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Adelaide Oval will host the first-ever day-night Test against New Zealand in November and a T20 against India on Australia Day next year, with Cricket Australia announcing its international and domestic schedule for the 2015-16 season

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-2015Adelaide Oval will host the first-ever day-night Test against New Zealand in November and a T20 against India on Australia Day next year, with Cricket Australia announcing its international and domestic schedule for the 2015-16 season.Australia 2015-16 at home

v NEW ZEALAND
Nov 5-9 1st Test, Brisbane
Nov 13-17 2nd Test, Perth
Nov 27-Dec 1 3rd Test, Adelaide

v WEST INDIES
Dec 10-14 1st Test, Hobart
Dec 26-30 2nd Test, Melbourne
Jan 3-7 3rd Test, Sydney

v INDIA
Jan 12 1st ODI, Perth
Jan 15 2nd ODI, Brisbane
Jan 17 3rd ODI, Melbourne
Jan 20 4th ODI, Canberra
Jan 23 5th ODI, Sydney
Jan 26 1st T20, Adelaide
Jan 29 2nd T20, Melbourne
Jan 31 3rd T20, Sydney

New Zealand will kick off the international summer with the first Test in Brisbane and the second in Perth before the day-night encounter in Adelaide. That will be followed by another three-Test series, with Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney hosting West Indies in December and January.India will then travel to Australia for a series of five ODIs in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. India will also play three T20s in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, where the SCG will host its first T20 international since February 2010, as part of a new seven-year agreement between CA, Cricket New South Wales and the SCG Trust that will see the SCG play host to all international cricket in the state from this summer.Australia Women will also take on India Women in three ODIs and three T20s during the same period as the men. The T20s will be played as double-headers prior to the men’s matches and will be broadcast live.The Sheffield Shield will be taken outside Australia for the first time with a match between New South Wales and Western Australia to be played in Lincoln, New Zealand. The match will be used as preparation by the Test side for the return series in New Zealand in February.The first round of the Shield will involve day-night matches in Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart in the last week of October ahead of the day-night Test.Also in February, New South Wales and South Australia will play a Shield match in Coffs Harbour as a tribute to the late Phillip Hughes.The Matador BBQs One-Day Cup will kickstart the domestic season in October and will be played at five grounds in Sydney.The schedules for the Big Bash League, starting on December 17, and the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League, beginning on December 5, will be announced later this week.”The ICC Cricket World Cup was the biggest sporting event in our country since the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000,” said Mike McKenna, the CA executive general manager of operations.”Many Australians come from non-cricketing cultures and the World Cup was a great chance for the game to showcase itself and earn new fans from all parts of our increasingly diverse community.”We want to build on this great momentum. Following the World Cup, we are determined that local Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Afghan, Sri Lankan and other overseas-born fans who packed Australia’s grounds with good-humoured noise and colour are able to maintain their passion for cricket as part of their adopted Australian lifestyles.”This summer promises to be another history-making season for cricket in Australia. Test cricket will be played in every state including an inaugural day-night Test match between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide, a step designed to make following the cricket much easier for fans to attend the game or watch on television.”

The Clarets boss was eulogised for his sterling work last season, but his first Premier League campaign has been disastrous so far

Almost exactly seven months ago, Burnley supporters were catapulted into dreamland as victory over Middlesbrough at Turf Moor confirmed their return to the Premier League. A few weeks later, they secured the Championship title, eventually finishing with an astounding 101 points – the joint fourth-best tally in second-tier history.

Flash-forward to the present and memories of champagne corks popping and confetti raining down seem like a lifetime ago. At the time of writing, the Clarets sit 19th in the Premier League, having registered just four points from their opening 11 games. They're also the division's lowest scorers so far, with last Saturday's disappointing 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace representing the sixth time they've failed to find the back of the net this campaign.

Nobody said the top-flight would be easy, but there is still a feeling that the runaway Championship winners are underperforming, and Kompany has not been immune from criticism – something he has almost entirely avoided since taking over a Turf Moor last summer.

