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Liverpool fans have urged manager Arne Slot to promote Rio Ngumoha to the first-team squad after his goalscoring display against Athletic Club.

• Ngumoha scores Liverpool stunner
• Impressed in Athletic Club victory
• Fans want him in first-team squad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 16-year-old scored a superb solo goal in Liverpool's 4-1 pre-season win over the Spanish side at Anfield on Monday, prompting supporters to wax lyrical about the forward. Moreover, many want Slot to make him a more prominent member of the first-team squad for the 2025-26 campaign.

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  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  @samlwolfson wrote on X: "Get Ngumoha in the first team just for that knee slide. Sensational stuff."

  @AlexNyaga_ tweeted: "That Rio Ngumoha kid is really talented!"

  @robertalan83 commented: "Rio Ngumoha – remember the name. Liverpool have an absolute gem on their hands, never seen a kid with such control. It's frightening."

  @SamueILFC wrote: "First Nyoni, then Ngumoha, now Will Wright? We are signing superstars and wonderkids."

  And @LFC_FanDan added: "Just give Ngumoha as much game time as is possible this coming season. He’s going to be a star."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While many are raving about the teenager's display, former Chelsea academy player Ngumoha, who made his Liverpool debut earlier this year, is still only 16. He has only played a handful of games for the club's Under-21s and is likely to need more time to flourish before being thrown into the first-team. But his talent is undeniable and if Liverpool can harness his potential, they have a star in the making.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ngumoha will hope to get more game time when Liverpool take on FA Cup holders Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday before the Reds begin their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on August 15.

One of Manchester United's summer signings has been an instant hit at Old Trafford and is already considered the most popular player in the dressing room.

• Reds Devils have strengthened squad this summer
• Club are helping new arrivals to adapt
• Dressing room has taken a shine to young recruit

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils have signed Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Diego Leon this summer in a bid to improve the squad. Leon is arguably the least well-known of the quartet but is already making waves at United. According to the , the 18-year-old has quickly impressed his new team-mates and is already well-loved in the dressing room despite not being able to speak English yet.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Manchester United's more experienced players have been quick to look after Leon and have become "fiercely protective" of the young star. The club's Spanish speakers have also been helping the teenager to adapt to life in a new country and a new league following his arrival from Cerro Porteno in his native Paraguay. Leon lacks top-level experience and is clearly one for the future at United, but he has featured in pre-season for the Red Devils and will be hoping for first-team minutes and the chance to impress in the 2025-26 campaign.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  A source told the : "He’s like a little brother to a lot of these guys. They are giving him a bit of stick, having a laugh, but they are fiercely protective over him and are really looking after him."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Ruben Amorim's United side are currently preparing for an opening Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday. 

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Pulisic's season-opening goal for Milan

All eyes were on Christian Pulisic, as they so often are. After a summer full of controversy with the U.S. men's national team, the American star certainly has a point to prove heading into this season. The best way to accomplish that in this sport? Goals. And Pulisic complied, opening his season with a major one on Sunday.

Pulisic headlined the list of USMNT stars abroad thanks to his score in Milan's 2-0 Coppa Italia win over Bari. In his first competitive fixture of the season, Pulisic stepped up, leading his side to victory while sending a message back to the critics who have dominated the airwaves and headlines in recent weeks.

He wasn't the only American to score. There were goals aplenty throughout Europe. There were some debuts, too, among the standout performances. The season was just beginning, literally, but there's already plenty happening as the USMNT prepares to gather for the upcoming September window – and the World Cup nine months later.

GOAL looks at the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.

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  Pulisic fires back

  Talk about a response. 

  Pulisic dominated the headlines this week, as he has for much of the summer. There's been so much discussion and debate around him and the USMNT. There is no debate, though, about his talent. He reminded everyone of that on Sunday.

  Playing his first match of the season for Milan, Pulisic found the back of the net, firing home a Santi Gimenez assist in Milan's Coppa Italia win over Bari. On the surface, it isn't that big of a goal considering it came against a Serie B team in a cup competition. There's no explaining how big it is for Pulisic, though, given all that's happened since the last time he'd played a meaningful game.

  This goal won't silence the critics. They will remain loud until he makes meaningful contributions, again, for the USMNT. His Milan form has never been in doubt, however. Pulisic responded loud and clear, setting himself up for a big start this season with Milan.

