Manchester City are firmly in the Premier League title race and could bring a high-profile star to the Etihad Stadium in January after Pep Guardiola hatched a plan to land his signature.

Manchester City move on after seeing off Leeds United

Truthfully, Manchester City didn’t put on their best display against Leeds United. However, they will be delighted by the end result as Phil Foden’s classy winner prevented back-to-back defeats after losing out at Newcastle United.

Title races are never straightforward and always require steel in the face of uncertainty, albeit Guardiola reserved special praise for the scorer of the Citizens’ crowning strike as they kept on track in pursuit of the top-flight crown.

“It’s not the first time we saw that. A thousand, thousand, million times he’s done it. The quality, shooting, strong. Like his goal against West Ham to win the Premier League. Phil has to be around the box. Shoot or pass. His finishing is so quick. Phil is doing a really good season.”

Back-to-back blanks in front of goal for Erling Haaland may be a sign that more needs to be done in the way of recruiting someone to plug the gaps at the top end of the field. Still, Omar Marmoush is likely to be given more opportunities as the season continues to unfold.

Keeping pace at the top will require investment in January, especially given the Citizens’ rivals are likely to strengthen after a bruising festive period, which is set to stretch everyone’s squad to the limit.

Finding solutions when certain sources of goals dry up will be the challenge for all title contenders, not just Manchester City, but they could be the ones set to benefit early on in the January window if the Sky Blues can wrap up an exciting deal.

Elliot Anderson is one of their main targets but there are other irons in the fire.

Man City keen to activate Antoine Semenyo's release clause

According to The Times, Manchester City are exploring a move for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

They are considering activating the winger’s £65m release clause on New Year’s Day, potentially beating other suitors to sign the Ghana international.

Although not set in stone, there is a feeling at the club that bringing in the Cherries attacker could be the difference in their hunt for the Premier League title, an opinion that many will share after his flying start to the campaign.

Dubbed “talented” by Jamie Redknapp, Semenyo has also created 15 chances and completed 21 dribbles on Premier League duty, per Fotmob, showcasing his appeal to suitors keen to tempt him away from the South Coast.

Now, it will be over to City officials as they aim to convince Semenyo that moving to Manchester is the best course of action for his career. On the face of it, playing a part in a title chase could be an appealing prospect.

Alongside Anderson: Man City open talks to sign "top-drawer" £70m star

The Citizens are in the market for attacking reinforcements and have now identified a Premier League star.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 30, 2025

Moghees Ahmed had his registrations as an agent suspended by the ECB in March

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2025

An appeal by a prominent player agent against his five-year ban from cricket-related activity has been dismissed by an independent arbitrator, which upheld the original finding by the Cricket Regulator in March, that he had made a corrupt approach to the head coach of an English county.Moghees Ahmed, who fronts the International Cricketers Association and represents a number of prominent Pakistan players, was found to have proposed an arrangement whereby a coach would receive a share of his commission in exchange for selecting certain players he represents in franchise leagues.The coach reported the approach later that day, and after a tribunal had been satisfied that the case met the necessary criteria, he was found guilty of four charges of breaching the ECB’s anti-corruption code and had his registration to act as an agent suspended in August.He was “declared ineligible” for five years from March 26, 2025, with the first 30 months served in full and the remaining 30 suspended on condition of no further offences and the completion of an anti-corruption education programme.Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo at the time that he categorically denied all allegations made against him and rejected the decisions of the ECB tribunal. His appeal was lodged on the grounds that the Cricket Discipline Commission had reached a decision on the evidence that no reasonable tribunal could have made and had misdirected itself as a matter of law as to the interpretation of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.However, an independent arbitrator, Raj Parker, dismissed the grounds of the appeal, stating that the tribunal’s verdict had been reached “after careful examination of the evidence and an assessment of the credibility of the complainant and Mr Ahmed”.Chris Haward, the managing director of the Cricket Regulator, said: “We welcome the decision of the Sole Arbitrator dismissing the appeal and upholding the decision of the CDC.”The decision of the Arbitrator reinforces the position that the actions of Mr Ahmed can correctly be described as corrupt conduct. The Cricket Regulator will ensure that where there is corrupt conduct suspected it will be investigated and those responsible held to account.”

