All posts by h716a5.icu

Doughty batting delays champions-elect in pursuit of promotion from Division Two

Paul Edwards20-Sep-2022
At once elegiac and urgent, September’s cricket suits the benign deceptions of autumn. For some players and nearly half the first-class counties, the shape of their seasons is clear. All that is left is personal pride and the hope of taking a couple of victories into the winter. For other cricketers, Nottinghamshire’s amongst them, there is the prospect of glory and the achievement of ambitions nursed since November.Steven Mullaney’s team began this match needing ten points to guarantee promotion and 22 to win the Second Division outright, so it was only to be expected that Mullaney would ask Worcestershire to bat on a morning when a pale sun did nothing to pacify a greenish New Road pitch. And nor was one taken aback when Nottinghamshire’s seamers took five wickets in the morning session, thus leaving their side well-placed to establish a match-shaping advantage. This, though, is the chameleon season. It begins with summer’s generosity before ending in grasping darkness. “In the edges of days, in the confluence of tides, in the unclear lapping and lap-backing of the between-seasons is autumn,” wrote Horatio Clare. “It can be obvious, a salute of blazing foliage, or disguised, slipping in behind distractions.”Nottinghamshire’s advantage was obvious enough when the afternoon session began but it would be more than four hours before they enjoyed another success and by the time Brett D’Oliveira’s attempted drive gave Jake Ball his third wicket and Tom Moores his third catch the nature of this day had changed utterly. D’Oliveira’s 85, his first score over fifty in red-ball cricket since June, and his 169-run stand for the sixth-wicket with Gareth Roderick had shown us this would be a very different match from that which Mullaney’s bowlers surely envisaged during a morning in which they were hungry, their slips were ravenous and the outfielders were chasing down balls as though their October golf depended on it.There was nothing fortuitous about Worcestershire’s recovery. The fall of Ed Barnard to the ball before lunch might have prepared home supporters for further reverses in the afternoon but D’Oliveira and Roderick had none of it. They played themselves back in, adjusted to the easing conditions and before long Roderick was easing the ball through the leg side while D’Oliveira shaped his drives or cuts through point. Liam Patterson-White bowled his slow left-arm tightly albeit without great threat and it said something about the changing balance of the innings that Mullaney needed a spinner at all.Though Patterson-White extracted more lift from the New Road pitch than the batsmen appeared to expect, nothing disturbed the Worcestershire pair and one noticed with a start that the home side had collected a second bonus point before their visitors. Mullaney took the second new ball he surely thought he wouldn’t require and gained rapid dividends, first with the dismissal of D’Oliveira and then when Brett Hutton had Matthew Waite lbw for 5.But the evening ended with Roderick unbeaten on 91 and New Road resplendent in the golden light of a late autumn afternoon. Such an conclusion seemed absurdly unlikely when one recalled a morning when the sun was barely apparent and there was a hint of amber in the trees on Bromwich Parade. It was a bowlers’ day for all money and one doubts Mullaney hesitated long before placing a wager on his seamers. They offered early returns, too.Ed Pollock tried to get off the mark with a massive drive at a wide delivery from Ball but only inside-edged the ball onto his off stump. Two overs later, Ball took his second wicket when Azhar Ali feathered a lifting delivery to Moores two balls after collecting his only boundary with a nick through the slips. Half an hour later, Dane Paterson brought one back off the pitch and collected his 50th wicket of the season when the ball thumped into Jake Libby’s pad.Worcestershire’s batsmen struggled on, often by tickling the ball to the unoccupied fine-leg boundary. The only member of top order not to need that resource was Jack Haynes, whose cover-drives off Ball and Paterson were the most felicitous of the session. But having hit five boundaries in his 38, Haynes came half-forward to Mullaney’s fourth ball of the morning and was well caught by Moores, who was standing up. Having been inserted, D’Oliveira might have accepted 99 for 4 at lunch but Barnard’s defensive shot to Paterson’s last possible ball of the morning edged a catch to Matthew Montgomery at second slip. A few Worcestershire supporters lunched gloomily, little guessing the late-season riches that were to follow.

Two goals in as many second-half minutes saw Wrexham leap back into the League One automatic promotion places after a vital 2-1 win at Blackpool.

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Wrexham beat Blackpool 2-1McClean and Rathbone scoreLeapfrog Wycombe into secondFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

Wrexham started the day in third, one point behind second-placed Wycombe, and tried to lay down a marker early on with a fast start at Bloomfield Road.

