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A round-up of the Ford Trophy matches played on January 18, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2017Medium pacer Anurag Verma’s career-best 5 for 44 helped Wellington beat Central Districts by four wickets in Napier and remain unbeaten after two rounds of the Ford Trophy, the domestic 50-over competition.Central Districts elected to bat, and made 212 for 9, thanks largely to Josh Clarkson’s 68. They began with a half-century stand between George Worker and Jesse Ryder, before Verma and Jeetan Patel, the offspinner, sliced through the top order. Clarkson then put together 67 for the fifth wicket with Dane Clever to help stablise the innings, before another collapse resulted in them slipping to 167 or 8. Navin Patel’s unbeaten 37-ball 19 helped haul the total past 200.Michael Papps led Wellington’s chase, giving them a solid start with a 55-ball 50. Worker prised out three top-order wickets to leave them in a hint of trouble at 107 for 4 in the 25th over, and Blair Tickner’s double-strike left them 157 for 6 in the 39th over. But Luke Woodcock took over, making 63 not out and sharing an unbroken 57-run seventh-wicket stand with Verma, who contributed 16, to steer Wellington home with eight balls to spare.Northern Districts ran through Canterbury‘s batting line-up before their openers made quick work of a target of 136 to complete a nine-wicket win at Hamilton’s Seddon Park. Brett Randell’s medium-pace earned him figures of 4 for 34 while a 131-run first-wicket stand between Dean Brownlie – who remained not out on 55 – and Joe Carter (64) all but took Northern Districts home to a stutter-free win.Choosing to bat, Canterbury lost their first two wickets for 45 runs inside 10 overs. A 35-run stand for the third wicket – the side’s biggest partnership – followed between Jack Boyle (41) and Peter Fulton (26), but the fall of Fulton began Canterbury’s spiral out of control. Brett Hampton took three middle-order wickets, while Randell ran through the tail. Canterbury’s innings only lasted 32 overs.Openers Brownlie and Carter struck half-centuries in Northern Districts’ response, their partnership ending when Logan van Beek dismissed Carter five runs shy of the target. Eventually, they got home with 30.3 overs to spare.Sean Solia’s 73-ball 84 laid the platform for Auckland to beat Otago by 19 runs at the Eden Park Outer Oval. Having chosen to bat, Auckland were 24 for 2 and then 68 for 3 before Solia and Robert O’Donnell (42) added 92 for the fourth wicket. Five wickets then fell for the addition of only 27 runs, leaving Auckland 187 for 8 in the 41st over, before Donovan Grobbelaar (45 off 41 balls) and Lockie Ferguson (24 off 23) revived them with a 57-run ninth-wicket stand. It wasn’t enough for Auckland to last their full quota – they were bowled out in 48.4 overs – but it ensured they finished with a competitive 257. Anaru Kitchen and James Neesham took four wickets each.Otago made a strong start to their chase, with Brad Wilson scoring 40 and adding 54 in 9.3 overs for the first wicket with GW Croudis, before a third-wicket stand of 47 between Ryan Duffy and Neesham left them a solid 121 for 2 in the 23rd over. Both fell soon after, though, and when the legspinner Tarun Nethula struck in successive overs to dismiss Michael Bracewell and Sam Wells, Otago were sinking at 196 for 7. Wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder struck 36 off 32 balls, but it wasn’t enough with wickets falling around him, and Otago eventually folded for 238, with 4.3 overs still remaining.

Given the bowling strength of both Comilla Victorians and Barisal Bulls, the better batting side will have a chance to dominate the BPL 2015-16 final

The Preview by Mohammad Isam14-Dec-2015

Match facts

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Start time 1830 local (1130 GMT)2:53

