Ohtani on Thursday night captured his second straight National League MVP award—his third straight MVP award overall and fourth in his career—vaulting the Dodgers two-way star into some truly elite company while capping off yet another magical season that saw Los Angeles capture its second straight World Series title.
Ohtani was the unanimous choice for the 2025 NL MVP, earning all 30 first-place votes on the ballots voted on by the BBWAA. Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber finished second with 260 points in the voting, and Mets outfielder Juan Soto finished third with 231 points.
Ohtani has won the MVP via a unanimous vote all four times he has earned the award in 2021, ‘23, ‘24 and ‘25.
Ohtani was his usual dominant self at the plate, posting an NL-leading 1.014 OPS while excelling in his return to the pitching mound after undergoing elbow surgery in 2023.
Ohtani makes history in plethora of ways by winning 2025 NL MVP award
Stop me if you've heard this one before: Shohei Ohtani has made MLB history by winning the NL MVP award. Just last year, Ohtani took home MVP honors in the NL and etched his way into the history books by becoming just the second player all-time (along with Frank Robinson) to win the MVP award in both the American and National Leagues. This year, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to win multiple MVP awards in each league.
Here are a few other notable ways Ohtani made history by securing the 2025 NL MVP:
Ohtani is the first Dodgers player to win back-to-back MVP Awards
Ten different players have won 13 MVP awards for the Dodgers. But no player, until Ohtani in 2025, had captured consecutive MVP awards. Ohtani also joins Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella as the only players in franchise history to win multiple MVP awards.
Equaling Barry Bonds in more ways than one
By winning the 2025 NL MVP, Ohtani became just the second player to win four MVP awards in a career, joining Barry Bonds, who won seven in his decorated—and pilloried—career. He also joined Bonds as the only players to win three straight MVP awards. Bonds accomplished the feat when he took home four straight MVP awards from 2001 to ’04. Pretty, pretty good.
Combining regular season and postseason excellence
Ohtani is the first player since 2010—Josh Hamilton—to win a LCS or World Series MVP and a regular season MVP in the same season, a feat that has been accomplished by just seven players.
Ohtani‘s MVP award comes on the heels of legendary postseason
After a bit of a quiet postseason for the Dodgers‘s in '24, Ohtani was a menace in '25, belting eight home runs and posting a 1.096 OPS while recording a 2–1 record as well as a 4.43 ERA (2.84 FIP) with 28 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings pitched.
During the Dodgers‘ repeat title run, Ohtani authored one of the greatest performances in sports history—it's difficult to think of one that tops it—by smashing three home runs and pitching six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts to power the Dodgers to victory over the Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS and secure LCS MVP honors.
Ohtani then left his mark on a Dodgers‘ marathon victory in 18 innings in Game 3 of the World Series against the Blue Jays, belting a pair of home runs while reaching base an unimaginable nine times (a postseason record) thanks to five walks.
With yet another MVP award added to his trophy case, Ohtani continues to scale the mountain of MLB greatness.
TORONTO — When it was over, when after 162 regular-season games and another 15 in the playoffs and now two excruciating innings, the Dodgers won Game 7, 5–4, to repeat as World Series champions, the man who won the game raced to the mound to grab the man who saved it.
It was Will Smith, the catcher, who launched the 11th-inning home run that stunned the sellout crowd of 44,713 at the Rogers Centre and gave the Dodgers their first lead of the night. But it was Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Game 6 starter who got eight outs in Game 7 on no days’ rest, who gave him the chance. Twenty-five hours after he threw 96 pitches in Game 6, an outing that followed back-to-back complete games, Yamamoto all but forced his way into the game and threw 34 devastating pitches.
Manager Dave Roberts had tried not to use him at all, and then he tried to remove him after his second inning on Saturday. “Daijoubu,” Yamamoto said.
“It’s unheard of,” said Roberts, who struggled to explain how Yamamoto could possibly have done this. “I think that there’s a mind component, there’s a delivery, which is a flawless delivery, and there’s just an unwavering will. I just haven’t seen it [elsewhere]. I really haven’t.”
So the manager let him go back out and close the door for a team that just kept propping it open. The Blue Jays were two outs away from ending a 32-year World Series drought when an unlikely hero emerged. In a game that featured Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., it was Dodgers glove-first second baseman Miguel Rojas, playing in his second game in three weeks, who lined a solo home run over the left field wall to tie the game.
Each team loaded the bases with one out—the Blue Jays in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers in the top of the 10th—and failed to score. Smith, dragging himself around the field after catching all 72 innings of this epic World Series, dragged the Dodgers ahead.
It almost wasn’t enough. Guerrero, the face of a franchise and the face of a nation, doubled to lead off the bottom of the 11th. Isiah Kiner-Falefa sacrificed him to third. Addison Barger worked a walk. But Yamamoto broke Alejandro Kirk’s bat with one of his signature splitters, and Betts, the shortstop snagged the easy chopper, stepped on second base and fired to first for the double play. The Dodgers, who became the first team since the 2000 Yankees to repeat, were on the field almost before the Blue Jays understood what had just happened to them.
