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Their margin of victory has heaped pressure on England and given Richie Berrington’s team the chance of a famous progression

Vithushan Ehantharajah09-Jun-2024A lot of things can get sorted over a drink. A business deal, a second date – even an end to dating altogether. Over a couple of chugs of water and isotonic formula, Brandon McMullen and Matthew Cross decided to sort something among themselves. Why not blow this Group B wide open?It was during the drinks break after 10 overs of the chase, with Scotland just 41 away from overhauling Oman’s par score of 150 for 7, that the license for the kill officially came through from captain Richie Berrington. Granted, 60 runs had come from the four overs that followed the powerplay. But for the first time in the innings, the conversation out in the middle turned to the prospect of pumping up that net run rate.”The priority was to win and get the points, but at drinks we said, ‘we should get this done’,” revealed McMullen later. And how.Just 3.1 overs were needed to dust off what remained: 34 of them in boundaries, three of them sixes. McMullen finished on 61 not out, Cross unbeaten on 15. The wicketkeeper-batter even went as far as chastising himself for missing out on a cut shot off Ayaan Khan at the end of a 13th over that had already gone for 20 because it could have finished the job a ball earlier. Scotland even overshot their target by two, finishing on 153 for 3.That’s how serious they were about notching a statement win that now forms the backdrop of the next seven days. The column showing Scotland’s five points to put them top of Group B is now rivalled for relevance by the adjacent one reading “2.164”. Scotland’s NRR is currently 3.964 better than England’s – their likeliest challengers for a Super Eight spot – who can now only equal their points tally.The onus is on Jos Buttler’s men who will have to thrash Oman and Namibia in their next two games. And even that might not be enough. Enter the tantalising prospect of England rooting for Australia to inflict enough damage on Scotland in the final match of Group B to reduce the run-rate figure.The defending champions relying on favours from their enemy. Perhaps nothing sums up just how well Scotland have done in this World Cup more than that sentence right there.Comparisons are flimsy at this juncture, given skewed sample sizes (Scotland’s two-and-a-half matches to England’s one-and-a-half) and differing opponents. But there’s a serenity to Scotland that England are missing and might not find. A control of their own destiny. Heck, even something as simple as comfort. The kind that should come more naturally to three-time World Cup winners across formats than a team who usually arrive at ICC events having to qualify to be let in having already qualified to be let in.The first half of this match was by no means crisp. George Munsey dropped Pratik Athavale over the fence for six to take Oman batter to fifty. Cross missed the chance to stump Ayaan on 14, allowing him to bat through to the end, finishing unbeaten on 41.The chase should not have been as high as it was. And there were portents for awkwardness against a side that had Australia fretting. Scotland responded with 50 for 1 in the first six overs, their most productive powerplay yet. At that stage, Australia had only managed 37 for the loss of Travis Head against a combination of Bilal Khan, Kaleemullah and Mehran Khan.Much like Bridgetown, Antigua’s North Sound had itself a short boundary and an assisting breeze. Before McMullen and Cross utilised it for a quick finish, the early going was made straight and true or with the odd shuffle down the pitch to pierce the infield. Then Munsey dipped into his bag of sweeps once the fielding restrictions had been lifted – notably with back-to-back reverse swept sixes off opposition captain Aqib Ilyas – and the rest piled in.In a tournament that has largely played out on slower, grippier surfaces so far, Scotland’s malleable top six can lay claim to being the most in form, with the receipts to prove it. Munsey and Michael Jones started with an unbroken 90 against England. Berrington and Michael Leask stunned Namibia with an expertly rescued second innings, before McMullen – the team’s first half-centurion on this trip – and Cross did their bits here. All are striking above 130 through attacking whenever possible, buying into a broader team edict of aggression while encouraging batters to find their best ways of achieving that. McMullen’s wristy hockey strikes through a V of mid-on to forward square leg was a shining example of that.This is already shaping up as the best of Scotland’s nine appearances at global ICC events. It will be confirmed outright if they make it through to the next stage. Of course, they do not need to beat Australia on Sunday to do that. Losing in style works just as well. Not that they’re entertaining the latter. Why would they given how things have run for them thus far?”We’re just going to have to be the quickest team to adapt when we get there and assess out the conditions first,” said McMullen, reciting from a well-worn but effective playbook. “And then just go and play our brand of cricket.”It is hard to remember a time when Scotland had such a clear brand of cricket, so instep with modern trends and yet equally adaptable. It will face its strongest test next weekend. That glory sits on either side of the result is more a condition of their excellence than the whims of weather and scheduling. Most of all, it has been earned.

