Cristiano Ronaldo vented his frustration towards Al-Nassr team-mates in the form of a ‘sleeping’ gesture after seeing them throw away a two-goal lead.
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Who's hot, who's not? INDIVISA ranks all 14 teams across the National Women's Soccer League
It was a fairly tame weekend across the NWSL, with the exception of both the Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current dropping points on the road. The Pride were stumped by the Portland Thorns, while the Seattle Reign handed Kansas City Current just their second loss of the season.
Other noteworthy moments across the weekend included some sister-sister magic for Angel City, when Alyssa Thompson assisted her younger sister Gisele Thompson for a headline finish. San Diego Wave also put on another strong performance and move their overall spot in the standings to third, the highest yet for the club.
So, who's leading the pack, and who's falling short of expectations? INDIVISA presents the latest 2025 NWSL Power Rankings.
Getty Images14Utah Royals
Prior Ranking: 13
Result: Lost to North Carolina Courage 2-0
Ramifications: The Utah Royals drop to the bottom of this week's Power Rankings after falling to the North Carolina Courage 2-0 at home. The Royals are 1-5-1 overall, and have only scored four goals all season.
The Royals continue to depend on Ally Sentnor to make magic happen, however, there needs to be some more star power to assist the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.
AdvertisementGetty Images13Chicago Stars
Prior Ranking: 14
Result: Drew Gotham FC 1-1
Ramifications: The Chicago Stars didn't lose this week, but they also didn't win. Earning a draw and allowing zero goals against on the road against Gotham FC was a good result for a team that remains at the bottom of the overall standings with a record of 1-5-1 overall.
Next week, the Chicago Stars host the Washington Spirit at home.
Getty Images12Houston Dash
Prior Ranking: 10
Result: Lost to Racing Louisville 2-1
Ramifications: TheHouston Dash managed to get on the board first against Racing Louisville, thanks to an Avery Patterson finish in the eighth minute. However, the Dash struggled to round out the game, falling 2-1.
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Getty Images11Bay FC
Prior Ranking: 7
Result: Lost to San Diego Wave 2-1
Ramifications: Bay FC drop this week after falling to a strong San Diego side. Bay FC did tie the game in the 18th minute, however a late goal from San Diego in extra time sealed the deal. Bay FC have a tough task next week when they face Kansas City Current.
No timeframe on return but allrounder will miss T20 World Cup in South Africa
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2022Freya Kemp, the 17-year-old allrounder, has been diagnosed with a stress fracture of the back, after flying home early from England Women’s tour of the Caribbean.Kemp was given her international debut in the summer and soon made her mark against India by becoming the youngest England player, male or female, to make a T20I half-century. She went on to be named the Women’s Young Player of the Year by both the PCA and the Cricket Writers’ Club, and was recently handed her first England central contract.Although the ECB said in a statement that there is no specific timeframe for Kemp’s recovery, she has already been ruled out of the T20 World Cup, which gets underway in South Africa in February.”After receiving further exploratory scans in the UK, it has been confirmed that England Women and Southern Vipers all-rounder Freya Kemp has sustained a stress fracture in her back,” the ECB said.”Although the timescale of Kemp’s return is to be determined, she will not be available for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in February 2023.”She will now begin rehabilitation in partnership with the England Women and Southern Vipers medical teams.”Kemp was not involved in any of England’s three ODI wins over West Indies prior to her departure, after suffering with back pain from the outset of the trip.She joins her fellow teenager Alice Capsey in returning home early, after Capsey suffered a broken collarbone during a fielding accident in the opening ODI.
MatériaMais Notícias
Depois de sair na frente, o Avaí sofreu a virada jogando em casa neste domingo (3), diante do Cuiabá, em contexto de partida que foi lamentado na coletiva pelo técnico Eduardo Barroca.
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>Apresentadora se desculpa após opinar sobre racismo de Piquet
A avaliação feita pelo comandante Azzurra é de que o desempenho obtido na etapa inicial não merecia o tento sofrido ainda no início do tempo complementar. Algo que, em sua análise, influenciou diretamente na forma como a partida foi conduzida.
-A gente fez um bom primeiro tempo, conseguiu ter a bola e o espaço territorial, conseguimos sair na frente e levar a vantagem para o intervalo. Sofremos um gol muito cedo, e depois desse gol, o jogo se desenhou muito para aquilo o que eles [Cuiabá] vieram fazer, que era jogar em cima dos espaços.