Smith tackled Yamamoto from behind. Their teammates raced in from the dugout and the bullpen to join them. They jumped up and down on exhausted legs and hugged one another with spent arms and screamed with hoarse throats.
Of course this World Series came down to extra innings in Game 7. It could not be contained by the laws of physics, the columns of scorebooks or even, at times, by the customs of human decency. At one point in Game 7, the only daylight between the teams came when the umpires pushed the players apart. Counting the 18-inning Game 3, this was the first Fall Classic that featured more than eight games’ worth of baseball. Only three of the games were truly close—Games 1, 2, 4 and 5 were decided by an average of five runs—but neither team ever seemed overmatched.
Still this one was loopier than most. The Dodgers used all four of their World Series starting pitchers, two—Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow—on no days’ rest. The Blue Jays used three of theirs. The fourth, Kevin Gausman, said he would have been available had the game continued.
And for a while it appeared it might go forever. The Blue Jays never seemed to go away. Twice the Dodgers won in what should have been backbreaking fashion—the 18-inning Game 3, and then the wild double play to snuff out a rally in Game 6—but Toronto just kept fighting. It won Game 4, and it nearly won this one.
Los Angeles’s roster boasts 44 All-Star Game appearances and 22 World Series rings. For the Blue Jays, those figures are 29 and three. The Dodgers’ record $328 million payroll has made some observers question whether they are ruining baseball. The Blue Jays were not interested in narratives, just in wins.
Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) celebrates with Shohei Ohtani after his game-tying home run in the ninth inning. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Game 7 pitted two Hall of Famers against one another, one who had been preparing for this start all series and one who learned for sure he would get it after Game 6.
When manager John Schneider told Max Scherzer he would start Game 3, Scherzer said, “O.K., so 3 and 7.” The assignment made him, at 41 years and 97 days, the oldest pitcher to start a winner-take-all World Series game. When Schneider walked by him after Game 6, which the Blue Jays lost on a brutal game-ending double play, he said, Scherzer looked “ready to kill somebody.” Schneider added, “So you trust him to be ready for this environment.”
The Dodgers trust Shohei Ohtani as well, although they were not sure what to expect from him. After Game 6, they reviewed their options. Glasnow, the Game 3 starter, had gotten the final three outs that night. Blake Snell, who started Games 1 and 5, would be on short rest; Yamamoto, who started Games 2 and 6, would be on even shorter rest. Despite playing 18 innings—and reaching base a postseason record nine times—in Game 3, then receiving IV fluids and pitching six innings 17 hours later in Game 4, Ohtani assured them that he was available on the mound for Game 6. (This is a man who, offered the chance to come out of Game 3 in the 11th due to leg cramps that had him hobbling around the bases, declined, and who, asked in the sixth inning of Game 4 how many more frames he could go, said three.)
He might have been a more traditional option in relief. But there is nothing traditional about Ohtani. The Dodgers chose to start him largely because of the rule that allows him to remain in the game as the DH once he comes off the mound—but only if he starts the game. If he relieves, when he exits as a hitter, he exits as a pitcher. Between that regulation and the logistical nightmare of getting him to the bullpen to warm up in between at-bats, this pathway was the obvious choice. But Ohtani, still recovering from surgery to repair his left elbow, had only started on three days’ rest once in his career, and that came when rain cut the first outing to two innings and 30 pitches.
“This is Game 7,” Roberts said. “There’s a lot of things that people haven’t done, and you’ve just got to trust your players and try to win a baseball game.”
Ohtani opened the game with a single, took second on a grounder to first and took third on a deep fly ball to center field. Betts grounded out to end the frame, which gave Ohtani two and a half minutes to dart into the dugout, remove his batting armor, grab his glove, huddle with pitching coach Mark Prior and bench coach Danny Lehman, and take the mound for his six warm-up pitches. Just under five minutes—and, it must be said, two and a half minutes after the rules stipulate—after he ran out Betts’s grounder, Ohtani threw ball one to George Springer. Springer, visibly wincing on every swing as he managed a right-side injury that cost him two games, singled but was retired on a strike-’im-out-throw-’im-out double play to end the inning.
Ohtani caught a break in the second inning. His secondary command was spotty, so he had to lean on his fastball. He walked Bo Bichette to lead off the frame and allowed a single to Addison Barger. With two outs, Ernie Clement knocked a single to right field, but the hobbled Bichette had to hold at third. Andrés Giménez waved at an inside fastball to end the threat.
Springer led off the next inning with another single. When Nathan Lukes bunted him over and he took third on a wild pitch, the Dodgers elected to walk Guerrero intentionally. That brought up Bichette. The first pitch he saw was a slider that slid right into the middle of the zone. As 44,713 roaring fans shook the Rogers Centre, Springer and Guerrero each raised their hands and jogged home. Bichette slowly limped after them.
