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Everton have now made a move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga, but they will have to do battle for his signature with another Premier League club, a new report has revealed.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

As reported by journalist Rudy Galetti, the Toffees are now focusing on bringing in a new "offensive player", so a new defender may not be considered a priority for Sean Dyche, but the manager does have a couple of centre-back targets in mind.

The Toffees have shown an interest in signing Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, amid his uncertain future at Old Trafford, although Galetti believes the chances of him remaining with the Red Devils are growing every day.

As there is "nothing concrete" with Everton and Maguire, they may choose to move on to other targets, having previously been named as potential suitors for Red Bull Salzburg's Oumar Solet, who has expressed his desire to play in the Premier League.

According to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Dyche may have a new target in mind, having joined the race for Tottenham defender Tanganga, who is also a target for last season's Champions League finalists, Inter Milan.

The Toffees have already "moved" to sign the Spurs ace, indicating they could hijack Premier League rivals Luton Town, who are currently thought to be leading the race for his signature, currently pushing for a loan with an option to buy.

More news is "expected soon", with the 24-year-old likely to stay in England, and Sport Witness speculate Everton could make a more convincing offer if they try to buy him outright, considering he has not been in Ange Postecoglou's plans so far this season.

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE

How good is Japhet Tanganga?

The London-born defender has found game time very hard to come by in north London for a number of years now, having been given minutes on the pitch very sparsely in the 2022-23 campaign, making a total of just seven appearances in all competitions.

It is fair to say the centre-back's Tottenham career has not panned out the way he would have liked so far, but that does not mean he wouldn't be a good addition for Everton, and a move to Goodison Park could be exactly what he needs to reignite his previous form.

Former Aston Villa man Gabby Agbonlahor has previously lauded the £25k-per-week defender, while also suggesting he could take major strides if he is given more game time, saying:

“I’ve watched him a few times and sometimes he can be outstanding but sometimes he can be done in behind and make silly fouls.

“Someone like him, at his age, needs to be playing regularly. You don’t want to be a squad player when you are young.

With Tanganga yet to get a look in at Spurs this season, it seems likely the north Londoners would be willing to let him leave for a relatively low fee, and he could be a decent signing for Everton, although it would be a risk, given his lack of game time across a number of years.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em reunião virtual realizada nesta quinta-feira (10), o Movimento dos Santistas, grupo de pacificação entre membros da oposição do Santos, definiu as suas frentes de gestão, visando indicar um candidato à presidência do clube, no pleito previsto para a primeira quinzena de dezembro.

O grupo, popularmente batizado de “chapão”, ainda não definiu os concorrentes à presidente e vice, o que deve acontecer até o fim do mês, mas já alinhou as prioridades da gestão, caso eleita.

Serão cinco os pontos principais:

1. Governança transparente
2. Modelo sustentável de finanças
3. Reposicionamento da marca
4. Criar processo para o futebol, priorizando as categorias de base
5. Relacionamento com os sócios

Alguns membros do movimento já têm se reunido com integrantes do quadro associativo santista para apresentar a ideologia. O coletivo tem se aproximado de grupos visando condições de fortalecimento das suas estratégias.

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Nome da chapa

Um dos pontos discutidos na reunião foi o nome que a chapa seria batizada, quando protocolada eleitoralmente, em novembro. Embora o martelo ainda não tenha sido batido, a alcunha “União pelo Santos” agradou o grupo e tem grandes chances de ser escolhida.

Cenário atual

Até o momento, o Peixe conta com sete pré-candidatos à presidência: Daniel Curi, Esmeraldo Tarquinio, Fernando Silva, Milton Teixeira Filho, Ricardo Agostinho, Rodrigo Marino e Vágner Lombardi. O oitavo nome sairá justamente do Movimento dos Santistas. Todos que se colocaram à disposição até aqui, além dos integrantes do Movimento dos Santistas, são opositores da atual gestão, que poderá também lançar um postulante ao cargo máximo do clube.

