Tony Meola reacted to Gio Reyna’s showing in the USMNT’s 2-1 win over Paraguay, praising his goal and chance created and noting his importance to the team despite lingering fitness questions. He said Reyna should be encouraged by the performance, which marked a strong return after a long spell away. The 22-year-old played 75 minutes on Saturday.

Getty Images SportReyna’s performance a positive step

Meola noted that Reyna should feel encouraged by his recent display, which included both a goal and a chance created that led to Folarin Balogun's game-winner, marking a significant return to form after a lengthy absence from the national team. 

“He should feel good about his performance, getting back to the national team,” Meola said on the podcast. “It’s a pressure moment for him. We talked about how this is the storyline for tonight. We can make up some of the other storylines, but Gio Reyna is the story.

“He’s probably not even close to where he needs to be for his career with regards to fitness, minutes, and confidence, and all of that stuff. And we can only hope that his time at Gladbach continues to grow, and continues to get to a place where now he can go 90 minutes.”

AdvertisementPochettino views Reyna as an exceptional talent

According to Meola, head coach Mauricio Pochettino regards Reyna as an exception in the USMNT roster, highlighting the unique skill set and creativity he brings to the team. This distinction underscores the coaching staff’s belief in Reyna’s potential to influence games decisively when fully integrated and fit.

“Mauricio Pochettino has been steadfast on if you don’t play at your club, you’re not playing in the national team,” Meola explained. “And then you go make, what he calls an exception, he’s the exception. Every manager has one of those but then you gotta go and you gotta play well. Then you gotta go and you gotta perform. You gotta show the manager ‘Ok you got faith in me? I got to give you something in the end.’ He gets a goal and probably the assist [for the second], he’s involved in the play and has great touches in the first half."

GettyUSMNT’s performance elevated

Meola has regularly argued that Reyna brings a rare creative profile to the U.S. pool – quick feet, tight-space vision, and the ability to unlock defences – and reiterated that view after the Paraguay game. His position is straightforward: the USMNT is a stronger team when Reyna is firing on all cylinders, but that upside is only useful if the player can combine fitness and form consistently.

“I still think and I’ve said this all along, we’re a better team when he’s at his best version,” Meola said. “And whether he comes off the bench or whether he starts, he can make an impact for this team.”

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Getty Images SportWhat's next for the USMNT?

The USMNT will face Uruguay next on Nov. 18.

كشفت وسائل إعلام إسبانية تطورات مفاجئة بشأن مصير مدرب ريال مدريد تشابي ألونسو بعد تعادل الفريق أمام جيرونا بهدف لمثله في الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

وكان جيرونا قد افتتح التسجيل أمام ريال مدريد عن طريق عز الدين أوناحي في الدقيقة 45، قبل أن يتعادل كيليان مبابي من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 67 من الشوط الثاني.

وتضاربت الأنباء مباشرة بعد انتهاء لقاء ريال مدريد وجيرونا، حيث تسارعت وسائل الإعلام الإسبانية للحديث عن تشابي ألونسو ما بين استقراره في منصبه أو أنه أصبح تحت الخطر ومهدد بالرحيل في الفترة القادمة.

أقرأ أيضاً.. قناة ريال مدريد تهاجم حكم مباراة جيرونا: الليجا فسدت.. وتحاولون عرقلتنا

ووفقاً للصحفي المقرب من ريال مدريد “بيبي ألفاريز”، فإن المباريات المقبلة أصبحت حاسمة بالنسبة لإدارة النادي، ويرى فلورنتينو بيريز خياراً واحداً فقط إذا احتاجه لتغيير اتجاه الفريق.

وأوضح أن ذلك الخيار الوحيد يتمثل في الاستعانة بالأسطورة الفرنسية زين الدين زيدان لكي يتحمل المسؤولية حتى نهاية الموسم.

أما عن مذيع برنامج “الشيرينجيتو” جوزيب بيدريرول، فقد ظهر في برنامجه وأكد أن ريال مدريد لا يفكر في تغيير المدرب تشابي ألونسو في الوقت الحالي.

