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The 2017 champions will entertain the debutants who have, somewhat surprisingly, had a good run in the continental showpiece so far

GOAL predicts how Cameroon will line up against Comoros on Monday during their Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 game in Yaounde.

BackpagePix.Goalkeeper: Andre Onana

Although the 25-year-old has not kept a clean sheet in the last three Afcon games, he is expected to keep his position as the Indomitable Lions begin their campaign in the knockout stage.

AdvertisementBackpagepix.Left-back – Nouhou Tolo

The  Seattle Sounders defender has been a consistent figure in Cameroon's team and his inclusion – bar any injury or positive Covid-19 test – is a certain bet.

Backpagepix.Centre-back – Michael Ngadeu

The defender played in all the group games without being substituted and is odds on to start in the crucial Comoros encounter.

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Backpagepix.Centre-back – Harold Moukoudi

The Saint-Etienne man is a contender to be part of Antonio Oliveira's starting XI when they take to the pitch to face the Covid-19-ravaged Islanders. 

Former United States men's national team goalkeeper Tim Howard has defended NFL star Travis Kelce after his clash with coach Andy Reid.

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Kelce and Reid appeared to clashKansas City Chiefs won Super BowlHoward defends Kelce's actionsWHAT HAPPENED?

Kelce clashed with coach Andy Reid, screaming in his face during the Super Bowl, as the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers. The video went viral, with Taylor Swift's boyfriend – as he is rapidly becoming known – later apologising for being too "fired up", but Howard has defended his compatriot, insisting that it reminded him of clashes between Manchester United legends Roy Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson when he played at Old Trafford.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT HOWARD SAID

Howard wrote in the : "The whole world said: ‘Oh my gosh, how could Kelce do that?’ But my first thought was: this is not what it looks like. On the surface, it appeared that Kelce was undermining Reid – and how dare a player yell at a coach like that?"

He added: "At Manchester United, Roy Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson had some clashes – I remember once after a game at Bolton, they were going at each other in the locker room. Things were getting thrown, they were yelling back and forth while the rest of us were all in the corner hiding. It gets uncomfortable – no one's going to interject! Everybody shut up. If you ever had the good fortune of being in a dressing room with two massive leaders like that, there is nothing you can say or do.

"But, again, you can't have those fiery conversations, those screaming matches without respect. Otherwise it boils over. It all stems from a foundation of respect."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kelce and the Chiefs won the game in overtime, in a dramatic end to one of the most watched sporting events of all time. So, it is fair to say, that he and Reid can likely put this behind them as they both have one more ring.

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Getty WHAT NEXT?

Kelce is likely to take some time to celebrate his achievement, and we might even get a song from Swift commemorating his and his team's immense achievement.

Derbyshire have signed one of cricket’s most renowned yorker bowlers, the Melbourne Renegade Nathan Rimmington, for the 2015 NatWest Blast

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Mar-2015Derbyshire have signed one of the doughtiest T20 death bowlers, Nathan Rimmington, for the entire 2015 NatWest T20 Blast. The signing puts effectiveness ahead of glamour with Derbyshire convinced they have secured one of the most parsimonious bowlers in the closing overs in the T20 game.Rimmington will variously combine with two international batsmen – New Zealand international Martin Guptill and Sri Lanka’s veteran Tillakaratne Dilshan – during the campaign.During his time with Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, Rimmington, 32, has built a renowned reputation for closing out an innings with his trademark perfect yorkers gaining much attention.In 59 Twenty20 fixtures since the Big Bash began in 2011, he has claimed 65 wickets at 21 apiece, with an economy rate of just above seven runs an over. He starred in the longer format, too, and was also named in Cricket Australia’s Sheffield Shield team of the year.Derbyshire’s elite performance director, Graeme Welch, said: “Nathan brings a wealth of experience bowling at the death which will be vital as we look to progress in the NatWest T20 Blast.”People will have watched him in the Big Bash and know the quality he will bring to the side. Not only will he be a valuable asset at the end of the innings, he will also provide us with a proven strike bowler with the new ball.Derbyshire are trying to get Rimmington to England early so that he can warm up with some league cricket ahead of the Blast and ensure those celebrated yorkers are inch perfect from the outset.