Atual presidente, José Carlos Peres já declarou publicamente que não pretende disputar a reeleição, mesmo tendo direito ao mandato de mais um triênio. Os membros do Comitê de Gestão, Matheus Rodrigues e Pedro Doria surgem como possíveis candidatos pela situação.

MatériaMais Notícias

Beneficiado pelos calendários da Copa do Brasil e do Brasileirão da Série B, o Juventude vem embalado pela classificação diante do CRB e encara no próximo sábado (26) o outro clube tradicional de Maceió, o CSA, também no estádio Rei Pelé, pela décima primeira rodada da Série B. O confronto está agendado para às 16h.

Um dos destaques desse crescimento da equipe tem sido o atacante Capixaba que falou sobre o bom momento vivido na equipe além do tamanho do desafio contra o outro clube alagoano.

Na visão do jogador de 23 anos de idade, é necessário com que o elenco do técnico Pintado “vire a chave” da empolgação perante a vaga para as atenções do compromisso que, dependendo da combinação de resultados, pode valer a entrada no G4:

– Feliz com o objetivo alcançado na Copa do Brasil. Sabíamos da dificuldade do jogo e fizemos um bom trabalho, mas não dá tempo de comemorar. O que foi feito , já foi e agora temos que virar a chave e pensar nesse jogo muito difícil pela série b. O CSA tem uma boa equipe e vem confiante depois de uma boa vitória, e precisa pontuar para subir na tabela. Vai ser um grande jogo e esperamos voltar de Alagoas, com alguns pontos. Sobre o meu bom momento, temos um grande grupo aqui onde todos são importantes, só quem ganha com isso é o próprio clube e vamos trabalhar bastante pra seguir com esse bom trabalho disse.

O clube gaúcho é o sétimo colocado, com 16 pontos, contra sete do adversário que é o penúltimo colocado.

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أعلن المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، تشافي هيرنانديز، عن قائمة اللاعبين الذين سيخوضون مباراة الجولة الأخيرة أمام إشبيلية في بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على ملعب “سانشيز بيزخوان” في مدينة “إشبيلية” اليوم، الأحد، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.

ولا يغيب عن برشلونة أي لاعب جديد عن قائمة اليوم بخلاف أليخاندرو بالدي، جافي وفرينكي دي يونج المصابين قبل مدة طويلة.

هذه ستكون المرة الأخيرة التي يختار، تشافي، القائمة فيها لنادي برشلونة لأنه سيرحل بعد نهايتها كما أعلن العملاق الكتالوني يوم، الجمعة.

اقرأ أيضًا | تشافي: أشعر بالارتياح بعد قرار الإقالة من برشلونة.. وأتمنى فرصة أخرى في المستقبل

🚨 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐎̀𝐑𝐈𝐀🚨
✈️ #SevillaBarça pic.twitter.com/htU5yE253H — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) May 26, 2024

قائمة برشلونة لمباراة إشبيلية في الدوري الإسباني

حراسة المرمى: مارك أندريه تير شتيجن، إيناكي بينيا، دييجو كوشين.

خط الدفاع: جواو كانسيلو، رونالد أراوخو، إينييجو مارتينيز، جول كوندي، باو كوبارسي، هيكتور فورت.

وسط الملعب: أوريول روميو، بيدري، إلكاي جوندوجان، فيرمين لوبيز.

الهجوم: روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، فيتور روكي، جواو فيليكس، فيران توريس، لامين يامال، رافينها.

Meticulous and clinical, the Adelaide Strikers turned a precarious position against the Sydney Thunder into a 25-run win to reach the top of the Big Bash League table

