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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said his side can ill afford a repeat of the “under-14s” defending that saw them thrashed 5-1 by Arsenal in February.

Guardiola’s men travel to the Emirates again on Sunday, already trailing the Gunners and defending champions Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

Man City lost two of their opening three games to Tottenham and Brighton., However, they have bounced back with comprehensive victories over Manchester United and in the Champions League over Napoli.

Erling Haaland starred in Man City vs Napoli clash as he scored his 50th goal in the Champions League.

The thrashing at the hands of his former protege, Mikel Arteta, was one of the low points in a miserable campaign for Guardiola.

City failed to win a trophy for the first time since 2017 and finished a distant third behind Liverpool and Arsenal.

“The game last season, we started like many times last season, like an under-14s team and gave away a thousand million goals,” said Guardiola when asked to reflect on his last visit to the Emirates.

“After we were, a lot of the time, pretty good considering how it was last season, but the last 15-20 minutes were a disaster.

“We forgot to do what we had to do, and it was easy for Arsenal. I want to compete to be a better team than we were last season.”

Both Liverpool and Arsenal massively outspent City in the transfer window in the battle for Premier League supremacy, and Guardiola took the opportunity for a dig at those who claim his six titles since arriving in England are due to the budget at his disposal.

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“The only thing I want to say to my friend Mikel Arteta is if he wins the title, it will be just because he spent money, not because he worked hard or because of his players,” Guardiola said sarcastically.

“It’s like Liverpool, too. If Arne (Slot) wins it again, it will be because he spent a lot of money, right? Because it’s not just Man City that (spend), right?”

Arteta left behind working as Guardiola’s assistant in 2019 and has slowly built Arsenal back into a force capable of competing for major trophies.

But he has still just won one piece of silverware, the 2020 FA Cup, after finishing second in the Premier League for the past three seasons.

“He found the club in a (certain) way and step-by-step, window by window, Arsenal is getting better,” added Guardiola.

“Last season in Europe, they made an incredible step forward, and they are, for me, the most solid team. They don’t make mistakes in the back.”

City begins the weekend three points behind Arsenal and six adrift of leaders Liverpool.

The challenge facing Guardiola’s side is heightened by the fact that they played their Champions League opener 48 hours after Arsenal, who won 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday.

Guardiola refused to be drawn into the scheduling debate but conceded it could be difficult for Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to start three games in eight days on his return from a major knee injury.

“With him in the pitch we feel more comfortable but, of course, after coming from a tough injury you have to be alert and we will decide on Sunday how he does feel.”

READ: Dominant Pakistan outplay Maldives 5-2 in SAFF U17 Championship

ABU DHABI: India survived a scare to beat Oman by 21 runs in the final group stage fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Set 188, spirited Oman fell short and managed to score 167-4 in their 20 overs.

In pursuit of the target, the openers provided a solid start with 56 on the board. Jatinder Singh departed after scoring 32 from 33 balls with the aid of five fours.

However, Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza paired up for a massive 93-run partnership, which kept Indian bowlers at bay in the middle overs.

The duo batted cautiously and took their team to the 150-run mark. The stand eventually culminated with Aamir Kaleem’s wicket, who was caught brilliantly by Hardik Pandya on the boundary line. He top-scored with 64 from 46 balls, striking seven fours and two sixes.

Mirza followed him shortly after, for a well-made 51 from 33 balls. The right-hander struck seven fours and two sixes in his gutsy knock.

With these wickets, Oman’s hopes for a memorable win were dashed as the asking rate was too much for the upcoming batters.

For India, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya picked up one wicket each.

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Earlier, Sanju Samson’s half-century and Abhishek Sharma’s onslaught powered India to a formidable total against

India capitalized on the decision to bat first and amassed 188-8 in their 20 overs despite losing Shubman Gill for five.

After an early wicket, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson quickly steadied the innings,  adding a brisk 65 off 35 balls, which brought the total to 72 in 7.1 overs.

Sharma remained the core aggressor and made 38 from just 15 balls. His powerful knock featured two sixes and five fours.

