The ex-USMNT player said Pochettino was hired for World Cup success, and that "he’s just going to be judged on next summer"

Pochettino hired after Berhalter strugglesBelieves big-name hire raised expectationsSays coach must leave program in better shapeGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, former USMNT star Alexi Lalas predicted that Mauricio Pochettino's tenure as national team coach will be brief. Lalas suggested Pochettino was brought in specifically as a high-profile replacement for Gregg Berhalter in a direct response to mounting pressure from fans for a more accomplished leader.

“This is a guy that’s being paid what? $6 million a year” Lalas said on the MLS Moves’ podcast. “This is a guy who was brought in in a short-term capacity and he understands that. We understand that and everybody understands that after the summer of 2026, he’s gone. And he’s gonna probably have lots of opportunities. So, you need to get this done, all right?

“All of the anger over Greg Berhalter, and I think the excitement over hiring someone with the cache and the sexy name that is Pochettino, that comes with responsibility and heightened expectations. And I think he understands that better than anybody. So again, yeah I’m OK with you progressing and learning. But ultimately, let’s be honest, he’s just going to be judged on next summer."

Though Pochettino hasn't even been in the job a full year, Lalas says the coach will be one and done in terms of World Cups with the U.S.

"You better be ready next summer and there can be no excuses," he said. "You can’t say ‘Oh I didn’t have enough time’ or ‘Oh the American soccer system is screwed up’ or anything like that. No, that doesn’t work. You got to bring it next summer and you got to do things that we haven’t seen before. And again, in not just a World Cup, but a home World Cup. You’ve got to leave the situation in better shape than when you got it.”

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Lalas said that his confidence in the USMNT has grown considerably following the team's performance in the Gold Cup. Pochettino's side won five straight matches before losing to Mexico in the final.

“I feel better than I did at the beginning of the Gold Cup,” Lalas said. “ I think the Gold Cup did help maybe assuage some of my concerns and worries when it comes to this team. There’s still plenty of them out there and I still worry that we’re not going to grab a hold of this incredible opportunity that is next summer. But I’m feeling a little bit more bullish. And that’s a good thing.

“Because we’ve talked about the ramp over the last, I don’t know, how many years since we got this World Cup. And the ramps getting shorter, and shorter and shorter. But it’s still a ramp and any type of ramp it’s about momentum. And we’ve had very little momentum before the Gold Cup. I think there’s more momentum now and if we can build on that momentum and get more and more positive, and get more and more excited going into next summer – that’s that what you need to do.

Lalas believes that the USMNT can advance to the round of 16 at the World Cup.

“Look I think that the US is going to get out of it’s group, I would even say win the group given the realities of a 48-team World Cup, being one of the first pot as a host,” Lalas said. “So I think we’re going to get a good group, a winnable group. And now you’re in the round of 32… and you’re gonna get, certainly, a winnable game, and then you’re right back where you started in that round of 16 game, where it’s going to be a team that’s going to be pretty even.”

“And so you’re going to have to find a way to conjure something up that hasn’t been kind of done before. And then you’re in kind of rarified air. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The USMNT have lost six of the 16 games that Pochettino has coached since replacing Berhalter last September.

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AFPWHAT’S NEXT?

Pochettino will continue preparations for the World Cup in international friendlies, starting in September against South Korea and Japan.

The Mumbai juggernaut rolls on

After two bonus-point wins over Bihar and Andhra, Mumbai beat Kerala by 232 runs in Thiruvananthapuram to catapult to the top of Group B standings. Set 327 for victory, Kerala folded for 94 in just 33 overs, with left-arm spinner Shams Mulani picking up 5 for 44 in the second innings. The result leaves Kerala languishing in the bottom half of the eight-team pool, having managed two draws and an outright defeat in three matches.Returning to lead Kerala a day after he turned up for India in a T20I against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, Sanju Samson returned scores of 38 and 15 not out. Shivam Dube, Samson’s India team-mate in Bengaluru, fared much better for Mumbai, hitting 51 in Mumbai’s first-innings 251. Mumbai fast bowler Mohit Avasthi picked up career-best figures of 7 for 57 in the first innings, while Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, had his first runs of the season (16 off 65) after two golden ducks previously.Saurashtra’s Chirag Jani poses with his Player-of-the-Match medal•PTI

The comeback stories

After failing to force an outright win after calling the shots against Jharkhand and being spun out by Haryana at home, defending champions Saurashtra notched up their first win of the season by beating Vidarbha. The 238-run margin of victory boosted their quotient, placing them fourth in Group A.Related