If this had been a bout – and it would have been a heavyweight one at that – the referee would have intervened well before Jason Roy clubbed 63 off 25 balls

Ryan Bailey at The Oval27-Jun-2014
ScorecardJason Roy smashed 63 off 25 balls to continued his impressive form•Getty ImagesAmid the conveyor belt of marquee overseas names it would be easy to hold a blinkered view of Surrey. Their riches dwarf what others can even fantasise of which can fuel envy and even bitterness. Yet, when the ECB’s top table drew up the plans for this recast NatWest T20 Blast, it was evenings like this they had at the forefront of the agenda.If this had been a bout – and it would have been a heavyweight one at that – the referee would have intervened well before Jason Roy clubbed 63 off 25 balls which supported the argument there is a lot more to Surrey than their big-buck dealings.It was an innings of disdain brimming with flamboyance as he bludgeoned twelve boundaries to dispel the belief that this was another sub-standard pitch. There was no masking Hampshire’s pitiful performance but as bad as the visitors were, Surrey were masterly.”It was a fantastic wicket,” Roy said. “To keep them to 130 was a brilliant effort from our bowlers and the spinners won us the game.”It is, admittedly, what hefty investment can bring but you manufacture your own success. While many grounds around the circuit are finding it a tougher task to sell the idea of the shortest-format, Surrey are revelling in it. A near capacity Oval crowd, on a glorious evening in South London, testified to that. Build it and they will come and Surrey, in recruiting a certain calibre of player, are certainly doing that.And while T20 is as much about introducing the sport to a new audience, prosperity on the pitch does not half help. An eight-wicket battering of a team of Hampshire’s T20 pedigree underlines Surrey’s capacity in this competition and should ensure many of the revellers will return for another evening’s entertainment.Roy did not shy away as he made the pre-game pyrotechnics seem flimsy with some fireworks of his own. After a couple of disjointed seasons with the bat, he is beginning to mature as a player and is enjoying the dividends. An unbeaten 81 against Sussex a fortnight ago hinted at a player finally beginning to fulfil his potential this innings was equally destructive and included 24 off Will Smith’s one over.Such was his belligerence, those in the stands barely noticed the presence of Tillakaratne Dilshan and then Kevin Pietersen at the other end. On debut, the former contributed 15 to an opening stand of 78 but that was hardly a reflection of his endeavours. His contribution with the ball upfront, however, set the tone for what was to follow.For all the weapons in their armoury, the visitors were horribly outplayed. They lost their three big guns – Michael Carberry, James Vince and Jimmy Adams – during the Powerplay and never recovered. As much as their downfall was created by Surrey’s incessant brilliance in the field and nagging line and length offered by the battery of spinners, Hampshire’s inability to respond to a situation that needed a steady rebuilding operation was striking.As Surrey’s big names stood-up, Glenn Maxwell became part of his sides’ disintegration. Surrey stifled him with spin from both ends and he fell for the bait when Gareth Batty tossed a couple above his eye-line and eventually he holed out to long-on.”It was just one of those nights unfortunately. We never got out of the blocks and when you lose wickets consistently, you don’t give yourselves any chance against a side like Surrey,” Giles White, Hampshire director of cricket, said.Indeed, the procession once Sean Ervine’s departure made it 49 for 5 was inevitable. Mindless running led to Matt Coles’ dismissal and Smith, who along with Chris Wood offered some resistance, was stumped off a wide; it typified Hampshire’s evening.That they got to a semblance of respectability was down to a career-best 27 from Wood and a couple of blows from Kyle Abbott. It was far little too late, however, as the damage had already been done and Roy ensured there was no way of repairing it.

