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Everything you need to know about the new Juventus kits for the 2023-24 season

Juventus and adidas, a football pairing for the books, and one that will continue on in the 2023-24 season. The duo know how to make a kit an instant classic, the Kaleidoscopic Juventus 2022-23 third jersey a quick favourite among fans.

👕 Shop Juventus 2023-24 kits at adidas right now

adidas unveiled the all-new Juventus 2023-24 home kit on May 12, and what a kit it is. The new home kit takes the legendary Juventus black and white, and modernises the concept for the new supporter. Staying true to club DNA, the home kit features the classic black and white vertical stripes, recoded for the new season with a brushed stroke finish, replicating the unique pattern of a Zebra. And those yellow details? It's a 10/10 from us.

On May 14, Juventus debuted their all-new 2023-24 pre-match jersey during their Serie A match against US Cremonese at Allianz Stadium. The pre-match jersey is a more literal take on a Zebra's coat, but still draws inspiration from their 2023-24 home kit. Its all-over black and white zebra-style print is the perfect addition to the club's growing 2023-24 kit collections.

Juventus unveiled the all-new 2023-24 away kit on July 10, paying homage to the iconic Monte Rosa in all its sunset glory.

So, what new kits will the Juventus squad wear in 2023-24? GOAL takes a look at the jerseys that will be worn by Paul Pogba, Angel Di Maria and co., including rumours and leaks, plus how to buy them online.

Juventus 2023-24 kits

The Juventus 2023-24 home kit was launched by adidas on May 12.

For the new 2023-24 season, adidas looked to reimagine the iconic Juventus black and white stripes for a new generation of Juventus fans.

The classic vertical monochrome stripes have been modernised and given an animal-style Zebra makeover through a graphic brush stroke finish. To top it off, the shirt is finished with bright yellow detailing for the Three Stripes, club badge and JEEP sponsor. A top-tier kit we cant wait to see out on the pitch.

The Juventus 2023-24 home kit is available right now, and an authentic shirt will retail for £130.00 at adidas.

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adidas unveiled the Juventus 2023-24 away kit on July 10, and what a beauty it is. Taking its place comfortably in the existing 2023-24 kit collection, the away kit is the perfect addition to an already iconic season of kits for the club.

The new away shirt sees a change in direction from the designs of previous Juventus away kits, taking on a predominantly white base.

The fresh new look boasts an eye-catching aesthetic that reflects the iconic snow-capped glacial peaks of the Italian Alps. Rising above its crisp white base, the grey stripes and iconic Juventus pink show a rugged texture that mirrors the rocky Monte Rosa cliff face that punctuates the city of Turin's skyline. The result is an elegantly styled kit with an obvious nod to Turin in a striking and original look.

The Juventus 2023-24 away kit is available to buy now from adidas, with a men's replica shirt retailing at £80.00

A no-nonsense black kit for the Juventus third? Projections and rumours are heading that way. In recent years adidas have had fun with the Juventus third kits, so opting for an all-black would be quite the turn in direction.

There isn’t much speculation to go off, but this Twitter projection suggests the all-black kit will be accented with white detailing and kept really simple. The prediction looks awfully similar to the Juventus 2022-23 away kit, replacing the v-neck with a rounded collar but keeping the theme with signature white accents.

No release date or launch for the Juventus 2023-24 third kit has been announced, but we can expect to see it in the late summer of 2023 – the kit retailing at £70.00 for a replica from adidas.

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Juventus debuted their all-new 2023-24 pre-match jersey on May 14, during their Serie A match against US Cremonese at Allianz Stadium.

The Juventus 2023-24 pre-match jersey is a more literal take on a Zebra's coat, but still draws inspiration from their 2023-24 home kit – and boy, do they look good together.

Taking up the base of the shirt is a rendition of the Juventus black and white stripes. The stripes are a lot thinner than any we've seen on previous kits, giving the appearance of a grey look.

