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The U.S. fell at the quarterfinal round once again, with the latest loss coming as a result of some disastrous defending

This run promised to be different for the U.S. under-20 men's national team. After storming through the group stage without giving up a goal, the U.S. battered New Zealand, 4-0, to book their spot in the quarterfinals. Waiting them was Uruguay, a team that had been pushed to the limit by Gambia and would enter the quarterfinal on short rest and shorthanded.

But this run, as it turns out, wasn't different. In fact, it ended the exact same way the three previous tournaments did: with quarterfinal heartbreak and a team left wondering what could have been.

The U.S. defense, perfect through the first four games, imploded in the 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, handing the winners two tournament-ending goals. The first came on a mistake from Justin Che, whose sliding effort left the backline completely exposed for an Anderson Duarte finish in the 21st minute.

The second, though, was even worse, as Josh Wynder deflected home a relatively harmless cross, and it was the youngster's own goal that effectively ended the team's tournament run.

They'll feel that run ended prematurely and, in some ways, they'll be right. While Uruguay were the better team, they were never truly in control, but they sure did take advantage of the U.S. group's catastrophic mistakes.

It's because of those mistakes that another group of American players have failed to advance past this round of the tournament and, with Israel waiting in the semifinals, the U.S. would have had hopes of winning it all. Instead, they'll head home knowing that they proved to be their own undoing.

GOAL rates the U.S. players from Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades

GettyGoalkeeper & Defense

Gabriel Slonina (6/10):

Nothing he could have done on either goal, which were the only two goals he conceded this tournament. A cruel exit for a player that showed well in Argentina.

Caleb Wiley (4/10):

Gave the ball away way too often. Was nowhere near his best as he never quite made Uruguay uncomfortable down that left-hand side.

Josh Wynder (3/10):

A horrible, horrible moment for the youngest defender in the squad. Got his sliding clearance all wrong, putting it into the back of the net to effectively end the tournament run.

Brandan Craig (6/10):

Never really saw the best of him, especially in the first half as he was relatively uninvolved in the buildup. Craig's passing was key to the first few wins, but we didn't see much of it here.

Justin Che (3/10):

Totally at fault for the opening goal as his slide tackle attempt was totally unnecessary. His poor decision took him completely out of the play, leaving his team exposed for that game-winning goal.

Michael Halliday (4/10):

A rough first half for the right wingback before being replaced early in the second after the goal came down his side. Came into the XI ahead of Jonathan Gomez, but hindsight probably says the Real Sociedad man should have started.

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Jack McGlynn (5/10):

Even McGlynn wasn't immune from a bad performance, as his decision-making was totally off. One sequence saw him take a wild shot rather than advancing the ball out wide, symbolizing the U.S. panic that loomed large throughout.

Obed Vargas (5/10):

Feels like another mistake from Varas, who went with the youngster Vargas over the captain in Daniel Edelman. Didn't take long to rectify his mistake, though, as Edelman came in early in the second half to replace the Sounders star, who simply wasn't impacting the game enough.

Owen Wolff (5/10):

Played in that right wing/midfield hybrid role, but it never really worked. Rightfully taken off at halftime to get Kevin Paredes on.

GettyAttack

Diego Luna (6/10):

Started at striker, but played better once moved out of that No. 9 role. Was a target for Uruguay all game as he was repeatedly hacked and fouled by the opposition. Never really lost his cool, but you could tell that physicality took a toll.

Cade Cowell (5/10):

The knock on Cowell has been his inability to really combine in the final third, and we saw plenty of it in this one. Good on the dribble, but just couldn't do anything to break Uruguay down as he struggled when he got close to the box.

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GettySubs & Manager

Kevin Paredes (5/10):

Came on as the U.S. changed systems, but never really looked his best. His late arrival at the tournament will leave many wondering what could have been had he been here the whole time.

Rokas Pukstas (4/10):

Most notable contribution was actually blocking a goal-bound shot from Cowell.

Daniel Edelman (5/10):

Came on to help control the midfield, and Uruguay were more than content to let the U.S. do so after going up 2-0. Because of that, he didn't feel very helpful.

Jonathan Gomez (N/A):

Came on for Wynder as the U.S. pushed for a goal, but never really did much.

Quinn Sullivan (5/10):

Had gotten everything right in the first four games, but there were plenty of decisions worth questioning in this one. Starting XI never clicked and never turned to a true striker in Yapi as the U.S. chased. Overall, not a good game from the U.S. – nor their coach.

