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O Corinthians recebe o Botafogo neste sábado (31), pela sétima rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A bola rola a partir das 21h (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP), com transmissão do SporTV e Premiere (clique aqui para assinar o Premiere por 30 dias grátis!).

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Confira todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Corinthians e Botafogo (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
CORINTHIANS X BOTAFOGO
BRASILEIRÃO – 7ª RODADA

🗓️ Data e horário: sábado, 1º de junho de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
📍 Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP)
📺 Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere
🚩 Assistentes: Bruno Boschilia e Tiago Augusto Kappes Diel
🟨 Árbitro: Anderson Daronco
🖥️ VAR: Pablo Ramon Gonçalves Pinheiro

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⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

CORINTHIANS (Técnico: António Oliveira)
Carlos Miguel; Matheuzinho, Félix Torres, Cacá e Hugo; Raniele, Breno Bidon, Rodrigo Garro, Igor Coronado; Wesley, Yuri Alberto.

BOTAFOGO (Técnico: Artur Jorge)
John; Damián Suárez, Lucas Halter, Bastos, Cuiabano; Danilo Barbosa, Marlon Freitas, Tchê Tchê (Óscar Romero) e Luiz Henrique; Tiquinho Soares, Júnior Santos.

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Nobody was happier that Game 5 of the American League Division Series between the Mariners and Tigers went much longer than anyone could have expected than the Blue Jays.

Toronto awaited the winner of Seattle and Detroit in the AL Championship Series with Game 1 slated for Sunday. As Game 5 at T-Mobile Park went deep into extra innings, both sides had to dig into the depth of their bullpens and even return to their starters from earlier in the series.

Seattle finally finished off the Tigers thanks to a hit from Jorge Polanco that drove in J.P. Crawford in the bottom of the 15th for a 3–2 win in one of the wildest playoff games you'll ever see.

The Tigers used eight pitchers compared to seven for the Mariners in 15 innings of their wacky decisive game that turned into one of the 10 longest games in MLB postseason history. Both teams used three of four starters from the series in Game 5. With bullpens and rotations becoming depleted, the Blue Jays’ social account posted the perfect GIF on the team’s X account as their team watched comfortably at home:

Polanco eventually played hero with a walk-off single with the bases loaded, sending the home crowd in Seattle into a frenzy. With the win, the Mariners advanced to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.

The Blue Jays eliminated the Yankees in four games to finish their ALDS matchup Wednesday. As a result, Toronto got some extra rest and then some considering the 15-inning marathon that the Mariners had to play to close out their own series.

Seattle will now travel to Toronto for Game 1 of the ALCS Sunday evening. Hopefully Cal Raleigh and Co. can get some rest in between celebrations.

The Mets saw first baseman Pete Alonso walk in free agency as the five-time All-Star agreed to sign with the Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal on Wednesday. This is the second key player the Mets have lost this week, after closer Edwin Díaz joined the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million deal. Earlier this offseason, the Mets also traded longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien.

Both Nimmo and Alonso were homegrown players that had spent their entire careers with the Mets prior to this offseason. Not only did the Mets let Alonso walk, but they did not even issue a formal offer to him once they saw that the years and dollars from other teams’ bids went beyond their “comfort zone.” This notably comes a year after they signed Juan Soto to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal.

Read More: The Seven Ripple Effects of Pete Alonso’s Mega Deal With the Orioles

With three key players already leaving the team, the Mets are already seeing multiple significant shakeups take place, and a number of fans aren’t pleased with these moves.

Mets owner Steve Cohen, who apologized to his fanbase at the end of September after his team failed to make the postseason, acknowledged those concerns on Wednesday. He said in a text to Jon Heyman of the , “I totally understand the fans’ reaction. There is lots of offseason left to put a playoff team on the field.”

Read More: How Mets Can Replace Pete Alonso at First Base

Cohen’s message seems to indicate he is confident they have plenty of time to make the moves needed to compete. The pressure will certainly be on for Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns to make the moves necessary to replace those players and better the team for next season. The Mets began the season at 45–24, the best record in baseball, before falling off and failing to make the playoffs altogether. They’ll need better results next year to help appease the fanbase.

أعلن الحساب الرسمي لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا عن أسماء اللاعبين المرشحين للفوز بتصويت لاعب الجولة السادسة بمرحلة الدوري في المسابقة.

