Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur are now expected to submit an opening offer for a “special” forward, having sent scouts to watch him in action over the weekend.

Spurs looking to sign new forward after disappointing draw

Thomas Frank has made a solid start to life as Tottenham boss, but there have been a couple of worrying results, having lost 1-0 at home to AFC Bournemouth at the end of August, and they came close to suffering another loss on Saturday afternoon.

Heading into the game, Wolverhampton Wanderers were the only side yet to pick up a point in the Premier League, but they very nearly took all three against Spurs, with a late Joao Palhinha goal salvaging a draw for the hosts.

It was a game devoid of many real chances, with Frank’s side recording an xG of just 0.91, which is arguably a worrying sign in a match against a struggling side, and the Lilywhites have now entered the mark to sign a new forward.

That is according to a report from Brazil (via Sport Witness), which states Tottenham are expected to make an opening bid in the region of £25.7m for Vasco da Gama forward Rayan, having sent scouts to watch him in action at the weekend.

Zenit St Petersburg are also keen on the 19-year-old, and the Russian side have already submitted an offer of their own, so Spurs may need to move swiftly to ensure they win the race for his signature.

The teenager is described as a 1v1 winger, who is capable of playing on both wings, which suggests he could be a viable alternative for Savinho, who is now set to extend his Manchester City contract until 2031.

Thomas Frank hails 2 more Tottenham stars alongside Palhinha after Wolves draw

The Spurs boss called it “huge”.

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 28, 2025

"Special" Rayan could be future star

Lauded as “special” by Vasco da Gama manager Fernando Diniz, the starlet has already established himself as an important player for the Brazilian side, making 83 appearances in all competitions, during which time he’s picked up 15 goals and two assists.

Diniz isn’t the youngster’s only admirer either, with scout Ben Mattinson praising the Brazilian for his finishing ability a little over a year ago.

After missing out on Savinho, Tottenham were unable to bring in another out-and-out winger during the summer transfer window, so it would make sense to explore a move for an alternative option this January.

It would be a risk to sign Rayan, given that he is unproven outside Brazil, but the Rio de Janeiro-born forward clearly has a lot of potential, and a fee in the region of £25m could end up being a bargain in the long run.

MatériaMais Notícias

A vitória do Palmeiras por 2 a 0 sobre o Cuiabá neste último sábado (19) teve um gostinho mais do que especial. O triunfo do time de Abel Ferreira sobre a equipe de Deyverson fez com que o Verdão alcançasse o topo da lista de clubes com o maior número de vitórias na história do Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasRichard Ríos comemora golaço marcado na vitória do Palmeiras contra o Cuiabá: ‘Fui honrado’Palmeiras19/08/2023PalmeirasOLHAR DO PORCO: Vitória maiúscula e sem sustos do Palmeiras em CuiabáPalmeiras19/08/2023PalmeirasVÍDEO: Gols e melhores momentos de Cuiabá x PalmeirasPalmeiras19/08/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Maior campeão nacional, com 11 títulos brasileiros, o Verdão chegou na sua vitória de número 697, igualando o São Paulo. 

Nas últimas dez edições do Brasileirão, o Palmeiras também é o clube que mais pontua: 632 pontos desde 2014 contra 626 do Flamengo e 591 do Atlético-MG. 

Atual campeão brasileiro, o Verdão tem números incríveis na maior competição de futebol do nosso país, como colecionar apenas quatro derrotas nos últimos 43 jogos que fez pela competição.

continua após a publicidade

Como visitante o Palmeiras tem uma marca ainda mais impressionante, com apenas três derrotas nos últimos 32 jogos de Brasileirão.

+ Raphael Veiga é o único convocado do Palmeiras para Seleção Brasileira em primeira lista da era Diniz

O próximo compromisso do Palmeiras no Brasileiro será diante do Vasco, no próximo domingo (27), no Allianz Parque.

The Blues boss has spoken of his admiration for Liverpool players and fans for their reaction to the shock events which took the life of Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in Portugal this summer. Maresca revealed details of the disaster which saw his Sevilla team-mate Antonio Puerta die following a heart attack.