The zebra-style pre-match jersey is the perfect addition to the club's growing 2023-24 kit collections. The Juventus 2023-24 pre-match kit is available to buy right now from adidas.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner enjoyed a triumphant return to Old Trafford in 2021, but things turned sour long before he left the club on Tuesday

Cristiano Ronaldo's time at Manchester United has come to an end for good. The 37-year-old's departure from Old Trafford was announced on Tuesday in the wake of a scathing interview in which he revealed his lack of respect for coach Erik ten Hag and spoke of feeling "betrayed" by the club.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner returned for a second spell at the Premier League giants in the summer of 2021.

But after just one disappointing year which culminated in United's failure to qualify for the Champions League, Ronaldo made clear that he wanted to leave for a team competing in Europe's most prestigious club competition.

No deal came through in the summer transfer window, and instead he had to suffer on the bench for most of the first half of the 2022-23 campaign.

The Portugal star has finally been granted his wish, however, and leaves under a dark cloud, bringing an end to a partnership that was once so beautiful and fruitful but ends in bitterness and acrimony.

Here is the story of Ronaldo's second spell at the Red Devils…

GettyThe prodigal son returns!

The prospect of Ronaldo joining fierce rivals Manchester City late in the 2021 summer transfer window and then firing them to domestic and possibly European glory put the fear into the head honchos at Manchester United.

They jumped into action amid reports that their former star could soon be sporting the blue jersey of their city rivals and made sure to lure him back to Old Trafford.

United agreed to pay almost £13 million up front to Juventus and signed Ronaldo to a two-year contract with an option for a third.

And so it was. Over 12 years after he first departed for Real Madrid, the man who helped United to three Premier League titles and a Champions League crown was back.

AdvertisementGettySpectacular second debut

What a way to mark your return! Ronaldo grabbed all the headlines in his first game back for the Red Devils.

United had looked good in their first three matches of the season, but there was a feeling that Ronaldo would add some much-needed firepower to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team.

He appeared to prove that notion spot on when he struck in first-half stoppage time to give United a 1-0 lead against Newcastle in his first game back.

It may have been a tap-in but there was much more to come from the attacker, who came to his team's rescue just six minutes after Newcastle pulled level by restoring United's lead.

United went on to win 4-1 at Old Trafford, giving their fans belief that something magical could happen that season.

GettyA bittersweet Champions League return

Ronaldo also opened the scoring just a few days later as United began their Champions League campaign.

They were supposed to make easy work of a trip to Switzerland to take on Young Boys, and that seemed to be the case when Ronaldo broke the deadlock just 13 minutes in.

The home team fought back, though, and pulled level just before Ronaldo was substituted in the second half.

The former Real Madrid star could only watch on from the sidelines as Young Boys scored a late winner to upset his side and prove that there was still much to be done to get the Premier League side back on top of domestic and continental football.

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GettyRonaldo stings Villarreal and Atalanta… TWICE

United recovered from their underwhelming start to the Champions League campaign and Ronaldo was at the heart of it.

Their second match in the tournament came against Villarreal and Solskjaer's team were shaky again as they fell behind.

Alex Telles pulled United level, though, and just as it seemed like the game was heading for a draw, Ronaldo popped up with a winner deep into injury time.

That was no one-off, though, as United found themselves 2-0 down at half-time in their following Champions League match – against Atalanta at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire brought them back on even terms before Ronaldo headed in another late goal to secure a 3-2 win.

That's not all!

They took on Atalanta again a couple of weeks later and yet another thriller ended with Ronaldo nipping in with a decisive goal in stoppage time to equalise for his side and earn a 2-2 draw.

And in the next game?

You guessed it! Ronaldo struck once more in the 78th minute to put United 1-0 up against Villarreal before Jadon Sancho added another in the dying minutes of the match to seal their qualification for the knockout stages.

The Red Devils have had a nightmare start to the season on almost every front but a few tweaks could see them quickly turn their fortunes around

Manchester United just cannot catch a break. Every match this season has been a tale of its own misery – even the ones they have ended up winning. After a run of three consecutive defeats Erik ten Hag is at the lowest point of his spell in charge and the goodwill shown towards the manager from the previous campaign is fast running out.