Key battles of the BPL 2015-16 final

Big picture

Given the bowling strength of both Comilla Victorians and Barisal Bulls, the better batting side will have a chance to dominate the BPL 2015-16 final. More importantly, given the way these two teams have fought through the league stage and the qualifiers, the final has the promise of a far better contest than the one-sided matches in 2012 and 2013.Comilla have been dogged by injuries throughout their BPL 2015-16 campaign, but still eked out wins in the league stage and reached the final with a convincing win over Rangpur Riders in the first qualifier. Mashrafe Mortaza’s inspirational leadership has certainly helped, along with Abu Hider’s 21 wickets, Ashar Zaidi’s all-round show, and match-winning efforts from Imrul Kayes, Shoaib Malik and Nuwan Kulasekara.Mashrafe has struggled with his hamstring injury but bowled well off a short run-up in the first qualifier. His batting, too, could come in handy. Their catching, particularly that of Shuvagata Hom, has also been a key factor in reaching this far in the competition.Barisal have momentum on their side, having won their last four games. They have been led well by Mahmudullah, whose batting has always been the anchor of the line-up. Rony Talukdar’s form may be worrying but Sabbir Rahman’s return to form is encouraging. Kevon Cooper, Mohammad Sami and Al-Amin Hossain have combined perfectly as a pace-bowling unit while Mahmudullah has been shrewd in his use of spinners Seekkuge Prasanna and Taijul Islam, whenever necessary. Their fielding will have to be electric if they are to stop Comilla.The final could also decide the highest wicket-taker of this season with only one wicket separating Hider and Cooper (20).

Form guide

Comilla Victorians: WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Barisal Bulls: WWWWL

In the spotlight

Sabbir Rahman finally came to the party for Barisal in the last two matches, with scores of 41 and 79 respectively. He is an attractive stroke-player at the best of times and a BPL final should rouse him on to another big innings.Comilla will once again rely heavily on Ashar Zaidi, who has delivered almost regularly as a middle and late-order big-hitter, and an accurate left-arm spinner. Barisal will be quite wary of his contribution.

Team news

Comilla have a number of injury worries but it is more than likely that Mashrafe, Malik and Kulasekara will feature in their playing XI. They will, however, miss the all-round skills of Andre Russell, who has left for his Big Bash League commitments in Australia.Comilla Victorians (probable): 1 Imrul Kayes, 2 Liton Das (wk), 3 Ahmed Shehzad, 4 Shuvagata Hom, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Ashar Zaidi, 7 Alok Kapali, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Mahmudul Hasan, 11 Abu HiderBarisal have shown they can function without Chris Gayle, and they will have to do the same in the final. Rayad Emrit could be picked over Evin Lewis as one of the four foreigners in the playing XI.Barisal Bulls (probable): 1 Rony Talukdar, 2 Mehedi Maruf, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Shahriar Nafees, 5 Mahmudullah (capt), 6 Seekkuge Prasanna, 7 Rayad Emrit, 8 Kevon Cooper, 9 Mohammad Sami, 10 Al-Amin Hossain, 11 Taijul Islam

Pitch and conditions

The pitches in Mirpur have been the main talking point throughout this BPL season and it’s not different ahead of the final. During the qualifiers and eliminator on Saturday and Sunday, players said that the pitch was soft and difficult for stroke-play, despite decent efforts by teams batting first. The weather remains foggy, though not cold, and it will aid bowlers as the pitch is likely to remain on the softer side.

Stats and trivia

• Comilla have defeated Barisal in both their league-stage matches.
• Comilla’s Imrul Kayes (259 runs) is best placed among the tournament’s active batsmen to vie for the top run-getter’s position. Currently, Kumar Sangakkara tops the run charts with 349, while Kayes in fourth on the list.

Quotes

“It is now very clear that we have reached the stage by playing in our way. We are hopeful and positive about the final. We will get something good in the end if we play the way we have done in matches that we have won.”
“We have done well in the league phase and the qualifiers to come to the final. We want to play similarly. We don’t want to think of it as a final, but play like we have done previously. I think that will help us.”

Michael Clarke has admitted the off-field drama surrounding the Australia team has affected preparation for his side’s must-win group match against Sri Lanka

Andrew Fidel Fernando16-Jun-2013Michael Clarke has admitted the off-field drama surrounding the Australia team has affected preparation for his side’s must-win group match against Sri Lanka, but said Australia remained focused on achieving their first win of the tournament, and progressing to the semi-finals. 


