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Despite Lionel Messi Goal, Inter Miami Fail To Win Third Consecutive MLS Game

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Lionel Messi grabbed the equaliser as a misfiring Inter Miami were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer on Saturday. Elsewhere, the Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, New York Red Bulls, New York City, LAFC and Orlando City all secured their places in the playoffs. Despite the setback of a third straight draw, Miami — already assured of a place in the playoffs — remain top of the Eastern Conference and the Supporters Shield regular season standings.

Charlotte, coached by former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith, took the lead in the 57th minute when a low shot from Brandt Bronico deflected off Karol Swiderski and beat Miami keeper Drake Callender.

The goal added some needed urgency to Miami’s approach and Jordi Alba found his former Barcelona team-mate Messi with a cross from the left, but the Argentine’s header was straight at goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina.

The Croatian keeper then did well to keep out a Messi drive from the edge of the box.

Moments later Messi, just outside the area, carved out just enough space for a shot and buried his left-foot drive into the bottom corner for his 15th goal in as many games this season.

Miami thought they had won a penalty in the 77th minute when Diego Gomez went down under challenge from Charlotte’s French defender Adilson Malanda and referee Ramy Touchan pointed to the spot.

Malanda received a second yellow card but he and his team were saved by the VAR, who ruled he had played the ball.

Deep in stoppage time, Miami had a great chance to take all three points when Alba headed across goal, but Luis Suarez under pressure from Kahlina fired over the bar from a yard out.

Miami are on 65 points with three games remaining, champions Columbus Crew have 57 and Cincinnati 56 in the East.

Miami can clinch the Supporters’ Shield with a victory or a draw away to Columbus on Wednesday and head coach Gerardo Martino said that frustration with another draw should be kept in perspective.

“We were a team that habitually lost for years, and now, we are a team that habitually wins, and that raises expectations,” he said.

“We have worked very hard to change the perception of this team, and we’ve done it having to use many different line-ups due to injuries and national team duty.

“Yes, we are frustrated with three draws in a row… but it’s not like we did not have chances to win,” he added.

In the ‘Hudson River derby’, New York City romped to a 5-1 win at the New York Red Bulls with two goals from Alonso Martinez as the visitors led 4-1 at half-time.

The win secured NYCFC a place in the playoffs and other results meant the Red Bulls had the consolation of also getting into the post-season.

Orlando City are also in the mix for a run at MLS Cup after an impressive 3-1 win at FC Dallas and LAFC, beaten by Columbus in last year’s final, booked their place in the playoffs with a 2-1 win at FC Cincinnati.

Results in other games meant that Seattle and Houston were sure of their place in the post-season even before their game later on Saturday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Here Is How India Can Qualify For Women’s T20 World Cup Semi-Finals

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File photo of Indian women’s cricket team.© X/@BCCI




India are set to take on Australia in their final group game at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 on October 13. Australia are all but through to the semi-finals but the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side has its fate hanging on its own hands. Apart from these two teams, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan form the Group A. The top two sides will make it to the knockouts. Sri Lanka are already eliminated from the tournament after losing their first three matches but the rest four teams are still in contention for two semi-final spots from the group.

Here is how India can make it to the semi-finals –

Scnenario 1: India beat Australia by a huge margin

India need to beat Australia by such a massive margin in the game that their Net Run Rate goes past that of the six-time champions. Such a case will confirm India of a semi-final entry with 6 points.

Scnenario 2: India beat Australia by a small margin

If India beat Australia but fail to surpass their NRR, they would need New Zealand to either lose one of their matches. If New Zealand win both their games, India would need both of New Zealand’s victories to come by such small margins that the White Ferns’ NRR remains less than that of Harmanpreet Kaur and co.

Scnenario 3: India vs Australia gets abandoned

In this case, India will reach to 5 points while Australia will make it to the semi-finals with 7 points to their credit. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side would then want New Zealand to lose one of its remaining two matches. If the White Ferns win a game and their other match gets abandoned, India’s NRR needs to be more than that of New Zealand to enter the semi-finals.