James McClean was through on goal after a lovely team move but goalkeeper Harry Tyrer made a good stop, although this was a gilt-edged opportunity. Jay Rodriguez had a big chance of his own from close range but the Blackpool stopper kept out his effort, too.

The Welsh side finally got the breakthrough in the 61st minute when veteran McClean curled a 20-yard shot through a crowd of bodies to send the away fans wild. Ollie Rathbone then doubled the Red Dragons' lead two minutes later when he swept home Rodriguez's neat lay-off from 10 yards.

Substitute Stephen Fletcher was fortunate to stay on the field after accidentally kicking Oliver Casey in the face, with the Scot getting away with a booking.

Blackpool's Rob Apter fired into the corner at the death to make it 2-1 but it meant little as the raucous travelling fans roared their side to victory as Phil Parkinson's men capitalised on Wycombe's shock 4-0 home loss to fellow promotion-hopefuls Charlton Athletic to cap off a remarkable Easter Sunday.

Wrexham now have a two-point cushion over Wycombe with two games to play as they aim for an historic third straight promotion.

AdvertisementTHE MVP

Although he missed a glorious chance in the first half, McClean showed a much-needed bit of quality to break the deadlock and pave the way to this crucial Wrexham victory. The 35-year-old has delivered so often for them in the last two seasons, and this was another example of that.

THE BIG LOSER

Wrexham showed their fighting spirit to secure a vital three points but their gain was Wycombe's loss as they imploded against a high-flying Charlton at Adams Park. They had this promotion race in their hands and inexplicably got thumped on their own patch to a promotion rival.

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Getty Images SportWHAT COMES NEXT?

Wrexham are not over the line, though, as on Saturday they host in-form Charlton at Stok Cae Ras in a battle between second and fourth in League One. The Addicks are just four points behind the Welsh outfit so this will be a challenging encounter.

West Ham find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League in 12th place, much like their goal-scoring exploits this season, sitting joint sixth for fewest goals scored.

The Hammers have only scored 27 times in 22 games this campaign, with a striker still being a massive hole in their squad, relying more on their wide forwards for goals.

Graham Potter could be equipped with a new striker either this month or in the summer, with Michail Antonio and Niclas Füllkrug suffering from injuries this season.

West Ham enquire about Jhon Duran alternative

Clubs now know that West Ham have the available funds should they choose to splash out on a striker signing, after having their £57m bid for Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran turned down in recent days.

So, who could they turn their attention to next in the pursuit of more firepower?

Transfer Focus

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

Well, according to reports from Irons insider ExWHUEmployee, West Ham are among the clubs to have enquired about Strasbourg striker, Emmanuel Emegha this month, but it appears a big fee would be needed in order to prise the 21-year-old striker away before the summer.

Therefore, a move for the Dutch striker, who only moved from Sturm Graz to Strasbourg in 2023, would likely cost a large fee.

Emegha has made 15 appearances for the French outfit so far this season, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in 1,158 minutes played.

How Emegha compares to Fullkrug and Duran

To understand why Emegha would help the side, you have to analyse what West Ham are missing in Fullkrug, whilst also analysing what they are after in Duran.

The Aston Villa striker has made 28 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 12 goals in 1,019 minutes played.

Fullkrug, in contrast, has only managed 11 appearances since joining in the summer, scoring two goals and providing one assist in 457 minutes.

The German has already suffered from two injuries since joining the club, keeping him out for long periods of time and currently leaving Potter with just Danny Ings as a natural striker option.

Goals

0.6

1.1

0.5

Assists

0.2

0.00

0.3

Shots

2.00

3.8

1.5

Shots on Target

1.7

2.3

0.8

Conversion Rate %

30.43%

28.0%

33.33%

Chances Created

0.8

0.6

1.5

Aerial Duels Contested

2.7

5.9

10.8

Aerial Duels Won

1.3

2.9

4.9

Aerial Duel Success %

48.39%

48.72%

45.45%

When you compare Fullkrug to Duran, you can see West Ham are looking for a striker who can win their aerial duels, get a high volume of shots away per game and provide output for the team, especially in the goal-scoring department.

Emegha has played the most minutes in this comparison matrix (1,054 minutes of Ligue 1 football) and still ranks closely with many of the per 90 metrics of Fullkrug and Duran, who have both played less than 1,000 minutes combined (Duran with 602 in the league, and Fullkrug with 368 in the top-flight).

This shows Emegha could be a brilliant coup for the Hammers, bringing a 6 foot 5 striker into the team, who can win aerial duels, be a target man for Potter’s side, create chances for himself and others, and most importantly, put the ball in the back of the net.

