Tag Futebol

After missing nearly four months, the Astros will gain designated hitter Yordan Alvarez back in the lineup on Tuesday vs. the Rockies, the reported. He last played on May 2.

What was supposed to be a short stint on the injured list turned into something much more for Alvarez. He suffered a "very small" right hand fracture instead of just a strain. After about two months of recovery, Alvarez faced a setback in his process, which has prolonged his return.

Alvarez returned to baseball a week ago when he began a rehab assignment at the Double A Corpus Christi Hooks. He went 7-for-15 in four games with the minor league team.

Before landing on the IL, the three-time All-Star was averaging .210/.306/.340 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 29 games.

The Astros are gaining their designated hitter back at a crucial time in the season as Houston holds a 1.5-game lead above the Mariners in the AL West. The Astros have 31 games left in the regular season to compete for a playoff spot.

MatériaMais Notícias

Corinthians e Ferroviária se enfrentam nesta quinta-feira (15), às 16h15 (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena, em jogo válido pela semifinal da Supercopa do Brasil feminina. O jogo terá transmissão de TV Globo e SporTV. As Brabas derrotaram o Internacional, enquanto a Locomotiva bateu o Flamengo nos pênatis para se classificarem a atual fase.

continua após a publicidade

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Corinthians x Ferroviária
Semifinal da Supercopa Feminina

Data e horário: quinta-feira, 15 de fevereiro de 2024, às 16h15 (de Brasília)
Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP)
Onde assistir: TV Globo e SporTV

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
CORINTHIANS (Técnico: Lucas Piccinato)
Kemelli; Belinha, Mariza, Tharciane e Yasmin; Ju Ferreira, Duda Sampaio e Gabi Zanotti; Gabi Portilho, Millene e Jaqueline.

continua após a publicidade

➡️Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

FERROVIÁRIA (Técnica: Jéssica Soares)
Luciana; Katiuscia, Andressa Pereira, Luana e Barrinha; Nicoly, Duda Santos e Micaelly; Neném, Aline Gomes e Mylena.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansFerroviáriaFutebol FemininoOnde assistir

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy will have plenty of big decisions to make on Thursday night when Italian giants Roma come to Parkhead in the Europa League.

It will be the Frenchman’s second match in charge of the Hoops and his first ever game in a European competition, having only managed in the MLS previously.

The former Columbus Crew head coach implemented his 3-4-2-1 system in a 2-1 defeat to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, and will have learned a lot about which of his players do and do not suit certain roles.

Ranking the worst Celtic performers against Hearts

Football FanCast have already suggested that the new manager should drop Arne Engels from the team, because he gave the ball away a staggering 23 times, per Sofascore.

The Belgian midfielder was hugely ineffective in the middle of the park, but he was not the only one, as Benjamin Nygren did not create a single chance for the team in 65 minutes on the pitch.

1

Arne Engels

2

Sebastian Tounekti

3

Daizen Maeda

4

Liam Scales

5

Benjamin Nygren

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked Daizen Maeda in third, despite missing two ‘big chances’ (Sofascore), because he did assist Kieran Tierney’s goal by winning a header.

Liam Scales was also among the worst performers on the day, losing 100% (1/1) of his ground duels, and losing possession 15 times as a centre-back, per Sofascore.

Sebastian Tounekti, meanwhile, was the second-worst performer after Engels. The Tunisia international was given a 3/10 player rating by 67HailHail, and he should be dropped against Roma, as Hyun-jun Yang has proven himself to be a better option.

Why Sebastian Tounekti should be dropped

The summer signing from Hammarby should be ruthlessly dropped by Nabcy because his performances have not been good enough of late for the Scottish giants.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

In the summer, journalist Anders Lindberg claimed that Tounekti has “the X Factor”. That was clear to see in his early outings for the club, as he completed five dribbles and created four chances, per Sofascore, on his debut against Kilmarnock.

Tounekti followed up on that promising debut with a goal against Partick Thistle in the League Cup in his second match for the Hoops, which only heightened the excitement around him at Parkhead.