Bichette knew he would be a free agent after the World Series ended. He knew aggravating the injury could hurt his long-term earning potential. He did not care. “It’s the World Series,” he said. “So none of that stuff really matters.”
The homer ended Ohtani’s night on the mound after 2 ⅓ innings pitched. The Dodgers manufactured a run in the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the inning, 194-pound floppy-haired lefty Justin Wrobleski buzzed 5’ 11” shortstop Andrés Giménez with an inside fastball. On the next pitch, he hit him. The benches—and the bullpens—cleared. The umpires issued warnings. The Dodgers scored another run in the top of the sixth; the Blue Jays did the same in the bottom of the frame. With his sixth-inning single, Clement set a record with his 10th multi-hit game this postseason; with his eighth-inning double, he set a record with his 30th hit.
To cap one of the finest offensive postseasons of all time—he had more hits this postseason (28) than swings and misses (25) and more homers (eight) than strikeouts (seven)—Guerrero dazzled with his glove. He made a diving stop and flipped to first in the first; snared a rope just beyond the foul line to end the fourth; and started a nifty double play to end the seventh. He roared after each one as if he’d hit the game-winning homer.
Both pitching staffs were topsy-turvy after such a grind of a series. Snell got four outs. The Blue Jays threw Louis Varland, presumably pitching in long sleeves to keep his right arm attached to his body, who set a postseason record by appearing in his 15th game (Toronto played 18); Chris Bassitt, the starter turned relief ace; and Trey Yesavage, the 22-year-old pitching on two days’ rest after yet another postseason masterpiece in Game 5, who allowed a home run to Max Muncy in the eighth inning that brought the game within one. Then came Rojas, and then came Smith.
And most of all, then came Yamamoto, who was named World Series MVP. The Dodgers did not, as it turned out, ruin baseball. In fact, they gave us more of it.
انتهت مباراة سوريا وفلسطين بالتعادل السلبي 0-0، في المواجهة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العرب 2025.
وأقيمت المباراة بين سوريا وفلسطين على أرضية استاد البيت، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب في قطر.
المباراة جاءت حذرة على مدار شوطيها في ظل حاجة الطرفين لنقطة واحدة لضمان العبور، ما جعل التركيز الأكبر منصبًا على التنظيم الدفاعي وغلق المساحات أكثر من المجازفة الهجومية.
طالع.. ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من كأس العرب 2025
وتبادل المنتخبان السيطرة خلال سير أحداث المباراة بجانب محاولات الاختراق، مع أفضلية نسبية لفترات للمنتخب الفلسطيني في الضغط وبناء الهجمات، مقابل اعتماد سوريا على التنظيم والارتداد، لكن غابت اللمسة الأخيرة أمام المرمى في الجانبين، وتألق الحارسان والدفاع في إفساد القليل من الفرص المتاحة خلال اللقاء.
ومع صافرة النهاية رفع كل من سوريا وفلسطين رصيده إلى 5 نقاط في صدارة جدول ترتيب المجموعة، ليحسم المنتخبان بطاقة التأهل إلى ربع النهائي معًا من المجموعة الأولى. ملخص مباراة فلسطين وسوريا في كأس العرب 2025
Former USMNT star Tim Howard reflected on Inter Miami’s 3-1 MLS Cup win over Vancouver, acknowledging the significance of the title while warning of challenges ahead. He said the trophy cements the club’s place in MLS's history after years of high-profile signings and marketing. He also cautioned that next year could provide challenges for Lionel Messi and warned Vancouver are on the rise.
AFP'I think it's good for the league'
The former Manchester United and Everton star noted that while the club had already captured attention through high-profile signings and lucrative television deals, winning the championship provided tangible validation of their ambitions.
“I think it's good for the league,” Howard said on thepodcast. "Ultimately, there's the haves and the have-nots, and I just tend to think that makes for better drama, makes for better viewing, which ultimately, at the end of the day, this is the sport, just the business we're in, a viewership, sort of, driven sport. So, I like it."
Howard emphasized that the trophy represents more than just silverware – it demonstrates that Inter Miami has successfully translated their financial investments and star power into actual competitive success.
“You get the, you get the television deal that's linked to Messi, the biggest name in football. Like, you kinda need to win. Like, I mean, that's just my opinion on it.”
AdvertisementBelieves Vancouver better positioned for future
Looking ahead to potential rematches between these two clubs, Howard expressed confidence that Vancouver Whitecaps would be more likely to return to future MLS Cup finals.
“I think Vancouver because, because I really like their team,” Howard said. “I do. I like their team, and I think they showed how good they are in the final and in the run-up to the final. Um, Sebastian Berhalter's gonna be an X factor. Can they keep him? Um, can they keep him happy?