The Report by Tim Wigmore07-Jan-2018Adelaide Strikers 7 for 158 (Ingram 48, Carey 34, Fawad 3-31) beat Sydney Thunder 9 for 133 (Nesser 3-29, Siddle 2-13, Rashid 2-21) by 25 runsMeticulous and clinical, the Adelaide Strikers turned a precarious position against the Sydney Thunder into a 25-run win to reach the top of the Big Bash League table.Yet again, the Strikers’ success was underpinned by Rashid Khan, the outstanding player in the tournament so far. In five matches, he has recorded figures of 2-22, 2-22, 2-19, 2-18 and now 2-21, bowling with control and penetration that has allowed the Strikers to triumph when batting first, while their opponents favour chasing. To boot, he even heaved a couple of sixes in the final over of Adelaide’s innings.The margin of the Strikers’ victory defied their struggles for much of the night. Colin Ingram’s six-ridden 48 hauled them to 158 for 7; then, with the Thunder on 42 for no loss after five overs, Peter Siddle delivered a crucial maiden before combining with Rashid to throttle the home team. Even Ben Rohrer’s three late sixes were not enough to give the Thunder real hope of avenging their defeat at the Adelaide Oval before Christmas.Adelaide steady as she goesThe Strikers are unusual in their penchant for batting first when they win the toss – something they have done more than the other seven teams combined this BBL season. It is a reflection of how, with a strong bowling attack that includes Rashid, who is especially proficient in the second innings, they feel comfortable defending totals. Travis Head won the toss, batted first and won against the Sydney Thunder at Adelaide a fortnight ago, and aimed to do the same on Sunday evening. Perhaps the scorching heat in Sydney – it was the hottest day in the city for 80 years – played a role too, making it attractive for the Strikers to field when it was cooler later in the night. The Strikers began their innings smoothly enough, just a little slowly: after eight overs, they had only lost one wicket, yet had a run rate of under seven.Getty Images

Fawad pulls them backLegspinners have been the most successful type of bowlers in this season of the Big Bash. And for all the attention on the overseas stars – Rashid, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah – Fawad Ahmed has been almost as effective. In the ninth over of the Strikers innings, he changed the complexion of the game by snaring both set batsmen. First, Travis Head spliced a shot to long-on. Then, after striking a couple of slog-swept boundaries – the second was caught on the long-on boundary, but Kurtis Patterson was touching the rope while initially taking the catch – Alex Carey was flummoxed by a googly and clean bowled. Fawad cleaned up Jonathan Wells with a delivery that went straight on in his final over, to end with 3 for 31 and take his BBL season haul to eight wickets at 18.50 apiece, to go with an economy rate of 6.16. In all, the Thunder delivered 12 overs of spin, with Chris Green taking 1 for 22 from his allocation.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Ingram’s late dashAt 4 for 104 with one ball of the 16th over left, the Strikers weren’t going anywhere quickly. Then, Colin Ingram did as overseas batsmen are supposed to do. With beautiful timing, he creamed three sixes – a heave over long-on from Arjun Nair, a crisp strike over long-off off Green, and a pull over square leg off Gurinder Sandhu – to haul Adelaide into a position from which they could amass a working total. As Ingram walked off, slashing a full and wide delivery from Sandhu to the keeper, the suspicion remained that the total would not be quite enough. But Rashid harrumphed two sixes in the final three balls of the Strikers innings to shore them up to 7 for 158; 54 of those runs having come off the final 25 balls.Thunder’s flying startAt 32 without loss in four overs, the Thunder appeared to be cruising towards their target. Head entrusted Rashid to bowl the fifth over, but Patterson scythed two fours through the covers to leave the home team requiring only 117 from 15 overs with ten wickets still in hand. It should have been a cruise.The squeezeThe Strikers’ comeback began with that rarest of T20 commodities: the maiden. Siddle produced six deliveries of subtle variation and immaculate precision to Jos Buttler. In the following over, Rashid’s googly had Buttler clean bowled, and suddenly the Thunder were stifled. In four overs together, Siddle and Rashid conceded only 13 runs – the prelude to a stretch of 42 balls without a boundary. In the process, as if sleepwalking, the Thunder’s position of overwhelming domination first became uncertain, and then increasingly precarious. Both Patterson and Shane Watson scored at a strike-rate of well under 100.The endgameBy the time Watson was out, heaving a catch to long-on, the Thunder needed 84 from only 41 balls, though they still had seven wickets in hand. Yet, once again, Rashid proved far too good – and even caught Green at long-on to effectively seal the Strikers’ victory. Rohrer struck some admirable blows late, but it always seemed futile.