Anamul Haque and Nasir Hossain will be unavailable for the first Test against Zimbabwe, after they were both picked in the BCB XI side that will take part in the Acharya Memorial Trophy in Kolkata from October 25 to celebrate 150 years of the Eden Gardens

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2014Anamul Haque and Nasir Hossain will be unavailable for the first Test against Zimbabwe, after they were both picked in a BCB XI side that will take part in the Acharya Memorial Trophy in Kolkata from October 25 to celebrate 150 years of the Eden Gardens. Both players were part of Bangladesh’s Test squad last month against West Indies.Bangladesh will also be without the services of Elias Sunny, who too was selected in the BCB XI squad that will take on teams from Mumbai, Bangalore and the hosts Kolkata.Anamul has been made captain of the team, with Naeem Islam appointed his deputy. The make-up of the BCB XI squad means that the rest of the players will be kept in consideration for the first Test which also begins on October 25, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.Nasir is one of several Bangladesh players whose poor form this year has been under the scanner. The West Indies tour was seen as crucial for the likes of him, Mahmudullah, Shamsur Rahman, Imrul Kayes and even Tamim Iqbal. While Mahmudullah and Tamim have done well and Shamsur Rahman and Imrul Kayes now remain in contention for the first Test match, the axe has fallen on Nasir and Anamul, who had started the West Indies tour with an ODI century.But since then, Anamul only managed scores of 7, 0, 19*, 15, 9 and 0 in the remaining games. Overall, he averages 9.12 in Test cricket. Nasir, on the other hand, is suffering his first bad season after making his debut in 2011. He averages 14.14 in four Tests this year, having made just 99 runs.This leaves the door slightly open for the likes of Shamsur, Imrul and Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury to be retained in the Test squad. Marshall Ayub, having not been named in the BCB XI, can also be considered to be competing for one spot. Among the bowlers, seamer Shahadat Hossain and legspinner Jubair Hossain are likely to be fighting for a single spot.BCB XI squad: Anamul Haque (capt) , Liton Kumar Das, Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarker, Nasir Hossain, Naeem Islam, Nurul Hasan (wk), Arafat Sunny, Elias Sunny, Mohammad Shahid, Abul Hasan, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Taskin Ahmed, Muktar Ali

Shane Watson’s greater experience of England and his capacity to bowl some of the kinds of spells Ryan Harris might have delivered for Australia appears set to squeeze him into the first Test team ahead of Mitchell Marsh