"Arsene Wenger used to talk about the World Cup hangover…And here's what I would say. Now, look at Inter Miami. You got a Supporter Shield last year, you got a MLS cup this year, middle of the season this year, you're gonna have a World Cup, right for two or three of your best players, and obviously, Messi, the greatest player.
“There's no doubt in my mind that that team will down tools [because of the World Cup]. There's no doubt in my mind. Not because they're bad guys. Not because they're bad, but because literally the exhaustion. "
Getty Images SportHoward urges caution
Howard stressed the unique pressure Messi carries for Argentina and suggested that both the player and Inter Miami will carefully map out his appearances to ensure he remains fully fit and rested before – and even after – the tournament.
“And by the way, don't forget, Messi, who runs this team,” Howard explained. “He's the heartbeat of his team, right? And I know he can do it 'cause he's done it for years. But just don't forget, Messi playing at a World Cup isn't a player playing at a World Cup. It's the hopes. It's the dreams. It's the threats. It's the entire nation. There's so much more on Messi's plate going into a World Cup, and then post-World Cup, how he unwraps that, than anybody else.
“He's not gonna play a ton of minutes before the World Cup, FYI, MLS. He's basically gonna look at the calendar when it comes out, speak to Mascherano, and just say, 'All right, I'll play here, here, and here.' And I'm not, I'm not lying when I say that, right? He's gotta be fully fit and rested before the World Cup. And then after the World Cup.”
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The victory validates MLS's investment in attracting world-class talent while establishing Inter Miami as a franchise capable of winning at the highest level.
The allrounder smashed the second fastest ODI hundred for Australia, off 47 balls, in the final ODI against South Africa
Andrew McGlashan24-Aug-20252:14
Green: ‘I was told I was next one ball before Heady got out’
Ask Cameron Green to do a job over the last couple of months and he’s generally made a success of it. Batting No. 3 in Australia’s Test side had a tricky start but he came good during the West Indies tour; then given the No. 4 role in T20Is he earned Player of the Series honours. It was very much in that T20 style that he surged to a maiden ODI hundred from just 47 balls in the third match against South Africa in Mackay.While his promotion to No. 3 from No. 4 had started to be discussed around the 30-over mark, as Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh forged their double-century opening stand, Green had one ball’s notice that it would actually happen before Head was dismissed for 142. “I think it always happens like that,” he said after the game. “You make a decision that doesn’t effect on-field, but for some reason it does. The next ball I was in, so it took me a while to get ready.”He was off the mark second ball, skipping down the pitch at Keshav Maharaj, Australia’s nemesis from the opening game of the series, and hammering a drive wide of long-off. From then on Green was always above a run-a-ball, and the gap quickly grew wider”I think it is that mindset of when you switch positions, kind of your role does change,” he said. “Instead of maybe nudging it around, maybe getting Bison [Marsh] on strike, I think it was just get out there, get on with it straight away.”Related
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One of the most eye-catching moments of Green’s innings came when he faced left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy in the 45th over and turned down a single to keep the strike with an eye on the match-up. It was a continuation of the tactic Tim David had used in recent T20Is and Green responded by depositing the next three balls for six.”We were discussing it before Tim David did it in West Indies,” Green said. “If you get a really good match-up I think the bowler likes when a single gets hit, for example. Try and make the most of the short boundary.”Another curiosity in Green’s innings was that one of his eight sixes came courtesy of the amended boundary-fielding laws that prevent a player from “bunny-hopping” outside the playing area to field the ball mid-air. Green had launched Wiaan Mulder to long-on where Dewald Brevis couldn’t keep himself in the field of play and palmed the ball back having leapt in the air outside the boundary. Previously he would have prevented the boundary, but now it was six.Green’s century came in the next over, putting him between two of Glenn Maxwell’s finest hours in the list of fastest hundreds for Australia. Maxwell is one of the lynchpin ODI figures Australia need to replace ahead of the World Cup in 2027, alongside Steven Smith, with the batting performances in the first two games of this series raising a few questions about the health of the one-day side.It would be unwise to draw too many conclusions from the 431 for 2 in a dead rubber against a weakened South Africa attack and where batting first proved a distinct advantage. But it was an emphatic response, with timely runs for Head and Marsh’s continuing increase in output being the other encouraging signs.Cameron Green high-fives Alex Carey as he completes his hundred in Mackay•Getty Images”It’s been a while since we played one-day cricket so it just took a while to find our groove,” Green, who before this series had also not played an ODI since last September, said. “Shame it was a bit late for this series, but good signs moving forward.”I think you can normally work your way back from Test cricket. I think that’s a reasonably easy way [to go] because your technique’s normally in a good place and then you can open up and expand your game. Potentially going the other way is a bit tougher. You’re really looking to attack and then you have to kind of rein it in a little bit, pick and choose your times when to go.”Australia’s next ODIs are in mid-October against India, the No.1-ranked side, but Green could miss that series as he uses the Sheffield Shield to return to bowling ahead of the Ashes. If so, it will be another lengthy gap in the format for him.There remain some interesting questions for the selectors to ponder. Green’s performance in this match raises the possibility as to whether he could be Australia’s long-term ODI No. 3 or if that role stays with Marnus Labuschagne, who didn’t get the chance to bat after two scores of 1 in the first two matches of the series.Matt Short and Mitchell Owen were initially due to be part of this squad before injury and will likely feature against India. Aaron Hardie, a late call-up, struggled in two outings and his stock may have fallen although time remains on his side. Xavier Bartlett, however, will have done his cause no harm with new-ball wickets.Cooper Connolly, someone the selectors have been keen to expose at the top level, ended the series as an unlikely holder of the best ODI figures by an Australia spinner. He had Labuschagne’s brilliant out cricket to thank for a couple of wickets, and a stream of South African batters swinging in a lost cause, but if he grows into a genuine all-round option then he would be a valuable addition to the next generation of Australia’s 50-over cricketers. A team in which Green will be one of the most important figures.