However, Oman roared back with back-to-back wickets and put India in a precarious position at 73-3 in 7.3 overs. Meanwhile, Samson continued and played an anchoring knock off 56 from 45 balls.

Later on, cameos from Axar Patel (26 from 13) and Tilak Varma (29 from 18) helped the Men in Blue to finish strong.

For Oman, Shah Faisal remained the pick of the bowlers and picked up two wickets. Aamir Kaleem and Jiten Ramanandi supported him well with two scalps apiece.

READ: Australia skipper Pat Cummins ‘hopeful’ of playing in Ashes

LAHORE: Sidra Amin’s masterful century went in vain as South Africa women edged Pakistan women to seal the three-match ODI series 2-0 with one match remaining.

Set a daunting 313-run target in a rain-affected clash, Pakistan were bundled out for 287 in 44.4 overs as per the DLS method here at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Green Shirts endured a poor start, losing opener Muneeba Ali in the third over as she managed to score one.

Following the wicket, Sidra Amin partnered with Omaima Sohail for a 57-run stand, which steadied the chase.

Omaima departed for 43 from 38 with the aid of seven fours. As a result, Pakistan were reduced to 62-2 at the end of 11 overs.

However, the mammoth 146-run stand between Sidra Amin and Natalia Pervaiz reignited Pakistan’s hope and put them firmly back in the contest.

At 247 in 37.5 overs, Sidra’s dismissal after a superb 122 off just 110 balls with 13 fours triggered a collapse that Pakistan could not recover from.

For South Africa, Nadine de Klerk remained the standout bowler, claiming three wickets and ensuring that Pakistan fell short of the target.

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Earlier, Tazmin Brits’ sublime 171* and skipper Laura Wolvaardt’s impressive century powered South Africa women to a big total.

Put into bat first, South Africa racked up 292-3 in a match reduced to 46 overs per side due to rain.

Openers Britz and Wolvaardt laid a strong foundation with a record 262-run stand— their second double-century partnership and the highest ever for the Proteas women’s in ODIs.

Britz continued her rich vein of form, bringing up her half-century with a six and a two in the 19th over. Wolvaardt followed soon after, reaching the milestone in the 21st over with a single.

The pair showed no signs of slowing down, keeping the scoreboard ticking and toiling Pakistan bowlers. By the time the rain arrived, South Africa were cruising at 238-0 in 41 overs.

Britz had surpassed the triple figures, whereas the skipper was on 93 with South Africa 238-0 in 41 overs.

The weather also changed Pakistan’s fortunes with a wicket as Wolvaardt was dismissed soon after for a well-made 100 off 129 balls, laced with 10 boundaries. At this stage, South Africa were 260-1 in 43.1 overs.

Notably, the Proteas made 54 in the last five overs, which further depleted Pakistan’s bowling lineup.

For Pakistan, Diana Baig was the sole wicket-taker, picking up two wickets in her five overs while giving away 45.

READ: Australia skipper Pat Cummins ‘hopeful’ of playing in Ashes

ABU DHABI: India have won the toss and decided to bat first against Oman in the 12th and final group stage fixture of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 here at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Playing XIs

Oman XI: Jatinder Singh (capt), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Shah Faisal, Mohammad Nadeem, Aryan Bisht, Zikria Islam, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava, Jiten Ramanandi

India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Both teams have never squared off against each other, and this will be the first time that India and Oman will meet in international cricket.

READ: Alex Carey replaces Josh Inglis in Australia squad for New Zealand T20Is

COLOMBO: Pakistan continued their strong performance in the SAFF U17 Championship, securing a decisive 5-2 win against the Maldives on Friday.

The Green Shirts put on an excellent display, with Mansoor Ahmed starring for Pakistan. The youngster kept his team on top, piercing the nets three times in the match in the 12th, 32nd, and 45th minutes of the game.

At the halfway mark of the game, Pakistan were leading with a dominant position of 4-1 and eventually secured a comprehensive victory.

 

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Pakistan also secured a dominant 4-0 victory in its opening game against Bhutan. Muhammad Abdullah remained the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick and playing a vital role in the team’s victory.

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Pakistan netted the opening goal in the 15th minute of the game, courtesy of Abdullah’s brilliance. He struck again in the 25th to double Pakistan’s lead.

Hamza Yasir extended Pakistan’s advantage with a goal in the 67th minute, while Muhammad Abdullah completed his hat-trick just three minutes later in the 70th minute.

The Men in Green, who are placed in Group B, will now face arch-rivals India on September 22.

Group A

Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh

Group B

India, Pakistan, Maldives, Bhutan

Pakistan U-17 squad:

Goalkeepers: Samar Razzaq, Khalil Jibran, and Adil Ali Khan

Defenders: Nadeem Hussain, Moha­mmad Alam, Mohammad Masood, Mohammad Zub­air, Shahid Anjum, Aabiss Raza, Azizullah

Midfielders: Mustafa Israr, Abdul Samad, Ibrahim Asif, Moha­mmad Talha, Haroon Rasheed, Moha­mmad Essa, Saad Tiwana

Forwards: Mohammad Abdu­llah, Mansoor Ahmed, Hasnain Wali Raza, Mohammad Owais, Hamza Yasir, Syed Shahram

READ: Haaland hits 50 UCL goals as Manchester City cruise over 10-man Napoli

Australia suffered another setback ahead of their three-match T20I tour of New Zealand as wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis was ruled out with a calf strain, with Alex Carey drafted in as his replacement.

Inglis complained of discomfort in his right calf during a running session in Perth on Tuesday, and scans the following day confirmed the injury.

The 29-year-old is now sidelined for the series scheduled from October 1–4 in Mount Maunganui.

This marks Inglis’ second calf issue in less than a year, after a low-grade strain during the Boxing Day Test against India curtailed his BBL campaign last season.

Despite the latest setback, he is expected to regain fitness in time for the ODI series against India starting October 19 in Perth.

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The absence of Inglis adds to Australia’s growing list of withdrawals for the tour. Captain Pat Cummins is missing due to lumbar bone stress, Cameron Green has stayed back for Sheffield Shield duties as part of his Ashes buildup, and Nathan Ellis withdrew to be present for the birth of his first child.

With no reserve wicketkeeper in the original 14-man squad, selectors turned to Alex Carey, who was preparing to feature for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.

Carey last appeared against South Africa in Cairns in August 2023, stepping in when Inglis was unwell, and hasn’t kept wicket in a T20I since 2020.

Australia T20I squad for New Zealand series

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

READ: Australia skipper Pat Cummins ‘hopeful’ of playing in Ashes

Australia skipper Pat Cummins said Friday he hoped to play in all five Ashes Tests against England but conceded he will need to see how his back injury holds up, local media said.

Pace spearhead Cummins has been ruled out of the October white-ball series against New Zealand and India with “lumbar bone stress”.

The 32-year-old has not bowled since the Test tour of the West Indies in June-July, and no firm date has been set for his return.

Cummins said Friday that although he hopes to be part of the Ashes, he would need to “wait and see”.

“There are no hard and fast plans yet,” the skipper told reporters.

“I’m still doing a bit of gym and keeping things kicking over, but with this kind of injury, it’s rest and then we’ll build back and kind of work back from the Ashes,” he said.

“Still really hopeful to be able to be part of the Ashes. But it is a little bit of a wait-and-see.”

Pat Cummins told reporters he aimed to play in all five Tests, but conceded a decision would have to be made closer to the time.

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“It’s honestly too far out to say. But the aim at the moment is to try and be ready for all of it,” he said.

Cummins has suffered severe back issues several times over the years, including a flare-up in 2018 that kept him out of action for a full off-season.

Australia coach Andrew McDonald said this week he was confident Cummings would play a key part in the Ashes.

But he acknowledged to SEN radio that the uncertainty around Cummins “is not ideal”, but it was an “overreaction” to say the skipper would not play.

“It’s not ideal. I’m not going to sit here and say that it’s ideal,” McDonald told the radio station.

The first Ashes Test against England in Perth starts on November 21.