Daniel Brettig in Cardiff06-Jul-2015Shane Watson’s greater experience of England and his capacity to bowl some of the kinds of spells Ryan Harris might have delivered for Australia appears set to squeeze him into the first Test team ahead of Mitchell Marsh, as part of a bowling attack the assistant coach Craig McDermott still calls the best in the world.While the younger Marsh has turned plenty of heads with his bold batting on tour, the Australian team’s decision-makers still feel Watson offers more security as a bowler. Without Harris, the control Watson can offer with miserly spells and swing of both conventional and reverse varieties will be even more highly valued.McDermott, on his first Ashes tour since leaving the 1993 trip early due to a life-threatening twisted bowel, said that while Marsh’s bowling was improving, Watson still had something of an edge. “With the fourth seamer only bowling 10-15 overs tops depending on how they’re bowling and how the other guys are going, his control is excellent,” McDermott said. “He’s a lot more experienced and has been around for a long time so you’d expect his control and everything else to be better.”Mitch is still developing. He’s got some pace back; the No. 1 thing we were chasing for from him was to get some speed up. Him obviously being nervous with his injuries throughout the summer in Australia and wanting to stay on the paddock made him back off a little bit I think. Now he’s our No. 1 man over the 2km time trial and all that sort of stuff he’s got his fitness back, he’s lost some weight and he’s got his pace back up.”He’s actually swinging the ball nicely now, he bowled a lot better in the second innings in Essex than the first innings and also Canterbury. So considering he hasn’t had a lot of four-day cricket bowling it’s a work in progress but he’s coming on nicely.”Shane Watson appears in line to pip Mitchell Marsh for a place in the first Test•Getty ImagesWhile Australia’s order of preference for pace bowlers has been shaken up considerably by Harris’ exit, it remains likely that Peter Siddle will miss out on a place in the team unless the selectors plump for the unlikely option of choosing four fast men in addition to Watson. At the very least, Siddle’s quality bowling in Canterbury, Chelmsford and the Cardiff nets is keeping Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Johnson on their toes.”It’s disappointing for him but we’ve got to find someone else to do the job he does and I’m sure four of the guys we’ve got are quite capable of doing that,” McDermott said. “Peter Siddle’s bowled very well in the last couple of games, the other guys are getting back into their work, and Jono’s bowling quicker here than he has for a while I think and swinging the ball nicely. So those four frontline guys are all in the mix and if we don’t play four it’ll be a tough selection call.”Everyone who’s been through the World Cup and to the IPL in particular took a bit of time to get back into their work. Jono’s arm path has got a bit better over here, a bit higher and he’s got his seam in a better position, and he’s just got a real spring in his step at the minute, so that’s good for us and hopefully not good for the Poms.”Starcy and Josh basically had two and a half weeks off from game time, so just took a little bit of time to get back into their rhythm and bowling. They both bowled very well in the second innings in Essex, so we’re pretty happy with their preparation, and Sidds bowled well in both games and his pace got better as well.”Two of the vagaries of English conditions are the swing extractable from the Dukes ball and the smaller dimensions of the grounds, meaning runs can accrue quickly if bowlers get too greedy in their search for a “glory ball”. McDermott espoused the virtues of balance, and did not mind the thought of a new, more aggressive England going out searching for deliveries bowled in the fourth stump channel.”We’ve got to bowl our good lines and lengths which we did in Australia in the last series, and we stuck to our game plan,” he said. “You don’t want to attack too much, but you need still to attack. Our game with our bowling and fielding is to be attacking and aggressive, that’s the Australian way and the only way we know how to play.”The boys this morning were swinging the ball a lot. So it’s making sure you don’t get too greedy and using the crease to get your lines correct and make the batsmen play. If we do get a lot of swing we can use the crease to maximise that, and that’s pretty important for our attack and certainly Sidds is one who uses the crease well. The other guys do as well, but he uses it as good as anyone.”We’ve got a bowling attack that suits pretty much every facet of cricket, whether it’s a reverse wicket or a wicket that turns with seven left-handers is good for Lyono, and obviously if the wicket’s got green grass on it and goes through a bit, even if it’s a bit slower, the wicket’s still going to seam if it’s got some grass on it. Our attack is really well placed for whatever we get dished up.”

Brazilian duo Neymar and Marcelo have been spending some time together as the Al-Hilal forward continues his recovery from knee surgery.

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Neymar recovering from knee surgeryRuled out for rest of seasonHas caught up with MarceloWHAT HAPPENED?

Neymar is currently sidelined after undergoing surgery on an ACL injury that is expected to keep him out of action until after the Copa America. The Brazilian has offered some updates on his rehabilitation, showing off some painful sessions on social media. However, he's been all smiles in his latest post as he revealed how he's caught up with an old friend.

AdvertisementWHAT NEYMAR SAID:

Neymar shared a picture of the two Brazilians together on Instagram with the caption: "We used to bet on who could nutmeg the most players during games. Good to see you brother."

InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Neymar also offered a fresh image of his knee as he continues his recovery. The forward has already been ruled out of the 2024 Copa America by Brazil's team doctor who has advised Neymar not to "skip steps" when it comes to his rehabilitation. Marcelo, meanwhile, has been rolling back the years at Fluminense and added the Copa Libertadores to his impressive trophy collection back in November.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR

Fans are likely to have to wait until August 2024 to see Neymar back in action again for Al-Hilal. The forward has only managed five appearances for his new club so far due to injury.