The former allrounder also backs Harry Tector to deliver at the big stage

Sreshth Shah15-Oct-20222:07

Kevin O’Brien: ‘Harry Tector’s progress has been super’

Kevin O’Brien’s retirement, earlier this year, meant that Ireland’s biggest World Cup matchwinner – historically at least – will not be with them for the first time since the side played their maiden T20 World Cup game way back in 2009.Those are some big shoes to fill for Ireland at a global event, trying to qualify out of the first round before the big teams await, but O’Brien has earmarked two 22-year-olds to fill that void – Josh Little and Harry Tector. The reason? Just like O’Brien, the duo is not scared by the big stage, they enjoy it instead.Little, the left-arm swing bowler with two younger sisters also playing for Ireland, caught global attention last year with his control, and even made ESPNcricinfo’s ODI team of the year in 2021.During the home season this year which included visits from India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Afghanistan, he sustained the control. But most impressive was his stint with Manchester Originals at the Hundred, where he took important top-order wickets to finish as the competition’s joint fourth-highest wicket-taker, while also adding a mean bouncer to his artillery. Both those qualities could prove deadly in the first round, where Ireland are up against West Indies, Zimbabwe and Scotland.1:21

Kevin O’Brien: ‘The wickets in Australia will suit Andy Balbirnie’s game’

“Josh is the leader of the attack even though he is very young,” O’Brien told ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the Legends League Cricket tournament recently. “He is relatively early in his international career but he has taken the mantle on his shoulders and he is performing well. For Ireland to go deep into the tournament, they need Josh bowling well, Josh taking wickets.”With Josh, he is a wicket-taker. The thing is that Josh likes playing on the big stage, in front of big crowds, that doesn’t faze him. He likes being put under pressure and likes a challenge and rising to the occasion. That is going to stand somebody in good stead at the World Cup when every game can be a pressure game. I expect Josh to go out there and perform well and take wickets.”As for Tector, the middle brother in a trio of siblings who have all represented Ireland across various age groups, the big stage brings the best out of him, according to O’Brien. Usually, a specialist batter at No. 4 or No. 5, Tector stands tall when the quicks run in, and has a compact transition into his shots, be it driving on the up off the front foot or rocking back to pull from inside the crease.His apparent comfort in playing top-class bowling was evident when he scored 64 not out off 33 balls and 39 off 28 against India in the two T20Is over the summer. Even though the ODI format is where Tector has thrived the most – scoring a hat-trick of half-centuries in the West Indies in early 2022 and two centuries in three ODIs against New Zealand during the home summer – O’Brien believes his recent match-time with Barbados Royals at the 6ixty and the CPL will help him transition those skills into the T20 format.Josh Little had an impressive stint at the Hundred•Sportsfile/Getty Images”Harry likes being in the limelight, in the middle,” O’Brien said. “He has got a very calm head on his shoulders. He knows how to time a run-chase well. That’s an important attribute batting at No. 4 in limited-overs cricket. That’s important, to stay with the rate, whatever it is. To be able to stay within touching reach of it. And obviously come home as well.”The one thing Ireland need to improve – if they are to come out of the first round as one of the top two teams in their group, and have a head-turning run in the Super 12s – is to not let the game slip away when they are in strong positions. During the second T20I against India, they nearly chased down 226 only to fall short by four runs. And then against New Zealand, they lost two ODIs they could have won, by one wicket and one run respectively.Related

