O placar magro de 1 a 0 sofrido para Corinthians na noite deste sábado, foi o suficiente para frustrar os planos do Grêmio na luta para deixar as últimas posições do Campeonato Brasileiro.
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Entretanto, mesmo com o resultado ruim, o meia-atacante Alisson acabou vendo um lado positivo. Para o atleta, o comprometimento de seus companheiros em campo foi notável, porém, por um detalhe, a equipe acabou sofrendo um gol que resultou na 9ª derrota em 17 jogos.
“Acho que não somente o primeiro tempo, mas fizemos uma excelente partida. (Derrota) Num detalhe ali, gol de bola parada, na qual a equipe deles é muito forte. Nos doamos, nos entregamos. Infelizmente, por um detalhe, escapou a vitória”, pontuou.
Sobre a arbitragem, Alisson preferiu minimizar um possível erro na marcação da falta que gerou o gol marcado pelo time da capital paulista. Por outro lado, esbanjou confiança destacando que o Tricolor permanecerá na elite do futebol brasileiro.
“Na questão da arbitragem, também não sabemos se foi falta ou não foi. Paciência. Descansar a cabeça. Temos muita coisa boa, o time está se esforçando, trabalhando muito com humildade. Pode ter certeza que vamos deixar o Grêmio onde ele merece, que é na primeira divisão”.
علق جيمي ريدناب، لاعب ليفربول السابق، على فوز الريدز أمام توتنهام، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن الجولة 17 من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ليفربول فاز بسداسية مقابل ثلاثة أهداف في ملعب توتنهام الجديد، وتمكن النجم المصري محمد صلاح من صناعة هدفين وتسجيل مثليهما.
طالع أيضًا.. سون بعد خسارة توتنهام من ليفربول: لهذا السبب يتصدرون الدوري الإنجليزي
وقال ريدناب خلال تواجده في استوديو سكاي البريطانية: “لقد تمكن ليفربول من استغلال جميع نقاط الضعف لدى توتنهام، وتحديدًا من خلال محمد صلاح”.
وأضاف: “لقد شعرت بالأسف الشديد تجاه اللاعب أرشي جراي بسبب محمد صلاح، لأنه تفوق عليه وعلى سبينس بشكل كبير للغاية”.
وأكمل: “جراي كان لاعب وسط مع ليدز يونايتد، ولكن الآن يلعب في خط الدفاع وأمام خط هجوم ناري، ومع دراجوسين كانوا مكشوفين للغاية أمام أفضل ثلاثي هجومي في أوروبا”.
واختتم: “ما فعله ليفربول هو استغلال كل نقاط الضعف التي كانت لديهم، كان الأمر مذهلًا في بعض الأحيان”.
Leeds United missed out on promotion to the Premier League in one of the worst ways possible last month as they were beaten in the play-off final at Wembley.
An entire season of effort culminated in a drab 1-0 defeat to Southampton, thanks to a first-half goal from Adam Armstrong, and the Whites must now prepare for a second year in the Championship.
Head coach Daniel Farke will look back on the 2023/24 campaign and identify ways to improve his side to ensure that they do not fall short for a second time.
Leeds' biggest xG underperformers
23/24 Championship
xG
Goals
xG differential
Georginio Rutter
16.05
7
-9.05
Patrick Bamford
11.11
8
-3.11
Joe Rodon
2.51
0
-2.51
Ethan Ampadu
2.31
0
-2.31
Mateo Joseph
2.43
1
-1.43
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, three of his strikers underperformed against their xG and two of them, Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter, significantly underperformed – by a combined 12.16 xG.
Therefore, the German boss could dip into the market to bolster his attack during the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business earlier this month.
Work on that front already appears to be underway as the West Yorkshire side have been linked with an interest in a forward from the Bundesliga.
Leeds United battling to sign £12m attacker
According to the printed edition of The Sunday Mirror (23/06/24), as relayed by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds are one of the sides battling to sign Bayer Leverkusen ace Adam Hlozek this summer.
The report claims that the Whites and Premier League outfit West Ham United are just two of the teams keeping tabs on his situation with the Bundesliga champions.
It states that the versatile forward is set to move on from Xabi Alonso's side before the 2024/25 campaign and Farke is seemingly looking to take advantage of that with a swoop for his services over the coming weeks.