GettyHailed as a genius

There was little to suggest that Kompany would be a roaring success in Lancashire when he took over. His only previous coaching role was at boyhood club Anderlecht, where he failed to restore the Purple and White to their former glory.

Having initially come in as a player-manager, he soon relinquished his coaching duties after an underwhelming start, only taking on the job full time in summer 2020. Even without playing responsibilities to distract him, Kompany did not pull up any trees, finishing well adrift of the top in each of his full seasons in charge – though he did take his side to a cup final in his final campaign.

However, it soon became clear that his appointment by Burnley might be an inspired one. Kompany recruited smartly in the summer of 2022, bringing in Benson Manuel, Anass Zaroury and Josh Cullen from Belgium to replace the likes of Nathan Collins, Dwight McNeil and James Tarkowski. The loan market was used intelligently too, with Ian Maatsen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis arriving from Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively.

This overhaul was completed to shift the Clarets away from the safety-first approach they became famous for under Sean Dyche and instead adopt a more possession-based style. It did not take long for the squad to buy in. In Kompany's very first game in charge against Huddersfield Town, they completed 301 first-half passes – a figure Dyche's Burnley only bettered twice in 90 minutes during the 2021-22 campaign.

This 1-0 away victory set the tone for the season, with Swansea the only Championship side to register more passes per 90 minutes than the Clarets last term. This wasn't just sterile possession either; Burnley were scintillating going forward. Spearheaded by the free-scoring Nathan Tella, they were the second-tier's highest scorers in 2022-23. They also conceded the fewest goals, underlining their stranglehold on the division.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALLinked with summer exit

Kompany's stock was understandably high in the summer. He'd long been whispered about as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, but once it became clear that the Catalan would be staying on at the Etihad Stadium after leading his side to a historic treble, other clubs began to circle.

Chelsea were loosely linked before Tottenham were credited with a serious interest in the Belgian. In many ways, they were in a similar situation to Burnley were when they turned to Kompany, with the fans in dire need of re-energising after a season of terrible football and even worse results.

However, Kompany stood firm. Instead of taking the next step to his dream role at City, he extended his contract at Turf Moor. The club made a serious commitment too, tying him down for five years.

“Burnley and Turf Moor felt right pretty much from the start – so it also feels right to sign for the next five years. Together with the fans, we have made Turf Moor a fortress again and continue to look forward to the future and the job of making Burnley better with every step," the manager said at the time.

GettyBold transfer window

Kompany's mission to take Burnley to the next level began in the summer, when he was given a sizeable transfer war chest to strengthen the squad. The approach was similar to 2022, with the Clarets focussing on young, hungry players who would be amenable to the coach's methods.

Zeki Amdouni (22) arrived from FC Basel, James Trafford (20) was snapped up from Man City and Wilson Odobert (18) came in from Troyes. The oldest new signing was Nathan Redmond (29), while 25-year-old Sander Berge – stolen away from Premier League rivals Sheffield United – was the second-most experienced.

While Kompany got a significant amount of his preferred targets, he did miss out on 2022-23 season stars Tella and Maatsen, with their respective parent clubs refusing to sell. Harwood-Bellis, a key figure at the back, also did not return, forcing Kompany to further alter his Championship-winning starting XI.

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Getty ImagesA historically bad start

Despite these transfer disappointments, the pre-season projections were still fairly positive, with most pundits backing Burnley to finish somewhere in midtable. They were handed a baptism of fire on the opening weekend, though, in the form of a trip from Man City. They unsurprisingly lost 3-0, and followed this up with a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa and 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham.

Brief respite from this misery was provided by a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest – where a controversial VAR decision deprived them of a winner – but normal service was resumed with successive losses to Manchester United and Newcastle.

Then, at last, a win, as Kompany edged out Luton Town 2-1 at Kenilworth Road thanks to goals from Lyle Foster and Jacob Bruun Larsen. Since then, though, Burnley have endured their most concerning run of the season. They were thrashed by an underperforming Chelsea at the beginning of October, before then losing to Brentford, Bournemouth and Palace – all sides that the Clarets need to be competing with if they want to stay up this season.

