All posts by h716a5.icu

Here's where you can watch Orlando City vs LA Galaxy in the MLS on TV or stream it live.

LA Galaxy goes to the Exploria Stadium to face Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Saturday, doing so on the back of its first win of the season.

Oscar Pareja's men, on the other hand, enter the weekend on a three-game losing streak at home and will be aiming to snap the skid.

▶ Watch every MLS match, including the playoffs, here

▶ Buy MLS tickets from Ticketmaster, here

Orlando City's home form has continued to deteriorate in the new season, losing 3-1 to DC United last weekend. Since its 1-1 draw against Tigres UANL in the second leg of their CONCACAF round-of-16 match, Pareja's men have lost three consecutive games at the Exploria Stadium, falling to Charlotte FC, Nashville, and DC United.

Orlando City has now lost three of their first eight games while winning three and drawing two to earn 11 points and sit ninth in the Eastern Conference table, level on points with DC United and Philadelphia Union.

On the other hand, Los Angeles Galaxy finally earned its first win of the season last Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Austin FC at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Veteran striker Javier Hernandez and former Barcelona player Riqui Puig scored second-half goals to give the hosts a comfortable win and send Austin to a third consecutive away defeat.

Despite last weekend's victory, Galaxy has had a terrible start to the season, sitting second-from-bottom in the Western Conference rankings, three points ahead of Sporting Kansas City.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about where to watch the game on TV and how to stream it online.

Orlando City vs LA Galaxy date & kick-off timeGame:Orlando City vs LA GalaxyDate:April 29, 2023Kick-off time:7:30 pm ET Venue:Exploria Stadium

Orlando City and LA Galaxy face off at the Exploria Stadium on April 29. The kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 pm Eastern Time (ET).

AdvertisementWhere to watch Orlando City vs D.C. United on TV & how to stream it

Fans in the United States & across the world can watch MLS with Apple TV MLS Season Pass.

Country TV channel Live stream

USN/AApple TVCheck out GOAL's soccer on U.S. TV guideTeam news & squadsOrlando City team news and squad

Orlando City has Michael Halliday unavailable for selection. It is in defence where they have impressed thus far, and Pareja should certainly deploy an unaltered back-four featuring Kyle Smith, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson and Luca Petrasso.

Orlando City possible XI: Stajduhar; Smith, Schlegel, Jansson, Petrasso; Martins, Araujo; Ojeda, Pereyra, Angulo; Enrique

Position Players

GoalkeepersGallese, StajduharDefendersSalim, Schlegel, Jansson, Williams, Carlos, Petrasso, Santos, Smith, MidfieldersAraujo, Cartagena, Martins, Thorhallsson, Rivera, Pereyra, Loyola, Mohammed, McGuire.ForwardsOjeda, Gonzalez, Angulo, Torres, Kara, Enrique, Lynn.LA Galaxy team news and squad

LA Galaxy will miss Jonathan Bond who is still undergoing treatment for a troublesome shoulder. Douglas Costa and Martin Caceres are back in the squad having completed their bans.

LA Galaxy possible XI: Klinsmann; Calegari, Caceres, Neal, Aude; Brugman, Delgado, Puig, Boyd; Joveljic, Hernandez

Position Players

GoalkeepersKlinsmannDefendersCalegari, Caceres, Zabaleta, Neal, Leerdan, Mavingana, Edwards, Coulibaly, FerkanusMidfieldersPuig, Alvarez, Boyd, Brugman, Perez, Delgado, Rodriguez, Rosell, SaldanaForwardsHernandez, Jovelic, CostaENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Useful links

Live soccer on U.S. TV

Stream MLS matches on Apple TV

Buy MLS tickets with Ticketmaster

Chelsea hit rock bottom as they slipped to another Premier League defeat against Fulham, with new signing Joao Felix seeing red on his debut.

Life, death, taxes – and Chelsea beating Fulham in the Premier League. That's the way it's supposed to be. That's the way it's been ever since the Cottagers last avoided defeat against their dominant, less sophisticated neighbours all the way back in 2012.

But this isn't the Chelsea of old. This Blues team has a soft underbelly, don't know how to finish their chances and now look at their lowest ebb in recent history.