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“The big thing that the team probably will take [from the defeats] is the fine margins against the better teams in the world,” O’Brien said. “I think World Cup cricket, tournament cricket, that’s different from playing series all the time. The first group [round] is three games. You win three games and you qualify, so obviously you want to play good attacking, aggressive, fearless cricket. But ultimately you want to win the game.”You have got to adapt to situations that are dealt to you on the current day. If that means you play a bit reservedly or within yourself to be there till the end of the match and win the game, then that’s what you must do. Ultimately that is the challenge for the team – to play according to what the situation dictates.”Ireland, led by Andy Balbirnie, begin their World Cup campaign against Zimbabwe in Hobart on Monday. They stay in the same city for their next two matches, against Scotland (Wednesday) and West Indies (Friday). They had an ordinary warm-up, however, losing to Namibia and having their Sri Lanka fixture washed out.

Vasoo Paranjape was a one-man operation of scouting, captaincy and coaching, whose influence spans cricket generations

Sidharth Monga01-Oct-2020That one word is enough to drive up the wall any cricket person not from Mumbai. It is a Hindi/Marathi term for the city’s cussed approach to cricket, especially with a bat in hand. For decades in independent India, Mumbai managed to dominate Indian cricket, both in terms of domestic competition and national representation. As a result, every little thing about Mumbai was glorified, with every second headline on the cricket pages hailing the virtues of cricket.As other states began to enjoy greater access to resources and knowledge, they started to compete in domestic cricket and their players began to represent India. Now everyone from former cricketers to coaches to journalists bemoans the death of this mythical creature, the cricketer.The authors of are due congratulations that they use the word “” only once in a book about someone whose playing career was built on club cricket in Mumbai and 29 first-class games for Mumbai and Baroda. And that use is to say that Rohit Sharma is not your typical Mumbai cricketer.Nor was Vasoo Paranjape, the subject of the book, a typical Mumbai cricket person. He was so far ahead of his time, he was run out backing up on his Harris Shield debut despite warnings from his captain and senior players. He took it on the chin – the price you risk paying when you try to steal an advantage. He was not cussed but aggressive, and by all accounts an attractive cricketer. His outlook was not hyperlocal but global, his views not archaic but modern.Which is why cricketers not only from Mumbai, and not only of a certain vintage or a certain style, have come together to write essays in tribute to a coach, colleague, captain, mentor, father figure and consultant. From Sunil Gavaskar in central Mumbai to Rohit Sharma in the northern suburbs, Rahul Dravid in Karnataka, Yuvraj Singh in Punjab and Ed Smith in Kent, Paranjape touched and enriched a large variety of cricketing lives.In an era of professionalism and the IPL, where scouts and consequent opportunities make sure talent is identified and exposed to high-level coaching, this is an important book. It recognises the time when this one-man operation of scouting, captaincy, coaching and playing helped shape many a career. All the contributors speak highly of Paranjape’s contribution to their careers, of his great cricketing acumen, of his eye for talent, of his sense of humour (part of which gets lost in translation). In response, Paranjape himself writes a brief piece on his memories of each of the players the first time he saw them.Penguin IndiaIt is a format that works for this book – letting great cricketers talk about Paranjape and then Paranjape talking about them – but it can also leave you frustrated at times because cricketers can find it difficult to explain things they understand easily. They can articulate his generosity, but it is difficult to figure out what exactly made Paranjape the cricket figure he was. Why, for instance, in the words of Darshak Mehta, a former Kanga league player and now chairman of the LBW Fund in New South Wales, for 25 years, if there was a rain delay in a Kanga league game, you just sat there playing cards or gossiping or “talking Vasoo”.It is not easy for every cricketer to tell you why. Until you get to the essays from Sharma and Singh. That’s when you realise Paranjape worked subtly. He made technical adjustments without players even realising it. Sharma knows Paranjape is always watching him. Whenever he meets Jatin Paranjape, Vasoo’s son and now a national selector, Sharma asks him, “Anything?” He is looking for any little piece of advice Vasoo might have asked Jatin to relay.There is no substitute for these faceless scouts who nurture cricketers from a beginners level, offering not only cricketing education but also life skills when required, or an invisible helping hand when life is tough. They do it not for recognition or money, but out of love for the game.Paranjape was always there wherever the cricket was, in his floppy hat, smoking a cigarette, watching from the background, rarely imposing himself but fine-tuning the talent he had spotted. The authors of the book – Jatin Paranjape and cricket writer Anand Vasu – have done a similar job. They haven’t imposed themselves on this book but have nurtured and directed it through the voices of the individuals Paranjape most enriched.