To compound matters, they even lost to Everton in the Carabao Cup, in a result Toffees fans declared their most comfortable victory of the season.

A summary of the matches from Group C of the Ranji Trophy on January 30, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Varun Aaron picked up two wickets to keep Jharkhand on top of Goa•Getty ImagesParas Dogra’s second double-ton of the season enabled Himachal Pradesh to post a mammoth 535 for 5 on day two against Tripura at the Maharaja Bir Bikram college stadium in Agartala.Himachal captain Bipul Sharma set up the declaration with a rapid, 119 off 136 balls, that included 13 fours and three sixes. The innings was part of an unbeaten 218-run partnership between Bipul and Dogra as none of Tripura’s eight bowlers, three of whom conceded more than 100 runs, could find a way past them.Himachal carried the momentum into their bowling when Rishi Dhawan struck in the fourth over, picking up Samrat Singha for 6. Dhawan struck again when he had Abhijit Dey caught by Karanveer Singh reducing Tripura to 64 for 2 in the 17th over.The hosts, however, were revived by opener Bishal Ghosh’s unbeaten 81 off 120, with 13 fours. Ghosh had Rakesh Solanki for support in a third-wicket partnership of 79 runs.
ScorecardJhakrand rode on Saurabh Tiwary’s 162 off 269 balls, and despite their lower-middle order failing, managed to post 385. Shiv Gautam could only add four more to his overnight score of 72 as Goa kept picking up regular wickets. Vedant Naik, the 18-year old offspinner, hastened the end as he struck twice in the 130th and 136th overs to wrap up the innings. His four wickets cost 67 runs, while Amulaya Pandrekar and Darshan Misal ended with two apiece.Jharkand came back strongly with the ball as India fast bowler Varun Aaron struck in the sixth over to remove Swapnil Asnodkar for 7. Amogh Sunil Desai was the only batsman from the top five to make more than 18 runs, but he was bowled for 55 off 113 balls in the 36th over. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, who had taken the wicket, finished the day with highly economical figures of 14-6-24-1. Goa could manage only one run in the next five overs before Aaron dismissed Misal for 16.
ScorecardAssam finished day two on 199 for 6, with a lead of 62 runs, despite losing regular wickets. An unbeaten 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Syed Mohammad and Swarupam Purkayastha was their saving grace.Andhra’s surge began when Gokul Sharma, Dheeraj Jadhav and Arun Karthik were dismissed in the space of three runs forcing Assam from 97 for 2 to 100 for 5. Seamer Cheepurapalli Stephen claimed 2 for 52 from 24 overs, while legspinner Marripuri Suresh bowled 26 tight overs for only 39 runs.

The ICC has issued a warning against players taking contractual matters into their own hands, as West Indies did in withdrawing from their tour of India

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2014The ICC has issued a warning against players taking contractual matters into their own hands, as West Indies did in withdrawing from their tour of India, and hinted that the right to play in domestic tournaments such as the IPL could be removed for those who transgress in future.West Indies effectively cancelled their commitments in India last month due to a dispute between the WICB, the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) and the players themselves. The WICB faces a claim for millions of dollars in damages from the BCCI and could still be suspended by the ICC, with the matter a subject of ongoing board meetings in Dubai.The ICC, which has previously stated it cannot intervene in disputes over bilateral series unless it receives a complaint, said that players abandoning tours had the potential to cause “irrevocable damage” that could “adversely affect the financial viability of the sport itself”.The statement continued: “Players who behave in a similar manner in the future will not only risk breaching the disciplinary rules of the relevant member board and being sanctioned accordingly, but may also put in jeopardy their ability to conclude future contractual arrangements with domestic franchises or clubs in other jurisdictions.”Several West Indies players, including the ODI captain, Dwayne Bravo, who was at the forefront of the dispute with WIPA, are regular participants in the IPL, although it has previously been suggested that their eligibility would not be affected by the walkout.The ICC’s chairman, N Srinivasan, said: “It was undoubtedly a sad chapter in our sport. It damaged cricket’s integrity and reputation, as well as affecting confidence within the cricket community, especially that of the fans. The ICC board was determined to address this situation and ensure such incidents never happen again. The ICC is working with the concerned members towards finding a positive resolution and is confident that there will be constructive outcomes for our game.”West Indies’ decision led to one ODI, one T20 and three Tests being cancelled and the BCCI submitting a claim for $42m in damages. The India board has also suspended bilateral relations with the WICB and threatened it with legal action if its demands are not met.