The 2-1 loss didn't always feel inevitable. The inclusion of new signing Joao Felix gave Graham Potter's team something resembling a fresh impetus in the opening exchanges, and even with Fulham entering half-time 1-0 up – thanks to a goal from former Stamford Bridge hero Willian – it felt like they could recover.

Those hopes increased when Kalidou Koulibaly bundled home, but things went very wrong very quickly after that. Clearly infected by the virus that is Chelsea's recent malaise, Felix left his brain in the dressing room and flew into a studs-up tackle on Kenny Tete. It resulted in him becoming the first Chelsea player to be sent off on his Premier League debut.

It was Fulham's game to win from there and they delivered – with Aleksandar Mitrovic stand-in Carlos Vinicius losing his man and powering a header home.

Defeat for Chelsea then. Just their eighth ever against Fulham, and their second in the Premier League era. We think you call that rock bottom.

Below, GOAL takes a look at the Chelsea winners and losers from a damaging night at Craven Cottage.

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Willian:

In the early exchanges of the derby a packed-out away end serenaded the former Blue, who won a pair of Premier League titles during his time at Stamford Bridge, but the affection they still hold for the Brazilian did little to soften the blow of him opening the scoring for Chelsea fans. After becoming a bit of a punchline during his Arsenal spell, Willian has enjoyed a wonderful renaissance by the River Thames, with the strike bringing his goal involvement tally up to five for the season.

Benoit Badiashile:

If Chelsea's new £34m signing from Monaco can't get in defence he may as well hang up his boots. Again, the Blues looked mightily uncomfortable whenever they were put under any form of pressure, while Chalobah and Koulibaly seemed to be competing to see who could make more individual errors in the first half. Whether Potter sticks with a back three or reverts to a back four, you'd have to expect Badiashile to feature in some capacity against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool, West Ham & Everton:

There always has to be at least one crisis club in the Premier League. That's just the way it works. And right now, Liverpool, West Ham and Everton will be delighted that the Blues are stealing that honour away from them. Another disastrous evening ensures Chelsea will be dominating the back pages once again and incredibly leaves them in an even weaker position than when they entered the game. It'll take some disasterclass to take the crisis-club crown away from them.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Joao Felix:

Goodness gracious me, that was quite the eventful debut. A surprise inclusion in the starting XI before he'd even had time to drop his wash bag at Cobham meant all eyes were on Felix on Thursday night. And after a spritely but wasteful start to his Chelsea career, Felix's Premier League bow descended into farce. The forward's wild flying lash out was ironically a challenge that his arch-nemesis, Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, would have been proud of. His current manager will be less pleased. Felix has just given Potter yet another selection headache to deal with.

Graham Potter:

Fulham fans revelled in informing Potter that he was "being sacked in the morning" throughout proceedings. While that is probably not true, there is now a genuine argument that he has guided Chelsea to their post-Abramovic nadir. This defeat leaves them a humiliating 10 points shy of fourth-placed Manchester United, with their Champions League prospects now fanciful. A battered and bruised Crystal Palace are next up for Potter and Co. Lose that, and parroting lines about the club being in transition simply aren't going to cut it.

Kepa Arrizabalaga:

Another Chelsea game, another appearance in the losers section for the most expensive goalkeeper in the world. My oh my Kepa, we thought you were past this? It would appear not. A second piece of game-changing goalkeeping – and not in a good way – on the bounce will have fans yearning for the return of Edouard Mendy between the sticks, but the Senegal international was in similarly shaky form pre-injury. Whatever way you spin it, it's not good news for Chelsea.

Getty ImagesChelsea Ratings: Defence

Kepa Arrizabalaga (5/10):

Made a few good stops, but spilled one on the stroke of half-time and might have been punished. All at sea as Fulham took the lead.

Trevoh Chalobah (4/10):

A slip, which allowed Bobby Decordova-Reid to rattle the crossbar, sent the tone for a nightmarish first half. Lost Vinicius for the goal.

Thiago Silva (6/10):

Emerged with some credit. Chelsea could really do with finding the fountain of youth so he can play for another five years.

