They added 148 in the chase of 286, after fifties from Harper, Peake and Rogers propelled Victoria

AAP02-Dec-2025Victoria’s One-Day Cup campaign is on the brink after a seven-wicket defeat from Western Australia (WA) at Melbourne’s Junction Oval. Top of the ladder and firing in the Sheffield Shield, the Vics sit on the bottom in the battle for the Dean Jones Trophy with a 1-4 win-loss record.WA motored home in their chase, cantering to victory with 32 balls to spare. After WA captain Ashton Turner won the toss and elected to bowl, the hosts had steady contributions through their innings to push them to a total of 285.Wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper (54), young gun Oliver Peake (54), and Tom Rogers (50) all passed fifty, but were unable to go on with the job as experienced seamer Joel Paris collected 4 for 62. Peake threatened to propel the Vics towards 300, but became young quick Albert Esterhuysen’s only victim of the day.Australia white-ball star Mitchell Marsh, who is an outside chance of featuring in this summer’s Ashes, struggled to get going in WA’s chase, and fell for 17 to Xavier Crone. But Marsh’s opening partner Joel Curtis picked up the slack, flaying 68 from 64 balls to send WA on their way towards the total.WA veterans Turner and Sam Whiteman steered the visitors home with a commanding unbeaten 148-run stand after coming together at 141 for 3. Turner blasted balls all over the quick outfield, finishing unbeaten on 71 from 61 deliveries. Whiteman (70 from 65 balls) got WA to the total by hitting a flawless cover drive to the fence.WA go into the BBL break with a 2-3 record, with the 50-over matches to resume in February. Victoria will seek to gain revenge on Thursday when their Shield match against WA begins at the MCG.

تعادل منتخب مصر أمام نظيره الإمارات، بهدف لكل فريق، في لقاء أقيم اليوم، في دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب 2025.

سجل منتخب الإمارات الهدف الأول في الدقيقة 60 عن طريق لوكاس، وتعادل منتخب مصر في الدقيقة 85 بواسطة مروان حمدي.

وكان منتخب مصر قد تعادل مع الكويت في الجولة الأولى بنتيجة 1-1، بينما كان منتخب الإمارات تلقى الهزيمة من الأردن 2-1.

وانتصر منتخب الأردن على الكويت، بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، اليوم السبت، في الجولة الثانية، ليضمن منتخب النشامي التأهل إلى دور ربع النهائي بشكل رسمي قبل لقاء الجولة الأخيرة.

واستطاع منتخب الأردن الاستمرار في صدارة المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس العرب، برصيد 6 نقاط، ثم مصر ثانيًا بنقطتين، والإمارات ثالثًا بنقطة والكويت رابعًا بنقطة. ترتيب مجموعة مصر في كأس العرب 2025

1- الأردن، 6 نقاط.

2- مصر، نقطتين.

3- الإمارات، نقطة.

4 الكويت، نقطة.

William Saliba has hailed the impact of new first-team coach Gabriel Heinze, as the former Manchester United defender is the mastermind behind Arsenal's defensive dominance under Mikel Arteta. Heinze, who joined Mikel Arteta’s staff in July, has quickly become a driving force behind a Gunners side that have conceded just seven goals in 14 Premier League matches; the best defensive record in the division.

• A new voice on the touchline transforms Arsenal’s back line

  Heinze was appointed to replace Carlos Cuesta, who departed in the summer to take charge at Parma. Since stepping into the role, he has brought his trademark intensity and relentless energy, qualities that defined his playing days at PSG, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Marseille, straight into Arsenal’s training ground. For Saliba, that fire has made an immediate impact.

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  Saliba hails Heinze's impact on Arsenal

  Speaking to the Media Network, the French centre-back described Heinze as a constant presence around Arsenal’s defenders.