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• Himmat replaces Dhull as Delhi captain after big defeat to Puducherry

Such a victory margin seemed a tough ask when Umesh Yadav picked up four wickets to skittle Saurashtra for 206 in the first innings. Vidarbha fared poorly, being bowled out for 78 to concede a massive first-innings advantage. Cheteshwar Pujara then buckled down to hit 66, one of three half-centurions in the innings. Along the way, he passed 20,000 runs in first-class cricket. A target of 373 proved too much for Vidarbha, who were bowled out for 134.Allrounder Chirag Jani ended the game with a match haul of 9 for 65, while Jitesh Sharma, fresh off national duty, made scores of 28 and 1 for Vidarbha. The loss notwithstanding, Vidarbha are still second in the pool following two big wins to open the season.After a frustrating start to the season, where their game against Rajasthan was heavily weather-affected, Vijay Hazare Trophy champions Haryana have now recorded two wins on the bounce. After seeing off Saurashtra last week, they eased past Manipur by an innings and 338 runs to top Group B. Himanshu Rana struck a career-best 250 not out to lead the way.Gaurav Yadav continued his excellent form in the tournament•Gaurav Yadav

Tamil Nadu, Puducherry roar

His career was at the crossroads, but N Jagadeesan took the third round by storm, hitting a career-best unbeaten 245 as Tamil Nadu beat Railways in Coimbatore by an innings and 129 runs to storm back into knockouts contention. This was their first win of the season following a massive season-opening loss to Gujarat and a frustrating weather-affected draw against Tripura. R Sai Kishore, the captain, also contributed significantly, hitting a half-century in Tamil Nadu’s 489 while also taking seven wickets in the match.Puducherry, TN’s southern neighbours, are also in knockouts contention after notching up their second outright win in three games. Their Madhya Pradesh recruit, fast bowler Gaurav Yadav, who took a ten-for in their win against Delhi went one better this time, returning a match haul of 13 for 93 as Uttarakhand were beaten by 55 runs in a tight game in Dehradun.Baroda currently top Group D with three wins in as many games, Puducherry are in second place, while MP beat Delhi for their first win of the season to be placed third.File photo: The weather disrupted plenty of matches in the third round as well•AFP/Getty Images

Delhi in relegation contention

DDCA continues to be in the headlines for administrative issues, and the team’s performances have mirrored the off-field drama. Delhi’s third-round loss to MP would sting a bit more, considering they pocketed a crucial 34-run first-innings lead, but their batting let them down a second time as they folded for 131 in pursuit of 218. Delhi, who’ve already seen senior players like Nitish Rana, Kulwant Khejroliya and Dhruv Shorey leave for other teams, sit at the bottom of Group D with a solitary point.

Weather continues to have a say

Several top players have voiced their concerns over the Ranji Trophy scheduling. Some have asked for a calendar rejig, while others want the northern sides to play down south first up to avoid chances of weather interruptions. But those debates are perhaps for later, at the captains and coaches conclave BCCI conducts at the end of every season.For now, UP vs Bihar, Punjab vs Tripura, Chandigarh vs Gujarat, and Bengal vs Chhattisgarh were all weather-affected with not even the first innings honours decided. For UP, this is their third-straight weather-hit game, while Chandigarh and Punjab have also copped it badly, with fog and bad light.

Wrexham are on the verge of completing a record-breaking €2.5 million (£2.16m) deal for New Zealand international Liberato Cacace, with co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney green-lighting the ambitious move. The Empoli left-back is set to become the club’s most expensive signing, surpassing the £2 million the Red Dragons paid for Sam Smith in January.

• Wrexham agree record £2.2m fee for Liberato Cacace
• Empoli star to become third summer signing at club
• Parkinson praises Cacace’s character ahead of move

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham have agreed a club-record fee to sign Cacace from Empoli, as per The Athletic. The 24-year-old is expected to finalise his move in the coming days, pending final details and medical clearance. The transfer coincides with Wrexham’s pre-season tour stop in Wellington, New Zealand, Cacace’s hometown.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Empoli’s relegation opened the door for Cacace’s departure after having made 74 Serie A appearances for Azzurri Empolesi. Wrexham have mostly recruited from the British Isles, but this deal reflects a bold shift in transfer strategy. If completed, Cacace will strengthen competition at left wing-back and bring international pedigree.

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  WHAT PARIKSON SAID

  Speaking to the media, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said: “Libby is a player we have looked at. It isn’t finalised, as of yet. But I have spoken to Libby and love his character and personality.