MatériaMais Notícias

Geovani Silva, ídolo lendário do Vasco, está internado por conta de uma desidratação, causada por uma inflamação e infecção do intestino. Fazem 10 dias que o ex-jogador se trata no Hospital MedSênior, em Vitória, no Espírito Santo.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

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O ídolo do Vasco informou nas redes sociais a sua atual situação médica. Na postagem, Geovani disse que está fazendo um tratamento com suplementos e medicamentos de forma gradual. Segundo o ex-jogador, ele já sente uma melhora.

Além disso, Geovani também agradeceu as mensagens e orações. O ídolo do Vasco espera voltar a se encontrar com os amigos.

– Infelizmente tive que ser internado por uma desidratação por conta de um problema de inflamação e infecção no meu intestino. Estou desde o dia 12/03 sendo tratado pelo time do hospital MedSênior, com dieta controlada, havendo boa evolução e bons resultados no momento. Continuo por aqui, realizando o tratamento com suplementos e medicações de forma gradual para que eu possa estar mais forte e melhor para encontrar novamente com os amigos! Agradeço a todos pelas mensagens e orações, pois Deus tem me sustentado, vivendo e melhorando a cada dia – postou Geovani.

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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl will be looking to mastermind his first-ever win in European football against Ferencvaros in the Europa League on Thursday night.

After a 3-0 win against Kilmarnock away from Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night, the German boss will be hoping that his players are full of confidence and ready to secure that first win of the league phase.

Several players will need to raise their levels, though, because too many members of the squad have failed to perform on the European stage this season.

The worst Rangers performers in the Europa League this season

When looking at the worst performers for the Gers in the Europa League, it is impossible to look past Mohamed Diomande as the standout player for the wrong reasons.

The Ivorian central midfielder has been sent off two times in three appearances in the competition, remarkably, and it is hard to get much worse than that.

Youssef Chermiti, who was signed for £8m from Everton, has challenged Diomande for that spot, though, with no goals and four ‘big chances’ missed in five starts, per Sofascore, in the league phase.

Ranking Rangers’ worst performers in 25/26 Europa League

Rank

Player

1

Mohamed Diomande

2

Youssef Chermiti

3

Thelo Aasgaard

4

Oliver Antman

5

Jayden Meghoma

Summer signings Thelo Aasgaard and Oliver Antman also rank in the worst five performers, as they have both failed to deliver a goal or an assist and both average under one key pass per game, per WhoScored.

The attacking duo have also struggled in the Premiership, with one goal and two assists combined, but they are not the only attacking players who have underperformed, as Djeidi Gassama must be dropped for Thursday’s game.

Why Djeidi Gassama should be dropped by Danny Rohl

The summer signing from Sheffield Wednesday made an electric start to his career at Ibrox with four goals in six games in the Champions League qualifiers.

Since then, though, the French forward has found it tough to make an impact on a regular basis, with one goal in 15 Premiership games and one goal in five outings in the Europa League, per Sofascore.

At the end of last month, Rangers fan and scout Kai Watson posted that Gassama “deserves just as much criticism as Antman & Aasgaard”, which is a fair comment when you look at their respective performances in the Premiership.

As aforementioned, the Frenchman has not delivered much in the way of quality in the league for the Gers, and he blanked again in the 3-0 win over Kilmarnock, with no goals, assists, or ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore. He also lost the ball a whopping 23 times.