Sobre a briga entre o jovem zagueiro Arthur Chaves e o meio-campista Eduardo, o treinador não fez qualquer tipoi de relação entre o problema surgido e o tento ter saído logo na sequência. Para ele, a situação exibiu apenas uma natural situação de cobrança entre companheiros de equipe:
-Eu sinceramente não acho que aquilo não teve influência no gol porque o debate deles foi de um lance anterior. Futebol existe isso, existe cobrança.
“That’s an approach that can work if the conditions are really docile like it was in Pakistan”
Firdose Moonda08-Dec-2022
What kind of Test approach does Rassie van der Dussen believe in? “I prefer the cat and mouse”•Getty Images
Batting in Test cricket is not all fun and games, even if England are making it look that way. That’s the word from returning South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen, who favours a balance of powers in the red-ball game rather than the run-dominant approach England have taken since Brendan McCullum and Ben Stokes took over in May.In the Bazball era, England have scored runs quicker than anyone else, at 4.77 to the over, and won seven of the eight Tests they have played. Their most recent triumph over Pakistan in Rawalpindi was built on the back of four first-innings centuries, a brave second-innings declaration and speedy scoring – at 6.50 and 7.36 runs in the two innings – and is being spoken as a victory that could change the way Test cricket is played. But van der Dussen is not that convinced.”If there’s ever a place to play like that it’s probably Pakistan,” he said, quickly remembering that South Africa did not bat like that when they toured there in early 2021. “And then you are going to follow up with a question of why didn’t we play like that when we were there. But if you look at the English side, they have been very vocal in terms of they are going to back their guys, even through a few failures. They are out of the World Test Championship (WTC) for this run so it’s almost a nothing-to-lose type of game that they can play.”Related
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South Africa, on the other hand, are second on the WTC points table and need to win at least one Test on the Australia tour to stay in the final race. While they plan on approaching the series in a similar way to how they have always played – steady with the bat and sensational with the ball – van der Dussen also hopes conditions will support a “good balance between bat and ball,” something South Africa have not had in the WTC cycle so far.They have played on slow surfaces in the West Indies, and seamer-friendly pitches at home, in New Zealand and in England, where they suffered their only series loss. The 2-1 defeat is where van der Dussen believes his point was best proved: England’s ultra-aggressive approach only works if the quick bowlers can’t get into the game.”To an extent, they [the England batters] tried it against us and it didn’t really work, even though we lost the series at the end,” he said. “That’s an approach that can work if the conditions are really docile like it was in Pakistan. As soon as the bowlers are a bit more into it, like we saw at Lord’s, it’s a very fine line between going out and playing aggressively and then getting out, as opposed to being more disciplined.”All that said, van der Dussen conceded that South Africa have not been the model line-up either. With only two centuries in their current WTC campaign and six from their last 19 games, they are lagging behind the other WTC contenders and know that more is expected of them.”We are not looking for excuses. We want to get more hundreds and more partnerships and score a lot more runs individually,” he said. “But if we can bat as a unit, and get our team across the line, that’s the main thing.”Scraping together small individual scores got South Africa a victory at Lord’s but it quickly proved not enough. They were bowled out for under 200 in each of their next four innings in England, where all three Tests in England ended in three days. That spoke as much to the quality of and assistance for the bowlers, as to the weakness in both batting line-ups. There were only two centuries in the series and in the final Test at The Oval, wickets fell every 4.2 overs – more frequently than ever before in a Test match. In the complete opposite to what took place in Pakistan earlier this week, bat dominated ball which is also not exactly what van der Dussen is advocating for. He punts for Test cricket that is “supposed to be a fair battle between bat and ball.”But what about the entertainment value?McCullum and Stokes have taken the approach that more proactive batting will put bums on seats and eyeballs on screens. Asked if he thinks that is the case, van der Dussen stuck to his stoicism.”I prefer the cat and mouse,” he said. “We played against the England Lions in Kent and they played the same way. It was a very flat and tame wicket that they prepared and the guys came out swinging. At the end of the day, you say well played but this is not the Test wickets we are used to. A week later we were at Lord’s and it was going around and the bowlers were much more in the game. That’s where the real quality batters will come to the fore – the guys who are disciplined in that fourth-stump channel, who can judge the length, who can play the short ball – short ball that can actually come up to head height and not just shoulder height. There needs to be some sort of risk element involved in batting.”And he hopes fans will agree. “People like seeing that – a lot of shots and a lot of runs – but the purist and the real Test fan likes it when the balance is even between bat and ball and the bowlers are in the game as much as the batters.”
Fosun have made some poor transfer decisions during their time at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Selling the likes of Pedro Neto, Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes for big fees certainly bolstered the bank balance.