The outlet reveals that Leverkusen are prepared to demand a fee within the region of £12m for the Czechia international, who is currently competing for his country at the 2024 European Championship.
It now remains to be seen, however, whether or not Leeds are willing to offer the £12m that is apparently required to secure his services before the end of the transfer window, or if the player is keen on dropping down from the first division in Germany to the second tier in England.
If they can secure a deal to sign him, though, then they could land an exciting partner for Rutter in the final third next season in the Championship.
Georginio Rutter's creative brilliance for Leeds
As illustrated in the xG table earlier, the French youngster endured an incredibly poor campaign in front of goal with his wasteful finishing for the Whites.
There is no hiding away from the fact that Rutter must improve his finishing quality next year as he spurned far too many high-quality opportunities for Farke's side.
However, the 22-year-old magician did do a lot of brilliant work in possession when it came to creating chances for other players to find the back of the net.
The former Hoffenheim starlet ended the season with a staggering 15 assists and 22 'big chances' created in 45 league appearances for Leeds, which shows that he consistently looked to set up his teammates.
That is backed up by fantastic underlying chance creation numbers as the right-footed wizard ranked highly amongst his positional peers in the division.
Georginio Rutter vs forwards
23/24 Championship (per 90)
Percentile rank
Assists (0.39)
Top 2%
xAG (0.29)
Top 2%
Progressive passes (4.46)
Top 3%
Shot-creating actions (4.41)
Top 2%
Successful take-ons (3.06)
Top 1%
Stats via FBRef
As you can see in the table above, he ranked among the best in his position at creating high-quality chances for his fellow attackers in the Championship.
These statistics show that the Leeds magician has the quality to constantly split open opposition defences with his creative and incisive passing from a number ten position.
This could make him an exciting partner for Hlozek at Elland Road as the young Czechia star has the potential to be a lethal finisher as well as an impressive creator in the Championship next season.
Why Leeds should sign Adam Hlozek
Firstly, he only turns 22 next month and this means that the club would be bringing in a talented young starlet with time to develop and improve throughout his time in Yorkshire.
Farke could work with the youngster, who was described as a "diamond" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, to help improve his performances on the pitch and, as a result, increase his value for the Whites to potentially make a profit on him further down the line.
Secondly, Hlozek has the finishing quality to be a reliable option for the German head coach in the final third, unlike Bamford, Joseph, and Rutter.
In his two seasons in the Bundesliga with Leverkusen, the 6 foot 1 marksman, who was dubbed "towering" by Mango, scored seven goals from an xG of 5.72 – an overperformance of 1.28.
The talented dynamo, who scored three goals in four DFB Pokal outings, has shown that he can finish at an impressive rate in a major European league, which suggests that he could be a ruthless finisher who could thrive with Rutter's creativity at Leeds.
Adam Hlozek's last two seasons for Sparta Prague
Fortuna Liga
20/21
21/22
Total
Appearances
19
29
48
Goals
15
8
23
Assists
8
13
21
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, he arrived at Leverkusen off the back of two fantastic league seasons with Sparta Prague in his home country.
Hlozek racked up a staggering 44 direct goal contributions in 48 matches and Farke could look to unlock his creative quality, with 21 of those contributions being assists, to go along with his superb finishing.
He could, therefore, be an exciting partner for Rutter at the top end of the pitch for the Whites next term as his ability in front of goal could make up for the Frenchman's struggles in that department.
He's like Grealish: Leeds could sign "dangerous" EFL star to replace Piroe
The Whites manager could stop playing the Dutchman as a number ten by signing this target.
ByDan Emery Jun 19, 2024
It is now down to the club to win the battle for his signature and bring him to Elland Road to bolster Farke's attacking options for the 2024/25 campaign.
And breathe. That was all a little bit stressful again, wasn't it? No matter, though, England are through to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 by the skin of their teeth.
Gareth Southgate's side have laboured and flattered to deceive in Germany this summer but there are signs that they are now growing into the tournament just when it matters, rising to the occasion of a quarter-final with some dramatics along the way.
The boss changed the system on Saturday against the Swiss, a game they drew 1-1 and ended up winning on penalties, with an out-of-possession change resembling a 3-4-2-1 formation with a box midfield consisting of Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo and then spearheaded by Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham.
It also saw Kieran Trippier and Bukayo Saka operate as wingbacks. In possession, they moved into a shape that was more familiar with what they'd been doing throughout the tournament.