Micky Van de Ven was left blown away by the performance of a Tottenham Hotspur star in the 2-0 victory against Brentford at the weekend.

Tottenham secure first Premier League win since late October

The pressure has been mounting on Thomas Frank in recent weeks, with it even emerging that Tottenham were considering a move for Barcelona manager Xavi as a replacement, but the Dane may have bought himself more time courtesy of a victory against Brentford.

Spurs breezed to a 2-0 win against the Bees, which was their first triumph in the Premier League since winning 3-0 at Everton at the end of October, with Richarlison opening the scoring after 26 minutes, finding the back of the net for the seventh time in all competitions this season.

Xavi Simons was the creator, and the Dutchman then went on to score his first goal since moving to north London just before half-time, sealing all three points for Frank’s side in the process.

Simons has received heavy criticism for making a slow start to life at Tottenham, with Jamie O’Hara left particularly scathing after the defeat against Fulham, but he clearly has the full support of teammate Van de Ven, who singled the attacking midfielder out for high praise after Brentford.

Simons needs to build on his Brentford performance

Frank will no doubt be delighted the Netherlands international appears to be finding his feet, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 9.5 after registering a goal and an assist against Keith Andrews’ side.

Having finally shown what he can produce, the 22-year-old needs to build on that performance, starting on Tuesday against Slavia Prague, with Spurs set to host the Czech side in their sixth Champions League game.

Forget Simons: Spurs "liability" is now becoming the new Ndombele

This Tottenham star is flattering to deceive in spite of his immense talent.

ByAngus Sinclair 6 days ago

Frank’s side have looked bereft of ideas at times this season, with only a Richarlison wonder goal preventing them from suffering an even heavier loss against Arsenal back in November.

As such, Simons needs to step up, and Tottenham will be hoping the former RB Leipzig man can start recording similar attacking numbers to what he did during his time with the German club, registering 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 games.

All-time great innings comes after batter’s self-doubts following mid-tournament axing

Sruthi Ravindranath30-Oct-20254:31

Rodrigues: I wanted to be there till the end

Some of sport’s greatest tales are about comebacks. The kind that linger in memory, where moments of silence suddenly erupt into thunderous cheers. That’s what fans live for: those fleeting instants when hope turns noise into belief.At the DY Patil Stadium, Jemimah Rodrigues was on 82 when she slog-swept Alana King and got only a top-edge. The ball spiralled high toward midwicket, with King and Alyssa Healy converging under it. For a few seconds, the 35,000-strong crowd fell utterly silent.Rodrigues had been batting like a dream until then. It had been a game of nerves. India still needed 131 from 102 balls, but Rodrigues looked composed, piercing gaps and running hard between the wickets despite the suffocating humidity. Every run drew cheers, even well-timed dots found appreciation.Then came that silence. It was a familiar sight for India fans: a set batter dismissed mid-chase, momentum slipping away. They had felt that when Smriti Mandhana had fallen in the chase against England in the league-stage match at this World Cup.And then, the roar. Rodrigues had been dropped by Healy. Her face barely flickered, but the stands exploded for the reprieve.Moments later, silence again.Rodrigues was struck in front by King, and Australia confidently reviewed the not-out call. Thousands of eyes fixed on the big screen. Two reds, one green, ball passing over the stumps. The roar returned.From that point, Rodrigues’s mind was clear: capitalise. But the conditions were brutal. With humidity over 75%, she was hours into her innings and revealed later she felt drained.Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur embrace in the middle at the moment of victory•ICC/Getty ImagesYet this wasn’t just about one night. It was about the weeks, the months, the years that had led her here. This was the kind of story sport loves: a redemption arc written through grit.It began with heartbreak. A lean run of form had led to her being dropped for the 2022 World Cup. She clawed her way back, and by 25, had become one of India’s senior batters. But at this World Cup, things turned again. Two ducks. Two 30s. Then came another blow when she was dropped for the England game. It was, as head coach Amol Muzumdar put it, “one of the toughest decisions” to leave out, not just a senior batter, but also one of the team’s best fielders.Off the field, Rodrigues was struggling. Anxiety crept in. She spoke of “feeling numb”, of days when she cried a lot. The omission only deepened her doubts.”To be honest, when I was dropped and when I came in to this World Cup, I wanted to come out there, not prove a point, but do things so my team wins,” she said. “I kept reminding myself that, because it’s very easy to get into that mindset, and that mindset never has helped me. But I think today, today not just today, but from the last few games, all I thought about was, because I didn’t start off well, things just kept getting, worse and worse.”But sport, cruel as it can be, also offers another chance. Rodrigues returned to the XI against New Zealand, promoted to No. 3. The response was emphatic: 76 off 55 to guide India home. But that was just the beginning.Then came Thursday. Another promotion to No. 3, this time against the unbeaten defending champions, Australia. This wasn’t just any chase – it was a world-record one, in front of a home crowd. The kind of stage that tests every nerve.Harmanpreet Kaur, her captain and partner for much of the chase, had done this before. Her 171 not out against Australia in the 2017 semi-final had changed women’s cricket in India forever.Rodrigues’ innings completed the highest chase in W-ODI history•Getty ImagesMandhana’s early dismissal had silenced Navi Mumbai. Amanjot Kaur was listed at No. 3 on the team sheet, but Rodrigues instead walked out. She’d only known of her promotion five minutes earlier.For the first 11 balls, she played herself in. Then came a four, and the tension eased slightly. Questions loomed: would India go too deep again, as against England? Could they do it without Mandhana, their best batter in the tournament so far?Rodrigues knew they could. She believed India could chase 300-plus, and she batted like it.The turning point came with a cheeky, audacious scoop off Kim Garth in the eighth over. India had watched Phoebe Litchfield play such shots earlier, now Rodrigues answered back. Between deliveries, she talked to her partners, and to herself. “I was praying, I was talking to God,” she would later reveal.The classic Rodrigues shots began to flow: the loft over short third off Ash Gardner, the late cut past backward point, the flick through midwicket, those crackling sweeps of all kinds. India’s momentum was rising but so was the pressure.Related

