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The Multan Sultans head coach explains why his team has been so successful, and the talent of the 20-year-old Ihsanullah

Interview by Umar Farooq04-Mar-20236:18

“Attacking bowling makes the PSL a super-exciting tournament”

Multan Sultans have been the PSL’s most successful franchise, in terms of overall wins, finishing in the top two in the last three seasons and clinching the title in 2021. Last year they lost only two out of 12 games and this year they have already won four out of six. Sultans’ head coach Andy Flower talked to ESPNcricinfo about how they have sustained their success.The progress of Multan Sultans has been tremendous. Last year they looked invincible, and this year they have started well again. What’s the secret?
I wish we had been invincible. We’ve had a lot of good results. We played some really strong cricket and we’re all really proud of that. I think some of the factors that go into it are, number one, the strong drive and support from the top – from the owner, Alamgir Tareen, [who] is very keen on us to challenging convention and using the information as wisely as possible. I think one of his favorite book and theories is stemmed from the book. Certainly, when we began working together, we had Nathan Leamon, the ex-England analyst, who was working with us and particularly driving things from an information point of view.Very importantly, we’ve had two very good captains who have been very successful for us – Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan. I think some of our coaching leadership has definitely helped, especially our Pakistani coaches, Abdul Rehman and Mushtaq Ahmed, are both very experienced coaches in their own right.We’ve got quite a strong package on the management front. The players are the guys that do it out there in the middle, though, and we’ve had some outstanding performances. The combination of these things coming together has meant that we’ve had really good, consistent performances over the last three years.In franchise cricket, what’s a coach’s role: managing players, coaching them, or mapping out the team’s strategy?
A strategy for people to work from is important and giving people structure to work from is important. But managing the individual players is equally or more important. Also, bringing the team together, making them feel as if they are coming together for something special. I think that’s also important from a motivational and team dynamic point of view.Related

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• PSL – a Pakistan success story and a welcome distraction for its people

• Ihsanullah, the young speedster who has taken the PSL by storm

How has the PSL been different from your work in other franchise leagues?
Each franchise tournament and each country has a different feel. That’s one of the really nice things about coaching around the franchise world – you’re experiencing different cultures, not only from a national perspective but also cricketing cultures. Pakistan cricket has its own thing, particularly around fast bowling and wristspin, which makes it a really exciting cricketing environment.But also just being exposed to a lot of interesting cultures in the dressing room is quite interesting, in a wider perspective for me. The support for the PSL in Pakistan has been incredible. I love that sort of vibrant energy that you get from the crowds. We’ve been really lucky in Multan with our crowds. But I think the other teams will feel similar things, certainly here in Lahore, with Lahore having some of their first success last year and then also playing good cricket this year.As you said, managing players is a part of the package. How do you deal with players’ egos?
I think egos amongst sports stars – that is not particular to Pakistan. You get that wherever you go. I think some countries, like New Zealand, are very good at keeping that sort of fame and exposure in perspective. Here, in Pakistan, some of their stars are rightly lauded. But a really good example of stars keeping their feet firmly on the ground is our captain, Mohammad Rizwan. You know, he’s a really strong leader. He’s a strong man. He’s got very strong and principled views. He obviously has a very strong faith, but he’s also been hugely successful as an international sportsperson.But on top of that – I think it has something to do with his strong faith actually – he keeps his humility. He’s a great example to all the Pakistani cricketers and the international cricketers in our dressing room on how you can be a really high performer but also be very humble with it. Of course, you get a whole variety of people that are part of your dressing room. As coaches, we try to bring the best out of them and work out how the ego fits with all of that.

“We’ve played six games and won four. That puts us in a good position to qualify, so the first step is to make the playoffs. The second step is getting in the top two because it gives you a better run into the final”

As a coach, do you see Rizwan doing things differently from other players?