Chelsea’s opening goal in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal on Sunday should have been disallowed under IFAB Law 11.
Arsenal unable to take all three points against ten-man Chelsea
With Moises Caicedo being shown a straight red card after fouling Mikel Merino in the first half, the Gunners would’ve been expecting to pick up what could be a crucial three points at Stamford Bridge, but the hosts refused to lie down.
In fact, Trevoh Chalobah opened the scoring for Enzo Maresca’s side just after half-time, although the north Londoners were ultimately able to come away with a point, as Mikel Merino was able to level things up just over ten minutes later.
Speaking after the game, Maresca made it clear he had no problem with Caicedo being given his marching orders, although he did question why Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur was not sent off for a similar challenge last month.
However, Mikel Arteta may have complaints of his own, with VAR being accused of going “completely blind” and missing Enzo Fernandez in an offside position during Chalobah’s opening goal.
IFAB’s Law 11 describes offside offences, and Fernandez’s position battling against Cristhian Mosquera certainly meets the criteria for ‘interfering with an opponent’.
A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:
interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or interfering with an opponent by: preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball
However, the goal stood and Maresca’s side managed to hold out for a draw, despite having ten men for most of the game, so Arteta arguably has a right to feel aggrieved the Gunners were unable to extend their lead at the top.
Arsenal should have taken three points regardless
Although there is a case to be made that Chalobah’s goal should’ve been ruled out, Arsenal will be kicking themselves, given that Caicedo’s early red card presented them with a golden opportunity to pick up a victory.
Arteta concurs that it was two points dropped, saying after the game: “I think overall it’s been a really positive week because the difficulty was immense.
“But I have this flavour that today we should have and we could have won the game and we haven’t. That’s a learning point from it.”
Arteta must drop 4/10 Arsenal star who lost every single duel vs Chelsea
Arsenal were not at their free-flowing best as they drew with Chelsea.
ByMatt Dawson Dec 1, 2025
That said, the north Londoners shouldn’t be too disheartened, as getting a point at Stamford Bridge is still a good result, and they have a healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table, currently sitting five points clear of Man City.
Bruno Fernandes was back to his best to guide Manchester United past a sorry Wolves and into the Premier League's top six. The United captain scored twice and got an assist in a 4-1 win at Molineux although it was not a trouble-free night for the Red Devils, who suffered the embarrassment of being the first team to concede a league goal to Wolves since October.
Wolves went into the game having lost their last eight matches in all competitions and without scoring a league goal in more than two months. They made things easy for United, which was just as well as the Red Devils did not exactly bring their A game. Diogo Dalot should have made more of a piece of quick-thinking by Fernandes which played him through on goal but he couldn't beat Sam Johnstone.
United did take the lead through more awful Wolves defending, as Casemiro capitalised on Andre's dilly-dallying on the ball to rob his countryman and send it to Matheus Cunha. The former Wolves forward bungled his pass to Fernandes, who then fell over but still managed to score past Johnstone.
United had a triple chance to double the lead which saw Bryan Mbeumo denied by Sam Johnstone, Cunha's follow-up shot blocked on the line by Toti Gomes and then Amad Diallo whistled the rebound wide. The visitors must have been kicking themselves as Bellegarde scored in the second minute of added time at the end of the half after United had failed to clear their lines. It was Wolves' first league goal since October 26, when they were beaten at home by Burnley.
United, for once, responded well to the setback and came out looking determined to put things right. They got their lead back in the 51st minute thanks to a quick breakaway move which led to Dalot passing for Mbeumo to slot into an unguarded net. They then went for the jugular as they had to and sealed the points.
Mason Mount produced a smart volley to finish off a Fernandes pass and then the captain rounded off a pleasing evening for him by bagging a penalty after a handball, given by VAR, against Yerson Mosquera.