Maresca reaches out to Liverpool

Chelsea boss Maresca has shared intimate details of the tragedy he experienced while playing for Sevilla and expressed the sympathy he felt for Liverpool players and supporters and the family of Jota, who died in a road accident this summer. Maresca's team-mate Antonio Puerta collapsed on the pitch and subsequently died following a heart attack after complications from a hereditary condition in 2007. Chelsea face Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportJota tragedy which rocked Liverpool

Jota, the Liverpool forward and Portugal international, tragically died in a car crash alongside his brother in July. The accident occurred in the Spanish province of Zamora as they were traveling to Santander to catch a ferry back to the UK. Jota had recently undergone minor lung surgery and was advised by doctors not to fly. The Spanish Civil Guard reported that the car, a Lamborghini, left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle and then caught fire, both Jota and Silva died at the scene. Jota was 28 years old at the time, having married his childhood sweetheart and mother of his three children, Rute Cardoso, just 11 days prior.

Tragedy struck Maresca at Sevilla

Puerta’s death at the age of 22 shocked the football world in August 2007. Puerta collapsed on the field during a LaLiga match against Getafe and, after receiving initial treatment and walking off the pitch, he collapsed again in the dressing room and was rushed to hospital. Despite efforts to save him, Puerta died three days later on August 28th and the cause of death was attributed to multiple organ failure and irreversible brain damage resulting from prolonged cardiac arrests caused by an incurable, hereditary heart condition known as arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. His death prompted calls for mandatory cardiac screenings in professional sports worldwide. Puerta was a product of Sevilla's youth academy and is best-remembered for scoring the winning goal against Schalke 04 in the 2006 UEFA Cup semi-final, paving the way for Sevilla's first-ever European final.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

AFPMaresca shares support for Liverpool

Speaking ahead of the clash between Chelsea and Liverpool, Maresca said: "I don't think it's better to play them now just because they've dropped points. It's always a tough game. The way they're doing this season is fantastic, especially after the Jota tragedy. I went through exactly the same when I was a player 20 years ago, it's not easy for the players, it's not easy for the club or the manager. When you arrive at the training ground and see every day that place empty. You have to be very strong. This is the reason why for me they're doing better than good because they are trying to deal with a problem that is not easy."

Aston Villa have had a fairly quiet summer transfer window, signing just one prominent first-team player, Evann Guessand from Nice, who cost around £30m.

They have sold a few players, too, with Jacob Ramsey being the notable exit. The boyhood Villa star moved up north to join Newcastle United.

They were recently on the cusp of losing another midfielder, one of Unai Emery’s key men in the centre of the park. Belgian star Youri Tielemans had interest from Saudi side Al-Ittihad, according to reports, but turned down the offer to remain at Villa Park.

With the transfer window set to slam shut on Monday, Villa could now turn their attention to incomings, as they look to strengthen Emery’s squad.

Aston Villa's transfer plans in the final days

It will be interesting to see what business the Villans do as the end of the transfer window approaches.

Emery’s side seem to want a new midfielder, with Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United one player who they’re showing interest in signing.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

They are said to have joined the race to sign another midfielder with Premier League experience, too.

That’s according to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness, who suggest that the West Midlands side are said to be interested in signing Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher.

They are thought to have ‘money in the bag’ this summer, and could well send an offer to Diego Simeone’s side ‘in the coming hours’.

However, they will face competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, with the Hammers also showing interest. As for the price, Gallagher could be available for around £34m this summer.

Why Gallagher would be a good signing

Gallagher is a player who has reams of Premier League experience and would have no trouble slotting into the midfield at Villa Park, in that sense.

He has impressed in the Spanish capital for Simone’s side, where his “relentless” nature, as Statman Dave put it, has served him well.

Last term, the 25-year-old, who was born in Epsom, played 50 times for the La Liga giants, mainly operating as a number eight, but also playing as a left midfielder.

He bagged four goals, including one against rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League, and assisted six.

But it is that English top-flight experience which might make him such an appealing option for Emery and Villa.