Unfortunately, the 23-year-old forward has done very little since his first couple of appearances for Celtic. He is currently on a run of eight matches without a goal contribution, and has not assisted a goal in 18 matches for the club so far, per Sofascore.

Tounekti was subbed off after 59 minutes against Hearts so that Yang could switch over to the left side to play as the left wing-back, instead of on the right, and their recent performances suggest that he would be a better option there.

Goals

0

1

Key passes

2

1

Assists

0

0

Dribbles completed

3/13

6/10

Duels won

12/35

22/39

As you can see in the table above, the South Korean international has been significantly more effective in his physical duels and in his dribbles, which suggests that he is better suited to playing as a wing-back.

In this new role created by Nancy’s system, there is more of an onus on the player in that position to carry the ball up the pitch and to compete in more physical duels, which Yang is more equipped to do.

Tounekti, unfortunately, has failed to prove that he can be relied upon to be efficient in his duels or as an offensive threat, with his lack of goals and assists, as well as his struggles in physical contests with opposition defenders.

This is why he should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting line-up by Nancy for this clash with Roma on Thursday in the Europa League, with Yang moved over to the left.

Worse than Maeda: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who lost the ball 23 times

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy must drop this flop who was even worse than Daizen Maeda against Hearts.

ByDan Emery 4 days ago

That would then open up a space on the right flank for another player to be brought in and given a chance to impress the new boss, who is still learning about his players.

The upturn in form for Leeds United has shown they have what it takes to stay in the Premier League. The Whites have now gone unbeaten in their last two games, against two of the so-called ‘big six’ sides.

During the round of midweek top-flight fixtures, Daniel Farke’s side toppled Chelsea at Elland Road, securing an outstanding 3-1 victory against the Club World Cup champions.

On Saturday night, once again at a raucous Elland Road, they secured a late draw with champions Liverpool, with Ao Tanaka scoring in the 96th minute.

It has been a brilliant week for Leeds, with a change in Farke’s system certainly helping the Whites.

How Farke has got the best out of Leeds

For most of the season, Leeds, who find themselves in 16th place in the Premier League, two points clear of the drop, have deployed a 4-3-3 system.

However, the German manager switched things up in the second half against Manchester City, a game which they lost in stoppage time.

Instead, the West Yorkshire side played a 3-5-2 system, aiming to offer more defensive solidity and an issue for opponents in the final third with two strikers and a threat from the high and wide wingbacks.

It is fair to say that Leeds have managed to adapt to this system very well. Of course, they beat Chelsea and drew against Liverpool.

In those games, they had less possession each time, but were dangerous in transition and looked to be direct and bring their two strikers into play.

Someone who praised Farke’s side for the way they have taken to this system is Gary Neville. He said, “it looks to be a blueprint” for the club, praising the “legs in the middle of the pitch” who really make things tick.

Indeed, one of those men in midfield has become a key player for Farke.

The Leeds midfielder showing shades of Klich & Dallas

Since moving to the back three system, Farke has rotated a little bit in midfield with Sean Longstaff on the sideline. Tanaka started against Chelsea, and Ilia Gruev played from the start against the Merseysiders.

Club captain Ethan Ampadu has been a consistent starter, as has Anton Stach. The German joined in the summer and has nailed down a place in the middle of the park next to the Wales international.

The two-cap German national team player, who has previously been described as a “ball-winning monster” by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Kyle Newbould, has shone for Farke’s side.

Stach has made 13 appearances in the Premier League this term, chipping in with two goals and two assists.

The numbers behind Stach’s success in midfield for the Whites this season are impressive.

The German is currently averaging 1.98 key passes and 1.71 progressive carries per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 6% and 22% of Premier League midfielders this season, respectively.

Key passes

1.98

94th

Goal-creating actions

0.72

99th

Progressive carries

1.71

78th

Aerial duel win rate

81.8%

99th

Stach’s game certainly has shades of one former Leeds midfield duo. Mateusz Klich, who played 195 times for the club, and Stuart Dallas, who made 267 appearances, were both key players during the Marcelo Bielsa era.