Bowling coach Chaminda Vaas believes that Sri Lanka’s pace quintet can thrive in New Zealand conditions

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Dec-2014Somehow, Sri Lanka snuck them through customs. No part of their convoy was delayed or detained. Not even New Zealand’s biosecurity officers – a more fastidious breed than most – were wise to their transit. As of Tuesday afternoon, all five specimens had arrived intact in Christchurch ahead of the first Test.Though their official names are long and unpronounceable to most in the country, their wrangler, Chaminda Vaas, believes they can thrive in these conditions. They hope to do as well as the other invasive breeds to make New Zealand’s shores. Like the possum or the European rabbit, Sri Lanka’s pace quintet of Suranga Lakmal, Shaminda Eranga, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera are well-placed to raise hell when set loose, Vaas said.”All five seamers on tour have a lot of ability,” he said. “It’s very rare that we get five guys together who can all bowl 140kph. The conditions in New Zealand are great for quicks, and as a seamer you are overjoyed when you see tracks like what you have here, because you don’t get that in Sri Lanka. The pitches give you swing, and then if you bowl well, you can trap batsmen.”Vaas knows plenty about prospering in New Zealand. Of the nations he played in, he was most efficient in New Zealand, taking 36 wickets at an average of 22.55. Sixteen of those scalps came in 1995, when Vaas led Sri Lanka to their first-ever away series win, and as on that tour, he was largely the sole seam threat through his career. With a core cordon of quicks of roughly equivalent age and ability now having developed, the new group has an opportunity to become the best pace attack Sri Lanka have fielded, he said.”Being a fast bowler is all about learning and adding to your game. We share a lot among the group, and that’s when we develop together. What I try to tell the guys is to think about how you can be better than the other bowlers. That’s not to encourage jealousy or disunity – but to try and help us as a group to raise our standards. You have to be thinking that when someone else gets five wickets, you also want to get five. When you have that mentality and that competition, it’s easier to get wickets on any pitch.”They all have a responsibility to look after themselves, in terms of diet and discipline, because the demands of the international game are high. Their fitness has to be at an optimum level all the time, and their mental approach has to be the same. That’s what they need to do to get the best out of themselves, and the rest is up to their ability and the conditions.”Sri Lanka have been reliant on Rangana Herath’s left-arm spin since Muttiah Muralitharan’s retirement, but have this year begun to bank on their quicks as well. Their three overseas Test wins in 2014 – in Dubai, Dhaka and Leeds, have all been largely forged by the quicks. With the exception of uncapped Chameera, each of the other fast bowlers have played key roles in Sri Lanka’s recent Test successes.”In England we didn’t have Suranga, and now that he is back, it is a big strength,” Vaas said. “After Lasith Malinga, he is the guy who is in a similar place. His rhythm is excellent, and the other bowlers have something to learn from him.”Control and modest movement have been the Sri Lanka quicks’ hallmarks this year, but Prasad’s inclusion for the Headingley Test injected some hit-the-deck intensity that paid dividends on the fourth afternoon when he claimed four top-order wickets in one spell to set up that victory. No fast bowler in the attack has yet played more than 21 Tests, but Sri Lanka pose a varied threat nonetheless, Vaas said.”Suranga gets swing at pace and is a wicket-taking threat all the time. Eranga is very similar. None of these bowlers are very experienced, which is why it’s imperative that they improve every time they play. Dhammika Prasad has been in the team for a while, but he has only recently been able to play at a stretch because of his injuries. Thankfully he has been able to get his body 100%, and is at a very good fitness level.”They all have minor differences, but in key criteria, they are the same: they all bowl 140, they can all do something with the ball, and they have good control. Dhammika is a little different, because he hits the deck and then gets movement, while Suranga and Eranga move it more in the air.”Chameera, 22, took 3 for 13 in the warm-up match on a Queenstown greentop, but is unlikely to be in the XI on Boxing Day. Described by some coaches as the quickest young bowler in Sri Lanka’s domestic circuit, Vaas believed him to be an outstanding prospect.”He’s very talented and quite raw. Even though he doesn’t have much experience, he bowled very well in the last match. In a year, I trust he will be able to hit that 150kph mark. He just needs to take good care of his body, his rest, his diet and his mental approach.”