وكانت العديد من المباريات قد لعبت في هذه الجولة والتي شهدت تألق أكثر من لاعب، حيث كان لهم دور مؤثر في تحقيق فرقهم لانتصارات مهمة في مشوارهم في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وعبر الحساب الرسمي لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، يتنافس أربعة لاعبين على الفوز بتصويت اللاعب الأفضل في الجولة السادسة.

أقرأ أيضاً.. موقف ريال مدريد من إقالة ألونسو بعد الهزيمة أمام مانشستر سيتي

ويتنافس المدافع الفرنسي جول كوندي بعد تسجيله هدفين خلال فوز برشلونة على باير ليفركوزن، ليصعد البلوجرانا لاحتلال المركز الخامس عشر برصيد 10 نقاط.

Tough one… who would you pick? 🌟#UCLPOTW | @PlayStationEU pic.twitter.com/n0pLeWj3ya — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 10, 2025

كما يتواجد جناح آرسنال نوني مادويكي الذي سجل ثنائية ليقود الجانرز لفوز كبير على كلوب بروج بثلاثية نظيفة، ويحقق فريقه العلامة الكاملة ب18 نقطة من 6 انتصارات متتالية.

وينافس الثنائي، أوسكار جلوخ الذي سجل ثنائية ليقود أياكس أمستردام للفوز على قره باج الأذريبجاني برباعية لهدفين، ويحقق أول ثلاث نقاط في المسابقة ويحتل المركز 34.

ويعد تشارلز دي كيتيلاري نجم أتالانتا رابع المرشحين المتنافسين على لاعب الجولة في دوري أبطال أوروبا، بعد أن خطف فوزاً غالياً على ملعب بيرجامو لفريقه خلال المباراة التي انتهت بالفوز على تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف، ليرتفع رصيد فريقه الإيطالي للنقطة 13 في المركز الخامس.

Arsenal have been hit with another damaging defensive setback as summer signing Cristhian Mosquera is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a complicated ankle injury in the midweek win over Brentford. With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba already sidelined, the Gunners now face a mounting crisis at centre-back during a pivotal period of their season.

• Mosquera set to miss at least six weeks for Arsenal

  Mosquera was forced off during Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Brentford after landing awkwardly and requiring immediate treatment, prompting fears of a significant ankle injury. The BBC suggest that initial assessments indicate the Spanish defender will miss between six and eight weeks, with the club awaiting further test results to confirm the extent of the damage. His withdrawal added to a growing list of defensive absentees, intensifying concerns for Arteta as the Gunners continue to compete on multiple fronts.

  The setback comes at a time when Arsenal are already without their first-choice centre-back pairing of Saliba and Gabriel, who have missed recent fixtures due to respective injuries. Saliba is reportedly only “days” away from returning after suffering a knock in training, while Gabriel may be sidelined until January with a thigh issue. Mosquera had been deputising alongside Piero Hincapie, giving Arteta some stability in defence before this latest injury blow.

  Arsenal remain top of both the Premier League table and their Champions League group, but Mosquera’s absence threatens to disrupt their momentum in a crucial run of fixtures.

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  Arteta opens up on Mosquera's 'complicated' injury

  Mosquera’s injury deepens a defensive crisis that has been quietly building for Arsenal, despite the club’s impressive start to the campaign. Prior to Wednesday’s setback, injuries to Gabriel and Saliba had already forced Arteta to lean heavily on his new summer signing, who had settled quickly into Premier League football. Losing him during a demanding fixture schedule places additional strain on a back line that has been reshuffled repeatedly since August.

  Arteta acknowledged the seriousness of the situation when addressing the media, noting that Mosquera’s issue is “more complicated” and requires further medical analysis compared to Declan Rice's injury. “Well, let’s see. We have another training session in the afternoon. Every hour is going to be very important to see the availability of the players. After that, we’ll decide which ones,” Arteta said.

  Arteta added: “That’s [Mosquera] the more complicated one, but again, we have another test today to see where we are with them. We need to know, because the feeling that we had after the game and yesterday, we need to corroborate with what happens with all the testing that we do today.”

• Arsenal must cope without Mosquera, Saliba and Gabriel

  Arsenal’s form has been strong, with just one defeat in 14 Premier League matches, but their challenge now is maintaining that performance level while dealing with significant injuries in key positions. Defensive continuity has been central to their revival under Arteta, and instability in this area could impact both their league campaign and Champions League ambitions.