  “If we can get the signing completed, he is a player who will fit in with the culture we have created at Wrexham.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  The deal is expected to be finalised upon Wrexham’s return to the United Kingdom this weekend. Cacace will link up with his new team-mates next week, adding to the summer arrivals of Danny Ward and Ryan Hardie. Barring last-minute issues, he will be unveiled ahead of Wrexham’s next friendly.

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‘Se eu ficar, as coisas na parte técnica serão do meu jeito.’ Uma das várias frases de efeito proferidas por Rogério Ceni em sua entrevista após a derrota por 1 a 0 para o Internacional, na última terça-feira (8), em pleno Morumbi, já era um prenúncio do que acontecerá no São Paulo a partir do próximo ano, quando o treinador ganhará poderes dentro do clube e se transformará em uma espécie de manager, cargo comum a técnicos nas equipes europeias.

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A prerrogativa de um Ceni mais atuante no departamento de futebol são-paulino já era uma ideia da gestão Julio Casares quando renovou o contrato com o ex-goleiro de forma antecipada, em julho, após a classificação nas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil ante o Palmeiras.

Agora, segundo o que o LANCE! apurou, a medida se torna mais do que necessária após abalos internos sofridos pelo treinador e que exigiram a vinda pública de Casares para assegurar a sua permanência no cargo. Basicamente, a briga com Patrick nos vestiários do Maracanã durante a derrota para o Fluminense e informações de que parte do elenco não só discorda da postura de Ceni como não o respeita. Verdade ou não, o fato obrigaria um aumento no status interno do ex-goleiro, avaliaram dirigentes.

O posto, também avaliam dirigentes, inibe as insatisfações internas de parte principalmente de conselheiros. Muitos deles ‘fizeram barulho’ junto a Casares e até da imprensa sobre a postura crítica de Ceni, quase sempre franco nas entrevistas. A não indicação de Galoppo – reforço mais caro da temporada -, críticas públicas a jogadores, à estrutura e episódios como o que revelou que não tinha sido chamado para discutir o planejamento de 2023 são alguns dos que fizeram a orelha do mandatário arder com as queixas vindas da política interna do Morumbi.

E assim será feito. Ceni a partir de agora tem a última palavra sobre contratações, dispensas, vendas, alterações no estafe interno do CT da Barra Funda, do Morumbi, horários de treinos, recuperação de jogadores e até da logística do São Paulo em viagens e afins.

Não é uma situação inédita ao treinador. No Fortaleza, ele ‘ganhou a chave do departamento’ e revolucionou o futebol do clube nordestino. É nesse conhecimento prático que a diretoria são-paulina aposta para dar sequência ao trabalho de reestruturação.

Com R$ 700 milhões em dívidas e sem ter como fazer grandes investimentos, Ceni será a aposta para se conseguir reforços pontuais e certeiros. Confiando também, claro, na idolatria de uma torcida que continua o blindando como um dos maiores jogadores de todos os tempos a passar pelo Tricolor.

> Confira classificação, jogos e simule resultados do Brasileirão-22
> Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

حقق فريق مودرن سبورت الفوز على نظيره الاتحاد السكندري بهدفين مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم الخميس في الدوري المصري الممتاز.

واستضاف الاتحاد السكندري نظيره مودرن سبورت على ملعب استاد الإسكندرية ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

طالع.. موقف الأهلي من طلب حكام أجانب لمباراة بيراميدز في الدوري  افتتح محمد هلال، لاعب مودرن سبورت أهداف المباراة في الدقيقة الخامسة من عمر اللقاء عن طريق ركلة جزاء.

وفي الدقيقة السادسة من الوقت بدل الضائع في الشوط الأول تمكن محمود رزق من تسجيل الهدف الثاني من صناعة علي فوزي.

وقلص فادي فريد، مهاجم الاتحاد السكندري الفارق في الدقيقة الأولى من الوقت بدل الضائع من الشوط الثاني لينتهي اللقاء بفوز مودرن سبورت.

ورفع مودرن سبورت رصيده إلى 4 نقاط في صدارة جدول الترتيب مؤقتًا بينما تجمد رصيد الاتحاد السكندري في المركز 21 بدون نقاط. أهداف مباراة مودرن سبورت والاتحاد

Ethan Nwaneri could follow in the footsteps of Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi by swapping Arsenal for Manchester United, claims Rene Meulensteen.

