England’s senior batter prepares to return to ODI action, but talk of his technique for Australia’s pitches dominates

Cameron Ponsonby25-Oct-2025Little known fact. Joe Root has never made a hundred in Australia.It will be the sub-genre of the summer. A much anticipated Ashes series, in which one of the greats of the game has the chance to complete a caveat-free career. An away win, and a full set of centuries in every Test-hosting nation he has played. Except for Bangladesh and the UAE. They don’t rate him in Dhaka.Matthew Hayden confidently made the claim that if Root didn’t end the Aussie summer with a Test ton, he’d strip nude to run around the MCG. But others aren’t so sure.”Wrists limper than a French handshake,” former Aussie legspinner and broadcaster Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Sports. “It doesn’t work in Australia.””The first two Tests are huge for Joe Root. They’re nickers’ Tests. Perth? They nick for fun there. And Brisbane day-night? Everyone nicks in Bris.”Joe Root is a nicker. When he was last here, in his first eight innings he nicked off. Australia knows this. What will be his defensive set-up? I’m very bearish about Joe Root.”O’Keeffe’s argument is that Root previously chose to stay inside the ball, as he was of the belief they wouldn’t target him with the offcutter, only for a different weakness to appear, that meant he was playing away from his body.It is a rare technical examination of a player who has averaged 58.00 since Brendon McCullum took over, but a prescient one given Australia’s recent tendency to produce pitches that favour their seam bowlers. Since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, top-seven batters in Australia have averaged 30.22 per dismissal, compared to 38.14 in the four-year cycle before that. By contrast, England’s pitches have gone the other way. The average in the four years before McCullum’s appointment was 30.90; it has since been 38.94.”England play pretty well on the flatter wickets, the way they play,” Steve Smith said recently. “So, if there’s a bit in it like there has been the last three or four years, with our bowling attack, it certainly makes things a lot more difficult for their batters.”Nevertheless, Root sees no need to tamper with his technique. Arriving in New Zealand ahead of England’s three-match ODI series, it will be the final three hits he has before lining up against Australia in Perth.”A lot of that prep’s already started back home,” Root said, explaining how he’s balancing his preparation for an ODI series today with the carrot of the Ashes starting tomorrow.”I think how I’d prepare now is different to how I would have done 10 years ago. A lot more mental. I’ve clearly played against a lot of their guys now. Know how they operate, know what they’re likely to try to bring to the series.”I used to be very technical in how I prepared. I’d want to make sure that everything felt lined up and my feet were in the right place, my head was in the right place, whereas now I’m a little bit more concerned about how I’m looking at the game, how I’m going to approach different situations, whether that be the surface, whether that be different bowler types, different angles, and being able to manage those different angles when they come wide of the crease. Things like that.”Related

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This will be Root’s fourth Ashes tour. His individual record is respectable, averaging 35.68, but not befitting of a player of his own calibre. England’s record across that time, however, is diabolical: 15 matches, 13 defeats, two draws, zero wins.”They’re all different,” Root said of how the build-up to this series has compared to previous tours. “I look at it at this time and I’m in a completely different stage of my career. I’m no longer captain, I’m playing some really good cricket, and so are we. We’re playing in a really exciting way. We’ve got a great group of players that we can go there and hit them with different tools than we’ve had on previous tours, so when you look at it like that, it’s a really exciting prospect.”Clearly, Australia are really good in their own conditions, with a great record at home, especially against us, but that’s the exciting bit right? There’s an opportunity there to do something a bit different and hopefully achieve something really special.”Despite the ODI World Cup being two years away, these three matches against New Zealand are not without complete jeopardy. England are currently ranked eighth in the world after winning only eight of their last 23 fixtures. Failure to automatically qualify for the World Cup remains unlikely, but only if they nip in the bud a continued slide in the format.”I don’t think that’s necessarily anyone’s fault of what happened before,” Root said of the ODI group’s relative stability under Brook and McCullum, compared to previous leadership.”You look at the number of crossovers of Test series and one-dayers, it was physically impossible to get there. There was a one-day series against the Netherlands when we were playing a Test match at Old Trafford. You think how can that happen?”New Zealand themselves haven’t played an ODI since April, but remain ranked third in the world. The weighting of points in the ICC rankings is such that it presents a major opportunity for England to win some matches, and lift themselves away from any potential future problems.”I don’t think it’s arrogant to say you look at the quality that’s within our squad, and we’re not an eighth-in-the-world team,” Root said. “We should be competing and jostling for that top spot.”New Zealand are a very good team and if you try to sleepwalk into it or you’re preoccupied with what’s around the corner, then they’ll hurt us really badly. We want to keep making strides under Brooky after what was a difficult Champions Trophy. This is a great opportunity to build on what we started over the summer.”