Harmanpreet: 'There is nothing bigger than this in our life as a cricketer'

Women's cricket prepares to crown a new world champion

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India make history as Rodrigues and Harmanpreet end Australia's reign

Rodrigues: Felt like a dream after a month of anxiety

With 150 needed off 20 overs, Harmanpreet shifted gears, unleashing a series of boundaries. Rodrigues applauded, raising her thumb after sharp runs, willing her captain on. When Harmanpreet fell for 89, cramped and spent, the silence, and a familiar dread returned: was another collapse coming?Not this time. Rodrigues, calm and steady, guided her partners.”I was telling Harry [Harmanpreet] that we both have to finish it and we can’t leave it for the end, just because we are set and we know we can take it through,” she said. “And when that happened [Harmanpreet was dismissed], it was like a blessing in disguise for me because I was kind of losing my focus because of my tiredness. But when Harry got out, I think that added more responsibility to me that, ‘Okay, I need to be here. Okay, she is out, I will score for her’. And I think that again got me in the right zone. Then I started just sensibly playing.”When her century came, off 117 balls, there was no wild celebration, just a quiet fist bump and a hug from Richa Ghosh. The job wasn’t done. The asking rate still hovered above a run a ball.Ghosh struck some heavy blows before falling for 26, and the stadium hushed again. But Rodrigues ensured the silence didn’t last. A four off Sophie Molineux, then two more off Annabel Sutherland. The equation was down to single digits and Amanjot Kaur finished it with two boundaries in the 49th over.Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171 not out in the 2017 semi-final was proof of what could be achieved against Australia•Getty ImagesRodrigues dropped to her knees, tears streaming, her team-mates hovering around her. The near 100-overs she spent on the field in punishing conditions was well worth it. There would be more tears later, during the presentation and at the press conference. But they told a story larger than any chase – the story of redemption.”I know how important this match is, and I wanted to be there to finish it off, so all I did was, you know, just kept telling [myself] to just stand here, amazing things can happen towards you, you never know what can happen towards the end of the match,” she said.”When I reached my fifty, when I reached my hundred, I didn’t celebrate, because, at that moment I looked at our hotel right here, and I said [to myself] tomorrow morning, what would make me happier? Would it be a fifty? Would it be a hundred? No, it would be India winning. And I want to wake up with that feeling, I want to sleep with that smile, that we are playing the finals, and I’m waking up to get ready for the finals.”In recent memory, few comebacks in sport have glowed quite like this. Perhaps Femke Bol’s redemption after her fall in the 4x400m mixed relay at the 2023 World Championships, returning with an astonishing effort to win Olympic Gold for Netherlands a year later, or a 35-year old Rafael Nadal’s impossible rally in the 2022 Australian Open final from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev.Rodrigues belongs among the great comeback stories, rising from self-doubt and tough times to lead her team past a side that almost never loses. In the end, at the DY Patil Stadium, she made sure all the silences turned to roars.