  While Pulisic stole most of the headlines, Yunus Musah came off the bench in the Milan win, joining the fray alongside Luka Modric, who was making his club debut.

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  Cardoso and Weah lose in new club debuts

  Two USMNT regulars made club debuts this weekend. Both were somewhat brief. Tim Weah and Johnny Cardoso combined for 90 minutes between them, but those 90 minutes represented their first steps with their new clubs.

  After starting on the bench for Marseille, Weah entered the fray in the second half of Friday's Ligue 1 opener against Rennes. He was pretty good, setting up two chances while completing all but one of his 31 passes. There was danger, for sure, but not enough. Despite being a man down, Rennes scored in stoppage time to steal three points, spoiling Weah's first match for his new club.

  Cardoso's debut with Atletico Madrid, too, was spoiled. The midfielder played 46 minutes, making his usual impact in the midfield with his new team. A yellow card earned him an early substitution, though, as he came out to start the second half. Up 1-0 at the time of Cardoso's departure, Atleti conceded a second-half equalizer to Espanyol and then a late, going on to lose, 2-1 on Sunday.

  Both will have something to build on, albeit in somewhat frustrating circumstances. There are high hopes for both Weah and Cardoso at their new clubs, despite inauspicious starts.

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  Richards hungry for more after Chelsea draw

  The tests didn't get any easier for Chris Richards and Crystal Palace. After taking down Liverpool in the Community Shield last week, Palace were handed a date with Club World Cup winners Chelsea to open the Premier League season.

  They did just fine, with Richards anchoring the defense in a scoreless draw that will leave Palace with plenty to build on.

  "We were working together," Richards said, "and we've seen Chelsea over the last season, in the Club World Cup and in preseason. A draw is still a good point and a good way to start the season and we can move on with this performance. We talked about embracing a tough game and we knew it would not be perfect but as long as we kept a clean sheet, it would be very important."

  Richards, in particular, had plenty to do with that clean sheet. He won all five of his duels and earned tackles on both attempts. He added three clearances and two blocks to keep Chelsea away from goal. In the end, he actually felt hard done, as a potential Eberechi Eze free-kick goal was controversially called back by VAR, leaving Palace thinking they deserved more from the game.

  "Everyone in the stadium thought it was a goal but you live and die by VAR and today we died from it," Richards said. "It was a good free kick and hopefully we get more of them."

  The expectations are clearly raised at Palace. After winning the FA Cup and Community Shield, Richards and Palace are hungry for more.

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  Sargent and Wright continue Championship striker race

  Prior to the season, GOAL examined the importance of the Championship striker race. It would likely determine at least one World Cup spot, if not more. Well, call it a hot start, with two of the candidates scoring this weekend.

  Josh Sargent scoring is no news at this point. His goal against Portsmouth made it three goals from three. After being left out of the Gold Cup squad, Sargent has responded as well as possible, netting goal after goal to start the season. Norwich seem determined to keep hold of him through this summer transfer window, despite ongoing speculation on a move.

  And why wouldn't they be when he's scoring at this rate?

  "I'm hoping Ben turns his phone off so we don't get any calls," Norwich boss Liam Manning joked, referencing Norwich director of football, Ben Knapper. "Sarge role models everything you want. He's a top person, a top professional. You see his work rate and how he leads by example. He's top class."

  Sargent wasn't alone, though. Haji Wright got on the scoresheet, too, firing home from the penalty spot in a 5-3 win over Derby County. The goal was Wright's first of the season as he looks to hit double-digits for the third consecutive season.

  Damion Downs, meanwhile, missed out of Southampton's 1-1 draw with Ipswich due to illness while Patrick Agyemang still has a few weeks on the shelf before returning for Derby. They'll be watching on and feeling the pressure, too, as the tone continues to be set by those in England's second division.

EXCLUSIVE: GOAL sat down with the USMNT defender to discuss his journey, doubts, anxiety and World Cup ambitions

Tim Ream recognized the symptoms. He'd experienced them many times before, although they were more powerful this time. His heart was beating out of his chest. His throat was tightening. Everything around him suddenly seemed tense.

This, he says, was his body responding to anxiety and, at this point in his career, he had the wisdom to recognize it. Yet this time, the anxiety wasn't the result of something happening on the field. Instead, it was the result of a phone call.