وخاض تشابي ألونسو آخر 4 مباريات وتعادل في 3 منهم، وحقق الفوز في مباراة واحدة فقط أمام أولمبياكوس بأربعة أهداف لثلاثة في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians empatou sem gols com o Fortaleza, neste sábado (4), na Neo Química Arena, e perdeu a oportunidade de vencer sua terceira partida consecutiva. Em entrevista coletiva, António Oliveira elogiou a atuação da equipe e elegeu o principal responsável pelo resultado adverso.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

Na visão do treinador, o Timão dominou o Leão do Pici e criou as melhores chances. No entanto, a equipe acabou parando na grande atuação do goleiro João Ricardo, eleito o melhor jogador em campo.

– Foi um grande jogo da minha equipe. A partir do momento em que o goleiro adversário é eleito o melhor em campo, diz muito daquilo que foi o jogo – disse António Oliveira.

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Apesar de satisfeito com o rendimento do time, António voltou a ressaltar que o Corinthians é uma equipe em formação, que enfrenta concorrentes mais estruturados, e pediu tempo para seguir com a reformulação que iniciou quando assumiu em fevereiro.

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

– É uma equipe toda nova. O Félix veio de uma equipe do México. Cacá do Athletico. Hugo veio do Goiás. Raniele veio do Cuiabá. Breno veio da Copinha. Garro veio da Argentina. E assim sucessivamente. Hoje tínhamos jogadores da base no nosso banco. Percebam a reconstrução que é feita. Na equipe de 2020, 2021, 2022, que jogadores lá estavam? Dentro de uma reconstrução de equipe, tem tempo. Eu gosto de falar porque quando se perde soa desculpa. Eu sempre falei mesmo quando ganhei que haveriam avanços e recuos – finalizou.

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O Corinthians volta a campo na próxima terça-feira (7), contra o Nacional-PAR, fora de casa, pela quarta rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana. Com quatro pontos conquistados, o Timão ocupa atualmente a terceira posição do grupo F.

Tudo sobre

António OliveiraCampeonato BrasileiroCorinthiansFortalezaFutebol Nacional

England’s No.1-ranked batter was in the mood to turn the tables, but picked the wrong option at a key moment

Matt Roller13-Jul-2025

Harry Brook got a couple of boundaries on the scoop, then got it wrong•Getty Images

First the sublime, then the ridiculous. Harry Brook had Lord’s purring as he scooped Akash Deep over fine leg for consecutive fours, and then dumped him over long-off for six as England counter-attacked before lunch. When he lost his middle stump two overs later, bowled around his legs trying to sweep an 86mph half-volley, the response was stunned silence.It was an extraordinary passage of play, one which summed up Brook’s series. He is England’s second-highest run-scorer, averaging 52.33, and played outrageous, dominant innings at Headingley (99) and Edgbaston (158). It was enough for him to leapfrog Joe Root, his team-mate and fellow Yorkshireman, to go top of the ICC’s Test batting rankings this week.But Brook has also been infuriating. Before he had scored a run in the series, he pulled Jasprit Bumrah to short midwicket in the final over of the day, only to be reprieved by a front-foot no-ball. On 99 at Headingley, he pulled a short ball straight to long leg and threw his head back in frustration. At Lord’s, Kumar Sangakkara described his shot selection as “arrogant”.Related