It did leave the Old Gold weaker across several areas of the team, however, something that Vitor Pereira is having to try and improve.
One of the biggest mistakes the club made recently was selling Max Kilman to West Ham United.
Why Wolves must regret selling Max Kilman
Kilman joined the Irons for a fee of around £40m, which meant the Molineux side secured a stunning profit on him.
The centre-back has won 70% of his total duels contested in the Premier League for West Ham, while also losing possession just 7.6 times per game and recovering four balls per game.
West Ham haven’t exactly enjoyed the best season, but with Kilman, the club have an excellent defender who will only go from strength to strength as time goes on.
How Wolves could do with someone of his quality right now, especially as the club has been dragged into a relegation battle.
Has this been Fosun’s biggest transfer mistake? Or was selling another defender back in 2023 even worse?
Nathan Collins is now starring for Brentford in the top flight, and it looks as though the club could be rueing the decision to sell.
Wolves' bigger mistake than Kilman
Collins spent a single season with the Old Gold, making a total of 31 appearances in all competitions for the club.
During the 2023 summer transfer window, Brentford began to show interest in the Republic of Ireland international and he was soon on his way to London for a reported £23m transfer fee.
This now looks like a bargain. Stephen Kenny, Collins’ former Ireland manager, lauded him in 2022, saying:
For the Bees this season, the 23-year-old has been in excellent form indeed. Across 26 Premier League games, the centre-back has completed 87% of his passes, averages 1.2 tackles, makes 0.8 interceptions and wins an impressive 5.2 total duels per game – a success rate of 63% – in the top flight.
Metric (per 90)
2023/24
2024/25
Accurate passes
37.4
47
Tackles
1.2
1.2
Total duels won
4.5
5.2
Balls recovered
4.3
4.5
Interceptions
1.4
0.8
Against Leicester City on Friday evening, he made 12 clearances, was accurate with 60% of his long balls and finished the game with a 90% pass success rate.
There is no doubt Thomas Frank is now getting the best out of the former Wolves star and the decision to sell him two years ago is one that will surely be looked back on as a poor one.
Wolves have conceded 54 goals in the top flight this season, the third-worst defensive record in the division.
If they had Collins at the heart of their defence, things may have looked a lot more promising.
Wolves make first move to sign new £29m striker who could replace Cunha
He’s a wanted man…
ByTom Cunningham Feb 21, 2025
For the second time in as many seasons, Aston Villa suffered a heavy defeat away to Crystal Palace. This time, they were defeated 4-1 at the hands of Oliver Glasner’s side, in a very disappointing collapse.
After going into the break 1-0 down via a goal from Ismaila Sarr, Villa equalised fairly quickly after the interval thanks to a lovely goal from Morgan Rogers. However, the Eagles retook the lead just before the hour mark, then added a third and fourth, including another goal from Sarr, to seal a fantastic win for the Eagles.
It was a dismal performance from Unai Emery’s side, who struggled to handle the destructive Jean-Phillipe Mateta.
Aston Villa’s struggles against Mateta
There has not been a striker more in form in the Premier League in 2025 than Mateta. According to TNT Sport, no player in the English top flight has more goals than the Frenchman in this calendar year so far, with eight strikes.
Unfortunately for the Villans, they were on the receiving end of Mateta’s dominant form on Tuesday night. Despite playing with three centre-backs for the first time this season, the West Midlands club couldn’t handle Mateta.
Indeed, Birmingham Live journalist John Townley gave all three of Villa’s centre-backs, Lamar Bogarde, Axel Disasi and Ezri Konsa, a 4/10 rating at full-time. He explained that the Villans backline ‘was pulled apart’ after the halftime interval, which was certainly true given the four goals they conceded.
If anything, the Palace striker’s goal highlighted the struggles that Villa experienced at the back. Mateta was able to drift into acres of space, getting onto a loose ball and firing a shot home from inside the Villa box, relatively unchallenged.
It was a baptism of fire for Emery’s side, coming up against the Premier League’s most in-form player. Frustratingly, the West Midlands side perhaps sold their own version of the Palace striker.
Aston Villa already sold their own Mateta
Ollie Watkins is a fantastic player and has been crucial for Villa this season. The England international has 13 goals and ten assists in 37 games under Emery this term.
However, he can’t do it all alone, and perhaps Villa made the wrong call in selling his understudy in January.
Jhon Duran’s move from Villa Park to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr made the Villans a fortune. He made the move to Cristiano Ronaldo’s side for upwards of £71m in the January transfer window.