Gallagher has played 136 times in the Premier League for Chelsea, Palace and West Brom, having loan spells at the latter two. He has 31 goal involvements to his name.

It could well be the case that, if Villa do sign Gallagher this summer, he could become Emery’s new Tielemans.

Of course, it seems like the Belgian will remain at Villa Park this summer, which is key for the club given his importance in Claret and Blue.

Last season, the former Anderlecht star played 50 times, with 36 of those coming in the Premier League and 12 in the Champions League.

He chipped in with five goals and ten assists, often operating as a deep-lying playmaker sitting in front of the back four, but also playing further forward.

Indeed, there are comparisons which can be made between the two players. Gallagher is also a versatile option in midfield, as he showed for Chelsea. The Cobham graduate featured as a number six, a number eight and in attacking midfield for his boyhood club.

There are also similar underlying statistics when looking at numbers from 2022/23, when Tielemans was at Leicester City and Gallagher was plying his trade at Stamford Bridge.

The England international’s impressive passing range was on show, given that he averaged 5.83 progressive passes per 90 minutes, compared to Tielemans’ tally of 6.96 each game.

Emery would surely love to have another version of Tielemans in midfield. Gallagher offers ball progression and threat in the opposition box, as well as tenacity off the ball. Between them, the duo could be a deadly midfield pivot.

A fee of £52m is a huge investment at this stage of the window, but might be a smart move for Villa if they are looking to improve their midfield options.

The next Duran: Aston Villa "very keen" to sign "unstoppable" £35m star

Unai Emery could be about to finally replace Jhon Duran at Aston Villa by securing a last-gasp deal…

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 28, 2025

يرى النجم الهولندي، ماركو فان باستن، أن المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، عليه أن يتحدث مع أحد لاعبي النادي الإنجليزي من أجل تحسين دوره في ملعب “الأنفيلد”.

ويعاني ليفربول مؤخرًا من سوء النتائج حيث خسر في 3 مباريات متتالية في مختلف المسابقات، بواقع مباراتين في الدوري الإنجليزي ضد كريستال بالاس وتشيلسي، ولقاء في دوري أبطال أوروبا أمام جالطة سراي.

ويرى فان باستن أن لاعب فريق ليفربول، فيرجيل فان دايك، لا يؤدي دوره جيدًا كقائد لحامل لقب الدوري الإنجليزي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بول باركر قبل مباراة ليفربول: محمد صلاح سيستفيد من كسل لاعب مانشستر يونايتد

وقال فان باستن، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “rousingthekop” الإنجليزية: “أعتقد أن فان دايك يحتاج إلى أن يكون قائدًا، عليه أن يكون قدوة حسنة وأن يكون القوة الدافعة”.

وأضاف: “أفتقد ذلك فيه، أجد عقليته هادئة، إنه لاعب رائع وربما أفضل مدافع لدينا في العالم، يجيد التعامل مع الكرة برأسه، كما أنه سريع وطويل القامة، ويتمتع برؤية شاملة”.

وواصل: “لكنه ليس القائد الذي يقود الفريق للأمام، وهذا سيفيد الفريق بالفعل، أتمنى أن يُعلمه آرني سلوت شيئًا ما”.

India are not going to take a punt on Mohammed Shami unless they are “not 100%, but 200% sure” about his fitness to fly him to Australia, captain Rohit Sharma has said. Rohit has placed the onus of the decision entirely on the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, formerly known as the National Cricket Academy (NCA), for clarity on where Shami’s fitness stands.Shami has returned to domestic cricket since his ankle surgery kept him out of action for nearly a year and will next play the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy for Bengal starting December 21.”About Shami, I think it’s high time somebody from NCA talks about him, where he is rehabbing,” Rohit said at the press conference in Brisbane after the third Test ended in a draw. “Those guys are the ones who need to come up and give us some kind of update.Related

• Shami to be rested for Bengal's opening Vijay Hazare Trophy game

• Rohit on Brisbane effort: 'If your attitude is good, you can turn impossible into possible'

• India and Australia take a moment to recalibrate as Gabba stalemate leaves everything up for grabs