I think his faith and his and his humility keep him at a very solid foundation from which to work. But from a sporting point of view, and particularly white-ball cricket, I think once you establish a successful batting formula in your head, you know the type of cricket you need to play to be successful. He’s repeating a similar formula all the time and that gives him a real consistency about what he does. Which is good for him and for whatever team he plays for. I think he’s put in a lot of thought, practice, trial and error. In his younger days, I saw him when he was playing for Pakistan A against England Lions. I think from paying attention to what he’s done and from developing his game, he’s worked out a formula that works really well in white-ball cricket.What’s he like as a captain and what’s his equation with you, his coach?
I’ve worked with some really great captains over the years and Rizwan, I find, is an excellent leader. He’s got strength and positivity, which means that people will follow him. He thinks he has clear views on the game. I like debating cricket with him, debating selections or strategy, but he has very clear views and the courage about the way he plays, something that makes him a leader other people want to follow. They see that he’s not afraid to challenge the opposition, to take on particular situations, to lose.So you don’t always agree with him?
No, definitely not. I think part of being in a healthily functioning team is being okay with disagreeing and then still coming up with a solution and on a way forward.Over the last few years in Pakistan cricket, coaches at the national level have pulled back, allowing the captain to take the lead in dressing rooms as well.
I don’t think it has to be an either-or, like you’re either a dominant captain or you’re a completely passive captain. There’s always a middle ground to be found. But certainly in cricket, a captain plays a vital role because he’s making so many decisions all the time and not just the decisions on the field. He’s also a very important part of the leadership group off the field and a very important link between the coaching staff and the players. I think if in the national set-up, the captain is being encouraged to take charge and make decisions and formulate strategy, that’s a really healthy thing.”Ihsanullah has shown a lot of maturity so far. He’s getting a lot of attention for the pace at which he’s bowling, but he’s also delivering consistent, high-quality yorkers. And he’s our main death bowler”•PCBMultan Sultans are quite data-driven, but Pakistani players are relatively new to the concept and generally follow the instincts. How do you work with them on embracing such numbers-based analysis?
Data can get in the way, can slow people down, can create confusion, so how data is interpreted is very important. But how and when you use that information with the players is also vitally important. It can turn some players off and it can be motivational for others. It can provide really interesting starting points to talk about cricket and also give black-and-white feedback to cricketers about how X, Y or Z might be happening and why it might be happening. Data has its place, but it’s how it’s used that’s important.Your point is a good one in that Pakistan cricket is probably known for its instinctive nature and for even instinctive selections of young fast bowlers, for instance, over the years. But I think these things can be blended. A captain like Shan Masood was very comfortable with the dissemination of information and using it. We work slightly differently with Rizwan, who is less interested in that side of cricket information, but more interested in his knowledge, his instincts and his gut feelings. Our job as coaches is to work differently with the different leaders we have.Shan Masood’s progress in T20 has had some fluctuations. How do you see him in this format?
He’s definitely the real deal and is in the strongest condition I’ve seen [him in] in T20 cricket this year. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t have a very strong finish to this competition. He and Rizwan have formed a very consistent and powerful partnership, and they give us great foundations from which to work. I’d like them both to still develop their partnership whereby one dominates the bowling and really puts the bowling under pressure when the other one is struggling a little.Do you agree that the standard of bowling in the PSL is among the best in the world?
There’s a lot of high-quality fast bowling that happens here, which makes it really exciting. But there’s also some exciting wristspin in the PSL. The combination makes it a super exciting tournament to be part of and for the spectators to watch. We all like seeing inswinging yorkers or reverse swing or bouncers, big back-of-the-hand slower balls. Attacking fast bowling definitely makes this league stand out of any.

“I think part of being in a healthily functioning team is being okay with disagreeing and then still coming up with a solution and on a way forward”

The 20-year-old fast bowler Ihsanullah was virtually plucked out of nowhere by Multan Sultans. Has his success come through planning, or is it the typical Pakistani story of natural talent shining through?

I don’t think anyone really expected him to do so brilliantly in his first six games in this season’s PSL. He got a couple of chances last year and he did really well. He showed real potential, real pace. He was working on his run-up with Ottis Gibson, who was our fast-bowling coach last year.Ihsanullah still keeps in touch with Otis on WhatsApp and sends him videos. Now he’s working with Ajmal Shahzad, our fast-bowling coach this year. He has shown a lot of maturity so far. He’s getting a lot of attention for the pace at which he’s bowling, but he’s also delivering consistent, high-quality yorkers. And he’s our main death bowler.He’s a very exciting prospect. He’s bowling with good pace. He’s still got quite a lot of cricketing education to go through and also some physical education on what his body needs. We’ve got Cliffe Deacon, our physio, and the Pakistan national physio working closely with him on that, and Abbas [Hussain Abbas Mirza], our physical trainer, is also doing a great job with Ihsanullah at the moment.This is just a start of his education as a top-quality cricketer, but it’s a really exciting start.What are your expectations from Multan Sultans this year?
I didn’t come here with a very clear expectation of what we might achieve. Actually, we’ve achieved nothing yet. We’ve played six games and won four. That puts us in a good position to qualify, but we aren’t qualified yet. So the first step is to make the playoffs. The second step is getting in the top two because it gives you a better run into the final.We’ve got our eyes firmly set on the next game, which is against Lahore [Qalandars] in Lahore, which will be a very exciting prospect for everyone. That’s as much as I want our guys to focus on at the moment.

‘There is a hunger for the simple pleasures of our great game: never again will we take them for granted’

George Dobell01-Jun-2021The problem with cynics is they’re so often right. So, the cheque usually isn’t in the post, they probably aren’t just friends and driving to Barnard Castle almost certainly isn’t the best way to check your eyesight.So, yes, let’s be frank: the England and New Zealand series has been poured onto a schedule that is already saturated in order to keep the broadcasters sweet. It is, pretty much, all about money.But that really isn’t such an unusual situation. It’s the reason last summer’s cricket took place behind closed doors, the reason the England team are on a never-ending tour and the reason we’re about to a have a third IPL ‘window’ within 12 months. Hell, it’s the reason most of us drag ourselves to work on a Monday morning. Anyone shocked by the revelation that sport and money shacked up years ago really hasn’t been paying attention.Besides, for most cricket lovers, this series is a very welcome addition. With England not having played in front of a home crowd in Test cricket for 21 months, there is a hunger for the simple pleasures of our great game: never again will we take them for granted. Yes, it’s a shame that Lord’s will be only a quarter full. But with the knowledge that bigger crowds will follow and combined with news that the UK has just experienced its first day without a Covid-related death in well over a year and that the vaccine roll-out continues at a pace, this really should feel like a celebration.For these are two well-contested and high quality teams. And while the absence of Trent Boult does weaken New Zealand, they are still (arguably, at least) in the strongest era in their history. The last Test they played on this ground, in 2015, was one of the classics and the last international, in 2019, produced one of the most memorable finishes in history. They’re a good side and, win, lose or tie, they’ve provide an excellent advert for the sport.Related