25/26 Premiership

Gassama

Antman & Aasgaard

Games

15

22

Goals

1

1

Big chances missed

3

3

Big chances created

1

2

Assists

1

2

Stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, Aasgaard and Antman’s combined output in the Premiership is better than Gassama’s, which shows that he has not been at a level above the pair this season in the league.

These statistics show that all three of those summer signings have failed to provide goals and assists on a regular basis for the Light Blues, and that is also reflected in their combined return of one goal and no assists in the Europa League.

With this in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Gassama from the starting line-up for Thursday evening’s clash with Ferencvaros because he has not offered enough quality in the final third of late.

Instead, the ex-Sheffield Wednesday manager should bring Mikey Moore back into the fold after he marked his return from injury with an impressive goal against Kilmarnock.

The Spurs loanee has scored two goals in his last two appearances for Rangers, and it would have been three if not for VAR ruling out his second goal against Killie for an innocuous foul in the build-up.

Moore is starting to show that he can be a difference-maker in the final third, with two goals and one assist in the league, and should be given an opportunity to shine from the start ahead of Gassama on Thursday.

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Posts ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2025

Head coach Sanath Jayasuriya couldn’t believe Sri Lanka had bottled yet another last over against India in their Asia Cup Super Fours game in Dubai.Their loss instantly brought back memories from July 2024, when they squandered what should have been a straightforward chase against India. On that scarcely believable night in Pallekele, Sri Lanka needed just nine runs from two overs with six wickets in hand. Yet, they stumbled against the bowling of Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav as the game went into a Super Over, where they managed just one run, which Suryakumar took one delivery to score.On Friday, Sri Lanka needed 12 runs to win in the last over with six wickets remaining and centurion Pathum Nissanka on strike. But he fell immediately and when Dasun Shanaka hit the last ball towards wide long-on with Sri Lanka needing three to win, there was a chance of closing out the game in regulation time. Except, Shanaka sprawled a full-length dive to complete the second run to level the scores, anticipating the throw to be fired at his end, completely unaware that Kuldeep Yadav had misfielded and that there could have been a chance for a third. It meant the game was to be decided in the Super Over, where Sri Lanka stumbled again.Related

• Why was Shanaka not given run out in the Super Over drama?

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“I would’ve preferred to finish games in normal time,” Jayasuriya said at the post-match press conference. “No captain or coach wants to go to a Super Over. Unfortunately, Dasun missed completing the third run. But no, there’s no mental block against India. Our batting line-up is strong, and we’ve given them confidence. Chasing 200 (203) is never easy, but we almost did it, which shows the quality we have.”There is no doubting Sri Lanka’s class or quality, and few embody it better than Nissanka. Having first broken through as a Test batter in 2021, he has since blossomed into a formidable white-ball player. Just last week, after the group stage, Nissanka spoke glowingly of Jayasuriya’s influence, and the freedom the coach has given him to develop a niche, along with a leeway for mistakes. On Friday, he repaid that faith in style, turning what looked a daunting chase of 203 into a stroll at one stage with a sublime 107 off 58 balls.What made the innings even more remarkable was the character behind it. Jayasuriya revealed afterwards that Nissanka had been carrying groin and hamstring niggles since the group stage. Yet, his determination to deliver for the team drove him through the pain. On a muggy night when as many as three Indian fielders cramped up, Nissanka put his body on the line.It took an ill-judged flick straight into the hands of Varun Chakravarthy at short fine leg with 12 needed off the final over to finally stop him. Jayasuriya was all praise for Nissanka and Kusal Perera, who scored 58 off 32 balls during their second-wicket stand of 127 in just 70 deliveries.2:01

‘SL will surprise some teams in T20 World Cup’