Nottinghamshire have confirmed the return of Australia A seamer Fergus O’Neill for the first half of both the 2026 and 2027 seasons.O’Neill claimed 21 wickets at 17.90 in four matches at the start of the 2025 summer, helping set Nottinghamshire on their path to winning the County Championship. He had been expected to make a return and the club have now announced that he has signed a two-year deal.While O’Neill was only eligible for a short-term visa last season, limiting him to a four-week stint, changes to the UK’s visa rules to cover appearances in first-class cricket mean he will be available for the first block of Championship games from April through to June.It was O’Neill who purchased the “MOM” blazer that became a feature of Notts’ title win, and he will now be back to help with the defence.”I’m keen to come back and make sure our momentum keeps rolling,” O’Neill said. “Trent Bridge is a great place filled with great people, where I’ve had success.”With all the success I had, and we had as a team, it was a simple decision for me to sign on for not just one, but another two years. Success is what I play for, so for as long as I’m a part of Nottinghamshire, I’ll be putting my best foot forward for us to win another Championship title.”O’Neill has twice been picked for Australia A, including on their recent tour of India, and has started the Sheffield Shield season in good form, with 15 wickets at 21.80. He could come into contention for the Ashes, although is currently behind the likes of Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser among back-up quicks.”Every now and then, you seem to sign a player who fits into the team perfectly, and Fergus was that man last year,” Nottinghamshire’s head coach, Peter Moores, said. “His impact on the field was clear for everyone to see, though it was his impact off it that also made a real difference.”His energy and excitement to play were infectious, as was belief in his own ability. That belied spread into everyone else in the team and was a real catalyst at the start of our season.”His ability to move the ball laterally and control line and length were perfect for English conditions, and it’s great news that the change in regulations will allow him to take on a fuller role next season.”We can’t wait to get him back to continue the promising start he has shown to his Notts career and to positively influence the defence of the title.”Notts have also secured the services of South Africa Test wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne for 2026. Verreynne, who has enjoyed productive spells at Notts in each of the past two seasons and hit the runs that secured the title, is expected to be available for a full summer of County Championship due to South Africa’s limited international commitments.

Former Manchester City player Joey Barton has received a suspended sentence for 'grossly offensive' social media posts to football pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward and broadcaster Jeremy Vine. The 43-year-old was handed a six-month prison sentence, which is suspended for 18 months. The ex-Newcastle United man claims that he "never meant to hurt anyone" with his electronic communications.

• Barton found guilty by jury

  In November, Barton was found guilty of sending 'grossly offensive' social media posts, where he called Vine a "bike nonce" and compared Ward and Aluko to serial killer couple Fred and Rose West on X. Jurors at Liverpool Crown Court found that he had "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" on six counts after being charged with 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety back in January 2024.

  At the trial, Barton said: "It was not meant to call him a paedophile. It was a bad, dark, juvenile joke. I have not at any point tried to cause distress or anxiety or risk his life or his daughters' lives. I don't want people to fear for their lives, I'm a dad. I cannot believe I'm on trial for this. Words on a social media site."

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Barton avoids jail term

  The former Bristol Rovers manager was handed an 18-month suspended sentence, which means he will not serve any time behind bars unless he reoffends in that period. He was given six months each for two offences against Aluko and four months for each of the four counts related to Vine and Ward. At the sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary KC also ordered Barton to perform 200 hours of unpaid community work and pay more than £20,000 in costs. 

  After leaving court, Barton told The BBC: "If I could turn back the clock I would. I never meant to hurt anyone. It was a joke that got out of hand. Nobody wants to go to jail."