Australia must defeat Sri Lanka to earn a semi-finals place, and if England win their final group match against New Zealand, they must win well enough to outdo New Zealand’s net run rate. They lost their opening match to England by 48 runs, and had the second match rained out.”The feeling in the camp has obviously been a little bit different over the past few days because there’s been a little bit of disappointment in one of our players,” Clarke said. “But I can guarantee you we left it there – after I did the press conference a couple of days ago now – and now we’re looking forward. Our focus has been preparation for this game against Sri Lanka and staying focused on what’s important.”The rain played a part in interrupting training yesterday, but a lot of the guys came and trained indoors. The day before, we trained really well as a team, and I know all the guys are looking forward to playing against Sri Lanka tomorrow.”Clarke was uncertain if he would be available to play on Monday, but expressed confidence in George Bailey, who led the side in the first two matches. Bailey hit a fifty in each of those games, and has been a consistent middle order presence since breaking into the ODI side, having maintained an average of 46 – which improves slightly when he is leading. Clarke was ruled out of the early part of the tournament due to a flare-up of a long-standing back injury.”I think George [Bailey] has done a great job. I think his performances over the past four months have been outstanding for us in one‑day cricket. He continues to lead from the front, and I think he’s captained the team really well in my absence and will do again tomorrow if I’m unavailable to play.””My back is feeling ok. I’ll have to train today with the boys and see how I pull up tomorrow. But I’m hopeful, there’s no doubt about that.”Clarke also had praise for Adam Voges, who he hoped would help add leadership and stability to what has at times been a brittle batting order. Voges hit 71 in the last match against New Zealand and averages 51.50 in 19 ODIs.”Vogey brings a lot of experience. He’s a class player and has been in first‑class cricket for a long time. His one‑day record for Australia is outstanding. So I guess he’s coming in trying to fill that Michael Hussey role batting at five and six for us, but also with the experience and leadership that he brings. He’s a great guy, I love having him around and it’s really nice to see him batting as well as he is at the moment.”

Vusi Sibanda has not been selected for the tour to New Zealand earlier this year because he chose to play grade cricket in Australia and declined a Zimbabwe Cricket contract

Firdose Moonda02-May-2012Vusi Sibanda has made a return to Zimbabwe’s national squad and was included in the 24-man training group to play South Africa in five Twenty20 matches in June. Sibanda was not considered for Zimbabwe’s January tour of New Zealand after he chose to play grade cricket in Australia instead of fulfilling domestic commitments in Zimbabwe.Although Sibanda returned home after a five-week stint for Eastern Suburbs in Sydney before the New Zealand tour, Zimbabwe Cricket’s (ZC) cricket committee decided not to select him on principle. At the time, Sibanda was told that if he renewed his commitment to ZC, he would be considered again.Sibanda finished the 2011-12 season with his local franchise, the Mid West Rhinos, for whom he played four first-class and five limited-overs matches, including a 162 against Mountaineers. Zimbabwe do not have any international assignment through the winter, but Sibanda’s path back to the national team appears to be clear as he was included in the preliminary squad for the practice matches against South Africa.”I am very pleased that the issues are done and dusted,” Alan Butcher, Zimbabwe coach, told ESPNcricinfo. “Now, Vusi can move forward and put it out of his mind.”The training squad is a strong group, including many of the faces who steered Zimbabwe to a successful Test comeback in August last year. Brendan Taylor will lead the team propped up by the experience of Hamilton Masakadza, Prosper Utseya, Ray Price, Elton Chigumbura and Tatenda Taibu. Experienced seamer Chris Mpofu also makes a comeback after missing the New Zealand series with a lower back injury.Some of the newer faces include under-19 wicketkeeper batsman Kevin Kasuza and medium-pacer Richard Muzhange. Zimbabwe have packed the training squad with bowlers as seamers Tendai Chatara and Njabula Ncube as well as legspinner Natsai Mushangwe been given the opportunity to work with the national team.”I am very happy with the group we’ve got,” Butcher said. “We’ve decided that in T20s, we should try and look more at allrounders for the side.” Chigumbura, Waller, Meth and Shingi Masakadza are the four premier allrounders in the squad.The five matches, which will take place in Harare from June 20-24, have not been given international status because they will take place outside of the FTP. They will also not be broadcast on television, given ZC’s financial crunch. South Africa are hoping to use the matches as preparation for the World T20 in September and Butcher said Zimbabwe will do the same. “It gives us a chance to work on a few things and see the make up of the side,” he said. “I was quite happy with the way we played T20 cricket in New Zealand and hopefully we can build on that.”Zimbabwe lost all the matches they played on the New Zealand trip, but gave the best account of themselves in the Twenty20s. “It will be good for us to play against another top side and that’s exactly what South Africa are,” Butcher said. “We’ve got a great bunch of guys who have been working hard so we’re excited about what’s to come.”Zimbabwe squad: Brendan Taylor (capt), Tatenda Taibu, Elton Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller, Charles Coventry, Forster Mutizwa, Graeme Cremer, Raymond Price, Tendai Chatara, Prosper Utseya, Kyle Jarvis, Chris Mpofu, Brian Vitori, Keegan Meth, Njabulo Ncube, Kevin Kasuza, Chamu Chibhabha, , Hamilton Masakadza, Shingi Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Richard Muzhange, Vusi Sibanda, Craig Ervine