However, there is no doubt that his departure has left a bit of a hole in the squad. The Colombian was scintillating for Villa, scoring 20 goals in 78 games.
However, he played just 2272 minutes in that famous Claret and Blue shirt, the equivalent of 25 full 90-minute games. He was deadly in front of goal, a “true monster” according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Selling Duran might seem like a strange decision on reflection, given just how good of a goalscorer he is.
However, Jamie Carragher explained in January that he thought Villa should “go against the grain” and sell their striking sensation. Of course, they did just that.
Interestingly, over the last two domestic league seasons, Duran and Mateta are actually quite similar statistically on FBref.
For example, the Frenchman averages 0.39 goal-creating actions per game, compared to 0.4 by Duran, and both average 0.25 goals per shot.
Stat (per 90)
Duran
Mateta
Goals per shot
0.25
0.25
Goals per shot on target
0.55
0.52
Expected goals
0.56
0.45
Shot-creating actions
2.43
2.37
Goal-creating actions
0.39
0.4
Moving Duran on in the winter transfer window was a bold call from Villa. At the start of February, Emery and co were actually linked with a move for Mateta in the summer, as per journalist Graeme Bailey.
Perhaps they could have saved themselves a fortune by keeping one of the hottest prospects in football instead.
Emery must never select 4/10 Aston Villa duo together again after Palace
Aston Villa were thrased 4-1 away to Crystal Palace on Tuesday evening.
1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 26, 2025
In what would complete their frontline, Newcastle United are now reportedly planning a €40m (£33m) offer to sign a Champions League winger who became one of few players to get the better of Arne Slot’s Liverpool side recently.
Newcastle transfer news
It certainly looks as though the Magpies are gearing up for the summer after enduring a frustratingly quiet last two windows. Currently just two points away from the Premier League’s top four, those at St James’ Park could yet get the chance to hand Eddie Howe the reinforcements that he so desperately needed the last time that his side competed on the European stage.
On that front, the transfer rumours have already been coming thick and fast with the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher threatening to steal the headlines. The Liverpool shot-stopper looks destined to depart Anfield when Giorgi Mamardashvili arrives from Valencia in the summer and Newcastle could take full advantage to end their goalkeeper concerns.
Newcastle now racing Barcelona to sign "unreal" gem dubbed Swedish Messi
He’s a rising star…
ByTom Cunningham Feb 11, 2025
It’s at St James’ Park that Kelleher could yet be reunited with a familiar face who he recently conceded against too. According to TuttoSport, Newcastle are now planning a €40m (£33m) offer to sign Johan Bakayoko from PSV Eindhoven this summer.
The young right-winger has impressed once again this season and was recently the star of the show as PSV defeated Liverpool in a 3-2 thriller. Cutting back on his right foot and sitting both Andrew Robertson and Jarell Quansah down, Bakayoko scored one of the goals of the Champions League group phase.
Now, the Belgian could get the chance to square off against the Reds more often with Newcastle reportedly set to swoop in. Meanwhile, by welcoming Bakayoko, Newcastle could form one of the deadliest trios in the Premier League.
"Dangerous" Bakayoko would complete Newcastle attack
Whilst Jacob Murphy has undoubtedly proved many wrong in the current campaign, there is still an argument that Newcastle lack an elite right-wing option, which is exactly what Bakayoko would provide for years to come. Described as “dangerous” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the young winger is destined to compete among Europe’s elite and could take Newcastle with him.
With 10 goals and three assists to his name so far this season, the 21-year-old would slot straight in next to Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak to form a stunning front three and one capable of taking Newcastle to another level.
Whether their reported planned offer is enough to lure PSV into a sale remains to be seen, but Bakayoko should certainly sit top of Newcastle’s wishlist when the summer arrives. The winger himself, meanwhile, looks set to have quite the decision to make regarding his future.