• Rain has final say as Australia, India draw at the Gabba

• Shami named in Bengal's Vijay Hazare Trophy squad

“I understand he’s playing a lot of cricket back home, but there have been some complaints about his knee as well. So, look, the last thing you want is the player coming here and then pulling out in the middle of the game. You know what happens when that kind of thing happens.”So, there is no way we want to take that chance unless we are like, not 100%, 200% sure, we’re not going to take any risk. But yeah, like I said in the last press conference, the door is open if those guys at the NCA feel that he is okay to go and recover and play, we’ll be happy to have him.”Shami has been under the Centre of Excellence’s watch ever since he underwent surgery ankle surgery in London this February. He had been on track for a comeback during the home Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand and had even bowling full tilt prior to the start of India’s domestic season in August but aggravated a knee problem while at rehab, which forced the BCCI to take a more cautious approach.Over the past month, Shami has elicited talks over his impending Test return at some stage of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after featuring in every single domestic game for his state side Bengal since he regained match fitness. This includes one Ranji Trophy game, where he picked up seven wickets, as well as nine T20 outings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).Since his return to the domestic fold, Shami had been under full-time monitoring by Nitin Patel, the Centre of Excellence’s head of sports science. This team, headed by Patel, has been travelling around the country to take stock of his progress and apprise the board and team management of his progress.As things stand, Shami is yet to fully receive the BCCI’s nod as he is believed to have complained of some swelling in his knees during the T20 competition, which Rohit touched upon following India’s loss in Adelaide.At the time, however, the Bengal team management is understood to have received no specific requests over Shami’s workload and he subsequently played, most recently the SMAT quarter-final last week where Bengal were knocked out by Baroda. Shami picked up nine wickets in 11 games at an economy rate of 7.85, with a best of 3 for 21 against Hyderabad.Shami’s participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy could help ascertain his readiness possibly for the Champions Trophy with time running out for him to be available for the last two Australia Tests.

The Chennai pitch on which India played their first Test against Bangladesh was rated “very good”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2024

The outfield at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, which hosted the rain-affected second Test between India and Bangladesh from September 27 to October 1, has earned an “unsatisfactory” rating from the ICC. The rating comes with one demerit point for the venue.Only 35 overs of play were possible on day one of the Test match, and there was no play possible on days two and three – this was despite no rain falling during the scheduled playing hours on day three. In the lead-up to the Test match, the state’s public works department had deemed one of Green Park’s stands unsafe, and had instructed the stadium authorities to open up only a limited number of its upper-level seats to spectators.The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) uses the Green Park Stadium on the basis of an MoU it has signed with the UP government. The government owns the land but as per the MoU, the stadium and its upkeep are the responsibility of the UPCA.BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla, who hails from Kanpur, defended the venue after it came in for widespread criticism following the washout of day three but conceded that the ground, which has hosted Test cricket since 1952, was in need of refurbishment.After more than two-and-a-half days of the Test match were washed out, India put in a concerted effort to force a victory, picking up 20 Bangladesh wickets in the space of 121.2 overs, and scoring 383 runs in just 52 overs across two innings, at an unprecedented 7.36 per over.The pitch for this Test match, meanwhile, earned a “satisfactory” rating.The ICC rates pitches and outfields for all international games on a scale of very good to unfit: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory and unfit. One demerit point is awarded to venues for an unsatisfactory rating, and three for an unfit rating. If any ground receives five or more demerit points in a five-year rolling period, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months.The rest of the venues that hosted India’s 2024-25 international season did not come in for any censure from the ICC. Of the pitches on which India played their five Tests, four – including all three that hosted the recently concluded series against New Zealand, in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai – earned “satisfactory” ratings, while the surface at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, which hosted the first Test against Bangladesh, earned a “very good” tag.