Kalidou Koulibaly (5/10):

Guilty of some seriously sloppy moments in the opening exchanges. Partially redeemed himself by bundling Chelsea's equaliser over the line.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesMidfield

Cesar Azpilicueta (5/10):

Had a few uncomfortable moments against the more athletic Antonee Robinson. Offered very little going forward.

Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

Usually one of the most accurate passers in world football, but tonight more than a few of his attempts failed to find their man. .

Denis Zakaria (6/10):

Fired up. He wasn't perfect, but it's that sort of intensity that'll help Chelsea out of their current funk. His injury is another big blow.

Lewis Hall (4/10):

Should have scored inside three minutes. Never looked comfortable and a tricky situation risks killing his confidence.

The Polish striker only managed one shot as the Blaugrana were made to wait to secure qualification for the knockout rounds

Robert Lewandowski failed to score for the sixth straight game, and Barcelona seldom carved out any clear chances in a shock 1-0 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Poland striker, Barca's most obvious attacking threat, was rendered anonymous by a dogged defence, as his side saw their hopes of getting out of their group delayed.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was forced into a save early, denying a driven effort at his near post. He could do little about the game's next big chance, though, as. Shakhtar worked the ball down the right, before Giorgi Gocholeishvili whipped a ball into the area for Danylo Sikan. His finish was a wonderful one, the big striker falling away from goal yet still managing to divert a looping header into the far corner.

Barca created little else at the start of the second half, and could have easily conceded more, had Ter Stegen not provided two more handy stops.

And Blaugrana frustrations only multiplied throughout the half. Shakhtar dropped deep, happy to sit on a 1-0 lead — a decision that proved prudent as Xavi's side repeatedly failed to find space in a crowded final third. Lewandowski, the theoretical answer to such woes, barely had a kick as Barca failed to find a groove in a shock defeat.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Volksparkstadion in Hamburg…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (7/10):

Made a good save early on. Could do nothing about the goal. A few more stops in the second half kept his team in it.

Joao Cancelo (5/10):

Did the whole inverted full-back thing effectively, but didn't always have the killer ball in him. He's slowed down after a promising start.

Ronald Araujo (8/10):

Gargantuan at the back. Always up for a tackle and calm on the ball. Barca would have conceded a couple more without him. One of the best in the world at his position.

Andreas Christensen (5/10):

Given real problems by Sikan, losing track of him on the goal. A few knocks have seen him fail to reach the heights of last season.

Marcos Alonso (5/10):

Nowhere to be found when Shakhtar broke for Sikan's opener. Removed after an hour following a miserable showing.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Oriol Romeu (4/10):

Back in the side after a duo of poor performances. Didn't offer much on either side of the ball, lacking in legs when Barca were hit on the break, and immobile in attack.

Ilkay Gundogan (7/10):

Certainly Barca's best midfielder on the night, full of energy and quality. Some of his driving runs were a delight to watch.

Gavi (6/10):

A mixed showing. His work rate can't be questioned, but he lacked quality on the ball. Much better when playing alongside the now-fit Pedri.

Getty ImagesAttack

Raphinha (4/10):

Got into good areas, looked dangerous on the ball, but was lacking in key moments. Yamal was far more effective in his position.

Robert Lewandowski (4/10):

Failed to get involved and often dropped back into his own half to get some touches in. Pretty much anonymous in key areas. Looks frustrated, at the moment.

Ferran Torres (5/10):

Preferred to Felix. Afforded a few half chances, and squandered all of them. He's better used as an impact substitute, it seems.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Pedri (6/10):

On the ball regularly, but couldn't break down a fearsome Shakhtar low block. Yet to find a groove after his injury lay-off.

Joao Felix (5/10):

Doubled up pretty much every time he touched the ball, and didn't have room to offer his usual creativity.

Alejandro Balde (5/10):

His recovery pace was vital as Barca pushed men forward in search of a goal. Didn't provide much in the final third, though.

Lamine Yamal (6/10):

Offered a real spark off the bench with his dribbling ability.

Fermin Lopez (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Xavi (4/10):

Made some key alterations, dropping Felix and Balde, while also leaving Pedri out. His changes didn't work. Barca were poor throughout, and had very few ideas against a low block. Could the ghosts of Champions Leagues past be back?!

