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Interest in Oscar Mingueza is accelerating ahead of the winter window, with Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham joining RB Leipzig and Marseille in monitoring the Celta Vigo defender. The former Barcelona full-back is out of contract in 2026, but Celta’s refusal of €14 million bids last summer and their inability to secure a renewal has created a market opening that rival clubs are now prepared to exploit.

• Premier League and European giants move for Mingueza

  Mingueza has quickly become one of La Liga’s most in-demand defenders, with Celta now facing the prospect of losing him far below their expectations, or even for free. The 26-year-old, whose rights are split 50-50 between Celta and Barcelona, has attracted interest from Newcastle, Villa and West Ham in the Premier League, as well as Leipzig and Marseille on the continent. All five clubs are preparing for movement once the January window opens, according to .

  The Sky Blues rejected offers between €12m (£10m/$13m) and €14m (£12m/$15m) last summer, hoping instead to secure a contract renewal. But talks have stalled since the autumn, and Mingueza’s role has become less prominent in recent weeks. With his contract expiring in June 2026, clubs sense an opportunity to strike early, or wait until the situation weakens further. Barca, who sold the defender in 2022 after his breakthrough under Ronald Koeman, remain attentive. The Catalans still own 50% of the player’s rights and stand to benefit from a future sale, but they are not expected to re-sign him as they already have Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia for the right-back position.

  Mingueza’s strong form in Galicia, where he has grown into one of Celta's most reliable performers across multiple positions has placed him firmly on the radar of clubs seeking athletic, technically secure full-backs. As interest intensifies, the situation now enters a stage where Celta’s reluctance to sell last year may prove costly.

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  Celta must act fast as transfer interest grows

  The growing list of suitors underlines the former La Masia graduate's rising market value. Premier League clubs view him as a rare profile: a defender comfortable at right-back, centre-back and even wide centre-back in back-three systems. The Magpies see him as essential depth for a squad competing in Europe, while the Lions regard him as a potential long-term fit for their aggressive, high-line structure. Leipzig’s interest reflects their recruitment model of targeting versatile, tactically adaptable players in their mid-20s. Marseille, meanwhile, are under pressure to rebuild with more athletic full-backs and have tracked Mingueza since the summer.

  For Celta, this moment highlights a strategic tension: rejecting mid-tier offers last year was intended to protect their asset’s value, but failing to extend his contract leaves them exposed. His €20m (£17m/$22m) release clause complicates negotiations, especially given that Barcelona would receive €10m (£8m/$11m) of any fee. 

  Rival clubs know Celta must choose soon between negotiating now or risking a depreciating asset heading into the final year of his deal. This dynamic also explains why several clubs are prepared to wait until June, when uncertainty peaks and leverage shifts decisively toward the buying side.

• Squad context, past reports and what the move would mean

  Mingueza’s development at Celta has been notable. After leaving the Catalan giants, where he initially excelled under Koeman before falling out of favour under Xavi, he found consistent minutes and confidence in Galicia. His ability to progress the ball, defend one-on-one and adapt to multiple systems has been highlighted by analysts and scouts across Europe.

  Newcastle’s need arises from repeated injuries across their defensive line, while Villa continue to build a squad capable of sustaining European competition deep into spring. West Ham, despite their struggles, remain interested but are seen as outsiders due to their position in the table and uncertainty around their long-term sporting plan.

  Celta’s push to renew the defender has stalled partly because his influence has dipped in recent months – a shift that has emboldened interested clubs. Internally, Barcelona are hoping for movement in January, as any transfer would provide them with an immediate financial injection.

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  January pressure builds as decision time nears

  With the transfer window approaching, the Sky Blues must decide whether to reopen renewal talks, entertain bids or hold firm until summer. The latter option is risky, as a failure to extend Mingueza’s contract would place them in a vulnerable negotiating position. Newcastle and Villa are expected to formalise interest in January, while Leipzig are monitoring the situation with long-term planning in mind. Barcelona will continue tracking developments, hoping that a winter move triggers their 50% cut.