USMNT goalkeeper Drake Callender and Lionel Messi were both named in the MLS Team of the Matchday Monday for Inter Miami.

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Messi and Callender named to MLS Team of MatchdayInter Miami drew 1-1 with LA Galaxy Argentine scored late goal, while goalkeeper saved penaltyWHAT HAPPENED?

A 92nd-minute equalizer from Messi secured Inter Miami a draw Sunday evening, while early on, goalkeeper Drake Callender made a brilliant penalty kick save to keep the match scoreless 10-minutes into the match. Both heroic efforts were rewarded Monday, with recognition by the league.

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Messi's heroics saved the Herons a point late, but that doesn't happen if Callender doesn't make his important save early on. The USMNT shotstopper was brilliant all evening, making two more crucial saves throughout the night. Meanwhile, the Galaxy's Riqui Puig also found himself a spot on the team – even though his penalty attempt was saved.

The entire MLS Team of the Matchday saw nine different teams sport a player, with Inter Miami being the only club that had two.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sunday saw Callender make his first penalty kick save since last Summer's Leagues Cup, where he denied Atlanta United's Thiago Almada from the spot.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

The Herons take on Orlando City at the weekend in their third match of the season. It will be a battle for South Florida as Inter Miami host the Lions in a rivalry match.

Chelsea have reportedly parted company with coach Bruno Saltor despite claiming that he would form part of Mauricio Pochettino’s backroom team.

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Spaniard joined the Blues alongside PotterTook in one game as caretaker managerIs now walking away from Stamford BridgeWHAT HAPPENED?

The 42-year-old Spaniard has, according to , seen his contract paid up, allowing him to walk away from Stamford Bridge. That agreement has been reached during private talks behind the scenes, with no public announcement being made.

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Bruno had moved to Stamford Bridge alongside Graham Potter in September 2022, with Chelsea paying a world-record £21 million ($26m) compensation package to Brighton when bringing in the new manager and his coaching staff. Only two members of that group – head of goalkeeping Ben Roberts and data analyst Kyle Macaulay – remain in west London.

DID YOU KNOW?

Potter lasted 31 games across seven months in charge of the Blues, with Bruno – who took caretaker charge for a 0-0 draw with Liverpool – among those to be put on leave when managerial reins were passed to club legend Frank Lampard on an interim basis. Chelsea claimed that he had returned to the fold following Pochettino’s appointment over the summer.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

That agreement has lasted less than four months, with Bruno allowed to move on. Pochettino is hoping that those still by his side can deliver a reversal in fortunes over the coming weeks – as questions begin to be asked of his future – with big-spending Chelsea picking up just five points from six Premier League games in 2023-24, while already being without European football on the back of a 12th-placed finish last season.

GOAL tells you everything you need to know about the new season, including which superstars have joined Cristiano Ronaldo in the Middle East…

Pep Guardiola knows a thing or two about spending sprees, so when the manager of Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City says that Europe's elite clubs "need to be aware of what's happening" in the Saudi Pro League, you can be sure that something seriously significant is going down.

As the Catalan has correctly pointed out, the SPL has "changed the transfer market" this summer, paying one inflated transfer fee after another for players convinced to move to the Middle East by stunning salaries. As Odion Ighalo put it when asked why he and the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo are in Saudi Arabia, "It's for money, bro."