Imagine him & Bowen: West Ham ready to sign "electric" Duran alternative

West Ham United failed in a bid to sign Jhon Duran from Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

ByDan Emery Jan 22, 2025

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that Ilkay Gundogan has triggered a contract extension, although doubts remain over his future.

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Gundogan's contract extended till 2026Guardiola still uncertain if Gundogan will stayMidfielder slowly returns to form at CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Gundogan left City for Barcelona in 2023 but returned just one year later as the Catalan side struggled with their financial mess. Upon his return last summer the former Germany international was handed a one-year contract, and Guardiola has revealed that that included an option to extend until the summer of 2026 which has now been triggered due to the number of appearances he has made.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: “He has one more year contract, definitely. What’s going to happen (in the summer), I don’t know, but he has one more year contract now. The Gundo from Leicester, the Gundo from Bournemouth, the Gundo from today (vs Crystal Palace) is the Gundo I remember, when we won the treble and quadruple and an important player.

“So his activity, his pace, and his defensive intelligence arrived. Gundo has been with us massively. And as a team, we could not help him, because it’s not about you, you, you. Everyone was down, was below, because the team was not playing good. When the team plays good, the individuals rise. Without that, in modern football, you can not do it.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite his extension with City, Gundogan could still end up leaving the eight-time Premier League champions this summer. However, it is possible that Guardiola will be keen on keeping the former club captain at the Etihad Stadium, especially as the Citizens are currently in a transitional period with Kevin De Bruyne set to leave and other veterans likely to depart as well.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GUNDOGAN?

After a difficult start to life following his return to City, Gundogan has slowly improved his form and has started the last five games for the defending Premier League champions. As such, he will likely play a crucial role until the end of the season as Guardiola's side look to secure Champions League football for next season, and also hope to win the FA Cup.

“We don’t have to change the way we play cricket but it is important that we use our resources properly”

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2022Shakib Al Hasan has asked the Bangladesh cricket community not to expect big things at the Asia Cup, starting later this month, saying that the team was looking for consistency in the T20 format over the long-term.”It is difficult for us [to think about making the Asia Cup final]. If we can show a bit of improvement from what we have done in the last year-and-a-half, it would be an achievement,” Shakib said in his first press interaction since becoming T20I captain. “We should make it to the Super 4s [they are grouped with Afghanistan and Sri Lanka], but I feel that if we can’t achieve targets that we set before a tournament, you will tell us that we talk big but can’t achieve targets. Let us keep our targets in the dressing room. I don’t want to discuss it here.”Related

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FTP takeaways – Bangladesh the busiest team

The last – and only – time the Asia Cup was played as a T20 event, Bangladesh finished runners-up to India, but their recent form has been quite ordinary: they have won two out of their ten matches since the T20 World Cup last year.”We don’t have to change the way we play cricket but it is important that we use our resources properly,” Shakib, who was appointed captain earlier this month, not long after becoming embroiled in a controversy over his endorsement of a betting company. “I believe that we are a good team and we have done it before. We have to play well consistently. We have to start winning, and if we don’t, we have to push it to the last couple of balls.”People should understand that we will improve by being competitive. It can’t be like now, when we are losing in the first innings or within ten overs of the second innings.”Shakib said that rather than hoping to win the Asia Cup, the expectations should be about improving in the format in the next four years.

“We can’t be sure if this is the last time we hear about a new start. But if we don’t try, we will never know that it is possible. We had to start something at some point. Better it happens now”Shakib Al Hasan

“We want the improvement graph going up. Even if we become the Asia Cup champions but we don’t do well in the T20 World Cup, it doesn’t really count,” he said. “We must focus on steady improvement, so that we can be one of the best teams in the World Cups in 2024 and 2026. India have not won the T20 World Cup since 2007, but they are always among the favourites. I think being that is more important.”Bangladesh’s batting unit has fallen apart with alarming regularity in the format in recent times, while the bowling faltered in the recent 2-1 loss against Zimbabwe. Shakib admitted that he was concerned about their fielding, too, an area he believed the team could improve on with a change in attitude.”[Catching] is definitely a concern. I don’t think we have ever been a good fielding unit. It is disappointing,” he said. “If we have to improve, we need to change our mindset. Fielding is one area you can improve overnight, but if there’s fear, it can have a negative impact on you. There will be misses. The best of the fielders have missed catches. But it is important how much you enjoy fielding.Sridharan Sriram has been brought in as a technical consultant•BCB”It will reduce the percentage of failure, but we have to make sure we reach the ball and try 100% to take that catch. Sometimes we start late and we can’t reach a catch. That’s more disappointing, rather than the catch being dropped. Your desire to go under the ball in time is paramount. Within five to ten days, we can improve significantly if we can change this attitude.”But Shakib didn’t want talk of any “new beginning”, even though there have been a few changes. Apart from the new captain, Bangladesh also have a new technical consultant [read T20 head coach, despite Russell Domingo’s presence] in Sridharan Sriram.”I can’t deny that it [starting fresh again] shows [the failure of the team],” Shakib said. “We can’t be sure if this is the last time we hear about a new start. But if we don’t try, we will never know that it is possible. We had to start something at some point. Better it happens now.”We will be holding a lot of meetings with the coaching staff in the next few days. We have a new coach around as well. Everyone will have their opinions but we should have one goal when we come out of the dressing room. Not that everyone has to believe in the goal but we have to back it fully.”