On a day that Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept India in the Test with 4 for 46 in 23 testing overs, he acknowledged Praveen Kumar’s contribution to his success

Sidharth Monga at Lord's18-Jul-2014They could be twins. They amble up off a small run, keep the seam upright, use the wrist, swing the ball each way, were born in Meerut, play for Uttar Pradesh, love bowling in England, and are handy batsmen lower down the order. Except Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the calmer, more subdued, version of Praveen Kumar. On a day that Bhuvneshwar kept India in the Test with 4 for 46 in 23 testing overs, he acknowledged Praveen’s contribution to his success.The last time India came to England, Praveen was India’s most effective bowler on a horror tour. It was only natural that before embarking on this journey, Bhuvneshwar gave Praveen a call, who is sidelined now for what seems forever.”Praveen Kumar is my idol and I have watched him a lot,” Bhuvneshwar said. “I had a talk with him before I came here. He is like a big brother for me, and we play together for the same team. He still helps me with my bowling.”Praveen would only have reinforced Bhuvneshwar’s basics: bowl at the stumps, bowl full, let the pitch and the atmosphere in England take full effect. With assistance from the other two quicks and despite a wicketkeeping slip letting Gary Ballance score a hundred, India put together a quite excellent day in the field: bowling with discipline, moving the ball, not letting England get away.When asked if this was the best bowling day with spinners not involved in it that he had been part of, Bhuvneshwar responded in affirmative.”The wicket became a bit easier for batsmen after the first session,” Bhuvneshwar said. “We bowled in the right areas and kept them quiet. We did well to keep Ballance quiet, even his hundred was not an easy one. We didn’t give any easy runs.”The jury might still be out on which of the Kumars is a better bowler, but Bhuvneshwar has already shown better batting technique and temperament than Praveen. With two fifties in the first Test and 36 important runs here, Bhuvneshwar is leading not only India’s bowling but batting averages too.”I have been enjoying batting in England,” Bhuvneshwar said. “The partnership with Ajinkya was really satisfying. The ball was moving around, and we were in a bad situation, had lost seven wickets. So, from that point of view, it was a good effort and I think a better effort than in the first Test.”

Former England batsman Geoff Pullar has died aged 79

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Dec-2014Former England batsman Geoff Pullar has died aged 79. A tall, strong left-hander, Pullar played 28 Tests, making his debut against India in July 1959. He was also named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 1960.Pullar played 400 first-class games, scoring 21528 runs at 35.34, representing Lancashire and Gloucestershire among other teams. In Tests, he scored 1974 runs at an average of 43.86 with four hundreds and 12 fifties.Though he started as a middle-order batsman, his strong technique forced the selectors to play him as an opener, and Pullar responded with 75 against India in Headingley, and 131 at Old Trafford – the first Test century scored by a Lancastrian on his home ground. Pullar’s final match was against Australia in Adelaide in January 1963.

A second Championship win for Essex, this one by an in innings, sees them get off the bottom of Division Two. Their 23 points achieved in three days work here takes them to sixth in the table, with nine left to play.

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Chelmsford16-Jun-2015
ScorecardGraham Napier helped whittle out the Derbyshire lower-order•Getty ImagesA second Championship win for Essex, this one by an in innings, sees them get off the bottom of Division Two. Their 23 points achieved in three days work here takes them to sixth in the table, with nine left to play. Should they go on a run reminiscent of last season’s home-straight of six wins out of their last seven they would be, as they say, “in and amongst it”.Certainly Essex are a side that thrive of momentum – not too surprising given the players they have: an array of attackers in each discipline that thrive with time on the field and wither without it. No one typifies that more than Graham Napier who has gradually been building up to a performance like today.His 4 for 64 in 23 overs, a season best, was a triumph of the endurance he has built up through managing niggles in the middle of an unrelenting schedule. At times in four-day cricket he has switched to an abbreviated run-up, mid-spell. On the third evening, there was nothing by half as he produced a match-winning cameo of six overs, 3 for 13. As the ball approached its seventies, it started showing signs of reversing. With that, it was handed to Napier at the Hayes Close End and he used it to gut the Derbyshire middle order. It was a reminder that Napier is one of the best reverse-swing bowlers on the county circuit.Paul Grayson, Essex head coach