Man Utd have recruited youngsters from GunnersNwaneri backed to move to Old TraffordArsenal contract expires in 2026Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Nwaneri's contract expires next summer and there is some concern at Arsenal that he may opt to leave north London. He is free to discuss a move to a foreign club from January, when he has six months left on his deal, but Meulensteen has now posited a theory that he could follow the examples of Obi and Heaven by swapping north London for Manchester.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Nwaneri has already made inroads into Arsenal's first-team, notching 39 first-team appearances and scoring nine goals at the age of 18, including strikes in the Champions League and the Premier League. Whether United are interested remains to be seen but Meulensteen, who worked in Sir Alex Ferguson's backroom staff at Old Trafford, believes they should be.

WHAT MEULENSTEEN SAID

Meulensteen told Grosvenor Casino: "Ayden Heaven looks to be an astute bit of business and it’s interesting that there is a pathway of players moving from Arsenal to Manchester United with Chido Obi another one.

"These players have had a good education and for whatever reason they didn’t see a way forward at their particular club, United acted swiftly and we’ve seen them do well.

"Ethan Nwaneri could be another one, it’s interesting that other Arsenal players have been keen on United. What I would say on Nwaneri, I think there will be a bit more of a tug-of-war going on and more financial demands than with those two."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Arsenal face Tottenham in a north London derby on foreign soil on Thursday, as the two sides meet in pre-season in Hong Kong. Nwaneri has impressed during the Gunners' summer excursions to this point.

Josephine Nkomo arrived at the crease with Zimbabwe’s hopes in her hands.It was the 16th over of their 2023 T20 World Cup Qualifier semi-final against Ireland. Zimbabwe were chasing 138 and were 99 for 4. Needing 39 runs in 29 balls, the pressure was building.They lost two wickets in the next 14 balls and only scored nine runs. If they were going to get over the line, Nkomo would have to take them there.She took two runs off the next ball and hit the one after that for four which made the equation 24 from 12 balls. Tough but not impossible. Nkomo found another four off the last ball of the 19th over which meant they needed 15 runs off the final six balls and she was not on strike. Her partner, Precious Marange, scored seven off the first four balls before Nkomo watched a wide and snuck one, leaving Marange to hit six off the last ball to secure victory.It didn’t happen.Zimbabwe missed out on a first World Cup appearance by a margin of only four runs.”What I remember is terrible, absolute loss,” Nkomo told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. “I really thought we could get over the line. It was heartbreaking. I remember watching from the other end and there was nothing that I could do at that time. I was heartbroken. I was just shattered. And I also thought for my team-mates after all the effort, getting so close and not getting over the line. I felt that maybe if you don’t even get to the semi-finals, the heartbreak is much better than when you’re so close but you don’t get over the line. So I wouldn’t want to experience that again.”

The new system will have the TV umpire and Hawk-Eye operators in the same room, with more split screens, better frame rates and a less rigid process

Nagraj Gollapudi19-Mar-2024

To increase the accuracy and speed of decision-making, IPL 2024 will have the Smart Replay System.ESPNcricinfo has learned that under the Smart Replay System, the TV umpire will receive inputs directly from two Hawk-Eye operators who will be sitting in the same room as the umpire and provide him with images captured by Hawk-Eye’s eight hi-speed cameras across the ground. The TV broadcast director, who used to be a conduit between the third umpire and the Hawk-Eye operators until now, will no longer be involved under the new system.It is understood that the Smart Replay System will allow the TV umpire to refer to more visuals than they previously had access to, including split-screen images. Take the example of a relay catch taken mid-air by the first fielder on the boundary rope. In the past, the broadcaster was unable to provide a split screen of the fielder’s feet and hands at the precise moment when the ball was caught. Under the new system, a split screen can show the umpire when the ball was caught, or released, alongside synchronised footage of the feet.Related