Ange Postecoglou was already facing heavy criticism for Tottenham Hotspur’s dismal form in the Premier League this season, but the club’s issues have devolved into something altogether more concerning following defeat at Goodison Park.

Everton, buoyed by the return of ex-manager David Moyes, blew Spurs to smithereens in the opening half-hour and presented more questions for an outfit lacking any form of answer.

There’s no denying that Tottenham have been dealt a cruel hand on the injury front this term, but there’s no excuse for the way Postecoglou’s side were picked apart by a team with an ostensibly weak frontline, battling relegation before the match but now only four points behind the north Londoners.

So many poor performances. So much for Postecoglou to chew on if he hopes to salvage something from this withering campaign.

Spurs' worst players vs Everton

Radu Dragusin endured a nightmarish first half for Tottenham before being withdrawn due to injury, beaten by the fleet-footed Iliman Ndiaye for Everton’s second and failing to project the kind of iron-clad presence of a top Premier League centre-half, with Spurs writer Simon Yemane even commenting that the Romanian “isn’t good enough.”

Archie Gray also endured a tough afternoon at centre-back, unfortunately turning into his own net to make it 3-0 before the break, but the 18-year-old has performed valiantly in an unfamiliar role this term and fans generally recognise the shift that he invariably puts in – and the calibre of talent they have on their hands too.

It wasn’t just the defenders who let the travelling Londoners down, though, with Heung-min Son’s sad decline taking its next step as the captain, so cherished by the Tottenham faithful, failed his team on Merseyside.

Heung-min Son's performance vs Everton

Son is a modern Tottenham legend but he’s struggling to muster up the athletic, sharp performances that have been a staple throughout his storied career in the English capital.

Against Everton, the 32-year-old squandered a glorious opportunity to restore parity when deftly played into space by Dejan Kulusevski, the brightest spark on a gloomy afternoon.

The rotten roots of the South Korean’s poor performance ran deeper, unfortunately, for Son tamely tested Jordan Pickford later on and ‘contributed very little else,’ according to football.london’s Alasdair Gold, who branded the skipper with a lowly 4/10 match rating.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

2 (2)

Accurate passes

28/33 (85%)

Key passes

0

Dribbles (completed)

2 (1)

Duels (won)

9 (5)

Possession lost

13x

You have to call Postecoglou’s decision to keep Son on the field into question, for the veteran forward was unable to offer any kind of creative or mobile output to enhance Tottenham’s performance, and was overshadowed by young Mikey Moore who supplied the assist for Richarlison’s late consolation.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

On that note, is it time for Postecoglou to ditch his tried-and-tested leader for a younger, springier counterpart?

Why Spurs should ditch Son

Tottenham owe much to Son’s devotion to the cause over so many years, posting 170 goals and 91 assists across 435 appearances. But Moore illustrated perfectly Tottenham’s conundrum: that their talisman is slipping from his gold standard and might soon be better placed on the bench with a touch more regularity.

Moore, 17, was probably Tottenham’s best player – barring maybe Deki – despite only being on the pitch for 17 minutes, expertly arcing an assist for Richarlison to keep hopes of a stunning equaliser alive, also hitting the target with a shot and wrongfooting several Toffees defenders with his quick movements.

If you were being extra cynical, you might even be able to claim that Son’s poor finishing may prove to be the final nail in the coffin for Postecoglou’s vision, as that first-half strike on goal could have changed everything had it gone in, lifting Spurs spirits and then some.

But then, looking at that from the other direction, Postecoglou was the architect of his own demise in a sense, failing to withdraw Son in good time and allowing the discussed forwards to enter the fray and bring some fresh energy and dynamism to the contest.

More ruthless team selection might have changed the narrative for Postecoglou’s side, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and all that. However, now the Aussie coach must recognise the issue that he has and make the tough decision to move him to the bench against Leicester next weekend.