  Mosquera’s adaptation to English football had been one of Arsenal’s quiet success stories of the season, with the 21-year-old showing maturity, composure, and athleticism since arriving from Valencia. He had been trusted to fill in for both Saliba and Gabriel, performing consistently despite the pressure of stepping into such prominent roles. His injury not only removes a reliable option but also disrupts the promising partnership he was forming with Piero Hincapie.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mosquera will not return to action before February

  The Gunners travel to third-placed Aston Villa next before facing Club Brugge in Europe, two matches in which defensive solidity will be vital. With squad depth now stretched, the timing of Mosquera and Rice's injuries could not be worse for a team hoping to maintain their early-season dominance.

  Arsenal’s broader injury picture compounds the concern, as midfielders and attackers have only recently returned from layoffs while defensive problems persist. The squad has already endured periods without Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke, but the back line remains the most fragile department. As domestic and European competitions intensify heading into December, managing workload and avoiding further setbacks will be critical for Arteta’s plans.

Mustafizur and Rishad share six wickets between them to skittle Ireland for 117

Mohammad Isam02-Dec-2025Tanzid Hasan’s unbeaten half-century and record-breaking five catches helped Bangladesh beat Ireland and clinch the series 2-1 in Chattogram. The home side fought back from 1-0 down to win their fifth T20I series in 2025. After left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman and wristspinner Rishad Hossain shared six wickets between them to dismiss Ireland for 117, Bangladesh chased the target with eight wickets and 38 balls to spare.Tanzid remained unbeaten on 55 off 36 balls, with four fours and three sixes. He added an unbroken 73-run partnership with Parvez Hossain Emon, who finished unbeaten on 33 off 26 balls.After opting to bat, Ireland were 50 for 1 in five overs, but they quickly slipped to 73 for 5. The visitors never recovered and were eventually bowled out in 19.5 overs. Tanzid became the first outfielder from a Full-Member nation to take five catches in a T20I. He took the last five catches of Ireland’s innings: four at long-on and one at gully.Ireland’s lively startPaul Stirling was quick off the blocks, clattering Mahedi Hasan for three fours in the first over, which cost Bangladesh 13 runs. Tim Tector then got into the act in the fourth over, with two fours and a straight six off Shoriful Islam. Tim’s innings, though, was cut short on 17 by the left-arm quick in the same over. Stirling didn’t hold back, despite the loss of his opening partner, slamming Mohammad Saifuddin over midwicket for a six. Harry Tector got off the mark with a square-driven four as Ireland reached their fifty by the fifth over.Tanzid Hasan claimed the Bangladesh record for the most catches in a T20I innings•BCBBangladesh roar backMustafizur Rahman started Ireland’s slide when he bowled Harry in the sixth over. After the ball had hit the inside edge, it began rolling back onto the stumps. Harry tried to kick it away but ended up falling over it instead, as the ball hit the stumps. Mahedi then trapped Lorcan Tucker lbw for 1, when he missed with a reverse sweep, though Bangladesh had initially appealed for caught behind.Rishad strangled Ireland further with three more wickets. He bowled Curtis Campher who was backing away to play a cut shot, then removed Stirling for 38 off 27 balls. No other Ireland batter passed 20.Tanzid’s catching recordRishad finished his spell with Gareth Delany’s wicket, caught at gully by Tanzid. It was the first of four consecutive catches by Tanzid. He held Mark Adair’s catch at long-on, in the 18th over. Later in the same over, Matthew Humphreys also holed out to Tanzid at long-on. A delighted Tanzid then took George Dockrell’s catch, also at long-on, in the next over.Tanzid’s fifth catch, in Ireland’s last over, was probably the best of the lot as he had to move a few yards to his right to complete Ben White’s catch. Before Tanzid, Maldives’ Wedage Malinda and Sweeden’s Sedik Sahak had also taken five catches in a T20I.Tanzid leads the chaseAfter sparkling in the field, Tanzid was at it with the bat too, kickstarting the chase with three fours in three overs. Saif Hassan holed out to mid-on for 19, and Litton Das fell cheaply too, caught at the deep square-leg boundary off Harry. Tanzid, however, found an able ally in Parvez, who kept finding the boundary himself.After the powerplay, Tanzid went after legspinner Delany in the eleventh over. He swept the first ball for four, before mowing him over midwicket for his first six. Tanzid slammed Delany over wide long-on for another six in an over that cost Ireland 17 runs. Tanzid hit Craig Young for a six to reach his fifty, before Parvez struck the winning runs with a four in the 14th over.