  All eyes now turn to January, the point at which Celta must either commit to protecting their asset or accept that Europe’s elite are ready to move decisively for a player whose market momentum shows no sign of slowing.

When the Red Sox and Yankees played their most famous playoff series in 2003 and '04, Boston pitcher Connelly Early was one and two years old. New York pitcher Cam Schlittler, senior citizen, was two and three.

A generation later, both teams are electing to trust these youngsters with their playoff lives. Early, 23, will start against Schlittler, 24, in Game 3 of the American League wild-card series Thursday—making them the second pair of rookies to start against each other in a winner-take-all playoff game.

As Sarah Langs of MLB wrote on social media, the first rookie duo to oppose each other in that scenario were Braves pitcher Ian Anderson and Dodgers pitcher Dustin May in the 2020 National League championship series. Neither pitcher took a decision, but Los Angeles won the game 4–3 and went on to win the World Series.

Early's assignment is particularly shocking, as the Virginia product debuted in the major leagues on Sept. 9. Schlittler, who posted a 2.96 ERA in 73 innings this season, was one of the most productive rookie pitchers in baseball.

The winner of Thursday's showdown will advance to the ALDS to meet the East Division champion Blue Jays.

Arsenal just can’t catch a break this season.

Mikel Arteta has already lost Kai Havertz, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Piero Hincapie and others to injury since the start of the campaign.

The latest name on that list now is Noni Madueke, who looks set to miss up to eight weeks of action due to a knee injury.

So, with a League Cup clash against Port Vale tonight, the manager needs to decide who’s going to replace him, and we don’t think it should be Saka.

Arsenal's recent League Cup form

It would be fair to say that, since taking over at Arsenal, Arteta has not had a great time in the League Cup.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In his first stab at the competition, the side fell to a humbling 4-1 home defeat at the hands of eventual winner Manchester City.

Things actually improved the following season, as the club advanced to the semi-finals.

However, a nil-nil draw away to Liverpool in the first leg, followed by a 2-0 defeat in the home leg, saw the Gunners dumped out of the competition.

Even though the club mounted their first title challenge the following season, they did terribly in the cup, losing 3-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

It was another disappointing effort in the 23/24 campaign as the North Londoners lost a Fourth Round tie against West Ham United by the same scoreline.

Interestingly, even though Arteta’s side made it to the semi-finals last season, the terrible manner in which Newcastle United knocked them out almost made it the worst exit of the lot.

In all, Arsenal have massively underperformed in the League Cup for a long time and need to win it this year.

With that said, Arteta should be bold when replacing Madueke in the lineup tonight.

The Arsenal star Arteta should start over Saka

Firstly, it is clear that Saka is the best player at Arsenal and should therefore play as many games as possible.

However, therein lies one of the primary reasons he shouldn’t start tonight: he already plays too many games.

Moreover, he only just returned from his second hamstring injury in as many seasons on Sunday, and therefore cannot be risked ahead of another hugely important game against Newcastle at the weekend.

Finally, even with Madueke out injured, Arteta has another option he can pick instead of the talismanic winger: Max Dowman.

Yes, it would be an incredibly bold move from the manager, but given the need to keep Saka fit, the level of opposition and the teenager’s incredible talent, it’s one he should make.

After all, this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill academy player we are talking about here; this is someone that respected talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed is the “most exciting prospect” he has seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

Moreover, in just 23 appearances across several youth teams last season, totalling 1945 minutes, he scored 19 goals and provided five assists, averaging 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Finally, we’ve already seen what he’s capable of against Premier League teams.

For example, in pre-season, he looked incredible against Newcastle, and then in the league proper, on debut, he earned a penalty against Leeds United.

As respected analyst Ben Mattinson puts it, the 15-year-old is an “insane” talent, and even if Madueke were fit, there would be a genuine argument for starting him tonight.

Ultimately, some may say it’s too early, but Dowman looks like a future superstar and deserves to start against Port Vale.

Weekly wages: Arsenal FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

Who is top of the Arsenal payroll?

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 23, 2025

Liverpool approached the recent victory over Luton Town in the Premier League with the knowledge that ceding ground in the title race could be detrimental, Arsenal and Manchester City snapping at the first-placed side's heels.

Firing on all cylinders, normally Anfield would have welcomed the relegation-threatened Hatters with unwavering confidence, but Jurgen Klopp's side were threadbare, a spate of injuries ravaging the squad.

Key talisman Mohamed Salah had aggravated an injury after an emphatic return at the weekend against Brentford, with Darwin Nunez also tweaking his hamstring.

Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones, more seriously, suffered injuries that will keep them out of action for a longer period, compounding an already-bloated list of absentees.

And despite a dour opening, Liverpool prevailed to keep their title challenge churning, thanks in no small part to the talented youth fold that is stretching their influence into the senior set-up.

The likes of Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott started, while 18-year-old forward Jayden Danns made a big contribution on his professional debut off the bench.

Liverpool's "special" £4m star is now worth 1175% more

Jurgen Klopp has shaped this rising talent into one of the Premier League’s most exciting prospects.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 23, 2024

All talented players, immensely so, but possibly the brightest star from the Reds' academy ranks wasn't in on the action. Indeed, Stefan Bajcetic, scarcely involved this season, might just be the cream of the crop.

The fee Liverpool paid for Stefan Bajcetic

Spain U21 international Bajcetic has actually been on Liverpool's books since December 2020, when he was snapped up from his homeland club Celta Vigo for just £224k as a 16-year-old, beating fiery rivals Manchester United to his signature.

Alex Otero, youth coordinator at Celta Vigo, detailed the midfielder's skill set to The Athletic back in 2021, revealing that Liverpool indeed held one of Europe's most talented teenagers in their grasp.

He said: “He has amazing physical characteristics. He is extremely quick, makes good recoveries, has a great spring, is really impressive in the air and carries the ball cleanly out of defence.”

Most Liverpool supporters were unaware at this stage, but after 33 appearances for the club's respective development sides, he was unleashed last season as Klopp sought to manage a shocking collapse, Liverpool's midfield sapped and defence bereft of confidence.

He exceeded expectations.

Stefan Bajcetic's 2022/23 season in numbers

Bajcetic was handed his Premier League debut before his 18th birthday back in August 2022, coming off the bench as Anfield swallowed Bournemouth up and spat the Cherries out on the back of a chastening 9-0 defeat.

His maiden outing at such a young age spoke of the exciting innate ability and evident glowing praise that had been fed to Klopp as he went from strength to strength at youth level, but it wasn't until the festive period that he was handed a second chance to impress – and boy did he take it.

Liverpool were struggling and desperately needed to defeat Aston Villa at Villa Park in the first league match following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with a refreshing 3-1 victory cherry-topped by Bajcetic's surge and finish in the late stage.

Thus paved the way for a brilliant run in the first-team, shining as his senior peers surrounding him toiled, completing the season with 11 appearances in the Premier League, notably completing 79% of his passes and succeeding with 64% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Unfortunately, Bajcetic, now aged 19, picked up an adductor injury in his thigh last March and missed the remainder of the campaign, though his contribution in stabilising the midfield was vital to the late-season revival that salvaged something from a wretched year.

He returned fleetingly in the early stage of the current campaign to make two displays, starting Liverpool's Europa League opener and coming off the bench against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup, but he has missed the majority of the season due to fitness issues, believed to be on an individual program as his body continues to grow.

Stefan Bajcetic's current market value

Described as a "special" talent by journalist Zubin Daver, the young Spaniard continues to recuperate but will be back soon, endowed with the talent and physical development to become a key figure in Klopp's system.

As such, despite injury, his current market value now stands at €10m (£9m), according to CIES Football Observatory, which marks a staggering 3917% increase from that initial bargain fee.

While he's not the main attraction at Anfield right now as far as the youth is concerned – that tag lies with Bradley, who posted a goal and five assists from right-back in January and was crowned the PFA Fan's Premier League Player of the Month – his brilliant efforts last season highlighted his calibre.

He is also still younger than his 20-year-old teammate, who is also valued at just €5m (£4m), as per CIES.

It is disappointing that Bajcetic has not been able to strut his stuff this season, but taking this prudent approach to his nurturement and development is the perfect way to go about it.

This time last year, Liverpool were struggling. At present, Klopp has revived Anfield in all its glory, and while he is draping the curtain on his illustrious tenure, the bodywork for a golden new chapter is intact, firmly so.

The stones are in place, and Bajcetic will soon be performing at the beating heart of Liverpool's team, surpassing the myriad prospects peppering Merseyside in red.

Fresh from the news that their points deduction has been reduced to six from the initial ten, Everton have reportedly turned their attention towards summer targets to reinforce Sean Dyche's side.

Everton transfer news

Everton confirmed the positive outcome of their appeal, saying in an official statement: "Everton can confirm an Appeal Board has concluded that the points deduction imposed by an independent Premier League Commission in November be reduced from ten points to six points, with immediate effect. While the Club is still digesting the Appeal Board’s decision, we are satisfied our appeal has resulted in a reduction in the points sanction.

"We understand the Appeal Board considered the 10-point deduction originally imposed to be inappropriate when assessed against the available benchmarks of which the Club made the Commission aware, including the position under the relevant EFL regulations, and the 9-point deduction that is imposed under the Premier League’s own rules in the event of insolvency."

Whilst the Toffees are still waiting on the outcome of their second Financial Fair Play charge, they're now five points clear of the Premier League relegation zone and, for now, in a position to think about summer targets.

Report drops new Dele Alli Everton contract claim after major step taken

He could yet feature this season.

By
Tom Cunningham

Feb 28, 2024

That said, according to Udinese Blog, Everton are among the clubs eyeing a move to sign Festy Ebosele, who can play anywhere up the right flank. Club chiefs at Goodison Park reportedly rate the Udinese wide man highly and have joined the race for his signature alongside Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, Watford and West Ham United.

It remains to be seen just how much Udinese will demand for Ebosele this summer, but with so many clubs interested they are certainly in a strong position. Everton, potentially fresh from Premier League survival, will hope to become the next benefactors to the 21-year-old's talent.

"Strong" Ebosele could make England return

Having previously played for Derby, before joining Udinese on a free deal in the summer of 2022, Ebosele could get his return to English football just two years after departing this summer. The fact that, in the space of just two years, the Irishman could go from Championship action at Pride Park all the way to the Premier League highlights just how impressive he has been in Serie A with Udinese.

Former Derby teammate Craig Forsyth knew all about Ebosele's talents from the very start too, singing his praises via the club's official YouTube channel: "He's been getting better and better and that's the thing. It's good to see him improving with that final ball.

"Still he can get better, there was a lot of opportunities tonight. He's a threat and he's horrible to play against. He's so strong and he's so quick and he can go both ways. He's a nightmare for a defender."

With plenty of time to get even better at just 21-years-old, Ebosele could make an instant impact in the Premier League, whether that be at Everton, Spurs or elsewhere this summer. If the Toffees stay up this season, Dyche will hope to see a number of reinforcements arrive, including the Udinese starlet.

He wanted to continue batting but was taken off the field by India A coach and the physio

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2025Rishabh Pant gave India a brief injury scare ahead of next week’s first Test against South Africa in Kolkata by having to retire hurt while batting for India A against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.During the first session of the third day, Pant was struck three times – on his body and helmet – by fast bowler Tshepo Moreki, forcing him to retire hurt on 17 off 22 balls in the 34th over of India A’s second innings.However, he allayed fears of serious injury by returning to bat in the final session, after Harsh Dubey put on 184 for the sixth wicket with Dhruv Jurel, who made an unbeaten 127. Pant took on the spinners, racing to a half-century before declaring India A’s innings on 382 for 7. He was dismissed for 65 when he top-edged a slog sweep off left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds to the wicketkeeper.Pant had walked out to bat at No. 5 in the third over of the day after overnight batter KL Rahul was bowled for 27 – he added just one to his overnight score – by an inducker from Okuhle Cele. Pant didn’t take long to get going, his first three scoring shots were 4, 4 and 6 – all off Cele – but a series of short deliveries left him wincing in pain.Related

• Dhruv Jurel makes case for India Test spot with twin hundreds against South Africa A

• Kamboj, Suthar take India A home after Pant 90

• Rishabh Pant returns to India's Test squad

While Pant was keen to continue batting, he had to be taken off by India A coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar and the physios as a precautionary measure. He was grimacing in pain every time the ball thudded into his bat, and his range of motion was limited due to some taping on his elbow after being hit there.The first blow Pant suffered was to the helmet when he attempted a reverse pick-up shot off Moreki, who had bowled a short ball from around the stumps. Pant was off balance at the point of impact and immediately fell to the ground, forcing the physios to conduct a mandatory concussion test. Once cleared, he pulled out from his stance to take his helmet off and gather himself before taking strike.The second blow had Pant groaning as the ball thudded into his right elbow as he shaped to play a short-arm jab. This time, the physio administered some pain-relief spray and taped the elbow. The third blow to the abdomen from a delivery that cut back in off the seam eventually forced the management to take Pant off the field.Having proved form and fitness with a 90 in the second innings of the first four-day fixture that India A won last week, Pant has had a more challenging time in the second game. In the first innings, he was rapped on the glove by a short ball from Moreki and caught at slip for 24.At the toss of the second game, Pant had kept an exact count of the number of days he’d been away for – 98 – while recovering from a fractured toe after being hit by Chris Woakes during the fourth India-England Test in Manchester in July.He spent two months in rehab at the Centre of Excellence following surgery, and resumed training in early September before playing for India A to get some match time ahead of the South Africa Tests. In his absence, Dhruv Jurel kept wickets during the two home Tests against West Indies as well as the fifth Test at The Oval, which India won to level the five-Test series at 2-2.India play two Tests against South Africa from November 14 in Kolkata, and then from November 22 in Guwahati, a city that will be hosting Test cricket for the first time. India are currently third in the World Test Championship table with 61.90% points; South Africa, meanwhile, are fifth with 50% points.

Federico Chiesa has not travelled with Liverpool for their Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Tuesday, despite the winger’s impressive run of form. The Italy international was registered in the Reds’ European squad in place of injured team-mate and compatriot Giovanni Leoni but he has since been left at home for the trip to Turkey.

• Chiesa a notable absentee from Liverpool's 21-man squad

  Liverpool announced earlier on Monday that a 21-man travelling squad will make the trip to Super Lig side Galatasaray ahead of Tuesday’s game, with Chiesa being a notable absentee among the list of members.

  Liverpool’s travelling squad in full: Alisson, Gomez, Endo, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Isak, Mac Allister, Salah, Bradley, Jones, Gakpo, Ekitike, Mamardashvili, Robertson, Woodman, Frimpong, Gravenberch, Ngumoha.

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• Chiesa left out despite being fit

  And in a new report from Liverpool manager Arne Slot has taken the decision to leave Chiesa at home for the Galatasaray match, despite the 27-year-old being fit and ready to play.

• Surprise move follows Chiesa's impressive run of form

  The surprise move comes amid a purple patch of form for Chiesa. The former Juventus forward was handed a rare start in Liverpool’s third-round Carabao Cup clash against Southampton last Tuesday, registering the assists for Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike's goals as Slot’s men ran out 2-1 winners on the night. Chiesa has also made a strong impact as a substitute this season, scoring against Bournemouth on the opening night of the 2025-26 Premier League season and then against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

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  Chiesa replaced Leoni in squad after defender suffered ACL injury

  Chiesa was initially left out of Liverpool’s 22-man squad for the league phase of the Champions League earlier this month. However, he was later brought in to replace Leoni after the defender teared an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the victory over Southampton. The 18-year-old sustained the injury towards the end of what was an impressive debut for Liverpool following his summer move from Serie A side Parma.

After winning the Europa Conference League last season, West Ham United were expected to be challenging for Europa League spots by the end of the current campaign.

At the moment, the London-based club currently find themselves residing in seventh-place, just two points behind Manchester United.

This is a massive upheaval in form as, last season, despite winning a European trophy, The Hammers only survived relegation to the Championship by six points.

In order to try and cement their Premier League status during the 2023/24 season, David Moyes sanctioned a massive overhaul of his squad, which included selling academy graduate, Declan Rice to Arsenal for a fee worth around £105m.

This massive injection of money allowed West Ham to spend around £117m to bolster their team. The summer transfer window included the likes of Mohamed Kudus and James Ward-Prowse joining the club for fees worth over £30m.

However, after the season got started following the end of the summer transfer window, it felt as if something was missing from Moyes' squad.

That is despite Ward-Prowse proving that his transfer fee of £30m was an absolute steal. The former Southampton man has managed to contribute to a total of 15 goals across all competitions thus far.

Despite the midfielder exceeding what was expected of him following last season's 16 goal contributions for Southampton, the centre of West Ham's team seemed to lack stability and needed somebody to come in and help Edson Alvarez with the defensive-midfield duties.

So, in the January transfer window, Moyes struck a deal with Manchester City and gained the services of Kalvin Phillips on loan until the end of the season.

How Kalvin Phillips has performed at his new club

Despite Phillips' addition being a statement signing for the Hammers, his move to the London-based club has left a lot to be desired so far.

During his debut for the club, he was taken off in the 68th minute after making an error which allowed Bournemouth to capitalise and score their only goal of the game.

His second game for West Ham came against Manchester United, where he was only brought on in the 72nd minute. Despite coming on late into the second half, Phillips was once again at fault when he lost the ball in the centre of the park as Alejandro Garnacho eventually scored.

These errors that the defensive-midfielder has made could've potentially been avoided if Moyes had decided to entrust academy graduate, Lewis Orford.

The youngster signed his first professional deal with West Ham last February and has been in stellar form for the U21s this season but hasn't been seen in the first-team picture. Instead, a move for Phillips in January was preferred. He may well come good but those valuable minutes could have been handed to Orford.

Who is Lewis Orford?

Orford is a defensive midfielder who has been with West Ham since the age of five. The youngster's talents have been likened to that of Rice by The Guardian with his range of passing also being 'beyond his years.'

In a feature, writer John Brewin said: 'His height reminds of Rice and Carrick though he exhibits a greater turn of pace than either, with a range of passing beyond his years that has made him the Hammers’ U18 playmaker.'

The talented midfielder was also included in West Ham's first-team when they played against FCSB in the group stage of the Europa Conference League and has already been in the matchday squad on three occasions this term.

As the transfer of Phillips is yet to make a noticeable difference to West Ham's results, it could've been worthwhile for the club to have given the playing time to an academy player such as Orford instead.

As per Transfermarkt, Orford has played a total of 19 games this season for West Ham's youth setup and has contributed to eight goals. Perhaps not as defensive-minded as Phillips, it's clear he can play a pivotal part, notably in the final third.

Indeed, an extended run in the first team could've been highly beneficial for the youngsters' development and would've allowed Moyes to mould Orford into the player he desires.

Perry’s 81 and Wareham’s three wickets weren’t enough for RCB

Hemant Brar21-Feb-2025Win the toss, field first, win the match. This has been the story of all seven games in WPL 2025 so far. Mumbai Indians (MI) were the latest benefactors of winning the toss as they beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by four wickets in the first game of the Bengaluru leg.Bowling first, MI restricted RCB to 167 for 7 despite a pristine 81 off 43 balls by Ellyse Perry. Then they had the joint-best powerplay of the season, cruising to 66 for 2. Harmanpreet Kaur’s half-century kept MI in a comfortable position until Georgia Wareham dismissed her and S Sajana off successive balls in the 18th over. Amanjot Kaur took over from there and, with 22 needed from 12 balls, hit Kanika Ahuja for two sixes. That brought it down to run-a-ball in the final over. Still, it came down to two needed from two balls before 16-year-old G Kamalini smashed Ekta Bisht through covers to seal the game.

Mandhana vs Ismail – a short story

Shabnim Ismail is the fastest bowler in women’s cricket and it showed immediately. Opening the bowling for MI, Ismail hurried Smriti Mandhana with a bouncer, the RCB captain’s mistimed pull falling short of mid-on. However, Mandhana took just one delivery to adjust to the pace and the bounce of the pitch. Two balls later, when Ismail hurled another short ball, Mandhana quickly got into the position and pulled it over square leg for four.It made Ismail switch to around the wicket. For the last ball of the over, she went short again, this time trying to cramp the batter. Mandhana unfurled another four with a pull.Smriti Mandhana takes on a short ball•BCCI

Nat Sciver-Brunt, who opened the bowling from the other end, does not have Ismail’s pace. That allowed Mandhana to use her feet and launch a straight six.In her next over, Ismail erred in her line, and Mandhana duly cut her to the point boundary twice in three balls. But Ismail had the last laugh. She went short again, angling the ball on this occasion. Mandhana must have been feeling invincible by then. She attempted another pull. But this one took the top edge and Yastika Bhatia settled under it behind the stumps.

Quick wickets leave RCB in trouble

Perry opened her account with a first-ball four, flicking a full delivery from Ismail over square leg. In the next over, she freed her arms and hit Sciver-Brunt over long-on. But MI pulled things back with three quick wickets. Danni Wyatt-Hodge miscued an upper cut against Sciver-Brunt to short third; Raghvi Bist hit Hayley Matthews into the hands of deep midwicket; and Ahuja chopped Sanskriti Gupta onto her stumps. After nine overs, RCB were 62 for 4.

Perry pristine

RCB did not hit a single boundary from overs six to nine. Perry ended the drought in the tenth when she dispatched Matthews for four. She found support from Richa Ghosh, who smashed a six in the same over. The pair combined to pocket five more fours in the next three overs. By the time Amanjot bowled Ghosh for 28 off 25, the partnership had reached 50 in 38 deliveries.Ellyse Perry top-scored for RCB with a pristine 81•BCCI

From there on, Perry carried RCB almost singlehandedly. She hit Amelia Kerr inside out over extra cover to bring her fifty off 30 balls. Two balls later, she jumped out of her crease to deposit Kerr over long-on. In the next over, Matthews paid the price for bowling too short as Perry picked up two more fours. Perry eventually fell to Amanjot on the penultimate ball of the innings but not before hitting the bowler for back-to-back fours.

Matthews, Sciver-Brunt give MI flying start

MI started their chase in an attacking manner, with Bhatia hitting Renuka Singh for two fours in the opening over. Even though Kim Garth trapped Bhatia for 8, there was no respite for RCB. Sciver-Brunt hit two fours off the first two balls she faced to keep the runs flowing. She took it a notch higher in Garth’s next over with three fours.Matthews joined with back-to-back fours off Wareham. Bisht, who came in for the sixth over was not spared either. Sciver-Brunt started with a hat-trick of fours and Matthews chipped in with one. The only solace for Bisht was that she had Matthews lbw with her last ball.

Harmanpreet takes over

Garth provided RCB with some relief when she castled Sciver-Brunt for 42 off 21 balls in the eighth over. Two overs later, Wareham bowled a maiden in which she also had Kerr slicing to backward point.Harmanpreet Kaur’s fifty put Mumbai Indians in a comfortable position•BCCI

Harmanpreet had had a slow start and was on 10 off ten balls after the tenth over. But she put the chase back on track with two fours off VJ Joshitha. MI needed 54 in the last six overs but Harmanpreet was well set by then. She hit Ahuja for successive fours, slog-swept Bisht into the stands, and picked up two more fours of Renuka to make MI firm favourites.

Amanjot’s twin sixes overpower Wareham’s twin strikes

With 24 required from three overs and Harmanpreet batting on 50 off 36, the match looked all but lost for RCB. But in an attempt to cut Wareham, Harmanpreet edged the ball to Ghosh. Sajana lasted just one ball, Wareham’s slider trapping her lbw. Moreover, MI could score only two off that over.It was anyone’s game at that point. But Amanjot, who had been playing second fiddle to Harmanpreet till then, stepped up. She was on 20 off 22 balls when her Punjab team-mate Ahuja started the 19th over. Amanjot went down the ground first ball and cleared long-on. Ahuja conceded only four in the next four balls but Amanjot cleared long-on once again on the final ball.Not only did MI require just six in the final over, but RCB’s slow over rate also meant there was one fielder fewer in the outfield. Bisht tried her best, darting the ball with the keeper standing back for the first two deliveries. But Kamalini kept her cool and took her side to victory with one ball to spare.

U.S. Soccer leveraged the relationship between two former Chelsea bosses to secure its highest profile men's team hire in years

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• Pochettino, Hayes both used to coach at Chelsea
• Hayes led USWNT to Olympic Gold glory
• Pochettino announced as new coach Tuesday

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mauricio Pochettino now has a new job. The U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed what the wider world had known for almost a month Tuesday, officially announcing the former Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea boss as its head coach. His hiring came after an exhaustive search following the firing of Gregg Berhalter at the end of the Copa America.

  U.S. sporting director Matt Crocker revealed that Hayes, who oversaw Chelsea women to immense success at the same time that Pochettino practiced his trade in London, played a role in bringing the Argentine aboard.

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• WHAT MATT CROCKER SAID

  In an interview on TNT, Crocker explained Hayes' influence on the eventual decision: "Of course, she's an unbelievable coach, and an unbelievable person. During the Olympics, we were joking, everytime we saw her she'd be like "Where's Poch?" From that perspective, she knows him, and we used that as a reference point as well…They've got the highest respect for each other, I guess the dynamic of those two working together is exciting for us."

  Crocker also drew parallels between the two coach's experience working with young players: "Throughout the process, the one thing I think really excited Mauricio was the opportunity not just to coach the team, but to be part of changing soccer in this country, and the opportunities to start to influence this philosophy throughout the ages and stages.

  "We spoke to quite a lot about our ambitions in the U.S. way, which is going to be our culture, our philosophy, from our youngest age groups and our national teams all the way through individual age group … giving those young players more opportunities to have, you know, the toolkits that they need to be successful when they actually play for the senior level."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Although she vouched for his hiring, it might be difficult for Pochettino to immediately replicate Hayes' trophy haul at the helm. The English coach led the USWNT to a Olympic gold in her first major tournament in charge — just weeks after officially joining the team – overseeing a young, talented squad.

  And she backed Pochettino to succeed in a video released on the USMNT Twitter account.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR POCHETTINO?

  The new head coach is expected to be officially unveiled at a news conference in New York this week, and will take charge of the side in a pair of important friendlies – first Panama, then Mexico – in mid-October.