Australia retained the Ashes in England in 2023 after the series ended in a 2-2 draw.

They enjoyed a 4-0 sweep of England at home in 2021-22. Cummins was the leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps at an average of 18.

READ: Official song for ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 revealed

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the official song for the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, titled ‘Bring it Home,’ sung by renowned Indian singer Shreya Ghoshal on Friday.

“Celebrating the power, unity, and unstoppable spirit of women’s cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) today launched the official event song titled ‘Bring it Home’ for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, as excitement continues to build ahead of the much-anticipated tournament,” the ICC said in a press release.

“With catchy hooks like ‘Tarikita Tarikita Tarikita Dhom’ and the heartbeat-inspired ‘Dhak Dhak, we bring it home.” The song encapsulates the fire and dreams of every woman cricketer stepping onto the world stage.”

Shreya Ghoshal expressed pride in the experience and shared hope that this will inspire fans and create long-lasting memories of the tournament.

“It has been a wonderful experience to be part of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 through the official event song that celebrates the spirit, strength, and unity of women’s cricket,” she said.

“I feel honoured to lend my voice and be part of a moment that brings people together through the love of the game. I hope it inspires fans and creates lasting memories as we celebrate this exciting tournament.”

The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 is scheduled to take place from 30 September to 2 November across DY Patil Stadium (Navi Mumbai), ACA Stadium (Guwahati), Holkar Stadium (Indore), ACA-VDCA Stadium (Visakhapatnam) and R Premadasa Stadium (Colombo, Sri Lanka).

READ: Arshad Nadeem pens emotional note after World Athletics exit

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland can become the all-time top goalscorer of the Champions League after reaching 50 in record time in the 2-0 win over 10-man Napoli.

Haaland reached his half-century in Europe’s elite competition in just 49 appearances before Jeremy Doku ensured Guardiola’s men got their quest for Champions League glory off to a winning start.

“The numbers speak for themselves and how fortunate we are to have him,” said Guardiola.

Haaland moved to 12th in the all-time scoring Champions League scoring charts and is barely over a third of the way to Cristiano Ronaldo’s record 141 goals.

But Guardiola believes the 25-year-old has time on his side to reach that milestone.

“Along with the two monsters of the past 15 to 20 years, Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi, Erling is there. In terms of goals, he is unbelievable,” added Guardiola.

“In that rhythm, he can break the record. If he can play 10 to 12 more years and maintain this progression, absolutely.”

There was no fairytale return to the Etihad for Kevin De Bruyne as his night was cut short after just 26 minutes as a result of Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s early dismissal.

De Bruyne was welcomed back like a hero just months after departing as one of City’s greatest players in the club’s history.

The Belgian’s name rang around the Etihad before kick-off, while a series of banners paid homage to the man who contributed nearly 300 goals or assists in 422 matches during his time in Manchester.

However, Antonio Conte showed no room for sentiment as he sacrificed the 34-year-old to bolster his defence with the introduction of Mathías Olivera.

“I was very sorry I had to make that substitution. I also knew by taking him off, we were going to miss some of the things he could give us,” said Conte.

“But I don’t really see that I had any other option. He understood why I had to make that decision.”

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The game-changing moment came when Di Lorenzo made a desperate lunge to prevent Haaland from running clear on goal and wiped out the Norwegian on 21 minutes.

Referee Felix Zwayer initially thought the defender had got a touch on the ball but was instructed by VAR to review and correct his error.

Napoli held firm until half-time thanks to some spectacular goalkeeping from Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

The Serbian, who had a brief spell early in his career at Manchester United, produced excellent saves to deny Rodri, Nico O’Riley, and Josko Gvardiol.

Even when Milinkovic-Savic appeared beaten in first-half stoppage time, Matteo Politano got back on the line to block Tijjani Reijnders’ goalbound effort.

There was only one outcome once the Napoli rearguard was eventually breached 11 minutes into the second half.

Phil Foden’s flick found Haaland, who looped a header over Milinkovic-Savic for his 12th goal in seven games for club and country this season.