The problem, of course, is that Tottenham have a dearth of options at their disposal right now, with more misery piled onto the crisis through the revelation that Brennan Johnson will be sidelined “for the next three to four weeks.”

Timo Werner will also be missing until the later stages of February, though a certain degree of respite has arrived through Richarlison’s return to fitness and late strike against Everton, nearly sparking a dramatic and unlikely comeback against his former club.

Tottenham will host an internal inquest to determine the route forward after another abject defeat, but time is running out for Postecoglou’s project, with next weekend’s Premier League clash down N17 having the feel of a critical juncture.

With Moore showcasing his quality so well this afternoon and Richarlison getting back amongst the goals, you could argue that Son should be dropped.

And that’s without even thinking about the many Spurs widemen currently stuck in the surgery. Something, to be sure, needs to change.

Their answer to Saliba: Spurs enter race for "phenomenal" £21m titan

The incredible international would make Spurs far harder to break down.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 18, 2025

Colombo was due to host but there are fears that ongoing political demonstrations may cause logistical challenges

Andrew Fidel Fernando16-Jul-2022The second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be moved from Colombo to Galle*, owing to the possibility of political demonstrations in the island’s capital.While at no stage have cricket matches been threatened by the large-scale civil unrest seen in Sri Lanka over the last few months, and particularly in the past week, there are fears that masses descending on Colombo’s streets again may create logistical challenges for a Test match.Galle itself had seen a large protest on July 9, on the second day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka. However, the crowds seen there were not extraordinary in scale, as had been the case in Colombo.Related

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Sri Lanka Cricket has been at pains to point out that the island remained a viable cricket destination, even as they prepare to host a Lanka Premier League in the first few weeks of August, followed by an Asia Cup featuring nine teams.There have been international matches in Colombo recently. Two of the three T20Is, and three of the ODIs from the Australia tour were all played at Khettarama stadium. While those games were almost uniformly well-attended, and went off as usual, the scale of the political demonstrations has increased substantially in Colombo since then. Khettarama was scheduled to host the second Test against Pakistan but if it shifts to Galle, this would be the third successive home Test series to be played exclusively at the venue.* This story was updated at 15:43 GMT after SLC confirmed the change in venue

Aston Villa are reportedly set to sign one club’s ever-present starter next week, and he’ll fly to England in the coming days to seal his Premier League transfer.

Aston Villa "working" on January signings for Unai Emery

As confirmed by manager Unai Emery before his side’s 2-1 win over West Ham United in the FA Cup third round on Friday night, the Midlands club are actively pursuing fresh faces before deadline day on 3rd February.

Aston Villa now willing to pay £17m release clause for La Liga "revelation"

The Villans are not wasting any more time…

1 ByTom Cunningham Jan 11, 2025

Villa are yet to officially get a January deal over the line as things stand, despite reports heavily linking them with a new forward.

It is believed Monchi and NSWE have submitted an improved offer for Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen (Sky Germany), which is still short of the Bundesliga side’s valuation, while other media sources claim Villa are very keen on signing PSG forward Marco Asensio as another option.

Everton (away)

January 15

Aston Villa (away)

January 18

West Ham (home)

January 26

Wolves (away)

February 1

Ipswich Town (home)

February 15

6 players who could join or leave Aston Villa in January

Aston Villa will be aiming to make a few signings and sell some players this January.

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 9, 2025

Their pursuit of an attacker comes amid PSG’s interest in a winter deal for star striker Jhon Duran, who has impressed under Emery with 12 goals in all competitions despite being behind Ollie Watkins in the pecking order and starting just four Premier League games this season.

Emery says that Aston Villa are “working” on imminent incomings, and while they’ve largely been tipped to bring in forward options, there are also suggestions that a new centre-back is on the cards.

Villa are said to be targeting Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingueza, and it could even happen this window (Football Insider). However, a deal could be difficult to pull off, as the La Liga side are expected to demand a hefty fee to let their star centre-back depart in the middle of the 2024/25 campaign.

Emery reportedly wants two quality players in each position at Villa (Pete O’Rourke), but the club’s finances are set to make recruitment tricky before deadline day.

Aston Villa closing in on Kasimpasa defender Yasin Ozcan

In some good news, Villa are thought to be closing in on their first January signing, according to Turkish newspaper A Spor.

Indeed, it is believed Villa have agreed a €8m (£7m) deal for Kasimpasa defender Yasin Ozcan, who is set to make his way to England in the coming days and put pen to paper on a deal next week.

