saturday, was largely anonymous.

He certainly had a tough day going up against Cristian Romero and Mickey van de Ven.

In fact, Cunha didn’t really manage to get himself into the game at all. The former Atletico Madrid star only managed 35 touches in the 72 minutes he played, less than Lammens’ 37.

He also had four touches in the Spurs box and won one out of seven ground duels.

Cunha stats vs. Spurs

Stat

Number

Touches

35

Passes completed

17/24

Touches in opposition box

4

Ground duels won

1/7

Passes into final third

2

Shots

1

Stats from Fotmob

Well, it was a performance which MEN writer Steven Railston also seemed to think left a little to be desired. He gave Cunha a 5/10 for his afternoon’s work, and said the 17-cap Brazil star was ‘not at his best’ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It will certainly give Amorim something to think about. United’s next game sees them take on Everton, and with two more physically imposing centre-backs in Michael Keane and James Tarkowski, he might decide against starting Cunha against the Toffees.

There are other options if he decides to rotate the Red Devils’ number 10 out of the lineup. Benjamin Sesko is, of course, one player who could start, although he picked up an injury against Spurs. Joshua Zirkzee is another player Amorim could turn to, and his hold-up play could be important against the Toffees.

Whatever decision the United boss chooses, he will need his side to create more going forward. On another day, they could have easily been put to the sword in North London.

Related Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

A non-league match had to be called off at half-time after the referee was targeted with alleged sexist abuse. The game featuring AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Coventry Sphinx could not continue beyond the first half after sexist abuses were hurled at a female referee officiating the game. The FA are now set to conduct the necessary investigations to get to the bottom of the incident.

Match abandoned after official targeted with sexist abuse

A Northern Premier League clash between AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Coventry Sphinx had to be abandoned at half-time after a female referee was allegedly targeted with sexist abuse on the pitch. AFC Rushden later released a statement condemning the act, which read: "A comment of a sexist nature was allegedly directed toward the female match official towards the end of the first half. Attempts to identify the individual were unsuccessful. We are deeply concerned and disappointed that such behaviour has occurred at one of our matches. Discriminatory language or actions of any kind have absolutely no place within our community club or the wider football community."

Home side Coventry Sphinx too released a statement, which read: "We will undertake an investigation into the incident and will respond to any queries received from the league and the FA."

AdvertisementGetty Images NewsFA to conduct investigation

The FA have told that a thorough investigation will be conducted to identify the offender, after contacting the officials, the home and away clubs, and other authorities. 

Diamonds chariman Rob Usher said: "The club fully respects the protocols put in place. The club is currently conducting an investigation into the alleged behaviour of a spectator and as such feels that further comment is inappropriate until such a time as this investigation is concluded."

Speaking to the club's official media, Diamonds manager Elliot Sandy said: "Someone in the crowd had accused her personally and she requested that the person be removed or the game would be abandoned. That person was removed, as far as I’m aware, and we carried on, but she came in again at half-time and she did not feel her head was 100 per cent in it. We will undertake an investigation into the incident and will respond to any queries received from the league and the FA"

He added: "I obviously condemn what’s happened today; there’s no place for it in football and I feel really sorry for her that it has actually happened."

Diamonds seek help from fans

Diamonds have also urged the fans gathered at the venue to help them identify the offender, saying that anyone who witnessed the incident should contact the club at the earliest.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Diamonds were leading 1-0 in the first half after Bruno Andrade converted a penalty in the 36th minute. It remains to be seen when the match will be rescheduled by the league and the FA. Diamonds are currently languishing in the 20th position in the eighth tier of English football with 19 points from 16 matches. Sphinx, on the other hand, are currently placed ninth in the league with 25 points from 17 games.

Manchester City cruise through to yet another Carabao Cup quarter-final.

On Wednesday night, despite actually falling behind early in South Wales, the Citizens ultimately swatted aside Swansea City 3-1, thanks to goals from Jérémy Doku, Omar Marmoush and then Rayan Cherki.