Liverpool turned a corner at the weekend, professionally defeating West Ham United at the London Stadium to arrest the shocking slump that has sent Arne Slot’s project into a spin.

However, it’s important for those of a Red persuasion not to get too excited. West Ham are hardly in good form, teetering on the edge of the Premier League relegation zone.

But there were some positives to be taken after that industrious win. Particularly, Liverpool looked sharp in attack, with Alexander Isak netting his first league goal for the Reds and Cody Gakpo notching a goal and an assist. Florian Wirtz sparkled in his creative role.

There has been talk of FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes dipping into the transfer market for a new forward in January, but if anything, the win over the Hammers and Liverpool’s abject form highlight a different area that needs attention.

Liverpool's winter transfer plans

It’s clear that Liverpool need a centre-back. Top sources have also linked the Premier League champions to prolific Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause valid from January.

However, the centre of the park appears to have been overlooked. Certainly, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have not formed a convincing partnership this season, and a tough-tackling and dynamic option could be worthwhile for a Liverpool side looking to bounce back.

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool are expected to table a €60m (£53m at current exchange rates) bid for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, with the French midfielder no longer considered untouchable at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It’s understood that Los Blancos have held informal discussions about the 23-year-old’s future after an injury-affected few years, but Camavinga is one of the best in the business, and Liverpool could hit the jackpot by signing him for a comparatively affordable fee.

Why Liverpool want Eduardo Camavinga

Camavinga has been at Real Madrid for most of his professional career, having left France and Rennes and joined the Spanish giants in a €40m (£34m) package back in 2021.

He’s won the full gamut, and, on an individual level, been hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig as “a real war machine in midfield”. One of the sternest criticisms Slot’s side have faced pertains to their lack of physicality and bite in midfield this season, outduelled in most of their defeats – and there have been a whole host of losses.

Camavinga would fix that, settling into the six berth. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 12% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for successful take-ons, and the top 1% for tackles won per 90, emphasising his ball-playing quality and the gritty defensive acumen that would stabilise Slot’s sinking system.

Looking at those metrics – and more – in a different format, see how Camavinga could add more defensive solidity to the engine room when assessing his data against that of Mac Allister, whose form has plummeted this season.

But those metrics are taking across a year-long stretch, and the Argentine was among the creme-de-la-creme last year as Slot’s Reds romped their way to the title.

Semenyo might be a stellar addition to a Liverpool side who opted against a direct Luis Diaz replacement this summer, but Gakpo has held down the fort measurably well, and Rio Ngumoha, 17, was entrusted with a regular first-team role after an impressive emergence season.

Real Madrid are in a state of upheaval right now, and signing a player of Camavinga’s ilk for a decent figure won’t come around too often. Wataru Endo is scarcely used by Slot and Gravenberch and Mac Allister need proper competition.

Should Liverpool instil some French flair into their midfield in the form of Camainga, they would be sure to level up, adding the joie de vivre that has been lacking this term, and a tough-tackling presence that would ease the defence’s burden and free up the forwards to reach new heights.

Gakpo upgrade: Liverpool open surprise talks to sign "magic" £70m PL star

Liverpool are planning to strengthen their flanks after a tough start to the season.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 1, 2025

“I am not a stats man, I am a win man,” Simon Harmer said when asked by Murali Kartik in the post-match presentation about his returns: his 8 for 51 is the best by a South Africa spinner in a Test in India and second only to Dale Steyn’s 10 for 108 back in 2010.The other South Africans at Eden Gardens could say the same. They started the third day staring at a crisis. They fought their way out of it with the bat, led by Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch, and then had Marco Jansen first and then Harmer running through the opposition.All India had in front of them was a target of 124. They only got 93.Related

• 'Job's far from done' – Conrad eyes series win

• With 'small hands' and strong instincts, Bavuma shows self-assurance of a player at his peak

• Stats – South Africa's first win in India since 2010

• Gill under observation, ruled out of Eden Gardens Test

• Are Test pitches sacrificing balance in favour of results?