On the other end was Gregg Berhalter, who was calling to let Ream know he wanted to include him on the U.S. men's national team's squad for the 2022 World Cup. This was everything Ream had ever worked for, and something he had long since given up on. Ream felt that rush, but there was also a sense of panic. Ream felt it for several days straight.

"There are just so many thoughts, and I think that's the issue," he tells GOAL. "There are so many thoughts that just run through your head all of a sudden. And suddenly it's on top of you. You're thinking about scenarios before they even happen. It's not that I felt like I couldn't do it or that I wasn't good enough. It's just that I had been so set on not going because I had been left out for over a year.

"When that call came, everything just felt like it was nothing. My brain was frazzled. I went to bed that night and I don't think I actually slept. It felt like a culmination of everything that I'd learned, and it wasn't fully excitement."

That call came when Ream was 35. Now 37, he is often painted as the USMNT's elder statesman, the unshakeable veteran that provides calm to a team even in its rockiest moments. Ream, admits that he's not unshakeable. Age and experience have made things easier, yes, but they haven't made them perfect.

He still gets those nerves before big games. He still has those moments of doubt and anxiousness. Like the rest of his USMNT teammates, Ream is looking ahead to another World Cup. It's emotional, it's exciting and, in some ways, it's frightening. Just like that phone call three years ago, next summer will be another culmination. That comes with more than just excitement – there's also anxiety.

Ream does't hide from that. He knows legacies can be written in World Cups, and he's hoping to have one final chapter. But that legacy extends beyond the pitch. He's dedicated himself to work with Virtual Soccer Schools, the initiative he helped found five years ago, allowing him to speak directly with the next generation about topics that, during his youth, were basically taboo. 

Anxiety, doubt, excitement, elation, pride – these are all feelings that transcend the sport of soccer. Which is why, even ahead of a World Cup, one of Ream's prime goals is to remind those around him that it's OK to deal with them, too. Life as a professional athlete doesn't make that process easier or harder, Ream says. Those feelings define life, at the end of the day, and Ream is eager to talk about them.

"Why not?" he asks. "What's the point of keeping everything inside? Why let it eat you up? I never had these conversations when I was younger, and it's not because I avoided them. I just think people didn't know how to yet. We've found ways to have these conversations. We all go through the same feelings and we don't just deal with them differently because we're professional athletes."

Tim Ream, the USMNT's seemingly unshakeable veteran, is here to remind everyone that it's OK to be shaken every now and then.

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  Dealing with doubt

  When Ream was in high school, he had a meeting with a guidance counselor. The idea was to map out a path to college and, ultimately, the rest of life. The question, of course, came up: "What do you want to be?"

  Ream answered truthfully. He wanted to be a professional soccer player. The response? Pick something else.

  "Everyone has that moment that I think they latch onto, and not in an unhealthy way, but just as something that sticks with them," Ream says, reflecting on that meeting all these years later. "Everyone can relate to it. 'Oh, you're not good enough' or 'You can't do that.' That just so happens to be mine. How many career counselors have said that to millions of people? How many kids were able to prove that wrong? 

  "Just because someone says that, though, at the end of the day, I'm the one who is deciding what failure is, right? That's how I approach doubt. You can talk about it all you want, but that's just lips moving. I'm the one who is physically going to do it."

  Dealing with doubt has been a defining aspect of his career. He's felt it throughout his his journey. He felt it after big transfers. He felt it when new managers came in. He felt it when he was written out of the national team picture, brought back, and then written out again after being deemed "too old" by those who follow the USMNT.

  Being a professional athlete often means dealing with doubt – and not just when, but how.

  "You just have to learn to figure things out," the Charlotte FC defender says. "How long can you hang onto things? How long should you hang onto things? When are you able to look at it and go, 'It's just one day', so that you can wake up to a new day after? There are a lot of cliches involved, yes, but it's all very real. This is all so real. 

  "There have been so many times where I've thought, 'I'm not going to last here' or 'I shouldn't be here.' But then you figure out that tomorrow is a new day and another opportunity to figure it out and prove yourself again. You build that up over the course of your career."