It seemed to work though. They didn't create chances to score by the bucket load but it was better, notably in the press. There was also a lot more space for the man of the moment – Saka – to weave his magic.
Saka's performance in numbers vs Switzerland
In 2021, Saka was one of three penalty-takers who failed to get England over the line in the final against Wembley. He, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were subsequently subject to horrendous racist abuse online.
Since then, Saka has notably changed his career around for the better. He's won England's player of the year, become Arsenal's penalty taker and redeemed himself in some style on Saturday evening.
It was vintage Saka, it really was. The Three Lions had gone behind from Breel Embolo's strike at the back post but within minutes, England were level again with ten still left to play.
The nation's number 7 picked up the ball on the right-hand side, drove inside and unleashed a fierce effort from range right into the bottom corner, hitting the post on the way in. That was his fourth goal in major tournaments, one more than David Beckham ever managed for his country.
He then stepped up confidently from the penalty spot, those memories at Wembley three years ago no doubt still fresh in his mind. This time he did not miss, striking the ball into the bottom corner.
His reaction at full-time said it all, pointing to the sky and thanking the heavens.
Overall, the game's Man of the Match was electric, completing 100% of his dribbles, attempting nine crosses and supplying two key passes. Saka perhaps hasn't been at his best this summer but this was a reminder; he is one of their best outlets.
England's other best player vs Switzerland
Coming into this tournament there were no fears about England's attack. Instead, the concerns arose as a result of the nation's unconvincing backline.
Harry Maguire didn't make the tournament due to injury, Luke Shaw was certainly not fit and John Stones had endured an up-and-down time with his own injuries in 2023/24.
Fortunately, Marc Guehi has emerged as a real star during the summer's competition. However, against the Swiss, he was suspended having picked up one too many yellow cards.
That meant that Ezri Konsa was handed his first start in a major tournament at centre-half, and boy did he impress.
Handed an 8/10 match rating by the Independent's Chris Wilson, he claimed that it was the 'kind of game that can change a career' having been near faultless in the win.
Embolo evidently targeted him but Konsa more than held his own, notably making a vital intervention in the first half to deny a promising attack.
Konsa vs Switzerland
Minutes played
78
Touches
61
Pass success
46/47 (98%)
Long balls
2/3
Ground duels won
4/4
Tackles
2
Interceptions
2
Clearances
7
Stats via Sofascore.
The Villa man – who played a lot of last season at right-back – was vital to stifling the opposition, winning all four of his ground duels, two of which were important tackles.
Like Guehi, he was also important in building play. He amazingly only lost possession once in the game, completing 46 of his 47 passes.
Konsa more than proved he's up to playing at an elite level and that should please Unai Emery greatly ahead of a run in next campaign's Champions League. It's just a shame for the player that Guehi will likely come back in for the semi-final again the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Every England penalty shootout at major tournaments
A chance to relive all of the Three Lions’ penalty shootouts at major tournaments.
Em uma importante ação de caráter social relacionada a campanha de vacinação contra a Covid-19, o Internacional lançou uma campanha voltada aos novos sócios onde, de acordo com a quantidade de doses tomadas, aqueles que aderiram recentemente ao programa poderão ganhar um ou dois meses isentos da mensalidade.
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Para aqueles que integram há mais tempo o quadro de sócios do Colorado, ter tomado uma ou mesmo as duas doses da vacina darão direto a desconto de 10% em alguns dos itens disponíveis na loja oficial do clube no Beira-Rio, a Inter Shop.
O vice-presidente de Marketing do clube, Jorge Avancini, pontuou a relevância de campanhas desse tipo pensando no momento sanitário vivido pelo país e também já projetando a possibilidade iminente da volta do público aos estádios:
-Nosso objetivo é incentivarmos que cada vez mais colorados se vacinem. Pois, também, é uma segurança que teremos para quando o público retornar ao estádio. Estamos nos preparando para isso, tomando todos os cuidados possíveis, tanto que, desde a última semana, nosso site está recebendo o cadastro das carteiras digitais de vacinação. A vacina é essencial para que a torcida possa voltar a frequentar o Beira-Rio de forma segura e consciente.
-Acreditamos que a nossa campanha de associação vinculada à vacinação pode gerar um interesse maior entre os torcedores, pois mesmo que agora não estejamos recebendo a torcida na nossa casa por conta da pandemia, esse momento vai passar. E a vacinação completa da população poderá tornar o retorno viável mais rapidamente – acrescentou o dirigente.
تلقى نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، إشادة كبرى من قِبل الموقع الرسمي لبطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، في ظل تألقه اللافت للأنظار في الموسم الحالي.
وواصل محمد صلاح تألقه في مباراة ليفربول أمس، في الجولة التاسعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، ضد وست هام.
واستضاف ملعب “لندن الأولمبي” مباراة الفريقين حيث فاز ليفربول بخمسة أهداف دون رد، معززًا صدارته لجدول البطولة.
وتألق محمد صلاح في تلك المباراة، كعادته هذا الموسم، حيث سجل هدفًا وصنع هدفين.
ويتصدر محمد صلاح جدول هدافي الموسم الحالي من الدوري الإنجليزي، برصيد 17 هدفًا، كما إنه يتصدر قائمة صانعي الأهداف برصيد 13 أسيست.
وكتب موقع الدوري الإنجليزي: “محمد صلاح في طريقه إلى موسم تاريخي”.
وأضاف: “من الغريب أن نتذكر أن جزءًا كبيرًا من الصيف الماضي مضى في انتظار معرفة ما إذا كان محمد صلاح سيغادر أنفيلد لتحدي جديد في مكان آخر”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب وست هام بعد خماسية ليفربول: محمد صلاح أفضل لاعب في العالم
وواصل: “بدلاً من ذلك، بقي المصري في ليفربول حيث يستمتع بأحد أعظم مواسم الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على الإطلاق”.
وأردف: “إنه يتصدر حاليًا قائمة الهدافين (17 هدفًا)، والتمريرات الحاسمة (13 أسيست)، وأصبح أول لاعب في تاريخ البطولة يسجل 10 أهداف أو أكثر ويصنع مثلهم قبل فترة عيد الميلاد”.
وتخطى محمد صلاح مساهماته في الوقت الحالي، ما حققه في موسم الدوري الإنجليزي 2023/24 بأكمله، حيث ساهم حاليًا في 30 هدفًا في 18 مباراة فقط، مقارنة بـ 28 هدفًا في الموسم المنصرم طوال 32 مباراة شارك بها.
وأشار موقع الدوري الإنجليزي إلى إنه بالنظر إلى تلك الوتيرة، فإن محمد صلاح قد يحقق موسمه الأكثر غزارة مع ليفربول، من حيث الإنتاجية.
ويُعد موسم 2017/18 هو الأفضل لـ محمد صلاح بقميص ليفربول، حتى الآن، حيث سجل 32 هدفًا وصنع 10 في 36 مباراة.
Both teams will still need other results to go their way, but they themselves need to win first
Alagappan Muthu31-Oct-20206:34
Time for KKR to recall Kuldeep Yadav?
Big pictureBen Stokes is firing, with bat and ball. Sanju Samson seems to have rediscovered his early season form. Jos Buttler is prepared to play finisher. And Jofra Archer – bubble fatigue or not – is almost unplayable. Talk about peaking at the almost-too-late-but-not-quite time.The Rajasthan Royals are still in IPL 2020. They will stay there with a victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday but they will need help from elsewhere if they are to qualify for the playoffs. Both teams will be keeping an especially watchful eye on the evening game because if the Kings XI Punjab win that, things get dicey.The Knight Riders are in a similar position. But the problem is their net run-rate (-0.467) is so low that they will not only have to win their last match, they have to hope no other team ties with them on 14 points.In the newsIf ever there was a time for Andre Russell, it is now. But the allrounder hasn’t played a game in two weeks and in the absence of any update from the Knight Riders, it is likely that he won’t be fit for this one either.Likely XIsKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Nitish Rana, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Sunil Narine, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Rinku Singh/Prasidh Krishna, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 11 Varun ChakravarthyRajasthan Royals: 1 Ben Stokes, 2 Robin Uthappa, 3 Sanju Samson (wk), 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Jos Buttler, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Shreyas Gopal, 10 Varun Aaron/Ankit Rajpoot, 11 Kartik TyagiIntense, focused – Ben Stokes warms up•BCCI
