Ireland and Pakistan were playing each other in a T20I for the first time in 15 years, and Andy Balbirnie’s 77 helped the hosts beat the visitors. It was Ireland’s first win over Pakistan in the format, with the only time the teams having met earlier coming at the World T20 in 2009.Harry Tector, who added 77 with Balbirnie for the third wicket, set the platform in the 183-run chase, before cameos from George Dockrell and Curtis Campher took Ireland over the line.The chase came down to a tense finish, with Ireland needing 40 in the last four overs even as Pakistan had an over each from Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, along with two from Abbas Afridi, in the bank. Abbas started the 17th over with the wicket of Dockrell and conceded just three off the first four balls. But then began the recurring theme of a bowler starting the over well before conceding a late boundary and bringing down the asking rate.Next over, with Ireland requiring another 28 from 17 balls, Shadab Khan couldn’t hold on to a tough chance, and handed Balbirnie a life. Naseem nailed a couple of yorkers to bring the game back in the balance. But Delany made room and crunched a low full toss through cover to make it 11 off the over.Shaheen was closer to his best in the penultimate over, which started with Ireland requiring another 19. He delivered around-the-wicket yorkers, and knocked over Balbirnie with a swerving, low full toss. But an audacious reverse ramp first ball from Campher over the keeper left Abbas with 11 to defend off the final over.Campher was taken aback by the first ball by Abbas rising off a shortish length, but managed to guide it off the under-edge between the wicketkeeper and short third for four. He capitalised on a missed yorker to level the scores before sneaking a leg bye to seal victory.Babar Azam scored 57•Sportsfile/Getty Images

Balbirnie, Tector set up the chase

Ireland’s aggressive start to the chase saw Naseem dismiss Paul Stirling cheaply. Shaheen was off boil in his two opening overs but Abbas, his replacement, struck first ball after being given to bowl in the powerplay.But coming in at 27 for 2 did not stop Tector from looking for early boundaries. It allowed Balbirnie to consolidate at the other end, as the pair lifted Ireland from 43 for 2 in the powerplay to 84 for 2 after ten overs. They targeted Shadab Khan after Imad Wasim tightened his length to stay afloat.Tector fell to Imad but Dockrell joined Balbirnie to take Shadab down for 23 in the match-turning 14th over. The last ball was skied towards Iftikhar Ahmed at long-on, but he stepped on the boundary cushion to give Dockrell a life, along with six runs. Balbirnie and Dockrell kept the run rate around nine an over to set up the successful finish.

Babar fifty, Iftikhar cameo lift Pakistan

Earlier in the day, Ireland had put Pakistan in to bat. Babar Azam joined Saim Ayub in the second over after Tector, placed at mid-off, ran Mohammed Rizwan out, as the latter was called for a single by Ayub, before being sent back.Babar and Ayub found mixed success while trying to muscle the ball in the powerplay, as they hit six fours and a six, but were also often beaten by Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy’s tight lengths.After the powerplay, the two batters took on Ben White and Curtis Campher, as they accelerated and added 53 off the next five overs. They punished at anything too full or too short, but Ayub holed out to a wide drag down from Delany, who ended the 85-run stand off 57 balls.Babar brought up a 39-ball fifty in the 13th over, but the scoring kept fluctuating as he continued to hit and miss, even as Fakhar Zaman was unable to get off the blocks.Young’s return in the 13th over pegged Pakistan back as Babar miscued a shortish ball to long-on to finish with a 43-ball 57, while Azam Khan, trying to go over deep square leg, fell for a two-ball duck.Pakistan went on to lose 3 for 7 in six legal balls midway from the 15th over onwards. Fakhar then fell in the 18th over for 20 off 18 balls, but Iftikhar was unfazed. He took a liking to Adair, smacking him for three sixes and two fours across eight legal balls.Iftikhar, who finished on 38* from 15 balls, was aided by Shaheen’s two sixes off McCarthy in the 19th over, as Pakistan smashed 44 off the last three to reach 182, which Ireland chased down with a ball to spare.