To say Arsenal are in form at the moment would be an understatement.

Mikel Arteta’s side are flying and, following their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, are starting to get the recognition they deserve.

Moreover, while there is still a long way to go before anything is settled, the Gunners could go a long way in cementing their grip on the Premier League title race by beating Chelsea on Sunday.

However, it will be a tough game, and on top of Estevao, Arsenal may have to be on their toes regarding a certain Cole Palmer, who’s previously been compared to another international star the Gunners have been linked with.

Arsenal team news

Arsenal’s recent run of results and performances have been hugely impressive, and are made only more so by the fact that the team have been plagued by injuries.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, the team tore Tottenham Hotspur to pieces without a recognised number nine on the pitch, or bench for that matter, and without Gabriel Mageheles, who has arguably been their player of the season so far.

Fortunately, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are all back in contention again, with all three coming off the bench against Bayern.

Moreover, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta revealed that there is “a potential chance” that Leandro Trossard could be available for the game this weekend.

He was a little less clear when it came to Gabriel Jesus, as he confirmed that the striker took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly, but said “We have to see” when it comes to his availability for Sunday.

Finally, while it seems unlikely, the boss didn’t rule out the possibility of Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz making it into the squad, saying, “We have another day tomorrow, so let’s see how everybody is tomorrow.”

So, it’s mostly good news on the injury front for the Gunners, but the Blues have also received a big boost, with Enzo Maresca confirming that Palmer is now available to start the game.

The Englishman is a world-class player, and based on reports from earlier this month, Arsenal could potentially sign someone who has been compared to him in the past.

The Palmer-like star Arsenal could sign

Arsenal have already been linked with a host of seriously exciting players over the last month or so, but arguably the most exciting and the one who has been compared to Palmer is Michael Olise.

Now, it should be said that the two internationals, of course, have their differences, but according to FBref, the Englishman was the third-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Frenchman in the 23/24 Premier League season.

To gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached, you can take a look at the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked so closely.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.74

0.76

Key Passes

2.54

2.47

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.39

2.37

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.21

0.17

Live Passes

42.6

44.6

Shot-Creating Actions

5.79

5.57

Goal-Creating Actions

0.99

0.89

These metrics included things like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key and live passes, shot and goal-creating actions, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

In other words, both players were attacking monsters, both from a goalscoring perspective and a creative one.

Now, on top of the undeniable statistical similarities between them, they can also both be described as entertainers; they are players who’ll produce the output, but will also get the fans on their feet with a piece of skill and trickery.

Moreover, the pair of them are quite nonchalant in the way they go about their business on and off the pitch, making the former Crystal Palace star someone who’d probably fit in quite well at the Emirates.

Ultimately, while the comparisons to the Chelsea star are great, the Gunners should be looking to sign the Bayern Munich star regardless, as in just 74 appearances for the German giants, he has already produced 62 goal involvements, which more than justifies Serge Gnabry’s claim that the 23-year-old is “one of the best players in the world.”

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Rob Edwards has the unenviable task of keeping Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this season. It is fair to say he has his work cut out, with the Old Gold on just two points from the first 12 games.

His first game as manager of his former club didn’t go to plan, either. Edwards’ side were defeated 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace, to continue piling on the misery at Molineux.

Already nine points from safety, it seems a long way back for the Old Gold from this point, if they want to stay in the Premier League.

Things could get worse for the Old Gold soon, with one of their key players, Joao Gomes, linked with a move away as soon as January.

The latest on Joao Gomes' future at Wolves

It seems almost inevitable that Gomes will not be a Wolves player by the start of the 2026/27 season. Of course, if they are relegated, he will be snapped up, but a departure could happen as soon as the January transfer window.