He put on an unbroken 108 with Navdeep Saini after India A’s pace trio had run through the top order

Shashank Kishore05-Sep-2024

From the characteristic crouch in his stance to the backlift and manner of defending, it’s hard to miss Musheer Khan’s uncanny resemblance to older brother Sarfaraz. And the similarities don’t end there. Both have a penchant for big scores, even if their modus operandi are entirely different.Sarfaraz is all about gung-ho aggression and there’s an enterprise to his game that’s hard to miss. On Thursday, the opening day of the Duleep Trophy game between India A and India B in Bengaluru, he arched back to ramp his fifth delivery over the close-in cordon off a rip-roaring Khaleel Ahmed, soon after the openers had departed in quick succession.Musheer is the opposite, even if he can appear crabby and unorthodox at times, and he has been proving to be just as effective. Earlier this year, he finished second on the run charts at the Under-19 World Cup and backed it up with a double-ton, a clutch half-century and a match-winning hundred in the knockout rounds of Mumbai’s victorious Ranji Trophy campaign.India B desperately needed Musheer’s pluck when they were cut to size by the pace trio of Khaleel, Akash Deep and Avesh Khan. And he delivered: batting for over five hours to eke out an unbeaten 105 that helped lift India B from 94 for 7 to 202 for 7 at stumps.Having come in at No. 3, Musheer quickly saw the superstars – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz and Rishabh Pant – fall in a heap post-lunch. While batting was difficult, the wickets largely came from shots induced by the pressure the fast bowlers exerted early on.Abhimanyu Easwaran chased a delivery on the seventh or eighth stump. Jaiswal was caught somewhere in between attempting a drive and a cut, and wafted to point. Sarfaraz was trapped lbw playing around his front pad. Pant was out to a brilliant running catch from Shubman Gill at mid-off, to a leading edge off a ball that bounced more than he may have anticipated. Except for Nitish Reddy, who was out to an unplayable Akash delivery that straightened off the seam to hit the top of off, the top order was largely responsible for their own undoing.Musheer soaked all of this in from the other end. The fast-bowling trio repeatedly tested his edges; he could have been out caught in the slips off Akash, off the second ball he faced. During his first half hour at the crease, he struggled to gauge the zip off a green-tinged surface where there was exaggerated seam movement.In a bid to counter it, Musheer tried to walk down the pitch to the fast bowlers.”It was based on the wicket and the conditions,” he later explained. “The ball was cutting off the wicket and swinging too, so I was trying to get as close to the [pitch of] the ball as possible, not give it the chance to swing.”While this wasn’t a bad ploy in principle, he struggled with his execution early on, especially with Khaleel and Akash darting the ball both ways. Even Shivam Dube’s length balls ducked in faster than Musheer anticipated and hit him on the pad while he was on the move. He survived a close lbw shout on impact.Having been on 6 off 52 balls at one stage, Musheer opened up once the spinners came on•PTI

At lunch, he was on 6 off 52 balls, seemingly unsure of where his runs would come. But where others fell looking to force the pace, Musheer fought through passages even when fluency deserted him and survival seemed his only option.Musheer explained his thinking at the end of the day’s play: “I was looking to collect whatever runs were coming my way, and not going searching for runs.”Every now and then, Akash turned into a wrecking ball of energy, doing unexpected things off the pitch. The ball to Nitish in his second spell was one such example. On another day, Akash could have easily had three wickets in his new-ball spell, but on this day he ended it with figures of 8-3-7-0.There was more of the same energy from Avesh, introduced as first change, as he built on that early pressure by hitting the deck and getting appreciable movement off the seam. And this relentless pressure was thrust on the batters for a better part of the first two sessions.It wasn’t until the first sign of spin that Musheer looked in his comfort zone. He welcomed his Mumbai teammate Tanush Kotian with a delicate paddle. Every now and then, Musheer sensed warning signs to rein himself in, like when a loose drive off Kuldeep Yadav’s first delivery flew wide of slip. And he quickly dusted himself off to refocus and bat time. And as he did, the fluency returned. Out came the full-blooded sweeps and the steps out to loft Kotian with the spin as he charged towards his century.At one point in the final session, with Musheer and Navdeep Saini having batted for over 20 overs, Avesh decided to take the short-ball route with two men back on the leg side for the pull. The same fast bowlers who had dictated terms earlier in the day now resigned themselves to a ploy that Musheer made look futile at the end of a long day. There couldn’t have been a bigger validation for his efforts.As Musheer whipped his helmet off and looked skywards, releasing his pent-up emotions and waving his bat to the dressing room after bringing up his third first-class century, Sarfaraz was among the first to jump out of his seat in applause. It was a poignant moment, too; for the better part of the last four seasons, Musheer has done all the applauding. It was now time for the big brother to return the favour, and he was more than happy to oblige.Musheer is only 19 and has bigger challenges ahead of him. But so far, he’s proved, whether at Mumbai or to the national selectors who handed him a Duleep Trophy debut, that he’s entirely at home at the deep end.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque will play for Bangladesh A in their first four-day match in Pakistan next month. The second-string side will play two four-day matches in total, apart from three one-day matches against Pakistan A. The games will run concurrently with the Bangladesh senior men’s Test tour of Pakistan, which begins on August 21.The entire series will be played in Islamabad, with the first four-dayer to be held from August 10. Apart from Mushfiqur and Mominul, the selectors have also picked Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Nayeem Hasan and Hasan Mahmud for the first game. Mushfiqur missed Bangladesh’s previous Test series against Sri Lanka due to a broken thumb, while Mominul, Joy, Zakir and Mahmud played in that series. Nayeem is also a Test specialist.These six players will be replaced for the second game from August 17. Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Jaker Ali, Towhid Hridoy and Mohammad Saifuddin take their places.Shahadat Hossain, Mahidul Islam and Mosaddek Hossain are three other batters who have been picked for both four-day matches, meaning that they are unlikely to be in the Test side against Pakistan. Among the bowlers, left-arm spinners Hasan Murad and Tanvir Islam, and fast bowlers Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja and Ruyel Miah will play both games.This will be the first time that a Bangladesh A side will play first-class matches since the 2003-04 season, when they participated in the PCB Patron’s Trophy. Bangladesh A will depart for Islamabad on August 6.Bangladesh A team for first four-day game: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahidul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Murad, Tanvir Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Ruyel MiahBangladesh A team for second four-day game: Anamul Haque, Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Shahadat Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Jaker Ali, Towhid Hridoy, Mahidul Islam, Hasan Murad, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Ruyel MiahBangladesh A team for one-day series: Anamul Haque, Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Mahidul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Ruyel MiahTour scheduleAugust 10-13: First four-day matchAugust 17-20: Second four-day matchAugust 23, 25 and 27: Three one-day matches

Klaasen, Miller, Maharaj and Rabada all had a hand in helping them win by four runs

Firdose Moonda10-Jun-20242:25

Should cricket revisit the leg-bye rule on a referral?

South Africa survived an almighty scare to to maintain a 100% win-record at the T20 World Cup 2024, and in New York, where they chose to bat first in their final fixture at Eisenhower Park. On a used wicket, Aiden Markram decided to put a total on the board, and it almost looked like a mistake. South Africa were 23 for 4, but a record 79-run fifth-wicket stand between Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller took them to 113, which they scrapped hard to defend.Bangladesh’s start was not ideal. They were 50 for 4 after ten overs, but Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah put on 44 for the fifth wicket and got them back on track. They almost also got them over the line and will look back on one incident which could have forced a Super Over. In the 17th over, Mahmudullah missed a flick off Ottneil Baartman, which hit his front pad and deflected to the boundary for what looked like four leg byes. But he was given out off that ball, which made it dead at the point of impact, and reviewed the decision. Ball-tracking showed Mahmudullah was not out, but because he had been given out, the four runs did not count, as outlined by the ICC’s protocols on DRS (3.7.1) in the playing conditions for T20Is.In the end. Bangladesh fell short by four runs. That, and their inability to capitalise on Keshav Maharaj bowling the final over for the first time in T20Is and sending down three full tosses, cost them the game.Maharaj was tasked with the final over after Markram bowled the seamers out earlier. It seemed a miscalculation, but he got two wickets as Bangladesh sought to clear the boundary though neither Jaker Ali nor Mahmudullah could. Mahmudullah was out on the penultimate ball – off a full toss – to a well-timed running catch by Markram from long-on, which all but ended Bangladesh’s hopes.0:59