• 'Sustained campaign of online abuse'

  The judge added that targeting individuals online, in the way Barton did, falls outside the realm of freedom of speech. 

  He told the court: "Robust debate, satire, mockery and even crude language may fall within permissible free speech. But when posts deliberately target individuals with vilifying comparisons to serial killers or false insinuations of paedophilia, designed to humiliate and distress, they forfeit their protection. As the jury concluded, your offences exemplify behaviour that is beyond this limit – amounting to a sustained campaign of online abuse that was not mere commentary but targeted, extreme and deliberately harmful."

  Menary added that he was satisfied that Barton's custodial terms did not have to be "served immediately" and he had faith he could change his ways for good.

  He said: "In light of the steps you have taken, I am persuaded that there is some prospect of rehabilitation – that an immediate custodial sentence is not required to protect either the public or the victims. A suspended sentence order may – may – itself operate as a deterrent against any future defending by you."

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  What now for Barton?

  Two-year restraining orders were issued against each of Barton's victims, which includes publishing any reference to them on any social media or broadcast platform.

  After the verdict, Vine added: "I'm happy the case is over. Joey Barton has been made to pay a lot for his disgusting lies and abuse, but I fear he'll keep offending until the day he dies."

  Cheshire Police said they hoped this case would deter others from sharing "abusive and hateful messages" online going forward.

  "Barton's posts would have been seen by hundreds, if not thousands of people, and yet he showed no regard or consideration for how this would impact on his victims and their wellbeing. The sentence handed to him today comes with a number of strict conditions and should he breach these in any way he may face the prospect of time behind bars," said the police spokesperson.

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Reintegrado ao Cuiabá, Deyverson tem irritado seus companheiros e funcionários do clube por conta de suas posturas nos treinamentos. Segundo o “ge”, o atacante apresenta dores que não são explicadas em exames médicos e má vontade para realizar atividades no dia a dia.

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Na última terça-feira (4), o atleta fez um treino separado do grupo que se preparava para encarar o Vitória, pelo Brasileirão. Existe a expectativa pelo retorno aos gramados do centroavante com a camisa do Dourado no fim de semana diante do Criciúma.

Deyverson pode voltar a jogar após quase dois meses afastado por não renovar o seu contrato com o Cuiabá, que se encerra no fim do ano. Em abril, o presidente Cristiano Dresch tinha dito que o atacante não entraria mais em campo até que um novo vínculo fosse firmado.

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No entanto, o Dourado se encontra na lanterna do Campeonato Brasileiro com cinco derrotas em cinco jogos disputados. E o clube conta com os esforços de seu artilheiro para se livrar da degola no fim da temporada.

No Brasileirão, o Cuiabá não marcou nenhum gol, o que evidencia uma crise no setor ofensivo e a necessidade de contar com Deyverson. Em recente entrevista ao “ge”, Cristiano Dresch afirmou que a entidade precisava dos serviços do jogador.

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The Yankees lost to the Blue Jays on Wednesday night and were eliminated from the postseason. It has now been 16 years since New York won a World Series and despite the fact that this is now a common occurance, many people still seem to find fresh joy in the latest Yankees elimination. Especially those associated with the Red Sox.

On FS1 Boston postseason legend David Ortiz made sure that retired Yankees Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez knew that "daaa Yankees lose!" Meanwhile, over on the Turner networks, Pedro Martinez got to explain who the Yankees' new daddy is.

"For so many years those fans in New York bothered me with asking me 'Pedro, who's your daddy,'" Martinez told his co-hosts. "I said O.K. O.K. I'm going to take it like a man. 'Pedro, who's your daddy? Even little kids. 'Pedro, who's your daddy? I'll be like, 'O.K. little kid. You're pretty cute, man.' I'll be so happy. But once we beat 'em, I'm like 'you better consider, who's your daddy now?' Yeah. And now I finally realize who their daddy is. My godson. Oh yeah. Vladdy Jr. is their daddy. And that is a fact. And I'm so happy for that. Now they don't have to search anywhere. They just have to look at Vladdy and really say 'you're my daddy Vladdy.'"

As Martinez mentioned there, he is the godfather of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which technically makes him the Yankees godgranddaddy now.