  "Gabriel Heinze helps a lot, especially the defenders," he said. "He gives us energy because he’s always talking, always loud – even in training when we do simple things, he’s always loud. Even for nothing, he will be loud! He talks a lot and it’s good to have him close to us. I think this guy can help us a lot."

  Saliba’s comments paint a vivid portrait of Heinze in his element of a demanding trainer with a booming voice, someone who builds his players’ standards through intensity. 

  Arteta recently shed light on the reasoning behind adding Heinze to his coaching staff, a decision rooted in personal history and professional trust. The two first crossed paths during Arteta’s loan stint at PSG in the 2001-02 season, forming a bond that has lasted more than two decades.

  "He’s a winner," said Arteta. "He's won in many clubs he's been at. He had a very different education as well, we've known each other for 23 years, I'm very close to that, that brings something extra."

  Arteta emphasised how Heinze’s personality and tactical insight complement the coaching group: "We complement each other really well, and everybody brings a different insight, a different character, a different personality, to the table that makes us a much better team. It makes me a much better coach as well, which is the intention to have the best resources to give to the players."

  Heinze's playing days were defined by a winning pedigree. After joining Manchester United from PSG in 2004, he quickly became a fan favourite for his hard tackling and relentless duels. His United career ended controversially when he attempted to engineer a move to Liverpool, only for the club to refuse and send him to Real Madrid instead. He spent two seasons at the Bernabeu before moving to Marseille, where he added yet another league title to his collection. Since his retirement in 2014, Heinze carved out a coaching career spanning stints at Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors, Velez Sarsfield, Atlanta United and Newell’s Old Boys, the club where he started and ended his playing career before departing in 2023.

• Injury crisis puts Heinze’s coaching to the test

  Heinze’s influence is being felt at a time when Arsenal’s defensive department has been hit by significant injuries. Both Saliba and Gabriel, Arteta’s first-choice centre-back pairing, are currently unavailable. Against Brentford, the manager fielded new recruits Mosquera and Piero Hincapie, only for Mosquera to be forced off just before half-time, with Jurrien Timber being asked to fill in. Despite the upheaval and reshuffling, Arsenal emerged with a 2-0 victory, thanks to goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka. The win restored their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League and served as another testament to the defensive organisation and resilience Heinze has helped instil, as even makeshift partnerships held firm.

  Ahead of the Brentford clash, Arteta shared: "He (Saliba) had a little niggle, so I think it’s going to be a matter of days, so let’s see if he’s able to be there tomorrow. Well, the ankle one was a really random and a very unlucky action that kept him out for a few weeks. He tried at Anfield, he wasn't comfortable, and he had to stay away and this one as well, very bizarre. But hopefully it will be a matter of days."

  On Gabriel, Arteta added: "Big Gabi is doing very well as well, but that’s weeks as well."

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  Arsenal looking ahead to Aston Villa test with confidence

  The Gunners now prepare for a challenging away test against Aston Villa on Saturday. With injuries still restricting defensive choices, Heinze and Arteta will again be required to patch together solutions that maintain Arsenal’s title momentum. They have suffered heartbreak in the last two Premier League title races, fading late despite promising starts. Yet this season feels different as it is increasingly being defined by their defensive solidity.

Arsenal’s worst fears on the injury front have been confirmed, with Mikel Arteta announcing that Cristhian Mosquera is set to spend “weeks” out of action. The full extent of his fitness setback has been revealed, with the Spanish defender joining fellow centre-halves William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes in the treatment room. The Gunners are having to get creative with their team selections.

Getty Images SportMosquera injury: Saliba and Gabriel already ruled out

Highly-rated Spaniard Mosquera, who moved to Emirates Stadium from Valencia over the summer, picked up his unfortunate knock during a Premier League clash with Brentford on December 3. He was among those providing cover from stricken defensive colleagues.

He is now taking in a rehabilitation programme of his own, with Arsenal set to be without the commanding 21-year-old for the remainder of 2025. It is being suggested that Mosquera could be sidelined for up to eight weeks.