Recent reports suggest that Manchester United are in advanced discussions to sign the 24-year-old this winter, as they look to strengthen in midfield. Indeed, the Old Gold could demand a fee of up to £44m if they are to sell their star midfielder this winter.

It would be a big loss, too. The 10-cap Brazil international has played in all 12 Premier League games this season. His ball-winning ability is imperative. Over the past year, he’s won an average of 2.15 tackles per game, placing him in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.

Yet, there is a silver lining to a potential sale. Gomes would raise a significant amount of funds for the Old Gold to reinvest in the squad, and although they would have to replace him in midfield, they could look to strengthen the squad to help keep them up.

However Gomes’ situation ends up, there is a member of the Wolves squad who they could perhaps look at selling first.

Wolves' priority sale should not be Gomes

After losing Matheus Cunha, also to the Red Devils, and Rayan Ait-Nouri to their rivals Manchester City in the summer, this season was naturally going to be harder. Yet, it has not been a season where all of their best players have stepped up after those sales.

One of those players is Jorgen Strand Larsen. The Norwegian was one of the Old Gold’s best players in 2024/25, bagging 14 Premier League goals in 35 games during his debut campaign.

However, things haven’t been as smooth this season for their number nine. In ten Premier League games this term, he’s only bagged one goal, coming in a 3-2 defeat against Burnley. That strike was a penalty, leaving him without an open play goal.

There has been a scathing assessment of his performances this season, too. Former Premier League scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Strand Larsen, who earns £95k-per-week, has made Wolves a “worse side”” this term because of his lack of goals, which were so important in the previous campaign.

There is a huge decline in his underlying stats from last term, too. In 2024/25, the former Celta Vigo striker averaged 1.2 shots on target and a shot accuracy of 69.39%. Comparatively, he’s averaging 0.6 shots on target and 45.45% shot accuracy this season.

Newcastle United were said to be interested in signing Strand Larsen over the summer. A fee in the region of £65m was quoted, and whilst the move did not materialise, it might be a sale Wolves now look to get over the line, be it to the Magpies or another club.

Like with Gomes, that is something they can reinvest in January, as they look to build a squad capable of, somehow, keeping them in the top flight. With Gomes’ importance to Edwards’ side, and the fact that he is in good form, it might make sense to sell Strand Larsen first.

It would be a bold call, but he is not scoring, and with prior interest, that is money that could hugely benefit Wolves in the second half of the season.

£55m spent & Hackney signs: Dream Wolves XI Edwards can build in January

This is the dream Wolves starting line-up that Rob Edwards could build in the January window.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 11, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a topsy-turvy spell over the last couple of years, with Ange Postecoglou’s reign one that was as turbulent to say the least.

The Aussie achieved a fifth-placed Premier League finish in the 2023/24 campaign, but he was ultimately unable to replicate such levels in his final year in North London.

He could only guide the Lilywhites to a 17th-placed finish last time around, subsequently losing 22 games in the process – the most of any side who haven’t been relegated from England’s top-flight.

However, the 60-year-old did win the Europa League last campaign, ending the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy, but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the role in North London.

He was subsequently sacked in the summer, with Thomas Frank taking the reins as a result, with the Dane potentially wanting to offload numerous of the Aussie’s additions in the upcoming window.

The players who could leave Spurs in the January window

During Postecoglou’s tenure at Spurs, he made numerous high-profile additions, with Dominic Solanke arriving in a club-record £65m transfer from Bournemouth in 2024.

Such excitement was generated given the nature of the transfer fee, but ultimately, his move to North London has been a failure, with injuries massively halting his progress of late.

The 28-year-old has only featured for a total of 31 league minutes in 2025/26, with Frank often unable to call upon the Englishman when needed during the early months of his tenure.

As a result, the manager may look to move the centre forward on in January, according to recent reports, which could allow for added investment in a new striker to bolster the attacking department.

He could also be joined in departing the club by numerous other players, with Manor Solomon a player who is seemingly edging closer to the exit door.

Like Solanke, the Israeli international joined under Ange’s guidance, but he’s also struggled to make the impact he would’ve envisaged upon his switch to North London.