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Fundamentally, Brook’s batting philosophy is as simple as it gets: “I like to hit the ball where the fielders aren’t,” he has explained. It was that mantra that informed his shot selection: after twice scooping the ball into a vacant fine-leg region, he saw Shubman Gill move a fielder there and lined up the fresh gap at square leg instead.If there was some logic to it, the shot was always fraught with danger: playing cross-batted left him with less margin for error in the event of variable bounce, and vulnerable to a ball as full – and fast – as the one Akash Deep delivered. Brook was late on the ball, beaten on the bottom edge, and left down on his haunches as Akash Deep celebrated with multiple fist-pumps.The most frustrating part of Brook’s dismissal was that he had worked a near-identical ball through wide mid-on for an effortless, low-risk boundary between Akash Deep’s two overs. Facing Nitish Kumar Reddy, he played with a straight bat to flick a similar straight half-volley into the leg side with a simple roll of the wrists; it was proof that there was another way.”It was a poor option, as if [to say], ‘I can just do what I want,'” Alastair Cook said on BBC’s “People will say, ‘he was playing the ramps and you were applauding him’, but I liked those shots because there was an element of control to it… He’s a brilliant player; I think he got the shot wrong today.”Much of England’s recent success stems from encouraging batters to play with freedom, so it was notable that Marcus Trescothick, their batting coach, said he had addressed Brook’s shot selection with him: “We’ve already discussed it. You could see that the ball was moving around… He chose that [as] the best way to try and counteract what was going to happen.2:16

Trescothick: It’s going to be an amazing final day

“When you scoop two for four and then hit the next one for six, we were all sitting back and really enjoying it,” Trescothick said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth and you’re going to get it wrong [and] you’re going to get it right. It is what it is. Obviously, you missed the ball today, and it was bang on target.”It is fitting that when Brook was growing up, his favourite England batter to watch was Kevin Pietersen. Both of them face a similar problem of plenty: they are so richly talented, so blessed with brilliant hand-eye co-ordination, that they have countless shots available to them for any given ball. They are so brilliant at their best that they are exasperating when they fall short of it.And it is worth dwelling on just how good Brook has proved himself to be. At 26, he has already scored nine Test hundreds – one every 5.2 innings – and his average of 57.67 slots him neatly in between Wally Hammond and Jack Hobbs in England’s all-time list. He has done all of that while scoring at a strike rate of 87: nobody has scored as many runs so quickly in Test history.But his dismissal on Sunday was a stark reminder of the fact that Brook is still learning his trade, and that his attacking style will demand a thick skin across his England career. It is largely unfair, but there remains a perception that he is yet to prove himself in tough conditions: this was a wasted opportunity for him to demonstrate that he is so much more than a flat-track bully.

Western Australia have lost seven wickets and are still 54 runs behind after the second day’s play

AAP05-Oct-2025

Stumps Western Australia opener and Test hopeful Cameron Bancroft might have fallen victim to a bizarre dismissal in the Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales.After rain ruined most of day one, 14 wickets fell on Sunday in Perth to put the visitors narrowly in front. Resuming on 35 for 3, New South Wales were dismissed for 170 and then had Western Australia floundering at 116 for 7.Bancroft mirrored New South Wales opener Sam Konstas as Ashes top order hopefuls who did not advance their causes in their first innings at the WACA ground.The Western Australia opener had made 10 when a superb delivery from opening bowler Ryan Hadley appeared to have him caught behind. But replays suggested the noise might not have been an edge, but the ball glancing the off bail on the way through to wicketkeeper Matthew Gilkes.The bail wobbled, but stayed put – meaning Bancroft would have been not out had he not nicked the ball.In better news for Test hopefuls, Western Australia allrounder Cameron Green took a wicket in four overs on Sunday – his first bowling at first-class level since his back surgery late last year.Will Salzmann top-scored for New South Wales with 43 and Gilkes made 36 for them, while Ashton Agar took three wickets late in the innings.Agar (18) and Matthew Kelly (20) came together with Western Australia struggling at 84 for 7, surviving to stumps.Hilton Cartwright made 34, while Hadley had taken 3 for 29 from 12 overs.

Another international break is coming to an end, and Arsenal have yet more injuries to contend with.

On the annoying but manageable side of things, Kai Havertz will be out for a little longer after Julian Nagelsmann confirmed he had suffered a minor relapse with his knee injury.

However, the far more worrying development is that, following initial scans, Gabriel Magalhães is set to miss at least a month of action due to the groin injury he picked up playing at the Emirates for Brazil.