Erik ten Hag looked to have transformed the Red Devils but his side are showing many worrying signs associated with his predecessor

"They were easy give-aways," said the Manchester United manager, assessing how his side had fallen behind so early in a match they were expected to win comfortably. "It was a horror start. With all respect, we can't allow them [those goals]."

The Red Devils' boss added: "The first one is that we play a short corner and forget about the man up top. That’s unforgivable… We’ve not done our roles, it’s my responsibility. You don’t see goals like that at this level. You shouldn’t concede easy goals like that. When you do, it makes winning matches a lot harder."

Spot the difference? The first line of quotes was Erik ten Hag's reaction to United's 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest last Saturday, a game in which his side fell two goals behind within the opening four minutes. The second comment was from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after United's 2-1 defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir in November 2020.

Solskjaer could not believe his eyes after 35-year-old Demba Ba had ran from his own half towards goal, completely unopposed, to give the unfancied Turkish side the lead in the 13th minute. Ten Hag, meanwhile, had just witnessed Taiwo Awoniyi run unchallenged from the halfway line to score the opening goal, taking advantage of childish defending after United had just taken a corner.

Getty A thrilling yet concerning start

It has been 21 months since United parted ways with Solskjaer, who fans loved for his contribution as a player and his commitment to the club. However, by the time of his sacking in November 2021, having won no trophies in nearly four years, almost everyone recognised that the Norwegian was a limited and inexperienced coach incapable of taking United back to where they belong.

Ten Hag, by contrast, is one of the most admired tacticians in Europe, with a track record of overseeing elaborate football and winning trophies. In just a few months in charge he ended United's six-year silverware drought by lifting the Carabao Cup, while he also took them to the FA Cup final and secured Champions League qualification at the first time of asking.

However, after a chaotic start to the season, which included fortunate wins over Wolves and Forest as well as a limp defeat to Tottenham, Ten Hag's United are showing many of the traits that Solskjaer's team were known for. They are making unforgivable mistakes defensively, players are not doing their jobs, and they are having to pull off dramatic escape acts. It might be thrilling to watch, but it is also deeply concerning.

AdvertisementGettyComebacks are in United's DNA

While United fans were struggling to make sense of what they were witnessing in the opening minutes at Old Trafford, Forest fans were staging a party in the away end. In another throwback to the Solskjaer era, they were gleefully chanting "You're getting sacked in the morning" to Ten Hag.

Christian Eriksen's strike breathed life back into Old Trafford and then everyone believed the comeback was on. And when Casemiro equalised and Bruno Fernandes converted from the penalty spot, there was an air of inevitability about it all.

Some of United's best ever moments were comebacks, such as the 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 which paved the way for the first Premier League title win, or the three-minute turnaround against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final. Never knowing when they were beaten was a defining characteristic of Sir Alex Ferguson's many great teams.

GettyTurnarounds can mask deeper issues

However, if a team falls behind too often and epic finishes are routinely needed, it is rarely sustainable. United tend to average around three or four comeback wins per season in the Premier League era, but things got ludicrous under Solskjaer. In the 2020/21 season, United won 10 league matches after conceding the first goal, more than in any other campaign.

The Red Devils ended up finishing second in the league but the following season they picked up their lowest points total in Premier League history. Solskjaer was sacked four months into that dire campaign, following a 4-1 thrashing at relegation-fighting Watford.

A similar pattern can be spotted in United's second-best season as far as comeback wins are concerned. In the 2012-13 season, Ferguson's last in charge, United won nine matches from losing positions. They romped to the Premier League title then, but the fact they needed so many late finishes should have suggested there were deeper problems and the winning train was about to come off the tracks.

With almost an identical squad the following season under David Moyes, United had an utterly miserable campaign and came seventh in the table, their lowest-ever Premier League finish.

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GettyTen Hag catching up with Solskjaer

Under Solskjaer, United won a whopping 19 matches in all competitions from losing positions. And as the hero of the team's most famous comeback of all as a player – the 1999 Champions League final – the Norwegian coach revelled in each turnaround.