On day one “It was a very important toss to win on day one with those cloudy conditions, but we exploited those conditions well. Young Jamie Porter bowled outstandingly well and we probably could have bowled them out for a bit less if we took our catches.”
On Essex’s sole batting effort “It was an interesting scorecard because we didn’t get a hundred – quite rare when you get a good score like that. It was great to have Cookie back, especially when he’s in this form. Browne looked great again and it was just a great first innings performance that we’d talked about as a group. We’ve got to take control of games more.”
On results up till now “We’ve felt like we’ve played some half decent cricket but we’ve been punished from mistakes in previous games. There were signs against Northants last week where we showed character and fight to get back into that match. We got a strong side out this game and I was expecting a strong performance.”
On Napier’s 23 overs, 4 for 64 “I think Napes was outstanding today when we needed him. He’s put a massive shift in today. He looks fit at the moment, he’s signed a new contract and he’s bowling well – long may that continue.”

Essex added 24 runs to their overnight score, 21 of which came from the bat of James Foster. It was Wayne White who kept the home entertainment to a minimum by removing Aron Nijar lbw and then dismissing Foster, who guided him perfectly to Billy Godleman at third man. The wickets gave White his second consecutive six-wicket haul, after a career best 6 for 25 against Kent in the previous round of matches.Derbyshire, 325 behind, got off to the worst possible start when Ben Slater chipped Jamie Porter’s fifth ball to Napier at mid-on, who pulled off an impressive jumping catch. It looked from a distance that the ball might have stopped in the pitch; Slater seemingly checking his drive, as if reacting late to the ball not quite coming onto the bat. Soon after Billy Godleman followed him back to the pavilion when he flicked Porter straight to Ryan ten Doeschate, who had been moved to leg slip a couple of balls earlier.And so began a third wicket partnership that would take 43 overs to break. The respective shapes, mannerisms and backgrounds of Chesney Hughes and Wayne Madsen suggests more buddy-cop flick than strong-willed resistance. Hughes used his power to punish anything juicy that came his way; Madsen simply drove and guided out of habit. Against the spin of Tom Westley and Nijjar, Hughes at times looked edgy, and frenetic. As it started to look like Westley had Hughes’ number – with Hughes on 25, Westley had a big lbw shout turned down – the Derbyshire No. 3 ended a sequence of nine dot balls against the offspinner with a powerfully struck six over midwicket. Madsen on the other hand was a picture of serenity. Still, they both took it in turns to pummel the back of Ryan ten Doeschate who, at short-leg, felt the full force of their cuts and pulls on five or six occasions.Their partnership of 166 showed that the pitch rewarded patience. But when Hughes departed for 80, bowled so emphatically by Ravi Bopara that just one stump was left standing, that was the end of any real accompaniment for Madsen.By the time the Derbyshire captain had reached his hundred from his 179th ball faced – his first of the season and career-first against Essex – Wes Durston had perished to the second ball after lunch. At that point, the deficit was down to 70 and there was a chance that Essex would need to bat again. Then Napier happened. The last six wickets fell for 33, with Ryder removing Scott Elstone thanks to a brilliant catch from Foster, diving high to his right, bowling White and then having Mark Footitt caught at mid-off to finish the match.But it was Napier’s spell that allayed any fears that Essex might not convert this to a win. When Madsen nicked him to Alastair Cook at first slip, the crowd jumped to their feet – well rose slowly, carefully and surely – in appreciation that one of their experienced first team bowlers was fit and firing.Speaking at stumps, Essex coach Paul Grayson confirmed that David Masters, who missed this match with a groin strain, is likely to play back-to-back on Thursday and Friday night in the NatWest T20 Blast. Currently, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to make it through a four-day game. An assessment will be made after Friday night as to whether he will make the squad for Gloucestershire on Sunday.As for Reece Topley, who spent the day as a net-bowler for England at Trent Bridge, things are a bit different. With the back problems he has had over the last year, a specialist has advised the club that the left-arm seamer cannot play two four-day matches in a row. Having played at Northampton, he was subsequently unavailable for this game and will come back into squad for the trip to Bristol. Essex and Grayson will operate on those terms until the end of the season before reassessing Topley in the winter.