Neil Dexter took three wickets as Middlesex consigned Surrey to the bottom of the second division with victory by an innings and 42 runs at Lord’s

Sahil Dutta at Lord's29-Apr-2011
ScorecardNeil Dexter took three wickets as Middlesex consigned Surrey to the bottom of the second division with victory by an innings and 42 runs at Lord’s.It marks an improvement on last year for Surrey, but not by much. The last time the London rivals met here in the Championship, Surrey went down by an innings and 44. Middlesex now stand top of the second division after winning each of their first three games. Given that they won just four in the entire season last year, their start this time round represents a remarkable revival.The result was set up on the second day when Surrey lost 12 wickets but Dexter, the Middlesex captain and Man of the Match, can point to his first-day hundred which hauled his side out of early trouble as a key contribution. He was in the thick of the action again on the final day – taking 3 for 46 – as his team sealed the result with a day and half to spare.One of Dexter’s victims was Steve Davies, whose 94 was a lone hand in Surrey’s line-up. Though never quite giving an air of permanence, Davies’ classy off-side timing brought him his highest score of the season so far.When the day began much of the focus was on Steven Finn but instead it was another sky-scraper seamer – Toby Roland-Jones – who did much of the damage, finishing with 4 for 38 which included his 50th first-class scalp in his 11th game.Though not yet as quick as Finn he offered more control and got the first wicket of the day when Gary Wilson, who had resisted for the best part of an hour, hacked at a wide delivery to be caught behind for 18. Two overs later Rory Hamilton-Brown prodded limply at a length ball to collect the third of four ducks in the Surrey innings.Tom Maynard played so well the day before that he can be forgiven for falling early in a lost cause, but the soft manner of dismissal will irk Surrey fans. Dexter had positioned two short catchers at cover and Maynard duly punched a drive straight to one of them a ball later.All the while Davies merrily drove and cut sweetly towards a century but he was running out of partners as Gareth Batty and Chris Jordan fell. In the end it was Dexter who denied him though as a wide drive-me invitation was inside-edged onto the stumps. Roland-Jones finished off the job, snaring Yasir Arafar and Jade Dernbach, who ended with a pair, in three balls.

Northamptonshire have signed Durham seamer Luke Evans on loan for an initial one month period

Cricinfo staff14-Apr-2010Northamptonshire have signed Durham seamer Luke Evans on loan for an initial one-month period.Evans will travel to Northants on Wednesday and join up with the squad ahead of their four-day fixture against Gloucestershire which starts on Thursday.Geoff Cook, the Durham coach, hopes Evans will be able to get an opportunity for first-class cricket, something unlikely in a Durham side packed with the most powerful pace attack in the country.”Luke really impressed in our pre-season preparation and this is a great opportunity for him to play some first-class cricket and further develop his game. He has put in some excellent performances for our Second XI in previous seasons and his experience at Northants will undoubtedly be of real benefit.”Evans echoed this sentiment and hopes that regular cricket will leave him in good stead for when an opportunity arises at Durham. “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to play some first team cricket for Northants,” he said.”I’ve been in good form and I want to continue to progress and improve so that when an opportunity does arise at Durham I can grab it with both hands and have the experience to produce a first class contribution. The schedule for the next month is really intense and this will be a really good test for me.”

Erik ten Hag has explained why he replaced Harry Maguire and Casemiro at half-time of Manchester United’s win at Luton.