The reasoning has been obvious from the start, though. The real interest lies in whether it's sustainable. It obviously is from a financial perspective. Saudi Arabian clubs have deep pockets, particularly Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal – who have just been taken over by the country's Public Investment Fund in a clear attempt to create a 'Big Four'.

The historic spending spree that has followed has undeniably captured the attention of the footballing world – the question now is whether the SPL can keep a hold of it. An entertaining and competitive 2023-24 campaign would certainly help in that regard, with the emphasis on the new arrivals to not only elevate the standard of play but also make new fans out of the many interested overseas observers.

So, what can we expect from the new season? And who's likely to come out on top? GOAL tells you everything you need to know below…

GettyAl-Ittihad

Al-Ittihad are the reigning champions and obvious favourites to win this season's title after a very productive summer. After all, Nuno Espirito Santo had already turned them into the most well-balanced team in the Pro League. They scored 60 goals last season – only Ronaldo's Al-Nassr managed more – but conceded just 13.

It's not difficult, then, to see the champions being even better in 2023-24, with N'Golo Kante and Fabinho having arrived to give even greater protection to the backline, and current Ballon d'Or holder Karim Benzema set to spearhead an attack that has also been bolstered by the signing of former Celtic winger Jota, who could prove one of the surprise stars of the season, and still features last season's top scorer, Abderrazak Hamdallah.

Benzema, though, is obviously the key. He had his injury issues last season but he remains a world-class talent, which is precisely why Real Madrid were so desperate to keep him for another season. Indeed, the French forward is already banging in the goals in the Arab Club Champions Cup, so do not be at all surprised if Benzema beats former club-mate Ronaldo to the Pro League's top scorer award this season.

AdvertisementAl Nassr TwitterAl-Nassr

It's still hard to believe that Al-Nassr were top of the table when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo to great fanfare in January and yet failed to win the league. The Portuguese scored freely, of course, netting 14 times in just 16 games, but his frustration with Rudi Garcia's tactics quickly became obvious, and the French coach was sacked before the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

So the pressure now falls on Luis Castro to lead Al-Nassr to a first title since 2019. Ronaldo's compatriot doesn't exactly boast a stellar CV, but he did win the Ukrainian Premier League with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2020 and besides, he's taking over a squad that has been significantly strengthened over the summer.

How much Alex Telles will add to the defence is, of course, debatable after his trying time at Manchester United, but Seko Fofana should make a big impact in a midfield that will now be run by the excellent Marcelo Brozovic, who was Inter's best player in the Champions League final.

However, the signing that's generated most headlines is, of course, that of Sadio Mane. The Senegalese has endured a dramatic decline over the past 12 months that saw him go from a hero at Liverpool to a zero at Bayern Munich. However, the 31-year-old should still have more than enough left in the tank to run riot up front alongside Ronaldo, meaning Al-Nassr should once again be challenging for the title.

Hilal TwitterAl-Hilal

Al-Hilal's bid for a fourth consecutive Pro League title unravelled over the second half of last season, but that had a lot to do with the fact that they reached the final of both the Club World Cup, where they stunned Flamengo in the semi-finals, and the AFC Champions League.

However, the most successful side in Saudi Arabian football look far better equipped to win a record-extending 19th title this term – not least because they now have Jorge Jesus back in charge. The Portuguese fell out with his employers during his first spell at Al-Hilal, but he returns after four years away having only further enhanced his reputation as one of the game's great coaches by winning a Copa Libertadores with Flamengo, in 2019.

Jesus will also have a stellar squad at his disposal. Kalidou Koulibaly may have underwhelmed at Chelsea but the Napoli legend is an incredible acquisition for the centre of the defence, while Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have the makings of the best midfield pairing in the league.

Unlike many of the other players to have moved to Saudi Arabia this summer, both Neves and Milinkovic-Savic are still in their prime and the Serb, in particular, should quickly prove himself one of the most dominant players in the Pro League.

There have been no superstar signings up front as of yet – unless you count former Barcelona winger Malcom, who has joined from Zenit – but in Ighalo they already possess a proven goalscorer at this level. All things considered, a title challenge appears inevitable.