PSG have become famous for their Champions League collapses, and everything seems to be pointing the wrong way entering this year's last 16.

A similar scene unfolds every year.

A retooled PSG side gears up for a Champions League run. Players are added. A manager is hired. New formations are established, adapted and perfected against the mediocrity of Ligue 1. And then, PSG are eliminated, usually in heartbreaking fashion.

This Champions League plight is more than a curse at this point. By now, it's a routine, a familiar cycle that always comes to the same inevitable end.

And it all seems geared to go wrong once again.

This is probably the best, most complete PSG squad in years. They have a more pragmatic manager who has, at times, drawn the best out of a star-filled squad.

But as PSG prepare to face Bayern Munich in the first leg of their last-16 knockout tie on Tuesday, the warning signs are adding up. From injuries and fatigue to arguments and poor fortune, here's why it could all go wrong again…

(C)Getty ImagesMbappe's Injury

Even though Mbappe made a surprise return to training on Monday morning, his fitness should still be a massive concern for PSG. The star winger injured his hamstring on February 1, with an expected recovery time of three weeks. That he is back within 11 days is good news for manager Christophe Galtier, but also brings concern that he's been rushed.

And what kind of role will Mbappe play? It certainly seems hasty to let him start, but Galtier insisted that Mbappe isn't in the squad just to fill out numbers. A second-half introduction seems likely, but will it be worth risking their star player with a second leg coming up? And with Ligue 1 far from locked up, Galtier has a choice on his hands. An aggravation of his star player's current injury would be an absolute nightmare.

AdvertisementGettyCampos' Rant

There is allegedly trouble in the PSG camp. Sporting director Luis Campos watched the squad he assembled suffer an embarrassing loss against Monaco on Saturday, and reportedly tried to intervene. According to , Neymar, Marquinhos and Campos got into a spat following the defeat, with Campos criticising the team for a lack of effort.

Campos typically doesn't have much influence over such matters, and the fact that the sporting director is trying to meddle in day-to-day affairs with players is an alarm bell for greater dysfunction.

Getty ImagesNeymar's Antics

What to do about Neymar? At his best, the Brazilian is unplayable, and one of the best footballers on the planet. On bad days, he's a liability. This is not to say that PSG should bench Neymar, nor that he is no longer one of the world's best. And he always seems to perform in the big games.

But personal issues seem to be impacting the team's performance at the moment. He and Mbappe have dealt with well-documented tension between them, while Neymar also reportedly had a go at Vitinha and Hugo Ekitike during the loss to Monaco on the weekend.

"It happened, a little discussion, we didn't agree," the Brazilian said in a press conference about the Monaco incident. "It happens to us every day, but I love them all, it's like with my girlfriend. Football is not just love, not just friendship. There is respect but it happens to have discussions. We are not used to losing, when there are defeats, of course it disturbs us. It is part of the process to improve."

Added head coach Galtier: "When there is frustration, it has to come out. I have been leading this way for years. You have to listen to them but they also have to listen to me. There is frustration that breeds anger. We talked, I listened to them, I hope they listened to me too."

There are two sides to every story, and Neymar has tried to paint himself as a player simply raising the level of those around him with a competitive streak. But this isn't his first internal clash. He might need to pick his battles better.

At an unstable moment for the club, stars are supposed to be leaders and maintain calm. Another drama is the opposite of what PSG wanted entering the Bayern Munich showdown.

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(C)Getty imagesZiyech's transfer failure

Hakim Ziyech was never going to be the saviour of PSG's season. The winger is a fine player with a sumptuous left foot, and a hero of the Moroccan national team. But he is not the answer to all of PSG's problems.

Still, he seemed primed to be an important piece. The drop off from PSG's usual front three to Carlos Soler and Hugo Ekitike is massive. Ziyech, at the very least, should have softened the fall. But a transfer from Chelsea fell through at the last minute, with the London club failing to sort the correct paperwork before the deadline.

It left PSG without a clear option off the bench, someone who could have perhaps given Messi or Neymar a rest in the weeks leading up to the Bayern tie – or even start the contest until Mbappe is ready to enter the game.

Cristiano Ronaldo has reached another personal milestone – hitting his first goal in the AFC Champions League – with the Portuguese still “winning”.