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It’s worth thinking back to that World Cup final for a moment. And perhaps worth thinking of the fallout had one or two other sides been as unfortunate to finish on the losing side. No doubt, in time, the result would have stood. But would it have stood with the same good grace and phlegmatism demonstrated by Kane Williamson and co? Or would it have been like Donald Trump contesting the election result?Either way, Williamson made it clear he was “looking forward and not backwards”. And why wouldn’t he? New Zealand still have plenty to play for and could be within a few weeks of the great triumph of their cricketing history. Remember, the population if New Zealand is under five million. And cricket comes in as an also-ran among the most popular sports in the country behind every code of rugby you can think of and a few you probably can’t.With the World Test Championship final looming, they can use these two games to fine-tune plans and grow accustomed to the Dukes ball. Their success in New Zealand has been built, on the whole, on a traditional brand of Test cricket which involves making big first-innings runs and finding ways to whittle out the opposition on flat tracks. Much the same could be said about India, the recent tour by England being the obvious aberration.But Tests in England in recent years have been played in very different fashion: something approaching fast-forward, with bowlers generally on top. Talk from the England management suggests a preference for slightly better batting tracks this year as they seek to recover from the traumas of India and build towards the Ashes. But if those surfaces – and that Dukes ball – plays anything like they have in the last few years, New Zealand’s opportunity to acclimatise before the WTC final could be significant.Joe Root gears up for the Test series against New Zealand•AFP via Getty ImagesBoth New Zealand and India will also provide a timely barometer of England’s progress. As the two best sides in the world, they are well equipped to challenge England’s unbeaten home record which stretches back to 2014. If it is still in place at the end of the summer, England can congratulate themselves in a job well done. They will also go into the Ashes with confidence relatively high.It’s a bizarre situation when a team uses its matches against the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the world to prepare for a series against the No. 4 side. But such is the status in which the Ashes is still held in England. Whether that is healthy or helpful is a different point entirely.They’re not quite as impoverished in selection terms as they might have you believe, either. They are probably only two indisputably top players absent in Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer with the batting right down to No. 5 or so pretty much first-choice. The bowling attack, too, is going to look rather familiar with James Anderson and Stuart Broad likely to be back in tandem.It caps a remarkable comeback from Broad. Ahead of the first Test of last summer, he was dropped leading many of us to suggest it was the beginning of the end of his career.We should have known better. His hunger for this game and this stage remains unsated and he has reinvented himself in recent years as a highly intelligent fast medium seamer in the classic English definition. Whether he and Anderson remain ideal choices for the Ashes is debatable. As is the relevance of the question. England can’t afford to experiment much against opposition of this quality.Without a recognised allrounder – be it Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran or Moeen Ali – England will find it almost impossible to balance their side. Ultimately, it seems England’s final choice will come down to a decision between a fourth seamer, in either Mark Wood or Ollie Robinson, or a specialist spinner, in Jack Leach. The fact that Joe Root admitted he had “gained a little more confidence” in himself as a bowler after his performances over the winter suggests England were minded to opt for the extra seamers before the fine weather of recent days.Among the other areas highlighted for improvement by Root was the requirement for more lower-order runs. It’s true that when they won the Ashes in 2015, for example, the lower-order often provided key contributions with the bat. Root might reflect, though, that it remains the job of the top-order to score the bulk of the runs.We could be cynical, too, about the ‘moment of unity’ ahead of the game. Particularly as it comes at a venue where prices tend to limit the chances of inclusivity. But neither team had to make such a gesture and England are committed to adding action to their words in the coming months. There’s a lot to like about these sides and the prospect of this series.

NEW YORK — Garrett Crochet recoils at the premise. At 26, after 205 ⅓ innings (most in the American League), 255 strikeouts (most in the majors) and a 2.59 ERA (third in the AL) for the 89-win Red Sox, on the cusp of starting Game 1 of the American League wild-card series against the Yankees, he’s finally the guy he always knew he could be, right?

“Um,” he says quickly. “Becoming it.” 

For starters, he didn’t always know he could be this kind of starter. Not until he began throwing 91 mph as a left-handed high school senior did any Division I programs show interest, and even at Tennessee, he spent half his time pitching in relief. When the White Sox drafted him No. 11 in June 2020 and promoted him to the big-league bullpen three months later, he was just thrilled to be in the majors. So he was not exactly clawing at the walls of the bullpen asking to be unleashed on the rotation. 

“I thought that I could do it,” he says slowly. “I wasn’t sure.”

Even that degree of faith began to feel misplaced. In 2021, he threw 54 ⅓ innings in relief and felt gassed. “And I’m, like, last on my team!” he recalls. He set for himself the goal of hitting 80 or 90 innings in ’22, then putting himself in position for a few spot starts in ’23. “And then I blew out [my elbow],” he says. “It was like, ”

The Chicago brass knew he had the talent to be a frontline starter—a four-seamer that touches 100 mph plus perhaps the best slider in the game will usually play—but they wanted to see if he could develop the stamina. So after he finished rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, they let him spend the winter before the 2024 season stretching out. He was so dominant in spring training that they made him the Opening Day starter—his first major league start. 