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Al Ahli TwitterAl-Ahli

Back in the top flight after winning last season's First Division, Al-Ahli were without a manager until the end of July before managing to lure Matthias Jaissle away from Red Bull Salzburg, which caused quite a bit of controversy. The German had won back-to-back Austrian titles with Salzburg, so they were furious when it emerged that he was in talks over a move to the Jeddah just two days before the start of the new Bundesliga season.

Al-Ahli won't care, though, after finally filling their coaching vacancy with the highly-rated Jaissle, who could work wonders with arguably the most exciting attacking line-up in the league. Star summer signings Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Allan Saint-Maximin really should form a fantastically fluid forward line with enough flicks and tricks to bamboozle even the best defences in Saudi Arabia.

However, Al-Ahli have also strengthened elsewhere, with the signing of Franck Kessie from Barcelona representing a real coup, given he was tipped to join Juventus. The Ivorian will add quality and physicality to the midfield, while ex-Roma centre-back Roger Ibanez is a great addition to the backline.

As for Eduouard Mendy, the Senegalese goalkeeper may have suffered a serious slump at Stamford Bridge, resulting in him losing his starting spot to Kepa Arrizabalaga, but if he can get back to anything resembling his Champions League-winning best, he could prove a real difference-maker.

A title triumph is perhaps too much to expect from the newly-promoted side, but the PIF-backed team will be expected to at least challenge for top spot.

GOAL breaks down how players fared in the final pre-World Cup friendly

For the second time this international window, the U.S. men's national team limped through a lifeless 90-minute performance.

And, with the World Cup less than two months away, there's reason to be worried about that fact.

Following a 2-0 loss to Japan to open the window, the U.S. improved ever so slightly in a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia. The performance was a little bit better against a team that was a little bit worse, but it was nothing that will inspire confidence as Qatar looms.

There were a few players that looked solid enough, although there weren't many that truly stood out. And, as the clock ticks, there are still so many questions that don't have answers after what essentially felt like a waste of an international break

With that said, here's a look at how USMNT players fared against Saudi Arabia:

GettyMatt Turner

Relatively solid, making a few key saves including one just seconds into the game. Distribution wasn't perfect, but, overall, another good outing for a player that probably should start in Qatar.

Rating: 6/10

AdvertisementGettySergino Dest

Playing on the left, it wasn't anything special from Dest. He did what he usually does in terms of getting into the attack, and he did what he usually does in terms of having a few shaky defensive moments.

Rating: 5/10

GettyAaron Long

Another rough outing for Long, who probably shouldn't start in Qatar. Nothing catastrophic leading to a goal, and the U.S. did maintain a clean sheet so you can't hit him too hard, but distribution was poor once again.

Rating: 5/10

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GettyWalker Zimmerman

Much better this time around. Passing was significantly improved as he hit several good long balls, although he would be better served playing next to a batter passer than Long.

Rating: 6/10

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has urged his players to bring the best out of Harry Kane as they prepare to face Lazio in the Champions League.

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Kane has been in remarkable formBayern to face Serie A giants in Champions LeagueTuchel makes demand of his playersWHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern are licking their wounds after their top-of-the-table clash with Bayer Leverkusen ended in a stunning 3-0 defeat, and are preparing to take on Lazio in the Champions League. Kane touched the ball just 18 times against Leverkusen, and Tuchel is keen for his side to bring the England captain into the game more.

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Tuchel told reporters: "It was rare for Harry to have so few touches (against Leverkusen). The formation was actually thought of with him in mind, but we didn’t find him at all. We want to get Harry in the game more, and we need to fix it.

"I’m convinced we can show a reaction (against Lazio). It wasn’t good enough in Leverkusen. But it’s a new opponent, a new competition. I hope we can make up for it."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane's performance against Leverkusen came after a run of 28 goals in 28 games in all competitions, making his inability to affect the game all the more stark. He has scored four goals in six Champions League games this term, while also providing three assists.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

After their clash with Lazio, Bayern will face VFL Bochum on Sunday. They currently sit five points behind Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen.