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Portsmouth continued their fine start to the 2021/22 campaign with a 2-0 win over Crewe Alexandra on Saturday in League One.

Danny Cowley’s side have picked up six points from six from their first two league games, having beaten Fleetwood 1-0 on the opening day last week. They lost 2-1 to Millwall in the League Cup between the two matches, but that is to be expected given they were up against a Championship side away from home.

Marcus Harness and John Marquis scored the goals for Pompey, as they were also able to pick up another clean sheet – with Gavin Baznu between the sticks.

Whilst Marquis led the line well and got himself on the scoresheet, Ronan Curtis was exceptional out on the left flank and was an unsung hero for Pompey. He did not get a goal or assist to steal the headlines away from Marquis, but his performance was crucial for Cowley’s side and he was a threat throughout the game.

Curtis was handed a SofaScore rating of 7.9 for his display. No Portsmouth player managed better than that, with Marquis on a 7.2. This shows that the standard of his performance was high in spite of his lack of a direct goal involvement.

For large parts, Ronan Curtis looked like Pompey’s best option to either score a goal or create one himself. Forced a good stop in the first half and while he linked up well with Brown, he failed to increase his goal tally for the club, despite coming close to doing so.

Hampshire Live reporter Jonty Colman awarded him a 7/10 in his player ratings piece, highlighting the forward’s attacking threat. He wrote:

“For large parts, Ronan Curtis looked like Pompey’s best option to either score a goal or create one himself. Forced a good stop in the first half and while he linked up well with Brown, he failed to increase his goal tally for the club, despite coming close to doing so.”

The £3.7k-per-week dynamo put himself about in the game, winning an impressive 14 duels – nine on the ground and five aerially – as he ended the match with five tackles won whilst only being dribbled past once. This shows that he was putting in maximum effort to get up and down the flank to win possession back for his team, helping Portsmouth assert their dominance.

Conan was then able to produce some moments of quality when he had the ball at his feet. He had one key pass and one ‘big chance’ created, per SofaScore, which means that he should have had an assist to his name – with his teammates letting him down on that front.

Therefore, the Irishman should be the one in the spotlight after the win over Crewe, instead of the obvious names who managed to find the back of the net. So, he was the unsung hero for Portsmouth and Cowley will be hoping that he can continue in the same vein for the rest of the campaign, starting with Shrewsbury in midweek.

AND in other news, “Messed around”: Update emerges on £7.9k-p/w Pompey dud that will leave fans frustrated…

أعلن أشرف صبحي وزير الشباب والرياضة موعد الكشف عن نتائج تحقيقات لجنة بحث شكاوى الفساد في أزمة نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا مع اتحاد الكرة.

وكان الأهلي قد طلب من وزير الرياضة سرعة الكشف عن المتسبب في هذه الأزمة وما الذي أدى لعدم التقدم بطلب لاستضافة نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

طالع أيضًا.. الأهلي يُقدم 20 مستندًا يُدين اتحاد الكرة أمام لجنة “الفساد” بـ وزارة الرياضة

وقال أشرف صبحي خلال مقابلة ببرنامج “على مسئوليتي” المذاع على قناة “صدى البلد”: “اللجنة بدأت عملها في اتحاد الكرة، وكان يوم طويل جدًا، ومن المفترض أننا حددنا موعدًا نهائيًا حتى يوم الخميس المقبل لإظهار النتائج للرأي العام”.

وأضاف: “استقبلنا خطابًا من النادي الأهلي يتتبع الأمر، واللجنة ستذهب للقلعة الحمراء لمتابعة عملها”.

وتابع: “سيكون هناك تواصل مع الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم، أما الجوانب الرقابية والمالية هذا الدور منوطة به الوزارة وسنتابعه”.

واختتم وزير الرياضة: “يوم الخميس سيكون هذا الأمر منتهي”.