The last time India toured England, Vijay was the only batsman from either side to face more than 1000 balls in the series. Four years on, with the identity of his partner still unclear, he remains their No. 1 opener

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Jul-20183:07

In the zone : M Vijay

Is opening in Test cricket the most daunting task? The opener walks in, takes guard, looks around and finds the vultures already closing in first thing in the morning – from the slips, from gully, perhaps from short leg. The character of the pitch is not known, even though the bowler’s characteristics are. Your team needs you to see off the new ball. But you don’t even know what is going to happen in those early minutes.The best opening batsmen in modern Test cricket have used different methods to conquer the nerves. Virender Sehwag thrashed the new ball. Matthew Hayden charged the fast men. Justin Langer meditated with that eagle-eye stare.M Vijay? He likes to watch the new ball closely and only put bat to it if he really has to.Later this week, Vijay will mark his guard against James Anderson and Stuart Broad, England’s two highest wicket-takers of all time. India might not know who their second opener is yet, but Vijay’s spot is secure, especially after his gritty half-century against an Essex XI on a green, seaming pitch. The fact that India still are deliberating over whether to pick Shikhar Dhawan or KL Rahul as the second opener makes Vijay that much more valuable.On the 2014 tour of England, Vijay was India’s best batsman. He was the third-highest run-maker overall, and the only batsman on either side to face more than 1000 balls. Vijay faced 1054 deliveries to score 402 runs at an average of 40.20, with a century and two half-centuries, one of them a match-winning third-innings 95 at Lord’s.It was the middle of a productive period for Vijay, at a time when India played back-to-back-to-back-to-back Test series in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia. He faced more balls than any other India batsman on those tours, scored more runs than anyone other than Virat Kohli, and was one of only three Indian batsmen with 40-plus averages.The method he employed was heavily reliant on watchfulness and judgment outside the off stump. Of the 996 balls he faced of fast bowling on that 2014 England tour, for instance, Vijay left alone 403 (40.46%) and defended 351 (35.24%) – this meant he played other shots off less than a quarter of the balls he faced from the quicks.This January, when India toured South Africa, he seemed to depart somewhat from that method, making a pronounced shuffle across his stumps and leaving the ball less often. In the first two Tests, his leave percentage against quicks was 35.33, down from 40.00% on India’s previous tour of the country in 2013-14.He was out caught keeper, slips or gully in three of his first five innings of the series, before the old Vijay reappeared in his final innings of the tour, a three-and-a-quarter-hour display of vigilance on a Wanderers track of spiteful inconsistent bounce. He “only” made 25, but his innings laid the foundation for India to set a target well beyond South Africa’s reach. In that innings, he left 61 of the 127 balls he faced, all from the quicks, or an astonishing 48.03%.Marco Longari/AFP/GettyLast week at Chelmsford, Vijay showed enough character to survive challenging conditions early on when the Indians lost Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara in the first half hour and then Ajinkya Rahane about an hour after electing to bat. Vijay was the only batsman to face more than 100 balls (113) during his nearly three-hour stay at the wicket.Calling the conditions “tough” for any opening batsman, India coach Ravi Shastri said an opener in that situation would need to be “prepared to go through the grind”, which Vijay did remarkably well. For Shastri, what also stood out was Vijay’s mental discipline to deny the bowlers an opening at his end; by the time the middle order arrived, conditions had become easier to bat in.Leaving the ball might come across as boring. Doing it well takes hours of understanding which ball to leave, when to stay patient, when to drive, when to rotate strike. A day before the warm-up match, which was India’s first day of training with the red ball on this tour, Vijay was on his own on a practice pitch to the side of the training nets. He was padded up, had his gloves on, and his helmet.For about 15 minutes, like a pugilist doing shadow-boxing, Vijay shadow-practiced with the bat. Facing an imaginary bowler, he defended under his eyeline, moving his head first, then the feet, then the bat. He played the square drive, the cut, ducked a bouncer, pulled one. And, yes, he left a few alone. To his left Virat Kohli’s bat was making all the noise. Vijay was unruffled.On Monday, at the training nets, Vijay faced Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur. When Pandya and Thakur began describing the imaginary fields they had set, Vijay didn’t let them finish. “Bowl to your strength. I’m playing normal,” he told them. His sole focus was on watching the ball, and only then deciding what to do.Shastri observed Vijay from silly mid-off in a teapot stance. He would go on to ask Vijay what guard he had taken. “Hmm, leg-middle.”Vijay missed twice as he tried to play the ball on the up. He stayed calm. He defended the next ball confidently, with bat meeting ball close to the pad. Vijay just wanted to feel normal. He did not want to be pushed by bowlers challenging him with their fields.Asked to define the challenge of being an opener, Alastair Cook, a veteran of 156 Tests and approximately a million deliveries, was embarrassed to start with clichés. “You have got to be a pretty good judge of what to play and what not to play,” Cook said. “You need to put the bad ball away. How many more clichés can I come up with… need a little bit of luck along the way. It is a really challenging place to bat, certainly in the English conditions with the Dukes ball. One thing probably I will look back on when I do stop will be how proud I was of my longevity by being an opener against the new ball, against the fresh bowlers. But if you get past that, you know you have got a great platform.”Cook recounted what his mentor Graham Gooch had told him early on: “Get past the new ball, you are in your 30s or 40s you have got your eye in. As the bowlers are getting tired you can really set up games of cricket.”That’s Vijay’s responsibility and challenge: to set up games for India.