This is the 11th time in 19 seasons that the Citizens have reached the quarter-finals, hoisting the trophy aloft on six occasions since 2014, firm favourites to beat Brentford at home in the last eight just before Christmas.

As Manchester City, largely, motor on impressively this season, has Pep Guardiola found his new Lionel Messi, but it is not someone who caught the eye at the Swansea.com Stadium?

Rayan Cherki's importance

Having sat out eight matches due to a thigh issue, Rayan Cherki started for the first time since August on Wednesday night, putting in a sparkling, man of the match display, capped off by firing home the clinching third.

The table below documents just how impressive the Frenchman was in the EFL Cup.

Goals

1

1st

Assists

1

1st

Shots on target

1

1st

Shots off target

4

1st

Attempted dribbles

4

2nd

Accurate passes

74

3rd

Key passes

6

1st

Ground duels won

5

5th

Possession lost

31

1st

Touches

119

2nd

As the table highlights, Cherki was the outstanding player on the pitch in mid-week.

He ranked first for shots and second for attempted dribbles, behind only Jérémy Doku, while his tally of six key passes is off the scale; normally a player would not register that many in a month!

The Frenchman did lose possession on 31 occasions, almost twice as often as anyone else, which obviously isn’t ideal, but underlines that he is always trying to make something happen.

The 22-year-old arrived from Olympique Lyonnais for £34m too much excitement, given that Lyon teammate Ainsley Maitland-Niles labelled him “the best natural talent I’ve ever seen. An absolute master, a wizard with the ball”.

Upon his arrival in Manchester, Guardiola said that Cherki “is one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my career”, high praise from a manager who has coached Andrés Iniesta, Xavi, Thierry Henry, Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben, Thiago Alcântara, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, oh and a certain Lionel Messi.

Despite their stylistic similarities, Cherki is not the new Messi in this Manchester City side, that acclaim goes to a rather more high-profile “monster”.

Guardiola's new Lionel Messi at Man City

By scoring twice against Nashville in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night in round one of the MLS Cup play-offs, Messi has taken his tally to 891 senior goals for club and country.

Of these, 672 were scored for Barcelona, with 211 coming during Pep Guardiola’s reign, most notably bagging 91 goals in just 69 appearances for club and country in 2012, featuring hat-tricks against Switzerland, Brazil, Bayer Leverkusen, Málaga twice, Valencia, Granada, Espanyol and Deportivo La Coruña.

This is surely a calendar year record that will never be beaten but, if there is one player who could come close, it is of course Erling Braut Håland.

Already this season, the Norwegian striker has scored 15 goals for Man City, which accounts for 65% of all goals they have managed across the Premier League and Champions League.

Former Bayern Munich striker Mario Gómez labelled Håland a “monster”, adding “I think every team on the planet has to fear” him, while Barney Ronay of the Guardian describes him as “the complete centre-forward” who is more than just a goal machine.

Nevertheless, right now, Håland’s goals are perhaps masking Manchester City’s issues, over-reliant on him to score in every game, but if you’re going to be over-reliant on someone, he isn’t a bad choice!

In 2025 so far, he has scored 43 goals for club and country, while his most productive year was 2023, netting 50 times overall, four more than he managed in 2022.

This merely underlines how mind-boggling it is that Messi reached 91 in 2012, but with Norway almost guaranteed to return to the World Cup next summer, their first appearance since France ’98, an injury-free Håland could trouble that record in 2026.

Back in 2010/11, when Guardiola’s Barcelona won La Liga and the Champions League, Messi scored 53 goals across all competitions, just one fewer than Barça’s next three highest scorers that season combined, namely David Villa, Pedro and Iniesta.

Well, considering Håland has 15 goals this season, while Man City’s second-highest scorers, namely Cherki and Doku, have just two goals, the Sky Blues are even more reliant on their superstar forward than Guardiola ever was in Catalonia.

Nevertheless, this is a recipe that has proved fruitful before, if Guardiola has the right ingredients of course, so Håland could well fire the Sky Blues to the game’s biggest trophies pretty much all by himself.

