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West Bromwich Albion supporters will be overjoyed at how well their side have started this new Championship season, as the Baggies now sit at the very top of the division.

That is the case after Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland unexpectedly lost to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, but Carlos Corberan’s men still had to travel down to Portsmouth and pick up a result themselves, which they managed in style.

Alex Mowatt was undoubtedly the star of the show at Fratton Park for the West Midlands outfit, as the former Leeds United man helped himself to two wonderful strikes on the way to his exuberant side putting Pompey to the sword 3-0.

Mowatt's performance vs Pompey

Mowatt continues to shine in the middle of the park for Corberan’s side, with the experienced midfielder now into his fourth campaign playing for his top-of-the-table employers.

After Josh Maja broke the deadlock within the first minute on the South Coast, West Brom were crying out for another strike to try and kill the game off at 2-0, with the 29-year-old delightfully stroking an effort past Will Norris early into the second 45 minutes to send the packed out away end into raptures.

He even had a delightful free-kick up his sleeve to further excite the Baggies faithful, as West Brom strolled to another three points courtesy of their standout number 27.

Away from his devastating brace, Mowatt also registered five key passes on the day to try and play his teammates into the game, alongside bravely winning 12 duels and completing six tackles to preserve his side’s clean sheet.

He wasn’t the only star man, however.

Bartley's performance vs Pompey

Kyle Bartley also very much played his part in the Baggies exiting the game at Fratton Park with a clean sheet still in-tact, as the reliable West Brom captain put in a titan-like display in the emphatic victory.

The ageing 33-year-old displayed no signs of visible rust up against John Mousinho’s hosts, with the 6 foot 1 colossus also showing to any nervous West Brom fans before a ball was kicked this season that life does go on without Cedric Kipre in the heart of defence.

Amazingly, across the full 90 minutes, Bartley amassed 11 clearances of the ball to help snuff out any Pompey danger, whilst also managing to block four efforts on Alex Palmer’s net.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

56

Accurate passes

35/37 (95%)

Possession lost

3x

Clearances

11

Blocked shots

4

Total duels won

3/4

Only misplacing two passes during the lunchtime kick off too – with Mowatt actually misplacing three – Bartley was a calm and collected presence at the back for Corberan’s men, who also had that necessary fight in his game to keep Pompey at arm’s length, seen in his three successful duels.

Bartley’s top-drawer display was recognised post-match by Express and Star journalist Jonny Drury, who gifted the steady defender an 8/10 rating and stated that he was a ‘rock’ for his side alongside equally dependable centre-back partner Semi Ajayi.

The seasoned number five didn’t just fluke this level of performance at Fratton Park, however, with Bartley one of the first names on Corberan’s team sheet at the moment for a reason.

He has more than helped West Brom only leak two goals all season long in the Championship – which means the Baggies boast the meanest defence in the league now after Sunderland’s 3-2 defeat at Home Park – and will continue to be picked week in week out by his manager alongside Mowatt.

West Brom supporters will be well aware that a dip in form will come at some stage this campaign, but with four wins and a draw already under their belt, the mood amongst Baggies supporters currently is one of ecstasy.

West Brom's "unbelievable" star could soon be sold for more than Berahino

West Bromwich Albion could sell this star on for some mega bucks in the future.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 12, 2024

England bowlers allow India to add only 88 to their overnight 276 for 3

Varun Shetty13-Aug-20213:08

Harmison: Anderson phenomenal even on a placid pitch

It was more ebb and flow and less one-sided on day two as England counter-punched throughout to significantly limit India’s chances of running away with an early advantage in the second Test. Spearheading the bowling effort once again was James Anderson, who became the oldest man in 70 years to take a Test five-for; he was aided much better on the day by the rest of the line-up, and together they made sure that India added only 88 to their overnight score of 276 for 3.By stumps, England were 246 behind with Joe Root looking solid, after he had put up an encouraging stand with Rory Burns that came just in time as a potent spell from Mohammed Siraj threatened to put India on top once again.The day couldn’t have begun any better for England. Overnight centurion KL Rahul miscued a drive straight to extra cover off Ollie Robinson, second ball of the day, and Anderson had Ajinkya Rahane caught behind off the first ball next over to put an end to a 23-ball effort for India’s vice-captain that yielded a single run. At 282 for 5, India were suddenly in danger of a rapid end to their innings as England made use of the overcast conditions far better than they had on the first day.Related