Scenario 4: India lose to Australia

If India lose to Australia, the latter team will advance to the semi-finals. In this case, the Harmanpreet-led side would want New Zealand to lose to Sri Lanka by a huge margin, and then beat Pakistan by a small gap. Such a case will see India advance to the semi-final on the basis of a better NRR than New Zealand’s.

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Rishabh Pant Breaks Silence On Rohit Sharma’s ‘Fake Injury’ Claim from T20 World Cup 2024 Final

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File photo of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant© X (Twitter)




Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma recently revealed that wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant came up with a brilliant ploy that disrupted South Africa’s rhythm during the T20 World Cup 2024 final. The match was headed towards a close finish with South Africa needing 30 runs off 30 balls and it looked like India will need something to turn the momentum in their favour. Pant stopped the game as he had a knee injury and the physio came inside the ground to tap up his knee. Rohit claimed that the whole incident helped slow down the game and India went on to clinch the title with a brilliant win. Pant broke silence on Rohit’s claim and said that he asked the physio to take his time on the field.

“I was thinking about this. Because suddenly the momentum shifted. There were a lot of runs in 2-3 overs. So, I was thinking, when will this moment come again when you are playing in a World Cup final. So, I was telling the physio, that you take your time, keep wasting the time.”

“He was asking me if I was okay. I told him I’m just acting. Sometimes in such a match situation, I am not saying that it works every time, But sometimes it works. And if it works in such a moment, you want nothing else,” Rishabh Pant said in the viral video.

Earlier, Rohit recalled the entire incident during an episode of ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’.

“When South Africa needed 30 runs off 30 balls, just before that, there was a small break. Pant used his intelligence to pause the game – he had a knee injury, so he had his knee taped, which helped slow down the game – because the game was fast-paced, and at that moment, all a batter wants is the ball to be bowled quickly. But we had to break the rhythm. As I was setting the field and talking to bowlers, suddenly I saw Pant fall on the ground. The physiotherapist had arrived and was taping his knee. Klassen was waiting for the match to start again. I am not saying it’s the only reason, but it could be one of them – Pant Sahab used his smarts and things worked out in our favour,” he said.

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Rohit Sharma To Miss Part Of Australia Tour: 3 Captaincy Candidates To Replace Him

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India could miss the services of skipper Rohit Sharma during one of the first two Test matches in Australia due to personal reasons which have communicated to the BCCI. The Indian team will embark on tough five-Test series in Australia starting November 22 in Perth and there is a possibility that Rohit could give either the first or the second game in Adelaide (December 6-10) a miss. “There isn’t any complete clarity about the situation. It is understood that Rohit has intimated to the BCCI that there is a possibility that due to a pressing personal matter, he might have to skip one of the two Tests at the beginning of the series,” a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“In case, the personal issue is sorted before the start of the series, he might play all five Tests. We will get to know more in coming days,” he said.

The 37-year-old Rohit played both the home Tests against Bangladesh. India will next host New Zealand for a three-Test rubber starting October 16.

In case Rohit misses a Test match in Australia, the in-form Abhimanyu Easwaran is likely to be his cover although Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are also players with enough experience in the opening slot.

Easwaran will also be in Australia with the India A team which he is supposed to lead.

However, there is no word who the vice-captain of the Test team will be as there was no official deputy for Rohit during the recent home series against Bangladesh.

“I think we need to understand that we have got a lot of IPL captains in this team. When you talk about the likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, hopefully a Yashasvi (Jaiswal) going forward.

“There are a lot of players who have led their franchises,” Abhishek Nayar told the media on the eve of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.

There are three candidates for the role — Rohit’s white ball deputy Gill, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has led India in a Test in England, and keeper-batter Rishabh Pant.

“I wouldn’t look at them as youngsters anymore. Yes, they are youngsters in terms of age and the amount of cricket they have played. But, I think overall, mentally and in their development as a cricketer, I think they have the leadership qualities that are required. You don’t need to have a vice-captain that should be designated,” Nayar had stated when asked about the red-ball vice-captaincy.

“I think overall, the thought process of these youngsters is of a senior player. It’s of someone who has played a lot of cricket.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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