Celtic have worked smartly in the transfer window to date, and even if arrivals have taken a while to come through, supporters must be impressed with the acquisitions which have been sealed.Liel Abada scored on his debut for the Hoops in the Champions League earlier this week and it won’t be too long before we see Kyogo Furuhashi get his first run out in the green and white.What’s the word?Postecoglou’s main priority at the moment has to be strengthening their defence. They are still severely limited with options at right-back, while Kristoffer Ajer’s departure and Nir Bitton’s red card in midweek should be cause for concern.However, with the threat of Odsonne Edouard leaving lingering in the air, adding options to their forward line must also be considered.According to a tweet from French journalist Sebastien Denis, Rennes attacker M’Baye Niang is a target.He said: “As reported in Italy, the Italian team from Venezia is very very hot on M’baye Niang for a dry transfer. Fenerbahce, Celtic, and Shanghai Greenland are interested in the Rennes striker but to a lesser degree.”An upgradeWhen he was coming through the ranks at Milan, Niang was regarded as a player who could challenge the elite. Scout Jacek Kulig once commented: “M’Baye Niang is getting better and better. He surely has the potential to become a world-class player.”However, his career has never lived up to the dizzy heights expected, touring around Italian and French football without too much success.[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-news-doig-nketiah-mccann” title= “Read the latest Celtic transfer news!”]The Senegalese forward has found a home for himself at Rennes, though. He has beaten the opposition goalkeeper on 30 occasions for the Ligue 1 side and, at the age of 26, he is now approaching the prime of his career.Niang scored just once last season but was in the form of his life during the 2019/20 campaign, finding the net on ten occasions.Capable of playing on the flanks or through the middle, he’d be an upgrade on a fair few players at Parkhead.Leigh Griffiths has signed a new deal at Celtic but his future could already be in doubt, with Sunderland interested in securing the Scot’s services on loan.Albian Ajeti has scored twice in pre-season but, after the form he demonstrated last term – netting six times – you have to question whether he’s up to the required standard.Furuhashi has 15 goals in the J-League throughout 2021 but time will tell how he settles into life in Scotland.Niang has already had a spell in British football with Watford, however, so should be well accustomed to the physical demands.However, it’s in aerial situations where the 6 foot 2 striker could really offer Celtic something different. Last season, he won 1.4 aerial duels per match, adding to the enormous tally of 3.4 per game he recorded the season prior.If we compare that to the attacking options in Postecoglou’s ranks, the difference is night and day. Last term, only Moi Elyounoussi from an offensive perspective managed a proficient tally when it came to beating players in the air.He won 1.5 aerial duels per match but you have to go back much further to find the next best tally. For instance, Edouard won just 0.8, while Griffiths and Ajeti only prevailed in 0.5 headed battles.On that evidence, Niang would be a wise signing. Not only can he score goals, he would also be a prolific threat when the ball is off the ground.AND in other news, Celtic could repeat their Shane Duffy nightmare by signing “superb” £8m ace…

Celtic have been urged to sign former Dundee United defender Harry Souttar… 

What’s the talk?

Celtic reporter Anthony Haggerty has urged the club to pursue a deal for Stoke central defender Harry Souttar this summer. He has said that the centre-back has “flourished” since moving down to England from Dundee United and believes that he would be a great fit in Ange Postecoglou’s team next season.         

He told This is Futbol:

“Harry Souttar would be a person of interest, especially since they know him from his time with Dundee United.

“He’s gone down south and flourished. If I’m doing my scouting right, Harry Souttar’s on the list. We need defenders and you can scout Europe, Far East Asian markets and Australian markets, but you have to know what’s under your nose.

“I think Harry Souttar could be a fit for Celtic.”

Forget Ajer

Kristoffer Ajer joined Premier League side Brentford earlier this week on a five-year deal and it is now time for Celtic fans to forget about him and start thinking about the player who could be bossing their defence next season. That player could be Souttar if the Hoops are able to prize him away from Championship side Stoke in the coming weeks left of the transfer window.

Postecoglou must ensure that Celtic are looking at the 22-year-old as a target as he could be a fantastic addition to the squad and help improve the defence. The defender enjoyed a sublime 2020/21 campaign with the Potters, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.07 across 38 starts.

What makes his statistics all the more impressive is the fact that Stoke finished 14th in the Championship, which means that he was able to consistently produce top-drawer displays despite his team as a whole underperforming and being nowhere near the promotion race. He was able to stand out ahead of his teammates, showing off his quality as a defender.

The £5.2k-per-week powerhouse won an eye-catching 5.4 aerial battles per game last season, more than the 3.2 Ajer won. Souttar also made more clearances and blocks per game than the Norweigan, whilst their tackle and interception numbers were very similar. This suggests that he could be an apt replacement for the defender and that is why Celtic must pursue a deal for him to bolster their squad ahead of next season in order to give themselves the best chance of competing with Rangers for the title.

AND in other news, Frimpong 2.0: Celtic lodge bid for “instrumental” £3m beast, Ange would love him…

MatériaMais Notícias

O Grêmio abriu as vendas para o duelo contra o Deportes Iquique-CHI, na Arena, válido pela 2ª rodada da Libertadores, que será realizado na próxima terça-feira. Será a primeira partida do Tricolor gaúcho diante de seu torcedor. Na estreia da competição sul-americana, a equipe gremista derrotou o Zamora por 2 a 0, na Venezuela.

O preço varia entre R$ 80 e R$ 190, mais caro que os preços cobrados pelo Grêmio no Campeonato Gaúcho (que variam entre R$ 50 e R$ 110). Os ingressos podem ser comprados, nesse momento, apenas por sócios do clube gaúcho, no site da Arena do Grêmio. Para os torcedores que não são sócios, a venda começará na próxima quinta-feira.

MatériaMais Notícias

A diretoria da Chapecoense teve um apoio de peso no momento de agradecimento da Liga Japonesa pela participação na Copa Suruga. O ex-jogador Zico desembarcou em Chapecó para a reunião ao lado do presidente da Liga Japonesa,Misturu Murai e, na reunião que contou também com a presença do prefeito da cidade, Luciano Buligon.

Em entrevista coletiva, o Galinho disse:

-Acho que a gente não precisa muito falar da ligação que eu tenho com o Japão. Vim aqui fazer esse convite pra que eu pudesse de alguma forma estar presente, e é um prazer muito grande fazer parte deste momento da equipe catarinense. Tenho certeza de que a participação no torneio vai ser bom para a Chape e para a Liga Japonesa.

Além do agradecimento ao clube pela participação na Copa Suruga, que acontecerá em agosto no Japão, os dirigentes da Chape receberam mensagens de solidariedade com as vítimas do desastre aéreo na Colômbia. Entre os bilhetes vindos de território japonês, está a lembrança de Kempes, que jogou no país.

A Chapecoense conquistou a vaga no torneio em virtude da conquista da Copa Sul-Americana. Após cogitar abrir mão em prol do Atlético Nacional, a organização do torneio fez questão de que o clube catarinense participasse da Copa Suruga.

RelacionadasListasQuais são os técnicos há mais tempo no cargo no Brasil? Confira!Listas28/03/2017

يتفاوض قائد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي تشيلسي، سيزار أزبيليكويتا، مع إدارة البلوز على الرحيل في سوق الانتقالات المقبل قبل عام كامل من انتهاء عقده في قلعة “ستامفورد بريدج”.

وينتهي عقد أزبيليكويتا رسميًا في 30 يونيو 2023، وهناك اهتمام كبير من جانب نادي برشلونة لمحاولة التعاقد مع الإسباني لتدعيم الصفوف في الموسم الجديد.