The Norwegian requires another 72 goals to become the highest scorer under Guardiola, a record held by Messi of course, but one that he could break in double quick time.

​​​​​​​

Not just Doku: Man City star who was "streets ahead" is now undroppable

Manchester City survived an early scare away at Swansea City to clinch a 3-1 victory in the EFL Cup.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 30, 2025

Sunderland have been riding the crest of a wave since returning to the Premier League from the Championship this summer, but the manner of Everton’s draw against the Black Cats on Monday evening has left supporters frustrated.

The Toffees took the lead in the first half and had applied the pressure on the Stadium of Light, yet to taste defeat this term and enjoying quite the resurgence.

In any case, this wasn’t good enough from David Moyes’ side, whose optimism and coherence were extinguished quickly after the interval, leaving the visitors rueing their slew of missed chances earlier.

Everton’s attacking concerns have gone beyond mere teething problems at the start of a new season. There might be a lack of inspiration in the team despite the quality of some of the players, but the struggles of the frontmen make up the crux of Moyes’ dilemma.

Everton's goalscoring problems

Everton have scored ten goals from as many Premier League matches this season. Last term, under Sean Dyche’s management, they had as many goals at the same stage.

Frustratingly, this tally should be higher, were Beto and Thierno Barry not suffering from some dismal form in front of goal, the centre-forwards having scored just one goal between them in the league this year.

Against Sunderland, Barry was given the nod instead of first-choice option Beto. However, the £27m summer recruit from Villarreal was unable to capitalise; the Frenchman showed off his movement and physicality, but a horror miss to put the Blues 2-0 up before the break came back to haunt them.

Clearly, it can’t go on like this. If Moyes hopes to avoid the perils of a relegation battle this season and instead lead Everton back into the ascendancy, it’s crucial that a solution is found.

To achieve this, the Scotsman might need to think outside the box.

The Everton star who could move to CF

It’s probably a good thing to remember how far Everton have come since the start of the year, when positivity had been pulled into a vacuum with Dyche at the helm and the Merseysiders altogether rudderless before the Friedkin Group replaced Farhad Moshiri at the head of the table.

Connecting these two eras is the positive thread that is Iliman Ndiaye, who joined the ranks at Goodison Park in 2024 after a tough spell in France with Marseille. The mercurial winger completed a £15m transfer.

The 25-year-old completed the 2024/25 campaign as Everton’s top scorer in all competitions with 11 goals, and he leads the way once again this term, his goal against Sunderland on Monday marking his fourth of the campaign – and across just ten Premier League outings at that.

Given that Ndiaye laid on an assist during the defeat at Liverpool too, we can observe that he has been directly involved in half of the club’s top-flight goals thus far, corroborating presenter Jamie O’Hara’s claim that he is “one of the best players in the Premier League”.

Ndiaye’s dynamism and ability to adapt set him apart. Sure, he’s got “magic in his boots”, according to Everton writer Lyndon Lloyd, but he’s also clinical and mechanical in his ball-striking when the need arises.

Indeed, Ndiaye is far and away Everton’s most potent goal threat. His strike against Sunderland proved – if anything needed proving – that he can dribble from any area of the pitch and shift onto either side and strike and score.

And in this, he could be the perfect option to slot in at number nine, thus keeping both Beto and Barry benched.

Attacking midfield

52

16 (5)

Centre-forward

49

10 (12)

Left winger

41

10 (1)

Right winger

17

4 (2)

As you will note from the table above, Ndiaye is no stranger to playing across the frontline. Invariably, he finds the back of the net, and it’s curious to note that his most statistically prolific performances have come from number nine.

And though he’s diminutive, thus suggesting that Moyes would need to devise a new attacking strategy, Ndiaye isn’t without his combative qualities. Indeed, Ndiaye has won 6.7 duels and made 2.5 tackles on average per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore.