Leeds United are thought to be “well-placed” to complete the signing of a £6.8m-rated midfielder this summer, as the Whites eye key reinforcements to stay in the top flight.

Leeds eyeing Premier League-ready signings

Daniel Farke’s men are basking in the glory of sealing promotion from the Championship back to the Premier League, following two seasons in England’s second tier. It appears to be harder than ever for promoted teams to avoid the drop at the first attempt, highlighting the importance of Leeds and 49ers Enterprises nailing their summer transfer business, bringing in players who are ready to hit the ground running.

With the error-prone Illan Meslier no longer feeling like the Whites’ long-term solution between the sticks, a top-quality goalkeeper will be required this summer, and Wolves stopper Sam Johnstone is reportedly keen on moving to Elland Road. Meanwhile, FC Augsburg ‘keeper Finn Dahmen has also been mentioned as an alternative option to the Englishman.

In terms of possible outfield additions, Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has been linked with a switch to Leeds, which would be an eye-catching piece of business. Granted, the Dane has struggled at Old Trafford this season, but he still has 25 goals in 90 appearances for the Red Devils overall, and seven in 22 caps for Denmark.

Leeds "well-placed" to sign Hidemasa Morita

According to Record [via Sport Witness], Leeds are “well-placed” to sign Sporting CP ace Hidemasa Morita at the end of the season, potentially snapping him up for just £6.8m.

The 29-year-old has to decide if he wants to sign a new Sporting deal this summer, with his current contract there expiring in the summer of 2026, leaving the Portuguese giants running out of time to cash in. He is believed to be tempted by a move to the Premier League.

Morita could be such a strong signing for Leeds ahead of their return to the top flight, having now racked up 112 appearances for Sporting, winning the Primeira Liga title last season. He is also a 40-cap Japan international.

At 29, he could add great experience and competition for places at the base of the Whites’ midfield, making them as hard to play through as possible, as they prepare to face some of the best teams in Europe in 2025/26.

Playing time has been more limited for Morita this term, with only 11 starts coming his way in the league, so he may feel that now is the right time for a new challenge, testing himself in the Premier League.

A sensational Meslier upgrade: PL player wants to join Leeds this summer

Leeds United could be about to land a star who can allow Daniel Farke to forget about Illan Meslier.

ByEthan Lamb May 1, 2025

Morita is statistically a similar player to Kalvin Phillips and Ao Tanaka, according to Football Transfers, which could excite Leeds fans, given the latter’s popularity at Elland Road and Phillips’ incredible time in Yorkshire.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City may be going through a dark time of it late, but they do still have a chance of winning the FA Cup after defeating fellow Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth last weekend.

With no top-flight title or Champions League in sight, there will likely be a changing of the guard at the Etihad this summer, with faces such as Kevin De Bruyne perhaps leaving the building for some fresh blood to then excite the City masses.

One position that is dire need of refreshing is the right-back spot with new reports suggesting that City have a target in mind to begin such a transformation.

Man City looking at signing new full-back

With Kyle Walker departing on loan to AC Milan in January and academy graduate Rico Lewis not preferred in recent times, signing a new right-back should be one of their top priorities this summer.