The centre-back could return to the Süper Lig outfit on loan for the rest of 2024/25, or even fully link up with Emery’s squad for this season, depending on developments.

The 18-year-old, who was called up to the Turkey national squad for the first time in November, featuring on the bench against Montenegro, has been a pivotal mainstay for Kasimpasa this season.

Ozcan boasts 17 league starts, and goalkeeper Andreas Gianniotis is the only Kasimpasa player who’s played more Turkish top-flight minutes than the teenager.

Taking his age into account, this is quite impressive, and it appears Villa may be about to secure themselves a real gem.

GOAL looks back at the league's inaugural match in 1996, with two MLS original sides set to meet again this weekend

On April 6, 1996, Major League Soccer made its debut, with 10 teams competing for the inaugural MLS Cup.

Fast forward 30 years, and that once fledging league has undergone immense growth, both in terms of size and profitability. What was once a struggling institution is now central to an ever-growing U.S. soccer landscape, a real hub of the beautiful game in a country that is embracing the sport more every day.

The league is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025, now with 30 teams playing across the Eastern and Western conferences. Numerous rebrands, relocated franchises and expansion teams have come and gone – but MLS has has grown year after year. From LA Galaxy to Chivas USA, Tampa Bay Mutiny to Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, there have been 32 franchises overall, with a 33rd – expansion San Diego FC – joining in 2025.

On Matchday 7 of the 2025 campaign, the San Jose Earthquakes and D.C. United meet in a cross-conference clash, but it's not just another early season match. It's a rematch of the league's first game from that spring day in 1996.

The San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) hosted D.C. to kick off the league's first season, and GOAL looks back at that historic moment ahead of Sunday's rematch in San Jose.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowRemembering the match

It was a memorable quote: "Thank god for Eric Wynalda."

That was Sunil Gulati said after the match. The former U.S. Soccer Federation president and previous MLS deputy commissioner, Gulati was a first-hand witness to Wynalda's goal that handed the Clash the first victory in league history.

Wynalda, a seasoned U.S. international, scored the winning goal in the 1-0 decision. The striker cut in on from his left foot, slotting the ball onto his right before curling home a brilliant effort.

"It would have been a very bad message if the game had ended up 0-0 and we had to go to a shootout to settle it," Gulati told MLS in 2016. "Eric – at the time the leading scorer for the US national team – to score a terrific goal late in the game was something that we couldn't have scripted. It was something that was very important, the result on the field."

Wynalda deemed the goal a "relief," adding that a primary reason he chose to join the Clash was so that he could play in the league's inaugural game – the U.S. striker wanted that moment of glory.

"Once the ball popped out of there and Ben [Iroha] got there first I was screaming at him to get me the ball because I had gotten myself into a really good starting point and I know Jeff [Agoos] really well," Wynalda told MLS. "I remember just wanting the ball so bad from [Iroha] and thank God he passed it to me early because I had a lot of time to think about it. I knew exactly what I wanted to do."

The goal literally kicked off a 30-year journey for MLS, in some ways writing the script for professional soccer in the U.S.

"That moment after was such a relief for so many reasons," Wynalda said. "I could watch it over and over again. But I don't watch the play, I watch the people and I watch my teammates because it was just such an enormous relief factor that that game didn't end 0-0. We got out of there with a win and a lot of attention to the league and an exciting finish which I think was really relevant.

"We didn't want to go to a shootout; we wanted the game to end in the way that it did, which was pretty phenomenal. If you really think about it, it was a pretty cool script."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWho was on the pitch?

Wynalda was just one of many iconic faces that took the pitch that day. Plenty of familiar faces from that monumental match still play a role in the American game today.

SAN JOSE CLASH

Goalkeeper: Tom Liner

Defenders: Tim Martin, Troy Dayak, John Doyle, Michael Emenalo, Ben Iroha

Midfielders: Jorge Rodas, Paul Bravo

Forwards: Jeff Baicher, Victor Mella, Eric Wynalda

Manager: Laurie Calloway

For the Clash, Emenalo is arguably the most successful player – off the pitch – to come out of the San Jose franchise. The former Nigeria international has held Sporting Director roles at both Chelsea and Monaco, but is currently the SD of the Saudi Pro League – home of Cristiano Ronaldo and countless other former European footballers.

Wynalda, meanwhile, has held various coaching roles across U.S. soccer – most notably with the Las Vegas Lights from 2018-2020. He's also worked as an analyst for both FOX and ESPN, as well as hosting a radio show with Sirius XM.