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Iconic forward still going strong at 38On target in the AFC Champions LeagueRemains a prolific presence in the Middle EastWHAT HAPPENED?

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was in continental action with Al-Nassr on Monday as they took on Tajik club Istiklol. Ronaldo helped to turn that game around after seeing his side trail 1-0 at half-time, with the all-time great netting a delightful chip just past the hour mark.

AdvertisementGOAL ARTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo has now recorded 17 goals through just 16 appearances in the 2023-24 campaign. The evergreen frontman is showing no sign of slowing down at 38 years of age and remains as determined as ever to get his hands on more trophies.

WHAT THEY SAID

He is now up and running in the AFC Champions League, as another entry is added to his remarkable record book, and his exploits continue to inspire an Al-Nassr side that has claimed six successive victories in all competitions. Ronaldo has posted on social media: “Good game from everyone on the team! Happy to have scored my 1st #ACL champions league goal! We keep winning!”

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Ronaldo has already bettered his goal return from last season – when he found the target on 14 occasions – and is closing in on a standing inside the top five of Al-Nassr’s all-time leading goalscorers, despite having been on their books for less than 12 months.

As countdowns for the World Cup go, neither England nor India can claim to have started in the best shape

Preview by David Hopps26-Aug-2014Match factsAugust 27, 2014
Start time 10.30am local (0930 GMT)The role of Alastair Cook in the one-day side continues to provoke much debate•Getty ImagesBig PictureAs countdowns for the World Cup go, neither England nor India can claim to have started in the best shape. While the rain tippled down in Bristol, washing out the first of five contests, there was enough aggravation off the field to occupy both sides.It will not matter how gloomy the weather gets, Duncan Fletcher will be reluctant to remove his shades as he contends with a reshuffle which has seen Ravi Shastri imposed as team director with, it seems, a brief to assess Fletcher’s performance ahead of the World Cup. MS Dhoni’s assertion that Fletcher will definitely coach India in that World Cup is not universally shared, and with Joe Dawes and Trevor Penney on gardening leave, confusion abounds.England have their own issues. Their squad for the ODI series was more conservative than many expected, influenced perhaps by the 3-1 Test series victory against India which removed their appetite for change. They seem determination to plan for the challenge ahead in Australia and New Zealand with the same captain, Alastair Cook, not known for rapid scoring at the top of the order, and a phalanx of fast bowlers to utilise the two white balls.That has brought cries of protest from Graeme Swann, a celebrated England player of recent vintage, and Michael Vaughan, a former captain who is treading the path of another former Yorkshire and England batsman, Geoffrey Boycott, in his appetite for straight talking. Both chimed that Cook should have stood down in favour of younger batsmen with a greater capacity for power hitting.England’s ODI summer has become increasingly dogged by bad weather. The Bristol washout meant that the first ODI of the latter part of the summer was washed out for the third successive year. Headingley and Cardiff have also suffered.Form guide (last five completed matches, most recent first)England LLWLW
India WWWLL
Players to watchAlex Hales has three centuries in his last three appearances for Nottinghamshire, to go with a century for England Lions against Sri Lanka A earlier this month. He has played 32 T20 internationals and is the only Englishman to make a hundred in the shortest format, and his rich domestic form will finally persuade England’s selectors to abandon their doubts about his technique against the short ball.Ajinkya Rahane has earned his place in the Test side with solid contributions in South Africa, New Zealand and England. ODIs have been a different story so far. He had one double-digit score in six innings in South Africa and New Zealand, although he made runs in Bangladesh after that. Runs in England could seal a middle-order spot at the World Cup. On the previous tour to England, in 2011, he was opening the batting.Team newsHales will make his delayed one-day debut as Cook’s opening partner with Ian Bell dropping down to No. 3. The main doubt is whether England will field Gary Ballance or Joe Root at No 4, ahead of Eoin Morgan and either Ben Stokes or Moeen Ali, one of whom seems bound to play in the absence of Ravi Bopara. The unsettled weather makes an emphasis on seam likely.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Ian Bell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Moeen Ali/Ben Stokes, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 James Anderson, 11 Harry GurneyShikhar Dhawan has the chance to put a miserable Test series behind him as he opens with Rohit Sharma. Suresh Raina was out of the ODI squad for a while, but returned as captain for the short tour to Bangladesh. He is expected to bat No. 5. India do not have Varun Aaron’s pace for the ODIs, but Umesh Yadav is a capable replacement on that front.India (probable) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ajinkya Rahane, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsCardiff can provide grouchy batting surfaces when the weather is unsettled and the forecast, while not as terminal as Bristol, is none too optimistic. The Met Office predicts a dry and bright start with sunny spells, but winds will strengthen as the day progresses and rain is anticipated by early evening. Disruption to the second innings cannot be discounted.Stats and trivia Cardiff has been well favoured since its elevation to an international venue, staging an Ashes Test, due to hold another in 2015, and selected as a joint host of last summer’s Champions Trophy. India won the Champions Trophy in England last summer, but even allowing for that their record outside Asia and the West Indies is unimpressive with eight wins and 13 defeats since the last World Cup. The distance between Bristol and Cardiff is only 44 miles over the Severn Bridge (24 miles as the crow flies), which has led some to question the need for Bristol to have become England’s tenth international ground.When the teams met on this ground in 2011, Virat Kohli hit a century but his thunder was stolen by Jonny Bairstow’s debut innings of 41 off 21 balls which secured England a D/L victory.Quotes”He is paid to give his opinions, and he is entitled to give those. We know as a side where we are at. We are comfy, ready to go and we are really looking forward to this series.”
Joe Root was not taking too much notice of Swann’s comments