Article continues below

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Article continues below

Red Devils burst out of the blocks against HattersSenior stars picked up first-half cautionsNo risks taken in ongoing battle for top-four finishWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils appeared to be on course for a comfortable victory at Kenilworth Road when the in-form Rasmus Hojlund bagged a well-taken brace inside the opening seven minutes. United were, however, made to work hard for a narrow 2-1 success that saw five yellow cards picked up along the way.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT TEN HAG SAID ABOUT MAGUIRE & CASEMIRO

Two of those were shown to Maguire and Casemiro inside the opening 45 minutes, leaving them walking a disciplinary tightrope. Ten Hag told afterwards when asked why he opted to hook the experienced duo at the interval: “I saw the reaction from the referee and thought they could go off with the next one. With [Scott] McTominay and [Jonny] Evans we have good replacements. Don't take the risk. I thought it was the right decision.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

United have won four successive Premier League games and are now just five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa in the battle for Champions League qualification. Ten Hag added: “I think we are back in the race and we are building momentum. We need to build pressure. Every game is a final to get closer to them.”

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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

The arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Old Trafford, following his acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in the club, is intended to aid United’s cause – with more movement behind the scenes on the way before attention turns to the summer transfer window. Ten Hag said of that saga: “I have very good contacts. I know what's going on. For Manchester United, it is very good. It's highly ambitious. They are good people coming in. We are the project and they can help us and support us to accelerate this project.”

Here's where you can watch Colorado Rapids vs St Louis City in MLS on TV or stream live.

Having played their previous two games away from home, the Colorado Rapids will take on St Louis City on Saturday at DSG Park in Commerce City.

The Rapids have gone unbeaten in their previous four domestic matches after salvaging a 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC in their most recent match, while St. Louis handed FC Cincinnati their first loss of the MLS season by convincingly defeating them 5-1, to snap a two-match losing streak.

▶ Watch every MLS match, including the playoffs, here

▶ Buy MLS tickets from Ticketmaster, here

Charlotte goalkeeper George Marks can be thanked for Rapids' most recent draw since he mishandled a through-ball in injury time and allowed the Burgundy Boys to equalize, extending Colorado's unbeaten streak to match that of the 2022 season.

The new kids on the block, St Louis City, made a huge statement last weekend by climbing back into first place overall, one point ahead of the defending champions Los Angeles FC, after suffering back-to-back losses before that.

Despite the lack of MLS experience in this group going into their inaugural season, St Louis City has benefited from errors while displaying plenty of cohesion and poise.

The stats for St. Louis this season speak for themselves. This squad has proven they are a legitimate threat by scoring 20 goals, earning 18 points, winning six games, and having a plus +11 goal difference.

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

• Colorado Rapids vs St Louis City date & kick-off time

  Game:	Colorado Rapids vs St Louis City
  Date:	April 22, 2023
  Kick-off time:	9:30 pm ET
  Venue:	DSG Park

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• Where to watch Colorado Rapids vs St Louis City on TV & live stream online

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

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  US	N/A	Apple TV

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• Team news & squads

  Colorado Rapids team news and squad

  Dantouma Toure, Aboubacar Keita, Moise Bombito and Jack Price will miss the game with long-term injuries. Andreas Maxso and Braian Galvan are doubtful for the game alongside Cole Bassett who left the last game with tightness in his hamstring.

  Colorado Rapids possible XI: Yarbrough; Wilson, Abubakar, Maxso; Rosenberry, Acosta, Ronan, Nicholson; Barrios, Cabral, Max

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Yarbrough, Ilic, Rodriguez
  Defenders	Rosenberry, Wilson, Gersbach, Vallecilla, Anderson, Markanich, Edwards
  Midfielders	Alves, Ronan, Acosta, Bassett, Galvan, Priso-Mbongue
  Forwards	Lewis, Rubio, Barrios, Nicholson, Toure, Yapi, Cabral.

  St Louis City team news and squad

  St. Louis City will have Joakim Nilsson and Njabulo Blom unavailable for selection. Rasmus Alm returns to contention.