Take his response to beating Southampton 3-2 in March 2019. “The manner of it is like the old days. I have been part of that so many times myself and so pleased for the boys that they managed to claw three points out of this game." Days later, United pulled off perhaps the best result of the Solskjaer era, beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in the last-16 of the Champions League to overturn a 2-0 home defeat in the first leg.

Even in the dying weeks of Solskjaer's time in charge, United were capable of pulling off comebacks. They turned things around to beat West Ham 2-1 with an 89th-minute strike from Jesse Lingard and enjoyed Champions League victories over Villarreal and Atalanta from losing positions, winning each time courtesy of late strikes from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Just one month into his second season, Ten Hag is developing his own reputation for comebacks. The Forest game was his seventh turnaround victory, following wins over Manchester City, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Aston Villa and Barcelona.

Bayern Munich could be the 'perfect' club for Zinedine Zidane if he looks to return to coaching, according to Christophe Dugarry.

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Zidane touted to take over at BayernDugarry believes club "perfect" for ZidaneTuchel set to leave Bayern in summer(C)Getty imagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Reports in Germany have claimed that Real Madrid legend and three-time Champions League-winning coach, Zidane, has been shortlisted as one of the potential coaches to take over at the club after Thomas Tuchel's imminent departure at the end of the season. Zidane's former team-mate, Dugarry, how now said that Bayern would be the perfect club for the 51-year-old.

AdvertisementWHAT DUGARRY SAID

Speaking with RMC Sport, Dugarry said: “Is he taking German lessons? I do not believe it. But anyway, the German championship is great. The stadiums are full, the championship is very open… I think all coaches dream of coaching a club like Bayern. It’s the absolute best! I think they are one of the perfect clubs for Zidane, continued our consultant. The perfect club is Real Madrid, and they have done it again and again. Afterwards, does he want to go, I don’t know."

(C)Getty imagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Zidane is one of the most decorated coaches in the world but has not taken the helm of a club since 2021. Zidane won 11 trophies as manager of Real Madrid, including three Champions League titles in his two stints with the club spanning six seasons.

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WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

For now, the focus remains on Tuchel and how he manages the club for the rest of the season as they live under the threat of going trophyless for the first time since 2011/12. They will be in action next up when they take on RB Leipzig on February 24.

The PCB has asked the ICC to set a date for offspin-bowling allrounder Mohammad Hafeez to have his action officially reassessed

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-2015The PCB has asked the ICC to set a date for offspin-bowling allrounder Mohammad Hafeez to have his action officially reassessed. The test has been set for February 6 in Brisbane*, with the PCB hoping to have Hafeez cleared to bowl in time for the World Cup that begins on February 14.While Hafeez is part of Pakistan’s World Cup squad, he will not be allowed to bowl in the tournament unless cleared, having been suspended from bowling in international cricket in December. Pakistan are already without the services of Saeed Ajmal for the World Cup, who has also been banned.Hafeez’s action was tested at an ICC accredited centre in Loughborough, England. The analysis, an ICC statement said, found the flex in his action to exceed the 15-degree limit for all deliveries. Later, he was sent to Chennai to undergo remedial work and unofficial tests on his bowling action at Sri Ramachandra University. He had failed one of those unofficial tests, in January; he bowled 11 deliveries in that test, and of those the flex in six deliveries was above the 15-degree limit.If he fails the official test, the ICC’s Bowling Review Group (BRG) will specify a period during which Hafeez will not be entitled to approach the ICC for reassessment.Hafeez was first reported while playing for Lahore Lions during the Champions League T20 in September, but that sanction did not apply to international cricket. He was reported again after the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi in November.Ajmal, who is not part of the World Cup squad, will undergo official ICC testing in Chennai on January 24.* January 23, 2015 11:15 GMT: The story has been updated with the date of Hafeez’s test