“When you’re chasing 202 (203), you have to keep finding boundaries,” Jayasuriya said. “Their partnership was the key. The momentum shifted when we started losing wickets. That’s natural in a chase because someone has to take risks. Sadly, Pathum got out at the wrong time, and later on, the ball began to turn more. Still, it was a very good game of cricket.”Kusal is one of the best players of spin in our team. He played that role well again, though I’d have liked him to bat longer. Both took calculated risks, and when they wanted boundaries, they executed them. Pathum also had a bit of a hamstring issue recently but still gave 100% for the team, which shows his commitment.”Sri Lanka will return home without a win in the Super Fours from their three games; such a result didn’t seem likely when they went through the group stages unbeaten, following wins against Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong in what was dubbed as the group of death. Reflecting on their campaign and looking ahead to the next six months leading into the T20 World Cup in February, Jayasuriya stressed on the need for the batters to adapt faster to challenging conditions.”In T20 cricket, assessing conditions quickly is everything,” Jayasuriya said. “In Abu Dhabi, for example, the first-round pitches had pace and bounce, but in the second round, things changed, and we were too slow to adapt. That cost us. The disappointment was the Bangladesh match in the Super Four – 168 on that pitch was a good score, but we didn’t bowl well enough to defend it. Against Pakistan, we didn’t assess the conditions [in Abu Dhabi] quickly enough, and were late to adapt.”Today, India played very well to get over 200. Our boys showed they’re capable of chasing that, but again we just fell short. Apart from that Bangladesh game, I’m fairly satisfied, though disappointed not to reach the final. We have the batting and bowling quality. The key is to execute plans according to conditions and opposition. If we do that consistently, this team can go very far.”

Luxury watch influencer Ziv Tamir, known as "Ziv the Watch Guy," had an interaction with Antonela Roccuzzo, Lionel Messi's wife, in Miami where he approached her after a padel match, complimenting her expensive Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger Rope watch, which is valued at around £20,500 ($26,800). But then Tamir dropped a question, which left Messi’s other half looking very confused.

Watch out for Messi's wife

Unaware of her identity, Tamir asked, "What do you do for a living?" as is his custom in such videos. Antonela, initially confused, smiled and looked to her friend, who spoke to her in Spanish. She did not answer the question directly, simply offering a smile and a thumbs-up to the camera before politely ending the brief, somewhat awkward exchange. The video went viral due to Ziv's obliviousness to her global fame as the Argentina legend's wife. 

AdvertisementAFPMessi's MLS revolution

The Argentina icon has been a revelation at Inter Miami, he’s transformed the club from an MLS also-rans into trophy winners. He has delivered two major trophies, the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters' Shield, the first silverware in franchise history. On the pitch, Messi's brilliance endures, making him the club's all-time top scorer and assist provider in record time. His exceptional 2024 season saw him win the MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 games, setting a league record with five assists in one match. Beyond the stats, his desire for greatness has elevated the entire squad's performance and significantly boosted the league's global profile, attendance, and revenue. But despite this, Messi has recently spoken about his desire to return to the Catalan capital.

Messi told SPORT: "I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic." 

He added: "Obviously, I'm going to come back. I'm going to be at the stadium like any other fan, following the team, the club, and being just another supporter. For now, I'll be here [Miami] for a few more years, most likely, but we'll return to Barcelona because, as I've always said, it's my place, my home. We miss it a lot, so we'll be back there."

Showpiece reunion shut down

Messi made a surprise visit to the Nou Camp last week, sharing an emotional online message about the place he misses, hoping to come back one day not just to say goodbye. However, the 38-year-old recently signed a contract extension with Inter Miami through the 2028 MLS season. And Barcelona president Joan Laporta has stated that the club is building for the future and cannot live in the past, effectively shutting down transfer speculation. Both parties desire a proper tribute match to honor his legacy when the stadium renovations are complete. Laporta said: "Leo Messi’s return as a player is something just not realistic. As of now, he has a contract with Inter Miami. The club is building a project for the present and future. It's complicated, and if you live in the past you hardly move forward."

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AFPPlay-off pressure for Messi and Co

Inter Miami are currently competing in the Eastern Conference semi-finals of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. They beat Nashville 2-1 in their first-round, best-of-three series, overcoming a shock loss in the second match with a decisive 4-0 win in game three of the head-to-head. Their next match is a single-elimination game on Sunday against Cincinnati.

Jackson Chourio, the 20-year-old Milwukee Brewers' wunderkind, is the youngest player on any MLB roster right now. So Chourio could be forgiven if the moment of October baseball was a little too big for him—he's simply never seen anything like it.

But that couldn't be further from reality, especially after Chourio's two-home run game on Wednesday night kept the Brewers, on the brink of elimination against the New York Mets, alive in their Wild Card series.

Not only did Chourio's performance save the club's season, but it also put the rookie in a class with one of the game's greatest players ever, Babe Ruth. The Brewers outfielder is the first player to hit two game-tying homers in the same postseason game since Ruth did so for the 1928 New York Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series.

Chourio's first homer tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning. His second long ball was much more dramatic.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Chourio led off the inning with a game-tying homer that electrified the fans at American Family Field. Milwaukee would go on to take the lead on a two-run homer by outfielder Garrett Mitchell moments later.

But make no mistake. Chourio's home runs were the spark that ignited the club—and its ballpark.

I think I still feel the adrenaline," Chourio said through his interpreter. "It was a very special moment for me, and it's one I'm going to look back on and remember for the rest of my life."

In addition to joining the Babe in baseball lore, Chourio also became the fifth-youngest player to hit two homers in a postseason game.

Chourio and the Brewers will take on the Mets in a win-or-go-home Game 3 on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET.

West Ham chiefs have one eye fixed on the January transfer window as Nuno Espírito Santo reportedly pleads for new signings behind-the-scenes.

Nuno Espírito Santo set to be backed by West Ham in January

It has been a disastrous start to the season for West Ham, who are surely candidates for this year’s relegation dogfight.

The east Londoners have conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League so far and would be at the foot of the table, if not for Wolves being that bit worse, with Vitor Pereira’s side yet to win a single game.

Nuno is also still waiting for his first victory as West Ham boss since replacing Graham Potter at the end of last month, but judging by their torrid performance at home to Brentford, he could be forced to wait a while longer.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

The Bees ran riot at the London Stadium, attempting 17 shots at goal, and the 2-0 defeat flattered a West Ham side who looked bereft of answers.

Nuno’s much-changed line-up against Keith Andrews’ men raised plenty of eyebrows as the Portuguese experiments to find his best team, but it doesn’t get any easier for West Ham, who travel to face newly-promoted Leeds United at Elland Road on Friday.

Concerns surround whether West Ham really have enough quality and depth in their squad to compete in world football’s most glamorous division, with chairman David Sullivan and the board reportedly planning a small spending spree in the winter.

According to Sky Sports this week, West Ham are targeting a new defender, midfielder and forward once the winter window opens, and Nuno has got “confirmation” that funds will be available to strengthen the team.

Other reports claim that Nuno has urged West Ham chiefs to bring in much-needed January additions, and this is backed by GiveMeSport, who’ve shared an update of their own on Sullivan’s recruitment plans.

West Ham hold internal talks over signing Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos

As per GMS, Nuno has told Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady to attack the market once it reopens past the turn of the year.

The tactician personally wants a new addition to his backline, a technician for the engine room and an attacker to provide that extra injection of creativity going forward.

In terms of the midfield, West Ham have set their sights on a very intriguing option — Chelsea star Andrey Santos — and they’ve held internal talks over a potential move.

The Brazil international, who bagged 11 goals and five assists on loan at Strasbourg last season, has featured in nearly every game for Chelsea so far, with Maresca showing real faith in Santos as a key component of his midfield.

Santos can play anywhere in the centre, whether that be further forward as a CAM or in a deep-lying anchor role, so the appeal for West Ham is pretty obvious, especially considering the 21-year-old’s excellent form over the last 12 months.

Nuno apparently wants a box-to-box style midfielder who can add pace in the middle of the park, something which West Ham sorely lack right now, even if highly-rated youngster Freddie Potts is ready and raring for selection.

That being said, Maresca appears to be a massive fan of Santos, so it remains to be seen whether the Italian would sanction a mid-season departure for a player he’s used very often so far.