Thankfully, Mikel Arteta has several defenders he can call on to replace him at the back, and just maybe, Arsenal also have another international star who could pick up the slack at set-pieces and become Nicolas Jover’s new go-to man.

Arsenal's potential Gabriel replacements

Now, it should really go without saying, but losing Gabriel is a massive blow for Arsenal, as not only is he an incredible player, but a real leader.

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With that said, unlike in seasons past, Arteta does have the defensive backup to help minimise the impact of his absence and a few ways to rearrange the backline.

One solution to the problem could be to move Riccardo Calafiori in from left-back and start either Myles Lewis-Skelly or Piero Hincapie on the left.

This is the approach the manager took in pre-season, while Gabriel was recovering from the injury that ended his campaign last season.

However, while the Italian is more than capable of doing this, it would mean taking away the license he’s had to roam wherever he pleases so far this season, which in turn would make the attack far more predictable and therefore less potent.

So, another solution could be to move Hincapie into the back two alongside Saliba.

However, while this could be a solution further into the season, the Ecuadorian is still somewhat of an unknown quantity, having played just 170 minutes for the club and started one game at centre-back.

Therefore, the best bet for Arteta would surely be starting Cristhian Mosquera.

The young Spaniard has already played 597 minutes for the team this season, almost entirely at centre-back, and was brilliant against Liverpool and then Nottingham Forest there.

In all, there are options to cover the defensive deficit Gabriel’s injury will bring, but there might also be a way to cover the attacking side of his game that’ll be missed.

Jover's new Gabriel

While Gabriel certainly has the ability to influence the attacking side of the game from open play, it’s no great secret that he is phenomenal when it comes to set-pieces.

Just this season alone, he has scored twice and provided three assists, which would be a great return for an attacker, let alone a centre-back.

Therefore, his absence from the team could seriously hinder Arsenal’s potency in dead-ball situations, unless Arteta starts using Mikel Merino more often. After all, he has been described as an “aerial duel monster” by Como scout Ben Mattinson.

While there are certainly other players who could chip in more from set-pieces like Saliba, Calafiori and maybe even Viktor Gyokeres when he’s fit again, it’s the Spaniard who could become Jover’s new star.

After all, while he’s certainly not the best player in the team, the former Real Sociedad star has proven beyond all reasonable doubt over the course of the year that he knows how to score a goal.

Merino’s Arsenal record

Season

24/25

25/26

Appearances

44

16

Starts

29

9

Minutes

2635′

820′

Goals

9

3

Assists

5

1

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, since the turn of the year, he has put the ball in the back of the net 19 times and provided seven assists for club and country, which is truly an incredible return and more than justifies Arsenal writer Adam Keys calling him “a magnet in the box.”

More than that, though, plenty of those goals have either been one-touch finishes or headers, which is generally how someone scores from a set-piece.

Now, this doesn’t mean Arteta has to start the 29-year-old game-changer in every match, but when the team are chasing a goal, this goalscoring ability should see him become one of the first names off the bench.

Ultimately, losing Gabriel is a huge blow, but with their defensive depth and the prospect of Merino becoming Jover’s new set-piece king, Arsenal should be alright.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 19, 2025

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo faces a fresh concern about star winger Jarrod Bowen, with the Englishman poised to play a key role in the Hammers’ fight against relegation.

The 2025/26 campaign has plunged Bowen into the most challenging period of his West Ham career. While the 28-year-old continues delivering on an individual level, his club finds themselves in a perilous battle at the wrong end of the Premier League table that threatens to define his future.

The Hammers captain has been West Ham’s top goalscorer for four consecutive Premier League seasons, netting 47 times in that period, cementing his status as the club’s talisman since his arrival from Hull City in January 2020.

Bowen is surely a shoo-in for Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup selection, having only missed out on two England squad inclusions since 2023, but the questions lie around his long-term future with West Ham currently in a dogfight.

Bowen will get real encouragement by the fact West Ham have just won back-to-back home games for the first time since last year, and the Irons are a club he absolutely adores. He put pen to paper on a long-term seven-year deal back in 2023, keeping him at the club until 2030, but those were very different times back then.

After his winner against Fiorentina in the Conference League final that year, which gifted West Ham their first major trophy since the 1980s, optimism around the London Stadium was high.

However, amid fan protests against the ownership and their steep decline in the last two years, speculation surrounding Bowen’s future is rife.

Liverpool are exploring a deal to sign Bowen ahead of 2026, with West Ham reportedly willing to consider selling their captain if they receive an ‘irresistible’ offer. The connection to Anfield isn’t new, but the circumstances have changed dramatically. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp previously described Bowen as his favourite player outside his own squad, and Bowen actually shares an agent with Reds defender Andy Robertson.

Arne Slot’s side could be keen on the 28-year-old as an heir to Mohamed Salah, but he’s also been linked with the likes of Tottenham and Newcastle.

West Ham dealt Jarrod Bowen blow as Nuno faces fresh concern

That is according to CaughtOffside, who also report the star forward’s stance on leaving West Ham in 2026.

As per their information, it isn’t good news, with Bowen looking to leave West Ham next summer and potentially compete for a Champions League club to test his own ambitions.

With 130 goal contributions in 250 appearances since joining from Hull, Bowen’s contribution at West Ham absolutely dwarfs his teammates.

The fan favourite’s departure would leave a gaping void that West Ham’s current squad lacks the quality to fill. Beyond stats, Bowen embodies leadership, consistency and the ‘West Ham way’ during very turbulent times – qualities desperately needed as the club battles a drop to the Championship.

Selling a homegrown hero who married into East London royalty and delivered European glory would also come as a major disappointment to the fanbase.

Replacing Bowen’s goals, assists, work rate and leadership would require multiple signings, and perhaps even more than that.

The task would be David Sullivan’s biggest one yet, and amid all-time high unrest over his leadership, the chairman needs to tread carefully.

Arne Slot has intimated multiple times this season his belief that Liverpool are conceding a disproportionate number of goals while failing to finish their chances off up top.

To a degree, this is true. Expected Goals Against (xGA) tell of the Anfield side’s struggles at the back, having conceded 20 times in the Premier League this season despite only conceding an xGA total of 15.5.

But that is only one dimension of a many-angled crisis for the Merseysiders, who have been sapped of strength and style and confidence after dispatching their rivals to storm to the Premier League title last season.

Liverpool are also joint-fifth for big chances created this season (35), while Chelsea are first with 39 created. Not exactly a world away, and when you consider that no team have had more possession than Liverpool this term (61.5%), you’d perhaps argue that Slot has all the ingredients to get his squad playing to his tune.

Football works in weird ways, though, and Liverpool have been shambolic. Something needs to give, and while defence and attack both share issues, it is a tough, physical presence in midfield that the Reds are lacking this season.

Liverpool need to sign a holding midfielder

Last season, Slot bounced back from the frustration of being rejected by Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi by converting Ryan Gravenberch into a robust, deep-lying midfielder. It paid dividends, with Liverpool lifting the Premier League title for the second time in five years.

Liverpool are such a far cry from the robust level of last year it almost beggars belief, with Gravenberch lacking the physicality and strength to give the Anfield side what they need to turn things around.

With Alexis Mac Allister also struggling, it could be that a robust new presence in the middle could turn the tide at Anfield, and sources from overseas suggest that that is what sporting director Richard Highes is focusing on right now.

Well, according to reports in Spain, Liverpool have made a staggering British record bid for Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, worth something in the region of €150m (equating to £132m).

Dissent is rife at the Santiago Bernabeu, with suggestions of breakdowns in the relationship between head coach Xabi Alonso and star players such as Vinicius Junior.

Liverpool are looking to capitalise, adding Uruguay international Valverde to their ranks and reinforcing their midfield with a combative presence and a leader of men.