  St Louis City possible XI: Burki; Nerwinski, Parker, Hiebert, Nelson; Stroud, Vassilev, Lowen, Ostrak; Klauss, Gioacchini

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Burki, Lundt
  Defenders	Parker, Pidro, Nervenski, Nelson, Watts, Yaro, Hiebert, Alm
  Midfielders	Vassilev, Lowen, Ostrak, Stroud, Perez, Martins, Sneijder, O'Malley, Pompeu
  Forwards	Klauss, Gioacchini, Adeniran, Jackson

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Vinicius Junior scored a wonderful goal and frustrated Valencia's defence, leading Real Madrid to a 2-0 win on Thursday.

Finally, a convincing win for Real Madrid.

They turned a poor first half into an electric second, with Vinicius Junior scoring, creating a litany of chances and frustrating Valencia to the point of a mind-blowing red-card challenge, all while the winger stuck it to ex-sponsor Nike in a 2-0 win. He backed up the strong message he sent to the boot maker, showing every bit of his worth after he blacked out his boots in the first half.

The signal to Nike? Vinicius Junior has the juice, and if you aren't going to pay for it, surely someone else will.

Still, it wasn't all good news for Madrid. They lost both Eder Militao and Karim Benzema to injury, both players appearing to pick up muscle problems to dampen what would otherwise be a perfect night.

Real Madrid had been frustrated by a disallowed goal, but when Carlo Ancelotti's side put the ball in the net for a second time in the 52nd minute, it stood. Marco Asensio cut onto his left foot and lashed the ball into the top corner, handing Madrid a 1-0 lead shortly after half-time. Vinicius Junior made it two 90 seconds later, darting down the left wing and slotting the ball into the far corner.

The home side could've had two or three more. Rodrygo narrowly missed a free-kick. Asensio curled a shot wide. Aurelien Tchouameni, returning from injury, sent an effort over the bar. But after Gabriel Paulista was sent off for a horrific kick on Vinicius Junior, Madrid exerted more control, and cruised to a 2-0 win.

Los Blancos now trail Barcelona by five points in La Liga, and will hope that the Blaugrana slip up in the coming weeks. But this was a promising performance from Carlo Ancelotti's side, and one that they can build on.

GettyThe Winners

Vinicius Junior:

Sometimes, he gets in these moods. He terrorized Valencia's defence Thursday night, given constant opportunities to run off the left wing. He struggled early, and overhit a few passes. But he was magnificent after the break, burning the Valencia back line for a wonderful goal and making opponents look very silly with some signature skills. The visitors resorted to kicking him by the end of the match, with Gabriel Paulista earning himself a straight red card in a show of frustration. Vinicius Junior now has three goal involvements in his last three games, and appears to be finding some of the form that made him so devastating last year.

Luka Modric:

The Croatian has been steadily integrated back into the side, and it hasn't always gone his way over the last few weeks. While there have still been some good moments – outrageous passes, exquisite turns – Modric has been a bit out of touch. He showed signs of his former self on Thursday evening, though. With Toni Kroos influencing the game from a defensive midfield role, Modric had more room to roam. And he made the most of it, orchestrating Madrid's play, while also getting forward and creating chances. It wasn't quite a perfect performance – Modric needed his subsitution after 65 minutes. But he looked more like the world class midfielder seen at the Bernabeu over the last few years.

Marco Asensio:

There are a number of players in the Madrid side vying for a new contract at season's end, and Asensio is one of them. But he's been inconsistent when called upon this year, his performances amounting to little proof that he deserves a new deal. Asensio showed exactly what he is capable of on Thursday night, though, scoring an excellent goal while also being involved in some wonderful moves from an inside right position. It will be interesting to see if Madrid hand him a new deal – and what kind of role he gets moving forward – but he made his claim to stay at the Bernabeu with this showing.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Gabriel Paulista:

What was he thinking? After starting the game so well, Valencia's centre-back got himself sent off for a reckless kick at Vinicius Junior in the second half. He made things worse for himself, too, shoving Vinicius when the Brazilian reacted after the foul. The foul appeared to be a moment of madness for the Brazil international, but his stupidity cost his team dearly. A longer ban could be in order; it was a truly horrible tackle.