Doku then delivered the knockout blow with a brilliant individual run past three Napoli defenders before slotting coolly under the onrushing goalkeeper.

Ahead of a trip to title rivals Arsenal on Sunday, Guardiola could afford the luxury of resting Haaland and Rodri during the closing stages, which resembled a training exercise as City stroked the ball around at will.

Conte conceded the Italian champions were happy just to limit the damage in what is likely to be their toughest trip of the league phase.

“We didn’t want to come out of this humiliated, because it could have happened,” added Conte.

“They could have pulled our pants down and lost 5-0 or 6-0, and we avoided that thanks to our attitude.”

READ: Marcus Rashford bags brace to help Barcelona defeat Newcastle

Marcus Rashford scored his first goals for Barcelona as the England forward’s brilliant brace inspired a 2-1 win against Newcastle in the Champions League on Thursday.

Rashford struck twice in the space of nine minutes in the second half at St James’ Park to make a memorable return to England following his loan move from Manchester United in July.

The 27-year-old’s first goals in the Champions League since 2021 will have made for painful viewing for United fans, whose team have no European football this season and are already mired in a dismal start to the Premier League campaign.

Anthony Gordon got one back for Newcastle in the closing stages, but it was too late to salvage a point in their Champions League group phase opener.

Rashford fell out of favour with United boss Ruben Amorim last season and was sent on loan to Aston Villa in the second half of the campaign before being exiled to Barcelona for the whole of this term.

Once feted as the future of English football after emerging from United’s youth academy as a precocious teenager, Rashford’s career has dipped badly in recent years amid claims he is no longer focused on his career.

But Rashford’s vibrant performance on Tyneside suggested he could be about to embark on a long-awaited renaissance with Barcelona.

“It’s an amazing experience playing for Barcelona. I’ve always been a huge admirer of the club. We just want to win as much as possible,” Rashford said.

“I’m full of excitement. I’m very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team excites me.

“It’s so refreshing to play with these players. It’s a new way of football, but I’m enjoying it all and it’s making me a better player.”

Off to a solid start in La Liga with three wins from four games, Barcelona were without Spain forward Lamine Yamal, who was sidelined for Sunday’s 6-0 victory against Valencia with a groin injury.

But Rashford’s double ensured Yamal wasn’t missed by Hansi Flick’s team.

“I’m happy for Marcus. We have a lot of good players and he’s one,” Flick said.

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“These two goals will help a lot to get Marcus to the next step. It’s so important he has the confidence and feels OK. These goals are unbelievable for him for the next steps.”

Beaten by Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona haven’t reached the final since they last lifted the trophy in 2015.

But the five-time European champions are expected to be among the leading contenders this season, and this was a strong start to their challenge.

The defeat punctured Newcastle’s hopes of making a strong start on their return to the Champions League after they failed to make it out of the group stage in 2023-24.

“It was a good performance, but these nights are only magical for us if we win,” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said.

“The chances were there in the first half. Against teams like this you won’t get many. We got punished.”

Newcastle enjoyed one of the greatest nights in their history when Faustino Asprilla’s hat-trick inspired a 3-2 Champions League group stage win against Barcelona in September 1997.

Almost 28 years to the day since that remarkable evening at St James’ Park, Asprilla jetted in from Colombia to watch Newcastle’s first clash with Barcelona since 2003, but it was Rashford who stole the spotlight.

Barcelona were far more effective after the interval and took the lead in the 58th minute.

Jules Kounde whipped his cross into the area, and Rashford easily eluded Fabian Schar to bury a powerful header past Newcastle keeper Nick Pope from 12 yards.

Rashford doubled Barcelona’s advantage in the 67th minute in stunning style.

Taking possession 25 yards from goal, Rashford glided past Sandro Tonali and unleashed a fierce strike that left Pope grasping at thin air as it flashed into the top corner.

Gordon set up a tense finale when he met Jacob Murphy’s low cross with a clinical close-range finish in the 90th minute, but Barcelona held firm.

READ: Asia Cup 2025: Sri Lanka cricketer Dunith Wellalage’s father passes away