James Anderson, the lord of Lord's when India come calling

Stats – Anderson the oldest pacer with a Test five-for in 70 years

The last recognised pair – Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja – did come good at that point, even if briefly in a 49-run stand. Pant played with typical panache, stepping out to slash over the bowlers, to pummel through the covers, and on one instance even stepping out and leaving a ball outside off. He was dismissed by Mark Wood, who would eventually go on to get Jadeja as well. India’s last four wickets added 33, a laboured effort that took 16.1 overs of batting around an atypically subdued Jadeja, who was the last man out. That total of 364 signalled a move towards some parity in the game for England.Burns and Dom Sibley looked resolute as they took England to tea, but India would punch back immediately after. They did that via Siraj, and with the use of a strategy they had developed earlier in the year on their Australia tour: the leg trap, a move that involved consistently slanting the ball into batters with packed leg-side fields that eventually proved to be a viable attacking as well as defensive strategy.Siraj was the man entrusted to pull it off, attacking Sibley’s middle and leg stumps until he induced a leg-side strangle that has become endemic for England’s opener in a short career; he had chipped to midwicket at Trent Bridge, and he did it again on Friday after enduring 44 balls for 11. Next ball, India had three catchers in various orientations around midwicket, and that was enough to push the returning Haseeb Hameed to play down a middle stump line to a full delivery that rattled the base of off.It became crucial at this juncture for England that Root would get through Siraj’s spell unscathed, and the bowler didn’t make it easy. He consistently challenged Root’s inside edge with a sustained attack at the stumps. On two occasions he came close to trapping him lbw; on both, Virat Kohli made reluctant reviews that showed the ball was sliding down leg side and India burned two reviews quickly. With the second one, he was visibly distressed with wicketkeeper Pant, seemingly for being too late in telling him that the review wasn’t on.Funnily enough, it was a Siraj over that did eventually release the pressure off England. The 27th over went for three fours, all of them from Burns, who drove neatly past mid-off and followed it up with consecutive pulls to the midwicket boundary to jump from 19 off 78 to 31 off 84. It also managed to take Siraj out of the attack, and began a series of fours, including two from Root at the start of Ishant Sharma’s next over. From 42 for 2 at the end of 26 overs, England swiftly jumped to 73 for 2 at the end of the 30th.The pattern from there was much like that of India’s in the last session of day one, with the sun peeking through the clouds and scoring getting easier. Soon enough, Kohli was forced to turn to Jadeja to tighten up one end in a bid to get to stumps without too much damage.India did pull one back at the end, though: Mohammed Shami going around the wicket for a third wicket that involved the ball coming in at the stumps. Completely against the run of play, Burns was trapped on the back foot, the ball keeping a touch low as he looked to swish it into the leg side. He made it clear he wasn’t pleased with that decision and it ended up costing England a review. But on the balance, at least from the point of view that India didn’t make any massive strides after day one, England will have been the happier team at stumps.

The 18-year-old scored twice in extra time to save his side from cup embarrassment at home

Endrick enjoyed his first signature Real Madrid moment Thursday evening, bashing home an extra time winner – and then completing a brace – to carry Los Blancos past Celta Vigo in an eventual 5-2 victory.

Carlo Ancelotti's side were dominant for 80 minutes, poor for 10, and then turned it on in extra time to secure a win that was far nervier than the scoreline suggested.

Madrid came alive after a dour first 30 minutes. Brahim Diaz offered a real threat in a rare start, bursting down the right side before forcing a fine save out of Ivan Villar. Mbappe opened the scoring in the 37th minute. The Frenchman took the ball on the left, evaded his man, and finished across the goalkeeper to give Los Blancos a 1-0 lead.

The second came shortly after half time, and showed just how good this Madrid team could be on the break. Mbappe found Brahim Diaz, who slipped Vinicius through on goal – setting the Brazilian up for an easy finish. The Frenchman could have added one or two more, but put a header over the bar and saw a curled effort miss the top corner. Los Blancos thought they had a third when Arda Guler found the back of the net from a Vinicius pass – but the Brazilian was adjudged narrowly offside in the build up.