Karim Benzema:

Benzema was enjoying an excellent game before going off injured. The striker assisted two goals and almost set up a third. He had a couple of good chances, too, but Valencia's desperate defending prevented the Madrid captain from finding the net. Still, this night will be remembered for the fact that Real Madrid's star picked up a knock. It appeared to be an innocuous thing; Benzema reached for his thigh after slightly scuffing a shot. Ancelotti said after the match that it was precautionary. It remains to be seen if the striker faces some time on the sidelines.

Nike:

Vinicius Junior walked away from his Nike sponsorship this week and played in blacked-out boots in the first half as a reminder that his next deal is up for grabs. He'll be paid. A lot. And based on Thursday's display, the company that lands him will get a special return on the investment.

Getty ImagesReal Madrid Ratings: Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

Probably got bored with his side so in control.

Nacho (7/10):

Moved to centre-back after Militao got injured, and equipped himself well. Might have to play there some more if the Brazilian is out.

Eder Militao (5/10):

Had little to do before being subbed off with a muscle injury 35 minutes in. With David Alaba injured and Dani Carvajal still short of match fitness, Madrid will hope it's not a bad one.

Antonio Rudiger (6/10):

Scored off a corner, but saw it chalked off. Was otherwise solid in a quiet night.

Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):

Put in a shift at left-back and managed some industrious runs forward. Was involved in the build up for both goals. Isn't a natural left-back, but can certainly fill in.

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Getty ImagesMidfield

Dani Ceballos (7/10):

Handed another start after impressing in recent weeks. Made some lovely runs, but didn't quite connect in the final third. Another solid shift, nonetheless.

Toni Kroos (7/10):

Completed all but one of his passes, which is fairly ridiculous. A much improved showing.

Luka Modric (7/10):

Looked more like himself after a rough few weeks. Sprayed the ball around and made some lovely runs, too. Would've had an assist after feeding Benzema, but the Frenchman's shot was blocked. Subbed off after a wonderful 65 minutes.

MatériaMais Notícias

Às 22h30 (horário de Brasília) desta quarta-feira, oExploria Stadium, em Orlando, nos Estados Unidos, marca o começo da quinta passagem de Vanderlei Luxemburgo pelo Palmeiras. O técnico terá pela frente o colombiano Atlético Nacional, pela Florida Cup. E mantendo a sina de ter estreado pelo clube sempre em locais diferentes.

O treinador comandou o Verdão entre 1993 e 1994, de 1995 a 1996, em 2002 e entre 2008 e 2009. Está marcado por ter participado do título paulista de 1993, encerrando um jejum de quase 17 anos sem conquistas do clube, mas ganhou ainda os Brasileiros de 1993 e 1994, os Paulistas de 1994, 1996 e 2008 e o Torneio Rio-São Paulo de 1993.

O LANCE!lembra como começou cada uma dessas trajetórias:

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras x Atlético Nacional: veja prováveis escalações e onde assistirPalmeiras14/01/2020PalmeirasLucas Lima e Veiga treinam no time titular para jogo do Verdão nos EUAPalmeiras14/01/2020PalmeirasPalmeiras fica perto de acertar venda de Matheus Fernandes para o BarçaPalmeiras14/01/2020

20/4/1993 – Palmeiras 1 x 0 Vitória – Palestra Itália
A história de Vanderlei Luxemburgo no Palmeiras começou, curiosamente, em um torneio que ele não venceu ainda pelo clube, mas diante do adversário de seu primeiro título nacional na carreira. Vindo da Ponte Preta, o técnico assumiu o time que era comandado por Otacílio Gonçalves e já teve como primeira missão evitar a eliminação na Copa do Brasil.

O Verdão tinha perdido a ida da segunda fase por 2 a 1 para o Vitória, na Bahia. A volta, no Palestra Itália, com Luxa no banco, teve o zagueiro Antônio Carlos expulso, mas a classificação garantida com triunfo por 1 a 0, gol do atacante Maurílio, aos 31 minutos do segundo tempo – a vaga veio porque o gol como visitante era critério de desempate.

O time cairia na fase seguinte da Copa do Brasil, para o Grêmio, nos pênaltis, após dois 1 a 1, e foi o único torneio que o clube não levou naquele ano. Ganhou o Campeonato Paulista, diante do arquirrival Corinthians, e, em dezembro, reencontrou o Vitória para vencer o Brasileiro depois de 20 anos, além de ter ganhado o Rio-São Paulo, contra o Corinthians, de novo.