GOAL rates Man United's players from Molineux…
AFP
Goalkeeper & Defence
Senne Lammens (6/10):
Transmitted confidence, especially when dealing with crosses. Had few shots to make and blameless for the goal.
Noussair Mazraoui (6/10):
Brushed off a bruising challenge by Jhon Arias and delivered a composed display, calmly averting the danger on the rare occasions there was any.
Ayden Heaven (5/10):
Surprising to see him start after his poor game against West Ham. Looked very relaxed and nearly ran into trouble in the first half. Made a couple of good interventions, especially against Arias and Fer Lopez, but his lack of authority when Wolves scored showed he is not suitable to lead the three-man defence.
Luke Shaw (7/10):
Strong all-round display, even withstanding his casual play against Lopez and needing help from Heaven. His aggressive defending helped United play on the front foot. It was his tackle on Bellegarde which sparked the counter leading to Mbeumo's goal.
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Midfield
Amad Diallo (6/10):
Didn't really get into the game. Fired wide after Cunha's shot was hacked away while in the second half he made a promising dribble then didn't know what to do next.
Casemiro (7/10):
Put in a combative performance, harrying Andre to help create the opening goal. Protected the defence well around the area.
Bruno Fernandes (8/10):
Back to his dominant best after a poor display against West Ham, having his say in all four goals. Managed to score after slipping over; drove the team forward leading to the second goal; put in a peach of a cross for Mount and then calmly slotted in the penalty.
Diogo Dalot (7/10):
An excellent display which showed he can help the team despite playing on his weaker left side. Should have done better with his chance but made amends with good wing play, teeing up a header for Cunha with the outside of his foot and then generously setting up Mbeumo to score.
Getty Images Sport
Attack
Bryan Mbeumo (7/10):
Gave a typically energetic performance and took the rough with the smooth. Should have scored when Johnstone denied him but kept his head up and could hardly miss Dalot's gift after bursting forward. Booked for a foul on Arias after trying to compensate for losing the ball to him.
Matheus Cunha (6/10):
A rusty display against his old club. Got an assist despite bungling his pass to Bruno and should have done better with his attempt even with Gomes clearing it off the line. Couldn't get the ball out of his feet when it fell to him in the area although to his credit he set Dalot on his way when United restored their lead.
Mason Mount (7/10):
Capped a fine display with a fine finish. Involved in United's best moves, demonstrating his footballing intelligence as well as his technique.
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Subs & Manager
Lisandro Martinez (6/10):
Got the away crowd going with a couple of meaty challenges.
Leny Yoro (6/10):
Gave the team a bit more leadership in defence.
Kobbie Mainoo (6/10):
Played it simple to ensure United had no late panic.
Patrick Dorgu (N/A):
Replaced Dalot in the 84th minute.
Joshua Zirkzee (N/A):
Got six minutes plus added time but looked in no hurry to increase the damage on Wolves.
Ruben Amorim (7/10):
Watched his team mostly dominate and recover well from a setback, with the important caveat they were playing a historically awful Wolves side.
Manchester United dropped yet more points at Old Trafford after another lacklustre performance under Ruben Amorim. The Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened West Ham United, failing to create many substantial chances despite having the lion’s share of the possession.
Indeed, the first half went by without the home side creating too many chances of note. The closest they came was thanks to an effort from Joshua Zirkzee.
The Dutchman, who was one of the best players in Red on the night, saw his well-directed effort cleared off the line by former United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
It took United until the second half to break the deadlock. It was a rare Premier League goal from Diogo Dalot, which was enough to put Amorim’s side ahead, and what a strike it was.
The ball dropped to the wing-back in the penalty area, and after a superb first touch, he fired the Red Devils ahead.
United never looked like doubling their lead, with Amorim making substitutions but once again opting against bringing Kobbie Mainoo on.
They paid the price with seven minutes left. The Hammers equalised thanks to a late strike from player of the match Soungoutou Magassa.
Indeed, Amorim’s underwhelming substitutions did not help United’s cause.
Amorim’s in-game management vs. West Ham
One of the biggest criticisms against the United manager throughout his 12-month tenure has been his in-game management. Well, the substitutions he made against the Hammers on Thursday night were underwhelming.
Zirkzee, who was linking up play nicely, was replaced by Mason Mount, and Manuel Ugarte was also brought on. That meant there was once again no place for Mainoo, who still cannot get the chance to showcase his skills for an extended period in the Premier League.
Lisandro Martinez also came on with the score at 1-1. It was a positive thing to see the 2022 World Cup winner coming stepping onto the Old Trafford pitch for the first time since February, but bringing a centre-back on when your side is chasing a goal to win the game is a strange call.
United social media presence, Alice said, the manager’s “subs and in-game management is shocking time and time again.” She also called out the decision to take Zirkzee off, and bringing Ugarte on over Mainoo when the Red Devils “need control” to help get over the line.
However, there was one substitution Amorim did get right, taking off one player who struggled.