Described as an “industrious” pair, they offered lots of legs in the middle of the park, just like Stach does, as Neville pointed out. They also posed a threat in the final third, with Dallas bagging 28 times and Klich 24 in that famous White shirt.

Given how Bielsa’s team played, a high-octane brand of football with plenty of running, it is no surprise that Stach has shades of the midfield duo from that era.

As Como scout Ben Mattinson pointed out, he “covers a lot of ground” just as the former Leeds duo were required to do under the former manager.

Stach could certainly be considered undroppable under Farke. His performances this season have been impressive, and he has been a key man since they changed to a back three.

The midfielder is a bit of an “all-rounder” according to Mattinson, and with shades of Klich and Dallas in his game, could quickly become a fan favourite.

A Viduka repeat: Leeds open initial talks to sign midfield "machine"

Leeds United are eyeing up a player from Scotland who could be their next Mark Viduka-type signing.

ByDan Emery 2 days ago

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman excited the club's fanbase by importing seven players at the trade deadline, including three high-leverage relief pitchers to aid a bullpen that's been among the league's worst over the course of the last month.

Two of those relief pitchers, Jake Bird and David Bednar, made their debuts for the Yankees during Friday's game against the Miami Marlins. Let's just say it didn't exactly go according to plan.

Bird entered the game with a 9-4 lead and promptly loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk. Then, Bird missed badly with a sinker out over the middle of the plate to Marlings power-hitting outfielder Kyle Stowers, who belted it for a grand slam to make it a 9-8 ballgame. The Yankees then turned to Bednar, who they hoped would quickly put an end to the inning and preserve the club's lead.

Instead, Bednar surrendered the game-tying home run and a go-ahead RBI single. Fortunately, the Yankees tied the game in the top of the eighth inning and Bednar settled in for a scoreless frame in the bottom half.

The Yankees scratched a pair of runs across in the top of the ninth and handed the ball to another new reliever in Camilo Doval, hoping the trade deadline pickup could shut the door on a victory. But the nightmarish night for the Yankees continued, as Doval allowed two baserunners on after getting the first out of the inning. Then, the Yankees righthander allowed a single to right field, which rolled under right fielder Jose Caballero's glove, allowing the tying runs to score.

The Marlins then won the game on an unplayable slow roller between Doval and catcher Austin Wells.

The Washington Nationals selected shortstop Eli Willits out of Fort Cobb-Broxton high school in Fort Cobb, Okla. with the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft Sunday.

Willits, 17, was the fifth-ranked prospect and second-ranked position player per MLB Pipeline's rankings. He's a switch-hitter who can have plenty of long-term upside for the Nationals as they work to reset after their recent turnover with the firings of general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez. Previous assistant GM Mike DeBartolo took over as interim GM.

Willits committed to play college ball at the University of Oklahoma where his father, Reggie, coaches and his older brother, Jaxon, plays. As this year's top pick, Willits is unlikely to play for the Sooners per MLB.com.

As a top-ranked prospect and the youngest player in the class, it's not outrageous that the Nationals went for Willits at No. 1. However, the general consensus was that Washington would go for either LSU pitcher Kade Anderson or top-ranked prospect Ethan Holliday out of Stillwater (Okla.) HS. The Seattle Mariners took Anderson No. 3 and the Colorado Rockies, Holliday's dad Matt's old team, selected him with the fourth pick.

After leaving Tuesday's game early, Juan Soto will be held out of the New York Mets' lineup for Wednesday's matchup against the San Diego Padres. On Tuesday, Soto fouled a pitch off his foot in the third inning and was immediately in visible pain. He finished his at-bat, but was limping and would be replaced at right field in the bottom half of the inning.

X-rays on Soto's injury came back negative. He was diagnosed with a left foot contusion, and is expected to be playing for the Mets again in the coming days, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Soto will not play Wednesday, and the Mets are off Thursday, meaning that he could at the earliest return for Friday's game versus the San Francisco Giants.