When a series is lost, the captain is inevitably first in for questioning. Unfortunately for Alastair Cook, no one is interested in pursuing other lines of inquiry

Alan Gardner14-Dec-2014For much of this tour, it has been hard to work out whether England are waving or drowning. They have been open to trying new things, fought hard in four matches out of six, even managed to win a couple against an opponent adept at pulling England’s coloured one-day trousers down. There have been several individual performances to savour, though heavy defeats in the second and sixth ODIs pointed to an overall gulf in class.It is clear though that someone is in need of a lifejacket. When a series is lost, the captain is inevitably first in for questioning. Unfortunately for Alastair Cook, no one is interested in pursuing other lines of inquiry. Leaders can be totemic in defeat as well as victory and England’s recent one-day record has become increasingly bound up with Cook’s own desperate struggle for form.Peter Moores, the head coach, has admitted that Cook is not guaranteed to be in charge for England’s World Cup campaign, despite James Whitaker previously saying the selectors were “100% behind him”. Moores continues to believe Cook is the right man for the job but said he would sit down with Whitaker, Mick Newell and Angus Fraser and “review the series at the end as we always do”.There is no question about Cook’s thoughts on the matter. “Defeat doesn’t finish a man, quit does. A man is not finished when he’s defeated. He’s finished when he quits.” That was said by Richard Nixon but it seems to encapsulate the Cook position. His belief in his ability to turn things around is admirable, yet it is also beginning to make Cook seem crankish, even obtuse, a Nixonian figure railing against those who are out to get him.”He is fine,” Moores said. “Of course he is frustrated at not getting a score. But he is clear that he wants to carry on captaining England. He wants to take the team to the World Cup and he wants to win a World Cup…He knows nobody has got the guarantee of that.”The last few weeks have seen Cook teetering above the chasm. Had Joe Root and Jos Buttler not puckishly plucked victory out of the fire in Hambantota, England would have gone 3-0 down in the series. Cook could barely savour the moment before he was handed a suspension for England’s slow over rate. He returned for the Pallekele win that kept alive faint hopes of causing an upset against Sri Lanka but there was no respite for Cook with the bat.He has been able to treat triumph and disaster just the same, largely because his own returns have been so consistently poor. Sadly the imposter appears to be Cook as a one-day batsman. While England rearrange the deckchairs around their captain, an iceberg is looming.The numbers make for grim reading. Cook’s average on this tour is 17.40 and he is the only member of the current top seven not to have scored a half-century. In 2014, he averages 27.27, with a high score of 56 in 19 innings. It is 44 innings since his last one-day hundred, against West Indies in June 2012; in that period he averages 30.45 at a strike rate of 72.13. As a batsman, in this form of the game, his position is near untenable.As a captain, Cook was never about rousing speeches or tactical masterstrokes but rather an ability to inspire through deed. His leaden example at the top of the order now seems to have the opposite effect. England have lost five ODI series in a row under Cook, offset only partially by a run to the final of the Champions Trophy. Their last bilateral win under him came in February 2013.England have resisted calls to replace Cook from numerous former players, including Graeme Swann, Michael Vaughan and Ian Botham, partly in the hope that he can regain the form that saw him average 54.47 at 91.59 in his first year as captain. The issue is also clouded by the fact Eoin Morgan, the most likely replacement, is in a rut at least as bad as Cook’s – though he did score 62 off 47 balls when leading the side in the fourth ODI.Peter Moores’ support for Alastair Cook remains•Getty Images”For me, I think Alastair’s the right man to move us to the World Cup,” Moores said. “But like most things, I’ll go into a room with the other selectors and we’ll talk about it. We’ll talk about our team. A lot’s happened over the last six ODIs, a lot of good has happened. Then we need to formulate that into a squad of 15 people who can go to Australia and be competitive for the World Cup. That’s what we’ve been working to and that doesn’t change.”We’re trying to balance out the right team. Of course Alastair needs some runs but we’re trying to balance out an aggressive batting order, a side that can take wickets throughout and also play in an environment that’s great for young players to express themselves. We’ve got a lot of young players coming in to this team who are doing well.”So you have to take all of those things into account, try and pick who you think is the best leader, the best team to be successful in Australia, the tri-series to build ourselves up to the World Cup. I’ll spend many hours thinking about it and we’ll discuss it with selectors and that’s my opinion at the moment.”After his success in rejuvenating the Test team during the summer, England believe Cook can oversee the transition to a new-look 50-over side built around players such as Moeen Ali, James Taylor, Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan. However, the focus on Cook has overshadowed the progress being made.”There is a bit of frustration that someone like Joe Root batted really well yesterday, got a stellar hundred a couple of days before, has had an unbelievable year of being in the top 10 leading Test run-scorers and also has three one-day hundreds,” Moores said. “I understand that there will always be debate about players who aren’t in form. And the captain gets extra focus. That goes with the territory.”And I don’t want people to say we are better than we are or give us stuff we haven’t earned. Players have deserved real credit for some of the things that have happened on this trip. Some of Moeen Ali’s shot-making is beautiful to watch. As he settles on his tempo, he is looking a very exciting cricketer with bat and ball. I think Chris Jordan is starting to express himself on an international field, Chris Woakes is starting to show that he can take wickets at this level and have an influence. They are exciting things for us. James Taylor came in and took his chance. So they are good things. You balance them all out on the trip.”Changing the captain two months before the start of the World Cup would not suit a team as meticulous as England. They set out on this path four years ago, under Andy Flower. But if they are intent on developing the kind of positive game that has been glimpsed in Sri Lanka, and which has given Moores such encouragement, hard decisions will also have to be made. The final match of a series that has already been lost does not usually have much riding on it but it could be Cook’s last chance to prove that defeats do not finish a man.

India captain MS Dhoni says his side’s ability to stay calm under intense pressure was a key factor in escaping with a one-run win over Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-20162:33

‘Pandya executed the plan well’ – Dhoni

India captain MS Dhoni says his side’s ability to stay calm under intense pressure was a key factor in escaping with a one-run win over Bangladesh in Bangalore. With India in danger of falling short of the semi-final stage, Dhoni’s charges held their nerve and when asked afterward about the end of game situation he said it was important to keep cool in such hectic situations.”In a situation like this, it’s literally chaos. What you are trying to do is you’re trying to manage chaos,” Dhoni said after the match. “Everybody will come and he’ll have his own opinion. Often the opinion of a batsman is very different to the opinion of a bowler. But what you have to do is you have to see what the strength of the batsman is who is batting at that point of time, how the wicket is behaving, whether there is some kind of reverse swing or no reverse swing on offer. All these things you need to calculate and I feel what really helps is you listen to all of them.”But at the end of the day you push the bowler to bowl what you feel is good at that point of time. If I am convinced that this is something I want to do, I will go ahead with it but definitely having an open mind at that point of time really helps because at times in situations like these under pressure, that’s where the input of others comes in. But you have to assess everything and it has to happen in a very short span of time.”Dhoni hailed the younger players in the India side for stepping up and performing in key roles. In particular, he gave credit to Jasprit Bumrah for overcoming a rough start to the second innings – a misfield turned boundary and a dropped chance off Tamim Iqbal were followed by four boundaries off Bumrah to Tamim in the sixth over – to bowl a crucial 17th and 19th overs, conceding 13 runs across the 12 deliveries.”After the first misfield, if you see actually his international career, this was the first game where he was under pressure,” Dhoni said. “It’s not only the pressure of bowling. I consider him slightly weak when it comes to the fielding department and today’s game was very important. We all knew how important it was. To start, the very first ball if you miss, as a youngster you are under pressure and I feel that actually reflected in his bowling also, then he dropped a catch.”It’s important at that point of time to tell him that it doesn’t really matter because what has happened has happened. You can’t do anything about it. Even if you sit there for half an hour, the batsman won’t get out. What was important was to get away from it and at the same time try to execute your plans, what your strength is. But I felt when he came for the second over where he went for runs, I don’t think he was completely out of it. So after that we had one more conversation. I won’t say what I said but definitely it worked.”Like Bumrah, Hardik Pandya’s international career is in its infancy with both players having made their international debuts in January. However, Dhoni was pleased with the way Pandya responded after conceding boundaries from two of the first three deliveries in the final over, which left India with no margin for error needing to defend two runs off the final three balls with four Bangladesh wickets in hand.