The United star who's been overhyped
It was not the return from injury that Matheus Cunha may have hoped for. He was replaced by Ugarte on the 77-minute mark, after a performance which was “ineffective”, according to journalist Laurie Whitwell.
Indeed, the Brazilian struggled to get into the game against the East Londoners. He only had 46 touches across the 90 minutes, losing the ball 18 times and failing to create a chance in that time.
Off the ball, United’s number ten won just three from 11 duels.
Cunha key stats vs. West Ham
Stat
Number
Touches
46
Number of times ball lost
18
Pass accuracy
69%
Duels won
3/11
Key passes
0
Crosses completed
0
Expected goal involvements
0.29xGI
Stats from Sofascore
His disappointing performance earned him a 5/10 rating from Goal journalist Richard Martin. He noted that Cunha failed to make any sort of impact, describing his efforts at Old Trafford as ‘underwhelming’.
It remains to be seen if Amorim will keep Cunha in the starting lineup for the next game, a trip to his former club, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Brazilian has not really hit the ground running for the Red Devils so far, with just one goal and no assists in 11 Premier League games.
Whilst that is not necessarily just his fault, United fans may well have wanted more from one of their marquee summer additions. Perhaps there was an element of Cunha getting overhyped, with CEO Omar Berrada suggesting he could be “Cantona-esque” for the club.
That is a lot of pressure for someone to have placed on them immediately after joining a huge club, despite the Brazilian’s obvious confidence.
Things have not really gone that way for Cunha so far in a United shirt, and his performances have certainly left a little to be desired, as the game against West Ham showed.
With other options, such as Mount and Mainoo, at Amorim’s disposal, he may well make the bold decision to rotate his number 10 out of the starting 11 next Monday. Cunha can certainly add a little bit extra in the final third to make him a more dangerous option going forward.
£30m Man Utd flop has been so bad he makes Ugarte look like a good signing
INEOS have made great strides of late with regard to Man Utd’s recruitment, although it hasn’t all been perfect.
Bangladesh A won the Super OverIn a thriller that nearly went into a second Super Over, Bangladesh A seamer Ripon Mondol knocked India A out in the semi-final of the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha, Qatar on Friday.Mondol delivered a superb 19th over, giving away just five runs and removing the well-set Ramandeep Singh to leave India A needing 16 off the final over; a target Bangladesh A nearly didn’t defend.With eight needed off the last three balls, Jishan Alam dropped a sitter at long-off to reprieve Ashutosh Sharma off left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan. Even worse, he parried it to the boundary for four. Ashutosh couldn’t capitalise, though, and was bowled next ball to leave India A needing four off the final delivery.Yet, India A found an unlikely lifeline thanks to a misjudged underarm throw from Bangladesh A captain Akbar Ali. As Harsh Dubey dug out a full delivery to long-on, he’d nearly given up but somehow willed himself to run a second.Akbar collected the return and had enough time to run to the stumps to seal the game, but instead flicked an underarm throw that missed. With no one backing up, India A stole a third run to force a Super Over.India A then perhaps misfired tactically, not unleashing the tournament’s highest six-hitter, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, to open. Instead, Mondol bowled a pinpoint yorker to castle a frazzled Jitesh Sharma, who premeditated too early and got into a tangle attempting to paddle. Ashutosh toe-ended a yorker straight to extra cover as India A ran out of gas, leaving Bangladesh A a mere one run for victory.There appeared to be another twist when Suyash Sharma struck off the first delivery to remove Yasir Ali to a sharp catch by Ramandeep at the long-on fence. Akbar then took a strike with an opportunity to undo some of his earlier damage. Fortunately for him, Suyash’s misdirected googly ended up being a wide and Bangladesh A sealed victory in dramatic circumstances.Habibur Rahman Sohan led Bangladesh A’s charge•Asian Cricket Council
As a result, India A bowed out following an underwhelming campaign, where they were also beaten by Pakistan A in the group stages, while also being pushed by Oman.As chaotic as the finish was, India A would reflect on a poor finish with the ball as one of the major turning points. They conceded 50 off the last two overs alone, as left-hander SM Meherob made an unbeaten 48 off 18 balls. This included four stunning sixes in a 28-run penultimate over by Naman Dhir.Meherob’s cameo was the perfect sequel to Habibur Rahman’s 46-ball 65 up top that helped set up the game for Bangladesh A, before the middle-order briefly wobbled.India A brought up their fifty off just 19 balls as Vaibhav Suryavanshi went big, hitting two fours and four sixes in his 38 off 15 before he toe-ended a slog to long-on. Dhir struggled for timing – he was on 3 off 10 at one stage – and fell soon after.The chase was revived by Priyansh Arya and Jitesh Sharma, who made 44 and 33, respectively, to ensure India A were up with the asking rate for most parts. When Jitesh fell to leave India A 150 for 4 in 15 overs, the chase was upon Ramandeep and Nehal Wadhera, who appeared to have it under control before India A’s chase combusted in dramatic circumstances.