Fede Valverde has hailed former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo for the rapid "progress" of the Saudi Pro League.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ronaldo first megastar to shift base to Saudi ArabiaNeymar & Karim Benzema followed suitValverde lauds Ronaldo for football revolutionGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Portuguese forward sent shockwaves across the world when he announced his decision to sign for Al-Nassr after the 2022 World Cup. His move to the Middle East ignited an influx of superstar signings in the Saudi Pro League over the summer, which included Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema and Brazilian forward Neymar, at Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal respectively.

Valverde had the fortune of sharing the dressing room with both Ronaldo and Benzema at Real Madrid. The Uruguayan midfielder hailed Ronaldo as a pioneer for the development of the game in the Middle East.

AdvertisementWHAT VALVERDE SAID

Speaking to reporters, Valverde said: "I think there’s been a lot of progress with the players who have come here. For example, Cristiano, who started all this. It shows what they want to do and to have players of that quality is important."

Getty Images THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Pro League continues to be a popular attraction among players for the hefty wage structures and even Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is being linked to a move to Riyadh. However, Valverde also made it clear that even a blank cheque would not convince him to choose Saudi at this point in his career as he is enjoying his stint with Los Blancos.

"It is really impossible for me to go to the Saudi League," he added to . "No chance. 10, 20 or 30 million will not change my life. I'm at Real Madrid, the best club in the world. I love my life in Madrid, the same goes for my family and that's it."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

The transfer bandwagon to Saudi Arabia shows no signs of stopping and it is expected that it will only grow in the next few years. Michael Emenalo, the Saudi Pro League director of football, has insisted that they are still pursuing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, despite the forward rejecting a move in the summer transfer window. If they manage to pull off the Salah and Mbappe signings it will undoubtedly be another major coup for Saudi Arabia.

The goalkeeper produced a stunning penalty save from Jordan Larsson to preserve all three points after a towering header from the England centre-back

Andre Onana became the most unlikely hero for Manchester United by saving a last-gasp penalty from Copenhagen's Jordan Larsson and salvaging a 1-0 win and three golden Champions League points.

The Cameroonian's act of heroism came after another much-maligned figure in Harry Maguire had stepped up to the plate and given United the lead, despite yet another turgid performance from Erik ten Hag's side.

Maguire's crashing header sent Old Trafford wild after the stadium had paid tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton before kick-off. United were unable to give a performance that Charlton would have been proud of, but it turned out to be a night that could map out the revival of two oft-criticised figures.

Onana had made a couple of good saves before his stunning stop to deny Larsson – the son of former United striker Henrik – from the spot with what proved to be the final kick off the game.

The save could prove to be the difference between United falling short in the Champions League or progressing to the knockouts as Ten Hag's side now have three points and are just one behind second-placed Galatasaray.

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from a relieved Old Trafford…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Andre Onana (9/10):

Made a couple of decent saves and kept a much-needed clean sheet but still managed to look shaky and his kicking was poor. Then produced the best save of his United career to save two points.

Diogo Dalot (6/10):

A couple of promising attacking moves and defended reasonably well.

Harry Maguire (7/10):

Had a shaky start and looked clunky but came alive after the break, his goal preceded by some welcome moments of aggression.

Raphael Varane (8/10):

Gave an outstanding performance with and without the ball. Held everything together at the back.

Sergio Reguilon (6/10):

Hit and miss. Tried to create some counter-attacks but couldn't land the passes.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Sofyan Amrabat (5/10):

Moved the ball around slowly and sloppily. Tackled himself at one point. Removed at half-time.

Scott McTominay (5/10):

Not much of a presence in midfield and couldn't get forward enough. Made a rash challenge to give away the penalty, even if it was a little harsh.

Bruno Fernandes (6/10):

Played some important through-balls from deep but also got intercepted far too often.

Getty ImagesAttack

Antony (5/10):

Showed some glimmers of exciting play and the odd burst of pace but mostly looked disconnected. Dribbled past one player and straight into the touchline.