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  World Cup dreams come true

  Just moments before that Berhalter call, Ream was at peace. He'd given up on his World Cup dream. It was easy to understand why. Ream's national team career has, in part, been defined by gaps. He once went three years without an international appearance. There were three more years during this run with only one call-up. Leading up to the 2022 World Cup, Ream hadn't been called in for the better part of a year. He'd given up, and it was his choice.

  "I'd been available," he says. "They'd not wanted me. I actually fully turned down the call-up to the friendlies leading up to the World Cup against Japan and Saudi Arabia. I fully turned it down because I'd accepted it. I was way more relaxed because I had accepted it. That call, obviously, it's two ends of the spectrum. It's something so good that you're actually anxious about it.

  "For me, it was like 'If I go, I want to play. Can I be that guy?' There are just so many thoughts."

  Everyone involved with the USMNT will be thankful that Ream went. He was a rock at the back in Qatar, emerging as a surprise starter and never looking back. His veteran poise was vital for that young U.S. group. What everyone around him didn't realize was that Ream was just as overwhelmed as everyone else.

  He remembers bits and pieces of it, in between the chaos of a World Cup. In the moment, it's hard to enjoy, particularly with the stress of what's next.

  "I can see glimpses of it," he says. "For me, it's one of those things where, when I'm there, I'm so focused. It's this insane tunnel vision. For me, the only moments that really stick out are the games, obviously, but also the times where you had those few hours of downtime where the families could come."

  Part of that is why Ream is so eager for one more go next summer. It felt unthinkable just a few years ago, but Ream continues to fight. That's why this summer's Gold Cup was so important – and he was fully aware of the pressure.

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  The Gold Cup run

  For those who lived it, the Gold Cup run, in some ways, can be boiled down to hotel rooms and bus rides. That group spent more than 40 days together, so there were plenty of them, and it was in those moments that Ream and the rest of the veterans were reminded of something: this is supposed to be fun.

  "The different random things they're all saying, the jumping up and down on the bus, almost giving themselves concussions because they're getting so excited," Ream said of those not-so-quiet moments with his younger teammates. "It's like, 'Hold on a minute, we want to be involved here, what's happening?'

  "Everybody was there and we were together for 40 days. Everyone's motivations were different, but we all wanted the same thing: for the program to be on good footing. Everyone has personal reasons, too, and, as we moved city to city, you start talking and it creates these bonds."

  After bouncing back from two friendly defeats pre-tournament, the USMNT went on a run, winning five straight games before ultimately falling to rivals Mexico, 2-1, in the final. For Ream, it stung, largely because, as a veteran, he knew some on the outside would be try to invalidate those 40 days. It meant that some would see this run as a failure, as much as he believed it was anything but.

  "Did we come up short? Yes," Ream acknowledged. "Did we fail? Sure. We lost the final. We failed in reaching that goal, but that doesn't mean that everything that went into it was wrong. As players, with everything that was going on, everything that was said, we're in a situation where we have to go out and play. I try to take emotion out of it. I know the game is emotional and every game matters.

  "It's an opportunity to improve, to win, to build momentum. I try to take emotion out of it as best I can, before and after, I try to be analytical in that way."

  Still, that loss hurt. It was why Mauricio Pochettino was tearful in addressing the team in the locker room postgame. Everyone who had been involved in that run had found meaning on that road to that final. Not having it end in catharsis felt unfair. That's life, though. It's a lesson for everyone involved, particularly the younger players.

  As he winds down, though, Ream has a few lessons that he wants to teach to the next generation, having nothing to do with Gold Cups, World Cups or wins or losses.

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  The next generation

  Ream knows the impact athletes can have. He learned it growing up in St. Louis, with a chance meeting with an NHL legend, Brett Hull, an eight-time All-Star who played more than a decade with the Blues.

  "A friend of mine lived near a golf course, and there was a celebrity golf event," Ream recalls. "We were sitting right where they had to cross the street and we saw Brett Hull. He stopped and we had a full-on 30-second conversation. He probably never thought anything of it. All I could think about was, 'If I were ever in his position, if there was ever a kid that could get something from 10 seconds of my time, what's 10 seconds?' What does it cost me to say 'How are you doing?' or 'Happy birthday?'

  "Every kid has people they idolize, and I'm not saying I'm one. But if you are, don't disappoint. You may not be the best player. You may not even be their favorite player. A fist bump, an autograph, saying hello – it can change a kid's outlook on life."

  It's how Ream got involved with Virtual Soccer Schools. It started as an idea during COVID, when Ream started to think about the virtual schooling his kids were suddenly thrust into. Tom Lamb, a teacher at his kids' school in England, came to Ream with an idea.

  What if there was a place for kids to meet with their favorite athletes virtually? What if there was a way to create interactions like Ream had with Hull? And, most importantly, what if those interactions could be used to teach kids that athletes can be idolized, but are human, too?

  VSS has branched out. Christian Pulisic, Naomi Girma and Reece James are among those who have been ambassadors. This month, the organization unveiled a Mental Health XI filled with Premier League and Women's Super League stars that will take part in virtual sessions in schools around the world for kids aged eight to 16.

  "It's literally just kids asking questions," Ream says. "I can be like, 'You know what? I've been through that and I know what you're saying and what you're feeling.' I hated school in third grade, too! We've all been there. It's about sitting down and having a conversation with kids who just want your time, but they also want to be heard. There are things that kids will ask and, realistically, a lot of them won't go on to be professional athletes, right?

  "But you can relate to it. Who hasn't had someone say they aren't good enough or you can't do this or that? You can relate all of these things to everyday life."

  Professional athletes can seem to operate in their own sphere, at times, but it's ultimately just about being grounded.

  "For me, it's about giving kids the opportunity to grow as people, to be themselves, to not be afraid," he says. "Everybody goes through these things. They're not alone. We all have the same feelings as professional athletes and, yes, sometimes we have to deal with them differently because we're under the microscope.

  "But we're not on top of them 24/7. They're working hard in school to be the best they can be. We work in training to be the best we can be. We're all the same, just in different environments. We all have our unique paths to doing that. That's what connects us."

Ruben Amorim believes Manchester United are better off without any European football this season after finishing 15th in the Premier League last term.

• United have no European football this season
• Start Carabao Cup campaign on Wednesday
• Amorim says Red Devils need more time

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United could only finish 15th in the Premier League last season in what was an incredibly disappointing campaign for the Red Devils. They started poorly under former boss Erik ten Hag and things didn't improve much as Amorim tried to balance achieving results with implementing his own unique style of play.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Premier League giants did have a chance to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the campaign but were beaten by Tottenham in the Europa League final, meaning they won't feature in any continental games this term for the first time since 2014-15. However, Amorim believes his team need more time to adapt to his methods, adding that matches against strong teams from Europe would not be good for their development at this moment in time.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Speaking in a pre-match press conference, Amorim told reporters: "We have three games this week and we have quality players and we need to do rotation to try to win every game. It is a normal thing that happens in other clubs [to have no European football]. 

  "We were not prepared to play in Europe. That is my feeling, to have strong games in Europe and play in the Premier League. We need time to develop as a team. They just need to fight for the places. Then everything can change."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

  Due to last season's struggles, United enter the Carabao Cup earlier than usual this season. They take on League Two side Grimsby Town on Wednesday night, with the minnows in good spirits after starting the campaign with a five-match unbeaten streak.

Former Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho has been blasted for "disrespecting" the club and warned he could face similar problems at Chelsea.

• Garnacho joins Chelsea from Man Utd
• Criticised by former Red Devil star
• Warned of potential problems at Stamford Bridge

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Garnacho has swapped Manchester United for Chelsea this summer in a transfer worth £40 million ($54m). The winger left Old Trafford after manager Ruben Amorim made it clear he was not in his plans for the future. Garnacho had also been riling some sections of the support with his social media activity.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 21-year-old will now be hoping he can make an impact at Chelsea and has already claimed he is joining "the best team in the world". Former Red Devils defender Paul Parker has not been impressed by Garnacho's behaviour, feeling he has been "disrespectful" towards United while caring only about copying his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, and has warned the youngster he could encounter more problems at Stamford Bridge.

• WHAT PARKER SAID

  He told mybettingsites.co.uk: "His conduct on and off the pitch was disrespectful. All he wanted to do was score a goal or have a near miss so he could act like Ronaldo. Now he's gone to a club where there’s a lot more ego. He will alienate himself or it’ll be a battle there. United fans backed him when he was going through things both on and off the field. His brother was tweeting things and they backed him and he said nothing. He’s stuck two fingers up at the club that nursed him."