“Somebody like Hardik or Bumrah, this was a first proper interaction with pressure and what pressure can really do. So I feel they must have learned a lot out of this game and these are the games that really make you better players because it pushes you to think in a different way.”MS Dhoni

Dhoni further elaborated on the sequence afterwards saying that he came to choose Pandya to bowl the final over by going to his specialist bowlers first, including Bumrah and Ashish Nehra, in the three overs prior as a means of stretching out the game as long as possible before seeing what the final-over equation would be.”The batsmen were scoring quite freely at that point of time,” Dhoni said. “I knew I had to take that one over from somebody whether it was a spinner or Hardik Pandya. I said what is important right now is to make a game out of it and that’s where I said I’ll use the proper bowlers at this point of time and we’ll see how many runs are needed in the last over. Then according to that we’ll decide who is the person who can bowl.”There were quite a few options. There was Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Hardik Pandya was there. That was the reason behind it. Often it’s quite an easy one. You want to give a cushion of an extra few runs and you go back to your main bowlers, you back their strength and say whatever runs you save it all keeps mounting on the last over and if he’s able to execute his plans then we’ll be on the winning side.”More than anything, Dhoni was proud of the way the team was able to still win on a day where multiple players had rocky outings. The resiliency on display for younger players like Bumrah to compose themselves and manage to do enough to win is something that Dhoni says is a valuable learning experience they can take with them through the rest of the tournament and beyond in their careers.”It was still a very good effort by the team. I felt majority members of the team had a tough day. Ash had a very good day when it comes to bowling but still there were patches where he went for runs where he thought maybe the batsman played a very good shot. All the bowlers went for runs but they came back and everybody contributed. So I feel it’s a very good game for us, especially for youngsters who have not played under a lot of pressure.”Somebody like Hardik or Bumrah, this was a first proper interaction with pressure and what pressure can really do. So I feel they must have learned a lot out of this game and these are the games that really make you better players because it pushes you to think in a different way, pushes you to have that confidence in your strength at the time when it’s really needed. So I think it was a very good game for us.”The media conference began with Dhoni castigating a journalist for asking the following question in Hindi: “From talking about winning by a large margin to increase the net run rate, and to win by around 50 runs from being close to losing this game and winning narrowly. How satisfied are you with this win?”As the reporter began his second query, Dhoni said, “One question at a time… Because I know you are not happy that India has won.” As the reporter sought to clarify, Dhoni went said, “No listen. From your voice, your tone and you question, I feel you are not happy that India has won. Okay? And when it comes to a cricket match, it doesn’t have a script.”It is not about the script. You need to analyse that after losing the toss the kind of wicket we had to bat on, what was the reason we couldnt make a lot more runs. If while sitting on the outside, you are not analysing all these thing, then you shouldn’t ask these questions.”

Lionel Messi reacted to an obscene gesture from Manuel Ugarte towards Rodrigo De Paul by advising certain Uruguayan players to “learn respect”.

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World champions suffer first loss since Qatar 2022Fiery qualification contest at La BomboneraAlbiceleste remain top of the CONMEBOL tableGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

A heated 2026 World Cup qualification clash between the South American neighbours was played out at Boca Juniors’ La Bombonera home on Thursday evening. Argentina suffered a dramatic 2-0 loss in that contest, with the Albiceleste slipping to their first defeat since capturing a global crown at Qatar 2022.

AdvertisementWHAT DID UGARTE DO?