Well, according to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, plenty of top-flight clubs in England, including City are considering an approach for 22-year-old right-back Kiliann Sildillia, as current employers SC Freiburg brace for lots of activity involving their star-man.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion are all named as interested parties, but City will hope they can race to the front of the queue for Sildillia’s services shortly, with recent weeks suggesting that Guardiola and Co have been watching the defender’s matches in the Bundesliga intently.

How Sildillia can become Cancelo 2.0

The right-back position in Manchester is lacking in numbers, with Matheus Nunes notably struggling up against Andoni Iraola’s challenging Cherries.

Indeed, Simon Bajkowski, chief Man City writer for MEN, gave Nunes a 4/10 for his showings, stating that he was “abysmal” for the goal.

Therefore, the attack-oriented Sildillia could be the perfect choice in this problem area, with the Frenchman perhaps becoming the faltering team’s next Joao Cancelo down the line.

Cancelo was a beloved figure at the Etihad for many of his successful years donning sky blue, with the expansive Portuguese defender going on to notch up an impressive nine goals and 21 assists from 154 clashes.

Unfortunately, the end of his time in England turned sour, leaving City with a lack of personnel down both the left and right flanks, with Cancelo comfortable in both slots in Guardiola’s XI.

Looking at the table above, the new City target is also capable of being versatile for the cause like Cancelo, with Sildillia lining up all over the pitch for Freiburg from his 102 appearances and counting.

But, it’s clear his most comfortable position is in the right-back area, with six goal contributions coming the Frenchman’s way from 60 contests in this spot on the pitch.

Two of those contributions have come this very campaign in the Bundesliga, with Sildillia managing to solidify himself as a trusty first-team option in Germany for both his attacking prowess and his ability to resiliently defend.

From those 16 clashes, Sildillia has managed to tally up a promising six clean sheets, with 3.3 duels won on average per league outing also matching that of Nunes back in Manchester.

But, Guardiola might be hesitant to stick it out with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man, especially if the former FC Metz ace is available, knowing full well that adding in fresh, young bodies defensively can work wonders in the case of rising star Abdukodir Khusanov.

Likewise, Nunes’ natural position isn’t on the right flank, with the attacking energy of Sildillia also potentially gifting City their next “complete” star – as he has been labelled by scout Jacek Kulig – in a similar mould to Cancelo.

Better than Marmoush: Man City want to sign "one of the best CFs in Europe"

One of the world’s best young strikers is available on a free this summer, and Manchester City are reportedly “interested” in his signature.

By
Ben Gray

Apr 1, 2025

He suffered the injury on his left hand during fielding practice on Wednesday

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jul-2024Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has broken a finger in his left hand at training and has been ruled out of at least the T20I series against India. Dilshan Madushanka comes into the squad as his replacement.*Team manager Mahinda Halangoda confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Thushara’s injury was sustained on the non-bowling hand. Nevertheless, it is severe enough for him to be ruled out. Halangoda said the injury had occurred late on Wednesday, when Sri Lanka were training under lights. Thushara had been at fielding practice.He is the second Sri Lanka fast bowler to be ruled out of the series. Just on Wednesday, Sri Lanka announced that Dushmantha Chameera was out with illness, and replaced him with Asitha Fernando.Thushara had consistently been part of Sri Lanka’s T20I XI this year. He had been among their best bowlers at the T20 World Cup, taking eight wickets in the three matches Sri Lanka played. Earlier this year, he had also taken a T20I hat-trick on his way to figures of 5 for 20 against Bangladesh.The first T20I between Sri Lanka and India is scheduled for Saturday.*

Key burst of 3 for 6 in ten balls blows hole in Derbyshire’s resistance

ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-2024

Middlesex 433 and 302 (Robson 67, Higgins 67, du Plooy 59, Thomson 4-115) beat Derbyshire 339 (Reece 125, Donald 54, Roland-Jones 5-81) and 202 (Chappell 50, Thomson 41, Bamber 3-48) by 194 runsAn inspired burst from Ethan Bamber tore the heart out of Derbyshire’s rearguard as Middlesex secured a 194-run win on the final day of their Vitality County Championship division two clash at Lord’s.The Seaxes’ seamer took 3 for 6 in 10 balls on route to final figures of 3 for 48 as the visitors slid from 58 for 1 to 70 for 5 in pursuit of what would have been a record fourth-innings chase for the county.Brave resistance from Zak Chappell with 50 and Alex Thomson 41 prolonged the game deep into the final session, but Henry Brookes with 3-29 returned to clean up the tail and seal a third win of the season for the hosts which keeps them in second place behind leaders Sussex.For Mickey Arthur’s side, the morning’s carnage marked a second collapse in 24 hours, having lost six wickets for 22 runs in their first innings on the third morning. Defeat means it’s now 25 games without a red-ball win.Toby Roland-Jones, architect of the visitors’ first innings capitulation, bowled a probing opening spell, repeatedly passing the outside edge of Luis Reece and David Lloyd’s bats, but without reward.The hosts did though get an early breakthrough Ryan Higgins finding the leading edge of Reece’s bat, the ball flying to substitute Martin Andersson in the gully.New batter Brooke Guest edged his first ball just short of Sam Robson at second slip, but thereafter, for a while at least, progress was made without undue alarm.A debatable umpiring decision changed the course of the morning. Guest was struck on the pad by a ball sliding down leg-side, but Naeem Ashraf raised his finger, signalling the collapse which followed.Brookes struck in the next over, jagging one back from outside off to pin Lloyd lbw trapped on the crease before Bamber again took centre-stage, producing a beauty which swung into Wayne Madsen and straightened on pitching, beating the outside edge and crashing into off stump.Bamber wasn’t finished there, striking again in his next over when wicketkeeper Jack Davies, standing up to the stumps held on to an edge to send Aneurin Donald packing for just two.Lunch provided brief respite before Roland-Jones trapped Anuj Dal with one which kept low from back of a length eight balls after the resumption.Matt Lamb resisted for a while in a stand of 42 with Thomson before the introduction of leg-spinner Luke Hollman accounted for him caught at square leg on the sweep.Thomson in company with Chappell continued the defiance, the spinner adding to his excellent game with the ball, though he was dropped by Leus Du Plooy, a tough chance away to his left from the bowling of Nathan Fernandes in the last over before tea.Helped by that reprieve the pair raised a 50-partnership, chewing up 121 balls in the process.Chappell’s response to fielders crowding the bat was to drive Hollman straight for four, before pulling Roland-Jones for six on his way to 50 from 89 balls.Perhaps it was his growing confidence, which was his undoing, as no sooner had he reached the landmark he drove a full ball from Hollman into the hands of Fernandes at cover ending a stand of 71.Thomson’s two-hour vigil was ended by Brookes, who struck twice in as many overs as Middlesex clinched victory just before the start of the last hour.

Looking ahead to their first attempt to get back into the Premier League next season, Southampton are now reportedly in advanced talks to hire an impressive 32-year-old manager.

Southampton's search for a new manager

The Southampton job isn’t exactly one that every manager will be jumping towards this summer after the Saints suffered relegation from the Premier League. Having opened their season with Russell Martin in the dugout, the Saints were ready to take on the Premier League their way and opt out of simply sitting in a deep defensive block.

Sky Sports: Southampton eye "secret weapon" coach who knows Kieran McKenna

The Saints need to make a new appointment.

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 27, 2025

As attractive as that approach looked, however, it did not result in much-needed points and those at St Mary’s soon switched their mindsets towards survival, sacking Martin in the process.

Their next decision was always going to be crucial, even if some were already convinced that relegation was looming. Following Martin’s tenure, it wouldn’t have been absurd to suggest that a pragmatic, experienced Premier League manager should have been the way forward, but Southampton took an alternative approach once again – this time hiring Ivan Juric in December.

Having enjoyed experience at AS Roma, Torino, Genoa and others in Italy, Juric stepped into the Premier League for the first time before enduring a nightmare spell. With one game remaining, the manager has already been sacked and Southampton have their place in history as the second-worst Premier League side in history, with one more point than the historic 2008 Derby County team.

Back at square one ahead of their return to the Championship, names such as Danny Rohl and even Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard have reportedly been among the candidates in the running for the job, but Southampton’s search has continued.

Whilst it could be neither of those young managers, the Saints have since reportedly turned towards an impressive 32-year-old who now looks the likeliest to commence a new era at St Mary’s.