Rasmus Hojlund (7/10):

The only attacker to show some urgency and create a hint of danger.

Marcus Rashford (4/10):

His head does just not seem in the right place. Shanked a shot over the bar, overran the ball when clean through and had a poor first touch.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Christian Eriksen (6/10):

A big improvement on Amrabat, threading midfield and attack together, and was actually capable of delivering through-balls. Fine cross created Maguire's goal.

Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

Exciting on the break but lacked a finishing touch.

Victor Lindelof (7/10):

Made lots of timely challenges and interceptions to see the win out.

Anthony Martial (N/A):

Only came on in the 86th minute.

Erik ten Hag (6/10):

His changes helped win the game, but once more it was a turgid overall display and he is responsible for that.

Lionel Scaloni admits it is “risky” to ask too much of Lionel Messi at the moment, with the Argentina star handed 37 minutes against Paraguay.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

All-time great on the bench vs ParaguayIntroduced in the second halfHas been nursing an injuryWHAT HAPPENED?

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has been nursing an injury since the last international break, with that problem restricting him to just 72 minutes of game time for Inter Miami in MLS. He was, however, called upon by his country for the latest round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi started a 1-0 win over Paraguay on the bench, but was introduced early in the second half and helped to see out a hard-fought victory – while also being caught up in an unfortunate incident that saw him spat at by Paraguay striker Antonio Sanabria.

WHAT THEY SAID

Argentina must now decide whether Messi will be involved against Peru next Tuesday, or give him an extended break. Scaloni has told : “We will talk in the next few days. He has two more training sessions to continue collecting minutes and we will see. It is not discounted that he plays, it is not discounted that he does not play – because I haven't talked about that yet – but today I think it was risky that he could get more minutes than usual. We talked about it and we agreed on that and I think it was prudent because we run the risk of having a problem – especially because of the level that the team can show with guys who can contribute other things. We will talk in these days and we will decide.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Messi is likely to play some part against Peru, providing he has suffered no fitness setbacks, as he may not have many more minutes to take in at club level this season – with Inter Miami missing out on the MLS play-offs. He will have more international action to come in November, but that will be his last competitive game time until the 2024 campaign gets underway in the United States.

Erling Haaland’s agent has refused to reveal the release clause in the striker’s contract, saying the Manchester City star is “master of his destiny”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Norwegian striker starring in EnglandCould he be on the move in 2024?La Liga giants said to be keenWHAT HAS HAPPENED?

The prolific Norwegian frontman plundered 52 goals across all competitions last season – breaking countless records along the way – as he helped City to a historic Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League Treble. He has continued to star this season, leading to further speculation regarding supposed interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid.

AdvertisementGettyDOES HAALAND HAVE A RELEASE CLAUSE?

There is said to be a clause in Haaland’s deal that could be triggered by teams outside of England in the summer of 2024, but Rafaela Pimenta has told when asked what it would take for a deal to be done: "Erling's contract is known to Manchester City, his father, himself and me.”

COULD HAALAND LEAVE MAN CITY?

She went on to say of the transfer rumours that continue to rage: “Erling is the master of his destiny. Not just now but his entire life and 100%. What I mean is that you have to use balance. Us, club and player. We are all in the same boat. Things have to be talked about, treated, in such a way that everyone is okay. Comfortable and satisfied with the experience they live together. I think it is not necessary to say that Erling does what he wants. Is not true. Erling is always going to do what is good for him and for his club, Manchester City. When everyone is willing to make a change, it will be done. He's not the type of player who's going to say ‘I'm leaving, bye, I don't want to know anything’. It is not like this. And it's not going to happen because respect comes before everything. If they give it to him, he will give it too.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyHOW MUCH IS HAALAND WORTH?

Pimenta has suggested in the past that Haaland could be worth as much as €1 billion (£875m/$1bn) in the transfer market, and he has expanded on that comment by saying: “When I talk about 1 billion, I talked about a pack in which I include the years of career, the sales potential, tickets, t-shirts, sponsors, digital and everything that is coming that does not yet exist. It is impossible to say how much each thing costs. You are actually asking me how much the transfer costs and you don't have to ask me this. The market says so.”