Newcastle United are still able to sign free agents this summer, despite the transfer window closing, and they could decide to eye one up, according to Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge.

Do Newcastle need a new goalkeeper?

The Magpies have enjoyed a good summer in the transfer market overall, making necessary additions to the squad as they look to go up another gear.

Sandro Tonali is perhaps the most eye-catching addition who has come in, arriving as a highly rated player from Serie A giants AC Milan, while Harvey Barnes could also be a shrewd acquisition from Leicester City.

Elsewhere, Tino Livramento is an exciting young English right-back who could be viewed as Kieran Trippier's long-term replacement in the role, coming in from Southampton.

While Newcastle look well-stocked in many areas of the pitch, it could be argued that a strong backup for Nick Pope in goal could also be needed should the Englishman get injured for an extended period of time.

Martin Dubravka is the current second-choice option between the sticks, but there could potentially be an upgrade available for him, even though he has been a reliable performer on the whole.

The Magpies can now only turn to players who are without a club, following the end of the summer window on Friday night, and it looks as though they could do just that, according to one journalist.

Will Newcastle sign Kasper Schmeichel?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sky Sports reporter Bridge talked up the idea of Newcastle signing former Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who is a free agent after leaving OGC Nice:

"I’ve just seen that Kasper Schmeichel has left Nice on a free. I might be putting two and two together and making five, but that would be a good move for him, surely."

This could be a really savvy piece of business by Newcastle in the coming days, with Schmeichel a hugely experienced player who has achieved so much in the game.

The Dane famously won the Premier League with Leicester back in 2015/16, in what remains one of the greatest achievements in the history of English football, and he was a vital member of that side, starting all 38 league matches that season.

Schmeichel is also a 91-cap Denmark international, highlighting what a consistent performer he has been at international level for an extended period of time, and former Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has described him as "outstanding" in the past.

At 36, his very best days are now likely behind him, but he is someone who knows the Premier League inside-out and possesses a certain aura in goal, learning from the best in his father, Peter.

He isn't an individual who would get daunted by being thrown into the side if Pope suddenly picked up a lengthy injury, and his winning mentality could be a great addition to the squad.

There is no question that Pope would continue at first-choice if Schmeichel did come in, but having the ex-Foxes ace put pressure on him for minutes could get even more out of the current No 1 moving forward.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Trabzonspor anunciou a contratação do zagueiro Vitor Hugo, agora ex-Palmeiras, em suas redes sociais na manhã desta segunda-feira (5). A transferência foi fechada na casa dos R$ 20 milhões por 75% dos direitos econômicos do atleta, em um contrato de quatro anos.

Confira o anúncio oficial do Trabzonspor sobre a contratação de Vitor Hugo:

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras finaliza 13ª rodada do Brasileirão invicto de forma inéditaPalmeiras05/10/2020PalmeirasSubindo! Palmeiras fecha 13ª rodada na terceira colocação do BrasileirãoPalmeiras05/10/2020PalmeirasCapitão, Felipe Melo chega a cem vitórias com a camisa do PalmeirasPalmeiras03/10/2020

Trabzonspor'a hoş geldin Vitor Hugo! pic.twitter.com/Z5hl9UWRX0

— Trabzonspor (@Trabzonspor) October 5, 2020

Sem dinheiro para pagar a primeira pedida do Palmeiras, de 4 milhões de euros (aproximadamente R$ 26 milhões, na cotação atual), a diretoria do time turco havia paralisado as negociações no início da semana passada, mas o Verdão aguardava um novo contato, ocorrido na última sexta-feira (3). As negociações, então, foram retomadas e concluídas rapidamente.

Depois de uma primeira passagem consistente pelo Palmeiras, Vitor Hugo foi repatriado em julho do ano passado. Na ocasião, o zagueiro foi comprado por cinco milhões de euros (R$ 21 milhões à época).