Southampton in advanced talks to hire Will Still

According to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Southampton have now approached Will Still and are in advanced talks to hire the 32-year-old manager, who just left Ligue 1 side RC Lens to be closer to his family.

The manager told reporters after his side defeated AS Monaco on the final day of the Ligue 1 season: “I will not be the coach of Lens next season. Today was my last match of the season at Bollaert. For multiple reasons, the main reason behind my decision is that I need to go back home. It is a logical choice for me to be closer to my wife, for her well-being.”

Back in England, Southampton are now reportedly confident that they will secure Still ahead of next season. The interest of the Saints should come as little surprise, either, given just how successful Still, who plays an attacking 4-3-3 system, has been in France at both Reims and Lens.

For Southampton, should they be successful in their pursuit of Still, they’ll be hiring another young coach to follow on from Martin’s previous spell in charge.

MatériaMais Notícias

da poker： O meia Diego Hernández está cada vez mais próximo de chegar ao Botafogo. Nesta sexta-feira (19), o uruguaio divulgou nas suas redes sociais uma foto na qual estava no aeroporto em Montevidéu, em seu embarque rumo ao Brasil.

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da supremo： O jogador de 22 anos estava no Montevideo Wandereres. Diego Hernández se despediu do clube nas redes sociais no dia anterior.

+ Veja a tabela e os jogos da Série A do Brasileirão 2023

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

Hernández só poderá atuar pelo Glorioso a partir de 3 de julho, período no qual abre a janela de transferência. O clube alvinegro tem como objetivo ambientá-lo à nova rotina.

OBotafogo acertou a contratação de Diego Hernández em abril deste ano.Os dirigentes alvinegros desembolsaram cerca de US$ 2,2 milhões (R$ 11,1 milhões, na cotação atual) por 70% dos direitos econômicos do atacante. O jogador tem 22 anos e chega para ser mais uma opção para Luís Castro no setor ofensivo.

Joao Pedro made a "dream" debut for Chelsea as he scored a brace in the club's 2-0 win over Fluminense in the Club World Cup semi-finals on Tuesday. Pedro issued an apology to his boyhood club but expressed his delight after firing Chelsea into the final in his first game since joining the Blues from Brighton.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

Pedro delighted to score brace on debutApologised to FluminenseChelsea reached final with 2-0 winFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazilian attacker made an instant impact after completing his move to Chelsea this summer as his brace sent the English side to the Club World Cup final at the expense of Fluminense. Pedro opened the scoring in the 18th minute against his former club before doubling his tally in the 56th minute to seal a crucial win for his new team.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Blues missed the services of another new signing in Liam Delap, who was serving a one-game suspension, but Pedro's fiery form upfront hardly let the Premier League side feel the English forward's absence. After the game, the ex-Brighton star apologised to Fluminense, where he spent his formative years before making his senior debut for the Brazilian side in 2019.

Watch every game of the FIFA Club World Cup live on DAZNStream nowWHAT PEDRO SAID

Speaking to DAZN at full time, the 23-year-old said: "I think it was a dream. I don't think it could have been better. Two goals. Now we need to think about the final. I am very happy to score two goals today. I can just say sorry (to Fluminense) but I have to be professional. I play for Chelsea. They pay me to score goals and today I was happy to score."

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Enzo Maresca's side will now face the winner of the second semi-final between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the showpiece event on July 13.

With declining interest, and the madness of the soccer calendar snatching away talent, competitive play may not be enough

Jeremy Antonisse took his time. After all, he had plenty of it. The Curacao winger had made a burst forward in 94th minute, his side trailing 1-0 to Canada. And after an incisive feed into his path, the PSV winger had the space to consider the angles, ponder the distance between him and the goal, take an extra touch, and slot home past a helpless goalkeeper.

He turned away in celebration, but as he looked towards the fans, his teammates mobbing him, he peered into what was a largely empty stadium, Curacao supporters dotted in the seats throughout Shell Energy Stadium, home of Houston Dynamo. Part of that, of course, was due to the fact that some of the loyal support had flooded out of the gates, assuming there was no way that the team could piece together a miraculous 1-1 draw.

But it spoke to a broader issue. This was one of the biggest games in the nation's history, the chance to pip a CONCACAF rising power. And the game didn't come close to selling out.