There were numerous flashpoints in the game – which saw Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez on target for the visitors – with one first-half tussle seeing Ugarte clash with De Paul. The Uruguayan midfielder accused World Cup winner De Paul of being Messi’s “bottle feeder” – with a distasteful gesture thrown into the mix – leading to players from both side becoming embroiled in an unsightly brawl.

GettyHOW DID MESSI REACT?

Messi told reporters afterwards when asked about the incident: “It's normal. These kinds of games, qualifiers, against Uruguay, it's always like that. I prefer not to say what I think. Young people have to learn to respect from their elders. This classic was always intense, hard, but always with a lot of respect. They have to learn a little.”

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WHY DID ARGENTINA LOSE?

Messi went on to say of the game itself, which saw Argentina fall behind late in the first-half before conceding a second in the 87th minute: “We never felt comfortable. They're a physical team that works well and on the counter-attack, they were very dangerous. Today it was our turn to lose. It's a test. We have to get back up and play a great game in Brazil.”

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been hailed for leveraging their Hollywood status to "amazing" effect at Wrexham.

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American duo invested in Wrexham in 2021Overseen the club's return to the Football LeagueFinance guru expects celebrity ownership models to continueWHAT HAPPENED?

The American actors completed a £2 million takeover at Wrexham in February 2021, at which point the club were still competing in the National League. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have taken a hands-on approach at SToK Racecourse, silencing critics that claimed their move into football was merely a gimmick, and it reaped rewards in 2022-23 as Wrexham secured promotion back to the Football League after a 15-year absence.

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Celebrity owners are becoming more and more common as a result of Wrexham's success, with NFL legend Tom Brady the latest man to try his hand in English football as a co-owner at Championship club Birmingham City. Dr Christina Philippou, a Principal Lecturer in accounting, economics and finance at the Faculty of Business and Law, believes the trend will continue because of the huge impact celebrities can have when it comes to the commercial interests of football clubs.

WHAT DR CHRISTINA PHILIPPOU SAID

"It's a matter of a sporting celebrity bringing in money," Dr Philippou told . "Wrexham have a touch of Hollywood glamour, and the owners have been able to do amazing things by selling the story along with their on-pitch and community efforts. Leveraging that status sells and helps the commercial side, which in turn helps the on-pitch fortunes as the owners are able to input some of that money into the club."

She added: "Sports have a global reach now due to the likes of social media. All sorts of things have changed since those days, but being able to leverage celebrities is a big thing in terms of the commercial and broadcasting side of things. The [Lionel] Messi effect at Inter Miami had a massive impact on match-day prospects. There's a reason for celebrities to be there, and I think it will continue. The generations coming through now are even more savvy when it comes to influencers and who the big stars are. That culture is definitely growing, and moving with those would make sense from a commercial side. I don't think it's something we'll stop seeing anytime soon."

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Wrexham's growth has also been helped by the success of the Disney Plus docuseries tracking their rise under Reynolds and McElhenney. 'Welcome to Wrexham' was recently renewed for a third season, but Dr Philippou has warned that continued progress on the pitch is the only way to guarantee that interest levels remain high. "There may not be a compelling story to tell if Wrexham had stayed outside the Football League. It would get harder and harder to sell the story," she said. "There is a link between results and general interest. We see that across every level. Match-day interest is never as high after a team gets relegated. Social media content certainly plays its part when it comes to the commercial side, sponsorship deals, and broadcasting. If you can prove online interest in your club and demonstrate true engagement, then sponsors will come calling, and that only helps the club. Sunderland Till I Die sold too, but for different reasons! There have been a couple of documentaries made during great or terrible seasons. The problem is not being able to tell. A few of the NFL All or Nothing documentaries have been made as the chosen club has had an average season, and they never sell particularly well as it makes for less interesting viewing."