Em números gerais, o defensor soma 160 jogos com a camiseta do Verdão e 13 gols marcados. Sem obter o mesmo sucesso das temporadas em que se sagrou campeão do Brasileirão e Copa do Brasil, Vitor é visto como a quarta opção entre os zagueiros do elenco, atrás de Gustavo Gómez, Felipe Melo e Luan.

Ele se despediu na goleada sobre o Bolívar por 5 a 0, pela Libertadores no Allianz Parque, quando entrou no segundo tempo.

Over the last decade, Leicester City have been through one of the most incredible stories English football has ever seen.

From being promoted to the Premier League ahead of the 2014/15 season and avoiding relegation against all odds, to winning the league title the next season in one of the most unbelievable achievements in the history of top-flight football.

After several experiences in European football, Leicester would even win the FA Cup for the very first time in 2021. This success would, however, mark the beginning of the end for Leicester, who were struggling financially due to the Covid outbreak.

With the number of outgoings heavily outweighing new incomings, it was hardly a surprise to see Leicester struggle in the 2022/23 season, as they were relegated back to the Championship.

While some outgoings, such as Ben Chilwell and Wesley Fofana, brought huge amounts of money into the club, there were others that have since reflected poorly on the club, who never got their chance to impress in the first team.

Who has left Leicester City in recent years?

With the need for a financial boost, the Foxes turned to player sales to help them. After winning the FA Cup, star defender Ben Chilwell was one of the first names to go, with their opponents in the final, Chelsea, paying a sizable £50m fee for the full-back.

Another departure that summer was Demarai Gray, who left for a rather underwhelming £1.7m fee to German side Bayer Leverkusen, before returning to the Premier League a year later to join Everton.

In 2022, the club reluctantly sold promising defender Wesley Fofana, again to Chelsea for an irrefutable £70m, providing the club with important funds.

While a number of big names have left the club in recent years, Leicester have also let go some of their upcoming talents, some of which they may look back on with regret as one of the factors in their relegation was a result of lacking squad depth.

One player who left the Leicester setup and has gone on to achieve better things is Nigerian international defender, Calvin Bassey.

When did Leicester sell Calvin Bassey?

After coming through the ranks at Leicester, playing in both their U18 and U21 sides, Bassey was never given a chance to appear in the first team before his eventual departure.

In June 2020, Scottish side Rangers announced that they had agreed a pre-contract signing for Bassey, who was 20-years-old at the time. The compensation fee paid to Leicester was reported to be just £230k for the young defender.

The Scottish side’s manager at the time Steven Gerrard spoke highly of the Nigerian, saying:

“It’s pleasing to secure the services of another young talent. He’s a strong and dynamic athlete who is very much the modern-day full-back.”

Over the course of his debut season in Scotland, Bassey featured 15 times in all competitions, seven of those appearances coming in the league as Rangers went unbeaten and attained a club-record 102 points to win their first title in ten years.

What was next for Bassey?

After showing promising signs in his brief spells on the pitch over the 2020/21 season, the following season saw Bassey begin to cement his place in the first team for Rangers.

In all competitions, he played 50 times as Rangers won the Scottish Cup and made it to the Europa League final, where they were harshly beaten by Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties.

Bassey’s performances over the season stood out from left-back, and despite the loss in the Europa League final, he was one of the better players on the pitch, receiving praise online.

Football journalist Joshua Bunting took to Twitter to applaud his efforts, as he said: “Bassey has been a monster tonight, outstanding performance.”

In the summer of 2022, many top clubs around the continent were interested in the Rangers full-back, but it was European giants Ajax who landed the signing.

The Dutch outfit spent a club-record £23m on the defender, emphasising their trust in his potential to be a star.

Despite a disastrous debut, which saw him sent off after just 15 minutes of being brought on as a substitute, Bassey played the majority of the season in Amsterdam, under multiple managers. His versatility was important for the club, being able to play across the back line of defence.

Where is Calvin Bassey now?

After one season in Amsterdam, the 23-year-old gem had shown glimpses of the talent seen at Rangers, but new manager Maurice Steijn told Bassey “it would be better to leave Ajax,” as the club needed to raise funds.