Arteta has not put a timescale on his recovery, but has said when asked for an update on Mosquera’s condition – having seen him land awkwardly after competing for a high ball against the Bees: “He’s going to be out for weeks, unfortunately, it’s much more than what we expected. But the player was feeling it, so he’s going to be out for weeks.”

AdvertisementPack shuffle: Norgaard used as a makeshift centre-half

Arsenal opted to move Dutch full-back Jurrien Timber inside alongside Ecuador international Piero Hincapie against Aston Villa, but suffered a 2-1 defeat in that contest as their lead at the top of the Premier League table was cut to just two points.

Arteta shuffled his pack again in a Champions League clash with Club Brugge. Hincapie is still being asked to provide some form of leadership at the heart of Arsenal’s back four – as a recognised centre-half – but was joined in Belgium by Danish midfielder Christian Norgaard.

They helped to keep a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Brugge, with versatile Italian Riccardo Calafiori replacing Hincapie midway through the second half.

Arteta told reporters afterwards of the effort on show from his side: “It's a really positive evening and I think it's very difficult to win away from home in the Champions League. We've done it with a lot of absences, especially in the backline and even this morning we lost two players. I love the way the team reacted to that, collectively, individually, for example what Christian Norgaard has done just talks about how much better he makes all of us with his attitude, with his commitment in the manner that he prepares and is able to perform. So yeah, overall a really positive night.”

GettyHome-grown stars: 16-year-old Salmon handed debut

Arteta was also able to hand a debut to 16-year-old academy graduate Marli Salmon – with the youngster capable of operating at centre-half or right-back. Arsenal’s head coach said of that decision: “Well, the thought was as well from yesterday, the fact that we had to play Christian as well, we had to really consider it because we were playing a really good side that had some really good results in the Champions League at home as well, but we knew that at some point we had to use him. So, he was ready, he was prepared, he can play as a centre-back or as a full-back and I'm delighted. He's so young, 16 still, and he's playing in the Champions League. So yeah, what a great night for him as well.”

Arteta added on continuing to blood home-grown stars: “Well, that's great, that's what we want. That's why we put so much work and everybody in the academy puts so much enthusiasm and work. And for a long time, you have to prepare those talents. So, thanks to them, because when we need them, they are there, they are ready to perform. So that's great.”

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Arsenal fixtures: Next up for the Gunners

Arsenal may decide to stick with Norgaard when taking in a home date with rock-bottom Wolves on Saturday. They have five more fixtures – including a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Crystal Palace – to take them through to the end of the calendar year.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski’s first trip to the majors has been a whirlwind.

Just over a week ago, Misiorowski pitched five innings without giving up a hit in his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals, walking four batters and striking out five.

Then on Friday, he took things up a notch, carrying a perfect game into the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins, throwing pitches like this one along the way.

The dream ended in the seventh inning, when he gave up a walk and a two-run home run to finally tarnish his professional ERA for the first time.

After the two-run shot, Misiorowski got pulled, receiving a massive ovation from Brewers fans that had made the trip to Target Field for the game as he returned to the dugout.

While his pursuit of perfection was cut short, Misiorowski still made a bit of history with his second stellar start.

He’s the first starting pitcher to begin their career with 11 hitless innings since 1900—and the only pitcher in that timeframe to have more wins (2) than hits allowed (1) in the first two starts of his career.

"I think this is exactly how I ever dreamed of it coming along," Misiorowski said after the game. "It's exciting."

Standing at 6'7'' and carrying a fastball that tops out north of 102 mph, it sure looks like the Brewers have an ace on the rise in Misiorowski.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was not too pleased after failing to get the ball out of the infield during his first at-bat against the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

The Toronto Blue Jays star popped out to second base in the first inning, and he took out his frustrations on his bat while walking back to the dugout.