“I was just like, ” he recalls. “”

Newcastle United were held to a draw in a must-win Champions League match away to German side Bayer Leverkusen.

The Magpies initially came from a goal behind, only to lose their lead late on, meaning they are still two points outside of the top eight who automatically qualify.

It was a disastrous start for Eddie Howe’s side. They went 1-0 down just 13 minutes into the game, a goal which frustratingly came from a Bruno Guimaraes own goal. It’s hard to blame their captain, though, with the ball being headed against his back when he wasn’t looking.

It took until the second half before the Premier League outfit could equalise. Anthony Gordon stepped up to score a penalty for the third game in a row, and with 15 minutes to go, they had a lead.

Homegrown star Lewis Miley made a darting run into the penalty box and headed home a cross from Gordon.

However, the North East side were not able to hold on for a huge three points in Germany. A lovely move from Leverkusen saw skipper Alejandro Grimaldo ghost into the penalty box and slot home to equalise in the 88th minute.

It was a tough night, with Sandro Tonali one player who struggled.

Tonali’s stats against Leverkusen

Normally the player Howe can rely on to keep things ticking along in midfield, it was a surprisingly poor night at the office for Tonali against the German side, who struggled to get a grip on the game.

The Magpies were certainly at full strength in the middle of the park, with Tonali playing next to Guimaraes.

However, the Italian, normally so fluid in possession, couldn’t get a grip on the game, and even slipped, which let Bayer exploit his side on the counterattack at one stage.

Indeed, his stats from the game show just how tough it was for the Italian against the Bundesliga outfit. He only had an 88% pass accuracy and lost the ball eight times, as per Sofascore, winning just three out of seven ground duels.

The Italian was even blamed by journalist Luke Edwards for his part in the second goal. Tonali allowed Grimaldo to shake him off and then run past him, failing to track the Spaniard into the penalty area.

Edwards said he was “really poor” on the night.

However, the midfielder was perhaps not their worst player.

Newcastle’s most disappointing player in Leverkusen

It was a tough evening back in his home nation, Germany, for centre-back Malick Thiaw. The former AC Milan star was “lucky not to be sent off”, according to journalist Craig Hope, after committing a foul on the edge of the penalty box.

That was a mistake picked up by Tom Bellwood, a writer for Goal. He gave the 24-year-old a 6/10 for his efforts, while also noting that he was fortunate to be in the pitch, which was certainly the consensus about his risky challenge.

Granted, Thiaw’s numbers from his performance against Leverkusen are not terrible, but there are some which stand out.

He only managed to win five out of his eight attempted duels, lost the ball three times and committed that foul on Patrick Schick.

Touches

65

Passes completed

40/43

Ground duels won

3/5

Aerial duels won

2/3

Number of times ball lost

3

Fouls

1

The German defender has been excellent for the Magpies this season. He’s started ten Premier League games in a row and has looked like “one of the best signings of the summer”.

Yet, the performance away to Leverkusen was arguably his worst so far in that famous Black and White shirt. He was, of course, part of the defence which allowed Grimaldo to slip through unmarked and score, and was rash with his challenge on the edge of the box.

It was a night to forget for a man who has generally been excellent so far in his short Magpies career.

This will surely be nothing more than a blip, with Thiaw, who earns £75k-per-week, hoping to get back on track this weekend in the derby against Sunderland.

A future £100m star: Newcastle have made "one of the best signings" of 2025

This Newcastle star could be their next big sale

ByJoe Nuttall 5 days ago

Glasgow Rangers decided to sack sporting director Kevin Thelwell and CEO Patrick Stewart at the end of last month after a dismal start to the season and a managerial change.

Russell Martin was brought in by Thelwell and subsequently replaced by Danny Rohl after just 17 matches, whilst the former Everton chief’s work in the transfer market was also called into question.

The £8m signing of Youssef Chermiti from Everton, for example, has been in the spotlight because the Portuguese striker has only scored one goal so far this season, per Sofascore.

English club pushing to sign Rangers flop

Whilst there are question marks over the Portugal U21 international, the Gers look set to cash in on a player who has been an even worse signing than the centre-forward.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to the Daily Record, English Championship side Sheffield United are ‘pushing’ to secure a deal to sign Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Joe Rothwell in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Blades are in pole position to snap up the experienced Englishman ahead of the second half of the season, and that they are confident that they can get a deal over the line.

It adds that moving Rothwell on from Ibrox would free up ‘substantial’ funds, possibly in wages, to allow Rohl to dip into the market for a replacement.

Why Rothwell has been a worse signing than Chermiti

The criticism of the deal to bring Chermiti to Ibrox for £8m is completely understandable. He is a striker who has scored one goal in 17 matches after being their most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo signed for £12m in 2000.

However, as much as some supporters may not want to hear it when they want instant results, he is also a 21-year-old prospect who needs time to find his feet and find his confidence.

This means that the Portugal U21 international still has time on his side to make a success of his Rangers career and prove that Thelwell was right to splash £8m on his services in the summer.

Rothwell, meanwhile, is a 30-year-old midfielder who is at the other end of his career and is unlikely to improve much past this point, which is why selling him to Sheffield United after half a season makes sense, given his struggles in a Rangers shirt.

Since signing from Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee, the Englishman has provided no goals and two assists in 19 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Last 10 Premiership games

Opposition

Joe Rothwell

Kilmarnock

Not in squad

Dundee United

Not in squad

Falkirk

Not in squad

Livingston

Unused sub

Dundee

Not in squad

Hibernian

Unused sub

Kilmarnock

Unused sub

Dundee United

83 minutes

Falkirk

70 minutes

Livingston

17 minutes

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has either been an unused substitute or has failed to make the matchday squad for the last seven games in the Scottish Premiership.

Chermiti, meanwhile, has had minutes in all nine of the matches that he has been available for in the Premiership this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he is still trusted by Rohl.

Rothwell, it seems, is not trusted by the German head coach, as evidenced by his lack of minutes on the pitch and this potential transfer to Sheffield United in January. Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar even went as far as to describe him as a “rotten” signing.

The former Leeds United star was signed, as an experienced 30-year-old midfielder, to make an immediate impact for Martin in the middle of the park, but it clearly has not worked out for him at Ibrox, which is why a move to Bramall Lane in January appears to suit all parties involved.

His age and experience are why he has been such a disappointing signing for the Light Blues, because he should have been the anchor of the midfield to provide a platform for the rest of the team to build from in possession, as a reliable and experienced performer.

It has not worked out like that, though, and now he looks set to move on from Glasgow after less than a year at the club, which speaks to how much of a flop he has been.

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Posts ByDan Emery 1 day ago

That also shows that he has been an even worse signing than Chermiti, despite the money involved in that deal, because the Portuguese talent, at least, appears to have a future at Ibrox under Rohl in the short term and has plenty of time left ahead of him to improve and develop

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with an oblique strain, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Friday.

Chisholm, who was acquired last season from the Miami Marlins, is hitting just .181 this season with seven home runs, 17 RBI in 105 at-bats. He also has six stolen bases.

Chisholm's injury leaves an absence at second base for the Yankees for upwards of a month of more.

The Yankees enter Friday night's game with the Tampa Bay Rays with an 18-13 record, good for first-place in the American League East through the month of April.

MatériaMais Notícias

Quem espera sempre alcança. O torcedor do Fluminense sabe disso. Foram 121 anos aguardando a glória eterna. E ela chegou neste dia 4 de novembro de 2023, que passa a ser a maior das datas para a nação tricolor. Venceu o Flu com o verde esperança. Com requintes de sofrimento, na prorrogação. Com Cano fazendo o L, com John Kennedy decidindo, com profecia de Diniz, a equipe das Laranjeiras bateu o Boca Juniors, da Argentina, por 2 a 1, e se sagrou campeão da Libertadores pela primeira vez na história. E o palco não poderia ser outro: o Maracanã. 

O primeiro gol do jogo foi da equipe carioca. Artilheiro da Liberta, Cano marcou o 13º gol dele nesta edição da competição continental e, de quebra, se definiu de forma isolada como o atleta com mais gols pelo Flu na história do torneio. No segundo tempo, o lateral Advíncula empatou para o Boca. O jogo foi para prorrogação, onde o garoto John Kennedy decidiu. Ele saiu do banco de reservas, entrou no segundo tempo e, pouco antes, escutou do técnico Fernando Diniz que seria ele o autor do gol do título. O que aconteceu. 

RelacionadasLance! BizQual é o prêmio em dinheiro recebido pelo Fluminense pelo título da Libertadores?Lance! Biz04/11/2023Fora de CampoMauro Cezar condena expulsão de John Kennedy em Boca x Fluminense: ‘Vão à m****’Fora de Campo04/11/2023Fora de CampoCavani é criticado por chance perdida em Boca Juniors x Fluminense: ‘Bagre’Fora de Campo04/11/2023

CINCO LANCES QUE MARCARAM A PARTIDA

> RIVALIDADE NOS PALCOS: durante a cerimônia de abertura da final, dois palcos foram montados no gramado do Maracanã. Em um deles, o cantor de pagode Ferrugem, que é torcedor declarado do Tricolor, puxou algumas músicas do clube carioca, enquanto o grupo de cumbia Yerba Brava embalou a torcida do Boca Juniors. A disputa começou antes mesmo do apito inicial.

> O CHORO DO PIT: conhecido pelo jeito durão, o zagueiro/volante Felipe Melo não conteve as lágrimas durante a execução do hino nacional brasileiro. Ruf ruf só com a bola rolando.

> L DECIDE! Fazendo o L de Lorenzo e Leonella, o gol marcado aos 36 minutos também foi para Germán Cano fazer o L de Libertadores. Artilheiro da competição, o centroavante consolidou de vez o seu espaço de importância na história do Fluminense.

> DEIXARAM CHEGAR: o Fluminense recuou bastante no segundo tempo. Resultado disso? Gol do Boca. Advíncula, em uma jogada manjada, recebeu pela direita, abriu para o meio, ninguém apertou e o lateral peruano acertou um belo chute no canto direito do goleiro Fábio. Minutos antes, o mesmo jogador havia tentado algo parecido, mas acertou a rede pelo lado de fora, em uma finalização no canto esquerdo.

>A PROFECIA DO PROFESSOR DINIZ! Decisivo durante todo mata-mata da Libertadores, John Kennedy foi o autor do gol título do Fluminense. O atacante entrou no segundo tempo e diante de uma profecia do técnico Fernando Diniz que, antes de colocar o jogador em campo, falou que o atleta faria o gol que levaria o Tricolor à Glória Eterna. E o lance para a eternidade aconteceu aos 8 minutos do primeiro tempo extra, quando Diogo Barbosa lançou, Keno ajeitou de cabeça e o Presidente acertou um chute de extrema felicidade na entrada da área. Gol que também rendeu a expulsão do camisa 9, que já tinha cartão amarelo e recebeu o segundo ao comemorar na escadinha de acesso à torcida no Maracanã.

+ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fluminense

COMO FOI O PRIMEIRO TEMPO?

O primeiro tempo teve o Fluminense saindo na frente com muitos méritos. Ainda que não tenha criado grandes chances de gol, a equipe carioca foi quem ditou o ritmo na etapa inicial. O único momento de perigo do Boca Juniors foi em uma finalização de Merentiel de fora da área que ficou amortecida na defesa do goleiro Fábio, do Tricolor. E o ápice aconteceu aos 36 minutos, quando Keno caiu pelo lado direito, cruzou por baixo e o centroavante Germán Cano bateu de primeira no canto direito de Sérgio Romero. Artilheiro da Libertadores, o argentino ‘fez o L’ para os filhos Lorenzo e Leonella, mas também de Libertadores. A Glória Eterna que seria alcançada pela primeira fez pelo Flu minutos depois.

A arbitragem também foi personagem na etapa inicial. Pouco antes do placar ser aberto, o zagueiro Valentini deu uma cabeçada no meia Paulo Henrique Ganso, mas o árbitro colombiano Wilmar Roldán não amarelou o defensor argentino.

E A ETAPA FINAL?

Precisando do resultado, o Boca Juniors voltou para o segundo tempo buscando mais o jogo. E um dos seus trunfos era nas investidas do lateral-direito Luís Advíncula. E deu certo. Na primeira oportunidade criada pelo jogador, a finalização de fora da área, buscando o canto esquerdo, pegou na rede pelo lado de fora. Depois, não teve jeito. E o empate dos xeneizes saiu. Advíncula recebeu pelo setor destro, abriu para o meio, ninguém da parte defensiva do Flu apertou e o peruano encheu o pé no canto esquerdo do goleiro Fábio, que nada pôde fazer. Após o Boca empatar, o jogo voltou a ficar equilibrado, com as duas equipes tendo duas grandes chances de vencerem no tempo normal, já no fim do duelo. No lado do Boca Juniors, o atacante Merentiel encheu o pé de fora da área e levou muito perigo. Mas a grande chance ocorreu no último segundo de jogo, quando o lateral Diogo Barbosa apareceu na cara do gol, sozinho, mas bateu cruzado para fora. Keno entrava livre no meio da pequena área, mas também não alcançou.

A PRORROGAÇÃO

Foram 30 minutos de prorrogação que pareceram quase uma partida inteira. Primeiro com o gol de John Kennedy, aos oito minutos do tempo extra. O atacante, que marcou em todas as fases do mata-mata da Libertadores, entrou durante o segundo tempo com o técnico Fernando Diniz garantindo que seria ele quem faria o gol do título. Fez. Em uma jogada que iniciou com Diogo Barbosa, que havia perdido um gol inacreditável no tempo regulamentar. O lateral lançou Keno, que se sagrou o garçom do jogo e deu a sua segunda assistência, ajeitando de cabeça para o Presidente encher o pé no canto esquerdo de Romero, em um chute de primeira. O camisa 9, no entanto, foi expulso por comemorar o gol com a torcida na escadinha do Maracanã. Ele já tinha um cartão amarelo.

Atrás do placar, o Boca teve que se expor e foi para cima. E no fim da etapa inicial da prorrogação os argentinos pediram pênaltis por um suposto toque com a mão na bola dentro da área. O jogador, no entanto, tenha sofrido um toque antes e caiu de forma natural. Durante a consulta do árbitro Wilmar Roldán com os responsáveis pela arbitragem de vídeo, Fabra agrediu Nino e foi expulso. O lance contou com a ajuda do VAR, já que o vermelho foi dado após revisão de Roldán ao monitor. Inicialmente, o colombiano tinha advertido o jogador do Boca com cartão amarelo.

No segundo tempo da prorrogação, o Fluminense teve a chance de matar o jogo. Guga apareceu na cara do gol, mas a finalização bateu caprichosamente na trave. Tinha que ser com requintes de crueldade.

OS NÚMEROS DO JOGO

+ CONFIRA MAIS DETALHES SOBRE A PARTIDA

FICHA TÉCNICA
BOCA JUNIORS (ARG) 1 X 2 FLUMINENSE
CONMEBOL LIBERTADORES – FINAL

Local:estádio do Maracanã, São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora:4 de novembro de 2023, às 17h (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro:Wilmar Roldán (COL)
Assistentes:Alexander Guzmán (COL) e Dionisio Ruiz (COL)
Árbitro de vídeo:Juan Lara (CHI)
Público e renda:69.233 pessoas | R$ 31.702.550,00
Cartões amarelos: Figal, Langoni e Cavani (Boca Juniors); Nino, Keno, Germán Cano e John Kennedy (Fluminense)
Cartões vermelhos: Frank Fabra (Boca Juniors); John Kennedy e Eduardo Barros (Fluminense)

GOLS: 0-1 Germán Cano (36’/1T); 1-1 Luis Advíncula (26’/2T); 1-2 John Kenndey (8’/1TE)

BOCA JUNIORS (ARG)
Sergio Romero; Luis Advíncula, Nicolás Figal (Bruno Valdez, 7’/2TE), Nicolás Valentini e Frank Fabra; Pol Fernández, Ezequiel Fernández (Marcelo Saracchi, 1’/2TE), Cristian Medina (Vicente Taborda, 1’/2TE) e Valentín Barco (Luca Langoni, 32’/2T); Miguel Merentiel (Lucas Janson, 1’/1TE) e Edinson Cavani (Dario Benedetto, 32’/2T). Técnico: Jorge Almirón.

FLUMINENSE
Fábio; Samuel Xavier (Guga, 39’/2T), Nino, Felipe Melo (Marlon, 6’/2T) e Marcelo (Diogo Barbosa, 34’/2T); André, Martinelli (Lima, 34’/2T) e Paulo Henrique Ganso (John Kennedy, 34’/2T); John Arias, Germán Cano e Keno. Técnico: Fernando Diniz.

Tottenham Hotspur moved up to third in the Premier League table on Sunday night when they travelled to the Hill Dickinson stadium to beat Everton 3-0.

The Lilywhites were not in total control, as they needed Guglielmo Vicario to make two incredibly impressive stops, but they did end the night with a comfortable scoreline.

Micky van de Ven’s first-half performance provided Spurs with a platform to go on and win the match, as he scored two goals to take his tally for the season to five.

Why Micky van de Ven has drawn comparisons to Jan Vertonghen

It feels inevitable that a left-footed centre-back will be compared to Jan Vertonghen at Spurs, particularly when the Belgian star scored five goals from centre-back in his first Premier League season in North London in the 2012/13 campaign, per Sofascore.

Vertonghen scored 14 goals in 314 appearances for Tottenham, per Transfermarkt, so it is easy to understand why some supporters have made the comparison, particularly when van de Ven once revealed that he “learned from” the Belgium international when watching him as a kid.

It was the former Spurs titan’s defensive work that made him a standout star, though, as he earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions, without scoring a single league goal in the second inclusion.

That is why Tottenham supporters should be looking to another player to compare to Vertonghen, as Kevin Danso’s defensive efforts against Everton were more Vertonghen-esque than van de Ven’s.

Spurs have unearthed their new Jan Vertonghen

Van de Ven may have scored two goals and impressed at the top end of the pitch, but it was Danso who was the shining light defensively for Thomas Frank against the Toffees.

The Austria international, as shown in the post above, made the most clearances in a game for the club since Vertonghen made 21 just shy of nine years ago.

It was an incredibly impressive outing from the former Southampton man against Everton, as he was consistently in the right place at the right time to make vital defensive interventions to prevent Vicario from being worked even more than he was.

Vs Everton

Kevin Danso

Micky van de Ven

Minutes

90

90

Tackles won

1/1

0/0

Clearances

18

7

Blocked shots

2

0

Ball recoveries

3

2

Ground duels won

2/2

1/2

Aerial duels won

4/4

1/4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Danso offered far more to the team defensively than van de Ven did, with 11 more clearances, two more blocks, and a higher success rate in his duels on the ground and in the air.

These statistics show that the 27-year-old colossus, who was described as “quick” and “aggressive” by Jamie Redknapp, was the defensive cornerstone for the Lilywhites, and carried the Dutchman to a degree.

The £20m signing from Lens may not be a left-footed centre-back, or a huge goal threat, but he has shown that he has the impressive defensive instincts and qualities to be a Vertonghen-esque figure at the back for Frank.

If he can continue to put in performances like the one he showed against Everton, Cristian Romero may have a job on his hands to find a way of getting back into the starting line-up, as Danso currently looks undroppable.

Related Worse than Simons: Frank must drop 2/10 Spurs flop who lost 88% duels

Thomas Frank must drop this Tottenham Hotspur flop who was even worse than Xavi Simons.

Posts ByDan Emery Oct 26, 2025

Frank appears to have unearthed his own Vertonghen in the defensive monster, who has won 100% of his ground duels in the Premier League this season, and long may it continue as Spurs look to climb up the table.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras vai enfrentar o Boca Juniors nesta quinta-feira (5), às 21h30, no Allianz Parque, pela semifinal da Libertadores. Embora sejam rivais históricos e não tão amigos, eles têm algumas coisas em comum, principalmente em suas origens. Fundados por imigrantes italianos, os dois clubes chegaram a compartilhar o mesmo patrocínio nos anos 90: a Parmalat.

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+ Veja tabela da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

+ Aposte R$50 e ganhe mais de R$175 com vitória do Palmeiras e gol de Veiga contra o Boca na Libertadores

Verdão e Boca se enfrentam desde 1935, quando o nome do clube brasileiro ainda era Palestra Itália. Nesse confronto de 88 anos, quem leva vantagem histórica é o Alviverde, que venceu oito, empatou 14 e perdeu quatro. Mas foi na década de 90 que a rivalidade aflorou entre as equipes, com duelos inesquecíveis pela Liberta, que se estenderam para os anos 2000.

Mas antes disso tudo, é preciso voltar às origens. O Boca Juniors foi fundado em 1905 por cinco adolescentes, todos eles filhos de italianos que imigraram para a Argentina. O bairro La Boca, onde fica o clube, era um reduto genovês, daí vem o apelido de “xeneizes”, que é como os imigrantes, em seu dialeto, falavam “genoveses”.