The manager has been beset by off-field problems including a spate of injuries, serious accusations against Antony and a feud with Jadon Sancho. And now more cracks are beginning to appear in the form of leaked reports of unrest among the squad.

However, it is far from the only time United have made a miserable start to a campaign and they have turned things around in the past. And despite the early doom and gloom, United can still turn this difficult season into one to remember.

GOAL outlines six ways United can stop the rot and get their chaotic season back on track…

Getty ImagesMake promising starts count

It sounds very simple but the easiest way for United to ease their troubles is to start finishing off the early chances they have been creating in matches and take the lead in rather than being forced to chase it. Although the results do not suggest it, United have actually started well in most of their games this season, particularly the ones they have ended up losing.

They had a dominant first half against Tottenham, with Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes each missing glaring chances at 0-0 and Antony hammering the woodwork just after Spurs had taken the lead after the break. It was a similar story against Brighton and Bayern Munich, with Rashford spurning early opportunities against the Seagulls and Christian Eriksen passing up a glorious opening at the Allianz Arena.

There are parallels with United's form towards the end of last season, when they failed to take advantage of strong starts at West Ham and at Brighton, and even in the 7-0 drubbing at Liverpool.

Then they lacked firepower up front due to Wout Weghorst's lack of quality and Anthony Martial's lack of fitness but their frontline is slowly coming together now that Rasmus Hojlund has recovered from injury and has put the ball in the net in his last two appearances, getting off the mark in Munich after his strike against Brighton was disallowed.

United have a habit of crumbling in matches once they face their first setback but if they can score the first goal their luck could well start turning.

AdvertisementGettyGet better in possession

Ten Hag's Ajax side loved to have the ball but the Dutchman has so far struggled to make United a team that are truly comfortable in possession and happy to retain it for long periods. His three predecessors – Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick – favoured reactive to proactive football and that was what Ten Hag ended up reverting to after last season's nightmare opening results against Brighton and Brentford.

But the coach needs to enact the vision he first had for the team and oversee the transition from counter-attacking to playing on the front foot, an idea he has talked about enthusiastically before. He also has the players to do it, especially after signing Andre Onana, arguably the best passing goalkeeper in the world and having two fine ball-playing centre-backs in Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane (when he is fit).

There is another reason for United to get better with the ball. The defeats to Brighton and Bayern, in which they had 44 per cent and 40 per cent possession respectively, showed how the likes of Eriksen and Casemiro no longer have the legs or breath to chase the ball for long periods.

In the absence of many energetic midfielders, United have little choice but to get better with the ball.

GettyPlay Mount on the right

Mason Mount was the first player United signed this summer but he has been largely unable to contribute after getting injured in only his second match of the season. The midfielder did not have memorable performances against Wolves or Tottenham before hurting his hamstring but he is now back in training and could return against Burnley.

And he has the chance to take advantage of Antony and Sancho's problems and claim the vacant position on the right of United's attack. After all, Mount had the best individual season of his career while playing on the right of Chelsea's attack in the 2021-22 season, scoring 13 times and contributing 16 assists.

Ten Hag was attracted to Mount due to his versatility but he needs to play in the same position regularly if he wants to be consistent and he could be the best candidate on the right of the attack, with more experience than Facundo Pellistri and more discipline than Alejandro Garnacho.

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Getty ImagesGive Casemiro more support

The Brazilian was one of United's most influential players last season and his drop in form has been a real concern. He is now starting to look exactly like a player who is 31 and has spent the last decade fiercely competing at the highest level.

Casemiro still has plenty to give and his two goals against Bayern showed his quality as well as his determination. But he needs to be managed better. For starters, he should be given more opportunities to rest so he remains in peak condition.