Without so much as altering his facial expression, Guerrero casually leaned forward and snapped his bat like a twig over his left leg before depositing the two pieces of splintered lumber into a garbage bin in the dugout.

Have a look:

It's not uncommon to see an exasperated player let loose their frustrations in the dugout. It's the casualness in which Guerrero handled his business that makes the clip so stunning. Snapping a baseball bat over your leg is not an easy thing to do, but Guerrero did it effortlessly after his disappointing first trip to the plate.

After scoring one goal and missing ten ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, in his first 12 appearances for Leeds United, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has finally found his feet at Elland Road.

The former England international has scored in successive games, against Manchester City and Chelsea, to take his tally to three goals in the Premier League.

Calvert-Lewin joined the Whites on a free transfer from Everton in the summer transfer window, and had looked to be a poor signing after his dismal start to the campaign in front of goal.

Daniel Farke will now be hoping that these two quickfire goals from the striker are not a flash in the pan and are a sign of things to come from the experienced forward.

Leeds offered the chance to sign Serie A striker

Despite Calvert-Lewin’s upturn in form in the Premier League in recent days, the Whites have been linked with a possible move for a player in his position in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds United have been “offered” the chance to sign AC Milan centre-forward to bolster their options in the final third.

The accompanying report from TEAMtalk adds that Sunderland, Fulham, and West Ham United have also been contacted by intermediaries, who are looking to secure a January move for the striker.

It reveals that Milan are open to approaches for the Mexico international, almost a year on from his move to Italy from Feyenoord, but it remains to be seen how much they would demand for his services.

TEAMtalk also does not outline whether or not Leeds are willing to take up the offer to pursue a deal to sign the Mexican marksman, who could come in as an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

Why Leeds should sign Santiago Gimenez

The Whites should push to bring Gimenez to Elland Road when the January transfer window opens for business because he could add more quality to the manager’s options in the number nine role.

It has been a difficult year for the 24-year-old marksman since his move to Milan, with just five Serie A goals in 2025, per Sofascore, but that could make this the perfect time for Leeds to sign him.

If he were still at Feyenoord and scoring over 20 goals a season in the Netherlands, Gimenez would be unattainable for Farke’s side. That is why his disappointing form for Milan should be viewed as an opportunity for Leeds, rather than something that should put them off a move for him.

Based on his form for Feyenoord in the previous three seasons, the Mexico international has the potential to arrive at Elland Road as a big upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, whose goal return is nowhere near as impressive as the Milan flop’s.

25/26

1

3

24/25

22

3

23/24

26

8

22/23

23

2

21/22

9

5

As you can see in the table above, Gimenez scored 22 goals or more in each of his last three full seasons, whilst the English striker has not hit double figures for goals since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, which suggests that the former could offer significant more in front of goal.

The Milan forward, who was hailed as a “machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has a particularly impressive record in European games, with six goals in 11 Europa League outings and eight goals in 11 Champions League appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Gimenez, as illustrated in the first goal in the clip above, is a penalty box striker who has the strength and composure to hold off physical defenders to get his shot away, which suggests that the physicality of the Premier League would not be an issue for him.

The Mexican number nine won 57% of his aerial duels in the Eredivisie last season, per Sofascore, whilst Calvert-Lewin has won 41% of his aerial contests in the Premier League this term for Leeds.

This suggests that he has the potential to be an excellent option for the Whites as both a goalscorer and as a physical presence up front, if he can get back to the form that he displayed at Feyenoord, which would make him a big upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

Gimenez, who scored 22 goals from 15.77 xG last season (Sofascore), is at a low point in his career, with one goal this season, but that is why this could be such a shrewd deal for Leeds.

Leeds star was looking "bang average" this season, now he's undroppable

This Leeds star has shone in their last two games

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 5, 2025

The 49ers and Farke could gamble on the striker and hope that this has just been a blip in what has otherwise been a prolific career, which would see him arrive at Elland Road in January and get back to his best as an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.