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Similarly, a split screen can now show, in case of an overthrow that goes for four, whether the batters had crossed or not when the fielder released the ball (think 2019 World Cup final for an example of a specific use case). Previously the TV umpire did not get such clear visuals, primarily because the broadcaster couldn’t marry the two images.There are eight Hawk-Eye cameras at any match: two on each side of the ground on the straight boundaries and two on each side square of the wicket. Until IPL 2023, Hawk-Eye cameras were mainly used for ball tracking and UltraEdge. So, outside of checks for lbws and edges, the broadcaster largely used footage from their own cameras for any on-field referral. That included referrals for stumpings, run-outs, catches and overthrows.In the case of a stumping referral, under the Smart Review System, the TV umpire can ask the Hawk-Eye operators to show him the split screen. In case there is a visible gap when the ball passed bat, he will not ask for the UltraEdge (to see if it was a caught behind) and instead directly proceed to check the side-on replay for the stumping. If the TV umpire doesn’t see a clear gap between bat and ball, only then he will refer to UltraEdge.For stumpings, the new system will show the TV umpire tri-vision – essentially footage from side-on cameras as well as from front-on in a single frame. The front-on camera angle is important because it gives an accurate picture of bails being removed. Previously the broadcaster would show the side-on angle from each side along with footage from Stump Cam. But Stump Cam records the action at a low speed of approximately 50 frames per second, as opposed to the Hawk-Eye cameras which record at approximately 300 frames per second, meaning there will now be more accurate footage for the umpires to base their decision on.The Smart Review System is also likely to provide more clarity in the case of a catch taken inches off the turf. Such referrals have in the past sparked debate over the TV umpire’s decision, with the video evidence upon which that decision was based seemingly not conclusive. Under the old system, the TV umpire would ask the TV director to provide him with the best angle available to provide clarity on whether the ball bounced before the fielder pouched it or if the fingers were under the ball. Even the zoomed-in visuals did not always provide conclusive evidence.Now, under the Smart Review System, Hawk-Eye will show a single frame straightaway with images from front-on and side-on angles. The TV umpire can then choose to zoom in from a particular angle.It is understood that the conversations between the TV umpire and the Hawk-Eye operator are likely to be aired live, allowing the viewer to understand the thought process behind decisions better.Speed of play is critical in T20 cricket, and the Smart Review System aims to hop over unnecessary steps to arrive at the right decision in the smallest amount of time. One good example is lbw reviews. The protocol so far involves the TV umpire being provided initially with Spin Vision, which comes from a camera that is positioned in front of the wickets outside the boundary on each side of the pitch. If the ball is close to the bat, the TV umpire would then ask to check UltraEdge. Once satisfied there was no bat involved, he would then proceed to check ball tracking. Under the Smart Review System, if the Hawk-Eye operator spots that the ball had pitched outside leg, he will tell the TV umpire immediately and they will then prioritise ball tracking.The ECB has previously trialled a similar referral system in the Hundred.The BCCI conducted a two-day workshop on the new system in Mumbai on Sunday and Monday for select umpires. It is learned that about 15 umpires, comprising both Indian and overseas umpires, will work with the Smart Replay System during IPL 2024 which starts on March 22.

Manchester United and Newcastle are planning to swoop in for Bayern Munich transfer target Nick Woltemade amid uncertainty surrounding Benjamin Sesko.

• Bayern have agreement in place with Woltemade
• United and Newcastle interested in signing forward
• Premier League clubs hit roadblock in Sesko transfer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils and the Magpies are desperately in need of a striker after most of their targets were hijacked by other clubs. According to , the English clubs are now monitoring Woltemade from Stuttgart as they face stiff competition in their attempts to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. The young German striker rose to prominence last season after an impressive spell with Stuttgart and the Germany U21 team.

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  THE BIG PICTURE

  Both English clubs have their own issues to sort out. On one hand, Sesko would be willing to choose United, but the wages are a concern. Newcastle, on the other hand, are waiting to generate funds from the sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool, but the deal is taking time considering the high transfer fees involved. Amid all this, there is now an open chance to sign Woltemade, who may have been left behind by Bayern even after progressive talks, as they chose to sign Luis Diaz to address their winger issues.

• TELL ME MORE

  Sesko is the priority signing for both United and the Magpies. The German club have revised their asking fee and are now willing to part ways with the striker for €75 million (£65m/$86m) plus add-ons. However, it remains to be seen whether United will launch a formal bid for the striker or if the departure of Isak will allow the 2024-25 League Cup winners to finance their move.

  Woltemade's priority move reportedly is also to sign for Bayern but should there be no more attempts to sign the German striker from any club, he is not desperate to leave Stuttgart. The Stuttgart sporting department have decided a deadline but will not budge on their €65m (£56m/$74m) asking price. Woltemade scored 17 goals across all competitions last season and his contract runs until 2028.

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  WHAT'S NEXT FOR MAN UTD AND NEWCASTLE?

  It's a game of waiting for both clubs, as many of their players are yet to depart. Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho are two players United are also looking to offload to adhere to rofit and sustainability rules, which would give them more freedom to bid for Sesko. Meanwhile, Isak's preferred destination is reportedly Anfield, but that too will take time as the Premier League champions have already signed Hugo Ekitike and will have to ponder how to manage the record books should they manage to land the Swedish striker.