In a format that isn’t their top priority right now, they showed enough and more evidence that they can go toe to toe with the very best
Firdose Moonda30-Nov-2025Well, that was fun.South Africa, at 11 for 3 in the fifth over, should never have been in with a chance of chasing 350. But Matthew Breetzke, who has the joint-most fifties (six) in his first 10 ODIs and Marco Jansen, who is enjoying the tour of his life, with bat more than ball, kept them in the contest. Still, South Africa, after losing Breetzke and Jansen in the same Kuldeep Yadav over and who were at 228 for 7 in the 34th, should not have come within three hits of the second-highest successful chase against India.That they did will remind them of two things: they are building the muscle memory of not knowing when they are beaten and that coach Shukri Conrad’s partiality to allrounders is proving to be a good policy, especially in the lower order. That they didn’t finish the job won’t bother them too much, not because South Africa aren’t interested in a slice of history but because of cricket’s three formats, ODIs are the lowest on South Africa’s priority list right now.They have just come off an intense and successful start to the World Test Championship title defence in Pakistan and India and there is a T20 World Cup less than three months away. The Tests were crucial to underlining their credentials and the five T20Is that follow in December will be vital to their preparation for the tournament. ODIs are just ODIs for now.Related
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These matches will be chalked up as experiments on the road to the home World Cup in 2027, which is important to them but too far away to be too important right now. So while losing is not ideal, and Conrad’s predecessor Rob Walter came under pressure for a poor bilateral record albeit in similar circumstances, South Africa will see this series as a process of information-gathering and already they have some good stuff.Chiefly, that in Jansen they not only have a destructive new-ball bowler but also a confident lower middle-order batter. Those words have been chosen carefully. Jansen is a proper batter, not just a finisher and he has shown that over the last week. After his career-best 93 in the Guwahati Test, Jansen followed up with a 39-ball 70 in this match which included the fastest fifty for a South African in India in men’s ODIs, off 26 balls.After he timed a drive off a Harshit Rana yorker gone slightly wrong, Jansen brought out his full range of sweeps: conventional, reverse and slog off four balls from Kuldeep and then iced the cake with his range hitting down the ground. Exactly half of his runs were scored in the ‘v’ and he only scored five runs behind square demonstrating his traditional strength. The 97-run sixth-wicket stand he shared with Breetzke came at a run rate of 8.43, and set South Africa up to push for the win.Then it was over to Corbin Bosch to try and get them there. With a Test hundred to his name, Bosch has the ability and he has now also shown it in white-ball cricket. He is particularly strong against the short ball and on the cut and marshalled the tail well to give himself maximum opportunity to pull off something amazing. No one will blame him for South Africa falling short with Aiden Markram laying the blame on the top three’s inability to deal with the swinging ball and who “have to come up with a solution in the next game.”Whether all three will or should play the next game is a question that forms part of a wider discussion over how South Africa have stacked their squad. Even without Temba Bavuma, who was ruled out of this match through illness, South Africa’s top five includes four batters – Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi and Breetzke – who have all opened more in List A cricket than they have batted anywhere else. The fifth, Markram, is not a regular opener but is playing in that position and South Africa need to relook at the combination.Marco Jansen struck several meaty blows•Associated PressSpecifically, they have to get de Kock in the top two, because that is where he is at his best. De Kock has opened the batting in 175 out of the 200 List A matches he has played and has scored all 22 of his ODI centuries as an opener. Who should he displace? Markram, who must move down to No. 4 for the same reason de Kock must be promoted. In 84 ODIs, Markram has batted 43 times at No. 4, averages 42.91 and has all three of his centuries in that position. He has opened the batting 24 times, including at the start of his career (which proved a mistake), with an average in the 30s and four fifties. Conrad’s rationale behind promoting Markram, at least in T20Is, is that it allows for bigger hitters in the middle order. The same does not need to apply to ODIs.It may also be that there is a hesitance to have two left-hand batters in the top two – and all of de Kock, Rickelton and de Zorzi are left-handed – so de Kock should open with Bavuma, with one of Rickelton or de Zorzi at No. 3, Markram at No. 4 and Breetzke at No. 5. On form, de Zorzi gets in ahead of Rickelton at this stage.That’s unfortunate for Rickelton, who has also been dropped from the T20 squad following de Kock’s return, but with no half-centuries since his century against Afghanistan at the Champions Trophy in February, it is probably the right call. It would also mean South Africa have their Dewald Brevis and Jansen at Nos. 6 and 7 respectively, which seems to be the right spot for both of them. With Bosch, Nandre Burger and the return of Keshav Maharaj and eventually Kagiso Rabada (out of the series with a rib niggle), South Africa have the makings of their strongest XI.Ultimately, that’s what they’re using these matches to try and find. If they’re able to produce some entertaining cricket along the way – and bag some wins – that’s a bonus they’ll gladly accept.