He should also be given more support on the pitch and he needs a more energetic runner than Christian Eriksen, also 31, by his side. Sofyan Amrabat should play a key role once he starts playing and if the Moroccan is integrated well then he should be able to ease the burden on Casemiro. Prolonging the Brazilian's powers, rather than exhausting them, should be an absolute priority for Ten Hag.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has summoned Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for a review of the team’s performances in Sri Lanka

Umar Farooq01-Sep-2014PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has summoned Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq and the head coach Waqar Younis to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday for a review of the team’s performances in Sri Lanka. Shaharyar will meet the team manager Moin Khan in Karachi on Wednesday. Pakistan lost the Test series 2-0 and the ODIs 2-1 to Sri Lanka, prompting concern from the board ahead of the 2015 World Cup.ESPNcricinfo understands the meetings will be on a one-on-one basis. Misbah has Shaharyar’s backing for the captaincy ahead of series in the UAE against Australia and New Zealand, but the PCB could reduce the 10-man coaching staff. Moin’s dual role as manager and chief selector is also under scrutiny.The pool of players that traveled to Sri Lanka remains the nucleus of the World Cup probables but the PCB is concerned about team unity, which according to one official, had deteriorated. With less than six months to go to the tournament, the PCB is reluctant to make major changes, and Moin had said Misbah would stay captain until the World Cup. However, ESPNcricinfo understands some players are not in favour of such a view.The PCB persisted with Misbah as captain despite Pakistan being whitewashed 3-0 in South Africa in 2012-13, and performing poorly in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. This was largely because of his prolific form in 2013, when he was the top-scorer in ODIs. However, he is 40 now, and his form has not been as good in 2014.There has been speculation in the media that a lobby is trying to bring about a change in captain, with Shahid Afridi being proposed as the favourite. Afridi’s form, however, has been poor. He has been wicketless in his last six ODIs and his batting is unpredictable.Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf was one of the voices advocating Afridi as captain. “If the captaincy remains with Misbah you can’t expect improvement in results,” Yousuf said. “He has been the captain for four years and has not been able to find a proper combination. I think it is imperative we have Afridi, who is aggressive and can lead in a better way.”

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group B matches played on January 6, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-2015
ScorecardPankaj Singh troubled Punjab with three wickets•PTI Mohit Sharma’s hat-trick wrapped up Delhi’s first innings in the first over of the day, but Haryana’s batsmen folded for 188 and conceded a 90-run first-innings lead. Delhi’s openers extended their lead by seven runs before close of play in Lahli on the second day.Delhi failed to add a single run to their overnight score of 278 for 7 as Mohit struck with the wickets of Virender Sehwag, Parvinder Awana and Navdeep Saini to finish with 4 for 46.Awana and Sumit Narwal quickly reduced Haryana to 25 for 4 before Priyank Tehlan and debutant Himanshu Rana induced stability with a 56-run partnership for the fifth wicket. The lower order also chipped in with a few runs, batting around Rana who was dismissed for 80, Haryana’s ninth wicket. Narwal and left-arm spinner Varun Sood picked up three wickets each, while Saini chipped in with two.
ScorecardGanesh Satish’s 62 not out anchored Vidarbha as they reached 129 for 4 against Odisha. The first day’s play was abandoned due to a wet outfield and play on the second day began only after lunch. Basant Mohanty struck in the fifth over to remove Aniruddha Chore for 3 but Satish and Faiz Fazal rebuilt with a 52-run, second-wicket partnership. However, Vidarbha suffered a wobble after Fazal’s wicket, as S Badrinath and Shalabh Shrivastava fell without contributing substantially to the score. Mohanty took two of the four Vidarbha wickets.
ScorecardBuilding from a strong overnight position, Rajasthan posted a first-innings total of 433 and dominated with the ball, reducing Punjab to 42 for 4 before Gurkeerat Singh’s 70 anchored the side. Punjab reached 140 for 5 by close of play and trail Rajasthan by 293 runs.Rajasthan’s overnight pair of Pranay Sharma and Puneet Yadav extended their fifth-wicket partnership to 130 runs before Pranay was dismissed for 140. Yadav missed out on his second first-class hundred by 10 runs as Sarabjit Ladda and Sandeep Sharma chipped away to keep Rajasthan to 433.Rajasthan’s pacers, led by Pankaj Singh, then reduced Punjab to 42 for 4 before Gurkeerat and Mandeep Singh fought back with an 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Yuvraj Singh, who came into this match with successive hundreds in his last three first-class matches, was dismissed for 3 off 15 balls, one of three wickets taken by Pankaj.
ScorecardLed by Ankit Bawne’s 124 and Chirag Khurana’s 69, Maharashtra’s lower order added 199 runs between them on the second day to steer the side to a strong first-innings total of 519 against Saurashtra.Maharashtra began the day at 320 for 6 and Bawne built on his overnight score of 52 to reach his 10th first-class hundred. Along the way, he also shared key stands with the lower-order batsmen – his seventh-wicket partnership with Shrikant Mundhe was worth 79 runs and Bawne added another 74 with Khurana before his dismissal. Khurana and Akshay Darekar’s ninth-wicket stand added another 54 runs to Maharashtra’s total before both batsmen were dismissed in successive overs. Kamlesh Makvana was the most successful bowler for Saurashtra, with returns of 5 for 120.Sheldon Jackson’s 57 not out anchored Saurashtra’s reply and led them to 94 for 3 at close of play, after they had been struggling at 9 for 2 in the seventh over.

