List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

Ohio State recruiting could reach epic levels with a new five-star commit in Justin Scott and possibly much more to come.Ohio State has the best pound-for-pound recruiting class in college football as July gets underway.The Buckeyes picked up their fourth five-star commitment on Sunday with ...

There are so many factors that have prevented running backs from winning the Heisman Trophy in recent college football seasons.Not since Derrick Henry starred for 2015 Alabama has a running back won a Heisman Trophy. Even more alarming, the last running back to even be invited to New York for th...

England Under-21s’ match-winner Anthony Gordon was frustrated not to have taken more chances to make their 1-0 European Championship quarter-final victory over Portugal more comfortable. However, he praised the resilience of the side after a fourth successive clean sheet at the tournament. England’s youngsters came under late pressure from their opponents, who came closest to equalising when Henrique Araujo’s header rebounded off the crossbar. “You’re going to get chances and it’s up to me to finish them,” Newcastle winger Gordon, playing as a central striker, said in his post-match press conference after sweeping home in the 34th minute. You're going to get chances and it's up to me to finish them Anthony Gordon “I probably should have had one or two more, which I’m a bit gutted about. “I’m extremely tired but happy for the win, happy for the character we showed as a team, the way we dug in. “We’ve had a lot of top performances so far in this tournament and today was a completely different challenge, a completely different game where they had a lot of the ball and we came through it and dug in as a team. “We haven’t had that test (previously). We haven’t had that opportunity to show we’ve got that side to our game and tonight we got to – and we definitely proved ourselves in that.” England are into the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 2017 and they will meet Israel, whom they beat 2-0 in the group stage, on Wednesday. “We found the game against Israel difficult. They are such a compact, well-organised team and we will have to be at our best to beat them,” said England manager Lee Carsley, who was also impressed with his side’s defensive display against Portugal. He added: “I definitely consider Portugal one of the best teams we have played. “We had to show different parts of our game tonight; not only were we good in possession, what was most pleasing was the team spirit and the way they stuck together in the second half.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Tottenham have agreed personal terms with Manor Solomon over a deal to join the club on a free transfer, the PA news agency understands. Attacker Solomon spent last season on loan at Fulham and was set to return to parent club Shakhtar Donetsk this summer. However, FIFA in May extended its temporary employment rules relating to the war in Ukraine, which will allow Solomon to cancel his deal with Shakhtar and sign for Spurs. Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, foreign players contracted to clubs affiliated to Ukrainian or Russian football associations can “unilaterally suspend their employment” until June 30, 2024, provided teams are informed of the suspension in writing by July 1. With Solomon’s terms with Shakhtar due to expire on December 31, he can become a free agent now after exercising the right to suspended his current employment with the Ukraine outfit. It opens the door for Tottenham to complete Solomon’s signing next week and make him the fourth addition since new manager Ange Postecoglou was appointed last month. Israel international Solomon impressed during his loan with Fulham despite a serious knee injury delaying his debut until January. When Solomon was fit, he turned into a key figure under Marco Silva and scored five goals in 24 appearances from a left wing position, but he will now continue his time in the Premier League at Spurs. Solomon will provide competition in attacking areas at Tottenham and could face his old club Shakhtar in a friendly fixture on August 6. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Anthony Gordon’s second goal of the European Under-21 Championship secured a 1-0 win over Portugal and booked England’s place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2017. The Newcastle winger, operating as a central forward in Lee Carsley’s team, pounced 10 minutes before half-time to clinically finish a good passing move. Despite some late Portuguese pressure which saw Henrique Araujo’s effort rebound off the crossbar with goalkeeper James Trafford beaten, England – who have yet to concede a goal at the tournament – held on to set up a meeting with Israel, whom they beat 2-0 in the group phase, on Wednesday. The only downside on the night in the Shengelia Arena in Kutaisi, Georgia, was a booking for Norwich right-back Max Aarons which rules him out of the semi-final. Early exchanges saw Liverpool’s Curtis Jones guide a shot wide from just outside the penalty area and Wolves’ Pedro Neto have an effort turned around the post by Trafford. Gordon’s first sight of goal in the 23rd minute from Jacob Ramsey’s through-ball was easily saved by Celton Biai but the Portuguese goalkeeper had no chance with his next effort. Noni Madueke played in Morgan Gibbs-White and he cleverly cut back the ball to Gordon loitering near the penalty spot to confidently sweep home first time. In first-half added time Taylor Harwood-Bellis produced an important block to deny Tiago Dantas and, after Aarons was booked early in the second half, Levi Colwill did similarly to prevent Araujo having a chance to equalise. Seconds later the Portugal forward was unsuccessfully appealing for a penalty after a tangle with Harwood-Bellis in the six-yard area as they challenged for a cross before coming even closer to scoring when his header hit the crossbar. With seconds remaining of regulation time, Neto drilled a free-kick into England’s defensive wall and when Nuno Tavares fired over in the final minute of six added on, Carsley’s side were safe. Read More England Under-21s could make changes but keen to continue momentum England book quarter-final spot at U21 Euros after beating Israel Lee Carsley praises England Under-21s’ ‘brilliant spirit’ after winning opener

Matt Rhule's Nebraska football program went into Miami's backyard and got a fantastic recruit in three-star wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. for their 2024 class.Not all recruits are viewed the same manner, but Matt Rhule's Nebraska Cornhuskers getting Jacory Barney Jr. out of Miam...

Liverpool’s new £60million signing Dominik Szoboszlai has taken the number eight shirt previously worn with such distinction by Steven Gerrard as the former captain is one of his inspirations. The 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract – subject to a work permit – after a move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig was wrapped up in a couple of days following the Reds triggering his release clause on Friday, hours before its expiration. Szoboszlai will wear the shirt most recently vacated by Naby Keita, who was also signed from Leipzig, after his contract expired – but it is the most famous number eight to whom the midfielder looks up to. “Of course it’s a great number, a lot of great players had this number and also I have a tattoo from Steven Gerrard, what he said (the quote is ‘Talent is a divine blessing, but without incredible will and humility, it is worth nothing’) so it was also a reason why,” he told the club’s website. “When I was a child, to be honest I didn’t watch that much football but of course when it was Champions League or a big game, I was watching Liverpool, the big teams and also the big players – and he was one of the biggest. “The last three or four days went really long; it was not that easy. But at the end I’m here, I’m happy and I can’t wait to get started.” The Hungary international is the second player to arrive as part of a summer midfield rebuild following the signing of 24-year-old World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35m. He was viewed by Liverpool as a more viable option than former target Mason Mount, in whom they were interested with 12 months remaining on his contract but not at the valuation Chelsea put on him, due to his comparative value, age, versatility and potential and the relative clarity of the deal due to the release clause. The deal was done so quickly because of the player’s keenness to move to Anfield and link up with Jurgen Klopp, of whom he has been a long-time admirer. “I was really happy (on hearing of Liverpool’s interest) but I stayed calm because I didn’t want to be too happy (too) early. “As I said, I think in 2020, (Klopp is) one of the best coaches in the world. How he acts next to the pitch, it is like he plays with the guys. I like that really a lot. “And also what he has achieved with this club is also really impressive, so I am looking forward to working with him.” The respect is mutual as Klopp believes Szoboszlai can play a big part in the club’s future. “We already have a little knowledge of Dominik as an opponent because we had a couple of really tough games against Red Bull Salzburg when he was a player there and I think everyone who saw those fixtures will have realised that even at that stage he was a really interesting prospect,” said the Reds boss. “I’m pretty sure he was still a teenager at that time and since then he has made some big strides: moving to Leipzig, doing really, really well in the Bundesliga, playing for the Hungary national team and then becoming captain of his national team at an incredibly young age. “These are proper positives and this is even before we even think about his qualities as a footballer. “I will not say too much about them at this stage except they are definitely the kind which will hopefully bring a lot of enjoyment and also help us to get results. “From the clubs he has been at, the leagues he has played in and the family he is part of, it is very clear that he has already had an outstanding football education, so our responsibility now is to continue this education with him as part of the Liverpool family. “Everything about this is good news. This is a signing for our present and also for our future and the work that has gone into it could not be more appreciated.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Brendon McCullum doubts squads ‘will be having a beer soon’ after fiery Test Jodie Burrage gets special practice partner a year on from Percy Pig incident From Leeds to Lord’s – 5 of Ben Stokes’ most memorable innings for England

Liverpool have completed the signing of midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal, subject to a work permit. It is understood that the highly-rated, 22-year-old Hungary international has signed a five-year contract with the Reds. Szoboszlai is the second of Liverpool’s summer signings to reinforce their midfield, following the £35m arrival of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton, with Jurgen Klopp viewing the former Red Bull Salzburg star as a similar multi-functional player who offers tactical flexibility. With Liverpool having spoken to the player’s representatives earlier this week, the move advanced quickly with a release clause expiring on Friday, which the Reds triggered at the last minute. Szoboszlai was seen as a more viable alternative to Chelsea’s Mason Mount, whom they were interested in as he entered the final 12 months of his contract but had proved to be a more expensive option which involved less straightforward negotiations. Szoboszlai told Liverpoolfc.com: “It’s really, really good. I enjoyed the last [few] days and I’m looking forward to knowing everybody better. “The last three or four days went really long; it was not that easy. But at the end I’m here, I’m happy and I can’t wait to get started. “[A] really historic club, really good players, good coach, everything is good. For me it was perfect to make the next step in a club like this. The fans, the stadium, everything is really good.” Read More Arsenal transfer news: Record Rice bid, Timber and Xhaka latest Man Utd transfer news: Mount bid accepted, De Gea and Onana latest Spurs transfer news: Kane latest after Bayern bids and trio on centre-back list