Interestingly, Santos isn’t the only Brazilian who West Ham are considering.

According to other reports, West Ham have already spoken to Real Madrid about signing Endrick, and that deal looks far more likely with Los Blancos prepared to green-light a loan move away for the striker amid his limited minutes at the Bernabeu.

It’s been a brilliant few days for Arsenal.

On Saturday, they got to sit back and watch Chelsea, Manchester United, and, most crucially, Liverpool lose, while they went on to claim all three points in dramatic fashion away to Newcastle United.

However, there is no time to get distracted, as Mikel Arteta and Co have another game to prepare for against Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

With games coming thick and fast, the manager should be looking to make a host of changes to the starting lineup, including dropping one promising player for a world-beater.

The changes Arteta needs to make to the Arsenal lineup

It was a gruelling game at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon, and with another potentially testing match against an improving West Ham United this weekend, Arteta should consider making some changes to the starting lineup to face Olympiacos.

Chalkboard

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

The first of those changes should come between the sticks, with Kepa Arrizabalaga coming in for David Raya, and while the former Chelsea keeper didn’t play in the last UCL game, this one should be a slightly easier affair and a real chance to rest the Gunners’ number one.

At right-back, Ben White deserves a chance to start another game in place of Jurrien White, who was unreal against the Toon. On the other flank, it should be a second start of the season for young Myles Lewis-Skelly, who added some real dynamism when he came off the bench on Sunday.

In the middle of the park, it might be worth keeping Martin Zubimendi at the base of midfield, especially as this game could provide an opportunity for the manager to start Martin Odegaard alongside Eberechi Eze.

The latter is still getting to grips with how the team plays, so keeping him in the lineup makes sense to help him with that, and then when it comes to the latter, he needs to get back his match sharpness as quickly as possible if he’s going to play a significant role over the coming months.

Moreover, playing both of them in midfield should give the side a far more cutting edge and help deal with a stubborn low block, if that’s how the Greek side opts to play.

Finally, up-top Arteta should keep Viktor Gyokeres in the side as he was looking better on Sunday, and the more chances he gets to bolster his goal tally, the more confident and therefore effective he should become.

Gabriel Martinelli should come in off the Swede’s left, and then on the right, Ethan Nwaneri should be handed another start, as Bukayo Saka no longer needs to be run into the ground anymore, especially when the teenager is more than good enough to cover for him.

With all that said, there is one more area of the lineup that needs to be addressed – an area where Arteta should make another bold call.

Arteta should axe one of Arsenal's most exciting players

So, one of the players who should retain their position at centre-back for the game is Gabriel Magalhães, as he will not want to sit out after scoring that goal against Newcastle.

However, alongside him, Arteta should bring William Saliba back into the side.

Yes, that means dropping the incredible Cristhian Mosquera, who has looked so good already this season that one content creator has already branded him the club’s “signing of the summer.”

However, there is really one key reason why he should be dropped, and no, it’s not because he made the mistake that led to the goal on the weekend.

Instead, it’s the fact that he is still relatively young for a defender – 21 years old – and inexperienced at this level, so it might be wise to take him out of the lineup for a game or two and ensure he’s not overplayed.

However, when it really comes down to it, the reason the former Valencia gem should be dropped is so that Saliba can come back into the team.

The “world-class” titan, as dubbed by Fabrizio Romano, came on at half-time at St James’ Park due to minor fitness issues, and that is one of the reasons he should be in from the start against Olympiacos, so he can build up his fitness and match sharpness ahead of the weekend.

Appearances

140

Starts

137

Minutes

12193′

Goals

7

Assists

3

Points per Game

2.06

Moreover, if the manager opts to play several of his young stars, such as Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, and possibly even Max Dowman, it would make sense to ensure the centre-back pairing is as strong as it can possibly be.

Ultimately, while Mosquera is an incredible talent, Saliba should be in from the start to regain his fitness and provide balance for what could be a relatively inexperienced team.

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