Mistakes sank the Cubs in Game 2 of the NL division series on Monday night. Now they'll head back to Wrigley Field and try to pick up the pieces, while the Brewers bask in a 2–0 series lead.

Chicago raced to a 3–0 lead in the top of the first as they jumped all over Milwaukee's opener, Aaron Ashby. A single from Nico Hoerner and a walk from Kyle Tucker set the stage for Seiya Suzuki, who launched a 440-foot bomb into left-center.

It took less than an inning for Chicago's good vibes to vanish.

In the bottom of the first, Shota Imanaga got the first two outs, then gave up back-to-back singles to William Contreras and Christian Yelich. Andrew Vaughn was next and worked a full count. That's when Imanaga made Chicago's first mistake of the night. The 32-year-old lefty tried to bury an 84 mph sweeper in on Vaughn's hands. He annihilated it, sending the ball 382 feet over the left field fence at 109.2 mph to tie the game 3–3.

Vaughn slugged .455 on breaking pitches this season, and all but two of his 22 home runs were pulled. Going soft in on him was a terrible decision, and the Cubs paid for it. That wasn't the last pitch Imanaga would regret.

The veteran starter settled down and retired six in a row after the Vaughn home run. With two outs in the bottom of the third, Contreras stepped to the plate. After throwing two splitters and running the count to 1–1, Imanaga again attempted to beat a pull hitter by going in and paid the price. His 91 mph fastball wasn't far enough inside, and Contreras punished it, launching the ball 411 feet to left field in a no-doubter that left the bat at 107.6 mph. The 27-year-old admired his work as it flew out of the park.

Again, Imanaga must have missed the scouting report. Contreras's xSLG on fastballs was .448 this year and .517 in 2024. Only 16 of his 45 extra-base hits went to the opposite field. He tried to beat Contreras in with a fastball, left it belt-high and paid the price.

Imanaga surrendered a whopping 31 home runs during the regular season, which was the second-most in the NL. He has now given up three in the postseason in 6 2/3 innings, tied with Cincinnati's Hunter Greene for the most allowed.

After those two massive mistakes, the Brewers led 4–3 in the third inning, and there was plenty of time for Craig Counsell's team to mount a comeback. Unfortunately, that task was made much more difficult because of a third mistake.

Daniel Palencia relieved Imanaga in the third inning. He had been excellent all season and showed up in a big way against the Padres in the wild-card round, picking up the win in each of Chicago's two victories. But the 25-year-old is going to want Monday night's outing back.

Palencia retired the final batter of the third inning, then got Sal Frelick to ground out to open the top of the fourth. After hitting Caleb Durbin, he struck out Blake Perkins before allowing a single to the light-hitting Joey Ortiz. Allowing a single to the weakest hitter in Milwaukee's lineup was a sin, but not his worst on the evening.

Jackson Chourio stepped in to face Palencia and fouled off two 101 mph fastballs. Palencia was feeling himself and his velocity, so he threw the 21-year-old star outfielder another four-seamer right down the pipe. Big mistake. Chourio had seen the pitch twice, and the third came in just above his belt in the dead center of the plate. He didn't miss it, crushing the ball 419 feet to dead center.

Palencia could have tried a slider to break up the sequence—or at least thrown the heater anywhere other than the middle of the zone—but instead attempted to fire another four-seamer by Milwaukee's most talented player. It didn't work.

That home run gave the Brewers a 7–3 lead that was never threatened as Chicago only mustered a single base runner the rest of the game. Three mistakes, three home runs, seven runs for Milwaukee.

That was all she wrote.

Jacob Misiorowski Earns His Stripes, and a Win

Brewers flame-throwing righty Jacob Misiorowski made his playoff debut in Game 2 and lived up to the hype. After a brilliant start to his career, the rookie All-Star faded down the stretch of the regular season. He posted a 6.06 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP in eight starts over the campaign's final two months, but looked fantastic coming out of the bullpen Monday night.

Misiorowski went three innings and allowed one hit and two walks while striking out four. His fastball regularly registered triple digits, and his first eight averaged 102.6 mph. He was electric, and Chicago had no answer for him.

While Milwaukee has limited Misiorowski's innings over the past few months, expect him to be deployed in key spots as the team continues its postseason run. He's earned it.