  Parker is not sure how Garnacho fits into Chelsea's team, and has also suggested that the winger was lucky to win the 2024 Puskas Award, adding: "I wonder how he gets into the Chelsea team. Does he start in a Champions League game or a big game against Arsenal or Liverpool? No. He’s not got great pace, he hasn’t got the technical ability to beat players unless they dive in. Chelsea are just overloading. They’ve given into the supermarket with one trolley and ended up needing two. I wonder how much football he gets there. He will have to take an incredible jump to do well there. It’s so disappointing that a young boy can behave like that. He’s living off a goal against Everton which came off his shin.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GARNACHO?

  Garnacho will be hoping to make his Chelsea debut after the international break. The Blues return on 13 September with a Premier League clash against Brentford.

Wrexham star James McClean has posted a message to fans as the club's players celebrate another promotion party in Las Vegas.

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• Wrexham squad partying in Las Vegas
• Team celebrating promotion to Championship
• McClean revels in "magic" trip with team-mates

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have funded a third trip to Las Vegas this summer after seeing Wrexham achieve back-to-back-to-back promotions. The Welsh side's success means Phil Parkinson's men will be playing Championship football next season and are just one step away from the Hollywood duo's dream of reaching the Premier League.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham players have been happy to show off their adventures Stateside, with the squad indulging in a pool party and trying their hand at a mechanical rodeo bull. McClean has been happy to be front and centre of the celebrations and has made it clear just how much he is loving life with the Welsh side this summer.

• WHAT MCCLEAN SAID

  He shared some photographs of the trip on Instagram with the caption: "Magic place, magic group, magic times.. Vegas."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM

  Wrexham players look to be making the most of their trip to Las Vegas before they jet home for pre-season. The hard work will then begin in earnest as Parkinson and his men prepare to take on the challenge of the Championship.

Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa has been tipped to leave the club this summer as a 'golden opportunity' arises for one of his reported suitors.

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• Chiesa tipped to leave Liverpool
• Presented with 'golden opportunity'
• Linked with Serie A and La Liga teams

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After racking up just 466 minutes over 14 games this season, AS state that Chiesa wants to leave Liverpool this summer – either on loan or permanently – in search of regular game time. The report adds he 'will be leaving' Anfield in the coming weeks or months and Atletico Madrid and Napoli are interested in the winger.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chiesa swapped Juventus for Liverpool last summer in what seemed like a bargain deal worth up to £12.5 million ($17m). But the Italian barely played, did not always look fit, and does not seem to be the player he once was. As a result, AS say this is a 'golden opportunity' for Atletico to move for the 27-year-old. However, he would not be a first-team regular at Diego Simeone's side, so his situation may not improve with a move there.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The report adds that former Fiorentina star Chiesa, who scored two goals and bagged two assists for Liverpool this season, wants to represent Italy at the 2026 World Cup. Therefore, getting regular football is a must and that is partly why a Reds exit is being considered.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen if Chiesa, who has been behind Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Luis Diaz in the attacking pecking order at Anfield, will leave Liverpool for good this summer – with his contract expiring in 2028.

The Argentine star showcased his extraordinary vision with a brilliant assist to left-back Jordi Alba, helping the Herons level the score at 1-1

• Messi's assist extended his league-leading playmaking record
• Alba's finish marked his first MLS goal of the 2025 season
• Red Bulls had taken surprise lead through defender Alexander Hack

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  After New York Red Bulls defender Alexander Hack gave the hosts a 1-0 advantage, Lionel Messi orchestrated Inter Miami's response with a moment of characteristic brilliance. The Argentine superstar collected the ball in midfield, played a one-two with Luis Suarez before threading a perfectly weighted pass that carved open the Red Bulls defense, finding Jordi Alba's well-timed run behind the backline. The Spanish left back made no mistake with his finish, slotting the ball past Carlos Coronel to level the score at 1-1 and ignite the home crowd.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Messi and Inter Miami were 1-0 down after only 14 minutes, but walked into the half-time break 3-1 ahead after a brace from Telasco Segovia following Alba’s 24th-minute equaliser.