Previous meetingDefending 174, the Knight Riders’ fast bowlers Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti ripped through the Royals – four of the top five fell for single digits – to seal a 37-run win.Strategy punt Sunil Narine is the Knight Riders’ best asset right now. And with their campaign hanging by a thread, they have to start the game well. Only, they aren’t taking any wickets in the powerplay. Well, they have eight across the whole season, which is the worst by any team. So maybe they should unleash their trump card in the first six overs. Plus, here are Narine’s T20 head-to-heads with the Royals’ top order: Stokes (17 balls, 17 runs, one dismissal), Samson (45 balls, 39 runs, three dismissals), Steven Smith (42 balls, 47 runs, two dismissals), Buttler (41 balls, 43 runs, two dismissals). The Royals have struggled to find a good bowling partner for Archer at the top of the innings. Perhaps they could try Shreyas Gopal. The legspinner is at his best in the powerplay (eight IPL wickets at an average of 13 and economy rate of 7), and he isn’t half bad at bowling to left-handers – the Knight Riders have a lot of those – with 13 IPL wickets at an average of 24.46 and economy rate of 7.45.Stats that matter Stokes has shown dramatic improvement over the past two matches. Where he could only go at a strike rate of 110 in the powerplay during his first five matches of the season, he is now whacking it with a strike rate of 195. Varun Chakravarthy is the only fingerspinner with more than ten wickets this IPL. The only spinners with more than his tally (15) are Yuzvendra Chahal (18) and Rashid Khan (17). Samson has recorded the most 30-plus scores (five) for the Royals this year. He has recorded the most single-digit scores (six) for them as well. Fourteen of Archer’s 19 wickets this season have been of top-order batsmen. The next (and slightly distant) best is Chahal with ten top-order wickets.
Following Max Kilman's departure from Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, Gary O'Neil's side are now on the lookout for a new player to fill the void in the centre of their defence.
Wolves keen for quick Kilman replacement
Following Kilman's £40 million move to fellow Premier League side West Ham United, the higher ups at Molineux will need to move fast to replace the 27-year-old in the heart of Wolves' backline. Kilman featured in all 38 of Wovles' league games last season as his side finished fourteenth in the league.
Wolves could land dream Neto replacement in £15m EFL star
He is wanted by several clubs this summer.
ByJoe Nuttall Jul 7, 2024
The English defender also captained his side in all but one Premier League outing last campaign, showing just how important he is to O'Neil's team. Whilst Kilman will be difficult to replace, the fee received for the player should go some way towards bringing in a suitable reinforcement in this area of the pitch.
Max Kilman celebrates
Reports from last month suggested that Wolves had been in contact with the representatives of Feyenoord defender Thomas Beelen. It was claimed that a fee to the tune of £17 million would be needed to prise the defender away from Rotterdam this summer.
Whilst there are yet to be any concrete links to a new centre back, recent developments suggest that Wolves could return to a target that they previously made contact with.
Wolves eye Elvedi deal this summer
As reported by Sport Witness, the German media are claiming that Wolves will make an attempt to sign Nico Elvedi from Borussia Mönchengladbach this summer. The report suggests that the Swiss defender is on the Midlands outfit's agenda for the second straight summer, having allegedly even agreed contract details with the 27-year-old last year.
nico-elvedi-premier-league-everton-transfers
Wolves should have no issue getting the transfer over the line if they really want it, as the report claims that the Swiss central defender has a release clause of a little over £8.5 million inserted into his contract.
Elvedi featured 30 times in the Bundesliga last season and was called up to Switzerland's squad for Euro 2024. Whilst the defender failed to make an appearance during the tournament, the player is still held in high regard in his home nation.
Whilst nobody is expecting Elvedi to slip straight into Kilman's place at Molineux, there is still no doubt that the 27-year-old would be a great asset for O'Neil's side going into the next campaign.
استقرت لجنة الحكام بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم على معاقبة الحكم محمد العتباني الذي أدار مباراة البنك الأهلي وبترول أسيوط في كأس مصر.
وكان ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي قد احتضن مباراة البنك الأهلي وبترول أسيوط أمس السبت ضمن منافسات دور الـ32 ببطولة كأس مصر.
فيديو | أسامة فيصل يقود البنك الأهلي للفوز على بترول أسيوط في كأس مصر
وعلم بطولات أن لجنة الحكام قررت إيقاف الحكم محمد العتباني وذلك بعد تسريب فيديو له أثار جدلًا واسعًا.