He’s only made six senior appearances for the Lilywhites, even being sent on various loan spells – with the 26-year-old currently spending the year on loan at Spanish side Villarreal.

However, his tally of five combined goals and assists in just six games could lead to a permanent exit, which could bring his two and a half year spell at the club to an end.

The Spurs player who may now need to leave

The lowly Premier League finish last season highlights the job Frank has had on his hands since taking over, but the Dane has been unable to fully fix the problems at Spurs.

His side currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League 2025/26, even sitting 10th in the Champions League table, but the underlying problems are still evident.

The Lilywhites have only won one game on home soil in England’s top-flight to date, with such a record placing them second bottom for home form in the division.

However, away from home, the club appear unstoppable, with Frank’s men winning four and drawing one of their five league outings – subsequently boasting the best record in the league.

Other problems are also evident within the first-team squad, with Brennan Johnson a player who has seen his form take a nose-dive over the last couple of months.

The Welshman joined in a £47.5m transfer from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, with many supporters raising eyebrows at the nature of the fee.

Last season was by far and away his best of his career in North London, as the 24-year-old ended 2024/25 on a total of 18 goals across all competitions – the highest of any player in the squad.

However, Mohammed Kudus’ arrival has pushed the Welsh international down the pecking order and highlighted his struggles which were masked by his goalscoring tally last year.

Johnson has only started five times in the league to date, only scoring on two occasions, with his last effort in England’s top-flight coming way back in August.

His underlying figures further suggest he’s underperforming this year, with Frank desperately needing to sell the £100k-per-week star in the upcoming window.

Johnson has only completed 0.5 dribbles per 90 at a success rate of just 42%, which has led to criticism from the supporters over his lack of talent at getting past his opponents.

Games played

11

Games started

5

Goals scored

2

Dribbles completed

0.5

Dribble success rate

42%

Shots on target

0.3

Shot on target accuracy

30%

Big chances missed

2

In front of goal, he’s been just as terrible, only achieving a total of 0.3 shots on target per 90, at an accuracy rate of just 30% – with the winger unable to match his goalscoring heights from last year.

In the view of talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, he’s a “work in progress” and a “speedboat without a brain”.

Given Kudus’ arrival and Johnson’s lack of impact, it would be a surprise to no one if the club decided to cash in on his services to avoid losing a small fortune on their investment.

It’s clear both parties need a fresh start in the months ahead, which could allow the club to invest needed funds in other areas to help them rise up the Premier League table in the second half of the season.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

Having declared overnight, India completed their demolition of WI after lunch on day three