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With only one round of league-stage action remaining, the competition hots up with some tantalising results in round six

Shashank Kishore13-Feb-2024

At 37, Saxena continues the good habit

Jalaj Saxena, the Kerala allrounder, continues to push the bar. Last season’s highest-wicket-taker, Saxena picked up a match haul of 13 wickets, including 9 for 68 in the first innings, to bowl Kerala to their first win of the season.The win against Bengal, however, may not be enough to fire them into the knockouts as the gulf between them and second-placed Andhra [in Group B] is a massive 11 points that they can’t bridge even if they secure a bonus-point win in their final group-stage fixture.Saxena also contributed handy runs with the bat, notching up 40 and 37 in the two innings as Kerala won by 109 runs. After fast bowler MD Nidheesh picked up the first wicket, Saxena picked up the remaining nine wickets as he wheeled away unchanged for 21.1 overs. Bengal were bowled out for 180 to concede a lead of 183. Kerala then powered to 265 for 6 declared to set Bengal a target of 449, which proved way too many.Abhimanyu Easwaran, who led India A during the unofficial Tests against England Lions, was the lone Bengal top-order batter to offer solidity. He ended the game with scores of 72 and 65 to end a string of inconsistent scores against the Lions. Shahbaz Ahmed, the Bengal allrounder, made 80 in the second innings.Like Kerala, Bengal too are out of the running for a knockouts. It’s increasingly looking like toppers Mumbai, who scraped out a draw after clinching a thrilling one-run lead over Chhattisgarh, and Andhra will be the two qualifiers from Group B.Like Saxena, Railways’ left-arm-spinner Akash Pandey also picked up nine wickets in an innings as Goa lost by 63 runs in Surat. Chasing 306, Goa were handily placed at 142 for 3 before Pandey hastened their collapse. Suyash Prabhudessai, who has already struck three hundreds this season, resisted with 67, but there was little support from the rest of the batting group.The win takes Railways to fourth in Group C, and keeps them in the hunt for an unlikely knockout berth as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, who played out a thriller in Chepauk, are the front-runners to qualify from this pool.

Khejroliya hat-trick floors Baroda

Kulwant Khejroliya, the left-arm fast bowler, became only the third bowler in Ranji Trophy history to pick up four wickets in four balls as Madhya Pradesh secured a bonus-point win over Baroda to all but secure a berth in the knockouts. Delhi’s Shankar Saini and Jammu & Kashmir’s Mohammed Mudhasir have previously achieved this feat.Khejroliya, who moved before the season from Delhi, ended with match figures of 7 for 57. Five of those, including the hat trick, came in the second innings after Baroda were made to follow on. Having gone wicketless in 11 overs, Khejroliya struck in his 12th to remove Shashwat Rawat, Mahesh Pithiya, Bhargav Bhatt and Akash Singh. Khejroliya dismissed Atit Sheth three overs later to pick up his fifth as MP secured victory.

Ranji Trophy 2023-24

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Despite the defeat, Baroda are still placed second in Group D and are only three points adrift of toppers Madhya Pradesh. Jammu & Kashmir, unbeaten after six games, are still in with a slim chance at third after they beat Puducherry by 19 runs in defence of a modest 86.File photo: Cheteshwar Pujara’s century helped Saurashtra climb up the Group A table•PTI

Jayant, Tewatia impress; Pujara scores big for Saurashtra

Vidarbha fortified their position at the top of Group A with a bonus-point victory over Maharashtra. At the same time, Saurashtra strengthened their position by jumping to third, following a 218-run win over Rajasthan.Cheteshwar Pujara and Sheldon Jackson hit hundreds to help open up a big first-innings score, before Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, the left-arm-spinner, came into his own to pick up a 12-for in the match. Seven of those came in the second innings as Saurashtra defended 306 in style; Rajasthan were bundled out for 87.The win takes Saurashtra within two points of second-placed Haryana with one match to play. Incidentally, Haryana didn’t do their chances any harm as they crushed Jharkhand by an innings and 205 runs, with Rahul Tewatia making 144. With the ball, offspinner Jayant Yadav picked up five wickets in each innings to seal victory.Elsewhere, Hyderabad and Meghalaya earned a promotion to the Elite pool for the next season after securing an entry into the final of the Plate League. Hyderabad are unbeaten after five games, while Meghalaya have three wins and two losses.