الفيديو الذي تم تداوله على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، أظهر العتباني وهو يتحدث مع سامي الشيشيني، عضو الجهاز الفني لفريق البنك الأهلي، داخل ممر استاد القاهرة، حيث قال له “هيتحسبلك أي لعبة حتى لو 50٪- 50٪”.
وأدى هذا التسريب إلى حالة من الاستياء في الأوساط الرياضية، خاصة أن تصريحات العتباني أظهرت تلميحات بعدم حياديته في اتخاذ قرارات تحكيمية، ورغم أن الفيديو لم يُظهر تفاصيل كاملة عن سياق الحديث، إلا أن هذه الكلمات فُهمت على أنها تعبير عن إمكانية التأثير في سير المباراة بشكل غير قانوني.
الجدير بالذكر، أن المباراة قد انتهت بفوز البنك الأهلي بهدف دون ليتأهل للدور الـ16 من البطولة، حيث سيواجه الفائز من المباراة التي ستجمع بين المصري البورسعيدي ووادي دجلة، ومن المقرر أن تُقام هذه المباراة يوم الثلاثاء الموافق 4 فبراير المُقبل.
Afghanistan allrounder hits 46* off 20 to push Dambulla into top spot
Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Dec-2020
Samiullah Shinwari played a vital innings•LPL
How the match played outGalle Gladiators had their moments in this one. In fact, perhaps they will wonder how they managed to lose it from such positions of strength. Thanks to a rollicking 31 off 18 from Bhanuka Rajapaksa and the by-now habitual excellence from Danushka Gunathilaka, the Gladiators were 73 for 1 at the end of their Powerplay. But then the game slipped.At one stage, the Gladiators seemed headed for 190, before Viiking’s spinners Ramesh Mendis and Samit Patel tied them down. Mendis took two vital wickets – those of opposition captain Rajapaksa, whom he had caught at cover, and the dangerous Azam Khan, whom he trapped lbw next ball.The Viiking’s captain Dasun Shanaka also soon made his presence felt with the ball, having Gladiators’ best batsman Gunathilaka caught behind for 46 off 31 in the 10th over. From there, the Viiking clawed themselves back into the game, taking regular wickets and allowing only 34 runs off the last four overs, which were bowled by Shanaka and Kasun Rajitha, who claimed his team’s best figures of 2 for 31.Danushka Gunathilaka tries the scoop•SLC
Although they made only 168 for 7, the Gladiators seemed to be in control during much of the chase, too. The Viiking lost two wickets inside the first four overs, and were marginally under the required run rate at the end of the Powerplay. By the end of the 13th over, the required rate had crept up to almost 11.3, and the Viiking seemed in real trouble. All the Gladiators needed to do was close out the game.But they couldn’t. They let catches from Samiullah Shinwari – who played the definitive innings of the match – slip through their fingers at least twice. Shinwari would punish these errors, swinging from the hip with virtually no foot movement to plunder 46 not out off 20 balls, hitting two sixes and six fours. The Viiking tied the game with three balls to spare, and Shinwari won it with a six over deep square leg off the last ball, which had been a full toss.Stars of the dayGunathilaka is a stare almost every time he appears in this tournament, and this innings was no exception. His 46 off 31 included eight fours, and he continues to be the LPL’s most productive batsman by a distance.Angelo Perera laid the groundwork for the Viiking’s win with 45 off 31, before Shinwari finished fast. The Gladiators’ bowling was led by Dhananjaya Lakshan, who took the vital wickets of Niroshan Dickwella, who was batting well, and Shanaka, who has been the Viiking’s most prolific batsman in the league.Turning pointWhen Shinwari arrived at the crease, the Viiking neeeded 65 off 33 balls. He went on to bash two sixes and six fours, during an innings in which he struck at 230. Two fairly straightforward catches went down off his bowling, and he took the match to the last ball even though he could have settled it earlier. But before this late burst, the Gladiators seemed headed for victory.Where does this leave the teams?The Viiking leap ahead of Jaffna Stallions to become league leaders, with 11 points. The narrowness of the Gladiators’ loss, meanwhile, means that Thursday’s match against Kandy Tuskers will effectively be a quarter-final. As their net run-rate remains higher than that of the the Tuskers, the Gladiators will likely go through to the semi-finals if they win.