ووفقًا لصحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية أن أزبيليكويتا قد أبلغ قبل أيام تشيلسي برغبته في الرحيل، لكنه يريد أن يُسرع من الأمر بعض الشيء من خلال التحدث إلى الملاك الجدد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. الأهلي يصدر بيانًا رسميًا بعد التأهل لـ نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام الوداد

كان عقد أزبيليكويتا ينتهي في نهاية الموسم ولكن من خلال بند في العقد تم تمديده لموسم آخر بعد وصول الإسباني إلى 30 مباراة هذا الموسم بقميص تشيلسي، لكنه يريد الرحيل وخوض تجربة جديدة.

يريد أزبيليكويتا أن يفي نادي تشيلسي بوعده من خلال مالكه السابق، رومان أبراموفيتش، بالموافقة على رحيله من خلال اتفاق شفهي بعد مسيرة ناجحة مع الفريق الإنجليزي دامت 10 سنوات.

في برشلونة يرغبون في ضم أزبيليكويتا لكن هناك حالة من التشاؤم بشأن تلك الصفقة وينتظرونها مجانية لكن هناك راحلين كثر عن تشيلسي في الصيف مثل أنطونيو روديجر، أندرياس كريستنسن وكذلك طلب ماركوس ألونسو المغادرة، وبالتالي، من غير المتوقع موافقة تشيلسي على رحيل قائده بسهولة.

Enough has been said about how Australia start virtually every tournament as favourites

Anand Vasu10-Sep-2002Enough has been said about how Australia start virtually every tournament as favourites. In recent years, the tale would have been a bit different, with South Africa joining the Aussies at the top before the large gulf separated the rest. But in light of the recent thrashing the Proteas received at the hands of the Australians, Ricky Ponting’s side are now alone at the top. Speaking to the press ahead of their campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy, the South Africans admitted that this trend is a cause for concern.And one aspect in which the two teams differ, is right at the top. While Australia have the rampaging Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden who has been in a two-year purple streak, South Africa have struggled with Gary Kirsten not doing nearly enough to keep his place in the side for the Champions Trophy. With Herschelle Gibbs making a ton against Pakistan in the recently concluded Morocco Cup however, the South Africans are beginning to relax on that front."We have a good opening partnership in Graeme Smith and Gibbs. As you guys know, Smith played a big part in the home series against the Australians. Gary (Kirsten) is battling with form at the moment but he’s always been a part of the squad and I’m sure he’ll be back in the side at some stage. At the moment however, we’re going with our form players. There is a lot of experience or matches under the belt for the guys who have been picked," said skipper Shaun Pollock on the exclusion of veteran opener Gary Kirsten.Australia aside, Pollock made it clear that he felt that South Africa fancied their chances in this tournament. "We’ve got a hell of a good chance. We’ve played a lot of cricket in the subcontinent and have done well. We managed to win the mini World Cup in Bangladesh and believe we have a squad that is capable. It’s just a question of doing well and making sure that we produce at the right times," he said.However, Pollock was not altogether convincing when he explained away the loss in Morocco in similar conditions. Although he began by saying, "I think we have mastered the conditions in the subcontinent. We have no problems with that," the skipper went on to say "I think it was the three month break that contributed most to our loss. We hadn’t been playing much cricket in the warm up to the Morocco tournament. Coming from the cold to the subcontinent made life a bit more difficult. I don’t think it’s an excuse, but basically we did not adapt quickly enough to the conditions. No one can say we have problems playing in the subcontinent."A talking point here in Colombo has been the ICC initiative to extend the the use of technology. The South Africans, who have been pioneers in this regard supported the ICC efforts wholeheartedly. "At some stage we have to try it and see how well it works. From the players’ perspectives we want to see the best decisions made and if technology can do that without taking too much time, I’m all for it. The ICC have decided to use this tournament to try things out and there’s always so much talk about whether such a thing would or would not improve things and this is a good chance to find out."The South Africans first take on West Indies on the 13th, and Pollock stressed that he and his side were not taking things lightly. "The West Indies side has become settled. There was chopping and changing but if you look at the batting line-up for example, it’s been pretty much the same. They’ve got the star players in Lara, Chanderpaul and Hooper, but we’ve done well against them in the past. We wont be complacent though, we’ll make sure we’re prepared."