Such has been the story of the 2025 Gold Cup. It has offered plenty of quality, countless memorable moments, and a reinforcement of the jeopardy that the federation can bring. But with seemingly declining interest in the tournament itself, widely vacant stadiums, and the madness of the football calendar snatching some of its best talent away, there is a sense that even a good competition won't quite be enough.

The tournament is at a crossroads like never before. And no one quite has a solution.

• Getty
  

  What the Gold Cup should be

  As a quick refresher. The Gold Cup is a competition played by (almost) every team in CONCACAF every other year – plus one invited guest. Qatar were in it for a couple of tournaments in a row. Saudi Arabia are involved this time. It was founded in 1991, and it was pretty much the only measuring stick for CONCACAF sides outside of the World Cup.

  UEFA had the Euros. CONMEBOL had the Copa America. CAF had the African Cup of Nations. This was CONCACAF's response. The Confederations Cup rather muddled things for a while, but that brought in outside teams that treated it with varying degrees of seriousness. The Gold Cup was, well, the Gold standard.

  The key word there is . In theory, the Gold Cup was North and Central America's equivalent to the major tournaments held by other federations. It didn't matter that in the early days Mexico were by some distance the best side with the most complete history. This was the way to measure up.

  In the early 2000s, it became more relevant in the United States – if only because the USMNT improved. The 2002 iteration felt seminal. Although the U.S. had won it before, that particular squad set the tone for what was undoubtedly a rise in the quality of American soccer.

  Landon Donovan starred in the midfield. Kasey Keller held it down in goal. Brian McBride, Cobi Jones and Carlos Bocanegra were all a part of that team. The U.S. won comfortably in the final. That set the standard going forward.

  "I was probably the most motivated I've been in my career," Landon Donovan told the U.S. soccer site.

  And it hummed along after that. The tournament is where the likes of Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and others U.S. stars cut their teeth at the international level. They played through injury. They wanted to win this thing. Sure, some managers used the month-long affair as a chance to experiment. But in general, it felt like equal parts extended tryout and must-win competition.

  "I think it's a wonderful way to get your feet wet in terms of what it means to be in an international competition – the cadence of the games, how you recover, the different types of styles of opponents that you're going to play," former USMNT midfielder Dax McCarty told GOAL.

  That has since changed. And this year's tournament is most emblematic yet of the shift.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  A crowded football calendar

  The concerns start with the crowding of the football calendar. This is nothing new. More and more tournaments have been forced into the fray. Club teams – both in North America and in Europe – have to contend with more fixtures. Traditional competitions are longer. Contests such as the Leagues Cup have added a whole new slate of games to things.

  FIFA has perhaps played the biggest role, though. There were fears that the introduction of the Nations League – marketed by FIFA but run by CONCACAF – would strip away interest in the Gold Cup. That competition checked some of the boxes that the Gold Cup did, while also offering a chance for various visions of competition.

  Everyone is involved, while the stronger teams are consolidated into individual groups. It is tricky to field a weaker side when you know that your opponents will bring out their big guns. One only has to look at the meltdown following the USMNT's Nations League semifinal defeat to Panama in the spring to see how important the contest has become.

  "More importance has been placed on the Nations League," Herculez Gomez told GOAL.

  The Club World Cup has also played a role. Some top players remain with their club teams. The U.S. are without presumptive starters Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, who are playing in the CWC with Juventus.

  There is also, more generally, a sort of fan fatigue. There is no doubt that American supporters of the Premier League or top European teams long for the sport to come back when their clubs aren't in action during the summer. But packing the calendar has, in reality, had something of an opposite effect.

  Where once there was nothing, there is now seemingly too much, the Gold Cup and CWC clashing, simultaneously held in the U.S. over the past two weeks, and running into next month. There is only so much time in the day.

  And some don't even have an interest in the CWC. Why might they look elsewhere?

  "I don't see any situation where I'll be watching the CWC in the summer," CBS analyst Jamie Carragher told GOAL. "I'll be on holiday. I don't even think I'll keep abreast of the games. I might watch the semifinals or the final, if it's two really big teams."