An Eduardo Camavinga mistake let Celta back into the game. The substitute underhit a backpass, which Celta worked into a clear opportunity for Jonathan Bamba – who finished well. The visitors grabbed a second in stoppage time, Marcos Alonso tucking one into the bottom corner from the spot after Raul Asencio gave away a silly penalty.

Extra time brought few good chances. Antonio Rudiger came closest, hitting the post from a corner before Endrick made it 3-2, pivoting before smashing the ball home from the edge of the box. Federico Valverde put the game beyond doubt late in extra time, pinging one into the top corner from 30 yards out, while Endrick backheeled home an audacious fifth to seal things for good – even if this was far from a convincing showing.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Andriy Lunin (5/10):

Got away with an absolute stonewall penalty in the first half. Made a couple of important saves in the second. Sent the wrong way on the penalty.

Lucas Vazquez (7/10):

Completed most of his passes, and was reliable in build up. An evening with very few defensive responsibilities – none of this can be blamed on him.

Raul Asencio (6/10):

Handled the physical Borja Iglesias relatively well. Looked to spray the ball long – which he did so effectively a lot of the time. Then went and threw it all away with a silly penalty.

Antonio Rudiger (6/10):

A bit mixed, all said. Won his duels, but was sometimes unsteady on the ball in deeper areas.

Fran Garcia (7/10):

A solid showing at both ends. Covered loads of ground and was rarely beaten defensively.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

Looked far more comfortable as a No.6 than at center back. Did some good things in central areas, but could have advanced the ball more effectively.

Dani Ceballos (7/10):

Grabbed himself a rare assist on the opening goal. Removed with a knock after a composed showing.

Luka Modric (7/10):

As ageless as ever. Created chances, floated around, found all of the cute angles.

Getty Images SportAttack

Brahim Diaz (7/10):

Lively in the first half, and was well denied. Set up Vini's goal. Unfortunate to be removed after 70 minutes.

Kylian Mbappe (7/10):

Brilliant solo run, clean finish for Madrid's opener. Took the attempt well and found the back of the net in tidy fashion. Missed a couple of others he would normally bury.

Vinicius Jr (7/10):

A calm finish gave Madrid some daylight. Missed a chance or two otherwise. Spent some time playing through the middle, which caused some problems.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Arda Guler (7/10):

Thought he had scored a third, but saw it ruled out for offside. Probably deserved a start.

Eduardo Camavinga (4/10):

Gave the ball away to gift Celta a goal.

Federico Valverde (7/10):

Offered attacking thrust in extra time. Smashed in an absolute beauty to secure three points.

Endrick (8/10):

Came on and ran around. Smashed one over the bar. Battered the winner into the far corner, and then added a fifth – despite not playing very well.

Rodrygo (N/A):

Lively in the second half of extra time.

Carlo Ancelotti (6/10):

Will be annoyed by this one. His side were firmly in control, but threw away a late lead. Madrid woke up when it counted, but this wasn't a great showing.

Reporter Pete O’Rourke has dropped a massive update regarding the future of a “special” Everton player, with Dan Friedkin making his presence felt straight away.

Everton takeover and manager news

The Blues picked up a vital 2-1 win at home to Crystal Palace last Saturday, in what was their first Premier League victory of the season, easing a significant amount of pressure on manager Sean Dyche.

The Englishman has been battling to save his job after some dreadful results in the early weeks of the campaign – they blew back-to-back 2-0 leads at home to Bournemouth and away to Aston Villa – which inevitably led to candidates being backed to replace him, including David Moyes and Gareth Southgate.

A recent claim has suggested that Dyche is safe for the time being, especially after the Palace triumph over the weekend, but he will still know that his job is under scrutiny, as The Friedkin Group look to make the right decisions when they take control.

Keeping hold of the important players at Goodison Park is of the utmost importance for the manager, as he looks to steer his side well clear of danger in the coming weeks and months.