A few of Somerset’s off-season decisions appear a little short-term, but the arrival big names for the T20 Blast will boost chances of silverware

George Dobell05-Apr-2016Director of cricket: Matt Maynard
Captain: Chris Rogers (Champ); Jim Allenby (T20, 50)
Last season
In: Ryan Davies (Kent), Roelof van der Merwe (Dutch passport), Yasir Arafat (Hampshire; loan), Michael Leask.Out: Craig Meschede (Glamorgan, after loan in 2015), Alfonso Thomas, Adam Dibble, George Dockrell, James Regan, Michael Bates (all released), Tom Cooper (released, no longer eligible as domestic player).Overseas: Chris Rogers, Chris Gayle (T20), Mahela Jayawardene (T20)2015 in a nutshell
Disappointing. A club that had grown frustrated of just missing out on silverware sunk back into the also-rans and were not safe from relegation until the final weeks of the season. The sad retirement of Craig Kieswetter due to an eye injury especially weakened the limited-overs sides. While the performance of home-grown players was encouraging – James Hildreth was prolific, Marcus Trescothick rediscovered his form, Tom Abell emerged as one of the most promising young batsmen in the country and Craig Overton finished as the side’s highest wicket-taker in the Championship – the imports were generally far less successful. Abdur Rehman claimed 10 wickets from nine Championship matches, while Allenby, Myburgh and Cooper all averaged in the 20s with the bat.2016 prospects
There is a new look to Somerset in 2016. The ground has a new pavilion and a new name and the Championship team has a new captain. Ryan Davies, the England U-19 wicketkeeper recruited from Kent, may also be a new face behind the stumps. Some of the other recruitments, however, look short-term: four of the imports – two of which are overseas players – are in their 30s and born overseas. Both captains were born in Australia and are in their mid-30s. It suggests a management looking for quick fixes. The batting looks strong, though bowling sides out twice at Taunton remains a challenge. The number of allrounders should lead to limited-overs improvement.Key player
England recognition – and the Somerset captaincy – may well have passed James Hildreth by at this stage. But, aged 31, he remains a class act with the bat – his reputation, as something of a flat-track bully, is not entirely fair – and he scored more first-class runs than anyone in county cricket 2015. Somerset will need more of the same if they are to survive in the top division.Bright young thing
Tom Abell was named county cricket’s breakthrough player of the year in 2015. While opening the batting – which seems likely – is a big responsibility for a 22-year-old, it does underline how highly he is rated at Taunton and suggests that he could be pushing for England recognition before too long. Either of the Overtons could also have been in this category.ESPNcricinfo verdict
In some ways Somerset has never been better or stronger: a well-developed ground, strong finances and a recent history of strong performances – if few trophies – has increased expectations at the club. The presence of Chris Gayle and Mahela Jayawardene for the T20 Blast is formidable. There is a nice crop of home-grown talent, too, which makes the influx of journeymen cricketers on passports of convenience all the more surprising. Improvement in white-ball cricket looks probable, while a mid-table Championship finish should be within their reach.Bet365 odds: Specsavers Championship, Div 1: 17-1; NatWest Blast 17-2; Royal London Cup 12-1

Arsenal have issued a statement on the lack of diversity in their women's team.