Alagappan Muthu04-Oct-20255:02

Chopra: Gulf between India, West Indies there for everyone to see

Ravindra Jadeja has been building a case to be one of the best allrounders in the game. A four-for to follow a hundred against West Indies to start the new home season was just the latest evidence he offered in favour of that argument. On the back of his 104 not out and 4 for 54, India completed an innings win with two-and-a-half days to spare.A proud record stood tall between February 22, 2013 and October 25, 2024. It buckled 24 hours later. India lost a Test series on home soil for the first time in nearly 12 years. Many of the players who had contributed to that run are now retired, including Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara. But Jadeja remains.He was there when India began that run against Australia in Chennai. He was there when New Zealand broke them last year in Pune. And he was there once again, lifting them back up against West Indies now. At 36 years old, it is unclear how much cricket is left in him but it was poetic that in the first of 66 Tests that India had to play at home without R Ashwin, his old pal came up with a hundred and a four-for.ESPNcricinfo LtdAlick Athanaze carried the West Indies flag, showing why he is rated as a good player of spin. He picked up length well. He was decisive going forward or back. And he remembered to put pressure back, two rock-solid reverse sweeps for four and one sumptuous cover drive for three highlighted his process. All of those scoring shots were against half-volleys that were well wide of the stumps. This is the judgment and the competence that convinced the coach Daren Sammy and the management to bring him back into the Test side.India, though, kept placing new threats in front of Athanaze. Jasprit Bumrah hit him on the helmet. Washington Sundar tested him with the ball turning away. They were waiting for Athanaze to be just slightly off with his process and eventually, after 73 balls, he was, closing the face of the bat, baited by an offbreak that pitched on middle. Washington took a simple catch, which then led to a symbolic representation of West Indies’ batting in this Test.Jomel Warrican tried to impose himself on Mohammed Siraj, swinging as hard as he could, only for his bat to fly out of his grip and land at square leg. The ball meanwhile settled in mid-off’s hands.Alick Athanaze offered some resilience for West Indies•Getty ImagesWest Indies are a side still building its best batters. Ahead of this tour, they were shorn of two of their best bowlers. This informed the challenge they could pose. They are struggling to find a better opener than John Campbell, 32, who is the third-most experienced player in this XI. He has 23 caps and in all that time, he has no centuries. Even in first-class cricket, after 101 matches, he has only nine centuries. In Ahmedabad, he fell for 8 and 14. The only slightly younger Tagenarine Chanderpaul finished with 0 and 8. Top-order returns like that just won’t do.Jadeja is sometimes accused of being that left-arm spinner who just fires the ball in and lets the pitch do its work. But he knows how to work batters out too. He saw Brandon King lunging forward to try and smother the turn and that helped him once. He hit a crisp cover drive for four. It also led to his downfall as Jadeja recalibrated his flight. It was still full so it triggered King’s instinct to get on the front foot. But he had no way of getting to the pitch of this one. Having committed to the shot, he ended up vulnerable to the turn and presented a straightforward catch to slip. All this happened in the space of two overs. In that small period of time, Jadeja turned what the batter thought was a strength into a weakness.Siraj was the other bowler among the wickets, taking five or more over the course of a home Test for the first time.West Indies lost 10 wickets in two sessions on the first day. They did it again on the third day. Only two players got into the 30s. Only two faced 50 or more balls. They have five days to address these problems before the start of the second game in Delhi. The wait to win a Test match against India in India, which is into its 31st year, continues.

All the key numbers as UAE come from 1-0 down to take the T20I series against Bangladesh

Sampath Bandarupalli22-May-20251 Number of series wins for UAE against a Full Member team in any format, before their 2-1 T20I series win against Bangladesh. They defeated Ireland in a three-match T20I series in 2021. UAE won back-to-back games after losing the first match to clinch the series on both occasions.3 T20I series losses for Bangladesh against Associate nations, including their latest defeat against UAE. They lost a three-match series against the USA last year by a 2-1 margin and lost in a one-off fixture against Scotland in 2012.Namibia are the only Associate nation besides UAE and USA to win a series of three or more matches against a Full Member team in men’s T20Is. They defeated Zimbabwe twice in a five-match T20I series in 2022 and 2023.7 Runs conceded by Haider Ali in his four overs on Wednesday are the fewest by a player from an Associate nation while bowling his full quota against a Full Member team in a men’s T20I.The previous fewest was nine runs by Amir Hamza for Afghanistan against West Indies in the 2016 T20 World Cup. Only six bowlers have conceded fewer than seven runs in their four overs in a men’s T20I against Full Member teams.1 Haider Ali’s effort is the most economical return in a men’s T20I at Sharjah. Those seven runs are also the joint-fewest conceded in four overs in all men’s T20s at the venue, alongside Shahid Afridi in a PSL 2016 game.206 Target that UAE successfully chased against Bangladesh in the second T20I, the highest for an Associate nation against a Full Member in the format. The previous highest was 191 by Afghanistan against Zimbabwe in 2015.UAE’s chase of 206 was their highest in T20Is and also the highest for any team on UAE soil in this format.2 Number of Associate teams with 200-plus totals against a Full Member in T20Is, before UAE’s effort against Bangladesh in the 206-run chase. Afghanistan made 215 for 6 against Zimbabwe in 2016, while Scotland posted 213 for 6 against Ireland in 2023.78 Runs that Bangladesh added after the fall of their eighth wicket on Wednesday. Only three teams scored more runs after losing their eighth wicket in a men’s T20I. Bangladesh had partnerships of 44 for the ninth wicket and 34 for the tenth, both being their highest in T20Is.