"I think it’s going to be good,” said Soto, via DiComo. “We’ve just got to get the swelling down. Whenever the swelling is down, I think we’re going to be fine.”

With Soto out, Jeff McNeil will play right field for the Mets in their final game of the series at Petco Park. The Mets are looking for their first win of the series, and to keep their narrow lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.

Cal Raleigh is having a dream season. He hit 38 home runs before the All-Star break and then won the MLB Home Run Derby thanks to a very precise measurement. The entire internet loves the Seattle Mariners catcher with the sizable hindquarters which is why he also recently signed an endorsement deal with a port-a-potty company.

Fox's Ken Rosenthal went through Raleigh's accomplishments during an interview earlier this and brought up an award most people have probably never even heard of—the "golden locker."

Rosenthal elaborated on the award in his column in The Athletic on Thursday:

This should lead to a number of follow-up questions. Did Raleigh go for the carwash or the haircut? Was this his first Golden Locker of the season? How many players have won the award during the Mariners' seven homestands before the All-Star break?

Hopefully we'll find out more as the season continues. It should only get more difficult for Raleigh to repeat if he continues to rack up these awards.

After an incredible few months, Arsenal suffered their first defeat since August 31st at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s side went behind in the first half, and while they did pull one back in the second, they were the victims of a 95th-minute Emiliano Buendía winner.

It wasn’t a terrible performance from the Gunners, but it was also some way off their best, and one of the players who has received plenty of criticism from the fans has been Martin Odegaard.

The captain was certainly not to blame for the result, but he did look a little off the pace at times, and after his underwhelming season last year, he is under the microscope more than most.

While his place in the team is safe for now, there are three players who could replace him in the coming years, and none of them is Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

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

3 Ethan Nwaneri

Starting with the player who is perhaps the closest to eventually challenging Odegaard for a place in the starting lineup: Ethan Nwaneri.

The Hale End star is already a regular in the match-day squads, and while there has been some concern from fans over his lack of game time this season, it’s important to remember he is still just 18 years old.

Moreover, due to injuries, he ended up playing a far more significant role in the team last season than anyone would have predicted, and to say he impressed would be an understatement.

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

Now, a lot of his game time did come out wide, in place of Bukayo Saka, but the Enfield-born gem is first and foremost an attacking midfielder, as it’s where he spent most of his time in the academy and where his combination of shooting, passing and dribbling abilities are best placed.

There is little chance of Nwaneri replacing the Norwegian this season, but in a couple of years, if he fulfils his potential, there could be a real battle for that ten position.

2 Max Dowman

After Nwaneri, the Arsenal gem who feels like they could seriously rival Odegaard in a few years, is, of course, Max Dowman.

The 15-year-old might just be the most talked-about prospect in the country this season, and based on his form in the academy and for the senior side, it’s not hard to see why.

For example, when it comes to the former, the Chelmsford-born phenom has racked up a comical tally of six goals and one assist in just four appearances across the U19S and U21S.

Then, when it comes to the first team, he has already, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, started “humiliating Premier League players.”

For example, he ran rings around Leeds United on his league debut, then became the youngest player in the club’s history to start a game in the Gunners’ League Cup clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Finally, if all that wasn’t enough for someone who hasn’t even finished his GCSEs yet, he also became the youngest player in Champions League history when he came off the bench against Slavia Prague.

Now, like with Nwaneri, Dowman is not going to be a serious rival for Odegaard this season, but at the rate he is progressing, that time could come far sooner than most are expecting.

1 Holger Quintero

Last but by no means least, the final Arsenal player who could one day be the star to displace the captain from the team is Holger Quintero.

Now, just a week or so ago, most fans would have absolutely no idea who the 16-year-old was, but now, after the Gunners signed him and his twin brother Edwin Quintero, he has become one of the most exciting youngsters on the club’s books, and for good reason.

According to Mattinson, the Ecuadorian wonderkid is a “skilful attacking midfielder with 1v1 prowess to take on players”, which sounds quite a bit like Dowman, which can’t be a bad thing.

He appears to be more than just another promising youngster, though, as respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has stuck his neck out, labelling him “one of the most exciting U17s in South America.”