His progressiveness on the ball, in a central berth, could also play to the strengths of those such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who nearly found Beto with a line-breaking pass against Sunderland and could benefit from a frontman who is more adept at running in behind.

After all, Ndiaye is one of the fastest and most dangerous carriers in the Premier League, actually ranking among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across all of Europe for successful take-ons per 90 (FBref).

There is a potential solution here for Moyes, who might not be able to afford to persist with his struggling strikers until the January transfer window, when proposals for a new number nine are sure to be canvassed.

With Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil among those waiting in the wings, Everton must act and push Ndiaye into a more prominent role, maybe ratcheting up the creativity and sharpness in the final third by doing so.

Taking both Beto and Barry out of the firing line might be a fitting option for a side seeking to redress the frustrations of the supporters. Already, fans will point toward a number of missed chances this season that might have put the club in a higher position in the Premier League.

The Senegal international is clinical and dynamic, and he’s proven himself to be the talisman in the final third for an Everton team in need of another dimension.

9/10 Everton ace was "always struggling", now he's as undroppable as Ndiaye

David Moyes has rekindled the finer qualities of this Everton man.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 4, 2025

Australia quick Lance Morris will miss the entire 2025-26 season, and is expected to be out of action for 12 months, after opting for the same surgery that Cameron Green underwent last year following another stress fracture in his lower back.Cricket Australia confirmed on Sunday that the centrally contracted Morris, 27, would undergo pars stabilisation surgery in Christchurch to address an ongoing lumbar bone stress injury after being ruled out of the ODI series against South Africa. He had also been due to feature in the four-day matches on Australia A’s tour of India.After lengthy discussions between Morris, CA medical staff and the surgeons, he will follow the same path that Green took last October. Fellow Australia quick Ben Dwarshuis, India star Jasprit Bumrah, New Zealand quicks Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson among many others have had the same procedure with screws and a titanium cable fused into their lower back to stabilise the stress fracture and prevent future occurrences.Related

• Vidler ruled out of Australia A tour of India with a partial stress fracture

• Australia's pace depth: Who's in the Ashes mix if Cummins and co run aground?

• Owen, Morris, Short ruled out of South Africa series

• Morris hopeful of early Shield return despite 'frustrating' injury issues

“I feel this is the most logical way to realise my full potential and return to my very best cricket for the Scorchers, Western Australia and Australia long into the future,” Morris said. “I also take great confidence in others who have undergone similar procedures and returned to their best. I plan to work hard through my recovery and return when the time is right.”The surgery is performed by New Zealand based surgeons Rowan Schouten and Grahame Inglis who have two decades of experience performing the surgery on fast bowlers with a staggering return to play success rate. Former Australia team physio and now full-time CA injury case manager Nick Jones has vast experience in the rehab following the surgery having worked through it with Green and another Australia quick Jason Behrendorff back in 2019.It is a significant step for Morris who has had an incredibly frustrating run with injury. Since bursting into Test calculations at the start of the 2022-23 summer when he took 26 wickets in four Sheffield Shield matches while bowling at speeds over 150kph, he has not managed to play more than three first-class games without interruption since.He has been carried as a Test squad member during the Australian home summers and went on the Test tour of India in 2023. He featured in three Shield matches at the start of the 2023-24 home summer and made his ODI debut in February 2024 following an uninterrupted BBL but strained his side in his second game in Canberra and played just one ODI last summer.Lance Morris has been around Australia squads with only limited appearances•Getty Images

He played two Shield games at the start of last summer under careful management before playing eight BBL games out of 10 for Perth Scorchers. He played two more Shield matches at the end of the summer and took 5 for 26 in his last Shield game in March against New South Wales but has not played since.Morris’ management throughout the past two years since earning his first CA contract in 2023 has been a source of debate between CA, his state Western Australia and the fast bowler himself.There have been times when he has been feeling fully fit but regular MRI scans in his lower back have shown recurring areas of concern for CA medical staff which ruled him out of the 2023 Ashes and the 2024 white-ball tour of the UK.”It’s been a bit frustrating,” Morris told ESPNcricinfo in September last year. “I guess you call it a stress fracture, but when we scan it, it doesn’t have the natural characteristics of a usual stress fracture. So there was some confusion at first around exactly what it was.”The tricky one for me was I didn’t actually have any back pain when I was bowling.”He is also a bowler who has performed better, at first-class level especially, the more he has played but it has been difficulty to strike the balance of getting a string of games together without risking injury.There will be a hope that the surgery allows him to get some continuity as it has done for a number of fast bowlers globally. But with the exception of Henry recently, who does not bowl at the express speeds of others, many of the fast bowlers who have undergone the procedure have still had their red-ball loads capped with the recent management of Bumrah by India a prime example.Australia are very keen to have Morris fit and firing ahead of a brutal period of international cricket from October 2026 to November 2027, which includes three away Tests against South Africa, four home Tests against New Zealand, five away Tests against India, a home Test against England to mark the 150th anniversary of Test cricket a possible World Test Championship final, five away Tests against England and an ODI World Cup in South Africa.Fast bowling depth will be vitally important with Australia’s attack on the cusp of a significant transition. Mitchell Starc turns 36 in January while Josh Hazlewood turns 35 in the same month while skipper Pat Cummins turns 33 in May 2026.Morris and fellow injured West Australian CA contracted quick Jhye Richardson, who is 28, are in the ideal age bracket to come into the team when the big three finish up with Australia’s 2024 Under-19 World Cup winning quicks including Callum Vidler, Tom Straker, Charlie Anderson and Mahli Beardman just starting the transition from U-19 to first-class cricket.

After New Zealand declared overnight, with a lead of 476, Zimbabwe were bowled out in 28.1 overs in an extended first session

Firdose Moonda09-Aug-2025Zakary Foulkes picked up the best figures by a New Zealand player on Test debut as New Zealand recorded their biggest Test win. Their innings and 359 run victory over Zimbabwe emphasised the massive gulf between the two sides as Zimbabwe capitulated for their fourth-lowest score against New Zealand to suffer their heaviest defeat in the format.After New Zealand declared overnight, with a lead of 476, Zimbabwe were bowled out in 28.1 overs in an extended first session. They have now lost their last six Tests and have been dismissed for under 170 in all four innings in this series. New Zealand finished their tour of Zimbabwe unbeaten, after winning all their matches in the T20I tri-series including the final, and both Tests.Foulkes, who was called into the XI after injuries to Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke, showed the wealth of New Zealand’s bowling depth with an incisive eight-over spell headlined by devastating inswing. He ensured Zimbabwe had no let up after Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy made the opening incisions and that stand-in captain Mitchell Santner was not required at all.Related

Stats – New Zealand record third-biggest win in Test history

For Zimbabwe, technical questions over their batting remain. Their inability to cope with the moving ball, or genuine pace was exposed, more so when the two are in operation together. As has been the case throughout this series, only one batter made a score of note – Nick Welch’s 47 – there was only one other player who got into double figures and a highest partnership of just 25.The damage started as early as the third ball when Brian Bennett walked straight into the trap set for him. After two balls that moved away, Henry brought the ball back into him. Bennett played down the wrong line and his middle stump was uprooted. Brendan Taylor scored the first runs when he guided Duffy’s delivery between point and gully but only lasted until the fifth over as he was caught in the crease to a fuller ball from Henry and edged to second slip.Duffy, also on debut, found some extra bounce and Sean Williams could only get a leading edge as he tried to turn him leg-side. The ball went high and gave Duffy enough time to take the catch off his own bowling for his first Test wicket.Welch and Craig Ervine showed some fight against the short ball before Ervine pushed at a full ball from Matthew Fisher and edged to third slip. He was dismissed in almost identical fashion in the first innings which suggests a pattern that Zimbabwe need to address. Similarly, Sikandar Raza’s glaring problem against the short ball continued. For the fourth time in the series, Raza was undone by one, this time as he fended off a delivery from Foulkes and was caught at gully. Raza was brought back into the squad after missing the South Africa Tests for the MLC and recorded scores of 2, 5, 5 and 4.New Zealand finished their tour of Zimbabwe unbeaten in T20Is and Tests•Zimbabwe CricketFoulkes had Tafadzwa Tsiga caught behind, playing at a ball that straightened on him and then produced two absolute peaches to bowl Vincent Masekesa and Trevor Gwandu. Both were clueless against deliveries that landed outside off, shaped back in and beat their defences to hit the stumps. It’s difficult to choose between them on quality and both could easily be labelled the best deliveries of the game. Blessing Muzarabani became Foulkes’ fifth when he top-edged him to square leg, where Santner took a comfortable catch. That wicket gave Foulkes match figures of 9 for 75.Duffy thought he had wrapped up the innings when he had Tanaka Chivanga caught in the cordon but he had overstepped – the only mistake New Zealand made all morning. In his next over, Chivanga was caught at gully by Devon Conway, who is also the series’ leading run-scorer, to end the match five minutes before a delayed lunch would have been taken.The defeat ends a long run of Test cricket for Zimbabwe for now. They have played eight Tests in 2025, and won one against Bangladesh, but have lost all their games at home. They will turn their attention to the T20 World Cup Qualifiers which Zimbabwe will host in September.New Zealand leave Zimbabwe with a problem of plenty. Conway, Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra all scored centuries while all their seamers were among the wickets. Henry’s 16 wickets in the series was the standout and he has established himself as a leader in the attack. New Zealand do not play any Tests until November-December this year, when they host West Indies to start their 2025-2027 World Test Championship campaign.

تتجه أنظار جماهير كرة القدم الإفريقية، اليوم الأحد، للملحق الإفريقي المؤهل إلى الملحق العالمي ضمن تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.

ويلتقي منتخب نيجيريا مع نظيره الكونغو الديمقراطية على ملعب الأمير مولاي الحسن بالعاصمة المغربية الرباط، في نهائي الملحق الإفريقي المؤهل إلى الملحق العالمي ضمن تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.

وتأهلت نيجيريا على حساب الجابون بنتيجة 4 – 1 بينما منتخب الكونغو الديمقراطية حقق الفوز 1 – 0 على حساب الكاميرون.

طالع.. ترتيب هدافي تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.. مركز محمد صلاح

ومن المقرر أن يتأهل الفائز من مواجهة نيجيريا والكونغو الديمقراطية، للمشاركة في الملحق العالمي الذي سيقام في مارس 2026 بمشاركة المتأهل من ملحق آسيا (العراق أو الإمارات) وبوليفيا وكاليدونيا الجديدة ومنتخبين من كونكاكاف.

ويبحث منتخب نيجيريا عن الظهور الثامن في كأس العالم بعد المشاركة في 7 نسخ سابقة، بينما الكونغو الديمقراطية تأمل في الظهور العالمي للمرة الثانية في تاريخها بعد مشاركتها السابقة باسم “زائير”. موعد مباراة نيجيريا والكونغو الديمقراطية اليوم

تنطلق مباراة نيجيريا والكونغو الديمقراطية اليوم الأحد في تمام التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والعاشرة مساءً بتوقيت مكة المكرمة. القناة الناقلة لمباراة نيجيريا والكونغو الديمقراطية اليوم

ومن المقرر أن تنقل المباراة على تطبيق شاهد. معلق مباراة نيجيريا والكونغو الديمقراطية اليوم

وأسندت القناة الناقلة للمباراة مهمة التعليق لـ أحمد النفيسة.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.

Spending a ton of money does have consequences in Major League Baseball.

On Tuesday as MLB held the lottery for its 2025 draft, three teams were punished and won't have selections in the reverse order of the final standings. The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees all exceeded the second surcharge threshold of the league's competitive balance tax during the 2024 season. As a result, their first selections in the 2025 draft will be dropped 10 spots.

As a result of this penalty, the Mets will have the 38th overall pick, while the Yankees will own the 39th selection and the Dodgers will have to wait until the 40th pick to start their draft.

The Washington Nationals won the lottery, while the Los Angeles Angels nabbed the second pick and the Seattle Mariners will select third. The Colorado Rockies tied for the best odds to earn the first pick but will settle for selecting fourth. The St. Louis Cardinals will pick fifth and the Pittsburgh Pirates will get the sixth selection.

The Miami Marlins were tied for the best odds to nab the top selection but fell completely out of the lottery portion and will pick seventh.

The Astros are the latest team to make a splash in MLB Free Agency.

According to multiple reports, Houston is signing first baseman Christian Walker. It's a three-year, $60 million deal per ESPN's Alden González.

In his reporting, González suggested that this could mean the end of long-time Astros third-baseman Alex Bregman's time in Houston.

"The addition of Walker in all likelihood marks the end of Alex Bregman's tenure in Houston…" he writes. "Walker manning first base for the next three years means Isaac Paredes, the 25-year-old corner infielder who was recently acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, will probably be Bregman's replacement at third base."

Bregman has spent his entire major league career with the Astros, winning two World Series' with the club in 2017 and '22.

As for their newest infield addition in Walker, the 33-year-old spent his last eight season with the Diamondbacks and has won three straight NL Gold Gloves at first base. In 2024, he hit .250/.335/.803 with 26 home runs and 84 RBI.

From Scott McTominay overhead kicks to Troy Parrott mania and the stuff of dreams for Curaçao and Haiti, the November international break has been one full of drama.

It has also provided a far clearer picture of what the 2026 World Cup may look like. All but six countries have now booked their places in North America, with the remaining spots to be determined by playoffs taking place in March 2026, which will see four additional European teams qualify.

Along with Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Italy are the biggest name in the European playoffs, with Poland, Denmark, Ukraine, Turkey and the Czech Republic among others being forced to take that route.

England World Cup Squad Tracker

England 2026 World Cup Squad Tracker

Who is in line to make Thomas Tuchel’s 26-player squad?

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 13, 2025

The remaining two places will come from the inter-confederation playoffs featuring Iraq, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia and New Caledonia.

The draw for the finals will take place in Washington on Friday, December 5 at midday local time (5pm UK time), but AI has jumped the gun and predicted every group including those teams yet to be officially decided.

Group A – USA, Denmark, Norway, Japan

According to the supercomputer, hosts USA will meet Denmark, Norway and Japan in the group stage. Having qualified automatically due to their host status, America will hope to advance into the knockouts in what would be an interesting group. A lot, of course, relies on whether Denmark can qualify through the playoffs.

The Danes lost late on against Scotland and were forced to settle for a place in the playoffs rather than automatic qualification. Japan, meanwhile, could be ones to watch after they lost just once in World Cup qualifying, and Norway could yet cause a few upsets thanks to Erling Haaland. In a well-balanced group, though, both USA and Denmark would be favourites to advance.

Group B – Mexico, Ecuador, South Africa, Iraq

Like USA, Mexico have had their 2026 place sealed ever since it was announced that they would host the World Cup and the supercomputer predicts that they’ll be handed a fairly routine group to match. Joined by Ecuador, South Africa and Iraq – who just kept their qualification hopes alive with a late victory over UAE – Mexico would be expected to advance in such a group.

Group C – Canada, Iran, Uzbekistan, Republic of Ireland

Canada, the final hosts of the tournament, will be joined in Group C by Iran, Uzbekistan and Ireland – who will need to qualify through the playoffs – according to the supercomputer.

Canada should feel confident if the AI prediction is right. They could top the group in front of their home crowd.

Group D – Argentina, Switzerland, Ivory Coast, Haiti

Can Argentina retain their crown on Lionel Messi’s likely last appearance on the big stage? That’s the question. They turned on the style at times in qualifying and will be expected to advance in a group with Switzerland, Ivory Coast and Haiti if the supercomputer’s prediction comes true.

That’s not to say it’s the most routine group, though. Ivory Coast have a strong team in their own right, boasting the likes of Amad Diallo, Simon Adingra and Evann Guessand. The same, meanwhile, can be said for Switzerland, who have the likes of Granit Xhaka to call on. Argentina should top the group, but then the fight for second place would be on, especially if Haiti cause any upsets.

Group E – Brazil, Croatia, Tunisia, New Zealand

Out of all the groups that the supercomputer has predicted, Group E stands out as the most routine so far. Both Brazil and Croatia would likely compete for top spot, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side favourites to come out on top, whilst Tunisia and New Zealand battle it out for third place.

There would still be room for some shocks, but the dominance of Brazil and Croatia would likely prove too strong. Ancelotti’s side will especially be one to watch, as they weigh-up whether to bring Neymar to the World Cup and others in pursuit of glory at long last.

Group F – Uruguay, Netherlands, Egypt, Jordan

If anyone was ever keen to see Darwin Nunez up against Virgil van Dijk then Group F will be the one for you, according to the AI prediction. It has predicted that Uruguay will square off against Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, Jordan and the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup.

On paper, it looks like a routine draw for the two favourites of the group to go through, but seven-time AFCON winners Egypt are not to be taken lightly as long as Salah is fit and firing.

Group G – Belgium, Italy, Senegal, Saudi Arabia

Despite the fact that they’ll need to go through the playoffs, the supercomputer has predicted that Italy will take part in their first World Cup in over 10 years. It would signal a huge sigh of relief around the country if that proved to be the case, but their recent form suggests that it could yet be a playoff to forget once again.

Meanwhile, if they do reach the World Cup, they may still face their demise. The computer has predicted that Italy will meet a brutal group including Belgium and Senegal, one of Africa’s strongest sides, while don’t ignore Saudi Arabia, who beat eventual champions Argentina at Qatar 2022.

Group H – England, Austria, Algeria, Curacao

The supercomputer has predicted that England will be drawn into a group with Austria, Algeria and the smallest-ever country by population to feature at a World Cup, Curacao.

It wouldn’t get much more routine for the Three Lions, who are looking to finally bring football home in the men’s game to follow in the footsteps of the successful Lionesses.

They couldn’t have asked for a better qualification process under Thomas Tuchel, either. England were untouchable going forward and going the other way. They’ve got the players and they’ve got a winning manager. Will this finally be the year?

Group I – France, Scotland, Ghana, Australia

It could be good news for Scotland. The computer believes they’ll be drawn with France, Australia and Ghana. It would be an ideal draw for Steve Clarke’s men, who just defeated Denmark in dramatic fashion to qualify.

The fact they’ve reached the World Cup is an achievement in itself, but they won’t just be there to take part. In a group with France, who are likely to top the group, Australia and Ghana, they should expect to compete for a place in the knockouts.

Group J – Spain, Morocco, Paraguay, Jamaica

Drawn in a group with Morocco, Paraguay and Jamaica, Spain will be expected to dominate and send an early statement at the World Cup. They already have the Euros under their belt and will now be gunning for World Cup glory.

They’re a country full of great footballing history and many are backing them, led by the talent of Lamine Yamal, to create even more.

Group K – Portugal, Colombia, Qatar, Cape Verde

Group K, according to the supercomputer, will be centred around Cristiano Ronaldo and what is likely to be his final chance to win the World Cup. He’s watched as Messi has lifted it in dramatic style and will now be desperate to get his own glory to truly cement his Portugal legacy.

In a group with Luis Diaz’s Colombia and underdogs Qatar and Cape Verde, Ronaldo will be expected to shine.

Group L – Germany, South Korea, Panama, Wales

Whilst Germany likely ease to top spot, South Korea could grab second place in Group L. Up against Panama and playoff contenders Wales, they could have a routine run at second, assuming Germany take control.

The 2014 World Cup winners should be desperate to improve on their recent record and reclaim their throne, although they may have to stifle a Welsh side boosted by scoring seven times in their final qualifying game.