MatériaMais Notícias

Falcão, o Rei do Futsal, não poupou elogios ao falar de Leozinho, ex-melhor jovem do mundo na modalidade e hoje atacante do Athletico. O ídolo foi o grande homenageado da noite no Prêmio Sou do Esporte, realizado no Copacabana Palace e, em entrevista exclusiva ao Lance!, demonstrou grande orgulho pela trajetória de Leozinho, que fez a difícil transição do futsal para o futebol de campo, alcançando recentemente a Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasMais EsportesFalcão se emociona em homenagem e grita pelas campeãs do futsal femininoMais Esportes10/12/2025Mais EsportesSamir Xaud, presidente da CBF, fala sobre investimento no futsal após título históricoMais Esportes10/12/2025Mais EsportesNo Prêmio Sou do Esporte, Lars Grael analisa o momento da vela brasileiraMais Esportes10/12/2025

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Conhecido como o “Príncipe do Futsal”, Leozinho deixou o topo das quadras para buscar o sonho de brilhar no campo. Falcão destacou que essa decisão exigiu uma coragem e uma paciência que poucos atletas teriam.

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Falcão enfatizou que, no futsal, Leozinho já tinha uma carreira consolidada e um futuro financeiro garantido, o que torna sua decisão de recomeçar no campo ainda mais admirável:

— Primeiro que o Leozinho foi muito corajoso de ter insistido, até porque no futsal ele já tinha o reconhecimento. E ele tinha tudo para ser o maior salário do futsal mundial, devido a não só o que ele jogava, mas também o que ele vendia. Eu acho que depois de mim, do Ricardinho, era um atleta para vender bem o esporte – afirmou.

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O craque relembrou a jornada desafiadora de Leozinho, que precisou começar por divisões inferiores do futebol para subir degrau por degrau até a elite:

— Ele começou de baixo. Jogou a Série C, a Série B, agora subiu para a Série A. E a insistência dele é o mérito dele. Eu não teria essa paciência, como o Manoel Tobias não teve, como os outros jogadores não tiveram. Então tem que tirar o chapéu para ele e desejar muita sorte para ele.

Falcão, que também tentou a transição para o futebol de campo na época em que jogou pelo São Paulo (onde teve poucas oportunidades sob o comando do técnico Leão), reconhece a dificuldade da mudança e parabenizou o jovem talento pela perseverança e sucesso alcançado.

Tudo sobre

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أسدل الستار على مباريات الجولة الثالثة ودور المجموعات بالكامل في بطولة كأس العرب 2025، والمقامة على الأراضي القطرية.

وانطلقت بطولة كأس العرب 2025، في دولة قطر، بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا، في الأول من ديسمبر وستنتهي في 18 من الشهر ذاته.

وشهدت مرحلة المجموعات توديع منتخب مصر الثاني البطولة بعد الخسارة أمام الأردن بثلاثة أهداف نظيفة، اليوم الثلاثاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة.

وودع منتخب مصر بطولة كأس العرب بعد احتلاله المركز الثالث برصيد نقطتين، فيما تأهل عن هذه المجموعة منتخبا الأردن الذي حقق العلامة الكاملة بتسع نقاط، والإمارات في الوصافة، برصيد 4 نقاط.

ومن المجموعة الأولى، تأهل إلى دور الـ 8 “ربع النهائي”، كل من فلسطين وسوريا في المركزين الأول والثاني على الترتيب برصيد 5 نقاط لكل منهما.

وفي المجموعة الثانية، حسم منتخبا المغرب والسعودية تأهلهما إلى دور ربع النهائي بعدما أنهيا دور المجموعات في المركزين الأول والثاني.

وفي المجموعة الرابعة، حسم منتخب الجزائر تأهله إلى دور الـ 8، متصدرًا المجموعة، ثم منتخب العراق في الوصافة.

طالع.. بالمواعيد | مواجهات دور الـ 8 من كأس العرب 2025 ترتيب مجموعات كأس العرب 2025 بعد انتهاء دور المجموعاتترتيب المجموعة الأولى بعد انتهاء دور المجموعات

1- فلسطين، 5 نقاط.

2- سوريا، 5 نقاط.

3- تونس، 4 نقاط.

4- قطر، نقطة. ترتيب المجموعة الثانية بعد انتهاء دور المجموعات

1- المغرب، 7 نقاط.