Over the past summer window, Bassey made his return to England, three years after he left Leicester City. In July, Fulham agreed a £19m fee to sign the defender, recouping most of the money Ajax spent a year prior and an 8160.87% increase on what Rodgers let him go for three years ago.

Transfer fees spent on Calvin Bassey

Club

Transfer fee

Fulham (2023-)

£19m

Ajax (2022-2023)

£23m

Rangers (2020-2022)

£230k

Leicester (2016-2020)

£0

Total

£42.2m

Following his arrival, Bassey spoke of his delight to be back in his hometown, saying:

"They’re playing in the Premier League, the best league in the world, so I didn’t have to think much about it.

“It’s a London club as well, so it’s always a plus to be home.”

With Fulham spending a rather hefty fee on the player, it is clear they also see a future in the player.

Although his spell at Ajax may not have hit the levels expected of him, a move to a strong mid-table side in the Premier League is able to give Bassey the opportunity to prove himself in England’s top-flight after never getting his chance during his time at Leicester.

With his former club now residing in the Championship, perhaps the move to Rangers three years ago was pivotal to Bassey’s development as a player.

The move to Marco Silva’s exciting Fulham side is seemingly a great fit for the 6 foot 1 defender to make the next step in his career and solidify himself as a starting defender for a Premier League side.

تحدث عمر كمال عبد الواحد لاعب النادي الأهلي، عن حقيقة وجود أزمة بينه وبين المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر حسام حسن في الفترة الماضية.

وكانت أنباء تتردد في الفترة الأخيرة عقب تولي حسام حسن المسؤولية الفنية لـ منتخب مصر، أنه يوجد خلافات مع عمر كمال لذلك لا يضمه إلي قائمة الفراعنة.

وقال عمر كمال خلال تصريحات عبر قناة النادي الأهلي: “لا توجد أي مشاكل أو خلافات مع كابتن حسام حسن نهائي، الناس هي من تخلق أزمة”.

وأضاف: “كنت متواجدا في اتحاد الشرطة وفضلت البقاء وعدم الرحيل من أجل اللعب مع حسام حسن في ذلك التوقيت، لكن محصلش نصيب في اللعب لفترة كبيرة”.

وتابع: “عندما كنت متواجدًا في المصري، حسام حسن هو أول ما قام بتوظيفي في مركز الظهير الأيمن، كنت ألعب في مركز الجناج، ولعبت أول مباراة في الباك رايت أمام الزمالك وسجل في مرمانا هدفين من الجبهة اليمني لذلك استبعدت من قبل حسام حسن وكان زعلان لأنه لم يتوقع مني ذلك”.

وواصل: “بعدها ذهبت إعارة إلى فريق الأسيوطي ثم عدت إلى المصري وجاءت لي عروض للرحيل وكان يوجد عرض من نادي إنبي ولكن حسام حسن تمسك بي وبعدها تم وضعي في قائمة الانتظار”.

وأستمر: “كنت أخوض تدريبات منفردًا وكابتن حسام حسن استدعاني وقال لي ماذا تريد، أبلغته برغبتي في اللعب معه، فأشركني في مباراة ودية وكان سعيدا بجاهزيتي وأبلغ كابتن إبراهيم أني سأعود إلى التدريبات الجماعية مع الفريق”.

طالع | هدف عمر كمال عبد الواحد الأفضل في الجولة الـ 22 من الدوري المصري

وأكمل: “بعد العودة إلى التدريبات الجماعية بيومين رحل كابتن حسام حسن عن المصري إلى تدريب نادي بيراميدز”.

وأردف: “هذا كل ما حدث، لا توجد أي أزمة بيني وبين حسام حسن وتحت أمر المنتخب في أي وقت”.

وأتم: “الدليل أنه لا توجد أي مشكلة أو أزمة مع كابتن حسام حسن أني أقوم بالسلام عليه في كل مباراة أواجهه فيها”.