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Arsenal have an all-white senior squadTeam photo sparked debateGunners have respondedWHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal posted their team photo earlier this week and there was plenty of controversy sparked by the image. They do not have a single black or ethnic minority player in their squad and they have now pledged to drive greater inclusion in their squad.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal remain one of the most successful women's teams in the country. They have won 60 trophies in their time but there is a stark disparity when it comes to the diverse make-up of the men's squad and the lack of diversity in the women's side.

WHAT THEY SAID

Arsenal's statement read: "We acknowledge our current women’s first-team squad does not reflect the diversity that exists across the club and the communities we represent.

“Increasing participation among young women and girls from diverse backgrounds is a key priority for us at academy level, with specific measures in place to improve pathways and accessibility.

"Across all our teams, including our men’s and women’s academies, we’re proud of our players from diverse backgrounds who have contributed to our history, success and culture. It’s a priority for the club to continue to drive greater diversity and inclusion and create a sense of belonging for everyone connected to the club.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Arsenal play Bristol City on Sunday as they look to build on their dramatic stoppage-time victory over Aston Villa at the Emirates last weekend.

Gregg Berhalter's team accomplished their end goal, but it's safe to say it wasn't a convincing process…

In the end, they got there. The United States men's national team is headed to the 2024 Copa America on home soil, which, ultimately, was the big goal of this camp. However, there was no big celebration, no big blowout of champagne or anything like that. The mood, overall, was somewhat somber. Despite defeating Trinidad & Tobago on aggregate, Monday night certainly didn't feel like a win.

That's because it wasn't; it was a 2-1 loss. That defeat left a sour taste after what will, in the end, be seen as a hugely important camp. It's one that will have lasting ramifications, and not just because of the tournament runs it set the U.S. up for.

With the road to the Copa America now officially beginning, everything the U.S. does will now have one eye towards the summer, and it's safe to say that Sergino Dest hasn't started that road off well at all. His boneheaded red card left his team-mates seething, with the defender being scolded for his "immature" and "disrespectful" decision-making.

That leaves his grip right-back spot a bit less tight than it was before, and it raises a huge question: With two red cards in two big games just a few months apart, can the U.S. really trust Dest the most intense of situations?

That'll be one talking point going forward, but there's plenty do discuss. So, with that said, GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from camp…

GettyWINNER: Antonee Robinson

The big winner of the camp, not that Antonee Robinson needed that title, to be fair. Gregg Berhalter called him an "animal" after the second match, and it feels like a good description. Robinson did just about everything asked of him after missing the October window, proving once again why he's so key to this team.

He's been the left-back for quite some time, and despite the emergence of Kristoffer Lund, it doesn't feel like that'll change any time soon. There's no one in the pool quite as complete as Robinson, who brings so much to the team.

With the U.S., he plays a bit more attacking than he does at Fulham, and he seems to enjoy it. In two games this camp, he got two goals, which is always a nice sight from the full-back position.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Sergino Dest

We already discussed what Dest's dismissal meant in the moment, but now it's time to look at the bigger picture. This incident, his second inexcusable red card of the year after that Nations League mess against Mexico, now leads to one big question: Can the USMNT trust Dest to keep his cool?

On the latest evidence, the answer is no. The Mexico incident is one we can kind of excuse, as players sometimes lose their tempers in those sorts of rivalry games. Getting sent off against Trinidad & Tobago with your team up 4-0 on aggregate? That's not passion; it's stupidity.

Do you think South America's top teams won't have seen that? If a relative minnow like Trinidad & Tobago can get in Dest's head, what do you think a team like Argentina, Brazil or Uruguay can do when the heat is turned up much, much higher?