“A game like this, you can’t dwell into it too much, because… we should have been able to chase this score, but eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” Rishabh Pant, standing in as captain in Shubman Gill’s absence, said. “Definitely there was help in the wicket, a [target] of 120 can be tricky on these kinds of surfaces, but at the same time, as a team we should be able to soak in the pressure.”He pointed to the morning session when South Africa, resuming on 93 for 7, added 60 more runs. “That was the turning point,” Pant said. “Temba and Bosch had a brilliant partnership in the morning and that got them back in the game and that hurt us too much at the end of the game.”Bavuma isn’t the sort to talk big, so he kept it simple.”It was about awareness. Second innings, I didn’t change too much. Fortunately I have played in India before, so I kind of understand the little bit of adjustment that you need to make, and luck also plays a part,” he said of his innings of 55 not out, the only half-century in a game where no innings touched 200.”The captaincy, you are only as good as the players. That I give it to them. Batting, I am just comfortable with myself. And technique: not to worry about trigger and all those types of things. I stand as still as I can, watch the ball. I have a decent understanding of my game. I have come here to India wanting to do well. Not the greatest of records when it comes to these conditions. There’s a bit of that exuberance from my side to see myself doing well in these conditions and implement all the little things that I’m trying here, and keep contributing for the team.”The partnership with Bosch, I think with Marco as well at the end of the day [yesterday], just gave a little bit of impetus. The wicket played a bit better this morning, wasn’t as extreme. We tried to stay in the game as much as we could. It is not all the time that you score 120-125 and that’s a winning score. I think it was a case of staying in the game and keep believing.”Contribute he did, and then turned to his bowlers.3:40

Did India let South Africa off the hook in the morning?

“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could,” Bavuma said. “It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully. We were able to change our bowlers frequently and that worked for us.”If Harmer is to be believed, the conditions got a bit tougher for him on the third day.”Today, I felt it probably got a little bit flatter as the ball got softer. It wasn’t exploding as much. I was asking myself some really hard questions,” he said. “Nice to contribute. I have been here before and it was a dark place, losing [three out of four Tests in 2015]. So to get here, to be behind the eight-ball again, and for the team to fight the way they did, shows where this group is and what they are capable of and the belief that they have.”I knew I needed to bowl well. I think it was the same when we were batting – it felt like we were one partnership away from getting ourselves into the game. It was the same with ball in hand. We knew we were one partnership away from getting really close. I just needed to try and put as many balls in the right areas and trust that the wicket would do its bit.”

Du Plessis agreed while Amla said batting could make the difference between both teams

Vishal Dikshit12-Nov-20251:47

Phillander: South Africa’s young team has had ‘phenomenal preparation’

Former South Africa batters Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis have placed the onus on their current Test batters to give India a fight in the forthcoming two-Test series starting November 14. While Amla was of the view the bowling attacks of both teams are “pretty close,” Smith said South Africa’s top-three batters have to step up. Amla went on to say that the presence of some inexperienced batters in their line-up could turn out to be a blessing for the visitors as they won’t be carrying the “baggage” of previous tours, given South Africa haven’t won a Test in India since 2010 and a series since 2000.On their last two tours of India, in 2015 and 2019, South Africa’s batters struggled against India spinners, but this time the opening Test in Kolkata is expected to assist seam bowling, and offer bounce and reverse swing before it starts to turn from around the halfway mark.”I’m hoping that with the first Test in Kolkata, it’s generally quite a good place to bat, get good value for runs,” Smith said at an SA20 event in Mumbai. “And it’s a stadium that especially if it’s full, will really make the South Africans motivated to do well in. I think it’s crucial on these types of tours that you start well. If you get behind the game in the subcontinent, it’s very difficult to fight your way back. And the batters in particular are going to really have to step up.Related

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South Africa return to India without fear of the Turnado

Eden Gardens conditions could weaponise India, SA quicks

“The South African team will definitely be preparing for how they’re going to handle spin. But getting off to a solid start in your top three that can lay a platform for you [is crucial], there’s nothing worse than if you go two or three down and then the spinners come on and you’re against the game already.”I think South Africa arrived here with a decent bowling attack, especially in the spin department. [Keshav] Maharaj and [Simon] Harmer can definitely do damage, they can control the game and they have the ability to turn the ball, which is wicket-taking options with spin, and then to see how [Kagiso] Rabada and the likes handle reverse swing. But I think there’s good spin options for Temba [Bavuma] to use as well.”2:43