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O Verdão, por sua vez, foi fundado em 1914 por iniciativa de, em sua maioria, moradores do bairro do Brás, em São Paulo, que era conhecido por ser uma morada de italianos. Ou seja, a origem de seus fundadores era na Itália, fossem descendentes ou nativos. O objetivo era fundar uma agremiação esportiva que tivesse a representatividade que a imensa comunidade merecia.

+ Palmeiras receberá delegação do Boca no Allianz Parque, mas treino está vetado

Apesar do intervalo de nove anos entre uma fundação e outra, Boca e Palmeiras têm suas raízes no impacto da imigração italiana na América do Sul. Coincidência ou não, muitas décadas depois eles voltaram a compartilhar um contexto. Isso porque, nos anos 90, ambos foram patrocinados pela Parmalat, empresa de laticínios com origem na Itália que despejou dinheiro no futebol naquela década.

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No Boca Juniors, a parceria era apenas de patrocínio e durou pouco, somente entre 1992 e 1996, com apenas um título de expressão, que foi o Campeonato Argentino de 1992, quebrando uma fila de mais de dez anos. Foi com a ajuda da patrocinadora, que o clube conseguiu juntar, em 1995, a dupla Caniggia e Maradona, mas sem aquele sucesso esperado.

+ Palmeiras segue preparação, e Abel deve manter titulares para decisão contra o Boca; veja provável time

Já no Palmeiras a história foi diferente. Mais do que patrocinadora, a Parmalat tinha um acordo de cogestão com o clube, tomando conta do departamento de futebol. A permanência da empresa foi de 1992 a 2000, somando títulos e empilhando craques. Foi com a multinacional que o Verdão saiu da longa fila de títulos, em 1993, e conquistou a tão sonhada Libertadores, em 1999.

Não foi à toa que, naqueles anos, quando ambos eram patrocinados pela empresa, disputaram a Copa Parmalat, reunindo os clubes que levavam o logo da multinacional na camisa. O Palmeiras foi vice duas vezes, perdendo ambas nos pênaltis para o Peñarol. Verdão e Boca se enfrentaram na edição de 1993, em Parma, na Itália, quando empataram em 1 a 1 no tempo normal, e os brasileiros levaram a melhor nos pênaltis.

+ Torcida do Palmeiras prepara maior corredor alviverde da história

Pela semifinal da Libertadores de 2023, nesta quinta-feira (5), as equipes vão escrever mais um capítulo dessa história que tem mais rivalidades do que coincidências, mas que certamente já marcaram para sempre o futebol sul-americano. Resta saber que vai buscar a Glória Eterna no Maracanã.

Tudo sobre

Boca JuniorsPalmeiras

Arsenal are now very keen on signing an “extraordinary” midfielder, who has been likened to former player Granit Xhaka.

Gunners join race for midfielder despite summer rebuild

Following Thomas Partey’s departure, it was necessary for Mikel Arteta to rebuild his midfield in the summer transfer window, and Martin Zubimendi was undoubtedly the headline signing, with the Spaniard arriving from Real Sociedad.

The midfielder has made a fantastic start to life at the Emirates Stadium, perhaps most impressively bagging a brace in the 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest back in September, which led to high praise from Arteta.

Zubimendi isn’t the only new arrival either, as Cristian Norgaard joinied from Brentford, and attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze arrived from Crystal Palace, with the 13-time England international picking up two assists in his first five Premier League outings.

Despite the scale of the rebuild that has taken place, the north Londoners have now joined the race for another central midfielder, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Arsenal are looking to sign FC Porto’s Victor Froholdt.

In fact, despite widespread interest in Froholdt, with Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Atletico Madrid also in the race, the Gunners are said to be ‘particularly keen’, viewing him as a potential ‘cornerstone’ of their future midfield.

Arteta’s staff have been left particularly impressed with the Dane’s ‘passing range and intelligence’, and his ability to dictate the tempo of the game has led to comparisons to Xhaka, who spent seven seasons at the Emirates Stadium.

Porto are open to offers for the 19-year-old, but the Portuguese club would be looking to hold out for a relatively high fee of around €50m – €60m (£43m – £52m).

Arsenal now willing to go all out to sign "special" £130m Real Madrid star

The Gunners are prepared to do whatever it takes to sign a star, who has made a flying start to the season.

ByDominic Lund Oct 13, 2025 Froholdt could be "extraordinary" long-term addition for Arsenal

Once dubbed “extraordinary” by a Danish analyst, the teenager is a very well-rounded central midfielder, as showcased by his performance across a number of important metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.23 (96th percentile)

Successful take-ons

1.43 (97th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.71 (97th percentile)

Blocks

1.58 (86th percentile)

After impressing for FC Copenhagen, amassing eight goals and six assists in 62 games, the Dane has since gone on to establish himself as a key player for Porto, starting all eight Liga Portugal games so far this season.

The youngster went on to bag his first goal for Denmark in his side’s 6-0 victory against Belarus last week, while also picking up an assist and maintaining a 93% pass-completion rate.

Having signed Norgaard and Zubimendi in the summer, there isn’t a pressing need for Arteta to bring in a new central midfielder, but Froholdt is starting to prove he could be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.