2- السعودية، 6 نقاط.

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Despite breaking records and leading MLB in both home runs and RBIs during the 2025 season, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh fell short of winning the American League MVP award on Thursday night.

Raleigh finished second in the AL MVP voting to Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who had a tremendous season himself. Judge finished with 17 first-place votes and 13 second-place votes from the BBWAA as Raleigh garnered 13 first-place votes and 17 second-place votes.

While Judge’s season in itself was MVP-worthy, there’s an argument to be made that Raleigh was more deserving of the award for his campaign in 2025.

Since Judge was announced the winner, let’s break down two key reasons Raleigh was snubbed.

Cal Raleigh had a historic season at catcher

It’s not just that Cal Raleigh led the league in both home runs and RBIs, it’s that he put up historic offensive production for a catcher. Sure, Raleigh’s batting average was lower than Judge or any other catcher that’s won MVP, but he hit significantly more home runs than any catcher in league history.

With his 60 home runs this season, Raleigh shattered the previous record of 48 home runs by a catcher in a season. He also hit more than double the home runs than the two catchers that won MVP this century, Buster Posey and Joe Mauer. To top it all off, he broke Mickey Mantle’s record for the most home runs in a season by a switch-hitter as well.

Additionally, Raleigh’s 125 RBIs would have tied the third-most by an MVP-winning catcher, and both his OPS and WAR were in the upper-half of catchers that won MVP. 

The MVP award was a battle and comparison between Raleigh and Judge, but more weight should have been placed on the historic accomplishments Raleigh achieved in comparison to other catchers. 

Cal Raleigh’s defense made him the more valuable player

The MVP award is not the award for the best hitter—that’s the Hank Aaron Award. Though Judge’s hitting production dwarfs Raleigh’s, he did not have the all-around impact that Raleigh did. 

While the MVP voting rules for the BBWAA state that there is no clear-cut definition for what an MVP is, the rules from 1931 do say, “Actual value of a player to his team, that is, strength of offense and defense.”

So sure, Judge has the edge based on pure offense, but Raleigh’s work offensively and as a catcher make him the better MVP candidate. Due to an elbow injury, Judge was a designated hitter for the Yankees in 56 games this season. In comparison, Raleigh was a DH in 38 games.

As a catcher, Raleigh has significantly more responsibility on every single pitch than Judge does in the outfield—and he handled that exceptionally through the year. He finished sixth in defensive runs saved above average and recorded all his offensive production while simultaneously catching more innings than anyone else in MLB, all without a passed ball.

To combine the physical toll of playing catcher at a high level while also achieving unprecedented production at his position should have been more than enough to make Raleigh the MVP.

Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco is on an incredible heater at the right time.

Seattle demolished the Blue Jays 10-3 in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series Monday, extending their lead to 2-0 as they move two wins away from the World Series. Polanco went 2-for-5 on the night, with a massive three-run home run in the fifth inning that broke a tie at three runs apiece.

The big homer continues a streak of clutch hitting for the 12-year veteran. In Sunday's Game 1, he had two RBI singles. The first gave the Mariners the lead in the sixth and the second added an insurance run in the eighth as Seattle held onto a 3-1 win.

He came up big in the marathon Game 5 of the AL Division Series against the Tigers, hitting the walk-off single that finally ended the game in the 15th inning and sent the M's to their first ALCS since 2001. With Polanco's clutch streak, he became the first player in MLB history to have a go-ahead hit in the fifth inning or later in three consecutive postseason games, according to OptaSTATS.

Over the regular season, Polanco slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 homers and 78 RBIs. He now has three homers in the postseason after the first two came in Game 2 of the ALDS against Tarik Skubal, which helped lift Seattle to a 3-2 win in their first victory of the series.

The Mariners had just one day off between the wild 15-inning game against Detroit and Game 1 of the ALCS where they had to travel to Toronto. They incredibly grabbed the first two games on the road and now just need to win two of three at home for a trip to the World Series, which would be the franchise's first trip to the Fall Classic.

Polanco signed a one-year, $7.75 million deal to return to Seattle for his second season this year. That contract is paying off in a massive way.