D.C. UNITED

Goalkeeper: Jeff Causey

Defenders: Thor Lee, Jeff Agoos, Said Fazlagic

Midfielders: Mario Gori, John Harkes, Richie Williams, Marco Etcheverry

Forwards: Shawn Medved, Berthy Suárez, Raúl Díaz Arce

Manager: Bruce Arena

Players that represented United that day have done well with finding a home for themselves within the game. Richie Williams is the head coach for the New England Revolution's MLS NEXT Pro side, while Marco Etcheverry recently held a role as an assistant coach in D.C.'s academy.

Jeff Agoos was recently named president and GM of soccer operations for the NWSL's Portland Thorns, while John Harkes is the technical director for McLean Youth Soccer – and prior, was Sporting Director and coach of the Greenville Triumph in USL.

And of course, there's Arena.

He has been a consistent winner on the touchline. He ended up taking D.C. to the promised land during their debut season, claiming the inaugural MLS Cup. The Clash themselves made the playoffs, but fell in the opening round in a best-of-3 series to eventual runners-up Los Angeles Galaxy.

"Typical of any new league, and a lot of people not knowing what the heck they were doing, including myself, it was hectic," Arena told reporters, recalling that inaugural match. "It was a little bit crazy. Coming to San Jose was exciting and all, but I don’t think we had a team ready to play. And I think the team that played on April 6, 1996, was much different than the team that played in the MLS Cup final, in I believe November that year. Hectic times, but exciting to get the league going."

But for one of MLS' most significant coaches, he's still playing his role in growing the league.

Getty Images SportA generation, linked

Manager of D.C. on that day, Arena – now 73 and MLS' all-time winningest coach – is giving it one last go on the touchline as manager of the Earthquakes, the organization that beat his team in his first professional match.

Captain of D.C. in 1996, John Harkes, will be watching Sunday's events unfold with a keen eye too, as his son Ian will be available for selection – though, unlike his father 30 years prior, Ian will be representing San Jose in the match. One thing remains the same between them both, though: Arena – who was on the touchline for John in 1996, and will be for Ian on Sunday.

“I'm torn now emotionally, because I want to support my son, who’s playing for San Jose, the opposition,” John told MLS earlier this week. “I'm thinking about going out there in my retro D.C. United kit. My wife’s like, ‘Oh, I don't know. You might get beat up.’ "

Ian, meanwhile, knows how momentous the occasion is. Growing up with his father being a professional for both club and country, and now an established professional himself, the younger Harkes is looking forward to this weekend's match.

“It is really special to have the crossovers there and both of us be involved,” Ian told MLS. “It'll be an exciting occasion, for sure, and everyone will be up for it, and just what it will mean to this community.”

Arena, meanwhile, has watched the league build over 30 years. He's been around for every up and down, twist and turn.

In addition to raising the MLS Cup five times, Arena also captured the Supporters’ Shield four times and has been MLS Coach of the Year four times. At the international level, he led the U.S. men’s national team to two FIFA World Cups – making the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years in 2002.

"I'm very proud of our league, our national team program, the American players – who I would think in 1996 globally, had no respect around the world," he told GOAL. "And today, the top American players are sought after by many leagues and many clubs around the world. So we've made a lot of growth in 30 years.

"It's still challenging for MLS, we've dealt with some tough times – in the the first 10 years of the league where there were a lot of questions about whether we could maintain this league. And great support from the some of the initial owners, like Lamar Hunt and Phil Anschutz and Robert Kraft – they stuck with the league, and the league is around today because of the support those men gave the league. So it's great that we're still going 30 years [later]."

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Getty Images SportLooking ahead

San Jose is set to honor the occasion with a halftime ceremony during the match at PayPal Park.

Wynalda, John Doyle, Eddie Lewis, Altimont “Freddie” Butler, Troy Dayak, Tom Liner, Dave Gold and Dave Salzwedel will represent the Clash during the ceremony, while Arena, John Harkes, Jeff Agoos, Shawn Medved and Marco Etcheverry will be present for D.C. United.

Fan-favorite supporter and Clash cheerleader Krazy George will also be on-hand for the event. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a throwback inaugural pennant, while retro gear will be available for fans to purchase.

The match will be full-circle for the league, and they'll celebrate how far they've come. And Arena doesn't think MLS is done growing. American soccer is climbing in all aspects, including this summer's FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. A pivotal moment for the national team, Arena also thinks it will be a real turning point for the domestic game as well.

"I think after the World Cup in 2026, (MLS) is going to be one of the most sought-after leagues in the world by top players," he said. "That shows the global view of the sport in this country, Mexico and Canada – that the sport has arrived in our region, which is a real positive."

England rue missed chances after unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 149

Valkerie Baynes10-Jun-2022Stumps As far attempts to negate a swinging ball go, Daryl Mitchell’s display of long-range beer pong was inventive to say the least.Assisted by the ale or otherwise, he and Tom Blundell managed to see out the latter stages of a tricky middle session for New Zealand then navigate their side to the close of an intriguing first day at Trent Bridge at 318 for 4.The duo, who shared 195-run stand in the second innings of New Zealand’s five-wicket defeat at Lord’s last week had put on 149 by stumps in this second Test, Mitchell unbeaten on 81 and Blundell 67 not out.During a morning session when the ball presented little movement through the air or off the seam but bounced appreciably from a good length, New Zealand openers Will Young and Tom Latham started brightly with an 84-run partnership before Ben Stokes and James Anderson struck with consecutive deliveries to remove both.Those same two bowlers managed to get the ball talking after the lunch break, however, combining again to remove a fluid-looking Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls as all of New Zealand’s top-four made starts but none breached fifty.Related

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England, whose fielding in the first Test had been noticeably sharp, were left to rue missed chances which would have made the equation considerably worse for their visitors. Zak Crawley dived from second slip across Joe Root at first and managed only to parry Nicholls’ thick outside edge off Stuart Broad away from both of them. Nicholls was on 17 at the time.Root then shelled a regulation slips chance off Mitchell, on 3, which wobbled ever so slightly as it came off the bat, and a tougher one off Blundell when he was on 2, Root thrusting his right hand out but failing to hold on.Mitchell and Blundell resumed after tea on 20 and 7 respectively and, with Jack Leach continuing after bowling the penultimate over before the break, Mitchell plundered the England spinner down the ground for six, the ball landing in a spectators’ full pint cup.Matthew Potts, clearly more disappointed than amused, indicated that the ball had been completely submerged as the umpire ran over with a towel and set about trying to dry it off. Sure enough, the ball didn’t do much for the bowlers after that until Potts managed to get it moving a little again on the evening breeze.Blundell, on 39, survived England’s attempt to overturn a not-out lbw decision on umpire’s call off Leach and Mitchell top-edged another six off Broad over the keeper’s head.England took the second new ball with about half an hour left in the day’s play and Broad was left cursing yet another missed opportunity when Blundell moved to 67 by edging him through the cordon where Crawley and Jonny Bairstow remained virtually motionless at second and third slip as the ball shot between them to the boundary rope.Earlier, Stokes allayed concerns over his ability to bowl, raised when he showed some discomfort in his side while training on Wednesday, bringing himself on in the 19th over. He opened with a loose delivery outside off stump which Young punished to the boundary through point and which turned out to be the first of two front-foot no-balls for the over.Leach followed Stokes into the attack, having recovered from the concussion he suffered while fielding on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s, but it was Stokes who made the breakthrough in his second over.Having conceded two more boundaries to Young on the drive, the second misfielded by Leach in the covers, Stokes bowled a tight off-stump line and got the ball to kick into the splice of Young’s bat with Crawley collecting a good catch low at second slip.James Anderson laughs after his long-hop has Tom Latham caught at midwicket•AFP/Getty ImagesPotts took a strong catch at midwicket to get rid of Latham, who slapped a short ball straight to him at pace as soon as Anderson returned to the attack and New Zealand had lost two wickets in as many balls, although cause for concern to England was the fact that they conceded 20 boundaries in the first session.After lunch, Stokes accounted for Nicholls with a ball that nipped away off the seam, drawing a prod to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes and ending a 77-run stand with Conway.Conway had produced some eye-catching drives and pulls en route to his score which included seven fours before he was undone by an excellent Anderson delivery that looked like shaping away before jagging back off the seam and finding a big inside edge through to Foakes.Anderson thought he had Conway out for 41 when the batter picked out Potts at midwicket but a soft signal of not-out was upheld when third umpire Rod Tucker ruled that the ball had gone to ground.After losing the toss, Latham – standing in as captain for Kane Williamson who tested positive for Covid-19 on the eve of the match – said he would have liked to bowl first on a green-tinged pitch which he said looked dry underneath, although he would no doubt have taken New Zealand’s score at the end of the day.Willamson’s absence, and that of Colin de Grandhomme who injured his foot while bowling in the first Test and was ruled out of the series, forced two team changes for New Zealand, who also left out left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel. They brought in Nicholls, back from a calf injury followed by a bout of Covid, and added Matt Henry in a four-pronged seam attack, with Michael Bracewell, the left-handed batter who also provides an offspin option, making his Test debut.