Dest's play style already makes him something of a liability in those big games, but it seems his mentality may do so as well. And, with the Copa America looming, he has a lot of trust to earn back if he's to make an impact in next summer's tournament.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Gio Reyna

All of the prior nonsense feels like it's even more in the past, as Gio Reyna is more important to this team than ever right now. His goal in the first game was a great finish, one that really put the tie out of reach. He combined well with Folarin Balogun during the sequence and has, realistically, been the only USMNT player to unlock any sort of on-field chemistry with the striker so far.

The finish marked Reyna's third goal in two games, which makes it pretty clear that the past is well and truly behind him. Injuries have thrust him into the XI, no doubt, but his presence in midfield is now undeniable. When he came off after Dest's red card on Monday, the U.S. never looked the same, lacking the control and creativity in midfield to do anything but survive in that second half.

Overall, it's safe to say that Reyna, in just a few games, has rebuilt things quite a bit under Berhalter. It'll take a bit more time to truly earn back the trust of some sections of the USMNT fanbase, but it's clear that this past winter's incident isn't hanging over player or coach. All involved have moved on and, at least so far, taken things to another level, which is a credit to the player and person Reyna is as he leaps into this next phase of his USMNT career.

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GettyLOSER: Folarin Balogun

We'll start by saying that, overall, Balogun's return is pretty good so far. The striker has three goals and two assists in about 530 minutes since debuting for the national team. If your striker averages just under one goal contribution-per-90, you'll probably take that, especially if you're the USMNT.

However, these felt like games where Balogun could really assert himself as the USMNT's superstar attacker. Without the injured Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah, these felt like games where Balogun could step up, score some goals and carry a team that needed a bit of juice without two star forwards. Instead, we leave camp saying that Balogun is still adjusting to the USMNT, and that the USMNT is still adjusting to Balogun.

His first game wasn't bad, as he did get that assist on Reyna's goal. However, Ricardo Pepi certainly outshined him with his fantastic flicked-on goal to open the scoring off the bencg. The second game? Little more than a cardio session, as Balogun was limited to mainly hold-up play outside of one early chance.

It's clear that the USMNT is still learning how to play with Balogun. He's a different type of striker than any the U.S. has ever had and adjusting to his skillset will take time. His first real games against a lesser CONCACAF team, though, should have been a chance for Balogun to dominate on quality alone, and he never really did that throughout the two matches.

Justice AP Shah, the BCCI ombudsman, has ruled that no case of conflict of interest could be found against former India captain Sourav Ganguly under the board’s rules on the subject

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2016Justice AP Shah, the BCCI ombudsman, has ruled that no case of conflict of interest could be found against former India captain Sourav Ganguly under the board’s rules on the subject. Freelance journalist Niraj Gunde had filed a case with Shah alleging that Ganguly, who is part of the IPL governing council, was in direct conflict having failed to disclose his commercial partnership with the RP Sanjeev Goenka Group, which owns the football franchise Atletico de Kolkata as well as the company that bid successfully for the Pune IPL franchise.While Ganguly had admitted in his response to Shah that he owned a stake of about 5% in the Atletico de Kolkata franchise, he pointed out that he was not in any way related to New Rising India Pvt. Ltd, which bid for the Pune IPL franchise. Gunde insisted that by not disclosing his relationship with the promoters of the Pune franchise, Ganguly was at fault. He also pointed out to Shah that Ganguly, by being part of the IPL Governing Council, was already aware of who all had picked the bid documents and would have been aware of the bid contents.However, Shah looked at the issue differently. “The Ombudsman considered the application and the various submissions made, and found that none of the conflict of interest rules are attracted in the present instance,” Shah noted in a two-page e-mail that he sent to Ganguly, Gunde and the BCCI.Ganguly’s was the first high-profile case filed with Shah, who took over as BCCI’s inaugural ombudsman, as part of the reforms drive initiated by its president Shashank Manohar last October. Shah said he had also examined whether there could be a possible conflict of interest “beyond what is framed in the rules”, because Ganguly had attended the Governing Council meeting when the bids were opened.”In order to examine this, it is important to understand the bidding process itself. It is clear that the bidding process involved first, the submission of sealed technical and financial bids; second, the opening of technical bids; third, the scrutiny of the technical bids by lawyers; fourth, the opening of financial bids; and fifth, the selection of the lowest bidder among those who had qualified the technical round. All of these steps were taken on the same day in the presence of all the bidders,” Shah wrote in the e-mail, accessed by ESPNcricinfo. “It is clear that members of the IPL Governing Council had no role to play, more so because the final selection of the bidder was based on objective criteria, i.e., the lowest bid.”According to Shah, both he and Gunde were satisfied by Ganguly’s statement that he was returning from London to Delhi at the time the technical bids were opened and subsequently examined by the BCCI lawyers.”The question arises as to whether a member of the IPL Governing Council had any role to play in the bidding process,” Shah said. “If the person had no role to play, other than remaining present during/through the bidding process (because of the post they held), there is no reason to raise doubts about the person’s role, as is the case in the present matter.”The Ombudsman, therefore, does not view Mr Ganguly’s presence or conduct in the bidding process as violating any rules of conflict of interest. The bidding process was transparent, and due process was followed. Under the circumstances, the Ombudsman is of the view that no case of conflict of interest has been established or made out against Mr Ganguly, and therefore, the matter is accordingly disposed of.”