Liverpool have completed the signing of midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig in a £60million deal, subject to a work permit. The PA news agency understands the 22-year-old Hungary international has signed a five-year contract with the Reds. Szoboszlai is the second of Liverpool’s summer signings to reinforce their midfield, following the £35m arrival of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton, with Jurgen Klopp viewing the former Red Bull Salzburg star as a similar multi-functional player who offers tactical flexibility. With Liverpool having spoken to the player’s representatives earlier this week, the move advanced quickly with a release clause expiring on Friday which the Reds triggered at the last minute. Szoboszlai was seen as a more viable alternative to Chelsea’s Mason Mount, whom they were interested in as he entered the final 12 months of his contract but had proved to be a more expensive option which involved less straightforward negotiations. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

There may be more pressure on Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian than we even realize.When we think of Big 12 coaches who are on the hot seat, the first name that comes to mind is Neal Brown at West Virginia followed up next by Brent Venables at Oklahoma.But after that, who is third? Well, Aar...

The Chicago Sky's coaching staff is undergoing some changes as James Wade shocked the WNBA by leaving the team midseason.Chicago Sky general manager and head coach James Wade is leaving the WNBA for the NBA after being hired by the Raptors as an assistant coach, the team announced on Saturd...

Sarina Wiegman feels England are “in a very good place” with a few days to go before they depart the country for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The Lionesses, who have been in a pre-tournament camp since June 19, were held to a 0-0 draw by Portugal at Stadium MK in a send-off warm-up match on Saturday, with their flight set to follow on Wednesday. They are scheduled to have another warm-up, against Canada behind closed doors, on July 14 and kick off their World Cup campaign eight days later with the Group D meeting with Haiti in Brisbane. Saturday saw Wiegman, who had captain Millie Bright unavailable, make some interesting calls for her starting line-up and six substitutions during a contest in which the European champions failed to score despite creating a considerable number of chances. The England manager said: “I think we’re in a very good place. “I think we had two very good weeks, on and off the pitch. I think this game was very helpful, although we are disappointed we didn’t score a goal. “If you see how the game went and what we wanted to do and how we wanted to play, you can tell that we really know what we want to do, and that’s really what we’re working on.” I think this game was very helpful, although we are disappointed we didn’t score a goal. Sarina Wiegman With regular skipper Leah Williamson having been ruled out of the World Cup by an ACL injury and fellow centre-back Bright still not involved as she continued to build up her fitness, Wiegman – who made goalkeeper Mary Earps captain for the game – brought Alex Greenwood into the defence in one of three changes to her starting XI from April’s 2-0 loss to Australia. She opted to start the experienced Greenwood at left-back as Jess Carter came inside to partner Esme Morgan in the middle. There was also Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner Rachel Daly coming in for Alessia Russo up front, and Lauren James for Chloe Kelly on the right side of the attack. After a first half in which Daly had two early headers saved and Georgia Stanway sent an effort against the bar, Wiegman then made a triple substitution at the break, Greenwood being replaced by Niamh Charles, Daly coming off for Russo and Kelly entering the fray, with James moving into a more central position. A more lively showing from the hosts followed, but they remained unable to break the deadlock, with Lucy Bronze heading against the post and Russo to the fore amid a series of opportunities. Wiegman highlighted the creation of chances and said that while finishing had been “a little problem” on Saturday it was “not a worry”, and also stressed that “in some positions it’s really tight” with regard to the potential decisions she will make about the starting line-up for the Haiti game. When asked if she had come away from the Portugal match with more questions or more answers, she said: “Oh, more answers – and answers already give another question of course because we always want to improve. “We are always thinking ‘where are we now, how do we want to improve, what do we need?’ And then we also think of course about who the next opponent is.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Isa Guha backing Clare Balding to excel as Wimbledon host in place of Sue Barker London Lions GM Vanja Cernivec feels opportunities for women improving PA Sport Trivia (03/07/2023)