Morkel: South Africa held their nerve defending a low total

South Africa leave the USA with three wins from three matches, and will move to St. Vincent to play Nepal in their last group match. They are in pole position to qualify for the Super 8s. Bangladesh also head to the West Indies, and will play Netherlands and Nepal, with the Super 8s still in sight.Top-three troublesFor all the talk about the power of their batting line-up, South Africa’s top three have underperformed thus far, albeit on tough batting surfaces. Collectively, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Markram have scored 61 runs in nine trips to the crease at an average of 6.77. Of teams that have played at least two matches at the tournament, only Uganda and PNG average lower.The biggest concern will be Hendricks, whose scores of 4, 3 and 0 are the lowest of the trio, and whose methods of dismissal appear to show a technical deficiency. Twice in two games, Hendricks has been stuck in his crease and then played down the wrong line. He’ll be looking over his shoulder knowing fellow opener Ryan Rickelton is waiting on the bench, and could get an opportunity in the next match.Things got even worse when Tristan Stubbs was dismissed for a duck in the fifth over. South Africa have only lost their first four wickets by end of the fifth over on five occasions in men’s T20Is, and two of them came in this competition. Happily for them, they had Klaasen and Miller on hand to shore up the mid-section of the innings. Three overs: 13 runsAfter Tanzim Hasan (3 for 18) set the tone with wickets upfront, Taskin Ahmed took charge of the latter stages, helped by Rishad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman. Between them, the trio gave away just 13 runs in the last three overs of South Africa’s innings, and removed both danger batters Klaasen and Miller in a clutch display of death bowling. Klaasen was dismissed halfway through the 18th over, when he slogged across the line but was early on his shot, and the low bounce took the ball onto leg stump. Taskin only conceded three singles off the rest of that over to finish with 2 for 19 from his four overs.It may have been a gamble to use legspinner Rishad for the penultimate over, especially when his previous three cost 28 runs, but he knocked Miller out with a topspinner second ball, and Maharaj could not get him away. Rishad’s final over cost just four. Then came the Fizz, who took the ball away from Maharaj for four consecutive dots before a fifth went wide and was called as such. The batters scored three runs off the last two balls and were frustrated by their inability to score any boundaries in the last three overs.1:24

Morkel: Miller and Klaasen showed maturity against spinners

Happy Birthday David MillerOn his 35th birthday, Miller was given a gift when he edged the first ball Mahmudullah bowled. But Litton Das, who was standing up to the stumps, was unable to react quickly enough to take the catch. Miller was on 13 at the time and went on to more than double his score and finish on 29. But that wasn’t the end of the presents for him. He was stationed at extra cover when Maharaj was brought on to bowl the first over after the powerplay, and Litton, not content with what he had already given Miller, slapped the ball straight to him. Miller made no mistake, and Bangladesh were 29 for 2 in the seventh over.Three overs: 15 runsBangladesh had to get 20 runs off the last 18 balls, and after putting on the squeeze in that period would have expected it to be difficult but perhaps not difficult. Kagiso Rabada bowled the 18th over, despite not being his best at the tournament so far. He only half-appealed when Hridoy missed an attempted clip to the leg side but was rewarded with a wicket first up. Rabada went on to concede only one more run in an over of hard lengths.Then Baartman stepped up for the 19th, and stuck to a slightly fuller length which neither Mahmudullah nor Jaker could get away. He conceded seven runs. The test was when Maharaj, who has never done this job before, was left with the final six balls. He started with a wide. His second legal ball was a low full toss that Mahmudullah hit hard down the ground, but the slow outfield stopped it from getting to the rope. Jaker tried to send the next one over the rope but couldn’t clear long-on, and then Rishad managed a leg bye.But the last two balls were both full tosses that should have been dispatched over the rope. However, Mahmdullah’s effort found Markram, while Taskin could only hit the final ball to cover to give South Africa a nervy anti-choke win.