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  Fans, fans and more fans

  Perhaps the best way of encapsulating the interest in a competition, though, is how many people show up to watch it. The Club World Cup has had its issues with both massive and minimal crowds, but the Gold Cup's problems have perhaps been more pronounced.

  The USMNT, this tournament's , have played in less than full stadiums. Only 12,000 showed up to see them take on Trinidad & Tobago – which kicked off at 3 p.m. local on a bright and beautiful day – and just 11,727 attended their the second match against Saudi Arabia. 

  Mexico, too, have struggled to sell out. Only 34,000 showed up in cavernous AT&T Stadium to see Mexico beat Suriname, 2-0. That venue has historically driven nearly 70,000 supporters of . CONCACAF's response after it became clear that sales weren't strong was to close off several sections, including the entirety of the 400-level nosebleed seats. But even then, the lack of support was clear.

  And then there are the smaller nations. Trinidad & Tobago-Haiti was played in front of just 2,405 fans.

  There are two potential reasons for that. The first is the political climate and immigration issues in America, which have actively discouraged some fans from attending games. The second is a switch in tradition. Gold Cup games used to be played in back-to-backs. Go to one game and you could stick around for another. That would encourage even some with no apparent stake in the game to watch.

  Overall, the Gold Cup averaged just more than 19,000 fans per game in the group stage, a 32-percent decrease from an average of 28,055 in the 2023 tournament. The drop was even more dramatic for the USMNT and Mexico matches, down 57 percent and 21 percent, respectively. CONCACAF, which – like FIFA for the Club World Cup – uses dynamic ticket pricing for its matches, says it’s distributed nearly 50,000 for the Gold Cup final, which kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on July 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

  There is a school of thought that suggests that fans will pay closer attention as the tournament continues, and the matches become more important. Historically, the U.S. has strolled through the group stage, benched its starters, and brought in the bigger names for later rounds of the tournament.

  That won't happen for the USMNT this summer. Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and a virtual starting lineup of players are missing because of CWC commitments, injury, rest or other reasons, and won't be coming in as the calvary, even if Mauricio Pochettino's team advance in Sunday's quarterfinal against Costa Rica.

  For now, the trends aren't particularly good.

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  The USMNT predicament

  For the USMNT, it's difficult to gauage, exactly, what this all means. There are two schools of thought. The first is that the Gold Cup means something – a theory built on the idea of tradition and American exceptionalism. The opposing one is that, well, it doesn't – a summation based on a widespread apathy and need for player rest.

  Both things can be true at the same time. It is entirely plausible that the U.S. want to win – something that last happened in 2021. Pochettino has insisted that he is not here to treat the tournament like a training exercise. His decision to take identical squads to the pre tournament friendlies and the competition itself alone outlined that he wanted continuity over the course of a month.

  And with limited competitive windows ahead of the 2026 World Cup, some have suggested the USMNT needed a more robust roster for this Gold Cup. So yes, then, there are the absentees. Weah, McKennie and Gio Reyna all have club obligations. Robinson is injured. Sergino Dest still needs time to fully recover from knee surgery. Pulisic asked for the summer off due to fears of load management and stress put on his legs after another campaign in which he sustained an injury.

  His decision angered the USMNT sphere in full, and led to a mud-slinging match among former U.S. nationals and the player himself. Pulisic claimed that he wanted to play in the pre-Gold Cup friendlies, but Pochettino said no. Former USMNTers weighed in, claiming Pulisic had misplaced priorities or, worse, was disloyal. Clint Dempsey pointed out that he would play through anything if it meant having the chance to represent his country.

  "For me, it was never a question if I was going to go into the national team and play,” Dempsey said. “Whether it was Gold Cup, World Cup qualifying, the Confederations Cup, Copa America, the World Cup, I wanted to be there because as a kid, I dreamed about representing my country."

  Whether you think Pulisic is right or wrong doesn't matter. His decision, more broadly speaks to the clear divide during the competition.

  "I hate to take wind out of the talking heads that want to be hyperbolic in this moment, but the Gold Cup has almost never created the majority of a World Cup roster," TNT commentator and former U.S. international Kyle Martino told GOAL. "This Gold Cup roster of missing stars is no different than any Gold Cup roster in the past. Sorry to go against the narrative that we should all pull our hair out and yell at people that aren't dedicated, but this is how it's always looked."