5/11/1995 – Atlético-MG 2 x 0 Palmeiras – Mineirão
A torcida vaiou Carlos Alberto Silva, então técnico do Palmeiras, mesmo após vitória sobre o Goiás, em casa, pelo Brasileiro, e o treinador saiu do Palestra Itália sem passar pelos vestiários, sendo demitido no dia seguinte. A diretoria buscou Vanderlei Luxemburgo, que tinha deixado o clube após o título brasileiro de 1994 para comandar o Flamengo e passou ainda pelo Paraná.

Mas a volta do treinador não foi suficiente para evitar que a temporada terminasse sem conquistas. Luxemburgo encarou sua única estreia pelo Verdão sem vitória: levou 2 a 0 do Atlético-MG (dois gols do atacante Ézio), no Mineirão, em Belo Horizonte. O time terminou aquele Campeonato Brasileiro fora das semifinais. Porém, o fim de 1995 deu início à montagem da equipe que seria campeã paulista dando show e marcando história em 1996.

13/11/2002 – Palmeiras 3 x 0 Mogi Mirim- Wanderley José Vicentini
Luxemburgo deixou o Palmeiras no final de 1996. Comandou o Santos e a Seleção Brasileira e passou pelo Corinthians duas vezes até voltar em 2002. Reestreou em um amistoso em Pedreira, no interior paulista. O técnico tinha a missão de estar à frente de uma reformulação do time que terminou 2001 perdendo força sob o comando de Celso Roth e, depois, Márcio Araújo.

No jogo que marcou o início da terceira passagem de Luxa, o Mogi Mirim ficou com um a menos no começo do primeiro tempo. A vitória por 3 a 0 foi construído com Arce convertendo pênalti e o zagueiro Alexandre e o atacante Ricardo Boiadeiro completando o placar.

Em 2002, o Verdão amargaria o vexame de ser eliminado na primeira fase da Copa do Brasil pelo ASA, de Arapiraca (AL), mas chegaria às semifinais do Torneio Rio-São Paulo, caindo para o São Paulo por ter recebido mais cartões (primeiro critério de desempate). Luxa trocou o clube pelo Cruzeiro após a primeira rodada do Brasileiro, e o Palmeiras acabou o ano rebaixado.

17/1/2008 – Palmeiras 3 x 1 Sertãozinho – Arena Barueri
Após sair em 2002, Luxemburgo acumulou títulos por Cruzeiro e Santos, passando até pelo Real Madrid. Retornou em 2008 para comandar um time que seria montado com a ajuda dos investimentos da Traffic, que estabeleceu parceria para trazer jogadores.

A estreia veio já em jogo oficial, pela primeira rodada do Paulista. Com o Palestra Itália passando por reforma no gramado, o clube levou o jogo contra Sertãozinho para a Arena Barueri, na Grande São Paulo, e fez 3 a 1, com dois gols de Alex Mineiro e um do atacante Willian – Marcos Denner descontou no fim. Era o começo da campanha do título paulista, o último do clube no torneio, mas Luxa ouviu o canto”Ô Luxemburgo, presta atenção, a Mancha Verde não perdoa traição” como irritação por sua saída em 2002.

– Não gostei. Desnecessário e inoportuno. Sou um profissional do futebol, não um traidor. Fiz o que um profissional deveria fazer e não me arrependo. Saí do Palmeiras por não concordar com as coisas que estavam acontecendo no clube naquele momento. Espero que a torcida não abandone o time nos momentos mais difíceis. Vou me dedicar ao máximo para ajudar o Palmeiras e fazer a Mancha feliz, mas, se entender que tenho que sair por não concordar com alguma coisa, há uma cláusula que permite a rescisão tanto de minha parte quanto da do Palmeiras – declarou o treinador, na época.

​A última passagem de Vanderlei Luxemburgo pelo Palmeiras se encerrou em junho de 2009, por desentendimento com o presidente Luiz Gonzaga Belluzzo. O técnico prometeu não escalar mais o centroavante Keirrison, que estava de saída para o Barcelona, e a ação foi interpretada como desrespeito à diretoria, que optou por dispensá-lo justamente pouco após a queda na Libertadores.