Big update on "special" Everton star's future

According to Football Insider‘s O’Rourke, Friedkin is “unwilling” to sell Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite in the January transfer window, with the Blues’ incoming new owner “keen to not send out the wrong signals to Evertonians or other Premier League clubs” by moving him on.

The 22-year-old was constantly linked with a move away from Goodison in the summer, with the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United seen as suitors, but he ended up remaining on Merseyside, and Friedkin plans to make it clear from the off that the Blues will not be bullied into selling their stars.

This is a decision that will be met with such positivity by Everton supporters, considering the £35,000-a-week Branthwaite is one of the most prized assets in their squad currently. The Blues centre-back has such a high ceiling as a player, with Jamie Carragher under no illusions about his ability.

In truth, Everton will be aware that there is going to continue to be plenty of interest in Branthwaite, given his status as a potential future starter for England, but it is refreshing that Friedkin is digging his heels in, rather than simply cashing in and receiving huge money.

It is unlikely that the defender will spend the rest of his career at Goodison, with his ambitions likely to see him wanting to join a Champions League-playing team, but retaining his services for as long as possible can only aid Dyche and the current direction of the club.

Everton wanted to sign "special" £30m star but are stuck with Lindstrom

Sean Dyche could have signed a talented Championship sensation this summer…

ByRoss Kilvington Oct 1, 2024

Should Branthwaite demand a move away, it is then a case of The Friedkin Group receiving as big a fee as possible, before using the funds to considerably strengthen the squad moving forward.

Chief executive says club will need help from ECB after “unprecedented” loss of revenue

George Dobell10-Sep-2021Lancashire are facing “multimillion pound” losses and will require outside support to cope with the cancellation of the Emirates Old Trafford Test according to their chief executive, Daniel Gidney.Lancashire have promised to reimburse all those who bought tickets or hospitality for the match, while they are exploring their options having hired thousands of temporary staff for the next few days. The ground, which has a capacity of around 22,000, was sold out for the first three days with around 2,000 tickets remaining for day four.But that has left them facing substantial losses. And, coming on the back of Covid, it has left the club in a precarious financial position. Asked if the club were “in a position to wear” the losses, Gidney replied, “no”.Related

Abandoned, forfeited or postponed? Official result of Manchester Test to have big repercussions for ECB

Manchester Test postponed indefinitely over Covid-19 fears

“These are unprecedented circumstances,” Gidney said. “We’re in mitigation mode at this point. We will need to work through this with the ECB.”How big are our losses? We’re talking about significant sums here. We’re talking over seven figures. It’s multimillions of pounds. It’s very challenging. We will need to work with the ECB and others to support us through this.”While the club are facing serious issues of their own, Gidney insisted his priority at this stage was reassuring – and apologising to – ticket holders.”My primary concern is everyone who has bought a ticket,” he said. “I don’t think any of us had an inkling the game would be cancelled this morning”The final decision was made just before 9am this morning. We’re absolutely devastated for all the disruption caused to ticket holders and hospitality buyers. They’ve looked forward to this for a long time. I’m incredibly sorry.”The vast majority [of ticket holders] have been incredibly understanding and very patient. They’re upset and disappointed but they have been incredibly supportive.”The ECB and Lancashire were in discussions about how they treat temporary staff hired for the game. While the club said they were minded to pay them for at least four days, that was yet to be confirmed. The club also confirmed that, if the Test were to be rescheduled for the 2022 season, they would be very keen to host it.”We have a lot of people who have committed to five days’ work with us,” Gidney said. “We have work through that.”We had built up reserves, but the first six months’ of the pandemic effectively ate through all that. So we’re back to scratch, really. But we’re a resilient club: we’ve been through two world wars and a pandemic. We’ll work our way through this.”

Keira Walsh may be on her way back to the Women's Super League after the English midfielder reportedly asked Barcelona to sell her this month.

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Chelsea make offer for WalshMidfielder has asked to leave BarcelonaSpanish side want bigger transfer feeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 27-year-old joined Barcelona from Manchester City in 2022 and has already won a host of trophies, including two Women's Champions League and Liga F crowns. However, the Lionesses star is pushing for a transfer in the near future, reports.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Walsh has received an offer from WSL champions Chelsea but Barcelona are holding out for a significantly higher price. The Catalan club are reluctant to sell to one of their Champions League rivals and they would have to enter the transfer market to sign a replacement.

DID YOU KNOW?

Walsh's contract expires at the end of the season and the report adds she has no interest in signing a new contract, meaning Barca will have to sell her now if they want to avoid losing her for free. The English midfielder is in a similar situation as Ingrid Engen, who also wants to leave amid interest from Lyon.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WALSH?

With just a few days left of the transfer window, Walsh will have to convince Chelsea to make an improved offer if they want to land her this season. Otherwise, she may have to see out the season in Spain.

Ipswich Town will be using this international break as a way to regroup and reassess after a sobering 4-1 defeat to West Ham United last time out in the Premier League.

Kieran McKenna’s men are yet to win in the unforgiving division from seven games, but find themselves thankfully just above that dreaded bottom three currently, owing to some positive draws away from still being winless.

The Tractor Boys manager will want more from the new recruits that entered through the door in the summer too, including Chiedozie Ogbene who is yet to really leave an impression on the Portman Road masses.

Ogbene's start at Ipswich

Ogbene would have been thrilled to relocate to Suffolk in the off-season, having just tasted relegation down to the Championship with Luton Town.

The Republic of Ireland international was a bright spark for the Hatters even as relegation became reality, with five goals and one assist picked up from 39 games, before the Tractor Boys then swooped in to give him another shot at the top flight.

He is unfortunately yet to get off the mark for his new employers, with his hefty £8m price tag potentially weighing heavy over his head, as the 27-year-old has zero goals and zero assists from five total games donning Ipswich blue.

Ogbene has only started three of those contests in all fairness, with McKenna hopeful that his new number 21 can spark into life later down the line, away from becoming a flop at Portman Road.

The ex-Luton man can boast the fact that he scored away at Anfield when he was on the books still at the Hatters, but that ultimately counts for nothing now in his new location, especially if his game time doesn’t increase due to below-par performances.

Ipswich will just hope they don’t rue not sealing a deal for this target down the right wing instead, who would have cost far more at £25m, but could have been more of a success already than the lacklustre Irishman.

Who Ipswich could have signed over Ogbene

During the same summer that Ogbene entered the building from Kenilworth Road, Ipswich were regularly linked with a move for then Burnley star Wilson Odobert, in a bid to boost their options down the right flank.

Odobert would eventually join Tottenham Hotspur in a bumper £25m move, instead of relocating to Suffolk, with the North London titans well aware of how promising a talent the ex-Clarets attacker is to splash out that amount.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Odobert

Games played

29

Goals scored

3

Assists

2

Shots*

1.7

Big chances missed

2

Big chances created

7

Much like Ogbene was for Rob Edwards’ men, Odobert was a lively presence in a team that eventually succumbed to their relegation fate, with three goals and two assists registered from 29 top-flight contests for the Clarets.

He could well have had more assists to shout about too, with seven big chances in total created, as Ange Postecoglou’s men then took a gamble on the “extraordinary” Frenchman – as he was labelled by football journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos before his switch to Burnley – during the transfer window, hopeful he could blossom into even more of a top star surrounded by higher quality performers.

It hasn’t completely worked in the 19-year-old’s favour, with an injury issue now ruling him out of action “long term” according to Postecoglou, after he went down with a hamstring concern against Coventry City last month.

Before that, however, he was showing glimpses of his Turf Moor brilliance in his fresh surroundings, with a showing against Newcastle United in September seeing him register four efforts at Nick Pope’s goal as a tenacious figure in attack.

Going back to matters in Suffolk, McKenna will just hope Ogbene can come good over the months to come, as the Tractor Boys strive to keep their relegation demons at bay.

There will be a worry that the relegation-threatened outfit should have just gone all out to land Odobert instead though, who is only still 19 years of age and with lots of room to grow, over settling for the ex-Luton midfielder.

Ipswich let a "great" player leave for £0, now he's outscoring Szmodics

This former Ipswich Town player continues to shine away from Suffolk.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 9, 2024

West Ham United could move to sign an alternative to Niclas Fullkrug who scored 23 goals in all competitions last season, as manager Julen Lopetegui pressures the Hammers hierarchy with a transfer demand ahead of January.

Lopetegui facing West Ham pressure after poor start

Despite a recent 4-1 win over Ipswich Town, which eased the pressure on Lopetegui somewhat, the Spaniard’s future in east London is back into question following a dismal defeat at the hands of rivals Tottenham last weekend.

West Ham could hire Lopetegui replacement who "oozes class"

West Ham could replace Lopetegui already at the London Stadium.

ByConnor Holden Oct 23, 2024

West Ham took the lead against Spurs courtesy of star winger Mohammed Kudus, but Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, an Alphonse Areola own-goal and a Son Heung-min effort cancelled out their opener and cast more doubt on Lopetegui amid a lacklustre start to the Premier League campaign.

The result makes it four losses for them already, winning just two of eight games in total, despite technical director Tim Steidten’s near-£120 million investment in new signings during the summer transfer window.

West Ham summer signings

From

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Maximilian Kilman

Wolves

€47.5m

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

€29.3m

Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund

€27m

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

€23m

Mohamadou Kante

Paris FC

Undisclosed

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

€18m

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Free transfer

Guido Rodriguez

Real Betis

Free transfer

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

Loan transfer

Carlos Soler

PSG

Loan transfer

West Ham summer departures

To

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Flynn Downes

Southampton

€17.85m

James Ward-Prowse

Nottingham Forest

Loan

Maxwel Cornet

Southampton

Loan

Nayef Aguerd

Real Sociedad

Loan

Kurt Zouma

Al-Shabab

Loan

Said Benrahma

Lyon

€14.4m

Angelo Ogbonna

Watford

Free transfer

Thilo Kehrer

Monaco

€11m

Nathan Trott

FC Copenhagen

€1.5m

Ben Johnson

Ipswich Town

Free transfer

Joseph Anang

St Patrick’s Athletic

Free transfer

It is even believed that West Ham are considering Edin Terzić as a replacement for Lopetegui already, if they do indeed sack the former Real Madrid and Spain head coach.

No decision has been made yet, though, and there is still time for the 58-year-old to turn things around. Lopetegui hasn’t been helped by Fullkrug’s persistent Achilles tendon injury, with the new striker missing their last five league matches after picking up the problem on international duty.

The German scored 16 goals in all competitions for ex-club Borussia Dortmund last term, but Fullkrug is yet to get off the mark for West Ham and has been unable to contribute, leading to their reliance on the ageing Michail Antonio and previously out of favour Danny Ings.

West Ham are targeting a new striker in January as a result, with both Ings and Antonio also out of contract next summer. Greece international Vangelis Pavlidis is a potential target for West Ham, among others, and he isn’t the only Greek on their radar.

West Ham could move for Fotis Ioannidis

According to talkSPORT this week, it is believed West Ham could move for Panathinaikos striker Fotis Ioannidis, as Lopetegui personally puts pressure on the club’s hierarchy to invest in the squad again this coming January.

Fullkrug’s injury woes have apparently prompted West Ham to consider bringing in a new number nine, backing other similar reports, and Ioannidis is a player they were targeting in the summer window as well.

The 24-year-old scored 23 goals in all competitions for his current club last term, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson also branding the forward a “dangerous” asset in the penalty area.

“Fotis Ioannidis has good instincts in the box as he can improvise a variety of finishes to good accuracy with little time to think,” wrote Mattinson.

“He has good finishing ability off both feet which makes him dangerous in the box as he’s effective on either side.”

Openers Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad hit aggressive fifties, while Andre Russell returned to action

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2021Afghanistan combined a belligerent batting performance with tight bowling to stomp to a 56-run win against a somewhat lethargic West Indies in both teams’ second and final warm-up match for the T20 World Cup 2021. Mohammad Nabi opened the bowling for Afghanistan and bowled his four overs straight through to return figures of 4-2-2-3, completely stifling West Indies’ chase. Nabi bowled 22 dot balls out of 24, conceding only two singles off the bat all through.Nabi’s effort came after both openers hit fifties for Afghanistan, off the blocks with a tear right from the first over. Hazratullah Zazai made 56 off 35, while Mohammad Shahzad hit 54 off 35, as the opening stand realised 90 runs in 8.5 overs when Zazai fell. Afghanistan didn’t let up after that, as Shahzad then took charge.Shahzad, who had last played a competitive senior-level game more than a year ago in the Shpageeza Cricket League final in 2020, showed no signs of rustiness.The Afghanistan batters were helped by some wayward bowling by West Indies, with the innings having seven wides and four no-balls, along with a smattering of hittable deliveries. New-ball bowlers Obed McCoy and Oshane Thomas – who are likely to compete for one spot in the playing XI – were particularly loose, giving up 71 runs in the six overs they bowled. The West Indies’ fielding was also lacklustre, with overthrows, catches put down and moments where they didn’t commit fully to chasing or stopping the ball – perhaps mindful of any injury possibilities.Afghanistan’s momentum slowed only after both openers had gone, with West Indies slowing things up a bit through spin. However, they still built a formidable total.Hazratullah Zazai hit 56 in 35 balls•ICC via GettyWest Indies’ chase was in early trouble with Nabi establishing a stranglehold over the run rate. He bowled all his overs at a stretch, and when he was done, West Indies were 27 for 3 in seven overs.Nicholas Pooran rode his luck early on via a dropped chance and some edges, but got the run rate moving for West Indies. However, with the required rate having ballooned early on to more than two runs a ball, West Indies needed all their big-hitters to come off, and that didn’t happen.The one positive for West Indies was the return of Andre Russell from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the best part of IPL 2021’s second leg in the UAE and the first warm-up match. Russell bowled two overs, including the final one of the first innings, in which he conceded just four runs with a tight display. Russell was sent in to bat at No. 6, but while his bowling rhythm showed signs of having returned, he couldn’t find his timing with the bat.The frugality of the early overs meant Afghanistan could keep Rashid Khan back for the second half of West Indies’ innings, and as always, Rashid proved tough to get away. Roston Chase, who is likely to be the batter around whom a big-hitting line-up does its work, stayed the course of the innings after walking in to bat on the third ball of the innings, ending with 54 not out off 58 balls. The lack of pace and wickets early on meant a very slow start for Chase, but he picked up some pace in the second half of the innings, taking 35 runs off the last 25 balls he faced.However, with the big-hitters who got some time in the middle not really coming off, that was never going to be enough.Defending champions West Indies will thus enter the tournament proper with losses in both warm-up games, this defeat coming on the back of one against Pakistan. Afghanistan had lost against South Africa in their opening warm-up game, but will be pleased with how their overall game came together in this one.

Ousmane Dembele etched his name into Paris Saint-Germain's history by netting three goals against Brest, which was his second hat-trick of the week.

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Dembele scored three goals against Stuttgart in UCLFollowed that up with another hat-trick against BrestFrench forward sets incredible record with the ParisiansFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Dembele’s remarkable goal-scoring week began with a stunning hat-trick against Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday. He followed that up with another three-goal performance in Ligue 1, marking a personal milestone in what has been the most prolific season of his career. Despite the club boasting legendary strikers such as Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, none had previously managed back-to-back hat-tricks in PSG colours.

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After the match, Dembele credited his recent success to his positioning and role in the squad.

"I'm well placed, I'm in the role of number nine and I have to score goals. It was a game where I played a bit of a carrot behind the defence," Dembele said.

While celebrating his individual accomplishment, the French winger was quick to emphasize the importance of his teammates’ contributions. He specifically highlighted the quality of service he received, particularly from Kang-In Lee, who provided an assist for one of his goals.

"I think you have to congratulate the team and especially the passers. Because on the first goal, all I had to do was push it home. And on the third, Kang-In's pass was exceptional," Dembele said.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Dembele’s heroics helped PSG secure their 15th league victory of the season, bringing them to 50 points from 20 matches. Their commanding lead at the top of the table now stands at 13 points over second-placed Marseille, though their rivals have a game in hand. With the Ligue 1 title race seemingly in their control, PSG is well on track to clinch their fourth consecutive domestic championship.

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The league leaders will now prepare for their upcoming home fixture against Monaco on Friday, where they will look to further solidify their grip on the title by clinching another three points.