Four late wickets rewarded England for some hard graft on a pitch where runs have ruled, keeping their prospects of pushing for victory over Pakistan in this first Test alive.Centuries to Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique as well as Babar Azam, their captain, on a Rawalpindi track that has now yielded seven centuries, had gone some way to plugging England’s torrent of 657 first-innings runs at better than a run a ball. But debutant Will Jacks claimed three wickets among England’s seven for the day to keep control in their hands, despite a barren middle session highlighted by Babar’s classy 136.Jacks found out only minutes before the match started that he would be playing as a replacement for Ben Foakes, who failed to recover in time from the stomach bug that hit the England camp in the lead-up. By the end of the third day, Jacks had bowled 33 overs, while his fellow debutant and part-time spinner Liam Livingstone sat in the dressing room nursing a knee injury.Pakistan resumed on 181 without loss and Shafique, who started the day on 89, was the first to bring up his hundred, clubbing Joe Root over the deep-midwicket boundary in the fifth over of the day to move to 99 before carving the next ball behind point for a single. Imam followed, bringing up his century with a four through the leg side off Root, after resuming on 90.It was the first time a Test match had featured two double-century opening stands and only the second time the four openers had scored hundreds, though the first time it had occurred in the first two innings.Jacks replaced Root and his first ball of the day was pummelled through the covers by Shafique but, three balls later, Shafique tried to cut a wider one and edged behind to Ollie Pope, standing in for Foakes as wicketkeeper.Will Jacks, a part-time spinner playing his first Test, was the most successful of England’s bowlers•AFP/Getty Images
Imam launched frontline spinner Jack Leach for six over wide long-on the over after Shafique was dismissed, but Leach soon responded with the second wicket of the morning, Imam picking out Ollie Robinson at long-on to fall for 121.While they hadn’t been scoring at England’s blistering rate, Pakistan’s opening stand of 225 didn’t look bad in comparison to the record 233 put on by Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett.James Anderson saw a chance go begging when he found an inside edge off Azhar Ali only to see it zip through Crawley’s fingers at leg slip as he reached to his left.Despite faint hints of reverse swing, England took the new ball shortly before lunch and handed it to Leach, who trapped Azhar lbw almost immediately with one that skidded on to the knee roll in line with leg stump, giving England three wickets for the morning.During the afternoon, however, Babar cashed in. He punished anything short, swinging Jacks powerfully through the leg side for four three times either side of his advance down the pitch to launch Leach for six over long-on and bring up his fifty.With Root bowling wide of off stump and five fielders stationed on the off side, Babar wouldn’t bite, simply stepping across and hammering the ball straight past the bowler to the boundary.Abdullah Shafique was the first of three Pakistan batters to score centuries on the day•AFP/Getty Images
Ben Stokes entered the fray but after nailing a bouncer his next delivery, a softer short ball was met with disdain by Babar, who dispatched it down the ground to move to 90. Twice more in the space of four balls he sent Stokes short balls to the boundary, the latter flayed through the covers to bring up his eighth Test century and first against England.In vain attempts to gain something – anything – with the ball, Root roamed round the field seeking sweaty foreheads to rub directly with the shiny side, first seizing on Leach’s bald pate and then thrusting it under the raised peak of Pope’s cap.But the tea break was the tonic for England, with Robinson prising out debutant Saud Shakeel with the fourth ball after the interval, one that angled across and drew a loose edge behind to end a solid 37.Mohammad Rizwan arrived at the crease and, after getting off the mark driving Robinson through the covers for four, helped himself to four boundaries in one Jacks over. The first came off the toe-end of the bat clearing Anderson at mid-on and was followed by three more decisive strokes, a pull and twin slog-sweeps, as he cruised to 20 all in boundaries.It was Jacks who finally removed Babar, chipping to Leach at point, and then Anderson claimed his first when he had Rizwan caught low by Stokes at short midwicket for 29. In the fading light, England turned again to Jacks and capitalised when Naseem Shah holed out to Leach, running in from deep midwicket.
Ruben Amorim has opened up on Al-Hilal's interest in Bruno Fernandes and revealed Manchester United's stance on a possible transfer.
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Amorim addresses Al-Hilal's interest in BrunoRevealed Man Utd's stance on transferRed Devils face Athletic Club on ThursdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Al-Riyadh reported on Tuesday that reigning Saudi Arabian champions Al-Hilal have tabled a three-year contract for United captain Fernandes to join them this summer. The Daily Mail further claimed that the Saudi Pro League side are willing to offer £65 million ($86.5m) per year in wages to lure the Portuguese midfielder away from Old Trafford.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
ESPN has claimed that Fernandes is content at Old Trafford and has no plans of leaving the Red Devils ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. United boss Amorim has now weighed in on Al-Hilal's interest, while clearly stating the club will not sanction the departure of their talismanic captain.
WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID
Speaking to reporters, the Portuguese coach said: "It’s normal that a lot of clubs want a player like Bruno, like (Alejandro) Garnacho, like others. But we want to keep the best players, and Bruno is clearly one of the top players in the world, so our idea didn’t change. We want Bruno here."
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
Amorim's United side are currently focused on going all the way in the Europa League to qualify for the Champions League. They will next face La Liga side Athletic Club at Old Trafford in the second leg of their semi-final tie on Thursday. Amorim's side won 3-0 in Bilbao last week.