It’s fair to say that Scotland is still buzzing despite their difficult start to the tournament. EURO 2020 marks the long awaited return of fans in stadiums cheering on their home nation and with the first kick-off imminent, former Scotland international Alan Hutton sat down with Instagram sensation Munya Chawawa for Just Eat’s Home Advantage video series.

Just Eat’s Home Advantage looks to bring the best of food and football together, as Munya orders a takeaway with some of the UK’s favourites footballers each week throughout the tournament.

Like many Scottish fans, the memories of Euro 96 remain with Hutton. “As a Scottish person, Euro96 sticks in my memory.  I just remember watching that Switzerland game. Ally McCoist scoring, everyone going wild and I remember being in the house with my Dad; it was a family event. … The kilts start coming out, the bagpipes start coming out. Those memories, they live with you forever.”

Hutton believes the current crop can still make a push in the competition despite their unlucky start. “I still think they’ve got a chance to get out of the group. Their last game is at Hampden park so they have a real opportunity to win that. If they get out of the group I think they will all go down as heroes.”

The former Villa man is all too aware of the risks posed by England though, going as far to say that Gareth Southgate’s men could go the distance. “England has a fantastic team, one of the favourites. They may well be looking to go all the way.”

Hutton, though, regards Belgium as the outright favourites. “I think Belgium has got a good opportunity. They have done well in the previous euros, they have done well in the world cup. I think the group of players they’ve got are at a very good age now. They have been around these big tournaments for a long time and they are really ready to push and some of the players are outstanding. So I think I am going to back them.”

Catch this week’s full episode of Just Eat’s Home Advantage below…

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is making a big mistake as news emerges on Niall Huggins’ future at Elland Road.

What’s the story?

Reports recently from the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth indicated that Huggins was someone who was prepared to fight for his place at the club and be a part of the Premier League squad next season.

The journalist said: “A number of the 23s, inspired by what Pascal Struijk did quite unexpectedly last season in seizing a first team opportunity and accruing a huge number of Premier League minutes, have set their hearts on staying put to try and do the same. Niall Huggins is among those preferring to stay put than head out on loan.”

However, Football Insider have now claimed that Huggins has been told he is free to leave the club this summer, despite only signing a new long-term contract at Elland Road back in December.

The report stated: “United do not regard Huggins as capable of forcing his way into Marcelo Bielsa’s team amid increasingly strong competition”, adding that “United’s decision to let him go ranks as a surprise given that run-out and the esteem in which he has been held for so long”.

Fans will be livid

In a recent poll done on Football FanCast about whether Huggins deserves a chance to impress in the first team next season in the Premier League, 77% of Leeds fans who answered said yes (135 votes to 41).

While the 20-year-old may not have exactly forced himself into the squad last season – he made just one solitary outing in the top flight – he was a key member of the under-23s squad under Mark Jackson which won the Premier League 2 Division 2 title (he scored twice and provided one assist in 17 games).

England international and Leeds team-mate Kalvin Phillips – who is currently at Euro 2020 – is also a big fan of the left-back, saying last summer: “We’ve got a few younger lads called Niall Huggins and Alfie McCalmont. They’re really good young players as well. They’ll be in the team in the next year or so, definitely.”

That Phillips suggested Huggins would be ready around this point, as well as his fine performances for the under-23s, makes Bielsa’s decision to let him go – on a permanent basis at that – a baffling one.

The Whites aren’t blessed with real strength in depth in the left-back position at the moment with Gjanni Alioski’s future still unclear and no new signings through the door either.

Keeping Huggins around as a potential squad option, or even just allowing him to build up experience away on loan, would surely be the right call here, especially given his age. Instead, Leeds are making a ruthless call on someone who hasn’t yet been given a proper opportunity to shine, even with pre-season just around the corner.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

Given how they answered the poll, many Whites fans may be livid with Leeds’ decision to let him go this summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds United facing major transfer blow…