Philander: South Africa batters will carry IPL learnings into Tests

Du Plessis concurred with Smith that the confidence gained from having runs under the belt early will serve South Africa well and help start the series on a high note.”I feel generally your best chance at having success here (in India) is when you start the series well, especially as a batting unit, get a bit of confidence that you’ve got runs under the belt and you almost put the conditions a little bit out of your head,” du Plessis said. “Then the rest of the series definitely will feel easier versus starting and you’re under pressure and it’s low score, low score, you lose the first Test, ball’s spinning a bit more. Then it’s that expectation that this is going to be a hard tour for the team.”South Africa arrived in India after recently levelling the two-Test series 1-1 in Pakistan, four months after they won the ICC World Test Championship at Lord’s in June. Their last tour of the subcontinent before that was when they played two Tests in Bangladesh a year ago and won the series 2-0.”The guys have played really well in the subcontinent in the last 12 or 14 months when they’ve gone to Pakistan, they’ve played well,” du Plessis said. “So I’m expecting the wickets to be very much suited for spinning conditions. But it seems like the guys have really worked hard on it. But it will, very much, I think the first Test will be a big stepping stone for us, whether we’re going to do well or we’re going to struggle.”Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla were part of South Africa’s last Test win in India, in 2010•AFP

South Africa’s spin attack for this tour comprises Maharaj, Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy, who took a combined 33 wickets on their recent tour of Pakistan. According to Amla, that, along with how the South African batters tackled spin in Pakistan, was the best preparation for the tour of India.”…And the way he (Harmer) bowled, you see the confidence in his body, so I think he’s going to be a real handful,” Amla said. “And thankfully, he’s got Keshav Maharaj at the other end, who himself is probably one of the best left-arm spinners in the world. So it’s quite a formidable duo and we’re hoping that that will be good for South Africa and they do well.”From a bowling-attack perspective, I think the teams are pretty close. I think it’s the batting and the ability to get bigger runs on the board to allow your bowlers to exert that pressure is very important. And I think that’s going to be one of the biggest tests for both teams, is getting enough runs to allow your bowlers to win the game for you. The South African team have [has] quite a few inexperienced guys who have come to India for the first time, and I think that might also be an advantage for them, because you come to a new place where you haven’t played before, you have a lot less baggage of what happened before in previous tours and you come with a fresh mind.”Out of the eight in South Africa’s squad who haven’t played a Test in India before are frontline batters Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne. If the likes of de Zorzi and Rickelton can replicate their performances from the Pakistan tour – where each of them averaged over 50 – their lower order and bowling attack will be more than pleased to cash in on a good start.

Manchester City were delighted after VAR intervened to stop the award of a penalty to Real Madrid in just the second minute of the Champions League clash at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night. Vinicius Jr was seen punching the air in delight after the referee pointed to the spot, but Matheus Nunes' foul was adjudged to have happened just outside the box on a night where City ran out 2-1 victors over the Spaniards.

Thriller at the Bernabeu

The defeat puts significant pressure on Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, who has seen his side relinquish the lead at the top of La Liga to arch rivals Barcelona and now drop down the European rankings after losing to Pep Guardiola’s side. Rodrygo opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 28th minute with a low shot from a counter-attack, ending his long goal drought, but City responded quickly, with Nico O'Reilly poking home an equaliser from close range after a goalmouth scramble. Just before half-time, Erling Haaland converted a penalty after Antonio Rudiger fouled him in the box, sealing the comeback win for City. Despite a second-half push from Real, including a Jude Bellingham chip over the bar and an Endrick header clipping the crossbar, City held on to a crucial victory. The win moves Guardiola's men to fourth in the Champions League standings, while Real drop to seventh. 

But one of the main talking points from the evening will be the early would-be spot-kick, which was controversially overturned by VAR.

AdvertisementWatch the clipHaaland: 'We need to finish strong'

Speaking to after the match, Haaland told reporters: "Difficult to come here, it's a tough place. Game was a bit chaotic, we couldn't really control it. We get the win in the end, super happy. This is a place you want to play, these are games you want to play. With this new format in Champions League you get to play more games which is nice. I like it. It could have looked completely different today if we didn't win because of the Leverkusen defeat, this win is really important. Two more games left. We need to finish strong and hopefully we can be in the first eight because then we're through." 

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Getty Images SportKey man Mbappe misses out 

France superstar Kylian Mbappe was an unused substitute after picking up a muscle injury. And the French superstar's absence was a big miss for the hosts. Haaland added: "We know about their injuries, we have some too but they have many. You don't want anyone to be injured but we expected him to play. I expected to come up against Kylian today. But when a player like that is out – you're not happy because you want to play the best – but it gives you a bit of a psychological boost. You want to play the best players and after one minute (Raul) Asencio was trying to push me and beef with me which I like personally – I don't mind it. With Antonio Rudiger as well we have had some great battles, but today he wanted it too much and we got the penalty."