At the end of an absorbing opening day at Chelmsford, a late burst with the ball by Jesse Ryder ensured that Essex claimed the honours

ECB/PA12-Jul-2015
ScorecardJesse Ryder added another three wickets to his collection for Essex•Getty ImagesAt the end of an absorbing opening day at Chelmsford, a late burst with the ball by Jesse Ryder ensured that Essex claimed the honours. The home side had been dismissed for 279 having won the toss but an incisive spell from the New Zealander left Glamorgan on 40 for 3.Several batsmen were dismissed after they had settled in and seemed set for more rewarding times. Six got beyond 20 but only Jaik Mickleburgh managed to post a half-century.Ravi Bopara was one of those to promise a decent score only to fall short. He is still struggling to make an impact at Championship level for Essex this season. He contributed only 30 of a total of 279 and has now topped 50 just once in 11 Championship innings this season.Although Bopara scored a century when the Australians visited Chelmsford just over a week ago, he has not reached three figures in the Championship since his 147 against Gloucestershire 12 months and 12 matches ago. On this occasion, his hopes of a substantial score were ended by paceman Graham Wagg when he was yorked.Mickleburgh scored exactly 50, containing nine boundaries from 86 deliveries, before he was caught behind by Mark Wallace, Wagg again being the successful bowler. The ball swung sufficiently to pose problems for most of the day and Australian fast bowler Michael Hogan took advantage to help himself to four wickets. They came at a cost of only 36 in 19.3 overs, a performance that emphasised his control and took his total of victims for the season to 36 in the competition.Amongst his latest victims was Ryan ten Doeschate, who was just two runs short of his half-century when he was trapped leg before wicket by a ball that swung into him.It was tailenders Graham Napier and David Masters who provided the most entertaining batting of the day. Napier, with his typically forthright approach, smashed two sixes among his seven boundaries before holing out on the long-off boundary. His 43 came from just 27 deliveries whilst Masters struck four fours and a six while making 28 from 20 balls before Hogan held onto a fine one-handed return catch to claim his final wicket.Glamorgan, one of only two counties who are unbeaten in the Championship this summer – the other is Yorkshire – lost three wickets in the final hour of play as Jesse Ryder put them firmly on the back foot by capturing all three.He started by having Will Bragg caught behind in his first over and followed that up by removing 18 year-old Aneurin Donald for 14 and nightwatchman Andrew Salter, both lbw.

At the mid-point of this, their first home game of the campaign, Kent look well set for their first victory against their winless opposition

ECB Reporters Network02-May-2016
ScorecardDarren Stevens was one of four Kent players to pass 50 (file photo)•Getty ImagesDogged by bad weather and unplayable conditions that wiped out six of their first eight days action in this summer’s County Championship, Kent have seemingly decided to take their frustrations out on Glamorgan. At the mid-point of this, their first home game of the campaign, Kent look well set for their first victory against their winless opposition.After banking a 224-run first innings lead and five batting bonus points, Kent picked up the wicket of Jacques Rudolph for a duck in the final half-hour of the day leaving the visitors on 16 for 1 at stumps and facing a mountain to climb simply to save the game.Resuming on their overnight score of 124 without loss, Kent batted on throughout the majority of a cloudy and chilly Bank Holiday Monday, with Tom Latham, Joe Denly, Darren Stevens and Mitch Claydon adding half-centuries to the one Daniel Bell-Drummond scored on Sunday.After an opening stand of 131, their best for three seasons, Kent lost overseas player Latham and top-scorer Bell-Drummond in quick succession and to near-identical dismissals. Both will have been disappointed by hard-handed, leaden-footed, back-foot pokes that resulted in catches behind the wicket.Two down at lunch, Kent lost 3 for 6 inside six overs after the resumption as Glamorgan’s seamers took advantage of the cloudy overhead conditions. But with the floodlights on, Kent’s middle order began to shine in the form of an enterprising sixth-wicket stand of 78 between Stevens and understudy keeper Adam Rouse.Stevens broke the stranglehold of Michael Hogan, the pick of Glamorgan’s attack with 4 for 91, and Craig Meschede, with some belligerent hitting on his way to a 58-ball fifty. Stevens hit three sixes, including a mammoth pull shot that landed in the construction site near the Old Dover Road that will become retirement flats by next June. A new ball was needed.Rouse and Stevens fell in quick succession with their side almost 100 ahead, but Kent were by no means finished as Claydon and Matt Coles joined forces to take up Stevens’ mantle.Though he was dropped on 5, Claydon’s lusty back-foot smears resulted in a fourth first-class fifty from 47 balls, while Coles also cleared the ropes in his cameo 29 only to perish to the very next delivery. Swinging his not inconsiderable weight off his own feet, he was almost fully prone by the time his middle stump went cartwheeling.In the day’s final exchanges and with drizzle in the air, Rudolph pushed hesitantly inside the line of a Stevens’ legcutter to feather a catch to the keeper and depart without scoring. The rain strengthened forcing an early finish to spare Glamorgan from further punishment.