He is also someone who could potentially play the probing through balls that Odegaard has started to bring into his game, with Mattinson claiming he has an “excellent weight of pass” and is a “decisive creator with a killer final ball.”

However, due to rules around foreign-born youngsters, the midfielder won’t be able to join up with his new teammates until January 2027, so he is probably the last in line to compete with Odegaard.

Ultimately, the captain’s place in the team is currently safe, as it should be, but with three of the most exciting players in the game coming up behind him, Odegaard might have to step up his game over the next few years.

Arsenal hold initial talks to sign £88m Odegaard upgrade who's "Mbappe-like"

The incredible international game-changer would be unreal for Arsenal, but could spell trouble for Martin Odegaard.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes 4 days ago

Sunderland have laughed off the doom mongers who pointed out the fact that the last six teams to earn promotion to the Premier League have all been instantly relegated.

The Black Cats are, remarkably, sixth in the top-flight after 13 games, ahead of Man United and Liverpool, after a 3-2 win over Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Summer signing Granit Xhaka was, once again, vital with an impressive assist for Bertrand Traore’s goal, in what has been a phenomenal season for the Swiss star so far.

Where Granit Xhaka ranks among Sunderland's summer signings

Sunderland paid £13m to sign the experienced midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, and they have got their money’s worth from the left-footed star in the Premier League.

With 297 games for Arsenal under his belt, per Transfermarkt, the Black Cats knew what they were going to get from Xhaka as a proven performer in the top-flight.

The 33-year-old star has delivered one goal and four assists, per Sofascore, whilst winning 63% of his defensive duels across 13 appearances in the Premier League this season, which shows that he has made an impact in and out of possession.

1

Robin Roefs

2

Granit Xhaka

3

Nordi Mukiele

4

Noah Sadiki

5

Omar Alderete

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked him as the second-best signing made by the Black Cats in the summer, only behind the incredibly impressive Robin Roefs, who leads the league in goals prevented (3.28), per Sofascore.

Xhaka has stepped straight into the team as a regular starter and shown that he can be relied upon week-in-week-out, like Roefs has, which is why he has been one of the best signings made for Regis Le Bris’ team.

Whilst Sunderland should be delighted with their current position and the signing of Xhaka, they once had a star on loan who is now even more exciting than the Swiss ace and is one of the best players in the Premier League.

The Sunderland loanee who is now one of the Premier League's best

In January 2020, Antoine Semenyo signed for the club on loan from Bristol City for the second half of the season, and manager Phil Parkinson cited his “pace and power” as two of his main attributes.

Appearances

7

Starts

1

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.4

Big chances created

1

Assists

0

Unfortunately, as shown in the table above, the Black Cats loanee was unable to use his pace and power to cause many problems for opposition defences, as he ended his time on Wearside without a single goal contribution.

After that, Semenyo went on to establish himself at Bristol City in the Championship before a permanent move in January 2023 to Bournemouth, which is where he has flourished in the Premier League.

The same player who struggled in League One with Sunderland has now scored 17 goals and provided nine assists in the top-flight for the Cherries since the start of last season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has been effective as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

In the Premier League this season, only Erling Haaland (15) and Igor Thiago (11) have more combined goals and assists than Semenyo (nine), per FotMob, which is an impressive statistic when you consider that he plays out wide.

Earlier this term, former Spurs and England star Chris Waddle dubbed Semenyo “the best winger in the country (England) right now”, and that still rings true, as he has at least two more goal contributions than any other winger in the top-flight, per FotMob.

This is why he is currently an even better and more exciting player than Xhaka, because the Ghana international has, statistically, been one of the most impactful players in the league with goals and assists to earn his team points.

Sunderland star who Speakman was "excited" to sign is the new Jeremain Lens

This summer signing by Sunderland is on his way to becoming the new Jeremain Lens.

ByDan Emery Nov 30, 2025

He may not have shown his potential during his brief time at the Stadium of Light, but it is clear to see, now, that Semenyo would be the club’s best player on current form.