The two bowlers claimed four wickets each to consign Hong Kong to a 58-run loss and the last spot in the World Cup qualifier

The Report by Liam Brickhill at Old Hararians17-Mar-2018
Getty Images

Papua New Guinea surged to a 58-run win over Hong Kong in their ninth place playoff match against at Old Hararians, with fast bowler Norman Vanua and legspinning allrounder Charles Amini taking four wickets apiece. Tony Ura’s 49 and Chad Soper’s 40 helped Papua New Guinea to battle to 200, which didn’t look like nearly enough when Hong Kong cruised through the Powerplay at eight an over. However, Amini tore through the middle order to turn the match on its head, and was named Player of the match for his career-best 4 for 27.Hong Kong had set about the chase as though in a rush to finish the game, but their top order’s strokeplay also created chances for PNG. Nizakat Khan cracked two boundaries off Assad Vala’s opening over, and then laced seamer Vanua up and over the covers. But he got himself into a tangle to Vanua’s follow-up bouncer, and spliced a shot to John Reva, running in from mid-off.Hong Kong captain Babar Hayat arrived at the crease like a man determined to leave his mark on this tournament, and on ODI cricket. Mixing audacious attack with studied defence and accurate placement, he hit a flurry of boundaries. Hayat took 17 runs from Damien Ravu’s first over, including a top-edged pull for six off a free-hit and a mighty strike over the hospitality tents at long-on.Where Hayat had relied mainly on raw power, Anshuman Rath utilised finesse to find the boundary, and together they kept Hong Kong motoring along at better than eight an over. It seemed Hong Kong would race to victory, but the complexion of the match changed entirely in the space of 15 minutes when Amini was brought into the attack.Spearing flat and fast legbreaks, Amini nevertheless found significant grip in the surface, and against the run of play he removed Rath in his very first over, Vala holding on to a low catch at midwicket. Hayat then charged at him and ran past one that dipped on him, the ball crashing into his middle stump. In his next over, he trapped Simandeep Singh lbw, and his figures read 3-0-5-3, while Hong Kong had slipped from 68 for 1 to 85 for 4.From then on, every time Hong Kong started to rebuild, a wicket fell and PNG soon took control, captain Vala cycling through his attack and using no less than eight bowlers. Vanua had Tanwir Afzal caught behind and McKechnie caught in the covers to take his tally to three, and when Ehsan Nawaz was needlessly run out for a duck, it seemed Hong Kong were raising the white flag.Amini returned, and all but assured the result with his fourth wicket. It was a classic legspinner’s set-up – drawing the batsman forward, the ball dipping and gripping, and the edge landing in slip’s lap. When Vanua returned once again to slip a quick yorker under Nadeem Ahmed’s bat, PNG had secured their fourth win over Hong Kong in ODIs, and their first of the tournament.That result looked a long way off when PNG frittered away a 68-run opening stand by repeatedly losing wickets in clumps. Nadeem Ahmed took two wickets in an over, having Vala caught behind and bowling Sese Bau, and when Ura was trapped lbw by Ehsan Khan, PNG had slipped to 72 for 3. Particularly vexing was Ura’s dismissal – he had looked comfortable against both pace and spin, and had just hit Ehsan for a massive six when he fell for 49.Hong Kong heaped on the pressure with close-in catchers, prompting a counterattack from Amini, who hit Nadeem straight back over his head for a six. PNG began to rebuild, with Amini adding 37 with Soper. After he was caught behind, Soper found an able partner in Mahuru Dai, and together they added a further 59 before Soper, who had just started to come out of his shell, was trapped lbw by Kinchit Shah’s offspin. Once again, wickets fell in a clump, and Shah finished with 4 for 11, PNG having lost 6 for 32 to be all out for 200. Eventually, that would prove to be more than enough.This was the 4000th ODI to be played since the format came into existence more than 47 years ago. It was the 18th PNG had played since they gained ODI status after the last World Cup qualifying tournament in 2014, and it was the 24th Hong Kong had been part of since their Asia Cup debut in 2004. It was also the last either team would play for the next four years. PNG and Hong Kong both lost ODI status after this match. But PNG rallied to ensure they would leave cricket’s top table on a high.