Chicago's Bats Are Quiet

The Cubs are heading home down 2–0 with few cards they can play. They had one of baseball's best offenses all season, but in five playoff games, they're slashing .216/.217/.386. Chicago has also struck out 58 times, which is second-most in the postseason behind the Tigers (59).

In five playoff games, the Cubs have scored 12 runs. That's 2.4 runs per game, compared to the 4.9 they averaged during the regular season. The key so far has been the team's big bats not showing up.

Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong have been held without an extra-base hit thus far. Tucker is slashing .176/.263/.176, while Crow-Armstrong's line of .222/.222/.222 isn't much better. Dansby Swanson's defense may have won them the wild-card series against the Padres, but he's slashing a weak .176/.222/.235 and has struck out a team-high 11 times.

Michael Busch (1.077 OPS), Suzuki (.930), and Nico Hoerner (.929) have answered the bell, but the rest of the lineup is dragging. Something has to change, or a sweep is coming.

تحدث إيهاب أبو جزر، المدير الفني لمنتخب فلسطين، خلال المؤتمر الصحفي قبل مواجهة السعودية، مشيرًا إلى التحديات التي تواجه فريقه في الدور ربع النهائي من بطولة كأس العرب 2025.

ويواجه منتخب فلسطين نظيره السعودي في الساعة السابعة والنصف مساء غدٍ الخميس على ملعب “لوسيل”، ضمن منافسات الدور ربع النهائي من البطولة.

وقال أبو جزر في تصريحاته: “المنتخب السعودي كبير، يضم عناصر مميزة، والتدوير بين اللاعبين حق أصيل للجهاز الفني، وهو يعتمد رؤيته في اختيار التشكيلة بالطريقة التي يراها مناسبة”.

وأضاف: “بالنسبة لنا، اللاعبون الـ23 الموجودون في المنتخب السعودي متميزون، ولم يصلوا إلى هذه المرحلة عبثًا، نحن نتعامل مع المباراة كمباراة تأهل، ونركز جيدًا، وبالمناسبة، هذا الاحتفال كان يتم بعد كل مباراة، أما في اليوم التالي فنركز في التدريب والمباراة المقبلة”.

وشدد: “كل لاعب يعرف دوره، ويعي سبب وجوده في قطر والمشاركة في كأس العرب، هذه البطولة بالنسبة لنا نافذة نعبر من خلالها عن هويتنا وقضيتنا وآلامنا وجراحنا وكل ما يحدث في فلسطين، لذلك، كل مباراة هي فرصة لتمثيل فلسطين وإبقاء اسمها حاضرًا، وهذا هو هدفنا الأساسي”.

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وتابع: “كل المباريات مهمة بالنسبة لنا، لقد خضنا مباريات قوية جدًا، البداية كانت ضد المنتخب القطري صاحب الأرض والجمهور والتاريخ الكبير، وبطل آسيا، ثم المنتخب التونسي، الذي تأهل لكأس العالم، وهو من أقوى المنتخبات الأفريقية والعالمية، وبالفعل، السيناريوهات مثل التقدم على قطر 1-0 في آخر 30 ثانية كانت لحظات فرح كبيرة للاعبين والجهاز الفني”.

وأكد: “ومباراة المنتخب التونسي كانت مليئة بالتحديات، حيث كنا متأخرين ثم عدنا وأحرزنا الفوز، لذلك هدف التعادل كان له فرحة مختلفة، من لعب وعمل في أوقات حاسمة يعرف قيمة هذه الفرحة”.

وأضاف: “لقد لعبنا بشرف وانتماء ووفاء، ونحن نعلم أننا نمثل شعبًا يستحق الفرحة، كل مباراة خضناها كانت لها قصة وهدف محدد، والحمد لله، غدًا سنلعب مباراة أخرى سيكون لها أثر إيجابي كبير على الرياضة الفلسطينية”.

وعند سؤال أحد الصحفيين التونسيين وتلميحه بأن منتخب فلسطين تخاذل أمام سوريا، رد أبو جزر بشكل حاسم: “بصراحة، الإصرار على نفس السؤال وكأن الهدف إثارة الجدل في الشارع، نحن قدمنا الإجابة التي نؤمن بها، ولسنا مضطرين للرد على كل أسئلة الجماهير”.