What Valverde would offer Liverpool

Valverde, 27, has been at Real Madrid for the lion’s share of his senior career, having joined the Spaniard from Penarol in his homeland way back in 2015.

A dynamic and multi-functional player, Valverde has chalked up 339 senior appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 32 goals and supplying 35 assists. He was once described as a “monster in the making” with “world-class potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it’s fair to say Valverde has lived up to the hype on that account.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for switches (rekindling something of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing range, perhaps).

The data-led platform reveal Arsenal’s Declan Rice to be among his most statistically comparable players, to give a flavour of his style (though Liverpool fans are already well-acquainted with Valverde’s talent).

Moreover, Valverde’s steely defensive qualities could be the perfect way to reinforce Liverpool’s midfield while maintaining a kind of broadness of style that Slot is known to covet from his engine room workers.

Central midfield

282

19 + 27

Right-back

56

2 + 8

Right wing

33

11 + 4

Defensive midfield

15

1 + 0

Attacking midfield

14

1 + 0

Left-back

7

0 + 0

Centre-back

1

0 + 0

Given Valverde’s Real Madrid connection and his steeliness in the centre of the field – he has won 58% of his duels and averaged 1.7 tackles per game in La Liga, as per Sofascore – the South American could even be Liverpool’s next version of Fabinho, who cut his teeth in the Spanish capital before finding his footing in France with Monaco.

Fabinho, Jurgen Klopp’s all-inspiring midfield anchor for so many years, was also more than capable as a right-back, emphasising the athleticism and tactical intelligence that he shares with Valverde.

The Brazilian differed from Gravenberch in that he was more resilient in his play, less technically gifted, but more suited to a natural role in the six berth.

Valverde could be the perfect addition in this regard, still getting forward when the need arises but bringing a more focused defensive skillset from which Slot’s tactics could bloom once again.

You could argue that Liverpool have missed Fabinho’s presence ever since he left for Saudi Arabia in 2023. With the pendulum swinging within English football once again, and low blocks and more direct play back in fashion, Valverde could be a significant upgrade and a worthwhile addition in spite of the exorbitant cost.

Joe Cole waxed lyrical after one glittering Champions League performance, remarking that Valverde “is every bit as good as Jude Bellingham”.

Quite the praise, that. But Liverpool don’t need Bellingham. They need someone even grittier and more grounded. Fabinho-esque. They need Valverde.

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Liverpool must start handing this prodigious academy talent more chances to impress.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025

x

And do his achievements trump those of the others in the Fab Four?

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Aug-2025Joe Root has an outside shot to become the most prolific Test batter of all time. He is second on the list right now. If you’re a major Sachin Tendulkar fan, you don’t have to like it. But perhaps it is better to prepare yourself for the possibility.We will be throwing a lot of numbers at you through the course of this article, so let us whet appetites with roughly when the momentous pipping of Tendulkar may occur. Since the start of this decade, Root has scored an average of 89.62 runs per Test match. If he were to continue at his 2020s runs-per-Test rate (there are zero signs that he is about to slow down), he would need roughly 27 further Tests to plonk himself atop this chart.Related

• Joe Root, the Peter Pan of batting, has pulled ahead of Cook and Pietersen. Will he reel Tendulkar in?

• Root marches on towards Test summit

• Stats – Root second only to Tendulkar for most Test runs

According to the currently available programme, England are scheduled to play 16 Tests until the end of April 2027. By then, Root will be 36 years and four months old. By the end of the 2028 northern hemisphere summer, England will have time for 11 further Tests at least. Root would be 37 then – a very normal age for batters to play to. If he continues to an Anderson-esque 40, and continues to clobber attacks, many more records could be in trouble.First let us put a little context around the place of Root’s run tally. Have his runs come easier than those of other all-time prolific batters? If you look at career spans, Root has actually scored his runs in a tougher era for batting than the others among the top five run-scorers – Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid. During Root’s career, the overall batting average was 29.83. While his own average is the lowest of the top five run scorers (by a hair), he certainly deserves his place among them.