R Ashwin has sought to put in perspective his performance in the World T20 semi-final against West Indies in Mumbai, and even made a thinly-veiled observation that he didn’t get the chance to bowl more despite creating wicket-taking opportunities

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-2016India offspinner R Ashwin has sought to put in perspective his performance in the World T20 semi-final against West Indies in Mumbai, and even made a thinly-veiled observation that he didn’t get the chance to bowl more despite creating wicket-taking opportunities.When a journalist remarked, on the eve of his team Rising Pune Supergiants’ debut at the IPL, that Ashwin had “struggled” with the dew in the World T20 semi-final against West Indies, he was quickly interjected to ask, “You mean with the ball?” After the journalist replied in the affirmative, Ashwin said he wasn’t well placed to answer the question because he hadn’t bowled when the dew had set in.”It’s better you ask someone who actually bowled. To be very honest, I don’t know how it felt,” Ashwin said.”It’s very amusing because for the first 12 balls I bowled I created a wicket-opportunity as well. It’s quite surprising the way you phrase your question.” When it was offered that MS Dhoni, the captain, had said Ashwin had struggled with the dew, he flatly responded: “I don’t know what he said.”India were defending 192 that night at the Wankhede. Ashwin was introduced in the seventh over and he began by only conceding seven runs. However, his figures suffered when opener Johnson Charles mowed him across the line for a four and a six in his next over. Ashwin, however, did not bowl after the ninth over of the innings. He finished with figures of 2-0-20-0, but he could well have picked up a wicket off his fifth delivery. Lendl Simmons, when on 18, sliced a thick edge to short third man, where Jasprit Bumrah took a fine catch, but replays indicated Ashwin had overstepped. Dhoni blamed the two no-balls – Hardik Pandya bowled the other one, which Simmons hit the straight down the throat of mid-off – and the dew for India’s defeat.When asked if he had got over the disappointment, Ashwin gave a convoluted reply to suggest that it was relatively less significant in the larger scheme of things.”The day I went back home my dog had a heat stroke. He had fits. It just showed me what’s more important and what is very, very important in life,” he said. “I didn’t turn a piece of paper for the next three days. So I haven’t really read about what people have said. There have been good enough journalists, and knowledgeable people who called me and said I haven’t’ bowled a no-ball in ages, and to have bowled one no-ball I don’t become the villain. If that’s the perception, I don’t know how to counter that.”On the subject of physical and mental fatigue in the IPL, which begins less than a week after the World T20, Ashwin admitted it was going to be taxing.The thing about IPL is that it’s pretty fast-paced. If you get in and try to beat your own odds, look for improvements during this time, it’s going to help you as a cricketer and hold you in good stead through the year.”As far as I am concerned, IPL is a place and avenue to improve your cricket,” Ashwin said. “You have lots of down time to work on your game, the practice facilities are international standard. These are the things you look forward to. On top of it, it’s one of the best T20 leagues going around. You improve and try and see what you can offer the team.”